Riley ⁉️Buffy The Vampire Slayer S06E15 ''As You Were''♡Reaction & Review♡
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- Опубликовано: 13 июн 2023
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Now that you've finished"Buffy"I'd like you to watch the videos I made about her...!🥺🙏
HEY SOFIE
THERE IS A PROBLEM
WHENEVER I TRY TO JOIN YOUR PATREON,IT DOSEN'T WORK
BCZ I'M FROM INDIA AND I'M HAVING PAYMENT ISSUES
SO CAN YOU PLEASE START UPLOADING THESE UNCUT VERSIONS ON RUclips MEMBERSHIPS ALSO? SO THAT WE CAN ENJOY YOUR UNCUT REACTIONS TOO.
@@MaxXThakur That's probably because the site is american and they have restrictions for some banks. So it can be difficult to pay from some other countries. But unfortunately youtube often deletes lot of videos if they have a whole episode or movie reaction.
@@Junejane4 hey! How are you Thank you for replying
I'm sorry if i confused you,but i requested sofie to upload these uncut versions in YT membership,where only her members can see those videos...we have to purchase her YT membership
And it's easy that way, I've bought jaby koay's membership too
I just need a reaction version, I'll paste the film with picture and picture😁✌️
@SoFieReactsTV You're done with this epic ride? Well, Angel S5 will come (with a few surprises), but lets say it here: It was a pleasure to follow your journey🌹 . Pretty sure, you didn't expect the impact or even any it would have on you. I'm waiting for the rest of the run. 😊
I think this episode underplays the issues Buffy and Riley had when he left, but I like that Buffy sees things can turn around when you feel depressed as Riley did when he left.
Yes, the point of Riley coming back was to make Buffy see her own life clearly, by reminding her of who she is. Riley sees her as a strong, independent woman whose purpose is rooted in life (saving lives) and action. Buffy needed this reminder of who she is and that she can get back to herself.
@@JohnDoe-ls2zu But the point was as true as all that is, it's odd that the episode does all that without giving closure to why Riley left to begin with. Just another distance cures everything situation the Scoobies always do, but in this case the undercurrent was there when he showed up and there was no acknowledgement of it. So without Riley knowing any context of Buffy's past two years their relationship-al are at the forefront are at the forefront even if not talking about it , and yet the episode needs to be about something else. I'm personally not sure how I would mend it without changing the direction of the episode's plot or not giving it the emphasis it needs, but it seems off.
@@Buffy8Fan Yeah, the show doesn't have time to go back and deal with Buffy & Riley's relationship closure, even though it seems the characters need that. They are just interested in moving the story forward.
@@JohnDoe-ls2zu I wish the show just kept Buffy single. Because all these relationships highlight just how little Buffy developed as a character.
Making the same dumb frustrating mistakes till the very end. Still obsessing over Angel whenever he shows up. Never investing in the current relationship she's in. It's a waste of time to watch
I read a theory that the reason spike was the doctor and keeping those eggs was so that he could sell them on the black market to make money for buffy so she didn’t have to work at the double meat palace anymore. Remember that episode where he says to her ‘I can get money’. This actually makes a lot of sense because otherwise it’s so random for spike to do this, I know his evil but what was the agenda? I think it was a little Easter egg by the writers for sure.
Let's say this was the reason...it still falls under He's a monster. He might have doomed the whole of Sunnydalle for his carelessness and more He doesn't care because in the demon's warped mind...yes DEMON, the end justifies the means. Is not random. How was he getting money before? Scaring people in to thinking he would eat them! 🤨
I wasn’t surprised at all because he told Buffy he’d get her money.
She called him William.
I just wanna use the occasion of your latest video to say that I recently discovered your channel and I've been watching all your Buffy's video (and some of Got) and you're amazing. I usually hate reaction videos because they're often fake and / or useless. But yours are not just reaction videos because you're so insightful, smart and empathetic that even on your first watch you say so many brilliant stuff that is useful even for diehard Buffy fans.
I can't way to follow you while you finish watching the series.
You seem an amazing human being, I hope there could be more people like you in the world.
couldn't agree more!
I know that Buffy walking away from Spike is supposed to be an empowering moment, but James Marsters' face as she walks away hurts my heart.
Because it's not empowering. It's just Buffy being immature as usual.
Buffy's character is horrible and only gets more annoying on rewatches. Her poor decision making in relationships are both annoying, repetitive, and tiresome.
@@x-man9473 how is it immature to walk away from an abusive relationship? She's going through depression, what do you expect
@@divinelangene6813 She initiated the relationship knowing how toxic it was and continued to use Spike for comfort knowing his feelings for her-including this very episode when she got jealous of Riley having a wife.
But the moment Riley, the man she failed to hold onto, gives her compliments, raising her self esteem, she decides that she doesn't need to use Spike anymore. That's immature and toxic.
@@x-man9473she initiated because she wanted to use that relationship to hurt herself and now she wants to be free of it
@@blueyeshadow2738 Nice justification. But, no matter how you try to slice it, Buffy initiated the relationship, consciously manipulated his feelings to get comfort, verbally and physically attacked him after every interaction, then she broke up with him after having a small ego boost from her ex. Then got angry/jealous at him for making out with Anya even though she was the one who ended their relationship. But was being a toxic b*tch. Period.
"What a bitch"...such a fun line.
I didn't think so. It was what Buffy wanted to say about Riley's wife, but she didn't want to hurt his feelings. So Willow took up the task.
@@Madbandit77 it’s just Willow being performative. Has nothing to do with the way Buffy actually feels. Willow thinks she needs to be the best friend and hate them for the both of them. Buffy doesn’t need that. Not anymore anyway. She’s come to terms with it.
@@Square-ow7oq but it doesn't look like a joke. People laugh but not because they think that she was joking rather because it was unexpected and it's about when your friend should support you when your ex boyfriend found a new girl or even a wife. So she said it to make Buffy feel better. That's why. But that's weird because it's him who decided to leave and it's him who managed to get married in a year. But it's her who should be a bitch. Yes, that's funny. Not really.
You are on point about Spike and buffy.
I've never been a big fan of Riley, but his return was just what Buffy needed. Bravo to the writers! (and bravo to Riley - SHE'S a great dude!).
Wheel never stops turning... but it doesn't change who you are. Buffy absolutely needed to hear that, but I hope you heard it too, Sofie.
You're actually right, this IS what Buffy needs.
The thing to do when judging Spike is to compare against where he started, the direction of his character arc rather than comparing against some concept of a "good guy". He's not a "good guy", not even close. But he's a far cry better than where he started. Back in an earlier episode where Anya's ex, the troll guy, wrecked the Bronze, Spike noted he wasn't even taking a taste of the bloody people and Buffy was all mocky about his wanting credit for not feeding on the disaster victims. Well, he did deserve credit. That was a major step forward for him. It's amazing that he has progressed as much as he has given that he never gets any kind of positive feedback for doing so.
And, yes, I have seen the episodes to follow (not giving any spoilers here) and I stand by what I say above. As I've said before and I'll say again, Spike has the best character arc in the show. I'll die on that hill.
Buffu call Spike by William. She respects him
Elle le détruit en fait.
The fact that they can create a likeable new character who you see for less than five minutes is amazing.
Your insight on spike will be very helpful towards you understanding his character and actions till the end of this series
Interesting, so maybe that's why she called him William. To stop feeding more to the demon inside Spike and negative energies motivating him.
"you're a hell of a woman"😍
"Wheel never stops turning" a phrase good enough to use twice.
That only matters to the people on the Rim.
I cant stop watching your face and lovely reactions every now and then🥰 keepsafe my best friend and always take care of yourself😉
Spike said he can get money
Strong opinions for this eps. Lol Personally I am glad how everything worked out. Buffy hearing what she needed to hear to finally begin the self reflection to step out of the dark by acknowledging her weaknesses and dealing with them. Us getting a reminder that a shinny glistening Cobra...is STILL a Cobra and not to be played with. Spike is not what Buffy wants or needs and He is a DEMON!!!! Ladies and some gents wake up!!! Lol As for Riley...well his road storywise is now closed. Me personally I enjoyed the perspective he brought to the show's take on relationships. The issues were all too real and for that I applaud his char and the writters for bringing us a yarn that even decades after still resonates. Love this reaction! ❤👍🏼💯
What I truly hate about this episode is that Buffy apologizes to Riley, and he never apologizes to her. She didn't even do anything wrong, she just failed to live up to his insane expectations and _convince_ him he was loved, when it was his own insecurities and inability to communicate that did that. Sam is too good for him.
“It’s easier to believe in yourself after someone else has believed in you first.”
This is what Sofie means by full circle. Riley needed that back when him and Buffy were together, Buffy needs it now. He is providing for her what she couldn’t provide for him.
“Sam is too good for him” maybe so… but the fact is he changed because she’s in his life. She made him good enough to be with her. You can really see the growth and maturity in him now and it’s all because he has found purpose in his life and the right person to live that purpose with. It’s so easy to hate on Riley for the relationship issues he had with Buffy. But the whole point was to showcase that human beings are not one-note. We do the best we can despite the circumstances and we don’t always get it right. That’s fine. That’s human.
@@Girl4Music No, Buffy bore the brunt of Riley's issues, then he ran away. Sam didn't fix him, the idea that you could be a good enough partner to fix someone is a complete fantasy, and a dangerous one at that. No, Riley went to therapy and found himself someone that can deal with his toxic codepenency issues, ie, someone that will just tell him what to do every day and be his boss. He can _act_ like a better person when his specific needs are met, but he still concealed his marriage (and intended it to stay that way, if Sam wasn't so "fast"), withheld information about his mission, got her to drop everything at her job when she needs the money for a task he didn't really need her help for.
I get what the episode was going for, but it just rings false how no one called him out for abandoning her, and the wrongness of the wrong person giving the apology is absolutely foul. If he made any effort to make amends, I'd hate him a lot less. Instead, Riley just acts like he did nothing wrong and Buffy accepts it because she's in a place of self loathing and accepts blame.
I am sorry you left. This is ridiculous. Really. They made him complain about her, made him left, found him a wife, returned him together with his wife to made Buffy apologize to him and they made him teach her. He is the authors idol here, I am telling you. A supreme character. And I can't understand what he did to deserve it.
@@Junejane4 Oh what a load of rubbish. Neither of them did anything wrong. They just didn’t work as a couple. Had so much individual shit to sort out. Riley needed to find who he was and what his purpose was without attachments and Buffy needed to just deal with personal family matters.
@@Girl4Music "Riley did nothing wrong" is some serious history revisionism. I don't know why I expected better of a Riley defender. Of course you have to make shit up for him to not look like an asshole.
People always say Riley couldn't handle being the weaker person. Its not true. He just wanted to be buffy's equal in the relationship. A team like him and Sam are now.
Perhaps but- Riley could never be the Slayer’s equal. He would always be physically weaker. He also used emotional manipulation to try to control Buffy… “You can teach me”, “I’m just so in love with you, I can’t see straight”, giving her an ultimatum to “convince” him to stay… he gave her power over him and then resented her for it. Hopefully he has grown and he and Sam are in a good place but he and Buffy were never very healthy.
I wouldn't discount the possibility that Riley and his wife partake of a little secret agent buff serum to be able to fight monsters better. Who wouldn't? You're risking your life to fight demons for a living.
I wouldn’t say he wanted him and Buffy to be equals. He wanted her to rely on him more to need him more and ultimately to feel that she actually loved him. Which as we saw in their relationship as it progressed he did not feel any of those things from her. They were both young. He went away. Got time to go away mope and realize where things went wrong and it helped him grow, move on and go back to remind Buffy of who she is and her worth.
@@stephaniebarker472 Equal as in sharing a life together and being there for each other. He is not equal to Sam physically she seems to be the lead in the relationship and that doesn't matter to him. buffy always held her emotions in around riley or express them showed them to spike or angel instead.
@@ShieldVids There is a difference between being in the lead in the relationship and being stronger physically. Riley is someone for whom the latter matters considering how far he tried to go to keep up with Buffy. Unless Sam is secretly more than a regular woman he'll never have that problem with her.
Considering how Riley left, it was satisfying to get some closure in their relationship. And he ended up happy.
I’m not sure “closure” is what we got to be honest. Certainly not closure for them and their relationship at least. Still… many people who watch this episode can admit that they never knew they wanted to see Riley again until they did. They wanted and got closure in that way. Seeing Riley this way was something they never knew they wanted until they got it.
They actually cared about the character, they just expressed it in a negative way. They subconsciously wanted to see him grow out of co-dependency and into a fulfilled and independent person. And that’s what happened. The fact Sam comes with it is just bonus because it shows us that relationships aren’t his be all end all, but teamwork always was. They’re partners in every way.
Two characters that get A LOT of hate in the fandom are Xander and Riley. It’s no surprise that they bond and find comfort in each other. Both hate Angel and Spike. Not just because of their romantic/sexual ties to Buffy but also because they’re the supernatural “bad” getting a lot of leeway with the human “good”. They’re both prejudiced. What Xander and Riley represent is the sad, pathetic, fragile, rejected, powerless expression of humanity. At least from the outside-looking in. There’s a lot there to pick at to criticize and judge. But I tend to appreciate those characters because of those things rather than hate on them because all they’re doing is just mirroring the sorry sods of existence all humans can be sometimes.
I think shows like Buffy, Xena and Charmed do this purposefully with protagonist characters to get us to look inward on ourselves and see where our own character flaws lie and learn from them. So I guess in a sense - I take a very objective viewpoint on Xander and Riley because I think it’s the desired intent by the writers to show them being so… well… flawed. The reason Willow is my favourite character throughout the whole show is because of this. Because she is so flawed and because she is so morally grey. And she does a hell of a lot worse than anything Xander or Riley do in the show. If anything they’re saints compared to her. I could easily pick apart and judge and criticize every other protagonist character’s flaws if I cared to. If I cared enough about them as a character as I do Willow - who I never fail to express my thoughts and opinions on regarding the character flaws that she has. I don’t - because frankly I don’t give a shit about any of those other characters enough to take the time to do that. They’re nowhere near as interesting as she is. Their arcs aren’t nearly as compelling as hers is. And I don’t relate to or resonate with them even half as much as I do with Willow.
I guess it comes down to what it is that ticks a viewer off the most. What hits hardest for them and how they perceive that behaviour in regards to what it may or may not represent for them in watching the character. I take very little issue with either Xander or Riley because as far I’m concerned, they’re no more or less flawed than any other character is in the whole show. It’s very intriguing for me that in a show that has Angel, Faith, Spike, Willow and Anya. All of which do and say incredibly morally questionable things all throughout their entire arcs - the characters the fandom take the most issue with and hate on the most are… Xander and Riley. They’re the two characters that get the most hate and I just find it funny that they’re what ticks the fandom off most.
Riley is not charming enough, for being the nice good guy, he's kind of flat and boring. And Xander is the friend that could be a jerk that he's (has been) in love with a girl that doesn't sees him in that way, and plays dirty tricks in her love life.
@@liaheben “It’s absurd to divide people into good or bad. People are either charming or tedious.”
@@Girl4MusicI was talking about a kind of character, "the good guy". After Angel, they tried a different aproach and it was just boring. Buffy and Riley had little chemistry, and the writer's development of the character felt short.
@@liaheben I don’t disagree.
I just don’t see how it makes him any worse than any of the other flawed characters.
This is an incredibly insightful reaction! I’ve watched this show a number of times since I saw it 20 years ago live, and you make me think of things I never had before. Great job! Watch them faster!😉😉❤️
What you said about Spike comforting and caring about Buffy when at the same time the plot likes to add some issues also, mostly says that they had options how to develop this story in S6. But before saying anything we should know the ideology behind the show. Even with Angel Joss Whedon didn't want to write a love story at first but he was talked into that. He didn't want because Angel is a vampire. So kind of a bad character, even with a soul he has this extremely dark past behind him. And Joss didn't want Buffy to be involved in it. She should fight evil not sleep with it. But eventually he wrote a romance, investing lot of time and effort into that. That's why it became a big thing for him also. But still there were lot of problems and they broke up. And the ideology remains the same. Especially with a souless vampire there won't be a good story, they are doomed in that plot.
Spike and Buffy appeared only because of great chemistry. Because of the actors, they made the story notice them when usually it works the other way when the story is the boss, BUT they were the boss in this case starting it. So they had to add some sweet moments into the script later, especially at the end of S5 and start of S6. And they could keep doing it and that would be in the context of the story because it would show characters development. But if we remember the ideology again we will see that no, they will choose negative scenario. And instead of development we get degradation.
But it bothers me how low they decided to go. Because even this episode wasn't low enough for the plot. It's sad to me because they just destroyed half of the previous story this way. But as the show didn't really plan to have them together and they didn't want to see Spike in such role as long as he is souless at least, so they didn't care that much what to use for them and eventually just sabotaged it. So we got what we got. That's the only thing that matters. These are the rules they played the story by. There could be other options, even if they wanted to write a bad scenario but they chose the worst thing. Killing the beauty that was there before.
👌
I use the analogy of stomping on a flower that grew because it grew even though you planted the seeds.
That’s basically what they did with Spike. They stopped his development because he was ultimately evil in nature. But if that’s the case and that was always going to be the case - why show him doing selfless or altruistic things? That’s not the way a soulless vampire is supposed to behave. And since that’s all that matters in the ideology… isn’t it just pointless?
It’s like playing character hot potato. Too hot to handle? Drop it.
@@Girl4Music I agree that they first helped him shine but then crashed him later. This is inconsistency for me.
The audience liked him. They could use him more for a story so they made him stay. This requires development. It's not that good if he is just evil, constantly hating them and trying to kill them all and failing all the time. So they made him work with the team. But they should understand the consequences, people liked him even more because of that. Because they almost made him human already. But then they just decided to rewind everything like it wasn't there. You can see the mood changed in S6. Because that's when they started the affair. And it can never be good.
You can see that they still didn't want their romance. That's what I mean. The closest he got is her telling him 'I won't forget it' when he almost died for her (which she did, she forgot it later), her just letting him be around her and at the very end of S5 'treating him like a man' for couple of eps. Like okay, you can stay around. And that was already a gift for him. Because he still is a vampire, like second-class person, he still should be beneath her. Their equal love story is not possible there. Because of the rules. The rules decide who he will be, evil or not really. So even when smth more happened it was only physical, sex, passion and her using him for that. Still not a real romance and not equal. She called him a thing. She was ashamed that her friends would find out that she sleeps with Spike. Like Xander said to Anya that he can't even look at her because THAT thing touched her. Xander represent the main ideology. And that was the moment when Buffy fell silent. Because that's what it's about. That's why she was so afraid they'd find out. It's not just that she didn't like that she used him. It's also about he is the thing. Still, even after everything that was done. And I can't agree with that but that's how it works in the story mind.
@@Junejane4 yep 👍
@@Girl4Music They created season 6 based in the worst personal experiences of the writers (also "Seeing Red" even if the story got nastier that they thought because they swaped genders in the story) and Whedon wanted that people remembered that Spike was evil, and the writers wanted to gave Spike a reason to search for his soul, but they went too far.
@@liaheben Look I understand this point of view but if I am to look at it this way then what Willow does to Tara is just as bad or even worse to me. Spike attempted to rape Buffy and only never was successful because Buffy stopped him. Willow raped Tara. She wasn’t stopped because she never stopped herself and Tara was under the influence to stop her. Any thought of “evil” being because one character is not human and soulless goes out the window when human and ensouled characters can be just as evil or more evil.
The writers never acknowledged it back when it was important but Buffy was never good for Riley and Riley was never good for Buffy. They were a stagnant couple and it’s precisely because neither of them really knew what they wanted out of the relationship. Buffy thought she wanted “normal” and “human”. Riley thought he wanted “exciting” and “strange”. But that was never really what they were searching for. They were just passing time.
The relationship was doomed because it was never really going to get anywhere since what they actually needed was to be complete people on their own. We may think that Riley just jumped into another relationship as soon as he left Buffy but that’s not what happened as Sam told us. He was still in pain and still hanging on to Buffy. Her reason to be there for him was to remind him who he is without attachments to someone else just the same as Riley is here to be that reminder for Buffy now.
The theme here is interdependency literally depicted through Riley and Sam’s marriage and how being dependent on one another can actually be a healthy thing provided both partners knows their own worth and what they can do for each other.
Co-dependency is only ever a problem when one or both partners don’t know or understand themselves and are only ever using each other to fill the hole.
Everybody sees it that Riley was just the person with that problem when it came to his and Buffy’s relationship. This wasn’t the case. Buffy had it too. It’s just it’s not depicted the same way so it’s not as obvious. While Riley clings tighter to what he needs when he feels insecure, Buffy always isolates herself when she needs somebody as not to burden them. But both of them ultimately had the same problem - which was using each other to fill the hole left by previous relationship pain and trauma.
So many people see it as it’s just Riley that ruined him and Buffy when in actuality it was both of them. And it’s the very same with Spike and Buffy.
That's quite thoughtful and thought out. I don't always agree with your analyses (though I like seeing them), but here I think you're on target. Except I'd say Buffy and Riley weren't right for each other, rather than not good for each other, i.e. they may not have been a match, but neither were they harmful to one another.
@@menachemsalomon Thank you. I appreciate your comment. I don’t always say things in the best way or in the way I actually mean them. But I do try to stay unbiased.
“Neither were harmful to one another” hmmm I don’t necessarily think that’s true.
They were emotionally harmful. I mean Riley’s attempts of emotional manipulation and Buffy’s careless attitude. It’s a situation depicting an conflicting relationship and I do like that about it. But there was harm done. It wasn’t as toxic as some fans make it out to be but I still say it was best that they break it off before it ended up that way.
What I tend to dislike seeing is one-sided arguments about who was in the wrong because as far as I see it… either both were or neither were. Nobody was “wrong” as such. They just weren’t right. As you said.
I tend to only ever see divisive comments about their relationship in that either Riley was wrong/right or Buffy was wrong/right.
That’s just not the way it works though. So far the only reactor besides Sofie that I’ve seen that understands Riley’s perspective as well as Buffy’s and talks about both in a emotionally neutral way is Jen’s reactions. And I watch a lot of different RUclipsrs reactions. It’s not about being a “defender” of either Buffy or Riley. It’s just about understanding the complexity of the situation. Which is what the writers intend.
@@Girl4Music That's pretty fair. I'd still say hurtful rather than harmful - I'd leave that term for toxic or abusive relationships, and Buffy and Riley were never that. (In real life, hurt often leads to harm if not managed or caught, but not always.)
I got to understanding Riley's POV from hearing Ian Martin (TPOTN) roundly criticize him, when I found myself disagreeing with the criticism. I watch a number of reactors, too - too many for my health :-) - and have been noticing your comments (and commentary) for a bit, now.
@@menachemsalomon @tigernightmare I mean I’m not the only one who thinks this way. I just think Riley’s perspective should be taken into consideration rather than handhamming criticism at him because everybody seems to do that. But it’s a lot more complicated than “Riley wrong, Buffy right”. That’s all I wanted to get across.
6:44 yes but when you think about it you'll realize that Riley will always outperform his wife here, Buffy is on a whole different level that he can never reach so his insecurity is not with strong women but with stronger women.
Yes, Sam is a regular woman so will always be physically weaker than him. My impression of Riley is that this is important to him regardless of what he says or even tries to convince himself of.
@@cormorant12 yeah he seems to have a need to be the strongest one in the relasionship just like some men have a problem when their wife makes more money or have a higher position at work.
@@Henrik_Holst Considering Riley's home life and choice if career it is unsurprising that he is quite traditional in some ways.
I know a lot of people didn’t like him, but it was great seeing Riley again.
I really don't get why people don't like Riley. Of all the relationships Buffy ever got, he was the only healthy one! Angel was a 300 years old dude who felt in love with her when she was a teenager and they couldn't even hook up without him turning evil, and somehow even THAT is not nearly as bad as what Buffy and Spike's thing currently is!
I guess healthy doesn't really make for interesting T.V., right? It gets boring. But, y'know, don't people want Buffy to be in a healthy relationship in the end? Riley was the only one with the ability to provide that.
@@ChevaliersEmeraude I agree with you. I really mourned the loss of riley when he left Sunnydale, and I felt bad for both him and Buffy. Just because two people couldn't make it work between them doesn't mean we have to analyze it to death to figure out exactly whose fault it was. People seem to forget these are characters in their early twenties, geez, give them a break.
@@ChevaliersEmeraude she don't need no man
Riley doesn’t have a problem being in a relationship with strong women. If you ever experienced being in love with someone who won’t let you in, won’t let you give them strength and won’t be vulnerable with you, it’s beyond painful. Riley and Sam are both strong but they’re a couple, a duo, a team. Buffy never really let Riley be that.
He had a problem then and he admitted to Buffy about it but apparently, he has grown since.
@@abbesatty9498 Sam is more mature emotionally than buffy was when he was with her. Sam isn’t afraid to share her emotions and let people in.
@@daphneglasurus7886 I was more interested about whether then Riley was having a problem vs strong women. Regarding whether Buffy let him in or not, is another discussion. She was younger ,dealing with tougher situations. Riley was more upset about her "becoming stronger with everyday". Also remember that Buffy is not your everyday normal girl, she is the slayer.
@@abbesatty9498yes that is true but many times we saw how Riley wanted Buffy to let him in and she really did not a lot of the times. Also, he didn’t feel she was in Love him which made him even more insecure
@@abbesatty9498 No he didn't. The entire reason for their break-up was that she never let him in her life, despite him trying so hard to do that. It was never about her being strong or anything, I don't ever recall that being an issue of any kind in fact.
In defense to Riley it's not that he can't stand tough women, reality is Buffy always compared every man she dated to Angel, even Spike, always putting him down saying he's a monster because he doesn't have a soul, in fact Spike had beef with Angel just like Riley because Spike had to face the same comparison Riley faced, although I love Buffy I think it was quite toxic how she made men feel like they couldn't compare to the immeasurable perfection of Angel, of course they were soulmates but they could not have intimacy so Angel moved on but Buffy never did entirely. I think Riley knew that Buffy loved him in her own way but not as much as Angel and to be honest I don't know if I would be able to be with a person so fixated on his ex lover, I would leave as well 🤷🏻♀️ I know a lot of people in the fandom hate Riley no matter what (it's not your case I'm just talking in general) but he didn't do anything bad in my opinion, he just wanted Buffy to love him but deep down he had this feeling he couldn't shake about her and if I were in his position I don't think I could stay with a person who doesn't reciprocate my feelings and honestly I think Spike is right, Buffy likes a little bit of monster in men, it is what it is, so I don't blame Riley.
im sorry i disagree in this instance, buffy clearly consented
i have that she used spike
Here is a link to a longer interview with SMG from a British talkshow, which was made while filming this episode. ruclips.net/video/znb3l6hIbqA/видео.html&pp=ygUfc2FyYWggbWljaGVsbGUgZ2VsbGFyIGJsYWNrd29vZA%3D%3D
It always bugged me that the Watcher’s Council pays the watchers, but not the slayers. It doesn’t make a lot of sense.
Riley wanted to be let in, to be needed by Buffy (like her relationship with Angel). But she wouldn't give that to him. She closed herself off as she often does. 😞
I agree
I mean after the love of my life leaves forever id probably close myself off too, she was reflecting that on Riley and just didn't want to get hurt again
@@divinelangene6813 yes but that wasn’t fair to her new bf and if you feel that way then don’t date until you can work things out with yourself
@@yesie8375 I don't know, maybe closing people off is just something she does subconsciously
@@divinelangene6813 that is true and that was what she was battling with at the end of season 5. Feeling like being a slayer is leaving her numb.
Great part to see all hard things Buffy is going through. O don't really like what they do about Spike this episode that the thing i like the less this season. The plot about demon was not great and i would like to see Buffy and Spike more togerher and friends but it is totally understandable and well written too because Buffy would like to feel something and Spike was lost too and wanted a love or an attraction not in a good way because of the events Buffy's back, depressing moments and their kissing came from an attraction, a feel as a secret revealed but disturbed by Buffy's resurrection
A lot of people headcanon Spike’s questionable antics in this episode as him trying to get money for her. Which I don’t think is too far-fetched as an explanation considering he knows how to play the demon world to get what he wants. I.e. ‘Life Serial’.
The idea that he could be doing that again but this time for Buffy isn’t an improbable one. Especially because he said in ‘Doublemeat Palace’ that he could get money if she walked away with him. It’s bribery in his favour but that’s not shocking. It is Spike after all.
Time for shipping Buffy and Sam. A masterpiece of 'How to write and play an absolutly adoreble charactere'. Some shows are not able to do this, even with their main cast and over the run of several seasons.
Riley and Oz are pretty inverted in their returns. While loved Oz cause trouble and went a little down the road, stupid Riley brought back some order and redeemed himself a little.
All the while the human condition is front and center. Reminding us that it’s not as simple as black VS white, right VS wrong, good VS evil. And that’s storytelling that’s worth knowing because we can learn through it.
I'M EAGERLY WAITING FOR THE ORIGINALS EPISODES..
Same, it's taking forever😭😭😭😭😭
@@RoseJackson1607 yeah don’t pollute mam!
“I thought he felt insecure with tough women”.
No. He felt insecure with women being tougher than him. Sam is his equal power-wise and strength-wise. He could neither be satisfied with someone less strong than him or more strong than him.
Has to be equal in power and strength.
Riley was infatuated with Buffy because of her power and strength. But at the same time, he felt inconsequential to her because of it.
What he needed was someone that was powerful and a fighter but not supernaturally powerful.
That’s what Sam is. She is very healthy for him.
Actually, things changed when he had the surgery. Buffy started seeing him as someone she needed to protected instead of someone who could fight with her. Sam doesn't see him as weak and knows he has her back in battles.
@@ihh619 That’s part of it but let’s be honest. She never had much faith in him as a fighter to begin with. Not a supernatural fighter.
That was the big dichotomy between Buffy and the Initiative remember.
@@Girl4Music Actually in season 4 and begining of season 5, Buffy saw him as someone who can protect himself, someone who can help her. After the surgery, Buffy suddenly feels like he needs a babysitter. She asked him to not fight vampires without Xander and Lily (he defeated the vampires alone that episode).
@@ihh619 I never saw it that way to be honest. There were times when she made jokes about it him not being strong enough. Not in front of him fortunately but just with her friends.
@@ihh619 honestly that was more Riley started seeing himself that way than Buffy doing it.
Spike being suddenly evil is... Weak writing? No set up, nothing. And, usually, a direct result of being cut out of society.
Let's assume this was purely a business venture... How else is he going to make money? He needs blood, and there aren't exactly an excess of farms in Sunnydale - so he's buying it somehow.
While Spike's lack of conscience is true, saying he's evil ignores that his options for not being evil are constrained.
His life is structurally marginalized. His social safety net is non-existent. He is largely excluded from the demon world for working with Buffy, while the Scoobies freeze him out almost entirely.
He doesn't have a social security number, a legal address, the ability to pass a background check, a highschool diploma, or the capacity to work during when the sun is out. He can't even get a job at the doublemeat palace.
Which makes the writers casting his actions in this episode as "evil" lazy writing. Because it cannot be divorced from his marginalized existence. It also has no contextual evidence.
I hate this episode dearly, to be honest. The way Riley left the show was absolutely disgraceful and hideous, for him to come back and be framed as The One That Got Away is infuriating.
I don't see it that way. In S5 he was "the one that got away" (Buffy wanted to profess her love for him and didn't get to), but at this point they have _both_ moved on. Riley's previous departure was very abrupt, so I thought it was nice to get closure on him individually and on the relationship.
@@theadamabrams I feel like the episode heavily glosses over the way Riley left and how much he did wrong. There's no apology, no acknowledgement, nothing. I think it would have been much stronger if it took the route of showing him in a better place and drew the parallel of Riley's dark place in the front half of s5 and Buffy's dark place currently. But the episode is far too concerned with heavily romanticizing him to even admit that parallel exists. Thus, it fails to use it's own concept in a way that feels satisfying and consistent with where he was when he left--constructing a false, dishonest rewrite of Riley is not closure. I don't like it and I don't like that the narrative sweeps his cheating and manipulation under the rug to pose him as someone to fondly reminisce over.
Just one thing to say about this episode: RILEY ALL THE WAY! Even with all the ups and downs in his relationship with Buffy, I still think he was her better match. I used to love her and Angel during the three first seasons, but it was quite obvious to me since the beginning they would end up following separate paths at some point. Everything between them was too Shakespearean since S1. Buffy and Spike? I'm sorry, but no. I've never been a fan of that atrocity. "Spuffy" was a perfect example of a unhealthy, obsessive and toxic relationship. So it being, Riley has always been my favorite among these three, period. Glad he ended up well in his post-Sunnydale life.
Buffy uses men I’m glad that Riley met someone new got married
Only a couple more episodes :):):):)
I watched her patreon reaction for the seasons finale, it's heartbreaking
@@divinelangene6813 I know she’s so emotional which makes her reactions the best
@@RavensTheNextDynasty true, she's the best
I appreciated the show giving Riley a proper follow up and send off, the character's nowhere near as bad as the more terminally online parts of the fandom try to paint him to be and his short stint on the show really put his character through just about every form of trauma possible in an incredibly short amount of time. The character deserved a happy send off. By the same token, there are a lot of people in the fandom that seem to want to just forget that Spike is, in fact, not a purely good person and get very upset every time the show reminds us by having him be consistent with his character and do something bad. They desperately want Buffy and Spike to be Bella and Edward, where all the toxicity and abuse is there but is just never acknowledged by the writing so the audience can pretend their ship is healthy and romantic. But the reason this show even in its worst season still stands up is because it refuses to cave to that kind of fan-service; We definitely shouldn't be shocked if Spike does something terrible given what we've seen the character do on screen for the past four seasons.
Having Buffy running for him screaming his name when he (!) decided to leave is already enough for a character's send off. And she shouldn't have done that. No girl should do it in the circumstances they were. That was humiliation. So they flattered his character a lot already. Because they really wanted to have him as her love interest who can compete with Angel story but it failed tremendously and not only regarding Angel. And having him now, when he found a wife already and got married (in 1 year!) to a girl that doesn't look like Buffy at all. It just shows that they really love him that much that they made sure he did better than anyone else in the show.
@@Junejane4 Buffy's entire arc starting at the end of season three is that she progressively shuts herself down emotionally every season after Angel leaves. It's one of her primary character flaws, she does not cope well with emotional stress. She steadily stops letting anyone get close to her and Riley was the primary example of it, though it applied to even her other friends as well. She ran after Riley because she realized what she'd been doing and, even if they ultimately weren't going to make it, she didn't want to end it like that.
Riley kept trying to be there for Buffy despite himself suffering a truly ungodly amount of life destroying trauma in less than a year, but Buffy's coping mechanism is always to put up walls and she did so with him. He wanted a relationship with both partners being equal and supportive of each other, but that requires a level of emotional vulnerability that Buffy just isn't capable of at this point in the series because of what she's suffered and how she copes with it.
Both Buffy and Riley are damaged people by season 5 and both are mentally spiraling in different ways and their inability to support each other through it just tore them apart. Her running after Riley wasn't "embarrassing", it was human.
@@troikas3353 I just don't feel this way. I don't see it being 'human'. It wasn't so for me. Not in her case. It was a thing they made her character do after Xander had that 'he is the best thing you can have' speech and told her she should run for him. Are you serious? Why? Only because he is human and not a vampire? It was just wrong.
And let's not overanalyze here. I know she will say things about being hard to get later. But her story with Riley failed not because of that. We saw everything with our own eyes. Their love story failed because it wasn't that interesting, it wasn't captivating enough. On the screen. Even their 'passionate' scenes. They tried to create fire in the script but the spark wasn't there. It didn't have enough chemistry, fire, energy. It was like a parody of passion. Simple as that. It was just plain, monochrome and ordinary. And eventually it transformed into the script. When they decided to end this relationship. But they made him telling Buffy that it was her fault. That he didn't feel this fire from her. But if he doesn't feel it, it means he's not the one. The fire goes from both sides. And he didn't have it at all. He just has a different type. He makes a great solder who can follow orders. This he knows how to do, he is perfect type for that. But that's not love story character. And we saw fire from her with other characters. If you have this it means that the person who is next to you is not the right one for you. And you are not the right one for them. Both on screen and behind it.
There is no need to force yourself to love someone. If you see the right one it should have right energy and it will be different from the rest. If you see mediocre then you act mediocre. It's not like they didn't start relationship because she was rejecting him. They started it, she let him in already. For 1.5 season. And it came out mediocre. They just don't create it toghether. Let's not have post-truth. When objective facts are sacrificed to some idea that came up later.
@@Junejane4 I'm agree with you, the writers tried to build a relationship and it didn't work. Chemistry between two characters is not that simple, Tara + Willow or Willow + Oz are in another level that her romantic relationships with Xander or Kennedy, Xander has zero romantic chemistry with Willow or Buffy, but worked very well with Anya. Riley was a try for Buffy that didn't work, and they tried so hard that sometimes it was hard to watch. In other hand, just the bickering between Buffy and Spike was so much fun.
@@liaheben I agree with you too. With Buffy and Riley it got to the point where side stories were more interesting for me than the main one, meaning them as she is the main character. When things like that happen, when you have no interest in the central character's story it's a falure. But they dragged it for 1.5 season. And it made me barely watch the show. That's the result.
But the writers were very persistent because Riley was from Joss side. He always wanted a regular guy for Buffy. And when Angel left they had an interview where they talked about Buffy's next boyfriend. And Sarah was like 'Maybe Spike'. To which Joss replied 'No, no more vampires!'. That's how we got Riley. And that's why the plot always treated him in a special way. Despite the lack of chemistry.
❤🧡💛💚💙💜
I love how excited you are in this episode: we’ve got a wedding coming up, Willow and Tara are getting close again, things are really looking up :)
😬
You do know she finished the series right? She's seen it all
@@divinelangene6813 yeah of course, I wouldn’t make a comment like that if she hadn’t. Even if it was meant sarcastically, it would be quite spoilery if she wasn’t already aware of what was coming.
Posting my BUFFY REWATCH recap for ‘As You Were’. May contain spoilers.
So this episode was an unexpected turn of events. Riley returns to Sunnydale… which is already surprising enough considering it’s been awhile since we’ve seen him. But the most surprising thing is that Riley doesn’t return to Sunnydale alone. He returns to Sunnydale with his WIFE! The man is married. The man has been married for almost 4 months. I don’t think anyone would have expected that to happen. But it has to be the best thing to happen to him because the woman he is married to is AWESOME!
The scene of Sam’s interaction with Willow showed me just how awesome of a character she was as she offers such sincere understanding and moral support to Willow with her recovery from magic addiction. She explains to her that she’s known two shamans that worked for hers and Riley’s military faction that used magic, got addicted to it and died from it. Showing us that Willow’s experience was a lot more common than we realized. What happened to the shamans could have also been what happened to Willow if she didn’t stop. If she didn’t choose to stop. Sam goes on to further state that she’s never known anyone strong enough to quit using magic once they became addicted to it. Willow - upset and staying completely silent throughout the whole interaction - considers this and immediately feels better. Sam’s earnest confession tells her that she’s achieved a difficult feat that very few people have, making her feel special. Something that she’s wanted and has strived to feel all her life, and until very recently believed she could only do so through the use of magic. What Sam unknowingly and inadvertently provides for Willow in her character personality is external validation. Not only what she wants, but also exactly what she needs. The character just isn’t secure or aware enough in and of herself to provide that validation for herself. She always needs someone or something telling and showing her that she is special, valid, and enough just as she is. Just with being “plain old Willow”. The very person she’s ashamed of being and will do her damndest to hide even if it kills her or someone else. The fact that she perceives that “plain old-ness” as being a “loser” or a “geek” or whatever is the reason why she’s so adamant on covering it up with a much more risky and dangerous persona. To clothe herself behind a veil of power and control: of super-ness, because to be anything less than that isn’t enough, isn’t worthy, isn’t useful, isn’t valuable to the Slayer. And in comes in a character that has barely known her for five seconds and can tell her that she is so strong that she has been able to resist and abstain from her greatest dependence. The seduction of magic. There is nothing and no one Willow is more in the thrall of than that power and control magic gives her. That’s why it’s a drug - metaphorically and literally - for her.
Sam Finn is a minor character that I wish could have been so much more than that. The very little I saw of her in this episode, I absolutely fell in love with her. And apparently so did Willow despite how much she may have been reluctant to do so and how much she continues to perform hatred for her for Buffy’s sake because… that’s just what Willow does... Performs.
I always loved Riley going back. It gave Buffy and the audience closure and it brought our heroin back to us.
Spoiler ahead if you will read the Buffy comics season 8 and beyond
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From what I have heard Riley returns in the comic books and becomes part of Buffy’s team.
It's always kinda bugged me that the writers just through in the storyline of Spike being the doctor with no lead up or hints. It always seemed like a quick filler to explain Riley coming back and Buffy ending things with Spike. On that note I made up my own explanation. I don't think Spike was the Doctor, I think he agreed to keep the eggs for the Doctor in a dumb typical Spike plan to help Buffy with money, or at least be able to buy her love like he did Dru. I think he rationalized that as long as he wasn't directly using the demons to hurt anyone he wasn't being THAT evil. Still wrong, but in line with his character, especially when compared to his past attempts to win Buffy's love.
I like your theory, but when did Spike try to buy Dru’s love?
Yeah, I never envisioned him as an international spy, but more of a dupe that actually is holding them for a friend.
@@stephaniebarker472 his getting her things, like when they left Sunnydale he tried showering her with gifts to keep her with him. I always felt his thinking was if he gives enough he would be loved.
hes backkkk
Yes Riley had issues with Buffy being stronger initially but he overcame that until he lost everything including his own abilities but ALSO got nothing but the cold shoulder from Buffy. She kept him at a distance but even told Spike her mother was ill for crying out loud. The fact people act like Riley wanted Buffy to be dependent on him when he only wanted to be allowed to support her. But fans love Spike and Buffy together even in season 7 when it affected her relationships with everyone else. Buffy and Spike were completely codependent by the end of the show.
I was really looking forward your opinion on this episode, Sophie. I knew Riley's comeback would shook you.
If only Riley would've been as confident and independant and less needy as he was here than in seasons 4 and 5, maybe things between him and Buffy could've worked out. Instead he let all his insecurities ruin this relationship.
This season is a bit bittersweet, because on one side, you're happy to finally get all that Spuffy content, but things aren't as sweet as you expected. Whedon brings back Riley who was annoying in previous season, but now he kinda is what Buffy needed, except that you didn't want them together back then. It's a bit confusing.
One thing for sure, Riley helped her to remind herself who she really IS. And she needed that. Also, she needed to let go of this toxic relationship with Spike, and I say that even as a Spuffy fan myself.
That’s the thing about evolution though. We often have to be our worst selves to even realize there’s growth needed. Hitting rock bottom to climb back to the top again. Showcasing this in visual art/entertainment in particular is good storytelling so long as it doesn’t linger on the aspects that are not so comfortable to see because then it becomes torture rather than catharsis. And I think us seeing all of the worst aspects in Riley first was necessary to get us to this point with him where we can actually look at him as an evolved individual. He has learned to be independent because of all of what went down with him and Buffy. And that’s great to see.
No. Riley needed a good woman who actually appreciated what he brought to the table. Sam does and that's why they're together. Riley got out of his relationship with Buffy, found a better woman, and is better off because of it. When it comes down to relationships, Buffy is still Buffy unfortunately.
@@x-man9473 that too.
See what I mean though fam? It’s either all against Riley or all against Buffy. No one ever seems to see two sides of the story with their situation and therefore understand the choices made. It’s a very divisive reaction. I always see the complexity of the situation and the story being told rather than who is “wrong/right” for whatever happens.
I always see both. Not one or the other. Both.
It’s like with ‘Wild At Heart’. I adore that episode because it’s so complicated situationally. I see all 3 perspectives in that story. Willow, Oz and Veruca so I don’t react with “They’re wrong”.
I react with. “Damn, this is a difficult situation”. Which - to be honest - is 99% of the situations in ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’. That’s what’s so great about it. That’s there’s no inherently “right” or “wrong” answer to it. Life is just damn difficult.
@@Girl4Music No. I'm against Buffy because she's done this same thing every time she's been in a relationship that's not with Angel.
>She did this with Scott in season 3. Scott had self worth and broke up with her and moved on with another lady.
>She did this with Parker. But Parker turned out to be a douche using her for a hook up.
>She did this with Riley. Happily Riley found Sam and actual great woman.
>And she's doing it with Spike as we speak.
Which means she never learns or develops as a person. She uses these guys as a substitute for comfort and to help her get over Angel. Then she keeps them at a distance and uses sleeping around with them as a substitute for emotional connection. Then she decides in the last minute that she does want to connect after it's way too late and there's no way to rebuild the relationship.
@@x-man9473 Well done for pointing out some of her flaws. That’s more than I can say for most people.
Scream Queen 👑 This is my least favorite episode of the show, Now 4 people out there who like Riley Chill cause I have valid points, Now The 1st one is That why does everyone think that Riley was such a good match 4 Buffy when in Season 5 he kept going 2 a Vampire Brothel because he couldn't Actually be with Buffy? And how is That her fault? Okay lets go back Take that out and say it like this. Well we All know that she didn't love him, So I don't see why she should have to pay 4 that. I don't see why Riley had to come back in the 1st damn place. Or lets make it this way. In a way I did like this episode. But Not the Buffy/Riley plotline. Not the Anya/Xander plotline of....butt 🍑 R wedding 💒 is not R marriage 😊Jesus Christ Shut up Anya! This is the one time I don't like you. 😮She didn't love Xander either (And we Already knew that from Season 4) Just make the episode about Buffy/Spike.....and We're 5x5." (This is also how they ruined my favorite Season, They kept changing things that I liked. Also I will Never like Xander. I don't care who does Why couldn't they have just killed him off. Cause Season 7 (And really this goes for the whole original gang) Because they didn't resolve anything they just glossed over All the interesting points in Season 6 and hope that no one noticed And it Was NOT That hard to figure that out
Great little comedy openers here with the Vampire not wanting to touch Buffy because of the smell of burgers off her at The Doublemeat Palace, and then Willow and Dawn noticing the grass stains on Buffy's clothes after another rough session with Spike. The bombshell of Riley returning can't really save this episode as I think it is very much 5/10 effort, a bit of a filler really. Once Buffy realises Riley is married she turns to Spike again, this time it almost seems like desperation as she asks Spike to say 'do you love me' and ask him again does he want her. It just seems that Buffy wants to be with Spike because Riley has returned, and when Riley catches them, it is awkward except for Buffy and Riley, but not for Spike who is reveling in the situation. Riley of course is right here in that he explains to Buffy that Spike is still amoral, soulless and dangerous. The overall plot of this episode is quite ropey, but interesting exchanges at the end with Riley and Buffy, and of course when Riley and Sam eventually do leave on the chopper, Willow waving them off but says 'what a bitch' trying to give some form comfort to Buffy. At the very end we feel Buffy is doing the right thing ending it with Spike, and uses his real name William, a throwback to S5 Fool For Love, in which Cecily cruelly rejected him.
The way in 2023 people still defend Spike as if he wasn't almost as problematic WITH a soul and unhealthy for Buffy as he was without, but still absolutely hate Riley and don't have a single good thing to say about him blows my entire mind.
U thinks it’s over just watch wat happeneds 🙄🤦🏿
13:33 - 13:58 So,once again,I'm asking...what's the difference between him and a regular human being with a soul?😒💢I *don't* find it consitent _at all_ with what a souless vampire is _supposed_ to be!!X-[ I'll never change my mind about that.
Oh my God, get over yourself already.
Riley still pisses me off really you commented on her hair but couldnt say sorry your mom died
And just how was he supposed to know about her mom?
@@davidmeadows5627She probably wouldn’t have told him even if he was around
@@jspettifer Exactly!
It’s not Riley’s fault. Blame the writers for not adding that touch in the episode
Presumably he already sent his condolences when it happened.