#scooby critical

[kleoshe]

Just rewatched fool for love (buffy episode) because I love me a Spike backstory but totally forgot the B plot with Riley killing the vamp nest?

And wow it just struck me that Riley was seriously the only one taking patrolling seriously- like the scoobies were straight up munching on chips and cracking jokes lol.

The scoobies don’t take it seriously because they have this intrinsic trust that buffy is there! They assume that she will be there to save them in case one of them gets into an oopsie… we know that this is true because they are clearly shown to take patrolling seriously during the summer she is in LA and the summer she’s dead.

Buffy is continually taken for granted as this “deus ex machina” until she does something they don’t like. And the scoobies even do this with Riley in the next episode where (I’m pretty sure) Xander makes a dig at Riley for blowing up the vampire nest all by himself, even tho they definitely trusted him to handle patrolling practically all by himself the night before.

So clearly the problem isn’t buffy- they show this behaviour to Riley, and even Spike during buffys death where he patrols and takes care of Dawn yet are back on his ass about being evil the SECOND they have the slayer back. The problem is Willow and Xander and their controlling insecurities. Sigh.

[kleoshe]

Buffy final season (and final ep) is going up in almost as many flames as Game Of Thrones did at the end.

Willow Rosenberg I can’t believe you get OVER yourself. Calling buffy dumb is crazy work seeing as her strategising is the only think that’s kept you alive for 7 years dude. The scoobies are so irredeemable ATP I hate them I hate them Tara would have NEVER let willow say that!

And hello principal wood being butthurt that faith didn’t wanna smash again so he starts shaming her? Way to go! I’m so surprised that a man would do that- wait no I’m not. That scene was so unnecessary.

Also sorry for the BtVS criticisms I know I’m an art account and this is totttesss ruing the aesthetic of it all but it has to be said!! I need to speak my buffy truth!!

[kleoshe]

If you have friends that talk about you behind your back, who continually doubt you, who constantly bring up your past mistakes while you never bring up theirs, who are jealous of your accomplishments, who do not acknowledge what you have done for them: stop being friends with them. They will ruin your self worth. Good friends do not do these things, do not let people tell you otherwise.

There are better people out there for you, they do not deserve you. Being alone might be scary but you will eventually find a better crowd. It might take weeks, it might take years but nothing is worse than a support system that does not support you.

This post is about Buffy The Vampire Slayer but I hope this message resonates with other people who might need to hear it!

[kleoshe]

I knew this was coming and I knew I would be mad but I’m straight up PISSED BRO. 7.19 of Buffy the Vampire slayer.

The event leading right up to her eviction is Faith having taken the potentials out to the Bronze to get crunk and litty? And GILES LET HER DO THIS. The same Giles who- a few episodes ago was PISSED at Buffy when she let everyone relax for half a second, preaching “we don’t have TIME, the First evil is the biggest threat” blah blah blah. But now it’s okay??? When the threat is a BIGGER ISSUE???

Principal wood acts like he has such an input on this meeting even though he’s a fringe member AT BEST and he literally just fired Buffy (erasing her only source of income btw) and his attempted murder of Spike (aka second most powerful weapon behind Buffy). Like yes I get he killed your mom and I would seek revenge too but switching up on a dime from trying to satisfy his own agenda to preaching for the greater good is clearly ONLY because he is MAD at buffy (and continues to show he doesn’t really gaf about the first)

Everyone wants to coddle the potentials more even after Giles was JUST getting on Buffys ass about not being hard enough on them, and the girls begging and pleading to be let do something for basically the entire season (so umm… which is it?)

Anyanka (I love her and this was the most shocking out of character moment ever) going on a whole rant about how Buffys feelings of superiority over everyone are somehow Invalid? Like she hasn’t been consistently saving everyone’s lives for 22 episodes for 7 seasons, stoped upwards of double digit apocalypses both with her physical power and her leadership ability… bro she is IS better then all of them. And Anya literally knowwwwsss that she knows the value that power has (as an ex vengeance demon). I can’t believe they made my girl say this.

Willow acting like Buffys judgment is somehow a fatal and exileable flaw after she was the Big Bad of season 6 (but it’s okay because willow is just a tiny precious baby girl right). I mean obviously she thinks she owns the house after living there all that time and never paying a single dollar in expenses. Also kind of tangent isn’t her awful awful gf like 15 years old along with the other potentials??

Xander acting like he has absolute say over everything because oh no! He lost an eye what a big sacrifice… AHEM BUFFY DIED T W I C E. xander is just bad always tho so whatever.

And Dawn. What even. How is she the one to kick Buffy out??? “You need to leave it’s my house too” bro like who pays the bills. Who is the sole breadwinner of the establishment. Whose name is on all the bills??? Dawn just has her bad moments a lot of times and usually it is valid cuz she’s a young teen and dealing with the existential reality of being a fake key. But NOT THIS TIME. She KNOWS how much Buffy loves her and how hard she’s fighting but nope lets evict the one responsible for keeping us housed.

And lastly faith. Very in character for her because Faith is crazy and has her weird pining/jealousy over Buffy (ahhhh doomed yuri) but being the one to initiate the Coup and then being all “I don’t wanna be your leader” like what did you think was going to happen use your head. Bfr. I wish she just stayed on Angel. Her arc and her morals fit in so much better over there she would have actually been reasonable and likeable (because team Angel is actually a fully capable team with their own strengths whereas the Scoobies are just a bunch of incompetents that Buffy keeps around because she doesn’t know what actual good friends are like)

Anyways just some things I needed to say because season 7 of btvs is really making my tummy hurt.

[kleoshe]

Just rewatched buffy s2e19 (the episode where the ghosts of the student and teacher love affair haunt sunnydale high) and oh boy I remember now why I loved it so much upon first watch. The events take place at a time where Buffy has a unique perspective on the monster at hand. She is angry at Angelus for Jenny and angry at herself for Angelus. she very noticeably is displacing some of this anger onto James (the poltergeist guy student), and relates to the story of the tragic lovers. (weather she consciously relates to the teacher or student more could be argued)

First, some scoooby critical food for thought: Buffy is the one to realize that what James wants is forgiveness. She tells the scoobies multiple times that he is a KILLER, who should not be forgiven. They are against her stance for whatever reason:

In the computer lab when they learn about the murder, Buffy states that she thinks James should've had to serve a life sentence (which I think most people would agree with) but Xander hits her with a "Yikes, the quality of mercy is not Buffy" implying that Buffy should for some reason be merciful?

Way later in the episode at Buffy's house (when she realises he needs forgiveness) Giles gently (imo condescendingly) lectures at her "To forgive is an act of compassion, Buffy. It's not done because people deserve it. Its done because they need it"

Xander, taking Giles' side "He can't live with it, Buff, hes dead."

Credit to Willow for never directly opposing her this episode! just some wide eyed sorrowful glances tossed.

Buffy proceeds to leave the room which gives us a great wide shot where you can see the cinematographic decision to have everyone literally opposing Buffy, very clearly signaling to the audience that it's Buffy vs the Scoobies once again.

Crazy thing is, the s2e11 episode Ted happens 2 months before this in which Buffy thinks she accidentally kills her physically abusive mom's boyfriend in self defence and the scoobies are fucking FRIGID to her for this. Only being fine again when it turns out he was a robot. Never even going over the fact that they never rlly believed that she was being hit anyways... (Id find quotes but watching that episode actually makes me so upset that I actually can't watch it lmao).

So in Buffy's mind, if she shouldn't be forgiven by her BEST FRIENDS for justifiable homicide, why should this guy be forgiven for First/Second degree murder? Why is she getting held to an impossibly high standard? But she doesn't point out these changing goalposts because this chick gets walked over like crazy by her 'best friends' lol.

Instead, being the embodiment-of-good-protagonist that she is, she internalises this lesson and decides to set forgiveness- for others and not for herself- as her personal motto (within reason) for the series moving onward. Second the absolute ARTISTRY of the episode:

This part is pretty clear already but I want to write it anyways because its just that epic!

Buffy is once again getting her personal slaying mixed up with her professional slaying. "okay, over identify much?" Cordelia our blunt yet insightful Queen C points out. And clearly she's correct (refer to earlier paragraph).

Is Buffy mad at James for killing the thing he loved most because she thinks that's what she did to Angel? or because of what Angelus did to her?

The episode is leading us to believe the later, if not for the obvious gender pattern, than for the extreme violence that both the poltergeist and Angelus bring.

So when Buffy turns out to be the spurned one (in an incredibly addictive scene by SMG and DB), the resolution smacks you in the face. Of course!

Angel(us)/Grace = the way to old and experienced one who thinks they know better and just wants the other to live a so called normal life. Who ends things even though they still have feelings for the other.

Buffy/James = the way to young and passionate one who can't live a normal life. Who believes that "love is forever" and is willing to fight for it. And in breaking the poltergeists hold over the school, Buffy (and by extension the audience) not only learns to somewhat forgive HERSELF in james, but also will understand Angel better when he leaves to LA next season.

[kleoshe]

S2E1 "When She Was Bad" BTVS rewatch thoughts BEWARE

We open on Xander flirting with Willow, almost kissing her, and then immediately hopping back on the "I want Buffy" train. Go go lead her on man! what a great guy! Buffy is clearly depressed and traumatised, Joyce and Hank can't tell whats wrong, people who actually know what happened don't even notice an attitude change until (at this point) Bully Cordelia points it out?

Giles the adult finally realises whats up: She's traumatised from being assaulted and dying and being kept in the dark about a prophecy about her death.

Cut to Buffy being understandably upset that the Master (her murderer) has been retrieved from this grave that was supposedly 100% safe, and that they are trying to revive this guy (HER MURDERER)

... And instead of offering her any support system they all just opt for different variations of "you're being a bitch. You need to get over yourself Buffy!" At least Angel is physically there for her after she DESTROYS THE MASTERS BONES

Buffy is left feeling bad about treating her friends like a jerk for doing a sexy cibo matto dance on Xander- and yay... they make up* ofc... oh wow Xander is making a joke out of Buffy coping by destroying the Masters bones.. okay... um...

And yep that is the ONLY word any of them ever say on Buffy being traumatised. Still no support system, words of understanding or help, no "hey Buff! You were being a real dick but since you literally got drowned and had to save the world at 16 your actions were understandable! Not excusable but still understandable!"

*we can assume that she apologised for acting bad off-screen because next episode she and Willow talk about her "never living down" the "sexy dance with xander" and Buffy asks jokingly if she will "ever live it down"

In episode 2 "Some Assembly Required" Willow tells Buffy to "go easy" on the dude that has been literally disassembling girls. Lmao. None of them can go easy on Buffy for dying and being a jerk but they can tell Buffy to go easy on this guy whos brother "died" and is literally disassembling girls? Um okay.

Moral of the story is that Buffy never had a good support system lol. Her friends didn't stop her from drowning, just helped her tread water for a little bit longer.

I WILL be skipping s3e2 "Dead Mans Party" lmaoooo