Another box appears in Sunnydale

[Jason]

This time it's the puzzle box from the Hellraiser movies. A random Sunnydale civilian picks it up and takes it home. Over time people start either disappearing or being killed, and the Scoobies attention is gained. Assume it is Pinhead and his Cenobyte minions from the first two movies. How do the Scoobies proceed, and how do things turn out?

[Mobiboros]

Okay I know little to nothing of the protagonists in this one but I'm a big Hellraiser fan.

So far as is known, unless they can get their hands on the puzzlebox there's not much they can do to slow the cenobites down let alone stop them. The saving grace might be that cenobites don't discriminate and the various vampires and demons in the buffyverse are likely a lot more desirous of power than the regular inhabitants so they may be taken first.

[Raw Shark]

How do the Scoobies proceed

What Season?

So far as is known, unless they can get their hands on the puzzlebox there's not much they can do to slow the cenobites down let alone stop them.

Generally speaking, locating and deciphering the vital clue or mcguffin is the specific challenge that most Scooby line-ups excel the most at. We may actually have a Vs that they can handle here.

The saving grace might be that cenobites don't discriminate and the various vampires and demons in the buffyverse are likely a lot more desirous of power than the regular inhabitants so they may be taken first.

That's an interesting proposition... On the one hand, a Buffyverse vampire could probably withstand a greater quantity and quality of physical torture and possibly gain more enlightenment than a human, but on the other hand they (usually, don't get me started) have no "souls," and I'm not sure what, if anything, that means to Pinhead & Co. If other demons enter the picture I think it probably becomes a 3-Way... the Cenobytes demonstrate a willingness to brawl with each other for dominance in the second film if I remember correctly, and would probably respond to Buffyverse demons the same way unless their goals are somehow completely compatible.

[Mobiboros]

Generally speaking, locating and deciphering the vital clue or mcguffin is the specific challenge that most Scooby line-ups excel the most at. We may actually have a Vs that they can handle here.

That's very true. This kind of thing is really what these kinds of groups do. But that means locating the box and then closing it without possibly opening it again. Which would summon the cenobites.

That's an interesting proposition... On the one hand, a Buffyverse vampire could probably withstand a greater quantity and quality of physical torture and possibly gain more enlightenment than a human, but on the other hand they (usually, don't get me started) have no "souls," and I'm not sure what, if anything, that means to Pinhead & Co.

It's an unknown. Nothing in Clive Barkers universes lacks a soul. In fact, if anything, more things have souls in his writings (Places, objects, etc...). So it's an unknown. Now, the cenobites do sometimes physically take the person, or simply rip them apart in the material world (kinda, once you summon the cenobites the line between earth and hell blurs) so it might not be an issue.

If other demons enter the picture I think it probably becomes a 3-Way... the Cenobytes demonstrate a willingness to brawl with each other for dominance in the second film if I remember correctly,

Kiiiinda. Channard was created and sent by Leviathan specifically to punish the Pinhead and his retinue for their recent failures. It wasn't just a random brawl, it was the lord of hell punishing his servents.

and would probably respond to Buffyverse demons the same way unless their goals are somehow completely compatible.

The problem is harming cenobites. Once hell was taken over by leviathan the "regular demons" were unseated. Cenobites easily trounce demons, even high order ones (Hellraiser 4. Angelique was a demon princess and a holdover as she was outside hell during the changeover). But we don't know how hellraiser demons really compare. We do know it's exceedingly hard to even harm a cenobite (The box can do it), let alone destroy them (The elysium configuration can close the doors to hell, but it took a massive one to close all the doors on earth. Even building sized ones only close local doors.).

[Shroom Man 777]

If some chick can close the box and stop the cenobites from killing everyone, then Buffy can too.

Speaking of boxes, I wonder what'd happen if a cardboard box with a certain spec ops dude in it ends up wandering into Sunnydale

[Mobiboros]

If some chick can close the box and stop the cenobites from killing everyone, then Buffy can too.

The only person to consistently evade them was Kirsty. Everyone else who got away by closing the box only closed it for the moment and saved themselves. It's never a "Saved Everyone" scenario. It's more a "Yay, I got away form being pulled into my own personal hell!" deal.

The boxes always find a way back it seems and having new people find them. So even assuming Buffy closed the box it would likely find/be found by someone else. Or a keeper would take it (Demonic winged thing in Hellraiser 1) and let it fall elsewhere.

[CaptainChewbacca]

Might the box get put on a shelf somewhere safe, along with all the other crazy crap they have like that Troll-God's hammer?

[Raw Shark]

Might the box get put on a shelf somewhere safe, along with all the other crazy crap they have like that Troll-God's hammer?

They try to do that sort of thing sometimes, with mixed results. Xander might open it, Anya might sell it, Willow might go postal and try to use it to destroy a god. It doesn't usually work out.

Not to hijack the thread, but on a related side note where did that hammer come from? If it was the troll Buffy fights in that one episode, didn't Anya turn that guy into a troll for getting drunk and cheating on her? The only time I can think of him being referred to as a god is in the dialogue of the episode where they discuss using the hammer against Glory, brought up by Anya if I remember correctly...

[PREDATOR490]

S7
I could see the First Evil going for it. That or it gets buried along with Sunnydale. Lots of potential slayers getting in the way to boot. Everyone here is supposedly at their peak in experience and power so this would be the point where they stand the best chance.

S6
If Tara gets busted up then Willow goes on the rampage again except against the new culprits. This time I dont really see Buffy and Co. getting in the way since its the bad guys shes going after.

S5
Glory is apparantly a hell god from another dimension so shes hardly going to give a fuck what happens and may even work to make sure as much damage is caused so she can get home.
Got Spike, Tara, Buffy, Xander, Anya, Giles, Dawn and Willow. With the added burden of her mothers death and having to watch out for Dawn they may survive.

S4
Get the intervention of Adam or the Army guys to capture the box. Support of a few army guys and we have the introduction of two witches.
Both of which are now reasonably skilled.

S3
Angel is around and has already been to hell for an unknown amount of time. Faith should be around and you have an invincible mayor who will become a massive snake. Although I cant say I would shed many tears over watching Sunnydale High get massacred
Two slayers, a weak witch, a vampire, two watchers and Xander. With Angel and Faith they might do better.

S2

Bad Angel, Spike and Drusilla. Angel will most likely grab the box and unleash hell as a method of torture on Buffy and co.
Buffy is still kinda brainless and distracted. Xander and Willow are next to worthless here. Still high chance they get mauled if Buffy is sloppy.

S1
Master grabs it and does the same.
Scoobies are at their most weak and brainless here so good chance they all get mauled.

[Jason]

Sorry, assume this is the beginning of Season 7.

[CaptainChewbacca]

Not to hijack the thread, but on a related side note where did that hammer come from? If it was the troll Buffy fights in that one episode, didn't Anya turn that guy into a troll for getting drunk and cheating on her? The only time I can think of him being referred to as a god is in the dialogue of the episode where they discuss using the hammer against Glory, brought up by Anya if I remember correctly...

Its definitely the same hammer, though he was some sort of godling BEFORE she turned him into a troll... I think.

Heck, maybe he stole it from someone.

[Raw Shark]

Its definitely the same hammer, though he was some sort of godling BEFORE she turned him into a troll... I think.

Was he? I thought I recalled the phrase "just a big dumb guy" getting kicked around...

Heck, maybe he stole it from someone.

Maybe... I'm more inclined to think it's a continuity error on the part of the writers, but that's no fun of course. On the In Character side, I would speculate that Anya's full of shit, trying to bring up the hammer and add to the discussion without reminding them about her involvement in its appearance in Sunnydale. It works better than Buffy's fists on Glory because it's a solid metal lever swung by Buffy, no holiness necessary.

Sorry, assume this is the beginning of Season 7.

I should probably shut up on the topic then, sorry, I could only bear to watch that season once.

[Tasoth]

Yeeeaaahhh, I don't see the forces of sunnydale (or the people for that matter) claiming victory this day. This whole concept that the cenobites are going to drop in and go toe-to-toe with everyone is horrible wrong. The cenobites only do that schtick when they've got their quarry cornered and are the process of taking them down. The cenobites know your deepest, darkest secrets, those little black spots you fear but enjoy so much, and they use them. They get you to make the devil's deal and then come to collect much sooner and a higher price then you ever expected. At the most, they start turning the scoobies on each other one by one, at the least, they start killing them off one by one. Although seeing buffy turned into one of them would be quite interesting.

[Skelron]

Its definitely the same hammer, though he was some sort of godling BEFORE she turned him into a troll... I think.

Heck, maybe he stole it from someone.

Nope prior to Anya he was 100% human, her curse was just that damned good.

[PREDATOR490]

If its season 7 I would say the Scoobies all die horribly.

Xander is the weakest link as always due to his lack of any real ability or mental fortitude. He ends up being used as a bitch by practically everyone so no chance for him.

Willow should end up being easy to break if pushed the right way. She was emotionally unstable for the most part and her magics apparantly come from darkness so with enough pushing she could be driven over the edge. Incidentally she would also be the hardest hitter next to Buffy.

Dawn, not sure about her. Being a key of energy might cause problems but killing her shouldnt be any more difficult than killing Xander with the exception of Buffy defending her of course.

Giles, I would expect him to do rather well. Watchers are supposedly trained to be mentally prepared for illusions and Giles has certainly shown a darker nature when he has to. Strength wise he isnt too good but with the proper information he could come up with various defences from his resources.

Buffy, she has the mental intelligence of a brick at anything except her job which as one demon rather nicely put it is "Poking things with sharp objects". As long as she gets isolated from her buddies it shouldnt be too hard to weaken her like Angeles and make a swift kill.

Spike, if this is season 7 his involvement is likely. If he is still insane when they arrive he is near useless but otherwise I can see him being a problem. He wont really care about making a devil deal to save himself. Although its likely he would actually act to save Buffy.