Buffy the Vampire Slayer S07 E18 – Hellfire and brimstone

Previously: Spike had kind of an Oedipal thing going on with his mum, and Robin got kind of murdery but just broke Spike’s trigger instead. Whoops. Also, Buffy told Giles to shove it.
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Dirty Girls

Kirsti: I was pretty devastated when I discovered that I had to cover this episode, because – as you guys should know by now – I have eyeball phobia. The unfortunate thing is that I only have myself to blame for this – way back in the day, I was all “YAAAAAAY SPIKE!!!!” and insisted on the Sweeney, Lor, Kirsti recapping order because it meant that I could cover School Hard. Oh, Past Kirsti. You stupid, stupid girl.

Sweeney: To be fair, that was actually just the logical order based on when I joined the recaps — it’s more that you were excited about the way it worked out than that you actually moved for it to be that way. You know, for whatever consolation that affords you.

Lorraine: I have often claimed to be Good at TV, and while I still think I am, I also have to confess to being Good at Traumateers. This is not the first time I’ve heard mentioned of Kirsti’s crappy luck with this episode, so clearly someone is going to get eyeball mauled. I’m going to get the disappointment out of the way early and guess it’s not Spike.

K: Sweeney, I still blame Past Kirsti for being an idiot. And Lor, you would be correct. Womp womp. ANYWAY. Let’s talk about the actual episode, shall we? The previouslies go for a whopping 1.34, then we’re dropped into a forest somewhere. A teenaged girl is being chased by Bringers. She runs into a road just as a truck drives up, and begs the driver to stop. NATHAN FILLION DRESSED AS A PRIEST kindly obliges.

Lor: WHAT? WHAT IS THIS MAGIC? Oh my gosh, some seconds after I’m all, “yep. I know what’s going to happen,” I’m surprised by the man who plays my TV boyfriend. Excellent.

K: Just wait, Lor Snow. The girl jumps into the passenger seat and yells at Nathan Priest-ion (L: A+) to drive. He pulls away as the Bringers burst out onto the road. Priest-ion asks if she’s okay, then asks why a good girl like her is out in the woods at night. And also is she maybe a devil worshipper because of the Bringers? She doesn’t reply, so he asks where she’s going. When she says Sunnydale, he tells her that he’s going there too. She introduces herself as Shannon, and calls him Father. He tells her to call him Caleb because he “Never was nobody’s daddy,” which I mention only because it reminds me of Book telling Kaylee not to call him grandpa because he never married.

Anyway, Priest-ion asks why the Bringers were chasing her. She shrugs and he suggests that maybe it’s because she’s a whore. She’s taken aback, but he continues to say that she’s dirty as he hits the cigarette lighter. She scrambles for the door handle, but it’s been removed. Priest-ion says that his boys hate to miss a mark, and she’s shocked as she realises the Bringers work for him. She tries to grab the wheel but he fights her off. He continues to Crazy Preacher Rant as he pulls the now-hot cigarette lighter from its holder and presses it to a ring on his right hand. She begs him not to hurt her, but he presses the ring to her neck with a sizzle as she screams.

Sweeney: This episode is heavy with the, “LOOK AWAY!” It reminds me a little of Game of Thrones recaps, where there are large sections that go unverified because the recapper sure as shit won’t rewind and the commenter probably wasn’t looking. When someone chimes in all, “THAT’S NOT EVEN THE HAND THAT GOT CUT OFF,” we’re all, “Sure. Fine. Great. We’ll take you at your word.”

Lor: PLUS, I’M GOING TO BE LOOKING AWAY BECAUSE NATHAN FILLION IS EVIL.

K: The benefit to recapping ten year old shows is that people have written in-depth transcripts, meaning you can describe everything that happens without actually watching it. TRALALALALA. Anyway, Priest-ion Hallelujahs over the cleansing fire, then tells her that there’s a car not far behind them going to Sunnydale and that he wants her to take a message to the Slayer. She agrees, and he pulls a knife and stabs her in the gut before whispering in her ear. Then he kicks the door open and shoves Shannon out into the road. She rolls into the middle of the road and the car behind slams on its brakes. Willow gets out and rushes over to Shannon. She tells her passenger that Shannon’s hurt and they need to get her to a hospital. “Yep. Guess I’m back in Sunnydale...” Faith says. FAITH YAY FAITH WHEEEEEEEEEEE. Cue Wolf Howl.

Sweeney: I wanted to be all, “YAY CROSSOVER MAGIC!” because in my head Faith really belongs to Angel the Series. Even though she was introduced here and has the bulk of her episodes here, her most important character moments happen over there and this episode really highlights that perspective shift.

Lor: As much as I appreciate her dry persona, having Faith amble over to a girl bleeding out of a stomach wound all, “yep. Sunnydale.” was a weird choice. Girl, HELP A SISTA OUT.

K: Surely she can do both at once? Like, apply pressure to bleeding gut wound while she’s “ISTG, Sunnydale, you suck”-ing. After the credits, we’re at Xander’s Gift Apartment. There are Potentials sleeping all over the living room floor. Xander’s in bed, chatting to one of the Potentials, a girl I recognise from Heroes, who’s sitting on top of the covers crosslegged. (S: I always referred to her as Death Tears and I fucking hated her.) He reassures her that Buffy won’t let her go into battle before she’s ready. She starts talking about how there are so many things she’s never done in life, including having sex. RACHEL BILSON (seriously, WTF?) pops up from the floor to say that she’s never had sex either. They lean towards him and the camera pans past to show the other Potentials having a pillow fight in their underwear. Xander’s wakened from his gross sex dream about underage girls by Rona, who crankily informs him that one of the girls has stomach flu and the toilet’s backed up. He tells her that he’ll be there right after he deals with his boner shortly.

Lor: It wouldn’t be the final season if we didn’t have a last chance to break out the awkward Xander boner tag.

K: Let’s be honest, even if he didn’t have a gross sex dream, we’d have found a way to bring the tag back anyway. Sunnydale Hospital. Willow and Faith watch from that weird observation window in the hallway as the doctors start working on saving Shannon. Faith gets a little bitchy about the fact that the First is trying to kill off the Slayer line and no one bothered to call her, which is a completely legitimate reaction despite Willow’s “we thought you’d be safe in prison.”

Sweeney: The Scoobies have some very real, legit issues with Faith so I can understand their reticence to communicate with her, but at a bare minimum, there should have been a phone call to LA with a general, “Yo, somebody’s trying to off the Slayer line. We don’t need you to do anything about it right now, but if you could pass the word along to Faith and maybe give us the head’s up if she gets taken out, that’d be cool.” Something to acknowledge Faith, given that she is the official next stop in the lineage (regardless of whatever wonkiness Buffy’s resurrection had on that.)

K: A+. Faith mentions the getting-attacked-in-prison-with-a-big-knife thing and says that now she knows why. Willow apologises but Faith shrugs it off and suggests going to find Buffy. Willow says that she called Chez Summers and that Buffy’s out on patrol. “Cemetery’s more fun anyway,” Faith replies as she turns to leave.

Willow gets twitchy and suggests that they should stay there to see how Shannon’s doing, and also maybe Faith tracking Buffy down on her own isn’t the best idea in the world on account of all those times they tried to kill each other. Faith says that she’s spent too much time in hospitals and that she’s sure she and Buffy will get on just fine. She grins sarcastically and leaves.

In the cemetery, a blonde girl is running for her life, with a dude in a long dark garment not far behind. She stops, looking around for somewhere to hide. There’s a growl behind her and she gets punched in the face, and falls to the ground unconscious. Her pursuer reaches for her throat, but is pulled away by someone who hurls him into a nearby monument. “Whatcha wanna do to her, vamp? Something like this?” Faith says as she punches Spike in the face. He realises who she is and tells her there’s a misunderstanding as they circle each other. She scoffs and mentions that time she and Spike met. They trade blows as he informs her that he’s reformed, then she gets punched in the face by Buffy. Rude.

Buffy and Faith trade insults for a minute before Buffy asks Spike if he’s okay. Faith looks confused, which leads to a moment of fabulousness:

 

Faith wonders why, if Spike’s so good now, he was chasing that girl. So obviously the girl vamps out and attacks Faith. They fight for a minute before Faith grabs a stake from Buffy and dusts the vamp before asking if there’s anything else she needs to be caught up on. “Nice to have you back,” Buffy says.

Sweeney: Everything about Buffy’s reaction is appropriate given how awful Faith was to her, though it’s strange to see on the heels of the last couple episodes of Angel. I love Faith so much now that I had to remind myself of her Buffy-only arc. It reminds me of when Buffy went to LA and then Angel showed up in Sunnydale’s next episode. Over on Angel we basically saw Buffy behaving like a giant brat, but here on Buffy we saw her express how hurt she had been. I love moments like this because it allows the different tone and focus of the two shows to express similar circumstances from distinct perspectives. There are a lot of ways in which the tandem universes get stupid from their efforts to keep the shows distinct, but interesting things happen when they allow the edges to bleed a little.

Lor: It’s no secret that I’m not a fan of Angel. I just don’t think it’s quality TV. That said, I can’t imagine not watching Angel now that I’m experiencing all the crossover magic in full. To just get this piece of Faith’s story is such a disservice. And I know that Buffy has every right to behave this way, but I still feel for Faith. I love that.

K: YUP. Totally agree with all of that. Plus, if we weren’t watching Angel, we never would have been given that magical “arf arf, psycho” gift from the writers. Cut to Chez Summers. Faith has deja vu over the house, but Buffy says that it’s not the same house on account of everything’s been busted and replaced a hundred times. Except, you know, FOR THE DEAD BODY SOFA. But you know, whatever. Dawn – and to a lesser extent, Giles – are not even remotely pleased to see Faith. Buffy, who has EXCELLENT hair all of a sudden, says that she has to get to the hospital and leaves. Giles and Dawn leave the room. Spike informs Faith that not all the tension was about her – some of it was about Giles being part of a plot to kill him. “Well, that makes me feel better about me. Worse about Giles… Kinda shaky about you…” she replies.

Lor: A fucking plus, Faith.

K: Truth. Cut to a cellar somewhere. Priest-ion pours a glass of wine from a barrel and Crazy Preacher Rambles about the Last Supper and the blood of Christ becoming wine which has always totally grossed me out. He hypothesises that the reason he never stayed in one parish was because he was looking for God in the wrong places. Until he was shown the light. First!Buffy steps into the frame and asks if he thinks the First is God. He says he’s above all that nonsense, but that he still wears the outfit because you can’t turn your back on your roots. Also because black is slimming. He calls First!Buffy a dirty girl, but there’s no S on the end, so I’mma deny him a gold star. No gold stars for evil. (S: I don’t know, it depends on the kind of evil. We rain down pretty hard on misogynist evil, though, so no gold star for you, Priest-ion!) (K: Definitely. I mean, there’s evil, and EVIL. Glory was evil, but I’d give her a gold star in a heartbeat. Priest-ion, though? NO STAR FOR YOU.) He suddenly realises who The First is dressed up as, and First!Buffy says that finally seeing what the Slayer looks like is his reward for blowing up the Council and organising the Bringers. Also because he’ll be meeting Buffy soon. First!Buffy asks how he can be sure that she’ll come, and Priest-ion replies that curiosity is woman’s first sin, just like Eve and the apple. Fade to black.

After the Not Commercial Break, we’re thrown into a montage of Faith shots from throughout season 3 as Andrew voiceovers about her being the Dark Slayer, who “wrapped evil around her like a large, evil Mexican serape.” No one, he continues, was safe from her, not even the most passive of races. That throws us into a shot of Faith fighting a Vulcan. He goes for the Vulcan death grip, but she breaks free. Just before she stabs him, we cut to the Chez Summers kitchen as Amanda says “What the hell are you talking about? I thought Faith killed a volcanologist.” Andrew, who’s clearly been acting out the role of Faith with Rona as his victim, scoffs then gets embarrassed when he realises that he misunderstood the word volcanologist.

 

He tells them that regardless, they should be on their guard around Faith because she’s a killer. He stares out the window to where she’s running through a kata.

Lor: Yeah, be careful with Faith and not ALL THE OTHER KILLERS LIVING WITH YOU IN THE SAME HOUSE. Including the guy telling you this story.

K: Shhhhhh, logic has no place in Sunnydale, Lor. Sunnydale High 2.0, which is apparently all better after that small riot they had last time. Robin’s doing paperwork. Buffy sticks her head in the door and tells him that he looks better. She goes on to say that while she doesn’t have time for his Spike vendetta, she needs him on her side. He tells her that she’s fired, and she’s taken aback. He tells her that it’s because everyone’s leaving town and she should be focusing her efforts on training the girls. So…just keep paying her and tell the office staff that she’s out making house calls?? It can’t be easy to support like 30 Potential slayers plus the Scooby gang on Buffy and Xander’s salaries…

Sweeney: Right? Think about Slayer Basecamp’s bottom line, Wood!

Lor: Fuck that. You threatened to let someone kill me? FIRED.

K: Excellent point. I’d kind of managed to forget about that part of the last episode… Anyway, she says that she doesn’t want to take the girls to war because they haven’t even been tested in battle. He suggests that she, you know, DO THAT. He fires her again when she starts talking about working part time, then tells her that what matters is the big picture and the mission. Right, but the mission requires food and electricity and weapons…

Chez Summers basement. Faith runs down the stairs, then sits down and lights up. I guess even if you’re not evil, prison turns you into a smoker? (S: IN THE HOUSE. I can’t even with these people. Take that shit outside right now.) Spike, who for some inexplicable reason is lounging shirtless on his camp bed, a la Rose in Titanic, asks if he can bum a smoke, and she’s momentarily startled. She hands him a cigarette and they have a moment of bonding over their reformed evil ways. He asks why she’s not upstairs, giving Slayer wisdom to the Potentials. She says that’s Buffy deal and after being locked up with a millionty women in prison, she could use a little peace and quiet.

He asks why she didn’t break out of prison earlier, given that she had the power to and all, and she says that she stopped herself because she knew she was dangerous. They trade some conversation about sex kinks, which leads her to tell him again that they’ve met before. He’s all “Right, when you punched me out last night,” but she tells him that she was wearing a different body when they met. He twigs about the body swap deal, and she says that she may have said a couple of things. He recites the “make you pop like warm champagne” line, and says that it’s not the kind of thing you forget.

She tells him that he should have known it wasn’t Buffy because she’d never be that naughty. He chuckles “Oh, you have been away…“, and Faith’s all “Skkkrt, WHAAAT???” Buffy walks down the stairs, crossing her arms disapprovingly when she sees Faith and Spike lounging on his camp bed. Spike asks why she’s not at work, and she says that she’s cutting back on her hours to focus on what’s happening at Chez Summers. The last includes a rather pointed look at their coziness.

Sweeney: My eyes almost rolled out of my head.

Lor: Yeah, mine got momentarily stuck that way. Blogging is dangerous.

K: SO MUCH. Dawn calls down the stairs to say that Willow rang from the hospital and Shannon’s awake. Segue Magic to the hospital. Shannon’s covered in bruises as she fills Buffy and Willow in on what happened to her. Willow takes pictures of the ring burn as Shannon says that Priest-ion gave her a message for the Slayer: “I have something of yours.”

Chez Summers. Buffy’s briefing the Scoobies and Potentials on Priest-ion. She doesn’t know, she says, if the something of hers is another Potential or if it’s a weapon, but she’s done waiting. It’s time to take the fight to him. And they’re coming with her. Fade to black.

After the Not Commercial Break, a young girl in a Pretty White Virginal Dress is wandering around in the winery cellar. Priest-ion asks from the darkness what she’s looking for, and she replies that she was looking for him, because his sermon went right through her. He says that his words are powerful, and that they called her to him because she’s weak with urges. She follows him into the darkness, then falls back with a gasp and a massive bleeding gut wound. When she hits the floor, she promptly turns into First!Buffy, who says that most people don’t like visits from their dead. He asks her to do it again, specifically with a choirgirl from Knoxville that he used to give singing lessons to. She shakes her head with a smile.

Cut to Buffy’s bedroom where the Scoobies – now with added Faith! – are gathered. Buffy tells them that they need to arm the Potentials, and asks Faith if she’s up for recon work. Giles begs her to reconsider, because they don’t know what Priest-ion has of hers – “Maybe it’s a stapler.” Buffy says she’s going in anyway. He insists that the girls aren’t ready, and she compromises by saying that she’ll only take the ones who’ve been there longest. So, you know, the ones who have names. She wants Willow to stay behind with the rest. Xander argues that it’s a trap, but Buffy insists that Priest-ion won’t be expecting an attack this soon. Giles angrily says they need more time, but Buffy disagrees – they’re nearly out of time. And besides, he’s not going with them.

Sweeney: Which she says in the most cutting way possible, with emphasis on his uselessness to her. All part of her growing feeling that anyone who doesn’t fall in line is useless to her.

Lor: I’m so mad at her. I know she’s not in an easy situation but damn it, I’M SO MAD AT BUFFY. She’s being such a brat about all of this and I can’t even take it. She says she doesn’t have time for anything but the mission, but she’s handicapping herself by refusing to listen to those around her. She sidelines Giles because she’s pissed at him. If this fails, yeah, THAT’S WHAT HAPPENS.

K: We’re heading into Fang Gang “USE YOUR WORDS” territory here. Cut to the woods outside the winery. Buffy and Faith are following a Bringer, who has no fucks to give about the fact that they’re right behind him, chatting away. Faith says that his easy-to-follow-ness supports the TRAP!! theory, and Buffy snaps that she’s sick of waiting to be attacked. Faith says that she gets it and that the girls seem ready to fight. Buffy demands to know why Faith came back, and Faith gets standoffish because it seems like Buffy doesn’t want her there. Buffy backs down and quietly thanks Faith for coming. Faith fills her in a little on what happened with Angel but just then the Bringer arrives at the winery. They realise that there are more Bringers around, and realise they’ve found Evil Command Central. They head off to get the cavalry.

Chez Summers. Xander tells the Potentials to go for the kill and gives specific tips for vampires and Bringers. Rona wants to know about other things. He tells them that if it’s something otherworldly, you should ignore the tentacles and go for the centre – “brains, hearts, eyes. Everything’s got eyes.” Excuse me while I recap the rest of the episode from behind a pillow.

Lor: So, Xander’s going to get eye-mauled is what you are saying? Cool.

K: EVERYTHING has eyes, Lor. EVERYTHING. Stop being so good at TV, dammit. Kennedy fangirls over getting to fight, followed by Andrew’s obligatory moment of nerdiness, this time about Godzilla.

Rona snaps, saying that Buffy’s crazy to be leading them into Evil Command Central. She came to Sunnydale, she says, for protection – not to die – and that Buffy doesn’t care how many of them she puts in danger. Xander interrupts to give an everyman speech of awesomeness:

“I’ve been through more battles with Buffy than you all can ever imagine. She’s stopped everything that’s ever come up against her. She’s laid down her life—literally—to protect the people around her. This girl has died two times, and she’s still standing. You’re scared? That’s smart. You got questions? You should. But you doubt her motives, you think Buffy’s all about the kill, then you take the little bus to battle. I’ve seen her heart, and this time—not literally. And I’m telling you, right now, she cares more about your lives than you will ever know. You gotta trust her. She’s earned it.”

Buffy walks in part way through and tears up as she listens to him talk. Andrew is openly crying by the end. “Damn, I never knew you were that cool,” Faith says. Buffy tells the girls to saddle up.

Sweeney: Even over here in the, “Buffy, cool your jets and listen to people,” corner I was moved by this speech. OK, XANDER. OK. I’m still solidly in that corner, but it’s a nice reminder that her motives are truly good. Questionable actions, but coming from a good place.

Lor: UGH, OKAY FINE XANDER. FINE. I still think this plan is shit, though.

K: Totally a shit plan. But the “I’ve seen her heart” is a nice throwback to Buffy’s eighteenth birthday and Angel saying he could see her heart. Evil Command Central. Buffy marches everyone right up to the front door before stopping to give orders – her team will go in first while the others establish a perimeter. They’re only to come in if it’s a trap, and the signal will be lots of yelling. She turns and leads her team – Spike, Kennedy, Rona, Molly and Chao-Ahn – inside. They head down into the cellar, which is deserted. Buffy tells them to stay alert because there are Bringers nearby, which is obviously the cue for Bringers to walk out of the shadows and attack. There’s a fairly even fight until suddenly the Bringers all turn and walk away.

Buffy and Spike look confused until Priest-ion appears from the shadows and starts Crazy Preacher Rambling about purifying them with fire blah blah blah. Buffy tells him to shut up, and he says that he’s pleased she got his message and that he might need a new truck because EW DIRTY POTENTIAL BLOOD ON THE SEAT. Buffy’s startled as she realises she’s walked into a trap despite everyone ever being all “DUDE. TRAP.”. He Crazy Preacher Rambles about her being the Slayer for a minute and how she must be the most powerful thing ever before punching her. The punch sends her flying clean across the room. “So, what else you got?” he says smugly. Fade to black.

After the Not Commercial Break, Spike vamps out and attacks, but Priest-ion knocks him effortlessly to the ground. Spike tries to stand, but Priest-ion headbutts him, sending him flying across the room. He smacks into a barrel of wine, which breaks and washes Spike across the floor in a sea of wine. Kennedy musters the Potentials, but the Bringers attack. Priest-ion knocks Kennedy into a stack of barrels, and Rona runs to check on her. Priest-ion grabs her and snaps her arm. A Bringer grabs a knife and goes to stab Rona, but an arrow hits his arm. The camera pans up to show Xander and Faith at the top of the stairs, backed up by more Potentials.

The Bringers rush them. Xander sees Buffy lying unconscious and heads towards her. Faith, a knife in each hand, goes after Priest-ion, but he doesn’t seem bothered as he calls her the Cain to Buffy’s Abel. He grabs her hands, forcing her to drop her knives, and Faith knees him in the balls. He releases her hands enough that she can pull free and backhand him. He grabs her arm, and twists it behind her back. She falls to her knees. He slaps her while Crazy Preacher Rambling, then kicks her across the room into a stack of barrels, which smash and cover the floor in more wine. He grabs a passing Potential and snaps her neck. “No!” Molly yells, and Priest-ion walks towards her.

Across the room, Buffy’s come to. She tells Xander to sound the retreat, but it’s too late. Priest-ion has Molly by the neck and is lifting her off the ground. Buffy stands and tries to get to Molly, but Bringers keep getting in the way. Priest-ion stabs Molly and drops her to the ground. Buffy snaps and attacks him, getting in a few good kicks and punch that knocks him across the room. She goes to follow but Spike grabs her arm and says they’re leaving.

Xander helps Kennedy up and towards the door as Spike ushers the Potentials out. Priest-ion grabs Xander from behind and spins him around so they’re facing each other. “You’re the one who sees everything, aren’t you? Well, let’s see what we can do about that,” he says. With that, he stabs his thumb into Xander’s left eye with a squelch and I VOMIT EVERYWHERE BECAUSE OH MY FUCKING GOD EYEBALL TRAUMA WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY. (S: Probably the fourth or fifth time this episode that I had to look away.) (L: See? Y’all help me call things. Also, POOR XANDER. WORST.) Xander screams, and Spike charges in, knocking Priest-ion back. He and Buffy grab Xander and hurry him up the stairs. Priest-ion doesn’t follow, but smiles evilly as they leave.

Sunnydale Hospital. Priest-ion voiceovers a Crazy Preacher Ramble about women being dirty because they came from Adam’s rib as Buffy surveys the hospitalised wounded. Willow, holding an unconscious Xander’s hand, looks at Buffy blankly. Priest-ion continues as we cut to Chez Summers and the less injured Potentials being patched up. At Evil Command Central, Priest-ion is telling his voiceover story to First!Buffy. The Slayer, he says, doesn’t know the glory that’s coming, the glory that is the First. Buffy leaves the living room and heads outside, walking by herself down the dark streets of Sunnydale. Priest-ion’s voiceover says that following Buffy has led all the girls to him, and all they need to do is take one more step and he’ll kill them all. Fade to black.

Obviously, this episode and I are not friends because EYEBALL TRAUMA. But Buffy is such a massive brat for most of it. More than that, it seems out of character for Buffy to be rushing in with no information – that’s more Season 3 Faith’s approach. Sure, she’s sick of waiting. But to walk into what everyone around her can identify as a trap seems bizarre. Still, it’s the beginning of the end, and the writers had to force a confrontation somehow…

Sweeney: A second consecutive episode in which I find it a great struggle to sympathize with Buffy. Homegirl’s pissing me off. Her legit trauma with Faith at the beginning and Xander’s speech were some of the only moments where I didn’t want to slap her. What’s more, while it’s great that they waited until E18 to throw Priest-ion at us, his Glory-esque omnipotence only contributes to the absurd pacing of the First’s arc for me. I’m pumped that Faith is back in the mix, though, so there’s that.

Lor: Agreed on all counts. I mean, I guess hanging out in a wine cellar talking to First!Buffy all the time is tempting, but other than that, there is actually no reason Priest-ion hasn’t wiped them out yet, besides PLOT. The story in this episode is slowed down by the introduction to Priest-ion, as well as a reintroduction to Faith. There was a lot of talk in between all of Buffy’s, “NO TIME FOR ANYTHING,” which again, messes with the pacing. Priest-ion pulled an Angelus and talked too much. We didn’t really need the additional evil sermons to suss out just what we were dealing with. 

K: Damn that Big Book of Villain Gloating…

 

Next time: The Potentials turn on Buffy. Plus, Andrew and Spike go on a roadtrip. Find out more in Buffy the Vampire Slayer S07 E19 – Empty Places.