Is Giles...a Bad Watcher? "Revelations" REACTION | Buffy The Vampire Slayer 3x7 (Commentary)
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- Опубліковано 11 жов 2024
- An unexpected revelation as the Scoobies come under fire from somewhere wholly unexpected. My review.
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Giles is a terrible watcher, he cares for his Slayer and wants her to live. The watchers in general view the slayers as weapons and expendable and dont view them as people. So Giles is a terrible watcher and that is what makes him the best.
Angel is teaching Buffy Tai Chi. It's an ancient Chinese martial art that's practiced slowly and focuses on the flow between mind, body and breath.
She did similar work when she was trying to connect with The First. It grew her powers.
I think the key thing to pick up on with Faith is how eroded her trust is from past relationships already. So for her it’s a big deal she has a friendship with Buffy and a big deal Buffy lied to her. She tried to play it cool but she was hurt when Buffy didn’t want to swap stories about Angel. She was more annoyed by Scott dumping Buffy than Buffy was.
I think it’s fair to say this is the most important relationship she has in her life at the moment and so it would really hurt to know Buffy has a lot more important people to her than Faith. We hear these little hints of Faith’s past-dead Mom, dead watcher, boyfriends that weren’t great, no dad or friends to speak of-in these throw away lines, and it’s almost like we’re experiencing it from Buffy and Giles perspective, where they kind of know she’s had it rough but they’re not focusing on it. I love my Giles, but he’s acting like he isn’t Faith’s watcher, even though he is temporarily in charge of them both. I don’t think he’d let Buffy stay in some dingy motel, isolated by herself hungry for food. She’s only some age between 15-18 based on typical slayer lore.
Note also the watcher council haven’t given Faith any money to help her live but do pay the watchers… love that
The show also doesn't really highlight it, maybe to avoid ratings issues, but in her introduction it's described briefly how she was forced to watch her watcher be murdered.. and possibly assaulted as well given the language used.. with the belief she was next and she only escaped last minute. She's been living with severe PTSD and survivors guilt thats made self loathing a major character motivator this whole time but the show leaves it up to the audience to really put that together since there is no character that can just exposit on it.
That's an interesting point. I actually think if it was Buffy who came with trauma, it might have turned out the same. The only reason for her friendship with Willow and Xander is because she is in high school with them. If Buffy wasn't on the premises as much and did disappearing acts like Faith does, maybe they wouldn't have been as close? He wasn't a fan of Buffy's attitude and methods at the beginning, so I could see that conflict widening if she wasn't at school. Faith didn't really like the rules side of slaying, and didn't want to go to school, so I understand how difficult it would be for Giles to build any kind of relationship with Faith, and Buffy if she was in Faith's place.
He wont read your comment
This episode might be a good time to reveal that Eliza Dushku, who played Faith, has confirmed that she believed that Faith was bisexual and into Buffy, and Joss supported that portrayal. In the time period what they could do with that was limited (attempts to explore it were actively blocked at times). But from the homecoming episode onward I'd definitely say you can see it in Faith's character and it helps to explain some of her choices and makes her even more interesting.
0:55 “try it out” hahahaha, ONE OF US! ONE OF US!
Not Jarvis responding 😱. The real horror story has been developing right under our noses.
Jarvis is my friend
I love the fact that at the end of this episode, everything isn't okay. We previously saw in the undead party episode that the Scoobies used a fight against evil as a crutch to move past grievances, but that isn't always going to work. Just because you can put everything aside to work together doesn't mean things are good, and Faith shows us that at the end.
Something I love about this show is how it might seem like everything is forgotten because they've beaten the bad guy and the episode is over, but those deeper issues always come back
“What are we achieving?” 😂 you had me dying through the whole tai-chi scene
LMAO! Such a meme!
Buffy's outfit, with the cutesy pink and a hat that says "bomb", very Barbenheimer of her.
The jam session during credits NEVER gets old 😂
Willow is absolutely only being kind to Buffy so she will go easy on her when her secret comes out. As sweet as Willow is, she can be very manipulative!
Yeah, Willow is such a great character but you’re right. Even a lot of fans are manipulated by how adorable and sweet she is, but she can be very selfish.
This is why the character is realistic and make mistakes but especially this season. But i think Buffy is the less manipulative among all the characters even if she can make mistakes
I think that's partially the reason, but I do think Willow's also doing it to try and process her own feelings of guilt and self-judgement. She using those conversations as a way to try and excuse her actions to *herself* - and also to try and better understand why she's acted the way she did. Still definitely a self-centered motivation in that regard, but not necessarily a manipulative one.
Its part of what makes willow and most buffy characters so good. They are all very realistic flawed people
Yeah, she is very calculated.
The Angel Tai Chi scenes always make me laugh, glad I'm not the only one. It's just how he does it, not Tai Chi itself. I can't take him seriously, and like you said, him doing it shirtless just seems like fan service 😂
Ms. Post was really well written to pull the wool over everyone's eyes, including ours!
Gwendolyn was just using Faith like she has been before . Dang it
Your thoughts and insights are always interesting and intriguing. If you have not noticed, the seventh episode of a Season is important to the overall plot lines and the philosophical questions of the story. You touched a few episodes earlier of the duality of Buffy/ Faith. This episode puts their intersections, differences, similarities, and moral values on display. Spike made a crucial statement that is easily overlooked in School Hard. After losing his first battle with Buffy he exclaims angrily, why didn’t anyone tell him that there was a Slayer with family and friends? Spike would only say this if having alliances was foreign for a Slayer. We encountered Kendra and now have Faith. Both are loners with no family, friends, or life skills other than being a Slayer.
This episode shows the loneliness of an isolated Slayer, Faith/ Slayer with a team , and the inner differences of ethical values between Buffy and Faith. This is the subtle but profound difference that is being explored in this episode and will be at the center of Buffy and her choices. The outward similarities of the 2 Slayers will always be evident. The audience wants to quickly find excuses for Faith acting badly or being violent. It’s easy and we like to say Buffy is different because of her environment. It’s time to examine Buffy’s environment not outwardly but on the values, morals, and ethical training Buffy received .
We know little about Buffy’s useless Father now except Buffy loves and wants his love. The Father has abandoned Buffy, told Joyce that Buffy is a problem and causing marital issues, and when he had a summer with Buffy… he was useless and could not recognize his daughter was hurting. Nothing shows any parental guidance, connection,or understanding. Nothing is shown , inferred, or mentioned that he taught ethical values or moral clarity to his only child.
Joyce from the beginning that she is pleasent and nice but is not much of a teacher or guide to her daughter. Band Candy showed the natural nature of the teen girl that was Joyce.We heard several times that Joyce was getting her parenting from popular self parenting books. Her sex talk with Buffy in Passion was pathetic.
Revelations is an interesting episode as we get the gang finding out Angel is still alive, and Willow and Xander contemplating an affair. It of course suits Xander to have Angel dead because even though he has Cordelia, and now nearly Willow, he is still madly jealous of Angel and Buffy, and would drop both of those in an instant if Buffy wanted him. Great foreshadowing here again with Buffy and Faith. One thing about this show in particular is we have another English Baddie in Gwendolyn Post, along with Ethan Rayne, Drusilla and Spike etc. Faith referring to her as Mary Poppins was very funny. Another really good episode in S3 of which the quality of show improves leaps and bounds in a very near flawless Season.
What you may be forgetting is that Angelus was seconds away from killing Xander last season in BBB so it is very personal for Xander
I really feel for Faith in this episode. By the end, it seems like a huge rift has opened up between her and Buffy. From the moment Faith asks about Angel and Buffy's walls come up, they spend the rest of the episode separated and suffering. Buffy has an intervention, Faith gets wounded in her fight with Lagos, and the next time they interact directly is their fight. If there is anyone in the world who could understand Buffy's position without judgment or personal biases attached, it would be Faith ( and vice versa). Unfortunately, the only one talking to her about anything concerning Angel is Xander; and he definitely hasn't told her everything. I don't think she even knows about Kendra.
Faith knows about Kendra. It's why she was called. And Cordy detailed the succession when they were all sitting in the Bronze in "Faith, Hope and Trick."
"are you the new watcher, dont like you." You are all of
us.
Xander would not care. Absolutely.
Ans also, yet another gang piles on Buffy episode. I get Giles' anger 100%, he was tortured but the whole thing was lead by Xander's hate of Angel. Hated him on sight.
"Give him a happy". No one knows better than Buffy how their relationship ended and the fact that her first love is impossible.
I like the shades!
I agree that Gwendolyn Post was an interesting villain. I wouldn't have minded seeing her stick around awhile as a foil for the gang, sort of an Anti-Giles to go up against, might have been fun.
Always enjoy your thoughts and analysis.
When you meet Xander’s family, you’ll understand him a bit better.
I am very excited for the next episode 😭
It reminds me of Kendra’s strict watcher. Not evil like Post, but not as successful as Giles’ methods and flexibility
I think this episode is key to highlight what kind of place Buffy and Faith are both individually and in their relationship between each other. This will inform a lot of what's coming for the rest of the season. One of my favourites, as frustrating as it is.
RE: Angel can never have a relationship for fear of being happy, I do wonder if knowing about the catch would stop "perfect happiness" from occurring regardless. It would be a big risk to take, so understandable that it's not a good idea, but I still wonder.
There are, of course, structural factors that impact episodes of US TV (or ITV for that matter). Buffy filled a time slot that was 42 minutes in length. This meant that if a filmed script went long it had to be trimmed. Hence decisions about what was significant and essential to a story and what was not had to be made.
I needed this today. As always, thank you for your commentary and the energy you bring to your vids. It's much appreciated on "this side of the pond".
Glad you’re noticing some of the growth Xander is showing. He can be annoying but despite how old the actor looks, he is still a kid. He does grow and mature. And while he’ll never be flawless, none of the characters are.
Also his parents…No question where he got the instinct to leap on someone’s deepest insecurity to hurt them.
I always find it weird that the gang is fine with Faith living in that fleabag motel by herself. Surely they could have helped her out getting better accommodation by now, or one of them housing her.
No. Buffy is unusual slayer, and she also had smart and talented friends. Like Giles later correctly says, "I trained her to win".
Really interesting how they wrote Faith, the season is really great and awesome start to the next season
great reaction!!
Concerning the title of the video, I'd say yes. Just in how he treats Faith and Buffy when he is both their watchers (whether Wesley is around or not or wether Guiles works for The Council or not) Giles plays favorites with Buffy.
Considering Faith's past, it is huge that she had a friendship with Buffy. Xander attempting to use Faith as an assassin to kill Angel, - whether it was Faith's idea or not - means little in terms of Xander not correcting her misconception as he asked, "Can I come?" (watch you kill him). Only after Giles is knocked out does he acknowledge his wrong ) which Willow and Buffy also chastise him for). He should have tried to correct Faith's misconceptions when he had the chance as it is too late once Giles is unconscious and Faith sees it as confirmation of what she needs to do. Buffy is forced to step in the middle of Faith and Angel which Faith sees as a betrayal of friendship due to her past.And because Xander and Willow cut friendship ties with Faith once they fixed their issues with Buffy running away, Faith now feels she has no friends and no one she can trust despite the fact that she can actually trust Buffy, but Xander has created a situation that's made her feel otherwise. So the end scene is Faith emotionally distancing herself from everybody.
Willow is definitely only being kind because she knows she's in the same boat with Xander. We know she's would be harder on Buffy if she had no secret to worry about. It would still come off better than people like Xander, but she wasn't happy with finding out Buffy didn't tell her about Angel xoming back.
Concerning Faith not being a part of the friend group, its interesting how many people in the group are in the situation of being a part of the group without being a real part of the group. I see it as Buffy, Xander, Willow, and Giles are the group and everyone else is there because of one of them and could easily no longer be a part of it: Faith, Angel, Cordelia, Jenny Calendar, Wesley, and Oz.
Boreanez had a reputation for wanting to be as naked as possible on set. So he was always finding ways to at least be shirtless.
This review was HILARIOUS and engaging. Thanks!
Oh and I do wish Post had been around for at least one more episode.
You may or may not be aware, but something that might help when looking at the Scoobies. As well a being her friends each represents a facet of Buffy herself, mind heart and spirit. Guess which one Xander is.
I can’t remember if they do this again, but it’s not yoga. It’s more likely tai chi.
It's episodes like this that cement Xander's classification as a total asshat.
100% right on each Slayer being different and needing different styles of instruction. Don't forget about Kendra; what worked for any of the the three likely wouldn't work with any other and each had very different upbringings, pre and post Slayer awakening.
If Xander says 2+2=4, it's probably because he's mad that Buffy doesn't love him, not that it's true. Xander wanted to kill Angel ever since season 1, before Angelus was even a thing.
Although, it was actually really big of Buffy to try to make Amends with Faith after SHE tried to kill her boyfriend (and I think this could be a an even bigger discussion), for the first time rewatching this episode I stsrted to imagine how differently things could have gone if it was Giles and not Buffy to check up on Faith. Giles has shown himself to be quite insightful when it comes to Buffy and he is suppose to be the watcher/guardian of sorta for both Slayers until a proper Watcher shows up but we don't see him really making the same effort with her and she has had far less guidance overall when it comes to slaying. She's had less guidance and less experience, and never trains with h independantly like Buffy does which quite frankly is kinda reckless for her sake.
Angel doing yoga?!? Nope, that's Tai Chi. Or at least it's supposed to be.
Tai Chi:
noun
1.
a Chinese martial art and system of calisthenics, consisting of sequences of very slow controlled movements.
2.
(in Chinese philosophy) the ultimate source and limit of reality, from which spring yin and yang and all of creation.
Xander: always the worst.
Honestly, I blame Buffy at the end. She should have invited Faith home.
Loved Mrs. Post, she fooled me too! Great actress!
Something that is not talked about re the Xander-Cordelia relationship. Xander is obsessed with sex, and it’s canon that Cordelia is sexually aggressive. Have they even had sex? (NO SPOILERS) Bc whether they have leaves a lot open as to each other’s motivations, and potential baggage that they both may have brought into their relationship. (I do realize there were a lot of people in Secondary School who were dating but not sexually active. But there’s something puzzling about these two, since their personae from the first season are directly tied to sexuality.)
How exactly is it "canon that Cordelia is sexually aggressive"? All we have seen is her dating several different guys, all for very short periods of time, and then getting involved with Xander , with whom we have seen nothing more than some heavy makeout sessions. For all we know, he earlier relationships might have not lasted longer because she wasn't willing or ready to get as physical as they had all washed or expected. And we know enough about Xander to say that he did NOT have a lot of experience with woman before Cordelia, that IS canon, he is definitely not someone I would expect to push the issue or even take the initiative on his own to propose they take their relationship to that level.
Your thoughts and insights are always interesting and intriguing. If you have not noticed, the seventh episode of a Season is important to the overall plot lines and the philosophical questions of the story. You touched a few episodes earlier of the duality of Buffy/ Faith. This episode puts their intersections, differences, similarities, and moral values on display. Spike made a crucial statement that is easily overlooked in School Hard. After losing his first battle with Buffy he exclaims angrily, why didn’t anyone tell him that there was a Slayer with family and friends? Spike would only say this if having alliances was foreign for a Slayer. We encountered Kendra and now have Faith. Both are loners with no family, friends, or life skills other than being a Slayer.
This episode shows the loneliness of an isolated Slayer, Faith/ Slayer with a team , and the inner differences of ethical values between Buffy and Faith. This is the subtle but profound difference that is being explored in this episode and will be at the center of Buffy and her choices. The outward similarities of the 2 Slayers will always be evident. The audience wants to quickly find excuses for Faith acting badly or being violent. It’s easy and we like to say Buffy is different because of her environment. It’s time to examine Buffy’s environment not outwardly but on the values, morals, and ethical training Buffy received .
We know little about Buffy’s useless Father now except Buffy loves and wants his love. The Father has abandoned Buffy, told Joyce that Buffy is a problem and causing marital issues, and when he had a summer with Buffy… he was useless and could not recognize his daughter was hurting. Nothing shows any parental guidance, connection,or understanding. Nothing is shown , inferred, or mentioned that he taught ethical values or moral clarity to his only child.
Joyce from the beginning showed that she may be nice but is not much of a teacher or guide to her daughter. Band Candy showed the natural nature of the teen girl that was Joyce.We heard several times that Joyce was getting her parenting from popular self parenting books. Her sex talk with Buffy in Passion was pathetic. Joyce had a chance to display making the difficult but morally right choice in Ted. Instead she showed Buffy that telling a lie was the right course. We love Joyce because Buffy does but so far Joyce has shown herself to be morally selfish and being more of a friend than parent.
Now the examination of Buffy/Spike can be explored on the fields of not just life interactions but in having moral integrity or the placing of selfish desire over others. Just like Lie To Me set the ethical questions in Season 2, this episode places the question of maturity of choice versus the wants of the individual. Growing up versus growing older.