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ravenya003 · 4 months

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Welcome to the Hellmouth, S01E01

My 2024 Buffy the Vampire Slayer rewatch starts NOW!

Before I jump in, here’s some quick housekeeping:

I’ll endeavour to do this on a weekly basis; watching an episode on Saturday night and writing up a post on Sunday.

I’m not going to worry about spoilers. This show was as good as it was because of how interconnected the themes and storylines were, so if something in season one reminds me of something in season seven, I’m going to mention it.

This is the first time I’ve watched this show (probably) since high school, and it’s almost certainly the first time I’ve watched it from start to finish. It’s actually rather dizzying in this age of eight episode shows that get cancelled after two seasons to consider there are one hundred and forty-four episodes of Buffy that span seven years.

Obviously I am not unaware of Joss Whedon’s mistreatment of others on the set of Buffy, and where it seems relevant I’ll bring it up. But I also don’t think it’s fair to the rest of the cast and crew to throw the entire show under the bus because of one person, especially when it had such a huge (positive) impact on so many lives.

For the record, my favourite ships are Willow/Oz, Giles/Jenny and Spike/Drusilla. My purpose in pointing this out is to make clear that I don’t watch this show to see what true love looks like, but to watch a close-knit band of social misfits fight the forces of evil together. To me, the heart of this show is the friendship between Buffy, Xander, Willow and Giles. The show is always at its strongest when it’s focusing on the four of them, and most of the love stories just don’t interest me that much.

Once season three is over, I’ll start alternating between Buffy and Angel episodes.

Okay, let’s get to it.

First of all, I was not prepared for how dated everything looks and sounds. Naturally my most recent memories of Buffy are watching the later seasons, when there’s cellphones and internet access and fashion choices that wouldn’t seem out of place today – but season one looks like a different era entirely.

There are some references that have dated amusingly (Cordelia and Buffy bond over their shared appreciation for James Spader), some that I didn’t get at all (who’s John Tesh? What’s Debarge?) and a few synthesized musical cues that are straight out of the nineties.

I had forgotten that the Cold Open involves Julie Benz as Darla, and that show-defining twist when it turns out that she’s the vampire and not her predatory date. Ah, Red Shirt #1 played by Carmine Giovinazzo – you have the distinction of being this show’s first victim. I salute you.

Also, it’s amusing to think that we had no idea just how important Darla would end up being to the franchise’s lore. She’s just a standard vampire minion at this early stage, though I do like the fact that she was presumably cast to look a bit like Buffy.

And of course, it all starts at good old Sunnydale High.

Our first glimpse of Buffy Summers begins with her in the middle of a nightmare, which... girl, get used to this plot device. This one is a bit more muddled than her later dreams, made up of a bunch of clips that’ll be used in later episodes that culminate in the Master, the season’s Big Bad.

I had to smile at the sight of those yellow school buses pulling up at the front of Sunnydale High. Buffy may not arrive at school in one of these things, but seven years later, she’s sure as hell going to leave in one.

Joyce – and later on, Angel – are both perfect examples of Characterization Marches On regarding the fact the writers’ room hasn’t quite settled on their personalities yet. In Joyce’s case, she comes across as a lot more flaky than in later appearances.

Oh, and here’s Xander, riding in on a skateboard that we’ll never see him use again across the entire run of the series. I get that he’s a very contentious character in the annals of the show, and though I’m certainly not going to let him off the hook for his occasional (frequent?) shitty behaviour, I also think I’m fonder of him than the average fan.

Honestly, I think Joss Whedon doomed him a little when he stated that Xander was the character most based on him in high school. Suddenly all his entitled, chauvinist behaviour was re-evaluated through the lens of knowing that Whedon was a pretty awful person – but I hope we can all agree that even at his worst, Xander is a MUCH better human being than Whedon.

We’ll see how we go.

Interesting that Willow’s history with Xander is established well before she meets Buffy. Not surprising, since they’ve known each other since early childhood, but interesting. Buffy is the protagonist, but Xander/Willow’s relationship with each other takes precedence when it comes to introducing the gang’s dynamics.

And hey, it’s Eric Balfour as Jesse! Oh man, they really dropped the ball on this character, didn’t they. It’s the one aspect of this two-part premiere that really doesn’t work... but I’ll get to that in good time.

Principle Flutie! Something else I’d totally forgotten; I honestly thought this show started with Snyder.

Also, that initial on his desk plaque is B. Does that mean his name is actually Bob (which is what he tells Buffy to call him)? Not Robert? Weird.

Buffy and Xander’s meetcute involves him helping her pick up some of the spilled contents of her bag, and accidentally saying: “can I have you?” instead of “can I help you?” Oof. Yeah, that’s not an auspicious start.

Buffy meets Cordelia before she meets Willow, and Cordelia comes across as surprisingly nice when she shares her textbook with Buffy and invites her into Sunnydale's popular clique. Then of course, the second relatively big twist of the episode occurs: Cordelia reverts into absolute bitchiness when they come across Willow at the drinking fountain.

Willow scarpers and Buffy looks deeply uncomfortable. There’s a nice subtext across this episode that suggests Buffy was once just like Cordelia, only for her calling to make her more sympathetic to social “losers” like Xander and Willow.

Cordelia also describes the Bronze as being in “the bad part of town”. Huh? I’m going to chalk that one down to more Early Instalment Weirdness, since I don’t think it ever comes up again. (Later Sunnydale is described as a “one Starbucks town”, which is also funny since it’s later revealed to contain a zoo, a shopping mall, several lakes and parks, a military base, and a university).

Buffy enters the library for the first time, and the first thing she sees is a newspaper with an article titled “local boys still missing” outlined in red. The plurality of “boys” means that this isn’t referring to Darla’s kill, which probably only happened the night before anyway. Instead, it’s an indication that there are ongoing problems of a supernatural nature in Sunnydale.

And here’s Giles! The most interesting thing about this interaction is that Giles has clearly been waiting for Buffy. As in, he knows that the Slayer is scheduled to appear in Sunnydale, and that she’s going to be enrolled in its local high school. As Willow says later on, he’s also a newcomer, having only recently taken the position of school librarian.

The show never goes into any more detail than this, but I have so many questions. Clearly Buffy was under surveillance from the Watchers Council, who knew she was coming and made sure Giles had a cover story and a position to fill at Sunnydale High so that he could more easily sidle himself into her life, but a part of me wonders they pulled similar strings for Joyce to get her that job at the art gallery in order to bring Buffy to Sunnydale in the first place.

Evidence for this is that Giles already knows it’s a hotbed for supernatural activity in his discussions with her, though I suppose his dialogue suggests it’s more fate (or the Powers That Be?) rather than the Watchers Council that had a hand in Buffy’s arrival at the Hellmouth (“there’s a reason you’re here and a reason why it’s now”). Still, it’s an interesting theory to ponder, and I always felt it was a shame that the show never delved too deeply into Buffy’s life after she became a Slayer but before she moved to Sunnydale.

(Though I suppose that had to do with the spectre of the 1992 Buffy movie, who’s relationship with this show is a bit tenuous. But now I’m getting off-track).

Buffy flees from Giles and strikes up a conversation with Willow instead. Willow’s eagerness and earnestness is very cute, and though she probably has the most profound development of any other character on this show, I’ll always miss this early dorky version of her.

In describing the library, Buffy says it gives her “the wiggins”. HAH! Remember that word? Remember how it didn’t exist anywhere except this show? Remember how it was essentially Whedon’s attempt to make fetch happen? Aw, man. What a delightful throwback.

On hearing that a body has been found stuffed in a locker, Buffy naturally cannot help but investigate – though I suppose we can chalk it down just as much to her wanting confirmation on whether or not vampires are in town than to any personal sense of responsibility.

Our first glimpse of her super strength comes when she busts through the locked door into the changing room, and she gives a weary “oh great” on seeing the bitemarks in the victim’s neck.

But then of course, she follows this up by sharing her discovery with Giles, who is quick to point out that she’s doing something about it. I have a soft spot for heroes who simply cannot walk away from danger and/or a situation that needs their intervention, regardless of how loudly they grumble about it.

Turns out Xander has heard their entire conversation about vampires and Watchers and Slayers from behind the stacks... which is an elegant not-coincidence since it was established earlier in the episode (in his conversation with Willow) that he was going to the library for a trigonometry book.

Giles is still jabbering about how Sunnydale is a centre of mystical energy that attracts all kinds of supernatural beings, and Buffy’s skepticism naturally gives way to a panning shot of an underground cave where a formidable-looking vampire is intoning “the Sleeper will wake” over a pool of blood.

As villains go, the Master is obviously not particularly inspired, especially since he spends most of this season as a quintessential Orcus on His Throne, but it was also way too early in the game to have a complex or personal Big Bad. You can’t come out the gate with a Glory or an Angelus, and I think he serves his purpose just fine as a Nosferatu-esque spectre that a sixteen-year-old girl would understandably be intimidated by.

Ditto Luke as the show’s Starter Villain: a physical threat to Buffy without being all that interesting.

On Buffy’s way to the Bronze we get our first Angel sighting, and much like Joyce, his characterization is a bit off. He’s way too smarmy and negging, but also... kind of upbeat? It’s amusing to reflect that the writers room knew very little about him at this point, including the fact that he was a vampire (making his “I don’t bite” comment deeply ironic) so it’s lucky that they never filmed any of his scenes in daylight before the truth comes out six episodes later.

In any case, his role in this episode is to namedrop things like “the Mouth of Hell” and “the Harvest” (which Giles will start researching as soon as Buffy passes them on to him) and give Buffy the silver crucifix which... becomes important at some stage? I remember the claddagh ring in season three, but have no recollection of this necklace.

Also intriguing is this dialogue between them: Angel – “I’m a friend.” Buffy – “Maybe I don’t want a friend.” Angel – “I didn’t say I was yours.”

I mean, I know it’s just meaningless banter, but Buffy assumes the “friend” he’s talking about is Giles, who soon confirms that he’s never met him before. So was Angel actually referring to The Powers That Be? Whistler, maybe? Again, I know that this was just filler dialogue with no established context, but I’d be interested to see if it fits in with season two’s flashbacks where he’s introduced to Buffy from a distance.

There’s a very sweet interaction between Buffy and Willow at the Bronze, in which the former gives the latter some advice (“seize the day, because tomorrow you might be dead”) and assures her she’s coming back – despite Willow’s expectation that she won’t – when she spots Giles on an overhead balcony.

The staging of the scene between her and Giles is a bit sus – did he really have to stand behind her and lean over her like that? – but at his insistence she spots a vampire in the crowd, though not because of her preternatural senses, but because of his dated fashion sense. And uh-oh, he’s chatting up Willow, who is unfortunately taking Buffy’s “seize the day” advice.

A throwaway line from Cordelia down on the dance floor is telling: apparently her mother never gets out of bed. Our resident Alpha Bitch clearly doesn’t have a great home life.

Poor Jesse gets the brush-off from Cordelia and runs straight into Darla instead. The reveal is wonderfully corny, in which she swivels around in her hanging basket chair with a smile that wouldn’t melt butter.

We’re heading into the third act cliff-hanger now: Willow is being ushered through a graveyard by her vampiric date, Jesse is clearly also in danger, the Master has risen and sent out his minions to bring him fresh blood, and Xander’s skepticism over Buffy’s Slayer status quickly turns to concern when he learns that Willow is in trouble.

They all converge in a graveyard crypt, and – bless her – Buffy is bantering right off the bat. It’s actually a pretty good tactic, as the vampires are caught off-guard by her confidence. Though... shouldn’t Darla clock the fact that she’s a Slayer? We learn later that she’s familiar with the concept, though this is obviously another case of not having figured out the character’s background at this early stage.

A point in Xander’s favour: Buffy tells him to “go” and instead he enters the crypt to help Jesse and Willow. You have to admit, that’s classic Xander.

And we end with Xander/Willow/Jesse being threatened by more vampires outside, as Luke lowers himself onto Buffy after he’s thrown her into an open tomb. To be continued...

Miscellaneous Observations:

Do we ever get an explanation for the force field that’s keeping the Master trapped underground? It’s obviously magic, so who put it in place?

How did Angel know about the Harvest? Who sent him? I know the answers are still to come, but the question is deliberately left dangling in this episode.

Giles mentions incubus and succubus in his litany of monsters that are attracted to Sunnydale, but I think they’re the only two creatures that never actually appear in the show.

I love the little glimpses of non-main characters going about their business in Sunnydale, namely Aphrodesia and Aura gossiping about Buffy before the dead guy falls out of the latter’s locker. I wonder if those girls made it to Graduation Day...

Watching this episode, the most eye-opening character is Cordelia, who has quite the epic journey ahead of her. It’s almost funny to see her in a role that requires her to be little more than Buffy’s antagonist and foil – essentially what Buffy would have been without her calling. I’m taking a moment to think about where all these characters end up, and it’s pretty dizzying.

Giles gives the famous Slayer mantra: “Into every generation a Slayer is born: one girl in all the world, a Chosen One. She alone will wield the strength and skill to fight the vampires, demons, and forces of darkness; to stop the spread of their evil and the swell of their number. She is the Slayer.” This is repeated in the show’s very final episode, and not only forms the crux of Buffy’s entire identity crisis, but also serves as the inspiration for her solution to it. Damn, I love this show.

But who the heck is the guy who speaks these lines in the opening introduction?? It’s later taken over by Anthony Stewart Head, but in season one at least we get a completely unfamiliar narrator.

As excited as I am to embark on this rewatch, I know that after the third season the show loses its centre a bit as the main trio form relationships that are ostensibly more important than the one they have with each other. I love these early seasons because their friendship is clearly the focus of the show – the thing not only protecting them against the forces of evil, but getting them through the hell that is high school.

The show loses its lustre when it loses sight of their bond, but I have three whole seasons to enjoy before that happens. Let’s do this.

Best Line: Cordelia (after Buffy has accidentally slammed her against a wall, thinking she’s a vampire): “Excuse me, I have to call EVERYONE I have EVER met, RIGHT NOW.”

Best Scene: The climatic fight in the crypt, not for the fight itself, but for the shock on Xander and Willow’s faces as the world (and their lives) irrevocably change.

Best Subversion: Obviously when the vulnerable and demure little blonde in the Cold Open reveals herself to be the real danger in the room.

Death Toll: Darla's date in the cold open. Thomas, the vampire that Buffy dusts in the crypt. Also, the newspaper in the library mentioned "local boys still missing" but since we never see them on-screen, the toll stands at TWO.

Grand Total: One civilian, one villain.

#buffy the vampire slayer #rav's watching log #welcome to the hellmouth #rav's buffy rewatch #buffy season one

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herinsectreflection · 2 years

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Welcome to the Hellmouth + help

#I only just noticed this on this last watch #they're all there right from the start!#ready - even desperate - to help #(also something something helplessness being a massive theme of existentialism something help and helpless both being episode titles someth #btvs #welcome to the hellmouth #s1

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thecrazyknight · 1 year

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S1:E01 - Welcome to the Hellmouth (Part 3)

He's so pretty 😍

#buffy the vampire slayer #btvs #welcome to the hellmouth #buffy summers #rupert giles #sarah michelle gellar #anthony head #anthony stewart head #Giles in every episode

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51kas81 · 1 year

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Anthony Stewart Head as Rupert Giles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer S1.E1 Welcome To The Hellmouth

#buffy the vampire slayer #anthony stewart head #anthony head #rupert giles #giles #btvs #welcome to the hellmouth

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girl4music · 2 years

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Willow Rosenberg and her relationship with consent - An essay on the theme of ‘consent’ in ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ (BUFFY REWATCH - S01E01/E02 - Welcome To The Hellmouth/The Harvest)

*Outside at school. Willow is sitting on a bench alone in front of a wall taking out her lunch. Buffy approaches her*

BUFFY: “Uh, Hi! Willow, right?”

WILLOW:

*Looks up*

“Why? I-I mean, hi! Uh, did you want me to move?”

BUFFY: “Why don't we start with 'Hi, I'm Buffy,' and, uh, then let's segue directly into me asking you for a favour.

*Sits next to her*

It doesn't involve moving, but it does involve hanging out with me for a while.”

WILLOW: “But aren't you hanging out with Cordelia?”

BUFFY: “I can't do both?”

WILLOW: “Not legally.”

I never actually did a BUFFY REWATCH recap for the pilot episode ‘Welcome To The Hellmouth’ or the 2-parter episode ‘The Harvest’…. but there is an interaction in the first episode that’s significant to the characterization, representation and development of Willow Rosenberg that I really wanted to write about. In fact it’s the very first one-on-one conversation Willow has with the lead protagonist Buffy Summers. This interaction and conversation is so important to knowing and understanding Willow Rosenberg. And it’s very difficult to explain why in a short and simple sentence. It requires a deep dive analysis to explain why this specific interaction connects to the theme of ‘consent’ and Willow’s entire relationship with it. This is going to be an essay in the effort to do just that.

The theme of ‘consent’ is often mentioned in reguards to sexual situations. Most people, when they talk about consent, they’re most likely referring to situations of non-consensual sex. As in situations of sexual assault and/or harassment or even full out rape. And this is certainly valid to talk about with the show and with the character Willow Rosenberg, as I have done so many times already and will continue to do so… however, Willow’s issues with consent expand wider and go far deeper than just sexual situations. Very early on in the show it becomes apparent that Willow does not know or understand the meaning of consent. Of any situation involving or surrounding the theme of consent whatsoever - sexual or otherwise. And there’s many characters that don’t to be quite honest. But with Willow, in particular, this is so interesting to me because she is one of the purest characters in the whole show. Arguably second to the character Tara Maclay - who I reguard as the personification of purity. And a lot of Willow’s issues with consent revolve around Tara and her relationship to her as her girlfriend. But it’s a problem that can be noticed before Tara even makes an appearance in the show. It’s a problem that can tell us so much about Willow.

In order to comprehend where I’m going with this essay we have to acknowledge and address the theme of ‘consent’ directly. What it is, how it works, why it matters. Giving consent is the same thing as giving permission, acceptance or willingness to something happening either to yourself or someone else you’re responsible for that may or may not be able to truly give it themselves. Giving consent to something happening to you or someone else means that if it’s happening to you or them without you having given it - it is a violation against you or them. Unless of course, in the latter circumstance, that person can give consent themselves - in which case,… you might just be violating them by claiming only you can give consent for them - which is often an occurrence in abusive domestic relationships. This opens up a whole other area of conversation in questioning of what actually constitutes as giving consent as the person might express giving it but may still not mean to give it or might be too mentally unstable to give it. But just to address this area of conversation quickly and then close it. Giving or not giving consent is less about saying “yes/no” in the moment and more about whether you have the ability or the option to make a choice of one or the other in any moment. That is to say, is it your choice and is your choice viable or is your choice safe? Are you in a situation or circumstance where your choice to do something or have something being done to you puts you in danger or has you compromise or make a sacrifice in any way, shape or form? If it does, then your “yes”/“no” is not safe or viable to give. It is not true consent. True consent is or should be free of limitation or restriction. It should not be based in stipulation. You are not giving true consent if you are forced to give, if you are not aware of giving, or if you are under the influence when giving in any way, shape or form. This is why the theme of consent is so often mentioned in reguards to sexual situations. Because an agreement/disagreement to the contact with or use of the body is one of the most important human rights there is. And bodily autonomy is the main deciding factor in what constitutes as giving true consent. Simply saying “yes”/“no” is not necessarily giving it because you might not have all of the information as to why you should say “yes”/“no” at the time. You might have made an informed decision at the time… but there might be information you haven’t considered or may be missing or might have even been purposefully obstructed from to influence or encourage you to say “yes”/“no” at the time. To coerce you into agreeing/disagreeing at the time. If so, your giving consent is not viable or safe. Nor it is really YOUR choice because your choice is an on-going part of your right to self-government. That means you have a right to change what your choice is at any time if it directly affects or involves you. Absent information from an informed choice validates and allows for that change of that informed choice. Your “yes”/“no” is not a contract. It does not expire. And any alterations to it can only be verified by yourself or by someone else that you have directly appointed to make alterations for you at a time and place when you can’t make them or verify them for whatever reason.

Right so now we’ve covered that, as I’m sure you can imagine, ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ is rife with situations and circumstances where characters do not give or have not given true consent to something they do or is being done to them. I mean … you could say the entire concept of the show is problematic with this because Buffy Summers never made a choice to be ‘The Slayer’. It was forced upon her as her destiny or fate. She simply learns to live with it being as such. But Buffy is not the character I want to talk about here. Willow Rosenberg is actually the character with the deepest, most problematic and complicated relationship with the theme of consent. And the reason why is imbedded within the lines of dialogue in Willow’s first ever one-on-one interaction with Buffy. And it is so nuanced that you would not pick it up on a first watch or even several. It requires stringent observation and interpretation. Reading between the lines and studying Willow’s character development. Willow’s character development is immense. Her evolution from the shy, soft-spoken sidekick to Buffy to the confident, powerful hero and villain in her own right is without a doubt one of the greatest character evolutions I have ever known in art/entertainment and that I have ever had the pleasure to interact with. I am so happy and grateful for this character being conceived, written, performed, developed as consistently and conscientiously as she is. It really is a rarity to come across a female character in TV with this much realism and depth to them. Especially now. Late 90’s/early 2000’s TV had its ways to go in female representation, sure… but the likes of Buffy, Xena and Charmed stood out and were made a staple for it going forward in TV art/entertainment. And while I can say the representation has gotten better, the writing of it most definitely has gotten worse. If you’re lucky enough to find a female “sidekick” character like Willow or Gabrielle - with this level of written development in today’s day and age of TV - you should appreciate and covet it because they just don’t exist anymore. Either the duration of the TV show is too short for it to exist, or they simply don’t last long enough in the show to develop this much. It’s not necessarily a lack of writing talent or skill that’s the problem. It’s this “cancel” culture. It really limits the potential for well-written and performed female character representation and development like Willow or Gabrielle. And I’d go as far as saying that unless the female character is the lead main protagonist and the show is all about them,… there’s no chance of finding or having it. And that’s if the show lasts longer than one season. If it is only contracted for 10-12 episodes and then just gets cancelled then it’s not even worth investing in. That’s the pro to twentieth century (or a little thereafter) TV art/entertainment. A show in a season was usually contracted to 20-22 episodes. If it succeeded in ratings and popularity, it was usually contracted to 2-3 extra seasons equally as long. There was the time and the budget to develop all side, season regular or supporting/recurring characters all the while developing the plot. There was the capability and capacity to focus on characterization as well as story. And there was the genuine passion to do so as well because writers weren’t as pressured to.

Why are Buffy, Xena and Charmed classics in pop culture TV? They’re character driven over plot driven. And they’re specifically female-represented driven over male-represented driven… which was a big deal when networks would not provide financial support for a show without at least one male protagonist character (likely the love interest/lover for the female protagonist character). It was a whole other kettle of fish to fry… but the writing was always top quality if the representation always wasn’t. Now it’s the opposite. Good female representation but mediocre writing of that female representation. Thus, extremely poor writing of development for that female representation. So… I hold on to Willow and Gabrielle with a vice like grip because these are characters that start off with preliminary arcs. They’re there to aid the lead female protagonist character the show is all about. That literally has their name in the title of the show. Buffy and Xena. But they grow to become characters that are as important, if not more, than the lead female protagonist character. They grow out of the “sidekick” persona and become the heroes themselves. And especially with Willow, become both the hero and the villain and that’s… remarkable. That’s female representation that we don’t even have now, never mind then. That’s something that just stands out in and of itself. That is something that is extremely significant to knowing and understanding the character Willow Rosenberg when it comes to their issues and relationship with the theme of consent because the character is written as somebody that believes they are absolutely nothing. Mean nothing to anyone or anything. Therefore, why would their consent to anyone or anything matter?

The conversation I’ve quoted above is just a couple of lines of dialogue but there’s so much behind them and so much characterization that can be found in them. Willow has only known Buffy for a couple of hours and she already feels like she’s someone she has no right to or business in knowing because Buffy is someone. Granted she doesn’t know how much of a someone yet… but just based on principle of being Cordelia’s friend… she knows that that’s someone that matters. And why on Earth would someone that matters come to talk to someone that doesn’t matter? Ask for her help? Want to be friends? That inherent understanding of Buffy being someone that matters and she doesn’t matter makes her automatically assume that Buffy just wants her out of the way when she introduces herself to her. This is very significant. From the first episode that we are introduced to Willow we notice that she is isolated and secluded. Someone isolated and secluded not by choice but by the deeply imbedded belief that they don’t belong in a crowd so why should they even bother to put themselves out there will automatically understand and accept that their opinion on anyone or anything doesn’t matter. That their choice doesn’t matter. And if they’re told to do something or something is done to them, their giving their consent to it doesn’t matter. How this manifests into Willow ignoring, disregarding or taking away somebody else’s ability to give consent to something she tells them to do or something that she does to them is where it gets really complicated to explain. But I’ll try my best.

People think of low self-esteem as if it’s just a small and simple thing. That it doesn’t have multiple layers to it. These same people do not understand the relationship and connection between mind and matter or between thought and form. Willow was always taught her own wants, needs. emotions, choices and actions didn’t matter. And instead of understanding that teaching as all wants, needs, emotions, choices and actions for EVERYONE matter, she internalizes it as and believes only HERS don’t matter. Introduce someone like Willow - who believes that they have no power or control - that they mean nothing - that they don’t matter - to someone like Buffy - who’s just coming to find out that they have power and control - that they do mean something - that they do matter. That’s incredibly significant to Willow’s entire characterization. Their issues with the theme of consent in ‘Lover’s Walk’, ‘Wild At Heart’ and ‘Something Blue’ stem from it. Their eventual showdown with Buffy in ‘Two To Go’ and ‘Grave’ is built from it. Their final decision in ‘Chosen’ is encapsulated in it. As someone who has always had a very high self-esteem despite also being bullied in school, despite also being abused and neglected by my parents and despite also being a loner, I understand Willow very fucking well. And thus, I understand why she doesn’t understand the meaning of consent and therefore why she ignores, disregards and takes the ability to give consent away. The reason why is because her human right to self-government becomes the main objective for her to accumulate power and take control beyond that of what she can being a human. Being un-super. That’s why using magic becomes her bread and butter for this. She has a natural talent for willing and intending things to go her way but her insecurity and mentality with being the “loser”, “geek” or whatever pushes that natural talent into a more darker and corrupted place because she ignores and disregards that willingness and intention with everyone else. It’s not that she thinks they shouldn’t have it or don’t deserve it. It’s just automatically forgotten about because improving on hers is the goal to achieve. She completely tips the scales from one side to the other. She’s that tormented and tortured in the early days for being the “spaz” (as she puts it) of her society she essentially just corrupts herself. There’s no external or outside influence corrupting her, as least not an intentional one. It’s just years and years of unchecked and unaddressed chronic emotional complex trauma. Basically - to use an analogy - the balloon went pop before anyone noticed it was filling up with any helium. And that’s including the balloon itself. And there’s so many instances throughout the show of this unconscious suppression of violence and rage but no one ever notices it because Buffy is ‘The Slayer’. You never notice danger or threat in the harmless one because you’re so focused on the one that is actually dangerous and threatening. The one that harms a lot. And you would never think for a second that the Scorpio would sting if it is in need and asks for your protection. But that’s just how the story goes…

#buffy the vampire slayer #welcome to the hellmouth #the harvest #willow rosenberg #alyson hannigan #buffy summers #sarah michelle gellar #consent #choice #power corruption #essay #episode recap #buffy rewatch

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smashboy · 1 year

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"Excuse me. I have to call everyone I have ever met right now," Cordelia, "Welcome to the Hellmouth," Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

#btvs #buffy the vampire slayer #season 1 episode 1 #cordelia chase #welcome to the hellmouth #quotes #q #cordelia #cordelia btvs #btvs cordelia #buffy summers #buffy btvs #btvs buffy #quote

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apollostrials · 1 year

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1.01 - welcome to the hellmouth

buffy: yeah, well maybe i don’t need a friend.

angel: i didn’t say i was yours.

7.22 - chosen

buffy: so you’re gonna be with me in this?

angel: shoulder to shoulder i’m yours.

#honestly? greatest development greatest conclusion #nobody did it like bangel and we all know that :)))#buffy summers #angel #bangel #welcome to the hellmouth #chosen #v.txt #btvs

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mothman-rewatches · 1 year

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Rewatch: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, "Welcome to the Hellmouth" (S1Ep1)

Summary: In this episode, we meet Buffy Summers, a teen girl with a secret - she’s the Slayer, someone destined to fight the forces of Evil. As she tries to navigate being the new girl in town, she learns that Sunnydale is not as it seems.

Written by: Joss Whedon, Matt Kiene, Joe Reinkemeyer

Directed by: Charles Martin Smith, Joss Whedon

Aired: March 10, 1997

WARNING: This post contains spoilers.

It’s here!! The first episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, not so eloquently explained as I break it down and share my thoughts.

As a pilot episode, there is a lot to cover, so let’s jump in.

Recap (What happened this episode? In two minutes or less): Buffy starts her first day at Sunnydale High School. After one of her classes, she goes to the library where she meets Giles - a creepy librarian who tries to give her an ancient looking book. She goes to lunch and meets Willow, Xander, and Jesse before Cordelia approaches her and informs her that gym is canceled because of a dead guy in a locker. Upon investigating it, Buffy goes and confronts Giles, who reminds her of her duty as the Slayer. She tells him she is retired and leaves, and it is revealed that Xander has overheard the whole conversation. That night, she goes to a local club called the Bronze. On the way, she encounters a mysterious man who warns her of “the Harvest” and gives her a necklace with a cross on it. When she gets to the Bronze, she chats with Willow, encouraging the girl to seize the moment. She gets distracted by Giles, who tells Buffy to use her natural abilities to find vampires. She spots one, and he turns out to be talking to Willow. As they leave, Buffy rushes after them, running into Xander who reveals that he knows Buffy’s secret. They follow the vampire and Willow to the cemetery, where the three of them and Jesse are attacked by vampires. Buffy fights a big one as Xander, Willow, and Jesse flee.

Overall Thoughts (Literally anything. Thoughts, questions, grievances. Basic commentary): First and foremost, this episode does not give you a good feel for the show. It gives you the general idea - one girl in all the world, blah blah blah - and gives you shells of the characters, but fails to feel like it belongs with the rest of the show. The show is finding it’s footing, though, and there are plenty of good episodes to come.

Funnily enough, despite this episode not feeling like Buffy, this episode gives us two very significant images to the rest of the show - the Vampyr book, and the cross necklace. These two things become part of the iconography of the show from this point forward.

Tropes, unsurprisingly, are a large part of of Buffy, even in this episode. Famously, Buffy as both a character and the show, is based on the damsel in distress meets big bad monster trope, albeit turned on it’s head. Buffy would go on to be the fore-bearer to a lot of tropes that come up in YA media today (thank you to my friend Kay, who pointed this out during a conversation we had about the show). This episode plays around with a few tropes, notably in the scene in which Buffy awakens on her first day at a new school. It’s young adult in a way that forces me to remember this is a show about teenagers, for teenagers and young adults. Other tropes include Xander’s immediate infatuation with Buffy despite not knowing her, the obvious crush Willow harbors for Xander, and the whole reveal that Xander has accidentally overheard a very private conversation.

Speaking of, I just have to point out that there is no reason Xander should have been able to overheard that conversation. Giles comes out from the stacks, which could imply that he was helping Xander look for a particular book. You’re telling me that Giles had no idea that Xander was in the library? And even if he did, he and Buffy could have had their conversation in his office, not out in the open where anyone could walk in and hear something they weren’t supposed to.

Also, the way that Buffy’s “transfer” to Sunnydale feels very poorly handled. It is the 90s, but it doesn’t stop me from wondering why Joyce wasn’t included in the meeting with Principal Flutie and Buffy. At first, Joyce is very concerned with Buffy’s education and her successful transition to the new school, so the fact that she isn’t there at the meeting is surprising.

Finally, my last comment is on how the Buffy and Giles relationship is handled. It is odd to me why Buffy and Giles are just meeting, rather than having a professional relationship prior to Buffy’s move. It could have been much more interesting to see them already know each other, and it would have made the scene where Giles reminds Buffy of her duties and she tells him she’s retired much more impactful. As the series progresses, we learn that Watchers and their Slayers have personal connections, have formed bonds in their time of knowing each other. Buffy and Giles do end up forming a bond, but I think these first few episodes would mean more if they already had one.

That being said, season one is going to be a journey. The show is trying to get on it’s feet, and tonally it might not be like the rest of the show. It will be interesting to look at it through this lens, and I look forward to it.

Fashion Corner/Costuming (Comments about the clothes): Really the only comment I have on costuming this episode is laughing at what Buffy says about the vampire at the Bronze. She points out that the outfit is “carbon dated” and no one dresses like that anymore, but if I remember correctly, Xander starts dressing like that at some point.

Characterization/Dynamics (Comments about the characters, especially as they grow or change, and relationships between characters): The characterization in this episode is a doozy. I mentioned earlier that the characters are shells of who they really are, and I stick by that. The show fails to find most of it’s characters’ voices in this episode, leading some of them to be unrecognizable.

On one hand, Xander is painted to be somewhat of a cool guy. He’s not popular, no, but in comparison to the character he becomes, they are worlds apart. He is dorky and a little awkward, but if you didn’t see those parts of him, you would genuinely believe that he fits in.

In comparison, Willow is a ghost. She is given an almost childlike quality in this episode, one that makes you think she’s fresh out of middle school. She’s innocent and shy and awkward, which are qualities that our Willow has initially, but she’s basically a kicked puppy in this episode.

Because of this, it’s hard to believe that Xander and Willow are actually friends. It feels more like they were friends when they were kids, but grew apart, and now Xander only hangs out with Willow because he feels bad for her, or because he feels obligated to. I wish I could see their genuine friendship, because without it, the show feels a little lacking.

Facts (Things I know about the show or calling out specific things): For those of you who don’t know, the high school used for Sunnydale High is also the same one used in Beverly Hills 90210.

Xander is shown skateboarding in this episode, but we never see him skateboard again.

The Vampyr book has, as mentioned before, become an iconic image throughout the series. However, we never see it again, aside from the credit sequence.

Quotes (Things that were said that were funny, iconic, or overall interesting): “What is your childhood trauma?” - Cordelia Chase.

Apocalypse Counter (Is there an apocalypse that the characters have to try and prevent?): 0

Final Notes: Please feel free to leave comments, suggestions, and questions in the ask box!

#buffy the vampire slayer #btvs #mothman rewatches #rewatch #buffy the vampire slayer s1 #welcome to the hellmouth

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