I love Angel. I really do. But, I don't think he should have returned for the final episodes of BTVS. Just like I agree that Buffy shouldn't have been on the finale of "Angel." The characters and shows are in different places now. The Buffy and Angel scenes in "End of Days" and "Chosen" seem strained to me. Angel loves Cordy (even though she's in a coma) and Buffy is finally moving on with Spike. Bringing Angel back to reestablish his romance with Buffy, seems like a deliberate way to set up "Angel" season five. So, when Spike jumps over to that show, he and Angel can continue their rivalry for Buffy... Even though Buffy's not there. "Angel" season five is one of my favorite seasons in the entire Buffyverse. (It's better than BTVS season seven, as a matter of fact. I actually enjoy watching Spike and Angel interacting more than either one of them with Buffy, since they're really funny together. That whole season's a joy and I HIGHLY recommend that you see it.) But, it doesn't seem fair to take away from BTVS to establish something for "Angel." There are actors on this show who don't get enough screen time as it is. "End of Days" doesn't even have scene where the Scoobies apologize and emotionally reconnect after voting Buffy out of the house. I just disagree with the way it was done. That said, "End of Days" is a fairly good episode that sets-up the series finale. You can't skip it if you're watching the show.
"Basically, "End of Day" revolves around Buffy finding that ax thing at the vineyard. It turns out that it's a magic Slayer weapon forged in someplace or other for some reason that I'm not real clear on. (I kind of disagree with the whole "magic ax" thing so I don't pay a lot of attention to it. BTVS is usually about beating evil with individual skills, creativity, and team work, not super weapons, but I digress...) Anyway, it's really powerful. Buffy then heads of to save the Potentials and Faith who have been wounded in an explosion. Also, UberVamps attacked them. Sadly, most of the Potentials survive. (Was that too sarcastic? Sorry, I just hate the Potentials.) Buffy takes them all back to the Summers' house, where she is kinna welcomed back as leader. Buffy puts Giles and Willow in charge of researching the ax.
Meanwhile, she asks Xander to take Dawn out of Sunnydale. She is scared for her sister's safety and she wants Xander to protect her. Xander agrees. He chloroforms Dawn and drives her away. Then Dawn wakes up, tazers Xander and drives back to town. Anya and Andrew head to the hospital for more medical supplies. Giles and Willow tell Buffy that the ax is connected (or something) to some tomb on unconsecrated ground. Buffy goes off to look for the tomb, just as Spike returns home. They have a nice talk about their night together. Buffy goes to the graveyard, finds the tomb and is talking to the old lady who made the ax (or whatever), when suddenly Caleb appears. He kills the old lady. He and Buffy fight. Angel comes in and hits Caleb. Angel and Buffy kiss. Spike is- somehow- standing there and sees them.
There are some good parts to this episode. I like Spike and Buffy's kitchen scene. It's really sweet that they're both nervous about talking after their night together. And then Spike finally admits that he's terrified because it was the best night of his life. He's so cute. And I think it's a pretty big compliment to Buffy, since just holding her while they slept beat out Spike's previous "best night ever:" Killing that Slayer in China. (See season five's "Fool for Love.") Also, I like Anya administering care to the wounded Potentials. "Shhh... Talking will just make you die sooner." And Buffy and Xander's conversation in the kitchen is nice. Buffy gets pouty when Xander insinuated that she might be killed in the upcoming fight. Xander works to cheer her up. "Hey, if you die, I'll just bring you back again. It's what I do." Finally, you just have to laugh when Dawn mutters that she never leaves loaded cross bows lying around. "Not after that time with Miss Kitty Fantastico." I wondered what happened to Tara and Willow's cat.
On the down side, what's the deal with that stupid ax thing? It seems a little cheese-y to me that it's just laying around Sunnydale. And who is that old woman? The watcher of the Watchers or something, right? Well how is she watching anything, all sealed up in a crypt? She didn't even know Buffy's name. And the old lady made the Slayer an incredibly powerful weapon, but hid it... Why, again? Am I missing something or does this have a ton of loose ends? And why is Angel conveniently at that crypt at of all places? For that matter, why is Spike there? He's suppose to be at the vineyard. And how, after seven years of patrolling cemeteries every night, is Buffy just now seeing a pyramid tomb sitting on unconsecrated ground? Was it invisible before? Back in season four's "Doomed" she says that she's memorized the inscriptions on the tombs, but she just-- What?-- Missed this gigantic crypt with a woman living inside? It doesn't make any sense. Also, it was daylight when the Scoobies tracked Buffy to that abandoned house. And it was light when Buffy left for the vineyard. So if the house is now empty, where did Spike go?
My favorite part of the episode: Anya and Andrew stealing hospital supplies and having wheel chair fights, while talking about life, death, humanity and "Jaws." She mentions that she won't be running away from this Apocalypse like she did that "other" one, meaning season three's "Graduation Day Part Two." An episode which also, interesting enough, had a "Jaws" reference.
"Basically, "End of Day" revolves around Buffy finding that ax thing at the vineyard. It turns out that it's a magic Slayer weapon forged in someplace or other for some reason that I'm not real clear on. (I kind of disagree with the whole "magic ax" thing so I don't pay a lot of attention to it. BTVS is usually about beating evil with individual skills, creativity, and team work, not super weapons, but I digress...) Anyway, it's really powerful. Buffy then heads of to save the Potentials and Faith who have been wounded in an explosion. Also, UberVamps attacked them. Sadly, most of the Potentials survive. (Was that too sarcastic? Sorry, I just hate the Potentials.) Buffy takes them all back to the Summers' house, where she is kinna welcomed back as leader. Buffy puts Giles and Willow in charge of researching the ax.
Meanwhile, she asks Xander to take Dawn out of Sunnydale. She is scared for her sister's safety and she wants Xander to protect her. Xander agrees. He chloroforms Dawn and drives her away. Then Dawn wakes up, tazers Xander and drives back to town. Anya and Andrew head to the hospital for more medical supplies. Giles and Willow tell Buffy that the ax is connected (or something) to some tomb on unconsecrated ground. Buffy goes off to look for the tomb, just as Spike returns home. They have a nice talk about their night together. Buffy goes to the graveyard, finds the tomb and is talking to the old lady who made the ax (or whatever), when suddenly Caleb appears. He kills the old lady. He and Buffy fight. Angel comes in and hits Caleb. Angel and Buffy kiss. Spike is- somehow- standing there and sees them.
There are some good parts to this episode. I like Spike and Buffy's kitchen scene. It's really sweet that they're both nervous about talking after their night together. And then Spike finally admits that he's terrified because it was the best night of his life. He's so cute. And I think it's a pretty big compliment to Buffy, since just holding her while they slept beat out Spike's previous "best night ever:" Killing that Slayer in China. (See season five's "Fool for Love.") Also, I like Anya administering care to the wounded Potentials. "Shhh... Talking will just make you die sooner." And Buffy and Xander's conversation in the kitchen is nice. Buffy gets pouty when Xander insinuated that she might be killed in the upcoming fight. Xander works to cheer her up. "Hey, if you die, I'll just bring you back again. It's what I do." Finally, you just have to laugh when Dawn mutters that she never leaves loaded cross bows lying around. "Not after that time with Miss Kitty Fantastico." I wondered what happened to Tara and Willow's cat.
On the down side, what's the deal with that stupid ax thing? It seems a little cheese-y to me that it's just laying around Sunnydale. And who is that old woman? The watcher of the Watchers or something, right? Well how is she watching anything, all sealed up in a crypt? She didn't even know Buffy's name. And the old lady made the Slayer an incredibly powerful weapon, but hid it... Why, again? Am I missing something or does this have a ton of loose ends? And why is Angel conveniently at that crypt at of all places? For that matter, why is Spike there? He's suppose to be at the vineyard. And how, after seven years of patrolling cemeteries every night, is Buffy just now seeing a pyramid tomb sitting on unconsecrated ground? Was it invisible before? Back in season four's "Doomed" she says that she's memorized the inscriptions on the tombs, but she just-- What?-- Missed this gigantic crypt with a woman living inside? It doesn't make any sense. Also, it was daylight when the Scoobies tracked Buffy to that abandoned house. And it was light when Buffy left for the vineyard. So if the house is now empty, where did Spike go?
My favorite part of the episode: Anya and Andrew stealing hospital supplies and having wheel chair fights, while talking about life, death, humanity and "Jaws." She mentions that she won't be running away from this Apocalypse like she did that "other" one, meaning season three's "Graduation Day Part Two." An episode which also, interesting enough, had a "Jaws" reference.
