Buffy The Vampire Slayer "After Life" 6x3 Reaction

I love the twist that they pulled her out of heaven. It adds to her shellshock the last episode. I like that she was dead and the person she can relate to most is the person who was also dead and brought back to life (even if in a different way). Buffy and Spike are both sort of in their afterlives and trying to learn to deal with the living.

Leora Nechama

Love this episode, everyone's acting is so phenomenal

SpikesEcho

That's a very narrow view of that episode; I suggest listening to some podcasts with professional writers/storytellers discussing it in depth.

SpikesEcho

It's ok if you don't get it. And its ok if you didn't see it the way "10,000+" other fans did, and the way the creator/writers did. It's way less ok to denigrate people/the fanbase for liking Spike/Spuffy.

SpikesEcho

At the end of the day, the biggest problem is the whole soul thing, without a soul vamps seem unable to have true morals. Like how Spike's love for Buffy seems to be more of an obsession. I'm reminded of Faith's 'want, take, have' mentality. Also, spending 100+ years in a relationship with Drusilla was probably not the best example of a healthy love life.

Idun V

Tara brought Willow into Wicca which is why she seemed powerful at the time, but even then she said that she felt that Willow's potential far exceeded her own because she was picking things up so quickly. So Tara was a witch but never a very powerful, more or less run of the mill. Willow was always going to surpass her in power, though I admit they should have her do some things on her own from time to time. There are some future storylines that may offer some partial explanation for this particular issue but to say more might be a bit of a spoiler.

Fighter seVen'eiGht

this is usually an episode i skip on rewatches just because i wana get to the good stuff but i forgot the amount of stuff it foreshadows for the rest of the season.

Vincent Valentin

After this episode, I think back on Season 5 which started with Buffy wanting to understand what it means to be a Slayer and learned that 'Death is your gift'. Meaning SO MANY THINGS now. From, her ability to kill to protect humanity/the people she loves, to finding peace in the end. Her reward was peace. And her friends ruined it for her. (Which is also ironic because the only reason she's lasted as long as she has is because of her friends and that human connection.) In S5E2 when Buffy was looking at that point in space and says, "It was all so clear..." You realize that in that moment, she realized that everything in her life came to converge in that moment. Such a great show.

Janeka Rector

I really hope the comment section doesn't turn into a shipping war. Nobody needs that to be honest.

s jaco

Spoiler much? (Referring to the first sentence)

Alexis Cardarella

I'm not a huge fan of this season on the whole, but I think this is one of the most underrated episodes of the series. Some solid horror-esque stuff throughout, and that last scene is SUCH a gut-punch.

Andrea

I think the Willow Tara thing might be a confidence issue. Tara has always seemed shy and insecure. Plus she has the stutter. So I think they're just showing how confident and experienced Willow is now. She is powerful because of her focus and determination.

Molly C

Man a lot of spoilers in the comments. I won’t comment on Spike and Buffy besides saying that I enjoyed all of their scenes in this episode. Glad you were shocked by that twist.

Mo

Exactly! Some of the comments here from people who have (apparently???) seen the show are mystifying

Flora Smith

There may have been "hints" since Season 4 but all of that "set up" or "progress" was ruined or undone the moment Spike became a creepy fuck who had a literal sex-doll made of the girl he likes. You can't sweep that under the rug and claim the set up for their relationship makes sense or isn't at the very least "a bit odd". I can understand the fangirls and fanboys shipping random characters just because, but that's all that it feels like: a random pairing because the show needed a main romance angle cuz "no Angel"

Daniel R

I’m going to get hate for this, but if anything, this just makes me dislike James Marsters. I get that it was an acting choice, but I get the notion he says things like this just to satisfy the Spuffy fandom imo since that’s a huge portion of his fanbase. I really don’t think he was playing an attraction when he was only supposed to be a in a few episodes. He was supposed to be killed off in season 3.

Fizzy

Spuffy is the worst thing that happened to the show, and there were no hints of that until season 5 when Spike had a sex dream and they made it like he realise he loved her who is BS.... The actor said he played the character like he was attracted to her since the first episode but that wasn't Joss intention, so doesn't matter how James portrayed Spike if Joss said that is wasn't like that is not canon. Buffy would never have anything with Spike if she was herself, she hated him for years. Spike was better as a villain, he just doesn't work as a good guy, he is just disgusting. Liking Spuffy is reallly sick.

Cecilia Giovanniello

I don’t get everyone saying there were hints for Spike/Buffy leading up to this. What hints? That Spike is a guy and Buffy is a girl and they interacted? I swear a guy and girl interact a few times and exchange snarky lines and suddenly they have 10000 fans for no reason. There was NO romantic indication between the two of them besides “Something Blue” which was a cracky episode which we weren’t supposed to take seriously. If episodes like that were foreshadowing future romances Giles/ Anya would be canon also. The dynamic Spike and Buffy had was purely villain/hero until the writers gave into the insane fandom that Spuffy had. A fandom that came about because of a one off episode. Buffy HATED him for seasons, and it was always portrayed in a way that was clear she had no feelings or attraction to him whatsoever. It was purely one sided up until this point , because Buffy hated him and NEVER saw him that way. So for people to say there were “hints” is disingenuous. Yeah, maybe Spike was attracted to her, but he’s a whole ass vampire who obviously we aren’t supposed to be rooting for. Spike should have been kept a villain. Trying to integrate him within the scoobies and pairing him with Buffy did a huge disservice to both characters. People love to use the “chemistry” argument, but chemistry doesn’t equal romance. There are different types of chemistry. Personally, I didn’t see any chemistry between Spike/Buffy at all, but I’m not going to shit on other people who see it because chemistry is subjective. Faith/Buffy had more romantic connotations than Spuffy did imo. Pursuing the Spike/Buffy storyline was just a bad move. BTVS has always been a show about the scoobies, and their relationship took away from that. Even when Angel was Buffy’s love interest he was always on the back burner. He didn’t take away the focus from Buffy or her friends. You want to ship Spuffy, go ahead, but let’s not act like they set up or hinted at it. It was because they had a massive fanbase.

Fizzy

people need to understand that just because a viewer doesn't like something, that doesn't mean they don't understand it. they don't need it explained to them in great detail. it's possible that they understand it just fine and still don't like it lol. and given what we know about spike and buffy thus far...it is completely understandable why someone would not want to see them together and have valid criticisms of a possible relationship between them.

cil

Imagine thinking that a lesbian dating a het man is cute couldn't be me, 🤢🤢🤢

Imagine shipping the goddess that is buffy with an stalker creep who's not even hot

Spuffy is the worst ship on TV history. If you ship it well then I have no words. Anyways stan Buffy deserving better 🥺

James

This is one of the most underrated episodes of the series, IMO. It was done so well. Now, I started watching Buffy way back when during its sixth season so I'm a little biased about my love for the season, but here's my take on the Spuffy situation. I see a lot of people saying it's a romance. A romance is when two people have similar feelings of attraction/love for one another. So I dont see Spuffy as a romance because...well it isnt. That's all I'm gonna say before I fall into spoiler territory but I love Spuffy for what it is, not for what it should be. More on that as the season continues. But great reaction!

Marshall Dante Robertson

Good ol Buffy uploads where there are more comments than likes, comments trying to explain the Buffy/Spike stuff. If you have to go out of your way to explain a romance, it doesn't work.

Daniel R

I agree Tara has never been stronger than Willow magic wise just more knowledgeable and experienced and she was being secretive because of thinking she was part demon.

TheMew

I don’t agree I love spuffy but I will admit that season 2 spike where he is funny, Wild, and chaotic is the spike I love. I just don’t know how you make both work at the same time

Trevon

I don’t think my interpretation to how powerful Tara is or isn’t has to do with how many shows. I just remember episodes early on with Tara where she seemed to be more powerful. But maybe it was just that she was knowledgeable and that is where I got my things crossed. I interpreted her hiding thing as her hiding how powerful she was. I remember think Tara might be bad because of all her secrecy. I guess since Willow has surpassed her by so much and Tara never uses it I found it odd that’s all.

Steven Merced

Not trying to call you out, Stephen. I genuinely enjoy your informed takes on a lot of plot points. However, this is what people are talking about when they say you're too busy trying to solve the show that you're missing the show. Tara has never been more powerful than Willow in the terms of offense. She's always been more knowledgeable and level headed when it's comes to magic but Willow has always been the more powerful witch in a fight. You interpreted Tara being secretive as having to do with how powerful she is. And that's fine. I think we all did upon first viewing. But then we got the episode "Family" and we see that Tara was trying to hide what she believed to be here demon traits. Your continued adherence that Tara is some Uber Witch comes off as another instance of you having already decided where the show is going and not adjusting when you receive new information. I'm very happy you enjoyed this episode and picked up on the duality of Buffy's reaction to be brought back as I was worried you were gonna miss nuance of Sarah's acting depending on what you as an audience knows about the situation. I know I'm coming off like a broken record but enjoy the ride this season. For better or worse, it goes in very different directions that I personally find very interesting.

Bryan Terry

Hi Steven. This is actually episode 6x03.

Christine

This is my favorite season... not JUST a couple of THE best episodes I've ever seen, but also BECAUSE of THIS little twist. I've seen a lot of shows that take people to hell, but ripping someone from heaven bu st made it more interesting to me. Learning to accept it and living again after WHO KNOWS how long they had in an amazing place where they had experienced full happiness. A lot of the episodes are eh, but so much is made of for those. Some people just wanna hate on this season for the EH episodes or maybe the episodes MOST people love and don't like THIS particular twist. This show... this season requires an open mind. I'm pretty sure Steven has enough of an open mind to appreciate this season🤞

Tammy L. Faulkner

Ah, yes. Spuffy. The things that divide Buffy fans even more than choosing between certain episodes as their favorite. I see why you might have a problem with them pushing it. I certainly did at first, even if I always prefered Spike to Angel as a character. I think it's been too much of a one-sided thing. Spike has this obsession with Buffy, that borderlines on creepy at moments, and Buffy doesn't like him but realises he can be useful sometimes. I know hardcore Spuffy fans wants to read more into it, but for me it wasn't really until this episode where I could get something more genuine out of their relationship. Spike telling Buffy he dreamt about things going differently was a good moment, but we already knew Spike likes Buffy. He needs her in an emotional way, but there have been very few times where the opposite can be said (the one exception being in the backyard when Joyce got sick). But now Buffy has gone through something big and can't tell her friends about it. So the person she turned to is Spike.

Ida Eriksson

Honestly...Buffy/Spike has been a thing since Something Blue in Season 4. The show has dropped hints on it since that point. I can understand not liking it...but it didn't just come out of nowhere. It's not like suddenly this season they decided to push Buffy/Spike. This relationship has been SLOWLY built over the course of seasons. I loved the Buffy/Spike dynamic and think it's one of the most interesting relationships (whether they happen in cannon or not...which is to be determined!). It may not be your favorite and that is perfectly okay! :) If you ever rewatch the show you'll pick up on it building a little more probably the second time around!

Terri

Oh, I'm a big fan of spuffy, you will see a bit divide in the fandom though on this. For me everything makes sense regarding them. I saw Tara more as someone that has the knowledge, the history etc. but Willow has the power. Another reason for me, is a spoiler of sorts. So that will have to wait.

s jaco

I never liked Buffy and Spike together, especially later on in this season. I agree with previous comments about Tara and Willow. Tara is more knowledgable about magic, but Willow has been using it more. Tara is also more selective of when she uses magic, like when she didn't really use it in the fight but she did save Anya from the biker demon and was able to do a locator spell for Willow and Xander to find their way out of the woods. It's very much like Tara's magic is passive, while Willow's is offensive.

Shaun Stacy

I made the comment on the last episode and it didn't process for whatever reason, but in terms of why it is "always Willow," I look at it like this: Tara excels in the theory and history of magic, but doesn't have as much natural talent. She was stronger than Willow back in S4 only because she was more practiced. Willow has the natural talent, and the power comes easier to her. Tara comments Willow has blown way by her in S5. At this point Tara mostly helps with prep work, and the power she does have is basically just channeled through Willow.

Second_Strike

I really love Tara. She's so calm and supportive. Other than Buffy, she's the only one I'd want to be friends with.

Calvin Allen

Last episode when Buffy is all confused at the tower with Dawn, Buffy says, “is this hell?” Which is a clue that where she was wasn’t hell. She thought being back on earth was hell.

Ray D

The revelation at the end put everything that happened since Buffy came back to life in context. The proof that it was so well written is that you are surprised by it but it make total sense. I like the imagery of Buffy walking by the graveyard and “borrowing the angel’s wings from one of the statues. It’s so subtle you miss it when you watch it the first time, but once you know what they are doing you can’t see nothing else. Speaking of this kind of storytelling, it’s the same with Spuffy, you kind of miss at first but if you go back all the signs were there, whether you like it or not. If you are still confused about Buffy appearing in Willow’s and Tara’s room it’s because you missed a line while they were explaining how the demon operate. Willow said “it doesn’t have a body, so it’s borrowing ours..... or it’s manifesting copies of them”. Also in that scene The demon was talking about Willow killing the fawn to get the blood for the resurrection spell. Which is another thing that Willow hid from every one. And at that moment, she knew exactly what the demon was referring to and lied to Tara. Speaking of which, it’s not that Tara was hiding her power from Willow in season 4. That was your interpretation of what was going on. She was hiding the fact that she was supposedly part demon, as we found out later her father had convinced her that she was. Once again SMG was fantastic, as well as James Marsters. All the scenes with Spike were my favorites in this episode: the first time he sees Buffy, when you realize he has counted the days since her death; the confrontation with Xander with all the range of emotions displayed and spot on insight about Willow; the confession to Buffy about his failing and subsequent dreams of redemption; and finally Buffy’s own confession and revelation. Great stuff. As Buffy said, I miss Giles!

Vicky N

I think the fans wanted Spike and Buffy before the show wanted it. Starting with Something Blue in season 4 is when I really noticed the chemistry.

Ray D

Personally, I ship Spuffy hard but I definitely understand your side of things

Asaunte

Thanks for the Buffy reactions and have a great holiday!

pholla

I think when it comes to Tara vs Willow in the magic aspect I've alway's looked at it in relation to personality. Tara is naturally a submissive person who doesn't feel the need to step in. Willow even from as early on as season 2 has always stepped in when things started to fall apart. I always thought of it as a matter of desire (willow) over will (tara). Just my perspective.

Anna

I agree..its actually been around since season 4 in Something Blue episode...and has slowly been building up since then

james cedro

IMO this is a stunningly well written and acted episode. I love it top to bottom.

Flora Smith

I have to agree with you, I'm not into the Spuffy thing 🤢🤮 not at all, nope, nada!! I miss season 2 Spike, as soon as he became obsessed with Buffy he changed.

CeNedra

Also this is when the season really starts for me. I rarely rewatch the first two episodes of this season.

Corey

If you look back in this episode when Buffy is walking through the cemetery she passes an angel statue and for a second it looks like the wings are coming from her and that she’s an angel. Great foreshadowing for the end of the episode. Also yeah I’m a spuffy fan but I think they aren’t pushing it so hard right now I mean it makes sense for her to talk to him because he’s not really part of the group. He’s also not asking her to say thank you like the group is.

Corey

Also Will has always had a natural power in her. I mean, her first spell was re-ensouling Angel which is a huge feat. Tara hasn't done anything on that level thus far... so really, I think Will has always had more power. But Tara has more knowledge and experience...

AllieDoh

Huh. I think my comment explaining Tara's magic got deleted in a glitch or something. So I'll post again. Basically: That episode where Tara hid something from willow under the bed... she hid the dust so the spell wouldn't work because Willow was trying to identify demons in Sunnydale and at the time Tara thought she was a demon and didn't want Willow to know. Not that she was more powerful than she let on. Also, Tara is more book-learning and magic knowledge. Someone else mentioned she probably didn't practice as much because of being shamed by her family and I agree. Whereas Willow is more practical magic and she spends more time honing her craft physically. Tara knows more about magic than Willow does imo, but Willow knows how to use it in a fight.

AllieDoh

I dont think they are pushing hard with the buffy spike thing, it’s not like it’s come out of nowhere...it’s definitely been building and building. 🤷🏻‍♀️ whether u love it or hate it it hasn’t just appeared out of nowhere

Stacey

As a person in me who sees Spike/Buffy as my favorite relationship (romantically) with Willow/Oz I totally love your insight. I am okay with not agreeing with all of what you say but understanding WHY you feel the way that you do and although I love Spuffy, when I watch your reactions I can totally understand why you don’t but I like how you appreciated Spike’s thinking process in this episode. The twist in this episode was amazing! And it’s surprising that you didn’t guess it because you do usually guess a lot of twist on shows but the twist makes you appreciate everything 6x01-6x03 before that last scene because you can finally see with fresh eyes why Buffy was so confused when she had to dig out of her own grave and come back to see destruction and fire. Compared to where she was (in heaven), of course Earth was hell. She wasn’t even giving minutes before she had to fight yet again. I always felt her friends bringing her back was selfish since I personally didn’t understand why would Buffy be in heaven... it never made no sense to me so when the twist at the end happened, I was so shocked but said to myself that it made more sense then Buffy going to hell after all the good she did while she lived. Oh and also I don’t think you enjoyed the first two episodes because you didn’t watch it as one. When I first watched it live on UPN, it aired as a 2 hour premiere so I got to really enjoy it and be anxious about what was next.

Tia