"Blood Ties" provides three very important ingredients to the season's main story arc. First, it's the episode where the Scoobies and Dawn finally realize that she is the key. Secondly, Glory's identity as a god and her past, ruling over a hell dimension, are explained. And lastly, it shows us how Ben and Glory are connected. They are actually two beings sharing a single body. Sometimes Glory is in control and sometimes Ben is, but they can't exist without each other. Also, no one who sees them switch can remember it. "Blood Ties" is also Buffy's annual birthday episode and it's worth a look just for Spike showing up at her house with that battered box of candy from "Triangle." All and all, you shouldn't skip this one if you're watching the season on DVD.
"Blood Ties" begins with the news that Glory is a hell god and Buffy finally telling the Scoobies that Dawn is the key. They are shocked and begin treating Dawn a little differently as they adjust to the idea that she's a thousand year old ball of energy. Dawn quickly decides that something is up and starts investigating. After an argument with the Scoobies at Buffy's birthday party, Dawn climbs out her bedroom window. She wants to search the Magic Box for Giles diaries. Along the way she meets up with Spike, who is lurking outside Buffy's house trying to work up the courage to knock on the door and crash the party. When Dawn explains that she's headed to the Magic Box, Spike agrees to tag along as her bodyguard/babysitter/partner in crime. The two of them find Giles notes about Glory and and are stunned to discover that Dawn is the key.
Overwhelmed, Dawn goes home and starts cutting her arm to see if it bleeds. She begins questioning her humanity. She refuses to allow Joyce and Buffy to comfort her. She burns all of her diaries and runs away again. She heads for the hospital to ask the lunatics there if they can tell her who she is. While there, she sees one of the knights of Byzanthium who's been brained sucked by Glory. He tries to kill her. Even more terrified than before, Dawn runs out into the hall and meets up with Ben. When she reveals that she is the key, though, Ben panics. Suddenly, his whole body morphs into Glory. The two of them are sharing a body and, though she can't hear or remember what happened when Ben was the "dominant" personality, Glory is pretty curious as to why he was chatting with the Slayer's little sister. About that time the Scoobies arrive at the hospital. They save Dawn from Glory, but she easily deflects all of their attacks. It's not until Willow teleports her out of the room with magic that they can all relax again. Buffy tells Dawn that they will always be sisters and that they share the same blood and that she loves her. And Dawn finally begins to accept her heritage.
There's a lot to like about this episode. I love the scene where Buffy confronts Spike and blames him for Dawn being so upset. He's painting his nails his customary shade of black when she arrives and his "Hey, these are wet!" when she starts attacking him always makes me laugh. Then he turns the whole conversation around so it's HIM blaming BUFFY for Dawn's trauma. Buffy quickly backs down, seeing that Spike's right. Causing Spike to feel bad, because he made Buffy feel bad... It's all really well done. I also like Anya's "just act normal" conversation with Dawn. "You make a very pretty little girl." Xander's smugness over Dawns crush on him is also hilarious. All the supernatural ladies seem to love the "Xan Man". And it's great that Willow is the one to stop Glory in the end. The teleportation spell, which transports Glory way up into the sky above Sunnydale, and Glory's frustrated "Oh, Shi...." as she falls back towards earth are just about the highlights of the episode.
On the down side, Dawn runs away twice in this episode. Sometimes it seems BTVS should be sub-titled "The Search for Dawn." She's always wandering off and the Scoobies always have to drop everything so they can save her. It can get annoying. And speaking of annoying, what was with Dawn's attitude at Buffy's party? The girl has a persecution complex and she's incredibly self-involved. I get the feeling that they put her with Spike in this episode because he's a popular character and they want us to like Dawn more. Sadly, it kinna works, because their "Wanna steal stuff?" scene out in the Summers' yard is the only time in the whole episode that I can stand her. Also, I think it's very wrong of Buffy to tell Giles that the problems with Dawn are a family matter and he should just go. Giles IS family. The whole episode is about family ties going deeper than what group you're born into and it seems insulting to say that Giles doesn't have a part in Buffy's family. Of course, Giles makes some mistakes in this episode, too. How could he leave the truth about Dawn just lying around like that? I know that Watcher's have to keep diaries and all, but... Geez! Glory is searching all over for the key, she thinks that Buffy has it and she knows that Buffy spends most of her time of the Magic Box. Is it really a good idea to have that kind of information right there in the shop?
My favorite part of the episode: Anya coveting Buffy's gifts. "Oh, I wish it was mine."
"Blood Ties" begins with the news that Glory is a hell god and Buffy finally telling the Scoobies that Dawn is the key. They are shocked and begin treating Dawn a little differently as they adjust to the idea that she's a thousand year old ball of energy. Dawn quickly decides that something is up and starts investigating. After an argument with the Scoobies at Buffy's birthday party, Dawn climbs out her bedroom window. She wants to search the Magic Box for Giles diaries. Along the way she meets up with Spike, who is lurking outside Buffy's house trying to work up the courage to knock on the door and crash the party. When Dawn explains that she's headed to the Magic Box, Spike agrees to tag along as her bodyguard/babysitter/partner in crime. The two of them find Giles notes about Glory and and are stunned to discover that Dawn is the key.
Overwhelmed, Dawn goes home and starts cutting her arm to see if it bleeds. She begins questioning her humanity. She refuses to allow Joyce and Buffy to comfort her. She burns all of her diaries and runs away again. She heads for the hospital to ask the lunatics there if they can tell her who she is. While there, she sees one of the knights of Byzanthium who's been brained sucked by Glory. He tries to kill her. Even more terrified than before, Dawn runs out into the hall and meets up with Ben. When she reveals that she is the key, though, Ben panics. Suddenly, his whole body morphs into Glory. The two of them are sharing a body and, though she can't hear or remember what happened when Ben was the "dominant" personality, Glory is pretty curious as to why he was chatting with the Slayer's little sister. About that time the Scoobies arrive at the hospital. They save Dawn from Glory, but she easily deflects all of their attacks. It's not until Willow teleports her out of the room with magic that they can all relax again. Buffy tells Dawn that they will always be sisters and that they share the same blood and that she loves her. And Dawn finally begins to accept her heritage.
There's a lot to like about this episode. I love the scene where Buffy confronts Spike and blames him for Dawn being so upset. He's painting his nails his customary shade of black when she arrives and his "Hey, these are wet!" when she starts attacking him always makes me laugh. Then he turns the whole conversation around so it's HIM blaming BUFFY for Dawn's trauma. Buffy quickly backs down, seeing that Spike's right. Causing Spike to feel bad, because he made Buffy feel bad... It's all really well done. I also like Anya's "just act normal" conversation with Dawn. "You make a very pretty little girl." Xander's smugness over Dawns crush on him is also hilarious. All the supernatural ladies seem to love the "Xan Man". And it's great that Willow is the one to stop Glory in the end. The teleportation spell, which transports Glory way up into the sky above Sunnydale, and Glory's frustrated "Oh, Shi...." as she falls back towards earth are just about the highlights of the episode.
On the down side, Dawn runs away twice in this episode. Sometimes it seems BTVS should be sub-titled "The Search for Dawn." She's always wandering off and the Scoobies always have to drop everything so they can save her. It can get annoying. And speaking of annoying, what was with Dawn's attitude at Buffy's party? The girl has a persecution complex and she's incredibly self-involved. I get the feeling that they put her with Spike in this episode because he's a popular character and they want us to like Dawn more. Sadly, it kinna works, because their "Wanna steal stuff?" scene out in the Summers' yard is the only time in the whole episode that I can stand her. Also, I think it's very wrong of Buffy to tell Giles that the problems with Dawn are a family matter and he should just go. Giles IS family. The whole episode is about family ties going deeper than what group you're born into and it seems insulting to say that Giles doesn't have a part in Buffy's family. Of course, Giles makes some mistakes in this episode, too. How could he leave the truth about Dawn just lying around like that? I know that Watcher's have to keep diaries and all, but... Geez! Glory is searching all over for the key, she thinks that Buffy has it and she knows that Buffy spends most of her time of the Magic Box. Is it really a good idea to have that kind of information right there in the shop?
My favorite part of the episode: Anya coveting Buffy's gifts. "Oh, I wish it was mine."
