With great trepidation and fear, I am about to view and comment on the season 2 finale it's a 2 parter so as always they will be reviewed together! So settle back, relax and join me for the next installment of the challenge. (This might just get ugly!)
Becoming Part 1 + 2
As I nervously hit the play button on the DVD player, I see my life flash before my eyes (I really need to get a life!)
Galway, 1753 and it looks like we are starting with story time with Uncle Angel! On his introduction when we do look back on life there are moments that make you who you are, you don't know it at the time but on reflection your decisions in life at that point will define you forever. (so try to make good decisions! not fast ones!)
Doesn't Angel look Spiffy in Pantaloons? I think it's about time they make a fashion comeback! We get the 1753 version of the pick up line "So what's a girl like you doing in a place like this?" I knew it was an old line but never imagined it to be THAT old! This does not look good! Never trust anyone who promises to show you the world! So Angel became a Vampire because he was drunk and he tried to pick up a chick who was way out of his league!
Good to see that Buffy is reasonably dressed for slaying a far cry and improvement from the heels and mini skirt in the first episode of this season. I wonder, did angel keep up with the hair styling of each generation he lived through? if so I would kill to see Angel with an Afro or a Mullet! Once again he is doing the whole stalking bit! Xander are you really going to protect Buffy or just get in the way.
I have to say I do enjoy the Bad Angel SOOOOOOOOOOO much more than the goofy moping good Angel who had no point in the show what so ever other than bicker with Xander for Buffy's attention.
Archeology can be extremely interesting or extremely boring I wonder which one this will be? So the big block with the marking is old, must be one of those lame archeologist jokes I keep hearing about. It has Giles interest, what a shock they didn't realize it was not solid.
Now presenting Xander with fish finger pantomime, (didn't his mother teach him never to play with his food?) Here comes Principal no fun! (Willow didn't hear about the chair shortage, from anyone else you would of thought they were being a smart alec.....)
London, 1860, and we see the most evil of vampires praying in church asking for confession. (BTW Angel does keep up with the fashion!) Angel makes a terrible priest! Back to today and Drusilla had a bad meal. I thought Spike was Joking about the whole paper thing, that is good writing.
Willow is starting to sound like a real teacher! while Buffy is acting like a real student,"it's too hard, it doesn't make sense." Great line from Willow, "try or don't waste my time!" Oh how relevant that is today at school! Students do everything but try sometimes and it is so frustrating. The out clause for the whole Angel problem, a nice call back from a previous episode, finally a dangling thread that will be played out!
Rumanian Woods, 1898, and our little journey through history continues, some real tension with the music and it seems this is the point where Angel receives his soul from the gypsy's. What is worse than death? an eternity of anguish that is what. So they have found a way to bring Angel back to his boring self, no surprise that Xander is not a fan. That was cold Xander, even for you!
Buffy is placed in an awkward position, does she kill the man she loves because he is truly evil or curse him with a soul knowing she can never physically be with him? What to do? What to do? Hey it's the return of one of my favorite new characters this season, welcome back Kendra.
I think it is cool the way Spike states the obvious. So Angel's evil plan has been revealed, release the Demon that will destroy the world! (is it me or are all evil plans result in either destruction of the world or concurring the world! Good to see that the Orb has more than one use as Giles sees the value of the thing by using it as a paperweight!
Spike is playing things close to the chest with the whole wheel chair thing as Angel is about to unleash unspeakable evil into this world.
Manhattan, 1996, Oh have the mighty fallen, resorting to rats for dinner. I didn't know demons can eat hot-dogs? Off to LA same year and it seems there is Buffy pre-slayer days when she was the Cordilea of her old school. We get to see her clumsy first kill, like the bit where she misses the heart on the first strike, guess she wasn't paying attention in her biology class. So Angel finds his Myagi in 96 and planing to keep Buffy safe. (how is that working out for you mate?) Talk about getting a message across. Kendra has a luck Stake called Mr. Pointy!
Buffy vs Angel showdown and it seems that Kendra has slacked off since the last time we saw her as the Vamps really got the jump on them! With Buffy distracted we get to see Kendra Vs Drusilla with Dru getting the clear victory via throat slashing! Cue dramatic slow motion run to the library where things are too late! Kendra should never of given Mr. Pointy away. Don't you hate it when you find your friend murdered only to be confronted by the cops who obviously think you did this?
On to part 2 and without a beat we continue with Buffy resisting arrest and doing a bolt! (hey Snyder does look like a troll!) So we have gone from Buffy the vampire slayer to Buffy the fugitive. Oh boy, Willow is in trouble, and Angel has Giles for obvious reasons. It seems Whistler has not changed his dress sense.
Why would Spike help Buffy? Because he likes the world, his own all you can eat buffet if you will. Also he wants his girlfriend back! So it looks like we have an uneasy alliance between two enemies fighting for a mutual cause. Willow is Ok and Giles is in trouble but hanging thick! Evil Angel is one SICK S.O.B!
Surprise Mum, I kill vampires for a living! Her response is great, I think it is a metaphor when a child comes out of the closet. Unfortunately tough decisions are made in a tough situation. It seems Giles will not crack! (maybe the Tu-tu is the real answer!) I really don't trust Snyder (what principle has the direct number for the mayor? and what is the good news?) Drusilla is an evil genius, the best way to break a man down is by attacking his heart!
Buffy comes in with a big impact to interrupt the ritual. It seems Spike is having a little too much fun with his beat down on Angel, and Drusilla just wants to see the world burn! Spike with the good old fashion sleeper hold but he gets the girl! Willow has gone in too deep and Buffy has finally found her inner strength! Just when we were about to get rid of Angel once and for all, he had to get his soul back! Um guy's do you think you can make out after you stop the world from being devoured by a demon?
Buffy makes a huge sacrifice by giving up her one true love and her ultimate happiness for the sake of others. She has left her family and friends behind and hit the open road. NEVER TO BE SEEN AGAIN!!!!! (until next season!) even the little mutant enemy guy is upset!
Lots of exposition in this double episode, I really enjoyed the flashbacks in the past, and also the uneasy alliance between Spike and Buffy was awesome. The Sword Fight was excellent, however it seemed to me once again they ended this season as if it was the last season. If the show ended with this episode I would be satisfied with where the Characters ended up, (Did they know they were back for season 3?) At the same time they left the door ajar to continue with plenty of questions that need to be answered, like, what was in the letter? Where did Buffy, Angel and Spike with Drusilla end up? How did a vampire learn how to drive so well? What is the real deal with the principle?
A strong finish for a reasonably good season, Some real gems in season 2 and some real stinkers! (bad eggs indeed!)
9/10 (the slow pacing in the middle of the second part stopped this from being perfect!)
See you next season.
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2 comments:
ok I’m starting to remember why Buffy only came out once a week (because it gave us fans a week to discuss, analyze and comment on it…..I’m barely able to keep here.)
Anyways these two episodes are my favorite Buffy episodes (my actual all time favorite is an Angel episode “I will remember you”). EVEN though they didn’t get a 10/10 :P
There's moments in your life that make you, that set the course of who you're gonna be. Sometimes they're little, subtle moments. Sometimes... they're not. I'll show you what I mean. – I’m not sure that BIG moments ever set the course of a person’s life, I mean they are HUGE catalysts but usually they just trigger off the small subtle decisions made earlier……I mean even without Darla’s influence angel wasn’t exactly an angel, he was a thief and a drunkard. But I love this quote nonetheless….
The saddest thing?? I know too many principals synder “tiny impotent Nazis with a bug up their butts the size of an emu” and the worst thing is that they’re attracted to my profession!!!! It’s the social authority thing I think……..God I wish the same fate awaits some of them as principal snyder (that sounds a little harsh huh??)
Gosh poor dru, she was such an innocent thing before angel………
Ok yet ANOTHER image of hell – for a bunch of atheists’ joss and co have a good understanding of what hell actually is. Angelus gets his soul and realizes the devastation he has caused, but it’s too late for redemption. I think Hell is ultimately about realization to have the blindfolds lifted and to be able to see your life for what it really is, to realize that it has been your actions that have placed you in that situation and have no way to redeem yourself, if that isn’t eternal torture I don’t know what is.
I could probably spend a day discussing the dialogue on the library between the group – is Giles wanting to restore his soul in order to fulfill jenny’s wishes? Or to punish angel? Or because he truly forgives angel and wants him back?? And is xander actually feeling self righteous or is this just a vent for his jealousy? I think regardless he was overly cruel.
Ooooo the claddagh ring ( I love my “buffy ring”)
And angel finds a way to redeem himself – assisting the slayer! In his eyes redemption is found through her
Again buffy learns the hard way that her strength lies in more then just her, it lies in her friends and family and abandoning them never bodes well!
“Whistler: Bottom line is, even if you see 'em coming, you're not ready for the big moments. No one asks for their life to change, not really. But it does. So what are we, helpless? Puppets? No. The big moments are gonna come. You can't help that. It's what you do afterwards that counts. That's when you find out who you are.” – This is so true, change especially sudden change, is hard on the strongest of people, but out of tribulation we are either purified and strengthen or we burn and darken. How we react to these moments defines who are, our true nature is revealed in the furnace of trials. That’s why the bible so often talks about being tried as silver or purified as silver/gold.
LOL @ the scene with Joyce and spike……..too funny and yes you got the metaphor when Buffy’s mum find out she’s a slayer correctly.
“Blood. Of course. My blood. My life.” – there’s a lot I can say about the use of blood in this show and the symbolism and all but I’ll wait till season 5 when spike gives an exposition on it first.
Grrrrr I hate Xander not telling the truth!! I mean if buffy didn’t feel like she had nothing to loose, if she had some kind of promise and hope she might have been able to stall angelus just a little longer and might have been able to save him. And even if she hadn’t seeing him get his soul back could have thrown her completely off track, xander deliberately put the whole world in danger just because of his petty jealousies and grudge!!
Poor Buffy, to have to sacrifice the one person she loves just to save the world. *sigh* such a moving scene – the irony of Darla at the start asking him to close his eyes and then killing him in order to reap destruction and then Buffy asking him to close his eyes and killing him in order to save the world not being lost on me.
And I just gotta say I LOVE Sarah McLachlan’s work and the final song here is a good example of why.
HEY!!! You noticed the mutant enemy guy saying “I need a hug” instead of “grrrr arrgh” cool I didn’t think you would.
haha this is great, I've exhausted my friends with endless rants and they're not happy to embrace the world of Joss with open arms.
Really cool to witness a person's first-hand perceptions on earlier episodes. The first episodes I watched were season 5 so everything was pretty much spoiled for me. Or things like your views on Xander, to me, he's always been loveable, but had I watched the seasons consecutively, I probably would have felt annoyed at him (more anyway).
Can't wait for you to get sucked into season 3 (no [poor] pun intended)
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