Buffy ep by ep; POTENTIAL-All hail Miss Sunnydale 2003!

[saturn5]

POTENTIAL

The Good;
Amanda, by far my favourite Potential, love her to bits, the way she talks is rather reminiscent of Dana Scully from the X-files. She comes just ahead of Vi who is also great (so nice to have Felicia on Dollhouse), they both remind of season 1 Willow. Great stuff from Dawn too, fun training scenes and the final scene with Xander is too wonderful for words.

The Bad;
How can Spike attack the Potentials? What about his chip? Equally he can kill the Bringers, are they not wholly human?

Best line;
Xander; (to Dawn) "You're not special. You're extraordinary" (how true!)

Women good/men bad;
Andrew refers back to the female legacy of Eve. Actually we'll soon see where the real legacy of the Slayer began and it's not too empowering for the girls in question.

Jeez!;
Amanda wants to unleash the vamp on the marching band?

Kinky dinky;
During the training session Buffy ends up straddling Spike and feeling him up beneath his shirt. The Potentials comment that 'That's hot' and ask if they're expected to make out with the vampires? They also wonder how Buffy knows that Spike's crypt is comfy and seem to be peeking at Xander whilst he's in the shower at the Summer's house. What a load of saucy minxes! Amanda thinks that a guy who picks on her is quite cute. A sadomasochistic fondness for bad boys who make her miserable? All the makings of a Slayer RIGHT THERE! She just needs to get tied up and knocked out a few times. Buffy obviously thinks the same as she draws a comparison between Amanda and her tormentor and her and Spike. Rhona says she likes the feel of wood in her hand (Joss gives 15 year old girls this kind of dialogue? Worse than Dawn's 'Meat party in my mouth' line). Andrew says he hate's his free will. Dawn may have injured 'something she'll need later in life' whilst climbing into the school. She considers Xander's army training sexy and get's a kiss from him at the end (awwwww!).

Captain Subtext;
The obvious subtext here is that Dawn finally has a house full of girls of her age but they're all special because they're Potentials and she's not, Buffy is spending all her time with them and giving them her attention and she's excluded even though she's already killed a vampire and a demon. So close but so far. Dawn admires a girl in her gym class as a 'glamazon', interesting phrasing! She also considers being a sailor as she likes the water, well you know what all the nice girls like? Vi says the demon bar is like a gay bar, has she been to many? Clem once again resembles Buffy's gay best friend whilst Xander is referred to as the one who sees which will have greater significance later in the season. Buffy and Spike getting closer and closer.

Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy and Spike lock the girls into a crypt with a vamp, awfully like the Cruciantenam? But 5 to one with weapons and Spike and her waiting just outside

Scoobies to the ER;

Missing scenes;

Apocalypses; 7,

Wheldon Cliches (with kind permission from Boo)

Scoobies in bondage:
Buffy: 8
Giles: 4
Cordy: 5
Will: 4
Jenny: 1
Angel: 4
Oz: 1
Faith: 3
Joyce: 1
Wes: 1
Xander; 2
Dawn; 4
Spike; 2

Scoobies knocked out:
Buffy: 20
Giles: 12
Cordy: 6
Xander: 15
Will: 9
Jenny: 2
Angel: 6
Oz: 3
Faith: 1
Joyce: 3
Wes: 1
Anya;7
Dawn; 4
Tara; 1
Spike; 1

Kills: Spike kills a Bringer as does Buffy. 1 vamp for Amanda and 1 vamp for Kennedy (although that's more of a group effort)
Buffy: 118 vamps, 60 demons, 6 monsters, 10 humans, 1 werewolf, 1 spirit warrior & a robot
Giles: 8 vamps, 2 demon, 1 human/1 god.
Will: 6 vamps + 3 demons +1 fawn+1 human.
Oz: 3 vamps, 1 zombie
Faith: 16 vamps, 5 demons, 3 humans
Xander: 6 vamps, 2 zombies, 1½ a demon, 2 humans
Anya: 1 vamp and 1½ a demon
Riley; 18 vamps + 7 demons
Spike; 9 vamps and 6 demons+1 human
Buffybot; 2 vamps
Tara; 1 demon
Dawn; 1 vamp + 1 demon
Kennedy; 1 human+1 vampire
Amanda; 1 vampire

Scoobies go evil:
Giles: 1
Cordy: 1
Will: 3
Jenny: 1
Angel: 1
Oz: 1
Joyce: 1
Xander: 4
Anya; 1
Dawn; 1
Buffy; 1
Spike; 1

Alternate scoobies:
Buffy: 8
Giles: 4
Cordy: 1
Will: 5
Jenny: 2
Angel: 3
Oz: 2
Joyce: 2
Xander: 4
Tara; 1
Dawn;1
Spike; 1
Anya; 2

Recurring characters killed: 13
Jesse, Flutie, Jenny, Kendra, Larry, Snyder, Professor Walsh, Forrest, McNamara, Joyce, Katrina, Tara, Quentin Travers.

Sunnydale deaths;
103

Total number of scoobies: Add Amanda so 13. HOWEVER where is Chloe this week? (doesn't look good for her) Or Molly?
Xander, Buffy, Dawn, Willow, Anya, Spike, Giles, Kennedy, Molly, Vi, Chloe, Rhona, Amanda

Xander demon magnet: 5(6?)
Preying Mantis Lady, Inca Mummy Girl, Drusilla, VampWillow, Anya (arguably Buffy & Faith with their demon essences?), Dracula?

Scoobies shot:
Giles: 2
Angel: 3
Oz: 4
Riley; 1
Buffy; 1
Tara; 1

Notches on Scooby bedpost:
Giles: 2; Joyce & Olivia, possibly Jenny and 3xDraccy babes?
Buffy: 4 confirmed; Angel, Parker, Riley, Spike. 2 possible, Dracula+RJ(?)
Joyce: 1;Giles, 2 possible, Ted and Dracula(?)
Oz: 3; Groupie, Willow & Verucca
Faith:2 ;Xander, Riley
Xander: 2; Faith, Anya
Willow: 2;Oz and Tara
Riley; 3; Buffy, Sandy and unnamed vampwhore
Spike; 2 Buffy and Anya
Anya; 2 Spike and Xander

Dawn in peril; 14

Dawn the bashful virgin; 9

What the fanficcers thought;
No shortage of Dawn the Vampire Slayer fics out there. Also Dawn and Amanda are a pretty popular slashfic couple. The Circle, a Buffy: The Vampire Slayer fanfic - FanFiction.Net

Questions and observations;
Bloody long teaser, almost a mini-ep in itself. Rhona comments that the 'black chick always gets it first'. Actually one of the points of the Scream series was that black people were very seldom the victims (possibly because most slasher flicks are set in small, middle-class rural towns with an overwhelmingly white population). Buffy once again shows her mettle as a general, her training of the Potentials is masterful. She makes first reference to the big dessert at the end of the meal, believing in heaven and telling the Potentials to expect their big reward, very Christian. Dawn warns the Potentials to be careful with their crossbows hinting at Miss Kitty's fate. Love Dawn's little smile when Amanda says that people say Buffy is a high-functioning schizophrenic, again the Slayer an open secret. Dawn seems very innovative fighting the vamp and the Bringers, she's a regular MacGyver. Dawn seems to remember Oz and gives another little smile when Xander mentions him. Adore Amanda, Sarah Hagan is wonderful (was so proud of myself when I spotted her as one of Ally McBeals childhood friends in a flashback). You should check her out on IMDB, she's really blossomed, looks like Katy Perry now.

Marks out of 10; controversial I'm sure but I love Amanda, I love Dawn, I love the final scene and I love this ep so 10/10 from me.

 

[MinwaraYana]

My favorite season 7 episode. I love Xander's speech. It's one of his best quotes.

And Dawn is adorable. I love her scenes with Amanda. Especially, when she helps her fighting vampire with Buffy voice over and of course, when she gives her the stake. I can see how Xander goes 'aww' at that scene and almost forget about the Bringers. I can watch this episode over and over.

10/10 for me too.

 

[sosa lola]

The episode with the beautiful Xander/Dawn scene.


Potential:


Buffy and Spike teaching the juniors. Best quote os the scene: So we're supposed to like make out with them or something.

(Now that was short?) I have a RL matter to take care of. So not in the mood for anything other than Dawn and Anya. (And Xander.) "¦ yeah.

Dawn is upset watching Buffy and the potentials. She's either pulling a Dawn or a Xander. (*snicker*) And to those who didn't get it, Dawn = I want them to pay me more attention. Xander = I wanna be as useful as them. (I think she's being Xander) Sweet, now another character is taking over Xander's lack of plot, isn't it enough that Andrew is having all the jokes? (You want Xander to joke like Andrew?) Point. Ew.

BUFFY
You're all gonna die.

Wow, Buffster. Nice motivation start.

Niiiice, little potentials, finally doing something useful, peeking at Xander in the shower. How was 'it'? (EWW!) What? The ep is boring, let me have some fun!

DAWN
Yeah, and you guys have more important things to do.

Dawn, please! I love you so much this season, don't ruin it by stealing Xander's lines. (At least Xander doesn't whine that much.) Watch the last three episodes of season six. He did whine this much.

So Dawn is the potential they're looking for. Yay?

ANYA
Wow, it's like one second you were this klutzy teenager with fake memories and a history of kleptomania, and then"”then suddenly you're a hero, a hero with a much abbreviated lifespan.

Huh? So I guess I must be a slayer to be a hero? Ahn, hon, all of you are heroes, don't let Buffy's superior speeches tell you otherwise.

WILLOW
A slayer. Makes sense, I guess. Remember that thing about they share the same blood or whatever?
ANYA
(shrugs) Yeah, I never got that.

*snicker* But you guys are so dumb to not get that.

XANDER
You are important now.

LMFAO! So what was the poor girl before? The Zeppo? Man, and you call yourself The Heart of the group!

ANDREW
Holy crap! (Xander gives him a look) Excuse me. Plucked from an ordinary life, handed a destiny"”
XANDER
(points at Andrew) Say Skywalker, and I smack ya.

Okay, Xander, I love you again.

Anyway, there are two good scenes about the Buffy, Spike and potential plot. When Clem showed up and when Buffy and Spike locked the potentials in the crypt.

Dawn meets the real potential Amanda, they have problems. I really felt bad for Dawn when she realized it was Amanda the potential and not her. I felt so proud of her when she handed her the flagpole shard.

Now, why Xander is there? Must be a Willow locating spell. How was he able to get Buffy and Spike? Must be another locating spell. Sigh. Magic. Makes life easier. Makes shows predictable and boring.

Eventually, Dawn is standing alone, watching the potentials babble, so full of themselves. Dawn feels worthless. The Mother of the House and the Father of the House come to check on the kids.

Mother of the House: You okay?

Dawn: Yes, actually no, and I'm pretty much babbling some lie to cover up my real feelings of misery.

Mother of the House: Good, sounds great, 'cause I only notice the people with 'the power' which includes Spike, Willow and these annoying juniors. Worthless people like you, Father of the House, Anya, Andrew and Giles? Who cares.

Now Xander here reminds me of my stepdad *hugs stepdad* Usually when I'm Dawn mopey, my mother doesn't really notice, only my stepdad who notices and gives me a sweet little speech and a kiss on the forehead. And you wonder why Xander is the Father of the House?

XANDER
Seven years, Dawn. Working with the slayer. Seeing my friends get more and more powerful. A witch. A demon. Hell, I could fit Oz in my shaving kit, but come a full moon, he had a wolfy mojo not to be messed with. Powerful. All of them. And I'm the guy who fixes the windows.

Sigh, it's only Xander who remembers Oz. I luv 'im!

XANDER
They'll never know how tough it is, Dawnie, to be the one who isn't chosen. To live so near to the spotlight and never step in it. But I know

.

*hugs* flashbacks to The Zeppo.

Xander:
I see more than anybody realizes because nobody's watching me.

Hey, that's a lie! I only watch the show for you! I don't give crap about Spuffy and Willow's witchy power! It's only you I watch!

Xander:
I saw you last night. I see you working here today. You're not special. You're extraordinary.

And then he gives her a kiss on the forehead. *hugs Xander*

This ep is much better than the last, but it's quite boring in places.

6/10 just for the Xander speech.