CHECKPOINT; the Watcher's Council arrive

[Saturn 5]

CHECKPOINT
The Good;
Some very good scenes with the council and a nice face off between Buffy and Glory at the Summer's house. Buffy's speech to the council is spot on. Love Tara's little look of panic as she invents a magical proficency level for her and Willow.
The Bad;
Surely Buffy's point that the Watcher's depend on her rather than vice versa is self evident all along?
Best line;
Travers; "Glory's not a demon"
Buffy; "What is she?"
Travers; "She's a god"
Oh boy!
Women good/men bad;
Buffy tells the Council that she has the power, changing a relationship between Watcher and Slayer that has endured millenia.
Jeez!;
Glory brainsucks the postman. Even more horrible is the way she refers to him as 'that' afterwards.
Kinky dinky;
The female Watcher seems to have a Spikette's lust for Spike. Spike suggests Buffy's beauty is fading and that she is not has firm and high (at 20?)
Captain Subtext;
Willow and Tara finally say what they are out loud. Buffy seems to imply that Rasputin was a vamp. The lover of the one Angel killed in 'Why we fight?' Another terrific Spike/Joyce scene, they both love the Passions TV show. Buffy remarks that she 'Doesn't need a boyfriend'. Once again we see the Glory-Buffy-Dawn subtext with Glory suggesting Ben 'bang' the key's location out of Buffy. She also refers to Buffy as 'Sweetie' and thinks the picture of her and Dawn in 'So cute'. She describes Dawn as the 'Darlingest thing', 'Honey' and says she likes her as she's 'Sassy'. Glory's minion thinks Ben 'quite attractive'. Willow refer to her and Tara's relationship with Buffy as 'Just friends'.
Guantanamo Bay;
Scoobies to the ER;
Missing scenes;
Apocalypses; 5,
Wheldon Cliches (with kind permission from Boo)

Scoobies in bondage:
Buffy: 8
Giles: 4
Cordy: 5
Will: 3
Jenny: 1
Angel: 4
Oz: 1
Faith: 3
Joyce: 1
Wes: 1
Xander; 1
Dawn; 1

Scoobies knocked out:
Buffy: 16
Giles: 10
Cordy: 6
Xander: 8
Will: 5
Jenny: 2
Angel: 6
Oz: 3
Faith: 1
Joyce: 3
Wes: 1
Anya;1
Kills:
Buffy: 94 vamps, 32 demons, 6 monsters, 3 humans, 1 werewolf, 1 spirit warrior & a robot
Giles: 5 vamps, 1 demon
Cordy: 3 vamps, ½ a demon
Will: 6 vamps
Angel: 3 vamps, 1 demon, 1 human
Oz: 3 vamps, 1 zombie
Faith: 16 vamps, 5 demons, 3 humans
Xander: 5 vamps, 2 zombies, ½ a demon, ½ a demon
Anya: ½ a demon
Riley; 18 vamps + 7 demons
Spike; 1 demon and 1 vamp in Scooby service

Scoobies go evil:
Giles: 1
Cordy: 1
Will: 2
Jenny: 1
Angel: 1
Oz: 1
Joyce: 1
Xander: 3

Alternate scoobies:
Buffy: 6
Giles: 3
Cordy: 1
Will: 2
Jenny: 2
Angel: 3
Oz: 2
Joyce: 2
Xander: 3

Recurring characters killed: 9
Jesse, Flutie, Jenny, Kendra, Larry, Snyder, Professor Walsh, Forrest, McNamara

Sunnydale deaths;
89;

Total number of scoobies: 6
Giles, Xander, Willow, Buffy, Anya, Tara,

Xander demon magnet: 5(6?)
Preying Mantis Lady, Inca Mummy Girl, Drusilla, VampWillow, Anya (arguably Buffy & Faith with their demon essences?), Dracula?

Scoobies shot:
Giles: 2
Angel: 3
Oz: 4
Riley; 1

Notches on Scooby bedpost:
Giles: 2; Joyce & Olivia, possibly Jenny and 3xDraccy babes?
Cordy: 1?
Buffy: 3 confirmed; Angel, Parker,Riley, 1 possible, Dracula(?)
Angel: 1;Buffy
Joyce: 1;Giles, 2 possible, Ted and Dracula(?)
Oz: 3; Groupie, Willow & Verucca
Faith:2 ;Xander, Riley
Xander: 2; Faith, Anya
Willow: 2;Oz and Tara
Riley; 3; Buffy, Sandy and unnamed vampwhore
Questions and observations;
First appearance of the Knights of Byzantium. Couldn't they put their tattoos somewhere a little less obvious? Of course the Watcher's are right about the dangers of some of the Magic Shop contents as Triangle and later eps will prove. The stars are once again pivotal to Glory's spell. So how do we kill a god? Titan's rib? Golden Hind's blood? Xena?
So who are these Byzantium guys and what do they want other than to fight Glory? (which seems pretty admirable but bad news for Dawn). I always figured that maybe the Watcher's Council had some form of schism reformation style and they're an offshoot
Marks out of 10; 6/10

[Tea - Total]

I love this episode , great fight scene , it was like was jet li in action lol.

Great intentions and round up of information that we needed to here and solve the puzzle of Glory true identity,
The byzantium are a fresh air to the whole arc with Glory, i liked how Buffy has to fight an ultimate god and an army .
Great.

8/10

[Randi Giles]

This is probaly one of my least favorite episodes. The only good parts was the scoobies being interviewed and Buffy beating all thoughs chumps in the alley. This is probably an episode I pass by on my DVD. 5/10

[Saturn 5]

It's a transitive episode, here Buffy changes the relationship between Slayers and Watchers/Shaodowmen that has endured millenia, it's a moment not to be overlooked