fuck yeah, rupert giles.

lacunamatata:

In unrelated research, I noticed a connection I probably should have acknowledged a long time ago. 

In many texts, most notably Daniel and Enoch, angels are featured in plenty of ways— obedient, fallen, nephilim-producing, anything in between. A term caught my attention, though; watchers. The class of “a watcher, a holy one” coming down from heaven is a focal point in many passages. From some verses, they’re angels sent to earth to watch over the humans in their charge— though either way, their swearing “by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones” is common law among them until they’re fallen (which is mostly in Enoch).

This brings to mind another supreme authority, of course; the Watchers’ Council, as seen in Buffy. They’re also in a high position above their charges, though they devote themselves to protecting the Slayers, and specifically keeping them alive. 

One might consider them all in the early ‘obedient’ definition of watchers; straight-laced and proper, until Giles drops into what would be ‘fallen’ later in the series. Like the lore in aforementioned books, he defies the commands of the order itself to affiliate closer to those dear to him, and trains them in normally disapproved measures.

I guess that makes perfect sense— after all, Giles really was the Scoobies’ guardian angel. 

I see what you did there, Joss. I see it.