Buffy the Vampire Slayer Talk || s6e08 "Tabula Rasa"
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 ส.ค. 2024
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Tara leaving is traumatic for Dawn when you consider that Tara and Willow raised Dawn after Joyce and Buffy died. Willow wtf?
Not to mention this is the second time she’s watched parental figures split up and one essentially walk out.
@@SweenyTodd98 Yup. The monks gave her divorce memories.
She lost her father, then her mother. Buffy died is is not very present (?)
She lost the Buffy bot. Giles is going, Tara is going.
All of them have been some kind of parental figure to her (maybe not the Buffy bot)
No wonder she's kleptomaniac now, at least she can keep things.
I guess Willow only proved Tara right with the magic thing. With the forget spell. It could be a metaphor for TALKING out your issues. Instead of running away from them..
The moment where Buffy gets her memory back is so well acted. This heaviness just settles into her. Great performance by SMG.
As time goes by, I more and more think that SMG is the best actor on the series. James Marsters has incredible energy and charisma, Anthony Head is wonderfully classy, Michelle Trachtenberg did a great job carrying a lot of season five's plot, and Emma Caulfield is especially a solid comedic actor. Heck, nearly the whole main cast is good. But SMG just has the most range of them all.
Also, if you aren't affected by SMG crying, you're as soulless as Angelus.
@@antonbrakhage490 Nearly?
@@jp3813 I can think of some I find sometimes a little flat. David Boreanaz does to mind, especially in the early episodes when he wasn't a very experienced actor or given much to do besides brood and be cryptic.
@antonbrakhage490 She truly is a master of her craft.
@@antonbrakhage490Sarah was soo good the Faith body switch, playing Buffy, then playing buffy as faith pretending to be Buffy, Manuersims speech everything she did soo good!
The "Loan Shark" is one of my favourite gags in the entire series. He makes me chuckle every time I watch this episode.
It's a great visual pun! Kind of like "vampire Batman" in Angel. I think there are others but can't remember them right now.
Time, time, TIME! It's what turns kittens into cats!
I know! It is so funny! This entire episode is also a call back to Xander’s dream in the season 4 finale:
Spike: Giles here is gonna teach me to be a Watcher, says I got the stuff
Giles: Spike's like a son to me
Xander: That's good. I was into that for a while, but... I got other stuff going on. You gotta have something. Gotta be with moving' forward.
Buffy: Like a shark.
Xander: Like a shark with feet and. And much less fins.
Spike: And on land.
Giles: Very good.
Yes indeed Giles, very good!!
The worst part about all of this? Buffy was right there on the verge of opening up. On saying everything that needed said. They were seconds away from a real breakthrough for her that could have helped her *immensely.* And then Willow's spell hit and didn't just ruin it but made things *worse.*
It gave her a taste of normalcy. Of not remembering what she's lost (heaven) and enjoying what she has. Of feeling whole and normal again. And then it ended and she was plunged back into her despair all over again. Almost like getting ripped out of heaven a second time.
I honestly think Buffy could have healed within the next couple of episodes if Willow hadn't interfered with her magic. And that would have changed *everything* about the rest of the season.
I never seen it that way, but your damn right. That makes it even sader
Exactly. That's all i can say, you hit the nail on the head with this comment. Had Willow not cast that spell, Buffy likely would have had a breakthrough that would have helped get the ball rolling to help her feel better. Then she loses her memories of everything she's gone through and she is so happy and free and the closest to whole she's probably felt since before becoming The Slayer. And that moment it all comes rushing back to her is so upsetting for how small amd easily missable that moment is in the episode.
The most heartbreaking thing about this episode is Buffy’s reaction to remembering. She didn’t just remember her name. She remembered everything. Her parents divorce, killing Angel, Giles betrayal on her 18th birthday, Faith, Angel leaving her, Riley, losing her mother, dying, crawling out of the grave and then Giles leaving her. She had to relive all that trauma all at once. Her face in that moment just reflects so much pain.
Then it should be the same for everyone else who got their memories back (ex: Giles reliving Jenny's death).
@@jp3813 Almost every adult who lives in the world has experienced the loss of a loved one. Some even through violent means.
Very, very few have experienced death, going to a positive afterlife, then returning life afterwords. Their experiences are also tragic, but Buffy's position and mental state are unique. The only one among them who might have an inkling is Angel, but unlike her, he was in a hell dimension (One he felt he DESERVED to boot) so coming back was hard and jarring, but ultimately a relief.
@@octo448 Of course some are more traumatized than others, but Giles was more concerned about the kiss w/ Anya than anything else that he supposedly had to relive. Imagine your romantic partner leaving you a note that tells you to come into the bedroom w/ a bottle of wine. The anticipation of happiness suddenly turning into complete devastation when you discover their corpse and realize that the whole thing was sadistically set up by a murderer.
@@jp3813 correct- and it is you can see it on their faces-but there’s no comparison between her level of trauma and everyone else’s.
@@allisonlussier248 We see their faces as they recall who they were and what Willow did, but like I said, Giles was more concerned about the kiss w/ Anya than anything else he supposedly relived. Imagine finding out that you never actually had a childhood, that you're just a few months old, and most of your memories are fake including people's memories of you. Buffy can have the most traumatic reaction, but the point is the others didn't really have any.
Willow’s actions in this episode reminds me of a line from Oz in The Wish after he and Cordy caught Willow and Xander kissing. “I told you what I need. So I can’t help feeling like the reason you want to talk is so you can feel better about yourself. That’s not my problem.” Years later and Willow still has the same MO. Focused more on making herself feel better rather than deal with the actual problem. I love Willow but when it comes to her relationships (both romantic and friend) she tends to be selfish.
And she's the one that has it the best when it comes to romantic love too.
She gets two extremely healthy love interests but the reason why her relationships aren't healthy is because of her and how she treats them.
Buffy and Xander could only be so lucky as to have a Tara or an Oz in their love life.
Yep, and she tried to use magic to deal with her feelings then too, with the "de-lusting spell."
Yeah, and she tends to shift the blame for her actions onto others. She was always provoked, upset, feeling ignored and insecure because others couldn't be with her 24/7 and "guys, you just don't understand how bad she was feeling, you would never understand"
Up until a very bad point she never admits she's fully at fault for anything, something bad always kinda sorta happened but she didn't mean to! and if she did, there's a good reason!
@@Girl4MusicI agree with everything except for the last part. If Angel wasn’t cursed with a soul, and was just good non Angelus, Buffy could successfully BE with him without worry about Angel being “too happy”.
And if she didn’t get with Spike until AFTER he got his soul (spoiler), there wouldn’t be any moral issues.
But it’s just how Joss wrote the characters…
@@rfresaumm which episode was that?
“I help the helpless” had me dead the first time I watched this. Spike with no memory assumes he’s Angel XD
and buffy with no memory recognizes how lame he is
@@sirmoonslosthismind She still instinctually protects him, though. "Stay away from Randy!"
@@dereknolin5986
i meant angel. buffy's line is: "a vampire with a soul. oh my god, how lame is that?" and of course spike doesn't have a soul.
@@sirmoonslosthismindIt's actually just an easter egg though in the end.
@@wyterabitt2149 *considers Angel Season 5* Is it though?
As much as I hate the Tillow breakup, it makes me so damn proud of Tara. Consider what Willow meant to her, and how much she (and the Scoobies) changed her life, and how little she has outside of them... but no. She's been around good people for long enough now that she has too much self-respect to let anyone trample over her boundaries like that, no matter how much she loves them. Dammit, Willow!! :(
Also, yes, I knew you were going to die over that closing scene. XD
That's it. Tara is an amazing example of someone who learns her worth despite being abused all the way through her life. And she is never abusive herself. Not once.
Not many people have the strength to breakup with someone, because they don't want to see the person they love destroy themselves, what's worse, destroy themselves in the process.
This!! I love Tara and I'm so proud of her for leaving something that was bad for her even though it was so hard and she still cared.
I'm prouder of tears because I know that she left more to try and help also Willow out of her addiction. It was the purest form of tough love. Just wish there was another way...
@@secondhanddonovan She was an unintended enabler and triggerer of Willow’s addiction and as soon as she realized how much that would really affect Willow and all her loved ones - she left her. It was hard. I say it all the time. Willow wasn’t just addicted to magic. She was also addicted to Tara.
It’s called co-dependency and it is an addiction in itself. It’s relationship addiction. And Willow was co-dependent. It’s not written that way but with what she reveals in her confession to Buffy and at the end of the season… it’s pretty freaking clear that was a huge factor as to why Willow was like she was. Unfortunately the narrative does not focus on it. It’s sort of just there in background to be seen. And when you consider what Willow does to Tara and how she thinks she was just trying to “fix” their relationship by doing it - it makes TOTAL SENSE! She was/is/always will be co-dependent.
It’s not just about the magic. That’s very small. That’s like the pill you take to substitute the ACTUAL addiction. Willow was really dealing with an emotional addiction and used magic to off-set.
Tara’s comment about how could Willow do that to her after Glory messed with her mind… that hit hard.
I remember watching the original broadcast, and was shocked that I hadn't thought of what Glory did until Tara brought it up.
And Willow hadn't even thought of that.
I know, it still hurts to watch that scene to this day. Not to mention, Tara’s evil family who also manipulated her mind her entire life. Poor Tara! She deserved the world!!
To be fair, Willows tiny spell to make Tara forget a small argument is not NEAR what Glory did. Still not an excuse tho..
Tara didn't expect Willow to succeed at keeping away from magic, she was ready for that disappointment. She wasn't ready for Willow to repeat the EXACT same mistake, and not just have failed to listen to why removing people's memories was wrong, but double down on it and make it even worse. Willow didn't just hurt her, she hurt her the same way she'd just tried to explain to her... she didn't even try to listen to Tara in ANY part of it. That's why there were no words between them after, there's nothing to say to that kind of wilful betrayal.
Thankfully, the rest of the season is just going to be happiness and fun for all...
Yep. Time for some season 3 vibes from here on out.
So you started your drinking early I see.
@@robertmckenna3994shhhh
Please watch the next episode soon….
lol
You're funny.
"What in the Spy Kids 2 is this" 10/10 REACTION, NO NOTES 😂
Tabula Rasa is such a roller coaster of emotion. It starts with 😒 then goes to 😮 and 🤣 and after a brief stop in 😭 we end up in 🥳
I *DON'T* end up in 🥳 at the end of"Tabula Rasa"! I end up in 😭💔 and 🤬💢 and 🤢🤮!
@@Nicamon To each their own.
@@Nicamon Well, aren't you special?
@@ms_scribbles I just don't like Spuffy. I can't be the only one.
@@Nicamonyou aren’t. Im not a Spuffy at ALL. Im a fan of Buffy and I’m a fan of Spike. Im a fan of them together in season 4 when under a spell. I even find it neat that Spike is obsessed with Buffy in season 5. But THIS season “Spuffy??” Im disgusted. And I didn’t see how many ppl can ignore certain things that are to come. But I’ll leave it at that. And no, I’m not bid because I’m a Bangel fan. I can like more than one thing. I just don’t like Spuffy.
Alley: “Hmm, what if I played a Michelle Branch song over this scene?”
Michelle Branch: “Better yet, WHAT IF I PLAYED A MICHELLE BRANCH SONG OVER THIS SCENE?!”
As much as I love Once More With Feeling, Tabula Rasa is actually my favourite episode because its shows how cohesive the storytelling is in Once More With Feeling and manages to be both hilarious "Randy Giles" and poignant - Giles & Tara's heartbreaking decisions.
The parallels between Buffy and Willow throughout the seasons is one of the most brilliant things in BtVS. S01 - accepting their roles, S02 - growing into their femininity, S03 - 'graduating' into adulthood, S04 - being an adult instead of a child and doing things different, S05 - acheiving their true potential, S06 - descent to rock bottom, and S07 - the reinvention of self. Truely the spirit of Buffy.
"I get you don't want to argue with Tara, but--"
I've been a fan of this show since it came out, rewatched it multiple times, and it took you saying that, in those words specifically, to remember how WAY BACK IN SEASON ONE when Buffy was talking to Willow about her parent's divorce, Willow shares that her parents "Never fight, they just glare". Which...like we all know that Xander's home life sucks pretty bad, but I think we forget that Willow's parents were also pretty messed up lol. Not an excuse for her behavior AT ALL (Tara also had a crummy homelife), but it does kinda fit and make sense with how she might mess up IN THIS PARTICULAR WAY, y'know? By trying to disappear the conflict, because she didn't have a good model for how couples might work through conflict. Like...the continuity works I guess is all I'm saying 😅
Wow :0 yes
That and that she has never understood the meaning of consent because hers was never regarded as important and that is a combination of her home and school life. My essay on her relationship with consent covers this subject. Here she completely ignores/disregards Tara’s consent and even goes as far as taking it away in that because Tara cannot remember the recent fight they had, there’s missing information that effects her mental/emotional state - altering it from angry to happy/disappointed to adoration. Like a date-rape drug would do that’s designed to make your victim willing to have sex or even is submissive and compliant to your emotional or physical needs. There’s no real difference between roofying someone to behave the way you wish for them to behave and casting a spell on them without their consent/knowledge. The only thing that can be debated on is whether it was intentional. And I’ve explained that no, the actual physical rape was not intentional. But the mental rape was and obviously it would lead to physical/emotional intimacy at some point because that’s the nature of their relationship and Tara is going to want both. Which is what makes it probable that Willow has done this more times than ‘All The Way’/‘Tabula Rasa’ because the last and first time she had a fight with Tara, Tara was mindsucked and assaulted. And here Tara brings up how what Glory did to her isn’t all that much different to what her own girlfriend did to her these past couple of episodes. And god knows how long before that because we can’t be sure of that.
Glory took her sanity
Willow took her memory
Both took away her autonomy.
It doesn’t matter what Willow intended. It is still rape/sexual assault either way because if it wasn’t, she’d have the good sense to deny to perform any sexual act on Tara whatsoever while she knew she was under that fucking spell. She doesn’t do that. She fully reciprocates. So it is most definitely rape/sexual assault because it’s non-consent by deception. That’s not even the only thing that’s wrong with this whole situation. But it is, for me, the worst part about it. The fact Willow does it all over again after being thoroughly reprimanded by Tara and warned that she will leave her if she doesn’t stop abusing magic and abusing her by extension… It’s just all so fucking abusive. All of it. Just like Tara’s family, she wants to domestically control and dominate her. That’s what’s so bad about this. The fact she ends up being just like Tara’s family, Glory and the Trio in one fell swoop.
SPOILERS:
And hell, you may as well throw Spike in there too for his actions in ‘Seeing Red’. People certainly have no issue seeing it as rape then. Physically forced rape is always the most blatant. But physical force is not what makes rape rape. I will bring up this subject until the cows come home or until it finally sinks into people’s heads that ‘OMWF’ is RAPE/SEXUAL ASSAULT! It doesn’t matter that Willow didn’t fucking intend it. It doesn’t matter that Tara asked for sex and wilfully engaged in it. It doesn’t even matter that it’s oral.
It matters that Willow manipulated Tara into a situation where Tara cannot truly consent to sex and she didn’t even deny her asking when she knows any kind of sex wouldn’t happen otherwise. That’s just as bad as physically force pinning her down and taking what she wants. And for me, actually it’s worse because at least that’s not framed as a fucking happy and romantic moment. Least that looks as horrific as it is. And at least Spike feels guilty for it immediately afterwards and does something that prevents it from ever happening again. Willow does none of this. Instead she doubles down and takes from Tara yet again!
Willow is an abuser, a gaslighter and a rapist!
Not to mention a murderer but we let that one slide because the guy actually deserved it. What the fuck has Tara done to treat her this way? They should have never gotten back together. She should have never let her in her life again. And she would likely still be alive. I hate it all so much. Death and doom follow the Scoobies like a lightning bolt. And anyone in their immediate orbit suffers the strike. They’re cursed. The only difference is most of the time it’s not their fault.
Wow, you have a negative reading of the show. I wouldn't equate OMWF with that because you also have to consider the characters feelings about what happened to them, but agree that Tara and Willow's relationship was abusive at this point. I think Willow's problems lie deeper than consent.
@@alicequinn505 They do lie deeper than consent and I’m unpacking those deeper things every now and again. Understanding as to why she’s like this. But ignoring, disregarding or taking away consent is a big deal in itself that often gets unaddressed in this show unless the plot requires it to be.
What are Tara’s feelings on the situation? That she was violated. She doesn’t specifically say “rape” or “assault” but what is the difference between penetrating the mind and penetrating the body? Any kind of autonomy is important and a human right to have! And Willow took that away from her.
@@alicequinn505 “Autonomy” - the Oxford Dictionary definition
“The right or condition of self-government.”
“The capacity of an agent to act in accordance with objective morality rather than under the influence of desires.”
Is Tara governing herself in ‘OMWF’?
Yes,
Is it under the influence of desire and is her perspective of morality objective?
Yes. No.
Is it true consent? No, because she’s missing information that would negate that consent were she aware of that missing information.
Has she made an informed decision? In the moment, yes. Later on when the situation is involuntarily exposed, no.
Does Willow ever consider any of this all the while she’s performing physical intimacy? Not at all. Has she ignored/disregarded Tara’s autonomy? Obviously because she alters her emotional state from angry to happy via making her forget what she’s angry about. Was that her intention? YES.
So considering all this explain to me at what point is this situation consensual? Genuinely curious. Being deceived/coerced into consenting is not consent. It might appear to be but you have to consider what is missing from the context.
What is Tara missing? Her true emotional state. What does she do that she wouldn’t do if she wasn’t missing it? Engage in sex. Is Willow aware of what Tara isn’t? Absolutely. So it IS assault.
Okay, I’m done now. I have a whole thorough comprehensive essay on this that you’re welcome to read too. I explain it a hell of a lot better in that than I have done here. This is just sporadic. My essay is clear and concise and I make it known that the writer is to blame for not taking it seriously.
Regarding Buffy's final line from Once More With Feeling, both her and Spike's lines are call backs to lines they had in earlier songs, like reprises.
Buffy's last line from her opening number:
"I can’t even see / If this is really me / And I just want to be / ALIVE!"
Spike's opening line from his song:
"I died / So many years ago / But you can make me feel / Like it isn't so."
Their lines together as they approach each other in the alley:
"This isn't real / but I just want to feel..."
"I died / So many years ago / But you can make me feel..."
I feel like a lot of people miss this, but the next word in both of their lines is implied to be "ALIVE," but they start smooching instead. Buffy needs to be woken out the melancholy that she's been feeling since her resurrection and Spike's feelings for Buffy are what get him out of bed (coffin) in the morning (night).
SPOILER AHEAD
Spike/Buffy ship works the best in season 7 when Spike finally gets a soul. Ppl only judge by S6…
@@lessismore8533 Correct. That's when people should really be in their corner.
My heart breaks for Tara everytime.
You can tell Willow is the person she trusts the most. 😢
Not anymore
The musical was a hard act to follow. Tabula Rasa totally measures up to the challenge. I love this episode. It is quite a rollercoaster and I love it. It's a good laugh that can be hard to come by sometimes in season 6. Was nice to see Buffy relieved of reality for a little while. I love how much of this is shown in Restless. "Like a shark" "On land" "Very good!" as well as Spike being in the outfit and Giles thinking of him as a son.
Yes! I’m so glad someone else mentioned that!
Spike: Giles here is gonna teach me to be a Watcher, says I got the stuff.
Giles: Spike's like a son to me.
Xander: That's good. I was into that for a while, but I got other stuff going on. You gotta have something. Gotta be with moving forward.
Buffy: Like a shark.
Xander: Like a shark with feet. And much less fins.
Spike: And on land.
Giles: Very good.
Nothing happens by accident in this show, I absolutely adore it!!!
Slight rewrite of the script: *Xander gets his memory back*: "Ben is Glory!"
That would track. If I remember, he does laugh at an awkward moment when he remembers a joke.
Are you suggesting there may be some kind of connection between and Glory?
I think you're suggesting that Ben and Glory are colleagues... roommates maybe?
The King Ralph joke hit just as well. 😊
Tabula Rasa is one of those few times when a show follows up a top 5 episode with another great episode.
One of the greatest episodes of BtVS. Starts really sad, gets funnier than almost anything ever, and comes full circle to one of the saddest endings ever. Sad Buffy, happy Buffy, back to sad Buffy. Sad Tara, happy Tara, back to sad Tara. Sad Willow, happy Willow, back to sad Willow. Everyone just goes through it. Wow!
Yes Buffy is depressed in all of S6 but THIS time it’s NOT Spikes fault. Her friends are the ones that ripped her out of heaven..
That Willow and Tara's break-up gives me childhood trauma, although I am in my early 30s and my parents never divorced
This episode has some fun "Restless" payoffs: the loan shark, Spike being Giles' son...
A funny, absolutely heart-breaking episode.
‘Something Blue’ is like ‘Tabula Rasa’ on a leash. In both cases Willow never intended to cause harm to her friends but in ‘Something Blue’ the spell was meant to be for herself. In ‘Tabula Rasa’ it’s meant for Buffy and Tara. Both are destructive spells that have dire consequences but one of them genuinely is a mistake in effort to quickly heal her heart, the other is a purposeful attempt to sweep issues under the rug.
However, what both episodes have in common is that both are a way of Willow avoiding addressing and dealing with her emotions. Both are using magic as a means to escape feeling her emotions. Both are a crutch to make up for what she feels she lacks in herself. And in that way - they are directly connected and show that Willow’s arc was always in character despite it not being made clear it’s true foundation. Where the addiction actually stems from and what kind of addiction it actually is. It’s an emotional one.
Every time someone says that Willow’s magic addiction just came out of nowhere and was just a way to create drama between Willow and Tara and the Scoobies, I mention ‘Something Blue’. Because in both cases magic is used as drug to self-medicate and that self-medicating had second-hand smoke effects on everyone else. It was harmful for everyone. Whether it was intended to be or not doesn’t matter. The fact is that Willow’s use of magic leaned more towards destructiveness than beneficialness and she excused it as “helping” or “healing” when it was actually harming and hurting both herself and others.
Quick fixes and bandaids never help or heal anything. What they do is they make problems more difficult to solve or take longer to find solution. Willow needed to be told that her abuse of magic was dangerous for everyone involved - whether purposeful or accidental. And she is all throughout the show but the conversation always avoids the main point. Which is that using it to offset something internal - emotions/insecurities/anxieties - will only lead to both internal and external destruction because it is not addressing and dealing with them honestly, intimately and head on. It is avoiding and escaping them instead - thus making things much worse “inside” and “outside”.
So if ‘Something Blue’ is the start of Willow’s spiral into emotional addiction, then ‘Tabula Rasa’ is the inevitable conclusion of it. Ignore the “magic” part. That’s not as relevant as the necessity to use it’s power to counteract Willow’s insecurities of being powerless or useless or valueless or worthless. She knew it was her best chance because it’s what she’s best at. They could have done the same with her preference for hacking and technology engineering but they never do - instead they give Warren that arc. And it’s not lost on me the similarities between them as far as the need for accumulation of power goes. All they do is make it clear Warren’s intentions are evil - he intends to control, he intends dominate, he intends to rape, he intends to murder. Willow never intends any of this - but it is exactly what she does anyway.
“They’re the bad guys - I’m not the bad guy.”
Translation: “It is justified for me to do it because I do not intend to do evil with it. They do.”
But Willow - you become like them anyway because you avoid the truth behind the actions. And the truth is that you’re the one in pain. You’re the one that’s sad. You’re the one that’s confused. You’re the one that HAS THE PROBLEM. Not Buffy and Tara. And you know this is the truth, you just refuse to face it.
I will keep saying it: the only thing that’s wrong with this character is that this character thinks and believes that there’s something wrong with them. It’s entirely an insecurity issue right from the beginning. And they mislead you into thinking that that is improved or fixed - when it’s only just covered up. This is the meaning of Willow’s nightmare in ‘Restless’. The hiding and disguising. The “costume” she wears. The “character” she plays. The “part” she performs. It’s all Willow. There’s no doubt about that. But at the same time - it’s a perception severely filtered by lies and an identity veiled in ego. It’s not so much that she’s pretending to be someone she’s not because you can’t pretend to be something you’re not aware of being. But it is an act. A performance. An obliviously and obsessively chronic and compulsive behaviour.
That is why Willow is such a profound character.
You have some great points, about self medicating, and Willow becoming like the bad guys even though she doesn't know it.
@@alicequinn505 Like I said, it’s never her intention to do any of this. To be the bad guy. She’s a good guy but her goodness is corrupted because it’s fuelled through selfishness and arrogance and entitlement.
It doesn’t matter. You can commit a crime without realizing that you’ve committed it.
It’s not the criminal that condemns the crime. It if was, nobody would be serving any time. Everyone would be absolved.
Tara is the judge here for Willow’s crimes and she had every right to be since it directly affects her and people she loves.
She is saying “Willow this is wrong what you’re doing” and Willow tries to gaslight her. Willow knows what she’s doing is wrong. She just doesn’t consider herself wrong for it. She’s “the good guy”. It’s only wrong if it’s somebody else not good.
I understand Willow’s side of the argument. I understand that all this stems from insecurity issues and fear of loss. But this is pattern for her now. And it’s about time she was smacked down. She’s lucky it’s Tara.
I would not be so lenient.
The road to hell is paved with good intentions…
@@TheBulle Better to reign in hell than serve in heaven.
It started even earlier than that, with the "de-lusting" spell she attempted in season 3. Can't control or deal with your emotions? Just use magic. And as Adam said, magic (or at least dark magic) is "corrosive, and will inevitably lead to chaos." No one else says that in the show, but it's clearly demonstrated, over and over again.
On February 6th, 2002, I saw Michelle Branch perform at her first headlining concert at Slim's in San Francisco. There was also some indie band called Maroon 5 opening for her, I wonder what happened to them. She introduced Goodbye To You by saying, "This next one was on Buffy The Vampire Slayer. So whenever I play this song, I think about slaying vampires." I hadn't seen this episode yet, but I definitely started watching Buffy after I saw American Pie 2 the previous year, which is what got me into Michelle Branch in the first place because Everywhere was on the soundtrack.
Giles isn’t wrong for leaving, but he did need to ease Buffy into it instead of just saying I’m leaving… he needed to sit her down and discuss why his leaving is for the best and *then* set a timeline to move back to England. Tara ,at least, was an ultimatum that she didn’t want to do but was willing to follow through on.
No, but he has attempted for years, in the opening of The Fourth Season, in the episode in the Fifth Season where Buffy wanted Giles to discipline Dawn instead of Buffy, now in the sixth season, Buffy doesn't ask Giles to do something, she just assumes that Giles will. I would argue Giles in this episode attempts to tell Buffy why he's leaving, but she wouldn't have it, sometimes one has to make big moves, especially with Stubborn People.
Teeth was a loan SHARK...get it? GET IT?!
the one-two punch of 6x7 and 6x8 is INSANE. no duo of episodes will EVER
OMWF will ALWAYS be one of the greatest highlights of the series, and with all the major episodes it's always like "how do you possibly follow that up?"
Tabula Rasa is imo one of the best (if not the best) "how do they possibly follow up the last episode?" episodes, if that makes sense.
I always forget Michelle Branch is in this episode singing this song, because for like at least half a season they used that song in the ads for the series finale.
Don’t even remember that the series finale or season
Aimee Mann is in season 7.
I consider this to be the best episode of the show. It’s a perfect blend of hilarity and heartbreak.
Tabula Rasa was a great innovative episode with comedy overload. There was foreshadowing here from S4 finale Restless with Giles and Spike saying he was his son etc. We see Willow again going to the dark side with addiction to magic for her own selfish purposes, mirroring serious drug addiction. As they all have no memories this lends itself to great comedy. A brilliant use of Michelle Branch's gorgeous ballad Goodbye To You that was specially recorded for this episode. Willow is her own worst enemy devoured by her love and lust for Tara who feels total betrayal after what Glory did to her mind in S5, it's almost a metaphor for coercive control, and of course we see 'Spuffy' is now very real. One very funny bit is where Buffy and Spike are in the graveyard, and Spike says' maybe I'm a vampire with a soul', and he 'helps the helpless' the tagline of course from the show Angel. Just a brilliant innovative episode, great perceptive reaction as always.
Plus spike got to wear the suit from restless again
I thought the ending would left you a lot sadder... but i guess i underestimated the power of Michelle Branch. :D
I feel like Josh Whedon hated "Bike," and tried his hardest to make everyone else hate it too. He never once considered Spike a suitable partner for Buffy, and he made sure that every time they got together, it was a horrible low-point for Buffy. Which too be fair, I think they're a "match made in hell" (pun intended), and Buffy always needed/ deserved something else.
it's spuffy everyone knows that and he can try as much as he wants we don't and won't hate them
@@karazor-el9596 Ultimately Buffy was never happy she got together with Spike, and that's what matters
not true in the comics which is canon. they found each other after season 7 and dated @@raspar6
@@abundantlyinaglo You learn something new every day. I never would have guessed it from the way they played season 7. He gets his soul back and then they just... didn't seem to know what to do with him? His personality should have shifted, but it didn't really. Nothing happens with him and Buffy until a few scenes at the very end.
I mean you GOTTA be fair tho. You’re ONLY judging Spike without his soul. Spoiler; in season 7, when gets his soul. Judging Buffy/Spike for ONLY season 6 isn’t fair at all. Ppl won’t ship Buffy with Angelus obviously…only Angel. So it makes NO sense they judge Spike differently. As far as them being a “good fit” it’s more fair to judge by S7 when Buffy’s depression era is over and when Spike gets his soul. Honestly I’m FINE with Buffy single. She’s enough with her friends and family….
This appearance on Buffy by Michelle Branch made her. It really did. This was the year her first album came out. It got her in front of teenage girls which got them calling into radio stations which got it in heavier play than it would have been almost instantly. And then it was everywhere and on a lot of tv shows following this for a couple of years to the point where they kind of ruined it.
The fun part of this episode is so fun, but then the painful part smacks you so hard and seeing all of Buffy's memories hit her mid-fight to the point she gets knocked over and she can't even get up because all of it hits her so hard she can't handle the weight of it. That still destroys me.
Tara leaving Willow hurts, but there is no way she could stay with Willow after Willow has violated her mind twice that she knows of, maybe more. And poor Dawn, losing Tara like that. Tara who took care of her when Buffy was gone, Tara who took care of her even when Buffy was there, to be honest, starting the first day of Dawn's existence when they found the dead body at the magic shop. And Tara's face when Dawn ran away from her. Willow deserves what she gets here, but Tara and Dawn don't.
Then Buffy loses Giles, which sucked. I mean, I knew Giles was leaving, it had been announced at the end of the previous season or during the summer or something. Anthony wanted to go back home to be with his family, but it still sucked. Then you see her at the bar and Spike comes up all vulnerable and supportive looking and she turns her head away like that. The look on his face. And she had to have run after him and caught him because next thing you know, boom. There they are kissing with so much passion and my little heart jumps for joy every single time I see it. Gets me every time. I laughed so hard when your rewound on the kiss a couple times. That was me back in the day, only with a VHS tape. I went back five or six times watching that scene I was so shocked it happened and so happy. LOL At least it ended the episode with some hope for Spuffy.
Oh, screw Angel. Watch the next episode of Buffy. Then you can get caught up on Angel.
Yes I love Spuffy too. I’m tired of all its haters. It’s not fair to judge Spike when he didn’t have a soul yet.
SPOILERS
S7 Spike finally got his soul. Ppl should’ve waited til he got his soul to judge..
I can’t agree with the Michele branch part tho
Her song “Everywhere” and “All You wanted” were already blowing up on the radio before her Buffy appearance. I remember . I was in 6th grade..
Literal loan shark, buffy be trolling
She does pretty well with fiends from hell
But lately we can tell…
She just going trough the motions ....
Faking it somehow...
She's not even half the girl she... Ow!
Honestly at the time we were all a little bit angry and disappointed in Willow here, but it’s a addiction and unfortunately with any addiction it has to get worse before it gets better.
To your point, at this juncture, Rosenberg doesn't even see she has an issue, she doesn't even get what Giles and Tara are talking about.
@@WSK9002which makes it so much worse
Goodbye To You was my favorite song from that album, it was amazing to see Michelle Branch in the Bronze!
This episode and the prior episode might be the best not-two-parter two parter ever. Probably the best 'episode after' out of all the other 'episode afters'. Like. This blows out of the water the episodes after Hush and The Body and all that.
Dawn's dad died, she learned she was The Key, watched her mom die, nearly got killed by Glory, watched Buffy die, Buffy came back from the dead and now Giles and Tara are leaving.
Dawn is having some very rough teen years.
Fortunately Willow straightens up and flies right going forward.
JUST WAIT !
I'm not sure if you'll see this message, but fun fact Anthony Heads brother is also a singer. His name is Murray Head he had a song real popular in the 80's called One night in Bangkok(I know I'm really showing my age).
RANDY GILES? MIGHT AS WELL NAMED ME HORNY GILES!!!! haha this episode has so many great spike lines fr
This confirms Joan of Ark was a slayer, against vampire royalty
Michelle Branch did a lot with the “American Pie” franchise soundtrack, and Aly Hannigan was huge in that series. I always figured it was that connection that helped get Michelle Branch on The Bronze stage.
Now go rewatch the dream sequences in RESTLESS.
Just to add to that, diving into the fuzzy recesses of my memory, as I recall Michelle Branch was in no way a big name at this point. She was known to a degree, but she was still up-and-coming, and Buffy was a very popular show. It was a great collaboration all around because she lent a fantastic song for a very emotional sequence, which helped elevate the episode, but she also definitely benefited from the exposure of having her music on a prime-time TV show that skewed towards the perfect demographic for her.
The long scene in the Magic Box is probably one of the reasons I love it so much. It flows and the cast play off each other so freaking well.
Tabula Rasa is a standard Latin phrase for "blank slate." It means a mind before it has had any experiences to mold it into the mind it becomes.
Nice incite. I’m glad Buffy series never used gibberish
"I think I'm kinda gay."
She said that exact same thing in dopplegangland.
Not the only Wishwillow line that recurs.
Just when you thought no episode would be able to live up to the last. 😊
OMWF - tabula rasa is the best two punch episode of any tv show ever.
I wonder if willow`s actions are connected to her parents. in `nightmares` she told buffy that her parents dont even ever fight, they just glare`. so to her, fighting would seem catastrophic. they probably fought, but made sure not to do it around their daughter. which then ended up backfiring.
Any musical artist who was recording for Warner Brothers was likely to show up providing music for an episode of Buffy or Angel. And Tabula Rasa is Latin for "blank slate."
The funniest thing about Spike's "Randy Giles" bit is that "desperate for a shag" is actually a pretty good summary of Spike's whole character arc- especially this season.
Forgot this was right after OMWF. Banger after banger. This season is still underrated all these years later. Sure, it's dark. But the show has always been about dark themes. They just went for a little less metaphorical route this time and I think it holds up.
How people react to trauma is so 90’s in this series, every time Willow is in pain she lashes out with magic (she cursed Oz to wolf out and attack the female wherewolf, she attacked Glory solo with the ‘Darkest Magic’, now when she gets into a fight with Tara she again uses magic to try and ‘fix’ the conflict). After Riley leaves, Buffy finally decides that she needs to focus on herself; but after the four punches of Riley becoming a donor for vamps, then the revelation of Dawn, then her mother passing, and in the midst of grief and the burden of stopping a fourth apocalypse she dies and goes to heaven only to pulled back to the pain and burdens on earth- she turns to a vamp who is obsessed with her but unlike Angel he doesn’t have a soul so while he can feel attraction and love he cannot feel guilt or shame. If only the teacher (Jenny?) in season 2 had also written down the curse that her ancestors put on Angel.
I am sure somewhere in the 240 comments that someone already told you how this episode pays a bit of homage to Xanders dream in Restless. If not start at 16:17 and watch and see how many references you can find.
'This isn't real, but I just want to feel' has always meant to me that she chose to kiss him because she just felt so numb and empty, and he's just there and willing. It's not 'real' in the sense of not real love. She's basically using him.
she uses all her men
@@karazor-el9596I was going to refute that, but you're not wrong. I'd argue she used Angel the least. Riley she wanted for him being 'normal' and having something mundane to hold onto. Parker too was meant to be 'normal' and a way to get away from Angel. As for future romances... I haven't watched later seasons much lately and none of them really stuck around that long.
@@MagusAgrippa8season 6 she’s only with Spike and 7 she’s not really with anyone
@@Johaufs Doesn't she date that principal in the last season? At least briefly?
@@MagusAgrippa8 they go to dinner and she finds him attractive but never actually dated him or had a thing with him
Gotta go back to find the reference to this episode in season 4 "restless", (Spikes outfit and talk of sharks)
Spike is the biggest fool for love, the SOULLESS VAMPIRE is stuck between the lines of light and dark. Buffy whether she wants to admit or not, pulls him into the light.
But more importantly:
Giles is and isn't Buffy's father but Buffy absolutely sees him as the father and like when you are with your parents, you do sort of revert back to the parent-child relationship. And that's the issue, everytime she has to deal with Dawn as a parental role model, she casts it off the Giles and thus Dawn does not get the necessary relationship that must happen with Buffy. Buffy and Dawn need to grow into their new roles and Giles being there is allowing Buffy to continue to be a child. Remember the Restless dream episode. Buffy is sitting in the sandbox, wearing overalls and playing whenever Giles is around. She needs to take on the adult responsibility not only because of Dawn, but because she is an adult Vampire Slayer. She is the frontline of an endless demonic war, it is bigger than just daddy issues.
As writer Jane Espenson said once Spike looks to be on a journey to be strong and powerful but when he falls in love, he has a poet's Heart.
@@WSK9002I mean if you watch “Fool for Love” when Spike was “William” he was ALWAYS a hopeless romantic. It goes all the way back to his roots…
omg it's spuffy and you already had me screaming at the screen in the intro
seeing Michelle Branch play Goodbye to You on Buffy is the reason i started learning the guitar and it was the first song i learned to play
This episode started a lot of Giles and Anya fanfic
They are my crazy Buffyverse ship. I love them so much!
I agree with you Alley about the Loan Shark costume. Even 20 years later, it still holds up.
Buffy just wants to feel something OTHER than the emptiness that now CONSUMES her....as a result of her "BESTIES" tearing her outta heaven
Why do you put '' '' at besties they are her besties they didn't know.
@@killuanatsumelol, I know, I'm just fuckin around
WB/CW shows had Warner Music recording artists on all of the time. Especially shows like Buffy and Charmed, which had a set that was a venue for live music. Frequently, there would be an ad for the artist's latest album at the end of the episode.
Funny, because the original Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies were meant to plug songs Warner Bros. published.
That ending sequence was EVERYTHING (YES Shout-out to Michelle Branch) I love the reveal of Buffy and Spike together
That Michelle Branch song really brings me back, mega nostalgia
People have problems w/ this a lot in this show. They put their own feelings of Buffy/Spike over what Buffy says about it. And when it comes to Willow, so much of what happens in this season is Willow trying to make the world the way she wants it. She wanted Buffy back so she made it happen. She wanted Tara to forget about the argument so she made it happen... etc. And I want to say this was before Michelle Branch was famous so it wasn't as much a big "get" as it was one of her first chances.
Tabula Rasa is latin for blank slate,which obviously explains why everyone lost their memory.
I have been watching you since season one. I have been sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for a reaction to "Once More With Feeling" You did not disappoint.
Because anxiety and specifically worry and compulsive overthinking seem to affect Willow the most and plague her throughout her entire appearance in ‘BtVS’, the thing she really needed to do to deal with that was work through her emotions. Self-acceptance is a tricky thing to do but it almost always requires you to process your thoughts and emotions rather than ram-rush through them or avoid, escape and distract yourself from them because that only tends to make them build up over time and attack you even harder in the end. Like a balloon popping at any seemingly random moment. But it’s because you never notice it filling up with any helium. You never notice that there’s an emotional wound there that’s only getting quick fixes and band aids and not a lengthy treatment or therapy to work through it.
The whole thing with Willow is that she doesn’t want to address anything going on in her head directly. She just wants to make whatever negative thoughts or feelings she’s having in the moment disappear. She doesn’t want to do the hard work to work through them and she certainly doesn’t want to do that alone. She wants to immediately break free from all of it and just fly off. Move on to something new without doing what she needs to do to resolve what’s bothering her.
Enter Tara: Tara establishes very early on in her appearance and relationship with Willow and with the rest of the Scooby Gang that she will be this person. Will be the rock to keep them stable or the glue that holds them together. And every single time she’s like “I’m with you”. She’s not like “I’ll help you” or “I’ll support you” or “I sympathise with you”. She’s like “I’ll be with you.” This is especially true and most important when it comes to Willow as her girlfriend. In the episode ‘Who Are You’, Tara uses a very appropriate term for something she always is for and does with Willow: “Anchor”. At the time she means it literally when they perform the Nether Realm spell. But metaphorically Tara is always Willow’s anchor. She is always the weight that holds Willow down and that keeps her in place when it comes to her anxiety. That steadies her, reassures her and validates her. And when Willow goes through intense anxiety spells, she’s there grounding and guiding her through them. Neither allowing her to ignore her emotions nor forcing her to face them alone. It’s not until Willow’s coping mechanisms for her anxieties and insecurities become unhealthy and destructive and start affecting and harming Tara personally does she sever herself from Willow. At that point Willow’s insistence to do the unhealthy or destructive thing in dealing with situations and her emotional turmoil because of it is something that can’t be resolved with Tara being her anchor because she’s inadvertently part of the problem in that Willow instead just always relies on magic, and specifically performing magic where she chooses to drop her anchor instead and go at it alone.
I’ve talked a lot about co-dependency when it comes to Willow with her being co-dependent to Tara so what I’ve said above might sound contradicting since I’ve said that Willow chooses to “drop her anchor” in dangerous situations such as performing complicated magicks - showing her independence. But the reason why being co-dependent to your partner is unhealthy and destructive is because it’s not about your partner. It’s about either how you can use your partner or control them to do something. It’s not about love.
Take for example Riley’s response after Buffy asks him “Why all the crazy?” in ‘The Yoko Factor’ - referring to his jealousy and the assumption that Buffy might cheat on him with Angel if he allows her alone time with him. He says “because I’m so in love with you I can’t think straight” immediately putting his inability to cope with his thoughts and emotions about Buffy and Angel on Buffy. Using his “love” for her as an excuse to absolve himself from his own destructive actions and choices. That’s not love even if the person is actually in love with their partner. It’s emotional abuse. It’s putting all of the baggage and damage that you yourself have to sort through and heal on them. And while said partner might offer that dependence, it’s actually wrong to expect them to be around so that you can depend on them. So that you can use them to excuse the destructive shit that you’re doing. And when the person turns around and says “actually, it’s about me taking care of you”… that’s not the case. They might believe that but because they have no self-awareness of their own destructive behaviour, it actually means that their partner has to deal with it. That’s why co-dependence is not a good thing at all.
So Willow’s co-dependence to Tara is not about loving her even though she does love her. It’s a way to absolve herself from her own destructive behaviour. It’s using her. And with using magic on Tara in wiping her memories it’s also about controlling her to do what she wants her to do or to think how she wants her to think. Taking Tara’s autonomy away from the situation. Changing or altering her emotional state. Tara offers to be her anchor any and at all times and Willow gets so comfortable with that that she ends up taking advantage of Tara for her own selfish reasons. Which is the addict’s way as well as an abuser’s way. And so Tara has to do the hardest thing. Stop being it. Because she knows that at that point it’s not helping. And it wouldn’t unless Willow could first acknowledge and then accept that her own destructive behaviour is actually destructive. Only then could Tara be there for her and offer to be her anchor once again. Only then would Willow’s dependence on Tara be healthy again and be about mutual love and reassurance and validation instead of abuse and power and control.
My favorite Spike and Buffy kiss! Damn, the passion!
Tabula Rasa is latin for Blank Slate, a theory about how we are all born empty and are steeped in knowledge as we grow up.
*When Buffy is under a love spell in ‘Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered’ and is coming on to Xander*
XANDER: “It's not that I don't want to. Sometimes the remote impossible possibility that you might like me was all that sustained me. But not now. Not like this. This isn't real to you. You're only here because of a spell. I mean, if I thought you had one clue what it would mean to me. But you don't. So I can't."
Sure, he rejected her advances for his own reasons but the point is is that he rejected them. Willow didn’t. Willow didn’t say anything like this when Tara was under her spell and asking her to go down on her.
She didn’t even hesitate at all. If I didn’t understand the context of the situation, I’d say she expected it to happen or was even hoping for it to. And sure, Tara isn’t under a love spell like Buffy was in that episode. But she was under a spell that made her forget information that directly influenced her emotional state. So the result would be the same anyway.
Everybody and their dog gets on Xander’s case for all his flaws. But least the guy understands consent! Understands that ‘stop’ means ‘no’. The guy might be an idiot sometimes with some problematic dialogue that makes him do stupid things that the narrative never really addresses ever again but he never acts abusive or manipulative. He never violates anyone. Never tries to control or dominate or gaslight. At least I can’t think of a single instance where he does that. But I can think of several times when Willow does or tries to do it where the narrative never addresses it either. And I can even think of times where Xander is directly in Willow’s path preventing her from doing it.
Go ahead and slander Xander for his dumb shit. But make sure to berate Willow for her dumb shit too!
I totally agree. (I’ve never been a Willow fan btw. She’s always been my least favorite.)
@@TheBulle Oh I love Willow. She's my favourite character and this is precisely why. 🤣
"Vocal Coach" is the word you were looking for.
Giles' best line EVER: "Welcome to the Nancy Tribe." Anthony Stewart Head helped insert the British vulgarity smuggled into Spike's dialogue. James Marsters proved so good at being English I'd assumed he was Australian/NZ/Canadian, before I discovered he was American.
Yes, this is a brilliant episode; I can't remember there being a better 2-in-a-row in the canon.
In case it's not clear, Willow is a magic addict.
how do spuffy fans get this delusional just from a kiss? they're literally showing a bunch of sad moments in a montage type sequence showing that the kiss is sad for buffy and her giving up but spuffy fans convince themselves it's a good thing just because kiss?
spikes line lives rent free in my head
"Tabula Rasa" isn't just the name of the spell but also a Latin phrase which means as much as "blank slate".
Romans used to write on slates made of wood and wax. To write something on/into such a slate they used little sticks, so to say, and scratched the words into the wax. Hence the name of these slates: Tabula (= slate) rasa (= being scratched).
Since it was possible to erase all writing on a tabula rasa by simply smoothing the wax again, the phrase "tabula rasa" became synonymous with "making a new start" or resetting things.
"Tabula Rasa" is Latin for "erase the tablet." Its extended meaning is "erase everything."
It's what willow wants to do with her spell : erase the memories of Buffy, Tara.
Magic has turnend into an addition metaphor for Willow at this point, so "Just don't do magic for a week" isn't that simple anymore...
I really appreciate you taking the time to explain that you like Spike as a fictional character even though in real life, you wouldn't. I get into so many arguments with people about me liking toxic ships and I'm just like, you are allowed to like things in fiction that you wouldn't in real life!
I love Tabula Rasa! It's one of the funniest episode in my opinion. The way Spike and Giles think they are related.. I'M DYING
Her memories return like a punch in the face.
It's a detail, but I like to underline how Dawn ran into the house, this time, while all along S5, when she was upset, she ran out of it.
My take on that is that for her, subcounsciously, she associated moving to Sunnydale (so in this house) with the trauma of her parents' divorce. So she never really felt "secure" in this new home and somehow want to go back to the time where they didn't lived in it.
But here the fact that she run inside tells that she was actually having that "secure" feeling when Tara and Willow were taking care of her, and for the first time, she wanted to go back to that home they made together.
don't worry about being mad at Willow. I think the majority of the fans, including me, love Willow but are also pissed that she hurt Tara and find it frustrating. also, I watched this as it aired as a kid and being a somewhat big fan of Michelle Branch and having Faith vibes from her 'Everywhere' music video hair, I was SO excited to see her on Buffy. I don't know how they got her to perform on Buffy, unless she was already a fan and agreed, 'cause 'Everywhere' and 'Goodbye to You' were HUGE at the time.
Thus began my decades long crush on Michelle Branch. That song in that moment made me fall immediately in love.
I always get a bit teary on this episode. It's so poignant.
Love how the show handles the complexities of relationships.
People we love, COUPLES we love, may not necessarily be the healthiest.
If you think you're livid now....
This is a great, but traumatic, roller coaster season.
Just who IS the Big Bad? Craziness ensues...
Branch wasn’t huge back then. This helped her break-out internationally
yes that was michelle branch. She actually did perform live for several shows at this time. I also recall her on Charmed
Something tells me this will be your favorite season
The loan shark never gets any love😢
It's a loan shark 😂
Joss about Michelle Branch, November 9, 2001:
'By the by, I'm LOVIN' next weeks ep. Michelle branch works great in it - I saw her in boston ('cause of Jesse) and one song completely gave me the feeling I wanted for ep 8. Didn't love it on the album though (overproduced) So Michelle and the boys recorded like the live version while touring, so it's not gonna sound like anything else, which is nice. Then she went out and became this big noise, which is great (she's very cool), and is playing on the ep her music helped shape. Synergy -- it's overwhelming.'
"And like... it doesn't really connect with her that her actions caused it. It's like there's a disconnect and like she's putting something else in between and like not fully connecting herself to it and because of it, it's like she's not learning anything."
You mean like power corruption and addiction? Yep. That's precisely it.
That's 2 of her themes this season. There's another but we're not there yet.
Power corruption in particular is the most interesting theme for me when it comes to Willow. When you have so much power, there's always the urge to control... basically everything because you're just feeding into something that constantly makes you feel good. You don't feel like a loser. You feel important, respected and like people are paying attention to you. And then you're suddenly hit with a "No, this is wrong" from the people you want to prove your worth and value to. It's jarring. And because you're so blinded by the power you've accumulated, you don't ever think "I'm wrong". You think people are out to get you for just doing something to help the situation because you know you can. That's power corruption.
They might not get the addiction theme entirely right but they get this theme right. It's one of the best power corruption arcs I've ever seen on TV in all honesty because Hannigan NAILS it.
You feel that disconnect there because you're not going through that corruption. She is. And she doesn'tt learn anything from her bad actions because she doesn't believe she has to. Her mindset is: Why would it be a problem that I am powerful? I'm the one getting things done. She's not taking into question the flip side which is that it's precisely her "getting things done" that is what causes the problems. Her arrogance and entitlement won't let her see it that way.
In her confrontation with Tara, she's genuinely asking "Why is this wrong?" and it's because she doesn't think of it as wrong at all. Why would she? She's the good guy. It's right for a good guy to have power, isn't it? They can do more good things with it. They can save the day. Put yourself in her head and it'll click why she's doing what she's doing with abusing magic.
And of course - the Empath of the whole group would see through it first. Of course - the one that understands the risks and consequences of using magic would realize what's going on before anyone else does. The one that knows Willow's trauma flight response the best because she's always the one with her when she goes off the deep end. Until she isn't.
And it's all incredibly relatable. Frustrating and aggravating but relatable. Just take the magic out - take the supernatural power out and you have the "real shit" case of an abusive addict.
This maybe shocking to some people but it is possible to have a sexual relationship with someone without having particularly romantic feelings for them.
Exactly. And in the same breath it is nothing bad. Except if one of the participants is not okay with it.
The opposite is also true.
You can have an abusive relationship with someone when in love with them.
Your perspective on Spuffy is interesting. It's not one I ever had. I've been a Buffy fan for 20 years or so now.
It's very clear that Buffy has never had romantic feelings for Spike up to this point, like ever lol she hates him, she thinks he's disgusting.
She kisses him bc he's there. He makes her feel. She's using him. And her fighting him or her denial, isn't denial. It's her fighting her instincts, knowing this is wrong but eventually not caring bc he's making her feel something other than her numbness and depression. I honestly feel a little bad for Spike.
It's easier to see I guess once you've seen the show a couple of times. I honestly don't like any of the guys Buffy has dated thoughout the show. None of them are good enough for her in my opinion lol not even Angel. That relationship is creepy bc of the age difference, I'll die on that hill!
It’s just a gross disturbing relationship in s6. They’re on their worst behavior together. It’s violent. It’s depressing. Theres manipulation and abuse, coercion, shaming, *long* before Seeing Red. I just hate to watch it!
Yeah, Buffy at this point is... I believe the clinical term is "a bit emotionally fucked up".