Buffy the Vampire Slayer

The Good;
Glory's minions are hysterical. The giant snake is a lot better than what we see in Graduation Day 2 and Band Candy. All the Buffy/Dawn/Joyce scenes are fantastic beyond belief.

The Bad;
Not much although you continue to feel for Riley.

Best line;
Willow; "Tomb-go-boom!"

Women good/men bad;
Riley cheats on Buffy.

Jeez!;
Not an ep for you if you suffer from Ophidiophobia

Kinky dinky;
Riley get's some vamp action/snuff. Spike takes his stalking of Buffy to a new level, sniffing her sweater and stealing a pair of Buffy's skimpy pink frilly undies as Riley kicks him out. Dawn tells Riley Buffy cries a lot less with him about, she means well but this isn't what he wants to hear. Giles appears quite taken with Glory, can't blame him with her in that red leather dress. Xander also gives her the once-over

Captain Subtext;
Check out the little look Willow gives Xander when he eyes up Glory, there's still something there. When Xander and Riley have their heart to heart Xander asks Riley "What kind of action are you looking for?" Ohhh matron! Dawn is quite the screamer (she could have been a Classic Dr Who companion) and one could say that this is Buffy protecting her virginal teenage sister from the threat of a huge phallic snake? Sitting astride it and restraining it with a chain.

Scoobies to the ER;
Buffy needs an ice pack after Glory smacks her around.

Apocalypses; 5,

Scoobies in bondage:
Buffy: 8
Giles: 4
Cordy: 5
Will: 3
Jenny: 1
Angel: 4
Oz: 1
Faith: 3
Joyce: 1
Wes: 1
Xander; 1
Dawn; 1

Scoobies knocked out:
Buffy: 15
Giles: 10
Cordy: 6
Xander: 8
Will: 5
Jenny: 2
Angel: 6
Oz: 3
Faith: 1
Joyce: 3
Wes: 1
Anya;1

Kills: Riley kills Sandy, Buffy kills the snake demon
Buffy: 86 vamps, 31 demons, 6 monsters, 3 humans, 1 werewolf, 1 spirit warrior & a robot
Giles: 5 vamps, 1 demon
Cordy: 3 vamps, a demon
Will: 4 vamps
Angel: 3 vamps, 1 demon, 1 human
Oz: 3 vamps, 1 zombie
Faith: 16 vamps, 5 demons, 3 humans
Xander: 5 vamps, 2 zombies, a demon, a demon
Anya: a demon
Riley; 18 vamps + 7 demons

Scoobies go evil:
Giles: 1
Cordy: 1
Will: 2
Jenny: 1
Angel: 1
Oz: 1
Joyce: 1
Xander: 3

Alternate scoobies:
Buffy: 6
Giles: 3
Cordy: 1
Will: 2
Jenny: 2
Angel: 3
Oz: 2
Joyce: 2
Xander: 3

Recurring characters killed: 9
Jesse, Flutie, Jenny, Kendra, Larry, Snyder, Professor Walsh, Forrest, McNamara

Sunnydale deaths;
83;

Total number of scoobies: 7
Giles, Xander, Willow, Buffy, Anya, Tara, Riley

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

Notches on Scooby bedpost: Should we count Riley and Sandy as a sexual act?
Giles: 2; Joyce & Olivia, possibly Jenny and 3xDraccy babes?
Cordy: 1?
Buffy: 3 confirmed; Angel, Parker,Riley, 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; 2; Buffy and Sandy

Questions and observations;
Aleister Crowley was a famous British occultist/satanist who coined the phrase 'Do what thou wilt shall be the only law'. Xander refers to Riley as Captain America who was also a goverment supersoldier. Joyce has a cellphone, about time one of the Sunnydale Scoobies did. The Sunnydale Zoo again. Another lovely Xander/Riley scene. Note when Riley goes to see Buffy after being with Sandy he wears a high necked sweater to cover the bite marks.
Marks out of 10; 7/10

Shadow was a perfect episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer's fifth season, and it is also one of my favorites! I really enjoyed watching this episode because it had complex character development in Riley, Buffy, and Joyce. We also learned that the woman in red is called Glory, and she is pressed for time to find the key. I like how we are seeing more and more magic in the series and I think it's great that the gang now have a magic shop as headquarters. There is so much depth to this series, and this episode is a prime example of that. I think that this episode is key to the season and series, pun intended!

Shadow is a great episode that balances comedy, drama and emotion perfectly and furthers the three main arcs perfectly; it isn't the best episode or the most entertaining but is definitely a great one.



I love two of the three main storylines here; for me, the cancer storyline and the Glory storyline are two of the greatest in the entire show and I generally like all episodes connected with them. However, on the other hand, Buffy and Riley's imminent breakup really does not interest me in any way; seeing as I've seen the show countless time, I already know what happens and the storyline just seems to get worse every viewing. It's just annoying, boring melodrama. I don't care for Riley as a character and feel at this point he is nothing more than a badly acted waste of space (that may be a bit harsh though).



The Joyce storyline is simply fantastic in my opinion. I can't say Joyce has always been one of my favourites and she's vital to the show but this storyline helps us get invested in her character the Summers family dynamic. It also really helps us to care about the character of Dawn more; she may be a bit annoying but by this stage, I always really care for her and this really helps to draw us more into the Glory storyline; I feel the two compliment each other.



The Glory storyline is possibly my favourite storyline on the entire show. Some found it annoying and boring but I thought it was utterly fantastic. Glory herself is a brilliant villain in my opinion (though she slips far too much into cheesy comedy at times). She's not the best but seeing as she exists to basically be extremely powerful but a bit stupid, I feel she does this perfectly. Clare Kramer is a great actress and is like marmite; you'll either love her or hate her.



Shadow is a great episode; not one of the season's best by any means but still a great all rounder and an episode that will leave you wanting more.

Riley begins to suspect that Spike has feelings for Buffy. Buffy's world is falling apart as Joyce is diagnosed with a brain tumor. She tries to keep Joyce's diagnosis from Dawn. Buffy must also protect Dawn after Glory creates a snake that will find The Key, no matter what shape it is in. I really enjoyed watching this episode. It was near-perfect. The only thing I didn't like were the graphics. The graphics didn't wok the first time they did a snake with the mayor, so why would they attempt to do it again? I liked when Glory bought the stuff at the magic shop though. Sarah Michelle Gellar was once again amazing in this episode. Great episode. :)

Shadow-Riley begins to suspect that Spike has feelings for Buffy, and Spike takes great pleasure in telling Riley about Joyce's illness – and about the fact that Buffy told Spike first. Meanwhile, Glory is conjuring up a creature that will be able to locate The Key for her, no matter what form it may be in.



Despite mediocre looking monster of the week, "Shadow" does move along the storylines of the season pretty well. The most interesting development is Joyce's illness as Buffy finds out her mom has a tumor. It's a heart-breaking scene when Buffy finds out her mother's life might be in jeapordy and will do anything to save her. You can instantly tell that Buffy is overwhelmed by the fact that she might lose her mother which is wonderfully played by Sarah.



While it's always great to see Glory again, her presence is unterutilized in this episode despite kicking Buffy's a$$ once again. The whole episode is wasted on that stupid, badly CGIed giant snake. In some scenes, the snake actually looks pretty cool, while in most, it looks done right fake. But it was a cool scene when Buffy took down the snake by choking it then punching the life out of it. I love it when Buffy gets all violent! But another downside is the wasted energy being put into Riley's depression storyline. "Awwwwwww, Buffy doesn't need anymore, waaaahhhh, I'm gonna let a vampire almost kill me!", ehw! I'm glad it's only 2 episodes down until Riley leaves the series and the character looks so pathetic and desperate. All and All, "Shadow" is pretty good for building emotions about Joyce's illness, but the rest of the episode is mediocre at best.

Joyce, heading in for her CAT scan, looks young and vulnerable. Dawn is young and vulnerable. Therefore Buffy has to be the adult, the mom. She is used to responsibility and being old beyond her years, but that's slayer-stuff; being able to destroy demons and vanquish vamps isn't much use when you're dealing with brain tumours. As Giles puts it, “The mystical and the medical aren't meant to mix”. Buffy can cope with Uber-Vamps and Bad Boyfriends and Snake-Mayors and Cyber-Demons, but being forced into the horrible realities of adulthood with the resultant loss and non-supernatural death is a lot to ask of someone just on the cusp of her third decade. When she was at school, the actualities of day to day school life often coincided with Buffy's slayer duties and here we see her coping with two things she can't defeat whilst at the same time protecting Dawn both physically from Glory and also emotionally from Joyce's situation. Cleverly, it seems that Cute Intern Ben is being set up as a romantic interest for Buffy as he is the one who comforts her when the surgeon is being horribly matter of fact. The doctor’s tactless “nearly one in three survive” is akin to Dawn's remarks to Riley later on. Buffy says to Ben: “He's just told me there's nothing I can do”, a situation which is both unfamiliar and unbearable for the Slayer.



The b-story in this episode is Riley's increasing alienation from Buffy. Once he feared that he wasn't action man enough for her and he was just the mission's boyfriend, but now he thinks that she doesn't even want him for that. Riley's insecurities grow with every episode and everything that is said and done increases his belief that Buffy doesn't think he's good enough for her. Dawn tries to comfort him but makes it worse: “She doesn't get all worked up over you”, Spike, lost in his delusion that Buffy wants him, bravadoes it out: “She likes us dangerous and rough”. He may get in a few digs at Riley (“I'm harmless. Takes one to know one”), but his needling of Buffy’s beau is based on his desire to hurt his presumed rival anyway he can; he hasn’t cottoned onto Riley’s angst. Oddly, his view that Buffy likes boyfriends who are mad, bad and dangerous to know coincides with Riley's. But we, the loyal viewers, saw her attraction to sensitive souls Owen and Scott Hope as well as Angel who, when not being bitey, was a big old mopey dope. We can see both sides of the Buffy/Riley argument. On one hand, Riley is ridiculously selfish to think that Buffy has time to pay attention to him with the Joyce situation and her fears about Dawn and Glory. On the other, Buffy fails to confide in him and uses him as more of a nursemaid than a boyfriend. Not only is he no longer a fighter, but in his eyes, he's no longer a lover. The door closing on the Summers family in the hospital, leaving Riley outside in the cold is an obvious metaphor but an incisive one. He turns to drink and vamps, letting Sandy bite him in return for an easy kill, which makes him feel like a man. He wanted to experience the dark he thinks Buffy likes - despite the fact that Buffy needs someone to be lightness itself, to counteract the shadows that she lives in. He is marked by the wound on his neck: his downfall is beginning;.



Buffy may get beaten by medicine and Glory alike but no man in a rubber suit has ever got the better of her. Glory takes to Sunnydale Zoo (Hyena enclosure out of use) to turn a cobra into a computer generated image and Buffy, unable to stop Glory can at least stop the snake, riding it (a thousand heavy metal fans' dreams come true) and then beating it to death with her one good hand. But just as killing the vamp didn't seem to make Riley any happier, slaughtering the snake doesn't get rid of any of Buffy's demons. The danger to both Joyce through illness and Dawn through Glory are still there, just as Riley's self image isn't going to go away until he goes away. The gang all contribute to this episode; of the two parent figures, Joyce is in hospital and Giles is stupidly selling the MacGuffins to Glory (she likes shopping enough not to send one of her minions to do it), whilst it is new Scoobs Tara and Anya who do the brain work. The Wicca realises that Glory must pre-date the written word and therefore won't feature in any of Giles’s' books, and the ex-demon works out what Giles has sold to Glory as well as knowing what her spell will entail. Xander, meanwhile, has become very wise since he was split in two and although it seems he's just annoyed that his one and only male friend went on a killing spree without him, we see that he is concerned about Riley's state of mind. He advises him that Buffy “needs something she can fight, something she can solve”, whilst pointing out that Riley needs to sort himself out. Give him another episode or two, Xand.

what a nice episode. i liked glory and her big snake that went after dawn to find the key.



riley was an ok character but i felt sorry for him here. he knew that buffy did not love him and he wanted to help her so badly.

i also felt sorry for buffy trying to save dawn and loved glory beating buffy. a very good episode

An episode with a lot happening that will impact on future episodes, this one lacks the punch it needs. The drama with Joyce is scary as we find out that she has a brain tumor. On top of the revelations of Dawn's origins, Buffy is feeling strained.



Instead of turning to Riley, however, she tries to be strong and keep everything locked inside. Riley, already believing Buffy doesn't love him, is feeling out in the cold and despondant. He takes drastic action (which, I'm sorry...really seems to be coming out of left field).



The highlight really, is the short scene between Anya and Giles when she finds out what he's sold. Glory is also a little bit of fun, but Sobek is a bore. BTVS cannot do snakes! They should avoid them like the plague...the CGI looks alright (mostly), but the puppet is just bad as is Buffy's punching its throat out to kill it.

At once depressingly bleak and confoundingly silly, "Shadow" is one of the very worst episodes of the last three seasons of "Buffy." We don't learn a single thing about any of the characters that isn't already blatantly obvious, and David Fury's script completely fails to either introduce any new themes or develop any of the threads already running through the season. Mix in the use of one of the most pointless and stupid-looking monsters in the series' whole run and you have yourself an out-and-out stinker.



Although in the past it has been "Buffy"'s tendency to begin seasons with a string of stand-alone episodes and commit more fully to the ongoing storyline in the second half, Season Five commits too early to the Glory saga. This would be fine if our understanding of the character grew and deepened with each additional installment, the way we all grew to know and love Mayor Richard Wilkins. However, we know right away who Glory is. We know right away what her goal is and what she needs to accomplish it. The various contrivances the writers deliver to keep the thin storyline alive (Ben, the Knights of Byzantium, Doc, the boring scabby minions) don't so much enrich the plot as pointlessly amass.



Nothing happens in "Shadow" that we hadn't figured out already. Buffy's mom is sick. We know. Glory wants the key. We know. Dawn is the key. Do you see where I'm going here? The whole thing with Riley and the vampire hookers is technically a plot development, but it's not as if the writers needed to soften the blow of Marc Blucas's departure by making us first like his character less. Nobody liked his character to begin with. The idea of Glory launching her latest wacky scheme by walking into the Magic Box and simply purchasing the required ingredients is sort of funny, but it hardly redeems the episode.



The less said about the results of Glory's transmogrification spell, the better. You would have thought that after "Reptile Boy" the showrunners would have known better than to call for a snake demon. As for Buffy taking out her frustrations with the human world on the demon, this is territory that has been covered before. It would have been much more interesting if the writers had decided to have her beat the crap out of Riley. Or Dawn.



Not everything that "Buffy" tried in the second half of the fourth season worked, but you can't fault Joss and Mutant Enemy for lack of ambition. While simultaneously developing the Adam character and working to the climax of the ongoing Initiative storyline, episodes addressed redemption (the Faith two-parter), child abuse ("Where the Wild Things Are"), and "unconventional relationships" ("New Moon Rising"). "Superstar" toyed with the series' very reality. With the qualified exceptions of "Family" and "Fool For Love," the first half of season five is thematically DOA.



"Shadow," "Listening To Fear," and "Into the Woods" could have been rolled up into one episode while losing very little narratively. The producers belatedly tried to right the balance by injecting some more light humor into the back end of the year, but "I Was Made To Love You" and "Intervention" don't sit comfortably where they are. "The Gift" is an undeniably beautiful season finale, but the road there is long and arduous. And a lot of the scenery looks fake.

Shadow



This episode was beautiful. everything. the demon was so cool, although a little fake. I felt so bad for Riley, he makes it worse for himself but I still feel lousy for him. and the end was heartbreaking and beautiful. this episode is awesome.



cut to the hospital, Joyce is letting her take a cat scan. cut to Buffy going to Dawn. she asks why it's called a cat scan but Buffy doesn't answer. she then leans on Buffy's shoulders. cut to the magic shop. Xander tells Giles about Riley that he blowed up the tomb all by himself. They have to continue and try to find out who that woman is. cut to Glory, a weird demon named Greg is telling her how good she is. and he gives her a gift but she needs some more supplies for it. she is going to the magic shop.



the credits start



cut to Riley arriving in Buffy's home. he finds a blanket and Spike in Buffy's room. he takes him downstairs after he grabs something of hers. then he wants to throw Spike outside. Spike says that Riley isn't Buffy's tipe, he isn't dark enough and that Buffy is in the hospital because she is sick, Riley throws him out. cut to Buffy in the hospital, Buffy says that she didn't have time and he says that he gets it. Buffy is gonna go in Joyce's room and tells Riley to look after Dawn. Buffy goes inside and Joyce tells her that it's a shadow, they found a shadow.



cut to the magic shop. they can't find her in the books. Tara says that she might be unnamed. She turns out in the store and buys something and leaves. Giles says she could be anywhere. cut to the hospital. The doctor finally comes out and Buffy goes to him, he tells Buffy that Joyce has a tumour in her head.



The doctor keeps asking her questions but Ben tells him that someone needs him. he then tells Buffy to take a brake and go out. Buffy tells Riley to take Dawn to school, he has to do magic or something. cut to the magic shop. Anya sees something and calls them up. she tells that you don't sell those two things together. Giles says that what are the chances that the young woman had a lot of powers, then he realises who that woman was.



cut to a park, Riley took Dawn and she tells something about her that never happened. then she tells him that she is glad he is here and Buffy is so. she says that Buffy doesn't cry so much with him around. with Angel it was like the end of the world everyday. Riley looks upset.

cut to the magic shop. The gang tells Buffy that if she does a healing spell everything could go worse. then they tell her that the woman buyed some stuff and that she is going to make a cobra into a demon.



cut to the Sunnydale Zoo. Glory grabs a cobra to make it a demon and Greg starts to read something up. Buffy comes and attacks Glory but she then hits Buffy very hard and defeats her, then she throws her in a cage and then the cobra arised.

Glory tells the big snake to fiend her the key and tell her where it lies. while Buffy escapes.



cut to the Magic shop. Riley asks for Buffy but they tell him she is off for Glory. Xander says that he did the same with those demons. he doesn't understand why he is doing that. Riley tells him to call him if Buffy need shim.

cut to Buffy on the phone with Giles, she tells him that Dawn is coming over there and to not tell her anything. she is going to go to Joyce because she is waking up now.



cut to Riley, Sandy takes him and she bites in him but then he kills her. cut to the big snake searching for Dawn, he comes in that park and smells her. cut to the bronze, and then the big snake comes in. it knocks Buffy down and goes after Dawn, she screams and she realises that she is the key and leaves. Buffy knows that it knows and it goes after it. Giles takes her in the car and she tells him that it's name is Glory. cut to Glory and Greg, she says that the clock is tikking and that it should have been there already.



cut to the snake, Buffy is running after it and jumps on it. she chokes him, she thinks anyway and it throws her away again. but then she jumps on it and kills him. she remains beating him after he is already dead. cut to the hospital. Buffy calls Dawn because Joyce is going to tell her. Buffy waits outside and tries not to cry, Riley is there and tells her to let it out. she says that people need her. if she starts now, she won't be able to stop. and goes inside leaving Riley alone in the hall.



black out



----------

Best episode quotes:



Dawn: What is a CAT scan, exactly?

B: I don't know. It's an x-ray, I guess.

Dawn: Where do they get the "CAT" scan from? I mean, do they test it on cats, or... or does the machine sort of look like a cat?



Tara: "Your one-stop spot to shop for all your occult needs." Catchy.

Giles: You think so?

Tara: Uh-huh. In a hard-to-read sort of way.



Xander: I'm just saying, I think it's rude.

Willow: I wouldn't call it rude.

Xander: Rude-ish, rude-esque, whatever you want to call it. When a person makes a "destroy all vampires" date, it's simple courtesy to wait for you co-destroyers. Am I right, Giles?

Giles: I'm almost certain you're not, but to be fair, I wasn't listening.



Willow: Tomb go boom.

Xander: Yep, Captain America blowed it up real good. All by his lone-wolf lonesome.



Anya: I mean, I for one didn't want to start my day with a slaughter. Which really just goes to show how much I've grown!



Xander: Oh, yeah, this has been fruitful. Trying to look up something you never saw, and don't know the name of.

Anya: Just do what I do: flip through the pages and look busy.



Dreg: Most beauteous and supremely magnificent one, this dark spell I hold in my worthless and scabby hand is our gift to you, most tingly and wonderful Glorificus.

Glory: Please, call me Glory. And get up, looking at you is hurting my neck.

Dreg: Forgive me, shiny special one, I beg of you to rip out my inadequate tongue.



Glory: Does this pump make my ankle look boney?

Dreg: No, no. No, your terrifically smooth one, it is the epitome of ankles. To touch such an ankle would be-- but I'm not touching, I'm backing away.



Gl: Dreg, is it?

Dreg: Yes, Dreg. Your creamy coolness has honored me by speaking my name. Your voice is like a thousand sweet songbirds that--

Gl: Yeah, I never tire of hearing that. Look, just so we're clear, the spell's gonna work, right? I mean, nothing worse than a gift that doesn't work. Then I'd have to get all mad and kill you! It's this whole big thing.



Riley: What are you doing in here?

Spike: What, me? I was, um... What are you doing here?

Riley: Looking for the girl who's gonna rip your arms off when she finds out you were in her bedroom.



Spike: Look, I know for a bleedin' fact the Slayer wouldn't mind me being here.

Riley: Right. What's a little sweater-sniffing between sworn enemies?



Spike: Twice in recent memory, she's had the lover-wiccas do a de-invite on the house, keep out specific vamps. Ever ask yourself why she's never taken my name off the guest-list?

Riley: Because you're harmless.

Spike: Oh, yeah, right. Takes one to know, I suppose. At least I still got the attitude. What you got? A piercing glance? Face it, white bread, Buffy's got a type, and you're not it. She likes us dangerous, rough, occasionally bumpy in the forehead region. Not that she doesn't like you, but sorry, Charlie, you're just not dark enough.

[Riley drags Spike to the sunlight]

Riley: Am I dark enough for you now?

Spike: Bloody pull me back in, you sod, I'm starting to sizzle!

Riley: You don't know anything about Buffy, you never did. I'm the one who knows what she needs.

Spike: Oh yeah? That's why you're with her at hospital right now, giving her what she needs.

Riley: (pulls Spike back inside) What are you talking about?

Spike: Don't you know, didn't she tell you?

Riley: You tell me.

Spike: Mum's sickly. Buffy took her to the hospital for a bit of prod 'n probe. Bite-sized one went too. (needling) You know, it's-it's funny her not calling you about that. I've known since last night.



Willow: It feels like we're going around in circles.

Xander: Our circles are going around in circles. We've got dizzy circles here, Giles.



Xander: Hey, if it means I don't have to read any more, whoo! And, might I add, a big hoo.



Anya: Hey. Hey! HEY! HEY!!

Giles: Anya, your "heys" are startling the customers.

Xander: And pretty much the state.

Anya: You sold someone a Khul's amulet and a Sobekian blood stone.

Giles: Yes, I believe I did.

Anya: Are you stupid or something?

Giles: Allow me to answer that question with a firing.

Xander: She's kidding. Ahn, we talked about the employee/employer vocabulary no-nos. That was number five.

Anya: You never sell these things together, ever! Bad news! Don't you know about the Sobekites?

Willow: Oh! I do. It was an ancient Egyptian cult, heavy into dark magic.

Tara: And the Khul's amulet, wasn't that a transmogrification conduit?

Anya: Damn straight!

Giles: Be that as it may, I still see no reason for concern. I mean, the-the Sobekian transmogrification spells were lost thousands of years ago. And besides, the young woman to whom I sold them would have to have had enormous power-

Willow: Young woman?

Giles: Oh, dear lord.

Xander: What?



Riley: You're melting.

Dawn: Oh, um ... guess I'm not hungry.

Riley: Maybe I'm not making this any better.

Dawn: No, I just ... this is better. I had my tenth birthday party here.

Riley: Really?

Dawn: Mm-hmm. We'd just moved to Sunnydale, and ... Mom rented the carousel for an entire hour for just me and my friends. Except I hadn't made any friends yet, so ... it was just me and Mom and Buffy riding it by ourselves, over and over and over again... for the whole hour, just so Mom felt like we'd gotten our money's worth. She's ... she's not gonna get better, is she?

Riley: Absolutely she will. Summers women are tough.

Dawn: I'm really glad you're here.

Riley: Thanks.

Dawn: Buffy's glad too.

Riley: Yeah?

Dawn: She sure cries a lot less with you than she did with Angel.

Riley: Angel ... made her cry a lot, huh?

Dawn: Everything with him was all ... eee, you know?

Riley: All...?

Dawn: You know ... "my boyfriend's a vampire" crazy crazy. Every day was like the end of the world. She doesn't get all worked up like that over you. I think you've been really good for her.



Anya: We've done just about enough making things worse for one day, haven't we?

Buffy: Why? What do you mean?

Xander: Uh, nothing. Anya broke a ... bippity boppity boo. A thing. Don't worry about it.

Anya: I did not! I didn't break-

Giles: Anya, Buffy doesn't need to hear about your ... clumsiness right now.

Anya: My clumsiness. I mean, that is so- ...like ... me. Slippery, slippery ... butterfingers.

Buffy: What happened?

Giles: Nothing to concern you, uh-

Buffy: Giles!

Giles: The, uh, demon woman was here, the one who attacked you.

Willow: It's no biggie, she-she just got an amulet and a bloodstone.

Anya: That can create a monster.

Willow: Okay, biggie.

Buffy: My god, are you guys okay though? I mean, did - no one got hurt, right?

Giles: Oh no, thankfully, no, uh, no violence to speak of.

Buffy: Okay, so, that's good ... How did she get away with this bad mojo stuff?

Anya: Giles sold it to her.

Giles: I, I, I... I didn't know it was her! I mean, how could I? If it's any consolation, I may have overcharged her.



Xander: Just once I would like to run into a cult of bunny worshippers.

Anya: Great. Thank you very much for those nightmares!



Glory: Chill, worm. I'm gonna make you a star!



Glory: Ah! Dark incantations -- always overwritten. Why can't they just cut to the--

Buffy: Fight?

Glory: No fair! Attacking... when I wasn't even looking. Oh, help. No. This is no good. I'm out of the moment. And you're not giving me anything I can use. Dreg, I'm not hearing chanting! Continue.

Dreg: Yes, Glory.

Glory: Hey, hey -- work with me here. There, that feels more real, don't you think? Even if I do have to carry your performance. Scene!



Glory: Let your vision guide you to its hiding place and then return to me and tell me where it lies. [pause] Now would be good.



Xander: Yeah, crazy. Going off alone, half-cocked. Instead of waiting for much-needed back up. Charging in with a big old hand grenade. Oh, wait...

Riley: This is different.

Xander: Yeah, it is. Buffy needs something she can fight, something she can solve. I don't know what kind of action you're looking for ... Do you? Hey, I'm not trying to get-

Riley: It's cool.

Xander: You okay?

Riley: Just a little crazed.

Xander: I hear ya.

Riley: If, uh, she needs me...



Glory: What is taking so long, Dreg? You told me snakey-wakey would find my key. Now why isn't he back here with a beautiful message for me?

Dreg: I grovel like a bug, most silky and effervescent Glorificus-- Glory! Glory, your most fresh and clean-ness, it's just a matter of time.

Glory: Ohh! Everything takes time! What about my time? Does anyone appreciate that I'm on a schedule here? Tick-tock, Dreg. Tick-fricking-tock!



Buffy: You want me to stay?

Joyce: No, I'm fine. I-I think I should ... talk to Dawn alone.

Buffy: Okay.

Joyce: Oh. Do I have bad hair? I don't look like scary mom, do I?

Buffy: No. You look beautiful.

Joyce: Okay. Let's do this. Stay close.



Riley: Buffy...

Riley: You okay? You look pretty beat up.

Buffy: Minimal damage of the fighting kind. It's all the other kind.

Riley: Come here. It's okay. Just let it out. I'm right here.

Buffy: I can't. Not now. They need me. If I start now ... I won't be able to stop.



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Story: 10

Acting: 10

Writing: 10

Picture: 10

Gripping: 10

My Rank: 10

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Total: 10

This is what many people would call climactic. You have a grand confrontation between a lesser villian and the superhero. You have a huge mission that the Slayer is on, and lots of CGI and special effects. The CGI created snake God Sobek has to be the worst Buffy villain ever, so that is why this episode got 9.8 out of 10. The real feat of the episode comes at the end though: the breathtaking scene where Buffy Summers finally releases all of her stress that has been building up over the past couple of months. When the snake God flings her off it's back effortlessly, the pummels the thing to death with her bare hands, which reminds the viewers that she is not a normal girl. She has to keep reminding everybody that she has superstrength and impeccable fighting skills every other episode, or they will forget. A fantastic episode, one that it highly underrated by the "Buffy" community.