I think that Becoming 2 and Chosen have some interesting parallels. We've already mentioned the weapons, friends, and hope thing.

Also, both episodes ended with the sacrifice of an ensouled vampire to bring about the resolution. In B2, Willow unconsciously called on seemingly dark forces to re-ensoul Angel, while in Chosen, she deliberately called on light forces to activate Slayer strength in all the potentials. Both episodes ended with Buffy running away from the scene, but in B2 she was running away from friends and family while in Chosen she was running to rejoin her friends and family.

There's more I could say, but it's hard to compose longer posts while at work.

Chosen and Graduation Day are the two that I find incredibly similar. (Except I like Graduation Day better, because I preferred Let's Bring Regular People On Board And Together We're Strong! to Let's Make All The Proto-Slayers Strong!)

= I preferred Let's Bring Regular People On Board And Together We're Strong!

I think that scene works emotionally, but logistically I would have liked to see a little bit more of how they turned a graduating class into an army in a few hours. But I understand the time limitations.

Oh, yeah, well, that kind of thing I'm willing to skim over. If I start thinking about training kids how to use flamethrowers, next thing I know I'm back to "Buffy, sweetheart, get a good PR guy, convince the world of the existence of vampires, and take a vacation in Bermuda, willya?"

next thing I know I'm back to "Buffy, sweetheart, get a good PR guy, convince the world of the existence of vampires, and take a vacation in Bermuda, willya?"

I once suggested that given how many people in Sunnydale know, she should have just started a public safety campaign. "Friends don't let friends get bit."

(Really, why does the slayer's identity have to be secret? Couldn't she do more good if everyone knew? It seems like the bad guys who would hurt her if they knew, find out eventually anyhow. But I guess the same is true of all superheroes.)

Really, why does the slayer's identity have to be secret?

So she doesn't get sent to the loony bin, I assume. I don't think it's to protect her from demons, so much.

In Buffy's case, there was also the not drawing enemies to Joyce aspect to consider. really, she was attacked quite enough even with Buffy and Giles trying to keep the Slayer thing under wraps.

there was also the not drawing enemies to Joyce aspect to consider

Which is what happens to all superheroes when their identities are discovered -- those around them get into much more peril.

You know, I was just sitting around thinking about plans made on Buffy and Angel...Everyone makes fun of the success ratio of Wesely's plans, but how many times has Buffy and the Scoobies had shitty plans that didn't pan out and cost someone their lives? I mean, Buffy has the patience of a 3 year old when it comes to planning things out. I don't even know how many of the group's plans in season finales actually worked. Season 1 didn't work(she died). Season 2 didn't work(Angel was sent to hell when the intentions were to re-ensoul him, miscommunication issues big time), Season 3 worked (mayor defeated in the fashion that they had planned out), Season 4 worked (Adam was defeated by the joining spell), Season 5 didn't work (not really a true plan in tact minus pulling out some stuff from past episodes and the Buffy bot, Plan to stop Glory from opening the portal wasn't stopped in time, Buffy dies), Season 6 Finale didn't really have a plan, which fit with the season as a whole, (although Giles plan for Willow to suck the humanity magic worked, everyone else was all willy nilly), Season 7 (the slayer power giveaway worked). Seems to me she fell for many of a trap along the way through the course of the show.

All in all I don't think that the Sunnydale gang had a very good batting average when it came to plans.

next thing I know I'm back to "Buffy, sweetheart, get a good PR guy, convince the world of the existence of vampires, and take a vacation in Bermuda, willya?"

Here's the thing. A sizable percentage of BuffyEarth seems to be aware of the existence of the otherworldly. Most of the former population of Sunnydale, for example. And W&H's clients. And segments of the U.S. government. And Gunn's old gang. And Aimee Mann.

But the overwhelming majority, however, do not. And at first glance, it would seem to be rectifiable. Willow goes on TV, does a few tricks. Buffy bench-presses a Kia for the cameras. Giles goes on a book tour and gets interviewed by Katie Couric.

But then, it seems that the overwhelming majority of the BuffyEarth population doesn't know about the otherworldly because they don't want to know, and that's harder to rectify. People's powers of denial are quite incredible. How much would be written off immediately as special effects? Or hysteria? Or a sensationalistic plea for publicity?

Certainly, some would believe, but then, there are people who believe some of this stuff in our world. How much money is spent on ouijia boards and tarot cards, astrology and books on the paranormal? How many people believe in ghosts? Or believe in ESP? Or are practicing Wicca? No offense to the Wiccans around, but while for many it's a spiritual journey, no different in some ways than Christianity or Buddhism, there are some--many really-- who are seeking some magical power source to tap into and affect reality. I know there are. I've met 'em.

I'm just saying, this is the supposedly real world we live in, and I can't categorically say myself that none of the above does or doesn't exist. As a journalist, I've come across some truly strange and remarkable people, and they're quite persuasive. Grant Morrison, for example, who may have been talking shit to me, or may well be sincere in his exploration of the weird and magical. Or spirit medium Tatiana Elmanovich, whom I'm quite convinced believed every word she said about the spirit world when I interviewed her, but may well be nuts.

The point being, there's plenty of anectodal evidence in reality to put some room for doubt on whether the occult really exists, but really,most people don't believe it for an instant. One imagines the same would be true in Buffy's world.

And then, there's the opposite problem,which is that does Buffyreally want access to magic to be even more wide spreadthan it already is? Seems like a recipe for chaos.