'Selfless' thoughts

P

phoenixrising

W/T Chief Shipper
Joined
Nov 22, 2004
Messages
203
Age
56
Location
SE Pennsylvania
Just randomly watching some Buffy episodes today, I popped 'Selfless' into the DVD player (or as writer Drew Goddard calls it on the commentary 'their love letter to Emma Caulfield).

Anya was not always a favorite character of mine. There are times she can be extremely annoying (I separate this from the acting of Emma Caulfield, who I thought was brilliant in the role and has a natural comic talent). But I grew over four season to love and care about the character so her death in the series finale was heartbreaking. And it was nice to see an episode devoted to her.

'Selfless' is Anya's episode. We see her back story and get inside the character's head for the first time. Anya never knew who she was, she just grabbed on to whatever was around at the time, whether it was being a vengence demon or Xander's bride-to-be and isn't any closer to figuring it out by the end of episode.

Another stellar acting job by the cast, with kudoes going to Nick Brendon, Emma Caulfield and Andy Umberger as D'Hoffryn (he has some of the best lines in this episode; his congratulations to Willow on the flaying of Warren and his comment on Anya's handiwork is a gem: 'Breathtaking! It looks like somebody slaughtered an Abercrombie and Fitch catalog.'). The flashback to the musical is wonderful and 'Mrs.' showcases Emma Caulfield's voice.

Anybody else like or dislike this one?
 
I liked this episode because it showed that Anya had changed since her original demon days. She was more remorseful when carrying out her job and in the end she does get closer to realising who she is by asking to take back her vengeful actions. She expects to lose her life and instead she loses someone close to her. To give up her life like that shows that she grew and became more of a hero than she ever was.
 
This was a superb . . . and rather sad episode. It made me truly realize how much Anya had wrapped her identity around another person or a job. It's also a hint of how Buffy would end up wrapping her identity around the role of Slayer. A lot of people were disappointed in the road that Anya took after this episode. I guess they thought she would get her act together after this. But watching this made me realize that it wasn't surprising that Anya seemed to be no where during Season 7. It would have been unrealistic . . . especially for her character, to get her act together, so soon. Even during those times when she was helping the Scoobies, she was either wrapping her life around them or just hanging around.

I am surprised that so many people believed that Buffy had genuinely intended to kill Anya. The Season 6 episode, "Older and Far Away" demonstrated to Buffy and the other Scoobies that a vengeance demon could NOT be killed by a sword. I think in "Selfless", Buffy was trying to give Anya a message, the best way she knew how.
 
LadyLavinia said:
I am surprised that so many people believed that Buffy had genuinely intended to kill Anya. The Season 6 episode, "Older and Far Away" demonstrated to Buffy and the other Scoobies that a vengeance demon could NOT be killed by a sword. I think in "Selfless", Buffy was trying to give Anya a message, the best way she knew how.
Click to expand...

That's an interesting insight. I had put that down to one of those "season 7 continuity errors" but what you've said makes sence. I'll have to rewatch the ep and think some more about that one.
 
it was not a continuity error as anya herself pointed out buffy should have known the sword wasn't enough when buffy stabbed her. it was really the fact buffy was not ready to kill her.
 
Wicca said:
it was not a continuity error as anya herself pointed out buffy should have known the sword wasn't enough when buffy stabbed her. it was really the fact buffy was not ready to kill her.
Click to expand...

True, Buffy held out in the fight because she didn't want to kill one of her friends.

Just like she did with Angel and Willow.
 
Another scene to notice; at the end of the fight, just before D'Hoffryn appears, Buffy knocks Anya down and lifts the sword for a killing blow. Anya makes no move at all to defend herself. If Xander hadn't knocked her down, Buffy might have killed Anya. And her wanting to take the wish back drives the point home; she wants to die or feels she should for what she did. She thought D'Hoffryn would kill her instead of Halfrek and seemed quite fine with that.
 
that's right. it was really anya's moment, and one of her best. in that moment, she really began her journey of that season and that was one of a *human*. not because she chose to lose her powers in favor of humanity, but because she was willing to die for what's right, "to save some lousy humans". and in the end of the series, she did.
 
Another scene to notice; at the end of the fight, just before D'Hoffryn appears, Buffy knocks Anya down and lifts the sword for a killing blow.
Click to expand...

But there would not have been a "killing blow". The sword would not have killed Anya. Anya knew. And I suspect that Buffy knew, as well.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom