Z is for Daniel HoltZ

It's the last day!  We've survived yet another year of this challenge.  But before I can celebrate, there's one last post to right, so...

This month I'm participating in A to Z Challenge, where 100's of bloggers around the world challenge themselves to write every day for the month of April, working their way through the alphabet.  I'm stitching the Buffy The Vampire Slayer alphabet cross stitch pattern (available from my Etsy store).  Each day I will share that letter's stitching, as well as a bit about the relevant character.

Z is for Daniel Holtz

Daniel Holtz was a vampire hunter in the 18th century.  He spent 20 years tracking the vampires Angel and Darla across Europe and North Africa after they killed his family.  Eventually the demon Sahjhan made a deal with Holtz to place him in suspended animation and send him to a time when it would be possible to exact revenge - the year 2001.

Meanwhile Angel and Darla (once again human) had sex and Darla became pregnant.  Darla was then turned into a vampire by Drusilla, but the fetus acted like a soul.  In order to give birth (and not lose her soul), Darla staked herself and baby Connor was born.  After much fighting and not killing Angel, Holtz kidnapped Connor, and took him to a hell dimension, where he raised Connor to hate all demons, but especially Angel.  Time moved quickly in the hell dimension, and Connor and Holtz returned to Los Angeles mere months after they had left, but with Connor now age 15. 

As a final act of revenge (and to cement Connor's hatred of Angel) Holtz had a friend kill him and stage it as a vampire attack, inciting Connor to attempt to kill Angel.

The whole character of Holtz never sat well with me.  He was not a character I liked, or enjoyed hating.  He just made me angry and annoyed and dislike the show Angel, mostly because it meant we wound up with Connor, who I disliked even more.  It was around this time I stopped watching Angel.  I'd forgotten how much I disliked this season till I started writing this post.  Darn you Holtz for being the only character in the entire Buffy-Universe to have a Z in your name.

And on that unsatisfied note, the challenge is over!!

Hurray!!

Tomorrow I'll post a picture of the completed alphabet and share about my two weekends at Supanova, and getting to meet David Boreanaz.  

Happy Stitching

Y is for Riley Finn

This month I'm participating in A to Z Challenge, where 100's of bloggers around the world challenge themselves to write every day for the month of April, working their way through the alphabet.  I'm stitching the Buffy The Vampire Slayer alphabet cross stitch pattern (available from my Etsy store).  Each day I will share that letter's stitching, as well as a bit about the relevant character.

Y is for the Riley Finn

Riley in his Initiative gear

Riley Finn was born in Huxley, Iowa.  Not much is known about his early years except that he had a fairly typical demon-free upbringing.  Riley joined the army prior to 1999, and was trained in a special operations unit that became known as The Initiative.  The Initiative were a USA Government operation whose mission was to capture and research demons, or "sub-terrestrials".  Their base-of-operations was located below UC Sunnydale, and Riley lead a double-life masquerading as a college student by day, soldier by night.  Riley began dating Buffy before discovering she was the Slayer (or revealing he was a soldier).  Riley eventually left The Initiative when his boss attempted to kill Buffy, and the operation was closed down not long after.

Riley attempted to lead an ordinary life, assisting Buffy in fighting demons, however he eventually returned to the army (and a secret mission in the middle of South America) when he realised that Buffy didn't care for him as much as he cared for her.  During his time in South America, Riley met and married fellow soldier Samantha.

The Buffy-Riley relationship seemed to be the biggest thing affected by the arrival of Dawn.  Throughout season 4, Riley and Buffy both seemed to be pretty committed to each other, however in season 5 Buffy seemed to drift - distracted by Dawn and by her mother's health problems perhaps.  I liked Riley as a steady, strong character and was not impressed with how his character seemed to take a nose dive in season 5.  But maybe the writers needed to get rid of him to make room for the Buffy-Dawn relationship, and the Buffy-Spike relationship.

Happy Stitching

X is for Xander

This month I'm participating in A to Z Challenge, where 100's of bloggers around the world challenge themselves to write every day for the month of April, working their way through the alphabet.  I'm stitching the Buffy The Vampire Slayer alphabet cross stitch pattern (available from my Etsy store).  Each day I will share that letter's stitching, as well as a bit about the relevant character.

X is for Xander Harris
I love that this is a genuine X and not a stretch like most of my other 'X' posts have been!

Yes I included the eye-patch.

Alexander "Xander" Harris was born in Sunnydale in 1981 to rather negligent, if not abusive, parents.  He attended the local kindy (where he met Willow) and primary school, before attending Sunnydale High, where he met Buffy Summers and became a founding member of the Scooby Gang.  Xander harboured quite a crush on Buffy for a number of years before turning his attention to Cordelia, and later Anya (who he left at the alter, as explained in the E post).  

After High School, Xander drifted from temporary job to temporary job  before discovering building and carpentry, at which he excelled, and was eventually able to move out of his parents' basement into an apartment of his own.  Xander fought (albeit not very skillfully) alongside Buffy for seven years.  He eventually lost an eye during an altercation with the priest Caleb (played by Nathan Fillion) in the final season, before helping Buffy blow up the town, and riding into the sunset with everyone else on the big yellow bus.

Xander was the non-supernatural member of the Scooby Gang, never gaining any magical powers or special strength or brilliant intelligence.  He was often uncoordinated and unskilled, but witty and funny and caring.  Xander was "us" in the show - the people without any abilities who wanted to fight alongside Buffy - he was our "in", how we could be part of the Scooby Gang.  Not being magical or powerful, Xander was able to see and recognise the strength in others, the struggles they were going through, the times when they needed a shoulder to cry on or needed someone to tell them to stop acting like an idiot.  Or when they just needed a one-liner to break the tension.

One of my favourite Xander episodes occured in season 5, when a demon splits him into two people.  Nicholas Brendon (the actor who plays Xander) is a twin, so his twin brother, Kelly Donovan, played his other half.

Nicholas and Kelly

Nicholas came to Brisbane Oz Comic Con in 2015 with Emma Caulfield.  He's still gorgeous all these years later, and very friendly.

With Emma Caulfield and Nicholas Brendon

Happy Stitching

W is for Winifred

This month I'm participating in A to Z Challenge, where 100's of bloggers around the world challenge themselves to write every day for the month of April, working their way through the alphabet.  I'm stitching the Buffy The Vampire Slayer alphabet cross stitch pattern (available from my Etsy store).  Each day I will share that letter's stitching, as well as a bit about the relevant character.

W is for Winifred "Fred" Burkle

This outfit is from Fred's first episode, but I couldn't find the source picture I'd
originally used.

Winifred “Fred” Burkle was born in Texas, and moved to Los Angeles where she attended graduate school at UCLA.  Fred’s physics professor, jealous of her talent, created a portal and banished Fred to Pylea – which is the same portal that sent Lorne (from the H post) to Los Angeles in her place.  Fred spent 5 years on Pylea as a human slave until she was rescued by Angel and his friends. 

On returning to Los Angeles, Fred joined Angel Investigations, where she helped solve problems and fight demons with her brains rather than any physical strength.  Ultimately Fred was killed when the essence of Illyria (remember her from I?) took possession of her body.

Fred was one of my favourite Angel-only characters.  She was Angel’s version of Willow – shy, quiet, un-coordinated, very smart, grew in strength as the show progressed.  She helped to off-set Cordelia, as well as provide some more female talent for the show.  It’s bugging me that I can’t remember more about her – I really need to re-watch Angel one of these days.

Happy Stitching

V is for Vampire Drusilla

This month I'm participating in A to Z Challenge, where 100's of bloggers around the world challenge themselves to write every day for the month of April, working their way through the alphabet.  I'm stitching the Buffy The Vampire Slayer alphabet cross stitch pattern (available from my Etsy store).  Each day I will share that letter's stitching, as well as a bit about the relevant character.

V is for Drusilla the Vampire

After I finished stitching this, and framed it, I found the spelling mistake

Drusilla was born in the mid-19^th century in the East End of London, and had the ability to foresee the future.  In 1860, Drusilla caught the attention of Angelus, who tortured her to insanity and eventually turned her into a vampire, calling her his “masterpiece”.  Twenty years later, Drusilla sired Spike to turn him into her play thing.   Drusilla always maintained a childish insanity, caused by Angel’s torture of her mind.

After tormenting Europe for a century or more, Drusilla and Spike moved to Sunnydale, where, along with Angel, they became the Big Bad of season 2, and Drusilla killed the Slayer Kendra.   When Spike cut a deal with Buffy to get rid of Angel, Drusilla left Spike for a Fungus Demon, claiming he was not enough of a demon for her. 

Drusilla eventually went on to play a much larger role on Angel, including siring a re-born Darla, who technically was also her ‘grandmother’, given that Darla had originally sired Angel – it all got very confusing.

Drusilla was a fun character to watch on screen.  She was completely insane, which resulted in some of the best one-liners, and total bewilderment of the other characters.  However, I’m also glad she was a short-lived character on Buffy.  She had a time and a place, but would have become very tedious if she’d stuck around trying to kill Buffy every week – rather like Lindsey did on Angel.  She also wore some awesome outfits.

Happy Stitching

U is for Charles Gunn

This month I'm participating in A to Z Challenge, where 100's of bloggers around the world challenge themselves to write every day for the month of April, working their way through the alphabet.  I'm stitching the Buffy The Vampire Slayer alphabet cross stitch pattern (available from my Etsy store).  Each day I will share that letter's stitching, as well as a bit about the relevant character.

U is for Charles Gunn (there's a U in his name.  I know, it's a real stretch)

Charles Gunn was born in Los Angeles.  In his teenage years, Gunn rose through the ranks of a local gang to become their leader.  This gang was familiar with the world of vampires, and protected their turf from the undead.  Gunn witnessed Angel fighting and, recognising he was a vampire, attempted to dust him.  Gunn eventually joined forces with Angel, becoming a full-time employee of Angel Investigations, both as a fighter, and as the guru of local knowledge.  

Once again, Gunn is a character who only ever appeared on Angel and so my memory of him is rather vague.  He was a street fighter and leader in his own right, which gave him the ground and strength to stand up to Angel when needed, as well as to fight the forces of evil.  I remember liking Gunn, but not as much as the characters I was more familiar with from Buffy.  I'd like to hear your opinions of him though!

Happy Stitching.

T is for Tara

This month I'm participating in A to Z Challenge, where 100's of bloggers around the world challenge themselves to write every day for the month of April, working their way through the alphabet.  I'm stitching the Buffy The Vampire Slayer alphabet cross stitch pattern (available from my Etsy store).  Each day I will share that letter's stitching, as well as a bit about the relevant character.

T is for Tara Maclay

Tara was born in 1980 to a family familiar with the world of demons and the supernatural.  Her mother was a witch and introduced Tara to spells and magic, however passed away when Tara was 17.  When she was young, her father told Tara she was part demon on her mother's side, and that it would manifest when she turned 20 - this turned out to be a lie used to "control" the women of the family.

Tara attended UC Sunnydale where she joined a wicca coven and met Willow, and subsequently the rest of the Scooby Gang.  Tara helped Willow develop her magical abilities, and the two were soon in a relationship.  Tara was a background character to the Scooby Gang, shy and quiet. She assisted Willow with magical spells, however did not tend to actively participate in the demon fights.  Tara was shot and killed at the end of season 6, the tipping point for Willow becoming Black Willow.

Tara was introduced to the show when the writers needed a new damsel-in-distress - someone you weren't sure would make it through the episode or season.  This role had been filled for the first 3 years by Willow, however as Willow became stronger and more confident, it was harder to see her as a victim.  Tara filled this role perfectly for 3 years - she was quiet, reserved, and although able to do magic, she never grew as powerful as Willow.  Tara remained a member of the supporting cast and only made it to the opening credits for one episode - the episode where she died.  This was something Joss Whedon had wanted to do since the pilot episode, a "you can't trust anything" move.  He achieved it.  Fans were devastated.  Pure Whedon.

Happy Stitching.

S is for Spike

This month I'm participating in A to Z Challenge, where 100's of bloggers around the world challenge themselves to write every day for the month of April, working their way through the alphabet.  I'm stitching the Buffy The Vampire Slayer alphabet cross stitch pattern (available from my Etsy store).  Each day I will share that letter's stitching, as well as a bit about the relevant character.

S is for Spike

Spike in the leather jacket he stole from Nikki Wood

William Pratt was born in 1850 in London, England.  He was a sentimental poet, nicknamed “William the Bloody” because of his “bloody awful poetry”.  In 1880 he was sired by Drusilla, exchanged his posh London accent for a working-class North London one, and spent the 19^th and 20^th centuries terrorising Europe with Drusilla, Angelus and Darla.  He earned the nickname Spike from torturing his victims with railroad spikes, and killed two Slayers – Nikki Wood, and another during the Boxing Rebellion.

Spike and Drusilla arrived in Sunnydale in 1997 and spent nearly a year tormenting Buffy (as Season 2’s Big Bad), later joined by a de-souled Angelus.  Spike eventually betrayed Angel to Buffy and left town with an unconscious Dru.  He reappeared in season 4, having been dumped (again) by Dru, and was captured by The Initiative who put a chip in his head which prevented him from hurting living people.  As he was still able to fight demons, Spike became sort-of ally of the Scooby Gang, briefly having a relationship with Buffy, before his soul was restored at the end of Season 6.  Spike eventually sacrificed himself during the Final Battle at the end of Season 7 in order to permanently close the Hellmouth.  Never fear though – he reappeared at the beginning of the final season of Angel (19 days after the Final Battle) as a ghost, haunting Angel and his team for the remainder of the season.

I love Spike.  He is rude and sarcastic and immoral and evil, but he is also caring and loving (as much as a vampire can) and foolish and flawed and down-right funny.  James Marsters can do a very convincing British accent (his regular American accent sounds wrong to me), looks good blond, and has a great singing voice.  Spike brought much needed conflict to the show, and assisted Anya in pointing out the obvious to Buffy.  He had a great relationship with Joyce and Dawn, and his scenes with Giles always made me laugh.  All that aside, I did not like him with Buffy and am not a “Team Spike” girl.  He was a vampire without a soul, and he tried to rape Buffy.  I am constantly amazed by the number of people who think his relationship with Buffy was something ‘beautiful’ or ‘romantic’.  It wasn’t.  It was abusive – physically, mentally, emotionally abusive.  Yes he got his soul back in season 7, but that doesn’t change or erase what happened in season 6.  He made amends, but there’s a reason Joss Whedon (the creator/writer/everything) didn’t put them back together in season 7.

R is for Willow Rosenburg

Thank you to everyone who's been stopping by and reading my blog and leaving comments.  I really appreciate it.  I'm sorry for the lack of replies and return visits this week - my family went away of the Easter long weekend and didn't have any internet connection (which we hadn't been prepared for). Since I got back, I've been madly getting ready for my stall at Supanova (where I'm planning to meet the gorgeous David Boreanuz) and I haven't had any spare brain power or time!  I have Monday and Tuesday off work next week and am planning a full day of blog catch-ups so I'm looking forward to "chatting" to you all then. xx  On with the #atozchallenge...


This month I'm participating in A to Z Challenge, where 100's of bloggers around the world challenge themselves to write every day for the month of April, working their way through the alphabet.  I'm stitching the Buffy The Vampire Slayer alphabet cross stitch pattern (available from my Etsy store).  Each day I will share that letter's stitching, as well as a bit about the relevant character.

R is for Willow Rosenburg

This outfit is a combination of a few different ones from season 4, which
is why I couldn't find a picture to match!

Willow Rosenberg was born in Sunnydale into a local Jewish family.  She attended the local primary school with her best friend Xander Harris, before enrolling in Sunnydale High.  Willow was a meek, intelligent computer geek when she first met Buffy, wearing tights, plaid dresses/skirts, and fluffy woollen jumpers (‘sweaters’ if you’re American).  Over the time she knew Buffy, Willow grew and developed into an assertive and strong individual.  Despite being accepted to “every university in the country and few overseas” she decided to study at UC Sunnydale where she would be able to focus on her magic.

Willow was first exposed to magic through demon fighting, and her successful attempt to return Angel’s soul.  Willow quickly grew into a very magical individual, until her magic eventually went dark following the death of her girlfriend Tara, and Willow became the Big Bad of season six.  She learnt how to control and reign in her powers, eventually helping Buffy save the world from the hellmouth, turning all Potential Slayers into Slayers, and riding off into the sunset on that big yellow bus.

Willow was one of my favourite characters because I could relate to her so much.  She was intelligent, she was into computers and reading and studying; she came across as shy to outsiders, but once you got to know her she was very strong willed.  Willow had an inner strength that was allowed to shine through and develop.  I found her relationship with Tara to be sweet.  Willow started off the show heterosexual – a long term crush on Xander and a 2 year (ish) relationship with Oz which ended when he left town.  Willow’s relationship with Tara was gradual and developed over the course of season 4.  I liked that it wasn’t an in-your-face, let’s-do-all-the-stereotypes lesbian relationship – it was a friendship that grew and then just… was.  Modern TV shows could take a few notes.

Q is for Quentin Travers

This month I'm participating in A to Z Challenge, where 100's of bloggers around the world challenge themselves to write every day for the month of April, working their way through the alphabet.  I'm stitching the Buffy The Vampire Slayer alphabet cross stitch pattern (available from my Etsy store).  Each day I will share that letter's stitching, as well as a bit about the relevant character.

Q is for Quentin Travers

Quentin Travers was a senior member of the Watcher's Council.  He came over from England to conduct a dangerous rite of passage on Buffy's 18th birthday.  Buffy survived the trial, however Giles' interference resulted in him being fired from the Council.  Quentin reappeared a couple of years later in season 5 to share information on Glory, the Big Bad for that season, and reinstated Giles to the Council.  Quentin was killed two years later when the Council's offices in London were blown up.

Quentin was the face of the Council, Giles' employer. He was the older version of Wesley (before Wesley appeared) - the "this is the way it's always been done, so this is the way we'll continue to do it".  He only appeared a couple of times in the show, so I don't have a strong opinion of him - but he was a character that started with Q so he made it into the alphabet.

Happy Stitching

P is for Wesley Wyndum-Price

This month I'm participating in A to Z Challenge, where 100's of bloggers around the world challenge themselves to write every day for the month of April, working their way through the alphabet.  I'm stitching the Buffy The Vampire Slayer alphabet cross stitch pattern (available from my Etsy store).  Each day I will share that letter's stitching, as well as a bit about the relevant character.

P is for Wesley Wyndum-Price

Wesley Wyndum-Price was sent to Sunnydale to take over as Watcher to Buffy and Faith after Giles was sacked by the Watcher's Council.  He was pompous, pedantic, and controlling, and both Buffy and Faith rebelled - Buffy quit the Council, and Faith joined the Mayor (the Big Bad of season 3).  After this stellar performance, Wesley was unsurprisingly dismissed from the Council.

Wesley moved to Los Angeles and wound up joining Angel Investigations.  Wesley came into his own on Angel, becoming capable and confident and a kick-ass demon fighter.  Or at least a kick-ass demon fighter's side-kick.

Wesley started off as an irritating, extreme version of Giles - Giles with a stick up his butt.  He was unbending, law-abiding to the point of putting everyone in danger.  He was annoying and we gave a cheer when he left the show.  Then he re-appeared on Angel, and I thought "oh no, here we go again."  But Wesley had mellowed significantly.  Being fired turned him in to a much more pleasant human being.  Like many of the other characters, Wesley was allowed to develop and grow and change and mature.  He grew up, much for the better.

Wesley is portrayed by Alexis Denisof who, in real life, is married to Alyson Hannigan (Willow).  Their scenes together in later seasons of Angel are beautiful to watch..

Happy Stitching

O is for Oz

This month I'm participating in A to Z Challenge, where 100's of bloggers around the world challenge themselves to write every day for the month of April, working their way through the alphabet.  I'm stitching the Buffy The Vampire Slayer alphabet cross stitch pattern (available from my Etsy store).  Each day I will share that letter's stitching, as well as a bit about the relevant character.

O is for Daniel "Oz" Osbourne

Oz was the lead guitarist of the band Dingoes Ate My Baby, who regularly played at the Bronze nightclub, and Willow’s boyfriend. He became a member of the Scooby Gang after learning the truth about vampires during Buffy’s 17^th birthday party (which was also his first date with Willow).  Oz was bitten by his baby cousin and became a werewolf, turning on the night of the full moon and the two nights surrounding it.  He was originally a year ahead of Buffy and friends, however wound up repeating his senior year with them after failing his exams. 

Oz enrolled at UC Sunnydale with Buffy and Willow, however after meeting (and sleeping with) a female werewolf, Oz decided he needed to leave Sunnydale (and Willow) in order to better understand, and control, his werewolf side.  

Oz was the mono-syllabic, sarcastic, quiet character.  He didn't say much, but what he did say was usually relevant, on point, and funny.  He brought another male perspective to a female-heavy show, and gave Willow a romantic interest.  I enjoyed what Oz brought to the team, and was sad when he left, although the way Willow grew and changed without him was great.  

I'm still not sure how I feel/felt about the band name though.  For those who don't know, "Dingoes Ate My Baby" is based on the Chamberlain murder story from Australia - a family camping in Central Australia in 1980 woke one morning to discover their infant daughter, Azaria, missing.  Lindy, the baby's mother always claimed that a dingo must have taken Azaria during the night.  Lindy was convicted of Azaria's murder, and her husband Michael was convicted of being an accessory.  Both were later exonerated and received official pardons.  A coronial inquest in 2012 found that Azaria died "as a result of being attacked and taken by a dingo".  The Chamberlain story remains one of the most publicised and controversial stories in Australia's recent history and many people remain divided in their opinions to this day.  So to have a band named after the story as a joke (particularly since the show came out long before the most recent inquest) was a little 'on the nose' from an Australian's perspective.  Or maybe that's just me.

Happy Stitching

N is for Nikki

This month I'm participating in A to Z Challenge, where 100's of bloggers around the world challenge themselves to write every day for the month of April, working their way through the alphabet.  I'm stitching the Buffy The Vampire Slayer alphabet cross stitch pattern (available from my Etsy store).  Each day I will share that letter's stitching, as well as a bit about the relevant character.

N is for Nikki Wood

Nikki Wood was the Vampire Slayer in the 1970's.  She became the Slayer when she was 15 and living in New York.  Nikki is notable for being one of the longest-serving Slayers (7 years) and for having a child (Robin).  Nikki was killed by Spike in 1977 following a fight on a train.  Spike then took Nikki's leather jacket as a trophy (which became part of his trademark outfit).

Nikki's son Robin moved to Sunnydale in 2003 (season 7) to be Principal of the newly re-opened high school.  He fought alongside Buffy in the series finale and rode into the sunset on that big yellow bus.

Nikki gave us a deeper insight into the history of the Slayer line, and into the lives of these Slayers.  Nikki was our proof that other Slayers had been real people, and had real lives, including having a child.  Nikki was Buffy's proof that there could be more to a Slayer's life than killing vampires.  And she had really cool hair.

After a comment by my mother, I feel the need to explain about the series finale.  If you don't want to know - stop reading here.

The Big Bad for season 7 was The First Evil, the source of all evil on Earth.  The First Evil first appeared in season 3 as the force that brought Angel back from a hell dimension.  The First Evil's plan for season 7 (with the help of Nathan Fillion) was to open the hellmouth and release pure vampires and demons to destroy Earth. They are also trying to wipe out the line of Slayers by killing all potential Slayers - all the girls with the potential to become the next Slayer on the death of Buffy or Faith.  The final battle takes place in the High School and ends when Spike (with the help of a magic necklace/amulet) blows up the hellmouth, causing Sunnydale to sink into a giant crater.  It's okay though - the Scoobies had arranged for the town to be evacuated earlier on.  In order to escape the giant sinkhole, the Scoobies and Potential Slayers (those that were still alive) jumped onto a yellow school bus and drove hell-for-leather out of town, ahead of the sinking town.  They stop to admire their handwork, and then drive off into the sunset.

Mum was worried that everyone in town had fallen into the sinkhole with the town.

Happy stitching!

M is for Lindsey McDonald

This month I'm participating in A to Z Challenge, where 100's of bloggers around the world challenge themselves to write every day for the month of April, working their way through the alphabet.  I'm stitching the Buffy The Vampire Slayer alphabet cross stitch pattern (available from my Etsy store).  Each day I will share that letter's stitching, as well as a bit about the relevant character.

M is for Lindsey McDonald

Lindsey is another of our Angel-only characters.  I’ve summarised his page on Buffy Wiki for you, as my memories of him are rather vague: Lindsey was a lawyer who worked for the firm Wolfram & Hart, the ongoing ‘evil’ of Angel. Lindsey legally represented vampires and demons, as well as evil humans, appearing on and off throughout the series.  At one stage, Angel through a scythe at Lindsey which chopped off his left hand.  Lindsey was eventually shot by Lorne (who was our H character).

I don’t have great memories of Lindsey, but again I needed a character to fill the ‘M’ spot.  I do remember that he irritated me a lot.  I just wanted him to leave and be done with, or at least for Angel to thoroughly kick Lindsey’s butt once and for all, but he seemed to stick around for ages.  On Buffy the Big Bad would hang around for a season and then be done, but Lindsey and the rest of the cronies from Wolfram & Hart stuck around for years.  Can you tell I wasn’t a fan?

Oh, and he could play guitar and sing (because the actor himself, Christian Kane, is very musical).  

Christian Kane was at Supanova last year.  I didn’t go and meet him.

Happy Stitching!

L is for Jonathon Levingston

This month I'm participating in A to Z Challenge, where 100's of bloggers around the world challenge themselves to write every day for the month of April, working their way through the alphabet.  I'm stitching the Buffy The Vampire Slayer alphabet cross stitch pattern (available from my Etsy store).  Each day I will share that letter's stitching, as well as a bit about the relevant character.

L is for Jonathan Levinson

"Anyone else want to weigh in here?  How about you by the dip?"
Dead Man's Party, season 3

Jonathon was a class mate of the Scooby Gang, and fellow student at Sunnydale High.  Jonathon first appeared as a potential victim of the Inca Mummy in season 2.  Surviving the attack, Jonathon became the dorkier-than-Xander go-to classmate whenever the show writers needed a weak, dorky, male character, or just a familiar-faced class-mate.  He nearly committed suicide, presented Buffy with the "Class Protector" award, protected Cordelia during the fight with the Mayor, and cast a spell to change everyone's perception of him during the first year of university.

In season 6, Jonathon teamed up with Warren and Andrew to become Buffy's arch nemesis-es.  Officially called The Trio, they were also referred to as the Three Nerds, and were the Big Bad of season 6 (that is, until Willow went dark).  Returning in season 7, Jonathon was killed by his friend Andrew as part of a ritual to open the hellmouth.  The ritual didn't work, but Jonathon was still dead.

Jonathon was the regular face-in-the-crowd for many years on Buffy.  I enjoyed the moments he got to "shine", but he was also good in the one-liner appearances, like when he admitted to peeing in the pool or went to the library to borrow out books.  Although I was glad to see more of him in season 6, I didn't like that he went evil.  It was a weak, not-very-successful-evil, but it was still evil.  I think Jonathon deserved better than that, particularly the way it ended.  Poor Jonathon.

Happy stitching!

K is for Harmony Kendall

This month I'm participating in A to Z Challenge, where 100's of bloggers around the world challenge themselves to write every day for the month of April, working their way through the alphabet.  I'm stitching the Buffy The Vampire Slayer alphabet cross stitch pattern (available from my Etsy store).  Each day I will share that letter's stitching, as well as a bit about the relevant character.

K is for Harmony Kendall

Harmony Kendall was a fellow student at Sunnydale High.  She was a friend and crony of Cordelia Chase, taking over as "Queen Bee" when Cordelia teamed up with Buffy and friends.  Harmony was bitten by a vampire on Graduation Day at the end of season 3.

Harmony reappeared in season 4 as a vampire, and in a relationship with Spike.  As a vampire, she flitted between Buffy and Angel, adding some comic relief as she tried her best to be evil.  Harmony wound up as Angel's secretary once he had taken over Wolfram & Hart.

Harmony was fun.  She did well as Cordelia's bitchy side-kick and Queen-Bee, adding the occasional snide comment, but it was as a vampire that she really came into her own.  Harmony was selfish and self-obsessed, and ditsy as anything.  She couldn't make a plan to save her un-life.  She had Cordelia and Anya's habit of saying what she thought, usually to the detriment of Spike's (or her own) scheme.  She was terrible at being evil and, without a soul, she couldn't be good either.  Harmony added comic relief to every situation she was in, but there were also moments of sympathy for her, particularly given her rather abusive relationship with Spike. Yes she was a vampire, but no one deserves a relationship like that.

 My favourite Harmony moment though was the bitch-slap hair-pulling fight with Xander.

from buffy.wikia.com

Happy Stitching!