The 100th "Previously on" sequence is such a stunning bit of artfulness - such a special little touch that really brings home just HOW much Buffy has had to deal with.
The 100th "Previously on" sequence also relates to the theme that just before we die, we see images from every moment of our lives. Therefore, it was a "hint" on what was about to happen to Buffy.
I love how in the season 1 final buffy says to Jenny "tell Giles....I Danno think of something cool tell him I said it" and in this she says to dawn "tell Giles I figured it out and I'm ok" I think she truly felt ready. Also in fool for love when spike explained to buffy about every slayer having a death wish and wanting it. And buffy explains this exact feeling to willow while in her brain. This show is so amazing
You are right Cody, where do we go from here? All the Buffy fans will know the answer to that one. :) Couldn't wait to see you guys reaction to this one since it's my favorite season finale and just one of the most emotional eps ever. And you both have so much empathy and emotion for these characters, I knew you'd for sure tear up many times for sure, especially the last minute. Now you see why this season is so many fans favorite
Giles didn't become the Ripper in the end. If you go back through the series every time Giles lets the Ripper out he takes off his glasses. Giles specifically put his glasses on before killing Ben. Giles was killing Ben as Giles, as Buffy's surrogate father.
Actually he takes them off when he doesn't want to see whatever it is he's seeing. Yes sometimes when he goes all Ripper he takes them off because he didn't usually like doing it. It's more this time he wanted to be seeing it, he wanted to be sure.
He knew he had to do it once Tara called him a killer, to me it has nothing to do with the Ripper but protecting Buffy from crossing that line. I wonder if that mental state Glory put her in, allowed her to tap into premonitory powers she had buried within her. Since the "crazy" people were able to see. This was the only way to get rid of Glory. If she doesn't get her way she'll kill them all and even if she makes it back to her world, she knows about theirs and could come back with other gods, monsters.
Buffy's death was predicted back in season 3 with Faith during the dream sequence when both Buffy and Faith were in a coma. Tara also mentions something about what we now know as Buffy's death in the dreams episode about the time being wrong... If you notice the time, it signified a countdown to the season 5 finale. Faith mentions Buffy's sister (which sounded weird because at the time Buffy didn't have a sister). The time in that episode is what we focus on and then Tara tells us the time is wrong... Such good writing.
You know whats funny? Everyone had a job to do this episode. Anya came up with the plan, xander with the buffybot and the wrecking ball, willow with the spell, giles killed ben. Spike is the only one that failed. He had to protect Dawn. One failure and the plan was done for
@@AnatoleVGC But you know, when you put it like that, just go back and watch what Dawn did when Spike appeared behind Joel Grey's character...she shouted his name and completely ruined the element of surprise. Spike possibly would have bested him otherwise. So really, if you think about it, Dawn was her own downfall - or Buffy's I guess. 🤷♀
@@chanceneck8072i mean his dialogue from season 6 suggests he fully recognizes his “fault.” whether he recognized it immediately or not is debatable ofc. but he at least later fully blames himself, so it wouldn’t be surprising if he Immediately pegged that he could’ve done “more”/“better”
I’m 31 now, and Season 5 was the one season of Buffy I watched with my dad as it aired (when I was 7 years old). Remembering him tear up to Tara being embraced at the end of the Family was a memory that helped me come out to him and my mom 8 years later, knowing that he wouldn’t reject me for who I was. We both cried to this finale because we both thought it was the series finale! My dad never got the news that it was moving to UPN, so we missed the last two seasons 😂. But I’ll always remember how amazing it was to watch this amazing season as it aired!
44:40 "Where do we go, from here?" Exactly! 46:38 When they wrote "The Gift" it was supposed to be The finale. In "Graduation Day, p2", Faith even prophesized it ("counting down from 7-3-0": 730 day was the exact time between that episode and this one). Then, when the episode was shot, they knew there would have been a next season, reason why they changed some details. Anyways, I watched this ending so many times, and I cried every single one of them...
i just love that Buffy wears white in the Gift episode when she rescues Dawn. idk, white to me means purity, innocence, clarity and i feel like Buffy had full clarity on what she needed to do in that last moment as a hero and as Dawns sister. there was no hesitation. truly selfless. she was ready.
i like this sentiment, but also disagree in terms of thematically and messaging. without getting into spoilers, i think this season is the perfect "part 1/2" to season 6 which would be the "part 2/2" of buffy's view on life and the hardships it brings.
@dragonpaulz_ yeah. I get that. But i was referring to just season 5 as they havent gotten to season 6 on youtube. But. It doesn't mean I'm wrong either. That is how i interpreted the ending of the Gift episode. especially when I first saw it not knowing anything about season 6.
It also depends on your point of view, culturally speaking. In Hindu culture, white is the color worn to funerals. It does symbolize purity but also peace, for the hope of the soul’s journey to Moksha, or nliberation.
So lovely to watch reactors who truly GET this show - it's themes, characters, storylines etc. And to top it off, you have an emotional reaction to it, not just an intellectual understanding ❤ so satisfying to watch.
53:55 "If the blood stops flowing" I don't think they meant that the blood is not coming out of the wound anymore. The blood is still "flowing" in the veins, regardless if there's a band-aid or not.
Omg i remembered when this aired on tv. I was glued. This was suppose to be the series finale. Another tv channel picked up the show and brought it back.
NO SPOILERS, JUST SHOW INFO, NO LEADING NO HINTING: - By this episode they DID know there was going to be another season, but the show was moving to another network (from WB to UPN), because WB canceled it. But by the time the episode what shot they already were planning Season 6. - "until the blood stops flowing" was a fancy way of saying "until the heart stops" - regarding the ending, and Buffy's grave, I will quote Joss Whedon, since it wasn't a spoiler but publicly available info. When he was asked directly if this was a misdirect and Buffy wasn't really dead, he said: "She's rotting in her grave even as we speak." So, you know as much as everyone did before season 6 came.
wb didn't cancel the show. the show moved because upn was willing to pay more. wb would have preferred to keep _buffy_ but not at the price point upn was paying. it was a big jump.
Again..the strength of the show is change, development, maturing..looking back at some of the sillier episodes, then seeing her breakup with Riley, the death of her mom and an undermentioned thing, the abandonment of her and Dawn by their father not responding to the death, her realization that Glory was stronger and her inability to defeat her, the loss of Tara, seeing her best friend Willow’s sorrow at that, seeing Giles nearly killed..going back further her having to kill Angel and her Mom’s reaction to her being a slayer, coming back, resuming her life and Angel’s return..she lived a life of sacrifice, and now she knows she cannot defeat Glory. Awesome television!
Season 6 is my favorite season, but I think that this is the best finale. If I even hear the music ("The Gift" by Christophe Beck) that plays when she jumps, I cry. Also "where do we go from here?" lol
The Gift is so beautiful, well-written, well-acted, and I love this episode so much even when it hurts! ❤ I love the start of the episode with the summary just flashing scenes from every episode up to this one + "You're just a girl." "That's what I keep saying." It was clever to call the episode "The Gift" after we saw the First Slayer tell Buffy that "DEATH *is* your GIFT." Buffy (and the audience) not understanding what that actually meant until she was up there with Dawn was beautifully done. This season is amazing! 💯 I love Buffy so effing much! 🖤 Favorite Buffy quote: "The hardest thing in this world is to live in it. Be brave. Live. For me." 🥺😭💔
One thing that I personally always noted in this episode is that it reminds me of something Spike said back in Fool For Love when he mentioned that the way he succeeded in killing two slayers previously is that they had a moment of hesitation where they wanted to die (debatable if this was actually the case as in the fight with the 2nd slayer, he got lucky when the lights went out in the train). In this case, Buffy's moment of hesitation (as she explained it) was that she wanted the fight to prevent Glory from getting Dawn to be over.
Buffy's death has been foreshadowed since the first dream sequence between Buffy and Faith in the early seasons. It was when Faith and Buffy were in a coma. Tara in the dream sequence said "Be back before Dawn" -- with "D" capitalized in the episode subtitles, foreshadowing the appearance of Dawn in season 5. Then Faith saying "Little Miss Muffit counting down from 7-3-0." -- Little Miss Muffit represents Dawn, and 7-3-0 was the countdown number for the days Buffy had until she'd eventually die in the 100th episode, "The Gift". Then, of course, the First Slayer in this season stated, "Death is your gift," which was the final clue.
The ending of “The Gift” always makes me cry. It’s also, IMO, the best climactic fight in the entire series. Nothing else even comes close, not even the Season 2 or Season 3 finales. The monsters that appeared when the portal to the new dimension opened were truly terrifying. Great masks, whatever they were supposed to be.
Coming in giving hugs before the video even starts. This is a hard one ya'll. She saved the world a lot😢 ❤ Peep Tara called Giles a killer before she left the magic shop.
So fun fact, this episode "The Gift" was marketed as a "series finale". At the time, The WB didn't renew the contract for the show. There was an up-in-coming network known as UPN that the creators were in negotiations with, but unless you were on the internet and looking up tv gossip (which wasn't a thing in the late 90s, early 2000s), you thought that THIS episode "The Gift" was the series finale of BVS. The show plays like a series finale because Joss Whedon and others didn't know if they were gonna come back, so they wrote the show with a finale. HOWEVER, the plot of season 6 was pushed through in season 5 so we had a lead in for the next season, if the show came back. The ending was ugly cry territory because this was it. Five years and our hero died. She saved the world a lot.
Best comment explaining what happened and what it felt like for us watching it in real time. I wasn’t aware that UPN had picked it up when this aired and I was DEVASTATED. 😂
@@crashby123 So everyone at the time knew that it was going to UPN? Watching the promos and seeing "Series finale", everyone knew it was going to UPN at that time, without looking on the internet? The first promo for Buffy the vampire slayer wasn't until six months prior to the premier on the network.
Oh god, when Spike is devastated and crying at the end it kills me every time. He may not have a soul but he has a heart. Buckle up for S6. It’s gut wrenching and one of the best seasons of this series.
I am so glad you watched the Recap for The Gift. I've seen reactors skip that entirely in this. Also well done for spotting the 'feels like 100,' line. That has flown over my head all this time. Whatching you two watch this has even helped me pick up on new details i mever noticed before. 37:23 this is what it looks like when my stutter kicks in and everybody tries to finish my sentences for me because they're getting annoyed with me...only they usually say the wrong thing, which just makes it so much more annoying. 😂😂😂 Although, fun story, last year i met Lucy Lawless at Comic-Con (my Xenite brain was so happy) my stutter kicked in while i was talking to her and i accidentally swore. She laughed and gave me a hug and said 'take your time, you've got this.' It was very calming.
The Gift is one of the most heartbreaking season finales ever. No matter how many times I rewatch it, I always end up crying. Buffy is much braver than any of us will ever be.
I could not stop crying when this happened it was so bitter sweet but she saved everyone she saved the world. And seeing that tombstone.....she saved the world alot😢😢😢😢😢😢 but thank fully we get another season. You guys are amazing great reaction
From the Body until the end of season is an emotional rollercoaster. But the scene with Buffy and Giles is one that always breaks my heart, Buffy had such a hard season and you can see the effect of it in these last two episodes.
The Glorificus drinks! 🥂 Poor Dawn. Buffy in catatonic shock 😢 Willow not messing around 🙌🏼 Spike stating facts about Ben/Glory. Good thing Spike is immune to forgetting like everyone else. I wonder if Ben is fighting Glory from the inside with his humanity or she’s been human so long it’s affecting her. The Glory/Dawn conversation. Anya looking after Tara 💚 Willow going into Buffy’s mind! Young Buffy was adorable. Glad Giles is now mobile. Spike smacking Xander even tho it would hurt him 😂 The Ben/Glory veil is fading. Love how unstable Glory is. Ben trying to help Dawn. Buffy’s mind loop is so sad. Xander remembering Ben is Glory 😂 Of course that shop owner was evil. Th rescuing the box from the fire. Ben vs Glory arguing in the alley 😂 Ben almost taking out Dawn so Glory couldn’t have her. Definitely Jekyll & Hyde vibes. Poor Dawn is just along for the ride. C’mon Ben we were all rooting for you! 😭 Buffy’s revelation about giving up to Willow 💔 Like the parallels of guilt between Glory & Buffy. Buffy is back & ready to save Dawn & the world! I really liked getting to be in Buffy’s mind & get a deeper understanding of her mental state. The fact that it was Willow to bring her back 💚 And that alley scene with Ben/Glory switching back & forth was also really well done. The episode being titled “The Gift” tho…so death? Sounds promising 😳 That entire series recap was INTENSE! A vampire that didn’t know Buffy? Blasphemy! 100th episode hype! 🙌🏼 Wondering why they don’t have Tara lead them to Glory since she’s still under her mind spell. Buffy explaining her connection to Dawn. “Don’t have another coma” Willow please 😂 Anya’s brainstorming session! Giles is having none of this. Yes Buffy lifting the hammer. Dawn telling Ben off tho. Buffy getting in the zone! So many apocalypses they’ve faced already. SMG bringing all the feels this episode 😭 Dawn screaming for Buffy to save her 😢 Anya’s bunny fears always kill me 💀 Xander proposing to Anya?! Her slapping him 😂 She said yes! Willow wanting to be a pointy stick instead of a gun. Buffy inviting Spike in. Him promising to protect Dawn til the end of the world. So many feels this episode. Dawn is up so high! Yes finally following Tara to Glory. Spike offering Willow liquid courage 🙃 Yes Willow blasting Glory. The sphere weakening Glory. In comes the team! 🔥 Willow/Tara reunion 💚 Glory punching off Buffybot’s head & flabbergasted she was a robot 😂 Buffy really said hammer time. The fight sequence climbing the scaffolding was intense! Xander hitting Glory with the wrecking ball! 🙌🏼 Not the creepy store owner showing up to start the blood letting ceremony. Willow communicating with Spike telepathically 🔥 Spike going to save Dawn. Him getting stabbed & thrown from the top! Glory turning back into Ben. Giles killing Ben! The Ripper strikes again 🤯 Buffy yeeting that guy off the tower! The portals opening all over town! Anya pushing Xander out of the way. Dawn wanting to jump 😢 Buffy realizing it has to be her! Her jumping off the tower into the portal! Her monologue voiceover 😭 Them finding Buffy & breaking down. The tombstone saying she saved the world a lot. Facts! 👏🏽 We have the same middle name! Except mine is Ann 🙃 Wow! WHAT.A.FINALE! 👏🏽 Such a somber bittersweet way to end the season. I truly enjoyed this season & how much higher the stakes felt than any prior season. Everyone had their time to shine & a role to play. The anguish Spike felt at the end broke me 😭 I’m curious if we’ll see a different path moving forward for Giles & Willow after this season. Giles with his Ripper self without Buffy. And Willow possibly delving further into dark magic 🤔 I can definitely see why season 5 is people’s favorite. It’s just on another level. So how many times has Buffy died at this point? Like 3? 🤔 I cannot wait to jump into season 6 but I’m also getting sad because there’s only 2 seasons left & I don’t want the journey to end! FANTASTIC season of recaps y’all! 🖤
I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS MOMENT. I've watched this show a million times and Buffy's speech to dawn before she jumps makes me bawl every single time.
Buffy's sacrifice goes together with what we saw earlier in the "Fool For Love" episode. Spike said the Slayers all had a death wish. You have to read that next to the "death is your gift" part. It's not like it's a "gift" she gives, but rather is a gift given to her. In "Weight of the World", Buffy's tired of being the slayer and having to fight, and like Spike told her, at some moment, she just gave up just like other slayers were defeated because they just wanted it to end. So, it's not like she was wishing to die, but she accepted that she saved the world and it was her time to finally rest and receive the gift of being in peace and free.
I've read a comment pointing out that Giles putting his glasses on just before killing Ben is symbolic of him being is Watcher persona and not is Ripper persona at that moment. Because when he regresses to being the Ripper in "Band Candy" he never wears glasses. Which makes sense to me, because he is neither brutal or violent, nor he is taking pleasure from the act, but he is ruthless, calculating, and sorry for what the circumstances force him to do.
I do love the St Crispin's Day speech reference. Because that's William, the reader, the poet, the person who understands the emotive power of language shining through. But with the little Spike twist at the end. The monster is still in there, but he's thinking like the man; because that's what Buffy brings out of him.
"We're having a drink tonight" Y'all gonna need it. The only way to make that drink more Glorificus would be to get gold shimmer dust and add it to the rim, one because gold is like the luxurious stuff she likes but also her blonde hair. The back and forth between Glory and Ben is so good. When Tara looks at Giles and says "You're a killer" she knew what he was about to do to Ben. I find it interesting that when Buffy was dropping her college courses she seemed to really like Poetry, and then Spike was a poet, even if he was technically a bad one. Having everyone jump in and fight in the battle also just proves the watchers wrong even more, they have it in their minds that the Slayer is best on her own but even without her strength or without Willows magic they can all play a part to stop a god.
12:21 "she's becoming less stable" well there was that time in episode 5 right before she plunged her fingers into the mailman. a very stable genius indeed 😂
Yeah, everything was so BIG this season because “The Gift” was originally planned to be the series finale. Which is why the show has been dropping hints that Buffy was going to sacrifice her life since way back in season 3… “Counting down from 7-3-0”
Re: shows going on without the lead... It's happened a few times. Off the top of my head I can think of Robin of Sherwood and Blake's 7. Come to think of it, Doctor Who as well (and most famously).
fun fact when James Marsters did his stunt for the falling from the tower bit, one of the rubble bits was unfortunately placed so the corner got him right in the junk! I remember it being told on the dvd commentary lol
Lots of people assume this was meant to be the finale. Never from a writing standpoint, but all the season finale were written like they could be series finale's in case issue of cancellation were brought up; and in this case The WB didn't have the bid for reneal of distributing right, which went to UPN, but from a writing standpoint it was never the end. Like all the season gfinale's it could have been if needed to, though.
The WB wasn't originally in the bid for renewal though. The contract had ended, and when this season was conceptualized and written, it was uncertain which network would pick the show up, if one were to. The WB never really planned on renewing the show past the fifth season (mostly due to budgetary concerns), which is why it was shopped around to other networks in the first place. I don't think it was until they saw how hungry other networks were for it (and how much money they were willing to offer), that they realized they wanted to try and keep it.
Whedon always maintained they knew there would be another season. In a May 2001 TV Guide interview that appeared just days after this episode aired he said, "We've had next season (season 6) planned out for a long time - before we even knew we were changing networks.". Hmm. Despite that, it certainly seemed liked a series ending. Great episode. Luckily, though, we got two more seasons!
Buffy remains one of only 3 human characters I've cried for in any form of media. I'll tear up like hell for animal characters but won't shed a tear for humans. However, Buffy had me in shambles.
This was supposed to be the Series finale. They wrapped it up but got picked up by another network and came back for 2 more seasons. The Gift will always be one of my favourite episodes and by far my favourite season finale. Glory as a villain is top tier too.
The Gift, I think, is my favorite episode of the series. Everyone had a moment in the big fight. Obviously, Buffy's sacrifice is the main event, but I don’t think Dawn gets enough credit for the fact that she was going to sacrifice herself without hesitation. I support Giles actions reBen. They'd never be safe as long as they were alive. Imo as sad as it would've been, I think this would've made a great a series finale, as it was close to being.
When I first watched this, I was distraught thinking it was the last ever episode. It still makes me ball my eyes out every time even knowing there’s two more seasons
Since you're in season 5 of Charmed already, I will say that the season 3 finale with Prue and this finale within 5 days of each other was rough for people who were fans of both shows. Having to wait that summer to see what was going to happen next for both was hard.
28:21 one thing i don't see people discuss too often is how dawn is basically buffy's daughter. this "the monks made her out of me" line hammers it home the most explicitly. after joyce's death, buffy's relationship with and feelings towards dawn become really maternal - not that someone wouldn't love their little sister enough to protect them and even sacrifice their own life for them, but i always saw buffy's protection of dawn as even more primal than that and this line confirms it for me.
So, there cant be a "new" slayer as Buffy had already previously died, which activated Kendra, then her death activated Faith. So technically Faith is the current slayer :-) Has been a great ride so far with Buffy & Angel.. love your reactions!
Buffys outside the line of slayers. It rests with Faith. Cause of the loophole of dying. Which always made me wonder if they could have made many slayers by doing a Flatliners (medically kill and resussitate a slayer)
The way you said "season 5 episode 22 the gift And NOW that makes since" I laughed so hard. The way Xander's proposal hit y'all in the feels 🥰 And y'all didn't miss a single call back. Every piece fit perfectly and you saw it. I swear this show is a masterpiece so well thought out beautifully written 🤌
The montage at the begining of "the gift" is amazing. These two episodes have some brilliant moments. The Ben is Glory confusion, the Buffybot being untilised "did everyone know the slayer was a robot?" The moment where you see Buffy "quit". Our girl is tired. She thinks she let Dawn get taken, she's had enough, that was the last straw. The "memory" of Dawn being born and Buffy saying 'can i take care of her". Ben flipping on what he needs to do. Buffy realising what Death is her gift meant and being ready, like Spike said every slayer wanting that moment of release. Giles doing what needs to be done knowing Buffy wont. "You're just a girl" "Thats what i keep saying" ❤ Willow fcking Glory up and fixing Tara. Xander coming in swinging with the wrecking ball . The parallel between Buffy being too late like in season 2. Sacrificed Angel, sacrificed herself here. The portal opening and a little flicker in Buffy's eyes as tho it's time for it to be over and it's almost relief. Buffy's speech. The absolute cry fest at the end. "She saved the world a lot."
This season is a league above the other seasons, this could have been a show finale with how great it all was. I am glad season 6/7 happened but they never reach this or seasons 2/3s heights
A lot of us watching didn’t know it was continuing. At the time I had neither a tv nor internet access. I had to rely on someone else recording it for me. As far as I was concerned it was all over. It was a long time before I found out there was more coming.
One of the greatest seasons endings in TV history. And one of the most emotional. Buffy set a standard by giving you the episode you never thought you would see.
This was the original end. As they wrote it, they didn't know if there would be more, because of the issues with the network. (It's in a DVD commentary that they had trouble writing the actual final episode, because they'd already written it.) But by the time it came out we knew it had been saved and would be going to another channel in the US. (For me in the UK, it was always on the BBC, once early evening with the nasty bits cut, and once late night with them left in.)
At the time of filming it, etc, they legitimately thought this was it. WB wasn't picking them up again(it had skated the edge of cancelation for most of its run), so this was filmed as if it would be the end of the show, but then UPN dropped a lot to grab the show and we got Season 6 and 7. So yeah, they wrapped filming but didn't know about renewal til after that.
We've always seen the Ripper. Giles is the Ripper, they aren't different persons, like Ben and Glory. Anya was supposed to die in this episode. But Emma Caulfield saved her - she always moved when Nick was carrying her, spoiling take after take, so eventually they gave up and let Anya live. When our state TV first showed Buffy, they only bought two seasons. So, for years I thought that the S2 finale, with Buffy leaving Sunnydale, is the end. And then I found there is more. When they showed Buffy for the second time. And bought five episodes. Thankfully, Internet was a thing already, so I found out pretty quickly it's not the end. BTW, for some reason that second time they did a different translation and always called Giles “Guy-less”. Except for one episode. They found out they'd be renewed before filming this episode. They had to make some changes to the script to allow that. We're not getting a new slayer. Every slayer has one “charge”, activating a new slayer with her death. Joss explained that in an interview. So, a new slayer will spawn if Faith dies. Buffy already spent her charge, activating Kendra.
24 years and countless rewatches later, the end of this episode still gets me
The 100th "Previously on" sequence is such a stunning bit of artfulness - such a special little touch that really brings home just HOW much Buffy has had to deal with.
That was brutally removed from the Region 1 DVD. I think this is the first reactor to see and react to it, that I've seen.
It also helped this episode be a series finale if it needed to be.
@@JeshuaSquirrel All season finales from seasons one-through-five were written as series finales.
42:50 It's dawn, the sun is coming up. Buffy saves Dawn. She saves Dawn.
The 100th "Previously on" sequence also relates to the theme that just before we die, we see images from every moment of our lives. Therefore, it was a "hint" on what was about to happen to Buffy.
I love how in the season 1 final buffy says to Jenny "tell Giles....I Danno think of something cool tell him I said it" and in this she says to dawn "tell Giles I figured it out and I'm ok" I think she truly felt ready. Also in fool for love when spike explained to buffy about every slayer having a death wish and wanting it. And buffy explains this exact feeling to willow while in her brain. This show is so amazing
You are right Cody, where do we go from here? All the Buffy fans will know the answer to that one. :) Couldn't wait to see you guys reaction to this one since it's my favorite season finale and just one of the most emotional eps ever. And you both have so much empathy and emotion for these characters, I knew you'd for sure tear up many times for sure, especially the last minute. Now you see why this season is so many fans favorite
"The battle's done, and we kinda won, so we sound our victory cheer..."
R.I.P. Buffy Summers.
You saved the world alot.
SE6 here we come.
Dawn the Vampire Slayer.
That musical score at the end always tears me up especially as I chose it to be played at my mothers funeral. So beautiful
It's phenomenal and one of the best in TV history.
Giles didn't become the Ripper in the end. If you go back through the series every time Giles lets the Ripper out he takes off his glasses. Giles specifically put his glasses on before killing Ben. Giles was killing Ben as Giles, as Buffy's surrogate father.
Yeah, I thought this too.
Actually he takes them off when he doesn't want to see whatever it is he's seeing. Yes sometimes when he goes all Ripper he takes them off because he didn't usually like doing it. It's more this time he wanted to be seeing it, he wanted to be sure.
He knew he had to do it once Tara called him a killer, to me it has nothing to do with the Ripper but protecting Buffy from crossing that line. I wonder if that mental state Glory put her in, allowed her to tap into premonitory powers she had buried within her. Since the "crazy" people were able to see. This was the only way to get rid of Glory. If she doesn't get her way she'll kill them all and even if she makes it back to her world, she knows about theirs and could come back with other gods, monsters.
"Where do we go from here?"
A very good question indeed...
I see what you did there...
Buffy's death was predicted back in season 3 with Faith during the dream sequence when both Buffy and Faith were in a coma. Tara also mentions something about what we now know as Buffy's death in the dreams episode about the time being wrong... If you notice the time, it signified a countdown to the season 5 finale.
Faith mentions Buffy's sister (which sounded weird because at the time Buffy didn't have a sister). The time in that episode is what we focus on and then Tara tells us the time is wrong...
Such good writing.
You know why Spike is crying so hard? He was up there to save Dawn... but he failed. If he didn't, Buffy would have lived
You know whats funny? Everyone had a job to do this episode. Anya came up with the plan, xander with the buffybot and the wrecking ball, willow with the spell, giles killed ben. Spike is the only one that failed. He had to protect Dawn. One failure and the plan was done for
@@AnatoleVGC But you know, when you put it like that, just go back and watch what Dawn did when Spike appeared behind Joel Grey's character...she shouted his name and completely ruined the element of surprise. Spike possibly would have bested him otherwise. So really, if you think about it, Dawn was her own downfall - or Buffy's I guess. 🤷♀
@@leniloubettyboopbossyboots247exactly. Dawn shouted in panic and inadvertently caused it.
He's crying so hard because the woman he loves is DEAD! 🤨🤷♂️
@@chanceneck8072i mean his dialogue from season 6 suggests he fully recognizes his “fault.” whether he recognized it immediately or not is debatable ofc. but he at least later fully blames himself, so it wouldn’t be surprising if he Immediately pegged that he could’ve done “more”/“better”
I’m 31 now, and Season 5 was the one season of Buffy I watched with my dad as it aired (when I was 7 years old).
Remembering him tear up to Tara being embraced at the end of the Family was a memory that helped me come out to him and my mom 8 years later, knowing that he wouldn’t reject me for who I was.
We both cried to this finale because we both thought it was the series finale! My dad never got the news that it was moving to UPN, so we missed the last two seasons 😂. But I’ll always remember how amazing it was to watch this amazing season as it aired!
It almost was the finale, right? IIRC, it moving to UPN was a last minute save.
44:40 "Where do we go, from here?" Exactly!
46:38 When they wrote "The Gift" it was supposed to be The finale. In "Graduation Day, p2", Faith even prophesized it ("counting down from 7-3-0": 730 day was the exact time between that episode and this one). Then, when the episode was shot, they knew there would have been a next season, reason why they changed some details.
Anyways, I watched this ending so many times, and I cried every single one of them...
Well, at least the battle’s done. And we kinda won?
You beat me to it 😂
@@alysharichards3757time to sound our victory cheer I guess
I started singing when he said it. LOL
But yet we all still ‘walk alone in fear’ …..
That piano medley as the sun comes up >>>>
Beautiful
It's called Sacrifice.
i just love that Buffy wears white in the Gift episode when she rescues Dawn. idk, white to me means purity, innocence, clarity and i feel like Buffy had full clarity on what she needed to do in that last moment as a hero and as Dawns sister. there was no hesitation. truly selfless. she was ready.
i like this sentiment, but also disagree in terms of thematically and messaging. without getting into spoilers, i think this season is the perfect "part 1/2" to season 6 which would be the "part 2/2" of buffy's view on life and the hardships it brings.
@dragonpaulz_ yeah. I get that. But i was referring to just season 5 as they havent gotten to season 6 on youtube. But. It doesn't mean I'm wrong either. That is how i interpreted the ending of the Gift episode. especially when I first saw it not knowing anything about season 6.
It also depends on your point of view, culturally speaking. In Hindu culture, white is the color worn to funerals. It does symbolize purity but also peace, for the hope of the soul’s journey to Moksha, or nliberation.
So lovely to watch reactors who truly GET this show - it's themes, characters, storylines etc. And to top it off, you have an emotional reaction to it, not just an intellectual understanding ❤ so satisfying to watch.
53:55 "If the blood stops flowing"
I don't think they meant that the blood is not coming out of the wound anymore. The blood is still "flowing" in the veins, regardless if there's a band-aid or not.
Omg i remembered when this aired on tv. I was glued. This was suppose to be the series finale. Another tv channel picked up the show and brought it back.
NO SPOILERS, JUST SHOW INFO, NO LEADING NO HINTING:
- By this episode they DID know there was going to be another season, but the show was moving to another network (from WB to UPN), because WB canceled it. But by the time the episode what shot they already were planning Season 6.
- "until the blood stops flowing" was a fancy way of saying "until the heart stops"
- regarding the ending, and Buffy's grave, I will quote Joss Whedon, since it wasn't a spoiler but publicly available info. When he was asked directly if this was a misdirect and Buffy wasn't really dead, he said: "She's rotting in her grave even as we speak." So, you know as much as everyone did before season 6 came.
wb didn't cancel the show. the show moved because upn was willing to pay more. wb would have preferred to keep _buffy_ but not at the price point upn was paying. it was a big jump.
"She even had the season 3 bangs" 😂😂😂😂😂😂
"I feel like I haven't seen a vampire in forever." - that was entirely the point.
Again..the strength of the show is change, development, maturing..looking back at some of the sillier episodes, then seeing her breakup with Riley, the death of her mom and an undermentioned thing, the abandonment of her and Dawn by their father not responding to the death, her realization that Glory was stronger and her inability to defeat her, the loss of Tara, seeing her best friend Willow’s sorrow at that, seeing Giles nearly killed..going back further her having to kill Angel and her Mom’s reaction to her being a slayer, coming back, resuming her life and Angel’s return..she lived a life of sacrifice, and now she knows she cannot defeat Glory. Awesome television!
anytime I see Sergio cry, I know it’s gonna be a good video!
Season 6 is my favorite season, but I think that this is the best finale. If I even hear the music ("The Gift" by Christophe Beck) that plays when she jumps, I cry.
Also "where do we go from here?" lol
44:41 pivotal words are spoken here.
😢
36:40 Willow sliding in and the camera angle of this scene will always be 🔥🔥
44:40 Cody said the thing! 😮
Episode 100: Death is your gift.
The entire season wapping up together was amazing. So amazing.
7:43..... I know we see Glory saying it. But dang that sounded like Dawn 🤔
The Gift is so beautiful, well-written, well-acted, and I love this episode so much even when it hurts! ❤
I love the start of the episode with the summary just flashing scenes from every episode up to this one + "You're just a girl." "That's what I keep saying."
It was clever to call the episode "The Gift" after we saw the First Slayer tell Buffy that "DEATH *is* your GIFT." Buffy (and the audience) not understanding what that actually meant until she was up there with Dawn was beautifully done.
This season is amazing!
💯
I love Buffy so effing much! 🖤
Favorite Buffy quote: "The hardest thing in this world is to live in it. Be brave. Live. For me." 🥺😭💔
Season 5 is peak Buffy!
One thing that I personally always noted in this episode is that it reminds me of something Spike said back in Fool For Love when he mentioned that the way he succeeded in killing two slayers previously is that they had a moment of hesitation where they wanted to die (debatable if this was actually the case as in the fight with the 2nd slayer, he got lucky when the lights went out in the train). In this case, Buffy's moment of hesitation (as she explained it) was that she wanted the fight to prevent Glory from getting Dawn to be over.
Buffy's death has been foreshadowed since the first dream sequence between Buffy and Faith in the early seasons. It was when Faith and Buffy were in a coma.
Tara in the dream sequence said "Be back before Dawn" -- with "D" capitalized in the episode subtitles, foreshadowing the appearance of Dawn in season 5.
Then Faith saying "Little Miss Muffit counting down from 7-3-0." -- Little Miss Muffit represents Dawn, and 7-3-0 was the countdown number for the days Buffy had until she'd eventually die in the 100th episode, "The Gift".
Then, of course, the First Slayer in this season stated, "Death is your gift," which was the final clue.
She died at Dawn which is another twisted foreshadowing
Little miss Muffet is Buffy, not Dawn. Dawn is curds and whey.
Miss Muffet had 730 days to go, which are the number of days until Buffy’s death.
The ending of “The Gift” always makes me cry. It’s also, IMO, the best climactic fight in the entire series. Nothing else even comes close, not even the Season 2 or Season 3 finales.
The monsters that appeared when the portal to the new dimension opened were truly terrifying. Great masks, whatever they were supposed to be.
Coming in giving hugs before the video even starts. This is a hard one ya'll. She saved the world a lot😢 ❤
Peep Tara called Giles a killer before she left the magic shop.
So fun fact, this episode "The Gift" was marketed as a "series finale". At the time, The WB didn't renew the contract for the show. There was an up-in-coming network known as UPN that the creators were in negotiations with, but unless you were on the internet and looking up tv gossip (which wasn't a thing in the late 90s, early 2000s), you thought that THIS episode "The Gift" was the series finale of BVS.
The show plays like a series finale because Joss Whedon and others didn't know if they were gonna come back, so they wrote the show with a finale. HOWEVER, the plot of season 6 was pushed through in season 5 so we had a lead in for the next season, if the show came back.
The ending was ugly cry territory because this was it. Five years and our hero died. She saved the world a lot.
Best comment explaining what happened and what it felt like for us watching it in real time. I wasn’t aware that UPN had picked it up when this aired and I was DEVASTATED. 😂
Except it's wrong. They were already breaking episodes for season 6 and the UPN deal was already in place before The Gift broadcast.
Correct. This and Roswell were the two shows WB ended so they went to the UPN to be saved.
@@crashby123 So everyone at the time knew that it was going to UPN? Watching the promos and seeing "Series finale", everyone knew it was going to UPN at that time, without looking on the internet? The first promo for Buffy the vampire slayer wasn't until six months prior to the premier on the network.
@erauprcwa I knew it was changing US networks at the time and I was in the UK!
Best season, hands down!
These reactions are such a highlight of my week 💖I cry at this finale every time. Season 6 is gonna be a ride, can't wait to cry with you some more 🥲
Tears, tears, and more tears 💔
Love the Glorificus drink!
Oh god, when Spike is devastated and crying at the end it kills me every time. He may not have a soul but he has a heart. Buckle up for S6. It’s gut wrenching and one of the best seasons of this series.
I don’t think they are ready for season six…..especially who the big bad turns out to be!
When people say that Spike never actually loved Buffy it really grinds my gears.
@@TheDivineOne187Jonathan is a great Big Bad.
Season 6 is my fave season.
@isuckatguitar6252 I've never seen someone say that before.
I am so glad you watched the Recap for The Gift. I've seen reactors skip that entirely in this. Also well done for spotting the 'feels like 100,' line. That has flown over my head all this time. Whatching you two watch this has even helped me pick up on new details i mever noticed before.
37:23 this is what it looks like when my stutter kicks in and everybody tries to finish my sentences for me because they're getting annoyed with me...only they usually say the wrong thing, which just makes it so much more annoying. 😂😂😂
Although, fun story, last year i met Lucy Lawless at Comic-Con (my Xenite brain was so happy) my stutter kicked in while i was talking to her and i accidentally swore. She laughed and gave me a hug and said 'take your time, you've got this.' It was very calming.
The Gift is one of the most heartbreaking season finales ever. No matter how many times I rewatch it, I always end up crying. Buffy is much braver than any of us will ever be.
This has always been my favorite season. It really feels like no episode was wasted. It connected for the big finale
I could not stop crying when this happened it was so bitter sweet but she saved everyone she saved the world. And seeing that tombstone.....she saved the world alot😢😢😢😢😢😢 but thank fully we get another season. You guys are amazing great reaction
SHE SAVED THE WORLD A LOT
God… I just had to make another comment. I cry every single time while watching this finale. It’s so bittersweet and perfect 😭🫶🏻
From the Body until the end of season is an emotional rollercoaster. But the scene with Buffy and Giles is one that always breaks my heart, Buffy had such a hard season and you can see the effect of it in these last two episodes.
EPIC season finale! Thanks for sharing the journey with us, rewatching Buffy with you guys is awesome!
The Glorificus drinks! 🥂 Poor Dawn. Buffy in catatonic shock 😢 Willow not messing around 🙌🏼 Spike stating facts about Ben/Glory. Good thing Spike is immune to forgetting like everyone else. I wonder if Ben is fighting Glory from the inside with his humanity or she’s been human so long it’s affecting her. The Glory/Dawn conversation. Anya looking after Tara 💚 Willow going into Buffy’s mind! Young Buffy was adorable. Glad Giles is now mobile. Spike smacking Xander even tho it would hurt him 😂 The Ben/Glory veil is fading. Love how unstable Glory is. Ben trying to help Dawn. Buffy’s mind loop is so sad. Xander remembering Ben is Glory 😂 Of course that shop owner was evil. Th rescuing the box from the fire. Ben vs Glory arguing in the alley 😂 Ben almost taking out Dawn so Glory couldn’t have her. Definitely Jekyll & Hyde vibes. Poor Dawn is just along for the ride. C’mon Ben we were all rooting for you! 😭 Buffy’s revelation about giving up to Willow 💔 Like the parallels of guilt between Glory & Buffy. Buffy is back & ready to save Dawn & the world! I really liked getting to be in Buffy’s mind & get a deeper understanding of her mental state. The fact that it was Willow to bring her back 💚 And that alley scene with Ben/Glory switching back & forth was also really well done.
The episode being titled “The Gift” tho…so death? Sounds promising 😳 That entire series recap was INTENSE! A vampire that didn’t know Buffy? Blasphemy! 100th episode hype! 🙌🏼 Wondering why they don’t have Tara lead them to Glory since she’s still under her mind spell. Buffy explaining her connection to Dawn. “Don’t have another coma” Willow please 😂 Anya’s brainstorming session! Giles is having none of this. Yes Buffy lifting the hammer. Dawn telling Ben off tho. Buffy getting in the zone! So many apocalypses they’ve faced already. SMG bringing all the feels this episode 😭 Dawn screaming for Buffy to save her 😢 Anya’s bunny fears always kill me 💀 Xander proposing to Anya?! Her slapping him 😂 She said yes! Willow wanting to be a pointy stick instead of a gun. Buffy inviting Spike in. Him promising to protect Dawn til the end of the world. So many feels this episode. Dawn is up so high! Yes finally following Tara to Glory. Spike offering Willow liquid courage 🙃 Yes Willow blasting Glory. The sphere weakening Glory. In comes the team! 🔥 Willow/Tara reunion 💚 Glory punching off Buffybot’s head & flabbergasted she was a robot 😂 Buffy really said hammer time. The fight sequence climbing the scaffolding was intense! Xander hitting Glory with the wrecking ball! 🙌🏼 Not the creepy store owner showing up to start the blood letting ceremony. Willow communicating with Spike telepathically 🔥 Spike going to save Dawn. Him getting stabbed & thrown from the top! Glory turning back into Ben. Giles killing Ben! The Ripper strikes again 🤯 Buffy yeeting that guy off the tower! The portals opening all over town! Anya pushing Xander out of the way. Dawn wanting to jump 😢 Buffy realizing it has to be her! Her jumping off the tower into the portal! Her monologue voiceover 😭 Them finding Buffy & breaking down. The tombstone saying she saved the world a lot. Facts! 👏🏽 We have the same middle name! Except mine is Ann 🙃
Wow! WHAT.A.FINALE! 👏🏽 Such a somber bittersweet way to end the season. I truly enjoyed this season & how much higher the stakes felt than any prior season. Everyone had their time to shine & a role to play. The anguish Spike felt at the end broke me 😭 I’m curious if we’ll see a different path moving forward for Giles & Willow after this season. Giles with his Ripper self without Buffy. And Willow possibly delving further into dark magic 🤔 I can definitely see why season 5 is people’s favorite. It’s just on another level. So how many times has Buffy died at this point? Like 3? 🤔 I cannot wait to jump into season 6 but I’m also getting sad because there’s only 2 seasons left & I don’t want the journey to end! FANTASTIC season of recaps y’all! 🖤
I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS MOMENT. I've watched this show a million times and Buffy's speech to dawn before she jumps makes me bawl every single time.
Buffy's sacrifice goes together with what we saw earlier in the "Fool For Love" episode. Spike said the Slayers all had a death wish. You have to read that next to the "death is your gift" part. It's not like it's a "gift" she gives, but rather is a gift given to her. In "Weight of the World", Buffy's tired of being the slayer and having to fight, and like Spike told her, at some moment, she just gave up just like other slayers were defeated because they just wanted it to end. So, it's not like she was wishing to die, but she accepted that she saved the world and it was her time to finally rest and receive the gift of being in peace and free.
Wonderful reaction. Bawled my eyes out, thank you guys. ❤
Even though I enjoy season 6 and 7 the gift would be a perfect series finale. The opening sequence gives me chill every time too.
Spoilers ahead
While I agree in a sense. This is the perfect ending for a slayer character, season 7 has the perfect ending for Buffys characters
i remember when upn bought the show from the wb and the marketingleading up to it was awesome
I've read a comment pointing out that Giles putting his glasses on just before killing Ben is symbolic of him being is Watcher persona and not is Ripper persona at that moment. Because when he regresses to being the Ripper in "Band Candy" he never wears glasses. Which makes sense to me, because he is neither brutal or violent, nor he is taking pleasure from the act, but he is ruthless, calculating, and sorry for what the circumstances force him to do.
I do love the St Crispin's Day speech reference. Because that's William, the reader, the poet, the person who understands the emotive power of language shining through. But with the little Spike twist at the end. The monster is still in there, but he's thinking like the man; because that's what Buffy brings out of him.
I’ve watched Buffy since it premiered and I’ve never heard this little tidbit. Excellent analysis.
I absolutely love the music at the end of this episode. It is so beautiful.
Just wanted to say i absolutely love your reactions and how invested you are in the show. This episode is just so beautiful and so fitting for Buffy.
"We're having a drink tonight" Y'all gonna need it. The only way to make that drink more Glorificus would be to get gold shimmer dust and add it to the rim, one because gold is like the luxurious stuff she likes but also her blonde hair. The back and forth between Glory and Ben is so good. When Tara looks at Giles and says "You're a killer" she knew what he was about to do to Ben. I find it interesting that when Buffy was dropping her college courses she seemed to really like Poetry, and then Spike was a poet, even if he was technically a bad one. Having everyone jump in and fight in the battle also just proves the watchers wrong even more, they have it in their minds that the Slayer is best on her own but even without her strength or without Willows magic they can all play a part to stop a god.
12:21 "she's becoming less stable" well there was that time in episode 5 right before she plunged her fingers into the mailman. a very stable genius indeed 😂
Good thing you prepared those drinks 😂
You had one job, Spike, damn you!
I am not ready to see y’all at the end of this 😭
Yeah, everything was so BIG this season because “The Gift” was originally planned to be the series finale. Which is why the show has been dropping hints that Buffy was going to sacrifice her life since way back in season 3…
“Counting down from 7-3-0”
Re: shows going on without the lead... It's happened a few times. Off the top of my head I can think of Robin of Sherwood and Blake's 7. Come to think of it, Doctor Who as well (and most famously).
fun fact when James Marsters did his stunt for the falling from the tower bit, one of the rubble bits was unfortunately placed so the corner got him right in the junk! I remember it being told on the dvd commentary lol
The 6th season is tough! I love it though
Lots of people assume this was meant to be the finale. Never from a writing standpoint, but all the season finale were written like they could be series finale's in case issue of cancellation were brought up; and in this case The WB didn't have the bid for reneal of distributing right, which went to UPN, but from a writing standpoint it was never the end. Like all the season gfinale's it could have been if needed to, though.
I wish more people knew these details. Always appreciate you comments 👍
The WB wasn't originally in the bid for renewal though. The contract had ended, and when this season was conceptualized and written, it was uncertain which network would pick the show up, if one were to. The WB never really planned on renewing the show past the fifth season (mostly due to budgetary concerns), which is why it was shopped around to other networks in the first place. I don't think it was until they saw how hungry other networks were for it (and how much money they were willing to offer), that they realized they wanted to try and keep it.
@@J_Mock92 I thought I wrote "didn't have the bid" instead of "didn't win the bid." ThAanks for the catch.
Whedon always maintained they knew there would be another season. In a May 2001 TV Guide interview that appeared just days after this episode aired he said, "We've had next season (season 6) planned out for a long time - before we even knew we were changing networks.". Hmm. Despite that, it certainly seemed liked a series ending. Great episode. Luckily, though, we got two more seasons!
Buffy remains one of only 3 human characters I've cried for in any form of media. I'll tear up like hell for animal characters but won't shed a tear for humans. However, Buffy had me in shambles.
This scene makes me ugly cry everytime. May I ask who the other two characters are?
@Vladoominator Coco which barely counts because it's animated. The other is from The Green Mile.
Sarah Michelle Gellar is truly the most outstanding yet criminally underrated actress I’ve ever seen on any screen and I’ll die on that hill
So have you seen The Magicians?
@@Vladoominator i forgot about Gladiator. Probably because that one reduces me to atoms.
I can't wait for you two to go on! Hold onto your butts, it's about to get crazy 😎❤️
I’ve quite literally seen this episode more than a dozen times and I still cry. Not teary. Straight up cry.
This was supposed to be the Series finale. They wrapped it up but got picked up by another network and came back for 2 more seasons. The Gift will always be one of my favourite episodes and by far my favourite season finale. Glory as a villain is top tier too.
The Gift, I think, is my favorite episode of the series. Everyone had a moment in the big fight. Obviously, Buffy's sacrifice is the main event, but I don’t think Dawn gets enough credit for the fact that she was going to sacrifice herself without hesitation. I support Giles actions reBen. They'd never be safe as long as they were alive. Imo as sad as it would've been, I think this would've made a great a series finale, as it was close to being.
When I first watched this, I was distraught thinking it was the last ever episode. It still makes me ball my eyes out every time even knowing there’s two more seasons
That melody still instantly brings tears to my eyes
"We should've just put a band-aid on Dawn" is the Buffy equivalent of the Titanic "there was more room on that door" discourse 🤣
Since you're in season 5 of Charmed already, I will say that the season 3 finale with Prue and this finale within 5 days of each other was rough for people who were fans of both shows. Having to wait that summer to see what was going to happen next for both was hard.
28:21 one thing i don't see people discuss too often is how dawn is basically buffy's daughter. this "the monks made her out of me" line hammers it home the most explicitly. after joyce's death, buffy's relationship with and feelings towards dawn become really maternal - not that someone wouldn't love their little sister enough to protect them and even sacrifice their own life for them, but i always saw buffy's protection of dawn as even more primal than that and this line confirms it for me.
Ha Them being called out for drinking was awesome!
So, there cant be a "new" slayer as Buffy had already previously died, which activated Kendra, then her death activated Faith. So technically Faith is the current slayer :-)
Has been a great ride so far with Buffy & Angel.. love your reactions!
Buffys outside the line of slayers. It rests with Faith. Cause of the loophole of dying. Which always made me wonder if they could have made many slayers by doing a Flatliners (medically kill and resussitate a slayer)
This season was originally the end of Buffy. It took a lot of back and forth with SMG to continue after this. That why they killed her here.
The way you said "season 5 episode 22 the gift And NOW that makes since" I laughed so hard.
The way Xander's proposal hit y'all in the feels 🥰 And y'all didn't miss a single call back. Every piece fit perfectly and you saw it.
I swear this show is a masterpiece so well thought out beautifully written 🤌
The montage at the begining of "the gift" is amazing.
These two episodes have some brilliant moments. The Ben is Glory confusion, the Buffybot being untilised "did everyone know the slayer was a robot?"
The moment where you see Buffy "quit". Our girl is tired. She thinks she let Dawn get taken, she's had enough, that was the last straw. The "memory" of Dawn being born and Buffy saying 'can i take care of her".
Ben flipping on what he needs to do.
Buffy realising what Death is her gift meant and being ready, like Spike said every slayer wanting that moment of release.
Giles doing what needs to be done knowing Buffy wont.
"You're just a girl"
"Thats what i keep saying" ❤
Willow fcking Glory up and fixing Tara.
Xander coming in swinging with the wrecking ball .
The parallel between Buffy being too late like in season 2. Sacrificed Angel, sacrificed herself here.
The portal opening and a little flicker in Buffy's eyes as tho it's time for it to be over and it's almost relief.
Buffy's speech.
The absolute cry fest at the end.
"She saved the world a lot."
i love Glorys monologue about being in the world
Can u imagine back in the day, watching it week to week we had no idea if it was the end or not.
This season is a league above the other seasons, this could have been a show finale with how great it all was. I am glad season 6/7 happened but they never reach this or seasons 2/3s heights
Back then that was crushing. We had to wait months and months for the follow up.
"where do we go from here?"
*insert me giggling at this line*
I’ve missed you guys!
A lot of us watching didn’t know it was continuing. At the time I had neither a tv nor internet access. I had to rely on someone else recording it for me. As far as I was concerned it was all over. It was a long time before I found out there was more coming.
One of the greatest seasons endings in TV history. And one of the most emotional. Buffy set a standard by giving you the episode you never thought you would see.
This was the original end. As they wrote it, they didn't know if there would be more, because of the issues with the network. (It's in a DVD commentary that they had trouble writing the actual final episode, because they'd already written it.)
But by the time it came out we knew it had been saved and would be going to another channel in the US. (For me in the UK, it was always on the BBC, once early evening with the nasty bits cut, and once late night with them left in.)
As much as i love this season, season 6 is my favourite, can't wait for y'all to get to it!
Giles willing to get his hands dirty so Buffy can keep hers clean.
The thumbnails are always perfect 👌🏻
At the time of filming it, etc, they legitimately thought this was it. WB wasn't picking them up again(it had skated the edge of cancelation for most of its run), so this was filmed as if it would be the end of the show, but then UPN dropped a lot to grab the show and we got Season 6 and 7. So yeah, they wrapped filming but didn't know about renewal til after that.
44:39 “Where do we go from here?” 😌😉🎶
We've always seen the Ripper. Giles is the Ripper, they aren't different persons, like Ben and Glory.
Anya was supposed to die in this episode. But Emma Caulfield saved her - she always moved when Nick was carrying her, spoiling take after take, so eventually they gave up and let Anya live.
When our state TV first showed Buffy, they only bought two seasons. So, for years I thought that the S2 finale, with Buffy leaving Sunnydale, is the end. And then I found there is more. When they showed Buffy for the second time. And bought five episodes. Thankfully, Internet was a thing already, so I found out pretty quickly it's not the end. BTW, for some reason that second time they did a different translation and always called Giles “Guy-less”. Except for one episode.
They found out they'd be renewed before filming this episode. They had to make some changes to the script to allow that.
We're not getting a new slayer. Every slayer has one “charge”, activating a new slayer with her death. Joss explained that in an interview. So, a new slayer will spawn if Faith dies. Buffy already spent her charge, activating Kendra.