Buffy Rewatch: 3.12 - 3.15

[dragonyphoenix]

Helpless (3.12)

• I was looking at this title and not recalling which episode until I started it. I should hate the cruciamentum episode. I feel that the betrayal in this episode should upset me, even in story form, but it doesn't.


• Aftershock is a Helpless AU, an excellent we are all powerful together story.


• Buffy's almost staked by a vamp. So, if the cruciamentum weakens Slayers a few days before and after the test, why haven't more vamps bagged Slayers? Do other vamps think it doesn't count if the Slayer has been weakened? Do they tease them? “Oh, look at me, I'm a little baby vamp. I had to wait for the Watchers to take the Slayer's power before I could kill her.”


• Is this the first time we see Quentin Travers?


• Quentin: get some rest. But sleep in shifts. Because of course, as the story shows, having only one person awake and alert will save you if the vampire gets loose.


• So Buffy never did get to that ice show, did she?


• You'd think that after centuries of cruciamentum tests, Watchers would know how to handle vampires without getting killed.


• Angel: "Then why'd you seem more excited last year when you got a severed arm in a box?” Because an arm that attacks is always exciting!


• Pillar of Faith's author on the cruciamentum: “Just throwing a girl out there to fight against vampires and demons without any sort of training or logistical support is just criminal. Who knows how many thousands of years the council has been handling Slayers and the best they can come up with is a few sparring sessions with a human, and standing on your head with some crystals near by? The birthday surprise is a good idea though. But using a half starved vampire that hasn't been allowed to stretch in a few weeks is just laughable.” I know it sounds harsh but it's this viewpoint that allowed him to come up with such an excellent idea for his comic.

The Zeppo (3.13)

• Yes! This is my favorite ep.


• If The Zeppo had been written by Dr. Seuss.


• These sisterhood demons are really excellent looking demons.


• Faith: "These babes were wicked rowdy." Some writer is taking the Faith-speak a tad too far.


• Kaygrr's Angst Monkey features this same Zeppoish Xander.


• And, you know, that blonde chick really needs to get her own car.


• In Shanshu, I wrote a scene where a guy gets help from the Sprit Guides after getting them high. Poor Giles just doesn't know how to approach them.


• Willy: Said they were coming after you, too, and nothing could stand in their way.
  
  "We Are The Lions (Spoken Cinema™)" (Watch on YouTube)
  
  Ah, the music of my youth. ;-)


• Dickie: I wanna bake a cake.
  
  "Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Best Quotes" (Watch on YouTube)


• In the hotel room, we see a reflection of Xander and Faith on the tv screen. Is this some sort of metaphor about watching and tv?


• When Xander finds Buffy and Angel, I just love this scene. Angel and Buffy are just a little over the top with their emotions. The music is just a little over the top. When Xander shows up, it all stops. Eeeeee! I love, love, love that scene.


• Xander: "I just got to figure out what they'd be likely to bomb.” Scene switch to the high-school. I like how that scene switch serves double duty. It suggests the school is the target but it's also the location of the next scene, with Giles and Willow in the library.


• Jack: "This is gonna be large!" You know what would be truly large? Setting of the bomb during the day when the school is full of students. You're zombies! You're not supposed to be evil-light.


• Xander stops when one of the heads of the Hellmouth demon breaks through the wall next to him. “Other way” This episode is so awesome!

Bad Girls (3.14)

• Oh, Goddess. It's that fat demon. I hate that fat demon. It's just such a stupid demon. He's fat. Is that supposed to be scary?


• The Mayor likes Family Circus. Mr. Trick prefers Marmaduke. Allan enjoys Cathy. I like Narbonic.


• Willow got accepted into Wesleyan. Oh, this is the ep where we meet Wesley.


• Wesley: "You will go to the Gleaves family crypt tonight." Why do Watcher's always send Slayers out at night? Don't they think 'Hey, if you went during the day, you could fetch the amulet without losing it to vampires'? Maybe it's a Slayers are better at this thing since later Faith invites Buffy to Slay during the day. “Bad for them; good for us.”


• Buffy: "Six against one. Hence the hiding." I was going to comment that in Superstar Buffy runs from five vamps, but she comments that she can only handle two so that sort of killed my point.


• Buffy goes still in the water as the vamp is holding her down. I did that once. In high-school a boy was holding me under and my thrashing wasn't getting me let up so I went limp. It worked. He thought he'd gone further than he'd intended and let me back up.


• Mrs. Taggart: “You're on the honor system, so remember, no talking.” Why does this teacher leave the class when administering a test? Actually, once in high-school, during a physics class, one of the guys started calling out answers. The professor did nothing. That prof was so apathetic. Dad, also a physics teacher but a different high-school, really couldn't stand him.


• Am I the only one who thinks that lead vampire of Balthazar's looks dumb as in really stupid?


• "Want … take … have." No Buffy! Faith is a bad example.


• Wesley to Giles: “You've done” pause “well.” Sometimes I just adore Wesley.


• Balthazar: (flailing h is arms in a tantrum) "Un … (sputters) Unacceptable!" Big fat demon is annoying. And this is the episode we get after the brilliance that is The Zeppo. *sigh*

Consquences (3.15)

• They could have called it “Truth or Consequences” and named if after a game show.


• Giles: ”She's a student. Bwah-ha-ha!


• Wesley: “I'm your commander now." Okay, maybe I was wrong about Wesley being less annoying than I remember him.


• Buffy's in Willow's room and looks it's those big doors that Willow didn't escape through, after she'd been locked in her room, in Gingerbread.


• When Buffy arrives at school to confess that Faith had staked a guy. Giles: "Get in my office, now. Faith, I'll talk to you in the morning." Just how late is Giles staying at the high-school on a random there's no specific threat kind of a night?


• Willow crying in the bathroom. Okay, we have Willow upset that Xander hooked up with Faith, upset enough to cry, even though she's dating Oz. This reminds me of the comics where Xander and Dawn are a couple and Buffy's reaction is “What about me?” Hello! You never wanted Xander. Like ever. What do you mean “What about me?” She never wanted him. I hate that the writers gave that line to Buffy. Which really has nothing to do with this episode. It bugs me.


• Faith's raping Xander is freaking me out even before she adds the choking.


• Okay, so before Angel was called to help Buffy he'd been half-starving, living off rats, and basically avoiding people. How does he know about safety words?


• Buffy's going to get some of Faith's stuff. ”That way she'll see that we're on her side." Right, because breaking into my room and stealing my stuff, that always makes me trust someone.


• Mayor Wilkins: “Well, we don't have near enough evidence to put 'em away.” So he's evil, he's run the town for generations, he's planning to eat an entire graduating class, but he doesn't know how to run a corrupt police department?


• How does Wesley know that Buffy and Angel have chained Faith up at the mansion?


• Faith escapes from Wesley and goons. Again, after centuries of working with Slayers, you'd think the Council would have protocols to prevent their escape. For example, immediate knock her unconscious. Thousands of years and they still don't know what they're doing.


• Faith saves Buffy at the docks. So, up until now, each time Faith has gotten Buffy into trouble (i.e. jumping into the sewers), Buffy has saved herself without Faith's help. So this is the first time Faith saves Buffy. Am I right?

Comments

[velvetwhip.livejournal.com]

I love your pithy recaps. They make me giggle.


Gabrielle

[dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com]

*grin* Thank you.

[mikeda.livejournal.com]

On the line in the comics.

A dream sequence in S8 #2 actually seems to suggest that Buffy and Xander considered dating at some point between the end of S7 and the beginning of the comics.

[dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com]

Huh. I don't recall that, but okay. It's nice to know they didn't pull that out of nowhere. Thanks

[snogged.livejournal.com]

I enjoy your recaps so much.
They're so tongue-in-cheek.

I do not share your love for the Zeppo though.

[dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I really enjoy writing them.

Different tastes.

[kikimay]

Willow got accepted into Wesleyan. Oh, this is the ep where we meet Wesley.

LOL, if you consider that Hannigan and Denisof get married years after that.

I think that the Council had this great idea. Basically, a Slayer who survives until 18 is a very powerful one, since they start young and fight alone. It could be a threat for the Council's power egemony, so they send this slayer into an impossible situation with an excuse ("Let's see if she's good enough or clever enough" and whatever) and they eliminate the threat to their power.

The thing goes smoothly because once a slayer dies there's another one in progress, so whatever. A tiny cost for a greater purpose (Mantaining the Council power).

And maybe they even take care of the vamp, after that, because they wouldn't let go a vamp who killed a slayer under their guidance. And everything would be good.

Nice job, assholes!

[dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com]

Well, from the Council keeping power PoV, it does make perfect sense.

I'm rewatching Harry Potter and after reading your stories now each time I see Draco being an ass, I can't help thinking he's doing it because he loves Harry. I'm watching the first one so we had that "I think I can tell who's okay to hang with moment" and I'm thinking, Oh, look, Harry totally flummoxed Draco there. *grin*

[kikimay]

I think that this is one of the possible explanation on why the council still holds so much power over the Slayer.


I'm rewatching Harry Potter and after reading your stories now each time I see Draco being an ass, I can't help thinking he's doing it because he loves Harry. I'm watching the first one so we had that "I think I can tell who's okay to hang with moment" and I'm thinking, Oh, look, Harry totally flummoxed Draco there. *grin*

LOOOL. My fangirl work is done! XD

[dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com]

*laughs* I will never see Harry Potter the same way again!

[lusciousxander.livejournal.com]

I love, love, love, LOVE The Zeppo! The whole B plot being more important that the A plot, and unreliable narration, and the funny, and Xander!! All makes me so happy.

Regarding S8, Buffy did seem to grow some feelings for Xander. She dreamed about kissing him in #2 and seemed to show interest in Shirtless Xander training in #7. She was on her way to tell him she had feelings for him when she caught him and Dawn kissing.

[dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com]

Yeah, there is just so much about The Zeppo that is awesome. ;-)

Oooh, I do recall the shirtless training! I don't recall the Buffy-feelings though. I'm glad to know that hadn't come out of nowhere.