Buffy The Vampire Slayer

As we near the end, there is a sudden need to tie up loose ends, which got me thinking. Last week, I stated that Buffy The Vampire Slayer’s casting has always been nothing short of ingenious. This week, as it came time to sit down and write about Buffy, I couldn’t stop thinking about Larry Bagby III.

If you’ve never heard of Larry Bagby III, well, I can’t blame you. He had supporting roles in a precious few season two and three episodes as Larry, was killed by the Mayor in Graduation Day Part Two, and was immediately forgotten.

However, re-watching that most brilliant of episodes, I can’t help but feel my heart sink from Larry’s plight. He was an interesting, layered character, like all of Buffy’s supporting characters tend to be, and I was upset to see his end.

Some known characters had to die in this epic battle, so beautifully realized by Joss Whedon, and Larry was one of them.

Larry died. His character received closure. However, with just six episodes remaining in the glorious seven-year run of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, I can’t help but wonder. There are supporting characters out there who haven’t had their loose ends tied up and probably won’t in these final six. First and foremost:

Daniel Osbourne, played by Seth Green

Seth Green’s Oz has been my favorite Joss Whedon creation since "Innocence" when he wouldn’t let Willow kiss him just to spite Xander. His "freeze frame" monologue was so incredibly delivered by Mr. Green that it makes my insides turn to knots to this day. I’ve never watched that scene without a bright-eyed smile on my face. Whenever Oz says, "Oh, I’m not gonna kiss you" and Willow replies, "But freeze frame", I almost cry tears of happiness.

The last time we saw Oz outside of the dream sequence in "Restless", he was leaving town AGAIN at the close of "New Moon Rising". Oz, as one of the most epically drawn and characterized people in the Jossverse, deserves a bit of closure before the curtains close ("on a kiss. God knows, we can tell the end is near") on Buffy forever.

Ethan Rayne, played by Robin Sachs

Ethan Rayne wasn’t as good a character as some, but he’s too important to Giles’s back-story to never be mentioned. He’s been in four episodes, the superlative "Halloween", the pretty decent "The Dark Age", the funny "Band Candy", and the interesting "A New Man".

Last we saw Ethan, he was being taken away to a secret government facility in Arizona or some such place. I just think it would be nice to get some sort of update on what he’s up to. I’m sure Giles would still be wondering about him.

Amy Madison, played by Elizabeth Anne Allen

I want more Amy because her last appearance in "Get It Done" was too weak to be her last. We’ve been treated to good appearances by Elizabeth Anne Allen in at least one episode of every season (save for the fifth).

However, to end it with Amy halfway between redemption and hellfire, it lends absolutely no closure, which is a shame for such a complex character.

Harmony Kendall, played by Mercedes McNabb

Harmony, a character who I mention very guiltily as a favorite of mine, should return, if not in Buffy, then certainly in Angel.

I have sort of a thing for Harmony. In High School, the Harmony types always shot me down. But, after seeing Cordelia’s character portrayed so honestly, I now have more sympathy for Harmony.

After her great work as a vampire in season five of Buffy (and in the Angel episode "Disharmony"), I’m curious as to why she was never brought back.

Chantarelle/Lily/Anne/Sister Mary Sunshine, played by Julia Lee

I’ve always been quite interested in this enigmatically mysterious character. She needs just one more appearance, or even just a mention to clear something up for me.

At the end of "Anne", Buffy leaves her with her name and says that she’ll keep in touch with her to check up on how she’s doing living alone.

However, this was never mentioned again. Did Buffy pimp out on her and leave her to herself alone in the City of Angels?

Let’s have a mention on Buffy, or let’s have her guest star on Angel next season if she wasn’t already killed during the time the sun was out.

(It was brought to my attention closely following the writing of this article that Julia Lee has, in fact, appeared in an episode of Angel in season two as Anne. Nonetheless, I’d love to see a repeat appearance if, of course, she hasn’t died yet).

Marcie Ross, played by Clea DuVall

For those of you who don’t know, Marcie Ross was the invisible girl in the season one episode "Out Of Mind, Out Of Sight". At the end of the episode, she was assigned to a class of fellow invisible people. She opens a textbook to a page that says "Chapter 11- Assassination and Infiltration".

How cool would it be to see Buffy fighting off a whole squad of invisible assassins? This is the kind of set-up that great episodes are made of.

Perhaps they could get a comic book story out of the idea. I’d love to see someone like Steve DeKnight take a crack at a four or five issue miniseries about Marcie Ross and her fellow assassins.

Devon, played by Jason Hall

I’d love a Dingoes Ate My Baby update. We haven’t seen them at the Bronze for quite a bit. Did they get a new guitarist? Are they broken up? Also, I mention him because I sort of feel bad for Jason Hall. After Seth Green left the show, his character just sort of disappeared. It’s rough on an actor.

Okay. That’d be that for this. Maybe some of my dreams will come true. More likely, not.

And I’d like to close this up with a plea that I received via e-mail from a fellow Buffy fan:

Hi Dan,

I enjoy reading your reviews. I think I have a great idea on how the online community could honor Joss in the wind down of Buffy:

We all know Joss hates spoilers. Wouldn’t it be a great homage to him if everyone on-line, at all the various boards, took a pledge to remain spoiler-free for the rest of Buffy? Stopped visiting the spoiler websites, stopped conjecture, stopped posting wild rumors. Just sat back and let Joss and the M.E. folks take us for our last wild ride with Buffy.

I’m pretty much just a lurker; I look at Slayage but not much else, so I have no idea where all the major Buffy boards are. And besides, noone would listen to me. With your Slayage Buffy-reviewer street cred, I bet folks would listen to you, though. Wouldn’t it be fun to start a movement?

Just throwing the idea into the wind,

Cathy