Steph,

when Buffy died in "The Gift" my feelings were complicated by Dawn (who I really really didn't like) and that I was pretty sure Buffy would be back. My main area of concern at the time (as I recall) and early in the next season was whether Buffy would come back wrong.

I didn't morn Buffy, but if that had been the end of the show I might have. I most definitely was in shock after Jenny's death, and missed her almost as much as Giles did. I also morned for Joyce and Terra, but I morned more for the loss of Oz.

I committed fic. That summer was the only time I wrote fic for any fandom ever, and it was all prompted by the idea of Buffy being dead and everyone mourning her. I knew she would be back, but the utter looks of grief (especially on the faces of Giles and Spike) gutted me.

I mourned with the characters who were mourning, but not for Buffy. Of course I knew she would be back, but I would have been content to end the series there. It was a fitting and perfect end, for both the show and her. I'm not sad it *didn't* end, mind you, but if it had, that would have been okay with me.

I'm not normally okay with ending a show I love with the death of a/the main character. But she's the Slayer. She was never gonna die in bed surrounded by fat grandchildren. Better she go out saving the world than getting offed by a vampire on a bad night.

I didn't mourn at all because I knew she was coming back, and thought it was kind of cheesy to kill her and bring her back.

But that was before I experienced S6 and Joss really made Buffy's death consequential.

Still, I thought it was a cheezy comic book death. If she had died-stayed-dead-end-of-show I would've mourned.

I totally thought she was really dead. And I was very sad, but not as wiped out as I was after Joyce died. I thought it would be possible that either SMG would return, but not Buffy, or Buffy would return but not SMG.

I knew Buffy was coming back, so I didn't mourn. But Jenny and Tara got me to mourn, and Joyce's death hit me harder than any fictional death since before I was in kindergarten. It's rare that entertainment can make me well up (usually only when it's a story about tragedies that befell real life people), but you'd have thought one of my own relatives had died the way I was crying during "The Body."

Me too Matt.

A neighbor was watching with me (shed' been watching buffy with me a bit) and she couldn't understand why I was so upset.

I could just say, "Buffy's Mom died!" I even called Mom afterwards and told her I loved her, just because I could.

Jenny and Tara's deaths were shocking but still related to vampires and slaying. But Joyce's death was shocking and I think hurt more because it was so normal.

And the episode was so well done. The lack of music and the quiet of the house. Then Buffy goes outside and opens the door and there's the sound of kids playing (I think, or birds) it was kind of jarring for me and a hint of normal and happiness amid Buffy's grief it just felt like an intrusion.

SMG did a really good job. I can't remember but I think I was pulling myself together when Buffy says "you can't touch the body" and the look on her face when she realizes what she's said.

I have a hard time rewatching it.

I remember at the time being shocked, because I had read that somebody would die in the finale, but I never thought it would be Buffy. And then, because the show was leaving the WB, the network put together a "thank you to Buffy for five great seasons" (or something) right after the credits and I actually had a week or so where I thought the whole move to UPN might've been a fake out and the show was over and Buffy was dead.

And I didn't mourn, because I think The Gift had a great ending - and the idea of her dieing in service felt kinda right. It was sad and lovely - a proper hero's death. I still would prefer that ending to the mess that the show became during its last season and a half. Even thinking of seventh season now makes me slightly bitter.

Sky TV ruined the ending of 'The Gift' by showing the tombstone in previews. I believe I was too pissed off to worry about much else. But I assumed she'd be back.

Season five's ending would have been a superb final ending to the series. I love the twist of season seven's end, and I think it resonates with everything the series communicated and stood for - but you could absolutely stop watching at 'The Gift' and it would feel complete.

I was moved (Spike, Willow, wah) but I didn't mourn. I agree that Joyce's death was far more disturbing. The Girl has only watched 'The Body' once - she says she could never deal with it again.