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Episode Summary
Sixteen-year-old Buffy Summers has moved to Sunnydale from L.A., hoping to leave Buffy’s troubled past behind. But Sunnydale High librarian Rupert Giles knows who Buffy is: she is the Slayer, the one girl in all the world with the strength and skill to hunt and kill vampires.
He knows about her past because he is her new Watcher — the person whose destiny it is to train and guide Slayers on their path. Buffy quickly makes two friends: the shy, bookish Willow, and the goofy but lovable Xander, who is instantly attracted to Buffy.
When a student is found dead in a locker — with bite marks on his neck and completely drained of his blood — Giles enlists Buffy’s help. She resists, trying to get out of the slaying game for good, but Giles insists that a crucial mystical upheaval is about to occur.
Unbeknownst to them, a bewildered Xander overhears their conversation — Buffy’s secret is out. Later, in a dark, eerie chamber, we see a vampire who seems to be confirming Giles’ prophecy. The vampire, Luke, kneels in front of a pool of blood and says, “The sleeper will awaken. And the world will bleed.”
On her way to the Bronze, Sunnydale’s hippest (and only) club, Buffy is followed by a handsome, mysterious stranger. He tells her she must be ready for the Harvest, and gives her a small cross. Giles meets her at the Bronze and she tells him about the encounter. Giles convinces her to use her power, and wants her to try to sense if there are any vampires in the room. She does sense one and finds him talking to Willow, but the two have walked away.
Trying to catch him unawares, she grabs a makeshift stake, turns a corner and attacks… Cordelia, the snootiest girl in school, who already thought Buffy was a loser for hanging with Willow, and now thinks she’s certifiable. We see Jesse, Xander’s buddy, chatting with a girl we saw in vampire garb earlier, but who now appears as a normal student, Darla.
Back to the pool of blood, something breaks through the surface and rises: the demonic Master Vampire. He is hungry and weak, and asks Luke to bring him something young.
Outside the Bronze, Buffy enlists Xander’s help in finding Willow, who’s already been lead to a mausoleum by the vampire. Willow’s happy to find Jesse there, until she sees that Darla has already bit him in the neck. Buffy and Xander enter, and Buffy promptly kills the vampire boy. Now Willow is finally in on the secret.
While Darla tries to attack Buffy, Xander and Willow lead a weakened Jesse out. Luke joins the battle and throws Buffy across the room. As he tries to bite her in the neck, he burns his hand on her cross, giving her a chance to escape. She finds her friends struggling with several vampires. Buffy impales one and the others flee.
Meanwhile, Jesse has been taken to the Master, who hears about Buffy. By her strength, he can tell that she’s the Slayer. The Master knows that Buffy will come looking for Jesse, and then she will be his. Giles enlists Willow to check the internet for more information about the Harvest, while Buffy decides to go look for Jesse.
At the mausoleum, she runs into the stranger again, whose name is Angel. He warns that the Harvest will be that night. Then Buffy is shocked to find Xander has followed her. They find Jesse, who tries to lead them out, until he turns to face them and they discover he’s become a vampire. More vampires surround and chase them, but they manage to escape to the street through a grating.
The Master is furious that the Slayer has escaped. But he allows Luke to feed from him as a way of gaining strength for himself. He dabs some of his blood on Luke’s forehead and paints a three-pointed star.
Willow’s research explains that on the night of the Harvest, the Master Vampire can draw power from one of his minions while it feeds and then can break through from their reality to ours. The minion is called the Vessel, and bears the symbol we saw painted on Luke. Xander guesses the vampires will converge on the Bronze, since it’s always filled with young people.
That night, a newly confident Jesse strides into the Bronze and hits on Cordelia, who actually allows the former loser to dance with her. Soon, a gang of vampires takes over the club, with Luke at the helm. By the time Buffy, Giles, Xander and Willow get there, the suckfest is in full swing, with the Master gaining strength from each victim.
Buffy manages to kill a few other vampires, then Jesse winds up impaling himself on a stake a frightened Xander was holding. Buffy breaks a large window, trying to make Luke think the streetlight is daylight, which will destroy him. He buys it for a second, and she takes advantage of his confusion by driving a stake through his back. Now the Master is too weak to break through to the other side, and Sunnydale has been spared.
This time.
Shooting Scripts
FADE IN:
INT. MAUSOLEUM – NIGHT
LUKE bears down on BUFFY, fangs bared. She struggles, but he’s got her pinned. He rips open her shirt a bit to get at her throat. Grabs her – and SCREAMS.
He jumps back, SMOKE curling out of his hand.
ANGLE: BUFFY’S NECK
The cross Angel gave her has slipped out of an inside pocket.
Buffy takes the moment and KICKS with both legs, sends Luke flying back out of the tomb. She jumps up herself and before he can recover, she RUNS out of there.
CUT TO:
EXT. GRAVEYARD – CONTINUOUS
As fast as she can — stumbling a bit and breathing hard from the beating she took — Buffy books through the graveyard. As she reaches the trees on the edge of it, she looks back at the
Mausoleum.
Nobody’s coming.
She hears WILLOW SCREAM.
WILLOW
No! Nooo! Get — off —
Buffy runs to the sound of the voice — comes to find:
ANGLE: WILLOW
on the ground, struggling with a vampire.
The vampire has Willow pinned, is going in for the neck — then he looks up, hearing something. Buffy’s foot whips into his face, sending him flying way back.
He lands hard on his back and scrambles away, holding his nose.
Buffy is all business now, looking around her in quiet fury. Her senses alert.
She hears a CRACK, some SCUFFING on the ground. Takes off, leaving Willow wide-eyed and freaked. After a moment, she rises and follows.
ANGLE: XANDER
is unconscious, being dragged away by two other vampires. They hear something behind them, turn slowly around.
It’s Willow, stumbling out from behind a tree. She looks extremely unthreatening.
They turn back and Buffy is right in front of them. She takes them both out with one punch. They fly back, then scramble to their feet.
Buffy grabs a branch, snaps it off the tree. She comes at them with this makeshift stake — nails one in the chest.
The other flees.
Willow runs up to XANDER, cradles his head. He is just coming to.
WILLOW
Xander, are you okay?
XANDER
Man… something hit me…
Buffy is still looking around, unsatisfied.
BUFFY
Where’s Jesse?
WILLOW
I don’t know — they surrounded us — he was really weak…
XANDER
That girl grabbed him. Took off.
BUFFY
Which way?
XANDER
I don’t know.
Buffy looks into the night. The camera CIRCLES her as she looks around. There is nothing to see.
BUFFY
(quietly)
Jesse…
BLACK OUT.
END OF TEASER
Act One
INT. THE LIBRARY – MORNING
We open on a Globe. As we hear GILES begin to SPEAK, we PAN over to Xander and Willow, sitting in the middle of the library. Neither of them appears to have slept since last night.
GILES (O.S.)
This world is older than any of you know, and
contrary to popular mythology, it did not begin
as a paradise. For untold eons, Demons walked the
earth; made it their home… their Hell.
Still we PAN, to find Giles on the upper level, standing at the railing. His expression is as grave as theirs.
GILES
In time they lost their purchase on this reality,
and the way was made for the mortal animals. For
Man. What remains of the Old Ones are vestiges:
Certain magicks, certain creatures…
BUFFY
And vampires…
She emerges from Giles’ office, wrapping a bandage around her forearm. Xander rises, agitated.
XANDER
Okay, this is where I have a problem, see,
because we’re now talking about vampires. We’re
having a talk with vampires in it.
WILLOW
Oooh… I need to sit down.
BUFFY
You are sitting down.
WILLOW
Oh. Good for me.
XANDER
So vampires are demons?
GILES
The books tell that the last Demon to leave this
reality fed off a human, mixed their blood. He
was a human form possessed — infected — by the
Demon’s soul. He bit another, and another… and
so they walk the earth, feeding. Killing some,
mixing their blood with others to make more of
their kind. Waiting for the animals to die out,
and the Old Ones to return.
CUT TO:
INT. A TUNNEL – MORNING
Not that you could see whether it was morning or night in this place — it remains as dark and humid as the earth that swallowed it.
JESSE is being dragged through the tunnel by Luke, DARLA, by his side. Jesse is still staggering into consciousness, and the more he awakens, the less he likes it.
He looks about in fear at the two inhuman faces, at the end of the tunnel they are dragging him through. It seems to be an old cracked pipe, and it ends at:
INT. THE CHURCH – CONTINUOUS
Coming out of the pipe, the threesome makes its way down a pile of rocks to the floor of the wrecked church.
Jesse looks about, wonder tingeing the edges of his fear. He is stood before the altar, before the pool of blood.
From the darkness, something moves. Emerges.
THE MASTER regards his servants, his total authority obvious to all. He looks at Jesse.
THE MASTER
Is this for me?
LUKE
An offering, Master.
DARLA
He’s a good one. His blood is pure.
THE MASTER
(quietly — almost innocuously)
You’ve tasted it.
Darla starts back a step, afraid.
THE MASTER
(smiling)
I’m your faithful dog. You bring me scraps.
DARLA
I didn’t mean to —
THE MASTER I’ve waited. For three score years I have waited.
While you come and go I have been stuck here,
(voice rising)
here, in a house of worship. My ascension is
almost at hand. Pray that when it comes… I’m in
a better mood.
DARLA
Master, forgive me. We had more offerings but
there was trouble. A girl.
LUKE
There was a girl. She fought well, and she knew
of our breed. It’s possible that she may be…
The Master turns to him.
THE MASTER
A Slayer?
SMASH CUT TO:
INT. THE LIBRARY – CONTINUOUS
XANDER
And that would be a what?
GILES
As long as there have been vampires, there has
been the Slayer. One girl in all the world —
BUFFY
He loves doing this part.
GILES
(speeding up)
All right: They hunt vampires, one Slayer dies, the next is called, Buffy is the Slayer, don’t tell anyone. I think that’s all the vampire information you need.
XANDER
Except for one thing. How do you kill them?
BUFFY
You don’t. I do.
XANDER
Well, Jesse —
BUFFY
Jesse’s my responsibility. I let him get taken.
XANDER
That’s not true.
WILLOW
If you hadn’t showed up, they would have… taken us too… Does anybody mind if I pass out.
BUFFY
Breathe…
WILLOW
Breathe.
BUFFY
Breathe.
(to Giles)
This big guy, Luke, he talked about an offering to the Master. I don’t know who or what, but if they weren’t just feeding, Jesse may still be alive. I’m gonna find him.
WILLOW
This is probably the dumb question, but shouldn’t we call the police?
GILES
Do you think they’d believe us?
WILLOW
We don’t have to say vampires. We could say there was… a bad man.
BUFFY
They couldn’t handle it if they did come. They’d only show up with guns.
GILES
(to Buffy)
You’ve no idea where they took Jesse?
BUFFY
I looked around, but… soon as they got clear of
the woods they could have just
(indicating flight)
–whoom.
XANDER
They can fly?
BUFFY
They can drive.
XANDER
Oh.
WILLOW
I don’t remember hearing a car…
GILES
Well, let’s take an enormous intuitive leap and
say they went underground.
BUFFY
Vampires really jam on sewer systems. You can get
anywhere in town without catching any rays. I
didn’t see any access around there, though.
XANDER
Well, there’s electrical tunnels. They run under
the whole town.
GILES
If we had a diagnostic of the tunnel system, it
might indicate a meeting place. I suppose we
could go to the building commission —
BUFFY
We so don’t have time.
WILLOW
Uh, guys? There may be another way.
CUT TO:
INT. THE CHURCH – CONTINUOUS
THE MASTER
A Slayer… Have you any proof?
LUKE
Only that she fought me and yet lives.
THE MASTER
Very nearly proof enough. I can’t remember the
last time that happened.
LUKE
1843, in Madrid. And the bastard caught me
sleeping.
THE MASTER
She mustn’t be allowed to interfere with the
Harvest.
LUKE
I would never let that happen.
THE MASTER
You needn’t worry. I believe she’ll come to us.
We have something that she wants. If she is a
Slayer, and this boy lives, she’ll try to save
him.
Luke goes up to Jesse, smiling.
LUKE
I thought you nothing more than a meal, boy.
Congratulations. You’ve just been upgraded to
“bait”.
CUT TO:
INT. THE LIBRARY – CONTINUOUS
ANGLE: A MAP OF THE ELECTRICAL TUNNELS
On a computer screen.
BUFFY (O.S.)
There it is.
WIDE ANGLE:
Willow sits at the computer, everyone else gathered around her.
WILLOW
This runs under the graveyard.
XANDER
I don’t see any access.
GILES
So all the city plans are just open to the
public?
WILLOW
Uh, well, in a way. I sort of stumbled onto them
when I accidentally… decrypted the city
council’s security system.
XANDER
(still focused on the screen)
Someone’s been naughty…
BUFFY
There’s nothing here. This is useless!
GILES
I think you should ease up on yourself.
BUFFY
You’re the one who told me I wasn’t prepared
enough. Understatement. I thought I was on top of
it, and then that Monster Luke came out of
nowhere —
She stops. Pauses.
XANDER
What?
BUFFY
(working it out)
He didn’t come out of nowhere. He came from
behind me. I was facing the entrance. He came
from behind me and he didn’t follow me out.
(looks at them)
The access to the tunnels is in the mausoleum.
GILES
Are you sure?
BUFFY
The girl must have doubled back with Jesse after
I got out. God, I’m so mentally challenged!
XANDER
So, what’s the plan? We saddle up, right?
BUFFY
There’s no ‘we’. Okay? I’m the Slayer, and you’re
not.
XANDER
I knew you were gonna throw that in my face.
BUFFY
Xander, this is deeply dangerous.
XANDER
I’m inadequate. That’s fine. I’m less than a man.
WILLOW
Buffy, I’m not anxious to go into a dark place
full of monsters, but I do want to help. I need
to.
GILES
Then help me. I’ve been researching this Harvest
affair. Seems to be some sort of pre-ordained
massacre. Rivers of blood, Hell on earth… Quite
charmless. I am fuzzy on the details, however,
and it may be that you can wrest some information
from that dread machine.
(off their uncomprehending looks)
That was a bit British, wasn’t it?
BUFFY
Welcome to the new world.
GILES
(translates to Willow)
I want you to go on the Net.
WILLOW
Oh! Yeah. Sure. I can do that.
BUFFY
Then I’m out of here.
(to Xander and Willow)
If Jesse’s alive, I’ll bring him back.
GILES
Do I have to tell you to be careful?
Buffy looks at him a moment. Then she’s out.
CUT TO:
INT. SCHOOL GROUNDS – DAY
Buffy heads toward a gate that stands open. She is about to go through it when FLUTIE appears right behind her.
MR. FLUTIE
And where do we think we’re going?
BUFFY
We? I? Me?
MR. FLUTIE We’re not leaving school grounds, are we?
BUFFY
No! I’m just … admiring the fence. This is
quality fencework.
MR. FLUTIE
Because if we were leaving school grounds on our
second day at a new school after being kicked out
of our old school for delinquent behavior — do
you see where I’m going with this?
BUFFY
(it comes to her:)
Mr. Giles!
MR. FLUTIE
What?
BUFFY
He asked me to get a book for him. From the store
’cause I have a free period and I’m a big reader
did it mention that on my transcripts?
MR. FLUTIE
Mr. Giles.
BUFFY
Ask him.
Mr. Flutie shuts and locks the gate, saying:
MR. FLUTIE
Well, maybe that’s how they do things in Britain,
they’ve got that royal family and all kinds of
problems. But here at Sunnydale nobody leaves
campus while school’s in session. Are we clear?
BUFFY
We’re clear.
MR. FLUTIE
That’s the Buffy Summers I want in my school. The
sensible girl, with her feet on the ground.
He smiles, leaves.
ANGLE: BUFFY’S FEET
Standing before the fence. After a bit they jump up, leave the frame. A moment later we see her land on the other side, take off running.
CUT TO:
INT. MAUSOLEUM – CONTINUOUS
But for the light from the doorway, it’s just as dark in here as it was last night. Buffy makes her way cautiously, looking about her. She senses a lurking presence, but the shadows give up nothing.
She reaches the iron door on the other side. Tires it. It’s locked. She stops, letting out a long breath.
BUFFY
(not looking around)
I don’t suppose you’ve got a key on you?
ANGEL steps from the shadows, a smile in his eyes.
ANGEL
They really don’t like me dropping in.
BUFFY
Why not?
ANGEL
They really don’t like me.
BUFFY
(sarcastically)
How could that possibly be?
ANGEL
I knew you’d figure out this entryway sooner
or later. Actually, I thought it was gonna be a
little sooner.
BUFFY
I’m sorry you had to wait. Look, if you’re gonna
be popping up with this cryptic wise man act on a
regular basis, can you at least tell me your
name?
ANGEL
Angel.
BUFFY
Angel.
(offhand)
It’s a pretty name.
ANGEL
Don’t go down there.
BUFFY
Deal with my going.
ANGEL
You shouldn’t be putting yourself at risk.
Tonight is the Harvest. Unless you can prevent it,
the Master walks.
BUFFY
If this Harvest thing is such a suckfest, why
don’t you stop it?
ANGEL
Because I’m afraid.
The unashamed openness of the statement catches her a bit off guard. She looks at him a moment.
She KICKS the door open.
ANGEL
They’ll be expecting you.
BUFFY
I’ve got a friend down there — or, a potential
friend.
(joking)
Do you know what it’s like to have a friend?
He doesn’t answer.
BUFFY
(gently)
That wasn’t supposed to be a stumper.
ANGEL
When you hit the tunnels, head east, toward the
school. That’s where you’re likely to find them.
BUFFY
You gonna wish me luck?
He says nothing. She looks at him a moment more, then heads into the darkness. He stands there, not moving. Quiet concern on his face.
ANGEL
(softly)
Good luck.
BLACK OUT.
END OF ACT ONE
Act Two
INT. TUNNELS – DAY
They are dark, forbidding, and they run in all directions.
Buffy climbs down a ladder, drops into them. She looks about her, taking it in. ANGLE: A RAT
Scurries by her foot.
Buffy doesn’t flinch. She starts down a tunnel, moving slowly. The dark enveloping her. She turns a corner, slowly. Nothing. Starts down it.
She hears something and spins, sneaks up and looks down another tunnel. ANGLE: DOWN THE OTHER TUNNEL
Shadows. Noise. Nothing solid.
She pulls her head back and he’s right behind her!
XANDER
Did you see anything?
BUFFY
Xander! What are you doing here?
XANDER
Something stupid. I followed you. I couldn’t just
sit around not doing anything.
BUFFY
I understand. Now go away.
XANDER
Jesse’s my bud, okay? If I can help him, then
that’s what I gotta do.
A beat, as she accepts this.
XANDER
Besides, it’s this or Chem class.
They make their way through the dark.
CUT TO:
INT. THE LIBRARY – DAY
Giles has his arcane volumes out, is consulting them. After some digging, he finds something interesting. He looks closely at one passage, translating to himself from the Latin.
GILES
“For they will gather, and be gathered. All that
is theirs shall be his… From the Vessel pours
life.” Pours life…
ANGLE: AN ENGRAVING
A bestial fellow holds his hand out, commanding a throng of villagers, all of whom are bleeding. Below, in what might be Hell, a demon glows with power.
Upon the bestial one’s forehead, a crude symbol has been drawn, a star with three points. He looks over at another passage.
GILES
(reads)
“On the night of the crescent moon, the first
past the solstice, it will come.” Of course.
(he looks up)
Tonight.
CUT TO:
INT. COMPUTER CLASS – DAY
Everyone is working, alone and in groups, devising programs. CORDELIA and HARMONY struggle mightily with theirs.
CORDELIA
No! It’s suppose to find the syntax and match it.
Or, wait…
HARMONY
(typing slowly)
Are we going to the Bronze tonight?
CORDELIA
No, we’re going to the other cool place in
Sunnydale.
Harmony looks at her inquisitively.
CORDELIA
Of course we’re going to the Bronze! Friday
night, no cover. But you should have been there
last night.
HARMONY
(re: program)
I think we did this part wrong.
CORDELIA
Why do we have to devise these programs? Isn’t
that what nerds are for?
(quietly)
What did she do?
Harmony cranes over to look at:
ANGLE: WILLOW
Sitting next to them, but in her own world. She is bringing things up on the Net, typing intently, scrolling, searching…
HARMONY
Uh, she’s doing something else.
CUT TO:
INT. TUNNELS – LATER
Buffy and Xander turn a corner, ready for anything.
Nothing. They keep walking, alert. Xander picks up the conversation they were in:
XANDER
Okay, so: crosses, garlic, stake through the
heart.
BUFFY
That’ll get it done.
XANDER
Cool. Of course, I don’t actually have any of
those things.
BUFFY
(hands him a cross)
Good thinking.
XANDER
Well, the part of my brain that would tell me to
bring that stuff is still busy telling me not to
come down here. I brought this, though.
He produces a flashlight, turns it on.
BUFFY
Turn that off!
XANDER
(he does)
Okay, okay. So, what else?
BUFFY
What else what?
XANDER
For Vampire Slayage.
?
XANDER
(a little weakly)
So you’ve done some beheading in your time.
BUFFY
Oh, yeah. There was this one time, I was pinned
down by this vampire, he played left tackle for
the varsity — I mean, before he was… well
anyway he’s got one of those really thick necks
and all I’ve got is a little Exacto knife —
(off Xander’s gape)
You’re not loving this story.
XANDER
Actually, I find it oddly comforting.
CUT TO:
INT. COMPUTER CLASS – DAY
Willow is busily bringing up relevant data from the Net, her brow furrowed in concentration. At the next terminal, Cordelia is struggling with a program while holding court.
CORDELIA
Okay, and then “Pattern Run” right? Or “Go To
End”. That’s it.
HARMONY
Maybe… I think…
CORDELIA
Well, what does the book say?
(as Harmony looks it up)
So anyway, I come out of the bathroom and she
comes running at me with a stick, screaming, “I’m
gonna kill you! I’m gonna kill you!” I swear.
GUY
(leaning in)
Who?
CORDELIA
Buffy.
HARMONY
The new girl.
GUY
What’s her deal?
CORDELIA
She’s crazed!
HARMONY
Did you hear about her old school? Booted.
CORDELIA
I exhibit no surprise.
GUY
Why was she kicked out?
CORDELIA
‘Cause she’s a psycho-loony.
WILLOW
No, she’s not.
Silence, as Cordelia registers the concept that Willow just contradicted her.
CORDELIA
What?
WILLOW
She’s not a psycho. You don’t even know her.
CORDELIA
Excuse me? Who gave you permission to exist? Do I
horn in on your private discussions? No. Why?
Because you’re boring.
Willow looks down, hurt. She stands and takes some pages that have come up on the printer. The girls turn back to their project.
HARMONY
There. I think the program’s done.
CORDELIA
Finally, the nightmare ends. Now how do we save
it?
WILLOW
(as she exits)
“Deliver.”
CORDELIA
(staring at the screen)
Deliver — where is that — Oh!
ANGLE: A KEY
Marked “DEL”. Cordelia hits it.
Long pause, the two girls staring at the screen, their smiles about to melt into perplexity as we CUT TO:
INT. TUNNELS – LATER
Buffy and Xander are still making their way through the dark. The banter quotient has plummeted — they’re both fairly tense.
Buffy looks around, brow furrowed.
BUFFY
They’re close
XANDER
How can you tell?
BUFFY
No rats.
Xander doesn’t love that information, but he says nothing. Still they progress, until:
XANDER
Over there. What’s that?
He indicates a small, dark side-chamber. Nothing can be seen past the first few inches. They come up to it. Xander pulls out his flashlight, shines it.
ANGLE: IN THE CHAMBER
A beam of light finds a body, lying face down. It looks like
XANDER
Jesse!
BUFFY
Oh, no…
She starts forward, Xander keeping the light on her. Goes over to the body, reaches out — and Jesse JUMPS UP, brandishing a pipe. He’s about to slam her with it when Xander calls out:
XANDER
Jesse!
JESSE
(stops, amazed)
Xander?
He drops the pipe and the two friends hug. Xander pulls away, looking him over.
XANDER
Jesse, man, are you okay?
JESSE
I’m not okay on an epic scale. We gotta get out
of here!
He indicates his leg — he’s been chained to the wall.
XANDER
It’s cool! Buffy’s a superhero!
The superhero frowns at the chain, feels it.
BUFFY
(to Jesse)
Hold on.
She takes the pipe he dropped and SMASHES the look on his shackles. It’s not a quiet operation.
XANDER
You think anybody heard that?
ANGLE: A TUNNEL – CONTINUOUS
A few black shapes move in the shadows, hearing it.
ANGLE: BUFFY AND THE OTHERS
They start out.
JESSE
They knew you were gonna come. They said that I –
I was the bait…
XANDER
Oh, now you tell us.
JESSE
I’ve seen their leader.
The look in his eyes describes their leader in detail.
Buffy leads the two boys back through the tunnel. She stops.
Shadows move at the other end.
BUFFY
Oops.
JESSE
Oh, no, no…
BUFFY
Do you know another way out?
JESSE
I don’t, uh, maybe?
XANDER
Come on.
They truck out the other way.
CUT TO:
INT. A JUNCTION OF TUNNELS – A SECOND LATER
They come into this one, moving at a good clip. Try one avenue —
Eyes gleam in the dark. Whispered LAUGHS drift at us.
They turn back, pause at a fork.
JESSE
Wait, wait. They brought me through here! There’s
a way up. I hope.
They take off.
CUT TO:
INT. A SUBTERRANEAN ROOM – MOMENTS LATER
They run in, vampires approaching slowly behind them. Look around, horror growing on their faces.
There is no door. There is no exit. Buffy and Xander look about them, frantically.
BUFFY
I don’t think this is the way out.
She goes back to the doorway they came in, listens for the approaching vampires.
XANDER
We can’t fight our way back through those
things… what do we do?
JESSE
I’ve got an idea…
And the CAMERA PANS over to Jesse standing right behind Xander. His visage grotesque, his smile icy. He’s a vampire.
JESSE
You can die.
BLACK OUT.
END OF ACT TWO
Act Three
INT. A SUBTERRANEAN ROOM – TWO SECONDS LATER
Xander backs away from Jesse. Buffy looks from him to the entrance, not sure what to do. ANGLE: THE ENTRANCE
We HEAR approaching vampires, see shadows begin to move, thrown on the outer wall by figures down the hall.
XANDER
Jesse… Man, I’m sorry…
JESSE
Sorry? I feel good, Xander. I feel strong.
Buffy grabs the door, tries to close it. But it’s tick metal, rusted open.
JESSE
I’m connected, man. To everything. I can hear the
worms in the earth.
XANDER
Well, that’s a plus.
JESSE
I know what the Master wants. I’ll serve his
purpose. That means you die. And I feed.
BUFFY
Xander! The cross!
Xander holds it up — and Jesse stops coming toward him. The smiles leaves his face. Buffy continues trying to shut the door — it’s beginning to budge. But coming down the hall are: ANGLE: THE VAMPIRES
Making their way down the hall to the door. They most slowly, grinning — sure of victory.
XANDER
Jesse. Man, we’re buds. Can’t you remember?
JESSE
You’re like a shadow to me now.
Xander moves forward, cross in hand.
XANDER
Then get out of my face.
Jesse stumbles back, pissed. Xander backs him toward the door.
Buffy continues to strain. The vampires approach.
Jesse lashes out, knocks the cross from Xander’s grasp. He grins — and then Buffy grabs him from behind and HURLS him out of the room, knocking vampires over like bowling pins.
BUFFY
Help me!
Xander snaps out of his shock and comes to the door with her. With both their backs to it, they slam it shut —
–an arm SHOOTS in, grasping for them. Buffy opens the door slightly and slams it again till the arm withdraws. She bolts the door, breathing heavily.
XANDER
I can’t believe it… we were too late.
A resounding THUD shudders the door. The vampires are gonna break it down.
BUFFY
We need to get out of here.
XANDER
There is no out of here!
Another THUD and the door begins to buckle on its hinges. Buffy looks around — there is some junk lying around. She throws it out of the way to see if there is a doorway behind it. No joy.
Xander also looks around. He spies:
ANGLE: AN AIR VENT
We can see just a hint of an air vent’s grating behind a metal sheet. It’s high up in the shadows.
XANDER
What’s that?
Buffy sees it too. She throws a box down, steps on it to reach the vent. Pulls away the metal sheet, revealing the grate. It’s big enough to climb through.
She begins trying to pry the grate open with her bare hands.
Another THUD. Xander looks from Buffy to the door.
Buffy pulls, behind a corner.
The door comes off its hinges enough for a vampire to put his fingers through, grip it. Buffy RIPS the grating loose, throws it aside.
BUFFY
Come on!
And a vampire SHOOTS out of the air vent at her, grabbing her head.
The door comes out enough for a vampire to get its face in.
Buffy pulls the vampire all the way out of the vent, throws it to the floor. Jumps down on top of it.
BUFFY
(to Xander)
Go!
He runs by, climbs on the box as Buffy sinks a stake into the vampire’s back. He sticks the flashlight in:
ANGLE: IN THE AIR VENT
Nothing. Clear.
He crawls in, starts worming his way down it.
ANGLE: THE DOOR
Breaks down. Vampires pile in.
Buffy jumps up and pulls herself into the air vent.
CUT TO:
INT. AIR VENT – CONTINUOUS
The two of them crawl along in the dark, the vampires at their heels.
They come to a wider space, with a ladder going up. Sunlight can be seen through the grating at the very top.
XANDER
Up?
BUFFY
UP!
He starts climbing, Buffy right behind him.
He gets to the top and opens the grating, climbs into:
CUT TO:
EXT. STREET – AFTERNOON
It’s deserted as Xander rolls out, reaches in to help Buffy up. She is almost out when ANGLE: A HAND
grabs her ankle, starts pulling her back down.
She pulls up, bringing the hand up into the sunlight. It beings to SMOKE — we hear a SHRIEK and it is withdrawn.
Buffy rolls out, slams the grating shut.
For a moment both of them just lie there, catching their breath.
CUT TO:
INT. THE LIBRARY – DAY
Giles is still pouring over his notes when Willow enters. He looks up, hoping to see
GILES
Buffy?
WILLOW
It’s just me. So there’s no word?
GILES
Not as of yet.
WILLOW
Well, I’m sure they’re… great.
GILES
Did you find anything of interest?
She sits, shows him copied articles as she talks.
WILLOW
I think maybe. I looked through the old papers,
around the time of that big earthquake back in
’37. And for several months before it, there was
a rash of murders.
GILES
Great! I mean, not great in a good way… Go on.
WILLOW
They sound like the kind you were looking for.
Throats, blood. Months, and not even a clue.
GILES
It’s all coming together. I rather wish it weren’t.
CUT TO:
INT. THE CHURCH – CONTINUOUS
We see a candle being lit, the last of a row. Darla steps back from it, the taper in her hand glowing softly.
As she does, another vampire does the same on the opposite wall. They are at the back of the church, staring ahead. The rows of candles run up to the altar, where the Master stands waiting.
CHANTING can be heard, a low, primal whisper.
Luke steps forward, pulling off his shirt. He steps forward, kneels before the Master. The Master holds out his hand. Luke leans forward and kisses it. The Master turn him open palm up and Luke kisses that as well. Gently, Luke takes the Master’s wrist in his hand, brings his lips to that as well.
And bites it.
The Master winces, shuts his eyes. Luke feeds for a few moments, the rears his head back with holy pain.
THE MASTER
My blood runs with yours. My soul is your
province.
LUKE
My body is your instrument.
The Master takes a drop of blood from his wrist, dabs it on Luke’s forehead, painting the three pointed star. He speaks to the assembled:
THE MASTER
On this most hallowed night, we are as one. Luke
is the Vessel. Every soul he takes shall feed me.
Their souls will grant me the power to free
myself. Tonight I will walk the Earth… and the
stars themselves will hide.
CUT TO:
INT. THE LIBRARY – CONTINUOUS
Buffy and Xander enter, somewhat the worse for their adventure. Willow takes one look at their faces and doesn’t have to ask. She does anyway.
WILLOW
Did you find Jesse?
XANDER
Yeah.
WILLOW
Was he dead?
BUFFY
Worse.
She sits heavily.
BUFFY
I’m sorry, Willow. We were too late. And they
were waiting for us.
WILLOW
At least you two are okay.
Xander kicks a trash bin in frustration.
XANDER
I don’t like vampires. I’m gonna take a stand and
say they’re not good.
BUFFY
So, Giles, you got anything that can make this
day worse?
GILES
How about the end of the world.
BUFFY
I knew I could count on you.
GILES
This is what we know. Some sixty years ago a very
old, very powerful vampire came to this shore,
and not just to feed.
BUFFY
He came ’cause this town is a mystical whoosit?
GILES
Yes. The Spanish who first settled here called it
Boca Del Infierno — roughly translated:
Hellmouth. A sort of portal from this reality to
the next. This vampire hoped to open it.
BUFFY
Bring the demons back.
XANDER
End of the world.
WILLOW
But he blew it. Or, I mean, there was an
earthquake that swallowed about half the town.
And him too — or at least there were no more
vampire-type killings after.
GILES
Opening dimensional portals is tricky business.
Odds are he got himself stuck. Like a cork in a
bottle.
XANDER
And this Harvest thing is to get him out?
GILES
It comes once in a century, on this night. A
Master can draw power from one of his minions
while it feeds. Enough power to break free, and
to open the portal. The minion is called the
Vessel, and he bears this symbol.
He shows them a sketch of the three-pointed star.
BUFFY
So, I dust anyone sporting this look, and no
Harvest.
GILES
Simply put, yes.
BUFFY
Any clue where this little get-together is being
held?
GILES
Well, there are a number of possibilities–
XANDER
They’re going to the Bronze.
WILLOW
Are you sure?
XANDER
Come on, tasty young morsels all over the place.
Anyway, that’s where Jesse’s gonna be. Trust me.
GILES
Then we need to get there. The sun will be down
before long.
They head out toward the door.
BUFFY
I gotta make a stop. Won’t take long.
GILES
What for?
BUFFY
Supplies.
CUT TO:
ANGLE: THE SUN
Big and red, sinking low.
INT. BUFFY’S BEDROOM – DUSK
The last rays are streaming in as Buffy enters, starts going through her closet.
JOYCE (O.S.)
Buffy?
Buffy’s mom, JOYCE SUMMERS, enters. Buffy keeps going through her clothes, picking out a good slaying outfit.
JOYCE
You’re going out?
BUFFY
I have to.
JOYCE
I didn’t hear you come in last night.
BUFFY
I was quiet.
JOYCE
It’s happening again, isn’t it?
Buffy stops, looks at her.
JOYCE
I got a call from your new principal. Says you
missed some classes today.
BUFFY
I was… running an errand.
She pulls an old trunk out of her closet. She opens it, starts going through it.
JOYCE
We haven’t finished unpacking and I’m getting
calls from your principal.
BUFFY
Mom, I promise you, it’s not gonna be like
before. But I have to go.
JOYCE
No.
BUFFY
Mom…
Buffy looks at the window, at the growing dark.
JOYCE
The tapes all say I should get used to saying it.
No.
BUFFY
This is important.
JOYCE
I know. You have to go out or it’ll be the end of
the world. Everything is life or death when
you’re a sixteen year old girl.
BUFFY
Mom, I don’t have time to talk about it–
JOYCE
You’ve got all night, Buffy. You’re not going
anywhere. Now you can stay up here and sulk if
you want. I won’t hold it against you. But if you
want to come down, I’ll make us some dinner.
Joyce leaves, closing the door quietly but firmly behind her. After a moment, Buffy reaches into the truck.
ANGLE: IN THE TRUNK
Girl stuff, memorabilia, Teen Beat magazines.
Buffy reaches in and lifts out the inside — the trunk has a false bottom. Below it stakes, crosses, host, garlic, and a widemouthed jar of holy water.
Buffy takes out a particularly deadly looking stake. It fits in her hand like it’s part of it. She stuffs it into a bag, along with a few other items.
She stands, goes to the door. Listens by it.
She gets to the window, opens it. Starts crawling out.
CUT TO:
ANGLE: THE HORIZON
The sun is gone. The sky a deepening blue.
CUT TO:
INT. THE BRONZE – NIGHT
From the balcony, we look down on a pool game in progress. Tilt up to see Cordelia holding court at a table.
CORDELIA
Senior boys are the only way to go. They’re just
a better class of person. The boys in our grade?
Forget about it. They’re children. Like Jesse —
did you see him last night? The way he follows me
around… He’s like a little puppy dog: you just
want to put him to sleep. Senior boys have
mystery, they have … what’s the word I’m
searching for? Cars.
A Cordette starts to speak. Cordelia interrupts.
CORDELIA
I’m just not the type to settle. If I go into a
clothing store, I always have to have the most
expensive thing not because it’s expensive, but
because it costs more.
A Cordette starts to speak.
CORDELIA
Hello! Miss Motormouth — can I get a sentence
finished? Oh! I love this song!
She gets up, friends in tow, and heads to the balcony.
CUT TO:
INT. THE BRONZE – CONTINUOUS
TILT UP on Cordelia, dancing away in the middle of the crowd. She looks great. ANGLE: AT THE DOOR
Jesse walks in, a new man. A cool, subtle swagger in his step. His eyes go right to Cordelia. He smiles.
CUT TO:
EXT. OUTSIDE THE BRONZE – CONTINUOUS
There are a few peoples lounging around outside, but not much activity. Then, a ways off, we see them coming, walking slowly into the half-light.
Eight vampires. Luke in the middle.
None of them saying a word.
BLACK OUT.
END OF ACT THREE
Act Four
INT. THE BRONZE – MOMENTS LATER
Cordelia is still dancing with her friends, having a good time.
Jesse makes his way slowly through the crowd, not towards but around her, his eyes never leaving her. She sees him too — and for the first time, doesn’t look away in disgust. There’s something different about him.
A SLOW SONG starts playing, and Cordelia stops dancing, heads off the floor. He’s suddenly standing in her way. Smiling that distant smile.
CORDELIA
What do you want?
It’s the old attitude, but she’s not fooling anyone.
He takes her hand, starts leading her onto the floor.
CORDELIA
Hey! Hello, caveman-brain! What do you think
you’re doing?
He turns back to her, smiles winningly.
JESSE
Shut up.
Brings her to the middle of the floor and starts dancing with her. He holds her, hardly touching her, moving slowly.
CORDELIA
Just this one dance…
She moves closer to him.
CUT TO:
EXT. THE BRONZE – CONTINUOUS
ANGLE: THE DOOR
The BOUNCER is suddenly confronted with the vampire group. Their faces are mostly in shadow.
BOUNCER
I need ID.
(as they start past him)
Hey! Nobody goes inside until I see —
Luke stands over him. His face inches from the Bouncer’s.
LUKE
Get inside.
The Bouncer complies instantly.
CUT TO:
INT. THE BRONZE – A MOMENT LATER
Once inside, the vampires spread out, each heading for an exit. Two of them stay behind and close off the front.
Darla heads for the door by the stage that leads backstage. Goes in.
One goes to the bar — swings over it and stands in front of the door.
One heads upstairs.
And Luke climbs up on stage.
CUT TO:
INT. BACKSTAGE – CONTINUOUS
Darla checks that the exit door is secure. Then she goes over to the fuse box, flips a switch. CUT TO:
INT. THE BRONZE – CONTINUOUS
The main lights and the music go off. There are GASPS, MURMURS. A voice from the stage calls out:
LUKE
Ladies and gentlemen, there’s no cause for alarm.
On stage, a single spot continues to shine. Luke steps into the light. His face is rivetingly awful.
LUKE
Actually, there is cause for alarm. It just won’t
do any good.
Major GASPS and MURMURS at the sight of him.
ANGLE: THE FRONT DOOR
A couple tries to get out. The vampire standing guard — his normal face gone — shakes his head no.
They shrink back from him.
ANGLE: CORDELIA
She stares at the stage, Jesse’s hands still on her.
CORDELIA
I thought there wasn’t any band tonight.
She looks at Jesse to see his face has changed as well. Starts to struggle but he holds her, pulls her back into the dark under the stairs.
ANGLE: DARLA
re-emerges from backstage. Looks up at Luke on stage.
LUKE
This is a glorious night. It’s also the last one
any of you shall ever see.
(beat)
Bring me the first!
One of the vampires pushes the Bouncer up on stage.
BOUNCER
What do you guys want, you want money? Man,
what’s wrong with your faces?
Luke grabs him by the scruff on the neck, squeezing any further conversation out of him.
LUKE
Watch me, people!
(to the Bouncer)
Their fear is elixir. It’s almost like blood.
As he brings the Bouncer to him and bites his neck, sucking the life out of him in huge gulps. QUICK DISSOLVE TO:
INT. THE CHURCH – CONTINUOUS
The Master stands, power coursing through him — visibly. It lights him up. QUICK DISSOLVE TO:
INT. THE BRONZE – CONTINUOUS
Luke continues feeding. After a bit he pulls his head back, throws the Bouncer’s dead body from him.
LUKE
Next!
CUT TO:
EXT. OUTSIDE THE BRONZE – CONTINUOUS
Buffy and the others run up to the front door. She tries it — it’s locked.
BUFFY
It’s locked.
GILES
We’re too late.
BUFFY
Well, I didn’t know I was gonna get grounded!
XANDER
(re: door)
Can you break it down?
BUFFY
Not this thing. You guys try the back entrance.
I’ll find my own way.
GILES
Right.
(to Xander and Willow)
Come on.
BUFFY
Guys!
They stop. Buffy hands them her bag of tricks.
INT. THE BRONZE
They are really scared now, seeing corpses (two now) lying before them. There is some screaming, some whimpering.
ANGLE: CORNER UNDER THE STAIRS
Darla is having a face off with Jesse, who holds Cordelia.
JESSE
This one’s mine.
DARLA
They are all for the Master.
JESSE
I don’t get one?
ANGLE: UPSTAIRS WINDOW BY THE BALCONY
The window opens slowly, an oblivious vampire before it. Buffy slips in. She looks down at the stage, at Luke.
LUKE
I feel him rising! I need another!
She sees the three-pointed star on his head.
BUFFY
(to herself)
The Vessel…
The vampire turns, hearing this. He grabs Buffy, dragging her up to he middle of the balcony to present her to Luke.
LUKE
Tonight in his ascension. Tonight will be History
at its end! Yours is a glorious sacrifice.
Degradation most holy.
(looking around)
What, no volunteers?
Darla emerges, holding Cordelia.
DARLA
Here’s a pretty one.
CORDELIA
Noooo…
Darla drags her toward the stage, hands her over to Luke.
ANGLE: BUFFY
slips out of the vampire’s grasp and THROWS him off the balcony. He lands WHAM on his back right in front of the stage.
Silence.
BUFFY
Oh, I’m sorry. Were you in the middle something.
LUKE
YOU!
BUFFY
You didn’t think I’d miss this, did you?
LUKE
(smiles)
I hoped you’d come.
CUT TO:
INT. BACKSTAGE – CONTINUOUS
The exit door bursts open, a metal pipe-wielding Giles behind it. He starts in, the other two behind him.
CUT TO:
INT. THE BRONZE – CONTINUOUS
A vampire comes at Buffy from the side and she grabs him, THROWS him into the hookah pit.
He scrambles back up and she FLIPS herself over backwards, goes through the hole and lands on top of the pool table. A cue is lying on the table — she does a hand spring and lands on the floor holding on the cue.
A vampire rushes her from the side —
ANGLE: BUFFY
without looking, she JAMS the cue end into his heart. We don’t see him — we just hear the PLUNGE. And when Buffy lets go, the cue stays right where it is.
BUFFY
Okay, Vessel-boy. You want blood?
She steps forward just as the cue rises like the arm of a guard gate and we hear the vampire’s body THUD to the floor.
LUKE
I want yours. Only yours.
BUFFY
Then come and get it.
Cordelia, seeing her chance, tries to break free of Luke’s grasp. He throws her to one side —
–and Buffy runs, LEAPS at him, slams her fist into his face. This one really hurts, and he stumbles back in pain.
He comes back at her but she ducks, comes back up with a roundhouse kick to the face. Another score.
She ships out her stake, comes at him — but he blocks. Nails her in the face, and she skids into the corner, badly hurt. The stake falls at his feet.
ANGLE: DOOR TO BACKSTAGE
It bursts open, Xander nearly falling out.
He looks about him — no vampires in the immediate vicinity — and beings herding people out.
XANDER
Come on!
CUT TO:
INT. BACKSTAGE – CONTINUOUS
The people rush past Willow and Giles, who push them towards the exit.
CUT TO:
INT. THE BRONZE – CONTINUOUS
Buffy kicks Luke in the chest. He flies back, landing hard. She’s about to go in for the kill when she sees.
ANGLE: A VAMPIRE
going for Xander, who’s too busy shepherding people out to notice.
Buffy turns to the drum kit and kicks the cymbal right off the stand. She catches it in mid air — –the vampire reaches Xander, grabs him–
–Buffy hurls the cymbal, frisbee style–
–the vampire turns, eyes wide, and the cymbal flies straight at his neck– As he hears the SLICE, his eyes follow the trajectory of the liberated head.
XANDER
(softly)
Heads up…
ANGLE: BUFFY
barely has time to turn before Luke GRABS her from behind, lifting her up in a crushing bear hug.
ANGLE: XANDER
He is going to help Buffy when he hears a SHRIEK, turns and sees:
ANGLE: CORDELIA
is being dragged off into the area below the stairs by Jesse.
He throws her to the ground, kneeling above her. Pinning her.
JESSE
Hold still! You’re not helping.
Xander appears behind Jesse, holding a stake. He could plunge it right through the back into the heart, but he hesitates.
XANDER
Jesse, man… don’t make me do it.
Jesse looks around, grinning inhumanly.
JESSE
Buddy…
ANGLE: BUFFY
Is failing to get out of Luke’s grasp. He squeezes even harder and she beings to lose consciousness.
LUKE
I’ve always wanted to kill a Slayer…
CUT TO:
INT. BACKSTAGE – CONTINUOUS
People are still rushing out.
GILES
Come on! We’ve got to open the front as well!
He heads for the door to the main room and Darla JUMPS on him, digging for his throat. His stake is knocked out of his hand as he topples to the ground.
CUT TO:
INT. THE BRONZE – CONTINUOUS
Xander takes a step back as Jesse rises, faces him.
XANDER
Jesse, I know there’s still a part of you in
there.
JESSE
(exasperated)
Okay, let’s deal with this. Jesse was an
excruciating loser who couldn’t get a date with
anyone in the sighted community! Look at me now!
I’m a new man!
He grabs Xander and HURLS him against the wall. Xander falls in a heap to the cowering Cordelia.
JESSE
See, the old Jesse would have reasoned with you.
CUT TO:
INT. BACKSTAGE – CONTINUOUS
Willow frantically digs through Buffy’s bag, looking for a weapon. She pulls out the jar of holy water.
Darla continues to struggle with Giles — has him pinned on the ground.
WILLOW (O.S.)
Get off him!
Darla turns to face Willow and is DOUSED with holy water right in the face. SCREAMING, she brings her hands to her face, smoke pouring out from between her fingers.
Giles pushes her off him, getting up to face her. But Darla is already stumbling out the exit in smoking agony.
CUT TO:
INT. THE BRONZE – CONTINUOUS
Buffy is limp in Luke’s grasp. Head dangling forward.
LUKE
Master, taste of this and be free.
He opens wide, leans in — and Buffy HEADBUTTS him with the back of her head, sends him staggering back.
BUFFY
How’d it taste?
She is weak, despite her bravado. She grabs the cymbal stand, holds it as a weapon. Looks around her — and sees:
ANGLE: THE WINDOW
at the back of the stage. It’s painted black, one huge pane.
Buffy looks at it, at Luke.
ANGLE: XANDER
Jesse picks him up again, fury etching his demon face.
JESSE
I’m sick of you getting in the way, you know?
Cordelia, she’s gonna live forever. You’re not.
Xander holds the stake up to Jesse’s chest, determined but scared.
JESSE
Oh, right! Put me out of my misery! You don’t
have the g–
And a fleeing woman SLAMS into Jesse from behind, driving him onto the stake. He drags himself on a stunned Xander, dying.
And then he’s dust. Xander barely has time to react before two more vampires grab him. ANGLE: BUFFY
She swings the cymbal stand at an approaching Luke. He smiles.
LUKE
You forget. Metal can’t hurt me.
BUFFY
There’s something you forgot about, too.
He hesitates, doubt clouding his face.
BUFFY
Sunrise.
And she takes the stand and HURLS it right through the plate glass window at the back of the stage — SHATTERING the entire thing.
ANGLE: LUKE
As the warm light STREAMS IN on him, he SCREAMS, raises his hands — –and stops. Puzzled.
Buffy DRIVES the stake in through his back. He arches forward, in real agony this time.
BUFFY
It’s in about nine hours, moron.
ANGLE: THE BROKEN WINDOW
And Luke realizes the light from the window is merely a streetlight, shining in the darkness. Luke stumbles forward–
QUICK DISSOLVE TO:
INT. THE CHURCH – CONTINUOUS
And the Master stumbles forward in the exact same position, the bright energy beginning to fade from him. He reaches out, nearly doubled over —
QUICK DISSOLVE TO:
INT. THE CHURCH – CONTINUOUS
The last of the energy fades from the master.
THE MASTER
(weakly)
Nooooo….
He falls to his knees, reaches out blindly for support.
What he touches is the wall, once again too strong for him to bend. Fury and despair cross hi face as he looks up at it. A scream wells up inside him, and right before it bellows out, we
CUT TO:
INT. THE BRONZE – CONTINUOUS
Xander struggles with the remaining vampires, who hold him, their attention on the stage.
Buffy looks down at the spot where Luke’s body was. After a moment, she turns her gaze slowly toward the vampires.
They look at the expression on her face for about 1/8th of a second, then they drop Xander and bolt out of the front door.
ANGLE: THE BACKSTAGE DOOR
Giles and Willow come slowly out, meet Buffy and Xander in the middle of the dance floor.
GILES
I take it it’s over.
WILLOW
Did we win?
A moment, as they look about at the carnage that surrounds them. Most of the patrons have fled, though some remain, stunned and silent.
BUFFY
Well, we averted the apocalypse. You gotta give
us points for that.
ANGLE: CORDELIA
Sitting right where Jesse left her. Not a word.
XANDER
One thing’s for sure. Nothing is ever gonna be
the same.
CUT TO:
EXT. FOUNTAIN QUAD – DAY
Everything is exactly the same. We see kids milling about, talking, laughing in the bright sunshine. Pick up Cordelia, walking by with her friends.
CORDELIA
Well, I heard it was rival gangs. Anyway, Buffy
totally knew these guys which is too weird. I
can’t remember anything too well, but I’m telling
you, it was a freak show.
GIRL
Oh, I wish I’d been there.
And we leave them, picking up Buffy and the others nearby, crossing the other way. Xander has a look of disbelief on his face.
BUFFY
Well, what exactly were you expecting?
XANDER
I don’t know! Something. The dead rose! We
should’ve at least had an assembly.
GILES
People have a tendency to rationalize what they
can, and forget what they can’t.
BUFFY
Believe me, I’ve seen it happen.
WILLOW
Well, I’ll never forget it. None of it.
GILES
Good. Next time you’ll be prepared.
XANDER
Next time?
WILLOW
Next time is why?
GILES
We stopped the master from freeing himself and
opening the mouth of Hell. Doesn’t mean he’ll
stop trying. I’d say the fun is just beginning.
WILLOW
More vampires?
GILES
Not just vampires. The next creature we face may
be something quite different.
BUFFY
I can hardly wait.
GILES
We’re at a center of mystical convergence here.
We may in fact stand between the earth and total
destruction.
XANDER
Buffy, this isn’t good.
BUFFY
Well, I gotta look on the bright side. Maybe I
can still get kicked out of school.
She smiles at Giles and starts off, the other two keeping up with her.
XANDER
Hey, that’s a plan. ‘Cause a lot of schools
aren’t on Hellmouths.
WILLOW
Maybe you could blow something up. They’re really
strict about that.
BUFFY
I was aiming for a subtle approach, like
excessive not studying.
Giles watches them go, an uneasy smile plastered on his lips.
GILES
The earth is doomed.
BLACK OUT.
END OF SHOW
Transcript
Prologue
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. Inside the mausoleum. Luke tries to bite Buffy, but burns himself on the cross hanging around her neck and jerks back. Buffy seizes the opportunity and pus Willow: No! Get off!
Buffy: Hey!
The vampire looks up, and Buffy snap kicks him off of Willow. He gets up and runs away. Willow is shocked by what she sees. Buffy quickly starts the hunt a Willow: Xander!
The vampires are distracted. Buffy takes advantage of the opening and jumps in, high punches one and side kicks the other. She notices a dry branch on a tr Willow: Xander, are you okay?
Xander: Man, something hit me.
Buffy: Where’s Jesse?
Willow: I don’t know! They surrounded us.
Xander: That girl grabbed him and took off.
Buffy: Which way?
Xander: I don’t know.
She stands up straight and slowly scans the cemetery.
Buffy: (whispers) Jesse.
Credits
Wolf: Howl.
Opening credits roll. Buffy’s theme plays.
Part 1
The library. The globe up on the stack level is spinning. Giles stops it while he lectures and makes his way down to where Buffy, Willow and Xander are at Giles: This world is older than any of you know. Contrary to popular mythology, it did not begin as a paradise. For untold eons demons walked the Earth. T Buffy: And vampires.
Xander: Okay, this is where I have a problem. See, because we’re talking about vampires. We’re having a talk with vampires in it. Willow: Isn’t that what we saw last night?
Buffy: No. No, th-those weren’t vampires, those were just guys in thundering need of a facial. Or maybe they had rabies. It could have been rabies. A-and Willow: Oh, I-I need to sit down.
Buffy: You are sitting down.
Willow: Oh. Good for me.
Xander: So vampires are demons?
Giles: The books tell the last demon to leave this reality fed off a human, mixed their blood. He was a human form possessed, infected by the demon’s soul Cut to the sewers. Darla and Luke are forcing Jesse into the Master’s lair.
Luke: Move!
They reach the lair, which is actually what remains of a church, and Luke forces Jesse down the slope to the floor below. The Master approaches. Master: Is this for me?
Luke: An offering, Master.
Darla: He’s a good one! His blood is pure!
Master: (draws the obvious conclusion) You’ve tasted it.
Darla looks down in shame.
Master: I’m your… faithful dog. You bring me scraps.
Darla: I, I didn’t mean it–
Master: I have waited. For three score years I have waited. While you come and go I am stuck here, here in this house of… (with extreme contempt) worshi Darla: Master, forgive me! We had more offerings, but there was trouble. A girl!
Luke: And there was a girl. She fought well and she knew of our breed. It is possible that she may be…
Master: A Slayer!
Cut to the library.
Xander: And that would be a what?
Giles: For as long as there have been vampires, there’s been the Slayer. One girl in all the world, a Chosen One.
Buffy: He loves doing this part.
Giles: Alright. The Slayer hunts vampires, Buffy is a Slayer, don’t tell anyone. Well, I think that’s all the vampire information you need. Xander: Except for one thing: how do you kill them?
Buffy: You don’t, I do.
Xander: Well, Jesse’s my–
Buffy: (interrupts) Jesse is my responsibility. I let him get taken.
Xander: That’s not true.
Willow: If you hadn’t shown up they would have taken us, too. Does anybody mind if I pass out?
Buffy: Breathe.
Willow: Breathe.
Buffy: Breathe. (to Giles) This big guy, Luke. He talked about an offering to the Master. Now, I don’t know what or who, but if they weren’t just feeding Willow: Uh, this may be the dumb question, but shouldn’t we call the police?
Giles: And they’d believe us, of course.
Willow: Well, we don’t have to say vampires. We, we could just say that there’s a, a bad man.
Buffy: They couldn’t handle it even of they did show up. They’d only come with guns.
Giles: You have no idea where they took Jesse?
Buffy: I looked around, but soon as they got clear of the graveyard, they could have just, voom!
Xander: They can fly?
Buffy: They can drive.
Xander: Oh.
Willow: I don’t remember hearing a car.
Giles: Let’s take an enormous intuitive leap, shall we, and say they went underground.
Buffy: Vampires really jam on sewer systems. You can get anywhere in the entire town without catching any rays. But I didn’t see any access around there. Xander: Well, there’s an electrical tunnel that runs under the whole town.
Giles: If we had a diagnostic of the tunnel system it might indicate a, a meeting place, it would, uh… I suppose we could go to the building commission. Buffy: We so don’t have time.
Willow: Uh, guys? There may be another way.
Cut to the Master’s lair.
Master: A Slayer! Have you any proof?
Luke: Only that she fought me, and yet lives.
Master: Hmm, very nearly proof enough. I can’t remember the last time that happened.
Luke: 1843. Madrid. He caught me sleeping.
Master: She mustn’t be allowed to interfere with the Harvest!
Luke: I would never let that happen!
Master: Don’t worry about it. I believe she’ll come to us. We have something she wants.
Luke smiles at Jesse.
Master: If she is a Slayer, and this boy lives, she’ll try to save him.
Luke: I thought you nothing more than a meal, boy.
He moves behind Jesse and takes his neck.
Luke: Congratulations, you’ve just been upgraded. To bait.
Cut to the library. Willow has the city plans on the computer monitor.
Buffy: There it is.
Willow: That runs under the graveyard.
Xander: I don’t see any access.
Giles: So, all the city plans are just, uh, open to the public?
Willow: Um, well, i-in a way. I sort of stumbled onto them when I accidentally decrypted the city council’s security system. Xander: Someone’s been naughty.
Buffy: There’s nothing here, this is useless!
Giles: I think you’re being a bit hard on yourself.
Buffy: You’re the one that told me that I wasn’t prepared enough. Understatement! (exhales) I thought I was on top of everything, and then that monster, L She flashes back to the fight in the mausoleum.
Xander: What?
Buffy: He didn’t come out of nowhere. He came from behind me. I was facing the entrance, he came from behind me, and he didn’t follow me out. The access t Xander: So, what’s the plan? We saddle up, right?
Buffy: There’s no ‘we’, okay? I’m the Slayer, and you’re not.
Xander: I knew you’d throw that back in my face.
Buffy: Xander, this is deeply dangerous.
Xander: I’m inadequate. That’s fine. I’m less than a man.
Willow: Buffy, I’m not anxious to go into a dark place full of monsters. But I do want to help. I need to.
Giles: Well, then help me. I’ve been researching this Harvest affair. It seems to be some sort of preordained massacre. Rivers of blood, Hell on Earth, qu Everyone stares at him. He looks back at them all.
Giles: That was a bit, um, British, wasn’t it?
Buffy: (smiles) Welcome to the New World.
Giles: (to Willow) I want you to go on the ‘Net.
Willow: Oh, sure, I can do that. (begins to type)
Buffy: Then I’m outta here. If Jesse’s alive, I’ll bring him back. (starts to leave)
Giles: Do I have to tell you to be careful?
Buffy turns back, gives Giles a look and goes.
Cut outside. Buffy is making strides for a side gate. Mr. Flutie is there and stops her.
Mr. Flutie: And where do we think we’re going?
Buffy: We? (turns to face him) I… Me…
Mr. Flutie: We’re not leaving school grounds, are we?
Buffy: No! No, I’m… just admiring the fence. You know, this is quality fence work.
Mr. Flutie: Because if we were leaving schools grounds on our second day at a new school, after getting kicked out of our old school for delinquent behavi Buffy: Mr. Giles…
Mr. Flutie: What?
Buffy: He asked me to get a book for him. Uh, from the store, ’cause I have a free period, and I’m a big reader. Did it mention that in my transcripts? Mr. Flutie: Mr. Giles?
Buffy: Ask him.
Mr. Flutie: (swings the gate closed) Well, maybe that’s how they do things in Britain, they’ve got that royal family and all kinds of problems, (locks i Buffy: We’re clear.
Mr. Flutie: That’s the Buffy Summers I want in my school. Sensible girl with her feet on the ground!
He turns and leaves. Buffy watches him go. When he’s gone a ways she crouches and leaps the fence.
Cut to Willow and Xander walking down a hall.
Willow: Murder, death, disaster. What else?
Xander: Paranormal, unexplained, did you get natural disasters?
Willow: Earthquake, flood.
Xander: Rain of Toads.
Willow: Right.
Xander: Rain of Toads! Do you think they’d have anything like that in the paper?
Willow: I’ll put it on the computer search. If it’s in there, it’ll turn up. Anything that’ll lead us to vampires.
Xander: And I, in the meantime, will help by standing around like an idiot.
Willow: Not like an idiot, just… standing. Buffy doesn’t want you getting hurt.
They stop in front of their next class.
Willow: I don’t want you getting hurt.
Xander: This is just too much. I mean, yesterday my life’s like, ‘Uh-oh, pop quiz.’ Today it’s ‘Rain of Toads’.
Willow: I know. And everyone else thinks it’s just a normal day.
Xander: Nobody knows. It’s like we’ve got this big secret.
Willow: We do. That’s what a secret is, when you know something other guys don’t.
Xander: Right. Look, maybe you should get to class. (indicates the door)
Willow: You mean ‘we’. We should get to class.
Xander: Yeah.
Willow: Buffy’ll be okay. Whatever’s down there, I think she can handle it.
Xander: Yeah, I do, too.
Willow: So do I!
Cut to inside the mausoleum. Buffy comes in slowly, looking and listening. She scans around. Satisfied that no one’s there, she walks down the steps to the Angel: (exhales)
Buffy: I don’t suppose you’ve got a key on you?
Angel: They really don’t like me dropping in.
Buffy: (faces him) Why not?
Angel: They really don’t like me.
Buffy: How could that possibly be?
Angel: I knew you’d figure out this entryway sooner or later. Actually, I thought it was gonna be a little sooner. Buffy: Sorry you had to wait. (exhales) Okay. Look, if you’re gonna be popping up with this Cryptic Wise Man act on a regular basis, can you at least tell Angel: Angel.
Buffy: Angel. It’s a pretty name.
She turns to the tunnel entrance.
Angel: Don’t… go down there.
Buffy: (turns back) Deal with my going.
Angel: You shouldn’t be putting yourself at risk. Tonight is the Harvest. Unless you can prevent it, the Master walks. Buffy: Well, if this Harvest thing is such a suckfest, why don’t you stop it?
Angel: ‘Cause I’m afraid.
She looks at him for a moment and then spins around quickly, kicking open the doors to the tunnel. She turns back to him. Angel: They’ll be expecting you.
Buffy: I’ve got a friend down there. Or at least a potential friend. Do you know what it’s like to have a friend?
He lowers his eyes as a look of sadness fills them.
Buffy: That wasn’t supposed to be a stumper.
They look at each other a moment longer.
Angel: When you hit the tunnels head east towards the school. That’s where you’re likely to find them.
Buffy: You gonna wish me luck?
Angel says nothing. They look at each other for another moment, then Buffy turns and heads into the tunnels. He watches her go. Angel: (whispers) Good luck!
Part 2
Inside the tunnels. Buffy comes down a flight of stairs. She looks around. She hears rats. One crawls across her shoes. She slowly starts down the tunnels. Xander: Did you see anything?
Buffy: (exhales in fright) Xander, what are you doing here?!
Xander: Something stupid. I followed you.
Buffy: Well, you–
Xander: (interrupts) I couldn’t just sit at home and do nothing.
Buffy: I understand. Now, go away!
Xander: No!
Buffy: Xander, you’re gonna have to.
Xander: Look, Jesse’s my bud, okay? If I can help him out, that’s what I gotta do.
Buffy considers, then nods her head for him to follow. She starts down the tunnel again.
Xander: Besides, it’s this or chem class.
Cut to them reaching the top of some stairs.
Xander: Okay, so, crosses, garlic, stake through the heart.
Buffy: That’ll get it done.
Xander: Cool! Of course, I don’t actually have any of those things.
Buffy: (hands him a cross) Good thinking.
Xander: Well, the part of my brain that would tell me to bring that stuff is still busy telling me not to come down here. I have this, though. (turns on a Buffy: Turn that off!
Xander: (turns it off) Okay! Okay! So, what else?
Buffy: What else what?
Xander: For vampire slayage.
Buffy: Oh, fire, beheading, sunlight, holy water, the usual.
Xander: You’ve done some beheading in your time?
Buffy: Oh, yeah. There was this time I was pinned down by this guy that played left tackle for varsity… Well, at least he used to before he was a vampir Xander laughs nervously.
Buffy: You’re not loving this story.
Xander: No, actually, I find it oddly comforting.
Cut to the library. Giles is reading from a volume.
Giles: ‘For they will gather and be gathered. From the Vessel pours life.’ P… Pours life…
He turns the page back to the picture of Satan feeding power to a man.
Giles: ‘On the night of the crescent moon, the first past the solstice it will come…’ Of course. That’s tonight!
Cut to the computer lab. Cordelia is struggling with her computer programming assignment.
Cordelia: No! It’s supposed to find the syntax and match it. Or wait…
Harmony: Are we going to the Bronze tonight?
Cordelia: No, we’re going to the other cool place in Sunnydale.
Harmony looks confused.
Cordelia: Of course we’re going to the Bronze. Friday night? No cover? But you should have been there last night. ‘Cause I ran into Buffy… Willow overhears the conversation.
Cordelia: …and can she be any weirder? She attacked me! Do you believe it?
Harmony: (exhales) I think we did this part wrong.
Cordelia: Why do we have to devise these programs, isn’t that what nerds are for? (whispers, indicating Willow) What’d she do? Harmony looks at Willow’s screen. She’s surfing a newspaper archive website.
Harmony: (to Cordelia) Uh, she’s doing something else.
Cordelia: Okay, and then pattern run, right? Or go to end? That’s it!
Harmony: Maybe!
Cordelia: So anyway, I come outta the bathroom, and she comes running at me. Screaming! With a stick! ‘I’m gonna kill you! I’m gonna kill you!’ I swear! Boy: Who?
Cordelia: Buffy!
Harmony: The new girl?
Boy: What’s her deal?
Cordelia: Well, she’s crazed.
Harmony: Did you hear about her old school?
Cordelia and the boy both shake their heads.
Harmony: Booted.
Cordelia: Well, I exhibit no surprise.
Boy: Why was she kicked out?
Cordelia: Uh, because she’s a psycho loony!
Willow: (interjects) No, she’s not.
Cordelia: What?
Willow: (turns to them) She’s not a psycho. You don’t even know her.
Cordelia: Excuse me? Who gave you permission to exist?
Willow turns away, eyes down.
Cordelia: Do I horn in on your private discussions? No. Why? Because you’re boring.
Willow gets up and goes to get her printouts.
Harmony: Okay, I think the program’s done.
Cordelia: Finally the nightmare ends! Okay, so how do we save it?
Willow: Deliver.
Cordelia: Deliver? Where’s that? (searches the keyboard) Oh!
She hits the “Del” key, and her program disappears. She stares at the screen in wide-eyed, open-mouthed horror.
Cut to the tunnels.
Buffy: They’re close.
Xander: How can you tell?
Buffy: No more rats.
Xander turns on his flashlight and spots Jesse on the ground.
Xander: Jesse!
Buffy: Oh, no!
Jesse reacts and jumps up.
Xander: J-J-Jesse!
Jesse: Xander!
The two boys embrace.
Xander: Jesse, man, are you okay?
Jesse: I am not okay, on an epic scale.
Buffy shines the light on the shackles around Jesse’s ankle.
Jesse: We gotta get outta here!
Xander: It’s cool, Buffy’s a superhero.
Buffy: Hold on… (breaks the shackles)
Xander: Do you think anyone heard that?
They see shadows moving on the walls and start to run down the tunnel. Vampires come around the corner. Cut to Xander, Buffy and Jesse in another part of t Jesse: They knew you were gonna come. They said that I… I was the bait.
Xander: Oh, great, now you tell us.
They round a corner and are met by vampires.
Buffy: Oops!
Jesse: Oh, no, no, no, no!
Buffy: Do you know another way out?
Jesse: I dunno. Maybe. C’mon!
They run. At another intersection they see glowing eyes to their right.
Jesse: Wait, wait. They brought me through here, there, there should be a way up. I hope!
Jesse leads them into a chamber.
Buffy: I don’t think this is the way out!
Xander: We can’t fight our way back through those things. What do we do?
Jesse: I got an idea. (vamps out) You can die!
Part 3
In the chamber.
Xander: Jesse, man. I’m sorry.
Jesse: Sorry? I feel good, Xander! I feel strong! I’m connected, man, to everything!
Buffy begins struggling with the door, trying to close it.
Jesse: I, I can hear the worms in the earth!
Xander: That’s a plus.
Jesse: I know what the Master wants. I’ll serve his purpose. That means you die. And I feed.
Buffy: (looks back at them) Xander, the cross!
He holds the cross up to Jesse’s face. Jesse steps back and growls.
Xander: Jesse, man. We’re buds, don’t you remember?
Jesse: You’re like a shadow to me now.
Xander: Then get outta my face.
Jesse knocks Xander’s arm to the side, making him hit the wall. He jumps to the other side of the room, facing Xander. Buffy grabs him from behind and thro Buffy: (to Xander) Help me!
Xander jumps up to help, and together they get it to move. They close it on a vampire’s arm. The vampire pulls its arm back out of the door, and Buffy slam Buffy: We need to get out of here!
Xander: There is no out of here!
He uses his flashlight to look around and spots a grate in the ceiling.
Xander: Up there!
Buffy leaps on top of a barrel and begins to pry the grate open. The vampires have started to bend in a corner of the door. They twist it and push it in fu Buffy: Go!
She helps Xander crawl up into a ventilation duct. A vampire starts to struggle through the bent corner of the door. He reaches in and pulls the latch open ladder up to a manhole and starts climbing the rungs. Buffy follows. The vampire is right behind them. Xander pushes open the manhole cover and climbs out
Buffy: Xander, pull!
He pulls on her, and the vampire’s hand is exposed to the sunlight and burns. The vampire lets go, and they tumble backward to the ground. Cut to the Master’s lair.
Master: She escaped? She walks free when I should be drinking her heart’s blood right now? Careless…
Colin: Master, we had her trapped!
Master: Oh, are you going to make excuses?
Colin remains silent.
Master: You are all weak. It has been too long since you have faced the Slayer. Huh. It is no matter to me. She will not stop the Harvest. Just means ther Colin: He waits.
Master: It’s time. Bring him to me.
Colin turns to go get Luke.
Master: Ah, Colin… (Colin turns back) You failed me. Tell me you’re
sorry.
Colin: I’m sorry!
Master: There. That wasn’t so bad, was it? Hold on…
He stabs his finger into Colin’s face.
Master: You’ve got something in your eye.
Cut to the library where Giles is still doing his research. He hears someone come in.
Giles: Buffy?
Willow: It’s just me. So there’s no word?
Giles: Ah, not as yet, no.
Willow: Well, I-I’m sure they’re… great.
Giles: Did you find anything of interest?
Willow: I think, maybe… I surfed through the old newspapers around
the time of that big earthquake back in ’37? And for several months
before there were a rash of murders. (hands him her printouts)
Giles: Great! I-I mean, well, not, not ‘great’ in a good way, uh, um,
uh, go on?
Willow: Well, they sound like the kind you were looking for. (flips
through the pages) Throats, blood… (looks squeamish)
Giles: It’s all coming together. I rather wish it weren’t.
Cut to the Master’s lair. Luke approaches the Master and kneels before him. The Master offers his hand. Luke takes it and kisses it. He releases it and the Master: My blood is your blood. My soul is your soul.
Luke: My body is your instrument.
The Master steps down to Luke and begins to draw a three-pointed star on Luke’s forehead with the blood still flowing from his wrist.
Master: On this… most hallowed night… we are as one. Luke is the
Vessel!
Darla’s smile widens.
Master: Every soul he takes will feed me. And their souls will grant me the strength to free myself. Tonight I shall walk the Earth, and the stars themsel Cut to the library. Willow is looking at one of Giles’ volumes. She hears the door open and looks up to see Xander and Buffy come in. Willow: Did you find Jesse?
Xander: Yeah.
Willow: Was he dead?
Buffy: Worse. (sits at the end of the table) I’m sorry, Willow. We were too late. And they were waiting for us.
Willow: At least you two are okay.
Xander violently kicks a waste basket. Buffy is startled.
Xander: I don’t like vampires. I’m gonna take a stand and say they’re not good.
Buffy: (turns to Giles) So, Giles! Got anything that can make this day any worse?
He goes over to the whiteboard and puts down his pen.
Giles: How about the end of the world?
Buffy: Knew I could count on you.
Giles: This is what we know. Some sixty years ago, a very old, very powerful vampire came to this shore, not just to feed. Buffy: He came ’cause this town’s a mystical who’s it.
Giles: Yes. The Spanish who first settled here called it ‘Boca del Infierno’. Roughly translated, ‘Hellmouth’. It’s a sort of, um, portal between this rea Buffy: Bring the demons back.
Xander: End of the world.
Willow: But he blew it! Or, I mean, there was an earthquake that swallowed half the town, and him, too.
Giles: You see, opening dimensional portals is a tricky business. Odds are he got himself stuck, rather like a, uh, cork in a bottle. Xander: And this Harvest thing is to get him out.
Giles: It comes once in a century, on this night. The Master can draw power from one of his minions while it feeds. Enough power to break free and open th He draws a three-pointed star on the whiteboard.
Buffy: So, I dust anyone sporting that symbol, and no Harvest.
Giles: Simply put, yes.
Buffy: Any idea where this little get-together is being held?
Giles: There, there are a number of possibilities.
Xander: They’re goin’ to the Bronze.
Willow: Are you sure?
Xander: Come on. All those tasty young morsels all over the place? Anyway, that’s where Jesse’s gonna be, trust me.
Giles grabs his coat and starts out of the library. The others begin to follow.
Giles: Then we should get there. The sun will be down before long.
Buffy: I gotta make a stop. Won’t take long.
Giles: What for?
Buffy: Supplies.
Cut to a view of the sun setting above a ridge. Cut to Buffy in her room. She goes to her closet and pulls out a heavy, black jacket. Her mother walks into Joyce: Buffy?
Buffy: Mom!
Joyce: You’re going out?
Buffy: I have to. (puts on her jacket)
Joyce: I didn’t hear you come in last night.
Buffy: I was really quiet.
Joyce: It’s happening again, isn’t it? I got a call from your new principal. Says you missed some classes today?
Buffy: I was running an errand.
Joyce: We haven’t finished unpacking, and I’m getting calls from the principal.
Buffy: Mom, I promise, it is not gonna be like before. But I have
to go.
Joyce: No.
Buffy: Mom?!
Joyce: The tapes all say I should get used to saying it. No.
Buffy: This is really, really important.
Joyce: I know. If you don’t go out it’ll be the end of the world. Everything is life or death when you’re a sixteen-year-old girl. Buffy: Look, I don’t have time to talk about this…
Joyce: Buffy, you’ve got all the time in the world, you’re not going anywhere. Now, if you wanna stay up here and sulk, I won’t hold it against you. But i She leaves the room, pulling the door closed behind her. Buffy can’t believe what just happened. She leans against the closet door, takes a deep breath and Cut to the sun going down over a hill. Cut to the Bronze. The doorman is checking ID’s. Cut inside to the upper level. Cordelia and her friends find a tabl Cordelia: Senior boys are the only way to go. Guys from our grade, forget about it, they’re children. Y’know? (they sit) Like Jesse. Did you see him last Girl: You know, I–
Cordelia: Hello, Miss Motormouth, can I get a sentence finished? Oh, I love this song! Come on!
Cordelia and her gang make their way to the dance floor and start to move to the sound of “Wearing Me Down” by the Dashboard Prophets. Lyrics: You fight the good fight / You fight the good war / You fight to be right / You fight to restore / Why should I believe a word that you say / It w Jesse watches Cordelia from the side. He walks onto the dance floor. The song is over, and Cordelia stops dancing. She starts to leave, but Jesse is standi Cordelia: Uh, what do you want?
Another song, “Ballad For Dead Friends”, starts. Jesse lowers his hand, takes hers and leads her back onto the dance floor. Cordelia: Hey! Hello! Caveman brain! What are you doing?
Jesse: Shut up!
He begins to dance with her.
Cordelia: Well, just one dance.
They dance close. Cut to outside where the doorman is counting money. Darla comes out of the shadows in a bouncy walk. She turns around and walks backward Lyrics: How are you feelin’? / Do you feel okay? / ‘Cause I don’t!
Part 4
Outside the Bronze. The vampires head in.
Doorman: Need ID. (looks up) Hey! Nobody gets inside until I get some sorta–
Luke: (growls in the doorman’s face) Get inside.
Cut inside. The vampires come in, pushing the doorman in with them. The last one shuts the door and stands guard.
Lyrics: How are you feelin’? / Do you feel okay? / ‘Cause I don’t!
One of the vampires makes his way to the upper level. Another one finds the main power switch and shuts it off. The people start complaining and wondering Luke: Ladies and Gentlemen! There is no cause for alarm. Actually, there is cause for alarm. It just won’t do any good. There are screams from the crowd as they see Luke’s face. He laughs.
Cordelia: I thought there wasn’t any band tonight.
She looks at Jesse next to her. He’s got his game face on, and she inhales in fright.
Luke: This is a glorious night! It is also the last one any of you shall ever see. Bring me the first.
A vampire brings the doorman to Luke.
Doorman: What do you guys want, man, huh? You want money? Man, what’s wrong with your faces?
Luke grabs him by the throat. He wraps his other arm around the doorman’s head.
Luke: Watch me, people. Fear is like an elixir. It’s almost like blood.
He bites the doorman and feeds on him. The doorman screams. Cut to the Master in his lair. He raises his head as he feels the first of the souls that will
Luke: Next!
Cut outside. The team arrives running. Buffy tries the door.
Buffy: It’s locked!
Giles: We’re too late!
Buffy: Well I didn’t know I was gonna get grounded!
Xander: Can you break it down?
Buffy: No, not that thing. Um… You guys try the back entrance, and I’ll find my own way.
Giles: Right. Come on.
Buffy: Um, wait! Guys! Here! (hands Willow her bag) You get the exit cleared and the people out. That’s all! Don’t go Wild Bunch on me. Giles: Uh, see you inside, then.
Giles, Xander and Willow run around to the back. Cut to the back. Willow tries the door. It’s locked, too.
Willow: No joy!
Xander: We’ve gotta get in there before Jesse does something stupider than usual.
Giles: You listen to me! Jesse is dead! You have to remember that when you see him, you’re not looking at your friend. You’re looking at the thing that ki Cut to the Master, testing his confines. Cut to Luke, feeding on a girl. Cut to the Master.
Master: Almost free!
Cut to Luke, still feeding on the girl. Cut to the Master.
Master: Give me moooooore!
Cut to Luke. He’s finished with the girl and drops her body. Cut to Darla and Jesse. She wants to take Cordelia to Luke. Jesse: This one’s mine!
Darla: They’re all for the Master.
She pulls on Cordelia. Jesse lets go of her.
Jesse: I don’t get one?
Cut to Buffy breaking an upper window and crawling in.
Luke: I feel the Master’s strength growing!
Buffy sees Luke on the stage.
Luke: I feel him rising. Every soul brings him closer! I need another!
Buffy: (to herself) The Vessel.
The vampire on the upper level sees Buffy and growls. She looks over at him.
Luke: Tonight is his ascension. Tonight will be history at its end! Yours is a glorious sacrifice! Degradation most holy. (no one in the crowd stirs) What Darla: (brings him Cordelia) Here’s a pretty one.
Cordelia screams when she sees Luke up close. He caresses her face. He’s about to bite her when Buffy kicks the vampire down from above them. Luke watches Buffy: Oh, I’m sorry, were you in the middle of something?
Luke: You!
Buffy: You didn’t think I’d miss this. Did you?
Luke: I hoped you’d come.
Buffy: Be right down!
She steps away from the railing and executes a roundoff to get down. She lands on a pool table. A vampire attacks from her right. Buffy does a front walkov Buffy: Okay, Vessel boy. (removes her jacket) You want blood?
Luke: I want yours! (releases Cordelia) Only yours!
Buffy: (shrugs) Works for me.
She runs and cartwheels up onto the stage, and immediately launches into a full spinning hook kick. Luke staggers into a pile of chairs. Buffy assumes a fi Cut to the back of the Bronze. Giles, Willow and Xander break in.
Giles: Hurry!
Xander runs in to see what’s going on. He sees Buffy is down. She gets up, so Xander turns his attention to the crowd. Xander: (in a low voice) C’mon! Let’s go! C’mon! C’mon! C’mon! C’mon!
Cut to the back. Giles guides the people to the back door.
Giles: (whispers) Hurry up! Come on! Through this door! Come on! This way!
Cut to the main room. Buffy spins around and lands a backhand punch on Luke’s face, knocking him into another pile of stuff. He’s dazed. Buffy turns to see
Xander: Head’s up!
Buffy can’t resist a chuckle. Luke grabs her from behind. Cut to Cordelia on the floor with Jesse above her. She struggles and he grabs her arms. Jesse: Hold still! You’re not making this easy!
Xander comes up behind him, stake in hand.
Xander: Jesse, man! Don’t make me do it.
Jesse turns to look up at Xander.
Jesse: Buddy!
Cut to Buffy being held tightly from behind by Luke.
Luke: I always wanted to kill a Slayer!
Cut to the back where Giles and Willow are still guiding people out.
Giles: One at a time! Quickly! Quickly!
He crosses to the other side of the room in front of some stairs. Darla is standing on the steps above him.
Giles: We’re going to have to open the front as well!
Darla leaps onto him from behind, knocking him to the floor. Cut to Xander and Jesse.
Xander: Jesse! I know there’s still a part of you in there.
Jesse: (jumps up) Okay… Let’s deal with this. Jesse was an excruciating loser who couldn’t get a date with anyone in the sighted community! Look at me. Cut to Buffy and Luke.
Luke: Master! Taste of this… and be free!
He roars and moves in to bite Buffy. She senses his proximity and snaps her head back to land a headbutt on his face, knocking him off of her and back to t Buffy: How’d it taste?
Cut to Giles and Darla struggling on the floor. Willow approaches them while taking out a jar of holy water.
Willow: Get off of him!
Darla is distracted and looks up. Willow throws the holy water at her. It burns her face and steams. She gets up and runs from the club, screaming. Cut to Jesse: Ooo! Alright. Put me out of my misery. You don’t have the guts.
A fleeing patron bumps into Jesse, impaling him on the stake. Xander lets go of the stake, and Jesse begins to fall. He turns to ashes before he even hits Luke: You forget, metal can’t hurt me.
Buffy: There’s something you forgot about, too. Sunrise!
She throws the stand at the window behind Luke. He ducks, and it breaks the window behind him. A bright light pours in through it. Buffy spies the stake sh Buffy: It’s in about nine hours, moron!
Luke begins to stagger off of the stage. Cut to the Master. He’s testing the strength of his confines. Cut to Luke. He continues to stagger. Cut to the Mas Master: Noooooooo! Noooooooo!
Cut to Buffy. She stares at Luke’s ashes. The two vampires still have Xander. She lifts her gaze to meet theirs. The vampires panic and run. Cut outside. T Angel: She did it! I’ll be damned!
He walks away. Cut inside to the stage. Buffy hops down to the floor. Giles and Willow meet her.
Giles: I take it it’s over.
Willow: Did we win?
Buffy: Well, we averted the Apocalypse. I give us points for that.
Xander: One thing’s for sure: nothing’s ever gonna be the same.
Cut to Sunnydale High the next Monday. Everything appears normal. Buffy walks along and overhears Cordelia talking to a friend. Cordelia: Well, I heard it was rival gangs. You know, fighting for turf? But all I can tell you is they were an ugly way of looking. And Buffy, like, knew Girl: Oh, I wish I’d been there!
Cordelia: You should have been there. It was so creepy…
She and her friend walk off. Buffy meets Xander.
Buffy: What exactly were you expecting?
Xander: I don’t know, something. I mean, the dead rose. We should at least have an assembly.
They run into Giles and Willow, and the four of them continue to walk.
Giles: People have a tendency to rationalize what they can and forget what they can’t.
Buffy: Believe me, I’ve seen it happen.
Willow: Well, I’ll never forget it, none of it.
Giles: Good! Next time you’ll be prepared.
Xander: Next time?
Willow: Next time is why?
Giles: We’ve prevented the Master from freeing himself and opening the Mouth of Hell. That’s not to say he’s going to stop trying. I’d say the fun is just Willow: More vampires?
They stop walking.
Giles: Not just vampires. The next threat we face may be something quite different.
Buffy: I can hardly wait!
Giles: We’re at the center of a mystical convergence here. We may, in fact, stand between the Earth and its total destruction. Buffy: Well, I gotta look on the bright side. Maybe I can still get kicked out of school!
The three students continue to class. Giles stays behind and watches them go.
Xander: Oh, yeah, that’s a plan. ‘Cause lots of schools aren’t on Hellmouths.
Willow: Maybe you could blow something up. They’re really strict about that.
Buffy: I was thinking of a more subtle approach, y’know, like excessive not studying.
Giles turns to go back to his library.
Giles: The Earth is doomed!
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