Classics: BtVS 2:13 / 2:14 - Surprise / Innocence

Overall Rating: 9.6

This two part masterpiece is easily the most beautifully written and rich story in the Slayer canon to date. The highlight section of this review is going to be immense...almost every scene is filled with life that I have not felt watching any other Buffy episode prior to this one. Elements of the show that neither of us found compelling before now suddenly have new meaning.

Cut for length.



Plot Synopsis:

Prophecy girl has returned. This story begins with an artfully crafted dream sequence in which Drusilla - whom Buffy believes to be dead - stakes Angel. Extremely freaked by the real feel of the dream, Buffy races to Angel's mansion to make sure he is OK and they share some post-nightmare smoochies. He very sweetly reassures her that it was a dream and not all of her dreams come true, and she heads to school. And here's where things take a very important turn. She finds Willow and they discuss the possibility that's been on Buffy's mind - she's thinking about giving up her virginity to Angel. Willow encourages her to think seriously about it - saying that what she wants isn't always the best thing to do...but Buffy honestly wonders if she'll ever feel this way again and Willow decides that seizing the day is the best course of action.

A little later, the slayerettes convene and Buffy recounts her nightmare for Giles. He tells her not to worry too much, but advises that they stay vigilant just in case Drusilla really is alive. When she leaves for class, Buffy's cohorts keep themselves busy hatching an evil plan to throw her a surprise birthday party. Giles insists that the party must go on since there's always going to be trouble in Sunnydale and Buffy needs excuses to celebrate and relax - besides...with Angel in attendance, they can protect him from harm anyway. Meanwhile, Spike and Drusilla are preparing for a party of their own. Dru is gathering some boxes that "wreak of death" for some dark purpose.

The next day (Buffy's birthday), she awakes and shares a nice chat with her mother. When she asks to start driving and Joyce says "Do you really think you're ready for that?" and drops a plate, just as she did in Buffy's prophetic dream, Buffy takes it as confirmation that Drusilla is alive and that Angel is in trouble. Freaked, she runs to Giles, and he promises to do some research on Drusilla's behavior patterns and warn Angel. Meanwhile, Jenny Calendar is dealing with her own problems. A blast from her past returns to warn her that their gypsy curse (yes...Jenny is a member of the tribe that put the whammy on Angel!) is not being served and that Angel no longer suffers as he once did. She must do what she can to keep Buffy and Angel apart.

This information makes the scene that follows somewhat unnerving. Jenny intercepts Buffy after school and coaxes her to take a drive at Giles' request. She agrees, and, in a back alley, they spot vampire activity. Buffy heads out and a fracas ensues between her and three of Spike's goons who were attempting to make off with another of Drusilla's boxes. Buffy dusts all three eventually, though this involves her crashing through the glass and into her own surprise party (surprise, Buffy!). Oz - who has attended the shindig as Willow's date (oh joy!!) is thus initiated as an official slayerette since he witnesses one of the dustings.

Jenny recovers the box and inside is a big, scary looking arm that leaps out on its own and tries to strangle Buffy before Angel can pry it off of her. Angel immediately recognizes it. He calls the new demonic presence "the Judge" and he and Giles quickly uncover the story of this threat. He was, apparently, a demon summoned to rid the world of the scourge of humanity. No weapon forged could kill him and it took an entire army of skills fighters to dismember him and scatter his parts to all remote corners of the globe in the hopes that he never be reassembled. Now Drusilla is trying to do just that.

To prevent the completion of Dru's plans, Angel agrees to take the arm onto a cargo ship and hide it somewhere remote - perhaps Tibet or Siberia. Unfortunately, this means he has to leave town for a very long time - Buffy begs him to reconsider and stay with her and he gives her a promise ring of sorts in an incredibly romantic scene that is only spoiled by the return of Spike's minions to reclaim the box. In the ensuing struggle, Buffy is thrown off the pier into the ocean and Angel dives in after her rather than go after the box (as Willow has said...love makes you do the wacky).

Buffy returns to the library to report the bad news to Giles. They all stay in the library overnight - even Cordelia! - to research the Judge and try to learn of weak points in case they have to fight him. Buffy nods off in the midst of research and has a second vision. She sees herself walking through the factory where Spike and Drusilla have traditionally resided and she sees Angel killed a second time. When she wakes up screaming, Angel is by her side. Now she is determined. She informs Giles that she wants to do recon with Angel at the factory and see if they've completed the Judge while everyone else is scouting points of entry into Sunnydale to see if any other boxes are arriving.

Unfortunately, when they get to the factory, Spike and Dru are already in the midst of a rather macabre celebration. The Judge has taken a couple of lives already and his strength is growing. He senses Buffy and Angel lurking about and Spike's goons surround them. Pleased, Drusilla and Spike present the Slayer and her soulmate to the Judge...just as he's about to kill Buffy, she cleverly topples some rubble on his head and breaks free. She and Angel dive through a hole in the floor into the sewers and barely escape. When they get back to Angel's place, he offers her a change of clothes and tells her to get into bed to warm up. At this point, they are no longer able to hold back temptation and they fall into a passionate kiss that leads (we assume) to very romantic sex.

All is not well, however. Moments after Buffy drifts off to sleep, Angel awakes in agony and stumbles outside into the driving rain. Something is horribly wrong! When the agonizing moment passes, Angel encounters a helpful citizen and devours her hungrily. The pain, he says, is gone. The next morning, when Buffy awakes, Angel is no where to be found. She uneasily heads to school to inform Giles about the Judge. Xander, too, reports back from his fruitless sojourn at the bus depot. They are no closer to figuring out how to stop this potential apocalypse and now, no one knows where Angel has gone.

Angel, meanwhile, walks right into the factory and starts talking as though he's still good...the Judge tries to burn him but reports that there is no humanity in him. Drusilla and Spike are, at first, thrilled to have Angel back. While they're plotting the end of the world, Angel wants a more personal kind of evil...he wants to torment the slayer the way he tormented Drusilla. They agree to give him one night to work his dark mojo.

The next evening, Buffy intends to go home to rest, but she doesn't feel safe there...so she heads to Angel's place. He's there waiting for her...but he tells her she was no good in the sack, that their romantic interlude was no big deal, and that he didn't want to make a big issue out of it. He mocks her, saying he should have known she wouldn't be able to handle something this grown up.

Meanwhile, the rest of the slayerettes are still desperately looking for some weakness to exploit in their fight against the Judge. They're getting nowhere and it doesn't help for Xander and Cordelia that they lust/hate relationship is currently in the hate phase. Xander tries to make peace even after some of the extremely hurtful things Cordy said earlier in the first episode about her always being ashamed to be lusting after him, and they wind up kissing - and worse - getting caught by Willow. Willow is, of course, deeply hurt that Xander would rather make out with their sworn childhood enemy than be with her. She runs home, leaving Xander to wallow in self loathing.

Jenny, meanwhile, has another chat with her uncle from the Kalderash people. He informs her about the true nature of the curse - telling her that if Angel has one true moment of happiness, his soul will be taken from him. And warning her that this has indeed already taken place (thanks for not telling us about this sooner, you jerk!).

Later that evening, when Willow returns (telling Xander that things are not OK between them, but that her work as a part of Buffy's team was more important), Xander comes up with an ingenious plan to give Buffy the weapon she needs to take out the Judge. Right before the lights in the school go out and Angel arrives. He tells Xander to get the rest of the Scooby gang and asks Willow to come closer - he's got something to show her. Jenny arrives just i time to tell Willow to get away, but Angel sneaks up behind her and grabs her. He says he wants to leave a message for the Slayer (i.e. the bodies of all of her friends), but Buffy shows up in time for the confrontation. Xander manages to sneak up on Angel with a cross and force him to drop Willow and Angel flees, but not before promising Buffy that her boyfriend is dead and that things are about to get real interesting. Buffy is totally crushed. She goes home, collapses on her bed and takes off the promise ring - dissolving into uncontrollable sobs as she grieves for him.

Also, on this night, Xander and Cordelia carry out their plan (with Willow and Oz driving the getaway van). Xander uses Cordy as an excuse to get access to a weapons locker on the nearby army base (he still remembers all of his army training from the Halloween costume incident) and then locates a rocket launcher to steal. Outside, Willow suddenly asks if Oz wants to make out. Oz, stunned, explains that sometimes he dreams of kissing her, but that he can't do it right now because she just wants to get back at Xander and he wants it to be meaningful.

Buffy, meanwhile, has another strangely prophetic dream in which she pictures Jenny Calendar attending a funeral along with Angel. When she wakes, she is suddenly filled with a flash of insight and furiously storms into Jenny's classroom and grabs her by the throat, demanding she tell her what she knows about Angel's soul. Her deception uncovered, Jenny admits that she was sent to Sunnydale to watch Buffy and Angel and make sure he suffered for his crimes. Meanwhile, Angel tracks down Jenny's uncle and brutally murders him, using his blood to send Buffy another message - "Was it good for you?" Upon seeing this, Buffy resolves to kill Angel when next they meet.

The Judge is ready...he needs bodies to burn and they head for the mall. Just as he's about to begin slaughtering the masses, Buffy arrives, toting her new rocket launcher and blows the Judge into a gazillion pieces. Drusilla escapes, but Buffy and Angel fight it out. Unfortunately, when the moment comes and Buffy has Angel ready for the staking, she can't bring herself to dust him. He gloats that she can't kill him, and she kicks him in the jewels, warning "just give me time." On the ride home with Giles, Buffy blames herself for Angel's turning, but Giles assures her that there was no way she could have known this would happen. He says that though she acted rashly, all she'll get from him is his support and respect. Buffy stumbles home and falls into her mother's arms watching an old romantic movie. Little does her mother know how much trouble Buffy is really in.

SABR Matt's Ratings:

Writing: 10.0+

You know it's a good script when it manages to rehabilitate plot threads that have, thus far, not been all that effective to any particular viewer. This two-part story does so with at least THREE different interpersonal threads - at least for me.

1) Buffy/Angel - OK, I may be in the minority in Buffy fandom, but until now (within the canon), I've never felt like these two had chemistry with the possible exception of a couple of scenes in 1:8 (Angel). Their romantic involvement has always felt rushed and forced...they went from wisely deciding not to get near each other to breathlessly dating over coffee in half an episode and from safe dates to necking in the graveyard in one more week. The fights they had were never seriously addressed. The BIG TIME problems that a relationship with a vampire pose were ignored. In this episode, however, I really did feel the emotional connection. And the heartbreaking sense of loss following Angel's turn to the dark side. As someone who is going through the early stages of his own romance, this is really the first time I've felt like I could honestly relate to how these two characters interacted when they were alone.

2) Cordelia/Xander - The rather juvenile lust/hate stuff is good for a giggle or two, but I didn't feel like it was really adding anything to the show. Until they ingeniously brought Willow into the picture. Remembering that Willow desperately desires Xander (a thread which seemed to have been dropped until now), and playing that against her interest in Oz and whatever this is between Cordy and Xander, the writers made the whole closet necking thing carry real stakes and matter to the rest of the cast and thus to us.

3) Spike/Drusilla - Up until now, the twisted romance of Spike and Dru has largely been a subject of curiosity, not depth. Add Angelus back into the fold and we can already see Spike getting jealous. There is a sense that this trio is going to be fascinating to watch going forward and that Spike may be an uneasy ally if he thinks Angel is horning in on his girl. That's a LOT more fun than just admiring a two-dimensional dark desire...LOL

4) Jenny/Giles - After "The Dark Age" - Giles and Jenny have slowly been coming together again - unfortunately, their romance, while a giddy little thrill for anyone who likes to see an uptight British fuddy-duddy get unnerved (LOL)...hasn't been heavily featured and can't really get converted into strong emotions in the viewing audience. Unless of course...they find more reasons to put barriers between the two. Which they did here when it turns out Jenny is secretly a spy for an evil gypsy cult intent on blind, pointless revenge rather than justice. Now, we've got ourselves some TENSION.

But it's not just the new plot intrigue or the well-written emotional dialogue that makes this script great. We also have to mention elements of presentation here. The romantic theme in the score for BtVS made its first appearance early in the second season, but the heavy exposure it gets here really stands out against the foreboding and dramatic musical backdrop that follows Angel's turn to the dark side. The piano piece that highlights every romantic and intimate moment rings in my ears long after the show is over and the composer should be commended for that accomplishment.

As well, the direction in this episode is top notch. The use of "overs" (a term for when the camera view is close up on one person but the shoulder or profile of another is visible in the foreground) and intense closeups under warm lighting may be standard, but something about the way the romantic scenes were shot stands out here. I noticed, for example, that time and again, the director found an excuse to use water. whether from a fire-suppression sprinkler system indoors, a driving rain storm outdoors, or from being thrown into the ocean...Buffy and Angel were always getting drenched at the moments of highest emotion. A special nod should also go to the shooting of Buffy's three dream sequences and the way those sequences were written into the story. I'm sure there are other things to praise about this presentation, but I'll leave it at that.

Acting: 9.5

Big props FINALLY go to David Boreanaz...my favorite whipping boy to date. His skillful portrayal of Angel the romantic, Angel the dominant caretaker, Angelus the wickedly cruel, and Angelus the tormentor showed tremendous range I've not seen from him before. Seth Green (Oz), Juliet Landau (Drusilla), James Marsters (Spike), and Robia LaMorte (Jenny) are all way too talented to be merely occasional guest stars. I'm sorry, but every time they appear, the show gets way more interesting to watch from an acting perspective. I was not particularly impressed with Vincent Shiavelli (Uncle Enyos) or Brian Thompson (The Judge), but these are minor complaints in a nearly flawless performance by all involved.

Message: 10.0

In order to understand underage/premarital sex better, we need to know why it happens. It is popular - all too popular if you ask me - to dismiss this question with a hand wave of "they do it because it feels good!" or "they do it because humans are supposed to start having sex at that age!" I think it's a little more complicated than one-liners like that, and so, apparently does Joss Whedon (even if he wasn't writing this plot intending it to be a statement against premarital sex, as I'm sure he was not). The reason youth sex is an enduring problem, IMHO, is that at this age, children generally do not know what they really want in life and are incapable of thinking ahead far enough to consider the risks or envision getting another chance at love that feels as powerful as the one they're enjoying presently.

Buffy says it best: "What if I never feel this way again?" Short-sightedness is the hallmark of puberty. This is where sex education should focus. When the risks of sex are described, it should not be entirely about STDs and unwanted pregnancy...there are real emotional risks as well - not the least of which being that you think you want something today that a year from now you realize you never really did. That's why young relationships are typically short lived and full of hurt and anger. Intentional or not, this two-parter SCREAMS a message of sex being a big decision demanding more maturity and definition of self than most teenagers possess. Now, Buffy's exchange with Angel in the graveyard from last week takes on a whole new meaning. She very honestly admitted that she wasn't thinking about the future - her actions in this story prove her right and demonstrate the dangers of this mentality.

But the messages don't stop with that. This episode also includes a big Catholic smack at vigilantism and vengeance. When the truth comes out about the reason Angel has a soul (the Kalderash people serve only vengeance and want him to suffer in unending torment), Jenny correctly stands for justice and for the greater good. Should Angel suffer for his demonic crimes? A Christian would say yes. Should that suffering be eternal? I think not. In fact, the good works Angel does before he is turned demonstrate real penance and selflessness - virtues that no good God would ignore. The curse itself is filled with hatred - not a virtuous quality...not EVER...and directly results in absolute catastrophe when Angel has his humanity stripped away. If that doesn't sing the praises of Christian forgiveness and real penance (and decry the horrors of vengeance), I don't know what does.

Stephanie S.'s Ratings:

My own comments will be fairly brief, as SABR Matt's lengthy review above leaves me with little to add.

Writing: 9.0

My excitement with regards to this script is a little more tempered than SABR Matt's, but his comments essentially hold for me as well.

Acting: 9.0

I'm inclined to give a little less credit to Boreanaz when it comes to his portrayal of Angel and Angelus, as I think the emotional impact of the latter's evil is also very much a function of the writing. On the other hand, I do think Gellar (whom SABR Matt does not mention above) puts in a truly wrenching performance as the wounded teen lover who must pick herself up to go about the business of saving the world.

Message: 10.0

What I particularly appreciate about this portrayal of young love - in addition to what SABR Matt discusses above - is Whedon's honesty when it comes to how a girl feels after she's had sex. We detect in Buffy absolutely no cynicism when it comes to the unitive and procreative act. When Angelus cruelly denies that their night together was anything momentous, Buffy immediately exclaims that "it is a big deal". This reaction conforms far more to the real experience of young girls than does any elite libertine's careless tract on the insignificance of sex. After sex, girls do, by and large, expect a greater commitment from their boyfriends - which is why our popular culture's blase treatment of sex has resulted in so much emotional wreckage. We women are simply not wired to be indiscriminate sex machines. Whedon and his team deserve high praise for acknowledging this essential biological and spiritual reality.

Regarding the revenge of the Kalderash people, it should also be noted that their refusal to be merciful turns out to be self-destructive as well - at least for Uncle Enyos (and later, Jenny herself). Uncle Enyos' brutal murder serves as a quite fitting metaphor for the death of the soul that takes place when we fail to forgive those who have wounded us.

Highlights:

Buffy: Um... I-I had this... dream that Drusilla was alive.
Angel: (pulls on shirt) What happened?
Buffy: She killed you. Right in front of me.
Angel: It was just a dream. It wasn't real.
Buffy: But it felt so real.
Angel: (puts his hand to her cheek) It wasn't. I'm right here.
Buffy: Angel, th-this happened before. The dreams that I had about the Master, they came true.
Angel: (reassuringly) Still, not every dream you have comes true. I mean, what else did you dream last night? Can you remember?
Buffy: (looks down) I dreamt... I dreamt that Giles and I opened an office supply warehouse in Vegas. (ROTFL!!)
Angel: See my point? (Very sweet move by Angel here)
Buffy: (exhales) Yeah, I-I do, but... what if Drusilla is alive? We never saw her body.
Angel: (reassures) She's not. But even if she was, we'd deal.
Buffy: W-w-what if she is...(he grabs and kisses her, and she responds. A couple of kisses later they break off and look at each other)
Angel: What if what?
Buffy: (whispers) I'm sorry. Were we talking? (NICE...as I've actually done this before, I can now relate. :) )

Buffy: (smiles) This is nice. I like seeing you first thing in the morning.
Angel: It's bedtime for me.
Buffy: Well, then I like seeing you at bedtime. Um... Um, heh... Y-you know what I mean. (LOL...Freudian slip)

Buffy: Will, what am I gonna do?
Willow: What do you wanna do?
Buffy: I don't know. I... I mean, (they sit on a bench) 'want' isn't always the right thing *to* do. To act on want can be wrong.
Willow: True.
Buffy: But... to *not* act on want... What if I never feel this way again?
Willow: Carpe diem. You told me that once.
Buffy: 'Fish of the day'?
Willow: Not carp. (smiles) Carpe. It means 'seize the day.'
Buffy: Right. I... I think we're going to. Seize it. Once you get to a certain point, then seizing is sort of inevitable.
Willow: (wide-eyed) Wow...
Buffy: (smiles) Yeah.
Willow: Wow...(for Hollywood, this is a rather understandably romanticized version of what a teen might think about when deciding to lose her virginity)

Willow: Hey.
Oz: (looks up) Hey. (gives her his attention)
Willow: Do you guys, uh, have a gig tonight?
Oz: Oh, no. Practice. See, our band's kinda moving towards this new sound where... we suck, so... practice.
Willow: (smiles) I think you guys sound good.
Oz: Thanks.
Willow: I bet you have a lot of groupies.
Oz: (nods) It happens. Now, I'm living groupie-free nowadays. I'm clean.
Willow: (smiles) Oh. (begins to feel awkward)
Oz: I'm gonna ask you to go out with me tomorrow night. And I'm kinda nervous about it, actually. It's interesting.
Willow: Oh. Well, if it helps at all, I'm gonna say yes.
Oz: Yeah, it helps. It-it creates a comfort zone. (Willow smiles - as does everyone in the viewing public...LOL) Do you wanna go out with me tomorrow night?
Willow: (cringes and slaps her hand to her forehead) Oh! I can't!
Oz: Well, see, I like that you're unpredictable. (ROTFL!)

Giles: Oh, good morning. (quietly) Is everything in order for the party?
Xander: Absolutely. You ready to get down, you funky party weasel?
Giles: Here comes Buffy. (to Xander) Now remember: discretion is the better part of valor.
Xander: You coulda just said, 'shh!' God, are all you Brits such drama queens? (LOL!) Buffy, I feel a pre-birthday spanking coming on. (LOL you wish, Xander)
Jenny: I'd curb that impulse if I were you, Xander.
Xander: (into his shirt) Check, cancel spanking.

Giles: Still, best to be, uh, on the alert. If Drusilla is alive, i-i-it could be a fairly... cataclysmic state of affairs.
Xander: Again, so many words! Couldn't you just say, 'we'd be in trouble'? (heh)
Giles: (gives Xander a look) Go to class, Xander.
Xander: Gone. (gets up and starts away, but stops) Notice the economy of phrasing: 'gone.' Simple. Direct. (LOL)

Drusilla: (leans in and puts her hands on his chest) My gatherings are always perfect. Remember Spain? (crouches next to him) Hey... The bulls? (walks her fingers up his arm)
Spike: I remember, sweet. But Sunnydale's cursed for us. Angel and the Slayer see to that.
Drusilla: Shhh... (into his ear) I've got good games for everyone. (licks his cheek) You'll see.
She walks over to the table and inspects the roses and other red flowers that have been woven into the high backs of the chairs. She steps up to one.
Drusilla: These flowers... are wrong. (the decorators look worried) They're all... wrong! (moans) (Spike looks worried) I can't abide them! (screams and rips at them - Drusilla's total madness is such FUN!!)

Joyce: Mall trip for your birthday on Saturday. Don't forget.
Buffy: Space on a mom-sponsored shopping opportunity? Not likely. (LOL)
Joyce: Hmm. So, does, um, 17 feel any different than 16?
Buffy: It's funny you should ask that. (gets Joyce's attention) You know, I woke up feeling more responsible, mature and levelheaded.
Joyce: Really? Tch. It's uncanny.
Buffy: I now possess the qualities one looks for in a... licensed driver. (looks at her mom hopefully - this is so cute!)
Joyce: Buffy...
Buffy: You said we could talk about it again when I was 17.
Joyce: Do you really think you're ready, Buffy? (She gives her mom a surprised look. Joyce drops her plate. Buffy watches it fall and sees it shatter on the floor. - this is very nicely done here)

Giles: Even if she is alive, uh, we can still protect Angel. Dreams aren't prophecies, Buffy. Y-y-y-you dreamt that the Master had risen, but you stopped it from happening.
Xander: You ground his bones to make your bread.
Buffy: That's true. Except for the bread part. (LOL)

Xander: (pointing) Well, that's not a perky birthday puppy.
Willow: So much for our surprise party. I bought little hats and everything.
Xander: Mm-hm.
Willow: Oh, well. I guess I'll tell Cordelia. (starts to go)
Giles: No, you won't. (Willow and Xander stop) We're having a party tonight.
Xander: (stares at Giles) Looks like Mr. Caution Man, but the sound he makes is funny. (LOL)
Giles: Buffy's surprise party will go ahead as we planned. Except I won't be wearing the little hat. (heh)
Willow: But Buffy and Angel...
Giles: May well be in danger... as they have been before, and, I imagine, will be again. One thing I've learned in my tenure here on the Hellmouth is that there is no good time to relax. And Buffy's turning 17 just this once, and she deserves a party. (go Giles!!)
Xander: You're a great man of our time.
Willow: (smiles) And anyway, Angel's coming. So she'll be able to protect him *and* have cake.
Giles: Precisely.

Willow: (to Oz) Are you okay?
Oz: Yeah. Hey, did everybody see that guy just turn to dust?
Willow: Uh, well, uh... sort of.
Xander: Yep. Vampires are real. A lot of them live in Sunnydale. (gestures between Willow and Oz) Willow will fill you in. (walks off)
Willow: I know it's hard to accept at first.
Oz: Actually, it explains a *lot*. (LOL)

Dalton: The Slayer. She came out of nowhere. I didn't even see her. She...
Drusilla cuts him off by putting her finger to his lips. She stares into his eyes. She lifts off his glasses and drops them to the floor. She stomps on them and grinds them into the concrete. She lifts her head with her eyes closed.
Drusilla: Make a wish.
Dalton: What? (She holds two fingers up to his eyes.)
Drusilla: I'm going to blow out the candles.
Spike: You might give him a chance to find your lost treasure. He is a wanker, but he's the only one we've got with half a brain. If he fails, you can eat his eyes out of the sockets for all I care.
Dalton: I'll get it. Please. I swear. (Drusilla thrusts both hands at him and pulls them back at the last instant and up into raised fists, and smiles at him evilly. She bends down and picks up his glasses.)
Drusilla: Okay. (puts his shattered lenses back on his face) Hurry back then. (pats his head - I just LOVE Drusilla scenes...LOL)

Angel: I should go the rest of the way alone.
Buffy: Okay.
Angel: But I'll be back. I will.
Buffy: When? Six months, a year? You don't know how long it's gonna take or if we'll even... (looks down)
Angel: Hey... (raises her chin) If we'll even what?
Buffy: (tears in her eyes) Well, if you haven't noticed, someone pretty much always wants us dead.
Angel: Don't say that. We'll be fine.
Buffy: We don't know that.
Angel: We can't know, Buffy. Nobody can. That's just the deal. (reaches into his pocket) I have something for you. For your birthday. I... I was gonna give it to you earlier, but... (shows her a ring with an intricate design)
Buffy: It's beautiful.
Angel: My people -- before I was changed -- they exchanged this as a sign of devotion. It's a claddagh ring. The hands represent friendship, the crown represents loyalty... and the heart... Well, you know... Wear it with the heart pointing towards you. It means you belong to somebody. Like this. (He shows her his own ring on his finger. She touches his hand, leans
over and kisses the ring.)
Angel: Put it on. (He takes the ring from her and slips it onto her finger.)
Buffy: (sobs) I don't wanna do this.
Angel: Me either.
Buffy: So don't go. (They kiss. She puts her arms around him. After several kisses they stop and look at each other.)
Angel: Buffy... I...(and they get interrupted by vamps...this is easily the most romantic and compelling scene in the entire Buffy canon to date...VERY effective)

Angel: You're shaking like a leaf.
Buffy: Cold.
Angel: Let me get you something. Put these on. Get under the covers, just to warm up.(Buffy walks over to his bed and sits down. She looks up at him. He faces away to give her privacy.)
Angel: Sorry. (Buffy takes off her top shirt and winces and inhales in pain.)
Angel: What?
Buffy: Oh, um... It's okay. I just have a cut or something.
Angel: Can I... Lemme see.(Buffy clutches her shirt to her chest.)
Buffy: (whispers) Okay. (Angel turns around and sits down on the bed behind her. He gently touches her back and looks at the cut.)
Angel: It's already closed. You're fine. (Buffy leans back into him and cuddles her face to his. He puts his arms around her.)
Buffy: You almost went away today.
Angel: We both did.
Buffy: (sobs) Angel... (sniffles) I feel like I lost you... (sniffles) You're right, though. We can't be sure of anything.
Angel: Shhh. I...
Buffy: You what?
Angel: I love you. I try not to, but I can't stop.
Buffy: Me, me, too. I can't either. (They start to kiss. After a moment Angel breaks off.)
Angel: Buffy, maybe we shouldn't...
Buffy: (stops him) Don't. Just kiss me. (They slowly descend onto the bed and out of view, we assume the horizontal mambo follows - another very effectively written romantic interlude)

Xander: Well, the bus depot was a total washout. And may I say what a lovely place to spend the night. What a vibrant cross-section of Americana.
Giles: No vampires transporting boxes?
Xander: No, but a four-hundred-pound wino offered to wash my hair. (LOL!)

Xander: Sorry I snapped at you before.
Cordelia: Well, I'm reeling from that new experience.
Xander: I was crazed. I wasn't thinking.
Cordelia: I know. You were too busy rushing off to die for your beloved Buffy. You'd never die for me. (kind of hard to want to die for someone who's always saying how pitiful you are)
Xander: No, I might die *from* you. Does that get me any points? (LOL!)
Cordelia: No.
Xander: Come on, can't we just kiss and make up?
Cordelia: I don't wanna make up. (he starts to go, but she stops him) But I'm okay with the other part. (smiles - Xander smiles back and they start to kiss. After a few moments Cordelia giggles and smiles and they pull apart. Willow is standing behind them, completely confused and upset.)
Xander: Willow, uh...
Xander: We were just... Willow! Willow! (Cut to the halls. Willow comes running out of the library. Xander is right behind her.)
Xander: Willow, come on!
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 (ROTFL!), 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. (BWAHAHA!!)
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. (ooowwwch....and that makes Xander the stupidest man o Earth, BTW...who WOULDN'T want Willow??)

Buffy: (confused) But you didn't say anything. You just left.
Angelus: (pulls on the shirt) Yeah. Like I really wanted to stick around after that.
Buffy: What?
Angelus: You got a lot to learn about men, kiddo. Although I guess you proved that last night.
Buffy: What are you saying?
Angelus: Let's not make an issue out of it, okay? (goes for his coat) In fact, let's not talk about it at all. (pulls it on) It happened.
Buffy: I, I don't understand. Was it m-me? (meekly) Was I not good?
Angelus: (laughs) You were great. Really. (snidely) I thought you were a pro.
Buffy: How can you say this to me?
Angelus: Lighten up. It was a good time. It doesn't mean like we have to make a big deal.
Buffy: It *is* a big deal!
Angelus: It's what? Bells ringing, fireworks, a dulcet choir of pretty little birdies? (laughs) Come on, Buffy. It's not like I've never been there before. (He reaches his hand up to her face and she jerks back.)
Buffy: Don't touch me.
Angelus: (shakes his finger at her) I should've known you wouldn't be able to handle it. (starts to go)
Buffy: Angel! (he stops and faces her) (teary-eyed) I love you.
Angelus: (points coolly at her) Love you, too. (turns away) I'll call you. (just...brutal...and frighteningly similar to a lot of lesser men I used to know)

Willow: Lemme guess: 'no weapon forged.'
Xander: 'It took an army.'
Willow: Yeah, where's an army when you need one? (looks at Xander) What?
Xander: (looks thoughtful) Whoa. Whoa! I... I think I'm having a thought. Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's a thought. Now I'm having a plan. (The lights suddenly go out. Now I'm having a wiggins.

Buffy: This can't be you.
Angelus: Gee, we already covered that subject.
Buffy: Angel, there must be some part of you inside that still remembers who you are.
Angelus: Dream on, schoolgirl. (Xander takes the cross from Jenny and starts toward Angelus.)
Angelus: Your boyfriend is dead. You're all gonna join him.
Buffy: Leave Willow alone, and deal with me.
Angelus: But she's so cute (pinches her cheek) and helpless. (Xander gets closer) Really a turn-on. (Xander shoves the cross into Angelus' face from behind. He reels back and drops Willow. She cries out as she falls backward into Xander, and they collapse against the wall. Angelus turns to Jenny and wards her off with a hand as he starts to back down the hall. When he reaches Buffy he grabs her by the shoulders. She inhales in fright.)
Angelus: (whispers) Things are about to get *very* interesting. (He kisses her, shoves her into the wall and backs out the door.)

Cordelia: What are we gonna do?
Giles: I'm leaning towards blind panic myself. (LOL!)

Cordelia: This is great. There's an unkillable demon in town, Angel's joined his team, the Slayer is a basket case... I'd say we've hit bottom.
Xander: I have a plan.
Cordelia: Oh, no, here's a lower place.
Xander: I don't know what's up with Angel, but I think I may have a way to deal with this Judge guy.
Willow: What do we do?
Xander: I think, um... (looks at Cordelia, then back at Willow) I think I may need Cordelia for this one. And we may need wheels.
Cordelia: Well, my car is...
Xander: It might have to be bigger.
Willow: No problem. I'll get Oz. He has a van.
Xander: Good. (looks at Cordelia) Okay.
Cordelia: Care to let me in on the plan I'm a part of?
Xander: No.
Cordelia: Why not? (stands up with her hands on her hips)
Xander: Because if I tell you, then you won't do it. Just meet me at Willow's house in half an hour. And wear something trashy... (looks at her) ...er. (Oh snap!)

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. (ROTFL)
Soldier: (takes the rifle) 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. (LOL!)

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. (BWAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAAA!!!!!)

Willow: (after a pause) 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. 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. (looks off into space) See, in my fantasy when I'm kissing *you*, you're kissing *me*. (looks back at her) It's okay. I can wait. (very...very sweet)

Judge: Who dares?
Buffy: Think I got his attention.
Judge: You're a fool. (cut to him) No weapon forged can stop me.
Buffy: (cut to her) (lowers the bow) That was then. (Xander takes her crossbow and hands her the real weapon - a rocket launche) This is now.
Judge: What's that do? (she fires...awesome action sequence...LOL)

Buffy: You must be so disappointed in me.
Giles: No. (she looks at him) 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. (awwww)