Tabula Rasa doesn't make sense

nightshade

nightshade

Your grandfather is a cat
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Tabula Rasa just doesn't make sense to me, I've just finished watching it and don't get how the spell made them all forget. The spell Willow used was only fro Buffy and Tara, so surely the added Lethe's bramble would have just made them forget more than recent things, and not made the whole gang forget instead. Also with the forgetting they seemed to remember vampires but not their own names, Buffy still had the slayer instinct as well, whereas Spike forgot he was a vampire.
 
Perhaps it was due to the crystal. Since breaking the crystal undid the spell, perhaps the spell was channeled through it and spread to everyone Willow was in the room with.
 
I think that we're supposed to believe that burning the whole bag, instead of increasing the power of the spell on its intended recipient, gave the spell more of a "scatter gun" effect, spreading out to include all those in Tara's immediate vicinity.
 
My biggest issue about Tabula Rasa is Spike not feeling he is a vampire.. or maybe it's normal given that he couldn't know what was a vampire and what was normal... I'm confused on the matter! But even so, shouldn't he have had the instinct to bite someone?
 
Well Buffy didn't know that she was the slayer- which is kind of similar in a 'I have cool supernatural powers' kind of way.

Also I seem to remember some newly created vamps having a certain unawareness of what they are exactly; like the urge to feed or doing the 'bumpy face' thing when they go all predatory.
It seems that unless their sire is there to break them in gently and explain things then being a vampire might all take a little getting used to- maybe a night or so.
Add to that the fact that Spike was fairly domsticated as far as vampires go (the chip meant that he'd gotten used to not being able to just bite those around him) and I can buy 'Randy' not knowing that he was a vampire until he got into his first fight, Then instinct would've kicked in just like it did with 'Joan'.
 
I see where you come from but it still feels 'weird'. I mean, we have always been shown that vampires are more or less animals and the first thing they do when they are sired is eat someone. Spike not having these urges makes me think that being a vampire is not really what they are but what they 'choose' to be. I don't know if I'm explaining me well...
 
I get why they all fell asleep from a plot point of view, they needed to go from morning to night and having them wake up without their memories was easiest, but them falling asleep doesn't seem to go with the spell either, did we see any other spell that as a side effect made people fall asleep?
 
NightLady said:
My biggest issue about Tabula Rasa is Spike not feeling he is a vampire.. or maybe it's normal given that he couldn't know what was a vampire and what was normal... I'm confused on the matter! But even so, shouldn't he have had the instinct to bite someone?
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Angel did the same thing in "Spin The Bottle." I agree, it seems kind of strange that neither one would know immediately what they were, but then again, if they had known immediately, with no knowledge of the fact that those with them were anything more than Happy Meals on legs, Angel or Spike might have decided to have a little snack, thus revealing themselves to people who didn't remember that these were actually good vampires. The result would have been either bitten friends (though, presumably, Spike's chip would have kept him from actually hurting anyone) or dusted vampires, neither one of which would have been good for the respective shows,

Of course, the cases were slightly different, because Angel's memories were intact, but only up to Liam's teenaged years, whereas Spike had no knowledge whatsoever of who he was or ever had been.
 
white avenger said:
Angel did the same thing in "Spin The Bottle." I agree, it seems kind of strange that neither one would know immediately what they were, but then again, if they had known immediately, with no knowledge of the fact that those with them were anything more than Happy Meals on legs, Angel or Spike might have decided to have a little snack, thus revealing themselves to people who didn't remember that these were actually good vampires. The result would have been either bitten friends (though, presumably, Spike's chip would have kept him from actually hurting anyone) or dusted vampires, neither one of which would have been good for the respective shows,

Of course, the cases were slightly different, because Angel's memories were intact, but only up to Liam's teenaged years, whereas Spike had no knowledge whatsoever of who he was or ever had been.
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I forgot about the 'Angel' episode.
Yes, from a writer's point of view, I understand why it was necessary that Spike didn't remember. And from a Spuffy point of view, I
loved that even discovering his true nature Spike still didn't want to bite Buffy 😀
 
NightLady said:
I forgot about the 'Angel' episode.
Yes, from a writer's point of view, I understand why it was necessary that Spike didn't remember. And from a Spuffy point of view, I
loved that even discovering his true nature Spike still didn't want to bite Buffy 😀
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Plus, one of the greatest quotes of the season, "A vampire with a soul? How lame is that?" (Course, she changed her mind completely by Season 7)

On that note, I wonder why the idea of a "vampire with a soul on a mission of redemption," even occurred to Spike at that moment, unless he was even then envious of Angel and the way that Buffy admired him.

(NOTE, BANGELS: Before you get the tar and feathers out, "admiration" does not replace "love," both can be felt simultaneously)
 
white avenger said:
Plus, one of the greatest quotes of the season, "A vampire with a soul? How lame is that?" (Course, she changed her mind completely by Season 7)

On that note, I wonder why the idea of a "vampire with a soul on a mission of redemption," even occurred to Spike at that moment, unless he was even then envious of Angel and the way that Buffy admired him.

(NOTE, BANGELS: Before you get the tar and feathers out, "admiration" does not replace "love," both can be felt simultaneously)
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I think it was because he didn't feel... evil. And you think Spike was envious of Angel? I've never had that feeling. Jealous, maybe, but not envious...
 
NightLady said:
I think it was because he didn't feel... evil. And you think Spike was envious of Angel? I've never had that feeling. Jealous, maybe, but not envious...
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I was referring mainly of Spike being envious of Angel because of Buffy's feelings for Ol' Broody, but being jealous of him works just as well.
 
I think the spell affected all of them because of the power behind it...namely Willow. I believe she posessed an insanely strong ability, which even she was unaware of.
 
Yeah, Tabala Rasa is a weird one, but they way I see they did still have their memories, they merely lost full access to their memories on a conscious level despite the fact that they were acting on them on a unconscious level. What they seemed to be experiencing is a loss (or restriction to) of personal memories.

There are several clues, such a Giles knowing to be "disappointed" when he saw Spike, which if he totally lost his memories he wouldn't be feeling. Also Anya instinctual need to do vengeance, which is a feeling born from her personal memories.

A lot of people complain about Spike but this explains his behaviour as well. Even on instinctual level, he still remembers his years of moral ambiguity.
 
Mr. Pole said:
Didnt they fall asleep in Spin the Bottle? I cant recall but I think they did.
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No, the "mist" from the bottle enveloped each of them...and accompanied by that sitar music, they each reacted in their own way. That scene was exactly like a bunch of people tripping on peyote or mushrooms, and I'm pretty sure it was MEANT to seem like that. Fred talking to plants, then vomiting...brilliant! 😀
 
This is one of my favorite episodes of BtVS. I think the point of the episode was similar to the musical where people sang their truth and couldn't hold back. In the case of tabula rasa we were seeing their personalities and who they really were on the inside.
 
I thought it was funny in how they paired people up in there. How Willow & Xander thought they were going out .
And how Giles thought he was living with Anya & Spike was his son. That was a real laugh.

Wonder what would happen if Faith had been there ?
 
I think Spike's behaviour is the writer prioritising the comedy of the episode rather than logic. I don't mind that if it's done right but in Tabula Rasa it comes off as cheap. I'm not a fan of Rebecca Rand Kirshner as a writer, she did some of my least favourite episodes, especially where the character consistency feels off.
 
Anya and Giles were hilarious together. Especially when they're trying to figure out how to stop making bunnies. That had me in giggle fits.
Emma is so gifted at comedy! Her timing and facial expressions are perfection. Not that I'm biased or anything. 😉
 
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