OK - quick impressions because I decided to tape 24 and look to the Buffistas, where my loyalties lie (and there will likely be 50+ posts before I finish).

Loved it! Even though I knew it was coming, felt a palpable, ungh when Anya got it. And I almost feel she didn't quite get enough of a ballad, so to speak, but, I know, limited time. Glad the bunnies empowered here though - it should have been MONKEYS!!!!

The other no-longer-potential who got it this time was indeed the Chinese slayer (getting bit by an uber), followed closely thereafter by Amanda's sideways deadfall into frame.

Victor - envy the situation; wish I was there. Even if you'd been accepting of such a newbie, Worcester's just NG on a "school night". I envy you the msbelle appearence, as she was the Buffista who asked if you all could keep me when I first de-lurked.

First stop, Cleveland.

Nah, DETOUR IN VEGAS, BABY!!!!!!!!

Ahem.

Okay, am I the only one who LOVED Wood telling Faith he's prettier? Faith getting insecure for a minute about her not being all that and the proverbial container of snack food was priceless.

And seeing this in the corner of the screen choked me up for a minute:

Sooner or later, you're gonna want it. And the second — the second — that happens, you know I'll be there. I'll slip in, have myself a real good day. Spike, 'Fool for Love'

And I'm not a Spuffist. If anything I'm a Xuffist. So, yes I loved the handholding with Xander and the handholding with Spike. But I think he should have just let her "I love you" go. Let her think he thought she meant it.

I really don't feel too bad about Anya, since she dealt out so much death in her time. She chose the side of evil and only belatedly sort of redeemed herself, and it cost her her best friend at that. She died fighting and gorily, as she would have done to her enemies. I'm glad they didn't show both her halves--ewwww.

I felt badly for Xander (for Anya). That's what started me crying at 8:30. I wanted to yell, "Kiss her good-bye, Xander," but since dh isn't spoiled, I couldn't.

dh was very cute. Every two minutes, he would say, "this one is dead, that one is dead," yada yada. Finally, I said, "Honey, you've killed everyone twice. Who's left? Do you want me to tell you?" But he wouldn't let me spoil him. Bah.

I didn't really want Andrew to live either, blasphemer that I am. But Amanda I feel really bad about.

I didn't realize that was Amanda. I was spoiled, but I skipped stuff. dh saw it was Amanda and yelled, "Oh, no! Millie." (Freaks & Geeks actress for the under-rock-dwellers). And I argued with him, "THAT'S NOT MILLIE." I was very wrong.

bitterchick - despite your distaste for the show, for the last couple of years, I have enough wine in me to make me want to tell you that I find your presence anywhere a godsend. You're bright, funny, honest, and cut to the chase. You've been one of the highlights of my fandom since the my linear lurker days.

t /schmoop

Plei? Were you happy for our girl?

Oh, of course.

t sniff

I think we need to find her and take her to the mall. Tonight, the t sniff is like t pedant . There is no close tag.

Okay, am I the only one who LOVED Wood telling Faith he's prettier? Faith getting insecure for a minute about her not being all that and the proverbial container of snack food was priceless.

Nah, that was peachy.

But I think he should have just let her "I love you" go. Let her think he thought she meant it.

I disagree. I think it would have been selfish of him, because I think she, being Buffy, would have felt "my sort of not boyfriend died to save the world" all over again, and would have taken two guilt steps back.

I think we need to find her and take her to the mall.

She needs shoes!

Okay, am I the only one who LOVED Wood telling Faith he's prettier? Faith getting insecure for a minute about her not being all that and the proverbial container of snack food was priceless.

No! I adored it. dh and I were pissing ourselves. It was wonderful and both Eliza and DBW played it to perfection. (And he might be)

And seeing this in the corner of the screen choked me up for a minute:

Sooner or later, you're gonna want it. And the second — the second — that happens, you know I'll be there. I'll slip in, have myself a real good day. Spike, 'Fool for Love'

And I'm not a Spuffist. If anything I'm a Xuffist. So, yes I loved the handholding with Xander and the handholding with Spike. But I think he should have just let her "I love you" go. Let her think he thought she meant it.

I think she did mean it. I think he knew she meant it. I think he wanted her to doubt it herself, so that when he died, she wouldn't feel as broken.

t sniff

Nope-- loved it the Wood is prettier-- just perfect!!

Also, the lines I am earwormed with are

We’re neither pure nor wise nor good; We’ll do the best we know.

From Candide

and

nto the woods--you have to grope,
But that's the way you learn to cope.
Into the woods to find there's hope
Of getting through the journey.
Into the woods, each time you go, There's more to learn of what you know.
Into the woods, but not too slow--
Into the woods, it's nearing midnight--
Into the woods to mind the wolf,
To heed the witch, to honor the giant,
To mind, to heed, to find, to think, to teach, to join,
To go to the Festival!
Into the woods,
Into the woods,
Into the woods,
Then out of the woods--
And happy ever after!

AND THEN
Cinderella: I wish...

It occurs to me that where we once had one slayer and a bunch of watchers, we now have a bunch of slayers and one watcher (plus one former watcher in LA ). Bit of a power shift.

I can't believe it's over. I'm going to have to rewatch, because I'm too emotionally wrung out to have any actual thoughts. The Scooby scene in the hallway started the allergy attack, but then I totally lost it when Willow went all glowy with the white magic. I know, that's a weird scene to get all emotional over - particularly since it was in the previews so I knew it was coming - but it suddenly hit me how far Willow has come, and how much I love her, and that I won't get to see her journey anymore.

I'm not even going to get into how much I loved Spike saving the world.

Amber - there's no chance you're in the Boston area, I suppose. I watched the same ones as you, and pretty much 99% of the times you post, I just sit and nod.

Cindy, I live close to Atlanta. And a lot of the time I don't even bother to post because you've already said what I was thinking.