Normal Again

POSTED BY: Gorramreavers
UPDATED: Monday, May 9, 2005 21:40
VIEWED: 10435
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THIEFJEHAT

Wednesday, March 9, 2005 3:14 PM

It was proposed to me that there may be a link between Normal Again and Once More With Feeling. If you recall, in the "I've Got a Theory" song Willow sings "I've got a theory, some kid is dreaming. And we're all stuck inside his wacky broadway nightmare"

Certainly sounds like the situation expressed in Normal Again.

The only issue with this is that Buffy is female and Willow sings her line expressing a masculine pronoun "his" and refers to the dreamer as a "kid". A better verse would have been "I've got a theory, sombodys dreaming. And we're all stuck inside a wacky broadway nightmare"

EMBERS

Wednesday, March 9, 2005 3:26 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by thiefjehat:
"I've got a theory, some kid is dreaming. And we're all stuck inside his wacky broadway nightmare"

I thought it was a reference to the kid in BtVS S1 episode
where the kid in Little League had been put into a coma by his coach
and everyone was suffering nightmares because of the intensity of his dream state

this is the episode where Buffy became a Vampire

PERIDIDDLE

Wednesday, March 9, 2005 11:13 PM

Not much to add here, except to say that I'm another one of the S6 fans. I thought it was a great season, especially since it followed season 5 (which is one of my least favorites)...and, well, I adore this episode completely. I don't think it took me out of the Buffyverse at all, all in all it just made me think. Then again, I'm a sucker for 'alternate reality' type plots and storylines. I got so invested in Buffy's world that this episode just made me wonder even more how deep it went. And it made me care about Buffy, which I don't normally do...'cause she annoys me. But, um, yeah. ^_^

"Bwaa...it's kind of a warrior...strikes fear into the hearts of..."

THIEFJEHAT

Thursday, March 10, 2005 2:45 PM

I thought it was a reference to the kid in BtVS S1 episode
where the kid in Little League had been put into a coma by his coach

Yes, that could be a valid interpretation too. I didn't consider season 1.

I also thought that Willow's theory could have been inspired by the philosophy courses she was taking at UCSD, and doesn't have a connection to anything in particular.

Do not fear me. Ours is a peaceful race, and we must live in harmony.

ARAMINA

Friday, April 8, 2005 6:41 PM

Well, I liked it. One of my favourite S6 eps. And there aren't that many.

The thing I liked the most was that it kept me guessing and really convinced me that Buffy could infact be an insane person... especially the ending. I found it really sad, just the look in her eyes. Superb acting from SMG and Kristine Sutherland, and it was nice to see the same actor back playing Hank Summers.

When I think of an interesting signature you'll be the first to know.

EMMA

Tuesday, April 19, 2005 2:14 PM

Quote:
I know most people disagree with me, but what can I say? Art is something that you have a personal connection with.....and I liked season six!

Diet Coke, Season 6 is fantastic... the relationships are awesome and the whole damn series is utterly soul destroying to watch and then saved by the squishy ending!

fantastic stuff

gives me lots of hope

I really should get me a signature

MANWITHPEZ

Tuesday, April 19, 2005 2:36 PM

Wasn't this partially addressed in a Season 5 Angel episode where someone asks:
"Who would come back from(or leave, I can't remember) heaven?"

"Well, there was this one Slayer..."

I can't remember the episode, and I can't remember who said this, but my understanding of Normal Again, and this statement was that Buffy was having some kind of strange hallucination regarding where she had been, and what was going on with her now...But, since we know that other Slayers exist in the Buffyverse independent of "Buffy" then I think that the episode represents a hallucination, and not the truth.

Kaylee: "What's so damn important about being proper? It don't mean nothing out here in the black."
Simon: "It means more out here. It's all I have..."

FREDIKAYLLOW

Tuesday, April 26, 2005 11:18 AM

I'm not a fan of Ssn 6, although OMWF and Tabula Rasa were great. But I thought this episode was one of the best of season. Someone earlier said that they didn't understand why she chose 'our' reality. My theory is that the speech Joyce gave made Buffy realize that becoming normal again would mean taking the easy way out, and she didn't want to do that. She decides instead that she has to make things up with Dawn, and that she needs to fix everything in the world that felt more real to her.

Quote:
Perhaps the fact (like others have stated) that it was during the hell of season 6 where every single character was having serious problems, made it harder to take. Might have gone smother if it was between say Pangs and Something Blue (funny ones).

I think that it came at exactly the right time. Buffy and most of the gang are at their absolute worst positions, and Buffy going into her state, and eventually getting better is (IMO) sort of a metaphor that things are going to get better from now on (or are they.....)

*********************************************************************************
No Power In The 'Verse Can Stop Me
XOXOX-FREDIKAYLLOW-XOXOX

KISSTHELIBRARIAN

Tuesday, April 26, 2005 11:41 AM

This is one of my favorite all time episodes, definitely in my top ten. And I love that it is in Joyce's speech that she regains her strength to come back to "our reality." That is just so tragic. Here is most of what she says:

JOYCE: I know you're afraid. I know the world feels like a hard place sometimes, but you've got people who love you. (tearful) Your dad and I, we have all the faith in the world in you. We'll always be with you.

CrazyBuffy calms down as these words start to sink in.

JOYCE: You've got ... a world of strength in your heart. I know you do. You just have to find it again. (whispering) Believe in yourself.

I think what first gets to Buffy is the stuff about the world being a hard place, but she has people who love her. The world was never harder for Buffy than in season six. But those people who are keeping her in that "delusion" love her, and she knows she loves them. There there's the all important "we'll always be with you." I think just as much as Buffy was running away from the harshness of "our reality", she was running to the reality with her mom in it. So reminding Buffy that she was always with her allows her to go back. Then that last bit inspired her. There's more to it I know but it's 6am and that's the jist of it.

I agree that this episode came at the perfect place too. Because following Hell's Bells we were devastated. The one thing that seemed to be going okay this season was destroyed. So we were officially at our lowest point as all the characters were. This enabled the viewer to identify with Buffy and her desire to move into the other reality. Also, it made it more dramatically interesting because the other characters were more hurt by this now than they would have been at any other point. They feel that their lives are so rotten right now, that the idea that they don't even exist, that Buffy would think they aren't worth sticking around for, is made more personal and painful. That's what makes this episode more than just a monster messing with their lives and Buffy's actions more than just another monster-interaction side effect.

If anyone doubts the quality of this episode, I really recommend watching it again. I don't know that this concept is entirely original because there is something fairly familiar about it, but I will tell you that it is a brilliant concept and it's ambiguity is both entertaining and thought-provoking.

"Vampires of the world, BEware." - Buffybot

METAPHORE

Tuesday, April 26, 2005 4:08 PM

Quote:
Yes, that could be a valid interpretation too. I didn't consider season 1.

I also thought that Willow's theory could have been inspired by the philosophy courses she was taking at UCSD, and doesn't have a connection to anything in particular.

In the extras commentary for OMWF they say specificly that the "wacky broadway nightmare" line from willow was in reference to the season one kid in a coma.

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