Dakara Discusses S7 Buffy FINALE!

[@DakaraJayne]

What are your fav moments from season 7? Let me know in the comments! Thank you so so much for joining me on my Buffy journey, this show is GOLD and I genuinely think everyone should watch it

[@Hauke-ph5ui]

Buffy is continued in comic book format - which are official canon.

[@JoshuaMartian-go3tm]

My favorite seasons were 6 & 7 for the fact that they were less campy and more based in reality imo. Showtime was my favorite. Episode. When everything was dire & felt hopeless, Buffy rose to the occasion and showed the potentials nothing was impossible. Good will prevail, which encapsulated what the whole show was all about.

[@JoshuaMartian-go3tm]

@@Hauke-ph5uiNot the same. I wish they would figure out a way to bring either a continuation of the show or a new generation version of the show.

[@itsreeeshaaa7560]

I’ve felt this way for 20 years now and I’ll never change my mind. Spike had the best growth/redemption arc of any character in the series. He went from being a soulless evil vampire with a sick obsession with Buffy to a good but flawed man that really did love Buffy in the way she deserved. She realized in ep 12 of S7 that she loved him too. Dakara I really enjoyed watching this with you and I’m so glad you enjoyed the series overall.

[@ThePowerDrome]

I think she actually had feelings for him before that, it was just that there was no way for them to come out. For example, in the episode "Superstar" he just touches her hair, like she's someone close to him, and she doesn't do anything about it, like everything's okay. And at the end of season five, she's already actively defending him after the episode with Glory being tortured.

[@moviebuff2024-o6m]

Agree 100%. This has been my favourite show for 25 years. Angel is her first love, but Spike became her soulmate and her equal. Angel was forced to be a hero because he was cursed with a soul. Spike CHOSE to be a hero. He went and sought his soul to become a better man. And he proved he was capable of a form of love even without a soul (proven by his fierce loyalty to Buffy in S5 and his fierce protection of Dawn). I don't think Angelus would have made the choice to be good without the soul that was forced upon him. I truly believe that soulless Angelus would not have even had the capacity to fall for Buffy the way Spike did and would never have sought a soul of his own accord. Soulless Spike in seasons 5 and 6 did both good things and very very bad things. But he then made the choice to do everything he possibly could to make amends for the abhorrent things he did to Buffy by seeking his soul so that he could - in his words - "be a kind of man". As Buffy says, he risked everything to be a better man. To become the kind of man that would never ever hurt Buffy again. To love her the way she deserved to be loved. That's why he's the 'champion' - the one who can wear the necklace and whose soul can save the world - and not Angel. Because Spike CHOSE it. And there we have another one of the several meanings of the final episode's title. Finally, there's a reason that Buffy's last line in the entire show is "Spike". It's literally the only thing she says in the final scene. The writers could have made the choice to give her more to say here, but they didn't. "Spike" is all she needs to say, and this not only says everything about how she feels about him, but also about his purpose and importance within the show overall.

[@santanicopandemos938]

Oh for Pete's sake...Spike is not her soulmate and while I enjoyed him as a character let's not project. Buffy made it clear she didn't love him. My issue is that Spike invalidates the whole show to the point that had "him" close the Hellmouth and not to mention that if he ,as a soulless vampire, was allowed this growth...why doesn't the same opportunity be given to all the vampires??!! I swear if I have to read another because Spike was a poet before he was sired it made him "special" and he "feels" 🤨 He was allowed this evolution out of the network peer presuring the writers to find ways to justify why a slayer doesn't outright stake him and it devalued Buffy as a slayer and the hero of her own show. Ladies please let's not let Media keep conditioning your gender to romantize the bad men. 💯👍🏼

[@moviebuff2024-o6m]

@@santanicopandemos938 ​​⁠Disagree completely. Also please don’t patronise our ‘gender’ and tell us what to think and feel. We are perfectly capable of thinking for ourselves and making our own decisions and not being ‘conditioned’ by the media. Whether or not romanticizing bad men is right or wrong (and by the way, the entire point about Spike is that he was a bad man and then became a good man by his own choice), we are perfectly capable of doing that without media influence. It’s a tv show at the end of the day. As someone who watched S6 of Buffy as an impressionable 9 year old girl, it still didn’t make me go out and fall for a ‘bad man’ like S6 Spike. Obviously people are different and some people are more susceptible than others to be ‘conditioned’ by media (men included, by the way), but you are massively generalising here. Whilst I understand the point you are trying to make and there is merit to it, because obviously some people are susceptible to being influenced by what they see, the way you said it is incredibly patronising. Whether or not you meant it that way, it’s how it comes across. If you really want to help women, next time maybe think about not patronising them.

[@moviebuff2024-o6m]

I love that Faith finally learns empathy. Those scenes are incredible and so satisfying.

[@vodkatonyq]

Willow initially used to be my favorite character, but now it really is Buffy. It's very rare in lots of media that the main character is also the best one, but Buffy is a big exception.

[@alooncnej4696]

Totally agree, she perfectly written until the end

[@JuneJaneb4]

I think this is not an exception but a deliberate decision. I think that this show is an example when the main character is presented to be exceptional, literally chosen one, literally the main element in everything just because she is the main one and the show has her name in it. She says it herself that she thinks that she is better than all the others. And via Spike the narrative tells her the same, that "she is the one. She's hell of a woman" etc. It was decided by default to write her to be better than all the rest. They write that she always has a plan, she always tells others what to do, she always the strongest one, smart one etc. Which is so unnatural for a one person in real life. Basically she just has supernatural powers to kill vampires and demons. But why it is SO important to the narrative and to her to "be the best" in everything? People love someone not because they are the best in everying, but because of their personality. You don't have to have super powers or always have a plan to be loved. This is what I would like to tell the narrative every time they push this idea.

[@vodkatonyq]

@Junejane4 I think Buffy is shown to be quite flawed and NOT perfect. I simply love her because of her multifaceted humanity. And at the end she is NOT the one. And again: Harry Potter, Star Wars, Matrix: the main characters there are also chosen ones, but they're not anywhere near the best.

[@pinkylittleme]

To quote BJ Novak, its just not the cool thing to say the main character is your main character, but I feel its not that rare. For exemple, Tom holland in spider man, Christian Bale and RobPat as Batman, Supergirl, Lorelai Gilmore, just to name a few.

[@alooncnej4696]

@pinkylittleme mr Robot, Twin Peaks, The Shield, The Sopranos, Homeland

[@vodkatonyq]

I agree with you on season 7. It's one of my favorites and the more I rewatch the show, the more I like it. 1. season 6 2. season 5 3. season 3 4. season 7 5. season 4 6. season 2 7. season 1 It might even be Top 3 on future rewatches.

[@ace360]

My favorite ... Honestly all Spike 😂 Spike fighting himself with getting a Soul, Stomping a Mud hole in Wood, Kicking The Scooby's Verbally and Physical after Betrayal of Buffy, Spike gives Buffy pep talk "Your The One" and "I wanna see how it ends" Spike saves The World 🤘

[@zarathustrasserpent1850]

Funniest scene is definitely Buffy with the rocket launcher

[@TristanaPalmer]

Thank YOU Dakara...💖

[@pinkylittleme]

I would looooove a rewatch with you and someone who has never seen it!

[@marekkozub8957]

I like season 7 too. Great fights and great speeches.

[@Remma1637]

❤ sad the journey is over, but I'm so glad you went in so open hearted, and it was so much fun watching along ❣️

[@goldenageofdinosaurs7192]

Well said, my thoughts exactly🙂

[@vodkatonyq]

Don't forget that the Buffyverse continues in comic book form. I ordered the first two issues last week.

[@Nicolas.Vincent]

Excellent decision! It's Buffy without a tv budget, making it limited only to Whedon's and the other writer's imaginations. And the show writers do continue to write the comics! I also highly recommend the Buffy Omnibus series, written by a Dark Horse writer during the initial run of seasons 1 through 3. It's Sunnydale High, from a completely independent and unique take, and it meshes perfectly with the show. It's as if Buffy actually had dozens and dozens more adventures on par with seasons 1 to 3.

[@Nicolas.Vincent]

...there's also a story penned by Whedon that expertly pivots Buffy's character from a vapid valley girl to a much more down to earth character that we get in the series. He makes it work so well, and it involves a guy pre-Angel. It's kinda touching, very memorable 😚👌

[@JoshuaMartian-go3tm]

Not the same tho. Since it started on tv with the actors we know, it just doesn’t have the same charm & impact without a live action. Maybe one day the will get their act together and bring it back in some form. Sigh

[@Nicolas.Vincent]

@@JoshuaMartian-go3tm better in some ways

[@killianlpc]

In fairness to the writers they did a brilliant job in S7 bringing it all together, after S5 Finale The Gift, which did actually feel like the end of the show from the fantastic opening intro montage of every single episode, to the heart breaking ending of The Gift. It was great how they re-introduced The First Evil who tormented Angel back in S3 Amends episode. S7 had some some stunning episodes in Conversations With Dead People and Lies My Parents Told Me. However, I always feel it is scenes rather that episodes that really stand out, and in this final Season they were some stunning scenes. Especially when Spike lays across the Crucifix burning in the episode Beneath You, and Buffy realises he has had his soul restored for her. Also in the episode Touched when Buffy asks Spike to stay with her and they both lay on the bed and Spike comforts her in his arms after she was cruelly ejected from her own house, I have to say I hated that scene when they all turned against her, it just did not make sense. One of the final scenes in Chosen also when they hold hands and they catch fire showing their love for each other, another brilliant scene. It was fitting that they brought the Soobies back to Sunnydale High for the ending with our original cast of four there again and the camera pans around them bring it all to a close. It has to remembered too with The Amulet link from BTVS S7 to the Angel series, and how Spike is brought back to the other side of The Buffyverse to really make that final Season of Angel so brilliant, and what a stunning Finale that show had at the end also. Thanks for your thoughts Dakara and so glad you really were touched by the show, as many are who get to watch it. The writing in the Buffyverse was imperious, it really is like no other. The most satisfying thing for me is getting some of my friends to watch it, who are so reluctuant at the start, but then become so engrossed in it having totally dismissed it at the start. Such great satisfaction in seeing them enjoy it so much, and realise how brilliant the writing is. I think when you re-watch it Dakara you will enjoy it even more.

[@MsSaintifik]

Fav show, its like a dear friend. Also one if the few I rewatch and each time notice some small thought of detail or layer. Great journey!

[@moviebuff2024-o6m]

Spike CHOSE to be a hero. He went and sought his soul to become a better man. And he proved he was capable of a form of love even without a soul (proven by his fierce loyalty to Buffy in S5 and his fierce protection of Dawn). I don't think Angelus would have made the choice to be good without the soul that was forced upon him. I truly believe that soulless Angelus would not have even had the capacity to fall for Buffy the way Spike did and would never have sought a soul of his own accord. Soulless Spike in seasons 5 and 6 did both good things and very very bad things. But he then made the choice to do everything he possibly could to make amends for the abhorrent things he did to Buffy by seeking his soul so that he could - in his words - "be a kind of man". As Buffy says, he risked everything to be a better man. To become the kind of man that would never ever hurt Buffy again. To love her the way she deserved to be loved. That's why he's the 'champion' - the only one who can wear the amulet and whose soul can save the world - and not Angel. Because Spike CHOSE it. And there we have another one of the several meanings of the final episode's title. Finally, there's a reason that Buffy's last line in the entire show is "Spike". It's literally the only thing she says in the final scene. The writers could have made the choice to give her more to say here, but they didn't. "Spike" is all she needs to say, and this not only says everything about how she feels about him, but also about his purpose and importance within the show overall.

[@Cacjams]

I mean... does that (Angelus not choosing to be good without a soul) make Angel a bad person or any worse for Buffy? It's not his fault he acts soulless when he's... soulless.

[@codypendragons]

It was a good run, I enjoyed you, and the show very much.

[@veronicaquintanatorres2473]

It would be awesome for you to to do a rewatch of "Restless", pick up on all the things and foreshadowing that episode has

[@doug3691]

For me, 7.19 is about how there is some ground that only Buffy and Spike stand upon (at least in that group). Like a Venn diagram: this part Buffy shares with the group, and this other part she shares with Spike (not just sex).

[@caseyhart4999]

She is the Buff.

[@ciphernine7824]

There's a Buffyverse audio spin-off from Audible called "Slayers." It's a what-if/ alternate reality story co-written and co-directed by Amber Benson, with James Marsters, Juliet Landau, Charisma Carpenter, Anthony Head, Emma Caulfield, and Amber Benson reprising their iconic roles. Unfortunately, Disney has refused to allow any future installments, and has not provided any explanation for that decision.

[@moviebuff2024-o6m]

I agree, Buffy is the best character ever on TV. She's the hero that every young girl needs to see. I will literally never be able to do justice in words to the impact that she had on me growing up from age 9 with her to look up to. I literally would not be the almost 33 year old woman I am today, or be living the life I am today, without her. She has had the most profound impact on basically every aspect of my life. She taught me and showed me what I could be as a woman in the world. She's informed how I look at life and the world. She taught me to never give up. She taught me that power is not meant to belong to one person only and that it's meant to be shared. She taught me everything.

[@caseyhart4999]

Not only for young girls. I was a 9 year old boy when he show first premiered and I always recognized that she is a true blue hero to the core. She is the Buff.

[@crawdaddy1234]

The difference between Buffy and Xena is that Xena was always about the mission. Life was about the mission. Buffy shows that life IS the mission.

[@le_petit_calimero]

Great discussion, i really enjoyed it! I hope you find many other series that you like as much as Buffy TVS!

[@rodolfoceballos6278]

Season 7 is top for me despite its flaws for how it manages to build on top of everything the past seasons built for each main character and conclude their journey: - As much as S5 is an amazing finale that could easily be a series finale, I love that Buffy in Season 7 feels like her old self but in a mature way because of everything she has gone through especially after season 5 and 6. To see her finish this journey as a strong, confident leader, who has been through everything and has risen above it, and can now be at peace, is beautiful, and she is my favorite character in all media. - The character journey for Spike, who I hated after Seein Red, was incredible, in many ways thanks to James's performance. He became a "man" for Buffy, and the confidence Buffy put in him earlier in S9 when she says "I believe in you Spike" brought the ultimate pay-off. For all the criticism Buffy got for how she handled Spike, her trust in him more so than her love for him ultimately saved the world. - I never thought of Willow as a magic addict. Growing up so insecure, magic was the first thing that made her feel in control and powerful. She was addicted to how she could manipulate things and people with magic to fit the reality she wanted to believe in, and she couldn't see how amazing she was as a person and got addicted to the status magic gave her. Season 7 brings all that facade down, we get a self aware Willow who is afraid of her own demons, and towards the end she controls magic and not the other way around because she has come to understand who she is. These 3 character journeys are enough for me to feel S6 and S7 were a great addition to the show and make them my favorite seasons.

[@Slaaverin]

Now that Buffy is over I would like you so much to react to Once upon a time 😭 I love this show to death

[@PatiAnn]

I always thought season 7 was the best .... For me .... Season 3 was my second fav

[@tehcoolemu]

You put out a call for fanfics, but that can mean very different things, as I'm sure you're aware. What ship(s) are interesting to you? What (range of) content rating(s) are you looking for? Wholesome stories where the Scoobies face down a monster of the week? Dramatic alternate timelines with blood, guts, and intense character dynamics? Wild romance stories that wind up with Buffy and Faith doing unspeakable things to each other in bed? Any and all (and many others besides) are perfectly valid, but not everyone is in the market for all of them. I hope it's not just me who finds it awkward to recommend something that the person is just categorically uninterested in (especially if it's on the spicier side). Glad you enjoyed the finale! I'll see you over on the Angel side of things. :)

[@Tsotmiam]

There is just a different perception of media from 20 or more years ago. I've notice that a number of movie and tv episodes that were widely criticized or panned are shown a lot more love when watched for the first time today. I feel like cynicism and to some extent nihilism was a more prevalent theme in pop culture of the 90's and early 2000's. I don't know exactly what the mood of modern pop culture is now but it's definitely markedly different.

[@ernesthakey3396]

I think the bathroom scene was necessary for more than one reason, but the most important one is I think that's the point where Spike realized he'd never be right for Buffy unless he regained his soul, and led to him going on the quest to get it. Regarding Anya, I think she was on the neurodivergent spectrum, even before she became a demon. From the Buffy wiki: ----- Aud was born in 860. She grew up raising rabbits and became the outsider of her village in Sjornjost, Sweden, whose inhabitants labeled her as "odd because she [spoke] her mind." -----

[@michelleicome5542]

Thoughts on my favourite moments.. Funny from the last episode.. when spike has an angel drawing on the punch bag and Buffy noticed 😂😅 jealous vampire cr😂p Especially because James later admitted that his girlfriend when he started acting on Buffy, had a crush on David so James as spike was actually jealous of David as angel 😂 which makes it extra amusing 😅 James also spoke about the damage that bathroom scene did to him mentally. I think you might love some of his interviews on a podcast with the guy who played lex Luther in Smallville

[@opheliabelleu8025]

Dakara, there are some good websites if you want to learn more about Tarot. I'm not a believer in the mystical side of it, but it can prompt you to question and examine life's big and small events in way that you normally would not have done. Plus, they're just fun to read for friends who think you have great insight! To be fair, they are oddly prescient sometimes.

[@jennarobinson4136]

Totally agree about season 7, I think the fans tend to be overly-harsh towards it. It's also one of my favourite tv endings of all time, so satisfying and ties in the over-aching feminist message of Buffy beautifully.

[@santanicopandemos938]

Yeah...until they had a "man" in the end do the heavy lifting 🤨😂🤣

[@jennarobinson4136]

@@santanicopandemos938 I mean, the leaders in the physical fighting were Buffy and Faith and Willow's power was instrumental in changing the game in the fight against evil. Plus, I think in a feminist show it shouldn't just have weak male characters, Spike earned his redemption and story arc. Good feminist storytelling should uplift men, too.

[@santanicopandemos938]

@@jennarobinson4136 Is not about weak male characters...is about a man outright upstaging the heroine. Why not give it to said Faith! She is a true redemption arc done right! Spike's redemption is a walking plot hole and invalidates the whole show and funny enough they ship him of to Angel after at the cost of Cordelia...another female redemption done much better than his. Yes, Im passionate in my reply because I mega ❤️ this show/franchise and it peeved me like no end how a show about female empowerment and with so many talented writters took that route in the end. 🤗

[@kingbrutusxxvi]

I watched the show during it's original airing (from Season 2 on) and have watched it twice since. I thought my feelings about this or that would change but they've stayed surprisingly steady with an exception or two. I honestly feel like the show should have ended with Season 5. The fight with Glory and Buffy's ultimate sacrifice felt like a proper completion. Not a "happy ending" per se but a nice arc for the characters. The last two seasons felt dark and heavy and totally out of sorts with a lot of the series up until then. I actually found myself dreading each week's episodes because the show had become so depressing. By the time the "BTVS" finale aired I was more than ready to let it go and move on. Overall I still love the show but Seasons 6 and 7 are pretty hard to sit through. Just my two pennies.

[@theprodigal]

I would also add apart from the finale the cinematography in S6/7 was crap, it felt cheap compared to S2-4 that was always filmed in a beautiful glow and the Cgi looked better. It also suffered from a terrible music score stupid plinky plonky music that didn't match the tone of episodes at all, and that's down to the exit of Christophe beck who only came back for the musical and finale.

[@rebeccarodger2636]

So I have acquired 2 copies of a book called the philosophy of buffy and I am wondering if you would be interested in acquiring a copy for yourself? And if so do you have a po box?

[@michelleicome5542]

commenting for the algorithm

[@pcoleman1971]

I rank the Buffy seasons as follows: 1. Season 6 2. Season 3 3. Season 5 4. Season 7 5. Season 4 6. Season 1 7. Season 2 Season 7 was bit hit and miss. I didn't like the overall story arch, but there were some good episodes. The finale was fantastic, and the best episode of the season.

[@crawdaddy1234]

They absolutely stuck the landing. The reason the season isn’t quite as popular is because the middle just kinda seems like a soap opera.

[@ThePowerDrome]

After watching several analytical videos on this topic, I agree with some reviewers that season six is ​​better than season seven. It tackles several difficult topics at once and ultimately delivers an important message -- giving hope for the best, that the only way to get through tough times, like toxic relationships as a way to replace and escape depression, addiction, etc., is to simply move on and dig yourself out of the grave of your own problems. Both at the beginning of the season and at the end. Unfortunately, season seven doesn't have that theme. It's as if the writers were on a time crunch or something, but season seven overall feels worse than season six. Yes, we have strong episodes and strong moments in these episodes, we finally get Buffy's heartbreaking confession, but overall as a season it just doesn't work for me. I also have to admit that they just plain failed to sell me on Angel. From the series Angel, we know that Angelus is always present, and an Angel with a soul can easily kill a person and not feel guilty afterwards.

[@CvSp22]

I'm not a fan of ranking seasons, since each has strong and weak elements. A few examples: 1x11 Coredelias charactere insight 1x12 Buffy's arc S1 Main arc pretty standard but entertaining. 2x1 Buffy's PTSD 2x3 Spikes intro including ending The Annoying One 2x9/10 (?) Kendra 2x21/22 Buffy sacrifing her love and loses everything S2 full teen love drama, maximum cheese but really amazing end ("...what's left?" - "ME!"). 3x1 Anne begins 3×3 hello Faith 3x20 Prom - the umbrella - 😢 3x22 all students together S3 Faith arc (hurts so hard) and a really amazing Big Bad. 4x10 Tara and the Gentlemen 4x16/17 Faith 4x19 Tara all the way 4x22 the cheese guy S4 weakest main arc%Big Bad (what was his motivation?), the Initiative and Riley annoying, but Tara, Faith, Sundae... lot of good stuff there. 5x1 Dracula and Dawn 5x2 Dawn 5x5 Joyce, Glory, the Key 5x6 Tara 5x7 fool me! 5x15 April 5x16/17 😢😢😢 5x18 the first not forced kiss 5x22... S5 best season by quantity of Big Bad, standalone episodes and main arc events. 6×7 sing it! 6x18/19 Tara 6x22 Spikes soul S6 less on episodes, more focussed on arcs (Anya/Xander, Tara, Willow, Buffy...). Dark, the most serious season. 7x3 Spike, Willow and Gnarl 7x15 (?) Dirty Girls Nathan Filion, Faith 7x20 (?) Touched best speech a man has ever given to a woman. 7x22 everything, the Lord of the Rings CGI for the army in the Hellmouth, Willow, Buffy, The Great Awakening... S7 a new level, like S6 less on single episodes, more the arcs in the aftermath of S6 plus the Potentials, Robin, Faith, Spikes soul and the finale. So there's in every Season something good to find, but also weak stuff (Master too silly, Bangel to schmalzy, Wesley too goofy, Adam boring, Crush pretty confusing, Amy not logical, how she was reasonable before turned into a rat and then reckless after turned back, and for sure in the end of 7x19 "I want to do some violence!"). Please do rewatches, as i said: Now we are on the same page and it get's better and better with each rewatch.❤

[@keithbird8910]

Buffy and Angel should have ended up together. That is all.

[@shabadoo25]

Once the excitement from finishing Buffy passes, you will likely eventually realize Season 7's flaws. Sure the concluding episodes are great, but the vast majority of the mid season episodes focusing on the potentials just aren't. Also, the team including the OGs turning on Buffy is nonsensical and stupid. They had some real potential there with Buffy as school counselor that went barely explored. Lots of swings and misses.

[@vodkatonyq]

I just finished my fourth rewatch of the show and season 7 just gets better for me.

[@Nicolas.Vincent]

Did you miss seasons 4 through 6 leading up to 7? 😂 talk about flaws!

[@JoshuaMartian-go3tm]

Agree to disagree but for me 6 & 7 were the best. For the mere fact that they were more grounded in reality. EVERY season has duds & flaws. Like I didn’t love the Initiative, Adam or Spikes chip. The final season’s writing was just as stellar Inthink as earlier work. Him, Lies my mother told me, a storyteller, The Kllr in Me, Selfless, Showtime, all excellent writing.

[@Nicolas.Vincent]

@JoshuaMartian-go3tm While I agree that season 6 has good ideas, it was the weakest in the entire run. Joss was off doing Firefly, Noxin ruined that season big time, but at lest Spike finally got a leg over on Buffy. I love season 7 as much as I love 1, 2 & 3. It's gotta be centered around Sunnydale High!

[@vodkatonyq]

@@Nicolas.Vincent season 6 is my absolute favorite. The most personal, deepest, most thematically ambitious, most emotional.