Transcript
Speaker: Previously on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Speaker: You know, they have not got away with the fact that it's just, it's odd that this schoolgirl hangs around with this librarian and her friends.
Speaker: There always seems to be something, some shit going off.
Speaker: This time it's Buffy opening up to Cordelia.
Speaker: So she tells her that something was missing for her back in LA, even though she was pretty popular at her old school.
Speaker: So they're both learning more about each other and realising that they actually have more in common than they realised.
Speaker: Hello and welcome back to previously on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Speaker: We are here.
Speaker: We are on the season finale of season one, episode 12, Prophecy Girl.
Speaker: We've made it.
Speaker: Yeah, what a milestone.
Speaker: Yeah, I can't believe we're here.
Speaker: I mean, it doesn't seem that long ago that we were just like...
Speaker: It'd be fun to do a podcast, wouldn't it?
Speaker: We should do this.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: I mean, you're no stranger to podcasts, but this is, I've never done one before.
Speaker: And it's a lot, there's a lot more involved than...
Speaker: than I thought they would be.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: It's been a pleasure.
Speaker: It has, yeah.
Speaker: So much fun.
Speaker: And I'm so glad to be doing this Prophecy Girl with you because there's rates up there for me as one of the top finales, Buffy's finales.
Speaker: It's not my favourite episode, certainly not of season one or
Speaker: of the entire season but I think it's a really good finale yeah however however on this rewatch I'm struggling to sort of remember I thought it I remember it being better than it it was on this rewatch yeah I'm the same yeah okay there are elements to it that I really like but then there are other bits where I'm just kind of like
Speaker: I don't know.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: That sounds really vague, but we will get into that in detail.
Speaker: There just seems to be a lot of, there's some really amazing scenes, like iconic scenes.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: It does a great job of, you know, wrapping up this particular part of the story, you know, with this particular nemesis and involving all the characters.
Speaker: And also another thing I really liked about it was the music.
Speaker: It's just the use of music in this episode is really good.
Speaker: Yeah, it is.
Speaker: It is really.
Speaker: The theme is used really well.
Speaker: And we actually haven't heard the theme tune played outside of the intro and, of course, the outro.
Speaker: Yeah, I mean, we get two variations of it.
Speaker: And the background music is really great as well.
Speaker: It just sort of goes up a notch.
Speaker: You get it more and more so, you know, when the key point, when it changes for Buffy.
Speaker: I would say really, though, that this episode, very much, you know, like the other episodes of season one, it represents...
Speaker: Again, it's another parallel for real life.
Speaker: And the story is, it's essentially the end of the age of innocence.
Speaker: And Buffy physically goes through that.
Speaker: you know, with through this episode and, you know, she leaves a bit of herself behind her childhood.
Speaker: It dies.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: So it's, yeah, I mean, it's a great, great episode, but yeah, I struggled a little with it.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: I hate to say.
Speaker: Sometimes that happens, though.
Speaker: And other times, episodes you're maybe not expecting to enjoy as much.
Speaker: You're like, oh, wow, I really... Yeah.
Speaker: That's better than I remember.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And I think that's what's been really enjoyable about this rewatch.
Speaker: I know as much as I love season one, there are other seasons I don't like as much.
Speaker: We've got a long time to wait until we get there.
Speaker: But I'm actually looking forward to...
Speaker: to re-watching them with the podcast in mind because I know I'm going to enjoy it more because of that.
Speaker: But anyway, getting ahead of ourselves.
Speaker: So we start at the bronze, which is only fair and fitting.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And Xander, you know, an eye roll moment already.
Speaker: You can see him.
Speaker: You clearly know what he's rehearsing for.
Speaker: He's rehearsing for asking Buffy out.
Speaker: But they do this thing that they often do where they don't show who's on the other side.
Speaker: of that conversation um but it turns out to be willow he's practicing on her and she's clearly still really into him and it's like oh god does he have to bring it yeah bless her yeah she's enthralled and there's a moment where she says you can you know you can keep practicing on me if you want but oh no willow he's like no i need to i need to do it now and she's like no
Speaker: well Buffy's not here and he's like well where is she and I do like this um well he actually says date me as well he's like date me he's like oh my god yeah I kind of feel for him here yeah because I mean he's fine he's finally getting to the point where he's like I am actually going to ask her I need to stop messing around with this and just ask her and be serious about it
Speaker: So again, he's going past that crush stage where he's actually saying, no, I genuinely like her.
Speaker: And I think personally, I think he articulates it very well to Buffy when he does ask.
Speaker: But before then, you have this, where is she?
Speaker: And Willow's like, well, you know, the usual.
Speaker: And I love this scene that it cuts to the slow motion is fucking cool.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: I love it.
Speaker: It's really, really great.
Speaker: And then, of course, it's in to cut with real time Cordy and Guy in the car, making out in the car.
Speaker: Guy who was not Mitch.
Speaker: So, yeah, the other.
Speaker: Yeah, she's got she's she's changed already.
Speaker: She's upgraded.
Speaker: or downgraded or gone sideways and you know it's like oh there's something out there and he's like there's nothing out there and then all outside it's slow motion cool and Buffy does her power stance rolls backwards yeah and when she she kills this particular
Speaker: vampire she says three in one night Giles will be so proud yeah I love the you know when she reveals the stake really slowly and the vampire's face is like oh shit yeah and her face that's surety that's yeah oh yes I am the slayer and she doesn't muck around at all she literally straight in stakes and
Speaker: indicates, yeah, that it's a busy night.
Speaker: Mm-hmm.
Speaker: And then we're on to the next opening scene.
Speaker: The scene is being set.
Speaker: And it's this lovely rooftop shot.
Speaker: Yeah, it's very arty.
Speaker: It is.
Speaker: And the music as well.
Speaker: It makes it all very dramatic.
Speaker: And I love the view down into the library.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Which we do get, don't we, in season two.
Speaker: Because, let's face it, people, the world does not end.
Speaker: with season one.
Speaker: And Giles is working away.
Speaker: Yeah, drinking his tea, studying his books.
Speaker: I tell you what, you look at that, that is an absolute cracker of a cup of tea.
Speaker: Who's never made that?
Speaker: Knows their tea.
Speaker: That looks perfect.
Speaker: Absolutely perfect.
Speaker: And the way this is set up as well, it's just really establishing it.
Speaker: It's like it's almost, this is the season finale.
Speaker: We're reintroducing you to everybody you know.
Speaker: Yes.
Speaker: And just showing you what they're up to.
Speaker: Yeah, showing them in their sort of natural habitat.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: So here's the Giles librarian reading his books in a vague foreign language.
Speaker: I think it's meant to be Latin.
Speaker: And he translates as he's going and he reads, oh, the master shall rise.
Speaker: Oh, yes, this is it.
Speaker: This is it.
Speaker: So he's found the part in the codex.
Speaker: So he's been reading through that.
Speaker: And he says,
Speaker: The master shall rise.
Speaker: And the slayer.
Speaker: And he just stops.
Speaker: And you think, oh, no.
Speaker: Then he says, my God.
Speaker: So you're like, oh, shit.
Speaker: What has he read?
Speaker: So you know it's not good.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Because he goes for his tea.
Speaker: And this is severe.
Speaker: This is next level up.
Speaker: Because normally he'd take his glasses off.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Or eat a mint or something, but now it's like tea.
Speaker: It's just the hierarchy.
Speaker: It's going to be for that amazing, and it is spot on tea.
Speaker: Yeah, they grace us with a lovely close up of it.
Speaker: So we can see just how great it is.
Speaker: It's spot on.
Speaker: It really is spot on.
Speaker: And it's a lovely cup and saucer as well.
Speaker: I really like it.
Speaker: So therefore it's just a shame that it then starts to shake.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Yeah, so that's not going to last long.
Speaker: That's a character in itself.
Speaker: we've been introduced and therefore the audience knows this.
Speaker: Shit is going to happen and the teacup dies.
Speaker: And it's not localised though, it's all of Sunnydale.
Speaker: So we get a shot of the bronze, Xander and Willow taking cover underneath the stairs.
Speaker: And I've always spotted this the first time I watched it.
Speaker: Willow puts her hand on the stairs and...
Speaker: I remember the first time I saw this, I was like, oh, no, love, don't put your hand on the stairs.
Speaker: And she looks and someone innocently is running down the steps and they stand on her finger.
Speaker: So you actually hear her go, ow, like they're pulling away.
Speaker: And you think, oh.
Speaker: So, yeah, so she gets trodden on.
Speaker: in the park where Buffy is and Cordelia and her guy.
Speaker: Everything is shaking and what have you.
Speaker: And then we're back in the library where...
Speaker: all the books and all the library is being almost ripped apart.
Speaker: So it's pretty, pretty heavy stuff.
Speaker: And this earthquake is, well, it marks a sign.
Speaker: And we are told this by the master who's stood underneath underground with his arms up and he's going, yes, yes, we're in the final days.
Speaker: And
Speaker: My time has come.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And this has got to be one of my favorite moments.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: When it stops shaking and he's sort of going, what do you think?
Speaker: 5.1?
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: It's just brilliant.
Speaker: That's probably one of my favourite Buffy moments ever.
Speaker: So it's just his timing is just cracking.
Speaker: So it's opening credits time then.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Last one of the season.
Speaker: This is the last one of this sequence.
Speaker: So I did actually watch this in full.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: You have to.
Speaker: Old time's sake.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And then it's the next morning and Buffy comes into the library and she remarks on the damage from the night before.
Speaker: But Giles is very, very ruffled and very distracted.
Speaker: God, he's just he's a hot mess in this scene.
Speaker: And it's it's actually a really lovely scene.
Speaker: It is.
Speaker: I forgot about this one, actually, because I think it gets overpowered by others.
Speaker: But Buffy's feeling good, you know, despite all of the earthquake and everything.
Speaker: She's quite happy.
Speaker: She's trying to tell him that, you know, she killed three vampires last night.
Speaker: Would it kill you to show a bit of interest?
Speaker: But he's obviously...
Speaker: Very distracted.
Speaker: He's so dazed.
Speaker: He's like, oh, Buffy, you're here.
Speaker: And she's like, have I got something on my face?
Speaker: It's like, no, no, no, no.
Speaker: And yes, we're safe, but don't go up there.
Speaker: You could tell she's like, how are you doing there, Giles?
Speaker: Did you get much sleep last night?
Speaker: And she's looking at him and you could tell she's going, he has not gone home.
Speaker: He's still in his normal, his yesterday clothes.
Speaker: The only thing he really has to offer on what she said is that there's clearly been a big increase in vampires.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And I love how she's like, and it's awfully sweet of you to ask how it went, how it all went last night.
Speaker: He's really not, he's not paying too much attention because he's clearly very distracted.
Speaker: Quite distressed by what he's read.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Which we don't know yet, but.
Speaker: Yeah, he's just, he's upset.
Speaker: Buffy points out that
Speaker: They were really close to the school.
Speaker: The vampires were close to the school and that getting cockier.
Speaker: And Giles actually said, oh, their numbers are increasing.
Speaker: Right.
Speaker: OK, because he knows this is all pointing into, you know, the direction that he's clearly read about.
Speaker: And I think one of my favorite bits where Buffy's like, Giles, care?
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: I'm putting my life on the line battling the undead.
Speaker: I mean, I broke a nail.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: I'm wearing a press on.
Speaker: You think, oh, first world problems.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: But he's like, look, I'm busy.
Speaker: I can't really talk right now.
Speaker: Well, before that, because he doesn't though.
Speaker: He doesn't even say that.
Speaker: I think she says, at least you could do is exhibit some casual interest.
Speaker: Oh, yeah.
Speaker: You could go, hmm.
Speaker: And he goes, hmm.
Speaker: So, but yeah, I mean, he's, you know, he's not brushed his hair.
Speaker: He's, his shirt's crumpled.
Speaker: He's, he's a mess, a hot mess, but he's a mess.
Speaker: And Buffy's sort of like, oh, fine.
Speaker: Okay.
Speaker: I'm going to go meet my fate.
Speaker: And then he pays attention.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Scares the shit out of him.
Speaker: And she's like, oh, biology.
Speaker: And it just, it just pulls us back to the fact that it's an ordinary day.
Speaker: In Buffy's world, it's an ordinary day.
Speaker: Giles watches her go and you can see, oh, bless him, he's torn.
Speaker: He has no idea what to do.
Speaker: He's stuck.
Speaker: So then we see Buffy, Xander and Willow coming out of class and talking about how boring it was.
Speaker: Boring doesn't cover it.
Speaker: And Buffy looks gorgeous.
Speaker: Sunglasses really suit Sarah Michelle Gellar.
Speaker: Yeah, they do.
Speaker: I really like Willow's outfit here as well.
Speaker: I think it's a really Willow outfit.
Speaker: It really suits her.
Speaker: I love it when she's like, you know, even I was bored.
Speaker: And I'm a computer geek.
Speaker: I'm a nerd.
Speaker: She's like, nerds are still in, right?
Speaker: And then Xander.
Speaker: Yeah, he's building up to the big moment.
Speaker: And it hints that Willow should disappear and let him get on with it.
Speaker: Yeah, you have a thing.
Speaker: Go and do your thing.
Speaker: So he sits Buffy down and like, I need to ask you something.
Speaker: So he's kind of he's kind of working up to it.
Speaker: But then he just he just comes out and says, you know, will you go to the dance with me?
Speaker: And you can see the awkward look on her face as he's going on.
Speaker: And you know how it's going to go.
Speaker: I actually really like this scene.
Speaker: I think how they've gone around it, because it's been discussed between Xander and Willow so many times.
Speaker: And I think every occasion that they've brought it up or he's discussed it, you think, oh God, he would just make it an inappropriate advance or not necessarily make a fool of himself, but
Speaker: He wouldn't go about it the right way.
Speaker: But I think his behaviour here, it's respectful.
Speaker: He actually says, I know we're friends and I don't want to damage that friendship, but I want more.
Speaker: I really like you and I'd like to go to the dance with you.
Speaker: So he's doing all the right things.
Speaker: It's just Buffy isn't interested in him.
Speaker: For me, he kind of then, it all unravels.
Speaker: after that his reaction yes um because she she tries to explain that you know she she sees him as a friend but she doesn't look at him in that way yeah and he says well try which i thought oh hang on yeah that's a bit try i can wait it's like no zander it
Speaker: And she even said, Xander, it doesn't work like that.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And I think this is Xander, you know, the bad side of Xander where he says, yeah, okay, yeah, I'm not him.
Speaker: Guy's got to be undead to make time with you.
Speaker: And you think, oh.
Speaker: And yeah, Buffy's not impressed with that.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: At all.
Speaker: And then he says, I don't handle rejection well.
Speaker: It's like, oh, clearly.
Speaker: No.
Speaker: You know, considering all the practice he's had.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: It's about him again.
Speaker: You know, it's about, it's Buffy's problem for not liking him.
Speaker: And it's, you know, he hasn't respected her decision.
Speaker: Yeah, he was doing well until that point of stating his case.
Speaker: But then it's like he hadn't thought about what would happen if she turned him down.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Or that it was a possibility.
Speaker: Yeah, this is it.
Speaker: And again, I feel for him.
Speaker: Yeah, because it's not a nice position for anybody to be in.
Speaker: No, it's not.
Speaker: And I think at that age, you know, your confidence is always incredibly high in cases like that where you don't consider all the options.
Speaker: And that's when, you know, you hit disappointing barriers and moments.
Speaker: And he's had one of those and he's not dealing with it very well.
Speaker: So he goes off on a sulk.
Speaker: Mm-hmm.
Speaker: swinging his bag like he's about to just take everyone out.
Speaker: And then we're back in the library.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Giles is on the phone.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Well, I just want to make an honourable mention of that, the brass thing, the dancing thing.
Speaker: Oh, yeah.
Speaker: You know, we mentioned it and I was like, there it is.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: In Buffy's dream, and it's in Giles' library.
Speaker: It features there.
Speaker: It's there again.
Speaker: So is that maybe prophetic for this episode, maybe?
Speaker: I don't know.
Speaker: But he's on the phone.
Speaker: Yeah, and it's all, I need to see you.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: I love the fact that it's Angel that he's on the phone to.
Speaker: Yeah, and you would think it was like...
Speaker: You'd think it was one of the Goldblend ads or something, because I think something like that actually happened in the ads.
Speaker: Oh, really?
Speaker: Oh, brilliant.
Speaker: Yeah, I think there's an ad where she phones him in the middle of the night and is like, I need to see you.
Speaker: And it just ends there.
Speaker: Yes.
Speaker: Oh, OK.
Speaker: Yeah, it's yeah.
Speaker: It's a really good, you know, you're just thinking, what on earth is going on here?
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: So, but I mean, turning out that it is actually Angel that he's phoning.
Speaker: And I think he says, well, yes, I understand that, you know, it will need to be later, you know, after sundown.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And again, it's still very, and of course, Jenny's there thinking sundown.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Who are you going to see later?
Speaker: But can we just, just pull out of this for a moment?
Speaker: And how did Giles get Angel's number?
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: I mean, they obviously had a little... They had a really good chat.
Speaker: Oh, yeah.
Speaker: Last episode.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: So they're best buddies now, which I really like that they're building that relationship between them both.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And I know that they enjoyed working together as well.
Speaker: And they thought it was a shame that, you know, especially later on, that they didn't get to have enough scenes together.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: I know Anthony Head would have been quite keen on making a guest appearance in Angel, the series, but it didn't end up happening.
Speaker: No, there was one occasion when they intended for that to happen, but schedules didn't align.
Speaker: It's a shame.
Speaker: But, you know, ultimately, they had plenty of opportunities within the Buffy show, which they never took advantage of either.
Speaker: But yeah, it's one of these things where...
Speaker: I mean, again, they've mentioned this.
Speaker: Anthony Hedder said this so many times where Joss Whedon had to remind him it was called Buffy the Vampire Slayer, not Giles and Angel.
Speaker: Giles the hot librarian.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: I mean, yeah, Angel got his own show.
Speaker: We could have just called the Ripper series that, you know.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Oh, I'm still upset that that never happened.
Speaker: Yeah, tragedy.
Speaker: But yeah, so Giles' little moment, his little naughty phone call to Angel is interrupted by the other Vision, Jenny Callender, whose hair is amazing.
Speaker: And her cardigan.
Speaker: I know she wore it before, but I really like that.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And she's checking Giles out.
Speaker: I mean, she knows.
Speaker: Who's he talking to?
Speaker: Well, she knows exactly what he was wearing the day before.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And she comments on it.
Speaker: She's like, you know, that outfit looks just like the one you wore yesterday.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Were you here all night?
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: So, yeah, she's fully aware of his movement, where he hasn't been, where he is.
Speaker: And he even then says, oh, I'm not up for socializing.
Speaker: It's like, oh, really?
Speaker: So you're socializing now.
Speaker: But on this occasion, Jenny's straight to the point.
Speaker: She said something is happening.
Speaker: And I'm guessing you know what it is.
Speaker: Yeah, she starts reading out a few stories of crazy things that have been going on.
Speaker: What was it?
Speaker: Something had kittens or... Yeah, a baby's eyes were inwards.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: They gave birth to a baby whose eyes were pointing inwards.
Speaker: Was it boiling lakes, litter of snakes?
Speaker: Mm-hmm.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: So it's all apocalypse stuff.
Speaker: She said, she said, you know, I'm not stupid.
Speaker: This is apocalypse stuff.
Speaker: And with the earthquake last night, I think we've got a problem.
Speaker: And I love this line.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: This is maybe one of my favorites when she says, I would say the end is pretty seriously nigh.
Speaker: Yeah, it's a great line.
Speaker: It's brilliant.
Speaker: A great delivery as well.
Speaker: Yes.
Speaker: Yeah, really, really good.
Speaker: And her hair.
Speaker: I love her hair.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: So, yeah, she's saying, come on, Rupert, we need to discuss this.
Speaker: And I don't get it.
Speaker: He's like, I can't, I don't trust you with any of this.
Speaker: It's like, what?
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And she points out, you know, I helped you get that demon out of the internet, the computer network.
Speaker: You know, how can you not trust me after that?
Speaker: That warrants some, you know, merit.
Speaker: And then she mentions this crazy monk.
Speaker: Who's been emailing her.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: About the anointed one.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: So then Giles is like, oh.
Speaker: Okay, and he gets quite... He's dead.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Because, of course, it's a while back now, but they believe that Buffy killed the Anointed, so...
Speaker: So that's a surprise.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And of course, it's serious enough to warrant a removal of glasses.
Speaker: So yeah, we will top that up at the end.
Speaker: He asks Jenny to contact Father Luca, who has been sending out these mail outs to everyone.
Speaker: Because he's been saying, oh, it's to do with a prophecy for the anointed.
Speaker: And Giles says, find out as much as you can.
Speaker: And I like this.
Speaker: Jenny's like, excuse me, are you giving me orders?
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And he actually just says, just do it.
Speaker: Yeah, he's very snappy.
Speaker: Yeah, very, very direct.
Speaker: And he sort of catches himself.
Speaker: And he says, look, I'm sorry, please, I will explain.
Speaker: But please do it for now.
Speaker: It's quite...
Speaker: I do like that scene.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And it's good to see Jenny back.
Speaker: It is.
Speaker: As well.
Speaker: So as you said, it's bringing everyone back in.
Speaker: So everyone gets a bit of airtime, essentially.
Speaker: But do you think that maybe that's why the episode is a little sort of...
Speaker: Disjointed?
Speaker: Possibly, yeah.
Speaker: It's a lot to fit in.
Speaker: And especially, now I'm glad they did, but when you bring somebody like Jenny back for the finale when we haven't seen her in a few episodes and it's kind of like catch up.
Speaker: Yeah, it's very, I do think it adds to the disjointed feel because you have a lot of people to involve.
Speaker: You do, yeah.
Speaker: And I will say in advance that I have struggled to choose a favourite character.
Speaker: I did settle on one, but I think it's because there's so much going on with everybody that nobody stood out above the rest.
Speaker: No.
Speaker: I mean, that's probably a sign of a really solid episode where everyone has an integral part in it.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And if you take one of those characters out, the entire episode changes.
Speaker: It wouldn't work without any one of those characters.
Speaker: So again, it's brilliantly written.
Speaker: Again, the dialogue is spot on, really on point.
Speaker: Actually interesting, this was Joss Whedon's first writing and directing piece that he did.
Speaker: So he did essentially all of that.
Speaker: Yeah, so we're next, we're on to the next scene and we've got Cordy and her boyfriend, whatever his name is.
Speaker: Is it Kevin?
Speaker: Is it Kevin?
Speaker: I think she says Kevin later on.
Speaker: He looks like a slightly harsher character.
Speaker: Owen.
Speaker: Yeah, he does.
Speaker: You know, just big mousy hair.
Speaker: But he's got sort of a, it's how he looks at Cordy.
Speaker: There's a bit, she's like, oh, why are you so nice?
Speaker: And he's like, I know, because I'm normally like a snake.
Speaker: He's like, ooh, okay.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Okay, nice.
Speaker: Cordy turns on the charm for Willow.
Speaker: She's like, nice outfit.
Speaker: I like your outfit.
Speaker: She's like, no, you don't.
Speaker: She's like, no, you're right, I don't.
Speaker: But I need a favour.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: So she needs Willow to hook up a sound system because the bronze won't allow her to use theirs for the prom.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: So she's involved in sorting all the spring fling out and stuff.
Speaker: And presumably that's because she's May Queen.
Speaker: I don't know.
Speaker: But it's just an excuse for,
Speaker: for both Willow and Cordy to be together in the next scene.
Speaker: So just really nicely put in.
Speaker: And Willow notices Xander and he's in an empty classroom battering this tennis ball at a wall.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Working through his issues.
Speaker: Not very well.
Speaker: No.
Speaker: This one frustrates me as much as the last scene did, his reaction.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Yeah, it's... It's just, it's so tone deaf.
Speaker: I mean, Willow asks him how it went with Buffy.
Speaker: He tells her that, you know, he was rejected.
Speaker: And then he's like, oh, you know, I've got a great idea.
Speaker: You should go with me to the prom.
Speaker: And you can see Willow...
Speaker: thinking uh no and she to be fair to her despite her feelings for him she says no because clearly she doesn't want to be a consolation prize no and she's like i don't want to be there with you while you're just pining after buffy
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And she doesn't deserve that.
Speaker: No.
Speaker: But he does actually say, I didn't think.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: So as painful as it is, he is learning through this episode as well.
Speaker: He's having his own crisis moment.
Speaker: And I love his comment about country music.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: The music of pain.
Speaker: And yeah, so poor thing.
Speaker: He's sick and tired.
Speaker: He's not going to the dance.
Speaker: Willow isn't.
Speaker: She's basically said, have a nice weekend and I'll see you next week.
Speaker: And then it's nighttime.
Speaker: So Buffy is, I don't know, getting ready to hunt.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: In the locker room.
Speaker: You think, oh God, here we go.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And she goes to the sink, turns on the tap and she sees blood coming from it.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: It's pretty, it's very ominous.
Speaker: It is.
Speaker: So she heads straight to the library to tell Giles, you know, there's more weird shit going on here.
Speaker: You would not believe the shit that's going off now.
Speaker: And Angel is in there.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And she lights up because this is the first time she's seen him since he told her that he couldn't be around her.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: So he's done a pretty good job of avoiding her.
Speaker: And obviously from the last episode, we know that Giles didn't want to bring up the fact that Angel was around.
Speaker: Mm hmm.
Speaker: So clearly, I think Giles is not expecting Buffy to be there at all.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And they don't realise she's there.
Speaker: She hears them talking about the codex.
Speaker: And they're having quite a strong disagreement.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: You know, Angel is saying, well, you're reading it wrong.
Speaker: And Giles, bless him, is, I wish to God I were.
Speaker: Yeah, so we're about to find out what it is that he read at the beginning of the episode.
Speaker: And unfortunately, Buffy is there to hear.
Speaker: Tomorrow night, Buffy will face the master and she will die.
Speaker: Sarah Michelle Gellis' face.
Speaker: Yeah, this scene, this whole scene is amazing.
Speaker: It's one of my, it's my favourite scene, but it's one of the best moments in the episode.
Speaker: The tension and just, yeah, it's brilliant.
Speaker: The performance is brilliant.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: This is, this is my scene, my chosen scene.
Speaker: And I think it's the, the hysterical laughter.
Speaker: Yes.
Speaker: Which then turns into upset and tears and she gets more and more upset and angry.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: As the scene goes on.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: She goes through the various emotions of, well, denial, anger, resolution.
Speaker: You know, she realizes what it is.
Speaker: And the questions that she asks breaks me.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: How she says it.
Speaker: She's like, I wonder who she is.
Speaker: And then she says...
Speaker: Will Giles train the new Slayer?
Speaker: Or will they send someone else?
Speaker: It's like, oh no.
Speaker: And his reaction as well.
Speaker: His face says so much in this scene, which he's just really good at anyway.
Speaker: Just the regret that she's heard this, but he can't deny it because that's what he read.
Speaker: And they have to face up to it, but it's just so painful.
Speaker: I think as well, everything she says up to a certain point, she asks question after question after question.
Speaker: The last question that she asks Giles is, do you think, will it hurt?
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And then Angel interjects,
Speaker: She just ignores Angel for this, this whole thing.
Speaker: And she said, don't touch me.
Speaker: So she gets the next level then, you know, of anger.
Speaker: And she still asks a question, you know, were you even going to tell me?
Speaker: So she's accusing him now.
Speaker: And he doesn't know how to respond to that, you know.
Speaker: And he's saying, well, I was hoping I wouldn't have to, that I'd find a way around it, that we could solve it.
Speaker: And it's this then, the denial stage.
Speaker: Well, I've got a way around it.
Speaker: I quit.
Speaker: And this is all factual now.
Speaker: You know, I'm making it that simple.
Speaker: I quit.
Speaker: I'm fired.
Speaker: I resign.
Speaker: You can find someone else.
Speaker: So no question.
Speaker: So she's adamant.
Speaker: This is it.
Speaker: You find someone else.
Speaker: I'm not the slayer.
Speaker: And then you get Giles interjecting, saying about the signs indicating that
Speaker: And this sends her to next level where she then asks questions again.
Speaker: And she's like, the signs, read me the signs, you know, and it's just tell me my fortune.
Speaker: You know, you're all useful here, sitting here with all your books.
Speaker: And it's all accusation to him, you know, and it's pure anger.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And she starts throwing books in his direction.
Speaker: And it's a hard lesson for him to learn as well.
Speaker: And you can see the wheels turning for him saying, no, I don't suppose I am useful.
Speaker: I haven't helped.
Speaker: And Angel just gets it in the neck as well.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: You know, she's like, you don't know what it's like.
Speaker: You're immortal.
Speaker: You're not going to die.
Speaker: And I don't know if it is about, he turns it on for himself.
Speaker: You know, he goes, you know, you think I want anything to happen to you?
Speaker: It's like, well, it's not about you, Angel.
Speaker: Because he says, oh, do you think I could stand it?
Speaker: It's like, well, it's not about you, love.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And she goes from anger at Giles to then becoming suddenly really vulnerable.
Speaker: And I just love this line because it's just so emotional.
Speaker: She says, Giles, I'm 16 years old.
Speaker: I don't want to die.
Speaker: But even before when she says, I don't care.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And then she says it again.
Speaker: All of the anger dissipates.
Speaker: And she sort of mumbles it, you know, I don't care.
Speaker: Then she looks at him and it's the look.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: I'm 16 years old.
Speaker: It's like, oh.
Speaker: I don't want to die.
Speaker: And it's so heartbreaking.
Speaker: I mean, you can see his heartbreak.
Speaker: You can.
Speaker: And she's just so good in this.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Where are the awards?
Speaker: I know.
Speaker: It's just criminal.
Speaker: It really is.
Speaker: You know, and she rips off the crucifix that Angel gave her.
Speaker: Mm-hmm.
Speaker: and throws it to the ground, I mean, that would completely shatter.
Speaker: And she storms out of the library.
Speaker: Giles almost goes to follow her.
Speaker: Actually, there's not many transitions like this where it fades out and into a new shot.
Speaker: So I think it only really has happened in this episode thus far.
Speaker: And it's a bit of a, almost like a montage.
Speaker: So we get, again, another update of where all the characters are.
Speaker: Yeah, you get Willow dialing Xander's number.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: He doesn't answer.
Speaker: He's moping at home.
Speaker: Yeah, it's just a very short scene, but that's where they're at.
Speaker: while all this is going on.
Speaker: Xander's lying there with, is it I Fall to Pieces?
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Country music and it literally lifts the handset, drops it back down and then just takes it off the hook.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And yeah, it's, bless him.
Speaker: And Buffy, again, you get that fade out and in.
Speaker: where Buffy's then looking at a family photo album.
Speaker: Well, she's just taking time to reflect.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Because we know Buffy is a hero.
Speaker: We know that she will do what she has to do.
Speaker: And she's just coming to terms with that.
Speaker: And it's really sweet, I think, the moment with her mum.
Speaker: Yeah, it is.
Speaker: She comes in and she just wants to know what's wrong.
Speaker: And yeah, she ends up asking her...
Speaker: if anybody has asked her to the prom, which is kind of more interest in her life than she has shown for a lot of the season.
Speaker: And it's a parallel conversation again.
Speaker: And I love that there's little lines throughout this.
Speaker: But Joyce completely misses the fact that when Buffy turns around really quickly, she's like, let's go away for a weekend.
Speaker: She's got tears down her cheeks.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And Joyce hasn't said, oh, honey, what's the matter?
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Instead, she just says, well, you know, the gallery is open at weekends.
Speaker: So, yeah.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Instead of picking up on what's this all about suddenly.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And she's like, oh, is it the prom?
Speaker: Is that what it is?
Speaker: Did you not get asked out or did the wrong person ask you?
Speaker: And she's like, oh, you see, I do know.
Speaker: I am.
Speaker: I do know what's happening.
Speaker: I mean, I really like Joyce.
Speaker: I think she's really sweet.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And, you know, the fact that she then says, oh, well, you won't be needing this then.
Speaker: And she opens the cupboard and there's this beautiful dress that Buffy had been eyeing up.
Speaker: And she bought it for her.
Speaker: Yeah, and it is.
Speaker: It's beautiful.
Speaker: And she said, you need to wear this to the dance and, you know, go anyway.
Speaker: And she's like, no, I can't.
Speaker: And she's like, what says who?
Speaker: Is it written somewhere?
Speaker: And then, you know, that's the first parallel.
Speaker: And she said, just go.
Speaker: I didn't have a date either.
Speaker: And I went anyway.
Speaker: And I got dressed up.
Speaker: I met your dad.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: You know, but for about an hour, it was awful.
Speaker: I love the bit where she's like, well, he had a date, but we're not going to discuss that.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And Buffy then mentioned, she said, oh, you had your whole life ahead of you.
Speaker: And then it's just when she said, must be nice.
Speaker: It's like, oh, Buffy.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Heartbreaking.
Speaker: And again, Joyce doesn't pick up on that shit.
Speaker: What?
Speaker: What are you talking about?
Speaker: That's a strange thing to say.
Speaker: Yeah, it really is.
Speaker: And then it's the next morning.
Speaker: And Cordy and Willow, who would never hang out, they've had to write a reason for this.
Speaker: And of course, they're doing something with the sound system or whatever.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And Cordy is changing.
Speaker: She's again, she's going through a she's growing up, you know, with the with the the adult relationship side where she's like, I think it's endearing that he he he didn't turn up last night.
Speaker: I would normally be mad.
Speaker: I would normally just dump him, but I don't even care.
Speaker: You know, I find it cute.
Speaker: And she's like, God help me.
Speaker: And they head to the, is it like, well, I would call this the common room.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: That's what it seems like.
Speaker: And she's like, oh, they're watching cartoons.
Speaker: Isn't that cute?
Speaker: That's not cute.
Speaker: That's annoying.
Speaker: I'm annoyed.
Speaker: And they've got, is it a big bad wolf, isn't it?
Speaker: Three piggies.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: On cartoon.
Speaker: the view from inside that it looks like all the guys are watching telly.
Speaker: Um, and we get this awful shot from inside and they've all literally been ripped to shreds, drained of their blood and left for people to see.
Speaker: And, um, interestingly, there was two scenes that,
Speaker: two versions of this scene filmed the not so tame one which is the much bloodier version which is the one that i think is now played all the time where you've got the bloody hand on the screen and you've got a lot more of the school kids you know with their eyes open that sort of thing and there was actually a much tamer version which was made for american audiences and
Speaker: So depending on where it was aired, you may have seen a slightly more gruesome version of that.
Speaker: And then Buffy's trying on her dress because why wouldn't you?
Speaker: And then Joyce bursts in and tells her something's happened on the news.
Speaker: Yes.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And Willow was there.
Speaker: So Buffy then rushes to Willow's house and is talking to her about it.
Speaker: So Willow is telling her about the trauma of what she saw.
Speaker: And there was actually a shot in the previous scene where Willow is just staring at the TV screen and there's blood flowing.
Speaker: just splattered on the screen.
Speaker: So she's really... It's a handprint, isn't it?
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: So she's really shaken by all of this.
Speaker: And it kind of, I think it gives Buffy sort of renewed determination after all the upset of finding out about her own fate.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And it makes her realize that she has to do whatever she can to make sure that this doesn't happen.
Speaker: yeah their world their world is remains theirs yeah and um there's a bit actually buffy says you know as long as you're okay and and willow actually says i'm not okay that this is it i'm not okay with this um you know when i walked in there it wasn't our world anymore
Speaker: And I think it's that, as you say, it gives Buffy the direction, the realisation where Buffy thinks, this is my job, you know.
Speaker: And she said, what do we do?
Speaker: And Buffy says, what we have to.
Speaker: And this is the thing, because we've seen her have these doubts where she says, I quit, you know.
Speaker: I'm not doing this anymore.
Speaker: And everyone's been telling her it's not that simple.
Speaker: It doesn't work like that.
Speaker: No.
Speaker: And she realizes, yeah, it doesn't.
Speaker: You know, I just have to face this because I'm the slayer.
Speaker: That doesn't change.
Speaker: And Willow, the first time it's commented on, she said, oh, I like your dress.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And Buffy then says, which I think is really lovely, and it's her way of saying goodbye.
Speaker: And she says, take care and leaves.
Speaker: Yeah, she makes Willow promise that she'll stay in.
Speaker: Yes.
Speaker: And just stay safe.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And again, it's another fade, fade out and back in again.
Speaker: So they're making the most of this.
Speaker: And we're in the master's lair.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And little Colin is,
Speaker: is there and the master sends him off onto the surface.
Speaker: Off you go.
Speaker: Go and find the slayer for me.
Speaker: And he's off with his little fleece on.
Speaker: And we then cut to the library.
Speaker: Another really nice overhead shot.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Showing all the various weapons and what have you.
Speaker: And Giles is getting everything out.
Speaker: He's getting his armory out.
Speaker: and he's getting prepared.
Speaker: And I think at this point, this is really well done.
Speaker: Because, of course, no one actually has told Jenny that Buffy's the slayer.
Speaker: Yeah, so we hear her running through everything.
Speaker: Giles has obviously brought her up to speed.
Speaker: Yes.
Speaker: And we're getting a summary.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And she remarks on Buffy being the slayer, and she says, she's so little.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: She's so little.
Speaker: So, yeah, so we get this sum up, which is basically the master rises, the hell mouth opens and all hell breaks loose.
Speaker: And Giles is like, yep, that's it in summary.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And Giles is trying out everything.
Speaker: And he says, oh, have you heard from this, the monk guy, Brother Luca or whatever his name is.
Speaker: And she's like, no, he's disappeared.
Speaker: But he did send that one final global message message.
Speaker: And it was Isaiah 11, 16, which she was like, which I dutifully looked up.
Speaker: And he's like, no need, love.
Speaker: I'm a walking book.
Speaker: I just quote the fucking thing.
Speaker: So he quotes just so nonchalantly while he's putting an arrow into, well, it's a quiver, isn't it?
Speaker: Into the crossbow.
Speaker: And he just really cooling calmly.
Speaker: The wolf shall live with the lamb.
Speaker: The leopard shall lie down with the kid.
Speaker: And yeah, I don't know the rest of it.
Speaker: The calf and the something.
Speaker: And the little child will lead them.
Speaker: That's the end of it.
Speaker: I love how, because when they say kid, they mean baby goat.
Speaker: But it ties in really well with the whole thing with Colin.
Speaker: Well, it says the child would lead them.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: So that's the one thing.
Speaker: Yeah, just to clarify.
Speaker: Kid is most definitely not in the Bible where they would have not have said kid and mean a child.
Speaker: But yeah, Jenny's like, oh, it's all really nice and fuzzy and warm, sort of nice message.
Speaker: And Giles is like, well, it depends whether he's leading them to, but he's tying it all in now, you know, with that information and then saying, you know, what he'd read was the anointed one would lead the slayer and she wouldn't know him and he'll lead her into hell.
Speaker: And Giles is now essentially coming to the conclusion that the anointed is not dead.
Speaker: They didn't kill the right vampire.
Speaker: And Jenny's like, well, if that's the case, we need to let her know.
Speaker: And this is the hero movement.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: When Giles says, I don't intend on involving her at all.
Speaker: He's like, I'll handle this.
Speaker: I will be the one to face the master.
Speaker: Yeah, she's not going to face the master.
Speaker: I am.
Speaker: And Buffy hears all of this, including all of the details about the child leading the slayer and all the rest of it.
Speaker: And she's like, no, you're not.
Speaker: But I'm looking for a kid.
Speaker: Right.
Speaker: And he'll lead me to the master.
Speaker: Great.
Speaker: Okay.
Speaker: So typical Buffy, right down to business again.
Speaker: And Giles is not having it.
Speaker: No.
Speaker: No, you're not going.
Speaker: I waded through these old books.
Speaker: I need to learn what the real world is like.
Speaker: And I've forgotten.
Speaker: So it's time I find out and I'm going in your place.
Speaker: She's like, no, you're not.
Speaker: It's like, yes, I am.
Speaker: I've made up my mind.
Speaker: So have I.
Speaker: Well, I've made up my mind first.
Speaker: Look, do as you're told.
Speaker: I'm older and wiser.
Speaker: Just for once.
Speaker: All right.
Speaker: And she's like, no, it doesn't work like that.
Speaker: I'm the slayer.
Speaker: And Jenny sort of sat there watching.
Speaker: It's like tennis.
Speaker: I don't care what the books say.
Speaker: I'm going.
Speaker: Defying prophecy.
Speaker: and there's nothing you can say will change my mind this is brilliant and then Buffy says I know and she punches him it's the moment though he's like oh blimey she's actually listened yeah well she did she heard him and she knew she went yeah I know there's nothing I can say but I can punch your lights out yeah
Speaker: And just, of course, then we have another Giles knockout, but it's the way... The knockout.
Speaker: Yes, the way he just... His eyes just roll back and he's like, whoop.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Down he goes.
Speaker: So have you ever been knocked out?
Speaker: No, only by anaesthetic.
Speaker: Oh, okay.
Speaker: Not by someone's fist.
Speaker: No, well, I wasn't knocked out by someone's fist.
Speaker: But I used to play rugby and before I had to retire, my chin got in the way of someone's head as they were standing up.
Speaker: So I had the full force of someone standing up.
Speaker: Yeah, I was very lucky I was wearing a mouth guard, but I was also very lucky my tongue was not hanging out.
Speaker: Yeah, they clipped my neck.
Speaker: My chin, sorry.
Speaker: And yeah, I went down straight up.
Speaker: I was bolt upright and I just went literally straight back.
Speaker: And I just, I remember thinking I've been knocked out.
Speaker: I'm going, I'm going.
Speaker: And I don't remember hitting the floor.
Speaker: Next thing I remember was waking up, middle of a muddy field, waking up and they'd rolled me to one side, pulled out my mouth guard, made sure I hadn't swallowed my tongue.
Speaker: And they were like, are you all right?
Speaker: I was like, what?
Speaker: What's your name?
Speaker: I was like, Sophie.
Speaker: And where are you?
Speaker: And I was like, I have Essex somewhere, I think.
Speaker: What position do you play?
Speaker: And I was like,
Speaker: nine I'm so guessed and they went yeah she's fine she's fine we'll carry on and yeah I mean you wouldn't get this now but I carried on playing and I do not remember the rest of the match but yeah it's very much you know I stood up and literally straight down so every time I see that I'm like yeah I know I know the feeling the force what's going through his head like oh shit here we go again
Speaker: Yeah, so, and Jenny rushing over.
Speaker: It's like, yeah, he's out cold.
Speaker: I love what Buffy says to Jenny.
Speaker: And she says, if you face the master, you're going to die.
Speaker: And she says, well, maybe I can take him with me.
Speaker: And I think when she says, think of something cool, tell him I said it.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: It's so, you know, you just think, she thinks that is the final goodbye and she didn't say goodbye.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: So it's a great scene though.
Speaker: It is.
Speaker: Really, really powerful scene.
Speaker: She'd rather spare him from potentially being killed and just...
Speaker: Yeah, well, as she says, it's I'm the slayer.
Speaker: It's my job.
Speaker: And this is, you know, the moment that she heads out.
Speaker: And this is the most iconic, the most iconic look, I think, of Buffy, where you have the white dress.
Speaker: The black, I want to say it's leather, but I don't think it actually is leather with the crossbow.
Speaker: It's awesome.
Speaker: It's cool.
Speaker: And she, you know, she heads out and then on the grass outside of the high school, there's Colin.
Speaker: And she's like, save it, kid.
Speaker: I know who you are.
Speaker: Come on.
Speaker: We're going.
Speaker: And he sort of, I don't know how he holds his hand, but it's like you wouldn't hold your hand out like that.
Speaker: It's like he's almost asking for money.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: But anyway, so they head off.
Speaker: And the next scene, at some point, Xander and Willow have been called.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And there's now a meeting in the library.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Giles is awake again and he's holding ice up to his face.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Xander is blowing a top.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And, you know, Giles actually says, we stay calm is the first thing.
Speaker: And he's like, no, I'm not staying calm.
Speaker: I'm freaked out and I intend to stay that way.
Speaker: Where is Buffy?
Speaker: Why did you, how could you let her go?
Speaker: And Giles is like, my soon to be purple area of my jaw will attest.
Speaker: I did not let her go.
Speaker: And I like Jenny's involvement in this.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Where she's like, excuse me, we have an apocalypse.
Speaker: And Willow, I love Willow, where she's like, yeah, who let her into the club?
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: So, but yeah, Jenny, you know, she says, look, the master, if he gets free, the hell mouth will open and we all die.
Speaker: So, you know, it's important.
Speaker: And Xander, I like him here.
Speaker: He's like, I'm sorry, I don't care.
Speaker: I do not care.
Speaker: We need to find Buffy.
Speaker: We've got to help Buffy.
Speaker: And we need to find out where she's gone.
Speaker: And Xander has this.
Speaker: idea where he's and he heads off and then we're back in well we're starting the back and forth so we know where we are now and it's right on cue you know it's about 25 minutes in back and forth and Buffy's following the little guy down into this sewers
Speaker: And she takes it really steady down this tunnel and you get this lovely shot where she lifts up.
Speaker: She goes to step up quite high and she lifts up and you see a bit of leg as you go up.
Speaker: And you think, OK, you didn't really need to put that in, guys.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: But never mind.
Speaker: And in this space of time, Xander has presumably, he's flown to angels and he's knocked on his door and he's helped himself into his flat.
Speaker: And they really don't like each other.
Speaker: No.
Speaker: Is that, do you think, because they're so alike?
Speaker: I think so.
Speaker: Yeah, maybe.
Speaker: But Angel is kind of, he has the attitude of, you know, he is like calling Xander a kid and, you know, you don't know what you're dealing with.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Angel just tends, because he was useful last episode.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And he's just got, he's just reverted back to what he was like before again, you know, where he's like, she'll die.
Speaker: She's gone to fight the mercy, you know, well, he'll kill her.
Speaker: But Xander, I do admire Xander where he's like, I'm not going to let that happen.
Speaker: And he, I think people forget, particularly when you're talking about Angel, that
Speaker: Xander is the one who's like, I'm going to go and help Buffy.
Speaker: I need to find the master.
Speaker: You know, you can take me to him.
Speaker: And Angel's, again, it makes, he has to make it a competition.
Speaker: It's never about Buffy with Angel.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: It's like, oh, the master would kill you, you know.
Speaker: Yeah, before you even had time to breathe.
Speaker: And I think he's really well written in this scene.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Where he's like, okay, how do I say this clearly?
Speaker: And he shoves the crucifix in his face.
Speaker: He's like, I don't like you.
Speaker: At the end of the day, I think you're a vampire, but Buffy has this big old yen for you.
Speaker: I love that.
Speaker: She thinks you're a real person and now it's time for you to prove that to her.
Speaker: And you think, yes, Xander, you've got it.
Speaker: Yeah, you're not making it about you now.
Speaker: You've got it.
Speaker: That's it.
Speaker: you need to prove to her, not the other way around.
Speaker: And I think, you know, bearing in mind as well, Xander doesn't get over his rejection very well, but he puts it to one side.
Speaker: And, you know, I really like Xander.
Speaker: I know he behaves appallingly in that one point, but I think as a character who's going through his own learning and his own development, he's,
Speaker: You need that.
Speaker: And it's again, it's how he reacts to it, how he responds.
Speaker: And he he does actually I think he redeems himself a bit with this episode from this point on.
Speaker: And Angel realizes as well.
Speaker: He's like, you know, you're in love with her.
Speaker: And Sander's like, so are you.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And then we're back in the library.
Speaker: Giles is giving a bit of a rundown and he's basically saying the master is the most powerful vampire.
Speaker: If he reaches the surface, then it's game over.
Speaker: And I love this question because I think, if I remember correctly,
Speaker: About, I don't know, a few minutes before Gary had actually asked this question because he said, well, where is the hell mouth?
Speaker: Where is it going to open?
Speaker: And I was like, fuck.
Speaker: And I just went, well, you'll find out, won't you?
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: But, but yeah, so, but Jenny asks that exact question.
Speaker: She's like, it opens.
Speaker: He's like, yes.
Speaker: She's like, where, where is it going to open?
Speaker: And it's Giles's face.
Speaker: He's like, good point.
Speaker: Shit.
Speaker: I don't know.
Speaker: So we, we go through and he's like, well, we'll look at this and we'll look at that and goes over to Willow.
Speaker: He's like, Willow.
Speaker: You need to help.
Speaker: Can you look through local histories and check out for locations of incidents?
Speaker: And she heads off and then this episode is full of transitions.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Editing.
Speaker: And it's great.
Speaker: I mean, it's a little like now, it's a bit like sort of PowerPoint.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: But yeah, I mean, using Willow to walk across the screen and revealing the next scene.
Speaker: And this image is just stunning.
Speaker: I love this.
Speaker: The lighting, everything.
Speaker: But yeah, so we have Buffy entering the master's lair for real.
Speaker: So it's not the first time, but this is the only time that matters.
Speaker: And she's dressed for the occasion.
Speaker: And she hears the master...
Speaker: before she sees him.
Speaker: And he welcomes her.
Speaker: She's like, yeah, thanks for having me.
Speaker: So, and she's got to do the banter.
Speaker: Got some water damage.
Speaker: And I love him when he says, ah, good.
Speaker: The feeble banter portion of the fight.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Can we just cut to, and he catches him.
Speaker: The arrow that Buffy fires off.
Speaker: And it's a really accurate shot.
Speaker: I would have got him if he wasn't so quick.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: So, yeah, shit's going down.
Speaker: Mm-hmm.
Speaker: We've lots of cuts now.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: So it's cutting between this scene and then Xander and Angel arriving and the library where the others are.
Speaker: It's funny actually when Xander is accusing Angel of looking at his neck.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: He's like, I told you to eat before you left.
Speaker: He's like, I'm not looking at your neck.
Speaker: Okay.
Speaker: I don't want your neck.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: I'm not bothered about it, mate.
Speaker: And, um, and then, yeah, and we cut then back to, um, to the layer, the master's layer.
Speaker: Buffy has reloaded the crossbow and, um, she's now in a very awkward situation where she's not in familiar terrain and
Speaker: And he taunts her by saying, you're not the hunter.
Speaker: You are the lamb.
Speaker: And that refers back to the previous writing, the Isaiah 11.6, which is, ooh, it's very daunting.
Speaker: You think, oh, shit, Buffy, get out of there.
Speaker: Just run.
Speaker: Just get out.
Speaker: And then we're back to the library.
Speaker: Giles and Jenny just deep diving into the books.
Speaker: And Giles is, again, summarizing.
Speaker: He's like, right, okay, well, the vampires have been gathering.
Speaker: They know he's coming.
Speaker: They will be his army.
Speaker: Where?
Speaker: And Willow says, well, the last time this happened for the harvest, they all went to the bronze.
Speaker: And they're like, oh, shit, the spring fling.
Speaker: Yeah, that's where that's happening.
Speaker: So Jenny then says, no, we'll go and warn them to Giles and says, you need to stay here and read more books.
Speaker: Which should be a big chore for him, you know, because he hates doing that so much.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And so she takes Willow and they head out to Jenny's car.
Speaker: And we do actually see Jenny's car later on.
Speaker: I just fell in love with her again.
Speaker: And then we're back to the layer.
Speaker: So Buffy is still in this beautifully lit set.
Speaker: It's just stunning.
Speaker: And she's looking everywhere and we're almost getting a view of what she can see.
Speaker: And the master's just waiting for her, taunting her.
Speaker: He wants the moment to last.
Speaker: And it's making Buffy really nervous.
Speaker: And she even says, I don't want to wait.
Speaker: And he, yeah, gives her what she wants.
Speaker: And he just suddenly turns up.
Speaker: It's very Nosferatu, I think.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: sort of key influences for it.
Speaker: And he easily knocks down the crossbow and grabs her by the neck.
Speaker: You think, oh no.
Speaker: And then we're chopping and changing again.
Speaker: So shit's really going down now.
Speaker: Yeah, we have Jenny and Willow surrounded by vampires.
Speaker: They're just closing in on them.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And they're coming from all directions.
Speaker: And you see this very, very brief view.
Speaker: of Jenny's Volkswagen Beetle.
Speaker: I mean, they were made for each other.
Speaker: Yeah, yeah.
Speaker: So personally, I don't rate the Beetle.
Speaker: I think there's nicer cars, but it's an icon, of course.
Speaker: And it was a very popular car from what I remember into the 80s, 90s.
Speaker: for women to drive.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And before then as well.
Speaker: So it's sort of playing on that sort of the hippie sort of look.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And I mean, she's far too young for that.
Speaker: But yeah, I love the fact that she's got a classic car as well.
Speaker: And yes, they're surrounded.
Speaker: And then we're straight back to the layer.
Speaker: Buffy actually overpowers the master and gets away.
Speaker: But he has the powers of hypnosis or whatever, but he can control her with his overly disgustingly manicured hand.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And when he removes her jacket, it's all very creepy.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And he says that she'll be the one who sets him free.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And this close-up of Buffy's face and the tear that falls down.
Speaker: But yeah, he's, you know, he goes, you're the one that sets me free.
Speaker: And you can see the realization.
Speaker: He said, if you hadn't have come, I couldn't go.
Speaker: You know, prophecies are tricky creatures.
Speaker: They don't tell you everything.
Speaker: And you think, oh, no.
Speaker: And he goes for her neck and drinks from her.
Speaker: I do remember when I first saw this, I was like, is that all he's taking?
Speaker: Oh, okay.
Speaker: He's drained her really quickly.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And he just drops her down.
Speaker: Into like a pool of water.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And then he says, by the way, I like your dress.
Speaker: Yeah, I like your dress.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Everybody likes that dress.
Speaker: Yeah, it's a big hit.
Speaker: He's not immune.
Speaker: He's not.
Speaker: And he's then free.
Speaker: So he's able to break through the barrier and he heads on up.
Speaker: And the light that emanates from his exit, Angel and Xander see, and they run into the lair.
Speaker: Angel, obviously superhuman.
Speaker: Oh, well, super undead.
Speaker: is there before, rushes over to Buffy, pulls her out.
Speaker: She's lying face down in the water.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Pulls her out and checks for a pulse and breath and looks up at Xander and says... She's dead.
Speaker: She's dead.
Speaker: And it's like, oh, my God.
Speaker: I think, no.
Speaker: And I'm pretty sure at this point, and I was like, I had to check.
Speaker: I thought, oh, it's okay.
Speaker: It's 10 minutes.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: 10 minutes left.
Speaker: We've still got time.
Speaker: And yeah, Xander's like, no, she can't be.
Speaker: Maybe she drowned.
Speaker: We can try CPR.
Speaker: And you'll have to do it because I have no breath.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: He's a vampire, so.
Speaker: Because he's, yeah.
Speaker: Because he's the undead.
Speaker: So Xander gets to work and starts administering really, really bad CPR on her.
Speaker: Yes.
Speaker: Very, very soft compressions.
Speaker: I was like, that's not going to do it.
Speaker: Nowhere near where her heart is.
Speaker: No.
Speaker: So, yeah, do not take lessons on CPR from this.
Speaker: No.
Speaker: And just in case we forgot, Jenny and Willow just stood there watching.
Speaker: All of the vampires making their way to the school when Cordy turns up in her car and just says, get in.
Speaker: She's here to save the day.
Speaker: She is.
Speaker: Xander's still administering CPR to Buffy.
Speaker: If you could call it that.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: It's just, you know, I don't know.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: He's just begging and hoping.
Speaker: And again, this would never have happened because, you know, the first thing someone does when they are revived is they get rid of everything that's been drowning them.
Speaker: But I love the quick zoom out when Buffy opens her eyes and breathes in.
Speaker: and looks then she coughs up the water yes a tiny bit of water yeah yeah but she she's revived and uh she sees Xander and she's like Xander it's it's you know it's you um and he says welcome back welcome back
Speaker: Now, when they jump in the car, there's actually quite a bit of behind the scenes of this scene being made.
Speaker: And there was a camera inside the car filming Willow because Cordy's like, where do we need to get to?
Speaker: And I think Jenny says the library.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: She's like, right, okay.
Speaker: And she just does this massive wheel spin, heads directly at the door.
Speaker: And Willow says, of course, we generally walk there.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Bash through the doors.
Speaker: Vampires jumping out the way.
Speaker: And Giles hears this noise.
Speaker: He's like, the fuck is that?
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Is that a fucking car in the school?
Speaker: It's a fucking car.
Speaker: But not just... Not just any car.
Speaker: So...
Speaker: And I love he's like, what's happening?
Speaker: Someone says, guess.
Speaker: I mean, the fuck do you think?
Speaker: The end of the world is here.
Speaker: And he does what he did in Never Kill a Boy on the First Date, where he's like, oh, I'm just going to put any useless furniture in front of the door.
Speaker: There's a printer, which, I mean, printers are useless at the best of times.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: I mean, they're heavy lumps, but they're not going to stop vampires, are they?
Speaker: No, I mean, you can't rely on a printer to actually print a piece of paper.
Speaker: So I certainly wouldn't be relying on it to keep vampires out of my library.
Speaker: Let alone save your life.
Speaker: But while all this is happening, they're all distracted and we get this shot of this worm thing.
Speaker: yeah oh it's disgusting it reminds me of uh men in black yes that ping at the yeah um and it's it's creeping its way out of the the hole that's been formed from the earthquake and if you haven't already guessed folks the library is above a hell mouth yes
Speaker: which makes sense.
Speaker: You won't get any of this shit in your average library, so don't be too disappointed.
Speaker: The master steps out onto the roof and he actually breathes in deeply.
Speaker: It's like, okay, yeah, because you really don't need that air.
Speaker: He's happy to be back in his beautiful world.
Speaker: Yeah, my world.
Speaker: It's my world and everyone else is just living in it.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Getting in my way.
Speaker: And then we're back in the lair.
Speaker: Angel and Xander help Buffy up.
Speaker: And Buffy's, she's like, where is he?
Speaker: And they're like, oh, well, he's gone up.
Speaker: And Xander says, you're still weak.
Speaker: You know, take it easy.
Speaker: And she's like, no, I feel strong.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: I feel different.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And this is really, this is the transition.
Speaker: This is, you know, Buffy, the child.
Speaker: died and she was revived and this is the new Buffy.
Speaker: A lot of people say, oh, it gets very dark later on.
Speaker: You're thinking...
Speaker: I think it gets dark quite early actually.
Speaker: Yeah, it does.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And, um, you know, the, her, her innocence is gone.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Um, you know, she, she's seen, she's seen more than what anyone should, should at that age.
Speaker: But, um, you know, as she said to Giles, you know, I'm 16 year olds, I don't want to die.
Speaker: And, um, but unfortunately she does and she's not that anymore.
Speaker: She's not,
Speaker: just a 16 year old girl but she's empowered by it so which I like that we get to explore that a little more in season two but in the meantime we're still putting useless bits of furniture up against the door yeah the vamps are still trying to break in
Speaker: Yeah, and you get the worm thing, which is disgusting, like flapping its way towards Willow's foot.
Speaker: Ugh, yeah.
Speaker: Giles disappears as well because his office is presumably being broken into as well, which was news to me.
Speaker: It's like, where?
Speaker: There's no window or door, but okay, conveniently.
Speaker: And I just love how they just leave Cordy with all the useless bits of furniture to keep all of the vampires out.
Speaker: And there's a vampire grabs her arm.
Speaker: And as she is grabbed, she screams help.
Speaker: And it immediately transitions into the theme song.
Speaker: Yeah, this is the thing where I'm just like, oh God.
Speaker: I mean, it's great that we hear the theme song in this context.
Speaker: And I see what they were trying to do.
Speaker: You have Buffy, Xander and Angel heading towards the school.
Speaker: It's really, it's like, here we go.
Speaker: Here we go.
Speaker: Yep, they're going to save the day.
Speaker: But for me, there's just something cringey about it.
Speaker: It's just, I think it's, I know it's supposed to be funny, but it's when Buffy is like, oh, look, a bad guy.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: It's not the best moment, is it?
Speaker: No.
Speaker: It's a bit cheesy.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And, you know, I think Buffy does, she does everything else really well.
Speaker: But the bad guy that she knocks out, I really like his jacket.
Speaker: Anyway, I was actually quite glad.
Speaker: I thought, oh, please don't dust him because that jacket disappears.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And she just knocks him out.
Speaker: But yeah, they head towards the entrance for the roof access.
Speaker: Angel has got his vamp face on and she says, right, make sure no one else gets up here and gets past.
Speaker: Either way, this is not going to take long.
Speaker: And she runs up to the roof.
Speaker: In the meantime, Cordelia's biting the vampires and saying, see how you like it.
Speaker: Willow and Jenny are holding back the vampires from the stacks and then the worm...
Speaker: grabs Willow's ankle and drags her and as Jenny calls for Giles he runs out all the lights go out so it's like that Titanic moment you know where it gets so deep all the electrics go
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And this conveniently because obviously the monster comes out.
Speaker: It's the hell mouth, I think, or the mouths of hell because there's several mouths.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And the master is he's got ringside seats.
Speaker: He's above watching this happen.
Speaker: And he's loving it.
Speaker: He's loving the show.
Speaker: Interesting thing about the monster, the Hellmouth monster, they didn't have the budget to have a digital graphics one.
Speaker: So they actually had to build a monster instead.
Speaker: And there's the mouths that you get, that you see.
Speaker: They're actually operated by people inside the world.
Speaker: So there's actually three people operating the Hellmouth Mouth.
Speaker: And yeah, I mean, it's not the scariest thing, but you've got to admire the effort that they go to.
Speaker: Oh yeah, it's impressive for what it is.
Speaker: Sometimes, I mean, clearly not in the case of the hyena from a few episodes ago, but sometimes I think you're better off having...
Speaker: something physical rather than computer generated.
Speaker: Yeah, I agree.
Speaker: I say it's a bit of a lost art.
Speaker: At this point, it really was.
Speaker: It's only recently that it's been revived again, where the likes of Lord of the Rings...
Speaker: Star Wars in particular.
Speaker: They've all gone down that route of making sure it looks real because it's the best way for it to be realistic.
Speaker: But yeah, the actual... They're not props, are they?
Speaker: But the effects guys on Buffy, they were Emmy-nominated.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And for season one.
Speaker: So they actually had a lot of accolades for their efforts.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Deservedly so.
Speaker: It's just a shame that the cast never picked up the show itself.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Real.
Speaker: It is a shame.
Speaker: Anyway, the master is enjoying his view and he's saying, oh, the world, it's mine.
Speaker: And Buffy, out of shot, says, I don't think it's yours just yet.
Speaker: We're back to the really good Buffy banter.
Speaker: Yeah, this is the Buffy banter we need.
Speaker: We don't need a hero walk and her going...
Speaker: Oh, look.
Speaker: The bad guy.
Speaker: The bad guy.
Speaker: That was not one of the best attempts.
Speaker: No.
Speaker: No, I don't think you needed that.
Speaker: No.
Speaker: Yeah, and you've then the master's line of, you're dead.
Speaker: Yeah, this is brilliant.
Speaker: I may be dead, but I'm still pretty.
Speaker: Which is more than I can say for you.
Speaker: So, yeah.
Speaker: And he actually says, well, you were destined to die.
Speaker: It was written.
Speaker: And she's like, well, I flunked the written.
Speaker: What can I say?
Speaker: And he tries his thrall thing again.
Speaker: And we get an update.
Speaker: Willow's not been eaten yet.
Speaker: Jenny is holding on to Willow for dear life.
Speaker: I don't know where Giles is because he's still just looking at the hell mouth and going, shit.
Speaker: He grabs one of his axes, runs up.
Speaker: And starts hacking away.
Speaker: Yeah, slices and dices at the thing.
Speaker: Buffy is enthralled by the master and he gets his hand around her neck.
Speaker: And what does he say?
Speaker: He's like, do you really think that you could have bested me when you couldn't below anything?
Speaker: And it's just this.
Speaker: You have fruit punch mouth.
Speaker: It's like, excuse me?
Speaker: It's like, what?
Speaker: It's like, hey, the guy's hundreds of years old.
Speaker: He doesn't know what fruit punch is.
Speaker: No.
Speaker: And Buffy doesn't explain.
Speaker: She just punches him.
Speaker: And we know how harsh that is.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: So, but I love her when she's like, save this hypnosis crap for the tourists and proceeds to beat the shit out of him.
Speaker: I love the slice that he has and he catches her chest and yeah, you sort of, you feel it.
Speaker: You think, oh God, that must have really hurt.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And yeah.
Speaker: And then we're back in the library.
Speaker: Giles is still hacking away.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Angel and Xander have joined the party.
Speaker: Yeah, well, yeah, they've got their own vampires now.
Speaker: Gyros gets knocked by the Hellmouth monster and he lands on the table, which then conveniently creates a stake, which is perfectly placed.
Speaker: And he's crawling out the way because the hellmouth worm thing is snapping at his feet, snapping at Willow's feet.
Speaker: Buffy is doing the somersault.
Speaker: She's back flipping.
Speaker: She's forward flipping, kicking the master.
Speaker: And he manages to grab her neck.
Speaker: And he's like, where are your jibes now?
Speaker: And she spots this stake from the table on the ground through the window, the roof line.
Speaker: And she's like, if you're that amped about hell, go there.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Throws him over her shoulder into and down into the library.
Speaker: And he lands down.
Speaker: perfectly on the table and he doesn't turn to dust which I think is really cool everything leaves him and leaves the skeleton he's a different breed to the rest of them
Speaker: Yeah, he doesn't turn to dust.
Speaker: And the hellmouth worm disappears.
Speaker: And the lights come back on.
Speaker: Normality kind of is put back.
Speaker: There's nothing barricading the doors now.
Speaker: And they walk back.
Speaker: Angel, Xander and Buffy walk back in.
Speaker: Cordelia's there and Buffy walks over to the skeletal remains of the vampire, the master, which is actually a female skeleton, but we'll forget about that.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: and Giles is closest to Buffy as is, well, closest to the master and you've got Jenny and Willow there as well.
Speaker: And yeah, the Hellmouth is closed.
Speaker: They saved the day.
Speaker: And Giles says, Buffy, you know, is you okay?
Speaker: And she's like, oh, yeah, sorry.
Speaker: I'm just, you know, and she's still, she's just got the tears in her eyes.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And she's like, I'm sorry, it's just been a really weird day.
Speaker: And Sandra's like, yeah, Buffy died and everything.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And Willow, she's like, gosh, harsh.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And it's lovely, Giles says, you know, I should have known that wouldn't have stopped you.
Speaker: Mm-hmm.
Speaker: And it's just a really nice moment between those two because ultimately she didn't get to say goodbye.
Speaker: And Jenny again brings it around.
Speaker: She's like, so what do we do now?
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Not forgetting that time when she came in completely hungover in her sunglasses and coffee.
Speaker: She's ready to go on the town.
Speaker: And Giles even says, I want to get out of this place.
Speaker: I don't like the library much anymore.
Speaker: And yeah, and Zanda's like, well, there's a dance at the bronze.
Speaker: Could be fun.
Speaker: She's like, yeah, well, I got all pretty.
Speaker: I say we party.
Speaker: I save the world.
Speaker: That's it.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And even Giles is like, I'm not dancing.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: So I'm not dancing.
Speaker: Like, I'll go back to that dreadful place when I'd rather be drinking my Bovril, but I'm not dancing.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And I love Buffy's final word to the master when she says, loser.
Speaker: It's great.
Speaker: And they all head out.
Speaker: And the last interaction is between Buffy and Angel.
Speaker: And when he says, I really like your dress.
Speaker: And she's like, yeah, yeah, I know.
Speaker: I know.
Speaker: That was put in post at the end.
Speaker: And then we get this, again, lovely bird's eye view of the master's remains or a female skeleton.
Speaker: But yeah, and that's it.
Speaker: What do you think to Prophecy Girl?
Speaker: Yeah, it was really enjoyable.
Speaker: As we said at the start, kind of not quite as, not impactful, but just not as enjoyable as I remembered it being the first time.
Speaker: Yeah, but it was still really nice to see it again.
Speaker: And yeah, it was very satisfying conclusion to the season overall.
Speaker: And everybody had their their kind of moment to shine, which was nice bringing everybody together.
Speaker: Yes.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And again, you know, well, we said that it does actually feature a lot.
Speaker: There's a lot that happens in the episode.
Speaker: But I think, you know, the main thing is you get the hero arc.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: You know, Buffy is the hero.
Speaker: She goes through those trials.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: She goes through to the layer.
Speaker: You know, she has to sacrifice a part of herself and she comes out not necessarily unscathed, but she does come out the other side.
Speaker: And yeah, it's it is.
Speaker: It's a fantastic season finale.
Speaker: I'm not sure if it's the I have got a favorite one, which no one seems to pick that often, which I don't mind, you know.
Speaker: they're all there for people to enjoy but um but I do like this one I think it rates quite highly and I know that I'm guessing you like season three gnarly was it season four yeah I mean season four in general I have a real soft spot for but yeah yeah um
Speaker: I don't actually know what my favourite finale is.
Speaker: It's kind of, I think I will have to literally just wait until we get through them all again and then I can pick.
Speaker: Because you just forget things about, you know.
Speaker: You do, yeah.
Speaker: Yeah, it's always good fun re-watching them.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: So what was your favourite scene?
Speaker: I think we have the same one here.
Speaker: It's the library, the moment when Buffy learns what her fate is because it's just...
Speaker: Yeah, so much emotion.
Speaker: Like you say, she goes through all the stages and it's just such a powerful performance, the way she transitions between each of those.
Speaker: And also a powerful performance from Giles, his reactions to that.
Speaker: And so much of it is just unspoken.
Speaker: It's just in his face.
Speaker: I think it's great.
Speaker: Yeah, it's a fantastically acted scene.
Speaker: It's beautifully written.
Speaker: It's really lovely shot as well.
Speaker: The cinematography on it is lovely.
Speaker: Yeah, I think I really like the fact that Angel is there.
Speaker: But I like the fact that it doesn't focus on Angel and Buffy and she reminds him it's not about him.
Speaker: Yeah, she was really pleased to see him when she first turned up, but then it's like other things take priority and it's like, I haven't got time for this.
Speaker: You can't comfort me right now.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: This is just too big.
Speaker: I mean, it's one of the best scenes, I think, of the show.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And rates very, very high on my personal list as well.
Speaker: And it's, I think, as good as Anthony Head is and David Barihan is, I think it's Sarah Michelle Gellar that makes it.
Speaker: Definitely.
Speaker: You know, she just absolutely...
Speaker: yeah she just nails it she elevates it and she gives them so much to work with to feed off so yeah I'd love to know how many times they had to do that yeah that scene love to see behind the scenes yeah of that because I can imagine her to to nail that
Speaker: One and only time, maybe, you know.
Speaker: Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And on that note, my favourite line comes from that scene.
Speaker: It's when she says, Giles, I'm 16 years old.
Speaker: I don't want to die.
Speaker: Oh, it's just heart wrenching.
Speaker: Yeah, it is.
Speaker: It's heartbreaking.
Speaker: I don't know what my favourite line is.
Speaker: I do recall you said previously that you really liked her banter with the master when she says, I may be dead, but I'm still pretty.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: I mean, it's another really iconic, you know, really famous line.
Speaker: Every time she says, you have fruit punch mouth, it always cracks me up.
Speaker: But yeah, I actually think
Speaker: My favourite line is delivered by Jenny when she says, I would say the end is pretty seriously nigh.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: That's a good one.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: It just sums up the entire episode beautifully.
Speaker: And it's a great line.
Speaker: So I think I'm going to go with that one.
Speaker: And who would be your favourite character?
Speaker: Oh, this is a really tough one.
Speaker: Yeah, it is.
Speaker: I've struggled with this too.
Speaker: As you say, because, well, what we said earlier, you know, you can't have this episode without any of the other characters.
Speaker: They're so, so integral.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Do I have to have just one favourite?
Speaker: No.
Speaker: That's good.
Speaker: That's not written.
Speaker: Yes.
Speaker: It was written.
Speaker: Well, you know, prophecies are there to be broken.
Speaker: I really like the master in this.
Speaker: He's a great bad guy.
Speaker: He is.
Speaker: And I mean, I love his, what do you think, 5.1?
Speaker: About the earthquake.
Speaker: I love Giles in this.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: I really do.
Speaker: And I really like Xander.
Speaker: It's actually when they head to the library, they're
Speaker: And Xander's like, he actually says to John, he's like, why did you let her go?
Speaker: He's like, I did not let her go.
Speaker: But he refuses to give up.
Speaker: And he pursues the only option that he can see.
Speaker: And his determination wins out.
Speaker: And I really, I think he's a very valuable character and he, he truly does redeem himself from his earlier silliness.
Speaker: He does.
Speaker: Like you say, he gets it spot on about this isn't, you know, with Angel, this isn't about you or me, or this is about Buffy and making sure that she's okay.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: yeah definitely which is what you wish he'd be like all the time yeah when he has those moments he's such a good friend yeah um you know you want him to be in your corner yeah so what about yours well yeah I struggled as well um
Speaker: Obviously, Giles as well is fantastic.
Speaker: Buffy is fantastic.
Speaker: But I'm going to go with Jenny because we haven't seen her for a couple of episodes.
Speaker: And when she turns up again, I think she adds so much.
Speaker: I mean, I love the way she plays off Giles.
Speaker: We said before, she adds another sort of dimension to his character.
Speaker: character but also I just like how how useful she is and she has that moment as well where she you know she's like well where's the hell mouth gonna open yeah if she hadn't said that then you know you need her to sort of put plant these ideas in people's heads so yeah you need an outsider yeah to look in and and she she's very objective about it
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Which, yeah, you need.
Speaker: And yeah, as you said, she really propelled the story forwards.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: But she took the others with her and she, very much like Sarah Michelle Gellar or Buffett, she elevates those around her.
Speaker: She brings her own kind of energy to it.
Speaker: And she allows the others to show their strength.
Speaker: She's a really good team player, I think.
Speaker: She is.
Speaker: And very much like Giles, where he recognizes, he doesn't just say, oh, well, they're children.
Speaker: They're not capable.
Speaker: He sees, like with Willow, he sees Willow's potential potential.
Speaker: as does Jenny.
Speaker: And, you know, she encourages that and she goes, right, okay, let's come on as a team.
Speaker: We'll go.
Speaker: We'll do this.
Speaker: And as we've seen before as well, her and Giles have clashed.
Speaker: You know, they're different.
Speaker: They're different passions for, you know, he doesn't understand computers and she's like, you know, he's a purist when it comes to books, but you need her sort of area of expertise to balance his, you know,
Speaker: So she just, yeah, that makes her really important.
Speaker: Yes.
Speaker: For him and for the others.
Speaker: Yeah, definitely.
Speaker: And I think you get that with all of them.
Speaker: They all balance each other out.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: So, you know, you have, and well, this is very evident, actually.
Speaker: You see Xander and Angel paired together.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And, you know, they balance each other out.
Speaker: It's Angel's knowledge.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: and Xander's determination that they achieve finding Buffy in time.
Speaker: And they can only do that together.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And Angel realizes that he's gone from being like, look, kid, you're out your depth here to knowing you need to be the one to give her CPR because I can't.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And yeah, I think it's great.
Speaker: You know, you get, it's like Cordy, she comes in, it's her strength
Speaker: Her determination and, you know, her time as well.
Speaker: To drive into schools.
Speaker: And her car.
Speaker: I mean, no one else would have thought that.
Speaker: No.
Speaker: Would they?
Speaker: It had to be Cordelia.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Where she's like, right, I'm just going to drive at the fucking vehicle, the building.
Speaker: Fuck it.
Speaker: So, but yeah, it's a really good one for an ensemble.
Speaker: You have to have the ensemble, you know, and it works really well as an ensemble piece.
Speaker: It does.
Speaker: What was your favourite outfit?
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: It has to be Buffy's prom dress.
Speaker: The dress, yeah.
Speaker: It's its own character.
Speaker: They remark on it so much.
Speaker: It has to be that.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: I have got an honourable mention, though, because everyone's costume is really, really lovely in this, actually.
Speaker: Xander has a really nice costume.
Speaker: He's got like an, as you informed me earlier in this season, a shacket costume.
Speaker: Yes.
Speaker: He has a shacket.
Speaker: And Angel has got his velvet jacket again and his big white collar.
Speaker: And he pulls it off.
Speaker: He really does pull it off.
Speaker: They knew what they were doing with him.
Speaker: And Buffy, of course, without a doubt, in that dress.
Speaker: But I really, I like Willow's outfit as well because it's just so normal.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: As is Jenny's.
Speaker: Mm-hmm.
Speaker: Of course, you have Buffy in this dress and they have to find a reason for her wearing it because it is just so out of the ordinary.
Speaker: I like the fact that everyone else is just really normal, like everyday stuff.
Speaker: But I must say, Giles looking like a hot mess is
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: His costume there.
Speaker: In particular, his tie.
Speaker: I really, really like his tie in that scene.
Speaker: It's great.
Speaker: And that's, I mean, as someone interested in wardrobe, and I know that a lot of our listeners like to hear this, you know, sort of the behind the scenes side of things and how things come together.
Speaker: This is a prime example of making the wardrobe work for the character story arc.
Speaker: And, you know, so in the script, you would have had, you know, an instruction essentially saying, Giles has been up all night.
Speaker: So you think, oh, okay, he's been up all night.
Speaker: So you know that he's not gone home.
Speaker: And as someone putting together a costume, you'd say, okay, well, it's the same wardrobe.
Speaker: It's the same costume as before.
Speaker: So you've got that continuity.
Speaker: But then you can really break down and go, well, what does that really mean in terms of continuity?
Speaker: You know, it's a long night.
Speaker: What's he been doing?
Speaker: And you would then say, OK, well, how can we help him as an actor?
Speaker: explain to the audience how can he use his costume to show what he doesn't necessarily get to say to actually make his shirt and they would have deliberately wrinkled his shirt they wouldn't have ironed it they would have
Speaker: probably washed it and made sure that it wasn't pressed in any way or yeah and then of course you know you loosen buttons you undo waistcoats you pull the tie down so you know it's evident that he's wearing the same clothing as before and the same thing happens then with hair and makeup you know so they've messed up his hair they've definitely done it but they've messed up his hair and
Speaker: And it's just, it's a really interesting, and that sort of, that type of storytelling, they do it very well in Buffy, and that's just a prime example there, and, you know, actually bringing it to the audience's attention as well, it's really important that Wardrobe got that right.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And I think they nail it.
Speaker: Bearing in mind as well, a lot of, particularly Buffy, as a TV show, they wouldn't have had many weeks to put together the episodes.
Speaker: I know by the end of it, it was about five weeks, I think, four or five weeks, where they were writing the episode and then they were shooting it.
Speaker: And it was literally one after the other.
Speaker: So very often, you know, the cast would be getting scripts the night before.
Speaker: But of course, it's a show predominantly set at night as well.
Speaker: So you'd have had really long hours, very antisocial hours.
Speaker: And, you know, people get worn out and tired.
Speaker: But yeah, it's prevalent with any production.
Speaker: But it's a really fascinating facet for Buffy because this is probably one of the first shows where, you know, they started formulating...
Speaker: how they would do it for years and years and years.
Speaker: And those people that were doing it on Buffy, they then went to other TV productions and said, well, let's do it this way.
Speaker: So those practices sort of went with them.
Speaker: So, yeah, it is.
Speaker: It's really interesting.
Speaker: I could talk about it all day.
Speaker: Kill Count.
Speaker: Well, the big one, obviously, is The Master.
Speaker: And the second biggest one is Buffy.
Speaker: Yes.
Speaker: We do get a vampire right at the beginning.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: That Buffy dusts as well, which I really liked.
Speaker: I love that interaction, the slow motion.
Speaker: Chef's kiss, that was.
Speaker: Is that why you're always cleaning your glasses?
Speaker: So you don't have to see what we're doing?
Speaker: Tell Noah.
Speaker: Giles's glasses?
Speaker: We have a whopping four.
Speaker: Oh my word.
Speaker: Yes.
Speaker: He was a very stressed out man.
Speaker: He was.
Speaker: So the first one is when he's on the phone in the library and Jenny walks in and they have their conversation there.
Speaker: The second one is when Buffy goes to the library and sees him with Angel and they're having the chat about what Giles has read.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: The third one is that same scene where the emotional scene where Buffy is losing it about, you know, I don't want to die because, yeah, that's a very stressful moment.
Speaker: So that warrants it big time.
Speaker: And then the fourth one is later on when all the cuts are happening and they realize that.
Speaker: It might be this exact moment, actually, when they realised that the last time the Master made an appearance was at the Bronze.
Speaker: So that's the fourth time.
Speaker: So this, yeah, that's high, yeah, high glasses removal.
Speaker: He gives us a lot in the season finale.
Speaker: I swear, one of these times you're going to wake up in a coma.
Speaker: Wake up in a, oh, never mind.
Speaker: We have the knockout.
Speaker: A knockout of all knockouts.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And it's Buffy who does it, which makes it even better.
Speaker: Yeah, it does make it.
Speaker: It just, it genuinely makes it.
Speaker: The fact that it is actually Buffy.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: So that is, that is no accident.
Speaker: I think I read somewhere an interview, because of course this was written and directed by Joss Whedon,
Speaker: And I think there's actually a, is there a, yeah, there is a commentary, an audio commentary worth, definitely worth listening to.
Speaker: But the interview is, he actually says, oh, we planned this.
Speaker: We wanted Buffy to knock Giles out at some point.
Speaker: He says, I was just waiting for the right moment.
Speaker: for that to happen.
Speaker: I mean, it won't be the last time that she hits him, but that's for a very different reason.
Speaker: And it's not to knock him out.
Speaker: There is another moment.
Speaker: Knock some sense into him.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: No, it is definitely interesting.
Speaker: And it's like with, as a writer, you know, you think, I want this moment to happen.
Speaker: And it's about looping that in and making it work and making it make sense.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Of course, you know, it's playing on the joke that he gets knocked out a lot.
Speaker: But yeah, the plan was for Buffy to knock him out.
Speaker: And I just can't think of any other situation where it would be better than this one.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And Stonewood love.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Knocked into next Tuesday.
Speaker: So knocked into next week.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: But yeah, it's.
Speaker: It's a great season finale.
Speaker: It is.
Speaker: And you can really see why they were signed up for the seasons that they were off the back of this.
Speaker: Oh, there is one more kill count.
Speaker: And it's the room of all the school children.
Speaker: I don't know how many there are, but there's quite a few.
Speaker: We'll have to just say it's a lot.
Speaker: The total is a lot.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Yeah, I think there's about eight or so.
Speaker: There's a few on the sofa and stuff.
Speaker: But anyway, well.
Speaker: We have done it.
Speaker: We saved the world.
Speaker: I say we party.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: I'm not dancing though.
Speaker: You're not dancing.
Speaker: You're not a dancer.
Speaker: Are you a singer?
Speaker: In my head, I am.
Speaker: Uh-oh.
Speaker: I can't believe we're at the end of it.
Speaker: I know.
Speaker: And normally we say next time we will be watching this, but actually next time you hear us, we will be rounding up season one.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Because we just, yeah, there's still so much more to say.
Speaker: There is.
Speaker: And we need to somehow decide on the best episode of the season and all the moments that we've picked out along the way and which stands out.
Speaker: I'm going to really struggle with this.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: I mean...
Speaker: It's like, well, I picked this for episode three.
Speaker: You picked that.
Speaker: So how do we decide?
Speaker: But luckily we will have input.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: So of course we have input.
Speaker: So we have the wonderful Meredith who will be joining us as a guest.
Speaker: And three is the magic number.
Speaker: So instead of us just arguing back and forth about which favourite Giles moment there is,
Speaker: Meredith will hopefully add just one extra opinion to the mix.
Speaker: It'll be fun.
Speaker: The official podcast consensus.
Speaker: So before we hit season two, we also have a bonus episode.
Speaker: Yes.
Speaker: We'll tell you a little more about that next episode, though.
Speaker: But yeah, please don't.
Speaker: Don't go anywhere because we do have something else for you.
Speaker: It's standalone.
Speaker: It is not season related.
Speaker: It's Buffy related.
Speaker: But yeah, you can listen to that at any point.
Speaker: Yeah, because it will be kind of focusing on fandom as a whole.
Speaker: And yeah, it'll be a lot of fun.
Speaker: But we'll discuss that next time previously on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Speaker: Yes.
Speaker: So remember to follow us if you are not already doing so.
Speaker: We're on X, Instagram and TikTok previously on Buffy.
Speaker: And please continue to keep in touch with us even though we finished the show, even though we finished season one.
Speaker: We want to keep in touch.
Speaker: So yeah, continue to comment, post up your favourite videos
Speaker: episode your favorite character and um we'll be sharing content
Speaker: why we are then working on season two.
Speaker: You won't have long to wait, but there will be a few weeks with, of course, that bonus episode in between.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Let us know your thoughts on season two as well and what you're looking forward to hearing us discuss and delve into.
Speaker: That'd be nice.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: I can't wait for season two.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: So until next time, take care.
Speaker: Next time on previously on Buffy the Vampire Slayer,
Speaker: I wanted to do something that was just fun and no pressure.
Speaker: And I wasn't trying to make a sale or paint something particularly deep.
Speaker: And I saw that people were doing fan art for Buffy.
Speaker: And so I watched it and I instantly got hooked.
Speaker: I'm like, this is the show for me.
Speaker: It's hilarious.
Speaker: It makes me cry.
Speaker: That was my first time watching it.
Speaker: And then I just watched it on repeat for a couple of years.
Speaker: And I still watch it.
Speaker: It's my comfort show.
Speaker: Thanks for listening to previously on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Speaker: You can follow us on X, Instagram or TikTok.
Speaker: Just search previously on Buffy.
Speaker: Don't forget to subscribe to us on your favorite podcast directory so you never miss an episode.
