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Post by Dalton on Aug 3, 2003 12:12:38 GMT -5
I'm content to wait... though I will probably just have to read most of it in the morning.*sings to herself* So come up to the lab, and see what's on the slab, I see you shiver with Annnn tic i PATION.
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Post by Dalton on Aug 3, 2003 12:13:17 GMT -5
Sorry Nan. I tried to be good. I really, really tried.
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Post by Dalton on Aug 3, 2003 12:13:54 GMT -5
oops.. guess I should have read Spring and David's posts first!
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Post by Dalton on Aug 3, 2003 12:15:11 GMT -5
I purposely didn't read any of the post ep messages because I want to take a clean shot at this. First and foremost, every actor was positively magnificent. I can't remember an episode where every member of the ensemble was this good at the same time. The writers have raised their games for the big finish, and the actors have done the same. There are unreal moments from every core cast member. I'm starting this post, by the way, at 10:35pm; I say this because I doubt I'll be done for a while. As I sit here now I'm not sure what I'm going to type. Fundamentally my opinions before this episode aired remain the same. Everyone is right, and everyone is wrong. There is no clear cut way of looking at things. Certain characters actions are more understandable than others because of what happened. More to the point, the respective reactions of each character after Xander's injury (it all starts there of course...not to minimize the SIT deaths, but this is really about what happened to him). I'm going to take a stab at the core issue and then post about individual scenes and moments that were great. There were so many...this episode is a stone cold classic. Buffy has more weight on her shoulders than ever before, including her catatonic experience in Season 5. For this reason, she doesn't seem to have a clear sense of direction. Is she right about the vineyard? Again, I say yes. I think she most probably is. She makes a valid point about Caleb and the First's intentions. I still believe that they need more information; the very sort of info that Spike is bringing them. Why the need for the immediate attack?Right now, though, it's her emotional state that has me confused. A few things are pretty obvious: Buffy is clearly heartbroken over what happened to Xander....to us. We as viewers got to see it (her protectiveness of Xander in front of Caleb was the greatest, by the way). To the Scooby Gang, however, she comes off very differently.....especially to Dawn, Willow and Xander. I'm not saying she's cold toward him, because she isn't. Not entirely. She's inexplicably cold with Dawn, though. I didn't get that at all.
However, she's clearly trying to bottle up her feelings in front of her family. This I cannot understand. How can it possibly hurt her cause to show real emotion toward Willow, Xander and Dawn? What good could it possibly do for her to shut them out? It's WILLOW and XANDER. Before Dawn, before Spike, before Faith, before SIT's and Wood, there were these two. The comment she made toward Giles after he sent Spike out was deserved. Giles has it coming. However, the comment regarding no one watching her back but Spike was simply crap. I don't have a better word for it than that. She has no right to say something like that after what has happened. I believe this from my heart: if Buffy had opened up to Willow and Xander in that hospital room things would have gone down very differently.
Instead they turned their back on her. I happen to think they're terribly wrong to do that. However, if I had seen what they had, it becomes understandable. Well, except for Anya's comments. To construe Buffy's terrible burden as something to wish for displays just how ignorant she can be, though she was dead right about Buffy's arrogance of late. One last thing before I post regarding individual moments. My Xander fixation could be clouding my judgment here....I'm sure there will be well written and thought out opinions that will sway my feelings about everything I wrote above.
There is one point, however, from which I will not waver. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that if Xander had stood up in the middle of that room and reaffirmed Buffy's leadership, Dawn, Willow and Anya would have stood with him. That would have been enough for Buffy to maintain control.
Right or wrong, he chose not to do so. Once and for all it establishes him as the spiritual leader of the Scooby Gang. If or when they make their comeback, Faith will need him more than she can possibly understand.Caleb knew exactly who to hurt; by doing so Buffy is now isolated from everyone but Spike.Xander has always been Buffy's secret weapon. The First recognized it and turned it against her. I pray that my man can turn it around and be there for her one more time.
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Post by Dalton on Aug 3, 2003 12:15:48 GMT -5
Suddenly I have this strange urge to shout obscenities at a movie screen, all at pre-determined intervals and as a large group. Wonder why that is?Oh, what do you think of my fishnets and heels?
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Post by Dalton on Aug 5, 2003 22:35:36 GMT -5
Yes, I loved the battle with the cops also. Man, what is happening to the Sunnydale cops? They were never this mean.But I loved the Xander part in the hospital. It was so great to see a little of the old Xander/Willow interaction. I teared up when Willow did.
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Post by Dalton on Aug 5, 2003 22:36:27 GMT -5
Rob's comments reminded me I forgot to mention Anya's "you aren't better than us" speech. Anya gets so few moments to be much more than comedy, but they are powerful moments when they come. She definitely hit Buffy where it hurt, because she was right and Buffy knew it.
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Post by Dalton on Aug 5, 2003 22:37:09 GMT -5
Simply fabulous, dahhhling.
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Post by Dalton on Aug 5, 2003 22:37:42 GMT -5
I confess to complete confusion about this "waiting" thing. If anyone feels strongly about not posting until after midnight EDT, then speak up because that wasn't my understanding I have to add I do think that it's not fair to people in the East - on a weeknight, I'd have to stay up past midnight to post on a new ep. And I have to be up at 6AM EDT. I personally can't post on a new ep until after 11pm, because Buffy is delayed here and is aired at 10pm EDT. But I just stay off the board until 11pm.
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Post by Dalton on Aug 5, 2003 22:38:23 GMT -5
For me, it depends on the episode. Last week's Angel, for example, was good, but for whatever reason, after it was over I just didn't feel motivated to talk about it. Tonight's Buffy, however, it was all I could do to keep my mouth shut.
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Post by Dalton on Aug 5, 2003 22:39:17 GMT -5
Actually, I didn't think she was exactly right. (Note... Coming from anyone else, I would have taken it differently but not from the ex-vengenance demon.) Yes, Buffy has been cold and arrogant and definitely "I'm holier than thou" lately. Yet, Buffy has certainly earned some right to say "I'm THE slayer." Of course, I love Buffy and so, as Rob might be somewhat bias when it comes to Xander, I am the same with Buffy. However, how many times has Buffy saved the world? I'm not sure I'd call being the slayer "getting lucky".
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Post by Dalton on Aug 5, 2003 22:41:50 GMT -5
Nan - I meant to tell you - that formula from the fanfic you posted . . . I couldn't make heads or tails of it. I've had upper level calc, and science classes from when I got my eng degree - but that was years ago - well, maybe the younger and more "up on current stuff" Watergal will recognize something. In a formula, usually cap or small T is time, and the capital E is energy. P . . . I can't thing that it has a consistent designation. I also didn't recognize the vertical line. I am curious to see if it means anything to anyone.
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Post by Dalton on Aug 5, 2003 22:42:55 GMT -5
[qutoe]However, how many times has Buffy saved the world? I'm not sure I'd call being the slayer "getting lucky".[/quote] Anya wasn't referring to Buffy's ability to save the world -- that was always hard work on her part. She was pointing specifically to Buffy's status as the slayer, in the same sense now as the very day that Buffy's predecessor died and Buffy was called but probably didn't know she was the slayer. I don't think Anya meant to say that Buffy was lucky she averted the apocalypse on so many occassions, but instead, that which she uses to decide she is different and better and therefore the boss -- her slayer status -- that was blind luck that it was bestowed upon her and not some other person, some other potential.
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Post by Dalton on Aug 5, 2003 22:43:31 GMT -5
Rae:Yes, I agree. Anya was not 100% right by any means. Buffy's problem is her style, not her ideas. She is The Slayer, and she trusts her instincts with good reason. But she doesn't know how to win friends and influence people. She's never had to do that before, outside her tiny core group that loves her.
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Post by Dalton on Aug 5, 2003 22:44:19 GMT -5
{quote]In a formula, usually cap or small T is time, and the capital E is energy. P . . . I can't thing that it has a consistent designation. I also didn't recognize the vertical line. I am curious to see if it means anything to anyone. [/quote]
I'm absolutely no engineering or math major -- my bachelor's is in communications, so words are my forte. But I'll take a guess, based on what could possibly start with a P that could relate to time and energy, and guess "production". Energy expended over time equals production? It's really a guess. Coming from a communications major.
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