I love that Spike told her the truth about slayers: that there's no trick to killing a slayer. No special technique, no deeper meaning, no real lesson to be learned. The vampire just gets lucky. Being the slayer is like Russian Roulette: the more you keep playing, the greater the chance that you lose.
Yes, and it's hard to not lose track of that, because we know we're watching a TV show, and that Buffy's probably not going to be killed in a random episode by a random vamp. (Although with these writers....) But from Buffy's perspective, every fight has the potential to be her last.
@@gungho1284yeah its not about the odds but more about the slayer getting tired of the same old song and dance and wanting to experience peace…if even for a split second.
The final fifteen minutes of this episode is the greatest representation of “There’s a thin line between love and hate” as I’ve ever seen. Passion burns both ways.
Agreed. The ending is what cemented my admiration for Spike as a character. Still evil...but...still a romantic. And killing Buffy at that moment? No challenge, no satisfaction at all.
I think Spike started seeking out Slayers, because he wanted to have a fight that he might not win. He said something to Angelus to that effect. "Don't you get tired of fights that you know you're ging to win?"
James Marsters actually got the scar on his eyebrow when he was mugged in NYC before he was cast in the show. Instead of covering it up, they incorporated it into Spike's storyline. I once did a rewatch of only Spike's scenes, in order in Buffy and Angel. His admiration for Buffy really shows through, as well as his perspective that all they've ever done is dance, and it makes perfect sense that Dru saw it.
That last image, Buffy and Spike silently sitting side-by-side, is how I always think of them. It contrasts with how I see Buffy with Angel, which is in profile, facing each other. That's the classic lovers pose (Tracy/Hepburn, Rhett/Scarlett) but it's also the pose for antagonists. Side by side is different, more for friends, not antagonistic, but equals.
Spike has such a hard time distinguishing between romance and violence, and you can see it when buffy isn't sure if he's trying to kiss her or trying to get her to fight him, and again when he sees her crying and switches straight from fighting mode to supportive friend, such a character, love him dearly
Yeah, not having a soul really messes up his perception of things. He can feel love, but he doesn't quite know how to process it, so he mistakes it with violence.
When he fights with her it's like they play role games here. He is a vampire, she is a slayer. And he's training her, he is teaching her a lesson. This is different from just committing violence. For her it's just some fight because she sees only vamp in him while he sees more in her than just some slayer. And this role play still turns him on and he wants to kiss her. But she made him very angry, hurt him very deeply, to the very core of his character, and while still being a vampire, he decided to take revenge on her, but as soon as he saw that she was crying it disappeared immediately and he offered his help even. Despite how much she hurt him. He chose her over everything else, over himself and his grievances. This is it, he has already chosen not to be just a vampire. It really feels like love fighting its way through a demon (!) Every moment like this he is not just some 'vampire without a soul', this black and white ideology does not apply to him. He has always been more than that.
One of my favourite episodes of the show. The commentary for this ep is interesting; writer Doug Petrie talks about how, via the flashbacks, they were 'building a monster'. First he gets turned, then gets the name and the attitude, then the scar, then the hair, then the jacket. Piece by piece. JM & SMG really shine in this episode too (don't they always). Thanks for these reactions, Jules.
I think the ending with Joyce packs such a wallop because of how unnervingly *realistic* it is - the scene perfectly captures the way scary medical concerns usually arrive in our lives: not with a big dramatic reveal, but with a gradual sinking feeling, and a quiet decision to go get checked out. And unlike so many other threats in Buffy's life, Joyce's medical concerns are something that a Slayer can't fight. So Buffy's just as powerless and scared as any regular person.
One of my favorite episodes. It really shows how special Spike is…that the romantic inside him survives him being turned. That though he can’t truly love because he lacks a soul, he comes as close as a soulless creature can come and retains more humanity than usual, more than Angel, more than he should have been able to still have. And it’s that unexplained touch of humanity that makes him so compelling, so unique.
Fool for love is up there as one of the best episodes of the show. It's a rollicking past adventure that whips the rug out from under our feet with that ending. Monsters, cyborgs, giant snakes? Yeah, let's go. Joyce is going into hospital? Ok, now I'm scared...
You're right about Spike saying Angelus was his sire; I think that despite being turned by Drusilla, Spike considers Angelus his sire because Dru was already insane and Angelus taught him how to be a vampire, how to survive.
For as observant as Spike is, he’s still limited in his thinking because he is a demon. What he sees as every slayer having a death wish is also a slayer dying for something other than themselves. He’s not unaware of the concept, it just doesn’t come as easy for him.
Spike did say Angel was his sire, but he follows that up by calling Angel his Yoda, so really, he was just referring to the fact that it was Angel that taught him how to be a vampire.
That moment at the end, when Spike walks up to Buffy, she looks up at him. She sees the gun and doesn't even react. That is the moment Spike was telling Buffy about. The moment she would want death. Luckily for her, the vampire that approached her in that moment was Spike, and not Gun's and Roses lead Guitarist, or she would have been killed. One thing to note, this episode is not the first time a vampire almost killed Buffy, where she only survived because of luck.
@@phousefilms also Luke in Episode 1 almost killed her, then the Master at the end of season 1, and Angel could have killed her in her sleep season 2, Passion.
Spike was a great character from the instant he was introduced to the show way back in Season 2. It's episodes like this that show just how wonderful James Marsters was at playing Spike, and why he's still so beloved today. Spike also has one of the greatest character arcs in the history of TV.
Spike's backstory. Slowly going from William to who we know... and yet still also kinda being the same enigmatic guy we know the soulless character to be. Don't be fooled about that. He a complex character for a reason and those are the types of reasons why this show hasn't died out.
There’s a couple of callbacks to Spike’s first appearance (“School Hard”) in this. My favorite is that at the very end of “School Hard”, Spike’s talking to Drusilla and says “a Slayer with family and friends; that wasn’t in the brochure”. In this one, he tells Buffy that the only reason she’s lasted as long as she has is that she has “friends and family”. As you noted Spike’s perceptive; no guarantee that he’s right /all/ the time; like all people, his conclusions can be colored by his biases. But he figured Buffy for something different right from the start; in this one, he’s extrapolating from his initial analysis. Good stuff.
Yeah Spike said that Angel was his sire back in S2 but I think they understood later that this was a huge mistake since having Dru being his real sire would explain their relationship so much better so they retconned it. Also when it comes to "every slayer have a death wish" I think Spike is both correct and not. He is most likely saying it the way he does since that is his normal way of gaslighting enemies but it is also probably true because any Slayer that lives long enough would suffer from vast amounts of PTSD and very much wishing that it all would end.
"Deathwish" could also be referring to the Slayer becoming more and more reckless and complacent - like an extreme sports person exposing themselves to greater and greater risk. We've seen that Slaying is an adrenaline rush for Slayers, even an aphrodisiac. Buffy likes the feeling of danger. She sneaks out at night just to get a fix. She might even start going easier on the vamps to make it last longer and increase the challenge. I don't think it's a co-incidence that we see Riley going through the same thing this episode. He had a sound and relatively risk-free plan for dealing with the Vampire nest, but he wanted it to be more of a challenge, to take the Vamps on personally and prove himself in combat.
I think maybe Dru wasn't quite up to teaching him all that much, with her being whacko and all. Hence: Angel steps in... Reluctantly. "Because *someone's* gotta stop this clown from ruining it for the rest of us!" =:o}
19:24 With that scene, Spike did say "You were my sire, man! You were my…Yoda!" But he meant "you were my teacher." Angelus trained Spike and made him into the vampire he is now.
yep. yoda famously wasn't anyone's actual father, but he was a father figure to luke. and drusilla, being crazy was not in any position to act as a sire, despite being physically capable of doing the deed.
Fool For Love is an exceptional episode this why IMHO S5 is by far the best season. The flashbacks and transitions are superb we can see where William/Spike is the way he is. He has been treated appallingly by women through the ages Cecily/Drusilla/Buffy. He was a gentle person as a human as opposed to Liam/Angel was an awful human. The scene in The Boxer Rebellion where Drusilla, Darla, Angel and Spike are walking away from the fire and Spike jumps in the air is one of the most iconic ever. This scene is exactly replicated in Angel episode called 'Darla' S2 E7 for those watching the watchlist of both shows in order. The fight on the train too with Spike in 70s in NYC where he steals the slayer's coat was brilliant. Buffy cruelly repeats Cecily's words 'you're beneath me' there is just so much foreshadowing in this episode it's amazing. A truly brilliant episode in S5 without doubt the best season, Fool For Love is definitely in top 10 episodes of whole series. This is one of the best episodes of the series so far, but I think there are two more in this Season that even better than this! S5 blows all the others away. Incredible writing!
Aww, Jules. Hugs to you. This episode is a great look into Spike's history, from the sweet poetic William to the Spike we know, but he still has that romantic side, but in a much darker way. Buffy's worry and fear over Joyce's health is so sad, and seeing Spike changing from rage to concern is a moving moment. The last scene with them sitting on the steps says so much with no words. ❤
Two things here. One, Angel was originally supposed to be Spike's sire, but that was retconned. Two, that moment in 2x3 School Hard, where Spike called Angel his sire, still makes sense if you think about it. Dru may have sired Spike, but Angel sired Dru, so in a way Angel still is his sire through Dru, especially since Angel was the one to actually do the vamp teaching for Spike.
My favorite Spike episode! It's always special to see all of the Fanged Four together in the same episode. I always say that vampires are frozen in time and as Spike was in love with a girl he couldn't have when he was turned, so he is now stuck, forever driven to fall for someone he knows will reject him, like Buffy.
15:31 That's why joss and Buffy rule ... Spike mentioned that demon to willow back in lovers walk when he was crying about dru leaving him describing the demon with antlers and here we are seeing that scene I season 6 amazing how this show can only do that. Even the most trivial sentence can manifest later on
* Jules Reacts Review * "Her productions are perfection every time, allowing all viewers to easily follow the storyline. While other reactors react like wanna be celebrities, Jules reacts real, unscripted, naturally, and she does so with the most endearing personality. So if you enjoy reaction videos on UA-cam, like I do, then Jules Reacts is the channel you ought to subscribe to." This has been a BILLYtheKidster Jules Reacts review.
An absolutely brilliant episode. So glad you finally got to see it. The scenes with William the Bloody Awful Poet are just wonderful; both hilarious and sad at the same time. And of course the ending was pure heartbreak. Plus, the episode taught us all the meaning of the word "Effulgent". 😃
One of the best episodes of the show! (don't worry, there are still plenty of great eps to come) It's always interesting to think about the kind of person William was as a human as opposed to Liam. (Liam's short for William as well, which is just an added wrinkle) I think it ended up affecting how they behave as Spike and Angelus. Liam was a selfish person who enjoyed having power over people and William had an inferiority complex and is stuck constantly seeking validation. (that's how I see them at least)
Also you didn't get it wrong Spike calls Angel his sire. The implication they give is that Angel is the one who trained him and taught him a lot because he also said "You were my yoda"
It's emotional because it's unexpected. A monster showing kindness. Spike showing empathy at the end feels important but what cuts through is she excepts it.
(warning of Spoiler quote farther below) 100% She could've gotten up and walked back in the house. She could've told him to get lost, or even beat him up for bringing a gun at her. She is... so... low... at this moment. Even the comfort of a psychopath is appreciated. She doesn't look at him, but she stays. 😭 She needs that. "Why are you always around when I'm miserable?" He's not even sure what to do, but he knows not to leave her alone. I imagine her getting up after a long while, still not looking at him and hesitating for a second before going back in the house. Not saying 'Thank you' aloud, but knowing that Spike still heard it. Spike returning to Harmony and just quietly putting the gun away. "I couldn't find her." Then he says nothing else for the rest of the night.
Jules, I had the same reaction you did, when I saw this episode (especially the tears at the end). It's a powerful episode. It's brilliant -- the story Spike tells, the sharp cuts between past and present (with such amazing transitions!), the music, the electricity between characters, the pain of first Cecily and then Buffy telling Spike he's "beneath" them, and that strangest yet most lovely moment of all -- Buffy and Spike sitting side by side as he awkwardly yet kindly tries to comfort her about her mom (and Buffy looks freaked out by that, understandably so, yet accepts his kindness all the same). It's all SO GOOD. Just an all-around amazing episode. Definitely top tier.
Season 5 has just been TOP NOTCH, hasn't it?! It is without a doubt my favourite. I was unsure at first, with the whole Dawn thing but it's just absolute perfection!
Yes Jules you are right in your recall. In S2 E3 School Hard Spike did say to Angel 'you were my Sire, you were my Yoda', but in in fact he was Spike's Grand Sire as it was Drusilla who turned Spike.
Dru turned Spike into a vampire, but Angelus taught him how to be a monster. He also refered to Angelus as his Yoda in School Hard. A mentor more than a literal sire (I'm guessing it's a case of early installment weirdness from a production standpoint. It was the first time we met Spike)
I think the reason Spike goes after Slayers is for two reasons. 1. He views them as part of the powerful that is built to keep him in his place, much like how he viewed the nobility. 2. His relationship with women is very messy, he definitely views his self worth in their eyes. So if he can kill a powerful woman, he thinks he is better than her, that which he puts on a pedestal. Also I see everyone disagree with Spikes take on Slayers having a death wish, and yet he proves them right in this same episode. All a vampire has to do is catch a slayer at a low point, when they arent as prepared or feeling down due to life situations and it would be over. If Spike wasn't in love with her when he got to her at the house it would be over for Buffy. That's all it takes is one moment of weakness. She wasn't prepared or in a right headspace to fight.
If you look at William with Cecilli at the beginning he is looking for a companion, an equal and a lover. This explains his facination with slayers. He sees them as equals. Add to that he now sees buffy as more than a killer/ enemy and possibly a potential companion, it makes sense he also sees her as a potential lover. When buffy says he is beneath her it shows that he has not progressed beyond where he was with Cecilli and it pushed him to go further.
Ooh, I've been so excited for this, it's my favourite episode! The throwback to Spike's origin story, references to to previous episodes (The Dru split, Faith's comment about slaying making her hungry and horny, Spike killing 2 slayers, Angel in Doppelgangland when he said becoming a vampire doesnt change your basic personality). Yes there's a bit of a retcon as in School's out Spike says Angel was his sire, but with this episode he's technically his grandsire . The camera transitions in this are incredible, as it the writing and acting. The look on Spike's face when he goes from wanting to take his pain away to wanting to takeaway Buffy's, makes me bawl like a baby every time. He's still the same poetic romantic he was as a human, just with no guilt now. Amazing reaction, thanks Jules ❤
I love Jules she is so sincere. She cries, I cry. Yes, Spike did say Angel was his Sire, his Yoda, meaning he felt Angel was his teacher in the ways of being a Vampire, but Dru turned him.
He called Angel his sire, his Yoda. To me that means he was his teacher even though Drugs actually was the one to change him she wasn't "there" enough to show him "the ways of the dark side" 😉
15:22 Lover's Walk [Spike talking to Willow] I caught her on a park bench making out with a Chaos Demon. Have you ever seen a Chaos Demon? They're all slime and antlers. They're disgusting
Ah this ranks super high in my favorite episodes! It really shows off how much of a menace the four vamps were back in the day. Also the scene with Buffy and Spike in the alleyway is so good oml Hope you’re doing well today Jules :)
There are two statements from "School Hard" episode, that seem to have been changed with subsequent episodes. Spike refers to Angel as his sire, but in this episode it is shown that Drusilla bit him. Also, Giles says that Spike is barely 200 years old. This episode (other episodes?) reveal that Spike was turned in 1880, which would have been just 117 years before Season 2 (started in 1997).
I don’t see how this is a very big deal either, Giles also said there were no good vampires, that good and evil was black and white with all demons being bad. Just because he says something in the show doesn’t make it true.
Even with the problems I have with some of this season's fundamental story ideas (pretty much all the Key/Dawn/Glory stuff), it is seriously masterfully executed. All the subplots, and character interactions and character development are all off the charts great.
Probably a top 10 episode in many fans lists, this episode is super powerful and makes spike a more three dimensional and sympathetic character. Season 5 in particular has many amazing episodes when it comes to backstories and slayer history. The slow motion scene of the four of them walking towards the camera is so epic and memorable! Edit: regarding angel being spikes sire, there are two reasons spike may have called him that: 1. Even though dru technically sired him, angelus probably would have taight him how to be a more effective vampire, and 2. Angel sired dru, and dru sired spike. So spike may think of angelus as his kind of 'grandsire' so to speak, and may have been speaking informally. Fyi Ms. Jules, a demo came out on ps5 recently called 'fishbowl' that i think you would like!
I know I'm kinda late to this reaction, but how I see Spike calling Angelus his "sire" when Dru was the one to actually sire him, its because Dru isn't mentally stable enough to teach him all the ways of being a vampire like normally a sire would, so Angelus took over as, according to Spike, his "Yoda".
59 pages left in the book of Buffy and this episode has been a favorite of mine since the show first aired. A wonderful / raw reaction from Juliette reminds us why this show and her company are special. Thank you Jules.❤
Holly crap that was sooo good! We definatly need more episodes with Spike and Buffinator, the acting was sooo good!! For Spike at the end comforting Buff instead of shooting her is a great moment for his character development, hopefully not the last once the boyfriend finds out he tried to kiss Buffy🤣😂Thanks so much Juliette! 🥰Loved this episode!!
This was a great one. I do love Riley going out with Willow, Xander and Anya. More of Spikes Origin story. Yes is that an old timey watcher? Uhhh it's Spike. Yes that was what they said in the old "School Hard" episode in season... Two? Angel was Spike's Sire. They changed the origin story in this episode. Oh I forgot. They included the chaos demon that drussilla left spike for. "They are disgusting, all slime and antlers. She just did it to hurt me." Poor Spike, he has it bad.
Such a great episode. Love the flash backs to the slayer kills. Transitions are on point! For confirmation Darla sired Angel, Angel sired Dru and Dru sired Spike.
A fantastic episode rather important for the series going forward. Yes Spike did say Angelus sired him. Later fans said you can refer to your sires sire as your sire but it's pretty clear this is just a retcon as they rewrote his origin. I've had sick relatives like this and this storyline does a great job of capturing those feelings and the stress of the situation.
Yeah the whole question of who sired Spike, he did tell Angel in Season 2 "You were my Sire, man, you were my Yoda!". My guess is 1) He meant it metaphorically since Angel taught him so much (hence the "Yoda" part), and 2) The writers retconned it since it's more interesting for Dru to be the one who tuned Spike 😁
The whole "sire" thing was definitely a ret-con. I think the justification is that Angel was his "grand-sire" for lack of a better term (because he sired Dru). But, yeah, you're not wrong to clock the inconsistency.
That was a great reaction, especially towards the end! There's a reason you're still my favorite reactor. You don't get sidetracked, you experience everything intensely, you're super focused on the episode at hand and nothing else, and you let the fictional world completely immerse you in the moment as if it were real. This is exactly what I'm looking for in a reactor! You're awesome! :) Also, Angel is Spike's grand sire. Because Angel sired Dru, Spike is in the same family line, so everyone within that same vampire family can be referred to as Spike's sire. That's essentially how they talk.
When Spike starts being obsessed with Slayers, he has nothing to lose. He's powerful, and he gets lucky, but part of it is that it didnt matter if he won or lost. When he kills the second Slayer, he has somrthing almost no other vampire ever has - experience of killing one before. So he is a pretty even match for a Slayer... And he only has to win once.
When I saw Spike killing that slayer in 1977 I wondered if that caused Buffy to be born, since 1977 is the year Sarah Michelle Gellar was born (and me too). I was wrong though, Buffy was born '81 and, apparently, there were a good few more slayers between those two!
As we learn more and more about this specific line of vampires (Darla thru Spike), I'm convinced that fate or The Powers or whatever have picked them out for some reason. They aren't like the other vampires we see, and their (un)lives are very different.
The ending tears me up. When I was 6 my mom went into the hospital and I never saw her again. Angel sired Drew and she intern sired Spike so in a sense he sired Spike.
One of the show's stand-out episodes IMO, filling in Spike's backstory and returning to the idea raised earlier in the season about what it is to be a Slayer. And such a powerful final scene. What Spike says about her ties to the world is astute too (Buffy, after all, would've died at the end of S1 if not for her friends being involved in her "work", it's one of the things that sets her apart). And yep, every Slayer has the classic "defender's disadvantage" - they have to be perfect every single time whereas the vampires, demons etc. just need to get lucky once.
In Buffy Lore - a Sire refers to their line So as Angel made Drusilla - he “made” Spike as well - in season s2 (school hard) in Spikes 1st episode - he called Angel his Sire
Your memory is spot on. When we first see Spike in "School Hard" and he encounters Angel he does say "You were my sire, man!". But at that time Spike and Dru were only meant to be in a couple of episodes and the more elaborate and tied together backstories for those characters hadn't been fleshed out yet. When exactly Joss and the writers chose to change things is unknown, Angel has mentioned he was Dru's sire already after all, but this is the first mention that Dru sired Spike. Such a great episode. Can't wait for Monday to see how you reacted to the second half of what was billed as a major two night Buffy and Angel event.
I can understand that for sure! It's interesting that Spike is still around as I've heard that he was never meant to be. Guess the fans got what they wanted haha 😅
@@julesreacts Oh yeah, he was definitely only supposed to be a one-season villain. Joss's intention was for Angel to be the only vampire with any trace of actual goodness, due to his unique soul-having status. Joss was *not* happy when told by higher ups that he had to use Spike more, and James reports that Joss yelled into his face: "You're dead, y'hear me! Dead!". Well, since James wasn't found floating in a river the next day, perhaps what Joss meant by that was: "The character you're playing is supposed to be dead! Stop making him seem so *alive*!"... But it's the earliest instance I've heard of Joss's now notorious bullying streak. =:o1
It's going to be an awesome Buffy Friday today watching with my new glasses on, yeah more of Spike and finally we see Spikes origin before he became a vampire and I hope you have a wonderful weekend my friend Juliette.🇦🇺🤓👋🇦🇺
This is such a beautiful, brilliant, incredible episode - definitely in the top ten of the entire show, possibly the top five even. Just... sublime! One of the best aspects of this show is all of the lore and backstory around its vampire characters and this episode does a great job of fleshing their history out, especially Spike's. No doubt you've already seen the Angel episode that pairs with this to create a beautiful image of the fang gang's history. On top of that, it's great to get some more insight into the Slayer lineage, sticking with one of this season's themes, and there are seeds planted in this episode that will pay off down the track. It's also a sobering reminder that, just like a real world cop, Buffy is just one bad day away from being killed. Most Slayers don't go out fighting a Big Bad, it can just be a regular old vamp who gets lucky. We're so used to seeing Buffy dusting vamps in the cemetery that we, and she, forget the danger she's in. There's a reason why Giles has always been so strict about her training and I think both Buffy and the audience needed to be reminded of that. Excellent memory Jules, Spike did call Angel his sire way back in his first episode, but the writers clearly decided to retcon that at some point, and I'm glad they did, because I think it works better for Dru to be his sire, with Angelus as his grandsire. I've always LOVED Spike/William's history as a failed poet, because I think it makes perfect sense for Spike's personality. He's always been a very passionate man, with a very poetic soul. Think about his relationship with Dru, or how he waxed poetic about love in Season Three ("Love's not brains children, it's blood..."). Despite no longer having a soul, he's always been very passionate and it even comes across in how his hatred towards Buffy has shifted towards desire - they're just opposite ends of the passionate spectrum and he confuses them. Oh and I believer there's a comic where the newly vamped Spike does indeed kill that guy with a railroad spike. That final scene is beautiful, I mean, what better way to explore what I just mentioned. He goes from being intent on killing Buffy, to consoling her because his feelings are in an transitional phase and he's still figuring them out. The Buffy/Spike dynamic certainly does get interesting in this season, and regardless of whether you 'ship' them or not, I think it's just fascinating to explore. As for poor Joyce, there's something sobering about real-world dangers suddenly being present in a world typically populated by more fantastical threats. Those buggers really know how to make us squirm, don't they?
I adored this episode. Getting to see Spike's origin story was SUCH a treat and so unexpected. Absolutely awesome! But the ending.... MY GOODNESS. They love to break our heart time and time again, don't they 😥 Enjoy the rest of your weekend, Ashley 💜
Your reactions are the highlights of my.week. The ducklings and alpacas are also stunned into silence over.Joyce. they dont.want.to talk. They don't know what to think. And then the whole.dawn thing. Have.a.wonderful day
Cat 💜 Nawww those little duckies and alpacas... give them an extra big cuddle for me 🥰 the deserve it. And maybe some ice cream too. I hope you had a lovely weekend!
I would love to see a spin-off prequel featuring the New York slayer in the 70's. In the episode "School Hard" Spike claims that Angel was his sire. But I guess because it's only a work of fiction where things can easily be changed, the writers decided making Drusilla Spike's sire allowed for better storytelling possibilities
The sire thing is a plot hole easily dismissed because Angel is his sire's sire and his mentor from the moment he turned. I had a delivery to the Buffy set for Angel's first scene. I had scripts for David and Julie. Some guy starts talking to me. I'm jyst nodding and saying, "uh huh." Then he asks if I'm coming to his show on Saturday. Click. I absolutely did not recognize James with the brown hair. He woukd play solo acoustic shows at a club in Santa Monica. I got to know him from going to those shows. I have more to say but have to wait.
Thank you 💜💜 that is such a wonderful thing to read. I really appreciate it! There's SO much fakery online, it's hard to know what's real and what isn't 😔
6:48 - You are not mistaken. In School Hard Spike says "You were my sire, my Yoda" (paraphrased). This is a retcon that can be reasoned away with the fact Angel is at least his grandsire, and Dru was insane so the mentoring was likely handled by Angela and Darla.
I remember there was one episode a while ago where you suggested, Buffy and Spike could be a couple. I don't know which one though. I made a comment back then like "That would never happen" . 😅 I think, it's interesting that they actually wrote a plot about that so much later.
@@Patriciobuenisimo85thats how the series went about it later on. Siring becomes a familial thing. Again it was not intended that way but the series retcons it that way, so in a way both Angel and The Master are also Spike’s sire as well (the comics go into details about these sire lines).
And it’s a pretty seamless retcon as retcons go. Explains Spike’s utter devotion to Drusilla, who as off kilter as she is, would have provided little practical sire mentorship; leaving Spike to look to Angel for that role.
I love that Spike told her the truth about slayers: that there's no trick to killing a slayer. No special technique, no deeper meaning, no real lesson to be learned. The vampire just gets lucky. Being the slayer is like Russian Roulette: the more you keep playing, the greater the chance that you lose.
Yes, and it's hard to not lose track of that, because we know we're watching a TV show, and that Buffy's probably not going to be killed in a random episode by a random vamp. (Although with these writers....) But from Buffy's perspective, every fight has the potential to be her last.
Yep. A Slayer has to win every single time. They only need to lose once.
They're kind of saying that eventually, the slayer wants to call it quits. Of course, Buffy has her friends and family to help her keep going.
@@gungho1284yeah its not about the odds but more about the slayer getting tired of the same old song and dance and wanting to experience peace…if even for a split second.
He's "a bad poet but a good man" and then Dru sees to the heart of him and he loves being seen
The final fifteen minutes of this episode is the greatest representation of “There’s a thin line between love and hate” as I’ve ever seen. Passion burns both ways.
Agreed. The ending is what cemented my admiration for Spike as a character. Still evil...but...still a romantic.
And killing Buffy at that moment? No challenge, no satisfaction at all.
Love the callback to “Lover’s Walk” where Spike describes the Chaos Demon that Dru was with as “all slime and antlers”
Yes! I absolutely loved seeing that moment with him and Dru!
It made you emotional because you are a sweet human being.
💜💜
Buffy tossing the money at Spike and saying "You're beneath me" is probably one of the cruelest things I think she's ever said. That was a big ouch.
I can't help but feel sorry for him 😥 I know he's evil and all, but still...
The writers did that on purpose..it seemed too forced and contrived. Spikes flashback had a girl telling him the same statement..
I think Spike started seeking out Slayers, because he wanted to have a fight that he might not win.
He said something to Angelus to that effect. "Don't you get tired of fights that you know you're ging to win?"
James Marsters actually got the scar on his eyebrow when he was mugged in NYC before he was cast in the show. Instead of covering it up, they incorporated it into Spike's storyline. I once did a rewatch of only Spike's scenes, in order in Buffy and Angel. His admiration for Buffy really shows through, as well as his perspective that all they've ever done is dance, and it makes perfect sense that Dru saw it.
Oh no way, that's a cool fact! Thank you!
That last image, Buffy and Spike silently sitting side-by-side, is how I always think of them. It contrasts with how I see Buffy with Angel, which is in profile, facing each other. That's the classic lovers pose (Tracy/Hepburn, Rhett/Scarlett) but it's also the pose for antagonists. Side by side is different, more for friends, not antagonistic, but equals.
"Is that an old watcher? Hang on, that's SPIKE!" lol good stuff!
LMAO! I didn't even recognise him 🤣🤣
"Giles here is gonna teach me to be a watcher. Says I got the stuff"
Spike has such a hard time distinguishing between romance and violence, and you can see it when buffy isn't sure if he's trying to kiss her or trying to get her to fight him, and again when he sees her crying and switches straight from fighting mode to supportive friend, such a character, love him dearly
Yeah, not having a soul really messes up his perception of things. He can feel love, but he doesn't quite know how to process it, so he mistakes it with violence.
@@ms_scribbles being soulless seems to affect the individual vampires differently
When he fights with her it's like they play role games here. He is a vampire, she is a slayer. And he's training her, he is teaching her a lesson. This is different from just committing violence. For her it's just some fight because she sees only vamp in him while he sees more in her than just some slayer. And this role play still turns him on and he wants to kiss her.
But she made him very angry, hurt him very deeply, to the very core of his character, and while still being a vampire, he decided to take revenge on her, but as soon as he saw that she was crying it disappeared immediately and he offered his help even. Despite how much she hurt him. He chose her over everything else, over himself and his grievances. This is it, he has already chosen not to be just a vampire. It really feels like love fighting its way through a demon (!) Every moment like this he is not just some 'vampire without a soul', this black and white ideology does not apply to him. He has always been more than that.
It's hard to pick a favourite character, but Spike is right up there around the top for sure for me.
@@julesreacts my favorite character is Buffy lol
One of my favourite episodes of the show. The commentary for this ep is interesting; writer Doug Petrie talks about how, via the flashbacks, they were 'building a monster'. First he gets turned, then gets the name and the attitude, then the scar, then the hair, then the jacket. Piece by piece.
JM & SMG really shine in this episode too (don't they always).
Thanks for these reactions, Jules.
And yet, underneath he is still William the lovelorn poet...
I think the ending with Joyce packs such a wallop because of how unnervingly *realistic* it is - the scene perfectly captures the way scary medical concerns usually arrive in our lives: not with a big dramatic reveal, but with a gradual sinking feeling, and a quiet decision to go get checked out. And unlike so many other threats in Buffy's life, Joyce's medical concerns are something that a Slayer can't fight. So Buffy's just as powerless and scared as any regular person.
the one thing she can't fight. 😢😢😖😖💔💔
One of my favorite episodes. It really shows how special Spike is…that the romantic inside him survives him being turned. That though he can’t truly love because he lacks a soul, he comes as close as a soulless creature can come and retains more humanity than usual, more than Angel, more than he should have been able to still have. And it’s that unexplained touch of humanity that makes him so compelling, so unique.
Yup that’s different between Angel and Spike
Fool for love is up there as one of the best episodes of the show. It's a rollicking past adventure that whips the rug out from under our feet with that ending.
Monsters, cyborgs, giant snakes? Yeah, let's go.
Joyce is going into hospital? Ok, now I'm scared...
One of my favourite episodes ❤️
You're right about Spike saying Angelus was his sire; I think that despite being turned by Drusilla, Spike considers Angelus his sire because Dru was already insane and Angelus taught him how to be a vampire, how to survive.
For as observant as Spike is, he’s still limited in his thinking because he is a demon. What he sees as every slayer having a death wish is also a slayer dying for something other than themselves. He’s not unaware of the concept, it just doesn’t come as easy for him.
Very perceptive point.
Spike did say Angel was his sire, but he follows that up by calling Angel his Yoda, so really, he was just referring to the fact that it was Angel that taught him how to be a vampire.
That moment at the end, when Spike walks up to Buffy, she looks up at him. She sees the gun and doesn't even react. That is the moment Spike was telling Buffy about. The moment she would want death. Luckily for her, the vampire that approached her in that moment was Spike, and not Gun's and Roses lead Guitarist, or she would have been killed. One thing to note, this episode is not the first time a vampire almost killed Buffy, where she only survived because of luck.
Yeah. She almost got killed by that psycho vamp(and just a normal one almost staking her)in "Helpless".
@@phousefilms also Luke in Episode 1 almost killed her, then the Master at the end of season 1, and Angel could have killed her in her sleep season 2, Passion.
"You think we're dancing?"
"That's all we've ever done."
Spike was a great character from the instant he was introduced to the show way back in Season 2. It's episodes like this that show just how wonderful James Marsters was at playing Spike, and why he's still so beloved today. Spike also has one of the greatest character arcs in the history of TV.
He's soooo much more likable (for me anyway) now than back in season 2! It's been awesome seeing his character change so much.
Spike's backstory. Slowly going from William to who we know... and yet still also kinda being the same enigmatic guy we know the soulless character to be. Don't be fooled about that. He a complex character for a reason and those are the types of reasons why this show hasn't died out.
There’s a couple of callbacks to Spike’s first appearance (“School Hard”) in this. My favorite is that at the very end of “School Hard”, Spike’s talking to Drusilla and says “a Slayer with family and friends; that wasn’t in the brochure”. In this one, he tells Buffy that the only reason she’s lasted as long as she has is that she has “friends and family”. As you noted Spike’s perceptive; no guarantee that he’s right /all/ the time; like all people, his conclusions can be colored by his biases. But he figured Buffy for something different right from the start; in this one, he’s extrapolating from his initial analysis. Good stuff.
Yeah Spike said that Angel was his sire back in S2 but I think they understood later that this was a huge mistake since having Dru being his real sire would explain their relationship so much better so they retconned it.
Also when it comes to "every slayer have a death wish" I think Spike is both correct and not. He is most likely saying it the way he does since that is his normal way of gaslighting enemies but it is also probably true because any Slayer that lives long enough would suffer from vast amounts of PTSD and very much wishing that it all would end.
"Deathwish" could also be referring to the Slayer becoming more and more reckless and complacent - like an extreme sports person exposing themselves to greater and greater risk. We've seen that Slaying is an adrenaline rush for Slayers, even an aphrodisiac. Buffy likes the feeling of danger. She sneaks out at night just to get a fix. She might even start going easier on the vamps to make it last longer and increase the challenge.
I don't think it's a co-incidence that we see Riley going through the same thing this episode. He had a sound and relatively risk-free plan for dealing with the Vampire nest, but he wanted it to be more of a challenge, to take the Vamps on personally and prove himself in combat.
In Buffyverse, Angel being his grandsire, served as his mentor as a young vampire, so he was like his own sire.
I think maybe Dru wasn't quite up to teaching him all that much, with her being whacko and all. Hence: Angel steps in... Reluctantly. "Because *someone's* gotta stop this clown from ruining it for the rest of us!" =:o}
19:24 With that scene, Spike did say "You were my sire, man! You were my…Yoda!" But he meant "you were my teacher." Angelus trained Spike and made him into the vampire he is now.
yep. yoda famously wasn't anyone's actual father, but he was a father figure to luke. and drusilla, being crazy was not in any position to act as a sire, despite being physically capable of doing the deed.
I think It was ”grand-sire”
👍 you're one of the few reactors who caught that that was Angel that Spike (William) bumped into, along with Drusilla & Darla
Ahhh nice!! It does seem like one big happy family 🤣
Fool For Love is an exceptional episode this why IMHO S5 is by far the best season. The flashbacks and transitions are superb we can see where William/Spike is the way he is. He has been treated appallingly by women through the ages Cecily/Drusilla/Buffy. He was a gentle person as a human as opposed to Liam/Angel was an awful human. The scene in The Boxer Rebellion where Drusilla, Darla, Angel and Spike are walking away from the fire and Spike jumps in the air is one of the most iconic ever. This scene is exactly replicated in Angel episode called 'Darla' S2 E7 for those watching the watchlist of both shows in order. The fight on the train too with Spike in 70s in NYC where he steals the slayer's coat was brilliant. Buffy cruelly repeats Cecily's words 'you're beneath me' there is just so much foreshadowing in this episode it's amazing. A truly brilliant episode in S5 without doubt the best season, Fool For Love is definitely in top 10 episodes of whole series. This is one of the best episodes of the series so far, but I think there are two more in this Season that even better than this! S5 blows all the others away. Incredible writing!
Aww, Jules. Hugs to you. This episode is a great look into Spike's history, from the sweet poetic William to the Spike we know, but he still has that romantic side, but in a much darker way. Buffy's worry and fear over Joyce's health is so sad, and seeing Spike changing from rage to concern is a moving moment. The last scene with them sitting on the steps says so much with no words. ❤
It's even more poignant because Joyce is the one human that he respects and cares for without other more negative emotions getting in the way
Such an amazing episode! I adored it SO much!
Those subtle facial changes when spike goes from murderous fury to hesitant concern 🙏 james marsters as spike is my favorite character in fiction
It was SUCH a great moment!!
Two things here. One, Angel was originally supposed to be Spike's sire, but that was retconned. Two, that moment in 2x3 School Hard, where Spike called Angel his sire, still makes sense if you think about it. Dru may have sired Spike, but Angel sired Dru, so in a way Angel still is his sire through Dru, especially since Angel was the one to actually do the vamp teaching for Spike.
Yeah, I realise this now 😸 it was explained a few times. Thank you for clarifying!
His "Grandsire" if you will, making Darla "Great-grand-sire-ess?" 😂 i wonder what's the word for a vamp you sired. Siree?
My favorite Spike episode! It's always special to see all of the Fanged Four together in the same episode. I always say that vampires are frozen in time and as Spike was in love with a girl he couldn't have when he was turned, so he is now stuck, forever driven to fall for someone he knows will reject him, like Buffy.
15:31
That's why joss and Buffy rule ... Spike mentioned that demon to willow back in lovers walk when he was crying about dru leaving him describing the demon with antlers and here we are seeing that scene I season 6 amazing how this show can only do that. Even the most trivial sentence can manifest later on
Season 5
Seeing that scene with the demon and Dru was SO GOOD!!!
@@julesreacts yep and an amazing callback to the season 3 episode "Lover's Walk" the only one Spike appears in that season if memory serves
*
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While other reactors react like wanna be celebrities,
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This has been a BILLYtheKidster Jules Reacts review.
Now that's a review I can agree with!
What?! That's absolutely brilliant 🤣🤣 thank you!! Spike wouldn't be happy you're more talented than him though... I'd keep that quiet if I were you 😅
An absolutely brilliant episode. So glad you finally got to see it. The scenes with William the Bloody Awful Poet are just wonderful; both hilarious and sad at the same time. And of course the ending was pure heartbreak.
Plus, the episode taught us all the meaning of the word "Effulgent". 😃
Spike's use of the word "effulgent"
Strikes me as too self-indulgent.
=;o}
@@therealpbristow 🤣
that should be a password to identify true fans, like shibboleth/shibboleet, lol.
"Oh you say you like Buffy? Why has my heart grown a bulge in it?"
Yep, that was where Spike got his favourite jacket.
I love that it showed us that plus his scar!
@julesreacts apparently he shops at the same stores Prince did. Lol
One of the best episodes of the show! (don't worry, there are still plenty of great eps to come) It's always interesting to think about the kind of person William was as a human as opposed to Liam. (Liam's short for William as well, which is just an added wrinkle) I think it ended up affecting how they behave as Spike and Angelus. Liam was a selfish person who enjoyed having power over people and William had an inferiority complex and is stuck constantly seeking validation. (that's how I see them at least)
Also you didn't get it wrong
Spike calls Angel his sire. The implication they give is that Angel is the one who trained him and taught him a lot because he also said "You were my yoda"
It's emotional because it's unexpected. A monster showing kindness. Spike showing empathy at the end feels important but what cuts through is she excepts it.
(warning of Spoiler quote farther below)
100% She could've gotten up and walked back in the house. She could've told him to get lost, or even beat him up for bringing a gun at her.
She is... so... low... at this moment. Even the comfort of a psychopath is appreciated. She doesn't look at him, but she stays. 😭 She needs that.
"Why are you always around when I'm miserable?"
He's not even sure what to do, but he knows not to leave her alone. I imagine her getting up after a long while, still not looking at him and hesitating for a second before going back in the house. Not saying 'Thank you' aloud, but knowing that Spike still heard it.
Spike returning to Harmony and just quietly putting the gun away. "I couldn't find her." Then he says nothing else for the rest of the night.
Jules, I had the same reaction you did, when I saw this episode (especially the tears at the end). It's a powerful episode. It's brilliant -- the story Spike tells, the sharp cuts between past and present (with such amazing transitions!), the music, the electricity between characters, the pain of first Cecily and then Buffy telling Spike he's "beneath" them, and that strangest yet most lovely moment of all -- Buffy and Spike sitting side by side as he awkwardly yet kindly tries to comfort her about her mom (and Buffy looks freaked out by that, understandably so, yet accepts his kindness all the same). It's all SO GOOD. Just an all-around amazing episode. Definitely top tier.
Season 5 has just been TOP NOTCH, hasn't it?! It is without a doubt my favourite. I was unsure at first, with the whole Dawn thing but it's just absolute perfection!
Yes Jules you are right in your recall. In S2 E3 School Hard Spike did say to Angel 'you were my Sire, you were my Yoda', but in in fact he was Spike's Grand Sire as it was Drusilla who turned Spike.
Yup, just a little bit of ret con
Yeah, it was either a retcon or Spike meant "sire" figuratively. He obviously didn't mean "Yoda" literally.
Dru turned Spike into a vampire, but Angelus taught him how to be a monster. He also refered to Angelus as his Yoda in School Hard. A mentor more than a literal sire (I'm guessing it's a case of early installment weirdness from a production standpoint. It was the first time we met Spike)
I think the reason Spike goes after Slayers is for two reasons.
1. He views them as part of the powerful that is built to keep him in his place, much like how he viewed the nobility.
2. His relationship with women is very messy, he definitely views his self worth in their eyes. So if he can kill a powerful woman, he thinks he is better than her, that which he puts on a pedestal.
Also I see everyone disagree with Spikes take on Slayers having a death wish, and yet he proves them right in this same episode. All a vampire has to do is catch a slayer at a low point, when they arent as prepared or feeling down due to life situations and it would be over.
If Spike wasn't in love with her when he got to her at the house it would be over for Buffy. That's all it takes is one moment of weakness. She wasn't prepared or in a right headspace to fight.
How is a Slayer having a low moment, or being momentarily unprepared because they feel down, synonymous with having a death wish? 😕😕
If you look at William with Cecilli at the beginning he is looking for a companion, an equal and a lover. This explains his facination with slayers. He sees them as equals. Add to that he now sees buffy as more than a killer/ enemy and possibly a potential companion, it makes sense he also sees her as a potential lover. When buffy says he is beneath her it shows that he has not progressed beyond where he was with Cecilli and it pushed him to go further.
Angelus sired Drew, Drew sired Spike. I think when Spike said to Angel "You were my sire, man!" he really meant more like "grandsire"
yeah, we've had some interesting discussions about that! One big happy family haha
Ooh, I've been so excited for this, it's my favourite episode! The throwback to Spike's origin story, references to to previous episodes (The Dru split, Faith's comment about slaying making her hungry and horny, Spike killing 2 slayers, Angel in Doppelgangland when he said becoming a vampire doesnt change your basic personality). Yes there's a bit of a retcon as in School's out Spike says Angel was his sire, but with this episode he's technically his grandsire .
The camera transitions in this are incredible, as it the writing and acting. The look on Spike's face when he goes from wanting to take his pain away to wanting to takeaway Buffy's, makes me bawl like a baby every time. He's still the same poetic romantic he was as a human, just with no guilt now.
Amazing reaction, thanks Jules ❤
Spike's origin story was SO GOOD! I adore this episode! Thank you so much for watching 💜
I love Jules she is so sincere. She cries, I cry. Yes, Spike did say Angel was his Sire, his Yoda, meaning he felt Angel was his teacher in the ways of being a Vampire, but Dru turned him.
Awww thank you 💜
He called Angel his sire, his Yoda. To me that means he was his teacher even though Drugs actually was the one to change him she wasn't "there" enough to show him "the ways of the dark side" 😉
8:50 yes it’s how Spike got that scar. And the canon is that because the sword was enchanted that’s why the cut didn’t totally heal.
angel is spike's "Grand sire"
Yeah, a few people have clarified that! I love that they are one big "happy" family 🤣
15:22 Lover's Walk [Spike talking to Willow]
I caught her on a park bench making out with a Chaos Demon. Have you ever seen a Chaos Demon? They're all slime and antlers. They're disgusting
Ah this ranks super high in my favorite episodes! It really shows off how much of a menace the four vamps were back in the day. Also the scene with Buffy and Spike in the alleyway is so good oml
Hope you’re doing well today Jules :)
There are two statements from "School Hard" episode, that seem to have been changed with subsequent episodes. Spike refers to Angel as his sire, but in this episode it is shown that Drusilla bit him. Also, Giles says that Spike is barely 200 years old. This episode (other episodes?) reveal that Spike was turned in 1880, which would have been just 117 years before Season 2 (started in 1997).
I don’t see how this is a very big deal either, Giles also said there were no good vampires, that good and evil was black and white with all demons being bad. Just because he says something in the show doesn’t make it true.
Even with the problems I have with some of this season's fundamental story ideas (pretty much all the Key/Dawn/Glory stuff), it is seriously masterfully executed. All the subplots, and character interactions and character development are all off the charts great.
Probably a top 10 episode in many fans lists, this episode is super powerful and makes spike a more three dimensional and sympathetic character. Season 5 in particular has many amazing episodes when it comes to backstories and slayer history. The slow motion scene of the four of them walking towards the camera is so epic and memorable!
Edit: regarding angel being spikes sire, there are two reasons spike may have called him that: 1. Even though dru technically sired him, angelus probably would have taight him how to be a more effective vampire, and 2. Angel sired dru, and dru sired spike. So spike may think of angelus as his kind of 'grandsire' so to speak, and may have been speaking informally.
Fyi Ms. Jules, a demo came out on ps5 recently called 'fishbowl' that i think you would like!
I know I'm kinda late to this reaction, but how I see Spike calling Angelus his "sire" when Dru was the one to actually sire him, its because Dru isn't mentally stable enough to teach him all the ways of being a vampire like normally a sire would, so Angelus took over as, according to Spike, his "Yoda".
By now you know.
By memory...
The Master 1000s
> 🧛♂️ >
Darla 1600s
> 🧛♂️ >
Angel 1700s
> 🧛♂️ >
Drusilla 1700s
> 🧛♂️ >
Spike 1800s
I think Darla was more like the 1500's. She was turned in the American Colonies.
@@2323stickboy Darla was sired in 1609. The American Colonies didn't obtain Independence until 1776. ❤🧡💛💚💙💜
@@becca1189 and that's why I said the colonies and not the USA.
You also stated it as the reason you though that Darla was turned in the 1500s. As if they were no longer the colonies in the 1600s.
❤🧡💛💚💙💜
@@becca1189 The OP edited the post. It originally said 1300s for Darla. I can see you thought my comment was wrong.
William is one hell of a scaffold to build a vampire around. He peeps through at the end.
Top ten episode.
Another great episode. The backstory is awesome and the insight into spike is too. Gotta love this one.
59 pages left in the book of Buffy and this episode has been a favorite of mine since the show first aired. A wonderful / raw reaction from Juliette reminds us why this show and her company are special. Thank you Jules.❤
Thank YOU 💜💜
Holly crap that was sooo good! We definatly need more episodes with Spike and Buffinator, the acting was sooo good!! For Spike at the end comforting Buff instead of shooting her is a great moment for his character development, hopefully not the last once the boyfriend finds out he tried to kiss Buffy🤣😂Thanks so much Juliette! 🥰Loved this episode!!
Texman! I loved this episode, too! It was SO well done and gave us such delicious backstory. What a treat! Hope you've had a lovely weekend 😊💜
"Here endeth the lesson" callback to the Master.
The Master sired Darla, Darla sired Angelus. Angelus tortured and sired Druscilla, Dru sired Spike
Yep! One big happy family!
Top 5 episode of the series, and the best Spike-centric episode of all.
Omg it’s fool for love! Yay!!
This was a great one.
I do love Riley going out with Willow, Xander and Anya.
More of Spikes Origin story.
Yes is that an old timey watcher? Uhhh it's Spike.
Yes that was what they said in the old "School Hard" episode in season... Two? Angel was Spike's Sire. They changed the origin story in this episode.
Oh I forgot. They included the chaos demon that drussilla left spike for. "They are disgusting, all slime and antlers. She just did it to hurt me."
Poor Spike, he has it bad.
Such a great episode. Love the flash backs to the slayer kills. Transitions are on point! For confirmation Darla sired Angel, Angel sired Dru and Dru sired Spike.
A fantastic episode rather important for the series going forward. Yes Spike did say Angelus sired him. Later fans said you can refer to your sires sire as your sire but it's pretty clear this is just a retcon as they rewrote his origin. I've had sick relatives like this and this storyline does a great job of capturing those feelings and the stress of the situation.
Yeah the whole question of who sired Spike, he did tell Angel in Season 2 "You were my Sire, man, you were my Yoda!". My guess is 1) He meant it metaphorically since Angel taught him so much (hence the "Yoda" part), and 2) The writers retconned it since it's more interesting for Dru to be the one who tuned Spike 😁
The whole "sire" thing was definitely a ret-con. I think the justification is that Angel was his "grand-sire" for lack of a better term (because he sired Dru). But, yeah, you're not wrong to clock the inconsistency.
That was a great reaction, especially towards the end! There's a reason you're still my favorite reactor. You don't get sidetracked, you experience everything intensely, you're super focused on the episode at hand and nothing else, and you let the fictional world completely immerse you in the moment as if it were real. This is exactly what I'm looking for in a reactor! You're awesome! :) Also, Angel is Spike's grand sire. Because Angel sired Dru, Spike is in the same family line, so everyone within that same vampire family can be referred to as Spike's sire. That's essentially how they talk.
When Spike starts being obsessed with Slayers, he has nothing to lose. He's powerful, and he gets lucky, but part of it is that it didnt matter if he won or lost. When he kills the second Slayer, he has somrthing almost no other vampire ever has - experience of killing one before.
So he is a pretty even match for a Slayer... And he only has to win once.
When I saw Spike killing that slayer in 1977 I wondered if that caused Buffy to be born, since 1977 is the year Sarah Michelle Gellar was born (and me too). I was wrong though, Buffy was born '81 and, apparently, there were a good few more slayers between those two!
That's not a bad theory! I would love it if they'd changed the lore a bit to make that work, with Spike killing a slayer in 1980-ish!
@@julesreacts 🙂
Absolutely epic episode! One of the best of the entire show.
Hey ^^ so sad to see you sad, but I understand that episode always makes me sad and emotional
As we learn more and more about this specific line of vampires (Darla thru Spike), I'm convinced that fate or The Powers or whatever have picked them out for some reason. They aren't like the other vampires we see, and their (un)lives are very different.
Thank you 🥰
And belatedly... [HUG HUGS]... [PASSES THE TISSUES]
loved your reaction.. keep'em coming!!
Thank you!!
The ending tears me up. When I was 6 my mom went into the hospital and I never saw her again. Angel sired Drew and she intern sired Spike so in a sense he sired Spike.
Oh I'm so sorry.... I can't imagine how terrible that would have been for you at such a young age 😔
This is my favorite episode of the entire series. I didn't even realize you were up to it! I'm excited to watch this.
I never really understood why Spike didn't drink from the second slayer he killed.
One of the show's stand-out episodes IMO, filling in Spike's backstory and returning to the idea raised earlier in the season about what it is to be a Slayer. And such a powerful final scene. What Spike says about her ties to the world is astute too (Buffy, after all, would've died at the end of S1 if not for her friends being involved in her "work", it's one of the things that sets her apart).
And yep, every Slayer has the classic "defender's disadvantage" - they have to be perfect every single time whereas the vampires, demons etc. just need to get lucky once.
According to Joss Whedon, “your sire can mean anybody in the line that made you.” So it was meant more as “senior” or “mentor”
In Buffy Lore - a Sire refers to their line So as Angel made Drusilla - he “made” Spike as well - in season s2 (school hard) in Spikes 1st episode - he called Angel his Sire
Your memory is spot on. When we first see Spike in "School Hard" and he encounters Angel he does say "You were my sire, man!". But at that time Spike and Dru were only meant to be in a couple of episodes and the more elaborate and tied together backstories for those characters hadn't been fleshed out yet. When exactly Joss and the writers chose to change things is unknown, Angel has mentioned he was Dru's sire already after all, but this is the first mention that Dru sired Spike.
Such a great episode. Can't wait for Monday to see how you reacted to the second half of what was billed as a major two night Buffy and Angel event.
I can understand that for sure! It's interesting that Spike is still around as I've heard that he was never meant to be. Guess the fans got what they wanted haha 😅
@@julesreacts Oh yeah, he was definitely only supposed to be a one-season villain. Joss's intention was for Angel to be the only vampire with any trace of actual goodness, due to his unique soul-having status. Joss was *not* happy when told by higher ups that he had to use Spike more, and James reports that Joss yelled into his face: "You're dead, y'hear me! Dead!".
Well, since James wasn't found floating in a river the next day, perhaps what Joss meant by that was: "The character you're playing is supposed to be dead! Stop making him seem so *alive*!"... But it's the earliest instance I've heard of Joss's now notorious bullying streak. =:o1
The last scene reminded me a little of Darth Vader saving Luke.
Great reaction! I wasn’t mature enough to appreciate this season way back when
It's going to be an awesome Buffy Friday today watching with my
new glasses on, yeah more of Spike and finally we see Spikes origin
before he became a vampire and I hope you have a wonderful
weekend my friend Juliette.🇦🇺🤓👋🇦🇺
This is such a beautiful, brilliant, incredible episode - definitely in the top ten of the entire show, possibly the top five even. Just... sublime! One of the best aspects of this show is all of the lore and backstory around its vampire characters and this episode does a great job of fleshing their history out, especially Spike's. No doubt you've already seen the Angel episode that pairs with this to create a beautiful image of the fang gang's history. On top of that, it's great to get some more insight into the Slayer lineage, sticking with one of this season's themes, and there are seeds planted in this episode that will pay off down the track.
It's also a sobering reminder that, just like a real world cop, Buffy is just one bad day away from being killed. Most Slayers don't go out fighting a Big Bad, it can just be a regular old vamp who gets lucky. We're so used to seeing Buffy dusting vamps in the cemetery that we, and she, forget the danger she's in. There's a reason why Giles has always been so strict about her training and I think both Buffy and the audience needed to be reminded of that.
Excellent memory Jules, Spike did call Angel his sire way back in his first episode, but the writers clearly decided to retcon that at some point, and I'm glad they did, because I think it works better for Dru to be his sire, with Angelus as his grandsire.
I've always LOVED Spike/William's history as a failed poet, because I think it makes perfect sense for Spike's personality. He's always been a very passionate man, with a very poetic soul. Think about his relationship with Dru, or how he waxed poetic about love in Season Three ("Love's not brains children, it's blood..."). Despite no longer having a soul, he's always been very passionate and it even comes across in how his hatred towards Buffy has shifted towards desire - they're just opposite ends of the passionate spectrum and he confuses them. Oh and I believer there's a comic where the newly vamped Spike does indeed kill that guy with a railroad spike.
That final scene is beautiful, I mean, what better way to explore what I just mentioned. He goes from being intent on killing Buffy, to consoling her because his feelings are in an transitional phase and he's still figuring them out. The Buffy/Spike dynamic certainly does get interesting in this season, and regardless of whether you 'ship' them or not, I think it's just fascinating to explore. As for poor Joyce, there's something sobering about real-world dangers suddenly being present in a world typically populated by more fantastical threats. Those buggers really know how to make us squirm, don't they?
I adored this episode. Getting to see Spike's origin story was SUCH a treat and so unexpected. Absolutely awesome! But the ending.... MY GOODNESS. They love to break our heart time and time again, don't they 😥
Enjoy the rest of your weekend, Ashley 💜
"My day is about to get even better ... why am I so sad". Welcome to Buffy.
😭😭😭
Your reactions are the highlights of my.week.
The ducklings and alpacas are also stunned into silence over.Joyce. they dont.want.to talk. They don't know what to think. And then the whole.dawn thing.
Have.a.wonderful day
Cat 💜 Nawww those little duckies and alpacas... give them an extra big cuddle for me 🥰 the deserve it. And maybe some ice cream too.
I hope you had a lovely weekend!
I would love to see a spin-off prequel featuring the New York slayer in the 70's.
In the episode "School Hard" Spike claims that Angel was his sire. But I guess because it's only a work of fiction where things can easily be changed, the writers decided making Drusilla Spike's sire allowed for better storytelling possibilities
I've been waiting for this one because I knew you would immediately love it.
It's honestly SO good!
The thing about this episode is that if the material is good, James Marsters will deliver a solid performance every time.
Buffy did not push Spike away at the end…
The sire thing is a plot hole easily dismissed because Angel is his sire's sire and his mentor from the moment he turned.
I had a delivery to the Buffy set for Angel's first scene. I had scripts for David and Julie. Some guy starts talking to me. I'm jyst nodding and saying, "uh huh." Then he asks if I'm coming to his show on Saturday. Click. I absolutely did not recognize James with the brown hair. He woukd play solo acoustic shows at a club in Santa Monica. I got to know him from going to those shows.
I have more to say but have to wait.
Oh that's just too funny 🤣 he looks completely different without his blondie bear 'do!
Gods, my Aussie mate, you never fail to show your heart and it's such a wonderful thing in the sea of fakery that we swim in on the Net.
Thank you 💜💜 that is such a wonderful thing to read. I really appreciate it! There's SO much fakery online, it's hard to know what's real and what isn't 😔
I was dreading this episode because i knew you would cry and rhat always breaks my hwart lol gteat video lovely
6:48 - You are not mistaken. In School Hard Spike says "You were my sire, my Yoda" (paraphrased). This is a retcon that can be reasoned away with the fact Angel is at least his grandsire, and Dru was insane so the mentoring was likely handled by Angela and Darla.
I remember there was one episode a while ago where you suggested, Buffy and Spike could be a couple. I don't know which one though. I made a comment back then like "That would never happen" . 😅
I think, it's interesting that they actually wrote a plot about that so much later.
yeah i think it's a little plot hole. in school hard spike said something like "you were my sire man, you were my yoda" to angel.
It is. I remember rationalizing as that Angel is the sire of his sire. He’s his grand sire lol
@@Patriciobuenisimo85thats how the series went about it later on. Siring becomes a familial thing. Again it was not intended that way but the series retcons it that way, so in a way both Angel and The Master are also Spike’s sire as well (the comics go into details about these sire lines).
The key is that Angelius was his Yoda… his teacher on being a vampire. Sire can also refer to lineage.
It's a retcon.
It's not a plot hole when it's recognized, confronted and explained in the writing.
The hole has been plugged.
That's what she said. 😅
And it’s a pretty seamless retcon as retcons go.
Explains Spike’s utter devotion to Drusilla, who as off kilter as she is, would have provided little practical sire mentorship; leaving Spike to look to Angel for that role.