Why Did Watchers Get Paid, But Slayers Did Not?

POSTED BY: Angeldove
UPDATED: Monday, January 10, 2005 21:16
VIEWED: 7834
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ANGELDOVE

Wednesday, June 9, 2004 10:07 PM

This may have already been discussed at one time, but I never saw it, so if so, deal with it Watching season six again, and the Doublemeat Palace arc, got me to thinking about this. We are told early on by Giles, that slaying is the Slayers first priority, and in turn he doesn't believe she should have any type of social life. So here we are, Watchers are gettin paid, sure their job is important, but the Slayer is the one out there risking her life on a daily basis. When we find out that Wood's mother was the second slayer Spike killed, and her famous line was "The mission is what matters" do you think she had time for a day job, how did she support her kid? I know all this is for the most part inconsequential, but its just been buggin me.

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the road less traveled by and they CANCELLED MY FRIKKIN' SHOW. I totally shoulda took the road that had all those people on it. Damn." --Joss

ATHERTONWING

Wednesday, June 9, 2004 10:54 PM

The way I see it is being a watcher is like being a teacher, and its not as though your born into it like slayers. They have no choice they are what they are called its who they are, destiny. Watchers are part of a council, they are paid to train the slayer, teach her the virtues of slayer ness and so forth. it’s a job, slaying isn’t it’s a calling something you cant give up.

In the acceptation of Nicky wood, I think her watcher was like most watchers we have seen…he or she loved their slayer very much and I get the impression that Nicky wasn’t just supported in an emotional way but her watcher probably supported robin and her financially as well or maybe took care of robin while she worked…just a few opinions.

SHINYSEVEN

Wednesday, June 9, 2004 11:34 PM

Slayers are young--not all of them even live long enough to have a Cruciamentum--so I think that either their parents support them (more or less subsidizing the Council) or, e.g., part of Sam Zabuto's pay was supposed to be devoted to raising Kendra.

GRACEOM

Thursday, June 10, 2004 12:03 AM

Was it established that watchers got paid? Giles had to work as a librarian, and then as a shopkeeper. I mean those things could have been merely "cover", but they also could have supported him. Wesley, when he first appeared and was still an official watcher, gave the impression of being independently wealthy, and so not needing to be paid.

I mean maybe they did receive a paycheck, but I don't recall it being mentioned. Could have missed it though...

And you're right, it isnt' fair!

Grace

SPIKEANDJEZEBEL

Thursday, June 10, 2004 1:36 AM

It was mentioned in the season 5 episode "Checkpoint". Buffy tells Travers that Giles is to be reinstated as her Watcher at full salary, and Giles does a fake cough saying "Backpay!" Buffy then forces them to pay him retroactively from the time the council fired him in season 3.

"I like smackin' 'em!" - Jayne Cobb

GRACEOM

Thursday, June 10, 2004 1:55 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by spikeandjezebel:
It was mentioned in the season 5 episode "Checkpoint". Buffy tells Travers that Giles is to be reinstated as her Watcher at full salary, and Giles does a fake cough saying "Backpay!" Buffy then forces them to pay him retroactively from the time the council fired him in season 3.

You are so right--I remember that now! ::smacks self in forehead::

Grace

HEB

Thursday, June 10, 2004 11:34 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Angeldove:
This may have already been discussed at one time, but I never saw it, so if so, deal with it Watching season six again, and the Doublemeat Palace arc, got me to thinking about this. We are told early on by Giles, that slaying is the Slayers first priority, and in turn he doesn't believe she should have any type of social life. So here we are, Watchers are gettin paid, sure their job is important, but the Slayer is the one out there risking her life on a daily basis. When we find out that Wood's mother was the second slayer Spike killed, and her famous line was "The mission is what matters" do you think she had time for a day job, how did she support her kid? I know all this is for the most part inconsequential, but its just been buggin me.

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the road less traveled by and they CANCELLED MY FRIKKIN' SHOW. I totally shoulda took the road that had all those people on it. Damn." --Joss

I was thinking the exact same thing the other day. But I came to the conclusion that it would have been a really bad idea for the watchers council to start paying slayers. Firstly they want the slayer to think of slaying as her duty not a job. Secondly they wouldn't want to get the idea that it's about money into her head. The situation could occur where the Slayer says 'You know this apocalypse we've got coming. Well I'm not gonna bother to stop it unless you give me a pay rise.'

If a watcher did this they could just fire him and get a new watcher but it's a little bit more difficult to get rid of a slayer who's after more money.

Well, my sister's a ship... we had a
complicated childhood

ARAWAEN

Thursday, June 10, 2004 12:15 PM

The Watchers Council took many steps to control slayers. While the theme of the show was the empowerment of women, this was definitely not the role of the council.

Giles' relationship with Buffy was a little unique in that he let her stay with her mother. It doesn't seem that that is the standard case with slayers. The council probably justified not paying with the 'its your destiny' argument, but it probably had more to do with making the slayer dependent upon the council, through her watcher.

Arawaen

Um, I'm lost. Uh, I'm Angry. And I'm Armed.

IDEFIX

Tuesday, June 15, 2004 4:34 PM

and that makes Giles a double for leaving Buffy in S6. right?
he should not only have been there for her emotionally after being resurrected he should also have been there to share his paycheck with her. he gets payed for being a watcher sitting in england on his behind and Buffy has to work a crappy job in order to feed herself and her little sister (who was only there because Buffy was the slayer).

does that seem right to you?

makes the cheque he gave her before leaving look totally different.

I do love Giles but they should have come up with a better reason for him to leave. the way they did it he looks like a total jerk and that's just not consistent with his personality.

Idefix

MER

Sunday, October 17, 2004 5:00 AM

No, he left because Buffy couldn't support herself on her own. There's a difference between having your Watcher support you and having responsibilities.
Example: Buffy never gives Dawn "the talk" if she ever gets in trouble. She just leaves it up to someone else.

Buffy is so caught up in her own well provided world that she forgot that sometimes you can't have someone do things for you or have everything you want.

I'm now realizing this one insanely old topic I_I;;

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