Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Recap/S3 E7 Revelations



Gwendolyn Post shows up as Faith's new Watcher. She is British, strict, arrogant, and looks down on all the Scoobies and especially Giles. Despite this, Faith starts to like and trust her. She warns that the demon Lagos is in Sunnydale looking for the Glove of Myneghon, a powerful gauntlet which controls lightning.

That night, Xander spies a very much alive Angel and Buffy sharing an ill-timed kiss. Xander snitches to the rest of the Scoobies about Angel's resurrection, and they stage an intervention for Buffy. Xander and Cordelia are firmly against the idea of Angel being back, still scared by the recent memory of Angelus' actions, while Willow (and by association, Oz) are less sure. Giles ultimately comes to Buffy's defense, but in private scolds her for keeping the secret and says that she has no respect for him or his job as a watcher.

Xander then tells Faith about Angel, they agree that she should go to his mansion to kill him, as it's not clear whether or not Angel has his soul. Gwendolyn also shows up at the mansion and knocks Angel's lights out. When Buffy shows up, Post convinces Faith that Buffy and Angel are working together for the greater bad, and the two slayers erupt into a vicious fight.

Gwendolyn Post takes this opportunity to retrieve the glove, revealing her true intentions all along. Buffy cuts off her hand, severing the glove and frying Gwendolyn. The Scoobies are still wary of Angel but trust Buffy's judgment. Buffy goes to Faith's apartment and tries to convince her that she's still on Faith's side. Faith, her face still bruised from Buffy's fist, announces. "I'm on my side." The Scoobies have just lost a member for good.

Tropes
"Cordelia: What gives you the right to suck face with your demon lover again?
 * Accidental Kiss

Buffy: It was an accident.

Xander: What, you just tripped and fell on his lips?"

"Gwendolyn: A word of advice? Vampires rarely knock. Especially in daylight."
 * All's Well That Ends Well: Subverted; the fight against the treacherous Gwendolyn makes the Scooby Gang work together again, Angel's help in the battle gives the proof needed of his Heel Face Turn, and their knowledge of Buffy's history with Angel helps them understand and ultimately forgive her selfish actions. For Faith however, who is secretly insecure and lacks this common history, this episode plants the seeds of distrust that come to fruition in "Consequences" when Faith rejects all the Scoobies attempts to help her.
 * Seventh-Episode Twist: Faith finds someone to depend on, only to find that person a liar. This compounds her distrust of others. Gwendolyn Post also reinforced Faith's feeling of distance from the rest of the gang.
 * Almost Kiss: Buffy and Angel get a bit too close for comfort during tai chi.
 * An Arm and a Leg / Clean Cut: Buffy hurls a shard of glass at Gwendoyln's upper arm, severing it (and the glove) from her body.
 * An Axe to Grind / Badass Long Hair: Lagos
 * Artifact of Doom: The Glove of Myhnegon.
 * Attack Hello: Upon arrival at Faith's crib, Gwen is greeted with a raised stake.

"Xander:Thank you! We're here through Saturday! Enjoy the veal."
 * Bad Guys Play Pool: Following his argument with Buffy, we see Xander still fuming as he plays pool with himself. Faith strolls in, and the pair soon conspire to kill Angel.
 * Beauty Mark: Gwen Post.
 * Benevolent Architecture: Inverted, to Buffy's chagrin. As it so happens, Gwendolyn dons the glove while standing directly beneath a skylight in Angel's house -- the skylight we've never seen before. This allows Gwen to summon lightning while indoors.
 * Big "What?" / Conveniently-Timed Attack From Behind: Faith, who has a much bigger motive to fight Angel, quickly overpowers him and lays him flat. She raises a stake on high, but out of nowhere, Buffy steps in and blocks it. Faith rasps, "What!"
 * The Brute: Lagos.
 * Buffy-Speak: A lackadaisical Buffy announcing that she found the "magic mitten thingy." Echoed at the end of the episode, with Cordelia asking to make sure it's been destroyed. "No more glove thingy?"
 * Willow piping up that she likes Angel again because he saved her "from a horrible flame-y death."
 * Call Back: Xander's tirade at Buffy for keeping Angel's reemergence secret. He ends this by dumping Miss Calender's death in her lap ("Passion"). Soon afterward, Giles shames Buffy by recounting his torture at Angelus' hands.
 * Calling Your Attacks / Language of Magic: Gwendolyn shouting "TAUO FREIM!" ("Be free") each time she fires electricity from the glove.
 * Cannot Spit It Out: At the very end of the episode, Buffy turns to go, and Faith (having second thoughts) call her name. Buffy hopefully turns around, but Faith, after a pause, says, "Nothing.".
 * Can't Get Away with Nuthin' / Exact Eavesdropping: Angel's resurrection is revealed to the Scoobies at large.
 * Captain Obvious: Inverted. Giles, flustered by Gwen's string of insults, asks her opinion on how to stop Lagos. "Well, if it's not too radical a suggestion," she smirks, "I thought we might kill him."
 * Uh oh, woman. You just earned yourself a Glasses Pull.
 * Gwendolyn gives kudos to Faith's "Spartan" accommodations. When asked if she's heard of them, Faith snarks that they were "a buncha guys from Spart?"
 * Clingy MacGuffin / Spikes of Villainy: The glove is one foreboding mamma-jamma. The opening is lined with teeth that, once worn, automatically clamp down and puncture the wearer's arm.
 * Consummate Liar: Gwendolyn plays the role of bona fide Watcher very well, even shaming Giles with her attention to detail. She can tell whoppers on the fly, too: Buffy starts to explain to Faith what's going on, but Gwen interrupts to tell Faith not to trust Buffy because "she's blinded by love." Faith, who had already suspected this, sides with Gwen over her best friend.
 * Dating Catwoman: Faith is curious to learn what it's like to "boink the undead", and is hurt by Buffy's reluctance to discuss Angel. In "Consequences" Faith is able to articulate quite well the Dark Side of Buffy's attraction for a vampire.
 * Death by Irony / Family-Unfriendly Death: Buffy lets let the glass fly, cutting Gwendolyn's glove off at the elbow. Ouch. Another bolt of lightning strikes through the skylight, and not having a target this time, hits a screaming Gwendolyn in the chest, immolating her.
 * Death Cry Echo: Once the glove's wearer is toast, the teeth loudly unlock from Gwen's severed forearm. Yeeeek.
 * Description Cut: Following his dressing-down by Mrs. Post, Giles is geared up and ready to stop looking inept. "Care for a spot of training?" he asks Buffy. Cut to Buffy and Angel practicing tai chi at his house.
 * (We can surmise that Buffy isn't taking her duties are seriously as she used to.)
 * Destination Defenestration: Buffy tackling Faith through a set of french doors. The broken glass becomes important in a minute.
 * Distaff Counterpart / Evil Counterpart: Gwendolyn Post to Giles.
 * Boy, Giles sure racks up a lot of evil counterparts on this show, doesn't he? Then again, anyone vaguely mentor-like or British qualifies.
 * Does This Remind You of Anything?: Buffy resuming her romance with Angel is explicitly played like an addiction; the Scoobies even throw together an gathering in the library to talk her out of it while Willow insists on the use of "I" statements.
 * Dumb and Drummer: Faith's list of loser ex-boyfriends goes "Ronnie: deadbeat. Steve: klepto. Kenny: drummer."
 * Environmental Symbolism: Not enough seating room at the Bronze. Oz is forced to squeeze in, sandwiching Willow and Xander between their unsuspecting mates.
 * Gwendolyn shoots down Giles again. The kettle starts whistling.
 * Establishing Character Moment / Walk in Chime In: After the vampire dust settles, Buffy and Faith each other a high-five and asks Giles what he thought of their performance. Giles, still lounging on a bench, lowers his coffee cup to respond, but a female voice cuts in: "Sloppy." Oh look, it's our new Watcher.
 * Evil Brit: Needs no explanation.
 * Evil Mentor: Gwendolyn was only after the glove, but manages to inflict some lasting damage.
 * Failed a Spot Check: Zig-zagged with Xander and Willow macking behind the library stacks. Giles, his back turned to them, calls their names and says he found the location of the glove. Panicked, Willow and Xander pull apart, and Willow asks asks how he found the glove's location. "I looked." His meaning plain, Willow looks chastened. The pair of them say they'll keep "researching", but Giles simply stomps off. It's unclear whether or not Giles knew what they were up to, but from the kids' perspective (which is what counts), it's a 99% certainty they were just busted.
 * Tellingly Giles has his glasses off at the time -- it's revealed in Season 6 that Giles does his trademark Glasses Pull to avoid seeing what the Scoobies are up to, particularly regarding their sexual antics.
 * False Friend: Gwendolyn cleverly insinuates herself into the Scoobies, while at the same time sowing seeds of mistrust among them. Masterful.
 * Foreshadowing: Faith good-humoredly listing her string of deadbeat boyfriends to Buffy. She goes on that she only uses men for sex now, because "you can't trust guys."
 * Also Faith saying that she has a problem with authority figures because they end up dead.
 * Faith's mild (yet pointedly) hurt feelings when Buffy refuses to confide in her about Angel. Later, when Gwen goes off on Giles and his methods, she offhandedly refers to the "secret meetings" he holds. This is news to Faith. Gwen innocuously mentions that only "Buffy and her friends" are invited. Somewhat dejectedly, Faith says, "I guess that doesn't include me."
 * Buffy guesses that Gwendolyn was never a Watcher at all. Giles explains that she used to be one, but was kicked out for "misuses of dark power. They swear there was a memo." Ha ha. Jerks. The ineptitude of the Watcher's Council will be made more clear in "Helpless".
 * The Freelance Shame Squad: Xander and Willow flailing in hysterics after they both reach for the same cup. In doing so, Xander knocks a tray of drinks out of the hand of the waitress standing behind them, which cues a round of applause for his graceful maneuver.

"Willow: Giles, no one's doing the "I" statements!"
 * Geographic Flexibility: Sunnydale has twelve cemeteries (actually, this makes a lot of sense).
 * Good Cop, Bad Cop: Buffy's intervention. Willow is the only good cop in an entire tribunal of bad cops.

"Buffy: Interesting lady. Can I kill her?"
 * Groin Attack: It's enough to make a watching Willow wince.
 * Half Truth: Buffy putting the rumors to rest. "...I am seeing someone -- tonight in fact." That's Faith's cue to pop up from nowhere and put her arm around Buffy. How's that lampshade looking, Mr. Petrie?
 * "Synchronized slaying", indeed.
 * Hands-On Approach: Angel, Buffy, and tai chi.
 * He Is Not My Boyfriend: Buffy is still confused over what their exact relationship is, but insists this regarding Angel at the end of the episode.
 * Hoist By Their Own Petard: During their fight, Buffy gets a shot in that causes Lagos to double over, exposing the sheathed axe on his back. Thinking quickly, she draws the axe and decapitates him.
 * Horned Humanoid: Lagos
 * Hot Chick in a Badass Suit: In her entrance scene, Gwendolyn wears a black suit and her is hair pulled up in a severe style.
 * Humble Pie: It's possible to lose count of how many times Post verbally bitch-slaps Giles in their first scene together. It has a hidden, insidious purpose, too: Giles begins to seriously doubt the Scoobies' work ethic and respect for his authority.
 * Ice Queen: Gwendolyn assumes the guise of this in order to intimidate Giles. However, just wait until she gets her mitts on the...well, mitt.
 * Improvised Weapon: Gwendolyn clobbering Giles with a wood totem.
 * As Gwendolyn is busy with the trunk containing the glove, a vamped-out Angel gets up and comments on the giant bump on his head. Gwendolyn doesn't even bat an eye. She cheerfully replies that she intended to kill him, then cracks the shovel handle over her knee and tries to stake him with the pieces.
 * Faith hurling a patio chair at Buffy.
 * Gwendolyn manages to break open the trunk and get the glove. She mutters, "Finally!" before whacking Willow across the face with the glove, sending her to the ground. This woman has a talent for hitting people with blunt objects.
 * And lastly, Buffy slicing Gwen's arm off with a glass shuriken.
 * Insufferable Genius: Gwendolyn.

"Buffy: I wouldn't use the word 'dating'...but I am going out with somebody. Tonight, as a matter of fact.
 * Kill It with Fire: Giles and Angel separately come to the conclusion to destroy the Glove by using an enchanted fire called Living Flame.
 * Leaning on the Fourth Wall: Buffy mentions "and it's another Tuesday night in Sunnydale" while talking to Angel at the mansion. Buffy aired on Tuesday nights on both The WB (beginning with Season 2's "Innocence") and UPN.
 * Les Yay: The Scoobies ask Buffy if she's seeing someone. Buffy looks coy.

Willow: Really? Who?

(Faith appears and squeezes in next to B)

Faith: Yo, what's up? (nudges Buffy's shoulder) Hey, time to motorvate.

Buffy: (puts her arm around Faith) Really, we're just good friends."

"Buffy: What am I doing? What are you doing?"
 * Manipulative Bitch: Gwendolyn.
 * Melee a Trois: Buffy coming to Angel's aid, unwittingly engaging faith in the process. Meanwhile, Gwendolyn is scrambling to get the glove chest open.
 * Mood Whiplash: Xander is sneaking through the cemetery at night, bemoaning the fact that he was silly enough to do this alone because he was guilty about kissing Willow, when he suddenly sees Angel. Next moment Xander's creeping after him in deadly earnest with a stake in his hand.
 * Murder the Hypotenuse: Xander gives a very limited version of recent events to Faith, knowing she'll be motivated to put Angel out of the picture forever. Regardless of how justified his lie to Buffy was in "Becoming, Part 2", Xander seems to realise he crossed the Moral Event Horizon here, and reconciles with Buffy by offering his help re Angel in "Amends".
 * My God, What Have I Done?: Buffy after kissing Angel.

"Xander: Right. (continues rubbing) Stop means no... (keeps rubbing) And no means no, so, um... (finally stops) stop.
 * Needle in a Stack of Needles: Gwendolyn says that the glove is believed to be buried in a tomb in Sunnydale, and suggests they search the town cemetery. Giles timidly informs her that there are twelve cemeteries within the city limits. Undaunted, Gwen declares that they're going to take them one at a time.
 * No Body Left Behind: A massive burst of electricity reduces Gwendolyn to ash.
 * No Except Yes: Buffy dropping in on the Scoobies and asking whether her love life is the topic of discussion. "Well, raised but never discussed.", chimes Oz.
 * "No" Means "Yes": Xander starts massaging Willow's temples. Without moving or pushing him away Willow asks him to stop.

(Willow seizes Xander and starts snogging him passionately)"

"Buffy: It's not what you think.
 * No True Scotsman: Gwen reports that the rest of the Council thinks Giles is too Americanized. Gwendolyn herself is British to the point of carrying her own tea leaves and pointedly throwing away the teabag Giles was about to steep for her.
 * Not Herself: The Scoobies note that lately, Buffy's been distracted and spending more time by herself.
 * Not Me This Time: Faith and Xander find Giles on the floor of the library, and Faith, assuming that Angel is responsible, takes it as more incentive to kill him. Well, it's still early yet: By the time Faith arrives at the mansion, Angel has easily disarmed Gwendolyn and thrown her against the wall. He leans over Gwen menacingly, eliciting both shock and outrage from her pupil. "I can't believe how much I'm gonna kill you."
 * Not What It Looks Like

Xander: Hope not. Because I think you're harboring a vicious killer."

"Cordelia: What gives you the right to suck face with your demon lover again?
 * Ominous Latin Chanting: Angel recites the usual Latin incantations while attempting to dispose of the glove.
 * Once bonded with the glove, Gwendolyn recites a Gaelic chant which translates to, "Be mine, the power of Myhnegon!"
 * Poisonous Friend: After the revelation about Angel Xander is playing pool alone. Faith chats him up and he spills the beans, and she decides to take a page from one of Giles' many books and kill a possibly Complete Monster Angelus.
 * Power Fist
 * Pre-Ass-Kicking One-Liner: Giles reveals to Gwendolyn that a living flame will destroy the glove. He says that the ritual to create the flame is complex, but that he has all the necessary materials. He turns to inspect his inventory. Gwen says, "Good show," and conks him on the head with a statue. He looks at her, stunned. "Good show indeed." CONK.
 * Repeated with Angel, who gets a shovel to the back of the head. "That's what I love about this town. Everyone's so helpful."
 * Once Angel recovers, Gwen realizes her mistake. Snapping her shovel in half, she astutely points out, "I believe this is your poison."
 * Gwendolyn holds the glove aloft, chanting in Gaelic. Thunder starts to rumble, and Faith asks what's going on. Gwen, grinning madly, turns to regard her. "Faith, a word of advice: You're an idiot."
 * Gwendoyln finally makes her one mistake, a little Drunk on the Dark Side allowing herself a moment to fawn over the glove. "There's nothing you can do to me now. I have the glove, and with the glove comes power." Buffy, shard of glass in hand, appears in the doorway: "I'm getting that."
 * Psycho Electro: The Glove allows Gwendolyn to call down and redirect lightning bolts. It can also call forth thunderstorms for this purpose.
 * Shovel Strike: Gwendolyn interrupts Angel at the mansion, claiming that Giles sent her to help with the ritual. With an air of suspicion, Angel tells her that that the glove is in the trunk. He turns away, and Gwen grabs a shovel and clocks him over the head.
 * Smash Cut: Buffy's 'night out' with Faith. Cut to a cemetery, where they're double-teaming some vampires, of course.
 * With the glove now history, All's Well That Ends Well... or so it seems. Buffy says she has one more bit of "damage control" to perform. Cut to an apologetic Buffy knocking on Faith's door.
 * Smug Snake: Gwendolyn oozes this trope.
 * Start of Darkness: Faith turns away Buffy's attempt at reconciliation.
 * Stock British Phrases: As if to emphasize that she's somehow more 'British' than Giles, Gwendolyn uses a disproportionate amount of these. Played for laughs as Gwen mutters "Bugger!" while irritably whacking the padlocked chest with the blade of her shovel.
 * Stock Quotes

Buffy: It was an accident!

Xander: What, you just tripped and fell on his lips?"

"Willow: I think it's great when two people like two people and want to be close to them instead of anyone else."
 * A Storm Is Coming: Once Gwendolyn straps on the glove.
 * Suspiciously Specific Denial

""I won't remind you that the fate of the world often lies with the Slayer; what would be the point? Nor shall I remind you that you've jeopardized the lives of all that you hold dear by harboring a known murderer. But sadly, I must remind you that Angel tortured me, for hours, for pleasure. You should have told me he was alive; you didn't. You have no respect for me, or the job I perform." [turns his back on her]"
 * Tap on the Head: Giles, again.
 * Angel is severely stunned by Faith, but does not lose consciousness. Nevertheless, he remains splayed out on the couch for a good three minutes before finally rejoining the fight. Xander stays down for even longer.
 * Tempting Fate: Gwen starts to broach the topic of Buffy, but Giles cuts her off at the pass (as it were), declaring that he's in full control of "(his) Slayer". In barges Xander, shouting, "Giles, we got a problem! It's Buffy!" Gwen gives a sardonic smirk. Poor Giles.
 * Terms of Endangerment: Faith is none too happy about Buffy siding with a vampire against her. "You're confused, Twinkie. Let me clear you up."
 * Training From Hell: Gwendolyn warns she has some of this in store for Faith, but does so in such in a way that reassures Faith it's for her own benefit. Unfortunately, it's yet another ploy to demean the Scoobies and isolate Faith from them.
 * Tranquil Fury: Giles calls a halt to the bickering, saying that Buffy's coverup of Angel's whereabouts, "however ill-advised, can be understood." He dismisses everybody, then disappears into his office. Unwisely, Buffy tails at his heels and start to thank him for bailing her out until Giles tells her to be quiet. He slowly turns, regards her with a burning intensity, and delivers the following:

"Giles: Me?
 * Tyrant Takes the Helm: Post revealing that the Council wants her to "report on the entire situation here", including Giles. There's talk on the Council that he's becoming too... [shudder] ...American.

Buffy: Him??"

"Buffy: Sorry about that. So, what were you saying?
 * Un Confession: Willow innocuously asks if having no one know about Buffy and Angel's tryst made being with him sexier. Buffy says that there was too much pressure for her to enjoy it. Willow asks Buffy not to judge her, but right before she can spill the beans, Lagos pop up and attacks. Buffy slays him, then returns to their conversation. Willow's lost her nerve.

Willow: Oh. I... I opened my SAT book five minutes early."


 * Unusually Uninteresting Sight: Giles sitting on a bench, taking notes and sipping coffee while his Slayers fight vamps. What, no Sudoku?
 * His blasé pose looks none too impressive when Gwendolyn suddenly shows up. Giles freezes in mid-sip, the styrofoam cup hanging incriminatingly at mouth level.
 * The Watcher Must Be Crazy: Giles keeps his weapons in an unlocked cupboard in the book cage used to keep all kinds of demons prisoner.
 * We Need a Distraction: Buffy asks Faith if she can draw Gwendolyn's fire. Faith puts a brave face on ("You bet I can.") and takes off running. Gwen sees Faith darting around pillars, and starts zapping them in succession.
 * What the Hell, Hero?: Faith, perfectly reasonably, is scared of Angel having the Glove of Myneghon, as he was last seen as Angelus. Scared of how many people he might kill she sets out to kill him, leading to the first (but by no means the last) confrontation against Buffy.
 * Wicked Cultured: Seeing as Gwendolyn is an ex-Watcher, it goes without saying.
 * You Remind Me of X: An inanimate example. Buffy reaches over to examine the glove ("World's ugliest fashion accessory"), but Angel swats her hand away, saying that once it's on, it can never be taken off. "So, no touching.," she observes. "Kinda like us."