Even when it seems “Buffy” is doing something for laughs, it might actually have a subtext behind it. For example, when Willow’s doppelganger vampire was humorously gay in a third-season episode; it seemed like an off-the-wall funny idea. And yet, a season later, Willow was dating Tara.
In a later-season episode (Season 5, 6 or 7 — I’m bad with specifics on anything after the first three seasons), Xander sees, from a distance, an attractive girl dancing at the Bronze. He remarks, “Daddy like,” to his tablemates, who I believe were Buffy and Willow. Then the girl turns around and — horror of horrors — we see that the dancer is Dawn, Buffy’s little sis.
Now, in Issue No. 28 of the Season 8 comic book, we see Dawn and Xander kissing. Out of the blue? Not quite. Certainly, Dawn had an obvious crush on Xander way back in Season 5, and as she grew into a young woman, she looked up to Xander as a role model — and that has continued into the comics. Xander is Dawn’s go-to friend when she just needs to talk through her problems (such as being turned into a giant, or a centaur).
Scripter Jane Espenson stages this issue like one of her lighter, funny episodes (she did the alternate-universe “Superstar,” starring Jonathan, in Season 4, and many other humorous pieces). Andrew is filming and questioning the Slayer army, which has retreated to Oz’s stronghold in Tibet, in an attempt to ferret out the traitor in their midst (for the record, it turns out to be Amy, posing as a cat).
Andrew catches some nice, quiet moments of Buffy and Xander chatting together, and it’s clear that Buffy is starting to see Xander in a new light. This is surprising, but it makes a certain amount of sense: Although she rejected Xander way back in Season 1, this is a rare moment where she’s not fighting for her life or to save the world. Her mind can afford to wander into new areas.
“Xander’s a good guy,” Willow tells Buffy.
“Of course he is,” Buffy says.
“We can all have futures, Buffy. Even you,” Willow says, hintingly.
That line, of course, gets the reader excited to see the next scene between Buffy and Xander. And then — wham! — Buffy sees Dawn kissing Xander. “Oh my,” says Andrew, the filmmaker. “Go away, Andrew,” says Buffy softly.
I think this is the most brilliantly staged moment of Season 8 (in addition to Espenson, a nod must go to Georges Jeanty, who is good at likenesses and TV-esque staging). It made me wish I was seeing it play out on the small screen, with Sarah Michelle Gellar showing Buffy’s subtle emotions, but since that’s not going to happen, I’m grateful this comic book exists. (Season 8 is a bittersweet thing all around: I’m glad the story is continuing, but I often wish I could see the actors handling the material.)
But actually, the story wouldn’t have played out exactly like this if it were on TV. Season 8 takes advantage of the comic medium. For example, a visit to Tibet couldn’t happen on a TV budget. Heck, even having Seth Green as a guest star wouldn’t be easy to pull off. In a comic, of course, you can just draw Oz, and there’s your guest star.
Also, it should be noted that Season 8 takes place more or less in the present day (the comics break from the one season per year format of TV), so Dawn is now in her 20s, very much in Xander’s wheelhouse — this isn’t a case of him robbing the cradle, as it would’ve been when the series was on the air.
A love triangle between Xander, Dawn and Buffy is a great idea, and while I’d prefer it happened on TV, Issue No. 28 shows me that the writers and artists can give it some heft in comic form, too. It seems my favorite TV plot of the year is unfolding in the comic pages.
What are your thoughts on Buffy crushing on Xander and Xander hooking up with Dawn? Out of character, or nice examples of character growth?