Buffy - Season 6 impressions (episode 10)
Wrecked
For a summary click here.
- This is the "morning after" episode that continues what was started in the last episode.
- Dawn and Tara wake up on the sofa in the Summers' living room to discover that neither Buffy nor Willow and Amy came home the night before. (Good thing Tara was there: I'm pretty sure Dawn would have started worrying about her friends otherwise.)
- Buffy and Spike go through some intense morning after awkwardness. Buffy is horrified by what she has done. Spike, on the other hand, is pleased with what has happened, yet has to realize that he will have to pursuade Buffy again and again. If he wants to succeed he will have to learn to not say everything he thinks.
SPIKE: I knew. I knew the only thing better than killing a slayer would be f-
Spike's remark rekindles some of Buffy's fears - that she's just an interesting lay for Spike - and she strikes back right away.
SPIKE: I'm just sayin' ... vampires get you hot.
BUFFY: *A* vampire got me hot. One. But he's gone. You're just...
Beat. Spike waits to see what she'll say.
BUFFY: You're just convenient.
- The relationship between Buffy/Angel and Buffy/Spike provides a fascinating contrast.
Buffy/Angel is IMO a highly idealised love on both sides. Buffy and Angel try to see the best in their partner, they ignore the other's weaknesses or - in Angel's case - decide to find them charming. His love for Buffy gives Angel the chance to feel young and innocent for a brief time.
Buffy/Spike is a completely different matter. I think that they have more in common than Buffy and Angel which allows them to uncover the other's weaknesses with ease. Am pretty sure that Spike would prefer a more peaceful relationship with Buffy, but since she doesn't find this acceptable he pushes back whenever she lashes out at him with words or deeds. Despite the violence between them I view Buffy/Spike as the more honest relationship. But yes, I do realize that's it an unhealthy relationship at the time. In fact, if Buffy was a man and Spike a woman, the abusive character would be even more obvious. The issue here is more complex since both Spike and Buffy do have additional strength and can take the physical violence more easily; what's more dangerous to them are the emotional wounds they cause one another.
- Willow and Amy return to the Summers' residence and meet Tara. Amy does unknowingly some negative advertising:
AMY: (to Tara) And Willow! She's a freaking amazing witch now. (Tara looking upset) I couldn't even keep up with her last night.
WILLOW: Amy.
AMY: No, it's true! (to Tara) I mean, I can do some transmography, but she is messing with dimensions and everything, it was awesome! This blowhard dude, first she made his mouth disappear? Thank god. And then-
- Buffy still identifies strongly with Willow:
BUFFY: No, Willow's a grownup. You know, maybe she doesn't need to be monitored.
Xander stares at her.
BUFFY: You know, she's going through something, but we're not her. I mean ... m-maybe she has reasons for acting this way. (Anya staring at her) And, so what if she crossed a line? You know, we all do stuff. Stupid stuff. But, then we learn. And, and we learn, and, and we don't do it again. Okay, so, you know, who are we to get all judgey?
- Amy introduces Willow to the warlock Rack.
Rack's place reminded me of the vampire den where Riley used to go. It's a similar situation: In both cases, people get addicted to dark urges.
Have to say I really liked the scene in Rack's "appartment":
Willow's transition from extremely insecure and shy to overtly sensual is well handled.
The effects for Willow's vision are powerful. Taking into account that the demon she sees in her vision actually crosses over to our dimension, I wonder how relevant the other parts of her vision are when we see her black eyed in the Bronze and in front of the Magic Shop.
- The one scene that didn't convince me is Amy breaking into Willow's room to steal some herbs. The intention of the scene is, of course, to show us that overusing magic can turn you in the equivalent of a junkie. However, I don't get why Amy simply doesn't buy the supplies she needs or asks Willow for them.
- I also find that Buffy realises too quickly that Willow has taken Dawn to Rack's place. The facts that Willow and Dawn aren't at home and that Amy thinks Willow might go to Rack's place, don't add up to both Willow and Dawn being there right now. The only explanation I have is that Buffy feels guilty about neglecting her sister anyway and therefore expects the worst.
- Willow taking Dawn to Rack's place is extremely irresponsible. It shows how little control Willow has left over her actions. Getting in touch with magic has become more important than anything else.
- Am surprised that Dawn is willing to wait so long for Willow without complaining. (I think she waits there for about 2 hours!) I know that I would have knocked if Willow hadn't come back after 5 minutes and I don't think I'm any more daring than Dawn. Hmmm. Maybe Rack has planted a spell that just makes you sit and wait without complaining. Or time is moving slightly differently in his place.
- Nice to see that Buffy still goes to Spike when she needs help. After all, she could have asked Xander, Anya or Tara for assistance as well. They all would have been willing to assist her in looking for Dawn.
- After overdosing on magic, Willow loses control completely and puts Dawn's life in danger. (When Dawn kicks the demon Willow has accidentally summoned, I thought that she really should get some fight training. She is talented enough.)
- Buffy and Spike arrive in time to defend Dawn.
What's interesting is that Buffy fights the demon and confronts Willow while Spike looks out for Dawn and also apparently takes her to the doctor. (I really wish there was more interaction between Spike and Dawn in season 6.)
- Love these scenes. I think they are extremely well acted.
BUFFY: (harshly) Get up.
WILLOW: (crying) I screwed it up, everything, Tara...
BUFFY: (grabs Willow's arm, pulls her to her feet) Yeah, you know what, you did screw up, okay? You could have killed her! You almost did!
WILLOW: (crying) I know! I know! I can't stop, Buffy! I tried and I can't.
BUFFY: You can.
WILLOW: (shakes head) I can't! I can't, I ju ... god, I need help. Please! (sobbing) Please help me, please.
Willow puts her arms around Buffy and continues crying.
Later:
WILLOW: I don't know. The magic, I ... I thought I had it under control, and then ... I didn't.
BUFFY: Because of Tara?
WILLOW: No. It started before she left. (pauses) It's why she left.
BUFFY: (pauses) Seemed like things were going so well.
WILLOW: It was. But I mean ... if you could be ... you know, plain old Willow or super Willow, who would you be? (looks at Buffy) I guess you don't actually have an option on the whole super thing.
BUFFY: Will, there's nothing wrong with you. You don't need magic to be special.
WILLOW: Don't I? I mean, Buffy, who was I? Just ... some girl. Tara didn't even know that girl.
BUFFY: You are more than some girl. (walks into the room) And Tara wants you to stop. She loves you.
WILLOW: We don't know that.
BUFFY: I know that. I promise you.
WILLOW: I just ... it took me away from myself, I was ... free.
BUFFY: (looks down, pensive) I get that. More than you- (breaks off) But it's wrong. People get hurt.
I already suspected the reasons for Willow's magic overuse and it's nice to see them confirmed. Willow being afraid of not being good enough as ordinary Willow is a motivation that's very plausible.
Buffy identifies with Willow once more. In the way Willow uses magic, she uses Spike in order to forget about her problems.
At first, I didn't agree with the analogy: I thought that Buffy and Spike have a better chance of building a stable relationship than Willow learning not to use magic without abusing it.
Then I realised that the analogy is apt after all: At the core of both Buffy's and Willow's problem is their self-hatred. Willow never loved herself the way she was, she needed to have special powers in order to find herself acceptable. Buffy had no such problems in the past, but ever since she got resurrected, she feels different. She doesn't know herself any longer and has come to despise herself.
If Buffy and Willow want to find happiness, they will have to learn to love themselves - even when they aren't perfect or make the wrong decisions. Only if they have achieved that, they will be able to have a healthy relationship/use magic without going overboard.
Oh, and I love the final scene that shows how both Willow and Buffy struggle with their obsessions.
Here's a status overview regarding which episodes I've seen and/or commented on. If you are new to my LJ, please check this info so you don't post any big spoilers when you leave comments. Thanks!
For a summary click here.
- This is the "morning after" episode that continues what was started in the last episode.
- Dawn and Tara wake up on the sofa in the Summers' living room to discover that neither Buffy nor Willow and Amy came home the night before. (Good thing Tara was there: I'm pretty sure Dawn would have started worrying about her friends otherwise.)
- Buffy and Spike go through some intense morning after awkwardness. Buffy is horrified by what she has done. Spike, on the other hand, is pleased with what has happened, yet has to realize that he will have to pursuade Buffy again and again. If he wants to succeed he will have to learn to not say everything he thinks.
SPIKE: I knew. I knew the only thing better than killing a slayer would be f-
Spike's remark rekindles some of Buffy's fears - that she's just an interesting lay for Spike - and she strikes back right away.
SPIKE: I'm just sayin' ... vampires get you hot.
BUFFY: *A* vampire got me hot. One. But he's gone. You're just...
Beat. Spike waits to see what she'll say.
BUFFY: You're just convenient.
- The relationship between Buffy/Angel and Buffy/Spike provides a fascinating contrast.
Buffy/Angel is IMO a highly idealised love on both sides. Buffy and Angel try to see the best in their partner, they ignore the other's weaknesses or - in Angel's case - decide to find them charming. His love for Buffy gives Angel the chance to feel young and innocent for a brief time.
Buffy/Spike is a completely different matter. I think that they have more in common than Buffy and Angel which allows them to uncover the other's weaknesses with ease. Am pretty sure that Spike would prefer a more peaceful relationship with Buffy, but since she doesn't find this acceptable he pushes back whenever she lashes out at him with words or deeds. Despite the violence between them I view Buffy/Spike as the more honest relationship. But yes, I do realize that's it an unhealthy relationship at the time. In fact, if Buffy was a man and Spike a woman, the abusive character would be even more obvious. The issue here is more complex since both Spike and Buffy do have additional strength and can take the physical violence more easily; what's more dangerous to them are the emotional wounds they cause one another.
- Willow and Amy return to the Summers' residence and meet Tara. Amy does unknowingly some negative advertising:
AMY: (to Tara) And Willow! She's a freaking amazing witch now. (Tara looking upset) I couldn't even keep up with her last night.
WILLOW: Amy.
AMY: No, it's true! (to Tara) I mean, I can do some transmography, but she is messing with dimensions and everything, it was awesome! This blowhard dude, first she made his mouth disappear? Thank god. And then-
- Buffy still identifies strongly with Willow:
BUFFY: No, Willow's a grownup. You know, maybe she doesn't need to be monitored.
Xander stares at her.
BUFFY: You know, she's going through something, but we're not her. I mean ... m-maybe she has reasons for acting this way. (Anya staring at her) And, so what if she crossed a line? You know, we all do stuff. Stupid stuff. But, then we learn. And, and we learn, and, and we don't do it again. Okay, so, you know, who are we to get all judgey?
- Amy introduces Willow to the warlock Rack.
Rack's place reminded me of the vampire den where Riley used to go. It's a similar situation: In both cases, people get addicted to dark urges.
Have to say I really liked the scene in Rack's "appartment":
Willow's transition from extremely insecure and shy to overtly sensual is well handled.
The effects for Willow's vision are powerful. Taking into account that the demon she sees in her vision actually crosses over to our dimension, I wonder how relevant the other parts of her vision are when we see her black eyed in the Bronze and in front of the Magic Shop.
- The one scene that didn't convince me is Amy breaking into Willow's room to steal some herbs. The intention of the scene is, of course, to show us that overusing magic can turn you in the equivalent of a junkie. However, I don't get why Amy simply doesn't buy the supplies she needs or asks Willow for them.
- I also find that Buffy realises too quickly that Willow has taken Dawn to Rack's place. The facts that Willow and Dawn aren't at home and that Amy thinks Willow might go to Rack's place, don't add up to both Willow and Dawn being there right now. The only explanation I have is that Buffy feels guilty about neglecting her sister anyway and therefore expects the worst.
- Willow taking Dawn to Rack's place is extremely irresponsible. It shows how little control Willow has left over her actions. Getting in touch with magic has become more important than anything else.
- Am surprised that Dawn is willing to wait so long for Willow without complaining. (I think she waits there for about 2 hours!) I know that I would have knocked if Willow hadn't come back after 5 minutes and I don't think I'm any more daring than Dawn. Hmmm. Maybe Rack has planted a spell that just makes you sit and wait without complaining. Or time is moving slightly differently in his place.
- Nice to see that Buffy still goes to Spike when she needs help. After all, she could have asked Xander, Anya or Tara for assistance as well. They all would have been willing to assist her in looking for Dawn.
- After overdosing on magic, Willow loses control completely and puts Dawn's life in danger. (When Dawn kicks the demon Willow has accidentally summoned, I thought that she really should get some fight training. She is talented enough.)
- Buffy and Spike arrive in time to defend Dawn.
What's interesting is that Buffy fights the demon and confronts Willow while Spike looks out for Dawn and also apparently takes her to the doctor. (I really wish there was more interaction between Spike and Dawn in season 6.)
- Love these scenes. I think they are extremely well acted.
BUFFY: (harshly) Get up.
WILLOW: (crying) I screwed it up, everything, Tara...
BUFFY: (grabs Willow's arm, pulls her to her feet) Yeah, you know what, you did screw up, okay? You could have killed her! You almost did!
WILLOW: (crying) I know! I know! I can't stop, Buffy! I tried and I can't.
BUFFY: You can.
WILLOW: (shakes head) I can't! I can't, I ju ... god, I need help. Please! (sobbing) Please help me, please.
Willow puts her arms around Buffy and continues crying.
Later:
WILLOW: I don't know. The magic, I ... I thought I had it under control, and then ... I didn't.
BUFFY: Because of Tara?
WILLOW: No. It started before she left. (pauses) It's why she left.
BUFFY: (pauses) Seemed like things were going so well.
WILLOW: It was. But I mean ... if you could be ... you know, plain old Willow or super Willow, who would you be? (looks at Buffy) I guess you don't actually have an option on the whole super thing.
BUFFY: Will, there's nothing wrong with you. You don't need magic to be special.
WILLOW: Don't I? I mean, Buffy, who was I? Just ... some girl. Tara didn't even know that girl.
BUFFY: You are more than some girl. (walks into the room) And Tara wants you to stop. She loves you.
WILLOW: We don't know that.
BUFFY: I know that. I promise you.
WILLOW: I just ... it took me away from myself, I was ... free.
BUFFY: (looks down, pensive) I get that. More than you- (breaks off) But it's wrong. People get hurt.
I already suspected the reasons for Willow's magic overuse and it's nice to see them confirmed. Willow being afraid of not being good enough as ordinary Willow is a motivation that's very plausible.
Buffy identifies with Willow once more. In the way Willow uses magic, she uses Spike in order to forget about her problems.
At first, I didn't agree with the analogy: I thought that Buffy and Spike have a better chance of building a stable relationship than Willow learning not to use magic without abusing it.
Then I realised that the analogy is apt after all: At the core of both Buffy's and Willow's problem is their self-hatred. Willow never loved herself the way she was, she needed to have special powers in order to find herself acceptable. Buffy had no such problems in the past, but ever since she got resurrected, she feels different. She doesn't know herself any longer and has come to despise herself.
If Buffy and Willow want to find happiness, they will have to learn to love themselves - even when they aren't perfect or make the wrong decisions. Only if they have achieved that, they will be able to have a healthy relationship/use magic without going overboard.
Oh, and I love the final scene that shows how both Willow and Buffy struggle with their obsessions.
Here's a status overview regarding which episodes I've seen and/or commented on. If you are new to my LJ, please check this info so you don't post any big spoilers when you leave comments. Thanks!