Reviewed by Pedro | Rating:
The Giles Files
The Xander Banter
The Kickin' Wiccan
The Regulars:
Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers
Nicholas Brendon as Xander Harris
Emma Caulfield as Anya
Michelle Trachtenberg as Dawn
James Marsters as Spike
Alyson Hannigan as Willow Rosenberg
The Guest Stars:
Special Guest Star – Anthony Stewart Head as Rupert Giles
Guest Starring - Franc Ross as Razor
- Amber Benson as Tara
Behind the scenes:
Bargaining Part 1 written by Marti Noxon
Bargaining Part 2 written by David Fury
Executive Producers: Joss Whedon and Marti Noxon.
In a nutshell:
The first episode since Buffy’s death and the group are dealing with her loss, both at home and in the slaying department. With the Buffy Bot standing in, so no one is to know of Buffy’s departure, things are getting risky. When a vampire finds out the slayer is a robot, a gang of demons come in to take over a vulnerable Sunnydale. Feeling like he is no longer needed, Giles leaves for England and Willow tries to bring back Buffy. The gang of demons interrupts the resurrection spell but Willow, Xander Tara and Anya, not knowing the spell had worked, flee the scene. The group is left to battle the demons, while Buffy is left to escape from her coffin. A disorientated Buffy helps fight the demons, but runs from the group, thinking she has landed in hell. But after seeing Dawn on the tower, she begins to realize she is in fact back home.
Episode Analysis/Guide
The episode starts with a vampire, running through a cemetery. It gives the impression that things are back to normal. There is even the remote possibility that it is in fact Buffy running after the vampire, and that she has been resurrected. More likely, viewers are potentially thinking that the group has learnt to adapt without Buffy.
The first scene does show that they are adapting without her. We see Spike, Tara and Giles. Tara’s outfit seems a little more Buffy-wear than an outfit from Tara’s closet. The red leather jacket, the stake in hand. This is more than just a coincidence. It gives the momentary suggestion that perhaps Buffy is alive and fine. Of course, as the camera moves in you see who it really is. Tara isn’t much of a fighter, so you can really see that the group is trying to adapt.
Of course, things have to be different. The group being wthiout Buffy, the vampire gets away. It is part of the struggles that they must endure doing the job of the chosen one, with none of those skills to back them up. The light-hearted humor that follows indicates that they are learning to live without Buffy and are not lamenting her death. It is an important choice of character, Giles, who sees the funny side. “GILES: Good god, I hope he doesn't try to operate heavy machinery.” Here is the man with probably the greatest loss. If it was Xander, for example, it is part of his nature and would not be seen in the same vein as this is.
Just as they did in Anne, when Buffy went to L.A, the group learnt to adapt without the slayer, this time in a more successful way. With Willow using her magic to get “a lay of the land”, they are able to corner the vampires and get the upper hand. It is interesting to see how Willows magic has progressed. This power is particularly interesting. Think back to season three, episode eight-teen, Earshot. Buffy gains the power of the demon, the power to hear what everyone is thinking. Willow can now both hear what everyone is saying, Xander: “I know, I know. I don't have to talk when I answer you.”, and is able to talk to individuals and groups, seamlessly without any trouble of a spell or anything.
There are two things in Buffy that I am constantly unsure of, the magic and the fighting. What I mean by this is that much of the time more difficult things are done when the easy could cure the problem in much less time, more effectively. Of course, the fighting in particular, needs to be detailed and not just simple one move slays. But look closely at some of the moves in the fight against both vampires. Giles’ axe throwing, I will simple put down to a lucky shot, but there are further questions at hand.
Spike seems to have a lot of missing pieces in the way he fights. Here we have a vampire who has the strength to kill a slayer, having trouble with one vampire. As far as we know, the chip in his head has not weakened him, so he should be stronger than just about any vampire he needs to face. His apparent weakness and lack of excellent fighting skills seems unjustified. Twice he has the chance to stake a vampire in the scene, with the vampire’s arms being in use elsewhere and both times he has opted to punch the vampire in the chest. It brings up the question if Spike has a dilemma in staking his own kind.
The Buffy Bot throws a punch at the first vampire from behind a crypt, hitting him perfectly on the head, knocking him down. If this was possible, could it not be just as easy to stake him and fix the problem within seconds? The second thing is the magic. In season three, Willow could float a pencil, and used it to stake a vampire in Choices. So it always gets me why she cannot do this or similar to this in general fighting. I would be interested to know if there were a reason other than simply that it would just be too easy.
What sets the show apart from fights in other shows are the combination of comical one-liners and the actual fighting. This helps in showing that the slaying isn’t the control of their lives, but it is simply just something else that they have to do. Such lines are important in identifying with the audience that the Buffy Bot is actually that, and not the real Buffy. Up to the line “That'll put marzipan in your pie
plate, Bingo!”the writers make no attempt at acknowledging one way or another the identity of the Buffy figure. This adds intrigue to the opening scene and the potential that Buffy has already been resurrected is ripe in the viewer’s minds.
The explanation then proceeds. But there is a hidden sorrow in everyone’s minds.
“Spike: She'll never be exactly.
Xander: I know.
Tara: The only really real Buffy is really buffy.
Giles: And she's gone”
No matter how much everyone tries to move on, and adapt, they realize that Buffy cannot be replaced and things are just not the same without her. This really proves that the episode is one about dealing and adapting with the loss.
The life of the slayer is more than just the slaying and having the world and the underworld believe that Buffy is alive and well. The next few scenes show that there is more to her life than the slaying. Willow and Tara have taken over as the parents of Dawn in many ways but it is obvious that it still isn’t anything like the way it used to be. Willow: “I think there's a clog-eating monster under the bed. (Gets up) It's really those lesser-known monsters that make living in Sunnydale so hard.” This is a metaphor for the fact that living in Sunnydale isn’t just tough because of the vampires, but moreover that life in general is just as difficult in the current situation.
When Xander comes in and stumbles with the word ‘tool’, it is interesting to see where the camera was directed. It was, probably for the first time, at Dawn. Normally, it would be Buffy or Willow that would give him that ‘look’, but without Buffy and Willow now being gay, it has now moved onto Dawn, an interesting indication of how things are changing within the group. Again, we see that there are more important things that slaying in terms of keeping things normal, as with the parent teacher day. The scenes flow well with the comical suggestion that parent teacher day is the Bot’s “most dangerous challenge ever”.
Arriving at the school scene there are two focuses. The first is on the characteristic of the Bot that make it dangerous to take her to the place. The second, importantly, is the way that Dawn deals with pretending to have her sister back. It would be extremely difficult for her to pretend that, after losing both her Mother and her Sister, and acting like there is no problem, when evidently there is. More than ever, it is showing how the characters are dealing with the loss, and how they are moving on with their lives.
In the next scene, we see the first signs of Giles’ leaving. We just don’t know when. We don’t know how long Buffy has been gone for, but through Anya’s impatience in this scene, it is noticeable that it has been a long time that Giles has contemplated returning to England. The scene, however, concentrates on Anya in particular and her developing as a human. Her dealing with the stress and bossiness of trying to be patient in terms of the store and the marriage sets up her character and how it has change since we last saw her.
We move swiftly to night and with Willow, Tara, Anya and Xander at a ‘Scooby Meeting’ we are left with another character developing scene with Dawn and Spike. Spike’s caring nature has interestingly developed. His infatuation with Buffy last season moved on to genuine care for her and thus for Dawn. When he was pushed off the tower in the Gift, he had failed in protecting Dawn and Buffy, and his sorrow and anguish are still evident, especially through the pensive looks of both of them at his mention of Buffy. Even without Buffy, it is clear that Spike has in fact changed, become more human and cares for Dawn. Spike: “No. I'm not leaving you ... to get hurt. Not again.” When you think back to season 2, it seems an amazing change for Spike. But, with chip in head it is a great turn by the writers. It also brings up the question, what if Spike was de-chipped. He would be like any other vampire. Would it be like Angel turning to Angelus? I think it is actually much different. Spike is actually starting to care and it is not a soul that is the reason for it. So, who is morally better, Spike or Angel? It will be interesting to see what would actually happen to Spike without the chip. Before, he showed compassion to Drusilla and didn’t want the world to end. He is a very different vampire to any other, including Angel.
With all the characters and how they are dealing covered, the episode now moves on to the action and the story line. Buffy Bot’s fight against the vampire starts off as the typical Buffy versus Vampire in the alley type fight, but proves to be much different. This scene isn’t typically important for any character, but does show that amidst of all the adjusting that the characters are making, they still live their lives in danger.
It then cuts back to the Scooby meeting, and the first sign that Willow is going to use magic to bring Buffy back. I can only wonder if this scene wouldn’t be simply ‘inevitable’ if it were not for the advertisement of this exact thing. But nonetheless, the caring of the group shine through, and in particular Willow. Her actions are selfless “She could be trapped, in-in some sort of hell dimension like Angel was. Suffering eternal torment, just because she saved us, and I'm not gonna let ... I'm not gonna leave her there. It's Buffy.” It shows that they really care for Buffy, and it isn’t that they need her slaying power, but rather that they need her back as a friend, and for Buffy’s own sake.
Willow returns to the house and sees that something has gone wrong with the Bot. While this isn’t totally important, it is interesting to see both Spike and Dawns reactions to the Bot. Spike feels uncomfortable around the Bot, and walks out when it makes a remark ala it’s first purpose. Dawn seems to still miss Buffy and is having trouble dealing with her absence. That night she goes to Buffy’s room to lie with the Bot, because of the reminder of the comfort of Buffy.
It is interesting in the next scene that the Bot’s straight forward thoughts are what finally encourage Giles to leave for England. She questions him: Buffybot: “Well, then why are you still here?” Quite simply, it made Giles realize that there was no use staying, hoping that things would right themselves, so finally he decides to leave.
The storyline proceeds rather simply with the vampire going to a demon gang to tell them about the lack of slayer in Sunnydale, so that he might have a chance to get in the gang. What seems odd is that every other town does not have a slayer, and in fact would be more surprised at such an attack. I do not see how having no slayer makes Sunnydale any less vulnerable than other town. There may be a Hellmouth, but the gang intends to do it by themselves, indicating it would not matter where they would go.
The next scene is quite shocking to say the least. The killing of the young deer shows the seriousness of the spell and how serious Willow is in wanting to bring Buffy back. When she does the deed she looks distressed and ready to cry, as if she really doesn’t want to do it, but must. It is really an indication of the significance of the spell and of Willow’s commitment to magic and to getting Buffy back.
Giles leaving is somewhat thrust into the emotional turmoil of trying to deal and bring Buffy back. Although this achieves realistic and dramatic timing, the importance of his leaving seems to be dulled down. However, with Buffy’s return, it seems as though it may no be the last we see of him. It is typical that Giles would not be one for long goodbyes and the combination of his not knowing about what was about to happen and deciding to leave raises the emotional happenings in this episode to a level to remember.
The departure scene really captures everyone’s feelings towards him. Yet again, the music really captures the emotion in the scene. It is a scene where emotions are held back and so the music captures this by the slow pace and the fact that it doesn’t speed up at the climactic parts. His emotional ties over the years are significant with Buffy for one thing. The way he has been trained for his duty requires that he doesn’t have an emotional tie, hence his firing, but now we see how significant moving away from the rest of the group is on him too. The lighthearted humor that has continued for the past 5 years gives the scene a feel typical to this show. Post Modernism injects a little humor, as Tara gives Giles a little monster, saying “Grr argh” just as the monster at the end of each show does. By doing this, it makes the audience think about something other than the emotional side of Giles leaving, possibly because it is not his full departure, or that everyone realizes that this is inevitable and that Giles must go home sooner or later. In this case, it has been rather later.
From here on in, it is less the emotional scene by scene show, but moves on to the action packed, constantly changing scenes. It takes up the same amount of episode time but is much shorter, so to indicate the short time, the scenes are combined and thus an emergency is created.
The physical torture of Willow describes the significance of the resurrection and spell. Willow is ‘tested’ to find out if she is worthy of bringing back someone from death. It is interesting to look at this as opposed to Dawn bringing back Joyce. Willow’s spell is a lot more complicated for one thing. Buffy was killed by mystical energy and as Willow says, is the warrior of the people “Willow: (louder) Osiris! Here lies the warrior of the people. Let her cross over”. So why was the spell more complex? She must have been tested for a good reason. It seems to me that even if Buffy wasn’t killed by mystical energy, the spell still would have worked. The fact that she was the ‘warrior of the people’ is the reason that the spell actually did work. In other words, there was a point to bringing her back other than selfish reasons. Willow was tested because it had to be proved that the person doing it was sure they knew what they were doing, and had good cause
There is always the debate over visual impression against inner meaning. This is definitely the case with the ‘tests’. While it is quite possible that these things were chosen for effect, there is also an inner meaning of sorts. The wrist slitting symbolizes death. To find if Willow was worthy, she had to overcome the fact that she might die from the injuries. In a sense, overcoming the fear of death to bring someone back from death. The snake is also the idea of danger and possibility of death. The fact that it came out of her mouth seems to indicate giving life in some senses.
The resurrection scene is inter cut with the gang arriving and destroying Sunnydale. It is indicative of impending doom and total destruction, more so than if vampires were to arrive and attack people. Indeed the town is vulnerable without the slayer, particularly against a gang such as this. With Spike protecting her again, it also puts Dawn in danger, as well as putting the spell in jeopardy.
As the streets are looted, you have to wonder if there are any police in Sunnydale anymore. Sure, they see big ugly characters they might be a little scared, but would cops really just run away? If Sunnydale has an airport, surely it has to have a police station or two.
The story interlinking is done really well in this part of the episode. In an overall sense, Buffy’s death nearly brought about the stopping of her resurrection. That is, the Buffy Bot lead the gang straight to Willow and the spell, joining the two scenes into one, and causing danger to the spell. I am impressed by Alyson Hannigan’s performance during the spell scenes, both in this episode and the ones before it. She has the possessed Wicca act down to an art. The concentration in her eyes, and the power of her words are very believable. Compounding her anguish at realizing that the spell hadn’t work, she gets my vote for best performance in this episode.
Then, Buffy returns, revived from the rotting death in her coffin. This is the first stage of what seemed like hell for Buffy. To think, that vampires are expecting such a thing and don’t even have to breath while they are trying to force their way out. The shock and terror would have been overwhelming, even for a slayer.
It is interesting that they group thinks automatically that the spell didn’t work because the urn was crushed. Even more interesting is that they didn’t ponder over the fact that Buffy would come back in her coffin. Willow said that she was ready, so you think she would know if or not the spell had worked and what would happen to Buffy if it did or didn’t work. Did they think that she would magically rise from the coffin, or maybe that she would return to where she died, mid air next to the tower. Possibly, the spell only half worked, and the full resurrection would have been more dramatic and spectacular. Interestingly; Willow: “We have to, Xander! I - she - she's waiting! She's counting on us, on, on me! I can't leave her there any more, I won't. We have to finish.” This could possibly be an indication that Willow had a feeling that the spell had worked, but wasn’t complete, that Buffy was waiting to get out. Although the “we have to try again” doesn’t help prove this, it is an interesting thought that she subconsciously knew that Buffy was down there, and had to be helped out.
As Dawn look out at the destruction, again the concern of Spike is shown. Not only do the group trust Spike with minding Dawn, he now cares about her as if his life depends on it, as if she is his responsibility now that Buffy has gone and that he could have prevented her from dying. He is even becoming a little over protective. For Dawn, it must be difficult. Willow, Tara, Xander and Spike looking after her, watching her every move, keeping her away from danger and even that is without her sister.
Then it happens, Buffy breaks her way out of the coffin, and comes back to earth. Possibly the most momentous and important happenings in the whole series. Then an add breaks the momentum, the wonder in everyone’s minds ripens, what has happened, has she come back normal? Buffy is stunned and shocked. How could this happen, she is back in the woods, in the dark and totally lost for explanations. Then, she sees her coffin, the signifier of her death, and a shocking symbol of her fate, a fate that is no longer. The confusion sets in, and then the sudden realization, she must be in hell! At this point, the destruction of the town becomes a key element. Her own town, fire and destruction spread throughout, everyone she knows in danger, she would have been shocked at being taken to such a place. The site and sound are loud, blurred and disconcerting.
The connection between Tara and Willow, through witchcraft and love, there concern for one another as well as the growing love of Anya for Xander and her humanizing as a character are encapsulated in one scene of simplistic but effective emotions. Tara: “Because he's with Willow. And if something ... happened, I'd know. And so would you.” She is so certain of their relationship, their connection that is has become spiritual. And magic once again saves the day. Tara finds Willow and leads her back magically. It seems that more often that not magic is a major factor in the fate of many of the character. Perhaps too much so, will something change?
There are subtle indications of Spike’s true nature as we see that there is still something in Spike, the look of happiness at seeing the destruction, means something is still in there, something beside the chip. The way he protects Dawn, through violent and onward actions, knocking the demon of the bike, keeping his superiority in strength at the surface of his mind.
To further Buffy’s fears, she sees the Buffy Bot being ripped apart by the demons. Firstly, she sees her gravestone, now, as she sees it, she is witnessing her own death. The torture of something like this is significant, literally being pulled apart. She shouts in horror, nightmares coming true, truly shocking for someone who has just come back to life.
Interestingly, the episode comes back to another dealing without Buffy scene. But this time, it is about definite loss, as they see it, without a glimmer of hope as before. As Anya gets to, they quite simply need Buffy. They may have been able to deal before, but with Spike missing and Willow powerless for the moment, there is an evident gap in their power. But, there is no gap in their resolve. They go out nonetheless for the sake of Dawn, their protected child, not matter what he consequence.
When Buffy first comes up against violence, you can tell she is still shocked. She jumps for cover, averting danger instead of stopping it proactively. A very real showing that her slayer instincts and for that matter her mind, are not quite with her as she tries to discover where she actually is. Compound this with being thrust into the paths of the saddened eyes of your friends. All her dreams shattered, unable to take care of her friends and keep them from what she thinks is hell.
Buffy, crouched in the corner, hands cut up and distinctly traumatized. The group finally sees what they have done. As Xander calls it “So stupid”, not so stupid that they did it, but that they didn’t really and truly find out what was going to happen. So stupid that they let their friend struggle from her grave. Their reactions at seeing her before are as if they aren’t sure whether or not to be happy and aren’t sure if Buffy is happy, stunned or not. Xander says she is home, but she doesn’t know what to believe, is it that her new home is now hell, or that her old home has become hell. Either way, it seems like a terrible world.
The demons then show up, furthering the idea of a hellish world that she is now in. The idea that they are around every corner. What intrigues me, is that Willow stepped up to the demon, when really she would have been much less vulnerable further away and maybe she might’ve been able to use her magic then. In any case, she has much to learn about fighting, and using her magic for the right things and in the right ways. But then Buffy stands up, beginning to face up to the fact that no matter where she is, she still has to fight. She thinks that she has once more chance of redeeming herself, of protecting her friends.
At the mere mention of the real Buffy returning, back to life, Dawn doesn’t second-guess the Bot because of the hope that it would be true. She needs Buffy so much that she wants to believe what she hears. She loses all inhibitions, forgets the danger that surrounds her and runs to find her sister.
After defeating demons with near ease, Buffy suddenly looks at Xander and still unsure of where she really is, realizes that it was the group that brought her into the world, brought her this pain and the cuts on her hands. Leaving the group to fight the demon, she sees the tower that she jumped off to save the world and runs to it. Dawn, tracing in her footsteps sees the tower too, and predicts that Buffy would be headed to it. An interesting choice for Dawn, not knowing what had happened to Buffy, Buffy really could have gone anywhere. But for Buffy, it was a case of what happened once might get her out of the world again. As she is reliving the moments, Dawn interrupts her. Only when she sees Buffy does she question how it happened, if it is really actually Buffy. Dawn’s hope overrides her logic until she actually sees Buffy, and logic comes screaming back to her.
On top of the unstable tower built by the people Glory made crazy, Buffy contemplates where she is and why she is there. While Dawn is trying to convince Buffy to come back from the edge of the tower and that she needs Buffy, Buffy says that everything was so shiny and clear, she knew what her life was about, her purpose and what she was there to do. But now, she did not know, she thought she was in hell. Dawn’s says that she can’t live without her, Dawn pleas for her to live, for her. This is the inspiration, the crying call of her sister that makes Buffy realize that there is in fact a purpose for her, again. She is home.
The Giles Files
Demons, Vampires from history and the books
Anya: “Well then why are you torturing me? You know, I used to punish people like this when I was a demon. (Giles rolls his eyes) I made them double-check spreadsheets for all eternity.” In Anya’s demon days (known as Anyanka) she would punish unfaithful men, as shown in The Wish.
Anya: “You're taking the Ramadan effigy?!”. Part of the Magic Box’s inventory, Ramadan is the holy month of fasting for Muslim Adults. Mohammad received the first revelation of the Koran. The Effigy is either of him, or another symbol of the Ramadan month.
Vampires – There are three vampires in this episode. The two in the cemetery, one staked by Buffy Bot and the other torched by Spike. The other tells the demon gang of there being no slayer, and is decapitated by Razor, the head of the Hellion gang.
The urn of Osiris: This urn was used in the resurrection spell of Buffy. It was used in the ritual, to hold the blood of the deer. It was crushed in the bike rampage and is believed by the group to be the last one, bought from a desert gnome in Cairo.
Zombies - Anya: “Zombies don't eat brains anyway unless instructed to by their zombie masters” As opposed to Dead Man’s Party, where they generally just wanted to kill everyone.
Hellions, Road Pirates: They raid towns. It's usually backwaters, any place they think is vulnerable. After their realization that Sunnydale is vulnerable, they come to attack and take over it.
The Xander Banter
Forum Member Favorites: Most funny, memorable quotes.
Spike: Oh, poor Watcher. Did your life pass before your eyes? Cuppa tea, cuppa tea, almost got shagged, cuppa tea?
Buffy: Big, fast, and dumb. Just the way I like 'em.
Xander: I happen to be a very powerful man-witch myself. (Razor looks amused) Or ... male... (over his shoulder to Willow) Is it a warlock?
Xander: House of chicks, relax. I am a man, and I have a tool.
They all look at him. He holds up his toolbox.
Xander: Tools. Lots of plural tools. (Dawn grins) In my, uh ... (pats toolbox) toolbox. (sees the sandwiches) Ah! Sandwiches. Excellent. Men like sandwiches.
Xander: And how long have you known that your girlfriend's Tinkerbell?
Dawn: You told me I had to be strong ... and I've tried. (tearful) But it's been so hard without you.
Buffy Bot: "That'll put marzipan in your pie plate, bingo!"
The Kickin’ Wiccan
All the witchcraft, what it’s called, what it does.
Tara: “It's sorbis root, it was supposed to confuse him” -- Tara uses a spell to try to confuse the vampire in the cemetery, but it only made him more “peppy”
The spell to get the Wine of the mother:
“Adonai, Helomi, Pine.”
She pours something from a small pot onto the ground.
“Adonai, Helomi, Pine. The gods do command thee from thy majesty. (puts the lid on the jar, puts it down) O Mappa Laman, Adonai, Helomi. Come forward, blessed one. Know your calling.”
A young deer comes around a tree and toward her
“Come forward, blessed one.”
The fawn walks over to her. Willow pets it gently, puts her arm around its back. Willow grabs a knife and thrusts
“Accept our humble gratitude for your offering. In death...you give life. May you find wings to the kingdom.”
The Resurrection of Buffy
Tara, Xander and Anya all light their candles.
Willow pours the blood of the fawn into the urn.
Willow then performs the spell;
“Osiris, keeper of the gate, master of all fate, hear us.”
She dips her finger into the urn and marks her forehead and both cheeks with the blood.
“Before time, and after. Before knowing and nothing.”
She pours the contents of the urn onto the earth.
“Accept our offering. Know our prayer.”
“Osiris! Here lies the warrior of the people. Let her cross over.”
“Osiris, let her cross over!”
Tara: “Dissolvo!” -- A blue light goes from Tara’s hand to the bike, dislodging Anya. It is Latin for release.
The searching spell by Tara : “Aradia, hear my words.” Reference to Fear Itself:
From fear itself transcript: [Cut to Willow sitting at a table: “Okay, Aradia, Goddess of the lost, the path is murky, the woods are dense, darkness pervades, I beseech thee, bring the light. (She opens her eyes and smiles as she sees a tiny speck of light floating in front of her face) Woah! I did it! I did you. Hi! - Right, you’re waiting for instructions. Lead me to Oz. (The speck of light starts to float past her, and Willow gets up) Wait! I should try to find the people trapped upstairs first. (Willow looks down and doesn’t see that there are now two then three sparks) But even if I get them we still need to find a way out of the house. (They spark keep multiplying) Okay, here is what we should do. (Sees the cloud of sparks) Hey! What’s going on? (The sparks start to circle her) Stop! (Willow starts to bat at them as they start to buzz around her like a cloud of mosquitoes) Stop it! - Get off! - Oz, hel..” Some of the sparks fly into her mouth and she starts coughing, then runs off. The sparks chase after her.]
Tara: “Incindere”. – A spell that makes fire come up from the ground in a spurt.
Willow: “Obfuscate.” -- A gray ball appears in Willow’s hand and she throws it at Razor. It covers his face with some kind of goo.
My Personal Rating
9/10 -- The episode was momentous with the resurrection of Buffy and the departure of Giles, and brilliantly intertwined these two elements. The one thing it did not do was supply any shocking jaw dropping moments that would have capped of an otherwise excellent episode, totally worthy of the two episode length provided for it. The magic of Willow was played well, as was Buffy after being resurrected, not knowing where she was.
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