Re: FIC: Waiting for Dawn--a defense

[danspector@xxxxxxxxx]

First, FAN-Tastic to see Mad-Hamlet back here. The limitations of
Hungarian internet connections aside, his criticism is a delight.

Now, I'm going to argue against it.

Actually, I'm only going to argue with point 1 in substance. 2 and 3
fall into the realm of "yes, but.."

Yes, it would be nice to know of Faith's fate, but that didn't really
bug me since she's an off-screen character now and I was too busy
mourning Willow, Xander and Buffy (and feeling awful for Giles) to care.
Personal prejudice, sure, but since the litany of death is there to stir
the reader's emotions, I have no problem with having an emotional
reaction to it.

Yes, a more detailed heaven would have been of interest. However, in my
case (and here I'm aware I may be having a minority opinion), I'm
generally not fond of "they all lived happily in heaven" as a plot
device. If life on Earth has no merit, then what is Buffy fighting for?
Let the vamps kill the people and we'll all meet up in heaven. So being
anti-afterlife, I was won over by the scene in the graveyard to put
aside my dislike for this particular resolution, and didn't really care
about how heaven was described. Which doesn't negate M-h's objection,
just that it wasn't relevant for me.

However, I'd like to argue the point on "Rack's a drug pusher, therefore
he wouldn't open the Hellmouth."

1) We didn't see anybody pay Rack in cash. He seemed to imply that
what he "took" from Willow was payment. If he's being paid in magickal
energy, well then the Hellmouth is the Fort Knox of magickal energy, and
it's perfectly likely that once he's ready, he'd go for it.

2) He ignored his longstanding clients to go for Willow. And it's not
just "hook the newbie before she runs" because later in the ep, he does
NOT do the same thing with Dawn (despite Miss Key actually being made of
magic). Perhaps the magic-pushing is simply a front to find powerful
witches, and perhaps his "taking" something from Willow is a way to bind
her to him, to serve some Larger Purpose. Such as opening the
Hellmouth...?

3) Perhaps he "took" something from Willow not as normal means of
payment or as a way to "mark" her, but because he needed it. And if he
needs things other than his standard means of payment and a steady
stream of customers, that again bespeaks a Greater Scheme.

Now I realize that part of my wishing to see Rack as more than just the
corner mojo pusher is in part influenced by the desire for a Big Bad and
an actual story-arc for the season. But I'm not alone in this, and if
people are speculating that Rack could be More Than Meets The Eye, then
I don't have a problem with Dana portraying him as such.

Lastly, given that a year of Spike-worship (I see people on boards going
"Spike is the only reason I watch this show; if he leaves, I'm leaving,
too!" Door, ass, way out--you know the drill, folks <g>) has left me
less disposed to allow him more than his due, I have to point out the
problem with referencing Spike's "I like this world" speech from
"Becoming, Part 2" in this context. Why?

Simple. Spike's lying.

Buffy knows he's lying, that's why she doesn't believe him. And to
convince her he's on her side, he has to stop jabbering about dog racing
and "Happy Meals on legs" and admit the truth: he wants Dru back.

Buffy's appalled by this motivation ("Let me take this opportunity to
NOT care!"), but she believes it. And she's correct to, because when
push comes to swordfight later in the ep, Spike really DOESN'T "want to
save the world"; he gladly strolls off with Dru and leaves Angelus to
slaughter Buffy and Acathla to swallow the world.  

Spike may be able to deal with the current paradigm (humans run the
world, vamps occasionally eat them), but given sufficient motivation
(say, Dru wants to do it, as with The Judge), he'll gladly throw it out
and exchange it for the "demons-only" paradise many vamps seek. He's
generally apolitical, which means that he could just as well want open
the Hellmouth if it suited him as not.

Once again, Mad, nice to see you're still around.

Dan