Buffy: Season Two Overview

BUFFY-
Season Appearances- 22 (B201 -4, B202 -1, B203 +2, B204 +2, B205 0, B206 +10, B207+6, B208 +3, B209 +5, B210 +6, B211 +5, B212 +5, B213+3, B214 +3, B215 +3, B216+2, B217 +5, B218 +5, B219 -1, B220 +4, B221 +4, B222 +10)
Season Score- +78 (Average: +3.54)
Overall Appearances- 34
Overall Score- +158 (Average: +4.64)

Strangely enough, Buffy scored two points less this season than the first season, which was 12 episodes long. Which goes to show how dominate Buffy was in season one. But in this season, we see two sides of Buffy. First, she’s pretty carefree and funny but after the events of Surprise, Buffy changes as the one she loves descends into evil, which she blames on herself.

Her first 2 episodes didn’t help her cause as she was in the negative very early on. While this season focused on Buffy so much, I found it hard to give Buffy lots of points. I mean early on, the episodes weren’t the best so points weren’t necessarily at a premium, and when the show finally did kick off Buffy fell into a pretty depressed state and that doesn’t necessarily garner heaps of points. She did have some strong episodes in certain points, including Halloween and Becoming, Part Two in which she shines and manages other strong showings like in What’s My Line, Part Two & Lie To Me. She is at her best in the later half of the season which were the very plot driven episodes. Character-wise, we see a funny Buffy early on, then a depressed Buffy who even runs away in the end.

XANDER-
Season Appearances- 22 (B201 +7, B202 -1, B203 +3, B204 +5, B205 +6, B206 +5, B207 /, B208 +4, B209 +2, B210 +7, B211 +2, B212 +7, B213+3, B214 +3, B215 +4, B216+12, B217 +1, B218 +6, B219 +4, B220 +6, B221 -2, B222+3)
Season Score- +87 (Average: +3.95)
Overall Appearances- 34
Overall Score- +131 (Average: +3.85)

One of Xander’s better seasons. He’s probably at his funniest and that’s really his job in the early part of this series. He has some really solid performances including his best episode Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered in which he was incredibly funny in trying to get back at Cordy. His other best eps included When She Was Bad, What’s My Line-Part Two & Bad Eggs. He does have his share of episodes where I’m not a big fan, but that’s only a couple of them. For the most part, I like Xander. It’s good to see him finally get over Buffy as he doesn’t try to attract her as much as in the first season. He does however end up in a very strange relationship with Cordelia. They are great together and it’s good to see the character’s in a functioning relationship. Other than that, he’s still just playing the witty backup. To put in a bad point, I hate how he despises Angel, and how that seems to be something that he will never let go of. Other than that, good season.

WILLOW-
Season Appearances- 22 (B201 +6, B202  /, B203 +7, B204 +5, B205 +6, B206 +4, B207+5, B208 +3, B209 +2, B210 +3, B211 +2, B212 /, B213+2, B214 +3, B215 +12, B216+6, B217 +6, B218 +7, B219 +2, B220 +4, B221 +3, B222 +4)
Season Score- +92 (Average: +4.18}
Overall Appearances- 34
Overall Score- +134 (Average: +3.94)

Willow ends up being the character with the most points this season, and she deserves it as she’s the most consistent throughout. Willow is starting to develop into one of the most complicated character’s in the Buffyverse and this is shown via her journey down two paths; magic and confidence. The former she develops throughout the seasons and it starts here, when she manages to perform a incredibly complicated spell by re-ensouling Angel. This season only takes us down the first few steps on the magic path but it’s the fact that she’s started that counts. The other path is her self-confidence, which she takes fairly large strides down. It starts in Halloween where she has to take charge to deal with a situation because Buffy is not Slayer self. There she gets the confidence to wear a sexy outfit out doors, something the Willow of old would not even thought about doing. This then develops into her relationship with Oz, who she pursues and then virtually falls in love with, especially after his “freeze frame” speech in Innocence. This leads into her best episode, Phases, which centres on Oz being a werewolf and her reaction to it. She’s great in the episode and decides to stay with Oz because she likes him for who he is, this shows how much she’s developed as a character, she’s risen beyond the roles of good and evil already, seeing Oz as Oz not as a wolf. She has some other great episodes throughout the season where she doesn’t take the major role like she does in Phases, but she always provides support and that can be invaluable. And, she’s utterly cute this season, as always.

GILES-
Season Appearances- 22 (B201 +5, B202 +11, B203 +1, B204 /, B205 +3, B206 +2, B207+2, B208 +4, B209 -1, B210  /, B211 +2, B212 /, B213+1, B214 +5, B215 +3, B216+2, B217 +8, B218 +2, B219 +1, B220 /, B221 +2, B222 +3)
Season Score- +56 (Average: +2.54)
Overall Appearances- 34
Overall Score- +92 (Average: +2.70)

Not a bad season for Giles. Giles isn’t really a character that garners a heap of points as he has to provide the adult side of the show, so he isn’t really funny and he can’t belt out his great speeches every episode. His best episode strangely enough is Some Assembly Required, I just find him hilarious that episode so that’s why he gets a big heap of points that ep, but for the most part he only manages 1 or 2 points per episode. His other starring appearance is Passion which I think is actually a better showing for Giles, his emotion during that episode is incredibly powerful, and it’s such a great performance for Anthony Stewart Head. The major thing for Giles’ this season is his doomed relationship with Jenny. They start dating early in the season before hitting a couple of rough patches via each other’s betrayal. They then appear to reconcile only for Angelus to kill Jenny, placing Giles’ in a bad way, which he doesn’t fully recover from until season five. Other points of interest is his deepening relationship with Buffy, as he takes on a father role to her, which is shown through his constant support throughout the latter half of the series. We also get to see the dark side of Giles…Ripper Giles, who appears a few times and adds a bunch of depth to the character.

ANGEL-
Season Appearances- 14 (B201 /, B202 +3, B203 +2, B205 +2, B206 +1, B207 +2, B208 +2, B209 +4, B210 +2, B211 /, B212 +2, B213+7, B221 +3, B222 +1)
Season Score- +31(Average: +2.21)
Overall Appearances- 21
Overall Score- +50 (Average: +2.38}

Angel doesn’t have a big season, but his turns evil half way through, so he doesn’t get a full season to strut his stuff. He plays a real background role for the most part, either being with Buffy or coming to help when needed, and he doesn’t interact a lot with the others, leaving little chance for points scoring. We only get a little insight into Angel in his last episode before losing his soul, Suprise. The love he has for Buffy can be seen in that episode as he’s ready to die and leave for a distant country to protect her, something he does a later on, but events stall him from leaving and lead them to his apartment where they consummate their relationship, and leave Buffy without a boyfriend and in his place leave a viscious killer. It is good to see a bit more of Angel’s background which is detailed in Becoming, Part One, and really shows the anguish that Angel had before we ever met him. Thankfully, we see much more of that in his own show, and we see more of Angel from now on.

CORDELIA-
Season Appearances- 22 (B201 +3, B202 +4, B203 +1, B204  /, B205 +4, B206 +1, B207+1, B208 +7, B209 -2, B210 +2, B211 +2, B212 +3, B213+2, B214 +1, B215 +2, B216+3, B217 +3, B218 +11, B219 +1, B220 +5, B221 +2, B222 +2)
Season Score- +58 (Average: +2.63)
Overall Appearances- 32
Overall Score- +77 (Average: +2.40)

Cordelia officially becomes a Scooby this season. We seen the possibility of it right at the end of season one, and that carries over into the start of this season, but the events of What’s My Line, Part Two, where she kisses Xander, starts her integration into the Scooby gang. She softens up quite a bit as she hangs out with Scoobies more and more, so much so that in the end she cares about what happens to Xander and Willow. She still has her sharp wit though, and the insults still do fly, so she hasn’t changed completely but she is developing into the character that becomes so pivotal on Angel. Points-wise she is fairly consistent with her 2’s and 3’s but her best episodes are ones you wouldn’t quite think would be. Killed By Death and The Dark Age is where she virtually steals the show with her humor and wit, even from the background. Her best season on Buffy.

OZ-
Season Appearances- 10 ( B204  +3, B206 +1, B209 +1, B210 +9, B213+3, B214 +3, B215 +7, B216+3, B221 /, B222 +1)
Season Score- +31 (Average: +3.1)
Overall Appearances- 10
Overall Score- +31 (Average: +3.1)

This season introduces one of my favourite character’s, Oz. For even such a short introduction he makes his mark. His laconic personality is a great counter-part to every other character on the show, well, maybe not Angel, but everyone else is great with him. You really don’t properly see his character until his best episode What’s My Line, Part Two where he obviously likes Willow and tries to get to know her, and starts by getting shot for her. Oz manages to have some of the best scenes in the season with Willow, first, the ‘monkey pants’ scene in What’s My Line, Part Two; Oz asking Willlow out in Suprise and finally restraining from making out with a spiteful Willow in Innocence. These scenes define what Oz is like and how much he already cares for Willow. His other great episode is Phases where we find out that Oz is a werewolf. He handles it pretty well and adds some extra depth to his character, and will help out story wise in the coming seasons.

ANGELUS-
Season Appearances- 9 (B214 +5, B215 +1, B216+1, B217 +8, B218 +1, B219 +2, B220 /, B221 +2, B222 +3)
Season Score- +23 (Average: +2.55)
Overall Appearances- 9
Overall Score- +23 (Average: +2.55)

Angelus is a great villain, probably the Buffyverse’s best. He is completely different from his souled counterpart and is the embodiment of an evil, torturous killer hellbent on killing and emotionally devastating his enemies. His enemy this season, Buffy. While he doesn’t quite get the kill, he does manage to emotionally inflict a lot of anguish on Buffy not via torture or mind games…well there are a few of those, but through letting her know who the guilty party is, letting her know that the man she loves is gone and that a killer is all that’s left. David Boreanaz is absolutely brilliant as Angelus and he manages to utterly change his persona from the brooding Angel. While Angelus appears in every episode since his introduction this season, he doesn’t always make big appearances, but when he does, it’s a show. The best example, Passion. That episode showcases for everyone just how dangerous Angelus is, and how much of a threat he is to Buffy.

SPIKE-
Season Appearances- 12 (B203 +9, B206 -1, B207+2, B209 +2, B210 +4, B213+1, B214 +2, B216+1, B217 +3, B219 +3, B221 +3, B222 +15)
Season Score- +44 (Average: +3.66)
Overall Appearances- 12
Overall Score- +44 (Average: +3.66)

The other favourite character which was introduced this season, Spike shows just a tad of what we can expect in the future. Spike and Drusilla show that vampires aren’t just blood lust animals looking for a kill. These two are in love and Spike shows it most of all. He comes back to Sunnydale to try to get Dru’s strength back. His whole assault on Buffy is for Dru. So we see a different type of vampire, a vampire who sees more than just blood. Spike has such a promising start in School Hard were we get to see this ultra- cool vamp who really could kill Buffy. He then makes a few more good appearances before he’s put in a wheelchair in Surprise. He isn’t quite as good in the wheelchair, mainly being the butt of Angelus’ jokes. But thankfully he gets out in Becoming, Part Two, and doesn’t he have a cracker of an episode. In fact, he has the best episode of any character yet. He’s in fantastic scenes with Buffy, Angelus and Joyce. Unfortunately, he leaves Sunnydale, but he’ll be back… and he’ll be back for good.

DRUSILLA-
Season Appearances- 12 (B203 +4, B206 +2, B207+4, B209 +1, B210 +4, B213+1, B214 +6, B216+1, B217 +5, B219 -1, B221 +4, B222 +2)
Season Score- +33 (Average: +2.75)
Overall Appearances- 12
Overall Score- +33 (Average: +2.75)

Drusilla is Spike’s lover who doesn’t quite work on all cylinders. She comes to Sunnydale weak from a mob attack in Europe, which makes her vulnerable as well as insane. This makes for a great character to watch. In most of her appearances we see a pretty consistent effort, mainly due to her crazy ways and funny lines. Personally, I prefer Dru before she becomes strong again in What’s My Line, Part Two, I like her weakness but thankfully, she still is just as crazy when she’s back at full strength. Her best episode, Innocence is good for her because she gets to react to both Spike and Angelus. Overall, she’s a great character that isn’t used enough later on in the series.

MS. CALENDAR-
Season Appearances- 10 (B201 /, B202 /, B203 /, B204  /, B207 /, B208 +2, B211 +1, B213 -1, B214 +2,  B216 /, B217 +2)
Season Score- +6 (Average: +0.6)
Overall Appearances- 12
Overall Score- +13 (Average: +1.08}

Jenny is not nearly as good in this season as she was in her two appearances in season one. It’s true, her character gets some depth and she still has some good moments with Giles but I had hopes for her character and I just find her a little annoying. Thankfully, she has some decent episodes once both her and Giles’ past is revealed. It still is unfortunate that she was killed in in Passion, but it was necessary for the plot. You can see that it takes 6 episodes from this season to put some points on the board. But she’s fairly consistent after that.

JOYCE-
Season Appearances- 12 (B201 +1, B203 +4, B211 +2, B212 +2, B213 /, B214 +1, B215 +2, B216 /, B217 +2, B218 +2, B221 /, B222 +3)
Season Score- +17 (Average: +1.41)
Overall Appearances- 19
Overall Score- +20 (Average: +1.05)

Joyce is much better this season than in season one. She’s funny and finally given some character. She also fairly consistent for such small parts. She often manages 2 or 3 points per episode but her average is brought down by some appearances that don’t garner any points. Thankfully, she finds out about Buffy’s calling in Becoming, Part Two which I think is a logical step, you couldn’t keep her in the dark for another season. Her best episode is School Hard where she finally meets Principal Snyder and we see where much of the inner strength of Buffy comes from.

PRINCIPAL SNYDER-
Season Appearances- 8 (B201 +1, B203 -8, B206 -1, B209 -1, B219 +1, B220 -2, B221 -1, B222 -3)
Season Score- -14 (Average: -1.75)
Overall Appearances- 10
Overall Score- -10 (Average: -1)

Snyder is such a bastard this season. He has a personal vendetta with Buffy and for little reason…well, maybe apart from the strange occurrences around her, but still, he targets her unfairly. He pretty much manages to lose a point in every episode he’s in, apart from When She Was Bad & I Only Have Eyes For You. He is especially annoying in School Hard. In saying that, he’s not my most hated character. That would be Kennedy.

ANNE-
Season Appearances- 1 (B207-1)
Season Score- -1 (Average: -1)
Overall Appearances- 1
Overall Score- -1 (Average: -1)

Only the one episode for Anne, who is known by Chanterelle in the episode, Lie To Me. Not her best episode.

ETHAN RAYNE-
Season Appearances- 2 (B206 /, B208 -1)
Season Score- -1 (Average: -0.5)
Overall Appearances- 2
Overall Score- -1 (Average: -0.5)

I should’ve probably been nicer to Rayne, because I think he’s one of the better villains in the Buffyverse. He isn’t so bad, but he’s a bit of a coward, which I suppose could be taken as humorous. Well, the points are there now.

KENDRA-
Season Appearances- 3 (B209 -2, B210 +2, B221 +3)
Season Score- +3 (Average: +1)
Overall Appearances- 3
Overall Score- +3 (Average: +1)

Kendra is an OK character. Her first appearance wasn’t really likable, but after that when she’s given a bit of background she becomes a more viable character. It’s good to see another Slayer and it’s also good to see how much different she is to Buffy, especially when you compare Kendra to Faith. Her best ep was her last, Becoming, Part One where she gets killed by Dru when trying to protect the Scoobies.

JONATHAN-
Season Appearances- 6 (B204  /, B205 /, B210 +1, B212 /, B217 /, B220 -1)
Season Score- 0 (Average: 0)
Overall Appearances- 6
Overall Score- 0 (Average: 0)

This season can’t really be taken seriously for Jonathan as he’s pretty much an extra. He has a couple of lines, including the notable one in What’s My Line, Part Two. Becomes much more notable in Season 6.

LARRY-
Season Appearances- 2 (B206 /, B215 0)
Season Score- 0 (Average: 0)
Overall Appearances- 2
Overall Score- 0 (Average: 0)

Larry is the school bully in his first appearance but is given a bigger role in Phases where we find out that he is gay, which causes him to drop his bully attitude.

HARMONY-
Season Appearances- 1 (B216-1)
Season Score- -2 (Average: -2)
Overall Appearances- 3
Overall Score- -1 (Average: -0.33)

Harmony makes only one appearance this season and virtually takes on Cordelia’s role since she is more integrated with the Scoobies. Harmony therefore goes about insulting Cordelia. Thankfully she’s given more expanded roles throughout the series.

AMY-
Season Appearances- 1 (B216+1)
Season Score- +1 (Average: +1
Overall Appearances- 2
Overall Score- +3 (Average: +1.5)

Another one episode appearance for a character that becomes more notable later on. She’s a fairly powerful witch in this season and only gets more powerful later on.

DARLA-
Season Appearances- 1 ( B221 +1)
Season Score- +1 (Average: +1)
Overall Appearances- 4
Overall Score- -2 (Average: -0.5)

The smallest of appearances in this season. You see Angel being sired by the lovely Darla. Once again, more pivotal later on.

WILLY-
Season Appearances- 2 (B209 /, B210 0)
Season Score- 0 (Average: 0)
Overall Appearances- 2
Overall Score- 0 (Average: 0)

Willy owns the local demon bar, and is pretty funny, but prone to his evil side. See him some more in Season 3.

DEVON-
Season Appearances- 2 (B204 +1, B216 /)
Season Score- +1 (Average: 0.5)
Overall Appearances- 2
Overall Score- +1 (Average: 0.5)

The lead singer of Oz’s band, Dingoes ate my Baby, he is really fairly stupid and doesn’t get that many lines. Dated Cordy for a little while.

EPISODE RANKING-
These rankings are based on total character points for each episode, this doesn’t reflect which episode is the best, although it gives you an indication.

1. B222  Becoming, Part Two +44
2. B217 Passion +43
3. B210 What’s My Line, Part Two +40
4. B214 Innocence +34
5. B218 Killed By Death +33
6. B215 Phases+32
7. B216 Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered +30
8. B203 School Hard +25
9. B206 Halloween +24
10. B221 Becoming, Part One +24
11. B208 The Dark Age +24
12. B213 Surprise +22
13. B205 Reptile Boy +22
14. B207 Lie To Me +21
15. B212 Bad Eggs +19
16. B201 When She Was Bad +19
17. B204 Inca Mummy Girl +16
18. B202 Some Assembly Required +16
19. B211 Ted +16
20. B220 Go Fish +16
21. B219 I Only Have Eyes For You +12
22. B209 What’s My Line, Part One +11

EPISODE THOUGHT RECOUNT (out of 100)-
B201: 72
B202: 65
B203: 82.5
B204: 71
B205: 69
B206: 87
B207: 78
B208: 77.5
B209: 68
B210: 89
B211: 71.5
B212: 61
B213: 84.5
B214: 96.5
B215: 85.5
B216: 88
B217: 100
B218: 74
B219: 80.5
B220: 63
B221: 88.5
B222: 100

Season Score- 85 (Not an average)

SEASON THOUGHTS-
Season 2 is a very nostalgic season for me as it was the first season of Buffy I ever watched. For me, this season portrays an innocence or a simplicity which is missing in the last few seasons. The characters are all pretty strong and we get the introduction of two of my favourite characters in Spike & Oz. Season 2 does take a little while to kick in. The first 12 episodes feel very similar to Season one, lots of monster-of-the-week episodes which are decent but not great with a few real strong episodes in the mix. It’s only when we hit Surprise does the show really kick off and become the great show that we all love. The second half of this season is one of the strongest in the Buffyverse which many classic episodes like Innocence, Becoming…Part Two & my favourite of all Passion. Some of the other strong episodes include School Hard, Halloween, What’s My Line…Part Two, Surprise, Phases, Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered & Becoming…Part One. This season may not be as consistent as some of the others, but has many strong episodes which make it one of the best seasons of Buffy.

B222- Becoming, Part Two

Written by: Joss Whedon
Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Anthony Stewart Head, David Boreanaz, Charisma Carpenter, Seth Green, Kristine Sutherland, Robia LaMorte (as part of a Drusilla mind trick), James Marsters, Juliet Landau & Armin Shimerman.

The two policemen accompany Buffy outside the library as Principal Snyder arrives with more cops. Buffy hopes that Snyder will tell the police that she was not involved in the attack, but he tells the officers that if there is trouble around, Buffy is behind it. To escape being arrested for Kendra’s murder, Buffy strikes the cop holding her and flees, becoming a fugitive from the law.

Disguised, Buffy finds Xander in the hospital and they enter comatose Willow’s room. Cordelia is also there, admitting that she had run away from the fighting to save herself. Buffy learns that Willow may wake up from her coma, but the longer she stays unconscious the less likely her recovery becomes. She also discovers that Giles is missing.

Angelus wakes Giles and announces his intention to torture him for information concerning the ritual to awaken Acathla, as well as for the fun of it.

The police visit an incredulous Joyce, informing her that Buffy is a wanted fugitive for Kendra’s murder. Joyce tries to protest, insisting that there is some mistake. She mentions that Buffy is supposed to be with her friend Willow, and the police tell her that Willow is one of the other victims. They also remind Joyce of Buffy’s violent history, and ask Joyce to contact them if she hears from her daughter.

Buffy finds Whistler in Giles’s apartment and they discuss Angel’s reversion to Angelus. He is about to tell her how to stop the demon when Buffy, frustrated, leaves. As she walks down the street, a policeman stops her, recognizing her as the fugitive, when Spike shows up out of nowhere and knocks him out. After a brief fight, he strikes a deal with her: he will help her stop Angelus if she allows him and Drusilla to leave town. Spike explains his motivations thusly: while vampires may love to talk about destroying the world amongst themselves, Spike prefers the world as it is. Moreover, he cannot stand the way Drusilla acts around Angelus. While Buffy is unimpressed by his speech, he reminds her that he is all she has got, and that neither of them can fight both Angelus and Dru alone.

Buffy accepts the ceasefire and decides to talk with Spike inside her home, but she is intercepted in the driveway by her mother, who demands to know what is going on. Spike is surprised and amused to discover that Joyce has no idea that Buffy is the Slayer. When Joyce demands to know what is going on, Buffy tries to cover by saying that she and Spike were in a band together. However, the three are attacked by a vampire sent by Angelus to follow Spike, and Joyce watches in shock as Buffy slays the creature. After this display, Buffy is forced to explain her destiny as the Slayer to her mother, who has significant difficulty accepting the truth.

In the hospital, Xander tells a comatose Willow that he loves her. She wakes and asks for Oz, who appears in the room. She tells him that her head feels “big” and asks him if it is, in fact, big, and he responds: “No, it’s head-sized.”

Back at the Summers’ home, there is an awkward silence between Joyce and Spike. Joyce recognizes him from somewhere and asks him about it. Spike, cheerfully, says she hit him on the head with an axe once, followed by “Get the hell away from my daughter”, referring to the first appearance from Spike in “School Hard”. Both are very happy when Buffy shows up, getting them out of their silence. Buffy says she’ll accept Spike’s offer, although she is hesitant to let Dru walk because Dru killed Kendra. Spike expresses surprise and pride that Dru “bagged a Slayer”, but then realizes that this is probably not the best thing to say in front of Buffy. He insists that Buffy will get no help from him if Dru is harmed, and she accepts these terms, adding that Drusilla only leaves if Giles survives. Spike leaves the house and in a dramatic argument, Joyce insists Buffy must tell her everything and tries to prevent her from leaving. Buffy tells her mom that she wishes she could be a normal teenager, but that she has to go save the world, again. Joyce tells her daughter not to come back if she leaves the house. Buffy looks shaken, but leaves without hesitation.

On her hospital bed, Willow, despite protest from Xander, decides to try the curse again. She sends Oz and Cordelia after her supplies, which had been left in the library after the attack. She sends Xander to tell Buffy her plans, hoping she can stall until the curse is complete.

Buffy returns to the library to retrieve Kendra’s sword, where she runs into Snyder, who expels her even though he knows that she is not the murderer. She insists that the truth will be revealed, and he points out that the law enforcement authorities in Sunnydale are “deeply stupid”. After she leaves, Snyder calls the Mayor with “the good news” of her expulsion.

Spike, back in his wheelchair, discovers a frustrated Angelus on the verge of killing Giles, who has withstood extensive torture without revealing his knowledge of the ritual. Spike, who must keep Giles alive so that Buffy will let Dru leave, uses reason to persuade Angelus not to kill Giles. Spike then suggests that Dru play a game; she agrees, and reads Giles’s mind to discover his weakness. She finally cajoles the information she wants out of Giles by hypnotizing him, so that she appears as Jenny in his eyes. He reveals that Angelus must use his own blood, not someone else’s, to awaken Acathla. Angelus then orders Giles killed, but Spike quickly jumps in and recommends keeping him alive in case he is lying. Angelus agrees, and notes Spike’s sudden use of common sense.

Buffy returns to Whistler, who tells her Angelus’ blood will send both evil beings back to hell. On her way to the mansion, Xander arrives with Willow’s message, but decides to tell Buffy that Willow said to “kick his ass” instead. Buffy asks him to free Giles while she deals with Angelus. Chaos reigns inside the mansion as Spike leaves his wheelchair and attacks Angelus, and is subsequently attacked by Drusilla. During the fight, Angelus recovers and removes the sword from Acathla. He and Buffy begin to duel, with Angelus eventually gaining the upper hand. Xander removes Giles and Spike knocks a dismayed Drusilla unconscious and is carrying her from the fray. On his way out, Spike sees Angelus approaching an unarmed Buffy with a sword and believes that Angelus is actually going to kill Buffy. He shrugs, unmoved, and leaves. Angelus notes that Buffy is all alone, with no weapons and no friends. He asks her what is left, and thrusts his sword at her head. Eyes closed, she stops the blade with her hands. She opens up her eyes, and says “me”. At the same time, a weak Willow is performing the restoration ritual and falls into a trance. Her friends watch in shock and surprise as she recites perfect Romanian.

Spike takes Drusilla by the neck as he drives away in his car. Buffy fights ferociously, and quickly backs Angelus up against the statue just as Willow finally succeeds with her spell; the Orb glows and vanishes, and Buffy watches Angel return. However, the re-ensoulment has come too late. Acathla opens his mouth, and the bright, shining vortex begins to expand outward. Angel hears something behind him, but Buffy reassures him that everything is fine. After a final kiss, Buffy tells Angel to close his eyes. When he complies, she violently stabs Angel through the chest into the vortex. A shocked Angel extends his arm, but no help is coming. Buffy watches as Angel is sucked into hell and the vortex closes behind him, then begins to weep as she realizes everything she has lost.

Joyce finds a note on Buffy’s bed among clothes that have been strewn everywhere. The Scooby Gang gathers in front of the school, speculating on Buffy’s whereabouts. Unbeknownst to them, Buffy is watching from a distance. She turns without hesitation and boards a bus. As the bus leaves, the camera focuses on a road sign which reads, “Now leaving Sunnydale. Come back soon!”

From: Wikipedia

BUFFY- (+10)

• +1/ Threatening Whistler for information, showing that Buffy isn’t much for friendly banter and also showing how desperate she is-
  Buffy: I have had a *really* bad day, okay? If you have information worth hearing, then I am grateful for it. If you’re gonna crack jokes, then I’m gonna pull out your ribcage and wear it as a hat.
  Whistler: Hello to the imagery! Very nice. (seriously) It wasn’t supposed to go down like this. Nobody saw you coming. I figured this for Angel’s big day. But I thought he was here to *stop* Acathla, not to bring him forth. Then you two made with the smoochies… now he’s a creep again. Now, what are you gonna do? W-what are you prepared to do?
  Buffy: Whatever I have to.
  Whistler: Maybe I should ask, what are you prepared to give up?
  Buffy: (exhales) You don’t have anything useful to tell me, do you? What are you, just some immortal demon sent down to even the score between good and evil?
  Whistler: (impressed) Wow. Good guess. (grins)
  Buffy: Well, why don’t you try getting off your immortal ass and fighting evil once in a while? ‘Cause I’m sick and tired of doing it myself.
  Whistler: In the end, you’re always by yourself. You’re all you’ve got. That’s the point.
  Buffy: (disgusted) Spare me.
• +2/ Teaming up with Spike, much to her own chargrin-
  Buffy: You’re pathetic.
  He punches her in the face. She punches him right back.
  Buffy: I lost a friend tonight!
  Spike: I wasn’t in on that raiding party.
  Buffy: And I may lose more! The whole earth may be sucked into Hell, and you want my help ’cause your girlfriend’s a big ho? Well, let me take this opportunity to *not* care.
  Spike: I can’t fight them both alone, and neither can you!
  Buffy punches him hard in the jaw, making him flinch. He straightens back up and feels his jaw, checking for blood.
  Buffy: I hate you.
  Spike: And I’m all you’ve got.
• +1/ Trying to explain Spike to her mother (see Spike point 2).
• +1/ The first sign of teamwork as they slay a vamp in front of Joyce.
• -1/ Being very disrespectful to Joyce by telling her to have another drink. Now, I understand Buffy didn’t really have the time to go over the finite points of her calling but she could have at least explained what’s going on a little better.
• +2/ Finally letting Joyce in on what’s been going on these past two years-
  Buffy: I’m sorry, Mom, but I don’t have time for this. (starts for the door again, but stops)
  Joyce: No! I am tired of ‘I don’t have time’ or-or ‘you wouldn’t understand.’ (Buffy faces her) I am your mother, and you will *make* time to explain yourself.
  Buffy: I told you. I’m a Vampire Slayer.
  Joyce: (haughtily) Well, I just don’t accept that!
  Buffy: (steps closer) Open your eyes, Mom. What do you think has been going on for the past two years? The fights, the weird occurrences. How many times have you washed blood out of my clothing, and you still haven’t figured it out?
  Joyce: (raises her voice angrily) Well, it stops now!
  Buffy: (raises her voice also) No, it doesn’t stop! It *never* stops! Do-do you think I chose to be like this? Do you have any idea how lonely it is, how dangerous? I would *love* to be upstairs watching TV or gossiping about boys or… God, even studying! But I have to save the world… again.
• +2/ Her awesome sword fight with Angelus, one of the best in the entire series.
• +1/ Stopping Angelus’ sword thrust with her palms, very cool.
• +2/ Having to kill Angel to save the world, how very tragic and emotional. The best ending to any season ever.
• -1/ I don’t like her decision to run away. I know she’s in enormous pain and having to deal with that would be tough but being around her friends would have made it easier. It does give this season a much larger emotional payoff which is a good. Still, from a character standpoint it was a bad decision, which she pays for next season.

XANDER- (+3)

• +1/ Keeping Buffy hidden from the police at the hosiptal, it’s quite clever.
• +2/ His very emotional speech to a unconscious Willow-
  “Come on, Will. Look, you don’t have a choice here. You gotta wake up. I need you, Will. I mean, how am I gonna pass trig, you know? (chuckles) And who am I gonna call every night… and talk about
  everything we did all day? You’re my best friend. You’ve always… I love you.”
• -1/ Not passing on Willow’s message which would have possibly saved Angel, instead, he says “Kick his ass”.
• +1/ Pointing out to Giles that he has actually come to save him-
  Xander: Giles!
  Giles lifts his head slowly. Xander crouches behind the chair and begins to untie the ropes.
  Giles: Xander?
  Xander: Can you walk?
  Giles: You’re not real.
  Xander: Sure, I’m real.
  Giles: It’s a trick. They get inside my head, make me see things I want.
  Xander has untied the ropes and goes around to look into Giles’ face.
  Xander: Then why would they make you see me?
  Giles: (considers) You’re right. Let’s go.

WILLOW- (+4)

• +1/ Waking up from her comatose state and being comforted by Oz (see Oz point 1).
• +2/ Showing her resolve face to Xander, pure hilarity.
• +1/ Performing the Romanian spell and managing to re-ensoul Angel showing just how powerful Willow is and will be.

GILES- (+3)

• 2/ Being remarkably strong under Angelus’ torture-
  Angelus: You know, I can stop the pain. You’ve been very brave… (puts his hand on Giles’ shoulder) but it’s over. (walks behind him) You’ve given enough. (leans down to Giles’ ear) Now let me make it stop.
  Giles: (panting and shaking with pain) Please!
  Angelus: (kneels to face him) Just tell me what I need to know.
  Giles: (weakly) In order… to be worthy…
  Angelus: (whispers) Yeah?
  Giles: (weakly) You must perform the ritual… in a tutu.
  Angelus glares at him. Giles doesn’t back down.
  Giles: Pillock!
• +1/ Seeing a vision of Jenny, how very tough for him.

ANGEL- (+1)

• +1/ He’s back. I know, it’s a cheap point but it’s good to see him.

CORDELIA- (+2)

• +1/ Being generous and caring to Xander while Willow is in her coma.
• +1/ Telling Willow how it is in relation to her current appearance-
  Xander: You don’t look okay. (to Cordelia) Does she?
  Cordelia: You should listen to him. The hair, it’s so flat, and the lips…

Oz- (+1)

• +1/ Coming to comfort Willow as she wakes up out of her coma-
  Oz: Hey, baby.
  Willow: (weakly) Hi.
  Xander: I’m gonna go get a doctor. (leaves)
  Oz: How you feelin’?
  Willow: (weakly, eyes still closed) My head… feels big. Is it big?
  Oz: No. It’s head size.

ANGELUS- (+3)

• +1/ Really wanting to torture Giles-
  Angelus: Hi, Rupert. I wasn’t sure you were gonna wake up. You had me worried.
  Giles: What do you want?
  Angelus: I wanna torture you. I used to love it, and it’s been a *long* time. I mean, the last time I tortured somebody, they didn’t even *have* chainsaws.
  He strolls past Giles over to Acathla.
  Angelus: Oh, yeah. Acathla. He’s an even harder guy to wake up than you are. I mean, I performed the rituals, said all the right phrases… blood on my hand. Got nothing. Big doughnut hole for my troubles. I figure you know the ritual. You’re pretty up on these things. You could probably… tell me what I’m doing wrong. (approaches Giles) But honestly, I sorta hope you don’t… (stops in front of him) ‘Cause I *really* wanna torture you. (stares evilly)
• +2/ Having a awesome sword fight with Buffy, one of the best in Buffy history.

SPIKE- (+15)

• +6/ Coming to Buffy for help-
  Spike: Hey! White flag here. I quit.
  Buffy: Let me clear this up for you. We’re mortal enemies. We don’t get time-outs.
  Spike: You want to go around, pet, I’ll have a gay old time of it. You want to stop Angel… we’re gonna have to play this a bit differently.
  Buffy: What are you talking about?
  Spike: I’m talking about your ex, pet. I’m talking about putting him in the bloody ground.
  Buffy: (chuckles) This has gotta be the *lamest* trick you guys have ever thought up.
  Spike: He’s got your Watcher. Right now, he’s probably torturing him.
  Buffy: What do you want?
  Spike: I told you. I want to stop Angel. (snickers) I want to save the world.
  Buffy: Okay. You do remember that you’re a vampire, right?
  Spike: We like to talk big. (indicates himself) Vampires do. ‘I’m going to destroy the world.’ That’s just tough guy talk. Strutting around with your friends over a pint of blood. The truth is, I like this world. You’ve got… dog racing, Manchester United. And you’ve got people. Billions of people walking around like Happy Meals with legs. It’s all right here. But then someone comes along with a vision. With a real…passion for destruction. Angel could pull it off. Goodbye, Picadilly. Farewell, Leicester Bloody Square. You know what I’m saying?
• +2/ Spike improvising on Buffy’s band explanation-
  Joyce: Buffy, terrible things have happened. What were you doing?
  Spike: What, your mum doesn’t know?
  Joyce: (to Spike) Know what?
  Buffy: (faces her mom) That I’m, uh… in a band. A-a rock band with Spike here. (shoots Spike a look)
  Spike: Right. She plays the, the triangle.
  Buffy: Drums.
  Spike: Drums, yeah. She’s, uh, hell on the old skins, you know.
  Joyce: (unconvinced) Hmm. And, uh, what do you do?
  Spike: Well, I sing.
• +1/ Their first signs of teamwork as they dust a vamp in front of Joyce.
• +2/ His awkward silence with Joyce-
  Joyce: Have we met?
  Spike: (faces her) Um… you hit me with an ax one time. Remember? (makes an ax-holding gesture) Uh, ‘get the hell away from my daughter.’ (lowers his arms)
  Joyce: Oh.
• +1/ All proud of Dru after he finds out that she killed Kendra.
• +1/ Stalling Angelus from killing Giles-
  Angelus: (stands up) All right. Someone get the chainsaw.
  Spike: (wheels himself in) Now, now, don’t let’s lose our temper.
  Angelus: Keep out of it, sit ‘n’ spin.
  Spike: Look, you cut him up, you’ll never get your answers.
  Angelus: Since when did *you* become so levelheaded?
  Spike: Right about the time you became so pig-headed. You have your way with him, you’ll never get to destroy the world. And I don’t fancy spending the next month trying to get librarian out of the carpet. There are other ways.
• +1/ He enjoys the beating of Angelus just a little too much.
• +1/ Having to hit Dru to subdue her.

DRUSILLA- (+2)

• +1/ Tricking Giles into spilling the ritual information by making him see Jenny.
• +1/ Continuing to pash Giles even after he gave up the information, she was in the moment.

PRINCIPAL SNYDER- (-3)

• -1/ Immediately blaming Buffy for the carnage at the school, without evidence mind you.
• -2/ Expelling Buffy from school. He gets way too much joy from it also. He’s just so evil.

JOYCE- (+3)

• +2/ Her awkward silence with Spike (see Spike point 4).
• +1/ Having trouble grasping the whole Vampire Slayer concept, asking Buffy if she has to be a slayer, if she’s tried not being a slayer and if it’s because she lacks a father figure.

SEASON COUNT-

WILLOW- +92
XANDER- +87
BUFFY- +78
CORDELIA- +58
GILES- +56
SPIKE- +44
DRUSILLA- +33
OZ- +31
ANGEL- +31
ANGELUS- +23
JOYCE- +17
MS.CALENDAR- +6
KENDRA- +3
DARLA- +1
AMY- +1
JONATHAN- 0
LARRY- 0
WILLY- 0
ETHAN RAYNE- -1
ANNE- -1
HARMONY- -2
PRINCIPAL SNYDER- -14

OVERALL COUNT-

BUFFY- +158
WILLOW- +134
XANDER- +131
GILES- +92
CORDELIA- +77
ANGEL- +50
SPIKE- +44
DRUSILLA- +33
OZ- +31
ANGELUS- +23
JOYCE- +20
MS. CALENDAR- +13
AMY- +3
KENDRA- +3
JONATHAN- 0
LARRY- 0
WILLY- 0
ETHAN RAYNE- -1
HARMONY- -1
ANNE- -1
DARLA- -2
PRINCIPAL SNYDER- -10

EPISODE THOUGHTS-
A utterly awesome episode. Close to Passion as one of my favourites as just every second of this episode is brilliant. Buffy and Spike are the highlights. Buffy is the main focus and Sarah Michielle Gellar does a mignificent job, you can feel every emotion that she goes through this episode. Her scenes with Spike, Joyce and the final fight with Angelus are great but possibly the best thing is when she sees Angel again and has to kill him. Spike virtually steals the show. He is utterly hilarious, especially as he gives his great saving the world speech. His interactions with Joyce are often great. The other character’s do well, Xander and his love for Willow, Willow’s power, Giles’ inner strength under torture, Angelus pure evil ways and Drusilla’s crazy antics. The plot isn’t the focus for the most part but remains incredibly strong. It’s the character’s and how they deal with their obstacles which makes this episode brilliant in the end.

100/100

B221- Becoming, Part One

Written by: Joss Whedon
Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Anthony Stewart Head, David Boreanaz, Charisma Carpenter, Seth Green, Kristine Sutherland, Julie Benz, Bianca Lawson, James Marsters, Juliet Landau & Armin Shimerman.

“There’s moments in your life that make you, that set the course of who you’re gonna be. Sometimes they’re little, subtle moments. Sometimes… they’re not. I’ll show you what I mean.”

Galway, Ireland 1753: Liam, the man who will become Angel, is kicked out of a tavern along with his friend because they ran out of money. The friend slumps in the snowy road while Liam is lured into an alley by a beautiful blonde. The mysterious blond woman is Darla. Telling him to close his eyes, Darla then sires Angelus.

Sunnydale, present: Buffy tries to send a war message to Angelus via a vampire, who refuses to do the chore. She stakes him as Angelus watches from afar and simply says “Soon” before leaving. The next day, Giles visits a museum that just discovered a big stone block. The man in charge, Doug Perren, agrees to wait for Giles to examine it when Giles discovers an opening in the rock. In the cafeteria, the Scoobies (including Oz) are discussing the Angelus situation, and Buffy tells her friends that she is ready to kill him. Then Principal Snyder comes over to make everyone’s lives a little miserable, and makes no secret of the fact he’d love to expel Buffy before leaving. Then Willow offers to help Buffy study for the chemistry final.

London, 1860: Drusilla is a young Catholic who enters a confessional booth just as Angelus kills the priest behind the screen. She tells of unwanted visions such as one of a cave-in at a mine that happened that morning. He derides her as a devil child before finally agreeing to let her go with ten Our Father’s and an Act of Contrition.

Sunnydale, present: Drusilla lets Angelus know what she and Spike read in the paper about the museum’s new discovery. They decide to pay a visit to the curator. Meanwhile, Buffy is struggling with Willow’s lesson when her pencil slips to the floor beside the floppy disk Ms. Calendar had left beside the teacher’s desk. Willow pops the floppy into the computer and they are horrified when they realize the content.

Rumanian woods, 1898: The body of a young Gypsy girl lies on a table next to a fire as an elderly woman recites a curse. Angelus is running desperate through the woods towards the camp. The woman completes the ritual and Angelus falls to the ground. His eyes glow and his soul is restored. A Gypsy elder emerges beside Angelus-now-Angel and explains the curse to him that he will soon remember the girl’s murder and now have remorse for every vile act he committed.

Sunnydale, present: Giles explains that the ritual requires much knowledge about magic, but Willow is undeterred. Xander believes that Angelus should die for his crimes and upsets Giles with his comments about Ms. Calendar. Xander thinks Buffy is selfish. She leaves to clear her head and encounters fellow Slayer Kendra, who has returned with information that a dark power is about to rise in Sunnydale. At the same time, Drusilla kills the curator while Angelus and his minions steal the statue. Angelus returns to tell Spike the story of Acathla, a demon that came to suck the world into Hell. A virtuous knight stabbed him in the heart before he could draw a breath, but someone worthy can remove the sword to awaken Acathla. Angelus wants to make history end. Kendra has brought a sword blessed by the same knight who stopped Acathla.

Manhattan, New York 1996: A dirty Angel stumbles aimlessly through the streets, looking like a derelict and ends up in an alley lined with trash, where he attempts to kill a rat for food. A good demon named Whistler appears out of the darkness and asks for a chance to show him something so he can make a choice about whether he wants to change.

Los Angeles, 1996: A black car stops in front of Hemery High, and Angel rolls down the window just enough to catch a glimpse of a young Buffy exiting with three friends. She is a bit vain and definitely spoiled. Then a Watcher named Merrick finds her and shocks her about some destiny fighting vampires. He then observes her in a cemetery staking her first vampire rather clumsily. He sees her go home to a mother who seems a bit more understanding than a very disgruntled father. Angel decides that he wants “to be somebody.”

Sunnydale, present: Angelus kills a human, spreading blood on his palm, then recites an incantation in Latin, and tries to pull out the sword in vain. Spike is amused, but Drusilla is not. Angelus decides to pay a visit to an old friend to find out what he should do to complete the ritual. The next day, Buffy and Willow are taking an exam when a vampire walks to the front of the classroom and self-immolates, telling Buffy as she is killed by sunlight that she must meet Angelus that night. Buffy asks Willow to perform the restoration as a safety measure and Kendra to protect her friends.

Buffy finds Angelus at the cemetery and they start fighting. The two trade blows for a while, before he reveals that this is simply as distraction to get her away from the others. Buffy is horrified that she’s been tricked into leaving her friends unprotected and immedietly makes a run for the school as Angelus taunts her. Willow begins the restoration however an army of vampires invade. During the struggle Giles is knocked out, Xander’s arm is broken and Willow has a bookcase pushed down on top of her and she receives the full force of the impact. Cordelia is the only one able to escape. Drusilla enters and hypnotizes Kendra before slicing her neck. Kendra falls to the ground, motionless. The vampires then remove an unconscious Giles and leave. Meanwhile Buffy bursts into the school and makes a desperate run down the hallway…

“Bottom line is, even if you see ‘em coming, you’re not ready for the big moments. No one asks for their life to change, not really. But it does. So what are we, helpless? Puppets? No. The big moments are gonna come. You can’t help that. It’s what you do afterwards that counts. That’s when you find out who you are.”

Buffy enters the library and surveys the carnage in horror. She rushes to Kendra’s body and realises that she’s dead, and takes her hand. She reaches to Kendra’s face with her other hand and strokes it gently. As Buffy mourns her fellow Slayer, a police officer appears and tells her to freeze.

From: Wikipedia

BUFFY- (+4)

• +1/ Mispronouncing the name of the tomn of Acathla, she instead calls it Alfalfa, she is actually quite good at mispronouncing mystical things like that.
• +1/ Seeing what Buffy was like back in 1996. She was pretty Cordelia-esque. She even had a lollipop.
• +1/ Her first meeting with a watcher-
  Watcher: Buffy Summers?
  Buffy: (looks at him) Yeah? (smiles) Hi! (confused) What?
  Watcher: I need to speak with you.
  Buffy: (worried) You’re not from Bullock’s, are you? ‘Cause I-I meant to pay for that lipstick.
  Watcher: There isn’t much time. You must come with me. Your destiny awaits.
  Buffy: (confused, shakes her head) I don’t have a destiny. (nods) I’m destiny-free, really.
  Watcher: (seriously) Yes, you have. You are the Chosen One. You alone can stop them.
  Buffy: Who?
  Watcher: The vampires.
  Buffy: (considers for a moment) Huh?
• +1/ Her first battle with a vampire is also just hilarious, she’s so scared and girly and even misses the vamp’s heart with her first stake stab. She has grown so much.

XANDER- (-2)

• +1/ Patrolling with Buffy-
  Buffy: Oh, we better go. (exhales) I haven’t even started studying for finals yet.
  Xander: Oh, yeah, finals! Why didn’t you let me die?
• +1/ Demonstrating the previous nights slaying activities by using cafeteria food.
• -3/ Xander has always had a thing for Buffy being in love with a vamp, so he’s never harboured good feelings toward Angel, but to be so unyielding in his view in not restoring Angel’s soul is very uncompassionate, sure, he may have some points but things are not quite so cut and dried-
  Xander: Hi! For those of you who have just tuned in, everyone here is a crazy person. So this spell might restore Angel’s humanity? Well, here’s an interesting angle. (harshly) Who cares?
  Buffy: I care.
  Xander: (not surprised) Is that right.
  Giles: Let’s not lose our perspective here, Xander.
  Willow looks at Xander, disbelieving what she’s hearing from him.
  Xander: I’m Perspective Guy. Angel’s a killer.
  Willow: Xander…
  Buffy: It’s not that simple.
  Xander: (disgusted) What? All is forgiven? I can’t believe you people!
  Cordelia: Xander has a point.
  Xander: (to Cordelia, in a raised voice) You know, just for once, I wish you’d support me, and I realize right now that you were, and I’m embarrassed, so I’m gonna get back to the point, (to the others) which is that Angel needs to die.
  Giles: Curing Angel seems to have been Jenny’s last wish.
  Xander: Yeah? Well, Jenny’s dead.
• -2/ Continuing on from the last point, Xander is very harsh to Buffy during his rant and cares little for his friends feelings, and that just ain’t right-
  Buffy: (sighs) (quietly) I-I don’t know. What happened to Angel wasn’t his fault.
  Xander: Yeah, but what happened to Ms. Calendar is.
  Buffy and Willow stare at him in disbelief.
  Xander: (very coldly) You can paint this any way you want. But the way I see it is that you wanna forget all about Ms. Calendar’s murder so you can get your boyfriend back.
• +1/ Fighting off some vamps with a broken wrist.

WILLOW- (+3)

• +1/ Using her teaching skills on Buffy during study, she can be quite assertive when she wants to be.
• +1/ Believing in her magical skills, and what a path that will take her down.
• +1/ Finding herself all nervous under pressure-
  Buffy: Oh, I’ll fight him. I’ll kill him if I have to. But if I don’t get there in time, or if I lose, then Willow might be our only hope.
  Willow: (taken aback) I don’t *wanna* be our only hope! Uh, I crumble under pressure! Let’s have another hope.

GILES- (+2)

• +1/ Wanting to grant Jenny’s last wish, even if that means restoring Angel’s soul which would be pretty hard for him to swallow.
• +1/ Having been using an Orb of Thesulah as a paperweight, which if you remember was what Jenny got in Passion.

ANGEL- (+3) (I’m counting Liam as Angel, he’s soul-having and not evil.)

• +1/ We get to see a very young Liam before he was turned by Darla, he’s pretty forward and I like that.
• +1/ Wanting to become someone after seeing Buffy for the first time after quite a few years eating rats and what not.
• +1/ Not wanting to dress like Whistler

CORDELIA- (+2)

• +1/ Getting one hell of an insult about Snyder out-
  Snyder: (glares at Buffy) Just give me a reason to kick you out, Summers. Just give me a reason. (walks off)
  Cordelia: How about because you’re a tiny, impotent Nazi with a bug up his butt the size of an emu?
• +1/ Giving some ‘helpful’ advice-
  Buffy: We don’t have time. If this is gonna work, it has to work now.
  Willow: Okay. Then I need maybe half an hour once we’re all set up.
  Giles: Which means you just have to hold Angel off. Don’t let him close on you. If the curse succeeds, you’ll, you’ll know.
  Cordelia: Why don’t you just wait here to find out if it worked, see if he phones you?

ANGELUS- (+2)

• +1/ His confessional scene with a human Drusilla, it’s very creepy-
  Drusilla: Me mum says… I’m cursed. (exhales) My seeing things is an affront to the Lord, (inhales sharply) that only he’s supposed to see anything before it happens. (inhales, sobs) But I don’t mean to, Father, I swear! (inhales) I swear! (begins to cry) I try to be pure in his sight. (sobs) I don’t want to be an evil thing.
  Angelus: Oh, hush, child. The Lord has a plan for all creatures. Even a Devil child like you.
  Drusilla: (taken aback) A Devil?
  Angelus: Yes! You’re a spawn of Satan. All the Hail Marys in the world aren’t going to help. The Lord will use you and smite you down. He’s like that.
  Drusilla: (frightened) What can I do?
  Angelus: Fulfill his plan, child. Be evil. Just give in.
  Drusilla: No! (sobs) I want to be good. (sobs) I want to be pure.
  Angelus: We all do, at first. The world doesn’t work that way.
  Drusilla: Father… I beg you… Please… Please, help me.
  Angelus: Very well. Ten Our Fathers and an Act of Contrition. Does that sound good?
  Drusilla: (relieved) Yes. (exhales) Yes, Father. Thank you.
  Angelus: The pleasure was mine. And my child… (raises his hand to the lattice between them)
  Drusilla: Yes?
  Angelus: (stares at her) God is watching you.
• +1/ Managing to trick Buffy into leaving her friends with Kendra and the vamp raiding party, he’s pretty smart when it comes to the old switch-a-roo.

SPIKE- (+3)

• +1/ He calls Angelus a ninny, you just can’t beat English insults.
• +1/ In reference to Acathla-  “It’s a big rock. I can’t wait to tell my friends. They don’t have a rock this big.”
• +1/ Finding Angelus’ failure with Acathla quite funny, he loves to see his rival fail.

DRUSILLA- (+4)

• +1/ The confessional scene with Angelus. She was so nice as a human (see Angelus point 1).
• +1/ She has the best vamp face of any vamp in the Buffyverse, she looks frigin real, which is most evident when she bites the archaeologist guy.
• +1/ Whimpering after Angelus fails to awake Acathla, Juliet Landau’s acting is so original.
• +1/ Killing Kendra, it’s a pretty lame fight but the way she kills her is creepy.

DARLA- (+1)

• +1/ It’s good to see Darla again and we finally get to see her sire Angel.

PRINCIPAL SNYDER- (-1)

• -1/ He’s such a bastard. Breaks up some Scooby fun because he can.

KENDRA- (+3)

• +1/ Sneaking up on Buffy. It’s nice to see her back, especially since she’s much cooler than in the What’s My Line episodes.
• +1/ Bringing a really nice sword to stop Acathla.
• +1/Giving Buffy her stake, Mr. Pointy.

SEASON COUNT-

WILLOW- +88
XANDER- +84
BUFFY- +68
CORDELIA- +56
GILES- +53
DRUSILLA- +31
OZ- +30
ANGEL- +30
SPIKE- +29
ANGELUS- +20
JOYCE- +14
MS.CALENDAR- +6
KENDRA- +3
DARLA- +1
AMY- +1
JONATHAN- 0
LARRY- 0
WILLY- 0
ETHAN RAYNE- -1
ANNE- -1
HARMONY- -2
PRINCIPAL SNYDER- -11

OVERALL COUNT-

BUFFY- +148
WILLOW- +130
XANDER- +128
GILES- +89
CORDELIA- +75
ANGEL- +49
DRUSILLA- +31
OZ- +30
SPIKE- +29
ANGELUS- +20
JOYCE- +17
MS. CALENDAR- +13
AMY- +3
KENDRA- +3
JONATHAN- 0
LARRY- 0
WILLY- 0
ETHAN RAYNE- -1
HARMONY- -1
ANNE- -1
DARLA- -2
PRINCIPAL SNYDER- -7

EPISODE THOUGHTS-
Great start to a great season finale. Love the backstory on Angel which gives him so much depth. The other character’s are fine and each have something to take away from this episode, but it’s all about Angel and how he came to be, both as Angel and Angelus. Big moments still happen including the death of Kendra and Willow being put into a form of comatose. We also see Xander’s hatred for Angel spill out in a big way. The actual plot involving Acathla is OK, but it’s so much more about the characters. Great lead into the next part.

88.5/100

B220- Go Fish

Written by: Elin Hampton
Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Anthony Stewart Head, David Boreanaz, Charisma Carpenter, Armin Shimerman & Danny Strong.

At the beach, the Sunnydale High Swim Team is celebrating their latest victory. While many people party, and while Xander complains about the swim team having a celebration, Buffy sulks on a rock watching the ocean. A guy named Cameron approaches Buffy and starts sputtering out poetic words. Buffy tries to scare him off, but he says he’s looking to talk, nothing more. All of a sudden, Jonathan Levinson is dunked in a bucket of ice water. Buffy rescues him and scares off the two bullies.

The guys walk off and talk about how weird Buffy is. Then Dodd stops, while Gage keeps walking. Gage smells something weird but keeps going. He walks by without seeing Dodd’s skin, which is on the ground with nothing left inside. We see a creature walk through the sewer. The next day, Willow is teaching a class, and as she is going round seeing people work, she sees Gage playing card games with naked women on the cards. She tells him off, but he doesn’t seem to care. Principal Snyder confronts her about Gage after class, having just told her that they can’t get a new teacher for a while and she will have to continue covering (which pleases her). He starts talking about Gage, and Willow tells him that he doesn’t turn up for tests or do homework, or indeed anything at all. He is not interested, and tells her that as Gage is on the swim team, he shouldn’t be expected to do work and that she should change his grade. Buffy comes to school with Cameron, and he makes a pass at her. She hits his head against the steering wheel and breaks his nose. Snyder happens to see this; he and Cameron blame Buffy for the altercation.

Later, Buffy rants to Giles and her friends about the incident with Cameron. Giles informs her that they found Dodd’s remains on the beach. Cameron hits the sauna and, while he’s in there, hears some weird noises. Boys’ Swim Team Coach Carl Marin bursts in and announces that Cameron has had enough. While everyone studies in the library, Xander goes out for a drink. Heading for the vending machine, he bumps into Cameron. Xander laughs at him for trying to hit on Buffy. Cameron heads off to the cafeteria for a snack, while Xander tries to decide between grape and orange soda. Cameron screams, and Xander rushes into the cafeteria. He finds the place in shambles, with Cameron’s skin on the ground. As Xander turns around, the creature responsible for the mess – a Gill Monster – appears behind him.

In the library, Cordelia tries to sketch the creature that Xander saw before running off “like a woman.” Buffy and Willow return, having been informed that Cameron and Dodd were the two best swimmers on the Boys’ Team; after them was Gage. Buffy is assigned to shadowing Gage -suspecting that he will be next in line, as it were – while Willow interrogates Jonathan under a lamp. According to Jonathan, he indeed wanted revenge, but stopped after peeing in the pool; he wasn’t responsible for the guys’ deaths. The next day, Gage grows suspicious of Buffy when she follows him around. At the Bronze that night, Buffy is caught in the act by Gage; she attempts to cover it up, but fails. He leaves, only to encounter Angelus in the parking lot. They talk briefly about Buffy, then Angelus “vamps out” and bites him. Seconds later, he stops and spits the blood out. Buffy comes to Gage’s rescue and walks him home. She suspects that Angelus spat Gage’s blood out because there were steroids in it.

The following day, Buffy and Willow and Cordelia sit in on swim practice. The three girls chat, still wondering what could be killing off the swimmers. Cordelia comments on a cute new addition to the team, and then realizes it’s Xander. He walks over and informs them that he just made the team. Willow tells Buffy that Jonathan wasn’t responsible for the swimmers’ deaths, but instead got his revenge by peeing in the pool. Later, the team soaks in the sauna. There Xander continues to babble, but no one pays attention. Claws come up through a grate; still no one pays attention.

While Buffy waits for Gage to exit the boys’ locker room, she hears him yell. She charges in and finds Gage with a giant fish creature: a Gill Monster! Gage then cries out in pain and falls to the ground. He rips open his shirt, followed by his skin, and becomes a Gill Monster himself. Buffy tries to fight them off, but one grabs her from behind and bites her arm. Coach Marin comes in and saves Buffy, who is sent to Nurse Greenleigh’s office. Marin is told that members of his team are becoming Gill Monsters. Buffy and Giles go hunting for Gill Monsters in the sewers, but fail to find any. Meanwhile, Xander again hits the sauna; there he tries to find out where and how he can get some steroids. His fellow swimmers tell him that he’s already getting some right now; the steroids are in the steam from the sauna.

Nurse Greenleigh tries to end the experiments of Coach Marin, who has been attempting to improve his swim team’s performance by supplying them with steroids via the sauna-steam. He throws her to the Gill Monsters, who promptly devour her. Xander warns everyone that he’s had three exposures to the steam, he is understandably worried about becoming a Gill Monster himself. Buffy tells Giles to lock up the rest of the swim team, while she goes to talk with Coach Marin. She discovers too much about his connection with what’s happening. Pulling a gun on her, he forces her into the same hole where Nurse Greenleigh met her demise. Marin tells Buffy that the Gill Monsters will kill her, but not by eating her: “Boys have other needs.”

Xander and Cordelia help round up the Boys’ Swim Team members. Xander enters the locker room to check and see if he’s becoming “scaly.” A Gill Monster who used to be Jason emerges from the locker room and jumps in the pool. Cordy thinks it’s Xander and carries on about how much she cares for him. Suddenly, Xander reappears beside her, right before “Shawn” attacks Cordy, just missing her. They flee back to the library. Xander decides that, since Buffy hasn’t returned, he should go after her. He meets up with Coach Marin and fights him for the gun. Xander disarms Marin and knocks the coach out. Xander looks down into the hole and sees Buffy, up to her waist in fetid water, being surrounded and attacked by Gill Monsters who are about to finish her off. He pulls her out with no time to spare. Then Coach Marin bashes Xander’s head with a pipe wrench from behind, incapacitating him. Marin tries to do the same to Buffy, but misses; his swing carries him off balance and he falls into the hole. The Gill Monsters close in and rip him to pieces.

The next day, everyone recaps. Meanwhile, the Gill Monsters swim out into the ocean.

From: Wikipedia

EPISODE COUNT-

BUFFY- (+4)

• +1/ Breaking the very forward swimmers nose, he deserved too.
• +1/ Trying to make a joke-
  Buffy: This doesn’t make any sense.
  Xander: Yeah. The skin’s the best part.
  Buffy: Any demons with high cholesterol?
  Giles slowly turns to her and gives her a look.
  Buffy: (points at Giles) You’re gonna think about that later, mister, and you’re gonna laugh.
• +1/ Trying to do recon on Gage. She is so utterly bad at it that it’s hilarious.
• +1/ Trying to seduce Gage-
  Gage: This me-and-my-shadow act? It’s getting old. What do you want from me?
  Buffy: Well, um… (exhales nervously) It’s a little embarrassing. You see, I’m a swim groupie.
  Gage: (unconvinced) Aha.
  Buffy: Oh, yeah. (smiles and exhales) You know, there’s just something about the smell of chlorine on a guy. Oh, baby.

XANDER- (+6)

• +1/ “We’re number one!” when talking about the school’s mortality rate.
• +1/ “Forgive me your swim-teamliness” when talking to one of the oh-so-mighty swim team members.
• +1/ Having to go undercover as a member of the swim team, to which Buffy finds hilarious, Willow sexy and Cordelia proud.
• +1/ Getting all nervous about his steroid exposure-
  Giles: They’re absorbing the steroid mixture through the steam.
  Xander: Not they. We. Me! We have to find an antidote, don’t you think? The clock is ticking, people!
  Buffy: I wouldn’t break out the tartar sauce just yet. I mean, it’s not like you were exposed more than once. (gets a worried look from Xander) Twice?
  Xander: Three times a Fish Guy.
• +1/ Xander: What am I gonna do?
  Cordelia: You, you, you. What about me? It’s one thing to be dating the lame unpopular guy, but it’s another to be dating the creature from the Blue Lagoon.
  Xander: Black Lagoon. The creature from the Blue Lagoon was Brooke Shields. And thank you *so* much for your support!
• +1/ Saving Buffy from the fish guys.

WILLOW- (+4)

• +1/ Buffy: So something ripped him open and ate out his insides?
  Willow: Like an Oreo Cookie. Well, except for, you know, without the chocolatey *cookie* goodness.
• +1/ Getting excited about being allowed to interrogate someone-
  Willow: (raises her hand) Ooo!
  Buffy: Willow?
  Willow: Jonathon! He was bullied by Dodd the other day on the beach, remember?
  Buffy: He did say he could take care of things himself. It’s a good call. You should question him.
  Willow: (smiles) Really? Me? (menacingly) I’ll crack him like an egg.
• +1/ Her interrogation of Jonathon is actually pretty good.
• +1/ her reaction to seeing Xander in only his speedos-
  Xander: I figured I can keep an eye on Gage and the others when Buffy can’t.
  Willow: (eyes wide) When you’re nude? (gets a nudge from Buffy) I-I meant to say ‘changing’.

CORDELIA- (+5)

• +1/ Upset that the best swimmers are being changed into monsters, she even loses her will to cheerlead.
• +1/ Insulting Xander about his girliness-
  Giles: Meanwhile, I think, uh, swimmer number three might benefit from your… watchful eye and protection. Discreetly, of course.
  Buffy: I’m on it. (leaves)
  Xander: What about me? What can I do?
  Cordelia: Well, you could go out to the parking lot and practice running like a man.
• +1/ Actually attracted to Xander after seeing him in his speedos, she even gets a little proud.
• +2/ Her thinking that Xander had turned into a fishman-
  “(very upset) It’s me, Cordelia? I know you can’t answer me, but… God, this is all my fault. You joined the swim team to impress me. You were so courageous. And you looked really hot in those Speedo’s.
  (chuckles) And I want you to know that I still care about you, no matter what you look like. And… and we can still date. Or, or not. I mean… I understand if you wanna see other fish. I’ll do everything I can to make your quality of life better. Whether that means little bath toys or whatever.”

PRINCIPAL SNYDER- (-2)

• -1/ Intimidating Willow into changing Gage’s grades as teacher, that not very fair and from the principal, tsk, tsk.
• -1/ Not listening to Buffy’s side of the story about breaking Cameron’s nose.

JONATHAN- (-1)

• -1/ Not wanting Buffy’s protection from the bullies, he’s pretty cold about it too.

SEASON COUNT-

XANDER- +86
WILLOW- +85
BUFFY- +64
CORDELIA- +54
GILES- +51
OZ- +30
DRUSILLA- +27
ANGEL- +27
SPIKE- +26
ANGELUS- +18
JOYCE- +14
MS.CALENDAR- +6
AMY- +1
JONATHAN- 0
LARRY- 0
KENDRA- 0
WILLY- 0
ETHAN RAYNE- -1
ANNE- -1
HARMONY- -2
PRINCIPAL SNYDER- -10

OVERALL COUNT-

BUFFY- +144
XANDER- +130
WILLOW- +127
GILES- +87
CORDELIA- +73
ANGEL- +46
OZ- +30
DRUSILLA- +27
SPIKE- +26
ANGELUS- +18
JOYCE- +17
MS. CALENDAR- +13
AMY- +3
JONATHAN- 0
LARRY- 0
KENDRA- 0
WILLY- 0
ETHAN RAYNE- -1
HARMONY- -1
ANNE- -1
PRINCIPAL SNYDER- -6

EPISODE THOUGHTS-
Not a big fan of this episode. The characters are all pretty solid. Buffy is pretty decent with some real funny moments, Xander is strong with many funny moments & Willow and Cordelia provide some great support. These fairly good performances are let down by a sub-par plot which is overly obvious in it’s message about steroid use by atheltes. If the plot was better and tighter we might’ve had a pretty solid monster-of-the-week episode.

63/100

B219- I Only Have Eyes For You

Written by: Marti Noxon
Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Anthony Stewart Head, David Boreanaz, Charisma Carpenter, James Marsters, Juliet Landau & Armin Shimerman.

This ghostly episode starts out at The Bronze where Buffy rejects the advances of a boy who’s looking for a date for the Sadie Hawkins dance. She checks in with Giles at school but first stops a male student from almost shooting a female student. They have no recollection of why they were fighting, and the gun disappears. Principal Snyder blames Buffy for the incident. While waiting in his office, a yearbook from 1955 falls off the shelf. Willow gives Giles a rose quartz that she found in Ms. Calendar’s desk. In class later that day, Buffy starts daydreaming about a relationship a student had with his teacher. As she comes back to the present, she finds that the teacher has written “Don’t walk away from me, bitch!” on the chalk board. Then Xander is grabbed by a monster arm inside his locker. Buffy helps him break away but the arm then disappears.

Giles is intrigued by the possibility of a ghost. Meanwhile, Angelus, Spike and Drusilla have taken up home in a mansion where Angelus taunts Spike and flirts with Dru. Later that night, Giles witnesses the result of another argument in the school halls. The janitor shot a teacher who then fell over the balcony of the school, though only moments earlier they were cordial. Giles is convinced that Jenny is haunting the school.

Willow finds information on her laptop about a killing in 1955 where student James killed his teacher Grace after she tried to break off their affair. In the cafeteria chaos erupts as they find that the food has all been turned to snakes. The room empties quickly, and Cordelia is bitten on the face by a snake. Outside, Snyder talks to a man about the incident and reveals his knowledge of the Hellmouth. The principal is cowed by a mention of the mayor.

Willow devises a plan to contain the spirits, and they head off to the school where they prepare, though Giles has already arrived and is trying to summon Jenny’s spirit. Buffy hears music coming from the Music Room and goes to see Grace and James dancing there. James’ face suddenly changes to a gory mess, startling Buffy. Cordelia looks in the mirror to find her face has turned a gory red color. On the stairwell, Willow begins to sink into the floor, and Giles rushes to save her. Willow finally convinces him that the spirit is not Jenny. Everyone lights their candle and starts chanting the spell, but the candles blow out and a swarm of wasps enter the school. Everyone rushes out to find the school surrounded by wasps.

In the garden of their new home, Dru gets a vision about Buffy meeting with death. Tears just about pool up in Spike’s eyes as Angel holds Dru tight against him. Everyone recuperates at Buffy’s while Buffy continues to show her anger towards James. She rushes off to the kitchen where she finds a sign for the 1955 Sadie Hawkins dance in her pocket. She heads to the school where the wasps part for her to enter. Willow finds the ad and everyone rushes after Buffy, but they cannot enter the school.

Angelus appears in the halls as Buffy, now possessed by James, talks to him as if he were Grace. They continue the ghosts’ argument with Angelus playing the role of Grace. At the climax, Buffy pulls out a gun and shoots Angelus. He falls off of the balcony as though dead. James (still in Buffy’s body) rushes off to the music room where he plans to kill himself. Grace (still in Angelus), is not killed by the bullets. She wakes up and proceeds to the music room just in time to stop “Buffy” from pulling the trigger. They exchange apologies and kiss. The spirits, now able to pass on, leave their bodies. Buffy and Angelus break away from the kiss and Angelus realizes what he has been doing. Throwing Buffy aside he rushes off.

At the garden, Angel scrubs furiously at his body, knowing how close he had been with Buffy. He then invites Dru and Spike out to feed, knowing that Spike is wheelchair-bound, so Spike remains behind. When they’re gone, Spike stands up and kicks the chair aside, revealing to the audience that he has healed from his spinal injury.

From: Wikipedia

BUFFY- (-1)

• +1/ Saving a fighting couple from a violent dispute…supposedly.
• -1/ Lacking mercy, something she needs to work.
• -1/ She thinks that James doesn’t deserve forgiveness, once again showing a lack of mercy, it’s just not very hero-like.

XANDER- (+4)

• +1/ Actually helping in research-
  Giles: Ooh! Sounds like paranormal phenomena.
  Willow: (smiles) A ghost? Cool!
  Xander: Oh, no, no. No. No cool. This was no wimpy chain rattler. This was ‘I’m dead as hell, and I’m not gonna take it anymore.’
  Giles: Well, despite the Xander-speak, that’s a fairly accurate definition of a poltergeist.
  Xander: I defined something? Accurately? (closes a book on the table) Guess I’m done with the book learning.
• +1/ Misunderstanding Willow’s plan-
  Willow: Remember the plan to contact the spirit and talk to it? Scrap that plan. Buffy, you were right. The time for touchy-feely communication is passed. I’ve done some homework and found the only
  solution is the final solution.
  Xander: Nuke the school? (smiles) I like that.
• +1/ Xander all at home with the snakes in the cafeteria during the big triangle spell.
• +1/ Cordelia: Hey. If Sunnydale High School shuts down forever, do we automatically graduate?
  Xander: (ignores her) But why? What does he want? (thinks again about Cordelia’s question) Actually, that’s an interesting point.

WILLOW- (+2)

• +1/ Being a good teacher since Jenny’s death.
• +1/ Giving Giles a Rose Quartz that Jenny owned, seemingly knowing how to heal his heart a little.

GILES- (+1)

• +1/ Thinking Xander said ‘Loch Ness Monster’ instead of ‘Locker Monster’.
• -1/ Being very stubborn in thinking that the ghost is Jenny, even when all his training would deny it.
• +1/ “To forgive is an act of compassion, Buffy. It’s, it’s not done because people deserve it. It’s done because they need it.”

CORDELIA- (+1)

• +1/ Saying ‘totally’ during a spell incantation.

ANGELUS- (+2)

• +1/ Constantly berating Spike about his condition, it’s humourous.
• +1/ Enjoying Drusilla’s visions.

SPIKE- (+3)

• +1/ Complaining about their new place-
  Angelus: And this… this is the garden.
  Drusilla: Wow! (walks through) Look. Jasmine. (holds a flower)
  Angelus: Night blooming. (plays with some pruning shears)
  Drusilla: Like us. Oh, Angel, it’s fairyland. (turns in excitement) Ooh!
  Spike: (still at the entrance) It’s paradise. Big windows, lovely gardens. It’ll be perfect when we want the sunlight to kill us.
• +1/ Getting some back on Angelus-
  Drusilla: The Slayer. It’s time, Angel. She’s ready for you now. She’s dancing. Dancing with death.
  Spike: Big deal. He won’t do anything. Our man Angel here likes to talk but he’s not much for action. All hat and no cattle.
• +1/ Standing up form his wheelchair at the end of the episode….thank the lord.

DRUSILLA- (-1)

• -1/ Not being very subtle in her exploits with Angelus, and right in front of Spike.

PRINCIPAL SNYDER- (+1)

• Snyder: I’m sure you know why I asked you here.
  Buffy: To thank me?
  Snyder: That’s right, I wanna thank you. What would Sunnydale High do without you around to incite mayhem, chaos and disorder?
  Buffy: I don’t incite! I stopped that boy from killing his girlfriend, ask him. Ask the janitor.
  Snyder: People can be coerced, Summers. I’m no stranger to conspiracy. I saw JFK. I’m a truth seeker. I’ve got a missing gun and two confused kids on my hands. Pieces of the puzzle. And I’m gonna look at all the pieces carefully and rationally, and I’m gonna keep looking until I know exactly how this is all your fault.

SEASON COUNT-

WILLOW- +81
XANDER- +80
BUFFY- +60
GILES- +51
CORDELIA- +49
OZ- +30
DRUSILLA- +27
ANGEL- +27
SPIKE- +26
ANGELUS- +18
JOYCE- +14
MS.CALENDAR- +6
JONATHAN- +1
AMY- +1
LARRY- 0
KENDRA- 0
WILLY- 0
ETHAN RAYNE- -1
ANNE- -1
HARMONY- -2
PRINCIPAL SNYDER- -8

OVERALL COUNT-

BUFFY- +140
XANDER- +124
WILLOW- +123
GILES- +87
CORDELIA- +68
ANGEL- +46
OZ- +30
DRUSILLA- +27
SPIKE- +26
ANGELUS- +18
JOYCE- +17
MS. CALENDAR- +13
AMY- +3
JONATHAN- +1
LARRY- 0
KENDRA- 0
WILLY- 0
ETHAN RAYNE- -1
HARMONY- -1
ANNE- -1
PRINCIPAL SNYDER- -4

EPISODE THOUGHTS-
I like this episode because of the emotional content involved. While there isn’t a lot of character points it still acts as a strong episode. If one thing lets this episode down it’s Buffy, she just isn’t as likable as usual. The other characters have solid outings, Xander has some funny lines, and Spike gets to finally walk again. But this episode is a showcase in plot. What starts as a basic ghost story turns into a incredibly powerful emotional connection between the ghosts of James and Grace and the present lovers, Buffy and Angel. The acting of Sarah Michelle Gellar and David Boreanaz is brilliant when their bodies are possessed by the dead lovers spirits and is a very memorable moment for this season. The story is paced well and constantly entertaining and in one of my favourite touches the Flamingoes song connects everything together.

80.5/100

B218- Killed By Death

Written by: Rob Des Hotel & Dean Batali
Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Anthony Stewart Head, David Boreanaz, Charisma Carpenter & Kristine Sutherland.

A flu-stricken Buffy, reluctant to stay at home, patrols the cemetery. Xander, Willow, and Cordelia surprise her and she nearly stakes Xander. They try to convince her to go home but the damage that Angelus has done so far continues to fuel her fire. Angelus appears behind her and attacks Cordelia. Buffy and Angelus fight until Angelus pins Buffy down. Willow throws a burlap sack over his head and he is scared off by crosses that they all carry. Buffy faints and the gang rush her to the hospital. After being stabilized, she is admitted to the hospital for a few days against her will. Her mother reveals that Buffy has always hated hospitals ever since her cousin died in one while Buffy was there with her.

Joyce brings up the topic of Ms. Calendar’s death to Giles and unknowingly brings up a topic Giles would much rather forget. Meanwhile, Xander, Willow and Cordelia wait to protect a very sick Buffy from the harms of Angelus. That night, Buffy has a dream where she sees a strange man follow after a kid. As she follows the man down the hall, flashbacks of her cousin’s time spent in the hospital bring nightmares to mind. She awakes suddenly in the middle of the night and takes a walk down the hall. Two men exit the children’s ward with a child that died that night. At the door she overhears a conversation between Dr. Backer and Dr. Wilkinson about the doctors’ experimental treatments on the kids. As she begins to leave, she encounters two children that tell her about “Death” and how he comes at night.

That night, Angelus comes to visit Buffy but Xander stands guard. They stand face to face and exchange many harsh words until Angelus finally leaves, discouraged by the fact that he may not make it to Buffy’s room with all the security. The next morning Buffy’s friends visit bearing gifts. All but Cordelia, that is. They all take a walk and Buffy tells them all about the conversation she overheard. The doctor was trying experimental treatments on the kids in the children’s ward that Dr. Wilkinson didn’t exactly agree with. Since forced to stay at the hospital, she plans to find out what the doctor is up to and Xander volunteers everyone’s help. Cordelia and Xander sneak into the hospital’s record room and search for records on the girl that died that night. Meanwhile, Giles and Willow search for information at the school library. While looking through the records, Cordelia is caught by the security guard. She flirts with him as a distraction so Xander can escape with the records. Once outside, Xander expresses jealousy about the flirting, while Cordelia retorts with jealousy about Xander’s loyalty to Buffy.

Buffy takes a walk and finds the little boy. He is drawing a picture of the man she saw in her dream. Willow digs up information on Dr. Backer at the library with Giles. She finds that he has a large past of experimental treatments and investigations into his practices. Meanwhile, Dr. Backer is working on trying to cure the children’s illnesses. After finding a solution that he thinks will work he takes it to the children’s ward to try it out. Before he can do anything, the evil creature attacks him and slashes him up. Buffy tries to stop him but is thrown aside.

The next morning Buffy informs everyone that Dr. Backer is not the suspect and shows them the drawing that Ryan drew of the creature. Xander, Giles, and Cordelia leave her alone and come up with a plan. Giles and Cordelia head back to the library while Xander stands guard against the threat of Angelus. At the library, Cordelia annoys Giles with constant questions. Finally, she finds a picture of the monster on the cover of a book and they research it. After searching they find that it is called Der Kindestod. After Cordelia squeamishly describes what is going on Giles takes over and then tells Buffy about how it sucks the life out of a child. Buffy flashes back to her time at the hospital as a child again. She sees her cousin freaking out while she helplessly watches. Buffy goes silent over the phone and then after several minutes, Willow takes it from her and hangs up. Buffy then realizes that Der Kindestod was the killer of her cousin.

The two head to Dr. Backer’s office in search of answers. They find out that Dr. Backer was giving the children injections of the disease they already have in order to inoculate them against it. Buffy realizes that only sick people can see the demon, so decides to infect her self with the vials of disease the doctor was using on the children. Willow stops her, warning her that the vials are 100% pure and would kill Buffy instantly if she drinks them. Willow then dilutes the disease in some water so Buffy can drink it “safely”. Buffy’s fever rushes to a near 107 degrees as she stumbles to the children’s ward. She finds all the children are gone. They have headed down to the basement in hopes of escaping from the Kindestod. After a few moments, Buffy sees the Kindestod in the room and watches as he heads down to the basement. The door is locked so Buffy and Willow rush to find access to the basement. Dr. Wilkinson tries to stop them but Buffy shoves her aside. When security guards stop the two, Willow takes on the blame as Buffy makes her escape.

Buffy works her way to Xander and he helps her down to the basement. The children wait quietly in hopes of not being found but then the Kindestod picks up Ryan. He screams along with all the other children. Buffy arrives just in time and fights off the Kindestod. Just as he is about to kill her, she snaps his neck and she leaves leaning on Xander. Buffy finishes her rehabilitation at home with her friends. Her mother reluctantly waits on them all. Joyce then hands Buffy a letter from Ryan, which is revealed to be a drawing of her hailing over a dead Kindestod.

From: Wikipedia

EPISODE COUNT-

BUFFY- (+5)

• +2/ Buffy deciding to patrol while sick, only to run into Angelus. She puts up a pretty good fight for a Slayer in her state. It’s good to see Buffy have such a commitment to her job, especially after Jenny’s death.
• +1/ Delirious Buffy in the hospital-
  “Shhh! Hospital zone. No singing.”
• +1/ Coming up with a good plan for defeating the Der Kindestod, which included her having to get the flu again.
• +1/ Recovering from the flu back at home with the Scoobies, while takign advantage of Joyce’s hospitality.

XANDER- (+6)

• +2/ Helping a sick Buffy on patrol, he even manages to get Angelus onto the ground while he is fighting Buffy-
  “Man, Buffy! My whole life just flashed before my eyes! I gotta get me a life!”
• +1/ Standing up to Angelus in the hospital-
  Xander: Visiting hours are over.
  Angelus: Well, I’m pretty much family.
  Xander: (trying hard to stay cool) Yeah. Why don’t you come back during the day? Oh, gee, no, I guess you can’t.
  Angelus: (threateningly) If I decide to walk into Buffy’s room, do you think for one microsecond that you could stop me?
  Xander: Maybe not. Maybe that security guard couldn’t either. Or those cops… or the orderlies… But I’m kinda curious to find out. You game?
  Angelus: (pauses) Buffy’s White Knight. You still love her. (leans in close) It must just eat you up that I got there first.
  Xander: (fighting his nervousness) You’re gonna die. And I’m gonna be there.
• +1/ Making a reference to The Seventh Seal-
  Buffy: Yeah, but I thought I saw something. I’m not sure, I was really out of it, but…
  Cordelia: But you do know that you saw death.
  Willow: Did it have an hourglass?
  Xander: Ooo, if he asks you to play chess, don’t even do it. The guy’s, like, a whiz.
• +1/ Xander’s reaction to Willow’s statement that they played doctor when they were little (see Willow point 4)
• +1/ Staying at Buffy’s house while she’s getting over a flu and taking advantage of Joyce’s hospitality.

WILLOW- (+7)

• +1/ Helping Buffy patrol while she’s sick. She even helps in repelling Angelus.
• +1/ Doing Buffy’s homework for her, that’s a very nice thing to do I thought.
• +1/ When wheeling Buffy around in a wheelchair-
  “Do you want me to go real fast? (gets a look from Giles) Not that I would.”
• +1/ Talking about how she played doctor with Xander when she was little-
  Buffy: Course, if I find anything, I won’t know what it means, so, Will…
  Willow: Oh, yeah, I’m good at medical stuff since Xander and I used to play doctor all the time.
  Xander: (chuckles) No, she’s being literal. (gets a look from Cordelia) She used to have all these medical volumes, uh, and diagnosed me with stuff. I didn’t have the heart to tell her she was playing it wrong.
  Willow: (to Xander) Wrong? Why? (to Buffy) How did *you* play doctor?
  Buffy: (evasively) I never have.
• +2/ Pretending to be covered in frogs to cause a distraction for Buffy. Hilariously done.
• +1/ Staying over with Buffy as she gets over the flu and taking advantage of Joyce’s hospitality.

GILES- (+2)

• +1/ Not wanting to do research with Cordy-
  Xander: Finding out who this thing is takes priority. Cordy, you should go with Giles.
  Giles: Why do I have to have… (looks at Cordelia) Uh, good thinking. I-I-I could do with a research assistant.
  Cordelia: (to Giles) Let’s go, tact-guy.
• +1/ Cordelia asking all these demon questions and annoying Giles (see Cordelia point 8]

CORDELIA- (+11)

• +1/ Helping to patrol, that’s something I’d never thought I’d see Cordy do.
• +1/ Wanting Buffy to fix up a ‘thing’she has while she is in hospital-
  Cordelia: I don’t know, Lysette got her nose done here, and she came in looking for the Gwyneth Paltrow, and it looked more like the Mr. Potatohead.
  Xander: Cordy…
  Willow: Buffy’s not here for cosmetic surgery.
  Cordelia: No, but while she’s in here, she might as well get that thing done.
  Willow gives Xander a look.
  Cordelia: You know, that thing on her face? You know that thing.
• +1/ Thinking deeply about Buffy and the new demon-
  Buffy: Maybe it wasn’t death. Maybe it was something else.
  Cordelia: So this isn’t about you being afraid of hospitals ’cause your friend died and you wanna conjure up a monster that you can fight so you can save everybody and not feel so helpless?
  Giles: Cordelia, have you actually ever heard of tact?
  Cordelia: Tact is just not saying true stuff. I’ll pass.
• +1/ Seducing the security guard so Xander can look in the morgue.
• +1/ Confronting Xander about his rampant protection of Buffy-
  Xander: I’m gonna stay here.
  Cordelia: Oh, right. Your obsession with protecting Buffy. Have I told you how attractive that’s not?
  Xander: Cordelia, someone’s gotta watch her back.
  Cordelia: Yeah, well, I’ve seen you watch her back.
  Xander: What is that supposed to mean?
  Cordelia: Well, I was using the phrase ‘watch her back’ as a euphemism for ‘looking at her butt.’ You know, sort of a pun.
  Xander: Oh! Right. (gets the insult) Hey!
  Cordelia:  Well, you do.
  Xander: Jealous?
  Cordelia: Fine. Watch *my* back.
• +1/ Bringing Xander donuts and coffee, she’s turned very caring, who knew?
• +1/ Pretending to act all normal around Joyce, which of course makes her look less normal.
• +2/ Asking Giles questions about demons-
  Cordelia: Eww, what does this do?
  Giles: What?
  Cordelia: What does this do? (pushes the book toward him)
  Giles: Uh, it, uh, extracts vital organs to replenish its own mutating cells.
  Cordelia: Wow! (leans over to look at his book) What does this one do? (points to a drawing)
  Giles: (looks up at her) Um, i-it elongates its mouth to, uh, engulf its victim’s head with its incisors.
  Cordelia: Ouch. Wait, what does this one do? (points to another)
  Giles: (frustrated) It asks endless questions of those with whom it’s supposed to be working so that nothing is getting done.
  Cordelia: Boy, there’s a demon for everything.
• +2/ Relaying information to Buffy and Willow via the phone-
  Cordelia: It’s called Der Kindestod.
  Buffy: Who is this?
  Cordelia: It’s me. I’ve got your monster!
  Buffy: Where’s Giles?
  Cordelia: Looking up stuff.
  Buffy: Well, can you put him on?
  Cordelia: Hey! I found your guy, okay? Just listen.
  Buffy: Right.
  Cordelia: The name means ‘child death’. This book says that he feeds off of children by sucking the life out of them. Eew! But anyway, afterwards, it looks like they died because they were sick.
  Buffy: So it did kill Tina.
  Cordelia: Yeah, that’s my take. ‘Cause it would be looking at the children’s ward as basically an all-you-can-eat kind of thing, y’know.
  Buffy: Backer was curing the kids and taking away the Kindestod’s food.
  Cordelia: Hence, the slice-age.
  Giles: (comes into his office) I found a picture of how it kills. Let me talk to her.
  Cordelia: (takes the book and looks) Oh! Eww!
  Buffy: What?
  Cordelia: Oh! Uh, you should see this thing! The way it does its thing, I mean, eww! (hands the phone to Giles and gets up) Why do I let you guys drag me into this stuff? (leaves).

ANGELUS- (+1)

• +1/ Having a nice fight with sick Buffy.

JOYCE- (+2)

• +1/ Offering her sympathies to Giles for Jenny.
• +1/ Taking care of a sick Buffy, as well as Xander and Willow.

SEASON COUNT-

WILLOW- +79
XANDER- +76
BUFFY- +61
GILES- +50
CORDELIA- +48
OZ- +30
DRUSILLA- +28
ANGEL- +27
SPIKE- +23
ANGELUS- +16
JOYCE- +14
MS.CALENDAR- +6
JONATHAN- +1
AMY- +1
LARRY- 0
KENDRA- 0
WILLY- 0
ETHAN RAYNE- -1
ANNE- -1
HARMONY- -2
PRINCIPAL SNYDER- -9

OVERALL COUNT-

BUFFY- +141
WILLOW- +121
XANDER- +120
GILES- +86
CORDELIA- +67
ANGEL- +46
OZ- +30
DRUSILLA- +28
SPIKE- +23
JOYCE- +17
ANGELUS- +16
MS. CALENDAR- +13
AMY- +3
JONATHAN- +1
LARRY- 0
KENDRA- 0
WILLY- 0
ETHAN RAYNE- -1
HARMONY- -1
ANNE- -1
PRINCIPAL SNYDER- -5

EPISODE THOUGHTS-
Decent episode. The character’s all do very solid jobs. It’s good to see Buffy in a vulnerable position and still come out on top. Xander still cracks out some funny lines and Willow compliments him well with her own assortment of humour, but the big surprise was Cordelia who steals the show. She is incredibly funny, but it’s the more emotion things such as jealousy and the care she shows for Xander that is interesting. The villain Der Kindestod is very creepy, one of the creepier Buffyverse villains and that makes him memorable evn though his defeat is a little lame. The plot is also pretty decent, the introduction of kids as victims gives it more emotional content and having Buffy fight weak is pretty cool too. The pacing is a little slow but I think it suits the creepiness. Overall, it’s a solid episode.

74/100

B217- Passion

Written by: Ty King
Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Anthony Stewart Head, David Boreanaz, Charisma Carpenter, Kristine Sutherland, Robia LaMorte, James Marsters, Juliet Landau & Danny Strong.

At The Bronze, Buffy and Xander blithely dance to the sultry music while Angelus darkly watches from across the room. As the weight of his predatory gaze makes everyone seem to move in dreamlike slow motion, Angel’s voice narrates a poetic evocation of “passion.” It is Xander who turns his head to look, but Angel is no longer there. When Buffy, Willow, Xander and Cordelia leave The Bronze, they unknowingly pass Angelus miming a passionate embrace in the shadows, his vamp face hidden in the neck of the girl he drains, then drops, before falling in behind them. Back home getting ready for bed, Buffy feels Angel’s presence, but she peers out into the darkness in vain. When she turns out the light and slides under the covers, Angelus is outside, watching her through open blinds. After Buffy drifts off, Angel enters her room and softly strokes a lock of hair back from her face. Sitting on the bed beside her to watch his Slayer sleep, Angel’s face is in shadow, but his voice continues and completes his “passion” prologue.

The next morning Buffy wakes to find a parchment envelope on her pillow, containing a charcoal drawing of herself, eyes closed, asleep. At the library before class, Buffy tells Giles about the drawing and asks if there’s a spell to reverse Angel’s invitation into her house, something along the lines of “No shoes, no pulse, no service.” Xander teases Cordelia when she overreacts because she invited Angel into her car. Leaving the library when Jonathan and another student dare to request books on Stalin, Buffy and the others continue to discuss Angel’s intentions. Because Angel has an “all-access pass” to her house even when she’s not there, Buffy wants to tell her mother the truth so she can protect herself until the reversal spell is in place. Giles vetoes this, urging Buffy not to be goaded by any of Angel’s ploys because, as The Slayer, she doesn’t have “the luxury of being a slave to her passions.” In Ms Calendar’s computer class, Jenny asks Willow to cover for her if she happens to be late the next morning. Willow is delighted to oblige, and immediately begins to worry at the thought of all that could go wrong. Soon, however, she starts to relish the idea of exercising a borrowed power of authority. There’s an awkward moment when Buffy and Giles arrive to fetch Willow, but when the girls leave, Giles and Jenny get a moment alone. Hearing that Angel’s “sense of whimsy” has returned and that Giles seeks a spell to revoke the vampire’s invitations, Jenny gives him a book she knows he doesn’t have. She then takes the opportunity to explain that, as Janna, she was raised by the people Angel hurt most, and lied to Giles and Buffy because she thought it was the right thing to do. She didn’t know she would fall in love with Giles. Seeing his startled face soften, Jenny goes on to say she wants to make everything up to him. His eyes filled with kindness, Giles gently replies that he’s not the one Jenny needs to make it up to. Over supper that evening, Joyce asks Buffy to tell her what’s wrong, and Buffy decides to give her a sanitized version of the Angel saga. Her mom says, “Don’t tell me. He’s changed. He’s not the same guy you fell for,” and Buffy brightly replies, “In a nutshell.” Buffy further explains that she’ll talk to Angel if he shows up, but that Joyce shouldn’t invite him in the house.

Later that night, Willow talks on the phone to Buffy as she gets ready for bed. She putters around the room, sprinkles fish food into the large, lighted tank, then notices a parchment envelope on her bed. Falling silent, she picks it up and opens it. The phone drops from her shoulder with a thump as she pulls out a long string—threaded with all her tropical fish. Angelus has been in Willow’s bedroom, too. Willow spends the remainder of the night clutching a very sharp stake at Buffy’s, with garlic ropes adorning the bedframe. Buffy tells Willow she can’t stop wanting to turn to Angel whenever there’s a crisis and that this Angel is completely different from the one she knew. Not exactly disagreeing, Willow replies, “Well, sort of. Except you’re still the only thing he thinks about.”

Early that morning at their factory lair, Drusilla brings the still-invalid Spike a puppy to eat. Increasingly cranky with his long recovery, he objects to being treated like a child. Angelus arrives with the dawn and spends a few enjoyable minutes mortifying Spike before Dru has a vision that an old enemy seeks help to destroy their “happy home.”

Before school, Jenny goes to a Gypsy novelty shop where she buys an Orb of Thesulah, a spirit-vault for rituals of the undead, from a well-meaning proprietor who recognizes her as Janna and offers condolences for her Uncle Enyos. He politely tells her that without a translation of the Ritual of Restoration, the Orb is useless for its intended purpose—and that the store has a no-refunds policy. Jenny says she understands, and that she hopes soon to have a computer translation of the ancient Romanian liturgy. The Orb glows when she tells the shopkeeper she plans to give a friend his soul back. At school, Willow and Buffy meet up with Xander, who gets a little excited about their slumber party the night before. Willow leaves to teach class, but is disappointed to catch sight of Ms Calendar arriving on time after all. Taking leave of Xander as well, Buffy hurries to confront Jenny with an agenda of her own. Jenny starts to apologize, but Buffy, not ready for that step yet, abruptly stops her. Stiltedly explaining that she doesn’t want him to be lonely, Buffy tells Jenny that Giles misses her, then rushes inside where she finds Giles himself, passing out flyers in the lounge area. Cordy joins them, and both girls are relieved to hear that Buffy’s Watcher has found a simple spell with common ingredients that will revoke a Vampire’s invitation into any house (or car) where it is performed. After school, Buffy and Cordelia help perform the protection spell in Willow’s room, and not a moment too soon. First asking if Willow knows there are no fish in her aquarium, Cordy next finds another parchment envelope on Willow’s bed. Willow opens it apprehensively, then hands the charcoal drawing of Joyce—eyes closed, asleep—to a suddenly panicking Buffy.

At the Summers residence, Joyce pulls into the driveway to find Angelus waiting for her in the front yard. Impersonating a distinctly deranged Angel, he scares Joyce with his intensity and tells her he can’t forget Buffy, Joyce has to talk to her for him, he can’t live without her. Noting with evil satisfaction that Joyce’s hands shake uncontrollably as she tries to get her key in the front door, Angel oozes sly candor and confesses, “I haven’t been able to sleep since the night we made love.” As Buffy’s mother stares up at him in shock, the door opens and she rushes inside. Smiling in anticipation, Angel starts to follow but pulls up short, unable to cross the threshold. Buffy and Willow have gotten there first and Willow is just chanting the reversal spell’s final words. “Sorry, Angel. Changed the locks,” the Slayer says acidly, then slams the door in his face.

When Giles finds Jenny staying late at the school, she hastily clears her computer screen before he can see that her “special project” is the translation program for the Ritual of Restoration to bring back Angel’s soul. Slightly smug, Jenny tells Giles what Buffy said to her earlier that day. Embarrassed but unable to deny it, Giles, in a tone of flustered, affectionate exasperation, deems Buffy a “meddlesome girl.” When Jenny explains she needs to work a little while longer, but that she may have good news later, Giles warmly invites her over to his place after she’s finished. After sunset, Drusilla (still carrying the puppy, Sunshine) pays a visit to the Gypsy shopkeeper to ask what he and “the mean teacher talked about.” Jenny keeps working to translate the ritual’s text into English. At last she is successful and quickly saves the program to disk, then prints it out. Having ejected and set aside the backup disk, Jenny moves her chair so she can scan the printout. After a moment, her gaze refocuses beyond the scrolling paper and she jumps to see Angelus sitting in the dark at the back of her classroom, as if he’d been silently watching her for a long while. Getting to his feet, Angel approaches her desk with mock cheer. He picks up the Orb of Thesulah, ruminates a bit about its purpose, then pitches it against the chalkboard so hard it smashes to dust. Musing next about the advances in technology over the past two and a half centuries, Angelus pulls her computer crashing to the floor, then rips the printout from the printer, tears the Ritual of Restoration text in two and burns the pieces in the small electrical fire that has sprung up. Finding the door behind her desk inexplicably locked, Jenny tries to dart past Angelus to the room’s other door, but he catches her and throws her through it. When she scrambles up and runs, he mocks, “Oh, good. I need to work up an appetite first.” Searching for a way out, Jenny finds all the doors in this wing locked and is forced to flee down long passages while Angelus lopes after her. Near the end of her strength, she slams a door in his snarling face, then rams him with a cleaning cart and runs frantically up the stairs. On the floor above, Jenny looks so intently for her pursuer to come up behind her that she runs straight into his grasp when he circles around. Chortling, Angelus softly holds her head in his hands and tells her, “Sorry, Jenny. This is where you get off,” then snaps her neck with a flourish.

Meanwhile at the Summers residence, Giles stops by to get the spell book to protect his own apartment and learns from Willow that Buffy is upstairs with her mom, discussing the news (which is news only to Joyce) that Angel and Buffy have slept together. Giles wonders if he should intervene on Buffy’s behalf. Not exactly disagreeing, Willow says, “Sure! Like, what would you say?” As Giles thinks about that for a second, Willow matter-of-factly opens the front door for him and he takes his leave. In Buffy’s room, Joyce is not entirely successful at remaining calm while trying to figure out just what is going on with her daughter and this “too old,” “obviously not very stable” Angel. Buffy reassures her mom that Angel was her first and only, but doesn’t open up as much as her mother would like. Still, at the end of “the talk,” Joyce tells Buffy that she loves her “more than anything in the world,” and they regain a degree of their normal ease with each other.

Giles arrives at his apartment to see one red rose on the front door and to hear strains of opera music drifting from inside. Opening his own door as if he were the visitor, he finds an ice bucket on the desk, complete with chilling champagne and a folded piece of parchment paper bearing one word in flowing script: “Upstairs.” Carrying the champagne, Giles follows a path of votive candles and roses to the top of the stairs while the music swells below. At his first glimpse of Jenny on the bed, the music crescendos and the heavy bottle of champagne smashes unheeded to the floor. Jenny’s staring eyes and lividly striated neck belie the relaxed pose of her limbs. Nearly catatonic with shock and grief, Giles remains silent and motionless until the police officer, following the coroner’s people wheeling a laden stretcher, asks him to come in for questioning. Giles abstractedly complies, but asks to make a phone call first. At Buffy’s house, Angel lurks outside, his voice coming out of the darkness to whisper another verse in his ode to “passion.” As the phone rings, he stops his pacing to peer intently through sheer lace curtains at the lighted scene within. Angelus watches the Slayer answer, watches her face fall, watches her sink to the floor in a grief-stricken crouch. He watches Willow take the phone, listen, and burst into such wild sobs that Joyce rushes into the room to hold her. Smiling with profound pleasure, Angelus turns and slips back into the night. Having missed Giles at the police station, Cordelia and Xander drive to Buffy’s house, where Buffy and Willow wait outside for them. Worried, the four of them drive to Giles’ apartment to try to make contact. Meanwhile, Giles has gone back to his apartment to arm for battle, but before the others can get there, he is out and away, leaving behind Angel’s charcoal sketch of Jenny, eyes open, asleep forever. Piecing together evidence of Angel’s set-up and Giles’ intent, the four friends argue about what to do. Xander strongly endorses Giles’ plan to follow Angel to the factory, but Buffy knows seeking revenge will only get Giles killed.

At the factory, Spike—knowing the “incredibly brassed off” Slayer will soon hunt them down—is furious with a strangely subdued Angelus. Reminding Spike that Jenny was trying to restore Angel’s soul, Dru tries to defend Angel’s actions, but Spike claims he actually prefers the old “Buffy-whipped Angelus.” Just as Angelus finishes sneering, “Don’t worry, Roller Boy. I’ve got everything under control,” there’s an explosive crash and the long dining table erupts in flame. The three vamps instantly recoil and move to escape the roaring fire. At the foot of the catwalk stairs, Angelus suddenly jerks in surprise and tears a crossbow bolt from his shoulder. Tossing his now empty crossbow aside, Giles stalks the length of the room, lights a heavy torch as he passes the flaming table and, while Spike and Dru look on, uses it to deliver several stunning blows before the vampire can recover his balance. When Giles raises the torch for a savage overhand chop, however, Angelus grabs him by the throat and lifts him clear of the floor. At that moment, Buffy enters the fray. Her first rush breaks Giles free of Angel’s grasp and sends the vampire crashing backwards. Dru and Spike make a strategic exit. Chasing a battered Angelus up onto the catwalk, the Slayer thrashes him nearly to pieces, until he begins to cackle and asks if she’s just going to let her “old man” burn. Buffy looks down in horror at the unconscious Giles, now completely surrounded by flames. As Angelus boosts her over the rail and makes his own escape, Buffy jumps down, brings her Watcher to, and half-carries him from the building. Together, they stumble into the dark and Giles shouts in grief-stricken fury, “Why did you come here? This wasn’t your fight.” The Slayer hauls back and punches him full in the face, shouting back “Are you trying to get yourself killed?” Then Buffy follows him down to kneel on the ground and hold him in her arms, and Giles sobs as if his heart would break. “You can’t leave me,” she whispers to him. “I can’t do this alone.”

Later that night, as Angel’s hypnotic voice imparts the epilogue of his “passion” drama, Giles comes home to a very normal-seeming, brightly lit apartment building. Reaching his front door, however, instead of a rose he finds yellow crime scene tape. Now silent and dark, his apartment only seems emptier. As the scene changes to a daytime view of grass, shrubs, a small leaf-strewn pond, Angel’s narration comes to an end with Giles and Buffy standing beside a new grave. Its simple headstone reads “Jennifer Calendar” in elegant brass letters. Laying down a sheaf of flowers, Giles murmurs a few simple words and Buffy’s eyes fill with tears. She apologizes aloud for not being able to kill Angelus when she had the chance. A moment later, we hear her quiet voice say, “I wasn’t ready.” The scene changes again, and as Willow comes to stand in front of Jenny’s desk, Buffy’s voice says, “But I think I finally am.” Holding an armload of books and printout, Willow gravely announces that, in Ms Calendar’s absence, she has been temporarily assigned to teach the class. As Willow moves around behind Jenny’s desk, we again hear Buffy’s quiet voice. “I can’t hold onto the past anymore,” she explains. “Angel is gone. Nothing’s ever going to bring him back.” As Willow sets her books on the desk, the backup disk Jenny created slides inconspicuously from a stack of papers and, with a nearly inaudible click, falls into the narrow darkness between desk and filing cabinet.

From: Wikipedia

BUFFY- (+5)

• +1/ Telling Joyce a very edited version of the situation with Angel-
  Buffy: Do you remember that guy Angel?
  Joyce: Angel, the, um… (thinks) the college boy who was tutoring you in history?
  Buffy: Right. Uh, he… I-I… (looks down and whispers) Oh, God. Um… (looks back up) We’re sort of dating, *were* dating, um, going through a serious off-again phase right now.
  Joyce: (smiles) Don’t tell me. He’s changed. He’s not the same guy you fell for?
  Buffy: (smiles nervously) In a nutshell. (loses the smile) A-anyway, um… since he changed, he’s been kinda following me around. He’s having trouble letting go.
  Joyce: (concerned) Buffy, has he done anything…
  Buffy: No! No, it’s not like that. He’s just been hanging around… a lot. Just sending me notes, that kind of thing. (gets a concerned look from Joyce) I just don’t wanna see him right now. I mean, if he shows up, I’ll talk to him. Just… don’t invite him in.
• +1/ Buffy and Willow hiding out in Buffy’s room with stakes and crosses (see Willow point 2)
• +1/ Discussing Giles with Jenny, you can tell she’s still hurt by what Jenny did but is big enough to overlook it for Giles.
• +1/ Her big fire fight with Angelus, she would have had him to if not for some smart thinking by the crafty vampire.
• +1/ Consoling Giles after the battle with Angelus, first by punching him then by hugging him, it’s very touching.

XANDER- (+1) N

• +1/ Going off at Jonathan and another student for trying to use the library-
  Xander: Excuse me, but have you ever heard of knocking?
  Jonathon: (gestures to the library before him) We’re supposed to get some books. On Stalin. (nods)
  Xander: (points at Jonathon) Does this look like a Barnes & Noble?
  Giles: This is a school library, Xander.
  Xander: Since when?

WILLOW- (+6)

• +3/ Being all excited by being allowed to teach the computer class before realizing all the responsibility and getting very worried, I love nervous Willow-
  Jenny: Um, I might be a little late tomorrow. Do you think you could cover my class till I show?
  Willow: (smiling brightly) Really? Me? Teach the class? Sure!
  Jenny: Cool.
  Willow: (suddenly worried) Oh, wait. W-what if they don’t recognize my authority? What if they try to convince me that you always let them leave class early? What if there’s a fire drill? What if there’s a fire?
  Jenny: (reassuringly) Willow, you’re gonna be fine. And I’ll try not to be too late, okay?
  Willow: (calmer) Okay. Good. Earlier is good. (smiles) Will I have the power to assign detention? Or make ‘em run laps?
• +1/ Hiding at out at Buffy’s house after Angelus got to her pet fish-
  Willow: Thanks for having me over, Buffy. Especially on a school night and all.
  Buffy: No problem. Hey, sorry about your fish.
  Willow: Oh, it’s okay. We hadn’t really had time to bond yet. Although for the first time I’m glad my parents didn’t let me have a puppy.
  Buffy: (stares into space) It’s so weird… Every time something like this happens, my first instinct is still to run to Angel. I can’t believe it’s the same person. He’s completely different from the guy that I knew. (looks at Willow)
  Willow: Well, sort of, except…
  Buffy: Except what?
  Willow: (looks at Buffy) You’re still the only thing he thinks about.
• +1/ Upset that Jenny turned up for class therefore not allowing Willow to teach.
• +1/ Willow being unsure on whether Giles knew about sex-
  Willow: Well, it went fine until Angel showed up and told Buffy’s mom that he and Buffy had… (nervously) Well, you know, that they had… you know. You do know, right?
  Giles: Oh, yes. Yes. Sorry.
  Willow: (relieved) Oh, good, ’cause I just realized that being a librarian and all, you maybe didn’t know.
  Giles: Oh, thank you. I got it.
  Willow: You would have been proud of her, though. She totally kept her cool. (smiles)
  There is an awkward moment of silence.
  Willow: Okay, well, I’ll tell Buffy you stopped by. (smiles)
  Giles: (looks up the stairs) Would you, um… Perhaps I should intervene on, on Buffy’s behalf w-w-with her mother. Um, maybe… say something?
  Willow: Sure! Like, what would you say?
  Giles: (looks up the stairs again) W… Uh…

GILES- (+8)

• +1/ Pointing out that Xander cheapens his complex concepts.
• +1/ “Uh, since Angel lost his soul, he’s regained his sense of whimsy.”- I love that line.
• +1/ Obviously missing Jenny, but preferring her to make up with Buffy before reconciling with her, thats very loyal of him.
• +1/ Jenny: She said you missed me.
  Giles: Well, uh, she’s… a meddlesome girl.
• +1/ Discussing sex with Willow (see Willow point 4)
• +2/ Going all Ripper on Angelus after Jenny’s death. You never see Giles like that again and it’s friggin awesome.
• +1/ Having to bury his one love-
  “In my years as… Watcher… I’ve buried… too many people. But Jenny was the first I’ve loved.”

CORDELIA- (+3)

• +1/ Worried that Angelus might invade her car-
  Cordelia: (realizes) Oh, God! (looks at Xander) I invited him in my car once. (looks at Giles) That means he can come into my car whenever he wants.
  Xander: Yep, you’re doomed to havin’ (Cordelia looks at him) to give him and his vamp pals a lift whenever they feel like it. And those guys never chip in for gas.
• +1/ Trying to help with Buffy’s Angelus problem, in her own way-
  Giles: So Angel has decided to step up his harassment of you?
  Cordelia: By sneaking in her room and leaving stuff at night? Why doesn’t he just slit her throat or strangle her while she’s sleeping or cut her heart out? (gets looks from everyone) What? I’m trying to help.
• +1/ Offering to ride Buffy around in her car to avoid Angel, that’s pretty nice, isn’t it?

ANGELUS- (+8)

• +2/ His opening Passion narration overlaid by his unseen torture of Buffy, it’s incredibly creepy to see him lay a finger on her cheek as she sleeps.
• +1/ Showing his artistic skills.
• +1/ Tormenting Joyce outside the Summers house-
  Angelus: You don’t understand, Joyce. I’ll die without Buffy. She’ll die without me.
  Joyce: Are you threatening her?
  Angelus: Please… Why is she doing this to me?
  Joyce: I’m calling the police now.
  Angelus: I haven’t been able to sleep since the night we made love.
• +1/ His computer room scene with Jenny before he kills her-
  Angelus: I never cease to be amazed how much the world has changed in just two and a half centuries. It’s a miracle to me. You, you put the secrets to restoring my soul in here…
  He shoves the computer off her of desk and onto the floor. It breaks, and the monitor shatters and sparks and starts to burn. Angelus tears the printout from the printer.
  Angelus: It comes out here. (looks at the paper) ‘The Ritual of Restoration.’ Wow. This, this brings back memories.
  He starts to tear the printout in half.
  Jenny: Wait. That’s your…
  Angelus: Oh, my cure? (finishes tearing) No, thanks. Been there, done that, and deja vu just isn’t what it used to be. (sees the fire) My… Isn’t this my lucky day. The computer… (holds the paper over the flames) and the pages. (warms his hands) Looks like I get to kill two birds with one stone.
  He crouches over the fire to warm himself more. Jenny starts toward the back door. Angelus looks back up at her sporting his vamp face.
  Angelus: And teacher makes three.
• +3/ Making up Giles’ apartment for the maximum effect after Jenny’s death. One of my favourite scenes in the Buffyverse, it’s so utterly creepy.

SPIKE- (+3)

• +1/ Spike not wanting to be fed like a child (see Drusilla point 1)
• +1/ Yelling at Angelus for killing Jenny-
  Spike: Are you insane?! We’re supposed to kill the bitch, not leave gag gifts in the friends’ beds.
  Drusilla: But, Spike, the bad teacher was going to restore Angel’s soul.
  Spike: What if she did? If you ask me, I find myself preferring the old Buffy-whipped Angelus. This new, improved one is not playing with a full sack. (gets a look from Angelus) I love a good slaughter as much as the next bloke, but his little pranks will only leave us with one incredibly brassed-off Slayer!
• +1/ Preventing Dru from getting into the big Angelus-Giles fight-
  “Uh-uh. No fair going into the ring unless he tags you first.”

DRUSILLA- (+5)

• +3/ Trying to feed a puppy to Spike-
  “I brought something for you. (brings out the whining puppy) Poor thing. She’s an orphan. Her owner died… (smiles at him) without a fight. Do you like her? (he looks at her) Hmm? (reaches her hand into his jacket and rubs his chest) I brought her especially for you… (pulls at his jacket) to cheer you up. (raises the puppy) And I’ve named her… (sweetly) Sunshine! (offers the puppy to Spike) Open wide. (he looks away) Come on, love. You need to eat something to keep your strength up. Now, (waves the puppy around) rrrrr, open up for mummy.“
• +1/ I like it when Dru gets a vision.
• +1/ Intimidating the magic shop owner, she even brings Sunshine the puppy-
  “Miss Sunshine here tells me you had a visit today. (stares up) But she worries. (looks at the shopkeeper) She wants to know what you and the mean teacher talked about.”

JOYCE- (+2)

• +2/ Giving Buffy the big talk-
  Joyce: Was he the first? (opens her eyes) No, wait. I don’t wanna know. I don’t think I want to.
  Buffy: Yeah. He was the first. I mean, the only.
  Joyce: He’s older than you.
  Buffy: I know.
  Joyce: Too old, Buffy. And he’s obviously not very stable. I really wish… I just thought you would show more judgment.
  Buffy: (looks at her mother) He wasn’t like this before.
  Joyce: Are you in love with him?
  Buffy: I was.
  Joyce: Were you careful?
  Buffy: (looks away) Mom, this is no time…
  Joyce: Don’t ‘Mom’ me, Buffy. You don’t get to get out of this. You had sex with a boy you *didn’t* even see fit to tell me you were dating.
  Buffy: (nods) I made a mistake.
  Joyce: Yeah, well, don’t just say that to shut me up, because I think you really did.
  Buffy: I know that! (looks up at her) I-I can’t tell you everything.
  Joyce: How about anything? Buffy, you can shut me out of your life, I am pretty much used to that. But don’t expect me to ever stop caring about you, because it’s never gonna happen. I love you more than anything in the world. (sits next to Buffy on the bed) That would be your cue to, uh, roll your eyes and tell me I’m grossing you out.
  Buffy: You’re not.
  Joyce: (inhales) Oh, well… (exhales) I guess that was the talk.
  Buffy: So how’d it go?
  They look at each other.
  Joyce: I don’t know. It was my first.

MS. CALENDAR- (+2)

• +1/ Actually figuring out how to restore Angel’s soul again, good work.
• +1/ Discussing Giles with Buffy, their first civil conversation since Angel’s transformation.

SEASON COUNT-

WILLOW- +72
XANDER- +70
BUFFY- +56
GILES- +48
CORDELIA- +37
OZ- +30
DRUSILLA- +28
ANGEL- +27
SPIKE- +23
ANGELUS- +15
JOYCE- +12
MS.CALENDAR- +6
JONATHAN- +1
AMY- +1
LARRY- 0
KENDRA- 0
WILLY- 0
ETHAN RAYNE- -1
ANNE- -1
HARMONY- -2
PRINCIPAL SNYDER- -9

OVERALL COUNT-

BUFFY- +136
XANDER- +114
WILLOW- +114
GILES- +84
CORDELIA- +56
ANGEL- +46
OZ- +30
DRUSILLA- +28
SPIKE- +23
ANGELUS- +15
JOYCE- +15
MS. CALENDAR- +13
AMY- +3
JONATHAN- +1
LARRY- 0
KENDRA- 0
WILLY- 0
ETHAN RAYNE- -1
HARMONY- -1
ANNE- -1
PRINCIPAL SNYDER- -5

EPISODE THOUGHTS-
My favourite episode of all Buffyverse episodes. I knew I was a huge Buffy fan after watching this show.  This is the first of very few episodes that I would consider perfect or nearas you can be to perfect. The episode is full of memorable scenes and moments for each character. Giles and Angelus are the standouts. Angelus is the most pivotal because this is the first time we actually see how dangerous he is. His ability to destroy you physically is only outdone by his ability to defeat you mentally, it’s a very powerful thing to place on a major villain which is why he is the best villain in the Buffyverse. David Boreanaz’s acting is brilliant throughout the episode, not to mention everyother cast member who do a brilliant job also. Giles is given a huge plot point throughout the episode as he has to deal with the death of his one love. It’s an incredibly potent moment when he comes home expecting a night of romance with Jenny only to find her dead body on his bed. The rest of the cast are all very solid. Buffy has to deal with the torment of Angelus as well as the outing of her sexual experience with Angel to Joyce. Willow, Drusilla & Cordelia provide some light-hearted comedy for such a tragic episode which allows for some balance. Overall, this episode is, for me, near on perfect and I could watch it constantly for ages.

100/100

B216- Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered

Written by: Marti Noxon
Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Anthony Stewart Head, David Boreanaz, Charisma Carpenter, Seth Green, Kristine Sutherland, Robia LaMorte, Elizabeth Anne Allen, Mercedes McNab, James Marsters, Juliet Landau & Jason Hall.

On her night patrol through a cemetery, Xander shows Buffy the silver necklace he intends to give Cordelia for Valentine’s Day. Buffy teases him for his girl while reassuring him of the gift. Xander is under no illusions as he is convinced that dating Cordelia is more perilous than slaying.

On Valentine’s Day, Harmony and her followers insult Cordelia for going out with Xander. Xander notices that Amy Madison avoided homework by hypnotizing the teacher. He offers to speak to her as Buffy and Willow remember Amy’s “amateur psycho” mother. Giles appears and asks to speak with Buffy when Jenny Calendar sees him and tries to make up. Giles decides that Buffy is more important; they leave for the library.

There, he warns Buffy of Angelus’s vicious history around St. Valentine’s Day. Giles decides Buffy does not need to know the details and offers to patrol on her behalf. At the same time, Spike shows Drusilla a necklace that is immediately topped by Angelus’ gift: a fresh heart that he found in a “quaint little shop girl”.

Whiling that night away alongside her mom, Buffy receives an ominous note from Angelus. Meanwhile, Willow confesses to being a groupie of Oz and his band. Cordelia is again ignored by her clique when Xander approaches. After sadly praising him first for his clothes, then for the necklace, she breaks up with him. Xander is outraged at her timing.

Xander is humiliated the next morning when everyone at Sunnydale High is laughing at the way he was dumped and Buffy is too focused on Angelus to offer him any support. He spots Amy and blackmails her into casting a love spell so he can break up with a lovelorn Cordelia and “put her through the same hell.” Amy agrees to do the spell, but needs a personal item of Cordelia’s for it. In the library, Buffy convinces Giles to tell her of Angelus’ atrocities.

Xander goes up to Cordelia demanding the necklace back, and she pretends to get it out of the locker pretending she doesn’t like it, but doesn’t let him know that she is still wearing it. That night Xander and Amy perform the spell.

The next morning, Xander talks to Cordelia attempting to find out the effect of the spell but finds her unaffected. Xander enters the library as Giles is still giving Buffy information on Angelus. Xander is despondent and this time Buffy consoles him on what happened with Cordelia, and suggests that they get together to “comfort each other”. Xander literally cannot believe his luck, especially when Buffy hints she might even give him a lapdance. The two then nearly kiss when interrupted by Amy, who wants to discuss the ‘failure’ of the spell. Xander tries to tell her that he’s no longer interested, but Amy tells him they can just hang out… and Xander realizes that Amy and Buffy are both acting the same way towards him. Then a Harmony groupie wants to study with him at night. He runs home only to find Willow hiding under his sheets, a surprise for which he gives high marks. She offers him her virginity and he flees.

The next day, Sunnydale High girls are pleased to see Xander in the hallways; the boys, less so. Xander confesses to Giles, who is appalled at his foolishness. Jenny enters the library intent on conversing with Giles, but soon finds herself distracted by Xander’s presence. When the Watcher looks for Amy to reverse the spell, he has to drag a moaning Ms. Calendar away. Xander blockades the door, only to find Buffy, only wearing a trench-coat (theoretically), willing to give him more than a heart attack. When he refuses to undress her because she is under the influence, she becomes enraged, thinking he is toying with her. Amy walks in seeking Xander too, so Buffy punches her hard in the face. Amy turns Buffy into a rat, sending her scurrying behind bookcases. Buffy-rat hurries out of the library when a confused Oz punches Xander for making Willow cry on the phone all night. Giles sends Xander home.

On his way out, Xander sees Harmony and other girls attacking Cordelia. He takes her outside only to find an axe-wielding Willow leading other Sunnydale females. Xander and Cordelia flee to Buffy’s house, only to find Joyce pawing over him. Angelus then appears in Buffy’s window and drags Xander out. Drusilla saves Xander from becoming Angelus’ substitute present for Buffy and offers him immortality. She is distracted by Willow and her gang, and Cordelia pulls Xander back in the house. The mob break into the house with knives and sticks (except for Drusilla who cannot enter, lacking an invitation). Cornered in the basement, Xander reveals to Cordelia that he meant the spell for her (leaving out that he meant it for revenge). She is touched.

Meanwhile, Giles had convinced Amy to reverse her spells, though they have to do without Jenny’s help. Thankfully, Buffy-rat did not eat the cheese on a mousetrap in the school basement, but Buffy does find herself with a “slight case of nudity.” And just as they are about to kill the young couple, the spell is lifted from the obsessed women in the Summers basement. Thinking quickly, Cordy commends their scavenger hunt.

The next morning, all has returned to normal, but Willow still refuses to talk to Xander due to her already loving him prior to the spell. Buffy is impressed by Xander’s reaction to her seduction. And after Harmony insults Xander again, Cordelia finally faces up to her friends and walks away locked in arms with Xander.

From: Wikipedia

EPISODE COUNT-

BUFFY- (+2)

• +1/ Offering to give Xander a lapdance due to the love spell-
  Buffy: You know what I’d like? Why don’t you and I do something together tonight? Just the two of us.
  Xander: (does a double take) Really?
  Buffy: Yeah. We can comfort each other.
  Xander: Well, would lap dancing enter into that scenario at all? ‘Cause I find that very comforting. (grins)
  She stands up, stares into his eyes and takes a step closer to him.
  Buffy: (smiles) Play your cards right…
  Xander: Okay, uh… You do know that I’m Xander, right?
  Buffy: I don’t know, I just… heard that you and Cordy broke up, and I guess I was just surprised how glad I was. (plays with his shirt) It’s funny… (leans into him) how you can see someone every day but not really see them. You know?
  Xander: (smiles and chuckles nervously) Yeah, it’s funny. And it’s just gettin’ funnier.
• +1/ Trying to seduce Xander wearing only a raincoat.

XANDER- (+12)

• +1/ Actually getting dressed up for Cordelia.
• -1/ “I let Buffy dress me.” – cold he say a worse thing.
• +1/ Giving Cordelia a necklace for Valentine’s Day.
• +1/ You gotta feel sorry for him after Cordy dumps him, on Valentine’s Day no less.
• +3/ His scene with Willow in his bedroom, pure hilarity-
  Willow: Don’t be so jumpy. I’ve been in your bed before.
  Xander: Yeah, but Will, we were both in footy pajamas.
  Willow: Xand, I’ve been thinking.
  Xander: Will, I, I think I know what you’ve been thinking. But this is all my fault. I cast a spell, and it sort of backfired.
  Willow: How long have we been friends?
  Xander: (very nervous) A long, long time. Too long to do anything that might change that now.
  Willow: (moves to the edge of the bed) Well, friendships change all the time. People grow apart. They grow closer. (smiles up at him)
  Xander: Uh, this is good! How close we are now. I feel very comfortable with this amount of closeness. In fact, (points behind himself) I can even back up a few paces and still be happy. (steps back) See? (smiles, still nervous)
  She gets up from the bed and approaches him. His shirt is the only thing she’s wearing.
  Willow: I want you, Xander… (smiles) to be my first!
  Xander: (extremely nervous) Baseman. Please tell me we’re talking baseball.
  He starts to back up when she reaches him. She puts her hands up against his chest.
  Willow: Shhh.
  He backs into the door. She rubs her hands up and down his chest.
  Willow: We both know it’s right. (leans into him for a kiss)
  Xander: (backs his head away) It’s not that I don’t find you sexy.
  Willow: (leans away to look at him) Is it Oz? (shakes her head) Don’t worry about him. He’s sweet, but… he’s not you. (rubs his chest more)
  Xander: Yes, he is. And you should go to him. ‘Cause he’s me. (grins)
  She leans up to the side of his face and starts to suck on his earlobe. Xander is sweating bullets now, having no idea how to handle this.
  Xander: I-I don’t wanna use force.
  She lets go of his ear and leans back to face him again with a wide smile on her face.
  Willow: Mm. Force is okay!
  She tries for his ear again, but he takes her by the arms and pushes her away. She stares at him in confusion.
  Xander: Th-that’s it! This has gotta stop. It’s time for me to act like a man. (opens the door behind him) And hide. (rushes out)
• +2/ His face during the hallway scene at school, possibly the funniest face he ever makes.
• +2/ Showing self-control in front of Buffy-
  Buffy: Alone at last.
  Xander: (stares open-mouthed) Buff, give me a heart attack!
  Buffy: Oh, (starts a sexy walk toward him) I’m gonna give you more than that. (grabs her raincoat belt to untie it)
  Xander: (backs away, gesturing with his hands) Buff, for the love of God, don’t open that raincoat.
  Buffy: Come on! It’s a party! Aren’t you gonna open your present? (undoes a button)
  Xander: (keeps backing toward the stairs nervously) It’s not that I don’t want to. Sometimes the remote impossible possibility that you might like me was all that sustained me. But not now. (trips and falls backward onto the stairs) Not like this. This isn’t real to you. (Buffy steps up and puts her leg over him) You’re only here because of a spell. (gets a confused stare from her) I mean, if I thought you had one clue what it would mean to me…But you don’t. So I can’t.
• +1/ Saving Cordelia from the crazy mob of girls.
• +1/ Even under mortal danger, Xander still finds the ability to quip-
  Drusilla: (runs her fingers over Xander’s lips) Your face is a poem. (moans) I can read it.
  Xander: (terrified) Really? It doesn’t say ’spare me’ by any chance?
  Drusilla: Shhh. (kisses him) How do you feel about eternal life?
  Xander: (trembles with fear) We couldn’t just start with a coffee? A movie, maybe?

WILLOW- (+6)

• +1/ Getting excited about her relationship with Oz- “My boyfriend’s in the band!”
• +1/ Once again, getting excited about Oz- “(to Xander, smiling) Oz has his cool hair today. I think I’m a groupie!”
• +3/ Her bedroom scene with Xander (see Xander point 5).
• +1/ Deciding to take an axe to Xander, maybe taking it a little far but that’s how much she loves him.

GILES- (+2)

• +1/ Getting angry at Xander for what he done. And rightly so-
  Giles: I cannot believe that you are fool enough to do something like this!
  Xander: Oh, no, I’m twice the fool it takes to do something like this.
• +1/ Telling off Amy.-
  Amy: (to Jenny) He loves me. We look into each other’s souls.
  Jenny: No one can love two people at once. What *we* have is real.
  Giles: Instead of making me ill, why doesn’t one of you try to help me?
  Amy:You have no idea what I’m going through.
  Giles: (to Amy, sternly) I know it’s not love. It’s obsession. Selfish, banal obsession. (Jenny starts out of the library) Now, Xander has put himself in very great danger. If you cared at all about him, you’d help me save him, rather than wittering on about your feelings.

CORDELIA- (+3)

• -2/ Breaking up with Xander, on Valentines Day of all days. And it’s obvious that she doesn’t want to but just wants to please her ‘friends’.
• +1/ Wearing the necklace Xander gave her after their break, showing that she did care for him.
• +1/ Managing to guess what Xander had done to make the females crazy-
  Joyce is kissing the back of Xander’s neck.
  Cordelia: What are you doing? Make me yak!
  Joyce: (defensive) Cordelia, go back upstairs. This is between us.
  Cordelia: Gross! I think not.
  She grabs Joyce by the arm and pushes her back toward the door and opens it.
  Joyce: What are you doing? Hey! Get your hands off me!
  Cordelia pushes her out of the door, slams it shut and locks it.
  Cordelia: And keep your mom-aged mitts off my boyfriend. Former! (to Xander) Why has everyone gone insane?
  Xander: Insane? Is it so impossible for you to believe that other women find me attractive?
  Cordelia: The only way you could get girls to want you would be witchcraft.
  Xander: That is such a… (concedes) Well, yeah, okay, good point.
• +1/ Being slightly touched by Xander making the spell for her-
  Cordelia: If we die in here I’m gonna kick your ass! I mean it!
  Xander: (looks back at her) None of this would’ve happened if you hadn’t broken up with me. But no, you’re so desperate to be popular!
  Cordelia: Me? I’m not the one who embraced the black arts just to get the girls to like me. Well, congratulations, it worked!
  Xander: (looks at her) Would’ve worked fine, except your hide’s so thick, not even magic can penetrate it!
  Cordelia: You mean the spell was for me?
• +2/ Going off at Harmony and deciding to get back together with Xander-
  Cordelia: Harmony, shut up. Do you know what you are, Harmony? You’re a sheep.
  Harmony: I’m not a sheep.
  Cordelia: You’re a sheep. All you ever do is what everyone else does just so you can say you did it first. And here I am, scrambling for your approval, when I’m *way* cooler than you are ’cause I’m *not* a sheep. I do what I wanna do, and I wear what I wanna wear. And you know what? (Xander smiles) I’ll date whoever the hell I wanna date. No matter how lame he is.
  Xander’s smiles fades at that. Cordelia leaves the group and goes over to him. He smiles again. When she reaches him she takes his arm and they start walking together along the colonnade.
  Cordelia: (breathing hard with anxiety) Oh, God! Oh, God!
  Xander: (pats her hand) You’re gonna be okay. Just keep walkin’.
  Cordelia: Oh, God, what have I done? They’re never gonna speak to me again!
  Xander: Oh, sure, they are. If it helps, whenever we’re around them you and I can fight a lot.
  Cordelia: You promise?
  Xander: (takes her hand in his) You can pretty much count on it.

OZ- (+3)

• +2/ Hitting Xander-
  Oz: (still shaking his hand after the punch) That kinda hurt.
  Xander: (rubbing his cheek) Kinda?! What was that for?
  Oz: I was on the phone all night, listening to Willow cry about *you*. Now, I don’t know exactly what happened, but I was left with a very strong urge to… hit you.
• +1/ Helping Buffy out with her nudity problem-
  Buffy: (smiles) Hi, Oz!
  Oz: Hi.
  Buffy: I seem to be having a slight case of nudity here.
  Oz: But you’re not a rat. So call it an upside.

ANGELUS- (+1)

• +1/ Getting Drusilla a human heart for Valentine’s Day….very sweet.

SPIKE- (+1)

• +1/ Getting upset with Angelus’ lack of urgency in killing Buffy-
  Angelus: Dear Buffy. I’m still trying to decide the best way to send my regards.
  Spike: Why don’t you rip her lungs out? It might make an impression.
  Angelus: Lacks… poetry.
  Spike: It doesn’t have to. (inhales and thinks) What rhymes with lungs?

DRUSILLA- (+1)

• +1/ Saving Xander from Angelus (see Xander point 9)

AMY- (+1)

• +1/ Managing to turn Buffy into a rat…that’s pretty darn powerful.

HARMONY- (-2)

• -1/ Being incredibly mean to Cordy about her dating Xander.
• -1/ She tries to hurt Cordy for breaking Xander’s heart. That’s not very civil.

SEASON COUNT-

XANDER- +69
WILLOW- +66
BUFFY- +51
GILES- +40
CORDELIA- +34
OZ- +30
ANGEL- +27
DRUSILLA- +23
SPIKE- +20
JOYCE- +10
ANGELUS- +7
MS. CALENDAR- +4
JONATHAN- +1
AMY- +1
LARRY- 0
KENDRA- 0
WILLY- 0
ETHAN RAYNE- -1
ANNE- -1
HARMONY- -2
PRINCIPAL SNYDER- -9

OVERALL COUNT-

BUFFY- +131
XANDER- +113
WILLOW- +108
GILES- +76
CORDELIA- +53
ANGEL- +46
OZ- +30
DRUSILLA- +23
SPIKE- +20
JOYCE- +13
MS. CALENDAR- +11
ANGELUS- +7
AMY- +3
JONATHAN- +1
LARRY- 0
KENDRA- 0
WILLY- 0
ETHAN RAYNE- -1
HARMONY- -1
ANNE- -1
PRINCIPAL SNYDER- -5

EPISODE THOUGHTS-
I’ve always liked this episode. Xander is the focus and does a brilliant comedic job of leading the episode. He has so many fantastic scenes with virtually all the main characters and does a fantastic job in each one of them. Buffy is a rat for a lot of the episode so she isn’t as prominent, she does have some nice scenes where she tries to seduce Xander. Willow is also strong, especially in her seduction scene with Xander. Cordelia is the other main star of the episode and shows a lot of sass in dealing with the crazed female population. Oz is also noticeable as he hits Xander and helps to find the Buffy-rat. The plot is a very sharp and witty one for this type of episode, it’s full of hilarious scenes and very fast paced. One of the standouts from this season.

88/100

B215- Phases

Written by: Rob Des Hotel & Dean Batali
Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Anthony Stewart Head, David Boreanaz, Charisma Carpenter, Seth Green & Larry Bagby.

“Phases” begins with Willow’s increasing frustration that Oz shows no sign of wanting to get serious — not to mention physical — with her. Cordelia is frustrated with Xander because he keeps talking about Willow, even while making out in Sunnydale’s lover’s lane under a beautiful full moon. They are attacked by a werewolf that rips a hole in the car’s roof. Giles points out that there have been quite a number of other attacks, though so far only animals have been killed. During high school gym class, we learn that at least two students have been bitten lately: Oz by a cousin who doesn’t like to be tickled, and school macho Larry by a dog.

After some research, Giles finds out that a werewolf is a wolf for three nights — the coming night would be the second. Since the werewolf is human the rest of the month, it would be wrong to kill him. This, however, is not what werewolf hunter Cain thinks, whom Buffy and Giles meet while looking for the animal in woods where Xander and Cordelia were making out: Cain is out for his twelfth pelt. Though the two groups do not get along, mainly because Cain is a rampant chauvinist, Giles and Buffy do learn that the werewolf will be attracted to places were teenagers hang out — it is the “sexual heat” that draws it.

Buffy and Giles rush to the Bronze, where Cordelia and Willow are busy complaining to each other about their men when the werewolf crashes the party. Buffy tries to catch it with a chain but fails. Cain joins them and points out that it will be Buffy’s fault if the werewolf kills anybody. A body does turn up the next morning: Theresa, one of the students that Larry was tormenting. Buffy is not the only one to have feelings of guilt. Oz wakes up in the forest, butt naked and confused after changing back from his wolf state before the viewers eyes. Recalling the bite he got, he calls his Aunt Maureen, and bluntly asks if his cousin is a werewolf. The answer is yes.

Xander figures that Larry is the most obvious suspect because of the dog bite, aggressiveness and “excessive back hair”. When he confronts Larry alone in the gym locker room, it turns out that he really is hiding something — his homosexuality. Xander unwittingly helps Larry out of the closet, who is left with the impression that Xander is gay, too. Back in the library, Buffy suggests to Willow that she might have to make the first move if she wants to speed things up with Oz.

Buffy realizes that the reports of Theresa’s body didn’t mention any mauling. She and Xander get to the funeral home in time to watch her rise as a vampire. Theresa passes along greetings from Angelus before Xander stakes her. Buffy is left shaken by this and Xander comforts her, and it looks for a moment the two might kiss before they both regain control.

Cain busies himself casting silver bullets in preparation for the hunt. Willow takes Buffy’s advice and visits Oz right before sundown. Oz is about to chain himself up but lets Willow in the house. Her rant about the mixed signals he is sending is interrupted by him changing into a werewolf. She flees the house screaming, the werewolf in pursuit. Cain hears the wolf’s cry and joins the hunt. The werewolf is distracted by a scent which Cain set as a trap, and Willow escapes and then finds Giles and Buffy, who are about to start the hunt for Oz with a tranquilizer gun. All parties meet in a clearing in the forest, and in the scuffle, it is Willow who shoots Oz, saving everybody. Buffy bends Cain’s gun with her bare hands using Slayer strength, and tells him to leave Sunnydale.

At school the next morning, Larry thanks Xander, and Willow seeks out Oz to talk. She points out that she is not fun to be around three days out of the month either. Oz and Willow share their first kiss, leaving Oz a “werewolf in love”.

From: Wikipedia

EPISODE COUNT-

BUFFY- (+3)

• +1/ Owning Larry at the female defence session. He deserved it too.
• +1/ Talking about males and werewolves-
  Giles: Quite. And it, uh, acts on-on pure instinct. No conscience, uh, uh, predatory and, and aggressive.
  Buffy: In other words, your typical male.
  Xander: On behalf of my gender, hey.
  Giles: Yes, let’s not jump to any conclusions.
  Buffy: I didn’t jump. I took a tiny step, and there conclusions were.
• +1/ Showing her strength in front of Cain when she bends his shotgun proving to him that she can handle anything he could and more.

XANDER- (+4)

• -1/ Not focusing on Cordelia while their making out. He’s too busy thinking about Buffy and Willow. Geez dude, you gotta a very hot girl right there.
• +1/ Cordelia: Do you even wanna be here?
  Xander: I’m not running away.
  Cordelia: Because when you’re not babbling about poor, defenseless Willow, you are *raving* about the all-powerful Buffy.
  Xander: I do not babble. I occasionally run-on, every now and then I yammer…
• -1/ Getting all protective of Willow when Oz puts her tag back in her shirt. Could he be anymore jealous.
• +1/ His werewolf impression.
• +1/ Hitting Buffy just after her and Willow talk about how boys show affection, which is by punching them on the arm. Also, get very defensive about he and Larry’s talk-
  Buffy: So how’d it go with Larry?
  Xander: What’s that supposed to mean?
  Buffy: I think it’s supposed to mean, ’so how’d it go with Larry’?
  Xander: He’s not the werewolf. Can’t we just leave it at that? Must you continue to *push* and *push*?
  Buffy: I’m sorry. I was just wondering.
  Xander: Well, he’s not.
• +1/ Getting an awesome staking on Theresa.
• +1/ Larry thanking Xander for his help, which makes Xander all nervous.

WILLOW- (+12)

• +1/ Talking to Oz about their date, their still a little awkward (see Oz point 1)
• +1/ Getting all frustrated that Oz is going to slow-
  Willow: Nowhere. I mean, he said he was gonna wait until I was ready, but I’m ready. Honest. I’m good to go here.
  Buffy: Well, I think it’s nice that he’s not just being an animal.
  Willow: It is nice. He’s great. We have a lot of fun. But I want smoochies!
  Buffy: Have you dropped any hints?
  Willow: I’ve dropped anvils.
  Buffy: Ah, he’ll come around. What guy could resist your wily Willow charms?
  Willow: At last count, all of them. Maybe more.
  Buffy: Well, none of them know a thing. They all get an ‘F’ in Willow.
  Willow: But I want Oz to get an ‘A’, and, oh, one of those gold stars.
• +3/ Stilll upset with Xander and his dating Cordelia-
  Buffy: But I would do a lot better if you and Xander and I could do that ’sharing our misery’ thing tonight.
  Willow: Great. I’ll give Xander a call. What’s his number? Oh, yeah, 1-800-I’m-Dating-A-Skanky-Ho. (rolls her eyes)
  Buffy: (surprised) Meow!
  Willow: (smiles) Really? Thanks. I’ve never gotten a ‘meow’ before.
  Buffy: Well-deserved.
  Willow: Darn tootin’. I’m just saying Xander and Cordelia? I mean, what does he see in her anyway?
• +1/ Upset that a werewolf might have eaten some bunnies, Oz comforts her though (see Oz point 3)
• +1/ Discussing guys with Cordelia-
  Cordelia: I mean, with Xander it’s always, ‘Buffy did this’, ‘Willow said that’. Buffy, Buffy. Willow, Willow. It’s like I don’t even exist.
  Willow: I sometimes feel like that.
  Cordelia: And then when I call him on it, he acts all confused, like I’m the one with the problem.
  Willow: (nods) His ‘do I smell something?’ look.
  Cordelia: All a part of his little guy games. It’s like he’s there, but then he’s not there, and he wants it, but then he doesn’t want it.
  Willow: He’s so busy looking around at everything he doesn’t have, he doesn’t even realize what he *does* have.
  Cordelia: Well, he should at least realize that you have Oz.
  Willow: (frowns and raises an eyebrow) Mm, I’m not sure I do. (confused) Oz and I are in some sort of holding pattern, except without the holding or… anything else.
  Cordelia: What’s he waiting for? What’s his problem? (rolls her eyes) Oh, that’s right, he’s a guy.
  Willow: (disgusted) Yeah, him and Xander. Guys.
  Cordelia: Who do they think they are?
  Willow: A couple of guys.
• +1/ Confronting Oz about his sheepishness-
  Willow: I had this whole thing worked out. And I had it written down, uh, but then it didn’t make any sense (turns to face him) when I was reading it back.
  Oz: Willow, this is not a very good time.
  Willow: I mean, what am I supposed to think? First, you buy me popcorn (paces away) and then you’re all glad that I didn’t get bit. (paces back) (softly) And you put the tag back in my shirt. (harshly) But I guess none of that means anything because instead of looking up names with me, here you are all alone in your house doing nothing by yourself.
  Oz: Willow, we’ll talk about this tomorrow. I promise.
  Willow: No, damn it! We’ll talk about this now! Buffy told me that sometimes what a girl makes has to be the first move and now that I’m saying this, I’m starting to think that the written version sounded pretty good, but you know what I mean.
  Oz: I know, I know, it’s me. I’m, I’m goin’ through some… changes.
  Willow: Well, welcome to the world! Things happen. Don’t you think I’m going through a lot?
  Oz: Not like me.
  Willow: Oh, what, so now you’re special? (paces away into the dining room) You’re special boy… (sees the shackles) With chains and stuff. Why do you have chains and stuff?
• +1/ Shooting Oz-wolf with a tranquilizer to stop him from hurting anyone.
• +3/ Deciding to continue their relationship-
  Willow: I’m sorry about how all this ended up. With me shooting you and all.
  Oz: It’s okay. I’m, I’m sorry I almost ate you.
  Willow: It’s okay. I kind of thought you would have told me.
  Oz: I didn’t know what to say. I mean, it’s not everyday you find out you’re a werewolf. That’s fairly freaksome. It may take a couple days getting used to.
  Willow: Yeah. It’s a complication.
  Oz: So…Maybe it’d be best if I just… sorta…
  Willow: What?
  Oz: Well, you know, like, stayed out of your way for awhile.
  Willow: I don’t know. I’m kind of okay with you being *in* my way.
  Oz: You mean, you’d still…
  Willow: Well, I like you. You’re nice and you’re funny. And you don’t smoke. Yeah, okay, werewolf, but that’s not all the time. I mean, three days out of the month I’m not much fun to be around either.
  Oz: You are quite the human.
  Willow: (smiles) So, I’d still if you’d still.
  Oz: I’d still. I’d *very* still.
  Willow: (smiles widely) Okay. (more seriously) No biting, though.
  Oz: Agreed.

GILES- (+3)

• +1/ Getting excited about researching werewolves-
  Buffy: Looks like Giles has some schooling to do.
  Giles: Yes, I must admit I, I am intrigued. Werewolves, it’s… it’s one of the classics. I, I’m sure my books and I are in for a fascinating afternoon. (leaves)
  Buffy and Cordelia watch him go. Xander smirks at Giles’ typical behavior.
  Buffy: He needs to get a pet.
• +1/ Laughing at Xander’s moonpie joke, how very un-Giles-like.
• +1/ Defending Buffy from Cain. He also says ‘Pillock’, my favourite British insult.

CORDELIA- (+2)

• +1/ While making out with Xander- “Excuse me? We didn’t come here to talk about Willow. We came here to do things I can never tell my father about because he still thinks I’m a… good girl.”
• +1/ Discussing Guys with Willow (see Willow point 5).

ANGELUS- (+1)

• +1/ Meeting with Theresa, it’s actually a very chilling scene.

OZ- (+7)

• +1/ Talking to Willow about his date with her-
  Willow: So did you like the movie last night?
  Oz: I don’t know. T-today’s movies are kind of like popcorn. You know, you forget about them as soon as they’re done. I do remember I liked the popcorn, though.
  Willow: (smiles) Yeah, it was good. And I had a really fun time with the rest. (gets a confused look from Oz) I mean, the part with you.
  Oz: Oh, that’s great. Uh, my time was also of the good.
  Willow: Mine, too. (awkwardness sets in) Well, then…
  Oz raises his eyebrows expectantly. Willow looks past him and sees Buffy down the hall.
  Willow: Oh, there. (points) I have my friend. So I will go to her. (goes)
  Oz: I’ll see you then. Uh, later. (smiles)
• +1/ Reacting to Larry’s inquiry into his relationship with Willow-
  Larry: So, Oz, man, what’s up with that? Dating a junior? Uh, let me guess. That little innocent schoolgirl thing is just, uh, just an act, right?
  Oz: Yeah. Yeah, she’s actually an evil mastermind. It’s fun.
• +1/ Comforting Willow about bunnie’s capabilities-
  Giles: Well, it seems there were a, a number of other attacks by a wild dog around town. Several animal carcasses were found mutilated.
  Willow: You mean, like bunnies and stuff? (upset) No, don’t tell me. (looks at Oz)
  Oz: (reassuringly) Oh, don’t worry. I mean, they might not look it, but bunnies can really take care of themselves.
  Willow: (calmer and smiling) Yeah.
  Oz: Yeah.
• +1/ His reaction to finding himself naked in the woods- “Huh”
• +1/ Upset he may have hurt people in his werewolf form.
• +2/ Deciding to keep dating Willow (see Willow point 8).

LARRY- (0)

• -1/ Grilling Oz about his relationship with Willow, and being pretty crude about it.
• +1/ Coming out to Xander-
  Xander: I know your secret, big guy. I know what you’ve been doing at night.
  Larry: You know, Harris, that nosey little nose of yours is going to get you into trouble someday… (grabs Xander by the shirt) Like today.
  Xander: Hurting me isn’t gonna make this go away. People are still gonna find out.
  Larry: (lets go) Alright. What do you want? Hush money? Is that what you’re after?
  Xander: I don’t *want* anything! I just wanna help!
  Larry: What, you think you have a cure?
  Xander: No, it’s just… I know what you’re going through because I’ve been there. That’s why I know you should talk about it.
  Larry: Yeah, that’s easy for *you* to say. I mean, you’re nobody. I’ve got a reputation here.
  Xander: Larry, please, before someone else gets hurt.
  Larry: Look, if this gets out, it’s over for me. I mean, forget about playing football. They’ll run me outta this town. I mean, come on! How are people going to look at me after they find out I’m gay.
  Xander looks at him in astonishment. Larry looks like a heavy burden has just been lifted and smiles.
  Larry: Oh, wow. I said it. And it felt… okay. (whispers) I’m gay. (approaches Xander) I am gay.
  Xander: I heard you the first time.
  Larry: I can’t believe it. It was almost easy. I never felt I could tell anyone. (gestures to Xander) And then you, you of all people, you bring it outta me.
  Xander: It probably would have slipped out even if I wasn’t here.
  Larry: No, no, because knowing you went through the same thing, made it easier for me to admit it.
  Xander: (wide-eyed) The same thing…
  Larry: (puts his arm around Xander) It’s ironic. I mean, all those times I beat the crap out of you, it musta been because I recognized something in you that I didn’t want to believe about myself.
  Xander: (laughs nervously) Larry, no, I am not…
  Larry: Of course, of course not. Don’t worry. (pats Xander on the shoulder) I wouldn’t do that to you. Your secret’s safe with me.

SEASON COUNT-

WILLOW- +60
XANDER- +57
BUFFY- +49
GILES- +38
CORDELIA- +31
ANGEL- +27
OZ- +27
DRUSILLA- +22
SPIKE- +19
JOYCE- +10
ANGELUS- +6
MS. CALENDAR- +4
JONATHAN- +1
LARRY- 0
KENDRA- 0
WILLY- 0
ETHAN RAYNE- -1
ANNE- -1
PRINCIPAL SNYDER- -9

OVERALL COUNT-

BUFFY- +129
WILLOW- +102  (Tied second to the century mark in 27 episodes)
XANDER- +101 (Tied second to the century mark in 27 episodes)
GILES- +74
CORDELIA- +50
ANGEL- +46
OZ- +27
DRUSILLA- +22
SPIKE- +19
JOYCE- +13
MS. CALENDAR- +11
ANGELUS- +6
JONATHAN- +1
LARRY- 0
KENDRA- 0
WILLY- 0
ETHAN RAYNE- -1
ANNE- -1
PRINCIPAL SNYDER- -5

EPISODE THOUGHTS-
A good episode that focuses on two of my favourite characters, Willow and Oz. Willow has a standout episode as she deals with her relationship with Oz. She’s constantly funny and even displays some real fear for her relationship with Oz. Oz also has a very strong episode as he finds out that he gets a little hairy every month. His reaction to this revelation is incredibly funny and classic Oz. Buffy and Xander each provide some solid support. Buffy as the solid best friend to Willow while hunting werewolves, Xander as the jealous best friend who manages to get Larry to out himself. A very solid episode with a strong plot and an interesting one-off character in Cain the werewolf hunter.

85.5/100

B214- Innocence

Written by: Joss Whedon
Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Anthony Stewart Head, David Boreanaz, Charisma Carpenter, Seth Green, Kristine Sutherland, Robia LaMorte, James Marsters & Juliet Landau.

After making love with Buffy earlier that night, Angel escapes into the alley with a piercing pain in his heart, clearly in despair to realize he is losing his soul. When a kind street walker tries to help him a few minutes later, he immediately, and gleefully, kills her. When he shows up at the factory, Spike is surprised and Drusilla is pleased that the Judge cannot burn him—Angel has truly reverted to the evil Angelus. The three are clearly pleased to be together again – grinning and gleeful, Angelus kisses Spike on the forehead in the only friendly moment we see between them this season, while Dru claps.

While researching a way to defeat the Judge, a demon whom “no weapon forged” can harm, Xander and Cordelia get caught kissing in the library by a crushed and furious Willow. Angel terrorizes Buffy and the Gang at school, emotionally shattering Buffy. Buffy has another dream and confronts Jenny, who admits she is a member of the Gypsy clan that cursed Angelus so long ago. When Buffy, Jenny, and Giles arrive at one of the clan member’s homes for advice, they find that Angel has brutally murdered him, forcing Buffy to realize that she has to kill Angel.

Xander hatches a plan using memories from being a soldier on Halloween, pretending that he is a corporal in the army and he is sneaking around with Cordelia. Oz declines to “make out” with Willow at her request, given that’s it’s obvious she only wants to kiss to make Xander jealous. Willow’s respect and feelings for Oz grow. The four return to the library with their “present” for Buffy. Jenny offers to help in the confrontation with the judge, but Buffy refuses to accept her offer.

Tracking down the Judge at the crowded mall, Buffy and her team blow him to bits with her new “present” — a rocket launcher, while Angelus and Drusilla narrowly escape the blast. The Slayer stalks Angelus through the fleeing crowd and, when he ambushes her in a snack shop, they battle ferociously under the drenching fire-control sprinklers. Reaching a stand-off, neither of them is quite ready to kill the other although Buffy does settle for kicking Angelus between the legs. Giles drives Buffy home and she feels awful for putting her friends in serious danger from Angelus. Giles assures her that, although she did act irresponsibly, it is obvious that she and Angel loved each other and that she hasn’t lost his trust and respect in her. Later, Buffy and Joyce sit down to watch a movie. Joyce asks Buffy what she got for her birthday, and Buffy simply answers that she got older.

From: Wikipedia

BUFFY- (+3)

• +1/ Figuring out about Ms. Calendar and confronting her about her involvement with Angel. You can really see the determination on her face.
• +2/ Her first big fight with Angelus. It’s pretty awesome and full of vigor and emotion. She eventually ends it without killing him, however she does kick him in his manhood.

XANDER- (+3)

• +1/ Wanting to rescue Buffy from the Judge.
• -2/ Kissing Cordelia and trying to explain it to Willow, he’s been completely blind to Willow’s feelings and his explanation is very weak.
• +1/ Saving Willow from Angelus, he can be pretty smart when he wants to.
• +2/ Negotiating his way into the army base’s armory-
  Soldier: Halt! (Xander shoots up his arms) Identify yourself right the hell now.
  Xander: Uh… Private Harris with the, uh… 33rd.
  Soldier: 33rd are on maneuvers.
  Xander: Right! Uh, I’m on leave. (turns around slowly) From them.
  Soldier: You always spend your leave snooping around the armory, pal? And who is she?
  Cordelia: Hi. I’m not a soldier. (to Xander) Right?
  Xander: (approaches the guard, hands still up) Look, I… I just want to give her the tour. Uh, you know what I’m saying.
  Soldier: The tour.
  Xander: Well, you know the ladies. They like to see the big guns. Gets them all hot and bothered. Can you cut me some slack, gimme a blind eye?
  Soldier: And why should I?
  Xander: Well, if you do, I won’t tell Colonel Newsome that your boots ain’t regulation, your post wasn’t covered, (grabs his M-16 and gives it back to him properly) and you hold your gun like a sissy girl.
  Soldier: You got 20 minutes, nimrod.
  Xander: (smiles) I just need 5. (starts for the door, but looks back) Uh, forget I said that last part.
• +1/ Cordelia: So, does looking at guns really make girls wanna have sex? That’s scary.
  Xander: Yeah, I guess.
  Cordelia: Well, does looking at guns make you wanna have sex?
  Xander: I’m seventeen. Looking at linoleum makes me wanna have sex.

WILLOW- (+3)

• +1/ Wanting to help Xander rescue Buffy from the Judge-
  “No, Xander’s right! My God, you people are all… Well, I’m upset, and I can’t think of a mean word right now, but that’s what you are, and we’re going to the factory!”
• +1/ Her outburst to Xander about him smooching Cordy-
  Willow: (stops and confronts him, shaking her finger) I knew it! I knew it! Well, not ‘knew it’ in the sense of having the slightest idea, but I knew there was something I didn’t know. You two were fighting way too much. It’s not natural!
  Xander: I know it’s weird…
  Willow: Weird? It’s against all laws of God and Man! It’s (disgusted) Cordelia! Remember? The, the ‘We Hate Cordelia’ club, of which you are the treasurer.
  Xander: Look, I was gonna tell you.
  Willow: Gee, what stopped you? Could it be shame?
  Xander: All right, let’s overreact, shall we?
  Willow: But I’m…
  Xander: Willow, we were just kissing. It doesn’t mean that much.
  Willow: No. It just means that you’d rather be with someone you hate than be with me.
• +1/ Knowing instantly that Buffy had slept with Angel when Buffy couldn’t talk about what had made Angel leave, she even tells Giles to shut up when he doesn’t understand.

GILES- (+5)

• +1/ His reaction to Buffy sleeping with Angel, he is nearly in shock.
• +4/ His comforting speech to Buffy, for me, his best moment in Buffy-
  Buffy: You must be so disappointed in me.
  Giles: No. No, no, I’m not.
  Buffy: But this is all my fault.
  Giles: No. I don’t believe it is. Do you want me to wag my finger at you and tell you that you acted rashly? You did. A-and I can. I know that you loved him. And… he… has proven more than once that he loved you. You couldn’t have known what would happen. The coming months a-are gonna, are gonna be hard… I, I suspect on all of us, but… if it’s guilt you’re looking for, Buffy, I’m, I’m not your man. All you will get from me is, is my support. And my respect.

CORDELIA- (+1)

• +1/ Complaining that she has to go pick up Judge body parts- “Our job Sucks!!”

ANGELUS- (+5) (Note: I’ve separated Angel from Angelus due to their utterly different personalities.)

• +1/ His introduction where he bites a lady who’s smoking and breathes out her smoke. Awesome.
• +1/ Becoming a family again with Dru and Spike.
• -2/ Being mean to Buffy about the previous night. He says some pretty cold stuff.
• +2/ The first sign of how dangerous Angelus is. He captures Willow and threatens her before intimidating Buffy. It’s such a great scene because it shows how very different Angelus is from every other vampire, let alone Angel.
• +1/ Killing Enyos, Jenny’s father. I don’t like him.
• +1/ Calling the Judge ‘Spiffy’.
• +1/ Fighting Buffy for the first time. It’s a pretty sweet fight.

OZ- (+3)

• +2/ His reaction to Willow’s proposal of kissing, another contender for greatest moment in Season 2-
  Willow: Do you wanna make out with me?
  Oz: What?
  Willow: (looks away) Forget it. I’m sorry. (decides she wants to know) Well, do you?
  Oz: Sometimes when I’m sitting in class… You know, I’m not thinking about class, ’cause that would never happen. I think about kissing you. And it’s like everything stops. It’s like, it’s like freeze frame.
  Willow kissage.
  He nods his head and smiles to himself. Willow smiles over at him. He looks up at her.
  Oz: Oh, I’m not gonna kiss you.
  Willow: (confused) What? But freeze frame!
  Oz: Well, to the casual observer, it would appear that you’re trying to make your friend Xander jealous or even the score or something. And that’s on the empty side. See, in my fantasy when I’m kissing *you*, you’re kissing *me*. It’s okay. I can wait.
• +1/ Fully integrating himself into the Scoobies, even suggesting the mall as a Judge hotspot.

SPIKE- (+2)

• +1/ Talking to Dru about her vision (see Drusilla point 1)
• +1/ Meeting with Angelus again. You can tell that he hates him.

DRUSILLA- (+6)

• +3/ Her vision-
  Drusilla: (sighs) I’m naming all the stars.
  Spike: You can’t see the stars, love. That’s the ceiling. Also, it’s day.
  Drusilla: I can see them. But I’ve named them all the same name. (tilts her head to him) And there’s terrible confusion.
• +1/ Drusilla gets very excited by Angelus’ return.
• +1/ Poking Miss Edith the doll in her eyes, she’s so loony.
• +1/ Whimpering after the judge gets blown up.

MS. CALENDER- (+2)

• +1/ Rising above her people’s stupid idea of vengeance.
• +1/ Saving Willow from Angelus.
• -1/ Betraying Giles with her dishonesty.
• +1/ Wanting to help out. I feel sorry for her.

JOYCE- (+1)

• +1/ Comforting Buffy on her birthday. She’s a pretty awesome mum.

SEASON COUNT-

XANDER- +53
WILLOW- +48
BUFFY- +46
GILES- +35
CORDELIA- +29
ANGEL- +27
DRUSILLA- +22
OZ- +20
SPIKE- +19
JOYCE- +10
ANGELUS- +5
MS. CALENDAR- +4
JONATHAN- +1
KENDRA- 0
WILLY- 0
ETHAN RAYNE- -1
ANNE- -1
PRINCIPAL SNYDER- -9

OVERALL COUNT-

BUFFY- +126
XANDER- +97
WILLOW- +90
GILES- +71
CORDELIA- +48
ANGEL- +46
DRUSILLA- +22
OZ- +20
SPIKE- +19
JOYCE- +13
MS. CALENDAR- +11
ANGELUS- +5
JONATHAN- +1
KENDRA- 0
WILLY- 0
ETHAN RAYNE- -1
ANNE- -1
PRINCIPAL SNYDER- -5

EPISODE THOUGHTS-

An Incredible episode that sets a benchmark for all episodes after it. This episode sets the standard for the rest of the series. There’s less one-off crazy episodes which are now replaced exclusively by episodes with powerful plots based on emotion and character.  Buffy hits an all-time low and loses her boyfriend, Xander remains funny and his relationship with Cordy is out, Willow finds out about Xander and Cordy and connects with Oz, Giles and Jenny are split further apart by her deception and Oz finds himself more apart of the Scoobies. Most importantly however, Angelus is introduced and he is most likely the greatest villain in the Buffyverse. This one episode trumps all previous villains and ups the emotion of every episode after it. Spike and Dru are also given a boost by siding themselves with their sire. This epsisode is also action-packed, full of comedy and memorable moments as well as the powerful emotion of Buffy’s broken heart. Great episode.

96.5/100