some details on the Watchers Council

[deird1]

This post by stormwreath got me back to thinking about something I always seem to disagree with people on.

That being, Potentials, Slayers, and the Watchers Council.



Scenario 1:
You're a fifteen year old girl called, uh... Guffy.

One day, an old creepy guy shows up, tells you you're the Chosen One, and teaches you how to fight vampires.


Scenario 2:
You're a two year old girl called... Yendra.

One day, a man shows up, tells your parents you might be the Chosen One, and adopts you so that he can devote the next decade to teaching you how to fight vampires.


Scenario 3:
You're a fifteen year old girl called... Rennedy.

For the last five years or so, you've been meeting up with this woman twice a week for vampire fighting lessons. Your parents don't know anything about it - they'd probably be freaked out.


Scenario 4:
You're a twenty year old woman called... Mydia.

After a full decade of twice-weekly training, your Watcher finally concludes that you'll never be the Slayer, and prepares for a new assignment. You ask "So, what do I do now? Just go to university and forget about all of this?" He smiles and says "You know, the Council is always in need of fresh blood..."



Or, to summarise:
- Buffy's situation isn't that unusual.
- Potentials growing up with their Watchers isn't that common.
- Why waste all those years of training?

I don't see why that's so implausible.




Besides that...

Doesn't the Council have massive amounts of money?
No, not really. They can afford some pretty expensive things... by not affording some less important stuff.


How are they paying all the Watchers, then?
They're not.
Most Watchers aren't in active service - instead, they get normal jobs (at a museum, for instance), and wait to be called up for duty. In the mean time, they keep an eye on supernatural happenings, and help finance those Watchers who are on assignment.


Aren't they just there to support the Slayer?
There's that.
Plus training Potentials.
Plus looking for new Potentials.
Plus tracking down magical artifacts.
Plus monitoring supernatural hotspots.
Plus taking on some vampires/monsters/etc by themselves.
Plus researching huge amounts of stuff.
Plus... well, an awful lot of stuff.


So, wait, if all those Potentials-who-don't-get-Called become Watchers, why isn't the Council overrun with ninja women?
Not all of them accept Council jobs. Not all of them are offered Council jobs. (Can you really see potential!Faith ending up in the standard issue tweed?)


Are they all stuffy and British?
Probably not. Currently the Council HQ is in England - holdover from British Empire days - but it tends to move every few centuries, and no doubt will again. Right now there are Watcher families all over the world; but the leadership tends to be majority-British.


Aren't the Council eeeevil with a capital E, and willing to do just about anything exploitationy to helpless little girls in their fight to become the ruling stodgy British people?
Bollocks to that. They're ruthless and heartless; they're not evil.



So ends my random thoughts on the Council.

Questions? Comments?

Comments

[snowpuppies]

Can you really see potential!Faith ending up in the standard issue tweed?

...Now that you mention it, I sort of want someone to write that.


I totally nominate you. :)