"" is Episode 14 of Season 3 of the TV series ''
Buffy The Vampire Slayer ''. See also
List Of Buffy The Vampire Slayer Episodes .
Buffy and Faith's stodgy new Watcher, Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, sends the Slayers in search of an ancient amulet. After finding it, they discover Balthazar, a demon Wesley had informed them was dead. In order to fight Balthazar, they break into a sporting goods store, where Faith explains her "Want, take, have" philosophy. Buffy and Faith are caught by the police, but use their Slayer-strength to escape. While hunting for Balthazar the next night, Faith accidentally kills a human, the Deputy Mayor. Faith disposes of the body and tries to wash the blood off her hands, but when Buffy tries to talk to her about what she has done, Faith informs her that she doesn't care.
While out slaying, Faith asks Buffy if she's ever done it with Xander and Buffy says they're just friends. They're attacked by a vampire with weapons--a short blade and long blade--and then kill it. The next day at school, the gang is looking into college and they discuss future plans. Wesley, Buffy's stuffy new Watcher annoys Giles in the library while both Slayers do their best to ignore him as much as possible. Buffy is instructed to go retrieve an amulet that once belonged a demon named Balthazar before he was killed.
That night, Buffy finds the amulet but a group of Balthazar's vamps enter before she can take it. Faith arrives and the two slay some of the vamps before taking the amulet back. After handing over the amulet to Wesley, Buffy leaves to take a necessary chem test, but she can't stop talking through the whole test. Faith shows up at the window and she and Buffy leave to destroy a vampire nest. The two go dancing afterwards at the Bronze where Buffy meets up with Angel. She's acting very strange and he tries to ignore it and tells her that Balthazar isn't dead and he's looking for his amulet. When Wesley comes looking for Buffy, she takes the amulet from him and gives it to Angel.
Buffy and Faith go out and find Balthazar, a very heavy and ugly demon that must live in a large pool of water and constantly be kept wet. At a loss for weapons against a large group of vampires, they break into a hardware shop and steal some. The police arrive and arrest them but in the car, the two Slayers kick down the metal gate separating them from the cops, causing the car to crash and the cops to be injured. The following morning, Buffy checks the local newspaper for any news regarding the accident, but finds nothing.
Balthazar asks for the two watchers to be brought in and the Slayers to be killed so that he may get his amulet back and his strength may be returned. Willow presents Buffy with a protection spell and is ready to go slaying that night, but Buffy tells her that it's too dangerous and that she's going with Faith instead. The two run into several vampires and stake them, then Allan, the Mayor's secretary walks out and accidentally, Faith stakes him too. He dies before anything can be done and both Slayer flee the scene of the crime in separate directions. Buffy runs into Angel and he tells her about Balthazar taking Giles while Faith returns to the scene where Allan is and just stares at the body.
With the two watchers in his possession, Balthazar searches for answers as to who has his amulet. Wesley, being the coward that he is, is willing to give up anything in exchange for his life. Angel shows up with Buffy, frees Giles and everyone fights. When Balthazar captures Angel, Buffy tosses live wires into his tub of water, electrocuting him. In his office that night, the Mayor performs a ceremony that makes him invincible. He is now unable to be killed. Buffy confronts Faith about the killing but she lies and says she doesn't care that she took the life of a human.
Faith follows Angel as a character who fought on Buffy's side but turns into a villain. While Angel's turn was sudden and caused by his curse, Faith's transformation is more gradual; the seeds were planted in her first appearance.
Buffy's instantly antagonistic relationship with Wesley recalls her first meeting with Giles, revealing how far they have come.
The episode ends on a quiet note that is deafening in what it conveys.
- Curve - "Chinese Burn". - Plays whilst Faith and Buffy dance in the Bronze.
The Mayor had a quick photo-op with some
Boy Scouts .
This episode is the major turning point of season three. Faith has been a loose cannon with issues of trust, and she enjoys slaying a little too much, but she has been fighting for the right cause. She will not for much longer. The Mayor's plan becomes clearer, and Wesley has arrived and will bug the Scoobies until the end.
Willow gives Buffy the protection spell she has been working on since
Gingerbread in a lavender-scented pouch.
- Stories that take place around the same time in the Buffyverse:
