Normal Again

[infectus]

Im kinda new and you guys probably discussed this before but i was just watching normal again, again, and it got me really thinking. That part at the end where buffy is in the mental hospital and the doctor says "She's gone again" it really made me question the whole buffy the vampire slayer thing, is it real or is it just a figment of her imagination?.

[Little Miss]

It's all in her mind lol
Yeah that ep made me think alot but then i gave up trying to decide haha

[Bre]

It's supposed to mess with your mind. There's no real answer (that I know of). If you believe it's all fake, and Buffy's really in a mental institution, then that's the answer, but if you believe it was just the demon's poisoning, and Buffy really is a slaer, than that's the answer. As for me, I still haven't decided.

[Glenn]

Yes but does that mean she was creating everything that happened in Angel as well.

I doubt it, so it was just down to the demon that the Trio sent after her.

Put your minds at ease

[buffymanic]

well I enjoy fantesty worlds anyway so I believe she really was in Sunnydale! much more fun

[Beck]

I like to think it was an alternate reality, so both were real. There are infinite realiities in the Jossverse, so makes sense that Buffy was travelling between them and that was the demon's power, I doubt the demon could create that intricate a nightmare for Buffy. Nope, imo he put a whammy on her that had her going back and forth between two real dimensions. Of course there is no real basis for this theory other than its what I decided made the most sense

[Bre]

nopowerintheverse said:

Yes but does that mean she was creating everything that happened in Angel as well.

Very good point Glenn.

But I think I like Beck's idea the best. It makes sense and it's still a "fantasy" world.

[buffymanic]

good point Beck I've never thought of it that way, but it does make a lot more sense

[infectus]

All very good points, thanks but im still making up my mind lol

[secret]

Same here. I think I'd go with the 'It's an alternate dimension' thing, though. It keeps the Buffyverse nice and simple for me, just the way I like it.

[Deleted]

I think she really is a slayer and it was the demon causing her to believe she was in a mental institution. Glenn's comment about her creating everything in AtS was very astute. I never would have thought of it.

Beck, that's quite an idea. I'd never heard it before, and being the Jossverse it is possible!

[Glenn]

This is a post i put up on BT

I liked Normal Again; I thought it was a nice idea for an episode. Something a little bit different, great ingenuity and maybe something to get us thinking. But what has annoyed me about this episode and the reason why I put it as one of my least favourite episodes ever is because too many people believe that it is in fact real. That everything really is just happening inside Buffy’s head within a mental hospital.


Now this isn’t a bad thing in itself, people are entitled to view things however they please. But for me, to believe that everything we witnessed is a lie completely undermines every good deed we have seen on the show. We love the characters on Buffy because after everything they go through they remain faithful and true to each other and fight side by side to save the world from evil. To then abolish all that by trying to make us think that it’s all just inside her head gets me heated.


Now I know that Buffy is fictional to begin with and that she doesn’t really save the world, but a show like Buffy gets us completely wrapped up in it, we wouldn’t get upset about character deaths if that wasn’t the case.

Okay, other inconsistencies I have with it. She ‘in her head’ sees the nerds summon the demon that will make her think she is a mental hospital. If she had started having her brain flashes before we ever see the demon, with a twisty reveal happening towards the end of the episode it would be much more believable.

Also we see things happening at simultaneous times. Have you ever tried to think about two, three or four things at once? It’s impossible; you lose the thread of everything you were thinking about. Now to have things going on in the Buffyverse at the same time, not to mention things happening in Angel are way beyond what people are capable of.


Another thing is that Buffy must be a darn genius if this is all in her head. She must know Sumerian like Giles, all the languages we hear Angel/us use, be a quantum physicist like Fred, not to mention creating centuries of demon law for hundreds of species.

The doctor tells Buffy in the hospital that “last summer, when you had a momentary awakening” We saw things happening while Buffy was in heaven/the mental hospital. If she really was back in the institution away from the things she created then her delusions should have ceased. They didn’t, they carried on and we saw them. The scoobs hunting Vamps and Angel in a monastery.

That’s all I can think of for now but I’m sure there is more that will come to me eventually

[buffymanic]

very well deducted Glenn. All very viable points.

But we also have to remember that this is Joss Whedons livelihood why would he create this whole universe to turn round to his fans and say " its all a big joke you suckers!"

[Beck]

Any more opinions on Normal Again?

[Kana]

Thought I'd revive this. I agree with Glenn about the institution being the 'fake' reality. The irony is that the world that seems less real is the real one. There is plenty of philosophical goodness but I'll leave that because I'll get flamed . Good ep though.