Home | About | Wallpapers | Links
Episode 4.15: This Year's Girl | Episode 4.17: Superstar
Characters:
| Buffy | Xander | Willow |
| Giles | Spike | Riley |
| Anya | Tara |
Overall (8/10)
Buffy:
I'm gonna start by repeating what I said on the last episode review: I'm not going to comment on Faith's character given that I hadn't watched her episodes on AtS. I'll focus, instead on Buffy and how Faith affects her character.
It's often said that Faith represents the Jungian model of Buffy's shadow aspect. The term is pretty self-defining in that it means that Faith represents Buffy's repressed weaknesses and instincts. Faith acts out impulses that Buffy restrains. In S3's Bad Girls we saw Buffy falter on some of that restraint and give in to her darker nature. This episode takes things a bit further.
Faith, the symbolic representation of Buffy's shadow aspect, literally takes over her body. Much of the episode has to do with Faith adjusting to this and, eventually, reaching the same point that Buffy did at the end of Bad Girls. The final scene with the fight between Buffy and Faith has Faith's literal rejection of her previous state. The end, appropriately, has Buffy reclaiming her own body and Faith running off (to LA).
Xander:
Xander, unfortunately, isn't given much to do. Again.
Willow:
Willow, after having kept Tara a secret, finally introduces her to the Scoobies. Of course, she doesn't describe the full nature of her relationship, but it's a start.
Actually, the first conversation Willow has with Tara is very interesting. Willow explains to Tara why she doesn't want her to meet her friends. She displays her logical nature by dividing up her life into different groups, and she says she wants something that's all hers, by which she means Tara. It's a bit possessive, though Tara doesn't seem to mind.
The two of them do a pretty hardcore spell that seems to have an effect on Faith in the course of it. And she and Tara rush to provide the solution to the problem in the form of a magic doohickey.
While Giles is given more scenes than Xander, he's still not given much to actually do. He is, finally, able to recognize Buffy in Faith's body, and he helps in the final fight by providing a diversion. Other than that, not much going on for him.
Spike, unable to hang out at demon bars, seems to be hanging around human bars now. Faith, in Buffy's body, teases him a bit. Okay, a lot. To which Spike eagerly responds before getting disappointed. Poor Spike.
I'm gonna cut Riley some slack here. They guy didn't know that Buffy was actually Faith. Nobody knew at that point. Willow, Giles, and Xander all talked to Faith and didn't realize anything was wrong, and they've known Buffy for years. Her own mother didn't realize anything was wrong. I don't think it's unreasonable to say that a guy who's been dating a girl for only a few months could be fooled by this, especially as he's not familiar with the world of magic where such a thing is possible.
So Riley loses no points from me on that one, though I do understand Buffy's distress upon finding out that he slept with Faith.
Anya, like Xander, is given little to do.
Tara shows off her white witchy mojo powers by reading buffy!Faith's "energy" or aura or something like that. Basically, she could tell something was wrong just by looking at her. She's obviously smitten with Willow and is just happy to be doing anything with her, even if Willow wants to hide her away from her friends.
I find one line interesting when they're talking about doing the super-spell. Tara refers to being Willow's "anchor". This describes Tara's role through much of the series to the point where Willow goes homicidal after losing her at the end of S6.
Faith is in Buffy's body and she's having some fun.
Faith, in a sense. Adam, in another sense.
This does forward the arc by showing Adam making alliances with vampires and encouraging them to face their fears. His full plan will be revealed in later episodes.
A fine episode which acts as a wonderful character study for Faith. It also provides some great acting opportunities for SMG and Eliza Dushku. Good all-around.
Special performance award goes to SMG for her scene in front of the bathroom mirror at the beginning.
8 out of 10.
The final scene with buffy!Faith beating up faith!Buffy.
Episode 4.15: This Year's Girl | Episode 4.17: Superstar
Home | About | Wallpapers | Links