History Recap / BuffyTheVampireSlayerS6E7OnceMoreWithFeeling

* PottyEmergency: In the opening scene, Dawn [[PottyDance waits desperately]] outside the toilet until Willow comes out, showing one of the downsides of four women living in a house with apparently only one bathroom.

* PottyEmergency: In the opening scene, Dawn waits impatiently outside the toilet until Willow has finished, showing one of the downsides of four women living in a house with apparently only one bathroom.

---->''What a lot of fun / You guys have been real swell / And there's not a one / Who can say this ended well.''\\

->'''Dawn:''' ''"Oh my god! You will never believe what happened at school today."''\\
'''Buffy (without looking up):''' ''"Everybody started singing and dancing?"''\\
'''Dawn (miffed that everyone already knows):''' ''"...I ...gave birth to a pterodactyl."''\\
'''Anya:''' ''"Oh my god! Did it sing?"''

%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

* PyrrhicVictory: Sweet leaves of his own accord, so the killings stop. He also leaves the Scoobies a divided mess, leading to the breakups of all the couples in the group and to Giles' departure. Spike may have even saved the day with a [[TheBigDamnKiss Big Damn Kiss]] reward, but he and Buffy are still no more compatible than they were before.

** Spike's "Rest in Peace" is a subversion. What he wants is Buffy, but he goes through the entire song trying (badly) to convince us he has no interest in her.
*** Also spoofed with Dawn, a character who seems tailor-made for this type of song since she's always really needy anyway. She gets through the first two lines of her song before it's interrupted by {{mooks}} who promptly kidnap her.

* InternalReveal: Under Sweet's influence, Buffy confesses to the other Scoobies what the audience ([[MyFriendsAndZoidberg and Spike]]) has known since "After Life": that they didn't save her from Hell, but [[UnwantedRevival pulled her out of Heaven]].

* DanceOfDespair: When she's asked by Sweet what she thinks about life, Buffy sings a pessimistic song about its meaning ("Something to Sing About"). Willow reacts with horror at finding out what Buffy's done. Buffy stops singing and starts to dance so frenetically that she begins to smoke and nearly ignites and burns.

The episode ends with Spike and Buffy kissing as the curtains fall, as predicted in the song's final verse.

* DarkReprise: "Under Your Spell". Parts of "Going Through the Motions" and "I've Got a Theory" can also be heard on "Walk Through The Fire".

* AwardBaitSong: {{Parodied}} when Anya complains that her song with Xander will "never be a BreakawayPopHit". That would be reserved for Tara's "Under Your Spell".

Applauding, Sweet prepares to leave with Dawn but it's revealed that it was Xander who summoned him - not aware of the consequences of his actions. This leads to Sweet telling Xander that he'll waive the clause of taking him to be his queen and he goes back to Hell ('How You Feel - Reprise'). As Sweet leaves, he points out that as they've revealed their hidden feelings, none of them can claim it ended well. The fractured group sing of the hollow victory they've achieved and what to do next ('Where Do We Go From Here').

The episode ends with Spike and Buffy kissing, as the curtains fall as predicted in the song's final verse.

Applauding, Sweet prepares to leave with Dawn but it's revealed that it was Xander who summoned him - not aware of the consequences of his actions. This leads to Sweet telling Xander that he'll waive the clause of taking him to be his queen and he goes back to Hell ('How You Feel [Reprise]'). As Sweet leaves, he points out that as they've revealed their hidden feelings, none of them can claim it ended well. The fractured group sing of the hollow victory they've achieved and what to do next ('Where Do We Go From Here').

The next morning, the gang compare notes and find out they all felt compelled to perform musical numbers last night. They suddenly burst into song, first wondering what could be the cause ('I've Got A Theory/Bunnies') and then, guided by Buffy, affirm their ability to deal with it together ('If We're Together'). They then learn that it's not just happening to them but the whole of Sunnydale are singing and dancing about their inner feelings ('The Mustard').

Tara looks up information on the bramble she found in her bed that morning which confirms it's used in spells to alter memory. Devastated that Willow would do such a thing to her, Tara decides she needs to end their relationship. Giles and Tara's songs merge into a duet about them leaving. They sing about how much it hurts to leave but know that they can't stay ('Under Your Spell/Standing').

However before either of them get the chance to bring the subject up with Buffy and Willow, Spike arrives having grabbed one of Sweet's minions, who reveals that Dawn has been kidnapped. Xander, Anya, Willow and Tara are eager to help Dawn but Giles insists Buffy must go alone. Spike dismisses Giles' stubborness and wants to back Buffy up. Buffy questions why he'd do that if he asked her to leave him alone in his earlier song. Spike skulks away, humiliated, and tells Buffy that he hopes she and Dawn burn. Buffy leaves alone, once again singing about her inability to feel anything. Both a conflicted Spike and the Scoobies sing about their desire to fight alongside her ('Walk Through The Fire'). Arriving at the Bronze, Buffy sings and dances cynically about her current condition and the hardships of being a Slayer.

* AllThereInTheScript: Mr Sweet's name is never mentionned in the episode. When Buffy asks for his name, he pulls an IHaveManyNames but doesn't divulge a single one of them.

* CowerPower: ''When things get tough, he / Just hides behind his Buffy''.

-->'''Buffy:''' Where there's life there's hope / Every day's a gift / Wishes can come true / Whistle while you work

* TheDayTheMusicLied: Spike hauls in one of Sweet's puppet minions and orders him to "[[{{Pun}} sing]]". There's a grand orchestral swell and the Scoobies wait for the minion to burst into song... then he just speaks in a monotone.

* DeathSeeker: Buffy nearly dies because of her indifference to life. In a DramaticIrony she's saved by Spike, who'd said in [[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS5E7FoolForLove "Fool for Love"]] that on the day her death wish outweighed her will to live he'd be the one to kill her.

** The song with Xander and Anya have a few: "You're the cutest of the Scoobies with your lips as red as rubies and your firm yet supple... tight embrace".

* PowerWalk: "Walk Through the Fire"

When she wakes up at the Bronze, Dawn engages in interpretive dance with Sweet as a means of escape. Sweet tap dances as he sings and explains that he thinks Dawn is the one who summoned him and he wants to take her home and make her his queen. He explains that if the melodies go on too long, people will explode from the release of emotions ('What You Feel'). Dawn tells him that her sister is the Slayer which seems to please and not scare him. He tells his minions to bring Buffy to him so he can watch her burn.

Meanwhile, Buffy trains with Giles at the Magic Box in case she has to fight whatever is causing the singing. Giles asks if Buffy had spoken to Dawn about her misbehaviour on Halloween but Buffy replies that she thought he had sorted it. Giles realises that Buffy is dependent on him being around and sings (only heard to himself) that he cannot let Buffy become emotionally dependent on him and that he will leave for England for good ('Standing').

However before either of them get the chance to bring the subject up, Spike arrives with one of Sweet's minions who reveals that Dawn has been kidnapped. Xander, Anya, Willow and Tara are eager to help Dawn but Giles insists Buffy must go alone. Spike dismisses Giles' stubborness and goes to back Buffy up. Buffy questions why he'd do that if he asked her to leave him alone. Spike skulks away, humiliated and tells Buffy that he hopes she burns with Dawn. Buffy leaves alone, once again singing about her inability to feel anything. Both a conflicted Spike and the Scoobies sing about their desire to fight alongside her ('Walk Through The Fire'). Arriving at the Bronze, Buffy sings and dances cynically about her current condition and the hardships of being a Slayer.

Buffy finally reveals to Sweet that, by resurrecting her, Buffy's friends had ripped her out of Heaven rather than rescue her from a hell dimension like they thought. The Scoobies react in horror, especially Willow and once Buffy has vocalised her anger and despair, she dances to the point of smoking in a somewhat suicidal bid. Spike arrives and comforts her, telling her to continue living ('Something To Sing About').

Applauding, Sweet prepares to leave with Dawn but it's revealed that it was Xander who had summoned him-- not aware of his actions. This leads to Sweet telling Xander that he'll waive the clause for him to be his queen and goes back to Hell ('How You Feel [Reprise]'). As Sweet leaves, he points out that they've revealed their hidden feelings, none of them can claim it ended well. The fractured group sing of the victory they've achieved and what to do next ('Where Do We Go From Here').

When Dawn gets home from school, Tara tells her that it looks like a demon is responsible for the forced singing in Sunnydale. Dawn mentions to Tara about her recent argument with Willow but Tara doesn't remember anything about it. She suddenly begins to worry that Willow may have cast a spell on her and rushes off to find out if her hunch is true. Meanwhile, Dawn is left alone and goes through her stash of stolen things. She wears a necklace stolen from the Magic Box but is kidnapped by minions of the demon, Sweet who interrupt her song ('Dawn's Lament').

The next morning, the gang compare notes and find out they all felt compelled to perform musical numbers last night. They suddenly burst into song, first wondering what could be the cause ('I've Got A Theory/Bunnies') and then, guided by Buffy, their ability to deal with it together ('If We're Together'). They then learn that it's not just happening to them but the whole of Sunnydale are singing and dancing about their inner feelings ('The Mustard').

The next morning, the gang find out the same thing has happened to them all. They suddenly burst into song, first wondering what could be the cause ('I've Got A Theory/Bunnies') and then, guided by Buffy, their ability to deal with it together ('If We're Together'). They then learn that it's not just happening to them but the whole of Sunnydale are singing and dancing about their inner feelings ('The Mustard').