Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Recap/S1 E12 Prophecy Girl

""Buffy will face the Master. And she will die.""

- Giles

"We're good friends, and I think it's time to take the next step. Would you, um, date me?"

Willow listens rapturously as Xander finally says the words she's been longing to hear. But unfortunately, the words are not meant for her; Xander is rehearsing, working up the nerve to ask Buffy to the Spring Fling. He finally gives up and decides to just take the plunge.

Meanwhile, Giles is translating the book Angel got him last episode. When Giles finally locates the passage he's been searching for, the excitement drains from his face as he discovers the Slayer's fate. As he sits in horrified silence, his teacup begins to shake; An earthquake is felt all over town, and the Master revels in it.

The next day, Xander takes Buffy aside and pops the question. She tries to play the "I Don't Want to Ruin Our Friendship" card. Hurt and stung, Xander gets up in a huff. Guess a man's gotta be undead to make time with her, he opines. Now it's Buffy's turn to be hurt. Xander snorts an apology; he doesn't handle rejection well. Funny, considering all the practice he's had! He stormily departs.

Cordelia spies Willow in the hall and rushes right over. Love that outfit! Our favorite doormat asks what Cordy wants. Cordelia asks her to help hook up the sound system at The Bronze for the dance. After agreeing to meet up at the A/V room, Willow sees Xander tossing a tennis ball at the chalkboard in an empty classroom, and asks how it went with Buffy. On a scale of one to ten? It sucked. Brightening, Xander proposes that he and Willow can pair up instead. While Willow would normally be all over this idea, she isn't interested in playing Rebound Girl, and chides him for even suggesting it. She leaves Xander alone, with his ball.

""That's okay. I don't wanna go. I'm just gonna go home, lie down and listen to country music. The music of PAIN .""

Nightfall. Buffy stops short in the library when she overhears Giles talking with Angel about the prophecy – specifically, the part where Buffy will face the Master, and die. Hysterical laughter bubbles out of her. Angel and Giles exchange a look. Huh, she took that well. But the mirth dissipates when Buffy asks if the prophecy specifies how messily she dies. She turns on Giles, wondering if he was planning on sharing this newsflash. Giles confesses he was angling for a loophole. Buffy's got one: She quits. Resigns. Fired. Moving on. Cutting losses. Taking a sabbatical. Giles, in a small voice, starts to remind her how grave the situation is and should the Master rise-- Buffy hurls his books at him.

"Giles, I'm sixteen years old." Her voice trembles. "I Don't Want to Die."

She throws her cross lace to the ground and stalks out, leaving a defeated Angel and Giles to look at each other.

Buffy, in her room, pages through a photo album. Joyce comes in, wondering what’s bothering her. An idea hits Buffy and she turns to her mother excitedly. She suggests they leave town for the weekend; a real mother-daughter bonding trip. In typical clueless parent fashion, Joyce believes that Buffy wants to leave town because she didn't get asked to the dance. She opens Buffy's closet to reveal a full-length sleeveless white dress, saying she saw Buffy eying it. She encourages Buffy to go stag.

The next morning. Cordy and Willow walk as Cordy monologues about how her date flaked on her. They reach the door to the lounge, where they see some of jocks sitting on the couch, apparently engrossed in Porky Pig cartoons. Cordy opens the door, and her date's body falls out, revealing a scene of vampire carnage. Cordy screams and drops to her knees.

News reaches Buffy, and we cut to Willow's bedroom. Willow is recovering from the shock of seeing her friends' bodies. She tells Buffy that she has seen some awful things by now, and thought she could handle it. But this was different. Buffy silently comes to a realization. She turns to go, but Willow calls after her. She manages to smile through her tears: "I like your dress."

Buffy tells her to take care, the subtext of which could be "...because you'll never see me again."

Giles busts out the weapons. She tells him that the monk has vanished, though he sent out a final message, referring to a Bible passage that has to do with a kid leading some critters somewhere. From this, Giles deduces that Buffy dusted the wrong vamp earlier in the season. Whoops. He declares that he will face the Master himself. Buffy (who just showed up) disagrees. She's geared for war: a leather jacket thrown over her prom dress. Giles and Buffy bicker a bit, and determine that neither will give in. Buffy cold-cocks him. Timber! Miss Calendar rushes to attend to the woozy librarian, and Buffy puts her cross back on.

""When he wakes up, tell him...I dunno. Think of something cool, tell him I said it.""

Buffy exits the school and sees the A.O. on the lawn. He wahs for help, but she says to skip the games. He takes her by the hand and leads her away.

Willow rushes to the library, with Xander in tow. It turns out that she picked up on Buffy's 'Once more into the breach' tone. Xander knows just the person to help.

Angel hears a rapping on his door. It's Xander, who comes busting in. He enlists Angel to take him to the Master. When Angel scoffs at that, Xander clarifies his position by pulling out a big cross and shoving it in Angel's face. He tells Angel that he doesn't like him, but that Buffy thinks of him as a person, and he needs Angel to prove her right. Angel bluntly observes that Xander's still in love with Buffy. "Aren't you?" Xander counters.

Library. Miss Calendar perceptively asks where exactly the Hellmouth will open. Giles realizes what a good question that is. They conclude that the most likely candidate is the Bronze, given the dance tonight. Willow and Jenny go to warn everyone.

Buffy and the A.O. reach the Master's lair, where approximately 60,000 candles are burning. The Master's voice welcomes her. She tries to get him to show his face, but in surround-sound voice he says he wants the moment to last. He warps behind her and goes all Jedi, holding her in place with his mind. He gloats that she only knew half of the prophecy, and the kicker is that blood is what sets him free. He bites her, then lets her drop into a nearby pool.

""By the way..." (SPLAT)' "I like your dress.""

Xander and Angel arrive to find the Master's gone up, and Buffy drowned. Angel says that Xander has to perform CPR, as he has no breath. Xander does the deed. Grunt grunt Don't you die on me grunt. Buffy opens her eyes, seemingly suffused with some new power. Xander and Angel smile at each other. Well, there's a first (and last) time for everything.

Miss Calendar fumbles with her car keys. Willow asks what they'll do if the vamps are already at the Bronze. Miss Calendar looks up and says that's not an issue, because they're not going to the Bronze. They're surrounded by a bunch of vamps advancing towards them George Romero style. Tires squeal behind them; it's Cordelia in her Beamer, who urgently tells them to get in. Cordelia drives right into the school, leaving a rather large hole in the wall, and parks outside the library. Well, they generally walk there, but okay. Giles hears the ruckus (wuh duh fuh...?) and gets up to see the girls rush inside and barricade the doors. Giles wonders why they vamps are coming here. In the foreground, we get an answer, as a large three-headed rises from the floor. Giles breathes, "The Hellmouth." Only he does so in a demonologically fascinated way that seems scary and wrong.

The Master observes this scene from the skylight. He crows about how beautiful the world is. Buffy's cuts in; the world's not his just yet. He looks at her, flustered. Isn't she dead? Buffy concedes the point, but says she's still pretty. The Master's unamused, and pulls that Jedi trick again. She randomly observes that he has "fruit punch-Mouth." The Master is taken off guard, and Buffy gives him Buffy punch-mouth. Ow. She then grabs the Master by the throat and flips him into the pit, neatly impaling him on a convenient broken shaft of wood. Instead of combusting, his skin disintegrates until there's nothing left but a skeleton. And with that, the slimy snake demon is forcibly drawn back into hell. The vamps flee.

Xander informs those who didn't know that Buffy died. Should've have known that wouldn't stop her, Giles beams. Aw. They decide to go party at the Bronze. They all walk out, and we can make out some of their separate comments. Giles says he's not dancing; Cordy takes credit for driving into the school, and Angel -- say it with him, now -- really likes Buffy's dress. ("Yeah, yeah. Big hit with everyone.") They leave us to wonder whether they'll be back for another season. Thank God they were. Final shot: The Master's bones.

Tropes
"Buffy: Xander, I'm sorry, I don't know--
 * Attack of the Monster Appendage
 * Adopt the Dog: Cordelia becomes an honorary Scoobie!
 * Adrenaline Time: Noiseless cut to a park. Buffy, in slo-mo, goes flying toward the ground and lands with a crunch, and then the sound and speed rev back to normal.
 * An Axe to Grind: Giles grabs an axe and starts choppin' him some Hellmouth.
 * Ankle Drag: The aforementioned tentacle wraps around Willow's ankle, and she and Miss Calendar scream and go crashing to the floor.
 * As the Good Book Says...: Giles, impressively, recites Isaiah 11:6 off the top of his head.
 * Bad Vibrations: Giles reaches for tea to quiet his nerves, but stops when the teacup starts to shake.
 * Baddie Flattery: The Master casually snatches the bolt Buffy fires at him, then compliments her aim.
 * By the way... I like your dress.
 * Be Careful What You Wish For: Xander's heartfelt invitation to Buffy: "I want to dance with you". He gets his wish in the very next episode.
 * Big OMG: "The Master shall rise, and the Slayer...my God!"
 * The Master bites into Buffy, and is overcome with the power her bloods gives him.
 * Big Yes: The Master’s ecstatic “Yes! Yes! My time has come!"
 * Blood Magic: Bad news: It's Buffy's blood which allows the Master to break free.
 * Bloody Handprint: On the television in the A/V room.
 * Breaking the Fellowship: Buffy renouncing her mission, leaving an utterly defeated Giles and Angel in the library.
 * Willow, at home, regards a picture of herself and Xander; She tries calling him, but he yanks his phone off the hook.
 * Brick Joke: Xander, sprawled on his bed, listening to Patsy Cline's cover of "I Fall To Pieces."
 * Buffy remarks that she could use a snack after killing The Master. Slaying seems to do that to you, as Faith will later point out... among other things.
 * Brutal Honesty: Xander asking Buffy point-blank if she has feelings for him. He then digs his own grave by promising to wait until she does, earning a frosty stare for an answer.
 * Call Back: Giles doesn't know if he can trust Jenny, but she refers to her help in "I Robot, You Jane" for credibility.
 * The Annointed One? He's dead!
 * Willow points out that the last time the Master tried to rise, his minions gathered him fresh blood.
 * Came Back Strong: "I feel strong... I feel different."
 * Car Fu: Cordelia plows through a horde of vampires with her car. Then she enters the library by driving straight through the door.
 * Chekhov's Gun: As Giles pours over his books, we pan over the skylight in the library, which is a nice choice, given what happens later.
 * Giles gets knocked into a table, which breaks, leaving a convenient large splintered piece of wood pointing skyward.
 * The Master's skeleton.
 * Closeup on Head: Willow coaching Xander on his pickup lines. Xander wants to test them on Buffy right away, but Willow points out that she's gone. She pathetically offers to let Xander practice on her some more.
 * Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are: The Master toying with our heroine in the caves.
 * Combat Tentacles: The Hellmouth demon.
 * CPR: Clean, Pretty, Reliable: Played straight, possibly justified by Slayer physiology.
 * Crucified Hero Shot: Buffy laid out in the water like a Christ figure.
 * Cowardly Lion: Xander insists on going into the Master's lair to rescue Buffy when Buffy's handsome Angel refuses to do so.
 * Damned By Faint Praise: At Xander's invitation, Buffy is at a loss for words. "Well, you're not laughing, so that's a good start."
 * Decoy Damsel: The A.O. attempts this, but Buffy's wise to his game.
 * Distracted by the Sexy: Willow needs a second to come back to earth after Xander recites his pick-up lines.
 * Don't You Dare Pity Me!:

Xander: You know what? Let's just not."

"Master: Did you really think you could best me here when you couldn't below?
 * Dramatic Shattering: Giles' teacup.
 * Dramatically Missing the Point: Buffy saying she can’t go to the dance and Joyce asking “Why? Is it written somewhere?”
 * Earthquakes Cause Fissures: In the library, ominously enough.
 * Enemy Mine: Xander and Angel find common ground in their desire to save Buffy.
 * Environmental Symbolism: A "Just say NO" poster was hung in the room where Xander was wallowing in his misery, where Willow rejects his rebound attempt to get a date to the dance. This is ironic because both Willow and Buffy "just said no" to Xander.
 * Evil Gloating: With Buffy under his thrall, the Master strolls over to her and removes her jacket. He expresses thanks for her trying to stop him, as there's nothing imprisoning him now.
 * Evil Is Visceral: The Hellmouth looks like the Rancor mated with Ridley Scott's Alien.
 * Exact Eavesdropping: Buffy goes to Giles to report on a leaky faucet, and instead receives a death sentence.
 * Expecting Someone Taller: "The part that gets me is where Buffy's the vampire Slayer. She's so little."
 * Failed Attempt At Drama: When the earthquake stops, and the Master, in mid-rant, asides, "Whaddaya think? 5.1?"
 * Think of something cool. Tell him I said it.
 * Apparently, throttling Buffy once wasn't enough.

Buffy: [quizzically] You have fruit-punch mouth."

"Giles: [jumps] What--?!
 * Failed a Spot Check: Nobody notices the Hellmouth's tentacle slither into view.
 * Fauxdian Slip: "I can't put it off any longer. I have to meet my horrible fate."

Buffy: Biology."

"Giles: --Hm?"
 * Feet First Introduction / Power Walk: Buffy, Angel and Xander stride purposefully toward the school.
 * Flat What: Xander's reaction to being turned down twice in one day.
 * Angel denies "looking at" Xander's neck.
 * The Master's hypnosis failing him.
 * Forgotten Fallen Friend: Apparently Cordelia and Mitch's relationship dissolved right after the Marci debacle, because she is making out with Kevin at the beginning of this episode and seems to have really fallen for him.
 * Foreshadowing: Miss Calendar presciently asks about the Master's remains, but Buffy thinks he's not going anywhere.
 * Good Is Dumb: Buffy squanders several chances to stake the Anointed One right then and there; presumably, because he's a harmless child.
 * Growing Up Sucks: Word of Joss states that this is the episode where Willow "officially" grows up, after seeing the students slaughtered in the AV room.
 * Gunship Rescue: Cordelia's BMW.
 * High School Dance: Spring Fling.
 * Holding Hands: Buffy grimly follows the A.O.'s lead into the sewers.
 * Hurricane of Euphemisms: "I quit. I resign. I'm fired. You can find someone else to stop the Master from taking over."
 * I Broke a Nail: Buffy whines that she had a close call last night; she even broke a nail, and says Giles could at least have a reaction, like "Hm."

"Xander: I don't like you. At the end of the day, I pretty much think you're a vampire. But Buffy's got this big ol' yen for you. She thinks you're a real person. And right now I need you to prove her right."
 * I Don't Like You and You Don't Like Me:

"Kendra: She died??
 * I Don't Want to Ruin Our Friendship: Willow opines that a simple, direct approach will work best. Well, it gets Xander a simple, direct rejection, at least.
 * I Have to Go Iron My Dog : "A thing? (beat) The thing! That I have! Which is... a thing that I have to go to."
 * I Just Knew: Xander asks Buffy how she knows the Master is at the school. Buffy replies that she just knows.
 * Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: The Master.
 * Insignia Rip Off Ritual: Buffy yanking the cross from her neck and throwing it to the floor. She retrieves it after clocking Giles out.
 * It's Probably Nothing: Cordelia breaks off her kiss with Kevin, asking what that noise was. Outside, a vamp stands over Buffy and smiles evilly. Kevin thinks Cordy's being paranoid.
 * Kicking Ass in All Her Finery: A badass leather coat (from Angel), white dress (from Joyce), cross (from Angel), and crossbow (from Giles) combo.
 * Last-Second Word Swap: Cordy has to remind herself to be angry with Kevin. "That's so cu-- That's not cute. That's annoying. I'm annoyed."
 * Laughing Mad: Buffy's first reaction to overhearing Giles talk of her impending death is to break out in glib laughter.
 * Layman's Terms: Miss Calendar lays out the major plot points of Season One. Bless her heart, she manages to do so in about ten seconds.
 * Leave the Two Lovebirds Alone: Xander, with all the subtlety of a monster truck, tells Willow (and a boy sitting on a bench, minding his business) to beat it.
 * Load-Bearing Boss: The Hellmouth scurries back into its pit after the Master dies.
 * The Lonely Piano: When Xander leaves Buffy in the quad, the Tinkly Piano of Pain plays. Also heard when Buffy removes her necklace.
 * The Buffy theme plays slowly on a piano over the final scene.
 * Love Martyr: Cordelia and Willow Walk and Talk as Cordy exposits how Kevin flaked on her last night. She's chagrined to admit that she doesn't care. "God help me... I think it's cute."
 * Make-Out Point: Across from the park where Buffy is fighting, a car is parked with its windows all fogged up. It's Cordy, necking with her newest boy-toy.
 * Man Bites Man: Cordelia biting a vamp that's holding her. "See how YOU like it!"
 * Metaphorgotten: Xander rehearses again: "You know Buffy, Spring Fling just isn't any dance. It's a time for students to choose, um...a mate, and then we can observe their...mating rituals, and tag them before they migrate, just kill me!"
 * Milking the Giant Cow: The Master hamming it up in his lair, saying the earthquake is a sign that they're "in the final days." Well, his final days, at least.
 * More Teeth Than the Osmond Family: The Hellmouth's many heads.
 * Near-Death Experience
 * Neck Lift: The Master ends up on the receiving end of this, after grabbing Buffy's neck for the third time that evening.
 * No Ontological Inertia: Killing the Master is all it takes to re-seal the Hellmouth and banish any demons that had wandered into the mortal world while it had been open.
 * Not So Different: Cordelia is oddly smitten with Kevin for ignoring her, which Willow can relate to. ("I hear ya.")
 * Angel grrs that Xander is in love with Buffy. Xander: "Aren't you?"
 * Offhand Backhand: Buffy marches determinedly toward the school, with Xander and Angel close behind. A vamp gets in their way. "Oh, look. A bad guy." She decks him without pausing.
 * Offscreen Teleportation / Scare Chord: Buffy reloads, but the Master says she won't kill him with the crossbow. She glances down, and when she looks up again, he's gone.
 * Opposites Attract Revenge: Subverted. ""You think I want to go to the dance with you and watch you wish you were at the dance with her?"
 * Peek-a-Boo Corpse: Cordelia opens the door to the A/V room only to have her dead prom date fall out.
 * Percussive Prevention: I don't care what the books say. I defy prophecy, and I am going. There's nothing you can say will change my mi-- [BIFF!]
 * Phrase Catcher: All the commotion over Buffy's dress.
 * Please Wake Up: Xander continues to work on Buffy, telling her to breathe. Just as Angel lowers his head in defeat, Buffy's eyes snap open.
 * Post Mortem One Liner: The Master mention he likes Buffy's dress before leaving her to drown.
 * You that amped about Hell? Go there.
 * Prophecy Twist: The Prophecy didn't state that Buffy's blood would give the Master the strenght to break free. And while Buffy does die at the hands of the Master. However, she doesn't stay dead.
 * The Public Domain Channel: Kevin and co. lifelessly watching Looney Tunes shorts on the TV.
 * Red Shirt: Kevin, plus four unnamed members of the A/V club. Th-Th-Th-That's all, folks.
 * Revival Loophole: Lampshaded in a later episode.

Buffy: [defensively] Just a little."

"Giles: Buffy... if the Master rises...
 * Rooftop Confrontation: Buffy versus the Master on the school's rooftop.
 * Rule of Symbolism: Buffy as the Virgin Sacrifice in her white dress.
 * When Buffy enters the Master's lair, the Master tells her that she isn't the "hunter" but rather the sacrificial "lamb."
 * The cross, of course, is a symbol of sacrifice. The moment that Buffy rips off her necklace to floor is a rejection of the sacrifice demanded of her. The cross is also a symbol of resurrection, though, which becomes relevant once Buffy is coughed back to life.
 * It's not a coincidence that the prom dress looks like a wedding dress; Buffy is married to the Slayerhood, and her loss of a normal life is the ongoing theme of the series.
 * Giles has already crossed the boundary from Watcher to father figure. (A fact later reinforced by his telling Buffy "I'm older and wiser-- Just do what you’re told for once!")
 * Same Story, Different Names: There are some striking similarities in this episode to the film version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Both Buffys must face a vampire king on prom night. Both girls wore a white dress with a leather jacket thrown over it. Interestingly, small screen Buffy is wearing Angel's leather jacket, and big screen Buffy is wearing love interest Pike's leather jacket.
 * Schiff One-Liner: "Loser."
 * Series Fauxnale: The entire first season was completed before the show began airing, with no one having any idea if they would get past these thirteen episodes. Thus, the season stands on its own quite nicely, while the finale still leaves the door open for future seasons.
 * She's Back: Oh look, a bad guy. [BIFF!]
 * Sign of the Apocalypse: Buffy fills Giles in on the previous evening's hunt, and how the vamps are increasing in number and cockiness.
 * Ms. calender lists off some strange happenings in the news, the highlights of which include were a cat giving birth to snakes, and a baby born with its eyes facing inward. Buffy discovers blood pouring from the sink in the girls' bathroom.
 * If only they could have kept it that way for the vamps, we could all live in peace.
 * Single Tear: A tear rolls down Buffy's cheek as she realizes that her death will be in the service of evil.
 * Smash Cut: Mojo duly sharpened, Xander asks where Buffy is right now. "Oh, the usual." Cut to the park. Buffy comes falling into the frame and hits the ground hard. Ouch.
 * Snakes Are Evil: The Hellmouth.
 * So What Do We Do Now?: Miss Calender asks this aloud once the Hellmouth closes. Someone suggests heading to the Bronze. "We saved the world. I say we party."
 * Stop Helping Me!: Joyce tells an endearing story about how she went dateless to a dance in college, and that's where she met Hank Summers. She succeeds in making Buffy smile for a minute, but then Buffy notes that Joyce had her whole life ahead of her. "Must be nice." Sniff.
 * Stripped to the Bone: Unlike most vampires, who turn completely to dust upon their death, The Master leaves behind a skeleton;.
 * Taking You with Me: Buffy muses there's nothing in the prophecy that says the Master can't go down with her.
 * Tantrum Throwing: Xander and his tennis ball.
 * Throw the Book At Them: "'Signs'? [hurls book] READ ME THE SIGNS! [throws another one] TELL ME MY FORTUNE! You're so useful sitting here with ALL YOUR BOOKS!"
 * Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: As they're making their way though the sewers, Xander chides Angel for staring out his neck. Angel is offended, as though he's the victim of a misunderstanding. Like the time on Angel where a guy thought Angel was hitting on him -- he always tries to apologize, and no one ever believes him.
 * Ten-Minute Retirement

Buffy: I don't CARE! [to herself] I don't care."

"Master: Oh, good. The feeble banter portion of the fight."
 * Theme Tune Cameo: This episode is first (and only) time Nerf Herder's opening credits theme is played during the show. A slow version plays at the end, as the Scoobies are filing out of the library.
 * Tear Jerker: The entire scene where Buffy learns of her fate.
 * This Is the Part Where: Buffy making a nervous quip about water damage in the Master's cave.

"Master: [to Hellmouth] Yes. Come forth, my child. Come into my world.
 * Trash the Set: As mentioned before, Mutant Enemy wasn't sure if the show would continue or not. The library is restored to its old self next episode.
 * Trick Dialogue: Xander apparently asking Buffy out for a date is actually him talking to Willow, who is then revealed to be acting as a stand-in so Xander can rehearse his proposal to Buffy.
 * A Truce While We Gawk: The Night of the Living Mooks.
 * The vamps are oddly inept at breaking down the swinging library doors.
 * Wait Here: Buffy making Willow promise to stay in that night.
 * Walk in Chime In

Buffy: I don't think it's yours just yet."


 * Woman in White: Buffy's sleeveless white number.
 * You Are Too Late: In the tunnels, Xander and Angel witness the bright shower of light. Angel realizes that The Master has broken free.
 * You Have No Idea Who You're Dealing With: Angel tells Xander that he's way out of his league. "The Master will kill you before you even breathe. If you're lucky."