I gotta admit I have a lot of empathy for Dawn here. Having to give up things that are important to her, things that were her mom's. I would think they could simply move them out of the house for a while, and bring them back later.
Invisi-ray-gun thing? Is actually really cool. But I don't think it makes you unstoppable, Warren, just a bit harder to find.
Also having a lot of empathy over Dawn being mad at Willow and Buffy. And Buffy is only partially right that Dawn is mad "because I let it happen". I think she sees the situation as Buffy paying attention to, and trying to help, Willow with her issues but not Dawn with hers. Which is also unfair it its own way, 'cuz while Buffy is keeping secrets, Dawn sure as heck is too. Big time communication break-down all over here.
Mmmmmm. Spike. Shirt-riding-up-peek-of-skin-spatula-wielding-sweet-talking-Spike! Mmmmm. **goes to happy land of naked-spatula-spankings** Also? Being super skinny is sure highlighting James' . . . assets. Look at the . . . um . . . the front of those jeans!
Damn! **stays in happy land a bit more*
Alrighty. Back again.
Oh, so painful, with the clueless (I prefer to think he is willfully blind, because he doesn't want to see) Xander.
And now the evil social worker.
Oooooh! Artfully-gorgeous-slouchy-awkwardly-but-sweetly-sticking-up-for-Buffy-Spike!! Mmmmmm. Tasty! Heee! Needs his blanky.
And of course evil social worker is not really evil, more just a bit rush to judgey and slighty unprofessional, but not necessarily completely without reason.
I love love love the little tell-tale bit with the lighter. Both for the sexual euphamism goodness and for the "aha" insight into the Buffy denial.
And now for the cutting of the hair. Change my world now! Make things different! Make me different!
The still dorky trio. "We're professionals." Professional
what, dudes?
Heee! I still love those edits. "What happened to Buffy? She's gone!" ;D
Also? Still love Xander's snarky humor.
"I put her with your family."
"Great. Except we don't
hate Buffy." ;D
Marcie reference. Continuity win!
And Buffy gets a tiny taste of what she is really wanting right now. Escape!
"I guess it wouldn't matter if I fell off the wagon completely, since you already think I'm making pit-stops!" Yeah. Wishfull thinking much?
And now the series of funny, but also cruel and surprisingly effective, Buffy hijinks.
For some reason, the invisible plastic pylon always cracks me up.
Ooooooh! Buffy and Spike sexin's!! **settles in for several watchings**
More examples of the dividing line between Warren on the "OK to murder" side and Jonathan and Andrew, still (so far) on the "not OK to kill" side. Go, Jonathan, with your standing up to Warren and all!
Nekkid push-ups!!!!! Oh, how I love love love this whole scene. I know, there's lots of serious arc and important insight into the state of mind of the characters and ethical questions and blah blah blah - my mind just keeps going "Ooooooh, nekkid!" Well, and it also keeps yelling for Buffy to move her damn leg and let us all enjoy the view, but I digress.
(Actually, in addition to all of the above possible serious stuff that could be discussed from this scene, the particular one that struck me this time was Buffy's "are you ashamed to be seen with me" and "he had no idea I was here" comments. Because that is the exact opposite of her later stance when he is wanting to tell others about them and she refuses. Also, he, as he often does, is really getting to a lot of truth with his comments about how and why she is enjoying the blinvisibleness. Buffy, filtering his comments thru her own current depressed emotional state, puts a "something is wrong with Buffy" spin on it, without engaging the emotional truth.)
I've always found it a hopeful sign, though, that the news of her possible impending pudding-fication does get thru to Buffy. That she fights - to save Willow and to save herself. She may not be all rollin' in puppies by the end, and she's been rather hurtful along the way, but she isn't completely desolate either.
Also? Willow! Have we learned nothing over the years about taking back-up along with us to the villains lair? Or at least leaving a "I went to the villain's lair" note or something?
God, the whole fight in the arcade is too too funny! All the camera shots of empty space, cutting from one to another, still with no one there? They're over here! Now down on the floor! Now rush over here! And still, no one visible in the frame. ;D Love the subversion of the classic fight scene.
