Poll pants on

[beer_good_foamy]

OK, I'm bored, let's have a poll on Season 8. If nothing else, it should be useful to have as a reference point a few issues from now, see who was right and who was wrong. So no more waffling, throw your hats in the ring and pick a winner. Or loser. Spoilers include recent comments by Allie.



...and it just struck me that I forgot the option "there will be no major
character death" on #4. So just check "Other" or something.

[Poll #1435256]

Comments

[shapinglight]

Great poll. I wanted to pick the last option for question 1 as well as the 'combination' answer, but the poll won't let me. In other words, I'm sure something dramatic will happen, but I'm equally sure Allie is exaggerating to sell more comics.

As for whether any of the characters could do something unforgiveable, not in my book, because I don't care about any of them anyway. They're not the characters I knew and loved in the show. They're not even (in some cases)the characters I knew and didn't like that much in the show.

If anyone dies permanently, it'll be Giles IMO. He's old, he's a bloke, and given what happened to Ethan, being popular with the fans isn't going to save him, those first two things being so.

If Twilight's not Deadpool, someone should give him a good talking to about nicking Deadpool's costume.

[frogfarm]

Twilight is Edward. As in: "And Buffy staked Edward. The End."

[elisi]

I swear I started reading, and then my eyes glazed over and all the words started doing a little jig. Not your fault, that's just how s8 affects me.

Although I'd so, so love for the 'thing that will make the fans angry' to be a major character death. Go on Joss, kill a Scoobie. I dare ya! (One of the core 4 I mean, Andrew etc don't count.) ETA: Neither does Giles.

*goes back to watching the show with the (canon) boykissing and all the deaths*

[menomegirl.livejournal.com]

I'm tired of guessing who Twilight is because I've thought about it and Connor is the only character I can think of who disliked magic that much.

I just hope it isn't Riley.

[powerofthebook.livejournal.com]

I'm kind of thinking that Giles is up for the axe. The Buffy/Giles snit has overshadowed half of the season, and is ended in the last issue without any real explanation - it reminds me uneasily of the Willow/Tara quick reunion before Tara's death.

[flake-sake.livejournal.com]

By now, I'm pretty sure the twist in S8 is that Buffy detoriates so much into moral greyness/blackness that ultimately she wont be any better than the guys she's fighting and thus be her own big bad, and that the one betraying her will do so for good reasons.

[beer-good-foamy.livejournal.com]

In other words, I'm sure something dramatic will happen, but I'm equally sure Allie is exaggerating to sell more comics.

Oh, definitely agreed. Allie's always acting like the next issue will be the greatest thing in Buffyverse history, but unlike his hyping of the last issues of "Wolves At The Gate" and "Predators And Prey", where pretty much nothing at all happened, we do seem to be heading for something rather substantial here.

If anyone dies permanently, it'll be Giles IMO.

Which would be rather cruel, considering he's been written out of the comic for the most part. Then again, in the TV series Joss wrote Joyce back in only to kill her off, so...

[beer-good-foamy.livejournal.com]

Heh. That was actually one of my alternatives, but LJ only allows so many poll answers. But unless he sparkles and Season 8 ends with Buffy ditching her entire life to have his babies, can he truly be Edward?

[next_to_normal]

I wanted to pick the last option for question 1 as well as the 'combination' answer, but the poll won't let me. In other words, I'm sure something dramatic will happen, but I'm equally sure Allie is exaggerating to sell more comics.

My thoughts exactly.

I agree on thinking Giles is the one to die, and if he does, he'll stay dead. If it's Buffy, Willow, or Xander that gets killed, they'll be coming back, but anyone else probably not. (Until he needs them in season 9, of course.)

And I'm so far beyond caring who Twilight is at this point, I didn't bother to vote.

[beer-good-foamy.livejournal.com]

Although I'd so, so love for the 'thing that will make the fans angry' to be a major character death. Go on Joss, kill a Scoobie. I dare ya!

I'm guessing it would push a lot of people off the fence. If there are still people on that fence by now.

*goes back to watching the show with the (canon) boykissing and all the deaths*

Just so you know - I have been reading your posts, and found them all interesting, I just... couldn't think of anything intelligent to add. :-)

[beer-good-foamy.livejournal.com]

Well, unless there's some weird time travel thing going on, I'd say Riley is in the clear. He's just Twilight's minion for some reason that may or may not make sense to Joss. *shrug*

Personally, I don't think any of the remotely plausible candidates make a lot of sense. But then we've been told that the characters' motivation in doing things doesn't matter in Season 8, it's all about the shocking reveals, so...

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

Alley is exagerrating. I don't think Joss plans to kill anybody. The Betrayal... well, I'm almost sure they think they've dealt with it when they've proudly presented us the Spangel kissage. The Twilight is Caleb and Caleb is The Twilight.

As to "doing somethinmg horrible" - Willow tried to end the world and she's still a good guy. :)

BTW, mind if I link your poll on Newly Legion?

[beer-good-foamy.livejournal.com]

Or the sudden Fred/Wesley, or the bit with Book's sanctuary in Serenity, or... yeah, it's not looking so good for him, is it?

[beer-good-foamy.livejournal.com]

Alley is exagerrating.

Definitely, but the question is if he's exaggerating something that will happen or making something up out of thin air. I'm pretty sure something will happen, but I wouldn't be the least surprised if the promised character death turns out to be... say, a couple of nameless Slayers and Oz' girlfriend.

The Betrayal... well, I'm almost sure they think they've dealt with it when they've proudly presented us the Spangel kissage.

And I still don't see how that makes any sense, sorry.

Willow tried to end the world and she's still a good guy.

True, but ultimately she didn't cause any irreparable damage. She didn't actually turn Dawn back into green energy, she didn't actually kill Giles, she didn't actually burn the world to a cinder.

BTW, mind if I link your poll on Newly Legion?

By all means, go ahead. :-)

[beer-good-foamy.livejournal.com]

I don't have a problem with that story per se, I just wonder if Joss would actually do it. He's always referred to Buffy as a hero, as his hero, as a deliberate role model. To me, that's been one of the problems with the dark!Buffy storyline all along; no matter what he does to her, I'm sure he'll call her back from the brink in time and have her end up the good guy.

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure something will happen, but I wouldn't be the least surprised if the promised character death turns out to be... say, a couple of nameless Slayers and Oz' girlfriend.

Same here.

And I still don't see how that makes any sense

My take: The First Sephrillian was messing with their minds and trying to make Buffy feel bad - so he found the most harsh words for the fact that Spike hadn't told her he's alive. (Sephrillian is like one certain Scott Allie who loves to exaggerate :)))

True, but ultimately she didn't cause any irreparable damage. She didn't actually turn Dawn back into green energy, she didn't actually kill Giles, she didn't actually burn the world to a cinder.

You're right - but I can't get rid of the impression that the Core Four have longer moral leeway than the other characters. Maybe it's just me.

go ahead. :-)

Done!

[menomegirl.livejournal.com]

But then we've been told that the characters' motivation in doing things doesn't matter in Season 8

Then what's the point? Other than making money?

[flake-sake.livejournal.com]

Same here, if he really goes through with that story line I think it's pretty cool and something he hasn't done with her before. But if he pulls it and makes it to easy for her, I'm not sure if I'd like that. We'll see. It's taking awfully long to unfold.

I used to love it that Joss doesn't pull his punches to the point of agony.

[elisi]

If there are still people on that fence by now.
*imagines a row of rabid Jossfen sitting on an actual fence* :)

I just... couldn't think of anything intelligent to add. :-)
No worries. I just... can't stop talking. *g*

[opportunemoment.livejournal.com]

the characters' motivation in doing things doesn't matter in Season 8, it's all about the shocking reveals, so...

And that right there is why I ended up picking my answers at semi-random because it seems like they're going to be doing so much running to keep up with their own logic that I can't even really begin to speculate. I'm cringing so hard already at the whole idea of going round the 'Willow's powers getting out of control' plot again. ICK. It was only just about bearable the first time.

I suppose I vote Xander or Dawn for betrayer, because I imagine it'll be the person who it would be most ridiculously out of character for. Because the shock factor is so much more important than being truthful to the characters that we've grown to know and love.

If I sound bitter, it's only because the whole situation reeks of Torchwood...

[shakatany.livejournal.com]

In that case have you seen this (http://shakatany.livejournal.com/260743.html)?

[frogfarm]

Yes. And I just watched it again, because it fills with with UNSPEAKABLE GLEE.

[quinara]

Heh, I followed the poll link from sueworld2003 and now I feel guilty for voting and not commenting, seeing as I'm a randomer... Yet all I can say is, up with S8-mockage! May Ethan be Twilight just so he isn't dead - it would let Joss wank all the non!death as foreshadowing!

[elisi]

It's a catch-22: If he *does* go there, he's destroyed his hero, if he *doesn't* it's a cop-out.

*tiptoes out before beginning to talk about Jack & the Doctor*

[xlivvielockex.livejournal.com]

I seriously love you for this poll. It made me laugh. I know that, at least from your other review, you weren't liking the tone of your reviews but honestly, with all the meh about the comics, I think your review tones are spot on. Just because someone can write a television show with help from a lot of other people doesn't mean they can do well in a comic form where they are the only one. Nobody is there to tell you that your ideas are strange and out of character. Most people at least bounce ideas off their friends before they write. And that is what writer's rooms are for. I feel like these comics are lacking that, input from others.

So now that I am off my soapbox, I think it will probably be Willow betraying Buffy or Buffy betraying Willow. Otherwise what was the point of the foray into the future. I did ticky the whole Twilight will be someone we don't want it to be because well, I really want it to be Deadpool. We could use some sarcasm and some kick ass fighting, you know? Deadpool versus the Slayer, what a crossover. LOL

I picked Dawn for the chopping block because without turning her into Dawnzilla or a horse, she really doesn't have a purpose in the comics. But reading the comments, I am leaning Giles now. Which really sucks but I can totally see it. Not because it would be good storytelling but because it would be killing off a loved character to get ratings sell comics. There is only so many times you can kill off the fan favorites before it's no longer shocking and just schlocking (yes, I made up a word! LOL) Then again, maybe Giles will come back as a Hellgod or at least the Prime Minister.