beccaelizabeth's dreamwidth journal

The written phrase Ethan left on a card in the costume shop, presumably intended for Giles to find.

according to the transcript sites, said two other times, once in "The Zeppo" and once in "You're Welcome", both as part of longer sentences.
Xander says "I don't think I want to be seeing you on campus anymore, Jack."
Cordelia says "We take what we can get, champ, and we do our best with it. I'll be seeing you." And walks off, then changes her mind and comes back for the kiss.

The Cordy example is interesting, since the phrase was pretty sinister the first time, and the whole vision thing worked out so, er, well.


Trivia sites mention that the phrase was used on The Prisoner. A page on tv.com says It was a standard form of greeting, ironic since a) everyone was prisoners - it's not like they had much choice but to see each other, and b) the authorities kept everyone under constant surveillance. The phrase was later picked used by J. Michael Stracynzski as a catchphrase for Psi-Cop Bester on Babylon 5.

I hadn't actually read that last bit before. It was in fact what I started this entry to mention.

Bester said Be Seeing You, and so did the guy who shot Garibaldi in the back, his best friend and right hand man who betrayed him.


So Ethan's use of the phrase is layered with these intertextual meanings. Probably deliberately. Being watched, being unable to escape, fits nicely.

I see it sometimes used in fic fairly straight, without the sinister overtones, and it jars a little. But G/E is always a little twisted, more obsessive, and it certainly fits the relationship.


The Cordelia thing I only just noted while searching. But if you put the sinister in there? Season 5 looks just that bit darker. Because who says Cordelia was a good guy, the way things all turned out?