A ‘bitca’?

Yeah, yeah, I know. I kind of fell into the holiday rush and have neglected this bad boy yet again. But in my defense, there was a lot of alcohol to be drunk and a lot of killer heels to be worn, and I consider it my sacred duty to do both. I do it for the good of everyone, honest.
However, I will not deny that it’s kind of shitty to leave you guys hanging, which is why my title/quote for this one is what it is. Fitting, really, since Buffy is one for most of this episode.

…Can anyone say “blue balls”?

Although, to be fair, Buffy is dealing with some pretty serious post-trauma here. I mean, she like, died and shit.
Being intimately introduced to your own mortality leaves its mark. Some people would react to something like that by living harder. Buffy? Well, she reacts by fighting harder. With… everyone, really.
When She Was Bad has two things to note:
1) Buffy’s Giles dream, and 2) what happens  when Buffy cuts herself off (something she’ll do more than once, actually).
Buffy’s dream suggests that she blames Giles for “killing” her, for not protecting her. If we step back and look at the metaphor for a minute, Giles is one of the main forces pushing Buffy to grow up. So of course, if Buffy’s looking for someone to blame for losing part of her childish self, it’ll be Giles. And poor Giles! Buffy’s pretty cold to him for much of the episode. Part of it is the blame, but part of it is also the whole distancing thing she’s doing with everyone else.
Buffy alienates pretty much everyone in this episode, so much so that Cordelia notices. It does make sense, however, because who else to try to set Buffy on her path than one of her shadow selves?

And Cordelia is right (as is the case more often than you’d think). Buffy’s attempt to have a little “less from the civilians” is disastrous. It leads to Willow being captured, along with Giles, Ms. Calendar, and Cordy herself. Xander is injured, and Buffy is even more emotionally vulnerable than she was when she went to face the Master alone. The moral of the story? You can’t do this alone. Not the Slayin’,  and not the growin’ (up).

Stray observations:

• How come Xander’s only tempted by Willow when Buffy’s not around? Huh?? I’m onto you, mister.
• Yee. Yellow stripper shoes.
• Fact: Giles/Snyder scenes are always awesome.
• Joyce is pretty good at being oblivious, but there are times when she’s surprisingly perceptive.
• Told ya Xander gets his dance!
• “Being stalked isn’t really a big turn-on for girls.” *coughsomeoneshouldtellStephenieMeyerthatcough*
• Not that I want him to die… yet, but why did the vamps not kill Xander?
• This is the end of cheesy “everything’s okay!” music. I think. Yeah.