Buffy the Vampire Slayer: 1x12 Full Reaction
Added 2023-05-27 20:54:53 +0000 UTC
Comments
It's weird to remember that before 2001 country music was the music of pain, not jingoism. Xander's choice makes less sense now. White does show the blood up nicely, but I wasn't thinking "wedding" so much as "virgin sacrifice" connotations. But it was a good dress, everyone had to admit. Seeing Willow's traumatized reaction to the deaths made me remember whatsisname from the premiere episode (Jesse?) He seemed to be Xander's best friend, but no one's mentioned or thought of him since. Trauma is selectively applied for dramatic effect in this show. It's very easy to roll with it at the time, but now I'm looking back and going hmmmm.
Marith Lizard
2023-07-04 07:42:36 +0000 UTCI do not remember if it is canonical but I vaguely remember that the reason The Master's bones remained is because he's an extra old vampire.
slypeartree
2023-07-01 02:30:40 +0000 UTCGlad you pointed out the (apparent) age difference between Angel and Buffy. And you sharing your younger view point on the student / teacher relationship thing that was in the news at some time in your life. Not agreeing or disagreeing just relishing a new vantage point (a new perspective.) Before this the only youthful perspective I ever heard was the "ick factor". thank you for share that AND the stuff about the garner snake your thought process tickled me. That was great.
Thomas
2023-06-13 06:23:51 +0000 UTCYou spoke of not understanding what to do when someone starts to go on about how "this always happens to me"...Perhaps understanding whats going on there may help... This is called a Shame Cycle. Basically one gets the idea in their head that they're bad at something or things don't ever go their way. And every time something happens to affirm this, it reinforces that negative self image/ self deprecating. What can you do? Well detach, Say to yourself: "What I say and what I do that's about me, not about you. What you say and what you do that's about you". Anything more is controlling; sympathizing with someone because you think that you hurt them, just means you have compassion; taking action to fix things without being invited ... cross the line in to controlling. And can lead to other unhealthy behavior. The best thing is to be prepared for the next time it happens cause it will happen again. (I'm not saying "No" to you I'm saying "Yes" to something else in my life. Or I'm not saying "No" I'm saying "No not now". However only use these if they fit and they're true... not as a dodge.) "No" is a complete answer you don't have to rationalize or justify yourself to any one. Hope this helps or give you food for thought.
Thomas
2023-06-13 05:32:00 +0000 UTCI like that this girl "Cass" does her homework ... takes notes & gives it more thought ... and expounds about her "fathoms" about the last episode.
Thomas
2023-06-13 04:09:46 +0000 UTCCass has been nothing but punctual so far! I couldn’t fault her. In fact, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the review thus far. I have no problem waiting a couple of weeks, so long as it doesn’t turn into months haha. Glad to hear I’m not the only one who’s been in a situation like that, although that’s super shitty for you. I highly doubt that will be the case, though.
Jack Stankovic
2023-06-12 14:38:12 +0000 UTCOh, cool. Have an awesome holiday! I look forward to seeing you when you return with more content. I’m very keen to see how you feel season 2 compares to season 1 .
Jack Stankovic
2023-06-12 14:36:51 +0000 UTCI just started to watching her reviews & I hope she starts the next season... I already did the wait wait wait thing for one content creator & I'm not going to do that again!
Thomas
2023-06-12 14:34:47 +0000 UTCi’ve got a review/rankings/q&a video coming up next and think i’ll be starting up season 2 mid june as i have a family trip to mexico coming up!
Cassie
2023-06-02 14:47:42 +0000 UTCHey Cass. Will you be jumping straight into season two or are you taking a short break?
Jack Stankovic
2023-05-31 11:20:43 +0000 UTCI really like this episode, but, from a technical standpoint, I love it. I see it as probably the best finale of the entire series, and let's be clear, I'm not talking about story or characters, I'm talking strictly from a cinematographic point of view. From the very first scene you can kinda feel that it give you a different sensation from any other previous episode. The photography, the camera movement, the framing, the lighting, the pacing, the score, the costume design, everything it's at another level. They clearly went all in with this episode shooting it more like a movie, inside the limits of their resources of course. Even for the special effects they resorted to all the tricks of the trade, miniatures, reverse shooting, force prospective, animatronics, and people in rubber costumes, and they hold on pretty well even today. The only little clunky moment is the CPR scene, but maybe I will tell more about it at the end. Let's talk about story arcs, what is the main story arc of the season? Put simply, it's the story of Buffy becoming the Slayer. “Whait a sec! She was already the Slayer from the first episode.” I hear you say, well … yes and no. When she was awaken as the new slayer, after the previous one died, the watchers found her and informed her that “this are your duties, this is your destiny now”. Basically, she is given no choices in the matter. For what we know she probably accepted her role initially because she has always been good, but she had no idea what meant to be the slayer, what might have been the price to pay, and she was only 15. Then she got kick out of school, lost all her friends, and force her mother to move to another town, start a new job, only to find another school that would take her. So it's no surprise that she wanted nothing more to do with the slayer. It's not that she was no longer willing to take on a few vampire should the need arise, but she refused to let her life be defined by being the Slayer. We can get this from her conversations with Giles during the entire first episode, even when she point out the vampire in the crowd she's aloof, chill, until … she sees Willow, at that point she switches, you can get it even from the tone of her voice. From there what happens happens, and willing or not she's sucked back into the world of the slayer. Clearly she want to keep the people around her safe, the school safe, after all she remains a good person who cares about the others, but at the same time she keeps a foot out the door with the “slayer's destiny” thing. Plus there's also her lingering fear of facing the Master who has been haunting her dreams from the very first episode And now we come to this last episode, at this point, it should come as no surprise that as soon as Buffy hears that her destiny as Slayer requires her to sacrifice her life, at just 16, she quits, and who can blame her. As opposed to what you usually see in superheroes origin story where, after gaining his powers, he decides how to use them and what to do, Buffy was denied any choice. This changes after the attack at the school, seeing Willow so emotionally wounded, scared, and traumatized, Buffy takes a decision, this time making a fully informed and deliberate choice that is hers and hers alone, and with a simple “take care” she says goodbay to her friend and she walks through her fears and towards her final destiny. Interesting detail, both in the first and last episode is Willow who trigger a change in Buffy. After being brought back, having chosen to freely accept her destiny, she finally became the “prophecy girl”. The title of the episode is an nod to the story arc of the season, superficially you might think it refers to the prophecy of the codex, but the particular phrasing recalls a much more important prophecy that the show has been repeating to us throughout the entire season: “For each generation a slyer is born, one girl in all the world, one girl born with the strength bla, bla, bla”. Now Buffy has really become the Slayer, like being the Slayer it's not just a set of superpowers but is something more deep and personal, she clearly feels the change stating how she feels different, stronger, the Master's powers no longer work on her, and the Master himself is barely an inconvenience at this point. This a recurring theme in the show, as soon as Buffy manages to slay or tame her personal “demons”, the actual big bad demon of the season become barely an inconvenience because, at the end, it's never been his story but Buffy's.
G.Un.
2023-05-31 00:32:29 +0000 UTCExcellent point! Never made the connection between the interaction in the first episode and what happens in season 1 finale.
Vicky N
2023-05-30 16:51:48 +0000 UTCS1 done! Can't wait to continue the buffyverse journey with you! You're going to LOVE it ♡
x_Rhi_x
2023-05-29 22:45:07 +0000 UTCHoly crap, that was so damn patronising, dude
x_Rhi_x
2023-05-29 22:43:24 +0000 UTCEvery reactor does this so.. BtVS S1 is a midseason replacement. It's a stand alone series. All 12 episodes were written, filmed and sitting on a shelf in videotape cans BEFORE ep 1 aired. There was no S2 planned but it did so well that one (6) more were created. You knowing more seasons are there is a spoiler using only on S1 content.
Jon Freezin-Rain
2023-05-29 18:36:51 +0000 UTCthank you thank you thank you🥺
Cassie
2023-05-29 13:21:35 +0000 UTCI know that some of these people feel the need to express themselves in ridiculous novella length posts. And that's intimidating to those of us that aren't as narcissistic or self-important that we need to write thesis length posts each episode. But for whatever it's worth, I would love to thank you for your honest reactions. I appreciate how much you seem to enjoy each episode and would encourage you to continue to form your own thoughts and opinions on the show without worrying too much about certain peoples feelings/ideas. I am proud and happy to take this long buffyverse journey with you.
Chris Peterson
2023-05-29 04:35:52 +0000 UTCSeason one sometimes gets ranked poorly compared to later seasons, but the characters and themes definitely drew me in from the start. It kind of feels as if watching the show is like reading an epic novel, with Season 1 as an intriguing, essential first chapter. It's been a lot of fun revisiting it.
Ghostwriter
2023-05-29 01:28:11 +0000 UTCBuffy drowned, and Xander brought her back with CPR, so technicaly she died, prophecy never said The Master was the one killing her, just that she would die if she went to fight him.
Leonard Ledung
2023-05-28 21:38:12 +0000 UTCJoss appears onscreen in one ep of Veronica Mars. Other than that he has no connection to the show. VM showrunner Rob Thomas is clearly a Whedon fan which shows if you've watched Buffy beforehand.
Nica Marie
2023-05-28 19:13:52 +0000 UTC“I like to see the trauma” …. Well you’re gonna LOVE this show 😂
Will
2023-05-28 15:34:36 +0000 UTCI love the idea of doing a Q&A for each episode! Once again, fantastic work, Cass! You’ve delivered another reaction that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed. Having only watched the series once, it’s so wonderful to go back over it and see your reactions to everything, and then comparing them to my initial thoughts and feelings. I’m excited to see you get into season two. It really only gets better from this point onwards (excluding maybe 1 or 2 of the later season, which all still have incredible episodes). In my opinion, season 2 and 3 have some of the best episodes. It’s also really fun to see Cordelia brought into the fold. Charisma Carpenter’s portrayal of Cordelia is always hilarious. I’ve just seen her and Alyson Hannigan both appear in Veronica Mars, which was a total surprise. I saw Joss Whedon’s name appear in the credits, so I assume he must have some involvement. Have you watched Veronica Mars, by any chance? I’m finding it an awesome watch.
Jack Stankovic
2023-05-28 15:22:03 +0000 UTCyep i did!! i’m always thinking about a million things and deciding what to say out loud/talking to you guys etc - that sometimes things definitely get past me!
Cassie
2023-05-28 14:23:22 +0000 UTChahahaha those three headed tentacles were so alarming!!!!!
Cassie
2023-05-28 14:22:42 +0000 UTCwow, i took a screenshot of this and will be reading it again and again whenever i’m feeling sad. thank you for saying this. i am so happy you’re having a good time💕
Cassie
2023-05-28 14:20:51 +0000 UTCgot it! i’m not sure where i got the idea in my head that it was gradually thinning over the season but makes sense!
Cassie
2023-05-28 14:19:32 +0000 UTCin the last episode willow and xander were making fun of cordelia for caring about her dress and the dance in front of buffy right before buffy somewhat bashfully admitted that she was that girl at her previous school — yes, i do think there’s a part of her that is embarrassed to admit these things to xander and willow bc they definitely think they’re lame. however, i know they would never make fun of her. i just wasn’t sure if she knows that 1000% yet based on that last episode. the hellmouth - i thought it was thinning gradually over the season and finally was completely open in this episode. and when it was thinning, i thought it was causing more and more supernatural activity. but i’ve now seen people explain that this isn’t the case and it was simply just a closed and open type of thing. understood! buffy “dying” - i missed out on the line “you were destined to die. it was written” followed up by “what can i say? i flunked the written” — i’m always thinking about a million things/trying to talk to you guys when i watch and lines here and there can be easily missed by me! as far as you saying “have i to make you a diagram to explain what a pun, a quip is” - i am aware. pretty please don’t talk down to me. i am not stupid :) excited to hear your overall thoughts on the season and finale!
Cassie
2023-05-28 14:18:38 +0000 UTCI wanted to talk about the episode and the story arc of the season but I realized that we need to address the confusion that I feel really strong here, if not any other discussion would be pointless. First of all, clearly Buffy is afraid to be judged by Xander and Willow who think that all these “girly” activities are lame, are for losers, especially after having experienced how they shunned and mocked her when she tried to be a cheerleader … oh wait! They never did. They actually went with her to the try outs to give their support and they were sad for her when she didn't make it. It really baffles me trying to figure out where you got the idea that Xander and Willow think that and, more important, that they are such crappy friends, and, if they are, why she cares about their opinion, and, if she does, when Buffy became such a pushover … (omg I used Buffy and pushover in the same sentence, ewww ... bad goose bumps). Anyway … whatever. This is taking to long, let me try to be more concise. - Yes, Buffy can “quit”. She can't give up all of the Slayer's powers and abilities, they are hers and hers alone until she dies and another random young girl in the world receives them, but she can refuse to fight and no one can force her if she does. - Yes, Giles could have tricked her and lied to push her towards the confrontation with the Master, but at this point he really cares about her and would do anything to protect her. - Yes, Buffy knows that the anointed is a kid (re-watch the scene) and that he will bring her to the Master (apparently Angel would have been able to show her the way to the Master too, but ... whatever). - The hellmouth, how it works. Miss Calendar repeated the whole thing for our benefit in this very episode, but let me try to rephrase it so maybe it will be clearer. The hellmouth it's a portal between the demon dimension and ours, and it's closed. The Master gets out and this opens the portal. With the portal open, demons can start entering our dimension and we saw the first one who attempted to pass through the portal, the monster with three heads. Killing the Master closes the portal and the demon is sucked back into its dimension. Now the hellmouth is closed again, as it was the day before, but it's still there. - The Master was a very old and a very powerful vampire, but it wasn't the Master of all vampires only because he decided to call himself “the Master”. I don't even think that exist something like a Master of all vampires. - The Master's skeleton remain because, one he was a very special vampire, and two because it's more satisfying for the viewers than just watching him going puff. Plus, the camera panning over his skeleton is a damn cool shot to close the season on. - You hardly see much blood and gore in Buffy. Remember that it was a prime time show on broadcast television. They had strict guidelines to follow for the rating. It will never be graphic like True Blood on HBO. - Is Buffy dead? Really?! Only because the Master says “you're dead” and she answers “I may be dead, but I'm still pretty!”? Have I to make you a diagram to explain what a pun, a quip is? Especially considering that it's immediately followed by another … “you were destined to die. It was written.”, “What can I say? I flunked the written.”. It's a joke, the classic Buffy's quips. There are probably other things, but this should cover the main points. Discussions about the episode and the season in an other post.
G.Un.
2023-05-28 12:53:04 +0000 UTCSomehow you missed Buffy revealing she overheard Giles and Miss Calendar discussing that The Anointed One was a child. You'll probably catch it while editing the reaction for youtube.
Tom Tattershall
2023-05-28 01:57:25 +0000 UTCA subtle but telling moment was when Buffy walked into the library and heard Giles and Jenny talking (about her) and she acted like a teenage girl does when her parents are arguing about their child, and the vibe was very intimate like she had that same kind of experience with her parents. Then, she busts in and takes charge of the conversation, and is not satisfied with pandering answers. This is her beginning to understand her power, and that she is the one in charge. I thought the scene on the bench with Xander was well done. You could tell by the way Buffy handled it exactly what she was thinking, and that even though Xander was being, ahem, offensive, to her and to Willow, she let him down easy but firmly. Xander acting like a frustrated teen but not a mean one was spot on. Anthony Head and Sarah Michelle Gellar both had lots of acting experience, he on the stage in England and she in TV soaps. The other regular crew were very green, and so came off a bit exaggerated in the first season. Everyone gets better, the actors become one with their characters, and the star power of guests gets better. David Boreanaz went on to become the biggest TV star of all of them, tho Sarah did have big roles in a lot of teen horror movies, including Scream 2, kid stuff including the Scooby Doo movies, and a bunch of voice-over work in animated films and shows. It's hard not to look "between the lines" to try to connect up stuff, and it is a very favorite thing to do in this series, because it almost always pays off. But the first season was a shakedown run, and they tried a lot of stuff that made sense in the writer's room, but did not shoot so well. The action scenes got 100% better as the seasons continued, and the budgets were better, but most were impressive anyway. The finale was a genuine disaster movie in the library! WTF was that thing with the tentacles and three heads?
spikeysnack
2023-05-28 01:56:16 +0000 UTCEnjoying the reactions and the way you do them is unique. I enjoy at least one reactor that doesn't over-emote while watching movies and shows. As to the "no breath" thing from Angel...as another referenced, vampires seem only able to take life, not give it (or give it back). The master skeleton? A possible indicator of how old and powerful he was as well as how closely connected to the demonic his kind was. Buffy's new-found strength? Another commented that her "worst case" became reality and it held no further ability to sow weakness and doubt in her. The other upcoming episodes explore all kinds of themes and I look forward to seeing your discoveries in the "Buffyverse".
Michael Labs
2023-05-28 01:33:30 +0000 UTCBetween the time that the master rose and the time that he was killed, the hell-mouth was open. For the rest of season one it was closed. So all the supernatural occurrences of season one and all the vampires were there with the hell-mouth closed.
Eric Haefele
2023-05-28 01:19:55 +0000 UTCXander handled the rejection very poorly. Still afterwards he went straight into the Master's lair to face his likely death and saved Buffy's life. You can't say he isn't a loyal friend and outrageously brave.
Jonathan Hall
2023-05-28 00:51:18 +0000 UTCMiss Cass! I feel that it is incumbent upon me to tell you how grateful I am for your reactions. Even though I am a subscriber to a few Patreon content creators, very rarely do I ever comment. However, I am so delighted that you have decided to share your reactions to one of the most beloved TV shows of all time. The first time I was ever introduced to you was on YouTube and I believe it was when you were doing “The Boys” reactions. I may be wrong. Needless to say, I am just so happy that I have the opportunity to relive one of my favorite shows alongside you. It means a lot to me and once again, I am grateful, and I appreciate you. I cannot wait until you get to season 2 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer as that is one of my favorite seasons of this series. I think of you often and I get so excited when I get notifications saying there is a new reaction coming from you. It makes me happy, and I consider you an unmet friend from afar. Thank you again and I truly hope that you are having an amazing weekend.
Eric Hoover
2023-05-28 00:46:59 +0000 UTCFor a short first fill in season, that's a pretty epic finale. Now on to season 2!
Jonathan Hall
2023-05-28 00:45:04 +0000 UTCRe the Master's skeleton - I think the implication is that it's because of how old he is. And the same for the fact that he looks less human than other vampires and cannot show a normal human face at all.
Dan
2023-05-28 00:04:50 +0000 UTCTo be clear for Cass - the Hellmouth was closed for this season until the Master managed to open it in this episode after getting a boost from the Slayer-blood. And now it's closed again. And as Stephen says even when closed it attracts monsters/makes it easier to become invisible/etc.
Dan
2023-05-28 00:00:59 +0000 UTCSome of the words my students said were there favorites this year: penultimate (obviously), boondoggle- waste of time, hobbledehoy- clumsy youth, nefarious, cacophony, kerfuffle, calamity and quagmire.
aeronitz
2023-05-27 22:58:03 +0000 UTCI can say that the Hellmouth radiates energy. The Master tried to fully open it as a portal to hell and failed so it closed when he died but it still radiates energy as before. A continuity issue that comes up is Angel saying he had no breath should be interpreted as meaning that Vampires don't have the "spark of life" so can't revive others even though you will see them do things that clearly require some kind of lung function.
Stephen Knueppel
2023-05-27 22:55:37 +0000 UTCAs opposed to being one of the last two extra vocabulary words? Way to keep those fifth graders on their toes.
tc3
2023-05-27 22:49:22 +0000 UTCIt’s my belief that each season features a secondary character as a sort of focal character whose relationship to Buffy needs to be resolved. In season one I believe that character is Xander. When he first met Buffy his first words to her were “can I have you—“ (obviously a Freudian slip suggesting he wanted to “have” her in a romantic sense), which he then corrected to “can I help you?” “Prophecy Girl” answers both questions. While he can’t be with Buffy romantically (“have”) - for now of course, I have no intention of trying to spoil or hint at or against future events - he *can* help her. If the writers chose to sideline Xander in his bedroom listening to country music for the rest of the episode, I don’t think any viewer would’ve batted an eye, but instead he was able to put his (understandable but still childish) feelings aside and help his friend any way he could. To the point of literally breathing life back into her so that she could go about saving the world. On that note… There could be more to it that could be revealed later or even just interpreted differently, but I think Buffy coming back to life feeling strong, after having been resuscitated, is metaphorical (as most things on this show are) and meant to convey her newfound confidence. Buffy faced her fear and the worst thing that could’ve happened actually did happen; she died and The Master was set free, but she came through it feeling empowered because even that couldn’t stop her.
tc3
2023-05-27 22:43:49 +0000 UTCPenultimate means second to last. I do two extra vocabulary words every two weeks with my fifth graders that I call, "Words that Make Us Sound Smart." And this is one of the first two.
aeronitz
2023-05-27 22:35:43 +0000 UTC
