Buffy - Season 6 impressions (episode 13)
May. 26th, 2006 11:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
thalia_seawoodDead Things
For a summary click here.
Behold, an update! *g*
I have to admit that I feel a totally out of practice with writing down my impressions. Small wonder - over a month has passed since I made my last entry related to Buffy or Angel. Well, for better or worse here are my thoughts regarding this episode.
After I first watched Dead Things I read some other reviews and saw that this episode stirs up some strong emotions. Some fans appear to hate it (mostly because of the way Buffy treats Spike), others love it. I'm definitely in the second group: IMO, Dead Things is an outstanding episode.
- The title is excellent as it applies to so many different characters/situations:
Buffy calls Spike a dead thing in this episode, but deep down inside is afraid that she might be a dead thing herself. (Like in Smashed, Buffy uses as insults whatever she's most afraid of herself.)
Katrina is treated like a thing by the geek trio; ultimately she becomes a dead thing that they need to dispose of in some way.
Ultimately, it's also possible to see Warren's and Andrew's conscience as a dead thing.
- The opening scene is great: Peaceful moments between Buffy and Spike have always been rare. Ever since they started to have sex, moments in which they treat one another without aggression have become even rarer. More often than not they are insulting one another and even coming to blows. So this scene is quite an exception; you can see that they are both surprised that they are actually having a conversation. (This quiet opening scene makes it even more drastic when Buffy beats up Spike later on.)
SPIKE: Are we having a conversation?
BUFFY: What? No! No. (pause) Maybe.
Of course, this moment is very fragile. Spike doesn't allow Buffy to completely forget what he is (I ate a decorator once.). He also points out to her that he loves her wildness, which isn't something with which Buffy is comfortable.
SPIKE: [...] I've never been with such an animal.
Buffy gives a little gasp, jerks her arm away. Spike looks surprised.
BUFFY: I'm not an animal.
This bit of dialogue is excellent. It really shows some of the problems in their relationship.
SPIKE: Do you even like me?
BUFFY: (softly) Sometimes. (looks away)
[...]
SPIKE: Do you trust me?
BUFFY: Never.
While Spike is one of my favorite characters, I can understand Buffy's "sometimes". Spike likes to be contrary, he thrives on getting under other people's skin and baring their vulnerabilities. When Buffy lashes out, he lashes back in some way. Buffy can never be completely at ease with him.
As for Buffy's comment that she doesn't trust him: Well, she did trust him several times in the past, e.g. when she asked him to hide her mother and her sister from Glory. So I think Buffy's "Never" has to be seen in a slightly different light. She knows that Spike can be trusted under certain circumstances, but even though he has no true conscience. If the chip ever stopped working, there is no guarantee that he wouldn't go back to being a killer. Beyond that, Buffy has to mistrust him. She is the Slayer after all and Spike is her natural enemy. Like Angel he has killed hundreds of people over the years; unlike Angel he has no soul which means he can't regret anything he has done.
- In the meantime, the geek trio creates their latest invention, a tool to "make any woman we desire our willing sex slave".
Andrew and Jonathan are acting in an extremely immature way; they don't feel like adults but like children - that unfortunately have too much technical expertise and therefore power.
Warren is clearly the leader of the trio. Whereas I get the feeling Andrew and Jonathan are part of the team for companionship, he mostly seems to be in it for power. He definitely makes sure that he's the one who benefits most from their inventions.
- Buffy in the Doublemeat Palace:
BUFFY: Oh, time has no meaning here. Gina, I'm taking a break.
Interesting quote in light of what happens later on when time fractures around Buffy.
- This scene is heartbreaking. I'm glad though that Buffy has picked Tara as her confidante and is willing to gradually open up to her. Tara really is the best choice from all her friends; she's kind but not stupid. She also isn't judgmental.
BUFFY: No, it still works. Just not on me. (nervous) I-I need to know about the spell. The one that ... brought me back. I, I'd ask Willow, but...
TARA: (getting it) You think it's you.
BUFFY: I don't know. I feel ... different. There are things...
She seems about to make a confession. Tara looks at her, waiting. Buffy chickens out.
BUFFY: I-I think ... maybe ... I came back wrong.
- Meanwhile the geek trio is on the lookout for the perfect woman...
At this point, I really got creeped out while watching, because you could see they were totally serious about acquiring a sex slave. It shows so clearly that they have no concept of reality. None of the women there are *real* for them, they are just gorgeous objects to lust after. Actually, what they are planning is rape of the mind and of the body. *Very* creepy.
In the beginning, it looks like things could turn out differently: Warren sees Katrina and cuts his communication link to Andrew and Jonathan. There's the possibility that Katrina's acceptance of Warren could have changed everything what happens after, but I'm definitely not blaming her for rejecting him. Considering what she has seen of Warren so far, it's a decision I perfectly understand. Also the idea that Warren could have been saved by her love/acceptance is a lot like the myth of "love of good woman turns sinister man into saint". Quite frankly I'm wondering how long things would have gone right between them. They might have been okay for a while, but I just don't see Warren losing his interest in power that easily. His insecurities are too deep seated. He also never seemed to show much consideration for others and has a very greedy streak.
So things play out in the worst way possible: Katrina rejects Warren. He can't accept her refusal and subjugates her will by using the latest invention...
- When we see Katrina again, she has been turned into a typical male fantasy, wearing a black-and-white french-maid outfit. The three geeks can't quite agree on how to proceed. Over the course of their discussion we get this line: WARREN: Oh, I don't have to call it, Sparky. She's mine. But don't worry. (takes the champagne bottle from Katrina and gives it to Jonathan) You can play with her all you want ... after I'm done with her. To me, this is one of the most sickening moments over the course of Buffy. It's very scary to see how a person is objectified. What the three geeks are discussing here, is rape - even though they aren't really aware of it. Andrew and Jonathan definitely aren't used to things happening in real life and not just in their fantasy world.
It's possible to draw a connection to what Jonathan did in Superstar where we see that a pair of blonde twins are his lovers. These girls are only interested in Jonathan because he put everyone in Sunnydale under a spell. So like Warren he doesn't use force, but nevertheless he twists perceptions.
Still: What happens in this episode feels more creepy. For one, of course, the episode focuses on Katrina's fate whereas the twins in Superstar were just a quick sidenote. Even more though, it's Warren rapid shifts between charming and callous that's scary. In one moment, we can easily believe he still loves Katrina (The way her nose- (goofy laugh) the way her nose crinkles when she laughs... (softly) She's perfect. or I missed you so much. You never should have left me. or I love you too, baby.. However, every expression of love is counteracted by some incredibly callous behaviour, e.g. when he's ordering Katrina to get down on her knees or when he tells Andrew and Jonathan they can "play" with her after he's done. A *very* disturbing scene so far --- and then things get even worse when Katrina wakes from her stupor and tries to escape.
- I heart this quote: What Katrina says sums up the situation perfectly.
And I feel so sorry for her. She is very angry at this point and no doubts feels used and dehumanized. But still she hasn't really understood how far Warren will go or she would never threaten the trio with the police.
KATRINA: Oh, you think? (walking toward the other two) You bunch of little boys, playing at being men. (yelling) Well, this is not some fantasy, it's not a game, you freaks! It's rape!
JONATHAN: (stunned) What?
ANDREW: No ... we didn't-
KATRINA: (crying, and still angry) You're all sick. (points at Warren) And I'm going to make sure you get locked up for this. And then we'll see how you like getting raped.
In the following fight, Katrina gets killed. I don't think that Warren wanted to kill her, but I have problems picturing a happier outcome for Katrina. If things hadn't totally gone out of control, he might have tied her up and used the Cerebraral Dampener on her again. Or he might have tried to wipe out her memory - quite possibly after having some fun with her anyway. Or he might have kept her as their prisoner indefinitely.
All the options make me shudder.
- The trio is in shock after what has happened. While Warren is in shock, he's also the one taking charge. He deals with the situation by turning Katrina into a "dead thing". Jonathan refers to Katrina as "she" one more time and then also switches to the impersonal "it".
WARREN: (lets go of Jonathan) We, uh, we have to get ... we have to get r-rid of it.
JONATHAN: How?
WARREN: Uh, uh, may-maybe a spell. Can you teleport it out of here?
JONATHAN: (looking at the body) No, she's ... (upset) It's too big.
- The next scene shows us the Bronze. Anya and Xander are dancing together with obvious enjoyment. Willow is still struggling with magic withdrawal, but we see that she is coping. On the surface, Buffy appears to be doing fine, however when she moves up to the balcony to look down sadly to her happily dancing friends, it's clear that she is still feeling like an outsider.
- This is the moment, Spike shows up. His message to Buffy is that she will never belong to the world of her friends, but instead belongs with him. They have sex, although it's more along the lines of Spike having sex with Buffy with her simply not stopping him.
SPIKE: (O.S.) You see ... you try to be with them...
Spike walks up behind Buffy.
SPIKE: ...but you always end up in the dark ... (whispering in her ear) ...with me.
He moves up right behind Buffy, looks where she's looking. Shot of the Scoobies from Buffy's POV.
SPIKE: What would they think of you ... if they found out ... all the things you've done?
He puts his hand on her bare shoulder and strokes slowly down her arm.
SPIKE: If they knew ... who you really were?
SPIKE: That's not your world. You belong in the shadows... with me.
Close shot on Spike's face as he continues moving slowly and talking into Buffy's ear.
SPIKE: Look at your friends ... and tell me ... you don't love getting away with this... (Buffy still watching her friends) ...right under their noses.
Their interaction is extremely interesting. To me, it shows clearly how unhealthy their relationship is at this point. Here's my interpretation for what's going on:
Spike feels excluded from Buffy's life. She shags him, but is ashamed of telling anyone that they are together. He's her dirty secret. Since that's what he is, he tries to pull her down with him, e.g. by telling her that she's a bad girl, someone who belongs in the shadows, someone who enjoys to break the rules. By pulling her down to his level, he ensures that the distance to her friends becomes greater, that she will either despise her friends for getting on with their happy little lifes or despise herself for not being good enough for them. I'm not sure for which effect he's aiming, but I doubt that he's really thinking through all the repercussions. He certainly gets a kick out of knowing Buffy's darker side that's hidden to everybody else.
Why does Buffy agree to having sex with Spike in a public place while looking down at the Scoobies? Well, for one she is attracted to him. It's not a healthy attraction though, it's not playful. She doesn't derive any particular joy for being a bit naughty in public. I think she feels his darkness calling to her own - and she despises herself for it.
Buffy and Spike having sex is not an act of love here, it's an act of destruction and self-destruction.
It's interesting that Buffy wears a similar outfit to Katrina in this scene: Short black skirt and a white blouse. I'm going to be dramatic and suggest that while Katrina experiences physical death in the scene before, Buffy experiences a death of the soul in this scene.
Another balcony scene in the Bronze that comes to my mind is Spike and Drusilla going up to the balcony in season 5. Drusilla kills both victims and Spike reluctantly drinks from one of them. - It's another very powerful scene and it shares the strangely dreamlike quality of the balcony scene in Dead Things.
- Next, we get the famous crypt door scene with Buffy standing on one side and Spike at the other.
While I knew the scene is supposed to be tragic and symbolic, I'm afraid to say it made me laugh. I just had to think about the comments regarding Spike/crypt door fanfiction. You were all right: Spike does have chemistry with his crypt door. I wonder: Is there any fanfiction written from the POV of the crypt door? After all, you can make a strong argument that the crypt door is involved in a hot threesome here, i.e. Buffy/crypt door/Spike.
Okay, back to being serious: IMO, the scene's intention is to show us that Buffy and Spike are drawn to one another. I even get the impression that they might have a successful relationship, if they managed to talk to one another without the intention to hurt the other.
- The next scene is extremely powerful. Buffy fights against several demons while time is fracturing all around her. Things stop happening in a chronological order and it's hard to keep track of what's going on.
By the end, Buffy is convinced that she killed a young woman by accident while she was trying to protect her.
The scene reminds me of Faith killing the Mayor's assistent by accident, it just plays out in reverse. It's Spike who says it was an accident and he will take care of everything whereas Buffy insists on being guilty. Initially, she's just too shocked to persist on turning herself in to the police. Even though you get the impression that she will not run away from her responsibility.
Oh, and another parallel that comes to my mind is Buffy "killing" her mother's boyfriend Ted by accident in season 2.
SPIKE: All right. Listen to me. Buffy. (shakes her) Buffy!
BUFFY: She's dead.
SPIKE: It was an accident.
BUFFY: I killed her.
SPIKE: I'm gonna get you home.
BUFFY: No!
SPIKE: (firmly) I'm gonna get you home, and you're gonna crawl in your warm comfy bed and stay there! (softer) We're gonna sort this out. Trust me.
- The next scenes focuses on the reactions of the trio:
Warren is ecstatic since his plan has worked. In this scene, I got the impression that he had managed to forget all about Katrina. Sure, guilt might resurface when the adrenaline and the high from his victory have worn of. For now though, I didn't get the impression Warren was bothered by his conscience.
Jonathan is clearly unhappy with the situation. He comes across as very cynical and disgusted with himself. I get the feeling that he despises himself for going along with the plan.
- Love the irony that a theme from Life Serial is taken and twisted, i.e. Jonathan takes on a different appearance in both episodes and both times he gets hit by Buffy. Only in Life Serial the scene is humorous whereas Dead Things takes a very sinister turn with Jonathan disguised as the Katrina.
- Buffy's nightmare is very interesting, but I don't think I can do it justice in my interpretation. If I do, I will never ever post this review. :-)
What I find particulary fascinating is that Spike and Katrina are closely connected to one another in Buffy's dream. Buffy asks "Do you trust me?" and the question appears to be directed to both Spike and Katrina. And yes, both seem to trust her, e.g. Spike is handcuffed while Buffy sleeps with him - and so is Katrina without feeling threatened. Buffy obviously feels that their trust in her is misplaced as the dream ends with Buffy staking them both.
On the whole, Buffy's dream depicts her as a taker. A taker of sex and a taker of life.
- Buffy decides to turn herself in to the police, a decision that's very courageous. Unlike Faith, she doesn't want to run away from the aftermath of an accident she caused. There's just one problem: If she does the right thing by reporting what she believes to have done, she will at the same time also harm Dawn who will then lose another family member.
I really love the scene between Buffy and Dawn, in particular that there is no happy resolution:
DAWN: (almost crying) You don't want to be here with me. You didn't want to come back. I know that. You were happier where you were. (crying) You want to go away again.
BUFFY: Dawn...
DAWN: Then go! You're not really here anyway.
- Spike tries to stop Buffy from turning herself in. Their talk totally escalates and basically ends with Buffy beating Spike up while he doesn't fight back.
I think this scene is excellent. It reflects the fight between Faith and Buffy in season 4 - Faith also suffers from extreme self-hatred here. It takes up the alley scene in Fool for Love that also has Spike on his knees and Buffy in an aggressive stance - though in Dead Things Spike gets in the final cutting remark. And above and beyond that it's extremely complex and can interpreted in so many ways.
Before I look at what happens more closely, I'd like to mention that when I watched the scene for the first time I felt mostly sorry for Spike, but when I rewatched it, I felt mostly sorry for Buffy. I can't even properly explain why, but I feel sorry for them both.
So when does Buffy lose control? What pushes her trigger?
There are two statements connected to Buffy starting to hit him:
BUFFY: That's all it is to you, isn't it? Just another body!
BUFFY: You can't understand why this is killing me, can you?
These two comments suggest that part of Buffy is frustrated of Spike not getting it. I think that part of her wants to have an understanding between them, perhaps wants to get emotionally close as well. (She did set out to visit him in his crypt during this episode.) But what Spike does with Katrina's body makes her realise how big the gap is between them. And it makes her mad: Mad at him for not getting that Katrina is not just another body, but someone she not only failed to protect, but whose death she caused. And mad at herself for trying to deceive herself and having an affair with her natural enemy. At this moment, she hates him - but even more she hates herself for failing on so many levels. For failing her duties as a Slayer and what she believed in, for failing Dawn, for not being able to feel much of anything. And she snaps.
This statement is aimed as much at herself as at Spike:
BUFFY: You don't ... have a soul! There is nothing good or clean in you. You are dead inside! You can't feel anything real! I could never ... be your girl!
- Now Spike doesn't stop Buffy in any way from hurting him. As a matter of fact, he even makes it easier for her by switching into his vampire face.
While I do think Spike is acting out of love - he gives Buffy something she needs, an outlet for her aggression - I don't believe that covers everything. Allowing himself to be hit, actually puts him into the morally superior position. He becomes the victim, Buffy becomes the aggressor. And in a way, this gives him power over her.
From what I've seen of Spike's interaction with Angel, I also got the impression that for him any sort of attention is positive. Being hit is better than being ignored. His statement You always hurt ... the one you love, pet. could even suggest that Buffy hitting him proves her love for him. On the other hand, he might just say it to get to her.
- When Buffy goes in to the police, she overhears that the woman who was killed was named Katrina - and she recollects that she was Warren's girlfriend. All the puzzle pieces fall in place and Buffy realises that she's not responsible for Katrina's death.
BUFFY: It wasn't the demons. It was Warren. He knew Katrina. He had something to do with it, I know it.
WILLOW: How can you be sure?
BUFFY: You always hurt the one you love.
- Now Dawn could be relieved about Buffy staying, but she's not. She's upset and bitter. Oh, and I like that twist, because it's way more realistic. Dawn is so afraid of losing people close to her, that she sometimes pushes them away on purpose. Buffy is clearly the most important person in her life at this point and losing her would break her. So she tries not to care.
Buffy gets up and walks toward Dawn.
BUFFY: Yeah. I'm not going anywhere.
Dawn quickly gets to her feet and exits before Buffy can reach her.
- We get to see Andrew's darker side, the part of him that wants to be powerful. This is a chilling scene, because he always came across as someone who wouldn't hurt a fly. It's some fascinating character development and yes, it does feel in character. Andrew is very good at blending out the real world.
ANDREW: We really got away with murder.
Warren looks at Andrew, smirking. We see that the scratches on Warren's face are healing.
ANDREW: That's ... kinda cool.
- I heart the final scene between Buffy and Tara. It made me tear up.
Buffy is just so desperate here: She can't understand herself at all any more. In the past, she mostly used to believe in her own goodness, but by now she has been confronted with her inner darkness. Right now, she can't accept that this is part of her, too. (Which is perfectly understandably, by the way.) She would prefer to have the confirmation that she came back wrong when her friends brought her back from the dead, but Tara can't give her this absolution. What's happened so far is her responsibility. While this revelation is incredibly painful, I also see it as a great chance for Buffy to start over. Not only does Buffy now know she's not some monster, she also should have an easier time to be a good person. Up to now she could just say to herself: 'It doesn't matter what I do. I'm wrong anyway. I just do whatever I feel like.', but now this will no longer be possible. She knows she's fully responsible for her actions.
And I love Tara's acceptance here. Love that she isn't judgmental at all.
Even reading Buffy's "please don't forgive me" twists my heart. She's so ashamed for what she has done.
TARA: (concerned) Do you love him?
Buffy just stares at her tearfully.
TARA: I-It's okay if you do. He's done a lot of good, and, and he does love you. A-and Buffy, it's okay if you don't. You're going through a really hard time, and you're...
BUFFY: (still tearful) What? Using him? What's okay about that?
TARA: It's not that simple.
BUFFY: It is! It's wrong. I'm wrong. Tell me that I'm wrong, please...
Buffy starts to cry for real now.
BUFFY: Please don't forgive me, please... (sobbing) Please don't...
By the way, I just realised this scene reminds me a bit of Anakin and Padmé after Anakin's admits that he eradicated an entire Tusken tribe. It's not a perfect match, of course, but there are similarities.
Has anyone written an essay comparing Anakin and Buffy?
Here's a status overview regarding which episodes I've seen and/or commented on. If you are new to my LJ, please check this info so you don't post any big spoilers when you leave comments. Thanks!
For a summary click here.
Behold, an update! *g*
I have to admit that I feel a totally out of practice with writing down my impressions. Small wonder - over a month has passed since I made my last entry related to Buffy or Angel. Well, for better or worse here are my thoughts regarding this episode.
After I first watched Dead Things I read some other reviews and saw that this episode stirs up some strong emotions. Some fans appear to hate it (mostly because of the way Buffy treats Spike), others love it. I'm definitely in the second group: IMO, Dead Things is an outstanding episode.
- The title is excellent as it applies to so many different characters/situations:
Buffy calls Spike a dead thing in this episode, but deep down inside is afraid that she might be a dead thing herself. (Like in Smashed, Buffy uses as insults whatever she's most afraid of herself.)
Katrina is treated like a thing by the geek trio; ultimately she becomes a dead thing that they need to dispose of in some way.
Ultimately, it's also possible to see Warren's and Andrew's conscience as a dead thing.
- The opening scene is great: Peaceful moments between Buffy and Spike have always been rare. Ever since they started to have sex, moments in which they treat one another without aggression have become even rarer. More often than not they are insulting one another and even coming to blows. So this scene is quite an exception; you can see that they are both surprised that they are actually having a conversation. (This quiet opening scene makes it even more drastic when Buffy beats up Spike later on.)
SPIKE: Are we having a conversation?
BUFFY: What? No! No. (pause) Maybe.
Of course, this moment is very fragile. Spike doesn't allow Buffy to completely forget what he is (I ate a decorator once.). He also points out to her that he loves her wildness, which isn't something with which Buffy is comfortable.
SPIKE: [...] I've never been with such an animal.
Buffy gives a little gasp, jerks her arm away. Spike looks surprised.
BUFFY: I'm not an animal.
This bit of dialogue is excellent. It really shows some of the problems in their relationship.
SPIKE: Do you even like me?
BUFFY: (softly) Sometimes. (looks away)
[...]
SPIKE: Do you trust me?
BUFFY: Never.
While Spike is one of my favorite characters, I can understand Buffy's "sometimes". Spike likes to be contrary, he thrives on getting under other people's skin and baring their vulnerabilities. When Buffy lashes out, he lashes back in some way. Buffy can never be completely at ease with him.
As for Buffy's comment that she doesn't trust him: Well, she did trust him several times in the past, e.g. when she asked him to hide her mother and her sister from Glory. So I think Buffy's "Never" has to be seen in a slightly different light. She knows that Spike can be trusted under certain circumstances, but even though he has no true conscience. If the chip ever stopped working, there is no guarantee that he wouldn't go back to being a killer. Beyond that, Buffy has to mistrust him. She is the Slayer after all and Spike is her natural enemy. Like Angel he has killed hundreds of people over the years; unlike Angel he has no soul which means he can't regret anything he has done.
- In the meantime, the geek trio creates their latest invention, a tool to "make any woman we desire our willing sex slave".
Andrew and Jonathan are acting in an extremely immature way; they don't feel like adults but like children - that unfortunately have too much technical expertise and therefore power.
Warren is clearly the leader of the trio. Whereas I get the feeling Andrew and Jonathan are part of the team for companionship, he mostly seems to be in it for power. He definitely makes sure that he's the one who benefits most from their inventions.
- Buffy in the Doublemeat Palace:
BUFFY: Oh, time has no meaning here. Gina, I'm taking a break.
Interesting quote in light of what happens later on when time fractures around Buffy.
- This scene is heartbreaking. I'm glad though that Buffy has picked Tara as her confidante and is willing to gradually open up to her. Tara really is the best choice from all her friends; she's kind but not stupid. She also isn't judgmental.
BUFFY: No, it still works. Just not on me. (nervous) I-I need to know about the spell. The one that ... brought me back. I, I'd ask Willow, but...
TARA: (getting it) You think it's you.
BUFFY: I don't know. I feel ... different. There are things...
She seems about to make a confession. Tara looks at her, waiting. Buffy chickens out.
BUFFY: I-I think ... maybe ... I came back wrong.
- Meanwhile the geek trio is on the lookout for the perfect woman...
At this point, I really got creeped out while watching, because you could see they were totally serious about acquiring a sex slave. It shows so clearly that they have no concept of reality. None of the women there are *real* for them, they are just gorgeous objects to lust after. Actually, what they are planning is rape of the mind and of the body. *Very* creepy.
In the beginning, it looks like things could turn out differently: Warren sees Katrina and cuts his communication link to Andrew and Jonathan. There's the possibility that Katrina's acceptance of Warren could have changed everything what happens after, but I'm definitely not blaming her for rejecting him. Considering what she has seen of Warren so far, it's a decision I perfectly understand. Also the idea that Warren could have been saved by her love/acceptance is a lot like the myth of "love of good woman turns sinister man into saint". Quite frankly I'm wondering how long things would have gone right between them. They might have been okay for a while, but I just don't see Warren losing his interest in power that easily. His insecurities are too deep seated. He also never seemed to show much consideration for others and has a very greedy streak.
So things play out in the worst way possible: Katrina rejects Warren. He can't accept her refusal and subjugates her will by using the latest invention...
- When we see Katrina again, she has been turned into a typical male fantasy, wearing a black-and-white french-maid outfit. The three geeks can't quite agree on how to proceed. Over the course of their discussion we get this line: WARREN: Oh, I don't have to call it, Sparky. She's mine. But don't worry. (takes the champagne bottle from Katrina and gives it to Jonathan) You can play with her all you want ... after I'm done with her. To me, this is one of the most sickening moments over the course of Buffy. It's very scary to see how a person is objectified. What the three geeks are discussing here, is rape - even though they aren't really aware of it. Andrew and Jonathan definitely aren't used to things happening in real life and not just in their fantasy world.
It's possible to draw a connection to what Jonathan did in Superstar where we see that a pair of blonde twins are his lovers. These girls are only interested in Jonathan because he put everyone in Sunnydale under a spell. So like Warren he doesn't use force, but nevertheless he twists perceptions.
Still: What happens in this episode feels more creepy. For one, of course, the episode focuses on Katrina's fate whereas the twins in Superstar were just a quick sidenote. Even more though, it's Warren rapid shifts between charming and callous that's scary. In one moment, we can easily believe he still loves Katrina (The way her nose- (goofy laugh) the way her nose crinkles when she laughs... (softly) She's perfect. or I missed you so much. You never should have left me. or I love you too, baby.. However, every expression of love is counteracted by some incredibly callous behaviour, e.g. when he's ordering Katrina to get down on her knees or when he tells Andrew and Jonathan they can "play" with her after he's done. A *very* disturbing scene so far --- and then things get even worse when Katrina wakes from her stupor and tries to escape.
- I heart this quote: What Katrina says sums up the situation perfectly.
And I feel so sorry for her. She is very angry at this point and no doubts feels used and dehumanized. But still she hasn't really understood how far Warren will go or she would never threaten the trio with the police.
KATRINA: Oh, you think? (walking toward the other two) You bunch of little boys, playing at being men. (yelling) Well, this is not some fantasy, it's not a game, you freaks! It's rape!
JONATHAN: (stunned) What?
ANDREW: No ... we didn't-
KATRINA: (crying, and still angry) You're all sick. (points at Warren) And I'm going to make sure you get locked up for this. And then we'll see how you like getting raped.
In the following fight, Katrina gets killed. I don't think that Warren wanted to kill her, but I have problems picturing a happier outcome for Katrina. If things hadn't totally gone out of control, he might have tied her up and used the Cerebraral Dampener on her again. Or he might have tried to wipe out her memory - quite possibly after having some fun with her anyway. Or he might have kept her as their prisoner indefinitely.
All the options make me shudder.
- The trio is in shock after what has happened. While Warren is in shock, he's also the one taking charge. He deals with the situation by turning Katrina into a "dead thing". Jonathan refers to Katrina as "she" one more time and then also switches to the impersonal "it".
WARREN: (lets go of Jonathan) We, uh, we have to get ... we have to get r-rid of it.
JONATHAN: How?
WARREN: Uh, uh, may-maybe a spell. Can you teleport it out of here?
JONATHAN: (looking at the body) No, she's ... (upset) It's too big.
- The next scene shows us the Bronze. Anya and Xander are dancing together with obvious enjoyment. Willow is still struggling with magic withdrawal, but we see that she is coping. On the surface, Buffy appears to be doing fine, however when she moves up to the balcony to look down sadly to her happily dancing friends, it's clear that she is still feeling like an outsider.
- This is the moment, Spike shows up. His message to Buffy is that she will never belong to the world of her friends, but instead belongs with him. They have sex, although it's more along the lines of Spike having sex with Buffy with her simply not stopping him.
SPIKE: (O.S.) You see ... you try to be with them...
Spike walks up behind Buffy.
SPIKE: ...but you always end up in the dark ... (whispering in her ear) ...with me.
He moves up right behind Buffy, looks where she's looking. Shot of the Scoobies from Buffy's POV.
SPIKE: What would they think of you ... if they found out ... all the things you've done?
He puts his hand on her bare shoulder and strokes slowly down her arm.
SPIKE: If they knew ... who you really were?
SPIKE: That's not your world. You belong in the shadows... with me.
Close shot on Spike's face as he continues moving slowly and talking into Buffy's ear.
SPIKE: Look at your friends ... and tell me ... you don't love getting away with this... (Buffy still watching her friends) ...right under their noses.
Their interaction is extremely interesting. To me, it shows clearly how unhealthy their relationship is at this point. Here's my interpretation for what's going on:
Spike feels excluded from Buffy's life. She shags him, but is ashamed of telling anyone that they are together. He's her dirty secret. Since that's what he is, he tries to pull her down with him, e.g. by telling her that she's a bad girl, someone who belongs in the shadows, someone who enjoys to break the rules. By pulling her down to his level, he ensures that the distance to her friends becomes greater, that she will either despise her friends for getting on with their happy little lifes or despise herself for not being good enough for them. I'm not sure for which effect he's aiming, but I doubt that he's really thinking through all the repercussions. He certainly gets a kick out of knowing Buffy's darker side that's hidden to everybody else.
Why does Buffy agree to having sex with Spike in a public place while looking down at the Scoobies? Well, for one she is attracted to him. It's not a healthy attraction though, it's not playful. She doesn't derive any particular joy for being a bit naughty in public. I think she feels his darkness calling to her own - and she despises herself for it.
Buffy and Spike having sex is not an act of love here, it's an act of destruction and self-destruction.
It's interesting that Buffy wears a similar outfit to Katrina in this scene: Short black skirt and a white blouse. I'm going to be dramatic and suggest that while Katrina experiences physical death in the scene before, Buffy experiences a death of the soul in this scene.
Another balcony scene in the Bronze that comes to my mind is Spike and Drusilla going up to the balcony in season 5. Drusilla kills both victims and Spike reluctantly drinks from one of them. - It's another very powerful scene and it shares the strangely dreamlike quality of the balcony scene in Dead Things.
- Next, we get the famous crypt door scene with Buffy standing on one side and Spike at the other.
While I knew the scene is supposed to be tragic and symbolic, I'm afraid to say it made me laugh. I just had to think about the comments regarding Spike/crypt door fanfiction. You were all right: Spike does have chemistry with his crypt door. I wonder: Is there any fanfiction written from the POV of the crypt door? After all, you can make a strong argument that the crypt door is involved in a hot threesome here, i.e. Buffy/crypt door/Spike.
Okay, back to being serious: IMO, the scene's intention is to show us that Buffy and Spike are drawn to one another. I even get the impression that they might have a successful relationship, if they managed to talk to one another without the intention to hurt the other.
- The next scene is extremely powerful. Buffy fights against several demons while time is fracturing all around her. Things stop happening in a chronological order and it's hard to keep track of what's going on.
By the end, Buffy is convinced that she killed a young woman by accident while she was trying to protect her.
The scene reminds me of Faith killing the Mayor's assistent by accident, it just plays out in reverse. It's Spike who says it was an accident and he will take care of everything whereas Buffy insists on being guilty. Initially, she's just too shocked to persist on turning herself in to the police. Even though you get the impression that she will not run away from her responsibility.
Oh, and another parallel that comes to my mind is Buffy "killing" her mother's boyfriend Ted by accident in season 2.
SPIKE: All right. Listen to me. Buffy. (shakes her) Buffy!
BUFFY: She's dead.
SPIKE: It was an accident.
BUFFY: I killed her.
SPIKE: I'm gonna get you home.
BUFFY: No!
SPIKE: (firmly) I'm gonna get you home, and you're gonna crawl in your warm comfy bed and stay there! (softer) We're gonna sort this out. Trust me.
- The next scenes focuses on the reactions of the trio:
Warren is ecstatic since his plan has worked. In this scene, I got the impression that he had managed to forget all about Katrina. Sure, guilt might resurface when the adrenaline and the high from his victory have worn of. For now though, I didn't get the impression Warren was bothered by his conscience.
Jonathan is clearly unhappy with the situation. He comes across as very cynical and disgusted with himself. I get the feeling that he despises himself for going along with the plan.
- Love the irony that a theme from Life Serial is taken and twisted, i.e. Jonathan takes on a different appearance in both episodes and both times he gets hit by Buffy. Only in Life Serial the scene is humorous whereas Dead Things takes a very sinister turn with Jonathan disguised as the Katrina.
- Buffy's nightmare is very interesting, but I don't think I can do it justice in my interpretation. If I do, I will never ever post this review. :-)
What I find particulary fascinating is that Spike and Katrina are closely connected to one another in Buffy's dream. Buffy asks "Do you trust me?" and the question appears to be directed to both Spike and Katrina. And yes, both seem to trust her, e.g. Spike is handcuffed while Buffy sleeps with him - and so is Katrina without feeling threatened. Buffy obviously feels that their trust in her is misplaced as the dream ends with Buffy staking them both.
On the whole, Buffy's dream depicts her as a taker. A taker of sex and a taker of life.
- Buffy decides to turn herself in to the police, a decision that's very courageous. Unlike Faith, she doesn't want to run away from the aftermath of an accident she caused. There's just one problem: If she does the right thing by reporting what she believes to have done, she will at the same time also harm Dawn who will then lose another family member.
I really love the scene between Buffy and Dawn, in particular that there is no happy resolution:
DAWN: (almost crying) You don't want to be here with me. You didn't want to come back. I know that. You were happier where you were. (crying) You want to go away again.
BUFFY: Dawn...
DAWN: Then go! You're not really here anyway.
- Spike tries to stop Buffy from turning herself in. Their talk totally escalates and basically ends with Buffy beating Spike up while he doesn't fight back.
I think this scene is excellent. It reflects the fight between Faith and Buffy in season 4 - Faith also suffers from extreme self-hatred here. It takes up the alley scene in Fool for Love that also has Spike on his knees and Buffy in an aggressive stance - though in Dead Things Spike gets in the final cutting remark. And above and beyond that it's extremely complex and can interpreted in so many ways.
Before I look at what happens more closely, I'd like to mention that when I watched the scene for the first time I felt mostly sorry for Spike, but when I rewatched it, I felt mostly sorry for Buffy. I can't even properly explain why, but I feel sorry for them both.
So when does Buffy lose control? What pushes her trigger?
There are two statements connected to Buffy starting to hit him:
BUFFY: That's all it is to you, isn't it? Just another body!
BUFFY: You can't understand why this is killing me, can you?
These two comments suggest that part of Buffy is frustrated of Spike not getting it. I think that part of her wants to have an understanding between them, perhaps wants to get emotionally close as well. (She did set out to visit him in his crypt during this episode.) But what Spike does with Katrina's body makes her realise how big the gap is between them. And it makes her mad: Mad at him for not getting that Katrina is not just another body, but someone she not only failed to protect, but whose death she caused. And mad at herself for trying to deceive herself and having an affair with her natural enemy. At this moment, she hates him - but even more she hates herself for failing on so many levels. For failing her duties as a Slayer and what she believed in, for failing Dawn, for not being able to feel much of anything. And she snaps.
This statement is aimed as much at herself as at Spike:
BUFFY: You don't ... have a soul! There is nothing good or clean in you. You are dead inside! You can't feel anything real! I could never ... be your girl!
- Now Spike doesn't stop Buffy in any way from hurting him. As a matter of fact, he even makes it easier for her by switching into his vampire face.
While I do think Spike is acting out of love - he gives Buffy something she needs, an outlet for her aggression - I don't believe that covers everything. Allowing himself to be hit, actually puts him into the morally superior position. He becomes the victim, Buffy becomes the aggressor. And in a way, this gives him power over her.
From what I've seen of Spike's interaction with Angel, I also got the impression that for him any sort of attention is positive. Being hit is better than being ignored. His statement You always hurt ... the one you love, pet. could even suggest that Buffy hitting him proves her love for him. On the other hand, he might just say it to get to her.
- When Buffy goes in to the police, she overhears that the woman who was killed was named Katrina - and she recollects that she was Warren's girlfriend. All the puzzle pieces fall in place and Buffy realises that she's not responsible for Katrina's death.
BUFFY: It wasn't the demons. It was Warren. He knew Katrina. He had something to do with it, I know it.
WILLOW: How can you be sure?
BUFFY: You always hurt the one you love.
- Now Dawn could be relieved about Buffy staying, but she's not. She's upset and bitter. Oh, and I like that twist, because it's way more realistic. Dawn is so afraid of losing people close to her, that she sometimes pushes them away on purpose. Buffy is clearly the most important person in her life at this point and losing her would break her. So she tries not to care.
Buffy gets up and walks toward Dawn.
BUFFY: Yeah. I'm not going anywhere.
Dawn quickly gets to her feet and exits before Buffy can reach her.
- We get to see Andrew's darker side, the part of him that wants to be powerful. This is a chilling scene, because he always came across as someone who wouldn't hurt a fly. It's some fascinating character development and yes, it does feel in character. Andrew is very good at blending out the real world.
ANDREW: We really got away with murder.
Warren looks at Andrew, smirking. We see that the scratches on Warren's face are healing.
ANDREW: That's ... kinda cool.
- I heart the final scene between Buffy and Tara. It made me tear up.
Buffy is just so desperate here: She can't understand herself at all any more. In the past, she mostly used to believe in her own goodness, but by now she has been confronted with her inner darkness. Right now, she can't accept that this is part of her, too. (Which is perfectly understandably, by the way.) She would prefer to have the confirmation that she came back wrong when her friends brought her back from the dead, but Tara can't give her this absolution. What's happened so far is her responsibility. While this revelation is incredibly painful, I also see it as a great chance for Buffy to start over. Not only does Buffy now know she's not some monster, she also should have an easier time to be a good person. Up to now she could just say to herself: 'It doesn't matter what I do. I'm wrong anyway. I just do whatever I feel like.', but now this will no longer be possible. She knows she's fully responsible for her actions.
And I love Tara's acceptance here. Love that she isn't judgmental at all.
Even reading Buffy's "please don't forgive me" twists my heart. She's so ashamed for what she has done.
TARA: (concerned) Do you love him?
Buffy just stares at her tearfully.
TARA: I-It's okay if you do. He's done a lot of good, and, and he does love you. A-and Buffy, it's okay if you don't. You're going through a really hard time, and you're...
BUFFY: (still tearful) What? Using him? What's okay about that?
TARA: It's not that simple.
BUFFY: It is! It's wrong. I'm wrong. Tell me that I'm wrong, please...
Buffy starts to cry for real now.
BUFFY: Please don't forgive me, please... (sobbing) Please don't...
By the way, I just realised this scene reminds me a bit of Anakin and Padmé after Anakin's admits that he eradicated an entire Tusken tribe. It's not a perfect match, of course, but there are similarities.
Has anyone written an essay comparing Anakin and Buffy?
Here's a status overview regarding which episodes I've seen and/or commented on. If you are new to my LJ, please check this info so you don't post any big spoilers when you leave comments. Thanks!
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2006-05-26 10:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-05-28 08:10 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-05-27 04:21 am (UTC)I'm glad though that Buffy has picked Tara as her confidante and is willing to gradually open up to her. Tara really is the best choice from all her friends; she's kind but not stupid. She also isn't judgmental.
And she doesn't have the backstory with Spike that Xander and Willow do. Re: Buffy and Tara, I think Tara's words in the morgue after Joyce's death are the basis for Buffy trusting Tara later on. One could make some argument of Tara being a symbol of grace lost and gained in s6 by various characters, but it's too early in the morning for me for that.
At this point, I really got creeped out while watching, because you could see they were totally serious about acquiring a sex slave. It shows so clearly that they have no concept of reality. None of the women there are *real* for them, they are just gorgeous objects to lust after. Actually, what they are planning is rape of the mind and of the body. *Very* creepy.
I think this is also what divides fandom's reaction - the way the Trio is used in s6. When Jonathan in Flooded or Life Serial makes the "any woman we desire our willing sex slave" statement (and btw also suggests hypnotizing Buffy), the audience laughs, because it's such a fanboy thing. Not real. And then, half a season later, we see the three turn it into reality, and it's sickening. It also makes it impossible to look at all the "sex slave" creations of, say, 60s and 70s sci fi (Orion slave girls, anyone?) without feeling slapped on the face or horrified, respectively.
Did I link you
To me, it shows clearly how unhealthy their relationship is at this point.
Yes, and due to both participants, not just one of them. Which is what I love about the writing and acting. Not that Buffy and Spike don't have the potential for another type of relationship as well, but at this point, the way they are at this stage of s6, they damage each other, sometimes literary, as at the end of the episode, and sometimes emotionally, as it happens here.
Is there any fanfiction written from the POV of the crypt door? After all, you can make a strong argument that the crypt door is involved in a hot threesome here, i.e. Buffy/crypt door/Spike.
Too true, but alas, the crypt door is cruelly neglected in fanfic!
Re: Faith parallels and contrasts - I think those are very important, both for the viewer and for Buffy. When Spike tells her that they'll just get rid of the body and everything will be fine, she must have one of the worst cases of deja vue ever. She saw just how the "it never happened, let's forget it" denial route went for Faith, and as opposed to fanon, canon Buffy has always been aware she could have been Faith (see her words to Willow in Doppelgangerland on the subject).
Anakin and Buffy essay: I think there is one up at Saga Journal, but I'm not sure. Amen to the parallels of the confession scene, too. And yes, I feel sorry for both Spike and Buffy in the alley scene as well.
no subject
Date: 2006-05-28 12:44 pm (UTC)You're totally right about Tara having no long negative backstory with Spike. In fact, he even helped her to prove she wasn't a demon. He did it by hitting her, but I think the relief over knowing she was human outweighed any pain.
Oh yes, this episode gives us the dark side of geeky fanboyism. I can understand that part of fandom would have been upset by this, but it's a valid point, IMO. Fandom is well and good as long as you can distinguish it from real life. The lines between fantastical world and real world have definitely blurred for Andrew. For Warren they haven't, IMO; for him it's about power and getting revenge on society who never appreciated him.
Not sure I've read the Warren essay. I will look it up.
Poor crypt door! Not only it's left by Spike and Buffy, even fandom doesn't give it too much love.
no subject
Date: 2006-05-28 06:04 pm (UTC)Re: Warren: KdS' Warren essay, written after season six, and
Five Things Which Never Happened To Warren, by yours truly. In each of the five, there is just one circumstance different from canon; sometimes, Warren gets worse, sometimes, he gets better, and sometimes, he stays the same guy. Thing Five is based in the s7 episode The Killer in Me, though, hence it spoils for same.
no subject
Date: 2006-05-27 12:20 pm (UTC)Lovely thoughts. I'm going to quote quite af ew bit's from an essay by
About trust:
Does Buffy trust Spike, at the beginning of Season 6? Not exactly. But she trusts her assessment of him, and she trusts his assessment of her.
The relationship of control and trust between these two is insanely complex. Some analyses of Season 6 see Buffy as taking control of the one thing she feels she has left to assert control over; using her relationship with Spike as a way of exercising power. But I think there's more to it even than that. I think it's as much about relinquishing control as it is about manifesting it. To pick up something I said earlier, the more Buffy trusts the Spike the greater the power she has over him. And the more she lets him in, the more she lets that wall of self-control around her crumble, the more he loses himself in her.
About the dynamics of the relationship:
Here's a question that matters, I think. Why does Spike fall for Buffy in the first place? There are reasons a-plenty, of course, but I think a crucial part of it is that he sees in her the potential for a relationship with an equal. And all his life – and unlife – that's something that's been forbidden fruit to him. The key relationships in his life – his mother, Angel, Dru – have given him everything but that, I think.
...
What Buffy gives him is a way out that looks different to what he’s known before. She won't love him unless he's better than he is, he knows that, and that gives him a reason to become better. And I'm not calling that healthy, but I think he sees in Buffy somebody who can engage with – love, even – the person he knows he's capable of being. But Spike's identity issues are so long held, and Buffy struggling so much with her own identity crisis, that it takes a season or two before that can be something that brings either of them much more than doubt and pain.
Buffy and Spike are two people both engaged in a constant battle against the darkness inside them. No wonder they're drawn to each other, especially here when they're both more conscious of that darkness inside than ever. But they both need someone to be their constant, someone who can give them something to hold onto in this fight. Buffy doesn't just go to Spike because she finds in him a place to let out that darkness inside that sometimes threatens to overwhelm her, but because she's seen in him someone who's managed to fight the darkness inside himself. It's that old duality again – she wants him for the man he can be, not just the monster. And she's long been his inspiration, the role model who gives him something to work towards in his own internal battle. Again, it's the dark side of the sunlight/shade metaphor.
"You always end up in the dark with me," says Spike to Buffy in Dead Things, and it's a hollow victory. Fighting to make her give in to the darkness weighing on her was never what this was supposed to be about. She was his inspiration to fight his own darkness, and if he knew how to fight for her, to take on the darkness in her as well as in him, I think he would.
I recently wrote a whole essay about the alleybeating, but I'll have to check out how spoilery it is, if you'd like me to link you?
no subject
Date: 2006-05-28 12:48 pm (UTC)Yes, I agree. Buffy and Spike also have a lot more in common than Buffy and Angel. Not that having things in common means that you will be well-balanced in a relationship, but they have a connection that allows them to understand one another. Not always, of course, but they do have these moments of wordless connection.
I recently wrote a whole essay about the alleybeating, but I'll have to check out how spoilery it is, if you'd like me to link you?
I bookmarked it a while ago when
no subject
Date: 2006-05-30 08:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-05-28 07:32 am (UTC)I could never quite work out what that was about.
Zyrya wrote Spike/Cement block - really touching piece actually.
Great summary.
no subject
Date: 2006-05-28 12:50 pm (UTC)Spike/Cement block? Where can I find this story? :-)
Thanks for your kind words!
no subject
Date: 2006-05-28 12:56 pm (UTC)Maybe if you ask her she'll e-mail it - it really is very poignant.
no subject
Date: 2006-05-29 09:04 am (UTC)Thanks for all the points you made about Spike and Buffy, and your analysis of Buffy's nightmares. I think that one of the reasons this episode is so poignant is that it hints at could be (the scene with the crypt door, the dialogue at the beginning), but Buffy is too bent on loathing herself, and Spike is too intent on tripping her down.
I'm not sure for which effect he's aiming, but I doubt that he's really thinking through all the repercussions.
I think he's mostly acting on a "I can get to her, I can get to her!" basis. Now, does he honestly believe what he's saying or does he just want to make sure she doesn't leave him any time soon... Or he's trying to make himself into that thing which she can blame, the way he does later in the alley scene, when he vamps out.
Yes at Buffy saying she could "never" trust him.
Buffy decides to turn herself in to the police, a decision that's very courageous. Unlike Faith, she doesn't want to run away from the aftermath of an accident she caused.
But the difference here is that Buffy isn't acting out of responsibility; by then, she's looking for punishment, exactly the way she does at the end of the episode with Tara. After all, even in S3 when Faith had accidentally killed someone, no-one talked about going to the police (at least, Giles and Wesley didn't when they knew about it). On the contrary, Giles explained to Buffy that, tragic as it might seem, accidents did happen, and Faith wasn't whisked off to the police then.
Not only is the police extremely unsuited to deal with Slayer issues, but ultimately, if Buffy turns herself in, it means that she won't be in a position to protect anyone for a long, long time. I'd say Dawn has a point when she acts as if Buffy going to prison would be the same as Buffy killing herself.
And I believe that the reason she's so mad at Spike is that he has done to Katrina what she's doing to him; it's just a body that can be disposed of. (during the alley scene, I know I sympathise with Spike because I think he's right about what needs to be done - well, at least I agree with him more than with Buffy, which may or may not influence my judgement.)
And I love Tara's acceptance here. Love that she isn't judgmental at all.
I used to have trouble reconciling what Tara says here with what she said in Intervention, when the group believed Buffy was having sex with Spike (and after Tara reminded everyone that people do "strange things when someone they love dies"):
WILLOW: Tara's right. Grief can be powerful. We shouldn't judge -
TARA: Are you kidding? She's nuts!
Now I've decided that Tara's original had to do with "he's already obsessed with her, let's not give him more ground" more than "he's Spike", and that since then she's come to realise that Spike does love Buffy. (and maybe she sees Willow in Spike, when she says "He's done a lot of good, and, and he does love you.".)
But I don't think Tara can help Buffy there, at least not right away, because Buffy is looking for punishment - letting Spike have his way with her at the Bronze, telling Dawn she killed someone (except that Dawn wasn't upset for the 'right' reason then), going to the police - and Tara both forgives her and gives her back her free will.
And I've only watched this ep twice, 'cause I shy away from angst and drama like that, so I'm probably not making huge amounts of sense. SMG's acting when she tells Dawn that she's going to the police killed me. She has the deadest eyes ever in that scene.
no subject
Date: 2006-05-29 02:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-05-29 02:38 pm (UTC)Thanks! (I wrote on it for over a month. One paragraph one week, the next 3 days later and so on. :-))
I think that one of the reasons this episode is so poignant is that it hints at could be
Yes, that's it exactly. You get the feeling they could work as a couple - only they have way too much baggage. Plus in vampires lack of soul seems to equal lack of conscience, so Spike just pushes on relentlessly.
But the difference here is that Buffy isn't acting out of responsibility
It's a tricky moral dilemma Buffy has to face.
I don't think her decision to go to the police is only motivated by avoiding her responsibility as a Slayer or to Dawn and her friends. I think that's she's really afraid of having no more moral stability. She's already sleeping with Spike against her better judgement, she lives this double life and feels dirtied by it. IMO, she's afraid if she doesn't go to the police and accepts responsibility for Katrina's death, she will lose her last moral restraints. In a way, she wants to protect her values - and her soul - here.
Plus she has seen from Faith's example what can happen if you say "It was just an accident".
Now if Giles was here, I'm sure she would have told him about the accident and instead of being punished by the police the Watcher's Council would have given her some penitence.
Very good point about Tara's comment in Intervention.
Well, since then a lot has changed. I.e. Spike hasn't done much to help them at the time of Intervention. It's by the end of Intervention that Spike proves he can be an ally. E.g. he gets tortured by Glory to protect Buffy and Dawn, he helps them to flee from Glory and even fights along side with them. Later on, he helps them hunt vampires and takes care of Dawn. Tara would see him in a more positive light by then.
I don't think Tara can actively help Buffy, but it would have been a huge relief for her to have one person to who she doesn't have to lie anymore. Someone who knows about her relationship with Spike. Someone to whom she could talk to again.
no subject
Date: 2006-05-29 04:07 pm (UTC)Yes and yes about Tara - I see Intervention as the sequel to Crush regarding Spike's development: Intervention is when he redeems himself in Buffy/the gang's eyes after the disaster that was "let's chain Buffy up and see how threatening her with my ex-insane lover goes".
Someone who knows about her relationship with Spike. Someone to whom she could talk to again.
And also someone who can make funny comments during Older and Far Away. ;)
no subject
Date: 2006-08-06 01:18 pm (UTC)