I first jotted this down soon after the S5 premiere, convinced I had figured out the overall theme of the season and very proud of myself for putting it all together. I do believe that S5 derailed from its intended focus, so I may have originally been onto something here. Unfortunately, things didn't really work out that way. Still, I thought it sounded pretty good at the time...

After reading a number of comments from people wishing that Dracula's powers had been better explained, it dawned on me that the technical "how" of it wasn't nearly as important as the "why". This episode wasn't about Dracula; it was about Buffy. One of the themes that Joss and Marti have always incorporated into their writing is metaphor, using monsters and vampires as a way to explore the personal stories of our characters. So "Restless" left us with a taste of things to come and the very clear hint that after "meeting" the First Slayer, Buffy would be exploring her true nature.

For nearly 4 seasons, Buffy denied what it meant to be the Slayer. Then came Primeval and Restless. Through Tara, the First Slayer warned Buffy that she would have to come to understand just what it means to be the Slayer and opened Buffy's eyes to the darkness inherent in her nature. Buffy is a killer. A killer of evil but still a killer. She has always resisted that truth. Sure, she's still a good guy, but that doesn't change the primal darkness that fuels her mission. "Restless" made us and Buffy aware that she would indeed have to confront the depths of her power instead of deny it, as she has always tried to do. Buffy is on the verge of a great change and awakening.

Then came Dracula. Where Restless showed Buffy (and us) the First Slayer, the essence of what Buffy is, Dracula represents the essence of what she fights. His name is synonymous with vampires. He has embraced his nature, makes no apologies for it, and he has unlocked the depths of his abilities. And he was there to encourage Buffy to do the same. The literal explanation of how he turns into a bat isn't the point, it's that by embracing his nature, his potential was unleashed. Seeing this, Buffy begins to understand her emerging nature. It motivates her to explore her own power, to understand it. Showing the beginning of that journey, with the archetype of Dracula as a catalyst, is the point of the story.

Looking back, and seeing how the season's first few episodes progressed, I do think I had a good point in there somewhere. But as the season went on, Buffy's story just started to have less and less to do with being the Slayer and everything to do with seeing just how far one girl could be pushed before she broke. Then season six'll be about getting her back on track, right? Oops, maybe not. Well, then, maybe in season seven? Please?

added April, 2003:
Looks like it's not gonna happen, which I really think is a shame. It could have been so cool.

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