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Buffyversity: Wolfram & Hart, The Watcher’s Council, and Other Dubious Institutions

By | July 27th, 2021
Posted in Columns | % Comments

The Buffyverse as a whole holds a deeply cynical view towards institutions. If they’re not entirely evil, they are somewhat corrupt, or well meaning yet incompetent. The principal of Buffy’s high school does nothing to protect the students from supernatural forces, but attempts to hide those forces for the benefit of Mayor Wilkins, who himself represents governmental failure as he cuts deals with various devils in order to become immortal, ascend into a giant snake, and eat teenagers. It’s a tale as old as time. Two evocative examples of such dubious institutions are The Watcher’s Council from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Angel‘s multinational and multidimensional law firm, Wolfram & Hart.

We never meet the senior partners of Wolfram & Hart, but we learn that they are three demonic entities, the wolf, ram, and hart. (So subtle. So clever). Like some real law firms, they are dedicated to protecting their clients from facing any consequences for their monstrously evil deeds enacted with intent and malice. This lawful evil institution justifies our noble heroes at Angel Investigations working outside the law, acting as vigilantes, protecting people ignored or actively victimized by systemic legal evil.

In season five, Angel is given a unique and morally confusing opportunity, to take control of Wolfram & Hart’s LA branch, and use its apparatus for good. This begs a lot of interesting questions. Can an institution built for evil be used for good? Do institutions have innate morality, or are they tools, only as good or evil as the one who wields them? Can resources gained through evil means ever be used for good? The answer given by Angel is a solid resounding “maybe sometimes, but ultimately no.” Angel and co. do some amount of good during their tenure. They lose Wolfram & Hart a great deal of resources by refusing to work with the most evil clients, but occasionally compromise with some lesser evils in order to keep the business in business. In the series finale, Angel and his friends decide they have to bring this institution down. They are able to use the influence given to them by Wolfram & Hart to infiltrate a demonic cabal attempting to bring about an apocalypse, and in the meantime they murder the representative of the senior partners, presumably permanently cutting their ties with them. The series ends on a cliffhanger. The fight against evil never ends.

So, in a limited sense, Angel did successfully use Wolfram & Hart for good. He used their influence to take down the apocalypse cabal. However, that was a deal breaker for the senior partners, and Angel decided it was a deal he was willing to break. He could not sustainably use Wolfram & Hart for good, because maintaining his relationship with the senior partners required him to do evil.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer dealt with similar themes, but with a different approach. In the beginning of the show, the-one-and-only slayer seems like the sole proprietor of Slayer Inc. with a little help from her Watcher. Later, we learn there is a whole Watcher’s Council, an institution dedicated to controlling the slayer. They are deeply out of touch, enforcing rules that are not informed by the slayer’s experiences, and not in her best interest. Eventually, Buffy decides to sever her ties with the council. She determines that though the Watcher’s Council wants her to serve them, it is they who should be serving her. The bosses thinks she needs them, but it is they who need her. Labor is entitled to all it creates! Workers of the world, unite! You have nothing to lose but your chains!

I’m sorry, what was I talking about? Oh yeah….

The Watcher’s Council is disputably not an “evil” institution like Wolfram & Hart indisputably is. Wolfram & Hart exists to serve the evil senior partners. The Watcher’s Council exists to fight evil, but in that pursuit they employ a number of morally dubious (as well as generally unhelpful) tactics. They weaken Buffy to test her powers. They’re easily infiltrated by Gwendolyn Post who uses their power and influence for evil. They could use their resources to offer Buffy more support, but more often than not, all they do is make her job harder.

Continued below

In the final season, Buffy takes her rebellion against the Watcher’s Council a step further. She grants the power of the-one-and-only slayer to every potential slayer. She doesn’t destroy the Watcher’s Council, (someone else does that), but she upends their business model and radically redefines power dynamics in Slayer Inc. while rapidly expanding their reach and effectiveness.

Wolfram & Hart and the Watcher’s Council challenge us to challenge institutions. We should be asking ourselves, do our institutions serve us? Do they intend to serve us? If so, do they effectively serve us? If not, what do we do about it? When should we try to reform institutions, when should we abandon them, and when should we dismantle them?


//TAGS | Angel | buffy the vampire slayer | Buffyversity

Laura Merrill

Screenwriter and script doctor. Writer for UCB's first all-women sketch comedy team "Grown Ass Women," and media critic for MultiversityComics.com.

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