Buffy the Vampire Slayer: 6x22 Full Reaction
Added 2025-05-12 14:41:15 +0000 UTC"Grave"
Comments
Calm down fs. You can cancel right away.
Pauline Robertson
2025-05-28 11:05:56 +0000 UTCI hate that Tara's dead. But it really was the apotheosis of Warren's evil and misogyny - it was a pointless act of disgusting violence, but many women in the US (and elsewhere) die a pointless death of disgusting violence because of guns and because of the hateful misogyny that result in femicide. Warren was the Elliot Rodger, the Marc Lepine, the Alek Minassian, of the Buffyverse. I don't think it only worked on the level of motivating Willow's turn here - I think it was drawing attention to a very real kind of villain in the world, and I think that was worth doing.
Bri
2025-05-16 21:21:43 +0000 UTCit’s a watch along format
Cassandra Humes
2025-05-16 12:00:49 +0000 UTCNo , for real though....I've skipped through the entire thing...there isn't a lick of video or are you really just showing seconds here and there? I cannot watch thsinits unwatchable.Ive never come across someone else doing it like thsi...on patreon...and for 6 euros... Absolute waste of money sorry to to say.
Isabella Ljungkvist
2025-05-16 06:43:18 +0000 UTCI'm so disappointed and angry..biggest mistake joining this channel.There is no video to follow along with, it's hidden no sound even.Like i can't even follow what you're commenting on..cause i have no clue where we are in the episode. Am I supposed to play the episode myself and watch you with it somehow? Like...I'm probably never gonna join anyone on patreon ever again. Whst is this...scam
Isabella Ljungkvist
2025-05-16 06:38:03 +0000 UTCBut how can anyone watch this?I paid and joined justt to watch this episode.where is it? This is patreon , not youtube.why do i have to pay to watch the cut crappy youtube version on patreon..I feel tricked..where eis the video?Ther eis litterally nothing....no sound nothing...no video to watch along with....compleltly differnr tform what your videos look liek on youtibe even..like what....
Isabella Ljungkvist
2025-05-16 06:35:21 +0000 UTCI've been experiencing a weird glitch with YouTube uploading these - it happened in a severance video & this one, so that's why I had to upload straight to patreon. hopefully the glitch will stop. it rearranges audio over the wrong visuals multiple times, cutting out footage etc - idk. its been weird.
Cassie
2025-05-15 14:19:06 +0000 UTCNo YouTube hurts - the system I have for watching these is based on downloading them and moving them to a PC with no network connection. With YouTube they're easy to download. Not so much with Patreon.
Dane Bude
2025-05-14 22:39:38 +0000 UTCThe yellow crayon speech makes me bawl every time. I think the fact that Xander and Willow have done some really shitty things this season makes it even more impactful for me.
Raymond Simon
2025-05-14 02:33:31 +0000 UTCAnother way of saying it, but the big bad was real life imo.
Helly R
2025-05-13 11:36:03 +0000 UTCI came to the comments late and expected to see someone already having said this but they haven't, so I will. The big bad of this season was themselves. Throughout the season, they fought with each other, betrayed each other, attacked each other, doubted themselves, acted against their own best interest, and so on and so on. Having the 3 morons being the supposed enemy emphasized this because the morons mostly just got in their way (until the end).
Rod Bate
2025-05-13 10:00:37 +0000 UTCSpike was looking to get his soul back the whole time. It's what he was fighting for. He never actually asked for the chip to be removed. The whole 'travel across the world to find a demon' makes way more sense if he's looking to get his soul rather than to deal with the chip. The way he was talking about Buffy was intended to mislead the audience, of course, but it's also very much in-character for him. He was referring to Dru as a worthless bitch after she dumped him the first time, when he was heartbroken and really just wanted her back. And in this case, he's talking tough to save face in front of this demon who's calling him out for being pathetic. But it's all just typical Spike bluster. He wanted that soul, although whether or not he even had the capacity to understand what it would do to him is another matter.
Maia Brodsky
2025-05-13 05:11:59 +0000 UTCHmm... I had some thoughts during this reaction related to Xander and Willow. One, I don't believe that there was any other way to truly ignite Willow's wrath (at least not quickly anyway). Also, I don't think the solution to Willow's arc of darkness would have worked for any other circumstance. Generally, slow burns are never quickly resolved. Besides, there could be plenty of fodder for aftermath story wise for Willow's decent and rise out of what is possibly the most pitch-black darkness she could have endured. Xander? Well, he didn't have to be a big hero figure with a great deal of virtue for this storyline to work. I consider the "love conquering evil is cheesy" to be a cynical take which I understand as I myself am pretty cynical at times. Yet I also buy the definition of a "cynic being a sad romantic" as a thing. Arguably Xander's (many) weaknesses as a man are precisely the point. I agree with a line from Gandalf that "...evil is held at bay not by big acts but by the small ones from small folk..." (much paraphrased yet IYKYK). The most significant thing Xander did with Willow was his being there without judgment as her best, longest friend. Looking forward to more Buffy/Angel reactions. Cheers.
Michael Labs
2025-05-13 03:23:56 +0000 UTCSo many first time viewers get this wrong, so let me clear it up for you…Spike never went to that demon looking to have his chip removed, he sought him out looking to have his humanity restored the whole time, that was the twist. If you go back and really listen to his dialogue with the demon, he says things like “I want to return to what I was before, so that the slayer can get what she deserves” but he’s saying these things in such tone that misleads the audience, and of course this was done on purpose for the sake of the big reveal that we got before fading to black, can’t wait for you to react to the final season!
Keenan White
2025-05-13 02:41:36 +0000 UTCI've never seen you this tense watching Buffy before. The vibes were heeeavy, haha. Glad you liked it overall, tho. Great catch with the mirrored graves! I will say that, yeah, the general writing of this episode might be cheesy now -- I mean I just watched it, it is -- but in 2002, that shit was pretty impactful. 🥲
Test User
2025-05-13 01:38:48 +0000 UTCSofieReacts picked this up. I actually really like her reaction. She's very emotional about this show and at the same time she picks up on a lot of details.
ThePowerDrome
2025-05-13 00:55:01 +0000 UTCI agree that Tara's death was unnecessary from a story perspective. There's plenty of character deaths that I'm unhappy about, but which I can accept were necessary for the story being told. This one just doesn't feel necessary. There were other ways they could have driven Willow over the edge without killing her. I felt like you were talking directly to me when you said that you knew some people wouldn't be happy with Xander being the one to save the world. I do like the actual world-saving sequence, but I can't forget all of the self-pitying lashing out he does at all of his loved ones and all of the pain and hurt that he causes. I love that the world was saved through the Power of Love and the Power of Friendship, but I still think Xander is a DICK. The scene of Giles laughing as Buffy told him what he missed came because Anthony Stewart Head kept cracking up while filming, so they incorporated it into the episode. I think it makes perfect sense: So much of this season is off-the-walls NUTS, and sometimes when there's too much trauma you just need to laugh to keep from going mad. It was a great way to break the tension to keep the episode from becoming TOO down. The question of whether or not a vampire can ever be redeemed for the things they did is an ongoing debate to this day. Some people say that it's impossible because the presence/absence of a soul creates two completely independent beings. To them, the being that Spike has now become isn't the same being that did all of the murdering and rape and torture, so it's literally impossible to make up for those actions because they were committed by a different person. Just like the person BEFORE becoming a vampire doesn't become tainted by their evil actions afterwards: They're unconnected. The answer to the redemption question depends on whether you agree with this perspective or not.
JBK405
2025-05-13 00:54:59 +0000 UTCI think most people can agree that the writers should have probably found another way to push Willow to go over the edge without killing Tara, and to push Spike to get a soul without trying to SA Buffy. Also if there is any confusion, Spike definitely went there to get a soul. The writers were just trying to mislead people into thinking he was getting his chip removed so they could be surprised in the end.
Masha Gunic
2025-05-13 00:53:46 +0000 UTCYou are the first reactor I've seen who immediately caught the parallel between the first episode of the season and the last: Buffy climbing out of the grave, only this time she knows why and she's not alone. Well done! It may have been years and I don't know how many viewings before I realized that. What happens to Willow is something like what happens to Cordelia at the end of Season 1 of Angel. Both become connected to all the pain and suffering in the world. Cordelia, having no magic strength, is paralyzed into near-catatonia , but Willow, filled with magic power, can only think of ending the pain by destroying everything. When Cordy is cured, the experience leaves her far more compassionate. When Xander gets through to Willow, she is able to feel her own emotions again and finally experience her grief. The reason every woman loves Giles: he's the man who immediately notices when you get a new hairdo.
DanielOrme
2025-05-13 00:24:36 +0000 UTCi love that xander is the one to save willow, it creates the perfect opportunity for dawn and buffy to have their moment and reminds us of s1 in the best way. also want to say that, as a spike lover and a xander hater, i really appreciate your balanced opinions on both of them. i always agree with you and i really respect and love to hear your nuance
kachow6969
2025-05-12 22:58:10 +0000 UTCAnother master class in acting from Alyson Hannigan, she's so damned good. Regarding Spike, BTVS writer/producer Jane Espenson said that "We did a big old mislead on yall where we wanted you to think he gonna go get the chip. We knew, the whole time, from the very beginning he was gonna go get a soul." She made the comment in a May 2002 interview soon after the episode aired. The whole interview is highly informative and entertaining, definitely worth a listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYjJjmvy09o
Gaius Frakking Baltar
2025-05-12 22:54:36 +0000 UTCYour hair looks so good Cass!
Isaiah Bryant
2025-05-12 22:28:10 +0000 UTCAnd, in season 1, the Master did describe Angelus as "the most vicious creature" he had ever met.
Christine Cox
2025-05-12 22:27:52 +0000 UTCThis was a great episode and a great reaction! Looking forward to S7! I like that Xander gets to save the world with the power of friendship, he has made mistakes but he is willing to fight for his friends. Although the reference to being a carpenter and saving everyone with the power of love positions him as a Christ-like figure, which is maybe a bit much.
James Smith
2025-05-12 21:36:08 +0000 UTCXANDER: It could be witches, some evil witches... Which is ridiculous 'cause witches they were persecuted Wiccan good and love the earth and women power and I'll be over here ....
spikeysnack
2025-05-12 20:45:56 +0000 UTCI am not Catholic but like the sentiment in this prayer. The song version used on the show was by Sarah McLachlan from 1997. Trivia - The second half of the prayer bears a strong resemblance to this famous saying of Giles of Assisi (c. 1190 – 1262), one of Francis's closest companions: GILES! Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me bring love. Where there is offence, let me bring pardon. Where there is discord, let me bring union. Where there is error, let me bring truth. Where there is doubt, let me bring faith. Where there is despair, let me bring hope. Where there is darkness, let me bring your light. Where there is sadness, let me bring joy. O Lord, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love, for it is in giving that one receives, it is in self-forgetting that one finds, it is in forgiving that one is forgiven, it is in dying that one awakens to eternal life.
Kevin E Maul
2025-05-12 20:08:56 +0000 UTCOh man not even arguably, Angelus was way worse than Spike. I'm not sure any other vampire was as bad as Angelus, he was exceptionally sadistic in a way Spike has never been (beyond what's usual for a vampire anyway).
Jorgalorg
2025-05-12 19:07:30 +0000 UTCYour willingness to appreciate Xander against the popular hate for the character is really endearing and one of the many reasons you remain at the top of the reactor list for me! I think this is the perfect end to this season. I love this season and I'm ready for the next season of Angel and Buffy because because they are both great too!
Jonathan Hall
2025-05-12 18:24:29 +0000 UTCYou didn't use YouTube to upload your videos this time. Do you plan to continue using Patreon for new videos? In my humble opinion, Spike was still somewhat selfish when he went after the soul. You see, he's been called an evil, soulless creature a lot, including by Buffy, and in my opinion, it wasn't entirely deserved. But I put almost full responsibility for everything that happened between them this season on Buffy. Spike did a lot of good, he couldn't save Dawn, but he shouldn't have. He could have been gone. And I know there are people for whom Spike is still just a rapist and nothing more, but I would like to remind you that he's a vampire, he's not human, the laws and motives of humans cannot be applied to supernatural beings, especially ones whose power affects their consciousness and their ability to restrain their inner demons. And then there's Willow, who raped Tara in Once More With Feelings, and she got away with it, unlike Spike. Buffy also loved Angel, a vampire with a soul, and I think that also influenced Spike's decision to get his soul back. Of course, he saw it as a soulless vampire and thought that he would just get his soul back, come back, and Buffy would meet him the way he deserved. That's how the soulless Spike saw it. How Spike with a soul would see it -- we'll see.
ThePowerDrome
2025-05-12 16:32:18 +0000 UTCFun fact there is a Tara prequel novel (The Bewitching Hour) I've heard is pretty cool. It's her senior year of HS before she came to Sunnydale (timeline wise around season 2 or 3ish).
thevoidbender
2025-05-12 16:24:00 +0000 UTCShe also said in an interview that she had an argument with someone on set, and because of this she was forced to leave the show, and the inclusion of Amber Benson in the credits was already an idea of Whedon's, which he wanted to implement starting from season 1.
ThePowerDrome
2025-05-12 16:04:02 +0000 UTCSeason 6 is divisive, but I generally like it. I like all of the season arcs for the characters. It's a very dynamic season. Personally I think that they were too heavy-handed on the magic=drugs metaphor. I think it would have worked better and held up better and been more consistent if they leaned more into "power corrupts." You could have kept almost all of the same beats. And power, itself, can be addictive in a way. But other than that, I really like it. Obviously, not happy about Tara dying, but I enjoyed Willow's arc and I don't think you can do it without Tara dying.
R. Chang
2025-05-12 15:56:34 +0000 UTCI have 5 and 6 as my favourite seasons, and the latter does have a bunch of good episodes. Apart from this one I really like Once More With Feeling, Two To Go, Villains, Tabula Rasa, Normal Again, Bargaining 1 and 2, After Life and probably some more I forget right now.
borednow
2025-05-12 15:47:30 +0000 UTCWhen I do my personal season rankings I do them based on density of best/favourite episodes. On that scale I tend to put S6 closer to the bottom than the top. But at the same time it might have the best, most cohesive, full circle overall story arc. It's very weird for me ha ha. But the older I get and the more I rewatch it the more I tend to enjoy it, even if the individual eps don't wow me as much as in some other seasons.
Preaching to the Horse's Mouth
2025-05-12 15:30:58 +0000 UTCI agree with your feeling that killing Tara was probably a mistake in retrospect. Not a huge one, but something I wish did not happen. It's also worth noting this caused a big upset at the time, given how important Willow and Tara were with gay representation on TV (they were the first long term same sex relationship depicted in a serious way, and Tara's death was seen to play into the dead-lesbian trope). This matters less these days since there's far wider representation in media, but at the time people were VERY upset. Willow and Tara were/are really beloved and for good reason.
Helly R
2025-05-12 15:30:27 +0000 UTCI know you were avoiding comments until at least the end of the season, so I waited until now to mention - the reason Tara wasn't in the regular opening credits was because Amber didnt want the huge commitment of agreeing to that contract. She was offered the main cast position but chose not to take them up on it.
Maia Brodsky
2025-05-12 14:54:29 +0000 UTCWOOOO IM SO READY!!
Melissa Reynolds
2025-05-12 14:41:47 +0000 UTC
