Analog's pick of the week - Buffy 31 (Spoilers)

News could not have gotten any better this week with Birds of Prey coming back and Kitty Pryde to boot over at Marvel, how could Analog’s pick of the week be anything but Buffy the Vampire Slayer #31? After all Joss Whedon has said he based some of Buffy’s character on the young Miss Pryde so that made this week even better as he steps back in as writer this issue. He delivers a moment that some Buffy fans (like myself) have probably waited a long time to see but unfortunately for our heroine it’s a little too late. Georges Jeanty’s artwork is incredible here and his likeness of the actors is uncanny and really gives us an emotional issue. So get ready for some super powered spoilers ahead.

This issue starts slightly after Buffy’s confrontation with the rampaging Goddesses that were summoned two issues ago with the startling revelation that Buffy now has super powers. While our girl always has been kick ass invulnerable, we now find her in mid flight wondering how it is possible that she can now fly? Somehow she has gained new powers that she doesn’t understand. She isn’t sure where they came from (and neither are we), so she decides keeping her newfound powers to herself.

Meanwhile Willow is distraught over the carnage the gang has brought on Oz’s peaceful home in Tibet and tries to make amends with him. During their conversation she suddenly gets a level up so to speak and regains all her magic that she had given up to hide from Twilight. Willow has her mojo back but is not all black eyed and evil and quickly leaves to track down the rampaging Goddesses. The injured Riley consoles Buffy on their stalemate with Twilight while the big bad himself tells us that his witches have placed a confusion spell on the Scoobies gang so they won’t notice some of the gang is missing. Twilight now has Giles, Faith and Andrew captured and held prisoner. Why he needs Andrew is a mystery, could this be a clue to his identity? Hmm. Willow has found the Goddesses and finds that she is still no match for them and gets as she terms it “tossed around like a hacky sack.”

While wandering though the injured from the battle, Buffy is stopped by one of her opponents that they have rescued. He wants to know what she is and why he hasn’t been killed yet. Buffy assures him that he is safe and that if they could they would heal him instead. This prompts him to ask a strange question “Are you in love?” Before Buffy can really answer he tells Buffy about who he was in love with and how he never dare to tell her and then promptly dies. Buffy is shaken by more death but as always it’s Xander to the rescue. As he consoles her, we get a revelation that has been a long time coming.

The two walk out side together and discuss that none of this is her fault and that Xander is proud of her for her leadership in the battle. Buffy says that’s Riley said. Xander comments that he always liked Riley as pair discusses their failed relationship. When the topic of “it’s too late’ is brought up, Buffy confesses, “I’m too late again, aren’t I?” “For what?” asks Xander? “For you” replies Buffy. A startled Xander is like “what?’ A nervous Buffy ties to deflect that she means she knows about Xander and Dawn being together since she saw them kiss. After some kidding about the age difference, Xander realizes what Buffy is actually saying and calls her on it. Buffy confesses again, She is in love with Xander. It’s about fricking time lady; he has stood by you for years and been about the best friend you could want while you chased a bunch of bad boys!

However, It is too late. Xander confesses that although it would have been great years ago, he realizes that she doesn’t really mean it. Buffy protests that she does but Xander points out that these feeling only surfaced after seeing him kiss Dawn. He also makes her realize that if she really did have feelings for him that she would have kept it to herself after seeing them together. A tearful Buffy realizes he is right while Xander declares his love for Dawn. The two share an embrace, which is interrupted by Dawn. Buffy tries to make light of the situation by telling Dawn that she approves of the new relationship, but Dawn is in no mood for it and says that they have a bigger problem of rampaging Goddesses to deal with.

Willow has decided she can’t beat the Goddesses but a newly determined Buffy has an idea and lets the cat out of the bag on her new superpowers. Buffy flies off to face the Goddesses to everyone’s amazement. Super Buffy makes quick work and defeats them while Willow magically digs a giant hole where Buffy buries them. The issue ends with Buffy unhappily telling Willow that Xander and Dawn are in love to which Willow replies, “I thought they would never figure it out!” So Buffy is alone again. She took to long to realizes how great Xander is and seems to be doomed to have many suitors but no “Mr. Right.” Too bad Ms. Vampire Slayer, you deserve a happy ending.