Bye Bye Riley? // Buffy the Vampire Slayer Episode 5x10 Reaction // Xander is Always Testing Me!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 17 ก.ย. 2024
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Join me as I continue my exciting journey into the supernatural world of Buffy the Vampire Slayer! In this video, I watch the season 5 episode 10 of the iconic TV series for the first time, filled with anticipation and excitement this episode Buffy finds out about Riley's vampire activities and he has a decision to make!
From the opening credits to the final scene, I was completely immersed in the episode, captivated by the brilliant writing, star studded cast, and seamless blend of horror, comedy, and drama. Witness my genuine reactions as I cheer for Buffy's epic moments, laugh at the some of the amazing characters and dated effects, and literally get jumped scared multiple times.. It's an emotional ride filled with surprises and twists that has me immediately hooked.
After watching the episode, I share my thoughts, theories, and predictions for the future episodes! Whether you're a die-hard Buffy fan or new to the series, I hope you join me as I experience everything Buffy has to offer for the first time. So grab your popcorn and join me as I embark on this thrilling journey into the world of Buffy the Vampire Slayer!
It's not about victims and bad guys and sides. In my mind, it's about relationships being easy to screw up, even when you care about it, if you're not honest with yourself and your partners.
Buffy doesn't love Riley, Riley himself says so in episode 5x03.
Riley told Buffy twice "I love you" and she never said it to him
She never told him on screen, if she never said it at all I think it would have come up. And we did see her tell Angel that she loved Riley.
@@colej.banning2419 I think she's told others, and she may well love him - but the passion she felt in season 4 has turned into convenience, she's taking him for granted. And I do believe she's never said it to him, directly, even during the hottest moments of season 4. Where Buffy and Riley are right now, I thought the breakup was needed.
When I went to college at MIT, my high school sweet heart went to Wellesley, so we were able to see each other a lot as there were busses and exchange classes etc. We got engaged sophomore year, with the caveat that we'd wait on getting married until after graduation. But senior year, we started growing in different directions, and drifting apart a bit, especially second semester. After she graduated - I had an incomplete to finish up - we got an apartment in Cambridge together.
So we'd gotten the blood tests, and talked to the pastor who was going to perform the ceremony (her dad), and one day we're sitting in the apartment making plans for the wedding...and we looked at each other and both agreed that this didn't feel right, that we were going through the motions because it was expected, not because we still wanted it.
We had been growing apart - we were different people than we'd been in high school and the first year or two of college - but we hadn't wanted to admit it to ourselves. It was a mutual, amicable breakup, and we're still friends to this day. We chatted several times when one of us was going through some stuff, and we've hung out together at high school reunions. She's a grandmother now, and I'm still unmarried with no children, but we both have had good lives; the breakup was the right choice.
Regarding Xander - he wasn't being the bad guy, he was being a friend - he was saying Buffy needs to decide whether to let Riley go cleanly or tell him she wants him to stay. But that conversation should have been much earlier after Riley told Xander "she doesn't love me." This was way too last second.
And Riley should have started a conversation with Buffy about what he felt was missing from the relationship much, much earlier.
"riley himself says so"
yet he never says anything to her about it until this episode. partners are not mind readers. riley needed to bring up his feelings on one of the many occasions when things were otherwise good, instead of making things about him when buffy reasonably has more important things to do. a partner is supposed to lessen your burdens, not add to them.
@@sirmoonslosthismind I'm just saying that this is Riley's part of the reason and Buffy is also partly right
Riley's main problem is that when the Initiative folded at the end of Season 4, Riley lost all sense of purpose for anything other than being with Buffy and helping out sometimes with the patrolling. On a rewatch, Buffy has been taking him for granted most of the season, and when not with Buffy, Riley is just drifting along without purpose. That's just not healthy.
He needs Buffy to be more than she us able to be for him - and Buffy has gone from the passion of the later half of season 4 to the taking-for-granted stage of season 5. Riley has become Buffy's "old reliable" - but she hasn't leaned on Riley for support the way she used to with Angel.
I don't see anyone wholly at fault - both have moved apart from each other in different ways, and they haven't talked to each other about it.
100% agree with you on the Xander thing
Don’t worry Brooke you’re not the only one confused by the narrative.. I think there were better ways to show Riley’s (valid) feelings and the inevitable breakdown of their relationship than by framing the bulk of the blame on Buffy for emotionally ghosting him and by the end of the episode trying to say to the audience “see, it’s her fault.”
She had faults but all her VERY valid viewpoints were shot down
Yeah, I thought Xander's little lecture and her buying it was not in character. It was just stuck in to make her run to him to create a tragic romantic ending.
I never got the impression that the writers were trying to say her culpability was greater or even equal to his, only that she had been oblivious to how he was feeling and how some of those feelings were due to the way she behaved toward him.
I actually celebrated Gurnenthar's Ascendance when I was in college.
I always felt bad for the actor who played Riley. It took him years to get back into the idea of the fandom because much of the fandom became rude towards him about his character during his run on the show and after. He was like the _Ghostbusters_ Walter Peck of The Buffyverse until only a few yars ago.
I've seen fans argue that Riley's attitude and character comes out of nowhere this season. I heavily argue that. Starting back in _Something Blue,_ Riley says as the last line of the episode, "you're going to teach me." It has him telling her and not asking her.
From there _Doomed_ shows Buffy being genuinly concerned about dating Riley. Despite having been casually dating Joe Normal Riley, she isn't ready to do so with soldier Riley because of her past with Angel, Faith and as the slayer. Riley calls her "stupid" and "self-involved" for not wanting to date him anymore. The reason this red flag usually isn't called out against him from the fanbase as a whole is because Riley hides the toxic masculinity attitude once Buffy decides to date him at the end of the episode. Personally, she wasn't ready to date. Willow and Riley both pushed her into it after Buffy said no.
Riley lost his sense of self when The Initiative fell. Everything Adam said about Maggie designing him and being a "mother" to him rang true. He no longer knew how to handle life in general without the purpose The Initiative gave him. That purpose is now "The mission's boyfriend" (take care of Buffy while fighting at her side) as Graham said to him.
In _The Yoko Factor,_ Riley starts showing jealousy. Riley's jealousy isn't because of Xander or Angel directly (although I don't think Xander should have said anything to Riley about the curse or his opinions on it). People's jealousies are their own, even when other people trigger them. Then we come to the Buffy and Riley forgiveness moment of that episode. Riley saying, "I'm so in love with you I can't think straight" put all Riley's jealousy blame on Buffy while he continues to act jealous until this episode. It masks Riley's red flag issues behind an apology.
With said continuing jealousy comes a bigger urge for Riley to be "mission's boyfriend" (take even bigger care of Buffy than before) in order to fill The Initiative's void. But he struggles to keep up with Buffy, and in _Out of My Mind_ his body cannot take it after what The Initiative has done and he ends up needing surgery.
Riley told Xander in _The Replacement_ Buffy didn't love him. This makes him decide to purposely start getting bit, in _Family,_ to understand Buffy and get caught in this episode. But, I don't think it's that Buffy doesn't love Riley. She fought against dating him knowing she wasn't ready to begin with. Riley was a long term rebound from Angel she cared about. A different kind of love than what Riley wanted from her. Riley's actions as a result show the side of him that was building since early S4 (although probably a lifelong issue for Riley). When the two of them argue, Riley actually says he isn't giving her an ultimatum when that is exactly what he is doing.
Riley's excuses for getting bit are attempts to justify the metaphor of paying for prostitutes and doing drugs before giving her an ultimatum and telling her that isn't what he was doing, followed by stating directly as a closing line, "Unless you give me a reason to stay, I'm leaving tonight." A clear ultimatum.
When Riley tells Buffy the vampires needed him specifically, as if they wouldn't just move on to the next human with a wad of cash and available blood, it shows how far gone into his delusion of this being a justification for not connecting with Buffy properly he has gone. Its not about him taking care of Buffy. It's about obsession. Riley's getting love and obsession mixed up at this point and is delusional for thinking getting bit was the answer to her not opening, which he wasn't doing with her, but she attempted to do. Example: She talked to him or asked him to open up when she saw he had heart issues, but he didn't until she forced the issue.
But that doesn't mean pushing people to open up is the right answer either. Riley wanted to comfort her; to give his life that purpose of "Mission's boyfriend." Buffy's personality was already struggling with Riley wanting to do that as she is a strong, independent woman, but without The Initiative, Riley is depending on Buffy by trying to get her to depend on him. Buffy opens up to people and allows people to take care of her the way Riley was asking when they don't push her into said action and when she trusts the relationship enough. It took Giles until the end of _Helpless_ (22 months) before Buffy opened up to him that way. Riley has known Buffy 14 months and they have only been dating 11 months. If he was patient and didn't push it by doing things like trying to lean her head on his shoulder when that wasn't her natural reaction (and leave his jealousy behind), eventually she might have allowed him to "take care of her."
Being "on top of everything" is in her job description. Riley's reaction to not getting those things from Buffy is obsession. Not love. I disagree with Riley when he said he could handle Buffy being physically stronger. A part of Buffy's problem is that she feels that she has to be as emotionally strong as she is physically and I don't think Riley had figured that one out because he is the one that's dependent on her.
None of this includes the fact that Riley was asking for Buffy to be comforted by him when her mom was in the hospital, either.
How Riley handles the fallout of this episode is a natural progression from the first red flags of Riley saying, "You're going to teach me" and calling Buffy "stupid" and "self-involved" until giving his ultimatum in this episode.
I love that Brooke didn't like Xander's opinions in this episode because I've never agreed with them either, but have seen others agree with him. Xander is, in many ways, similar to Riley. That is why he identifies with Riley when Riley tells Xander Buffy doesn't love Riley. Xander is remembering Buffy turning him down in _Prophecy Girl_ (and blocking out his own toxic reaction). Therefore when Buffy and Riley's relationship implodes, Xander guilts Buffy into chasing the helicopter down ("He's never held back with you," "think about what you're about to lose" and also him not caring that the ultimatum would lead to just as many problems in the Buffy/Riley relationship as they already have. None of these things seem to phase Xander. He is just identifying with Riley when nothing Riley has done is healthy to the relationship). Whether he guilted her intentionally or unintentionally is up for debate, but he acted like Riley's issues weren't part of the problem. Xander is pushing Buffy into his decision of what he wants her to do and not what she would do. I don't look at chasing the helicopter as a decision Buffy would have made if Xander didn't make her feel guilty. Buffy and Riley's problems are a reason to let Riley go and not chase after him. In my opinion, Xander was doing what he said he liked to do in _Enemies:_ say I told you so.
Why didn't Xander bring their issues up to Buffy sooner if he was so worried about her and Riley's relationship? There has been nine weeks since Riley told Xander Buffy doesn't love him. Saying something only after it was too late (especially to the degree of Xander's words to Buffy) doesn't help the Buffy/Riley relationship even if Buffy had caught up to the helicopter. People claim he was trying to in an earlier episode. But under the circumstances metaphor was not the way to go. Directness was. Buffy and Riley have already shown on both sides non-communication skills. Xander is identifying with Riley so much that he is showing Buffy blame without giving Riley at least equal due for Buffy and Riley's problems.
Buffy turning it around on Xander shows that Xander didn't see the problems of his relationship with Anya anymore than he assumed Buffy should of been able to see hers with Riley. Buffy rebounding with Riley is a common thing to do with humans. Xander didn't and wouldn't have saved the Riley/Buffy relationship. He waited nine weeks to say something, and even then it was only when things were unsavable. Buffy said something as a result of Xander attacking her and might have saved the Xander/Anya relationship by saying Xander was using Anya as a convenience.
Xander also states in other episodes indirectly that being the only guy his age in a mostly group of females is hard. He didn't want to be the only other male figure his age in the group. That combined with identifying with Riley made what he said to Buffy wrong. But there is nothing wrong with Buffy dating Riley as a rebound (despite initially arguing against dating him to begin with because she had genuine concerns about dating Riley).
Xander starts their alley conversation high and mighty and then convinces her she needs to choose to run after him. But I think he actually lays out why they needed to end it more than give her a reason to chase the helicopter. So when Buffy runs after Riley, I feel like it is Xander unintentionally choosing for her because he identifies with Riley. Xander attempted to talk to Riley a few times indirectly, but if he were as worried and aware about the relationship as he claims in that alley, he would have talked to Buffy as well, especially as he put a lot of blame on her for not loving Riley (which for a rebound is what is practically expected of that type of relationship - just a casual and/or fun time with few strings).
I think Riley was an 'unlucky' character in the show, in that many fans couldn't stand him, somewhat unfairly really, but he was never gonna replace Angel or even Spike as far as fans were concerned in relation to Buffy. Some very interesting dialogue in this episode where everyone is speaking truth and it isn't what they want to hear. Buffy is of course feeling betrayed that Riley is getting satisfaction away from her, it suits Spike to tell her this as he is now infatuated with her. I think we can see Xander's character having grown so much where he has gone from sex mad teenager to philosophical adult, giving great advice all round, proving how the he has matured over the Seasons.
The score for this episode is just beautiful.
”You marry him then” HAHAHA I LOVE YOU.
Buffy aint the bad guy, he should have communicated it to her. Buffy has everything on her shoulders, her mom being sick, protecting dawn, saving the world over and over, having to fight every day for the rest of her (probably) short life as the slayer. If she has a hard time to express her feelings its understandable. Riley could’ve told her. Xander could’ve told her earlier. Xander always makes buffy out to be the bad guy but she goes through everything alone
Xander getting involved and putting it on Buffy is SO frustrating because he knew Riley had doubts about Buffy's feelings so of Xander really cared he should have told her before we ended up here. It's like he sees himself in Riley and wanted them to last as a proxy for himself.
I'm not sure that there is a 'victim' in this story, I'm not even convinced there was a good side and a bad side. Buffy can't 'need' Riley the way he needs her to. Riley should not gone to the Vampire Crack House/Opium Den and lied to Buffy. It's the lack of communication which is almost always the main source of Drama. I confess it is a while since I saw the episode in full but I don't think Xander is trying to make Buffy the the bad guy, just to make her really think about what she really wants.
I dont think riley is the victim, but Buffy did treat him like rrbound. But his responde was so imature she is waaay better of without him. If you feel someone is distant i dont know... talk? Not go to what is a metaphore to prostitution lol Buffy was going through a lot, she is definitely on her right.
"why don't you marry him them?"
💯
The real problem was not anything Xander said but that the writers took away all Buffy's agency and didn't even let her talk to Riley before he left on the helicopter.
So I don’t think you’re empathizing enough with Riley. He has had a tough journey and his life has been completely turned upside down in a matter of months. He was manipulated by the military. He was given performance enhancing drugs that nearly killed him. He left the military for Buffy. She stopped opening up to him and letting him in without realizing it, and it put him in a position where he did not feel needed. His only friends or ties to Sunnydale were through Buffy. Yes, he was jealous about Angel and Dracula. He had his own insecurities. But when your life does a complete 180 and you realize that you are lacking a sense of purpose and not feeling needed by the one you love, it can send you down a spiral. When your partner cannot be vulnerable with you, it sends the message that they are holding back, and he never held back with her. He acted out and let his depression win. He put himself in risky situations just to feel. And then when he was given the opportunity to go back to the military, a place where he felt purpose and empowered, the choice was nearly impossible. He never felt that Buffy completely loved him and the timing of it worked out that he had to make a choice fast. The issue with Riley is he never communicated any of this to Buffy, but how could he? He didn’t want to upset her more while her mom was sick. There are no villains here. It’s just unfortunate. I’ve always liked Riley but he had major insecurities that got in the way, and even though he tried to overcome them, it was just too hard for him to get out of his head.
I don't even like Riley very much, and I still agree with this comment. Xander was right when he said Buffy's been treating Riley like the rebound guy. Of course, Riley screwed up way more than she did when he decided to go to the vampire ladies. But it's not like Buffy has zero responsibility for why he feels the way he does. I could be wrong, but I think a lot of fans want to believe Buffy can do no wrong, and combined with the lack of chemistry between them (and lack of charisma on Riley's part), it leads people to overlook her role in all this.
I'm not sure she ever loved Riley. As far as I recall, we've never even heard her say it to him. She claimed she did, only on one occasion, when she was trying to make Angel jealous. Riley wasn't even there.
Of course she DOESN'T think all that. Unsurprising really. I have long stopped watching the reaction videos of this individual after hearing certain _ideologically_ based comments and quips in her older Buffy videos but just came to see if the situation has changed. It hasn't. Lesson learned.
@@zahrans like what? Be specific?
@zahrans Comments like what? I'm genuinely curious what you mean by ideologically based comments. I haven't really watched any of her reactions until the past week or so. Is there a lot of politically charged commentary?
@@MB.543 Agreed. Buffy is not the all perfect flawless heroine some still think she is. She has her own faults and hangups. So did Riley and he obviously messed up big time. But he had one thing over her; He was willing to go all in with her. She, for reasons understandable and otherwise, sadly wasn't.
Buhbyee, Captain Cardboard
My first watch through of this show I agreed 1000% with you on the “they’re making Buffy the bad guy” angle. Having watching it multiple (too many) times by now I see it differently. Buffy really is the only reason Riley is still in Sunnydale. He’s not even from California, and all his friends were in the initiative- they’re either dead or deployed somewhere.
And Riley SCREWED UP ROYALY. And he knows it. So when he goes to talk to Buffy, it’s not an ultimatum- it’s not get over it now or it’s done, though if I’m Buffy that’s how I’m hearing it too. What he’s saying is- you’re all I have here. If we can’t get past this, then I have nothing here and I have this once in a lifetime opportunity to do what I love, in the field that I’m built for. If you tell me there’s a chance, that we can work on this, I will give up that opportunity to stay with you. If there’s no chance, then I need to take the opportunity and go.
Riley screwed up- majorly, but I don’t think his conversation was as bad as it feels on a first watch through.