Buffy - Season 4 impressions (episode 20)
Dec. 4th, 2005 12:19 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
thalia_seawoodThe Yoko Factor
For a summary click here.
The Psychological War
- Adam has the brilliant idea that Buffy will be vulnerable without her friends.
SPIKE: There's your --what do you call it-- variable. The Slayer's got pals. You want her evening the odds in a fight you don't want the Slayerettes mucking about.
ADAM: Take them away from her.
Spike perks up at that idea.
SPIKE: Now there's a plan. She's working solo, she won't have a chance to come after us when the wild rumpus begins. (chuckles) Plus, it will make her miserable. And I never get tired of that.
- This episode shows clearly that Spike greatest strength is his ability to read people and to use their weaknesses against them.
Also interesting to observe is that he jumps right into the action, he doesn't appear to plan beforehand how exactly he will go about alienating the scoobies from one another. He just goes with the flow and improvises. On the downside, he's not so good with the details which becomes apparent in the follow up episode. :-)
- The name Spike gives to his tactics, i.e. "Yoko Factor", is very apt.
The point is, they were once a real powerful group. It's not a stretch to say they ruled the world. And when they broke up everyone blamed Yoko, but the fact is the group split itself apart, she just happened to be there. And you know how it is with kids. They go off to college, they grow apart. Way of the world.
- Love the scene where Giles plays his guitar and sings - and from the camera perspective you just *know* he isn't alone in the room.
GILES: (singing) 'Cause I'm as free as bird now--(high-pitched gasp)
He jumps up from the couch as he's startled to see Spike standing in his home. The vampire starts heading for the kitchen.
SPIKE: You know, for someone who's got "Watcher" on his resume', you might want to cast an eye to the front door every now and again.
- Giles is the first victim of Spike's psychological warfare. In A New Man we could see how left out and insecure Giles feels and obviously Spike has picked up on this:
GILES: I'm her Watcher.
SPIKE: I think you're neglecting the past-tense there, Rupert. Besides, she barely listened to you when you were in charge. I've seen the way she treats you.
Giles grows uncomfortable at those words. He grabs a bottle off the bar and starts to pour himself a drink.
GILES: Oh, yes? And how's that?
SPIKE: Very much like a retired librarian.
- The next victim is Xander who's also an easy target. His biggest fear during the entire year has been that he will lose his friendship with Buffy and Willow, because he's not going to college. (This is also reflected by how little Xander is actually present in season 4. He is there, but doesn't get that much action.)
SPIKE: Oh, your girlie-mates were talking. Something about, uh, being all you can be. Or all *you* can be. And having laugh. Figured you were signing up. Say, have you got anything larger in the . . toy gun line?
He holds out the gun to him but Xander isn't paying him any attention.
XANDER: "All I can--" (paces to the other side of the crypt) Can you believe this!? Like I'm some sort of useless lunk. It happens I'm good at a lot of things. I help out with all kinds of . . . stuff. I have skills . . . and . . . stratagems. I'm very . . . (looks to Anya) Help me out.
ANYA: (nonchalant) He's Viking in the sack.
SPIKE: (not caring) Terrific.
- The final attack is aimed at Willow. Here Spike definitely follows his instincts; he sees how Tara strokes Willow's hair and things just click for him. It's interesting that he actually blames Xander for the fictional remarks about Willow and Tara. In the big argument that will follow Willow nevertheless turns against Buffy.
SPIKE: [...] Your mates said you weren't playing with computers so much. (indicates Tara) Into the new thing.
WILLOW: (frowning) What new thing?
SPIKE: (nonchalant) You know, you two. The whole wicca thing.
WILLOW: They-they were talking about that?
SPIKE: Can we get back to business here? I've got a deal at stake.
But Willow is very concerned now.
WILLOW: What did they say?
SPIKE: (impatient sigh) Talking about, you know, it's a phase. You'll get over it.
WILLOW: What? Who said that? Was it Buffy? (to Tara) 'Cause . . . you know what she means by that.
SPIKE: No, she was defending you. 'Cause Xander said you were just being trendy.
WILLOW: Trendy?
Friendship
- Spike attacks Buffy's bonds to Giles, Xander and Willow. He does not try, however, to destroy the relationships between Willow/Tara and Xander/Anya. It isn't necessary *and* it probably wouldn't work either. Both relationships are strong.
- The big fight brings out all the things that have been boiling under the surface.
The argument reminded me a bit of the argument in Dead Man's Party, the issues here have had much more time to fester, though.
Buffy: You guys, stop this! What happened to you today?
Willow: It's not today! Buffy, things have been wrong for a while! Don't you see that?
Buffy: What do you mean wrong?
Willow: Well, they certainly haven't been right, since Tara. We have to face it. You can't handle Tara being my girlfriend.
Xander: No! It was bad before that! (he steps out in between them again) Since you two went off to college and forgot about me! Just left me in the basement to-- (turns on Willow in shock) Tara's your girlfriend?
[...]
Buffy: (raising her voice) No! No, you said you wanted to go. So let's go! All of us. We'll walk into that cave with you two attacking me and the funny drunk drooling on my shoe! Hey! Hey, maybe that's the secret way of killing Adam?!
Xander: Buffy . . .
Buffy: (hurt and angry) Is that it? Is that how you can help? (a beat) You're not answering me! How can you possibly help?
They don't reply and turn their eyes away from her. She regards them silently for a moment.
Buffy: (somberly) So . . . I guess I'm starting to understand why there's no ancient prophecy about a Chosen One . . and her friends.
Buffy, Angel and Riley
- In Sanctuary Angel has to understand that Buffy has a new boyfriend, in the The Yoko Factor Riley is hurt when he realises how important Angel was to Buffy.
But Riley, come on, why are you so surprised that Angel had sex with Buffy? When Buffy told you about Angel, did you think that they just plugged daisies together? - Huh. I guess Riley tried to not think about the whole issue to deeply. Insightful reflection doesn't come easily to him.
- Angel and Riley come to blows. Their fight hasn't much to do with the actual situation, it's really about Buffy. (Totally agree with her remark about the "Testosterone Poisoning".)
Too bad. I actually think they have several character traits in common. Both are the strong, silent type, both a very thorough about whatever they do. And when we look back at Angel before he was turned into a vampire, he also seems to avoid introspection. In a way, Liam is the reckless version of Riley.
I'm fully aware that this theory would have been extremely unpopular back in the days.
- Nice moment:
BUFFY: (angry) Okay. I come to see you, to help you, and you treat me like I'm just . . . your ex.
ANGEL: Well, technically--
BUFFY: Shut up! And then you order me out of *your* city and then you come here and start pounding on my boyfriend?! I would really like to know what the HELL are you trying to do?!.
ANGEL: I was trying to make things better.
She regards his sincere expression and can't keep herself from laughing. It becomes contagious because Angel can't help but to smile also.
ANGEL: Heh. Well. (chuckles) It's a . . . going pretty good, don't you think?
- I heart Riley. Also him calling Angel "Mr Billowy Coat King" made me laugh.
Other
Welcome to Miss Kitty Fantastico!
Watching drunk Giles is entertaining. I do not approve though!
And I know Riley is not on Adam's side. Before watching the sequel I thought he would either go to Adam to infiltrate his operation and help destroying it from the inside or that he was coerced somehow.
For a summary click here.
The Psychological War
- Adam has the brilliant idea that Buffy will be vulnerable without her friends.
SPIKE: There's your --what do you call it-- variable. The Slayer's got pals. You want her evening the odds in a fight you don't want the Slayerettes mucking about.
ADAM: Take them away from her.
Spike perks up at that idea.
SPIKE: Now there's a plan. She's working solo, she won't have a chance to come after us when the wild rumpus begins. (chuckles) Plus, it will make her miserable. And I never get tired of that.
- This episode shows clearly that Spike greatest strength is his ability to read people and to use their weaknesses against them.
Also interesting to observe is that he jumps right into the action, he doesn't appear to plan beforehand how exactly he will go about alienating the scoobies from one another. He just goes with the flow and improvises. On the downside, he's not so good with the details which becomes apparent in the follow up episode. :-)
- The name Spike gives to his tactics, i.e. "Yoko Factor", is very apt.
The point is, they were once a real powerful group. It's not a stretch to say they ruled the world. And when they broke up everyone blamed Yoko, but the fact is the group split itself apart, she just happened to be there. And you know how it is with kids. They go off to college, they grow apart. Way of the world.
- Love the scene where Giles plays his guitar and sings - and from the camera perspective you just *know* he isn't alone in the room.
GILES: (singing) 'Cause I'm as free as bird now--(high-pitched gasp)
He jumps up from the couch as he's startled to see Spike standing in his home. The vampire starts heading for the kitchen.
SPIKE: You know, for someone who's got "Watcher" on his resume', you might want to cast an eye to the front door every now and again.
- Giles is the first victim of Spike's psychological warfare. In A New Man we could see how left out and insecure Giles feels and obviously Spike has picked up on this:
GILES: I'm her Watcher.
SPIKE: I think you're neglecting the past-tense there, Rupert. Besides, she barely listened to you when you were in charge. I've seen the way she treats you.
Giles grows uncomfortable at those words. He grabs a bottle off the bar and starts to pour himself a drink.
GILES: Oh, yes? And how's that?
SPIKE: Very much like a retired librarian.
- The next victim is Xander who's also an easy target. His biggest fear during the entire year has been that he will lose his friendship with Buffy and Willow, because he's not going to college. (This is also reflected by how little Xander is actually present in season 4. He is there, but doesn't get that much action.)
SPIKE: Oh, your girlie-mates were talking. Something about, uh, being all you can be. Or all *you* can be. And having laugh. Figured you were signing up. Say, have you got anything larger in the . . toy gun line?
He holds out the gun to him but Xander isn't paying him any attention.
XANDER: "All I can--" (paces to the other side of the crypt) Can you believe this!? Like I'm some sort of useless lunk. It happens I'm good at a lot of things. I help out with all kinds of . . . stuff. I have skills . . . and . . . stratagems. I'm very . . . (looks to Anya) Help me out.
ANYA: (nonchalant) He's Viking in the sack.
SPIKE: (not caring) Terrific.
- The final attack is aimed at Willow. Here Spike definitely follows his instincts; he sees how Tara strokes Willow's hair and things just click for him. It's interesting that he actually blames Xander for the fictional remarks about Willow and Tara. In the big argument that will follow Willow nevertheless turns against Buffy.
SPIKE: [...] Your mates said you weren't playing with computers so much. (indicates Tara) Into the new thing.
WILLOW: (frowning) What new thing?
SPIKE: (nonchalant) You know, you two. The whole wicca thing.
WILLOW: They-they were talking about that?
SPIKE: Can we get back to business here? I've got a deal at stake.
But Willow is very concerned now.
WILLOW: What did they say?
SPIKE: (impatient sigh) Talking about, you know, it's a phase. You'll get over it.
WILLOW: What? Who said that? Was it Buffy? (to Tara) 'Cause . . . you know what she means by that.
SPIKE: No, she was defending you. 'Cause Xander said you were just being trendy.
WILLOW: Trendy?
Friendship
- Spike attacks Buffy's bonds to Giles, Xander and Willow. He does not try, however, to destroy the relationships between Willow/Tara and Xander/Anya. It isn't necessary *and* it probably wouldn't work either. Both relationships are strong.
- The big fight brings out all the things that have been boiling under the surface.
The argument reminded me a bit of the argument in Dead Man's Party, the issues here have had much more time to fester, though.
Buffy: You guys, stop this! What happened to you today?
Willow: It's not today! Buffy, things have been wrong for a while! Don't you see that?
Buffy: What do you mean wrong?
Willow: Well, they certainly haven't been right, since Tara. We have to face it. You can't handle Tara being my girlfriend.
Xander: No! It was bad before that! (he steps out in between them again) Since you two went off to college and forgot about me! Just left me in the basement to-- (turns on Willow in shock) Tara's your girlfriend?
[...]
Buffy: (raising her voice) No! No, you said you wanted to go. So let's go! All of us. We'll walk into that cave with you two attacking me and the funny drunk drooling on my shoe! Hey! Hey, maybe that's the secret way of killing Adam?!
Xander: Buffy . . .
Buffy: (hurt and angry) Is that it? Is that how you can help? (a beat) You're not answering me! How can you possibly help?
They don't reply and turn their eyes away from her. She regards them silently for a moment.
Buffy: (somberly) So . . . I guess I'm starting to understand why there's no ancient prophecy about a Chosen One . . and her friends.
Buffy, Angel and Riley
- In Sanctuary Angel has to understand that Buffy has a new boyfriend, in the The Yoko Factor Riley is hurt when he realises how important Angel was to Buffy.
But Riley, come on, why are you so surprised that Angel had sex with Buffy? When Buffy told you about Angel, did you think that they just plugged daisies together? - Huh. I guess Riley tried to not think about the whole issue to deeply. Insightful reflection doesn't come easily to him.
- Angel and Riley come to blows. Their fight hasn't much to do with the actual situation, it's really about Buffy. (Totally agree with her remark about the "Testosterone Poisoning".)
Too bad. I actually think they have several character traits in common. Both are the strong, silent type, both a very thorough about whatever they do. And when we look back at Angel before he was turned into a vampire, he also seems to avoid introspection. In a way, Liam is the reckless version of Riley.
I'm fully aware that this theory would have been extremely unpopular back in the days.
- Nice moment:
BUFFY: (angry) Okay. I come to see you, to help you, and you treat me like I'm just . . . your ex.
ANGEL: Well, technically--
BUFFY: Shut up! And then you order me out of *your* city and then you come here and start pounding on my boyfriend?! I would really like to know what the HELL are you trying to do?!.
ANGEL: I was trying to make things better.
She regards his sincere expression and can't keep herself from laughing. It becomes contagious because Angel can't help but to smile also.
ANGEL: Heh. Well. (chuckles) It's a . . . going pretty good, don't you think?
- I heart Riley. Also him calling Angel "Mr Billowy Coat King" made me laugh.
Other
Welcome to Miss Kitty Fantastico!
Watching drunk Giles is entertaining. I do not approve though!
And I know Riley is not on Adam's side. Before watching the sequel I thought he would either go to Adam to infiltrate his operation and help destroying it from the inside or that he was coerced somehow.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2005-12-04 07:25 am (UTC)Precisely.*g* Spike is great at improvisation but with very rare exceptions (such as his later season 2 stint in the wheel chair) just doesn't have the patience for details.
Yoko: you know, just the other day I read a post complaining Joss contributed to Yoko Ono bashing by naming the episode "The Yoko Factor". You'd think that the on screen textual explanation of how she wasn't to blame for the Beatles breakup would refute that, but noooo....
The argument reminded me a bit of the argument in Dead Man's Party, the issues here have had much more time to fester, though.
Yes. It's not something between seasons, it's something the audience has seen grow, and now it explodes.
But Riley, come on, why are you so surprised that Angel had sex with Buffy? When Buffy told you about Angel, did you think that they just plugged daisies together? - Huh. I guess Riley tried to not think about the whole issue to deeply.
Probably. I mean, he obviously knew she wasn't a virgin, but could have blamed that on Parker, and at any rate, she wasn't very experienced. He probably tried to think "high school romance, holding hands, nothing more".
Riley and Angel: I think there is a story where they come to an understanding somewhere, but it's set middle of season 5/ season 2 of Angel, so you can't read it yet.
Trivia alert: Marc Blucas originally auditioned for Lindsey, and Christian Kane for Riley. The mind boggles.
"Mr. Billowy Coat King of Pain" was an inspired nickname, and I was glad that Angel and Buffy parted on a reconciliatory note.
no subject
Date: 2005-12-04 07:15 pm (UTC)Sometimes fan interpretations amaze me; seems that some fans come to very strange conclusions despite textual evidence that disproves their interpretation. When I'm confronted with totally differing opinions (e.g. it's Obi-Wan's fault that Anakin turned to the dark side or Buffy wasn't nice enough to Faith and so Faith had to turn evil), my world tilts slightly. Makes it obvious that people perceive the world in very different ways.
no subject
Date: 2005-12-05 01:12 am (UTC)Trivia alert: Marc Blucas originally auditioned for Lindsey, and Christian Kane for Riley. The mind boggles.
That may be the best factoid ever. . .apparently, Mr. Blucas was too tall to be a lawyer and Mr. Kane too short to be a commando!
I'm actually not a huge fan of the Spike parts of this episode. I love the Yoko idea, and Spike is a good manipulator, but I didn't think the scenes in which he actually uses this "power" were very convincing. when else does Xander even LISTEN to Spike for that long? It just all seemed overly convenient (also, the second time around, I found "character with evil intentions intuitively perceives Willow's lesbianism" a little much; Faith made perfect sense, Spike -- who has all kinds of issues re: understanding women -- much less so. I guess you could fall back on the "vampire smell powers," but it still seems like a stretch; plus would W&T even be acting that way in front of Spike?)
I like the Riley parts of this ep (and it's also the only time that Angel
I don't think Riley was concerned that Buffy had slept with Angel so much as that she'd lied to him about it -- or at least omitted the catalyst for Angel turning evil, which was a pretty huge thing not to tell him.
I love the billowy-coat-king-of-pain line but, to be fair, I also love the exchange when Riley says he won't leave the room and then gets stuck having to hold to it.
no subject
Date: 2005-12-05 01:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-12-05 05:53 pm (UTC)The one thing I noticed was that he needn't have bothered to come, Buffy would have been perfectly able to handle things independently.
But you know, there's a pattern there. Angel shows up in Sunnydale and somehow wants to help - but either he isn't really needed and/or he stirs things up which results in new problems. :-)
no subject
Date: 2005-12-06 11:25 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-12-06 11:56 am (UTC)*tries to remember which episode I was actually referring to*
Thalia, it's best just to ignore me when I get like that; I still have some rogue Angel-bashing reflexes. I'm MUCH better about it than I used to be, but still.
no subject
Date: 2005-12-06 01:51 pm (UTC)(Inside joke, Thalia.)
no subject
Date: 2005-12-06 07:24 pm (UTC):o) Never mind! Personally, evil Nazi villains in TV shows get me into rant mode...
no subject
Date: 2005-12-05 09:05 pm (UTC)The scenes worked for me, because we had seen something very similar in Doomed where Spike tells Willow and Xander that Buffy doesn't need them, but just tolerates them. Both don't defend themselves, but just go very quiet. Fact is that Spike's comment taps into something of which they are secretly afraid. In The Yoko Factor, Spike simply uses knowledge he has already gained.
Willow and Tara don't do much in front of Spike: Tara just strokes Willows hair - and I can buy this happening. They've just recently become lovers and lovers aren't always careful.
Does it make sense that Spike figures it out? IMO, from what we've seen so far about him, it actually works. E.g. when all of Willow's friends think she's getting over Oz, he says that she's only holding on by a thread. When Buffy and Angel claim that they are only friends now, he calls them on it. Canonwise, he has been the character who can see through the facade and understands quite often what people are feeling - and then he uses his knowledge against them. (This is something that backfires on him occasionally, e.g. when he mocks Buffy with Angel - and she gets so angry that she defeats him.)
I don't think Riley was concerned that Buffy had slept with Angel so much as that she'd lied to him about it -- or at least omitted the catalyst for Angel turning evil, which was a pretty huge thing not to tell him.
Yes, that's a very good interpretation!