Buffy the Vampire Slayer (3x07) - Revelations

[fajrdrako]

Buffy 3x07 - Revelations

~ ~ ~

I think of this as the Gwendolyn Post episode.

1. Willow and Xander are so busy being mutually attracted that they're being awkward. Xander tries to deflect this to talk abut Buffy's own awkwardness, which is basically because he doesn't know that Angel is back. Buffy, distracted? Wouldn't anyone be?
   
   
2. There's a bit of a sexual tease about Buffy/Faith going on - the dating joke, the "Really, we're just good friends." Hmm.
   
   
3. Gwendolyn criticizes Faith and Buffy, in a not-very-nice way. She disses Giles and his library. We do not like her. I predict she'll be (1) bad and/or (2) dead by the end of the episode.
   
   
4. The Labyrinth Maps of Malta. I want to read that.
   
   
5. So the demon Lagos is after something. Why would a demon be named "Lake"? And... I must confess, my reaction was to roll my eyes and think, "Oh no, not another lame-ass demon." Enough already.
   
   
6. Nice dialogue:

   Buffy: Interesting lady. Can we kill her?
   Giles: I think the council might frown upon that.

   Tempting, though. Don't worry, I think some vampire might get her. I can't help thinking it would be nice if it were Angel.
   
   
7. I like the scene where Angel and Buffy do Tai Chi. Especially since I'm planning on taking a course in Tai Chi as soon as possible.
   
   
8. Of course Buffy and Angel want to kiss. They're only human. Or not quite, but close enough.
   
   
9. The glove. Very Torchwood-ish.
   
   
10. Did Xander and Willow think Giles didn't see them kissing? Of course he saw them.
    
    
11. I like Faith's prurient curiousity, when every else is more polite. "You boinked the undead. What was that like?" Well, presumably, in this show, like boinking the living, except souls get lost.
    
    
12. I like Buffy's line, "All the Angel issues are still kind of with me." They sure are.
    
    
13. Gwendolyn is so snotty to Giles: "The pictures are fun to look at, Mr. Giles, but one really ought to read the nice words as well." He, in return, is not above lying: "I can assure you that Buffy is both dedicated and industrious, and I am in complete control of my Slayer."
    
    
14. Xander sees Buffy and Angel kissing. Direct analoque to the other example of illicit kissing, between him and Willow. I suspect Xander is blind to the parallel.
    
    
15. I like Willow's attempts at diplomacy: "This isn't about attacking Buffy. Remember, 'I' statements only. 'I feel angry.' 'I feel worried.'" I don't think this will work with Xander.
    
    
16. Good dialogue:

    Buffy: You were spying on me? What gives you the right? [Well, fighting vampires is their business, and Angel is a vampire... but I'm on Buffy's side in this one.]Cordelia: What gives you the right to suck face with your demon lover again?
    Buffy: It was an accident.
    Xander: What, you just tripped and fell on his lips?

17. And they bring a few unspoken things out into the open:

    Buffy: You would just love an excuse to hurt him, wouldn't you?
    Xander: I don't need an excuse. I think lots of dead people actually constitutes a reason.
    Buffy: Right. This is all nobility. This has nothing to do with jealousy.

    I can't help thinking Buffy is right here.
    
    
18. And Giles, rightly, is furious with Buffy. "You have no respect for me, or the job I perform." He is having a bad day.
    
    
19. Xander plots. Xander tells Faith that Angel is alive and has the glove. Faith has no reason to be sympathetic to Angel.
    
    
20. Gwendolyn compliments Giles. This has to be a bad thing. Yes, she then clobbers him. Again Giles gets hit on the head. He might want to work on his "magical defence against blunt objects" skills.
    
    
21. Interesting dialogue between Willow and Buffy:

    Buffy: It's weird, though. Now that my secret... Angel, it's all out in the open... I feel better.
    Willow: Well, *sure* you do. This big burden's been lifted. I mean, keeping secrets is a lot of work. One could hypothetically imagine.
    Buffy: You have no idea.
    Willow: None whatsoever. But... Can I ask you a question? When you were with Angel and nobody knew about it, did that make it feel, you know, sexier somehow?

    This implies that Willow's attraction to Xander (whatever its past history) is strong because it's secretive and it's trangression and that turns her on. Which says something somewhat surprising about Willow, but it's interesting that she has the self-awareness to know it. And that she is somewhat embarrassed by it but really not ashamed.
    
    
22. And then Willow almost tells Buffy, but they're interrupted by a demon.
    
    
23. We know Willow wouldn't open her SAT test five minutes early. The very idea.
    
    
24. Uh-oh: Angel, don't let Gwendolyn near the glove.
    
    
25. Why didn't Gwendolyn stake Angel? Is hitting people on the head all she knows how to do?
    
    
26. Buffy saves Angel. Yay!
    
    
27. Faith and Buffy fight. This was inevitable, from the first hint of sexiness between them. I sigh at the predictability.
    
    
28. Of course, Xander trusts Gwendolyn. I am out of charity with poor gullible angry Xander.
    
    
29. Good line:

    Oz: Sounds like we missed a lot of fun.
    Xander: Then we're telling it wrong.

30. Another good bit of dialogue:

    Buffy: The place looks nice.
    Faith: Yeah, it's real Spartan.

    She learns fast.
    
    
31. Buffy tells Faith she can trust her. Faith is skeptical. If I were Buffy, I wouldn't be trusting Faith.
    
    
32. Still no Spike. I'm ready to whimper. Really, Gwendolyn was no substitute.
    
    
33. How many revelations do we actually have? Angel is revealed to be alive. Buffy is revealed to be loving him still. Gwendolyn is revealed as a renegade Watcher. Xander is revealed to be jealous of Angel still. No one reveals that Willow and Xander are secretly canoodling. Anything else?
    

Comments

[janne-d.livejournal.com]

Xander tries to deflect this to talk abut Buffy's own awkwardness

I will not talk about Xander in this episode, except to say I think it displays all his worst aspects, and I'll leave it at that. (Don't want to rant all over your lj).

There's a bit of a sexual tease about Buffy/Faith going on

I think I mentioned before that their relationship (to and with each other) is intriguing.

I predict she'll be (1) bad and/or (2) dead by the end of the episode.

Correct on both counts. Have a gold star.

Did Xander and Willow think Giles didn't see them kissing? Of course he saw them

And doesn't say anything. Following a policy of non-interference unless it's Buffy?

I suspect Xander is blind to the parallel

Ya think?

Xander: What, you just tripped and fell on his lips?

Screaming great hypocrite! Argh! *restrains self*

I'll just say I hate that scene and move on. Though the scene between Giles and Buffy is marvellous (but painful). She should have told him - I'm thinking she was perfectly right to not tell the others yet considering their reactions, but Giles should have known.

One thing I like about this episode is where it takes Faith. Gwendolyn actually manages to connect with her, drives a little wedge of distrust in about the rest of the gang (not invited to the Angel meeting, after Buffy won't tell her about him) - and then totally betrays her. Given Faith already has obvious issues with trusting other people, it's no surprise this affects her badly.

I also liked that Willow isn't angry with Buffy because she has her own guilty secret and so gets some of how Buffy feels. Unlike Xander.

Xander plots.

The one thing that ever-so-slightly redeems him in this for me is that he's aware enough to know that if it had been Angelus that attacked Giles, Giles would most likely be dead, dying or gone. His hatred hasn't entirely stopped him thinking.

Of course, he then kills it for me again by his manner when Buffy and Willow arrive when he immediately implies it was Angel.

Why didn't Gwendolyn stake Angel?

She didn't know he was a vampire until he stood back up - Giles just said he was a friend of Buffy's.

Which says something somewhat surprising about Willow, but it's interesting that she has the self-awareness to know it. And that she is somewhat embarrassed by it but really not ashamed.

Yeah. I'm in agreement with all of that. Willow has some facets that do not fit at all with the cutesy image.

Faith and Buffy fight. This was inevitable, from the first hint of sexiness between them. I sigh at the predictability.

I like Buffy and Faith fighting. I don't care if it's predictable.

I am out of charity with poor gullible angry Xander

It's nice when Faith smacks him out the way though (sorry, I tried not to complain about him, it was just too diffcult). Okay, I do like that he says he trusts Buffy at the end.

Still. The Faith/Buffy fight aside, not a favourite episode for me.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I think it displays all his worst aspects, and I'll leave it at that. (Don't want to rant all over your lj).

I think we have talked about Xander before, and have agreed. As I watch more, I find myself less and less inclined to give Xander the benefit of the doubt - especially since, as time goes by, 'immaturity' become less and less an excuse for bad behaviour.

What's worst, I think, is that he would be surprised to hear that someone thought him petty, mean, and dishonest.

He does get good lines but I don't admire him.

Have a gold star.

So proud! Polishing it as we speak.

And doesn't say anything. Following a policy of non-interference unless it's Buffy?

Files away the information, I think. It's not for him to interfere unless he has a good reason.

Screaming great hypocrite! Argh!

Uh-huh.

I also liked that Willow isn't angry with Buffy because she has her own guilty secret and so gets some of how Buffy feels.

Willow was great in this episode. And she isn't a hypocrite about what's happening between her and Xander - I think she sees rather clearly what she's doing, and enjoys it too much to stop.

he then kills it for me again by his manner when Buffy and Willow arrive when he immediately implies it was Angel.

Any excuse to harm Angel.

She didn't know he was a vampire until he stood back up - Giles just said he was a friend of Buffy's.

Ah - right. I forgot that.

The Faith/Buffy fight aside, not a favourite episode for me.

I like almost all the character interaction, but the plot is too thin to really be interesting.

[walkingowl.livejournal.com]

9. The glove. Very Torchwood-ish.

Yah. Write a crossover! What could Captain Jack tell Giles about those labyrinths on Malta, hm?

13. "...and I am in complete control of my Slayer."

I see this as persisting wishful thinking of his part, actually!

2. There's a bit of a sexual tease about Buffy/Faith going on - the dating joke, the "Really, we're just good friends." Hmm.

Hah. They go back to this a few times. It gets... interesting.

I like the scene where Angel and Buffy do Tai Chi. Especially since I'm planning on taking a course in Tai Chi as soon as possible.

Are you? Lovely! (Tai kwan do too?)

15.: I had a huge problem with their "intervention." In part because I find such group actions to be, almost without exception, horridly arrogant, abusive, and hostile; in part because it showed Xander to be incredibly dense and cruel! Huh? He's back to being shallow? Wha'hoppen?

16. I Mi>really loved Cordy's "demon lover" line!

17. I can't help thinking Buffy is right here.

Oh, yeah. See my complaint re 15!

18. And Giles, rightly, is furious with Buffy. "You have no respect for me, or the job I perform." He is having a bad day.

Um. He's striking out at Ms. Post more than at Buffy, there. Poor guy. Venting. Or, also, giving it to Buffy for letting something happen so that Ms. Post can take more potshots at him!

21. I agree. Hm. I didn't think that they could pull of the "illicit Xander/Willow" thing when it started, but it did come through rather well. I didn't really see any basis for it... hm.

22. And then Willow almost tells Buffy, but they're interrupted by a demon.

Well phrased! I think this comment of yours should be put up there right next to Shakespeare's one stage direction: "Exit left, pursued by a bear."

27. Faith and Buffy fight. This was inevitable, from the first hint of sexiness between them. I sigh at the predictability.

Aw, c'mon! [g] Give in a little. It was hot.

And tragic. Faith was defending her new watcher, someone who gave the appearance of caring enough about her to force her to work out. Faith... ah, it hurt to see her crushed when she realized that she'd not really mattered to the woman after all.

28. Of course, Xander trusts Gwendolyn. I am out of charity with poor gullible angry Xander.

Ummmm... yep.

31. Buffy tells Faith she can trust her. Faith is skeptical. If I were Buffy, I wouldn't be trusting Faith.

Faith almost reached out, here. I think the only thing that kept her from it was the recent pain from Ms. Post burning her so badly. Faith really, really wanted...! And Buffy would have been the one, too. (I think a lot of their fanfic holds onto that.)

32. Still no Spike. I'm ready to whimper. Really, Gwendolyn was no substitute.

Oh, you silly. When Spike does come back, you will be so frickin' thrilled!!!

33. Any more? Yes: Faith's handful. She is revealed to be yearning for some of what Buffy has, but can't deal with having that revealed, so she pretends it's not there. And, maybe, Giles is revealed to be all hung up on how little like a traditional Watcher he actually is... although I think he does things just the way he should, given his own non-traditional make-up and Buffy's freewheeling style/attitude.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Write a crossover!

It's been done. This, of course, would never stop me from doing the same.

What could Captain Jack tell Giles about those labyrinths on Malta, hm?

Jack and Giles and Malta? With either Captain John or Spike? ooh.

I see this as persisting wishful thinking of his part, actually!

Naw, Giles is never so deluded. But he does think he has her trust, and he trusts her, which is why he's so angry she didn't tell him about Angel's return.

Are you? Lovely! (Tai kwan do too?)

Maybe eventually both, but Tai Chi looks like a good place to start this year - not too hard on the ankle, but strengthening. And good for balance.

it showed Xander to be incredibly dense and cruel! Huh? He's back to being shallow?

Did he ever stop being shallow? He was more sympathetic for a while, but I'm not sure he ever changed. He just had less reason to be cruel, so he wasn't.

I didn't think that they could pull of the "illicit Xander/Willow" thing when it started, but it did come through rather well. I didn't really see any basis for it... hm.

I liked it a lot, and I do (I think) understand the motivations. I have more trouble with the aftermath - but we aren't there yet, so I'll comment at the time.

I think this comment of yours should be put up there right next to Shakespeare's one stage direction: "Exit left, pursued by a bear."

Yes, same principle.

Aw, c'mon! [g] Give in a little. It was hot.

It was. I really wasn't complaining. It was predictable, but I didn't say I didn't enjoy it!

When Spike does come back, you will be so frickin' thrilled!!!

Meanwhile: impatient.

Giles is revealed to be all hung up on how little like a traditional Watcher he actually is... although I think he does things just the way he should, given his own non-traditional make-up and Buffy's freewheeling style/attitude.

I think they are a great match. Love them both.

[sparklebutch.livejournal.com]

[I think of this as the Gwendolyn Post episode.]

*laugh*
You're not the only one.

I like your predictions, one by one.

Cat wonders how you reacted to Wesley.

[like boinking the living]

More room temperature, I'd think.

[Xander is blind to the parallel]

Not really parallel - Xander/Willow kissage is mean, but wouldn't, in theory, KILL a lot of people. Unlike Angelus.

["You have no respect for me, or the job I perform."]

Never did, probably never will.

[Which says something somewhat surprising about Willow]

Classic good girl issues, isn't it?

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Cat wonders how you reacted to Wesley.

Not in a simple manner. My first thought: he's gorgeous. My second thought: he reminds me of Timothy Callahan, Donald Strachey's boyfriend. Which is good because Timmy is very cute and sexy. Second reaction: Wesley's intellect doesn't match his looks. Then I was mildly disgusted with him as a coward. A cute coward, but a coward nonetheless.

I liked Giles' interaction with him.

Xander/Willow kissage is mean, but wouldn't, in theory, KILL a lot of people. Unlike Angelus.

That's the way Xander would see it -no parallel at all. I see it as similiar because I like/trust Angel. As long as he's uncursed.

Classic good girl issues, isn't it?

Which is interesting and fun. Will be interesting to see how it turns out.

[sparklebutch.livejournal.com]

Wesley is brilliant. His intellect at this point is simply hidden by... well, he's an insecure frightened little child, isn't he. It'll fade with time. He's a bright boy.



There are similarities, of course, but I still think the death and murder thing counts for something. And no, I'm not usually a Xander supporter. On the other hand, also very much not an Angel supporter. I lack forgiveness.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Wesley is brilliant.

Glad to hear it. In season 3, he doesn't compare well to Giles.

His intellect at this point is simply hidden by... well, he's an insecure frightened little child, isn't he.

I wondered why. Why would the Watcher's Council send someone who can be intimidated by 17-year-olds? No doubt they had their reasons and Wesley is a diamond in the rough. I see great potential in him - it just hasn't been realized yet.

In his favour, he's still fighting the good fight after having been rejected and scorned by just about everyone.

I'm not usually a Xander supporter. On the other hand, also very much not an Angel supporter. I lack forgiveness.

I ifnd it easier to forgive Angel for atrocities than to forgive Xander for immaturity and pettiness. I'm not sure why. I certainly don't much like David Boreanaz, not at all, but Angel's role as tragic supernatural lover appeals to me. He's Byronic, and I'm a sucker for the type.

I suspect I may be happier with Buffy when Angel is gone, storywise. Not sure.

My reaction so far to the first epiosde of Angel (all I've seen so far) is: what's the point of Angel without Buffy?

[sparklebutch.livejournal.com]

Why would the Watcher's Council send someone

No doubt they had their reasons, AND Wesley is a diamond in the rough, but those two are unrelated. They sent an inexperienced boy, I don't know if they wanted him to fail or not, but that was their bad, and we do not trust nor like the council. And Wes is indeed made of greatness, but not the council nor his time in Sunnydale helped him realise that; I will tell you no further, I can only tell you that Wesley is one of the ones that really deserve a place in your heart.

In his favour, he's still fighting the good fight after having been rejected and scorned by just about everyone.

After you're finished with everything, and you remember Buffy's s3, you will wonder how their rejection and scorn may have affected him, and how things might have been different at Giles been less defensive, or Buffy less of a bitch, or Faith less of... Faith. And everything.

what's the point of Angel without Buffy?

...All the others.

And also the writing, the stories, the show. You'll get there. What have you learned so far about Joss and stuttered beginnings?

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

They sent an inexperienced boy, I don't know if they wanted him to fail or not, but that was their bad, and we do not trust nor like the council.

Maybe it's politics. Maybe it's something more sinister. Maybe it's meant as an insult to Giles: that he should be replaced by someone without experience or guile.

I can only tell you that Wesley is one of the ones that really deserve a place in your heart.

This is good to hear. And as of the end of season 3, I like the character a lot - have come to respect him, though not yet to love him.

also the writing, the stories, the show. You'll get there.

Good! And truthfully, I did quite like the first episode; I particularly liked Angel, even without Buffy. (And the hints that he was hurting because of his love for her were icing on the cake.) I could have done without Cordelia, who grated on me even more in the context of Angel than she ever did as Buffy.

What have you learned so far about Joss and stuttered beginnings?

Sigh. Enough to be procrastinating a little on the beginning of season 4.

[sparklebutch.livejournal.com]

Maybe it's politics.

Isn't everything.

What have you learned so far about Joss and stuttered beginnings?

No, no, no. You've learned that it gets better.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

it gets better.

Ah. Right. Thanks for reminding me.