Grr! Arg!

It's over. It doesn't feel like it's over. It can't be over. It's over. How can it be over? What on earth will I do at 8:00 PM on Tuesday come this fall? Will DVDs suffice? Will they make up for the lack of new, even with Whedon commentary? "What's next?"

I'm going to miss Buffy. I'm going to miss Xander and Willow, the original Scoobies. I'm going to miss ex-Watcher and father figure Giles cleaning his glasses. I'm going to miss Buffy's quips and mistakes and final kicking of evil butt. I'm going to miss Dawn, who, indeed, has turned into a "junior Watcher," as she quipped during the last show. I still miss Dawn and Buffy's mother, who was one of the best-realized parents on television, a person in her own right, a single woman trying her best to be a good mom. I'm going to miss dorktastic Andrew and I'll miss sarcastic fatalistic Anya, who will never have a guest shot on Angel but earned her Scooby stripes in the end. And Spike. I've no idea how Whedon will bring him to Angel next year, but I'll be very glad when he does. Can't deprive me of all Buffyness at once, or I might suffer withdrawl symptoms.

I'm going to miss the snappy and true dialogue and the Hellmouth (Cleveland?). But mostly I'm going to miss Buffy growing up with Xander and Willow, all three of whom have changed so much during the series. They've grown up. They've destroyed Sunnydale. They created a global revolution, an entire world of Slayers. ("That was nifty.") I'll miss them, but I'm happy with the way they went out. If you love someone, set them free. I guess I can, now, after that last burst of Whedon-run fun. They can go do whatever makes them happy. They've earned it.

Goodbye, Xander Harris, Willow Rosenberg, and Buffy Summers. Have a great life.