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Episode Summary
Galway, 1753 — On his last day as a mortal human, the man who will become Angelus encounters a beautiful, blonde woman on the streets at night.
Her name is Darla, and she seduces him closer to her. She sinks her fangs into his neck, then uses her nails to make an incision on her chest, just above her breasts.
Immediately, Darla pulls the man’s mouth onto her bleeding cut, turning the man into a demon of the night. Sunnydale, Present — Angel watches Buffy from afar as she battles a pair of vampires.
She orders one of them to take a message to Angel, saying that she’s taking the offensive. The vampire doesn’t comply, so Buffy finishes him off.
The next day, Giles pays a visit to the museum, where a newly-discovered stone artifact has been discovered. It is a few feet taller than Giles, and it contains some form of text on the side.
Giles asks the man in charge, Doug Perren, if they attempted to open it yet, but Doug didn’t notice the crack running down the side of the stone until Giles pointed it out.
Giles then asks Doug to refrain from opening it until he can decipher the text. At school, Buffy declares to her friends for the umpteenth time that she’s ready to face Angel, despite the fact that final exams are approaching.
Willow offers to tutor Buffy in chemistry during one of their free periods.
London, 1860 — Before she became a demon, Drusilla was a young Catholic woman who only wanted to follow the right path in life.
She enters a church and steps into the confessional booth, failing to notice one of the priest’s arms reaching out in desperation before being pulled back in.
Drusilla does not realize that Angelus has just murdered the priest and is now acting in his place behind the confessional screen.
After Drusilla tells him of her problem with her visions of the future, Angelus torments her by claiming that she is a child of the devil. Drusilla does not want this to be true, and pleads for help.
Finally, Angelus lets her go with a request for Hail Mary’s and an act of contrition. Sunnydale, Present — Drusilla, Spike, and Angelus read about the museum’s new artifact in the newspaper.
Angelus knows what it is immediately. Back in Sunnydale High, Buffy hopelessly tries to solve a chemistry problem when she accidentally drops her pencil.
It rolls off into the desk and falls on the floor, right next to Ms. Calendar’s disk which has remained their ever since the night of her murder. Buffy pulls the disk out and hands it to Willow, and pops it into the disk drive to check out its contents. What they find is Jenny’s final project: the curse for the restoration of Angel’s soul.
Meanwhile, Dru, Angel, and several other vamps go to the museum to retrieve the stone, killing Doug Perren in the process.
Rumanian Woods, 1898 — The dead body of a gypsy girl lays stretched out on the ground next to a fire, while an elder gypsy woman chants the curse of restoration. Glowing beneath her is an Orb of Thesulah.
While she chants the curse, Angelus flees through the woods, trying to escape the scene of the crime, for he is the one responsible for the girl’s death.
The elder woman completes the curse, and Angelus is stopped in his tracks. He falls to his knees, and his eyes glow as his soul returns to his body for the first time in over a century.
A gypsy man steps out of the woods and explains to Angel that he is being punished for the countless murders he has committed. Sunnydale, Present — Buffy and Willow show Giles a printout of the restoration curse.
Giles claims that the curse would require a great knowledge of the black arts, and Willow feels that she’s up to the challenge.
While everyone talks of Angel’s salvation, only Xander is upset, for he feels that Angel must pay for his murders with his life.
Xander gets into an argument with Giles over Jenny’s last wish before telling Buffy that she’s willing to forget all about the murders in order to get her beloved Angel back. Elsewhere, Angel tells Spike the story of a demon named Acathla.
This demon possesses the power to literally swallow the Earth into Hell, but he was stopped by a knight centuries ago.
His body turned to stone with the sword still embedded in it, then was concealed in the stone tomb and buried deep beneath the ground. With that, two vampires open the tomb, revealing the body of Acathla inside.
Only someone worthy can remove the sword from Acathla’s body, freeing him to reign terror on the world. Later that night, Buffy finds the claddagh ring that Angel gave to her before he lost his soul.
She goes outside for a walk and encounters Kendra, who has returned to take care of another dark force in Sunnydale.
At the library, Kendra shows them a valuable weapon that she brought with her. It is a sword that was blessed by the same knight who stopped Acathla.
If Angel succeeds in reviving the demon, it may be their only chance to stop it. Buffy asks Willow to perform the curse as soon as possible, but they need an Orb of Thesulah first. Luckily, Giles already has one in his office.
Manhattan, 1996 — Angel stumbles through the streets of Manhattan, living like a bum ever since he regained his soul. He is approached by another demon named Whistler who say’s he too is on the good side.
Whistler offers Angel a chance to pick himself up from this foul life and become someone important in the world.
But first, Angel has to see something before he can make his decision. Los Angeles, 1996 — A car with windows painted black parks outside of Hemery High, and Angel rolls the window down just enough to see what he came there for: the Chosen One.
He observes Buffy’s first meeting with a Watcher, then follows her to the cemetery where she first learns the truth about vampires and her destiny in life.
Angel also follows Buffy to her home, where her mother is upset because Buffy got home late. Buffy goes to the bathroom and listens to her parents arguing with each other.
Having seen enough, Angel asks Whistler to help him to a better life, teach him to become somebody.
Sunnydale, Present — A human sacrifice is brought before Angelus, who promptly feeds on his blood, making sure to spread some on the palm of his right hand. Angelus then approaches the body of Acathla, reciting the incantations for the ritual of his revival.
Angelus grabs the sword and pulls it with all his might, but he fails. Spike is amused at Angelus’s failure, and Dru is very upset. Angelus then swears that they will turn to an old friend, and then succeed.
The next day, Buffy and the others take one of their final exams, unaware that a concealed vampire is walking down the hallway toward their classroom.
The vampire steps into the room, and smoke begins to rise from her body as the rays of sunlight hit it. She warns Buffy that more will die if she does not meet Angel that night.
As she finishes the message, her body disintegrates. Buffy tells Willow to perform the curse, leaving Kendra behind to stand guard. Buffy finds Angel at the cemetery, and they begin to fight.
Meanwhile, a group of vampires invades the library during the restoration ritual. Back at the cemetery, Buffy realizes that her fight with Angel is merely a diversionary tactic, so she turns and runs towards the school as fast as she can.
While Kendra battles one of the vampires, another one pushes a bookshelf over, crushing Willow underneath.
Xander fights another one, but it brutally breaks his right arm before he can shake him off. After Kendra slays a vamp, she attacks another that has knocked out Giles.
As they surround her, Cordelia escapes from the library, while Willow lays unconscious under the bookshelf. Drusilla then enters and takes on Kendra one-on-one.
Kendra is no match for Dru, who defends all of her attacks before hypnotizing the Slayer into an immobile trance.
Dru then slashes a cut in Kendra’s neck with her nails. Kendra falls to the ground as blood pours out of her neck. Taking Giles with them, the vampires leave the library only moments before Buffy bursts into the school hallways.
She finally makes it to the library, but it is too late. She runs over to Kendra’s fallen body, but there’s nothing she can do. Suddenly, the police arrive to see Buffy over the body of a dead woman.
One of them aims a gun at Buffy, ordering her to freeze. Buffy’s disastrous night has just gotten worse.
Shooting Scripts
Teaser
ANGLE: A COBBLESTONE STREET
Seen from directly above at night, moonlight raking across the cobbles. It may be difficult to tell
exactly what we’re looking at for a moment. Over this still image, a voice:
WHISTLER (V.O.)
Here’s the thing. There’s moment
in your life that make you. That set
the course of who you’re gonna be.
Sometimes they’re little, subtle
moments. Sometimes. . . they’re
not. I’ll show you what I mean.
At that moment a man on horseback rides below us through frame and the camera arms down to
reveal:
GALWAY STREET – NIGHT
Title reads: GALWAY, 1753
The street is near deserted, a couple of BEGGARS and DRUNKS.
A pair of well heeled YOUNG GENTLEMEN are pushed out of a doorway, someone inside growling
about deadbeats. One of the gents turns back, laughing. He is Angel.
ANGEL
We’ll come back when we’ve
found a bit more cash money.
Keep the girls warm.
(to his friend)
Come on. We’ll sneak in and
take some of my father’s silver.
He’ll never miss it. Eats with
his hands, the pig.
His friend falls down, drunkenly unconscious.
ANGEL
Or why don’t you rest here.
Angel leaves his friend where he lies, moving on down the street with lubricated grace. He spots
ANGLE: A LADY of considerable means, heading alone into a dark alley. He starts after her.
EXT. ALLEY – CONTINUOUS – NIGHT
He comes in a few paces behind her.
ANGEL
So I’d ask myself, what is a lady
of your station doing alone in an
alley with the reputation that this one has?
She turns slightly, a knowing smile playing across her lips. Those of us who know her, know her as
Darla.
DARLA
Maybe she’s lonely.
ANGEL
In that case I would offer
myself as escort. To protect
you from harm, and to while
away the dull hours.
DARLA
You’re very gracious.
ANGEL
It’s often been said.
DARLA
Are you certain you’re
up to the challenge?
ANGEL
Has a challenge been made, then?
He approaches her slowly, still with a smile.
ANGEL
My lady, you will find that with
the exception of an honest day’s
work there is no challenge
I am not prepared to face.
(reaches her, peers)
God, but you’re a pretty thing.
Where are you from?
DARLA
Around. Everywhere.
ANGEL
Never been anywhere, myself.
Always wanted to see the world, but. . .
DARLA
I could show you.
ANGEL
Could you, then?
DARLA
Things you’ve never seen.
Never even heard of.
ANGEL
Sounds exciting.
DARLA
It is. And frightening.
ANGEL
I’m not afraid. Show me.
Show me your world.
She moves even closer to him, the sexual energy fair peaking between them as she touches his
breast with her little hand.
DARLA
Close your eyes.
He does.
She changes to vampface and bites down, hard.
His eyes fly open. He is locked — can’t even struggle. Arms about her, body jerking with pain.
She lets go and he collapses to his knees. She swoops down onto hers. Takes her finger and draws
her fingernail across her chest. Draws blood.
She takes him and holds his head to her breast. Makes him drink. He does, with increasing hunger.
We see the two of them from afar, on their knees, Darla feeding Angel in perfect silence.
EXT. GRAVEYARD – NIGHT (THE PRESENT)
A speeding VAN wipes the frame with a roar of its motor to take us to the present day.
Angel watches something from afar. His eyes are filled with the serenity of Evil; the garrulous boy of
the flashback is long gone. He is watching:
ANGLE: BUFFY
As she battles two, count ’em, two vamps. One she throws as the other comes at her. She spars with
the second vamp as the first circles silently around to her back. Buffy is well in control of the
situation, very focussed.
BUFFY
Come on. Ooh, nice try.
She easily parries another blow.
BUFFY
Now that was just sloppy.
If you’re not even gonna try, then. . .
She hammers him — pulls out a stake. Just as the first vamp attacks from the rear she slams the
stake home in his chest (yes, she doesn’t look behind her). The second vamp stops, worried.
BUFFY
I want you to give Angel
a message for me. Tell him
I’m done waiting. I’m taking
the fight to him. You got that?
Do you want me to write it down?
Fury crosses the vampire’s face — he lunges — and Buffy stakes his sorry ass. He dusts just like the
first one.
BUFFY
All right, I’ll tell him myself.
She goes over to a spot nearby and helps up a groggy Xander.
XANDER
I’m good, don’t worry about me. . .
BUFFY
You know, you don’t have to patrol with me.
XANDER
Hey, I had that guy under
control until he resorted to fisticuffs.
(he shakes his head)
What is that: five vampires in three nights?
BUFFY
But no Angel.
XANDER
You really that anxious
to come up against him?
BUFFY
I just want it over with.
XANDER
I hear that.
BUFFY
We better get back. I haven’t
even started studying for finals.
XANDER
Oh, yeah, finals. Why
didn’t you let me die?
BUFFY
Look on the bright side.
It’ll all be over soon.
They walk off together.
ANGLE: ANGEL
Watches as they go.
ANGEL
Yes, my love. It will.
BLACK OUT.
END OF TEASER
Act One
INT. MUSEUM ROOM – DAY
We see a collection of articles for archeology and preservation. A MUSEUM WORKER takes a brush,
starts brushing dirt off something we can’t see. Another works beside him. Supervising them both is
DOUG PERREN, museum curator.
DOUG
(to a worker)
Careful. Concentrate on this area.
Through the door well behind them enters Giles, looking about.
GILES
Hello?
Doug turns, approaches him.
DOUG
Rupert Giles?
GILES
Yes.
DOUG
Doug Perren.
(they shake)
Thank you for coming.
GILES
Not at all. I’m flattered to be asked.
DOUG
Well, I talked to Lou Tabor
at the Washington Institute,
he said we had the best
authority on obscure relics
right here in Sunnydale.
GILES
He may have exaggerated
slightly. Is this the. . .
He indicates the object we’ve still yet to see.
DOUG
That’s our baby. Construction
crew dug it up just outside
of town, you know they’re
putting up those high-rises.
They start toward it, slowly, the camera circling them.
DOUG
I know there were Spanish
settlers here from way back,
we’ve found plenty of artifacts.
But whatever’s written on this. . .
well, it ain’t Spanish.
And the camera finally comes all the way around to reveal the artifact in question.
It looks not unlike a tomb or sarcophagus, a big block of dusty stone carved all over with demonic
runes. (It may appear first as more of an obelisk — it looks solid, not like something’s inside.) It
stands nearly ten feet tall, and four deep. The two workers are brushing the dust from the cracks
between the letters.
Giles comes very close, staring at it.
GILES
No. Not Spanish.
DOUG
Any ideas?
GILES
(still scanning it)
A few. . . none I’d care to
share until I can verify. . .
Have you dated this?
DOUG
We won’t have the results
for a couple of days. I’m
gonna go out on a limb and say “old”.
GILES
Yes, this predates any settlements
we’ve ever read about.
He looks along the side, finds a faint line running up it. He motions to one of the workers to hand him
a brush.
GILES
May I?
He brushes away a bit of dust. Find a crack.
GILES
You haven’t tried to open it, I assume.
DOUG
Open it?
Giles points to a crack he has found. Doug looks at it.
DOUG
I’ll be damned. I figured it was solid.
What do you think’s in there?
GILES
I don’t know.
DOUG
I guess we won’t find out till we open it.
GILES
If I could ask. . . wait. Let me
work on translating this text.
It might give us some indication
as to what we’ll find inside.
DOUG
You don’t want to be surprised?
GILES
As a rule, no.
DOUG
All right. You’re the expert.
I’m pretty damn curious, though.
GILES
Yes. Yes, so am I.
He stares at it.
INT. CAFETERIA – DAY
We are CLOSE ON a couple of fish sticks (wielded by Xander) in a heated recap of last night’s fight.
One of them is holding a stake (a toothpick) and one has an opened ketchup pack held to it.
Toothpick Fishstick says:
XANDER (O.S.)
You can’t sneak up on me!!
Tell Angel I’m gonna kill him –
no — wait — I’m gonna kill you! Die! Die!
Toothpick stabs ketchup pack — and Xander squeezes the ketchup pack to signify blood spurting.
XANDER (O.S.)
ARRGGHH!! Mother!!
Ketchup pack falls dead and we widen to see Xander conclude his drama. At the table are Cordy,
Willow, sitting on the lap of Oz, and Buffy.
CORDELIA
Is that it?
XANDER
That’s it.
ANGLE: THE FISHSTICKS
as Xander has them take a little bow.
XANDER (O.S.)
Scene.
BUFFY
Yeah, that’s just exactly how it happened.
OZ
I thought it was riveting.
I was a little unclear about
some of the themes.
BUFFY
The theme is, Angel’s too much
of a coward to take me on face to face.
XANDER
The other theme was “Buy American,”
but it got kind of buried.
WILLOW
(to Buffy)
Are you sure you’re ready to fight Angel?
BUFFY
Can everybody stop asking me that?
Yeah I’m ready. Also willing, also able.
It’s the one test I might actually pass.
WILLOW
Don’t say that. You’re gonna pass
everything. I’m gonna get you
through this semester if I have to sweat blood.
XANDER
Do you think you’re likely to?
‘Cause I’d like to be elsewhere.
WILLOW
It was only metaphor blood.
OZ
I think you’d sweat cute blood.
WILLOW
(to Buffy)
Sixth period, after my computer class,
we’ll rock on Chemistry.
BUFFY
I’m ready to rock.
You’re the best, Will. Thanks.
CORDELIA
Boy, Willow, you’ve really gotten
the teaching bug. Taking over that
computer class, tutoring. . .
WILLOW
I love it. I really do.
CORDELIA
I think it’s great to do that BEFORE
you go out and fail in the real world.
‘Cause then it’s not like falling back
on something, it’s like falling. . . well, forward.
XANDER
And almost sixty five percent of
that was actual compliment.
(to Cordy)
Is that a personal best?
CORDELIA
Gee, Xander, what are you gonna
teach when you fail in life?
Advanced loser-being?
XANDER
I will teach. . .
(eurotrash)
. . . the language of love.
He reaches for her, but she shrinks back.
CORDELIA
Don’t touch me! You have fish hands!
He moves his hands toward her face.
XANDER
Come, let me caress you. . .
She laughs, batting away his hands.
CORDELIA
Stop it!
Principal Snyder appears, looking grim as usual. He clears his throat and everyone stops.
SNYDER
That’s enough of that.
(to Willow)
And you. Are we having a chair shortage?
WILLOW
I haven’t read anything about — Oh! I get it.
She jumps off Oz’s lap, sits in her own chair.
SNYDER
These public displays of affection
are not acceptable in my school.
This isn’t an orgy, people. It’s a classroom.
BUFFY
(is he nuts?)
Yeah, where they teach lunch. . .
SNYDER
Do you have something to say?
BUFFY
This is a cafeteria. I’m pretty sure.
SNYDER
Always with the wisecracks.
One day you’re gonna go too far.
BUFFY
Or I could go with the classroom theory. . .
SNYDER
Just give me a reason to kick you out, Summers.
Just give me a reason.
He stalks off.
CORDELIA
How about, ’cause you’re a tiny
impotent Nazi with a bug up his
butt the size of an emu?
BUFFY
Sums it up.
CORDELIA
Don’tchya think?
XANDER
Now ‘lunch’ I could actually teach.
OZ
I can see that.
(as teacher)
“Baloney. It’s not a toy. Let’s put
it on the bread – The rye bread!
Careful!” Lunch teacher.
WILLOW
(to Buffy)
Do you want to come by tonight,
do some cramming?
BUFFY
Maybe. . . I do have to patrol.
WILLOW
Again? Do you really expect
Angel to turn up tonight?
BUFFY
No, I don’t expect him to.
And that’s when he usually does.
EXT. LONDON CHURCH – DAY (1860) – STOCK
To establish.
A title reads: LONDON, 1860
INT. CONFESSIONAL – MOMENTS LATER – DAY
A poor but pious GIRL walks. If we see past the sanity, we might recognize Drusilla. She stops,
crosses herself, and goes into the confessional.
ANGLE: THE WINDOW
opens between her and the priest. We see her through the latticework screen.
DRUSILLA
Bless me, father, for I have sinned.
It has been two days since my last confession.
ANGLE: THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CONFESSIONAL
Has Angel in it, holding the body of a dead priest. He says nothing.
DRUSILLA
Father?
ANGEL
Uh, uh, two days? That’s not very long.
You must sin a great deal to be back so soon.
DRUSILLA
Oh, father. . . I’m so afraid.
She is near tears. Angel finds himself both amused by his impromptu gig and strangely moved by the
girl.
ANGEL
Hush, child. The Lord is very
forgiving. Tell me your sins.
DRUSILLA
I had. . . I’ve been seeing again, father.
Didn’t try to, I swear! But yesterday
the men were going to work in the mine
and I had a terrible fright, my stomach
all tied up and I saw a horrible crash,
men screaming in the dark. . .my mum
said to keep my peace, it didn’t mean
nothing but this morning they had a
cave in. Two men died.
A beat as she collects herself.
ANGEL
Go on.
DRUSILLA
(it pours out:)
My mum says I’m cursed.
My seeing things is an affront
to the Lord. That only He’s
supposed to see anything before
it happens. But I don’t mean to,
Father, I swear. I try to be pure
in His sight and I do my penance,
I don’t want to be an evil thing.
ANGEL
Hush, child. The Lord has a plan
for all creatures. Even a devil child like you.
DRUSILLA
(mortified)
A devil. . .
ANGEL
Yes, you’re a spawn of Satan, all the
hail Mary’s in the world aren’t going
to help. The Lord will use you and then
smite you down, he’s like that.
She is crying.
DRUSILLA
What can I do?
ANGEL
Fulfill his plan for you, child. Be evil.
Perform evil works. Attack the less
fortunate. You can start small: laugh
at a cripple. You’ll feel better. Just give in.
DRUSILLA
No. . . I want to be good. . . I want to be pure. . .
ANGEL
We all do, at first. World doesn’t work that way.
DRUSILLA
Father, I beg you. . . help me.
ANGEL
Very well. Uh, ten Our Fathers
and an act of contrition.
Does that sound good?
DRUSILLA
Yes, Father, thank you.
ANGEL
The pleasure was mine.
(she starts to go)
Oh, and my child?
DRUSILLA
Yes?
ANGEL
God is watching you.
INT. GARDEN\MANSION – NIGHT (PRESENT DAY)
Drusilla wanders into the garden from outside, crazy and evil, the way we know her and love her.
Looking at the night.
Spike is there to greet her.
SPIKE
Nice walk, pet?
DRUSILLA
I met an old man. I didn’t like him.
He got stuck in my teeth.
(looks up)
And then the moon started whispering
to me. All sorts of dreadful things.
SPIKE
It’s a naughty moon.
ANGEL
What did it say?
He enters the garden from inside.
SPIKE
Oh, look who’s awake.
ANGEL
What did the moon tell you?
Did you have a vision?
Is something coming?
DRUSILLA
Oh yes. . . something terrible.
ANGEL
Where?
DRUSILLA
At the museum. A tomb.
With a surprise inside.
He puts his hand to her head.
ANGEL
You can see all that in your head?
SPIKE
No, you ninny, she read it
in the morning paper.
He holds the paper up. Angel looks at Dru, who smiles apologetically. Angel takes the paper, scans it.
He is obviously excited by what he sees.
ANGEL
Oh, my. . .
ANGLE: THE PAPER
has a picture of the artifact on the front page.
Dru comes up behind Angel, looks over his shoulder.
DRUSILLA
Is that what’s been whispering to me?
ANGEL
Oh yeah. Don’t worry though.
Soon it’ll stop.
He looks at both of them, triumphant.
ANGEL
Soon it’ll scream.
INT. COMPUTER CLASS – DAY
BUFFY
Waaahhh.
CLOSE ON: BUFFY’S PENCIL
as she taps it on her chem book.
She is staring at the book, and at her own notebook. She is tiny and helpless.
BUFFY
This doesn’t make sense!
WILLOW
Well, sure it does, see. . .
(looks at Buffy’s work)
Oh, no, that doesn’t make any sense.
BUFFY
It’s senseless.
WILLOW
It is. But at least you know that!
So you’re learning.
BUFFY
Yay me.
(as Willow looks at her work)
Oh well. It doesn’t matter. I mean,
in the real world when am I ever
gonna need to use chemistry, math,
history or the English language?
WILLOW
(re: notebook)
Oh, I see your problem.
BUFFY
I’m a moron?
WILLOW
Will you stop that? You’re not stupid.
You’ve just had a lot on your mind.
You can do all of this real easily but
if you’re just gonna give up then
don’t waste my time.
A beat.
BUFFY
Wow. You really are a good teacher.
WILLOW
(smiling)
Good pep talk?
BUFFY
I got the pep.
WILLOW
Okay. Look at this. It’s a covalent
bond — which means these two atoms
are linked by this one electron. You
know, basic linkage. Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Chlorine. . .
ANGLE: BUFFY’S PENCIL
As she places it on her book — it rolls off and falls into:
ANGLE: THE SPACE BETWEEN THE DESK AND THE CABINET
where it lands right next to the infamous yellow disk.
BUFFY
Oh. Hold it.
She reaches in and grabs the pencil – her fingers almost brushing the disk — but just missing it.
She pulls the pencil out, straightens up.
BUFFY
Okay. I’m learn girl.
WILLOW
Well, you see —
BUFFY
Whoah. Deja vu.
WILLOW
Really?
BUFFY
The thing with the pencil –
I have a perfect memory of
being exactly like —
She bends down again with the pencil — and this time she sees the disk.
BUFFY
–hey.
She reaches in and grabs the disk. Holds it up.
BUFFY
I think you dropped this.
WILLOW
It’s not mine. It might be
something of Ms. Calendar’s.
They look at each other. Willow pops it in the computer. They wait to see it come up on the screen.
BUFFY
This feels kind of morbid.
WILLOW
Well, I’ve gone through most
of her files already.
BUFFY
Does that make this less
morbid or you really morbid?
WILLOW
I had to — to teach the class.
BUFFY
Relax. I’m making with the funny.
What does that say, “restoration”?
WILLOW
It’s one of her spells, I think.
You know, she wasn’t a practicing
witch, but she did dabble in —
BUFFY
Willow.
Buffy is reading, her eyes getting steadily wider. Willow concentrates on the screen. Gets it.
WILLOW
Oh boy.
The camera pushes in on Buffy, as Willow continues:
WILLOW
Oh boy.
Buffy says nothing.
WILLOW
Oh boy.
BLACK OUT.
END OF ACT ONE.
Act Two
EXT. RUMANIAN WOODS – NIGHT (1898)
We heard funereal chanting, some sobbing, as the camera moves (looking straight down) over the
body of a beautiful GYPSY GIRL. She has been laid out in a funeral gown. A couple of women in
shawls kneel by her, keening with grief.
ANGLE: A GYPSY WOMAN
Sits in a shawl, with a painted mark on her forehead. She speaks in very low Rumanian, waving her
hands over an Orb of Thesulah. As she speaks, it begins to glow.
GYPSY WOMAN
(Rumanian)
Nici mort nici al fiintei te invoc, spirit al trécerii
Reda trupului ce separa omul de animal
Cu ajutorul acestui magic glob de cristal
(Not dead, nor not of the living. Spirits of the interregnum,
I call. Restore to the corporal vessel that which separates us
from beast. Use this orb as your guide.)
EXT. ANOTHER PART OF THE WOODS – CONTINUOUS – NIGHT
Angel stumbles into frame, trying to get away from something. He drops to his knees, in obvious
pain. Gets up and tries to run again.
EXT. RUMANIAN WOODS – CONTINUOUS – NIGHT
ANGLE: THE GYPSY WOMAN
As she finishes her incantation, the glow envelops the orb, which disappears.
EXT. ANOTHER PART OF THE WOODS – CONTINUOUS – NIGHT
ANGLE: ANGEL
Drops to the ground again, momentarily unconscious.
CLOSE ON: HIS EYES
As they glow briefly.
He gets to his knees, groggy and bewildered, as an old GYPSY MAN approaches.
GYPSY MAN
It hurts, yes? Good. It will hurt more.
ANGEL
Where am I?
GYPSY MAN
You don’t remember. Everything
you’ve done. For a hundred years.
In a moment you will. The face of
everyone you have killed – our
daughter’s face — they will haunt
you and you will know what true
suffering is.
ANGEL
Killed? I don’t. . .
And then it hits him.
ANGEL
Oh. . . no. . . no. . .
We see the two of them from a distance, the old man standing over the kneeling Angel, as Angel
begins to scream.
INT. LIBRARY – AFTERNOON
Xander, Cordelia and Giles are facing Buffy and Willow. Buffy holds a few sheets of printout in her
hand. Everybody is quiet.
GILES
What are you saying?
BUFFY
The curse. This is it.
She holds up the sheaf of paper. Giles steps forward, takes it, examines it.
WILLOW
It looks like Ms. Calendar was trying
to replicate the original curse. To restore
Angel’s soul again.
GILES
She said it couldn’t be done.
BUFFY
Well, she tried anyway. And it looks
like it might have worked.
XANDER
So he killed her. Before she could
tell anyone about it. What a prince.
CORDELIA
Well, this is good, right? I mean,
we can curse him again.
GILES
It’s not that simple. This points
he way, but the ritual itself
requires a rather more advanced
knowledge of the black arts
than I can claim.
WILLOW
Well, I. . . I’ve been going through
her files and reading up and. . . I’ve
been sort of checking out the black
arts. Just for fun — or, educational fun.
I might be able to work this.
GILES
Willow, performing this kind of ritual,
channeling such potent majicks through
yourself — it will open a door you may
not be able to close.
BUFFY
Will, I don’t want you putting yourself in danger.
WILLOW
And I don’t want danger. “No” to danger.
But I might be the best person to do this.
XANDER
HI! For those of you who have just
tuned in, everyone here is a crazy
person. This spell might restore
Angel’s humanity? Well, here’s
an interesting angle: Who cares?
BUFFY
I care.
XANDER
Is that right?
GILES
Xander, let’s not lose perspective here —
XANDER
I’m perspective guy! Angel is a killer.
WILLOW
Xander —
BUFFY
It’s not that simple.
XANDER
What, come back home, all is forgiven?
I can’t believe you people!
CORDELIA
Xander has a point —
XANDER
(turning on Cordy)
You know just once I wish you would
support me and I realize right now
that you were and I’m embarrassed
so I’m gonna get back to the point
which is that Angel needs to die.
GILES
Curing Angel was apparently Jenny’s last wish —
XANDER
Yeah, well, Jenny’s dead.
Giles moves forward like he might actually strike Xander.
GILES
Don’t you speak of her in that insolent —
XANDER
(simultaneously)
Can’t you see what I’m saying —
BUFFY
All right, stop it!
They do.
WILLOW
(to Buffy)
What do you want to do?
BUFFY
I don’t know. . . What happened
to Angel wasn’t his fault. . .
XANDER
What happened to Ms. Calendar is.
You can paint this however you want.
Way I see it you want to forget all about
Ms Calendar’s murder so you can have
your boyfriend back.
Buffy doesn’t reply. She just turns and leaves the room, too distraught to deal (but not crying).
Willow glares at Xander, who returns her gaze firmly.
CORDELIA
Wow. Even I know that was insensitive.
XANDER
(staring Willow down)
Am I wrong?
Willow doesn’t answer.
INT. MUSEUM ROOM – NIGHT
Doug Perren is at his desk, working late. He is pooled in the light of his desk lamp. The object sits at
the other end of the room, mostly in shadow.
He hears something. Whispers? They drift past him, ethereal, unintelligible.
He stops working, rises. Looks around him.
DOUG
Hello?
(after a beat)
Danny? That you?
He hears the whispers again, and looks over at the artifact. Moves slowly toward it. Peering.
ANGLE: THE ARTIFACT
As we approach it, moving inexorably toward the darkness.
Doug reaches it, holds his hand slowly out. Touches it. The whispers grow louder. He moves his hand
away and they subside. Puts it back and they grow.
He steps closer to the artifact — and Drusilla appears behind him in vampface. Takes a great honking
bite out of his neck, hand over his mouth as he thrashes and strains.
Angel, flanked by HENCHVAMPS, strides in, eyes on the artifact.
ANGEL
Let’s see. . . I’ll have one of these.
(points at it)
To go.
The vamps throw ropes over it, securing it.
ANGEL
Be careful. I don’t want this thing cracked.
Your weak imitations of life depend on it.
(to Dru, re: Doug)
Save me some.
INT. BUFFY’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
Buffy is on the phone with Willow. As she talks, she loads her bag with weapons and crosses from
her dresser.
BUFFY
Yeah, I’ll do a couple of sweeps,
then I’ll stop by.
(listens)
Yeah, Xander was pretty much being a. . .
(mildly shocked)
Willow. Where’d you learn that word?
My god. You kiss your mother with that mouth?
(Listens)
I don’t know. I don’t know what I want.
She sees something in the drawer, stops.
BUFFY
Okay. I’ll see you in a while.
She hangs up, picks up the thing in the drawer. It is
ANGLE: ANGEL’S CLADDAGH RING
Buffy looks at it, silently.
INT. UPSTAIRS HALL – MINUTES LATER (NIGHT)
Buffy is on her way downstairs when Joyce stops her.
JOYCE
Where are you going?
BUFFY
Oh. Uh, to Willow’s. To Study.
Got two finals tomorrow.
JOYCE
All right. Make sure you two study.
Don’t talk about boys all night.
BUFFY
Oh, we don’t like boys. I mean,
while we’re studying. We like
boys. Some boys. . .
As she’s talking, she shifts and two crosses fall out of her bag. Joyce bends down to get them, looks
at them.
BUFFY
You know, it’s funny. I’ve just
been kind of. . . religious. Lately.
JOYCE
Oh. Well, you know your father and
I are both agnostic, we always thought
you should decide for yourself.
BUFFY
Well, I’m learning. . . sort of searching.
JOYCE
Well, that’s good.
Joyce hands her the crosses. Not sure what to say.
BUFFY
Okay.
She starts to go.
JOYCE
Get a ride back if you come home late.
EXT. STREET – NIGHT
Buffy walks along.
She comes to a row of tall hedges. Stops, turning. Did she hear something?
Someone BURSTS out from between the hedges right behind her. She spins, takes an attack stance.
BUFFY
You know, polite people call before
they jump out of the bushes and attack you.
ANGLE: KENDRA
Is the person facing her. She smiles.
KENDRA
Just wanted to test your reflexes.
BUFFY
(not angry)
Would you like to test my face-punching?
‘Cause I think you’ll find it’s improved.
KENDRA
I was on my way to your house.
Saw you walking. Couldn’t help myself.
BUFFY
Which begs the question and don’t
think I’m not glad to see you but
why are you here? Wait. Let me
guess. Your Watcher has informed
you that a very dark power is about
to rise in Sunnydale.
KENDRA
That’s about it.
BUFFY
Great. Did he give you any idea
of what this dark power is?
INT. MANSION – NIGHT
As the artifact hits the floor with a rounding thud, kicking up dust.
Angel regards it with excitement, Spike and Dru flanking him.
SPIKE
It’s a big rock. I can’t wait to tell my friends.
They don’t have a rock this big.
ANGEL
Spike, boy, you never did learn your history.
SPIKE
Let’s have a lesson, then.
ANGEL
Acathla, the demon, came forth
to swallow the world. It was killed
by a virtuous knight who pierced
the demon’s heart before it could
draw breath to perform the act. Acathla
turned to stone, as demons sometimes
do, and was buried where neither man
nor demon would be wont to look. Unless
of course they’re putting up low rent housing. Boys?
Two vampires take crowbars and, standing at either side of the artifact, wedge it open. The front falls
to the floor with a great dusty thud.
Inside is the very stone demon of which Angel spoke, his face in a horrible grimace, a stone sword
sticking out of his chest.
DRUSILLA
Oooh, he fills my head. . .
I can’t hear anything else. . .
Angel approaches Acathla slowly, reverently.
SPIKE
Let me guess. Someone pulls out the sword —
ANGEL
Someone worthy. . .
SPIKE
— the demon wakes up and wackiness ensues.
DRUSILLA
He will swallow the world.
ANGEL
And every creature living on this
planet will go to Hell. My friends,
we’re about to make history. . .
(turning back to them)
. . . end.
BLACK OUT.
END OF ACT TWO
Act Three
INT. LIBRARY – NIGHT
Giles emerges from his office, joining Buffy, Kendra and Willow in the library. Kendra is putting her
bag on the table (not: her bag should be long and go over her shoulder like a quiver — her sword is
contained therein.)
GILES
I’ve just been on the phone with
the museum. The artifact in question
is missing. And the curator has been
murdered. Vampires.
BUFFY
And we’re sure this thing
was the Tomb of Alfalfa?
GILES
Acathla. And yes, the information
Kendra’s Watcher has provided seems conclusive.
WILLOW
Okay, can somebody explain the
whole ‘he will suck the world into
Hell’ thing? That’s the part I’m not loving.
GILES
The demon universe exists in a
dimension separate from our own.
With one breath Acathla will create
a vortex, a kind of whirlpool that
will pull everything on Earth into
that dimension, where any non-demon
life will suffer horrible, eternal torment.
BUFFY
So that would be the literal kind
of sucking into Hell. Neat.
KENDRA
(to Buffy)
You think Angelus and the others
are responsible for the theft of the tomb?
BUFFY
I’d bet folding money on it.
KENDRA
I can’t believe you dated him.
(off her look)
I mean, he’s got to be stopped.
WILLOW
We don’t know where they are.
They moved after Giles torched their house.
KENDRA
(to Giles)
You did? Good for you.
GILES
It was nothing, really.
BUFFY
Willow. . . I think you should try
to do the curse. Bring Angel back.
KENDRA
I tend to side with your friend Xander
on this one. Angel should be eliminated.
BUFFY
I’ll fight him. If I have to, I’ll kill him.
But if I lose, or I don’t find him in time. . .
Willow might be our only hope.
WILLOW
I don’t want to be only hope. I crumble
under pressure. Let’s have another hope.
KENDRA
We have.
She pulls a sword from her bag.
KENDRA
Blessed by the knight who first slew the Demon.
If all else fails, this might stop it.
(less confidently)
I think.
GILES
Let’s hope all else doesn’t fail.
(to Willow)
How close are you to figuring
out the ritual for the curse?
WILLOW
I need a day, maybe. And I need
an Orb of Thesulah, whatever that is.
GILES
Spirit vault for the Rituals
of the Undead. I’ve got one.
(sheepish)
I’ve been using it as a paperweight.
WILLOW
(to Buffy)
This means I can’t help you
study for tomorrow’s finals.
BUFFY
I’ll wing it. Of course, if we
go to Hell by then I won’t have to take them.
(sudden fear)
Or maybe I’ll be taking them forever. . .
GILES
Well, Angel has a ritual of his own
to perform before he can remove the
sword and awake Acathla. With any
luck, that may take some time as well.
INT. MANSION SIDE ROOM – NIGHT
Spike is alone, pacing, thinking. We hear chanting from behind the door. Then:
DRUSILLA (O.S.)
Spike?
He beelines for the chair, gets in just before she enters the room.
DRUSILLA
Spike, sweetie, the fun’s about to begin.
SPIKE
It is? Seems more to me like
the fun’s about to end.
DRUSILLA
Don’t be all gloomy.
SPIKE
Darling, if this works, everything changes.
Think about it. In this world, we can be
kings. In the next. . .
DRUSILLA
My Spikey’s getting cold feet. Don’t you
worry about the next world. You’ll always
have me. . .
SPIKE
Will I?
She doesn’t answer. A SCREAM emerges from the main room — that of a young man.
DRUSILLA
Oh! The blood ritual! To cleanse
Angel. Let’s go and see.
SPIKE
(giving in)
Well, if there’s blood. . .
They go out into:
INT. MANSION – NIGHT
In the main chamber, where the statue stands free of its casing at one end.
At the other, Angel waits as two vampires bring the young man before him. Angel looks at him, eyes
glowing in reverent reverie.
ANGEL
I will drink. . . the blood will wash in me,
over me and I will be cleansed, I will be
worthy to free Acathla.
(to Spike and Dru)
Bear witness, as I ascend.
(looking at the man)
As I become.
He changes to vampface. Bites.
EXT. NEW YORK STREET – NIGHT (1996)
A title reads: MANHATTAN, 1996
It’s a dark, grimy district — not many people out, and none with too much money.
We pick up a HOMELESS MAN moving along in the shadows. He stops at a group of garbage cans,
sees:
ANGLE: A RAT
Scurrying among them.
The man makes a dive for the rat, but it gets away and he lands in a clatter among the cans. We see
that is it Angel. He looks utterly lost and destitute — not entirely sane, even.
He sits, defeated as another figure approaches him. WHISTLER is young in appearance, and wearing
a bad suit over a loud shirt. He looks like a bottom-ranked mafioso. His manner, like his outfit, is loud
and grating.
WHISTLER
God, are you disgusting.
Angel starts, not used to being talked to. He starts to crawl back into the shadows.
WHISTLER
This is really an unforgettable smell.
This is the stench of death you’re
giving off here. And the look says
crazy homeless guy, it’s not good.
ANGEL
Get away from me.
WHISTLER
What are you gonna do, bite me?
Oh, horrors! A Vampire!
Angel stops, staring at him.
WHISTLER
Oh, but you’re not gonna bite me
’cause of your poor tortured soul,
it’s so sad, a vampire with a soul,
how poignant. I may physically
vomit right here.
ANGEL
Who are you?
WHISTLER
Let’s take a walk. Come on.
He starts to help Angel up. Angel is clearly weak. As he gets to his feet a respectable PASSERBY
stares at the pair.
WHISTLER
(to the passerby)
What? Yes, he’s my lover,
you mustn’t judge us!
The passerby scurries off.
WHISTLER
God, I hate people.
EXT. A NEARBY STREET – MINUTES LATER – NIGHT
The two are walking together. Whistler’s doing most of the talking.
WHISTLER
What are you eating, like a rat once
a month? You’re skin and bones here.
Butcher shops are throwing away more
blood in a day than you could stand.
Good blood. You lived in the world
a little bit you’d know that.
ANGEL
I want to know who you are.
Whistler stops, faces him.
WHISTLER
And I want to know who you are.
ANGEL
You already do.
WHISTLER
Not yet. I’m looking to find out.
‘Cause you could go either way here.
ANGEL
I don’t understand you.
WHISTLER
Nobody understands me. It’s my curse.
He walks a few feet away, to a SABRETT VENDOR.
WHISTLER
(to the vendor)
Dog me.
(to Angel)
There are three kinds of people that
no one understands. Geniuses,
madmen, and guys that mumble.
My name is Whistler. Anyway,
lately it is. My real name is hard
to pronounce unless you’re a dolphin.
He pays, takes a big bite out of his dog.
ANGEL
You’re not a vampire.
WHISTLER
A demon, technically. But I’m not
a bad guy — not all demons are dedicated
to the destruction of all life. Someone has
to maintain balance, you know. Good and
evil can’t exist without each other, blah
blah blah. I’m not like a good fairy or anything,
I’m just trying to make it all balance — do I
come off defensive?
ANGEL
What did you mean, I could go either way?
WHISTLER
I mean you could become an even
more useless rodent than you are
right now, or you could become. . .
someone. A person. Someone to be counted.
ANGEL
I just want to be left alone.
WHISTLER
You’ve been alone for what, ninety years?
And what an impressive package you are.
The stink guy.
ANGEL
You don’t know what I have to
deal with. What I’ve done.
WHISTLER
You’re annoying me! The self pity
thing is not gonna bring in the chicks.
It’s a bore.
ANGEL
What do you want from me?
WHISTLER
I want you to see something. It’s happening
very soon, we’d need to leave now. You see,
and then you tell me what you want to do.
ANGEL
Where is it?
EXT. LOS ANGELES HIGH SCHOOL – DAY (1996)
Title: LOS ANGELES, 1996
We see Angel in the shadows (or indoors, depending on location) looking out into the bright sunlit
courtyard. We see, as he does:
ANGLE: BUFFY
Walking along with her FRIENDS, talking. She is all of fifteen, completely carefree and not a little
superficial.
BUFFY
So, I’m like, “Dad, you want me
to go to the dance in an outfit I’ve
already worn? Why do you hate me?”
GIRL
Is Tyler taking you?
BUFFY
Oh my god! Where were you when
I got over Tyler? He’s of the past.
Tyler would have to crawl on his
hands and knees to get me to go
to the dance with him. Which he’s
actually supposed to do after practice,
so I’m gonna wait.
GIRL
Okay. See you later.
They go, Buffy saying to each one:
BUFFY
Call me. Call me. Call me.
They all go and Buffy sits. She has waited for a moment when a MAN approaches her in a dark,
rumpled suit. He looks vaguely nervous, and deadly serious. His name is MERRICK.
MERRICK
Buffy Summers?
BUFFY
Yeah? Hi. What?
MERRICK
I need to speak with you.
BUFFY
You’re not from Macy’s, are you?
‘Cause I meant to pay for that lipstick. . .
MERRICK
There isn’t much time. You must
come with me. Your destiny awaits.
BUFFY
I don’t have a destiny. I’m destiny-free. Really.
MERRICK
Yes, you have. You are the chosen one.
You alone can stop them.
BUFFY
Who?
MERRICK
The vampires.
Buffy stares at him for a good long while, a polite smile playing on her lips, trying to come up with a
response. Finally she breaks down into:
BUFFY
Huh?
EXT. GRAVEYARD – NIGHT (1996)
Buffy crashes into frame, wide-eyed and terrified, a VAMPIRE right on top of her.
BUFFY
AAAAAAGHHHH!
It snarls and snaps, trying to bite her. She throws it off.
She goes scrambling for a stake on her hands and knees —
BUFFY
Oh god oh god oh god —
She comes up with it as the vampire charges her again — she instinctively flips it onto its back.
BUFFY
Whoah! Wow.
Collecting herself, she drops down and plunges the stake into its chest, pulling it out again. The
vampire screams, but nothing happens.
BUFFY
Ooh, that’s not the heart. . .
She tries again, and the vampire’s dying rasp tells her she’s hit home.
ANGLE: THE VAMPIRE
Explodes into dust.
BUFFY
GAAAGHHH!
She starts back from this unexpected effect, stays panting on the grass. We see a pair of legs come
into the frame near her.
MERRICK
You see? You see your power?
She says nothing, still staring at the spot where the vampire was.
ANGLE: ANGEL
Watching from the shadows.
EXT./INT. BUFFY’S BEDROOM IN L.A. (1996) – NIGHT
We see in from the outside. Buffy enters her bedroom, followed by Joyce.
JOYCE
Why didn’t you call?
BUFFY
I’m sorry, Mom, I didn’t know it was so late.
Tyler and I were talking.
JOYCE
That boy is irresponsible.
BUFFY
It’s my fault.
JOYCE
You know we worry, that’s all.
Dinner’s in ten minutes.
BUFFY
Okay.
Buffy moves into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.
ANGLE: ANGEL
Watches, obviously feeling for her.
EXT. INT. BUFFY’S BATHROOM IN L.A. (1996) – NIGHT
We see her go to the sink, take off her jacket. Splash her face. She is very shaken. Over her silent
actions we hear the voices of her parents:
HANK (O.S.)
Did she say where she was?
JOYCE (O.S.)
She was with Tyler.
HANK (O.S.)
I don’t want her seeing him
anymore. Period.
JOYCE (O.S.)
You’re over reacting, dear.
HANK (O.S.)
Don’t do that! Don’t talk to me
like I’m a kid.
JOYCE (O.S.)
I don’t — forget it.
HANK (O.S.)
Just because you can’t discipline her,
I have to be the ogre.
JOYCE (O.S.)
I’m not having this conversation
again. All right?
Buffy stays in the bathroom, silent.
INT. TUNNEL – NIGHT
Angel jumps down at one end. At the other, Whistler waits. Angel slowly approaches him.
WHISTLER
She’s gonna have it tough, that Slayer.
She’s just a kid. And the world is full
of big bad things.
ANGEL
I want to help her. I want to. . .
I want to become someone.
I want to help.
WHISTLER
Jeez, look at you. She must be
prettier than the last Slayer.
(Angel looks down)
It’s not gonna be easy. The more
you live in the world the more you
see how apart from it you are. And
this is dangerous work. Right now
you couldn’t go three rounds
with a fruit fly.
ANGEL
I want to learn from you.
WHISTLER
Okay.
They start off together.
ANGEL
But I don’t want to dress like you.
WHISTLER
See? Again you’re annoying me.
INT. MANSION – NIGHT (PRESENT DAY)
Angel lifts his face, blood on his mouth, from his victim. He walks slowly to the statue, the others
watching him.
He looks at his hand. It too has blood on it.
ANGEL
Everything that I am, everything that
I have done, has led me here.
This night. This act.
(to the statue)
You will be free.
In a lightning-quick motion, he grabs the hilt of the sword.
White light fills the room.
BLACK OUT.
END OF ACT THREE
Act Four
INT. MANSION – NIGHT
The light still fills the room, along with a crackling energy — that stops in an instant as Angel is
thrown back to the floor. He seems to have gotten an enormous electrical shock, and his vampface is
gone.
The sword is still in the statue. Angel looks at it, uncomprehending.
SPIKE
(singsong)
Someone wasn’t worthy. . .
Angel rises, furious.
ANGEL
The ritual. There must be something
I missed. The incantations, the blood. . .
Dammit! I don’t know. . .
DRUSILLA
This is so disappointing. What are we going to do?
He stops. Turns to them.
ANGEL
What we always do in a time of trouble.
Turn to an old friend. We’ll have our
Armageddon, I swear.
He grabs an old vase from off a pedestal, rage and impatience seething in him, and hurls it against
the wall.
It shatters.
INT. ENGLISH CLASS – MORNING
The morning sunlight brightly rakes the classroom. Buffy is seated, along with Xander and Willow and
Cordy, amidst the other students. They are all taking their final exam, scribbling in their bluebooks.
The room is silent.
The teacher sits at his desk, reading.
INT. HALLWAY – CONTINUOUS – DAY
The Camera dolly’s behind a figure in the hall. She moves slowly, a shawl wrapped around her head,
her clothes dark and shabby.
INT. CLASSROOM – CONTINUOUS – DAY
Buffy is frowning at her test when she hears:
VAMPIRE (O.S.)
Tonight. Sundown. In the graveyards.
TEACHER
(rising)
Excuse me. . .
Buffy looks up. The woman is standing in the classroom — speaks to Buffy —
VAMPIRE
You will come to him.
She pulls off her shawl, revealing her vamp visage, and moves toward Buffy, deliberately stepping
into the sunlight. She begins to smoke. Kids start trying to move away. Buffy can’t take her eyes off
the vampire.
VAMPIRE
You will come to him or
more will die! Tonight!
Flames engulf her as kids scream and get out of there.
VAMPIRE
His hour is at hand!
And she’s gone, flamed out. The classroom is nearly empty except for our principals. Buffy still hasn’t
moved.
INT. LIBRARY – JUST BEFORE SUNSET
The gang’s all here (minus Oz, plus Kendra). Willow is deep in a pile of books.
BUFFY
She said more would die. I have to go.
KENDRA
And I should go with you.
BUFFY
I need you here. Just in case.
I’ll be all right. As long as
Angel’s fighting me he’s
not doing this end of the
world ritual and that’s good.
And with any luck. . . Willow?
What do you think?
WILLOW
I’m not sure. I just want to cross check —
BUFFY
We don’t have time. If this is
gonna work I need it to work now.
WILLOW
I need maybe half an hour
once we’re set up.
GILES
Which means you just have to
hold Angel off. Don’t let him
close on you. If the curse succeeds,
you’ll know.
CORDELIA
Why don’t you just wait here to
find out if it worked? See if he phones you?
BUFFY
I can’t risk him killing more people.
XANDER
What if he shows up with an army?
BUFFY
I’ll run away.
KENDRA
A Slayer never runs aw —
(off their looks)
Good plan.
BUFFY
I’d better go.
XANDER
Please be careful.
BUFFY
I will.
Buffy starts for the door. Kendra runs up to her, hands her a stake.
KENDRA
Here. In case the curse does not succeed. . .
This is my lucky stake. I have killed
many vampires with it.
(in a low voice)
I call it Mister Pointy.
BUFFY
You named your stake.
KENDRA
(embarrassed)
Yes.
BUFFY
Remind me to get you a stuffed animal.
(Puts the stake in her jacket)
Thanks.
KENDRA
Watch your back.
Buffy exits.
EXT. GRAVEYARD – NIGHT
Buffy makes her way along in the dark. After a time:
ANGEL
Hello, lover.
She turns to face him. He stands some twenty feet away, grinning nonchalantly.
They begin circling each other, slowly.
ANGEL
I wasn’t sure you’d come.
BUFFY
After your immolation-o-gram?
Come on, I had to show. But
shouldn’t you be destroying the
world right about now? Pulling
the sword out of Al Franken, or
whatever he’s called?
ANGEL
There’s time enough. I wanted to
say goodbye first. You are the one
thing in this dimension I will miss.
BUFFY
(suppressing emotion)
This is a beautiful moment we’re
having here. Can we just fight, please?
ANGEL
(hurt)
I didn’t come here to fight!
BUFFY
No?
ANGEL
Gosh, I was hoping we could get
back together! What do you
think, do we have a shot?
She glares at him.
ANGEL
All right, we’ll fight.
He lunges at her.
INT. LIBRARY – CONTINUOUS – NIGHT
Willow sits at the desk, the orb in front of her. Cordelia is waving a burning sage bush, not loving her
task. Giles stands on Willow’s other side, holding a volume. There are elaborate markings on the
table and Willow has a painted mark on her forehead to match the Gypsy Woman’s.
Xander stands up on the balcony, watching. Kendra guards the door.
GILES
(Latin)
Quod perditum est, invenietur.
(What was lost, shall be found.)
WILLOW
Not dead, nor not of the living.
Spirits of the interregnum, I call.
EXT. GRAVEYARD – CONTINUOUS – NIGHT
Buffy and Angel spar, Buffy still holding back. Buffy is thrown to the ground.
BUFFY
(quietly)
Come on, Willow.
INT. LIBRARY – CONTINUOUS – NIGHT
WILLOW
Let him know the pain of humanity,
gods — reach your wizened hands to
me, give me the soul of —
ANGLE: XANDER
As two vamps burst in behind him. He turns to fight —
XANDER
Look out!
ANGLE: KENDRA
as she turns, two more burst in behind her.
ANGLE: XANDER
as he whips out a stake, makes for Vamp 1 as Vamp 2 comes down toward the ritual.
Kendra punches Vamp 3, sends him into the wall. Vamp 4 passes her.
As Vamps 2 and 4 converge in the middle, Cordy and Willow make for the stacks. Giles faces the
vamps and they handily knock him down and out.
Vamp 1 grabs Xander’s wrist, bends it. We hear it snap and Xander’s eyes go wide.
Kendra spars with Vamp 3, knocking him out and going for Vamp 4, who stands over Giles.
Vamp 2 leaps onto the table, over the railing and slams into a bookcase, knocking it over on Willow.
She falls very hard, instantly unconscious.
Xander falls to his knees, the stake dropping, Cordy tries to get out behind Vamp 1. He turns to get
her and Xander rises, throws him into Vamp 2.
XANDER
Go!
Cordy races out as Xander picks up the stake in his good hand.
ANGLE: THE DOOR
Drusilla wafts in, eyes alight.
ANGLE: KENDRA
throws Vamp 4 through the window to Giles’ office as Vamp 3 hits her from behind.
EXT. GRAVEYARD – CONTINUOUS – NIGHT
A quick exchange of blows.
ANGEL
Is it me, or is your heart not in this?
He throws her back.
ANGEL
Maybe I’ll just go home.
Destroy the world. . . sulk. . .
Buffy pulls out her stake.
BUFFY
I think Mister Pointy is gonna
have something to say about that.
Angel hesitates.
BUFFY
Come on. Let’s finish it. You and me.
Angel starts to laugh.
ANGEL
You never learn, do you?
Little miss ego. ‘You and me.’
This wasn’t about you. This
was never about you.
Her expression drains. She turns and bolts, Angel calling after her.
ANGEL
And you fall for it every single time!
INT. LIBRARY – CONTINUOUS – NIGHT
Vamp 1 knocks Xander unconscious, looks down at
ANGLE: KENDRA
who is fighting off the other vamps. She’s getting tired.
DRUSILLA
Enough.
The vamps back off. Kendra turns to face Dru. Dru drops her shawl, looking dreamily into the
heavens.
Kendra lunges and Dru evades, slashes at Kendra with her fingernails. Draws blood.
EXT. STREET – CONTINUOUS – NIGHT
Buffy races full speed for the school.
INT. LIBRARY – CONTINUOUS – NIGHT
Kendra and Dru spar, Kendra getting in some good hits, Dru mostly weaving and giggling.
Finally Dru sees an opening and grabs Kendra’s throat, pushes her against the wall. Kendra
struggles, pulling at the arm.
CLOSE ON: DRUSILLA’S EYES
Boring into Kendra, hypnotizing her.
DRUSILLA
Look at me, Dearie. Be in
my eyes. Be in me.
CLOSE ON: KENDRA’S EYES
as the will goes out of them.
Dru steps back, letting go. Kendra stands still, swaying slightly.
EXT. STREET – NIGHT
Buffy runs.
INT. LIBRARY – CONTINUOUS – NIGHT
Dru pauses — then slashes her fingers across Kendra’s throat. Kendra’s eyes widen — she grabs her
throat and blood wells out between her fingers.
She drops.
DRUSILLA
(to Kendra)
Night night.
(to the vamps)
Let’s get what we came for, dears.
Two of the vamps bend down and lift up Giles — start dragging him out.
INT. HALL/LOUNGE – LATER (NIGHT)
Buffy bursts into the lounge, running as fast as she can. As the camera follows her she goes into slow
motion, all sound bleeding out of the sound track.
WHISTLER (V.O.)
Bottom line is even if you see
’em coming, you’re not ready
for the big moments. No one
asks for their life to change,
not really. But it does.
Buffy enters the —
INT. LIBRARY – CONTINUOUS – NIGHT
Sees the carnage.
She spots Kendra lying on the ground, goes to her, cradles her on her lap — tries to stop the bleeding
as Kendra dies right in front of her.
WHISTLER (V.O.)
So, what, are we helpless? Puppets?
No. The big moments are gonna
come, can’t help that. It’s what
you do afterwards that counts.
That’s when you find out who you are.
ANGLE: BUFFY AND KENDRA
We see them from behind, Buffy still holding Kendra’s head in her lap, when a policeman’s GUN
comes into frame.
COP
Freeze!!
ANGLE: TWO COPS
are pointing their weapons, looking mighty tense.
Buffy whips her head around to see them.
BLACK OUT.
Over the title: TO BE CONTINUED:
WHISTLER (V.O.)
You’ll see what I mean.
END OF SHOW
Continue on to Becoming Part 2
Transcripts
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.
A town square in Galway, Ireland, 1753. The camera looks straight down
from above onto the cobblestones. A lone rider on his horse passes
underneath, and the camera follows them past a well as Angelus narrates.
Angelus: There’s moments in your life that make you, that set the
course of who you’re gonna be. Sometimes they’re little, subtle moments.
Sometimes… they’re not. I’ll show you what I mean.
The horseman continues past a tavern on the far side of the square. The
door opens, and a young drunk Angel and his drunk friend are thrown out.
Angel: (with an Irish accent) We’ll be back when we’ve found a bit more
cash money! Keep the girls warm!
The tavern proprietor slams the door shut, and Angel pounds on it a
couple of times.
Angel’s friend: (moans) Let’s go.
Angel staggers back over to him and puts his arm around him. They begin
to walk with a definite sway in their step.
Angel: Come on. We’ll sneak in and take some of me father’s silver.
He’ll never miss it. He eats with his hands, the pig.
His friend is too drunk to go on, and faints dead away, falling out of
Angel’s arm to the pavement. Angel looks down at him.
Angel: Ah. Why don’t you rest right here.
He takes a look around and spots a noble lady in a fancy period dress
standing in an alley beyond an archway. The woman gives a slight
backward glance to be sure she has his attention, and starts to walk
further into the alley, disappearing around a corner from Angel’s view.
He follows her.
Cut to the alley. The woman continues her slow pace and looks up when
Angel comes through the archway and begins to speak. As she gets closer
to the camera it becomes clear that the woman is Darla. Her long curly
blonde hair is very nicely coiffed.
Angel: So, I’d ask myself… What’s a lady of your station doing alone
in an alley with the reputation that this one has?
Darla: (still facing away) Maybe she’s lonely.
Angel: In that case, I’d offer myself as escort to protect you from
harm and to while away the dull hours.
Darla: You’re very gracious.
Angel: Hm. It’s often been said.
Darla: (turns to face him) Are you certain you’re up to the challenge?
Angel: (approaches her) Milady, you’ll find that with the exception of
an honest day’s work, there’s no challenge I’m not prepared to face.
He stops in front of her and looks into her eyes.
Angel: Oh… But you’re a pretty thing. Where are you from?
Darla: (smiles) Around. Everywhere.
Angel: I never been anywhere myself. Always wanted to see the world,
but…
Darla: I could show you. (smiles)
Angel: Could you, then?
Darla: Things you’ve never seen, never even heard of.
Angel: Sounds exciting.
Darla: It is. And frightening.
Angel: I’m not afraid. Show me. Show me your world.
Darla: (closes her eyes) Close your eyes.
Angel follows her example. The camera follows her hand as she puts it on
his shoulder, and continues up to show her face vamped out. She smiles,
lets out a low growl and opens wide as she leans in to bite him. When he
feels the pain his eyes open wide, and he gasps. He can’t keep steady,
and sinks to his knees. Darla lets go of her bite, revealing his bloody
neck, and stands up straight. She lifts her hand to her chest and draws
a sharp fingernail across the skin above her breasts, allowing blood to
trickle out. She grabs him by the back of the neck and pulls him in to
her bosom so that his lips fall directly onto the cut, forcing him to
taste of her blood. He puts his arms around her and drinks.
Cut to the cemetery in Sunnydale, 1998. Angelus walks through carefully
and quietly while watching Buffy fight a pair of vampires nearby. He
sees her kick one and then the other, and then continues on to a better
vantage point. One of the vampires rushes Buffy, and she flips him over
onto his back.
Buffy: Nice try.
The other one comes at her again with a swing. She ducks it and punches
him in the face, in the gut and again in the face. He falls to the
ground, dazed. The first one comes at her again with a kick, but she
blocks it with her arm, backhand punches him in the face, jabs him in
the gut and grabs his arm, twisting it up high and forcing him to his
knees in pain. Angelus looks on from behind a tree and smiles. The
second vampire gets back up and rushes her. Without letting go of the
first one she cleanly jams her stake into the other one’s chest, and he
crumbles into ashes. Angelus can’t help but snicker. Buffy turns her
attention back to the one she’s holding and punches him in the face,
making him roll away.
Buffy: I want you to get a message to Angel for me. Tell him I’m done
waiting. I’m taking the fight to him.
Angelus smiles as he listens.
Buffy: You got that? Need me to write it down for you?
The vampire gets up and charges her. She grabs him and pulls him around
and down to the ground, and immediately plunges her stake home. He
bursts into ashes.
Buffy: Alright, I’ll tell him myself.
She gets up and walks over behind a gravestone, where she reaches down
to help someone up.
Xander: (moans) I’m good. Don’t worry about me. (rubs his neck)
Buffy: You know, you don’t have to patrol with me.
Xander: (indicates the pile of ash) I had that guy under control until
he resorted to fisticuffs. (cranes his neck) Oh! What is that, um…
five vampires in three nights?
Buffy: Yep. But no Angel.
Xander: Are you, uh, really that anxious to come up against him?
Buffy: I want it over with.
Xander: (nods) I hear that.
Buffy: Oh, we better go. (exhales) I haven’t even started studying for
finals yet. (starts to go)
Xander: (joins her) Oh, yeah, finals! Why didn’t you let me die?
Buffy: Ah, look on the bright side. It’ll all be over soon.
They leave the cemetery under the watchful eyes of Angelus.
Angelus: Yes, my love. It will.
He smirks and turns to leave the other way.
Opening credits roll. Buffy’s theme plays.~~ Part 1 ~~
The research lab at the Sunnydale Museum of Natural History. The camera
pans across a large rectangular chunk of rock over to a technician. She
is carefully cleaning off a section of the rock. She lets a jet of
compressed air blow away some dust. A moment later she lets another jet
go, and then reaches up with a brush and runs it across the rock. Dr.
Doug Perren, one of the museum curators, comes over to check her
progress.
Doug: Careful, now. (points) Concentrate in this area. (watches her
work a moment) There you go.
The door opens behind him, and he turns to see Giles come in.
Giles: Hello?
Doug: (comes to greet him) Rupert Giles?
Giles: Yes.
Doug: Doug Perren. (shakes his hand) Thanks for coming.
Giles: Oh, not at all. It’s… flattered to be asked.
Doug: I spoke with Lou Tabor at the Washington Institute, and he told
me we had the best authority on obscure relics right here in Sunnydale.
Giles: Oh… (laughs) He may have, uh, exaggerated a little. (sees the
obelisk) Ah, is this the…
Doug: This is our baby. (they approach it) Construction workers dug it
up outside of town. Don’t have a clue what it is. Any ideas?
Giles: (touches and looks at the rock) A few. None I’d care to share
until I can verify. (notices the runes on it) You have, uh, carbon dated
it? (inspects the writings)
Doug: The results’ll be back in a couple of days. I’ll go out on a limb
and say old.
Giles: (smirks) Um, yes, it, it certainly… (picks up a jar and a
scraper) predates any, uh… settlements we’ve read about. (points) Um,
may, may I?
Doug: Yeah. Sure.
Giles leans in and begins to scrape at the corner of the obelisk,
catching the debris in the jar. He digs into an apparent groove. A few
scrapes later he stops and taps the scraper clean on the jar.
Giles: I assume you’ve, uh, you haven’t tried to open it.
Doug: Open it?
He leans over to see what Giles has discovered.
Doug: Ah, I’ll be damned. I figured it was solid. What do you think is
in there?
Giles: (staring intently) I don’t know.
Doug: Well… I guess we won’t know until we open it up.
Giles: (considers) Yes, but could I ask, um… would you wait? I, uh…
I’d like to work on translating the text. It-it-it might give us an
indication of… what we’ll find inside.
Doug: You don’t want to be surprised?
Giles: A-as a rule, no.
Doug: Alright. You’re the expert. But I’m pretty damn curious, though.
Giles: (removes his glasses) Yes. Yes, so am I.
Cut to the cafeteria at Sunnydale High. The camera focuses on two fish
sticks that Xander is holding, one with a toothpick stuck through the
middle. He plays with them like puppets, moving the one with the
toothpick around.
Xander: Tell Angel I’m gonna kill him! No, wait. I’m gonna kill you!
He starts to repeatedly stab the toothpick into the other fish stick.
The camera pulls back and up to his face.
Xander: Die! Die! Die!
He makes an anguished face and lets the fish stick fall.
Xander: Aah! (makes a thudding noise) (squeals) Mother! (smiles)
Cordelia: Is that it?
Xander: Yeah. That’s it. (chuckles) Scene! (grins)
Cut to Willow, Oz and Buffy at the opposite side of the table. Willow is
sitting on Oz’s lap.
Buffy: That’s exactly how it happened.
Oz: Well, I thought it was riveting. Uh, I was a little unclear about
some of the themes.
Buffy: The theme is Angel’s too much of a coward to take me on face-to-
face.
Xander: (still playing with the fish sticks) And the other theme was
‘Buy American’, but it, uh, got kind of buried.
Willow: (to Buffy) Do you think you’re ready to fight Angel?
Buffy: I wish people would stop asking me that. Yes, I’m ready. I’m
also willing and able. Just the one test I might actually pass.
Willow: Don’t say that! You’re gonna pass everything. I will get you
through this semester if I have to sweat blood.
Xander: Do you think you’re likely to? ‘Cause I’d like to be elsewhere.
Willow: It was only metaphor blood.
Oz: I think you’d sweat cute blood.
Willow: (gives Oz a smile) (to Buffy) Sixth period, after my computer
class, we’ll rock on chemistry.
Buffy: Ready to rock.
Cordelia: Boy, Willow, you’ve really got the teaching bug: taking over
computer class, tutoring…
Willow: (smiles widely) I love it. I really do.
Cordelia: I think it’s great to do that before you go out and fail in
the real world. That way you’re not falling back on something. You’re
falling… well, forward.
Xander: (rolls his eyes) And almost sixty-five percent of that was
actual compliment. Is that a personal best?
Cordelia: Gee, Xander, what are you gonna teach when you fail in life?
Advanced loser-being?
Xander: I will teach… (with a French accent) zee Language of Love!
(reaches for her)
Cordelia: (fights him off) Don’t touch me! You have fish hands!
Snyder comes into the cafeteria behind them.
Xander: Come, let me caress you!
Cordelia: Stop it!
Xander: Let me in!
Cordelia: No! (laughs) Don’t!
Snyder: That’s enough of that. (to Willow) And you! Are we having a
chair shortage?
Willow: I didn’t read anything about… Oh. (slides off of Oz’s lap and
into her chair) I get it.
Snyder: These public displays of affection are not acceptable in my
school. This isn’t an orgy, people. It’s a classroom.
Buffy: Yeah! Where they teach lunch.
Snyder: (glares at her) Just give me a reason to kick you out, Summers.
Just give me a reason. (walks off)
Cordelia: How about because you’re a tiny, impotent Nazi with a bug up
his butt the size of an emu?
Buffy: Sums it up.
Cordelia: Don’t you think?
Willow: (smiles) (to Buffy) Do you wanna come by my house tonight and
study, too?
Buffy: Maybe. I-I do have to patrol.
Willow: Again? Do you really expect Angel to turn up tonight?
Buffy: No, I don’t expect him to. But that’s usually when he does.
Cut to an abbey in London, 1860. Cut inside the nave. Monks are
chanting. Drusilla walks behind the pews toward the confession booths.
Before going in she faces the altar, kneels and crosses herself. She
looks up briefly before getting back to her feet and going into one of
the booths. As she steps in through the curtain an arm juts out of the
adjacent one where the priest waits, and muffled noises and struggling
can be heard. The arm gets pulled back in as quickly as it appeared. Cut
inside the confessional. Drusilla sits down and pulls the scarf from her
head.
Drusilla: Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.
In the next booth Angelus is caught by surprise, and drops the dead
priest.
Drusilla: It’s been two days since my last confession. (waits for an
answer) Father?
Angelus: (goes along with it) That’s not very long.
Drusilla: (with a trembling voice) Oh, Father, I’m so afraid.
Angelus: The Lord is very forgiving. Tell me your sins.
Drusilla: I had… (breathes deeply) I’ve been seeing again, Father.
Yesterday, the men were going to work in the mine. I had… (shakes) a
terrible fright. (draws a frightened breath) My stomach all (draws
another) tied up, and I saw this horrible… crash. (calms a bit) My
mummy said to keep my peace, it didn’t mean nothing. But this morning…
they had a cave-in. Two men died.
Angelus: Go on.
Drusilla: Me mum says… I’m cursed. (exhales) My seeing things is an
affront to the Lord, (inhales sharply) that only he’s supposed to see
anything before it happens. (inhales, sobs) But I don’t mean to, Father,
I swear! (inhales) I swear! (begins to cry) I try to be pure in his
sight. (sobs) I don’t want to be an evil thing.
Angelus: Oh, hush, child. The Lord has a plan for all creatures. Even a
Devil child like you.
Drusilla: (taken aback) A Devil?
Angelus: Yes! You’re a spawn of Satan. All the Hail Marys in the world
aren’t going to help. The Lord will use you and smite you down. He’s
like that.
Drusilla: (frightened) What can I do?
Angelus: Fulfill his plan, child. Be evil. Just give in.
Drusilla: No! (sobs) I want to be good. (sobs) I want to be pure.
Angelus: We all do, at first. The world doesn’t work that way.
Drusilla: Father… I beg you… Please… Please, help me.
Angelus: Very well. Ten Our Fathers and an Act of Contrition. Does that
sound good?
Drusilla: (relieved) Yes. (exhales) Yes, Father. Thank you.
Angelus: The pleasure was mine. And my child… (raises his hand to the
lattice between them)
Drusilla: Yes?
Angelus: (stares at her) God is watching you.
Cut to the atrium at Angelus’ mansion, 1998. Drusilla comes down the
stairs to the garden below. There Spike sits in his wheelchair and reads
the newspaper.
Spike: Nice walk, pet?
Drusilla: (holds her tummy as though sick) I met an old man. Didn’t
like him. He got stuck in my teeth. (licks her fingers) (faces Spike)
But then the Moon started whispering to me… (closes her eyes and leans
her head back) All sorts of dreadful things.
Angelus walks into the Garden behind Spike.
Angelus: Well, what did it say?
Spike: Oh. Look who’s awake.
Angelus bumps Spike’s head with his fist as he walks past him.
Angelus: What did the Moon tell you? (walks around Dru) Did you have a
vision? Is something coming?
Drusilla: Oh, yeah. (whispers) Something terrible. Psst, psst, psst,
psst, psst, psst…
Angelus: Where?
Drusilla: At the museum. A tomb… (smiles) with a surprise inside.
Angelus: (holds his hand up to her head) You can see all that in your
head?
Spike: No, you ninny. She read it in the morning paper. (hands over the
paper)
Angelus: (takes the paper and looks) Oh, my.
The headline of the Sunnydale Press reads ‘Mysterious Obelisk
Unearthed’. The article’s subtitle reads ‘Excavators Discover Ancient
Artifact’.
Drusilla: That’s what’s been whispering to me. Sh.
Angelus: Oh, yeah. (to Drusilla) Don’t worry, though. Soon it’ll stop.
(to Spike) Soon it’ll scream.
He smiles over at Spike. Drusilla waves her head around open-mouthed and
playfully snaps at Angelus’ cheek.
Cut to the computer science classroom after school. Willow is tutoring
Buffy in chemistry. Buffy gives up in frustration and slaps down her
pencil.
Buffy: Waah! This doesn’t make any sense. (pouts at Willow)
Willow: Well, sure it does. See… (takes the paper and looks) Oh, no,
this doesn’t make any sense.
Buffy: (shrugs) It’s senseless. (plays with her pencil)
Willow: (encouragingly) It is, but at least you know that, so you’re
learning. (looks at the problem more closely)
Buffy: Yay me. Well, it doesn’t matter anyway. I mean, when in the real
world am I ever gonna need chemistry or history or math or the English
language?
Willow: (shoots Buffy a glance) Okay. I see your problem.
Buffy: I’m a moron?
Willow: (gives Buffy a look) Will you stop that? You’re not stupid!
You’ve just had a lot on your mind. You can learn this real easily, but
if you’re just gonna give up, then don’t waste my time.
Buffy: (impressed) Wow. You really are a good teacher. (smiles)
Willow: Okay. Look at this. A covalent bond, which means these two
atoms are linked by this…
Buffy puts her pencil down on her open book, and it rolls off of the
desk and into the space between it and the filing cabinet next to it.
Buffy: Ohh! (moans) Hold that thought.
She reaches down and in with her fingers, and pulls the pencil out. In
the process she bumps the disk with the pencil so it now leans against
the desk instead of the cabinet.
Buffy: (sits back up) Okay. I’m Learn Girl.
Willow: Okay. (points to the paper) So, see here…
Buffy: (has an epiphany) Deja vu.
Willow: Really?
Buffy: Yeah. I have this perfect memory of the pencil and…
She drops the pencil onto her book again. It rolls off of the desk
again, falls and hits the disk. She looks over into the space and sees
the disk. She reaches down again for it and her pencil.
Buffy: Oh, hey. (pulls up the disk and pencil) You dropped this.
She hands the unlabeled yellow disk to Willow, who looks at it
curiously.
Willow: It’s not mine. It might be something of Ms. Calendar’s.
She inserts the disk into her laptop’s floppy drive.
Buffy: This feels kinda morbid.
Willow: (smiles at Buffy) I’ve gone through most of her files already.
Buffy: Does that make it less morbid or you really morbid?
The program on the disk starts up, and the Rumanian text scrolls into
the left-hand window.
Willow: (sighs) I had to, to teach her class.
The translation program’s percent complete window appears, and the bar
begins to zip across the screen.
Buffy: Relax, Will. I was making with the funny.
They both watch as the bar reaches the far side. It disappears, and the
English translation scrolls into the right-hand window.
Buffy: (looks closely) Does that say ‘restoration’? (keeps reading)
Willow: It’s one of her spells, I think. (looks at Buffy) Ms. Calendar
wasn’t a practicing witch, but she did dabble…
Buffy: (interrupts) Willow… (keeps reading)
Willow looks back at the screen and begins reading more. She quickly
realizes what they’ve found.
Willow: Oh, boy. Oh, boy. Oh, boy.
The camera closes in on Buffy. She has stopped reading, and just looks
stunned.~~ Part 2 ~~
A wood in Rumania, 1898. Angelus runs through the trees, panting in his
desperation to reach a gypsy camp. Cut to the camp. The camera pans
across the dead body of the young Kalderash Gypsy girl that Angelus has
recently killed. She is on a table dressed in white and lying on an
intricately patterned quilt with candles burning around the perimeter.
Members of the clan are laying rose petals on her. The camera continues
to pan over to the Elder Woman sitting beneath a tent canopy and
chanting over an Orb of Thesulah surrounded by candles within a sacred
circle. Angelus continues running through the woods as she chants.
Elder Woman: Nici mort, nici de-al fiintei, Te invoc, spirit al
trecerii. Reda trupului ce separa omul de animal!
Translation: Neither dead, nor of the living, I invoke you, spirit of
the passing. Return to the body what distinguishes Man from the beast!
Angelus breaks through the trees into the clearing of the camp. He trips
and falls by the great bonfire raging near the center of the camp.
Elder Woman: Asa sa fie.
Translation: So it shall be.
He gets to his hands and knees and looks over at the Elder Woman, still
chanting. Cut to the Elder Woman.
Elder Woman: Utrespur aceastui.
Translation: Restore this one.
The glowing Orb suddenly gets very bright for an instant, and then goes
dark. Cut to Angelus. His eyes grow bright for a moment, then return to
normal, his soul now restored. An elder man of the clan steps up to him
as he sits back on his ankles.
Gypsy Man: It hurts, yes? Good. It will hurt more.
Angel: (confused) Where am I? (pants hard)
Gypsy Man: You don’t remember… everything you’ve done for a hundred
years. In a moment, you will. The face of everyone you killed… our
daughter’s face… they will haunt you, and you will know what true
suffering is.
Angel: (still not understanding) Killed? I, I don’t…
Slowly the memories come back to him: all the people in Budapest after
the earthquake that he and Darla killed for their blood; all the people
he’s turned into demons; the gypsy girl that proved to be his downfall.
Angel: No…
He looks down away from the man and begins to sob.
Angel: No… No… No…
He bends down to the ground in sorrow and grief.
Cut to the library at Sunnydale High School, 1998. Xander and Cordelia
are sitting at the table. Giles walks up to Buffy and Willow.
Giles: What are you saying?
Buffy: The curse. (holds out a printout) This is it.
Willow: Looks like Ms. Calendar was trying to replicate the original
curse. To restore Angel’s soul again.
Giles: (takes the printout, stares at it) She said it couldn’t be done.
Buffy: Well, she tried anyway. And it looks like it might have worked.
Xander: So he killed her… before she could tell anyone about it. What
a prince, huh? (looks away)
Cordelia: This is good, right? I mean, we can curse him again.
Buffy paces, thinking.
Giles: Um, well, this, um… certainly points the way, but… the
ritual itself requires a greater knowledge of the black arts than I, I,
I can claim.
Willow: Well, I’ve been going through her files and, and researching
the black arts, for fun, or educational fun, and I may be able to work
this.
Giles: (very concerned) W-Willow… channeling… such potent magicks
through yourself, it could open a door that you may not be able to
close.
Buffy: I don’t want you putting yourself in any danger, Will.
Willow: And I don’t want danger. Big ‘no’ to danger, but I may be the
best person to do this.
Xander: Hi! For those of you who have just tuned in, (gets up) everyone
here is a crazy person. (walks to the end of the table) So this spell
might restore Angel’s humanity? Well, here’s an interesting angle.
(harshly) Who cares?
Buffy: I care.
Xander: (not surprised) Is that right.
Giles: Let’s not lose our perspective here, Xander.
Willow looks at Xander, disbelieving what she’s hearing from him.
Xander: (standing his ground) I’m Perspective Guy. Angel’s a killer.
Willow: Xander…
Buffy: It’s not that simple.
Xander: (disgusted) What? All is forgiven? I can’t believe you people!
Cordelia: (gets up) Xander has a point.
Xander: (to Cordelia, in a raised voice) You know, just for once, I
wish you’d support me, and I realize right now that you were, and I’m
embarrassed, so I’m gonna get back to the point, (to the others) which
is that Angel needs to die.
Giles: Curing Angel seems to have been Jenny’s last wish.
Xander: Yeah? Well, Jenny’s dead.
Giles: (approaches Xander angrily) Don’t you ever speak of her in
that tone again!
Xander: (yells back) Can’t you hear what I’m saying?
They begin to argue heatedly. Buffy rushes over and gets between them.
Buffy: Stop it! Stop it!
They all shut up and glare at each other for a moment. Buffy turns away
and goes over to Willow, very upset. Giles paces away, also very upset.
Willow: (quietly) What do you wanna do?
Buffy: (sighs) (quietly) I-I don’t know. What happened to Angel wasn’t
his fault.
Xander: Yeah, but what happened to Ms. Calendar is.
Buffy and Willow stare at him in disbelief.
Xander: (very coldly) You can paint this any way you want. But the way
I see it is that you wanna forget all about Ms. Calendar’s murder so you
can get your boyfriend back.
Buffy refuses to listen to any more of this, and walks out of the
library. Willow and Giles just stare at Xander in surprise and shock. He
walks back to his chair at the table.
Cut to the museum research lab. Dr. Perren is going over his notes when
he hears some whispering coming from behind him. He turns around to
look, but no one’s there.
Doug: Hello?
He gets up and slowly walks over to the obelisk. The whispering gets
louder as he nears it. He reaches up to the runes on the face of the
rock and touches them. The whispering seems to be coming from inside. He
places his hand flat on the face of the rock and stares up at it in
amazement. Suddenly Drusilla wraps her hand around his mouth from behind
and pulls his head back to expose his neck. She leans in and bites him
hard as he struggles to get away. Behind her Angelus and two other
vampires approach the obelisk.
Angelus: I’ll have one of these to go.
The two vampires walk around the rock with some rope and tools to haul
it away.
Angelus: Dru…
She jerks her head up from her victim and turns her eyes toward him,
growling and smiling a most evil smile.
Angelus: Save me some.
Cut to Buffy’s room at home. She piles a bunch of stakes and crosses
into her bag while talking on the phone with Willow.
Buffy: Well, I’ll do a couple of sweeps, and then I’ll stop by.
(listens) Yeah, Xander was pretty much being a… Willow! Where did you
learn that word? My God. You kiss your mother with that mouth?
She goes over to her desk while listening to Willow talk some more. She
grabs a couple more stakes from the top left drawer.
Buffy: I don’t know. I don’t know what I wanna do.
At the bottom of the drawer she sees the claddagh ring that Angel gave
her, and stares at it sadly for a moment. She reaches in for it and
holds it gently with her fingers, remembering.
Buffy: I’ll, I’ll see you in a little while, okay?
She turns off the phone and sets it down. She holds the ring with both
hands again and gazes at the design: two hands for friendship, a crown
for loyalty and a heart for love.
Cut to the park. Buffy walks through on patrol and heads into some
bushes. She stops and jerks her head aside when she hears something
snap. Slowly she takes a few more steps to investigate. She hears
another sound behind her, and spins around to look. Nothing. Again she
takes a couple of steps. Suddenly Kendra comes out of the bushes to
stand right behind her. Buffy instantly pivots around with her fist held
up, ready to punch. She stays herself when she recognizes the other
girl.
Buffy: (exhales) You know, polite people call before they jump out of
the bushes and attack you.
Kendra: (in her accent) Just wanted to test your reflexes.
Buffy: How about testing my face-punching? ‘Cause I think you’ll find
it’s improved.
Kendra: I was on my way to your house. Saw you walking. Couldn’t help
meself.
Buffy: (smiles) Which begs the question, and don’t think I’m not glad
to see you, but, why are you here? (Kendra starts to answer) Oh, wait.
No, let me guess. Your watcher informed you (imitating her accent) dat a
very dark power is about to rise in Sunnydale.
Kendra: Dat’s about it.
Buffy: Great. So, you have any idea what this dark power is?
Cut to the main hall in Angelus’ mansion. He and Drusilla walk in across
the marble floor to where Spike is sitting in his wheelchair, staring at
the obelisk set in front of the huge fireplace.
Spike: (hears them coming) It’s a big rock. I can’t wait to tell my
friends. They don’t have a rock this big.
Angelus: Spike, boy, you never did learn your history.
Spike: Let’s have a lesson, then.
Angelus: Acathla the demon came forth to swallow the world. (strolls to
the obelisk) He was killed by a virtuous knight who pierced the demon’s
heart before he could draw a breath to perform the act. Acathla turned
to stone, as demons sometimes do, and was buried (turns to face Spike)
where neither man nor demon would want to look. (starts away from the
obelisk) Unless of course they’re putting up low-rent housing. Boys…
The two vampires reach up with crowbars and pry open the tomb. The lid
crashes to the floor, stirring up plenty of dust. Inside is a tall,
horned, stockily built stone demon with a sword protruding from the
right side of its chest. Upon seeing him Drusilla closes her eyes,
raises her hands to the sides of her head and begins to sway it back and
forth.
Drusilla: He fills my head. I can’t hear anything else.
Spike: Let me guess. Someone pulls out the sword…
Angelus: Someone worthy…
Spike: Mm. The demon wakes up, and wackiness ensues.
Drusilla: (opens her eyes, lowers her arms) He will swallow the world.
Angelus: And every creature living on this planet will go to Hell.
He walks up to Acathla for a closer look, and turns to face the others.
Angelus: My friends… we’re about to make history… end. (smiles
evilly)~~ Part 3 ~~
The library. Giles comes out of his office into the main room where
Buffy and Kendra are waiting at the table. Willow is behind the counter,
researching in a book.
Giles: I’ve been on the phone to the museum. The artifact in question
is missing, and the curator has been murdered. Vampires. (leans on the
table)
Buffy: And you’re sure this was the tomb of Alfalfa?
Giles: Acathla. And yes, the information provided by Kendra’s Watcher
seems conclusive.
He straightens back up. Willow walks out from behind the counter.
Willow: Okay, somebody explain the whole ‘he will suck the world into
Hell’ thing, because that’s the part I’m not loving.
Giles: Well, the, uh, (puts on his glasses) the Demon Universe exists
in a dimension separate from our own. (sits on the table) With one
breath, Acathla will create a vortex, a-a kind of, um… whirlpool that
will pull everything on Earth into that dimension, where any non-demon
life will suffer horrible and… eternal torment.
Buffy: So that would be the literal kind of ‘sucked into Hell’. (smiles
nervously) Neat. (frowns, turns to Willow) Willow, I think you should
try the curse.
Kendra: I tend to side with your friend Xander on this one. Angel
should be eliminated.
Buffy: Oh, I’ll fight him. I’ll kill him if I have to. But if I don’t
get there in time, or if I lose, then Willow might be our only hope.
Willow: (taken aback) I don’t wanna be our only hope! Uh, I crumble
under pressure! Let’s have another hope.
Kendra: We have. (pulls a sword from her bag) Blessed by the knight who
first slew the demon. (Giles looks at the sword, intrigued) If all else
fails, this might stop it. I tink.
Giles: (approaches) Ooh. May I? May I? (takes the sword from Kendra)
Thank you. Well, l-let’s, uh, hope all else doesn’t fail. (to Willow)
Um, how close are you to f-figuring out the ritual of the curse?
Willow: (goes to her pack) I need about a day, and… (picks up some
papers and reads) an ‘Orb of Thesulah’? Whatever that is.
Giles: (hands the sword back to Kendra) Spirit vault for rituals of the
undead. (heads toward his office) I’ve got one. (embarrassed) I-I’ve
been using it as a… paperweight. (disappears into his office)
Willow: (to Buffy) This means I can’t help you study for tomorrow’s
final.
Buffy: Ah, I’ll wing it. Of course, if we go to Hell by then, I won’t
have to take ’em. (worried) Or maybe I’ll be taking them forever.
Giles: (comes back with the Orb) Angel has a ritual of his own to
perform before he can remove the sword and awaken Acathla. With any
luck, it should take some time.
Buffy stares at the Orb as Giles hands it to Willow.
Cut to Angelus’ mansion. Spike paces in his room. He hears Drusilla
coming.
Drusilla: Spike?
He quickly gets back into his chair. Drusilla comes through the curtain
into the room.
Drusilla: Spike, my sweet! The fun’s about to begin.
He wheels himself out of the room and heads for the main hall.
Cut to the main hall before the obelisk. The two vampires drag in a
young man, barefoot and bare-chested with his hands tied behind his
back. They drop him to the floor before Spike, Angelus and Drusilla.
Angelus: (comes toward the young man) I will drink… the blood will
wash in me, over me, and I will be cleansed. I will be worthy to free
Acathla. (looks at Spike) Bear witness… (looks at Drusilla) as I
ascend… (looks ahead and morphs into his game face) as I become.
He grabs the man by the hair and lifts him up, holding his head at an
angle to expose his neck. He roars and bites the young man hard and fast
on the neck. He drinks deeply, brings up his hand to brush it against
the man’s wound and then lets him fall to the floor dead. He looks at
the blood on his hand. He lowers it and starts to walk slowly toward
Acathla.
Angelus: Everything that I am, everything that I have done, has led me
here.
Cut to Manhattan, 1996. A bum steps up to a trashcan and begins to go
through it. A man walks past him and on down the street. Having found
nothing, the bum makes his way into an alley with slow, labored steps. A
boy runs past him with a package and disappears further down the alley.
The bum, tired and weak, staggers into a concrete post at the side of
the alley and stops. He coughs and rolls around to lean with his back
against the post, and it’s Angel, tired, filthy and unkempt. He just
breathes for a moment, and then smells something. He searches the alley
with his eyes and spots a rat scampering across to the other side. He
takes a couple of unsteady steps, brushes the hair from his face and
begins to stalk the rat. It reaches the other side and disappears into a
pile of trashcans and bags. Angel dives after it, scattering the cans
and bags noisily, but loses the rat. A man comes into the alley behind
him. Angel rolls over to sit and flails his arms at the trashcans in
anger over missing the rat. The man comes up to him.
Whistler: God, are you disgusting.
Angel calms down a bit and looks around himself.
Whistler: This is really an unforgettable smell. This is the stench of
death you’re giving off here. And the look says, uh… Crazy Homeless
Guy. It’s not good.
Angel: (angrily) Get away from me.
Whistler: What are you gonna do, bite me? (gasps and jumps back)
Horrors! A vampire!
Angel looks at him in surprise.
Whistler: Ah, but you wouldn’t bite me on account of your poor,
tortured soul. It’s so sad, a vampire with a soul. It’s so poignant.
Angel: (confused) Who are you?
Whistler: Let’s take a walk.
Cut to a ways down the street. The two of them walk along the sidewalk
for a few paces and then turn into the street to cross to the hotdog
stand on the other side. Angel isn’t paying any attention to the
traffic, so Whistler grabs his arm to stop him.
Whistler: What are you eating? (they continue across) Like, a rat once
a month?
Angel strays and almost walks into another car. Whistler grabs him again
and pulls him back in time.
Whistler: Hey! (car honks, they continue) Look, you’re skin and bones
here! Butcher shops are throwing away more blood in a day than you could
stand. Good blood. (they reach the far side) You lived in the world a
little bit, you’d know that.
Angel: I wanna know who you are. (stops)
Whistler: (stops and faces him) And I wanna know who you are.
Angel: You already do.
Whistler: Not yet. But I’m looking to find out. ‘Cause you could go
either way here.
Angel: I don’t understand you.
Whistler: Nobody understands me. That’s my curse. (chuckles)
He steps over to the street vendor and pulls out some cash.
Whistler: Dog me. Mustard.
He watches the vendor get out the hotdog and squirt on some mustard.
Whistler: (to Angel) My name’s Whistler.
Vendor: Here you go.
Whistler: (takes the dog) Thanks. (hands over a bill, turns to Angel)
Anyway, lately it is. (takes a bite) Mm.
Angel: (looks down) You’re not a vampire.
Whistler: A demon… technically. I mean, I’m not a bad guy. Not all
demons are dedicated to the destruction of all life.
Angel: (looks at him) Whadaya mean, I can go either way?
Whistler: I mean that you can become an even more useless rodent than
you already are, or you can become someone. A person. Someone to be
counted.
Angel: I just wanna be left alone. (starts away)
Whistler: Well, yeah, you’ve been left alone for, what, ninety years
already. (Angel turns back) And what a package you are. The Stink Guy!
Angel: What do you want from me?
Whistler: I want you to see something.
He gives Angel an intense look. Angel just looks at him.
Whistler: We’d have to leave now. You see, and then you tell me what
you wanna do.
Angel: Where is it?
Cut to Hemery High School in Los Angeles, 1996. School is over for the
day, and the students come streaming out. An old, rusted Chevy Impala
with its windows spray-painted black pulls up on the far side of the
street. The driver’s window lowers, and Angel squints out into the
daylight, careful to remain in shadow. He looks over at the building and
sees Buffy come down the steps with three of her friends.
Buffy: So I’m like, ‘Dad, do you want me to go to the dance in an
outfit I’ve already worn? Why do you hate me?’
Girl#1: Is Tyler taking you?
Buffy: Where were you when I got over Tyler? He’s of the past. (Angel
watches her) Tyler would have to crawl on his hands and knees to get me
to go to the dance with him. Which, actually, he’s supposed to do after
practice, so I’m gonna wait.
Girl#1: Okay. See ya later.
Girl#2: Bye!
Buffy: (waves to Girl#1) Call me!
Girl#1: Okay!
Buffy: (waves to Girl#2) Call me! (waves to Girl#3) Call me!
Girl#3: I will!
Buffy climbs back up a few steps and looks around. She takes off her
jacket and sits down to wait for Tyler. She lays the jacket across her
legs and idly looks around again. A man in a black suit approaches her.
He is her first Watcher, who has finally found her.
Watcher: Buffy Summers?
Buffy: (looks at him) Yeah? (smiles) Hi! (confused) What?
Watcher: I need to speak with you.
Buffy: (worried) You’re not from Bullock’s, are you? ‘Cause I-I meant
to pay for that lipstick.
Watcher: There isn’t much time. You must come with me. Your destiny
awaits.
Buffy: (confused, shakes her head) I don’t have a destiny. (nods) I’m
destiny-free, really.
Watcher: (seriously) Yes, you have. You are the Chosen One. You alone
can stop them.
Buffy: Who?
Watcher: The vampires.
Buffy: (considers for a moment) Huh?
Cut to a cemetery. Buffy lands flat on her back.
Buffy: Oof!
A vampire props himself over her, growling menacingly. She is very
frightened, and looks around frantically for what to do. Angel watches
from behind some gravestones. Buffy spots her stake, but can’t reach it,
so she just gets her hands underneath the vampire and pushes him off. He
flies off of her and lands hard on his back.
Buffy: Oh, God…
She rolls onto her hands and knees and scrambles on all fours to
retrieve her stake.
Buffy: Oh, God… Oh… Oh, God… Unh!
She grabs the stake and quickly gets to her feet. She looks at it,
unsure of what to do next. The vampire gets up and lunges at her.
Reflexively she grabs him, sidesteps him and sends him flipping over to
the ground again, dazed. She looks at the vampire, amazed by what she
just did. She glances back at the Watcher, down at her stake and then
makes her move to dispatch the vampire. She quickly gets to her knees,
raises the stake above her head and plunges it into him, but gets him in
the gut instead of the chest.
Buffy: Oh! Not the heart!
Angel watches, concerned. Buffy plunges the stake into the vampire
again, and this time hits her mark. An instant later the vampire bursts
into ashes. Buffy is caught by surprise, and she screams and jumps back,
landing on her butt. She just stares at the ashes on the grass in wide-
eyed shock. Behind her the Watcher steps up.
Watcher: You see? You see your power?
Buffy isn’t at all sure she wants to see. Angel continues to watch.
Cut to Buffy’s house in L.A. The camera looks into her room from
outside. Buffy comes in with her mother close behind.
Joyce: Why didn’t you call?
Buffy: (faces her mom) I’m sorry. I-I didn’t know it was so late. Tyler
and I were talking.
Joyce: (exhales) That boy is irresponsible.
Buffy: No, mom. It’s not his fault. (takes off her jacket)
Joyce: You know we worry, that’s all.
They look at each other for a moment, and Joyce shrugs.
Joyce: Dinner’s in ten minutes. (leaves)
Buffy: (whispers) Yeah.
She goes through the other door into her bathroom. The camera pans from
the bedroom window over to the bathroom window. She turns on the water
to wash up from the cemetery. Her parents talk in the hall, and she can
hear as it escalates into an argument.
Hank: Did she say where she was?
Joyce: She was with Tyler.
Hank: I don’t want her seeing him anymore, period!
Angel looks in at her from outside.
Joyce: You’re overreacting, dear.
Buffy looks at herself in the mirror sadly. The tears begin to come.
Hank: Don’t do that! Don’t talk to me like I’m a kid!
Joyce: I don’t! Just forget it!
Angel continues to watch and listen.
Hank: Just because you can’t discipline her, I have to be the ogre!
Buffy keeps on staring into the mirror.
Joyce: I am not having this conversation again! Alright?
Buffy looks down and tries hard not to cry.
Cut to the sewers. Angel arrives where Whistler is waiting for him.
Whistler: She’s gonna have it tough, that Slayer. She’s just a kid. The
world’s full of big, bad things.
Angel: I wanna help her. (Whistler looks at him) I want… I wanna
become someone.
Whistler: God, jeez, look at you. She must be prettier than the last
Slayer. (Angel looks away) This isn’t gonna be easy. The more you live
in this world, the more you see how apart from it you really are.
(sternly) And this is dangerous work. Right now, you couldn’t go three
rounds with a fruit fly!
Angel: (with resolve) I wanna learn from you.
Whistler: Alright.
Angel: But I don’t wanna dress like you. (starts to leave)
Whistler: (follows) Again, you’re annoying me. You’re lucky we need you
on our side.
Cut to Angelus’ mansion, 1998. He approaches Acathla, still vamped out.
Angelus: I have strayed, I have been lost. But Acathla redeems me. With
this act, we will be free.
He grabs the hilt of the sword with both hands. A blindingly bright
light emanates from it. Drusilla smiles and bathes herself in it.
Angelus begins to shake with the power of the sword.~~ Part 4 ~~
In the main hall of Angelus’ mansion. He holds onto the sword tightly,
trying to draw it out of Acathla. It won’t budge, and a moment later a
bright red flame bursts from the sword, throwing Angelus back and onto
the floor.
Spike: (sing-song) Someone wasn’t worthy.
Angelus: (scrambles to his feet) Damn it!
Drusilla: (freaks out) This is so… disappointing! (moans)
Angelus: (paces angrily) There must be something I missed. The
incantations, the blood… I don’t know!
Spike tries hard to suppress a snicker, hiding his mouth with his hand.
Drusilla: (whining) What are we going to do?
Angelus: (menacingly) What we always do in a time of trouble: turn to
an old friend.
Hope returns to Drusilla’s eyes.
Angelus: (viciously) We’ll have our Armageddon. I swear!
He grabs a vase from a shelf and heaves it at the far wall, smashing it
into hundreds of tiny pieces.
Cut to class the next day. Willow, Buffy, Xander, Cordelia and the rest
of the class are taking one of their final exams. Everyone is intent on
it. Buffy looks up and glances around briefly, then turns her attention
back on her paper.
Cut to the hall. There are very few students. A mysterious figure with a
shawl over its head walks slowly toward the room where the team is
taking their test. The camera follows. The few students who pass don’t
take any notice.
Cut back to the class. Everyone is concentrating on the test, and no one
notices as the vampire comes in and pulls the shawl away from its face.
Vampire: Tonight… Sundown… (everyone looks up) At the graveyard…
Teacher: (gets up) Excuse me…
Exposed now to the daylight, the vampire begins to smoke.
Vampire: You will come to him. (takes the shawl off) You will come to
him or more will die.
She points at Buffy and ignites. Buffy watches, taken aback by the
vampire’s direct approach at delivering her message.
Vampire: Tonight!
The students scream, jump out of their chairs and begin to run from the
room. Cordelia and Xander also jump up, but don’t run. Buffy remains
calmly in her seat.
Vampire: His hour is at hand!
She combusts in a flash of flame and smoke. Buffy just stares at the
empty space before her.
Cut to the library. Xander, Cordelia and Willow are researching at the
table. Kendra approaches with her sheathed sword. The camera pulls back
to show Giles and Buffy up on the mezzanine.
Buffy: She said more would die. I have to go.
Kendra: Den I should go wit you.
Buffy: (faces Kendra) No. I need you here just in case. (heads for the
stairs) I can take care of myself. And look, (comes down) as long as
Angel’s fighting me, then he can’t do this end-of-the-world ritual
thingy, and that’s a good. (reaches the table) Will, what do you think?
Willow: (looks over her research) I just want to cross-check…
Buffy: We don’t have time. If this is gonna work, it has to work now.
Willow: Okay. Then I need maybe half an hour once we’re all set up.
Giles: (looks at the shelves) Which means you just have to hold Angel
off. Don’t let him close on you. (pulls out a book) If the curse
succeeds, you’ll, you’ll know.
He tosses the book down to Xander. Xander checks the title, and hands it
to Willow.
Cordelia: Why don’t you just wait here to find out if it worked, see if
he phones you?
Buffy: I can’t risk him killing any more people. I better go. (starts
out)
Xander: Be careful.
Buffy: (looks back) I will. (starts out again.)
Kendra: Here…
She grabs a stake from the table. Buffy stops and looks back. Kendra
goes over to her and holds up the twisted but very sharp stake.
Kendra: In case de curse does not succeed, dis is my lucky stake. I
have killed many vampires wit it. I call it Mr. Pointy.
Buffy: You named your stake?
Kendra: (a bit embarrassed) Yes.
Buffy: (smiles) Remind me to get you a stuffed animal.
She accepts the stake from Kendra and looks it over.
Buffy: Thanks.
Kendra: (exhales) Watch your back.
Buffy leaves the library.
Cut to the cemetery. Buffy walks through, watching all around as she
goes. Angelus walks out from behind a small mausoleum.
Angelus: Hello, lover. I wasn’t sure you’d come.
Buffy: After your immolation-o-gram? Come on, I had to show. Shouldn’t
you be out destroying the world right now, pulling the sword out of Al
Franken or whatever his name is?
Angelus: There’s time enough. I wanted to say goodbye first. You are
the one thing in this dimension I will miss.
Buffy: This is a beautiful moment we’re having. Can we please fight?
Angelus: I didn’t come here to fight.
Buffy: (raises her eyebrows) No?
Angelus: Gosh, I was hoping we could get back together. What do you
think? Do we have a shot? (gets a look from Buffy) Alright. We’ll fight.
He rushes at her.
Cut to the library. Willow is sitting cross-legged on the table. Before
her is the Orb of Thesulah within a sacred circle and surrounded by
candles, bones and stones. Willow casts some stones. She looks at them
and then gives Giles a nod. He opens a book and reads the Latin text.
Giles: Quod perditum est, invenietur.
Translation: What is lost, return.
Cordelia swirls incense into the air while Xander watches.
Willow: ‘Not dead nor not of the living. Spirits of the interregnum I
call…’
Cut to the graveyard. Buffy ducks a punch from Angelus and comes up
behind him. He spins around to block her return swing. He blocks another
jab from her, and punches her in the face. He follows up with a left
hook, and Buffy loses her balance and nearly falls down. Angelus grabs
her by the back of her coat and throws her over onto the grounds. She
rolls away and onto her back, and looks up at him.
Buffy: Come on, Willow.
She swiftly gets back to her feet to continue fighting.
Cut to the library. Kendra guards the main doors.
Willow: ‘Let him know the pain of humanity, gods. Reach your wizened
hands to me. Give me the sword…’
Suddenly a vampire comes out from the stacks and attacks Xander from
behind. The main doors fly open, and Kendra spins around to defend as
two more vampires walk in. Giles points to the steps and yells at the
girls as a fourth vampire appears from the stacks.
Giles: Get out! Go!
Willow and Cordelia make for the stairs. Kendra punches the first of the
two vampires to reach her. The fourth one jumps over the mezzanine
railing and lands on Giles’ back, knocking him into the table. Cordelia
and Willow run up the stairs and see Xander elbow the vampire on his
back, knocking the demon into a bookcase. Having punched down the one
vampire, Kendra grabs the other and shoves her into the wall. The first
one gets up and rushes in to fight. Willow runs around behind the stacks
to try to escape. Cordelia is frozen in fright. Giles grabs a vase from
the table and smashes it over his attacker’s head. Xander’s assailant
rushes him again, but Xander sidesteps him. He spins around, grabs
Xander and shoves him into a bookcase. The one down below hops up onto
the table, runs across it and leaps over the railing above. Willow sees
him coming, and hides behind a bookcase. The vampire doesn’t stop and
just pushes the case over onto Willow. She falls to the floor, and the
books and case land on top of her, knocking her out. The vampire Kendra
is fighting ducks her swing. Xander’s opponent grabs his arm, loops his
own around it tightly and pulls down, breaking it. Xander yells out in
pain. Kendra ducks a roundhouse kick from her enemy and blocks several
swings. Xander grabs his tormenter’s hair and smashes his head down on
the railing. Below Giles ducks a swing and punches the vampire in the
gut. Kendra lands two punches in the face of her attacker. Giles pounds
his assailant on the back, but he just roars and spins around with a
punch to Giles’ face, knocking him out. Xander picks the dazed vampire
up and shoves him into the other one going at Cordelia, knocking him
down.
Xander: Go!
He grabs his broken arm and winces in pain. Cordelia screams and runs
out through the stacks. Xander watches Kendra’s opponent punch her in
the face, but Kendra ducks and backs into her and comes up holding back
the vampire’s head. She plunges her stake into her heart, and she bursts
into ashes. Xander winces again in pain. Willow lies prone under the
fallen bookcase. Kendra looks around for her next target. She sees the
one going for Giles, and rushes over to pull him off. She shoves him
around to the floor. He tries to get up, but she just punches him back
down. He tries again, and she grabs him and throws him through the
window into Giles’ office. Just then another one tackles her from the
side.
Cut to the cemetery. Buffy punches Angelus, but he takes it in stride.
She swings again, but he grabs her arm and holds on tight. She swings
with the other one, but he grabs it, too, and then pushes her away.
Angelus: Jeez, is it me, or is your heart not in this?
Buffy pulls out Kendra’s stake.
Angelus: Maybe I’ll just go home, destroy the world.
Buffy: Well, I think Mr. Pointy’ll have something to say about that.
Come on. Let’s finish this. You and me.
Angelus: (chuckles) Y-you never learn, do you? This wasn’t about you.
This was never about you. (chuckles)
She realizes the trap was set for the others, and begins to run.
Angelus: (smiles) And you fall for it every single time!
Cut to the library. A vampire punches Kendra, and she stumbles, but
regains her footing. Up in the stacks the other one comes at Xander and
punches him in the face, knocking him out. Below Kendra is hit by a
roundhouse kick, and falls. The library doors swing open, and Drusilla
walks in. The vampire tries to kick Kendra, but she blocks it and swings
out with her leg, tripping him, and gets back to her feet to face the
other two, the one that came down from above, the other one now back out
of Giles’ office. The third one is up again also, and they close in on
her, but before any more fighting can ensue Drusilla claps her hands.
Drusilla: Enough.
She bids Kendra come hither with her waving fingers. The other three
just back off. Kendra faces Drusilla, ready to fight. Drusilla walks
around her and goads her on. Kendra kicks at her, but Drusilla blocks
her easily, as well as two follow-up swings. She punches Kendra and
sends her spinning to the floor.
Cut to a street. Buffy runs like mad to get to the school.
Cut to the library. Drusilla ducks a kick from Kendra and grabs her by
the arms. She swings her around and shoves her away. Kendra comes back
at her again with a kick to the gut, and Drusilla doubles over for an
instant. Kendra lunges at her, but Drusilla grabs her by the throat and
forces her back against the counter, gripping hard and choking her.
Drusilla: Look at me, Dearie.
She waves two extended fingers before Kendra’s eyes and begins to
hypnotize her.
Drusilla: Be… in my eyes. Be… in me.
She lets go, and Kendra is completely under her spell. She sways back
and forth a bit, and Kendra follows her every move to stay in contact
with her eyes. Drusilla backs away slightly, lowering her arms and never
losing eye contact.
Cut to the park. Buffy races through, leaping a bench as she runs.
Cut to the library. Kendra continues to sway with Drusilla. Drusilla
extends out the fingers of her right hand at her side. She smiles evilly
as she swings her hand up and slices Kendra’s neck with her sharp nails.
Kendra grabs at her neck as it begins to bleed heavily, and collapses to
the floor. Drusilla watches her fall, and turns to look down at her.
Drusilla: Night-night.
She kisses the air above her and turns to her accomplices.
Drusilla: Let’s get what we came for, dears.
Two of them grab an unconscious Giles by the arms and drag him from the
library. Drusilla and the third vampire follow them out.
Cut outside. Buffy runs across the school grounds. Cut into the halls.
Buffy throws open the door and rushes in. As she rounds a corner the
scene slows. Buffy runs down the hall in slow motion as Whistler
narrates over the scene.
Whistler: Bottom line is, even if you see ’em coming, you’re not ready
for the big moments.
Buffy barges into the library and stops.
Whistler: No one asks for their life to change, not really. But it
does.
She looks around at the damage, and then sees Kendra lying on the floor.
She runs to her, still in slow motion, and skids down next to her on her
knees. She sees that she’s gone, and takes her hand.
Whistler: So what are we, helpless? Puppets? No. The big moments are
gonna come. You can’t help that. It’s what you do afterwards that
counts. That’s when you find out who you are.
Buffy reaches up to Kendra’s face with her other hand and strokes it
gently. Behind her a police officer raises his gun at her.
Officer: Freeze!
Buffy looks back at him, seemingly caught red-handed.
Whistler: You’ll see what I mean.
To Be Continued…
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