[continued from previous message]   
      
   have any plans to intervene if they got too close to an apocalypse? Since   
   they did not know about Buffy, they had to assume no one else was going to   
   stop them. Perhaps they had no idea of anything outside the UC Sunnydale   
   sphere, but that is just silly.   
      
   3   
   Where Was The Initiative During The Apocalypses After Season 4?   
      
   Season 4 started and also essentially concluded the Initiative story arc.   
   The U.S. government determined the experiment was a failure and walked away.   
   After Buffy and Riley's painful breakup in season 5, Riley also walked away.   
   However, in season 6, he returned with an Initiative-adjacent group and in   
   season 7 the government returned to the old Initiative base to assist Buffy.   
      
   So, the government continued dabbling with and responding to the   
   supernatural, which leaves fans wondering why they never came to Buffy’s aid   
   during any of the apocalyptic events occurring before season 4. Narratively,   
   this would not have worked for Buffy’s story, but logistically it is hard to   
   believe that the government relied on one Slayer to repeatedly save the   
   world, even if it was Buffy.   
      
      
   2   
   How Did The Scoobies Never Encounter The Initiative Prior To Season 4?   
      
   As much as fans wondered how the Initiative could not have known the Slayer   
   was real, many also question how the Scooby gang never encountered the   
   commandos before season 4. Once the Initiative plot began, it was not long   
   before Buffy figured out what was going on.   
      
   Episodes like “Hush” even directly showed Initiative soldiers patrolling   
   downtown Sunnydale, which is often frequented by the Scoobies. Yes, the   
   Initiative was tucked away under UC Sunnydale, which the show treats almost   
   like a separate community from the town. Still, it seems highly unlikely   
   that the Scoobies never saw the Initiative in action earlier.   
      
   1   
   Were There Other Initiative Bases At The Other Hellmouths?   
      
   Throughout Buffy’s seven seasons, there have been multiple mentions of at   
   least one other Hellmouth in Cleveland. Giles even stated this again in the   
   series finale after the Sunnydale Hellmouth closed, and the season 7 episode   
   “Never Leave Me,” also showed a map that had all the other Hellmouths   
   around   
   the world.   
      
   Given the Initiative’s overall mission, there is reason to question if they   
   had facilities at any of these other locations. The end of season 4 appeared   
   to fully sever government involvement with the supernatural, but seasons 5,   
   6, and 7 proved that to be untrue, so the question remains.   
      
      
           [[MY question -- how was the Initiative able to excavate such a huge   
   underground facility without anyone attending the college knowing about   
   it?]]   
      
      
   David   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)