Buffy - Season 5 impressions (episode 20)
Jan. 21st, 2006 10:37 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
thalia_seawoodSpiral
For a summary click here.
- Buffy, Dawn, Tara and Willow try to escape from Glory, but haven't got a chance. They are extremely lucky when Ben takes over Glory's body, before Glory can take the Key.
- Buffy makes the decision to leave Sunnydale together with all her friends. It's hard for her to make this decision - she is the Slayer which means all villains should run from her, not she from them.
Her decision makes sense though: Glory is a god, she's basically immortal. She knows where Buffy lives, she can easily find out where her friends live. There's not much Buffy can do for now apart from running.
I hope Buffy called the director of Dawn's school before leaving town. - Yes, I worry about these things. :-)
- This is the scene where I finally got of who Ben & Glory remind me. Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde, of course! Yes, Ben didn't cause the original transformation into Glory, but there are parallels, especially that Ben hopes to contain Glory with the right combination of drugs.
Ben: Nothing's mine, is it? This life, this body, it's all infected. The only thing I ever cared about she's taken away from me. You know why I wanted to be a doctor?
Gronx: Flattering drawstring pants?
Ben: To be close to people. To witness their lives and their deaths, to be there alongside them, a part of everyday humanity. (sighs) Maybe it's the drugs. (walks past)
Gronx: Drugs, sir? (follows him)
Ben: Find the right combination, keep her buried where she belongs.
- Seeing Gronx (the female minion) around Ben brought Winky, the house-elve from Harry Potter to my mind.
- We see Spike sitting in the driver's seat, wearing a large pair of black goggles.
Giles: (grimly) What's he doing here?
Spike: Just out for a jaunt. Thought I'd swing by and say howdy.
Giles: Out.
Buffy: (looks up from the table) He's here because we need him.
Xander: The hell we do.
Buffy: If Glory finds us, he's the only one besides me that has any chance of protecting Dawn.
Xander: Buffy, come on-
Buffy: (jumps up angrily) Look, this isn't a discussion! He stays. Get over it.
I really like this scene. Not only are they trying to escape from Glory in an ancient camper, we also get Spike as a driver.
What's *really* interesting is the reason Buffy gives for Spike coming along. Because, no, he isn't the only one who would have a chance to protect Dawn. As a matter of fact, Spike's track record with Glory isn't all that good: He got knocked out during one of the fights with Glory, he got tortured by her in Intervention and would most likely not have escaped if Buffy and the Scoobies hadn't showed up. It's Willow who successfully stood up to Glory twice: Once with the transportation spell, the second time when she takes on Glory one on one in Tough Love.
So why does Buffy insist that Spike comes along?
To me it seems that she's still impressed by his sacrifice in Intervention. Maybe she also knows that Dawn likes him and feels safe with him. Another big reason might be that she knows Willow's attention is focused on Tara right now, as Willow is now fully responsible for Tara's safety. And maybe it's also that Buffy feels an attraction for Spike. :-)
- I wonder what the people in and around Sunnydale think when they see the Knight of Byzanthium. Probably that it's a bunch of guys practising for a Renaissance Fair or a bunch of actors. Or they are just used to all the wacky weirdness in and around their town.
- I was impressed by Spike's restraint around the other Scoobies while they are all in the trailer together. He's also very understanding when Tara opens the shutters and his hand gets burned. Well, he has spent a long time with Drusilla which shows that he can be very patient with mentally unstable people.
Spike: No biggie. Look, the skin's already stopped smoking. You go ahead and play ... peek-a-boo with Mister Sunshine all you like. It keeps the ride from getting boring.
- Buffy: (voice breaking) It just keeps coming. Glory ... Riley ... Tara ... Mom.
I want to give Buffy a hug. Especially now that I know that it will just get worse and worse.
- The Knight of Byzanthium attack the trailer and Spike holds onto a sword that's shoved into the trailer.
I very rarely notice continuity mistakes in TV-shows or movies unless they concern character arcs. However, the scene where Spike holds onto the sword really lacked some fake blood. The sword gets pulled out of the trailer and is free of blood, but then Dawn patches up Spike's bloodied hands. Hmpf. I wish they hadn't forgotten about this detail, it pulled me out of the show.
To make up for it, the interaction between Spike and Dawn is lovely as always.
Cut to inside. Dawn ties the rags around Spike's hands.
Dawn: Keep the pressure on.
Spike: I always do, sweet bit.
- I love Buffy's fight against the Knights. Her fighting style rocks.
- Giles get severely wounded.
Which means things get even more difficult for Buffy: They are stranded in the middle of nowhere, Giles is wounded - and not only will Glory take up the pursuit, there's also a bunch of fanatic knights trying to destroy the Key.
Anya: Um, you have another plan, right? (Buffy turns from the window to look at her) One that doesn't involve pointy knives and a Winnebago?
Buffy: We-we-we'll rest here for a minute, but then we have to keep moving.
Xander: Where?
Buffy: (desperately) I don't know! (puts her hands to her face) We just, we, we, we can't, can't stay here. I-it's too close to the wreck, we're too easy to find.
- The Knights of Byzanthium are way too fanatical. Like the Initiative they don't care who they endanger by following their goals. Buffy reasoning with their general doesn't make any difference to their belief whatsoever.
Gregor: Yes. The key has been transformed, given ... breath, life. Yet, this makes no difference. The key is the link. The link must be severed. (Shot of Dawn looking scared) Such is the will of god.
Buffy: (upset) She doesn't remember anything about being this key you're all looking for. The only thing that she remembers is growing up with a mother, and a sister that love her. What kind of god would demand her life for something that she has no control over?
- Love the interaction between Giles and Buffy.
Giles: Don't. (painfully) What you did ... w-was necessary ... what I've always admired.
Buffy: (small smile) Running away?
Giles: Being able to place ... your heart ... above all else.
He breathes shakily while Buffy watches with concern.
Giles: I'm so proud of you. You've come so far. You're everything a Watcher ... everything I could have hoped for.
Giles telling Buffy that he admires that she's able to place her heart above all else is especially meaningful when we know what Buffy does in The Gift.
- It's disquieting when all the mental patients begin to chant "time, time, ..." and "soon, soon, ...".
Seems they all are connected to Glory and can sense what she's planning.
- Cut to: Willow, Spike, and Buffy standing beside a pay phone in the building. The phone is dark.
Willow: Discharge and bring life.
The pay phone sizzles and suddenly lights up. Buffy picks up the receiver, turns and nods to Willow, who looks relieved. Buffy begins to dial.
Spike: (to Willow) Handier than a Swiss knife. Look, the door to my crypt's got this nasty squeak, maybe you could...
LOL!
Someone mentioned on my LJ that Spike/his crypt door are canon. It certainly seems so! He really wants his crypt door to be at its best. :-)
- Oh dear, Buffy asks Ben to help her. And I'm really annoyed that Ben follows her plea for help. He knows he can transform into Glory any time!! Couldn't he have sent someone else to help Buffy?
Well, he wanted to keep all his options open. After all, the destruction of the Key would allow him to live. So while he's patching up Giles, he does ponder his options. He doesn't go through with his plan, but I'm not sure if is because he realises he can't hurt an innocent or if he's simply interrupted by Glory's arrival.
- We get a first moment of companionship between Xander and Spike when Xander lights Spike's cigarette. By the way, I see this as Xander's apology for shutting out Spike from Joyce's funeral.
Xander: I mention today how much I don't like you?
Spike: (nods) You mighta let it slip in ... (looks at Xander) once or twice.
- Ben morphs once more into Glory and things go very dark for Buffy when Glory snatches Dawn and leaves.
Willow: Buffy! Buffy, we have to find Dawn. We, we can't let Glory-
Buffy abruptly sits down on the ground.
Willow: Buffy? Buffy!
Tears run down Buffy's face. Willow and Tara walk over to her.
Willow: Buffy, you have to get up! We need you!
Buffy just sits, the tears flowing, staring in front of her.
Willow: (OS) Buffy, please! (echoing) Buffy...
In other news, my cat amuses me. She lies on her back, her head resting on the keyboard and her eyes fixed at my face. She loves lying on my desk like this when I type. :-)
For a summary click here.
- Buffy, Dawn, Tara and Willow try to escape from Glory, but haven't got a chance. They are extremely lucky when Ben takes over Glory's body, before Glory can take the Key.
- Buffy makes the decision to leave Sunnydale together with all her friends. It's hard for her to make this decision - she is the Slayer which means all villains should run from her, not she from them.
Her decision makes sense though: Glory is a god, she's basically immortal. She knows where Buffy lives, she can easily find out where her friends live. There's not much Buffy can do for now apart from running.
I hope Buffy called the director of Dawn's school before leaving town. - Yes, I worry about these things. :-)
- This is the scene where I finally got of who Ben & Glory remind me. Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde, of course! Yes, Ben didn't cause the original transformation into Glory, but there are parallels, especially that Ben hopes to contain Glory with the right combination of drugs.
Ben: Nothing's mine, is it? This life, this body, it's all infected. The only thing I ever cared about she's taken away from me. You know why I wanted to be a doctor?
Gronx: Flattering drawstring pants?
Ben: To be close to people. To witness their lives and their deaths, to be there alongside them, a part of everyday humanity. (sighs) Maybe it's the drugs. (walks past)
Gronx: Drugs, sir? (follows him)
Ben: Find the right combination, keep her buried where she belongs.
- Seeing Gronx (the female minion) around Ben brought Winky, the house-elve from Harry Potter to my mind.
- We see Spike sitting in the driver's seat, wearing a large pair of black goggles.
Giles: (grimly) What's he doing here?
Spike: Just out for a jaunt. Thought I'd swing by and say howdy.
Giles: Out.
Buffy: (looks up from the table) He's here because we need him.
Xander: The hell we do.
Buffy: If Glory finds us, he's the only one besides me that has any chance of protecting Dawn.
Xander: Buffy, come on-
Buffy: (jumps up angrily) Look, this isn't a discussion! He stays. Get over it.
I really like this scene. Not only are they trying to escape from Glory in an ancient camper, we also get Spike as a driver.
What's *really* interesting is the reason Buffy gives for Spike coming along. Because, no, he isn't the only one who would have a chance to protect Dawn. As a matter of fact, Spike's track record with Glory isn't all that good: He got knocked out during one of the fights with Glory, he got tortured by her in Intervention and would most likely not have escaped if Buffy and the Scoobies hadn't showed up. It's Willow who successfully stood up to Glory twice: Once with the transportation spell, the second time when she takes on Glory one on one in Tough Love.
So why does Buffy insist that Spike comes along?
To me it seems that she's still impressed by his sacrifice in Intervention. Maybe she also knows that Dawn likes him and feels safe with him. Another big reason might be that she knows Willow's attention is focused on Tara right now, as Willow is now fully responsible for Tara's safety. And maybe it's also that Buffy feels an attraction for Spike. :-)
- I wonder what the people in and around Sunnydale think when they see the Knight of Byzanthium. Probably that it's a bunch of guys practising for a Renaissance Fair or a bunch of actors. Or they are just used to all the wacky weirdness in and around their town.
- I was impressed by Spike's restraint around the other Scoobies while they are all in the trailer together. He's also very understanding when Tara opens the shutters and his hand gets burned. Well, he has spent a long time with Drusilla which shows that he can be very patient with mentally unstable people.
Spike: No biggie. Look, the skin's already stopped smoking. You go ahead and play ... peek-a-boo with Mister Sunshine all you like. It keeps the ride from getting boring.
- Buffy: (voice breaking) It just keeps coming. Glory ... Riley ... Tara ... Mom.
I want to give Buffy a hug. Especially now that I know that it will just get worse and worse.
- The Knight of Byzanthium attack the trailer and Spike holds onto a sword that's shoved into the trailer.
I very rarely notice continuity mistakes in TV-shows or movies unless they concern character arcs. However, the scene where Spike holds onto the sword really lacked some fake blood. The sword gets pulled out of the trailer and is free of blood, but then Dawn patches up Spike's bloodied hands. Hmpf. I wish they hadn't forgotten about this detail, it pulled me out of the show.
To make up for it, the interaction between Spike and Dawn is lovely as always.
Cut to inside. Dawn ties the rags around Spike's hands.
Dawn: Keep the pressure on.
Spike: I always do, sweet bit.
- I love Buffy's fight against the Knights. Her fighting style rocks.
- Giles get severely wounded.
Which means things get even more difficult for Buffy: They are stranded in the middle of nowhere, Giles is wounded - and not only will Glory take up the pursuit, there's also a bunch of fanatic knights trying to destroy the Key.
Anya: Um, you have another plan, right? (Buffy turns from the window to look at her) One that doesn't involve pointy knives and a Winnebago?
Buffy: We-we-we'll rest here for a minute, but then we have to keep moving.
Xander: Where?
Buffy: (desperately) I don't know! (puts her hands to her face) We just, we, we, we can't, can't stay here. I-it's too close to the wreck, we're too easy to find.
- The Knights of Byzanthium are way too fanatical. Like the Initiative they don't care who they endanger by following their goals. Buffy reasoning with their general doesn't make any difference to their belief whatsoever.
Gregor: Yes. The key has been transformed, given ... breath, life. Yet, this makes no difference. The key is the link. The link must be severed. (Shot of Dawn looking scared) Such is the will of god.
Buffy: (upset) She doesn't remember anything about being this key you're all looking for. The only thing that she remembers is growing up with a mother, and a sister that love her. What kind of god would demand her life for something that she has no control over?
- Love the interaction between Giles and Buffy.
Giles: Don't. (painfully) What you did ... w-was necessary ... what I've always admired.
Buffy: (small smile) Running away?
Giles: Being able to place ... your heart ... above all else.
He breathes shakily while Buffy watches with concern.
Giles: I'm so proud of you. You've come so far. You're everything a Watcher ... everything I could have hoped for.
Giles telling Buffy that he admires that she's able to place her heart above all else is especially meaningful when we know what Buffy does in The Gift.
- It's disquieting when all the mental patients begin to chant "time, time, ..." and "soon, soon, ...".
Seems they all are connected to Glory and can sense what she's planning.
- Cut to: Willow, Spike, and Buffy standing beside a pay phone in the building. The phone is dark.
Willow: Discharge and bring life.
The pay phone sizzles and suddenly lights up. Buffy picks up the receiver, turns and nods to Willow, who looks relieved. Buffy begins to dial.
Spike: (to Willow) Handier than a Swiss knife. Look, the door to my crypt's got this nasty squeak, maybe you could...
LOL!
Someone mentioned on my LJ that Spike/his crypt door are canon. It certainly seems so! He really wants his crypt door to be at its best. :-)
- Oh dear, Buffy asks Ben to help her. And I'm really annoyed that Ben follows her plea for help. He knows he can transform into Glory any time!! Couldn't he have sent someone else to help Buffy?
Well, he wanted to keep all his options open. After all, the destruction of the Key would allow him to live. So while he's patching up Giles, he does ponder his options. He doesn't go through with his plan, but I'm not sure if is because he realises he can't hurt an innocent or if he's simply interrupted by Glory's arrival.
- We get a first moment of companionship between Xander and Spike when Xander lights Spike's cigarette. By the way, I see this as Xander's apology for shutting out Spike from Joyce's funeral.
Xander: I mention today how much I don't like you?
Spike: (nods) You mighta let it slip in ... (looks at Xander) once or twice.
- Ben morphs once more into Glory and things go very dark for Buffy when Glory snatches Dawn and leaves.
Willow: Buffy! Buffy, we have to find Dawn. We, we can't let Glory-
Buffy abruptly sits down on the ground.
Willow: Buffy? Buffy!
Tears run down Buffy's face. Willow and Tara walk over to her.
Willow: Buffy, you have to get up! We need you!
Buffy just sits, the tears flowing, staring in front of her.
Willow: (OS) Buffy, please! (echoing) Buffy...
In other news, my cat amuses me. She lies on her back, her head resting on the keyboard and her eyes fixed at my face. She loves lying on my desk like this when I type. :-)
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no subject
Date: 2006-01-22 01:13 am (UTC)I agree about no drippy blood from the sword, and I still wonder how they managed to stick that thing through the roof of the Winnebago, but maybe I missed a vital part. Still, Spike was heroic, and went through great pain to save his beloved Slayer and her little sis, so maybe not such a bad idea to have him with her--even though they couldn't play peekaboo with that fun sunlight.
no subject
Date: 2006-01-23 07:37 am (UTC)It all works out. :-)
Your James & Amber icon is very neat.
no subject
Date: 2006-01-22 01:52 am (UTC)Oh yeah, it's canon. Just wait for mid S6 and the really hot sex scene between Spike and the door. The chemistry those two have is just... whoah :)
Speaking of which, I can't remember if I already gave you the link to that S6 Spike & Buffybot story, so here it is: I, Robot by SpikeDru, set somewhere around "Dead Things".
no subject
Date: 2006-01-22 11:05 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-22 03:43 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-23 07:33 am (UTC)I remember that in the sixth Star Trek movie, a scene would have had to be cut if they hadn't changed the colour of Klingon blood from red to pink. So apparently different coloured blood is okay on screen as well.
no subject
Date: 2006-01-22 05:52 am (UTC)Duh! Of course the minions are houseelves (err, inspired by same). I should have realized this sooner. (Joss likes HP quite a lot, and starting with season 5, you get references on both shows - remember Dawn's "I'm not going to Hogwarts, Mom?")
Well, he wanted to keep all his options open. After all, the destruction of the Key would allow him to live. So while he's patching up Giles, he does ponder his options. He doesn't go through with his plan, but I'm not sure if is because he realises he can't hurt an innocent or if he's simply interrupted by Glory's arrival.
Hmmmm. I'm not sure, either, but I tend to give Ben the benefit of the doubt here because we later see the moment when he decides to sell out, and it's not there yet. So my assumption is that he really came because he wanted to help, and took a considerable risk doing so (Ben is mortal and knows he is, and for all he knew, the Knights could have been aware of his secret). As to why he couldn't send someone else, well, it's not exactly something you can tell your collegues at the hospital - "please go to this place where you'll find a couple of people looking like Knights, some corpses, and a couple of other people being besieged by them, and yes, those swords are sharp"....
LOL about your cat.
no subject
Date: 2006-01-23 06:21 pm (UTC)I see his motives as more ambiguous.
Ben also has a darker side: He invokes the Queller demon to "clean up Glory's mess", i.e. to kill the insane people Glory leaves behind. I have to say that I find his idea of euthanasia quite chilling.
In the beginning of Spiral there's this exchange of views between one of the "house-elves" and Ben regarding the Key:
"Ben: Not if I get the key first. (turns to leave but Gronx stops him)
Gronx: And if you did ... what then? Could you do it? (Ben looks annoyed) Take a human life with your own hands? (comfortingly) Oblivion is such a small inconvenience in the service of a deity. Accept your fate. I mean, you said it yourself. This life was never really yours anyway, was it?
Ben: It doesn't matter how I came by it. It's mine. And I plan on keeping it."
I think that he drives to Buffy's camp to make up his mind; he's considering if he can kill Dawn in order to stay alive himself.
By the way: I don't blame him for it. If he grew up only with a bunch of house-elves strictly loyal to Glory, it would be very difficult for him to distinguish between right and wrong anyway. Also the decision is really tough. After all, if Glory gets the Key, both the Key and he will be destroyed. It's understandable that he considers the option to kill the Key before Glory can get it and thereby destroy Glory and survive himself.
no subject
Date: 2006-01-22 11:47 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-22 11:48 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-23 07:39 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-22 04:09 pm (UTC)Considering this was going on about the same time as Pylea, maybe Mutant Enemy had some kind of contract with a renaissance faire company.
I like your analysis about Buffy's justification of bringing Spike along. And that moment with the lighter is one nice canon moment between them (1 of about 3, despite what the shippers say *g*). I think this is also the ep where Spike proves to be very good with crazy Tara -- which I thought was quite sweet b/c it echoed on his tender moments with dru.
As for Ben, I'd say he's just not intelligent. sigh.
no subject
Date: 2006-01-23 07:42 am (UTC)LOL!
As for Ben, I'd say he's just not intelligent. sigh.
You are too generous. *g* I've been thinking it over again and I believe he's torn: He knows Dawn's death will benefit him, but knows it would be wrong to kill her. I think he drives out to Buffy & Dawn so he can make his decision: Interact a bit more with Dawn to see if he can either kill her or give up his own existence instead. He simply decides not to think ahead of what will happen when Glory arrives.