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5.22 The Gift

Rescued guy: "But... you're just a girl."
Buffy: "That's what I keep saying."

This episode most certainly wasn't "just another apocalypse"; Joss Whedon gave us one strong, highly charged emotional scene after another. I was moved over and over again, and more than once to tears. There was a strong parallel to the end of season two when Buffy had to kill Angel -- except she couldn't do it this time, and it made perfect sense, especially since she had been working through Slayer-equals-killer issues most of this season.

What stood out for me were: Buffy saying that she couldn't make those choices, and that she missed her mother; Willow holding a recovered Tara in her arms; and Buffy inviting Spike back into her house. But what blew me away were: Giles killing Ben because he knew Buffy couldn't do it and it had to be done; Buffy's sacrifice; and Spike's grief. Wow. I think seeing Spike crying was what moved me the most.

Buffy sacrificing herself made sense for her character, and the entire plot arc this year was leading up to it. It was tremendously moving. Even though we all know the series has been renewed and Joss will be resurrecting Buffy somehow.

Bits:

-- The princess-in-the-tower bit was good. Dawn even got an appropriate costume.

-- I didn't see the Buffybot fake-out coming. Good writing there.

-- Loved Xander proposing to Anya. And the bunnies.

-- What exactly was Joel Grey? Will we ever know? Do I care?

Quotes:

Xander: "Why blood? Why Dawn's blood? I mean, why couldn't it be like a lymph ritual?"
Spike: "'Cause it's always got to be blood."
Xander: "We're not actually discussing dinner right now."
Spike: "Blood is life, lackbrain. Why do you think we eat it? It's what keeps you going. Makes you warm. Makes you hard. Makes you other than dead. Of course it's her blood."

Buffy: "I like this. (to Anya) Thanks."
Anya: "Here to help. Wanna live."
Xander: "Smart chicks are soooo hot."
Willow: "You couldn't have figured that out in tenth grade?"

Xander: "I'm looking for something in a broadsword."
Spike: "Don't be swinging that thing near me."
Xander: "Hey, I happen to be..."
Spike: "A glorified bricklayer?"
Xander: "I'm also a swell bowler."
Anya: "Has his own shoes."
Spike: "The gods themselves do tremble."

Spike: "I know you'll never love me. I know that I'm a monster. But you treat me like a man."

Buffy: "Everybody knows their jobs. Remember, the ritual starts, we all die. And I'll kill anyone who comes near Dawn."
Spike: "Well, not exactly the St. Crispin's Day speech, was it?"
Giles: "We few. We happy few."
Spike: "We band of buggered."

Buffy: " Dawn, the hardest thing in this world is to live in it. Be brave. Live. For me."

Definitely a four out of four stakes.

And now some fifth year commentary

It says a lot for the fifth year that, as strong as "The Gift" was, there were two episodes this year I think were even better – "Fool for Love," and "The Body" -- as well as a whole lot of other episodes that were quite good as well. I liked the whole Glory/Ben storyline, even though it certainly wasn't at the level of Spike/Dru/Angel in season two, but it was nearly as good as Faith and the Mayor and certainly better than season four's Initiative/Maggie Walsh/Adam debacle.

What I liked best about this year, though, was what they did with Spike.

My favorite part of this season has been Spike (gee, what a surprise, I've only been gushing about him all year). Marsters has said in interviews that he was brought in essentially to replace Cordelia, and he has -- he's the one who can get away with saying the most outrageous and offensive things. But -- and I just realized this last night -- during the past year, Spike has also replaced another missing character: Angel. Riley couldn't do it; I liked the actor, but Buffy with Riley just never worked for me. Spike is not only a love interest (or an anti-love interest) for Buffy, but he is also a supernatural fighting partner as well, as Angel was. Spike's growing love for Buffy and his slow integration into the gang happened so gradually and was written so well, and Marsters and Gellar are great together. "Fool for Love" is one of my absolute favorite episodes not just because of Marsters, but because of Gellar as well.

Buffy's fears about the dark side of her Slayer gift were explored effectively this year, and ended up being more overwhelming for Buffy because of the loss of her mother and the acquisition of her sister. I can rave about Spike until the cows come home, but Sarah Michelle Gellar is the heart of the show and its center, and she just gets better all the time.

The support cast grew up a lot. Xander began the year with a dead end job and living in his parents' basement, and ended with a profession, an apartment, and a fiancee. Anya has gotten more likeable; her innocent, painful confusion over Joyce's death was particularly moving, and she and Xander together work for me. I had been expecting them to break up in an ugly way... geez, I wonder if that's in store for next year?

Of all the regular characters, Willow can almost challenge Spike in the "changed the most" department -- she is almost nothing like she used to be. Okay, we still get glimpses of the shy, self-effacing nerd, but in truth Willow has become so powerful that the soft entryway into liking her character has become her relationship with Tara. It has been so nice to see such a beautiful and loving lesbian relationship just happen like it did, and the writers are to be commended for how they handled it.

If I have a complaint with this year, it is that Giles was underutilized. But what there was was good.

There were some incredibly satisfying occurrences this year: Riley's departure in particular was well done; Drusilla came back (at last!); Harmony's character got some wonderfully fun stuff to do; Buffy finally stuck it to the Watcher's Council; and Buffy actually kissed Spike for enduring torture to protect Dawn.

Very good season. And I'm on the edge of my seat wondering how on earth Joss is going to resurrect Buffy next year,

Billie





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