"Help! I Need Somebody!"

First of all, "Restless" is one of my most favorite episodes thus far! Therefore, I want to focus most of this blog on that episode and relate it briefly to the previous episodes. In each member of the gang's dream, the individual was face first with his or her insecurity. In Willow's dream the first slayer choked her, thus cutting off her breath, or her spirit. In Xander's dream, the first slayer removes his heart. And in Giles' dream his head is sliced open, thus suggesting the removal of his brain, or mind. Each element romoved from the individual was what the individuals had contributed to Buffy so that she could defeat Adam. It is interesting that the "insecurity" each member had was also their biggest asset to the group in "Primeval". I'm not sure if this suggests that each person was unsure about his or her contribution in the sense they believed they were not strong enough in their individual areas or if they believed it didn't matter how strong they were because they still will not be able to help when Buffy needs it. It's possible that there is a mixture of both types of insecurities and the episode and series as a whole could definitely support either one.

Buffy also had a dream, but hers was a little different from the others'. Buffy came face to face with what was killing her friends, and, in doing so, she faced her own insecurity. That is, her insecurities about living up to (and even exceeding) her slayer potential. In the end Buffy overcame the spirit of the first slayer, thus saving her friends as well.

One of the reasons I like this episode so much is because it leaves room for so many more questions. The main one I have right now is; because Buffy had to save her friends from the first slayer and they couldn't save themselves, doesn't this cradle the conception of Willow, Xander, and Giles' contributions not being enough? The only answer I can think of is that Buffy is the slayer and thus has inate powers the others will never be able to use. Am I missing something, though, because I feel like there's a bigger picture.