Urgh, well this was truly awful.
So many things- where to start:
Satsu showing up was a total non-event drama-wise. She was there to provide plot expostition and that was it. I'm not sure what the problem is with Satsu commenting on Buffy and Spike and saying that they used to be 'cool and mysterious' since at the time they were acting a bit awkward and domestic. Very domestic in fact, which is why the rest of the issue didn't ring true.
I've always had a huge problem with Harmony turning Buffyverse vamps into frigging True Blood vamps. Now that they're 'out and proud' in public and supposedly all obeying her 'not killing' rules? Utterly against what we've shown on the show and I have to wonder why the slayer even exists now. If vampires are just 'alternate-lifestyle' citizens and not evil demons that kill people. Crap.
The utter hypocrisy of Buffy still being angry with the army when she has forgiven the guy who led the army, who was instrumental in tracking them down in Tibet for that whole bloody battle. Hell, she damn well boinked him way back in S8.
The slayers have more right to be pissed at Buffy than she ever does to be mad at the army. Buffy is quickly becoming a hopelessly lost character, I'm getting tired of her saying dumb shit almost every time she opens her mouth.
The plot- convincing the vamps to help with trial by combat is kinda random. Okay, a show of strength from the Buffy slayer but Spike? Makes no sense that vamps would respect him- a soulled vampire- because he doesn't represent them now does he? Stupid.
The 'plan' for Harmony and Vicky to sabotage Buffy and Spike with mind games. Call be skeptical but Harmony is not, in any way, Angelus. To play mind games you first have to have a brain in your head. Whilst everything she says to Spike is pretty much true, (and has been since S7 or before) I don't believe that she would be that clever, intuitive or exact. Ever. Fail.
Vicky doing the same to Buffy was even worse because a) She's a stranger and doesn't know Buffy and b) What she was saying wasn't ever true of Buffy as the writers desperately try and rewrite and say that Buffy 'always wants what she can't have'. That self-pitying crap was supposed to be buried with the cookie dough speech way back in S7.
Although, having said that, Buffy really hasn't grown up that much if she's repeating the same mistakes that hse did back in S3.
Waste of an issue.
Can we please, please have some Willow plot! Some anything else plot! Something other that another Spuffy issue? What about Dawn? Or even Andrew? Please, lets here more about Andrew's upcoming betrayal.