Hells Bells

[mogwaid]

So who liked this episode and who didnt? [Apologies if theres already a thread on this]

Personally, I loved the hilariousness of Anya in it, The cuteness of the glances between Willow and Tara, Anya's demon friends and family. But that's about it. This is kinda all went to bad. But i did notice a goof in it! [Which i screencapped]. You can see the back of the stage when D'hofran is talking to Anya. But before that, the whole "D'hofran lives in total blackness was totally cool!

http://img92.imageshack.us/img92/5821/anyadhofwd4.jpg

[RockManic]

That wasn't the stage, That was D'Hoffryn's storage closet! ;)

Never was a fan of this episode. In fact it was my second least favourite of the season. Only Life Serial manages to beat it for the dubious honour of worst episode of season six, for me.

[watcher1006]

The Anya-Xander non-marriage was one more depressing story in a season that had a number of them.

Season 3 comment:



I wonder why D'Hoffryn offered Anya her job back when he refused to do so back in S3 "Doppelgangland". Maybe in the intervening three years his recent hires didn't work out, or he had some other unexpected resignations or retirements. Or that she hadn't been such a bad employee after all. ;)

[Edmund Blackadder]

I wonder why D'Hoffryn offered Anya her job back when he refused to do so back in S3 "Doppelgangland". Maybe in the intervening three years his recent hires didn't work out, or he had some other unexpected resignations or retirements. Or that she hadn't been such a bad employee after all. ;)


OF maybe Joss had an incling that he wanted to keep Anya around as possible love muffin for Xander so needed to have her humanised a little but finding the comedy of her character along the way.


But I prefer to think she wasn't that bad an employee:)

[watcher1006]

Perhaps I should have said Anyanka, as that is what he called her. Another possibility was that the vengeance market demand had gone up and he needed to increase his staff, lol.

My Season 3 comments above are of course a joke, but seriously D'Hoffryn is an employer of some type. I read a Buffy essay not long ago that compared him to a pimp.

[MarsGirl]

This episode had its moments, but otherwise it bored me. I haven't watched it in a while, though, so my opinion could change.

[Harm's Way]

So Sad! But Anya was funny "Can't he just tell her to hold it?!" that was my favorite part. I loved the part where Buffy has to rip her dress to fight, and all that, so funny. I wish that dumb demon guy didn't come. Xander and Anya were great together!

[Mr Kitty Fantastico]

I adored this episode as well. But although it is partly a fun episode its also heartbreaking. After seeing Buffy go to the other side and sleep with Spike AND see Tara and Willow split :( we then had to see Xander leave Anya at the altar, and that bit where she walks down the aisle on her own :( it was all a bit too much that year.

Though the fights between Anya's demons and Xanders family were some of the funniest scenes in the shows history!

[SpuffyisEternal]

It was too sad for me. Although I did love the Spuffy moment the whole "you're glowing" thing and the reply "that's because my dress is radioactive." lol. :lmao:

[Canon]

I liked some aspects of the episode, but it was a bit depressing that Xander and Anya never got married :(

[hyperballadbrad]

It's a tad slow maybe, but it's really sad. And Xander's flashbacks are pretty fiercesome!!

And not forgetting Anya of course, looking gorgeous and as funny as ever!!

[Raiys]

I like it, in the way that it moved me. Season 6 was very emo anyway and as Mr Kitty fantastico mentioned, just the last drop in the emo bucket.

Its one of those episodes where I get teary eyed because I empathise with the characters so much... heartbreaking, simply heartbraking.

but some brilliant humor too!

[stephyk87]

I liked hells bells. I wouldnt say it was one of the best episodes of season 6 but it was very good. You could definitely empathize with the characters on what they were going through. I thought it was a sad episode.

[SpikedBuffy]

I was shocked at the turnout. I was actually under the impression that Xander and Anya were going to make it! I really was expecting everything to go through.

[Saint Edward]

This was one of my favorite episodes of the season. It was a bigger shocker for me, I thought they were really going to make it. I still always remember one quote from the show in which buffy talks about Xander and Anya's relationship.

Buffy: I thought that they were my light at the end of the tunnel. I guess it was a train.

[sosa lola]

I liked it. I felt really sad for Xander and Anya :(

[palabravampiress]

I liked it, too.

But gosh, my heart broke for Anya. Leaving someone at the altar... that's just crap. Xander should have divorced her later. Maybe even had it annulled. But leaving her at the altar? In front of everyone? That is too cruel. say what you want about how it's better to leave someone before you're married rather than after, but at the altar is something different - especially for Anya. Anya cares about the money spent and the people that were there and the presents and her pride. To leave her like that... he just spit on all of that.

I liked the episode, but it certainly broke my heart. And made me super glad that my hubby didn't leave me at the altar. :-)

[GATEGOD]

Yea, Xander couldn't have acted any more 'stupid' Believing an old man you've never seen ever! Plus he could've told Anya!! not just ran away and leave her there all alone. I want them to be together, but if he really wants to do something like that, then he doesn't deserve her!

[caitaintdead]

the biggest downfall of this episode to me is that it reminds me more of a trashy soapie than quality television. the leaving someone at the altar, along with the possibility of a renewed relationship (willow/tara) just seems to much... its kind of like sunnydale meets ramsay street.

definitely what i find to be a weakness of the series.

the show doesnt need things to be permanetely going wrong for it to be exciting.

[Keanoite]

hahaha...like Scott and Charlenes wedding gone bad!!!

I was really disappionted though, I think Xander deserved his chance at being a grown up. Was there really any need for him to leave her at the altar? well apart nobody is allowed be happy in the jossverse!!

[palabravampiress]

the biggest downfall of this episode to me is that it reminds me more of a trashy soapie than quality television. the leaving someone at the altar, along with the possibility of a renewed relationship (willow/tara) just seems to much... its kind of like sunnydale meets ramsay street.

definitely what i find to be a weakness of the series.

the show doesnt need things to be permanetely going wrong for it to be exciting.

Hey! Soaps aren't trashy. They just have low production values due to time and budget constraints. If they were only on for a wimpy 22 episodes per season (or a wimpy 7 seasons, for that matter), I'll bet you they'd be just as polished as Buffy.

And, by the way, are we really going to make a difference between daytime serial drama and this particular primetime serial drama? Aside from the production values, they seem pretty similar to me. Back-from-the-dead stories? Check. Insta-relatives? Check. Evil villains? Check. Steamy sex scenes? Check. Wedding interruptus? Check. Medical crises? Check. Corrupt law enforcement? Check. Sudden evil twin story? Check. Buffy employs a lot of soap staples.

[sosa lola]

I actually felt bad for Xander in this episode, how can you expect a person who had to live his worst nightmare to recover 20 minutes after that? Especially someone who was already having doubts. It's imposssible to act rational in this situation. Xander wasn't planning on leaving Anya until he saw the faux visions of the future. I also don't think he considered that Anya would have to face the guests after he left, else he would have faced them himself.

Same with Anya choosing to be a demon again, it's impossible for her to take the right choice after what had happened to her. Anya had clung to Xander so tight, she can't see life without him, so him leaving her was her worst nightmare, and therefore she reacted irrationally.

Xander and Anya in this episode regressed but in a believable, heartbreaking way. It's in character, even though we hated to see it.

[caitaintdead]

dear me i have a posting board fued already! how exciting.
half my post - tongue in cheek.
half of buffy - tongue in cheek.
i think i'd rather debate with my friends that hate buffy again then talk with someone that "check"'s her own questions.
my pastas cooked anyway.

[palabravampiress]

I actually felt bad for Xander in this episode, how can you expect a person who had to live his worst nightmare to recover 20 minutes after that? Especially someone who was already having doubts. It's imposssible to act rational in this situation. Xander wasn't planning on leaving Anya until he saw the faux visions of the future. I also don't think he considered that Anya would have to face the guests after he left, else he would have faced them himself.

Same with Anya choosing to be a demon again, it's impossible for her to take the right choice after what had happened to her. Anya had clung to Xander so tight, she can't see life without him, so him leaving her was her worst nightmare, and therefore she reacted irrationally.

Xander and Anya in this episode regressed but in a believable, heartbreaking way. It's in character, even though we hated to see it.

Good point. Weddings do bring everything to a head, don't they? Both characters were so high strung by the time that the wedding went bust that I think a miracle would have been required in order for either of them to act rationally at all.


dear me i have a posting board fued already! how exciting.
half my post - tongue in cheek.
half of buffy - tongue in cheek.
i think i'd rather debate with my friends that hate buffy again then talk with someone that "check"'s her own questions.
my pastas cooked anyway.

Tongue-in-cheek feud... check. Seriously, though, I'm just saying it's not the first time Buffy has made use of a soap convention. Granted, it usually turns them on their heads just a bit, but still.

[Bangelxx]

I really thought xander and anya would stay together! They were the only ones that brang us light and happiness! and then they just ...man i was SOOO sad! i really liked the ep tho

[GATEGOD]

I really thought xander and anya would stay together! They were the only ones that brang us light and happiness! and then they just ...man i was SOOO sad! i really liked the ep tho

yea :cry: one of the saddest eps of Buffy. And I loved it!! But I wish they stayed together :cry: I loved them!

[Joyce Summers]

This episode really upset me. Like Buffy, I saw Anya and Xander as the light at the end of the Buffyverse tunnel. They were the longest lasting couple (I'm not counting Buffy/Angel here since that was on/off/on/off for three years) and they seemed so well fitted and then it all just went....to the land of badness.
A lot of you on this thread are saying Xander should have just told Anya or just not believed a random old man and I agree, but it wasn't the demon that made him bail on the wedding. The demon just reminded him of the fears he already had. He retuned, fully intent on getting married and then he saw his parents. Anthony was drinking himself senseless, Jessica was crying and the two of them were constantly arguing. Xander didn't want to do that to Anya. He knew leaving her at the altar was terrible, but he believed if they got married and ended up like his parents- as Xander has a life long fear that he'll end up just like his Dad- it would be so much worse. He chose the lesser of the two evils and left before they could embark on something he feared would end in long-term tragedy. He never wanted to treat Anya that badly everyday for the rest of his life.

[palabravampiress]

This episode really upset me. Like Buffy, I saw Anya and Xander as the light at the end of the Buffyverse tunnel. They were the longest lasting couple (I'm not counting Buffy/Angel here since that was on/off/on/off for three years) and they seemed so well fitted and then it all just went....to the land of badness.
A lot of you on this thread are saying Xander should have just told Anya or just not believed a random old man and I agree, but it wasn't the demon that made him bail on the wedding. The demon just reminded him of the fears he already had. He retuned, fully intent on getting married and then he saw his parents. Anthony was drinking himself senseless, Jessica was crying and the two of them were constantly arguing. Xander didn't want to do that to Anya. He knew leaving her at the altar was terrible, but he believed if they got married and ended up like his parents- as Xander has a life long fear that he'll end up just like his Dad- it would be so much worse. He chose the lesser of the two evils and left before they could embark on something he feared would end in long-term tragedy. He never wanted to treat Anya that badly everyday for the rest of his life.

I think you've nailed his motivations head-on.

That said, there is an easier way to refrain from treating your wife badly... it's called making a conscious effort to treat her well! If you see that possible future and then you turn to your parents and see the less dramatic version of the same played out in the real world, shouldn't your thought process be, "Thank God I have a perfect example of what *not* to do" ?

[Joyce Summers]

Never said Xander was perfect.....hehe. But yeah, you do make a good point and I agree with you. I think Xander should have seen all the mistakes his parents (and others) had made, and take it upon himself to do so much better. To learn from *their* mistakes

[GATEGOD]

If you can see everything bad you are going to do.. then you can change it and not do it ^_^ I guess Xander, sadly, didn't think that way :cry:

[palabravampiress]

As sad as Hell's Bells was, though, I am glad for the sake of the character and season 6 and all of that that Xander's insecurities surfaced in a big way and that he faced his inner demons and made a terrible mistake. Season 6 wouldn't have been season 6 if any of the characters had been perfect. They all had to make mistakes. This was just Xander's mistake.

[GATEGOD]

The Xander/Anya relationship I really thought would work out. While Buffy was filling closets with failed relationships Xander/Anya were staying steady and going great. I never thought he'd just leave her on the happiest day of her life. Dumbass :lmao: Afterwards though is what really through me, there were tons of ways to go and instead of getting back together they slowly tried to move on :cry: even though they loved each other.

[Keanoite]

In fairness though when ou leave someone at the altar the first reaction is NOT to get back together and like buffy has shown us many many times...love isn's always enough

[palabravampiress]

I am re-watching this episode right now.

I think it's a better episode than most people think. One of the few things about which I get sentimental are weddings. Never happened before I got married. Now, I get all teary eyed. I admire the attempt. You've gotta be brave to put your heart, your pocketbook, and your entire future on the line like that. Fortunately, my bravery has worked out. Love my hubby! He's better than a new book. Better than an old book, even. Possibly better than a Gutenberg... but that might be a tie.

But as someone who's done the whole wedding thing, I gotta say that this episode does perfectly capture the chaos and the nerves of the pre-wedding moments. I totally feel for Xander. And for Anya. I mean, how Anya felt when she was practicing her vows... the best friend thing. That's really how it is. But also, all of Xander's doubts about what if things don't work... that's there, too. I gotta say, I resembled Xander with his pacing (and shaking, and maybe a little bit of yelling about my wardrobe) more than I resembled Anya with her cheery joy. The crazy drunk relatives were definitely a concern, too - and everyone talking at you all at once. And your apartment being overrun by out-of-town guests who may or may not get along. I'm at the part at which Xander is pacing in the kitchen and Willow says "it's not like we can start the wedding without you." So far, everything was right on the money, which is terrible, because until this moment, I've been feeling like, "aww... maybe it will work out after all." Ugh! I hate knowing the future.

And that's my little mid-episode ramble on Hell's Bells. lol.

Edit:

Now it's over. And now my heart hurts. :-(