Where has Willow been?

[some spykie ship]

I thought I'd start up a thread for theories on where Willow was up until she saved Buffy from Amy. This is wishful thinking of course, but I sort of wonder if she saw the military coming and she was magically digging out Spike and the amulet herself. Nobody on either show confirmed or denied that Lindsey had anything to do with that. I'm sure this is wishful thinking on my part, though, but it would be interesting if Spike was asked to keep an eye on Angel until he decided to leave W&H. Spike would probably agree to it, seeing as he has a soul so his feelings for Buffy had changed and no longer required him being by her side 24/7. I don't know. What do you think?

[KingofCretins]

I doubt that would have been the case; it would have likely made her aware of Amy much earlier to go back to Sunnydale. The amulet was essentially made into a booby-trap; I'm sure Lindsey or anyone else could have just summoned the thing from underground.

This is one of the better questions, though, where Willow was. The context gives the impression that she barely had more than casual contact with the BHC for as long as a year before "The Long Way Home". I wonder if she even has quarters at the BHC when she and Buffy and Satsu get back.

[Jenni Lou]

I have to say I am curious and I don't have a very good speculative answer. On the one hand we can assume that the Scoobies sort of broke up to help manage all the Slayer circles. Giles in one place....Xander in another...everyone sort of collecting girls and taking stock, trying to figure out who's who and trying to organize a system. But I don't know. We only have a few hints from Andrew when he appeared on Angel s5. He does make mention of them and that is canon so it provides at least a few clues...

[KingofCretins]

I don't think we can necessarily rely on anything Andrew was saying about the Scoobies in "Damage" -- not because it isn't canon, but because it very well could be misinformation. I don't find it likely, based on Season 8, that Xander was on his own in Africa for a lengthy period of time, let alone sending Andrew a fish. We *know* that Andrew was selling Angel and Spike the Buffy and Dawn in Rome cover, and that that was never true.

The only thing I thought Andrew had to be telling the truth about in that episode was that Buffy and the Scoobies didn't trust Angel anymore, as evidenced by the 12 Slayer bodyguard he travelled with.

So, I don't assume that Willow and Kennedy were ever in South America, or that Andrew even had any idea where they were.

I get the impression that Buffy and Xander and Dawn have all basically been in the BHC since they set it up, that Giles is wherever he is (some assume London, Dollsome speculated St. Petersburg because of the architecture in Issue #2), and that Willow and Kennedy have been almost completely out of contact.

[Jenni Lou]

I don't think we can necessarily rely on anything Andrew was saying about the Scoobies in "Damage" -- not because it isn't canon, but because it very well could be misinformation. I don't find it likely, based on Season 8, that Xander was on his own in Africa for a lengthy period of time, let alone sending Andrew a fish. We *know* that Andrew was selling Angel and Spike the Buffy and Dawn in Rome cover, and that that was never true.

Quite true and I didn't meant to imply that we can believe everything he said. Only that what he said could be a clue.

[Valyssia]

I'm fond of (Now that doesn't make it even remotely true.) the notion that she took a head fixing trip. It seems true to the character. She's obviously to me still not comfortable in her own skin for most of S7. Yes, she does pull off the spell that changes the world, but that doesn't mean even then that there's some huge leap forward. She watched Oz get a grip on something really huge as a result of a sojourn to "find himself." Doesn't seem outside the realm of possibilities that she might do the same.

Val

[some spykie ship]

I'm fond of (Now that doesn't make it even remotely true.) the notion that she took a head fixing trip. It seems true to the character. She's obviously to me still not comfortable in her own skin for most of S7. Yes, she does pull off the spell that changes the world, but that doesn't mean even then that there's some huge leap forward. She watched Oz get a grip on something really huge as a result of a sojourn to "find himself." Doesn't seem outside the realm of possibilities that she might do the same.

Val

I agree with this. Maybe Willow went off to find her center and she had a lot of trouble shaking Kennedy off. Kennedy was really pushy throughout S7, and Willow clearly wasn't ready for another relationship. Maybe frustration from this led to Kennedy's mystical "death" and her separation from Willow.

I don't think we can necessarily rely on anything Andrew was saying about the Scoobies in "Damage" -- not because it isn't canon, but because it very well could be misinformation. I don't find it likely, based on Season 8, that Xander was on his own in Africa for a lengthy period of time, let alone sending Andrew a fish. We *know* that Andrew was selling Angel and Spike the Buffy and Dawn in Rome cover, and that that was never true.

The only thing I thought Andrew had to be telling the truth about in that episode was that Buffy and the Scoobies didn't trust Angel anymore, as evidenced by the 12 Slayer bodyguard he travelled with.

This is something that I've thought of too. As much as Andrew likes Spike, he can't tell him the truth without it getting back to Angel somehow.

I'm starting to wonder if S8 takes place the regular three or four months after S7 or after AtS S5. Does it really take only a few months to gather that many Slayers? If S8 takes place after AtS S5, then Willow could have gone missing for any length of time at any time.

[KingofCretins]

Joss has said that Season 8 starts about a year and a half after "Chosen" -- several months after the end of Angel Season 5, around November of 2004.

[vampmogs]

Well in Shells Giles tells Angel that she is on another plain, we don't know wether or not this is true or not. It is very possible this could have been the case, which would explain why no one could find her and she wasn't clued or sensing Amy's power growing, remember that she has sensed other magics in the past. Wether or not Giles had any idea where she was is debateable, so far we have no evidence to suggest he did or didn't.

[Veverka]

Well in Shells Giles tells Angel that she is on another plain, we don't know wether or not this is true or not. It is very possible this could have been the case, which would explain why no one could find her and she wasn't clued or sensing Amy's power growing, remember that she has sensed other magics in the past. Wether or not Giles had any idea where she was is debateable, so far we have no evidence to suggest he did or didn't.

I tend to feel this has a good chance of being accurate. Now, I'm not saying Giles wanted to find Willow for Angel's purposes, but indeed, it supports what I've suggested about the idea of Tara coming back in the Tara thread! Indeed, it really would explain quite a lot, and open up a lot of new scope, including growth of powers, but not necessarily having a handle on them.

[Impy]

I have a feeling there will be a Willow arc explaining where she was and what she was up to. Especially since Scott Allie has said S8 will feature issues not involving Buffy. And, Joss seemed to try too hard in "The Long Way Home" to avoid where she had been. Like Willow saying, "its been a funky time... we'll get in to it." I don't see a whole years activities being explained on one page. I'm sensing a spell binding Willow arc.

[some spykie ship]

I have a feeling there will be a Willow arc explaining where she was and what she was up to. Especially since Scott Allie has said S8 will feature issues not involving Buffy. And, Joss seemed to try too hard in "The Long Way Home" to avoid where she had been. Like Willow saying, "its been a funky time... we'll get in to it." I don't see a whole years activities being explained on one page. I'm sensing a spell binding Willow arc.

At least people who have been complaining about the show being all about Buffy will get a break. I don't get what they're complaining about, the show is "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." Joss has a way of roping people in, and I, a person who would rather see more issues on Buffy most of the time, am wanting to see issues that are not about Buffy. Maybe he'll call the Willow-centric issues "Where the Bleep Have You Been? Parts I - IV."

A little silly today, sorry.