The Glitter Jungle:
The Glitter Jungle:
We Go Back - the Giles/Ethan Essay by AdamThis next document was written in a great effort to collect all canon evidence from the TV show "Buffy, the vampire slayer". Evidence to what, you ask? To prove that Rupert Giles and Ethan Rayne were once upon a time romantically involved. Yes, with each other. A lot of people think that, but no one took the time to bother letting the unbelievers know the truth (yes, I watch X-files, too. Why do you ask?)
Anyway, Mr. Joss Whedon is aware of the subtext, I'm sure, but just to be safe: Technically speaking, on the actual show, G and E did not have sex. All we have is hope for the future.
So sit back, relax... and enjoy the ride.
First, the facts as we know them:
Many people assume Ethan Rayne and Rupert Giles had had some sort of a relationship in the past, possibly in the 70s when they were in a coven together. A coven is a group of sorcerers working together, who must be very close to each other in order to perform rituals correctly. Giles was in a coven in his youth, along with 6 more people. Thomas, Deirdre, Phillip, Ethan, himself, and Randall, who died back when they had summoned the demon Eyghon. Later on, in the episode "The Dark Age", Phillip and Deirdre died too. We never get to see Thomas, but we know he is dead (Giles made a list of his friends, and crossed out the dead ones, including Thomas' name). The demon they summoned was associated with, as Willow put it in the same episode, "Ancient sects used to induce possession for bacchanals and orgies."
Let me see. Six people, only one of them a woman, wilfully possessed by an orgy-demon. There had to be sex involved. To coin a popular Sunnydale phrase, duh. And at least some of it had to be gay sex. What do you think, that they took turns on the only woman around? Unlikely. There had to be some sort of special relationships between the men. And specifically between Ripper and Ethan… let's see some of the quotes, shall we?
All quotes taken from actual scripts.
Let's start with -
<<Giles: A-a-and everyone who changed, they, they, they, they acquired their costumes where?
Willow: We all got ours at a new place. Ethan's.>>There's more than one Ethan in the world. And for all Giles knew, this specific one was at home, England. Why should he be here of all places, creating chaos? But Rupert knows his friend. He sensed that this must be him. They have a special connection.
<<Giles: Janus. Roman mythical god.
Willow: What does this mean?
Giles: Primarily the division of self. Male and female, light and dark.
Ethan: (appears) Chunky and creamy. Oh, no, sorry, that's peanut butter.
Giles stares at Ethan as though he's seen a ghost.
Giles: Willow, get out of here, now.>>First of all… did they work with Janus before? Division of self, male and female, light and dark. Can you say "God of the Bisexuals"? Knew you could. Perhaps it's not a coincidence that Willow, she who is "kinda gay" ("Dopplegangland", not to mention Tara of seasons 4&5), was with Giles when he found Ethan in Sunnydale for the first time.
Then there's Ethan's joking, long before he knows if Giles will welcome him or beat him up. He takes this rather lightly, for a guy who just sees an old friend, whom he hasn't seen for ages. Covering insecurities or something with that humour, dear?
And one more thing. Giles doesn't want Willow to be there for the showdown. Why? What is he afraid of? What can possibly Ethan say? Or did he plan to beat up Ethan before they even spoke? And if so, why all the bitterness? In future episodes, Giles will hit Ethan many times, some of them truly unjustified. As if he really beats him up for something that happened in the past, regardless of what's in the now.
<<Giles: Hello, Ethan.
Ethan: Hello, Ripper. >>This is the first time we hear this nickname. Later on we'll find, that apart from Ethan, only Joyce and Olivia call him that. (Oh, and the Jenny/Eyghon.) Can we recall one other thing that both women have in common? Yes, they both slept with "Ripper". Are we seeing a theme? A nickname only people who've known him intimately use. And we've heard it first from Ethan. Also, there's the "Rupert" part. How many people in this show have called him by his first name? Again, Joyce, Olivia, Jenny too, and oh yes, Ethan.
(This is right for 3rd season, mainly. Also, I am aware that Angelus called him Rupert in Becoming. Don't even get me started on the bastard's methods of torture.)
<<Ethan: What? No hug? Aren't you pleased to see your old mate, Rupert?
Giles: I'm just surprised I didn't guess it was you. >>
(this was taken off the script in later versions)Ethan's voice is full of bitterness in the sarcastic question/statement "What? No hug?".
Now, Giles has a reason to be upset. Ethan has endangered many people. But why is Ethan bitter? What is he bitching about? Could it be something in their past? Something the viewer is unaware of?
"Aren't you happy I'm here," he asks, knowing full well the answer is no. What had come between them? What was it that made Ethan more sad than angry at the loss of his "friend"?
And Giles says he's surprised he didn't guess earlier it was Ethan who was responsible for all the trouble. But he paled and was startled the second Willow mentioned the name, in the library, long before he arrived at the costume shop and saw his "old mate" there. Why doesn't he want Ethan to know he can recognise his style from miles away? That he knew it was him?
<<Ethan: Oh, and we all know that you are the champion of innocents and all things pure and good, Rupert. It's quite a little act you've got going here, old man.
Giles: It's no act. It's who I am.
Ethan: Who you are? The Watcher, snivelling, tweed-clad guardian of the Slayer and her kin? I think not. I know who you are, Rupert, and I know what you're capable of. (considers) But they don't, do they? They have no idea where you come from. >>With the "champion of innocents and all things pure and good" comment Ethan is practically spitting venom. What is he so pissed off about? He's the one who nearly got people killed. Is he pissed off because Rupert deludes himself into believing he's such a goodie-two-shoes? Or is there personal bitterness hiding under the surface? What is he implying? What wrong had Giles done to him? This definately sounds like a dumped Ex lover, don't you think?
"The watcher…" Ethan's voice is full of contempt. He doesn't believe Giles has really turned to the side of the good, or more like it, to the side of the "system". Even when Giles confirms, "It's who I am", he still isn't convinced. He can't even process the thought of the mighty Ripper becoming a babysitter for a gang of vampire-slaying kids. He knows the full potential of the man in front of him, knows him very closely. So closely he allows himself to state "I know who you are". Really knowing a person requires at least some sort of intimacy... especially with a closed, secret-keeping man like Giles.
Then he realises something. "But they don't, do they?…" he smiles, strangely satisfied that he knows something they don't. They, being the new important people in Ripper's life. But apparently not that important, since Ripper isn't telling them everything… not telling them things he told Ethan. "They have no idea where you come from…" You come from me. You come from where we were together. I know where you come from, and they don't. If Buffy was there, he might as well have told her "In your face" and stuck his tongue out.
And a light one for conclusion:
"... tweed clad guardian of the slayer and her kin, I think not."
Men don't usually pay that much attention to other men's wardrobe. What does Ethan care if Giles is wearing denim or tweed? If they were nothing but friends, it's the inside that counts, isn't it? Besides, if I may be shallow for a second here, there's a stereotype about men who care that much about others' outfits…
<<Giles: Break the spell, Ethan. Then leave this place and never come back.
Ethan: Why should I? What's in the bargain for me?
Giles: You get to live.
Ethan: Oh, Rupert, you're scaring me. >>"Leave this place and never come back." You bring back memories I'm repressing.
"What's in the bargain for me?" Looking up and down, as if checking Giles to see what he can come up with. When someone threatens you and you take them seriously, you look them in the eye. Your eyes don't wander up and down the face and chest of the man standing right in your personal space. And speaking of body language, it is known that staring at the lips of the person you're talking to signifies interest, desire, and lust.
"Oh Rupert, you're scaring me." Ethan is mocking, he doesn't really believe Giles will hit him, not to mention kill him. But why not? From what we know of Ripper, from the episode "Band candy" and everything else, he is a very, very violent man. What reason did Ethan have to think Giles wouldn't beat him to a pulp?
And of course, there are those who believe Ethan is pretty much "asking for it", trying to provoke Ripper, to cause the violence. Either to have the joy of seeing the self-proclaimed "calm, responsible adult watcher" lose control, or just for the pleasures of the flesh… (Soon to come, BDSM in the E/G Slashdom essay).
<<Cut to Ethan's. Ethan is on the floor, severely beaten up.
Ethan: And you said the Ripper was long gone.
Giles: Tell me how to stop the spell.
Ethan: Say pretty please... >>Now that's definitely asking for it. Let's think: if we were lying on the floor, with a few broken ribs by the looks of it, and a very angry, extremely violent man standing above us, ready to inflict more pain, would we a) give him the answers he's looking for, b) try to calm him down, or c) piss him off further by purposely not giving him what he wants and being a smart ass? And when he hurts us again, would we keep a smile on our masochistic faces? Thought so.
Besides, when exactly did Giles tell Ethan the Ripper was long gone? Couldn't have been now. He told him that in the past. But only a long time after the Ripper part of Giles was gone. Giles had no knowledge of what happened to the other members of their little group. He didn't keep in touch. But he did have a later past encounter with Ethan, before the events in Halloween. An encounter in which they discussed the changes in Giles' life. (Thanks to Cat for this one.)
<<Cut to Ethan's. The place has been emptied. Giles comes in the front door. He walks over to the main counter and looks around. He sees a note propped up on another counter and goes over to it. He picks it up and reads it.
Note: Be seeing you... >>
need I say more?
And we'll move on to the next episode:
<<Ethan: Yes, the police. Well, they'll have all those questions, and they'll really need Rupert to answer them all.
Buffy: You know Giles.
Ethan: We go back. Way back.
You don't happen to know where he is, do you? >>
Want to hear something funny? I played the sound file of "We go back, way back" to a few people who don't watch BTVS. I didn't tell them anything about the characters and the background. Each and every one of them thought the "we go back" comment meant something more than "they were friends" or "they knew each other". Everyone said they obviously had an intimate relationship. I also played it to some people who do watch the show and didn’t believe me, said I see things in my imagination (like they said about Willow and Tara, by the way). I played the sound, they said I have a point. Go look it up on your VCR. Notice Ethan's expression when he says "*way* back." and just open your mind.
<<Cordelia: (to Xander) Uh, why did he call him Ripper?
Giles grabs Ethan by the hair on the back of his neck and lifts him out of his chair.
Giles: You should've left when I told you.
Cordelia: Ohhhh...>>Even Cordelia understands there's more to this relationship than meets the eye. Ripper takes great freedom with Ethan's body, doing what he wants with it. He doesn't have any respect for a man's personal space. He never is this carefree with anyone, he doesn't even seem to be at ease with his own body the first and second season, and yet he handles Ethan like a toy to be used, lifting him by the hair, expecting him to obey orders…
<<Buffy: I still don't get what this has to do with Giles.
Willow: I don't know about Giles, but ancient sects used to induce possession for bacchanals and, and orgies.
Xander: Okay! Giles and orgies in the same sentence. I could've lived without that one. >>What did we say about orgies? See the short essay at the beginning of the document. Summoning a demon together requires a lot of trust, and a lot of openness. The things you do with your friends while high and possessed… it changes the relationship, if it wasn't this intimate before. And if it was, it just reaches a new level. Buffy, as usual, denies the possibility of her watcher having a sex life, and Xander's problems and his security in his own sexuality are a topic for a different document (which someone actually did. Don't remember who, but it's called "The Xander sexuality quiz".)
Giles and orgies in the same sentence, Giles and Ethan and Eyghon in the same room…
<<Giles: It's not right. I would be taking advantage.
Jenny: (gets off) God, you just don't change, do you. (paces)
Giles: What?
Jenny: It's not right, it wouldn't be proper, people might get hurt. You're like a woman, Ripper. You cry at every funeral. You never had the strength for me. You don't deserve me. (whispers) But guess what? You've got me. (takes his head) (in a deep male voice) Under your skin.
She grabs his hair and lifts him to his feet. She kisses him roughly. When she pulls back her face has started the transformation to Eyghon.
Jenny/Eyghon: Was it good for you? >>
Did we say "demon with sexual connotations"? Because if not, now would be a great time. Notice that Eyghon treats him very much the same way Ethan does, mocking the "properness" of the watcher. And with the "under your skin" remark, he claims that the connection with the past will never be truly broken. The connection with the demon, and also the connection between the people who summoned him.
And about the kiss - it shows people possessed by Eyghon are more sexually uninhibited than they usually are. Imagine what's it like, to be in a circle with one of your closest mates, possessed by this thing…
<<Xander: The most meticulous banking and phone records you've ever seen. And, um, this.
He hands her a picture of a young Giles in a leather jacket playing an electric guitar.
Willow: (giggles) That's Giles? >>
Yes, that's Giles. Nothing like the man we thought we knew. What other basic assumptions about him aren't true?
The man in the leather and jeans is nothing like the tweed clad, shy librarian in the glasses. So what other things were different then? What else don't we know about him? well, just ask Ethan…
<<Giles: I was twenty-one, studying history at Oxford. And, of course, the occult by night. >>
Of course. Every student at oxford does that. Beer, parties, final exams, demons, magick, and orgies. Am I the only one who didn't practice black magic at school? But then again, I didn't go to oxford.
< Giles: I dropped out, I went to London... (exhales) I fell in with the worst crowd that would have me.>
Ethan? The worst crowd? We can only assume Ethan was once as innocent as Giles was... take responsibility for your choices, mate.
<Giles:We practiced magicks. Small stuff for pleasure or gain.
And Ethan and I discovered something... bigger.>Ethan and I. Notice the phrasing. Not the entire gang. Just the two of us. A pleasure. Then we found the big bad orgy demon… just me and Ethan.
<<Buffy: Eyghon.
Giles: Yes. One of us would, um... (nervously pours a drink) go into a deep sleep, and the others would, uh, summon him. It was an extraordinary high! (smiles nervously) God, we were fools. >>Getting high on lust demons. Isn't that fun. Taking advantage (now where did I hear that one before?) of a sleeping man or woman…
<<Buffy: You couldn't control it.
Giles: One of us, Randall, he lost control. Eyghon took him whole. We tried to exorcise the demon from Randall, but it killed him. We killed him. We thought we were free of the demon after that. But now he's back. And one by one he will kill us all.
Buffy: Three down, two to go?
Giles nods. >>
Blaming himself for the death of a close friend. But why? The demon killed him. Giles feels guilty, that's understandable. But he blames all the others who were there too. Especially himself and Ethan.
Three down, two to go. And Giles still wants Ethan protected. He still cares about the one man left from this group of people, even though he nearly killed Ethan himself. Giles apparently doesn't want to see Ethan being hurt... unless it's by his own hands.
<<Buffy: Ethan? (comes in and closes the door) Ethan? (looks around) Giles told me everything. Look, it's coming for you.
Ethan: (appears behind her) And you came to protect me? I'm touched. >>He obviously knows the demon will come after him. He covers that fear with sarcasm. We've seen it before, in Halloween ("Chunky and Creamy, oh no, wait, that's peanut butter." Nervous, much?); I'm just making a point. Here's a man who consistently covers his insecurities and fears with sarcasm. It's a recurring theme.
<<Buffy: Don't worry, it's nothing personal. To protect Giles I have to protect you. (walks past him)
Ethan: How does Ripper inspire such goodness?
Buffy: 'Cause he's Giles.
Ethan: And I'm not. Still, lucky me. >>Ethan is very sarcastic about the idea of Ripper and goodness. Maybe because Ripper hasn't inspired such goodness in Ethan himself. Definitely inspired something else, though. Notice, he still calls the man "Ripper" and Buffy keeps ignoring the nickname and calls him "Giles". And Ethan doesn't like this new "Giles". The guardian of the slayer… he considers himself luckier because he stuck with what they did when they were younger, because he answers to no one. The bitterness is very obvious.
<<Ethan: Well, we can't run. Eyghon will find us. (shows his tattoo) This mark's like a homing beacon.
Buffy: That's okay. I'm not much into running.
Ethan: Aren't we manly.
Buffy: One of us is. You're gonna hide 'til it's over.
Ethan: Excellent plan. >>And again, need I say more?
<<Ethan: You know, taking my place with the demon, giving so that others may live>>
Important note: If Ethan had only taken off his own tattoo, without marking Buffy, there would still be one person the demon will go after. Why not save himself and throw Giles to the lions? Why drag Buffy into this? Giles wanted to hurt him, why should he care if the demon gets him? But no, he cares about what's going to happen to Giles. Although he didn't care much for his other "old mates", such as Philip (Ethan, matter of factly: "He's dead. Sorry, Philip. Really I am. " Without sounding sorry at all. Earlier in the episode.) But he prefers risking an angry slayer than to leave Giles the only one left with the tattoo.
<<Ethan: Hmm. I think I missed my calling as an artist.
Buffy: Ethan, listen to me. This is a bad idea. You're dealing with something very dangerous.
Ethan: (rolls up his left sleeve) But it will get Eyghon off my scent. >>Eyghon could've been off his scent and onto Giles'. Again, we see him as he tries to sacrifice Buffy in Giles' place. I'm just making a point.
<<Ethan: Now relax. I'm finished with you. This is for me.
Buffy has found an exposed nail on the underside of the table and begins scraping her rope against it. Ethan steels himself for the burn of the acid. He slowly pours it onto his Mark of Eyghon tattoo. Buffy looks at him like he's insane. He does his best not to scream but lets out a few grunts of pain. Buffy keeps scraping the rope on the nail.>>Ethan isn't the wimp one would think he is by judging his behaviour near Ripper. He is perfectly capable of taking pain quite nicely. He even does it to himself. In future episodes he even fights back, beating strong, trained commando men. It's obvious why he's afraid of Buffy, she has unnatural power. But why is he so afraid of Giles? Why doesn't he ever try to defend himself againt the watcher?
<<Giles: Eyghon! Take me.
Jenny/Eyghon tosses the table aside and turns to face Giles.
Giles: Buffy, get out of here!
Jenny/Eyghon slowly advances on Giles.
Buffy: NO! (gets between them) No!
Giles: Jenny!
Jenny: Rupert...
Ethan gets up and runs from the shop. >>Ethan had stayed in Sunnydale through death threats, an angry slayer and an angrier watcher, but he took off the minute Giles showed his affection and great care for Jenny. And by the way, why did Giles ask the demon to take him in Jenny's place, and not "take Ethan"?
<<Giles: Bay City Rollers. Now, that's music.
Buffy: I didn't hear that. >>Just one more stereotypical nothingness. Bay City Rollers are a boy band. Were a boy band. The kind where rumours about relationships between band members fly around freely. I love being a bitch.
In this season, Joss notices fanfic, he slowly changes the rules of the game according to his own shippy preferences. This shows more in seasons 4&5, but it starts out in the altered subtext of season 3. He's chickening out. Later, you will find it most evident in the "Who sired Spike" question.
<<Giles: Ethan.
Ethan: Ripper.
He wastes no time breaking into a fast run. >>And again we witness the road-runner effect in Ethan Rayne, as he says, "Ripper. Mip mip." and takes off. He recognises the face and knows this isn't Giles but Ripper of days of old, young, arrogant, violent, and out to impress a date. No sense in staying around for the bloodshed, is there?. But if he knows Ripper is that dangerous, why didn't he run in Halloween or the Dark Age? In those two episodes, it was Giles, with a hint of Ripper, but under control. This, as Ethan knows all too well, is candy-affected Ripper, in all his old unrestrained glory. He actually prefers a pissed-off slayer to this guy. Ouch.
And Ripper chases Ethan even though he doesn’t know there's badness in the candy yet, not to mention knowing if it's Ethan's fault or not. He's just looking forward to hurting Ethan. Old habits die hard.
<<Joyce: Well, what about that man?
Buffy turns to see Giles holding the crowbar over Ethan, who is still on the floor.
Buffy: Uh, see if you guys can find something to tie him up with.
Joyce: Um...
She reaches behind her and pulls out a set of handcuffs, dangling them from her thumb and giving her daughter a mischievous look.
Buffy: *Never* tell me.
She grabs the cuffs and heads over to Ethan. Joyce follows her with her gaze and smiles. >>I'm aware that this isn't helping my argument at all, but it just makes me happy. And there's the old familiarity, and pointing out Ripper's old hobbies (cuffs, and stevedore-like activities,) it just induces a tingly feeling. Besides, it reinforces our assumptions about Ripper's old behaviour and personality.
This essay was written pre A New Man, although edited after.
This essay does not imply that the relationship was referred to as such in canon, and is a work of fiction and analysis.
This essay means no harm and makes no money.