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Post by Dalton on Jan 26, 2004 18:31:16 GMT -5
by Jen Sonstein 2/20/2001
Did a woman write this episode, or what?
Yes. A woman did. (Specifically, Jane Espenson.)
The message oozing out from the screen was unmistakably one from a woman. It was an obvious statement to all the men who ever left a breakup message on an answering machine; to all the guys who thought it acceptable to leave a relationship without an explanation; to every man who has ever told a woman to shut up.
Here’s the message in a nutshell. Contrary to popular belief, women were not built to serve men.
(Ooh…I can sense all the sensitivity school graduates lunging towards the screen.)
Hold on a minute before you apply any labels.
In addition to containing very obvious jabs at the types of slimeballs mentioned above, this episode was also a virtual heart-to-heart between women. It was a textbook response from the girl who has survived a breakup to the girl whose heart is still bleeding. It was a wakeup call to any woman out there who thinks she’s worthless because a man told her she was; to any girl who’s been sobbing for months over a guy who cheated on her; to every girl who unfortunately decided to drunk dial tonight.
But, what was Espenson really trying to do? Stand up for all women? Give all the members of the lonelyhearts club a shoulder to cry on?
Maybe. But I highly doubt it.
Despite the feeling that I was watching an Afterschool Special on why testosterone is bad and estrogen is good, I’m pretty sure tonight’s ep was more a tongue-in-cheek-let’s-make-fun-of-our-sorry-selves, calm-before-the-storm, transition episode. Imagine: It’s your ultimate fantasy and you’re a writer for Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Before you blow your load, you have to make a decision. Here’s the scenario to date:
Buffy still hasn’t really dealt with Riley’s departure.
Buffy feels really icky about Spike’s obsession.
Buffy’s having some romance-related self-confidence issues…again.
All the happy couples on the show have been even happier than usual and this makes Buffy feel even more sorry for herself.
What do you do? Do you go the weepy route? Or, do you try to address the issues without the heavy dramatics?
Don’t forget: As a BtVS writer, you also happen to know something the audience doesn’t know yet. And it’s something bad (like, let’s say, the death of a major character).
What do you do?
I don’t know about you, but I’d take the "make ‘em laugh" route over the "make ‘em cry" one. And, that’s exactly what they did.
Rather than forcing SMG (and us) through another round in the crying ring, they instead decided to be playful. They gave Nicky lots of funny time. ("Puffy Xander" almost made me pee my pants.) Emma was allowed to act a little looser in order to make April the Sex-bot look stiff. Anthony Stewart Head was not only given lines, but he also had to be Mr. Tough Guy for a few seconds.
The Scoobies spent most of the episode with their tongues in their cheeks--making fun of themselves, each other, and even us ("I go online sometimes, but everyone’s spelling is really bad." )
Anya about April: "She speaks with a strange evenness and selects her words a shade too precisely."
Xander in response: "Some of us like that kinda thing in a girl."
Willow about April: "There’s something strange about her. She talks funny."
Buffy to the Gang: "I don’t know about you guys, but I’ve had it with super strong little women who aren’t me."
Giles on having robot books in his library: "No, I’m lying. I just like to see Xander squirm."
Xander: "Too many girls. I miss Oz. He’d get it. He wouldn’t say anything, but he’d get it."
Whew! I was giggling almost the whole way through. Plus, when I watched the recording afterwards, I realized there were even funnier lines I had missed the first time around (like the Xander quote just above.) On top of all this hysteria, Espenson also dealt with the dating and relationship issues in an honest, yet lighthearted fashion. Joyce’s dinner and a movie conflict, for instance. Ben’s dancing dilemma. Both Xander’s and Willow’s roving eyes. And Anya’s and Tara’s reactions polar opposite reactions.
However, while dealing with the necessary transitional topics mentioned above (and while managing to send a warning to men and a positive message to young women), this episode was actually just comic filler before the traumatic finale to February sweeps.
Think of it this way: It’s like the dentist giving you "happy gas" before pulling your teeth—laugh now, but it’s gonna hurt later.
This week, feeling good now = better for me. POINTS TO PONDER What was Ben doing at a college party? The same thing Xander and Spike were doing, I suppose, but it still seemed strange.
Xander seemed extraordinarily complimentary of Buffy. A little too much for one ep? That on top of more than one comment and glance in April’s direction would make me feel uncomfortable if I was Anya—secure in our relationship or not.
Did anyone else think that April could’ve passed for Cordy’s much stiffer younger sister (in the looks department, at least)?
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Post by Dalton on Jan 26, 2004 18:33:05 GMT -5
by Jen Sonstein 2/27/2001
The questions asked at a death scene: Who? What? Where? When? How? Why?
"Why" is the most complicated, for sure.
Why did they decide to use Joyce’s death as a story line?
Why did Joss choose to write and direct this episode?
Why did he write and direct "The Body" as he did?
Why did he decide Joyce’s death should be of "natural" causes?
Why did he choose to use such graphic ("real" ) images of her dead body?
Why am I still crying?
Why? Why? Why?
I really didn’t want to watch. I suspected the episode would be sad. Who needs to be sad on a New Tuesday? Who needs to be sad about make believe people when there are enough depressing things going on in the real world? "Who" is an easy one to answer:
Not me.
The real world. The Scoobies got a taste of the real world tonight. Real death. Real sorrow. The kind of real that isn’t stranger than fiction, but really, really hurts.
Why do humans react to death the way we do?
Shock. (Buffy)
Denial. (Dawn)
Anger. (Xander)
Hysteria. (Willow)
Confusion. (Anya)
Calm. (Tara)
Take control. (Giles)
Why does death scare us, yet intrigue us at the same time? Why do we cringe at the sight of the body, yet want to touch it all the same?
Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a show filled with dying and other much nastier stuff (like game faces and serpent mayors and evil gods). Why should this death be any different?
That last "why" question isn’t such a tough one. The answer is obvious. As Xander mentions, the Scooby Gang does time in the morgue, but it’s different this time. There aren’t any puncture wounds in the neck or other mysterious marks. Just a body--Joyce’s cold, lifeless body. Her death wasn’t violent. Her death wasn’t caused by an unnatural being or force. Joyce just died.
And then,
"Why do all of my shirts have to have stupid things on them?"
"Why can’t I dress like a grownup?"
"What will we be expected to do?"
"What’s going to happen?"
"I was having fruit punch and I thought, well, Joyce will never have any more fruit punch, not ever. She’ll never have eggs, or yawn, or brush her hair. And no one will explain to me why."
See? "Why" is the most complicated, for sure. Just as the Gang has become desensitized to death a la Hellmouth, so have we. Death becomes Sunnydale.
We’ve all come to expect it. Yet, this death reminds us all of our own mortality. That’s why it hit so hard. Even though the message is so very in-your-face, Joyce’s death and the subsequent reactions of her loved ones served as a reminder of what death is really like. No stakes. No dust. No dramatic good-byes.
So, here I am on a New Tuesday, feeling sad. And, for some reason, I keep torturing myself by rewinding and replaying the first three acts over and over again.
Crying at Buffy’s penetrating scream, "MOM!"; crying at the sight of Dawn falling to the floor; crying at Willow’s indecision over what to wear and the familial-like interaction between she and Xander. And then, sobbing the hardest as I continue to rewind and replay Anya’s monologue. Anya’s words were so raw, but so innocent and basic.
Not understanding these very human acts (dying and mourning), Anya just wants to know why. Which, when all is said and done, is what we all want to know. Why?
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Post by Dalton on Jan 26, 2004 18:38:16 GMT -5
by Jen Sonstein 4/17/2001
I’ve never seen a dead person. I’ve been to funerals. I’ve sat shiva. But, I’ve never attended a wake. I’m not really sure why people have wakes.
The dictionary didn’t help much. The first definition of "wake" (in its noun form) is "a watch or a vigil." Next comes the explanation I was looking for. It defined a wake as "a watch over the body of the deceased person before burial, sometimes accompanied by festivity." Well, that part I knew already.
From what I can gather, wakes are common practices in some cultures, but not in others. To some, a viewing of the body shows respect for the dead; to others, to see the body after death is considered bad luck.
A wake as part of a memorial service really has to do with religion or personal preference. It’s interesting that Joyce didn’t want a wake. "Pot lucks are depressing enough as it is," Buffy claims Joyce said. Joyce must have had a more significant reason.
Mentioning Joyce’s personal preference on having a wake shows something about Joyce’s character. I don’t think this was a tactic used by Marti Noxon (writer of this ep) to simply avoid a common ritual. On the other hand, conveniently placing absent Hank Summers in Spain was an intentional "getting-around-the-issue" addition to the script. The way I see it is that Joyce knew that her daughters would be devastated by her death. Having to host a party honoring her dead body (which would be in plain sight in the middle of the living room) would be much too much for them to bear. Joyce knew that the aftermath had to take place as quickly as possible, so life could go on for her girls. It would be her final act as their mother.
My intention in mentioning this is not to offend, or to delve too much into theology or the history of burial practices. Attaching a life to a physical body is not something new. Dawn isn’t the first person to see her mother’s body as her life’s essence.
Attaching such importance to Joyce’s body, Dawn thinks that resurrecting Joyce would mean having her mother back. No matter how many people try to convince Dawn that "she doesn’t know what she’s messing with," no one stopped to think that a grieving teenager (not to mention the sister to the Slayer, virtual sister to two witches, and Sunnydale resident) might try it anyway.
Even non-residents of the Hellmouth might have attempted a resurrection. No one I know personally, fortunately, but there has to be a reason for all those zombie movies (the most disturbing, by far, being Pet Semetary). I don’t mean to be glib. But, ponder this:
Buffy and Dawn Summers live in a town full of the living dead. None of them are pleasant to look at and none are the way they were before they died. Vampires might retain a part of their personality (quite apparent in Harmony), but they’re not human. Shouldn’t Buffy and Dawn know that waking the dead does not mean returning things to normal?
Of course they do. Yet, the idea of having "mommy" back—in any form—is so overwhelming that all convention is lost.
In the wake of death, everything changes. You can’t think straight. You don’t want to think straight. You do everything in your power to pass from minute-to-minute, and then day-to-day. You question yourself. You question others. You question God. You beg. You plead. You pray. You panic. You fall into the arms of a former, yet familiar love. You keep yourself busy so you don’t have to face the mourning…or the morning after. You hope that it’s all an awful dream that will disappear once you wake. And, in Sunnydale, you might even believe that a spell or a charm would make everything right again.
Buffy and Dawn are both terrified of what’s to come and justifiably so. Neither are fully matured adults. Buffy isn’t confident she can take care of herself, let alone her younger sister. Dawn feels all alone. They both still need someone to care for them. To watch over them. Fortunately, they both realize in time that they can no longer depend on Joyce for this. They need to depend on each other. To wake Joyce from her eternal sleep would not bring their mother back. It would only postpone the inevitable—getting on with life. The Book of Common Prayer says that in the midst of life, we are in death. But, in the midst of death, we must also face life. The cliché on television is that the deceased always want their loved ones to celebrate the life that was rather than mourn the loss. Thankfully, that’s not the message here. The message is much closer to reality: we must accept the loss and mourn it before life can go on. By episode’s end Dawn and Buffy both accept the reality that their mother is gone forever. Together they’ll mourn her and together they’ll remember her.
******* ******* ******* *******
Scenes from next week make it appear as though smiles will once again grace our television sets. I, however, won’t be able to enjoy this, as I’ll be far away in another country. But don’t fret! A very special guest star will be standing in for me to review "Intervention." Don’t forget to check in on the "Give Buffy An Emmy Campaign."
See you in two weeks!
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Post by Dalton on Jan 26, 2004 18:43:28 GMT -5
by Kristen Reidel 4/25/2001
*tap* *tap* *tap*
Is this thing on?
Yes, loyal ScoopMe! readers, Jen has left the building. And the country. And you’ve fallen into my evil Joss-lovin’ clutches.
But before you ready yourselves to storm the castle in protest, let me reassure everyone that Jen will be back next week. You only have to suffer this fool for one night.
Now onto the show... I am confused. I am conflicted. I have no clue what to think about Spike.
Spike has always been one of my favorite things about the Buffyverse. From the moment that Dodge Desoto made tire tracks across the ‘Welcome to Sunnydale’ sign, I was hooked.
Spike is evil. He’s the Big Bad. He likes Happy Meals on Legs and makes no apologies for it. And frankly, there’s no reason for him to apologize. He’s a vampire. He’s supposed to be evil. He’s supposed to kill people. It’s what he does. And it’s what made him so much fun to watch.
Except that his raison d’être is now an off-limits activity. Spike can no longer feed off living human beings. He can’t even hurt them. No, the best he can do is go bumpy in the face and scare them.
Like many viewers, I have always thought there was something between Buffy and Spike. Their interactions, even when Buffy was kicking his ass, held a little more heat than the average adversarial face-off. I’ve read Buffy/Spike stories so hot; I’m amazed it didn’t melt my laptop.
But here’s the problem... I like the idea of Buffy and Spike together. I’m just not crazy about the reality.
Buffy is our heroine. She’s the good guy. The one who risks her life to save the world. Her job is to kill vampires. Not fall in love with them.
Yes, yes, I know. What about Angel?
Well, Angel is an exception to the "no vampires" rule. He has a soul. He does apologize for his misdeeds and tries to make amends.
You’ll note that, despite all that, he and Buffy still brought each other nothing but misery and heartache. So no, bringing Angel into this doesn’t make a relationship between Buffy and Spike any easier to swallow.
But back to Spike.
The fact of the matter is that Spike is still a vampire. He’s still evil. He’s still not apologizing for it.
And yes, that is a problem.
Spike isn’t on a journey for redemption. He hasn’t had an epiphany telling him that killing is wrong. He hasn’t changed his ways because he genuinely wants to be a better man.
Spike is clear plastic bagging it because every time he tries to bite someone, an electric pulse in his brain stops him. He fights the bad guys because he likes to fight and that’s the only action he can get.
And it’s not the same thing as choosing to be good. If Spike’s chip were removed tomorrow, Sunnydale would become an all-you-can-eat buffet.
Therefore, I can never root for him to get the girl. At least, not this girl.
Now Spike is a rather extraordinary vampire by any respect. He has always had that tender, loving side. We saw it with Drusilla. And for the first time tonight, we saw it with Buffy.
I know, I know. I can hear the Buffy/Spike ‘shippers screaming already, "What do you mean the first time?" Up until now, I had no sympathy for Spike’s unrequited "love." I didn’t even believe it was love. Spike has demonstrated the classic signs of obsession. He stalks Buffy. He breaks into her house and steals her things. (No, I’m sorry but I really wouldn’t consider someone breaking into my house to steal my underwear as sweet or romantic. I’d fall more into the "that’s sick and twisted" camp.) He talks to mannequins. He builds sick shrines at which to worship. He gets someone to make him a BuffyBot. Obsession is not love, no matter what the love songs tell you. To obsess is to be preoccupied with one person. To want and desire someone so much that you block out all that is reasonable and logical. It doesn’t matter what the other person wants or desires. All that matters is getting him or her.
An object of obsession is just that. An object. A thing. The obsessed doesn’t see a person standing before them. They see a possession to be acquired.
That’s not love.
To love someone is to care for them. To want what’s best for them. To put aside your own selfish desires and give the other person what they need.
Tonight, Spike proved to me that he genuinely does love Buffy. He withstood torture to protect Dawn. Not necessarily because it was the right thing to do but rather because he knew that turning Dawn over to Glory would devastate Buffy. And he’d rather die than put Buffy through that.
Spike committed a selfless act. Possibly his first since becoming a vampire. In that moment, he proved, to me, that he has moved beyond mere obsession. He genuinely has feelings for Buffy. The person, not the object.
But he still doesn’t have a snowball’s chance in Hell.
I can hear you guys screaming again, "But the KISS!"
Sorry. I’m still playing for the, "Buffy and Spike will never happen" Team. That kiss was not sexual or romantic. Buffy was moved by Spike in that moment. She was grateful for his sacrifice. And no, she will never forget what he did for her.
But she will also never forget what Spike is. A soulless killer.
Do I believe that Spike loves Buffy? After tonight...yes.
Do I believe that Buffy will ever love Spike? Honestly, no.
Do I have any clue how this is all going to end? You’re kidding, right?
Onto the highlight reel...here are some classic moments from tonight’s episode...
Willow: "Um...Tara’s right. Grief can be powerful. And we shouldn’t judge—" Tara: "What are you kidding? She’s nuts."
BuffyBot: "Angel’s lame. His hair goes straight up and he’s bloody stupid."
The BuffyBot’s status screens. My favorite was Willow’s..."Gay (1999 – Present)"
Xander: "Spike is strong and mysterious and sort of compact but well muscled." Buffy: "I am not having sex with Spike. But I’m starting to think that you might be."
Lindsay: "Stop it, evil hand! Stop it!" Oops! My bad! I forgot what show I was talking about. One final note As most of you are aware, ScoopMe and JossWhedon.net have been working feverishly on a special campaign to garner some attention for Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Joss Whedon for the amazing episode, The Body. Thanks to the incredible support we have received from the fans, we will be running a full-page ad in the June 14th edition of Daily Variety.
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Post by Dalton on Jan 26, 2004 18:45:27 GMT -5
by Jen Sonstein 5/1/2001
When Willow and Tara first got friendly, did you think Tara would be: (a) gone before Dawn? (b) a spring fling? (c) Willow’s one and only woman? --Think about this now and remember your answer. Please respond in the Message Boards by clicking on the link at the article’s end. Thanks! How much in Buffy-verse is planned out ahead of time? We come here week after week and speculate on where the season is going, how the characters are developing, and, in general, we offer our opinions on what Joss and Co. have up their devious sleeves. But is there a master plan? A blueprint for the season? If so, how far in advance do they plan? What if the folks who delight and disappoint us week after week are actually flying by the seat of their pants?
"No!"
"What is she saying?!?"
"Treason!"
I can almost hear the Greek chorus accusing me of blasphemy. While I’ve never really paid much attention to it before, when I think about it most of us tend to speak as if there is "a master plan." Even those of us who don’t dwell in the "temple of Joss the almighty whose powerful hand writes the words as they were meant to be written" find hidden clues or meanings in passing comments. We dissect and predict. We wonder if our words are heard. Sometimes, it even seems as though the right person was lurking at the right time and changed the direction of the show based on our deliberations.
Was the fate of Willow and Tara’s relationship in our hands? Did we choose in which direction this relationship (and Tara’s integration) would go?
With much fanfare in December 1999 due to circulating spoilage, Tara Maclay arrived on the Scooby scene. Before Season Four even began, eager fans were chatting about rumors that Oz would leave the show and that his departure would cause a major change in Willow. There was speculation on how Willow would adjust to being on her own: both as a college freshman and as single gal. The future of her sexual orientation came into question. It made entertainment news headlines. The very idea that a leading character on an (ahem) "teen" drama might openly experiment with a same sex romance caused an uproar on message boards around the globe.
Who knew? Who knew how much Willow would change? Who knew that Tara would go from Yoko Ono to Linda McCartney faster than you could say "love me do?" Tara spent the necessary time on the sideline before getting into the game, but with Willow’s help she’s gone from a Season Four newbie to a Season Five Scooby. While at first Willow was afraid to introduce Tara to her friends, she eventually became comfortable with the idea of Tara, as did her friends, as did we.
Follow the "Tara Timeline" for reference:
Winter 1999: Willow and Tara meet at a Wicca Club meeting. ("Hush" )
Early Winter 2000: Willow and Tara perform a Thespia spell together which Tara secretly sabotages; ("Goodbye Iowa" ) BUT Tara does help Willow and friends hunt down Faith. ("This Year’s Girl" )
Spring 2000: Willow begins to introduce Tara to the Gang. ("Superstar" ); Oz returns to Sunnydale only to end up sniffing Tara’s scent on Willow. Things sure have changed. Willow, in so many words, tells Tara she loves her. ("New Moon Rising" ); Buffy begins to notice that Willow’s bed hasn’t been slept in. ("The Yoko Factor" ). By the end of Season Four, Tara’s in everyone’s dreams ("Restless" ) painting calligraphy on backs, kissing in ice cream trucks, and offering ominous warnings and cryptic advice.
"You think you know what’s to come. What you are. You haven’t even begun."
Famous last words.
Fall 2000: Willow tries to integrate Tara more into the Gang, but Tara still considers herself a "non-Scooby." ("The Real Me" )
Fall/Winter 2000: Tara’s 20th birthday causes awkward feelings in Buffy and Xander, and brings uninvited guests to Sunnydale. But the Maclay family secret ends up being insignificant and Tara’s embraced as "family."("Family" ) Plus, Tara and Willow continue to get more on-air cuddling time. ("Listening to Fear" )
Early Winter 2001: Willow and Tara become a full-fledged "out" couple. The Gang Plus starts openly alluding to the nature of their relationship and making lesbian-related remarks. (Which also helped the audience adjust to the idea.) The lesbian relationship becomes less of a storyline and more of a given. ("Checkpoint" )
Spring 2001: As a couple, Willow and Tara become more powerful Wiccans and are valuable assets in the fight against Glory (and the protection of Dawn). ("Shadow" ) The Present Day: In "Tough Love", Tara shows the intensity of her love for Willow and her devotion to her new family by risking her own life to save Dawn’s. And it goes both ways. Willow is undeniably in love with Tara. If it wasn’t obvious before, it becomes so during their mini-spat when she thinks Tara doesn’t trust her and when we witness her indescribable pain (the kind only love can cause) when she realizes what Glory has done to "her girl." Willow fights for this love, seeks vengeance for her love, and eventually takes care of her love when Tara can’t do it on her own.
You gotta give Tara an "A" for effort. It’s a tough task to enter the circle of four (Buffy, Willow, Xander, and Giles), especially for someone as insecure as Tara is. But she persevered. The controversial relationship between Willow Rosenberg and Tara Maclay has evolved into a love story. But in Sunnydale, love stories tend to turn into tragedy. And so the story goes for these two star-crossed lovers.
There once was a glorified bitch, Who sucked the brains out of a witch. Now Willow’s a mess Dawn’s fate is a guess ‘cause Tara turned into a snitch. Now Buffy and sis have to flee In order to protect The Key. How do they intend Season Five to end? Who will win: the Gang or Glory?
Okay, so it’s not Shakespeare or poetry "that sounds like a sneeze," or anything Professor Lillian might teach in his class, but isn’t it romantic?
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Post by Dalton on Jan 26, 2004 18:49:08 GMT -5
by Jen Sonstein 5/8/2001
As season five comes to a close, I find myself wishing once again I had studied more mythology in college. Or read more comic books. Or watched Clash of the Titans just one more time. So much of Buffy the Vampire Slayer is based on mythology. Not just classical Zeus-related mythology, but also well-known folklore, fairy tales, and legends. Buffy is a modern myth; an updated fusion of bedtime stories and tales told in the dark. Like most science fiction and fantasy--whether it’s Star Wars, The Hobbit, The X-Files, or X-Men—movies, television shows and stories like these are just reruns of reruns of reruns. Yet somehow the legends continue and morph to meet our 21st century expectations. The difference between those with cult followings and those shown on the late, late show is execution. One of the most important elements of a modern myth is a modern hero and her sidekicks, but more important is the emotional connection between them.
What are common threads in all myths? Good vs. evil.
The fine line between the two. Unrequited love. Action. Adventure. A physical and/or emotional journey. Plus, there’s always "the weakness." The good guy possesses some weakness that she wears on her sleeve leaving the bad guy with no other option than to take advantage of it.
What has Buffy Summers’ weakness always been? Love for her friends, for Giles, for Angel (and maybe even for Riley). Her love for her family: which up until season five had consisted, for all intents and purposes, of Joyce and just Joyce. The idea of love and a life without it weighs more heavily on Buffy’s shoulders than the weight of the world. The smartest of Buffy’s enemies use this weakness to bring her to her knees. Angelus taunted Buffy by torturing those close to her. Faith knew the fastest and easiest way to hurt Buffy was through Angel. Buffy’s attachment to her family and friends puts her at a disadvantage. However, the monks used this as a way to be sure the Key would be carefully guarded. Their plan worked.
With Dawn’s arrival, Buffy’s responsibilities and her personal stake in the game increased tremendously. When Buffy first learned of Dawn’s true form, she was angry and resentful. Regardless, Buffy chose to protect Dawn because she did not see her as an object; she saw her as a human child. It doesn’t matter to her that a bunch of monks turned a powerful energy force into a volatile teenage girl. Protecting Dawn’s life isn’t just about saving the world, it’s about saving her sister. Hence, Dawn’s existence makes Buffy even more vulnerable.
It’s been a pretty crappy year for Buffy. Things have gone steadily from bad to worse. Unwanted, implanted memories. An unfaithful boyfriend who just can’t deal, so he leaves. Mom’s diagnosed with a brain tumor. Then, just when things couldn’t get any worse and seemed to be getting better, Joyce dies. In an instant, Buffy must turn from child into mother with no time to mourn because an evil, yet extremely powerful beast is after her young charge.
Buffy’s world slips right out from underneath her. Down, down, down she falls. Angel pops in for a visit. Glory tortures both Spike and Tara in an attempt to find the key. On the run, Giles is seriously wounded.
Nonetheless, Buffy manages to hold on. She has to. For Dawn.
Dawn’s the keeper of Buffy’s sanity. Dawn gives Buffy presence of mind. Ironically enough, Dawn represents "reality" to Buffy. Something Buffy can focus on and hold onto.
In a second, Glory takes that all away.
When Buffy realizes she’s lost Dawn, she collapses in a state of shock. There’s nothing left to hold onto. Despite the pleas of Willow, Buffy isn’t able to stand because there’s no ground for her to stand on. Her world, which has been spiraling out of control since the fall, finally hits rock bottom.
The final scene and scenes from next week reminded me of something, but it took me a while before I realized what it was.
Then I heard a voice in my head: "I’m frightened, Auntie Em, I’m frightened."
I pressed rewind and listened to Willow’s voice, "We need you, Buffy."
This isn’t the first time someone has compared elements of BtVS with The Wizard of Oz. This isn’t the first time elements from The Wizard of Oz have been used in a television series. But, once I made the association, my head started spinning. My thoughts became a montage of scenes from "Spiral" and scenes from "Oz."
I heard Dorothy say to Toto:
"Oh, they'll be coming back for you in a minute.
We've got to get away!
We've got to run away!"
Then I heard Anya say "Run away? Now there’s a plan!"
In my mind, Glory turned into Wicked Witches of both East and West and the deadly twister destroying everything in her path.
The Scoobies became the Scarecrow, Tin Man, Cowardly Lion and the very "good" witch, Glinda. (You choose who’s who.)
The minions morphed into flying monkeys.
At the center of both stories is a single object that is supposedly very powerful.
The Key and the ruby slippers.
"Give me back my slippers!" the Witch says, "I'm the only one that knows how to use them. They're of no use to you. Give them back to me. Give them back!
But, Glinda tells Dorothy, "Keep tight inside them. Their magic must be very powerful or she wouldn't want them so badly."
Sound familiar? Glory really wants "her" Key. She doesn’t care that the Key is in the form of an innocent human girl who wants nothing to do with the energy force inside her. Glory destroys anything and anyone who gets in her way. Her soul focus is on the Key, not the Slayer.
We know how The Wizard of Oz plays out. While Dorothy thinks the Great and Powerful Oz is the only one who can send her home, it turns out Dorothy could have returned home at any time. The power was within her, not the Wizard. Glinda knew this, but Dorothy had to learn it for herself.
Back in "Blood Ties" Buffy says to Joyce about Dawn, "It's not that simple! We're not gonna be able to fix this with a hug and a kiss and a bowl of soup! Dawn needs to know where she came from, she needs real answers." In other words, Dawn needs to learn who she is.
It looks as if now’s Dawn’s chance to get the answers to her questions and to find out if the power within her is strong enough to defeat Glory. Without her sister or the Scooby Gang to hold her hand, Dawn will have to learn this all by herself.
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Post by Dalton on Jan 26, 2004 18:54:14 GMT -5
by Jen Sonstein 5/15/2001 "Logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many out weigh the needs of the few." "Or the one." Where there’s a Vulcan there’s a way. In Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan (arguably the best of the original Star Trek films), Mr. Spock gives his life to save the crew of the Enterprise--and the galaxy. Spock was quite a prolific Vulcan, you know. He was a walking encyclopedia of wisdom. But among his most powerful statements is the one above: the words he utters to Kirk before sacrificing his own life for the lives of others. Would you forfeit your own life to save the world? Would you sacrifice your sister to save mankind? Even though The Book of Questions has been there, done that, the same scenario has been presented to Buffy Summers time and again since she learned she was the Slayer and what the job description was. "In every generation there is a Chosen One. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons, and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer."Buffy is the Chosen One. She’s had to learn the hard way that this doesn’t only mean that she has been chosen, but that she also must choose. Buffy holds the fate of mankind in her hands. We’ve seen her deny herself to save the world. But we’ve also been witness to her indecision; to her inner struggle between her duty and her happiness. Between her responsibilities as Slayer and her own needs as a young woman. (Flashback Sequence) Buffy has sacrificed a lot in the name of duty. Why? Why does Buffy carry this weight? Faith didn’t feel like carrying the weight. So she didn’t. Buffy, however, tends to choose the needs of the many over the needs of the one. Can you blame her? Imagine your own responsibilities and the pressures placed on you by your family and friends. Multiply that by billions. Giles has been reminding her of her responsibilities since the day they met. Buffy’s friends always look to her to make the important decisions. Her friends, her family, her classmates--they all depend on her. The difference between someone like Faith and someone like Buffy is guilt. A sense of obligation. The desire to please. Buffy has a bad case of all three. The schizophrenic battle between Ben and Glory in tonight’s episode must be very similar to the battle that takes place in Buffy’s head every day. Me or her? Them or me? Day in and day out, Buffy is up against vampires, demons, Hell-gods, and the most terrifying beast of all: The beast of burden. And once again, it’s decision-making time. According to the scrolls, the only way to stop Glory and to prevent chaos from reigning over the planet is to kill Dawn. Do the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one when "the one" is your sister? What will Buffy’s choice be this time? The decision may not be hers to make. There are two very human (though artificially created) beings that could easily make it for her. Ben: who must choose between Dawn’s life and his own. And Dawn: who finally understands what it means to be the Chosen One. "I could so save the world if somebody handed me super powers," Dawn once wrote in her diary. Now’s her chance. She’s beginning to understand the power within her. She’s beginning to understand the responsibility that comes with this power. Not unlike a young Buffy Summers, Dawn is finding herself in a position that many teenagers wish to be on only to regret that wish once they’re there. What will she choose? (Flashback one more time) *((Many thanks to www.buffyguide.com for help with quotage))* * * * * * * * * * The countdown begins. How do you think the season will end? Who will sacrifice his/her life to save the world? Visit the message boards to share your thoughts and predictions.
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Post by Dalton on Jan 26, 2004 18:59:37 GMT -5
by Jen Sonstein 5/22/2001
Once upon a decade full of hairspray, legwarmers, and Michael Jackson, an American icon was introduced: the video arcade.
To be fair, the arcade really arrived in the late 70s with games like Space Invader and Asteroids sitting in the corner of the local pizza parlor. But the 80s brought cooler games, totally awesome special effects, and Pac-Man fever. Amidst the 1984 video arcade slump, a very different kind of game appeared on the scene. Its name? Gauntlet. (Those of you born after 1985 may be familiar with the spin-offs, Gauntlet Legends and Gauntlet Dark Legacy.)
Gauntlet was the first to combine the fun of the video game with the adventure of interactive fantasy role-playing. But best of all, four could play at once (each as a different character) and work together to fight monsters, maneuver through mazes, and uncover lots of treasure. Plus, if the character you preferred was taken, you didn’t have to waste a quarter on Congo Bongo. You could stand behind the multi-colored 2D screens and watch the story progress.
Until it was your turn to jump in and help save the world.
Granted, it’s an obscure analogy. But from the time Willow zaps Glory’s brains until Xander “picks up a spare,” watching their kick-Glory’s-big-fat-ass fight scene reminded me of a video game. Not the kind with 3D visuals, surround-sound and buttered popcorn, but the more “primitive” 80s version. Where one player’s strength is another’s weakness. The kind that used four joysticks and four characters who combine their skills to beat the big baddies and save the world. Think about it.
This season has been all about teamwork. Since we’ve known her, Buffy has always been a major micro-manager and over-achiever. Gradually, rather than giving them orders, Buffy began asking her friends for serious contributions and solutions to problems she couldn’t solve herself. As Willow’s power increased, Buffy allowed her to visit the front lines more often. Buffy learned to need and use Willow’s magic skills. “You’re the strongest person here,” Buffy tells Willow. Sure, Buffy’s got the Dagon Sphere and the Troll God’s hammer, but at that moment, she’s low on health points. She needs Willow to jump in. “Will, you’re up,” says the Slayer.
But while Willow’s sorcery and smarts can easily knock Glory down for a spell, the witch is forced to retreat when it comes to throwing punches. This is where both Spike and Xander can jump in. They’re both physically strong. Plus, Spike has the added advantage of already being dead. His only weaknesses are the bloody Slayer, her sister, and Mr. Pointy.
While Xander is a mere mortal, he’s the brave and noble type. He has a soul. He’d risk his own life to save a princess (or a really clever and funny ex-demon girlfriend). Xander has hope and a really sexy reason to live. (Although, I think he’s rushing things a bit with a marriage proposal.)
Giles’ strength (and his weakness) is his loyalty. “I’ve sworn to protect this sorry world and sometimes that means saying and doing things other people can’t.” Giles is the guy who is watching the game progress, calling out comments and encouragement to the players, and then jumps in when one of the players runs out of life lines or quarters.
In the past, Buffy handed out tasks and the Gang helped out. Giles was their adult guide. This year, weakened by Glory and by tragedy, Buffy has really needed her Scoobies. Last week, Buffy finally decided to let go of some responsibilities. She charges out of her coma with a new purpose, to stop being the manager and start being a member of the team. This “End of the World, Part 7” isn’t a one-player game. In order to reach their goal, each team member must contribute. Each player may find himself at a crossroads. Each player may be called upon to make a sacrifice for the group. Each has the chance to be a hero.
Buffy finally realizes the true meaning of her gift. She gives her life to save Dawn and repair the fabric of the universe. But, Buffy doesn’t single-handedly save the world.
Giles says to Ben before killing him, “she’s a hero you see; she’s not like us.” Giles is so wrong. You don’t have to be the Chosen One to be a hero. I mean, COME ON, who’s doing the choosing anyway? They’ve all proven themselves heroes again and again. They’ve all saved the world. A lot.
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As most of you know, “The Gift” marks Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s 100th episode and the last to appear on the WB. This grand finale opened with a flashy montage summarizing all that had happened up until then and closed with a shot of Buffy Summers’ tombstone. But in Sunnydale, as we know, death is hardly ever permanent.
Many of us have expressed our doubts and discontent recently about the Glory Story. We all can think of ways the writers might have handled the plot progression differently. I could even find a gripe or two about tonight’s ep. In conclusion, however, tonight’s season finale lived up to my expectations. I got some answers to my many questions. In emotionally charged scenes, characters we thought we knew so well revealed new dimensions and depth. Every member of the extended Gang surprised me in one way or another.
"The Gift" was also filled with classic quoteage: lines that make you laugh, ones that make you cry, and those that make you weep so violently you have to rewind the tape three times to really hear what was said. And, I quote:
“Don’t have another coma, okay?”
“Smart chicks are so hot.” “ You couldn’t have figured that out in 10th grade?”
“This is how many apocalypses now?”
“I know I’m a monster, but you treat me like a man.”
“I got so lost...” “I will always find you.”
And Buffy’s final words to Dawn. The message she asks her sister to remember and pass on to her friends. All I can say about that one is, “Wow.” Though spoken in the background of a fairly cheesy scene (did someone see Crouching Tiger too many times?), Buffy’s goodbye speech is still somehow...perfect.
“The hardest thing in this world is to live in it. Be brave. Live. For me.”
Thanks to Joss and Co. for a pretty fabulous season finish. Don’t forget to stop by sometime next week to read “It’s A Buffy Wrap!”--my overview of season five, a compilation of praise, rants, and raves, and a chance to discuss the questions that will surely linger over our heads until the fall.
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Post by Dalton on Jan 26, 2004 19:02:05 GMT -5
by Jen Sonstein 5/31/2001
WARNING: The following contains a lot of talk about Buffy. The unitalicized version. The girl.
Did you ever look back on the last year of your life and wonder how you got from there to here so quickly? Then a moment later you think back to all that has happened to you—how much you’ve changed and they’ve changed—and remember that the year went by ever-so-slowly as you waited for that bad mood to pass, for summer to arrive, or the pain to dull?
If Buffy weren’t so dead right now, how do you think she’d sum up the past (last?) year of her life? Does it feel like yesterday that she and Riley were frolicking in the sand? Is it difficult for her to believe that it’s only been three months since her mother died? It must seem like forever ago. She’s been so busy saving the world.
A year ago Buffy was an only child with a healthy, living mother. She had a boyfriend. Like most of us, she heaved a sigh of relief when the Initiative was run outta town. She headed into summer bright-eyed and busy-tailed.
Everything was so different. Who was that girl? What happened to everything and everyone she knew? How did she get from there to here?
Dracula. Dawn. Riley. Spike. Joyce. Glory. Ben. The Knights. The Monks. The Council. The First Slayer. Each—to some degree--played an important role in Buffy’s recent life. Each was a separate story in and of itself. Each contributed to the Slayer’s melt down. Each pushed her a little closer to the edge. To jumping off that ledge.
Buffy’s life in Sunnydale has never been easy. Unfortunately, Buffy experienced a very atypical sophomore slump—try multiplying the average slump times a million. Cliché me, but when it rains, it pours. For Buffy Summers, it’s been raining dead cats and dogs since September. She’s had to Ob-La-Di, Ob-La Da her way out of awful situation after even more awful situation. When was the last time something really good happened to her? What has she had to look forward to? After Riley left, and Joyce died; after Glory beat her time and time again; when it seemed that all hope was gone, what did Buffy really have to live for?
October 2000 Dear Diary, Dawn’s not my real sister. Some monks just implanted false memories into my brain and into the brains of those I love to convince us we care. Trying to make the best of it. xoxo- B
November 2000 Dear Diary, Mom keeps fainting. They think she might have a brain tumor. At least her doctor is hot. I feel helpless. xoxo- B P.S. There’s this new bitch in town. Why is it so easy for her to kick my ass? I think I might actually have to ask Spike for help.
December 2000 Dear Diary, My life sucks. Mom’s not getting better. Dawn’s being a brat. And Riley left me! Plus…I can’t believe I’m actually writing this…I think Spike wants me. Yuck! I don’t know how much more of this I can take. Merry F-in’ X-mas, B
January 2001 Dear Diary, I can’t stand to look at myself in the mirror. Glory keeps beating me up. I feel clingy and needy and all way too dependent on my friends since Riley left. Oh and the stupid Watchers Council is in town again. I need some self-confidence back soon or I’m really gonna lose it. I hope no one reads this. They can’t know I’m feeling so vulnerable. Especially not Mom or Dawn. G’night, B
February 2001 Ew! I was right. Spike is obsessed with me! But at least Mom seems to be getting better. Maybe the new year will bring new hope. Crossing my fingers…B
March 2001 Why? Why?! Why?!?!?
Luckily, I’m not Buffy and I can review the past year of her life as an outsider. With you, I can look at her character and the story lines of her life and pick them apart. We can watch her interact with her friends and evaluate how these monumental events have changed this young woman. As bad as YOUR life may have been this past year, it’s unlikely it was a horrific as hers. Isn’t TV great that way?
As much as she complained that she didn’t, the Slayer got a taste of what it’s like to be a normal girl this year.
She learned lots of normal girl lessons. Like:
Sometimes it’s difficult to balance your needs with the needs of those you love.
Sometimes you have to walk away from someone you love because you know you’re heading in different directions. Or run towards someone you loathe because you know he can help you in your noble pursuits. That special powers may give you an advantage over other big girls, but you will still know enemies you can’t defeat (like shop-a-holic bimbo Gods or an incurable cancer) and you’ll feel some guilt and regret when someone you love dies.
In Season Five, Buffy transitioned. Responsible for the fate of the universe since her teens, Buffy understands what it’s like to be relied upon. But she’s always had someone else to rely on, too. Buffy’s experienced grownup things like sex and…well, sex. But without a warning or a handbook from which to study she became a Big Girl. Becoming a Big Girl has absolutely nothing to do with having special powers. It’s about priorities. And acceptance. And "life goes on." There’s no way of knowing when or how you’ll be forced to grow from little to big. It just happens. And your world changes. Big girls have to take care of their little sisters. Sometimes big kids even have to take care of other big kids (like when they go crazy or slip into a coma). Big kids practice more selflessness than selfishness. When you’re big, you know when a battle can be won and when it can’t.
There’s been talk since the finale about Buffy’s choice. Whether her act was a suicide or a sacrifice. In my mind, suicide is an extraordinarily selfish act, while sacrifice is just the opposite. Suicide is about taking. Sacrifice is about giving: whether it’s a gesture as small as giving up your seat on the train or as huge as jumping into rip in the universe in order to save it. Buffy’s final act was part selfish, but mostly sacrifice. I can’t believe that this strong, courageous woman would simply jump to her death. I can only believe that she took a leap of faith; hoping that her " death" might give others a chance to live and that she might find something better on the other side.
Wherever Buffy landed, she’s a big girl now.
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