Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Recap/S5/E22 The Gift

"The hardest thing in this world is to live in it."

The Scoobies face off against Glory. Xander proposes to Anya. Buffy discovers the meaning of "Death is your gift". This was the last episode to air on The WB. So in a way its sort of a series finale for the network that supported the show from the beginning.

"Giles: (quietly) If the ritual starts, then every living creature in this and every other dimension imaginable will suffer unbearable torment and death ... including Dawn. Dawn: Then the last thing she'll see is me protecting her. Giles: (quietly) You'll fail. You'll die. We all will."
 * Always Save the Girl: Buffy refuses to even consider the idea of killing Dawn to stop the ritual.
 * Always Save the Girl: Buffy refuses to even consider the idea of killing Dawn to stop the ritual.

"Xander: "Why blood?" Spike: "Blood is life, lackbrain. Why do you think we eat it? It's what keeps you going, makes you warm, makes you hard, makes you other than dead. 'Course it's her blood.""
 * Ass Pull: Two. There's Olaf suddenly being called a "Troll God" rather than just a Troll to explain why his hammer can hurt Glory. And the one that really gets fans upset:
 * Batter Up: Anya, but she doesn't know how to hold it properly.
 * Barrier-Busting Blow: Badass Normal Xander with a wrecking ball.
 * Blood Magic: The Key's blood is used to open the portal The importance of this trope is lampshaded by Spike.

"Kid: H-how'd you do that? Buffy: It's What I Do. Kid: But you're ... you're just a girl. Buffy: That's what I keep saying."
 * Call Back: The opening scene where Buffy saves a boy from a vampire is a reference to the original premise of the series.

"Giles: Need anything? Willow: [staring at Glory's tower] Could use a little courage. [Spike's hand comes into the shot, holding a small flask in front of Willow's face].
 * Cat Scare: Xander and Anya are searching the basement; Xander removes a cloth and shrieks as he suddenly finds himself facing the Buffybot. Then Anya shrieks and starts ranting at whatever sick person put a...stuffed toy rabbit in the basement.
 * Chekhov's Armoury: The Hammer of Olaf, the Dagon Sphere, and the Buffybot are all used to fight Glory.
 * The Coats Are Off: Glory takes off her sacrificial robe to fight Buffy.
 * Completely Missing the Point: According to the Parents Television Committee Buffy is one of the worst, offensive, atrocious shows on TV Apparently they believe she was meant to let the world be destroyed.
 * Courtly Love: Spike is now willing to die protecting those Buffy loves, even though he knows Buffy will never return his feelings.
 * Cowardly Lion: Willow and her jelly-belly.

Willow: The real kind. But thanks."

"Buffy: This is how many apocalypses for us now? Giles: Oh well, six, at least. Feels like a hundred.
 * Despair Speech: Oh, Buffy.

Buffy: I've always stopped them. Always won.

Giles: Yes.

Buffy: I sacrificed Angel to save the world. I loved him so much... but I knew. What was right. I don't have that anymore. I don't understand. I don't know how to live in this world, if these are the choices, if everything just gets stripped away. I don't see the point. I just wish... I just wish my mom was here. The spirit guide told me that Death is my gift. I guess that means a Slayer really is just a killer after all.

Giles: I think you're wrong about that.

Buffy: Doesn't matter. If Dawn dies, I'm done with it. I'm quitting."

"Xander: I'm also a swell bowler. Spike: The gods themselves do tremble."
 * Dissonant Serenity: After being forced to wear a sacrificial robe, Dawn neatly folds her clothes and leaves them on a chair. Averted moments later when Glory's minions haul her for sacrifice -- Dawn starts screaming out Buffy's name.
 * Dressed to Kill: Doc changes into a suit and tie for the big event.
 * Excuse Me, Coming Through: Willow/Tara clear a path for Spike through Glory's minions using telekinesis.
 * Fighting From the Inside: A subtle example. Tara, driven insane by Glory, suddenly slaps Willow and calls her a bitch. She then tries to have a My God, What Have I Done? moment, but can't.
 * Foe-Tossing Charge
 * Foreshadowing: For Xander knocking Glory for six with a wrecking ball.

"Anya: Maybe Willow wanted it. Xander: I don't think Willow feels that way about Buffy. I mean, I know she's gone through a lot of changes, but--
 * Flashback Echo: When Buffy puts together the clues on how to close the rift.
 * Get Out!: Dawn is sick of listening to Ben's excuses for his Face Heel Turn and demands he change, shouting in a similar manner to her "Get-out-get-out-GET-OUT!" of previous episodes; "Be Glory. Be Glory. (yelling) Glory! Glory! Glory!"
 * Girl-On-Girl Is Hot: Xander asks why the Buffybot hasn't been melted down.

Anya: To study it.

Xander: Right. Robotics. (embarrassed ) Science.

Anya: [beat] Pervert.

Xander: Other pervert."

"Spike: You don't come near the girl, Doc. Doc: I don't smell a soul anywhere on you. Why do you even care? Spike: I made a promise to a lady."
 * The Glasses Come Off: Inverted -- Giles deliberately puts on his glasses
 * Groin Attack: A rare female example. It's hard to see due to the pace of the fight, but at one point Glory clearly punches Buffy in the groin. And yes, it hurts just as much for women, and Glory is a god... ouch.
 * Hell on Earth: Glory's departure will tear open the dimensions, causing Earth to be invaded by Eldritch Abominations.
 * Hidden Depths: Despite the derision of Spike and Giles, Anya comes up with some good ideas to fight Glory, and stays to fight instead of leaving Sunnydale like she did in "Graduation Day".
 * Held Gaze: Spike shares an Oh Crap look with Dawn a moment before Doc pushes him off the tower.
 * Heroic Sacrifice:
 * I Gave My Word

"Spike: I know you'll never love me. I know that I'm a monster. But you treat me like a man. And that's..."
 * I Am a Monster / All Love Is Unrequited: Spuffy

"Giles: She's a hero, you see. She's not like us."
 * I'm Not a Hero, I'm X

"Minion 1: Stand fast! Kill anyone who dares approach! This will be our day of glory! Minion 2: Well punned. Minion 1: Well, it just called out to me. (crossbow bolt hits him in the chest)"
 * Incredibly Lame Pun: Glory's minions rally to protect her tower.

"Spike: Ah, when you [Buffy] say you love us all... Xander and Giles: Shut up!"
 * Love You and Everybody

"Xander: Smart chicks are soooo hot. Willow: You couldn't have figured that out in tenth grade?"
 * Mad Oracle: Tara, who has been Mind Raped by Glory and reduced to a babbling childlike state, suddenly points to Giles and shouts, "You're a killer!"
 * The Magnificent: Doc called Glory "her Splendidness" and one of her minions refers to her as "Oh, Most Sweaty-Naughty-Feelings-Causing One."
 * Manly Tears:
 * Meaningful Echo: "The hardest thing in this world is to live in it" is repeated (by Dawn) in Season 6, where Buffy finds real life more difficult to cope with than any Big Bad.
 * Negated Moment of Awesome: Doc bests Spike in combat, then faces up to Buffy knife in hand, saying "This should be interesting."
 * Nerds Are Sexy: After Anya figures out some good ways of attacking Glory.

"Spike: Doesn't a fellow stay dead when you kill him? Doc: Look who's talking."
 * No-Holds-Barred Beatdown / Drop the Hammer
 * Not Quite Dead: Doc

"Buffy: I don't wanna hear it. (turns away) Giles: I understand that-- Buffy: (whirls back) No! No, you don't understand. We are not talking about this. Giles: (jumping up from the table) YES, WE BLOODY WELL ARE!"
 * OOC Is Serious Business: Giles is trying to get Buffy to acknowledge that killing Dawn may be necessary.


 * Our Dragons Are Different: A dragon flies through the rift. It's not explained what happened to it, though some have speculated it's the same one that appears in the Grand Finale of Angel.
 * Plot Tailored to the Party
 * Poisonous Friend: Giles
 * Pre-Climax Climax / Sex Dressed: Xander and Anya in the basement.
 * "Previously On...": A montage showing clips from every season, starting with "Welcome to the Hellmouth", getting faster and faster until it Smash Cuts to The Teaser.
 * "Previously On...": A montage showing clips from every season, starting with "Welcome to the Hellmouth", getting faster and faster until it Smash Cuts to The Teaser.

"Buffy: Hey, everybody knows their jobs. Remember, the ritual starts, we all die. And I'll kill anyone who comes near Dawn. Spike: Well, not exactly the St. Crispin's Day speech, was it? Giles: (Wryly) "We few, we happy few..." Spike: We band of buggered."
 * Rousing Speech: Averted by Buffy.

"Glory: I need a brain to eat. Minion: Oh, take mine, oh groove-tastic one! Glory: I said a brain, you worthless dirt!"
 * Rule of Symbolism: The Heroic Sacrifice happens at dawn.
 * Saying Sound Effects Out Loud: Xander, upon seeing the insane contraption of Glory's tower says, "Shpedoinkle!"
 * Series Fauxnale
 * Shoot the Dog
 * Surrounded by Idiots

"Glory: You lost your hammer, sweet cheeks. What are you gonna hit me with now? (A huge wrecking-ball smashes through the wall and into Glory.) Buffy: Whatever's handy."
 * Super Strength: Anya suggests using the Hammer of Olaf. Spike is in the middle of saying that he tried to lift it (in "Blood Ties") and it was too heavy, when Buffy casually hefts the hammer in one hand.
 * Taking the Bullet: Anya shoves Xander out of the way of a bolt of lightning, and then gets injured by falling rubble.
 * Targeted Human Sacrifice
 * Telepathy: Willow uses this to communicate during the battle.
 * Tempting Fate

"Buffy: You ever heard the expression, "biting off more than you can chew"? ...Okay, um, how about the expression "Vampire Slayer"?
 * Too Much Information: Ben tries to comfort Dawn by saying at least she'll die quick. A hobbit-minion chimes in that actually it'll be slow to encourage the maximum blood flow.
 * Unusual Euphemism: Anya's "pleasure moment".
 * With This Ring: Xander proposes to Anya. At first Anya is offended, thinking Xander is only doing it because they'll be dead soon and he won't have to keep his promise. Xander says he's doing it because he thinks they'll live. Anya is touched but, clearly seeking to avoid Tempting Fate, tells him to hold onto the ring until after the battle.
 * Vampire Invitation: Spike is quite moved when Buffy allows him back into her house.
 * You Have No Idea Who You're Dealing With: Buffy is mildly surprised when the vampire she encounters doesn't know who she is. No problem.

Vampire: What the hell are you talking about?

Buffy: Wow. Never heard that one? Okay, how about, "Oh God, my leg, my leg?" (Breaks his leg)

Vampire: Oh God, my leg! Ah!"