Buffy's Added Strength

What explains Buffy's added power in Prophecy Girl

  • Slayer Power

    Votes: 6 18.2%
  • Psychological Insight and greater confidence

    Votes: 18 54.5%
  • The Powers that Be

    Votes: 1 3.0%
  • A greater power

    Votes: 3 9.1%
  • Something Else

    Votes: 5 15.2%

  • Total voters
    33
Here's one I'm starting to get attracted to - what about a combination of Watcher1006 and Wannabeslayer's "Buffy connected to the Master's power" theory, and DDLM and Arabella's 'confidence" theory?
 
W
watcher1006
Yes, why be limited to just one factor? See next post...
Yes, I can see Buffy feeling release, feeling confident after being revived. After all, fate and the Master have just thrown all at her, and she is still standing. Whatever else may be in store can just come-bring it on.

But something has changed-Buffy is different. For one thing she no longer submits to the Master's hypnotic persuasion.

Multi-season discussion below:

Three vampires clearly had this power of hypnotic persuasion-the Master, Drusilla, and Dracula. For the Master it worked on Buffy at the beginning but not after he killed her and Xander brought her back to life. As for Drusilla, she used it to easily eliminate Kendra in "Becoming Pt. I" (too easily, IMO). Dracula holds sway over Buffy at the beginning of their encounter, and she allows him to bite her (don't forget the Master bit her too). Dracula doesn't kill her with his bite but Buffy later lets Xander take her to Dracula (it's not clear if she's still just submitting to Drac's will at this point) and then drinks his blood in the castle which produces images of the origins of her power. At some point between Dracula drinking her blood and she drinking his blood she's thrown off his power over her, as she earlier threw off the Master's. Buffy then proceeds to dispose of Drac. But in the end one theme of "Buffy v. Dracula" is that somehow Buffy's power as the vampire slayer is linked to the power of the vampires themselves. Buffy is strengthened when she encounters Dracula, as she was strengthened after she fell to the Master.

In the end, maybe it was indeed a synergy of emotional change and added power which empowered Buffy to defeat the Master. Just a humble opinion. 🙂
 
Really? Are you sure there's nothing? Does it often snow on a sweltering night in Southern California? It did in Amends.

See, no it doesnt often snow, but that doesnt mean it never does......

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- An unusual storm socked Southern California mountains with up to two feet of snow Sunday, stranding dozens of motorists on impassable highways while turning even some desert communities into winter wonderlands.

Heavy snow forced the closure of Interstate 15 through the Cajon Pass for about five hours in the morning, but no major weather-related accidents or serious injuries were reported, authorities said.

The weather system, which developed in British Columbia and swept into California via Nevada, is called an "inside slider" for its rare approach into Southern California, from the northeast instead of the typical route through the Pacific Ocean.


"This happens about once every 10 years, and when it does, it's bad," said Ivory Small, chief science officer for the National Weather Service in San Diego. "You get about every type of weather ... These systems are tricky to predict."

Temperatures plunged across the region and the weather service warned farmers that frost was likely overnight. As much as two feet of snow fell in the San Bernardino Mountains.

"The mountains got clobbered," NWS meteorologist Steven Vanderberg said. "It packed a pretty good punch. This system just brought in a lot of cold air with it."

Snow fell even at low elevations in Riverside County, including three inches in Lake Elsinore and Murrieta and one inch in Temecula. Local children tossed snowballs and hauled sleds onto golf courses to play in the snow.

Nancy Ashley videotaped the snow falling in the backyard of her Murrieta home.

"I grabbed the camera just so I can prove to everybody," Ashley told KNBC-TV. "I had it documented."

Up to a foot of snow fell in the desert areas of northern San Bernardino County, while six inches fell in communities such as Yucca Valley and Twentynine Palms. A heavy snow warning was issued for parts of Joshua Tree National Park.

The storm, part of an upper-level low pressure system headed into southern Arizona, dumped about three inches of snow in the mountains of San Diego County, Vanderberg said. As much as three-quarters of an inch of rain fell in the county's valley regions.

Local law enforcement and emergency agencies said there had been no major mudslides in at-risk mountain areas that burned in last year's firestorms.

In San Bernardino County, snow and ice closed sections of several highways, including Highway 18 from San Bernardino to Crestline and Highway 330 from Highland to Running Springs, said California Highway Patrol dispatch supervisor Doug Showalter.

"We have a lot (more) people stranded because of snow and ice, than we have accidents," he said. "The mountains are just treacherous."

Pea-sized hail fell in parts of Orange County. In Irvine, the storm unleashed strong winds that toppled a eucalyptus tree onto a home. Some of the approximately 20 University of California, Irvine, students who had been sleeping inside suffered minor cuts and bruises.

Source

1987: Hurricane winds batter southern England
Southern Britain has begun a massive clear-up operation after the worst night of storms in living memory.
At least 13 people are known to have died and many dozens have been injured, mostly by falling trees and buildings.

Rescue workers faced an unprecedented number of call-outs as winds hit 94 mph (151 km/h) in the capital and over 110 mph (177 km/h) in the Channel Islands.

Weather forecasters have faced criticism for failing to predict the severity of the weather.

The worst affected areas were along the south coast - in Kent five people died including two seamen in Dover Harbour, and in Dorset two firemen were killed as they answered an emergency call.

Source

Above are two examples of Bizarre weather to affect regions that don't typically expect this...notice one is snow in Southern California and the other was a Hurricane in the UK that baffled the Meterological society even aloowing the Weather men to go on TV and promise it was not going to hit this country.
SO it might not often snow on a 'hot day' in Southern California, BUT that doesnt mean overnight there couldnt be a dramatic change in the systems to allow it, as if you remember Christmas Eve was the hot day, Christmas Day morning suffered the Snow.

Doesn't a vampire have to be invited into a house? Angel somehow entered Kate's home to save her in Epiphany. He didn't have an invitation.

See this again is a completely different thing.
A rule was changed for some unknown reason, one that is specifically commented on.
Buffy didn't give anything about how she knew, so we have to go by what we know of her character as thats what we see.
We know she uses deductive reasoning, we know that she is more often then not, correct we also know if she doesnt lack the courage of convictions she comes across as absolutely certain.

I could probably myself find some beings from above to try and explain there being some supernatural reason to her knowing, but we only have what wesee, and we never see her say...i know because....
When She Was Bad was a perfect opportunity to address this as it delved into what happened in PG, yet it never comes up...why is that?

What explains these things, I don't know, I just know we see them from time to time in Buffy and Angel.
Yes we do, but there is always some comment, some recognition of this, yet in the case we are discussing, there is none of this.

How does Buffy know where the Master is? I don't know. I've seen Prophecy Girl though, and I'm convinced she does. Buffy is walking to where the Master is on top of the school with force in her step, and a definite location in mind. Xander asks her how she knows where she's going. She simply replies "I know". She does so with force and confidence. She doesn't say, "Well I think he'll want to get some place high because he'll want to look around, and enjoy his victory, and I base this on absolutely nothing", she only says 'she knows', but does so in a manner which suggests she just knows. How does she know? I don't know. I just know she does. I don't know how it can snow on a hot night in Southern California, but in the Buffyverse it has happened.
No she doesnt explain to Xander, why should she?
She is the one who is doing the fightin, she is the General. She has done the deductive work and now she is focused on getting the Master. She is pumping for the kill, annoyed at her 'death' and seeking to stop the Master before he can do any more damage.
I know myself when i've been busy, focused on one thing, someone asks for an explanation that they don't really need, i don't stop and tell them, i often curtley say, 'i know what i'm doing'.
See above for Snow.

So...as long as we're talking about precedent, and you're offering natural law as the one true, and only possible explanation for Buffy coming back from a near death experience with doubled strength over a lengthy period of time as a result of prolonged, adrenal stimulation why don't you give me one. Tell me of a case where that's ever happened.

I'm offering the fact that when the adrenaline is pumping it has an extraordinary effect on the body...thats not something that is made up, its scientific fact....it's not a point of her near death experience, its a point that the situation had caused an increase of Adrenaline production, giving her an added amount of strength, also i'd wager a higher tolerance of pain(which would make her appear stonger too).

You don't need examples of what i am saying, you need to speak to an expert(not internet either as that can be flawed) about the properties and effects of the Hormone Adrenaline on the Body. That will answer all your questions.

On the hunger thing, let's play dueling quotes. Here's mine to offer an explanation for the one you posted saying Buffy was hungry after she slayed the Master-

I fail to see how either of your quotes are opposed to mine.
One would assume that in both cases Buffy and Faith would experience an Adrenaline rush while fighting a demon, its not just a sparring match, its a fight to the death in most of the cases. Thats bound to get the blood pumping and the adrenaline flowing.

Interesting though, because it put me on to something else I hadn't thought of. A slayer is always pumping adrenaline. What are we saying buffy wasn't pumping adrenaline the first time she met the master, but she was the second after coming back from a fatal drowning? Is there something about near-death experience that makes people want to jump out of bed and do something super-powered? It's a closely guarded secret if that's the case.

Again wrong.
The body is constantly producing Adrenaline, not just Slayer but everyone.
Its what is going on inside that determines how much Adrenaline is being produced.
Her initial fight that resulted in the semi drowning would have created a high level...but the coming too, would have given her a greater resolve, more focus on beating the Master would(and in this case we see it did) force more Adrenaline to be created giving her the greater strength.

If we suggest adrenaline boosts slayer power we're inventing a new rule. If we say it's simple natural law we need to show how a human with an adrenaline boost could kick the Hell out of the master. It's not there. The kind of power we see in Buffy is beyond what adrenaline can explain. There's not even a precedent to suggest someone might be brought back to life, and feel stronger over an extended period as a result of an andreline boost.
I don't understand how we are 'inventing a new rule' with scientific fact.
This is showing further your lack of knowledge in the Adrenaline area.
Buffy is a Slayer with Slayer Strength.
Xander is a Regular guy with Regular Strength.
Both experience a surge of Adrenaline, both will become stronger.
This new strength/power does not replace what we had, its exemplifies it.
Buffy is now with Slayer Strength pushed on more by the Adrenaline.
Xander is now Regular Human Strength pushed on more by Adrenaline.
Does that mean Xander is not even stronger then the Master...no, it means he is more stronger then original Xander.

You seem to be fixated on the fact that Buffy was revived. That has little to do with the Adrenaline Burst itself, its just a contributing factor.

So Buffy has her confidence now. From now on she's alway going to instinctively know where the bad guy is. Is that what you're saying?

I dont think thats what was meantl. In that moment she has her confidence. Buffy does question herself often, but in that moment she had her clarity, she knew what she had to do. She had fought and lost, but she had come back. She had no other choice but to defeat the Master, so any doubt was pushed from her mind.

This can be witnessed again in season 7.
When Buffy is kicked out of the House, she is sure and Correct that she will find something of use in the Vinyard. BUT what does she do.
She allows the situation to cast doubt on her, on her abilities, but later she finds the confidence. She goes to the Vinyard and kicks Calebs butt.
Had she just died before that allowing her to become more powerful....no, she is more focused, more confident. Doesnt question herself. She knows she is right and she wins.
This also helps her make the statement that 'We're going to win' in the basement. Is this because she has some prescience?...no, its because she believes it, she knows in her heart that she has to believe it otherwise she will fail.

I always thought that maybe when the master killed her it kind of joined them bonded them she felt everything he felt she knew what he was thinking and where he was going. As for the strength again i say maybe it was the master bonding them together therefore giving her some of his strength? if that makes sense.

You see, this doesnt work because its not commented on, its not even implied. In the context of the show, you need to have these things told to you, otherwise you have to rely more on the charater behaviour and what we know of them.
 
You don't need examples of what i am saying, you need to speak to an expert(not internet either as that can be flawed) about the properties and effects of the Hormone Adrenaline on the Body. That will answer all your questions.

Unfortunately I don't have one of those available, so let's use the expert you offered, as I assume he's acceptable to you.

It is an early evolutionary adaptation to allow better coping with dangerous and unexpected situations. With dilated blood vessels and air passages, the body is able to pass more blood to the muscles and get more oxygen into the lungs in a timely manner, increasing physical performance for short bursts of time.

OK now let's try common sense. I'm not optimistic, but let's try it.

Let's try to separate the urban legend aspects of what we hear adrenaline can do from what we can see in everyday life.

I understand what your saying. Your suggesting something like that story we always hear concerning the mother who lifts the car to save her dying child as a result of an andrenaline rush.

There's a collection of these kinds of stories here -


Let's assume they're true. We're talking about a massive burst of andrenaline lasting as your quote said a short burst of time in reaction to an immediate threat.

When you're talking about a steady hyper-reactive drip of andrenaline I assume you're talking about something like the athelete who gets up for the big game.

Here's something -

# From Ikai and Steinhaus, "Some Factors Modifying the Expression of Human Strength," Journal of Applied Physiology, 1961, we learn the following: "The maximal pull of forearm flexors was increased and, in some instances, decreased in predictable fashion by a loud noise, by the subject's own outcry, by certain pharmacologic agents (alcohol, adrenaline, and amphetamine), and by hypnosis. Significant average changes ranging from +26.5% to 31% were observed." The authors suggest that the normal human inability to exert oneself to one's physiological maximum is the result of "acquired inhibitions that in turn are subject to disinhibition by pure Pavlovian procedures, by anesthetization of inhibitory mechanisms, or by pharmacologically induced symptoms serving as stimuli for disinhibition." In other words, you're always capable of great feats; it just takes a crisis for you to actually perform them.

You read the last sentence, right? He's saying, something happens and there's a Pavlovian response to the crisis. Any super-human aspects would be immediate, and temporary.

So now let's look at the scene where Buffy becomes aware she's stronger. She's just been revived from a near-death experience. People don't generally come out of those things hyped with andrenal super-strength. If they do show me an example. There is no immediate crisis with Buffy. The three walk through the tunnels make their way to the surface, and walk to the school. Buffy remains strong even though there is still no immediate crisis which might explain an adrenal outburst.

Also if adrenaline is the soul explanation, why wasn't she similarly affected the first time she met the Master. Adrenaline would have been pumping like crazy.

Sorry, but using my own personal super-power of common sense the adrenaline excuse just doesn't add up.

Now on deduction... here's the thing about that. In order to deduce something you need some kind of information to work with. Something like a clue. For example if Buffy could say, "I know the Master always goes to a high place to view the scene after a victory. The School roof is the closest high place, therefore the Master is most likely there", that would be deduction. Deduction is not "the Master just beat me up, I want to find him, therefore he is on the school roof."
 
What is this 'added strength' that you all speak of?

Buffy's exact words are " No. No, I feel strong. I feel different. Let's go!"

She doesn't say she feels stonger, she says strong, and different. Like something profound has happened to her. Coming back from death makes her feel more aware than before. She feels totally and completely alive.
 
Buffy was defeated by the Master like a child getting spanked. She comes back. She spanks the Master. Only additional psychological, physical, or spiritual (Get it Done style demon essence, or Amends style 'something made it snow') strength might explain this. Unless you want to suggest a "luck" alternative?
 
They don't really fight, he defeats her because she is so scared of dying(or scared of him) her mental strength is at a low. Surviving her prophesied death gives her the confidence she needs to negate his mind control. I don't see any need for a mystical explanation.

As for knowing where he is, doesn't she say something about being connected with him in season 2?

Honestly, I'm not even sure how I stumbled into this discussion. I mean, I started reading DDLM's post..it seems like years ago now.. and a tenth of the way through, I got a little peckish. By the time I got to the end I'd eaten my body weight in food. I fear the overindulging on the food has had a cataclysmic effect on my 'brain'.

So yeah. I fear people are seeing supernatural, when there is just super. 😀
 
I thought Watcher 1006 brought up something interesting when he brought up The Master's hypnotic power. At one point he fires it at Buffy's back. I guess you could say, well she's confident now, so that doesn't work anymore. Doesn't work for me personally though. Kendra was a confident slayer. Confidence didn't protect her.

Then there's still Buffy's foreknowledge of where the Master would be. I've yet to see that sufficiently explained by natural possibillities.

I understand what you're saying though. Buffy went into the first battle with fear of death and the prophecy. She's brought back. She's seen death. She knows the prophecy can be broken. She has a whole different tude. However, I watch that episode, and I can't help feeling something out of the ordinary is happening.

I just watched Prophecy Girl and When She Was Bad again. If you watch them with the suspicion of a connection between the Master and Buffy, you can find all kinds of little possible clues.
 
Ok, I decided to watch Prophecy Girl as well.

This is what I noticed.

1: Buffy fulfills a prophecy. Is it free will, or will she fulfill that prophecy no matter what? Are prophecies the words of superior beings? It seems that if prophecies are from higher beings, and they are being fulfilled, then these higher beings must have a hand in them. Assuming they do, it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to think they instilled a greater power into Buffy for her to defeat the Master.

2: When Buffy is brought back around,(maybe it's just shoddy shooting) a bell tings as her eyes shoot open. It gives the scene a magical feel.

3: Buffy was majorly hot in season 1.
 
1: Buffy fulfills a prophecy. Is it free will, or will she fulfill that prophecy no matter what? Are prophecies the words of superior beings? It seems that if prophecies are from higher beings, and they are being fulfilled, then these higher beings must have a hand in them. Assuming they do, it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to think they instilled a greater power into Buffy for her to defeat the Master.

The prophecy was fulfulled. Buffy died. Does this prove the higher power exists? If it does couldn't they add a little twist by shooting Buffy some extra juice?

2: When Buffy is brought back around,(maybe it's just shoddy shooting) a bell tings as her eyes shoot open. It gives the scene a magical feel.

I missed that. Must watch again.

3: Buffy was majorly hot in season 1.

Finally...something we agree on without equivocation. Oh...and love the dress. 🙂
 
I'll agree yes..I'm sure it was some adrenaline..that's great..also I'll agree with the fact...that he bit her..and she died..I don't think that there is really a definite but many.
 
OK now let's try common sense. I'm not optimistic, but let's try it.

Let's try to separate the urban legend aspects of what we hear adrenaline can do from what we can see in everyday life.

I understand what your saying. Your suggesting something like that story we always hear concerning the mother who lifts the car to save her dying child as a result of an andrenaline rush.

There's a collection of these kinds of stories here

Your attempts at being clever and/or amusing not with standing, i am suggesting no such thing. On the contrary, what i am suggesting is something far more realistic, far more human.
You highlighted this part for short bursts of time.
I have not suggested at any point that the adrenaline is a permanent or long term thing, what i have suggested is there is an undefined time limit on the Adrenaline out put dependant on the situation.

You read the last sentence, right? He's saying, something happens and there's a Pavlovian response to the crisis. Any super-human aspects would be immediate, and temporary.

Yes lets look at that last sentence.
'In other words, you're always capable of great feats; it just takes a crisis for you to actually perform them.'

The body has a limit to what it is capable of, there is no denying that, for instance no amount of adrenaline could allow a small child lift a family sized car no matter what 'Urban Legends' you read, if the child didn't have the comparative strength.
WHAT this last line tells us, and what that whole part you quoted does say, is that IF the body has the ability to be pushed to the point of some feat that would appear extraordinary in a regular situation, then it can do it.

So now let's look at the scene where Buffy becomes aware she's stronger. She's just been revived from a near-death experience. People don't generally come out of those things hyped with andrenal super-strength. If they do show me an example. There is no immediate crisis with Buffy. The three walk through the tunnels make their way to the surface, and walk to the school. Buffy remains strong even though there is still no immediate crisis which might explain an adrenal outburst.

Actually i think you should revisit this episode again. Buffy is revived, no question, but does she immediately fight the Master? not at all.
Infact what happens is she is revived and says she feels strong, she feels different.
We know that she has just beaten something she was told was inevitable, she has beaten her own prophesied death. This is enough to make anyone feel a little better about themselves, feel stronger. We don't see any actual evidence in that moment of more power.
What follows is her walking from the cave out the sewers to the school then up to the roof.
Adrenaline would instantaneously begin to flow at her revival as a means to elevate her bodies response to what had just happened, but instead of letting this dissipate, Buffy has to go and confront the Master. She begins the journey to where she has decided the Master is. No matter how confident she is, there would still be anticipation some anxiety both of which would be continuing the production of Adrenaline with smaller expenditure.
Also be aware that exercise is another factor adding to the amount of adrenaline. The walking itself is bolstering the amount, and the fact Buffy isnt out for a leisurely stroll, but infact almost power walking, would add to the amount she is experiencing from all the other factors producing the high levels of Adrenaline.
The process is gradual, maybe quite fast, but still takes a bit of time.

Also if adrenaline is the soul explanation, why wasn't she similarly affected the first time she met the Master. Adrenaline would have been pumping like crazy.

Sorry, but using my own personal super-power of common sense the adrenaline excuse just doesn't add up.
Adrenaline would have been flowing through her body, the difference is she has gone knowing that she will die, she is doubting herself in the fight and honestly she is scared.
Honestly, if your 'super power' is common sense and this is proof of that, i really wouldn't be bragging about it and search for another one....maybe the ability to see dark(if there is a light source).

Now on deduction... here's the thing about that. In order to deduce something you need some kind of information to work with. Something like a clue. For example if Buffy could say, "I know the Master always goes to a high place to view the scene after a victory. The School roof is the closest high place, therefore the Master is most likely there", that would be deduction. Deduction is not "the Master just beat me up, I want to find him, therefore he is on the school roof."

Actually we have this.
Buffy knows that the Master wishes to rule. She would be able to deduce that a being who has been trapped underground, in a confined space, would seek something with an open view. She would also know that a being that considers itself better then anything, something to be worshipped would want to look down on its subjects, thats typical of any leader, its a power thing.
So from this she can deduce the Master wants to be able to 'see the world' and be elevated above all others while being outside.
From where they are, Buffy can work out what buildings or natural geographical things could give the Master this ability. The School roof gives him a 360 view of his new world, its elevated above all the people and Demons he sees as his inferiors and its close.

Buffy was defeated by the Master like a child getting spanked. She comes back. She spanks the Master. Only additional psychological, physical, or spiritual (Get it Done style demon essence, or Amends style 'something made it snow') strength might explain this. Unless you want to suggest a "luck" alternative?
She went down to the Master knowing she was going to die, she had convinced herself what was going to happen. This comment you have made has no evidentiary proof in the text at all that cannot be so easily explained away as a human thing.
We see no special power imbued in Buffy, we have no mention of a great power telling her this, so your use of 'only' is inaccurate.

The Master's hypnotic power. At one point he fires it at Buffy's back. I guess you could say, well she's confident now, so that doesn't work anymore. Doesn't work for me personally though. Kendra was a confident slayer. Confidence didn't protect her.
Kendra is confident in her strength as The Slayer, however that does not mean she is mentally strong. She could be super strong but open to persuasion, where as Buffy has fought against the Master, lost, but come back beating the one certainty she thought she had, gaining a power in herself that if she can beat this she can beat anything.


Honestly, I'm not even sure how I stumbled into this discussion. I mean, I started reading DDLM's post..it seems like years ago now.. and a tenth of the way through, I got a little peckish. By the time I got to the end I'd eaten my body weight in food. I fear the overindulging on the food has had a cataclysmic effect on my 'brain'

I get it, sometimes i go on a bit.

1: Buffy fulfills a prophecy. Is it free will, or will she fulfill that prophecy no matter what? Are prophecies the words of superior beings? It seems that if prophecies are from higher beings, and they are being fulfilled, then these higher beings must have a hand in them. Assuming they do, it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to think they instilled a greater power into Buffy for her to defeat the Master.
It wouldnt be a stretch, but its even less of a stretch to use Human physiology to explain this situation, especially as there is not a thing mentioned about this ever.
If Buffy had been given some extra power, there would have been some mention of it, from her or some other being on the show.

In Chosen when Buffy is stabbed, she falls to the floor weakened. She is taunted by the First at which point she regains what she had, and obviously more as she fights harder, yet there is no sign this new power is a gift from on high, on the contrary, its something from within herself, something from within Buffy that does this, her resolve to win.
 
C
Chocolate-Drop
wow, thats a long post, but i agree
I think why she had some extra strength after she was revived because, at first she was trying to be everything but a Slayer, so she wasnt at top of her game. She was all nervous about facing The Master that it seriously threw her off of her game. But after he killed her and Xander brought her back, I think it opened her eyes up, she was afraid of TheMaster anymore and embraced that little slayer side of her, let it take over and thats how she won.
 
I chose Slayer Power because after she is revived after dying I think that she has been given exrta strength and confidence in her own powers and a stronger determination to use her Slayer powers to defeat the Big Bad. Damn as i write this I can see its blatantly psychological insight!! lol
 
I'm starting to think it's all kind of inter-connected.

For example when Buffy first awakens she should be tired, if you consider what you would expect from an average human. But she's not an average human she's a slayer with slayer recuperative strength. Even so it's still a pretty radical change.

Then you factor in her sudden clarity of thought as she is freed from her fears of death and prophecy. Perhaps it allows her to connect and manage her slayer power. By maximizing it, she draws more.

It's the same with the adrenaline thing. She didn't actually get more than what she had the first time she met the master, she just managed it better.

It's true Buffy was having a Rocky moment where she pulls herself up stronger than before by accessing internal resources, but there also seems to be an external resource.

This isn't surprising either, because it happens when you have sudden clarity. You feel connected. There may also be an external power her clarity allows her to connect to.

Also there's the possibillity of Buffy connecting to the same power source the Master connects to. This enhanced by her clarity of thought.

I was watching Becoming 1 last night and I saw something I hadn't noticed before. Do you remember in Buffy's fight with the Master where he grabs her by the throat like it's secret hold, then he appears shocked it's not having any affect on her?

Flash forward to the scene in Becoming when Dru grabs Kendra by the throat in the same grip. It appears to have some kind of a hypnotic affect on the slayer. OK now flash back to the Buffy/Master fight. Not only doesn't the throat grab have any affect on Buffy, but Buffy does a reversal, and puts the exact same grip on the Master. The Master appears helpless, and Buffy flips him through the skylight. I had to ask myself, did Buffy somehow access the Master's power source? Just something to think about.
 
Here's my two cents...and sorry if its already been said (I've only skimmed the thread)

I think its Slayer Power, kind of.

Buffy wakes up after dying already having activated Kendra. She's passed on her Slayerline. But Buffy still wakes up with Slayer abilities. Maybe Buffy came back different (not to repeat Buffy coming back different in season 6). She was a Slayer that didn't have the trigger anymore, instead of making her less than she was, maybe it made her more. It gave her more room to access her Slayer abilities, it tapped into maybe, a deeper aspect of her Slayer dreams.

If you think, Buffy pre-death, with Slayer trigger was weak against the Master's hold, Kendra pre-death and with Slayer trigger was weak against Dru, but Buffy after death and without trigger wasn't weak against the Master.
 
I am thinking that maybe when Kendra was called Buffy was connected to her somehow as Kendra was awakened through her. Maybe Buffy was feeling her strength too? I don't think I explained that right, but still..lol.
 
I think that it's more confidence than anything else, but that's not to say that there isn't anything else thrown in for good measure.

I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that she had been killed and brought back, and her feelings on that whole ordeal. That lends a lot to her mood. But the ability to sense the Master, and the strength she feels, could be do to the possiblity of the Buffy siphoning off some of the Master's power for some reason or anyother. Blood and all that. She's brought back, she feels strong, and she knows where he is. She has the power to defeat him. I think there might have been some transferral of some kind to give her that heightened insight.
 
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