Who Are You

*Giles' voice* Previously on Buffy the Vampire Slayer...

Shit got real. Faith switched bodies with Buffy. No one knows this happened besides Buffy and Faith. The police came and took Faith away, leaving "Buffy" with Joyce.

Before we continue, to make this post easier to read, instead of continuously saying Buffy-as-Faith/ Faith-as-Buffy, we're going to make things simpler. And by we, I mean Sarah, Kali will just have to deal with my decision and follow along. When speaking about Faith-as-Buffy, we'll just write "Buffy" and, for Buffy-as-Faith, we'll write "Faith." When characters are talking about Faith and/or Buffy, we'll just write write their names normally so you know we actually mean Buffy and/or Faith. Hopefully this will make the post easier to follow...

And now, onto the episode!

Does it piss anyone else off that the police say "this Faith chick"? Seriously, police? I don't even think I can fully explain in words my disgust in referring to her in this way. That being said, I love it because it starts off with us knowing that the police are not going to be of any help. In this moment, we just started the episode and are stupidly hoping for the police to notice right away that somethings wrong and take "Buffy" instead of "Faith" to save us from the horror of what is to come. By this being said, we know that we're about to deal with some tough stuff in this episode and we're going to have to struggle with getting people to understand what shit just went down.

Back inside the house "Buffy" and Joyce are discussing why Faith is the way she is. I really like how they explore this topic, it reminds me of "It is our choices, far more than our abilities, that show us who we truly are." "Buffy" even goes as far as to say that Faith may just like being evil, which goes back to Season 3 where she fell into that role and chose to stick with it because it was easier. Let's see where her choices take her this episode...

In which everyone dies of awesomeness from "Buffy" impersonating Buffy. The scene where "Buffy" is looking in the mirror and begins mocking the real Buffy is pretty funny, but I love how it's brought back later in the episode. Here we see "Buffy" repeating "Because it's wrong", but she's saying it every time in a way that mocks the real Buffy. Later we'll see her say it and really mean it.

TARA: Well you should be safe. Nobody knows you're here. I mean, they don't even know I exist, right? I know all about them, but…
WILLOW: Hey…
TARA: I mean that's totally fine. It's good. It's better.
WILLOW: Tara, I never… I mean, it's not like I don't want my friends to know you, it's just…Buffy's like my best friend, and she's really special, plus, you know, Slayer, that's a deal, and there's the whole bunch of us, and we have this group thing that kind of revolves around the slaying and I really want you to meet them and meet Buffy but I just sort of like having something that's just, you know, mine. I don't usually use that many words to say stuff that little. But do you get it at all?
TARA: I do.
WILLOW: I should check in with Giles, get a situation update.

*cue Sarah's death*

I bet you guys weren't expecting me to love this part, were ya? Besides the obvious fangirling that occurred from this scene, this is just a beautiful moment. Willow is used to being a scooby and coming second to Buffy, but with Tara this isn't the case at all. To Tara, Willow is sexy as all hell amazing because of the person she is, not because she's friends with Buffy and helps save the world a lot. How Willow didn't just drop everything and make out with Tara now, I'll never know. I just need to say that this is one of my favorite Willow/Tara scenes. The way they've zoomed in on Tara when she turns and says "Yours" is so freaking amazing. I die just about every time.

"Buffy" is now dressed as a skanky ho and plans on leaving the country after she visits the Scooby gang. We see her begin to reject the Faith that she used to be when Joyce comments on her choosing the same lipstick shade as Faith and she replies "Burn it."

Next, some British dudes that look like mercenaries hired by the Watchers' Council take "Faith" out of police custody so they can figure out what to do with her. At Giles', the Scooby gang and "Buffy" discuss what just happened with "Faith" being taken by the Council to return to England.

MUAHAHAHAHA

"Buffy" decides to go patrolling which as before involves her dancing with every man in sight at the Bronze. And this is where I fangirl over the incredibly hot scene between her and Spike.

Spike: You know why I really hate you, Summers?
Buffy: 'Cause I'm a stuck-up tight-ass with no sense of fun?
Spike: Well, yeah, that covers a lot of it.
Buffy: Cause I could do anything I want, and instead, I choose
to pout and whine and feel the burden of slayerness? I mean, I could
be rich, I could be famous, I could have anything.  Anyone.
[Buffy moves closer and puts her hands on Spike's chest.]
Even you, Spike.  I could ride you at a gallop until your legs
buckled and your eyes rolled up.  I've got muscles you've never
even dreamed of.  I could squeeze you until you popped like warm
champagne, and you'd beg me to hurt you just a little bit more.
And you know why I don't? [She moves closer and looks up at him
pursing her lips.] Because it's wrong.

And in case you were wondering, I think this moment right here is when Spike begins to fall for Buffy.

 

We go to "Faith" awake and being told that she is going to be returned to England and the Council will figure out what to do with her there. She tries to tell them that she is in fact Buffy Summers, but no one believes her and one asshole goes as far as to spit on her for sullying the Council's good name. This is the first time that Buffy really sees what it's like to be Faith and to be treated like shit like Faith usually is.

Willow introducing Tara to "Buffy" makes me sad. Willow leaves Tara with "Buffy" while she gets drinks and Tara basically undresses her with her eyes while "Buffy" smirks knowingly and comments on how Willow's "not driving stick anymore." Then she makes fun of Tara and I have a sad. While "Buffy" is being a bitch, I find it interesting that she always seems to be the most intuitive of everyone. Even after rest of the gang meet Tara, they aren't able to recognize the relationship between Willow and Tara while "Buffy" is able to see it immediately.

This uncomfortable moment is interrupted when Willow points out a vampire. "Buffy" then goes to slay him and saves his victim in the process. She grabs "Buffy's" hand and thanks her. This causes "Buffy" to become uncomfortable and tries to pull her hand away to go back inside.

Willow mentions Riley and "Buffy" decides that this is the perfect place to go and act like a complete whore. She asks Riley what he wants to play and Riley makes me like him more by his response.

"BUFFY": How do you want me?
RILEY: How do I --
"BUFFY": What do you want to do with this body? What nasty little desire have you been itching to try out? Am I a bad girl? Do you wanna hurt me?
RILEY:What are we playing at here?
"BUFFY": I'm Buffy.
RILEY: Okay, then I'll be Riley.

I'm close to liking his response so much that I can forgive the fact that he is a complete dumbass for believing this whore is Buffy.

After sleeping with her, Riley says he loves her and "Buffy" freaks the hell out.

Back at Tara's, her and Willow have hot sex a discussion of how "Buffy" isn't Willow's friend. Tara explains how she believes something happened to Buffy and they cast a spell together. However, this spell is complicated. Tara explains how she'll need to be Willow's anchor and Willow tells Tara that she trusts her. Everyone, on the count of three: One. Two. Three. Awwwwwwwwwww <3 This is one of those extremely thin metaphors about sex that Joss likes to make. Seriously, this scene is HOT.

I think Sarah just died.

Oh yeah, so Adam has decided that he wants to become the Messiah to vampires and is now gathering them up to create an army or cult or maybe an 80's cover band, I'm not sure. First they must "face their fears" which will involve them going into a church since DUH vampires are always supposed to be afraid of churches and God.

"Faith" is finally able to escape the grasp on the Council mercenaries because again DUH, we knew that would happen eventually.

"FAITH": Okay. Giles. Listen to me very carefully. I'm not Faith.
GILES: Really.
"FAITH": Really.
GILES: Because the resemblance is striking.
"FAITH": I know. Giles, you just have to -- stop inching! You were inching.
GILES: No I wasn't.
"FAITH": Just hear me out.
GILES: I know what you're going to say and --
"FAITH": I'm Buffy.
GILES: All right I didn't know what you were going to say but that doesn't make you less scary.
"FAITH": Faith switched. She had some device, she switched our bodies. I swear, Giles, it's me.
GILES: If you're Buffy, then, then you'll allow me to tie you up -- without killing me -- until we can be sure that you're telling the truth.
"FAITH": Giles, Faith has taken my body and for all I know she's taken it to Mexico by now. I don't have time for bondage fun. Ask me a question. Ask me anything!
GILES: Who is president!?!
"FAITH": We're checking for Buffy, not a concussion.
GILES: Yes. Right. Um…
"FAITH": Oh, this is -- Giles, you turned into a DEMON and I knew it was you.  Can't you just look in my eyes and  be all intuitive?
GILES: How did I turn into a demon?
BUFFY: 'Cause of Ethan Rayne. And, and, you have a girlfriend named Olivia and you haven't had a job since we blew up the school -- which, uh, is valid, lifestylewise, I mean you're not like a slacker, but, okay -- and When I had psychic power I heard my Mom think you were like a stevedore during sex. Do you want me to keep going?
GILES: Actually, I beg you to stop.
"FAITH": What's a stevedore?
This conversation needs no further commentary; it's just insanely awesome and hilarious.

Enter Willow and Tara; this is basically how their conversation goes:

Giles: Willow, you'll never guess what's--

Willow: I already know. My hot girlfriend and I already figured it out. We would have come here sooner but *cough* we were, um, a little busy...*cough*

Tara: *stares longly at Willow*

Willow: *stares longly at Tara*....OH, anyways, we know it's you Buffy. Faith and you switched bodies so that Sarah and Eliza could show off more of their acting skillz.

"Faith": Thank god I have such an attractive- ugh, I mean smart, friend. *looks at Tara* Who's this hottie?

Willow: This is Tara, my sexy girlfriend.

"Faith": I'll say. It's nice to meet you, Tara. You'll fit right in with the rest of our super hot cast.

Or, you know, something along these lines...

And hey look, we made you a glowing green ball!

Anyways, Xander calls in the middle of their conversation telling them to turn on the TV. At the airport, while waiting for her flight out of the country to GTFO of Sunnydale, "Buffy" is watching the same story about vampires holding up a church. Which just reminds me how much I suck at telling the full story of this episode. Don't worry Sarah, I've filled in the blanks. While everyone else is focusing on Faith and Buffy, Adam is scaring the shit out of some vampires and asking them what they fear. One thing leads to another and the vampires hold up a church. The news reporter talks about this hold up by "frighteningly disfigured, almost inhuman" men and it becomes very clear to "Buffy," "Faith," and the scoobies what's going down. However, to everyone's surprise, "Buffy" leaves the airport and goes to the scene of the crime.

I really love that Faith er- "Buffy" finally makes a choice for herself and it's the right one. So far we've always seen her being influenced one way or another by others, but she's on her own now and as far as she knows "Faith" is still locked up so now "Buffy" is the only one that can save these people. This is exactly how a real Slayer would react and I'm glad that she is finally discovering that within herself.

Riley's there and tells the police to stand down and "Buffy" runs into him and asks for details.

"BUFFY": The troops get here, you send 'em in, But I'm going.
RILEY: I don't want you risking --
"BUFFY":  Don't tell me what to do! I'm Buffy, I… This is what I have to do.
RILEY: Then I'm coming with.
"BUFFY":  I can't use you.

And so it begins. Faith is beginning to understand what it's like to be Buffy and it's causing her to act human and decent. I love that Joss has Faith say "I can't use you" to Riley because, in that simple sentence, is an abundance of subtext. This is Faith recognizing that relationships can be real and meaningful; that not everyone is out to hurt her; that not all people are meant to be used and immediately cast aside. I also love her statement "I'm Buffy, this is what I have to do." To me, she's not really saying "I'm Buffy" she's saying "I'm the Slayer" because for the first time in her life she feels like the one true Slayer and this is her duty.

"Buffy" goes into the church and the main vampire, Boone, has a conversation with her:

"BUFFY": You're not gonna kill these people.
BOONE Why not?
"BUFFY": Because it's wrong.

Second strike. At the beginning of this very episode, Faith used these words to mock Buffy and now she's saying them because she knows that it's the truth. She's a Slayer and, right now, she's THE Slayer since she's wearing Buffy's body so she has confidence and knows what's right.

BOONE: You're the slayer.
"BUFFY": The one and only.

Back outside, Giles is totally awesome:

SERGEANT: You people get out of here.
WILLOW: But we have to get inside --
SERGEANT: The police are handling this. Just back off right now.
GILES: Dammit man, we have to get inside! Our… families are in there! Our mothers and tiny babies, for the love of God man, we have to do something! What if it was your tiny baby, could you stand by and wait? No!

Giles' awesomeness leads to "Faith" getting inside where this badass scene takes place. "Faith" dusts a vampire and ends up face-to-face with "Buffy"

"FAITH": You can't win this --
"BUFFY": Shut up! You think I'm afraid of you? You're nothing! You're disgusting! A useless, murderous bitch! You're nothing!
I don't think this needs much explaining, but it's obvious that "Buffy" is talking to the real Faith here. She hates what she sees when she looks at herself and what she's done. Yes, stealing someones body is definitely the wrong way to change from the person you don't want to be, but at least Faith is now recognizing within herself that she doesn't like who she is and the actions she has taken in the past.

And then they change bodies using a magical device that Willow cooked up and Faith pushes Buffy and runs out the back door in horror.

Back at home, OH SNAP, Riley confesses to sleeping with Faith while she was in Buffy's body. Come on Buffy, he's a dumb guy, you can't get too mad at him for that.

Tomorrow instead of doing the next episode in the series, we will be discussing what happens to Faith in the 2 episodes that she is on Angel because you won't understand a damn thing otherwise. Since both Sarah and I watched all of Buffy before watching Angel, we thought it would be nice to actually explain things in a way that makes sense. And you know, we love talking about Faith.