Giles in Season 8 #2

[slayer489]

In Issue #2 of the season 8 comics, there is a quote next to a cup of tea and a book which is Giles'. It says "I used to be a watcher". What does "used to" mean? Giles is a watcher right? He got together what was left of the Council and now he's training lots of slayers in England. Also, didn't Andrew say something on Angel about Giles gathering what was left of the Council and making a new one? I'm sure I've heard that somewhere.

Also, why did Buffy call Xander her watcher? Was it a joke because he is literally watching her on cameras during missions. (Issue #1)

Thanks.

[BillyBudd]

I haven't read either of those issues in a while, but I think what Giles meant is that the nature of the Watcher/Slayer relationship has changed. Before Willow's spell, there was always one Watcher for one Slayer (or for each Slayer). There was a Watchers' Council, too, but the Slayer had one official Watcher. But now, there are thousands of Slayers, and Giles isn't capable of giving each and every Slayer personal attention. Moreover, Buffy is operating more independently than ever before. Giles is working with Slayers at one location, and Buffy is working with Slayers at a different location. So one could say that Giles isn't a Watcher in the same sense he once was.

And yeah, I think Buffy's comment about Xander being her Watcher was a joke.

[slayer489]

Thanks BillyBudd.

I've been thinking that Giles doesn't really consider himself as a Watcher because like you said the dynamic of the Slayer/Watcher relationship has changed and Buffy doesn't really need a Watcher anymore. Also, he probably just thinks of himself as the head of one of the ten squads of Slayers. He's in charge of one and Buffy and Xander (who aren't Watchers) are in charge of another, so he doesn't really feel like a Watcher emotionally. Andrew who was in training to become a Watcher is in charge of another squad and I assume that the other 7 squads are run by other Watchers that Giles gathered together to form the new Council.

Wow! I sort of answered my own question.