Buffy the Vampire Slayer: After Life

"After Life" is the third episode of season six of the supernatural action series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the 103rd episode of the series overall. It was directed by David Solomon with a script written by Jane Espenson. It first aired on UPN on Tuesday, October 9th, 2001 at 8:00 pm. In this episode, Buffy Summers must come to terms with having been resurrected from the dead. And Xander drives really slow.

Notes & Trivia

 * Buffy the Vampire Slayer was created and developed by Joss Whedon. Joss first brought his idea to life with the 1992 film version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which he later re-imagined as a television series.


 * "BTVS: After Life" redirects to this page.


 * This episode is rated TV-PG.


 * This is the third episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer to air on UPN.


 * This is the first episode of season six that is a single episode and not an episode of a multi-part episode.


 * There are a total of eight credited cast members in this episode.


 * This is the first appearance of the back yard to the Summers residence.


 * Behind the scenes appearance of Rupert Giles, who is on a plane bound for London during the events of this episode. Actor Anthony Stewart Head is no longer a regular cast member on the series, but does make frequent guest appearances.


 * A total of 147 days have passed since Buffy Summers "died".

Allusions

 * Spike makes reference to the Super Friends in this episode. The Super Friends is a 1970s Saturday morning animated cartoon series by Hanna-Barbera Productions based on characters featured in comic books published by DC Comics.


 * Dawn Summers' line, "Oh there you are, you really are under all that dirt." could be construed as a reference to the 1986 film Aliens, where the character of Ellen Ripley says "Uh...oh, I made a clean spot..." while wiping smudges of dirt off of Newt's face.


 * The Scoobies will eventually learn the truth about where Buffy Summers' soul went after she died in the musical episode, "Once More, With Feeling".

Quotes

 * Buffy Summers: How long was I gone?
 * Spike: Hundred and forty-seven days yesterday. Uh... hundred and forty-eight today. 'Cept today doesn't count, does it? How long was it for you... where you were?
 * Buffy Summers: Longer.

....
 * Buffy Summers: I was happy. Wherever I was... I was happy... at peace. I knew that everyone I cared about was all right. I knew it. Time... didn't mean anything. Nothing had form. But I was still me, you know? And I was warm. And I was loved. And I was finished. Complete. I - I don't understand theology or dimensions, any of it really... but I think I was in heaven. And now I'm not. I was torn out of there. Pulled out, by my friends. Everything here is hard and bright and violent. Everything I feel, everything I touch. This is Hell. Just getting through the next moment, and the one after that. Knowing what I've lost. They can never know. Never.

....
 * Spike: Well, I haven't been to a Hell dimension just of late, but I do know a thing or two about torment.

....
 * Spike: Uh, I do remember what I said. The promise... to protect her. If I'da done that... even if I didn't make it... you wouldn't have had to jump. But I want you to know I did save you. Not when it counted, of course, but, after that. Every night after that. I'd see it all again... I do something different. Faster or more clever, you know? Dozens of times, lots of different ways... Every night I save you.

....
 * Dawn Summers: Xander, drive faster!
 * Xander Harris: I can't.
 * Dawn Summers: I could drive faster, and I can't drive.
 * Anya Jenkins: She's right. You're like a snail, a snail who's driving a car very slowly. Come on, give it the lead foot. We gotta help Buffy with that demon you sent after her.
 * Xander Harris: I did not send the demon. I was possessed. The demon used me to eavesdrop on our conversation.
 * Anya Jenkins: Great, so now what? We have to talk in some sort of anti-demon secret code?
 * Xander Harris: Ood-gay idea-yay An-yay.