This is yet another episode looking into the psyche of Xander and giving him some more complexity and development. This time by standing up to bullies and in turn becoming one himself. Very interesting series of events and because of recent occurrences I can’t help draw parallels to the police force. Not sure that was the message they were going for, but it is interesting to note how often those who stand up for the underdog and proclaim to bring justice themselves become nothing but culturally condoned bullies.
During a fieldtrip to the local Zoo, Xander and four bullies are infected by the predator spirit of a bunch of especially cruel hyenas. The infection grows and the five of them form a pack and end up wreaking both emotional and material havoc back at Sunnydale High. At the beginning of the episode Xander is part of the outcasts, but at the same time he stands up to the bullies. As they are then hyena-ised the rest of the pack looks to Xander as their leader. The entire episode is basically another grand metaphor of teenage life and the workings of peer pressure and the collective, as well as touching upon the workings of a clique.
As I remembered things I did enjoy Xander, he had his moments of weakness and selfishness, but as a whole I enjoyed the character. This re-watching is making me dislike him more. It’s probably because of my preconceived notions of BtVS being about the female empowerment, which does clash somewhat with the character complexity given to Xander while Willow is kept a victim. And Willow truly is treated like a victim in this episode. She is passive and completely at the mercy of those around her, both emotionally (her feelings towards Xander) and physically (being saved by Xander at the end). It is not pleasant to watch, but at the same time it is a very frank portrayal of many teenage girls.
To add to my Xander dislike is his rape attempt on Buffy. Just like in the previous episode a very serious and all too common occurrence is made into light-hearted fun. What is especially distressing is that Buffy allows him to forget about the event at the end. When Xander in many ways end up taking the cowards’ way out by claiming amnesia, she allows him the peace of mind by not reminding him. I can’t decide whether that is a sign of her admirable compassion or if it’s a horrible message about how women should/do act towards their abusers. I guess it’s a bit of both.
However I do have a favourite part of the episode and it is most definitely the one where the Pack (sans their leader) eats the principal. They literally destroy authority by gobbling it up. It’s a representation of both the fear and adoration the writers have for the younger generations (and people in general). Authority stands no chance against the collective, but at the same time the collective can be vicious and downright brutal. It’s also a brilliant metaphor for the clash of the generations and how one absorbs the previous.
I shouldn’t be too hard on the episode and its messages, because Buffy does stand up to both bullies and predators. In fact the Pack does not even want to challenge her, in true predator logic they understand that they are not a threat to her (which could be argued puts the rape-attempt into a new light). Neither is Buffy particularly affected by the bullies attempts to get to her at the beginning (pre-hyena jinx), she might not enjoy, but does appear to take it all in stride. In many ways highlighting that they’re not playing on the same level, something that I can’t decide if it’s a good or a bad thing. It detracts from Buffy’s humanity, but at the same time perhaps Buffy does work best as an ideal to which the rest of us can strive.
Conclusion
It’s a strange mixture of behavioural utopia and stark and gloomy reality, all rolled up into one show, one episode even. Not a personal favourite, but very interesting to watch and to take apart.
Randomness & Memorable
- Jennifer Sky (Amarice) as a Pack-member - XWP cross-geeking
- Sunnydale High Razorbacks -really?!
- Buffy hitting Xander with a desk.
- “Boys can be cruel” - Giles the daddy
Next Up:
The Reckoning (XWP)
The Reckoning (XWP)
2 comments:
I actually bought S1 of Buffy a while ago...really need to watch it sometime. Don't think I've seen this episode.
With that said, even though Buffy is The Slayer and they probably sensed that, in some ways it could still work.
There are just some people bullies instinctively know not to mess with. From what you said, they were too stupid to realize that as human, but the hyenna-ized ones knew. It could be looked at as the more animal instincts let them be more aware and not hampered by pre-conceived ideas.
Not sure about Xander though. Unless it's that he had less fear because he 'knew' what he was sensing. *shrugs*
Yes, you do need to watch it :D
Yeah, that does make sense. And perhaps as a predator they recognised another one, a more powerful one in Buffy. The hyena-spell kinda lifting the veil of puberty from their eyes and making them see a more primal truth.
And now that you point it out there are a lot of parallels I didn't think about when I wrote it up. Further down the shows progression we are shown the origin of the first slayer, which could almost tie in with the hyena story. Interesting.
Oh, now I can't let go of the idea, thank you for tickling my thoughts. :)
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