When I'm Calling Yoooou

[scarfman]

Over at multi_genre_fan the Slayer-calling issue was brought up. Why didn't Buffy's season-five death activate a new Slayer; and, now that Willow activated all the Potentials there were in 2003, what happens next? I replied:

1. Slayer "line" is a major discussion point in BVS fandom. Since Buffy's season five death doesn't appear to have activated another Slayer (though appearances can be deceiving), it seems apparent to me that the line moved on to Kendra, at whose death was called Faith, at whose death the next would be called.

   Then comes Willow's spell to muck everything up.

2. What happens next must depend on a lot of unknown factors, including as you noted whether Willow's spell means all future Slayers will be born activated. Other factors that come to mind:
   • Whether the selection process is predetermined or environmental. Had Faith died before Willow's spell, is there one person among the Willows' activated Potentials who was already designated by the universe as her successor, or would it have depended on some prevailing condition at the moment?
   • After Willow's spell, now that the Potential who would have been called at Faith's death has presumably already been activated, should Faith die will the activation pass on to someone else - or will the activation still go to the Slayer it would have gone to anyway?
     • If the latter, will that Slayer now be doubly-activated or would activation of an already-called Slayer have no effect?
     • If the former, is activation programmed to seek out an unactivated Potential?
       • Are there any? If Willow's spell doesn't activate future Potentials at birth (or earlier), activation would then have to pass on to a Potential who hadn't been born yet when Willow did her spell.
       • Maybe Willow's spell shall activate all future Potentials at birth, or earlier. What if there aren't any unactivated Potentials for activation to pass to at Faith's death?

Fanfiction plot bunnies galore.

Comments

[abates.livejournal.com]

Maybe there's some intelligence behind the chosing of the next slayer, perhaps the Powers That Be from Angel or someone like them decide it?

[(Anonymous)]

*wavewavewave* Hello!

I have my opinions on the subject, too. Of course, free opinions are only worth as much as you pay for them.

It seems to me logical that when the Slayer's death pings a successor, it also might fix potentiality upon any human girl conceived (or perhaps born) around the same time.

Continuing with my personal opinions: I think no girl who hasn't hit puberty will be activated, and probably any woman who's passed into her twenties, for example, also won't be activated.

Willow has used, this time, pure and clean magic. My guess would be that what will happen is that the deaths of present Slayers will means loads and loads of potentials, but only when the last Slayer dies will a new Potential become the Slayer. Only one Slayer, again. (Fray)

[scarfman]

I think no girl who hasn't hit puberty will be activated

You'd then have to argue that the natural calling process operates differently than Willow's spell did, because there was a shot in Chosen of a prepubescent or near-prepubescent Little Leaguer.

[purpleranger.livejournal.com]

I got the impression that she was about 12. That's just my estimate, of course.

[alienfish.livejournal.com]

I suspect if they're biologically able to get pregnant, they're old enough to be Chosen even if that biological age is younger than many would be comfortable with.

[scarfman]

You know, I don't think I've watched that since the original airing. I could be wrong.