BtVS Season 7 Rewatch

[Mrs Gordo]

Lessons:
My recollection is always liking this episode and generally it remains true. It's got all of the good stuff to sink me in that makes me a fan. I love Buffy and Dawn's stuff together at the beginning. It seems to be a full circle of sorts her slaying with her, her going to the same high school she went to and the call backs to the high school seasons. I remember Joss saying he wanted to take it back to the beginning and this episode sets us up to do that. It makes me think we are going to do a twist on the high school years. That would've been cool to see.

I do think it's pretty funny that Buffy is just walking around a high school campus without any problems what so ever. That wouldn't fly IRL.

Stuff I loved:
- I teared up when Willow said "I want to be Willow" because I so want that too.
- Buffy is acting herself in the beginning of this episode she feels lighter and quipping and its nice to see. Her outfit is great and I don't think she has mom hair!
- I love Dawn in this episode. She comes into her own in this season. She is never one of my favorite characters but I really like her in s7.

Subtracting Points for:
- Token minority with accent who is cutting class and smoking and who has a colorful school file. Come on...
- How does crazy lunatic Spike have all of the necessary exposition did he over hear the people talking about the talisman... "there's always a talisman" huh? no there isn't... (me thinking of the last time there was a talisman... )
- Buffy is going along her merry way until she sees Spike in his Justin Timberlake hair and gets what I will refer to as "Spike face." "Spike face" is when Buffy gives a wide eyed confused look like she is trying to solve a very difficult math equation in her head (I guess the equation in question is Spike). Anyway, its short lived in this episode and it goes away but it will be seen throughout Season 7.

I'm not sure how I feel about the meta ending where the show is basically telling us what they want to do "going back to the beginning." I really like the effect of taking us back through the villains: Warren, Glory, Adam, The Mayor, (Dru standing in for Angelus because network wars)*, The Master. I think its clever and it makes me feel like this is the culmination of something big. But OTOH it's hitting me over the head by telling me what its going to do. Show don't tell.

*How cool would it have been to see Angelus though?

 

[sosa lola]

Lessons:


1) I really liked seeing Buffy train Dawn and wish that had stayed throughout the season.

2) I wish we got to see Willow in the coven, perhaps a whole episode centered on Willow trying to control her powers and interacting with other witches.

3) Xander in a suit, being the most successful Scooby, was very wonderful to see. If only Cordelia saw him after years of predicting his future as a big loser.

4) My favorite part of the episode was Buffy and Xander playing parents to Dawn. I loved their little family unit. 5

5) Dawn looks amazing in this ep, I'm not sure it's the clothes. It's more her hair, her figure and her attitude. I love the changes in her character. Once she's treated like an adult, she acts like one It's more about respecting the youngsters, and not treating them like idiots.

6) I'm one of the minority who thought that Spike in messy hair equals hot. Messy hair is a big hit in my book.

7) Xander saves the day. No body noticed. The story of Xander's life. While I like grown up mature Xander, I really miss snarky and witty Xander of the high school years.

8) The last scene with Spike and the big bads shows how clearly this is the last season, so Joss knew all along that S7 was the end… and that's alone gives him NO freakin' excuse to make it so bad!! Sniff.

Nice episode. A good reminder of the high school years, which I love so much.

9/10

 

[Grace]

We also get to see Buffy struggle with letting Dawn handle herself. First in the cemetery she has no problem letting her defend herself, even letting her get caught and almost bitten. But later at school, she’s really struggling to let her go, doesn’t even leave the school grounds. This probably has to do with how nightmarish her high school experience on the Hellmouth was, but I also think that she’s fine with Dawn handling herself as long as it’s under her supervision.

I definitely thought about this too. Buffy wants to show Dawn the world, but that implies that she'll be there as tour guide. She has a harder time with letting Dawn see the world on her own.

I really, really loved the "My first time out, I missed the heart, too" callback. (Lining up the Becoming flashback with the Lessons scene would be a cool gifset, just sayin'. 😉)

My favorite part of the episode was Buffy and Xander playing parents to Dawn. I loved their little family unit.

That little car ride they had together was cute. It reminded me of one of my all-time favorite fics, Umad Learns Sumerian, which is a one-shot about Dawn learning dead languages over the summer. I've read it multiple times and it still gives me chills.

Xander saves the day. No body noticed. The story of Xander's life.

Ha! I also thought it was interesting that Buffy said, "My sister's about to go to the same high school that tried to kill me for three years." It just seemed like it would have been more natural to say "us" when talking to Xander. Just a little thing...

*How cool would it have been to see Angelus though?

It would have been so cool. I've always thought that if The First really wanted to get to Buffy, appearing to her as Angel would have been a good way to do it. I kind of wonder if Joss thought so too but knew he couldn't do it because of the networks and scheduling, so it just lived in the back of his brain until we got possessed villain Angel in Season 8 (sigh).

Angel really did hang over this episode in interesting ways. He's mentioned twice, though of course not by name. And on rewatch, it's very clear that Joss is going "back to the beginning" with his conception of an ensouled vampire, too, in terms of his original metaphor for an alcoholic in recovery. He takes that very literally with Spike in Season 7. There's also the ensouled vampire love interest being tortured by The First thing that calls back directly to Amends. Also, just like when Angel came back from hell, Buffy is the first person to encounter newly ensouled Spike and she covers it up.

One of the things that really hit me on rewatch was this line: "It's real. It's the only lesson, Dawn. It's always real." Dawn echoes it to her new friends in the basement, so it seems to have special importance (though Buffy forgets it herself when she asks Spike if he's real). I've been wondering whether it has a larger thematic meaning. The First is real, though its manifestations aren't -- it doesn't really raise the dead, only imitates them. Anyway, it'll be in the back of my head as we go along.

Another line that stands out is from Giles: "In the end, we all are who we are, no matter how much we may appear to have changed." I'm wondering what the rest of you think of it. I think in this context, it's supposed to be encouraging -- as in, even if Willow has done bad things, she's still Willow at heart. But if all change is only appearance, then what does that mean for Spike, for example? Is this line really how Giles sees things?

 

[Mylie]

@Grace you ruined the surprise!!! I’ve had the idea as soon as Buffy said that and I already giffed the scenes. I just have the layers left to add. But I’m glad you got the same feel from Buffy/Dawn this episode.

 

[Mrs Gordo]

8) The last scene with Spike and the big bads shows how clearly this is the last season, so Joss knew all along that S7 was the end… and that's alone gives him NO freakin' excuse to make it so bad!! Sniff.

But isn't the story that Joss didn't know it was going to be THE end until mid s7? Maybe someone can enlighten me....

He's mentioned twice, though of course not by name.

Ok one is when she says "I'm the one that dates dead guys and they were hotties" line but what is the other one? I'm beating myself up because I missed it lol.

an ensouled vampire, too, in terms of his original metaphor for an alcoholic in recovery. He takes that very literally with Spike in Season 7. There's also the ensouled vampire love interest being tortured by The First thing that calls back directly to Amends. Also, just like when Angel came back from hell, Buffy is the first person to encounter newly ensouled Spike and she covers it up.

I have always felt that Spike story line had an awful lot of parallels to the Angel story arc in s1-3. I look forward to looking at these in more depth during this re-watch particularly because I just rewatched/am re-watching btvs s3 simultaneously.

 

[Grace]

Ok one is when she says "I'm the one that dates dead guys and they were hotties" line but what is the other one? I'm beating myself up because I missed it lol.

Weeeellll, I guess it's really just one reference, but I was thinking of this reply:
DEAD GIRL
Busy making out with your dead boyfriend while I was ripped to death by a werewolf? (scoffs) Is that why you let me die?

My Angel sensor is always set to "high." 😉

 

[fauxindigo]

I definitely thought about this too. Buffy wants to show Dawn the world, but that implies that she'll be there as tour guide. She has a harder time with letting Dawn see the world on her own.

I really, really loved the "My first time out, I missed the heart, too" callback. (Lining up the Becoming flashback with the Lessons scene would be a cool gifset, just sayin'. 😉)



That little car ride they had together was cute. It reminded me of one of my all-time favorite fics, Umad Learns Sumerian, which is a one-shot about Dawn learning dead languages over the summer. I've read it multiple times and it still gives me chills.



Ha! I also thought it was interesting that Buffy said, "My sister's about to go to the same high school that tried to kill me for three years." It just seemed like it would have been more natural to say "us" when talking to Xander. Just a little thing...



It would have been so cool. I've always thought that if The First really wanted to get to Buffy, appearing to her as Angel would have been a good way to do it. I kind of wonder if Joss thought so too but knew he couldn't do it because of the networks and scheduling, so it just lived in the back of his brain until we got possessed villain Angel in Season 8 (sigh).

Angel really did hang over this episode in interesting ways. He's mentioned twice, though of course not by name. And on rewatch, it's very clear that Joss is going "back to the beginning" with his conception of an ensouled vampire, too, in terms of his original metaphor for an alcoholic in recovery. He takes that very literally with Spike in Season 7. There's also the ensouled vampire love interest being tortured by The First thing that calls back directly to Amends. Also, just like when Angel came back from hell, Buffy is the first person to encounter newly ensouled Spike and she covers it up.

One of the things that really hit me on rewatch was this line: "It's real. It's the only lesson, Dawn. It's always real." Dawn echoes it to her new friends in the basement, so it seems to have special importance (though Buffy forgets it herself when she asks Spike if he's real). I've been wondering whether it has a larger thematic meaning. The First is real, though its manifestations aren't -- it doesn't really raise the dead, only imitates them. Anyway, it'll be in the back of my head as we go along.

Another line that stands out is from Giles: "In the end, we all are who we are, no matter how much we may appear to have changed." I'm wondering what the rest of you think of it. I think in this context, it's supposed to be encouraging -- as in, even if Willow has done bad things, she's still Willow at heart. But if all change is only appearance, then what does that mean for Spike, for example? Is this line really how Giles sees things?

I interpret Giles' line to mean that we all go through things that shape us and change us in ways that don't necessarily affect who we are deep down- our essence or soul. Little OT but it's kind of like how I always think about adults and what they/we grow into with our professions and adult life responsibilities; deep down we are all just innocent, naive children at heart no matter how professional or grown up we may seem.

Anyway, I love Lessons too for all the stated reasons above. Dawn training with Buffy is perfect, if only it continued more regularly. The return to the high school setting and the general feeling of returning to the beginning strangely felt like a breath of fresh air for the series by S7.

 

[Mrs Gordo]

Here is something I was thinking about. Is it callous of Buffy not to feel guilty over the dead people that she couldn't save? Early Seasons Buffy would've maybe had a conversation with someone about how these are people she couldn't save. Maybe Giles or Willow.... she could've had that conversation with Xander but it strikes me that maybe she didn't have anyone to talk about that with. And it also strikes me that she didn't give two craps about the fact that these people are alleging they died because she didn't save them. I'm not saying she SHOULD feel guilty (please lets not go down that path). I'm just saying that I think it's strange that she didn't feel a little tickle of remorse for it.

 

[GraceK]

Here is something I was thinking about. Is it callous of Buffy not to feel guilty over the dead people that she couldn't save? Early Seasons Buffy would've maybe had a conversation with someone about how these are people she couldn't save. Maybe Giles or Willow.... she could've had that conversation with Xander but it strikes me that maybe she didn't have anyone to talk about that with. And it also strikes me that she didn't give two craps about the fact that these people are alleging they died because she didn't save them. I'm not saying she SHOULD feel guilty (please lets not go down that path). I'm just saying that I think it's strange that she didn't feel a little tickle of remorse for it.

I don’t think it’s strange. At this point she died herself, saving the world. I think it would be pretty self indulgent to feel bad over every single person she couldn’t save. Also, whose to say those zombies even really knew her? It’s possible they were just saying that cause they were pissed they died. Who knows for sure? Being the Slayer it pretty much comes with the territory that people are gonna die.

 

[Grace]

Also, whose to say those zombies even really knew her? It’s possible they were just saying that cause they were pissed they died. Who knows for sure? Being the Slayer it pretty much comes with the territory that people are gonna die.

I agree with @GraceK. I don't think Buffy still needs to be beating herself up over not being able to save everyone. Eventually she wouldn't be able to function. I think the situation in Season 2, for example, was different because she a) was inadvertently responsible for nuking Angel's soul and b) wasn't able to kill him in Innocence when she had the chance (which I totally understand!). Buffy's wording in Lessons was a little harsh, but the spirits were actively threatening Dawn and other teens at the high school.

 

[Mrs Gordo]

Beneath You

The "previously on" was super long.

Parallels to Angel's story: (Impossible to ignore the similarities so I figured I'd start taking note)
Spike is a mess, stalking and eating rats/similar to when Angel starts his journey eating rats.
"I dreamed of killing you" / "I wanted to kill you tonight." (Call back to S1E7).
Buffy picks up the stake to attack Spike, to kill him but something gives her pause/ Similar to her decision not to kill Angel when she shot the arrow in s1e7
Spike gaining his soul and then making the ballsy move to reach back out to the only people he knows in his world, to try and fit in where he used to fit in/ similar to Angel going back to Darla and the whirlwind to try and go back to what he did before his soul, to try and find his place among his family.

Subtracting Points for:

• Sigh... you know just ... the rape stuff... without getting into it and starting world war 3.
• Dawn and Xander turn on Buffy pretty quickly when they find out that she didn't tell them about Spike. It's a bit of a foreshadowing though isn't it?
• Spike being so concerned with keeping his secret and the facade that he hits Buffy multiple times just to pretend he is still bad. Me no likey. I also don't like him hitting Anya but she is a demon so I guess that's supposed to be ok? Idk...
• I want more Willow. I am more interested in Willow's journey than Spike's honestly. She has been a main characters since s1 and she tried to end the world. Lets talk about her journey and her redemption arc. I would have liked 40% more Willow and 40% less Spike.

Things I liked:

• Like the Xander, Buffy and Dawn dynamic. They feel like a little family. I'm not the biggest fan of Xander but this is my favorite season for him.
• Giles being a supportive friend/father figure to Willow
• F*cking Dawn telling Spike that she will set him on FIRE. Slow. Clap.
• Buffy's "Never serious" and Buffy's non-reaction of the mention of Spike and Anya sleeping together.

This is the kinda thing that s7 does to me. It confuses me. Spike is crazy, Spike is fine. Spike is crazy again. Spike feels bad about killing the guy? Or he is tortured by the First or his soul? Why is Buffy crying at the church? Is she moved? Is she sad for him? Does she feel guilty? Does she just really need to pee???

I appreciate that this is an episode that is largely about Spike's story and where he is in his journey and his big reveal and what he did "for her to be hers." He seems very affected by the soul which I find interesting and intriguing for purposes of understanding soul canon in the verse but unfortunately all of this is muddled with whatever is making him crazy (which I know is the First). So I'm not sure how much what the soul is doing on its own to him. I wish I did. Unfortunately Spike's getting a soul is wrapped in tightly with his relationship with Buffy. A relationship which I disliked greatly and so its hard for me to look at this scene and say "good for you Spikey my boy." I'm glad Spike is now ensouled - I really am, because after SR the only place to go is either ensouled or dead. I just can't bring myself to appreciate the journey that lead him there.

But why doesn't Spike want Buffy to know he got a soul. Why does he go through great lengths to pretend he is his old self? What is the motivation behind that?

Does anyone know the reason behind the church scene re-write? Who re-wrote it? Was it a Joss thing?

I don't know how to feel about the Xanya/Anya plot. It falls flat to me. Emotionally there is so much more they could have done with that. With what Anya is feeling or thinking. Or how Xander feels about Anya being evil again?

So I guess the status remains quo, I continue to dislike this episode.

 

[Mylie]

I'm still thinking about Lessons (will watch Beneath You soon) and I realized there's one thing bugging me about the episode... Do we ever learn how the talisman ended up there? Otherwise it's a really cheap "twist". I guess the story works thematically so I'm too bothered by it but it just feels like lazy writing to me.

 

[Grace]

I'm still thinking about Lessons (will watch Beneath You soon) and I realized there's one thing bugging me about the episode... Do we ever learn how the talisman ended up there? Otherwise it's a really cheap "twist". I guess the story works thematically so I'm too bothered by it but it just feels like lazy writing to me.

No, I don't think we find out. I wondered if maybe Spike was talked into doing it by The First and that's how he knew what was going on. But maybe it was supposed to be part of the "Wood is evil" misdirect?

 

[Mylie]

No, I don't think we find out. I wondered if maybe Spike was talked into doing it by The First and that's how he knew what was going on. But maybe it was supposed to be part of the "Wood is evil" misdirect?

I guess this will be one of those unanswered questions... I wonder if it was intended or they just didn't bother to explain it.

But yes, it could be part of the misdirect. But even if it was, I think they should have explained it later on.

 

[sosa lola]

• Dawn and Xander turn on Buffy pretty quickly when they find out that she didn't tell them about Spike. It's a bit of a foreshadowing though isn't it?

I disagree that Xander turned on Buffy. I just watched the episode. Dawn was disappointed and showed it, Xander on the other hand, while shocked, agreed gently to discuss Buffy knowing about Spike later. These are the first signs of Xander being supportive when it comes to Buffy's decisions about Spike. Yes, he's upset with Spike, but he puts his anger on the right person: Spike. Not Buffy.

 

[Mrs Gordo]

I disagree that Xander turned on Buffy. I just watched the episode. Dawn was disappointed and showed it, Xander on the other hand, while shocked, agreed gently to discuss Buffy knowing about Spike later. These are the first signs of Xander being supportive when it comes to Buffy's decisions about Spike. Yes, he's upset with Spike, but he puts his anger on the right person: Spike. Not Buffy.

Yeah you are right it was Dawn that was upset at Buffy for not telling her she saw Spike. Xander was upset about Spike being there but didn't jump down Buffy's throat for not telling him the way that Dawn did. I retract Xander from that sentence.

 

[Antho]

@dcai0830



The original version writing by Douglas Petrie :

Spoiler

INT. CHURCH - NIGHT

Twin heavy doors swing slowly open and Buffy enters the church. She hears the sound of sobbing.

She walks in, cautiously, drawing a stake.

Buffy's P.O.V.: We see a figure, its back to us, sitting in one of the pews, rocking gently back and forth.

Buffy approaches. It is Spike, sitting alone, looking as lost and frightened as he can. He speaks softly and sanely.

SPIKE
I figured it out. Took awhile, yeah,
but ... I think the real problem
is ...

He looks to Buffy, eyes wide, vulnerable,

SPIKE (cont'd)
I was once this really nice guy.

Buffy remains cautious, keeping her distance.

BUFFY
So that's the problem.

SPIKE
I think.

BUFFY
Got news, Spike. You're not that
nice.

Spike laughs, quietly, enjoying the irony of a good joke.

SPIKE
Yeah. I've been ... well come on,
Let's face it, been a one-man
slaughterhouse, last hundred years.
Raping. Murdering. And for what?
(heat)
Kicks.

He stands in the pew, bows his head in reverence.

SPIKE (cont'd)
William the Bloody awful poet,
skipping down the lane ... good boy,
bad boy, all the sodding same.
You like it? Wrote that one myself.

He rolls his head around slowly, up to the ceiling, staring.

SPIKE (cont'd)
Is it hot enough in here to burn all
your mortal sins away?

And suddenly, vampire-fast, he stands straight up.

SPIKE (cont'd)
Or am I just crazy?

He laughs, steps from the pew, into the aisle.

SPIKE (cont'd)
Stuffy. Stuffed. Full, packed,
sorry mate, no room, out you go,
we're packed to the bloody brim,
standing room only and no room for
that. We. Are. Full.

Buffy steps back, giving him a wide berth. Spike lurches forward, up the church aisle, zig-zagging left and right, but always moving forward.

SPIKE (cont'd)
Full of sin. Full of guilt. Full of
hate and love and loss and feeling.
Full of it, quite frankly and it's
been so long.
(laughs)
Since we felt anything here. Rusty
switchboard, sparked to life, bound
to be more'n a few sharp shocks.

Buffy slowly following behind, never losing grip on that stake, and watching ...

SPIKE (cont'd)
Right? RIGHT?!? Shh. Quiet.
Church. His house. Place of clasped
hands, reverent hymns, and massive
raw amounts of BEGGING. On your
knees, boy. Beg him. BEG HIM ...

And we see where Spike is heading: at the head of the altar, there stands a large, carved-stone CRUCIFIX.

SPIKE (cont'd)
... for forgiveness.

BUFFY
Spike ...

SPIKE
Buffy. I can't sleep. Can't think.
There's voices and darkness and
blindness and pain and help me, I
I...

He keeps walking, slowly, up the aisle. Gets to the altar's steps and keeps going ... straight to the cross.

BUFFY
You have a soul.

Spike stops at the cross. Responds without looking back.

SPIKE
I do indeed.

He wearily lets his head rest upon the stone crucifix. And STEAM rises from where his flesh makes contact. He grimaces, but does not scream.

SPIKE (cont'd)
And it's killing me.

He reaches out and HUGS the crucifix with both arms. Steam rises from his palms.

SPIKE (cont'd)
God ...

He releases the cross, slowly pulling back and turning to Buffy

SPIKE (cont'd)
God hates me. You hate me. I hate
myself more than ever.

Buffy wants to step forward but does not.

BUFFY
But why'd you do it ...?

SPIKE
You know why. I got my soul back ...

He keeps turning, now facing Buffy, barely able to stand on his feet, wobbling a bit - and holding his arms out wide.

SPIKE (cont'd)
... So I could be the kind of ...
(laughs)
... Person ... you could care for,
the man you would come to ... the man
you could love.

Spike GRINS through bloody teeth. The burn marks stand out fresh upon his forehead and palms. He looks like death, and any second he's going to collapse.

And still, it's like something terribly sad is actually, deep down funny - and only he gets the joke.

He walks toward Buffy. Staggering gently. Eyeing the stake she still holds in her hand. He's drawn to it - and to her.

SPIKE (cont'd)
I was the enemy, then I was nothing,
and now I'm God's garbage, not even
a joke, less than, less than, less
than all His creatures combined so
tell me, dear Buffy ...

Buffy lets him approach, unmoving, but not letting go of that stake, either.

He barely makes it to her - and SLAMS straight down, to his KNEES. And opens his arms wide.

SPIKE (cont'd)
How ya like me now?

Buffy's mind goes a long way trying to come up with the answer, but her mouth cannot speak and we:

BLACK OUT.

END OF SHOW

Joss's version, there we actually have :

Spoiler

44 INT. CHAPEL AT CEMETERY - NIGHT
An oval painting on the wall is lit with moonlight streaming into the small chapel. It appears to be a medieval painting of Mary holding baby Jesus and standing in front of a fringed white drape. Zoom down to Buffy walking through the front door. The chapel is set up with a dozen wooden pews arranged on either side of a central aisle. There is a large, simple, gothic crucifix at the front of the chapel that can be seen by looking directly down the central aisle. Buffy looks around. There are three stained glass arched windows on each sidewall of the chapel. She walks forward and jumps when Spike speaks to her from the shadows behind her.

SPIKE
Hello.

BUFFY
What the hell are you—?

Spike is bare-chested, holding his shirt out to her.

SPIKE
It didn't work. Costume. Didn't help. Couldn't hide.

BUFFY
No more mind games, Spike.

Spike is looking down at the ground even though he is standing right in front of her.

SPIKE
No more mind games. No more mind.

Buffy reaches for his chest, where the scars seen in episode 7x01 "Lessons" are healing.

BUFFY
Tell me what happened to you.

Spike flinches, recoils violently, and looks her into her eyes.

SPIKE
Hey, hey, hey! No touching. Am I flesh? Am I flesh to you? Feed on flesh. My flesh. Nothing else. Not a spark. (nods) Oh, fine. Flesh then. Solid through. (starts unzipping his pants) Get it hard; service the girl.

Buffy is disgusted and smacks his hands away from his pants.

BUFFY
Stop it!

Spike reflexively reaches up and grabs her by the throat. Buffy grabs his shoulder and throws him across the room. Spike lands on top of some pews, breaking them into pieces. He sits up a little, propped on his elbows behind him.

SPIKE
Right. Girl doesn't want to be serviced. Because there's no spark. Ain't we in a soddin' engine?

Spike's looking around the room. Buffy walks over to him.

BUFFY
Spike, have you completely lost your mind?

SPIKE
(lucidly) Well, yes. Where've you been all night?

BUFFY
You thought you would just come back here and... be with me?

SPIKE
First time for everything.

BUFFY
This is all you get. I'm listening. Tell me what happened.

SPIKE
I tried to find it, of course.

BUFFY
Find what?

SPIKE
The spark. The missing... the piece that fit. That would make me fit. Because you didn't want... (starts to cry) God, I can't... Not with you looking.

Spike stands and walks away to a nearby window. He stands there, mostly in shadow, his body directed away from her. He looks back over his shoulder at her.

SPIKE
I dreamed of killing you.

Keeping an eye on him, Buffy bends down to pick up a large splinter from the broken pews at her feet to use as a stake, if necessary. Spike starts pacing.

SPIKE
I think they were dreams. So weak. Did you make me weak, thinking of you, holding myself, and spilling useless buckets of salt over your... ending? Angel—he should've warned me. He makes a good show of forgetting, but it's here, in me, all the time. (walks around toward her from behind) The spark. I wanted to give you what you deserve, and I got it. They put the spark in me and now all it does is burn.

Buffy's face shows shock, disbelief and, finally, comprehension.

BUFFY
Your soul.

SPIKE
(laughs) Bit worse for lack of use.

Buffy turns to face him.

BUFFY
You got your soul back. How?

SPIKE
It's what you wanted, right? (looking at the ceiling) It's what you wanted, right? (presses his fingers to his temples, looks down, and walks toward the altar). And—and now everybody's in here, talking. Everything I did...everyone I— and him... and it... the other, the thing beneath—beneath you. It's here too. Everybody. They all just tell me go... go... (looks back over his shoulder to Buffy) to hell.

BUFFY
Why? Why would you do that—

SPIKE
Buffy, shame on you. Why does a man do what he mustn't? For her. To be hers. To be the kind of man who would nev— (looks away) to be a kind of man.

Spike walks toward the 6-foot-tall crucifix altarpiece at the front of the chapel. Sounds like he's quoting something.

SPIKE
She shall look on him with forgiveness, and everybody will forgive and love. He will be loved.

Spike's standing only a foot away from the crucifix, staring at it.

SPIKE
So everything's OK, right? (sighs)

Spike embraces the crucifix, resting one arm over each side of the cross bar, and resting his head in the corner of the vertex. His body is sizzling and smoke is rising from where it touches the cross.

SPIKE
Can—can we rest now? Buffy...can we rest?

A close-up of Buffy's face shows that she is crying now. From where she stands, Spike's exhausted body hanging limply on the cross resembles Jesus (except the view is of Spike's back).

Cut to:

Closing credits.

 

[Mrs Gordo]

@Antho thanks. My question was aimed at whether anyone knows why Joss decided to re-write at the last minute? Any commentaries on what he didn't like or what he was going for that Doug Petrie didn't capture?

 

[sosa lola]

Beneath You

Another fine episode, my favorite character in this episode is Dawn. People wonder why Buffy was more mature than Dawn when she was sixteen, I can answer that Buffy was treated like an adult by Giles and the people around her. That was why she appeared mature. Until this season, Buffy had always treated Dawn like a kid, and that had reflected Dawn's actions.

I'm getting sick of the many times "From beneath you it devours" was mentioned. It just lost its edge, one or two times are enough in my opinion. The redundant repetition of it makes the time when D'hoffryn mentions it later in Selfless very lame.

The Buffy/Xander/Dawn scene in the car was adorable. Buffy and Xander do look the part of being parents, this dynamic suits them so much, which is why I really hate that Xander and Dawn hooked up in S8, because in #1 of S8 I felt that dynamic again when Xander is urging Buffy to talk to Dawn.

There's only one thing in this scene I didn't like, Buffy and Xander know that Anya is granting the wishes of scorned women on their exes and are not doing anything about it? I wonder sometimes how the Scoobies survived this long.

I liked when Xander was saying nice stuff about Buffy which, and it makes me wonder if Buffy says nice stuff about Xander. End of Days is the only episode that comes to mind.

The season seven core three Buffy, Xander and Dawn are gathered to help Nancy in her dilemma. "Shall we round up the gang?" "Sure except we are the gang."

That blue shirt sure doesn't flatter Spike, does it?

I'm actually with Dawn on this. Buffy shouldn't be keeping crucial information like that, but it's a Buffy habit to hide the return of her boyfriend from her friends which never ends well (especially in Angel's case in S3).

I feel sad for the Spike/Dawn friendship. I was actually more interested in how Spike will get Dawn to trust him again than his bond with Buffy.

Buffy/Xander/Spike/Nancy go to see Anya at the Bronze. I do not care about anything in this scene except:

"Is there anyone here who hasn't slept together?"

Xander and Spike stare at each other.

The logical thing was for Xander and *Buffy* to stare at each other. Anyway, whoever Xander stares at: Buffy or Spike, I'm fine with, as I like both Spander and Bander.

XANDER
You saying this was my fault?

ANYA
All I'm saying is none of this happened until you dumped me at the altar.

XANDER
And sooner or later, Anya, that excuse just stops working.

Thank you, Xander! Turning into a vengeance demon is all on Anya. Yes, being dumped by Xander sucks especially on her wedding day, but it was still her choice. She chose this path. It's her fault.

I agree with @dcai0830 that Spike working hard to hide the fact that he has a soul is very odd. Why didn't he want Buffy to know? Didn't he get the soul for her?


9/10

 

[EarthLogic]

Since already posted my thoughts on Lessons in the S7 episode thread, I'll just shamelessly plagiarise them here with added thoughts🙂:

Lessons:
It's a great opener - one of the strongest across both BtVS and AtS and it doesn't waste any time throwing us right in. The opening chase is a deliberate callback to the show's original premise but establishes much higher stakes by making the scale of the threat a global one and of course, by reversing the outcome: this time the girl can't fight back and doesn't survive. It's a chillingly effective set up for the season's Big Bads as misogyny and patriarchy. The hooded figures are more ambiguous than the concrete demons of season 1: with their homogeneity (identical black robes, shadowed faces) they represent a threatening patriarchy in its unseen yet pervasive form. We then cut to Buffy in a cemetery, teaching Dawn to slay. 'It's about power', she says over the cut, bridging the two scenes and giving us a big, fat, bell-ringing clue as to this season's theme.

I really, really loved the "My first time out, I missed the heart, too" callback.

There's also an echo of Buffy's when Merrick tells her 'You see your power?'. The difference is that this time its not a stuffy bloke from an archaic institution throwing a young girl into her 'destiny', it's an experienced Slayer teaching her sister how to fight, 'cause that's the world they live in. It's about sharing her power. Crucially, Buffy eventually beheads the vamp with a sword rather than staking him, thus foreshadowing the emergence of the ubervamps.

The Willow/Giles scenes were great. They're some of the most beautiful moments between these two - all set against the rolling hills of the English countryside. Yay for greenery! 🙂 Visually it also ties in nicely to the 'fresh new beginnings' feel of this season opener. There's a fairly decent recovery of the failed magic/drugs metaphor when Giles says 'This isn't a hobby or an addiction. It's inside you now, this magic. You're responsible for it'. I take it as an acknowledgement of what her S6 arc should have been about - power. I love Giles here, especially when he rides in on that horse like a pro - a wise and sexily duster-clad pro, so I'm not looking forward to what becomes of him later in the season.

I love the nostalgic return to high school MotW horror. I've always felt the series' handling of horror tropes and themes was one of it's strongest aspects because there was almost always an element of playing them straight even as they undercut them and it's refreshing to get that back even a little. Accordingly, Dawn and her new friends have an obvious Scooby Gang: The Next Generation vibe. I can't remember if we do get to see more of them over the season, but it would be a shame if not.

The actual plot is rather weak - the talisman is just there, no word of how it got there or why - but I suspect that's intentional. High school's not any more and Buffy's seen it all. She's older, wiser, stronger and just as the place feels 'smaller', the scaries are not so scary. I like how she deals with them in a matter-of-fact way. Again it shows how far she's come, accepting that she can't save everyone. However, it's also the first sight of practical General Buffy, and this unsympathetic side of her will return in a not-so-refreshing way later. For now though the spooks are mainly a device to bring Buffy into the basement (basements will be a recurring feature from now on) where she will encounter Justin Timberlake Spike. Of course he's gone round the twist and Buffy is naturally unsure of what to make of him. Thankfully she remains focused on the task at hand, which is saving Dawn and we postpone the Big Soul Reveal for later.

The best part of the episode by far is the return of the Big Bads. The First actually seems like a viable threat here with its fabulous split monologue, and the indication that this season is the last could not be any clearer (NOOOOO!). Dru takes Angelus' place as the S2 Big Bad representative but really, he should have been there since we are on a Hellmouth and out of all of them he probably came the closest to destroying the world. I also think the last bit of The Master's line would have suited him perfectly (though it would require a rejig of the monologue to work):
'Look at you. Tried to do what's right. Just like her, you still don't get it. It's not about right. It's not about wrong.'

It reminds me of : ''You really don't get it. Do you? You tried to kill her, but you couldn't. Look at you. You're a wreck!" (Innocence) and "You never learn, do you? This wasn't about you...And you fall for it every single time" (Becoming Part 1). Nevertheless, the Master is fab!

The only weak-ish part for me was the Buffy/Spike interaction. Not the fact of Spike's actual return, but just that they saw each other in this very first episode. I was just getting into the basement horror vibe and I feel their scene disrupts it because then my mind turns to 'ooh what'll happen between Buffy and Spike now?' I felt pulled out of the moment, especially since their interaction doesn't serve much more purpose than for her to know he's there behaving strangely and for him to provide the clue to quickly resolving our Plot A basement-ghoulie problem (though the 'talisman' mention also foreshadows the 'Seal', but @dcai0830 I agree his role is mainly expositionary here). I think it would have worked better if they had staggered Spike's return/reveal similar to how they did Angel's. He could have returned in Ep 1, but only known to the viewer, in Ep 2 we'd have had Buffy come across him in the basement, then Ep 3 would have been 'Beneath You'. It's probably a sign of how much they're going to try and fit into this final season.

, Umad Learns Sumerian

Now I kind of want to change my username to Umad.

Here is something I was thinking about. Is it callous of Buffy not to feel guilty over the dead people that she couldn't save? Early Seasons Buffy would've maybe had a conversation with someone about how these are people she couldn't save. Maybe Giles or Willow.... she could've had that conversation with Xander but it strikes me that maybe she didn't have anyone to talk about that with. And it also strikes me that she didn't give two craps about the fact that these people are alleging they died because she didn't save them. I'm not saying she SHOULD feel guilty (please lets not go down that path). I'm just saying that I think it's strange that she didn't feel a little tickle of remorse for it.

Like I said above, I think it's meant to show how much she has grown into her role as the Slayer, and how she has accepted the limitations of her job in not being able to save everyone and having to make sacrifices, but I do think it foreshadows General Buffy later on the the season.