Buffy The Vampire Slayer S05E22 - The Gift FULL REACTION

"I don't know how to live in this world if these are the choices." I've seen this episode a bunch of times by now, but I just picked up on that line and how it relates to Buffy's gift. "Death is your gift." I always focused on the death part of that statement, but in the context of the first statement, it's not really death specifically that is the gift. Buffy has always had to make some nearly impossible choices in the past. The most difficult being the killing of Angel. Here, the choice would normally have been let Dawn die or let the world be destroyed. In that scenario, Buffy's right choice would be to kill Dawn or at least let her be killed. A truly impossible decision for her to make. So, she has been given the gift of a third choice. The ability to sacrifice herself. Still a hard choice, but one she doesn't have to live with. So the gift wasn't really death, but an easier choice. Took me a while to catch on to that one, lol.

Jordan Haddow

The full show recap intro was most likely due to the fact that this was the shows 100th episode.

Jordan Haddow

picked up on a different network

Jon Freezin-Rain

I think that this was originally going to be the last season, so the recap actually was for that reason. But I'm glad they decided to continue it ^^

Willow the RainFawn

I'm so glad I found this channel to see Buffy again and at the same time see someone experience for the first time. You have tremendous will power to not have found out any spoilers. I watched this the first time it aired and we didnt know the show had been renewed. We thought this could have been the end and it was so shocking and emotional. I loved watching your reaction. You are so incredibly adorable.

Eric

This is one of those episodes I can never NEVER get through without crying my eyes out....even after all these years I still ugly cry despite knowing everything

Patrick Lyke

Ohhhhhhhhhh I agree with Nancy, Lost Girl would be so fun for you to react to, especially after you finish Buffy. It is such a gem that I feel is not appreciated enough. It's hilarious, crazy, and beautifully emotion filled and a great show for Buffy fans. There is also Wynonna Earp, which is by Emily Andras who was a showrunner on Lost Girl and did a bunch of stuff with that. I would say Lost Girl, then Wynonna, since LG was first, though it doesn't really matter.

Jane Lee

wow you didnt know Buffy loses its title character and carries on? I thought everyone knew that. Its been a running joke for years, Ithink it was a one of the first memes.

Ryan

Don't be sad about getting close to the end of Buffy bc there's sooooooooo many other great shows out there to react to like Fringe or Lost Girl but just remember you will ALWAYS,ALWAYS have Supernatural bc it may Never end😨😁👍HAHAHAHA besides we'd never stop loving you sweetie you are awesome just always remember that!🔯💜😎

Nancy Nicolai

Have you tried Agent Carter yet? If you like Buffy and Agents of Shield, you may be in into Peggy Carter's story.

FernWithy

Some confusion about the hubbub around the show's renewal. Buffy was the #3 show on WB (definitely not cancellation material), but WB's bid for season 6 refused to increase pay for cast and crew. UPN made a bid with increased pay plus a 2-season deal. Fox took the deal, and WB was kind of pissed. The ink was dry on the contract 2 months before the season 5 finale. WB in kind of a retaliatory move advertised the season 5 finale the "series finale" with no mention of the show's move to UPN. The episode was still important and worth celebrating as it was the 100th episode. It's true though that the writers room had to plan out much of the season in advance, so Buffy's death was planned out regardless (all the foreshadowing and prophecies led to it). But it's worth noting that there are unresolved plotlines to carry over to season 6 (Spike's love for Buffy, Xander and Anya's engagement, Willow's excessive use of magic, etc...).

Jarrod Wild

After Buffy there is Dollhouse to watch. Only 2 seasons but Joss Whedon and good.

The Doctor Mama

This is the most powerful (IMO best) episode of Buffy. It's not my favorite, but the impact, what she does, is beyond amazing. "She's a hero, you see. She's not like us."

Craig Evans

Maybe after you finish your Buffy and Angel rewatches there will be NEW episodes of Buffy to watch?!?!?! Just a thought...

Michael Mountain

The first time I saw this I was 13 watching on Sky One in the UK, and they also billed it as the series finale. I hadn't seen every ep of Buffy at the time, but I cried for hours after this. I cried again watching you react. Fantastic <3 (this is Lex from YouTube btw, I've commented on a few of your vids before). Still IMO one of the best episodes of the entire run.

Lex

I remember watching this and thinking that it was a great finale for a great show. I still think it would have been better if they just have stopped here.

Andres David Valencia

The hardest thing in this world is to live in it. Be brave live. One of my favorite lines

Kodi Haack

The reason this episode feels like the big finale is because it was originally the finale of the whole show. At the time that aired the creators (and fans) didn't know there would be a season 6. At least you don't have to wait to find out there are 2 more seasons! This is still my favourite episode ever - it still makes me sob no matter how many times I've seen it.

Danna

Awwww, big hugs to Shan!!!! Let me give you a blankie to wrap up in. Like so many others on here have said, this episode gets me in the feels and the tear ducts EVERY time. That final scene! Uh. And the music. Also, we have Buffy saying she wishes her mother was there, Xander proposing to Anya ( christ, everything gets me emotional in this episode, even Xander who's a prat - and I don't even believe in marriage , lol), the whole - Buffy invites Spike back in her home, Spike: 'Til the end of the world, even if that happens to be tonight.' 'I know you'll never love me. I know I'm a monster. But you treat me like a man.' - sob, one of my very favourite 'Spike loves Buffy' scenes, and then Willow restoring Tara's mind. All this before Buffy's sacrifice. What an episode. Always in my top 10 at least, usually top 5.

Bellatronics

Oh yeah... totally......Joss makes for some WILDLY awesome commentaries.

Timotey Kuhn

and now I'm crying at the office. Great.

Einar Sigurðsson

R.I.P. Glory. My fave Big Bad is dead. She just wanted to go home.

John Boehmer

Buffy's grave is beneath a willow tree.

Alexandra Wege

That's not true. Anya's death was a fake-out. There were massive rumors before the episode aired that one of the main characters will die in that episode, so Joss had Anya 'die' to make Buffy's death a bigger shock.

S144

His name is Gordon, the Mutant Enemy monster.

S144

I love this episode, I really do. It works great as a series finale, and it was originally meant to be until the show was picked up for 2 more seasons. It never really made me cry though past the first watch of it, can't really explain why. Anyway, we've finally arrived to my favorite season, season 6. I am very much looking forward to your reactions for it.

Spencer Williams

They hadn't entirely settled on the new network, and there was a real possibility that this was the series finale when they wrote and produced it... hence the series finale treatment.

FernWithy

You know what? I can die happy now. THIS is what I've been waiting for. It's my favorite episode of the series. I can hear the first two piano notes of "Sacrifice" and I will tear up. This episode is perfect. From the previouslies, to her just fighting a normal vampire again in the opening scene, to inviting Spike back in, to Giles' killing Ben, to that ending and to that music. It's perfect. Thank you so much for allowing us to feel all these feelings once again. Joss Whedon is the devil.

Miah

“The hardest thing in this world is to live in it.” Truer words have never been said.......those words plus the musical score is just so breathtaking to me. Also, fun trivia: Joss initially meant to have Anya die, but the actress kept fidgeting and moving and they couldn’t reshoot so he decided to let her live lol. Now THATS how you keep your acting gig and save yourself from the Grim Whedon.

Ariel17

That is really beautiful music. When the music changes, and Buffy turns and runs in slow mo, I lose it... every time.

UTU49

The show is called Buffy the Vampire Slayer... so they'll have to keep Sarah Michelle Gellar on the show somehow. I'm sure they'll find a way. Maybe Giles and Willow and Xander will acquire a giant tank, and name it "Buffy", and stick a picture of Buffy on it. Then they'll drive around in their "Buffy tank" blasting the shit out of vampires. We'll just have to wait and see.

UTU49

I woke up super early to download these episodes so I could watch them before work and on my break...now I'm sitting here crying in the staff room 😂 I was worried when you covered your face just as they showed Spike reacting to Buffy's death that you would miss his reaction, one of the saddest parts of any episode ever. I'm glad you saw that moment though, in my opinion that's when you really know that Spike loved Buffy ❤ as always, love your reactions, Shan! Hope you're doing ok x

James W

i love the quote "The hardest thing in this world is to live in it. be brave live" iv kind of wanted to get that tattoo along with the grr argh monster thing that shows up at the end of every episode.

Max Brander

So you really didn't know Buffy wasn't in the last two seasons? Sarah Michele Gellar had creative differences with Joss Whedon that couldn't be worked out, so she left. They initially brought in a new slayer, Abigail Portsmouth, but the character wasn't very well received and they wrote her out half way through season 6. Spike then went through a ritual that gave him the power of the slayer, but an unintended side effect was that it slowly started turning him into a woman. Of course, this is all nonsense I'm making up as I go along but it's been fun.

James Miller

*Ripper* moment.

MittenCrab

The special "previously on..." was because this was the series finale before the show moved network and because it was the 100th episode

Matthew Martin

Hey Claire. I thought this speech was from Shakespeare's play Henry V, rather than from history. I'll look it up, but do you happen to know?

UTU49

And so said we all.

UTU49

ASR: "I don't get it!"

UTU49

I had forgotten how Glory herself was defeated. Another favorite Giles moment.

Andrew Pulrang

That was a perfect reaction. Oh and love the hair Shan :-)

Paul Thomas-Humphreys

to cause even more confusion the wb aired a liittle thank you to buffy for five seasons making some people believe the show was over, waiting for season six back then was rough! great reaction shan!

Juan Torres

Remember, Buffy is not dead. No matter what happens, she will always be in these 100 episodes, still saving the world ... a lot.

A fitting end of series finale. That feeling in the pit of your stomach as the season wound to its end was different to all the other apocalypti(?). Something bad was going to happen. Glory was unlike any big bad yet faced and victory, if possible, was always going to exact a price. The realisation of that exact price coming at the same moment for both Buffy and the viewer. Seeing her body and gravestone at the end is one of the most heartbreaking, but poignant moments of the entire series. Grief at the horror of her death, but also happiness as she transcends the brutal treadmill of her slayer destiny and gifts her sacrifice to Dawn, her sister/surrogate daughter. As SMG was lured to pastures new, the series changed forever. Was this beautiful piece of television worth the price we the viewers had to pay? Could Buffy continue without its eponymous heroine? Only season 6 has the answers...

MittenCrab

aaand of course the ending made me cry for the millionth time during watching this (the sisterly loooove gosh), but somehow i'd forgotten at least that spike's little 'i know you'll never love me' was on the staircase there. instant tears. love this episode forever - for years all i needed was to hear sacrifice by christophe beck to start getting teary eyed. fantastic reaction, thanks for this one. <3

Jay

RIP Buffy Anne Sommers... She lived through 5 full seasons only to meet her death saving the world by a big plasma ball. She will be missed. "The hardest thing in this world is to live in it." On to season 6... My fave, mostly due to like one episode in particular. Hoever, its still a pretty good season. Ooh, im already dying for thoes reactions.

Tammy L. Faulkner

i cry all the time at this episode... the moment those first few chords start playing as buffy puts all the pieces together... and then i break down again when spike falls to the floor crying his heart out, and seeing the looks on everyones faces... god, my heart!!! Like others have said, this was the 100th episode of the show, and was written to be the end of the show because the network hadnt picked up for another season... luckily, another network took it up... but can you imagine watching this live, and having no idea if there was gonna be another season or not?! wondering if this was really the end lol?!

Holi117

And now on to my favorite season!

Daveangels

And for those who are interested: The St Crispin's Day Speech that was referenced, alleged to have been given by King Henry V before the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, and later written by Shakespeare (the quote they use from the speech is 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers' - except in true Spike style he changes it to 'we band of buggered'). What's he that wishes so? My cousin, Westmorland? No, my fair cousin; If we are mark'd to die, we are enough To do our country loss; and if to live, The fewer men, the greater share of honour. God's will! I pray thee, wish not one man more. By Jove, I am not covetous for gold, Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost; It yearns me not if men my garments wear; Such outward things dwell not in my desires. But if it be a sin to covet honour, I am the most offending soul alive. No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from England. God's peace! I would not lose so great an honour As one man more methinks would share from me For the best hope I have. O, do not wish one more! Rather proclaim it, Westmorland, through my host, That he which hath no stomach to this fight, Let him depart; his passport shall be made, And crowns for convoy put into his purse; We would not die in that man's company That fears his fellowship to die with us. This day is call'd the feast of Crispian. He that outlives this day, and comes safe home, Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam'd, And rouse him at the name of Crispian. He that shall live this day, and see old age, Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours, And say "To-morrow is Saint Crispian." Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars, And say "These wounds I had on Crispin's day." Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot, But he'll remember, with advantages, What feats he did that day. Then shall our names, Familiar in his mouth as household words— Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter, Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester— Be in their flowing cups freshly rememb'red. This story shall the good man teach his son; And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by, From this day to the ending of the world, But we in it shall be rememberèd— We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; For he to-day that sheds his blood with me Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile, This day shall gentle his condition; And gentlemen in England now a-bed Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here, And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.

Claire Eyles

I was lucky in that I didn't get any spoilers... Not sure where you live, but in UK there wasn't lots of massive spoilery things here. I never knew what to expect from any episode until I watched it

Holi117

Ugh! All the feels every single time... Such a damn good show!!!

Marcus Marcoos Winn

My favorite episode of television ever. I always cry when 'Sacrifice' starts playing before Buffy jumps. This was Buffy's 100th episode, a big milestone for every tv show, that's why it had such a special 'previously'. Great reaction.

S144

Oh and now we can explain the 'counting down from 730' comment as well. Joss knew he was going to have Buffy die at the end of this season, and the time from when Faith first said those words 'Little Miss Muffet counting down from 730" until the time of the S5 finale was 730 days. It's also why in restless Tara says that the clock is all wrong, because by then the time until Buffy's death has moved forward.

Claire Eyles

Does anyone remember how badly they spoiled this episode when it first went to air? The promos had shots of Buffy jumping from the tower, and zoom ins of her grave. People were scrambling to figure out if it was just misdirection or if it was real.

Claire Eyles

So many little clues as this season went along, but I didn't catch them (I doubt many people did) as I watched the first time. But obviously the biggie being "Death is your gift". I loved seeing your expression, Shan, as it hit you when Buffy was realizing what she had to do. And when Tara pointed to Giles and said, "You're a killer." Well, now we know why she said that! Such a great episode, and as you now know originally this was going to be the series finale and that's why things happened as they did.

Freddy Bowman

Poor thing! Don't worry, you will feel better when you start season 6. Actually, you probably recorded your reaction.

Brandon Wiesner

I still bloody cry every single time I see this ending.

The gift is definitely one of my top 5 episodes of the show, the whole final scene, music, spike crying... it all breaks my heart. I cried afterwards, even though I already knew there was S6, so she wouldn't be dead forever obviously. Giles is so badass killing Ben though, along with Willow for getting Tara back.

s jaco

I'm about to watch your reaction, and just wanted to say... once you have finished both Buffy and Angel series, you'll be able to (if you wanted to...) react to things like bloopers and gag reels, fanmade videos and edits, or directors commentary, or behind the scenes clips, or stuff like that. There's still so many things you could potentially look at/ watch and enjoy with the rest of the fans :) so it wont be gone forever... you'll be one of us, doing re-watches for fun, and watching other reactors go through the journey! xx

Holi117

Haven't watched yet, but wanted to comment on Buffy ending in two seasons. I will admit, I came for Buffy, but, and yeah it's a corny cliche, I stayed because of you. Not to sound creepy. I don't mean in it in that way at all. What I do mean is you have the most genuine reactions and you seem very open and likable. I have seen reactors watching shows they don't even like for subs. You don't do that. You ENJOY what you watch and it comes through. As long as you watch a show or two that I like, or start a new show I haven't seen, I, and many like me, will stick with you. Just stay real ^5

KiwiJello

Yep. That's why it ended the way it did. But the magic of fans clamoring and network switching does wonders. :)

Freddy Bowman

FYI, Season 5 was supposed to be the series finale.

WarRaven

a temporary solution to your problem after finishing Buffy..... REWATCH (not refering to your patreon rewatch teir haha)

Titan Gaming