| 1 | [[quoteright:281:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/3948387_buffy_cover1.jpg]] |
| 2 | [[caption-width-right:281:The thing with changing the world is, once you do, the world's all different.]] |
| 3 | |
| 4 | This is a page for the Creator/DarkHorseComics series based on ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'', particularly the later "seasons" of the franchise turned into a SequelInAnotherMedium. The following examples may contain major spoilers for anyone who hasn't finished watching the television series, or who hasn't read the comics yet. Consider yourself forewarned. VERY forewarned. |
| 5 | |
| 6 | Two years have passed since the series ended and Willow activated all the Potential Slayers. Buffy had turned to stealing diamonds to help fund the Slayer Army and trying to find them all while still fighting vampires, demons and the forces of darkness. With the destruction of Sunnydale now everyone knows about the supernatural, unfortunately vampires and demons look like the innocent victims persecuted by Slayers and the government and army are out to stop them. Meanwhile a far greater threat lurks in the shadows, Twilight, aided and abetted by those closest to Buffy. |
| 7 | |
| 8 | Aside from the main series, a SpinOff graphic novel series set during the early seasons of the TV show dubbed ''Buffy: The High School Years'' was launched in 2016. |
| 9 | |
| 10 | In 2018, it was announced that Season Twelve would be the final one of the series, as the ''Buffy'' license had been newly acquired by Creator/BoomStudios; thus marking the official end of the original continuity established by both television series. Boom's ''[[ComicBook/BuffyTheVampireSlayerBoomStudios Buffy]]'' won't be maintaining the continuity of the television series and comic books, instead relaunching the franchise as a modern-day {{continuity reboot}}. Though Whedon won't be writing the reboot, he will be serving as a creative consultant. For tropes appearing in that series, see [[ComicBook/BuffyTheVampireSlayerBoomStudios here]]. |
| 11 | |
| 12 | ---- |
| 13 | !!Tropes: |
| 14 | |
| 15 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 16 | |
| 17 | [[folder:As a Whole]] |
| 18 | * PregnancyDoesNotWorkThatWay: In the miniseries "Viva Las Buffy", in which our heroine travels to Las Vegas, the villains are [[ConjoinedTwins two twins joined at the hip]]: the man's a vampire, the woman's a mortal with deadly aim. One problem: their joining was so minor (both had full limbs and organs), any sane doctor would have separated them at birth -- and conjoined twins are identical and not fraternal and would therefore necessarily be of the same sex. This being ''Buffy'' (and as such, anything can happen), [[AWizardDidIt a wizard probably did it]]. |
| 19 | * {{Revision}}: The comics do this for several aspects of the TV series. |
| 20 | ** Season Eight reveals that after [[SuperpoweredEvilSide Dark Willow]] [[FlayingAlive flayed Warren alive]], Amy saved him, using her magic to keep him "alive" despite his [[BodyHorror lack of skin]]; WordOfGod is that the First Evil was able to [[DeadPersonConversation assume Warren's form]] because he ''was'' technically dead for a few moments before Amy's magic kicked in. It also reveals that the events of "[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS7E13TheKillerInMe The Killer in Me]]", where Amy transformed Willow into Warren with a spell, was in fact done on Warren's orders for {{revenge}}, rather than simple [[EvilIsPetty jealousy]] that Willow [[HardWorkHardlyWorks was now more powerful than Amy]]. |
| 21 | ** The Season Nine miniseries ''Willow: Wonderland'' [[spoiler:also does this with Rack, the [[FantasticDrug dark magic dealer]] Willow [[VampiricDraining sucked the life and magic out of for a power boost]]. As it turns out, he was NotQuiteDead; Willow merely {{depower}}ed him and left him in a coma.]] |
| 22 | ** ''Angel & Faith'' does much the same with [[spoiler:Eyghon the Sleepwalker, a MonsterOfTheWeek from way back in ''Buffy'' Season 2. When he was apparently forced out of Angel's body due to the demon spirit within him and died, it's explained that he survived by [[PossessingADeadBody possessing a dead rat]] under the floorboards.]] |
| 23 | ** Season Twelve pulls it once again [[spoiler:with Mayor Wilkins, revealing that he in fact survived the explosion of Sunnydale High thanks to his Old One constitution, and spent the next several years pulling himself back together before forming a VillainTeamUp with Harth.]] |
| 24 | ** Season 10 pretty cut and dry explains the nature of vampirism, more in-depth than the season 2 explanation of "demon possesses a human corpse". The essence of a demon replaces the human soul, birthing a "half-breed" demon in the host's corpse, using the blueprint of their human personality and memories. |
| 25 | ** Season 10 also adds in a small detail that the Trio had digitally downloaded their brains into flash drives and stowed them away for safekeeping. [[spoiler: Andrew destroys Warren's, but recovers Jonathon's, allowing Jonathan to ''kinda'' come back to life.]] |
| 26 | * SecondaryAdaptation: Creator/JossWhedon made ''Film/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'', a film, got permission to make ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'', a TV series, and continued the story as a comic book. The [[ComicBook/BuffyTheVampireSlayerBoomStudios other comic book]] is a ContinuityReboot of the franchise, which technically just makes it an adaptation of the film. |
| 27 | [[/folder]] |
| 28 | |
| 29 | [[folder:Season Eight]] |
| 30 | * AdaptationalSuperpowerChange: Buffy temporarily gains a host of new powers, including the ability to fly, which would've been a costly effect to shoot for a television show, but not so much for a comic books artist to draw. |
| 31 | * AllOfThem: After Xander kills the vampire that killed Renee, Buffy goes to comfort him, ordering the other slayers to kill the members of the Japanese cult. Every last one of them. |
| 32 | * AlmostDeadGuy: Combining this with HeroicSacrifice and RedemptionEqualsDeath, [[spoiler:Ethan Rayne gives his life to help Buffy.]] |
| 33 | * ArcWelding: [[spoiler:The end of the season sets up the the background of {{ComicBook/Fray}}, written 10 years earlier.]] |
| 34 | * ArtShift: In "After These Messages... We'll Be Right Back!", during Buffy's dream of when life was far more simple (all the way back in Season One, with the addition of Dawn). |
| 35 | * AttackOfTheFiftyFootWhatever: At one point, Dawn gets turned into a giant...and a doll...and a centaur... Comics Dawnie is [[WeirdnessMagnet all over the place]]. |
| 36 | ** As a giant, Dawn was apparently still growing. Right before she transforms into a Centaurette, she is obviously far taller than she was earlier as she now towers over all the trees in the forest. |
| 37 | ** [[RunningGag Centaurette]]. |
| 38 | * BathtubBonding: Occurs between Faith and Genevieve Savidge. |
| 39 | ** Also between Xander and Giant Dawn as she bathes in the lake. |
| 40 | * BatmanGrabsAGun: Throughout the series, Buffy has had a deep seated hatred of firearms, even refusing to arm up herself when facing an army. When confronted by the psychotic Simone however Buffy does indeed grab a gun, using it to ShootOutTheLock holding a GiantSpider to attack the crazed Slayer. |
| 41 | * BehemothBattle: One issue of the Season Eight comics features a fight between Giant Dawn and Mecha-Dawn, while a delighted Xander watches. |
| 42 | * BettyAndVeronica: Willow is torn between Kennedy and [[InterspeciesRomance Aluwyn]]. |
| 43 | * BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler: The group manages to win the day and avert the apocalypse once more. But Giles is dead due to Buffy's hesitation. [[{{ComicBook/Fray}} All magic is gone with the destruction of the Seed of Wonder]], meaning Willow is de-powered. All slayers are viewed as terrorists thanks to much idiocy of a few rogue slayers, who squarely put the blame on Buffy. While vampires are accepted by society. On the upside, Faith takes Angel in to rehabilitate him and Buffy, despite everything thats happened, continues to fight the good fight.]] |
| 44 | * BlandNameProduct: Happy Cat, obviously intended to be Hello Kitty. |
| 45 | * {{Bookends}}: Issue one's cover is similar to the last issue's, Buffy, wearing a maroon tanktop and wielding the ax. The first issue, she's in a confident stance, while the final issue's the page image above. |
| 46 | * BoomHeadshot: Happens to [[spoiler:Ethan Rayne]] and [[spoiler:The General]]. |
| 47 | * BorrowedCatchphrase: Buffy calls Twilight an [[Wrestling/ChrisJericho ass clown.]] |
| 48 | * BroughtDownToNormal: Aiko; a Slayer who [[{{Squee}} squees]] when Buffy personally calls her after she is impressed the Japanese girl had killed a bunch of demons, is used as a test subject by vampires who want to depower the Slayers. They easily beat her to death and ''string her up'' as a warning/threat to Buffy. |
| 49 | * TheBusCameBack: Actress Elisabeth Röhm (Kate Lockley) left to be on ''Series/LawAndOrder'' and was PutOnABus from ''Series/{{Angel}}'' in season 2, but makes a comeback in the comics because of course, comics aren't hindered by pesky things like acting contracts.(She appears in ''Series/{{Angel}}: After The Fall'' as a new member of AI in ''Aftermath''.) Similarly Oz (Seth Green), who was PutOnABus in season 4, returns in issue 26. |
| 50 | * CantBelieveISaidThat: In the same story where Buffy sleeps with Satsu, one of the lead vampires is about to kill her, threatening how he bets she tastes sweet. Satsu kills him, retorts "You have no idea", then gets all guilty and ashamed over [[LesYay her words]]. |
| 51 | * CelebCrush: Buffy and Willow discuss theirs, specifically Buffy's being Creator/DanielCraig becomes a RunningGag, and in a sheer bout of coincidence Faith complains that when Angel hook Spike and Harmony back up he didn't also get the actor for her. |
| 52 | * ComicBookTime: While the television show had one in-series year pass for every real year because each season took a year with an episode roughly every week, Buffy Season 8 has, of course, taken longer to unfold because of the monthly comic schedule. All the characters have been stuck at the same age for the last three real-world years. Season 8 takes place a year and a half after Season 7/half a year after ''Angel'' Season 5 (with the ''Angel'' and ''Spike'' comics in the half-year between). |
| 53 | * CovertPervert: Willow grills Sanshu on how Buffy was in bed. |
| 54 | * {{Crossover}}: ''{{ComicBook/Fray}}'' in ''Time of Your Life.'' Future Willow transports Buffy to the future. |
| 55 | * DetailHoggingCover: The covers are near-photorealistic renditions of the actors, and the actual comics are much less detailed and much more stylized. The resemblance of the comic art to the actors can also vary greatly depending on the panel. An example of this would be [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/DHC_8890.JPG here]]. Compare the art on the left to the art on the right, for instance. |
| 56 | ** This is because each issue has two covers. One is the super crazy detailed (done by Jo Chen) pics like [[http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20080215230043/buffy/images/thumb/a/aa/BuffyS8-01.jpg/390px-BuffyS8-01.jpg this,]] and the other being more [[http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20081217183315/buffy/images/thumb/4/4d/Btvs12b.jpg/77px-Btvs12b.jpg stylized, usually funnier or sillier.]][[http://buffy.wikia.com/wiki/Buffy_the_Vampire_Slayer_Season_Eight Compare and contrast.]] |
| 57 | * DistractedByTheSexy: Subverted with Angel who, after seeing two attractive woman kiss, just wants to get on with the fight. |
| 58 | * DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: InUniverse: On the run Faith first hides in a bunker waiting for the end then escapes by train. [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII Both are in Berlin]], and she is disturbed at the implications. |
| 59 | * DoesntLikeGuns: It's official, Buffy hates guns. The one time she allows the other Slayers to arm up when the army is gunning for them she still refuses to use one herself. |
| 60 | * DoubleEntendre: One possible trope this quote could be, the other being AccidentalInnuendo. In Season 8, after Xander is forced to ride [[RunningGag Centaurette]] Dawn (causing her to get soaking wet), this exchange happens (also repeated almost word-for-word in the ''Angel'' comics): |
| 61 | -->'''Xander:''' How're you feeling?\ |
| 62 | '''Centaurette!Dawn:''' Like I was ridden hard and put away wet.\ |
| 63 | '''Xander:''' AGH! Dawn, that's dis -- oh. No. It's just true. |
| 64 | * DramaticUnmask: Subverted by Twilight in the Season Eight comics. His neck just itches. |
| 65 | ** He later pulls this on Buffy. |
| 66 | * ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: Them F#©%ing. It's Buffy and Angel...you work it out. |
| 67 | %%* spoiler:FlyingBrick: That one person(s). You know the one(s). They become this after getting a power-up in Season Eight. |
| 68 | * GenderFlip: Done InUniverse in ''Series/{{Angel}}''. There was a Hollywood movie (VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory) about The Fall, which had [[http://images.wikia.com/buffy/images/5/55/SheSpike.jpg Spike as a woman.]] |
| 69 | * GrandTheftMe: While being tortured by Amy, Willow goes on a tirade about her best friend, Buffy. She then posesses The Slayer so she can guide her to where she is imprisoned. |
| 70 | * GroinAttack: Buffy just can't stay away from Angel's privates can she? |
| 71 | * HeroicBuild: While Angel from the show is known for his hunky yet not overly-lean body that gets [[WalkingShirtlessScene generously shown]], he has a standard bodybuilder build in most of the comic continuations. The same goes for Spike, Xander and Riley, even though each of their television incarnations have different physiques. |
| 72 | ** Even Connor has this in the ''Angel'' comics, despite being pretty skinny in the show. |
| 73 | * HeroicBSOD: Angel at the end of Season 8 [[spoiler: after realizing he killed Giles]]. |
| 74 | * HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler:Ethan]]. |
| 75 | * HorrorHunger: Dawn, when changed into a centaurette, mentions a craving for hay. Remember, she still looks human from her waist up. |
| 76 | * HumongousMecha: Dawn fights a Mecha-Dawn--complete with a tail-- in Tokyo while still a giant. |
| 77 | * ImmediateSelfContradiction: Buffy works out that she was woken by a TrueLovesKiss from Satsu, a fellow slayer. She tells her that they can't be with each other. Then Buffy sleeps with her. Then reverting to the way she was with Spike Buffy again tries to break off the romance, then sleeps with Satsu again. |
| 78 | * InsistentTerminology: Centaurette, not centaur. |
| 79 | ** When Xander call Centaur Dawn "Black Beauty." She corrects him, "that Chestnutty Beauty." |
| 80 | * ItAlwaysRainsAtFunerals: [[spoiler:Giles' funeral.]] |
| 81 | * KarmaHoudini: Spike points out that almost everyone has been evil at one point, and that most of them get away with it after he [[BecomingTheCostume Becomes The Costume]] in a season six ''Angel'' comic. |
| 82 | * KillItWithFire: Renee lures a vampire before Buffy attacks it, then [[ManOnFire flicks a lighter and gives a PsychoticSmirk as Willow douses him in petroleum]]. After Buffy interrogates him he pleads for his life, saying he answered her questions, she has to let him go. |
| 83 | -->I never promised that. |
| 84 | * TheMagicGoesAway: The [[spoiler:end of the season has Buffy forced to destroy the Seed of Wonder, the source of all magic on Earth, causing this. Season Nine reveals that the consequences are more far reaching; the Seed of Wonder wasn't just the source of magic. It was the source of ''creativity''. The "magic" of stories, music, and art is also gone.]] |
| 85 | * MildlyMilitary: Buffy treats the Slayer army as a real one, however as she was a [[DrillSergeantNasty shockingly bad instructor]] and Xander is the only one with any military knowledge they make do as amateurs. |
| 86 | * TheMole: [[spoiler:Riley]]. |
| 87 | * MomentKiller: "I'm watching those hands you two." Dammit Ken, inapprops. |
| 88 | * NiceJobBreakingItHero: Buffy [[spoiler: destroying the seed. Willow blames Angel.]] |
| 89 | * NoBisexuals: Similar to Willow in the TV series, but reversed: after [[spoiler: Buffy and Satsu]] hook up, several good reasons are given why they can't stay together, but apparently the main reason is that the former is "not a dyke." But could she be bi? The possibility isn't so much as alluded to. Later, we get Kennedy saying "You're not the only fool to ever wrinkle the sheets with a straight girl," which is arguably fair, but the possibility that she's bisexual still isn't mentioned. Her straightness is treated as just obvious. |
| 90 | ** An offhand comment by Faith indicates she isn't bisexual. Really into a PseudoRomanticFriendship perhaps, but as she says if you want her to go down on a woman you have the wrong chosen one. |
| 91 | * NotDistractedByTheSexy: Andrew complains that he's bored while the Slayers are playing strip poker, and is completely nonchalant when he sees [[spoiler:Buffy and Satsu naked in bed together]]. Although [[HideYourGays that's because he's really, really gay]]. |
| 92 | * NothingIsTheSameAnymore: Given the world-shaking events of the Season 7 finale, this is to be expected. Sunnydale is destroyed, so the series can no longer take place where it was for the past seven seasons. ''All'' the potential slayers have been activated and there are now armies of slayers as well as newly-activated ones in every corner of the globe. The Masquerade is finally broken and the world at large is made aware of the supernatural, not to mention the many deaths in the final battle against The First. Oh yeah, and it's a comic. |
| 93 | %%* OurCentaursAreDifferent |
| 94 | %%* OurGiantsAreBigger |
| 95 | * PetTheDog: Out of all the villains who could get this, the rapist misogynist who murdered Tara, Warren Meers, gets one by jumping in and saving Andrew from a bunch of demons (using a [[ComicBook/IronMan repulsor gauntlet shield]]). Yes, it's as awesome as it sounds (note: he's still evil though, in fact, it's Amy who starts to want to help, Warren just likes Andrew). |
| 96 | * PrecisionFStrike: Buffy to Angel on TheReveal that [[spoiler: he's responsible for all the fucking shit, Buffy's view in as many words, put her through,]] Willow to Kennedy on how distraught she is over what, "Fucking Warren Meers," Kennedy herself over how royally Buffy screwed up and of course, ''Them F#©%ing.'' |
| 97 | * PropheciesAreAlwaysRight: Oh so averted. Buffy and Angel really don't give a damn if the universe has been planning its death since its creation, they aren't doing it (well, they're doing ''it'', that's what got them into this problem, but they aren't ending the universe). |
| 98 | * PsychoticSmirk: Buffy gives a [[http://postimage.org/image/vexkuux2d/ particularly frightening one]] to a vampire as it's doused in fuel, threatening to KillItWithFire. |
| 99 | * RedemptionEqualsDeath: [[spoiler:Ethan, arguably Giles.]] |
| 100 | * RedHerring: The "Black Hope"'s other alias, "The Madwoman," and her manner of dressing seem to openly imply that the Black Hope is Drusilla; [[spoiler: it's actually Willow.]] |
| 101 | * RedshirtArmy: The new generation Slayers. After the first few issues, if a Slayer you haven't met turns up, or a large number of them are gathered together? They're going to be horribly killed. |
| 102 | * {{Retcon}}: |
| 103 | ** The notion that vampires are AlwaysChaoticEvil was starting to be done away with possibly as early as season 5, but it doesn't really take off until the comics. The bonus/supplementary issue following 25, ''Tales of the Vampire'', involves the aftermath of a teenage boy being transformed into a vampire, and neither he nor his vampire friends even come close to acting like any of the soulless monsters in seasons 1-3 of the television series. He briefly considers killing his mom, but quickly decides against it when she reveals that [[PetTheDog she still loves him no matter what]]. The idea of vampires killing people for food is even thrown out the window with Harmony's in-universe television show demonstrating that they can survive on non-lethal amount of blood from people. It goes hand in hand with the increasingly BlackAndGreyMorality of the series. |
| 104 | ** The first issue also retcons a detail from the ''Series/{{Angel}}'' episode "The Girl in Question." The Buffy that was apparently living in Rome and dating Angel and Spike's old rival, the Immortal, is in fact one of two {{Body Double}}s set in place to protect the real Buffy. Andrew had learned of Angel and Spike's history with the Immortal and orchestrated the ruse because [[ItAmusedMe he thought it was funny]]. |
| 105 | * RetiredMonster: Dracula. Yes, Dracula. Because he's most likely madly in love... with Xander. Dracula. |
| 106 | * RunningGag: In ''[[Series/{{Angel}} Bedroom Follies]]'': "What are you doing in my room?!" |
| 107 | ** Buffy's kink for Creator/DanielCraig. It begins with her describing a fantasy of him to Willow (similar to ''The Dark Age'') then geeking out with Andrew. |
| 108 | * ShipSinking: Buffy isn't Willow's type. ''Damn!'' |
| 109 | * SnakePeople: The demon, Aluwyn is snake from the waist down and her top humanoid half is green. |
| 110 | * SoLastSeason: See Willow, probably ''the'' most powerful witch in the world, singlehandedly responsible for activating all the potential Slayers, a feat more impressive than the creation of the original Slayer to begin with. Then other magic users and monsters show up that can throw around equally impressive and powerful magic right back at her, including the formerly much-less talented witch, [[strike:rat]] Amy. Even Buffy's Slayer abilities become pretty obsolete in the face of a giant army of full Slayers and Willow's magic. |
| 111 | * SpeechBubbles: Warren speaks with irregular and somewhat-squiggly bubbles and Twilight talks in a different font. |
| 112 | * StealthPun: [[spoiler:The next universe is started by Buffy and Angel having sex all over the planet and in space.]] Brings a new meaning to Big Bang, doesn't it? |
| 113 | * SummonBiggerFish: Powerless Slayers vs. US Military? Summon 3 Tibetan Goddesses. |
| 114 | * SurprisinglySuddenDeath: Good lord, by this point someone should have slapped Sunnydale with the label "Death Trap" with all the times this trope is invoked. |
| 115 | * SymbolSwearing |
| 116 | ** Taken to the next level when one issue ends with "I think they're F#@%ing" and the next issue being called "Them F#©%ing (Plus the True History of the Universe)". |
| 117 | * TakeThat: The Season 8 comic series started over a year before the success of ''[[Literature/TheTwilightSaga another franchise that featured a human girl in love with a vampire]]'', so no-one thought much about the BigBad of the season being named ''Twilight'', with Buffy's only interaction with the villain coming before the other series became well known. But when they come face to face for the first time since then, Buffy points out the she did the whole Human-Girl-In-Love-With-a-Vampire thing first, and her vampire was ''so'' much better than the other one. |
| 118 | * TemptingFate: PlayedForLaughs when Buffy doesn't think a road trip with Andrew would be all that bad. To her credit she puts up with hours of the most obsessive ProudToBeAGeek discussion and only stops him when he brings up Creator/DanielCraig. |
| 119 | * TimeTravel: To ''{{ComicBook/Fray}}''. |
| 120 | * TimeyWimeyBall: Future [[spoiler: Dark Willow]] exploits the time travel confusion for all it's worth to manipulate people to her advantage. |
| 121 | * ToyTransmutation: Dawn is transformed into a porcelain doll by a curse from her ex-boyfriend. |
| 122 | * TrueLovesKiss: With Buffy down for the count it's determined that one of these is the order of the day. At the time it was hinted that Xander gives it, but Buffy later figures out that it was fellow Slayer [[LesYay Satsu.]] Her reaction is that it was sweet, but they can't be together. Then they sleep together. Twice. |
| 123 | * UncleSamWantsYou: [[http://images.darkhorse.com/covers/300/14/14836b.jpg The Chain.]] |
| 124 | * TheUnmasquedWorld: In issue 21, Harmony is photographed biting Andy Dick, exposing vampires and the supernatural to the entire world. |
| 125 | * UnrequitedLoveSwitcheroo: Buffy and Xander. Ultimately subverted in that Buffy tells him and he immediately calls bullshit. "You went through gay before you got to me." Buffy acknowledges that she's just lonely. Then, of course, The F#c%ing happens. |
| 126 | * [[YouCantGoHomeAgain You Can't Go Home Again Because You Turned It Into A Huge-Ass Crater]] |
| 127 | * VillainWithGoodPublicity: Harmony Kendall becomes a reality star and raises the public's opinion of vampires considerably. Likewise, she turns the Slayer Organization into a HeroWithBadPublicity. |
| 128 | * ZeroGSpot: Buffy and [[spoiler: Angel]] during the "Twilight" arc in the comics. |
| 129 | ** This is, of course, in the issue "Them F#©%ing (Plus the True History of the Universe)" |
| 130 | [[/folder]] |
| 131 | |
| 132 | [[folder:Season Nine (Including ''Spike'' and ''Willow'')]] |
| 133 | |
| 134 | * [[ActuallyADoombot Actually a Buffybot:]] [[spoiler:Issue #7 reveals that for some time now (possibly foreshadowed from the beginning of the season) that the Buffy we see is a robot. It has her traits enough, remembering Buffy's reaction to a robot version of her, to completely flip.]] |
| 135 | -->[[spoiler: Spike...I'm a f*&^ing robot!]] |
| 136 | ** [[spoiler: Becomes ComicallyMissingThePoint when she finds out she's a robot after her arm is ripped off and goes to confront Andrew about it. Instead of explaining why she's a robot he seems to be only concerned about getting her a new arm. Later when Buffy and Spike are angry at him because what she's been through because of it, he still thinks they're referring to her having lost the arm.]] |
| 137 | ** [[spoiler: Issue #8 reveals that it was an advanced Buffybot made by [[MadScientist Andrew]] and loaded with Buffy's mind to act as a decoy for a new BigBad, and the season starts with it waking up after the upload.]] |
| 138 | * ActuallyPrettyFunny: In ''Family Reunion'', Angel insists that rather than leave everyone to die during the Twilight incident, he was actually going to bring everyone over to the new world. Willow remarks that Buffy never mentioned him saying that. |
| 139 | -->'''Angel''': You ever try finishing a sentence when Buffy's all worked up?\ |
| 140 | '''Willow''': Oh, that is sexist. And funny. And so very, ''very'' true. |
| 141 | * AliceAllusion: The title of ''Willow: Wonderland''. Willow also makes a few {{Shout Out}}s. There is even a demon that claims that the green caterpillar was based on him. |
| 142 | * AllAmazonsWantHercules: Dawn says Buffy wouldn't go for a guy like Detective Dowling - ''alive''. |
| 143 | * AmazonBrigade: Kennedy sets up Deepscan, Slayers acting as bodyguards, and she gives Buffy a job. |
| 144 | * BackFromTheDead: [[spoiler: Angel succeeds in resurrecting Giles, albeit in a twelve years old body.]] |
| 145 | * BaitAndSwitchComment: |
| 146 | --> '''Willow:''' "If you think that sweet talk will make me feel better, you're completely and unabashedly right." |
| 147 | * BigBad: Simone in ''Buffy'' and [[spoiler:Whistler]] in ''Angel & Faith'' |
| 148 | * BiggerIsBetterInBed: I prefer lovers with big, thick dorsal fins. |
| 149 | * BittersweetEnding: Err somewhat, least better when season eight left off. [[spoiler: Buffy manages to kill Simone in the final battle, a new magic seed is created meaning magic is back in the world and Dawn is restored to life. However this has an odd effect on vampires who can now walk in the sunlight and shapeshift. What's more the book they used to create the seed has a blank page, meaning there's no new information to what's going on. A complete blank slate.]] |
| 150 | * BlatantLies: "I've been over Buffy since the first time we [[DestructoNookie brought down a house]]." Yeah Spike, sure you were. |
| 151 | * BodyHorror: Mohra Demon blood has regenerative powers, [[note]](it's what brought Angel back to life in [[Series/{{Angel}} "I Will Remember You"]])[[/note]] which was being sold to injured humans. [[spoiler: As a result of magic being gone, the blood has a nasty side effect of causing unstoppable cell regeneration. Those exposed to it started to grow giant tumors all over their bodies that wouldn't stop growing.]] |
| 152 | ** Happens to some Londoners when [[spoiler:Whistler tries to unleash a magic virus on the world to restore magic.]] |
| 153 | * BodySnatcher[=/=]CameBackWrong: [[spoiler:Eyghon, the demon summoned by Giles and Ethan in their youth, returned and possessed Ethan's body to literally snatch Giles' corpse at his funeral. Eyghon now possesses Giles and has resurrected a recently deceased slayer as well as other people, though not with their own souls as the bodies are possessed by demons.]] |
| 154 | * BourgeoisBohemian: Billy's grandmother, Sky. |
| 155 | * BroughtDownToNormal: Buffy, in particular, but it can be jarring to see everybody else being so...so normal. Simone by proxy attempts to have her depowered and slain. Especially Willow, who has no powers at all. |
| 156 | --> '''Willow:''' "Without magic, I'm back to being part hacker, part hostage, while my superpeeps kick evil's butt." |
| 157 | * CallBack: |
| 158 | ** To the Anywhere But Here game played in season two in...Anywhere But Here. Buffy starts with fantasies of having suntan lotion applied by Creator/DanielCraig, then a TwinThreesomeFantasy with Creator/ChristianBale, where Willow's is taking shelter from a snowstorm with Creator/TinaFey. |
| 159 | * CharacterDevelopment: Kennedy's considerably more mature. Faith had gone from being an AntiHero to pretty damn heroic. In universe even Willow treats her as TheHero of both series, since she's still mad at Buffy. |
| 160 | * CoDragons: Pearl and Nash serve as this to [[spoiler:Whistler]] |
| 161 | * CombatTentacles: The Plagiarus demon. |
| 162 | * ContinuityNod: When the cops show up, Buffy recalls her career aptitude test results recommending that she become a police officer. |
| 163 | ** When Buffy meets Illyria, she reveals some of the stuff she knows about her from Angel and Spike. She also sees D'Hoffryn again and guesses that he either wants to turn her into a vengeance demon or burn her to death. |
| 164 | ** Flashbacks show the time Giles spent as ''Ripper'' alongside Ethan Rayne, Diedre Page, Phillip Henry, Thomas Sutcliffe and Randall. |
| 165 | * CoolCar: Since Kennedy spearheaded the idea of Slayers becoming [[BodyguardBabes bodyguards]] she cruises around in a red Audi that rivals Giles' MidlifeCrisisCar for style. |
| 166 | * CreepyTwins: Pearl and Nash |
| 167 | * CrueltyIsTheOnlyOption: Living in Quor'toth, where any show of love or mercy is punishable by imprisonment and death, if Connor's followers are an indication. Quor'toth, the [[EldritchAbomination Old One]] that the hell dimension is named after, feeds on hatred and death. |
| 168 | * CurbStompBattle: The half-demon twins Nash and Pearl vs a Slayer squad in a flashback. The Slayers don't win. |
| 169 | * DeadpanSnarker: The caterpillar guy from the ''Wonderland'' comics seems to be in perpetual SarcasmMode. |
| 170 | * DebateAndSwitch: The comic initially suggested that a major plot point of the season would be Buffy being unintentionally pregnant and deciding to have an abortion. [[spoiler:Then it turned out that the apparent pregnancy was a bizarre side effect of her being a robot.]] |
| 171 | * DespairEventHorizon: Willow after the magic is gone. |
| 172 | * DesperatelyLookingForAPurposeInLife: Buffy looks like she's slowly turning bonkers after everything she lost. |
| 173 | ** Andrew reveals to Buffy at the party that he's set up a disaster relief fund with some other slayers, much to her dismay as he has made something of his life and she, as yet, has not without being The Slayer. |
| 174 | * DisappearedDad: Angel is this for Connor for a while, refusing to see him or even answer his phone calls. Angel, being Angel, does this because he thinks Connor will be better off without him. Angel gets the appropriate WhatTheHellHero from Faith. It gets even sadder when Connor reveals that his surrogate family doesn't remember him anymore since the magic went away. |
| 175 | ** Faith's father also shows up in London, looking for Faith. |
| 176 | * DisneyDeath: Anya appears to burn [[spoiler:Xander]] to ash at the end of issue #29. In issue #30, it's revealed that [[spoiler:she turned him into a ghost as revenge for him abandoning her, but she then resurrected him.]] |
| 177 | * DoesntLikeGuns: Still played straight with Buffy, averted with Simone, a [[FaceHeelTurn slayer gone bad]] who accuses Buffy of not letting other slayers use guns to keep them weak and inferior to her. Simone and her followers love guns. |
| 178 | ** Buffy is shot at with blanks during a failed bodyguard exercise. She's upset that her boss (Kennedy, who offered her the job) did that, even though Deepscan use guns as a matter of course. |
| 179 | * DoubleEntendre: |
| 180 | --> '''Centaurette Demon:''' "Please mount me, great one."\ |
| 181 | '''Willow:''' "There's just no way out of the double entendre with this one." |
| 182 | * EasilyForgiven: Subverted. [[spoiler:After their team-up in Quor'toth, Willow tells Angel that she ''still'' hasn't forgiven him for his actions during the Twilight crisis, and probably never well... but she doesn't hate him.]] |
| 183 | * EvilMeScaresMe: In Quor'toth, Willow begins going dark again and starts freaking out, forcing Angel to comfort her and calm her down. |
| 184 | -->'''Willow''': Angel, I can't! Please, I can't fight! Not now...\ |
| 185 | '''Angel''': It's going to be okay.\ |
| 186 | '''Willow''': No! You don't know me [[SuperpoweredEvilSide like this]]! It's never okay!\ |
| 187 | '''Angel''': Willow, it will be. I promise you. I need you to trust me. I know that's hard, after Twilight, after everything, but please, Willow. Can you trust me?\ |
| 188 | '''Willow''': I... I... yes. But I don't trust ''me''. |
| 189 | * FantasticRacism: Riley gets called out in the season finale for offhandedly implying nonhumans aren't "normal" with one such nonhuman specifically calling him a bigot. |
| 190 | ** Old Breed and New Breed vampires have this towards each other and can only engage in TeethClenchedTeamwork. |
| 191 | * FinalBoss: Maloker, the Old One who created the first vampires, serves as this in ''Buffy''. |
| 192 | * FisticuffProvokingComment: During the ''Guarded'' arc, Buffy bickers with Kennedy over her choice to leave Theo behind despite him urging them to do it so they could regroup. Kennedy strikes a hell of a nerve when she [[spoiler:throws Giles' death in Buffy's face]] as an example that Buffy [[TheNeedsOfTheMany gets so caught up in saving the world]] that she forgets about the "little guy" and lets other people die, which earns her a punch in the face. |
| 193 | * ForegoneConclusion: |
| 194 | ** Willow is trying to bring magic back to her world. In the ''Season 8'' {{crossover}} with {{ComicBook/Fray}}, ''Time Of Your Life'', it is revealed that in the future there is only one slayer left and that Willow has regained her power and become the BigBad after going dark again. And she gets killed by Buffy. |
| 195 | ** That is, unless Whistler actually succeeds in changing the future, as is implied to be possible. |
| 196 | * {{Foreshadowing}}: "Where's Willow?" on the cover of "Apart (Of Me)" part III. Later, she shows up at Giles' house. |
| 197 | * FreudianExcuse: Pearl and Nash. |
| 198 | * FromBadToWorse: If you thought Buffy's life was bad before... vampires are beloved, Slayers are seen as the enemy, Buffy herself has a dead end job in a cafe, she just wants to be normal despite slaying being the only thing she feels she can do, and her friends have largely shunned her. |
| 199 | ** There's also the Zompires, which are stronger and more dangerous than regular vampires. Though nowhere as smart as the regular vampires. |
| 200 | * GoshDangItToHeck |
| 201 | --> '''Willow:''' "What the Franchise/HelloKitty were those?" |
| 202 | ** Buffy says "What the hell dimension?" after randomly teleporting somewhere. |
| 203 | * HiddenDepths: Sophie and Vin tend to be vapid but they do love their grandnephew Rupert, and Sophie is still haunted by the death of a lover during UsefulNotes/TheHomeFront. |
| 204 | * HistoryRepeats: Remember how Kennedy was the {{Jerkass}} and Buffy was the DrillSergeantNasty training the Slayer army? Now she's the ReasonableAuthorityFigure turning Slayers into [[VideoGame/CallOfDuty Task Force 141]] style BodyguardBabes and Buffy is now the slack and clueless trainee. |
| 205 | * IfIDoNotReturn / OtherStockPhrases in ''Spike'': |
| 206 | --> "Tell my wife and larvae I love them." |
| 207 | * ItsAllAboutMe: The attitude of Sophie and Vin. |
| 208 | %%Explain* ItsALongStory: "It's a medium-long story". |
| 209 | * IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: Spike encourages Buffy to get with OccultDetective Dowling, citing that he's a nice, normal man that he believes Buffy needs. |
| 210 | * JerkassHasAPoint: Kennedy might be seen as TheScrappy but when she offers Buffy a job she's pretty on the ball about bodyguard work, a vampire loving world, even tapping into Buffy's fears. |
| 211 | ** She brings up not destroying Tincan might help restore magic, and in turn Willow. Even though they split up it doesn't mean Kennedy doesn't still care for her, and it might get some people off Buffy's case for what she'd done. |
| 212 | * JustEatGilligan: Andrew had set up a DeusExMachina to deal with Simone: [[spoiler: it involved creating another Buffybot, getting the real Buffy stoned, putting Buffy's mind in the bot (and make her think she's pregnant,) then set up the real Buffy with the bot's brain to think it lives a different life and lives in a suburban home Andrew had set up so when the assassin strikes bot!Buffy might be read for it, maybe, possibly.]] Andrew being Andrew he was being far too clever for his own good, a much simpler solution would have been to use the bot to lure out Simone. |
| 213 | * KickTheDog: In the ''Guarded'' arc, Kennedy criticizes Buffy for leaving Theo behind despite Theo urging her to do it so they could regroup, ranting that Buffy gets so caught up in saving the world that she forgets about the "little guy" and lets other people die, using [[spoiler:Giles' death at the end of Season 8]] as an example. This earns her [[FisticuffProvokingComment a punch in the face]] from Buffy, and Kennedy later admits at the end of the issue that she was out of line. |
| 214 | * LoopholeAbuse: How Willow was able to open an entrance to Quor'toth, despite there no longer being magic on Earth. While the portals to other dimensions are closed, she can still access Quor'toth because it was accessed by tearing a hole in reality itself, not through an actual portal. |
| 215 | * LotusEaterMachine: The witch coven in "Wonderland". |
| 216 | * MamaBear: A demon goes after Willow and Marrack after Willow kills her child. |
| 217 | * [[ManipulativeBastard Manipulative Bitch]]: Simone was behind the attack on Buffy. |
| 218 | * TheMindIsAPlaythingOfTheBody: Even though he keeps all his memories [[spoiler:the resurrected Giles is prone to typical behavior of pubescent boy, like emotional outbursts, being distracted by Faith's cleavage or getting a boner when hugging the buxom hot Slayer]] |
| 219 | * MortonsFork: "For magic to open a direct pathway there, there has to be magic on the other end - what you call a Catch-22". |
| 220 | * NotQuiteDead: Nadira survives having half her body burned by Nash. |
| 221 | ** Turns out [[spoiler:Rack]] had survived being sucked dry of magic by [[spoiler:Willow]]. |
| 222 | ** And [[spoiler: Eyghon had survived the fight with Angel's inner demon by possessing a dead rat.]] |
| 223 | * OhCrap: In the first ''Spike'' comic, Spike is knocked out and up by a group of demons who want to steal his spaceship. Said demons walk onto the ship, asking the last three remaining cockroach aliens (who have become Spike's lackeys), |
| 224 | --> "Okay, which one of you cockroaches is in charge of this heap?" |
| 225 | ** The other two aliens point at the one in the middle, who also happens to have a broken leg, who gets an OhCrap look and just reponds with |
| 226 | --> "$#%&!" |
| 227 | * OlderAndWiser: Kennedy has gone from the selfish and somewhat mean but well intended brat in the series to thinking she's in ''VideoGame/RainbowSix'' to going full ReasonableAuthorityFigure leading a AmazonBrigade hybrid of Blackwater. |
| 228 | * OlderThanTheyLook: Giles greataunts Sophronia and Lavinia Fairweather. They look in their early twenties but re over a hundred years old. |
| 229 | * OurVampiresAreDifferent / OurZombiesAreDifferent: Without the Magic Seed allowing demons to posses a sired body. Vampires are now much more mindless and feral. The Scoobies call them Zompires (Zombie/Vampires) so as not to confuse them. |
| 230 | * PacManFever: Buffy's roommates are seen playing ''Franchise/MassEffect'', specifically Liara fighting Collectors, which doesn't occur in game. Doubles as a ShoutOut since Dark Horse comics are behind both adaptations. |
| 231 | * PlotParallel: Buffy destroying the seed[[note]] in Season 8 [[/note]]is compared to Theo destroying Tincan. |
| 232 | --> '''Theo:''' "No one's going to understand why I destroyed what I worked so hard to build." |
| 233 | --> '''Buffy:''' "You're right. They won't. You're going to get blamed for being selfish. For doing this to save your own life. To fix the mistakes you made. You're going to lose friends. But at the end of the day, you're doing it for the right reasons." |
| 234 | * {{Portmanteau}}: Zombie vampires. Zompires. |
| 235 | * PrecisionFStrike: And Buffy is LeaningOnTheFourthWall to drop this one about demons hunting her for her student loan, as if to say, "yeah, this is ''dumb.'' She'd drop it again when freaking that she had been turned into a robot. |
| 236 | * PuppeteerParasite: The Plagiarus demon again. |
| 237 | * ResetButton: Buffy hits it hard at the end of ''Guarded.'' Beforehand she wanted out of being the Slayer; never mind by rights Faith is really TheChosenOne and by everyone's account is doing a fantastic job of it, she wants a proper job and she needs money. At the end of the story Kennedy offers her enough money to pay back that student loan with the promise of more if she stays on. Buffy turns it all down, because she felt it was all for herself rather than helping others, remember their occupation was bodyguard and thus it would be helping and protecting others, and [[StatusQuoIsGod chooses to remain the same broke girl stuck doing something she hates]]. |
| 238 | * RelationshipUpgrade: Billy and Devon. |
| 239 | * RescueRomance: Devon saving Billy from a Zompire. |
| 240 | * {{Revision}}/ContinuityNod: Willow met Giles' aunts while she was training on his estate in Bath after the events of season 6. |
| 241 | * RidiculouslyCuteCritter: The cute little orange octopi Willow comes across in the ocean. She names one [[DeadGuyJunior Mr. Octopus Fantasticus]] and expresses a desire to have one as a bathtub toy. |
| 242 | * ScrewTheRulesIMakeThem: Kennedy's Slayer bodyguards are not allowed to engage in corporate warfare against Wolfram & Hart. She takes Buffy to do so anyway. |
| 243 | * ScrewYourself in the first ''Spike'' issue: |
| 244 | --> '''Elizabeth''': "I have ''never'' seen his majesty like this before." |
| 245 | --> '''Sebastian''': "He has told us to sod off before Elizabeth. Just last week, [[ScrewYourself he told Scotty and me to engage in an activity so anatomically impossible that-"]] |
| 246 | * SecretlySelfish: Willow becomes obsessed with finding a way to restore magic to Earth, convinced that the world is dying without magic and needs it to survive. Over the course of the ''Willow: Wonderland'' miniseries, she eventually realizes and confesses that she actually just wanted magic back so she could feel powerful again. |
| 247 | -->'''Willow''': ...Maybe just a couple of sads. My friends need me. At least, I keep telling myself they need me. The truth is... when I think about now, they seemed to be doing fine. I'm the one who was falling apart. Without magic, I'm back to being part hacker, part hostage, while my superpeeps kick evil's butt. I was so convinced the world needed magic. That life on Earth is fundamentally missing something. But maybe... maybe it was just me. |
| 248 | * ShoutOut: |
| 249 | ** The Jan/Feb 2012 Buffy comic has the cover in the style of Franchise/{{Batman}}. For those who saw Faith wearing Batman pajamas in her series they should have seen it coming. |
| 250 | ** The last issue with Simone and the Bot has someone wearing a skull t shirt. It certainly wasn't ComicBook/ThePunisher, but it likely refers to the last Punisher comic where [[spoiler: he dies]] which was published at around the same time. |
| 251 | ** Willow: "[[Creator/DrSeuss Oh the places I'll go]]", and later "You'd be a fine minion ... [[Film/TheWizardOfOz and your little dogs, too.]]" Also, in the same issue, |
| 252 | --> '''Connor:''' "Do unto others as you'd have them do unto you. And, uh ... [[Franchise/StarWars the force will be with you.]]" |
| 253 | ** "Why isn't the nighttime, sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, stuffy-head, fever, so-Xander-can-rest medicine ''working?!''" |
| 254 | ** "What would Literature/TheHardyBoys do when they got stuck on a case?" |
| 255 | ** Buffy calling Illyria [[Franchise/TheSmurfs "Smurfette."]] |
| 256 | ** Willow nicknames a giant octopus (which has the power to split itself into smaller, [[RidiculouslyCuteCritter cuter]] octopi) Franchise/{{Hello|Kitty}} Franchise/{{Cthulhu|Mythos}}. |
| 257 | * StupidSexyFlanders: Willow engenders this reaction in Buffy's roommate Anaheed. |
| 258 | * SuccubiAndIncubi: Spike's new LoveInterest is a succubus and has shown her true demon form. |
| 259 | * TheBusCameBack: Simone; last seen executing [[TheDragon the General at war with the Slayers]], is driving around San Francisco, armed to her back teeth, promising that she won't let the world forget about the Slayers. [[OhCrap This... this can't be good]]. |
| 260 | * WasItReallyWorthIt: In the final issue of ''Angel & Faith'', [[spoiler:Nadira finally gets her revenge on Nash for killing her Slayer squad... after he's fried her with EyeBeams. When Faith tries to comfort her by assuring her of her revenge, Nadira just remarks it wasn't worth it.]] |
| 261 | * WhatDidIDoLastNight: Issue #1 opens with Buffy waking up in a trashed room thinking: |
| 262 | -->"God... What have I done? Also, why did I do whatever it was I've done? Also, where am I?" |
| 263 | * WhatTheHellHero: |
| 264 | ** Buffy and Spike give Andrew complete and total hell after [[spoiler:he swaps Buffy's mind into a robot after roofieing her at a party, in order to protect her from an unknown Big Bad that is after her. He did this [[PoorCommunicationKills without telling anyone else what he did]]. This leads to Buffy thinking she is pregnant due to limitations of the robot body, but discovers that she is a robot when her arm gets chopped off. Spike even threatens to kill Andrew if he doesn't fix the situation.]] |
| 265 | ** Willow and Angel both get one on each other when she shows up in ''Family Reunion''. She chews him out for trying to resurrect Giles, convinced it'll end in disaster, and he's furious that she's willing to involve Connor in her plans. |
| 266 | -->'''Angel''': You want me to find the son I've never been there for and ruin the life he's built. Ask him to go back to [[DeathWorld the hell he grew up in]] because of me. For some wild goose chase. Something that's not even possible. Here ''I'' was ashamed to see ''you''.\ |
| 267 | '''Willow''': [''slaps him''] Don't you dare. Don't you ''dare'' try to say I'm like you! This is all your fault! Thinking you can fix things! Running blindly down any road that might lead to redemption! And you're doing it ''again''! Never worrying about the consequences until it's too late! You've ruined ''everything'', Angel!! |
| 268 | ** Later, when [[spoiler:it's revealed that Dawn is fading away due to the end of magic, Xander chews Buffy out over it, stating that had she not destroyed the Seed of Wonder, this wouldn't be happening. When Buffy reminds him that she had no choice but to do so to save the world, Xander simply retorts that it's still her fault because she slept with Angel and caused Twilight in the first place.]] Of course, [[spoiler:Xander himself gets it right back when it transpires that he made a deal with Severin and Simone to feed them information on Buffy's intentions in exchange for them going back to reverse Twilight; Buffy in particular is furious that Xander had so little trust in her that he was willing to conspire with Simone. It reaches a whole new level when it turns out that if Severin ''did'' reverse Twilight, his doing so would [[TimeCrash tear reality itself apart]].]] |
| 269 | * WhatWouldXDo: "What would Literature/TheHardyBoys do when they got stuck on a case?" |
| 270 | * YourTerroristsAreOurFreedomFighters: The basic view of the world, with Slayers being seen as terrorists persecuting vampires who are now beloved. Simone does not help, her appearance in the first issue even invoking that she is a domestic terrorist. Of course, public opinion begins to shift against vampires with the emergence of zompires, leading to the San Francisco Police Department to create an anti-vampire task force. |
| 271 | [[/folder]] |
| 272 | |
| 273 | [[folder:Season Ten]] |
| 274 | * AbortedDeclarationOfLove: Upon finding out that the source of Spike's nightmare about murdering two innocents follows all the way down his vampiric line to the demon Archeus, Buffy (believing that vampires of the same line are somehow the same person) exclaims her shock that she'd fallen in love with the same guy ''twice''. When Spike tries to clarify if the [[LoveConfession implication of her words were what they sounded like]], she refuses to answer. |
| 275 | * AliensStealCable: Trapped in a remote hell dimension, Xander teaches the local demons to use their ability to scry on Earth so they can tempt humans to sin to pirate subscription television instead. They greatly enjoy Game of Thrones, [[BadIsGoodAndGoodIsBad Joffrey in particular]]. |
| 276 | * AllTherapistsAreMuggles: Xander averts ThereAreNoTherapists by seeing a Dr. Mike for his issues, which greatly helps him personally with things like his temper. However Dr. Mike's advice on what to do about [[spoiler: the not-spirit-of-Anya]] falls hard into this trope as despite knowing ghosts exist and therefore the chance that it is equally likely she is a confused ghost as she is a figment of Xander's guilt, his advice is for Xander to simply ignore the ghost [[spoiler: which Xander weakly justifies as letting her be her own person]] when Xander is her only point of contact. Buffy later calls Xander on simply doing this instead of asking any of his friends for ideas, given they have experience with ghosts. |
| 277 | * ArbitrarySkepticism: Xander doesn't tell anyone else about Anya's ghost for fear of being seen as crazy [[spoiler: even after a medium confirms for him that it's real and not Anya]], instead of, you know, ''being haunted''. Buffy calls him on it when it bites them in the ass. |
| 278 | * TheAtoner: Ends up being the reason Andrew steals the Vampyr book and heads to Sunnydale. He wants to resurrect Jonathan and Tara, the former to make up for killing him under The First's influence, the latter to make up for having a part in her death. |
| 279 | ** The "Love Dares You" arc turns Spike into this specifically in regards to his Slayer of Slayers days. Buffy traveling through his memories to help him means he now sees her reactions to his actions when he recalls those moments, tainting the triumph and bloodlust with shame. This turns out to be a good thing as it helps him shake Archeus' control over him. |
| 280 | ** Angel still has some lingering guilt over the Twilight incident, admitting that he agreed he deserved Xander punching him. |
| 281 | * BadDate: Buffy attempts to do some speed dating, resulting in a long line of dud dates and finishing with a vampire who's thrilled to have found the one slayer with a [[HasAType history of dating vampires]]. |
| 282 | * BadGuysDoTheDirtyWork: Invoked, albeit by accident. Buffy complains about the Mistress, the Sculptor and the Glutton and wishes something else would take them out. [[spoiler: The fake ghost of Anya heard her and transmitted the wish to D'Hoffyrn, a vengeance demon, empowering him to be strong enough to dispatch them in order to fulfill the wish.]] |
| 283 | * BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: The Vampyr book, which governs the laws of magic, [[spoiler:can be used to make just about anything true by writing new laws of magic into it. However, vague descriptions that can be interpreted in several ways have a tendency to work out negatively.]] [[spoiler: Dracula]] finds this out the hard way. |
| 284 | ** Vengeance Demons, natch. [[spoiler: It turns out when granting a wish they taste omnipotence, and D'Hoffryn has grown to like that power. When Buffy inadvertently wishes the current BigBad trio taken out, he pulls the fake Anya ghost into his plan and makes her a real vengeance demon.]] |
| 285 | ** Averted in the finale [[spoiler: where Buffy wishing she'd never trusted D'Hoffryn is how they win, since the Anya ghost is actually on their side and can also grant wishes, helping them bring him down.]] |
| 286 | * BigBadEnsemble: Initially Archeus before he moves to being the BigBad of ''Angel and Faith'' instead, then it's the Glutton, the Sculptor, and the Mistress, and finally [[spoiler: D'Hoffryn]] takes over as the TrueFinalBoss. |
| 287 | * BigBookOfEverything: The Vampyr book is revealed to have been one of these, being the first major chronicle of magic and its rules centuries ago. It's now slowly filing in with the new rules and [[spoiler:can have new rules written in.]] |
| 288 | * BigDamnHeroes: Kennedy, some of her slayers, Faith and Giles show up just in time to save Buffy and co. from some new rules vampires in issue 1. |
| 289 | * TheBigDamnKiss: [[spoiler: Buffy and Spike at the end of Issue 11]]. |
| 290 | * BigNo: How everyone shut down [[spoiler: D'Hoffryn's last attempt at bargaining with them.]] |
| 291 | * BoozeFlamethrower: Spike uses one in issue 2 to take out a vampire who [[OneToMillionToOne changed into a swarm of bees]]. |
| 292 | * BrainUploading: The Trio made digital backups of their brains. [[spoiler: Andrew plans on using Jonathan's to resurrect him and destroys Warren's so he can't come back. However Andrew later comes to terms with the fact that even helping this copy of Jonathan won't undo the fact that he killed Jonathan]] |
| 293 | * TheBreakfastClubPosterHomage: The [[http://www.comiccollectorlive.com/LiveData/Issue.aspx?id=8ac29acd-8884-4e86-ab0a-63773f09d696 variant]] for issue 16 poses the characters this way. |
| 294 | * TheBusCameBack: Several recurring characters show up after the climax of the finale [[spoiler: to serve on the new Magic Council]] including Dracula and Riley Finn. |
| 295 | * CallBack: The first time Buffy and Spike sleep together, Spike wakes up in the middle of the night to nightmares of killing innocents, calling back to "[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS2E14Innocence Innocence]]". Buffy even outright lampshades this by jokingly asking the next morning if he is evil now. |
| 296 | * CrushFilter: When Buffy enters Spike's mind to find the source of his nightmares, she sees herself the way he sees her--Beautiful, [[GaussianGirl etherial]] and practically ''glowing''. Buffy states she doesn't think she looks ''that'' good even on her best days. |
| 297 | * CutLexLuthorACheck: Discussed. Xander asks Andrew why the trio never sold any of their obvious high tech inventions to get rich. Andrew reveals that they stole most of the base plans for such things by hacking government files and thus couldn't legally sell them, thus retroactively explaining why the Trio never tried that. |
| 298 | * DaywalkingVampire: Thanks to the new rules of magic, all newly sired vampires can walk unharmed in the sunlight. |
| 299 | * DisabilityImmunity: [[ExploitedTrope Exploited]] in issue 7; Xander, in a moment of clarity, takes two plastic drink swords and shoves them in Spike's ears, poking out his ear drums. The deaf Spike is thus immune to the sirens, and manages to kill them before [[GoodThingYouCanHeal his ear drums grow back]]. |
| 300 | * DoggedNiceGuy: Subverted. Spike mentions to Xander that he'd related to guys that whine about being in the "friend zone" when he was soulless. However, though he's still in love with her, he notes that he now feels pretty content and satisfied being JustFriends with Buffy. |
| 301 | * EarnYourHappyEnding: The finale for the season is quite possibly the least depressing Buffy season finale ever [[spoiler: none of the main cast has died, the tone is hopeful if a bit unsure with the new magic council, Buffy and Spike stuck together, and D'Hoffryn was defeated despite trying to turn the heroes' insecurities against them]]. |
| 302 | * EveryoneCanSeeIt: Pretty much everyone can see that Buffy and Spike make a good couple. Played with in that both Buffy and Spike can see it themselves but don't want to take the risk...at least until "Love Dares You, Part 2". |
| 303 | * FanserviceFauxFight: The sirens who kidnap Spike and Xander have them strip down to their boxers and pillow fight with each other for [[EatingTheEyeCandy the amusement of The Mistress]]. Lampshaded by Spike, who claims [[ReluctantFanserviceGirl he's beginning to feel objectified]]. [[ShamelessFanserviceGirl Xander admits he finds it empowering]]. |
| 304 | * FatalAttractor: Discussed with regards to both Buffy and Spike. |
| 305 | ** Spike points out to Buffy that post Riley, she seems to only go after what she knows she can't have; him, while soulless, [[DrunkWithPower Angel, after going all 'mad god']], [[IncompatibleOrientation a woman, despite not identifying as gay]], and [[JustFriends Xander, when she knew he was with Dawn]]. |
| 306 | ** Xander later states the same to Spike, pointing out that he only goes after women he's incapable of being in healthy relationships with; [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} Drusilla]], [[OnTheRebound Harmony]] and [[HeroicBSOD Buffy when she hated herself]]. |
| 307 | * GadgeteerGenius: Wholly embraced by Andrew, who comes up with multiple weapons and other gear for the Scoobies including UV emitting guns and goggles that can see layers of magical warding. |
| 308 | * GameBreaker: InUniverse, the New Breed vampires are viewed as being simply too powerful since they can walk in sunlight, shapeshift, and are harder to stake than older vamps. It's eventually agreed that they get a weakness added to make them less overpowered: no shapeshifting during the day. |
| 309 | ** Also [[spoiler: D'Hoffryn]] in the final arc, who takes out all of the Magic Council and assumes the powers of each of their positions. By the time only one is left, it is outright stated he has ''no weaknesses'' and is only taken down [[spoiler: when a vengeance wish removes his extra powers.]] |
| 310 | * GenreShift: Kennedy and her Slayers have gone from medieval warriors to almost a ''VideoGame/CallOfDuty'' clan, replete with special forces outfits, guns that kill vampires with silver bullets and jungle warfare. |
| 311 | * GetAHoldOfYourselfMan: Spike backhands Angel while taunting him about his daddy issues to snap him out of Archaeus' control. |
| 312 | * TheGhost: Xander's therapist, Dr. Mike. |
| 313 | * GreenEyedMonster: Angel has shades of this when he finds out that [[spoiler: Buffy and Spike are in a relationship]]. |
| 314 | ** Subverted with Dowling, who despite having an interest in Buffy in season 9, [[ShipperOnDeck earnestly supports her and Spike getting together.]] |
| 315 | * HeelFaceTurn: [[spoiler: The ghost Anya turns on D'Hoffryn when he goes back on his promise not to hurt the Scoobies, and grants Buffy's wish of vengeance against him, which allows them to defeat him.]] |
| 316 | * HorribleJudgeOfCharacter: The Scoobies trust D'Hoffryn to help them with the ''Vampyr'' book and new rules of magic, while he plots to seize power using the book himself. When he makes his move, he takes the time to gloat that they ''really'' should have known better. |
| 317 | -->'''Buffy''': You played us. All that time you pretended to be our Obi-Wan Kenobi, giving us advice like some wise sensei, you were tricking us into doing what you wanted.\ |
| 318 | '''D'Hoffryn''': Of course. And you complied like dull-minded sheep. If only you'd known I was a soulless demon whose reason for being is {{revenge}}... oh, wait. You ''did''. |
| 319 | * {{Hypocrite}}: Buffy complaining about Dawn being unable to see how good she is with Xander and somewhat scolding her for not giving him a proper chance to rebuild their relationship. Dawn directly calls her on this, pointing out that Buffy is pointedly ignoring her own [[EveryoneCanSeeIt very obvious chemistry]] with Spike and that she never truly gave him a real chance now that a relationship between them could actually work. |
| 320 | * IDontWantToRuinOurFriendship: Buffy and Spike discuss this towards the end of Issue 12 after she impulsively kisses him at the beginning: |
| 321 | -->'''Buffy''': We've worked so hard for so long to get where we are. To something important. Something ''real''. Friendship... What I'm trying to say is, I love what we have. It's taken a lot to get here. And it would've been stupid and thoughtless to risk that by rushing into something. |
| 322 | ** Subverted when Spike admits to still being in love with her, which leads to Buffy immediately backtracking on this trope and them falling into bed together. |
| 323 | --> '''Spike''': There's just one problem with that. [[WhamLine I'm in love with you.]] |
| 324 | --> ''[[NextThingTheyKnew (smash cut to them roughly making out on their way to the bedroom)]]'' |
| 325 | * ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: Angel does this to Spike under Archaeus' control. Archaeus notes it only happened because Angel honestly does "desperately want" to stab Spike. Since it's with a sword instead of a stake, Spike just pulls the sword out and starts dual wielding against a now-unarmed Angel. |
| 326 | * InsistentTerminology: Xander insists on calling his action figures "maquettes". |
| 327 | * IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: Angel at least tries to do this for Buffy's sake, but it's hinted that he's still carrying a torch for her and is maybe even hoping that Buffy and [[spoiler: Spike]] break up. |
| 328 | ** Both Spike and Xander acknowledge a slight temptation to use the book to make their respective romances come to fruition. Spike admits that a future within which he was TheChosenOne for the Shanshu prophesy, became human, and lived happily ever after with Buffy would have been nice, but he refuses to steal her choice in the matter and ruin the happiness she's built for herself. Xander worries that writing in that Dawn's feelings are restored could cause complications and potentially permanently screw up her feelings forever, and that it'd be too selfish to risk that over trying to fix his relationship. They both agree that love is doing what's best for the person they love, even if it isn't what's best for themselves. |
| 329 | ** Spike also tries this initially before he realizes he's what makes Buffy happy. Then he does it again later on, wondering if they should break up before he screws up. Buffy calls him out on it, and they decide to stay together. |
| 330 | * JustFriends: What Buffy and Spike are trying to be [[spoiler: until Issue 12 when they sleep together]]. |
| 331 | ** Olivia and Giles come to the conclusion that this is all they can be anymore, as Olivia justifiably doesn't feel comfortable being romantic with someone in a child's body. |
| 332 | * KindheartedCatLover: As a show of how far he's grown since season 6, Spike rescues six kittens from some demons he caught gambling for them. He and Xander keep three of them (the other three going to Buffy, Willow and Dawn), and he's often seen petting or caring for them throughout the season. |
| 333 | * LaserGuidedAmnesia: As a result of the new magic, Dawn [[spoiler:remembers everything from her past life but her emotions have been reset to when she was created. As a result she's going though Joyce's death as if it just happened and doesn't love Xander anymore.]] |
| 334 | * LetUsNeverSpeakOfThisAgain: In issue 7, Spike and Xander are seduced by sirens, but Spike, having been [[DisabilityImmunity temporarily deafened]], manages to fight them off and kill them just as the BrainwashedAndCrazy Xander jumps on his back. The end result: they're both in their underwear, and Xander is piggy-backing Spike. They both agree ''never'' to speak of it again. |
| 335 | * LivingEmotionalCrutch: Subverted. The Team tries to lean on Giles again, only for him to quickly point out his return as a 12 year old is more than physical, and that he can't be relied on for everything. |
| 336 | * TheLostLenore: Willow talks to Andrew about how she frequently considers finding a way to bring Tara back to life, but can't bring herself to do it, as she now knows how badly it can destroy a person to be pulled out of heaven. |
| 337 | * LoveConfession: While not exactly a confession of love, at the beginning of Issue 12, Buffy admits to Spike that she wants to give their relationship another shot. Spike at first (and rightfully) rejects her due to worry that she doesn't really mean it, though he changes his mind when he realizes that she does and they sleep together at the end of the issue after he admits he's still in love with her too. |
| 338 | * TheMagicComesBack: A new Seed of Wonder has been created, and magic has returned to Earth... but with different rules than before. For example, all vampires sired from this point onward are {{Daywalker}}s and {{Voluntary Shapeshifter}}s, and the LanguageOfMagic is no longer required to cast spells; at one point, Willow just utters "boom shaka laka" to do so. |
| 339 | * MarriedToTheJob: Spike tries to be this in order to help him get over Buffy. He even says the exact words to Dowling, who sees right through it. |
| 340 | * TheMindIsAPlaythingOfTheBody: Giles now has the hormones and short temper to go with his twelve year old body and ''despises'' it. |
| 341 | * MoreThanMindControl: Archaeus seizes control of Angel and gets him to fight Spike. According to Archaeus, Angel already desperately wanted to stab Spike, so it was easy to control him. |
| 342 | * NiceJobBreakingItHero: The Scoobies give the Magic Council emergency powers because Buffy is unwilling to bear responsibility for the book herself, and D'Hoffryn uses this to his advantage by inserting a loophole that another member would inherit the powers of a Council member if they were killed until a 'replacement' could be appointed, after which he kills the rest of the Council and steals their powers for himself. When Willow approaches the military in an effort to gain their support, they decide her judgement can't be trusted for this reason and throw her off the base. |
| 343 | * TheNoseKnows: Harmony is able to tell Buffy and Spike are a couple despite them no exhibiting any couple-y behaviour in front of her because she can smell them on each other. |
| 344 | * NotSoDifferentRemark: Angel's visit leads to the gang discussing whether or not he and Spike have ended up as being similar. Spike's best comeback is that [[SeriousBusiness he's British and Angel's Irish]] which are "completely different." |
| 345 | * NotSoSimilar: On the other hand, Willow notes that Spike is far more open to change than Angel is, doing things like going out and earning his soul. |
| 346 | * NotStayingForBreakfast: Spike fears falling asleep after he and Buffy are intimate for the first time since their DestructiveRomance for this reason, as Buffy had a habit of ditching him after sex back then. Subverted finally, as she does stay the night, greets him fondly in the morning, and ''he'' ends up being the one who has to leave early for work. |
| 347 | * OnceDoneNeverForgotten: Buffy still hasn't forgiven Andrew for the Buffybot fiasco last season. |
| 348 | * TheOneThatGotAway: "I Wish, Part 2" reintroduces [[spoiler: Dylan]] from ''[[spoiler: Spike: Into the Light]]'', who has [[spoiler: come looking for Spike, describing him as the one who got away]]. Downplayed in that she's not looking for a relationship with him now, noting they only knew each other for a few days. |
| 349 | * OutOfContextEavesdropping: Buffy drops by Xander and Spike's Apartment to take back the Vampyr book and catches Spike talking about how he's finally moving on from her. She leaves immediately afterward, looking notably dejected by what she'd overheard. This of course, was missing the context not only the beginning of the conversation in which he admits his ideal future would have been with her, but several other conversations with Xander and Dowling in which he admits to still being very much in love with her. |
| 350 | ** [[spoiler: Vengeance Demon Jonathan shows Andrew scenes of the Scoobies and a guy he's interested in, Clive, talking badly about him, having cut out the context in order to make them seem as hurtful as possible so that Andrew would betray Buffy. It doesn't work.]] |
| 351 | * PoorCommunicationKills: Generally averted, showing the Scoobies are growing up. Spike and Buffy in particular manage to work through a lot of their issues with talking. However, Xander keeping [[spoiler: Anya's ghost]] a secret ends up biting them in the ass and earns him a call-out. |
| 352 | * {{Polyamory}}: When Harmony gets her hands on the book and tries to get Clem to write her "ideal world" into existence, she makes sure to tell Clem to write in that Angel, Buffy and Spike finally decided to "cut the crap" and get into a polygamous polyamorous marriage together. Clem never actually writes it down, leaving it as purely ThreesomeSubtext. [[note]] It's distinctly {{Polyamory}} and not MarryThemAll, as Harmony's fantasy of the situation suggests Spike and Angel would be... [[HoYay involved]] with each other too. [[/note]] |
| 353 | * RelationshipUpgrade: As of Issue 12, Buffy and Spike are back together. Or rather, they're trying their hand at a ''real'' relationship finally. |
| 354 | * ReplacementGoldfish: Andrew with the AI copy of Jonathon's memories. Andrew eventually realizes he's doing this as a way to cope with his guilt of what he did to Jonathon and that even getting the AI its own body won't bring the old Jonathon back. |
| 355 | * {{Retcon}}: Discussed in-universe when dealing with what gets written in the book. Simply declaring something undone does not work, as the book ''does not'' accept blatant retcons. It also does not accept cliches like "it was all a dream." More creative methods must be used, such as utilizing ChekhovsGun like with Xander remembering Dracula's discussion on his own willpower [[spoiler: to help him resist Maloker's power later on]] and or going all-out on creativity like Spike (seemingly) writing an alteration in ''sonnet'' form to go against the already-written strengthening of dimensional barriers [[spoiler: to let Dawn use her Key powers and find the BigBad]]. |
| 356 | ** However, the book ''can'' be used to write in new rules that don't contradict its contents. Thus the New Breed vampires re given the restriction that their shapeshifting does not work in daylight anymore when it worked just fine in the first arc. |
| 357 | * SighOfLove: Andrew recounts Spike's journey of earning his soul for unrequited love to a couple of girls the Scoobies have rescued from the Zompires, leading to [[AmbiguouslyGay all three of them]] sighing dreamily. |
| 358 | * ShipperOnDeck: Buffy to Dawn and Xander. Dawn, Willow, Dowling, Andrew, and even ''Xander'' are also this for Buffy and Spike. |
| 359 | * SpiritAdvisor: [[spoiler:Anya]] is this to Xander. Though [[spoiler:she's]] real it is revealed [[spoiler:she's not actually Anya]]. |
| 360 | * SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: Giles meets his old flame, Olivia, and hopes to renew their old relationship. [[spoiler:Olivia refuses; since Giles was brought back in the body of a 12-year-old boy, she doesn't really feel physically attracted to him anymore nor wants to be MistakenForPedophile.]] |
| 361 | * TakeThat: [[RunningGag Once again]] to Creator/AnneRice (and then ''Twilight'') when Dowling tries to set Spike up with a female colleague into vampire literature. |
| 362 | -->"But you're not sparkling." Well '''''excuse''''' me. I'll shove some pop rocks up me arse. |
| 363 | ** After one fight, Spike notes he has more holes in him "than the plot of a Creator/MichaelBay film." |
| 364 | * TroubledButCute: Buffy's affinity for this type of guy (particularly of the vampiric variety) is riffed on, with a vampire she meets while speed-dating trying to convince her into giving him a chance by stating he's "extremely self-hating". |
| 365 | * UndeadTaxExemption: Discussed in issue 7; Spike remarks to Xander that it would be a challenge for him to get a job, pointing out that he has no social security number, can't work daytime shifts, and has a hundred year gap in his resume; he explains that most vampires support themselves by [[RobbingTheDead robbing their kills]], which his soul prevents him from doing. Xander suggests he get a job as a consultant for the S.F.P.D.'s supernatural crimes unit, which Spike confesses isn't a bad idea. |
| 366 | * VillainsWantMercy: In the final issue, [[spoiler: Buffy and the Scooby Gang corner D'Hoffryn and are about to kill him for his actions throughout the series, including killing the Magic Council, stealing their powers, and nearly killing Xander using the spirit of Anya as a slave. He begs them for mercy, offering to grant them all one wish if they let him live, but the Scoobies refuse, knowing that [[JackassGenie there will]] ''[[JackassGenie always]]'' [[JackassGenie be a catch]]; Buffy proceeds to chop his head off.]] |
| 367 | * VitriolicBestBuds: Xander and Spike become this, often exchanging SnarkToSnarkCombat but also frequently offering each other advice and comfort. |
| 368 | * WellDoneSonGuy: Spike weaponizes the trope against Angel in order to break him free of Archaeus' control by accusing "Liam" of just listening to another jerkass father figure. |
| 369 | * WhamLine: Nadira when she declares [[spoiler: she never stopped being a Slayer and opens a can of whoop-ass on Archeus and Drusilla.]] |
| 370 | ** TheReveal that [[spoiler: the ghost with Xander is not really Anya.]] |
| 371 | * WhamShot: Willow discovers that Andrew had destroyed any means of being able to revive Warren like she feared, and wonders what he's planning. Cut to him at [[spoiler:Tara's headstone, the implication that he feels he MustMakeAmends by bringing her BackFromTheDead]]. Done a second time when Spike realizes the Soul Glutton is trying to get a soul from somewhere heavenly, and we get Tara in a panel. |
| 372 | ** The end of Issue 11, when [[spoiler: Buffy kisses Spike]]. |
| 373 | ** When Anya's ghost meets her benefactor: [[spoiler: D'Hoffryn.]] |
| 374 | * WhatMeasureIsANonHuman: |
| 375 | ** Andrew admits he doesn't see the copy of Jonathan's memories as Jonathan, realizing he can't just undo killing his friend. However, the copy points out it is perfectly self aware and swears revenge for Andrew's betrayal. |
| 376 | ** Xander's treatment of [[spoiler: the fake ghost of Anya after he comes to terms with it not being Anya. He simply elects to ignore her as if she was a figment of his imagination, despite a medium confirming she's a spirit in a previous issue and more importantly, the fact that ''Xander is the only person she can interact with at all.'' Like anyone, this leads to her going mad from the isolation.]] |
| 377 | ** Riley gets called out by the Magic Council when he calls himself a representative of "normal people." |
| 378 | ---> '''Councilman''': "Normal"? Then what, dare I ask, are the rest of us? '''Your bigotry is intolerable, sir!''' |
| 379 | [[/folder]] |
| 380 | |
| 381 | [[folder:Season Eleven]] |
| 382 | * AmicableExes: Buffy and Riley remain on good terms to the point where Riley is sympathetic to Buffy's worries over Spike still being trapped in the safe zone, [[TheRival even despite the fact that the two men have never cared much for each other]]. He, alongside his wife, also aids in sneaking Buffy and Willow back into the safe zone, at considerable risk to their positions in the army. |
| 383 | * AngerBornOfWorry: Buffy scolds Spike for not telling her that the blood rations provided in the safe zone were not nearly enough and that he was starving. She later scolds him for trying to be self-sufficient with both hands injured. |
| 384 | * BattleCouple: Buffy and Spike. They even engage in some FlirtingUnderFire in issue 1. |
| 385 | * BigDamnHeroes: Buffy, Willow, Spike and Faith bringing down the safe zone with a huge magical explosion and releasing all the supernaturals trapped there. |
| 386 | * BigDamnKiss: Buffy and Spike, upon being reunited after breaking into the safe zone. |
| 387 | * BroughtDownToBadass: Buffy and Willow are forced to drain their powers so they can leave the safe zone. However, even without her Slayer strength, Buffy manages to fight off a guy harassing a former witch in the park. With the help of Faith, Riley and Sam, they also manage to break into the safe zone again and regain their powers. |
| 388 | * ContinuityNod: Jordan brings up Buffy's rumoured "vampire fetish" as the reason she's weak to supernaturals, a RunningGag that stretches back to season 6 and that has been referenced in most seasons since due to her on-again-off-again relationships and general {{UST}} with two different vampires. |
| 389 | ** Buffy remarks, upon having been cornered for an attack and poisoned, that it would take more than that to kill her, as she'd gotten the same thing as her 18th birthday present. |
| 390 | ** The kittens Spike had rescued in season 10 still live with the scoobies and are now grown into cats. |
| 391 | ** Buffy suggests Dawn using her new key powers established in season 10 for her and Spike to hide in a hell dimension when the MagicEater satellites are launched. |
| 392 | * DemotedToExtra: Giles, who features very little in the season despite still being around. |
| 393 | * DespotismJustifiesTheMeans: The BigBad of the season, [[spoiler:Joanna Wise]], ends up causing a lot of damage, including [[spoiler:setting a storm dragon loose on San Francisco and untold destruction, solely so she could have the power of a ruler in a world that no one would have access to magic but her.]] |
| 394 | * DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: The "safe zone" is pretty clearly reminiscent to concentration camps, and the tension between humans and supernaturals draws overt parallels to racial tension. The possibility of deportation is even brought up with regards to Spike. |
| 395 | ** Spike is directed to sit on the back of the bus for the trip to the safe zone. Subverted in that it's only because that's where the windows are tinted so vampires don't fry in the sun. |
| 396 | ** Shortly after the attack on San Francisco, a demon (who states himself to be a refugee of his home realm) is attacked by what amounts to a human lynch mob until Buffy and Spike break it up. |
| 397 | * EngineeredPublicConfession: How [[spoiler:Wise]] is brought down; Xander and Dawn filmed her fight with Buffy and her bragging about the true purpose of the Pandora Project. |
| 398 | * FantasticRacism: At the forefront of the season. At one point, human-supernatural tensions are running so high that a demon is attacked by a mob of humans for seemingly no reason beyond what he is. |
| 399 | ** Jordan conflates Buffy's insistence that she can't paint all supernaturals with the same brush as weakness and a sexual fixation on vampires. |
| 400 | * HoistByHisOwnPetard: [[spoiler: Wise is ultimately killed by being eaten by the very same storm dragon she'd used to kick off her EvilPlan.]] |
| 401 | * IAmVeryBritish: When the Slayers that were working for the government return to Buffy's apartment to beg for their powers back, Spike starts rattling off insults in English parlance and Buffy warns him to cool it, as he's getting "extra British". |
| 402 | * InterruptedDeclarationOfLove: Before parting ways so that Buffy can get her slayer powers removed and released back into normal society, she tries to tell Spike she loves him. He interrupts her and asks her to wait until they're together again to say it. |
| 403 | * LoveConfession: Buffy tells Spike she loves him in the final issue of the season. |
| 404 | * LoveHurts: For Willow, mostly. After hitting it off with a member of her coven, Calliope, Willow makes it clear that though she's interested, she doesn't want to start anything until Calliope breaks up with her girlfriend. Calliope agrees, but eventually once they're both out of the Safe Zone, Willow finds that Calliope has returned to her girlfriend and renounced magic. |
| 405 | ** Averted for Buffy and Xander, surprisingly. Both of their relationships (with Spike and Dawn respectively) remain solid and stable for the entire season, as well as the season ending off with them still together. |
| 406 | * MagicEater: The machine in the safe zone, as well as the machine used by [[spoiler: Wise]] to drain the magic from supernaturals, which she in turn absorbs into herself and wields. It becomes a real pressing problem when it's discovered the government plans to attach the machines to satellites, and Willow confirms that any being alive because of magic (like Dawn and Spike) would just plain ''die'' if it was used on them. |
| 407 | * {{Magitek}}: The Pandora Project centers around this, draining magical energy from supernatural beings and infusing it into battle suits, drones, and cybernetics. |
| 408 | * TheManBehindTheMan: The BigBad turns out to be the [[spoiler: Secretary of Press rather than the Vice President]], as the season suggests early on. |
| 409 | * MonsterProtectionRacket: Early on, a storm dragon attacks San Francisco, causing a tsunami and untold amounts of damage, leading to the government beginning a [[MutantDraftBoard Supernatural Crisis Act]]. As it turns out, [[spoiler:Joanna Wise summoned the dragon and set it loose to provoke just that reaction, giving her test subjects for her Pandora Project.]] |
| 410 | * ReversePsychology: Sam uses this to invigorate a defeated Willow and Buffy, claiming they're useless without their powers and provoking the two of them to give each other much-needed pep-talks. |
| 411 | * SexyDiscretionShot: Lampshaded directly by Buffy. |
| 412 | --> '''Buffy''': ...But for now, pan over to the fireplace. |
| 413 | --> '''Spike''': We don't have a fireplace. |
| 414 | --> '''Buffy''': Do you want to get lucky or not? |
| 415 | * UnstoppableRage: Spike ends up attacking and feeding on a few supernaturals who had been attacking Buffy, partly because he's protective, but also because he's starving. |
| 416 | * WindowLove: Buffy and Spike [[IntertwinedFingers hold hands]] through a chain-link fence while at the safe zone. Willow and her short-term LoveInterest Calliope also touch hands through the Safe Zone's forcefield. |
| 417 | [[/folder]] |
| 418 | |
| 419 | [[folder:Season Twelve]] |
| 420 | * AmicableExes: Buffy and Spike have broken up in between Seasons 11 and 12. Nonetheless, they share nothing but warm exchanges and are extremely supportive of each other. |
| 421 | * BabiesEverAfter: [[spoiler:Xander and Dawn have a baby girl named Joyce. They later have another son and daughter]]. |
| 422 | * BetterAsFriends: Buffy and Spike came to this conclusion during the one-year TimeSkip between Seasons 11 and 12. As Buffy explains to Willow, they ultimately realized during the quiet year that passed that they didn't work as a couple when there was no crisis; nonetheless, they remain close AmicableExes. |
| 423 | * {{Crossover}}: One with ''ComicBook/{{Fray}}''. In fact, the BigBad is Mel's vampirized brother, Harth. |
| 424 | * CutShort: Was meant to last longer, but due to Dark Horse losing the license, it only had four issues to hastily wrap up the story. |
| 425 | * DeadGuyJunior: Xander and Dawn [[spoiler:have a baby daughter, named after Buffy and Dawn's mother Joyce.]] |
| 426 | * DidNotGetTheGuy: [[spoiler: Buffy doesn't end up with ''either'' Angel or Spike, [[BetterAsFriends though she maintains close friendships with both of them.]]]] |
| 427 | * EarnYourHappyEnding: After years of pain and suffering caused by monster hunting, the Scoobies finally get a happy ending. [[spoiler:Buffy and Faith have joined the police academy, Giles is rebuilding the Watchers Council, Willow is running a woman's empowerment center that changes Fray's time period for the better, Xander and Dawn are settled down with a baby daughter, and Angel and Spike maintain a friendly relationship with Buffy, plus she's hinted to Spike that they might be able to resume their relationship at any point in the future -- for now, all they need is to be present and happy with each other]]. |
| 428 | * GrandFinale: For not just the comics, but the entire original Buffyverse series. The Boom Studios version is a complete ContinuityReboot. |
| 429 | * LetsYouAndHimFight: The Scoobies go to the 23rd century to get help from Melaka Fray. As soon as they arrive, Mel and Erin attack them, believing them to be there to cause trouble, especially after Buffy and Mel's first meeting Back in Season Eight. However, Mel backs down when Buffy tells her about Harth's plan. When they get back to Erin and the Scoobies, it turns out Erin has already heard them out. |
| 430 | * MaybeEverAfter: |
| 431 | ** [[spoiler: Buffy and Spike don't officially get back together at the end of the comic, but she admits that seeing the way he fought alongside her filled her heart and that things could start back up between them at any point. The two conclude that, in the meantime, the important thing is that they're present for each other.]] |
| 432 | ** [[spoiler: Illyria performs a HeroicSacrifice to save the heroes, but it's made clear in a subsequent conversation that they could go back to retrieve her at any point. Angel says that Illyria told him to wait on that so she could kill as many demons as possible, but he's worried that this will lead to her liking the other dimension too much to want to leave. That said, Angel recognizes that both of them are immortal beings, so he's willing to wait, leaving the door open for them to continue their relationship.]] |
| 433 | * RousingSpeech: Angel gives one, which encourages the Scoobies to fight against Harth to change history. |
| 434 | -->'''Angel''': Nothing’s final! Not fate, not prophecies, not what's in history books. I've spent two hundred years chasing prophecy and accepting destiny. Believing nothing we do really matters. But if nothing we do matters, all that matters is what we do. I'm going to find a way to save the world. Then ''and'' now. |
| 435 | * SetRightWhatOnceWentWrong: After traveling to Fray's time and seeing the sorry state of the world, [[spoiler:Willow and Giles dedicate their efforts after stopping Harth to making sure that dystopian timeline doesn't come to pass]]. |
| 436 | * TimeSkip: Implied. Buffy states she's recently turned 30, however, season 11 should have taken place when she was 27, meaning there's been a 3-year gap since the previous season.[[/folder]] |
| 437 | |
| 438 | [[folder: The High School Years]] |
| 439 | * CutShort: Three books were published. Artist Scott Fischer posted an unused cover for a fourth entry, but the transfer of the Buffy license to Boom! meant that it went unpublished. |
| 440 | * DevelopmentGag: In the Free Comic Book Day Special, Xander tells Buffy that she'd like Comicbook/KittyPryde of the ''Comicbook/XMen''. In real life, Whedon cited Kitty as a major influence on the character of Buffy. |
| 441 | * {{Interquel}}: The series is set after the first two episodes of the TV show, but before the gang discovered Angel is a vampire. |
| 442 | * ShoutOut: The Free Comic Book Day special features Buffy meeting a pink-haired little girl named Rini who is obsessed with ''Franchise/SailorMoon''. |
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