She Alive, Damnit! (It's a Miracle!)

Episode 6.1: Bargaining: Part 2. Original Airdate 10.2.01 

"As a gang of demon bikers attack, the Scooby Gang is chased away from Buffy's grave thinking that the resurrection was a failure. They do not realize that the Slayer is alive ... right where they left her. Buffy is awake but disoriented and afraid as she must claw her way out of her own grave. Buffy may be alive again, but the trauma she suffers is far from over."

Zelda's Thoughts:

• God, poor Buffy. She looks so terrified.
• "We got trouble, right here in Hellmouth City." I love a good Music Man reference in the morning.
• I mean, Willow's acting it well, but it's hard to buy into the despair when we know the spell worked.
• But it is interesting to see - maybe this is the first time since Buffy died that Willow's accepted her death. "She's gone, Buffy's really gone." I mean that's what the title means. The bargaining stage of grief. Willow's finally moved to acceptance. (bad timing, Willow)
• Yay fresh oxygen for Buffy!
• God, and the first thing she sees is her own tombstone. And when she walks the Only Street in Sunnydale, it's all fire and destruction. No wonder she asks if this is hell. She wakes up inside a horror show. Not what Willow planned. Willow thought hugs and gratitude and safety. Simple and clean.
• Anya is amazing in this whole scene but "I hate the woods. All those woodsy trees." The lines themselves are great, but she finds such interesting and surprising ways to say them. Emma Caulfield is a national treasure.
• That's a good sitter, Spike. Make sure Dawn has a helmet.
• Daniel and I just got excited to see a female in with the Demon Biker Gang. Equality is nice.
• I love the bot's face when she realizes she's looking at Buffy. Sudden hope. And then she's quartered, medieval style.
• Once again, the Scoobies can't tell Buffy apart from a robot. Before it was because they didn't know there was a bot. This time, they didn't know there was a Buffy.
• It's interesting that Xander figures it out. Willow couldn't, she was so focused on the spell, she missed the trees.
• Buffy looks so small, so lost, so young.
• "Pull a rabbit out of a hat?" // "Don't do that, why would she do that?" Again, Emma's delivery is utter perfection. In less skilled hands, Anya just wouldn't work as a character. (notice how rarely Tara is funny. just saying)
• Buffy may not be processing everything, but the fighting is in her body, in her blood. She won't let herself be beaten up by some measly demon biker.
• Iconic shot on the motorcycle! Love it. 

• "It's just a machine, Dawn." // "I know." But this is still the second time she's seen her sister lifeless on the ground.
• "Where did I go? I was here ... here. But then I ran away. No, not me ... the other Buffy."
• And just like the April bot, the bot runs out of juice mid-sentence, mid-smile, mid-thought.
• Hah, Dawn rounds the corner and sees a demon impaled on a pipe. Buffy's been here! Expert Tracker, Dawn Summers.
• God, that Buffy gravitates to the tower as the last familiar place, the last place she knew was solid and clear, when she knew what she had to do.
• And when she says, along with her memory, "Dawnie, I have to." And the music is back from The Gift, and I'M HAVING A LOT OF FEELINGS.
• "Is this hell?" Her voice is so small. She's sad, but she just wants to know. If that is what this is, and what she has to deal with now.
• This whole speech at the end of Dawn's, it's another bargaining. "I promise I'll do better, I will ... I need you to live."
• Buffy doesn't want to stay. Buffy doesn't know how to stay. But she can't let Dawn be hurt. That was the whole point, after all, when everything was clear and she knew what to do. Protect Dawn. Save Dawn.
• And it keeps coming. The tower keeps trying to kill her, over and over. Until it collapses.
• Dawn cries and hugs Buffy and says "You're home." And Buffy is alive, but her eyes are dead.
• They may end up being all over the place with Buffy's arc this season (and by "may" I mean "will"), but they freaking nailed the two-part opener.

Daniel's Thoughts:

• “Less talk, more running away”
• Split up?  Xander, you live in a horror movie world.  You know that’s not a good idea.
• There’s that giant tombstone that….any vampire could have seen.
• Fuckkk….Poor Buffy.  Being in that coffin…I can’t even imagine.
• I mean they didn’t even bring shovels.  What was their plan if it worked?
• I love Anya/Tara scenes and there should be a lot more of them.
• Dawn, get away from the freaking window.
• SMG’s stunt double comes out of the grave, cut to SMG with absolutely no dirt on her head.
• I love that they show Buffy’s point of view, all unfocused.
• “I hate the woods…”
• I mean.  Where are they going, Dawn and Spike.  What makes them think they’d be safer in the streets?
• They…could go see if Faith’s more sane…you know, if they need a slayer so badly.
• Buffy walks up to the demon gang.  Brave or just a cloud of confusion?
• Aww, the pulling a part of Buffybot.  So sad.  Especially that Buffy can see this…and again, sadness or utter confusion or both?
• I think Anya has so many good points.  All of Xander’s excuses for not telling the gang about their engagement are such bullshit.
• Yeah, Xander.  You have this one right.  You were all a bunch of idiots for not digging her up.
• You’d have at least thought Anya would have thought of it.  She’s the logical one.
• “You’re gonna what, pull a rabbit out of your hat?” “Don’t do that, why would you do that?”
• Buffy just got pulled out of Heaven, (spoiler!), you don’t want to mess with her.
• The Buffybot without her arms and legs – it’s so well done.

• Dawn’s face when she realizes.
• SMG is so good this episode; her reactions and facial expressions.
• I love that they brought the tower back.  It’s such a neat full circle.
• Oh the music.  The Buffy jumping to her death music.  I can’t hear this on my iphone without tearing up a bit.
• “The tower was built by crazy people and I don’t think it’s holding up well.” Truth.
• “Is this hell?”  Aww, Buffy. Yes, it is.
• Dawn’s in trouble.  That’s what snaps Buffy out of it.
• And there goes the horrible tower that really the city of Sunnydale should have taken down.  Who is the new mayor? Is he evil?  Probably.

Favorite Lines:

Zelda:

~Buffy

Daniel: “Willow and I always know how to find each other.” “With Yoga?”  -Tara/Anya

Arc/Continuity Stuff:

• First mention of Tito
• Recurring: Tara, Xander's desire for male friends, Anya's fear of rabbits
• Tara's tinkerbell guiding light that she sends to Willow is something we first saw Willow attempt in Fear, Itself

Stats:

Anya's Hair - long, blonde, loose
Dead Humans - 0
Dead Undeads - 7 (RIP Buffybot)
Dead Flashbacks - 0
Giles Unconscious - WHO KNOWS
Giles Cleans His Glasses - WHO CARES
Buffy Breaks a Door - 0
Buffy Breaks a Coffin - 1
Evil Reveal - 0
Unevil Reveal - 0
Shenanigans Called - 0
Apocalypse Called - 0

Come On, Wacky Buffy!

Episode 6.1: Bargaining: Part 1. Original Airdate 10.2.01

"Buffy is dead, and the Scooby Gang must do the best they can without her. But concern about the way she died leads Willow to believe that she may have been pulled into a hell dimension. Unable to bear the thought of their friend enduring eternal torment, Willow, Xander, Anya, and Tara decide to perform a resurrection spell that will bring Buffy back from the dead."

Daniel's Thoughts:

• See, I watched Buffy late and I knew there were two more seasons. So…I figured she got resurrected somehow. And we tried this with Joyce and it didn’t work.
• It’s like we haven’t missed a beat.  I love that we start the season back at the graveyard.  Fighting the good fight.  
• And continuity from last ep of season 5:  Willow can still communicate telepathically.
• Buffy!  What? She’s back already?!  ...Is what no one is thinking.
• Tara also seems to be back at full brain capacity.
• Fire kill vampire. But breathing in fire does not kill Spike.
• It’s September so everyone is wearing coats in southern California.  This will never not be a problem for me.
• “That’ll put marzipan in your pie plate, bingo.”
• Love the knock knock joke.
• So they say they can’t let the vamp world know that Buffy is dead…yet there’s a big giant tombstone that says Buffy’s dead.  It...makes no sense.
• Interesting that Willow & Tara have moved into Joyce’s room.  Are they paying any bills? This will be something I get annoyed about throughout this season. [See my rant in Flooded. Also probably see your rant in Flooded. - Z]
• Poor Dawn.
• Man, I love Buffybot
• "Wacky Buffy" !!!
• This fight scene between Anya and Giles is adorable.  I still think they would have been a good couple.
• “I was being patient, but it took too long.”
• Xander’s reasons for not telling everyone about the engagement are pure bullshit.
• Aww, Spike.  Yeah, I can aww him once in a while.  I still think his character arc is wonky and confusing.
• Who is that Cordelia-lite woman?
• Heh.  Vampire’s wearing a Hanson t-shirt

Hey, remember Hanson?

• I’m actually surprised Tara is so on board with this given how passionate she was about not messing with this stuff.
• Very sweet, the whole “who made you the boss of us?” thing.
• I don’t think Anya really wants Giles to go despite her snide comments.
• ZOMBIES DON’T EAT BRAINS.  YES, GO ANYA.  IVE BEEN TRYING TO TELL PEOPLE THIS FOR YEARS.
• I don’t get why Willow thinks Buffy is in a hell dimension.  I don't understand why any of them just assume that.
• Buffybot’s lament of losing Spike's love is very similar to April’s of Warren.
• Dawn curling up in Buffybot’s arms is so sweet.

• “She’s the descendant of a toaster oven.”
• Giles having a heart-to-heart with Buffybot.  Aww.
• Demon Biker Bar!  Really good make-up, too.
• Willow keeps saying Adonai which is god in Hebrew.
• Cute deer!  Nothing bad can happen with a cute deer and will- OH NO WILLOW KILLED  A FAWN.
• Aww, Giles.  This would never happen - it’s a month past 9/11 - that the gang would be let past security without a ticket.  Of course, it was probably filmed before that.
• Aww, Tara’s monster: Grrr…argh.
• Spike's in the airport?? 

• I love when Anya hugs people. She’s new to the feeling and puts all her heart into it like a child does.

• Giles can go back to Olivia!
• Uh oh!  Demon motorcycle gang is-a-comin’!
• The lighter’s not working.  Just…use the other candle!
• It’s just if Willow was so careful, why would she try to resurrect someone with six feet of dirt between them.  Why wouldn't they at least dig her up first?
• Run with your empty coffee cups, extras!
• Ewww, throwing up a snake!
• It makes sense that there’s so much that they have to go through to get Buffy back.  I’m glad they didn’t make it easy.
• Buffybot can still kick a whole bunch of ass.
• Nice spell, Tara!
• “Did it work?”  “I’m sorry.”  YOU DON’T KNOW THAT. STOP MAKING ASSUMPTIONS BASED ON NOTHING, XANDER.
• IT DID WORK AND YOU LEFT THE BODY.
• Ick, Buffy’s body decomposed a lot in three months. 

Zelda's Thoughts:

• Here we go!
• Aw man Spike has his mussed hair 'scuse me while I fangirl but I love it. (be warned: I'm having major shipping flashbacks to when I first watched this season and didn't know any better)

Mussed Spike Hair is my favorite Spike Hair.

• Spike being chummy with Giles and Tara. It's a fascinating transition from last season when they were freezing him out.
• Oh hai Willow talking to people's brains. Another nod to her growing powers.
• Gasp! Buffy's here! How is Buffy here? This must've been a mindfuck for first-time viewers.
• Lot of cool subtle things in this opening vamp kill scene to let us know how the Scoobies are currently functioning, how the dynamic has shifted. How much more active they all have to be, because the bot isn't Buffy, and can't lead them the way real Buffy did. Willow has to lead.
• Nice mix of location and parking lot for this sequence.
• "That'll put marzipan in your pie plate, bingo!" I love it. I love it so hard.
• Okay first shenanigan of the season. "We need the world and the underworld to believe that Buffy is alive and well." THEN WHY DID YOU BURY HER WITH A GRAVESTONE. If they wanted to keep her death a secret but still give her a grave, bury her in the backyard. Next to the zombiecat.

but this moment is gold

• SPECIAL GUEST STAR ANTHONY STEWART HEAD WHY ARE YOU LEAVING US GILES.
• Another new update: Tara and Willow are living in the Summers house, in Joyce's bedroom. Also they're allowed to kiss onscreen. Thanks, UPN!
• I feel like we should track Xander's eating, since he's putting on weight this season leading up to the wedding.
• "And you're her sweet cookie face!" // "I go by many names." I use this a lot, surprisingly.
• Dawn's tone talking to Buffy. It's gotta be so hard. Because she feels like the big sister in a way now, since she has a better understanding of the world than the bot, but the bot looks like the person who's supposed to take care of her.
• The bot's reaction to the model of the city is adorable.

• 'Aren't you Mister Dicey Semantics!" Anya and Giles fighting is adorable. Also reminding me of Daniel and me.

basically us

• NO GILES DON'T LEAVE US.
• Spike and Dawn. I kind of love their dynamic. This is how Spike atones. He couldn't save Dawn when it counted, but he'll make sure nothing ever happens to her again. "No. I'm not leaving you to get hurt. Not again. Now deal."
• Dawn does the same lower lid lift on certain lines that Buffy does. Just noticed that. (I don't know how else to describe this thing)
• "You're a machine!" // "Thank you!" Aw Buffybot got broke.
• Gasp! They're bringing Buffy back.
• Xander made a plaque that said "Boss of Us" and put sparkles on it. I want someone to make me plaques with sparkles.
• This conversation is important. Because the show made it clear they couldn't and shouldn't try to bring Joyce back last season. But this scene makes it clear - not only did Buffy die under magical circumstances, but they're convinced she's not necessarily just dead, but trapped in a hell dimension suffering torment, and that she deserves better than that, if they can rescue her.
• "You know I admire your brain almost as much as your washboard abs." The line is hilarious, but I also love Spike's reaction. Because while he may have liked building his fantasy machine, he doesn't want to hear those words out of a bot when the real Buffy is in the ground.
• "I am gonna make you good as new. I promise." There's a double meaning in that.
• God, Dawn curling up to the stasis charging bot in Buffys' bed. It hurts. She's not her sister, but she's so close, maybe Dawn can pretend long enough to fall asleep.
• I did not start this blog intending to have Dawn feels. I blame the internet.
• 'She's not the descendant of a long line of mystical warriors. She's the descendant of a toaster oven."
• I just love Buffybot's smiles. They're so sweet, so guileless. [But not Giles-less -D]

• "I just can't help but wonder if she would have been better off without me. Buffy." it HURTS, you guys. It's a parent's guilt. No parent should outlive their child, but Watchers were made to outlive their Slayers. It's awful.
• And there's a demon biker gang with its own bar. Okay.
• Goodbye, Hanson-loving vampire.
• Oh pretty location shoot for Willow. Time to slaughter a deer!
• I like to wear white when I kill herbivores too. Just bleach any splashes out later.
• It's pretty interesting, on the rewatch. You really can see the writers laying out the groundwork for Willow's arc, stuff you didn't realize was significant on first watch.
• Post-deer killing, Willow wears a blood-red shirt. I see you, costume designer.
• NO NO GILES IS GONE NO.
• So. Here we are in Sunnydale Airport. Post-9/11. Here are the Scoobies crashing Giles's gate. Here we are.
• I do get that 2001/2002 was an incredibly awkward time for TV and film, esp as regards certain subjects. They had to make the conscious decision whether to have 9/11 have occurred in their universe or not. I remember West Wing did a Very Special Pretentious Episode to deal with related issues, but didn't include 9/11 as canon in their universe. 
• I'm basically writing all this so I don't have to have feelings about Giles leaving his children behind LOOK AT LITTLE DAWN YOU ARE ABANDONING THE BABY.
• What is with all the number shirts? Earlier Xander wore 13, Willow 11, and now Dawn's wearing 7.
• "Don't you have a life or something?" // "I suppose that's the question, really. Just be careful, please."
• STOP IT SHOW.
• THERE IS A SHOT OF SUNNYDALE AIRPORT WE CAN'T EVEN PRETEND THAT WAS LAX Y'ALL

• Spell time! Willow anoints herself with the blood of the innocent. That's how Bernadette Peters has such good skin. True facts.
• This CGI is gross, you guys.
• ewwwwwwwww snake vomit
• You'd think demonbikergang would be more creative in their destruction. they're just punching out car windows with baseball bats.
• Meanwhile, back at the grave, Willow is a glowy red column of scary, and the Scoobies are questioning their life choices.
• Buffy's alive! And ... in a coffin.

Favorite Lines:

Daniel: "I was being patient, but it took too long." - Anya

Zelda: "That'll put marzipan in your pie plate, bingo!" - Buffybot

Arc/Continuity Stuff:

• Recurring: Tara, Giles (I GUESS), Anya's love of monkeys in her entertainment, the show trying to educate us how zombies work
• Anya and Xander are secretly engaged.
• Giles is leaving us because he likes to stomp on our hearts. He is now a guest star instead of a regular.
• Gentle reminder that Sunnydale has an airport.

Stats:

Anya's Hair - long, blonde, retro blow-out

Dead Humans - 0

Dead Undeads - 3

Dead Flashbacks - 0

Giles Unconscious - 0

Giles Cleans His Glasses - 0

Buffy Breaks a Door - 0

Evil Reveal - 0

Unevil Reveal -  0

Shenanigans Called - 1

Apocalypse Called - 0