elisi's humble abode

First a thank you to all you lovely people who read my essay and left such clever and thoughtful responses. I actually thought of another parallel/opposite, which is possibly ridiculously obvious, but it never occurred to me before: In both ‘The Gift’ and ‘Chosen’ Buffy does a great running leap. In ‘The Gift’ she jumps into the portal and death, in ‘Chosen’ she jumps onto the bus and rides towards life. It just struck me as neat.

But the actual purpose of this post was to point out a parallel between ‘Graduation Day Pt. 2’ and ‘Chosen’. aycheb managed to sum up beautifully the similarities between the final battle plans in both episodes (Read it here), but having thought about it, the aftermath is very similar too:

There has been a big battle, with quite a heavy loss of life (a good few students must have died, apart from just Harmony and Larry), but the Scoobies seem quite unconcerned with this, and I think these words of Buffy’s explain why:

Buffy (tiredly):  "I haven't processed everything yet.  (with a small laugh)  My brain isn't really functioning on the higher levels.  (takes a deep breath)  It's pretty much: fire bad; tree pretty."

Fire bad, tree pretty. When someone has been through something that exhausting (emotionally and physically), I think it’s only natural if a part of the brain shuts down, and you just sit back and avoid dealing with all the implications straight away.

Here’s the very last scene of ‘Graduation’, which I think is in many ways very similar to the last scene of 'Chosen':

Cut to Willow sitting on a stone bench in front of the school, Xander sitting beside her on the ground and Oz standing behind her.  Cordelia come walking up to them.
Cordelia:  "Well, that's the most fun you can have without having any fun."
Willow smiling:  "How about the part where we kicked some demon ass.  (Oz strokes her hair from behind)  I didn't hate that."
Xander:  "Hear, hear!"
Buffy come walking up:  "You guys want to take off?  I think we've done pretty much all we can."
Cordelia raises her eyebrows and nods:  "I'm for it."
Willow looks up at Buffy:  "Are you okay?"
Buffy nods and says in a small voice:  "Yeah I'm okay. - I could use a little sleep though."
Willow nods and agrees emphatically:  "Yeah."
Buffy sits down on the bench next to her:  "If someone could just wake me when it's time to go to college, that'd be great."  Willow smiles at her.
Oz his hands in his pockets:  "Guys take a moment to deal with this: - we survived."  Xander nods.
Buffy:  "It was a hell of a battle!"
Oz:  "Not the battle (Cordy looks at him) high school."
They all look quietly at the school and listen to the crickets chirping.
Oz:  "We're taking a moment  (Willow and Buffy get up from the bench.  Oz looks at Cordy)  and we're done."
Xander get up and walks off next to Cordelia:  "Well, School's done."
Oz puts an arm around Willow as they all walk off together.  Xander:  "It's sss Cool!"
Willow:  "Why do demons even come here any more?  I mean, don't they know?"
Camera pans down to show a maroon Sunnydale High 99 yearbook with the words 'The Future Is Ours' on it.

About the joking, asta77 put it wonderfully in her comment:

“As for the end of 'Chosen', I never got upset over the joking. People react to grief differently and between the rush of adrenaline, the relief of surviving, and not having any time to absorb what had just happened, they tried to establish a sense of normalcy by falling into predictable behaviour patterns. And the smile? That was all for Spike and his sacrifice in giving her her life. :)”

ETA: Just thought of this, which I found rather fitting. From 'Forever':

DAWN: Mom ... died, and it's like you don't even care.
BUFFY: Of course I care. How can you even think that?
DAWN: How can I not? You haven't even cried. You've just been running around like it's been some big chore or something. Cleaning up after Mom's mess.
Buffy slaps Dawn across the face. Dawn yelps and puts her hand to her cheek. Buffy puts her hand over her mouth in horror.
BUFFY: Dawn ... I've been ... working. I've been busy, because I have to-
DAWN: No! You've been avoiding me.
BUFFY: I'm not! ... I have to do these things, 'cause ... 'cause when I stop, then she's really gone.


I’ll end with a rec and a prezzie:

buttersideup made a lovely ‘Smile Fan’ icon that is very sharable indeed. If you like it, please snag!

Finally, I want to tell you to go watch sdwolfpup’s vid Moving On, based entirely on ‘Chosen’. It’s is the most perfect matching of song and subject, especially the lines:

Make the best with what you’re given
This ain’t dying, this is living!

First I want to say a big collective:

THANK YOU!!!!!!

I'm all overwhelmed and don't really know what to say. Mostly I feel like hiding until I don't feel quite so shy, but then I remembered that it's Rabbit Hole Day tomorrow, so instead I'm trying to think of something entertaining to write...

Anyway, onto the pimp! The other day, we sat down and watched the b-i-l's copy of 'Shrek 2' (which we saw originally in the cinema) and it's quite simply a fantastic film. And (IMHO) the best part is when the Fairy Godmother (Who knew that Jennifer Saunders could sing?) belts out 'I need a hero' and there's the big fight. Although I did think to myself that it was a shame the fight wasn't.. you know... cooler. Apart from Puss in Boots, it's fairly slow. So it was with much joy, that the next day I saw that liliaeth had made a vid, using that song! And I was even happier when I watched it, because it manages to be both Spuffy and Spangel! (friendship-Spangel!) Most of the footage is from AtS s5, but there many bits from OMWF and a few other Buffy-episodes. So, if you feel like a treat (with lots of cool fighting!), go here: I need a Hero!

After watching sdwolfpup's latest vid I suddenly wanted a Buffy-kicks-ass icon. One where she's killing an ubervamp with the Scythe (or getting up after being stabbed). That kinda thing. But having looked around (a fair bit!) I have been unable to find one!

Can anybody help me? (And only Buffy - not Spike! Just this once!)