#jake osbourne

The story

It feels like season 2, where Frankie already has her slayer routine down, has her Scoobies in check and training, and a demon to swoon after. I guess, for a slayer, this would be what passes for normal life. First of all, this all fits in well with Buffy s2. It definitely gives off the same vibe and, what I like most, the Big Bad is not ancient evil like the Countess, but something more personal – a slayer. Or rather a band of slayers with Vi, which makes it personal for Hailey, and Aspen as their leader, which makes it personal for Frankie (because she’s Grim’s evil ex although he himself may or may not be evil, so…). And the fact that Buffy’s disappeared makes it personal for everyone else. 

Of course, you don’t trust the sappy “I want to give the power back” from Aspen. You buy it from Vi, but we know her. Vi isn’t evil but she’s traumatized which I love as a concept because we never got to see the real impact of surviving the first with no slayer power to back you up. And those girls went through hell. Just getting the power doesn’t make you strong and doesn’t make you a hero. 

But Aspen wasn’t there, and she’s the other side of that coin - when you get the power you might want more. I think I called it right away through all of the hints at her personality. Which are brilliantly done, I can almost see how it could have happened in the show, somewhere mid-season. So Aspen is the evil slayer who recruited a bunch of others, including Vi, for her cause that is seemingly humanitarian but really just a power grab. I actually see Kennedy trying to pull something like that and not just because she’s irritating, but because she’s too power-hungry. Alas, it’s not her. It’s Aspen, who skillfully invents just enough propaganda to brainwash a bunch of slayers who weren’t in s7 and are nowhere near Buffy’s inner circle.

Speaking of Buffy, she’s alive (which no one tells Dawn, which IS classic Willow to be fair), and imprisoned in another dimension. This is a good balance between where we need her to be – not in this story, and where we can’t in good faith put her – in the ground (again! Third time’s a charm). And this is very fair, since Buffy has no place in this particular story. No matter, at what point she shows up, she will immediately draw all attention to herself. She is a great motivation and role model for Frankie, and in a way, it would’ve made every bit of sense to me even if she was dead. Yeah, I love Buffy and don’t go all you’re betraying the icon for a new kid. But as long as Buffy’s alive, it would be hard to let her go and follow another slayer. 

And the inevitable question of who she ends up with? It shouldn’t really be resolved. That’s it on Buffy because see? She’s already taking up too much time, and this isn’t even her story. 

So Frankie’s up against slayers which is scary and unfair and seems impossible. 

To make things worse, she’s up against an army of familiar demons. And here is one of the things I love: every book tries to namedrop the demons we know: Fyarls, M’Fashniks, hellhounds, etc. Most do it randomly and aggressively and you feel slightly irritated. This one gives you a damn good reason with the beacon and doesn’t really focus on the demons as much as their impact. And the “greatest hits” comment is very well deserved.

The swim team tho… that really made me laugh out loud and with joy. It’s like every easter egg is done in a very loving manner. I love that, and while it doesn’t hit at nostalgia (because I just finished a rewatch and because I watched the show 8 times in 3 years), it does tie in to the history of Sunnydale. 

Frankie and her Scoobies are up to the challenge though, and with a little help from their friends and adults, they defeat demons with blunt force and slayers with smarts. Which really sums up Frankie and establishes her as her own slayer with her own approach. She has the “I’m not Buffy” moment and I love her for owning that. And once again, this follows the show in a smooth manner. Something similar, mind you, already drove Faith to evil, so could we stop comparing slayers? 

The story is wholesome like a tv season, so you feel like you’re still watching the show. And its ending leaves so many stories to be told. I am really not ready for this to be just a three-book story. 

The Characters

Always my favorite part. 

Are we the grownups?

I watched Stranger Things just last year and the thing I loved most is that it feels like a ya show, but it has several arcs for several groups of characters with different ages thus avoiding the absent parent issue that used to be a staple for ya. 

This same thing happens in both IEG and OGIATW. Only the adults are actually involved where it matters. We know these adults and we know how it used to be only their thing. Yeah, they had Giles also, but he was still very much a watcher, an authority. And Willow and Oz, they feel much more like how we feel now. Relatable. They still don’t know what they’re doing (because who ever does?) and they have to combine parenting with the supernatural stuff. They wonder how Joyce and Giles managed (they drank). This hits close to home whether or not you have kids. And immediately you can put yourself in Willow and Oz’s shoes. 

How mature are any of us anyway? 

There’s their relationship as well, that’s brought up again in this book. The fragile co-parenting thing on top of their past. It’s lovely how this gets resolved and then Sarafina shows up to both complicate and uncomplicate things. Again, like in the show, life is happening and it feels cozy.

The kids are alright 

The only issue I have with this book is there’s not enough room for everything that I wanna know. I wanna spend more time with these characters, hang out with them between patrols more and I understand that that’s simply impossible in just one book. But some side stories would sure be nice. Tell them in comics because I don’t see much fan art and I want to see fan art. I think I’m most impressed by their non-toxic dynamic. Buffy, Willow, and Xander managed to be terrible to each other and never address them. We still love them, (except for Xander) but we call this out daily. Frankie, Hailey, and Jake are not that at all. They are supportive and open, and that helps them. That’s why when Frankie’s with Jake before the final battle, getting their kindergarten magic, it seems natural and honest. If they ever turn on each other, there better be a damn good reason.

Frankie 

This girl is fantastic. I already covered her slayer side and her skill. But I’m yet to talk about who she is. Which is something she herself is trying to figure out, and like most teens, she compares herself to others. Like most teens, she looks at herself through a magnifying glass and finds herself lacking. But she learns to appreciate it and sticks to her own style. That’s so useful coming from a teen character who isn’t confident. Gaining that confidence without relying just on superpowers (because so what if she’s a slayer, who isn’t?) is what Frankie does flawlessly.  

There’s also first love (in her case it’s really more hormones than in Buffy’s). Still, all the similarities are done in such a hilarious way when everyone around her says “No, no, no!” (except Hailey who’s all “Go for it!”). I love how it dawns on Willow that she used to be that same support group for Buffy. But Frankie did indeed, inherit the main Slayer gene with going for the dark broody type who may or may not be evil. And there’s something both mature in the fact that she understands this ambiguity right away, and her incredibly immature teen-crush attitude. 

While many may say that it was the same for Buffy, I can’t agree. Buffy was more independent by that point, her life was entirely different, and she continued to grow in that relationship. Also, 200 years vs 2000 is a considerable difference. But you know what, we aren’t talking about that, and not ever in comparison to real life. 

Back to Frankie and her hot demons. She has her own way of dealing with relationship issues, and that’s a damn straightforward one. I admire that, and to me, this is one of the things that modern teens probably do better than we used to. There are fewer games and assumptions. Still, even with that, a teen is a teen, so she isn’t wise beyond her years and she will make mistakes.

Hailey 

The dynamic between sisters, especially conflicted, is something I had no doubt Kendare Blake could manage. After Three Dark Crowns and (earning redemption for Kat of all people), that is a given. Hailey is the “powerless” one of the bunch. But she works hard and she is a very formidable opponent even for demons. She has a lot going on too, with the new relationship that seems to be going well prior to meeting the parent. And that’s a timeless issue, I mean when was it ever not an issue? Expectations are absolutely always in the way and she ends up in this annoying limbo where she wants to know what Sig is thinking but he doesn’t let her. And like so many of us, she takes the only exit we know – push ‘till you get the answer. Is that right or not? I mean, who really knows? 

Now there’s an irreparable strain on her and Sig, and Sarafina might go away but the issues won’t. 

See, High school is still hell doesn’t matter whether you’re actually in class. 

Jake

Jake also has things to sort out. First of all, with his wolf: he wants to get the level of control Oz has, but is he doing it for the right reasons? This can be a metaphor for a lot of things, especially in your teens. But he’s trying to grow up faster and become more of use. While no one actually knows how it would work for him. I honestly even forgot that he was born a werewolf, and we haven’t seen that yet. But I love that with this book Buffy lore is getting richer.  

The other thing for Jake is his feelings for Sam (who’s still wondering why Spike didn’t let him join the D&D campaign). Sam is Jake’s friend, we already met him, and here has his first encounter with the demonic creatures. He is gonna have a tough choice to make and had it been a show, imagine the drama. But so far it seems like their relationship is gonna go fine, they both like each other and have things to discuss and figure out. I keep saying it feels like season 2, and it does because of these little things. That’s why I want more time with these characters, they have their own sectors of life that are so exciting.

Spike (neither a kid nor an adult really)

I was thinking of throwing him in with the adults but come on, it’s Spike. If you missed him for what he was in the show, then don’t sleep on this series. It’s literally the same character: he’s not an overly romanticized love interest, he is still recalling the good old days when he ate people, he attends a poetry club (which is both funny and perfect for him), he’s irresponsible when it comes to his day job (rebel). And you can bet he will try to look cool when there’s a chance of seeing Buffy again. 

Not to compare but the things that irritated me in Big Bad and Bloody Fool for Love (neither book is bad but I prefer both vampires closer to canon) are averted here. You instantly recognize the Spike you know. And his Watchering… well let’s just say we could argue whether his statement from the first book is true and Wesley was the worst. I mean both got rogue slayers on their hands, and he is still learning how to be the good Watcher with Frankie. But no one is perfect and he’s at least getting closer. 

Personally, I think Robin Wood would’ve been the perfect Watcher. Much better than Andrew.

To sum it up:

The story continues to metaphorize teen experiences.

It works well for both old and new Buffy fans, and for every generation.

Every character we know feels absolutely true to who they should be by now. 

Lore gets expanded and some theories even bring more sense to the go show. 

New Scoobies are established and going strong.

There are hints at future character arcs and a strong idea of what’s at the core of the next book.