Amends
the first of the First
I'm really glad they went back and used more of the depth in that creepy thing
Buffy has bad hair in this. looks like a 70s wig for a while there.
Buffy also has a pretty sparkly butterfly top. I want.
Xander has a dragon. Also pretty.
Why does no one try to stop him sleeping outside? Or at least point out the whole 'vamp bait' aspect of the practice? Is Xander just that dumb, or is it really worth risking pointy toothed death to avoid his drunk family?
Oz has Om shirt. Very Oz. orange and glowy.
The Oz speech - 'lost a torso' - thats sort of extra sad, knowing he does lose her in the end
And the look on his face when they hug - so sweet! breaks my heart now *sniffley*
Sunnydale Christmas looks so bizarre - fake snow on dead trees in really hot weather. Burning stuff when is already too hot. Sticking with the forms and rituals with no regard to the content. Bizarre.
Joyce saying no to inviting Giles. Poor lonely Giles. Just because of the embarrassing thing. And the blaming him thing. Which adds up to quite a large thing really.
Faith invited to big party
Never being straight with people. Preemptive strikes.
Giles cooking is kind of hot. Don't know why. possibly my utter lack of ability in that area.
He has I think a framed map above the cooker. Odd place to put, well, anything really. Steam and all that. He also has a bottle with a British flag label on the back of the cooker.
He is smiley when he answers the door then it falls off. Nice acting moment.
"And the funny keeps on coming" love his reactions.
Giles is wearing braces and they hang down around his butt. Looks like he has a tail. heh.
(he says all right. in the subtitles it is all right and not alright. this is only relevant because all everyone keeps telling me Giles doesn't say alright. But I like the word. So in my fic he does, a lot.)
Giles has a dart board. I think the darts move around sometimes.
When Jenny turns up that is a very nicely done moment, very creepy.
That whole first conversation after Giles lets Angel in takes place with Angel standing next to a target (dartboard) and Giles next to a shadow puppet (I think, flat with sticks). Angel target puppet appropriate. Clever use of junk.
Very creepy with Angel at that party, using her, um, social fear? To make her cooperate in her own death. Nasty.
The linked dreams thing is odd.
Evidence of some link between Buffy and the First even back then? Or just a Buffy/Angel thing?
Giles library office has christmassy tinsel, and one of those red leaf plants, and a big bow on the filing cabinet.
Also a big landscape over his desk. I know I typed all the things that were in his office in first season. I think the stuff on the wall has changed.
Research books include "
The Diary of Lucius Temple. An acolyte of Acathla, an expert on demons." Acathla again, looking for the why of things. 'heartier beets' heh.
More tinsel in the library. And a mini tree.
And a really big pizza.
The dead guy talking to Angel now is talking about his kids, being arranged artfully after death. He is dressed modern, so this is something Angelus did in the time he was back. Nasty.
"Never had a chance to" "to die of syphilis?"
Angel, Xander, Darla. Anyone else?
The incorporeal thing seems to be, er, not so very enforced here.
back to the library again - there is a red and white stocking up on the wall with 'Mr Giles' written on it. awww, sweet!
Everybody falls asleep before Giles does. He still working.
Dream, definitely a Buffy/Angel thing. But only happening conveniently this once? Or do you think they do similar guest spots other times?
Am now imagining how Spike would react to that idea... oh dear...
Bringers conjure spirit manifestations and set them on people
bit different to the later 'First Evil looks like dead people' bit.
maybe the Bringers conjured the thing that messed with Dawn and the others are the First mucking about.
Is kind of funny that the demon bar also has the tinsel and lights up.
the underground - things that live under the ground
'I was very intimidated' and Xander all happy
Oz face when he sees Willow
And then when the music starts
"Just a dramatic gesture"
hmm. after his little speech about the middle of the play. drama Oz.
Oz expressions are subtle but interesting.
And Oz is sooooo sweet.
roaring fire, "maybe I should turn the air conditioning on"
Buffy has another butterfly in her hair. Shiny.
Buffy has been wearing a cross in, I think, every single other episode this year. But now there is only a shiny little star thingy. Convenient.
Tells Faith to play watchdog but doesn't explain the why of things. Faith pushes them away, but sometimes is made rather easy.
"You never were a fighter, Angel, don't start tryin now"
hmmm. sounds all wrong, but then his response is to go try and kill himself by waiting for the sun. Not exactly a fighty answer.
"isn't the plan. But it'll do." First happy to get rid of vamp with soul, even if Slayer survives.
So why does it go and tell the Slayer about 'dead by sunrise'. And then repeat it to make sure she gets the message? Silly.
So everyone claims to have brought Angel back from the demon dimension. Did anyone claim the snow?
I blame Jasmine.
Is vaguely irritating actually. Angel gets miracle snow. Because he is Just That Important.
I kind of prefer the thing where not important people do important things
"Angel, you have the power to do real good, to make amends"
the policy on if Angel even needs to make amends seems kind of wobbly. I mean Angelus, yeah, bad man. But Angel? Mostly only didn't do stuff, not so much did do stuff.
"Strong is fighting. Its hard, and its painful, and its every day."
Angel trying for the big gesture, Buffy pointing out that that isn't the hard thing.
kind of want to, like, make a tape of this for Angel later on. No big doomed gestures! Big silly!
but he got snow for his gesture. so he keeps waiting for the next big sign from above. Like waiting for the shanshu. Has to be the big grand thing.
If snow can be heavy enough vampires don't have to worry about the sun, that would make cold places the logical hangout for vampires. Find someplace with really bad weather, never have to worry.
Never being straight with people. Preemptive strikes.
I do think an episode such as Amends does support a more "open ended" perspective concerning Willow's sexuality.