Is knowing how Fray starts being spoiled? because that really changes how I view the end.

I think the fact that Wood had to trigger Spike to return "monstrousness" is enough of a clue that Spike had changed so much that even Wood couldn't justify killing him.

I took it to be that since Spike was in vampface when he killed Wood's mother, that's what Wood wanted to stake. I don't think Wood had any clue how much Spike had or hadn't changed as he wasn't around to witness any change.

Here's my really corny idea for the finale. Buffy's power was forced on the slayer by the "shadowmen" so I think she's going to realize that she doesn't need it. That all her power comes from within and she's either going to reject the primal slayer power or she's going to release it back into the world and maybe transfer her power, not to Faith, but to every woman on the planet. We'll all get a little of it.

And then Anya and Xander realize that they still love each other and they run and get Caleb to marry them. It will be a beautiful ceremony.

For the end, totally unspoiled speculation: I think Buffy will ascend and become some higher-power/balance against the FE, incorporeal goddess type creature.

I took it to be that since Spike was in vampface when he killed Wood's mother, that's what Wood wanted to stake.

Trigger does not equal vamp face. Vamp face does not equal evil. The only thing Wood knew when he played the trigger was that evil Spike would emerge.

I don't think Wood had any clue how much Spike had or hadn't changed as he wasn't around to witness any change.

He had more than a clue. He'd been around Spike long enough to see trigger!Spike and good!Spike. You can't honestly say that Wood thought Spike was still evil when he started in on his mission to kill him.

Andrew needs to live through this and find someone.

And then Anya and Xander realize that they still love each other and they run and get Caleb to marry them. It will be a beautiful ceremony.

And there are tears in my eyes and did you know stifling snorts of laughter hurts?

Andrew needs to live through this and find someone.

::cough::Xander::cough::

So do you think there are others who would be justified in staking Spike?

There are times where I think anyone would have been justified. The end of AYW, late in SR. I'm not sure she'd have been justified, but I wouldn't have been morally outraged if Tara had done it on behalf of Buffy during OAFA (Out of character for her, and morally questionable, yes. But not morally outrageous, if I'm making myself clear.)

During the time when Spike was under the FE's thrall, anyone with no reason to know the full story would have been justified.

As for now, hmmmm. Buffy and Faith, or possibly others, acting on behalf of innocent past victims. If Wood had done it at the end of LMPTM, it might have been at least understandable as a reaction to Spike's "your mother didn't love you because she had a job outside the home" comment (although, yeah, Wood provoked Spike).

I have trouble justifying what Wood actually for two reasons, though. First, Nikki wasn't an innocent victim. She was the Slayer, perfectly able to fight back and actually doing so. For me, this takes the matter into the war metaphor. Second, Wood ambushed Spike. He convinced Giles to get Buffy out of the way. He lured Spike to his home on the pretext of -- don't remember exactly at the moment, was it first aid for wounds suffered in another fight? He downloaded and played the trigger song.

There are a lot of other ways Wood could have reacted to the info that would have been less blameworthy. Pull back, go back to operating on his own. Even if, in the school hallway at the end of -- "First Date"? -- he'd done a "you killed my mother; prepare to die" and rushed Spike with a stake, I could have upgraded the action to morally disturbing.

And on that note, I need to get lunch. So I'll be away for a bit.

I would buy Xander's Speedos (in another reality, where I am very wealthy), but I think I'd want them to be cleaned first.

(bolding for emphasis is mine)

Narrator, I am tickled pink that you put the think in that statement.

Actually, Willow's eyes did not go black during the re-ensouling spell in "Becoming 2" - she did seem to be posessed by something, but the only change in her appearance was due to the dramatic overhead lighting, causing her face (especially her eyes) to be in shadow.

I'm pretty sure Fred's right and that they did flash black for a moment when she was first rocked by whatever power (vengeance) entered her. They didn't remain black while she continued the curse, though. Katherine Madison's eyes also went black back in The Witch and Amy's eyes went black when she ratted herself.

However, it's all tainted (at least for me) by his relationship with Buffy. Take Buffy out of the equation and it could be really interesting and entertaining.

Isn't that what they just did, by having Spike witness Buffy and Angel's smoochies, while the first served up the color commentary?

OTOH, lesser means (the bug in the eye) didn't work. So how do you deal with a Spike that's still a threat?

***Actually it did work. They (Giles and Wood) just hadn't given it enough time. That's what got his memories started again. Then once Wood triggered him, Spike worked through his murder(s) of his own mother.

I think Wood became twisted in his quest for his mother's killer but I still think he would have been justified in killing him.

How is this justifed within the moral framework of the Buffyverse. When has any act of vengeance been served up as justice?

eta...

Everything Fred just said right above this, goes for me as well.

edited again to moved the *** paragraph to the proper place in the post. Sorry for the confusion.