Five What by Five What?

Episode 4.15: This Year's Girl. Original Airdate 2.22.00

"Faith awakens from her coma and seeks revenge against Buffy."

Daniel's Thoughts:

• Hey! Faith!  I’m glad they didn’t just forget abOAT her.  See what I did there?
• Little sis coming!  Foreshadowing!
• And I’m glad they brought the knife back because that’s the coolest knife ever.
• What the hell? What is Xander wear-  What are they both wearing?? 

• What’s with the hat, Willow?  Blossom called, she wants…  Oh God.  The wardrobe choices.
• No Anya this ep :(
• “He’s the terminator without the bashful charm.” Yeah, that pretty much sums up Adam.  With the Mayor, Spike and the Master, did they run out of charm to give the villains?
• Does no one care or notice that Xander just got electrocuted? Heh.  But also, aww.
• He has not one hair on that chest of his.  Riley has time to wax?  He can’t naturally be that way. 
• The Mayor!  Hey! It’s a wee snake! Symbolism! 
• This dream thing is so cool – Faith’s subconscious making her the victim and making Buffy this big bully type monster.
• Hey! Sound guy in the shot! How embarrassing!  
• So where is Anya really? I mean since no one knows where she lives....  Yep, still harping on that.
• Guns aren’t your friend, Buffy.  Might want to watch that.
• Ooh, Buffy telling Willow to use magic  - careful, again, Buffy.
• Also, where’s Giles?
• This nightmare sequence is so cool.  So I’m guessing Faith has a pretty similar nightmare over and over – as evidenced by her line, “It usually starts to rain aBOAT now.” – But this time, she defeated Buffy and woke up from her coma. 
• It’s not every person who can wake up from being in a coma for a year and start walking around – but then again, this is a slayer so no shenanigans there.
• It’s a good thing Faith’s victim was the same exact size as her.
• Riley wonders if they’re being watched…I wonder if that camera is still in his room.  There hasn’t been evidence of there being one in Buffy’s room – which is where they are now.
• It’s such a metaphor for being in the Army – don’t ask questions, follow orders – I assume that was the writers' point.
• Sneaky sneaky Faith.
• She’s like that latch-key kid on Christmas eve looking in on the happy family enjoying dinner and opening presents.
• Who called Buffy to tell her about Faith?  The council?  They don’t exactly seem to care about Buffy’s existence or protection.  The police?  Do they know enough about Faith to call Buffy? Especially at Giles’?  Did Joyce forward the call?  I’m not..convinced.
• "Who's Faith?" Haha.  Oh, Riley.
• Seriously, who designed Willow’s wardrobe?

This ... skirt ... what?

And what is going on in her shirt?? Who are these people and what
are they doing?

• It’s nice that they walked and ended the conversation exactly where Faith was standing.
• Looks like Faith found her own clothes.
• There were like 10 aBOATS in that sentence.  It’s like the writers purposefully put them in to her dialogue.
• It’s cool that Willow has told Tara about Faith – but it's still unclear how much has she told her about her life?
• Tara, fighting - Amazing:

• Does Xander still think he and Faith have a connection because they had sex that one time which meant absolutely nothing to Faith?
• Sorry, Spike – the writers just can’t remember that you’re still evil.
• Daniel: Hey look, another sweater vest.  Zelda: What is this, the Chandler Bing show?

• So this video was supposedly taken a year ago, but Harry Groener’s hair is a lot shorter. 
• “The fact that you called Faith a gal, proves you don’t know her.”  The fact that Riley uses the world gal is so totally cute.
• Hey! It’s Joyce!  We haven’t seen her in a while.
• I kinda love that Joyce has a lipstick called “harlot”.
• I like the fact that they didn’t just skate over the fact that Buffy hasn’t visited home in a while.  It’s a shame. I mean, it’s the same town…supposedly.
• But it’s also nice to see the old home set again.
• I don’t understand inside trees.  What? There’s one in the bedroom.
• It’s so rude to smoke inside someone’s house without their permission, council!
• That body switcher thing is kinda cool.
• “Are you sure you’re OK?” “Five by Five.”  OH NO!  

Zelda's Thoughts:

• dreeeeeeeeeeeamtime! I really love the tone of this - the sweet peacefulness of Buffy and Faith working together, never as in real life.
• ugh that knife. Faith still feels gutted by Buffy's betrayal.
• At least Faith's not a blonde such that we'd have to suspend disbelief about her hair not changing color during her months-long coma.
• HARRY GROENER IN THE CREDITS I'M SO EXCITED.
• Awwwwww I fucking love Harry Groener.
• Picnic with her daddy. So sweet and sad.
• I love that Buffy is this terrifying avenging monster in Faith's dreams, and Faith is sweet and vulnerable, no evil intentions. Faith is who she thinks she might have been, were it not for the Slayerness. Were it not for Buffy. Had she had Buffy's advantages. She blames her, on every level, for the life Faith could never have. It's really quite well sketched out, an earned mentality through Faith's entire arc on the series. It's sad, and it's perfect, and I can't wait.
• Aw Riley's back. I'm mostly happy because Buffy's happy.
• "Did they put a chip in your brain?" Xander's more right than he realizes.
• Parking lot! Do a shot!
• Buffy chased Faith into her grave. The metaphor ain't subtle but it's pretty good dream stuff. And faith claws her way out of death, leaving Buffy behind.
• GASP FAITH WOKE UP.
• Faith found the only hospital gown that completely closes in the back.
• Aw Faith. Now I'm sad the evil Mayor died too.
• "It's just the scarf part of me really."
• meh. I'm glad Riley is breaking free from military think, but he's still boriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing
• How did Faith know where Giles lives?
• Faith's face as she watches through the window. Emotionless, but seeing everything. Not sure how to process what's she's seeing, or what she ought to feel about it.
• "That was the funnest coma ever."
• I like that Buffy, unlike Willow and Xander, who are cracking jokes and making their dislike of Faith very clear, is willing to give Faith a shot - she doesn't know what Faith's thinking now, how she's feeling. She's always seen Faith's potential to be better, because she understands more than they ever can, the burdens Faith carries.
• the chemistry, the tension sizzling between these two, it's so damn good
• "No such animal." Love that line so much.
• eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Slayerfight!
• Parking lot (again)! Do a shot!
• Poor Tara's boobs. This dress is horrible for them.
• haha Spike acting like he's invested in helping them, just so he can find out how much trouble they're in. 

• Faith's boots were IN THE COP'S FLASHLIGHT BEAM. Sunnydale cops really are deeply stupid
• Aw man. The Mayor, he's in pain. "You're ... sleeping." It's interesting that, once he lost Faith (or faith?), he knew on some level Buffy would defeat him. He made this video because he knew she would probably outlive him. Especially interesting because you don't see any of that in the S3 finale. Maybe it's retcon, but I don't care. He's so fucking good, and I love their love for each other, even if they're evil.
• Joyce! We forgot all about her.
• Now I'm missing my mom. Maybe I should go home, in case Faith is bothering her, too.
• yesssssssssssssssss I'm so excited.
• Good subtle acting from Eliza, as Buffy-in-Faith, seeing Buffy's face and realizing what's happened, before Faith-in-Buffy knocks her out.
• yessssssssssssssssssss

Crossfire!

(Riley is shirtless)
Z: Enjoy it.

D: I'm takin' it all in. There is not one hair on his chest.

Z: His nipples are so pointy.

D: He's cold!

Favorite Lines:

Daniel: Tara "Five-by-Five?  Five what by five what?" Willow: "That's the thing! No one knows!"

Zelda: "Tell you what I'll do then. I'll head out, find this girl, tell her exactly where all of you are and then watch as she kills you. Can't anyone in your damned little Scooby club at least try to remember that I hate you all?" - Spike

Arc/Continuity Stuff:

• Recurring: Faith, Mayor Wilkins (!!), Forrest, Graham, Tara, Joyce
• Faith's first dream has a shoutout to Dawn - "little sis coming"
• Buffy refers to the Council, as set up for their appearance later to retrieve Faith

Stats:

Dead Humans - 0

Dead Undeads - 2

Giles Unconscious - 0

Giles Cleans His Glasses - 0

Buffy Breaks a Door - 1 (with Faith's help)

Buffy Breaks a Window - 1

Faith Breaks a Wall - 1

Evil Reveal - 0

Unevil Reveal - 0

Shenanigans Called - 0

Apocalypse Called - 0