diff --git a/src/git.js b/src/git.js
index 21072ccd..68a4d1f9 100644
--- a/src/git.js
+++ b/src/git.js
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@ function GitEngine(options) {
   this.refs = {};
   this.HEAD = null;
   this.id_gen = 0;
-  this.branches = options.branches;
-  this.collection = options.collection;
+  this.branchCollection = options.branches;
+  this.commitCollection = options.collection;
 
   // global variable to keep track of the options given
   // along with the command call.
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ function GitEngine(options) {
 GitEngine.prototype.init = function() {
   // make an initial commit and a master branch
   this.rootCommit = new Commit({rootCommit: true});
-  this.collection.add(this.rootCommit);
+  this.commitCollection.add(this.rootCommit);
 
   this.refs[this.rootCommit.get('id')] = this.rootCommit;
 
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ GitEngine.prototype.makeBranch = function(id, target) {
     target: target,
     id: id
   });
-  this.branches.add(branch);
+  this.branchCollection.add(branch);
   this.refs[branch.get('id')] = branch;
   return branch;
 };
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ GitEngine.prototype.getHead = function() {
 
 GitEngine.prototype.getBranches = function() {
   var toReturn = [];
-  this.branches.each(function(branch) {
+  this.branchCollection.each(function(branch) {
     toReturn.push({
       id: branch.get('id'),
       selected: this.HEAD.get('target') === branch,
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ GitEngine.prototype.makeCommit = function(parents, id) {
     id: id
   });
   this.refs[commit.get('id')] = commit;
-  this.collection.add(commit);
+  this.commitCollection.add(commit);
   return commit;
 };
 
@@ -380,7 +380,7 @@ GitEngine.prototype.getUpstreamBranchSet = function() {
     return set;
   };
 
-  this.branches.each(function(branch) {
+  this.branchCollection.each(function(branch) {
     var set = bfsSearch(branch.get('target'));
     _.each(set, function(id) {
       commitToSet[id] = commitToSet[id] || [];
@@ -779,16 +779,16 @@ GitEngine.prototype.checkout = function(idOrTarget) {
 GitEngine.prototype.branchStarter = function() {
   // handle deletion first
   if (this.commandOptions['-d'] || this.commandOptions['-D']) {
-    var names = this.commandOptions['-d'];
-    names = names.concat(this.commandOptions['-D']);
+    var names = this.commandOptions['-d'] || this.commandOptions['-D'];
+
     if (!names.length) {
       throw new GitError({
         msg: 'I expect branch names when deleting'
       });
     }
-    _.each(names, _.bind(function(name) {
+    _.each(names, function(name) {
       this.deleteBranch(name);
-    }, this));
+    }, this);
     return;
   }
 
@@ -837,20 +837,16 @@ GitEngine.prototype.deleteBranch = function(name) {
     });
   }
 
-  var id = target.get('id');
-  target.delete();
-  delete this.refs[id];
-  // delete from array
-  // TODO
-  var toDelete = -1;
-  _.each(this.branches, function(branch, index) {
-    console.log(branch);
-    console.log(id);
-    if (branch.get('id') == id) {
-      toDelete = index;
-    }
-  });
-  this.branches.splice(toDelete, 1);
+  // now we know it's a branch
+  var branch = target;
+
+  this.branchCollection.remove(branch);
+  this.refs[branch.get('id')] = undefined;
+  delete this.refs[branch.get('id')];
+
+  if (branch.get('visBranch')) {
+    branch.get('visBranch').remove();
+  }
 };
 
 GitEngine.prototype.unescapeQuotes = function(str) {
diff --git a/src/tree.js b/src/tree.js
index 14de8a47..a320625c 100644
--- a/src/tree.js
+++ b/src/tree.js
@@ -253,6 +253,18 @@ var VisBranch = Backbone.Model.extend({
     return gitVisuals.blendHuesFromBranchStack(this.getBranchStackArray());
   },
 
+  remove: function() {
+    var keys = ['text', 'arrow', 'rect'];
+    _.each(keys, function(key) {
+      if (this.get(key)) {
+        this.get(key).remove();
+      }
+    }, this);
+
+    // also need to remove from gitVisuals
+    gitVisuals.removeVisBranch(this);
+  },
+
   genGraphics: function(paper) {
     var textPos = this.getTextPosition();
 
diff --git a/src/visuals.js b/src/visuals.js
index 4a90bc4a..794e8d6a 100644
--- a/src/visuals.js
+++ b/src/visuals.js
@@ -321,6 +321,10 @@ GitVisuals.prototype.addBranch = function(branch) {
   }
 };
 
+GitVisuals.prototype.removeVisBranch = function(visBranch) {
+  this.visBranchCollection.remove(visBranch);
+};
+
 GitVisuals.prototype.animateRefs = function(speed) {
   this.visBranchCollection.each(function(visBranch) {
     visBranch.animateUpdatedPos(speed);
diff --git a/todo.txt b/todo.txt
index 594a7228..4e664efd 100644
--- a/todo.txt
+++ b/todo.txt
@@ -6,15 +6,11 @@ animation factory? stuff like:
 -highlightCommit(50, 'targetColor') // during search
 -clearHighlightsAllNodes
 
-ALSO other big things:
-- Color on branch edges??
-
 Big Graphic things:
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-- colored branch edges. basically 
 - When you are rebasing and you hit the bottom, all the nodes go in the wrong spot...
-          We need some kind of "update everything but this set of nodes" thing...
-- averaging colors!
+
+- animateSnapshotFromTo(), then animate specific nodes
 
 
 Medium things: