Spoiler Slayer

Slayer Sunday

Since I happen to live in a very Raider-friendly area, I think most were surprised that the SuperBowl wasn't what I was going to be watching yesterday. Well, that's not completely true, I did Tivo it so I could fast-forward to watch the commericials (now there's irony for you).

Anyway, thanks to the fact that I'm also in a very Kings-friendly area, Buffy was delayed until last night. But now it has been watched, I've allowed it to sink in, and since there really isn't much of anything else to discuss, here's my thoughts on the episode.

Once again, it's another strong episode for this season. It also gave us a much-needed break from all the doom and gloom from the previous episodes. I know that I haven't laughed this hard since 'Him' aired. Tom Lenk is priceless, though I feel that having him as the comic foil at the moment is further pushing Xander further into the woodwork. But even with the light tone, there was still some serious ground that was covered. As expected, the main storyline dealt with the Potentials and their story. This episode really gave us a chance to know them a little better. Which is something that needs to be done, especially if any of them are being considered for a possible spin-off

(And for all who are wondering about what happened to Chloe, it's been explained that there was a scheduling conflict. However, I think it was a good decision anyway. Since based on future events, there isn't going to be much need to develop her character further).

It's good that they decided to take the time to deal with the question of Dawn. I was convinced that Dawn would be revealed to be a SIT, as even Anya pointed out she has the whole 'blood' thing working in her favor. By demonstrating that this will not be the case, it brings the focus back to the current SIT's. I know that some think that Dawn could still be a SIT, but it's more than just the spell. It's the fact that Dawn struggled for some time against the vamp, but Amanda dispatched it with ease. While the Potentials may not have the Slayer's strength or healing abilities, they do have the mental capabilities of the Slayer. They can think on their feet, they can fall back on their instincts. Again, filling in some much needed details on the SIT's.

I do have a couple of problems with the episode.

The first, is the continued confusion over the Slayer line. 'Potential' demonstrates that this wasn't just disinformation being spread by The First. Buffy, Dawn and the rest of the Scoobies all believe it to be true as well. When Buffy dies, another Slayer will be called.

My first thought was that maybe we're seeing a split between what we know and what the Scoobies know. The writers have stated that the line lies through Faith (if we choose to believe them). Maybe the Scoobies were under the impression that if Buffy dies another Slayer will be called.

But if that's true, then there should be another Slayer. Buffy did die, and another Slayer was not called. The Scoobies should realize this and be more concerned about Faith. What's even stranger is the fact that the entire Faith angle is not even being mentioned. Which you would want to do for the new fans of the show, who might not even realize who Faith is. It's going to be very interesting to see how this is handled when she returns to Sunnydale.

My own personal thought is that the writers are telegraphing the upcoming 'Last Slayer' storyline. Somewhere along the way, it was decided that Buffy's resurrection has muddled up the line of succession. While the Scoobie's technically would not know this, maybe this is creeping into the writing. It's a huge oversight, but there are other things that would point to this (for example: Xander's flashcard comment and Andrew's about the microwave are going to have a payoff in 'First Date').

However, seeing that this episode was written by Rebecca Rand Kirshner, somehow this doesn't surprise me.

My other issue is the treatment of Dawn. Suddenly, the Buffy who wanted to show Dawn the world, is treating her like a piece of furniture. In the span of just a few episodes, Dawn is once again being ignored. Is this part of the overall storyline, or episodic emphasis to add to the storyline of just this episode. I could see it going either way, and it could have a purpose. Buffy's M.O. when under stress is to push away all of her friends and relatives, so it's not really any different from the way she has acted in the past. Spoilers for upcoming episodes could point to this trend continuing.

What I find most interesting about 'Potential' is not in the episode itself, nor even the storylines that will unfold in the future. After viewing the episode, I'm even more convinced that 'The Killer In Me' and 'First Date' have, at least in part, been swapped. Giles being in Shanghai, the microwave and flashcard comment, seem to indicate that at least some of the scenes that end up in 'First Date' may have originally been planned for 'The Killer In Me'. Was there a reason for this, or did it come down to scheduling (remember that Wanda mentioned there was a problem with casting the Asian SIT). But I doubt it's going to have any bearing on the storyline, it's just something that I find interesting.

While the episode did answer some questions, and we are obviously in the eye of the storm for the moment, the question of the day is the Slayer lineage. Who is the current Slayer, where does the power lie, and how did Buffy's resurrection cause this scenario? Unfortunately, these may not be answered for some time. Personally, that's just fine with me, I'm enjoying the journey itself. Though it will be sad if this season turns out to be the final one, because this show is only getting stronger with age.