So where's s8 heading?

[elisi]

stormwreath made a point in his review of issue 9.

I've never read 'Fray', but he quoted this dialogue:

"It was some hundreds of years ago, in the twenty-first century. What we know is this - there was a battle. A Slayer, possibly with some mystical allies, faced an apocalyptic army of demons. And when it was done... they were gone. All demons, all magicks, banished from this Earthly dimension."
"And the Slayer? Did she--?"
"I do not know if she lived. But the demons being gone, she was the last to be Called."
- Joss Whedon, 'Fray'

It would seem very plausible that season 8 will lead up to that battle, esp given what the masked Twilight guy says.

(What did I say? It. Is. All. Story-driven!)

So... this made me think. First of all, I wondered about W&H, 'cause I can't see the Senior Partners easily giving up earth. Then I thought that maybe this would finally be that fabled apocalypse of theirs, and ooooh, what side *would* Angel be on? Then I thought that post-s8 fanfic would be like the most boring stuff ever: Buffy becomes a cop (just like predicted in WML!), marries... oh I don't know, Xander? Or Parker? And has some kids and hangs out with her friends.

But then I began thinking...


And here comes a teeny little fic, set post-season 8/AtF. Minor spoilers for the possible ending of both comics! *g*


And then what happened?

The portal closed behind them with a definitive crack, and Spike, Angel, Illyria and Connor looked around at the sun drenched landscape.

"So.. that's goodbye Earth, I take it?" Spike remarked, sighing.

"It would seem so," Angel replied, taking in the surroundings with a frown on his face.

"Why did they throw me out too?" Connor complained. "I'm human... ish."

"Your superior physical prowess threatened them!" Illyria answered, and Connor turned his head and shot her a speculative look.

"Guys... I think we're in Pylea," Angel said, and Illyria slowly nodded. "I concur." She tilted her head, assessing. "The cave where Fred lived is not far from here."

Connor's eyes suddenly lit up. "A cave? I grew up in caves. Want to show me?"

Blue eyes met blue eyes, and a small smile tugged at the God's mouth. "It would please me to do so."

Moments later they had vanished up the hill.

"Huh," Spike said. "That was quick."

He and Angel began walking in the direction of the town, and soon they came to a field where several people were busy harvesting.

"Angel!" A man exclaimed, and came towards them. He was no other than one of those who had helped storm the castle when Angel had been there last, and was now a member of the democratically elected government.

He and Angel chatted for a while, catching up, and finally Angel asked what they had done with the castle - did anyone live there or was it a government building now?

"Oh no," the man replied. "It would not be right for anyone to live so far elevated, and also it has many dark and unpleasant associations for everyone. Too much torture went on in there for us to ever be comfortable to use it."

Angel's eyes suddenly gleamed. "Does that mean we can have it?"

The man shrugged. "Sure."

Angel turned to Spike, smiling, and Spike's eyes narrowed. "What to you mean 'we'?"

Angel smiled even wider. "You look very pretty in sunshine..."

*

And they all lived happily ever after.

The End

Comments

[adoxerella.livejournal.com]

I just woke up, so the only coherant thing I can manage is, snerk.

Thanks for sharing this.

[elisi]

Hey, my pleasure! :) And I think it's the fastest I've ever written anything - I thought of it like a hour ago, and then just sat down and wrote it. Oh and Spike misses TV a lot, but they *do* have a lot of fun hunting Drokken beasts etc, so he gets over it after a while.

[beer-good-foamy.livejournal.com]

Haha, good one. Nice to see that Pylea, at least, has developed into a democracy rather than a people's republic (though the idea of members of government helping with the harvest made me want to insert the line "Dennis! There's some lovely filth down here! We're an anarcho-cynicalist commune. We take it in turns to sort of act as a sort of executive officer for the week. But all the decisions of that officer have to be ratified at a special bi-weekly meeting..." somewhere. :-) ) And Spike and Angel living happily in a fairytale castle is... enjoyable. (Sucks for Lorne though, I assume he'd be back home as well?)

As for s8/s9 ending with the battle described in Fray... I really hope not. That would pretty much land this in the same territory as ep 3 of Star Wars: everybody knows how it's going to end since we've already seen the sequel years ago. Which would make it even more crucial to get the characters right so we at least know WHY they end up where they do, rather than just showing us HOW...

[elisi]

Haha, good one.
I thought you might like it... ;)

Nice to see that Pylea, at least, has developed into a democracy rather than a people's republic
Well I half-remembered Groo's lines: "Endless committees were formed. Committees splintered into factions, the factions into coalitions, the coalitions turned into subcommittees, until finally the more radical element, spurred by a charismatic leader, did the dance of revolution."

So I - somewhat in the spirit of Monty Python it must be said - decided that they'd make one of those terribly, terribly equal and PC government thingys. (After they kicked out Groo, they did realise that having a Champion around might have been nice. Ergo, they're happy to have Angel & co around.)

And Spike and Angel living happily in a fairytale castle is... enjoyable.
Castles, castles, everywhere! (And Angel can brood over Cordy, when the mood gets him. It's perfect!)

Sucks for Lorne though, I assume he'd be back home as well?
Damn I totally forgot him. Although in my personal comic canon, the Spike-comics happened too, so post-NFA he went to Japan to pursue a career there, and people just thought he was a guy in make-up, and maybe he got to stay?

everybody knows how it's going to end since we've already seen the sequel years ago.
Amen. And also, a world without Slayers, demons & magic? *yawn* (OK, so it'd set up the Firefly 'verse, but...)

Which would make it even more crucial to get the characters right so we at least know WHY they end up where they do, rather than just showing us HOW...
I think it's getting a little late for that.

[kitmarlowescot2.livejournal.com]

Lol, this as good as your Pern crack.

[elisi]

Ooooh, thank you! :)

[zanthinegirl.livejournal.com]

It's 5:15- I haven't even had coffee yet! But that? Made me snicker wildly!

[elisi]

Yay! :D

[beer-good-foamy.livejournal.com]

Amen. And also, a world without Slayers, demons & magic? *yawn* (OK, so it'd set up the Firefly 'verse, but...)

It would sort of suck if the final vision for the Buffyverse could be summed up in the words "All-human AU", wouldn't it?

[elisi]

Yup. But at least all the demons would be happy in their different dimensions. ;)

(It also struck me that Earth would then parallel Quor'Toth - two dimensions totally closed off from the rest.)

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

Yay!

And then Buffy arrived and told them that her castle is bigger, prettier and has Internet access... :)

[elisi]

Hee!

Although seriously - how? No more magic means no more portals - Willow would have to settle down and become a software programmer or something, rather than giving Buffy a helping hand. (Also comic!Buffy is emo, mindwiped, moping loner, and I don't want my Spike & Angel near her. *g*)

[kathyh]

LOL! I'm sure Spike and Angel will be much happier in their castle than Buffy is in hers :)

[elisi]

Indeed. :)

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

Although seriously - how?

I'm gonna pretend I'm Joss (who usually doesn't give a damn about "how") :)

BTW, have you disabled comments to your previous entry?

[elisi]

I'm gonna pretend I'm Joss (who usually doesn't give a damn about "how") :)
*laughs* Well in that case, there might be some threesomeness forthcoming. Seems to be the only positive side to comic!Buffy anyway. (This last issue just made me give up on her. Which actually makes things easier.)

BTW, have you disabled comments to your previous entry?
Yes - I honestly can't be bothered to discuss it.

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

s for s8/s9 ending with the battle described in Fray... I really hope not. That would pretty much land this in the same territory as ep 3 of Star Wars: everybody knows how it's going to end since we've already seen the sequel years ago.

Besides, I've got the impression that Joss plans to milk this cash cow ad infinitum and Fray ending closes the verse... :)

[mikeygs.livejournal.com]

lso comic!Buffy is emo, mindwiped, moping loner, and I don't want my Spike & Angel near her.

Well according to Joss, out of the whole tribe staying at Revello, Buffy is the one that might have had to prove she could be selfless. Hey, you know, maybe the Crayzee!Bangels were right that the Supa!Rabid!Spikefen really did get to him. :P

[elisi]

*points to icon*

;)

[shapinglight]

Hooray! That is exactly what happened.

And you disabled comments on your review post. Just wanted to say, I agree about Joss seemingly wanting to forget most of season 7. I don't understand it. I love season 7. Why are people so down on it?

:gloom:

[elisi]

Hooray! That is exactly what happened.
Knew you'd like it! Just think of this whenever you're feeling down! :)

And you disabled comments on your review post.
Didn't want a gazillion arguments.

Just wanted to say, I agree about Joss seemingly wanting to forget most of season 7. I don't understand it. I love season 7. Why are people so down on it?
No idea. It's brilliant, and deals *beautifully* with a lot of issues.

And I am now going to concentrate on my fic!

[stormwreath.livejournal.com]

You have paired me with that pitiful offspring of halfbreeds. You are presumptuous. When I ruled, I could summon a thousand such as he as my love-slaves and cast them aside again as my whim took me. [/Illyria]

:-)

I thought that post-s8 fanfic would be like the most boring stuff ever
If Joss is working towards that as the ending, then it would really be The Ending. Reichenbach Falls. "Farewell, friend; I was a thousand times more evil than thou." '"Well, I'm back", he said'. "And they all lived happily ever after." So no, there wouldn't really be any further scope for sequels until you skip forward to the Frayverse, when the magic and demons start to return again.

Will he actually do that? I'm not sure. It would definitely be an artistic rather than commercial decision, if he does. It would be easy enough to say that 'Fray' happens in a separate branching timeline rather than being canon; or that the history recounted in the quote I wrote is distorted and inaccurate. (In the comic, it's said by a character who isn't necessarily 100% reliable as a source, rather than by an omniscient narrator).

If the demons and magic are banished from the earth, would Buffy and Willow end up normal humans without special powers? Or would they be banished too? Would they be willing to make that sacrifice voluntarily, if it meant banishing all the dangerous demons too?


I wondered about W&H, 'cause I can't see the Senior Partners easily giving up earth.

"This world is older than any of you know, and contrary to popular mythology, it did not begin as a paradise. For untold eons, Demons walked the earth; made it their home... their Hell. In time they lost their purchase on this reality, and the way was made for the mortal animals. For
Man."

"This [Scythe] was forged, centuries ago, by us. Halfway around the world. Forged there, it was put to use right here. Only once, to kill the last pure demon that walked upon the earth. The rest were already driven under."

The Senior Partners? Nothing but unfinished business. Their time will come...

[mikeygs.livejournal.com]

I love season 7. Why are people so down on it?

I'm all a'whoa at that. I thought elisi might have been the only one besides me who liked the last season.

As far as Joss forgetting it, I'd go so far as to say he's neglecting everything after Restless as far as character development goes. And that only holds to the secondary characters. Comic!Buffy is pretty much completely out of nowhere.

[elisi]

I thought elisi might have been the only one besides me who liked the last season.
There's quite a few of us... :)

Comic!Buffy is pretty much completely out of nowhere.
*nods* Issue 9 finally killed any interest I might ever have had. I just want her to go away.

[mikeygs.livejournal.com]

I'm a member of that community! I remember getting excited about it, then, well, kinda noticed that a bunch of people in it had expressed how much they DISliked the last couple years in other posts around and was put off. Kind of reminded me of all the renowned Buffy haters who joined st_salieri's Buffy comm.

I dunno, I find it weird.