Update Thread 26: Write Sabers, Sanjo!

[Ebony]

Shepherd wrote:

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Jinx999 wrote:

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Ebony wrote:

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You know, I like Nacht. It's very pulpy. But I'm not really getting a sense of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It's like the writer decided he wanted to do a female version of the Shadow, and jammed it marginally into BtVS fanfiction. Not that it isn't a fun read, but it's not really Buffy.
  

Agreed. Nacht doesn't seem to think or act much like buffy. She's comfortable about getting into fights with humans, using guns . . ..

Actually, I think it is Buffy. There was one line in chapter ten about her use of guns: "I don't like guns, but they are a weapon so I do instinctively know how to use them."
Other evidence that this is Buffy:
1). The second sentence of the fic is: "my lack of tallness is pretty distinctive." Buffy is short and the phrasing is similar to her normal speech patterns.
2). The use of aliases like Harris and Giles.
3). A reference to Andrew when she buys the German gun that was the basis for Han Solo's blaster.
I think the problem is that the fic is based as much on Buffy flanderization as it is the base character. The same thing happens in a lot of DianeCastle's fics. Buffy and friends become some sort of ultra-professional special forces versions of their canon selves. Since the Slayer is great at combat, Buffy magically becomes an expert at several dozen martial arts from around the word. Since many Slayers can sense the supernatural, Buffy gains mystical radar despite the fact that canon clearly establishes her inability to sense demons or magic.

Also, I think "Betty" was Buffy's alias when she ran away to Los Angeles during a season break (Seasons 3 and 4, I think; after she'd sent Angel to Hell).
But yes, that's my general feel of the character, that's it's Buffy with the serial numbers filed off and dropped into a pulp-verse to become the Shadow. Like I said, I'm enjoying the story, so I'm not completely put out by it, but it's just a little off-putting. Hell, the author could have an OC and dropped her through a time-travel plot hole and just did a Shadow/Doc Savage fanfic.
  
Ebony the Black Dragon
http://ebony14.livejournal.com

"Good night, and may the Good Lord take a Viking to you."