THE REAL HORROR: Confronting your dark side. It’s not uncommon for people to muse about the darker side of their natures. By conjuring up her vampire alter ego, Willow is confronted with the living embodiment of what she would be like, devoid of conscience and social convention. It’s a sobering realization that all of us harbor the potential of evil, given the right circumstances.
OF SPECIAL NOTE: D’Hoffryn, Anya’s demon boss, was called “Mr. Hodgepodge” by the makeup people because they used pieces from the Judge, a demon of Jhe, and the Rage Monster to create his look.
According to Webster’s, a doppelgänger is “a ghostly counterpart of a living person.”
MUSICAL NOTE: k’s Choice is performing onstage during the scene where vampire Willow goes to the Bronze.
51. “Enemies”
(MARCH 16, 1999)
Director: David Grossman
Teleplay: Douglas Petrie
Recurring cast: Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers); Eliza Dushku (Faith); Harry Groener (Mayor Richard Wilkins III); Alexis Denisof (Wesley Wyndam-Pryce)
Guest cast: Michael Manasseri (horned demon); Gary Bullock (shrouded sorcerer)
Plot: The mayor and Faith’s plot to steal Angel’s soul and turn him against Buffy backfires in a big way.
THIS WEEK’S MYSTICAL PRIZE: The Books of Ascension, which the mayor needs to complete his transformation to pure evil.
INTRODUCING: Oz with light hair. Again.
ANALYSIS: Buffy’s instincts take center stage again in this episode. Even though the Council has been convinced to allow Faith to go back on the streets as a Slayer, Buffy senses something is amiss. Faith might be going through the right motions, but there’s a darkness surrounding Faith that Buffy can sense, and although she doesn’t let on to Faith, Buffy sets a trap.
Typically, Angel finds himself caught in a no-win situation. He agrees to pretend to lose his soul to trick Faith into revealing what she knows about the mayor. As part of the act, he causes Buffy pain when she assumes he has had to “get physical” with Faith.
Buffy’s sense of loss at the end of the episode is twofold. First, she is pained that she wasn’t able to help Faith. Now that it’s out in the open that Faith has aligned herself with the mayor, she turns into a completely rogue Slayer and throws down the gauntlet to Buffy, indicating they are now enemies. Even though Buffy refuses to give up on Faith completely just yet, she knows she now has two formidable opponents to contend with. Added to that is her uncertain future with Angel, a subject they both studiously avoid confronting head-on. Just as Faith’s fall from grace seems inevitable, the hard truth about Buffy’s future with Angel seem just as inescapable, so she avoids it as for long as possible.
THE REAL HORROR: Being right. Many times our instincts tell us one thing but our hearts try to ignore the evidence staring us in the face. Buffy suspected that Faith was up to no good but it depresses her to learn just how right she was.
BLOOPERS: While he’s in the mayor’s office, Angel’s hand can be seen reflected in the mayor’s nameplate.
LITERARY ALLUSION: The line, “The girl makes Godot look punctual,” refers to the Samuel Beckett play Waiting for Godot, about two men who spend the entire play waiting for Godot, who never shows up.
52. “Earshot”
(SEPTEMBER 21, 1999)
Director: Regis Kimble
Teleplay: Jane Espenson
Recurring cast: Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers); Alexis Denisof (Wesley Wyndam-Pryce); Danny Strong (Jonathan)
Guest cast: Lauren Roman (Nancy); Ethan Erickson (Percy); Larry Bagby III (Larry); Justin Doran (Hogan); Wendy Worthington (lunch lady); Karem Malicki-Sánchez (Freddy Iverson); Robert Arce (Mr. Beach); Molly Bryant (Ms. Murray); Rich Muller (student); Jay Michael Ferguson (student)
Plot: Buffy is infected by demon blood which gives her the ability to hear people’s thoughts. Buffy psychically overhears someone planning mass murder at Sunnydale High.
THIS WEEK’S PARANORMAL AFFLICTION: Mind-reading—an aspect of the demon that infected Buffy. These demons must communicate telepathically because they have no mouths.
ANALYSIS: Ever since coming to Sunnydale, Buffy has fought feelings of alienation. Being the Slayer makes her frequently feel apart from her peers, and she is occasionally overwhelmed by the enormity of the pressure she is under. It becomes clear to her, however, by listening to the thoughts of others, that it’s all relative. While other kids in her class may not be saving the world, they are consumed by their own feelings of insecurity, loneliness, and alienation. Most people—with the telling exception of Cordelia—harbor dark inner thoughts but keep their feelings to themselves, either out of fear of ridicule or because they don’t think anyone would understand. The intensity of the unspoken emotions enveloping Buffy becomes a din and threatens to literally drive her mad.
But amid the noise, Buffy’s instincts single out a more menacing thought—from someone planning to commit mass murder. Because of the comtemporary rash of real-life school shootings, Buffy assumes it’s a student and has the gang try to ferret out the potential killer by interviewing targeted suspects. But, as Buffy has learned, people very seldom say exactly what it is they are thinking. The only way to truly know what is going on in someone else’s mind is to be able to “read” it.
After Angel cures Buffy with a demon-heart–based antidote, she has a new perspective and greater compassion for the pain that is part of the human condition. That compassion stops short, though, with the cafeteria lady, who had finally snapped from having to deal with one too many moody teenagers—and planned to wipe out the entire school with rat poison.
Buffy’s reaction to hearing her mother thinking about the time Joyce and Giles had sex on a police car while under the influence of Ethan Rayne’s spiked candy bars was also telling. Clearly, Buffy’s view of Giles as a father figure extends to her reluctance to know any details about his sex life, especially as it pertains to her mother.
THE REAL HORROR: The honest truth. Although we all say we want to know the truth, in reality it would be very hard to deal with the brutal truth of what people around us are thinking. Private, uncensored thoughts can be hurtful and upsetting, and if our friends and family told us everything they were thinking we’d be on sensory overload and, like Buffy, overwhelmed.
Jonathan was also overwhelmed—but by feelings of inadequacy. His inner voices were making him so miserable the only way to turn them off seemed to be suicide. Like Buffy, he never stopped to consider that others share similar feelings, and it wasn’t until Buffy talked to him that he realized he wasn’t so different from anyone else.
BLOOPERS: The time on the watchtower clock changes repeatedly as Buffy looks for Jonathan.
OF SPECIAL NOTE: The broadcast of this episode, along with Episode 56, “Graduation Day (Part II)” was delayed because of the Columbine High School shootings, which occurred the week before “Earshot” was scheduled to air.
Jonathan’s selection to present Buffy with the “Class Protector” award at the prom made much more sense in light of the events in “Earshot.”
Lauren E. Roman previously worked with Sarah Michelle Gellar on All My Children, where Lauren played Laura Kirk English.
53. “Choices”
(MAY 4, 1999)
Director: James A. Contner
Teleplay: David Fury
Recurring cast: Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers); Eliza Dushku (Faith); Harry Groener (Mayor Richard Wilkins III); Alexis Denisof (Wesley Wyndam-Pryce); Armin Shimerman (Principal Snyder)
Guest cast: Keith Brunsmann (vamp lackey); Jimmie F. Skaggs (courier); Jason Reed (guard); Bonita Friedericy (manager); Michael Schoenfeld (security guard #1); Seth Coltan (security guard #2); Brett Moses (student)
Plot: Buffy and her friends find themselves pondering their futures. The mayor’s powers continue to increase.
THIS WEEK’S EVIL CRITTERS: The Box of Gavrok contains killer spiderlike bugs which, when eaten, give the mayor a megadose of
demon energy.
ANALYSIS: Just as Buffy looks to Giles as her mentor and father figure, Faith has been taken under the wing of the mayor, who showers her with genuine affection and concern. Faith probably has never had anyone make her feel so special and, even if he’s about to turn into evil incarnate, her loyalty to Wilkins is absolute.
Buffy finds herself in her typical quandary of trying to juggle saving the world with making college plans. To the surprise of just about everyone, her high SAT scores have gotten her admitted to prestigious Northwestern University in Illinois. Her mother is thrilled but Buffy is subdued. Again, although a part of her dreams of leaving the Hellmouth behind and building a normal life for herself, so much of her identity is integrated with her life as Slayer, leaving Sunnydale would be like leaving part of herself behind. Nor does she want to leave Angel.
But during a showdown with the mayor, Wilkins gives Buffy and Angel an honest vision of how doomed their love is. Speaking like a stern parent, the mayor chastises them for being so shortsighted, and makes it clear he thinks that weakness is another reason they will not be able to defeat him.
Although the mayor could have killed Willow after capturing her during the break-in attempt, he is one to look at the big picture. Methodical and organized, it’s more important to stay on the Ascension schedule than to be distracted by extraneous killings. In his mind, he’ll be killing everyone soon anyway, so what’s the rush?
This episode more clearly defines the crossroads at which the characters find themselves, and sets the stage for some painful decisions to come.
THE REAL HORROR: Making hard decisions. Buffy is at a point where all teenagers eventually find themselves: She has to figure out what she really wants to do with her life and what path she will take to get there. Although everyone around her has an opinion, it’s ultimately a decision Buffy must make on her own because it’s now her life to lead.
Buffy’s afraid of change. But as high school draws to a close, she knows her life will be changing whether she wants it to or not.
OF SPECIAL NOTE: The knife used by Faith is called a Gil Hibben Jackal, and is available for public purchase.
54. “The Prom”
(MAY 11, 1999)
Director: David Solomon
Teleplay: Marti Noxon
Recurring cast: Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers); Alexis Denisof (Wesley Wyndam-Pryce); Emma Caulfield (Anya); Danny Strong (Jonathan)
Guest cast: Brad Kane (Tucker); Andrea E. Taylor (salesgirl); Mike Kimmel (Butcher); Bonita Friedericy (Mrs. Finkle); Joe Howard (priest); Tove Kingsbury (boy in tuxedo); Michael Zlabinger (student); Damien Eckhardt (Jack Mayhew); Monica Serene Garnich (girl); Stephanie Denise Griffin (girl in store)
Music: “Praise You” (playing in first shot of the prom), by Fatboy Slim, from You’ve Come Along Way, Baby; “Celebration” (song playing as hellhounds approach school), by Kool & the Gang, from All-Time Greatest Hits; “The Good Life” (as Buffy enters the gym), by Cracker, from Gentleman’s Blues; “El Rey” (while Giles and Wesley talk about Cordelia), by the Lassie Foundation, from Pacifico; “Wild Horses” (as Buffy and Angel dance), by the Sundays, from Blind.
Plot: A bitter student tries to ruin prom night. Angel comes to a painful conclusion. Buffy is surprised by her classmates.
THIS WEEK’S DEMON PETS: Hellhounds.
INTRODUCING: Anya and Xander as prom couple.
ANALYSIS: Buffy should know better by now than to look forward to anything, especially a high school fantasy night like prom. The episode begins with Buffy and Angel snuggling together after a night of patrolling. She is still deluding herself into believing they can share an exquisite love that doesn’t involve physical intimacy, and is looking forward to a romantic evening at the prom.
* * *
HELLHOUNDS
Not exactly “man’s best friends,” hellhounds are large, demonic canines that look like mastiffs, with black teeth and eyes that glow either red or yellow. They can also breathe fire, especially when stalking victims.
Originally from a demon plane, on Earth hellhounds travel and hunt in packs. Possessing a cruel temperament, they have been known to torture their victims before the final kill.
Different cultures have various names for hellhounds. In England, they are called “Barghest,” and according to local legend, anyone who sees the hound in clear view will die shortly thereafter. In Wales, hellhounds are called “Gwyllgi,” and on the Isle of Man they are called “Mauthe Doog.”
* * *
But an honest conversation with Joyce convinces Angel that Buffy will never move forward with her life if he’s still in it. And, if he can’t give her a full life, then the next best thing he can do is give her a future, even if it means he can’t be in it. He decides to leave Sunnydale—if they survive the Ascension. Although his timing leaves a lot to be desired, in her heart Buffy knows Angel is right, but that doesn’t make the devastation she feels any easier to bear.
Almost against her will, Buffy is being forced to grow up. She’s not the only one learning to deal with life’s harsh realities: Cordelia is ashamed at having to take a part-time job to support herself after the IRS nails her father for tax fraud. But rather than kicking her when she’s down, Xander shows compassion—and the care he really feels for her—by paying for the prom dress she can’t afford. However, Xander has agreed to be the date of the former vengeance demon, Anya, who has been stuck in the body of a teenager since Giles destroyed the source of her power in order to reverse the effects of Cordelia’s wish. They have all come to see that life is a series of choices and compromises.
The one constant Buffy can depend on is her work. She channels her pain and frustration into tracking down the pesky hellhounds who have been trained to attack anyone in formalwear, then goes to the prom, determined to at least see the experience even if she can’t share in it. When Angel surprises her by showing up and asking for a dance, it’s clear this is his way of starting to say goodbye.
THE REAL HORROR: Having your heart broken. It’s a well-worn cliché that you never love again the way you do the first time you fall in love but it’s based on the truth of experience. When Buffy fell in love for Angel, there was no hesitation. Now that she is losing Angel, she will probably never love as freely because she will remember the pain that came when she lost that love and had her heart broken. Even when she falls in love again, she will never be able to recapture the innocence of first love.
BLOOPERS At the prom, the color of Wesley’s napkins changes from red to yellow.
OF SPECIAL NOTE: The wedding dress Buffy wears in Angel’s dream was designed by Vera Wang, who also made Sarah Michelle Gellar’s real-life wedding gown over three years later.
55. “Graduation Day (Part I)”
(MAY 18, 1999)
Director: Joss Whedon
Teleplay: Joss Whedon
Recurring cast: Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers); Eliza Dushku (Faith); Harry Groener (Mayor Richard Wilkins III); Alexis Denisof (Wesley Wyndam-Pryce); Armin Shimerman (Principal Snyder); Emma Caulfield (Anya); Mercedes McNab (Harmony)
Guest cast: Ethan Erickson (Percy West); James Lurie (Mr. Miller); Hal Robinson (Professor Lester Worth); John Rosenfeld (vamp); Adrian Neil (vamp)
Music: “Sunday Mail” (as Buffy enters Faith’s apartment), by Spectator Pump, from Styrofoam Archives
Plot: Faith shoots Angel with a poison arrow. Anya sheds light on the Ascension.
THIS WEEK’S POISON: The Killer of the Dead, which is fatal to vampires. The only antidote is for the afflicted vamp to drain a Slayer of her blood.
ANALYSIS: Once Anya explains exactly what the Ascension is—a human transforming into a pure demon, which is much bigger and more powerful than the human/demon hybrids they have encountered up until now—the enormity of their situation finally sinks in. But just when the group, and the world, needs Buffy to be at her most focused, Faith knows exactly how to distract her: shooting Angel with a slow-acting poison. Faith doesn�
�t want merely to distract Buffy, she wants her to suffer.
The heightened emotions of the pending Ascension bring a different response from everyone. Anya’s “fight or flight” mechanism kicks in and she chooses the latter option. Oz and Willow find sexual comfort in one another. Giles asserts himself again as Watcher figure. And Buffy cuts off all ties with the Council, realizing she needs to take charge herself. She already possesses all the skills she needs to defeat the mayor; she just has to listen to her instincts and draw strength from the people around her.
THE REAL HORROR: Being reduced to the other person’s level. Faith always taunted Buffy about burying her Slayer killer instinct beneath talk of nobility and duty. Buffy finally lets out her own dark side when confronted with the possibility of Angel’s death. Although Buffy seems incapable of taking a human life, she seems willing to make an exception with Faith. When Xander says he’s afraid of losing Buffy, he’s not so much worried that Buffy will be killed, but that a part of her soul will be lost if she crosses that line. Fortunately for Buffy, although she seriously wounds Faith, she is saved from having to make the ultimate choice of taking a life. She’s left with one chance to save Angel and it’s clear she’s willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to do so.
IT’S A MYSTERY: How does Buffy know Faith’s new address?
BLOOPERS: During their fight, Faith tumbles into some debris and her backside gets covered in white dust. A few moments later the dust has disappeared.
OF SPECIAL NOTE: When describing the Ascension she witnessed, Anya talks about the demon Lohesh, which in demon lore is a four-winged soul-killer.
Angel can enter the professor’s house uninvited because once the owner is dead, the invitation requirement no longer exists.
The Girl's Got Bite: The Original Unauthorized Guide to Buffy's World Page 25