Of course in the time it took this damn board to load this screen there’ll probably be 15 other Buffy threads started…
Anyways, some random thoughts:
Interesting how Willow went all mean and black-eyed while repelling the spider. I’m wondering when she’s going to figure out how to use her powers without the dark side busting through. Cool that she remembered she had D’Hofren’s amulet. That plus the return of Xander’s betrayal from sesaon 2 to bite him in the ass really impressed me on the continuity front, which made it all the more annoying that Anya’s new musical number showcased a hair style and color completely different than she had in “Once More With Feeling.” Not to mention that having her clothes change into her wedding gown struck me as a violation of the rules of the musical ep. Dawn and Sweet’s clothes each changed but only by demonic intervention. Or was the wedding gown change supposed to be after-the-fact foreshadowing? And I guess this ep removes all doubt that Xander was just covering for Dawn when he took the rap for summoning Sweet.
I kinda sorta found the supposed character development of Anya to be pretty lame. Joss just took everything about the character and inverted it. Lazy. Loved the “translations” though. “Throw vegetables and assorted meats at him!” “You are small and toylike!”
I’m not even going to talk about Spike and buffy and Buffy in the basement. not after the scoldings I took the last time I opined. I’ll just say I wish I had Buffy’s schedule. Wander off in the middle of the school day for a bug hunt? No problem!
I don’t speak Icelandic or whatever it was that Olaf and Aud were speaking, but they sounded pretty comfortable with the speaking. Kudos to both actors. Even if they weren’t really speaking Icelandic.
Abraham Berunbi is an amazing and highly underappreciated actor.
The flashbacks in Iceland or wherever were just hilarious all around. From the grainy quality of the film to the cheesy subtitles, they were clearly the highlight of the episode.
Musical continuity point - yeah, so what? The musical itself was a deliberate absurdity (albeit a well-executed one), so I’m willing to accept the mid-song clothes change as part of the conceit.
It took over four years, but finally, FINALLY Xander’s lie from “Becoming 2” has been brought to light. What they do with it now is anyone’s guess, but it’s nice that it’s finally out there.
That’s two mentions this season of a certain character whose name begins with “A” who has a show on another network. Wow.
Can I rave some more about Abraham Berunbi?
Finally, will we ever learn whether Halfrek was really Cecilly, or was that brief moment of recognition that she and Spike shared last season just a tease?
I liked the episode. I liked that the friendly Buffy in the basement was a hallucination and how pathetic Spike seemed when he said there was no where else for him to go. I also liked that he didn’t save the day.
Buffy’s psycho statements about how she’s the law were interesting. As was Willow’s unpleasantness when she off the cuffed some powerful magic. Clearly when she lets loose she lets a little too loose.
The episode was fairly good an 8 or so out of 10. This season hasn’t grabbed me as well as others have but it is still interesting.
My biggest complaints is the episodes aren’t playing correctly out here. The image slows down occasionally and it is really irritating. Also is there a new one next week, a marithon of them or what?
Someone in my household under the age of 5 came into the room and started talking in the middle of Xander and Anya’s talk at the end. It was just as he was walking past her, she turned to look at him and “blah, blah, blah” from the newly present toddler set.
What did I miss?
Out with it, Otto, was the interaction with Spike and Buffy all in his head tonight? That’s what I think.
I also liked the fact that Anya’s personality was the same before she became a vengence demon. All her wierd behaviors as a human were part of her originally.
Also nice to see D’Hofran being a bit of a bad ass. I’m tired of high muckity-muck demons being such pushovers. Although his “Oh, Ms Rosenberg” line, interupting his summoning speach was quite charming.
Not quite sure what happened at the end. Is Anya human again, and that’s it? He killed Halfrek to punish Anya, then gave her what she sort of wanted? I guess the idea is that she wanted to die, and he made her live with the pain and suffering. Excellent vengence I suppose.
I hate spiders, even CG ones. Bleeech. Nice creapy moment with the legs coming into view behind Willow.
Good continuity all around on this ep. Lots of references to things that happened many years ago. I think they’re begining to wrap up loose ends. The lines about loving Angel point to the trouble with her relationship with Spike. She’s not going to love him the same way she loved Angel, she’s not the same person anymore.
I am getting tired of the bummer endings each week. How 'bout an uplifting one next time?
Wow, I think I had a continuity orgasm during the episode. D’Hofryn’s amulet, Xander’s lie, musical flashback, “I killed Angel”, evil Willow, goods and services… I’m babbling now, aren’t I?
Excellent fight scene. High angst. Closure. Did I mention the musical flashback?
Incidentally, I think the flashback was what Anya was remembering, not precisely what was actually happening. Hence hair style inconsistencies and improbable garment changes.
I liked the Slayer Mission Statement. Probably going to be the most picked apart bit of dialogue in the entire run of the show.
Nope. Russian revolution. The subtitle said St. Petersburg, 1905. Still possible, but I don’t think it’s the same character. The recognition between her and Spike was a nudge and a wink that they’re using the same actress, is all.
I’m still trying to figure out if Cicily being gakked instead of Anya was a cheat or not. I mean, I was happy to see her go. Never liked her, glad she died. While emotionally devastating for Anya, as a viewer I was relieved it was her and not a character I cared about. Eh, anyway. Worked out okay in the end. I’ll miss Anya and her improperly casual use of the word “penis”, but she left in grand style. Goodbye, Miss Anya Lameass Made-Up Maiden Name, and good luck with the mortal thing. Again.
The first scene with Buffy, when she was in the white clothes and being nice, was all in his head. The second scene when she was in the black clothes and being bossy was real. Come one, Buffy would never be that nice to Spike—I don’t even expect/want that from her, and I’m all for Spuffy Loving Forever.
Though I think she does care somewhat, why else would she tell him to get out? If she was worried about the crazy vampire in the basement of the HS hurting the kids, she probably would have said as much. It seemed she was more concerned with his well-being…yay, a crumb!
ANya made me cry tonight. I’ve never cried at Buffy episode, not even in Beneath You with Spike’s speech. But Anya’s like “What if I’m really nobody” and the tears…I really, really felt what she was going through.
I think Hallie could have been Cecilie, even if she’s been a VD (heh) forever, because she could have been in London on assignment (much like Anya was in SUnnydale HS after Cordy and Xander broke up). Maybe that’s why he was beneath her…he was just a mere mortal.
I think that Spike, Anya, and Willow are going to emerge from last season’s ugliness/mistakes as better people, I think we got a glimpse of that tonight and last week. Yay, Spike Anya and Willow!!!
She’s not? Damn, that ending had “Anya’s Final Episode” written all over it. Did I totally misread the last scene between her and Xander? Stranger things have happened. I thought that she was going off to find herself, or something.
Well, yay. I was hoping she and Xander would make up. Maybe they still will.
I agree that the flash backs were mostly actual memories not glimpses of the past. I prefer them done that way and think more info on the past should be presented like that.
Also the entire Anyanka thing was interesting. D’Hof kept insisting that who she was not merely a name and then when he destroys Halfred he addresses Anya as Anya. This is the indication that she has been returned to mortal life and is no longer ever going to be whoever/whatever D’Hof thought she was. I think it is possible that the woman he picks are mortal only as a larval stage of their vengence demon-hood. This would however mean that Willow has it in her as well as he was trying to recruit her. Then again he didn’t insist she had a different name.
The only possible continuity error is that Olaf refered to Anyanka as Anya not Aud when he popped up in modern times. Perhaps he was aware of her change before being imprisoned. Or once she changed her old name was lost. Still otherwise the amazing continuity with previous material was a big plus.
I am still wondering however what’s up with next week. I have the sinking feeling it isn’t a new episode. This angers me greatly.
They’re doing that because the way Episode 6 Him to kick off Sweeps month.
Xander and Spike move in together!!! YAY!!!
No, Anya is still on the show, although this EC’s last year (it may be the show’s last year too.) But being the huge spoiler-whore I am, I would have definitely known if this was Anya’s last episode.
Why do I suddenly hear Homer Simpson humming the Odd Couple theme song?
Who here can resist looking in these things? I mean really. Maybe if you are about to watch the episode it might be possible, but these things are damn tempting. I think it would be easier to avert your eyes from normally listed spoilers. Oh and the secret word is “troll-logic”.
On an unrelated note I realize I forgot to mention my favorite line from the episode: “Its like you slaughtered an Ambercombie and Fitch catalog.”
I also liked the subtle thing with the background singers. One of the first songs from OMWF was the guy with the shirt from the drycleaners “They got the mustard out.” And there they were, outside the window, singing about him spilling mustard on his shirt.
Very nicely done.
I just watched this episode, and frankly I am too overwhelmed at the moment to make any involved comment. But I just gotta say…is nobody wondering what went on between Willow and D’Hoffryn? It wasn’t resolved by the end of the ep. Is there any possibility that…dare we say it…Willow is a vengeance demon now?
Would someone mind elaborating for me? I watched the first three seasons of Buffy, then moved to The Wilderness, where I was Buffy-less for seasons 4-6 until FX helped me catch up on 4-5 (and only occasional chances to see season 6 eps, but not many, so I do know that there was a musical but nothing about it, for example). Only now that I’m back In Civilization and keeping up with Season 7 (and VERY thankful for it), I miss a lot of continuity references.
