Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Recap/S3/E13 The Zeppo: Difference between revisions

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.
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* [[Anxiety Dreams]]
* [[Anxiety Dreams]]
{{quote| '''Buffy:''' Do you remember [[Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)/Recap/S1 E12 Prophecy Girl|the demon that almost got out the night I died]]?<br />
{{quote| '''Buffy:''' Do you remember [[Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)/Recap/S1 E12 Prophecy Girl|the demon that almost got out the night I died]]?<br />
'''Willow:''' Every nightmare I have that doesn't revolve around academic failure or [[Not Wearing Pants Dream|public nudity]] is about that thing. In fact, once I dreamt that it [[Arson Murder and Jaywalking|attacked me while I was late for a test and naked]]. }}
'''Willow:''' Every nightmare I have that doesn't revolve around academic failure or [["Not Wearing Pants" Dream|public nudity]] is about that thing. In fact, once I dreamt that it [[Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking|attacked me while I was late for a test and naked]]. }}
* [[Barrier Busting Blow]]: Xander relaxes after escaping a zombie, only for the head ([[Multiple Head Case|one of them at least]]) of the Hellmouth demon to burst through the wall next to him.
* [[Barrier Busting Blow]]: Xander relaxes after escaping a zombie, only for the head ([[Multiple Head Case|one of them at least]]) of the Hellmouth demon to burst through the wall next to him.
* [[Blood Magic]]: Jack cuts his palm to raise his zombie friends.
* [[Blood Magic]]: Jack cuts his palm to raise his zombie friends.
* [[Buffy Speak]]: Buffy suggests Xander be "fray-adjacent."
* [[Buffy-Speak]]: Buffy suggests Xander be "fray-adjacent."
* [[Conflict Ball]]: Despite having risked his life to fight demons for over two years, Xander is arbitrarily kept out of events by Buffy who's worried he'll get hurt.
* [[Conflict Ball]]: Despite having risked his life to fight demons for over two years, Xander is arbitrarily kept out of events by Buffy who's worried he'll get hurt.
* [[Cool Car]]: Xander tries to make himself cool by borrowing his uncle's light blue 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible.
* [[Cool Car]]: Xander tries to make himself cool by borrowing his uncle's light blue 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible.
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* [[Delicious Distraction]]: In the middle of preparing for the apocalypse, Giles gets miffed when Buffy eats all the jelly donuts.
* [[Delicious Distraction]]: In the middle of preparing for the apocalypse, Giles gets miffed when Buffy eats all the jelly donuts.
* [[Description Cut]]: Loads of them.
* [[Description Cut]]: Loads of them.
* [[Dialogue Reversal]]: Xander's gambit at the end mirrors the "Who has less fear?" dialogue from his earlier confrontation with [[I Call Her Vera|"Katie"]].
* [[Dialogue Reversal]]: Xander's gambit at the end mirrors the "Who has less fear?" dialogue from his earlier confrontation with [[I Call Her "Vera"|"Katie"]].
* [[Dude Where's My Reward]]: Averted because Xander, having proved something to himself, doesn't feel the need to tell the other Scoobies about his adventures.
* [[Dude, Where's My Reward?]]: Averted because Xander, having proved something to himself, doesn't feel the need to tell the other Scoobies about his adventures.
* [[Dying Declaration of Love]]: Willow hugs Xander and says she loves him, before running off to face whatever rough beast will come slouching out of the Hellmouth.
* [[Dying Declaration of Love]]: Willow hugs Xander and says she loves him, before running off to face whatever rough beast will come slouching out of the Hellmouth.
* [[The End of the World As We Know It]]: The Sisterhood of Jhe wants to open the Hellmouth.
* [[The End of the World As We Know It]]: The Sisterhood of Jhe wants to open the Hellmouth.
* [[Everythings Better With Bob]]: Zombie!Bob
* [[Everything's Better With Bob]]: Zombie!Bob
* [[Failed Attempt At Drama]]: "He should have known that if you're gonna play with fire... (zombie runs away) I wasn't finished!"
* [[Failed Attempt At Drama]]: "He should have known that if you're gonna play with fire... (zombie runs away) I wasn't finished!"
** Also Jack threatening vengeance on Xander, only to open a door and be [[Exit Pursued By a Bear|killed by werewolf Oz]].
** Also Jack threatening vengeance on Xander, only to open a door and be [[Exit, Pursued By a Bear|killed by werewolf Oz]].
* [[Freud Was Right]]: Xander pulls up in his [[Cool Car]].
* [[Freud Was Right]]: Xander pulls up in his [[Cool Car]].
{{quote| '''Buffy:''' Is this a penis metaphor?}}
{{quote| '''Buffy:''' Is this a penis metaphor?}}
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'''Parker:''' Okay, okay!<br />
'''Parker:''' Okay, okay!<br />
'''Xander:''' How do I defuse... ''(Xander drives too close to a mailbox which knocks Parker's head off)'' I probably should've left out that whole middle part. }}
'''Xander:''' How do I defuse... ''(Xander drives too close to a mailbox which knocks Parker's head off)'' I probably should've left out that whole middle part. }}
* [[Knife Nut]] / [[I Call Her Vera]]: Jack has a very large Bowie knife he calls "Katie"
* [[Knife Nut]] / [[I Call Her "Vera"]]: Jack has a very large Bowie knife he calls "Katie"
* [[Late to The Punchline]]: Xander finally gets round to looking at what the zombie gang looted from the hardware store -- finding kerosene, electric wire and dynamite.
* [[Late to The Punchline]]: Xander finally gets round to looking at what the zombie gang looted from the hardware store -- finding kerosene, electric wire and dynamite.
{{quote| '''Xander''': Hey! They're not baking any cakes!}}
{{quote| '''Xander''': Hey! They're not baking any cakes!}}
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{{quote| '''Xander:''' Who, at a crucial moment, distracted the lead demon by allowing her to pummel him about the head?<br />
{{quote| '''Xander:''' Who, at a crucial moment, distracted the lead demon by allowing her to pummel him about the head?<br />
'''Faith:''' Yeah. That was real manly how you shrieked and all. }}
'''Faith:''' Yeah. That was real manly how you shrieked and all. }}
* [[Self Deprecation]]: Desperate for coolness, Xander asks Oz if it is hard to play the guitar.
* [[Self-Deprecation]]: Desperate for coolness, Xander asks Oz if it is hard to play the guitar.
{{quote| '''Oz''': [[Dreadful Musician|Not the way I play it]].}}
{{quote| '''Oz''': [[Dreadful Musician|Not the way I play it]].}}
* [[Self Parody]]
* [[Self-Parody]]
* [[Sexy Discretion Shot]]: Xander and Faith sex is shown reflected in her TV screen.
* [[Sexy Discretion Shot]]: Xander and Faith sex is shown reflected in her TV screen.
* [[Something Else Also Rises]]
* [[Something Else Also Rises]]
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{{quote| '''Jack:''' I'm gonna carve you up and serve you with gravy. You piss me off, boy. Now you pay the price. First the eyes, then the tongue. I'm gonna break every one of your fingers.<br />
{{quote| '''Jack:''' I'm gonna carve you up and serve you with gravy. You piss me off, boy. Now you pay the price. First the eyes, then the tongue. I'm gonna break every one of your fingers.<br />
'''Xander:''' (indicating [[Time Bomb]]) You gonna do all that in forty-nine seconds? }}
'''Xander:''' (indicating [[Time Bomb]]) You gonna do all that in forty-nine seconds? }}
* [[Two Lines No Waiting]] / [[Trapped By Mountain Lions]]: Inverted with the B Plot becoming the focus.
* [[Two Lines, No Waiting]] / [[Trapped By Mountain Lions]]: Inverted with the B Plot becoming the focus.
* [[You Get Me Coffee]]: The apocalypse is coming, so Xander asks how he can help. Buffy sends him to get donuts.
* [[You Get Me Coffee]]: The apocalypse is coming, so Xander asks how he can help. Buffy sends him to get donuts.


Revision as of 04:21, 9 January 2014


Set into despair by Cordelia's insults, Xander tries desperately to appear "cool." For this purpose, he borrows his uncle's Bel-Air.This triggers an odd series of events in which he ends up killing several zombies, stopping a bomb, and sleeping with Faith. At the end of the episode, he's gained a lot of self-confidence after staring down a psychopathic zombie.

In other news, yet another demon cult tries to open the Hellmouth.

This episode contains examples of:

  • Always a Bigger Fish: An axe-wielding Xander chases Zombie!Dickie down a corridor, only for them both to come tearing out again pursued by the Sisterhood of Jhe.
  • An Axe to Grind

 Bob: Good for chopping.

 Buffy: Do you remember the demon that almost got out the night I died?

Willow: Every nightmare I have that doesn't revolve around academic failure or public nudity is about that thing. In fact, once I dreamt that it attacked me while I was late for a test and naked.

 Buffy: Is this a penis metaphor?

  • Geeky Turn On: Cordelia is smirking over Xander's belief that his Cool Car will somehow make him cool when a hot blonde suddenly expresses an interest. Triumphant!Xander takes her for a ride, only to end up at the Bronze bored out of his skull listening to her rave on about engines -- he's even happy to see Angel in the hope that Angel will call him away on some important Scooby business.
  • Gory Discretion Shot / Sound Only Death: Dickie is killed by the Sisterhood behind venetian blinds.
  • The Greatest Story Never Told: How Xander stopped a zombie gang from blowing up the school.
  • Hannibal Lecture: Cordelia does this to Xander and loves it. At the end of the episode Xander just smiles and walks off, having gained the required coolness to ignore her.
  • Hold Me: Subverted when Xander helps Faith escape a demon -- she's a little banged up, says "Hold me" to him, and as he goes to comfort her she positions his hands so she can snap back her dislocated shoulder.
  • Incredibly Obvious Bomb / Time Bomb
  • In Medias Res: By seeing events from Xander's point-of-view, all the snippets of Buffy cliches and tropes that any Buffy fan could tell would make sense in context if the full story was ever told come across as hilariously random, nonsensical, and melodramatic.
  • Ironic Echo Cut

 Xander: Oh man, I'm out of my league. I gotta find Buffy. She'll know what to do.

Buffy: (To Angel) I don't know what to do!

 Parker: It's in the, it's in the boiler room!

Xander: Alright. Now I'm gonna ask you this once, and you better pray you get the answer right.

Parker: Okay, okay!

Xander: How do I defuse... (Xander drives too close to a mailbox which knocks Parker's head off) I probably should've left out that whole middle part.

  • Knife Nut / I Call Her "Vera": Jack has a very large Bowie knife he calls "Katie"
  • Late to The Punchline: Xander finally gets round to looking at what the zombie gang looted from the hardware store -- finding kerosene, electric wire and dynamite.

 Xander: Hey! They're not baking any cakes!

 Faith: Don't worry. (pulls off her own shirt) I'll steer you around the curves.

 Xander: I don't think I wanna be seeing you on campus anymore, Jack.

 Xander: Who, at a crucial moment, distracted the lead demon by allowing her to pummel him about the head?

Faith: Yeah. That was real manly how you shrieked and all.

  • Self-Deprecation: Desperate for coolness, Xander asks Oz if it is hard to play the guitar.

 Oz: Not the way I play it.

 Faith: A fight like that and... no kill... I'm about ready to pop. (her hand reaches down for Xander's groin) You up for it?

Xander: Oh, I'm up. I'm suddenly very up. It's just, um... (grins sheepishly) I've never been up with people before.

  • Strange Minds Think Alike: Xander makes a sarcastic remark about feeling like Jimmy Olsen to Giles. Later, Cordelia mocks him by saying that, with everyone he knows having superpowers, he must feel like...Jimmy Olsen. Xander starts lampshading this, but then cuts himself off with "Mind your own business!"
  • Suspiciously Specific Denial: Xander finds himself the wheelman outside the store the zombie gang are looting when Willow walks by.

 Willow: Xander, what are you doing here?

Xander: Nothing! Certainly not crime.

 Xander: (breathing hard) Less than two minutes. Dumb guy. Little bomb. How hard can it be?

(Jack jumps him from behind)

Jack: And it just got harder.

 Xander: What is it? How do you get it? Who doesn't have it, and who decides who doesn't have it? What is the essence of 'cool'?

Oz: Not sure.

Xander: I mean, you yourself, Oz, are considered more or less 'cool'. Why is that?

Oz: Am I?

Xander: Is it about the talking? You know, the-the way you tend to express yourself in short, non-committal phrases?

Oz: Could be.

 Jack: I'm gonna carve you up and serve you with gravy. You piss me off, boy. Now you pay the price. First the eyes, then the tongue. I'm gonna break every one of your fingers.

Xander: (indicating Time Bomb) You gonna do all that in forty-nine seconds?

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