Buffy the Vampire Slayer Talk || s6e15 "As You Were"

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[@hardybryan]

It happens. Honestly, if you were gonna mess up the watch order, this was one of the least consequential places to do it.

[@ChevaliersEmeraude]

I dunno... to me THIS episode is kinda the one where Buffy finally realizes how toxic her whole thing with Spike is, and stops it for real. 'feels like that's an important point for this episode. That being said, considering the next episode focuses mostly on Anya and Xander then, yeah, the mistake could have been worse.

[@dlweiss]

@@ChevaliersEmeraude Yeah, it's not this this ep isn't important (it's super important!) but it's not crucial that it gets viewed before or after Hell's Bells. Missing this ep doesn't cause major confusion or loss of character arcs, because the next ep is SO Xander/Anya centric.

[@TheNoybusiness]

@@dlweiss Exactly, it's not like watching episodes 20 and 21 or 21 and 22 in the wrong order.

[@ncorgan]

I think there have been two so far who mixed up Buffy 3x01 and 3x02, so Buffy’s suddenly back after running away, then she’s gone again.

[@evatesche]

20:27 Riley's words giving Buffy the strength she needs to pick herself up again: "You are a hell of a woman" ..... IYKYK ;-)

[@redeem147]

After Doc Spike would never call himself that. In one of the books, Spike didn't know w.hat the eggs were, but he was trying to make money for Buffy.

[@luckyrobinshomestead]

I believe the reason that Spike did what he did was to get money for Buffy so she didn't have to work at the Doublemeat Palace. Remember the conversation they had when he told her the place was killing her and she said she needed the money and he said he could get money? This was him getting money, quite a lot of it probably, if he'd done it right. He just didn't read the label on the tin when it came to how to keep the eggs from hatching. I do hate that Buffy broke things off, though. I would have liked to see them start dating instead, with no sex. I think it would have been hilarious.

[@lessismore8533]

Yes! But again Spike didn’t have his soul yet. He’s still better than Angelus EVER was tho Spoiler ahead Spike gets his soul in a future episode, and in comics after Season 7, he finally can have a healthy relationship with Buffy..

[@moortak]

I mean, missing an episode is more true to the watch experience most of us had at the time and this is one of the less troublesome places to miss one

[@nilesstark]

Definitely a thing people go through on a rare.

[@MagusAgrippa8]

It's always very satisfying for me to see supernaturally strong beings doing mundane things. This episode scratches that particular itch quite well.

[@Buffy8Fan]

It took me years to wrap my head around the idea of why it had to be Riley that brought Buffy out of her depression. Him leaving town was always what was best. And with him coming back we see him in a better place. Buffy's resurection put her in depression and her friends in a state of not being the ones who could help her (Xander saying he was going to spend time with her was the only option they had and they aren't following through on that). Riley arriving back in town with a better life than when he left shows a depressed Buffy life can get better.

[@Jenny1808]

I just love Spikes cheekbones 😍 and the way he looks at her. I’m also glad he called her out on how she treats him.

[@lessismore8533]

SAME HERE..

[@fajenthygia5760]

The actress that plays Mrs. Finn is Ivana Miličević, who's gone onto quite a decent career on TV. She was the female lead (opposite Antony Starr) on Banshee, and also had recurring roles on The 100 and Castlevania.

[@Anjalena]

The thing I love about the Whedonverse is that, just like in real life, unexpected things occasionally come along like an asteroid crashing into a planet that just completely upends your life. And then sometimes it SEEMS like an asteroid just crashed into your life but you realize it was the catalyst for change that you needed. This episode was the latter. Occasionally in Whedonverse, we get the former (like Joyce in S5). Anyone who knows the phrase "I'm a leaf on the wind..." or "Your shirt..." also knows what I mean.

[@Sup3rnal]

Three tears-inducing examples in just one comment.

[@rue...whenwasthis]

that was probably her favorite shirt too... I'm sorry I love her she's my fave but I saw ur comment and the joke came to mind i just had to

[@Anjalena]

@@rue...whenwasthis Are you combining a future event (no spoilers of course) with an event in the past where Kendra says "That's me favorite shirt." 🤔🤬 "That's me ONLY shirt!" Cuz that's Buffy comedy gold. 🤭😂

[@rue...whenwasthis]

@@Anjalena i was hoping someone would get it. Its so bad but so good 😬🤣🤣

[@pedromicaelgama2275]

This type of situation happens a lot when you are a human being. Honestly, it was interesting to watch the reaction to this episode, already knowing what would happen in the next one.

[@McCrispyTaco]

I loved having Riley back for an episode.

[@Nexusofgeek]

Good way for the show to send off the character. We didn't have closure when he left a season ago, but this was a good way to wrap it up

[@blackkatt777]

Thank you for not being toxic about him coming back. I liked Riley for Buffy and didn't think he deserved the toxic hate comments from the fandom. Especially Marc Blucas. He didn't deserve the negative comments directly to him. Some people can't separate actors from their roles. It still breaks my heart that he felt the need to write an apology post to the fandom for not being what they wanted him to be, years ago, but was humble enough to say he appreciated the opportunity to play a role on the show. I saw that he has been doing the Buffy convention junkets. Well, I saw him on one. He aged handsomely. Is that even a word? 😂

[@williamkidney6031]

It was good they came back and gave closure to the Riley story

[@rue...whenwasthis]

you watching the wrong episode and having to backtrack is honestly the most iconic thing ever cause that's how it was back then with weekly episodes hey

[@kelseydaniells1266]

I saw the scar and was 1000% convinced that Riley was actually Warren in disguise until he flew away on the helicopter.😂

[@antonbrakhage490]

Ah, the episode where they reveal Spike is actually an immortal Time Lord.

[@spaceshiplewis]

Buffy hates when things are left unsaid or unconcluded. That's what happened with her own father, he left without a word. That's what sort of happened with Angel. Now she is able to tie up this one chapter of her life. She was able to get the conversation closure that she missed in "Into the Woods". I never believed that Buffy was running back to Riley to accept his ultimatum but to get closure. The hardest part of a breakup that goes bad is when there is no finale (amicable or severed) when there is no resolution.

[@marqijackson6103]

First time I saw this, I thought I understood the "Nick and Norah fury" reference, but now I know he was also referencing Nick and Norah Charles from the " the thin man" movie series

[@northbeach8336]

I love watching your reactions with episodes you've not seen. Don't think the messed up order or the spoiler you saw took anything away from it this time. Charisma Carpenter posted a TikTok recently saying she has never watched Buffy and Angel all the way through, and she wants to do a rewatch podcast to watch them all. I'm going to really love her inside info on some things, and even more, her watching things that will be new to her. Hope she goes through with it.

[@JordiVanderwaal]

For a moment I thought episodes 15 and 16 were a two-parter, and I somehow forgot. I'm glad it's a double upload just because of a mistake. :P

[@kevinbre7563]

I love how Buffy used the name "William" to show Spike she's serious. And side note, please stop calling yourself "dumb" and stuff like that. You made a mistake. Cut yourself some slack.

[@jp3813]

Calling him by his real name also shows that she's trying to respect him instead of just treating him as something that she could use.

[@lessismore8533]

@@jp3813good point..

[@ChevaliersEmeraude]

I'd say the good part of having Riley show up now is that he is (and I've always said it) the healthiest relationship Buffy ever had, and by a long shot! Meanwhile what she has with Spike is clearly toxic as f**k!!! Doesn't matter what your opinion of the characters are, that is very much true! So really Riley is showing up at the best of time, kind of as a reminder of that fact, which she kinda needs. Hence why Buffy feels ready to break it off for good with Spike at the end there; Riley helped her see that.

[@colleenmarin8907]

No one seems to acknowledge that Spike was trying to get money for Buffy by turning to the 'demon black market', which is why he had the eggs in the first place

[@Nexusofgeek]

what? wait? was that explicitly said in this episode? I have to rewatch it because I don't remember that at all

[@haydn60]

I didn't catch that either. I like it. Was it explicitly stated or was there a clue?

[@evatesche]

@@haydn60 Not stated but a popular theory. When he tries to get Buffy to quit the Doublemeat Palace but she can't cause she needs the money, he says "Money? I can get money"

[@serenity4eva89]

We can acknowledge it... but we also have to acknowledge that it doesn't make what he did right (caring, yes. right, no.). Buffy wouldn't have been pleased if she ever learnt where the money had come from, and she definitely would've been mad about the potential loss of life caused by the NOT-Tribble 😜

[@TigerNightmare]

It'll always bother me how Buffy apologizes to Riley, but Riley never takes responsibility for anything he did.

[@TheNoybusiness]

Exactly, and I don't think the writers realized it. That's why I don't like how his character turned out (though he wasn't like that in Season 4). Not the fact he messed up but that he always acted like he was in the right and Buffy somehow made him do it. The Scoobies have all messed up, but always or almost always owned up to it later.

[@onemansopinion8135]

Well, at least this didn’t happen with episode….well, if you know, you know….

[@SylviusTheMad]

The only real downside of watching these out of order is I think you would have enjoyed the wedding episode even more if you'd seen this first.

[@rpgober3048]

So need this!!!!

[@debroffe4354]

She’s also a doctor Riley wife

[@rpgober3048]

So human! Love ya!

[@LisaJenkins-ym3pk]

I LOVE YOU SO MUCH YOU ARE MY FAV KZbinR YOU ARE THE BEST!!!!

[@blackkatt777]

I AM SOOO F*CKING OVER THE IMMATURE SHIITTING ON RILEY FROM THIS FANDOM. ITS TOXIC!!! Btw, people talking that crap about "he was threatened and jealous by her being stronger than him"...blah,blah,blah..🙄 As you can clearly see, he married a very strong and self sufficient woman, and was in love with her. So that wasn't the case. He just wanted a partner who was all the way into the relationship with him. That doesn't make him needy, misogynistic, boring, toxic or anything else people accused him of. It just made him like everybody else, human. No, he wasn't supernatural ( like a lot of fans also hated about him), but he was wholesome, vulnerable, honest and wore his heart on his sleeve..while still being an alpha badass. Who doesn't want that from their partner, irl? Riley was great for Buffy, but their timing wasn't coinciding. And I still think it's a tragic love story, but I was so glad to see him and that their story arc got good closure. Buffy needed reminding of who she was and that life can change for the better, but she needed to hear it from an outside source that wasn't too close to the situation like the scoobies. Btw, Marc Blucas was looking mighty fine in that black ops outfit and scar. It gave Riley's look an edge. William was an empath when he was human. The echoes of who he was is engrained in his brain like DNA. His demon has used that ability to the upmost. So the chip muzzled the demon and gave a glimpse of his former self to surface. Dru was messed up from what Angel did. So, her demon played deviant games with Spike. His idea of love was twisted as a result. Buffy played the hot/cold game with him because she was using him. To him, her no's and then yeses were like their foreplay. When she used his human name, it registered something in his brain and her rejection just hit different for him. I felt uneasy about Anya and Xander's nuptials but was still looking forward to seeing him take his next mature step. But..... well, you know. 😢 Willow coming through with the bff support, even though she really did like Sam. I totally agree with you, Alley, on Buffy's top at the end. Absolutely adorbs. The clothes and then her walking into the light as she is walking away from Spike...I see what the director did there. It's like she is finally ready to come out of her dark cloud of depression, gloom and doom, and be her old self again. I also 1000% agree with you, Alley, on James' acting. Brilliant. I've seen him in other shows: Smallville, Supernatural..and even though he did fine in those shows, its this role of Spike that really lets him show off his acting chops the best, imo. He truly made that character have so many dynamic layers. This may be an unpopular opinion, but I enjoy Spike as a character more than Angel. Now David plays his alter ego brilliantly (Angelus), and gave Angel more layers as he got to know his character better over the years. But, seeing as Spike is a side character who was never supposed to stick around...he gave the character such gravitas that you just couldn't imagine him not staying on the show as a regular.

[@x-man9473]

You're correct that Riley was great for Buffy. But Buffy wasn't great for Riley. Riley deserved better.

[@lurker1316]

Would've been funny if this one had a QOTD from Hell's Bells.

[@thestoicsoliloquies4041]

15 and 16... you can switch them. I would suggest you triple check for the rest of the season, as there are some which need to be seen in order and it would be quite spoilery to watch them out of order.

[@Lions1986]

bet if it was a returning female character you would love it and screech like a banshee

[@Girl4Music]

The writers never acknowledged it back when it was important but Buffy was never good for Riley and Riley was never good for Buffy. They were a stagnant couple and it’s precisely because neither of them really knew what they wanted out of the relationship. Buffy thought she wanted “normal” and “human”. Riley thought he wanted “exciting” and “strange”. But that was never really what they were searching for. They were just passing time. The relationship was doomed because it was never really going to get anywhere since what they actually needed was to be complete people on their own. We may think that Riley just jumped into another relationship as soon as he left Buffy but that’s not what happened as Sam told us. He was still in pain and still hanging on to Buffy. Her reason to be there for him was to remind him who he is without attachments to someone else just the same as Riley is here to be that reminder for Buffy now. The theme here is interdependency literally depicted through Riley and Sam’s marriage and how being dependent on one another can actually be a healthy thing provided both partners knows their own worth and what they can do for each other. Co-dependency is only ever a problem when one or both partners don’t know or understand themselves and are only ever using each other to fill the hole. Everybody sees it that Riley was just the person with that problem when it came to his and Buffy’s relationship. This wasn’t the case. Buffy had it too. It’s just it’s not depicted the same way so it’s not as obvious. While Riley clings tighter to what he needs when he feels insecure, Buffy always isolates herself when she needs somebody as not to burden them. But both of them ultimately had the same problem - which was using each other to fill the hole left by previous relationship pain and trauma. So many people see it as it’s just Riley that ruined him and Buffy when in actuality it was both of them. And it’s the very same with Spike and Buffy.

[@x-man9473]

In retrospect, I think it's fair to say that it's mostly Buffy with the problem in these relationships. Scott Hope, Riley, Spike. Buffy seems to be the one with the issues.

[@Girl4Music]

@@x-man9473 it’s both because other just gives it right back.

[@x-man9473]

@@Girl4Music I'm just saying that 1 character has a pattern. It's hard to pull a "both sides" when one side was the pioneer of most of the problems and the other side was poorly reacting to it.

[@Girl4Music]

@@x-man9473 I suppose so

[@samanthabrunet9772]

Just pointing out they didnt hit each other before doing the devils tango this time. Thats something. I dont think spike is actually the doctor but i think he was watching the eggs for the doctor. I liked riley okay in season 4 but they kinda changed his character in s5 and so i really couldnt stand him after that. I dont think he was that devastated about buffy. He gave her an ultimatium but decided on leaving before she had time to process it. Started dating again within 6 months and got married to the first girl that he got with after.

[@jacklegend5798]

Wow, what an episode to watch out of order.

[@evatesche]

Yepp, the perfect one. Literally NOTHING of importance happens apart from the last 5 Minutes. One of those episodes I could easily skip on rewatches without missing any fun.

[@SamHartles]

Hold up is Alley engaged?! That’s a rather large ring she got there 👀 Also don’t worry about the episode mess up!

[@haydn60]

So, Spike's the 8 1/4th Doctor?

[@GeSautner]

Riley is a nice guy that made some wrong choices. But who here hasn't? He's still the closest to the normal relationship Buffy always wanted. I'll never forget them playing at the beach ~ during daylight ~ in the season 5 premiere. That's why this episode makes me so sad. We've all been there, thinking about something we could've said years ago that maybe would make a difference today. And it was so brave of Buffy, not telling him that she tried to talk to him that night, 'cause it could mess with his feelings and his wedding. It was so grown up for her. I'M A BUFFY/RILEY STAN, SORRY NOT SORRY

[@ChevaliersEmeraude]

Heck, considering how his life turned out, I'd say he made some right choices really! :p And I totally agree, Riley was the healthiest relationship Buffy ever got! Probably why they sent him off to be honest: Healthy is a bit boring for a T.V. show...

[@blackkatt777]

THANK YOU❤❤❤❤.

[@x-man9473]

I can't be a Buffy-Riley stan because Riley is too good for Buffy. He deserved better and got better when he married Sam.

[@killianlpc]

Great little comedy openers here with the Vampire not wanting to touch Buffy because of the smell of burgers off her at The Doublemeat Palace, and then Willow and Dawn noticing the grass stains on Buffy's clothes after another rough session with Spike. The bombshell of Riley returning can't really save this episode as I think it is very much 5/10 effort, a bit of a filler really. Once Buffy realises Riley is married she turns to Spike again, this time it almost seems like desperation as she asks Spike to say 'do you love me' and ask him again does he want her. It just seems that Buffy wants to be with Spike because Riley has returned, and when Riley catches them, it is awkward except for Buffy and Riley, but not for Spike who is revelling in the situation. Riley of course is right here in that he explains to Buffy that Spike is still amoral, soulless and dangerous. The overall plot of this episode is quite ropey, but interesting exchanges at the end with Riley and Buffy, and of course when Riley and Sam eventually do leave on the chopper, Willow waving them off but says 'what a bitch' trying to give some form comfort to Buffy. At the very end we feel Buffy is doing the right thing ending it with Spike, and uses his real name William, a throwback to S5 Fool For Love, in which Cecily cruelly rejected him.

[@nilesstark]

You basically time traveled.

[@boqndimitrov8693]

riley has got his life in order.well done .for the first time i like him(a little).can we watch the next episode already(without riley)please?

[@emme2141]

I still don’t understand why there was so much Riley hate…

[@SweenyTodd98]

It will always baffle me how welcoming and happy everyone seems to be when seeing Riley after everything he did. Like all of Buffy's family/friends are weirdly happy to see him like he didn't leave Buffy in the shittiest way. I expect it from Xander cause he's always been a shitty friend, but the others? It really solidifies the idea that Buffy was somehow the sole bad guy in their relationship and Riley was a victim. Buffy wasn't blameless but Riley was the one who crossed the line and the show treating him as some big loss is just gross.

[@woogie2345]

yea it disturbs me how they (the characters & by extension the writers) put all the blame for the breakup on buffy retroactively, all because of xanders big stupid speech, completely forgiving riley for the whole cheating metaphor. super victim blamey

[@TheNoybusiness]

Yup, this bothers me, too. Back in Season 4, Willow threatened to beat Riley to death with a shovel if he ever hurt Buffy. Well, he did hurt her. And Buffy, while not perfect, didn't somehow make him do what he did. He never acknowledged he was responsible for his own actions and apologized like the rest of the Scooby Gang have when they messed up. Also, it's against regulations to date a subordinate and not enough time has passed for his relationship with Sam to actually happen. This episode would have made more sense in Season 7. Sam says it took Riley a year to get over Buffy, but it's only been just over a year as of this episode. It's not even established if she knows about the vampire brothel.

[@debroffe4354]

Only person I liked in Buffy was willow and Xander giles

[@Girl4Music]

Posting my BUFFY REWATCH recap for ‘As You Were’. May contain spoilers. So this episode was an unexpected turn of events. Riley returns to Sunnydale… which is already surprising enough considering it’s been awhile since we’ve seen him. But the most surprising thing is that Riley doesn’t return to Sunnydale alone. He returns to Sunnydale with his WIFE! The man is married. The man has been married for almost 4 months. I don’t think anyone would have expected that to happen. But it has to be the best thing to happen to him because the woman he is married to is AWESOME! The scene of Sam’s interaction with Willow showed me just how awesome of a character she was as she offers such sincere understanding and moral support to Willow with her recovery from magic addiction. She explains to her that she’s known two shamans that worked for hers and Riley’s military faction that used magic, got addicted to it and died from it. Showing us that Willow’s experience was a lot more common than we realized. What happened to the shamans could have also been what happened to Willow if she didn’t stop. If she didn’t choose to stop. Sam goes on to further state that she’s never known anyone strong enough to quit using magic once they became addicted to it. Willow - upset and staying completely silent throughout the whole interaction - considers this and immediately feels better. Sam’s earnest confession tells her that she’s achieved a difficult feat that very few people have, making her feel special. Something that she’s wanted and has strived to feel all her life, and until very recently believed she could only do so through the use of magic. What Sam unknowingly and inadvertently provides for Willow in her character personality is external validation. Not only what she wants, but also exactly what she needs. The character just isn’t secure or aware enough in and of herself to provide that validation for herself. She always needs someone or something telling and showing her that she is special, valid, and enough just as she is. Just with being “plain old Willow”. The very person she’s ashamed of being and will do her damndest to hide even if it kills her or someone else. The fact that she perceives that “plain old-ness” as being a “loser” or a “geek” or whatever is the reason why she’s so adamant on covering it up with a much more risky and dangerous persona. To clothe herself behind a veil of power and control: of super-ness, because to be anything less than that isn’t enough, isn’t worthy, isn’t useful, isn’t valuable to the Slayer. And in comes in a character that has barely known her for five seconds and can tell her that she is so strong that she has been able to resist and abstain from her greatest dependence. The seduction of magic. There is nothing and no one Willow is more in the thrall of than that power and control magic gives her. That’s why it’s a drug - metaphorically and literally - for her. Sam Finn is a minor character that I wish could have been so much more than that. The very little I saw of her in this episode, I absolutely fell in love with her. And apparently so did Willow despite how much she may have been reluctant to do so and how much she continues to perform hatred for her for Buffy’s sake because… that’s just what Willow does... Performs.

[@yourfluffyvegancinnamonrol2772]

[@Nicamon]

This is such a nice episode. Not super-memorable or anything,just...really nice.🙂💚 You know,apart from the whole..Spuffy thing...X-PPP speaking of which... 18:25 - 18:38 he's right! I hate him,but he's right! 22:03 - 22:15 GEEZE! Even *_I_* felt sorry for him,there!😖💔

[@serenity4eva89]

Babes, you waited ALL season for an ex-boyfriend to show up and bust Buffy for secretly screwing Spike... AND YOU ACCIDENTLY SKIPPED IT? 😂 Anyways, I love Sam. She's a BAMF 😉 Guess I'll hit play now (commenting before I hit play because how could I not under these hilarious circumstances) 😜

[@meggo329]

He couldnt have said sorry about your mom dieing and me leaving. He had time to talk about her hair 😒

[@gordon861]

Alley is confused ... not been uploading enough, you are losing track. Also, what happened to Dollhouse?

[@jb888888888]

Oh great. You ruined everything. Now you have to go back and start over from the top.

[@RB-vo4gi]

I get that it’s important for Buffy to get closure on this particular relationship and realize that what she has with Spike is super toxic, but it drives me insane that Riley just shows up at this moment. It’s been about a year since he was “utterly devastated” by Buffy and he… shows up with his new wife? Am I supposed to buy that he was utterly devastated after that? Especially since his wife says it took him a long time to get over her but, again, it’s only been a year since he left, and he’s already moved on and been married for FOUR MONTHS.

[@DucktorDoom]

6:41 why did this kinda feel like willow correcting buffy about spike's pronouns 💀

[@krank23]

It's still very weird to me how this show treats Riley. Like he's not trash, I mean. Like Buffy did the wrong thing to dump him. Like it was the right thing to run after him. I could've gone the entire rest of the show not seeing him again, but I guess he filled a purpose in this episode. Even if his past actions etc absolutely made him a little unsuitable for the "road not taken / outside perspective" role.

[@ChevaliersEmeraude]

Huh, you are aware that Riley is the one who dumped her, right? That's what the whole leaving-in-an-helicopter thing was all about. Buffy kept taking him for granted, and he got sick of it and, when a better opportunity arrived (the Initiative giving him a spot), he left. Not only that, he did so while still giving her a chance to fix the relationship. Because, yeah, that's on her. Like I said, she constantly took him for granted for the whole part of season 5 in which he was there. Fun fact: Guys really don't like that in a relationship.

[@krank23]

​@@ChevaliersEmeraude Riley was an insecure, cheating asshole who coulnd't handle Buffy being stronger than him. He was acting like a baby. "Waaah, waaah, pay attention to me!" Grown-ups should be able to live their lives even if their significant other doesn't spend absolutely every hour of every day babying them or their egos. Men need to understand that no, they don't always get to be the most important part of their girlfriends or wives lives. That's a child's conception of love, not a grownups. Him getting on that helicotpter was the best thing that could have happened. Her running ahfter him was absolutely the wrong thing to do. He gave her an ultimatum: "Forgive all my shit I've done and the blame I want to push on you or I walk away". She, initially, made the reasonable choice of not playing his childish game. I just wish she'd stayed strong. But of course Xander "Incel" Harris" made that moronic speech in defense of his "bro"… Xander's absolutely done some good stuff in the show, but most of the time he's a judgemental, sexist, sleazy asshole and a bad friend.

[@ChevaliersEmeraude]

@@krank23 Riley didn't mind that she was stronger than him. Again, his problem with the relationship was that she took him for granted, which she did, which was extremely obvious all season and everyone kept bringing up. And Riley's ultimatum was not about forgiving him; it was literally what I just said: Stop taking me for granted, 'cause something better than that came up so I'm leaving unless I have a reason to stay. That's what the ultimatum was: Is there any reason for him to stay with her. And ultimately she failed to give any, so he broke it off. She kept ignoring him, pushing him away even. Again, no guy like being treated like that by their partner. So, yeah, HE broke it off!

[@blackkatt777]

​@@ChevaliersEmeraude👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 THANK YOU! Well said.

[@kendavis8046]

Without dissing his wife, can we all just crap all over Riley for showing up like this? Seriously, he "rebounded" hard and fast. Glad he is out.

[@tutiocabron8069]

To me this episode is a 10/10. The Reilly hate happened cuz society is trained to hate tall honorable, good looking well meaning white males. Buffy wrecked Reilly. He came back a man. Not no nice guy anymore, but a good man. He didn't get into a long argument with Buffy, get all winey like before. He was an adult. The woman he married saw his value. She was happy Buffy forged him into who he is now. He was a lump of coal and shaped him into a diamond. She picked him up after. You can tell, like most woman would be jealous, but by the end you can see the satisfaction on her face that Reilly has officially moved on. It's what he needed. It's what his wife needed. Now they can move forward