Careful What You Wish For: the magic of multiple worlds in Buffy the Vampire Slayer
- Saige Walton (University of Melbourne)
Alternate realities/parallel worlds
The Wish
The Superstar - Adam watches as we do, but he is not "clued in".
Whedon - there is no stable narrative ground.
Leibnitz -infinite monads, ever-expanding.
Magical, scientific, demonic, vampiric all influence and have the ability to change the world. It is not stable.
Party of Five "A deplorable lack of rocket launchers" (Quote attributed to Joss Whedon)
Adult vs. Teen world
Ordinary vs. Unworldly
Monstrous vs. everyday
even old vampires vs. new.
Inappropriate use of magic = freaky reality.
Outcasts get special abilities to align selves with the world of monsters (witch, werewolf, vampire)
Magic = performative language (Cordelia in "The Wish")
Language - Buffyspeak
Popculture references, puns, witty one-liners.
("The girl makes Godot look punctual.")
Responsible use of both magic and language (NOT Librum Incendere)
Authority becomes monstrous - Mayor Wilkins
Power can corrupt - Faith
Gang as support network both assist Buffy (bring down Adam) and prevent her becoming corrupt.