Questions Post #9

[lettered]

It's been a while, but it's the first of the month, and I have more questions.

How tall is Nicholas Brendon?
Have I asked that before?
Why do they put people on boxes? I like the height differences. Now all I can think about are the boxes.

What's a fanfic remix?
What is "O.o" supposed to represent?

When do you think Cordelia went evil?
When was the first moment you knew you really liked Cordelia as a character?

Do you like Buffy's look in S1? Did you always like it, or did you find it barf worthy and then later learn to love it?
Did Flutie getting eaten shock you?
Does Giles seem really nervous when he first meets Angel? Doesn't he seem like he's acting how I get around someone I think is really really cool or really really hot? Not that you would know how I get but can't you imagine it?
Was there actually a plan for a plot with the Annoying One or was he just set up and then they couldn't figure out what to do with him?
Does anyone know if there were ever any ideas expressed by anyone re: what S6 of AtS may've been if they'd gotten a chance to do it, and if so is there a link to the conversation/whatever it was? Because I'm morbidly curious.

Are Potentials of a certain age? When Willow makes them all Slayers, does she activate little girls who would be, and old women who would've been? Or just gals of a certain age?
What happens when all those activated Slayers die? Is it back to one Slayer dies and another one is called?
Is any of this covered in Fray?

Do you think W&H's/Vail's spell to give Connor a life gets broken when Vail dies/Angel reneges on his deal to "work for" W&H? As in, the false memories disappear and no one has the false memories any more so Connor is pretty much basically back where he started, unless his family is willing to accept him anyway even though they have no memory of him/feelings for him before a year ago, nor he of them?

Did Larry die?
When did Giles invite Angel into his house, so that Angel could get in in "Passions"?
What does the line "I'm the one getting single white femaled here" mean? Is that a dumb question? Am I slow? I just don't get it.
Why do you think they decided to make Drusilla Spike's Sire?

Comments

[gloss]

Larry did die; Willow tells Amy so when she de-rats her in s6.

"I'm the one getting single white femaled here"
SWF is a movie about a woman who's stalked by another woman who imitates her and tries to take over her life. Like All About Eve but in that glitzy early '90s slasher-exploitation way.

[tkp.livejournal.com]

I thought so, but then I wondered if we SEE him die. I thought maybe in DMP, but I recently rewatched it and didn't notice him.

I didn't know it was a movie! That clears a lot of things up, thanks.

[dlgood.livejournal.com]

Fanfic Remix = take somebody's fanfic, and then write about the same events covered from a different character's POV. People do challenges and ficathons around them. Fun concept.

Do you like Buffy's look in S1?

This is a fun question. Her look is a terrible look. Except she can pull it off, so it's great. She has this one dress in "Never Kill a Boy" that looks like my grandma's old drapes. It's hideous. But she's a knockout in it.

[gloss]

Fanfic Remix = take somebody's fanfic, and then write about the same events covered from a different character's POV.
That's just one option, actually. Remixes can do a lot of things with the original fic; I've read ones that wrote about a character absent in the original, ones that switched all the colors around, ones that expanded on a single moment, others that elaborated the original into an epic, &c., &c.

[entrenous88.livejournal.com]

Oh, she almost always looks fabulous, even when the fabric is crazy or the cut is awkward. There are a few times I've seen how Buffy was wardrobed and though "Good god," but it's very seldom.

On the other hand, part of the fun in seeing what Buffy is wearing any season is checking out how the stylists have decided to deal with her shortness. s1 had more than its fair share of sooper short dresses and calf-high boots, while of course during later seasons we saw tunic length shirts and blouses and fitted pants.

But I just adore s1 Buffy. She's so freaking cute and curvy.

[tkp.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the NKABOTFD dress is one of the worst, and I could just not get over how great she looked in it. The first time I saw S1 though, the clothes bothered me more. I thought Buffy was always cute, but thought they should dress her better. But by the time we got to S7, with the mellow colors and patterns etc, I found I really really missed the spazzy dressing, and especially the way it showed off how she could make anything look good.

[crazydiamondsue.livejournal.com]

I was to answer *all* of these because I am bored and I love questions but the comment exceeded the length, so I trimmed to my points of most interest. But it will be time spent with me, and you will love me for it. Yes, you will!

How tall is Nicholas Brendon? I've read everything from 5'9" to 5'11" with 5'11" being the most common. I've never met him in person (and I'm 5'2" and horrible judge of height, everyone's tall to me) but I'd say judging from the screen and ASH and DB's listed heights that Nicky is about 5'10" or so. And I'm sure his blood pressure comes in somewhere around 130 over 80, 'cause Xander's does...

Have I asked that before? Possibly? I've probably answered it before, too.

Why do they put people on boxes? I like the height differences. Now all I can think about are the boxes. Speaking from the experience of being 5'2" with a husband who is 6'2", it's so both people can be in frame, and it doesn't look like oral sex (okay, navel sex) about to happen.

What is "O.o" supposed to represent? I use it to mean "...the hell?"

When do you think Cordelia went evil? At the end of Spin the Bottle when she gets her memory back.

When was the first moment you knew you really liked Cordelia as a character? "Don't you have an elsewhere to be?" to Xander in Welcome to the Hellmouth

Do you like Buffy's look in S1? Did you always like it, or did you find it barf worthy and then later learn to love it? I love her chipmunk cheeks, I like the darker hair color and a lot of the skirts and boots. I have a nostalgic affection for the baby blue nail color, but the multiple rings kinda turn me off, especially the thumb ring. The weird bouffant hair thing she wears to the Bronze and when she first meets Angel is vintage All My Children, though.

Did Flutie getting eaten shock you? No. I was too busy being grateful that Xander wasn't in on the Flutie picnic and wondering why Flutie had a picture of himself on his desk.

What happens when all those activated Slayers die? Is it back to one Slayer dies and another one is called? Ooo...good question. Logic would say that it just starts over...I always wondered how the First expected to end the Slayer line since even if you killed off an entire generation of Potentials, new ones would continue to be born. Like squirrels, or something. I didn't understand many things in Season 7, though.

Do you think W&H's/Vail's spell to give Connor a life gets broken when Vail dies/Angel reneges on his deal to "work for" W&H? Hmm...interesting. You think big thoughts. Mine do extend beyond "Fire pretty, Xander hot," but you're like the college prep class level and stuff. They could have, I suppose, though I tend to believe that magic outlives the mage, since Angel's curse was retained through years of Gypsies. However, when Angel renged it could have definitely been reversed, since it was a quid pro quo thing. You should write that fic. I'd read it.

Why do you think they decided to make Drusilla Spike's Sire? To play up the sexual angle and the twisted family dynamic. I think they wanted a mother-son thing with Dru and Spike, although I thought the fucked up sibling thing was fine. And since Angel was later revealed to have sired Penn, what difference did it make if he and Angel had a mutual suckfest? That always bugged me. Maybe they could get Juliet for more time than David, as well? I have no idea. But to go from "You were my sire, my Yoda!" to grandsire always bothered me, as I know it did many, many others. Not for any particular reason; I have no problems with Dru being Spike's sire, it just makes the timeline wonky. Much like Angel's birthdate, turning date and re-ensouling date. Luckily I don't tend to write historical fic, so it all works good for me and my typically Xander from 1997-present timeline issues.

[entrenous88.livejournal.com]

And I'm sure his blood pressure comes in somewhere around 130 over 80, 'cause Xander's does...
*harths you forever*

Yeah. Like Riley standing up next to Buffy when it was exactly how clear how much height difference was between them? Somewhere I have an icon that references that...

What happens when all those activated Slayers die? Is it back to one Slayer dies and another one is called?
Ooo...good question. Logic would say that it just starts over...I always wondered how the First expected to end the Slayer line since even if you killed off an entire generation of Potentials, new ones would continue to be born. Like squirrels, or something. I didn't understand many things in Season 7, though.
I think the idea was that Potentials, in the current called-to-be-chosen schema, had to be a certain age but not past a certain age range (since Kennedy notes she might be too old to become a potential, which clearly was the writers compensating for Willow getting it on with an underaged potential, tah-dah!). So if you theoretically killed all the Potential girls in the correct range, then when the Slayer died, there wouldn't be anyone to activate, even if there were little girls out there who would grow into being Potentials.

Interestingly enough, it seems like the Potentials thing was always focused on puberty. So you hit that range of possibility around the same time you hit menstruation age, and by the time you've reached full-fledged womanhood, you've either been called or killed (since it seems most Slayers die young) or passed over. It's an incredibly strange version of female empowerment that only empowers one young woman in a very specific window of time.

[tkp.livejournal.com]

Too late. I already love you!

And I'm sure his blood pressure comes in somewhere around 130 over 80, 'cause Xander's does...

You n' Willow're peas in a pod. I almost said pies in a pod. Mmm.

it's so both people can be in frame,

Oh! Duh.

"Don't you have an elsewhere to be?" to Xander in Welcome to the Hellmouth

Heh. My first intro to Cordy was the first 4 eps of AtS, in which I loved her. But then I started with S1 BtVS and was all like huh? I started to think I'd read her character wrong, and began to find her just completely annoying. Then I saw "Out of Sight, Out of Mind" and have loved her forever since. (What happened to her character in AtS S3 wasn't Cordy's fault.)

The weird bouffant hair thing

I love that!

wondering why Flutie had a picture of himself on his desk.

Ha! I never even thought about that before.

I didn't understand many things in Season 7, though.

None of us did.

However, when Angel renged it could have definitely been reversed, since it was a quid pro quo thing. You should write that fic. I'd read it.

Well, the main reason I ask is because I'd like to write that fic. If someone pipes up with a yeah, that's possible, and I wrote about it here! I'll back off, but that story needs to be written. Connor would be even MORE fucked up, just when you thought he couldn't get any fucked upier.

But to go from "You were my sire, my Yoda!" to grandsire always bothered me, as I know it did many, many others.

It didn't bother me because I knew Dru was Spike's sire before I ever heard that line, so it was easy to understand that line in a non-literal way. While I like the idea of Angel being Spike's sire because that deepens their connection, I think Drusilla as Spike's sire makes more sense for the interactions we get on screen. There's something about...I don't know, the responsibility Angel feels/doesn't feel, for what happened to William and . . . I don't know, if Angel had really sired Spike, Spike would be more comfortable, I think, with his yearning to be respected by Angel, and his defiance of Angel. That is, he'd be able to comfortable label Angel, and Angel him, no matter how much discord there was there, a lot of it could come down to father/son dynamics. But instead they feel all those sorts of feelings when they're not as directly connected as they could be, and it frustrates them, and confuses them, and makes them yearn for/hate each other all the more. That's my take on it anyway.

[a2zmom.livejournal.com]

How tall is Nicholas Brendon?

I believe entrnous88 has him measured to the nearest centimeter.

Have I asked that before?

If you did, I hope this was a more amusing answer.

Why do they put people on boxes? I like the height differences. Now all I can think about are the boxes.

Because when people are talking they want the actors heads to be on approximately the same level. Plus they were hoping to forestall talk of wee!fairy!Spike.

What's a fanfic remix?

answerd by my betters.

What is "O.o" supposed to represent?

uh-oh. just say the Os with appropriate empasis.

When do you think Cordelia went evil?

I think she was infected as soon as she took on the aspect of the demon but wasn't completely evil until StB. But I think she was losing more and more of herself up until that point.

When was the first moment you knew you really liked Cordelia as a character?

Don't remember. But I pretty much know when they ruined her in season 3 of AtS.

Do you like Buffy's look in S1? Did you always like it, or did you find it barf worthy and then later learn to love it?

I love the chubby cheeks. Plus boobs! The outfits were insane (did she slay vampires by flashing them?) but it was part of her charm, imo.

Did Flutie getting eaten shock you?

Yes. It was one of the most shocking things the show ever did.

Does Giles seem really nervous when he first meets Angel? Doesn't he seem like he's acting how I get around someone I think is really really cool or really really hot? Not that you would know how I get but can't you imagine it?

I thought Giles was thinking he's a vampire and don't I trust him at all.

Was there actually a plan for a plot with the Annoying One or was he just set up and then they couldn't figure out what to do with him?

The annoying one sprouted up making it obvious that vampires do, in fact, age so they offed him. No idea if they originally had annoying plans for him.

[entrenous88.livejournal.com]

How tall is Nicholas Brendon?

I believe [info]entrnous88 has him measured to the nearest centimeter.

Heee! *preens*

**surreptitiously slips "e" into right place in name**

[a2zmom.livejournal.com]

part 2

Does anyone know if there were ever any ideas expressed by anyone re: what S6 of AtS may've been if they'd gotten a chance to do it, and if so is there a link to the conversation/whatever it was? Because I'm morbidly curious.

I heard that LA was supposed to be a wasteland, a real apocalyptic mess. And Oz was going to come back because Nina was supposed to go increasingly feral.

Are Potentials of a certain age? When Willow makes them all Slayers, does she activate little girls who would be, and old women who would've been? Or just gals of a certain age?

No one knows. My guess is it's a ceratin age rane before yoyr potentialness can turn into actuality and after that point your potentialness fades.

What happens when all those activated Slayers die? Is it back to one Slayer dies and another one is called?
Is any of this covered in Fray?

Again no one knows. Fray states there was some kind of final battle in the 21st century fought by a slayer and her friends and after that there was no more slayers and no more vampires. No one knows the details.

Do you think W&H's/Vail's spell to give Connor a life gets broken when Vail dies/Angel reneges on his deal to "work for" W&H? As in, the false memories disappear and no one has the false memories any more so Connor is pretty much basically back where he started, unless his family is willing to accept him anyway even though they have no memory of him/feelings for him before a year ago, nor he of them?

I don't think the spell is broken I think speels outlive their casters once ther set in motion. I think the only people affected by the original undoing of the spell were those in the immediate vicinity as stated in the ep.

Did Larry die?

yes.

When did Giles invite Angel into his house, so that Angel could get in in "Passions"?

We see 43 minutes of what happens in Sunnydale, one day a week. There are lots of other adventures that occur. during at least one of them, the gang, including Angel, wound up at Giles'.

What does the line "I'm the one getting single white femaled here" mean? Is that a dumb question? Am I slow? I just don't get it.

answered above.

Why do you think they decided to make Drusilla Spike's Sire?

Because of the homoerotic elements involved. However, I think it worked out fine because it's made more than clear that Angel basically taught him everything.

[gloss]

Because of the homoerotic elements involved.
You think? I thought it was to set up Spike's change of loyalty from Dru to Buffy in "Crush", later on in s5.

[(Anonymous)]

Do you think W&H's/Vail's spell to give Connor a life gets broken when Vail dies/Angel reneges on his deal to "work for" W&H?

No.

And by no, I mean, I'd love to read that fic, but I don't personally think that's the way that magic works in the 'verse. Thus, when Tara dies, all of her magic spells do not immediately revert, etc.

However.

We are talking about a law firm here. There's bound to be and-if-a-then-b-shall-occur-addenda. Uh, addendums? Something tricky in any case. There's certainly the question as to why Angel *kept* working for W&H, because I don't think he believed for a minute that he could institute change from the inside. If that's what they were going for, they failed to get that idea across. So the argument could be made that he had reason to believe that should he leave, the deal would reverse. On the other hand, he (Angel) did seem pretty positive about the potential for Connor to live a "normal" life during that scene in NFA where they say goodbye - the supposition being that had Angel worried that his actions would revert the spell in any way, he might could have hesitated a bit more.

I guess it also depends on whether you're one to consider the comics "canon," since Spotlight is coming out and the storyline there is that that Connor's struggling to live a life of integrated memories, post-NFA.

[ros-fod.livejournal.com]

HELLO LJ.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

The O.o thing.

Make one eye big, and one eye small. Possibly with a raised eyebrow.

"Uhh..."
or even "what the hell?" It's all the anime emoticons thingies. LIke: @.@ or ^__^ or my favorite, smiley faced rocker hands:

lml ^_^ lml

Everything else has been done.

[tkp.livejournal.com]

Oh! See, I thought it was the one big eye one small eye thing, but that seemed like a more crazed expression than what the hell? But with the raised eyebrow it makes so much more sense. No, really!

ahahaha. I love the rocker hands. I'd never seen that one before.

[cordelianne.livejournal.com]

Oooh lots of fun and interesting questions! Thanks for asking! Since a lot have been answered very comprehensively, I'll just try some of them.

Why do they put people on boxes? I like the height differences. Now all I can think about are the boxes. It's much easier to frame a shot when the people are closer to the same height, especially if they're kissing. I do like when we get to see the height differences in other scenes. Oh, and they do this kind of thing in movies all the time. I bet that Tom Cruise stands on boxes. And I've heard - if I'm recalling it correctly - that in a Mel Gibson movie, they had someone else walking in a trench beside Mel so they'd look shorter than him.

What is "O.o" supposed to represent? I'm glad you asked because I didn't know either! :)

When do you think Cordelia went evil? When wasn't she evil?! hee /channeling Xander pre-dating Cordy.

When was the first moment you knew you really liked Cordelia as a character? In Homecoming when she just intimidates the vampire. Oh, I did a couple of posts a while back about when I fell in love with the characters on BtVS (http://cordelianne.livejournal.com/31787.html) and AtS (http://cordelianne.livejournal.com/32095.html).

Did Flutie getting eaten shock you? It impressed me. I like when shows will take those risks.

Are Potentials of a certain age? When Willow makes them all Slayers, does she activate little girls who would be, and old women who would've been? Or just gals of a certain age? There's already been some interesting answers already. In addition, I theorize that it might be all ages. In the montage when the spell's happening we see that young girl baseball player, and I've always thought that she's activated.

Do you think W&H's/Vail's spell to give Connor a life gets broken when Vail dies/Angel reneges on his deal to "work for" W&H? I assume that the spell sticks. I'm not sure why, I just do.

Why do you think they decided to make Drusilla Spike's Sire? Because they were exploring Spike's romantic life and how he's been shaped by the women he's been involved with (all "his women" are in this episode: Cecily, Dru, Harmony, Buffy). Drusilla siring him is a nice metaphor for her directing him on a different path, which he doesn't really alter from until he meets Buffy. Dru was such an influence on him, it makes some sense that she'd have sired him.

Obviously it contradicts what Spike says to Angel in School Hard. But, I'd say that Angel was more influential in shaping William into Spike/William the Bloody, which we see him doing in FFL and then in Destiny (so he sired him in that respect - so Spike's more literal about the Yoda part than the siring in School Hard), whereas Dru influenced his approach to women. And I don't think this negates Angel and Spike getting it on!!

[tkp.livejournal.com]

It's much easier to frame a shot when the people are closer to the same height, especially if they're kissing.

The kissing aspect--I'd just like to see more how Angel and Buffy handled the difference. Though there's this part in IWRY, the sorta jump/lift thing where she puts her legs around him for --uh, better access. I love the way that was played; it looked like they'd done it a million times, and that's how I imagine them kissing. Um, what was I saying again? Oh yeah, well, I see how it's way easier to get a close shot; I hadn't thought about that.

It impressed me. I like when shows will take those risks.

Me too! I think the only other thing that impressed me as much was Cordelia getting killed in The Wish. After Flutie got eaten, I came to expect more that random characters could die. Or even get eaten. After The Wish, I came to expect that those stock shows featuring character so-and-so, who learns the error of their ways, could be drastically turned on their ear into something far more influential to the verse.

In the montage when the spell's happening we see that young girl baseball player, and I've always thought that she's activated.

That's half of the reason I ask! The other half is of course, about a fic. ;o)

Because they were exploring Spike's romantic life and how he's been shaped by the women he's been involved with

Yeah, but that's the one thing I really don't like about the idea of Dru siring him. They fiddled his history to fit the theme of the episode. Sure, it makes sense for the reasons you say and other reasons as well, but it would've worked better for me if they hadn't made it seem like it was a retcon in order to suit the current ep.

And I don't think this negates Angel and Spike getting it on!!

Oh, it sure doesn't. In fact, I was telling Sue above that I think it adds all kindsa interesting angles. There's still that aspect of family, but since it's kinda once removed, Spike's yearning for respect and Angel's out of hand dismissal (common familial type issues) are even more complex.

[baffae.livejournal.com]

I liked bitchy Cordelia right from the beginning. Her first rude/stupid comment would be the moment if I had to choose one although I'm blanking right now on what that is.

Buffy's look in S1 was, for the most part, barf-worthy. Well, some of the time SMG could pull it off because she's SMG but the rest of the time. . . what was up with those tight, high, patterned pants she wore all the time? and the skirts so short I wondered whether they were meant as underwear were never a good idea, even if she had the body for them -- they just looked uncomfortable.

I guess I always assumed the potential slayers were all of a certain age because all of the slayers were of a certain age when they were called. There's no real explanation for that phenomenon on the show but Kendra, Faith, Buffy were all around the same age when they were called (late teens) and it appeared that the potentials were all in that general area as well, although maybe a year or two younger because they hadn't been called yet.

why is the button you push to respond to a post called "speak"? wouldn't reply make more sense?

[tkp.livejournal.com]

Buffy's look in S1 was, for the most part, barf-worthy. Well, some of the time SMG could pull it off because she's SMG but the rest of the time. . .

The first time I saw S1 I was appalled by her outfits. But now I absolutely adore them. SMG looks hot in all of them, and there are some other aspects that I've learned to enjoy: 1. because she can make something that should look ugly look good, the bizarre outfits serve as a constant reminder that she was totally a trend setter in L.A., which further highlights her lack thereof in Sunnydale. 2. the more bizarre the outfit, the deeper the contrast between stuff like her duty, Angel--even Giles, to what she once thought she was. 3. They highlight Buffy's youth. 4. Horrendous as they should be, they're more interesting to me to look at than her more "mature" clothing!

why is the button you push to respond to a post called "speak"? wouldn't reply make more sense?

I don't know! Isn't it different on different journals?

[my_daroga]

Everyone's answered most stuff, but the Cordy moment that comes most clearly to mind is "Tact is just not saying true stuff." True that, Cordelia.

[tkp.livejournal.com]

I love that line! And it really does highlight one of the things I love the very best about Cordelia--you can always depend on her for truth.

Love your icon.

Happy birthday again!

[anelith.livejournal.com]

I think no one else has mentioned this, so I'll just pop in to say that I read Fray and as far as memory serves, I don't believe it said anything regarding the formerly large number of activated Potentials (now Slayers) and why at the time of Fray the world was back down to one Slayer. Or I should say, as far as the viewpoint of the comic was concerned, all we could see was that there was one Slayer. That could have been misleading.

So sorry, but no help.

I have the sneaking suspicion that Joss wrote Fray before he had the bright idea of activating all those Potentials. I'm not entirely sure of the timeline, but I think Fray came about pre-S7 or at the very least, concurrently. So has even he figured it all out? Only the Shadow (Joss) knows...

[tkp.livejournal.com]

I really really really need to read the comics. I have no idea what goes on in any of them! Did you enjoy it? a2zmom said it mentioned that there was some battle in the 21st century with the Slayer and her friends and that after that there were no more Slayers and no more vampires. Sounds interesting.

I started a fic without knowing about the activation of the Potentials because I hadn't seen the whole series yet. BAD idea.

[43100.livejournal.com]

What is "O.o" supposed to represent?

Raised eyebrow? Cluelessness? Wtfness? Shockedness? o.O i don't know

When do you think Cordelia went evil?

To Shanshu in LA.

Did Flutie getting eaten shock you?

I rly miss him!

Does Giles seem really nervous when he first meets Angel? Doesn't he seem like he's acting how I get around someone I think is really really cool or really really hot?

Giles is turned on when Angel talks in cryptics! I bet if those two sat down under the influence of lots of alcohol and Angel started reading one of Giles' books...

[tkp.livejournal.com]

To Shanshu in LA.

What? Are you joking? Explainy?

I rly miss him!

Yeah, but if not for him, there'd be no Snyder. And I adore Snyder.

I bet if those two sat down under the influence of lots of alcohol and Angel started reading one of Giles' books...

I'd read that fic. Actually, I like it better when there's no liquor and lots of hurtiness involved dealing with Buffy and Jenny and torture, but it's all good.

Thanks!

[aloneinthetown.livejournal.com]

I'm sure it was okay for the moment, but Buffy's look in S1 was groossss. She was a cute little chip-munky teen, but dark brown lipstick and weird ass eyeshadow colors really didn't help. And a leather jacket with a so-80s-it's-not-even-funny poofy prom dress? EW....! I'm thinking that the late nineties weren't QUITE that ugly, they just had a low budget and fished out her outfits from a dumpster. But I still thought she was pretty :)

[tkp.livejournal.com]

But...but wasn't the jacket the jacket Angel gave her? ZOMG I LOVED IT!

I hated her wardrobe at first but now I've grown to love it. Not only did she still look fab in spite of them, she made them look good, and I think it fit her character. I never noticed that her make-up was that weird. I do think that throughout the entire series they shadowed her eyes a little too dark. Lots of the time it looked like she'd been punched in each eye. Which now that I think about it is possibly why they did that!

[lynnenne]

Why do they put people on boxes? I like the height differences. Now all I can think about are the boxes.

Because it's easier to frame the shot if your actors are close in height. If there's too much height difference, you have to widen the camera angle in order to get both faces inside the frame, and you end up with a lot of empty wall space in the background. When both actors are the same height, you can zoom in tight so all you can see is the faces (a la the "Caveman vs. Astronauts" argument).

When do you think Cordelia went evil?

As soon as she got her memory back in "Spin the Bottle." Definitely before she had sex with Connor. :P

When was the first moment you knew you really liked Cordelia as a character?

"Excuse me, I have to call *everyone* I have *ever* known." -- "Welcome to the Hellmouth"

Do you like Buffy's look in S1?

I've never liked Buffy's look, ever. I'm one of those weirdos who think that SMG is not really all that hot. But according to one of those face-profiling web sites, SMG is the celebrity I most resemble, so I probably shouldn't be too critical of her. *g*

Was there actually a plan for a plot with the Annoying One or was he just set up and then they couldn't figure out what to do with him?

Most likely the latter.

Does anyone know if there were ever any ideas expressed by anyone re: what S6 of AtS may've been if they'd gotten a chance to do it, and if so is there a link to the conversation/whatever it was? Because I'm morbidly curious.

Both DB and JM have said that they would have loved to have seen the Angel/Spike dynamic explored more fully in s6. DB's words were, "They have such a history and such great chemistry together." Bestill my heart!!! I can't find the link, though, sorry.

Are Potentials of a certain age? When Willow makes them all Slayers, does she activate little girls who would be, and old women who would've been? Or just gals of a certain age?

Slayers are always called as teenagers. It was never discussed in canon, but I've seen several fanon arguments that menstruation is tied with Slayerhood.

What happens when all those activated Slayers die? Is it back to one Slayer dies and another one is called?

My take is that potential Slayers will continue to be born, and will continue to be called when they reach puberty.

Do you think W&H's/Vail's spell to give Connor a life gets broken when Vail dies/Angel reneges on his deal to "work for" W&H?

Not in my fic. *g*

Why do you think they decided to make Drusilla Spike's Sire?

To piss us off? I think it fit better into the "Fool for Love" backstory, which in turn fit better into Spike's Season 5 arc. Trying to convince us that Spike was a "fool for love" over Angelus would have been too much of a stretch.

Great questions, as always! :)

[tkp.livejournal.com]

I've never liked Buffy's look, ever. I'm one of those weirdos who think that SMG is not really all that hot.

It's weird, when I saw her on other stuff, I didn't think she was hot at all, didn't think she was a good actress, thought I would hate her--she's one of the main reasons I stayed away from the show. The truth is, I still don't think she's all that...how do you say, I don't know, beautiful, I guess. When I was buying S6&7 at the store the girl at Best Buy was all like "Oh, I love this show! Sarah Michelle Gellar is just the prettiest girl ever!" And I...don't really feel that way. I do think, however, that she's one of the most charismatic presences ever, and that her expressions, the way she acts, the way she moves, just--everything about her that's not her standing very still for a single photograph--are just some of the sexiest, cutest, most endearing, most engaging things ever in a star. /sorry, extreme Buffy/SMG love.

But according to one of those face-profiling web sites, SMG is the celebrity I most resemble, so I probably shouldn't be too critical of her.

Well, if it's any comfort, I don't think you look like her. But I still think you're pretty!

DB's words were, "They have such a history and such great chemistry together." Bestill my heart!!! I can't find the link, though, sorry.

Now that you mention it I think I've actually read a transcript of that interview, or something. I think DB liked being able to let loose more, which he got to more when Spike was around.

I've seen several fanon arguments that menstruation is tied with Slayerhood.

entrenous88 mentioned that above--what an interesting idea.

To piss us off? I think it fit better into the "Fool for Love" backstory, which in turn fit better into Spike's Season 5 arc.

There are quite a few things I actually enjoy about Dru being Spike's sire, and among them several A/S reasons as well. But I did feel like it was a retcon established at the time SOLELY to service the ep FtL, and that just drives me nuts.

Thanks--and thanks for your answers!

[ravenwings-7.livejournal.com]

How tall is Nicholas Brendon?
Erm... I figure he's around 5'11", pushing six foot when he works at standing up straight.

When was the first moment you knew you really liked Cordelia as a character?
I've always liked her, even thinking back to the very first eps I saw (Nightmares and Dark Ages) seven or eight years ago, but I can't tell you the exact moment. I can, however, point out the moment I knew I loved her: Rm W/A Vu, or, more specifically, the Rant of the Reigning Bitch Queen. I sat forward, grinning like a loon, this [] close to jumping out of my seat and shouting "Hell yeah!"

Did Flutie getting eaten shock you?
No, but it was very sad.

Does Giles seem really nervous when he first meets Angel? Doesn't he seem like he's acting how I get around someone I think is really really cool or really really hot? Not that you would know how I get but can't you imagine it?
Yeah, I know what you mean, but I generally write it off as, well, nerves, because hey--vampire. Also a bit of an academic fascination, because... 250 years old, with a soul, which would be weird and interesting even to someone with just layman's knowledge of history & vampires, but to a Watcher? Damn.

Are Potentials of a certain age? When Willow makes them all Slayers, does she activate little girls who would be, and old women who would've been? Or just gals of a certain age?
I've always figured that Slayers are chosen between early pubescence and whenever their wisdom teeth are fully grown in, which seems to describe the general age spectrum we saw in the Chosen montage. However, it is canon that Potentials can be identified at a very young age, so I don't know if there was a broader range Chosen with Willow's spell or not. I think not. But if so, just think of how much trouble Herakles caused as a baby. Yeek.

What happens when all those activated Slayers die? Is it back to one Slayer dies and another one is called?
This is actually one of the things I'm rather fond of pondering. Some writers tend to go for the idea that new slayers keep getting Chosen long after the spell is cast, which can work narrative-wise, but I don't quite buy it, something-else-wise (what? I'm tired, and I'm going to bed as soon as I finish this). I assume that things would go back to status quo after a few decades, unless some other weird thing happens. ::ponders::

Is any of this covered in Fray?
Not really. The deal with Fray is, sometime in the 21st century, a Slayer, with a few allies, goes head-to-head with a truly massive army of demons (we're talking dragons and Ascended in the mix), and when the dust settles, all the demons and magic power on Earth are gone. Over 200 years later, Melaka Fray is the first to be Chosen since. Although AtS wouldn't have gone this way if it had gotten a 6th season, I think this is as close to a canon resolution for NFA as we're going to get, as well.

Do you think W&H's/Vail's spell to give Connor a life gets broken when Vail dies/Angel reneges on his deal to "work for" W&H?
No. My view of the situation is that what Vail did wasn't just a spell--he rewrote reality, like you might rewrite a story. Vail didn't just make false memories of/for Connor with his new family, he made it so he had always been a part of that family. The memories that Wesley released were just backup files of a previous draft.

Do you think Spike's duster looks like it fits him?
No, the sleeves are too long, but not by much. If he'd stolen it from a store, he might have had to face the great too-big-or-too-small conundrum, and picked that size. The strange thing is it doesn't seem much bigger on Nikki, and she was definitely smaller than Spike (long limbed though). I wonder where she got it?

[a2zmom.livejournal.com]

My view of the situation is that what Vail did wasn't just a spell--he rewrote reality, like you might rewrite a story. Vail didn't just make false memories of/for Connor with his new family, he made it so he had always been a part of that family. The memories that Wesley released were just backup files of a previous draft.

what a great explanation.

[violaclaire.livejournal.com]

When do you think Cordelia went evil?

Canonically? After the spell in Spin the Bottle. In my own little universe that allows me to still adore Cordelia? After Birthday.

When was the first moment you knew you really liked Cordelia as a character?

Reptile Boy. "Younger men are the only way to go." And it's the first time we get a name for Jonathon!

Do you like Buffy's look in S1? Did you always like it, or did you find it barf worthy and then later learn to love it?

I have never been able to look at outfit out of context, but I've heard from people who know fashion that her clothes were . . . unusual. I always thought she looked adorable in them.

Did Flutie getting eaten shock you?

Yes. Poor Flutie.

Does Giles seem really nervous when he first meets Angel? Doesn't he seem like he's acting how I get around someone I think is really really cool or really really hot? Not that you would know how I get but can't you imagine it?

I can sort of see that, but I always interpreted it as Giles going, "Vampire in the room. Vampire in the room," and trying not to lunge for the nearest weapon.

Does anyone know if there were ever any ideas expressed by anyone re: what S6 of AtS may've been if they'd gotten a chance to do it, and if so is there a link to the conversation/whatever it was? Because I'm morbidly curious.

I've heard that the Circle of the Black Thorn was going to be the main S6 villain, and that they were going to do more with Illyria turning into Fred. When ME found out there wouldn't be a S6, they sort of compressed a lot of stuff into the last few episodes.

Did Larry die?

Already been answered, but yes. In GD2, the Mayor crushes him with his tail. It's one of the many blink-and-you-miss-it deaths of that battle, like Harmony's.

Why do you think they decided to make Drusilla Spike's Sire?

I've seen a lot of interesting answers for this. I always thought that a large factor was that they wanted to explore more of Spike's past but DB was busy doing Ats, so he wouldn't be available for flashbacks very often.

[tkp.livejournal.com]

In my own little universe that allows me to still adore Cordelia? After Birthday.

I just watched the end of S3 again and I'm starting to think you could totally read shades of it there. And the writers did claim they'd always planned on making Cordelia go evil, since...I don't know, since somewhen in S3.

I have never been able to look at outfit out of context, but I've heard from people who know fashion that her clothes were . . . unusual. I always thought she looked adorable in them.

I think she looks adorable, too. But then I imagine those clothes on a rack--or worse, on me, and uck!

I've heard that the Circle of the Black Thorn was going to be the main S6 villain, and that they were going to do more with Illyria turning into Fred.

I hadn't heard that about the Circle of the Black Thorn! I did hear that about Illyria, though. That would've been so cool. I really love Illyria.

It's one of the many blink-and-you-miss-it deaths of that battle, like Harmony's.

What's funny is I noticed Harmony first time I saw it, and every time since. But it could be I was subconciously watching for it because I knew she was turned sometime before "The Initiative" (which was the first ep I ever saw).

I always thought that a large factor was that they wanted to explore more of Spike's past but DB was busy doing Ats, so he wouldn't be available for flashbacks very often.

Hadn't thought about that!

Thanks for your answers. And hi!

[femmenerd.livejournal.com]

You ask good questions...but you make me work so hard for the answers. All that scrolling! OK, I'm delirious from too little sleep and plenty of mutual fandorking. Back to the trenches!

[tkp.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean! My question lists are only for the stalwart!

And bored.

[spiralleds.livejournal.com]

What is "O.o" supposed to represent?

I'm with the camp that think sit is one eye really wide open and one eye normal.

When was the first moment you knew you really liked Cordelia as a character?

Might have been Earshot. Love it when what she's thinking is exactly what she says.

Do you like Buffy's look in S1? Did you always like it, or did you find it barf worthy and then later learn to love it?

About 90% of the time, thought it was cute and something beyond what I could ever pull off.

Did Flutie getting eaten shock you?

Yes

Does Giles seem really nervous when he first meets Angel? Doesn't he seem like he's acting how I get around someone I think is really really cool or really really hot? Not that you would know how I get but can't you imagine it?

Ah, no. Very much canon girl, particularly back then. I'm sure he was just nervous, because, you know, dangerous vampire there.



Do you think W&H's/Vail's spell to give Connor a life gets broken when Vail dies/Angel reneges on his deal to "work for" W&H? As in, the false memories disappear and no one has the false memories any more so Connor is pretty much basically back where he started, unless his family is willing to accept him anyway even though they have no memory of him/feelings for him before a year ago, nor he of them?

Definitely not with Vail's death. Interesting question with W&H, but the one thing Angel wanted more than anything was for Connor to have a normal life. He tells Connor to go home and live his life in a way that struck me as Angel being certain Connor gets his life, regardless of what he did. In fact, I think what gave Angel the green light to do what he did was to Connor got his memories back. The agreement must have been more about Connor not having his old memories than about keeping his new ones.

But that doesn't mean one couldn't write a convincing fic running the other direction.

[ravenwings-7.livejournal.com]

Valid points all.

There are lots of ways to modify memories, both theoretically and within the series, with varying degrees of power and complexity. As you said, those directly involved with Dawn eventually figured out that all was not as it seemed, because the monks didn't erase the old memories, they just added new ones and hoped that the old ones would stay hidden, like flipping over a couch cushion and going "See? There's no stain there." My main point when I made the "impossible to beat" comment (which was more than a bit hyperbolic) was that if W&H could make an entire life's worth of memories, with friends, family, and an academic record in keeping with not-screwed-up-Connor's personality, as well as completely erase (or at least remove, which may well be harder) another life's worth from the minds of various others (and making new memories to replace the missing ones) - many of whom are fairly sensitive to magical activity - while they're conscious, without them noticing, then what's to stop them from, say, teleporting Angel to New York and replacing everything from his first encounter with Whistler onward with variations on the theme of homeless and rat-eating? Or something else similarly devious (with all the requisite changes to the memories of acquaintances). Assuming you can make any sense of my longest run-on sentence yet. *ahem* Carrying on.

It was meant more as an illustrative comment, not a statement of fact (and I realize it wasn't very clear; one disadvantage of an electronic setting is that it takes a lot longer to hash out precise meaning), to point out that sure, if the SP could just say "Okay, we're tired of this Angel guy, let's have him never be born/turned/souled/whatever," then of course they'd be unbeatable (and as I write this out I realize exactly how lame my "illustrative comment" was). But it's not that simple, especially if the Senior Partners don't want to change the general makeup of their world. We've seen what can happen when someone screws around with reality. I've never been able to figure out why they chose to do so when they did (but same goes for the memory-altering, too); I assume it's because of power limitations, whether due to scope or circumstance or maybe Cyvus Vail was the only one who knew how and the SP wouldn't pay enough before.

Although I reiterate my statement of Connor-was-dead, with the addition of doubting that Angel would consent to a Raising, your point about Connor's superpowers is definitely the strongest argument for just-memories. But I think I've found away around it, although I haven't quite figured out how to articulate it. Same goes for Cordelia remembering the old version, although that explanation is a little closer to expressible. If you want to know, I'll try to explain, but it probably won't make sense :).

I'm not saying that my version of the deal isn't infallible. There are at least as many holes in it as there are in the memory version, probably more. I'm just rather attached to it and can't see why it shouldn't be the case. It's a Dream of a Thousand Cats thing.

As a side note, I love conversations like this. Although they can be a little frustrating, they also remind me exactly what it is I love most about fiction: there is no true interpretation, it's all up to the one reading or watching, and until the writer weighs in with new info, people can bicker about just about everything within the work til kingdom come, and never be proven wrong. It's cool, not having to worry about being wrong, but knowing you're no more right than anybody else.::warm fuzzies:: That said, if Joss ever says that Vail changed reality, I will jump up and down shouting "See? See? I told you so!"

[ravenwings-7.livejournal.com]

Dammit! It happened again!