Buffy Season 8 – Volume 3. Wolves at the Gate

So I left the last episode wondering what would happen with Buffy and Willow. Turns out not too much, they are somewhat estranged at the beginning and go their separate ways for awhile, but they are fine. All is well. Well…not really…

This was a very funny episode considering all the serious things that happen. First we have a guest appearance by Dracula (thus with the funny). Luckily Xander resists any urges to eat bugs. Much of the story is set in Japan and there is a really nice riff on Japanese Monster movies. Very, Very funny.

Although Twilight shows up for a brief cameo where he kicks Buffy’s ass, this episode is very much centered around a group of Japanese vampires who have created a spell driven machine thing (truthfully I have no idea what it is) that along with Buffy’s special Scythe can steal the slayer right out of a girl. Yes, they’ve invented a de-slayerifying machine. Heaven help me, I just might faint...from delight! Obviously the slayer army is not that popular with others – or am I just projecting again? Surprisingly, I wasn’t sure I wanted it to work. There are some slayers that are growing on me. Maybe it was just the actors that I hated? I’m sure I’ll beat this subject to death in my next Buffy post too, no worries!

The serious stuff was really…serious. I won’t tell you who dies, but if you’re reading along or just a Buffy T.V. fan you know that they don’t shy away from killing main or semi-main characters. All I’ll say is Mr. Whedon really does not like his characters to be happy. It’s all about building the love up and then having someone die or betray you. I definitely understand it on one level – it is the anticipation that is so wonderful to read or watch. Once someone is together it is almost anti-climatic. But dang. It has got to be hard being these people.

One note on the art: I love that they get Buffy’s wonky nose right. I also love that Sarah Michelle Geller never had a nose job. I love it when people don’t look like waxy imitations of people.

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Book Source: Library Copy