Buffy coming back “wrong”

[NotASlayer]

Bad boys. Get 'em every time.

Scorpions - Bad Boys Running Wild

Though it is true that bad boys - and bad girls; I admit Dru has a certain nutty appeal to her - do appeal, Spike, when he is in "love" with Buffy, does not fall into the bad boy category. In seasons 2-4, maybe, there is the appeal of the darker, dangerous-seeming individual. However, once he falls in "love" it is not a bad boy but a stalker and abuser who is being romanticised. The sort of toxic relationship that ends in at least one death; someone as Spike is depicted would, after Buffy "rejects" him in Seeing Red, decide to destroy her and all her loved ones.

Bad boy/girl romanticisation is understandable. Stalker and abuser is not.

 

[NotASlayer]

I don't think Buffy came back wrong, nor do I believe she came back part demon. The latter can be disputed by season 7 when she enters the alternate dimension and discovers how the first slayer was created. Those men literally placed an aspect of the demon inside the First Slayer and offered to do the same for her. Why would they need to make her less human if she already came back part demon? And to be fair, you could argue the Slayer is part demon because of this lineage. If that power is passed onto the next generation, then technically you could argue the power is partially demonic in the first place. And we never saw anything to indicate Buffy was stronger after she came back, so her becoming part demon? Nah.

There are plenty of theories as to why Spike could hit Buffy with no pain, even with the chip still in his head. He spent months without Buffy, and technically grieved after her death, so on some level, it could have altered the chip's function. There are plenty of possibilities, but Spike saying she came back wrong was clearly a jab, nothing more.

To me, the changes in her personality reflected the times. In season 6, we see her actions reflecting her emotions. She feels dead inside, therefore she turns further into darkness to hopefully feel something; anything. It's destructive behavior at its worst. In the process, we also see her starting to grow up, and quite frankly, growing up is a painful process. She's coping with being brought back to life after she was literally in heaven. She's her sister's guardian AND is struggling financially, meanwhile her best friend is also dealing with a form of addiction. Her father figure and mentor is gone. Personally, I think she turns to Spike because everyone else is dealing with their own problems, but in reality, she's blind to what is going on around her.

Later in the season, we see her end things with Spike. She tries to be there for Dawn after discovering how miserable her sister is and that she has been stealing constantly. She tries to help Willow too. I don't think she came back wrong, I think she feels wrong because life kept moving in her absence and she got thrust back into it AND was expected to grow up quicker. It's different from the type of hardships she faced in season 2, which I also find incredibly hard, but more so coming-of-age realities than the harshness of adulthood.

By season 7, Buffy has learned a lot and hopefully from some of her mistakes. At this point, they have faced enough battles and apocalypses for her to understand that battles have casualties. Do I think she was willing to sacrifice Dawn? Absolutely. Her having Xander drive off with her doesn't dispute this at all. If anything, I think she cares about them, but also realizes neither of them are particularly useful in the final battle. Dawn isn't a potential. Xander lost an eye. Even when they come back because Dawn turns the car around, Buffy cracks a joke. "If you die, I'm telling." Would she grieve over the loss of her sister? Yes, but in some ways she's already faced that reality when she sacrificed herself for Dawn. She chose the alternative.

Which brings me to my next point. In the end, if they don't win the battle, then what is the point? Buffy understands lives will be lost. The impending battle they're facing is unlike any they've seen before, and if they lose, then even more lives will be lost. One life - even the life of her sister - doesn't outweigh the many. It's also why she is nonchalant about Chloe's death too. And you could argue that Buffy jumped in to save Dawn, but at that point, Buffy had already lost soo much. She considered Dawn an innocent. Closing the portal only required the loss of one life to save the world. If Dawn died, the battle would still continue on and other people were going to die. It's a matter of a bigger picture.

Even when Angel swoops in with the amulet, he offers to wear it. Buffy rejects this idea, not because she loves Angel, but because she can't sacrifice him in case they lose the battle. She clearly thought about the possibility of them losing, and by having Angel back in LA, it gave a second front, someone to continue fighting in their stead. And as much as she cared about Spike, I don't think she particularly cared if he died either.

Personally, I think the show did an exceptional job of having Buffy grow and change throughout the seasons. As someone who watched all 15 seasons of Supernatural and constantly witnessed the back and forth between Sam and Dean sacrificing themselves for each other, and putting the world in danger because of it, it's refreshing - that even back then - we had someone who learned and grew as a person.

Perhaps the biggest problem with S7 Buffy is she has not learned a lot; she has forgotten everything she used to know. S3 Buffy was a skilled and competent leader; S7 Buffy was an absolute disaster who made bad decision after bad decision and led them into one unnecessary battle after another, finally risking everyone in a battle that was guaranteed to be lost and not make the slightest bit of difference, if W&H had not saved the day. There was no way "take all the Potentials into the Hellmouth where they will be outnumbered hundreds to one" was a winnable strategy, and earlier Buffy would have known that.

Buffy may change over the seasons, but over six and seven it is a change for the worse. She did not grow and learn; she became worse than she used to be,

The reason I say S7Buffy has more in common with WishverseBuffy than RealBuffy is that WishverseBuffy was a solitary fighter with no experience of leadership, and S7Buffy displays the same qualities.

 

[AlphaFoxtrot]

P.S. Also, remember. Spike is one hundred and fifty years old, or whatever. He's old and knows a lot, but he's not wise, and knows nothing of sciences like psychology, so to him, it's always going to be something like "came back wrong." Now, this is the Buffy verse, so come back wrong could be the real problem, and trauma is the mumbo jumbo designed to avoid staring at the void too long.

 

[garfan]

Perhaps the biggest problem with S7 Buffy is she has not learned a lot; she has forgotten everything she used to know. S3 Buffy was a skilled and competent leader; S7 Buffy was an absolute disaster who made bad decision after bad decision and led them into one unnecessary battle after another, finally risking everyone in a battle that was guaranteed to be lost and not make the slightest bit of difference, if W&H had not saved the day. There was no way "take all the Potentials into the Hellmouth where they will be outnumbered hundreds to one" was a winnable strategy, and earlier Buffy would have known that

just because she got the idea to organize an army in season 3 doesn't mean she led them

 

[hoponlilmama]

There are plenty of theories as to why Spike could hit Buffy with no pain, even with the chip still in his head. He spent months without Buffy, and technically grieved after her death, so on some level, it could have altered the chip's function. There are plenty of possibilities, but Spike saying she came back wrong was clearly a jab, nothing more.

We remember when he thinks the chip has malfunctioned, the first thing he tries to do is go out and kill someone. These folks haven't made a return trip back from Heaven. It was Buffy coming back that was just enough to confuse the chip. But you're right, Spike ran with it and taunted her. Kicking her when she's down.

To me, the changes in her personality reflected the times. In season 6, we see her actions reflecting her emotions. She feels dead inside, therefore she turns further into darkness to hopefully feel something; anything. It's destructive behavior at its worst. In the process, we also see her starting to grow up, and quite frankly, growing up is a painful process. She's coping with being brought back to life after she was literally in heaven. She's her sister's guardian AND is struggling financially, meanwhile her best friend is also dealing with a form of addiction. Her father figure and mentor is gone. Personally, I think she turns to Spike because everyone else is dealing with their own problems, but in reality, she's blind to what is going on around her.

She turns to him because he's an outsider. They're not friends; he's not really part of the Scooby gang. And technically he's 'there for her' because he's back to stalking her again, to be quite frank.
("Why are you around when I'm miserable?")

Later in the season, we see her end things with Spike. She tries to be there for Dawn after discovering how miserable her sister is and that she has been stealing constantly. She tries to help Willow too. I don't think she came back wrong, I think she feels wrong because life kept moving in her absence and she got thrust back into it AND was expected to grow up quicker. It's different from the type of hardships she faced in season 2, which I also find incredibly hard, but more so coming-of-age realities than the harshness of adulthood.

Agreed.
When she first returns: "Is this hell?" and then her speech in the episode Afterlife (I think?), saying everything here on Earth is hard, cold, and painful.

By season 7, Buffy has learned a lot and hopefully from some of her mistakes. At this point, they have faced enough battles and apocalypses for her to understand that battles have casualties. Do I think she was willing to sacrifice Dawn? Absolutely. Her having Xander drive off with her doesn't dispute this at all. If anything, I think she cares about them, but also realizes neither of them are particularly useful in the final battle. Dawn isn't a potential. Xander lost an eye. Even when they come back because Dawn turns the car around, Buffy cracks a joke. "If you die, I'm telling." Would she grieve over the loss of her sister? Yes, but in some ways she's already faced that reality when she sacrificed herself for Dawn. She chose the alternative.

Which brings me to my next point. In the end, if they don't win the battle, then what is the point? Buffy understands lives will be lost. The impending battle they're facing is unlike any they've seen before, and if they lose, then even more lives will be lost. One life - even the life of her sister - doesn't outweigh the many. It's also why she is nonchalant about Chloe's death too. And you could argue that Buffy jumped in to save Dawn, but at that point, Buffy had already lost soo much. She considered Dawn an innocent. Closing the portal only required the loss of one life to save the world. If Dawn died, the battle would still continue on and other people were going to die. It's a matter of a bigger picture.

Even when Angel swoops in with the amulet, he offers to wear it. Buffy rejects this idea, not because she loves Angel, but because she can't sacrifice him in case they lose the battle. She clearly thought about the possibility of them losing, and by having Angel back in LA, it gave a second front, someone to continue fighting in their stead. And as much as she cared about Spike, I don't think she particularly cared if he died either.

I think she still loves Angel, but is also thinking about whether they come out of this battle and what might happen if they don't stop The First.
S7 Buffy reminds me a bit of Wishverse Buffy.

 

[xxstaindrosesxx]

Perhaps the biggest problem with S7 Buffy is she has not learned a lot; she has forgotten everything she used to know. S3 Buffy was a skilled and competent leader; S7 Buffy was an absolute disaster who made bad decision after bad decision and led them into one unnecessary battle after another, finally risking everyone in a battle that was guaranteed to be lost and not make the slightest bit of difference, if W&H had not saved the day. There was no way "take all the Potentials into the Hellmouth where they will be outnumbered hundreds to one" was a winnable strategy, and earlier Buffy would have known that.

Buffy may change over the seasons, but over six and seven it is a change for the worse. She did not grow and learn; she became worse than she used to be,

The reason I say S7Buffy has more in common with WishverseBuffy than RealBuffy is that WishverseBuffy was a solitary fighter with no experience of leadership, and S7Buffy displays the same qualities.

People enter into battle all the time without knowing the outcome. They may have less people, less weapons, and be at a serious disadvantage and still overcome their enemy. History has shown us that time and time again. In season 3, there was no way for them to know they would win. Had they failed to lead the The Mayor to the explosives or he ate everyone beforehand, they would have lost the battle too.

To me, the major difference is by the time graduation rolls around, almost everyone in that school knows Sunnydale isn't like other towns. They have all witnessed strange monsters and deaths. Many of them are willing to fight because it emphasizes how much high school truly is a battle. Either they fight or they get eaten by a giant worm. Buffy is still willing to sacrifice them because at the end of the day, it's still a battle. Lives are at stake.

In season 7, it's the same thing. She's willing to step into battle with the odds slim in their favor because sometimes that's the price you pay as a leader. Angel says it best "Always keep fighting." If they all gave up because the odds weren't in their favor, then what is the point? She's the Slayer. The rest of them all have talents other people do not and then they literally do become Slayers. It's their job to protect people from evil, so even if it seems like they aren't going to win, turning their backs on the battle puts other lives at risk. If they failed, they still had the second front in LA with Angel and co. At the very least, they would be able to put a dent in the vampire army.

To me, Buffy is hardened by her experiences, and therefore her behavior in season 7 makes more sense.

 

[NotASlayer]

People enter into battle all the time without knowing the outcome. They may have less people, less weapons, and be at a serious disadvantage and still overcome their enemy. History has shown us that time and time again. In season 3, there was no way for them to know they would win. Had they failed to lead the The Mayor to the explosives or he ate everyone beforehand, they would have lost the battle too.

To me, the major difference is by the time graduation rolls around, almost everyone in that school knows Sunnydale isn't like other towns. They have all witnessed strange monsters and deaths. Many of them are willing to fight because it emphasizes how much high school truly is a battle. Either they fight or they get eaten by a giant worm. Buffy is still willing to sacrifice them because at the end of the day, it's still a battle. Lives are at stake.

In season 7, it's the same thing. She's willing to step into battle with the odds slim in their favor because sometimes that's the price you pay as a leader. Angel says it best "Always keep fighting." If they all gave up because the odds weren't in their favor, then what is the point? She's the Slayer. The rest of them all have talents other people do not and then they literally do become Slayers. It's their job to protect people from evil, so even if it seems like they aren't going to win, turning their backs on the battle puts other lives at risk. If they failed, they still had the second front in LA with Angel and co. At the very least, they would be able to put a dent in the vampire army.

To me, Buffy is hardened by her experiences, and therefore her behavior in season 7 makes more sense.

True, battle is uncertain. In the Graduation Day battle, if everything had not gone according to plan, they would have lost.

That is different from the Chosen battle. If everything had gone precisely to plan, they would have lost. It was a terrible plan, executed badly.

Going in, the plan was to take the Potentials inside the Hellmouth. Once inside, try a spell that no-one knew whether or not it would work. If it worked, that would leave the baby Slayers outnumbered hundreds to one by vampires. Even ordinary stake fodder would have overwhelmed them, but as far as they knew, they were going up against vampires that either required the most experienced Slayer to fight one on one for several minutes, or a magical geegaw to defeat that they were not even taking into the Hellmouth. Going by everything they knew, they would be overwhelmed in seconds, without even denting the vampire army.

There was zero chance the plan would work. There was no "if" it failed. This was not taking a chance and risking everything; this was a plan that was going to fail. It was not even their only option. Buffy was seconds away from getting everyone killed and unleashing a tidal wave of Ubervamps on California when W&H saved the day.

But Buffy had stopped listening to advice by this point. What had made her the most successful Slayer in history, she now ignored. She was a terrible leader, a terrible friend and, given that she helped abuse a frightened teenage girl into killing herself, then jeering at her afterwards, a terrible human being.

She is not hardened; she is broken. Which I do not blame her for; Spike had been trying to break her with his constant abuse and, as abusers know, it finally worked.

Despite how out of character everyone was when Buffy threw herself out of her own house, they were right. They just did not take it far enough.

 

[garfan]

There was zero chance the plan would work. There was no "if" it failed. This was not taking a chance and risking everything; this was a plan that was going to fail. It was not even their only option. Buffy was seconds away from getting everyone killed and unleashing a tidal wave of Ubervamps on California when W&H saved the day.

Turok Han showed up when the First sprang it's trap, which means at that point the First could presumably release them when it wanted. Possibly it only had a small group there because it didn't want to blow up a large number

But Buffy had stopped listening to advice by this point. What had made her the most successful Slayer in history, she now ignored.

The only advice they were giving at that moment was don't fight, when the First has total access to the house and they know it uses stuff like bombs.

She was a terrible leader, a terrible friend and, given that she helped abuse a frightened teenage girl into killing herself, then jeering at her afterwards, a terrible human being.

That pisses me off. Kennedy is responsible for Chloe, not Buffy

 

[RachM]

That pisses me off. Kennedy is responsible for Chloe, not Buffy

While Kennedy was definitely a bully, she is not "responsible" for Chloe's death. The First manipulated the poor girl into doing what she did.

That being said, Buffy's complete lack of empathy and use of language such as "idiot" and "weak" to describe Chloe while simultaneously berating the other Potentials in the aftermath is horrific and OOC for her, and feels inorganic, given all the personal experience she had with suicidal ideation the previous season.

 

[garfan]

While Kennedy was definitely a bully, she is not "responsible" for Chloe's death. The First manipulated the poor girl into doing what she did.

That being said, Buffy's complete lack of empathy and use of language such as "idiot" and "weak" to describe Chloe while simultaneously berating the other Potentials in the aftermath is horrific and OOC for her, and feels inorganic, given all the personal experience she had with suicidal ideation the previous season.

considering how much that hurt her? Plus Willow's after Tara's death. And to be honest, when they had her trying to save/talk down Ford and Angel I felt like there was a lot of anger undeneath what she was saying, but she didn't let it all out because that kind of hostility would make it harder to convince them. But Chloe wasn't there to convince

 

[RachM]

considering how much that hurt her? Plus Willow's after Tara's death. And to be honest, when they had her trying to save/talk down Ford and Angel I felt like there was a lot of anger undeneath what she was saying, but she didn't let it all out because that kind of hostility would make it harder to convince them. But Chloe wasn't there to convince

I mean, Ford was a completely different story, he was about to trade a dozen lives just to save himself, so Buffy had reason to be harsh with him.

While she does use some harder wording with Angel in Amends, again, it's a very different situation. Angel is wallowing in self-pity and essentially trying to "take the easy way out" instead of staying in the fight and facing his demons. Again, it makes sense that Buffy might be harder in trying to get through to him.

But being so harsh and unempathetic to a group of young, scared, vulnerable girls in her care, girls who share a similar fate to her, girls who are not all that much unlike her and who are looking to her for empathy and guidance after one of their own was manipulating by a powerful evil force? THAT feels OOC and not like the Buffy who just two seasons before could show empathy and understanding to a robot mourning her gross creator.

 

[garfan]

I mean, Ford was a completely different story, he was about to trade a dozen lives just to save himself, so Buffy had reason to be harsh with him.

Buffy actually didn't know about the brain tumors, so she didn't know about the "save himself" part

While she does use some harder wording with Angel in Amends, again, it's a very different situation. Angel is wallowing in self-pity and essentially trying to "take the easy way out" instead of staying in the fight and facing his demons. Again, it makes sense that Buffy might be harder in trying to get through to him.

But being so harsh and unempathetic to a group of young, scared, vulnerable girls in her care, girls who share a similar fate to her, girls who are not all that much unlike her and who are looking to her for empathy and guidance after one of their own was manipulating by a powerful evil force? THAT feels OOC and not like the Buffy who just two seasons before could show empathy and understanding to a robot mourning her gross creator.

April wasn't suicidal though.

You give good reasons for Buffy to be hostile to Angel and Ford and not to Chloe and the Potentials. But the fact is the closest we ever see Buffy to being empathetic to a potential suicide is Jonathan in Earshot, and she thinks she's talking down a potential mass murderer not a person planning to kill themselves.

There's never a case of her being gentle with someone who's trying to kill themselves or talking about someone who did, that I can think of. It may simply be that she is so disgusted by the idea that she can't really empathize with that. That it's not OOC, it's just a blindspot for her

 

[RachM]

Buffy actually didn't know about the brain tumors, so she didn't know about the "save himself" part

Yes, she did, Ford told her when she was confronting him.

April wasn't suicidal though.

I was using it as an example of Buffy showing empathy.

You give good reasons for Buffy to be hostile to Angel and Ford and not to Chloe and the Potentials. But the fact is the closest we ever see Buffy to being empathetic to a potential suicide is Jonathan in Earshot, and she thinks she's talking down a potential mass murderer not a person planning to kill themselves.

There's never a case of her being gentle with someone who's trying to kill themselves or talking about someone who did, that I can think of. It may simply be that she is so disgusted by the idea that she can't really empathize with that. That it's not OOC, it's just a blindspot for her

But we're not talking about Buffy trying to talk someone down. As you yourself said, Chloe was already gone. I'm talking about Buffy showing a complete lack of sympathy or empathy to Chloe and the terrifying and grieving young women in here care. That is what seems OOC to me.

 

[NotASlayer]

Turok Han showed up when the First sprang it's trap, which means at that point the First could presumably release them when it wanted. Possibly it only had a small group there because it didn't want to blow up a large number

Most of the Turok Han were definitely inside the Hellmouth. That they were seeping out is more suggestive of the season's bad writing than anything else.

The only advice they were giving at that moment was don't fight, when the First has total access to the house and they know it uses stuff like bombs.

Good advice at this point. Chosen showed that violence was doomed to fail, and it did. The First is so dumb that it makes Glory look like a genius, though, and it could be out-thought. And that is what W&H proved.

That pisses me off. Kennedy is responsible for Chloe, not Buffy

I said collaborated in the abuse. Buffy put Kennedy in charge of the Potentials and did nothing to stop her from abusing that power. Buffy was the leader and a leader is responsible for their subordinates. Buffy was a terrible leader. Given that the First was speaking to Chloe, she may have still killed herself, but Buffy's terrible leadership contributed.

 

[garfan]

so much of this post irritates me

Most of the Turok Han were definitely inside the Hellmouth. That they were seeping out is more suggestive of the season's bad writing than anything else.

so you're willing to give the bad guy plans working are bad writing but you critique the good guys though?

Good advice at this point. Chosen showed that violence was doomed to fail, and it did. The First is so dumb that it makes Glory look like a genius, though, and it could be out-thought. And that is what W&H proved.

Spike would have been slaughtered without the fighting so the violence worked to some degree. And no, not fighting was bad advice for the reasons I pointed out

I said collaborated in the abuse. Buffy put Kennedy in charge of the Potentials and did nothing to stop her from abusing that power. Buffy was the leader and a leader is responsible for their subordinates. Buffy was a terrible leader. Given that the First was speaking to Chloe, she may have still killed herself, but Buffy's terrible leadership contributed.

So Buffy delegated and listened to advice from others cause how else would she know Kennedy could handle that. She did exactly what everyone claims she didn't do and still get trashed.

 

[NotASlayer]

so you're willing to give the bad guy plans working are bad writing but you critique the good guys though?

The issue is that the First went to a lot of trouble to only manage to get one Turok Han out. Then more just appeared.

Spike would have been slaughtered without the fighting so the violence worked to some degree. And no, not fighting was bad advice for the reasons I pointed out

Sure, the way it was handled, Spike would have been slaughtered. The problem is that non-one knew that was going to happen. Going in with the idea of defending Spike until he exploded is one thing ("Right everyone, Spike is going to go boom; defend him until that happens.") - and that in and of itself was a lousy plan - but going in and fighting knowing you were going to be slaughtered and not knowing Spike was going to explode is just pure idiocy. As has been pointed out on these forums, there were ways of beating the First without launching an assault against a force that outnumbered them badly.

This was a bad plan, badly executed. If Angel had said no to W&H, taken a few days to decide or even got into a nasty accident on the way to Sunnydale, everyone would have died. The plan was a disaster doomed to fail.

So Buffy delegated and listened to advice from others cause how else would she know Kennedy could handle that. She did exactly what everyone claims she didn't do and still get trashed.

She delegated to Kennedy, someone she has only just met - and I have said elsewhere that with better leadership (not Buffy), Kennedy might have been a good sergeant - rather than those she knew could do the job, and left Kennedy in place even after seeing she was mistreating the Potentials.

 

[hoponlilmama]

While Kennedy was definitely a bully, she is not "responsible" for Chloe's death. The First manipulated the poor girl into doing what she did.

That being said, Buffy's complete lack of empathy and use of language such as "idiot" and "weak" to describe Chloe while simultaneously berating the other Potentials in the aftermath is horrific and OOC for her, and feels inorganic, given all the personal experience she had with suicidal ideation the previous season.

Good point, considering how she felt in s6.

 

[garfan]

The issue is that the First went to a lot of trouble to only manage to get one Turok Han out. Then more just appeared.

Besides the narrative suggesting that the First is winning there, I also think you could make a case it's hard to re-lock a door after it's been kicked down even if you try to set it back up. The Scoobies didn't exactly have a difficult time entering the seal later

Sure, the way it was handled, Spike would have been slaughtered. The problem is that non-one knew that was going to happen. Going in with the idea of defending Spike until he exploded is one thing ("Right everyone, Spike is going to go boom; defend him until that happens.") - and that in and of itself was a lousy plan - but going in and fighting knowing you were going to be slaughtered and not knowing Spike was going to explode is just pure idiocy. As has been pointed out on these forums, there were ways of beating the First without launching an assault against a force that outnumbered them badly.

the only way I've seen suggested is getting a nuke from the US military through Riley and I don't know if I believe a small black ops unit could get their hands on that

the fact is the size of the army was as much a diabolus ex machina as them winning was a deus ex machina

She delegated to Kennedy, someone she has only just met - and I have said elsewhere that with better leadership (not Buffy), Kennedy might have been a good sergeant - rather than those she knew could do the job, and left Kennedy in place even after seeing she was mistreating the Potentials.

you're giving Kennedy to much credit. But here's the list of people Buffy hadn't only just met at that point. Giles, Willow, Xander, Anya, Spike, Dawn. Willow and Spike are mentally unstable to varying degrees and have no experience teaching anyone. Xander and Anya have no fighting experience. Giles is frequently absent

Good point, considering how she felt in s6.

you think Buffy had any sympathy for herself in season 6?

 

[RachM]

you think Buffy had any sympathy for herself in season 6?

No one is suggesting that - no one is harder on Buffy than herself - what we are arguing is that having been through depression and suicidal ideation herself, it stands to reason that Buffy would be empathetic to someone else experiencing those same things. And Buffy has always been an empathetic character, so it's odd that she doesn't display any empathy in this situation.

 

[NotASlayer]

Besides the narrative suggesting that the First is winning there, I also think you could make a case it's hard to re-lock a door after it's been kicked down even if you try to set it back up. The Scoobies didn't exactly have a difficult time entering the seal later

Which is why the writing seems sloppy.

the only way I've seen suggested is getting a nuke from the US military through Riley and I don't know if I believe a small black ops unit could get their hands on that

the fact is the size of the army was as much a diabolus ex machina as them winning was a deus ex machina

I did not literally mean nuke the site from orbit; I was paraphrasing Ripley! Beside, a fuel-air explosive would work just as well. I think it was @Ethan Reigns who suggested pumping the Hellmouth full of fuel - something the Scoobies could have done - lighting the blue touchpaper and standing well back.

The army's size makes it a military problem and military problems have military solutions. Surrounding the school with massed machine guns and armour or simply killing the Turok-Han as they emerged from the Hellmouth, which they could only do a few at a time, would have worked. If only Buffy knew someone in the US military she could call...

you're giving Kennedy to much credit. But here's the list of people Buffy hadn't only just met at that point. Giles, Willow, Xander, Anya, Spike, Dawn. Willow and Spike are mentally unstable to varying degrees and have no experience teaching anyone. Xander and Anya have no fighting experience. Giles is frequently absent

I think Kennedy had potential. No pun intended! But she needed good leadership to direct that potential.

By this point, Xander has more leadership experience than any of the Scoobies and has spent over six years fighting creatures that are stronger and tougher than him and not dying. Not even Buffy can claim the last. He has more fighting experience than many military veterans. Anya has a couple of years of similar experience.