Buffy the Vampire Slayer: 7x5 Full Reaction
Added 2025-06-29 03:15:39 +0000 UTC
Comments
The comments you have had to deal with have not been fair. I watched the show as it came out, as a weekly thing back in the day and I can tell you 100% that a lot if not outright most of us thought Spike was trying to get his chip removed. We thought he wanted it gone so he could do actual harm, make the slayer suffer by hurting those around her as well as her, and be the monster he had said just 3 episodes earlier that he couldn't be. It was written to be very misleading. The guys that yelled about it being confirmed and that anybody with critical thinking would know, ironically, are incapable of critical thinking. If they had that skill then maybe they would realize that somebody watching the show blind wouldn't know anything about that the writers have or have not said and would take everything as it comes. Those "fans" disappoint me. Keep doing what you're doing, I've loved the reactions so far.
Staineless
2026-02-12 15:55:39 +0000 UTCWatching your extended intro made me question why you didn't have a monitor to protect you from spoilers. The fact that Spike intended to get a soul was never clear until the writers confirmed it. This was something no one could know for sure during the airing of the show in real time. You should not know it with 15 episodes to go. You have been spoiled.
Eric Haefele
2025-09-04 22:21:15 +0000 UTCI think maybe Xander was right that Buffy hadn't put quite as much time and effort as she claimed into looking for alternatives to killing Anya ... since it took Willow less than three seconds to come up with one :) I think this is a great episode. Emma Caulfield is a really good actress, it's nice when she gets a chance to shine.
Arlo Murphy
2025-07-12 04:17:24 +0000 UTCI would also like to offer my time to act as a mod in a subordinate positions to your established mods to help mediate this kind of abuse in your comments if you need more hands on deck. I obviously have my own opinions but have and always do respect the opinions and perspectives (perspectives is key) in all reasonable contexts such as this one is. Just throwing that out there to help if help is needed. otherwise, I hope you can take this comment as encouragement to be yourself, feel and share your feelings, and as confirmation that there are plenty of us out here who will give you the space to do so.
Brandon Scott
2025-07-05 21:03:42 +0000 UTCI wish I watched this before asking a question around this topic in your livestream. I'm sorry if my asking that made you even mildly anxious or uncomfortable. I also hate that this was spoiled for you-- I would have liked to see you sort this on your own. There are two conversations happening: One is a conversation about inter-studio politics between the studio and the show runner, the show runner and the writers room and the writers room and the creator of the show...nothin is as black and white as people are making it seem. And the second conversation is one of truth as manifested in the actions and reactions of characters who have been crafted and given life over 6 plus seasons of content. I know which I value more, especially as a writer myself, but I respect whichever anyone eel chooses to ascribe to as I will respect which you ascribe to...and I just hope you care hence surrounded by community members who pay you that same, really bare-minimum level of respect as well.
Brandon Scott
2025-07-05 20:59:42 +0000 UTCPerhaps it was not clear that the opening scene was the gang moving Willow's stuff into her new room at Buffy's house. She and Tara moved in when Buffy died, and they had the master bedroom together when Buffy was resurrected, but I think Willow put all her stuff in storage when she left for England. Now she is in the small room over the living room with its own pitched roof. The room is still decorated with some of Joyce's African and Indian statues and paintings, antique lamps, and lots of candles. They don't talk about Joyce much, but she is all around in all her things still in the house. Spike has been spending days in the school basement; why? He could be holed up anywhere so why there, practically right over the hell mouth? Also right after the episode "help" where no one could save Cassie, a vision of Buffy in white is telling spike she can "help" him, but then the real Buffy in black shows up, sensing something evil, and gets on Spike's case to move out of there. Everything in this episode is about people trying to "handle" other people, tell them what they should be doing. It's also about how that never ends well.
spikeysnack
2025-07-03 09:39:47 +0000 UTCMine is that she went back to her hut, but as a demon, and the rabbits attacked her.
spikeysnack
2025-07-03 08:45:53 +0000 UTCSpike fans catchin strays all day
Kiss the Librarian
2025-07-01 02:46:06 +0000 UTCIgnore the cesspool comments on youtube, as someone whose watched probably over 50+ reactors to Buffy you are easily one of the smartest. A lot of Spike fans are simple minded and if you dare question his motives you'll be attacked for not worshipping the character. It's annoying but just ignore these people.
Steveo
2025-06-30 23:31:52 +0000 UTCYou're very intelligent, and I was overjoyed when I lucked into finding your new account when you did Knives Out. I'm happy you do this. We did get the summary of the Olaf cheating on Anyanka in "Triangle" (05x11), although this added more flesh to the story (being two scenes instead of two lines).
Dee Aitch
2025-06-30 22:11:39 +0000 UTCAlthough the phrase is roughly the same, the context is completely different. Faith said it to avoid responsibility for what she did, while Buffy accepts it.
ThePowerDrome
2025-06-30 10:56:30 +0000 UTCheh numpties
Kiss the Librarian
2025-06-30 05:26:01 +0000 UTCWell... that was interesting... Everybody else covered the details as to the comments so I'll stay rather general. One; Youtube tends to become a cesspool in the comments section. I don't know if Patreon weeds out some of it due to people only paying when they're serious about following a favored reactor or if it is due to a certain kind of environment each (channel/reactor/group?) fosters. There seems to be a largely positive group on Patreon and Twitch (although I noticed some highly questionable statements that the moderators were quick with the "ban hammer" upon in Twitch). So hope that the intended spirit comes through when I state the following: I'm not going to always agree with interpretations, statements, or even taste preferences from Cass. That's just not how humans work. As to the shows, there is a reason why people tend to dislike others who totally "geek out" and take the medium too seriously. It's not being good company and takes the trivial as far more important than it ever will be. "Some people bring happiness when they enter a room, other people bring happiness when they leave". Your joy Cass is obvious and infectious, particularly in the music reactions which introduced me to Lana in particular. We love that. I'll end with my quote related to heated conversation about this latest thing. "It... is... a... tee... vee... show..."
Michael Labs
2025-06-30 02:49:36 +0000 UTCWillow told Xander to tell Buffy she was gonna try to rensoul Angel from the hospital where she was, so that Buffy could try to hold off on having to kill him for as long as she could, but instead Xander told Buffy that Willow said "to kick his ass."
Morgan Williams
2025-06-30 01:14:55 +0000 UTCMy head canon is that Anya sacrificed her rabbits as part of the spell to turn Olaf into a troll, and that’s why she has such a complex about them. There’s nothing to support that in the text, though.
HollowMan
2025-06-30 01:03:20 +0000 UTCTotally agree. But I did appreciate that they had Xander stop arguing at the point where Buffy brought that up. He stood there, clearly upset, but stopped attacking Buffy. Then he says, "There has to be another way," and Buffy says, "Then find it." (or words to that effect) But he is no longer being antagonistic, merely pleading. A nice way to resolve the scene.
Rod B
2025-06-30 00:42:38 +0000 UTCThey have said before that Anya is 1000 years old. So living that long and being a demon that long, made it weird and confusing along with scary to be back again as a mortal and also living genuinely alongside other mortals. In the end though she found herself, she never really understood until she was mortal again what living really was. She thought her mortality was a cage she needed to escape, but it was actually something she needed to face.
Morgan Williams
2025-06-30 00:42:14 +0000 UTCWell if Spike was going to get his chip out, I'd obvously think he'd go to a surgeon not a demon right lol.
Morgan Williams
2025-06-30 00:29:16 +0000 UTCD'Hoffryn does say in this episode that the price for undoing a wish this powerful is "the life and soul of a vengeance demon," which I always took as a confirmation that a vengeance demon does possess a soul.
Maia Brodsky
2025-06-30 00:05:57 +0000 UTCdamn I always forget how much I love the musical score at the end of the ep. it's sooo beautiful
madfem
2025-06-30 00:04:42 +0000 UTCThe "I'm the law" convo is fascinating because it mirrors the convo that Faith and Buffy had in season 3 ep 15 Consequences where they were arguing about that very topic (you should really rewatch that episode, it would enrich your appreciation of this episode and of the character development these characters have gone through - also its always a good idea to rewatch season 3, its one of the best seasons of TV ever). Also you seemed to miss the reference to "The Lie" as we call it in the fandom, when Buffy says that Xander told her that Willow was cheering for Buffy to kill Angel in the episode Becoming part 2 when actually, Willow wanted Xander to tell Buffy that she was gonna try to re ensoul Angel. Basically Xander lied about a pretty crucial thing and it has never been adressed before this episode.
madfem
2025-06-29 23:48:09 +0000 UTCYou are the only reactor that i subscribe to because your comments are always nuanced, intelligent, and well thought out. Some people just feel the need to vent their opinions, and they seem to have no understanding you are watching the show for the first time. Also you said "why am i on the internet" due to not having thick skin, i understand where you are coming from it's like a vulnerable act to put up a video and react and share your feelings and thoughts about it. I've loved Buffy since it came out but i've had zero interest in watching or reading about what writers intended or what this is supposed to mean or whatever, i honestly don't care, I love watching the show that's why people make art for people to enjoy and form thoughts about it, I don't need to know the specifics of every writers thought process for every decision made. I hope you continue to react in your own great way and not get affected by numpties.
David Allan
2025-06-29 23:21:22 +0000 UTCMy favorite trivia for this episode is that the plan was for Emma Caulfield (Anya) and Abraham Benrubi (Olaf) to be dubbed over (badly) in English for the flashback scene, to fit in with the old-timey look of the film as well. But they memorized the original Swedish lines phonetically, so it was decided to leave their dialogue in and subtitle it. Reviewing tangent: Years ago the internet reviewer SF Debris did a video on the movie "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier" where he savages the film pretty thoroughly. In it, he lays out that he HAS read William Shatner's book about the making of the film, watched the cast & crew interviews, read other retrospectives, etc. He knows all of the context and behind-the-scenes trivia that explain what they wanted the film to be, and the budget problems and technology problems that meant they couldn't realize their plans. So all told he knows WHY the film is bad....but the film is still bad and he is reviewing THE FILM, not the "making of". All of the excuses and justifications that other fans come up with are irrelevant because they're not IN THE FILM. Behind-the-scenes info is wonderful and I love to know what the producers intended to happen, but if it didn't actually make it onto the screen then it's not a part of the show.
JBK405
2025-06-29 22:57:47 +0000 UTCOh honey, I’m sorry you felt the need to have to explain yourself and your thought processes. You 100% do not have to do that. I don’t know what’s wrong with these people, the rest of us are here for your very entertaining and in my opinion very wise analytics of the show in the way you interpret it. Keep being you and doing your thing 🫶🏼 You’re my favourite Buffy reactor too.
Jonny
2025-06-29 22:10:56 +0000 UTCI think it’s funny that people drop negative comments like that and say, the writers confirmed it! People, she’s reacting to a show for the first time! While watching the original airing, I was a little confused too. Spike sounded so threatening at the end of S6 and then he’s like, I want what I came for, which, in my mind, was getting the chip removed. So on first watch, I can see how people would react or think that way. And unless Cassie is seeking out old interviews or dvd commentaries, she’s not going to know. Plus, as a reaction channel, you want to go in as blind as possible. Some of these viewers just need to chill. Cassie, I’ve watched so many of your reactions and there are too many times where you picked up on stuff before I did or made observations that made me think. You are doing just fine! 😊
Whitney Mercer
2025-06-29 22:09:46 +0000 UTCI find it weird that someone says there is no debate while a debate is happening. Some people should look up "Death Of the Author", disagreeing with an author's meaning is a respectable thing. Learning what writers meant is interesting, but it does not close debates about subjective interpretations. Don't change, you're my favourite Buffy reactor.
slypeartree
2025-06-29 21:42:30 +0000 UTCMy thoughts on Xander- Oh, he can annoy the Hell out of me. But, I believe that it is intentionally done. It's what makes this show so great. Despite the fact that he annoys me, I still love his character overall. He has some of my favorite lines in the series. I LOVE the call back to when Willow wanted him to tell Buffy that she was trying the Soul Restoration spell again and he chose to go another direction.
aeronitz
2025-06-29 21:21:40 +0000 UTCInterestingly, it was in this episode that Buffy mentioned Xander's deception, which goes some way to explaining her decision to abandon her friends at the end of season 2. You see, she could have seen Willow's wish as a kind of betrayal. Angel was still the love of her life then and now, and she confirmed that in this episode. And Willow's wish, which never happened, while rationally correct, was emotionally a betrayal of Buffy's feelings. She has to resolve the Angelus issue, but she does so solely because it needs to be resolved, not because she has finally decided to kill him. Of course, she couldn't blame Giles for such a betrayal, he defended her point of view on the Angelus issue in an argument with Xander. But she was just generalizing, I guess. After all, she was 17 at the time, a very young age to make such decisions. Regarding Buffy's decision about Anya. I actually agree with Mark Field that there were options left and Buffy used them all. She suspected that Anya wanted to kill herself because of Buffy, as they sometimes do in the States. It's called Suicide_by_cop, there's even an article on Wiki. So Buffy gave Xander a head start, turned to Willow for help, fought Anya a little and stabbed her with her sword, knowing full well that it wouldn't kill her. And she didn't try to cut off Anya's head at that time. And then Anya loses the sword and lies there peacefully, knowing that this time Buffy wouldn't miss. Well, that's what Anya thinks. I think Buffy was going to give her as many chances as she needed for Anya to finally realize her problem and make some kind of decision. What else? Well, Joss has once again proven that he can write not only good scripts, but also be a songwriter and composer -- the words and music of the song Anya are his. Outside the window Marti Noxon and David Fury sing again -- great writers and singers, although still not as great as writers as Joss. I'm very sorry that this season of Buffy he was so busy that he couldn't write a single episode in its entirety, except for the first and last, and only rewrote individual scenes.
ThePowerDrome
2025-06-29 20:42:38 +0000 UTCI'm defending. Spike actually explains everything correctly -- he changed because of the chip, that's true. But his job wasn't to remove the chip, because as mentioned before, the chip doesn't stop him from hurting Buffy and he doesn't want to hurt any of her friends except Xander, as we learned in the episode Entropy, which many people miss. As I wrote before, in that episode we really get to see Spike's enormous growth in himself, in his character, which, for example, Buffy, Willow, Xander -- the core group of characters -- have never shown before.
ThePowerDrome
2025-06-29 20:22:02 +0000 UTCGreat idea. Everything should have a down vote like the good old days. Was at least a bit of a way to mitigate bad comments. Apparently all the trolls and bad actors were having their feelings hurt though by downvotes. Wouldn't want that....
Jonathan Hall
2025-06-29 20:09:56 +0000 UTCSometimes wish Patreon had a down vote option for the comments that insist other people experience a story exactly the same way they did, even in a different time & place without spoilers. As if their perspective is the only perspective. The fact Cassie is reminding people she's avoiding spoilers and asking everyone to be respectful 7 seasons in is so embarrassing.
Kiss the Librarian
2025-06-29 19:27:18 +0000 UTCShowing Anya with all the bunnies in the first flashback was a good joke, but it doesn't really explain her bunny fear. That memory of her old life might make her regretful or angry or bitter, but why fear? Over years of watching Buffy reactions, I've seen a lot of what might be called 'tendentious spoilers,' comments that, while they don't baldly give away plot points, try to shove the reactor into thinking a certain way based on what the commenter know is coming and, more importantly, what their opinion about it is. Spike is a major flashpoint for these and they are hard to avoid. Still, I'm glad you've made such an effort to remain unspoiled. The main reason I think we watch reaction channels is it gives us a chance to re-experience the show the way we first saw it, especially when it's through the eyes of someone as sharp, observant, and thoughtful as you. 😊
DanielOrme
2025-06-29 18:45:42 +0000 UTCYeah, I like that being brought up, finally. It's too bad they glossed right over it.
Steve Quast
2025-06-29 16:58:32 +0000 UTCI caught that, as well. Thought it was pretty funny.
Steve Quast
2025-06-29 16:52:43 +0000 UTCD'Hoffren did specify that the reversal spell required the life and SOUL of a vengeance demon, so Anya definitely has a soul during this period as a vengeance demon. Not sure if it's because many vengeance demons were originally human or if it's just a quirk of their species but eh.
thevoidbender
2025-06-29 15:51:27 +0000 UTCCan't imagine why anyone would find your take odd, outside of blind, unwavering fandom. Spike's lead up to the end of that season was the most heavy-handed, forced writing in the entire series. "Gonna give that bitch what she deserves". Please. It wasn't some clever mislead through intelligent writing, it was blatant narrative dishonesty and authorial manipulation. The dialogue was obvious character betrayal and the whole thing a cheap misdirect. You gave the authors a bit of trust - which they had genuinely earned up until that point in the series - and they blew it with bad faith writing. As a massive fan of the show and most all things Whedon, this was a huge let down and shoddy writing. Anyone defending this...yeah, no.
godlesswonder
2025-06-29 15:43:26 +0000 UTCI forgot how brutal that cut between Mrs and the quiet of the shot of Anya with the sword through her chest is. Like it's so jarring and done really well.
thevoidbender
2025-06-29 15:42:40 +0000 UTCSome people only feel smart when they get to degrade others. This kind of toxic internet crap is why I deleted all my social media accounts many years ago. I realized reading all of that stuff was making my life worse not better. Trust me you are very insightful and intelligent and I appreciate you trying so hard to stay spoiler free. Which actually shocks me that you've been able to do so when you read comments. I see things in your comments all the time that are at the very least soft spoilers or trying to manipulate (or to be generous "prepare") your reaction to a coming episode or event.
Jonathan Hall
2025-06-29 15:14:18 +0000 UTCdamn people are so mean to you for no reason lol. idk if you'll see this or if your moderator reads comments while you're still reacting, but for what it's worth i watch you specifically because i find that you always have very well thought out and balanced reactions/assessments of what you watch
kachow6969
2025-06-29 14:39:37 +0000 UTCQuite a melancholy episode, but it was pretty hilarious to see uber-capitalist Anya spout Marxist rhetoric in the 1905 Russian Revolution scene. Btw, did you know that Spike fully intended to get back his soul? 🙃
Gaius Frakking Baltar
2025-06-29 13:57:24 +0000 UTCStarting off a comment with "The fact that you refuse to..." is just wild to me. I love this show and this universe with all my heart. I have very strong opinions about a lot of characters and storylines and a lot of them tend to very contrary and maybe even a little troll-y. But dang, dude, settle the heck down. It's a reaction channel about a show with vampires and witches, not real life or political Twitter or some crap. Good grief. Anya mentioned in an earlier episode that we wouldn't want to see D'Hoffryn when he's angry. I guess not, jeesh😬 The king of the vengeance demons for a reason.
Preaching to the Horse's Mouth
2025-06-29 12:16:38 +0000 UTCugh this section of the fandom is so annoying. You're the opposite of slow. It was ambigious. AND even if the writers confirm it later, these guys don't know the writers room and i think you are dead on narratively that they wanted to tease it out. This is all so silly.
Jason Harrelson
2025-06-29 09:05:18 +0000 UTCI'm not Spuffy, but it's hard to explain, for example, why in this episode Buffy wants Spike to come out of the basement without the condition that she loves and cares for him. Why would she actually want that or wish that for him? Well, he's sitting in the basement and sitting, who really cares that he's there? He's not hurting anyone like that except himself, I guess, but if Buffy doesn't love him, then she really shouldn't care how much harm he's doing or where he actually is.
ThePowerDrome
2025-06-29 08:56:38 +0000 UTCyou're way smarter than anyone critizizing you, I get angry on your behalf at these people saying you're slow or whatever. Don't excuse yourself to these idiots
Sigurd Lerstad
2025-06-29 07:34:41 +0000 UTCThe "Do you remember giving me Willow's message 'Kick his ass'.. I never said that" callback... Is one of my favorites of all-time... it's basically where my hate for Xander started!! 🤣🤣
Bryan J Brown
2025-06-29 06:47:00 +0000 UTCI do love us Buffy fans because we're a passionate bunch, but boy do I wish some us would take a beat and check our tone first. It only takes a few seconds and can go such a long way. I don't get the critiques for "overthinking" something or questioning a character. That's called watching a show and processing what's happening. Policing how people interpret a character and view their actions is weirdly controlling. Don't apologize for it or overthink the overthinking. That spoils the fun.
Robin J.
2025-06-29 06:05:45 +0000 UTCThe Willow/Anya relationship is interesting. It’s often said that Anya never says ”I wish” except after Joyce died. But she did say it in Same Time Same Place to Willow: ”I wish things were better for you”, and also thought things got a little sexy when they did magic, and wanted them to do some more of it. There are also comments like ”You can sleep with me” from Tough Love. And now Willow, who avoids magic, does it to help Anya. They used to be irritated with each other but there is also some spark there, and a genuine wish that things are better for the other person. My bunny theory is that they remind Anya of the time when she was happy and innocent, and that anything connected to those days and the loss of them is painful and scary to think about.
borednow
2025-06-29 06:04:31 +0000 UTCI'm sorry you had so much negativity sent your way. I would like to offer some positivity. When you are reacting and speculating, whether you guess right or wrong I see your investment in these amazing characters. I look forward to your content and have become a fan for your analysis, insight and perspective. I'm with you on this final leg of the Buffy and Angel journey. Secondly, I love this ep's character study treatment of Anya. Her delivery of "What if I'm really nobody?" Kills me every time.
Nate Andrews
2025-06-29 05:56:51 +0000 UTCYeah, I found it odd, too, that statements by the writers were invoked so often to settle the issue. When, really, if anyone just watches the entirety of season 7, they'll figure it out at some point. I think it's okay to allow new fans and reactors to take whatever time they need to realize Spike's intent.
Steve Quast
2025-06-29 05:39:15 +0000 UTCI often find myself behind on your Buffy reactions so I’m rarely in the comments, but even with the internet being the internet I’m kind of surprised to see how hard (rude) some of those comments on Spike’s intent went and how heavily they leaned on the writers’ statements rather than the show itself. As far as I can see, there were zero flaws in your interpretation, or anything you said, based on the episodes as presented. Being told you’re wrong because someone else said so at some point somewhere outside of the show - even if that someone is the writer or writers - is unfair and, in my opinion, ridiculous. Respectfully. Did you know Joss Whedon’s intention with “The Body” was to capture “the first few hours when there is no solution, catharsis or anything else” and that he was surprised “how many people actually did gain comfort from it, and a kind of catharsis”? (Quotes from his commentary on the DVD) A writer’s intent can certainly be considered when it’s made known, but it doesn’t get to dictate how the audience should interpret the media they’re engaging with.
tc3
2025-06-29 05:24:34 +0000 UTC2 things. 1: pls ignore Spuffy shippers because they can be insane. As someone who IS a Spuffy shipper, they just don't like to see logic/reason lol. So they want to try and fast forward to a Spike redemption arc as opposed to letting reactors naturally get there in the same way we did when the episodes were airing. ... and 2: FUN FACT!!! This episode was filming around the same time Sarah was getting married to Freddie so the producers actually point out in the commentary that during the Buffy/Anya fight scene Sarah is actually in her "wedding hair" lol
Cameron Ferguson
2025-06-29 04:38:13 +0000 UTCOne of the interesting thing for me in this episode is that the audience does know the solution on how to stop Anya without killing her; in 'The Wish' alternate universe Giles learned that smashing the necklace will undo the wish, and doing so turned Anyanka human again. But that timeline never happened to our characters, so they don't know that. Considering how other shows sometimes have characters learn "common knowledge" of events that said characters were never shown to learn (especially after multiple seasons) I thought it was impressive that the show didnt have Buffy or Willow just know the solution. Also if Buffy had aimed the sword strike a little higher she would have accidently hit the necklace.
James Smith
2025-06-29 04:32:00 +0000 UTCWow. People can be rude in their comments sometimes. I'm sorry for that. I can't remember if I contributed at all to the Spike discussion or just read it. It's one thing for long time fans to have dialogue with each other about this issue, but obviously no one should think a reactor, who's taking everything in for the first time, should know what's what right off the bat. It is true that Spike's purpose for undergoing the trials is clarified in season 7, but we were all at one time duped (at least probably most of us were) by the misdirect in season 6. You're one of my favorite reactors to the show and I greatly appreciate your willingness and ability to analyze Spike's character in a nuanced fashion, even after the terrible things he did last season. Very much looking forward to your reaction to the rest of the final season. Keep going strong.
Steve Quast
2025-06-29 03:50:52 +0000 UTC
