Sunnydale High - the 16 year old Freshman?

POSTED BY: bobknaptor
UPDATED: Sunday, July 7, 2002 18:39
VIEWED: 3759
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BOBKNAPTOR

Thursday, June 27, 2002 5:57 PM

Select to view spoiler:

Originally posted on the Spoiler Slayer( http://www.spoilerslayer.com):
We know that Sunnydale High has to be a four year school, not only because of the familiarity with the school the other Scoobies had, but even references to the 'new librarian. Besides, Dawn referenced herself as being in the 9th grade in 'Tough Love', stated she was a freshman in 'All The Way', and also made mention of the fact she was in High School in 'Older And Far Away'. It's a continuity-glitch at most, based on a spoiler that I can't even fully confirm at this point (Entertainment Weekly is the only source which has actually reported that she will be a freshman: "The action resumes at Sunnydale High with Dawn becoming a freshman...") We'll just have to wait and see what other information surfaces. At worst, it will end up being one of those things which will never make sense, just like Angel's real age or Spike's sire.

My theory - EW heard "Dawn's first year at Sunnydale High" as "Dawn will be a freshman". She could be even a junior, but it is still her first year at Sunnydale High.

I know this is mostly speculation, but I figure if it is on the Spoiler Slayer, some might consider it actually spoiler-ish.

And then everything rhymed and there were harmonies, and a dance with coconuts.

BOBKNAPTOR

Thursday, June 27, 2002 6:00 PM

Ok, so apparently you can't put a quote inside a spoiler tag.... So of course my speculation is the only thing that was hidden by the spoiler tag...

sorry about that... I tried to go back and edit it, but I'll be darned if there was no edit link. sorry guys.

That'll put marzipan in your pie plate, bingo

HAKEN

Thursday, June 27, 2002 7:50 PM

I didn't realize that there wasn't an edit link. Looked at the code and you were right, there was a typo. My bad. It's now fixed and I took the liberty of editing your post for you. You might want to re-edit it to your liking.

BOBKNAPTOR

Thursday, June 27, 2002 8:00 PM

That's perfect as is, Thanks for the quick response, Haken!

FURYFIRE

Sunday, June 30, 2002 5:25 PM

There are a number of ways this is possible. It could be a four year school, hey i went to one, or maybe they have 13 grades which I've seen before (they could have changed from 12 to 13 since Buffy left)

If you know anyone that can help my screenwriting career, please help! And yes, I am self-advertising here. Hehehe, me such a little devil.

NOVAGRASS

Monday, July 1, 2002 12:41 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by FURYFIRE:
There are a number of ways this is possible. It could be a four year school, hey i went to one, or maybe they have 13 grades which I've seen before (they could have changed from 12 to 13 since Buffy left)

Only problem: In season 5, Dawn was a Freshman... indicated by "The monks dropped grades K-8 in my head, lets see if the put 9th in there too" and several other instances.

In season 6, the Halloween episode, Dawn mentions that she is a Freshman to the vampire guy she's trying to impress.

If it were a four year school, the error is compounded (There's only one potential Freshman grade in 4 year schools. In a 3 year school, you could make the argument that 9th grade is Freshman by tradition, but 10th is also Freshman because it's the first real high school year).

What likely happened was: Entertainment Weekly was told that Dawn would experience her first year at Sunnydale High. They interpreted that to mean that Dawn is going to be a Freshman, when in fact she is simply tranfering from another High School.

--Dylan Palmer, aka NoVaGrAsS--

This one's for Furyfire...

FURYFIRE

Monday, July 1, 2002 2:33 AM

So gr.9 was season 5.
Freshman status as gr.10 in S6
And first year at the new Sunnydale High in S7

Or maybe since they're rebuilding, only grades 11 & 12 are there so far, so she would be a freshman to the school.

I dunno, she could be a freshman every year the way the've worked it.

Well she was 14 in S5, 15 in S6, 16 in S7

Ya know what, watch All the Way again, Steven S. DeKnight describes Dawn's friend Janice as a fifteen year old just like dawn, and later she says freshman.

Most likely EW is wrong or worded it wrong.

If you know anyone that can help my screenwriting career, please help! And yes, I am self-advertising here. Hehehe, me such a little devil.

KOOKYTREE

Sunday, July 7, 2002 2:25 PM

I'm not sure about the whole freshman thing because, hi, English. We just have plain old years- by my reckoning Dawn would have been in Year10 in season 5, and year11 in season6? and when Buffy started I think the gang would have also been in year11.

One thing I dont get is that, if Dawn currently goes to a school which is evidently local and at which she's settled, why would she transfer to the newly opened Sunnydale high?? Ah well, guess we'll have to wait and see with what the writers come up with. Cant wait until the premiere, though personally I prefer the Marti scripted premieres to the Joss ones, which are a little slow (though the Freshman will always have a special place in my heart as the first ep I ever saw. Sunday rox!)

Stay kooky.

FURYFIRE

Sunday, July 7, 2002 6:39 PM

Buffy started in what you call year10, and Dawn should be starting year11 this fall

If you know anyone that can help my screenwriting career, please help! And yes, I am self-advertising here. Hehehe, me such a little devil.