This two-part feature should be shown to every pre-teen as they enter that phase of their life where they wonder why they can't simply do what feels good to them at all times and question their parents' rules and structure. This is a simply marvelous way to teach the lesson that our actions always...ALWAYS...have consequences, and that without a proper moral compass (and no, hedonism is not a proper moral compass), we are very likely to put ourselves in a hell of our own making (not to mention hurt those around us one way or another).
Plot Synopsis:
After a fruitful patrol in which Faith and Buffy manage to dust three vampires - one of which wielded a pair of swords (during which Faith boggles at the idea that Buffy hasn't boinked her best guy friend for the fun of it) - Buffy reports on her bout to her unfortunately dweebish and clueless new watcher Wesley Wyndam-Pryce. Faith refuses to even listen to the new boy, and when Buffy asks what her problem is, Faith insists that slaying is supposed to be fun and that she won't let some loser take her ya ya away. Later, when Buffy goes to retrieve the amulet of Balthazar from a dead guy's crypt to keep it away from some of his vampire followers, Faith shows up just in time to drag Buffy into a sewer to chase after them. Buffy almost gets killed in the process, but they manage to get away with the amulet.
The next day, during a chemistry exam, Faith once again shows up to tempt Buffy with report of a vampire nest. They go and nuke the nest with a little sunny wake up call and then head over to a club (evidently NOT the Bronze because the Bronze is not known for strobe lights) to dance and flirt with all the guys they can find. Angel sees this and is about to be offended and storm off when Buffy catches his eye and heads over for some ridiculously overt flirting of her own. Angel wants to talk business, though, and keeps Buffy at bay, saying Balthazar is alive. When Pryce shows up carrying the amulet (a genius move, so Angel sarcastically points out), Buffy gives it to Angel to keep safe and Faith and Buffy go to track down Balthazar. Willow intended to join them after crafting a protection spell for everyone to wear, but Buffy, sensing bad behavior on the horizon, tells Willow to stay out of it this time, much to Willow's sadness.
They find Balthazar rotting in some old warehouse. Faith wants to go in guns blazing again, but Buffy reminds her that they...have no guns. There is, however, an antique store nearby promising classical weapons and Faith decides to break in and steal what they need. Buffy has second thoughts, but is convinced to join in the thievery. They are caught by police and hauled away in a squad car until they escape from that situation as well (nearly killing the officers in the process).
The next day, Balthazar orders his men to capture the watchers...do anything it takes to get the amulet. Meanwhile, Buffy's feeling a little guilty for how she treated Willow and the trouble she got herself in, so she tries to talk to Willow, but things are still too tense and Willow flees. During an argument between Pryce and Giles over whether Giles should have any involvement with the slayers, Balthazar's minions show up and capture them. Buffy and Faith try to reach the warehouse that evening when word reaches them about Balthazar's captives, but the vamps keep coming at them a few at a time, slowing them down. During the battle, the Deputy Mayor suddenly appears in the alley and Faith unwittingly stabs him to death with a stake. The girls freak and bail on the scene, and with Angel's help, Buffy eventually reaches Balthazar in time to save her watchers from getting their kneecaps removed and kill Balthazar (who warns that his enemy will soon rise and that they'll wish they hadn't won this particular battle).
Later, Buffy finds Faith at her place and tries to get her to report her accidental crime to Giles and Pryce, but Faith wants to dispose of the body and think nothing further of it. Disturbed, Buffy relents for the moment, but now she realizes that Faith has been dragging her into darkness all along. It's time to make amends. After an unsuccessful hunt for information about the Deputy Mayor and upon witnessing the Mayor and known vamp nemesis Mr. Trick chatting it up in City Hall, Buffy and Faith again argue over Faith's guilt and the next necessary course of action. Buffy goes to Willow and tearfully admits the whole sorry business (and makes up for treating her rather badly of late) and Willow urges Buffy to talk to Giles. But before she can go to Giles, Faith, knowing that Buffy is likely to rat her out, tells Giles that BUFFY is the one who killed Allan Finch. Naturally, Giles plays along with Faith but doesn't believe her ridiculous story. They try to figure out how to help Faith admit her guilt and seek help.
Unfortunately, Xander takes it upon himself to speak to Faith, thinking that Faith might listen to him since they had sex last week. The entire audience groans at Xander's gullible nature, but admires the attempt. That is until Faith deflects Xander's accusations and tries first to rape him, and when that isn't enough to stop the guilt, murder him by strangulation. Thankfully, Angel has realized that the slayers were involved in Finch's death and followed Faith. He clubs her over the head with a baseball bat just in time to save Xander and hauls her off to his mansion. She awakes chained to his wall and Angel tries to use his personal experience with the dark side to warn Faith away from this path she's choosing. It appears as though he might be beginning to reach her when Pryce and his white hats from the Watcher's Council barge in and take Faith into custody to face the disciplinary committee for her crime. She easily escapes the Council by threatening to kill one of their men (you know...you'd think these people would have to pledge to give their lives to defend the planet from a rogue slayer...stupid British dweeby wusses...LOL).
So now, with Faith on the loose and likely feeling cornered (just what we need!), Buffy makes one last desperate attempt to reach her. Faith claims that Buffy needs her to behave because her lifestyle is too tempting (events from the first episode would suggest that hedonism - while always tempting - doesn't work for Buffy...or for Faith for that matter), but Buffy doesn't buy it. The slayers are about to come to blows when the Mayor's vamp goons show up and start brawling. Buffy is nearly killed by Trick but Faith decides to intervene (killing Trick - thank goodness, that actor kind of sucked). Buffy reports this to Giles, and they both hope it's a sign that Faith can still be turned back onto the right path. Unfortunately, Faith decides to go to the Mayor and offer her services to the dark side.
The Skinny:
SABR Matt:
There are so many things to love about how these two episodes were written. I'm gonna start by pointing out that during the first hour, there are several moments where Buffy is faced with a choice - join Faith in acting badly or take the high road - and chooses wrongly, but the authors don't leave us believing that Buffy makes those wrong choices easily. Each time, she expresses guilt before, during and after the event. For example, she skips out on school to raid a vamp nest with Faith, but before she leaves, it takes some cajoling to get her to flee on her chemistry exam. Before she joins in Faith's robbery of the weapons shop, she wonders if the place is insured and that is after suggesting they go to the library to get their weapons legally. It takes convincing to get Buffy to go along with the escape plan when in the squad car and then she wants to call an ambulance to help the officers after their escape causes a crash. People acting out rarely have no conscience. Most (if not all) of us have that voice of good within us keeping us from straying too far from the enlightened path. When we act out, we feel badly, because we have ignored that inner voice.
The subtle difference between Buffy (always listening to her conscience and choosing whether to act well or badly) and Faith (so damaged by her corrupt philosophy that she no longer listens to her conscience at all - she's forgotten how) are on display throughout this episode. And the screenwriters make no bones about it...this story is clearly told as a precautionary tale on the dangers of living above your conscience. Faith's reckless disregard for the consequences of her actions lead inevitably to the death of an innocent bystander and to her inability to accept responsibility for that death. She makes an enemy of everyone who cared about her (including Buffy, who the writers give ample opportunity to voice her devotion to Faith's recovery)...she loses any hope of happiness - romantic or otherwise - and then signs on with evil explicitly, sealing her fate for later episodes as the girl Buffy has to kill.
The inclusion of Faith's attitude toward sex should not be overlooked here either. Wherever you find a woman who treats sex the way that Faith does, you'll find a very unhappy woman, deep down inside. Generally, when you make sex about meaningless fun, it tends to be both meaningless, and not very fun. And oh yes, people get hurt in the process. People like Xander, who want to believe there is a reason for the attention you paid them. Generally, a hedonist is about using short term pleasure to mask long term suffering (Faith's line: "I want, I take, I scream...I forget" during her attempted rape of Xander is classic)...it's a philosophy that doesn't lead to actual happiness. This is very important to recognize.
This rich (and very psychologically insightful) social commentary is placed on the backdrop of a fast-moving plot with a lot of character growth for the good guys and a little intrigue about the coming events for the Mayor. The characters all explode off the screen for these two hours - it's a good deal better than Joss's usual awesomeness.
Stephanie S:
Here, Faith at last jumps off that edge on which she's been balancing, and what's remarkable about this pair of episodes is that we understand why she goes dark side at every stage. SABR Matt writes above that the difference between Buffy and Faith is that Buffy listens to her conscience while Faith cavalierly disregards it. The difference, I feel, goes beyond that. I see Faith as what Buffy could have become if she had not been guided by a loving Watcher and supported by a cadre of loyal friends. Faith has been taught through her life experiences that other people are not to be trusted, and that lack of trust has walled her off from her own basic humanity. She can tell Buffy that, as a superhero, she is "better" than the common man and mean it because, between her abusive childhood and her Watcher's betrayal (among other things), she's been given no reason to care for anyone other than herself.
None of the above, of course, excuses Faith. And this is the point at which I should respond to a common meme I've seen floating around Buffy fandom. According to this meme, Faith turns because Buffy "doesn't try hard enough" to reach her. Right. With the exception of lying to the police about what happened to Allan Finch, conspiring with Giles to keep what Faith has done a secret to protect her from the Watcher's Council, and conspiring with Angel when he captures Faith and tries to convince her to accept responsibility for her actions, Buffy doesn't try hard enough.
I will lay a small part of the blame at the feet of the Watcher's Council, however. Faith kills Allan Finch by accident. Buffy, Giles, and the Scoobies understand this, and that is why they choose to keep the law out of it and attempt to reach Faith on a personal level. The Council's reaction, on the other hand, is draconian in the extreme; chaining Faith up as if she deliberately sought Finch out for a slaying is the wrong course of action to take, as it stupidly confirms for Faith that no one - no one - is worthy of trust. Indeed, it's a choice that Wesley in particular will come to regret, and he will regret it for good reason.
Faith is not evil the moment she kills Finch. She becomes evil by committing the sin of Judas afterward. She assumes that no one will forgive her for her terrible mistake (and it is a forgivable mistake, let's be clear about that) and so does everything she can to avoid owning up to that mistake - everything from dumping the body to strangling Xander. Evil often works this way. Many drug addicts, for example, refuse to go to rehab because they don't want to face the hurtful things they've done to their loved ones while under the influence. In these cases, too, the root sin is the denial of forgiveness.
SABR Matt is right that hedonism takes a beating in these episodes. I think a lot of left-wing fans jump to Faith's defense precisely because they sense that Whedon's team is attacking her brand of "fun." Also prominent in these episodes is the tension between the Nietzschean attitude that "might makes right" and the Christian attitude that the strong should protect the weak. Faith expresses the former idea when she tells Buffy that because they are more powerful than the average human, they should be above human laws. Buffy and the writers, on the other hand, thoroughly reject Faith's proposition and embrace a Christian morality in spite of themselves.
Writing: 10.0 / 10.0
Characterization and plot (and dialogue) so intense and fascinating all around (even ANGEL is well used...and that's rare) that the episode can't be looked as anything other than stellar from the writing perspective.
Acting: 9.5 / 9.5
David Boreanez once again fails to deliver maximal impact value in his confrontation with Faith, but otherwise, even bit players like Allan Finch are well cast and the story feels very...very real. Elisa Dushku is more gifted with subtle acting chops than you'd think, given her lack of big-name status and she and SMG work very...very well together.
Message: 10.0 / 10.0
This is a world BEGGING for stories about the dangers of selfish hedonism. We desperately need more TV like this. Joss Whedon may not believe in God anymore, but he is most definitely a devout moralist if his stories are to be believed.
Stephanie S.: The writers also acknowledge that with great powers and talents comes great responsibility. Yes, this is an old comic book trope, but that doesn't make the idea any less true.
Highlights:
BUFFY: How many times do I have to say it...I've never done it with Xander!
FAITH: Why not? I mean it's just all these nights sweating side by side and you never put in for a little after hours 'uhh?'
BUFFY: Nice with the poetry. And no. I love Xander, but I don't...love...Xander. He's a friend.
FAITH: So? What are friends for? (eeeeewww)
WILKINS: (chuckling) I love the family circus! That PJ's gettin' to be a real handful. (LOL) Wow...I haven't seen these for a...well...a very long time. Where are the owners of these weapons?
TRICK: The common term is slain. But the better question is...what are they doing here?
WILKINS: I don't know. Do like the family circus?
TRICK: I like Marmaduke.
WILKINS: OH! Yiiicchk...he's always up on the furniture...so unsanitary.
TRICK: No one can tell Marmaduke what to do, that's my kind of dog.
AID: I like to read Cathy. (Trick and Wilkins glare in disbelief) So...what...a - about these swords? (LOL!!!)
WILLOW: It's just so weird - I mean rejection I can handle...what with the years of practice and all. But this...
BUFFY: Well I think it's great. Now that you've got early admission access, there's nothing standing between you and a brilliant future.
OZ: If I may suggest? Graduate. Being left back isn't the thrill ride you'd expect.
CORDELIA: It's so cute! Planning your future life as a loser. Most people just turn out that way, but you...you're taking charge!
XANDER: The comedy stylings of Cordelia Chase, everyone. Who incidentally won't need a college education when she goes on to model her own line of hooker wear. (zing!)
CORDELIA: Well, Xander, I could dress more like you, but...oh...my father has a job. (OOOOWCH)
XANDER: I'm not gonna waste the perfect comeback line on ya now, but believe me, I have it! Oh yes! It's time will come! (LOL!)
PRYCE: Buffy, you will go to the Gleaves crypt and retrieve the amulet.
BUFFY: I will?
PRYCE: Are you not used to following orders, Ms. Summers?
BUFFY: When Giles sends me on a mission he says please. And then afterward I get a cookie.
PRYCE: I fear that perhaps we're not getting off on the right foot. (Faith enters) Ah...this is perhaps Faith.
FAITH: (looking annoyed) New watcher?
GILES/BUFFY: (in unison) New watcher.
FAITH: Screw that. (walks out)
BUFFY: Now why didn't I just say that?
GILES: Buffy, could you...
BUFFY: I'll go try to bring her back. (sarcastically) Don't say anything interesting while I'm gone. (She exits and Giles and Price both reach for rags to clean their glasses...Giles sees Price doing this and decides he needs to be less overwhelmingly dweebish, so puts his glasses back on still smudged...ROTFLOL!!!!)
FAITH: You're actually gonna take orders from that geek?
BUFFY: It's the job...what else can we do?
FAITH: Anything we want. We're slayers, girlfriend; the chosen two! Why should we let that dweeb take all the fun out of it?
BUFFY: Yeah, that would be a shame. Taking all the fun out of fighting and stabbing and beheading.
FAITH: C'mon, I know you enjoy it.
BUFFY: No...not really.
FAITH: You're lying - I've seen the look in your eyes after a kill! Tell me that doesn't jack you up. (Buffy demurs because she knows it's at least a little true) See, you can't fool me. You dig this just as much as me.
BUFFY: You're way off base.
FAITH: C'mon...tell me you don't crave it. If you don't get a kill for long enough, tell me you don't start itching for some vamp to come after you, just so you can give him a good 'uhh!'
BUFFY: Again with the grunting. You know I'm not comfortable with this.
FAITH: Hey, slaying's what we're built for. If you're not enjoying it, you're doing something wrong. (eeeeep)
BUFFY: I have a chem test to take - it's really sad that I'm actually happy about that. Giles, we need to talk later, OK?
PRYCE: Ms. Summers! I must remind you that I am your watcher. Anything you have to say about slaying or vampires...you will say to me. Is that understood?
BUFFY: We'll talk later.
GILES: Of course.
PRYCE: You're not helping.
GILES: I know...and I'm just sick about it. (HA!!)
BUFFY: How come every time I say Faith's name, your eye twitches?
XANDER: What? No it doesn't!
BUFFY: Faith! (Xander grabs his eye after a big twitch) See!
XANDER: Stop it! We have a test to take...some of us actually care about school. (Faith arrives and taps on the window)
FAITH: Hey girlfriend! Bad time?
BUFFY: I'm out. (Faith breathes on the glass and draws a heart with an arrow through it)
WILLOW: No, she can't! You can't, Buffy...can you? (Buffy all too happily leaves)
BUFFY: What's up?
FAITH: Vampires.
BUFFY: Uh...unless there's a total eclipse in the next five minutes, it's daylight.
FAITH: Good for us, bad for them. I found a nest.
BUFFY: That has potential. (uh oh...Buffy's starting to slip...)
BUFFY: OK, we've got about ten vamps, heavily armed, and one big demon in desperate need of a stairmaster.
FAITH: I say we take 'em all - hard, fast and now.
BUFFY: We need a little more firepower than none. We should head back to the library.
FAITH: I guess demon boy isn't going anywhere. I just wish we had some...(sees a shop selling antique weaponry across the alley)...oh that's too perfect. (they break into the store and Faith smashes open a case containing a large crossbow)
BUFFY: Think these guys are insured? (Buffy keeps listening to her conscience every step of the way...and then willfully ignoring it)
FAITH: That's not my top priority right now. When you gonna get it, B? The life of a slayer is very simple. Want. Take. Have. (She smashes open a couple of more cases and steals a batch of wood stakes and a knife)
BUFFY: Want. Take. Have. (Buffy joins in the looting, stealing a pair of knives and eventually, another huge blade) I'm gettin' it. (aaaaaarrrrgh!!)
(and later, after escaping the police and causing them to crash their squad car)
BUFFY: We should call an ambulance.
FAITH: Five people already heard the racket we just made, and they're fine! (shot of them looking very much not fine....Buffy flees with Faith...descending into madness one bad decision at a time...of course if they'd gone back to the library and acquired their weapons legally, they'd have been fine and Balthazar would be dead before any of the subsequent trouble started)
BALTHAZAR: Bring them here! You know what I want.
GILES: If it's for me to scrub those hard to reach areas, you'd best just kill me now. (LOL!!)
PRYCE: Now is not a good time to agitate him, Giles!
GILES: Why not...he'll torture us to death anyway.
BALTHAZAR: He's not wrong about that.
PRYCE: Wait wait...the slayer gave it to a friend, a tall man...if you let me live, I'll tell you everything you need to know!
GILES: Do shut up, you twit! (LOL)
BALTHAZAR: You WILL tell me everything. Now!
PRYCE: Yes...sir...
BALTHAZAR: This friend...what is his name?
PRYCE: (freaks because he doesn't know) I actually...didn't catch it. (Vamps grab the two and pull them away to be killed) No, no wait!! We can deal with this like civilized men. I have something you want and you have something I want.
BALTHAZAR: Hm...a trade...intriguing. No wait...boring. Pull off his kneecaps!
PRYCE: No please, I'll tell you anything!
GILES: Wesley, please just stop talking.
PRYCE: But...I like my kneecaps! (LOL!)
FAITH: So, what? You gonna rat me out? Is that it?
BUFFY: Faith, we have to tell. I can't pretend to investigate this thing - I can't pretend I don't know.
FAITH: Oh, but you can pretend your boyfriend isn't back from the grave to protect him?
BUFFY: Faith, I'm trying to protect you. If we don't come clean now, things are only going to get worse for you.
FAITH: Worse than jail for the rest of my young life? I don't think so.
BUFFY: Faith, what we did, it's going to...(Buffy trying to get Faith to realize how not answering for her own guilt will gnaw at her...how very Catholic of her)
FAITH: Yeah...we. You're a part of this too, B. Whatever I have to answer for, you're responsible too. You were right there beside me.
FAITH: So the Mayor of Sunnydale is a Black Hat. That's a shocker, huh?
BUFFY: Actually, yeah. I didn't get the bad guy vibe off of him.
FAITH: (exasperated) When are you gonna learn, B? It doesn't matter what kind of vibe you get off a person. 'Cause nine times out of ten, the face they're showing you is not the real one.
BUFFY: (evenly) I guess you know a lot about that.
FAITH: (stops and faces Buffy) What is that supposed to mean?
BUFFY: It's just, look at you, Faith. Less than twenty-four hours ago, you killed a man. A-and now it's all zip-a-dee-doo-dah? It's not *your* real face, and I know it. Look, I know what you're feeling because I'm feeling it, too.
FAITH: (insolently) Do you? So fill me in 'cause I'd like to hear this.
BUFFY: Dirty. Like something sick creeped inside you and you can't get it out. And you keep hoping that it was just some nightmare, but it wasn't. And we are gonna have to figure out...
FAITH: (interrupts) Is there gonna be an intermission in this?
BUFFY: Just let me talk to Giles, okay? I swear...
FAITH: No! We're not bringing *anybody* else into this. You gotta keep your head, B. This is all gonna blow over in a few days.
BUFFY: And if it doesn't?
FAITH: If it doesn't, (shrugs) they got a freighter leaving the docks at least twice a day. It ain't fancy, but it gets you gone.
BUFFY: And that's it? You just live with it? You see the dead guy in your head every day for the rest of your life?
FAITH: (steps closer) Buffy, I'm not gonna *see* anything. I missed the
mark last night and I'm sorry about the guy. I really am! But it happens! Anyway, how many people do you think we've saved by now, thousands? And didn't you stop the world from ending? Because in my book, that puts you and me in the plus column.
BUFFY: We help people! It doesn't mean we can do whatever we want.
FAITH: Why not? The guy I offed was no Gandhi. I mean, we just saw he was mixed up in dirty dealings.
BUFFY: Maybe, but what if he was coming to us for help?
FAITH: What if he was? You're still not seeing the big picture, B. Something made us different. We're warriors. We're built to kill.
BUFFY: To kill demons! But it does *not* mean that we get to pass judgment on people like we're better than everybody else!
FAITH: We *are* better! That's right, better. People need us to survive. In the balance, nobody's gonna cry over some random bystander who got caught in the crossfire.
BUFFY: (sadly) I am.
FAITH: Well, that's your loss. (we're seeing here exactly what causes someone to appear as though they have no soul...I don't believe Faith was born inherently evil...I believe she is immature and suffers from a worldview that is inherently flawed...she's viewing everything in the linear mode of "justice" that a ten year old cleaves to and unable to think about the damage she's doing to her soul...this is why a hedonistic lifestyle is so dangerous!)
BUFFY: I need to talk to you.
WILLOW: Good. (Buffy comes in, closes the door) 'Cause I've been letting things fester. (goes to her bed) And I don't like it. (sits) I wanna be fester-free.
BUFFY: (smiles weakly) Yeah. Me, too.
WILLOW: (stands up) I mean, don't get me wrong. I-I completely understand why you and Faith have been doing the bonding thing. You guys work together. You... You should get along.
BUFFY: It's more complicated than that.
WILLOW: But, see, it's that exact thing that-that's just ticking me off! It's this whole 'Slayers only' attitude. I mean, since when wouldn't I understand? You, you talk to me about *everything*. I-it's like all of a sudden I-I'm not cool enough for you because I can't kill things with my bare hands. (Buffy suddenly bursts into tears. Willow is aghast at this result.) Oh! Oh, Buffy! Don't cry. (hugs her close) I'm sorry. I-I was too hard on you. (lets go) Sometimes I unleash. I-I don't know my own strength. I-i-it's bad. I-I-I'm bad. I'm a bad, bad, bad person.
BUFFY: (tearfully) Will, I'm in trouble.
BUFFY: (desperately) Giles, I didn't do this. I swear. Look, I know that I messed up badly, but the murder, i-it... it was...
GILES: (interrupts) Faith. I know.
GILES: She may have many talents, Buffy, but fortunately, lying is not one of them.
BUFFY: Oh. Oh, God. (sits) I thought...
GILES: I'm sorry. I needed her to think that I was on her side. I don't know how far she'll take this charade.
BUFFY: Try far. Like, all the way.
GILES: You should have come to me right off. (sits facing her)
BUFFY: I know. Well, I, I wanted to.
GILES: But Faith wouldn't hear of it?
BUFFY: It's not all her fault, Giles. We both thought it was a vampire. I-I only realized it a second before.
GILES: Buffy, this is not the first time something like this has happened.
Buffy: (confused) It's not?
GILES: The Slayer is on the front line of a nightly war. Now, it's, it's tragic, but accidents have happened.
BUFFY: W-what do you do?
GILES: Well, the Council investigates, um, metes out punishment if punishment is due. But I... I have no plans to involve them. I mean, it's the last thing Faith needs at the moment. She's unstable, Buffy. I mean, she's utterly unable to accept responsibility.
BUFFY: She's freaking. So, so then we just have to help her deal, right?
GILES: She's in denial. There *is* no help for her until she admits what happened. (indeed not)
XANDER: I heard about what happened, and I thought you might need a friend.
FAITH: So then, go talk to Buffy. She's the one who killed a guy.
XANDER: Yeah. I heard that version.
FAITH: Version?
XANDER: (sighs) Either way, i-it sounds like it was an accident, and that's the important part.
FAITH: (angrily) No, the important part is that Buffy is the (makes finger quotes) accidental murderer.
XANDER: Faith, you may not think so, but I sort of know you. And I've seen you post-battle. And I know firsthand that you're, um... like a wild thing. And half the time, you don't know what you're doing.
FAITH: (snidely) And you're living proof of that, aren't you?
XANDER: See, you're trying to hurt me. But right now, you need someone on your side. What happened wasn't your fault. And I'm willing to testify to that in court if you need me.
FAITH: You'd dig that, wouldn't you? (gives him a sexy look) To get up in front of all your geek pals and go on record about how I made you my boy toy for a night.
XANDER: No. N-n-n-n-no, that's not it.
FAITH: *I* know what this is all about. (steps closer) You just came by here (runs her fingertips all around his face) 'cause you want another taste, don't you?
XANDER: No! I mean, it was nice. It was great. It was kind of a blur. But, okay, some day, sure, yay, but not now. Not like this.
FAITH: (grabs hold of his head) More like how then? Lights on or off? Kinks or vanilla?
XANDER: (jerks away) Faith, come on. I came here to help you. (looks her in the eyes) I thought we had a connection. (Faith can't help but think that's funny and laughs at his gullibility. She grabs him by his shirt front, shoves him onto the bed and jumps on top of him.)
FAITH: (excitedly) You wanna feel a connection? It's just skin. (opens his shirt) I see... I want... I take. (kisses him hard) I forget.
XANDER: (nervously) No. No, wait. It was more than that.
FAITH: I could do anything to you right now, and you want me to. I can make you scream. (She licks her tongue over and around his face and returns to his lips, and kisses him forcefully, seizing his lower lip between her teeth and pulling at it.) I could make you die. (She kisses him again and gets her hand around his neck. When she pulls away from his lips, he's choking. She kisses him once more, and then rises above him, never letting up on her chokehold. Xander reaches up with one hand to try to push her away and tries to pry her hand from his neck with his other hand, but doesn't have anywhere near the strength necessary to do so. Faith has both hands tight around his neck now, and squeezes hard. He begins to lose consciousness. A few moments more and he's passed out. Faith hears a noise behind her and looks over just in time to be knocked unconscious by Angel. - this scene is deeply...deeply haunting...a terrifying portrayal of a girl feeling out of control and desperately trying to reclaim it using whatever means necessary...up to and including raping and killing an innocent bystander)
BUFFY: So, what do I do?
ANGEL: Look, right now, there's nothing that you can do.
BUFFY: Well, this could take awhile, right? (goes to the stairs) So, I'll just go to Faith's and I'll get some of her stuff. That way she'll see that we're on her side.
ANGEL: That's a good idea.
BUFFY: Okay. (glances at Faith) I'll be back.
ANGEL: Look, I... I don't want you to get your hopes up, Buffy. She may not want us to help her.
BUFFY: She does. She just doesn't know how to say it.
ANGEL: She killed a man. That changes everything for her.
BUFFY: (shakes her head) Giles said with counseling, they might not even need to lock her up.
ANGEL: That's not what I mean. She's taken a life.
BUFFY: I know.
ANGEL: She's got a taste for it now. (eeep)
ANGEL: I know what's goin' on with you.
FAITH: Join the club. Everybody seems to have a theory.
ANGEL: Hmm. (faces her) But I know what it's like to take a life. To
feel a future, a world of possibilities, snuffed out by your own hand. I know the power in it. The exhilaration. It was like a drug for me.
FAITH: (looks up at him, sarcastically) Yeah? Sounds like you need some help. A professional maybe.
ANGEL: Hmm. (goes to the coffee table) A professional couldn't have helped me. (sits on it) It stopped when I got my soul back. My human heart.
FAITH: Goody for you. If we're gonna party, let's get on with it. (holds out her wrists) Otherwise, could you let me out of these things?
ANGEL: Faith, you have a choice. You've tasted something few ever do. (stands up, paces) I mean, to kill without remorse is to feel like a god.
FAITH: (struggles angrily) Right now, all I feel is a cramp in my wrist, (yanks at the chains impatiently) so let me go!
ANGEL: (crouches) But you're not a god. You're not much more than a child. Going down this path will ruin you. You can't imagine the price for true evil.
FAITH: Yeah? (sneering) I hope evil takes MasterCard.
ANGEL: (smiles) You and me, Faith, (straightens up) we're a lot alike. Time was, I thought humans existed just to hurt each other. (sits next to her) But then I came here. And I found out that there are other types of people. People who genuinely wanted to do right. (looks at her) And they make mistakes. And they fall down. You know, but they keep caring. Keep trying. If you can trust us, Faith, this can all change. You don't have to disappear into the darkness. (a good use for Angel...interesting, and rare!)
FAITH: You don't give up, do you?
BUFFY: Not on my friends, no.
FAITH: Yeah, because you and me are such solid buds, right?
BUFFY: We could be. It's not too late.
FAITH: (disgusted) For me to change and be more like you, you mean? Little Miss Goody-Two-Shoes? (stops halfway, leans on the railing) It ain't gonna happen, B.
BUFFY: Faith, nobody is asking you to be like me, but you can't go on like this.
FAITH: (grins evilly) Scares you, doesn't it?
BUFFY: Yeah, it scares me. Faith, you're hurting people. You're hurting yourself.
FAITH: (approaches Buffy) But that's not it. That's not what bothers you so much. What bugs you is you know I'm right. You know in your gut we don't need the law. We *are* the law.
BUFFY: No.
FAITH: Yes. You know exactly what I'm about 'cause you have it in you, too.
BUFFY: No, Faith, you're sick.
FAITH: I've seen it, B. You've got the lust. And I'm not just talking about screwing vampires. (Buffy stops in her tracks.)
BUFFY: Don't you *dare* bring him into this.
FAITH: (taunting her) It was good, wasn't it? The sex? The danger? Bet a part of you even dug him when he went psycho.
BUFFY: No! (continues walking)
FAITH: (follows) See, you need me to toe the line because you're afraid you'll go over it, aren't you, B? You can't handle watching me living my own way, having a blast, because it tempts you! You know it could be you! (This is the ultimate example of how well Joss Whedon understands the evil mindset...I hear this argument ALL THE TIME from people defending a hedonistic way of life...they claim we frown on their choices because we don't wish to be tempted...they claim they're happy when they so clearly are not...and it's all because deep down...they know they're wrong...deep down, they know they're miserable)
GILES: So she saved you. (walks slowly around the table)
BUFFY: She could have left me there to die, Giles, but she didn't.
GILES: She opted to come back to town with you. That... That bodes well. (sits) She still has a lot to face before she can put this behind her.
BUFFY: I'm not gonna give up on her.
GILES: (pours himself a cup) Then I think she stands a chance. (aww...)
FAITH: You sent your boy to kill me.
WILKINS: That's right, I did.
FAITH: He's dust.
WILKINS: I thought he might be. What with you standing here and all.
FAITH: I guess that means you have a job opening. (and her descent into the darkness is complete)
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