Buffy season 11 no 5
Mar. 22nd, 2017 08:15 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shapinglightEnjoyed this again.
Spoilers behind cut
I think if you've enjoyed this series so far (I have) then you're going to carry on enjoying it, and if you don't (some people in other places conspicuous by their absence)you won't.
This issue is set entirely in the so-called 'safe zone.' No sign of Xander or Dawn, and no Mini!Giles. Joss was supposed to be writing a mini series for Dark Horse featuring Mini!Giles but no sign of that either. Can't say this surprises me really.
Buffy is now a 'custodian' - an inmate of the internment camp who has taken on security duties inside the 'no magic can get out' forcefield in return for extra privileges - in Buffy's case because she wants extra blood for Spike.
In this issue, she breaks up a pile-on by the Ogre (a literal ogre) and his gang on another inmate and gets called a traitor, then, with Willow, discovers that the Ogre has organised a mass rush on the forcefield when it opens to admit the water trucks, to try and escape. Buffy puts a stop to that. She thinks they're all going to get themselves killed. This happens in view of Jordan and the other Slayer guards who tell her she'd better work outside the forcefield for a few days until everyone gets over it, so she's guarding a work detail instead. This was actually Buffy's plan - to see the lie of the land outside the forcefield and work out a better escape plan.
On the outside, she watches what the supernatural beings on the work details are doing - making machine parts, assembling stuff, coding. No one knows what any of what they're doing is for, but by the end of the day Buffy has learned a lot - not least when watching TV at lunch, when the newsreader says that the supreme court is still hearing arguments about the safe zone and it could be a very long time before the zone is closed down. She also discovers that there are restricted areas guarded by soldiers with guns who don't allow even Jordans's Slayers anywhere near. When Buffy mentions this to Jordan, Jordan is pretty :shrug: about it. She thinks the soldiers are just scared of the Slayers and that the Slayers could take their guns away any time they chose.
Hmm, I suspect Jordan will see the error of her ways and join with Buffy before this story is over.
Buffy also witnesses the fatal shooting of a demon, who steals a jeep and tries to escape. Not nice.
Back inside the forcefield, Buffy, Willow and Spike pore over what Buffy has learnt. The 'machine parts' look like magical symbols (Buffy has drawings, which I assume she has made from memory as we don't see her scribbling in a notepad any time). Some of the symbols fit together.
Buffy thinks the work crews are working on the same project, and it's big. Willow thinks it's weird that the government that's cracking down on magic users is building something that uses magic. Buffy says they need to get into the restricted area.
Meanwhile, the Ogre is plotting to kill her.
Other stuff of note?
Well, Willow has persuaded Lake that a couple of Wiccans don't belong in the safe zone because they've never practised magic. She meets Lake at the gate and hands the two girls over. They're allowed to go free as long as they sign a legally binding agreement that they will never engage in magical activity. Lake says she knows it's hard, because it's part of their religion, but the two girls don't belong in the safe zone. Willow says there are others who don't too because they can only conjure a few sparks. Lake says she can't help. "If they've demonstrated spell casting ability, they're classified as a threat." Willow asks what if she drained them of their magic so they couldn't cast spells any more. Lake looks intrigued by this idea. She leaves soon after, telling Willow to take care of herself, but obviously not much bothered to see her former girlfriend in such a bad situation.
So I guess that's how Willow will get herself and Buffy out of the safe zone - by draining their magical abilities somehow. Don't know if this means they never get them back, or what. We'll see, I guess.
Anyway, the plot is advancing, so that's something.
I still think the vice president will turn out to be the villain. Vice-presidents in fiction are nearly always evil.
Art is still by Jeanty. Not awful awful, but I'll be glad when Rebekah Isaacs comes back.
Spoilers behind cut
I think if you've enjoyed this series so far (I have) then you're going to carry on enjoying it, and if you don't (some people in other places conspicuous by their absence)you won't.
This issue is set entirely in the so-called 'safe zone.' No sign of Xander or Dawn, and no Mini!Giles. Joss was supposed to be writing a mini series for Dark Horse featuring Mini!Giles but no sign of that either. Can't say this surprises me really.
Buffy is now a 'custodian' - an inmate of the internment camp who has taken on security duties inside the 'no magic can get out' forcefield in return for extra privileges - in Buffy's case because she wants extra blood for Spike.
In this issue, she breaks up a pile-on by the Ogre (a literal ogre) and his gang on another inmate and gets called a traitor, then, with Willow, discovers that the Ogre has organised a mass rush on the forcefield when it opens to admit the water trucks, to try and escape. Buffy puts a stop to that. She thinks they're all going to get themselves killed. This happens in view of Jordan and the other Slayer guards who tell her she'd better work outside the forcefield for a few days until everyone gets over it, so she's guarding a work detail instead. This was actually Buffy's plan - to see the lie of the land outside the forcefield and work out a better escape plan.
On the outside, she watches what the supernatural beings on the work details are doing - making machine parts, assembling stuff, coding. No one knows what any of what they're doing is for, but by the end of the day Buffy has learned a lot - not least when watching TV at lunch, when the newsreader says that the supreme court is still hearing arguments about the safe zone and it could be a very long time before the zone is closed down. She also discovers that there are restricted areas guarded by soldiers with guns who don't allow even Jordans's Slayers anywhere near. When Buffy mentions this to Jordan, Jordan is pretty :shrug: about it. She thinks the soldiers are just scared of the Slayers and that the Slayers could take their guns away any time they chose.
Hmm, I suspect Jordan will see the error of her ways and join with Buffy before this story is over.
Buffy also witnesses the fatal shooting of a demon, who steals a jeep and tries to escape. Not nice.
Back inside the forcefield, Buffy, Willow and Spike pore over what Buffy has learnt. The 'machine parts' look like magical symbols (Buffy has drawings, which I assume she has made from memory as we don't see her scribbling in a notepad any time). Some of the symbols fit together.
Buffy thinks the work crews are working on the same project, and it's big. Willow thinks it's weird that the government that's cracking down on magic users is building something that uses magic. Buffy says they need to get into the restricted area.
Meanwhile, the Ogre is plotting to kill her.
Other stuff of note?
Well, Willow has persuaded Lake that a couple of Wiccans don't belong in the safe zone because they've never practised magic. She meets Lake at the gate and hands the two girls over. They're allowed to go free as long as they sign a legally binding agreement that they will never engage in magical activity. Lake says she knows it's hard, because it's part of their religion, but the two girls don't belong in the safe zone. Willow says there are others who don't too because they can only conjure a few sparks. Lake says she can't help. "If they've demonstrated spell casting ability, they're classified as a threat." Willow asks what if she drained them of their magic so they couldn't cast spells any more. Lake looks intrigued by this idea. She leaves soon after, telling Willow to take care of herself, but obviously not much bothered to see her former girlfriend in such a bad situation.
So I guess that's how Willow will get herself and Buffy out of the safe zone - by draining their magical abilities somehow. Don't know if this means they never get them back, or what. We'll see, I guess.
Anyway, the plot is advancing, so that's something.
I still think the vice president will turn out to be the villain. Vice-presidents in fiction are nearly always evil.
Art is still by Jeanty. Not awful awful, but I'll be glad when Rebekah Isaacs comes back.
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no subject
Date: 2017-03-22 12:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-03-24 11:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-03-23 12:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-03-24 11:12 am (UTC)Unless of course Gage springs a surprise on us and the villain is the actual president. That would novel (though even more topical, of course).
no subject
Date: 2017-03-25 02:18 am (UTC)It would, but I'm still expecting it to be the vice-president (though he could have been involved in the Twilight thing, who knows?).
It would be very cohesive. Twilight wanted rid of magic. This is a way they could do it.
One part that doesn't make sense is they seem to be already building the depowering machine but Lake seems intrigued when Willow says she can do it. I wonder if what's on the cover for 7 isn't it or Lake is just being shady.
no subject
Date: 2017-03-28 03:42 pm (UTC)Well, it could still fit if Lake is thinking that Willow could do the machine's work so they don't need to bother with it?
no subject
Date: 2017-03-28 04:24 pm (UTC)Probably just streamlining it. Willow sucks the witches, the machine sucks Willow. It's a whole lot easier to convince 1 person than a dozen.
no subject
Date: 2017-03-28 04:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-03-28 05:05 pm (UTC)I reckon it will depend how it works. I highly doubt the magic suck is going to make sense given it's established a witch's power comes from the seed. Speaking of which, since the slayers know about the seed, you'd think they'd just smash it again.
I'm not too keen on the solicitations. I thought this issue was a big recovery from the last one (Buffy and Willow being competent!) but it looks like a short haul thing.
I suspect Jordan and company are in for a bit of the First they Came for the... treatment. Once all the demons are rounded up, they're next.
no subject
Date: 2017-03-30 03:54 pm (UTC)Yep. Given recent Slayer history in the comics, it's actually not very believable to me that they don't realise that.
no subject
Date: 2017-03-24 03:13 am (UTC)Barb has an interesting point: what if there is a through-line from the Nazi sub to the Initiative to the Twilight-era military to this horror show. Since I adore a huge government conspiracy — when it's fictional — this seems satisfying to me. Too close to reality for comfort at the moment, but narratively satisfying. Especially if Buffy figures out how to save the day! Show us how to save ourselves, Buffy!
I do like the domesticity under pressure stuff, too. I am warming to this Willow, who is doing all kinds of hard, unflashy things, instead of taking the ego-stroking way out. Have I said that before? Well, I'm still liking it.
no subject
Date: 2017-03-24 11:17 am (UTC)That could well be the case - though how it ties in with Willow and Buffy divesting themselves of their powers so they can leave the safe zone, I'm not sure, since the blurb suggests they do it willingly. However, it happens, though I actually love the idea of them saving the day while being de-powered, I hope they get their powers back afterwards.
I agree this Willow has grown as a person. Same is true of Spike. I like the way Gage writes them both.
I also hope that Buffy saves the day (whether de-powered or not) by being smart. She showed some smarts in this issue I hope that continues.
I do like the domesticity under pressure stuff, too.
Yeah, me too - and Buffy and Spike being together but that not being the focus of the story is one of my favourite things about it, and one of my favourite fanfic tropes.