Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Recap/S6/E14 Older and Far Away

"People keep ... people have a tendency to go away ... and, I miss them. And sometimes ... I wish I could just make them stop. Going away."

Dawn accidentally wishes to a vengeance demon that no one would be able to leave the house. With everyone trapped, they are attacked by a demon Buffy thought she defeated.

"Run off huh? Afraid to face a true warrior? (Buffy sees demon's sword) Ooh, shiny!"
 * A Date With Rosie Palms: Willow's present turns out to be a portable massager "for all your little ache-ys." Buffy makes the mistake of looking at Spike who smirks and raises his eyebrows suggestively -- an embarrassed Buffy quickly packs the massager away.
 * Attention Deficit Ooh Shiny

"Spike: I had a...muscle cramp. Buffy was uh, helping.
 * Buffy is distracted from Dawn's gift by Xander rolling out a handmade weapons chest.
 * Be Careful What You Wish For
 * Blatant Lies

Tara: A muscle cramp? In your...pants?"

"Xander: Sometimes we do something that seems like a good idea at the time, like, say, invoke the power of a musical amulet? And it turns out, you know, not so much."
 * Bottle Episode
 * Clem Scare: Buffy bumps into Clem while stalking the demon.
 * Continuity Nod: To "Once More With Feeling"

"Halfrek: Oh, [punishing men who wronged women] was just Anya's little raison d'etre. Most of us try to be a little more well-rounded.
 * The slug-scented candles Buffy mentioned in "Life Serial" -- Anya still hasn't been able to sell them.
 * Cough Snark Cough

Anya: "Well-rounded", huh? Is that how you explain your thing for bad-parents?

Halfrek: Oh, that's not a thing. The children need me.

Anya: *coughing* Daddy issues."

"Anya: I think she's possessed.
 * Did We Just Have Tea With Cthulhu?: Spike unexpectedly turns up at Buffy's birthday bash with Clem, clearly playing with the idea of fitting into Buffy's 'normal' world as a proper boyfriend would.
 * Does This Remind You of Anything?

Xander: She's a teenager."

"Buffy: Just trust me -- I promise we'll be out of here soon.
 * Buffy tells Tara she's not ready to "come out" to her friends about Spuffy. She's all stay-inny.
 * Double Entendre: Spike works in plenty of suggestive comments to Buffy.
 * Fluffy the Terrible: The Loose-Skinned Demon from "Life Serial" returns as 'Clement'. Just call him Clem.
 * Game Face: "Wish granted."
 * Gilligan Cut

(Cut to the house at nighttime) Okay, so maybe 'soon' was a bit of an overstatement."

"Buffy: What? Like I'm one of those losers who can't make friends outside her tight little circle? No. I'm friendly. We bonded instantly. Peas in a pod. Bonded peas.
 * Get-Out-Get-Out-GET OUT!
 * Go Through Me: Tara re Anya trying to pressure Willow to make a spell.
 * Hoist By Their Own Petard:
 * Hollywood Healing: Averted; Spike still has bruises from the beating he got from Buffy in the previous episode.
 * Horror Doesn't Settle for Simple Tuesday: Spike suggests Buffy not celebrate her birthday, as bad things always seem to happen. Given that Buffy doesn't in Season 7, she's clearly taken this advice to heart.
 * I Need a Freaking Drink: A non-alcoholic version where Tara grabs a cup of water off Buffy after her fumbled meeting with Willow.
 * Insistent Terminology: They're justice demons, not vengeance demons. Oh, right.
 * Interrupted Intimacy: Deliberately by Tara on Buffy/Spike.
 * Jackass Genie: Halfrek has no trouble trapping her old friend Anya for eternity.
 * The Last of These Is Not Like the Others: The weapons chest has slots for basic weapons, plus a few non-basic ones and a handsome CD holder.
 * Limited Social Circle: Buffy invites Sophie, a friend from work, to her birthday party.

Anya: Really? Um, what's Sophie's last name?

Buffy: (pause) Okay, shut up."

""I hope you...die, you...stupid...jerkface!""
 * Literary Allusion Title: The title is taken from J. G. Ballard's Empire of the Sun, where at the end of the story a young man comes to this realization about his current relationship with his family; the teacher's line about "things Jim lost during his years in Shanghai and things he gained" implies that Dawn's class is studying the book.
 * Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Dawn makes a wish to a stranger. Buffy brings home the demon's sword as a souvenir. Tara's 'release' spell only frees the demon from the sword.
 * Oh Crap: Anya says that only a vengeance demon can break her own spell. Halfrek promptly materialises...and gets run through with a sword by the demon.
 * Only a Flesh Wound: ...but it doesn't kill her.
 * On Second Thought: Everyone is trying to leave the house as they've got to go to work, including Sophie who's got a double shift at the Doublemeat Palace. She thinks about that for a moment and concludes she's actually all right where she is.
 * Punctuated Pounding: Anya helping Buffy beat up the demon.

"Willow: I don't know if there's even anything I could do.
 * Red Shirt: Homaged with the expendable guest star who gets stabbed while wearing a red polo shirt.
 * Sarcasm Mode

Anya: Yes ... and a good way to find out is to sit around and try nothing. That was sarcasm, by the way."

"Xander: Don't worry, it's not a setup.
 * Slumber Party: Buffy's birthday bash turns into this -- it's only the next morning they find out why.
 * Suspiciously Specific Denial: Anya and Xander have invited a friend to Buffy's party.

Anya: Right. No. Just an attractive single man, with whom we hope you find much in common. And if you happen to form a romantic relationship leading to babies and many double dates with us so we have someone else to talk to, yay!

Buffy: I assume this was an act of kindness? That'll help with the not throttling."

""I have to, with the thing that I, uh... Coming!""
 * Sticky Fingers: Dawn's kleptomania is revealed when Anya searches her room.
 * Talk About That Thing: Buffy makes her excuses when Tara meets Willow.

"Buffy: I was insane to ever think you could just hang out with my friends.
 * Villain Teleportation: The demon can travel through walls and the ground.
 * The Wallflower: Dawn
 * Weirdness Censor: Clem 'has a bad skin condition'.
 * You Look Familiar: Halfrek is Cecily, the woman who rejected Spike/William's proposal in "Fool for Love".
 * You're Insane!

Spike: And I was insane to think... No, wait. You were right. You're insane."