Buffy - Season 4 impressions (episode 16)
Nov. 26th, 2005 09:08 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
thalia_seawoodWho Are You?
For a summary click here.
An outstanding episode!
Sarah Michelle Gellar is brilliant as Faith who tries to play Buffy. She clearly has a lot of fun with this episode.
It's kind of confusing to write down my impressions for this episode due to the body switch. I've deciced to write "Buffy" when I mean Faith in Buffy's body and "Faith" when I mean Buffy in Faith's body. Totally clear, isn't it.)
- The body switch makes perfect sense:
Faith has always been envious of Buffy and everything Buffy has got (a caring mother, a safe home, a kind father-figure and mentor and many good friends). Buffy has received so much love and Faith so little. And the one person who did love Faith, i.e. Mayor Wilkins, was destroyed by Buffy.
- "Buffy" clearly can't deal with the affection and hates it that Joyce tries to analyse Faith's motivations.
- "Buffy" in front of the bathroom mirror practicing being good. Very funny.
[She shakes her finger.]
You can't do that. it's wrong.
[She shakes her head slightly.]
You can't do that because it's naughty.
[louder] Because it's wrong.
[She tilts head.]
[softly] Because it's wrong.
[She points very aggressively.]
You can't do that. It's wrong. I'll kick your ass. I'm gonna kill you.
- Willow and Tara: Yup, it's love. Willow hasn't figured it quite out yet, but Tara knows already that she loves Willow.
Tara: I am, you know.
Willow: What?
[Tara turns and looks up at Willow.]
Tara: Yours.
- The methods of the Council don't impress me much. There aren't any better than the Iniative. Like them, they have no respect for the safety of civilians as can be clearly seen when they take out the policemen.
- Xander and Anya are fun:
Xander: We kind of have a romantic evening planned.
Anya: We were gonna light a bunch of candles and have sex near them.
- Spike is very wary of Buffy, she has the ability to make him lose his cool. Of course, it doesn't help that Faith in Buffy's body is coming onto him strongly. (And Faith gets points for very the original use to suggestive language.)
Spike: You know why I really hate you, Summers?
"Buffy": 'Cause I'm a stuck-up tight-ass with no sense of fun?
Spike: Well, yeah, that covers a lot of it.
"Buffy": Cause I could do anything I want, and instead, I choose to pout and whine and feel the burden of slayerness? I mean, I could
be rich, I could be famous, I could have anything. Anyone. ["Buffy" moves closer and puts her hands on Spike's chest.]
Even you, Spike. I could ride you at a gallop until your legs buckled and your eyes rolled up. I've got muscles you've never
even dreamed of. I could squeeze you until you popped like warm champagne, and you'd beg me to hurt you just a little bit more.
And you know why I don't? [She moves closer and looks up at him pursing her lips.] Because it's wrong. Humh humh. [She moves off.]
Spike: I get this chip out, you and me are gonna have a confrontation.
"Buffy": Count on it.
[Spike throws his bottle into the wall and walks off. He shoves someone and clutches his head.]
selenak told me that Spike never finds out this wasn't the real Buffy he was talking to. Oh my.
I'm pretty sure he will plot for revenge now, because he does not appreciate being humiliated...
- The meeting between "Buffy" and Tara does not go well. Felt so sorry for Tara, especially when she was thrown so badly she started stammering. She has some remarkable inner strength, however. She doesn't burst into tears - and she's still able to judge what happens from an objective viewpoint. She manages to figure out that this was not the real Buffy.
- It's very interesting that Tara who has never met Buffy before makes this discovery.
"Buffy" meets everybody the real Buffy is close to: Her mother, Giles, Xander, Willow, Anya, and Riley - and noone can see that it's not her.
This suggests that Buffy is no longer in tune with her family and friends. "Buffy" may behave in strange ways, but her mother/her friends know that she sometimes goes through moody or extreme phases and nothing seems to be entirely out of character. E.g. we have seen Buffy get drunk in Beer Bad.
- Important scene: "Buffy" saves a girl from a vampire and the girl thanks her. This is something Faith obviously is not used to; she killed a lot of demons, but apparently she never met someone she saved and never got any thanks. So far, she is a Slayer because killing is fun, not because she's trying to help people.
- So Adam gets himself a gang of vampires and becomes a Messiah for demons.
- Heh, we get a highly erotic scene when Willow and Tara work their spell. To make it even more suggestive it is followed by a scene of "Buffy" and Riley having sex.
- Faith cannot handle true intimacy. Riley genuinely making love to her when he believes she's Buffy is too much for her. In fact, she reacts to his declaration of love as if he's violated her. It's noteworthy that she doesn't leave afterwards, but sleeps in his arms.
- Joss Whedon has a gift for creating villains. Love it when he gives them a philosphical touch.
Adam: I have a gift no man has. [That] No demon has ever had. I know why I'm here. I was created to kill. To extinguish life
wherever I find it. And I have accepted that responsibility.
- This is the first time that Faith is upset by being called a killer:
Forrest: Yeah, you're a killer.
"Buffy": I am not a killer!!! I am the Slayer! And you don't know the first thing about me.
Forrest: You really care what I think?
"Buffy": No. I don't care. [Throws hands up.] God, I don't care.
- "Faith" convincing Giles that she's really Buffy is fun:
Faith: Oh, cause, uh, Ethan Rayne. And-and you have a girlfriend named Olivia, and you haven't had a job since we blew up the school,
which is valid lifestyle wise. I mean, it's not like you're a slacker type, but... Oh, oh! when I had psychic power, I heard my mom think that you were like a stevedore during sex. What? Do you want me to continue?
Giles: Actually, I beg you to stop.
- Love it when Faith goes back to rescue the hostages instead of leaving Sunnydale. It's the first time that she doesn't shirk her responsibilities as a Slayer. It's also quite telling that she had planned on leaving Sunnydale instead of really harming any of Buffy's friends before leaving.
- "Buffy" saying to Riley "I can't use you." has a brilliant double meaning. It can mean "You will only get in the way." or "I will not use you any longer for my own purposes in order to hurt Buffy."
- "Buffy" and "Faith" fighting each other after rescuing the hostages is an intense scene. Faith clearly hates himself. The accusations she throws at Buffy who wears Faith's body are all directed at herself:
"Faith": You can't win this.
"Buffy": Shut up! Do you think I'm afraid of you?
["Buffy" grabs "Faith" and throws her down, then sits on top of her and starts punching her.]
You're nothing. [Punch.] Disgusting. [Punch.]
["Buffy" grabs "Faith"'s hair with both hands and bangs her head.]
Murderous bitch. [Bang. Bang...] You're nothing. [Bang. Bang...]
[Switches back to punches] You're ["Buffy" is now crying.] disgusting.
- By the end of the episode, Faith leaves Sunnydale. I'm pretty sure she will change very soon, but am not sure she has already reached her breaking point. As an upcoming episode of Angel is called Five By Five I expect to see her again soon.
- Buffy being angry at Riley for having slept with Faith is understandable, but as he says:
I slept with you. [=real Buffy]
And they haven't really been together for that long. "Buffy"'s unusual behaviour can easily be interpreted as her being in a playful-wicked mood.
For a summary click here.
An outstanding episode!
Sarah Michelle Gellar is brilliant as Faith who tries to play Buffy. She clearly has a lot of fun with this episode.
It's kind of confusing to write down my impressions for this episode due to the body switch. I've deciced to write "Buffy" when I mean Faith in Buffy's body and "Faith" when I mean Buffy in Faith's body. Totally clear, isn't it.)
- The body switch makes perfect sense:
Faith has always been envious of Buffy and everything Buffy has got (a caring mother, a safe home, a kind father-figure and mentor and many good friends). Buffy has received so much love and Faith so little. And the one person who did love Faith, i.e. Mayor Wilkins, was destroyed by Buffy.
- "Buffy" clearly can't deal with the affection and hates it that Joyce tries to analyse Faith's motivations.
- "Buffy" in front of the bathroom mirror practicing being good. Very funny.
[She shakes her finger.]
You can't do that. it's wrong.
[She shakes her head slightly.]
You can't do that because it's naughty.
[louder] Because it's wrong.
[She tilts head.]
[softly] Because it's wrong.
[She points very aggressively.]
You can't do that. It's wrong. I'll kick your ass. I'm gonna kill you.
- Willow and Tara: Yup, it's love. Willow hasn't figured it quite out yet, but Tara knows already that she loves Willow.
Tara: I am, you know.
Willow: What?
[Tara turns and looks up at Willow.]
Tara: Yours.
- The methods of the Council don't impress me much. There aren't any better than the Iniative. Like them, they have no respect for the safety of civilians as can be clearly seen when they take out the policemen.
- Xander and Anya are fun:
Xander: We kind of have a romantic evening planned.
Anya: We were gonna light a bunch of candles and have sex near them.
- Spike is very wary of Buffy, she has the ability to make him lose his cool. Of course, it doesn't help that Faith in Buffy's body is coming onto him strongly. (And Faith gets points for very the original use to suggestive language.)
Spike: You know why I really hate you, Summers?
"Buffy": 'Cause I'm a stuck-up tight-ass with no sense of fun?
Spike: Well, yeah, that covers a lot of it.
"Buffy": Cause I could do anything I want, and instead, I choose to pout and whine and feel the burden of slayerness? I mean, I could
be rich, I could be famous, I could have anything. Anyone. ["Buffy" moves closer and puts her hands on Spike's chest.]
Even you, Spike. I could ride you at a gallop until your legs buckled and your eyes rolled up. I've got muscles you've never
even dreamed of. I could squeeze you until you popped like warm champagne, and you'd beg me to hurt you just a little bit more.
And you know why I don't? [She moves closer and looks up at him pursing her lips.] Because it's wrong. Humh humh. [She moves off.]
Spike: I get this chip out, you and me are gonna have a confrontation.
"Buffy": Count on it.
[Spike throws his bottle into the wall and walks off. He shoves someone and clutches his head.]
selenak told me that Spike never finds out this wasn't the real Buffy he was talking to. Oh my.I'm pretty sure he will plot for revenge now, because he does not appreciate being humiliated...
- The meeting between "Buffy" and Tara does not go well. Felt so sorry for Tara, especially when she was thrown so badly she started stammering. She has some remarkable inner strength, however. She doesn't burst into tears - and she's still able to judge what happens from an objective viewpoint. She manages to figure out that this was not the real Buffy.
- It's very interesting that Tara who has never met Buffy before makes this discovery.
"Buffy" meets everybody the real Buffy is close to: Her mother, Giles, Xander, Willow, Anya, and Riley - and noone can see that it's not her.
This suggests that Buffy is no longer in tune with her family and friends. "Buffy" may behave in strange ways, but her mother/her friends know that she sometimes goes through moody or extreme phases and nothing seems to be entirely out of character. E.g. we have seen Buffy get drunk in Beer Bad.
- Important scene: "Buffy" saves a girl from a vampire and the girl thanks her. This is something Faith obviously is not used to; she killed a lot of demons, but apparently she never met someone she saved and never got any thanks. So far, she is a Slayer because killing is fun, not because she's trying to help people.
- So Adam gets himself a gang of vampires and becomes a Messiah for demons.
- Heh, we get a highly erotic scene when Willow and Tara work their spell. To make it even more suggestive it is followed by a scene of "Buffy" and Riley having sex.
- Faith cannot handle true intimacy. Riley genuinely making love to her when he believes she's Buffy is too much for her. In fact, she reacts to his declaration of love as if he's violated her. It's noteworthy that she doesn't leave afterwards, but sleeps in his arms.
- Joss Whedon has a gift for creating villains. Love it when he gives them a philosphical touch.
Adam: I have a gift no man has. [That] No demon has ever had. I know why I'm here. I was created to kill. To extinguish life
wherever I find it. And I have accepted that responsibility.
- This is the first time that Faith is upset by being called a killer:
Forrest: Yeah, you're a killer.
"Buffy": I am not a killer!!! I am the Slayer! And you don't know the first thing about me.
Forrest: You really care what I think?
"Buffy": No. I don't care. [Throws hands up.] God, I don't care.
- "Faith" convincing Giles that she's really Buffy is fun:
Faith: Oh, cause, uh, Ethan Rayne. And-and you have a girlfriend named Olivia, and you haven't had a job since we blew up the school,
which is valid lifestyle wise. I mean, it's not like you're a slacker type, but... Oh, oh! when I had psychic power, I heard my mom think that you were like a stevedore during sex. What? Do you want me to continue?
Giles: Actually, I beg you to stop.
- Love it when Faith goes back to rescue the hostages instead of leaving Sunnydale. It's the first time that she doesn't shirk her responsibilities as a Slayer. It's also quite telling that she had planned on leaving Sunnydale instead of really harming any of Buffy's friends before leaving.
- "Buffy" saying to Riley "I can't use you." has a brilliant double meaning. It can mean "You will only get in the way." or "I will not use you any longer for my own purposes in order to hurt Buffy."
- "Buffy" and "Faith" fighting each other after rescuing the hostages is an intense scene. Faith clearly hates himself. The accusations she throws at Buffy who wears Faith's body are all directed at herself:
"Faith": You can't win this.
"Buffy": Shut up! Do you think I'm afraid of you?
["Buffy" grabs "Faith" and throws her down, then sits on top of her and starts punching her.]
You're nothing. [Punch.] Disgusting. [Punch.]
["Buffy" grabs "Faith"'s hair with both hands and bangs her head.]
Murderous bitch. [Bang. Bang...] You're nothing. [Bang. Bang...]
[Switches back to punches] You're ["Buffy" is now crying.] disgusting.
- By the end of the episode, Faith leaves Sunnydale. I'm pretty sure she will change very soon, but am not sure she has already reached her breaking point. As an upcoming episode of Angel is called Five By Five I expect to see her again soon.
- Buffy being angry at Riley for having slept with Faith is understandable, but as he says:
I slept with you. [=real Buffy]
And they haven't really been together for that long. "Buffy"'s unusual behaviour can easily be interpreted as her being in a playful-wicked mood.
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no subject
Date: 2005-11-26 10:43 pm (UTC)actually, IIRC, it's revealed several seasons that that Buffy had told Spike (at some point, God knows when) that it wasn't her in the body; whether Buffy actually realized that Faith had flirted with him, or just made a general "if you met me in the last 3 days, it wasn't me" statement, who knows?
re: Tara -- the pattern of people who don't see Buffy everyday understanding her best is a recurring thing -- though it's usually the villains (the Mayor, Spike in "Lover's Walk" & "Fool for Love", and some others who you will encounter later.
I adore the "Buffy"/Riley scene and I think your last line is absolutely right -- Riley still doesn't "know" Buffy very well; in fact, depending how you interpret "the I in team," this may only be the second time that "they" have had sex. Also, do you watch the new Galactica? Because there is a very cool Starbuck/Faith parallel involving that scene.
no subject
Date: 2005-11-27 05:54 pm (UTC)I will look out for this moment.
the pattern of people who don't see Buffy everyday understanding her best is a recurring thing
Great observation!
Buffy's friends have many strengths, but they aren't all that good when it comes to understand someone's motivations. Mayor Wilkins and Spike, on the other hand, have been so successful so far because they have a knack for reading someone's emotions and using any weakness they can find.
No, haven't seen the new Galactica yet. I'm way behind in the world of TV-fandom. :-) Will now complete watching Buffy & Angel, will then finish watching ALIAS and will then move on to BSG. I'm a woman with a plan. :-)
no subject
Date: 2005-11-27 07:26 am (UTC)It cracks me up each time. SMG and Joss must have had such a blast with this scene.
"I am, you know. Yours." makes me misty-eyed. I have a soft spot for Tara, and it's such a touching declaration of love.
Faith cannot handle true intimacy. Riley genuinely making love to her when he believes she's Buffy is too much for her.
It's a great use of a sex scene to highlight something about a character. And just the reverse of Faith's encounters with Xander, both the original deflowering of same and the almost rape/murder - it goes completely against her idea of what sex is, and how men are.
Buffy-in-Faith's little speech to Giles: naturally, I looked up "stevedore" in the dictionary afterwards.*g*
no subject
Date: 2005-11-27 05:55 pm (UTC)Same here. *g* I love discovering new words.
no subject
Date: 2005-11-27 09:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-12-01 09:59 pm (UTC)