What I want to know is why they didn't wait to open the seal until after the spell had worked. Far less danger of everyone being killed, you know?

Jess... You and your thinking....

I'm just sayin'...

My assumption was that the First would know what they were doing and send the Bringers after them once the spell started. There would be casualties up top and no organized stand in the Hellmouth. So, they needed to get into position and count on Willow to pull the spell off. They were going to have to go down to the Hellmouth and take the fight to the Baddies in any event.

Everyone says that they keep saying that Dawn's perfectly normal now. All I remember was a single line at the beginning of season six, and the person speaking wasn't exactly stating a categorical fact so much as a "far as we can tell". I'm willing to be shown other examples, of course. I did watch season six in the span of two weeks.

Plus, there's another aspect to Dawn besides (former) Key-ness: quasi-existence. If Buffy went into another No Place Like Home trance, would Dawn (or at least pictures of her pre-BvsD) no longer fade in and out of view?

I recall two references to her being normal post-gift, and one pre-Gift implying she was normal except for one specific (time-dependent) purpose. Which she's past.

But I'm completely specifics free.

But, surely, until someone contradicts it onscreen it's not a fanwank, so much as a canon modification?

Signed, Is Still Sure Willow's Bi

Uh, this has been contradicted on-screen. How may "Gay nows" does it take? Plus she hooked up with another woman after Tara died. The ratio says heading down gay lane. And I couldn't be happier :)

this has been contradicted on-screen.

Yeah. I know. Such was my point. That's what makes it canon modification (or unreliable narration, if we're being especially gracious to me).

It seems to me that the Dawn's-no-longer-a-key references were always of the "we don't think she is" sort - not a proclamation. Also? These people are not reliable narrators (Hi Narrator).

The Key. See, I would have had Dawn's status as the (former) Key come into play. For example, I am not much taken by the idea that all that that was necessary for all the Potentials to have the Slayerness was for a powerful witch to make a spell with the Scythe. I would have required Slayer blood to make the spell work. Blood from all existing slayers. That would be Buffy and Faith. But there would need to be a blood from Dawn – she is of Slayer blood -- and that blood is not mixed with another human (unlike Principal Wood) but with pure energy. It would take all of that to make the spell work.

(If I ever finish my enormous fic...)

(If I ever finish my enormous fic...)

Well, then, can you also work in something about Buffy not choosing Dawn? Because unless they meant she didn't chose Dawn to stay and fight, I'm thinking that was another thread left hanging. And they could have resolved it by Dawn insisting that the amulet was for her – that she has a soul but isn’t (entirely) human. Then Buffy would have had to choose between Dawn and Spike. And she could then not choose Dawn.

Then Dawn would be upstairs when Willow’s spell doesn’t work at first. Then someone (Willow or Xander – because in my story Xander and Dawn are also there protecting Willow in case the Bringers attack) realizes that they don’t have all the Slayer blood, and they need Dawn’s blood, and since that’s energy-laden – KA*BOOM!

And then, could you work in the side-story about how Oz returns and that maybe there’s some discussion as to whether the reference is to him (he’s a werewolf after all).

Also, then, you could buy me a pony.