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13. When She Was Bad
gs: Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers) Robia La Morte (Ms. Calendar) Andrew J. Ferchland (The Anointed One) Dean Butler (Hank Summers) Brent Jennings (Absalom) Armin Shimerman (Principal Snyder)
Buffy returns from her summer vacation after defeating the Master and is not the same fun-loving slayer she used to be. Her cold, distant behaviour escalates when she discovers that the remaining vampire population are planning to resurrect The Master.
b: 15-Sep-1997 pc: 5V01 w: Joss Whedon d: Joss Whedon
NOTE: With the arrival of this season, David Boreanaz (Angel) is promoted to having his name on the opening credits. In the previous season, he had just been listed with the guest cast.
Charisma Carpenter obviously was sick or had a cold while shooting this episode, because her voice was weak, low, and hoarse-like.
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14. Some Assembly Required
gs: Robia La Morte (Ms. Calendar) Angelo Spizzirri (Chris Epps) Michael Bacall (Eric) Ingo Neuhaus (Daryl Epps) Melanie MacQueen (Mrs. Epps)
When the bodies of several teenage girls are dug out of their graves and some of their parts are found soon afterwards, the gang discover that two students are trying to create the perfect woman; with the final touch being Cordelia's head.
b: 22-Sep-1997 pc: 5V02 w: Ty King d: Bruce Seth Green
NOTE: This is the first episode where Anthony Stewart Head recites the "In Every Generation" opening narration, replacing the announcer who recited the lines in the first season.
The plot for this episode is very much a more gruesome take on the film 'Weird Science' (1985), later a TV series, in which two teenagers create a "perfect woman" by scanning body parts of various different females into a computer.
Angel reveals his age in this episode. He is 241 years old.
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15. School Hard
gs: Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers) Robia La Morte (Ms. Calendar) Andrew J. Ferchland (The Anointed One) James Marsters (Spike) Alexandra Johnes (Sheila) Brian Reddy (Police Chief Bob) Juliet Landau (Drusilla) Armin Shimerman (Principal Snyder)
A cool, badass vampire named Spike comes to Sunnydale intent on using the Hellmouth's energy to restore the health of his ailing love Drusilla. To prove his worth to the Anointed One, he offers to kill Buffy and add her to the two Slayers he has already destroyed.
Buffy is forced to organise the Parent's Night at school and tries to keep her mom away from Principal Snyder. Unfortunately Spike and his new gang crash the party and Buffy must stop the ensuing slaughter while also keeping her mom and friends safe.
b: 29-Sep-1997 pc: 5V03 w: David Greenwalt s: David Greenwalt and Joss Whedon d: John T. Kretchmer
NOTE: The death of The Anointed One was forced upon the writing staff when they realised that Andrew J. Ferchland had grown significantly during the off-season, and vampires aren't supposed to age.
This episode introduces the key figure of notorious Slayer killer Spike (James Marsters), with his ailing love Drusilla (Juliet Landau). The writing out of The Anointed One in the same episode lays in the template of having a different main nemesis for each season of the show.
Guest Star Juliet Landau is the daughter of veteran actor Martin Landau.
This is the first episode where Joyce is referred to by name. Befire she was known as 'Buffy's Mom' or Mrs. Summers
The producers had origianally planned for Spike to killed some way into the season, but proved so popular he was kept on
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16. Inca Mummy Girl
gs: Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers) Ara Celi (Ampada) Seth Green (Oz)
While on a visit to the local museum one of the students accidentally breaks an ancient seal buried with an Inca Mummy. Without the seal to hold her, the mummy rises and must consume the life force of the living in order to stay alive and she assumes the identity of Ampada, Buffy's South American exchange student previously thought by the gang to be a boy.
Xander falls in love with the female Ampada and asks her to the dance and she accepts. Willow is contemplating her love for Xander but hasn't decided to give up on him yet. Unfortunately, while she pines over Xander she fails to notice the attention she is receiving from handsome older student Oz.
Buffy and Giles discover the truth about Ampada and try to reassemble the seal but Ampada intervenes. She tries to kill Willow so she can keep her humanity but Xander offers himself. Ampada cannot kill someone she loves and eventually her body turns to dust.
b: 06-Oct-1997 pc: 5V04 w: Matt Kiene and Joe Reinkemeyer d: Ellen S. Pressman
NOTE: Seth Green has been paired with Alyson Hannigan before, in the 1988 movie My Stepmother Is An Alien.
The Inca Princess says she was 16 when she was killed, which happened about 500 years ago. This would set her birth in about 1481.
Although never said on the show, the Sunnydale High Yearbook said that Jonathan's last name was Levenson and Devon's last name was MacLeish.
David Boreanaz (Angel) does not appear in this episode, even though he is credited in the opening titles.
In this episode we are introduced to Oz and Devon who are in a band called 'Dingoes Ate My Baby'. The band was actually first mentioned in the unaired Buffy pilot.
The songs for 'Dingoes Ate My Baby' are performed by Four Star Mary, a real-life band from Los Angeles. Although the band members shown are all actors, Four Star Mary themselves appeared in the season 4 finale 'Restless'.
Danny Strong originally auditioned for the part of Xander
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17. Reptile Boy
gs: Greg Vaughan (Richard) Todd Babcock (Tom) Jordana Spiro (Callie)
Becoming fed up with Giles' rules and guidelines, Buffy makes an unusual friendship with Cordelia when she accompanies her to a fraternity party where they are both drugged and used in the ritual feeding of a demon.
b: 13-Oct-1997 pc: 5V05 w: David Greenwalt d: David Greenwalt
NOTE: We learn in this episode that vampires can smell blood with uncanny ability.
This is the first time we see Buffy drink alcohol, starting the pattern of 'Beer Bad'. Notice that in any episode that a regular cast member drinks (except Spike) something bad happens, like getting prepared as snake food, calling D'hoffryn, or becoming a cave girl.
The character of the snake-demon Machida was originally slated for at least two episodes, but due to the difficulty in putting on the makeup and some technical problems through which one of the stuntmen passed out, his lines were cut, and he was killed off in this episode.
Coby Bell from Third Watch makes an uncredited appearance in the beginning of this episode. He is the one getting cut in the chest.
Both Richard (one of the frat guys) and Callie (the kidnapped girl) have the last name Anderson. Writer David Greenwalt didn't have much imagination.
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18. Halloween
gs: Seth Green (Oz) James Marsters (Spike) Robin Sachs (Ethan Rayne) Juliet Landau (Drusilla) Armin Shimerman (Principal Snyder)
On Halloween, Buffy, Willow and Xander are 'volunteered' by Principal Snyder to take groups of kids trick-or-treating. They get their costumes from a new store run by an Englishman, Ethan Rayne. Xander chooses a soldier outfit, Buffy buys an 18th century noblewomans dress to impress Angel; and Willow, despite Buffy's attempts to get her to dress in a sexy skirt and halter, dresses as a ghost. Unfortunately Ethan turns out to be a bad guy and casts a spell to transform everyone into their costumes.
Xander is now a real soldier, Willow is a real ghost (without the sheet), and Buffy is at the mercy of Spike, who uses the convenient event to go after the now powerless Slayer.
Willow goes for Giles' help who, it turns out, has a bad history with Ethan and beats the spell reversal out of him. Buffy is released from the spell just in time to save herself from Spike.
b: 27-Oct-1997 pc: 5V06 w: Carl Ellsworth d: Bruce Seth Green
NOTE: Although never said on the show, the Sunnydale High Yearbook said that Larry's last name was Blaisdale.
Spike (much like Mr. Trick in season 3) seems to be a pretty modern vampire as he video tapes Buffy to learn her moves so he can kill her.
In this episode we learn that the supernatural is supposed to lay low on Halloween. Of course the night is never boring for Buffy but most times the trouble comes from a human source except for season 6 with Dawn and the vamps.
In this episode, Oz (Seth Green) sees Willow in her "sexy" Halloween costume and says the same thing he said in "Inca Mummy Girl." "Who IS that girl?"
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19. Lie To Me
gs: Robia La Morte (Ms. Calendar) James Marsters (Spike) Jason Behr (Billy 'Ford' Fordham) Jarrad Paul (Diego) Juliet Landau (Drusilla)
Ford, an old boyfriend of Buffy's comes to Sunnydale and, unknown to her, is part of a secret sect which worships vampires. While the others in the sect are misguided teens who believe that vampires are a higher order of life, Ford has a more sinister reason for his deciet. Because he is going to die soon of cancer, he makes a deal with Spike to hand over Buffy in return for eternal life.
b: 03-Nov-1997 pc: 5V07 w: Joss Whedon d: Joss Whedon
NOTE: This is one of the rare occasions where two characters on the show have the same first name. Billy Fordham has the same first name as Billy Palmer from "Nightmares."
In the October 1, 1999 issue of Entertainment Weekly, Jeff Pruitt, the stunt coordinator, said this was his favorite episode.
You can see Beljoxa's Eye on a mural behind Billy and Buffy. Beljoxa's Eye later appears in "Showtime".
The fake vampire who greets Buffy when she comes in ('Hi' Vampire in the credits) is played by Todd McIntosh, the show's makeup supervisor, in a brief cameo.
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20. The Dark Age
gs: Robia La Morte (Ms. Calendar) Robin Sachs (Ethan Rayne) Stuart McLean (Philip Henry)
The secrets of Giles' unnatural past as a wild teenager are revealed when an old friend of his comes to warn him that a demon that they both summoned has returned.
As a young man, Giles turned in his Watcher studies in favour of dabbling in witchcraft and the occult with his old buddy Ethan Rayne and several others. They discovered Eyghon The Sleepwalker and summoned him while one went into a deep sleep. Unfortunately, Eyghon gained power by this and killed them all one by one over the years by possessing a dead or unconscious person and is now after the last two members, Giles and Ethan.
b: 10-Nov-1997 pc: 5V08 w: Dean Batali and Rob des Hotel d: Bruce Seth Green
NOTE: The crew faked the photo of a young Giles by super-imposing Anthony Stewart Head's head onto Sid Vicious' body.
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21. What's My Line? [1]
gs: Seth Green (Oz) James Marsters (Spike) Eric Saiet (Dalton) Saverio Guerra (Willy) Kelly Connell (Norman Pfister (worm guy)) Bianca Lawson (Kendra) Juliet Landau (Drusilla) Armin Shimerman (Principal Snyder)
Its Career Week at Sunnydale High and Buffy is faced with the reality that she has no future apart from that of a Slayer. While Spike prepares a ritual to restore Drusilla's strength he sends a trio of deadly assassins after Buffy to keep her out of the way, one of whom attacks Buffy and Angel on their date at the ice rink.
Another apparent assassin attacks Angel after he wrests information out of Willy the Snitch who runs a vampire-friendly bar. The young woman locks Angel in a cage where the rising sun will eventually finish him off while she goes to find Buffy.
Buffy and the woman fight in Angel's apartment until Buffy asks the question: "Who are you?" to which she replies: "I am Kendra, the Vampire Slayer".
b: 17-Nov-1997 pc: 5V09 w: Howard Gordon and Marti Noxon d: David Solomon
NOTE: Kelly Connell has worked with Alyson Hannigan before in an episode of Picket Fences called 'To Forgive Is Divine'.
This seems to be the first episode where we see a slayer kill a human. While it is never confirmed, the assassin at the ice rink seems to be human. He is definitely not a vampire judging by the way in which he was killed and that a body is left behind. He also doesn't seem to be a demon since his face is not an ugly mask but instead scarred.
This episode introduces the Scooby Gang reference, which has since become a general term when talking about Buffy and her clan.
Bianca Lawson originally auditioned for the part of Cordelia Chase.
When Giles wakes Willow up the mouse is on the left side of the keyboard, which would suggest that Willow is left handed.
Co-writer Howard Gordon has worked with Buffy Executive Producer David Greenwalt before, on an episode of The X-Files
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22. What's My Line? [2]
gs: Seth Green (Oz) Saverio Guerra (Willy) Kelly Connell (Norman Pfister (worm guy)) Bianca Lawson (Kendra) James Marsters (Spike) Juliet Landau (Drusilla)
Buffy and Kendra call a truce and head to see Giles who confirms that Kendra is indeed a Slayer, called during the few minutes that Buffy died at the hands of the Master. Kendra has been trained very differently than Buffy, she has been taken from her family and has no friends but then criticises Buffy for her slaying lifestyle, causing friction between the two.
Angel is saved just in time by Willy, who then turns him over to Spike. Xander and Cordelia are trapped by an assassin in Buffy's basement (the perfect setting for them to begin making out), and Oz and Willow are getting along well but are interrupted by another assassin, disguised as a policewoman who shoots at Buffy. Buffy is helped by Kendra and sees her finally as an ally.
The gang find out about Spike's ritual and how it involves killing Angel. Buffy and Kendra storm into the church to rescue Angel and Spike gets a beating from two slayers this time, eventually being crippled by a falling pipe organ.
Unfortunately the ritual was enough to restore Drusilla's strength and she hauls Spike out of the debris.
b: 24-Nov-1997 pc: 5V10 w: Marti Noxon d: David Semel
NOTE: There are 43 churches in Sunnydale
When Spike first brings Angel to Drusilla, she sings the same song that she sang at the beginning of Lie to Me
The first two guns Patrice pulled on Buffy were Baretta 92F's. The one she pulls from her ankle holster appears to be a Walther.
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23. Ted
gs: John Ritter (Ted) Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers) Robia La Morte (Ms. Calendar) Ken Thorley (Neal) James G. MacDonald (Detective Stein)
Buffy has parental issues when Joyce comes home with a boyfriend, the computer expert and master chef Ted; whose charming personality impresses everyone. Everyone except Buffy that is, who is not at all willing to give her mother up to someone else.
b: 08-Dec-1997 pc: 5V11 w: David Greenwalt and Joss Whedon d: Bruce Seth Green
NOTE: Ted's culinary skills are an in-joke as John Ritter's career started when he played chef Jack Tripper from 1977-1984 on the sitcom Three's Company.
Buffy's reference to her mother acting "Stepford" is an interesting movie reference; in "The Stepford Wives", all of the wives in the town were replaced with robots to make the "perfect" wives, whereas in this episode, Ted is a robot whose purpose is to be the perfect husband.
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24. Bad Eggs
gs: Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers) Jeremy Ratchford (Lyle Gorch) James Parks (Tector Gorch) Rick Zieff (Mr. Whitmore)
The students are given eggs to look after to teach them about parenthood but they aren't what they seem. Soon the eggs hatch and the creatures inside take over their owners and lead them to the school basement to dig up the mother creature.
b: 12-Jan-1998 pc: 5V12 w: Marti Noxon d: David Greenwalt
NOTE: This episode confirms that Willow's religion is Jewish, which is touched upon several more times in the next few seasons.
There are messages on the sign in the library which read, "Web Site Coming" and "Bus Brats Talk"
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25. Surprise [1]
gs: Seth Green (Oz) Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers) Robia La Morte (Jenny Calendar) Brian Thompson (The Judge) Eric Saiet (Dalton) Vincent Schiavelli (Enios) James Marsters (Spike) Juliet Landau (Drusilla)
On Buffy's 17th birthday, Drusilla prepares to awaken a powerful demon named The Judge who was brought forth a thousand years ago to rid the Earth of the plague of humanity. His body was dismembered by an army and the parts were buried in every corner of the Earth but somehow all the parts have made their way to Sunnydale. Buffy intercepts one of his arms and Ms Calendar convinces Angel to take it to the most remote region possible.
Unknown to everyone else, Jenny Calendar is actually Janna, a descendant of the Romany clan who cursed Angel and has been sent to Sunnydale to ensure that the curse isn't lifted.
Buffy and Angel say their goodbyes at the docks when they are ambushed by Spike's gang who retrieve the arm and Drusilla is able to reassemble the demon. Buffy and Angel just manage to escape from The Judge and while recuperating in Angel's apartment, they consummate their relationship.
Some powerful, dark magic is released by this and Angel runs into the street, screaming Buffy's name in pain.
b: 19-Jan-1998 pc: 5V13 w: Marti Noxon d: Michael Lange
NOTE: Buffy gets a cut on her shoulder, which is already healed by the time she had Angel look at it, implying she heals quickly.
In the dream in the beginning, Willow says in French "The hippo stole his pants". This is in reference to Oz's animal crackers spiel at the end of 'What's My Line? part 2'.
According to Buffy The Vampire Slayer Magazine #4, The Judge was referred to as "The Smurf Demon" by the makeup people.
Brian Thompson, who played the Judge in this episode, also played Luke in Welcome to the Hellmouth and The Harvest.
The song that plays during Buffy's dream in the teaser is an original song called "Anything," written by the shows composers Shawn K. Clement and Sean Murray and performed by Cari Howe.
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26. Innocence [2]
gs: Seth Green (Oz) Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers) Robia La Morte (Jenny Calendar) Brian Thompson (The Judge) Vincent Schiavelli (Enios) James Marsters (Spike) Juliet Landau (Drusilla)
Angel is still in the street in pain but suddenly the pain stops and his first act is to kill a human. Angelus has returned as a result of he and Buffy making love.
Meanwhile The Judge is returning to full power and Spike is impatient to get on with the killing when Angelus walks in and declares that he is back. The three reunited once again prepare to unleash The Judge on Sunnydale and Angelus persuades them to let him kill Buffy before they begin.
Willow discovers Xander and Cordelia kissing and runs from the library only to be met by Angelus. Buffy comes in and fights him off and they ponder what could have happened to turn him evil. Buffy realises that she was the cause and runs off. Angel appears to her in a dream to warn her about Ms Calendar and Buffy confronts Jenny demanding answers. She reveals her heritage and says that the curse can only be lifted if Angel experienced a moment of true human happiness and he is no longer plagued by guilt and remorse.
Distraught, Buffy still keeps her eye on the ball long enough to defeat The Judge with a rocket launcher acquired by Xander, and in her fight with Angelus after she realises that she cannot, yet, kill him.
b: 20-Jan-1998 pc: 5V14 w: Joss Whedon d: Joss Whedon
NOTE: In the October 1, 1999 issue of Entertainment Weekly, Marcia Shulman, the casting director, said this was her favorite episode.
In the flashback scenes of Buffy and Angel making love, the heavy breathing wasn't voiced by David and Sarah, but rather by series creator Joss Whedon and supervising sound editor Cindy Rabideau. (Apparently Joss was too embarrassed to ask the stars to record it.)
The scene where Angel dumps Buffy in his apartment was not supposed to take place there. Halfway through shooting the scene on Buffy's lawn, Sarah Michelle Gellar and David Boreanaz told Joss that the scene wasn't working, so he moved it to the bedroom. Buffy is still heard saying she saw him at "the house".
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27. Phases
gs: Seth Green (Oz) Jack Conley (Cain)
Buffy and the gang track down a suspected werewolf roaming in the woods and also try to stay out of the way of a maniacal werewolf hunter, while Willow tries to get closer to Oz, unknown to her that he is the same killer they are after.
b: 27-Jan-1998 pc: 5V15 w: Dean Batali and Rob des Hotel d: Bruce Seth Green
NOTE: Seth Green played a computer hacker who's handle was "Wolfman" in an episode of Seaquest DSV called "Photon Bullet."
Oz becomes a Werewolf after being bitten by his cousin Jordy.
Seth Green co-starred in Stephen King's 1990 mini-series It. Green portrayed the younger version of the character Richie Tozier, whose greatest fear in life is werewolves.
Joss Whedon originally didn't know whether it would be Willow OR Xander that turned out gay. Xander's conversation with Larry in this episode could have been slightly forshadowing had Xander become gay and not Willow. There is at least one other time in the series where Xander's sexuality is kind of questioned like that.
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28. Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered
gs: Seth Green (Oz) Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers) Robia La Morte (Jenny Calendar) Elizabeth Anne Allen (Amy) Mercedes McNab (Harmony) James Marsters (Spike) Juliet Landau (Drusilla)
Xander tries to use Valentines Day to further his relationship with Cordelia but she succumbs to peer pressure and breaks up with him. With the help of Amy (who is exploring her mother's witch powers), he puts a love spell on her which goes horribly wrong, turning him into every woman's desire; except Cordelia's.
b: 10-Feb-1998 pc: 5V16 w: Marti Noxon d: James A. Contner
NOTE: According to an interview with Sarah Michelle Gellar, they filmed this episode in same week she first hosted Saturday Night Live. They filmed her parts first, then she left for New York, while the rat played her part for the rest of the episode.
In the October 1, 1999 issue of Entertainment Weekly, Gareth Davies, the producer, said this was his favorite episode.
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29. Passion
gs: Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers) Robia La Morte (Jenny Calendar) James Marsters (Spike) Juliet Landau (Drusilla)
Angelus continues his obsessive torment of Buffy by visiting her during the night and leaving presents in her bed. Meanwhile Ms Calendar tries to make amends for her deceit of Buffy and Giles by attempting to translate the Gypsy curse to restore Angel's human soul, with dire consequences.
b: 24-Feb-1998 pc: 5V17 w: Ty King d: Michael Gershman
NOTE: The choral voice heard during the graveyard scene belongs to actor Anthony Stewart Head.
The picture of Buffy in the Summers kitchen is a publicity shot of Sarah Michelle Gellar that was used in the August '97 issue of Entertainment Weekly.
Anthony Stewart Head (Giles) said this was his favourite episode and Joss Whedon taunted him by saying this was only his favourite episode because he was in a lot of it.
Joss says the way Angel kills Jenny is very "insulting" to Jenny, herself, because he does not bother to feed on Jenny, he just snaps her neck.
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30. Killed By Death
gs: Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers) Richard Herd (Dr Stanley Backer) Andrew Ducote (Ryan) Willie Garson (Guard) Juanita Jennings (Dr Wilkinson)
When Buffy is admitted to hospital with a raging fever she meets a young boy, Ryan, who has the same flu virus and claims that the sick children in the hospital are being persecuted by a monster that may be death himself.
b: 03-Mar-1998 pc: 5V18 w: Dean Batali and Rob des Hotel d: Deran Sarafian
NOTE: From the flashback scenes of Buffy as a young girl, we discover that, lo and behold, Buffy is not a natural blonde.
Killed By Death was originally written as a first season episode where Buffy gets sick and Angel takes her to the hospital.
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31. I Only Have Eyes For You
gs: Meredith Salenger (Grace Newman) Christopher Gorham (James Stanley) Brian Reddy (Police Chief Bob) James Marsters (Spike) Juliet Landau (Drusilla) Armin Shimerman (Principal Snyder)
As the Sadie Hawkins Dance nears, Buffy faces inner demons as she feels responsible for Angel's epiphany, meanwhile Sunnydale High is even more dangerous than usual as the ghost of a former student who killed his sweetheart and then committed suicide haunts the halls forcing people to relive the moments that killed them over and over.
b: 28-Apr-1998 pc: 5V19 w: Marti Noxon d: James Whitmore Jr.
NOTE: In this episode the speech between Angelus and Buffy could be looked upon as some sort of spoiler for Graduation Day part 1 and 2.
Guest Star Meredith Salenger's last name was misspelled as 'Salinger' in the opening titles of the episode.
In the Hallway scene , where Angel and Buffy are Possessed by the spirits, the speech that Angel ( grace ) gives to Buffy ( james ) is very much like the speech Angel gives to Buffy in the sewer in the eppy " The Prom " from season 3, about a normal life and all....was this forshadowing it?
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32. Go Fish
gs: Charles Cyphers (Coach Marin) Jeremy Garrett (Cameron Walker) Wentworth Miller (Gage Petronzi) Conchata Ferrell (Nurse Greenleigh) Armin Shimerman (Principal Snyder)
When several members of the Sunnydale High swim team are mysteriously skinned alive, Buffy and the gang take it upon themselves to protect the remaining members which results in Xander revealing a side of himself rarely seen.
b: 05-May-1998 pc: 5V20 w: David Fury and Elin Hampton d: David Semel
NOTE: Willow's reference to an Oreo cookie may have been an inside joke. She did commercials for Oreo cookies before she was on Buffy.
This episode and the Season 5 premiere 'Buffy vs Dracula' are the only episodes to date where the gang are on the beach.
The second steam room scene features a slightly younger Shane West, better known as Eli from "Once and Again".
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33. Becoming [1]
gs: Max Perlich (Whistler) Seth Green (Oz) Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers) Julie Benz (Darla) Bianca Lawson (Kendra) Jack McGee (Doug Perren) Richard Riehle (Merrick) James Marsters (Spike) Juliet Landau (Drusilla) Armin Shimerman (Principal Snyder)
Angelus' origins from being vamped by Darla in 1753, vamping Drusilla in 1860, being cursed by the Gypsies in 1898, and meeting a demon named Whistler in New York in 1996 who shows him a better way of life are revealed while Angelus prepares to awaken Acathla, an ancient demon that will suck the Earth into the Demon Dimension.
Buffy and Willow find the spell to restore Angel's soul and Willow declares that she knows enough about magic to perform it. The gang almost come to blows when Xander tells Buffy outright that she doesn't care what happened to Ms Calendar, she only cares that she can get her boyfriend back. Kendra returns to Sunnydale because a dark power is rising and comes bearing a sword blessed by the knight who first slew Acathla.
Angelus tries to awaken the demon but fails. Needing someone to help him with the ritual, he distracts Buffy while Drusilla goes to collect Giles. Drusilla and her friends attack the rest of the gang but only Kendra is there to defend them, and the stakes are high.
b: 12-May-1998 pc: 5V21 w: Joss Whedon d: Joss Whedon
NOTE: Richard Riehle guest stars as Merrick, Buffy's first watcher; a role that was portrayed by Donald Sutherland in the feature movie.
The character of Whistler was originally intended to be Angel's sidekick in the planning stages of the spinoff Angel, but the actor wasn't able to commit to the series so the character of Doyle was created.
James Marsters will work with Max Perlich again in the 1999 horror House on Haunted Hill.
This episode confims the death of Kendra
Giles mentions that the orb of thessela he has is being used as a paper weight, a clever take back to "Passion" where the magic shop owner said he had sold some orbs as new age paperweights
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34. Becoming [2]
gs: Max Perlich (Whistler) Seth Green (Oz) Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers) Robia La Morte (Jenny Calendar) James G. MacDonald (Detective Stein) James Marsters (Spike) Juliet Landau (Drusilla) Armin Shimerman (Principal Snyder)
After Drusilla's attack on her friends which resulted in the death of Kendra and Giles' abduction, Buffy is arrested for the murder but escapes from the police. She heads to the hospital where she learns that Xander has a broken arm and Willow is left in a coma. They all realise that Giles was taken by Drusilla and Buffy prepares herself to face Angelus. After being stopped by another cop, Spike comes to her aid and convinces her that he wants to be rid of Angelus too and they form an unusual alliance.
Buffy is forced to slay a vampire in front of her mother and tells her the truth but she does not want to accept it. When Buffy tries to leave to fight Angelus, Joyce tells her that if she goes she better not bother coming back. After retrieving Kendra's sword from the library she heads toward Angelus' mansion.
Meanwhile, Willow wakes up and decides to try the spell again and Xander runs to Buffy's aid. Drusilla uses her psychic powers to make Giles reveal the secret of the ritual to wake Acathla, and Angelus begins again. Buffy arrives and fights him while Spike takes Drusilla and leaves and Xander escapes with Giles. Acathla begins to awaken as Willow completes the spell and Angel returns.
Unfortunately it is too late and Buffy must send Angel to hell to stop Acathla's vortex. Devastated, Buffy returns home only to pack her bags and leaves Sunnydale on a bus.
b: 19-May-1998 pc: 5V22 w: Joss Whedon d: Joss Whedon
NOTE: Sarah McLachlan sings 'Full of Grace' at the end of this episode. She will also sing 'The Prayer of St Francis' at the end of Season 6's Finale, 'Grave'.
James G. MacDonald reprises his role as Detective Stein from 'Ted' when the police are searching for Buffy. He will investigate Buffy once more in 'Consequences'.
The "Grr Arg" at the end of the credits was altered for this episode. Instead of the trademark grunt the monster says "Oooh, I need a hug".
Buffy is expelled from Sunnydale High.
It was during the filming of "Becoming Parts 1 & 2" that Joss Whedon first came up with the idea for a spin-off on Angel.
35. Anne
gs: Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers) Julia Lee (Lily) Carlos Jacott (Ken) Mary-Pat Green (Blood Bank Nurse) Chad Todhunter (Rickie)
Willow, Xander and Oz are attempting to keep the Sunnydale vampire population in check during Buffy's absence with only moderate success. As the gang restarts school we learn that Buffy is working as a waitress in L.A. using the name Anne and trying to forget her old life. Buffy runs into Lily (formerly known as Chanterelle) and her boyfriend Rickie who quickly turns up missing. Buffy discovers Rickie dead but mysteriously aged to an old man. Continuing her investigation Buffy tracks down Ken (a social worker) and Lily and all three fall through a portal in the floor. They are in a demonic factory where the humans are slave labor.
Back in Sunnydale the gang succeeds in staking a vampire though it's not exactly pretty. Meanwhile Buffy and Lily wake up in a cell and Ken explains they are in an alternate dimension where a hundred years passes before a day on Earth goes by. Buffy overcomes the guards with some help from Lily and leads her and the other slaves back to Earth. After handing over her alternate life to Lily, Buffy returns to Sunnydale and wordlessly embraces her mother.
b: 29-Sep-1998 pc: 3ABB01 w: Joss Whedon d: Joss Whedon
NOTE: A re-recorded version of Nerf Herder's Buffy opening titles theme is used from this episode.
In the October 1, 1999 issue of Entertainment Weekly, Michael Gershman, the director of photography, said this was his favorite episode.
In this season Willow (Alyson Hannigan) sports a new, shoulder-length hairdo.
Julia Lee's character Chantaralle from season 2's 'Lie to Me' returns here using the name Lily. She will return to the Buffyverse again in two episodes of the second series of Angel using the name Anne, given to her by Buffy at the end of this episode.
You see a lonely woman standing on the streets of L.A. That same picture is used in the opening credits of the series 'Angel'.
In this episode the narration of Anthony Stewart Head is gone and its just music.
RE: "In the October 1, 1999 issue of Entertainment Weekly, Michael Gershman, the director of photography, said this was his favorite episode." I can guess why! Take a look at the establishing shot of the first day of school at Sunnydale High. From 06:00 to 09:30 is one single, moving (steadycam) shot. It is incredibly complicated, with people walking while talking, walking out of frame, then back in again (Willow and Oz), picking up conversations and couples at just the right time. Gershman never missed a beat: hats off to one hell of a craftsman!
Seth Green is now credited in the opening titles cast line-up as of this episode.
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36. Dead Man's Party
gs: Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers) Nancy Lenehan (Pat) Armin Shimerman (Principal Snyder)
When Buffy returns home she finds that the life she left behind may not be as easy to slip back into as she has to battle not only the rising dead, but also the distrust of her mother and the silent resentment of her friends.
b: 06-Oct-1998 pc: 3ABB02 w: Marti Noxon d: James Whitmore Jr.
NOTE: On the UK video releases, the shots of Giles hot-wiring his car in this episode are edited out to meet the 15 certificate rating. When shown on television, the sequence plays complete.
Buffy has a new alarm clock in this episode.
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37. Faith, Hope And Trick
gs: Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers) K. Todd Freeman (Mr. Trick) Fab Filippo (Scott Hope) Jeremy Roberts (Kakistos) Eliza Dushku (Faith) Armin Shimerman (Principal Snyder)
The new Slayer Faith arrives in town and seems like a fun-loving wacky teenager who integrates herself into the gang. While Buffy is getting 'Single White Female-d' she notices that Faith is becoming more mysterious and discovers that she has been followed by an ancient vampire who murdered her watcher.
b: 13-Oct-1998 pc: 3ABB03 w: David Greenwalt d: James A. Contner
NOTE: As Cordelia correctly deduces, Faith was called after Kendra died in 'Becoming pt1' who was called after Buffy briefly died in 'Prophecy Girl'.
This episode introduces the Watcher's Council, a British organisation that primarily finds and trains Slayers to prepare them for their calling. The Council plays an important part in the lives of Buffy and Faith during this season, and appear during the next two seasons and also in the first season of Angel.
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38. Beauty And The Beasts
gs: Fab Filippo (Scott Hope) John Patrick White (Pete) Danielle Weeks (Debbie) Phill Lewis (Mr. Platt) Eliza Dushku (Faith)
When a student is found savagely mauled in the woods the Oz-werewolf is suspected, but when Buffy discovers that Angel is back on Earth after hundreds of years of torture and has been reduced to nothing more than a wild animal, she fears that he may be the killer.
b: 20-Oct-1998 pc: 3ABB04 w: Marti Noxon d: James Whitmore Jr.
NOTE: John Patrick White worked with Seth Green before in the 1998 movie Can't Hardly Wait.
David Boreanaz has no armpit hair or he shaved it off. His hairless armpit can be seen in the scene where Angel breaks off the chains.
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39. Homecoming
gs: K. Todd Freeman (Mr. Trick) Jeremy Ratchford (Lyle Gorch) Fab Filippo (Scott Hope) Harry Groener (Mayor Richard Wilkins III) Eliza Dushku (Faith)
When Cordelia flaunts her sure win for Homecoming Queen it awakens the prom queen within Buffy and they become rivals for the title. Meanwhile the new vampire in town, Mr. Trick, rallies a group of tough vampires, demons and mercenaries together to set up a surprise for the two slayers.
b: 03-Nov-1998 pc: 3ABB05 w: David Greenwalt d: David Greenwalt
NOTE: The rifle used by the hunter was a Remmington Model 7600 Slide Action Centerfire rifle. The ones used by the Germans were M16-A1's.
Jeremy Ratchford reprises his role as Lyle Gorch from season 2's 'Bad Eggs'.
When Buffy is standing in front of the white board in the library, you can see a bandage on her left hand. She cracked a bone while filming an earlier scene and had to take it easy with that hand for much of the episode.
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40. Band Candy
gs: Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers) K. Todd Freeman (Mr. Trick) Robin Sachs (Ethan Rayne) Harry Groener (Mayor Richard Wilkins III) Armin Shimerman (Principal Snyder)
Mr Trick enlists Giles' old buddy Ethan Rayne to manufacture and distribute boxes of candy which turn the adult population into uninhibited, irresponsible teenagers to keep them out of the way while the mysterious Mayor Wilkins pays a tribute to a demon.
b: 10-Nov-1998 pc: 3ABB06 w: Jane Espenson d: Michael Lange
NOTE: We see one of Cordelia's homecoming queen flyers (left over from last episode) hanging in Xander's locker.
During study hall, when Willow and Xander are playing footsies under the table, both are wearing the same Adidas shoes except that Willow's are orange and Xander's are black. Willow is also wearing an orange sweater and Xander is in all black.
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41. Revelations
gs: Eliza Dushku (Faith) Serena Scott Thomas (Gwendolyn Post)
Xander finds out about Angel's return to Sunnydale and promptly informs the gang who confront Buffy with the fear that he may turn evil again, while Faith finds herself under the wing of a new Watcher, Gwendolyn Post, an outwardly prim and proper Englishwoman who was expelled from the Watcher's Council for practicing evil magic.
b: 17-Nov-1998 pc: 3ABB07 w: Douglas Petrie d: James A. Contner
NOTE: Guest star Serena Scott Thomas is the younger sister of actress Kristin Scott Thomas, star of such films as 'The English Patient' and 'The Horse Whisperer'
There are 12 cemeteries within the city limits of Sunnydale.
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42. Lover's Walk
gs: Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers) James Marsters (Spike) Harry Groener (Mayor Richard Wilkins III)
Spike returns to Sunnydale a shadow of his bad-ass vampire self and kidnaps Willow so she can put a love spell on Drusilla. While he is out collecting magic spell ingredients and convincing Buffy why she shouldn't kill him, Willow and Xander lose their inhibitions in the heat of the moment only to be caught in the act by a rescue party in the form of Oz and Cordelia.
b: 24-Nov-1998 pc: 3ABB08 w: Dan Vebber d: David Semel
NOTE: Willow and Xander first realised their mutual attraction for each other in 'Homecoming'. Since then they have tried to hide their feelings until the fear of ensuing death in this episode.
This episode marks the second time that Xander gets smashed in the head with a microscope, which is probably a record for a TV character. (The first time was in "Bad Eggs")
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43. The Wish
gs: Mark Metcalf (The Master) Emma Caulfield (Anyanka) Larry Bagby III (Larry) Mercedes McNab (Harmony)
Wanting to be rid of Xander for good, Cordelia comes to the conclusion that Buffy is the cause of all her problems and makes a wish that Buffy had never come to Sunnydale. A demon grants the wish and Cordelia's world suddenly changes.
Cordelia is thrilled when her status as high school queen and super bitch is restored but soon learns that the world is not what it used to be. Everyone is dressed in drab clothing, there is a curfew and everyone is afraid of the night. She comes across Xander and Willow and is dismayed that they are still together. They reveal themselves to be vampires and try to kill her but she is saved by the 'White Hats': Giles, Oz and Larry.
Cordelia tells Giles about her wish and that Buffy was meant to be in Sunnydale. She also asks why Giles came when Buffy didn't.
Xander and Willow head to the Bronze which is now the ultimate place to be - if you are a vampire that is. They are met by the Master, now alive and ruling the vampire controlled town.
The Master sends Xander and Willow to finish Cordelia before she can contact the Slayer and they complete the task with Giles watching helplessly. Giles notices a necklace around Cordelia's neck and uses his long-forgotten Watcher skills to research the demon Anyanka, the Patron Saint of Scorned Women. He also tries to contact Buffy in Cleveland. It seems that without the interaction with her friends and Giles, Buffy has become something of a rogue Slayer, not caring about the fate of mortals or the consequences of her actions; and only looks out for herself.
The Master is set to begin his ultimate plan, an automated processing plant which drains the blood of humans and expels the blood ready to drink when Buffy arrives in town and Giles fills her in on everything. The very different Buffy prefers to face the Master rather than try to help Giles summon Anyanka and she heads to the deserted Bronze. She finds Angel who has become nothing more than a torture toy for Willow.
Giles summons Anyanka and tries to get her to reverse the wish while Buffy and Angel head to the factory.
In the fantastic slo-mo sequence that follows, Giles tries to overcome Anyanka while Buffy storms the factory, killing anything that crosses her path. Xander stakes Angel, Buffy stakes Xander and Oz stakes Willow. Giles realises that the necklace is Anyanka's power center and grabs it off her.
Buffy faces the Master but is quickly overcome and the Master snaps her neck. Giles smashes the necklace just as Buffy's lifeless body falls to the floor and the world is returned to normal, with Anyanka wondering why she cannot grant Cordelia's wish.
b: 08-Dec-1998 pc: 3ABB09 w: Marti Noxon d: David Greenwalt
NOTE: Cordette #1 is the girl who is drained on the machine.
Cordette #1, Nicole Bilderback played opposite Seth Green in the 1998 movie Can't Hardly Wait
In the October 1, 1999 issue of Entertainment Weekly, Todd McIntosh, the makeup supervisor, said this was his favorite episode.
Emma Caulfield makes her first appearence on Buffy
Willow and Xander are the Master's best and personal-favourite vampires, showing they would we great without Buffy, but both live in the Slayer's shadow in real-life. Xander thinks he's useless in 'The Zeppo' and Willow is renowned nerd with nothing to her name, and loves the fact that magic gives her superior power which she never had before.
Nicole Bilderback, Cordette #1, also appears in Bring It On with Clare Kramer (Glory) and Eliza Dushku (Faith).
Notice that when vamp Willow and Xander are on their way to the Bronze, a girl is being drained by a vampire. Does it, or does it not look like the girl is Faith?
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44. Amends
gs: Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers) Saverio Guerra (Willy) Shane Barach (Daniel) Edward Edwards (Travis) Cornelia Hayes O'Herlihy (Margaret) Robia La Morte (Jenny Calendar) Eliza Dushku (Faith)
While the gang prepares for their Christmas vacation, Angel is haunted by visions of his violent past. A mysterious force called the First Evil takes the form of Jenny Calendar and tries to convince him to lose his soul in Buffy and become evil again. Believing that he isn't strong enough to fight the demon within, Angel waits on the top of a hill for the sun to rise.
Buffy finds him and tells him to fight back, that he can do real good in this world, but just as she is giving up it begins to snow, preventing Angel from being killed by the sunlight.
Meanwhile, Willow goes to great seductive lengths to win Oz back.
b: 15-Dec-1998 pc: 3ABB10 w: Joss Whedon d: Joss Whedon
NOTE: When this episode first aired, it was billed as "A Buffy Christmas".
The weatherman at the end of the episode is Mark Kriski, an actual weatherman for KTLA's morning news. For those outside of LA, KTLA is the LA affiliate of the WB Network.
The "Grr-Arg" at the end of the credits (the Mutant Enemy slogan) was altered in this episode. The monster sported a Santa cap and bells are jingling in the background.
According to interviews, Robia LaMorte was ecstatic when asked to revive her character, but was disappionted to learn that in this episode, 'Jenny Calendar' was actually the human incarnate of an evil spirit.
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45. Gingerbread
gs: Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers) Elizabeth Anne Allen (Amy) Harry Groener (Mayor Richard Wilkins III) Jordan Baker (Sheila Rosenberg) Armin Shimerman (Principal Snyder)
Picking the wrong night for mother-daughter bonding, Joyce discovers the bodies of two children apparently sacrificed in an occult ritual and she rallies the adults of Sunnydale convincing them to rid the town of evil, including Buffy, Willow and Amy. Giles soon realises that the children are actually demons that do not kill people themselves but invoke fear and panic and gain their power by watching normally calm and sane people persecute each other.
b: 12-Jan-1999 pc: 3ABB11 w: Jane Espenson s: Jane Espenson and Thania St. John d: James Whitmore Jr.
NOTE: Jordan Baker worked with Alyson Hannigan before in an episode of Picket Fences called "To Forgive Is Divine."
After two and a half seasons, we finally get to see Willow's mother Sheila (played by Jordan Baker). It is the only episode (to date) to feature the character.
Due to the events of this episode, the character of Amy (Elizabeth Ann Allen) turns into a rat, a form she will spend most of the next three years as, until Willow changes her back in season 6's "Smashed." Willow also briefly (and unknowningly) de-rats her in season 4's "Something Blue," only to change her back into a rat seconds later.
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46. Helpless
gs: Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers) Jeff Kober (Zackary Kralik) Harris Yulin (Quentin Travers)
For her upcoming 18th birthday, Buffy declines the Scooby gang's offer of a big party, hoping to celebrate with quiet reflection and a traditional trip to the ice show with her father. But unbeknownst to Buffy, preparations are being made by the Watcher's Council for a life-threatening rite of passage that drains the Slayer of her powers and then entraps her with a powerful vampire foe that she must defeat in a defenseless state in order to pass the test.
Giles must participate in the test by drugging Buffy so she loses her strength and skill, and then has to lead her into the trap. When he sees how Buffy is being torn apart by what is happening, he reveals the details of the test, but she is appalled by his actions and storms out.
The weak and frightened Buffy is drawn into battle however, when the vampire escapes and kidnaps Joyce. Buffy uses her wits and cunning to defeat the vampire and passes the test. Unfortunately Giles does not, and is fired by the Council for his fatherly love towards Buffy.
b: 19-Jan-1999 pc: 3ABB12 w: David Fury d: James A. Contner
NOTE: Watch for Dominic Keating who plays Lt Reed on Enterprise as Blair in this episode.
Jeff Kober is no stranger to playing a vampire. He played Dadelus, head of the Nosferatu clan of vampires in the 1996 TV series Kindred: The Embraced.
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47. The Zeppo
gs: Saverio Guerra (Willy) Channon Roe (Jack) Michael Cudlitz (Bob) Eliza Dushku (Faith)
When Xander realises that he isn't needed by the gang as much as he'd like to believe, his quest to prove he's cool leads him to an unforgettable night that finds him consorting with fast women, raising the dead and rolling with a dangerous crowd that could put Sunnydale in a world of hurt. Meanwhile, Buffy, Giles and the rest of the crew engage in a furious battle with the Sisterhood of Jhe, an all-female demon apocalypse cult that intends to reopen the Hellmouth and bring about the end of the world. Also, Faith and Xander grow somewhat closer when they have sex after he saves her from an apocalypse demon.
b: 26-Jan-1999 pc: 3ABB13 w: Dan Vebber d: James Whitmore Jr.
NOTE: Channon Roe worked with Seth Green in the 1998 movie Can't Hardly Wait, and will work with Nicholas Brendon again in the 2000 movie Psycho Beach Party.
Channon Roe is no stranger to playing an undead gang leader. He was Cash, head of the Gangril clan of vampires in the 1996 TV series Kindred: The Embraced.
Xander's exploits in this episode are reminiscent to some of the events in the film "American Graffitti".
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48. Bad Girls
gs: Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers) Harry Groener (Mayor Richard Wilkins III) K. Todd Freeman (Mr. Trick) Jack Plotnick (Allan Finch) Alexis Denisof (Wesley Wyndham-Pryce) Christian Clemenson (Balthazar) Eliza Dushku (Faith)
While on a mission to retrieve an amulet before a powerful demon can restore his strength with it, Faith introduces Buffy to her reckless method of slaying which leaves Buffy wanting more of the wild life; while Giles is trying to keep his cool in front of the stuffy new watcher, Wesley Wyndam-Pryce.
When Faith accidentally kills the deputy mayor Allan Finch, she tries to clean up the crime but when Buffy confronts her about her actions, she simply replies "I don't care".
b: 09-Feb-1999 pc: 3ABB14 w: Douglas Petrie d: Michael Lange
NOTE: This is the second time we see a Slayer kill a human. Buffy killed a human assassin in 'What's My Line?', so this would be the first time a Slayer has killed a normal person.
According to Buffy The Vampire Slayer Magazine #4, Balthazar was referred to as "The Pudding Man" by the makeup people.
Anthony Stewart Head and Alexis Denisof both guest starred on the series Highlander. Interestingly, the only way to kill an immortal on that show was beheading, which is how Giles kills one of the Eliminati in this episode.
When Xander runs through the list of colleges Willow has applied to, one of them is Wesleyan College in Connecticut, which is also Joss Whedon's Alma Mater.
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49. Consequences
gs: Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers) Harry Groener (Mayor Richard Wilkins III) K. Todd Freeman (Mr. Trick) Jack Plotnick (Allan Finch) Alexis Denisof (Wesley Wyndham-Pryce) James G. MacDonald (Detective Stein) Eliza Dushku (Faith)
Buffy tries to face up to the consequences of her wild actions with Faith but Faith seems to think herself above the law. Buffy confides in Giles about the murder and he oversteps his bounds by not involving the new Watcher, Wesley.
Angel captures Faith and tries to connect with her but Wesley and the Watcher's Council intervene and take Faith to be transported to England. Faith escapes and prepares to leave Sunnydale on a cargo ship but Buffy finds her. Mr Trick and several vampires attack them and Faith saves Buffy from almost being bitten by Trick.
Buffy and the gang think that Faith can be saved but while they discuss it, she is offering her services to the Mayor.
b: 16-Feb-1999 pc: 3ABB15 w: Marti Noxon d: Michael Gershman
NOTE: Seth Green (Oz) does not appear in this episode.
In the original storyline for this episode (the beginning of the wrap-up to the season) Wesley was supposed to have been killed by Faith when she escapes from the Council's custody.
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50. Doppelgangland
gs: Harry Groener (Mayor Richard Wilkins III) Alexis Denisof (Wesley Wyndham-Pryce) Emma Caulfield (Anya) Ethan Erickson (Percy) Eliza Dushku (Faith) Armin Shimerman (Principal Snyder)
While unknowingly participating in a spell with the wish-granting demon Anyanka in order for her to get her powers back, Willow accidentally brings forth the vampire Willow from Cordelia's alternate universe.
The vampire Willow sets her sights on turning Sunnydale into the vampire-ruled world she knows but when she learns of her counterpart, she decides to make Willow send her back. After trying to seduce Willow and freaking her out a bit, the vampire Willow is captured. The real Willow, dressed in her doppelganger's outfit, attempts to stop the ensuing slaughter at the Bronze and is almost killed by the vampire Willow before Buffy saves her.
Giles and Anya successfully send the vampire back to her world but she arrives at the exact same moment she left, right before she is staked by Oz.
b: 23-Feb-1999 pc: 3ABB16 w: Joss Whedon d: Joss Whedon
NOTE: According to Buffy The Vampire Slayer Magazine #4, the demon that Anya was speaking to in the beginning was called D'Hoffryn, but was referred to as "Mr. Hodgepodge" by the makeup people because they used pieces from The Judge, a demon of Jhe and the Rage Monster (Pete) to build it.
Although Willow is initially rather disturbed by the thought here, the vampire Willow shows some attraction for the same sex, which could be seen as a foreshadowing of Willow and Tara's relationship that is introduced in season 4.
Notice how Vamp-Willow's mouth forms the word "f**k" as she's dusted.
In the October 1, 1999 issue of Entertainment Weekly, Sophia Crawford, Buffy's stunt double, said this was her favorite episode.
Willow said she never wants to end up evil, because the vamp Willow "messed up everything she touched," but ends up becoming evil at the end of Season 6, after Tara was killed.
In this episode, Anya says she is 1120-years-old to the bartender (and therefore old enough to consume alcohol)
Willow also says she thinks she's gay when she loses her memory in Tabula Rasa in season 6.
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51. Enemies
gs: Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers) Harry Groener (Mayor Richard Wilkins III) Alexis Denisof (Wesley Wyndham-Pryce) Michael Manasseri (Horned Demon) Gary Bullock (Sorcerer) Eliza Dushku (Faith)
Faith's new alliance with the Mayor goes as far as them conspiring to rob Angel of his soul. Faith tries to seduce him but he is thinking Buffy Summers in a big, one-track way. When the old-fashioned way doesn't work, the Mayor summons a powerful sorcerer who does the job for them.
Faith and Angelus team up and capture Buffy but while they are preparing to torture her, Faith lets loose some details about the Mayor and his upcoming Ascension; at which point Angelus reveals that his being evil was all an act for them to get information. Faith escapes after she and Buffy battle and Buffy tells Angel that she needs some time alone after having to watch him and Faith kiss.
b: 16-Mar-1999 pc: 3ABB17 w: Douglas Petrie d: David Grossman
NOTE: Oz' hair returns to blonde in this episode. Presumably Seth Green had finished filming Austin Powers 2 shortly before filming this episode.
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52. Earshot
gs: Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers) Alexis Denisof (Wesley Wyndham-Pryce) Ethan Erickson (Percy) Danny Strong (Jonathan)
After a close encounter with a mouthless demon Buffy is infected with the demon's blood and she gains the ability to hear people's thoughts. Her new found ability at first is good for cheating on schoolwork, but when the voices continue to flood her mind, she realises that she cannot control the power.
While the gang tries to track down a would-be killer at the school, Buffy is slowly going crazy from the inability to block the noise from the minds of the people around her.
b: 21-Sep-1999 pc: 3ABB18 w: Jane Espenson d: Regis Kimble
NOTE: The original airing of this episode was delayed by the network because the episode deals with an attempted mass murder at a High School and it was to air just a week after the mass murder at Columbine High School.
This episode is unique in that, despite having the supernatural element of Buffy hearing other people's thoughts, the main evil of the episode - the person planning to kill everyone at Sunnydale High - turns out to be human, not some supernatural being.
Lauren E. Roman & Sarah Michelle Gellar reunite in this episode from their days on the soap opera All My Children, where Lauren played Laura Kirk English and Sarah played Kendall Hart.
Unless Oz was merely making a joke, the Sunnydale High newspaper has an Obituary section.
The rifle Jonathan uses is a modified Ruger Model 77 Mark 2, which has been custom converted to break down in a carrying case. "Sturm, Ruger and Company Inc. - Arms makers for responsible citizens."
In the October 1, 1999 issue of Entertainment Weekly, Sarah Michelle Gellar said this was her favorite episode.
Should you be watching reruns of season 3 episodes, look for a shortish asian-looking guy carrying a skateboard, he seems to be a regular extra in the show.
The name of the Sunnydale High School newspaper is the Sentinel.
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53. Choices
gs: Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers) Harry Groener (Mayor Richard Wilkins III) Alexis Denisof (Wesley Wyndham-Pryce) Eliza Dushku (Faith) Armin Shimerman (Principal Snyder)
Buffy's acceptance to college leaves her with even more doubts about her life outside of Sunnydale with Faith and the Mayor still around. Buffy decides to take the fight to the Mayor and discovers a secret delivery for him, the Box of Gavrok which contains a mystical energy vital to the Ascension. Buffy and Angel successfully break into Town Hall and snatch the box but unfortunately, Willow is captured by Faith. Are they willing to give up their best chance at avoiding the Ascension to save Willow's life? Is there any doubt?
b: 04-May-1999 pc: 3ABB19 w: David Fury d: James A. Contner
NOTE: In this episode we learn that there is a University of California campus within the Sunnydale city limits, setting the scene for the fourth season and some of the fifth.
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54. The Prom
gs: Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers) Alexis Denisof (Wesley Wyndham-Pryce) Brad Kane (Tucker Wells) Emma Caulfield (Anya) Danny Strong (Jonathan)
As the all time night-of-nights for the senior students peeks around the halls, Buffy must save her friends and the rest of the school from a scorned student who has trained a pack of hellhounds to attack formalwear.
Meanwhile, Angel reveals his feelings that he and Buffy could never have a normal life together and has decided to do the right thing and break up with her and plans to leave town after the Ascension.
Of course Buffy saves the day and her night doesn't turn out so bad when she receives a special Class Protector award from her fellow students and Angel shows up looking very dapper in a tux and asks for one last dance.
b: 11-May-1999 pc: 3ABB20 w: Marti Noxon d: David Solomon
NOTE: Buffy is actually thanked for saving the students at Sunnydale High. "But whenever there was a problem or something creepy happened, you seemed to show up and stop it. ... So the senior class offers its thanks and gives you, uh, this. It's from all of us, and it has written here, 'Buffy Summers--Class Protector'. This seems to be the first time people actually recognize the weirdness of living in Sunnydale
This episode effectively re-introduces Anya (Emma Caulfield), laying the foundations of her relationship with Xander that would rapidly grow in the next season. This process continues over the next two episodes ('Graduation Day' Parts I & II).
In the start of the season, the football players comment that this could be a good year for the team provided they avoid too many mysterious deaths. Thus this is not the first time people recognize that Sunnydale is a weird and dangerous place to live.
The VCR used to train the hell hounds is identical to the one used by Mr. Trick in "Homecoming" to announce Slayerfest 98.
Angel (rather abruptly) makes plans to leave Sunnydale in this episode, the beginning of writing the character out to free him up to go off into his own spin-off.
It is interesting to note that Buffy is by the punch bowl when Jonathan addresses her at the prom. When Buffy's mom and friends threw a party for her upon her return from LA in "Dead Man's Party" they all begin verbally attacking her and Buffy, feeling betrayed, asks if anyone else has something to add, specifically asking Jonathan who is by the punch.
Tucker Wells, the student who unleashes the Hellhounds, is in fact Andrew's (the blonde haired member of Season Six's "trio") older brother.
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55. Graduation Day [1]
gs: Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers) Harry Groener (Mayor Richard Wilkins III) Alexis Denisof (Wesley Wyndham-Pryce) Mercedes McNab (Harmony) Ethan Erickson (Percy) Emma Caulfield (Anya) Eliza Dushku (Faith) Armin Shimerman (Principal Snyder)
The gang receive some valuable information from old enemy Anya who has actually witnessed an Ascension. She reveals that the Mayor plans to transform himself into pure demon, something that has not been seen for thousands of years. When Angel is poisoned by Faith to distract Buffy, Buffy faces Faith for the final time in order to get the only cure to the poison: Faith's blood.
b: 18-May-1999 pc: 3ABB21 w: Joss Whedon d: Joss Whedon
NOTE: In this episode, Buffy says that Angel will be her last "office romance". She contradicts herself only a few months later when she gets romantically involved with Initiative soldier Riley.
Although Angel is able to come into the Professor's home uninvited, it is explained in the Angel episode "Lonely Hearts" that the invitation rule no longer applies when the owner of a home is dead.
At the start, Cordelia complains that she wanted the graduation robes to be teal and not maroon in colour. In the original script it was the other way around, she wanted the red but the school went with the blue.
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56. Graduation Day [2]
gs: Harry Groener (Mayor Richard Wilkins III) Alexis Denisof (Wesley Wyndham-Pryce) Danny Strong (Jonathan) Larry Bagby III (Larry) Mercedes McNab (Harmony) Ethan Erickson (Percy) Eliza Dushku (Faith) Armin Shimerman (Principal Snyder)
After their ultimate 'Fight-to-the-Death' Faith escapes from Buffy, albeit in a coma, so Buffy offers her own blood to Angel to rid his body of the poison. When she recovers the gang finally devise a plan to defeat the Mayor, rallying the students and asking for their help in fighting the resulting serpent demon before Buffy leads him into the library which has been rigged with explosives.
b: 13-Jun-1999 pc: 3ABB22 w: Joss Whedon d: Joss Whedon
NOTE: Angel quietly leaves Sunnydale at the end of this episode, allowing the character to go of to LA and his own spin-off show, which had got the green light at around this time. Cordelia and, later in the season, Wesley, would also make the move to the spin-off series.
Ironically as it's the final school-based episode, Principal Snyder meets his doom when eaten by the Mayor (in giant snake form) in this episode. We also find out next season, in 'The Harsh Light Of Day', that Harmony becomes a vampire as a result of being bitten in this episode.
The "Grr Arg" Mutant Enemy slogan at the end of the credits was altered for this episode. The monster wears a graduation cap.
The season finale was delayed by the WB Network because of the attack on the school. The decision came about as a result of the recent shootings at high schools at the time. The episode 'Earshot' was also delayed for this reason (though for a much longer period of time).
This episode marks the final appearance of Charisma Carpenter (Cordelia) on Buffy, however David Boreanaz makes several guest appearances during the next two seasons.
57. The Freshman
gs: Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers) Marc Blucas (Riley Finn) Dagney Kerr (Kathy Newman) Pedro Balmaceda (Eddie) Katharine Towne (Sunday) Lindsay Crouse (Maggie Walsh)
Buffy moves into her dorm and attempts to adjust to college life. Everything around her seems to have changed without the constant interaction with the gang she had in High School. With Giles becoming a 'gentleman of leisure', Willow getting more and more excited about college and Xander still away on his road trip, she again believes that she must fight and survive on her own when she discovers a gang of tough vampires operating on campus.
b: 05-Oct-1999 pc: 4ABB01 w: Joss Whedon d: Joss Whedon
NOTE: One of the unnamed vampire sidekicks is highly reminiscent of the character Jeff Spicoli from the 1982 movie Fast Times at Ridgemont High.
This is not the first time Katharine Towne and Sarah Michelle Gellar worked together. They both had small parts in the 1999 movie She's All That.
Many fans were surprised and disappointed to see Sunday slayed at the outcome of this episode, as she would have made a great reoccurring nemesis.
Both David Boreanaz and Sarah Michelle Gellar had cameo parts in the season premieres of their now seperate shows. When Buffy notices someone who looks like Angel in the Bronze, it actually is David for a split second and Michelle's cameo in Angel was, of course, her voice on the phone.
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58. Living Conditions
gs: Dagney Kerr (Kathy Newman) Adam Kaufman (Parker Abrams) Paige Moss (Veruca)
Dorm life proves to be a challenge as Buffy has to deal with a roommate who is more than a little bit difficult. Kathy continually imposes her idiosyncrasies onto Buffy and even begins to invade her dreams which has Buffy acting just a little too strange about the situation. Buffy sets her sights on Parker Abrams, the first college guy to pay her any attention, but when Kathy becomes more friendly with him than her, Buffy declares that she must kill Kathy.
b: 12-Oct-1999 pc: 4ABB02 w: Marti Noxon d: David Grossman
NOTE: Buffy and Parker's dorms, Kresge Hall and Stevenson Hall, is Writer Marti Noxon's homage to her alma mater, UC Santa Cruz, which has both a Kresge College and Stevenson College.
While this is the first time we (and Oz) see Veruca, she has no lines and is uncredited.
Dagney Kerr also played one of the hyena-possessed students on "The Pack".
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59. The Harsh Light Of Day
gs: Emma Caulfield (Anya) Mercedes McNab (Harmony) Adam Kaufman (Parker Abrams) James Marsters (Spike)
Spike returns to Sunnydale with his new girlfriend Harmony who is now also a vampire. Spike is searching for the Gem of Amara - a stone which makes vampires invulnerable, which he believes is buried somewhere under Sunnydale. Buffy is preoccupied with her budding relationship with Parker and sleeps with him but he proceeds to ignore her. Meanwhile Anya returns and throws herself at a flabbergasted Xander.
b: 19-Oct-1999 pc: 4ABB03 w: Jane Espenson d: James A. Contner
NOTE: Xander makes reference to having slept with Faith.
Buffy wonders if all guys she sleeps with turn evil (a reference to Angel losing his soul in Surprise).
In the following episode, set around Halloween 1999, Willow mentions the party last Friday; this sets the party on the night of October 22, 1999.
James Marsters was uncredited in the original airing of this episode, so not to spoil the surprise of Spike returning to Sunnydale. The reruns include him in the guest cast list.
This episode was the first crossover with Angel, specifically the episode In The Dark. Spike goes to L.A. to look for the ring that Oz gives to Angel. Seth Green also guested in that episode of Angel as well.
Parker said the same thing about casual sex to Buffy that Angel did when he lost his soul. Hmmm, interesting.
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60. Fear, Itself
gs: Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers) Marc Blucas (Riley Finn) Emma Caulfield (Anya) Adam Kaufman (Parker Abrams) Lindsay Crouse (Maggie Walsh)
To help Buffy get over the pain of having been used by Parker, the gang head to a fraternity Halloween party expecting a few cheap scares and a bit of harmless fun. Unfortunately, some accidental magic turns the party into a house of horrors where everyone's fears come to life.
b: 26-Oct-1999 pc: 4ABB04 w: David Fury d: Tucker Gates
NOTE: Joyce makes reference to her last boyfriend turning out to be a homicidal robot (Ted).
This is the episode where Anya first mentions her fear of bunnies, a humor point played on again in a few more episodes.
Xander makes reference to turning into their costumes (Halloween).
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61. Beer Bad
gs: Marc Blucas (Riley Finn) Adam Kaufman (Parker Abrams) Paige Moss (Veruca) Eric Matheny (Colm) Stephen M. Porter (Jack) Lindsay Crouse (Maggie Walsh)
Still trying to come to terms with Parker's womanising, Buffy starts to hang out at the college bar where she and a group of upperclass students really regress when they start drinking a 'special' beer.
b: 02-Nov-1999 pc: 4ABB05 w: Tracey Forbes d: David Solomon
NOTE: This episode has an underlying message of the dangers of alcohol, a subject lightly touched apon in several previous episodes. This episode also has the notoriety of ranking amongst many fans least favourite episodes.
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62. Wild At Heart
gs: Marc Blucas (Riley Finn) Paige Moss (Veruca) James Marsters (Spike) Lindsay Crouse (Maggie Walsh)
Oz escapes from his cage during a full moon and runs across another werewolf, the sultry, sexy singer Veruca; and wakes up next to her naked in the wilderness the next morning. Veruca scoffs at his cage-living habits, and tells him that the wolf is part of him; he should just run free and kill people. Oz blows her off, but doesn't want her running free the night of the full moon, so he fixes up his cage, invites her over, and locks her in with him.
The two start getting hot and heavy before the wolfiness even takes over, and Willow comes to the cage the next morning to find them naked together. She cries, they argue, Veruca tries to kill Willow, Oz-wolf kills Veruca, and Buffy stops him from attacking Willow.
Oz realizes that Veruca had some good points - he doesn't have control over the wolf, and the wolf is part of him. He decides he needs to leave town and be a hermit while he figures things out. He and Willow share a heartbreaking goodbye, and Oz drives away.
Meanwhile, Spike gets zapped and captured by the mysterious Commando guys.
b: 09-Nov-1999 pc: 4ABB06 w: Marti Noxon d: David Grossman
NOTE: Oz has a Cibo Matto poster in his bedroom at the Dingoes' house. Cibo Matto appeared at the bronze in season 2's 'When She Was Bad'.
This isn't the first time Seth Green and Paige Moss have shared a scene together. They both starred in the 1998 film Can't Hardly Wait.
Seth Green (Oz) leaves the regular cast at the end of this episode.
The relationship between Oz and Veruca was originally intended to grow over most of the season, but Seth Green's leave from the show cut the storyline short.
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63. The Initiative
gs: Marc Blucas (Riley Finn) Mercedes McNab (Harmony) Adam Kaufman (Parker Abrams) Bailey Chase (Graham Miller) Leonard Roberts (Forrest Gates) Lindsay Crouse (Maggie Walsh)
Spike, after being captured by the commandos, is being held hostage by them in a hi-tech facility underneath the University. Riley, who has a crush on Buffy, is a member of this military-like demon-hunting crusade (called The Initiative). It also turns out that Professor Maggie Walsh is in charge of the unit, which performs experiments on the demons the commandos capture. Spike manages to escape and heads to find Buffy, whom he assumes is behind this. Instead, he finds Willow, but is unable to bite her - the Initiative has put a chip in his head that renders him unable to hurt humans; if he tries, he experiences severe neurological pain. Riley and his commandos, undercover, find Spike at Willow's dorm and attack, but Buffy shows up, and they all fight. However, circumstances have led to everyone being unable to see, so Buffy and Riley don't recognize each other, and Spike gets away.
b: 16-Nov-1999 pc: 4ABB07 w: Douglas Petrie d: James A. Contner
NOTE: We learn Buffy and Willow do live on the second floor, as their room number implies.
When Spike is looking at the list of names to see which dorm room Buffy and Willow live in, Jeff Pruitt and David Solomon's names are on the list, as well as many other Buffy crew members.
From this episode James Marsters replaces Seth Green in the opening titles cast line-up.
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64. Pangs
gs: Marc Blucas (Riley Finn) Mercedes McNab (Harmony) Emma Caulfield (Anya) Leonard Roberts (Forrest Gates) Bailey Chase (Graham Miller) Tod Thawley (Hus) David Boreanaz (Angel)
Angel covertly comes to Sunnydale fearing Buffy is in danger after Doyle's vision of her in Angel.
While digging for a new Cultural Centre at the college, Xander falls into a sacred Indian burial area and releases Hus, a vengeance spirit of the Chumash Indians, the original residents of the Sunnydale area. Buffy is busily planning a traditional home cooked Thanksgiving while people around Sunnydale are being killed and Xander gets sicker and sicker. Hus summons a group of warriors and they attack Buffy and the gang at Giles' house. With Angel's help they repel the attackers until Buffy finds a way to kill Hus.
As they sit down to dinner Xander lets it slip that Angel was in town.
b: 23-Nov-1999 pc: 4ABB08 w: Jane Espenson d: Michael Lange
NOTE: Since in the episode of Angel called "I Will Remember You" they say Angel was in Sunnydale for three days, and because the last day was Thanksgiving, the events of this episode probably take place from the early morning of November 23th to the night of November 25th, 1999.
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65. Something Blue
gs: Marc Blucas (Riley Finn) Emma Caulfield (Anya) Elizabeth Anne Allen (Amy)
Willow, in her attempt to get over Oz, casts a spell that ends up causing all sorts of chaos for the gang. Giles goes blind, Xander becomes a demon magnet, and Buffy and Spike fall in love and get engaged. As the two make out and plan their wedding, the demon D'Hoffryn notices Willow's spell casting and its negative effects, and offers to make her a demon like Anya was. Meanwhile, Riley runs into a starry-eyed Buffy, who tells him that she is engaged to a much older man (although not as old as her last boyfriend). Willow sticks with humanity and reverses the spell, causing Buffy and Spike to find themselves kissing. The next day, Buffy must tell a baffled Riley that she made the whole thing up as a joke.
b: 30-Nov-1999 pc: 4ABB09 w: Tracey Forbes d: Nick Marck
NOTE: Amy returns briefly in this episode when Willow unknowingly de-rats her but then 5 seconds later, she changes her back into a rat.
In this episode Anya has a brand new hairdo.
Head vengence demon D'Hoffryn shows up to invite Willow to become a vengence demon, but Willow declines the offer. Obviously he can see her great thirst for vengeance, which could be a prelude to her becoming evil in 'Villains'
In the teaser Buffy mentions seeing Angel in LA only for 5 minutes - which is true, from her point of view anyway. We the viewers, those of us who saw the previous episode of Angel, know better.
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66. Hush
gs: Marc Blucas (Riley Finn) Emma Caulfield (Anya) Leonard Roberts (Forrest Gates) Phina Oruche (Olivia) Amber Benson (Tara) Brooke Bloom (Nicole) Jessica Townsend (Cheryl) Lindsay Crouse (Maggie Walsh)
The entire town of Sunnydale goes silent when a group of fairy tale demons called The Gentlemen appear and steal everyone's voices. Without being vulnerable to the one thing that can kill them (a human scream) they are free to steal the hearts of seven people. Buffy and gang must solve the mystery and overcome the bad guys without being able to discuss anything.
b: 14-Dec-1999 pc: 4ABB10 w: Joss Whedon d: Joss Whedon
NOTE: Approximately half of the episode contained no spoken dialog.
The musical selection played by Giles during his presentation with the overhead projector is "Danse Macabre", written in 1874 by Camille Saint-Sa?ns (1835-1921). It is one of his most popular compositions, and a piano transcription of it was made by Franz Liszt, as well as a really creepy transcription for organ by Edwin H. Lemare.
'Danse Macabre' is also used as the theme tune to a British TV programme called Jonathan Creek, starring Alan Davies and Caroline Quentin. Anthony Stewart Head was in the first episode as magician Adam Krauss. It was intended as a recurring role, but he had to give it up due to Buffy commitments and the part was recast.
When Buffy and Willow are first walking through town after the voices are stolen, one of the things they walk by is a group of bible-readers. According to the sign, the verse they read is Revelations 15:1. Prelude to the Bowl Judgments 15:1 Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete.
This episode introduces Amber Benson as Tara, who will play a big part in the lives of the Scoobies, especially Willow's, over the next 2 years. In a chat interview Miss Benson said the scariest thing see has ever seen was during a lunchbreak where the gentlemen (still made up and in costume) were eating lunch.
This episode was nominated for an Emmy Award for Best Writing in a Drama Series.
Spike likes to crumble up Wheat-a-bix in the blood he drinks
The newscaster in this episode is Carlos Amezcua, a real-life co-anchor on KTLA's morning news. The KTLA Weatherman, Mark Kriski, appeared in season 3's 'Amends'.
Lindsay Crouse (Maggie) previously worked with Amber Benson (Tara) in the 1995 movie Bye, Bye Love.
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67. Doomed
gs: Leonard Roberts (Forrest Gates) Bailey Chase (Graham Miller) Ethan Erickson (Percy West)
Buffy and Riley have to work out their relationship given their new understanding of what they do. An earthquake rocks Sunnydale and Buffy worries that it could signify the end of the world. They find out about a group of demons who are in town collecting sacred items which together have the power to end the world.
When the plans of the demons are uncovered, the gang must return to their former sanctum inside the dilapidated Sunnydale High School (the library) to stop the Hellmouth from opening.
b: 18-Jan-2000 pc: 4ABB11 w: David Fury , Jane Espenson & Marti Noxon d: James A. Contner
NOTE: Buffy says "the last time we had an earthquake I died" referring to the events in Prophecy Girl.
Riley asks Buffy "What are you?" and she replies, "Capricorn on the cusp of Aquarius." If she's not being flippant, this means her birthday is probably 19 January 1981.
Buffy talks about a failed relationship with someone who knew her secret identity - meaning of course Angel.
Faith did not die at the end of season 3 and is still alive in a coma.
While Spike cannot bite or hurt humans he can hit and hurt demons.
From this episode, Marc Blucas (Riley) is added to the opening titles cast line-up.
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68. A New Man
gs: Robin Sachs (Ethan Rayne) Amber Benson (Tara) Emma Caulfield (Anya) Lindsay Crouse (Maggie Walsh)
At Buffy's 19th birthday party, Giles finally realises that he is a middle-aged man hanging around with a bunch of teenagers and starts to get depressed about his life. He feels even more like the third wheel when he finds out about Riley and the Initiative, which Buffy neglected to tell him about. When Ethan Rayne returns to town, instead of kicking his butt back to England, Giles goes for a drink with him. The next morning Giles wakes up and notices that he has turned into a demon.
Buffy and the gang find out about the demon and think that it killed Giles but he can only speak in the demon's language and runs away. He ends up at Spike's crypt who can understand the language and Spike helps Giles (at a price) to find Buffy and to explain what happened and also find Ethan to change him back. Buffy arrives at Ethan's motel room and fights Giles, but she looks into his eyes and realises that it is really Giles beneath the demon form. Buffy then kicks Ethan's butt and reverses the spell.
b: 25-Jan-2000 pc: 4ABB12 w: Jane Espenson d: Michael Gershman
NOTE: Ethan Rayne is removed to a secret military base in Nevada.
Riley loves Buffy and doesn't care who knows. Despite what Maggie Walsh says, Buffy loves Giles like her father. She proves this in "Something Blue" when she asks him to give her away, which is normally a father's job and says they are family.
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69. The I In Team
gs: Amber Benson (Tara) George Hertzberg (Adam) Leonard Roberts (Forrest Gates) Bailey Chase (Graham Miller) Jack Stehlin (Dr. Angleman) Emma Caulfield (Anya) Lindsay Crouse (Maggie Walsh)
Buffy becomes familiar with the Initiative and begins to work with them although they are still unaware of her true power as a Slayer. After Buffy abandons her friends at the Bronze for a mission with the Initiative, Buffy and Riley consummate their relationship unaware that they are being watched on a hidden camera by Walsh. Meanwhile, Giles and the rest of the gang remove a tracking device the commandos shot into Spike's back.
Buffy's presence is sowing strife among the Initiative and Professor Walsh fears that Buffy will endanger her ultimate project and sends her on a mission which would certainly kill one of the Commandos, but not our Buffy. Walsh tries to make Riley believe that Buffy has gotten herself killed but Buffy appears on the com-cam monitors and announces that Walsh will soon know what a Slayer really is.
Riley storms out of the Initiative and Walsh retreats to her secret lab, room 314 only to be killed by her pet project Adam.
b: 08-Feb-2000 pc: 4ABB13 w: David Fury d: James A. Contner
NOTE: Giles pays Spike the $300 that he promised in A New Man.
Willow references the still mysterious 314 that Ethan told Giles about in A New Man.
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70. Goodbye Iowa
gs: Amber Benson (Tara) George Hertzberg (Adam) Leonard Roberts (Forrest Gates) Bailey Chase (Graham Miller) Jack Stehlin (Doctor Angleman) JB Gaynor (Little Boy) Saverio Guerra (Willy) Emma Caulfield (Anya)
Buffy and Riley get mutually suspicious of each other when Buffy reveals that Professor Walsh tried to have her killed. When Professor Walsh is found dead things get even more out of hand, with the commandos quick to blame Buffy. Riley is even more agitated when he sees Buffy with Spike (hostile 17) and then again at Willy's Place. Riley progressively gets sicker and we learn that the commandos have been taking medication to increase their strength.
Meanwhile the man-demon-machine Adam that Professor Walsh created is roaming Sunnydale and even Buffy can't seem to stop him.
b: 15-Feb-2000 pc: 4ABB14 w: Marti Noxon d: David Solomon
NOTE: Professor Walsh was giving Riley some sort of injections to make him stronger.
Spike is no longer welcome around the other demons because they've gotten word that he is fighting them.
It is against the demon "code of honor" for one demon to kill another.
This episode starts just minutes after the previous episode's end.
Buffy wears "yummi sushi" pajamas.
Anya refers to Xander being a soldier for a night in the episode Halloween.
Although it is conceivable that Tara and Willow were intimate in 4x13 it is now clear that, this was not the case.
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71. This Year's Girl [1]
gs: Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers) Amber Benson (Tara) Leonard Roberts (Forrest Gates) Bailey Chase (Graham Miller) Chet Grissom (Detective) Alastair Duncan (Collins) Harry Groener (Mayor Richard Wilkins III) Eliza Dushku (Faith)
Faith, still in a coma in the hospital, is dreaming of being pursued by Buffy. Riley, partially recovered from his encounter with Adam leaves the Initiative infirmary and joins up with Buffy. While Buffy and gang plot how to go after Adam, Buffy finds out that Faith has awoken. Faith wants revenge and confronts Buffy. A message from the Mayor and a mysterious device come to Faith through a friend of the Mayor's (a demon who Faith kills). Later Faith goes after Joyce in her own home and of course Buffy arrives to save the day. Faith uses the device with unknown powers before Buffy strikes her down.
b: 22-Feb-2000 pc: 4ABB15 w: Douglas Petrie d: Michael Gershman
NOTE: Faith running from Buffy in her dream sequence is highly reminiscent of the scene in the movie I Know What You Did Last Summer where Sarah Michelle Gellar's character runs from a killer.
Some group had a spy in place watching for Faith to awaken who calls to let them know that it has happened.
Riley speculated that Adam is "charging his batteries" for some upcoming event.
Tara and Willow don't know what Faith's "5 by 5" expression means but readers of this webpage have known since the episode Faith, Hope, and Trick.
Faith's comment to Buffy in the dream sequence about 'getting ready for little sis' would seem to be foreshadowing for the arrival of Dawn. the earliest we've seen.
Amber Benson (Tara) previously worked with Eliza Dushku (Faith) in the 1995 movie Bye Bye Love.
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72. Who Are You? [2]
gs: Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers) Amber Benson (Tara) Leonard Roberts (Forrest Gates) George Hertzberg (Adam) Chet Grissom (Detective) Alastair Duncan (Collins) Emma Caulfield (Anya) Eliza Dushku (Buffy Summers)
After Faith switches bodies with Buffy via the device that was left for her by the Mayor, she begins to slip into Buffy's life. When the police try to take away Faith (Buffy in Faith's body) she is kidnapped by a special group from the Watcher's Council. As Buffy tries in vain to convince them that she is not Faith, Faith in Buffy's body is out having a good time. Willow attempts to introduce Tara to Buffy but when Tara senses that something is amiss they perform a spell which uncovers the switch.
The man/demon/machine Adam has determined that his purpose is to kill and recruits some vampires to help. The vampires take over a church and both Faith and Buffy arrive to stop them. Using a Katra that Willow and Tara conjured, Buffy gets her own body back and Faith runs and disappears without a trace.
b: 29-Feb-2000 pc: 4ABB16 w: Joss Whedon d: Joss Whedon
NOTE: Faith calls herself "the one and only" slayer even though there are two. (She probably said it because she expected Buffy to be either dead or in jail by that time.)
When Faith in Buffy's body is at Giles' house she says "about" in a Boston accent. (Faith's accent)
Riley attends church. This is the first time we've seen a regular character do so.
The opening credits list Eliza Dushku as Buffy.
Tara tells Willow "I am ... yours".
The nurse in This Year's Girl apparently was calling the Watcher's Council.
Willow makes a reference to the hyena possession from the episode The Pack.
Buffy makes a reference to being able to hear people's thoughts in the episode Earshot and Giles' and Joyce's tryst in Band Candy.
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73. Superstar
gs: Danny Strong (Jonathan) Amber Benson (Tara) Bailey Chase (Graham Miller) Robert Patrick Benedict (Jape) John Saint Ryan (Colonel Haviland) George Hertzberg (Adam) Emma Caulfield (Anya)
Buffy, Willow, Xander and Anya are out hunting vampires and kill one of a pair. They track the other to a nest and decide to call in the big guns and visit Jonathan. Along with Giles they plot the attack on the nest and go to carry it out. Buffy manages to kill 2 of the 5 vampires and Jonathan takes care of the rest. Jonathan advises Buffy and Riley about their relationship and the Initiative has Jonathan consult on how to track and kill Adam. A beast attacks a girl outside Jonathan's mansion but he seems to be afraid of hunting it.
Buffy becomes suspicious that Jonathan is too perfect and afraid of the beast. The beast attacks Tara and Buffy recognizes it's symbol as one that also appears on Jonathan's back. The gang tracks the symbol to an augmentation spell that improves Jonathan's image in everyone's mind but creates an evil counterpart. With Jonathan's help Buffy is able to defeat the beast and return the world to normal.
b: 04-Apr-2000 pc: 4ABB17 w: Jane Espenson d: David Grossman
NOTE: Adam doesn't eat. Jonathan believes he has a Uranium power source.
Adam is immune to Jonathan's spell. He claims it's because he's so aware of every aspect of himself.
Buffy refers to the Initiative's "technicolor food of strongness" and Riley assures her that they've stopped tampering with the food.
Jonathan mentions the time that Buffy saved him from committing suicide in the high school clock tower in 'Earshot'.
Jane Espenson also wrote the season 3 episode 'Earshot', the first episode to feature Jonathan as a key character. She and Danny Strong have since become good friends.
This episode contains a unique version of the opening credits that heavily feature Jonathan, in keeping with the story of this episode in which everyone is besotted with the character.
In the end when the world returns to normal, one of the Jonathan posters on a wall changes into a poster of Oz's band, Dingoes Ate My Baby. Perhaps this was an early indicator of Oz's sudden return two episodes later.
The actor who plays Jonathan, Danny Strong has noted that he has all of the merchandice from the show, and he'll sell it on ebay sometime.
The singer in the Bronze is played by Brad Kane, who previously appeared as Tucker Wells in 'The Prom'
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74. Where The Wild Things Are
gs: Amber Benson (Tara) Leonard Roberts (Forrest Gates) Bailey Chase (Graham Miller) Kathryn Joosten (Mrs. Holt) Emma Caulfield (Anya)
Buffy and Riley are spending all their time in bed (and they're not sleeping). Their round-the-clock exploration of each other awakens the spirits of children who were sexually repressed by their foster mother back when Lowell House was a home for orphaned and runaway kids. Willow, Giles and Tara divert the angry children while Xander and Anya go to try and stop Buffy and Riley.
b: 25-Apr-2000 pc: 4ABB18 w: Tracey Forbes d: David Solomon
NOTE: Buffy and Riley use condoms during their love making. It's nice to see a show enforce safe sex; Anya also mentions using condoms in 'The Harsh Light Of Day'. Of course Buffy didn't use condoms when she slept with Angel, but it is a common fact in literature that vampires are sterile and cannot bear children.
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75. New Moon Rising
gs: Amber Benson (Tara) Leonard Roberts (Forrest Gates) Bailey Chase (Graham Miller) Robert Patrick Benedict (Jape) Conor O'Farrell (Colonel McNamara) George Hertzberg (Adam) Emma Caulfield (Anya) Seth Green (Oz)
Tara and Willow's relationship seems to be progressing when Oz returns to town. Through his travels Oz has found a combination of charms, potions and meditation that allows him to avoid turning into a werewolf. When Oz discovers that Willow and Tara are more than friends he loses control and as a werewolf chases Tara. Tara is saved by Riley and the Initiative who take Oz into custody. When Oz turns back into a human, Riley tries to set him free but is caught and jailed himself. Buffy arrives and rescues both but Riley ends up being labeled a traitor for his actions. Oz leaves again when it becomes clear he can't control his emotions around Willow. Tara tells Willow to be with the one she loves and Willow proclaims that she is.
b: 02-May-2000 pc: 4ABB19 w: Marti Noxon d: James A. Contner
NOTE: Robert Patrick Benedict who played Jape, Adam's vampire lackey in 'Superstar', was credited in the opening guest cast list for 'New Moon Rising' but his scenes in the episode were cut.
Although Emma Caulfield is still credited as a guest star until the start of season 5, this episode is her first as an official regular cast member after signing on for s5 shortly before the episode was filmed.
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76. The Yoko Factor [1]
gs: Amber Benson (Tara) Leonard Roberts (Forrest Gates) Conor O'Farrell (Colonel McNamara) George Hertzberg (Adam) Emma Caulfield (Anya) David Boreanaz (Angel)
Adam enlists Spike to turn the gang against each other, leaving Buffy alone and helpless. Spike plays on their fears of how the others perceive them, telling Xander that Willow and Buffy no longer think that they need him and that he would be better off joining the Army; telling Willow that Xander and Buffy believe her experimenting with magick is just a phase; and elaborating on Giles' own beliefs that he no longer needs to be in Sunnydale.
Giles ends up drunk while Buffy, Willow and Xander fight. Angel comes from L.A. to apologize to Buffy after their fight over Faith in 'Angel' but he ends up fighting with Riley. Buffy sees Adam kill Forrest and tells Riley. The distraught Riley goes to confront Adam while Buffy determines she has to face him alone.
b: 09-May-2000 pc: 4ABB20 w: Douglas Petrie d: David Grossman
NOTE: The previous week's episode of Angel, 'Sanctuary', showed Buffy going to LA after hearing that Faith was there. Angel is actually protecting Faith after she breaks down, and Buffy and Angel's fight ends with Angel harshly telling her to "Go home", which is why he came to apologise.
Willow seems to have gotten over her stage fright (first shown in Season 1's "The Puppet Show" and "Nightmares") a little bit in this period, since in this episode she is heavily considering taking drama classes at UC Sunnydale. Perhaps her relationship with Tara is helping to build her confidence?
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77. Primeval [2]
gs: Amber Benson (Tara) Leonard Roberts (Forrest Gates) Bailey Chase (Graham Miller) Jack Stehlin (Doctor Angleman) Conor O'Farrell (Colonel McNamara) George Hertzberg (Adam) Emma Caulfield (Anya) Lindsay Crouse (Maggie Walsh)
Adam tells Riley that he has a behavior modification chip wired to his central nervous system behind his heart. Through the chip Adam has control over Riley. Xander continues to worry about being directionless and ponders joining the army. Professor Walsh, Dr Angleman and Forrest have all been brought back to life by Adam in a secret lab in the Initiative compound. Forrest is a human/demon/machine hybrid like Adam.
When Buffy finds Spike in Adam's cave she figures out that he intentionally tried to split up the gang. Buffy tells the rest of them and they realise that Adam is going to attack the Initiative from the inside using the surplus demons that have been captured to fight all the scientists and commandos. When the carnage ends, Adam will have plenty of body parts to create an army of soldiers like him.
Giles finds a spell to destroy Adam's power center but the spell can only be recited in Sumerian and although Giles speaks the language, only Willow has the power and talent to perform it. Xander suggests that they need the power of all the gang members combined to defeat Adam and Giles agrees, citing a spell which can combine all their own special abilities together. The gang all break into the Initiative.
The Initiative soldiers are waiting and capture Buffy and friends. As Buffy tries to explain the situation to the Colonel, Adam cuts the power at the Initiative locking everyone in and freeing the demons from their cells. As the Initiative soldiers try to fight the demons the gang breaks free and make their way to 314 which is the entrance to Adam's secret lab.
Buffy goes after Adam and sees Riley strapped into a chair but is attacked by Adam and Forrest. The modified Forrest is beating Buffy when Riley pulls the chip from his chest and comes to her aid. Riley fights Forrest while Buffy goes after Adam. Adam has "upgraded" and now has a machine gun arm which he uses to fire at Buffy.
At just the right moment the gang's spell takes place and Buffy creates a barrier protecting herself from the bullets. Buffy rips out Adams power source and magically causes it to disappear. A demon breaks in on the rest of the gang and Spike comes to their rescue.
In a scene which takes place sometime after these events we see a government committee deciding to close down the Initiative which was an experiment to try to use demons to build super soldiers.
b: 16-May-2000 pc: 4ABB21 w: David Fury d: James A. Contner
NOTE: The enhanced Buffy stopping the bullets and then kicking Adam in the air is highly reminiscent of scenes from the movie The Matrix.
This episode was orignally intended to be the final episode for season 4, but Joss Whedon decided to have "Restless" as the finale.
Buffy says Riley told her Adam has a uranium power source near his spine. In the episode 'Superstar' we see Jonathan telling the Initiative this fact when he's brought in as a consultant.
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78. Restless
gs: Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers) Amber Benson (Tara) Mercedes McNab (Harmony) David Wells (The Cheese Man) Michael Harney (Xander's Father) George Hertzberg (Adam) Emma Caulfield (Anya) Seth Green (Oz) Armin Shimerman (Principal Snyder)
Buffy, Xander, Giles and Willow sit down to watch videos after defeating Adam. They enter a bizarre dream world where they are pursued by a primitive force that they released via their enjoining spell. The force turns out to be the spirit of the first Slayer who speaks through Tara in their dream world and is confronting each of them with their deepest secrets and fears before killing them. Buffy eventually dispatches the primitive girl by ignoring her and they all wake up.
b: 23-May-2000 pc: 4ABB22 w: Joss Whedon d: Joss Whedon
NOTE: Giles sings "The Exposition Song" backed by Four Star Mary and Chris Beck. Four Star Mary is the real band behind Dingoes Ate My Baby.
In the last scene of the season, Buffy is walking along the landing upstairs, and stops to look into the spare bedroom when she hears the "You think you know. What's to come. What you are. You haven't even begun." This room later becomes Dawn's bedroom, which is the "what's to come" bit of the speech.
After Buffy rips off Willow's "costume", the dress she is wearing underneath and her long, straight hairstyle is exactly the same as in the series premiere 'Welcome to the Hellmouth'.
This episode breaks with previous seasons patterns in that it is another story after the big 2-part climax that ties up the running story of the season. Previous seasons have finished on the big explosive 2-parters.
When Buffy is leaving the house in her dream to find her friends, Tara says, 'Make sure your home before Dawn' which is a reference to the introduction of the new charactor Dawn in series 5
Joss Whedon announced in an interview that the Cheese Man means nothing, as he wanted something in the dream that was unexplainable. Despite this, some poeple have published some theories on the web.
When Buffy tells Tara that "Faith and I just made that bed" is a reference to one of Faith's dreams in "This Year's Girl."
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79. Buffy Vs. Dracula
gs: Rudolf Martin (Dracula) Michelle Trachtenberg (Dawn Summers) Amber Benson (Tara) Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers)
Giles tells Willow that he's planning to move back to England since he's feeling less then vital to the work in Sunnydale. Meanwhile on patrol, Buffy runs into a vampire who claims to be Dracula. Dracula turns out to have powers above and beyond the vampire norm such as the ability to turn into a mist and then re-appear, and the ability to turn into a bat.
The gang sets about researching Dracula. Dracula visits Buffy during the night and drinks some of her blood but leaves her alive and under his seductive spell. Xander runs into Dracula and also falls under his power and brings Buffy to him. Dracula claims Buffy's power derives from evil and invites her to feed on him. She does but overcomes his mind control. She is able to slay him as he re-appears from a mist but he keeps re-appearing and Buffy keeps slaying. Eventually he gives up.
Buffy tells Giles of Dracula's comments about her power deriving from evil and her own feelings of hunting vampires rather than slaying as a duty. Giles agrees to stay on to help research the nature of the slayer.
b: 26-Sep-2000 pc: 5ABB01 w: Marti Noxon d: David Solomon
NOTE: Dracula repeats the lines that the first slayer and Tara said to Buffy in last season's finale, Restless: "You think you know. What's to come. What you are. You haven't even begun."
Sarah Michelle Gellar and Rudolf Martin had an ongoing storyline together in the soap opera All My Children, she as Kendall and he as Anton.
Dracula is the first and only vampire (to date) in the series seen to have the ability to shapeshift, as he turns into a bat, a wolf and into mist.
Young actress Michelle Trachtenberg is introduced in the closing moments of this episode as the sudden sister Dawn Summers.
This is the first (and only) season premiere episode to have the opening scene set during daytime and not involving a vampire.
Within the same month that this episode originally aired, the actor who played Dracula also played Vlad the Impaler (whom the story of "Dracula" is based on) in a made for tv movie.
Starting from this season, Emma Caulfield (Anya) is added to the opening credits. Previously, she had been credited amongst the guest cast.
Two other cast members recieve promotions this series. Amber Benson and Kristine Sutherland are now credited, respectively, as 'Amber Benson as Tara' and 'and Kristine Sutherland as Joyce Summers' in the guest credits. The 'and' part however seems to be cursed, since every other character to be credited as such has died. (Snyder, Walsh etc.)
Dracula also seems to have "the power to read and control minds and enter dreams" as well.
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80. Real Me
gs: Mercedes McNab (Harmony) Bob Morrisey (Crazy Guy) Amber Benson (Tara) Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers)
Buffy's little sister puts forward her view on the slayer and her friends and feels nothing but contempt for all of them apart from Xander. Dawn feels in the way when Buffy complains about having to take her school shopping when she is supposed to be training with Giles. While on patrol, Buffy leaves Dawn with a babysitter, Xander and Anya, but she accidentally invites Harmony into the house which Buffy does not respond to kindly. Harmony kidnaps Dawn to draw Buffy into a trap and Buffy is obliged to save her sister, as usual.
Meanwhile, Giles takes up tenancy in the recently vacated magic shop in order for him to slip back into the role of Watcher.
b: 03-Oct-2000 pc: 5ABB02 w: David Fury d: David Grossman
NOTE: The actor who plays Cyrus in Harmony's "gang" will return in season 6 to portray Andrew, one of the nerd trio.
This is the first time Dawn hears the phrase "You don't belong here", hinting at her origins.
From this episode Michelle Trachtenberg is included in the opening titles cast line-up.
Chaney Kley, who played Brad (the one that abstained) in Harmony's gang, appeared opposite Emma Caulfield (Anya) in the January 2003 horror movie Darkness Falls.
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81. The Replacement
gs: Kelly Donovan (Confident Xander) Michael Bailey Smith (Toth) Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers)
Are two Xanders really better than one? We find out when a demon searching for the Slayer accidentally hits Xander with his weapon, splitting him in two; one with all the positive aspects of his personality, the other with all the negative. While each of them try to convince the Scooby Gang that the other is a demon, Buffy must find the real demon to put the Xanders back together.
b: 10-Oct-2000 pc: 5ABB03 w: Jane Espenson d: James A. Contner
NOTE: Unlike most shows that handle twins by having the same actor play both roles, this episode was able to use Nicholas Brendon's real life twin to play Xander's confident half.
This is the first episode to suggest a problem with Joyce's head.
Willow makes a reference to her encounter with the Vampire Willow in 'Doppelgangland'
Donovan and Brendon are actually the middle names of twin brothers, Kelly and Nicholas. Their full names are Kelly Donovan Schulz and Nicholas Brendon Schulz.
Response to 'first episode to suggest a problem with Joyce's head'. There was a hint of a problem back in the season 4 finale 'Restless'. Joyce said that she had a headache and felt tired.
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82. Out Of My Mind
gs: Mercedes McNab (Harmony) Bailey Chase (Graham Miller) Charlie Weber (Ben) Time Winters (Initiative Doctor) Amber Benson (Tara) Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers)
Riley is in bad shape due to the drugs pumped into him by Prof. Walsh from the Initiative. A special government doctor needs to operate on Riley before his body can no longer support his heart rate of 150. Riley, however, is doing everything he can to avoid the medical treatment. It may be because he is scared of what the doctor may do to him, or he may just not want to be a normal man again. It's up to Buffy to get Riley to the operating room on time, which of course she does, but someone else gets in the way. Spike's plan is to force the doctor to remove the chip from his brain, therefore freeing him for slayer killing.
b: 17-Oct-2000 pc: 5ABB04 w: Rebecca Rand Kirshner d: David Grossman
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83. No Place Like Home
gs: Clare Kramer (Glory) Charlie Weber (Ben) Ravil Isyanov (Monk) Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers)
Buffy's mother continues to be sick and the doctors can't figure out why. Buffy finds a strange orb while on patrol and later the security guard who pointed it out to her shows up in the hospital apparently crazy. Buffy suspects that there's a supernatural reason behind her mother's illness and goes into a spell-induced trance provided by Willow which reveals Dawn fading in and out of reality.
At the site where she found the orb, Buffy runs into a beaten, captured monk. As she tries to free him she's attacked by an unknown girl with amazing strength. Buffy manages to drag the monk out of the place and get away before the ceiling caves in. He tells her that Dawn is the human form that his brethren made from an energy he calls "The Key". Dawn is not her sister and the memories were all implanted by this group, but Dawn is now human and unaware of her origins.
b: 24-Oct-2000 pc: 5ABB05 w: Douglas Petrie d: David Solomon
NOTE: This is writer Douglas Petrie's first episode to feature Dawn, but it is not the first time he has written for Michelle Trachtenberg. He wrote the screenplay for the 1996 Nickelodeon movie Harriet The Spy, Michelle's first feature film; and was also a staff writer on the Nickelodeon series Clarissa Explains It All, which guest starred a young Michelle.
In this episode we learn Dawn is not human, but an energy called the 'Key'; putting to rest all the cries of outrage from fans when they were introduced to Buffy's sister who was never seen before.
We are introduced to Glory in this episode, although we do not yet know her name, or exactly what she is.
The fight sequence between Glory and Buffy in the warehouse appears to display many characteristics of the fight between Neo and Agent Smith near the end of the film The Matrix.
This is Buffy's first meeting with Spike after he discovers her love for her. She addresses him as William during their dialogue. She used this same address during the scene in which she broke up with him in Season 6.
Clare Kramer's character was originally meant to be called "Cherry" rather than Glory.
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84. Family
gs: Mercedes McNab (Harmony) Clare Kramer (Glory) Charlie Weber (Ben) Amy Adams (Cousin Beth) Steve Rankin (Mr. Maclay) Amber Benson (Tara)
Tara's about to celebrate her 20th birthday. Her family arrives ? but not to celebrate the occasion. They've come to take her home before she turns into an evil demon just like her mother did at the same age. When Glory sends some Lei-Ach demons to take care of the Slayer, Tara inadvertently helps the demons toward their goal by casting a spell to keep her friends from seeing the demon inside her. When the gang have a fight the resulting group of invisible demons, Tara lifts the spell to help them and they find out her secret. Willow tries to stop her from leaving with her family, but Tara is convinced of what her father says about her. Spike ends the argument by punching Tara in the face and then flinching from the pain, proving that she is a human.
b: 07-Nov-2000 pc: 5ABB06 w: Joss Whedon d: Joss Whedon
NOTE: Sarah Michelle Gellar played Kathryn Merteuil in Cruel Intentions. Amy Adams (cousin Beth) continued the role in the sequel Cruel Intentions 2: Manchester Prep.
Amy Adams previously worked with Nicholas Brendon in the 2000 horror-comedy flick, Psycho Beach Party.
The vampire, Sandy, that Riley converses with at Willy's bar is apparently the same one sired by Vamp Willow at the Bronze in the Season 3 episode, "Doppelgangland".
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85. Fool For Love
gs: David Boreanaz (Angel) Mercedes McNab (Harmony) Juliet Landau (Drusilla) Julie Benz (Darla) Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers)
When a vampire impales Buffy with her own stake, she wants to find out how her predecessors have lost in battle. Because of Giles' lack of info on the final battles of previous Slayers she turns to the only person she knows who has killed two: Spike. In exchange for cash, he not only details why his victims lost their battles, but his personal history as a vampire. Meanwhile, Joyce's condition worsens and she has to spend the night at the hospital.
b: 14-Nov-2000 pc: 5ABB07 w: Douglas Petrie d: Nick Marck
NOTE: Spike got his scar on his right eye brow from the fight with the Chinese slayer.
The Boxer Rebellion scenes that were also shown in the Angel episode 'Darla' (the sequel to this episode that followed straight after this one) were directed by Tim Minear.
The leather jacket that Spike wears, he got from the second slayer he killed.
When Spike finished telling Buffy about the Slayers he killed, he says "Here endeth the lesson". The Master said the same thing at the end of his speech at the beginning of season 1's "Never Kill a Boy on the First Date"
Kali Rocha, who plays Cecily, will return to the Buffyverse as Halfrek in Doublemeat Palace.
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86. Shadow
gs: Clare Kramer (Glory) Charlie Weber (Ben) Kevin Weisman (Dreg) William Forward (Dr. Isaacs) Amber Benson (Tara) Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers)
Riley is looking for Buffy at her house, but all he finds is Spike in her room smelling her sweater. Spike informs Riley of Buffy's mom's illness and rubs it in his face that Buffy told the vampire about it before her own boyfriend. Riley goes to the hospital, and Buffy gives him plenty to do, like taking care of Dawn and patrolling, but what Riley really wants is to take care of Buffy. He ends up taking Dawn to an amusement park where they talk about a few things. Despite her good intentions, Dawn makes Riley feel like he's not good enough for Buffy and that he can't compare to Angel. Later on in the episode he feels even further away from being close to Buffy, and he goes and gets himself bitten by a vamp whore.
Meanwhile, at the magic shop Giles accidentally sells two very bad, powerful ingredients for a spell to a "young woman", who turns out to be the all powerful lady who creamed Buffy the last time they fought. Buffy tries to stop her again, but she's no match for the lady in red who's name we later learn is Glory. With her spell, Glory conjures up a big reptile with the vision to seek out and find the Key. Once the snake finds out that Dawn is the key, Buffy must keep it from bringing the news back to Glory.
b: 21-Nov-2000 pc: 5ABB08 w: David Fury d: Daniel Attias
NOTE: Buffy using the chain to choke the snake creature is reminiscent of Princess Leia killing Jabba the Hutt in Return of the Jedi, as is the creature's tail flopping up and down in it's death throws.
The stake Riley used to slay Sandy wasn't actually a stake, it was a wooden switchblade
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87. Listening To Fear
gs: Charlie Weber (Ben) Bailey Chase (Graham Miller) Nick Chinlund (Major Ellis) Kevin Weisman (Dreg) Randy Thompson (Doctor Kriegel) Amber Benson (Tara) Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers)
The Summers women are at the hospital when the doctor informs Joyce she'll have surgery in two days. The rest of the gang go vampire slaying. Willow and Tara are camping out on the roof of a building watching the stars when a large object crashes down in Sunnydale. A mental patient who has been released from the hospital is walking through the forest when a creature attacks him. At the hospital, the creature climbs along the ceiling, undetected. Buffy and Joyce talk the doctor into letting Joyce go home until her operation. The gang finds the location of the crash and the dead body of the released hospital patient. While everyone else goes to find help, Riley calls Graham. He later advises the military officers who answer the call on how to deal with the situation.
At the hospital, the mental patients are attacked by the demon. Buffy's mom continues to act strangely and say things she doesn't remember. Dawn is hurt when Joyce calls her a "thing", but Buffy comforts her and tells her to ignore the comment. The gang finds that a Queller demon has been summoned to kill crazy people. Joyce is attacked by the demon who spits its slime onto her and Dawn comes to the rescue. Buffy eventually hears Dawn's scream and goes after the demon. Buffy finds Spike stealing pictures from her basement, but can't yell at him as the demon attacks again. Ben gets into his car at the hospital and Dreg is waiting in the backseat. Ben reveals that he summoned the Queller, to clean up Glory's mess like he has done all his life.
Back at the hospital, Joyce asks Buffy for the truth about Dawn and she is wheeled away into surgery.
b: 28-Nov-2000 pc: 5ABB09 w: Rebecca Rand Kirshner d: David Solomon
NOTE: In all the supernatural beings that Buffy and co. have dealt with, the creature in this episode is the first one to have come from outer-space.
For some reason, Bailey Chase (Graham) is uncredited in this episode.
The crazy guy at the hospital who said "There's no data there..." while looking at Dawn is the same guy that Glory fed on when she was trying to make the monk talk.
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88. Into The Woods
gs: Bailey Chase (Graham Miller) Nick Chinlund (Major Ellis) Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers)
At the hospital, the Scooby Gang awaits news from the doctor about Joyce's surgery and they are all relieved when the surgery is a success. Dawn spends the night with Xander and Anya. With the house to themselves, Buffy and Riley spend a romantic evening together. In the middle of the night, Riley sneaks out through the window and Spike follows him into an old building.
Buffy spends the day with her mother in the hospital discussing Joyce's wig options. Spike wakes Buffy from sleep that night to show her what Riley has been doing. Buffy is shocked to find him in the arms of a female vampire, being fed upon.
Meanwhile the special demon hunting unit that Graham is now a part of gets news of a village in Belize being torn apart by demons and Graham persuades his commanding officer to seek Riley's help.
Buffy and the gang go after the nest of vampires only to find the building empty. Buffy sets the building on fire, leaving her friends in the dark about what's truly bothering her. Riley is furious that Spike allowed Buffy to see the truth and after throwing the vampire around a bit, he stakes him. Fortunately for Spike, the stake is plastic. Spike and Riley talk and realise that they both love her, but she doesn't return the feeling to either of them.
Riley tries to explain things to Buffy. He tells her he started it because he wanted to know what Buffy felt when she was bitten and he tells her that the vampires needed him and Buffy doesn't. After Buffy tries to convince him that she's given him everything she has, Riley tells her about the offer to return to the military. He is going to leave unless she can give him a reason to stay.
Later, Buffy gets attacked from the vampires from the nest and stakes every one of them easily. Xander witnesses this and confronts Buffy, not willing to let her hide from her problems. He shows her the truth that she's been ignoring, and tells her that she has to decide if she's really willing to lose Riley for good.
She runs as fast as she can but it is too late. The helicopter takes off with Buffy on the landing pad, calling after Riley. Still shocked, Buffy returns home while Riley leaves Sunnydale, not looking back.
b: 19-Dec-2000 pc: 5ABB10 w: Marti Noxon d: Marti Noxon
NOTE: Dedication: In memory of D.C. Gustafson.
According to Soap Opera Weekly, Gustafson was a Leadman on the first two seasons of the show and was apparently a close friend of Sarah Michelle Gellar's. He died in November after fighting cancer and AIDS.
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89. Triangle
gs: Abraham Benrubi (Olaf the Troll) Amber Benson (Tara) Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers)
Giles goes off to England to talk to the council about Glory. Meanwhile, Anya and the gang tend to the magic shop. While attempting a new spell to assist Buffy with her slaying, Willow is distracted by her and Anya's constant bickering and accidentally conjures a troll. Actually Anya turned the guy into a troll 1000 years ago when he dumped her and she was then offered the chance to become a vengeance demon. The big, dumb guy goes around smashing things with his hammer until the gang is able to stop him and send him off to troll land.
b: 09-Jan-2001 pc: 5ABB11 w: Jane Espenson d: Christopher Hibler
NOTE: From this episode, Marc Blucas (Riley) is removed from the opening titles cast line-up.
Abraham Benrubi is most recognizable to TV viewers as Jerry the desk clerk on ER. He also played Larry Kubiak on Parker Lewis Can't Lose.
This episode finally confirms that Willow is now gay.
When Olaf is in the Bronze and he knocks the balcony part off of the structure it reminded me of Titanic when the ship went belly up and the passengers started falling. I don't remember about anybody else but this just seemed like something from the movie.
The events of this episode caused the Bronze to re-open with a new look.
Music: "There's No Other Way" by Blur and "Bohemian Like You" by The Dandy Warhols (playing during scenes in the Bronze)
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90. Checkpoint
gs: Clare Kramer (Glory) Charlie Weber (Ben) Cynthia Lamontagne (Lydia) Oliver Muirhead (Phillip) Kris Iyer (Nigel) Kevin Weisman (Dreg) Troy T. Blendell (Jinx) Amber Benson (Tara) Harris Yulin (Quentin Travers) Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers)
A team from the Watchers Council show up in Sunnydale with some info on who or what Glory is. Before they allow Buffy the details however, they want her to pass a series of psychological and physical tests. They even interview her very nervous gang of friends.
Glory shows up at Buffy's house and has a chat with her about the Key and Buffy freaks and takes Dawn and Joyce to Spike so that he can protect them. After being attacked by a group of human Knights who claim they will send an army to defeat her if she continues to protect the Key, Buffy decides she's had enough and the Watchers will have to play her way.
Buffy lays down the law and the Watchers agree and reveal to her what Glory is. Not a demon but a god.
b: 23-Jan-2001 pc: 5ABB12 w: Jane Espenson and Douglas Petrie d: Nick Marck
NOTE: Although the soap opera Passions is largely targeted toward teens of Dawn's age group, Dawn herself doesn't seem to be a fan; while her mother apparently is.
As well as a Watcher's Council, there also seems to be a governing body of Witches where registered magick users recieve a Magical Proficiency accreditation; both of which Willow and Tara know nothing about.
Spike likes the soap opera Passions, and talks to Joyce about it.
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91. Blood Ties
gs: Clare Kramer (Glory) Charlie Weber (Ben) Troy T. Blendell (Jinx) Amber Benson (Tara) Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers)
Buffy finally tells her friends about Dawn being the Key and they start acting weird around Dawn, which leads to her seeking answers. She sneaks into the magic shop with Spike and reads Giles' notes. After finding out what she is, Dawn is very upset and has so many questions. She knows that crazy people know what she is, so she goes to the mental ward at the hospital. While she's there, she runs into Ben. Ben freaks when she tells him she is the key and tells her to run away fast, but before she gets a chance to get away from him, he turns into Glory. Fortunately, Glory doesn't know anything about the conversation between Ben and Dawn, so she has no idea that Dawn is her key. Buffy and gang find Glory and Dawn chatting, and Buffy fights to protect her sister. Eventually, Willow completes a transportation spell sending Glory away, but Willow doesn't know exactly where. In the end, Dawn has made up with her family, and Buffy has made up with Spike.
b: 06-Feb-2001 pc: 5ABB13 w: Steven S. DeKnight d: Michael Gershman
NOTE: The part with Dawn ripping up all of her notebooks and diaries is almost just like a scene in Harriet the Spy, starring Michelle.
In a potential internal reference, Joyce offers to fix some chicken and stars soup for Dawn after Dawn discovers that she is the Key. In "Earshot", Joyce offered to fix Buffy chicken and stars soup so that Buffy wouldn't overhear Joyce thinking about how she had sex with Giles on the hood of a police car twice.
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92. Crush
gs: Mercedes McNab (Harmony) Charlie Weber (Ben) Amber Benson (Tara) Juliet Landau (Drusilla) Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers)
Buffy notices that Dawn is spending a lot of time around Spike and surmises that she has a crush on him, which Dawn shoots down saying that Spike has a crush on Buffy.
Meanwhile a vampire has attacked the passengers on a train and Buffy is finding it hard to concentrate on investigating with the thought that Spike is in love with her. Spike takes her to the home of a pair of vamps saying that they were responsible for the attack but Buffy realises that he has really taken her on a date. Spike admits his feelings for her but she is disgusted with the thought of having a relationship with him.
Spike returns to his crypt to find Drusilla waiting for him and she tells him that the chip could never hold back his vampire instincts and takes him to the Bronze and makes him feed off a girl. Buffy goes to Spike's crypt and finds a shrine he has made which has all the pictures he took from her house. Drusilla and Spike return and attack Buffy but Spike ties them both up and tries to make Buffy admit she has feelings for him by saying he will stake Drusilla for her. Harmony interrupts the confrontation and after a brief battle, Spike saves Buffy from Drusilla and she leaves telling him that there is no hope left for him.
Buffy declares that she has no feelings for Spike except anger and disgust and tells him to leave town. He follows her home and tries to come inside but realises that she has revoked his invitation to her house.
b: 13-Feb-2001 pc: 5ABB14 w: David Fury d: Daniel Attias
NOTE: For those fans who don't watch Angel, Drusilla's talk of LA and Darla is a re-cap of the episodes 'Reunion' and 'Redefinition' where the now human Darla is turned back into a vampire by Drusilla and the pair go on the rampage in LA while Angel hunts them down, eventually setting them on fire.
The invite Spike has had to Buffy's home since season 2's "Becoming" is finally revoked in this episode.
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93. I Was Made To Love You
gs: Clare Kramer (Glory) Charlie Weber (Ben) Shonda Farr (April) Adam Busch (Warren) Troy T. Blendell (Jinx) Amber Benson (Tara) Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers)
Buffy is very upset about Spike falling in love with her instead of a nice, good boy that she could date. Spike shows up at the same party as Buffy, and he gets thrown out a window by a strange girl who has been wandering around looking for a guy named Warren.
The whole slaying team agree that the girl is a robot because of the way she acts. Buffy pays a visit to the girl's supposed boyfriend, Warren and finds out that Warren made the girl, April, to be the perfect girlfriend. April thinks only of Warren and devotes her entire existence to making him happy. The only problem is that Warren doesn't want her anymore, he has fallen for a real girl and has been running away from the robot.
After fighting with the girl, Buffy ends up talking to her and consoling her about Warren. The girl has some insight of her own for Buffy about boys. After their talk, April's batteries run out completely, and Buffy is left to think about things.
Earlier on, Buffy and Ben were hanging out and obviously have feelings for each other. They even had a date planned, but after talking to April, Buffy calls Ben to cancel. It's Glory who gets the message though, as Ben seems to share a body with her. We still don't know exactly what's going on with those two, but we see Glory turn into Ben again.
When Buffy returns home after the fight with April, she finds her mom lying on the couch completely out of it, seemingly dead.
b: 20-Feb-2001 pc: 5ABB15 w: Jane Espenson d: James A. Contner
NOTE: Pop Star Brittney Spears was originally offered the part of April in this episode in a much-publiscised and anticipated casting coup by Mutant Enemy. Unfortunately she had to back out of the role and was replaced by Shonda Farr.
This the last episode to feature Joyce alive, without being a memory or an illusion.
The last time we saw Joyce dating was also the same episode that there was last a robot on the show. Now, Joyce is dating again and there's another robot in town. Coincidence? Well, probably.
On the DVD commentary for this episode, Jane Espenson points out the irony of Tara being the only one sympathizing with Warren, considering that he eventually kills Tara in season six.
Espenson also points out that Buffy approaching Warren and driving Katrina away starts a chain reaction that causes Katrina's own death, not to mention pretty much everything Warren does in season six.
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94. The Body
gs: Randy Thompson (Doctor Kriegel) Amber Benson (Tara) Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers)
After finding Joyce unconscious on the couch, a terrified slayer calls 911. Unfortunately, it's too late to do anything. The paramedics tell Buffy that her mom had been dead for a while already. We see Dawn at school for the first time, and she's just getting over the freakout she had after finding out she was the key. Rumors were spread and Dawn was hurt by them, but she feels better after talking about it with a nice boy in her art class. Buffy interrupts this conversation though to tell her sister the bad news.
Everyone is devastated by this tragedy and they spend the episode grieving, and dealing with their pain in all sorts of ways. Xander punches through a wall while Willow changes her outfit continuously. They are obviously very shaken up, especially since they were all so close with Buffy and her family. Even Anya sheds her first human tears.
b: 27-Feb-2001 pc: 5ABB16 w: Joss Whedon d: Joss Whedon
NOTE: This is Kristine Sutherland's last episode as normal Joyce Summers. In two further episodes, Joyce appears as a memory or an illusion.
This episode contains no background music or songs apart from the opening titles.
After half a season of the implied off-screen physical relationship between Willow and Tara, the two finally share their first on-screen kiss, bringing an end to the WB's apparent policy about contact between same-sex partners.
James Marsters (Spike) does not appear in this episode.
This episode is the most vampire/monster-light episode of the series, being completely free of any vampires or supernatural beings until the vampire that appears in the last few minutes.
According to Joss Whedon's DVD commentary, the episode begins with the flashback of the gang's Christmas dinner because Joss didn't want the cast and crew credits to appear over the main scene of Buffy finding her mom.
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95. Forever
gs: David Boreanaz (Angel) Clare Kramer (Glory) Charlie Weber (Ben) Troy T. Blendell (Jinx) Amber Benson (Tara) Joel Grey (Doc)
After dealing with the pain of Joyce's funeral, Buffy falls into the arms of Angel who has come from LA to pay his respects, and he consoles her on the future and about getting her and Dawn's lives back together. Dawn becomes fixated on using witchcraft to resurrect her mother and despite her best intentions, Willow actually helps her toward her goal. Dawn gathers information for a powerful spell and enlists Spike to help her complete the task. He takes her to a witch doctor who gives Dawn some advice and warning.
After collecting the final ingredient Dawn performs the spell. Willow warns Buffy about Dawn and she confronts her. Dawn cries that she has no one, Buffy has been pushing her away since Joyce died and hasn't even cried yet. Buffy tells her that when everything is over her mother will be truly gone, and she can't face that. Someone approaches the door and knocks and Buffy rushes to let Joyce in, but Dawn, realising that she was wrong, breaks the spell. Buffy opens the door to an empty porch, before turning to Dawn and finally crying with her sister.
b: 17-Apr-2001 pc: 5ABB17 w: Marti Noxon d: Marti Noxon
NOTE: After the funeral, Giles goes home and listens to 'Tales of Brave Ulysses' by Cream. This is the song he and Joyce listened to in season 3's 'Band Candy'.
This is the Final appearence of David Boreanaz (Angel) on the show
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96. Intervention
gs: Clare Kramer (Glory) Adam Busch (Warren) Troy T. Blendell (Jinx) Amber Benson (Tara)
Buffy and Giles leave for the desert on a self-discovery/guidance quest led by the First Slayer. While they are gone, Spike decides to have a little fun with his BuffyBot but the gang mistakes it for the real Buffy and think that she has gone crazy.
Meanwhile, Glory's minions also mistake the Buffybot for the Slayer and, noticing how it acts around Spike, begin to suspect that he is the Key.
b: 24-Apr-2001 pc: 5ABB18 w: Jane Espenson d: Michael Gershman
NOTE: When Xander said "They are both Buffy" it is a reference to his experience in 'The Replacement'.
Nicholas Brendon's twin, Kelly Donovan, is credited in this episode. According to Nick's official site, he was ill during filming and Kelly was used as a double for a few scenes.
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97. Tough Love
gs: Clare Kramer (Glory) Charlie Weber (Ben) Troy T. Blendell (Jinx) Anne Betancourt (Principal Stevens) Leland Crooke (Professor Lillian) Amber Benson (Tara)
While Buffy tries to control a motherless Dawn and bring their lives back to some sort of normalcy, Tara is captured by Glory who is desperately trying to find the Key. Tara is rescued unharmed but could not escape Glory's mind-suck and is left more than a little disturbed by the encounter.
Willow finds some powerful spells and heads to confront Glory, despite Buffy's attempt to stop her. Willow attacks with all her power and weakens Glory but is left severely exhausted and Glory takes the upperhand. Buffy arrives in time and saves Willow.
Buffy, Willow and Dawn are with Tara in her room when Glory finds them and Tara's crazed ramblings inadvertantly reveal to Glory who the Key is.
b: 01-May-2001 pc: 5ABB19 w: Rebecca Rand Kirshner d: David Grossman
NOTE: Xander is reading an X-Men comic while in the Magic Box.
From the end of the episode to "The Gift," all of the events are on the same day.
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98. Spiral
gs: Clare Kramer (Glory) Charlie Weber (Ben) Wade Andrew Williams (General Gregor) Karim Prince (Dante) Amber Benson (Tara)
Buffy rounds up the gang and flees Sunnydale when Glory discovers that Dawn is the Key. They head toward the desert in a motorhome provided by Spike when they are attacked by the Knights of Byzantium. Giles and Spike are wounded, while Willow is sticking close to an incoherent Tara; and Dawn learns from one of the Knights that she holds the power to destroy the universe.
b: 08-May-2001 pc: 5ABB20 w: Steven S. DeKnight d: James A. Contner
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99. The Weight Of The World
gs: Clare Kramer (Glory) Charlie Weber (Ben) Dean Butler (Hank Summers) Lily Knight (Grodi) Bob Morrisey (Crazy Guy) Amber Benson (Tara) Joel Grey (Doc) Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers)
The Slayer in Buffy is catatonic due to Glory's abduction of Dawn so Willow psychically enters her mind. Willow goes through a loophole in Buffy's mind and sees several replays of Buffy's childhood when she first sees her sister; and of Buffy as she is now smothering Dawn to death. Buffy's guilt over Dawn being kidnapped finally proved to her that she is no match for Glory and she believes she killed Dawn herself.
Meanwhile, Glory vents her frustrations about being stuck on Earth to Dawn and is beginning to feel real human emotions as the barrier separating her and Ben's psyches becomes weaker. She and Ben fight in a confusing switching back and forth argument as he tries to help Dawn. Eventually, Ben is the one to give Dawn away to Glory, knowing that it is his life or hers.
Spike, Xander and Giles are left to try to figure out how to undermine Glory's plans, but the options don't look good. Buffy may have to end up choosing between killing her own sister or letting the world be destroyed.
b: 15-May-2001 pc: 5ABB21 w: Douglas Petrie d: David Solomon
NOTE: The date on Joyce's head stone in Buffy's mind says that Joyce was born in 1958.
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100. The Gift
gs: Clare Kramer (Glory) Charlie Weber (Ben) Amber Benson (Tara) Joel Grey (Doc)
Another imminent apocalypse is at hand in Sunnydale. Buffy must square off against a true God when Glory prepares to use Dawn to break down the walls between the dimensions and unleash all Hell on Earth but she needs Dawn's blood before her home dimension portal can be opened. Buffy, Xander, Willow, Giles, Anya, Tara and Spike go to battle with the knowledge that they may not all survive. Xander proposes marriage to Anya, and she accepts, but only if they survive the apocalypse.
The gang uses everything they've got, with the help of a few very helpful suggestions from Anya. Using a troll mallet (a weapon of a true god), Willow's witch powers, Buffy's slayer strength, and yes, Xander's construction skills to use a wrecking ball, the group fairs well against Glory, considering she is a God.
The shocking ending of the season finale is finding out who it is who doesn't survive the battle. None other than the slayer herself. The first slayer had told Buffy that death was her gift. She gave that gift to Dawn when she realized that Dawn was a part of her and the Summers sisters had the same blood. Buffy could therefore close the portals between the combining dimensions by ending her own life.
b: 22-May-2001 pc: 5ABB22 w: Joss Whedon d: Joss Whedon
NOTE: Buffy's epitaph reads:
Buffy Anne Summers
1981-2001
Devoted Sister
Beloved Friend
She Saved the World
A Lot
The "Previously on..." segment at the beginning of the episode contains images from all five seasons of the show.
Fifth season finale and 100th episode.
This is the last original episode to air on the WB network. From season six the show airs on UPN.
This episode sees the demise of Glory. She has had the longest running stint of a big bad than any others in any season of Buffy. She lasted 12 episodes.
The WB Network promoted this episode as the "series finale" and not the "season finale" since the show moved.
Spoiler haters in the UK had a understandable reason to whinge before this episode aired, as it was nearly impossible not to someone be informed of what was going to happen. One national newspaper ran a 'Buffy Dies' special and the normally dependable Sky One kept showing trailers with Buffy's grave, the first trailer running directly after 'The Weight of the World'.
Buffy dies a second time.
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101. Bargaining [1]
gs: Anthony Stewart Head (Rupert Giles) Franc Ross (Razor) Amber Benson (Tara)
Several months have passed since Buffy sacrificed herself to save Dawn, her friends and the world. The Slayerettes are doing their best to keep the demon population down and Willow has repaired the Buffybot so the world remains unaware of the Slayers death. Unfortunately a vamp discovers the truth and escapes to tell his friends.
With no Slayer to watch, Giles makes preparations to return to England and leaves Anya in charge of the magic shop.
Willow, Tara, Anya and Xander secretly perform a powerful spell at Buffy's gravesite to resurrect the Slayer, but the spell is interfered with by a group of demon bikers and the Slayerettes flee, not knowing if the spell worked or not.
b: 02-Oct-2001 pc: 6ABB01 w: Marti Noxon d: David Grossman
NOTE: The Season 6 Box Set has an Egyptian theme. This is probably due to the fact that the Resurrection, the main thing that put Buffy back in this season was performed using Osiris, an Egyptian god.
The show now airs on UPN.
The scene where Willow kills the deer was considered too horrific and as a result of this, part of it was cut out!
Anthony Stewart Head is now listed as a guest star - the first time since the series premiere.
Alyson Hannigan is now listed by character name in the opening credits, taking the place of "Anthony Stewart Head as Giles".
When Tara gives Giles the little rubber finger monster as a parting gift, she wiggles it on her finger while saying, "grrr argh," just like the monster in the Mutant Enemy logo at the end of each episode
When the episode premiered in Australia, the two parts were aired over two weeks and were out of 'alignment' with by Angel by a week. When another episode of Buffy was pre-empted for the French Open (but strangely not Angel which also aired during the Open) Buffy was 2 weeks behind Angel. Causing the final three episodes to be aired over two days.
The only showing of the episode (as of date) has cut three scenes from this episode for seemingly no reason. -Tara's comment about the vamp taking pescription medication and all related comments -Everything at Dawn's school before they are in the classroom listening to the teacher -Xander being unable to give Giles a gift because the bum in front of the store would not buy it for them because they aren't 21 yet The only one of these that I have been able to justify is Xander's gift, the legal drinking age in Australia is 18 and Xander's inability to buy alcohol is kinda confusing to anyone who doesn't know that I guess.
On the UK video release, when the gang find Giles letter, instead of Xander reading the whole letter, we hear a Giles voiceover instead
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102. Bargaining [2]
gs: Franc Ross (Razor) Amber Benson (Tara)
The Scooby Gang run from Buffy's gravesite and her resurrection goes unnoticed. When she does get back above ground, she is confused and disoriented and wanders around looking at the carnage caused by the demon gang.
The demons damage the Buffybot badly and notice the real Buffy wandering around. They chase her and she eventually runs into the Slayerettes, who realise that she has been traumatised by having to dig out of her own grave.
When the demons arrive for a final fight, Buffy, still very confused, returns to her Slayer ways and defeats them all; but runs away from her friends after.
The Buffybot stays "alive" long enough to tell Dawn of the real Buffy's return. Dawn finds Buffy at Glory's tower, and she wants to jump off again. As the tower begins to collapse Dawn manages to coax Buffy down and they land just as the tower crumbles around them.
Buffy and Dawn hug, but the Slayer is still not herself.
b: 02-Oct-2001 pc: 6ABB02 w: David Fury d: David Grossman
NOTE: Both parts of Bargaining were cut in their first UK showings (the snake, Willow killing the deer, Buffy in her coffin) and fans were given a chance to see the episode uncut in a special "Buffy night" on British network Sky One.
The U.K. boxset splits Bargaining into its two parts, each one having a set of credits at the beginning of the episode (rather than a combined set as it had when it was broadcast by Sky One).
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103. After Life
gs: Amber Benson (Tara)
The first repercussions of the resurrection spell has the Scoobies battling with a demon ghost and Buffy realizes she was happier with the peace of the afterlife but cannot bring herself to tell her friends. She finds a sympathetic ear in someone else who knows a little about an afterlife: Spike.
b: 09-Oct-2001 pc: 6ABB03 w: Jane Espenson d: David Solomon
NOTE: In this episode Buffy reveals that she thinks she was in heaven and her friends tore her out of a place where she was happy. She tells Spike that she thinks hell is where she is now and she just wanted to stay where she was because she knew that everyone she cared about was ok.
At the beginning when Dawn starts "cleaning" Buffy with the damp towel she says something like "Oh there you are, you really are under all that dirt". This line is taken directly from Aliens when Ripley does the same thing to Newt.
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104. Flooded
gs: Anthony Stewart Head (Rupert Giles) Danny Strong (Jonathan) Adam Busch (Warren) Tom Lenk (Andrew) Todd Stashwick (M'Fashnick Demon) Amber Benson (Tara)
With Joyce gone, Buffy finds herself trying to contend with burst pipes and home-improvement loans. She seeks out the advice of a just-returned Giles who expresses his concern over Willow's attitude toward bringing Buffy back. While trying to get a loan, Buffy's meeting is crashed by a demon, dispatched by a trio of bored, twentysomething would-be sorcerers who want to cause mischief (and to hypnotise Buffy and make her their love slave).
The demon makes its way to the Slayers home and Buffy begs him not to break anything, and winds up drowning him in a pool of water formed by her plumbing leak.
b: 16-Oct-2001 pc: 6ABB04 w: Jane Espenson and Douglas Petrie d: Douglas Petrie
NOTE: The trio who want to take over Sunnydale include Jonathan (who was a much rescued bystander in the early seasons and was featured in season 4's Superstar) and Warren who built himself a robot girlfriend in season 5's I Was Made to Love You and also built the BuffyBot.
The third member of the trio, Andrew, says he is the brother of Tucker Wells, who trained a pack of Hellhounds to attack the Prom (See Season 3 episode 'The Prom'). Andrew also claims to have trained winged monkeys to attack the school play, but this was never shown in any episode. Also, Tom Lenk, the actor who plays Andrew, was one of Harmony's minions in the Season 5 episode 'Real Me'
Producers had originally planned for Tucker to be part of the trio, and to be the leader. However, when Brad Kane (who played Tucker in 'The Prom') was unavailable to reprise the role, the producers began recasting. They were impressed by Tom Lenk, and decided to change the role to Tucker's brother and to give leadership to Warren.
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105. Life Serial
gs: Anthony Stewart Head (Rupert Giles) Danny Strong (Jonathan) Adam Busch (Warren) Tom Lenk (Andrew) Amber Benson (Tara)
As Buffy tries to 'normalise' her new life as a parent and return to college and attempt numerous jobs, she again comes up against the Troika, a group of would-be sorcerers, who test the Slayer by casting spells on her which make her experience time distortions, magically appearing demons and a strange "Groundhog Day" time loop.
b: 23-Oct-2001 pc: 6ABB05 w: David Fury and Jane Espenson d: Nick Marck
NOTE: This episode marks the third time Buffy gets drunk in the series so far. Buffy first touched alcohol in season 2's 'Reptile Boy' (which wasn't really her fault as it was spiked), and then 'Beer Bad' in season 4 is the first time she really drinks heavily. Here she drinks so much she can hardly stand up.
Joss is pushing the "Beer Bad" message to the fans as none of the 'good' characters have drunk alcohol without consequences: Xander in 'Teacher's Pet', Willow in 'Something Blue', Giles in 'The Dark Age' and 'The Yoko Factor' and Buffy.
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106. All The Way
gs: Anthony Stewart Head (Rupert Giles) John O'Leary (Kaltenbach) Kavan Reece (Justin) Amber Tamblyn (Janice) Dave Power (Zach) Amber Benson (Tara)
Dawn lies to Buffy and spends Halloween night joyriding and partying with her friend Janice and two older boys. She develops a crush on one of the boys, Justin, and receives her first real kiss. When the boys reveal themselves to be vampires Dawn stakes Justin and is devastated.
Buffy decides Dawn needs a serious grown-up talk but she hands the task over to Giles, who is not at all happy about the way Buffy is depending on him so much.
Meanwhile, after Willow and Tara have a fight about Willow's abuse of magic, Willow casts a spell on Tara to make her forget the fight.
b: 30-Oct-2001 pc: 6ABB06 w: Steven S. DeKnight d: David Solomon
NOTE: Amber Tamblyn (Janice) is also familiar with the life of a child soap star. She played Emily Quartermaine on "General Hospital."
Steven Anthony Lawrence, who plays the obnoxious Beans on the Disney sitcom Even Stevens, has a cameo as an equally obnoxious trick-or-treater who harasses Xander.
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107. Once More, With Feeling
gs: Anthony Stewart Head (Rupert Giles) Hinton Battle (Sweet) Amber Benson (Tara)
A mysterious force causes everyone in Sunnydale to reveal all of their innermost thoughts and feelings in song. Buffy tells the gang the truth about where she was when she was dead and they are devastated, none more than Willow. Tara sings a love song to Willow professing all her love, but does Willow feel the same way? Dawn confesses that she has been stealing, and finally, Giles reveals his belief that Buffy is never going to learn to survive on her own with him around and decides to return to England for good.
b: 06-Nov-2001 pc: 6ABB07 w: Joss Whedon d: Joss Whedon
NOTE: The episode's original score, songs and lyrics were written by "Buffy" creator Joss Whedon, with the music being composed by Christophe Beck.
Sarah Michelle Gellar was about to have someone else sing her songs and she was going to sing in the background, until she realized how emotional they were and didn't want anyone else to sing them.
At the end of Buffy's "Life's A Show" song, Dawn tells her "The hardest thing in this world is to live in it." Buffy said the same thing to Dawn at the end of "The Gift".
Willow makes reference to a theory of how "some kid is dreaming and we're all stuck inside his wacky broadway nightmare." This is a sort of culmination of the scoobies experience with nightmare realms seen in other episodes, starting with Season 1's 'Nightmares'.
In Anya and Xander's song ("I'll Never Tell"), Anya says Xander's "penis got diseases from a Chumash tribe" referring to his experience in season 4's 'Pangs'.
The premiere airing of this episode runs 8 minutes longer than normal.
The trio of street-sweepers that Giles and company walk past appear to be performing the dance of the Chimney-Sweeps from Mary Poppins.
The "Mustard Man" was played by Co-Executive Producer David Fury.
The "Parking Ticket Woman" was played by Executive Producer Marti Noxon
In Marti Noxon's parking ticket song, the last line she sings, which can barely be heard, is "Hey, I'm not wearing underwear."
The Mutant Enemy logo sings the "grr arg" at the end of the episode.
Alyson Hannigan was mortified at her singing voice, so she specifically requested to have no song of her own and very few singing lines.
The producers managed to work Alyson Hannigan's request to have as few singing lines as possible into the plot: when Tara professes her love to Willow (in song), does Willow feel the same way? (Willow seems reluctant to sing.)
Tara's song to Willow is literal as she is still under Willow's anmesia spell.
Buffy's "Dawn's in trouble. Must be Tuesday" line alludes to the show normally airing on Tuesday nights.
The soundtrack for this episode is available on CD.
For Willow, the reluctance to sing is also previously developed foible. In the first season's Nightmares episode, Willow's worst fear was to have to sing in public.
For the first time since the show began, the closing credit music is replaced. The dance of te Road-Sweepers is played
This is the first ever episode to air in widescreen (it would only be used for this one episode).
The demon's name is never given in this episode. Many people referred to him as 'Sweet' as the closing credits list 'Sweet Make-Up by...' This was not intended to give the demon his name but was meant in the sense of 'the really cool make-up by...' Despite this, Sweet's name is given in the soundtrack of this episode.
Does anyone else think the woman on the front of the 'Tomorrow's Bride' magazine, that Xander and Anya are flipping through in the Magic Box, looks like Glory (Clare Kramer), the Season 5 Big Bad?
Tara makes reference to when Glory altered her mind in 'Tough Love', when she sings "you know I've been through Hell", in the 'Under Your Spell-Standing Reprise.'
If you notice while in the episode when "Life's a show" is playing, and Buffy, Anya, and Tara are dancing, you can see Amber Benson run into a post (obviously accidental) and start laughing.
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108. Tabula Rasa
gs: Anthony Stewart Head (Rupert Giles) Raymond O'Connor (Teeth) Amber Benson (Tara)
After the gang finds out about Buffy's true afterlife, Willow does a spell to make her forget that she was actually in heaven, despite Tara's pleas for her to slow down with magick. Unfortunately the spell goes awry and the gang all wake up with amnesia, forgetting everything about their lives including the existence of vampires and the Slayer.
Because of their British accents, Giles and Spike ("Randy") think they are father and son, Giles and Anya think they are engaged, Willow and "Alex" think they are dating, and due to the absence of ID, Buffy names herself Joan.
When a demon loan shark comes to collect a long overdue loan from Spike, "Joan" and "Randy" discover their true nature when they are forced to fight, while Dawn, Willow, Tara and "Alex" head out to try and restore their memories.
At episodes end when they get their memories back the gang goes through some changes, with Tara breaking up with Willow and Giles finally leaving Sunnydale behind forever.
b: 13-Nov-2001 pc: 6ABB08 w: Rebecca Rand Kirshner d: David Grossman
NOTE: At one point during the memory lapse, Willow tells Dawn "I think I'm kinda gay." Willow said the same thing about the Vampire Willow in episode 'Doppelgangland'.
The suit Spike wears for most of the episode is quite reminiscent of the one he wore in Xander's dream in the season 4 finale 'Restless'. During the same dream, Giles said he thought of Spike as a son, and during the memory lapse Spike comes to the conclusion that Giles and him are father and son.
Michelle Branch performs her song 'Goodbye To You' in The Bronze
When the memory-lacking gang decides to head to the hospital, Randyspike suggests they take Giles' car, adding "I'm sure he has some sort of mid-life crisis transport. Something red, shiny... shaped like a penis." Giles does indeed have a mid-life-mobile which was introduced in season 5's 'Real Me', and it is both red AND shiny. Not so much penis-shaped, though.
We are reminded again that Anya is terrified of 'bunnies'
"Tabula Rasa" is latin for "blank slate". Fitting, huh?
Randy comes to the conclusion that he is a righteous vampire as he doesn't want to bite Buffy and attacks other vampires. He thinks of himself as a vampire with a soul. Buffy says 'a vampire with a soul? How lame is that?' This is a dig at the sister show 'Angel' which airs on a different network.
In that same segment of the "Restless" dream where Spike is shown wearing a tweed suit, there is some discussion of "a shark, but on land. A land shark." Sound familiar?
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109. Smashed
gs: Danny Strong (Jonathan) Adam Busch (Warren) Tom Lenk (Andrew) Elizabeth Anne Allen (Amy) Amber Benson (Tara)
After breaking up with Tara, Willow successfully de-rats Amy and the two witches begin hanging out and having fun with magick, drawing Willow further into her growing addiction.
Meanwhile, Spike notices that his chip doesn't kick in when he hits Buffy but it only works with her, leading him to believe that she is not entirely human anymore.
b: 20-Nov-2001 pc: 6ABB09 w: Drew Z. Greenberg d: Turi Meyer
NOTE: This is the first episode featuring raunchy sex; all previous sexual encounters (Buffy and Angel in 'Surprise'; Willow and Oz in 'Graduation Day', Buffy and Parker in 'The Harsh Light of Day'; Buffy and Riley in 'Where the Wild Things Are') are all depicted as passionate, tender experiences.
Willow tells Amy that Larry died in the attack by the Mayor in the season 3 finale 'Graduation Day'. While we actually do see his death in the episode, many fans speculated that he may have survived and were awaiting his return. Alas, it will not come.
We never actually hear Willow say when Larry died juat that he died.
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110. Wrecked
gs: Elizabeth Anne Allen (Amy) Jeff Kober (Rack) Amber Benson (Tara)
When they finally return home from their nights out, Buffy is ashamed of having slept with Spike and Willow is exhausted from casting spells all night. Amy takes Willow to a warlock whose particular brand of magick quickly has Willow hooked.
While looking after Dawn, Willow decides to get another quick fix and leaves the warlock's place looking very high and not at all in control of herself. To escape a demon Willow and Dawn steal a car but Willow seems it better to drive using magick, not her hands, resulting in them crashing.
Willow breaks down and seems truly sorry for what she has done, but her actions further enrage Buffy who is now convinced that Willow is completely out of control and may need to get help.
b: 27-Nov-2001 pc: 6ABB10 w: Marti Noxon d: David Solomon
NOTE: Willow actually made up her mind to quit magic, but is she for real?
Jeff Kober, who plays Rack, is no stranger to the Buffyverse. He also played vampire Zachary Kralik in season three's 'Helpless'.
The Warner Bros. cartoon clip Tara and Dawn wake up to is from Ding Dog Daddy (1942) Directed by Friz Freling.
None of the characters seem to notice Anya's sudden change in hair color
When Willow and Dawn are leaving to go out to eat and to go to a movie Dawn leaves a note for Buffy on the fridge saying that it's the first place Buffy goes, "Buffy is such a pig after she kills something" This is a reference to the episode, "Faith Hope and Trick" and Faiths comment about slaying making one hungry and horny.
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111. Gone
gs: Danny Strong (Jonathan) Adam Busch (Warren) Tom Lenk (Andrew) Susan Ruttan (Doris Kroeger) Daniel Hagen (Frank [Social Services Supervisor])
Buffy and Dawn clear the house of magic items to help Willow and Buffy has a surprise visit from a social worker checking on Dawn's home life. The meeting doesn't go well and in a fit of rage afterwards, Buffy cuts off her hair.
Meanwhile, the Geek Trio have built an invisibility ray and accidentally hit Buffy with it, who takes advantage of her new situation by paying Spike a visit and messing with (deserving) people. Willow is really trying to stay away from magic but Xander confronts her, assuming she has cast an invisibility spell on Buffy, leaving her even more upset.
The Trio realise that the invisible objects are rapidly breaking down structurally and they kidnap Willow to force Buffy into the open. Buffy and the Geeks have an invisible fight in an arcade until Willow returns them to normal and Buffy finally discovers who they are, before they make a hasty (and rather geeky) escape.
b: 08-Jan-2002 pc: 6ABB11 w: David Fury d: David Fury
NOTE: It took nearly a month to wrap up this episode, due to the ongoing aspects of Invisibility.
When Invisible Buffy is leaving the social services center she whistles a few bars of 'Going Through The Motions', her "theme" music from 'Once More, With Feeling'.
Xander asks Invisible Buffy if she has been ignored lately, referring to the causes of Marcie's invisibility in season 1's 'Out of Mind, Out of Sight'.
This is the first episode without Amber Benson (Tara) since last season's 'Into The Woods'. In fact, this marks only the sixth episode without the character since she was introduced in season 4's 'Hush'.
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112. Doublemeat Palace
gs: Elizabeth Anne Allen (Amy) Pat Crawford Brown (Wig Lady) Brent Hinkley (Manny) Kirsten Nelson (Lorraine Ross) Kali Rocha (Halfrek)
Starved for cash, Buffy gets a job in a fast food resturant where the weird manager and high turnover of employees has her more than a little suspicious. When co-workers start ending up in pieces, the mystery behind the "secret ingredient" comes into question.
Willow works on staying clear of magic, but Amy gives her an unwanted gift and Willow is forced to make a big decision.
A vengeance demon friend of Anya's visits and questions her relationship with Xander, leaving Anya doubtful about their soon-to-be-married life together.
b: 29-Jan-2002 pc: 6ABB12 w: Jane Espenson d: Nick Marck
NOTE: Buffy mentions when she waitressed "that summer", of course referring to the events between 'Becoming 2' and the end of 'Anne' when she ran away from Sunnydale and got a job as a waitress in LA.
This is the first time ever that Amber Benson has been absent for two episodes in a row.
Ridiculing fast food doesn't pay the bills. Joss Whedon has said in interviews that this episode was wildly unpopular with sponsors.
In addition to being wildly unpopular with the sponsors due to its mocking of the fast food industry, this episode is wildly unpopular with the fans. Because it sucks.
The Doublemeat Palace building is the same building used in season 3's 'Faith, Hope, and Trick' where Mr.Trick drives through and kills the window guy.
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113. Dead Things
gs: Amelinda Embry (Katrina) Danny Strong (Jonathan) Adam Busch (Warren) Tom Lenk (Andrew) Amber Benson (Tara)
The Troika's latest escapade to make Warren's ex-girlfriend Katrina their willing slave goes horribly wrong when she is accidentally killed. The trio use magical and demonic forces to make Buffy think that she has killed Katrina - and it works.
With finding out the truth about her resurrection and believing she killed an innocent girl, Buffy's world begins to fall apart.
b: 05-Feb-2002 pc: 6ABB13 w: Steven S. DeKnight d: James A. Contner
NOTE: The music playing when Buffy and Spike are on opposite sides of the crypt is "Out Of This World" by Bush.
Buffy has apparently accepted the offer to continue working at the Doublemeat Palace.
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114. Older And Far Away
gs: Kali Rocha (Halfrek) Ryan Browning (Richard) Amber Benson (Tara)
Old and new friends gather at the Summers home for Buffy's 21st birthday party and it goes off without a hitch - mostly.
Feeling neglected by Buffy and the Scoobys, Dawn's wish to keep people from leaving her is answered by Anya's demon friend Halfrek, who binds the attendees of the party to the house. When Tara tries a spell to free them, she only makes the situation worse by accidentally releasing a demon trapped inside a sword.
b: 12-Feb-2002 pc: 6ABB14 w: Drew Z. Greenberg d: Michael Gershman
NOTE: The title 'Older and Far Away' is a quote from the novel Empire of the Sun. It could also be a reference to Buffy being Older and Giles being Far Away.
While Anya thought that cursing unfaithful men was all that vengeance demons did, Halfrek tells us that there are different "jobs" for all of them. Halfrek's duty was to protect children and punish parents and she originally came to Sunnydale because she heard Dawn's cry for care and attention.
In a tidbit of possible coming events, Spike and Halfrek seem to know each other and she calls him "William". Kali Rocha played human William's love interest Cecily in last season's 'Fool For Love'.
The plot for this episode cleverly blends motifs from Luis Bunuel's film The Exterminating Angel (where party guests are mysteriously unable to depart) and Jean-Paul Sartre's play Huis Clos/No Exit in which, famously, "Hell is other people" trapped together forever.
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115. As You Were
gs: Marc Blucas (Riley Finn) Ivana Milicevic (Sam)
Riley pursues a demon to Sunnydale and seeks Buffy's help in killing it. He also comes with a surprise... he is married. His wife, fellow demon hunter Sam, befriends the enitre Scooby Gang and gets along quite well with all of them, but Buffy's own "relationship" with Spike comes into question when her ex's perfect romance shows her just what she doesn't have.
b: 26-Feb-2002 pc: 6ABB15 w: Douglas Petrie d: Douglas Petrie
NOTE: During the break up scene, Buffy addresses Spike as William. In the Season Five episode, No Place Like Home; during their first dialogue after Spike discovers his feelings for her, she uses the same address.
The fact that when Buffy is breaking up with Spike she says that she's using him and its killing her kinda leads to the effect that she really does have feelings for him so why dont they stay together?
Buffy mentions the time they couldn't leave the house in "Older and Far Away"
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116. Hell's Bells
gs: Casey Sander (Tony Harris) Kali Rocha (Halfrek) Andy Umberger (D'Hoffryn) Lee Garlington (Jessica Harris) Jan Hoag (Cousin Carol) George D. Wallace (Future Xander) Amber Benson (Tara) Steven Gilborn (Uncle Rory)
The day of the wedding has finally come and Xander and Anya are preparing for the hoards of "guests" to arrive. While Xander's screwed up human family go head to head with Anya's mostly non-human friends, a special guest approaches Xander to warn him that his life with Anya may not turn out to be the married bliss he has hoped for.
b: 05-Mar-2002 pc: 6ABB16 w: Rebecca Rand Kirshner d: David Solomon
NOTE: Willow tells Xander - "It's a good thing I realized I was gay because...here we are in formalwear..." This is a reference to Willow & Xander's romantic exploits from Season 3 first realized while they were trying on their homecoming outfits in "Homecoming."
In an early draft of the script, Giles absense was explained as he was busy fighting daemons (Willow is specific about the spelling). As a compensation, he has paid for the flowers
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117. Normal Again
gs: Danny Strong (Jonathan) Adam Busch (Warren) Tom Lenk (Andrew) Dean Butler (Hank Summers) Michael Warren (Doctor) Kirsten Nelson (Lorraine Ross) Amber Benson (Tara) Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers)
After being poisoned by a demon, Buffy comes to believe that she is confined to a mental hospital, her mother is alive and her parents are still together and that her life as a Slayer was all an hallucination for the past six years.
Deciding that she prefers this 'normal' life with her parents a whole lot more, Buffy attempts to kill the things that tether her to the 'fantasy' life of the Slayer: the Scoobies.
b: 12-Mar-2002 pc: 6ABB17 w: Diego Gutierrez d: Rick Rosenthal
NOTE: This episode was originally supposed to be shown as Episode 8 - but was later changed.
Emma Caulfield (Anya) does not appear in this episode.
When Buffy looks at the family photograph of her as a little girl, it is the same child who portrayed young Buffy in season 5's episode 'The Weight Of The World'.
In one asylum scene, the doctor tells Buffy that she had a 'momentary awakening' during the summer and it was her friends who pulled her back into the delusion. This is a clever reference to Buffy's death and resurrection (end season 5, start season 6).
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118. Entropy
gs: Danny Strong (Jonathan) Adam Busch (Warren) Tom Lenk (Andrew) Kali Rocha (Halfrek) Amber Benson (Tara)
Having accepted the offer to become a vengeance demon again, Anya attempts to curse Xander for the pain he caused her... but she can't do it herself. Instead, she enlists the help of some old friends but it doesn't go how she expected.
Buffy spends some quality time with Dawn to make up for her violent actions in "Normal Again", but Dawn's idea of time well spent is the dangerous world of patrolling; while Willow and Tara go on a coffee date and begin to mend their troubled relationship.
The gang discover that the Troika have been watching their every move with hidden cameras. The cameras are traced to the trio's lair and what is seen on video proves to be devastating for all of them.
b: 30-Apr-2002 pc: 6ABB18 w: Drew Z. Greenberg d: James A. Contner
NOTE: This is not the first time that Spike and Anya have comforted each other due to their mutual frustation with love. In the season 4 episode 'Where the Wild Things Are', Spike and Anya talk about getting revenge on Drusilla and Xander. They abandon the 'revenge' idea and instead Anya takes to the party at the Initiative soldiers' house.
When Tara is talking to Willow at the end Willow's dress from 'Once More, With Feeling' can be seen hanging on the door.
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119. Seeing Red
gs: Danny Strong (Jonathan) Adam Busch (Warren) Tom Lenk (Andrew)
Willow and Tara are well on the road to recovery but love lives are not as good for Xander and Anya or Buffy and Spike.
The Troika move full swing into their biggest plan ever: stealing a pair of mystical orbs which imbue the bearer with super strength and invulnerability. They attempt to rob an armoured van but Buffy crashes the party resulting in a battle between her and SuperWarren. Buffy is all but finished until Jonathan reveals the secret to Warren's power. Buffy manages to defeat him but he escapes by use of a rocket pack and Jonathan and Andrew are arrested.
Buffy heads home to await the next encounter but it comes all too soon. A crazed Warren proves he is evil enough on his own and shoots at Buffy. She takes a bullet in the shoulder but a wild shot fatally hits a Scooby.....
b: 07-May-2002 pc: 6ABB19 w: Steven S. DeKnight d: Michael Gershman
NOTE: Part of the episode was filmed at 6 Flags theme park in California.
From this episode Amber Benson (Tara) is credited in the opening titles cast line up.
Anya changed her hair from Curled (last episode) to straight hair (this episode)
Andrew's mishap with his jet pack is hilariously reminiscent of Wile E. Coyote: a tribute to the late great Chuck Jones?
This is the last episode in the series with Tara alive.
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120. Villains
gs: Amelinda Embry (Katrina) Danny Strong (Jonathan) Adam Busch (Warren) Tom Lenk (Andrew) Jeff Kober (Rack)
While the paramedics work on Buffy in the yard, in her bedroom Willow deperately tries a spell to bring Tara back to life. She is told that it will not work for a natural human death and becomes consumed with rage and wants revenge in the worst way. She runs to the magic shop and draws the dark power from the books into her causing her hair and eyes to turn black. After saving Buffy by magically removing the bullet from her shoulder she heads out to find Warren.
Warren finds out that Buffy did not die and he seeks out Rack for help against the Slayer but he is informed of Willow's wrath and is warned that nothing can stop the vengeance of a witch. Willow finds Warren and unleashes her full power on him, torturing him with the ghost of Katrina and eventually ripping the skin off his body.
One Down...
b: 14-May-2002 pc: 6ABB20 w: Marti Noxon d: David Solomon
NOTE: Although Amber Benson is present in this episode as a body, she is removed from the opening titles and is uncredited.
Amber Benson is credited in the series' second run as the body.
Willow's line "Bored Now" was a favourite saying of her vampire alter-ego from the season 3 episodes 'The Wish' and 'Doppelgangland'.
On the UK video release the scene where Willow skins Warren can be seen uncut.
When Warren is in the demon bar bragging about killing the Slayer, the song in the background is "Die, Die, Die My Darling" by the Misfits.
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121. Two To Go [1]
gs: Danny Strong (Jonathan) Tom Lenk (Andrew) Jeff Kober (Rack) Anthony Stewart Head (Rupert Giles)
After exacting revenge on Warren for Tara's death, an extremely powerful and vengeful Willow now vows to go after the other two members of the trio, Jonathan and Andrew, forcing Buffy into the unlikely role of nerd-villain protector. After freeing the Duo from jail and escaping from Willow, the expanded group runs to the Magic Box to find a protection spell.
While all this is going on in Sunnydale, Spike undergoes a fierce challenge given by an African demon in order to become what he once was.
Willow, drained of her power, finds Rack and draws his energy into her, killing him in the process. At the Magic Box, Willow catches up to them all and takes on Buffy and Anya, who is doing her best to keep a magical barrier up around Willow. Buffy is no match for Willow's power, but eventually she is drained again and they escape while she is down.
Willow regains her strength and brings down Anya's barrier, tossing both her and Buffy aside. Willow heads out of the shop intent on completing her mission when an old friend magically appears in her way, willing to challenge her power....
b: 21-May-2002 pc: 6ABB21 w: Douglas Petrie d: Bill L. Norton
NOTE: The title is a clever little continuation from episode 20, where the last line of the episode is, "One down."
Like the opening episodes of this season, the finale 2-parter initially aired as a single 2 hour episode.
Anthony Stewart Head (Giles) is not credited in the guest cast list for reason to keep the viewers surprised to see Giles back.
When Willow drains Rack of his power, she says "I just wanna take a little tour". He said exactly the same thing to her in 'Wrecked'.
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122. Grave [2]
gs: Danny Strong (Jonathan) Tom Lenk (Andrew) Anthony Stewart Head (Rupert Giles)
Giles' new-found power brings Willow down momentarily and Giles magically binds her and leaves to catch up with Buffy. He explains the source of his powers and she tells him of everything that has happened but their reunion is short lived as Willow telepathically controls Anya and gets her to break the binding spell.
Buffy and Giles face off against Willow for a few rounds that destroys the magic shop and weakens Giles. He tries one last attempt to stop her by talking about Tara, but she isn't fazed and sends a fireball to finish off the nerds. Buffy races to save them and Xander from death and does barely, but ends up stuck in a large hole with Dawn while Xander is knocked unconscious and the Nerds flee.
Willow continues to attack Giles relentlessly and he counters, but to no avail. She draws his energy into her and is hit by a sudden burst of emotion. Willow feels so much pain and hurt in the world and she decides to end it all. Anya helps a dying Giles and learns of Willow's plan and heads to find Buffy, who is still stuck in the hole.
Willow communicates with Buffy telepathically and wants her to die fighting and makes a group of zombies appear in the hole. Buffy is hopelessly outnumbered and asks Dawn to help. Dawn kills a zombie and shows off some Slaying moves very similar to her sister.
Willow begins her plan to destroy the world on the edge of a cliff but Xander steps into her path to stop her. He starts to talk to Willow and appeal to her emotions by reminding her of her past and telling her that he loves her. She uses magic to physically wound him until the emotions drain her of her powers. Willow tearfully breaks down in Xander's arms as the magic drains from her and she returns to her usual red-haired appearance.
Giles recovers and tells Anya that his power was the key to stopping Willow, by tapping into her emotions so Xander could reach her remaining humanity.
As Xander comforts Willow on the cliff, Spike is informed that he has completed the test and has won the right to his prize. The demon places his hand on the vampire's chest and restores his soul.
b: 21-May-2002 pc: 6ABB22 w: David Fury d: James A. Contner
NOTE: The grave Xander attempts to enter has the last name Alpert, after one of the producers, Marc David Alpert.
The song playing at the end of the episode is Sarah McLachlan's 'The Prayer of St. Francis'. She also sang "Full of Grace" at the end of "Becoming Part 2".
Like this season's Season Premiere, this episode did not have the opening credits since it was following of "Two To Go"
In the U.K., on its first broadcast, the season finale was split into its two parts and so 'Grave' had opening credits (naming Anthony Stewart Head as a special guest star). In a subsequent broadcast, it was shown as a two-hour special and- like Bargaining- only had one set of credits.
Did Sarah Michelle Gellar have a cold during shooting? When Buffy and Giles were laughing up a fit, her voice was really deep, hoarse, and growly.
This episode is not the first time the 'Alpert' tomb in the graveyard has been seen. It features in several previous episodes (such as Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered in season 2).
When Buffy and Dawn climb out of the hole, we get a glimpse of the tattoo on Sarah Michelle Gellar's lower back. It is the Chinese symbol for integrity.
When Buffy lands in the graveyard hole beside Dawn, the sword nearly falls on her head but she moves. That's just like in Bargaining (2), the season premiere where she did exactly the same thing, only in this episode, it's a piece of debris falling from Glory's tower after they fall from the rope.
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123. Lessons
gs: Anthony Stewart Head (Rupert Giles) Alex Breckenridge (Kit Holburn) Kali Rocha (Halfrek) DB Woodside (Principal Robin Wood)
The re-opening of Sunnydale High School is not without trouble for Buffy as some undead students and faculty are raised, and blame the Slayer for failing to protect them. Dawn and Buffy, together with some of Dawn's new friends join together to defeat the evil.
Meanwhile, Spike and his new soul are seeking solace in the maze-like basement of the new school, and Willow begins her redemption with Giles in England.
b: 24-Sep-2002 pc: 7ABB01 w: Joss Whedon d: Joss Whedon & David Solomon
NOTE: SLAYER or SLAYEE? Istanbul, Turkey
The scene with the morphing entity who torments Spike is very reminiscent of the episode Amends, in which The First Evil appears to Angel as his victims.
All the previous Big Bads appear in this episode, (In reverse order of when they first appeared): Warren, Glory, Adam, Mayor Wilkins III, Drusilla, The Master and surprisingly, Buffy.
The Hellmouth is now under the Office of Robin Wood
We once again get a glimpse of Sarah's Tattoo. This happens when Buffy, Xander and Dawn are in Buffy's house together before they head off to school.
The house and the horse that appear in the England scenes both belong to Anthony Stewart Head.
Alex Breckenridge, the actress that played Kit, appeared in the 2002 movie Vampire Clan, based on the 1996 true story of a group of teenagers who believed they were vampires.
There were going to be more scenes in England, but bad weather interrupted the filming.
Mark Metcalf, Juliet Landau, Harry Groener, George Hertzberg, Clare Kramer, and Adam Busch were all ommited from the special guest star lists so not to spoil what happens at the end of the episode.
This season is the first since the start of the show where there have been no changes to the regular cast. Each of the previous seasons there has been either cast members added or removed.
Adam/The First refers to Spike as "Number 17". This is a reference to the Initiative, who called Spike "Hostile 17".
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124. Beneath You
gs: Anthony Stewart Head (Rupert Giles) Kaarina Aufranc (Nancy) DB Woodside (Principal Robin Wood)
Soon after Buffy's first day as Sunnydale High Guidance Counselor, the gang meets a young woman, Nancy, who's dog was eaten by a large creature living in the sewer. Spike offers his assistance in tracking down the monster, but the gang and Buffy are still a little uneasy with him being around.
The gang soon discover the cause behind the monster is an old, estranged friend; who is relishing in her return to form.
Meanwhile, Willow has mixed emotions as she prepares to leave England and return to Sunnydale.
b: 01-Oct-2002 pc: 7ABB02 w: Douglas Petrie d: Nick Marck
NOTE: SLAYER or SLAYEE? Frankfurt, Germany
Principal Robin Wood is apparently unaware of the fate of Principal Flutie, who was eaten by a group of possessed students in 'The Pack'.
The song that can be heard during the scene in Germany contains the lyrics: "Von der Tiefe verschlingt es", which is German for: "Beneath you it devours"
Kaarina Aufranc portrays the third "Nancy" in the history of Buffy. The other two are the White Hat from "The Wish" and the smart girl in Buffy's English class in "Earshot".
Principal Robin Wood is a vegetarian.
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125. Same Time, Same Place
Buffy, Xander and Dawn are unable to find Willow who, shortly after returning to Sunnydale, is captured by a demon who enjoys eating the skin of his victims. Meanwhile, Anya pays the price for undoing the curse on Ronnie (the giant worm demon) and is restricted to only being able to teleport for vengeance jobs.
b: 08-Oct-2002 pc: 7ABB03 w: Jane Espenson d: James A. Contner
NOTE: Camden Toy is no stranger to the Buffyverse, he played one of the gentlemen in 'Hush'
Another glimpse of Spike becoming more like his human self William, as he says to Buffy "What's a word that means glowing? It's gotta rhyme." William asks the same thing of a waiter in the season 5 episode 'Fool For Love' while composing a poem about his love interest, Cecily.
The website Dawn uses, 'Demons, Demons, Demons', was first used on Angel in the episode 'The Ring'.
This is the first episode of the series in which there are no guest stars credited at the start of the episode (it just goes straight into producers etc.)
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126. Help
gs: Azura Skye (Cassie Newton) Glenn Morshower (Mr. Newton) Rick Gonzalez (Thomas) Kevin Christy (Josh) Sarah Hagan (Amanda) Beth Skipp () Anthony Harrell () Jarrett Lennon (Martin Wilder) DB Woodside (Principal Robin Wood) Zachery Ty Bryan (Peter)
Buffy is settling in to her counselor's role at the high school helping troubled teens and sorting out problems, but is left speechless when Cassie, a student, comes to her and calmly tells her that she (Cassie) has only a week to live. Suspecting the girl is suicidal, Buffy investigates and discovers a cult of students playing with dark forces and comes to believe Cassie is psychic.
b: 15-Oct-2002 pc: 7ABB04 w: Rebecca Rand Kirshner d: Rick Rosenthal
NOTE: It's third time Buffy introduces herself as 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer.' The first time was in Prophecy Girl and the second time she says it is in Season 3's Anne.
Willow used the Google web search engine (www.google.com) to find out more about Cassie.
Willow feels finally strong enough to visit Tara's grave.
Tara's tombstone reveals her date of birth as it reads
Tara Maclay
October 16, 1980 - May 7, 2002
Assuming that the episode takes place in the same week that it premiered, it can also be suggested that Willow visited the grave in honor of Tara's 22nd birthday.
Emma Caulfield does not appear in this episode.
When Buffy is talking to Principal Wood about her discussion with Cassie, Buffy says that she doesn't usually get a heads up before somebody dies. She then says, "No, no not since..." It's possible she's talking about the events that occured in 'Prophecy Girl', 'Earshot' or even 'Intervention'.
You can view Cassie's web page at www.cassienewton.com
Nice bit of contiinuity here. The date of the headstone on Tara's grave (May 7th 2002) is the same as the original airdate of 'Seeing Red', the episode where Tara died.
Principal Robin Wood grew up in Beverly Hills.
If you turn on the Closed Captioning display during the library scene with the demon near the end of the episode, you will see that the demon has two lines. They read, in close succession, "GRRRR..." and "ARRRGH..."
Most of the time on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, when a character uses a computer, it's an iBook, made by Apple Computers. The crew of Buffy and Angel must have a deal with Apple, because Apple computers are used on both shows many times.
Back to the beginning reference: The only other time we encounter students doing demonic worship on campus was in 'Reptile Boy'. Note that both of these situations had a demon offering wealth and power, and girls being sacrificed to that demon.
Willow placing the stones on Tara's grave is a common Jewish practice. The stones are a way of honoring the deceased and of showing that the grave has been visited.
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127. Selfless
gs: Abraham Benrubi (Olaf) Andy Umberger (D'Hoffryn) Kali Rocha (Halfrek) Joyce Guy (Professor) Jennifer Shon (Rachel)
Anya grants a young woman's wish, but the violent and deadly act of vengeance leaves Anya completely guilt-ridden. In order to fix her mistake, she asks that the spell be undone. Knowing the price of the reversal is the life of a Vengeance Demon, she's willing to make the sacrifice.
b: 22-Oct-2002 pc: 7ABB05 w: Drew Goddard d: David Solomon
NOTE: Anya's real name was Aud.
Marti Noxon and David Fury reprise their roles as 'Ticket Lady' and 'Mustard Guy' during the flashback to 'Once More, With Feeling'
Anyanka become Anya again
Halfrek dies in this episode
There is a reference to 'Becoming (2)' when Buffy reminds Xander about when he said "kick his ass" referring to 'Willow's' advice to Buffy. Willow, of course, never said that!
In the flashback, human Olaf makes a comment about troll logic, similar to that of Xander's comment in "Triangle" and Buffy's comment in the later episode "Conversations with Dead People".
If you go back to the episode(season 5) when Willow and Anya release the troll from the crystal, the troll keeps referring to Anya as Anyanka, not Aud which was her name when they were together. they must of thought of Aud after they wrote that episode.
The song in the "Once More With Feeling" flashback is called "Mrs."
if you look closely, I think Xander is holding the amulet that was used to summon Sweet (the musical 'devil') from once more with feeling, while anya is having a flasback to when she sang Mrs.
Spike says "From Beneath You...It devours" just he said it in Beneath You
Joss wrote Anya's song ("Mrs.") in one night for this episode.
The wedding dress Anya wheres in the flashback of "Mrs." is the same that she wheres in 6.16 [Hell's Bells].
Buffy stands firm against Xander and declares "I am the Law". In 3x15 "Consequences" she is rather dismissive (and evasive) of Faith's argument when Faith says "We don't need the law - we ARE the law". This is not only another subtle 'coming full circle / back to the beginning' reference, but also shows how Buffy walks a fine line between good and evil. Only problem is, this season she seems to be walking closer to the evil side...
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128. Him
gs: Thad Luckinbill (RJ Brooks) Brandon Keener (Lance Brooks) DB Woodside (Principal Robin Wood)
Dawn's simple crush on Sunnydale High's star quarterback RJ Brooks, goes far enough to make Buffy try and steer her attention elsewhere, especially when she falls for the boy herself.
With the women all desperately trying to win RJ's affections, Spike and Xander, now quasi-roommates, team up to discover why the teen seems to have the ability to make all women infatuated with him.
b: 05-Nov-2002 pc: 7ABB06 w: Drew Z. Greenberg d: Michael Gershman
NOTE: This episode includes a quick flashback from the Season 2 Episode 'Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered'.
Spike and Xander become room mates.
Featured Music: "Warning Sign" by Coldplay
The musical group The Breeders appears in this episode while Dawn is dancing with R.J. in the Bronze.
Another "back to the beginning" reference: Dawn uses Buffy's cheerleader uniform (seen in 1.3 'Witch') during the cheerleading tryouts.
The music that plays when the girls fall in love with RJ is the theme from "A Summer Place". Interestingly, in the Season 2 episode 'Halloween', Oz said that one thing that girls should do to impress him involves a feather boa and the theme to A Summer Place.
Anya robbed a bank in an effort to win R.J and was apparently never apprehended by Sunnydale Police (not that they ever do anything)Which means she now has quite a large amount of money which may help the Scoobies at a later date.
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129. Conversations with Dead People
gs: Danny Strong (Jonathan) Tom Lenk (Andrew) Adam Busch (Warren) Jonathan M. Woodward (Holden "Webs" Webster) Azura Skye (Cassie Newton) Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers)
Five seperate stories in this episode has the gang encountering a paranormal force which spells future doom.
While out on patrol, Buffy squares off with a former classmate and current vampire, who goads her into revealing her insecurities.
Back at home, Dawn is thrown into a panic when an invisible force trashes the Summers' house and deposits the corpse of her mother on the sofa.
The ghost of Cassie visits Willow under the guise of being sent by Tara; and Spike apparently has returned to his killing ways.
Meanwhile, nerdy villains Jonathan and Andrew return from Mexico.
b: 12-Nov-2002 pc: 7ABB07 w: Jane Espenson and Drew Goddard d: Nick Marck
NOTE: This is the second episode with the title at the beginning. The first was "Once More, With Feeling". It is also the only episode with a specific date and time given at the beginning of the episode (November 12, 2002; 8.01pm -- the same date as the original airdate).
This episode marks the death of Jonathan Levinson.
Nicholas Brendon and Emma Caulfield do not appear in this episode. This is a first for Nicholas Brendon, but not for Emma Caulfield
Holden informs Buffy that her ex-boyfriend Scott Hope came out of the closet and is now gay. A possible reference to the fact that Fab Filippo, the actor who played Scott, now plays a homosexual on Showtime's Queer as Folk.
Dawn says "Mom...Mom?...Mommy??" This is the same thing that Buffy said when she found her mother on the couch.
Holden makes a comment about nemeses. Buffy then asks, "Is that how you say it?". This is a reference to the Season 6 episode Gone, where Warren, Andrew and Jonathan are revealed to Buffy and say that they are her "arch-nemsis-es".
Andrew and Jonathan talk about a dream that they've been having. Andrew says, "It eats you, starting with your bottom." This is obviously, "From beneath you, it devours," which seems to have been mixed up in the translation from Spanish, in which they heard it.
Joss and Angie Hart wrote together the song in the beginning. The song is called "Blue" and Angie Hart sings it in the ep.
Amber Benson was offered a chance to play "Tara as the First" in this episode, appearing to Willow in the library. Benson turned down the oppurtunity to return, claiming that this would be cruel to both Willow and the fans.
Rumors existed that Eric Balfour (who played Xander's friend Jesse that died in episode 1.2 and was never referred to again afterwards) was offered the chance to return as "Jesse/the First" in a confrontation with Xander as a substitute scene for the Willow/Tara-the-First scene, since Amber Benson refused to return. Had this been the case, Alyson Hannigan would not have appeared in this episode.
The crypt where Buffy & "Webs" talk is the same, or very similar to the one in "Welcome To The Hellmouth" where Buffy meets Darla.
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130. Sleeper
gs: Anthony Stewart Head (Rupert Giles) Robinne Lee (Sired Vampire) Rob Nagle (Robson)
After discovering that an old friend may have been recently sired by Spike, Buffy informs the gang that they must keep a close eye on him. When Spike manages to go out, he gets put in a mysterious trance and then seduces and kills a girl with the evil morphing entity watching over him.
Meanwhile in England, Giles finds a fellow watcher close to death. While he is finding out what happened, a man with no eyes approaches Giles from behind, and swings an axe at his head...
b: 19-Nov-2002 pc: 7ABB08 w: David Fury and Jane Espenson d: Alan J. Levi
NOTE: There have been a number of episodes with two of the same character in one shot, they are: Willow (Doppelgangland), Xander (The Replacement), Buffy (Intervention), and now Spike (Sleeper).
Aimee Mann performs her song 'Pavlov's Bells' in The Bronze.
SLAYER or SLAYEE? London, England
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131. Never Leave Me
gs: Danny Strong (Jonathan) Tom Lenk (Andrew) Adam Busch (Warren) Cynthia Lamontagne (Lydia) Oliver Muirhead (Philip) Kris Iyer (Nigel) Harris Yulin (Quentin Travers) DB Woodside (Principal Robin Wood)
Spike is held captive in the Summers home while the Scoobies ponder their options in the aftermath of his murder spree. Willow finds Andrew buying blood and decides to take him prisoner also.
After much questioning, the gang are interrupted by mysterious hooded figures called Bringers. They take Spike to Sunnydale High, where they use his blood to raise an old, mysterious vampire.
b: 26-Nov-2002 pc: 7ABB09 w: Drew Goddard d: David Solomon
NOTE: Many of the watchers that accompanied Quentin on his last visit to Sunnydale in "Checkpoint" are seen at the Watcher's HQ.
Jonathan is apparently anaemic.
This is Camden Toy's 3rd appearance in the BuffyVerse. He previously appearing as one of the Gentlemen in Season 4's 'Hush' and as Gnarl in this season's 'Same Time, Same Place'
The original appearance of the First Evil was in Season 3's "Amends" where it tried to get Angel to go evil or commit vampiric suicide by waiting for the sun.
The ubervamp that was raised at the end of this episode looks exactly like the monster that says "grrr argh" at the end of every Buffy episode.
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132. Bring on the Night
gs: Anthony Stewart Head (Rupert Giles) Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers) Tom Lenk (Andrew) Iyari Limon (Kennedy) Clara Bryant (Molly) Courtnee Draper (Annabelle) Juliet Landau (Drusilla) DB Woodside (Principal Robin Wood)
With Spike missing, the gang try to cope and clear the damage done to the Summer's home. Giles arrives with three potential slayers and he reveals that the 'First Evil' is killing off the line of slayers in an attempt to rid the world of good, leaving The Hellmouth free to open. He tells Buffy that there are more potential slayers on their way to Sunnydale.
Buffy and Giles search the christmas tree lot where they last discovered the Bringers, Buffy goes underground and is challenged by a very strong vampire who is luckily scared off by the sunrise.
Giles confirms that he was a Turok-Han, a vampire which vampires fear. After one of the other slayers gets killed trying to escape, Buffy comes across the Turok-Han once again, it beats Buffy within an inch of her life and remains unharmed.
Later on at the Summer's home, Buffy declares that she isn't going down without a fight, and neither is anyone else.
b: 17-Dec-2002 pc: 7ABB10 w: Marti Noxon and Douglas Petrie d: David Grossman
NOTE: In the show, this episode is during December. That means that "Sleeper" and "Never Leave Me" are in December also, even though they were aired in November since those 3 episodes follow.
Kristine Sutherland is now credited as a special guest star
Cut Scene: Willow and Kennedy talking about Miss Kitty (Willow and Tara's cat that is currently suffering from the Chuck Cunningham syndrome) and talking about a painting tara had done
More on cut scene: It seems as if Ms. Kitty has run away from home, and been a while for a while now. One can assume since Tara's Death
This episode takes its title from a 1985 documentary/concert film featuring Sting, the rock musician.
The black outfit The First/Dru is wearing is the same, or very similar to the one the real Dru wore in "Crush."
"The First" was first introduced into the show in Season Three with the Episode called Amends where it haunts Angel as the form on Jenny Clander to try to get Angel to kill himself on Chistmas Day.
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133. Showtime
gs: Anthony Stewart Head (Rupert Giles) Tom Lenk (Andrew) Iyari Limon (Kennedy) Clara Bryant (Molly) Indigo (Rona) Amanda Fuller (Eve)
More potential Slayers arrive at the house and one of them, Eve, creates tension as she openly voices their fear that Buffy alone cannot save them.
Buffy and Xander discover the body of the real Eve and rush home to confront The First, and she warns them that the Turok-Han will be coming for them and disappears.
Willow creates a barrier to keep it out, but it isn't strong enough. Buffy runs one way as bait, while the rest of the gang escorts the potential slayers to Xander's construction site to hide.
The Turok-Han arrives at the site, but Buffy gets there just in time. She defeats Turok-Han and boosts the potentials confidence, but Spike is still missing.
After enduring painful torture and being tricked by manifestations, Spike is greeted by a heroic Buffy. They escape and return to her house.
Giles and Anya visit an Oracle and discover that when Buffy was resurrected, she created a vulnerability in the Slayer chain that The First is now exploiting.
b: 07-Jan-2003 pc: 7ABB11 w: David Fury d: Michael Grossman
NOTE: This episode marks the death of the Turok-Han.
Buffy, Willow and Xander can speak with each other telepathically.
Buffy says "Here endeth the lesson" when she has defeated the Turok-han, exactly what the Master says in season 1, and what Spike said in "Fool for love".
As Buffy is walking back to her house with Rona in the teaser, she says, "Welcome to the Hellmouth," an obvious reference to the show's first episode.
The black outfit that The First/Buffy appears to Spike in is the same black outfit Buffy wore in "Never Leave Me" when Buffy says she belives in him.
The First/Buffy says "He still thinks I believe in him."
The outfit The First/Buffy is wearing when Spike tries to escape is very similar, or identical to the outfit Buffy wore in "After Life", where she tells Spike she was in heaven, and no one else can know.
The telepathic voice of Buffy is not Sarah Michelle Geller's.
In the Australian airing of this episode, the telepathic voice of Buffy was done by SMG. SMG may have been unavailable to record the voice before the original airing of the episode.
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134. Potential
gs: Tom Lenk (Andrew) Iyari Limon (Kennedy) Clara Bryant (Molly) Indigo (Rona) Sarah Hagan (Amanda)
Buffy and Spike begin to train the potential Slayers, while Willow performs a locator spell and discovers another potential at Sunnydale High.
At first, it seems as though Dawn has been chosen, but she soon discovers that her friend Amanda is the one. Dawn helps Amanda fight off a vampire trapped in the school and then goes back to being a 'normal' person. Xander gives her an inspiring speech, which helps her deal with her missed opportunity.
b: 21-Jan-2003 pc: 7ABB12 w: Rebecca Rand Kirshner d: James A. Contner
NOTE: Chloe, one of the potential slayers, did not appear in this episode.
Andrew mentions that it is hard to kill a pig, a reference to 7x09 Never Leave Me.
Clem's face apparently has the ability to morph into something incredibly hideous.
Andrew asks if they are going to get the microwave fixed, a reference to 7x07 "Conversations with Dead People" where Dawn smashed the microwave that was going all wonky.
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135. The Killer in Me
gs: Anthony Stewart Head (Rupert Giles) Adam Busch (Warren) Tom Lenk (Andrew) Elizabeth Anne Allen (Amy) Iyari Limon (Kennedy) Megalyn Echikunwoke (Vawn) Rif Hutton (Initiative Leader)
After sharing a lingering kiss with would-be Slayer Kennedy, Willow bafflingly transforms into Warren!
When Spike's chip begins to malfunction, he and Buffy take a trip to the Initiative stomping grounds, where they meet up with a few remaining soldiers.
Meanwhile, The Scoobie Gang is shattered when they discover clues that lead them to believe that Giles may be The First.
b: 04-Feb-2003 pc: 7ABB13 w: Drew Z. Greenberg d: David Solomon
NOTE: After much debate, we learn that Giles is NOT the first evil, or at the very least, he is corporeal.
We learn that Robson is still alive. He blacked out right when Giles was about to get decapitated however, so we still don't know exactly how Giles survived the Harbinger's attack.
Also after much debate, we learn that Spike's chip is indeed malfunctioning.
References were made to Season 5's 'Intervention' dealing with the vision quest and Gile's hokey pokey dance.
Assuming Buffy's comment from 'Potential' was correct when she mentioned to Xander that Giles was retrieving Chao Ahn, then she was in the car with Molly, Vi, Rona, Amanda, and Chloe during the vision quest in this episode.
When Willow turns into Warren and Andrew comes up behind her... we hear Willow screaming, "Hands, Hands!" This line is also in Doppelgangland (3-16) when she hugs her vampire self before the "Willows" join the circle.
Amy has joined the University of California - Sunnydale Wiccan group.
Presumably at some point during this episode, Dawn receives the phone call from Angelus that was made in the Angel episode Salvage (considering it was also Episode 13 in the running order). However it is never mentioned.
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136. First Date
gs: Anthony Stewart Head (Rupert Giles) Ashanti (Lissa) Danny Strong (Jonathan) Tom Lenk (Andrew) Iyari Limon (Kennedy) Sarah Hagan (Amanda) Kristy Wu (Chao-Ahn) K. D. Aubert (Nikki Wood) DB Woodside (Principal Robin Wood)
Buffy goes on a dinner date with Principal Wood to try and find out what is really going on with him. During their conversation, he explains that he is the son of a Slayer that was killed in New York.
Xander, too, finds a date when he impresses a girl with his rope knowledge. Neither date turns out exactly how they were planned unfortunately, when Buffy finds herself surrounded by vampires and Xander finds himself all tied up.
Meanwhile the First contacts Andrew and Giles finds himself tounge-tied with the new potential, Chao-Ahn.
b: 11-Feb-2003 pc: 7ABB14 w: Jane Espenson d: David Grossman
NOTE: The title of this episode is the same as the last two words of the season one episode "Never Kill a Boy on the First Date" Joss has already mentioned many times the theme of "back to the beginning" for this season.
Principal's Wood's mother was the Slayer killed by Spike in the New York City subway, first seen in season 5's "Fool for Love". The character is played by a different actress in this episode than the woman from "FfL'.
The First Evil cannot be recorded on film.
In the opening scene of the Graveyard, we see the grave of "Snyder", most likely the second principal of Sunnydale High.
In "Potential", Andrew asked if they were going to get the microwave fixed, it having been smashed by Dawn in "Conversations with Dead People". In this episode, they seemed to have bought a new one, and Andrew is setting it up.
Anya tries to help Buffy get rid of a stain on her shirt. She says it's blood, or maybe pizza.
In "Conversations With Dead People", Dawn eats pizza holding the shirt, and gets a stain on it, but says: "Never mind, she'll think it's blood".
Buffy mentions the girl Spike took to Xander and Anya's "not-wedding", a reference to "Hell's Bells".
Apparently, the children of Slayers don't inherit their powers.
After much debate, we finally find out how Giles saved himself from the Bringer.
It seems Dawn is getting a crush on Andrew when he talks to her she blushes.
In this episode Buffy says 'Why does everyone in this house think i'm still in love with Spike?'Isn't this the first time shes actually admitted she loved him or does love him? before she said she only had strong feelings but not love.
Three of the potential slayers; Molly, Rona and again Chloe, do not appear in this episode.
In this episode we find out that Buffy chose to have the chip removed from Spike's head
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137. Get It Done
gs: Tom Lenk (Andrew) Iyari Limon (Kennedy) Clara Bryant (Molly) Sarah Hagan (Amanda) Indigo (Rona) Kristy Wu (Chao-Ahn) Lalaine (Chloe) DB Woodside (Principal Robin Wood)
Principal Wood gives Buffy a bag of items that used to belong to his mother, the slayer killed on the subway by Spike.
The bag contains many various items including weapons, a book, and a strange sealed box. After opening the box, Buffy and gang watch a puppet show that opens a portal sending Buffy to a strange land and leaving in her wake a demon.
Buffy meets three men who offer her more power, but it doesn't come freely. It's up to Willow to get the portal open and Spike to get the demon back.
Meanwhile, the Potentials are feeling the stress of the situation, and the First takes full advantage of this, with dire consequences.
b: 18-Feb-2003 pc: 7ABB15 w: Douglas Petrie d: Douglas Petrie
NOTE: This is the final episode for Chloe.
The origins of the first slayer are presented in this episode.
Spike still has the leather jacket he always wore before this season; it had been stored away.
The song played in the promo for this episode is "Just a Little Girl" by Amy Studt.
In the episode "Restless" in season four, Buffy awakes(in her dream) and she immediatley see's the first slayer CHAINED to the Ceiling. In "Get It Done" we find out that those three men CHAINED the first slayer to the ground while they invoked a demon into her. just a little thing I noticed :)
Also in Restless(Season 4) during Buffy's dream she tells Adam "We're not demons." He replies "Is that so?"
This episode marks the beginning of the knowledge of Turok-Han/Ubervamp army.
The Slayer bag the Wood gives Buffy is the same one from 'Restless' (She pulls mud out and puts it on her face)
It is revealed that The First slayer was given power by the Shadow men but with a loop hole, they chained her down and forced a demon power into her to fight the demons, but the power made her less of a human, and that power is given to the next slayer and so on.
Anya says "Why in the name of almighty Grachnar would I let myself become human again?" Grachnar is the fear demon, previously mentioned in Season 4's 'Fear Itself'.
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138. Storyteller
gs: Danny Strong (Jonathan) Adam Busch (Warren) Tom Lenk (Andrew) Iyari Limon (Kennedy) Sarah Hagan (Amanda) Indigo (Rona) DB Woodside (Principal Robin Wood)
Andrew creates "Buffy, Slayer of Vampires", a documentary describing the current situation in Sunnydale to show to future generations.
Many emotions are captured during its filming, from Willow and Kennedy's make out fest to the recognition of what would be Xander and Anya's 1 year anniversary.
Meanwhile, the hell mouth, or more appropriately, the Seal of Danzalthar, is causing extreme chaos at the high school. The only way to stop it is to have Andrew face his past!
b: 25-Feb-2003 pc: 7ABB16 w: Jane Espenson d: Marita Grabiak
NOTE: During the dream scene with Andrew and Jonathan in Mexico, it shows the "Cheese Guy" from the Season 4 finale "Restless" for a split second.
'Storyteller' contains several references to early episodes; they are:
"Hey, shy girl" 1x11 Out of Mind, Out of Sight when Marcie Ross became invisible because nobody noticed she was around.
"Killer prom dogs" 3x20 The Prom in which Andrew's brother, Tucker, released hell hounds on the senior prom.
"Everybody hates the cheerleaders" 1x03 Witch where the cheerleaders are targeted by spells because of a jealous wannabe cheerleader.
"Swim team monsters" 2x20 Go Fish when several of the swim team members shed their skin and become monsters.
Andrew describes Buffy as having "the face of an angel." In the season one episode "Angel", Angel is described as "the one with the angelic face."
The "Grrr...Arg.." at the end of the episode is replaced with "We are gods..",
what Andrew thought of when Warren told him they'd be gods.
When Andrew is having the flashback of his time in Mexico, he is talking to The First in the form of Warren, and mentions going to a demon with "weird weapons." One of the weapons Andrew mentions the demon having, is a "collapsible sword." This is a refference to Angel 4x06 'Spin The Bottle', in which Wesley buys and uses a "collapsible sword."
We can assume that the pig we see in the basement is the same one that Andrew couldn't kill in "Sleeper" 7x08.
Xander and Anya have sex and then agree it would be their last time.
Continuity: Re-visit 3x10 "Amends" - the symbol made up of bones, stones, candles and other stuff that the Bringers are using (in the cave underneath the dead X-mas trees)looks suspiciously like the symbol on the Seal of Danzalthar under Sunnydale High.
We find out why the First wanted Andrew dead in Never Leave Me when it had Spike try to kill him.
We learn that Harbringers are actually humans, not their own race of demons, that have been taken over by the First, or something like that.
In 3x01 'Anne', Buffy says she wants "quiet in a room with a chair and a fireplace and a tea cozy." Fits Andrew's daydream quite well.
When Andrew is having the flashback of his time in Mexico, he is talking to Warren/The First about the knife he bought. When Warren/The First asks Andrew to show him, Andrew says he didn't buy them all but starts talking about the weapons, when Warren really meant the knife. This is exactly what happened in 7x14 First Date when Andrew was talking with Jonathan/The First after finding the gun in Buffy's underwear draw. When Jonathan/The First asked to see it (meaning the gun), and Andrew started talking about the underwear.
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139. Lies My Parents Told Me
gs: Anthony Stewart Head (Rupert Giles) Tom Lenk (Andrew) Iyari Limon (Kennedy) Indigo (Rona) Caroline Lagerfelt (Anne) Juliet Landau (Drusilla) DB Woodside (Principal Robin Wood)
Giles returns with a device that will deactivate Spike's trigger. While trying to discover what exactly is turning Spike into a vicious animal, the gang take a look at his past. They find that his Mother used to sing him "early one morning", before he sired her. She became evil and was no longer affectionate to William, so he staked her.
Meanwhile, Robin asks Giles to help him get his revenge on Spike, leaving Buffy betrayed by the person she trusted the most.
b: 25-Mar-2003 pc: 7ABB17 w: David Fury and Drew Goddard d: David Fury
NOTE: If you would like to see why Willow left for Los Angeles then you must watch the episode of Angel titled Orpheus in which Alyson Hannigan guest stars.
Apparently, Giles has a personal library both large enough and complete enough to be used as a school library. It is most likely filled with the books on vampires and the occult that were saved from the Mayors attack in the season 3 finale.
'Orpheus' and 'Lies My Parents Told Me' were played switched around since Willow is in LA on the Angel episode which was aired earlier.
When Spike's mother was seducing Spike, you can still see her scars that Spike give her during siring her.
When Spike's mother was staked by Spike, she give her last human smile to Spike before she turned to dust.
William (Spike) reads poetry to his mother about Cecily (who was played by the same actress as Halfrek-and was hinted at to be the same character as well).
Anya makes reference to the time when she slaughtered a fraternity house in 7x05 Selfless.
Unlike at the end of Season 5, Buffy is now willing to sacrice Dawn (or any of her friends) to save the world. This revelation sheds a lot of new light on what the First/Joyce told Dawn in "Conversations with Dead People"
Buffy and Giles (and even Spike) find out that Spike killed Robin's parents in this episode.
Once more there is a hint to the fans of the show. Buffy says: "Have you heard my speeches?" to Giles, and this way of, once again, make fun of her serious speeches is a hint to the online fan community that in several forums (this included) have criticized all the Buffy speeches, that they do read what we write.
The definition of prokaryote, the name of the stone put in Spike's head, is an organism of the kingdom Monera (or Prokaryotae), comprising the bacteria and cyanobacteria, characterized by the absence of a distinct, membrane-bound nucleus or membrane-bound organelles, and by DNA that is not organized into chromosomes. Also called moneran.
Spike's poem to his mother could be foreshadow of the return of Angel and the end of the series.
The network advertises for the first time during this episode that "Buffy's Final Hour" is coming.
Song that Anne sings to William and is played throughout the episode is the folk song "Early One Morning." The song is what The First used to trigger Spike as an instrument of evil. *The trigger is removed in this episode.
The "brain matter" that the janitor was cleaning up in the beginning was probably the nervous, severely stressed-out kid in "Storyteller" who (off-screen) exploded, causing Buffy to say: "Should have had that foot rub."
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140. Dirty Girls
gs: Anthony Stewart Head (Rupert Giles) Eliza Dushku (Faith) Nathan Fillion (Caleb) Tom Lenk (Andrew) Iyari Limon (Kennedy) Indigo (Rona) Clara Bryant (Molly) Sarah Hagan (Amanda) Kristy Wu (Chao Ahn) DB Woodside (Principal Robin Wood)
As they drive into town, Willow and Faith find themselves behind a truck. A young girl is thrown out with a deep wound and the truck drives off. The girl is unconcious so they take her to the hospital and report to Buffy.
Faith's arrival brings a lot of tension to Buffy's house. All the potentials ask questions, but Faith is only interested in talking with Buffy. They clear the air and then receive a phone call from the hospital.
The girl is called Shannon, she tells Buffy about a young preacher that saved her from bringers. He then called her dirty, branded her with his ring and stabbed her. Willow takes a photo of the mark from the ring. Shannon mentions the man's message; that he has something that belongs to Buffy.
The gang discover that 'Caleb' is dwelling at a nearby vineyard with his bringers. They set out (against Giles' advice) to confront him, but upon arrival Buffy gets knocked out in one punch. Caleb breaks Rona's arm, before killing Molly and a few Potentials, then he approaches Xander. He says Xander is 'the one who sees things', then stabs his thumb into his eye socket.
Spike knocks Caleb away, giving Buffy a chance to rescue Xander. Admitting defeat, Buffy and what's left of the gang escape.
b: 15-Apr-2003 pc: 7ABB18 w: Drew Goddard d: Michael Gershman
NOTE: We learn that Caleb is responsible for the explosion at the Watcher's HQ. He is also the one controlling the bringers.
Faith smokes.
Molly dies.
Principal Wood fires Buffy from her job.
Although this is the first time that Faith has been back on Buffy since the Season 4 episode "Who Are You?", she has appeared on six episodes of Angel since then. The episodes are Five By Five, Sanctuary, Judgement, and more recently, Salvage, Release, and Orpheus.
Nathan Fillion recently played the starring role of Captain Mal Reynolds in Firefly, also created by Joss Whedon. And on Angel, the actress who played the Firefly's first officer is Jasmine, this season's final villain.
For the third time this season Emma Caulfield (Anya) is absent from an episode.
Caleb does not apparently have any magical power. Just super strength which is alike to what Glory had in Season 5.
The last movie that Faith watched in prison was "Glitter" by Mariah Carey which was a flop at the box-office.
When Faith was fighting the blue shirt, elf-ears man in Andrew's story, the location was alike to the Bringer's Underground Cave where Buffy first fought the UberVamp in 7x10 "Bring On the Night"
Molly is totally giving Andrew 'the Eye' in their last exchange, but he's trying to remain cool after being embarrassed by Amanda.
Guest Star Nathan Fillion (Caleb) originally auditioned for the role of Angel, but this fact was unknown to producers at the time of his casting on Joss Whedon's Firefly.
The character of Caleb is probably a direct reference to the woman-hating Southern preacher in Davis Grubb's novel "The Night of the Hunter," memorably filmed by Charles Laughton in 1955, with Robert Mitchum in what many consider the performance of his career.
This is not the first time Anthony Head and Nathan Fillon have guest starred together. They both guest starred in an episode of Two Guys and a Girl called "Two Guys a Girl And a Mother's Day" in 1999.
Both Eliza Dushku and Nathan Fillion are billed as Special Guest Stars.
Andrew apparently believes that Vulcan's are real and live on earth.
You may notice that Faiths voice seems different from the last time she was on Buffy. This is because Eliza's voice was "broken" as she puts it, and she has since then gone through Voice Therapy to train herself to speak at a higher octive, Her natural raspy voice was destroying her Vocal Cords. She talked about this when she started her voice therapy on Letterman Last year:
http://tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/GuidePageServlet/showid-3015/epid-188718
Most of the crazy religious types on Buffy, and even on television, seem to have a thick, slightly faked Southern accent. The vampire from "Never Kill a Boy on the First Date" comes to mind.
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141. Empty Places
gs: Anthony Stewart Head (Rupert Giles) Eliza Dushku (Faith) Nathan Fillion (Caleb) Tom Lenk (Andrew) Iyari Limon (Kennedy) Indigo (Rona) Sarah Hagan (Amanda) Kristy Wu (Chao Ahn) DB Woodside (Principal Robin Wood) Dorian Missick () Larry Clarke ()
Following Caleb's attack, Xander is now blind in one eye. Buffy takes all the guilt and again encounters Caleb at the abandoned school.
Faith presses her fun-loving nature on the potentials and takes them all to the Bronze, which leads to an argument between Faith and Buffy, culminating in forcing the potentials to choose between their two leaders, but because of Buffy's recent decisions and behavior, they all side with Faith.
Meanwhile, Spike and Andrew look into an abandoned mission and discover a plaque which reads: 'It is for her alone to wield'.
b: 29-Apr-2003 pc: 7ABB19 w: Drew Z. Greenberg d: James A. Contner
NOTE: It seems as though the First is trying to isolate Buffy from her friends. Buffy is clearly stronger with her friends, but the First didn't originally notice this. Spike told Adam the same thing in Season 4.
The song played in the promo for this episode is "Goodbye to you" by Michelle Branch. The same song was heard in "Tabula Rasa" in Season 6.
The helmet that Andrew wears while riding the motorcycle with Spike was the same helmet worn by Dawn in 'Bargaining (Part 2)'.
In this episode Spike and Andrew discuss flowering onions. Spike has previously shown an interest in flowering oninons in the season 5 episodes "Triangle" and "Crush".
It seems that Caleb planned it so that Buffy would come up with a horrible idea, and all of the others would just totally shut her out. It seems unlikely that every single girl would agree that Buffy's idea was a bad one.
Clem drives a new bright red VW bug.
The band seen performing in The Bronze are Nerf Herder, who of course created the Buffy theme.
Sarah Michelle Gellar's voice in the opening scene with Clem sounds like she was recovering from a cold. Back in March, Michelle Trachtenberg was recovering from a cold when she appeared on the Caroline Rhea Show also.
Willow using magick to alter the cops' preception is reminiscent of Amy altering the teachers' in 'Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered.'
Everything Anya said in speech is what Buffy said to Giles when they first met in 'Welcome To The Hellmouth', but the part of it regarding her supriority is exactly what Buffy spoke about in 'Conversations With Dead People.'
The picture that Buffy admires when she visits her office, is the same one she looks at in "Primeval", and she is also wearing the same outfit as that episode.
Xander makes a reference to his pirate costume and fake parrot, which he wore in the season six episode "All the Way."
Faith is apparently now a responsible adult as she takes the liquor that Amanda was drinking because she was underage and offers her a 7-UP.
The inscription on the wall reads "It is not for thee. It is for her alone to wield."
When Buffy runs into Clem at the begining of the episode it appears that it's the following morning and that Buffy walked the streets alone all night.
When Rona helps attacking the police cops she shows no pain of her broken arm, perhaps potentials recover from injuries fast before they are Slayers.
Also, as it turns out, Xander does suffer permanent damage resulting in his fighting for Buffy. JUST like his nightmare of the future married to Anya (season 6, Hell's Bells). Only it's a missing eye, not a shot back.
We may have finally seen or, more likely, are about to see what Joyce meant in "Conversations With Dead People" when she told Dawn that Buffy wouldn't choose her. She'd be against her.
Another "Harry Potter" reference in this episode. Faith says 'Shouldn't you be down in Hogwarts?' or something to that effect
When UPN showed previews for the episode, they show Dawn kiss Buffy's cheek. Yet in the episode she never does, it was obviously cut and then used to tease the viewers.
Andrew can be seen writing the words "Breakup Sex" on his note board after Anya mentions what she and Xander did on the cott.
The picture Buffy looked at in her office is also very similar to the one she looked at before finding the dead cat in the episode Dead Man's Party in season 3. The picture appears to have been taken during the same photo shoot.
This episode marks the final appearance of the Bronze
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142. Touched
gs: Eliza Dushku (Faith) Iyari Limon (Kennedy) Anthony Stewart Head (Rupert Giles) Tom Lenk (Andrew) Nathan Fillion (Caleb) DB Woodside (Principal Robin Wood) Indigo (Rona) Harry Groener (Mayor Richard Wilkins III) Sarah Hagan (Amanda) Mary Wilcher (Shannon) Dania Ramirez (Caridad)
After being kicked out of her house, Buffy walks alone until she finds another one. She breaks in and tells the previous owner to leave.
Meanwhile Spike and Andrew return with news about the vineyard, but when Spike finds out what happened he hits Faith and leaves, trying to pick up Buffy's scent.
The First pays Faith a visit in the form of the Mayor, but she isn't fooled. It tells her that love is the biggest power, and that she fought against Buffy while secretly wanting to be accepted. Robin finds Faith and the two share a moment, which leads to them having sex.
When Spike finds Buffy, they talk about her being rejected. She says that everytime she makes a decision, someone dies and that maybe Faith is best in charge. She tells him to leave, but he refuses, telling her what he knows about the vineyard and that he loves her. She tells him she just wants to be held, so they fall asleep in each other's arms.
The next morning, Buffy pays Caleb a visit. He tries to hit her time and time again, but still misses. The two fight for a while and Buffy asks him what he has that belongs to her.
Meanwhile, Faith and the Poentials go in the sewers searching for an arsenal. When they find it, they also find Bringers. They take them on and defeat them, but Faith asks why there isn't many weapons around, until she discovers a bomb.
Buffy finds a trap door which leads to a powerful weapon, lodged in a rock.
b: 06-May-2003 pc: 7ABB20 w: Rebecca Rand Kirshner d: David Solomon
NOTE: The Season Finale of Angel airs this week, which will leave Angel free to return to Sunnydale for next week's two-part Series Finale.
Indigo (Rona) Mary Wilcher (Shannon) and Kristy Wu (Chao Ahn) do not appear in this episode.
The inscription "It is not for thee. It is for her alone to wield" most likely refers to the weapon found by Buffy at the end of the episode.
Xander now wears a black eye patch over his left...eye socket.
Dawn has been studying magic, she's the one who brings up the spell to find out what the Harbringers are doing.
Faith's past philosophy of 'get some, get gone' still lives in new Faith. After a night of sex with Wood, she dismisses him the next day.
Caleb is super strong, but not quick. Buffy practically runs circles around him, and he fumbles every time.
The weapon Buffy finds under the basement of the vineyard is a Scythe. This scythe made its debut in a comic book called Fray, created by Joss Whedon about a Slayer 200 years into the future.
The bomb in the sewer is the second explosion Caleb and the First Evil are responsible for; Caleb was behind the destruction of the Watcher's Council.
Buffy's dislike of guns is shown once again when she kicks a random Sunnydale resident out of his home after ripping his shotgun from his hands. She throws it to the floor almost in disgust. When she goes to fight Caleb later that night she of course leaves it behind.
Buffy makes a reference to Spike's attempt to rape her in s6 "Seeing Read" when she mentions his difficulty to understand the word "no".
The countdown of the bomb continues over the "EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS" screen. The countdown gets to zero when the screen disappears.
This is the first time lesbian sex was so intense in BTVS
When Anya and Xander had sex in "Storyteller", they agree it will be their last time. But later they did it again in the kitchen.
If you look closely in the sex scene between Willow & Kennedy, you can see that Kennedy has a tongue ring.
Andrew enters the kitchen with a blue football helmet which is used for two past episodes: "Bargaining, part 2" and "Empty Spaces".
This is the second time for Giles to be accused of being jealous of the gang's power. He was told that previously in "Grave" by Dark Willow.
Dania Ramirez, the actress that plays Caridad, is from the Philippines, and her accent is genuine. It is likely that Caridad is from the Philippines as well.
The Mayor/The First calls Faith a firecracker. He said the same thing to her in "Doppelgangland", and it's also what her mother used to call her.
The First tells Caleb his is the only man strong enough to handle the power given to him by the First.
The song that plays while evryone is being "touched" is "It's Only Love" by Heather Nova from the album "South"
The scene in the fight where Buffy dends over backbards to evade Caleb's attack is very similar to the scene in the Matrix where Neo tries to evade gun fire by an agent.
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143. End of Days
gs: Sarah Hagan (Amanda) Eliza Dushku (Faith) Iyari Limon (Kennedy) Anthony Stewart Head (Rupert Giles) Tom Lenk (Andrew) DB Woodside (Principal Robin Wood) Nathan Fillion (Caleb) David Boreanaz (Angel) Indigo (Rona) Mary Wilcher (Shannon)
As Buffy gets her hands on the scythe, she finds that she is able to kill three Turok-Han with ease.
Meanwhile, Faith and the potentials get caught up in an explosion, leaving many dead and Faith unconcious.
After giving Buffy his word, Xander leaves Sunnydale with Dawn, against her will. Buffy and Spike are feeling awkward regarding the recent events, so she sets out for information on the scythe.
She finds a tomb where she runs into an old woman. She tells Buffy how the scythe was created to destroy the last pure demon, but it was made in secret and hidden from the shadow men.
Caleb arrives and snaps the woman's neck. He and Buffy wrestle control over the scythe until he gets the upper hand. As he is about to strike, Angel knocks him down, leaving the scythe in Buffy's hands.
She guts Caleb and leaves him for dead, before passionately kissing Angel. Spike watches them from nearby with a broken heart, as the First approaches him in the form of Buffy.
b: 13-May-2003 pc: 7ABB21 w: Jane Espenson and Douglas Petrie d: Marita Grabiak
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144. Chosen
gs: Eliza Dushku (Faith) David Boreanaz (Angel) Tom Lenk (Andrew) Anthony Stewart Head (Rupert Giles) Iyari Limon (Kennedy) DB Woodside (Principal Robin Wood) Nathan Fillion (Caleb) Sarah Hagan (Amanda)
Buffy and Angel's reunion is interrupted by Caleb, who is ready for a final battle. Buffy slices him in half, starting with his testicles. With Caleb dead, Buffy returns to Angel, who can smell Spike all over her. He is jealous, especially when he realises that he is no longer unique. After a long arguement Angel presents her with an amulet of a champion, Buffy tells him to leave, as she already has one.
The First Evil tells Buffy that it is everywhere and it will never die, but the Turok-Han will upset the balance, making it corporeal. After hearing this, Buffy realises what to do.
Willow does a spell that takes power from Buffy and the scythe and shares it equally among every Potential in the world, making everyone a slayer. The gang and the Potentials open the Seal of Danzalthar and go into the Hellmouth.
By now there are hundreds of Potentials, but there are thousands of Turok-Han. A long battle commences leaving many dead, including Anya.
Spike is unable to fight as the amulet is taking over him, he begins to burn up inside as a huge beam of pure sunlight shoots out from his soul.
All the Turok-Han are instantly dusted, but most of Sunnydale has been swallowed.
With only minutes left Spike and Buffy hold each other, while everyone is leaving town in a bus.
Spike tells Buffy to leave and live a normal life, while he walks back into Hell.
Buffy runs after the speeding bus and catches up. Everyone looks at what was once Sunnydale. Buffy smiles knowing that there are millions of girls in the world that can fight off the eternal evil. As we take one final look at Sunnydale, we see a hand stick out through the fallen debris...
b: 20-May-2003 pc: 7ABB22 w: Joss Whedon d: Joss Whedon
NOTE: The last ever episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer
The Shanshu prophecy said "The vampire with a soul will stop the apocolypse and become human." Perhaps Spike will make it to Angel next season after all.
No matter what appears to happen involving Spike in the end, there will somehow be an explanation to his survival of the events of the episode when Spike makes his way to Angel next season.
The fact of Sunnydale being destroyed by the Hellmouth was originally suposed to be used in the season five finale The Gift but was decided to change the end and appareantly, save that idea for the series real finale. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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