"Becoming Pt. 2" [2x22] Review by Mikelangelo "MikeJer" Marinaro Posted by MikeJer on November 2, 2005 Writer: Joss WhedonDirector: Joss Whedon  Quick Links Spoiler Warning! This is a retrospective review and may contain spoilers from anywhere in the series. Read at your own peril. Review This is my favorite episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Since BtVS is my favorite television show, that means that this episode represents my favorite television episode of all time. While many other episodes in this series come close, none other can evoke the same range of polar opposite emotions from me. In one moment I'm literally rolling on the floor, uncontrollably laughing, while in another I'm literally crying (and I don't cry when watching film). In addition to the awesome range of emotions brought out in me, there is perfect pacing, perfect music, and one memorable scene after another nonstop from the beginning of the episode until the credits roll. This episode is utterly perfect and represents the pinnacle of episodic television. The entire season built up to this point and the payoff is beyond comparison. So without further generalized praise from me, lets get started with the review! It begins right where part one left off, with Buffy being arrested for suspected murder. Buffy knows she doesn't have time to deal with the cops so she throws one of them on the ground and flees the scene nearly being shot in the head in the process by another cop. She ends up at the hostipal to see how everyone is. The scene in Willow's hospital room shows just how far Cordelia has come this year. She went from resident bitch in S1 to slightly caring bitch in S2. Now at the end of the season she is showing genuine concern and care for both Xander and Willow. This kind of slow and natural character development is truly rare on television, but this series has it in spades as exemplified by Cordelia here. As much as most of the characters have evolved in this season, the focus here is squarely on Buffy. Whistler says to her, "In the end, you're always by yourself. You're all you've got. That's the point." This is a truly complicated statement. To some extent, Buffy will always be cut off from others because she is the Slayer. She explains this to Xander again during "Selfless" (7x05). But at the same time Buffy does have friends which make a tremendous difference in helping to keep her rooted in this world. This is something that gives her strength and makes her a unique Slayer, made evident by Spike in "Fool for Love" (5x07). Buffy may very well be always alone dealing with Slayer duties, but when it comes to her raw emotions and sharing them with others she will never be alone because of her existing and created family. This is why when faced with her boyfriend leaving her, her mother dying, and having to sacrifice her sister, Buffy admits she simply cannot comprehend 'life' anymore. She can't believe she's being ask to sacrifice her own sister after everything she's been through. So instead she sacrifices herself to save her sister in "The Gift" (5x22). When Buffy's emotional support buckles she becomes useless and that death wish Spike says all Slayers have creeps to the surface. The Whistler talk leads directly to the Spike scene by the police car. It actually makes a ton of sense for Spike to help Buffy after what Angelus has put him through. Spike is not only hilarious here, but also offers up more insight into his character. A lot of people complain that in "Innocence" (2x14) he wanted to destroy the world but now he is interestingly defending it. Well, when Spike's immobilized, unhappy, and downing bottles of alcohol, he'll do anything to make himself feel better. In "Doomed" (4x11) he tries to stake himself because he's so unhappy about not being able to kill things anymore. I pretty much figure in "Innocence" (2x14) he was so unhappy he took the risk of bringing The Judge back just to see some killing. I'm sure he wouldn't have let The Judge extinguish everything. Spike tells Buffy, "'I want to destroy the world.' That's just tough guy talk." While on the subject of the awesome Spike I'll mention how much I love the back and forth glances between Spike and Buffy as they walk up to her house. Boy it's refreshing to see him out and about again. Buffy explains Spike's presence to her mom by saying, "I'm in a rock band with Spike here." This is a hilarious scene where Joyce also finally finds out Buffy is the Slayer, for real. When they get inside Buffy calls Willow to make sure everyone's okay. While she's on the phone there's a literal "rolling on the floor laughing" moment: Spike and Joyce spending extended quiet time in the living room together. Unfortunately (in some respect) all the fun quickly ends when Joyce demands Buffy stops running out and gives her some answers. This ignites a very powerful scene between Buffy and her mother in the kitchen. Joyce grabs on tight and tells her, "Buffy, you need help!" This reminds me of "Normal Again" (6x17). We discover there that Buffy had been instiutialized in a mental hospital for a couple weeks right after she became the Slayer. Only after she stopped talking about vampires did the doctors release her. Because of this background, Joyce's ultimatum "if you walk out that door don't even think about coming back!" is extremely realistic. The scene really hits the authentic cord for me, though, because my mother has given me that same ultimatum a couple times before in my youth! The desparate ultimatum by Joyce of course backfires and Buffy leaves home. So she just got kicked out of her own home by her mom and now she's got to save the world as thanks for it. First she needs the sword Kendra brought so she stops by the library to pick it up. This is when Principal Snyder uses his first truly golden opportunity to expel Buffy. It is truly gut-wrenching to see poor Buffy being expelled from school right after being kicked out of her home. I feel so sad and sympathetic for her right here. Amazingly, her pain is about to be amplified several times more. At this point it would appear Buffy has lost everything: her home, her school, and her friends (in the sense of they can't help her at all). She heads back to Giles' apartment to get the scoop on how to use the sword from Whistler, who points out that she still has one thing left to lose: herself. This brings me to another complaint other people have. It's said that she only needs Angel's 'blood' to close the vortex. However, Whistler says, "one blow will send the both back to hell." It's obvious that the writers intended Angel needing to go to hell with Acathla in order to close the portal. This ambiguity doesn't bother me in the slightest because I clearly know what was intended. So Buffy's heading in for the final showdown when Xander comes out of the woods to relay a message from Willow. He was supposed to tell her Willow is trying to curse Angel again, but instead he directly lies to her and says Willow said, "kick his ass." This lie comes out into the open in "Selfless" (7x05) in a big way. It's interesting to ponder whether he helped Buffy with that lie or ended up damaging her. There are many opinions on the matter but I tend to lean on the side that the lie hurt her. It can be argued that he lied for her own good so that she wouldn't be emotionally distracted and wind up jeopordizing the world. I don't buy that at all because I know Xander's character. He's hated Angel from the moment he first saw him and hates him even more now. Xander doesn't want Angel to get his soul back, he wants him gone. I see Xander's lie as a selfish move and one that ended up probably causing Buffy an entire summer of grief. If you don't buy my argument, just take a look at how eager Xander is to kill a soulful Angel with Faith in "Revelations" (3x07). The final confrontation and swordfight between Buffy and Angelus is extremely entertaining, incredibly well done, completely believable, and incredibly personal. Angelus gets the upper hand and has Buffy defenseless in a corner where he tells her, "Now that's everything, huh? No weapons... No friends... No hope. Take all that away... and what's left?" Buffy's inner strength finally shows up and she sternly answers Angelus with, "ME." She fantastically stops the sword between her palms, gets back up, and begins to lay the hurt on Angelus until he's without any weapons, beat up, and ready to be sent to hell. Willow's spell succeeds in a knick of time, though, and Angel's soul is restored... ...and they live happily ever after...no wait, we're watching a Joss Whedon show where happy endings don't happen. Instead of getting your typical happy ending that every other show has, BtVS decides to go in a completely new direction. This leads to the most beautiful acting I've ever seen, done by the wonderful Sarah Michelle Gellar. You can feel the massive sense of relief in her when she initially realizes Angel is back. This makes it really painful when you see her relief and joy quickly transform into shock and grief as she realizes she must stab Angel, her true love, into the demon (banishing him to eternal hell) in order to close the vortex and save the world. She tells him to close his eyes, kisses him one last time (with utter devastation on her face), then stabs him onto the demon. The moment right after the vortex is closed is the most tear-inducing thing I've ever witnessed on film. Her slow dissolve into absolute grief, pain, and sorrow puts me in tears every single time I see it alone. From her point of view she has lost everything. She's been kicked out of her home, expelled from school, and got Angel back only to have to immediately kill him to save the world. None of her friends could possibly understand the pain she's going through so she understably decides to leave town for good. The song "Full of Grace" is perfect for the ending sequence where Buffy watches her friends from a distance and takes a bus out of Sunnydale. Xander seems cocky in this ending and that makes me loathe him. He's the one character on this show who, most of the time, I love to hate. I dislike most of his decisions but love what he adds to the show. Now that's what I call entertainment! There could not have been a more satisfying conclusion to this season. Kudos to everyone involved and especially to Joss Whedon for crafting his tightest script to date. This is television at its finest and is something to be treasured. I see this episode as going down in history as a new age classic of the love story gone sour. Buffy has officially taken her first big step towards adulthood and won't be looking back! Minor Pros/Cons (+/-)
Foreshadowing
Quotes BUFFY:I have had a really bad day, okay? If you have information worth hearing, then I am grateful for it. If you're gonna crack jokes, then I'm gonna pull out your ribcage and wear it as a hat.SPIKE:We like to talk big. Vampires do. 'I'm going to destroy the world.' That's just tough guy talk. Strutting around with your friends over a pint of blood. The truth is, I like this world. You've got... dog racing, Manchester United. And you've got people. Billions of people walking around like Happy Meals with legs. It's all right here. BUFFY:The whole earth may be sucked into hell, and you want my help 'cause your girlfriend's a big ho? Well, let me take this opportunity to not care. WILLOW:(weakly, eyes still closed) My head... feels big. Is it big? OZ:No. It's head size. JOYCE:Buffy, terrible things have happened. What were you doing? SPIKE:What, your mum doesn't know? JOYCE:(to Spike) Know what? BUFFY:That I'm, uh... in a band. A-a rock band with Spike here. SPIKE:Right. She plays the, the triangle. BUFFY:Drums. SPIKE:Drums, yeah. She's, uh, hell on the old skins, you know. JOYCE:(unconvinced) Hmm. And, uh, what do you do? SPIKE:Well, I sing. JOYCE:Have we met? SPIKE:Um... you hit me with an ax one time. Remember? (makes an ax-holding gesture) Uh, 'get the hell away from my daughter.' JOYCE:Oh. So, do you, uh, live here in town? JOYCE:Honey, a-are you sure you're a Vampire Slayer? I-I mean, have you tried not being a Slayer? WILLOW:There's no use arguing with me. Do you see my resolve face? You've seen it before. You know what it means. BUFFY:You know I didn't do it. The police will figure it out. SNYDER:In case you haven't noticed, the police of Sunnydale are deeply stupid. XANDER:Cavalry's here. Cavalry's a frightened guy with a rock, but it's here. GILES:You're not real. XANDER:Sure, I'm real. GILES:It's a trick. They get inside my head, make me see things I want. XANDER:Then why would they make you see me? GILES:(considers) You're right. Let's go.
Screencaps
Comments (91) All Comments | Link2 | KyarorinAug 29, 2006 Yep, it's one of the best episodes. I don't know if I'd consider it my favourite, but it's pretty close. Either way though, I noticed something in this episode that bugged me a lot and you actually didn't mention it, and looking over the review, you completely omitted Spike and Drusilla from the ending sequences. But I thought I'd mention it: Spike suffocates Drusilla to get her to pass out so he could pretty much kidnap her. Vampires don't breathe. It just bugs me so much, if only because it's the only flaw I saw in the entire episode. It was so close to being completely perfect, so yeah. Anyways, rambling. I loved the review, by the way. All Comments | Link3 | MikeJer | CREATOR/ADMINAug 29, 2006 Looks like you're right. However, when giving an episode a P it must have no major flaws, very few minor flaws, and leave a lasting impact on the characters and/or the viewer. So when I hand out a P, it doesn't mean it is literally perfect in every way. Really, what is? :) All Comments | Link4 | KyarorinAug 30, 2006 There's no denying that it's perfect, I love this episode, but what I meant is that I see that moment as pretty much the only flaw, major or minor. Or I missed something, which is likely. :P Anyways, it just annoyed me so I thought I'd bring it up. I agree completely with the score. All Comments | Link5 | DingdongSep 7, 2006 Apart from the flaw pointed out earlier, there is one that always bugs me, why don't Spike and Angelus turn Giles to get the information from him? It's only a tiny problem, but I'd be delighted if someone had an explanation. All Comments | Link6 | junDec 19, 2006 Maybe they'd have to wait until he rose to get the info and they don't want to. In Angel, when they were making someone (Darla?) a vampire, they had to find a place to bury her and all of that. All Comments | Link7 | MezDec 28, 2006 Kyarorin, I think he actually knocked her out by putting pressure on her spinal cord - that can make people fall unconscious without affecting their breathing. Dingdong, you should remember - Spike is trying very hard to keep Giles alive, because of his deal with Buffy. All Comments | Link8 | GerardApr 8, 2007 I cant believe you think this episode is perfect. I think becoming part 1 is perfect and this second part just utterly disappoints and disillusions me. All Comments | Link9 | MikeJer | CREATOR/ADMINApr 8, 2007 Gerard, if you're to say you think my scoring is wrong, then step up and offer evidence and elaborate on why that is your opinion. Telling me this episode "utterly disappoints and disillusions" you without explaining why really doesn't give your opinion much weight. Please make a case for your opinion. My review is mine. :) All Comments | Link10 | robgnowApr 14, 2007 The only thing I would add is under Quotes: J: "Well, it stops now!" B: "No, it doesn't stop! It never stops! Do you think I chose to be like this? Do you know how scary it is, how dangerous? I would much rather be up in my room watching TV or talking about boys, or... God! Even studying! But I have to save the world...again!" I just love the waver that SMG gives Buffy's voice in this dramatic scene. All Comments | Link11 | MelanieJun 25, 2007 I completely agree...Best. Episode. Ever. I am SO glad to hear someone have the same view of Xander as I do. The handful of Buffy friends I have love him...I'm with you that what he adds to the show is great, but Xander's decisions are selfish and make him wanna slap him upside the head. All Comments | Link12 | buffyholicJul 25, 2007 I totally agree with the score. This episode is my number one, along with The Gift. From start to finish, we get to see amazing scenes, dialogue and comedy mixed drama. The scene you talked about, Joyce and Spike gets me laughing everytime. But for me,the scenes that affect me the most are Buffy and Joyce talk, where Joyce talks about kicking ker out really moves and of course when Buffy leaves town. Perfect episode. All Comments | Link13 | AustinAug 22, 2007 In reguards to the unconsious thing, it has been pointed out before that vamps DO breathe, how else could spike smoke, and how else would it have been torture for the turukon (pardon the spelling) to force his head under water? They might not have much breath, not enough to administer CPR but I think that the evdience points to BtVS vampires as being chokeable. Besides, we know vamps have blood, he could have just cut off her circulation to her brain. All Comments | Link14 | AustinSep 20, 2007 What doesn't make sense to me is that if Joyce had been told at one point that Buffy was the slayer, why didn't she react more along the lines of "Not that again" Admitedly, I guess they hadn't thought that far ahead and it really would have sounded weird, I Just think that it is a little continuity issue. All Comments | Link15 | NixDec 13, 2007 Austin, in _Normal Again_ all that's said is that she was institutionalized after she started talking about seeing vampires. I don't think Joyce has necessarily been told about the Slayer before (and if she was told in Sunnydale she was just as likely to forget it at once unless it had pretty much hit her over the head: Sunnydale Syndrome again. In this episode it *does* hit her over the head and she doesn't forget it.) All Comments | Link16 | Woohoo1729Dec 13, 2007 I'm almost completely positive that at this point in the series, the writers did not imagine Buffy to have been institutionalized upon her initial exposure to vampires. There's a helluva lot of little continuity issues like this all over the series because in the span of 6 1/2 years, I'd imagine that it's virtually impossible for the writers to keep track of everything that's happened to every character. Especially if they insert a historical point later in the series that they hadn't originally anticipated. Sometimes it's just not done so well. Other examples of continuity issues would be if they further develop characters that hadn't originally planned on--like Darla and Spike. If you watch Darla in BtVS Season 1 it's quite clear that she was meant to be a very different character than how she turns out in AtS. And Spike says in his first episode that Angel was his sire, which of course isn't what later turns out to be true. I'd say that it's best to just accept these things as they come. All Comments | Link17 | BillFeb 10, 2008 I just wanted to clear something up about this episode. The breathing thing has nothing at all to do with Dru being knocked unconscious, loss of breath is not how she was knocked unconscious. She was put in a Mata Leon, or rear naked choke, a move used in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and mixed martial-arts. A person is knocked unconscious by this move because of the restriction of blood flow to the brain, loss of air has nothing to do with it. This issue really bugs me, because people have no idea what they are talking about when discussing this scene, and as someone that has been put in that hold and put others in that hold it is especially grating. So, remember, loss of blood flow to the brain leads to Dru being knocked out, not loss of breath. All Comments | Link18 | NixFeb 10, 2008 Interesting info. Of course, vampires have no blood flow either, so the pointlessly pedantic point stands. :) All Comments | Link19 | BillFeb 10, 2008 Vampires have to have blood flow to the brain, this much has been established a few times in the Buffyverse and it's kind of a biological thing. Without blood flow to the brain their higher brain functions wouldn't work. If they were pure demons they may not need that blood flow, but since they are still inhabiting a human body the brain needs blood flow to function. That's the real biological aspect of it. Buffyverse wise twice we have seen vampires choked unconscious via a choke hold. Also, as the season 4 opener explained, a vampire can survive without blood, but because the body would run out of blood and no blood would flow to the brain the vampire would essentially be brain dead. All Comments | Link20 | nina Feb 15, 2008 i agree. this is deffintly the best episode of the whole series! its amazing! with angel getting his soul back, willow saying oz when xander was there, buffy having to stab angel to save the world, joice and spike talking :) and giles being rescued best episode by far, best moment? deffintly when spike came and asked buffy to let him go and his like "let me just get rid of this one" and yes :) halarious. and shes like "you do know your a bad guy right?" yes :) best. but your an excellent reviewer :) All Comments | Link21 | RachelFeb 22, 2008 This is one of my favorite episodes ever too, only being beaten by OMWTF and Chosen. It was also the only episode that made me cry pretty hard. I wholeheartedly agree with every single point you made, except for the Xander thing. The only character I really, truly, hated was Riley. By the way, you're a wonderful reviewer! :) All Comments | Link22 | NixFeb 22, 2008 The *only* such episode? You could watch _The Body_ and _The Gift_ without tearing up? (How?) All Comments | Link23 | wilpy1Mar 2, 2008 While I don't think this is the best episode (I'd personally place it around 4th, with 'The Body', 'Restless' and 'Once More, With Feeling' taking the lead), I think 'Becoming Part 2' is the epitome of what BTVS is essentially about. When you say "it has everything", that's very true. Not in the sense that it has everything from car chases to flying giraffes (fun visual...), but in that it includes every aspect that defines what BTVS *is*. It's multi-genre, it's packed with gorgeous dialogue, it has beautiful feminist and human undertones, it has questionable ethical issues, continuity, great dramatic moments balanced with hilarious comedy, and, all in all, it's proficient storytelling. By the way, I'm convinced the scene between Buffy and Joyce in the kitchen is one of the best acted scenes in the entire series. SMG and KS just *nail* it. I think they feel more like a mother/daughter dynamic here than at any other point in the series. The scene's very cleverly written as well. There's a subtle "coming out of the closet" metaphor that's evident in a lot of the dialogue if you take it out of context. I think that metaphor was very suited to the in-show situation. I also love how Buffy takes charge of the entire scene in terms of ordering her mother to have another drink and not fully explaining to her what's going on, and then Joyce completely switches the roles around with her very parent-like ultimatum. It's a wonderful scene. All Comments | Link24 | KyarorinMar 10, 2008 I actually missed the mention of Normal Again in the review, but I did see it in the comments. My take on this is that Dawn's presence changed the course of events prior to the start of the series. Technically, by Normal Again we never saw how Buffy's parents found out about her Slayer-ness, and it's perfectly plausible that Dawn might've discovered it and then blabbed to their parents about it. Yay for the existence of a pseudo-parrallel reality. XD Also, something quick as a response to Bill: "This issue really bugs me, because people have no idea what they are talking about when discussing this scene." Since I was the one who originally brought up the chocking in this episode, I wanted to clarify: I actually do know what I'm talking about. Pre-med student. However, they don't teach martial arts in biochem, so I failed to make that connection. I also apparently missed seeing Spike's palm on Drusilla's brainstem, so my entire argument fell out the window there, heh. Anyways, thanks for bringing that up. It's neat to know where they pull their tactics from. XD All Comments | Link25 | KyarorinMar 10, 2008 Bah, the comment at the end of my post was supposed to be something like "Sorry for the ramble", but that got cut off due to my inability to use the copy and paste function. I also butchered the word "choking". Don't know what that was about. All Comments | Link26 | SuzanneMay 20, 2008 "Have you ever tried NOT being a Vampire Slayer?" is, indeed, priceless. Something my mother would say. All Comments | Link27 | NinaaJun 3, 2008 Suzanne, i completly agree, my mother would for sure say something like that. This episode was amazing, incredible, flawless, like seriously, it couldn't get better, this is deffintly my favorite episode followed closly by once more with feeling and i only have eyes for you, but yeah. They way it was mapped out. The torturing feeling that Buffy just killed her one true love as he got his soul back, and it raged me so much that Xander didn't tell Buffy that Angelus may get his soul back because Willow was working on it. And then by the ending we see her catching a bus, and you have the feeling where your going to attack the TV screen because of stupid Xander, and Angel dying and yeah, i really did not like Xander that season, for me he didn't redeme himself until season 7 when he told Dawn that she wasn't special but extrodinary. anyway, thats my imput. All Comments | Link28 | TobyJul 29, 2008 So many people out there have this as their favourite episode and I can see why - it certainly is powerful in so many ways - the emotive reaction this episode evokes in the viewer is enormous - there is not an episode out there in BtVS that is more emotionally charged than this one. This is however the reason why it is not my favourite episode - depsite the fantasy element of it, there are times during this episode where it just seems TOO real. before you jump down my throat, allow me to explain. From the start of the episode where Buffy is under arrest to the point where she is having the discussion with her mother in the kitchen to the ebding where she runs away form everyone, there are a lot of emotional scenes. A lot of tear jerking moments that make you forget you are watching television and captivate you to the point that you belive you are witnessing real life. In a program meant to be centered around the supernatural, this is something that disturbs me - in a good way of course. Like amidst all this vampire slaying and demon killing and world saving, you think "Whoa - that could actually happen!!" and the perfect little Utopia that you have created about the real world vanishes for an instant. You can take your Gentleman, your Glory, your Richard Wilkins the Third and the First and any other demon or enemy Buffy has faced - in the end they all seem timid and meaningless compared to Life itself. In fact, not one of those episodes fills me with more fear than this episdoe. The cold, harsh reality that Buffy continuously has to face in this episode is heart-qrenching and in the end, this episode makes you feel more empathy towards the characters than any other. At the end of the day, I suppose the reason why I chose "Passion" over this episode for my overall favourite is the end of "Passion" leaves me almost completely dead, hollow. Like nothing - what I have just witnessed is too shocking to really take it all in. This episode is the exact opposite - there is so much to take in, so much emotion and heartbreak and wacthing it makes me realise that the toughest demon of all is Reality. For Buffy anyway. I haven't ever cried during any of these episodes but this episode brings me closest to tears. In any case, this is my second favourite episode of the series - a truly remarkable work of art and one that lives with you long after the credits roll... All Comments | Link29 | SanjuroNov 30, 2008 I watched the series for the first time earlier this year, then rewatched it out of order over the last month or so. I found that I somehow liked this episode even more than I did the first time. I still rank The Body as my favorite, but I agree with your sentiments (in this review and in the Top 25 Episodes blurb) that this represents the finest mix of what makes Buffy Buffy. I also noticed how much the Buffy/Joyce scene plays into the theory that the Slayer stands for homosexuality. The "have you ever considered not being a Slayer?" and the "I didn't choose this!" really works on two levels. It's so obvious in retrospect, but I love that Joss doesn't beat you over the head with it. And the climax left me emptier than "Passion" did. Just a perfect piece of television. All Comments | Link30 | ValDec 13, 2008 I feel the need to criticize right now. Yes, I did love this episode and the preceding ones but one detail is bothering me A LOT (because I'm so picky). Couldn't they have asked a Romanian to translate those ritual phrases correctly?! It pains me to hear "Give the soul at him now" in my mother tongue (actually I think the gipsy woman said this, Willow's just pronouncing stuff very badly, which I get). And if they wanted it to be realistic they shouldn't even have used Romanian, but the gipsies' own language, I think they call it Rromanes. I guess it was just easier translating stuff into Romanian. If anyone's curious about what Willow says (I also found a Wikipedia page on it, but the text there is not accurate), here's the translation of the words: I beg you, Lord, don't ignore this request. Neither dead, nor of the being [I guess that being would mean living], let this orb be the vessel that will transport his soul to him. Let it be! Let it be! Now! Now! OK, irritable Romanian snob going away... be back soon. All Comments | Link31 | RosieDec 21, 2008 I have some problems with this episode. One, why didn't Xander tell the police that Buffy was not responsible for the attacks inside the library? Two, what was the purpose of Angelus unleashing Acathla? To unleash chaos and hell upon the Earth? The Earth is already swimming in a hellish chaos without demons - even in Buffyverse. All Comments | Link32 | NixJan 26, 2009 Xander probably did tell the police -- once he regained consciousness and they had a chance to talk to him. But by then, Buffy was gone to LA... note that when she gets back to Sunnydale, she '[satisfies] the not-a-murderer requirement for enrolment', as Snyder snidely puts it. Angelus unleashing Acathla, well, that's an abiding mystery, but I suspect that LibMax and/or Andrew Kern are correct: _I Only Have Eyes for You_ is the turning point, following which Angelus wanted to send the world to hell. For what reason is somewhat unclear, but I agree that it's probably an elaborate and overstated means of committing suicide with a big display. (The only thing that doesn't fit here is that Angelus has never been one for the big display: that's more like Spike... yet when Spike tries to commit suicide in s4, he tries to do it in a deliberately *understated* way, falling on a stake in private. Strange.) All Comments | Link33 | EllieJan 29, 2009 This episode is definitely BTVS in its prime. For me, there were two heartwarming moments in this episode: Xander telling Willow that he loved her, and Buffy realizing that Angel was back. And immediately after both heartwarming moments comes the heartbreaker: Willow asks for Oz, and Buffy realizes she needs to kill Angel. Both of their expressions just break my heart everytime I watch it. I never let the credits roll after a show is over, but I just couldn't find it in myself to move to turn off the TV after this episode ended...leading my to see the little Grr Argh guy say "Oh, I need a hug!" which was the only thing that brought me back to the real world and allowed me to go on living. Wonderfully written and acted. All Comments | Link34 | SamMar 7, 2009 It's true. Becoming Part 2 is, without question, the emotional high point of the entire series. When Buffy impales Angel and Christophe Beck's hauntingly beautiful score dissolves into Sarah MacLachlan's "Full of Grace", we ALL burst into tears. Then, when Buffy left town, the heartbreak was complete. We were devastated... and we couldn't wait to find out what would happened next. All Comments | Link36 | RosieApr 13, 2009 Xander never said anything to the cops about Buffy being innocent . . . even after she ran off. She returned to the hospital to see Willow. Both she and Xander (who was conscious by then) could have told the cops at the hospital that Buffy was innocent. They would have eventually exonerate her. But the writers didn't go that way. Why? It's so stupid. And why would Angelus want to destroy the world? A grand gesture of suicide? Angelus? All Comments | Link37 | StilichoApr 29, 2009 I agree that this is probably the one episode that reaches my emotions more than anything else. I am glad you point out why Buffy had to kill Angel; still many reviewers don't really get it and think that only his blood would have been needed, and that she killed him perhaps because for the evils Angelus committed before. But in the end, is is not the demonic action that is causing the fundamental slaying, but simply the imperative obligation of being the slayer, and the obligation to do what is needed to save the world. But the same way it is expressed how hard life and facing reality, facing choices and consequences can be. A grand design that is showing through the whole of this series, with an apogee in this episode. Great! Many thanks for the great work of writing these reviews. Very inspiring indeed! All Comments | Link38 | ShannonJun 3, 2009 @Rosie - good point about Xander failing to tell the cops that Buffy is innocent. When she comes to the hospital in disguise, the cops are trolling the hospital and he gives her a big disguising hug because he's worried about them seeing her too. Why wouldn't he have taken the time to let the cops know it was, let's say, a gang high on PCP, rather than letting Buffy walk around as a fugitive. I'm also bothered by the Angelus/Acathla point, and agree that Angelus attempting to commit suicide is unlikely. Wouldn't the torture and murder of humans be a more effective revenge for being made to feel like one of them than just putting them all out of their misery? All Comments | Link39 | DramaPoetteJun 10, 2009 Like everyone else, I have nothing negative to really say against this episode. However, while it's one of BTVS's best episodes, it's not one of my favorites. It's not even in my top 10. I guess it's just a matter of personal taste. I found it pretty effective the first time I saw it, but it lost some potency over time for me. I guess it's because I never got on the Big Epic Bangel Love Train. Their relationship never really interested me, so I didn't feel too horrible when Angel was "killed". I only felt bad because of the way it affected Buffy. Some of the effect is also lost because I know that Angel doesn't stay dead and Buffy eventually moves on. And I never completely bought DB's performance in his death scene. When the portal is sucking him in to me he looks a little stiff and awkward with the way he's just standing there with his arm stuck out. It pulls me out of the scene. However, I will say that I love the Buffy/Joyce scene. It really made an impression on me because I could so easily imagine an argument with my mother like that. When Buffy told Joyce to "have a another drink" and the Joyce threw that glass, I was like, "Whoa," and it felt very authentic. That one comment that makes your parent snap and you know you've crossed a line. Of course all the Spike stuff is great too. I do see where all the love for this ep comes from, I really do and I very much enjoy it, but it just doesn't quite do it for me. It's ok though; I've got other episodes that do. :) All Comments | Link40 | ShirinJun 11, 2009 First off, I totally agree: this is my absolute favourite episode of Buffy and made me love this show deeply, but some people don't seem to have heard Angelus: Acathla would swallow the world and into hell, since vampires are demons, they wouldn't be harmed - he wants to end the world, not his life, I think. All Comments | Link41 | SeleneJul 8, 2009 I actually have some issues with this episode, primamrily with the fact that Buffy actually believed that Willow sent the message for Buffy to 'kick Angel's ass.' Willow is the only one who has wholeheartedly supported Buffy's relationship with Angel and wanted to find a way to save Angel. She never blamed Buffy for not killing Angel before he killed Jenny, when others did. My other issue is with the ending. I realise that Buffy is devastated by what she had to do with Angel, but to not make sure her friends, her Watcher were okay? In FH&T she throws it in Faith's face that Faith didn't take care of her Watcher, but did Buffy? Looking at him from across the street doesn't count. She knew that Angelus had him for hours and wanted information from him and would do pretty much anything to get that info. Did she bother to find out if he was truly okay? No. Plus she saw her best friend in a wheelchair. Did she bother to find out why? Or how long Willow would be in the chair? No. So it's no wonder they weren't falling all over themselves when she returned. She didn't care enough about them when she left, why should they make a fuss when she comes back? All Comments | Link42 | Jessica MCJul 12, 2009 I liked this episode.I thin Once More With Feeling should be in First, but diffidently in top 10. I feel sooooooo bad for Buffy. I love spike and Joyce's talks.Oh,Selene, Buffy had a lot to deal with, she saw that they weren't dead.She was kind of pressed for time ,with the end of the world and all. She had ober issues when she had to kill Angel,when he got his soul back.She was only thinking "I have to go NOW!!!" I think your reviews are awesome by the way. Did you ever think of being a journalist? All Comments | Link43 | edwardJul 21, 2009 I am a 23 yr old male. and am new to the buffy scene. having finished the first 3 seasons and am in the middle of the 4th season now. that said it took me quite a long time to get into the show. and reading how you got into it MIKEJER. It is almost exactly how i got into it. apart from one thing. at the time i started watching buffy I brought season 1 and half of season 2 in volumes. as i finished season 1 i felt mixed emotions. i liked the characters. the humor was whitty but it still failed to really 'HOOK' me so to speak. then i watched the first 10 episodes of season 2. and as you mentioned alot of those eps are verry mediocre so i gave up on the show and stopped watching. flashfoward to now 2 years later for some reason i felt the urge to give it another shot [half of that was the fact i watched almost all of season 1 of ANGEL and unlike buffy got hooked on it from ep 1 and felt compelled to see if buffy gets any better] thus i brought season 3 of buffy. and got hooked from ep 1. everything clicked. this was a feeling that i felt was missing through s1 and first half of 2. [btw i brought season 3 cause i thought that since my opinion of s2 on that point was so poor my opinion was i hadnt missed much. boy was i wrong!] as i reached the halfway mark on the 3rd season i was browsing on the net and stumbled onto your site. and read your article of discovering buffy. and was VERRY interested when you mentioned it was the later half of S2 that turned you into a fan. with the angelus arc. after some consideration i decided to buy the season. and i must say the angelus arc really fully turned me into a fan too! the amount of emotion and depth in the season was just astounding. and it was these final 2 episodes. becoming part 1 and 2. I really understood what this show was about. part 1s brilliance was the character flashbacks and just how deep buffy and angels past intertwines. angels need to overcome his obstacles and be their for buffy made him who he is today and not started his journey but pushed the play button in a matter of speaking. his life upto that point was still. absent. he had no purpose nor drive till buffy. and on the other side i did like the brief scenes of buffy showing how cordelia-ish she used to be. now part 2. it was a beautiful climax of everything that happend this season. and the ending was extremely moving. the acting and raw emotion between geller and boreanaz was intense. magical'innocent and impovering. tears streamed down my face when the credits rolled. and I am not ashamed to admit that' the care and masterwork talents that was put into this episode just shows completely. and mikejer i can absolutely understand why you rated this as number 1 buffy episode, because after i finished this episode i sat their numb for minutes. looking at the screen. frozen in silence and then i thought to myself' ...i am a fan! All Comments | Link44 | KateSep 5, 2009 I was thinking that you should check out a website called 'Buffy phenomenon'. It ranks all episodes, and Becoming, part 2 is number 4. That may seem unfair to you, but then it says something about Loyalists and Jumpers of the show. 'Jumpers' meaning Jump the Shark. For Jumpers, Becoming, Part 2 is their favourite. For Loyalists, and at the top of the general chart is OMWF. This episode is excellent, in every single way, but surely you love this episode only because of its emotions? Not the plot, or the dialogue, but how it makes YOU feel watching it? Most people enjoy episodes for emotions, but think about technicality. Is becoming, part 2, really that excellent? (of course it is) All Comments | Link45 | ShadivaOct 21, 2009 @ 8:05pm Just saying, in the final sword fight between Buffy and Angelus, Buffy's hair kept on changing from being held together in a ponytail to being held up in a clip. It was quite distracting. Also, you could easily tell Mike Massa from David Boreanaz. All Comments | Link46 | Smallprint84Mar 29, 2010 @ 4:28am OK I am also not gay, but David does look pretty hot in his leather pants and his shiny black blouse. All Comments | Link47 | 100% ?? More like 50% ...Apr 2, 2010 @ 11:57am I disagree with the score. This episode was a big dissapointment to me. 1) Spike wanted to destroy the world in Season 2, Episode 13: Surprise. Now he tried to prevent that. 2) Vampires could have captured / kill all Buffy's friend every night when she was on patrol. Nobody thought about that, no contigency plans done, no preparation against possible vampire attack. Stupid. 3) Vampires had no idea about 2nd Slayer in the city. They just sent group to capture few defensless humans and behold, they killed vampire slayer as a side effect. 4) They are Vampires, for heavens (hells ?) sake ! They do not beat people and leave with one captured ... they should kill everyone else in the library and drink them. 5) Police coming to the scene just as Buffy returns and all of sudden they suspect 17 years blonde girl of the massacre. Disgusting cliche, terribly weak script, is this really serial for 10 years old children ? Even they might have been bored with the one million time seen cliche of cops coming at teh wrogn time. 6) Spike wanted Buffy to stop Angelus from destroying the world so much that he agreed to help her even if he hated her more than everyone and yet few seconds later he can see Angelus almost defeated Buffy but Spike is uninterested and leaves ... he should be vampire boss, not a mental .. 7) Buffy's mother just have seen how Buffy killed a vampire which turned in the dust and she gets nothing better to say than threaten Buffy not to come back home ever again if she leaves ? 8) Buffy invited (?) Spike to her house and she left him with her mother alone in the another room ? She is supposed to be a slayer, not the dumb ass, really. Yes I understand what director wanted to get and why (to show Buffy losing everything) but why he had to abuse almost every character ... just inapt writing. But sadly everyone adores this episode which is actually very weak in my opinion. Each of my points should be more than enough for *not* giving 100%. By the way Xander had very strong point - Buffy really wanted her lover back and did not care about anything else .. not even about how will Angel feel about killing all the people when his soul / conscience is back. Why did they not try to return Drusilla soul, huh ? She was at least a good person when alive (Angelus was clearly not). I guess this serial is just tons of emotions and a bit of martial art. The intelligence and logic are supposed to RIP probably. All Comments | Link48 | G1000May 16, 2010 @ 9:29am Great way to end the season. Why can't every episode be like this one, anyway? All Comments | Link49 | NiaMay 16, 2010 @ 5:50pm The reason that the police could think it was Buffy was because she was seen as a violent arsonist ex-psych ward patient involved in gang-related activity for years that got expelled from her last school and killed her mother's boyfriend. I always assumed that the police arrived there when Buffy did because Angelus called them. He was distracting Buffy long enough to get Giles and stop the chance of Willow doing another restoration ritual (Dru could sense when Jenny was going to do one). He knew that Buffy (an agile Slayer) would get to the school before the police (even if he called them right before Buffy arrived to fight him). Spike wouldn't have bit Joyce since Buffy would never have teamed up with him if he did. Why risk getting staked by Buffy and not being able to stop Angelus or being able to leave town with a free pass with Drusilla for the blood of a forty plus woman? (young to us but not to a vamp's taste buds, remember that he didn't drink that man in SH because "you're too old to eat") I don't think that Spike really wanted to destroy the world in Surprise. The Judge was tough but I don't think that really counted as an apocalypse. Angelus wanting to send every living being to Hell was different. All Comments | Link50 | fray-adjacentMay 20, 2010 @ 11:07am What a wonderful, wrenching episode. Just reading the review put a little frog in my throat. As far as Xander's lying to Buffy in the "kick his ass moment,"I do think it's worth differentiating between Xander's motivation and the effect. I agree that Xander said it (mostly) because he hates Angel. But it may very well have been the best thing for Buffy, considering that it wasn't likely that the spell would work, and reducing Buffy's certainty in killing Angelus could have ended disastrously. (Also, I don't think that the only reason Xander hates Angel is because of jealousy -- he even says "Angel's our friend" in "What's my Line." I think Xander also hates Angel because of Angelus's behavior -- all the characters have differing amounts by which they can emotionally separate the two.) All Comments | Link51 | G1000May 24, 2010 @ 6:15pm I just thought of something, and it bugged me. You say that "Becoming: Part Two" is your favorite episode of "Buffy" ever, and that "Buffy" is your favorite show. Therefore, "Becoming: Part Two" is your favorite episode of all-time (of any show). While this may be true, it does not follow logically that it has to be. To prove my point: take two of the best TV comedies of the 21st century so far: "The Office" and "Arrested Development". Now, "Arrested Development" is a far, far better show overall than "The Office" (though I love them both). But does it follow that "Arrested Development's" best episode is better than "The Office's" best? Not necessarily. I think "The Office's" "Dinner Party" is better than anything "Arrested Development" ever did, though the overall picture may tell a different story. I'm just saying that just because it is true in this case, doesn't mean that it HAS to be true (which is what you seem to indicate in your review). Just something I noticed. Overall, it's a terrific review. I really don't know how anyone can write this much and with this much depth about a TV show. All Comments | Link52 | nathan.taurusAug 1, 2010 @ 1:49am The Good: Buffy joking to Xander about protecting her from the cops. Spike trying to get Buffy to stop punching him. Buffy looking at Spike the entire way back to her house. Watching every move he makes. Spike and Joyce in the living room. Buffy dipping the sword at Snyder in the library. Xander and his immortal line. "Kick his ass." Drusilla as she keeps on kissing Giles even after getting the information. Spike belting the crap out of Angelus and Drusilla's sound as she jumps on Spike. "Well that's everything, huh. No weapons...no friends...no hope...take all that away, and what's left?" "Me". The fantastic ending with Buffy stabbing Angelus and then leaving town while the gang wait. The Bad: When Buffy returns to the library to pick up the sword, the bookshelf that the vampire pushed onto Willow is upright and filled with books. Filming scenes out of whack. Drusilla never knew that Jenny and Giles had never been together sexually. The Ugly: The policewoman shooting at Buffy as she runs away, unarmed. Cordelia wanting Willow to speak english. She isn't that stupid. Spike suffocating Drusilla and Juliet's arm hanging onto James' shoulder as they leave. Even with those faults, the two part episode and this ending make it my favourite episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I give it a 95 as even without the faults, no episode can ever be perfect. All Comments | Link53 | SeleneAug 14, 2010 @ 3:04pm I keep noticing (not just here) that people keep saying that Buffy lost everything in this episode. Um, no she hadn't. She still had her life, a very important thing to have; she still had her friends: Willow, Xander, Cordelia and Oz were still alive and none of them had suddenly decided not to be friends with her; she still had her Watcher: Giles was hurt, but alive and he cared a great deal for her. So she had not lost everything. Okay, her mom had told her not to come back, but did you really think for a minute that Joyce truly meant it? Please. The fact is she lost/killed Angel. That was her only real loss in this episode. I'm not downplaying that loss; I'm merely pointing out the fallacy that 'Buffy lost everything.' She lost her love and a certain innocence, but she had not lost everything. All Comments | Link54 | JasonAug 29, 2010 @ 1:17pm @G1000 (comment 51): I had the same thought. Mathematically: If f and g are two functions, f may have the higher *integral* (i.e. the higher average value), but g may still have the higher max value. @Emily (comment 35): an eloquent summary of my feelings about this superior episode, the most devastatingly romantic and tragic thing I've seen on television. All Comments | Link55 | SuperVixenAug 31, 2010 @ 8:02am Though I like this episode, I still don't think it's the best one ever. I can think of many others I like more, like "Fool for Love" or "conversation with dead people", but it's a nice episode nonetheless. I too am bothered by Angelus' motives in bringing the world to an end. And if it was what he wanted, why being sent to hell a bad thing? I guess it could be because he went there with a soul. Still, weak. The one thing that really bothered me is Spike suffocating Dru until she's unconscious. That doesn't make sense: Vampires don't need to breath. We see that chocking has no affect on Angel in AtS when Spanky tries it. It also bothered me later in the show, when The First is torturing Spike by sticking his head underwater. Why should Spike care about it? Why does he even struggle? I did notice, as one comment said, that when Spike carries the unconscious Dru out her hand is on his shoulder. While this doesn't make sense, being limp and all, I found it to be cute and affectionate. I loved Spike shrug when he realizes Angelus is going to kill Buffy. Very in character. Finally, I love Spike carrying Dru out, putting her in the car and holding her. I can't believe no one addressed that scene. He's love for her is evident, and I love how he keeps his word and leaved at once. I was also impressed by it in "Lie to Me", where I was sure Spike and the gang are just going to feed on Ford. I was very surprised to see him jump out of his grave as a vampire, just as it was agreed. To the best of my memory he kept all his words, except the part about not coming back to Sunnydale, which he broke in "Lover's Walk". All Comments | Link56 | EllieSep 16, 2010 @ 4:28pm I think the reasons Xander lied to Buffy were far more complex than people give him credit for. Sure, he was probably only thinking at the time that he wanted Angelus dead, but he had several valid reasons for that beyond just hate and jealousy. People often make quick decisions they can't explain at the time, but even then they are based on an instinctive analysis of the situation. Here are some of the facets of the Xander-Angel/Angelus thing: 1). Angelus is incredibly dangerous and evil 2). He's murdered friends and classmates and Xander's just not one to forget about that 3). Xander hates vampires, stemming from Jesse's murder and turning 4). Xander is jealous of Angel (I'm not discounting this) 5). Xander certainly believes that Buffy is unable to treat the Angel/Angelus situation logically 6). Even if the curse works, which was no sure thing, Angel will still be a problem because Angelus is always lurking under the surface waiting for the curse to be broken again So basically, lying probably didn't seem like a selfish thing to do, and more in line with not raising Buffy's hopes or sending her off-balance. Xander obviously didn't think this through, but there was no time. It was probably an instant thing where "Angelus dead=Good, Telling Buffy about the curse=Bad". There were selfish aspects, yeah, that wasn't all it was. I have often found snap decisions I made without thinking were actually supported by my own collective experience of what I know about my friends and the situation. They weren't always good, but they made sense with what I knew. Also, we are all motivated by a certain amount of selfishness, even times when you think you are being completely unselfish you might look back on later and realize you got something you wanted out of them. All Comments | Link57 | DFAS GilesSep 21, 2010 @ 7:20am In the foreshadowing section... During the police car scene, right after Spike informs Buffy that he wants to stop Angel, he then smirks and sarcastically announces, "I want to save the world." Haha. Wait five seasons. All Comments | Link58 | TonyOct 11, 2010 @ 3:37pm Just after posting at your year 1 review that season 2's ending is by far my favorite season-ending episode, I come to find out that this is your favorite episode and that you find it *perfect*. I agree! :) All Comments | Link59 | yippers6Nov 5, 2010 @ 7:17pm no offense but i'm not a big fan of this episode All Comments | Link60 | JulietteNov 26, 2010 @ 7:51pm One thing I don't get about the recursing of Angel. If willow did it couldn't she have made it so that it didn't come with a moment of happiness clause? It would seem like a smart thing to do. All Comments | Link61 | Nathan.TaurusNov 27, 2010 @ 11:08pm Juliette: I thought of that too and it seems to be one of the goofs of the series. When the gypsies cursed the soul it was their doing. When Willow returned it she didn't have any such spell so somehow the curse was still attached to the soul for those 100-odd years as Angel. All Comments | Link62 | MelNov 28, 2010 @ 1:59am Just finished this episode again, as I'm re-watching the entire series, and I pretty much agree with everything in your review. I'm not exactly sure if it's my absolute favorite episode, as I don't have my top 5 in any certain order.. but it's up there. However I was also bothered by a few of the flaws already mentioned, such as Angelus's sudden interest in sending the whole world to hell, and the filming inconsistencies such as Dru's arm on Spike's shoulder after she's passed out, etc. But the biggest flaw for me was the fact that Spike just carried Dru out and left after watching Buffy almost get killed. Yes, part of the deal was for him to leave, but didn't he also want to help kill Angel/stop him from destroying the world? The portal had already been opened, so if Angel killed Buffy, the entire world would have been sucked into hell.. so it would have made more sense if he at least stayed to help make sure that didn't happen. Though on the flip side, the emotional impact of Buffy's last moments with Angel would have been lost. All Comments | Link63 | JoeJan 11, 2011 @ 9:04pm Nathan: remember, Willow is JUST getting into magic at this point, and is using a spell that is already in existence. This is just me speculating, but I would assume that changing a curse is much more complex and difficult than simply recasting one that is already in existence. If we were talking about season 5 or 6 Willow, sure, that could probably be done, but season 2 Willow just getting into magic? I'm not so sure. All Comments | Link64 | debisibJan 12, 2011 @ 12:56pm ok just to clarify something that ppl have brought up a lot... at the end of the angel series, they are about to get into this huge brawl with, well, hell, for the most part. Well, anyway, when the comic book series begins after that, they mention that hell has come to earth. Everything is destroyed and monsters are everywhere. It is quite literally Hell on Earth. So in this episode when Angel is attempting to 'destroy the world' i dont believe it is meant in the literal sense of everyone is going to die. I think the portal sucks in everything and brings it to a seperate hell dimension. And if this hell dimension is anything like LA after Angel, then its the perfect place for a bad ass vampire. So, while he may be trying to end the world as we know it... he's not commiting suicide. Rather, hes just bringing everything to a more comfortable place for himself. All Comments | Link65 | MareeApr 25, 2011 @ 7:32pm Regarding Acathla, I'm not sure if anyone has already said it but I'm pretty sure Angelus mentions that everyone with a soul will be tortured in hell while your average vamps and demons without souls will not face the same treatment. It's probably a bit like the Judge thingy. He can only harm those with humanity. By the way, great review and a great episode. It kills me every time. I find myself hoping things will turn out differently each time I watch it (sadly it always ends the same way). All Comments | Link66 | MareeApr 26, 2011 @ 6:28am I didn't read the comment above mine until just now. I just watched the last episode of Angel a few minutes ago and I didn't want to spoil it for myself :P That's what I meant anyways :) All Comments | Link67 | RosieAug 17, 2011 @ 2:21pm Why on earth didn't Xander tell the cops that Buffy was not responsible for the deaths in the school library? Why didn't he? And because he didn't, Buffy spent the remainder of the episode needlessly evading the police. This episode reminds me a lot of Season 2. It was very promising, but some of the writing just got in the way and prevented it from being the masterpiece it could have been. All Comments | Link68 | RosieNov 16, 2011 @ 11:03pm ["But sadly everyone adores this episode which is actually very weak in my opinion. Each of my points should be more than enough for *not* giving 100%."] Not everyone adores this episode. I don't. All Comments | Link69 | Gemma Dec 21, 2011 @ 7:30am The showdown that we have been awaiting between Buffy and Angel since its foreshadowing in When She Was Bad is here. Buffy's true notion of what being a slayer really means escalates in the final scenes, she is alone, in battle and sometimes in life. This episode foreshadows the scenes in season 7, particularly the final episodes. Buffy admits that she cuts herself off, she always has. The best moment for me in this episode is when Buffy catches the sword before it impales her. Throughout this season and the inaugural one Buffy has been learning her slayer duties and what she can do but in this episode she accepts the slayer, she becomes one with it and it saves her life. This theme of growing up and accepting has been a prominent one throughout the season and i think it has been handled well. The emotions are running high throughout this episode, Joyce is finally forced to see who her daughter is after she witnesses the darker side to her Buffy's life. The fluency between them is an exceptional visual, we see the side of the mother who only wants to protect her daughter, for her to be normal with a normal life. Buffy's speech isn't ungrateful to Joyce's feelings she merely wants her to understand that this life isn't the one she choose on the contrary the calling choose her. The showdown with Joyce has been encroaching throughout this season, in School Hard Joyce is in the thick of it, the episode Ted and Bad Eggs she is once again involved in the supernatural but she has not accepted it fully admitted what she has seen or thought to herself until it is staked right in front of her. The cohesive attitude of the gang makes for some great character development. Willow is given a taste of magic as it grips her in a way that she didn't expect foreshadowing her story arch throughout. Xander's true emotions shine brightly in this episode, he accepts he has some feelings for WIllow when he realises he may loose her forever. His expression of hatred toward Angel not just Angelus is palpable. Giles is a tough cookie too! Go Giles! Buffy looses one more thing; Whistler foreshadowed it. Through her friends trying to help they caused Buffy to do the one think she never thought she would. Kill her beloved. She had grown to accept that she would have to kill Angelus, the demon who wore Angel's face but she wasn't prepared for what she ultimately had to do. Her leaving town resonated with me, she had lost everything. Her mother, her lover and the trouble she had caused her friends. The weight of that and the influx of loneliness she would have been feeling would be unbearable for her, so many divergent thoughts percolating through her mind she had no one to go to or she at least believed that. Spike's presence added some much needed comedy to this deep episode, the interaction with Joyce was great! It alleviated the darker scenes. The manor in which Spike strangles Dru confounds me a little, i though vamps didn't need to breathe? Other than that i have no quarrels with this episode. All Comments | Link70 | AlexDec 21, 2011 @ 8:06am Vampire breathing is something that's been very inconsistent throughout BtVS and Angel. It doesn't really bother me but it's one of those things that, when you watch the shows enough times, you start to wonder about. First we have Angel saying he can't give mouth-to-mouth because he doesn't breathe, but we see plenty of vamps smoking (including Angel himself) and Harmony blowing her bubble gum. I also can't remember who it was (maybe Harmony), but I'm sure I watched a scene recently where a vamp inhaled a cigarette and then started coughing and spluttering. Then we have Dru getting strangled here, but when Angel did something similar to Darla she just laughed at him and said 'we don't breathe, you idiot' (or words to that effect). Ah well, I guess you can't be completely consistent all the time. Nothing's as bad as Angel having a reflection at the end of the credits in every single episode of his series, though! All Comments | Link71 | Gemma Dec 21, 2011 @ 8:44am Hey Alex, I think i'm going to go with the notion that some vampires get use to breathing like humans, not all of them take notice or remember that they don't need to, as there too busy blending into society :) Something to tell myself to keep the magic alive (I just thought of it haha!) All Comments | Link72 | OdonJan 29, 2012 @ 8:33am Xander telling the police that Buffy wasn't involved wouldn't make any difference, even if they believed him. Remember that Buffy assaulted a police officer while resisting arrest. All Comments | Link73 | peterFeb 20, 2012 @ 7:51am This episode is amazing but i have 2 not very major nigglys , When spike wraps his arm around drusillas neck in a attempt to render her unconious i maybe mistaken but how it can it work because since she doesnt breathe he can't cut off oxygen to her brain thus rendering her unconcious Also acathla takes wayyy to long to maske the portal open from angel pulling the sword out i think it takes 10 mins for the portal to even open i know it is just conveince though. Overall a great episode All Comments | Link74 | GuidoFeb 20, 2012 @ 3:20pm @peter, the martial arts way to cut oxygen to the brain is to cut blood flow with a neck/head move, not block breathing. We know that vampires have blood (who the hell knows how it gets pumped through the body, and it's not warm), but somehow it must get to the brain, so cutting it off like that does make some sense, absent the full anatomy and physiology textbook on vampires. All Comments | Link75 | MichaelMar 20, 2012 @ 2:04pm Taken me a while to find these reviews but tend to agree with most things you say Regarding a few queries with this episode: Willow cast a spell that had been clearly cast before, I don't think she can just add clauses to make life easier if she could do anything Buffy would be redundant. As for acathla taking his time to start the portal ther is no indication that this should happen in seconds (full world going to hell - that's a big breath) It was clearly established that the world would be sucked into hell it did not state that anyone would die, even Buffy speculated she'd live forever taking exams. As for the little niggling things i.e druscilla's breathing I admit whilst I cast some thought over such things it shuldn't really detract from the episode and what it accomplishes emotionally. Continuity isn't the highest priority of Joss' storytelling is. This episode has been my favourite since it aired and though Once more with feeling came close it just misses having the same impact All Comments | Link76 | MikeJer | CREATOR/ADMINMar 20, 2012 @ 3:28pm Thanks for the comment, Michael. But a word of caution: I've seen a lot of people claim that "continuity" isn't very good on Buffy. This statement is very misleading though. Let's be clear on what kind of continuity we're talking about here. 'Plot' continuity isn't one of the strengths of the show. This is quite true. But 'character' continuity really is. It's one of the most solid shows that's ever been made when it comes to character/thematic/emotional continuity. I just want us all to be as clear as possible when we throw around the notion that the show has poor continuity -- it will just serve to scare of off a lot of people who are looking for the very things the show excels at. All Comments | Link77 | AlexMar 20, 2012 @ 3:46pm Mike, I totally agree, but I think that what most people mean by 'continuity' is the continuity of those little minor details, which it's someone's job to catch, rather than consistency of characters and their behaviour across the seasons. I personally don't think the plot continuity is at all bad on Buffy, though. It's better than most shows I've seen, and there are some great little details carried over from season to season which really earn the show a lot of bonus points in my book. I think the real problem is that it's a hugely popular show with a huge online fanbase of people who've watched the DVDs over and over again. Every niggling little detail eventually gets spotted and mulled over by dozens of fans, and it's asking a bit too much of the writers to have everything tied down in that level of detail. Lost suffered from the same problem - they had people on forums scrutinising every episode and picking up on the tiniest of details, which isn't really any fun for anyone. And to continue the now fairly pointless discussion about vampire breathing... I apologise in advance for referencing Stephanie Meyer on a Buffy site, but I quite liked her explanation. I seem to remember it being something like they don't need to breathe to live, but they do need to breathe in order to be able to smell. If they don't breathe in, then they don't have a sense of smell, and therefore most of them find it uncomfortable not to breathe. Doesn't explain the choke-hold on Drusilla, of course, but I think the martial arts experts here have got that covered. All Comments | Link78 | MikeJer | CREATOR/ADMINMar 20, 2012 @ 4:16pm When I say "plot continuity," Alex, I mean to include those "little minor details" into that category. Those details are generally plot-related or world-building type details. I only mean to point out that those factors are a completely different category than the character, thematic, and emotional continuity that Buffy exceeds at so well. And it's quite important to make that distinction when communicating whether Buffy's continuity it good or not; a strength or not. As for the plot continuity, I agree with you that it's generally not 'bad.' I'm really just saying that's it's not a strength of the show. The plots certainly have their moments, but on average I'd probably label them as, well, 'average.' All Comments | Link79 | fray-adjacentApr 7, 2012 @ 10:15am Alex, your point on plot continuity and a large obsessive fan-base is well-taken, but there are definitely shows that handle plot better than Buffy. I am in the midst of my first run through Veronica Mars, and while on first watch I'm sure there's things I miss, and I have noticed one or two danglers, overall the writers on that show do a far better job than Buffy writers of maintaining a coherent plot throughout the seasons and series. I do also agree with Mike's distinction, which is a fundamental reason why I love Buffy far more than I will ever love Veronica Mars (great though it is). I know quite a few people who like to just put Buffy on in the background while they do chores around the house and whatnot. I think this is because the characters in the show are so full and real feeling that it's almost like hanging out with friends. This is a direct result of the character and emotional continuity that Buffy writers did such a masterful job of, far better than they did at plot continuity. On another note: how many TV shows in the early Buffy days even had serialized plots? I don't think it was particularly common. I expect now that there are probably a lot more TV writers who have developed the skills needed to write a good serialized plot, and that the bar is just generally higher in that regard now than it was in 1998. All Comments | Link80 | Beth24Apr 22, 2012 @ 1:14am First of all, thank you for this site. I discovered it the last time I went through my Buffy and Angel box sets, and now I'm going through them again I still visit this site after every episode to see what other people think, and to see if there's anything I might have missed. You really have done a great job, so thank you! Anyway, I've just finished this episode, and felt I had to comment. I've seen this episode probably about twenty times, and every time I watch it it reaffirms that this is my favourite episode, and like you Mike I think it's the BEST episode of television ever made. Sometimes when I'm past this point and watching the later seasons I think some of those episodes might eclipse it (The Gift, OMWF) and maybe I was just young, impressionable and unexposed to Buffy when I first saw this and that's why it had such an effect on me, but I always come back to this. Why? Put simply - I know what happens, I can quote it almost word for word, and yet every single time I watch it, without fail, I am weeping. I tell myself each time that it can't possibly make me cry again, but as soon as that soul goes through Angel and you see Buffy's utter shock the tears start welling up and by the end of the killing scene they are pretty much streaming down my face! Without fail I am transported back each time to a point where I feel like I have never seen the episode, to a point where it is still so raw, so emotionally charged and so heartbreaking (and so well acted) that I feel there cannot possibly be anything on television as moving as this! I'm totally invested in it, totally sucked in, and I never care any less about what happens. There is so much dispute about plot holes on this forum but personally I think if an episode can bring out that reaction every time it has gone above and beyond what I'd expect, and I'd rather have that than a perfect plot any day. Also, there isn't a SINGLE episode of Buffy where I can't pick out some kind of plot hole or something that doesn't make sense, but you get to a point where you have to forgive them for that! Anyway in my mind, this is a perfect plot. Mike I also agree with you that (besides the best five minutes of television ever at the end), the whole episode is perfectly written and perfectly balanced, and just comes together seamlessly. I LOVE seeing Buffy and Spike team up (perhaps it's because of where I know their story goes, but every time he knocks out that policeman and the camera pans up my heart does a little skip of joy!) and that scene between him and Joyce I think marks the beginning of the growing admiration and respect he has for her which he tells us about after she dies. I love the Buffy/ Joyce scene, I love the way she grabs the sword and takes back control of the fight and her life, I love it all! Just wow. All Comments | Link81 | GeorgeJul 2, 2012 @ 6:52pm This is one of my favourite shows, but to say that no other show averts from typical 'happy endings' like Buffy does, is just, well, blind. Maybe in the late 90's, but not now. All Comments | Link82 | sigmuphiJul 17, 2012 @ 4:00pm One of the indications that this is a truly great episode is how it becomes a touchstone for other key moments through the rest of the series. Normally, we'd just call that "foreshadowing". But here, I think the writers consciously hark back to elements of this episode as a way of keeping themselves on track, that the events here are the core for everything that follows. A couple of examples, I'm sure others can spot more: Xander's "big speech" to Willow, which brings her out of her illness (even if it's not the way he envisioned); the way that Willow's body (and the camera angle) jerk upwards when the magicks start to flow through her; or the focus on the Sunnydale sign when Buffy is leaving (on a bus, no less). The one element that really doesn't recur is the mental powers that we see from Drusilla, both with Kendra and with Giles. There's a bit of it from Dracula, but we're told explicitly that he's sui generis -- and apparently, so is Dru. On another issue, Xander's last minute decision not to tell Buffy that Willow was going to try again to restore Angel's soul: I think Xander probably thought he was going to pass on the message until the moment that he didn't, and was (mostly) well-intentioned in keeping that information from Buffy -- he wanted her to stay focused, to avoid the emotional turmoil of thinking "what if", to save the world as she always does. But I also think that split-second decision might have changed everything. If Buffy were just trying to run out the clock, to keep Angelus occupied with fighting her while Willow worked the spell, that's a lot easier than trying to *win*. She might not have taken the same risks in the fight, might have stayed on her feet long enough to keep Angelus from pulling out the sword, might have been re-united with Angel for good. But of course, that would be too much of a happy ending for the Buffyverse (or almost any universe). All Comments | Link83 | alfridito017Sep 30, 2012 @ 3:46pm *in reply to sigmuphi (#82) Just to be clear, Joss Whedon doesn't like happy ending for couples. Is there anything in his work, where couples do have a happy ending? I would like to know. But I guess it's what make's life or the story interesting.All Comments | Link84 | AdrianDec 6, 2012 @ 2:57pm The sword fight...Boreanaz's stunt double looks absolutely ridiculous and couldn't look any less like Angel himself lol All Comments | Link85 | NancyDec 8, 2012 @ 7:43am I am a huge Buffy and Angel being together fan. I'm still waiting for their happily ever after. I watch this episode every few years and it inevitably makes me not cry, but sob. I'm always equipped with tissue when watching this episode. I absolutely love the music in this episode. When "Close Your Eyes" is played as Buffy is telling Angel to close his eyes. Then they follow up with "Full of Grace." I think this episode is perfect. It is my favorite television episode of all time. I know Whedon isn't a fan of happily ever afters, but I really hope someday Angel and Buffy get their happily ever after. All Comments | Link86 | LouisaDec 14, 2012 @ 7:26pm Part of why Xander lied to Buffy ("Kick His Ass") was brought on by his hurt when he tells Willow he loves her only to hear her calling for Oz. He isn't completely over being rejected by Buffy, and now his otherwise stellar loyalty to Willow is shaken a bit, then bashed a bit more when Willow insists on curing Angel, which is the last thing Xander wants. And Willow ignores Xander's opinion and enlists Oz and Cordelia to help her with the spell. Now he really isn't thinking straight. So frightened guy with a rock lashes out and lies to Buffy about Willow, skipping the chance to help Buffy avoid killing Angel. Not his finest moment. But he did a good job of getting Giles out of there. Damn this show is good. All Comments | Link87 | SeeleJan 30, 2013 @ 8:22am If I may offer some ideas on vampire-breathing: Vampires clearly need blood, even if not for oxygen, making respiration purely a voluntary response but leaving the possibility of blood-flow to the brain being more important. Even in humans, blood-flow is not based exclusively on our heart-beat, we also have skeletal muscle pumps to increase flow during exercise, such that our heart provides blood pressure going to the rest of the body, and all of our other muscles provide blood pressure going back. Granted, our muscles aren't strong enough to provide complete circulation without heart-beat, but vampires have much stronger muscles. All Comments | Link88 | NikoMar 17, 2013 @ 11:47am *in reply to MikeJer (#78) Didn't notice anyone mention it above, but the scene where Xander shows genuine love and affection for Willow, and she comes out of a coma? I mean, maybe that's meant to be a coincidence timing-wise, but it sure seemed to be the oft-seen, ridiculously sappy "love bringing someone back from the brink of death". While a great moment, this is absolutely freaking ridiculous. Especially for a Joss Whedon program, amid such a spectacular episode. To me, that might cost it a P rating. Thoughts? All Comments | Link89 | Iguana-on-a-stickMar 17, 2013 @ 12:02pm *in reply to Niko (#88) I see what you mean and the first time I watched this I was -thinking- it would be such a moment. Only then she immediately asks for Oz so it's actually more of a bait-and-switch.It's still a bit soap-opera like and might warrant a minor con if you object to that kind of thing, but I do think this is far, far too minor a detail to affect the episode's rating in any way. All Comments | Link90 | MikeJer | CREATOR/ADMINMar 17, 2013 @ 12:21pm *in reply to Iguana-on-a-stick (#89) You beat me to a response, and then you said pretty much exactly what I was going to say. This is a long way of saying, 'what Iguana said.' :DAll Comments | Link91 | NikoMar 18, 2013 @ 9:21pm I definitely see where you're both coming from, and I'm sure I'm in the minority on this one. I viewed the fact that she says Oz to be part of Whedon's style and strength, to subvert the expectation that she reciprocates Xander's feelings. And while I love willow and don't want her in a coma, this isn't just cheesy; it's also inconsistent with Faith's coma, which is portrayed much more realistically. Which makes the impact of a main character being out in a coma that much more devastating, not forgotten by the next episode. For me personally, the best episodes of Buffy suck you into this world so completely that you become a part of it, and when that connection is broken, I do feel it is a significant detriment. In terms of character development and series-long relevance, Becoming Part 2 is right up there. No way could it not be. But to me, it doesn't make my top 5, and I believe Passion is the best episode of the season. And I suppose that the coma scene wouldn't be enough to change that for me. I suppose my major gripe is that I truly felt that that one scene is all that keeps it from being tv perfection. The others I have in my top 5 never seem to break the mood in this way: Passion Fool For Love The Body Once More, With Feeling Hush Post a Comment
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WOW, I totally agree with you on this episode!!! I can't believe I've never heard of this site... its amazing wat you can find on the net. The topic I discuss with my friends is the horrible ending to chosen, the last ever episode, not only did Spike die! but there was no heroic buffyness... Personally the end of season two was 'the' best ending to a season. Becoming Pt.2 has to be my favorite television episode, I loved it so much I wanted everyone I knew to see it... But discovered sadly it does not have the same effect if you havent watch the entire Angel-Buffy relationship. I would love to here from a fellow fan of buffy! I love discussing charcaters, funny quotes and my favorite episodes. I also have to know, who do you think Buffys greatest enemy was? please let me know at freq_club@hotmail.com
xoxoxo