I love the way, even so early on, all roads lead to Innocence, and to Becoming.

Here, she's still trying for a "normal" life outside of slayerdom -- and learning that slayerdom is going to involve a lot more than vampires. Later we'll see the girl she was in L.A., before she was called -- and she's in no way that girl here. Witness her early assessment of Cordelia, her taking to Willow and Xander. One layer of innocence has already been stripped away -- or, alternately, one layer of wisdom has been gained.

Innocence strips away another layer, and Becoming leaves her with the truth -- what's left is her, her choices, her strength.

Even here, when she tells Joyce that she loves her, when she seems grateful that Joyce has her own life, and understands (in a vague, non-understanding but natural way) that Buffy is still discovering hers, she's realizing that she is "becoming" Buffy.

I did aerobics to the cheerleading music

I always felt that Joss drew from Spider-Man and from the same well as Andre Norton's YA books. That big juicy metaphor for adolesence alienation as being literally quite different.

But...

Even here, when she tells Joyce that she loves her, when she seems grateful that Joyce has her own life, and understands (in a vague, non-understanding but natural way) that Buffy is still discovering hers, she's realizing that she is "becoming" Buffy

This coming into personhood is just excellent storytelling. Not simply relying on the metaphor but telling the story of how somebody grows into themself, loses their innocence, gains their wisdom.

does anybody ever see axes for firefighting anywhere other than a firestation anymore?

does anybody ever see axes for firefighting anywhere other than a firestation anymore?

I don't know. But it was a good Shining moment. They stole from so many movie tropes so many times.

I like that Buffy - sort of realizes mom not invovled in everything is good, but still wishes for more

oooh mirror

Joss is good with eyes -- yes evil eyes and statue eyes but he focuses on eyes a lot - when xander says he saved the day - they focus goes from willow's eye's to amy's syes to buffy's eyes... slightly different expressions in all of them .

Yeah, the mirror! I loved that.

I think that was one of the things I loved best, early on. Buffy wasn't supposed to be an academic star, but it was always clear she was smart. Not only in something like thinking to use a mirror in that fight, but in figuring out the heart of a situation. Like when she says to Giles's comment about someone not liking cheerleading, "Or likes it too much." Smart.

and she thinks so quickly - anyone could have grabbed something to put out amber's hands - but Buffy though of it quickly

"What curse will she put on Buffy? No ears?"

No body fat, if later seasons are anything to go by.