So far...

[OFAWB]

So, more than a week after watching "The Gift" and crying my eyes out, I began Season Six last night and have now viewed the first seven episodes.

My feelings are intense. There have been so many powerful moments so far: Buffy's corpse transforming into a living person; Spike trying to help Buffy bandage her hands, then leaving the house in disgust; Tara finding out that Willow put a memory loss spell on her after their argument; Giles hugging the Scoobies right before he leaves for Britain; the demon's awesome dance number and song (which was my favorite of all the pieces from OMWF)...

But here's my issue: Buffy was at peace in death, and now she's facing hell on earth. When she mentioned that being alive was so painful, I was reminded of the INXS lyric: "Look at the faces; listen to the bell. It's hard to believe we need a place called Hell." To Buffy, and to many other real-life people (myself included), life itself can be interpreted as a form of hell or torture, especially when the life in question is a difficult one. That viewpoint, expressed by Buffy to Spike when they were sitting in the shadows next to the magic shop, is something I understand very clearly. Why, then, does Buffy eventually hug everyone upon her return? I understand that she didn't want to hurt them be telling them that she had been ripped out of Heaven and was now suffering, but if I had been in her shoes I'd have been honest in the beginning. As it was, she did reveal to the Scoobies what had happened in OMWF, which made me relieved.

I guess she was just conflicted and didn't want to hurt them? Maybe she missed them even when she was in Heaven, so she was glad to see them. I don't know...Just trying to get my thoughts down.

Random question on OMWF: Dawn stole the necklace after the town had already begun singing and dancing, so I know she wasn't the one who summoned Sweet. How did Xander summon him, though? Was I not paying enough attention while watching? 😉

 

[Black Eye Guy]

So, more than a week after watching "The Gift" and crying my eyes out, I began Season Six last night and have now viewed the first seven episodes.

My feelings are intense. There have been so many powerful moments so far: Buffy's corpse transforming into a living person; Spike trying to help Buffy bandage her hands, then leaving the house in disgust; Tara finding out that Willow put a memory loss spell on her after their argument; Giles hugging the Scoobies right before he leaves for Britain; the demon's awesome dance number and song (which was my favorite of all the pieces from OMWF)...

But here's my issue: Buffy was at peace in death, and now she's facing hell on earth. When she mentioned that being alive was so painful, I was reminded of the INXS lyric: "Look at the faces; listen to the bell. It's hard to believe we need a place called Hell." To Buffy, and to many other real-life people (myself included), life itself can be interpreted as a form of hell or torture, especially when the life in question is a difficult one. That viewpoint, expressed by Buffy to Spike when they were sitting in the shadows next to the magic shop, is something I understand very clearly. Why, then, does Buffy eventually hug everyone upon her return? I understand that she didn't want to hurt them be telling them that she had been ripped out of Heaven and was now suffering, but if I had been in her shoes I'd have been honest in the beginning. As it was, she did reveal to the Scoobies what had happened in OMWF, which made me relieved.

I guess she was just conflicted and didn't want to hurt them? Maybe she missed them even when she was in Heaven, so she was glad to see them. I don't know...Just trying to get my thoughts down.

I think Buffy lied becasue she knew the gang wouldn't handle the news well, and I think she's used to suffering more then others so others can be happier (the very life a slayer is that)

Random question on OMWF: Dawn stole the necklace after the town had already begun singing and dancing, so I know she wasn't the one who summoned Sweet. How did Xander summon him, though? Was I not paying enough attention while watching? 😉

Yep Xander summoned him. I think he thought they'd all just tell the truth (I can't really remember), the reasons for him wanting to explore how he is really feeling will come up later.

 

[The Chosen]

Her behavior can seem very strange if you forget that Buffy has really weird emotional problems. She's always distanced herself from the people closest and usually exhibits behavior that implies she wants to keep her heavier problems to herself, for whatever reason.

I understand the hug as her not wanting to disrupt her friends' lives. She wants to shield them from the abhorrent thing they've done to her. Maybe it was also a self-worth issue? Depressed people tend to have those, so maybe she might have even felt that her own problems in this area didn't matter.

 

[white avenger]

Yep Xander summoned him. I think he thought they'd all just tell the truth (I can't really remember), the reasons for him wanting to explore how he is really feeling will come up later.

If memory serves, Xander's excuse was that he just wanted singing and dancing and everybody happy. He either didn't know or knew but didn't understand the various consequences of his actions.

 

[OFAWB]

I can easily see why OMWF is many people's favorite BTVS episode. It's weird hearing James Marsters sing in a British accent, though. I was impressed with Amber Benson's voice! And I laughed many times at the funny, almost-sexual lyrics. ("Your tight...embrace!" "You make me come...plete.")

By the way, a public round of applause for HisMrs! This incredible banner is one I imagined, but couldn't create.

 

[Blaze]

I guess she was just conflicted and didn't want to hurt them? Maybe she missed them even when she was in Heaven, so she was glad to see them. I don't know...Just trying to get my thoughts down.

Now you know why I love season 6! It's intense. I think Buffy didn't want to tell her friends simply as to not hurt them. I mean, that's basically what she explained to Spike in the hallway. Also, she was going through depression, that's usually not something you talk about very much. I think she was at this point of not caring, as explained by "going through the motion".

 

[Lyri]

Part of me wonders if part of the reason Buffy kept everything to herself was due to the fact that every single one of her friends thought she was in Hell. It never even occurred to ANY of them to even consider the possibility that she might be in some sort of heavenly dimension. Add all of that to what Buffy was already feeling at being ripped out of her heaven - that must have had a horrible effect on her.

Buffy says it herself when she's on top of that tower, ready to jump again - 'Is this hell?' She thought she'd been ripped out of heaven and shoved into hell, because that peaceful, warm place was taken away from her.

I still, to this day, don't know how to feel about the fact that they decided to bring Buffy back from the dead. And by 'they' I'm talking about 'in-verse'. Willow, Xander and everyone else involved. I don't think they gave enough thought to how this would affect Buffy - they were all too busy imaging her in hell and thinking about how much better life would be if they had Buffy back. It seemed to be all about THEM and not enough about BUFFY.

I don't like S6, that's no secret, or much of S7 really. Apart from a few random episodes - OMWF, 'Normal Again', 'Chosen', 'Potential' - I could happily live without those seasons.

 

[Evil Angelus 95]

Her behavior can seem very strange if you forget that Buffy has really weird emotional problems. She's always distanced herself from the people closest and usually exhibits behavior that implies she wants to keep her heavier problems to herself, for whatever reason.

I understand the hug as her not wanting to disrupt her friends' lives. She wants to shield them from the abhorrent thing they've done to her. Maybe it was also a self-worth issue? Depressed people tend to have those, so maybe she might have even felt that her own problems in this area didn't matter.

Indeed. I think alot of this can be traced back to her death in "Prophecy Girl", since it was shown in "When She Was Bad" that Buffy probably/most likely has PTSD.

 

[Tome]

So, more than a week after watching "The Gift" and crying my eyes out, I began Season Six last night and have now viewed the first seven episodes.

My feelings are intense. There have been so many powerful moments so far: Buffy's corpse transforming into a living person; Spike trying to help Buffy bandage her hands, then leaving the house in disgust; Tara finding out that Willow put a memory loss spell on her after their argument; Giles hugging the Scoobies right before he leaves for Britain; the demon's awesome dance number and song (which was my favorite of all the pieces from OMWF)...

But here's my issue: Buffy was at peace in death, and now she's facing hell on earth. When she mentioned that being alive was so painful, I was reminded of the INXS lyric: "Look at the faces; listen to the bell. It's hard to believe we need a place called Hell." To Buffy, and to many other real-life people (myself included), life itself can be interpreted as a form of hell or torture, especially when the life in question is a difficult one. That viewpoint, expressed by Buffy to Spike when they were sitting in the shadows next to the magic shop, is something I understand very clearly. Why, then, does Buffy eventually hug everyone upon her return? I understand that she didn't want to hurt them be telling them that she had been ripped out of Heaven and was now suffering, but if I had been in her shoes I'd have been honest in the beginning. As it was, she did reveal to the Scoobies what had happened in OMWF, which made me relieved.

I guess she was just conflicted and didn't want to hurt them? Maybe she missed them even when she was in Heaven, so she was glad to see them. I don't know...Just trying to get my thoughts down.

Random question on OMWF: Dawn stole the necklace after the town had already begun singing and dancing, so I know she wasn't the one who summoned Sweet. How did Xander summon him, though? Was I not paying enough attention while watching? 😉

Ha ha! Always awesome to hear the thoughts of a first time watcher! So few of them nowadays.

I'm not a huge fan of season 6, but it definitely has its moments! Just wait. 😉 And be careful around here... Spoilers abound.

As for your question about Xander summoning Sweet, they don't actually say anything about it in that episode at least. It was out of character, I'll admit.

Can't wait to see what you think of the rest of the show!

 

[Lyri]

As for your question about Xander summoning Sweet, they don't actually say anything about it in that episode at least. It was out of character, I'll admit.

See, the thing is, I don't think it WAS out of character. We've seen Xander in the past turn to magic to get his own way or to make things easier for himself - such as BBB. It makes perfect sense to me that Xander would be the one to summon Sweet, and it makes sense that he didn't read the fine print. I'm not saying that Xander's a murderer or wants people to die, but he has been known to act impulsively, which is the very thing he did here.

Xander's lack of culpability for what happened in OMWF is one of the things I hate most about the show. He knows people have died because of his spell and he was technically responsible for Buffy's confession about not being in Heaven and he almost got Dawn kidnapped to another dimension. Yet, it's completely forgotten about, like it never happened. He doesn't ever feel any sort of remorse, and, yeah, it bothers me. :/

 

[Joan the Vampire Slayer]

I always thought that Xander was covering for Dawn when he admitted to summoning Sweet.

Why, then, does Buffy eventually hug everyone upon her return? I understand that she didn't want to hurt them be telling them that she had been ripped out of Heaven and was now suffering, but if I had been in her shoes I'd have been honest in the beginning. As it was, she did reveal to the Scoobies what had happened in OMWF, which made me relieved.

Buffy didn't want to burden her friends. Buffy's always put others before herself, and carried her burdens quietly without complaint. That's why she waited to long to tell them about being n Heaven. She told Spike of course, but because she knew he'd listen and not judge, and would keep her secret. Eventually it became too much and she had to tell them, but I think she tried to keep it to herself.

 

[Blaze]

I always thought that Xander was covering for Dawn when he admitted to summoning Sweet.

I've never heard this theory before. This would have been super interesting, but I doubt Dawn was lying since she really did just take the pendant at the magick box after they started singing.