I don't think her showing the book to Dawn was the same as thinking it was a good idea and encouraging Dawn to do it. That book may have mentioned the difficulties and issues involved in bringing someone back who had died a natural death.

I think a flat out "No" without more detail was not enough for Willow, and she sympathised that it wasn't enough for Dawn.

That's how I saw it.

Even Willow would've been cognizant of (a) the chances of something going wrong for Dawn to do such a powerful spell and (b) the emotional impact on Buffy. She certainly wouldn't have treated something like Joyce's death so casually. She was saying "Look! Magic!" not "Hey kid, wanna raise yer Ma from the dead?"

Interesting. I never even thought of this. I saw Willow going "That whole thing Tara said about not messing with the natural order was sweet and all, but this books says you can do it, so go for it. - I'd help but then I'd be in the doghouse. Good luck!"

Again, I think it was an example of Willow not fully wanting to accept that there would be consequences. In the back of her mind she knows they are there - but she isn't going to let oldstuffy!Willow control her actions - new powerfulwiththemagicks!Willow doesn't let silly old consequences bother her.

Buffy died jumping into the gateway to a demon dimension.

No - it was the gateway to all dimensions.

I may be remembering wrong, but I think that all Dawn had to steal from the magic shop was ingredients and then of course the eggs from the demon. The book Willow gave her had the spell. I thought anyway.

I think Willow (both old and new) does think about consequences. I just think that the more powerful she got, the more she thought she could just magic stuff away.

She asked about the books she wasn't supposed to go near, and then when Giles went away, she went straight to them.

I'm with DavidS re: Willow. She liked the power, sure, but once Buffy was gone, she had no choice but to use it. She became the "Buffy" of the group. Think about end-of-season-5 Willow, when Buffy tells her she's the big gun. Willow didn't want that position. Once Buffy was gone, she had to take on that role and it changed her. WRT season 6 Willow, circumstances were as much to blame as her own power trip, if you ask me.

well, because that's what Willow does. But Willow didn't buy it and would have tried it herself (did later), and I think she never thought Dawn would get it done, but I don't think popping the book out was in any way anything other than encouragement.

Also, Willow was shocked when Tara mentioned that the book that Dawn had (which Willow prompted her to take) had information that led to the actual powerful magicks. I agree what others said in that Willow was just trying to use the information about magic as a was to help Dawn deal with her grief, not to actually bring Joyce back.

On another note, everyone was pointing out a bit back that Faith had never saved the world, but she was actually an integral part of the attack on the Hellmouth beast and the Sisterhood of Jhe during "The Zeppo", so she gets some credit for that. Since the episode focused on Xander, this aspect of the episode is easily forgotten.

Think about end-of-season-5 Willow, when Buffy tells her she's the big gun. Willow didn't want that position. Once Buffy was gone, she had to take on that role and it changed her.

Oh, I think she wanted it. She said a similiar thing in season 2.

Faith had never saved the world, but she was actually an integral part of the attack on the Hellmouth beast and the Sisterhood of Jhe during "The Zeppo", so she gets some credit for that.

Yeah, she gets one-sixth of a world saver credit, but not as a leader. Certainly none of the Scoobs trusted her enough to consider her reliable, or as an apt replacement for Buffy. Hell, she sold them all out to throw in with The Mayor.