anom asked the same question (http://www.voy.com/14567/104604.html) over at ATPO; pardon me if I crosspost my response (http://www.voy.com/14567/104824.html).
I'm easily convinced that the "scythe" was integral to Willow's spell; I'm also steadfast in my belief that it was extraneous to the story. Had Joss written "Chosen" so that Willow was able to empower all the potentials through just her own magical strength, or using the power already in Buffy or Faith, or with some sort of just-discovered mystical doily, I would have been just as satisfied. As it was, were there a bit of exposition or a line of dialogue which conveyed that the "scythe" was necessary to the spell, it did not penetrate my skull. Never did I say, "They're going to empower all the slayers? They'll need the 'scythe' for that!" That is what I mean by it not contributing.
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Date: 2003-05-22 02:43 pm (UTC)