RE: Re: 'Welcome To The Hellmouth' Discussion

["danspector@xxxxxxxxx" <danspector@xxxxxxxxx>]

Continuing&

10)  Buffy sees Willow

One of the basic building blocks of the ship for me is the fact that 
BUFFY THINKS WILLOW IS BEAUTIFUL.  Willow has had her 
self-esteem crushed for the previous decade, and cant imagine 
someone being interested in her, but Buffy doesnt give her the 
half-compliments you might expect, Oh, looks arent that important, 
anyhow or Youve got such a great personality.  Time and time again, 
Buffy will let Willow know that shes just as good-looking as anyone 
else, that theres no reason people wouldnt be attracted to her.  Buffy 
honestly thinks Willow is beautiful, and never really understands why 
Willow doesnt think so, too.

And it begins right here.  When Cordelia is toying with Willow, setting 
her up with nice dress, Buffy is looking at Willow, and the former 
Fiesta Queen of Hemery High isnt reacting to her as a loser, isnt 
rejecting Willow as unworthy.  Shes just following the conversation, 
and is honestly shocked when Cordelia turns nasty.  

11)  Buffy, Cordelia, and Willow

Willow is left sputtering and hurrying away, and yet, Buffys eyes follow 
her down the hall;  she has to jerk her head when Cordy talks to her 
again.

What Cordys giving her is the know your losers rap, which, again, is 
something Buffy already knew, and Willow never registered as such 
with her.  Cordelia tells Buffy the importance of avoiding the losers (hey, 
Cor, didnt you just go out of your way to talk to Willow?  Flirty&) and 
Buffy nods (this is familiar, yep), but the ease and joy with which she 
was talking with Cordelia only seconds before is gone, and shes on 
auto-pilot, faking a laugh, and looking back at Willow the moment 
Cordy turns her back (to take a drink).

12) THE look Buffy

And so the stakes have been clearly defined, the triangle spelled out.  
Buffy can have Cordelia, or she can have Willow, but not both.  

Should be an easy choice, right?  Cordy is everything Buffy wants in a 
friend (or a friend), Willow is nobody.  Cordy is gorgeous, Willow is a 
loser.  And yet&Buffys eyes are drawn to the other girl, the one she 
hasnt even spoken to yet.  

What was it?  Personally, I think it was something in the eyes, the 
openness and the hope that flitted there when Cordelia deigned to talk 
to her, the vibrant yearning that beckoned, just below the surface.  (Or 
maybe she was just wondering if this was Cordys ex?  Nahhh&)

13) THE look Willow

If its surprising from Buffys end, its doubly surprising from Willow.  
Shes just been insulted by her longtime tormentor, why would she 
look back?  Buffy never said a word, what drew Willows attention to 
her?

> From Willows perspective, the new girl (for Buffy must have registered 
as such) turns out to be another blonde (cultural code for shallow), 
fashionably dressed trendoid, already under Cordelias wing and 
doubtless to be one more person to pick on Willow in the future.  Why 
would she look back?  Did she catch the disappointment on Buffys 
face when Cordelia started to insult her?  Did she see [Buffys] heart, 
as Angel did?  Or did she feel Buffys eyes on her as she headed down 
the hall?

One things for sure, theyve known each other for 30 seconds, and 
theyre already communicating non-verbally.  It must be love. :)

And so, the fanfic is born.  Maven

14) Buffy and Cordelia, again

When we catch back up with Hazel-Eyed Bitcas #s 1 and 1A, we 
discover that Cordy (and honestly, should someone wearing 
chartreuse pants really be issuing fashion critiques?) is already 
making her move and is asking Buffy out.  Buffys first day, and already 
girls are trying to date hershe must be giving off a vibe.

Buffy agrees to go out with her, and asks about the Bronze.  Cordy 
gives a nervous laugh on we dont have a whole lot of town here and 
were reminded of the relative social scaleCordelia may be a big fish 
in Sunnydale, but its still a one-Starbucks town.  To her, Buffy 
represents the big city Cordelia can only dream ofL.A., the Land of 
Infinite Shoes.  She wants to impress, to claim Buffy as one of hers.  A 
pity shes already blown it&

Cordy heads off, reminding Buffy theyll see each other again and 
already planning their next conversation.  Buffy has lost her enthusiasm 
for Cordy, though.  Partly because telling Cor everything about yourself 
would entail talking about Buffys Dark Secret (yep, shes a closet case, 
metaphorically), and perhaps partly because Cordelias treatment of 
Willow made Buffy realize that she doesnt like her very much.  Wiffy, 
already changing lives.

Anyway, Buffy turns around, treating us to a nice side-shot of Smidges 
puppies, and heads into the Library&

15) Buffy and Giles

Giles is all bright and eager (doesnt seem much like someone wholl 
tease Gwen Post about Faith being her first slayer, does he?), 
wanting to get started with what men and women have been doing 
since the dawn of time.  (Just a little something for the B/G fans&) He 
also seems to be eager to start the slightly inappropriate touching, too.  
Or is that a Slayer/Watcher bonding exercise?  

Anyway, Buffy is creeped out, especially when he brings out the Vampyr 
book.  She doesnt want to deal with the undead.  Or maybe its just 
men?  (I seem to have skipped the Buffy/Xander meeting in the hall, 
where she completely ignores him for a second time&)  I guess 
nothing will ever make Buffy take up slaying again, huh?

Meanwhile, theres a dead body in Auras locker.

16) Buffy and Willow, the love theme

As Willow eats her lunch, alone (and not waiting for Xander), we hear a 
soft guitar underscore.  Yes, Buffy and Willow, having had the most 
romantic meeting of any of the characters, now get their own romantic 
music.  (Giles got creepy music, as will Angel;  Xander got a, um, 
throbbing rock theme, if you know what I mean&)

17) Uh, Willow, right?

Buffy sought out a girl whose name she wasnt even sure of.  Love, 
baby.

18) Why?  I mean, hi.  Did you want me to move?

Willow doesnt understand why the Beautiful New Girl would talk to her.  
Her first lunch and Buffy is already breaking social convention to spend 
time with Willow&

19) Why dont we start with Hi, Im Buffy&

Its all about the journey. Giles, Restless

BtVS (at least in its classic years) was a coming-of-age story, a tale of a 
young girls quest for identity and self-knowledge.  In that context, the 
phrase Why dont we start with& is loaded with connotations.  (Its 
this clip that comes second in the long Previously& sequence for 
The Gift, right after You are the Slayer.)  For it is here that Buffys 
journey truly begins.  Nothing will be as important as the friendship she 
and Willow share, the thing that connects her to the world, keeps her 
from being defined as yet another disposable slayer, one dies and the 
next ones called, keep em coming.  Buffy finds herself by claiming her 
life for herself, and Willow is the defining part of that life.

20) I cant do both?

Willow is taken aback, because Buffy is hanging with Cordelia, and you 
cant be both Cordys friend and Willows.  Which Buffy already knew 
from the know your losers warning, and so Buffy seeking out Willow is 
Buffy rejecting Cordelia for Willow, despite how much Buffy wants what 
Cordy has to offer.  (And also the social status she can get from being 
Cordelias friend;  that, too. *g* )

So Willow immediately recognizes the problem, and rather than be 
selfish and clingy, lets Buffy know what shes risking by being seen 
with her.  At which point, Buffy rejects Cordelia for Willow for a second 
time.

21) I really want to get bi here&

Okay, maybe Buffy said get by. But maybe not.  Especially 
considering&

22) And she would flirt&

Yep, shes definitely flirting.  Tilting the head, raising the bag, that 
smile.  Now, I grant you, Buffy is naturally flirtatious, as well see in
this 
ep, but its still nice that Willows the first person she flirted with.

23) I kind of have this burning desire&

Again with the racy talk.  Shes coming on a little strong here;  she must 
really want Willow.

24) &and I heard a rumor you were the person to see if I wanted to get 
caught up.

This is, of course, a big fib.  Willows smart, but shes not the smartest 
person in school.  Morgan Shea (The Puppet Show) has better 
grades and is taking college courses, which is why the demon goes 
after his brain, not Willows.  Chris Epps (Some Assembly Required) 
beats Willow at the Science Fair, every year.  And Cordelia herself, who 
is actually in class (or classes) with Buffy, secretly gets great grades, 
tests well, and will get admitted to several top schools (Duke, 
Columbia, USC, Colorado St.)

So Buffy had other tutorial options.  But Im willing to bet she didnt
want 
ask for a tutor and get Willow, she asked about Willow, and found out 
she tutored.  (As with Rodney Munson in Inca Mummy Girl, for 
example.)

25) Oh, I could totally help you out!  

And with that, Willow finds her purpose in life. (Helping Buffy.)   Pretty 
simple, no?

26)  Willow, the Library, and the librarian

We discover that although the library gives most kids the wiggins, 
Willow is perfectly at home there.  Which will be convenient, no?  She 
also gushes on about Giles, thus making two men whom Willow has 
crushes on, but whom Buffy would rather ignore.  And so we see the 
difference between Buffy (a lesbian) and Willow, whos just bi :)

Willow worries that her enthusiasm over the books makes her the 
single dullest person alive, and Buffy quickly reassures Will she isnt 
dull.  Again, Buffy not seeing the Willow flaws.

27)  Are we interrupting?

Xanders back for a third attempt to make an impression on Buffy.  And 
hes brought Jesse, whos only wearing an orange shirt, since he isnt 
dying until the *next* ep. J

Even Xander knows somethings going on between B/W, since he 
introduces himself with Are we interrupting? Were interrupting.  Pity 
he cant catch the clue later, when he spends much time denying that 
theres any Buffy-interest on Willows part (Prophecy Girl, The Gift).

Willow greets them warmly, though, providing Xander the impetus to 
become a bibbling idiot.  The reaction shots of Buffys face here make it 
plain hes not making a great impression.  Finally, Buffy says its nice 
to meet you guysI *think* and scrunches her nose and shoots a look 
at Willow.  Clearly, shes uncomfortable with the boys around and is 
either hinting to Willow to get rid of them, or looking to Will for
guidance 
about how to react.  In any event, shes already using Willow as a filter 
to view other Sunnydalers through.

Wardrobe note:  Xander is wearing a small medallion that he will sport 
almost all of S1.  And Im not too sure about the linen shirt-over-Lycra 
tanktop combo, either.

28) Pepper spray is just so passé.

When Xander confronts Buffy with the stake she dropped, she looks to 
Willow as she starts her explanation.  Apparently shes worried that 
Willow will think shes weird. The guys, she could care less about.

Xander peppers Buffy with questions, and again she looks very 
uncomfortable.  Only with Willow was she willing to talk about herself.

29) I dont mean to interrupt your downward mobility&

Cordelia stops by, going near the losers she supposedly wants to 
keep clear of, because she wants to talk to Buffy (aww).  Apparently, 
they wont get to talk in gym and Cordy wanted to make sure the date 
was still on (aww).

Cordy also takes a moment to remind Buffy that being with Willow is 
costing her socially, and Willow helpfully provides Buffy with an out, 
denying that Buffys hanging out with them.  But Buffy doesnt take the 
opportunity, not denying that shes with Willow, and thus rejects 
Cordelia in favor of Willow for a THIRD time.

30) Two little, little holes&

Buffy investigates the dead body, and then goes to Giles to vent.  She 
lets him know that Slaying has ruined her life, and she wants no part of 
it.  Interestingly, its not the danger that spooks her, but the idea of 
being friendless&hmm&

Giles keeps being over-enthusiastic, and theres a foreshadowy bit 
about him getting the Calendar.  Buffy leaves, Giles chases, traps her 
against the wall very inappropriately, and warns her of vague portents.  
Buffy is unimpressed.

Meanwhile, Luke lurks.

More later,

Dan


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Willow: "It's a good fight, Buffy, and I want in."
Buffy:  "I kinda love you."
                     'Choices'

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