So what was Xander's journey in S7?

Buffy's was to be overwhelmed by the responsibility of leadership, try to handle it by using her power to take control, and then to eventually win by sharing her power.

Willow's was the reverse of Buffy's in some ways - she had to move from being afraid of her power to a point where she's willing to claim it and even risk losing control over it.

Dawn was claiming her own power in her own way - claiming the right to make her own choices, rather than being a passive vessel for power like she was in S5.

Anya's tough to work into the "power" theme. I really liked where I thought they were pointing her in Selfless - figuring out who she is and listening to that person - but they really kind of dropped that afterwards. I'm left with her deciding... I dunno. Rectitude is more important than power? Since she was willing to give it up.

Spike... well, I'm assured by Spike fans that he reached a point where he found his own effulgence rather than defining himself through a girl. I'm not sure I saw that, but I'm willing to buy it as another example of someone claiming inner power.

Giles was presumably supposed to be coming to terms with giving up power to Buffy, though unfortunately that was expressed through pod Giles.

I can't make Xander fit, though. Poor guy.

As for Anya, eighty or eight hundred, I'd never wish that for her.

Thought I'd express my belated goodbyes to the show. Warning, schmoopiness ahead.

It invaded my dreams, just as Joss planned. It'll always be with me . And one day, I'll be in Istanbul, rounding a corner, and there it'll be, playing in some cafe. And I'll smile.

I can't make Xander fit, though. Poor guy.

Not much to work with here, I know.

But in some ways, Xander really grew up this season. He and Anya, after a few missteps, managed, I think, to put themselves on the path to a truer, more mature relationship. He stepped into a responsible, adult role with all the house fixing. Even though he had to abandon it, he did work he enjoyed and was good at and he knew it - he'd outgrown a lot of the insecurity that drove him in past seasons.

(ETA - And how could I forget, he also grew to recognize and accept his own role within the group, and to apppreciate its value rather than denigrating it.)

I only wish we'd seen more of this path.

It invaded my dreams, just as Joss planned. It'll always be with me . And one day, I'll be in Istanbul, rounding a corner, and there it'll be, playing in some cafe. And I'll smile.

Aww, Mike. That's so Ozly beautiful.

So what was Xander's journey in S7?

I think Xander's journey climaxed at the end of S6 when he faced down Willow. His speech to Dawn at the end of "Potential" was a good summing up of his character.

His journey continued, however, in that he kept on doing the right thing despite his vulnerability and notable lack of power, and despite the fact that he was badly battered throughout the whole process. He suffered more loss than any of the other Scoobs this season (his eye, Anya), and yet he was still there at the end, standing tall with the rest of them. Lack of power and vulnerability doesn't mean you can't fight the good fight.

Giles was presumably supposed to be coming to terms with giving up power to Buffy, though unfortunately that was expressed through pod Giles.

I think the fact that he stopped being Pod!Giles when he heard Buffy's plan was significant (assuming that the podness was intentional, that is). He was, IMO, grieving the loss of a power structure that he'd known all of his life. In the end, he was able to move on joyfully to a new structure that went against everything that had been drilled into him as a Watcher and as a child in a family of Watchers.

assuming that the podness was intentional, that is

You are kinder than I.

I'm still convinced the podness was everyone (but Joss) suddenly losing a grip on this character that's been there SINCE DAY ONE.

Yeah, still bitter.

I'm still convinced the podness was everyone (but Joss) suddenly losing a grip on this character that's been there SINCE DAY ONE.

Yeah, still bitter.

Again, I say: Aeryn Sun.

Bad writing just happens.

See, I didn't like any of the final season of Farscape, so pod!Aeryn was just icing on a tepid cake for me. Also, I suspect she was supposed to have been different from the previous Aeryn (the whole crappy hair, et al.), and they just failed to make her still be interesting.

I have no narrative indication that this was supposed to be a different Giles.

Last week, our local alt-weekly had a send off article on Buffy, written by their movie critic, Mark Palermo. This week they have a letter to the editor about the accompanying cover art and the show in general. I debated on posting this because the woman is clearly a crank, but I thought it amazingly insane:

To the editor:

First of all, let me say how disgusted I am by your latest cover ("One last stab for Buffy" May 15). It blatantly depicts a woman about to commit a violent murder. [Sue's note: she was about to stake a vampire.] Have you morons been reading the real papers lately? Violent crimes by young women are on the rise and the backlash from men is too. Shows like Buffy and Xena are thinly veiled attempts at male-bashing. Just look at the violence they commit on a weekly basis towards men. We women would not put up with a show that portrayed a male version of Buffy, so why should we expect men to? I think Mark Palermo is one of those submissive types who fantasize about female domination. Well, Mark, I'd just like to say I'm a real woman who enjoys a strong dominant man, so keep your toe-licking fantasies to yourself.

[The rest of the letter is a diatribe about lazy, good for nothing, stuck in the 50's Maritimers, and how she can't wait to leave this goddam province.]

Wow, that's just amazing.