Buffy 5x22 The Gift - Early Access & Full

My favorite lines of all time. Juliette: “I’m in denial. I’m happy here. Leave me alone.”

You know there are two more seasons. I did not when this was originally broadcast.

Are there more episodes of Buffy coming soon? I'm almost to the end of season 4, so still catching up, but I wanted to make sure you were still finishing the series. Love your reactions, Juliette.

Ooft. I watched your Doctor Who reaction earlier this week and remembered what was coming next. Sorry I couldn't warn you, but in the immortal words of River Song "Shhh. Spoilers." :)

While this is not my favourite season finale, S5 is my favourite season. Rewatching the show many times has shown me how well this season is constructed in plot, character, continuity, themes and more. It may be tough to watch in places, but I think S5 is brilliant. What Giles said about Buffy is true, she is a hero. Jumping into a portal to close the walls between hell dimensions - that's what a hero does. Doing it to save the life of her sister - that's what Buffy Summers would do.

I still remember watching this episode when it first aired over 20 years ago. Buffy's death was actually such a fulfilling and meaningful thing for young me. After seeing how unfair her calling had been on her, calling for her to give up every last ounce of happiness in her life to the point where Buffy was doubting her own humanity... it finally rewarded her selflessness in 'gifting' her the one thing she was still willing to do in the line of duty: to die and be rid of the calling.

Well, that's the end of Buffy. A hero's death. Quite fitting. There's a big difference with what happened to Angel: he was sucked bodily into hell. Buffy's body is right there. But yeah if Buffy is dead I guess the show's over eh? she saved the world a lot

Even the beginning when Buffy says "Why don't we start with, Hi I'm Buffy." It gets me. When Buffy is in the alley with the kid. He says, "But you're just a girl." Buffy, "That's what I keep saying." After everything, she still longs to have a normal life. When Buffy turns to the rising sun, her look is not one of fear or sadness, but of anticipation. Spike said to Buffy in FFL, "Part of you is desperate to know, what it's like, where does it lead you?" "Death is your gift" A gift to Dawn, but also in a way a gift for herself.

Also, looking at David's comment compared to mine, you can see that season 6 has mixed opinions. It's definitely the most divisive season amongst fans, I've noticed. I'm looking forward to your thoughts and reactions, but I won't hold it against you if you don't love the season like I do. lol

At the beginning of the episode, Buffy said that Dawn was not her sister. "She's me. The monks made her out of me, I hold her, and I feel closer to her than," "It's not just the memories they built, it's physical. Dawn is a part of me, The only part that I" When I heard that, it transformed the relationship between Buffy and Dawn for me. They were not sisters. Buffy was Dawns mother. I don't know if that was ment to be the point of what Buffy said, but that is how I see the relationship between the two of them.

I'm so excited for your season 6 reactions. It's my second favorite season after season 2. (And also contains my favorite episode of the entire show). Season 5 is actually my least favorite of the show. It's a great season storytelling wise, and Glory is my second favorite big bad (Angelus is number one), but I tend to rank the seasons based on their rewatchability factor, and season 5 is the one I rewatch the least. Why? Because it's so darn intense and depressing. It's like back to back intensity and turmoil and you don't get much of a break from it. If you compare seasons 4 and 5 together, it's almost like they're two different shows. I think if this season had a little more lighthearted moments or episodes it would likely be my favorite as well.

As long as we are expressing opinions on Season 6, I will add my two cents worth. S6 is my least favorite season of Buffy. There, I've said it. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate the season, it has some truly great episodes, but the overall season arc and some very disturbing scenes have tempered my enjoyment. I am glad that some people like it so much, it shows that the story telling works on some level, just not for me. Juliette, I hope you enjoy the new season.

So, now on to season 6! (spoiler free) That was the season that got me hooked on "Buffy" when it originally aired. Before that I haven't seen much and (wrongly) thought, that it was just a random American teenage highschool series, but after watching the first few episodes of season 6 I changed my mind. And it gets better and better. It's still my favourite season. And I don't think it's too much to say: there will be thrills, there will be tears. There will be joy, there will be sorrow. But in any case there will be great storytelling.

This was such a great finale and fittingly the shows 100th with the opening montage included clips/stills from each of the previous 99. Each season seems to have an overall theme with season 5 being all about family whether it be blood kin or found family. Each of the Scoobies grew so much this season and came together at the end to defeat Glorificus.

Damn I wish we could time travel till next Saturday :(

"I'm in denial, I'm happy here, leave me alone!" 😁

I hate to be a spoilsport but it was known that the show was moving networks by the time this aired. It doesn't mean that everyone knew, especially since news wasn't as easily accessible back then and the WB promoted it and treated it as a series finale. However! SMG said she wouldn't return to the show if it left the WB, which makes this ending all the more impactful. What happened was essentially that UPN paid 2+ million per episode whereas WB only paid a cool mil each.

One of my favourite shots is Buffy looking back to see the raising dawn and the look of peace on her face, knowing what she had to do, it says everything about who she is, she is full of love, she loves with all her soul, she is hero. She also gets the choice that probably no slayer has ever got. She went out on her own terms! Big shout out to Dawn too, she was also willing to sacrifice herself for the greater good, that’s Summers blood for you.

Joss Whedon had planned for Buffy to die at the end of season 5 for at least 2 years. If you go back and rewatch previous dream sequences now you can see the foreshadowing. The dream with Faith in episode 3.22 (Graduation Day Part 2) Faith says “counting down from 730.” 730 days is exactly 2 years, and this episode is exactly 2 years from that episode. In Buffy’s dream in episode 4.22 (Restless), Buffy looks at the clock in her room which says 7:30, she says to Tara “it’s late.” Tara replies “that time is wrong” (or maybe “that clock is wrong.”) At that point, Buffy has a year/365 days left to live so that’s another foreshadow. There are a couple of non-dream foreshadowing moments too. In the season 4 episode when Faith is in Buffy’s body and she’s using the credit card, the expiration date is 05/01. That’s when this final episode of season 5 aired. And the other moment is when the robot April says “It’s always darkest before the…” before she “dies.” Foreshadowing the moment when Buffy first realizes the meaning of “death is your gift.” She turns to see the dawn rising above the platform. And of course her sister is Dawn. There are probably other hints that this was coming, but those are the main ones I remember Joss and others talking about. These dreams foreshadowed Dawns arrival on the show too. It’s really amazing when you think about how much of this was mapped out.

Seriously this episode was so majorly spoilt for some of us. in Australia they ran 'next time on Buffy' promos that showed the zoom in on her tombstone.

When this episode was broadcast it hadn't been confirmed that there was going to be another season. As far as we all knew, it was the end of the show! And what an amazing end that would have been.

yeah this was a hard episode. it was originally a finale. they ended the show on that network. it ended up going to another network for the last two seasons. but this could have been a series wrap up the way it was done. this is also why you see the air dates look not as lined up going into next season. angel stayed on the original network and buffy did not.

Be good? You cannot possibly ask me to be good. I aim to misbehave.