#becomingbuffypodcast

[becomingbuffypodcast]

S5. Ep7. Fool For Love

Another season, another fantastic episode 7. Often referred to as one of the most popular episodes of the series, “Fool for Love” is a compelling and attention-grabbing hour of television. Airing the same night as the Angel crossover “Darla,” “Fool for Love” masterfully brings the focus of the season back to the nature of the Slayer, while also confronting Buffy with her most human challenge yet—mortality.

Originally entitled “Love’s Bitch” after Spike’s iconic speech in “Lovers Walk,” the title, “Fool for Love” was taken from Sam Shephard’s play, focusing on themes of identity, destructive cycles, and the past haunting the present.

In an interesting repeat of Dracula’s own opinions of Buffy’s power, the show uses Spike’s past to attempt to convince Buffy that there is darkness inside of her. Yet, the episode cleverly casts doubt on the reliability of Spike’s narrative, directly contrasting and challenging his point of view. His attempt to compare his desire for death and danger to the Slayer’s nature might have some semblance of truth, but it’s not the full story.

Buffy’s ability to display self-control and responsibility with her power, while also using it for good, directly contrasts Spike’s unchecked desire for sex and violence. William’s crafting of the “Spike” persona is inauthentic and not a true display of identity as it is a direct response to his feelings of inadequacy and his desire for approval. He cannot change.

[iwillrememberyoumarathon]

Bangel fans, we want to hear from you! During the run-up to the IWRY Fic Marathon in November, we’ll be getting to know each other through our Meet the Fandom series. Answer the questions here to join in.

What is your name?

Sarah

Where do you hang out?

Tumblr: @becomingbuffypodcast

Also @becomingbuffypodcast on Instagram, YouTube and TikTok Podcast: Becoming-buffy.castos.com

Do you create any fan works?

I have a podcast on Buffy (Becoming Buffy) and one on Angel (Investigating Angel). I create analytic essays on each episode on Instagram and Tumblr, as well as analysis videos (YouTube).

Funniest Bangel/Buffyverse moment?

Angel slipping in the doorway in Graduation Day.

What Buffyverse opinion would have you chased through the village with pitchforks?

Anya's death was a full circle moment for her character, and was earned.

How would you have given Buffy and Angel their Happily Ever After?

Angel shanshu'd and met up with Buffy after she formed the Slayer Academy and left it to Faith, Giles, and Willow. They live by the beach and Buffy breaks out the stakes every once in a while when the world needs her.

Last fic you read?

"Reprieve" by Scribes1015

Slay, Lay, Obey - Dawn, Fred, Wesley?

Slay: Fred

Lay: Wes

Obey: Dawn

Fill in the quiz so the fandom can meet you!

[buffysummers]

Hi pals! So, I will be a special guest on Investigating Angel’s (sister podcast to @becomingbuffypodcast) episode coverage of 1.19, “Sanctuary.” It drops this Thursday, 4/27, on all podcast platforms.

I will post a link to the episode when it drops, but if anyone is interested in tuning in and hearing my thoughts on the very ~intense~ episode, I thought I’d let y’all know! It’s a rather juicy conversation.

[sunnydaleherald]

The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Tuesday, September 12

Willow: Deep thoughts? Buffy: Deep and meaningful. Willow: As in? Buffy: As in, I'm never getting out of here. I kept thinking if I stopped the Mayor or ... but I was kidding myself. I mean, there is always going to be something. I'm a Sunnydale girl, no other choice. Willow: Must be tough. I mean, here I am, I can do anything I want. I can go to any college in the country, four or five in Europe if I want. Buffy: Please tell me you're going somewhere with this? Willow: No. (hands Buffy a letter) I'm not going anywhere. Buffy: UC Sunnydale? Willow: I will be matriculating with Class of 2003. Buffy: Are you serious? Willow: Say, isn't that where you're going?

~~Buffy Episode #53: "Choices"~~

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

stolen inheritance (Giles, Xander, T, Hellblazer xover) by arcanedreamer

son of a gun (Xander, Giles, T Hellblazer xover) by arcanedreamer

His Dark Sire, His Light Sire (Spike/Angel, T) by EustasiaVye13

Growth (Buffy. E, MCU xover) by TheEvilInThisChild666

Debauchery in the Summers Household (Xander/Buffy/Dawn/Joyce, E) by CambrianBeckett

Taste and Temptation (Buffy/Spike, M) by RavenLove12

Demanding Houseguest (Buffy/Spike, G) by VeroNyxK84

I Know What Kind of Crazy I Am. (Xander, T, Hannibal xover) by WhiteKnightDragon

[Chaptered Fiction]

Sideways Magick Parts 1-6 (Willow, Xander, Giles, T, Hellblazer xover) by arcanedreamer

Agents of Chaos CH. 1-9/9 (COMPLETE) (Ensemble, T, Babylon 5 xover) by arcanedreamer

Mysterious Night Ch. 1-19/19 (COMPLETE) (Ensemble, T, Kindaichi Case Files xover) by arcanedreamer

Pain That I’m Used To Ch. 1-13/13 (COMPLETE) (Buffy/Angel, M) by BuildMeUpButtercup_x

but this love is ours Ch. 5 (Buffy/Faith, M) by ripslayer

The Neighbor's Point of View, Chapter 42 (Buffy/Spike, G) by the_big_bad

Take Me Home Tonight , Chapter 1-2 (Buffy/Spike, E) by Dynamite

Hi Granny!, Chapter 9 (Buffy/Spike, G) by Desicat

L'amore troverà la via , Chapter 2 (Buffy/Spike, E) by Violette-Milka

Dusk Rising, Chapter 23 (Buffy/Spike, E) by HappyWhenItRains

He used to be Mine, Chapter 13 (Buffy/Spike, E) by DeamonQueen

Buffy's Spooky Birthday, Chapter 1-2 (Buffy/Spike, M) by VeroNyxK84

The Art of Dying , Chapter 11-12 (Buffy/Spike, M) by disco-tea

[Images, Audio & Video]

Artwork:Spike () by vampywillz

Video: New World (Rupert Giles) by Jess Wilson

[Reviews & Recaps]

The Buffy Re-watch: S2E15 Phases (part 1) by jvstheworld

PODCAST: ATS 120 - Warzone by anotherbuffypodcast

[Community Announcements]

What Happened to the Vampire Slayer, a communal rewatch by thosedangnuns

[Fandom Discussions]

The last episode of every season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer by evilwickedme

I really don’t think Buffy/Faith has any business winning any sort of queerbaiting poll. by coraniaid

Faith for the character ask game! by coraniaid

“Buffy gets nothing from the Spuffy relationship”: A Rebuttal by a-heart-of-kyber

September: 28 Review and Meta Posts on BtVS Seasons 4 & 5 by becomingbuffypodcast

Willow Rosenberg is so important to me. by mothmans-wedding-photographer

The Buffyverse (An awesome pair of shows based on a dumb premise) by fancoloredglasses

Dawn Summers? by coraniaid

Who from the buffyverse is joining a fight club? by projectmayhems

New to Buffy. Season 1 kinda rocks by bpres2021

When does Witch take place? by rednax2009

I don't like Jonathan. by WhatName230

I don’t like Kate. Change my mind. by ginime_

Why is the council of watchers not financing Buffy? by habichnichtgewusst

I Would Have Liked Bangel More If The Show Didn’t Romanticize It by imissbluesclues

Is this a sub where we can be critical of the show? by imissbluesclues

Does anyone like Connor ??? by Dry_Concentrate_671

This was the peak cast dynamic and I needed 3 more seasons of it by greetings-feline

What annoys you about Buffy's character? by devour-halberd

Going Through The Motions is the best description of living with bad mental health by kipcarson37

Why do the stakes disappear when they kill a vampire? by celticanger

I started watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but i have questions, should i continue? by iamcavidd

Can we have an appreciation thread for This Guy? by readreadreadx2

Scariest demon in the show? by busydonatella

Which two main characters interacted the least? by Tuxedo_Mark

Submit a link to be included in the newsletter!

Join the editor team :)

[liam-summers]

Incredible analysis!

FINALLY, a podcast that actually gives Angel the appreciation and time he deserves 😭

[fuffygifs]

“Eliza Dushku just completely annihilates her role in this scene. Just the way she kind of goes animalistic and smells the knife as it’s coming out. She just does such a good job of showing this, like, animalistic, primal reaction to this knife that is almost more terrifying than the knife itself.” - @becomingbuffypodcast

[dailybtvs]

“I think this scene is not just about Xander. I think Willow has been feeling lonely this entire episode. Let’s look back at the beginning of the episode. Willow’s not feeling great. And that’s before she even knew Xander was with Faith. So, I think that she’s feeling left out. I think she’s feeling like Faith is taking all of her people away from her. I think that she’s probably felt left out her entire life until she met the Scooby Gang and they felt like her people, people she can trust. And so I think that watching Buffy hang out with Faith and not wanting to include her, and now hearing Xander’s been with Faith, it’s just the icing on the cake. And so, I think what she’s feeling right here is just absolute loneliness and hurt. And this just tipped it over the edge. […] There’s probably a little bit of Willow maybe feeling left out in the sense that now she knows Buffy has had sex, and Xander has had sex, and she hasn’t. And she’s not completely sure where her and Oz’s relationship stands. She feels like she has no one. And so, I think there’s a little more sympathy to be had for Willow in this scene because the situation just feels compounded by loneliness.” - @becomingbuffypodcast

[heatherbelart]

𝘐 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘙𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘠𝘰𝘶.

Buffy and Angel forever 💙🧡❤️

I was so delighted to be commissioned to paint this piece by the team behind the brilliant Becoming Buffy Podcast to celebrate their 100th episode! Head over to their Instagram (@becomingbuffypodcast) for the chance to win a print, or visit my Etsy store to buy one.

I have room for a handful of commissions over the next couple of months, so please get in touch if you’re interested.

Painted using procreate with digital oils on canvas.

[becomingbuffypodcast]

Whether intentionally or unintentionally, “Out of My Mind” has several parallels to season 4’s “Doomed,” as both compare Buffy, Riley, and Spike through the themes of fear and purposelessness. Not only was “Doomed” the first episode that Mark Blucas was added to the credits, officially making Riley a main character, but it was also the episode that Buffy and Riley’s relationship began. “Doomed” showed Buffy going back to high school to face her fears of being vulnerable again in a relationship, while “Out of My Mind” shows Riley admitting to Buffy in the Initiative caves that “loving her is the scariest thing he’s ever had to do.”

“Doomed” showed Riley to be confident in his mission and sense of self, boldly calling Buffy selfish and stupid for letting fear paralyze her into stagnation, while “Out of My Mind” reveals a fully integrated and fulfilled Buffy, with Riley being the one frozen by lack of purpose.

And then there’s Spike. “Doomed” has him at his lowest as he is caught in stasis--unable to sate his bloodlust through drink or fight. While it’s easy to focus on his discovery that he can attack and kill other demons with a chip, it’s important to remember that this is also the episode where Spike begins to use his words to wound and separate the Scoobies. This again proves that the chip is not changing his nature, merely redirecting it.

In “Out of My Mind,” Spike’s continued inability to drink blood or enact violence on humans has led to a similar state of meaningless as Riley. Buffy’s thwarting of his chip removal is the last straw, as his frustration drives him into finding meaning in a new outlet—Buffy.

[becomingbuffypodcast]

S5. Ep6. Family

One of the most beloved episodes in the series, “Family” is unique for many reasons. Not only is it the first episode of the season that is both written and directed by Joss Whedon, something that is typically reserved for episodes 1 and 7, but it is also the first and only episode to focus primarily on Tara.

In a lot of ways, the episode is a part two to “No Place Like Home,” as the show broadens the theme of family to encompass the family we create as well as the family we come from. Buffy confides with Giles about her estranged father and embraces Dawn as a sister, Riley’s wrestles with being estranged from his Initiative family, and Tara rejects her blood family.

Dawn and Tara’s status as outsiders has naturally created parallels between them, yet the show has linked them even before Dawn appeared. Willow’s dream in “Restless” mirrors the opening scene in “Family,” where both Willow and Tara watch the cat (symbolizing Dawn) while Willow shares that she feels safe. Tara’s response that Willow doesn’t know everything about her, foreshadows this episode, and Tara’s predicament.

The style of the episode is also a bit different, with Passion of the Nerd pointing out that it feels like a bedtime fairytale. It begins with Tara telling Willow a story about the little cat searching for a family, and ends with Tara being accepted in the Scooby family, and Dawn being accepted by Buffy as her sister. There are damsels in distress, wicked families, magic, and of course, a happy ending.

[becomingbuffypodcast]

Who get the biggest passes from Buffyverse fans and can you give examples of the worst things these characters do?

Well this is a juicy question.

Spike, and Cordelia.

Interestingly, at some point, both characters were given the role of calling Buffy out on her "crap." James Marsters even talks about how he was brought in as a replacement for Cordelia in season 4, but then was replaced by Anya when they decided to do something else with him.

With Cordy being the mean girl, and Spike the soulless vampire, the writers had the freedom to use these characters to say and do some incredibly cruel things towards Buffy in the name of "brutal honesty," while also excusing their behavior because they weren't meant to be the hero...at least initially.

This worked a little too well, as Charisma and James were amazing in their roles. Each character is charming, beautiful, multifaceted, and extremely funny.

The problem is, you can't keep your characters stagnate, so the writers were forced to give Cordy and Spike character growth, but also find a way to retain who they are. This is incredibly difficult when your character was literally written to clash with Buffy, and is popular for saying mean, biting things in the name of "tough love."

-Cordelia-

While Queen C is more than the resident mean girl, her cruel words and selfish behavior are praised as "truth" and confidence, with her belittling nearly every member of the Scooby gang. She is constantly pitting herself against Buffy; (Homecoming, Halloween, etc) demeaning and belittling her when Buffy has personally saved her life several times. She begins to show signs of character growth in season 3, but once Xander cheats on her, reverts right back to blaming Buffy for everything. Instead of holding Xander accountable for his actions, she makes a wish that Buffy never came to Sunnydale, and then never sees the consequences for her own actions.

Even after her move to LA, she calls Buffy a cry-Buffy, blames her for turning Angel into Angelus, emasculates Wesley, victim blames and shames a SA survivor (Untouched), and is generally just careless about what she says or does, with no thought about how her words effect others.

Personally, while I do see some growth over her time on Angel, I do not buy her characterization in the later seasons where she is drastically changed to become a Champion, and then shoe-horned into a relationship with Angel. On top of that, she never atones for or even recognizes her need to change for her awful behavior, and that makes it very hard for me to forgive her for her past sins, let alone root for her.

It's possible that with better writing and without Joss being a horrible person, that her transition would have been more organic and believable.

-Spike-

For a show about feminism, the writers really spend a lot of time on this man. He steals Buffy's underwear, stalks her, makes a sex robot that looks just like her, attempts to kill her multiple times, boasts about killing and torturing other slayers, justifies it by saying they wanted it, ties her up, then spends a season belittling her just so that she'll sleep with him. THEN when she refuses sex with him, attempts to force himself on her.

And for those of you who say, "oh he just didn't have a soul yet." Fine.

After he had a soul, he boasts about assaulting her, shames her for using him for sex when he knew she didn't love him, shames her for not loving him, and blames her for the reason he's tortured with having a soul. (Beneath You)

He nearly kills Robin Wood, and then mocks him for not being loved by his mother (which is proven to be false in "Damage"), all while wearing the coat that he stole from Robin's mother after he killed her.

Not once does he apologize to Buffy or attempt to hold himself accountable, even after he has a soul. It is not until "Damage" on Angel that we see any sort of unselfish remorse.

Then to add insult to injury, season 7 has Buffy spending so much time taking care of Spike, rescuing Spike, training with Spike, reassuring Spike that he is a good man...all to the detriment of her other relationships. People like to blame the Potentials for why season 7 is as clunky as it is, but I blame the focus on Spike.

Even worse, the show doesn't seem to want Spike to change, as there's hardly a difference between pre souled and ensouled Spike. And that goes against the show's core tenant of choice and growth.

From the very beginning, vampires represent the opposite of adolescence in that they are stagnate and do not change. "Fool for Love" very clearly establishes that Spike's persona is created to compensate for his lack of an identity. Cecily's rejection of him deeply wounds him and he is shown to create a facade to mask his insecurities. So he takes from powerful women and forms a false identity around them to prove that he is not beneath them. The episode emphasizes this pattern with Cecily, Dru, and the two Slayers, continuing in present day with Buffy.

In order to be consistent with the lore and message of the show, ensouled Spike needed to look a lot different from un-ensouled Spike, but the writers knew he wouldn't be as popular.

And so we're left with a half baked season where we're supposed to believe that Buffy is distant from everyone but Spike, who looks the exact same as he did the season before when he tried to force himself on her.

It's just icky. It's the opposite of empowering. It blurs the lines of the lore. And it sends the wrong message.

We can like these characters and even root for them, but we need to be honest about their flaws, and not justify awful writing and problematic characterization.

[becomingbuffypodcast]

While “Family” has several call backs to “Restless,” mainly regarding Willow and Tara’s relationship, it also heavily references “Goodbye Iowa.” A major theme of the episode, and season 4 in general, is the rejection of social indoctrination, as it prevents us from developing our authentic identity—something we see play out through Tara and her family in this episode. Not only did “Goodbye Iowa” see Tara sabotaging Willow’s demon finding spell, a subtle foreshadowing to the reveal in “Family,” but it is the episode where Maggie Walsh’s death triggers Riley’s identity crisis.

Confused and distraught, an angry Riley confronts Buffy for socializing with demons in Willy’s bar, pulls a gun on a human woman, and then begs Buffy for the truth. The episode ends with him being taken by his Initiative “family” to their hospital, and the last shot is of him clinging to Buffy’s bandana as his source of stability. Since that episode, Riley has rejected his indoctrination from the Initiative and Maggie but has not created an identity or purpose outside of it and her. Instead, he has relied on his relationship with Buffy to create meaning in his life, and thus establishing an unhealthy pattern of codependency with powerful women.

And here in “Family,” it’s no coincidence that Riley heads back to Willy’s bar as he seeks purpose through the rush of danger. And while he flirts with a female vampire, another powerful woman and the Buffyverse’s own symbol of stasis—the show intentionally moves past him, to include Tara and even Spike in the family shot—but not him.

[becomingbuffypodcast]

S5. Ep12. Checkpoint

Checkpoint: a point at which an inspection or investigation is performed.

On the surface, the title seems obvious in its reference to the Watcher’s inspection of the Slayer, yet it also describes Buffy’s own checking of the Watcher’s and their control over her life. In a way, this episode is Buffy checking herself and discovering her own power and self worth like she never has before.

‘Checkpoint’ kicks off a four-episode mini arc of Buffy becoming more confident and comfortable in her own skin, and it is arguably her at her healthiest, mentally, for the entirety of the show. The episode not only has references to ‘Helpless’ and ‘Graduation Day’, through the Watcher’s Council, but also ‘the Freshman’. In that episode she is belittled by a professor and struggling with confidence yet discovers her own strength and is able to overcome her insecurities. All three of those episodes were huge turning points for Buffy in her journey to adulthood, and this season is all about Buffy making her final steps into adulthood.

In a lot of ways, ‘Checkpoint’ is almost a checkpoint for the series and for Buffy as a character—she’s not a child anymore, and is ready for adulthood.

Mark Field says, “that’s the challenge that Quentin puts to her: “you’re dealing with grown ups now.” Quentin demands proof that Buffy’s prepared for it, referring to information about Glory, but also, I think meaning the challenges of adulthood more generally. That was the point of the Cruciamentum in ‘Helpless’…and it’s the same tactic the Council still employs.”

[becomingbuffypodcast]

One of the biggest faults of ‘Into the Woods’ is not the confusing scene cuts, or the mediocre dialogue, but the inconsistent messaging that completely goes against the core tenants of the show. In season 4, the show used Riley breaking away from the Initiative as a positive example of rejecting operant conditioning and taking the first step towards individual autonomy. Riley’s lack of purpose and meaning apart from the Initiative and Buffy in season 5, has been very clearly portrayed as wrong, as both he and Spike have been contrasted with the Slayer’s own sense of self. His decision to go back to the Army/Military/Initiative (?) is a massive step back in his development, as his whole character arc was built on his inability to be his own person when no one is telling him what to do. While we applaud his decision to leave Sunnydale, we cannot help but feel that he's not actually making a conscious choice—only falling into what is familiar.

The episode’s framing of Spike and Riley in a sympathetic light while Buffy is labeled “crazy”, is not only inconsistent with the past few episodes, but incredibly disturbing and problematic. While we get that the show is trying to condemn Buffy’s desire for vengeance, it begins to veer into murky waters once the Slayer is portrayed as wrong for slaying soulless vampires, and the soulless vampire is shown to be another victim of the Slayer’s “inability to open up.” Whether intended or not, the show paints Riley (the cheating boyfriend) AND Spike (the stalking, stealing, murdering demon) as victims of a crazy, hardened woman, who uses men when they are convenient for her.

In one episode, the writers have disregarded the show’s message of choice and female empowerment and set a dangerous precedent for the future.

[becomingbuffypodcast]

Buffy vs Dracula analysis video