The Bigger They Are, The More Likely They Die

Seeing Whistler smack around Nash and Pearl for mouthing off in Angel & Faith #13 made me so happy.

Not because I have anything against Nash and Pearl. Sure, they're bad guys, unrepentant killers, and the fact they worked for Angel when he was Twilight gives him another thing to feel guilty about. As if he didn't have enough. But as far as villains go, they're fine. I'll enjoy seeing them lose, and if that means dying -as it frequently does for villains in the Buffyverse - then so it goes. I won't mind if they survive to cause mischief, because if nothing else, they have a creepy style to them (the fashion sense Isaacs gives them helps).

The reason I was happy is because the more obviously powerful Whistler is, the more likely he is to wind up dead.

Hang on, let me explain.

I've never liked Whistler. I mentioned this back when I first saw him in this title. I never like characters like him. They stand around, saying cryptic bullshit that supposedly has significance and helps guide the hero, but they never actually do anything. They ride the coattails of the people who actually do. In Season 2, Whistler didn't stop Angelus, Buffy did (with an assist from Spike in the sense that he kept Dru out of it). Buffy might have been better off if she hadn't had to waste time listening to Whistler blather on. I give Xander Harris a lot of crap for being a git, as Spike might put it, but he does actually contribute. He gets into the fray, or at least fray adjacent. Whistler talks big, but always vanishes when the fur starts flying.

Now? Now he's actually getting involved. Angel didn't do what he wanted, so he's trying to manage it himself. What's more, he has an apparently considerable amount of power. Whether he's always had it, or if it's some unexpected result of the death of magic, I don't know. The point is, he has it, and he's not afraid to throw it around. Pearl and Nash are terrified of him, and these are two beings who killed dozens of Slayers, and squared off with Angel and Faith no problem.

Which means when Angel (and perhaps Faith, if she's refuses to let the Broodmeister do his Lone Ranger shtick) face him, they'll be massive underdogs. Which means they're going to win. Somehow. If he weren't so powerful, it might be different, because then Angel beating up some weak loser would be a letdown. Maybe even cause the audience to root for Whistler, or at least feel bad for him. The weaker he is, the more likely he would be to pull some sneaky trick to win. Since he's the one with the power, that option goes to the good guys. That's how it works. It may not be a pretty victory, but they'll manage. And like I said, in the Buffyverse, most villains end up dead. Which means I'll get to see that irritating little shit wiped out once and for all.

I can hardly wait.