How can this show be so cruel 😭| BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER S02E21+22 |Becoming Watch Party

[@SoFieReactsTV]

Here's the link for season 2 episode 20 reaction if you want to see it: www.dropbox.com/s/wzjxtvup2hla75c/Buffy.S02E20.720p.x265.10bit-Sofie.mp4?dl=0 And for Full Early reactions make sure to join me on Patreon as I'm always at least 6 episodes ahead: www.patreon.com/SoFieReacts

[@bonfyre4711]

Its cruel because it challenges the audience and helps then be able to cope with real situations But it balances it out with comedy and hope This show is a classic Better than game of thrones in hindsight

[@bonfyre4711]

You know Spike was originally intended to be killed off after angel lost his soul He got so much fan mail they kept him And history was made

[@bonfyre4711]

Out of curiousity, are you a model? I don't mean any offence you look a little like Miranda Kerr

[@qrsx66]

Is there a particular reason it's not here on KZbin ?

[@roycejohnny9541]

instaBlaster...

[@Amy-vr5yt]

Aside from the emotional devastation, the Buffy /Spike pairing beginning with the fantastic 'Hello Cutie' and the improv skit about being in a band is absolute GOLD

[@UTU49]

Also I think every reactor has giggle fits over Spike sitting in the living room with Joyce.

[@SilentBob731]

6:19 "It's a big rock, Can't wait to tell my friends. They don't have a rock this big" 🤣🤣🤣 Another of the greatest lines of the series. 👍✌❤

[@dashabrunclikova6975]

The visions are not what makes Buffy different from other slayers. They all have them and they cannot control them. What makes Buffy stronger than the slayers who came before her are her friends and family; all the connections that tie her to this world and give her strength.

[@hardybryan]

Absolutely, but also the fact that she trusts herself and doesn't just follow orders.

[@UTU49]

@@hardybryan I would argue that Giles is another factor that makes Buffy stronger than other Slayers.

[@hardybryan]

@@UTU49 For sure. Giles is better than all the other watchers we see because he plays to Buffy's strengths, trusts her instincts when it matters and genuinely cares for her very deeply. I only didn't go into him because I figured he was covered in the friends, family and connections the OP addressed.

[@dashabrunclikova6975]

@@Marvel_vs_Capcom84 and you would put a blatant spoiler like this here why? Please remove that comment before Sofie reads it.

[@Marvel_vs_Capcom84]

@@dashabrunclikova6975 I will I am guessing you know the episode I am talking about..

[@WillsonT011]

Not only that Buffy sent the man that she loves into a hell dimension but it's the fact that it's Angel with a soul that's going to be torture, not Angelus😢

[@Stephie_L]

The thing is I don't think Angelus would be tortured...I think Giles said only non demons would be tortured there?

[@chriskwakernaat2328]

She had no choice :( Only by killing him could she close the portal.

[@redheadedstepchild9814]

Sofia: “How can this show be so cruel!” Me: oh you sweet sweet summer child 😂

[@Oxmustube]

And she thought Buffy being expelled couldn't get any worse...

[@michaelbastraw1493]

"Buffy in pain, show good." - - Josh Whedon. Best. Leo.

[@ViviWCLLFG]

Right ? I'm like "Poor thing, she has no idea what"s coming for her..."

[@raggarbergman]

Pretty much my thought as someone who has seen the series from first to last countless times. And seen both Firefly and Serenity. So i know Whedon's view on happiness. ;) Especially a certain episode in season 5 and a certain in the end of season 6 .

[@arthurspils2565]

Me: *takes a swig from a flask* ohhhh boy, here we go...

[@jaycievictory8461]

The transition from human crying Drusilla begging to be good to smirking insane vampire Drusilla is just one of several horrendous dagger to the heart moments in these last two episodes 💔😭

[@zoewinter2468]

I think due to Spike's humour it's easy to forget how dangerous he is. He killed two slayers, killed the Annoying One and took over the Sunnydale vampire world in two seconds flat, was happy to assemble the Judge for Drusilla. He doesn't want the world to be dragged into a hell dimension - because he enjoys taking from it. He's top dog feeding on happy meals on legs, his position and ease of having a hedonistic lifestyle would likely change in Acathla's hell. True, it's a different kind of evil than Dru or Angelus - but still evil.

[@valeriamonti2590]

but after the chip gradually changes

[@obredaanps3]

Sofie: She looks like Cordellia. Me: It always makes me happy when reactors catch that.

[@loftus4453]

Started watching your channel last night when your video on Once More with Feeling showed up on my recommended list. Here I am 24 hours later still checking out your Buffy reviews. Thought I’d better subscribe and comment after lurking for so long! Great reactions. Found myself reacting with you on certain episodes, crying or cheering right along with you. You come across very genuine. Keep up the great videos!

[@xenbuff]

Same thing happened to me.

[@rainbowboyu]

Fun fact: the conversation that reminded you of a teenager coming out as gay....that was the intention of the writers. Thats why buffy is my favorite show. They spoke on controversial political/moral topics and just coated it in the supernatural.

[@humorn]

Slow motion hero run when we KNOW it’s too late. That’s emotional damage on a whole new level.

[@WisdomoftheSphynx]

If you rewatch end credits of episode 22...thr Enemy Mutant monster says "uugg I need a hug" instead of the usual "grr arg"

[@lawrencegough]

"The accent, was it Irish?" A question fans have pondered ever since. I guess somebody must have thought it was!

[@barbarabaker1457]

Yeah this show really struggles with accents, I'm guessing they couldn't put a lot of money on it.

[@Itcouldbebunnies]

@@barbarabaker1457 I don't think it was a financial issue, they probably didn't care very much. I think it may be an American/native English speakers thing. I had already learned to live with it when Buffy started as I was also a devoted Xena fan. (Talk about gay subtext!🌈🥰)

[@haddow777]

It was supposed to be. They were in Ireland at least. Considering some of these actors were working 18 hours a day normally, I think they may have found it hard to fit in good accent coaching.

[@vlad5042]

yeah there are some truly tragic accents in this show but flashback angel and kendra are the worst for me

[@jonaskoelker]

@@Itcouldbebunnies > Xena fan. (Talk about gay subtext!🌈🥰) I haven't really watched Xena, only stuff _about_ Xena. My impression is that the text is... more or less basically text, and almost the whole time? Is that stating it too strongly?

[@jaycievictory8461]

You are SO perceptive, Sofie. You notice things on your first watch - subtle character nuances - that most ppl take multiple watches to see. And you're so emotionally intelligent that you speak on character moments that will actually play out as significant plotlines down the line. Obvs I'm not gonna tell you what those moments were but, yeah, seriously impressed. And you just seem really kind 💛

[@lau.tizzir]

I LOVE that scene where Angelus says: "No weapons, no friends, no hope. Take all that away, and what's left?" and Buffy responds: "Me." I think this is so empowering and so important. And the way SMG delivers that line it's so powerful too. She is not being a smartass, she is simply making a statement. A truth. As Whistler said: "Even if you see them 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? Nah. 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." We are not defined by the things we have, but by the things we do

[@zarathustrasserpent1850]

Yeah, Buffy killing Angel is the most tragic, heartbreaking moment in the history of television. Nothing that happened on TV before or since even came close for me.

[@gokulsiriah9750]

That's a reach..but its definitely a top 10 or top 5...there are more heartbreaking scenes tbh

[@barbarabaker1457]

That scene is when I realized this was sailor moon for an adult audience.

[@helena2037]

I definitely agree but I gotta say (spoilers below) "your shirt" and "mom?" are the other two in this show for me edit: jenny was also sad and shocking when I saw it but looking back it's not as sad for me

[@grichard1585]

@@gokulsiriah9750 Please share with us these heartbreaking scenes.

[@michaelbastraw1493]

@@helena2037 Helena, why? Who does this help? Best. Leo.

[@erickwebster1973]

Yeah Buffy was the popular mean girl at her old school she was Cordelia

[@jaycievictory8461]

Sofie: "When writing this episode it was like he was like, how can I screw up Buffy's life more? Now that's about it." *Me knowing what's coming* 🙈🙈🙈

[@wbrownshadow]

Funny thing that some forget about but back in the book from the Episode Halloween the pucture in it looked slightly like Darla looked in this episode

[@Marvel_vs_Capcom84]

I think all buffy fans know that , Buffy even says this most be the type of girls angel was attracted to back in his human days then we see darla dressed in a white version dress like what buffy wore in the Halloween episode except buffy's was pink..

[@feudist]

The look of horror on Buffy's face when she opens her eyes and sees Acathla's vortex opening, the instant steely resolve and the realization of what she's going to do and what it's going to cost...She is The Slayer. One girl in all the world.

[@TShuggah]

First time I ever cried while watching a tv show 😭😭😭

[@jspettifer]

And I’m guessing that you watched the rest of Buffy and it wasn’t the last

[@TShuggah]

@@jspettifer facts & facts

[@sophieopus9]

I was waiting for this! If you’re really enjoying watching Buffy, I would recommend watching Passion of the Nerd, he has a fabulous Buffy episode guide. In one of his videos he shows a great perspective, in which he says that the last scene in 2x22 between Buffy and Angel is ‘a kindness that Whedon shows for Buffy.’ We don’t always get the chance to say goodbye to our loved ones, but after losing so much, Buffy is allowed this one piece of solace just before she makes the choice to kill Angel... I love hearing your point of view on Buffy, I’ll watch out for season 3 reactions 😉

[@Logan_Baron]

I will say to avoid Passion of the Nerd until after she finishes the entire series. He does tend to drop spoilers about later episodes while discussing older ones. So even after you're through with season 2, watching his comments on a season 2 episode can mention things that happen in season 3, 4, 5, etc.

[@rwlewko]

One aspect that no one seems to mention is that Spike was concealing the fact that his injuries from the fire earlier in the season (the Passions episode, I think) were healed. I think the reason that Spike is doing this is that he sees that Angelis' passion for destruction really will destroy the world and he says as much to Buffy. He has the cunning to appear weak so that his rival, Angelus, will underestimate him. Finally he sees the opening to partner with Buffy to let her take out Angelus and make a deal that will let him be reunited with Drusilla. I think the reason that he pauses to comment on Angelus and Buffy is that of surprise at the turn of events. From his point of view he had accomplished his objective of getting Dru back and if Buffy was eliminated then so much the better. What I love about Joss Whedon as a writer is that very few characters are simply "stock character". Every character has their own place, their own passions, their own motivations, their own strengths and their own weaknesses in the Buffyverse. The only other series that shows that much depth is "Breaking Bad" of course written by Vince Gilligan. I'll leave comments about BB for another video.

[@Nicamon]

"From his point of view he had accomplished his objective of getting Dru back and if Buffy was eliminated then so much the better."Except,if Buffy gets eliminated,the world ends and Spike made it clear that he *doesn't want that.* Spike is an idiot.

[@rwlewko]

@@Nicamon Marvelous point! I missed that one! Passion and emotion dull the intellect. I know as a viewer I get engrossed in the story and I miss major logical flaws like that. I am sure the same is true for writers! I'm sure they have a committee of writers that look for things that interrupt the story and things like you just pointed out are just ignored because they don't disturb the narrative.

[@Nicamon]

@@rwlewko "Passion and emotion dull the intellect."Very true.Just ask Xander!;-P

[@Kayoss13212]

Welcome to the Wheden school of writing, where the formula is ‘Give the fans/characters what they want - then take away from them 😈’

[@melissaisloud7404]

Joss Whedon prepared me for George R.R. Martin better than any other writer.

[@menachemsalomon]

I think it's more like, "Give the fans/characters exactly what they want, in the worst possible way," a la _The Monkey's Paw._

[@Nicamon]

@@menachemsalomon I was about to say that,thinking of Xander x Willow specifically!;-(

[@brendanoconnor1550]

5:40 Thank You! Xander acted like such a self-righteous ass in this finale and he has no right bringing up Jenny’s death over and over. While I’m here I’ll also add that I do not forgive him for “kick his ass”, not when I saw this when it aired, now, and after.

[@MathiasE80]

Agree, most reactors don't say all that much about it but not only was he an ass for both of those, it but with the lie he also ripped away the only person Buffy felt she had left for emotional support as well as betraying Willow. Some believe he saved her life by doing this so she didn't try to keep the fight going until the spell worked. I believe this got her even more unfocused since in her mind now she really had lost everything and allowed for Angelus to ever get the upper hand in the first place.

[@emclaire7027]

Tbh, Xander is always a self-righteous ass...

[@SoFieReactsTV]

I just felt so bad for Giles when Xander couldn’t stop himself from bringing up Jenny’s death.

[@barbarabaker1457]

@@SoFieReactsTV That bothered me the most too.

[@danh8804]

"kick his ass" very well may have saved the world. The moment Angel got to the sword - which he did very early and with Buffy having never come close to preventing it - the die was cast; he was going to hell or the whole world was, period. It stopped *mattering* whether Willow was trying the spell again. So the only thing knowing it could have contributed to the equation was giving Buffy reason to hesitate... and hesitation has gotten her all kinds of beat and outsmarted by him for the past 8 episodes. I've challenged people for 20 years to game out the version of this episode's last act where knowing this makes it easier for Buffy to defeat Angel and his hench-vamps all while keeping Angel from the sword... most won't even bother, because the facts never seem to be the point, just that someone dared put brutal pragmatism ahead of the 'ship

[@blacktronlego]

11:34 It's true, she has fallen for exactly the same trick, being lured away from the library when that is the real target.

[@Leckibaby]

Sofia: *frustrated by his evilness* "Damnit, he looks sexy." *My attitude towards Angelus for his entire appearance on the show* 😂😂

[@Chuthulhu123]

Funnily enough I had the same thought about Dru, that she was a potential slayer that was missed just like Buffy not just because of the visions but also due to how strong she is. She was able to pick up and carry spike like he was nothing and in Bewitched Bothered and Bewildered she tossed Angel aside like he was nothing and was able to knock the door down with no effort. Plus how easily she took down Kendra.

[@deusveritasest56]

Some Vampire, like The Master or Dracula, can develop mind power. The theory who said Dru is a Potential Slayer is interesting but she can also be.. Like Doyle if you see what i mean 😉

[@SoFieReactsTV]

Yeah i always wondered why she’s that strong 💪!

[@holi117]

I figured Dru was extra strong because she is older than spike, and he had just completed a dark magic blood ritual to restore her health and strength, infusing her with the extra blood of her sire... i can easily justify how strong she would be after that. But she isnt a fighter, she is the ‘princess’ and she prefers her mental powers (when she is lucid enough to use them).

[@nizz0matic307]

slayers have vision DREAMS, DREAMS, dru is just psychic, she can sense things at all times while awake. human psychics exist in the buffy world, dru was a psychic human turned vamp, very simple

[@melissaisloud7404]

Angel was originally Liam. He was about 23, and he was basically a drink AHole. That’s why he’s such an asshat as Angelus. Vampirism amplifies your true character. Angel’s soul being returned after committing atrocities as a vampire that even he as a human wouldn’t have abided made him so sorrowful that he became the Angel we all know and love. It changed his natural, human Ahole instincts to something gentler and more conscious.

[@menachemsalomon]

For future reference - that is, for other reactors you may be watching - Angel's human name is considered a bit of a spoiler, as it isn't specified explicitly for quite some time. (And never on _Buffy,_ to my recollection.)

[@nizz0matic307]

actually the reason he's so evil is the abuse he suffered from his father, the angel show specifically spells this out. his father is also the reason he was a drunk, he was escaping his problems. literally the first thing he did as a vamp was kill his family to get revenge on his father, and darla tells him that the damage his father did will last forever and shape him forever. Reply

[@godmagnus]

Shooting at an unarmed teenager who is running away. That part is too realistic.

[@frasernicholson9555]

Eps 21 and 22 are one of the (many) high peaks of the Buffyverse. The music adds so much too.

[@donnilloyd1355]

Season 2, complete. And the way it became complete left me wanting MORE and MORE. Angel got his soul back and Buffy knew that, but she had to send him away, or the world was going to end. Those are the types of decisions she has to make. Every day. That is why she is the CHOSEN ONE. That is why all other SLAYERS have been loners. Great Post, again.

[@Emburbujada]

What you said, "there has to be another way", is what made Buffy different from other shows. For any other show at the time, there would have been a way to save Angel at the last minute. Not here!

[@Philbert-s2c]

"Is that an Irish accent?" No, it's just trying to be...

[@AnatoleVGC]

That joyce conversation definetely is a coming out metaphor and I cam relate a lot. I think because of that I also get her perspective, it was a HUGE information dump on her, she just act badly following up. It was similar with my mom and the following day she was apologizing and I feel with joyce it was a similar thing with the extra of somene actually being dead and her daughter being involved. She just cant really understand and buffy is there talking about killing drusilla

[@malcolmdrake6137]

...another moron.

[@UTU49]

"How am I going to get through 5 more seasons of this show?" You'll get through it. You will be okay. Here's why. The characters HAVE to help each other through it... and that will help you get through it.

[@rayswartz3378]

Recall when Jenny bought an Orb of Thesulah for the ritual the shopkeeper said that the new-agers bought them as paperweights. Then in these episodes when Willow said she needed one Giles mentioned he had one and was using it as a paperweight. They set that joke up episodes ago.

[@stoplisteningtothestatic7078]

I think joyce acted reasonably except for the dont ever come back part. A caring mother should be this scared finding out their kid is doing something so dangerous. She also has no information about the “slayer” and that buffy has powers or anything

[@flinx1241]

Joss really gave it to you with both barrels in this episode... great TV!

[@alandye6471]

Funny that I am, as a long-time Buffy fan, just recently re-watching the series with my nine-year-old son. It just happens to be at the same time that you're making your reaction videos that he is seeing them for the first time. I tried to split watching season 2, episode 21 and watching the finale on different nights but he insisted (almost violently) that we immediately watch the last episode. To which I said, fair enough, and we did. It's so strange to see people experiencing Buffy for the first time... and weirdly rewarding.

[@th3voice]

"Why does this remind me about coming out for a teenage gay?" Oh that's VERY deliberate, I'm sure :P

[@dayceem]

Drusilla and Buffy are not the only ones with insight. You blow me away, Sofie, with your ability to analyze current events, put two and two together, and foresee how the series has to unfold.

[@barbarabaker1457]

Apologies yet again for the length 12:15 It's Whistler. One of the most impactful Buffy quotes on my life and worth a read as the shock of the episode can make us miss it. "Bottom line is, even if you see them 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? Nah. The big moments are gonna come, you can't help that. It's what you do afterwards that count. That's when you find out who you are." It was interesting to finally see how scary and powerful Drusilla really is. Spike actually scares me more. It's the charisma and humor. Think how much easier an in that is. Most people would just welcome him in, never seeing the violence coming. Think how proud he was of Dru here, that he's killed two slayers, his ruthlessness in killing the older teacher in episode 3 merely because he was too old to just eat. The charm is what makes him more dangerous in some ways. He may not be out to destroy the world but it's because he sees people as happy meals. That's basically saying people are things to be devoured, played with. He likes the game and can get away with more than someone blatantly scary. I love his character so much. Also 25:58 I want a Spike and Joyce sitcom. Animated is fine Hollywood, just make it happen. I'm sad when a character hits a low point. Saw it coming in both cases. Troubled teen with overprotective tendencies and anger issues, especially with vampires. Mom trying to figure out how to be a mom, listening to tapes and everything, finding out her kid is in danger every day and when there's no time to discuss it? That was horribly handled as well. Have a harder time seeing the principal and these cops as human, sorry. In all cases however, the consequences were truly tragic. Buffy felt she had nowhere to go. Giles lost Jenny and was tortured, she wouldn't go there out of guilt, Xander made his sentiments clear no matter how often he's been there and worse made her think Willow wouldn't be there either. Mom said, probably in a crap attempt at reverse psychology, don't come back. Of course she left 😭. Sailor Moon manga: popular blond girl named Bunny discovers she has super powers to protect the world from the forces of darkness, gets friends to help (including super brain, red head and dork), falls for a mysterious, dark man that occasionally pops in for wisdom and slight aid that is eventually turned evil and she has to stab with a sword to save the world. Made about the same time in different parts of the world. The mysteries of the universe amaze me. Beautiful reaction as always. Impressive Dru observations. Best line of course. "What's left?" "Me."

[@PPfilmemacher]

Sorry but your statement that „Sailor Moon was created around the same time“ is factually wrong. The Sailor Moon storyline was created and have become a worldwide success several years before the Buffy tv show (especially the season 2 Storyline used as your example of similarities) The first chapter of the Sailor Moon manga have been released in 1992 (the whole storyline already originated in the prequel Manga „Codename: Sailor V“ published in 1990) also the first episode of the SM-anime tv series have premiered in Japan on March 7, 1992. A few months before even the Buffy Movie have been produced and released (the character’s and their development at this point are absolutely not in the slightest comparable to characters of the tv show years later) Even 4-5 month bevor the first episode of „Buffy“ have been premiered on FOX the whole Sailor Moon storyline already was finished and published (the finale Episode aired back then in February 1997 at Japanese TV) In Conclusion It is much more likely that Joss Whedon have being influenced by Sailor Moon for buffy instead that Naoko Takeuchi could be some how influenced by Whedons work back then

[@barbarabaker1457]

@@PPfilmemacher I was actually talking about the movie, and yes it is comparable. A popular, teen blonde named Bunny/Buffy is a approched by a guardian and told she has magical powers to fight the forces of darkness. That's the same premise. Whether or not he took the show from the manga is still debatable. He would however have to had recognized the coincidence and known that particular manga. And Sailor V was not as popular so I doubt he knew about that. And it would be weird for them to come up with the same kind of name later.

[@karollysiak1]

I would like to highlight one detail. Buffy didn't kill Angel. She stabbed him with a sword and sent him to the hell dimension where he will suffer eternal torment , but she didn't kill him

[@BB-or8gi]

I CANNOT WAIT to get home and watch this! Also, to think you will be starting season 3 next week is THRILLING! Girl, fasten your seatbelt!

[@ulrichs3061]

"He's back, he's back..." oh dear. "Close your eyes." Same thing Darla said before killing (and turning) him. Btw in 2x20 TVD Elena said the same to Stefan. Though she didn't kill him but left to be killed herself.

[@trevor3013]

Yea cause TVD copied everyone. One of the worst television shows in history

[@itsreeeshaaa7560]

@trevor3013 I’m so glad you said that. I tried to watch that show and their stories had already been done in Buffy and True Blood.

[@jaycievictory8461]

The Gypsy curse is so cruel. I mean, you're torturing Angelus by putting Liam's soul back in control. But you're also horrifically torturing Liam who bears the memories and guilt of what Angelus, the demon who's in his body, did. That's really not deserved for being a womaniser who got drunk too much.

[@SoFieReactsTV]

Facts..

[@asthajindal5275]

It is cruel, but I really don't blame them for it. Angelus needed to be stopped, responsibility had to be taken for all the horrible crimes that had been commited, let's not forget that Angelus probably tortured that gypsy girl and all her family before killing her, I think they kind of deserve their revenge. And while Liam didn't deserve such a cruel fate for being a cad, his fate was really sealed for him the moment he met Darla, the gypsies just brought the consequences of his whole story to full circle.

[@Barghaest]

@@asthajindal5275Yes but it doesn’t make sense. Let’s say you pick up a hitchhiker and that hitchhiker kills you and steals your car then goes on a crime spree and when they’re caught, they raise you from the dead and force you to be the hitchhiker’s prison guard because it was your car they used. On top of that, they force you to relive the horror the hitchhiker committed and if you ever experience happiness, they’re going to execute you and let the hitchhiker out of prison. They wanted a redemption arc for a tortured soul but it doesn’t fit with how they portrayed vampires as a demon inhabiting the body after the human soul departs. The demon isn’t being redeemed… the demon isn’t even being punished as much as the human soul that is completely innocent of the crimes of the demon and the demon has incentive to ensure the human soul experiences happiness so it can be free to commit more atrocities.

[@vlad5042]

@@Barghaesthonestly they were never consistent with the whole "the vampire is an entirely different person than the human" thing. angel has a line in season 3 that points to it being a little more complicated than that (when buffy is telling willow that the vampire version of a person has nothing to do with the person they used to be and angel's like "well, actually"). the vampires all have very distinct personalities which are influenced by who they were as humans, so while the show tells me the vampire is a demon wearing the human's face what it shows me is more like that the vampire is the human it used to be plus bloodlust and minus the capacity to really understand human morality or empathy (even that is a little iffy with spike in the later seasons who seems capable of genuinely empathizing with buffy and dawn but whatever).

[@trevor3013]

That's not really how vampires work in buffy. The demon in a human body is just what the watchers tell slayers. The reality is that the soul is just morality and the vampire is just a human without that and demonic essence in its place. Angel is the outlier in terms of how much he changes when soulless. But angel still doesn't deserve blame for Angelus' actions since he has no soul in those moments

[@phueal]

“Angel, this is definitely stalking...” I think you’re forgetting what he was like in the first season! Stalking is his M.O.

[@barbarabaker1457]

What scares me is that Angelus is better at stalking than Angel. She noticed him like every time when he was Angel.

[@brianhegarty2902]

I've been enjoying your Buffy watch. You do seem to get it. Good insight, and I've watched more than a few Buffy reactions.

[@totallyrandomtee8771]

I never noticed Joyce and Spike are wearing the same colors and now it’s all I can look at lol

[@meggo329]

Joyce kicking Buffy out is the one scene the actress whom played joyce never agreed with because it just never felt right to her. It was something she believed Joyce would never do.

[@QAF4life]

My favourite season finale of all time...this is when I saw what TV could do...there was a real epicness to a show that was so easily dismissed by others, those that watched buffy knew it was special...regardless of some dodgy episodes season 2 had moments that had consequences for the whole series, it was a game changer

[@victorsixtythree]

I hadn't noticed it until re-watching but in episode 2.13 "Surprise", Buffy has a dream where she sees Angel get dusted - and I noticed that Angel has the same pose, with his right arm extended straight out, as he has at the end of this episode when Buffy stabs him. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iKnXhHWnf7KYg5Y

[@idontsignin]

How can the show be so cruel.......oh my sweetheart, it's only just begun. Since Jenny's death anything goes. Xander pretty much hates all vampires the same. Ever since Jesse at the very start. He only sees black and white, no exceptions. Episode 22 was basically a coming out episode and how a parent shouldn't react. Joyce found out the truth about Buffy and couldn't handle. We all adore Joyce but she could have handled it better. And buffy had to leave sunnydale, she was broken. She was lied to by her friend. Her mum kicked her out and she had to kill the love of her life all in a matter of hours.

[@Henrik_Holst]

"We all adore Joyce" - not all of us do.

[@barbarabaker1457]

Funny thing is I had to see the show several times to really grasp Xander's prejudice. Most of the clues are extremely subtle save the first episode. And I didn't fully put it together until I found out there was an episode that they didn't put Jesse in. Which no one should look up because it's way down the line and obviously never makes it into the show. But that got me thinking and looking back at all the subtle moments. Xander "I don't like vampire." Kicks trash can. Giles "when you look at Jesse you're not looking at your friend you're looking at the thing that killed him." He even seems more understanding of other demon issues and can see the grey, Umpata is a good example.

[@LeshaAnn]

Jesse Spoiler: ... ... ... .... It's always bothered me how Jesse was never, ever mentioned again.

[@barbarabaker1457]

@@LeshaAnn Agreed.

[@xenbuff]

@@barbarabaker1457 Agree with you here. Everybody is so quick in hating Xander; they understand where others are coming from but they don't stop to do the same for Xander. I mean, his trashy parents, constantly bullied, his only best male friend was killed and turned by a vampire and then he had to kill him, he's watched all the horrific tings vampires do, Miss Caledars sadistic death...not to mention he's a male teen and it's a fact that males take longer to grow up. He has always been driven by his heart and he feels protective of the only family he has.

[@DegrassiInstantStar]

We could NOT protect you from this... just like we could not protect you from Jenny's death. But this is another situation where the series earns its praise!

[@Nicamon]

There are *other things* we can not protect her from..................;"""-(((

[@vlad5042]

@@Nicamonthe need for protection just gets greater and greater the longer the show goes on 😭

[@Nicamon]

@@vlad5042 True!😭💔

[@ViviWCLLFG]

I remember watching this episode for the very first time. I had no idea a season 3 was on the way so I thought it was the end of the show. I was SO a mess that my crying woke up my mother who got worried and I was like "It's Buffy, go back to bed". I can not wait to see your reactions to the rest of the show **

[@brian19991]

when you got so happy to see Angel being with a soul again, I kinda got sad... Cause a few seconds later, well :O

[@QAF4life]

Full of grace destroyed me, school was not fun after this 😭

[@cartridgechokers]

So here's a..."fun?" fact. Angel's Theme Song in this show is called 'Close your Eyes.'

[@edwardthorne9875]

One problem I have with Buffy is that it is so much better than just about any show. We fans have been spoiled by seeing what great writing/acting/ensemble can do, and the emotional places it can take us. We are conditioned to not cry at the tragedy of the 'real' world -- so we find release in fiction.

[@Nicamon]

02:31 - 02:42 *YES!!!!* 😍❤🧡 04:27 - 04:30 "Oh,boy!"indeed!!😱 05:17 - 05:23 *EXACTLY!!!!!Angelus* is a killer!We're trying to get *Angel* back so that we can BOTH stop *Angelus* and avoiding killing a GOOD guy!Also...talking about double standards...I can't say more due to SPOILERS,but...talking about fucking double standards,Xander!!!🤬 05:34 - 05:51 EXACTLY! I had a debate(that lasted DAYS and it didn't even really resolved!😵)about this:about the fact that Xander has *some* point,but his *REAL* motivation is his personal jealousy towards Angel,not the will of saving the world!>_____________

[@ernesthakey3396]

Hugs. Right there with you. Every damn time. "Close your eyes..." :( Spike: "Still evil...but not EVIL...not to the point of wanting the world to end." Really incredible episode.

[@invadertifxiii]

the scene with buffy and her mom and have u try not being a slayer was a parallel to coming out to your parents, and yes it was deliberate

[@TheRulesLawyerRPG]

Dru has twisted in her mind what Angelus did to her family. Remember her smile back when she said something like "You're going to torture her, like you did to me." Almost as if it was a good thing. He shattered her sanity - losing her sanity was a way of coping with what he did to her. Just as Angel stalking Buffy was a twisted kind of "love," Drusilla perceived Angelus' torturing her as a kind of "love." She went insane in order to make it all make sense to her.

[@chanceneck8072]

I'm gonna leave the same comment now here and on the 5×17 reaction. Hope you kept it in:.... 35:10 Remember this tune? (That played during this scene?)

[@idontsignin]

I remember when I first watched it I cried for days.

[@Pumpkin3.14pi]

I don't think Dru was necessarily choosing Angel over Spike as much as she is evil and wanted to destroy the world.

[@blacktronlego]

27:20 Yes, it's a metaphor 'coming out' as gay, that why Joyce asks 'Are you sure you're a Slayer' and 'Have you tried not being a Slayer, both traditional parental responses to their children coming out to them. Buffy's 'You think I chose to be like this, do you know how lonely it is' is also referencing how I imagine gay people feel and perhaps even more felt in the 90s.

[@Henrik_Holst]

Dru the Vampire does not care that Angelous killed Dru the Human:s loved ones, just as how Angelous carry no love for the people that Angel loves.

[@LeshaAnn]

Oh, I don't know... She seemed a little bit put out about her family being killed when she was torturing Angel in "What's My Line."

[@Henrik_Holst]

@@LeshaAnn My take on that scene has always been that it's not that she is upset about it but she knows that Angel suffers greatly from being reminded about it so she uses that to increase the torture. Then as soon as he turns into Angelous she welcomes him with open arms/legs.

[@victorsixtythree]

So much happens in this episode...that I always forget about Kendra being killed. What a tragedy!

[@leesagar8651]

If this follows on from the movie, which Joss and the Kazui's made, Buffy's first watcher was Merrick and he died. I assume the TV show is Buffy moving away after the events of the movie but is never referenced to.

[@UncensoredScion]

By far the best ending to a season overall in Buffy and one of the best season endings in TV history.

[@demarek]

Great reaction :) Onward to season 3!

[@Logan_Baron]

An important aspect of watching this show is to be careful what you wish for. You'll probably get it, but in a monkey paw way. You hope Angel and Buffy get together and they do, but he's going to lose his soul. You want Angel to get his soul back. Done, but it happens AFTER the portal is open and Buffy has to kill him. Things you want to happen will happen in the wrong/bad way, or they will come at the wrong time when you no longer want it, and it is now bad.

[@michaelbastraw1493]

"What's up with the accent?" No one knows. Best. Leo.

[@artwithmichael5547]

This was the first episode I ever watched. Needless to say, I went back to watch them all.

[@Pauly00001]

I'm happy that Xander didn't tell Buffy that Willow was going to work the spell. During Becoming 1, when she was fighting Angel, she kept trying to stall the fight to give Willow time. If she had any ounce of hope for Angel to come back during their fight in Becoming 2, she would've held back and gotten herself killed. In Innocence, he said "you can't kill me." Her response was "give me time." From Innocence to Becoming 2, it is her journey of letting go of that.

[@WillsonT011]

Maybe but Xander not telling Buffy what Willow said wasn't for Buffy's benefit. It was for his own selfish desire to get rid of Angel(good or evil)

[@Pauly00001]

@@WillsonT011 I think he saw how knowing would have been a distraction and decided in the moment to tell her for that reason.

[@WillsonT011]

@@Pauly00001 I get what you're saying but in my opinion, Xander was thinking with his dick, not his heart.😑

[@RonaldOffTheRecord]

33:57 (SPOILER for later season) Sofie commented that magic might have consequences for Willow. I know Sofie is sharp and is eerie at how well she catches onto things, but here I'm like DAYUM

[@hadesshivabuddhachrist8573]

I haven't heard that Drusilla theory before, very interesting. The finale for this season is truly epic and the trinity of Angelus, Drusilla and Spike are probably my favorite villains of the series. More intense finales are coming, this show spawned over 60 novels and 23 years of comics for a reason, I've actually likened it to the Star Trek of my era, given the way it expertly marries metaphors to the greater fantasy elements

[@godmagnus]

"Have you tried... NOT being a mutant?"

[@susanmaggiora4800]

The demon in Drusilla doesn’t care about the things Angel did to Drusilla and her family.

[@kendavis8046]

This show is all rainbows and unicorns from here on out! Oh, crud, that's a spoiler! NOT!

[@michaelbastraw1493]

"Speak English!" Lord love Cordy. Best. Leo.

[@juzujuzu4555]

5:24 Xander is in the right here. And he is NOT doing this out of jealousy. Mass murders triumph over jealousy, though we are manipulated for thinking it's about jealousy. Angel is the killer, even though it's his psychopathic 2nd personality that is using the body. Xander is insensitive, which is completely understandable in this scenario. Angel is super powered mass murderer, threat to everyone, so even though Giles and Buffy has lost the most, that doesn't mean Xander has any less part of the situation. Xander acts like anyone would if this would actually be reality. It's a clever way of keeping this show feeling more real subconsciously.

[@sirmoonslosthismind]

re: a child's responsibility for their parents arguing -- for some reason, i'll always remember how the _daria_ series finale handled the issue. daria's mother explains to her that, during a fight with daria's father, daria was "the topic, not the cause".

[@luc-i-guess]

You just got a new subscriber! As a crazy person who has watched the show around 10 times, you are such an attentive viewer which makes your videos so great to watch. You should check out this channel called "Passion of the Nerd" once you're done this series; the maker is an actual Buffy Scholar.

[@Måneskinalways88]

Me too ...back in 98'/99' 😢😢😢❤

[@HighQueenChelsea]

Remember that Xander's like a 17 year old idiot... I don't hold what he did against him forever... Nobody on the show is perfect- all of the characters screw up and lie and then forgive each other. Plus, I thought Buffy shoulda killed him episode 15. Also there's the question of, ok- you ensoul Angel- what is the guarantee that he will never find happiness again and he will keep his soul forever? Eternity is a long time.

[@ronaldfasshauer4390]

If angel had been played by a person who looked like principal snyder how long do you think it would have taken for buffy to slay him in season 1

[@Emma-th6yu]

Plus, Xander has more than enough reason to hate all vampires, considering they killed his friend, Jesse, in the first season.

[@deusveritasest56]

Do you realize.the discussion between Joyce and Buffy looka lot like a.. coming out ? 😅 Yes it does lool. Best quote.of.the episode ? Someone get me the chainsaw ! Bon you are definitevely fun to watch. You get a subscriber 🙂

[@zemoxian]

Funny, I just watched the Cult TV Sofa for this episode. He also said pre-slayer Buffy was Cordelia . But, I think that’s kinda the point of the characters. Cordelia is pretty much what Buffy would be like if she wasn’t the slayer. (Though they didn’t show if she had her mean girl qualities.) Interestingly, Charisma Carpenter originally auditioned for Buffy and Sarah Michelle Gellar auditioned for Cordelia. I don’t remember the details but I think Sarah campaigned for the Buffy role until she got it.

[@jaycievictory8461]

That's such a cool theory that Dru had the potential to be a Slayer but was never called! Never heard that theory before.

[@jaycievictory8461]

*spoilers for later in the series* This actually makes so much sense. We know Spike has a thing for slayers and even falls for one. Maybe that's part of his deeply bound attraction to Dru.

[@chanceneck8072]

The winter here is cold.... And bitter.....

[@leora8278]

Also reacting to Go Fish here, it's such a hated episode but I always found it kind of fun. Seeing young dude-bro Wentworth Miller was hilarious (I loved him in Prison Break) and Cordelia's speech when she thinks Xander is the fish is so cute.

[@BB-or8gi]

33:58 😩😩😩😩😩😩😩😩😩😩😩

[@x_rhi_x2772]

I love the idea that dru couldve been a potential slayer before being turned!

[@chantelpreshous6347]

There is a buffy movie. It’s not part of the series but it sort of tells the before story. Unfortunately it’s different and a bit cheesy but I still loved it as much as the series.

[@bellatronics]

"How am I gonna survive 5 more seasons of this?" LOL - so true?! How ya doing in season 4?? :) I'm watching too many reactors to Buffy and didn't get round to you, then a few days ago I watched your reaction to Something Blue - which was fantastic! So I went back and watched your reactions to some of the key season one eps and nearly all of season 2. I have really been enjoying your reactions. Now the thing is I really wanna watch your reaction to Hush - so do I jump back to season 4 or whizz through season 3 with you first? Hm. :D :D

[@bellatronics]

Also, omg I think you are totally spot on with the way Dru feels about Spike - that she sees him as a pet, like something she owns. Very perceptive I think for a first viewing. And that she definitely does not love him as much - of course, since she cheats on him with Angelus right in front of him, and pretty much neglects him once Angelus comes back. While watching, you were initially seeming surprised that Dru would defend Angelus against Spike when Spike loves and cares for her so much. Spike does do pretty much anything and everything to care for her, like restoring her health and strength. Made sure she fed properly when she was weak and could not do it herself. And as you said Angelus tortured and murdered her whole family. The thing is with Angelus and Dru, it is pretty much Stockholm Syndrome. Though not quite so straight forward, but very similar. When he tortured her and turned her insane he also taught her to love the pain, and to love him - her 'Daddy'. This is strongly implied through comments, scenes and hints here and there. For example in 'What's My Line pt2' when Spike kidnaps Angel for his blood to cure Dru. He hands Angel over to Dru to 'play' with. She tortures him - but it also comes across as an extreme vampire form of BDSM, with it's extremely sexual tones . Then Spike comes back and Angel teases him, saying that Dru likes to 'be teased' and that Spike is not satisfying her. He seems to be saying that Dru likes it the other way too - that she likes to be the one being hurt. And that even if Spike and Dru do play some kinky games that Spike does not satisfy her because he does not hurt her as much as Angelus used to do. It is very likely that as well as all the psychological torture before he turned her, that after she was vamped he played games with her to teach her to equate pleasure and pain together, and to love what he did to her. Okay some of this is reading between the lines a bit, but it is a conclusion that a lot of fans come to from watching season 2. The way she loves and dotes on her 'Daddy' sire even though he tortured her, and also of course we know that Angelus is very sadistic. I'm sure that he would play sexual/pain games like that with the mind of a new vamp he had sired, not just with humans. I mean they are less breakable physically aren't they? More fun for him. And we also see how he loves mocking Spike for his injuries and rubbing it in his face about him and Dru getting it on in front of him. So he doesn't respect other vamps in his family - I feel like he just sees them as toys to sadistically play with. It is interesting how in that scene where Dru tortures Angel with the holy water, that she seems to be very distressed still about him killing all her family, even all these decades on. In some ways, after becoming a vamp, and evil and violent and bloodthirsty, you would think that she wouldn't care anymore. Giles said in season one that vamps are just a demon that has taken over a dead person's body and has the dead person's memories. I often think that is a black and white way that Watchers think and teach to their slayers, so that the slayers can cope with doing their job of dusting vamps. Because we can see that some vamps do seem to have an emotional connection to the person they once were. The Judge said that Spike & Dru had some humanity in them - but that Angelus was pure and has no humanity in him. So it seems to vary. So, back to you thinking how can Dru defend Angelus when he slaughtered her family - well part of her is still connected to the human she once was, has those same feelings of grief and anger about it. And the other part is a bloodthirsty vampire twisted by sadistic torture into a person that loves pain and the person who dealt it to her. ( On the other hand , Dru might not still hate Angel/us for what he did to her family - she may just have been using that as a 'scenario' in her BDSM game as a reason for her Daddy needing to be punished. But because of how Angelus caused her to be mentally unstable, I think that is only a small part of it and it is more a mix of what I wrote above). Crikey that was soooo long !!! I hope that you are interested to read this Sophie ! - and if not, then oh well !

[@SoFieReactsTV]

OMG This is such an interesting perspective. There were some good reactions in season 3🤣 You may want to look at them.

[@bellatronics]

@@SoFieReactsTV Glad you enjoyed it 😆 I forgot to mention - when you said that Spike had ‘frankly a weird kink’ - I presume you meant liking being Dru’s pet/property? I watched your season 3 ep 1 reaction last night. Great reaction. All this time later though, nearly everything I would say had been said - so I just wrote a long ass couple of comments about homelessness. I am going to watch all your season 3 reactions. It’s a great season! I just don’t know if I am gonna jump ahead and watch your Hush reaction then come back to season 3 😊

[@Paehrin]

A few thoughts about yours : - I think Dru loves Spike the way he does (even the Judge made that clear), but I think she is more like Angel about doing evil, and bringing hell on earth. Plus, I think her reasoning was pretty simple : The Slayer is the enemy, Spike is helping the Slayer, I should stand against the enemy. There could be multiple reasons why Spike was on Buffy's side, so I guess she just would've sorted that out after the fight. - I don't think Buffy made a decision in the killing of Angel. I don't think that she even considered letting him live as an option. That's a lot of character growth from the S1 finale where her first reaction was to give up. Buffy did have to grow up way too fast for her age, and I really don't think that in her mind, she could let Angel live and go away. Anyway, love your reactions, hope you'll continue to enjoy the show ! (pretty sure you will^^)

[@haddow777]

Great reaction. Loved it. The scene where Dru used Jenny to trick Ghiles is gut wrenching. Then to get Angel back just to lose him, especially since you were so happy he got his soul again. On top of that is Xander's betrayal by not passing on Willow's message. If you think about it, if Buffy new, she would have played things differently. She would have been less motivated in killing the Vampires and stuck to protecting the statue from Angelus. As for why Angelus was the one to open the portal, I've never heard an official reason. I have two possible reasons. One is because he had a soul at one point, which something that made him different from other vampires. Another is that he was considered to be the worst most vile of vampires. The scene of Joyce and Spike sitting in the living room is possibly the funniest scene where nobody is doing anything I have ever seen. Loved it They are a couple of super emotional episodes. They remind me of those old timey washing machines with the giant rollers people would squeeze the water out of their clothes with. It always seemed to me like Buffy was being run through the ringer and when she was done, they would just run her through again and again.