Buffy ep by ep; TOUCHED-sex and slitting throats

[saturn5]

TOUCHED

The Good;
Wonderful scene between Faith and The Mayor/First, so great to see him back. Buffy finally bests Caleb and some Buffy and Spike scenes to set the Spuffer's hearts aflutter. Oh and everyone has loads of sex

The Bad;
I know Spike's trapped in the mission but what about Andrew, surely he can pop out, get a paper? What does Caleb want with the scythe, what good is it to him? Surely the Scoobs must realise that the Bringer will tip off The First allowing it to set the trap?

Best line;
Buffy (tearfully); "I don't want to be the one" does she mean the Slayer or just alone?
but I do like;
Wood; (of The First) "It was just trying to find your Achilles heel"
Faith; "No it just talked to me. It does a heel thing too?" (once this Twilight business is over I think it's night classes for you my dear)

Women good/men bad;
Interestingly Caleb refers to 'brute strength' just before Buffy wipes the floor with him. It's a very female concept, he has strength and speed but she's agile and intuitive, able to anticipate his every move. Once again Buffy shows her strength as a general, playing to her strengths and turning his power to her advantage.

Jeez!;
Giles slits the Bringer's throat

Kinky dinky;
Xander and Anya have ice cream sex on the kitchen floor, Faith plays 'ride'em cowgirl' with Wood, him succumbing to her charms by saying "You're the leader"

Captain Subtext;
Buffy says that she and Spike were never close and he only wanted her as she was unattainable. But actually the sexless scene between her and Spike falling asleep in one another's arms is the closest they've ever been. Note both Faith and Wood lost their mother at a young age, his mother was a Slayer and now he has sex with one whilst her attraction to him has the same 'Electral' (is that how you put it?) elements as Buffy's. Kennedy says she's going to give Willow 'Screaming joy' and 'Unrestrained moaning'. Obviously thinks a lot of herself in the sack, maybe it's the pierced tongue? She also says she'll 'tether Willow down'. She must be pretty impressive as Xander and Anya can hear Willow moaning all the way down in the kitchen. A nice little moment between Faith and Giles when he praises her leadership, just as with Wes in the Angel-'souless'-arc, Watcher and Slayer finally as it always was intended to be (Faith and her dad?). Faith says it's 'been a while' when she seduces Wood, implying since she's had sex or been with a man? Faith admits to Wood that Wilkins was like a father to her. Then she beds Wood, another older man authority figure with a dark side and possibly demonic essence.

Guantanamo Bay;
Torturing the captured Bringer and then Giles slitting his throat in cold blood.

Scoobies to the ER;

Missing scenes;

Apocalypses; 7,

Wheldon Cliches (with kind permission from Boo)

Scoobies in bondage:
Buffy: 9
Giles: 4
Cordy: 5
Will: 4
Jenny: 1
Angel: 4
Oz: 1
Faith: 3
Joyce: 1
Wes: 1
Xander; 3
Dawn; 4
Spike; 4

Scoobies knocked out:
Buffy: 23
Giles: 12
Cordy: 6
Xander: 16
Will: 10
Jenny: 2
Angel: 6
Oz: 3
Faith: 1
Joyce: 3
Wes: 1
Anya;7
Dawn; 6
Tara; 1
Spike; 3
Kennedy; 1

Kills: 2 Bringers for Kennedy who seems the best fighter of all the Potentials by some way. Another Bringer for Giles and one each for Vi, Kennedy and Faith
Buffy: 125 vamps, 62 demons, 6 monsters, 10 humans, 1 werewolf, 1 spirit warrior & a robot
Giles: 8 vamps, 2 demons, 3 humans/1 god.
Will: 6 vamps + 3 demons +1 fawn+1 human.
Oz: 3 vamps, 1 zombie
Faith: 19 vamps, 6 demons, 4 humans.
Xander: 6 vamps, 2 zombies, 1½ a demon, 2 humans
Anya: 1 vamp and 1½ a demon
Riley; 18 vamps + 7 demons
Spike; 11 vamps and 7 demons+1 human
Buffybot; 2 vamps
Tara; 1 demon
Dawn; 1 vamp + 1 demon
Kennedy; 3 humans+1 vampire
Amanda; 1 vampire
Woods; 5 vamps and 2 demons
Vi; 1 human

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

Alternate scoobies: possessed Andrew
Buffy: 8
Giles: 4
Cordy: 1
Will: 6
Jenny: 2
Angel: 3
Oz: 2
Joyce: 2
Xander: 4
Tara; 1
Dawn;1
Spike; 1
Anya; 2
Andrew; 1

Recurring characters killed: 16,
Jesse, Flutie, Jenny, Kendra, Larry, Snyder, Professor Walsh, Forrest, McNamara, Joyce, Katrina, Tara, Quentin Travers, Chloe, Molly, Jonathon.

Sunnydale deaths;
107

Total number of scoobies: 35 or so. Again, despite the house teeming with Potentials no Chao-Anh but Vi is back.
Xander, Buffy, Dawn, Willow, Anya, Spike, Giles, Kennedy, Vi, Rhona, Amanda, Chao-Anh, Wood, Andrew, Faith plus an indeterminate number of potentials.

Xander demon magnet: 6(7?)
Preying Mantis Lady, Inca Mummy Girl, Drusilla, VampWillow, Anya, Lissa (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: Faith beds Wood and Willow and Kennedy finally get it on
Giles: 2; Joyce & Olivia, possibly Jenny and 3xDraccy babes?
Buffy: 4 confirmed; Angel, Parker, Riley, Spike. 3 possible, Dracula+RJ+Shadowmen's demon(?)
Joyce: 1;Giles, 2 possible, Ted and Dracula(?)
Oz: 3; Groupie, Willow & Verucca
Faith:4 ;Xander, Riley, Bullwhip guy and Wood.
Xander: 2; Faith, Anya
Willow: 3;Oz, Tara and Kennedy
Riley; 3; Buffy, Sandy and unnamed vampwhore
Spike; 2 Buffy and Anya
Anya; 2 Spike and Xander
Kennedy; 1 Willow
Wood; 1 Faith

Dawn in peril; 14

Dawn the bashful virgin; 9

What the fanficcers thought;

Questions and observations;
Amanda during the opening argument very reminiscent of Willow during Buffy's 'intervention' over Angel's return in Revalations (in fact Amanda AND Vi are very reminiscent of season 1 Willow in many ways). Dawn very much in the junior Watcher role now and seemingly a confidant for Giles (the closest thing to Buffy for him?). Buffy feels bad about how she's treated the gang saying she cut herself off and always did. Does the First tell the truth when it takes a form? Everything it says comes true just not in the way people think. What is Caleb's agenda? He wants to rid the world of sin yet allys himself with the First Evil? Or does he just want to destory humanity as he's so disgusted in them?The fight scenes very Matrix like, Buffy even doing Neo's backward flailing move. The First yearns to be able to touch once more, is that it's eternal punishment, to never be able to feel the flesh? To walk amongst the living yet not know life? Check out Xander's little turn to the camera as the rest are talking, for a moment you almost think he's going to turn traitor (like Wes in WITW)

Marks out of 10; 8/10

 

[MinwaraYana]

Not my fav. But I just love how The Mayor/First said that Faith wants Buffy to accept her, to love her. 😀

Good to see Faith leading even she ends up at the time bomb. She really grew up a lot and became a good leader.

The Spuffy scene is one of the sweetest scenes ever. And good idea about The First can't touch. I wanna laugh in its face. :lmao: Buffy playing avoidy with Caleb is awesome!

8.5/10

 

[Anya2012]

Not my favourite either with the eception of the Mayor.

Was this the episode where Spike says:

Spoiler

" I'm drowning in footwear!

 

[Anya2012]

^^I thought as much. I hope that line will be Saturn's Best Line for the last episode. I just find it very funny.

 

[MinwaraYana]

^^I thought as much. I hope that line will be Saturn's Best Line for the last episode. I just find it very funny.

Yeah. It's funny. 😀 But there's many good lines in Chosen.

 

[Eleftheria]

I really liked Faith's encounter with the Mayor/First. Perhaps the only thing that could touch her so deeply at this dangerous hour.She did consider him "a father" even though she doesn't get sentimental often.

I think when Buffy says "I don't wanna be the one" she is not referring to the Slayer mission but to Spike's words.

Good episode, I really felt sorry for Buffy who was alone in that house. I am glad Spike kept her company although for me he is not the ideal guy who should keep her company...:whistle:

 

[Wild At Heart]

I like this ep...I like when Spike goes off on Faith, Giles, Willow & the potentials. I completely agree with him...Buffy may not have had the best judgement but she has died for them...she gave her life to save theirs & this is how they thank her? It makes me hate the potentials even more...all they do is whine & cry. I lost respect for everyone when they kicked Buffy out. I mean, Dawn kicking Buffy out?? She says "this is my house too." Well, um, are you the one working to pay for "your" house? Don't think so. Ok end of rant lol.

 

[ToShanshuInLA]

All I really remember from this episode is The First/Mayor scene and Spike's "Wah, you're so ungrateful. Wah, you hurt Buffy's feelings, waaaah!" 'Cause the Scoobies have never done anything for her...lololol. I almost forgot how much this season annoyed me.

 

[saturn5]

I like this ep...I like when Spike goes off on Faith, Giles, Willow & the potentials. I completely agree with him...Buffy may not have had the best judgement but she has died for them...she gave her life to save theirs & this is how they thank her? It makes me hate the potentials even more...all they do is whine & cry. I lost respect for everyone when they kicked Buffy out. I mean, Dawn kicking Buffy out?? She says "this is my house too." Well, um, are you the one working to pay for "your" house? Don't think so. Ok end of rant lol.

No, that's not fair, who paid for Buffy's house? Well for the most part Hank and Joyce who are Dawn's parents too. Rhona is the bitch but you can't judge folks like Amanda and Vi in the same way. I think at one time or other all of the Scoobs have let the others down but forgiveness for all

 

[Kanazaka]

Just before Willow agrees to have sex with Kennedy, she tells her that she worries that she might lose control and go dark. In "Time of Your Life" in Season 8, there is another scene in which Willow worries about the confluence of sex and magic, and its possible effects on their relationship. Do you think this is a coincidence, or does this Season 8 scene intentionally call back to the scene in "Touched"? If so, what do you think both scenes (individually and/or combined) tell us about the relationship between Willow and Kennedy? I would think that Willow is in a better frame of mind in Season 8, so she wouldn't be worried that Kennedy would be reluctant to have sex with her for the greater good. That, and I would think that their relationship would be stronger. But I don't really think that it is that much stronger, and I wonder if it will ever be as strong as that between Willow and Tara (or, if we're talking love in general, between Willow and Oz). Willow doesn't seem comfortable having sex with Kennedy in both Seasons 7 and 8, but for different reasons. Are both reasons ultimately tied back to Tara, or is it something else?

P.S. If the Willow one-shot provides any insight to the Willow-Kennedy relationship, please do not specifically tell me what that insight is, or use spoiler tags :smile3:.

 

[ToShanshuInLA]

Oh, it makes me so mad when Buffy trespasses on that man's property and then kicks him out of his OWN HOUSE!

 

[TheVoid68]

All I really remember from this episode is The First/Mayor scene and Spike's "Wah, you're so ungrateful. Wah, you hurt Buffy's feelings, waaaah!" 'Cause the Scoobies have never done anything for her...lololol. I almost forgot how much this season annoyed me.

I really hated Spike in this episode. He has a go at the Scoobies when he wasn't even there and has no idea what has happened. And then Faith tells him to chill out, so he decides to accuse her of enjoying Buffy's pain and then hits her with no provocation.

Oh, it makes me so mad when Buffy trespasses on that man's property and then kicks him out of his OWN HOUSE!

This. I think Buffy misheard a life lesson somewhere. She was told "Do unto others as you would like done unto you" and heard "Do unto innocent strangers what you percieve to have been done to you".

 

[Bungle Jerry]

Willow speaks Turkish in this episode! Very badly, but still... Turkish! What she says is "speak to us, man without eyes".

 

[dan k]

I really hated Spike in this episode. He has a go at the Scoobies when he wasn't even there and has no idea what has happened. And then Faith tells him to chill out, so he decides to accuse her of enjoying Buffy's pain and then hits her with no provocation.

Spike was always going to side with Buffy because of the way he felt about her. On countless occasions you see people backing their friends or lovers in whatver circumstances, it didn't surprise me that Spike acted in this way and i actually liked it.

 

[TheVoid68]

Spike was always going to side with Buffy because of the way he felt about her. On countless occasions you see people backing their friends or lovers in whatver circumstances, it didn't surprise me that Spike acted in this way and i actually liked it.

And if he had sided with Buffy I would've been fine with it. But he insulted them, acted like they were 100% definitely in the wrong when even if they were he wouldn't know, because he has no idea what happened. And then he hit Faith with no provocation.

 

[dan k]

And if he had sided with Buffy I would've been fine with it. But he insulted them, acted like they were 100% definitely in the wrong when even if they were he wouldn't know, because he has no idea what happened. And then he hit Faith with no provocation.

This is Spike he wasn't just going to go quietly. His feelings for Buffy meant he was determined to fight her battles for her whatever the circumstance.

Plus the point he made about all that Buffy has done for them was actually quite a valid one in my opinion.

 

[white avenger]

Like Spike's speech in this episode, there's one thing of which I am certain. Spike will always defend Buffy, will always take her part, and will stand against anyone or any THING that might harm her in any way. It wouldn't have mattered to him what she had or had not done, or whether what she did was right, wrong, or ambiguous. By Season 7, he had absolute loyalty to and faith in Buffy.

 

[saturn5]

Oh, it makes me so mad when Buffy trespasses on that man's property and then kicks him out of his OWN HOUSE!

She doesn't kick him out, she just asks to bunk with him for a while?

I think there are no villains in the last few eps of s7, all the Scoobs have their own point and they're all justified in one way or another?

 

[TheVoid68]

You see, this is why I don't like Spike. He's blinded by his love for Buffy, and becomes completely unreasonable when anyone questions her. And I think Buffy needs someone who will tell her when she's being a bitca, the last thing Miss Superiority Complex needs is a boot-licking yes-man.

And regardless, you cannot defend his hitting Faith. I could understand him defending Buffy verbally, but there was no need to get physical.

 

[ToShanshuInLA]

She doesn't kick him out, she just asks to bunk with him for a while?

MAN
Don't move!
Buffy doesn't flinch. She stares at the man without emotion.
MAN
Get out of my house.
BUFFY
Hey.
Her hand shoots out, lightning-quick, and snatches the gun from him.
BUFFY
I thought the place would be empty. I was looking for a
place to crash. You know, you really should leave.
MAN
You can't just kick me out of my own house.
BUFFY
Why not? It's what all the cool kids are doing nowadays.