I know people feel bad for Ampata for having been sacrificed at a young age, but I feel bad for her because for centuries she's been aware of her surroundings, basically awake but unable to move or talk. I think since she couldn't stay alive in Sunnydale, at least turning to dust is better than going back to being a mummy.
I came into the comments to say this exact same thing. It's the horror of being locked in a body that won't move, but your brain is alive and you hear the world moving around you. Terrifying! There's an actual medical condition like that, Locked Body Syndrome. Gives me the absolute chills.
The implications of another Chosen girl sacrificed to guard the darkness are wild. Instead of battling evil with weapons and KICKIIIIN’, “Ampata” was mummified, the Seal trapping some semblance of life within her body, keeping her aware and awake on some level. (HORRIFYING thought.) Aware enough to know when she’s removed from her resting place by archaeologists and taken to museums all over the world. Enough to learn spoken English. Maybe there’s a Hellmouth in Peru? Her having Slayer strength explains why she’s able to overpower the Bodyguard so easily, and match power with Buffy later. Also. What did Buffy do with the mummified Rodney in her bedroom?
I'm not sure if I agree with you or not about the nature of Ampata's moral grayness or corruption, but I do think it's a fair criticism of an episode that I happen to really like. In particular, I really like that, I think for the first time in the show, we get an antagonist who really is sympathetic. Sure, it does make it a little less gray that she has to keep draining the life from people to sustain her own - it's a lot easier to say "that's wrong, and she needs to be stopped", but even so, I wonder if any of us would do any differently in the same situation. I don't think I would, tbh. I do agree with your comments about how the ending could have played out, though - there could have been more tragedy in it, but I still enjoyed it, just as I'm enjoying your reactions and analyses.
What could make the holiday season better? A Tyler Buffy video. 💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰 We do the same thing of rewriting stuff so we like it better. 😁 I like your version of the ending. They did tease at the tragic storyline when she first decided against killing Xander. I feel like if it had been an anime, we could've gotten a whole tragic backstory and been sobbing at her final demise, but as someone else pointed out, they just opted for the "good guys = good, bad guys = bad" superhero plot in the end.
Interesting that Buffy claims at the beginning of the episode that she doesn't use violence all the time, but she comedically threatens Giles. It's odd how much the episode compares/contrasts Buffy and "Ampata" without sticking the landing. Agreed on your conclusion- the Monster of the Week element here isn't utilized to its fullest here. The 'twist' with the guard isn't worth the potential of the alternative you suggest, IMO. Cut the guard entirely, or make him a compare/contrast with Giles.
While not the best episode, it does introduce a reflection of the notion of choice in a way that is very important in the show (after we saw it in the season 1 finale as discussed at the end of the episode). How can you do the right thing when there is no “good” choice available? What’s the moral thing to do? Do you have to sacrifice yourself for others? Should you sacrifice one person to save more? Is preserving yourself or the people you love more important even if it risks others’ life? Where’s the line? That’s an important theme in Buffy where the answers are often much more grey than in this episode…
I think “Ampata” needed to be morally corrupt. The takeaway from the episode is that Buffy is Morally sound, she is the compass directing what is right in the world. If you have “Ampata” be too morally ambiguous or accept her fate, it doesn’t really set Buffy apart. Buffy is once in a generation, her choices are meant to be challenging but having “Ampata” reach the same point, you end up with the decisions being belittled (especially as there is only 3 episodes between this and the S1 finale)
Oh I wouldn't argue that the Princess needed to be morally innocent. I don't think that's the issue, and actually her being morally corrupt is more interesting. What I'd argue is the presentation. She's morally corrupt but it's *understandable* because of the context and how she's desperate to have a life at any cost. The stuff she's doing is bad but you get why she's doing it and she's not wrong in thinking she deserves life. She does. I just think the episode could have manipulated this context much better to up the stakes of tragedy. I think her being morally corrupt is vital for the episode. Like I say in the video, if the reason she had killed the bodyguard had been self preservation rather than a *need* to sap his life, that would have been better to me.
Nice reaction, Tyler and I liked your suggestions on how it could have been made a great episode as opposed to just a good one. And thank you re "scone" - every time I see this one I always shout at the screen when I hear scone pronounced wrong! :)
This episode falls flat for a lot of fans. You can tell the writers were trying to compare the princess and Buffy but the execution was not the greatest. I do like some things in this episode though. The little tidbit of information we get regarding Xander's home life and the introduction of Oz. Throughout the series we get hints of Xander's home not being the best which can explain some of his behavior, but not excuse it.
@alicequinn505 eh...I think more with just the obvious ways in which the princess was supposed to be like Buffy up to a point. As the series progresses, the writers get more nuanced in their metaphors and comparisons, so when you re-watch this episode, it can be a little more difficult to accept the writing in it.
I think, as far as the High School era, one-shot monster of the week buffy episodes go, this is one of my favorites. Though I'd agree that it's more for the potential it had than the execution. I also just really like Ampata as a character.
Agreed, this is usually considered to be a bit of a 'meh' episode, but it could have been excellent - and making the monster of the week a sympathetic character with parallels to Buffy is a really interesting angle. I do love it for the introduction of Oz, though!
Inca Mummy Girl is one of my favorite earlier episodes, but more for the potential than the execution. I feel like it was so close to themes that made Buffy one of my favorite shows, if the story was tweaked just a little.
Thank you for this critique. I always wanted a bit of a different ending: Ampata unable to kill Xander, Xander setting her free from her body and the gang feeling for her some more. I needed this. The ending to this episode could've been from a Shakespearian tragedy, yet it always lacked something.
Its good to see you analyze another Buffy episode. IMO you are the best at doing this. Problem is your releasing of the episodes are painfully slow. Sorry for whining. but it proves how much I like your content. Please keep it up.
I like the little things about this episode, but the core storyline has never dragged me in as much as the jokes, and the extras wearing what 90's high schoolers think of world culture, etc.
An interesting take on the mummy story as the writers continue to work on including all of the classic monsters. Because this is not just a vampire show.
I look forward to your episode breakdowns. Wonderful insight on how it pertains to real life. I’m excited to hear your thoughts on the themes to come. 🍿✨🍿
I quite like this episode, though its a bit "hit and miss" with fans. Agree with you the resolution was quite fast and straight forward which made it less hard hitting. Just a couple more episodes until we really start getting into the good stuff!! ❤
Yeah, I think the Inca princess had a lot of potential. They clearly wanted to fit it in a single episode. It also makes me really sad recognizing that she is conscious in her mummy form, just trapped watching from her motionless body for centuries. That's a much worse fate than death.
Great episode concept but just undermined by the "Monster of the Week" format. The actress really sells "Ampata" and is very sympathetic. In the end, the fight wasn't between the Slayer and the mummy, but between Ampata and herself. She held off so long in kissing Xander at the end that she re-mummified. Buffy merely pulled the husk off Xander. Being the Chosen One sucks. Buffy knows there's only one outcome, the only question is when.
Yeah I can agree the episode would have had more of a good-feel impact if for whatever reason, there wasn't the whole 'needs to suck life from others' feel to the whole thing... now what if her soul actually HAD a duty there in the proverbial human underworld, keeping horrors at bay that the Slayer could not do or reach. It'd have been so much more interesting if there was a need for it.
Enjoyed listening to your thoughts on this episode. As with most Buffy episodes, there is always something to like but overall this is a lesser episode for me. In this one, I really like Willow/Eskimo girl & the introduction of Oz.
I'm sorry, I love your reactions and insights and look forward to many more .....but.... this is the first time I have recognised the tour guide as the actor from Murder,She Wrote, Homeland and soo many others 😄carry on lol
I disagree that her having to keep killing makes it less contentious. I actually think it's the opposite. It means that Impata has this table choice she has to make, doors she keep killing to save her own life? And when you remember that she's really just a normal girl who got a raw deal, well that sucks. If it was only the one boy she'd killed the moral conundrum is over. There is no choice to make.
I agree. Having to keep killing on it's own isn't less contentious. Having her have to keep killing regardless of what happens in order to maintain her life-force is what makes it less contentious. If she HAS to kill someone to remain a girl with a life then this is objectively bad. She's ALWAYS going to have to kill so naturally she HAS to go back in the tomb or she'll keep doing that. We know this. Because of that writing decision she had to go back in the tomb regardless of how sympathetic she was. That's what I was referring to. My suggestion would be to have her kill the bodyguard and other people because they're trying to harm her and for that to be the sole reason. You could argue she was doing that, but because we know she would've had to kill someone anyway it lessens the self preservation motive and just weakens that moment for me. Sure self preservation is still a motive but not the prime one anymore, and that's the issue. As the audience, if her only motive in that scenario is to save her own life we can all get behind her and go 'she was justified in killing him'. By making it so she HAS to do that to literally keep her life-force the audience now is thinking 'well she's going to have to keep doing this, that is objectively bad and means innocents HAVE to die'. That as a writing decision makes it less contentious as to whether it's good or bad and to my mind that makes it worse and cuts off so much more potential as to how you can explore her character and her motivations in regard to making the story more tragic. It's cut and dry for the audience at that point when you could've been tearing at the heart strings of the audience. You're left at the end with 'well there was no other way for that to happen', when I feel like the feeling could've been 'oh god she didn't have to die, that was so tragic and I'm not okay'.
@TylerAlexander what has to happen is more cut and dry but the fact that it's the choice this young girl has to make at all is the real tragedy for me. I do think that this isn't the strongest episode to handle these themes in Buffy. The season 1 finale has the same theme and does it better.
@@TylerAlexander I think the problem with that route (having her kill only due to them trying to harm her) would be that there would be no reason to force her to go back again, killing in self defense is not something that requires slaying. So there had to be some reason for her not to be allowed to continue and if that was not her constantly killing people to stay alive, then what would it be?
@@Henrik_Holst this is my point. There isn't any reason not to then let her have that life. This is why I talked a lot about potential because then you insert the idea in the audience that she CAN live. Imagine the tragedy there'd therefore be if she got slain. This begs the question, why would she get slain at this point? And this is where you write something extra. An idea off the top of my head is that she's traumatised (rightly so) considering she was sacrificed as a teen and has this chance at life that is more precious to her than anything (this is already in the ep so you'd just have to re-purpose it). She discovers Buffy and gang exist and what their actual purpose is and suddenly that chance at life is at risk to her mind. Perhaps she wrongly assumes they're going to automatically slay her and lashes out. Maybe Buffy and the gang make a mistake/misinterpret something and go on the offensive only realising the full context later. Perhaps the incident with the bodyguard was purely self defense but the gang interpret it as 'she's dangerous and must be killed because she's killing innocents' when we as the audience know she was only defending herself. There are a lot of ways you could iron out the details of how you get there, but the way I see the potential ending is that she never had to go back in the tomb but she ends up there anyway through a combination of misunderstanding, trauma, high emotion, or misinterpretation and suddenly you have a heart breaking tragedy that could've gone so much differently. This can only happen if you've set a foundation where it's feasible that she can and should be given her chance at life. The decision to make her HAVE to kill to maintain this life saps the story of this potential, and is why I think it's so lack-lustre to a lot of people.
I think the more complex plot would run the risk of justifying the human sacrifice, which would be an awful message, especially since Ampata was a real mummy.
In what sense would it be made justified? This was a while ago so you'll have to refresh my memory, but to my recollection that wouldn't even slightly be the result. I remember my argument was geared towards making the mummy's plight more tragic and humanising her more considering her circumstances, but all that would do is make the audience even more sympathetic to what she was subjected to. That's the point. In that event my changes would go further towards highlighting and exemplifying the egregiousness of human sacrifice, not justify it.
@@TylerAlexander I don't really remember either, lol, but I think I meant that making the mummy not have to kill to survive, but still need to be killed for some higher purpose, would imply this is the same higher purpose that she was sacrificed for in the first place. And having our good guys do it, would put forward the idea that it was a justified ritual. (Even though we still technically don't know what it was, we can figure the actual ones found weren't)
The cultural sensitivity of 90s high school tv…not good. I was a young adult fan at the time. So much of this is cringe now. I seriously doubt this episode would ever be made today. At least, not like this. And when you consider the short life expectancy of every non-Caucasian in Sunnydale… I just don’t think this’d fly today. Change can be good.
Since you don't seem to be aware let me help you out. The Princess (Ampata) - frozen at 16 years old in a tomb, not living out in the world gathering experience or growing in any way. Angel - frozen in a distinctly different way at (I'm led to believe from the community) 24 years old, has continued to live and gather knowledge and lived experience for 200+ years. If you can't see how those are different you cannot be helped 😂
Why should Xander like Willow? She is his friend. He loves her as his friend. Reactors (and fans) are tough on him for continuing to like Buffy and tough on him for not liking Willow but attraction isn’t a choice.
I've never said Xander SHOULD like Willow. Attraction isn't something someone can control but you CAN control how you deal with it. After being told by Buffy how she feels he persists in his obnoxious and controlling behaviour that is unhealthy for him, for Buffy, and for their friendship. You didn't say this of course and I'm not implying you think this, but the way you talk here is a small step away from justifying any kind of action by saying 'well X couldn't help how they feel so this action was inevitable'. It's that sort of language that some people (typically men) use when wrongly assigning blame to cases of SA. Do you not agree that despite how someone feels it doesn't justify every action? No one controls the way they feel but we all control how we channel our feelings, and in my eyes people should channel these feelings in positive ways that don't harm people, Xander included. I can't speak to other people but this is why I'm harsh on Xander in this regard.
![KRK - ชนิสรา Ft.WanMai , N/A [Official MV] Prod. By Sakarin](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/C-WMwwYobcU/mqdefault.jpg)
I know people feel bad for Ampata for having been sacrificed at a young age, but I feel bad for her because for centuries she's been aware of her surroundings, basically awake but unable to move or talk. I think since she couldn't stay alive in Sunnydale, at least turning to dust is better than going back to being a mummy.
I came into the comments to say this exact same thing. It's the horror of being locked in a body that won't move, but your brain is alive and you hear the world moving around you. Terrifying! There's an actual medical condition like that, Locked Body Syndrome. Gives me the absolute chills.
The implications of another Chosen girl sacrificed to guard the darkness are wild. Instead of battling evil with weapons and KICKIIIIN’, “Ampata” was mummified, the Seal trapping some semblance of life within her body, keeping her aware and awake on some level. (HORRIFYING thought.) Aware enough to know when she’s removed from her resting place by archaeologists and taken to museums all over the world. Enough to learn spoken English. Maybe there’s a Hellmouth in Peru? Her having Slayer strength explains why she’s able to overpower the Bodyguard so easily, and match power with Buffy later.
Also. What did Buffy do with the mummified Rodney in her bedroom?
That wasn't Rodney in her room.. that was the real Ampata.
@@lynnevetter You’re right!
essentially making her a reverse of a vampire. soul sealed into the body.
11:30 I've heard some suggest that the Inca Princess may have been a slayer.
I'm not sure if I agree with you or not about the nature of Ampata's moral grayness or corruption, but I do think it's a fair criticism of an episode that I happen to really like. In particular, I really like that, I think for the first time in the show, we get an antagonist who really is sympathetic. Sure, it does make it a little less gray that she has to keep draining the life from people to sustain her own - it's a lot easier to say "that's wrong, and she needs to be stopped", but even so, I wonder if any of us would do any differently in the same situation. I don't think I would, tbh.
I do agree with your comments about how the ending could have played out, though - there could have been more tragedy in it, but I still enjoyed it, just as I'm enjoying your reactions and analyses.
The message wasn't "Ampata's evil, she needs to be stopped," the message was "people are dying, she needs to be stopped."
The earlier seasons are a bit simpler. I can’t wait for you to get to the later seasons! You are gonna have so much fun analyzing them!
What could make the holiday season better? A Tyler Buffy video. 💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
We do the same thing of rewriting stuff so we like it better. 😁 I like your version of the ending. They did tease at the tragic storyline when she first decided against killing Xander. I feel like if it had been an anime, we could've gotten a whole tragic backstory and been sobbing at her final demise, but as someone else pointed out, they just opted for the "good guys = good, bad guys = bad" superhero plot in the end.
I don’t know how you always have so much to say about these S1 and early S2 episodes. I can’t even imagine how long your S5/S6 videos will be (:
It's true. Ampata was asked to give up her life twice. Who knows what Buffy would do if she had to give up her life a second time...
Interesting that Buffy claims at the beginning of the episode that she doesn't use violence all the time, but she comedically threatens Giles. It's odd how much the episode compares/contrasts Buffy and "Ampata" without sticking the landing.
Agreed on your conclusion- the Monster of the Week element here isn't utilized to its fullest here. The 'twist' with the guard isn't worth the potential of the alternative you suggest, IMO. Cut the guard entirely, or make him a compare/contrast with Giles.
While not the best episode, it does introduce a reflection of the notion of choice in a way that is very important in the show (after we saw it in the season 1 finale as discussed at the end of the episode). How can you do the right thing when there is no “good” choice available? What’s the moral thing to do? Do you have to sacrifice yourself for others? Should you sacrifice one person to save more? Is preserving yourself or the people you love more important even if it risks others’ life? Where’s the line? That’s an important theme in Buffy where the answers are often much more grey than in this episode…
I think “Ampata” needed to be morally corrupt. The takeaway from the episode is that Buffy is Morally sound, she is the compass directing what is right in the world.
If you have “Ampata” be too morally ambiguous or accept her fate, it doesn’t really set Buffy apart. Buffy is once in a generation, her choices are meant to be challenging but having “Ampata” reach the same point, you end up with the decisions being belittled (especially as there is only 3 episodes between this and the S1 finale)
Oh I wouldn't argue that the Princess needed to be morally innocent. I don't think that's the issue, and actually her being morally corrupt is more interesting. What I'd argue is the presentation. She's morally corrupt but it's *understandable* because of the context and how she's desperate to have a life at any cost. The stuff she's doing is bad but you get why she's doing it and she's not wrong in thinking she deserves life. She does.
I just think the episode could have manipulated this context much better to up the stakes of tragedy. I think her being morally corrupt is vital for the episode. Like I say in the video, if the reason she had killed the bodyguard had been self preservation rather than a *need* to sap his life, that would have been better to me.
Nice reaction, Tyler and I liked your suggestions on how it could have been made a great episode as opposed to just a good one. And thank you re "scone" - every time I see this one I always shout at the screen when I hear scone pronounced wrong! :)
This episode falls flat for a lot of fans. You can tell the writers were trying to compare the princess and Buffy but the execution was not the greatest. I do like some things in this episode though. The little tidbit of information we get regarding Xander's home life and the introduction of Oz. Throughout the series we get hints of Xander's home not being the best which can explain some of his behavior, but not excuse it.
Do you think the execution was not the greatest because you felt Ampata and Buffy should be the same?
@alicequinn505 eh...I think more with just the obvious ways in which the princess was supposed to be like Buffy up to a point. As the series progresses, the writers get more nuanced in their metaphors and comparisons, so when you re-watch this episode, it can be a little more difficult to accept the writing in it.
I think, as far as the High School era, one-shot monster of the week buffy episodes go, this is one of my favorites. Though I'd agree that it's more for the potential it had than the execution. I also just really like Ampata as a character.
Agreed, this is usually considered to be a bit of a 'meh' episode, but it could have been excellent - and making the monster of the week a sympathetic character with parallels to Buffy is a really interesting angle. I do love it for the introduction of Oz, though!
"To the bathroom, to take a massive sh--"
I think we all need to take a second to contemplate what a 1000 year old mummy dump would be like
Diet: twinkies
Gut fauna: entirely absent
Inca Mummy Girl is one of my favorite earlier episodes, but more for the potential than the execution. I feel like it was so close to themes that made Buffy one of my favorite shows, if the story was tweaked just a little.
Thank you for this critique. I always wanted a bit of a different ending: Ampata unable to kill Xander, Xander setting her free from her body and the gang feeling for her some more. I needed this. The ending to this episode could've been from a Shakespearian tragedy, yet it always lacked something.
This episode feels like it belongs in season 1 with Praying Mantis Lady and internet demon guy. It's meh, but it does give us Seth Green.
Its good to see you analyze another Buffy episode. IMO you are the best at doing this. Problem is your releasing of the episodes are painfully slow. Sorry for whining. but it proves how much I like your content. Please keep it up.
I like the little things about this episode, but the core storyline has never dragged me in as much as the jokes, and the extras wearing what 90's high schoolers think of world culture, etc.
An interesting take on the mummy story as the writers continue to work on including all of the classic monsters. Because this is not just a vampire show.
I look forward to your episode breakdowns. Wonderful insight on how it pertains to real life. I’m excited to hear your thoughts on the themes to come. 🍿✨🍿
I quite like this episode, though its a bit "hit and miss" with fans. Agree with you the resolution was quite fast and straight forward which made it less hard hitting. Just a couple more episodes until we really start getting into the good stuff!! ❤
Yeah, I think the Inca princess had a lot of potential. They clearly wanted to fit it in a single episode.
It also makes me really sad recognizing that she is conscious in her mummy form, just trapped watching from her motionless body for centuries. That's a much worse fate than death.
Honestly one of the best thing about this show is the charts development hoe natural it seems with all the charecters
Great episode concept but just undermined by the "Monster of the Week" format. The actress really sells "Ampata" and is very sympathetic. In the end, the fight wasn't between the Slayer and the mummy, but between Ampata and herself. She held off so long in kissing Xander at the end that she re-mummified. Buffy merely pulled the husk off Xander.
Being the Chosen One sucks. Buffy knows there's only one outcome, the only question is when.
Yeah I can agree the episode would have had more of a good-feel impact if for whatever reason, there wasn't the whole 'needs to suck life from others' feel to the whole thing... now what if her soul actually HAD a duty there in the proverbial human underworld, keeping horrors at bay that the Slayer could not do or reach. It'd have been so much more interesting if there was a need for it.
No Ampata tu you? Hmm? No Ampata tu you. --- Labu Boinka!!
Enjoyed listening to your thoughts on this episode. As with most Buffy episodes, there is always something to like but overall this is a lesser episode for me. In this one, I really like Willow/Eskimo girl & the introduction of Oz.
"Your english is very bueno" :D
I'm sorry, I love your reactions and insights and look forward to many more .....but.... this is the first time I have recognised the tour guide as the actor from Murder,She Wrote, Homeland and soo many others 😄carry on lol
I think that they could have done so much with this if they hadn't limited it to one episode.
I don't mind this episode, but I think that's mostly because I go all Xander-brain on it, I think mummy girl is crazy hot lol
I disagree that her having to keep killing makes it less contentious. I actually think it's the opposite. It means that Impata has this table choice she has to make, doors she keep killing to save her own life? And when you remember that she's really just a normal girl who got a raw deal, well that sucks. If it was only the one boy she'd killed the moral conundrum is over. There is no choice to make.
I agree. Having to keep killing on it's own isn't less contentious. Having her have to keep killing regardless of what happens in order to maintain her life-force is what makes it less contentious. If she HAS to kill someone to remain a girl with a life then this is objectively bad. She's ALWAYS going to have to kill so naturally she HAS to go back in the tomb or she'll keep doing that. We know this. Because of that writing decision she had to go back in the tomb regardless of how sympathetic she was. That's what I was referring to.
My suggestion would be to have her kill the bodyguard and other people because they're trying to harm her and for that to be the sole reason. You could argue she was doing that, but because we know she would've had to kill someone anyway it lessens the self preservation motive and just weakens that moment for me. Sure self preservation is still a motive but not the prime one anymore, and that's the issue.
As the audience, if her only motive in that scenario is to save her own life we can all get behind her and go 'she was justified in killing him'. By making it so she HAS to do that to literally keep her life-force the audience now is thinking 'well she's going to have to keep doing this, that is objectively bad and means innocents HAVE to die'. That as a writing decision makes it less contentious as to whether it's good or bad and to my mind that makes it worse and cuts off so much more potential as to how you can explore her character and her motivations in regard to making the story more tragic. It's cut and dry for the audience at that point when you could've been tearing at the heart strings of the audience. You're left at the end with 'well there was no other way for that to happen', when I feel like the feeling could've been 'oh god she didn't have to die, that was so tragic and I'm not okay'.
@TylerAlexander what has to happen is more cut and dry but the fact that it's the choice this young girl has to make at all is the real tragedy for me.
I do think that this isn't the strongest episode to handle these themes in Buffy. The season 1 finale has the same theme and does it better.
@@Super00Specs sure, that's fair. I really was only arguing for the 'contentious' point 😅
@@TylerAlexander I think the problem with that route (having her kill only due to them trying to harm her) would be that there would be no reason to force her to go back again, killing in self defense is not something that requires slaying. So there had to be some reason for her not to be allowed to continue and if that was not her constantly killing people to stay alive, then what would it be?
@@Henrik_Holst this is my point. There isn't any reason not to then let her have that life. This is why I talked a lot about potential because then you insert the idea in the audience that she CAN live. Imagine the tragedy there'd therefore be if she got slain.
This begs the question, why would she get slain at this point? And this is where you write something extra. An idea off the top of my head is that she's traumatised (rightly so) considering she was sacrificed as a teen and has this chance at life that is more precious to her than anything (this is already in the ep so you'd just have to re-purpose it). She discovers Buffy and gang exist and what their actual purpose is and suddenly that chance at life is at risk to her mind. Perhaps she wrongly assumes they're going to automatically slay her and lashes out. Maybe Buffy and the gang make a mistake/misinterpret something and go on the offensive only realising the full context later. Perhaps the incident with the bodyguard was purely self defense but the gang interpret it as 'she's dangerous and must be killed because she's killing innocents' when we as the audience know she was only defending herself. There are a lot of ways you could iron out the details of how you get there, but the way I see the potential ending is that she never had to go back in the tomb but she ends up there anyway through a combination of misunderstanding, trauma, high emotion, or misinterpretation and suddenly you have a heart breaking tragedy that could've gone so much differently. This can only happen if you've set a foundation where it's feasible that she can and should be given her chance at life. The decision to make her HAVE to kill to maintain this life saps the story of this potential, and is why I think it's so lack-lustre to a lot of people.
The real Ampata had cute underwear!
For me it only could have been 10/10 if it was a different episode. Seriously, this is among my least favorite episodes of the season.
I think the more complex plot would run the risk of justifying the human sacrifice, which would be an awful message, especially since Ampata was a real mummy.
In what sense would it be made justified? This was a while ago so you'll have to refresh my memory, but to my recollection that wouldn't even slightly be the result.
I remember my argument was geared towards making the mummy's plight more tragic and humanising her more considering her circumstances, but all that would do is make the audience even more sympathetic to what she was subjected to. That's the point.
In that event my changes would go further towards highlighting and exemplifying the egregiousness of human sacrifice, not justify it.
@@TylerAlexander I don't really remember either, lol, but I think I meant that making the mummy not have to kill to survive, but still need to be killed for some higher purpose, would imply this is the same higher purpose that she was sacrificed for in the first place. And having our good guys do it, would put forward the idea that it was a justified ritual.
(Even though we still technically don't know what it was, we can figure the actual ones found weren't)
You're an actual WRITER????
Yup! 👀 it's what my degree focused on. Been writing since I was a teen and self-published some novellas a year or two back 😊
@@TylerAlexander Amazing!!! Writing is such hard work, congrats!
The cultural sensitivity of 90s high school tv…not good. I was a young adult fan at the time. So much of this is cringe now. I seriously doubt this episode would ever be made today. At least, not like this. And when you consider the short life expectancy of every non-Caucasian in Sunnydale… I just don’t think this’d fly today.
Change can be good.
Amazingly you think this girl is good for Xander but Angel isn't good for Buffy because he's too old!!! How old is Ampala?
Since you don't seem to be aware let me help you out.
The Princess (Ampata) - frozen at 16 years old in a tomb, not living out in the world gathering experience or growing in any way.
Angel - frozen in a distinctly different way at (I'm led to believe from the community) 24 years old, has continued to live and gather knowledge and lived experience for 200+ years.
If you can't see how those are different you cannot be helped 😂
Why should Xander like Willow? She is his friend. He loves her as his friend.
Reactors (and fans) are tough on him for continuing to like Buffy and tough on him for not liking Willow but attraction isn’t a choice.
I've never said Xander SHOULD like Willow. Attraction isn't something someone can control but you CAN control how you deal with it.
After being told by Buffy how she feels he persists in his obnoxious and controlling behaviour that is unhealthy for him, for Buffy, and for their friendship.
You didn't say this of course and I'm not implying you think this, but the way you talk here is a small step away from justifying any kind of action by saying 'well X couldn't help how they feel so this action was inevitable'. It's that sort of language that some people (typically men) use when wrongly assigning blame to cases of SA.
Do you not agree that despite how someone feels it doesn't justify every action? No one controls the way they feel but we all control how we channel our feelings, and in my eyes people should channel these feelings in positive ways that don't harm people, Xander included. I can't speak to other people but this is why I'm harsh on Xander in this regard.