"All the Way" is a Halloween episode! The shop has a big sale which is followed by a big announcement: Anya & Xander go public with their engagement. The gang has a makeshift party. Dawn claims to be staying the night at a friend's house but the two sneak off to canoodle with a pair of boys. The boys turn out to be vampires who plan on turning the two high school girls. Buffy, Spike, & Giles must track down Dawn before it's too late. Meanwhile, Willow & Tara argue about Willow's excessive use of magic. An upset Tara gets her memory wiped by Willow to make it all better. The patrol shows up just in the nick of time to save Dawn as they slay a whole gang of young vamps.
This episode is tonally all over the place. It's silly when it should be serious, it's serious when it should be silly. It just can't make up its mind. When the final showdown commences, everyone's cracking jokes as if Dawn's life isn't hanging in the balance. I know this kind of thing happens a lot but Buffy usually handles these situations with more gravity when her loved ones are involved. Perhaps this is the new Buffy, post-second death.
Despite the episode's mediocrity, there were a few important through lines that I'm assuming will continue to develop throughout the season.
First, Dawn's continued rebellion. She's a teenager with a recently deceased mom, a weird relationship with her sister, and the knowledge that she was created to be a key to locked portals. That will do a number on your headspace! I expect her to continue to be a rebel.
Second is Willow's continued misuse of magic. As her power has increased, so has her confidence and her boldness. Even in situations not requiring it, Willow uses magic if she feels like it. It's almost a borderline addiction for her. Up to this point, it's been alarming but not terrible. But this episode seems like a turning point as she purposely wipes Tara's memory. Look out!
Third (and the least exciting in my opinion) is the engagement of Xander and Anya. I realize that these characters need things to do and they need some kind of arc as they mature, but a subplot about a couple trying to figure out marriage and how relationships work is not something I'm looking forward to drudge through. Xander's pre-marital anxiety feels like it belongs on a different show, not on one about a vampire slayer.
This is definitely a weaker episode but clearly important in the grand scheme of things.
This episode is tonally all over the place. It's silly when it should be serious, it's serious when it should be silly. It just can't make up its mind. When the final showdown commences, everyone's cracking jokes as if Dawn's life isn't hanging in the balance. I know this kind of thing happens a lot but Buffy usually handles these situations with more gravity when her loved ones are involved. Perhaps this is the new Buffy, post-second death.
Despite the episode's mediocrity, there were a few important through lines that I'm assuming will continue to develop throughout the season.
First, Dawn's continued rebellion. She's a teenager with a recently deceased mom, a weird relationship with her sister, and the knowledge that she was created to be a key to locked portals. That will do a number on your headspace! I expect her to continue to be a rebel.
Second is Willow's continued misuse of magic. As her power has increased, so has her confidence and her boldness. Even in situations not requiring it, Willow uses magic if she feels like it. It's almost a borderline addiction for her. Up to this point, it's been alarming but not terrible. But this episode seems like a turning point as she purposely wipes Tara's memory. Look out!
Third (and the least exciting in my opinion) is the engagement of Xander and Anya. I realize that these characters need things to do and they need some kind of arc as they mature, but a subplot about a couple trying to figure out marriage and how relationships work is not something I'm looking forward to drudge through. Xander's pre-marital anxiety feels like it belongs on a different show, not on one about a vampire slayer.
This is definitely a weaker episode but clearly important in the grand scheme of things.