Buffy: The Vampire Slayer "Never Leave Me" Talkback (Spoilers)

[GoufCustom]

How would you rate this episode?


I'm still slightly confused. I still haven't figured out the morphing with Spike and Buffy. But, the big bad IS Nosferatu, right?

[EightOh]

"THAT'LL DO, PIG!"

Honestly, I would've been satisfied with just that monumentally funny moment, but the rest of the episode, from Good Cop/Bad Cop Xander and Anya, to the conversations between Buffy and Spike, to, well, everything else, just floored me.

I fear that no Giles in this ep means bad things regarding his probability of survival, especially after the rest of the Council of Watchers just went kablooey(They were really uptight, to be sure, but I can't help but feel upset about their untimely deaths). Of course, they could also just enjoy jerking us around and trying to confuse us all until we stab ourselves in the eyes and end up looking like the First Evil's minions.

The action sequence was insane, as confusing as a guy in a chicken suit reading Shakespeare, and really fun to watch.

The only bad point, in my opinion, was the terribly obvious CGI when the thing in the basement opened. The show hasn't exactly been known for its tremendous effects, and the Council building being 'sploded wasn't too hot, either, but feh.

The Master, part Deuce?! The Maskeletor?! Whatever it is, it's seriously weird looking. Many people's suspicions, that it was the First Evil, were confirmed, but I still found myself sitting with my mouth agape at the end, for some strange reason. Guess I was just that sucked into the whole thing.

Questions regarding Principal Wood's allegience(Bad guy? Errand boy? Council operative? Nooobody knows!) are still up in the air, and although him being more than just your average principal isn't exactly surprising, it remains to be seen whose side he's on, despite evidence pointing in the direction opposite that of the good guys. Still, that seems like it would be almost too blatant, or something.

Geeze, they keep answering four questions and bringing up thirty more.

No promo = we're going to have to wait? After that?! ARRRRRGGGH!!!

[Eidan]

EightOh summed up a lot of my comments...still going to add some though.

Well...GREAT episode! Honestly, this makes what? 3 consecutive great episodes this season? Both Angel and Buffy are on a serious roll.

It's been confirmed, Buffy & Co. are indeed facing off against the First Evil (first seen in the season 3 ep "Amends"). I'm probably one of the few people who are actually upset about the Council's demise. With the Council gone, that means centuries of knowledge and wisdom gone down the drain. With the Council gone, you can pretty much kiss the Slayers from here on end goodbye. Besides, the Head Council dude actually wanted to go to Sunnydale and help Buffy in the war against the First Evil...too late now.

After "Conversations with Dead People", you could have counted me as a major Andrew hater. But after "THAT'LL DO PIG!"...how could you hate the guy. Honestly, not only does Andrew seemingly have vital information (about the seal), but he's just funny. Seems that the First Evil actually wanted HIS blood for the seal.

Principal Wood...could this guy BE anymore mysterious? Where do his allegiances lie? Is he a stooge for the First Evil (somehow doubt it)? Is he a Watcher's Council plant? What?!? Tell us something!!!!

Man...Dawn sure did kick a lot of ass this episode. Guess those training sessions with Buffy did her some good.

I don't think the vampire raised by the First Evil was the Master (his IS dead you know). Under the credits he was labeled "Uber Vamp", and isn't played by the same actor. My guess is that this is in fact the First Vampire...but I could be wrong.

Spike has now been captured by the First Evil...wander what they're going to do with him now.

By his absence, I think it's pretty clear that Giles is indeed...dead. Anthony Stewart Head's other appearances will most likely be as the First Evil.

Simply put...excellent...excellent episode to what has been so far one of the best start offs any Buffy season, period. What have we learned?

* This season's big bad is the First Evil.
* The Watcher's Council has been blown to bacon bits.
* Principal Wood obviously knows more then everyone thinks.
* Xander and Anya have made amends (and are pretty funny as Good Cop/Bad Cop).
* Andrew is now (seemingly) under the protection of the Scoobies.
* Spike has been captured by the First Evil, and his blood has been used to raise a vamp that I ASSUME is the First Vampire.
* Giles...MIA.

[All-Star 1.5]

Originally posted by EightOh
"THAT'LL DO, PIG!"



The Master, part Deuce?! The Maskeletor?! Whatever it is, it's

No promo = we're going to have to wait? After that?! ARRRRRGGGH!!!

A what?


Any way I loved this episode I thought that it was great from beginning to end.

[witness]

You said it! This is the third great Buffy episode in a row!!! They seem to be pulling out all the stops for this year, I assume that it'll be the last.

Why did nobody here mention that it was the First Evil that they were facing this year? Did everyone else just forget like I did? I was totally blown away by that revelation, but when I finally saw that the robed guys eyes were shut, I figured it was the First Evil. Having seen the episode from season three, I knew what Buffy was taking about when she told her gang what they were up against. And wouldn't you know it? Buffy had seen the First Evil in that episode, which is why I believe the First Evil didn't try to go after Buffy. The First Evil encountered Buffy as the "dead gypsy girlfriend" of Giles who was supposed to keep an eye on Angel.

I'm not surprised that they didn't show what happened to Giles yet. I am surprised, however, the fact that the entire Watcher's Council was blown to smitherines!!! Or was it? The building that was blown up looked different than the one they showed before the Watcher's Council scene.... didn't it? Or is it just me? I didn't tape it so I can't look back until they do a repeat. I am upset by this as well. I would have liked to have seen the Council versus the First Evil, but I can understand why they didn't go that way. It has always been Buffy and her gang saving the world and it looks like this time won't be any different.

Again, not surprised about Principal Wood. Who's team is he on though? When I saw him look at the basement, then I knew for sure he was up to no good. I mean, honestly. They never did have an upstanding authority figure on this show apart from Giles and Joyce. The principals were bad, the Mayor was bad, the people who created Adam were bad, etc.

Other thoughts from this episode:

* I also enjoyed seeing Xander and Anya working together and putting their differences aside in this episode.

* Yes, Dawn did some major butt kicking this episode. I have this strange thought that she's supposed to be the next slayer in the back of my head. Like those other girls that were killed because of their potential slayer status.

* Spike, what's gonna happen to you? Are you going to be an unwilling lackey for the rest of the season? I think you are...

* The Uber Vamp - I believe he's just another minion of the First Evil. Gouf, the First Evil is the shapeshifting person. That Vamp that came out of the ground (in my opinion) was a pure vampire. It had no mortal human body to hold it back. Vampires were always demons trapped inside human bodies. This one looks like it's the real deal, a vampire in it's purest form. It really looked like those Orcs from Lord of the Rings and/or the cannibal demon from an earlier episode from this season, doesn't it?

*Oh Giles, where are you? Oh if they killed him, I can see it now. There will be just a regular episode running through it's course and suddenly, Giles shows up again in Sunnydale! Talks to Buffy and co., lets something slip, and voila! First Evil has been spotted! Hey, it could happen!

I for one am not surprised that this is the last new episode for awhile. Everyone's going to be on the edge of their seats come the end of January!!!

[Ruffian]

This is getting really good. I'm highly anticipating what's to come next. Interesting to see the Watcher's council getting involved with the battle.

[Anime_girl]

Really good episode!

I loving this season of buffy.









Screencaps from thebuffyparadox.com

Creepy

[Robin2099]

Very good episode, and perfectly suspensful. Angel and Buffy are really pulling out all the stops this season. I'm not sure which big bad I like more though, The Beast of the first evil.

[EightOh]

I am surprised, however, the fact that the entire Watcher's Council was blown to smitherines!!! Or was it? The building that was blown up looked different than the one they showed before the Watcher's Council scene.... didn't it? Or is it just me? I didn't tape it so I can't look back until they do a repeat.

It was definitely different than in the establishing shots. The building that went kaboom was a lot more rectangular than the one shown previously. Whether that was on purpose or a goof... well, we'll see, I guess.

By the way, if you're wondering why Ubervamp looked like Gnarl, the flesh-eating demon from "Same Time, Same Place," there are reasons for that. The biggest of which being that they were played by the same guy.

[creeper]

Wow that was a great ep. Of course that was already said by like everyone. I was begining to think that the season was gonna suck w/ all the bad filler eps in the begining. But things definitley picked up.

Since everyone already commented on all the big things, maybe i'll comment on some little things. Xander for instance. Anyone notice how silent he get's and his facial expressions when they mention spike? Even anya turned to Xander wondering why he wasn't his, we should kill spike, he's evil type mood. It seems he's finally put his faith in buffy. Four years, too late, but what can you do.

Another small small fact. The look on spike's face when Buffy told him that she believed in him. It takes me back to the ep where he was in the basement thinking he was talking to buffy and she said that she'd be there for him, then the real Buffy comes in and he realizes it was all an illusion. It seems reality is the slayer not only cares for spike, but wants him to succeed in his quest to be a better person. Maybe this will give spike the incentive to fight off his "new programming".

What of the chip? I taped it and hadn't got a chance to look back. Buffy asked when the chip stop working. What was Spike's response?

I also think it was brilliant of the big bad to shut andrew up. Don't want anything giving away the real plan before it can ressurrect mr. uber vamp.

I think back the the episode "amends" w/ angel. I also remember buffy specifically mocking the first evil. I guess being that the evil couldn't do anything in it's current form it was easy to point fun at it "being evil". But to think all this time it was waiting and plotting it's revenge. All this time putting all the pieces to wage all out war on the forces of good. Now this is the big bad of all big bad's. If Buffy doesn't end after this, then we're in so much trouble. It's been a struggle for them to top themselves every year. But like they said in the begining of the season, it's time to go back.

[GoufCustom]

So, who and what the hell is the shapeshifting big bad?

[EightOh]

All signs are pointing to the First Evil, which first appeared in season three ep "Amends." It was shapeshifting even then, tormenting Angel in the form of people, most notably Jenny Calender, who were killed by Angelus. It tried to get him to commit suicide, Buffy went postal on the no-eyed-robed-guys(the First Evil's priests, called the Harbingers, or Bringers), and confronted the First Evil. Now it's back, and apparently, it's angry.

[Lu775]

I agree with everyone. Great episode, sparking more questions than delivering answers.
Loved James Marsters performance!
(It's about time Buffy told Spike she believed he had changed, and that he could be a better person!)
It's gonna be torture waiting to find out where Giles is until the next new episode.

[Lunacat]

And the award for best Buffy 'big bad' goes to...First Evil!

Wow...never has a season of Buffy gotten me so in to the Big Bad. I just keep guessing and guessing, and when I find I'm right on one thing, something else pops up!

Why did they only want Andrew, Spike, and Wood to do its evil bidding? What do they have in commen exactly? Why is that song a 'trigger' for Spike? Why did Spike have to be the sacrifice? Why not just anyone else? Is Wood the killer now that Spike is currently hanging from a ceiling! Where's Giles?! Are all the Watchers really dead now?!!! Argh!!! I want answers!!!

...Its ok, I'm patient, I'm very interested to see how everything comes together in the end. When exactly is the next new episode? ...I can only be patient for so long ::twitch twitch::

Since everyone already commented on all the big things, maybe i'll comment on some little things. Xander for instance. Anyone notice how silent he get's and his facial expressions when they mention spike? Even anya turned to Xander wondering why he wasn't his, we should kill spike, he's evil type mood. It seems he's finally put his faith in buffy. Four years, too late, but what can you do.

Glad I'm not the only one that noticed this. Xander has been acting weird about the Spike issue lately. Like in last week's episode he got a funny look on his face and said "Is he in trouble?" like he was worried. I'm starting to wonder if Spike and Xander didn't become best buds of sorts while living together?

[Joe Wagner]

I don't think Giles is dead (considering there are still some rumors of a BBC Giles mini-series). Overall this was yet another good episode of Buffy (amazing how much better this season has been when compared to the last one). I really enjoyed the good cop/bad cop thing with Anya and Xander and the conversations between Buffy and Spike proved to be revealing for both Buffy and Spike. I am surprised though that it took the Scooby gang a long time to connect the dots between Spike seeing things and the big bad. The Vampire does look a lot like the master but I wonder if it could be a vampire that sired the Master (?).

As for the Council, I don't think that they will be dead - I have a feeling that they could be operating out of a different office but that there main office could now be gone for good. Also the call upon all of their delegates from around the world could be the reason that Faith returns. While she is in jail they do have links all over the world and could probably pull some strings to remove the slayer from prision. Looking forward to the next new episode and still wondering how this ties into the events of Angel so far.

-Joe!

[All-Star 1.5]

Well, Faith appears on Angel first and then goes to Buffy.

[Calico]

My word that was intense! Seeing Spike hanging over the symbol and dripping blood was just...Wow! "You ready to see what a real vampire looks like?" Yikes!

And for the life of me I can't remember 'Amends' though I'm sure I caught it on FX's reruns. I'll just have to wait until I get the 3rd season DVD set.

The Watcher's Council destroyed. Giles is presumably dead (nice of them to leave that little tidbit hanging ). Spike in the hands of this horrific evil. And we have to wait until January????

Loved Anya and Xander's good cop/bad cop, especially when she hit him and looked so apologetic. And did anyone else catch Xander's description of the torment she gave to one guy by removing his heart and leaving a black empty space...getting a little personal there I do believe.

Spike's admission that he's discovered a new definition of pain and suffering since fallling in love with Buffy really hit the mark didn't it? She is most certainly starting to see him as something other than the evil blood sucker she once knew. And she's been most understanding about the whole slaughtering thing. Once upon a time I'm sure she wouldn't have had a second thought about staking him when he was begging her to kill him. And now he's been captured, it'll be interesting to see what kind of a rescue she mounts.

Principal Wood - now there's a true mystery. Just going to have to wait and see how that one unfolds.

I can't believe no one's mentioned Willow's scene with Andrew outside the butcher shop - "I am a she-witch and you will incur my wrath!" LOL! Reminds me of her trying to play Vamp Willow. Of course the dolt bought it hook, line, and sinker! What an idiot!

Anyway I'm in complete agreement that this season is totally blowing the last one away. If this is how they're going to wrap the series up, then "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" is certainly going to go out on a high note.

[Eidan]

And for the life of me I can't remember 'Amends' though I'm sure I caught it on FX's reruns.

"Amends"...kind of a Christmas episode where Angel is haunted by the "ghosts" of those who he killed as Angelus, primarily Jenny Calendar (Giles' old flame from season 1 & 2). The Scoobies eventually discover that these ghosts are in fact the representation of the First, a name given to Absolute Evil (a.k.a. the First Evil). Since the First Evil had no physical form, Buffy couldn't defeat it. After kicking the Harbinger's (the blind priests who summoned and worship the First) asses, the First pretty much left, and we haven't heard from it since...until now.

I'd also like to add...am I the only one who thought Anya and Willow looked EXCEPTIONALLY good this episode. I couldn't help but stare at Anya's mid drift....

[GoufCustom]

Speaking of Anya and Willow being hot, Willow/Alyson has been scorching this year.