How many female characters (with names and lines) are there?
4 (36%)
How many male characters (with names and lines) are there?
7
Positive Content Rating:
Three
General Episode Quality:
Better than this season deserves
MORE INFO (and potential spoilers) UNDER THE CUT:
Passing the Bechdel:
Buffy and Cordelia pass in the hospital. Joyce and Buffy pass when Buffy lies about being in a band. Then when they fight about Buffy being the Slayer.
Female characters:
Buffy
Cordelia
Joyce
Willow
Male characters:
Principle Snyder
Xander
Giles
Angel
Whistler
Spike
Oz
OTHER NOTES:
Cordelia feeling shame (even if unwarranted, since there’s nothing she could have done) and concern for Willow and the others is good. Sometimes we get a glimpse of some really good growth from her and I love it.
See, this Spike is the Spike I find entertaining. The ‘truth is I like this planet, people walking around like happy meals with legs’ Spike. Pure chaotic smart ass energy.
Not so entertaining, Buffy referring to Drusilla as ‘a giant hoe’
These attempts to make Xander seem like a better guy cause deep down he loves Willow or whatever are not landing for me. He’s already been too insufferable.
“Have we met?” “You hit me with an ax one time”
“Are you sure your the slayer? It’s because you didn’t have a strong father, right?” as an obvious metaphor for being gay is obviously dumb and problematic. It also derives a sordid chuckle every time.
If Joyce hadn’t been a shitty parent up until now I’d understand that this is a hard situation for her to adjust to and her ultimatum is just a poor reaction to what’s happening. But she has been a shitty parent, so I’m pretty unsympathetic. Editor’s Note: BIG YES. Joyce acts all hard-done-by about all this next season, but she was an awful parent all this time, neglectful and emotionally abusive, and that culminates here in her literally telling Buffy not to come back. There’s no way out of that one, Joyce, that’s irredeemable, and especially so in the context of the metaphor for homosexuality - by asking us to sympathise with Joyce’s plight (more a thing in the beginning of next season, I’m jumping the gun here), the show implies that we should also sympathise with homophobic parents who disown their queer children, and as such, this is one of those moments that had me aghast at the fact that people champion this show for its representation, and particularly that anyone ever claims that Joyce is some kind of ideal or desirable parent figure. She’s a horrific person, guys. If you think like Joyce...don’t have kids.
I know from personal experience there’s a whole expulsion process. You can’t just approach a student alone and declare them expelled.
Don’t like Drusilla basically sexually assaulting Giles. Coulda done this without that.
Personal feelings about Angel and the cure vs kill debate aside, Xander, Buffy is in a precarious position and really needs all pertinent information. Including that Willow’s trying the spell again. At this point he’s just being selfish- again.
“No weapons, no friends, no hope. Take all that away, what’s left?” “Me.” Okay i fucking love this part. This line, more than anything, is conveying what I do like about this show. How Buffy ends up desperate and lonely and with nothing left to cling to and still somehow manages to dig herself out by sheer will. And as someone who’s had to dig deep for that will to survive I can empathize with that and love seeing it on tv.
I don’t feel bad for Angel in this situation. Even if he debatedly didn’t have any choice in the matter, being soulless, he definitely started all this. I do feel bad for Buffy and the decision she had to make.
For being such a disappointing season, I really enjoy parts of this finale. Namely, Spike’s general attitude and Buffy’s emotional state. But I’ll get to the latter at least in my season overview.
buffy the vampire slayer | becoming part two
“Do you think I chose to be like this? Do you have any idea how lonely it is, how dangerous? I would love to be upstairs watching TV or gossiping about boys or, God, even studying! But I have to save the world, again.”
