Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 7 Episode 5

SELFLESS



The Good;

Lovely to see Anya singing in her gorgeous wedding dress again. Great scenes between Anya and Halfrek, wonderful Swedish scenes and a terrific ending. Also like Buffy's busy school day.



The Bad;

?



Best line;

Villager; "Pelt him with fruits and various meats!"



Women good/men bad;

D'Hoffryn kills Halfrek to spite Anya, almost like killing one of his daughters. What the Frat boys do to the girl is horrible but doesn't warrant having your heart torn out.



Jeez!;

Frat boys with their hearts ripped out! Not the ep for you if you're arachnaphobic (we know Willow is from 'Nightmares' but she appears to keep it in check)



Kinky dinky;

Love Will's miniskirt and booties, you forget what a hot momma-yomma she can be sometimes! Buffy comments that Anya 'boned a troll' whilst Anya refers to the 'sweaty' part of a relationship.



Captain Subtext;

Xander refers to himself as 'giddy' which even Willow comments isn't a very masculine term.



Guantanamo Bay;

Buffy is prepared to kill Anya for the greater good, Xander doesn't want to. Buffy makes a good point that Spike, Angelus, The Master etc never chose to be evil, Anya chose to become a vengence demon once again and poses an ongoing threat to humanity. Also do we doubt that Xander and certainly Giles would have killed Angelus in season 2 if they could have?



Missing scenes;

I would love to have seen the scene where D'Hoffryn looks at the slaughtered frat boys and says someone should phone Maxim and cancel 12 subscriptions, perhaps a comment on the Buffy/Angel girl's tendency to strip off and pose for that particular magazine seemingly at the drop of a hat (or a large cheque/free publicity for their upcoming projects?). Also interesting on the commentary is that they wanted Halfrek to appear to Anya in 'Conversations with Dead People'.



Apocalypses; 7,



Scoobies in bondage:

Buffy: 8

Giles: 4

Cordy: 5

Will: 4

Jenny: 1

Angel: 4

Oz: 1

Faith: 3

Joyce: 1

Wes: 1

Xander; 2

Dawn; 4



Scoobies knocked out: yep, Xander

Buffy: 19

Giles: 12

Cordy: 6

Xander: 15

Will: 8

Jenny: 2

Angel: 6

Oz: 3

Faith: 1

Joyce: 3

Wes: 1

Anya;5

Dawn; 4

Tara; 1



Kills: demon spider for Buffy

Buffy: 109 vamps, 61 demons, 6 monsters, 3 humans, 1 werewolf, 1 spirit warrior & a robot

Giles: 8 vamps, 2 demon, 1 human, 1 god.

Cordy: 3 vamps, a demon

Will: 6 vamps + 3 demons +1 fawn+1 human.

Angel: 3 vamps, 1 demon, 1 human

Oz: 3 vamps, 1 zombie

Faith: 16 vamps, 5 demons, 3 humans

Xander: 6 vamps, 2 zombies, 1 a demon,

Anya: 1 vamp and 1 a demon

Riley; 18 vamps + 7 demons

Spike; 8 vamps and 6 demons

Buffybot; 2 vamps

Tara; 1 demon

Dawn; 1 vamp + 1 demon



Scoobies go evil: Anya does although she's not technically a Scooby at this point

Giles: 1

Cordy: 1

Will: 3

Jenny: 1

Angel: 1

Oz: 1

Joyce: 1

Xander: 4

Anya; 1

Dawn; 1

Buffy; 1



Alternate scoobies:

Buffy: 8

Giles: 4

Cordy: 1

Will: 5

Jenny: 2

Angel: 3

Oz: 2

Joyce: 2

Xander: 4

Tara; 1

Dawn;1

Spike; 1

Anya; 2



Recurring characters killed: Halfrek but she's evil so she doesn't count-12

Jesse, Flutie, Jenny, Kendra, Larry, Snyder, Professor Walsh, Forrest, McNamara, Joyce, Katrina, Tara



Sunnydale deaths; 12 frat boys dead but alive again by the end of the ep

99



Total number of scoobies: 4,

Xander, Buffy, Dawn, Willow



Xander demon magnet: 5(6?)

Preying Mantis Lady, Inca Mummy Girl, Drusilla, VampWillow, Anya (arguably Buffy & Faith with their demon essences?), Dracula?



Scoobies shot:

Giles: 2

Angel: 3

Oz: 4

Riley; 1

Buffy; 1

Tara; 1



Notches on Scooby bedpost:

Giles: 2; Joyce & Olivia, possibly Jenny and 3xDraccy babes?

Cordy: 1?

Buffy: 4 confirmed; Angel, Parker, Riley, Spike. 1 possible, Dracula(?)

Angel: 1;Buffy

Joyce: 1;Giles, 2 possible, Ted and Dracula(?)

Oz: 3; Groupie, Willow & Verucca

Faith:2 ;Xander, Riley

Xander: 2; Faith, Anya

Willow: 2;Oz and Tara

Riley; 3; Buffy, Sandy and unnamed vampwhore

Spike; 2 Buffy and Anya

Anya; 2 Spike and Xander



Dawn in peril; 12



Dawn the bashful virgin; 9



What the fanficcers thought;

Read a bizarre one once called Web of Desire where Buffy and Xander are captured by the demon spider and Buffy get's impregnated by it (which is normally Cordy's job?). But in the follow up story they both escape after Buffy beguiles the spider with her feminine wiles and strangles it with it's own web because SHE's the Black Widow, she mates and then she kills (she certainly did with Angel!). You know what they say about the female of the species?

Also a much funnier one is where Anyanka's bunny fear stems from her cursing an unfaithful man to 'Go like a bunny forever' whereupon he is turned into a killer rabbit which goes on to attack Gabrielle in the Xena ep 'In sickness and in hell' and takes on the Monty Python's Knights of the Round table before being finished off by the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch!



Questions and observations;

Very little Dawn in this one (plenty of her next ep), she only has one scene but it's Anya's ep so that's ok. A wonderful tour de force showing us all how much we've learned to love and care about Anya who was introduced as a one-note character 4 years back but who is now a regular and so deserves to be! Especially love her little vengful stare when she first meets D'Hoffryn.

Buffy still doesn't know about Xander's lie in Becoming pt2, another point against Normal Again being true but you wonder will he ever really pay for what he did? Dawn's advice to Willow about fitting in is reminiscent to that given to Bart by Homer Simpson. It never occured to me until this ep but much like the end titles for season 6 having the Buffybot at the end this season actually has the First-as-Buffy.

Unfortunately the last we'll ever see of D'Hoffryn or Halfrek. Anya comments she's good with math which is weird as we heard that she was failing it in season 3 (maybe running the Magic Shop improved it?). Anya's invented surname is Jenkins, did we know that before? A vengence demon's 'soul' is referred to? The final scene is very reminiscent of the final bit 'The Harsh Light of Day'.

Marks out of 10; 10/10 first of the season

Selfless-Anya grants a young woman's wish, and the violent and deadly act of vengeance leaves everyone stunned. Buffy must put aside her feelings for her friend and take action before more people die.

Anya, at this point, has become one of the most beloved characters of the series. Since her debut in Season 3's "The Wish", we've seen Anya evolve from a one off demon of the week to a comic foil for Xander to anintegral part of the Scooby Gang to here, an woman who finally realizes that she needs to form her own identity and do what's right. Emma Caulfield is truly a gifted actress who we've seen deliver some of the series' funniest moments as well as some of it's most heart-breaking ("The Body"). In an episode that explores Anya's 1000+ year history as well as her internal struggle to find her true self, she gives possibly her best performance yet! You feel for Anya deeply, even after her latestvengeancespell caused the death over a dozen innocent people, Anya is guilt andsadnessover what she did reminds the audience that even being a demon again, she's still Anya. She got a taste of humanity and a part of that she remains inside of her. You just can't help but route for Anya to pull through and find the way out of her situation, especially when the others find out what she did.

One of my favorite scenes from the episode isBuffy, Xander and Willow. From the actors' performances to their point of views on the situation, the scene was exceptional. I also loved the reference back to "Becoming, Part II" and how Buffy was willing to sacrifice her own personal ties with Angel to save the world.Buffy's point was very understandable, Anya crossed the line and she has to do what a slayer is needed to do. Xander of course still loves Anya and wants to help her like he did with Willow, even though Willow is human and Anya is a demon, so there's really no point.Then you have the "Kick his a$$" moment being brought back up after all these years and Willow's reaction was priceless! It just shows how much the writers of Buffy really pay attention to their continuity, considering most shows in their genre (like Smallville, especially Charmed) almost forget or retconn previously established events. In fact, this episode was so full of continuity and references to the past events discussed, it made the episode even more enjoyable and fascinating. From Willow using the summoning talisman D'Hoffryn gave her in "Something Blue" to Olaf and how Anya turned him into a Troll, this was all brilliantly revisited and interwoven into the story. The flashbacks from the old fashion cinema style of Anya's 9th century humble beginnings to her early 20th century chaos ridden chat with Halfrek to her never before seen musical number from "Once More, With Feeling" were all masterfully done as well. We even find out how her infamous bunny phobia began!

One moment I also love and find so brilliantly edited was Buffy and Spike in the basement. What seems to be a very touching scene between Spike and Buffy, turns out to be the First as Buffy once again as the real Buffy confronts Spike soon after. It's a scene that literally gets me everytime and I forget it's not really Buffy at the start of that scene. Anyway, the final confrontation between Anya and Buffy is tense, with good fight choreography and quick flash editing that was really effective when you see Anya impaled by Buffy's sword. I also loved D'Hoffryn in this episode and how he pretty much owns everyone during the last few moments of the episode. Only seen in small doses in priorepisodes, he makes for amenacing,formidablevillain here and the fact he kills Halfrek to make Anya feel even more guilty and ashamed of herself is just plain cruel. With Anya once again human now, the episode ends with a touching scene between Xander and Anya. The beginning of their healing and rebuilding their relationship, Anya and Xander come to terms with Anya's identity, coming to terms with who she is now. It's a pivotal moment for Anya that will continue to evolve her character until her heroic demise in the series finale. All and All, "Selfless" is a superb look into all things Anya. Showing a deeply thought out and well developed character, who after 10 centuries of vengeance and humanity, is still growing and changing. Amazing!

Anya finally gets a flashback episode and like Becoming (I) and Fool for Love, we see the things and people that made her what and who she is, and what brought her to be washing blood off of her hands, Lady MacBeth style, in a frathouse bathroom.





In Anya's flashback, instead of Darla, Dru and Buffy, or Cecily, Dru and the Slayers, we have Olaf, D'Hoffryn and Xander. The latter may think that Anya re-vengeanced because "she was hurt and she just turned back to what she knew", but he doesn't realise how far back her vengeance went, how long it was her and what she gave up to be with Xander and to attempt to be human. Anya started off as Aud, a sweet girl who wanted nothing more to tend to her husband, played by Jerry the ER Receptionist, bringing him mead and giving out rabbits to the townsfolk "for goodwill and the sense of accomplishment that stems from selflessly giving of yourself to others." We learn where Anya's literal mode of speech comes from (Sweden), jealousy (her husband cheated on her with a bar-matron), and her fear of bunnies seems to stem from associating them with her husband's infidelity and perhaps even her transformation from Aud to Anyanka. We switch from scratchy sepia Bergman-esque life to Technicolor Hollywood (in English) as D'Hoffryn introduces her to the demon sorority. D'H thinks Anyanka is her true self but we know some part of her is still Aud: witness her attempts to persuade herself that the frat boys "got what they deserved" (one wonders what Anya was doing in the frathouse anyway; does she hang around there trying to catch one of them in a date-rape?).





Due to Xander's betrayal, Anya can no longer hang with the humans, so she has to fit back into the demon clan. Halfrek is congratulatory: "Anyanka is back to her old self again", but we remain unsure as to what Anya's true self is. In the third flashback, as St Petersburg burns, we discover that Hallie and Anya, sitting at a feast in their blood-stained gloves, were "somewhat responsible" for the failed Bolshevik uprising of 1905, that Anya has gone from "goodwill" to being a communist and that her identity is now tied up in her demon life: "Vengeance is what I do. I don't need anything else. Vengeance is what I am". Of course, by the final flashback we see that she has returned to her old Aud self, covering Xander with a blanket as she dreams of nothing more than being "his missus". "Who am I?" She asks. "I've found my guy". She lives through Xander, the man who has already got his name (even if one of them is Lavelle) which "he carries with pride". Naming is very important in this episode. Anya claims her maiden name was "lame-ass" and "made-up". By being Mrs Harris, she will finally have a name that she thinks of as her own, even though it is somebody else's. D'Hoffryn renames her Anyanka, but Anya (also what Xander claims she is called) is what she has become, neither fish nor flesh, human or demon. The parallels between Anya and Spike have been running for some time (and will continue to the series finale); they both were both hurt by love and both turned by a demon. They changed their names, their personalities, their lives. But now, both he and Anya want to repent, to redeem themselves; they are both now finding their way in the world, unsure in their own centuries-old skin. Willow too is linked with Anya. Whilst Xander wants to save Anya and Buffy wants to kill her, Willow uses magic and tries to get D'H to intervene; she has gone from disliking Anya to empathising with her, she too is struggling with the dark arts. She may be back to being the good college co-ed, but she still goes black and b*tchy when she has to cast a spell to quell (the very badly CGI-d) spider-demon. Buffy quickly kills the spider-demon, but it is not the real big bad of the episode.


There is no saving (or killing) of Anya, she will have to do that herself. The gang's arrogance in dealing with her (Xander believes he can save everyone by "talking with his mouth", Buffy with her strength, Willow with magicks) doesn't help her at all. She could easily transport herself away from the frathouse, but she chooses to stay and fight, knowing she is no match for the Slayer, it's a suicidal gesture. "Stop trying to save me, Xander", she tells him.





Meanwhile, another person waiting to be saved is visited by the first evil (in white!) who is everything Spike wants Buffy to be – tender, forgiving, conciliatory, whereas when she does turn up (in black!), she is less than affectionate. Spike needed a soul to feel remorse, whereas Anya is already feeling it, demon or no demon. Xander is right when he points out that Buffy won't kill demons she's "boning". However, we see a little link between the demon and the demon-fighter – Anya was judge, jury and executioner on the fratboys, Buffy states that: "I am the law". Both are wrong. Buffy's statement isn't the only reference to the past (Faith made a similar comment), we see a lovely fan-centred moment as Buffy reminds us that Xander failed to pass onto her that Willow was going to cast a spell to "cure" Angel. Her "the slayer is always cut off" speech foreshadows Buffy's alienation and overly wrought sense of responsibility towards the end of the series and I think there is a little omen re: Xander's future injury as the spider-demon strikes him across his eye. Later on, as D'Hoffryn repeats the catchphrase of the season: Beneath you it devours", he too has a hints to the future - that self-destructive Anya will find the peace-in-death that she desires.





In the flashback-to-Once-More-With-Feeling song, Anya states that she has "No need to cover up my heart", triply ironic as firstly, the spider demon ripped out the fratboys' hearts, secondly, everything she thought about men came true, and finally because as she and Buffy fight, she is stabbed through her heart (which is, as we know, no way to kill a vengeance demon). We have two unfinished statements; in the song as Anya, wedding-attired, throws open the balcony windows to proclaim her joy to the world, she sings: "I will be...." We immediately switch back to the present day and the silence as we see Anya pinned and pierced. What will she be? Whatever she intended to sing, it is irrelevant now. Everything that happened in Anya's life led to this moment. The other unfinished sentence also occurs in this scene as Anya rages at Buffy: "...or is this like one of your little pop-culture references I don't get, 'cos I'm a vengeance - " When she awakens from the stabbing, she is no longer a demon, just as when she cast the troll spell, she was no longer human, even though the actual transformation has and had yet to take place. In her desire to wash her hands clean, she begs D'H to undo the spell, willing to "selflessly give" of herself to save the fratboys, whom she earlier said "deserved it". This is not because Buffy has taught her a lesson, but because she knows what's right and wrong.





Unfortunately, D'H will "never go for the kill when [he] can go for the pain" and he murders Halfrek in place of Anya. We see that Anya's penalty is not death but more torment, and we see that it is not Buffy's place to hand out retribution, that comes from her father figure, the man who created her. The punishment fits the crime as Hallie immolates and Anya has to live with this as well as everything that she's done. We see the terrible power of taking wishes literally; Anya asks D'H why he did this and he replies: "Because you wished it". What people want in anger isn't what they want - the girl who had her heart metaphorically ripped out wanted to "take it back", just as Anya did.





Despite being over a thousand years old, Anya hasn't found her true path, she admits that "My whole life I've just clung to whatever came along". She is truly self-less. She has come full circle, but still doesn't know who she is. Eleven hundred years isn't enough to examine a life. At the end of the ep as Xander is still trying to save her, there is a brilliant BTVS moment as, echoing the scene in The Harsh Light of Day when she, Buffy and Harmony all walked away from their disappointing lovers, Anya and Xander stumble away from each other in opposite directions, she goes off alone, no rabbits, no men, no friends, no job, no socio-political creeds to sustain her, she is "just lately Anya".

Anya has always intrigued me. Even though she has been around since season three, there are a lot of things in her past which we had not yet discovered. How did she become a vengeance demon? How did she meet Olaf and D'Hoffryn? But most importantly... What's up with the bunny fear??!!!?





This episode reveals the answers to all of these questions. "Selfless" has Anya becoming deeply remorseful after killing an entire fraternity party. Wracked with guilt, she becomes depressed and we see her past through flashbacks. Meanwhile, Buffy wants to kill Anya for what she has done, despite Xander's objections, and goes to end Anya's killing spree once and for all.





Emma Caulfield IS this episode. Underused for most of her time on Buffy, she rarely gets the chance to show how brilliant an actress she really is. As Anya, she has managed to convey so many different character traits, successfully making her one of the best-loved characters in Buffy history.





Some other good points: the spider demons were extremely cool despite some dodgy CGI, it was nice seeing Olaf and D'Hoffryn return and Halfrek's death was very explosive. Plus, any episode which features a hilarious flashback to the events of "Once More, with Feeling" is good in my book. The bad points: I didn't like Buffy at all in this episode. She seemed extremely arrogant throughout and her sudden decision to kill Anya seemed pointless and cruel. She did everything she could to save Willow from the dark side last season but as soon as Anya slips up, she completely ignores the pleas of one of her best friends and goes off to kill her anyway. Thankfully, Anya can easily survive some measly stab wound.





All-in-all, "Selfless" is a phenomenal episode with plenty of fun action scenes and some brilliant flashbacks. Perfect.

Upon watching this years after the original airing on the SEASON 7 DVD set, it seemed to hold up better the second time around.





My biggest gripe in retrospect, based on the way she was used the rest of the season was this should have been Anya's swan song.





It would have been a perfect way to end this character's arc. Sad and tragic, Emma always played Anya for laughs but this time out it is pure emotion and drama.





The "supporting " character centric episodes throughout the series run were always some of their best, in terms of entertainment value and insight into how fully fleshed out and complete these characters were. "Dopplegangland /Willow" and "The Zeppo/ Xander" come to mind as great examples of when even when the focus was off Buffy how terrific and entertaining the episodes were.





Anya's run which started with "The Wish" could have ended right here, and if it had, the episode would have packed an even stronger emotional impact. But if your an Anya/Emma fan, you'll love this one.





BTVS is so good as a show though that what is great for most television shows is just the normal fare for our Slayer and her friends.





Good episode.





I usually rank with stars and this one gets 3 out of 4.

It was about time we had an Anya episode! As my favourite Buffy character and one of my favourite TV characters ever, I have always thought Anya spent too much time in the background in Buffy, only there to comment on other characters, though these comments tended to be comic jems.





This episode sees Anya trying to get accepted by her fellow vengence demons by getting back to her old, legendary level of vengence but when she does she is consumed with guilt. While the Scoobies try to get to the bottom of the situation, we see a sequence of flashbacks that help us see how she has gotten to this stage of her life. In fact, we probably learn more about Anya in this one episode than we do throughout the entire series.





It was great seeing her as Aud, a flashback that ties in beautifully with Season 5 episode 'Triangle,' as we see her turn Olaf into the troll that terrorises Sunnydale, the action which draws D'Hoffryn to her and gets her into the vengence demon fold. I also loved the bunnies running around.





The best flashback, however, has to be the supposed missing scene from 'Once More, With Feeling,' when Anya dances around a sleeping Xander, belting out a brilliantly written and highly amusing song entitled "Mrs." However, knowing the fate of the relationship adds a poignancy to the scene and I think increases the sympathy for Anya in this episode.





Emma Caulfield was superb in this episode, successfully portraying a wide range of emotions, especially in the final few scenes when she fights with Buffy then breaks down in front of D'Hoffryn.





As for the others, Buffy seems cold in this episode. As much as she protests she can see no other option, the prospect of killing Anya doesn't seem to bother her. She pulls up the whole 'I killed Angel thing,' but the difference between the situations is obviously that she loved Angel and I'm really unsure of whether or not she ever really liked Anya all that much. I mean you don't see Buffy out to kill Hallie or D'Hoffryn who are killing people regularly in the name of vengence. Xander also annoyed me in this episode, then again Xander usually annoys me.





Other than Anya, the only other character I warmed to even more in this episode was Willow who I think approached the situation the right way and I also liked seeing her struggle to keep her new found control of her magic.





However, 'Selfless,' is really about Anya and showing the audience that humanity has finally won her over and does so in an unforgettable episode.

Another entertaining instalment in a very slickly produced Season Seven. The special effects are very impressive here –the spider and Willow’s shield. The flashbacks to Anya’s past are very funny, with great subtitled dialogue – “He is small and toy-like!”


And the reappearance of Olaf the troll all the way back from Season Five is a nice surprise. The song Anya sings is good too, while not as perfect as the songs in Season Six’s Once More, With Feeling. Willow’s brief flash of darkness is a good moment as well. However, maybe they should have killed Anya. She’s a great character, but all the dramatic hype throughout Selfless is deflated by her surviving and her annoying friend dying instead.

Wow. I always wondered about Anya's past and I'm glad they finally did an episode about her. It was funny to see some of the scene from her past combined with what's happening with Anya in the present. She is now a demon who has feelings for people and it was weird seeing Anya in the middle of everything. She was really weirded out and scared. Anya was always one of my favorite characters (you just gotta love any scene with a bunny in it) and it was time for her to step in. Buffy was her usual self and she knew she had to do something about this, even if it means killing Anya. However, although it's Buffy's duty to protect people and kill demons, I think she shouldn't have gone out to kill Anya. When Willow became evil, Buffy did everything she could to stop her from being evil without hurting her. It seems like Buffy doesn't care about Anya as much as her other friends. And an Anya fan really cares when something like this happens. Anyway, Anya finally got what was coming for her. I was sad to see what happened to Halfrek, but nothing goes without consequences, right?

Finally! A full episode dedicated to my favourite Buffy character if all time. Miss Anya Lame-Ass Made-Up Maiden Name. Yes, she has gone back to her vengeance demon ways, yet has discovered it is no longer how she remembered. That humanity she had experienced still remained, and she is beginning to feel guilt for the vengeance she has delivered. The sluaghter of a full fraternity, or as the delightful D'hoffryn put it as looking like someone slaughtered an abercrombie and fitch catalogue. You gotta love Andy Umberger.





Though the highlights of the show are the various flashbacks of Anya's life. Coming off as a non-confusing Lost episode, we see Anya in her relationship with Olaf, who we know will soon become the troll god from "Triangle", we see her first approached by D'hoffryn, and accepting his offer to become a Vengeance Demon, and we also see her and Halfrek together, which I loved completely because if there's one thing better than Anya, it's Anya and Hallie together. And ofcourse, the most memorable moment of the episode is Anya's spectacular musical moment. Her flashback, that would have taken place during "Once More With Feeling", where Anya sings her song revealing her feelings over becoming Xander's wife, and it makes us feel so much more for her. Knowing this makes what Xander did so much crueler than it already was. And in the final moments of the episode we are shown exactly why we love Emma Caulfield. Her emotion shines through as she prepares to sacrifice herself in order to undo her violent actions towards the fraternity. Offering her own life, for her own redemption. Yet, another twist is offered, D'hoffryn instead sacrifices Hallie to undo Anya's latest vengeance, offering another blow to the already fragile character Caulfield so beautifully portrays. And so Anya is human again, and all she wants is to be alone.





This episode was beautifully written, and my favourite Buffy episode ever. Emma Caulfield offers a remarkable performance, and we are introduced to the truth behind Anya's actions. Her outlandish behaviour has nothing to do with her ex-demon status, but because she has forever been an outcast in her life. Hats off to Caulfield for a truly mesmerising potrayal of our favourite ex-demon.

Selfless was a perfect episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. This episode was really entertaining and great because it was focused upon Anya and we got to see a little more of her history. I thought it was an engaging character driven episode. Willow was forced to defend herself and an innocent with magic, but it had a little toll on her. I think this episode was definitely a Buffy Classic. Anya had a lot of character development in this episode and paid a huge price for her choice. I was kind of surprised that Buffy came to such a quick decision regarding Anya. I can't wait to see what happens!!!!!!!

this episode came ot of nowhere to me. i liked the other episodes of season 7 so far, but this one is just breathtaking! basically because it is absolutely disturbing...


having anya kill all those students is so out of character for the anya that we got to know (of curse not for anyanka though :)! and come on..we all hated buffy for a moment, when she decided in seconds to kill anya!


joss was able to compose another genious song, i just loved it, cause it showed all the sweetness and love that anya felt for xander. and then suddenly the ending of that beautiful scene... just as i said.. disturbing!

I loved this episode, one of Season 7's best. First of all it tells the story of Anya and how she came to be and some of the wicked wishes she's granted and what she was capable of. We then saw how much she;s really changed since Season 3 and how in jsut a few short years she's grown the be a great person who no longer enjoys causing people misery and bringing death upon them. The Buffy/Anyanka fight was the best part of the episode and they should've def. had more Anya episodes in the season. Five starts out of five.

Anyanka's back! After about three years of no vengeance she is finally back and better than ever. I have missed Anyanka and her scary face but now that it's back I think that maybe if Anyanka went way there would be less blood and heart rippings. This episode really centre's around Anya and I like how we haven't really seen that after "The Wish" and "Dopplegangland." The spider demon (that I can't remember the name of" is such a disgusting demon with it's second mouth coming out when it's on Buffy is really disgusting but amazing all in one. I am also starting to find Halfrek really annoying, making Anya kill people. She would make a good villain for Buffy but unfortunately that never happens. All in all this episode is one of the best episodes that doesn't centre around the First, Potentials and Ubervamps!

"Selfless" is a treat for all the Anya fans out there.


Finally some blanks about her life are filled as we learn about the human Aud Anya has been aeons ago before she became a vengenace demon for the very first time. We also are witness to the act of revenge on Olaf ( the troll featured in last years "Triangle" )after he cheated on her and how D'Hoffryn made first contact with her after being impressed with her finesse to exact these revenge. Impressed enough to make her Anyanka, the vengeance demon.


Since Anya is back full-mode into the vengenance business nowadays in Sunnydale, which led to an impressive carnage on campus of UCS, Buffy and Willow realize they have to kill her to stop her.


While Buffy is all business and goes on her way to do so, Willow tries on her own to find a way and save Anya. She summons D'Hoffryn, in a nicely done hilarious scene, where he praises her inventiveness in flaying Warren.


This episode is flowing nicely and has a great kincking fight between Anya and Buffy.


In the end Anya, who is tired of this life, is willing to sacrifice her own life so that D'Hoffryn undoes what she has done. But instead of taking her, her friend Halfrek pays with her life as D'Hoffryn expells Anya finally from the vengeance fold and scoffs "never go for the kill when you can go for the pain".


Good episode. Kudos once again to the vocal talents of Emma Caulfield.

I was caught by surprise when I saw this episode. I wasn't expecting such a great story about Anya. She was one of my favourite characters in the show, but we didn't know that much about her. She was a vengeance demon, especialized in scorned women, and was turned into a human by Giles in episode "The Wish" of the third season.


In this episode, Anya grants a wish to a young woman, which leads to the death of at least 12 male students. When Buffy finds out, she decides that it is time to kill Anya before there is more deaths. Willow tries to help Anya by summoning D'Hoffryn to strip her from her powers. Anya, however, isn't comfortable with her granted wish and decides to take it back. The requirement to do it is a sacrifice, a vengeance demon. Anya wants to be sacrificed but D'Hoffryn takes Halfrek instead, leaving Anya very disturbed. The wish is broken. The episode ends with Anya trying to understand who she is.


What I most loved in this episode was the allusion to Angel's life. Both Anya and him started as humans (Aud, Liam), then became demons (Anyanka, Angelus) and then became good again and shortened their demon names (Anya, Angel).

I really liked how we got to see more of Anya in this episode. I've really loved her character from quare one, I just never fully understood what she was all about. But this episode revealed her past and evened her path for the future. Watching it again after some years gone by, I just realized how many amazing references there are. Not only the obvious flashback with that cute song, but also stuff about Anya and how it'll all come to an end soon.


You can say what you want, but this season is really deep and meaningful and packed with forshaddowing, I love it!

In this episode Anya really returns to her old demonic ways when she summons a demon for the purpose of vengeance which causes some serious carnage. Anya after the deed is already done has some serious trouble with what she did. None the less, Buffy being the slayer has to do what she has to do no matter how hard. She has to kill Anya. However, Anya comes to her sensese and has D'Hoffryn take the wish back and revert her back to human once again. This episode really kind of reminds us just how much Anya has actually changed through out the series.

anya oh my. you really rule! this episode is just amazing. anyas past and how she became into a vengeance demon and her marrige song. just wow all around. i wish the rest of this season were as good.





the end is so sad. much more than hells bells. even the spider storyline worked. the episode was just brilliant! season 7 at its very best.

Awesome. Anya at her best and worst. Everything a Buffy episode should be; entertaining, emotional, funny, action-packed, and absolutely heart breaking to watch. This installment is where we finally get to see how much and yet how little Anya has changed since becoming a demon and how she earns her chance at redemption. This is definitely up there on my top 10 list, a little below 'The Gift' and 'Becoming' because - well let's face it, Joss Whedon is the man, but a definite tie with 'Fool for Love' for slot number three. Watch it, trust me, you'll love it.

I feel that Anya was owed this episode. Her work on Buffy is consistent in it's level of goodness (forgetting her out-of-character role in Grave).





An upsetting factor is that the rest of the series carries on as if this episode had never happened, which is a shame because it revealed some excellent windows into Anya's character.





The girl can act, we know this and it's just as well because Emma had to jump from two very opposite emotions for her final scene, demonic anger to self-pitty and desperation showing her over-whelming grief. It played very well.





I loved the flash back of her as Aud. The "Once More With Felling" reprise was also very special...great for hardcore fans. "Mrs" was a great song and fitted in extremely well to the episodes overall theme-it wasn't just there to soak-up the success of "OMWF"- this episode was always going to be good anyway.





Buffy is a real let-down in this episode. She acts out-of-character(or not if you remember her arrogant views towards Dawn being sacrificed in The Gift(yes I know it's her sister but she gains no sympathy from me there)). She disregards Xander's feelings for Anya so abruptly and cruely, she is our hero???? She's not suppose to act like this, not to her best friend Xander, and not forgetting Anya. How could she be so cold?





I'm a great fan of the character of Buffy. I often hear critisism directed at her, and I just think, but Buffy IS this show, and Sarah has done a wonderful job with her character over seven years; showing us that she can play anything from hilarious to high dramatics and back again. She is often underrated or ignored just because she is the main character. I just feel that she acts very anti-Buffy in this episode. Was it her choice or was she told to play it that way??? Anyway, on the up-side, her spat with Xander is also very pleasing. Xander, who lets face it, can be a heck of a bast*rd sometimes, mostly where Angel is concerned, but also to Willow in the early days where she lusted for him, his inability to understand what Buffy was going through in Dead man's Party and not forgetting Spikes' flower giving attempt after Joyce's departure. Their battle of words reveals some great references to season 2 when Xander (again, with the b*stard) gives Buffy his interpretation of Willow's message, "Kick his ass!" This is great for hardcore's, finally Willow learns of crafty Xander's ways, 5 years on! Great Stuff.





The ultimate good part of this episode is D'Hoffrin, Anya's ever charismatic boss. He is famed for his comical, modern slant on things, "It's like someone murdered an Abocrombie and Fitch catalogue" (genius), however after his shocking killing of Halfrek we get to see a dark, scary and frankly, brilliant side to him, "Never go for the kill when you can go for the pain!". We are suddenly reminded that D'Hoffrin is in fact evil, and boy does he show it.





The best line also goes to D'Hoffrin. After Anya says, "You should've killed me" He says the chilling, "Oh, I wouldn't worry about that. From Beneath you it devours. All good things in time". It is chilling from him because he is NOT the First. He will have no part in the First's campaign and yet it really hits home that even this recurring, guest spot baddie is aware of this badder-than-bad evil. It's what the whole demon world is talking about, even one as powerful and evil as D'Hoffrin himself. Furthermore, in light of the knowledge that our Anya DOES in fact meet her fatal end in Chosen, it occurs that D'Hoffrin may already have known that. God, he IS evil.





Great Episode.

This episode was a very dark one because it involveed Anya killing quite a few men because the tormented a girl. This is one of the first times we have seen Anya really "Evil" but in the end everything was made right. I really loved the fight seen between Buffy and Anya, I thought it was done really well and also thought that it looked like a fairly even fight because buffy couldnt kill Anya with a sword through the chest. This episode was another fine example of Buffys capability to do Drama and I thought the whole episode was overall very good.

Anya rocks. Plain and simple. Up until this point, she's been a good character, but now she's an amazing character.





What was amazing, was that Aun was exactly the same as Anya: loud, obnoxious and thinking about money. It's only as Anyanka BX (before Xander - as Cordy calls it), does her character change.





The "Mrs." song is amazing (though I was disappointed that Anya's hair was so different).





I will miss Hali. She was a great tertiary, helping to move plot along as well as character development.





Anya has finally grown up. She makes decisions that will greatly affect the entire destiny of the group, but makes these decisions for her own good and for the first time in her human live, realizes she doesn't need a man. And it is heart wrenching to see her not choose Xander.

Selfless





I have to words for this episode. Anya is the perfect woman. she's hilarious and she can also be dark and has a great back-story plus she can make me cry like a baby. what a great actress Emma is. and this is just like Hells Bells one huge classic that doesn't get the attention it deserves. the flashback where she sang is much better than any song in Once More With Feeling. her own flashbacks are better than any flashbacks on the show itself. this episode is just heartbreaking from the beginning to the end.





cut to Willow and Dawn talking and Willow is going back to school and is exited and then Xander and Buffy come inside and they are afraid for Anya but Xander says to worry about nothing and that she will be fine. then cut to a place with dead guys and Anya with blood on her clothes 'what have I done?'





the credits start





cut back in time when Anya's human self named Aud lived with the troll guy and they had lots of bunnies and they were in love but Aud was afraid her man was cheating with a woman and she says she couldn't live without him. cut to Anya washing the blood of her hands. cut to Spike with Buffy and he talks about Drusilla and that she saw the sky and that now he doesn't know what to do but Buffy will help him get through it. then Buffy comes and the other is gone and Spike begins to laugh and Buffy tells him to show her his soul and to get up and out of the basement. cut to Willow walking with a woman in collage and she's glad Willow is coming back. Willow then sees Anya and Anya says she has a new boyfriend and had lots of sex and Willow is glad for her but then sees blood on her hand and Anya says she has to go and leaves. Willow goes to the house and finds blood everywhere and then the dead boys and she hears a girl crying in the closet who tells her that some guys teased her and she made a wish of them all having their hearts ripped-out and then it happened by a spider that is right behind Willow and she protects herself and throws it out the window.





cut to a flashback and Olaf is turned into a troll and the villagers fight him. Aud and D'Hoffrin and looking and they talk and D'Hoffrin says that her true self is Anyanka and that she isn't appreciated here so she has to go with him and punish evil men and she likes the sound of vengeance and says that they all deserve it. cut to Buffy being called by Willow who tells her where to go. cut to Anya and Hallie walking about what happened and Hallie is very happy and she says that Anya is finally back and then Willow comes and wants to talk to Anya and Hallie doesn't want to leave but Anya tells Hallie it's okay. Willow tells Anya to stop but Anya says that they deserved it but Willow says that isn't true and Anya still remembers about the flaying but Willow says she also still remembers.





cut to Xander and Anya going to the woods and they find a body and the spider is there and it attacks Buffy but then she hits it off and Xander wants to get more weapons but Buffy kills it. cut to Xander and Buffy arriving home and they find Willow and she tells about that Anya did it and Xander is upset and Buffy says that she has to kill Anya. cut to Anyanka and Halfrek back in time and they did make a war and Halfrek tells Anya that there is a whole world out there but she isn't interested because she says that vengeance is what she does and the only thing she is. it's what she is and she doesn't need anything else.





cut to Buffy and Xander with Willow and Xander is very upset and doesn't understand and he says he's still in love with her and Buffy knows it but there isn't another way and she doesn't want to do this and Willow t was different because Willow is human and Spike didn't have a choice but Anya did and she turned herself into a demon twice and that she is the law because human rules don't apply and she once killed Angel because she needed to and even if she loved him it was the only way. Xander goes away and tries to find another way and Buffy grabs a sword and leaves as well. Willow stays behind and she calls upon D'Hoffrin and he knows about Willow flaying Warren and he thinks she wants to become a demon but she wants to talk about Anya.





cut to Anya in that house and she sees the blood. then Xander arrives and he sees her and he says he's sorry but she doesn't need it and he says Buffy is gonna kill her and Anya says she understands because it's her job and this day was going to come. then Buffy arrives and Xander tries to stop her but Anya hits him away and she begins to fight Buffy and they fight and Anya is winning but Buffy tells her sorry and Anya doesn't understand why and then Buffy turns her and uts her sword in Anya. cut to Anya in 2001 when she begins to sing that she will be Xander's wife and she can't wait and she dances outside in her wedding dress 'I will be-' (this is one of the best scenes of the entire show btw) cut to Anya with the sword through her chest and she suddenly comes back and says that she had forgotten how much it hurts and takes it out.





Buffy says she's not ready yet and they keep fighting and Xander keeps trying to se her but then D'Hoffrin arrives and he says they should listen what Anya wants to say and what she really wants and then she says she wants to take it back. D'Hoffrin says that there are a lot of bodies and that it takes a price and that is the soul of a vengeance demon and she accepts it but then he brings Hallie and then she makes her burn and Anya doesn't understand why and he says because why kill someone when you can hurt it and he hurts her and he isn't gonna kill her because it's not her time yet and then he disappears and she stays behind and she goes outside and Buffy goes to look on the boys and Xander follows Anya and she tells him to go away but he doesn't want to but she says she should do it alone and she thinks she's nobody but he says she isn't and he makes her smile and then they walk their own separate ways.





Black Out


----------


Best episode quotes:





Dawn: My advice to you is do exactly what everyone else does all the time.


Willow: Got it.


Dawn: Do what everyone else does, wear what everyone else wears, say what everyone else says.


Willow: OK.


Dawn: People may say something to you you don't understand. Just don't be afraid to keep your mouth shut and pretend like you know what they're saying.


Willow: You know, Dawn, I've been to college before.


Dawn: People may say something like "My protein window closes in an hour." Just nod and smile. Mm-hmm. Turns out it has something to do with fitness.


Buffy: Have you talked to her lately?


Xander: Not since that night with the Gnarl demon. And that wasn't exactly the kind of "how have you been" kind of talk. More of the "pierce its eye with something sharp" kind of talking. I'm thinking I should call her.


Buffy: I just don't want you to get your hopes up.


Xander: Hopes? Oh, no, no, no, no, no. There are no hopes. Anya and I are done. I love being single. I'm a strong, successful male who is giddy at the thought of all the women I will no doubt be dating in the near future.


Buffy: Strong, successful males say "giddy"?


Xander: I just worry about her, that's all.


Willow: Anya?


Xander: Yeah, she seems so sad.


Dawn: She should try acting like everybody else more.


Willow: Apparently it's what all the kids are doing nowadays.


Buffy: Well, I'm not sure I get the sad vibe, but there's definitely a vengeance vibe worth worrying about.


Xander: Oh, that? No, no. I don't worry about that. She was hurt and she just turned back to what she knew when I you know. But that's not her anymore.


Buffy: I hope you're right.


Xander: Well, she turned that worm guy back before any real damage happened, right? It'll just take some time. I really think she's coming around.





Olaf: Aud! Sweet, beautiful Aud! I am so hungry, I could eat a small child!


Anya: Olaf! Are you injured? You smell of blood and musk.


Olaf: Fear not! It takes more than a band of minor trolls to bring down the mighty Olaf!


Anya: Trolls!


Olaf: Oh! They are wretched creatures indeed. The mere thought of them makes me bend at the knee and flex!


Anya: Sweetheart, please sit down. Allow me to tend to you.


Olaf: I am fine. Really. I could go for some mead, though.


Anya: Certainly.


Olaf: Is it my imagination, or do we have substantially more rabbits in this house today?


Anya: Oh, they breed so quickly that it's


Olaf: All this talk of breeding... it makes me want to breed!


Anya: Honey, of course. But here drink your mead first.


Olaf: Ah, yes. Mead.


Anya: The rapid reproductive rate of our rabbits...has given me an idea. I can give the excess out to the townspeople, exchanging them not for goods or services, but for goodwill and the sense of accomplishment that stems from selflessly giving of yourself to others.


Olaf: Ha, ha, ha! Sweet Aud! Your logic is insane and happenstance, like that of a troll. It is no wonder that the bar matrons talk of you.


Anya: You've been to the bar...


Olaf: It is not my fault they don't take kindly to you. You speak your mind, and are annoying. It's one of the things I love most about you.


Anya: Was Rannveig there?


Olaf: Bah! I've told you a thousand times; I have no interest in this Rannveig. Her hips are large and load bearing, like a Baltic woman. Your hips are narrow, like a Baltic woman from a slightly more arid region. You are my perfect Aud. I could never want for another.


Anya: I am sorry. I simply love you so much...I feel as though I could burst at times...I could not live without you.


Olaf: Fear not, sweet Aud, you will always be my beautiful girl.





Spike: I don't trust what I see anymore. I don't know how to explain it, exactly. It's like I've been seeing things. She used to see things, you know? She'd always be staring up at the sky watching cherubs burn or the heavens bleed or some nonsense. I used to stare at her and think she'd gone completely sack of hammers. But she'd see the sky when we were inside and it'd make her so happy. She'd see showers. She'd see stars. Now I see her.


Buffy: Spike.


Spike: I'm in trouble, Buffy.


Buffy: I can help you.


Spike: I could never ask. Not after...


Buffy: It's different. You're different.


Spike: I could never ask.


Buffy: Spike, it's me. It's you and it's me, and we'll get through this.


Spike: Never...


Buffy: We'll get through this. Spike. This basement is killing you. This is the hellmouth. There is something bad down here, possibly everything bad.


Spike: Can't hear you. Can't hear you.


Buffy: You have a soul? Fine. Show me.


Spike: Scream montresor all you like, pet.


Buffy: Get up and get out of this basement.


Spike: I don't have anywhere else to go.





Anya: Willow, hi! What're you doing here?


Willow: Oh, I'm starting back up at school again! Yeah, I can't believe how great everyone's been. I-I was a little worried, but I already have books and homework and they even said they'd give me periodic surprise quizzes just to make up for the ones that I missed, and... Wh-what're you doing here? Walking out of the fraternity house in the middle of the day?


Anya: Uh, um... I have a new boyfriend now. He lives here.


Willow: That's great.


Anya: Yeah, we just had lots and lots of sex.


Willow: OK. This is so great. I am so happy to see you've moved on.


Anya: Yeah, we're tremendously happy together. Now, um, if you'll excuse me, I'm late for something important.


Willow: Uh, OK. See you later.





Young Woman: I take it back. I take it back. I take it back.


Willow: OK. You're OK.


Young Woman: I take it back.


Willow: W-what do you take back?


Young Woman: 'S gonna be a party. Everyone's gonna be there. Everyone's bringing a date. I'll have a great time. But it was just me. And them. He broke up with me in front of them. I was a game. It was all a game.


Willow: It's OK. You're OK now.


Young Woman: They laughed and they laughed and I cried and they laughed. And I yelled, "Just once, I wish you could all feel what it's like to have your hearts ripped out. Just once. I wish..." and it came.





D’Hoffrin: Impressive.


Anya: Thank you.


D’Hoffrin: What is that? A Woodlow Transmogriphic spell?


Anya: Thornton's Hope.


D’Hoffrin: Thornton's Hope. But how did you get the troll element?


Anya: Eelsbane.


D’Hoffrin: Eelsbane. Brilliant! What'd he do?


Anya: Bar matron. A load bearing bar matron.


D’Hoffrin: Is there any other kind. I'm sorry. How rude of me. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is D'Hoffryn.


Anya: I am Aud.


D’Hoffrin: Are you? Hmm. I'm afraid you don't see your true self. You are Anyanka. I'm a patron of a family of sorts. We're vengeance demons. I'm sure you've heard of us.


Anya: No, I'm sorry.


D’Hoffrin: Oh, well, that's quite


Anya: Oh, no, don't feel bad. I, uh, I don't talk to people much. I mean, I talk to them, but they don't talk to me. Except to say that your questions are irksome, and perhaps you should take your furs and your literal interpretations to the other side of the river.





D’Hoffrin: I get the sense that your talents are not fully appreciated here, Anyanka. We'd like you to join us.


Anya: Why do you keep calling me that? My name is Aud.


D’Hoffrin: Perhaps, but Anyanka is who you are.


Anya: What would I have to do?


D’Hoffrin: What you do best. Help wronged women punish evil men.


Anya: Vengeance.


D’Hoffrin: But only to those who deserve it.


Anya: They all deserve it.


D’Hoffrin: That's where I was going with that, yeah.





Halfrek: This is just wonderful, Anyanka. There's even talk of having some sort of ceremony. I can't tell you how many times today I've heard "Anyanka is back to her old self again." Honey, what is it? What's wrong?


Anya: It's nothing. I just There was just so much screaming, so much blood. I, I forgotten how much damage a Grimslaw demon could do.


Halfrek: Oh, tell me about it. They can be feisty little guys and impossible to house train. I mean, once they start nesting, forget Are you OK? Oh, did something happen?


Anya: I-I guess I'm just a little rusty. I didn't think it would hit me like this.


Halfrek: Oh, sweetie. This is perfectly normal. It's a reflex. You'll get over it in no time, trust me.


Anya: Oh, Hallie! I can't tell you how good it is Thank goodness you're here.


Halfrek: Oh, sweetie. Of course.


Anya: It's just lately, with everything that's been going on, I-I've had trouble even remembering


Willow: Get out.


Halfrek: Lemon drop, if you think I'm gonna


Willow: Get out.


Anya: It's OK.


Halfrek: Well, OK. If you need anything, you holler.


Willow: Anya, you have to stop this.


Anya: Do you know what they did to her? Do you? It was a game. They were humiliating her.


Willow: Anya, listen to me. You're in trouble. You know it. I'm here to help you.


Anya: You're here to Well, that's great, Willow. Flayed anybody lately, have you? How quickly they forget!


Willow: I haven't forgotten one second of it.


Anya: What do you want?


Willow: I want to help you.


Anya: They got what they deserved.


Willow: No, they


Anya: I am a vengeance demon! Do you understand that?


Willow: No.


Anya: Try! They got what they deserved.





Halfrek: I swear, I'm in awe of you.


Anya: Oh, stop.


Halfrek: Oh, I will not.


Anya: I grant wishes. It's all inside the girl. I just bring it out.


Halfrek: Yes, I'm sure this is what she had in mind.


Anya: Well, I don't know about her mind, but it was in her heart. Besides, Russia was ready to explode. All we did is just give it a little push.


Halfrek: What should we do with the rest of our evening? I hear they're going to raze the Winter Mansion.


Anya: Well, I thought we'd head on down to Madame Dubasov's. No better spot for vengeance than a brothel.


Halfrek: Oh, it's always work, work, work with you.


Anya: Well, of course. What else is there?


Halfrek: What else is there? Why, the whole world, for one. Darling, take a look around. There's a lot to see. There's a revolution going on outside that you are somewhat responsible for. Aren't you the teeniest bit interested?


Anya: Well, what is there to be interested in? The worker will overthrow absolutism and lead the proletariat to a victorious communist revolution, resulting in socio-economic paradise on earth. It's common sense, really. I have better things to worry about.


Halfrek: But, Anyanka, there's a whole world out there.


Anya: Yes, filled with wronged women who need my help.


Halfrek: Oh, but you're talking work.


Anya: I'm talking about life. Vengeance is what I do, Halfrek. I don't need anything else. Vengeance is what I am.





Buffy: She's not the Anya that you knew, Xander. She's a demon.


Xander: That doesn't mean you have to kill her.


Buffy: Don't act like this is easy for me. You know it's not.


Xander: There are other options.


Buffy: I've considered them.


Xander: When? Just now? Took you all of ten seconds to decide to kill one of your best friends?


Buffy: The thought that it might come to this has occurred to me before. It's occurred to you, too.


Xander: But we can change what she did. Fix it. These are mystical deaths, right? There has to be something.


Willow: I don't have anywhere near that kind of power. I didn't have that kind of power when And I-I don't think I trust the power I do have.


Buffy: It's OK. Xander, I know this is hard for you to hear, but it's what I have to do.


Xander: Hard for me to hear? Buffy, you wanna kill Anya!


Buffy: I don't want to.


Xander: Then don't! This isn't new ground for us. When our friends go all crazy and start killing people, we help them.


Willow: Sitting right here.


Xander: I'm sorry. But it's true.


Buffy: It's different.


Xander: Because you don't care about her the same way I do. Buffy, I still love her.


Buffy: I know. And that's why you can't see this for what it really is. Willow was different. She's a human. Anya's a demon.


Xander: And you're the slayer. I see now how it's all very simple.


Buffy: It is never simple.


Xander: No, of course not. You know, if there's a mass-murdering demon that you're, oh, say, boning, then it's all gray area.


Buffy: Spike was harmless. He was helping.


Xander: He had no choice.


Buffy: And Anya did! She chose to become a demon. Twice.


Xander: You have no idea what she's going through.


Buffy: I don't care what she's going through!


Xander: No, of course not. You think we haven't seen all this before? The part where you just cut us all out. Just step away from everything human and act like you're the law. If you knew what I felt


Buffy: I killed Angel! Do you even remember that? I would have given up everything I had to be with I loved him more than I will ever love anything in this life. And I put a sword through his heart because I had to.


Willow: And that all worked out OK.


Buffy: Do you remember cheering me on? Both of you. Do you remember giving me Willow's message: Kick his ass.


Willow: I never said that


Xander: This is different


Buffy: It is always different! It's always complicated. And at some point, someone has to draw the line, and that is always going to be me. You get down on me for cutting myself off, but in the end the slayer is always cut off. There's no mystical guidebook. No all-knowing council. Human rules don't apply. There's only me. I am the law.


Xander: There has to be another way.


Buffy: Then please find it.





D’Hoffrin: Behold, D'Hoffryn. Lord of Arashmahar. He that turns the air to blood and rains Miss Rosenberg. How lovely to see you again. Have you done something with your hair?


Willow: Hello, D'Hoffryn.


D’Hoffrin: I figured I'd be hearing from you soon. The flaying of Warren Meers? Oh, truly inspired. That was water cooler vengeance. Lloyd has a sketch of it on his wall.


Willow: That's not me anymore.


D’Hoffrin: Is that right? So, I didn't feel your presence earlier today? I didn't feel a bit of the old you?


Willow: We need to talk about Anya.


D’Hoffrin: Very well. Let's talk about Anyanka.





Xander: I thought I might find you here. Have you forced yourself to look at the bodies yet?


Anya: What do you want?


Xander: I want to help you.


Anya: Everyone is so considerate today. I should've slaughtered people weeks ago.


Xander: I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything I did to you. Everything I put you through.


Anya: Thank you. All better. Thank goodness you got here in time.


Xander: You don't understand. This isn't an intervention. Buffy's coming to kill you.


Anya: She's coming to try.


Xander: Did everybody have their crazy flakes today? You guys are friends. How could you talk like this?


Anya: I have a job to do. And so does Buffy. Xander, you've always seen what you wanted to. But you knew, sooner or later, it would come to this.


Xander: Buffy, get out of here.


Buffy: Get out of my way, Xander.


Xander: No.


Anya: Get out of her way, Xander. This is getting to be a pattern with you, Buffy. Are there any friends of your left you haven't tried to kill? C'mon, Buffy. Don't you have a clever retort for me?


Buffy: Anya, I'm sorry.


Anya: You're apologizing to me. What fight are you watching? Or is this like one of your little pop-culture references I don't get, 'cause I'm a vengeance





Xander: I just want... happy... ending...


Anya: Honey? Honey?


Xander: What? I'm awake. I'm OK.


Anya: Honey? Was that weird? That thing earlier with the singing... and the coconuts.


Xander: What? No, it's fine.


Neighbor Man: Oh, no. Mustard on my shirt. Mustard. I'll never get it out. My favorite red shirt. Dry clean it. How could you serve- Mustard.


Anya: Are you still hungry? Because I'd be- Mr. Xander Harris. That's what he is to the world outside. That's the name he carries with pride. I'm just lately Anya. Not very much to the world, I know. All these years with nothing to show. I've boned a troll, I've wreaked some wrath, But on the whole, I've had no path. I like to bowl, I'm good with math, But who am I? Now I reply that I'm the Missis I will be his Missis. Mrs. Anya Christina Emanuella Jenkins Harris. What's the point of loving...I mean except for the sweaty part. What's the point of losing your heart? Maybe if you're lucky Being a pair makes you twice as tall. Maybe you're not losing at all. No need to cover up my heart, Plus see above RE: sweaty part. So maybe love is pretty smart And so am I. I found my guy! And I'll be Missis I will be his Missis Mrs. Anya Lame-Ass-Made-Up-Maiden-Name Harris.We'll never part Not if we can And if we start Then here's my plan I'll show him what bliss is Welcome him with kisses 'Cause this is a Missis who misses her man He's my Xander And he's awfully swell It makes financial sense as well, Although he can be I'll never tell. Just stand aside. Here comes the bride. I'll be Missis. I will be his Missis. I will be





Xander: Anya!


Anya: Forgotten how much swords through the chest hurt. (pulls it out) Aaahh! (breathes heavily) You know better than that, Buffy. It takes a lot more to kill a vengeance demon.


Buffy: Oh, I'm just getting started.


Anya: Stop trying to save me, Xander!


D’Hoffrin: Oh, please, don't mind me. Continue with whatever it was you were doing. Oh, breathtaking. It's like somebody slaughtered an Abercrombie and Fitch catalog. Easy now. I'd be gone before you could swing. Isn't that just like a slayer. Solving all her problems by sticking things with sharp objects. I talked to your friend, Miss Rosenberg. She's a firebrand. I have high hopes for her.


Xander: Stay away from Willow.


D’Hoffrin: Oh, he's gallant, isn't he. I understand what you saw in him. Look, Miss Rosenberg seems to think Anyanka would be better suited outside the vengeance fold. I think we already know what Lady HacksAway wants. And the young man, he sees with the eyeballs of love. But I'm not sure if anyone's bothered to find out what Anyanka herself really wants.


Xander: Her name is Anya.


D’Hoffrin: Actually, funny historical side-bar, her original name was


Anya: I wanna take it back.


D’Hoffrin: I'm sorry. What was that?


Anya: I wanna take it back. I wanna undo what I did.


D’Hoffrin: Hmm. You want to take it back. Must be twelve bodies in there. Such a thing not easily done. But not impossible. You're a big girl, Anyanka. You understand how this works. The proverbial scales must balance. In order to restore the lives of the victims, the fates require a sacrifice. The life and soul of a vengeance demon.


Anya: Do it.


Xander: Wait!


Anya: Stay out of this Xander.


Xander: OK, all right. That seems smart. He just said you have to die! Perhaps there's some sort of alternate price.


Anya: Xander, you can't help me. I'm not even sure there's a me to help. (to D'Hoffryn) I understand the price. Do it.


D’Hoffrin: You're sure? This is your wish?


Anya: This is my wish. Undo what I did.


D’Hoffrin: Very well.


Xander: No!


Halfrek: Anya!


Anya: Hallie!


D’Hoffrin: Who did you think you were dealing with? Did you think it would be that easy to get away?


Anya: Why?


D’Hoffrin: Why? Because you wished it!


Anya: But she was yours.


D’Hoffrin: Like you were mine? Haven't I taught you anything, Anya? Never go for the kill when you can go for the pain. Hold him back, Slayer. Wouldn't want anyone to get hurt. I've got plenty of girls. There will always be vengeance demons. But now you, Anya, you're out. Congratulations. You're wish is granted.


Anya: You should've killed me.


D’Hoffrin: Oh, I wouldn't worry about that. From beneath you, it devours. Be patient. All good things in time.


Buffy: Go. I'll check on the boys.


Xander: Anya, wait.


Anya: Xander, please. Just go away.


Xander: Whatever's between us it doesn't matter. You shouldn't be alone in this.


Anya: Yes, I should. My whole life, I've just clung to whatever came along.


Xander: Well, speaking as a clingee- I kinda didn't mind.


Anya: Thanks. For everything. Xander what if I'm really nobody?


Xander: Don't be a dope.


Anya: I'm a dope?


Xander: Sometimes.


Anya: That's a start.





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Story: 10


Acting: 10


Writing: 10


Picture: 10


Gripping: 10


My Rank: 10


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Total: 10

I think this is the first episode of season seven. The last four seemed to me like fillers, some things happen, but not a lot, the story and the characters are set for the things to come, but nothing really great happens until now.





This episode is all about Anya, and a little about hinting that Dark Willow could come back (but not a lot). We've seen a lot of change in Anya since Xander left her at the altar, she's not the stupid innocent girl whow speaks anything that comes to his mind anymore, now she's intelligent, always serious and of course... a demon. She's not the old Anyanka anyway, she doesn't have that vengeful spirit anymore, it's stated in previews episodes that she lost her mojo. Obviosly all the time that she was human, and in love, changed her forever... she's not a cold-blooded killer anymore, but this is not what is stated at the beginning of the episode.





We get to see a lot of flashbacks, we get to know how is that Anya became a vengeance demon (we already knew that, but we see Olaf again, and learn Anya's real name... Aud). Some interesting things about the character is that she liked bunnies before turning into a vengeance demon, and also that she was unaware of the impact of his words since she was born, I've always thought that that was because he couldn't figure how to be just human.





Buffy decides to kill one of his friends, she acts like a bad-ass slayer and doesn't try to hard to find another way. Of course, it's true what she says... she had to kill Angel on season 2, and no matter how much she loved him she did it anyway (even when he got his soul back). This changed her, a lot, Anya is nothing compared to that... and of course, Anya is on the loose killing teenagers, so the Slayer cannot really look the other way.





Xander once again stands between total madness and the people he loves, no matter how twisted and evil one becomes, if he loves you, he's there. That's really great about his character. And Willow... well, she saves the day actually, she's the one that calls D'Hoffryn to help Anya, but actually does it more for Xander that for her.





The flashback to "Once more... with feeling" is absolutely great, very well done, I think that was the best part in the episode. We go back to one of the best Buffy episodes, we go back to a cheerful and colorful moment, when Xander and Anya were in love and wanted to get married, and we also get to hear the song when the mustard stained the suit (in once more... with feeling we see a little dance and the song "they've got the mustard out"). All of that is great, but the really great part is when we go back to the present and see Anya stabbed through the chest... all of the previews joy is forgotten and we're slapped back into reallity. For a moment, I really thought that Anya was dead.





Then, D'Hoffryn cames along and Anya breaks... she asks him to turn it all back, to bring the 12 students back to life, even if this cost her life. It's nice to see what we all expected, that being human changed her, that she's not a killer anymore and is truly sorry for all that she has done. She sacrifices her life for this, so we think that we are going to lose her again, and this time for good.





But, this is a very well written episode, D'Hoffryn cheats hear and instead kills Hallie, her only demon friend (and with all that was happen lately, and for how Anya feels, her only true friend). D'Hoffryn takes the life and soul of Hallie, and reminds Anya that a vengeance demon never goes for the kill if he can go for the pain. So, the sacrifice she did was true, but she keeps his life anyway (ala Jack Bauer).





Anya is devastated but this is sort of a happy ending for how things developed along the episode... It truly felt like Anya's final episode, and I'm glad that it wasn't. At the end, we get a huge hing about what will happen in Buffy's finale, when D'Hoffryn says that why rush into things (speaking about Anya's death).

I really like this episode because we get to learn a lot more about Anya\'s past. We also see how hard it is for her to adjust to life without Xander because she never really figured out what her place in the world is. Before she was a vengeance demon she was devoted to Olaf. As a demon, she granted wishes on behalf of others. When she was no longer a demon, she became Xander\'s girlfriend and she devoted her life to him. In the \'Mrs\' flashback, she sings about how her role in life will be as Xander\'s wife. When they break up, people keep trying to tell her who she is and what she wants, and she lets herself be talked into becoming a vengeance demon again. In this episode, she finally gets to figure out what she wants, and it\'s great to see her finally create her own identity. She\'s not letting Xander tell her how to act and she\'s doesn\'t want to be a demon like Halfrek and D\'Hoffryn want her to be. She needs to figure it out on her own. At the end, when she walks away from Xander, it\'s heartbreaking because she seems so vulnerable and lonely. But at the same time it\'s really brave of her because she knows she has to be alone for awhile. Anya is one of my favorite characters because she is funny and straightforward, but I like that we get to see a different side of her after she and Xander break up. I only wish that they had gotten back together eventually.