Official Discussion of "Never Leave Me"

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Eliza Dushku

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Episode Name: Never Leave Me

Episode Number: 7.09

Air Date: Tuesday, November 26th, 2002, 8PM ET/PT

Description: After giving Spike a brutal third degree about his recent malevolent deeds, Buffy and the gang then kidnap and grill Andrew in a desperate effort to learn more about the growing evil forces that surround them all.

Source: Buffy UPN

Discuss this episode here...

well all i can say is that this ep was awesome...one of the better of the season i think...and finally the big bad is revealed...The First...i'm betting this season is going to get very interesting from this point on...
 
this episode was nuts!!!! i'm telling you...it was crazy, but it was a good crazy that really got me into the episode 🙂 :: tu :: the whole anya going crazy was pretty funny 😀 and spike...aww, man, that was really...whoa. i was in awe in this ep 😉
 
i'm also curious about one thing....they didn't show giles in this show after the axe scene in the last one...you think they'll make him pop up later like they did in the season 6 finale?
 
I don't get one thing -- so did the place where the Council was blow up? Meaning they're all dead except for Giles?

God I love Joss... planting the seed in S3 and harvesting it now. Dammit that was such a corny metaphor. My bad.

And for some reason.. I was sort of disappointed at the First Vampire... I thought he would look cooler.. he looked so midgety

And Principal Wood.. holy crap there is something fishy going on there.....

this season is ROCKING

-mmmdonuts
 
Yes, definately the Watcher's Council blew up...and it was so well set up. Travers giving his rousing speech and then Blam!! So, that leaves Giles (who I believe is alive but is smartly hiding out...hopefully). I looved this episode because it finally put everything together...Jonathan having to die (and did anyone catch that his big bad version, stated that my death was not bad and I met with "light and hope"...hopefully that means that the real Jonathan is in heaven)...Spike's "return" to evil, but not really he is brainwashed (who was he supposed to kill...the big bad referenced that he did not "kill him" and live up to his end of the bargain)...Buffy's verbalization of her feelings for Spike (not Love, YET)...and the idenification FIANALY of the First Evil. I also agree that the First Evil, basically an ugly vamp, was a bit of a letdown.
Perfect time now for Faith to show up, perhaps in the company of Giles!!

So when is the NEXT episode?????? No previews after the episode, so that usually means no new episode for next week...anyone know?
 
next week is Beneath You, I believe..

I dont think the Vampire is *the* first. The First is still just some force plus them 'bingers. The vampire was just Danzathar or whatever its name is.

-mmmdonuts
 
O.K. Obviously, the BB's the First Evil. Buffy couldn't've made that more clearer. However, what was up with the Principal, and why is the First so damn interested in Spike? What makes William so darn crucial in raising that miniature vampire in the end? And what happened to Giles? The only close guess I could come up with is that the Ripper is still alive. He'll probably show up with a nasty scar on his cheek. Again, more torture for fans that have to wait until January for more unanswered questions and confusion. The writers are probably laughing their asses off!!
 
JANUARY?! Arg!!!! I hate this! Buffy withdrawal here I come....

I dont think the First needed Spike.. it said it was gonna use Andrew but took Spike instead.

yeah the principal is definitely in on this somehow.. he knew where the room was and everything

-mmmdonuts
 
Wow wow wow!

This ep was just awesome! I totally cheered when Buffy was talking to Spike and telling him why she wouldn't kill him and that she believed in him. YAAAAAAAAAAAAY!

I was also confused as to whether it was the Watcher's Council had blown up. They know about the First - did you catch the map in the background - was that supposed to be representative of where the S-I-T's had died? Or just where the First had already struck?

I stick by my theory that Danthazar needed "redemed blood" to rise. Spike has been "redeemed" so to speak - all soul-having and everything. Don't really understand why "Warren" wanted Andrew to use animal blood tho.

Poor Spike!!!! All cut up and such. Will the real Buffy please rescue him!!!!

I agree with mmmdonuts that the vampire thingy is not *the* first. He looked like a puny cross between Gnarl and the Master. I'm sure he will be difficult to fight as he was raised directly from the Hellmouth and needed all that blood and given that he was under the seal but the actual First still has yet to be revealed. Joss is too good to let that puny little thing be Buffy's supernemesis.

And what is up with Principal Wood? Obviously he is all-knowing about the Hellmouth, the school basement, the seal, etc, etc, etc.
Remember "Lessons"?:When Buffy and Xander discovered that the principal's office was where the library used to be someone said something about "So, what? The principal's evil?" and the other said "Or in a boatload of danger." Looks to be that both statements are true - because if he is evil then Buffy will get him and that means trouble for him!
 
For someone who hadn't watch the show before...this episode would be one confusion after the next. I was thinking all week what Willow would do if she had a confrontation with Andrew - so I'm glad I got to see that. I thought it was quite funny, but completely dramatic. Willow was just sayin' all that stuff to scare him, right?

Here's one thing I'm a little confused about: Can the First Evil change into anybody; dead or alive? From the looks of it - it can only turn into those who are already dead, but every once in a while the First Evil turns into Buffy. I know she has died before, but she is alive now.

The Principal Wood thing...I'm thinking the entire time, 'how the hell could he possible tell, or sense, that something was down in the basement?' Something's up with him in a bad way. It looked like he was possessed or something, & I don't believe it could be the First Evil due to my comment above.

The entire Watcher's Council is dead; that explosion was very abrupt.🙁 I don't think one person could say that they saw that coming...

When I saw the hooded guys with the scars on their faces, I was thinking, 'Buffy's gotta figure it out by now.'

I was arguing with my friend over who the first vampire was after this episode. She kept saying the Master was the first vampire, but I completely disagree; never remember them actually saying that. Sure, he was damn strong, but I'm not so sure. Anyone care to remind me?

Did it seem to anybody, that Anya sort of disappeared when the hooded guys raided the house? I didn't see her get knocked out (maybe I missed it) and I didn't see her fighting. But once again, she brings the comedy back to the episode, as does Xander. Why can't they just be together?🙁

Oh yeah, as for this season being 'Dawn-centric': my *ss. Everybody kept saying that was going to happen. More like Spike-centric, which I'm starting to get sick of. I'm sorry, I used to love Spike, but now he's just a broken record.

January? I'm not minding that, 'cause this is one episode that needs continual rewinding to catch everything that happened.
 
Another excellent episode. The Master was not the first vampire. It was said the master was around 700-800 years old. I'm pretty sure all this has been going on much longer than that. The Master was a vampire who literally let go of his human side and let the demon take over. It's kind of funny that Spike(part of the Master's blondline) is in contrary the exact opposite of him. Spike is a vampire who has embraced his humanity over the demon.

I was completely shocked by seeing the Watcher's Council being completely destroyed. I mean WOW! Giles may be all that's left.
 
I adored this episode. Simply adored it. *snickers* There was once or twice when I accidentally yelled out "Spike bondage!" during the episode when I first saw it (last night). I liked Willow's little speech in reply to Andrew calling her a "she-witch" and almost everybody not knowing his name. Admitted, when no one knew where Giles was, not even Quentin Travers (who was on last night's episode of 24! AUGH! Scared me half to death.) I was kind of worried. I hope Giles isn't dead and that when we see him later in the season it's not the First.

Principal McHottie - Excuse me, Principal Wood was kind of an ambiguous character in this episode. I'm not really sure whether he's evil or what not. It's confusing. x.x

Watcher's council headquarters blowing up? Was it just me, or did the explosion look kind of cheesy? Probably just me.

The vampire dude? Reminded me of the vampire out of Nosferatu, as a matter of fact. I can't wait to see the next new episode though - especially to find out what happens to Giles.
 
I don't know about you guys, but I am definately getting bored with this season...bored or impatient...Where's all the snappy dialogue of second season...so far all it seems is that everyone is getting killed...
 
This episode was really good, now actually seeing the principal having something to do with EVERYTHING....i doubt hes a watcher because...why would he burying jonathan and not tell Buffy or anything?? Also what wont we see till january??? It's going to be so big when we find out what exactly "the first" is! And now we see the first is getting rid of everybody he can, like the watchers council....SIT....trying willow. This vampire thing comeing out of the Seal of Danzalthar is just something to slow Buffy down probably, and if she kills it, the first might jst bring something else out of the hell mouth, until the first reveals itself. Maybe???
 
I cannot wait until January! I must find out what happened to Giles! That vampire that came out of the Seal of Danthazar (sp?) is credited as the UberVamp in the end credits. It seems from just that name that this vampire is no ordinary vampire. I agree that the UberVamp is not the First. The First would have to be more menacing than a vampire in tattered clothing and long nails. He definately looks like the Gnarl. It's too bad for the Watchers' Council. Although that explosion did look cheesy, who would have expected it? I thought that we were going to finally find out what happened to Giles at that other guy's place, but now it was the Watchers' Council that blew up. But I'm still wondering what's going to happen to Giles and how Faith is tied into the season. I can't wait!
 
I am also on the fence regarding Principal Wood...he looked like he was under some kind of spell. However, burying Jonathan might not actually be a sign of evil...perhaps he knew that some type of ritual was unsucessful and he was trying to get rid of the body in order to protect the school. A secret watcher is an interesting thought though...

Anya got knocked out in the fight scene, pretty much the second the hoodies broke through the door. As for Warren making Andrew get pig's blood, I thought it was a way to lure him back down to the basement to kill him...although I don't think it has anything to do with being redeemed. The BB in Buffy mode told Spike she was planning on using Andrew, but grabbed him instead ("you look better with your shirt off anyway"). And yes, I also thought the council headquarters explosion looked cheesy. I am also definately glad theat vamp isn't the first evil or I would have been a bit disapointed. My question though, is that if the first evil is so powerful (and can basically kill SITs and destroy the entire council)...why now? Why has it not attacked before?
 
I have some observations.

Dawn seems to be getting steadily more powerful. First she's expelling demons from her house with some kind of white magic, now she's elbowing bad guys and flipping them around like some kind of baby-Buffy.

It's doubtful Giles is dead. Ralston or Robson or whatever his name is tells Giles to "Gather them". The writers wouldn't put this in unless they planned to have Giles "gather" somebody or something at some point in the future.

I'm guessing Giles will be gathering the slayers in training and perhaps the remaining slayer (Faith).

I heard a great guess from another member here. Giles and the S.I.T.s break Faith out of prison. It'll never happen, but wouldn't it be wild.

The fact that Faith is making an appearance this season on both Buffy and Angel implies some kind of crossover. Is it possible they are both fighting the same evil?

It's too early to assume Principal Woods is evil. The fact he knows more than what you would expect from the average Sunnydale principal shouldn't surprise anyone. In Lessons he tells Buffy "Actually, I know more about you than I let on Miss Sommers."

If this new Vampire is the first vampire you have to assume the first slayer was pretty tough. Wouldn't she have been fighting him?

Has anyone else noticed all the little homages to other films that have been turning up in Season 7. (The worm from "Tremors", the scene stolen from "Run Lola Run", the resemblance of the Gnarl to Golem, the resemblance of the Uber-Vamp to Barlow from "Salem's Lot". the similarity between the blood-buying scene in Never Leave Me to the condom-buying scene in "Summer of 42".)
 
The answer to whether Principal Wood is evil lies in answering what would be the most obvious, then the opposite is your answer.

Joss loves to put the twist on things (first scene...who expected the Darla was the vamp?), and it's right up Joss' ally to let us think that Wood is evil when he's really good.

But Joss might also know that we've caught on to the tricks he pulls, so he plays it straight; Wood is evil, so let's show him being involved, but keep it ambiguous so they'll be guessing. ("Yeah, they think they know Joss so well...what if we actually DO THE EXPECTED??")

(The previous portion of the post was inspired by Vincinni's deduction of Iocane Powder.)

So the watcher's council is no more, huh? Does anyone else feel like they were irrelevant anyway? I mean, how useful were they? Frankly, the WC never made a lot of sense to me; one slayer, and 20 stuffed shirts??? Now that it's evident thst most Slayers are trained before they're actually called, it makes a little more sense, but still, the council has always been insignificant to Buffy. When they weren't irrelevant, they were a thorn in her side. I kind of see Joss blowing them up as saying, "This never made sense. Let's get rid of them!!" and now Giles and Buffy can reorganize the Slayers and Watchers in a way that makes sense, and if a council is reformed, they can be useful.
 
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