they ought to recognise it as in essence the same thing One of the standard way early season fans dismiss S6/7 is to say they don't recognise the characters. That their Buffy/Willow/Xander Giles would never do that. I think the phrase is really just shorthand for not recognising the characters they used to like/not *liking* the characters.
The withdrawn, ruthless leader we see in s8 That's not who I see. It sounds like Angel in his beige period, which was a story that hit a lot of people's buttons and it feels as if some people would *like* to see that to the point of seizing on every piece of evidence that could point that way while ignoring all the indications of the contrary. In terms of sharing thoughts and feelings S8 Buffy has been closer to Xander than she's been for years, at least as open with Dawn and Willow as they are with her and her relationship with Satsu was very honest and direct.
This year the issue isn't her ability to connect with friends/family/loved ones but with humanity as a whole. Thing is she's never done that. She was an outsider at high school (like Holden said). She recruited the rest of her class (but no wider than that) to act as cannon fodder in the battle with mayor but those connections were not maintained. The only people she made any effort with in college were Parker and Riley, she never made friends at the Doublemeat Palace and while her school councillor role had potential Cassie died and Amanda was a potential. It's a flaw that's been hidden in plain sight throughout the series and I love way it's being made central now.
As for ruthless I remember the Buffy who pulverized the Master's bones, enjoyed dropping an church organ on Spike and firing that stolen rocket launcher. Or the Buffy who was prepared to let the whole multiverse be destroyed so she could spend a few seconds longer as Dawn's protector. She's always had ruthless in her just what it's used in service of has changed and I like Buffy all fired up with a cause that's bigger than herself and her friends/family/boyfriend. I like seeing a woman with power dealing with the host of new issues that brings with it. It's not as if she doesn't have doubts or qualms about what she's doing.
no subject
One of the standard way early season fans dismiss S6/7 is to say they don't recognise the characters. That their Buffy/Willow/Xander Giles would never do that. I think the phrase is really just shorthand for not recognising the characters they used to like/not *liking* the characters.
The withdrawn, ruthless leader we see in s8
That's not who I see. It sounds like Angel in his beige period, which was a story that hit a lot of people's buttons and it feels as if some people would *like* to see that to the point of seizing on every piece of evidence that could point that way while ignoring all the indications of the contrary. In terms of sharing thoughts and feelings S8 Buffy has been closer to Xander than she's been for years, at least as open with Dawn and Willow as they are with her and her relationship with Satsu was very honest and direct.
This year the issue isn't her ability to connect with friends/family/loved ones but with humanity as a whole. Thing is she's never done that. She was an outsider at high school (like Holden said). She recruited the rest of her class (but no wider than that) to act as cannon fodder in the battle with mayor but those connections were not maintained. The only people she made any effort with in college were Parker and Riley, she never made friends at the Doublemeat Palace and while her school councillor role had potential Cassie died and Amanda was a potential. It's a flaw that's been hidden in plain sight throughout the series and I love way it's being made central now.
As for ruthless I remember the Buffy who pulverized the Master's bones, enjoyed dropping an church organ on Spike and firing that stolen rocket launcher. Or the Buffy who was prepared to let the whole multiverse be destroyed so she could spend a few seconds longer as Dawn's protector. She's always had ruthless in her just what it's used in service of has changed and I like Buffy all fired up with a cause that's bigger than herself and her friends/family/boyfriend. I like seeing a woman with power dealing with the host of new issues that brings with it. It's not as if she doesn't have doubts or qualms about what she's doing.