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I found myself saying the following today: "Season Eight is just about as plausible as Greedo shooting first."
... And then I thought about the similarities between Whedon and Lucas... and how they've helped and hurt their own franchises over time... and then I realized that more than ever S8 is to BtVS what the 1997 re-editing of the original films and the prequels are to Star Wars. I actually am suddenly filled with concern that Spike is going to be used as this fluffball golden boy by Whedon. Sure, he's been snarky and sorta normal thus far, but he's also filled with boring exposition and the snark that he's giving could quickly turn to lofty superiority in lieu of recent events. I look at Han Solo who started as the amoral underdog and grew to be a real hero, and then I see what Lucas did to him- tried to tone down his amoralness in the re-edits because he thought it was less meaningful that someone could develop into a hero after being nearly the exact opposite when in reality it is more meaningful to show that people can change. What would Spike now have to say about 1997!Spike, the Spike who adamantly proclaimed "Not us! Not demons!" at Angel's talk about things changing? Obviously, Spike was very, very wrong, and he'd probably admit that... after a few beers.
... And then I thought about the similarities between Whedon and Lucas... and how they've helped and hurt their own franchises over time... and then I realized that more than ever S8 is to BtVS what the 1997 re-editing of the original films and the prequels are to Star Wars. I actually am suddenly filled with concern that Spike is going to be used as this fluffball golden boy by Whedon. Sure, he's been snarky and sorta normal thus far, but he's also filled with boring exposition and the snark that he's giving could quickly turn to lofty superiority in lieu of recent events. I look at Han Solo who started as the amoral underdog and grew to be a real hero, and then I see what Lucas did to him- tried to tone down his amoralness in the re-edits because he thought it was less meaningful that someone could develop into a hero after being nearly the exact opposite when in reality it is more meaningful to show that people can change. What would Spike now have to say about 1997!Spike, the Spike who adamantly proclaimed "Not us! Not demons!" at Angel's talk about things changing? Obviously, Spike was very, very wrong, and he'd probably admit that... after a few beers.
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quickly turn to lofty superiority in lieu of recent events.
Yeah, that troubles me too. Yeah, there needs to be someone there to offer snarky commentary, but if things keep up at the pitch it is, I don't know how I'll feel about it. I'll be honest, the higher education comment bothered me and if that sort of thing keeps up, it'll get old quick.
I don't think Joss will turn him into a golden boy, though. The exposition doesn't make a whole lot of sense. I don't know if it's because Spike's leaving things out or if it's because what he's supposed to be explaining is so effing cracky.
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I liked it, but I knew I shouldn't. Spike has never been one to vault any kind of over-intellectualism; he's been quite the opposite- mocking Wesley's headboyness, mocking Angel's attempts to make himself worldly, well-read, and artsy, and going so far as to change his own upper class accent, pretend not to be able to read very well, and hide his knowledge of other languages. Now, it seems like Spike has sorta re-embraced some of his human upbringing all at once- higher education, fine wines, flaunting knowledge... In a way, it's nice that Spike is not hiding behind brashness and a costume, but as you said it will get old quick. William's classiness and inferiority/superiority complex mixed on top of Spike's already out-there personality are unmixy when they are both turned up to 11 for the comic medium.
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Well, it's not really that. I don't have a problem with him showing his stuff. It just comes off as a complete non sequitur in that situation. Really, he's talking about a mystical egg that plugs a drainpipe that keeps demonic sewage from running back in. What's that got to do with college (which Buffy attended), you know? It's like Spike's just a voicebox for the author ranting about something that really doesn't fit the story other than the metaphorical faith/science backdrop and even that's paper thin.
I guess I just don't get where it comes from in the conversation and how it ties into anything he'd just said.
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I never really thought about it before, but there are actually a lot of interesting differences/similarities between the trajectories of Whedon and Lucas.
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