h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

It has been stated that Buffy follows the hellmouth wherever it goes.
As far as I can tell, the Hellmouth doesn't move, it has always been in Sunnydale. In effect, Buffy was drawn to Sunnydale (and consequently, the Hellmouth) *because* she is the Slayer, and as such, needed to be there to avery numerous apocylypses.
Well, that's my 2 cents worth anyway.

You're absolutely correct. It is revealed in series 3 that the mayor built the town of Sunnydale at the hell mouth for demons to fast on a hundred years previous. In addition in the very first episode Giles tells buffy that the spanish name for the are hundreds of years ago translates as "mouth of hell"

Actually there is more than one Hellmouth. If you really want to know were I got this info from then I'll trawl through my long list on Buffy links till I find out where I read that but I think it was said in a book Giles read out loud at some point.

FABT

In 'The Wish', Giles explained to another watcher that Sunnydale was on 'a' hellmouth, not 'the' hellmouth. At that time Buffy was in Cleveland. We learn that Cleveland is not on a hellmouth, which surprises many who've visited it

Cestus

that doesn't negate the fact that Sunnydale is, and has always been, on a hellmouth though.
Buffy came to Sunnydale ostensibly because she had been expelled and moved from L.A with her mother (the influence of TPTB can be debated)
She was suprised to find a hellmouth there

To be fair we don't actually know that hellmouths are entirely static. We do know that the Sunnydale one has been there for well over a century but nobody has ever stated exactly how long. The town was founded during the time that the hellmouth was there, however. It was nice to find out in season three why the town was assembled in such a place, most people in Britain had been assuming that it was just the kind of thing Californians did

Cestus

When I saw the first episode again, I realized that Buffy probably ended up at Sunnydale High because the Watcher's Council "arranged" it.

I don't have exact eppisode references for these but:

Joyce states once in while they are sitting in a car that they had to move somewhere where there was a school that would accept Buffy despite her school/criminal record.

The first principal of the school (whose name escapes me at the moment) makes a speech about how every student gets a fresh start, regardless of their record, then tears the papers in half. He then reads that she burned down school property, and tapes the paper back together and puts it back in the folder. Seemingly, he did not previously read the documents.

I also vaguely recall that principal Snider tried to expell Buffy several times, and was never allowed to do it.

And on top of that, Giles was employed in the library and told to expect her.

From this evidence, my comspiricy theory is that Buffy ended up at Sunnydale High because the Watcher's Council wanted her there. They have regularily manipulated things in the past, and seeminly have a large network of spies and agents throughout the world in addition to the Watchers. My theory is that the Council concealed the bad parts of her record at Sunnydale, while making sure to draw attention to them at other schools, such that Sunnydale was the only one that would take her. Also, they may have influenced the placement of such an imbecile principal to make him easy to manipulate. It seems that Snider was tight with the Mayor's camp, and was nothing but trouble.

Such is my theory, and this is the first time that I have ever written it down.

I think that sounds like an excellent thesis. Giles had been at Sunnydale long enough to learn a great deal about it, so his reports, if nothing else would lead to the Watchers taking action.

Flutie was, as you say, unaware of the details of Buffy's record, suggesting that her transfer was arranged by the local school board of governors, or whatever they call them in the US. Such organisations are easily corrupted to any required ends.

The other item of note is the fact that Giles may have specifically requested the Slayer because he had been reading the signs and already knew about the impending Harvest, though not the details.

Cestus

On the subject of there being more then one hellmouth, Buffy moved from LA to Sunnydale and at the end of season 3 Angel moves from Sunnydale to LA. Does this mean there is possibly a hellmouth in LA?

Snowman

Maybe
But perhaps she just grew up in L.A, and from the series it doesn't look like she'd been slaying for much more than a year - perhaps it was *decided* that that time was the right time to move her to a Hellmouth
- though from watching 'Angel' they don't make L.A too pretty....

Angel moving to LA was probably just to move far enough away that he lives appart from Buffy while still being close enough to travel to her in a single day (or night.....) since he still cares for her but for her protection had to leave her.

But looking at all the stuff that goes on in LA it does suggest a possible hellmouth.

Snowman

It doesn't need a hellmouth if it has a law firm summoning deamons daily.

Well maybe the law firms buildings are on top of a hellmouth.

Snowman

Maybe all law firms are built on hellmouths

Cestus

Or maybe lawyers HAVE Hell-mouths......

I am more inclined to believe that they moved Angel to LA because they liked the irony inherent in the name.

This entry was bought to you by the letter I. wonder how that happened.

FABT

Giles was only employed at Sunnydale High at the beginning of the same term that Buffy joined because when Willow shows Buffy where the library is (in 'Welcome to the Hellmouth') she says that he is a new librarian who has brought many new books with him.

Is another Slayer going to come because Buffy died? (Again) Even though Willow bought her back?
And why hasnt anyone replied to this convrsaton, for like, a year???
-Sapphire

I think, that because Kendra was called when Buffy first died, and then Faith when Kendra died, that's the line of Slayers - Buffy's just this kind of odd one out, still slaying, but her death again won't bring another.
So there's just Faith at the end of series 5, and she's in prison.