Exactly How Anya Gets It In "Chosen"

nerd4hire

nerd4hire

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Has anyone rewound the Anya death scene from "Chosen" a few times to get a better idea of exactly how Anya dies.

I was surprised to discover it's actually a very powerful and heroic scene.

First of all Anya does actually save Andrew.

The first time I saw Chosen I thought Andrew was just trying to make Xander feel good when he says "She died trying to save my life", but no, that's actually what happened. Andrew is being attacked by a bringer. They cut to Anya fighting. You see her stab a bringer, but because of the quickness of the cuts and the confused angles, you don't immediately notice she is killing the bringer that was attacking Andrew.

The way they present it, it's almost like they're trying to hide it from you. Why would they do that?

Also...if you can't tell me exactly, blow for blow how Anya dies, you have to rewind it and watch again. It is just soooo cool. What happens is a bringer comes up behind Anya with a little scimitar looking sword. The first time I saw the scene, I thought he just stabbed her. That isn't what happens. He comes up behind her, lifts the scimitar over his head and hacks downward at an angle catching her on the top right hand corner, between her shoulder, and her neck. The force of the blow continues downward at an angle slicing through her body until it is stopped by the topmost corner of her left hip bone. It's gruesome.

I didn't catch any of that the first time I saw the scene. Maybe it was just my crappy TV, I don't know. Maybe you're all saying "What's he talking about. I saw all that the first time". All I know is I didn't catch it. When I did figure it out, I went "Wow!!!".

So here's my question. Assuming I saw that scene the same way most of you saw it the first time I viewed it, why would they do that? Why would they deliberately obscure the details of the death of Anya. It's such a downer, such an unnecessary anti-climax, the way it appears at first viewing...Then you notice they actually had a righteous, power-scene for the "death of Anya" sitting right in front of them? Why did they obscure everything? Did they do it on purpose, or was it just another Season 7 screw-up?
 
I think Joss likes to remind the viewers that anyone can die whenever, even if they're main characters. He did it with Doyle in Angel, even Buffy. I think the fact that Anya's death was so sudden and quick kinda makes it more honorable. It was kinda like Joss' last statement that he's still in control and anything can happen.
 
and also out of nowhere! the blade was like Zooooom! i didnt see it coming at all. when it happend i was in complete shock followed by much sadness. my eyes got all teary!
 
Yeah, I wondered about that.

Did everyone else get the full emotional impact of that scene on the first viewing.

Was it just my slow eyes and bad equipment that deprived me.

Thank God I have a VCR at least. It allows me to keep up.
 
LOL. Like I said, it was absolutely speedy. I read the spoilers, so i knew what I was looking for. My husband on the other hand was left wondering what exactly happened, and why my jaw dropped 😀
 
Thanks for explaining. I was going, "What's wrong with me? Have I misplaced some brain cells?"

Especially the "Anya saving Andrew" bit. At the end of Chosen, when Andrew says "She saved me", I was wondering what he was talking about. I was thinking he's just saying that to make Xander feel better.
 
No I mean I drew the wrong conclusion the first time around.

After I watched it a couple of times, I saw exactly how Anya really did save Andrew's life.

So here's what I think is an interesting question.

Is the fact that I drew the conclusion from the "She saved me", remark a result of:

A) My faulty viewing practises.

B) Josh's desire to encourage multiple viewings of each episode.

C) Slipshod, careless filmwork.

BTW. Happy 450th
 
I agree, but I can't help thinking there's something wrong with the Anya death scene.

I mean, if the viewer has to read spoilers, buy extra equipment, or look up reference material to enjoy the emotional power of his or her's favourite character's death scene, is that a good thing?
 
lol i have no idea

but anyway i think it was very sad in chosen how she died okay they did set it up with the speech in end of days but i rather have andrew die and also they could have gave anya a little more lines then just 9 becoz shes diying and stuff
 
When Anya died, I caught it all.

So, I'm sitting there. All of a sudden it happens. I gasp and bring my hand to my mouth in shock! I knew she was going to die, but it was still SO horrible and shocking!

And, even after 2 viewings, I still thought Andrew was just trying to make Xander feel better. Thanks for the facts!
 
When I first watched it... I thought that she just got hooked from the back up through her chest.

And then my boyfriend's like--- no, she got sliced from her shoulder to her hip. So, he set me straight and I can see it now when I rewatch it.
 
it was all of a blur when i watched it...probably because i was crying so much hehe i didn't like anya's departure the way she was stabbed and then you just see her body...i wanted there to be a moulin rouge moment where xander holds her in his arms and cries LOL
 
I wish they'd scrapped one of the lesser episodes like that stupid one about the kid with the love-jacket, then added a Death of Anya episode towards the end of the season.
 
Nah. Anya had to die in the battle-it worked best that way-sort of like a lesson in how noone is ever really prepared for death.
 
Well we all knew through various sources that Anya would die during season seven but Joss tried to threw us a bone in the episode where her and Buffy went at it, where Anyas life flashed before her eyes ::crying2: *sings* I will be the Mrs.... ::crying2:

Anyway... I think anyas final scene was a slap in the face to Emma in a way... the swiftness of it all, one slice and your gone, I at least expected a look of something that confused her, the initial shock of pain and the likes, a breathless word "Xander" perhaps... something that conveyed her Jerry Springer like 'Final Thought' but there was nothing, just a swift cut...

You never know, when the DVDs arrive maybe they'll release a cleaner uncut extended version of the final episode... Buffy got her Cookie Dough Analogy, why couldn't Anya die with a touch more dignity... final words... something, anything... she deserved more!!! 😛
 
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