Faces of The First

[Raven]

We know it. We either love or hate it. The First Evil. It took on many forms, from Buffy to The Master to Adam, but which face of The First was your favorite? It can be because of the particular form it took on, or how the actor/actress portrayed it, or both.

Me? I love Sarah Michelle Gellar as The First, as well as Lalaine as her brief performance of The First, but I have to say Robia LaMorte as Jenny Calender/First was the best. I mean, The First is virtually harmless, and yet Angel almost ended up dead because it took on the form of Jenny Calender and gave him such a guilt trip that he wanted to end his own life. I thought Robia's performance was brilliant, and I thought it was perfect to have The First take on Jenny's form to talk to him. It was amazing.

A close second is Azura Skye as Cassie/First. Come on, she convinced Willow that Tara was talking to her! Plus Azura Skye was very convincing, first being friendly and sweet, to turning evil on Willow. I loved it.

So what was your favorite?

[Nikkolas]

Buffy First for me but maybe that's only because it spent so much time in that form.

It's a shame The First only took the form of the series Big Bads once. Well, The Mayor got more than once but whens he was talking to Spike and went from Big Bad to Big Bad, it was awesome.

[Nina]

I prefer the First when he showed up in Amends, because he was actually scary and effective enough to hurt people. And in this case, I pick Jenny Calender ... we saw Angel killing Jenny and bringing Jenny back to taunt Angel was fantastic.

[buffyholic]

Buffy as the First was amazing. Not only was it scary seeing "her" taunting Spike because she was such a familiar face but also because I think it shows that SMG is great at playing bad, good, everything. It was a good challenge for her.

[Retrograde]

I loved The First being Cassie - the way she manipulated Willow into thinking Tara was there was fascinating, in a way I think it's even better than bringing Amber Benson back as The First! I just loved that episode in every way

[sueworld]

The Major for me, for no other reason then I just love his character sooooo much.

[lara]

Definitely the first as Buffy, just think about it, seing the hero in the story in a position of being bad, like when the First it's taughting Spike in her form. It's in certain way like seeing what Buffy could be if she explores the bad side inside herself. I think the First presented some kind of metaphor of having to face the bad in your own form, you know, or the in the form of the people you love, 'cause evil is everywhere, in ourselves and in everyone around us. And well, the First as Buffy and Buffy having to face it using her own face... imagine dealing with that, is creepy!

[holypotatoes]

Oh most definitely SMG as the first! Come on, it was like seeing Bitca!Buffy again which I absolutely adore. SMG can play the bitch like nobodies business so I always appreciate when they allow her to be the bitca. I always wished they just stuck with the First coming in the form of Buffy instead of changing it all the time. I think it would've had the same effect. Maybe not for Faith though. It was great that they brought the Mayor back for that but I think overall, Buffy as the First was the best.

[Hekate]

I loved The First being Cassie - the way she manipulated Willow into thinking Tara was there was fascinating, in a way I think it's even better than bringing Amber Benson back as The First!

I'm so glad Amber Benson didn't come back to play the First. It would have been devastating to watch. I know Joss is a genius and whatnot, but I think if Tara had shown up in the way he wanted it, it would have just gone too far. So yeah, I'm glad that was Cassie.

I picked Jenny. I loved her post-death appearances because she was such a divisive issue among the Scoobies, and the First was a lot scarier before we knew what it was.

[NileQT87]

1) Jenny
2) Drusilla
3) the Master
4) the Mayor
5) Warren
6) Jonathan

those were my favorite forms of the first. imo, buffy was my least favorite, except in scenes where the two buffys were confusing caleb. the others should have used more opportunity to bring back dead characters interchangeably. the master, the mayor, drusilla and warren should have been used more. first-drusilla with spike was the best.

[Vaguey]

It was fun to see Juliet Landau again when the First was Drusilla but at the same time it dissappointing as Dru's form was unable to exude any real power over Spike. For me it's a tie between Jenny Calender and Buffy. It was soo fun to see SMG act all taunty and evil. She did a great job.

[Matt]

I would've loved to have seen Buffy face The First/Glory, it would've been interesting or maybe the Master considering both of them resulted in her death, may have been a good plot for before Buffy realised it was the First.

Also, you missed off some people the First appeared as, mainly Spike. Also Joyce, but I'm not sure if that was her or the First because in the third Watcher's Guide it lists all of the people the First appeared as, but Joyce isn't listed.

Anyway, my personally favourite First is Buffy because I think it was an interesting way to see Buffy as both good and evil at the same time, not to mention it allowed Sarah Michelle Gellar to broaden her already wide range of characteristics. The best part of Buffy/the First has to be in Chosen when it's all like "Oww, mommy. This mortal wound's all itchy. You pulled a nice trick, you came pretty close to smacking me down. What more do you want?" and then Buffy gets back up, it was interesting to see the First look somewhat scared considering it was the ultimate evil of the world.

[Nina]

I would've loved it if the first apeared as Angel or Angelus. Faith, Buffy and Spike would all be very sensitive to that one I think. Besides, it's an innocent excuse for the legendary snark of Angelus.

And were Darla and Lilah in Ats season 4 also faces of the first, because I loved it when Lilah spoke to Wesley when he had to chop her head off.

[lara]

Originally posted by Nina
I would've loved it if the first apeared as Angel or Angelus. Faith, Buffy and Spike would all be very sensitive to that one I think. Besides, it's an innocent excuse for the legendary snark of Angelus.

Yep, Angelus as the First, for me would come maybe is in second place, 'cause he's the guy that marked the lives of all the scoobies, specially those three you've mentioned. And Angelus, pure evil!! I think sometimes I like better Angelus than Angel, he's so much more interesting and scary when he's Angelus.

[BlasterBoy]

Mine would have to be Cassie, she played it brilliantly and she was just so damn creepy. But I also loved the little bit of GloryFirst we got because Glory is always a joy to see and the actress who plays her (lost the name ) is just fantastic. But I liked Cassie better in CWDP. She should've been First the whole season instead of Buffy, even though SMG is a good bitch.

[smashed]

I wish Robia hadn't turned into a born again Christian and decide to only play good characters.

I really liked Jenny.
Seeing Juliet again was pretty dang cool too.
Hopefully she'll show up in season 8.
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[vampmogs]

Jenny was the best form of the First IMO. Currently I'm re-watching the series from start to finish and have just ended season three But I had forgotten just how effective the First was in 'Amends' and how scary it was in Jenny's form. I adored Buffy's reaction when she meets the First for the first time, and after seeing it in the form of Jenny you see her double take a little, she's all in charge and on a mission and it stalls her for that brief second, it really shook her up.

And the scene when Angel goes to Giles for help and Jenny appears behind Giles is genuinely creepy, Robia played it great with such intense eyes.

By far the best episode for the First, season seven can't even compare IMO.

[Steve]

I voted for the Master, simply because of when the First was talking to Spike in the basement in Season 7, and he was cycling through various big bads, the line where he said something along the lines of '...taking right back to the beginning' sent a chill down my spine as he turned into the Master. It was well written and well acted.

[Fehmina]

I voted Jenny because of the sheer effectiveness of being her. And Robia's acting was sublime!
Cassie was close behind, as she was just so sneaky, and used Willow's grief against her. The actress portrayed the First very well, because she demonstrated how it is so multi-faceted, but in the end it just preys on a person's weakness. for fun.

x

[ThePoet's<3]

Didn't Spike also appear as the First? I think I remember - especially in LMMTM that he appeared to himself.

So i vote - SPIKE! The best-looking face of the First!!