Question: Spike's Role in the Comics?

[fenderlove]

Quick word: I won't be responding with my own opinions to any comments left in this post, so feel free to answer honestly without fear that I shall pounce upon you. I may have further questions to ask.

How would you describe Spike's role in the comics in Season Nine? And to go further, what is his literal role in the comics? What has he literally been doing? What has been clearly asked of him by any other character or characters? The key words for all this are definitely- literal specifics. I'm looking for less interpretation "if you turn it sideways and squint and read between the lines" type of examples and more for just what has been presented.

Like I said above, I won't be responding with my own opinions. I'm just curious to find out if I've missed something in translation.

Comments

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

Basically. The 'Herald' announces/prefaces action. He's basically been the one announcing "something is coming for you Buffy" and looking for what's coming for her.

[fenderlove.livejournal.com]

Okay. How did he know that something was coming for her in the first place? Did he just assume that with all the craziness and the fact that Buffy lives that something would eventually come after her (this is not a bad assumption to make on his part, if that's the case, really)?

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

He's 'heard rumblings' (No. Seriously).

[fenderlove.livejournal.com]

But no say as to what rumblings or who was doing the rumbling? What's to say that these aren't the normal "There's a new white hat in town" rumblings of the demonic community? Why are these rumblings special? I'm going to go ahead and assume that these things will probably never be explained in the comic, just as it was never explained by Buffy needed cannon fodder decoys in S8 to go down into holes to die for her cause.

[rahirah]

Apparently they were rumblings about the appearance of Severin, the villain of the first arc, and also possibly about the appearance of Spike's new demon friend.

[fenderlove.livejournal.com]

Okay, but where did the rumblings come from? Demonic community in general? Are El Dre Koh and Severin (or whatever other Harry Potter reference can be worked into the character names) threats to Buffy in what ways?

[rahirah]

The comic doesn't go into any detail about Spike's sources. My take was that Spike was just picking up general demon gossip about someone gunning for Buffy. Eldre Koh and Severin are both looking for Buffy, for different reasons, and the comic made a half-hearted effort to do a fakeout where it looks at first as if Koh is the villain and Severin a good(ish) guy, but it wasn't difficult to see through. Severin was a threat to Buffy because he wanted to drain her powers - he was working for Simone, the evol slayer from S8.

Not sure what else you're asking for!

[fenderlove.livejournal.com]

Does Severin get stronger by draining people's powers? 'Cause if he can drain power out of a Slayer, then I wouldn't want to be around him at all. I'm imagining him draining Simone the minute her back is turned while screaming, "THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!!!" *cue Queen's "Princes of the Universe" theme song*

[rahirah]

Yes, he does get more powerful, but the power boost only lasts for awhile - he has to suck someone else to keep it up.