D'oh! On re-watch, I realized that the whole Anne/Gunn scene was a reiteration of the "...if nothing we do matters, then all that matters is what we do...if there is no bigger meaning, then the smallest act of kindness is the greatest thing in the world" theme.

Y'all probably got it the first time.

Promo photos for the Finale, from the spoiler thread.

I am toasting my beloved show with the rest of the excellent bubbly we had at dinner, and feeling rage percolating in my veins.

Fuck the Senior Partners. Let's go open a can of Illyrian whupass on the morons at WB.

I had no problem at all with the ending, because in my head, they survive and there's a movie. And anyone wants to argue that with me tonight, don't bother. It's my fantasy ending and I'm sticking to it.

I knew Wesley was going to die. During the trailer last week, when they said that one of the MoG wouldn't survive the night, I knew it had to be Wesley. So little to live for, and probably the hardest fighter among them all to stay alive, the one who cared most.

The only things at all that twigged me were one scene and one premise. The scene was Illyria as Fred, lying to him; what I wanted there was a shimmer, a flicker, some subtlety of melding in the camera work, that had her flickering between lost Fred and transforming adapting Illyria. She could still have had Fred-face on when she put the fucker's lights out.

The premise was the very appearance of the eighty bazillion Bad Things. Surely, with the most powerful of their earthly ministers suddenly dead, their power would have waned, not waxed?

The thing that broke my heart was Lorne/Angel. If you're all quoting bits of poetry, I vote for Michael Drayton. Since there's no help, come let us kiss and part/shake hands forever, cancel all ours vows...

Damn. It's been a beautiful run, far too short. I can't believe it's over.

Oh, that message from WB? Fuck you, WB. Fuck you in the arse with a salad fork. I hope you all choke to death on frogs.

I like the way Deb writes endings.

They have a cave troll...

I know Nutty loathed it, just based on the spoilers. I expected to be dissatisfied.

But. I was sniffling. Sad for Wesley, shocked at Lorne shooting Lindsey, laughed at Lindsey so outraged at his death being delegated, cheered for Gunn and his two-fisted vamp-dusting.

And I loved, loved, loved, that they ended back in the rain-soaked alley. Back around to season 1. Angel in the alley with a sword.

I don't know if they lived or died, or if they took any of the demons down with them. But I love that they went out fighting. And I love that Joss didn't wrap it all up for us.

I could be more critical: I could say that the power of the end was diffused by the lack of adequate time to set it up. That the damage they did wasn't great enough, that it didn't seem worth all their sacrifices. That Wes was such the obvious one to die, the damaged one, the broken one. That the endless callbacks were over the top and too clearly a sop to the fans.

But the end got me, and the twists. And I'll go away saddened, and happy that at least they got enough warning to end it at all.

t hugs Buffistas near and far

I like the way Deb writes endings.

Heh. Which one? The movie or the frog-asphyxiated executives at WB?

Tequila and Citronge:

Oh, and WB? Stick it up your ass. "Your friends at the WB," indeed.

Pfffffffffft.

Oh, and WB? Stick it up your ass.

(hoists glass of champagne toward the East Bay)

Testify, sister. Testify.

Did I mention how much I loved the betrayal on Lindsey's face? The outrage? Dooooood.

Also, anyone else see a little bit of Justine in Eve, there? No? Ah. Just me, then...

FUCK YOU, WB.

That.

I would like to take Jordan Levin's spine as a trophy.

Ah, Illyria. That's my girl.

It's hard to feel sad with a room full of friends. More like a cheerful wake. Spoiled, of course, I knew Wesley was gone, though I'd been girding my loins for it for a dog's age.

Loved Gunn tonight.