[Transcript of "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" episode Becoming (part 1) at buffyology.com.]
In every generation there is a Chosen One. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer.
Overhead shot looking down onto the cobblestones. A lone rider on his horse passes below. WHISTLER narrates.
There are moments in your life that make you... that set the course of who you're going to be. Sometimes they're little, subtle moments. Sometimes... they're not. I'll show you what I mean.
The horseman continues past a tavern on the far side of the square. The door opens and a young Angel and his FRIEND are thrown out. They are both very drunk.
We'll be back when we've found a bit more cash money! Keep the girls warm!
The tavern proprietor slams the door shut and Angel pounds on it a couple of times.
Let's go.
Angel staggers back over to him and puts his arm around him. They begin to make their way drunkenly down the street.
Come on. We'll sneak in and take some of me father's silver. He'll never miss it. He eats with his hands, the pig.
His friend is too drunk to go on and faints dead away, falling out of Angel's arms to the pavement. Angel looks down at him.
Ah, why don't you rest right here.
He takes a look around and spots a beautiful noble lady in a fancy period dress standing in an alley beyond the archway. The woman glances back over her shoulder to be sure she has his attention and starts to walk further into the dark alley, disappearing around a corner. Angel knows what he likes and follows her.
The woman continues her pace deliberately slow , allowing Angel to catch up. As Angel approaches, she looks up and we recognize DARLA, her blonde hair long and curly and expertly styled in the manner typical of 18th Century nobility. She keeps her back to Angel as he swaggers up to her.
So I'd ask myself... what's a lady of your station doing alone in an alley with the reputation that this one has?
Maybe she's lonely.
In that case, I'd offer myself as escort to protect you from harm and to while away the dull hours.
You're very gracious.
Hmm. It's often been said.
Are you certain you're up to the challenge?
Milady, you'll find that with the exception of an honest day's work, there's no challenge I'm not prepared to face.
He stops in front of her and looks into her eyes.
Oh... but you're a pretty thing. Where are you from?
Around. Everywhere.
I never been anywhere myself. Always wanted to see the world but...
I could show you.
Could you, then?
Things you've never seen, never even heard of.
Sounds exciting.
It is. And frightening.
I'm not afraid. Show me. Show me your world.
Close your eyes.
Angel does so and Darla's face morphs, fangs descending, yellow eyes blazing. She smiles, growls softly and sinks her fangs deep into his flesh. When he feels the pain his eyes open wide and he gasps. He weakens and sinks to his knees.
Before Angel dies, Darla stops drawing his blood and lifts her hand to her chest. She draws her fingernail across the skin above her breasts; her blood wells out of the shallow cut. She seizes him by the back of the neck and buries his face in her
bosom, his lips on the cut, forcing him to taste of her blood. After a moment, he wraps his arms around her and drinks deeply.
Angelus stands quietly in the shadows watching BUFFY fight a pair of vampires. One of the vampires rushes Buffy and she flips him over onto his back.
Nice try.
The other one rushes at her and she ducks, slamming him to the ground and wrenching his arm up high behind his back.
Angelus looks on from behind a tree and smiles.
The first vampire stands up and rushes her. Without letting go of the vampire before her, she cleanly jams her stake into the other one's chest as he launches himself toward her.
Angelus chuckles as the creature explodes into ashes.
Buffy turns her attention back to the vampire she has immobilized in front of her. She punches him in the face and pushes him away from her.
I want you to get a message to Angel for me. Tell him I'm done waiting. I'm taking the fight to him.
Angelus smiles, pleased.
You got that? Need me to write it down for you?
The vampire gets up and charges her. She slams him down to the ground and plunges her stake home. He bursts into a cloud of black ash.
All right, I'll tell him myself.
She walks over behind a gravestone, and reaches down to help XANDER up. He struggles to his feet, rubbing his neck
I'm good. Don't worry about me.
You know, you don't have to patrol with me.
I had that guy under control until he resorted to fisticuffs. What is that... five vampires in three nights?
Yep. But no Angel.
Are you really that anxious to come up against him?
I want it over with.
I hear that.
Oh, we better go. (sighs) I haven't even started studying for finals yet.
Oh yeah, finals! Why didn't you let me die?
Look on the bright side. It'll all be over soon.
They leave the cemetery under the watchful eyes of Angelus.
Yes, my love. It will.
Opening credit sequence.
Pan across a large rectangular chunk of rock over to a technician. She is carefully cleaning off a section of the rock with small jets of compressed air. The dust puffs away in clouds. She puts down the airjet and uses a small brush on the rock. Dr. DOUG PERREN, one of the museum curators, comes over to check her progress.
Careful, now. (points) Concentrate in this area. (beat) There you go.
The door opens behind him and he turns to see GILES enter
Hello?
Rupert Giles?
Yes.
Doug Perren. (shakes his hand) Thanks for coming.
Oh, not at all. It's... flattered to be asked.
I spoke with Lou Tabor at the Washington Institute and he told me we had the best authority on obscure relics right here in Sunnydale.
He may have exaggerated a little. (sees the obelisk) Ah, is this the...
This is our baby. Construction workers dug it up outside of town. Don't have a clue what it is. Any ideas?
Giles examines the rock, paying careful attention to the inscribed runes.
A few. None I'd care to share until I can verify. You have carbon dated it?
The results will be back in a couple of days. I'll go out on a limb and say old.
Yes, it certainly... predates any settlements we've read about. (points) May I?
Yeah. Sure.
Giles picks up a tool, leans in and begins to scrape at the corner of the obelisk, catching the debris in the jar. He digs into an apparent groove. A few scrapes later he stops and taps the scraper clean on the jar.
I assume you haven't tried to open it.
Open it?
He leans over to see what Giles has discovered.
I'll be damned. I figured it was solid. What do you think is in there?
I don't know.
Well... I guess we won't know until we open it up.
Yes, but could I ask... would you wait? I'd like to work on translating the text. It might give us an indication of what we'll find inside.
You don't want to be surprised?
As a rule, no.
All right. You're the expert. But I'm pretty damn curious, though.
Yes. Yes, so am I.
CU on two fish sticks. Xander plays with them like puppets, moving them around with a toothpick.
Tell Angel I'm gonna kill him! No, wait. I'm gonna kill you!
He stabs the toothpick into one of the fish sticks.
Die! Die! Die!
He makes an anguished face and lets the fish stick fall.
Aah! (makes a thudding noise and squeals) Mother!
CORDELIA looks at him with a mixture of amusement and disgust.
Is that it?
Yeah. That's it. (chuckles) Scene!
Pull back to reveal WILLOW, OZ and Buffy on the other side of the table. Willow is sitting in Oz's lap.
That's exactly how it happened.
Well, I thought it was riveting. I was a little unclear about some of the themes.
The theme is Angel's too much of a coward to take me on face- to-face.
And the other theme was 'Buy American', but it got kind of buried.
Do you think you're ready to fight Angel?
I wish people would stop asking me that. Yes, I'm ready. I'm also willing and able. Just the one test I might actually pass.
Don't say that! You're going to pass everything. I will get you through this semester if I have to sweat blood.
Do you think you're likely to? 'Cause I'd like to be elsewhere.
It was only metaphor blood.
I think you'd sweat cute blood.
Sixth period, after my computer class, we'll rock on chemistry.
Ready to rock.
Boy Willow, you've really got the teaching bug: taking over computer class, tutoring...
I love it. I really do.
I think it's great to do that before you go out and fail in the real world. That way you're not falling back on something. You're falling... well, forward.
And almost sixty-five percent of that was actual compliment. Is that a personal best?
Gee, Xander, what are you going to teach when you fail in life? Advanced loser-being?
Xander reaches for her.
I will teach... (mock French accent) zee Language of Love!
Don't touch me! You have fish hands!
Principal SNYDER walks into the cafeteria behind them.
Come, let me caress you!
Stop it!
Let me in!
No! (laughs) Don't!
That's enough of that. (to Willow) And you! Are we having a chair shortage?
I didn't read anything about... oh. I get it.
She slides off of Oz's lap and into her chair.
These public displays of affection are not acceptable in my school. This isn't an orgy, people. It's a classroom.
Yeah! Where they teach lunch.
Just give me a reason to kick you out, Summers. Just give me a reason.
He walks off, muttering.
How about because you're a tiny, impotent Nazi with a bug up his butt the size of an emu?
Sums it up.
Don't you think?
Do you want to come by my house tonight and study, too?
Maybe. I do have to patrol.
Again? Do you really expect Angel to turn up tonight?
No, I don't expect him to. But that's usually when he does.
Establishing.
Monks chant and pray. DRUSILLA walks behind the pews toward the confessional. Before going in, she faces the altar, kneels and crosses herself. She looks up briefly before getting back to her feet and going into one of the booths.
As she steps through the curtain on the parishioner's side of the booth, we hear the sound of muffled struggling coming from the priest's side. An arm falls limply out before being dragged back inside.
Drusilla sits down and pulls the scarf from her head.
Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.
In the next booth, Angelus is caught by surprise and drops the dead priest.
It's been two days since my last confession. (beat; no answer) Father?
Angelus decides to play along.
That's not very long.
Oh, Father, I'm so afraid.
The Lord is very forgiving. Tell me your sins.
I had... I've been seeing again, Father. Yesterday the men were going to work in the mine. I had... a terrible fright. My stomach all tied up and I saw this horrible... crash. My mummy said to keep my peace, it didn't mean nothing. But this morning... they had a cave-in. Two men died.
Go on.
Me mum says... I'm cursed. (beat) My seeing things is an affront to the Lord... that only He's supposed to see anything before it happens. (sobs) But I don't mean to, Father, I swear! I swear! I try to be pure in His sight. I don't want to be an evil thing.
Oh, hush, child. The Lord has a plan for all creatures. Even a devil-child like you.
A devil?
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.
What can I do?
Fulfill His plan, child. Be evil. Just give in.
No! (sobs) I want to be good. I want to be pure.
We all do, at first. The world doesn't work that way.
Father... I beg you... please... please, help me.
Very well. Ten Our Fathers and an Act of Contrition. Does that sound good?
Yes. (sighs) Yes, Father. Thank you.
The pleasure was mine. And my child...
Yes?
Angelus raises his hand to the lattice between them.
God is watching you.
Drusilla wafts down the stairs to the garden below where SPIKE sits in his wheelchair, reading the newspaper.
Nice walk, pet?
She puts her hand over her stomach and grimaces.
I met an old man. Didn't like him. He got stuck in my teeth. But then the moon started whispering to me... all sorts of dreadful things.
She closes her eyes and leans her head back in ecstasy. Angelus walks into the garden behind Spike.
Well, what did it say?
Oh. Look who's awake.
Angelus smacks Spike in the head with his fist as he walks past.
What did the moon tell you? Did you have a vision? Is something coming?
Oh, yeah. (whispers) Something terrible. Psst, psst, psst...
Where?
At the museum. A tomb... (smiles) with a surprise inside.
You can see all that in your head?
No, you ninny. She read it in the morning paper.
He hands the newspaper to Angelus.
Oh, my.
The headline of the Sunnydale Press reads 'Mysterious Obelisk Unearthed: Excavators Discover Ancient Artifact'.
That's what's been whispering to me.
Oh, yeah. (to Drusilla) Don't worry, though. Soon it'll stop. (to Spike) Soon it'll scream.
Drusilla playfully snaps at Angelus, trembling with anticipation.
After school. Willow is tutoring Buffy in chemistry. Buffy gives up in frustration and slaps down her pencil.
Waah! This doesn't make any sense.
She pouts at Willow.
Well, sure it does. See...
She takes Buffy's paper and looks it over.
Oh, no. This doesn't make any sense.
It's senseless.
It is, but at least you know that, so you're learning.
Yay me. Well, it doesn't matter anyway. I mean, when in the real world am I ever going to need chemistry or history or math or the English language?
Willow studies Buffy's paper more closely.
Okay. I see your problem.
I'm a moron?
She gives Buffy a stern look.
Will you stop that? You're not stupid! You've just had a lot on your mind. You can learn this real easily, but if you're just going to give up, then don't waste my time.
Wow. You really are a good teacher.
Okay. Look at this. A covalent bond-- which means these two atoms are linked by this--
Buffy's pencil rolls off of the desk and into the space between it and the filing cabinet.
Ohh! Hold that thought.
She reaches down and pulls the pencil out. In the process, she moves a computer diskette which has fallen in the shadows behind the cabinet as well.
Okay. I'm Learn Girl.
Okay. (points to the paper) So, see here--
Déjà vu.
Really?
Yeah. I have this perfect memory of the pencil and...
She drops the pencil onto the desk again. It rolls off of the desk again, falls and hits the disk. She looks over into the space and sees the disk. She reaches down for it and her pencil.
Oh, hey. (re: disk) You dropped this.
She hands the unlabeled yellow disk to Willow, who looks at it curiously.
It's not mine. It might be something of Ms. Calendar's.
She inserts the disk into her laptop's floppy drive.
This feels kind of morbid.
I've gone through most of her files already.
Does that make it less morbid or you really morbid?
I had to... to teach her class.
Relax, Will. I was making with the funny.
The program on the disk starts up and Romanian text scrolls into the left-hand window. The translation program's status bar appears and begins to zip across the screen. It disappears and the English translation scrolls into the right-hand window.
Does that say 'restoration'?
It's one of her spells, I think. Ms. Calendar wasn't a practicing witch but she did dabble--
Willow...
She keeps reading and Willow looks back at the screen as well. Willow quickly realizes what they've found.
Oh, boy. Oh, boy. Oh, boy.
Buffy has stopped reading. CU on her stunned face.
Angelus runs through the trees, panting in desperation.
Pan across the corpse of a young Kalderash Gypsy girl, recently killed by a vampire. She lies on an intricately patterned quilt, dressed in white with burning candles around the perimeter. Members of the clan are laying rose petals on her. Pan to the Gypsy ELDER WOMAN sitting beneath a tent canopy and chanting over an Orb of Thesulah surrounded by candles within a sacred circle.
Angelus continues running through the woods as the old woman begins to chant.
Nici mort, nici de-al fiintei, Te invoc, spirit al trecerii. Reda trupului ce separa omul de animal! (Neither dead, nor of the living, I invoke you, spirit of the passing. Return to the body which distinguishes Man from the beast!)
Angelus breaks through the trees into the clearing of the camp. He trips and falls by the great bonfire raging in the camp's center.
Asa sa fie. (So it shall be.)
He struggles to his hands and knees and looks over at the Elder Woman, still chanting.
Utrespur aceastui. (Restore this one.)
The Orb suddenly glows very bright for an instant and then goes dark. Angelus' eyes grow bright for a moment, then return to normal, his soul now restored. An member of the clan steps up to him as Angel collapses back to the ground.
It hurts, yes? Good. It will hurt more.
Where am I?
You don't remember... everything you've done for a hundred years. In a moment, you will. The face of everyone you killed... our daughter's face... they will haunt you and you will know what true suffering is.
Killed? I don't...
Slowly the memories flood back to him: dozens of earthquake victims in Budapest, slaughtered at his and Darla's hand; all those he has turned into vampires; the gypsy girl that proved to be his downfall.
No...
He looks away from the man and begins to sob.
No... No... No...
He falls to the ground, racked with sorrow and grief.
Xander and Cordelia sit at the research table. Giles approaches Buffy and Willow.
What are you saying?
Buffy holds out a computer printout.
The curse. This is it.
Looks like Ms. Calendar was trying to replicate the original curse. To restore Angel's soul again.
Giles stares at the paper.
She said it couldn't be done.
Well, she tried anyway. And it looks like it might have worked.
So he killed her... before she could tell anyone about it. What a prince, huh?
This is good, right? I mean, we can curse him again.
Buffy paces, thinking.
Well, this... certainly points the way, but... the ritual itself requires a greater knowledge of the Black Arts than I can claim.
Well, I've been going through her files and researching the Black Arts for fun-- or educational fun-- and I may be able to work this.
Willow... channeling such potent magicks through yourself-- it could open a door that you may not be able to close.
I don't want you putting yourself in any danger, Will.
And I don't want danger-- big 'no' to danger-- but I may be the best person to do this.
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. (harsh) Who cares?
I care.
Is that right?
Let's not lose our perspective here, Xander.
Willow can't believe what she's hearing from Xander but he stands his ground.
I'm Perspective Guy. Angel's a killer.
Xander...
It's not that simple.
What? All is forgiven? I can't believe you people!
Xander has a point.
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 going to get back to the point, (to the others) which is that Angel needs to die.
Curing Angel seems to have been Jenny's last wish.
Yeah? Well, Jenny's dead.
Giles rounds on Xander, furious.
Don't you ever speak of her in that tone again!
Can't you hear what I'm saying?
They both begin to shout incoherently at each other and Buffy moves between them.
Stop it! Stop it!
They finally shut up and glare at each other. Buffy turns away and moves over to Willow, very upset.
What do you want to do?
I don't know. What happened to Angel wasn't his fault.
Yeah, but what happened to Ms. Calendar is.
Buffy and Willow stare at him in disbelief.
You can paint this any way you want, but the way I see it is that you want to forget all about Ms. Calendar's murder so you can get your boyfriend back.
Stung, Buffy turns and walks out of the library. Willow and Giles glare at Xander who turns away in disgust.
Dr. Perren is going over his notes when he hears whispering coming from behind him. He turns around to look but no one's there.
Hello?
He gets up and slowly walks over to the obelisk. The whispering gets louder as he nears it. He reaches up to the runes on the face of the rock and touches them. The whispering seems to be coming from inside. He places his hand flat on the face of the rock and stares up at it in amazement.
Suddenly Drusilla wraps her hand around his mouth from behind and jerks his head back to expose his neck. She leans in and rips into his flesh as he struggles to escape. Behind her, Angelus and two other vampires approach the obelisk.
I'll have one of these to go.
The two vampires begin attaching ropes and pulleys to the rock in order to move it.
Dru...
Her head snaps up from her victim and she snarls viciously as a wicked smile plays across her face.
Save me some.
Buffy tosses a bunch of stakes and crosses into her bag while talking on the phone with Willow.
Well, I'll do a couple of sweeps, and then I'll stop by. (beat) Yeah, Xander was pretty much being a... Willow! Where did you learn that word? My god. You kiss your mother with that mouth? I don't know. I don't know what I want to do.
At the bottom of her desk drawer she sees the claddagh ring that Angel gave her and stares at it sadly for a moment. She reaches in for it and holds it gently with her fingers, remembering.
I'll see you in a little while, okay?
She hangs up the phone and sets it down, holding the ring in her hands and gazing at the design: two hands for friendship, a crown for loyalty and a heart for love.
Buffy strolls through, on patrol, and heads off into the bushes. She freezes when a twig snaps behind her, then spins around to look. Nothing. She takes a couple of more steps when the Vampire Slayer KENDRA emerges from the bushes and stands right behind her. Buffy instantly pivots around with her fists up, ready for battle. She checks herself when she recognizes the other girl.
You know, polite people call before they jump out of the bushes and attack you.
Kendra smiles at Buffy and jokes with her in a lilting Jamaican accent.
Just wanted to test your reflexes.
How about testing my face-punching? 'Cause I think you'll find it's improved.
I was on my way to your house. Saw you walking. Couldn't help meself.
Which begs the question-- and don't think I'm not glad to see you-- but why are you here? Oh, wait. No, let me guess. Your Watcher informed you (imitating her accent) dat a very dark power is about to rise in Sunnydale.
Dat's about it.
Great. So, you have any idea what this dark power is?
Angelus and Drusilla stand behind Spike who is staring at the obelisk set in front of the huge fireplace.
It's a big rock. I can't wait to tell my friends. They don't have a rock this big.
Spike, boy, you never did learn your history.
Let's have a lesson, then.
Acathla the demon came forth to swallow the world. He was killed by a virtuous knight who pierced the demon's heart before he could draw a breath to perform the act. Acathla turned to stone, as demons sometimes do, and was buried where neither man nor demon would want to look. Unless, of course, they're putting up low-rent housing. (to lackey vampires) Boys...
The two vampires reach up with crowbars and pry open the tomb. The lid crashes to the floor, in a cloud of dust. Inside is a tall, horned, stockily-built stone demon with a sword protruding from the right side of its chest. Upon seeing him Drusilla closes her eyes, raises her hands to the sides of her head and begins to sway back and forth.
He fills my head. I can't hear anything else.
Let me guess. Someone pulls out the sword...
Someone worthy...
Mmm. The demon wakes up and wackiness ensues.
He will swallow the world.
And every creature living on this planet will go to Hell.
He walks up to Acathla for a closer look, and turns to face the others.
My friends... we're about to make history... end.
Giles comes out of his office into the main room where Buffy and Kendra are waiting at the research table. Willow is behind the counter, paging through a book.
I've been on the phone to the museum. The artifact in question is missing and the curator has been murdered. Vampires.
And you're sure this was the tomb of Alfalfa?
Acathla. And yes, the information provided by Kendra's Watcher seems conclusive.
Okay, somebody explain the whole 'he will suck the world into Hell' thing, because that's the part I'm not loving.
Well, the Demon Universe exists in a dimension separate from our own. With one breath, Acathla will create a vortex, a kind of... whirlpool that will pull everything on Earth into that dimension, where any non-demon life will suffer horrible and... eternal torment.
So that would be the literal kind of 'sucked into Hell'. Neat. Willow, I think you should try the curse.
I tend to side with your friend Xander on this one. Angel should be eliminated.
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.
I don't want to be our only hope! I crumble under pressure! Let's have another hope.
We have.
She pulls a large broadsword from her bag.
Blessed by the knight who first slew the demon. If all else fails, this might stop it. I tink.
Giles looks at the sword, intrigued. He takes it from Kendra.
Oh. May I? Thank you. Well, let's hope all else doesn't fail. (to Willow) How close are you to figuring out the Ritual of the Curse?
I need about a day, and... (reads from notes) an 'Orb of Thesulah'? Whatever that is.
Giles hands the sword back to Kendra.
Spirit vault for rituals of the undead. I've got one. (embarrassed) I've been using it as a paperweight.
He heads to his office to retrieve it.
This means I can't help you study for tomorrow's final.
I'll wing it. Of course, if we go to Hell by then, I won't have to take them. (worried) Or maybe I'll be taking them forever.
Angel has a ritual of his own to perform before he can remove the sword and awaken Acathla. With any luck, it should take some time.
Giles hands the Orb to Willow.
Spike paces as Drusilla calls from the other room.
Spike?
He quickly jumps back into his wheelchair as Drusilla comes through the curtain into the room.
Spike, my sweet! The fun's about to begin.
He wheels himself out of the room and heads for the main hall.
The two lackey vampires drag in a young man, barefoot and bare-chested with his hands tied behind his back. They drop him to the floor before Spike, Angelus and Drusilla.
I will drink... the blood will wash in me, over me, and I will be cleansed. I will be worthy to free Acathla. (to Spike and Drusilla) Bear witness as I ascend... (his face changes, fangs extending) as I become.
He yanks the man up by the hair, exposing his neck. He snarls and rips into the young man's throat, drinking deeply. After a moment, the guy falls to the floor,
dead. Angelus looks at the blood on his hand then starts to walk slowly toward Acathla.
Everything that I am, everything that I have done, has led me here.
A bum steps up to a trashcan and begins to root around in it. Finding nothing, the bum makes his way into an alley with slow, labored steps. Tired and weak, he staggers into a concrete post at the side of the alley and stops. He coughs and rolls around to lean with his back against the post. We see the bum is Angel: tired, filthy and unkempt. After a moment, a scent catches his attention. He searches the alley and spots a rat scampering across the heaps of garbage. He takes a couple of unsteady steps, brushes the hair from his face and begins to stalk the rat. It disappears into a pile of trashcans and bags. Angel dives after it, scattering the cans and bags noisily, but loses the rat.
Whistler steps into the alley behind Angel.
God, are you disgusting. This is really an unforgettable smell. This is the stench of death you're giving off here. And the look says... Crazy Homeless Guy. It's not good.
Get away from me.
What are you gonna do, bite me? (gasps and jumps back) Horrors! A vampire!
Angel looks up at him in surprise.
Ah, but you wouldn't bite me on account of your poor, tortured soul. It's so sad, a vampire with a soul. It's so poignant.
Who are you?
Let's take a walk.
The two of them walk along the sidewalk, talking. Angel seems only vaguely interested, as if in a daze.
What are you eating? Like a rat once a month?
Angel strays into the street and nearly walks into a car. Whistler yanks him back just in time.
Hey! Look, you're skin and bones here! Butcher shops are throwing away more blood in a day than you could stand. Good blood. You lived in the world a little bit, you'd know that.
I want to know who you are.
And I want to know who you are.
You already do.
Not yet. But I'm looking to find out. 'Cause you could go either way here.
I don't understand you.
Nobody understands me. That's my curse.
He steps over to a street VENDOR and pulls out some cash.
Dog me. Mustard.
He watches the vendor take out the hotdog and squirt on some mustard.
My name's Whistler.
Here you go.
Thanks. (to Angel) Anyway, lately it is. (takes a bite) Mmm.
You're not a vampire.
A demon... technically. I mean, I'm not a bad guy. Not all demons are dedicated to the destruction of all life.
What do you mean, I can go either way?
I mean that you can become an even more useless rodent than you already are or you can become someone. A person. Someone to be counted.
I just want to be left alone.
Well yeah, you've been left alone for what? Ninety years already? And what a package you are. The Stink Guy!
What do you want from me?
I want you to see something.
He gives Angel an intense look.
We'd have to leave now, you see, and then you tell me what you want to do.
Where is it?
School is over for the day and the students come streaming out. An old, rusted Chevy Impala with its windows spray-painted black pulls up on the far side of the street. The driver's window lowers and Angel squints out into the daylight, careful to remain in shadow. He looks over at the building and sees Buffy bounce down the steps with three of her friends.
So I'm like, 'Dad, do you want me to go to the dance in an outfit I've already worn? Why do you hate me?'
Is Tyler taking you?
Where were you when I got over Tyler? He's of the past. Tyler would have to crawl on his hands and knees to get me to go to the dance with him. Which, actually, he's supposed to do after practice, so I'm going to wait.
Okay. See ya later.
Bye!
Call me!
Okay!
Call me! (to Girl #3) Call me!
I will!
Buffy stands on the steps looking around. She takes off her jacket and sits down to wait for Tyler. A man in a black suit approaches her. He is MERRICK, her first Watcher, who has finally come for her.
Buffy Summers?
Yeah? (smiles) Hi! (confused) What?
I need to speak with you.
You're not from Bullock's, are you? 'Cause I meant to pay for that lipstick.
There isn't much time. You must come with me. Your destiny awaits.
I don't have a destiny. I'm destiny-free, really.
Yes, you have. You are the Chosen One. You alone can stop them.
Who?
The vampires.
Huh?
Buffy lands flat on her back, the wind knocked out of her. A vampire looms over her, growling fiercely. She is terrified and looks around frantically for a means of escape. Angel watches from behind a nearby gravestone. Buffy spots her stake but can't reach it. Desperate, she shoves the vampire off of her, effortlessly hurling him twenty feet.
Oh, god...
She rolls onto her hands and knees and scrambles over to her stake. She snatches it up and quickly leaps to her feet. She looks at the stake, unsure of what to do next.
The vampire lunges at her and she reflexively sidesteps him and flips him. The creature is momentarily dazed and she looks down at the vampire in amazement, stunned by her own power.
Buffy glances Merrick, then down at the stake. She raises the stake high above her head and plunges it down-- right into his gut.
Oh! Not the heart!
Angel watches, concerned, as Buffy plunges the stake into the vampire again and this time hits her mark. An instant later the vampire bursts into ashes. Buffy is caught by surprise and she screams and jumps back, landing on her butt. She just stares at the ashes in the grass in wide-eyed shock. Merrick steps up behind her.
You see? You see your power?
Buffy isn't at all sure she wants to see.
Buffy enters with her mother close behind. JOYCE is angry.
Why didn't you call?
I'm sorry. I didn't know it was so late. Tyler and I were talking.
That boy is irresponsible.
No, mom. It's not his fault.
You know we worry, that's all.
They stare silently at each other for a moment and Joyce shrugs.
Dinner's in ten minutes.
She turns and walks out, leaving Buffy alone.
Yeah.
Buffy turns on the water and begins washing the cemetery dirt from her hands and face. She can hear her parents arguing in the hallway outside.
Did she say where she was?
She was with Tyler.
I don't want her seeing him anymore, period!
Angel looks in on her from outside.
You're overreacting, dear.
Buffy is miserable and looks at her reflection in the mirror as tears begin to track down her cheeks.
Don't do that! Don't talk to me like I'm a kid!
I don't! Just forget it!
Just because you can't discipline her, I have to be the ogre!
I am not having this conversation again! All right?
Buffy struggles hard not to cry.
Angel arrives to find Whistler waiting for him.
She's going to have it tough, that Slayer. She's just a kid. The world's full of big, bad things.
I want to help her. I want... I want to become someone.
God, jeez, look at you. She must be prettier than the last Slayer. This isn't going to be easy. The more you live in this world, the more you see how apart from it you really are. (harsh) And this is dangerous work. Right now, you couldn't go three rounds with a fruit fly!
I want to learn from you.
All right.
But I don't want to dress like you.
Again, you're annoying me. You're lucky we need you on our side.
Angelus stands before Acathla, yellow eyes glowing and fangs glistening.
I have strayed, I have been lost. But Acathla redeems me. With this act, we will be free.
He seizes the hilt of the sword with both hands and a blinding bright light emanates from it. Drusilla is bathed in an eldritch glow and she smiles in ecstasy. Angelus trembles as the power of the sword thrums through his body.
Angelus grips the sword's hilt tightly, straining to draw it out of Acathla. It won't budge and a moment later a bright red flame bursts from the sword, hurling Angelus backward onto the floor.
Someone wasn't worthy.
Damn it!
This is so... disappointing!
Angelus paces, furious.
There must be something I missed. The incantations, the blood... I don't know!
Spike makes a valiant attempt to suppress a snicker, hiding his mouth with his hand.
What are we going to do?
What we always do in a time of trouble: turn to an old friend.
Hope returns to Drusilla.
We'll have our Armageddon. I swear!
He takes a vase from a nearby shelf and hurls it at the far wall, smashing it into hundreds of tiny pieces.
Willow, Buffy, Xander, Cordelia and the rest of the class are taking their chemistry final. Everyone is hard at work. Buffy looks up and glances around briefly, then turns her attention back to her paper.
A few random students move through the halls on their way to various exams. A mysterious figure with a shawl covering its head walks slowly toward the room where the team is taking their test. The few students who pass by don't take any notice.
Everyone is still in deep concentration on the test and no one notices as the VAMPIRE enters the room and pulls the shawl away from her face. The students looks up as she begins to speak. The TEACHER is so surprised at the bizarre interruption, it takes a moment for her to react.
Tonight... sundown... at the graveyard...
Excuse me...
Exposed now to the daylight, the vampire begins to smoke. She shrugs the shawl off her shoulders.
You will come to him. You will come to him or more will die.
As the creature ignites in flame, she points directly at Buffy.
Tonight!
The students scream, jump out of their chairs and begin to run from the room. Cordelia, Willow and Xander back away but stand their ground. For her part, Buffy remains calmly in her seat, almost as if she has expected something like this.
His hour is at hand!
With a flash of flame and smoke, the vampire combusts and disappears. Buffy merely stares at the empty space before her.
Xander, Cordelia and Willow are researching at the table. Giles and Buffy are talking on the mezzanine. Kendra approaches with her sheathed sword.
She said more would die. I have to go.
Den I should go wit you.
No. I need you here just in case. I can take care of myself. And look, as long as Angel's fighting me, then he can't do this end-of- the-world ritual thingy and that's a good. (to Willow) Will, what do you think?
I just want to cross-check--
We don't have time. If this is going to work, it has to work now.
Okay. Then I need maybe half an hour once we're all set up.
Which means you just have to hold Angel off. Don't let him close on you. If the curse succeeds, you'll know.
He tosses a book down to Xander. Xander checks the title, and hands it to Willow.
Why don't you just wait here to find out if it worked-- see if he phones you?
I can't risk him killing any more people. I better go.
She heads out.
Be careful.
I will.
Here...
Buffy stops as Kendra takes a particularly lethal-looking wooden stake out of her bag. It's twisted and wickedly sharp. Kendra hands it to Buffy.
In case de curse does not succeed, dis is my lucky stake. I have killed many vampires wit it. I call it Mr. Pointy.
You named your stake?
Yes.
Remind me to get you a stuffed animal.
She accepts the stake from Kendra and looks it over.
Thanks.
Watch your back.
Buffy exits the library.
Buffy cautiously makes her way through the graveyard, glancing nervously around as she goes. Angelus walks out from behind a small mausoleum.
Hello, lover. I wasn't sure you'd come.
After your immolation-o-gram? Come on, I had to show. Shouldn't you be out destroying the world right now-- pulling the sword out of Al Franken or whatever his name is?
There's time enough. I wanted to say goodbye first. You are the one thing in this dimension I will miss.
This is a beautiful moment we're having. Can we please fight?
I didn't come here to fight.
No?
Gosh, I was hoping we could get back together. What do you think? Do we have a shot? (off Buffy's look) All right. We'll fight.
With a vicious cry, he charges Buffy.
Willow sits cross-legged on the research table. Before her the Orb of Thesulah sits within a sacred circle, surrounded by candles, bones and stones. Willow casts the stones. Satisfied with what she sees, she gives Giles a nod. He opens a book and reads the Latin text.
Quod perditum est, invenietur. (What is lost, return.)
Cordelia swirls incense into the air while Xander watches.
Not dead nor of the living, spirits of the Interregnum I call...
The fight rages. Buffy and Angel are evenly matched.
Come on, Willow.
Kendra guards the doors while the others continue with the spell.
Let him know the pain of humanity, Gods. Reach your wizened hands to me. Give me the sword...
Suddenly a vampire rushes out of the stacks and attacks Xander from behind. The main doors crash open and Kendra spins around as two more vampires storm in. Giles shouts a warning as a fourth vampire appears from the stacks.
Get out! Go!
Willow and Cordelia head for the stairs. Kendra lays into the first of the two vampires to reach her sending it crashing backwards with a powerful blow. The fourth one jumps over the mezzanine railing and lands on Giles' back, knocking him into the table. Xander slams his attacker into a bookshelf.
Kendra runs the other vampire into the wall as the first one recovers and rushes back into the fight.
Willow runs into the stacks to hide while Cordelia stands frozen with fear.
Giles smashes a vase over his attacker's head, stunning him.
Xander is holding his own, trading blows with the vampire but is sent reeling as the creature runs him headfirst into a bookshelf.
One of Kendra's vampires breaks off and leaps over the table and the railing above, going for Willow. She withdraws further into the stacks as the demon overturns the bookshelf on her. The books spill out, driving her to floor as the shelf itself crashes down on her back. She collapses to the floor, not moving.
Kendra is still battling furiously with the female vampire.
Xander's attacker seizes his arm, wrenches it around and pulls down, breaking it. Xander cries out in agony and grabs the vampire by the hair, smashing his head down on the railing.
Below, Giles ducks a blow and punches the vampire in the gut, then pounds his assailant on the back, but the creature merely roars and spins around with a punch to Giles' face, knocking him out cold.
Xander picks up the dazed vampire and shoves him into one of the others who is charging Cordelia, sending them both sprawling to the floor.
Go!
His broken arm shifts and he winces in pain as Cordelia screams and runs out through the stacks.
Kendra ducks a flurry of blows from the female vampire, then charges her and wraps her up in a chokehold, wrenching her head up and back from behind. Kendra plunges her stake into the demon's heart and she bursts into ashes. Kendra looks around for her next target and sees the vampire attacking Giles. She rushes over to pull him off and shoves him to the floor. He tries to get up but she punches him back down, then lifts him up and throws him through the window into Giles' office. Another vampire tackles her from the side.
Buffy punches Angelus but he takes it in stride. She swings again, but he grabs her arm and holds on tight. She swings with the other one, but he grabs it too, then pushes her away.
Jeez, is it me, or is your heart not in this?
Buffy takes out Kendra's stake.
Maybe I'll just go home... destroy the world.
Well, I think Mr. Pointy'll have something to say about that. Come on. Let's finish this. You and me.
You never learn, do you? This wasn't about you. This was never about you.
She stops as the realization sinks in: the trap was set not for her but for her friends. Angelus merely wanted her out of the way. She turns and runs off in the direction of the library. Angelus calls after her.
And you fall for it every single time!
A vampire punches Kendra and she stumbles, but regains her footing.
In the stacks, another vampire charges Xander and punches him in the face, knocking him down and out.
Below, Kendra is hit by a kick to the head and falls to the floor as the library doors swing open and Drusilla strides in. The vampire tries to kick Kendra, but she blocks and lashes out with her leg, tripping him. She jumps back to her feet as the three vampires close in on her from all sides. Before they can act, Drusilla enters and claps her hands forcefully.
Enough.
She motions Kendra forward with a wave of her hand as the three other vampires back off. Kendra squares off with Drusilla, ready to fight, as Drusilla circles her, sizing up the Slayer. Kendra attacks but Drusilla blocks her easily, then punches Kendra and sends her spinning to the floor.
Buffy runs as fast as she can toward the school.
Drusilla ducks a kick from Kendra and takes her by the arms, swinging her around and shoving her away. Kendra comes right back at her with a kick to the gut and Drusilla doubles over for an instant. Kendra lunges at her but Drusilla lashes out, lightning quick, and seizes her by the throat, forcing her back against the check-out counter, slowly choking her.
Look at me, dearie.
She leans in close and waves her fingers inches from Kendra's eyes, sending the Slayer into a trance.
Be... in my eyes. Be... in me.
She lets go and Kendra sways in place, completely under Drusilla's spell. Drusilla backs away slightly, lowering her arms but never losing eye contact with Kendra.
Buffy races through, leaping a park benches and playground equipment.
Kendra continues to sway, in thrall to the master vampire. Drusilla watches for a moment, amused, then whips her hand out and slashes her nails across Kendra's exposed throat, cutting it wide open. Kendra clutches her neck as her life's blood begins to jet from the fatal wound, then collapses to the floor.
Night-night.
She blows the dying Slayer a kiss then turns to her accomplices.
Let's get what we came for, dears.
Two of them lift Giles by the arms and drag him unconscious from the library. Drusilla and the third vampire follow them out.
Buffy dashes across the school grounds.
Buffy throws open the door and rushes in. As she rounds a corner the scene descends into slow motion. Whistler narrates over the scene.
Bottom line is, even if you see 'em coming, you're not ready for the big moments.
Buffy rushes into the library and skids to a stop.
No one asks for their life to change... not really. But it does.
She looks around at the carnage, then spots Kendra lying on the floor in a spreading pool of her own blood. Buffy runs to her and drops down next to her on her knees. She takes Kendra's hand but it's too late.
So what are we? Helpless? Puppets? No. The big moments are going to come. You can't help that. It's what you do afterwards that counts. That's when you find out who you are.
Buffy lays her hand on Kendra's face and gently strokes her cheek. Behind her, a police officer enters the library and raises his gun at her.
Freeze!
Buffy looks up at him, Kendra's blood on her hands.
You'll see what I mean.