I think Restless is easily my favorite of the season enders, even it isn't the arc-completion ep.

I think, because it's not an arc-completion ep, it's my runner-up. My favorite is a tie between the second parts of "Becoming" and "Graduation Day." (I recently completed that favorite first, second, etc. episode meme, so I know this. ;-})

We've got to
warn Buffy
there's every chance she might be next
And Xander
help Willow
and try not to bleed on my couch, I just had it steam-cleaned

mmm, Restless

I can't do the ranking thing. Incapable.

But I can say that, perhaps alone, I liked the addicted to magic storyline of S6. I don't even understand what you people are complaining about.

In fact, I was gonna take Dawn's "But I like the previews" as my moment of weird identification, but that conversation was so long ago I have to get it in sideways.

In fact, I was gonna take Dawn's "But I like the previews" as my moment of weird identification

I like them too. (But not the addicted to magic storyline.)

I had Restless's love child, and would do it again.

I love "Restless" too. But we're just good friends. I would fic about it, but it would take years the way I fic. But I was gonna, once.

Restless: if I could only take one episode to a desert island, that would be the one.

But I can say that, perhaps alone, I liked the addicted to magic storyline of S6. I don't even understand what you people are complaining about.

The reason I hate it with the fire of a thousand nuns because it made me feel as if Marti had actually gone to a hardware store, bought an anvil, and personally came around to my house, and dropped it on my head.

I felt it had no foundation within the show

I was on board with the "addicted to magic" metaphor in the sense of "addicted to hang gliding"

Ar one level it's about the adrenalin rush, similar to "Itching for a good kill" Faith - and Buffy - have. Why else would Buffy go hunt vampires in preference to more sex with Riley? (There may be better examples - but work with me here 'K?)

That had foundation as far back as Dark Age Giles "It's an incredible high".
As it could be seen in Willow at the end of DMP: big scare - not going there again. well perhaps just...

And at another level it's a sense of achievement similar to Buffy's "There is something I can do better than anyone else in the world".
This is something Willow can do good that gives her a sense of self-worth. And insecure Reliable Dog Geyser Person needs that. Something where she can be in control.

In S6 Boss of Us is in control, but because she is the least self-aware person ever (OMWF "Do I have to fight to keep you? 'Cause I'm not large with the butch." Right. Move against someone Willow cares about and the girl has one response. It usually involves the use of blunt or sharp objects) who believes she would never go over the limit she goes to Sabrina the Teenage Witch overuse.

Anya saw it "I'm serious. Responsible people are ... always so concerned with ... being good all the time, that when they finally get a taste of being bad ... they can't get enough. It's like all (gestures) kablooey."

Then out of left field: Forget the "addicted to magic" metaphor. Magic is not a metaphor for something you can do, sometimes excessively.
Magic IS an actual physical drug you go and buy at the local rack-house.

Apart from violating the whole Willow does magic because it gives her a sense of being in control concept, it's crazy troll logic of the order of "Willow is addicted to power, so in this episode she has a droud fitted in her brain and becomes a wirehead"

Plus there was the jonesed-out, shaky stealing of sage. Gah. I get annoyed just thinking about it. Go to the grocery store!

Love Restless.

RESTLESS rocks!!! You are with the right people here.

Apart from violating the whole Willow does magic because it gives her a sense of being in control concept

Okay, I just don't see the violation. Some people drink because it makes them feel like they're in control. I felt the Rak business just illustrated how far out of control Willow was. Seemed like a plausible progression, to me.

Then again, subtlety is often lost on me, so maybe it's just a question of how obvious we like our anvils.

The stealing of sage, otoh, just made me laugh.