Hey, why not? It's a comic, after all!

[KingofCretins]

How would you feel about Joss taking the new format and the new crisis and using it as a pretense with which to go meta human with Dawn and Xander? People without superpowers are less freakish and abnormal in comics than people with them.

Would you like it, hate it?

But, more amusingly, say you're for it -- what powers would you give them?

[Heather]

Personally, I think giving Xander a superpower would really ruin the character's...well...character. He's always been the Scooby without the super strength or magic or great wisdom. Not to say that he isn't a strong or smart man, but he wasn't ever "special" like the rest of them (in terms of special abilities). He was always the heart of the team, like they repeatedly said in the show.

Giving him powers in the comics, I feel, would totally ignore who Xander was in the show with little rhyme or reason at all. Now, if it was crucial to the story that Xander receieved some special power? Then I might be less against it, but in the meantime: I say "Nay!"

As for Dawn...I wouldn't be AGAINST her getting a power but I'd want it to somehow be linked back to her having been the Key. That opens up several options for storylines - exploring why this power emerged and how and who was involved with it (the Monks? The Hell Gods? Someone else?). Plus, there's always the off chance that it'll improve Dawn's character in the eys of those fans who are wary towards all things that concern the girl.

[KingofCretins]

My idea for a Xander "superpower" that isn't super enough to un-Xander him would be if Willow could fix him up with some kind of astral sight sort of thing, like a half and half version of Vanessa Brewer from Angel 1.21 "Blind Date". A good superpower reflects a character trait, and he Sees, right? Plus, it would let him step into the Ranged Fighter archetype of comic heroes, give him his compound bow skills back

For Dawn, I think they could either let her get control of the growth thing, or, using her Key background, let her be a teleporter type of person, sort of a miniature version of Illyria's errant dimensional powers.

[Koos]

I am totally against giving Xander any kind of powers or special skills. The idea that Xander has something special will un-Xander him immediately. It is who he is. And not only who he is by himself, his personality, but also who he is in the show. His character-traits are shown by his lack of powers in contrast from the rest of the team. If Joss would want to show a particular character-trait from Xander he just needs to be a little more creative. Because it also will need to come from the rest of the cast.

Xander doesn't see because he has some kind of superpower, but because he is much involved in the lives of the rest of the cast. And because he has no powers, which allows him to stay in the background so he can observe them.

With Dawn it is different. Her past could be explored with a power coming from what she once was. But I doubt that much more is possible that is unique to the show.

[alexa]

Yeah I don't want Xander to have super powers, it would sort of contradict the last 7 seasons, in a number of ways. I wouldn't mind him having something temporary though.

Not sure about Dawn either.. like Heather said, maybe if it has something to do with being the key, but I'd be just as happy if they found a way to make her more individual (which I guess her being a giant is a good way to draw some attention to what's going on with her).

[Wolfie Gilmore]

Well, I don't think turning them super would necessarily be the best, but if it was necessary to the plot and done tastefully...or am I thinking of them naked? Anyway, I won't say "x is absolutely wrong" if I haven't seen it done, because who knows, there might be an interesting way of doing it?

Thinking about superpowers for them...well, in the season 8 we did a while back we had (sadly only planned not written) an ep towards the end of the season that featured Xander being inflicted with superpowers, in a way - the big bad, whose methods were all about creating teh mindfcks and bending reality, dosed Xander with a kind of mystical acid, hoping to unravel Buffy herself by stripping away those close to her, deconstructing them if you will...in the manner of big bads, hitting at those close to Buffy, always their fun.

Anyway, by doing this, by giving Xander a view of how the BB himself saw the world - ie with his crazy-tinted glasses on - actually created a link between Xander and the BB, so Xander could understand how the bad guy worked. So, the idea was that Xander became a visionary, both in the slightly nutty Blakean sense (and a little like Drusilla) but also with the useful knowledge. Xander was going to recover, but never quite go back to normal - so, he'd see a little more of the world than he did before, though not necessarily in a super sense, more just...attuned to things and, perhaps not always able to see the obvious, but able to see the hidden things. Basically like him being extra-intuitive/insightful, hitting the nail on the head about people...but not in a way that is exactly a power, because sometimes it would almost be like a disability, being too enmeshed in the minds of others.

Something that wasn't pure "superness", something that came with big disadvantages too, I could see that working for Xander. Though generally I think I prefer him in canon to be "just a boy".

For Dawn...I think I'd be even more inclined to see her normal, and to search out normal. If she had a power I'd want her to be a little in denial over it, having worked so hard to create her own non-super identity. Perhaps she'd hide it from the others for a while? I'm thinking something about matter and its manipulation - like the girl in invincible who can use any raw material of atoms and turn it into something else. That would tie in with her essential nature, of being one kind of energy turned into human atoms.

[KingofCretins]

Honestly, a superpower, or at least a 4 issue arc about one, for Xander would be an interesting storyline precisely *because* he's made peace with not being Buffy's "fighting buddy" on the really big missions (although even in Season 7 would still go out with her), with being the un-super guy in the group.

Alex's Buffy Season 9 fic (I think it was Season 9) has an episode that deals with the question, I think.

Maybe we should write a spec script for a four episode arc

I agree that any super-power for Xander would need to be understated and essentially passive -- my magic eye idea, your Season 8 quasi-nutty-seer thing. But it wouldn't break the character at this point, I don't think.

I'm not sure about Dawn -- the idea of her having powers is kind of a natural thing to conclude because of her origin. And, by default, she kinda has one now, what with the witch and zombie stomping handiness. I'm not convinced that she should stay "normal" other than that it gives her a tie to Xander. In fact, that is the most important stipulation on superpowers -- both or neither.

[Koos]

Anyway, by doing this, by giving Xander a view of how the BB himself saw the world - ie with his crazy-tinted glasses on - actually created a link between Xander and the BB, so Xander could understand how the bad guy worked. So, the idea was that Xander became a visionary, both in the slightly nutty Blakean sense (and a little like Drusilla) but also with the useful knowledge. Xander was going to recover, but never quite go back to normal - so, he'd see a little more of the world than he did before, though not necessarily in a super sense, more just...attuned to things and, perhaps not always able to see the obvious, but able to see the hidden things. Basically like him being extra-intuitive/insightful, hitting the nail on the head about people...but not in a way that is exactly a power, because sometimes it would almost be like a disability, being too enmeshed in the minds of others.

It sounds interesting, it really does. Especially because of the fact that the end result is not a superpower.

I'm also not against a trick like using a mystical accid to make it work. It kind of falls in the category like splitting Xander in the two and let this experience change his view on the world.

But making him extra-intuitive/insightful in a more longterm way and by raw real-life experience definitely has my favor. Xander, to me, is the person who can get as close to understanding darkness as any ordinary guy can, but without ever becoming dark himself and without ever *truely* understanding it. This understanding should be acquired in relationship as a normal guy with his (superpowered) friends and their fight against evil. It then will result into the skill you mentioned.

[vampmogs]

I wouldn't like Xander to have super powers. I like that Xander is that last element of normalicy in Buffy's world. When we began the show Buffy and Angel were the only two super human folk, over time we included other vampires, ex demons, witches and Giles seems more watcherish and less fatherly than ever before. Xander is the last remaining super-powerless human left and I like that, I don't want to see him being powered up at all.