Buffy The Vampire Slayer - S06x08|♡Uncut Reaction &Review ♡

Great follow-up to OMWF. We are given a magic gift of our old crew back together in pure comedy for most of an episode, until they and we have to face the darkness. You say that Willow is “ego-driven” at this point. That’s good. The addiction to magic is like an addiction to drugs (and uses that metaphor) but I think it is more, with Willow, an addiction to power. Giles has changed. His desire to return to England is something beyond “helping” Buffy. I think that is something of a rationale. I wonder if it has to do with his own darkness after killing Ben. Of course, that is speculation but considering there was consideration for an eighth season of Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar didn’t want to do it, though) and the projected show “Ripper” about Giles, it could have been taken up at some point, as they often took up old strands of stories and motivations. It’s not that I don’t see Giles’s point. Buffy was emotionally disconnected and everything was going to hell around her, of which she was unaware. I’m wondering if Giles was in the right emotional space to help her. He left them on their own and all hell broke loose, but finally (and with his help and what he learned and brought back from England) they got better. It really took all of two seasons to work out the consequences of the magic that brought Buffy back. Anthony Head wanted to spend more time with his family and asked to be given a reduced role.

Since Buffy is kissing in the same clothes she was wearing when she was sitting in the Bronze, and we learn in the next episode that there was no conversation between her and Spike, you can imagine that in order for them to kiss, she literally had to jump out of her seat and be in front of Spike, as he was walking away from her at a fast pace. Can you imagine the motivation it takes to do that? And a second ago she turned away.

I always felt like Giles was convincing himself of something he wanted to believe. I know that Giles loves Buffy, but we've seen in past episodes how much of what he wants for himself gets sacrificed for the sake of his watcher role. And you know that when he accepted the post all those years ago, he never expected it would last this long. He's just as tired of the life as Buffy, but unlike Buffy, he can actually walk away from it. Only he loved Buffy too much to do that, so he's been stuck too. Now, he's got this perfect rationalization for why he "has" to leave for Buffy's own good. It's terrible logic, but it makes complete sense to me that he wants to believe it's true.

For me this is where I really realize the full implications of Willow and Tara in Once More With Feeling. Tara asks how Willow could violate her mind especially after Glory and I realize they had sex in OMWF during Under Your Spell and when you think about it it was rape. Willow took away Tara's memories of her reasons for saying no to being with Tara. By erasing her memories she erased Tara's ability to provide informed consent. As much as Willow didn't see it like that in the midst of her addiction, she basically gave Tara the magic equivalent of a date rape drug to make her compliant. It's completely understandable Tara can't be with her after that violation and I'm sure it made it extra confusing to Tara who may have felt like "the wrong kind of victim" because it wasn't violent assault. Her body responded feeling good and it happened within a loving relationship but that kind of violation is hard to process and harder to come back from.

Sofie is probably one of the most, if not the most perceptive reactor I have seen. Regarding Willow, I have read some criticism about the treatment of her addiction to magic as a drug addiction, and while I do understand where those comments come from (hello Smashed and Wrecked), this storyline has been years in the making. Willow is not addicted to magic per se, but to power. It is important to remember how insecure Willow used to be about herself back in season 1 and 2, but as she started becoming powerful she started having that validation. She has always been impulsive, and she gained power so quickly that she never really healed or grew confident by herself, but rather by the power magic gave her. Tara makes an excellent point in saying she fixes stuff to her advantage, and we have seen this before repeatedly since season 3. This is why I love this season for Willow. Just as Buffy's, it is painful to watch at times, but it is a necessary path in both of their characters' growth.

Great insights as always!! I loved this reaction and was just waiting for your face on the very last shot (and Michelle Branch)!!

I was just thinking ... you know didn't Giles just get back on the payroll last season? (Maybe he got too much retroactive pay from the council).

I just saw on YouTube that you were up to season 6 of Buffy and I just had to resubscribe to your patreon. This is my absolute favourite season of Buffy for so many reasons. So happy to see another reactor make it to this (in my opinion) brilliant season. :D

It seems this has been a bit of a theme with Giles for a while now. All the way back in season 4 we basically had an argument between him and Prof. Walsh about different parenting styles with, Maggie pushing for a more hands-on approach and Rupert advocating for a more "let them find their own way" mindset. We can argue about who's right. Probably both. Probably neither. And goodness knows Maggie's Initiative boys didn't exactly turn out well lol. But it's just sad for everyone, mostly because it doing one of the things so well on Buffy that everyone always talks about, the "Who's Side Do You Take They're Both Kinda Right" conundrum. And it punches us in the gut harder for it It's kinda sick how well this show is written sometimes, especially once you start peeling away the layers.

You are incredibly perceptive!

I will never understand why people are happy and excited for spike and buffys kissing at this time. It is the most tradgic thing, she is depressed, she Said it isn’t real, I just want to feel. So it is tradgic for spike and for Buffy that this is happening right now.

Damn Sophie. Loved your insight into Spike and Buffy and you've made some really valid points, let me just say that.

Loved your insights and totally agree The one thing I would discuss though is how I just wish people would stop using Angel as an example for how a vampire should be Buffy does that, and it's turning her into something she shouldn't be We all clearly see that Spike can actually be good without a soul Yes, his morals are obviously skewed, but he honors his promise to Buffy, he feels guilty, he feels love Not the healthiest love sure (Buffybot says hi ) But just imagine if Spike was accepted and treated well by Buffy?!! See how much he has changed since S4 (I won't even go beyond the chip) and tell me Spike isn't capable of change !!! Aside from shipping them romantically, Buffy literally used Spike as a punching bag in S5, she has been abusing him alot of the time knowing he can't do anything because of the chip in his head and I hated that, I felt like she is better than that Specially if he is helpless now, and even after he started helping her and her friends for no money All because the Angel/Angelus situation made her believe a soulless vampire can not feel any good feelings at all She had to believe that otherwise why wouldn't Angel love her as Angelus?! Why wouldn't his feelings for her be stronger than his evil nature?! She takes that rule, and applies it to Spike even when it doesn't work that way for him and I don't like that I also wish the audience wouldn't hold Spike up for that She clearly developed feelings for him by now, and yes I agree it's not love But she literally instinctively rescues him even with no memory and does turn to him for comfort since she came back But she won't just admit it because 1. She will be judged by her friends, and herself if I'm being honest 2. The question of why Angel couldn't love her without a soul will have an answer, and she won't like it

My favourite episode!! Hehe. Can't wait to watch this reaction!!

I didn't see this in my inbox... just lucky to have looked at my Patreon account.

I loved your insights into the Buffy/Spike relationship. We are both on the same page. I would add that if Giles hadn't left and instead had stepped up to provide the support that she needs, I think that Buffy would NOT have been kissing Spike at the end of this episode.

Spike doesn't have a soul an helps . He could have stayed out of town with Drusilla .he chooses to help without a soul . Think of spike the man. He was a good person . Angelous taught spike all these bad behaviors . He don't need a soul to love buffy . Him an angel are different . Angel needed a soul to help . Spike doesn't .

loved your insights as usual 💗

did you get that the shark guy is... a loan shark ? 😃

Yes! One of my favorites. Up there with Something Blue as the funniest episodes, although still crushing at the end like you said. They did Giles so dirty with giving him this reason to leave. I understand ASH wanted more time with his family, which is completely valid, but it is so out of character for Giles to abandon Buffy a month or two after she was freaking resurrected because "it will be better for her" or some nonsense. It was a cruel, nonsensical plot for him before he knew she was in heaven and it's a million times worse now that he knows. It's so disappointing that the writers couldn't give him a better reason.