Buffy's return from the grave

[Lindsey McDonald]

I think, probably after the first one or two bodies disappeared, they started saying, "You know, we don't like open casket ceremonies and here's the 300 reasons you shouldn't either". Just in case more bodies disappeared later!

Plus, it's Sunnydale, continent of denial. You don't ask too many questions about things like that. People knew a lot more than they ever let on.

 

[fly on the wall]

And, why would Giles go along with any of that? It seems like he'd want her to have a "decent" burial. Not hidden in the woods with a black market head stone and casket on the off chance someone would try to bring her back.
There's the whole Dawn thing, but HE wasn't staying to take care of Dawn. I find it hard to believe, even as much as he seemed to dislike Hank's idea of parenting, that he'd believe Dawn was better off with two unemployed witches, a robot, (Xander and Anya MIGHT be okay) and an obsessed vampire with a chip in his head.
I mean, I love them too, but they'd hardly be the motley crew I'd will my children to in the event of my death!

Giles may have wanted Buffy to have a proper burial, hell, they all probably did, but between proper burial or maintaining non-hell on earth, I think they chose the latter.
Furthermore, I think Giles wanted to a) respect Buffy's wishes for Dawn's placement, and b) respect Dawn's wishes too. Buffy had told Dawn right before she died to take care of her friends, stick together, etc etc. Well, Dawn can't really do that if she's off wherever the heck her dad is living. Dawn obviously wanted to remain in Sunnydale with the people she was closest to, especially during this difficult time. I can't imagine Giles telling her she couldn't stay with the people she considers "family" and instead had to live with her father who she's hardly seen in 6+ years, right after her sister/caretaker died, and a year after her mother died....seems kinda cold.

 

[Your Creamy Coolness]

It is all simple if you just think of it this way. Willow conjured up the cofffin. Willow conjured up the headstone. Willow could have even buried Buffy with magic without having to dig a grave. And then last but not least Willow put a spell on the area to keep anyone (aside from the scoobies) seeing Buffy's final resting place. Also Willow probably could have fixed the Buffybot to age and or conjured up a Buffy to take her place if the real Buffy would have never been brought back. By the time she needed to really age her I would say Willow's MOJO would have become really powerful. PROBLEM SOLVED. In my head.

 

[TaintedBlu]

Although I didn't particularly enjoy watching Buffy die (I cried...), I did however enjoy what death/heaven did for the character. It added an element of depth and internal strife that the show simply hadn't delivered before season 6.

It allowed the writers to move away from the whole "I'm a teenager mystically charged with saving the world - boohoo" gag that the show has always relied on.

And don't get me wrong! I love that gag! It is what makes the show so hilarious and fun to watch.

But can you really rely on that same gag for 7 seasons? Eventually something new in the character has to be explored, or else it is just same-old, same-old.

So, no, I don't think it ruined the show. I think it just changed it for the better.

 

[Perny]

As you said: She was torn out of heaven.. That changes you. I rest my case... with beer

 

[EveryNiteISaveU]

As you said, demons and such needed to think the Slayer was still alive, or they'd have reeked hell (no pun intended) in Sunnydale (as we saw in Bargaining 1+2). Every Hellmouth needs a good Slayer looking after it. 🙂 But there's more to it than that..if Mr. Summers/social services/etc knew that Buffy was dead, they'd take Dawn away, and everyone felt it was in Dawn's best interests to stay in Sunnydale with the gang.

I'm sure they did expect the Buffybot to hold out longer than it did.

Plus, Giles considered himself Buffy's watcher first and foremost. Sure, he had loyalty to Dawn and the others, and he was just a phone call away...but I think remaining in Sunnydale was too painful for him. He felt that he'd failed Buffy and being reminded of that each and every day in painful Technicolor couldn't have been fun.

Plus, they could have been covering up her death waiting for the next slayer to be called before it was made known that Buffy died. At least, that could have been Giles' thinking....we all know what the rest of the Scoobies had planned.

 

[Lindsey McDonald]

Plus, they could have been covering up her death waiting for the next slayer to be called before it was made known that Buffy died. At least, that could have been Giles' thinking....we all know what the rest of the Scoobies had planned.

Good idea, but I'm pretty sure that before Buffy was ressurected the Slayer line still ran through Faith. So, there wouldn't be another slayer called. Although, Buffy does say that one would be called to Giles, and he doesn't contradict her. I think he knew though.