I'm not gonna talk about Paradise and Twilight, if you wanna read a wonderful, insightful review about them, gotta check
stormwreath's
wonderful and helpful review. Always a pleasure to read his thoughts.
Anyway, I'm gonna talk about what I enjoy best about BtVS. Characters and their relationships with each other.
First, Buffy, I don't think I have as much issues with her characterizations as many do. All season, we had Buffy feeling disconnected as a leader, so burdened with responsibilities, going against her principles to keep her Slayers safe and content, doing her best to push potential loves away (Xander by asking him to ask Renee out, and Satsu by telling her about how those who loved her end up in pain or leaving), called a terrorist by humans, chased away by demons and humans, crushed that her empowerment spell in Chosen didn't even make it to history books in Fray's time, even more crushed because she had to kill her best friend, humans taking the vampires' side over the Slayers', dealing with fame and not even the good kind, I'm talking Osama Bin Laden fame, had to run away to Tibet and by doing that endangering Oz and his family, finally feeling content and happy after losing her powers and finally able to confess her feelings for Xander knowing that she wouldn't hurt him as an ordinary human only to have all her hopes squashed by the sight of him kissing her sister, going into war against humans –those Buffy always protected, all betraying her and trying to kill her and her people- having so many of her Slayers killed, Riley injured badly, and then when she had the courage to confess to Xander that she loved him, he turned her down, not only that, but for the third time in her life a man tells her how she actually feels and doesn't believe her, and then when she started to feel content with her new powers, she's told she's sucking life out of her Slayers to gain those powers, and FINALLY the biggest blow of them all, Angel is behind the mask of the season's mass murderer.
Seriously, POOR BUFFY!
Anyway, "Don't you wanna be happy?" Angel asks. And Buffy does. She's so tired. She wants a moment of peace. Just a moment. She wants to forget about it all, believe Angel and just be loved again. It's been a rough year, probably the roughest, being back from heaven doesn't compare to the shit she's facing right now. "This isn't real, but I just wanna feel." Not to mention, it had been foreshadowed that Buffy wanted to give in in Retreat, can't blame her when she's globally running away from humans and demons who wants her and her friends dead.
Buffy loses herself in passionate sex with a push from the universe. It's one hell of a sex. The second Buffy wakes up from the sensation, she's back to business. Looking at her surroundings, she realizes that it's a trap, takes a fighting pose, and breaks my heart when she says that whenever she catches her breath, something bad happens.
The poisoned apple feels more like a reference to Snow White than Adam and Eve. Which ties again with fairy tale theme of the season. See
Emmie's
essay.
I'm so happy that Satsu is back. I've read a lot of complains accusing Satsu of being a selfish brat for leaving a fight because she's upset with Buffy. I knew she's be back once she cooled down.
I understand why Giles never said a thing about Twilight before. He'd always thought it was a myth, some sort of fairytale, I'm not sure when he started to realize that it's not a myth, though. Perhaps when Buffy had sent him the symbol of Twilight in #1.
Twilight has a strong hold on its subjects -and obviously Angel and Buffy are his subjects-which suggests that Angel wasn't in his right mind when he was dressed as Twilight.
Xander doesn't really care about Twilight, the myth, the beginning of time and all that crap. He just wants to know why they're being attacked, and Giles is frustrating him to no end with his grieved tone and stalling with info. Seriously, dude, spill it out. Cut to the chase. Giles does grate.
Also, no matter how much I hear about S8 writing those characters OOC, I'm sorry, but Xander never felt OOC in the entire run of this season. His question about the reason behind Angel turning into a killer instead of going "I told you so" shows how far he's grown. I'm just sick of reading fanfics that never acknowledge Xander's character growth after Selfless and still paint him as a vampire-hater (specifically Angel and Spike hater).
I really, really love Willow's expression when Giles says "Utterly expendable." Wonderful job, Jeanty!
Aw, I loved Dawn's "Y'hear me, Xander?"
And what I love even more, Xander shouting orders at Kennedy and her "Already on it!" Leader Xander. Drools. He does remind me of Buffy in S7 when he says "Grab whatever weapons you can find." Buffy taught him well. If only we could get an issue about that year and a half with Buffy giving Xander pointers and helping him become the leader he is right now. Someone write this missing scene for me, please?
I LOVED Andrew protecting Warren and getting hurt because of it. I love that he still cares. And I love Warren's concern for Andrew even more. I do think Warren did care about Andrew, going after Buffy with a gun had something to do with losing Andrew and Jonathan, as Xander pointed out, "He won't be much good without his friends." I actually love that Warren has humanity in him and he's not really a black/white character.
Amy freaking out about Warren's display of concern disturbed me. Especially when I'd recently watched The Witch (S1). What happened to old sweet Amy?
I love Buffy's pointed TWILIGHT when addressing Angel. She's still confused and upset about what he had done while in a mask, but knows it's not the right time to discuss that when they're trapped in some sort of paradise.
Angel corrects her that he's not Twilight. Twilight is the place that had apparently controlled him throughout the season. Then starts saying mushy stuff that Buffy mocks and find cheesy.
Angel compares Buffy with Xander, that she jokes to hide her true feelings of fear, pain, sorrow, nervousness… etc. But Buffy corrects him by saying that Xander doesn't hide when he jokes anymore, he jokes because he enjoys joking. Angel is talking about Xander the kid, and much like Angel doesn't know Buffy anymore, he doesn't know Xander anymore either. (I'm actually thrilled that Angel noticed that about Xander in the first place. Aw, the Angel/Xander fan in me is squealing.)
Buffy accusing Angel of talking like Giles is a relief. Both of them grate with their incomprehensive babbling.
Aw, I'm so happy that in the middle of it all, Buffy's sole concern is about her friends.
Angel's reaction to finding out about what's happening to Earth is interesting. He's shocked and the first thing that pops to his head is helping them, fixing it, he and Buffy can fix everything. Then comes the interesting part; "After all these centuries, no more fighting, no more "failing", no more dying. We're finally going to be happy." Just like Buffy, Angel had been through hell, in #33, he mentions LA, something awful happened in LA and caused Angel to fall for Twilight's promises, caused him to give up. (I'm guessing we'll find out in Joss' arc.)
Buffy's eyes, her tears, poor thing wants to be happy, she hasn't been happy in a long, long time. The last time I remember Buffy being happy was the beginning of S5, after then it all went downhill for her.
I love Faith carrying Andrew over her shoulder. Andrew as part of the Scoobies, my heart squeezes for him!
Aw! Xander/Faith moment! Xander touches Faith's shoulder, and notes in concern, "You're bleeding."
Faith points out that she's a Slayer again, but the other girls aren't.
I've read a neat theory about that here. Oooh, angry Willow is ruthless. I love her.
Angel doesn't want to give up Twilight. I'm guessing he's got nothing to live for in Earth. Did Connor die? He tells Buffy that her friends can handle it without her, they managed to when she was dead. Apparently Angel didn't get the memo that Buffy's friends were the ones who brought her back because they couldn't handle life without her.
Who can finish Buffy's sentence: "My friends are different than…."
Buffy is fighting for her friends. Not humanity. I can't blame her. Humanity had been nothing but horrid to her, chasing her around, trying their best to kill her and the people she loves, preferring vampires over her, calling her a terrorist. But Buffy's friends were there from the beginning. They're the ones who helped her throughout the years and still are. They're always there when it counts, they NEVER left her, and if they did (like Willow and Giles), they always came back. And stayed. To help her. They're worth sacrificing heaven and paradise for.
Xander yelling Buffy's name. "She can't hear you." "She can. She always can." Squee!
"Don’t you know me by now, Angel? I NEVER do what I'm meant for." One of Buffy's best lines since "The thing about changing the world… once you do it, the world’s all different."
Jeanty does a great job conveying emotions. Buffy's determined expression when she tears into the white page, her stubborn, rebellious smile when she said "Yup." And then Angel's heartbroken expression because she chose her friends over him, her sad expression because she realizes she's giving him up as well as internal happiness, and then Angel's "Yeah, like I didn't know she'd do that. Oh, well."
"Okay. Let's go." My favorite Angel expression.
I love Buffy tying her hair back as a sign of going to business. And finally both of them get back to their clothes and being themselves instead of wearing other Slayers and vampires' clothes.
My favorite pages are Buffy and Angel using their powers to beat the demons, fighting side by side, beating those demons like a flash around Xander, Giles and Dawn who yell, "Buffy!" "Buffy!" "Buffy!" That moment made me wish S8 was on TV, it's so powerful.
"And
Twilight!" Willow sneers. She's pissed at Angel, and Angel knows he had it coming.
Buffy apologizing to Willow, and Willow's sarcastic yet understanding line. Wonderful panel.
Does Willow know that Spike is coming? "Oh, this is gonna be good."
When his ship-thingie landed, Willow seems to have a nervous smile on her lips. Giles takes his glasses and is shocked. Faith touches her bleeding lips and she's shocked. Dawn is shocked. Warren and Xander glare at it. Satsu appears interested. Angel is curious. Buffy is shocked.
Spike stands in front of them! And shit, do we have to wait three months for the next issue?!!!!