Buffy Season 8 Recap - The Chain

Questions answered in this issue:
What does Buffy mean about her double being underground, is she dead?


So soon after the conclusion of the first story arc we move away from Buffy’s story to explore the Slayer organisation. The issue begins with a demon named Yamanh holding up the body of a blonde female and declaring to the other demons below him that “Buffy Summers is dead!”. Her inner monologue tells us that she didn’t even meet the real Buffy, confirmation that this is the 'underground Slayer decoy' mentioned by Buffy in Issue 1. We flashback to her point of view with a jock standing looking down at her “Who the hell are you?” he asks. We then have another flashback, she is crouched resting on a sword clearly beaten cut and bruised. She tells a small female with wings (presumabely a fairy) that she needs to go tell the others, that they need to attack Yamanh now. The fairy tells her that she needs to get out now or she’ll die, the decoy is resigned to that fate knowing that she came here to stop the demon Yamanh and his minions from making it to the surface. The fairy says that she will go tell the others but only if she promises to still be alive when she returns, “Slayer’s honour” she promises, the fairy says goodbye to 'Buffy' and leaves.

We then flashback to her earlier life before she was a Slayer, her inner monologue continues, she tells us that the thing about being a Slayer is that you don’t get a choice, "it's fascism" one of her friends says (referring to detention but purposely placed to seem as if she is talking about being a Slayer). The blonde jock we saw a glimpse of earlier walks over to her and her friends who are gossiping like normal teenage girls, she then falls back and her eyes roll back. We then flash to her introduction to the Slayer organisation where Giles tells the girls that he will teach them about ‘the chain’. We see an image connecting all the Slayers as she describes the immense pain she felt when she connected to this ‘chain’ of Slayers.










We then get a page that explores Buffy’s recruitment techniques, we see a Television commercial with Andrew and Vi (the red haired potential Slayer played by Felecia Day in Season Seven), talking subtely about Slayer powers that include strange dreams, and not being able to control their strength, she laughs and asks how did Andrew know. Andrew tells her that there is a support group and offers the number on screen emphasising the fact that these girls no longer need to feel alone and to call the number.

We see the Slayer decoy at her first meeting having called the number, she tells us that the woman talked to her for ages “I didn’t have a choice”, the decoy asks if this is a cult and the woman instead asks her what she thinks it is. She then talks about Giles and how he purposely spoke to her because of her decoy status proudly thinking that she is ‘famous’ as she got a one on one with someone so important to the Slayer organisation. She then thinks about it and decides she is probably less famous than the others, nobody will ever know her name, she will be known as “Buffy” and even worse she isn’t even the only decoy. The other decoy gets to party in Rome…

“I’ve never been to Rome” she thinks as we flash to her underground attacking a demon. She is overwhelmed at the power of the name she holds “Tell Yamanh that Buffy Summers is coming to kill him”. We then get a glimpse, a reminder that this power isn’t all good as we return to her lying on the grass with her eyes rolling back. We then flashback to her first patrol with other Slayers, she is working with the Slayer who was fond of guns, they fight a vampire who manages to bite the decoy before being dusted. The Slayer who mentioned guns in issue 2 is seen muttering that this patrol would have been easier if they had guns. The decoy explains that this is another reason they chose her to be the decoy, the real Buffy has a vampire bite wound on her neck too.

We see the meeting where the decoy is told what her mission would entail if she agrees. After explaining the importance of the mission a woman suggests that she probably wants to know the truth, the answer to the question “Why me?” the decoy asks. We then see the decoy facing the dark unknown, the hole that will lead her to her destiny, the beginning of her mission.






As she lowers herself further and further underground her inner monologue contemplates the answer. Is it because she is stronger than the others, she can handle the heavy burden, or is it because she is weak, the expendable one. She refers to what the woman told her earlier, there is no truth, there is only what you believe.

She finally comes across the creatures living below and tells them that she is there to help take down Yamanh. She then advises them to work together as she has been taught, they have to fight for each other and that is how they will survive which is ironic considering the decoy’s current situation who has been sent down alone. The creatures rejoice, finally Buffy Summers is here to save them. We return to the moment she became a Slayer, still on the floor with her eyes rolled back, she suddenly snaps out of it and with a sudden swift movement she throws the blonde jock out of the way as an out of control truck heads towards them hitting only the decoy Slayer before it comes to a stop. The jock runs over to her asking how she even survived that, he looks down at her “who the hell are you”.





“That’s not the point” she tells us. A name doesn’t define who we are; even the great names that can inspire terror, awe and great things like Gandhi or Hitler were made up of other people and influenced others. We are defined not by a name, but what we did, what we fought for, who we helped. The image returns to the opening scene with her held high above Yamanh's head as he announces the death of Buffy Summers, suddenly he throws her and we see that ‘the others’ have come to save her, many Slayers drop from a light high up but it is too late for her. Her final thoughts tell us that she is proud of what she fought for, who she fought for, that she faced the darkness and helped defeat it. She tells us that we don’t need to know her name, she doesn’t need us to tell her who she is, because she knows who she is and that’s all that matters. The final image is of her surrounded by light as she smiles proudly and passes away.
















While at first this seemed like a filler ‘episode’ re-reading it holds a great amount of symbolism and subtext. The final words of the previous issue informed us war has been declared on the Slayers and Buffy is fine with that. This issue not only explores the meaningless of war, but indeed the expendable nature of some soldiers. This issue is most certainly not Buffy's finest moment.

The ending is very bitter sweet, we are happy and proud of this Slayer but on further inspection she has lived a very sad life. “I’ve never been to rome” ponders the soon to be dead Slayer, she tells us that when some girls become Slayers it is intoxicating, sometimes pleasurable but for her it was like being attacked by Mike Tyson. She is fed the story of unity and togetherness before being sent to die alone, a sacrifice needed to protect the real Buffy who she didn't even meet. While I would like to think that perhaps it is because Buffy isn't aware of the tactics used to recruit and train the Slayers, and that she doesn't know the (sometimes suicidal) missions they are sent on, the past story arc proves otherwise where Buffy both told us of the 'underground' Slayer and accepted the fact that she is now 'at war'.

We see the propaganda used to recruit the new Slayers, Andrew in the commercial emphasises the fact that if they join they will no longer feel alone, while this may be true it seems like a tactic used to manipulate the new Slayers emotions and pressure the Slayers to come forward but then it comes down to perception again. One will see the need to subtely inform the new Slayers of their organisation while another will see a tactic to pressure Slayers to join Buffy's 'army'. If you are not completely sold on this idea of Buffy using propaganda or the casual comparison to Buffy 'recruiting' an army then take a look at the alternative cover for this issue.










One of the most important elements that continues to be relevant in Buffy as a seres is the aspect of choice or more importantly the lack thereof. While the final episode of the Television series had Buffy give all potential Slayers the power of the Slayer in a moment of unity, this issue explores the point of view from the potential Slayers which suggests that this ‘power’ was forced upon these girls, choice was never a part of the process. In Season Seven we explored the original Watchers who forced the power onto the first Slayer, which is portrayed as morally wrong, but what makes Buffy’s spell any different, she has forced the power on unsuspecting women and has then begun recruiting them to fight her war on evil. Perhaps The General is right, maybe Buffy has accidently become a ‘villain’ but again it’s about perspective.