GET IT DONE
Created | Updated Apr 29, 2005
Buckle up, keep breathing, and don't blink, 'cause Get It Done is a crammed episode if ever there was one. Let's see:
Wood is introduced into the army
Kennedy takes charge
Chloe hangs herself
Unresolved frictions between Spike&Anya and Spike&Wood
Buffy verbally chastises the troops
Spike gets to kick demon butt again
Willow works heavy magic for the first time since her 'reformation'
The origins of the slayer are revealed
By the end of it all, so much has happened, Chloe's hartstopping suicide is almost forgotten. While that was argauble the catharsis that set the whole rollercoaster in motion. Initially you think it's a trick of the First, and it is, but not in the way you hoped for. Chloe is dead allright, and her end prompts Buffy to change her gear (From a different point of view, you could state it was the First taunting the slayer. While she admonished the girls not to listen, it did strike a chord within herself: her own words thrown back at her, her doubts revealed, showing her vulnerability despite her position. She can't have that. Not for the potentials and not for herself.) No more empathy -not like she showed any before- when it comes to survival, all means are permitted. So the members of Fight School get the mental spanking of a lifetime. Already scared and shocked by the death of one from their midst, they are called a useless, self-pitying bunch of girls, waiting to be picked off and buried. From now on, they will do nothing but obey orders and push themselves across every limit in doing so, if not, they can leave now, never to be heard from again. What's more, the slayer-general makes no difference between her recruits and her friends. Spike and Anya, neither of them inclined to put up with verbal abuse or do as they're told, try to counter her with sarcastic retorts: "Since I'm neither a girl, nor waiting, all this speechifying doesn't really apply to me, does it?" Even Xander shoves in his oar: "Jawohl! But let's not try to forget we're also your friends." But ot no avail. Buffy even tramples Spike's new-found soul: she'll call him if she ever needs someone to get weepy or wailed on. This is too much for a sensitive vamp; with a bitter "As a matter of fact I haven't quite been relishing the kill the way I used to", he leaves.
What follows is a clear illustration of the irony of Buffy's words, that are a contradiction of all her own actions, even of her very spirit. She disobeyed Giles, drove Wesley up the wall and scoffed at the Council. As a matter of fact, her whole life is a contradiction of every previously written order. She is the slayer with friends and family, who lived through several apocalypses and died more than once. And it doesn't stop here. Confronted with the origins of her destiny, she isn't impressed for a moment by the three powerful shamans that created the slayer. "Oh, I know, ancient magics. I just thought it was neat." Unflinching she scoulds them, refusing to accept the power they try to force upon her, and breaks free. She showed us in Potential ("You can't think too much. Reacting's better"): Buffy is not the girl for strategic planning (so how will she lead her recruits to victory?), she acts upon instinct and follows her heart. (Spike and Buffy: heart and soul?) She may regret or question her decisions and actions only later, when things are beyond turning back. Same here: she apologizes to Willow for being so harsh, and having seen the army of Uruk-Hai, doubt wether she won't badly need the power she rejected in what's to come.
In the meantime, what does Spike do? The rant of the damsel drove him back to his old self. Or did it? In fact the cock had to crow thrice: when Anya accused him of fighting like a 'wimpire', he seemed fairly unaffected, sure he made the right decision. He's clearly wounded by Buffy's words, but still unchanged. Only after his 'weakness' is proven by his inability to effectively fight the demon, and Kennedy adding oil to the fire by mentioning he got his ass kicked, he gets back in the old vamp-gear. But despite the familiar look, we know his attitude will never be like old times as he walks past Wood undistracted, notwithstanding the sizzling tension between them earlier on. Determined to get the job done as he promised, his mind is set on one thing only: kill the demon and bring it back. But something HAS changed: he enjoys the kill, and as his face glows with satisfaction,, he lights a cigarette. Ouch. Unless the writers have radically changed their point of view, this is a bad omen, as in the buffyverse any addiction (alcohol, cigarettes, blood, or magic) signifies something worse coming. His comment "A tussle like that is good for the soul", combined with his clear pleasure and smoking afterwards, all seem to point in the same direction. The addiction to blood that initially brought forward his urge to kill got replaced by the addiction to Buffy and the urge to proof himself to her. From what we've just seen, this might in the near future be replaced by the urge to slay demons in order to heal his soul. How can that be bad?
So is it still all about power and authority? Power over others, over oneself, and the ability to handle that power wisely. Authority that's aquired with actions, comes with the position, or is inherited by birth. The willingness to listen and accept the given, or, by contrast, not follow leaders, fight the power and seek one's own path. You would say so: Buffy taking charge, rushing in headlong, and then struggling with her responsibility. Spike regaining the power to fight, possibly opening the road to victory over evil. What about the "most powerful one in the room", the one that almost destroyed the world? Big "ouch" again. She need not be made crabby to spin out of control once the magic takes hold of her. Much to her own shame, the moment the witch gets out again, she overturns every obstacle standing in her way, and the sweet, insecure redhead is completely gone. No more following orders, no more humbleness, no more respect for the powers of nature: "Screw it! I suck at Latin, OK? [] I'm the one in charge and I'm telling you to open up, portal, now!" This time, someone can get her out in time -and who else but her very own crayon-friend- but what will the future hold? Beware of the ides of May?
A few questions and remarks about the slayerbag.
Nikki died in the seventies, so shouldn't it have passed down to the slayers after her? And if Wood couldn't part with it, didn't the watcher have the authority to decide over a 4-year old?
Also, does this mean all the slayers before Nikki jumped through the portal to receive their power from the shamani, or was the box never opened before, as it is referred to as 'emergency-kit'? If it was, I guess the watchers would have been the ones orchestrating the portal-ritual, with the Sumerian texts and all. Here Giles was strangely abset (where did he go this week?) and Dawn's role as a language-expert remains quite baffling. "That's where all my fancy translating skills break down", she saysbut when and where did she find the time to develop those? We've seen her do research before -and exceeding all expectations- but this is a whole new field of knowledge. You wonder why Willow doesn't step in.
Little extra flavours of Get it Done
Willow and Anya talking magic: two pro's arguing methods; an academic debate nipped in the bud?
Despite Wood's remark that was clearly meant to make Buffy feel better, seeing the girls go through their drilling-routine -who put Kennedy in charge?- you just know she's right: it's not impressive and it won't be enough.
Andrew has found his new role, and you can't help but feel a little sorry for the obliging houseboy of the overcrowded Summers residence.
Who on earth put the slayer in that strangely shapeless ragskirt?
The oddity of Buffy burying Chloe all by herself has already been discussed on this board, so I won't go over it again. Let's just say that even if she had insisted on doing it alone, it was still strange the others didn't light a candle, bring her some flowers or speak a few words. If only someone read a piece from the Pooh Corner.
I can't finish without quoting something from that outrageously funny prologue with Spike and Anya.
Anya: "I mean, it's like we live in slayer central. I swear, if Buffy rooms one more of the potential girls, I'm gonna call (Yes, go ahead, who can you call?)-I'm gonna call a health inspector."
Spike: "I like my plan better. Get up ,get out, get drunk. Repeat as needed. It's just more elegant" (And it's just sooo Spike)
Wood is introduced into the army
Kennedy takes charge
Chloe hangs herself
Unresolved frictions between Spike&Anya and Spike&Wood
Buffy verbally chastises the troops
Spike gets to kick demon butt again
Willow works heavy magic for the first time since her 'reformation'
The origins of the slayer are revealed
By the end of it all, so much has happened, Chloe's hartstopping suicide is almost forgotten. While that was argauble the catharsis that set the whole rollercoaster in motion. Initially you think it's a trick of the First, and it is, but not in the way you hoped for. Chloe is dead allright, and her end prompts Buffy to change her gear (From a different point of view, you could state it was the First taunting the slayer. While she admonished the girls not to listen, it did strike a chord within herself: her own words thrown back at her, her doubts revealed, showing her vulnerability despite her position. She can't have that. Not for the potentials and not for herself.) No more empathy -not like she showed any before- when it comes to survival, all means are permitted. So the members of Fight School get the mental spanking of a lifetime. Already scared and shocked by the death of one from their midst, they are called a useless, self-pitying bunch of girls, waiting to be picked off and buried. From now on, they will do nothing but obey orders and push themselves across every limit in doing so, if not, they can leave now, never to be heard from again. What's more, the slayer-general makes no difference between her recruits and her friends. Spike and Anya, neither of them inclined to put up with verbal abuse or do as they're told, try to counter her with sarcastic retorts: "Since I'm neither a girl, nor waiting, all this speechifying doesn't really apply to me, does it?" Even Xander shoves in his oar: "Jawohl! But let's not try to forget we're also your friends." But ot no avail. Buffy even tramples Spike's new-found soul: she'll call him if she ever needs someone to get weepy or wailed on. This is too much for a sensitive vamp; with a bitter "As a matter of fact I haven't quite been relishing the kill the way I used to", he leaves.
What follows is a clear illustration of the irony of Buffy's words, that are a contradiction of all her own actions, even of her very spirit. She disobeyed Giles, drove Wesley up the wall and scoffed at the Council. As a matter of fact, her whole life is a contradiction of every previously written order. She is the slayer with friends and family, who lived through several apocalypses and died more than once. And it doesn't stop here. Confronted with the origins of her destiny, she isn't impressed for a moment by the three powerful shamans that created the slayer. "Oh, I know, ancient magics. I just thought it was neat." Unflinching she scoulds them, refusing to accept the power they try to force upon her, and breaks free. She showed us in Potential ("You can't think too much. Reacting's better"): Buffy is not the girl for strategic planning (so how will she lead her recruits to victory?), she acts upon instinct and follows her heart. (Spike and Buffy: heart and soul?) She may regret or question her decisions and actions only later, when things are beyond turning back. Same here: she apologizes to Willow for being so harsh, and having seen the army of Uruk-Hai, doubt wether she won't badly need the power she rejected in what's to come.
In the meantime, what does Spike do? The rant of the damsel drove him back to his old self. Or did it? In fact the cock had to crow thrice: when Anya accused him of fighting like a 'wimpire', he seemed fairly unaffected, sure he made the right decision. He's clearly wounded by Buffy's words, but still unchanged. Only after his 'weakness' is proven by his inability to effectively fight the demon, and Kennedy adding oil to the fire by mentioning he got his ass kicked, he gets back in the old vamp-gear. But despite the familiar look, we know his attitude will never be like old times as he walks past Wood undistracted, notwithstanding the sizzling tension between them earlier on. Determined to get the job done as he promised, his mind is set on one thing only: kill the demon and bring it back. But something HAS changed: he enjoys the kill, and as his face glows with satisfaction,, he lights a cigarette. Ouch. Unless the writers have radically changed their point of view, this is a bad omen, as in the buffyverse any addiction (alcohol, cigarettes, blood, or magic) signifies something worse coming. His comment "A tussle like that is good for the soul", combined with his clear pleasure and smoking afterwards, all seem to point in the same direction. The addiction to blood that initially brought forward his urge to kill got replaced by the addiction to Buffy and the urge to proof himself to her. From what we've just seen, this might in the near future be replaced by the urge to slay demons in order to heal his soul. How can that be bad?
So is it still all about power and authority? Power over others, over oneself, and the ability to handle that power wisely. Authority that's aquired with actions, comes with the position, or is inherited by birth. The willingness to listen and accept the given, or, by contrast, not follow leaders, fight the power and seek one's own path. You would say so: Buffy taking charge, rushing in headlong, and then struggling with her responsibility. Spike regaining the power to fight, possibly opening the road to victory over evil. What about the "most powerful one in the room", the one that almost destroyed the world? Big "ouch" again. She need not be made crabby to spin out of control once the magic takes hold of her. Much to her own shame, the moment the witch gets out again, she overturns every obstacle standing in her way, and the sweet, insecure redhead is completely gone. No more following orders, no more humbleness, no more respect for the powers of nature: "Screw it! I suck at Latin, OK? [] I'm the one in charge and I'm telling you to open up, portal, now!" This time, someone can get her out in time -and who else but her very own crayon-friend- but what will the future hold? Beware of the ides of May?
A few questions and remarks about the slayerbag.
Nikki died in the seventies, so shouldn't it have passed down to the slayers after her? And if Wood couldn't part with it, didn't the watcher have the authority to decide over a 4-year old?
Also, does this mean all the slayers before Nikki jumped through the portal to receive their power from the shamani, or was the box never opened before, as it is referred to as 'emergency-kit'? If it was, I guess the watchers would have been the ones orchestrating the portal-ritual, with the Sumerian texts and all. Here Giles was strangely abset (where did he go this week?) and Dawn's role as a language-expert remains quite baffling. "That's where all my fancy translating skills break down", she saysbut when and where did she find the time to develop those? We've seen her do research before -and exceeding all expectations- but this is a whole new field of knowledge. You wonder why Willow doesn't step in.
Little extra flavours of Get it Done
Willow and Anya talking magic: two pro's arguing methods; an academic debate nipped in the bud?
Despite Wood's remark that was clearly meant to make Buffy feel better, seeing the girls go through their drilling-routine -who put Kennedy in charge?- you just know she's right: it's not impressive and it won't be enough.
Andrew has found his new role, and you can't help but feel a little sorry for the obliging houseboy of the overcrowded Summers residence.
Who on earth put the slayer in that strangely shapeless ragskirt?
The oddity of Buffy burying Chloe all by herself has already been discussed on this board, so I won't go over it again. Let's just say that even if she had insisted on doing it alone, it was still strange the others didn't light a candle, bring her some flowers or speak a few words. If only someone read a piece from the Pooh Corner.
I can't finish without quoting something from that outrageously funny prologue with Spike and Anya.
Anya: "I mean, it's like we live in slayer central. I swear, if Buffy rooms one more of the potential girls, I'm gonna call (Yes, go ahead, who can you call?)-I'm gonna call a health inspector."
Spike: "I like my plan better. Get up ,get out, get drunk. Repeat as needed. It's just more elegant" (And it's just sooo Spike)
