Anya's death

[Sacrifice]

Hey everyone!

Last night I watched "The Chosen" for the first time. While I thought the series finale was amazingly written, acted and produced I did have some reservations, mainly surrounding the death of Anya.

Anya was one of my favourite characters and I was always a little upset that she never properly got back together with Xander. Anya was so significant in the series and her death was so abrupt. I understand how much she has grown since she became human and her death was the ultimate redemption. I also know that so much happened at once with Sunnydale being destroyed however nobody seemed that bothered that Anya didn't survive. In fact, it seemed like only Andrew and Xander noticed. I feel as though the character deserved more. Especially with a character like Kennedy surviving (who I personally dislike).

 

[funsmiley]

I have to agree with you there, I always felt Anya deserved more credit then she actually got.

I think that her death was recognised by everyone we just don't see it, we knew when we watched the last few episodes that not everybody was going to survive, They all knew that, they had prepared for that and that was the price they had to pay when entering the "chosen" battle. It didn't really matter that we didn't see the others acknowledge Anya's death, Xander did and really that's all that matters.

Also, I never understood why they had Kennedy survive, I never liked her either. I think it had a lot to do with willow and the fact that she had only just lost Tara in the previous season, So I suppose it wouldn't have been fair on the character to give her another loss.

 

[Sacrifice]

That's very true, they were all pretty prepared for potential death. I heard that the season finale was supposed to be 2 hours (23 episode season) but UPN only picked up 22 episodes. Maybe if the finale had been 2 hours we would have seen more reaction to Anya's death.

That's a good point about Kennedy, Joss would have been thinking about Willow. I really missed Tara in season 7 🙁

 

[Robb Stark]

Hmm, I've of two minds on this.

On the one hand, I watched Joss' commentary on "Chosen" and he talked about how he wanted to have a main character die in a realistic and random way. His thought was that in a large, full-scale battle not everyone is going to have the epic, Spike-esque death, and he wanted it to be shocking. I get that. At the same time though, Anya was a main character, and it's a little strange seeing main characters just die randomly like Anya.

Personally? I was never an Anya fan. Her death was surprising, but it didn't upset me or make me really feel, like Doyle or Spike's did. As for the others not noticing beyond Xander and Andrew, remember that other than them, no one liked Anya. Buffy and Dawn hated her, and everyone else was just annoyed with her. But if I was an Anya fan, I would be ticked off with the way she went out too.

 

[Pike]

Hmm, I've of two minds on this.

On the one hand, I watched Joss' commentary on "Chosen" and he talked about how he wanted to have a main character die in a realistic and random way. His thought was that in a large, full-scale battle not everyone is going to have the epic, Spike-esque death, and he wanted it to be shocking. I get that. At the same time though, Anya was a main character, and it's a little strange seeing main characters just die randomly like Anya.

I was a fan of Anya! I loved her! However, I really liked her death. I think the show needed more unexpected deaths like hers. If Andrew had died like that, with no glory, it wouldn't have made such an impact. I think that it was a main character, and it was so sudden and painful- it was effective. I totally dug it.

If that show had made more unexpected deaths, possibly throughout the seasons, the show could have been a bit more scary; in the sense that the characters could die for any reason at any time

 

[Jodast]

Joss enjoys playing with the audience. He wanted Eric Balfour (Jesse) to be in the main credits for Welcome to the Hellmouth/The Harvest so that he could kill a 'main' cast member off early on, thus throwing the audience for a loop so they'd never know what to expect. Apparently there's some sort of thing about appearance money for main-credit cast members that the studio wasm#'t willing to shell out just to have the dude kark it in the first episode. Penny pinching jackasses!

So he got to randomly kill one in the finale, which has probably caused more of a backlash that he imagined. While people may or may not like Anya the fact that her death was so sudden and she had been a part of the show for so long didn't give us time to adjust. It was the last episode in the show ever, so it wasn't as though the characters were going to re-visit the death repeatedly and we the viewers wouldn't go through the grieving process with them. I don't mean literally, of course, but there is a certain parallel to it.

Other major death in the series do get played out and the loss is acknowledged and we see the characters transition through grief and mourning to continue with their lives. In this one it was 'Anya's Dead, cue the amulet and the flashy effects' end of show. Which is a shame, but in an apocalyptic scale battle some of the good guys have to die otherwise if doesn't feel like a struggle.

 

[Sacrifice]

If you say Buffy and Dawn hated Anya but felt absolutely nothing after working with her on and off for several years as was depicted in the last episode, it just sort of makes them seem a little bit heartless. But bearing in mind, I am a massive Anya fan so I can understand why some people may disagree.

I totally agree Joss does like to play the audience and it keeps things interesting.

 

[Robb Stark]

If you say Buffy and Dawn hated Anya but felt absolutely nothing after working with her on and off for several years as was depicted in the last episode, it just sort of makes them seem a little bit heartless. But bearing in mind, I am a massive Anya fan so I can understand why some people may disagree.

I totally agree Joss does like to play the audience and it keeps things interesting.

I didn't mean that they wouldn't feel anything (sorry if I came across that way), but like Jodast said, we went from Anya's death back to the vamp battle, to Spike dying (which I think would have affected Buffy much more) to the entire town being destroyed with Buffy literally running on rooftops to get away to them standing in the wreckage, to credits. That's a pretty whirlwind sequence of events.

I didn't mean that they wouldn't be sorry that she died, but after all that, in the heat of the moment for Buffy and Dawn (who were obviously both close with Spike), I don't think it was unrealistic that they weren't thinking of her. I'm sure they would have later, but we didn't get to see that.

 

[Anya2012]

Also, I never understood why they had Kennedy survive, I never liked her either. I think it had a lot to do with willow and the fact that she had only just lost Tara in the previous season, So I suppose it wouldn't have been fair on the character to give her another loss.

With regards to Kennedy and Willow-Willow would have been devastated about her dying but it wouldn't it wouldn't have been as bad as loosing Tara. Willow cared about Kennedy but did she love her-no.

 

[dexeded]

I'm gonna go with the road less travelled and say I liked how she died. It was foreshadowed in Selfless, so it followed through nicely. I also like the idea of a sudden, abrupt death. I loved Anya, and I loved her death (as much as anyone can love a character's death). I thought the scene where Xander is calling for her as he rushes out of the school, and the camera pans to her dead behind some rubble was excellent.

 

[Pike]

It almost seems split in half on those who liked her death and those who didn't. I wouldn't mind seeing an actual poll. It almost looks like its split in half on those who liked Anya and those who didn't. So I wonder how much of that plays into the factor of liking or disliking her death.

 

[funsmiley]

With regards to Kennedy and Willow-Willow would have been devastated about her dying but it wouldn't it wouldn't have been as bad as loosing Tara. Willow cared about Kennedy but did she love her-no.

Oh I wasn't saying she loved her at all, I was just saying that I dont think Joss wanted to use willow as a main story this time due to the previous season. Of course she didn't love her, Tara was her one true love.

 

[EVIL UU]

In fact, it seemed like only Andrew and Xander noticed.

Everybody else noticed too, they simply didn't give a shit.

Guess what, you're a caustic, obnoxious demon, what a surprise, nobody cares when you die. Willow, Dawn and Giles never really liked Anya, they weren't friends. The potentials, Faith and the rest barely knew her. Buffy? Buffy couldn't care less. It's like with Tara. Tara was the only person that treated Buffy like a human being after she was brought back and yet Buffy pretty much shruged her death. Willow's and Xander's lovers could take them away from her and we know from multiple episodes ( "Fear Itself" "Restless" and so on ) that Buffy's terrified of that, she needs them. So when Willow or Xander looses a loved one, it's OK, as long as Buffy gets to keep her soldiers.

Anya? Good riddance, it's not like Buffy didn't try to kill her the first chance she got.

 

[BuffyElevated]

I actually love Anya's death scene, and especially the scenes as they're leaving the school and Xander's calling for her and doesn't see her in the rubble. It's heartbreaking and emotional, and that's how it should have been for a character like Anya.
I found it so beautiful that after everything she'd gone through, especially in her past as a vengeance demon, that she died trying to protect the people she loved and the world. It was a beautiful irony.

 

[Revolver]

I disagree with a lot of what's been posted here (but that's hardly a surprise as I tend to disagree with Buffy fans as often as I agree with them that it's a great show). A LOT was going on in that finale. I don't think the feelings of Buffy, Dawn, etc. are reflected at all by the fact that they don't address Anya's death. The show was ending. It wasn't going to be the "let's see how Anya's death impacts our characters' hour" at any point. And I don't agree with Always Bangel (sorry, nothing personal) that Buffy and Dawn hated Anya. Buffy specifically refers to Anya as her friend in "Him." Dawn insults Anya about once in "Real You" and later reflects that Xander shouldn't have left Anya at the alter with a soul (in "Him" again). Neither of these things completely takes away any complicated feelings stated in the past on the show, but I think this is far beyond buffy and dawn simply hate anya. both of them have known anya long enough to have other feelings for her by the end of season 7.

 

[Robb Stark]

I disagree with a lot of what's been posted here (but that's hardly a surprise as I tend to disagree with Buffy fans as often as I agree with them that it's a great show). A LOT was going on in that finale. I don't think the feelings of Buffy, Dawn, etc. are reflected at all by the fact that they don't address Anya's death. The show was ending. It wasn't going to be the "let's see how Anya's death impacts our characters' hour" at any point. And I don't agree with Always Bangel (sorry, nothing personal) that Buffy and Dawn hated Anya. Buffy specifically refers to Anya as her friend in "Him." Dawn insults Anya about once in "Real You" and later reflects that Xander shouldn't have left Anya at the alter with a soul (in "Him" again). Neither of these things completely takes away any complicated feelings stated in the past on the show, but I think this is far beyond buffy and dawn simply hate anya. both of them have known anya long enough to have other feelings for her by the end of season 7.

Okay, maybe "hate" was a strong word, but come on, despite what is said in one episode one time, I don't think many people would consider Buffy and Anya friends. Anya regularly crapped on Buffy throughout the entire series and then late in S7 (forget the episode, but I think it was "Empty Places") has a whole stupid, jealous rant about Buffy being the Slayer, as opposed to, I don't know, her I guess.

If anything, Buffy tolerated Anya. She and Xander were obviously as close as friends can be, and Anya was important to Xander, so there you go. I think most of us have had that jerk "friend" in our group who we don't really want around but is close to someone we actually like so we're forced to put up with them. To pretty much all of the Scoobies, that's Anya.

I mentioned it in my second post. I'm not saying that Buffy wouldn't have felt anything for Anya dying. Obviously, she'd known and worked with her for three years by that point, and even if you freaking hate a person, you'd have to be pretty weird to just not feel anything when someone you've known for that long dies. I was just saying that at that particular moment in time, during the 45 seconds between Buffy running on rooftops and the credits, where Spike had just sacrificed himself to save the world, I don't think that Anya was priority number one.

 

[Pike]

Anya's death aside.. the way everyone interacted with Anya was a bit strang in Season Seven. The second Anya went back to being a demon, Buffy was ready to kill her. Xander, although he was in love with her, was supposed to be the voice of reason; he was blinded by Anya. It was confusing as a viewer who to side with. Buffy, the slayer, and a bit crazy, or Anya, who jumped back to being a demon when not thinking clearly.. or Xander, the guy in the middle.. then later they scoop Anya back up in the team.. etc etc..

 

[Kenimowy]

Her death didn't bother me so much. I mean I love Anya, and her death was very sad, but I thought it was a heck of an exit for her, she died a hero. However, I do agree that her death seemed very nonchalant. Even Xander's reaction seemed a little detached for a man that was heavily involved and very much in love with her not so long before her death.
I can understand why it wasn't addressed because the characters just survived a huge ordeal and really hadn't had the time to address to the many deaths that did occur, totally understandable. However, there really should have been more emotion behind Xander.

 

[Jules]

I found it so beautiful that after everything she'd gone through, especially in her past as a vengeance demon, that she died trying to protect the people she loved and the world. It was a beautiful irony.

I agree.

I didnt like Anya as a character, she was too inconsistant. It never made sence to me that she was this incredible demon who knew enough about human emotion to trick people into making the worst kind of wishes, then she becomes human and doesnt know anything at all, then she's back to being a demon but with a conscience then she's human. Plus I didnt like how she turned on Buffy after Buffy actually went to Anya's house to check that she was ok.

I also didnt like her death, but I do think it was well done. If you look at Anya in season 3, she runs away to save herself, at the end of season 7 she dies trying to save the world. And its sad to say she dies like the majority of soldiers do, a quick senseless death.

 

[shadcat]

It sucked !

It was handled poorly. I mean if Dawn, for example, died in the school....I think there would have been more of reaction. Even if they didn't like Anya as much, they had gone through so much together that they would at least give her some recognition and show emotion.
But I understand the series was ending and too much was going on. It was just a messy finale.