"When She Was Bad" - The Great Buffy Rewatch of 2014

If you recall, we just finished season 1 of Buffy in my last post. When we left off, the master (aka Fruit Punch mouth) was dead and the gang was happily headed off to the spring dance. Buffy died and came back. Angel is a vampire. The hellmouth has teeth.

Where do we go from here? 

Season 2 - Episode 1

It's only fitting to open the season in a cemetery. With a fun game of name the movie quotes between Xander and Willow. It's summertime and they've been watching for vampires in Buffy's absence. She's been in LA but there hasn't been any monster activity since the master's death apparently. Also, Buffy hasn't called them since she left...which is BULL SHIT. What a shitty friend that doesn't call her best friends all summer. But she's back now, so it's fine?

Willow and Xander spent the Summer almost kissing

Seems like the vamps got the memo that Buffy was back in town though because one showed up the second she arrived on the scene. They must have Buffy radar. Buff-dar.

Also of note, they buried the master by a tree while wearing robes and holding holy water. These kids lead a strange life. Meanwhile, Buffy spent the summer partying and shopping with her dad, so that's nice.

So, we're back on Sunnydale High's campus and we're introduced to a new character - Principal Snyder. He's a weasely little man who seems to hate teenagers so I'm sure he'll just love Buffy.

And the gang's all back together! Giles is consulting his books and Buffy is ready to start training again. Immediately. And vigorously. She's kicking major ass and seems to have some sort of renewed focus and power sourced from her fight with the Master that's making everyone uneasy.

Which is good since we're also meeting a new batch of baddies! They're in some sort of factory listening to an annoying speech from some guy about the anointed one. Oh dear god, the anointed one is back to bore us all!

Buffy's Summer away has caused some amazing hair though

Oh shit! Giles just punched Buffy and said he was going to kill her! And she pulled off his face to reveal the Master. Must be real life! Just kidding - it's a dream.

If all bad dreams are met with waking up to Angel in your window, I'd say people should have nightmares more often. Which is weird since Buffy seems pissed that Angel is here. She's being annoying and he's just trying to tell her that trouble is coming. New Buffy is crank-y!

At least Cordelia's still up to her same old sass. And confronting them with the fact that they fight demons. Ya know - in school...during the day with people around. She's so ditzy. I love it. But at least she's keeping the gang's secrets.

These are the reactions from a Buffy zinger

"You won't tell anyone I'm the slayer, and I won't tell anyone you're a moron" Jeez Buff. A little harsh!

The gang has moved to the Bronze for a chat about Buffy's changing 'tude and a change in the dynamic that Willow was used to this summer with Xander.

Meanwhile, in the cemetery, the Master is being dug up for who know's what reason. Obviously, the Anointed Twerp misses his BFF.

Buffy just walked into the Bronze and is looking FIERCE. She's blowing off Angel and dancing all up on Xander. Toying with emotions all around and downright pissing people off. She leaves after causing a serious boner and leaving Xander with blue balls and a bruised ego. Way to burn bridges, Buffy! You know it's bad when Cordelia is the voice of reason telling you to cool it.

Seriously, that's Xander's boner face

Now the gang is getting kidnapped and brought to the factory one by one. Weird things are afoot!

Of course Buffy  walks in on them talking about her. Of COURSE. Timing. Now she's going to be a bigger bitcah than ever. At least she was able to tell them the Master is no longer in his grave and set Giles to research mode. And in her infinite self centeredness, she thinks it's all about her and demands that she go to the Bronze alone to check into it.

At least Angel is lurking in the shadows to have her back (and get verbally attacked). Because this whole Bronze thing is clearly a trap (like everyone said it was). So while Buffy is fighting the single vampire in the Bronze, Giles, Willow, and Xander are sitting ducks in the library where they've discovered the reason they're being picked off is because they were the ones who were closest to the master when he fell threw the roof and died.

Can I just say it's a little ridiculous how obsessed everyone is with the Master? He failed way back when. he failed last school year. Why bring him back to life? To fail again? Why not find a new big bad to worship?

And also, I still think it's totally weird that the Master didn't dust completely. He still has a skeleton. Which is different than any other vampire ever.

The gang's all here!

Thankfully Buffy figured out they were at the factory through torture and there's still time to save the Scoobies. And ya know, for Buffy to kill every vampire in sight. Because she's super strong and super pissed!

Everyone's safe and Buffy has a giant sledgehammer to mash up the Master's bones and work out her issues. Which is enough to make her nicer to her friends again, so that's good news.

We know she's better because when we see her at school she's remorseful about treating everyone so bad and is also wearing a sweater around her shoulders. A clear sign that you're a good person.

The episode ends with a shot of the Anointed one with the Master's skull. Just showing that the kid's still alive I guess. Which is bad news for this headache I just got.

See you next time!