Dawn...Potential?

[Ahm Shere]

So, I was watching Potential again yesterday, and I thought to myself...'How come Dawn isn't a potential?'

Like Willow stated, 'It makes sense'. And it does make sense. Surely, since Dawn literally shared Buffy's blood, Dawn should have been a potential. What do you think? I think it would have been a pretty good storyline, Dawn as a potential. Plus, seen in earlier episodes, the girl can fight! I just think it would have made more sense to write Dawn in as a potential, or is it just me?

[KingofCretins]

I think it would have made a great deal of sense, but I think they decided that they liked the scene with her and Xander more. And, I did too, really. Unfortunately, they were really selling how Buffy had started blowing her off again with all her new Potentials, which was really serious given the "Conversations with Dead People" thing with Dawn but... they just dropped it.

[holypotatoes]

Oh how I can't stand the episode Potential but I would like it a ton more if Dawn was one of the potentials. Like you said she did share Buffy's blood and as Buffy stated time and time again in season 5, the monks made Dawn out of her. It seemed like from the beginning episode of season 7, Lessons, they made it seem like she would be taking part in a lot of fighty type stuff. All of this setup made me believe that once the episode Potential came around that it would finally be stated that yes Dawn was one of them. But by the end she didn't do anything. They just brushed the character off to the side to make room for far too many newbies. The whole season arc would've been way better if Dawn just so happened to be one. Granted some fans might say it would be cheap if the writers did that but hey at least it would've made sense.

[Heather]

Yeah, but the issue I see in all this is that there has been no real reason to believe that the Slayer Essence runs through blood. Wouldn't that logically mean that Slayers are all related, with the power passing down through one family line? Wouldn't that mean Joyce was a potential slayer at one point who just never got called? Though, that's a different situation since Dawn was literally made from Buffy, right? But, even still, what is leading the speculation that the Slayer-ness is in the blood? It could very well just be a mystical type thing. An essence, for the lack of a better term.

I, personally, loved "Potential" and thought it was a really powerful episode. Michelle Trachtenberg really sold it for me with her performance. Though I've always been torn between wishing Dawn WAS a potential and being glad she wasn't because of the Dawn/Xander scene at the end.

[Pandora's_Box]

Yeah, but the issue I see in all this is that there has been no real reason to believe that the Slayer Essence runs through blood.

Excellent point.

That being said, I don't understand why Joss didn't made Dawn potential.
It would have been a great plus for Dawn's character since the whole "Junior Librarian" thing was rubbish!

[KingofCretins]

They gave her a great role -- not Giles junior, not Buffy junior, but Xander junior. As much honor in that as in any other role.

[Heather]

They gave her a great role -- not Giles junior, not Buffy junior, but Xander junior. As much honor in that as in any other role.

And, something that always has me swaying towards the "I'm glad Dawn wasn't a Potential" storyline was the very real possibility that once she was made one, she'd be lost in the sea of faces. Granted, as Xander Junior, she barely had a role in the season but if she was among all those girls and training with them...it'd be interesting to see Buffy's reaction with her, yeah, but there's no garuntee that Dawn would have any more of a role in the season than she did before and it's very possible that she would've had even less of a role. It's not like any of the Potentials really got storylines except Kennedy. So who would they pair Dawn up with romantically? Giles? Xander? Oo! Andrew! Though I do believe he's prefered Xander...

[Pandora's_Box]

But since Xander was a bit of a shadow in Season 7, being a shadow's shadow...Not that rich!

[alexa]

It was really strange for me because I'm just not much of a Dawn fan. Haven't seen her really come out of Buffy's shadow, or being something more. I really didn't want her to be a slayer, but when I watched Potential I was disappointed at the end that she wouldn't be. Maybe because that would have been an interesting road for her to go down, or at least something different.

[Tigger96]

I've always been a little torn with this question. In the beginning, I could SO see it. But, while a part of Dawn may have wanted this (to be closer to her sister, to be part of the group, to feel like she matters), it's obvious that it's not what she REALLY wanted. And, I don't think Buffy would have been at all for it, either. As Anya said, dangerous, short life. Buffy would not have wanted that for her little sister...she wanted better for her.

I would have really liked Dawn to have a bigger part in the season, as she had begun to when the season started. She and Buffy were spending time together, she was training, she was contributing to the mission. I really enjoyed seeing Dawn in this capacity. Then the Potentials arrive and Dawn gets pushed back into the scenery. I REALLY hate the comments in this ep that Dawn's "important now." And, you know, the Scoobs never really realize they did that.

However, I did enjoy the way the show turned out. Dawn really showed her maturity in the way she handled things once she realized that the Bringers were after Amanda, not her. While she is strong, the slayer 'potential' does not run through her being. And I could never willingly give up that scene in the end w/ Xander. Brings a tear to my eye every time I watch it. At least SOMEONE sees what's going on, and this tells her that she is not alone where she is, but shows her that she may be in an even better position to help.

[Ahm Shere]

Yeah, but the issue I see in all this is that there has been no real reason to believe that the Slayer Essence runs through blood. Wouldn't that logically mean that Slayers are all related, with the power passing down through one family line?

But when you think about it, Dawn is made *from* Buffy. In a way...Dawn is Buffy, only in a different package. It stands to reason that Dawn should also be a slayer...since she is technically Buffy. Dawn gives blood relatives a whole new meaning. Dawn isn't her sister. Dawn wasn't born to Hank and Joyce. She was made from Buffy, so I guess that's why I thought that Dawn should have been a slayer.

I would have liked to see Dawn as a slayer...or potential at the very least. Her character didn't really have a good storyline in Season 6 or 7. The main Dawn storyline in Season 6 is that she is a severe klepto. And in Season 7, she's pushed into the background a hell of a lot. I think it would have given her character a chance to develop a lot.

[KingofCretins]

Dawn can't be made from Buffy entirely, or she'd be a younger identical twin, a clone. That's just genetics -- I'll buy the idea that mojo made her, but not that it can make chromosomes not act like chromosomes.

Personally, I think that Dawn is, genetically, Buffy's daughter, biological father unknown. The monk? Xander? Giles? Riley? I don't think just saying that her genetic material is from Joyce and Hank can get Buffy to truly believe that Dawn is "her", made from her. There's a very customary word for that kind of connection, and without knowing the essential truth of it, Buffy describes it pretty accurately -- motherhood. Flash-aged to an age necessary to adopt to the life they designed for her.

[buffyholic]

I think that would be an interesting idea, having Dawn as a potential. At least they would give something else to do with Buffy, since their relationship was pushed aside since the Potentials came in. But I also like the way things turned out and of course, we heard Xander?s amazing speech.

[Tigger96]

I don't know that Dawn wouldn't have still been in the background if she had been a Potential. We saw that they were pretty much getting clumped into this large group of girls, w/ no real individuality. I think Dawn would have had the same troubles w/ Buffy even then. At least this way she did get to lend her strengths and contribute to the group (Bring On The Night comes to mind). As she herself mentions in Potential, 'Joyce' told her that when the time came, Buffy would not choose her. Okay, granted, it was probably The First talking to shake Dawn, but isn't that what we saw? The end result of her being a Potential, I think, would have been more devastating than rewarding.

[NimNams]

Haven't seen her really come out of Buffy's shadow, or being something more.

So many giant jokes, so little time...

[Elsa]

I have to admit I did like the idea of Dawn as a Potential. Partly because it'd give her a way to relate to Buffy more and make her feel a little more a part of the team. Especially given how forgotten she seemed to be once the Potentials came in.

But it's true, Xander's speech did make up for it in a lot of ways. It gave her someone to relate more to finally, even if it wasn't Buffy and really I think that was something Xander needed, too

[KingofCretins]

Yeah, there was a "Forgotten Characters of the Buffyverse, Unite!" appeal to that speech.

Still, I would have liked to see Buffy continue to train her right alongside the potentials -- she was no weaker or stronger than they were at that point. I'd trade every "training potentials" scene for more like that teaser from "Lessons".

[Elsa]

That there was... which could explain why we like it so much lol.

But yeah, I agree, Dawnwanted to be part of it, she was willing to learn and train and do all she could to help. I always thought her persistance, as well as being the sister of a slayer, already had her in the running to be a potential... but I guess not according to the show *shrug*

[KingofCretins]

It would have been great for her to get into a fight with Kennedy in "Get It Done" or some other episode where she was being a complete bitch and actually kick her butt. Some nice humility dished out by the non-Potential.

[Lady Manson]

I really would have liked Dawn as a Potential, but then again, I'm glad they didn't make her one. She's still a good fighter and I think a lot of people would have disliked it if she was made a Potential. Plus, it makes me wonder how Buffy's protective stance over her sister would have changed. She may have been distracted in trying to protect Dawn, although she would have been able to take care of herself, just as a sisterly thing.