I have just watched this episode and was fully expecting this to be the occasion when The First would reveal himself to the Scoobies and the Potentials in the form of Buffy (just as he did with Spike). Buffy herself would later be revealed to have been 'powdering her nose' or out on some errand while the events in question were taking place.
When you think about it, the best way for The First to sow dissension within the camp would be to appear in the form of Buffy, issue some confusing orders that would stir enmity and rancour, etc.
Furthermore, if you study the scene in the house, there's no physical contact between Buffy and the rest - suggesting that she may not be corporeal. Also, Spike is out of the picture, away with Andrew. Otherwise he might have sussed it out because of his encounters with Buffy/The First.
However at the end, when Buffy leaves the house, she grabs her coat and opens the door by herself. This of course means that it is Buffy or at least she is corporeal.
So the question is, did the script writers miss a trick here? An opportunity to introduce a subtle, clever, yet entirely plausible twist?
I have yet to see the remaining episodes so maybe it will all make sense in the end.
When you think about it, the best way for The First to sow dissension within the camp would be to appear in the form of Buffy, issue some confusing orders that would stir enmity and rancour, etc.
Furthermore, if you study the scene in the house, there's no physical contact between Buffy and the rest - suggesting that she may not be corporeal. Also, Spike is out of the picture, away with Andrew. Otherwise he might have sussed it out because of his encounters with Buffy/The First.
However at the end, when Buffy leaves the house, she grabs her coat and opens the door by herself. This of course means that it is Buffy or at least she is corporeal.
So the question is, did the script writers miss a trick here? An opportunity to introduce a subtle, clever, yet entirely plausible twist?
I have yet to see the remaining episodes so maybe it will all make sense in the end.