Good, interesting episode. Some things I want to mention... there's probably more, but I'm not stopping to think so this is all off the top of my head.

1. Giles. For those who didn't spot it, I hate to be the bringer of bad news, but that was not Giles. He never touched anything (other than to sit, which the First can do), he never hugged Buffy or anyone else, he didn't carry the books himself, he didn't help Buffy out of the hole. He wasn't acting like Giles. I hope Giles isn't really dead, but it is either that, or he died some time before and I didn't remember it. I don't think he was the First though. Which brings me to...

2. The First Good. If there is a first evil, there must be a first good. Possibly what Giles was. It's what made it snow in "Amends". And possibly why they've made it a point
to show a Christmas-time episode this year.
In "Conversations With Dead People", Buffy said that the jury was still out on God. If He exists and all. Perhaps we're about to find out? (or at least the Buffy-verse version
of God)

3. Willow. Can't use magic against the First. Woohoo! I hope this sticks. Everyone says she's needed for the big fight, so they naturally assume it's her magic. But I really
want it to be for her mind. Save the world without magic and show everyone what her real power is.
Plus, I have to say I like the Willow-isms they've given her this year. She's acting more like her old self and I like it.

4. Slutty the potential vampire slayer. Hitting on Willow. Willow looked a little freaked out. Now, there could be a lot of reasons. Not ready to move on from Tara. Not sure of
her sexuality. Or (I should hope) she's just freaked out that a girl Dawn's age or younger just hit on her. That's how old Slayers are when they're called right? Very few live
to see 18.

5. Xander lost weight.

6. Anya rules.

7. Aside from the bleeding and bruises and stuff, Buffy looked really good in the last scene. Don't know why.

8. Dru. I wish we could see the real one again. But this was better than nothing. You can tell when it's the First pretending though. With Spike and Dru both.

9. Joyce. On my trip, I decided that the Joyce that Dawn saw was real. Only because the First can't destroy a house on it's own (I may be slow, but I catch on eventually).
So either Joyce or something else. So was it the same one Buffy saw? I think so.

10. Uber-vamp is tough. But imagine if Willow used the sunlight spell she and Tara were working on in season 5. She can't use magic against the First, but this isn't the
First, right? Or... maybe a sunlamp. Cordy would have thought of that one in her day. Sigh.