Family

Variations on the theme: this season, identity and family have been explored, now the theme reaches out to include Tara (and by extension, Willow, who has been underutilized so far this season). Tara has, understandably, been aware that she's not really a Scoobie. Even though she's been around for a season, Buffy and Xander can't think of a thing to get her for her birthday; they claim to not know her well enough.

By the end of the episode, we've found that Tara's own family is awful, and that she believed she was part demon. It's been established that she is officially part of the group, with everyone bonding together to save her from her father--even though she cast a spell that could have caused them to be killed by demons. She is forgiven and accepted, claimed as family.

Things to note: Spike had come to see Buffy killed, but helped save her (gee, imagine that), AND he is part of the process of "claiming" Tara--he's not a Scoobie, but he is. His intervention not only saved Buffy but also established that Tara's father was lying and she was not part demon. His integration from punch line to essential side man has started.

Also, Tara has misused magic, casting a spell for her benefit that impacts others. She is contrite that she did so, accepting that it was wrong. Willow--foreshadowing next season's issues--excuses and defends the use of magic to make Tara's pain less and life better. Tara has learned from her experience; Willow hasn't.

And, very importantly, Riley helps Buffy move in, then feels shut out and leaves, heading to Willy's bar to drink with vampires--looking for darkness? Leading into something? AND, equally importantly, the big love fest at the end that solidifies Tara (and Spike and Anya) as part of the expanded group--Riley's not there. He's on borrowed time. He knows it, too.

Primeval

Buffy calls a meeting, and in an interestingly staged conversation--Giles, Willow, Xander and Buffy standing on a sidewalk (maybe, symbolically, an intersection, now that I think about it) standing in square facing each other--they realize Spike set up the arguments. Perfunctory decision that it's all good, that they need to work together, and so business as usual...but it's at best a whitewash. Until later, again interestingly, symbolically staged: Willow and Buffy repelling down into the Initiative, and Buffy broaches the subject again, apologizing for her distance and lack of attention, then Willow copping to her own secrecy and hurt. By the time they hit bottom--friendship truly reaffirmed, and Xander hops down in time for a group hug. Now, all is really well, and we know that the gang is committed to staying together. Anya, Riley and Tara are nowhere near, but the decision is clearly to not let anything impede the Scooby mojo.

If this season was about Frankenstein, the conclusion must somehow address that. Adam's plan to create an army of demon/tech/human androids--beings without soul, without conscience, is viewed as bad by everyone...well, everyone good. Is technology bad? That's a bit more up in the air--Willow is more wicca, less tech this season, but she's still the go-to girl for all things computer. Maggie's use of tech to dominate humans is definitely decried, but I'm not sure that ultimately, this season adds much to the "what does it mean to be human" discussion. They could have gone there, and with Maggie, her assistant, and Forrest all joining Adam in half-death/tech life-ville, there was opportunity. The fact that Riley was targeted for that could have extended the conversation to the Scoobies, easily. But no...instead the focus is the power of love--agape (Willow, Xander, Giles, banding together for the final spell) and eros (Riley pulling out his own chip as well as whole episodes and themes: Oz overcoming/losing to wolf side and Where the Wild Things Are, specifically)

But the season doesn't end there...in another artsy move, there's one more episode, the dream episode, Restless. I need to rewatch that before I'm sure of any conclusions about the season.

Superstar

The season four metaplot, which had been heating up before the Faith/Buffy interruption, is still on the back burner with this quirky show. Jonathon--the would-be shooter during season 3--is back. In fact, it's Jonathon's world. He's Superman, James Bond, Dr. Phil, Frank Sinatra, and Gary Kasparov all in one suave, hot little package. Giles owns the Jonathon swimsuit calendar, Xander has the comics and trading cards, and Anya is entranced by Jonathon's autobiography.

This episode does reveal one crucial piece of info: to destroy Adam, his power source must be destroyed. Because of the military's consistent secrecy, it's possible that Riley and Co. would not have known what they had to do to get rid of this season's Big Bad. So...plotwise, "Superstar" may have had a point. Also, Jonathon talked with both Riley and Buffy about the whole "Riley had sex with Faith, kinda" brooding that Buffy was falling into--and instead of the audience having to listen to Buffy's angsty-whining about it the rest of the season, she is fine.( That alone is a reason for this episode.)

And, obviously, Jonathon's slightly short-sighted moral ambiguity is clear in this, as is the fact that ultimately, he will do the right thing...after events have spiraled out of control. More interesting, though, is the counterpoint that Jonathon provides to Buffy, big picture. For all of Buffy's "I'm different, I'm alone, Poor me"--some of which is valid, but it's hit very hard at times in the series--Buffy really isn't alone. She's different, but it's a difference that is strong and celebrated, and she has a support system that most kids that age would envy. But no, Buffy is amazingly good at seeing what she's lost.

Jonathon, though--he is alone. He is different. Buffy's small and strong, sexy and wanted. Jonathon, though...small(er) and weak, ridiculed and ignored. Even Buffy refused to go out with him. Regardless of the context (she was pining over Angel), Jonathon still saw it as rejection. And when Jonathon needs to hear words of encouragement and affirmation, Buffy plays Dr. Phil for him, saying the things to him that she often disbelieves about herself and her situation. He's an interesting mirror for her to be reflected in.

The transition to adulthood is tricky for these characters. Xander is floundering, and Giles is barely adult--no status, no job, some episodes this season, he's Xander's sidekick. Jonathon's magic spell turned him into instant adult. That's worth noting, I think.

And I don't remember the next episode at all. Could be fun!

Something Blue

Time for a fan fav because it's just so fun--as Willow tries to magically zap the pain of Oz leaving, she causes mayhem for everyone around her...which ends up comic, no harm done. BUT...this is far more than just a detour from the season's Big Bad. In significant ways, this episode foreshadows huge shifts in the characters and the series as a whole, especially later seasons when the whole vibe is much darker.

Here's a question: who's journey is the focus of "Buffy, the Vampire Slayer?" Based on the title, it's reasonable to say that Buffy's evolution and actions are the crux of the show, but...not so fast. Because she's "the chosen," because her prime directive can't change and her course is predestined, there are some pretty clear parameters. Yes, they play with "Buffy should go away to college" and "When Buffy gets married and has kids...." but really? Those violate the universe that Buffy exists in--and yea, I know at the end of the series, we can discuss if Buffy has found a way to beat the system, pulling a Kobayashi Maru. We're several seasons away from that discussion, though, so the question stands: who is the series really tracking?

Willow. I can make a serious argument that Willow's journey and evolution are in significant ways what gives the series depth and momentum. The clearest images of the episode may be Spike and Buffy getting engaged, making out non-stop as magically blinded Giles tells them that he can hear the smacking of their lips. But why is Buffy sitting on Spike's lap? Willow felt jealous and rejected, and---oops--magic happened. Xander, Amy, Anya, Spike, Giles, Buffy--they all feel the ricochet of Willow's inability to deal with negative emotions and reliance on magic as a mystical band aid.

D'Hoffern, the boss of vengence demons, tries to recruit Willow--that's not a wake up call to Willow that she has issues dealing with negative emotion, but it foreshadows to the audience that Willow's issues are not solved by the handing out of fresh chocolate chip cookies, which she's sweetly and humbly doing as penance at the end: "Eat a cookie, ease my pain" with the wistful little-girl, how-can-you-be-mad smile. Buffy's comment about possibly wanting a forgetting spell to erase her feelings for Spike is especially pointed; Willow loses Tara, then turns completely dark, because of the sequence of events from using forgetting spells. For every Scoobie character, this episode is a template of what happens in some significant ways in the next few seasons.

Giles is blind--yep, his solo in "Once More With Feeling" echos that sentiment; because he loves Buffy, he's blinded to what he needs to do to let her grow up. And, more immediately, he's not seeing clearly about his role since he left the high school.

Xander is a demon magnet--again, significant points are made about he and Anya's relationship, which is still in a fledgling stage. And although the yellow crayon is not referenced (the touching speech he gave to Willow when she went evil, ultimately saving her...and the world, of course), Xander is the one who tries to reach out to Willow in her pain, before anyone realized that she was inadvertently casting spells.

Spike and Buffy, well--they are crazy in love, planning their wedding--and arguing, not really liking each other, but still incredibly connected...sound familiar? When they do start a "relationship," Buffy doesn't like him, they argue constantly, she admits she's using him, yet the connection is strong. Pretty much a mirror image of the show, down to the intensity of the physical relationship.

And the short bit where Buffy talks to Riley about being engaged, then later explains it away? We see her with a "nice, normal guy" and get to imagine what if that would work...the idea of Buffy settling down in a suburb with a mini-van and a hunky husband is appealing, and this episode juxtaposes life as a Slayer--and a vamp boyfriend--with the "what if" image we get from Riley...so far.

The title is interesting. Obviously, the wedding is referenced: something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. But...D'Hoffern is blue--the underlying point of the episode could be that connection between Willow and the potential she has for evil as symbolized by D'Hoffern. And blue can be shadowy, dark--this episode seems innocuous, but really, it's also shadowy and dark, simmering beneath the surface.

I like this episode. The dialogue is snappy and fun, the out-of-character actions work thanks to both strong writing and good acting, and overall, the structure is tight. But the more I think about it, the deeper it is, and even little lines have a great deal of significance in the context of the series as a whole. I suspect I'll reference this one again.

Amends

What can I say about this episode that hasn't been said better by someone? It's almost fairy-tale like in its ending, a sudden, unexplained snow storm, hiding the sun so Angel doesn't commit suicide. Buffy had told him that they were done, finito--yet she was the one beside him as the miracle occurred, tearfully admitting that she loves him. Snow--white, pure, miraculous--all the things Angel isn't, yet apparently the Powers that Be decide to use super-symbolic-mojo to insure that Angel is around to get his own series.

Angel is trying to make amends for the evil he's done, but he's not the only one. Buffy reluctantly makes overtures to Faith, and Oz decides that he and Willow belong together. Xander and Cordy are still not civil, and we see Xander sleeping outside in the sudden snow as he avoids his family's dysfunctional Christmas eve celebration. White, fluffy snow baptizes the sleeping xander, symbolically exonerating him even though Cordy won't.

In the plot line and symbolically, the destruction wrought be Spike is washed away, but it's worth noting that unlike many television shows, the characters retain the memories of their flaws and failures, and grow--or at least change--from the experiences.

Worth noting: Joss uses very overtly religious symbolism in this one--and it does take place Christmas Eve/Morning--and Willow mentions several times that she is Jewish, although her last name (Rosenberg) is the main evidence of that. In the episode about forgiveness and redemption, even avowed atheist Joss heads to religious, probably because those are the archetypes we understand....I think.

In the Buffy-verse, the last several episodes are crucial to the myth-making and character development. Soon, season 3 will kick up a notch--but for now, we've had a respite from the Mayor as we explore and build the characters more.

I Only Have Eyes For You

Guilt, Forgiveness, Redemption--those are the words of the day. Although the obvious correlation is Buffy's guilt over causing Angel to lose his soul (which she seems to believe she is responsible for, but am I seriously supposed to believe it's entirely Buffy's doing that they had sex? And that Angle never considered what the curse meant??), it's framed in a tragic love murder/suicide story from 1955, and it's plausible that the underlying significance could be missed until Cordy snidely asks Buffy, "Over-identify much?" Even then, Giles and the Scoobies assume Buffy has the woman's role in the tragedy, the victim; when Buffy and Angel--enthralled by the spirits--reenact the deaths, Buffy is the male, the shooter. The one who is angry and seeking redemption--not the victim. Angel plays that role.

The gang believes the morality play can't be resolved; it will just keep going in an endless loop because the victim can't forgive the shooter. That may be true most places, but not when a vampire is involved. Being shot and falling from a balcony are no big deal, so Angel finishes the drama by stopping Buffy's impending suicide and forgiving her for causing the situation, pledging enternal love. Notably, Angel is wearing his claddaugh ring through this whole episode, too, making the symbolism even clearer.

A couple episodes back, Buffy announced that she's ready to kill Angel. In this episode, she essentially gets absolved of the guilt for her actions--which may include what she has to do, perhaps? And interestingly, back at the mansion, Angel has been taunting Spike, who we discover can walk now--a little fact Angel doesn't know yet. The pieces are falling in place...