Willow's Spell in "Who Are You?"

[Weredog]

I was watching this episode just recently and an unanswered question that I always had since the very time I saw this episode when it first aired was brought back to my attention: what the hell was that spell?

Okay, so Tara explains that spell will send Willow to "the nether-realm... if you find her there, you should be able to see." I'm wondering what happened to Faith (in Buffy's body) when she was sleeping with Riley.

Was that still her in Buffy's body? If not, was it Buffy or Willow? If it was her, then what did Willow see that made her realise they had switched bodies (let alone know what spell was used)?

And whoever it was, why did the woman in question freak out with Riley?

Finally, how was Buffy (in Faith's body) affected by this spell, if she was at all?

Eight years later, I'm hoping for some answers. Thanks!

[KingofCretins]

That was all Faith, absolutely Faith, and in no way meant to be interpreted as not being Faith in bed with Riley. She freaked out because she, Faith, was exposed to an impossibility -- a man with genuine regard, intimacy, and love. Faith knew, after all, that all men were users, just waystops to bounce off the lap of and move on, because they'll always hurt you, everyone will always hurt you, you only have yourself.

Riley unmade her worldview when he looked into what he thought were Buffy's eyes and told Faith he loved her. He was the Genuine Article. That's why she burst up asking "what do you want from her?" -- because he had to have an angle, had to. She couldn't cope with the fact that love existed, trust existed, and that if those things were possible for Buffy they might be possible for her.

The spell was a whole different device. Well, a couple different devices. Firstly, as the plot driving device, Willow was able to see what Tara saw -- Buffy's aura was all jumbled up and out of place, not how it should be, and from that was able to see the switch and so on. That spell was not exerting any force on Buffy or Faith, which may be what the editing led you to misunderstand. The other device is that that spell is a stand-in for Willow and Tara having sex. *That's* why it's parallel in the story with Riley and Faith having sex.

[Cinderela]

That was all Faith, absolutely Faith, and in no way meant to be interpreted as not being Faith in bed with Riley. She freaked out because she, Faith, was exposed to an impossibility -- a man with genuine regard, intimacy, and love. Faith knew, after all, that all men were users, just waystops to bounce off the lap of and move on, because they'll always hurt you, everyone will always hurt you, you only have yourself.

Riley unmade her worldview when he looked into what he thought were Buffy's eyes and told Faith he loved her. He was the Genuine Article. That's why she burst up asking "what do you want from her?" -- because he had to have an angle, had to. She couldn't cope with the fact that love existed, trust existed, and that if those things were possible for Buffy they might be possible for her.

Exactly. Intimacy was a concept Faith had never known until this time. And because intimacy = vulnerability, Faith totally freaked out when Riley said "I love you."

The spell was a whole different device. Well, a couple different devices. Firstly, as the plot driving device, Willow was able to see what Tara saw -- Buffy's aura was all jumbled up and out of place, not how it should be, and from that was able to see the switch and so on. That spell was not exerting any force on Buffy or Faith, which may be what the editing led you to misunderstand. The other device is that that spell is a stand-in for Willow and Tara having sex. *That's* why it's parallel in the story with Riley and Faith having sex.

Yep. Performing the spell means that Willow had to have Tara act as an achor to hold her in this plane. Vulnerability = intimacy.

Also, Buffy lets Faith know that she knows about the Riley hook up in AtS S1 Sanctuary. "My life was just something for you to play with. Angel, Riley, anything that you could take from me, you took. "

Not that Buffy doesn't have her *own* issues regarding intimacy, but that's for a different thread!

[Hekate]

That spell is ridiculous! The way it was first described to me was "In order to save Buffy, Willow must lie down and breathe heavily while Tara does an unseen act in the vicinity." It's one of Joss' dirtiest scenes, and everyone involved is fully clothed.

[buffyholic]

The spell does not bother me at all. And I agree with previous comments that Faith was freaking out because Riley was showing real affection for "Buffy". Faith has only made sex, not love. She never showed affection and no one has showed her affection, so that moment freaks her out, to see how Buffy has a genuine love there.

[Cinderela]

That spell is ridiculous! The way it was first described to me was "In order to save Buffy, Willow must lie down and breathe heavily while Tara does an unseen act in the vicinity." It's one of Joss' dirtiest scenes, and everyone involved is fully clothed.

Joss does seem to have an awesome way of doing that! Quite a gift, IMHO! Unique plot move to expose the body switch - and expose the power Willow & Tara have *together*! As well as Willow decaring herself to Tara. *Trust* has always been a pivotal item in the Jossverse, so handling the body switch in this way killed several birds with just one stone!

IMHO, it's a *much* better way to advance the plot than several other ways we could all name!

[Weredog]

Oooh! I get it now! See, I thought that the flash of light that was deliberately framed after Willow's, er, achievement was to transition into what Willow would see in the Nether Realm (which I thought would've been Riley and Faith having sex). But now I understand that it was a mere transition shot from one scene to an unrelated scene. So technically we never see what Willow saw that made her realize Buffy and Faith's conditions, right? Ahhh, okay.

Thanks a lot everyone

[KingofCretins]

Well, not *entirely* unrelated... Willow/Tara and Faith/Riley both, er, "transitioned" simultaneously the way that it was shot. It was the same sort of "transition" that we got out of the "Under Your Spell" scene of the musical, if you ken it

No, though, we never actually got a POV for whatever Willow was seeing. It was, to that purpose, the standard Willow did a spell/it's on the computer device.

[Wolfie Gilmore]

That spell is ridiculous! The way it was first described to me was "In order to save Buffy, Willow must lie down and breathe heavily while Tara does an unseen act in the vicinity." It's one of Joss' dirtiest scenes, and everyone involved is fully clothed.

It's between that and the OMWF cunning linguistics when Tara is out of shot. Hey, Willow's not much of a giver, is she?

But yes, all Faith all the time.

[litzie]

It's between that and the OMWF cunning linguistics when Tara is out of shot. Hey, Willow's not much of a giver, is she?

But yes, all Faith all the time.

Wait, it's Wilow who's out of shot in OMWF, isn't it? I could have sworn...and Tara is floating and singing...and Willow is making her com.....plete...

[Wolfie Gilmore]

Wait, it's Wilow who's out of shot in OMWF, isn't it? I could have sworn...and Tara is floating and singing...and Willow is making her com.....plete...

Oh yes! So she is! I take it back. Sorry Willow!

[Hekate]

Don't be sorry, remember the scene with Kennedy??

[ThePoet's<3]

Well, not *entirely* unrelated... Willow/Tara and Faith/Riley both, er, "transitioned" simultaneously the way that it was shot. It was the same sort of "transition" that we got out of the "Under Your Spell" scene of the musical, if you ken it

No, though, we never actually got a POV for whatever Willow was seeing. It was, to that purpose, the standard Willow did a spell/it's on the computer device.

From the "Big O" to the "Big T"...

It's a very erotic scene...

The Faith/Riley is one of my favorite Faith scenes. And from that point it is amazing to see the transformation in her personality. You can tell she has been very affected by what it feels to be loved and cherished rather than used and abused.

[Cinderela]

The Faith/Riley is one of my favorite Faith scenes. And from that point it is amazing to see the transformation in her personality. You can tell she has been very affected by what it feels to be loved and cherished rather than used and abused.

I've always felt the same way! Eliza is very convincing in her portrayal of Faith during this! Buffy was a far better vehicle to show her acting abilities than True Calling ever was!

OOPS...sorry got a little off topic there.

[Weredog]

Okay, here's another question: if Faith freaked out so much by Riley's affection, why didn't she do so when the Mayor gave her some as well?

[Wolfie Gilmore]

Okay, here's another question: if Faith freaked out so much by Riley's affection, why didn't she do so when the Mayor gave her some as well?

Very good question, actually. Perhaps she's ok with non sexual affection? Perhaps she can believe in a Daddy figure once she's worked out he doesn't want sex? Hmm... still though, interesting point.

[Weredog]

Well, the affection that Riley gave her wasn't sexual either, was it? It was an "I love you." And I would think Faith would be more freaked out my the Mayor, since her father is a ghost (re: "No Future for You") and consequently she would be terrified to have yet another father figure abandon her.

[Cinderela]

Okay, here's another question: if Faith freaked out so much by Riley's affection, why didn't she do so when the Mayor gave her some as well?

IMHO, it wasn't the *physical* part - it was the intimacy of the connection with Riley. Intimacy = vulnerability

When Faith jumped into Buffy's body, it was during one of the most intense periods of the relationship between Buffy & Riley. Her relationship with the Mayor developed more naturally. Also, there wasn't ever any real intimacy with the Mayor. This problem is still showing itself through out S7 and Faith's fledgling relationship with Robin. That Robin wants more than Faith's body is terrifying to her! She repeatedly tries to keep their relationship purely on a physical level.

Very good question, actually. Perhaps she's ok with non sexual affection? Perhaps she can believe in a Daddy figure once she's worked out he doesn't want sex? Hmm... still though, interesting point.

We could have had more insight into Faith's character if they had shown more of Faith's relationships. She seems to have a need to keep the emotional and physical components of a relationship totally separate - where she has an emotional connection, there's no physical one and vice versa. I'm not totally convinced that the Mayor was actually a Daddy figure or just the first adult that had *confidence* in Faith. She repeatedly resists any *emotional* connections - some of the only times we see Faith truly vulnerable are with *Angel*.

[KingofCretins]

I would argue that Faith did freak a bit at Wilkins' affection. He clearly was filling a void -- no, a craving -- in her life and it made her beyond easy to lead around by the nose. Remember, she went in just weeks from being freaked over being asked to kill Willow in "Dopplegangland" to gleefully ready to butterfly her for Wilkins' amusement if he'd asked in "Choices".

[Cinderela]

I would argue that Faith did freak a bit at Wilkins' affection. He clearly was filling a void -- no, a craving -- in her life and it made her beyond easy to lead around by the nose. Remember, she went in just weeks from being freaked over being asked to kill Willow in "Dopplegangland" to gleefully ready to butterfly her for Wilkins' amusement if he'd asked in "Choices".

Great point! Faith *does* seem to crave approval! And is absurdly easy to manipulate when *approval* is the bait - reference Lilah & W & H in 5 x 5 and Sanctuary.