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Buffy the Vampire Slayer Reaction 7x19 (Patreon)

Published:
2024-01-19 17:00:15
Edited:
2024-05-22 10:45:27
Imported:
2026-08
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Please use one of the links at the bottom of this post to watch this video, thank you:

Hello All!

This episode made me cry and also rage. I had a lot of defensive thoughts when watching this as you'll see in my outro haha. I just felt for Buffy a lot. The vibes were not there in this one as the weight of the world gets a little too much for our gang!

I filmed this just before the sickness hit hard and only managed to edit today so apologies for that.

Hope you enjoy the reaction folks. Have a lovely week everyone! Thank you for the constant love & support!

Much love

Dakara x

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TROUBLESHOOTING:

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Comments

Mirko Paskota

To borrow a comment from one YouTube reaction channel: "You know who would NEVER have kicked Buffy out of her own house? TARA!!!"

Purple Nurple

watching this whilst drinking wine... makes me insult everyone even more for ganging up on Buffy... poor Buffster

Paul Thomas-Humphreys

Definitely think you’re right about Buffy being broken and needing to get away from it all. They didn’t so much kick her out, as she chose to leave. She could’ve chosen to take Faith up on her challenge to see if she could follow but I suspect she just needed a break. Or a breakdown.

Bea

this episode makes me fume with such a ridiculous amount of anger every time. i LOVE anya but her speech in this episode literally makes me burn with rage 😭 how dare anyone say that buffy didn’t earn her place in charge? after she’s saved them over and over. after she DIED to save them over and over.

Bart Aansorgh

So... that meeting. I get the fuming, it feels like betrayal. But i think it was done well, and it actually has been leading up to it in my opinion. Slowly for episodes now, Buffy has been pushed into the role of a general/commander. Making decisions that cost lives, slowly becomming removed from everything. Everyone looks to her to make sense of things, to lead them. Then the vineyard happened. And buffy straight after has to deal with the situation, she's out and about, having no time to stand still, rest, recuperate or even sleep. Meanwhile all the slayerettes are stewing in the house unable to get out, only seeing buffy get back hurt or having no real new info. So they blame her for what happened. this is where it escalated, afraid and not wanting to walk into another dangerous situation. It all feeds of eachother. Faith did make valid points, And I think you're right. Buffy is near a mental breakdown here. running on fumes. Just like with that first Ubervamp, she's not had any rest fot who knows how long. And she defintely earned her stripes. Overall its a hard episode, but one i do understand. Though it is maddening for sure. And I like her speach about the bad guys go where the power is. In the beginning the first was all over that seal. Why isnt it now? I'm looking forward to the next one, cos it sure is building. Don't worry though and make sure you get better since you've had it rough :).

Bart Aansorgh

also, can we get more of spike and andrew as a dynamic duo ? :P im here for it

Ed Green

This episode angers a lot of people. And so, I've found, does the following argument: Buffy does not actually get kicked out of her own house in this episode. She's presented by her colleagues-in-arms, via Dawn, with a choice between 2 options: stay and work under Faith, or leave. She's so used to being the only Slayer, the one with all the burden and responsibility, that she doesn't seem to even consider the option of staying around as an advisor to Faith, which would have defused the situation and made her departure unnecessary. Plus I feel it would have been the right thing to do - Buffy has more experience than anyone living, let alone anyone in the group on her side. Her expertise is invaluable and her absence, which wasn't forced on her, is hugely detrimental to their hopes. This is a depressing development, but as has been said above, it's understandable given the military circumstances in which she's found herself. Now, having lit the blue touch paper with this comment, I'm going to run to a safe distance in prep for potential incendiary replies. Get well soon, Dak.

Christopher simeon

People always don't understand what Anya means by EARNED. When you are chosen as a vampire slayer it is not because you are special. Buffy was a cheerleader basically like cordy who didn't deserve to get any powers. She was not chosen by anyone after evaluating her skills or personality. She didn't earn her powers they were random. Now that is not saying buffy hasn't excelled with her powers and done good but it doesn't change that fact that she did not earn them they were given to her at random by the slayer line. This is what Anya means. Buffy can't treat the fact that she was chosen as slayer as a reason to say she is better than everyone and gets to make choices for them because becoming a slayer is not earned it is given.

Ed Green

I think if Tara had been there, she'd have made the argument to Buffy that they needed her to stay and advise, and that Buffy needed to stay for her own safety.

Steve Quinn

While I do agree that Buffy has dealt with the stress of leadership by putting up walls between her and the Potentials, I believe that she is right when she says that making the tough decisions (such as going back to the Vineyard) is just what she has done for seven years. The big problem is how all her "friends" have now lost trust in her. But though they argue based on events, in truth they are all acting out of bitterness and resentment. And what this season has done very cleverly is set up valid reasons for each of them to feel bitter towards Buffy. Anya still smarts from the Fraternity House episode (her comment a while back about how Spike could get away with murdering 100 Frat Boys makes this clear); Robin Wood resents the way Buffy was against him over his Spike vendetta; Giles has increasingly felt that Buffy has grown up and does not need his advice; Xander's support has been cut away with the loss of his eye; Willow is not thinking clearly in her grief over Xander; Dawn was feeling very left out with all the potential slayers, and still remembers "Joyce's" comments about Buffy betraying her. Faith is perhaps one of the few merely expressing an opinion...though her past rivalry with Buffy may have some input here. Shocking though the episode was, I do applaud the way this situation was engineered to be both credible and almost inevitable.

Kristen Keys

I agree with you Bea. She may have been "gifted" her powers, but 7 years of living up to the task, saving the world and countless lives... I mean, if that isn't enough to earn her title of Slayer, I don't know what is. It may be a retroactive thing, but that doesn't make it count any less.

Kristen Keys

So this scene is infuriating. If I did fan fiction, I would write a scene where there is a giant smack-down and Buffy teaches them all a lesson, lol. But seriously, nobody there had any right to criticize Buffy except Willow, Giles, Faith, Xander... maybe Dawn. But friends don't air differences publicly. They should have excused themselves and had a conversation, you know, like grown-ups. But there's also the fact that a scene where the SG would do such a thing is deeply out of sync with these characters. I think my reaction, besides rage, is what am I watching here? A parallel universe? None of it makes sense.

Kristen Keys

I don't even think a saint could have agreed to stay and accept those terms, after being ganged up on like that. If she had stayed, the potential brats would have abused her more anyway. I admire your diplomatic way of thinking, though!

Kristin Carter

Yeah, if it was me, I'd be like, "It's fine if you want to disagree with me, but you can get the hell out of my house." Honestly, Willow has been living here rent-free for years at this point, even when Buffy was working at the Doublemeat Palace and struggling, as well as doing her slayer duties.

Kristin Carter

I'm not going to be "presented with 2 options" in my own home though. If they want Faith to be their leader and think Buffy is doing such a bad job, they all need to pack up and go live in Faith's old hotel room and leave Buffy be.

Jack

Everyone is born with some natural talents and not others, it's how you use them that counts. And Buffy has proven that she was both born with one heck of a natural talent, and used it very, very well.

L F

Same

Jack

I actually really like the "Ding dong, the witch is dead" line. Obviously not from the outside, I think it's stupid and really insensitive; but in storytelling terms it really brings home to me how Buffy is seen by some of these characters. They don't have the same history with Buffy, they haven't witnessed the past 7 years. From their perspective, they only know the Buffy of the past few episodes - they can only judge her based on that tiny, limited, window and it's no surprise that they form incorrect judgments based on that small amount of knowledge. To them they've only seen Buffy the general, emotionally distant, leading them in a dictatorship, leading many of them to their deaths, and often being really verbally harsh to them afterwards. Perhaps it is a relief to them, in that moment, to see the back of her. No excuses for the Scoobies though, they behaved terribly.

Shaun 🏳️‍🌈

The scene is even more infuriating when you remember that this is all Willow, Xander and Anya’s fault! If they hadn’t resurrected Buffy, The First wouldn’t have gone after the slayer line. Buffy once again never asked to be put in this position, they put her there when they brought her back

Shaun 🏳️‍🌈

This isn’t an isolated case, the SG have always done this. They put all the pressure on Buffy to solve the problem or come up with a plan and when it doesn’t work they’re harsh with their blame, making her feel more alone. They sometimes seem to forget that she’s a person first and the slayer second. I get that everyone in the group is scared and tired but so is Buffy!

Christopher simeon

But that is not what Anya is talking about. She didn't say you don't deserve to be slayer. She basically said stop treating the title you have as a way of being in power since that title could have literally been given to anyone. The reason buffy accomplished all that she did was because she was given superpowers. What Anya is saying is the same as genetics. If I a man said I deserve to be in charge because I am stronger and faster then all the ladies in the room would you say that is alright. Being a man with these genes was given to me. I didn't earn it same as buffy did not earn the power of the slayer. That is way Anya said what she said because buffy is using the title not her actions to get people to follow her.

Christopher simeon

The only thing I didn't agree with is the kicking out part. If you were 15-18 years old and some woman tells you to go somewhere then some of you die would you not be terrified of going back. If that same woman then tells you that hey even though we have less people and barely made it out last time I think we should go back would you not tell her to fuck off? I think everyone's reaction to that is definitely right. Buffy is asking too much from these girls. Not giving them a choice is wrong.

Bud Haven

Don't feel bad about feeling angry about this episode. I think most do. Some episodes are like that as you know. I can think of a certain episode last season.

PaulC

Not sure I agree on the slayer thing, I'm inclined to think that slayers are chosen precisely because they are special, not just picked at random. The key word is "chosen". I do get what Anya is saying, but that's her resentment talking, it doesn't make her right.

Brian Dworak

This is a hard, dark, emotional one. So much doubt on everyone's mind after the loss of some of the potentials and Xander's horrible wounding by Caleb. I'm of two conflicting opinions here, as I can feel Buffy's need to rally the troops and somehow take him out, but I also understand everyone else (except that b*tch that said, "Ding dong, the witch is dead" - she can go **** herself). I thought it was rather rich for Dawn to say that it was her house too. Are you paying the mortgage? Are you paying the utilities? Honey, you never even existed until a few years ago. Go to your room. The rest of you can eff off too. There's a Motel 6 about three miles from here and walking is good for the circulation. 👉🏼 Giles, go back to England and have your tea and hobnobs, some jelly babies and jaffa cakes, and maybe send a postcard once a year. Ta very much. My favorite moments of the lighter variety were definitely the pairing up of Spike and Andrew. The discussion and mutual admiration of the Bloomin' Onion was very funny, particularly when Spike told Andrew exactly how they're made. Very nostalgic for me because I haven't had one of those since the early '80s. I'm very happy with Faith's return before the series comes to an end. She's always been a badass and I'm glad they are (hopefully) ending her storyline on a positive note. I can't remember if she ever addressed what she did and apologized for it, but I don't see the person that she is now doing anything like that again. Another enjoyable watch Dak, thank you so much. Oh, and thank you for the coffee shoutout! Never had one at the beginning before, it was a (very) early birthday gift. ☕❤️

TheMartinScott

You are not alone. Angry, betrayed, and it does feel personal. 7 years protecting her friends and the world, literally dying for them and the world. She deserved respect. Period. Discussing a plan is not what they were doing, they were not working with her. Publicly knocking her down a peg isn't something friends do, especially these friends. My take on the episode. We can still be alone when things get hard. Even a hero, Buffy, can be alone and betrayed by the people closest to her. People that know better. People downing in fear, even more than Buffy is.

Bea

i absolutely understand the reaction from the potentials, they don’t have as much reason to trust buffy. it’s more the scoobies reaction that drives me up the wall. i get what anya is saying about her not earning the calling, but i she also calls buffy “luckier than us” for being the slayer, as if it’s not one of the most difficult, terrifying and dangerous things that could ever be thrust on a person (also a literal child). she may not have earned it at 15, but she spent every second since then earning it. often the scoobies treat slaying as some fun extracurricular that they can choose to participate in. buffy doesn’t get that luxury, she’s the only one who has that burden on her shoulders, she’s not lucky to be the slayer.

Kristen Keys

That's actually fair. I didn't think about the fact that they have known Buffy for all of, what, a couple months? It wouldn't stop me from socking them in the mouth, which, in her defense, it looked like Dawn was about to do. 😆

Kristen Keys

Hear hear! Can you imagine telling your parents (which is what Buffy basically is to her) that it's your house too, so they should leave? hahahaha

C J

I could discuss this episode to death but all I'll say is that it's the result of bad writing/planning. They only have this one final season and they have certain story elements to fit in and so, like you mentioned, it feels like you've missed an episode. It's very Daenerys season 8. I do think there are some valid points to each argument but it was completely the wrong setting, wording and placement. While she didn't speak up in the hospital I think that Willow was showing her disappointment in Buffy that she was running away from the problem, busying herself with other things so she didn't have to stay in the same room with Xander. They know Buffy the best and that certainly wasn't the time or place for an argument. For Xander, he has had a life changing injury and after sticking up for Buffy in the last one and always throwing himself into the fight, I think his point in this was valid, but like you said, it really should have been a core group discussion. Agh, look at me! I'm discussing it when I didn't mean to. Literally I could go on forever. At the end of the day Buffy is the hero. She shows up, she sacrifices and she does what needs to be done. On the other side, she has a history of being the one to make all the decisions (they often put that on her too), but while you are in a leader role making those choices, that's not all a leader is. She has a history of secluding herself and pointing out that she's alone even when her closest friends are there supporting her so it's very much like going back to her speech, 'I am the law' which is something she slammed Faith for in S3. Like Faith says in this one, 'Can you follow' and that's a valid point. They all went willing to the vineyard on her say so, trusting it was the right thing, and they suffered horrific injury and losses, so its understandable they would be reticent to suddenly being told (not asked) to go back straight after with just Buffy's 'feeling' to trust. One last point, i do think it's so daft they have her get out, which again is down to the writing because, literally, they are facing an apocalypse. 😅

Christopher simeon

no it is random. There is no similarities or defining trait among the slayers that is chosen only it is just always a teenage girl that is it. they are different races and sometimes live in different continents. Buffy accomplished what she has because she had powers. She is the where she is now because she was lucky to get those powers. In that context the powers are lucky.

Bea

if it’s completely random, why are there even potentials? surely it would just select a girl at complete random, not have an unknown amount of potentials lined up. i may be wrong but i always thought that the potential slayers were chosen by some mystical force, something that deemed those potentials worthy, or strong enough (mentally) to be a slayer, and then a slayer would be selected at random by the same force from that pool of potentials. i’m not 100% sure on the lore but that’s just how i’d always seen it

Christopher simeon

Great Points but i disagree on the thrones comparison. Xander literally showed how much he supported her last episode and lost an eye and buffy still said she felt like only spike had her back. faith points out buffy's issues and gets punched for it but no people think buffy's doing everything right. There is a reason why the big bad has made buffy's image it's primary form. She has issues she needs to address because they are making her fail.

PaulC

I agree, if it was truly random then there would be no purpose in having potentials. Their defining trait is their "potential" capability as slayers. Buffy was exceptional not because she had powers or was lucky, but because she was Buffy.

Thom Purdy

The scene in the Hospital with Willow and Xander brings to mind a scene way back in S1 Ep4, "Teacher's Pet", when discussing how the She-Mantis bites off the heads of her victims, and Willow frets because that's where Xander's eyes are.

Julian Welton

This episode, specifically THAT scene, is so hard to watch. On one hand it was just not a well fleshed out sub plot. Buffy hadn't steered them wrong until the assault on the vineyard. It doesn't make sense for EVERYONE to completely lose faith in her at the same time. Especially Willow because not only is Buffy her best friend but Buffy took her back and accepted her after everything she did in the previous season. So Willow standing by, not defending her at all, and allowing her to be kicked out of her own house is INSANE. It's out of character and simply makes no sense. On the other hand, from a suspension of disbelief perspective, it's just emotionally hard to take because Buffy hasn't done anything wrong. Shes always tried her best. She saved Xander and Willow and Giles, saved the world, how many times but they're all fine turning on her?! Shes earned zero trust?! And Dawn... I literally don't know what to say other than I wish Buffy had thrown her through a window and that she had hit five other windows while flying through the air on her way down a flight of stairs. The house is in Buffys name, Buffy pays the bills, Buffy buys the food, Buffy drives her to school. You are a child, sorry a f***ing key, this is not your house you little traitor! So, yeah, this episode is a bit hard to watch lol.

Jim Greer

I cheered when Xander was blinded because i hated him from episode 1 . Nobody should have been surprised when Buffy’s so called friends turned on her because it certainly wasn’t the first time , these are the same people that couldn’t tell her from a robot .If it had been me i would have found Spike and left them to fend for themselves .

DB

I'm late to this because I've been sick on/off for 2 months now (jfc worst winter ever) but I'm in minority who not only like the fight scene but also kinda understand Scoobies side. We've already seen that fight in Dead Man's Party and The Yoko Factor. The unity of this group is occasionally tested and not necessarily by external factors. The truth is Buffy as the Slayer is not supposed to have that entourage. She's supposed to fight alone and she's supposed to make difficult decisions. She says it herself earlier this season when she fights with Scoobies over Anyas fate. It's easy to understand why she thinks her idea is the correct one and it's easy to empathise with her in that moment. But the Scoobies doubting her make sense to me too. They expect her humanity to shine through. A trauma has happened within their circle and Buffy barely acknowledge it. They need Buffy their friend but at this point it's only Buffy the Slayer that they witness. The one that decides and doesn't listen, and cuts herself off. "In the end the Slayer is always cut off." Oddly enough I think that both parties need to realise that Buffy is actually capable of doing this alone, without relying on everyone.

C J

I get what you're saying, and I agree that it's definitely been a lead up, not just this season but throughout the show (which I was attempting to make a point of in my comment but I was already rabbiting on too much 😅 ). I made the comparison because like with Daenerys - while that was more of a smack in the face - this season of Buffy was also rushed in certain places where, like Dakara mentioned, it felt like we needed another episode to explain Buffy isolating herself further; such as the gang having discussions about it without her/behind her back. That would help explain why they suddenly all turned at the same time. I mean, the writers definitely could have gotten rid of episode 6 'Him' to make time for that.

Christopher simeon

Sometimes they get a slayer that isn't already a potential in training. Buffy was one of them. Magic users can find potentials so it is not hard for the watchers to use that but it is still random as they can't predict who it will be.

PaulC

Maybe it's not that easy? That doesn't make it random!

PaulC

What to say about this episode that hasn't already been said...? I really dislike how Giles is written in these last few episodes. He wants Buffy to lead and make difficult decisions yet constantly questions and undermines her. Where is the trust that she has more than earned? It bears little resemblance to their previously established relationship IMHO. Buffy's decision to go to the vineyard last episode was a little reckless and it ended badly, so wanting to go back in without anything having changed doesn't make much sense. And while I do see some of the character resentments leading up to this, the confrontation at the end feels a bit forced to me. Drama for drama's sake. It's a huge betrayal from those closet to her, and with only three episodes to go. BTW, the band at the Bronze was Nerf Herder who did the Buffy theme!

Shaun 🏳️‍🌈

I completely agree! I feel as though Buffy’s ‘reckless’ decisions are caused by the ever increasing pressure she feels to win coupled with guilt and exhaustion but also from external pressures from the likes of Giles, Wood and the potentials.

Christopher simeon

When the council gets called out for treating buffy like a weapon everything is right but when buffy is called out by potentials and friends for treating them like weapons then it's a problem?

Christopher simeon

Because magic users can sense potentials and find them. The line exist Always. There has to be potentials around the teenage age before the next slayer appears which is why slayers aren't babies. The line is set up but the potentials are random as in they are chosen at random. Being a potential does allow you access to slayer instinct but that is about it as we saw you still need training to properly fight.

Ed Green

This is the nail-on-the-head comment, I feel. Perhaps the best solution would be for Faith to take over as manager of the potentials while Buffy and Spike go to investigate the vineyard. It's unfortunate that they wouldn't have reinforcement, but this is what happens when the Slayer responsibility clashes with the need to inspire the non-Slayer.

Collinson

I have a lot to say about this episode but I'll wait to the season end as it's part of a larger rant for me.

StephanieB

After many rewatches of this season, I find it helps for me to look at this episode through the lens of the larger themes of the show: Giles (Buffy's mind) is questioning her strategy. Willow and Xander (Buffy's spirit and heart, respectively) can't support her judgement. Remember, to win this war Buffy's mind, spirit and heart need to all be on the same page. And then there's Anya. Honestly, her little "You didn't earn it" speech pissed me off the most in that scene (besides Dawn kicking Buffy out of her own house, grrr). Listen, a DEMON came to Anya and offered her power and she used it to slaughter people for over 1,000 years! She has some nerve calling out Buffy's "unearned" power. But- looking back on Buffy's therapy session with Webs the vamp in S7x07 "Conversations with Dead People", I can see the argument that Anya is representing Buffy's own conscience. Remember, in that episode Buffy said, 'I have all this power... I didn't earn it. I don't deserve it." Considering this, it makes sense that the writers would use Anya, Sayer of All Things Others are Thinking, to say Buffy's own thoughts out loud. I'm not saying this episode doesn't still piss me off. But if I look at it though this larger lens, it helps me get through it (and forgive Anya) a little more easily. And Dawn... hm, maybe she is letting "Ghost Joyce" get to her and she is allowing her fear that Buffy will turn against her guide her judgement here. Maybe she's just scared and feeling distrustful and... Nope, still mad at her.

Kristen Keys

I like that. I think I'll try to think of it in that metaphorical interpretation. Thanks!

Koz

I think that's the most reasonable, level-headed take on this episode that I have yet seen from any reactor. And, I think your hair looks pretty good, brush or no. 😁

Christopher simeon

Anya earned the power. She cursed her the troll guy and then was rewarded with the power. So she definitely earned it more than buffy earned the slayer power.

Bea

if it’s completely random, does that not make every young girl a potential? what makes the potentials chosen? why have potentials at all if it’s completely random. either that’s a nonsensical plot hole or the potentials must be picked for a reason.

Shaun 🏳️‍🌈

Buffy may not have ‘earned’ her powers but she spent years after honing her abilities, doing good with them and making selfless sacrifices to save the world.

Pauline Robertson

how does she treat them like weapons? they're there to fight a war, as Xander says" you're not here to fight plaque". What exactly do they expect? if they don't like it then they should leave. Both Giles and Wood are telling her to be a general, make the hard decisions, maybe it's time to test them Wood told her etc.? I don't see the council comparison at all either.

StephanieB

Christopher: I guess we are using the word "earned" here pretty loosely. I mean, you turn one guy into a troll and you are rewarded with immortality and the power to kill, maim and torture for untold millenia? (I say this tongue in cheek, please don't take it to heart). But yes, taken literally D'Hoffryn did decide Anya earned her demon status. That said, we don't really know if Buffy earned slayerhood or not. She was, for whatever reason, "chosen". Perhaps there is some ancient, mystical criteria she met and it is never revealed.

Pauline Robertson

I think Buffy's "I am the law" is meant to mean when it comes to demons, as shes says humans have their own laws. I don't think that's the same as how Faith meant it.

Christopher simeon

She told them basically to blindly follow her to their deaths. She was not giving them a choice at all which is what the council does. Remember that test that made buffy powerless. These girls are basically all like that and buffy is throwing them to the wolves basically and not caring. She is risking their lives for a theory with no solid proof. That is the definition of reckless. It is not like they even need to go for any reason it is just because she thinks it might help them.

PaulC

There's certainly an argument for Buffy being reckless and emotionally detached, but unlike the Council who give their orders from afar, Buffy is leading from the front. Everyone has a choice to leave, but there is a reasonable expectation that they contribute if they stay. It's a life or death situation, not a picnic.

C J

I think it's an interesting call back to Faith, like many of the call backs in season 7. While Faith used it to condone her behaviour its not a far stretch in Buffy using it to close herself off. Yes, she is the Slayer and has to make the hard choices but she's not alone in making those choices. Her saying at the end of the day she's the law ties back in to that struggle of feeling superior (which she has admitted) and feeling like she is alone when she has others around her who can help to make those decisions. It's easier for her to make that final call. And while she brings up Angel in this scene, she only killed Angel because she was forced to. She let Angelus live for a long time while he was murdering people before an apocalyptic event caused her to push through. As we see in other episodes Angel, Spike, Willow and others are the exception to the rule more often than not because she chooses to disregard others options and favour her own choices because of what those people mean to her. As much as fans say Anya and Buffy are friends, her and Willow don't have a close bond with her and Buffy has always made the distinction of her having been a demon. So where Xander steps into Buffy's shoes in this one trying everything to save the person he loves, Buffy steps into Xanders and seperates the person from the demon. And because 'she is the law' then the choice is made.

Pauline Robertson

Buffy is testing them for a huge battle, the council tested Buffy to see how she'd fare without her powers in a designed test. It wasn't an apocalyptic end of the world type situation, it's not the same. Also, as Kennedy points out, why did Giles bring them to the Hellmouth and not you know, hide away somewhere? because the first was killing all the potentials all over the world, so they all could've been dead anyway. No Giles doesn't even tell them that he's bringing them to The Firsts location and tells Buffy it all falls on her?as Xander say" but no pressure", ridiculous.

Pauline Robertson

Buffy "there's only me,I am the law" are definitely about her feeling alone and that Buffy always has to make the final call. As Willow says in same time, same place, " Xander has the luxury of not saying stuff, but you're the slayer, you have to. It does always come down to Buffy, Willow wasn't forthcoming in helping her make the decision about Anya. Even Anya knew it made sense" I have a job to do, and so does Buffy" it wasnt like she was thinking oh I can't believe Buffy wants to kill me, she was fully aware of the consequences. I get what you're saying about letting Willow and Spike live, but with Willow I thought it was because she was human and the dark magic had taken over her, and Spike couldn't hurt anyone when he got the chip, as Buffy says, at that point he was harmless. Angelus I give a slight pass because he was her first love and she wanted to try to get Angel back, but I still think its important that she did put the sword through him, also this was before all the Faith stuff, her mother dying,Dawns arrival, her dying and coming back. All that is gonna change a person, as Giles says " you would let Dawn die now" and she says yes. Buffy is different now. She does say to Xander if theres another way then please find it. As Buffy says, Anya chose to become a demon,twice. After Anya takes it back, Buffy goes to Anya and saves her from d'hoffryns assassins, and says she doesn't want her friends out there alone. Which to me means it was just about the fact she was a demon and killing people and not about her not caring about Anya.

Pauline Robertson

Thank you for mentioning two points: Willow expecting Buffy to stay at the hospital when she's trying to stop the world from ending, making her feel more crappy than she already does, and Faith bragging about having Xander first 🙈 funnily enough no mention of the attempted sexual assault and possibly choking him to death? Also, no mention of Joyce's death? maybe because the last time you saw her you knocked her out, tied her up and threatened to kill her🤔 lol sorry just not a fan of the way Faith came back like yo yo guys,I'm so cool, urgh.

Alan Pownall

The writers had somewhere they wanted to get to and struggled to get there even though most of the stuff in this episode is an attempt to justify the later actions, in the end they have to push the chracters (including Buffy to a degree) in directions that don't fit. Buffy being distant and Xander's injury is there to help justify Xander and Willow, Buffy and Giles' relationship being a burning wreck is highlighted again in the episode; Faith showing any interest in the potentials as human beings justifies them preferring her. Whilst the level of personal betrayal still doesn't work, Dawn kicking her out is absurd, I think the actual implosion of Buffy's leadership position makes sense and it is pretty much down to her actions. Contrast the plan and presentation here vs Graduation day, there she has an idea (Faith is the Mayors weakness), this is corroborated by Angel, she then asks what the core group think and for their input and then the others go and brief the full class - she didn't march in with no plan but just a vague intuition and tell the entire class of 99 this was how it was going to be whilst it being the first Giles et al were hearing of it. If I were one of the potentials hearing this sitting there with my arm in a sling, looking at Xander's eye patch and knowing several of us just died doing the exact same thing then I would also be somewhat resistant. Buffy has previously led her friends who chose to be there, who had experience and they had built up confidence in her, she couldn't apply that same leadership to the potentials; Buffy(along with the Scoobies) may have been keeping them safe for seven years but they haven't seen it. All the potentials have seen is Buffy beat up a super vampire, forget their names, trample on the corpse of one of them who killed herself and then recklessly lead them into a trap which got some of them killed. The fact that Buffy was surprised by the reaction doesn't say great things, maybe if she had been thinking about other peoples perspectives she would have spoken to the core group first and she would have also factored in that Xander, Willow and Giles might be out of sorts for various reasons; I'm pretty sure Buffy pre season six would have been able to handle this better.

Pauline Robertson

In Graduation day they knew when it was all going to be kicking off, not so much here. They are basically waiting around to be picked off by the first, so to me it makes sense Buffy wants to get right to it. In season 2 she says tell Angel I'm done waiting and I'm taking the fight to him., so it's not a mindset she hasn't had before. There was no plan there except to try and get Angel's soul back before she tried to kill him and stop Alcatha. She did say we can talk strategies and discuss how to go about it. I don't blame the potentials though, they barely know Buffy.

SORPunk

I dont think there was betrayal in the last scene. The team was right. They are a team, but Buffy is hyperfocused on The First and fighting without a plan. She completely ignores Xanders injury and shuts down anyone that might have an idea. Faith, as thorny as she may be, treated the girls as equals and with respect, while Buffy has spent the season barking at them and telling them how bad they have been. She ignores any advice Giles gives. Yes, this episode felt like it came out of nowhere. But thats how life goes. Dont see the flames until you are on fire.

Macca Fan

Spike tried to SA Buffy last season. He's the one she should find? He had aBuffy sex bot built. He chained her to a wall and threatened to set Dru lose on her if she didn't say what he wanted to hear. He worked with Adam as a double agent so she would be killed. Yeah. He's the safe bet! LOL. YUCK!