Cordelia's Disappearance.

[Matt]

I finished watching season 3 of Buffy today and knew that when I moved onto season 4 I was going to incorporate Angel with it and I suddenly thought about the character of Cordelia.
Now, I knew when I first watched the shows that Cordelia had moved over to Angel, but it got me thinking about the people who weren't actually aware of that or didn't watch Angel.

In Graduation Day part 2 there's no insinuation that Cordelia had any plans of leaving Sunnydale and yet in the first episode of Buffy's fourth season, The Freshman, she isn't actually mentioned at all.

So, I was just wondering if any of you had watched only Buffy and were confused or anything with Cordelia's disappearance and the lack of explanation?

I mean, I for one would've been.

(I'm pretty sure this belongs here, but I'm not actually positive.)

[Jenni Lou]

I suppose one could assume that she went off to college or at the very least left Sunnydale. After all, that's a lot of high school grads do--leave home.

And yeah, this could probably go in the random questions thread.

[vampmogs]

I watched both at the same time so I wasn't confused only surprised as at the time I never went on the net to chat about Buffy so had no spoilers of it happening or anything.

However, I've always wished we at least got something to know Cordy was leaving, perhaps Xander and Cordy could have had a little touching moment in Graduation Day II?

[kana]

Well actually in Pangs Willow mentions that Cordy is working for Angel. So actually there is no need to be confused.

[vampmogs]

Well actually in Pangs Willow mentions that Cordy is working for Angel. So actually there is no need to be confused.

I think they meant initially when she just wasn't on the show anymore without ever finding out where she had been. Pangs was the 8th episode of season four so that's quite a while before finding anything out.

[Veverka]

It's funny with Cordy, isn't it?
I mean, Oz leaves, and he's talked about. Buffy dies and they switch networks and Angel still talks about her...
Cordy leaves Buffy- little to no mention. Cordy leaves Angel- little to no mention...

As for a touching moment between Xander and Cordelia, you'll have to read Sosa Lola's 'missing moment' fic, I'm afraid... find it in the Jossverse fic section .

[Fallen Angelus]

I think the thing is, at least from a character standpoint, she wasn't really a friend of the Scoobies. Occasional acquaintance, yes, but not a friend.

There's also the fact that by the time of The Freshman, three months had passed since Graduation Day, Part II. Unlike Oz's departure, which happened mid-season and therefore subsequent episodes occured almost immediately after, or Buffy's death, which was sure to leave deep wounds with those who loved her, any possible emotion that came with Cordy's departure would've happened off camera, and likely dealt with by the time we rejoined them in their daily lives.

[Epic]

I was just thinking about this today. After watching Cordy in the Buffy series, it made perfect sense for her character to leave, and I am half happy that they made the goodbyes in the summer, or maybe at graduation. I am sad though that they after highschool didn't keep in touch more with her, Oz even Willow stops by, and Buffy too, but there are completley different they aren't there to see her, but other buisness.
I know they weren't all good friends, but it would have been fun to see some Xander reinaction on the Angel set...

I have to say, I'm curious how the goodbyes were.

[Willow's Tara]

I thought Cordelia had mentioned she wasn't staying in Sunnydale somewhere along the line?

[ciderdrinker]

I thought Cordelia had mentioned she wasn't staying in Sunnydale somewhere along the line?

Well sort of...

Cordelia: I have nothing, okay? No dresses. No cell phone. No car. Everything's been taken away because Daddy made a little mistake on his taxes. For the last twelve years. Satisfied? Are you a happy Xander now? I'm broke. I can't go to any of the colleges that accepted me. And I can't stay home because we no longer have one.

It was, for me at least, obvious from this that Cordelia wasn't going to be in the show anymore. I do think she left a gaping hole, which wasn't addressed properly until the middle of S4 when they made Anya a regular, and I think it's a shame that Cordy is so totally forgotten about by the Scoobies. She became such an important part of Angel's life and given that Buffy and Angel must have kept in touch for them to know about certain aspects in each other's lives (Willow says she knew about Connor when she guests in AtS, and Angel knew about Spike having a soul) you'd think that Buffy would make a reference to her once in a while - even if it was only to Xander who clearly had the biggest connection with her.

[enigma]

Well sort of...

Cordelia: I have nothing, okay? No dresses. No cell phone. No car. Everything's been taken away because Daddy made a little mistake on his taxes. For the last twelve years. Satisfied? Are you a happy Xander now? I'm broke. I can't go to any of the colleges that accepted me. And I can't stay home because we no longer have one.

It was, for me at least, obvious from this that Cordelia wasn't going to be in the show anymore. I do think she left a gaping hole, which wasn't addressed properly until the middle of S4 when they made Anya a regular, and I think it's a shame that Cordy is so totally forgotten about by the Scoobies. She became such an important part of Angel's life and given that Buffy and Angel must have kept in touch for them to know about certain aspects in each other's lives (Willow says she knew about Connor when she guests in AtS, and Angel knew about Spike having a soul) you'd think that Buffy would make a reference to her once in a while - even if it was only to Xander who clearly had the biggest connection with her.

I wholeheartly agree...

Cordelia always wanted to be famous so she struck out and tried LA and encounter Angel...which led to powers...etc. It would of been cool to see a goodbye but alas we were deprived.

[basakbangel]

Yes, Cordelia wasn't mentioned that she is leaving and why. It could be a better ending with mentioning that Cordelia was going to leave and as you said there should be a scene of Xander and Cordelia's.. At least a "bye talking". Although Willow is giving information about Cordelia woking with Angel, there should have been " something", I think it's not fair to do such a thing to a character that had been in first 3 seasons.