OTH: Buffy the Vampire Slayer- "Empty Places" / "Touched"
A last minute change of leadership threatens to shake things up.
Season 7, Episode 19
Aired April 29, 2003
Directed by James A. Contner
Written by Drew Z. Greenberg
Synopsis: The word of the apocalypse has made it to Sunnydale, and seemingly everyone is fleeing town. The Hellmouth hasn’t been this active since Glory’s rise of power, if not the Mayor’s ascension, and all signs are pointing to Buffy not being able to save the day this time. She has Anya give the Potentials an update on the ubervampires they’re expected to deal with, as she’s been able to meet with her sources, while Giles and Dawn research Caleb and Buffy and Willow check up on Xander, who’s doing better despite losing his eye. Buffy cuts her trip to the hospital short so she can go home and get an update, but an awkward encounter with Faith and Kennedy makes her feel unwelcome and she goes to the now-emptied school to gather her things. While picking up her belongings, Caleb comes by to intimidate her, which Buffy has no patience for, not caring how their last match went. This results in another quick fight which goes to Caleb once more. While looking through police files related to Caleb, Giles finds a lead up north, which he asks Spike to pursue. While Spike is skeptical, considering the last time Giles gave him a tip, he insists that Spike is asked because he can hold his own, and offers Andrew for help. Noticing how stressed and tense the Potentials are, Faith suggests taking them (plus Dawn) out to the Bronze, which Giles agrees with despite Buffy’s lack of presence. When the other Slayer comes home post-concussion, she’s furious to learn what Spike and Faith are up to, chastises Giles for approving these decisions without her, and leaves immediately. At the Bronze, the girls are having a good time that is soon interrupted when a few police officers escort Faith outside. Expecting them to take her back to jail for breaking out, she’s prepared to knock them out quickly, but these cops are a little different and pull out their guns, aiming to kill. Faith struggles to take on a handful of them while another guards the club’s backdoor from Dawn and the Potentials. When Dawn reminds them of the police’s rights, this cop pulls out a gun, and the girls attack, soon ramming outside to help Faith. Buffy arrives just as they finish knocking out the cops and demands that everyone heads home, except for Faith, since Buffy has things to say. She’s not upset with Faith for giving the girls a night off to blow steam, but she is angry seeing them follow Faith’s lead and seeing some of them drunk. Faith kind of agrees, realizing that the drinking part is wrong, but she doesn’t appreciate being scolded by Buffy, and reminds her that the girls weren’t in a safe place when she ordered them to Caleb’s vineyard. Rather than arguing with her some more, Buffy punches Faith and storms off. Faith later heads home and meets with Robin, who listen to what she has to say about her change of personality and why she didn’t fight back when Buffy hit her. Their meet cute is cut short when Xander comes home and is embraced by his loved ones, and this is also cut short when Buffy insists on having another meeting. Here, she apologizes for her rash decisions and intends to do better, but now she has a new lead on Caleb, she wants to lead another ambush. Well, really more of a theory. Buffy realizes that the evil they face usually has their eye on the Hellmouth, ie the school, but Caleb doesn’t seem interested in it, which has her think that what is giving him his power is in the vineyard, and the only way to stop him is to attack there. The problem is, she has no proof of this, and everyone- the Potentials, Giles, the Scoobies, Robin, basically everyone but Spike and Andrew, who are still out- is sick of Buffy leading them into battle when she doesn’t have a clear-cut plan set. Buffy is insistent that her way is the only way, since she is the Slayer, but she’s not even the only one. Faith is right there, and everyone- besides Faith herself, who was initially iffy on Buffy’s leadership but doesn’t actually want the power- thinks she should be in charge now. Remembering what happened in season 3, Buffy refuses, but has no choice but to give up when Dawn kicks her out of the house. Buffy storms out, taking only a jacket and the clothes on her back, and when Faith comes to console her, Buffy won’t let her, telling Faith to not be afraid to be a leader, with tears streaming down her face.
Spike and Andrew find an old church that Caleb practiced in and found incredible power from. They find a carving in stone which states “It is not for thee. It is for her alone to wield.”
Let’s address the elephant in the room first- what right does Dawn have to kick Buffy out of their house? She’s a minor and Buffy was, until very recently, the breadwinner of the house. Having Buffy step down from her leadership duties is one thing, but there’s no reason to have her leave her house except for dramatic bs.
That bugs me, but I’m willing to take everyone’s perspective on Buffy seriously otherwise. While she’s great as a fighter and has lead Sunnydale to victory multiple times in the past, she does seem in over her head here. Anyone would be, frankly; the First isn’t your ordinary flavor of villain.
Although what I find interesting is that the passing of the torch from Buffy to Faith alludes to a similar change behind the scenes, as Marti Noxon largely stepped away as showrunner during this last part of Buffy’s run to focus on a pilot for Fox. While Whedon was still somewhat active on the show, he doesn’t return to full time executive producer, and gave co-running duties to Jane Espenson. I think this is a fine choice, as Espenson has been on the show even longer than Noxon and has proven herself to be one of the show’s strongest writers. But it’s still a notable shakeup, and may note why the last few episodes feel so dire.
But at the same time, the show should feel dire at this point. We’re facing a threat that has no ass to kick and no prior method of defeat, but can still do serious damage to everyone else. This is new territory for everyone, and that’s why Buffy ultimately struggles to come up with an effective plan.
Does this mean that everyone else is right to dump her? Again, I think kicking Buffy out of her own house was excessive, but I don’t oppose trying another strategy or leader, although Faith may not be the right choice. Remember that she hasn’t even fully finished her time in prison, and that she was a wanted murderer. While she’s proven to have sounder judgment now, I would be resistant towards giving her responsibility for the world.
Still, I think the show does a good job of making the case that Buffy isn’t always right and she needs to be better with collaborating. While she has incredible strength and has leaded her crew to uncertain victory before, she’s still human and has made mistakes even before this recent switch in power.
“Empty Places” is a good episode, and it may be the right decision to change the crew’s dynamics around. Rather than keeping Buffy in charge and watching her fail her crew, this could be what helps the team. Or sends them to their death. But hey, we have three episodes to go.
Season 7, Episode 20
Aired May 6, 2003
Directed by David Solomon
Written by Rebecca Rand Kirshner
Synopsis: Immediately following the previous episode, Buffy commandeers a random person’s house while her former crew try to plan a new line of attack. Faith, the new leader, suggests that everyone gets some rest and reconvene in the morning, but right before they do so, the power goes out. It looks like a surge hit Sunnydale, most likely the town’s power supply deciding to get out of dodge with everyone else. Without air conditioning to sleep comfortably, the crew decides to continue their meeting, when Faith suggests that they search for a Bringer and kidnap them, hoping to score some information. Kennedy has another plan of attack, but Faith shuts it down, stating that while she’s not Buffy, she’s no Potential either and will take control. Giles takes a few Potentials out and finds a Bringer in the side of an alley, where they ambush it. Unfortunately, the Bringer’s tongue was removed, but Dawn and Willow know of a ritual that allows the dead to speak, which they believe will work on the mute. Spike and Andrew arrive just before Willow can start on the incantation, but before sharing their news, Spike asks where Buffy is. When Willow tells him what happened, Spike doesn’t take it well at all, lashing out at everyone. Faith orders him to take it down a notch, which only angers Spike, who presumes that she’s responsible and hits her. The two get into a fight, which looks like Faith is winning. Before she can get Spike once and for all, he walks out and decides to use his sense of smell to trace Buffy. He finds her at her new house, which doesn’t even require an invitation, and tries to give her the information he discovered, although Buffy is in no fighting mood. Spike refuses to give up and reveals to Buffy that her instinct was right, that Caleb is protecting something from her at the vineyard, and that they can take it. But back at the Summers house, Willow does her incantation on the Bringer, and while it seems to go nowhere at first, it turns out that they’re talking through Andrew, who reveals their plan. The Bringers are following the First’s orders to find every Potential and kill them one by one, dismantling the Slayer bloodline before it takes care of the two by itself. But whatever, the Bringers are now primarily busy forging their weapons for the upcoming war and don’t see the Potentials as a threat. Faith and Giles set up a plan to attack the next day, but before Faith can get some sleep, she has an encounter with someone who has seldom left her mind in the past few years- Mayor Wilkins. Faith recognizes that this is the First, but he swears that it’s also him, and brings up her insecurities about leading, especially in comparison to Buffy. He continues to strike a nerve as he reminds Faith how she always compares herself to the other Slayer and always sees herself coming up short, and that will always be her greatest weakness. After Wilkins says goodbye, Robin comes in to check on a spooked Faith as they discuss the First’s effect, which ends with the two connecting. As for Buffy, we return to her and Spike, and while she remains unwilling to go back out and fight, Spike won’t take no for an answer, reminding Buffy of her responsibilities and confessing why he loves her, which warms Buffy enough to ask him to stay. Oh, and Willow and Kennedy also reconnect. So do Xander and Anya. Why not if the world is going to end? That morning, Faith prepares her line of attack, while Buffy slips away from Spike to head down to the vineyard herself. She takes Caleb on one-on-one while Faith takes a crew of Potentials over to the Bringers’ enclave. Buffy does a little better this time against Caleb and is able to push him away and finds a new location, discovering a scythe that looks like it’s been waiting for her. Meanwhile, Faith’s fight goes a little too well, and when she goes a little deeper into their cave, she finds a chest. Opening it, Faith sees a bomb that’s about to detonate.
I’ve talked before about how Buffy surpasses other Slayers by virtue of her support group. Having friends who are qualified to help her, a Watcher who views her like a daughter and a strong bond with her mother (even in death, Joyce’s warmth continues to shine on Buffy) has helped give her opportunities not every Slayer has had. Nikki Wood, for instance, presumably only had her young child, who wasn’t in any way ready to fight before her passing, and while Faith had some fondness for her former Watcher, she never felt a true connection to her duties until she came to Sunnydale and saw how lucky Buffy is.
But it’s not all luck. At the end of the day, she has more than a millennia’s worth of women looking after her and giving her strength. When she needs the moment to herself, Buffy can still shine. Recall her climatic battle against Angelus back in “Becoming”, or how she’s able to beat Glory to a near-pulp in “The Gift”.
Buffy’s a tough bitch and she doesn’t need anyone around her to prove it. But sometimes it helps to hear it out loud, which is why Spike’s words of confidence in “Touched” matter so much. They come from someone who cares deeply about her, but won’t bullshit to make her feel better. Having already lived and died, he has no reason to not be brutally honest, and even the return of his soul hasn’t changed this. And Buffy herself recognizes this, allowing for the two to embrace in one of the show’s best romantic moments, even as they contrasted with other, more erotic scenes together.
I really like that montage, how it shows the four pairings in different states, but what lingers to me is Buffy and Spike’s quiet cuddling lasts longer in the mind than the other three couples getting it on. It’s nice to see Xander and Anya share one last moment together, or Faith opening herself to a welcoming Robin after an intense reunion she was not looking forward to, (I’m still not a big fan of Willow and Kennedy, but at least Solomon does a fine job making their time together feel as passionate as the others, if not more), but the moment most earned is Spike’s unwavering devotion to Buffy, the effort he put to make right for his wrongs, finally be rewarded. I don’t think Spike can be entirely redeemed for his centuries of crimes, but Buffy has proven that she is there for him and allows their time together to feel justified. If he’s allowed one victory, let this be it.
Considering how volatile “Empty Places” was, “Touched” being a relatively more subdued episode feels like one last calm before the storm. We only have two fight scenes, a harsh brief bout between Faith and Spike and a climatic duel sequence that gives Buffy the upper hand against Caleb and shows Faith as a new leader. These are fine, important scenes, but they don’t feel as important as what happens in between. Most of “Touched” is the build up to the climax of our story, which starts during this last act and will presumably take us into the final two episodes. It may not be the most exciting episode, but Kirshner and Solomon, long-time stalwarts who’ve earned their worth for the series as a whole, deliver a fine episode that matters just when we need it.
Watcher’s Guidebook:
“Do you think there are going to be questions about {Anya’s} sex life on the test? ‘Cause I really hope I don’t have to study all of that.” But also, Faith’s follow-up that bringing up how she took Xander’s virginity shuts Anya up is *chef’s kiss*.
Wow, that’s real growth on Faith’s part- she stops Amanda from drinking underage. Granted, the last time we saw her, she would technically still be underaged, herself.
This is the last time we’ll see the Bronze in the series, and in an almost full circle moment, the band playing tonight is Nerf Herder, best known for the show’s theme song. It does feel like the end of an era that wouldn’t be replicated- if the show was made today, instead of bands or singer-songwriters, the Bronze would probably host DJs.
And of course, it’s really something special that even as the rest of Sunnydale is bailing out, the Bronze is still open, at least for now.
One of the show’s top five running gags is Spike’s love for blossoming onions, which I’m glad is brought up one more time. Definitely up there with Anya’s fear of bunnies and the universe without (or nothing but) shrimp.
Little things that stand out to me: Giles telling Faith that she’s doing just fine, seeing her try to brush off how much she appreciates the validation, only for her previous father figure to appear.
Ugh, the R-word. Twenty years ago, this was still acceptable in day-to-day conversation. To some, it still is.
Meanwhile, in Los Angeles: “The Magic Bullet” isn’t about JFK, thankfully- that’s something Supernatural would try to accomplish during, say, season 12, but Angel never quite went there. Instead, it continues its own stupid plot, with Jasmine blinding everyone but Fred, who needs to prove that Jasmine’s magic is a scam. It does eventually work out at the end, but I’m more impressed that Zakk Wylde is in this episode. I think this year is also when his Aqua Teen episode aired, which was a busy year for the guitarist. In “Sacrifice”, the crew tries to stop Jasmine, except for Connor, who is under Cordelia’s spell because fuck this shit and fuck Joss Whedon for trying to screw over everything Charisma Carpenter brought into the character because he didn’t like that she had sex without him.
Next Week: Our last write-up ever! Buffy takes Caleb on one-on-one before the explosive finale!