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Episode Summary
At the ground-breaking ceremony for the new Cultural Partnership Center at UC Sunnydale, Dean Guerrero introduces the curator of the new facility, Professor Gerhardt. After finishing her speech, Prof. Gerhardt turns the digging duties over to the nearby workers, one of whom is Xander.
No sooner does the digging begin when the ground gives way beneath Xander’s feet, causing him to fall into an underground chamber. It is the remains of a lost Sunnydale mission that was buried by an earthquake in 1812.
Later that night, Buffy senses a mysterious presence somewhere outside of the dorm, but she can’t place her finger on what it is. Unbeknownst to Buffy, Angel has arrived in Sunnydale to follow up on a foreshadowing vision that his partner had.
Knowing only that Buffy will encounter some great danger in the near future, Angel stands hidden in the bushes outside of Stevenson Hall, staring up at the window of his former love’s room.
Turning back to her roommate, Buffy decides that they should have their own Thanksgiving celebration, seeing how Joyce is out of town for the holidays. Although she is opposed to the genocidal history of Thanksgiving, Willow agrees to the plans for her friend’s sake.
Buffy then decides to hold the dinner at Giles’ home. At Elsewhere, Riley, Forrest, and Graham decide to give up their search mission for the time being. Forrest reminds them that Spike can’t hurt anybody.
Sure enough, Spike has seen better nights as he desperately tries to survive on an empty stomach. Meanwhile, Anya visits Xander’s place to find out why he hasn’t returned to the digging site. She soon realizes that Xander is overwhelmingly sick.
As Anya tends to Xander’s needs, a green mist rises from the Sunnydale mission site and drifts into Prof. Gerhardt’s office. Settling over a display case that contains an early 1800 Chumash knife, the mist materializes into an Indian spirit warrior named Hus.
Before she can make a sound, Prof. Gerhardt is grabbed by the invader and sliced at the neck by the jagged edge of the knife. Buffy and Willow investigate Prof. Gerhardt’s office the next day, looking for any clues concerning the nature of the attack.
While Willow tries to figure out why one of Gerhardt’s ears was missing from the corpse, Buffy notices the empty spot in the display case where the knife once rested. Afterwards, Buffy unpacks several bags of groceries in Giles’ kitchen while she describes the findings at the office.
Giles is familiar with the Chumash tribe, but he can’t explain why a peaceful group would be involved in Gerhardt’s murder. On her way out, Buffy is momentarily stopped by the same sense she experienced earlier.
After Buffy brushes it off and leaves, Giles calls Angel out of hiding to talk about the murder. Angel recommends contacting Father Gabriel, who may know more about what’s going on.
When Giles expresses his discomfort with keeping Buffy in the dark, Angel insists that knowledge of his presence would only distract Buffy and make her more vulnerable. Downtown, Buffy and Willow shop for the remaining items on the Thanksgiving dinner list.
When Riley appears to talk to Buffy about his trip home to Iowa for the holiday, Willow leaves the two alone and enters the nearby coffee shop. Inside, she encounters Angel, who quickly fills Willow in on the details concerning his return to Sunnydale.
Meanwhile, Spike tries to find comfort in Harmony’s arms, but she refuses to let him reenter her life. Later, Buffy follows Giles’ referral to Father Gabriel’s church. What she finds is the hanging corpse of Father Gabriel, along with an Indian warrior cutting off the body’s ear.
Buffy engages in battle, but Hus’ declaration of vengeance for his people’s suffering causes Buffy to break off the fight. On the morning of Thanksgiving, Buffy tries to prepare the dinner while Giles and Willow get into an ethical debate over what to do with Hus.
Having researched the persecution of the Chumash people nearly two centuries ago, Willow ponders the idea of trying to help Hus in some way. On the other hand, Giles acknowledges the fact that Hus has murdered two innocent people and needs to be stopped.
Xander and Anya arrive, arousing numerous questions about his deteriorating health. When Willow and the others conclude that Hus is inflicting that which was done to his people, Xander is diagnosed with the same diseases that befell the Chumash people: malaria, smallpox, syphilis, and so on.
Suddenly, another knock at the door concerns the group. Buffy and Giles open the door to find a desperate Spike, who offers information on the Initiative in exchange for shelter and food.
After tying Spike to a chair, Buffy sends Willow, Xander and Anya to warn Dean Guerrero of a possible attack. Unfortunately, their warning falls on disbelieving ears, and the trio find themselves heading back in defeat. Suddenly, Angel appears, much to the shock of Xander.
Angel quickly figures out that Buffy is Hus’ next target, leading the group to race back to Giles’ place immediately. A barrage of arrows signals the invasion of Hus and several Chumash warriors that he has summoned.
As Buffy and Giles duck for cover, Spike is impaled by several projectiles, each narrowly missing his heart. When Willow, Xander, and Anya return, Hus decides to give up the arrow attack and challenge Buffy face-to-face.
While the gang futilely tries to fend off the invulnerable attackers, Angel arrives to help turn the tide. Back inside, Buffy learns that Hus’ knife is the only thing that can wound him.
Hus transforms into a large bear in an attempt to overpower Buffy, but the Slayer manages to fatally stab Hus with his own knife.
Dissolving into green mist, Hus and the other Chumash disappear. Now that Thanksgiving dinner has finally commenced, Buffy tries to look on the bright side of things.
However, a steadily recovering Xander accidentally spills the beans on Angel’s assistance, casting a spell of silence over the stunned Slayer.
Shooting Scripts
Teaser
EXT. WOODS – NIGHT
A young, sweet-faced student-type, JAMIE, takes a short-cut through the woods. He looks behind
him, sees nothing, and he keeps going. He looks back again, nothing again, and this time when he
turns back to keep going, he’s face to face with BUFFY, her arm up, stake in hand.
BUFFY
Looking for me?
Jamie jumps and yelps.
JAMIE
Holy– What do you want? I’ve
got money–
Buffy BACKHANDS him with her stake hand. His head is thrown back…
JAMIE
Hey!
Buffy flinches… what if she was wrong? But when his head whips back to face her, he’s in VAMPFACE.
(We don’t see the morph.)
BUFFY
Look who’s home.
Jamie’s innocent demeanor is gone. He SNARLS at her.
JAMIE
Slayer.
She plunges the stake at him, but he parries it. She KICKS, sweeping his legs from under him. He
goes down, but surprises her by popping back up again fast and throwing a punch which she ducks
and returns with brutal speed.
JAMIE
Why don’t you just go back where
you came from? Things were great
before you came. We ruled this
campus. You’ve ruined everything.
She punches him again, he absorbs the blow. He punches at her. She ducks it, grabs his shoulder,
spins him…
BUFFY
And they say one person can’t make
a difference.
She stakes him from the back and he DUSTS. Job done, but Buffy seems unsatisfied. She looks
around, as if sensing something else, turning curiously in place.
ANGLE: LONGER SHOT OF BUFFY
As she turns, uncertain.
ANGLE: DEEP IN THE SHADOWS
Something lurks. It moves, and moonlight falls across a face. It’s ANGEL, watching Buffy.
BUFFY
Can’t identify what she’s feeling. She walks off slowly, unresolved.
BLACK OUT.
END OF TEASER
Act One
EXT. CAMPUS – DAY
Buffy, WILLOW and ANYA stand among a small crowd of college students.
DEAN GUERRERO (O.S.)
Of all the duties of a dean, one
of the most pleasant is to see a
colleague realize a dream…
ANGLE ON: THE CEREMONY
The Dean is speaking from a dais set up in a cleared building site. Other campus officials flank him. A
banner across the front of the dais says “U.C. SUNNYDALE CULTURAL PARTNERSHIP CENTER”. Off to
one side, XANDER, dressed in work clothes and a hard-hat and leaning on a shovel, stands with other
construction-type guys, listening idly to the speaker.
DEAN GUERRERO
Ladies, gentlemen, students, I
present to you, Professor Gerhardt
of the Anthropology department.
Some polite applause as the Dean steps aside next to his WIFE and the CURATOR, Professor
Gerhardt, takes her place.
CURATOR
When I first realized we were
outgrowing the current Cultural
Center, I was concerned. Then I
realized it was like seeing one’s
child grow up, and move on to
better things. In this case, a
spacious new facility to be built
on this site…
ANYA
Look at him. Have you ever seen
anything so masculine?
BUFFY
You mean Dean Guerrero, or his
wife?
WILLOW
I think she means…
She indicates Xander.
BUFFY
Oh. Right. Very manly. Not at
all Village People.
ANYA
So much sexier than the outfit
from his last job.
WILLOW
I miss the free hot dogs on sticks.
ANYA
I’m imagining having sex with him
right now.
As Buffy and Willow look at Anya, the speech continues:
CURATOR
. . . it’s appropriate that the
ground-breaking for the U.C.
Sunnydale Cultural Partnership
Center is taking place so soon
before Thanksgiving. Because
that’s what the Melting Pot is
about, contributions from all
cultures making our culture
stronger.
Buffy applauds along with the crowd, but…
WILLOW
What a load of horse hooey!
BUFFY
We have a counter point?
WILLOW
Thanksgiving isn’t about blending
cultures, it’s about one culture
wiping out another. Then they
make animated specials about the
parts with the maize and the big
big belt buckles. They don’t show
you the next scene where all the
bison die and Squanto takes a
musket ball in the stomach.
BUFFY
Okay, for some of that you were
channeling your mom, right?
WILLOW
Well, sort of. That’s why she
doesn’t do Thanksgiving, or
Columbus Day. You know,
destruction of the indigenous
peoples. Which sounds, I know, a
little overwrought, but really
she’s right.
BUFFY
Yeah, I guess so. I never thought
about it that way. With Mom at
Aunt Pauline’s this year, I’m not
getting a Thanksgiving. Maybe
it’s just as well.
ANYA
Well I think that’s a shame. I
love a ritual sacrifice.
BUFFY
It’s not really a one of those.
ANYA
To commemorate a past event you
kill and eat an animal. It’s a
ritual sacrifice. With pie.
ANGLE: CURATOR
As she steps out from behind the dais, and takes up a small shiny shovel.
CURATOR
And thus… a symbolic beginning!
She turns over the ritual spadeful of dirt.
ANYA
What’s she doing? Xander said he
was going to dig! I want to see
Xander dig!
WILLOW
This part’s just ceremonial.
ANYA
Well it bites. She’s not rippling
at all.
The ritual done, the crowd begins to disperse. Xander and TWO OTHER CONSTRUCTION GUYS step
forward and start to dig in earnest.
BUFFY
There he is.
ANYA
Ooh. Look at him.
WILLOW
Very… diggy.
ANYA
Soon he’ll be sweating. I’m
imagining having sex with him
again.
BUFFY
Imaginary Xander is quite the
machine.
XANDER
Plunges his shovel into the dirt and looks up at his little audience… he smiles and waves… then his
smile drops, and he goes with it…
BOOM… a six-foot chunk of earth collapses in on itself. Xander falls and finds himself thrown into…
INT. OLD MISSION CHAMBER – DAY
A dark buried chamber. Adobe walls, a large crucifix on one of them… it’s an old Spanish mission.
Xander, dirty and shaken, picks himself up and looks around.
XANDER
Ow.
(then, calling up)
I’m okay! I’m… okay…
He stares at his surroundings.
The CAMERA PUSHES INTO the darkness at the edges of the chamber, as if something lies just
beyond our senses.
EXT. CAMPUS BY BUFFY’S DORM – NIGHT
The CAMERA PULLS OUT on our woodsy campus setting. Angel walks through, alone in the dark. He
stops and looks up at something… Buffy’s lighted dorm room window.
INT. DORM HALLWAY/BUFFY AND WILLOW’S DORM ROOM – NIGHT
Willow is talking, but Buffy is distracted. She keeps glancing at the window.
WILLOW
While they were pulling Xander
out, I heard some of the Anthro
profs talking about it — man,
were they excited. It’s the old
Sunnydale Mission, which everyone
thought was lost.
BUFFY
Uh-huh.
Buffy’s looking at the window.
WILLOW
Is there something out there?
BUFFY
No. Sorry. A lost Mission? I
mean, a hairbrush, I can
understand, and by the way I will
find that and give it back, but
how do you lose a Mission?
WILLOW
Huge earthquake in 1812. Everyone
assumed the Mission was leveled
but instead they just build over
it. It’s like what happened in
the thirties with that church the
Master was in. Doesn’t it make
you wonder what else is there,
right under our feet?
BUFFY
Mostly? I’ve found sewers full of
demons.
WILLOW
Oh, right.
They’re interrupted by WHOOPING and CLATTERING from the hallway. Willow opens the door in time
to see a clump of students run by, exuberant, many of them with stuffed carry-on bags.
WILLOW
Whoa. It’s crazy out there.
BUFFY
Post-midterm frenzy.
Willow closes the door.
WILLOW
And the holiday — everyone’s
going home. Looks like lots of
lucky Moms are gonna be getting
nice brimming bags of dirty
laundry.
BUFFY
It’s not fair. They all get a
family holiday just ’cause they
can be with their families.
WILLOW
It’s a turvy-topsy world.
BUFFY
You know what I should do? I
should have my own Thanksgiving.
Invite all you guys, cook the
whole meal just like Mom always
does. It’ll be great!
WILLOW
Buffy, earlier you agreed with me
about Thanksgiving. It’s a sham!
It’s all about death!
BUFFY
It’s a sham, but it’s a sham with
yams. A yam sham.
WILLOW
You’re not going to jokey-rhyme
your way out of this one.
BUFFY
I know. It’s just, I want it.
It’s like Professor Walsh was
saying about sense memory. I
smell a roasting turkey and I’m
eight again. I liked having that
to look forward to.
Buffy goes to the window and looks out into the darkness.
BUFFY
Everything’s all different now.
Willow can’t help but respond to Buffy’s tone.
WILLOW
(softening)
Well, I suppose there could be
slight yams. I mean, we
definitely could use a little
comfort food.
BUFFY
I bet Giles doesn’t have any
plans… And Xander usually flees
most of his family gatherings…
WILLOW
(excited)
We could not invite Anya!
BUFFY
I don’t know… She and Xander
seem pretty tight lately.
WILLOW
Grumble grumble.
BUFFY
Anyway, Pilgrims aside, isn’t that
the point of Thanksgiving? I
mean, you know: Everyone’s got a
place to go?
EXT. WOODS – NIGHT
SPIKE trudges through the woods, wrapped in a tattered blanket, shivering and wretched. He hears
something behind him and he stumbles into a panicked run out of frame. After a beat, three
uniformed COMMANDOS pass through. Their faces are smeared with camouflaging greasepaint, but
they are unmasked and they are RILEY, FORREST and GRAHAM.
GRAHAM
Man, I’m beat.
RILEY
We’ll do one more sweep and cash
it in.
FORREST
I gotta pack tonight.
(to Riley)
Did you get a flight?
RILEY
Wednesday night. Professor Walsh
wants me here for the debriefing.
GRAHAM
Pretty short Thanksgiving.
RILEY
Hey, with the hostile on the loose
we’re lucky to be going home at all.
FORREST
He’s neutered! The implant’s
working great; he can’t hurt a
single living thing.
RILEY
As long as he knows about the
Initiative he’s a threat. We do
this the professor’s way.
FORREST
(coughing the words into his fist)
Mama’s boy.
RILEY
That’s a nasty cough. You might
need to spend the weekend in
Quarantine.
FORREST
Uh, no, I’m done coughing.
RILEY
Just don’t want anyone getting sick.
INT. XANDER’S BASEMENT – MORNING
Xander sits on the edge of his bed, trying weakly to pull on a pair of socks. Anya enters.
ANYA
Xander! What are you doing?
You’re supposed to be digging. I
went to watch you digging and you
weren’t there doing it.
XANDER
I’m going now. Just, kind of,
tough getting going today.
Anya takes a good look at him… he’s pale and sweaty and shaky. She touches his face.
ANYA
Your head is moist.
(getting it)
You’re sick!
XANDER
Is the floor all swirly?
She looks carefully at the floor.
ANYA
It’s not.
XANDER
Then, yeah. I might have
something.
ANYA
You can’t go to work.
She starts pulling his socks off, tipping him back onto the bed.
XANDER
Anya!
ANYA
You’re pasty and wet and
disgusting. They can dig without
you.
XANDER
I don’t really feel that bad.
With him flat on his back on the bed, she pulls at his shirt.
ANYA
I inflicted a lot of putrefying
diseases on men when I was an
avenging demon, and you look like
you’re getting all of them.
XANDER
(muffled)
Okay, I’ll stay. But you should
go. You could catch it.
She pulls the shirt off him like a magician completing a trick and starts unbuckling his belt.
ANYA
Then we’ll die together! It’s
romantic. Help me get your
trousers off.
XANDER
You’re a strange girlfriend.
She freezes and looks at him.
ANYA
I’m a girlfriend?
XANDER
Um… there’s a chance I’m
delirious.
ANYA
Ah, yes.
She goes back to undressing him.
ANYA
Well, whatever it is that’s making
you sick, so far I like it.
INT. OLD MISSION CHAMBER – DAY
The room Xander fell into, now covered by wood planks. It’s dark down here until an eerie glowing
(CGI) vaporous miasma forms. It swirls, threatening to take some form, then seeps up through the
gaps between the planks, leaving the chamber dark again.
INT. OLD CULTURAL CENTER – DAY
The Curator, alone in a dim back room filled with native Californian artifacts. She’s trimming a display
card with a pair of scissors as she talks on her cell phone.
CURATOR
(into phone)
. . . it’s a very exciting
opportunity. Can’t wait to go
down there myself. It just…
well it means we have to start
looking for a new location… it’s
really up to the dean. I just
hope it doesn’t cost us another
year… Yeah… Okay, I’ll talk to
you soon.
She hangs up and goes back to work. She sets her scissors down on one of the cases, replaces the
display card. She doesn’t notice when the glowing (CGI) vapor swirls into the room. The vapor
touches an item on display — it’s labeled “CHUMASH STONE KNIFE” — a brutal instrument for close
combat. A HAND FORMS around it. It belongs to HUS, a Chumash warrior.
The Curator turns, sees him, eyes going wide. The knife stabs the Curator through the neck.
BLACK OUT.
END OF ACT ONE
Act Two
INT. OLD CULTURAL CENTER – NIGHT
Buffy and Willow make their way into the crime scene, now abandoned by the police. The lights are
out and Willow carries a flashlight. Buffy starts searching the room, seeing the clean scissors, the
floor still stained with blood.
BUFFY
Never get used to this. One day
she’s at the Friendship Ceremony,
the next day she’s on the news.
WILLOW
The coroner’s office said she was
missing an ear. So, I’m thinking
maybe we’re looking for a witch.
There are some great spells that
work much better with an ear in
the mix.
BUFFY
That’s one fun little hobby you’ve
got there.
Buffy moves on to looking in the display cases.
WILLOW
Or… or maybe an ear-harvesting
demon. Like, it’s building some
kind of other demon completely out
of ears…
Buffy pictures that, makes a face.
WILLOW
Ooh. Thought. We’re assuming
that someone else cut off the ear.
What if it was self inflicted,
like Van Gogh?
BUFFY
So… she viciously stabbed
herself to death, dumped the
knife, then she cut off her own
ear.
WILLOW
(don’t be ridiculous)
No. She cut off her ear, then she
killed herself, then she dumped
the… I’m really off my game,
aren’t I?
BUFFY
It’s okay. Hey, look.
Something’s missing from this case.
Buffy has noted the missing item from the display.
BUFFY
(reading)
Early eighteen-hundreds. Chumash
knife. There’s a picture.
Buffy picks up a drawing of the missing knife and looks at it.
WILLOW
What’s it look like?
BUFFY (V.O.)
Pretty darn scary…
INT. GILES’ APARTMENT – DAY
Giles watches as Buffy unloads groceries in his kitchen.
BUFFY
…I mean, it was more like a riot
than a Ralph’s. I though I was
going to have to put some Slayer
moves on this one lady who was
completely hoarding the pumpkin
pie filling.
GILES
And, at some point you’re going to
tell me about the murder.
BUFFY
Oh. Well, the knife was some kind
of Indian artifact. Chumash.
That’s all we’ve got.
GILES
The Chumash Indians? They were
the original inhabitants of this
whole area. Interesting. Of
course, maybe the murder weapon
was simply a convenient choice–
Buffy is rummaging around in Giles’ cupboards now.
BUFFY
Guy had a big ol’ scissors right
there. The knife was picked out
for a reason. Don’t you even own
a turkey pan?
GILES
Tell me again why we’re not doing
this at your house.
BUFFY
Giles, if you want to get by in
American society you have to learn
our traditions. You’re the
patriarch. You have to host the
festivities or it’s all
meaningless.
GILES
And this is in no way an elaborate
scheme to stick me with the clean up.
BUFFY
How ’bout that ceremonial knife,
huh? Pretty juicy piece of
clueage, don’t you think?
GILES
Yes, all right.
(gives up)
I’ll look into the Chumash
connection. See if there’s some
ritual significance to the ear
removal.
BUFFY
Thanks. I got a few more things
to pick up. I’ll check in. And
keep your hands off the food.
She heads out.
GILES
(called after)
I will try to restrain myself from
eating uncooked potatoes and
cranberries.
The door shuts. Giles remains facing it as he says:
GILES
So what do you think?
We see who he’s talking to as Angel steps out of the darkened hallway next to the kitchen.
ANGEL
She sounds good. Kind of intense
about this Thanksgiving thing…
GILES
I think she’s a little lonely.
But I meant about the murder.
Angel takes a beat, forces a professional demeanor.
ANGEL
Whatever killed the woman in the
museum, that’s probably the danger.
GILES
This “danger”… Your friend has
an ominous vision about Buffy,
it’s terribly vague. There are
other things happening on this
campus–
ANGEL
Maybe I’m wrong… but, I have to
try something. I can’t just keep
watching.
GILES
Angel, I’m… I’m glad you’re
looking out for her. But I feel
I have to remind you, she’s not
helpless and it’s not your job to
keep her safe.
ANGEL
It’s not yours anymore either.
Are you going to walk away?
Giles looks at Angel, recognizing that they will both always feel responsible for Buffy.
GILES
All right. But I think we should
tell her. I don’t like keeping
this secret.
ANGEL
If she knew I was here, I– It
would distract her. It could get
her hurt. I don’t want to, to get
in the way.
Giles thinks about it, then…
GILES
I’m assuming there’s a connection
to the Old Mission. Something is
angry that it was disturbed.
ANGEL
Or maybe it was trapped there and
now it’s released…
GILES
Something with a fondness for
ancient weapons.
ANGEL
Do you know Father Gabriel? He
knows the history of this place
pretty well — family dates back
to mission times. He might fill
in some blanks.
GILES
I’ll see about contacting him.
Angel heads for the door.
GILES
Where are you going?
ANGEL
To watch her.
GILES
It’s not fair. You know that’s
what she’d say. You can see her
and she can’t see you.
ANGEL
Believe me, I’m not getting the
good half of the deal. To be
outside, looking in at what I
can’t… I’d forgotten how bad it
feels.
EXT. ALLEY – NIGHT
Spike peers through a dusty window into a dilapidated building. Inside, in a pool of golden lamp-
light, a small nest of vampires is settling down with a dazed human victim. An older vampire is about
to bite. Then he pauses and holds the whimpering victim out to a younger vampire. A heart-warming
domestic scene. Spike watches, his breath frosting the window, a picture of misery and longing.
EXT. SUNNYDALE STREET – NIGHT
Buffy and Willow walk near the Espresso Pump.
WILLOW
But you have whipped cream. I saw
it in Giles’ fridge.
BUFFY
That was the whipped cream in the
canister. You know…
(imitates aerosol whipped cream sound)
It’s only right if you whip it
yourself.
WILLOW
Yay. And then we can churn our
own butter and make sweaters out
of sheep!
Buffy looks at her, recognizes the teasing.
BUFFY
I swear, this’ll be the last
thing. Anyway, I have an
appointment to go see this priest
Giles called me about. He thinks
he might have some information–
RILEY (O.S.)
Buffy? Hey! Buffy!
They looks up to see Riley trotting across the street.
BUFFY
Hi. I didn’t see you at all.
Where’d you come from?
RILEY
Oh, just across the street, and…
and a couple blocks down. Hey,
Willow.
WILLOW
Hi. You know, I think I’ll just
let you two… Hey, look, they’re
selling coffee in the… coffee
shop. Yum.
Willow, eager to give Buffy and Riley some time alone, ducks into the Espresso Pump…
INT. ESPRESSO PUMP – CONTINUOUS
Willow ducks around the corner into the shop, and SLAMS into someone standing and looking out at
the street.
ANGEL (O.S.)
Ow.
Willow steps back, sees who she hit.
WILLOW
Ang–
He presses his hand over her mouth.
WILLOW
(muffled by his hand)
Evil. You’re all evil again.
He lets her go.
ANGEL
I’m not evil. I’m here to help Buffy.
WILLOW
What’s going on?
ANGEL
My friend had a vision. Buffy’s
in danger.
Alarmed, Willow glances back at Buffy, who is happily chatting with Riley — no obvious danger there.
WILLOW
So tell her. Help her.
ANGEL
If she sees me it’ll be worse.
WILLOW
See, I don’t get that. All this
“leaving for her own good”
garbage. Because that’s what it
is. You can’t just give up on
something because there’s
obstacles. What kind of–
ANGEL
Willow?
WILLOW
Sorry. My stuff.
ANGEL
You know how I feel about her. If
there was any way…
WILLOW
Sorry. Yeah. I know.
ANGEL
It’s just, everything’s different now.
WILLOW
So I’ve heard. Hey, is Cordelia
really working for you? That’s
gotta be… a special experience.
Of all the people you could’ve
hired–
ANGEL
Will. I’m here to protect Buffy.
I don’t have a whole lotta time
for personal stuff.
WILLOW
Right. How can I help?
ANGEL
Well, if you can just tell me…
(totally jealous)
Who’s that guy?
EXT. SUNNYDALE STREET – CONTINUOUS
Buffy and Riley continue to talk.
BUFFY
…it’ll be just like it was when
I was a kid. Only without me
building a fort out of my mashed
potatoes.
RILEY
Sounds like fun.
BUFFY
Hey, you know what? If you’re
around, you know, and you don’t
have anywhere to go… Well, you
should come. I’m a great cook.
In theory. I mean, I’ve eaten a lot.
RILEY
That sounds so great. But I’m out
of here tonight, caught a last-
minute flight back to Iowa.
BUFFY
(disappointed)
Iowa. That’s one of the ones in
the middle.
Riley laughs.
RILEY
My folks are there. We always do
Thanksgiving at my grandparents
farm. Little place just outside
Huxley. Corn and pigs.
BUFFY
That sounds wonderful.
RILEY
It is. After dinner, we all go
for a walk down by the river with
the dogs. And there’s… trees,
and I know what you’re thinking,
it’s like I grew up in a Grant
Wood painting.
BUFFY
Exactly. If I knew who that was.
RILEY
Just a guy who painted stuff that
looked like what I grew up in.
BUFFY
Ah. Well, have fun at the
homestead.
RILEY
Always do. What’s the line —
“Home’s the place that, when you
have to go there –“
BUFFY
“– they have to take you in.”
That’s what they say.
INT. HARMONY’S LAIR – NIGHT
Spike leans weakly against the wall. Harmony blocks Spike from coming farther into the room.
HARMONY
Get out.
SPIKE
But, baby… This is where I
belong.
HARMONY
Out! I mean it. I’ve done a lot
of reading, and, and I’m in
control of my own power now. So
we’re through.
Spike grabs her, holds her close. He roughly pulls at her shirt, baring her shoulder. He kisses it.
SPIKE
You don’t mean that.
HARMONY
Yes I do. I do.
(completely turned on)
I mean it a lot…
He sweeps her up and carries her to the bed. He drops her onto it and then plops down next to her.
SPIKE
See? I knew you’d end up
welcoming me with open…
(he caresses her legs)
…arms.
HARMONY
No! I’m powerful and I’m
beautiful and I don’t need you to
make me complete and you’re mean!
She pushes him away roughly, and pulls a stake from under the pillow. He recoils and falls off the
bed.
SPIKE
You had that in our bed?! Do you
know how dangerous that is?
HARMONY
Let’s find out.
Still on the floor, Spike scrambles toward the door. Harmony advances on him.
SPIKE
You wouldn’t do it.
HARMONY
You did it to me, remember?
She lunges at him… he stumbles aside, clearly weakened. She grabs him by the collar, heads him for
the door.
SPIKE
All right! I’ll go, just…
She stops.
HARMONY
What.
SPIKE
Can I have someone to eat?
She tosses him out, stands strong and proud.
INT. CHURCH – NIGHT
Buffy walks through an empty church. Carved images, stained-glass images of angels look down at
her as she walks.
BUFFY
Hello? Father Gabriel?
She sees an open side door. She exits into…
EXT. CHURCH COURTYARD – NIGHT
Buffy enters this dark courtyard, full of arches and vines.
BUFFY
Father? Are you out here?
She rounds a corner to see the priest, dead, hanged, dangling from an archway. Hus stands beside
the body. He reaches up, knife glinting…
BUFFY
God…
He severs the ear from the man with a brutal stroke of his knife. He tucks the ear into a pouch tied
at his waist. Buffy delivers a spinning kick that throws him away from the body. He brings up the
knife.
HUS
(quiet menace)
You can’t stop me.
BUFFY
You’re very wrong about that.
She throws a punch, but he blocks it with his free hand. Throws her and they tumble, come up facing
each other again.
HUS
I am vengeance. I am my people’s
cry. They call for
(pointing to himself)
Hus, for the avenging spirit, to
carve out justice.
BUFFY
(calm but truly pissed)
They tell you start an ear
collection?
Furious, he lunges. They spar, end up on the ground.
Buffy gets the upper hand, taking Hus’ knife as they grip each other, Hus just holding the knife away.
He looks at it with concealed fear.
HUS
You slaughtered my people. Now
you kill their spirit. This is a
great day for you.
Buffy hesitates, weakens, and Hus breaks free, wrenching his knife from her and rolling away. He
comes up, stands before her silhouetted —
— and turns into a FLOCK OF BIRDS, which fly off into the sky. Buffy looks up after them, startled.
She stands alone and empty-handed.
BLACK OUT.
END OF ACT TWO
Act Three
INT. GILES’ KITCHEN – DAY
Buffy is putting the turkey into the oven while Giles peels potatoes. She’s clearly a bit enervated by
the day’s labors: constantly checking cookbooks, busying herself. Giles is calmer.
GILES
We’re clearly dealing with a
spirit of some kind. It’s very
common for Indian spirits to
change to animal form.
BUFFY
Well it’s plenty uncommon for me
to freeze up during a fight. I
had the guy, I was ready for the
takedown and I stopped! And
“Native American”.
GILES
Sorry?
BUFFY
We don’t say Indian.
She puts four yams in the oven as well.
GILES
Yes! Right. Always behind on the
terms. Still trying not to refer
to you lot as ‘bloody colonials’.
BUFFY
The thing is, I like my evil like
my men: evil. You know, straight
up, black hat, tie you to the
railroad tracks, soon my electro
ray will destroy metropolis BAD.
Not all mixed up with guilt and
the destruction of an indigenous
culture.
GILES
This spirit warrior — Hus, you
called him? — has killed innocent
people.
BUFFY
(re: potatoes)
We need to boil those and then put
them through a ricer.
GILES
I don’t think I have a ricer.
BUFFY
You don’t have a ricer? What do
you mean? How could somebody not
have a ricer?
GILES
(helpfully)
Do you have one at home?
BUFFY
I don’t know. What’s a ricer?
GILES
We’ll mash them with forks, much
like the pilgrims must have. Did
you hear the part about the
innocent people?
BUFFY
Yes. And I want to stop this guy.
I just wish there was a non slayee
way to do it.
Pounding on the door. Buffy crosses into:
INT. GILES’ APARTMENT – CONTINUOUS – DAY
And opens the door. She sees Willow laden down with books (more historical than supernatural –
even a couple of textbooks). On top of the books are two packages of frozen peas. On top of the
peas is a determined scowl. (The scowl is on Willow’s face. That’s clear, right?)
WILLOW
Hey.
BUFFY
Hey! Peas?
WILLOW
(indicating with her head)
Peas.
Buffy takes them as Willow dumps books onto Giles’ desk.
BUFFY
These are frozen.
GILES
(re: books)
What’s all that?
WILLOW
Atrocities! I got the full poop
on the Chumash Indians and our
fabulous buried Mission.
BUFFY
You said you were gonna get fresh
ones.
WILLOW
Atrocities?
BUFFY
Peas. You know, in the little
pods… you were gonna shell them.
WILLOW
I didn’t have time. I was busy
reading about the Chumash war.
GILES
The Chumash were peaceful.
WILLOW
Oh, they were peaceful, all right.
They were fluffy indigenous
kittens! ‘Til we came along.
BUFFY
They’re gonna be mushy.
WILLOW
They won’t be mushy.
GILES
I like mushy peas.
BUFFY
Yeah, well, you’re why there had
to be pilgrims in the first place.
(to Will)
What happened to the Chumash?
WILLOW
How about imprisonment? Forced
labor? Herded like animals into
a mission full of bad European
diseases?
BUFFY
Boy, the Cultural Partnership
center really didn’t stress any of
that stuff.
WILLOW
Not even a diorama. And it gets
better. The few Chumash who tried
to rebel were hanged, AND, when a
group was accused of stealing
cattle, they were killed, men
women and children, and for proof
to bring back to their accusers…
GILES
They cut off their ears.
BUFFY
So Hus wasn’t kidding with that
“rightful vengeance” routine.
He’s recreating all the wrongs
that were done his people.
GILES
And he’s not likely to stop.
EXT. GILES’ APARTMENT – LIVING ROOM WINDOW – DAY
We see into the apartment through the living room window. The three of them continue their
discussion.
GILES
So it’s up to us to stop him.
BUFFY
Yeah but after dinner, right?
WILLOW
You sure we shouldn’t be helping him?
Cut back to see a COYOTE watching them balefully. After a little bit it slinks away.
INT. GILES’ APARTMENT – CONTINUOUS – DAY
The discussion is getting a bit more heated. Buffy looks a little forlorn as it gains momentum.
GILES
No, I think perhaps we WON’T be
helping the angry spirit with his
rape and pillage and murder.
WILLOW
Well, okay, no, but we should be
helping him redress his wrongs.
Bringing the atrocities to light!
GILES
Well, if the history books are
filled with them, I’d say they
already are —
WILLOW
Giving his land back!
BUFFY
(meekly helpful)
Well, maybe we could do that —
GILES
It’s not exactly ours to give.
ANGLE: BUFFY
Looks unhappy as the conversation spirals:
WILLOW (O.S.)
I don’t think you want to help.
I think you just want to slay the
demon and then go la la la.
BUFFY
You know —
GILES (O.S.)
And I think your sympathy for his
plight has blinded you to certain
rather urgent facts. We have to
stop this thing.
WILLOW (O.S.)
Okay, unfeeling guy.
GILES (O.S.)
Willow, that’s not —
BUFFY
I have to baste.
She retreats into the kitchen.
INT. GILES’ KITCHEN – CONTINUOUS – DAY
Buffy kneels down, opens the oven door. It is clear she just needs a respite from the tension. She
stares at the turkey, baster in oven-mitted hand. After a moment she closes the oven door again,
having basted nothing.
BUFFY
That’s good.
INT. GILES’ LIVING ROOM – CONTINUOUS – DAY
Giles pulls Willow aside, speaking so Buffy won’t hear.
GILES
Willow, I have reason to believe
Buffy herself may be in particular
danger from this menace.
WILLOW
Oh. You mean
(mouths it:)
Angel.
(speaks)
I saw him too.
GILES
Not terribly stealthy of him.
WILLOW
I think he’s lost his edge.
GILES
But Buffy doesn’t know —
WILLOW
No no! Not a peep.
GILES
Well, good, but this is why we
need to keep a level head about
this menace.
WILLOW
And I happen to think mine is the
level head and yours is the one
that things would roll off of.
Giles is about to reply when there is a knock at the door. Buffy pops up from squatting, looks at the
others as Giles crosses and opens the door to reveal Xander and Anya. Xander looks weak and
sweaty.
XANDER
Happy Thanksgiving…
The threesome face Xander, all looking concerned.
WILLOW
Xander!
GILES
You look like death.
WILLOW
Are you okay?
BUFFY
You didn’t bring rolls?
INT. OLD CULTURAL CENTER – DAY
A STEADICAM shot, low, Coyote-eye view. The angle changes, rising to the height of a man. Hus
steps into shot from behind the camera… as if just transformed from his previous coyote-form. He
walks to the cases and picks up a Chumash bow… then another weapon… collecting them all until
his arms are full.
INT. GILES’ APARTMENT – SEVERAL MINUTES LATER – DAY
Xander is on the couch with a blanket. Willow pores through books, many of which are open on the
coffee table. Buffy sits facing Xander, stirring pumpkin pie mix with a whisk. Anya sits beside him,
tending his brow. Giles hovers.
XANDER
The doctor couldn’t figure out
what was up with me. Said I had
a lot of symptoms that didn’t
connect.
BUFFY
I think they connect.
XANDER
What, to this Chumash spirit
vengeance guy?
BUFFY
(to Willow)
Didn’t you say the Chumash got all
diseased, holed up in the mission?
WILLOW
Yeah.
(re: book)
This has a better account of
everything. Lists the various…
XANDER
Various? As in…
WILLOW
Well, the important thing is not
to panic.
XANDER
Well, you just recited the
mystical panic-causing incantation
so little hope there. Tell me
about the various.
WILLOW
Well, they did suffer from
malaria, some smallpox.
ANYA
I was gonna say smallpox —
WILLOW
Plus, you know, a little
(hiding the word)
Syphilis, basically standard sort of —
XANDER
Syphilis?
WILLOW
But this is probably mystical, and
it’ll all go away as soon as —
BUFFY
As soon as what? We still don’t
know what we’re gonna do.
WILLOW
Maybe I can find something.
She flips through books. Anya takes the first book Willow was looking through.
GILES
Well let’s give him some land, I’m
sure that will clear everything
right up.
BUFFY
Giles, the sarcasm accomplishes
nothing.
GILES
Well, it was sort of an end in
itself.
XANDER
Can we come rocketing back to the
part about me and my new syphilis?
ANYA
Oh, that’ll make you blind and
insane, but it won’t kill you.
The smallpox will.
XANDER
Sweetie… not helping.
WILLOW
There might be a wiccan spell that
could cure it, something regular
medicine doesn’t know about. I
think there was a potion…
(pulls a book closer)
Sage, salt, onion…
BUFFY
That’s for the stuffing.
XANDER
Oh God.
ANYA
(off her book)
You’re going to get vesicles.
Then pustules. They have pictures.
XANDER
I hate this guy.
WILLOW
He’s just doing what was done to him.
XANDER
I didn’t give him syphilis!
GILES
But you freed his spirit, and
after a century of unrest he saw
you as one of his oppressors.
XANDER
So he rises up and infects the
first guy he sees? That’s not fair.
WILLOW
Like you’ve never woken up cranky.
GILES
(thinking)
But why the others? Why them
particularly?
XANDER
So let’s take this guy out!
Buffy: It is for to be slaying
sometime soon, yeah?
BUFFY
Well, that’s sort of the question
before the court.
XANDER
Question?
WILLOW
There’s two sides to it.
XANDER
To slaying him? Well, the
representative from syphilis votes “yea”.
WILLOW
It’s not that simple.
XANDER
He’s a vengeance demon! You don’t
talk to vengeance demons, you kill them!
ANYA
(quietly)
I didn’t know you felt that way.
XANDER
What? I didn’t mean — you’re an
EX-vengeance demon, it’s totally
different…
ANYA
(very hurt)
Sure. It’s okay.
XANDER
Anya…
WILLOW
Anyway, he’s a spirit, not a demon.
GILES
Yes, we’ve never faced this exact
sort of spirit. We really don’t
know what will kill it.
WILLOW
Again with the killing!
GILES
Yes, Willow, we all appreciate
your perspective —
Now two conversations are going at once —
ANYA
Some vengeance is
justified, you know…
WILLOW
I don’t think anyone
“appreciates” the truth
of this situation…
XANDER
You know I didn’t mean you…
GILES
I think we do…
Buffy stands.
BUFFY
This is no good.
Everyone stops.
BUFFY
(a little sheepish)
It needs more condensed milk.
She crosses to the
INT. GILES’ KITCHEN – CONTINUOUS – DAY
Giles keeping with her.
GILES
Buffy, Xander is in real danger.
Are you sure the solution is pie?
BUFFY
Over bickering and confusion?
I’ll take pie.
GILES
We will find a solution —
BUFFY
And we will have a nice dinner.
Okay? Both. End of story. I’m
having a Thanksgiving. It’s going
to be perfect.
GILES
Hus won’t stop. Vengeance is
never sated, Buffy. Hatred is a
cycle. All he will do is kill.
She takes this in — and a KNOCK on the door startles them both a bit. They look at each other
quizzically, then head for the door.
INT. GILES’ LIVING ROOM – CONTINUOUS – DAY
Buffy reaches the door and opens it.
There is no one there. Buffy turns back to the others – and Spike lurches from the side, grabs her
and spins her to him. He has his blanket covering his head. He looks like shit.
SPIKE
Help me…
Buffy slams a palm to his chest, sends him flying back on his ass. He scrambles out of the direct
sunlight, his blanket beginning to smoke.
SPIKE
What part of “help me” did you not
understand?
BUFFY
The part where I help you.
SPIKE
Come on! I’m parboiling out here!
Buffy sticks her hand out behind her without even looking. Giles, who has joined her at the door,
slaps a stake into it like an assisting surgeon.
BUFFY
You want me to make it quicker?
SPIKE
Invite me in!
GILES
Fairly unlikely.
Frustrated, Spike runs at the doorway. Buffy simply steps back and Spike is repelled mystically. But
the doorway offers some shade, so he stays there.
SPIKE
Dammit! Look, I’m safe, I can’t
bite anyone! Willow! Tell them
what I did.
WILLOW
You said you were gonna kill me
and then kill Buffy.
SPIKE
Yes, bad, but let’s skip that part
and get to the part where I couldn’t
bite you!
WILLOW
It’s true. He had trouble
performing.
SPIKE
Yeah, well it looks like they’ve
done me for good.
GILES
What are you saying?
SPIKE
I’m saying Spike had a little trip
to the vet and now he doesn’t
chase the other puppies anymore.
I can’t bite anything. I can’t
even hit people.
BUFFY
So you haven’t murdered anybody
lately. Let’s be best pals!
SPIKE
I got information. About those
soldier boys you were fighting.
I got the inside scoop.
Giles and Buffy share a look.
SPIKE
Come on… what have you got to be
afraid of?
INT. OLD MISSION CHAMBER – DAY
Hus is ready for war. His face and body are painted with red, black and white pigment. He wears an
imposing headdress. He paces in a circle in the darkened chamber and chants:
HUS
First People, who dwell in
Mishupashup, hear me and descend,
walk with me upon Itiashup again…
As he walks, he pauses and places a weapon on the earthen floor: a bow and arrow… a spear… a
war club… a knife… Glowing (CGI) mist starts tracing his path now, trailing off his body. It falls on
the weapons.
HUS
. . . Hear me also, Nunashush,
spirits from below, creatures of
the night, dwellers in Cayinashup,
take human form, and join the
battle… apoilis, untakas
isana — bring me my revenge!
Each weapon is now at the center of its own glowing mist swirl. On the word “Revenge” the weapons
all lift at once. CHUMASH WARRIORS form around the weapons. They wear simpler versions of Hus’
costume, and their faces and bodies are painted. A ghost army ready for battle.
BLACK OUT.
END OF ACT THREE
Act Four and Appendix
INT. GILES’ APARTMENT – SEVERAL MINUTES LATER
Spike is being tied to a chair. Buffy finishes the last knot as he complains:
SPIKE
Bloody hell, woman! You’re
cutting off my circulation.
BUFFY
You don’t have any circulation.
SPIKE
Well it pinches.
BUFFY
Get used to it. I got more
important things to worry about.
SPIKE
I came to you in friendship!
Well, all right, seething hatred
but I’ve got useful information
and I feel I’m being mistreated.
BUFFY
So tell me everything you know.
SPIKE
I’m too hungry to remember
everything.
BUFFY
Then sit.
Anya is scooping baked sweet potato out of the shells and putting it in a pot.
ANYA
How much butter goes in with these?
BUFFY
Uh, half a stick. And a quarter
cup of brandy.
(to Giles)
You have brandy, right?
Giles is in think mode, doesn’t hear her right away.
GILES
What? Oh. Yes. In the cupboard.
SPIKE
I wouldn’t say no to a brandy…
BUFFY
(to Giles)
What’s wrong?
GILES
It’s the victims. Apart from
Xander, Hus has targeted authority
figures — Father Gabriel, the
curator of the Cultural Center…
who fits this pattern?
SPIKE
Just a small brandy…
BUFFY
(thinking)
The Dean. Dean Guerrero, he’s the
king of us — and he was at the
ceremony…
GILES
Likely candidate. We’ll need to
warn him.
Buffy crosses to Willow at her books.
BUFFY
Will, isn’t there anything in
there about how to stop a Native
American spirit guy? Some nice,
non judgemental way to, you know,
kill him?
WILLOW
I’m not helping you kill him! I’m
not on board.
She gathers up her books, holds them to her.
BUFFY
Will, what choice do we have?
Will stands.
WILLOW
This isn’t a Western, Buffy!
We’re not at Fort… Giles, with
the cavalry coming to save us!
It’s one lonely and oppressed
warrior guy who’s just trying to —
BUFFY
— kill a lot of people?
WILLOW
I didn’t say he was right…
BUFFY
Will, you know how bad I feel.
This is eating me up —
(to Anya, who holds up the bottle of brandy)
— a quarter cup, and let it
simmer —
(to Willow, as Anya goes back)
— but even though it’s hard, we
have to end this. Yes, he’s been
wronged, and I personally would be
ready to apologize…
SPIKE
Oh, someone put a stake in me!
XANDER
You got a lot of volunteers in
here…
SPIKE
I just can’t take this mamby-pamby
boo-hooing over the bloody Indians!
WILLOW
The preferred term is —
SPIKE
You won! All right? You came in
and you killed them and you took
their land. That’s what
conquering nations do! That’s
what Caesar did, he’s not going
around saying “I came, I
conquered, I felt really bad about
it”! The history of the world is
not people making friends. You
had better weapons, you massacred
them, end of story!
BUFFY
Well, I think the Spaniards
actually did a lot of… not that
I don’t like Spaniards…
SPIKE
Listen to you! How are you gonna
fight anybody with that attitude?
WILLOW
We don’t want to fight anybody.
BUFFY
I just want to have Thanksgiving.
SPIKE
Yeah, good luck.
WILLOW
If we could talk to him —
SPIKE
You exterminated his race. What
could you possibly say that would
make him feel better? It’s kill
or be killed here. Take your
bloody pick.
There is a beat, as this sinks in.
XANDER
Maybe it’s the syphilis talking,
but some of that made sense.
GILES
(peevishly, almost to himself)
I made several of those points
earlier, but that’s fine, no one
listens…
BUFFY
All right. Whatever happens,
someone should go warn the Dean.
WILLOW
(upset, confused)
I’ll go. I need the air.
BUFFY
Not alone.
ANYA
I’ll go.
XANDER
Me too.
BUFFY
You sure you’re up to it?
SPIKE
Oh leave that one. He looks like
he’s ready to drop any minute, and
I think I can eat someone if
they’re already dead.
XANDER
(heading out)
I’m up to it.
GILES
We’ll keep looking for a…
solution.
BUFFY
His house is up past the gym. And
guys… hurry. Dinner’s in an hour.
EXT. SUNNYDALE – SUNSET
The sun sets, as it does at sunset.
INT. GILES’ APARTMENT – NIGHT
Buffy is setting the table with probably more energy than she needs. Giles does research.
SPIKE
Hey, when do I get fed?
BUFFY
Later.
(to Giles)
I hope the others are okay…
SPIKE
Do you know what happens to a
vampire that doesn’t get to feed?
GILES
Actually, I’ve always wondered.
BUFFY
Giles, plates.
He grabs them from the counter and helps.
SPIKE
Living skeletons, mate. Like
famine pictures from those dusty
countries, only not half as funny.
BUFFY
You can have gravy. Gravy has
blood in it, right?
SPIKE
You know what else has blood in
it? Blood!
Buffy places a little corncob man as she talks.
BUFFY
You want me to gag you? ‘Cause
I’m not listening to you whine all
the way through dinner. We’re
gonna have a nice, quiet,
civilized…
There is a WHINE of arrows overhead. Two of them embed in the wall beside the stairs, two more go
deep into the sofa. One of them (fired by Hus) hits Spike.
SPIKE
Hey! Watch the heart!
EXT. CAMPUS, OUTSIDE DEAN’S RESIDENCE – NIGHT
Willow, Xander and Anya walk away from the Dean’s Residence. Anya holds a paper plate with a
piece of plastic-wrapped pumpkin pie on it. They stop near a bike rack.
XANDER
Well, that was a waste of time.
WILLOW
I think he thought we were crazy.
XANDER
Maybe Anya shouldn’t have opened
the conversation with “Everybody
got both ears?”
ANYA
I liked his wife. She gave me pie.
XANDER
So what do we do now?
WILLOW
We could stay, and stand watch,
but I don’t know–
Angel steps out of the dark next to them.
ANGEL
Willow–
Xander and Willow jump.
XANDER
Angel!
Anya is not flustered.
ANYA
(re: Angel)
This is Angel. He’s large and
glowery, isn’t he?
Xander steps between Anya and Angel.
ANGEL
I’m not evil again! Why does
everyone think that?
WILLOW
Angel’s here to protect Buffy.
ANGEL
I haven’t been evil for a long time.
WILLOW
She’s not supposed to know he’s
here. Angel, you have something new?
ANGEL
Yeah. All the Chumash weapons are
missing from the cultural center.
Something’s up. Where’s Buffy?
WILLOW
(to Angel)
Still at Giles’. She just sent us
out to check on Dean Guerrero.
ANYA
He’s fine. Lots of ears.
ANGEL
Why the Dean?
WILLOW
We think he’s going after someone
in charge. A leader.
ANGEL
He’s a warrior. To a warrior the
leader means the strongest fighter.
XANDER
Buffy.
ANGEL
He’s formed a raiding party.
WILLOW
We’ve got to get back there!
ANGEL
I’ll call her. You get back fast.
XANDER
How can we —
Angel strides to the bike rack. He pulls a lock, snaps it.
EXT. GILES’ APARTMENT – LIVING ROOM WINDOW – NIGHT
The same shot we had earlier with the coyote, looking into the apartment. Only now we’re looking
over the shoulder of a warrior, bow raised. As Buffy and Giles move behind the sofa we get glimpses
of the tops of their heads… they look incredibly vulnerable.
INT. GILES’ LIVING ROOM – NIGHT
Buffy and Giles are still pinned down behind the sofa. The phone rings. Giles reaches up and grabs it.
GILES
Hello… Yes… Yes we’re well
aware of that, we’re under siege
now. Thank you.
He hangs up.
BUFFY
Who was that?
GILES
A… Someone. We need a plan.
ANGLE: SPIKE
Has three arrows in him.
SPIKE
Yes, let’s talk about it some
more…
BUFFY
Where’s your weapons chest?
Giles points. Buffy glances out. The chest is there, along the living room wall just past the archway
next to the kitchen. Buffy makes a tentative lean toward it, extending one arm out…
ARROWS sail again (from the living room windows). Spike HOPS himself, and his chair, just barely
out of the way of one.
Buffy makes another try. She snags the chest and is pulling it back behind the sofa when an arrow
hits her. It lodges in her forearm, going deep.
GILES
Buffy!
She dives back to cover.
BUFFY
Where’d that one even come from?
Giles points out the small window behind them by the door. She pulls the arrow from her arm and
Giles ties something around her wound.
SPIKE
Hey, remember that “never
apologize” thing? Forget it.
Apologize.
BUFFY
Shut up, Spike.
SPIKE
Fine. I’ll do it.
(called, to Hus)
Hey! Sorry! Sorry about that, Chief!
BUFFY
(to Giles)
How many?
GILES
There’s the leader, upstairs, and
another one with him. Two at the
living room windows and another at
the window by the door.
BUFFY
Five total. Too many.
GILES
We need help.
SPIKE
Aargh! Bloody hell!
Spike’s been hit in the leg by another arrow.
EXT. CAMPUS – NIGHT
Shot from a moving vantage point alongside — Xander, Anya and Willow on bikes, riding as fast as
they can.
INT. GILES’ APARTMENT – NIGHT
Buffy has pulled the weapons chest the rest of the way behind the sofa now.
Giles has piled up sofa cushions and pulled dining room chairs into position as best he can to shield
them from weapons coming from the door side of the room. Buffy pulls two crossbows (loaded) from
the chest. She and Giles stand up. She faces toward the door, he faces into the living room. She fires
at Hus. The bolt barely misses him. Giles fires through one of the living room windows.
EXT. GILES’ COURTYARD – NIGHT
Xander, Willow and Anya arrive, running into the courtyard. They see Hus and the other warrior up
on the balcony, and the third warrior at the downstairs window.
Xander moves instantly across the courtyard toward the warrior at the lower window. Along the way
he picks up a heavy flowerpot. He brings it down, with a CRASH, on the warrior’s head — the warrior
falls aside.
Willow and Anya each grab garden tools, rushing to join Xander — the warrior on the balcony (the
one who’s not Hus) dives off the balcony at them, knife in hand. They fight back, flailing at his head.
INT. GILES’ APARTMENT – NIGHT
Hus, still at the window over the stairs, utters a war-cry and jumps into the room, CRASHING
THROUGH the unopened upper half of the window. He ends up at the base of the stairs. Buffy grabs
something from the weapons chest and jumps to meet him. They engage. Now we see she has an
ornate curved metal knife versus his stone one. knives flash and clash.
Giles grabs a knife as well and is about to come to her aid when the two warriors on the living room
side of the apartment jump in through their windows. Giles grabs a heavy object off a table and
clobbers one of them over the head. He falls aside.
The remaining warrior charges Giles, they end up fighting near the archway by the kitchen.
Hus’ knife slashes Buffy’s arm, making a cut. She strikes back. He is uncut.
BUFFY
Giles! These guys! They don’t die!
Giles is on the ground, trying to keep his opponent’s hands from his throat.
GILES
Bit busy over here…
EXT./INT. GILES’ APARTMENT – NIGHT
In the courtyard, Xander is trying to help Willow and Anya. He has picked up a long-handled
something of his own and is joining the fight…
XANDER
Get away from them!
…when he realizes there’s nothing at the end of his handle. He stares at it. A beat later, he is plucked
out of the fight entirely, from behind.
XANDER
Hey!
It’s the warrior whom he hit with the flowerpot, dirt still marking his face. He picks up Xander and
THROWS him at Giles’ front door.
The hinges break and Xander lands on the living room floor. The warrior launches in after him and
they struggle on the ground.
In the courtyard, Angel arrives. He sees Willow and Anya, still fighting: garden implements vs. knife.
Willow has gotten over her reluctance and is hitting the warrior hard in the head with her hoe.
WILLOW
(with each blow)
Why. Won’t. You. Die?
Angel grabs the warrior and twists his neck. The warrior drops like Jenny Calendar, his knife
clattering to the courtyard floor beside him. Willow and Anya look at Angel gratefully.
ANYA
(to Willow, intrigued)
What’s he like when he is evil?
IN THE APARTMENT
the dazed warrior whom Giles hit with the object, gets up. He steps around the back of the sofa,
closing in behind Buffy (who is still fighting Hus), knife drawn and raised…
ANGEL’S POV
Angel stands in the courtyard, just outside the door. Through the window next to the door he sees
the warrior creeping up behind Buffy. Angel grabs the knife that the broken-necked warrior dropped
and, almost too fast to see, he WHIPS it through the open door.
THE KNIFE
Sings through the air… and hits the warrior, impaling him and throwing him over the back of the
sofa. Buffy never even sees him.
IN THE COURTYARD
The warrior who got his neck snapped by Angel suddenly grabs him from behind.
Angel struggles with him and yells to Willow and Anya:
ANGEL
Help the others!
Willow and Anya enter through the door, arriving at the Xander-vs.-warrior tussle. Together they try
to pull the warrior off Xander, hold him.
BUFFY AND HUS
Continue their knife fight. In an exchange of kicks and blows, BOTH KNIVES are knocked out of their
hands. They fall. Buffy and Hus pick them up. She slashes at him. She CUTS HIS ARM, leaving it
BLOODIED. Confused she looks at her knife — sees that it’s his stone one — they traded knives.
BUFFY
Your knife. It can kill you.
He yells… an angry scream that deepens, and roughens and turns into an URSINE GROWL as,
incredibly, he MORPHS into a GIANT REAL LIVE BEAR!
THE BEAR
TOWERS ON ITS HIND LEGS and ROARS, seeming to fill the apartment. It is facing away from the
kitchen, and therefore, pretty much toward…
SPIKE
Who, now with three arrows protruding from his body, panics.
SPIKE
You made a bear!
BUFFY
I didn’t mean to!
SPIKE
Undo it! Undo it!
Buffy fights the bear! It slashes at her with its massive claws. Spike, trying to hop himself out of the
way, TIPS OVER BACKWARDS onto the floor.
SPIKE
Oof.
The bear roars and knocks Buffy across the room.
XANDER
Is helping Anya and Willow restrain their captive warrior. But, seeing Buffy’s sitch, he waves and
shouts from his place near the kitchen counter, trying to draw the bear’s attention away from Buffy.
XANDER
Hey! Gentle Ben! Over here!
Not getting a reaction, Xander grabs a bag of raw, unpeeled potatoes. He starts lobbing them at the
bear.
XANDER
(to the bear)
That’s for giving me syphilis!
Buffy moves in close, within range of the huge paws, and plunges the knife into the beast’s heart. It
roars and collapses to the floor. It turns briefly into the Indian man, and then into the mist, which
dissipates… gone forever.
The four other warriors (one still held by Anya and Willow, one that is fighting with Giles, one that is
fighting with Angel and the one that was knocked onto the sofa by Angel) all wisp away too, although
we only see (CGI) Angel’s.
Buffy, Willow, Anya, Xander and Giles move together, still looking at where Hus’ body briefly lay.
There is a beat of regret from our characters who have souls.
EXT. GILES’ COURTYARD – NIGHT
Angel stands alone now… the warriors have disappeared. He looks in the window, sees
BUFFY
Through the window, as she looks around at her friends… she’s all right.
ANGEL
hesitates for a second — drawn to her. But he turns and walks away.
BUFFY
Glances toward the window — was something there? No.
SPIKE
(from the floor)
What happened? Did we win?
INT. GILES’ APARTMENT – LATER THAT NIGHT
Buffy, Willow, Xander, Giles, Anya, and even Spike, all sit around what remains of the dining room
table. The turkey, half-carved, is on the table, as well as the other food. Everyone eats and looks
tired, and tends their wounds. A few arrows protrude from the table-top.
WILLOW
I feel lousy.
GILES
I thought the turkey came out
rather splendidly.
General assent.
WILLOW
It was yummy, I just… did you
see me? Two seconds of conflict
with an indigenous person and I
turn into General Custer.
GILES
Violence does that. Instinct
takes over.
SPIKE
Yeah, that’s the fun!
XANDER
Nobody asked you.
SPIKE
Oh, lay off. You’ve all had a
fine meal, but me… an entire
siege, you’d think one of you
would bleed a little…
GILES
Well, good work, Buffy. On both
fronts.
BUFFY
(a little sad)
Thanks.
GILES
Come on, you should be very
pleased.
BUFFY
It wasn’t exactly a perfect
Thanksgiving.
XANDER
I don’t know. It kinda seemed
right to me. A bunch of
anticipation, a big fight and now
we’re all sleepy.
GILES
And we did all survive.
BUFFY
Well. I guess that much is true.
My first Thanksgiving on my own
and we all got through it.
XANDER
And you know what?
(romantically, to Anya)
I think my syphilis is clearing
right up.
ANYA
That’s nice…
BUFFY
And they say romance is dead. Or
maybe they just wish it.
WILLOW
And maybe we started a new
tradition this year.
(thinks about it)
Maybe not. But anyway, we all
worked together, that was like old times.
XANDER
Yeah. Especially with Angel here
and everything.
The others react, forks half-way to mouths, guilty looks on faces.
BUFFY
Angel?
BLACK OUT.
END OF SHOW
Transcripts
Prologue
Cut to a forresty area. We see a guy walking along. He pauses as a branch breaks
nearby. He continues walking after a minute. He turns around and sees Buffy.
Guy : Oh!
Buffy : Looking for me?
Guy : Holy–what do you want?
Buffy punches him. The guy looks startled, then vamps out.
Vampire : Uhh! Hey!
Buffy : Look who’s home?
Vampire : A slayer. Why don’t you just go back where you came from? Things were
great before you came.
Buffy punches him again, then kicks him. He goes down and as he gets he backhands
her in the stomach. She backhands him in the face and he hits the ground. As he’s
getting up she grabs him from behind and stakes him.
Buffy : And they say one person can’t make a difference.
We then pan to where Angel can be seen hiding in the foiliage.~~ Part 1 ~~
Cut to a lawn outside a building site. We see the dean on a podium making a speech.
There is a small gathering watching.
Dean guerrero: Of all the duties of a dean, one of the most pleasant is to see a colleague
realize a dream. Ladies, gentlemen, students, I present to you professor Gerhardt of the
anthropology department.
Prof Gerhardt replaces the dean at the podium.
Gerhardt : When I first realized we were outgrowing our current cultural center, I was
concerned. Then I realized It was like seeing one’s child grow up and move on to better
things. In this case, a spacious new facility to be built on this site…
Cut to where Buffy, Willow and Anya are standing together. Xander is at the site as a
construciton worker.
Anya : Look at him. Have you ever seen anything so masculine?
Buffy : You mean guerrero or his wife?
Willow : I think she means… (Referring to Xander who’s waiting to begin digging.)
Buffy : Oh. Very manly. Not at all village people. (Yes, very village people, actually.)
So much sexier than the outfit from his last job.
Willow : Oh, I miss the free hot dogs on sticks.
Anya : I’m imagining having sex with him right now.
Back to Gerhardt continuing her speech.
Gerhardt : And that’s why it’s appropriate that the ground-breaking for the uc sunnydale
cultural partnership center is taking place so soon before thanksgiving. Because that’s
what the melting pot is about– Contributions from all cultures, making our culture
stronger…
Cut to the girls again, Buffy begins to clap but stops as Willow interjects.
Willow : What a load of horse hooey.
Buffy : We have a counterpoint?
Willow : Yeah. Thanksgiving isn’t about blending of 2 cultures. It’s about one culture
wiping out another. And then they make animated specials about the part where, with
the maize and the big, big belt buckles. They don’t show you the next scene, where all
the bison die and squanto takes a musket ball in the stomach.
Buffy : Ok. Now, for some of that, you were channeling your mother?
Willow : Well, yeah, sort of. That’s why she doesn’t celebrate thanksgiving or columbus
day– You know, the destruction of the indigenous peoples. I know it sounds a little
overwrought, but really, she’s…She’s right.
Buffy : Yeah. I guess I never really thought about it that way. With mom at aunt
darlene’s this year, I’m not getting a thanksgiving. Maybe it’s just as well.
Anya : Well, I think that’s a shame. I love a ritual sacrifice.
Buffy : It’s not really a one of those.
Anya : To commemorate a past event, you kill and eat an animal. It’s a ritual sacrifice,
with pie.
Back to the professor’s speech.
Gerhardt : …And thus, a symbolic beginning.
She goes over and commences with the ground breaking ceremony.
Anya : (Inscensed.) What’s she doing? Xander said he was going to dig. I want to see
Xander dig.
Buffy : That’s part’s just ceremonial.
Anya : Well, it bites. She’s not rippling at all. Oh. Look, there he goes. (We see Xander
begin digging in earnest. She sighs.) Look at him.
Willow : Very…Diggy.
Anya : Soon he’ll be sweating. I’m imagining having sex with him again.
Buffy : Imaginary Xander is quite the machine.
Xander is still digging when suddenly the ground breaks away beneath him. He
plumments to an underground chamber.
Xander : Uhh! Ow. I’m ok! I’m, uh… I’m ok! (He looks around.) Where am I okay?
We see Angel in the shadows hiding behind trees again. He’s staring up at Buffy’s
window. Cut to Buffy and Willow’s room.
Willow : While they were pulling Xander out, I heard a couple of the anthro professors
talking about it. Man, were they excited. It’s the old sunnydale mission, which everyone
thought was lost.
Buffy : (Staring out the window.) Huh?
Willow : Is there something out there?
Buffy : Hmm? Oh. No. I’m sorry. A lost mission. I mean, a hairbrush I can understand.
And by the way, I will find that and get that back to you. But how do you lose a
mission?
Willow : Huge earthquake in 1812. Everyone just assumed the mission was leveled.
Instead, they built right over it. It’s like what happened in the thirties with that church
the master was in. Doesn’t it make you wonder what else is there, like, right under our
feet?
Buffy : Mostly, I’ve just found sewers full of demons.
Willow : Oh, right. (Outside we hear students running mad through the halls with
excitement.) Man, it’s crazy out there.
Buffy : Mm-hmm. Post-midterm frenzy. And the holiday. Everyone’s going home.
Willow : It looks like a lot of lucky moms are gonna be getting brimming baskets of
dirty laundry.
Buffy : It’s so not fair. I mean, they all get a family holiday just because they can go
home to their families.
Willow : Hmm, it’s a turvy-topsy world.
Buffy : You know what? I should have my own thanksgiving. I can cook the meal, just
like my mom does, have all you guys over. It’ll be great.
Willow : Buffy, earlier you agreed with me about Thanksgiving. It’s a sham. It’s all
about death.
Buffy : It is a sham, but it’s a sham with yams. It’s a yam sham.
Willow : You’re not gonna jokey-rhyme your way out of this one.
Buffy : I know… But I want it. It’s like professor Walsh was saying about sense memory.
I smell a roasting turkey, and I’m 8 years old. I liked having that to look forward to.
Everything’s different now.
Willow : Well, I suppose there could be slight yams.
Buffy : I mean, we could definitely use a little comfort food. I bet giles doesn’t have any
plans. And Xander always tries to avoid all of his family gatherings.
Willow : Ooh. We could not invite anya.
Buffy : I don’t know. She and xander seem pretty tight lately. Look, pilgrims aside, isn’t
that the whole point of thanksgiving– Everybody has a place to go?
Cut to Spike walking around the forrest, wearing a blanket looking desolate. Cut to
Riley, Graham and Forrest in commando gear, patrolling the forrest looking for Spike.
Forrest : Man, I’m beat.
Riley : We’ll do one more sweep, then cash it in.
Forrest : I gotta pack tonight. You got a flight?
Riley : Wednesday night. Professor walsh wants me here for the debriefing.
Forrest : That’s a pretty short thanksgiving.
Riley : Hey, with a hostile on the loose, we’re lucky to be going home at all.
Forrest : It’s neutered. The implant works great. He can’t hurt a single living thing.
Riley : As long as he knows about the initiative, he’s a threat. We do this the professor’s
way.
Forrest : (Coughing the words.) Mama’s boy.
Riley : That’s a nasty cough. You might need to spend the weekend in quarantine.
Forrest : Oh, no. I’m done coughing.
Riley : I just don’t want anyone getting sick. (He pats Forrest on the arm.)
Cut to Xander’s basement/room. Anya comes in as Xander is finishing dressing for
work. He looks worn out.
Anya : Xander, what are you doing? You’re supposed to be digging. I went to watch you
digging, and you weren’t there doing it.
Xander : I’m going now. Just…Kinda tough getting going today.
Anya : (Feeling his forehead.) Your head is moist. Oh! You’re sick. Well, you can’t go to
work.
Xander : (Anya pushes him back on the bed.) Uh. Oh. Anya?
Anya : You’re pasty and wet and disgusting. They can dig without you.
Xander : (Groaning.) Look– I don’t really feel that bad.
Anya : I inflicted a lot of putrefying diseases on men when I was an avenging demon,
and you look like you’re getting all of them.
Xander : (Giving in.) Ok. I’ll stay. But you should go. You could catch it.
Anya : (Perkily.) We’ll die together. It’s romantic. Let me get your trousers off. (She
begins to undress him.)
Xander : You’re a strange girlfriend.
Anya : I’m a girlfriend?
Xander : Uh…There’s a chance I’m delirious.
Anya : Ah, yes. Well, whatever it is that’s making you sick, so far, I like it.
Cut to the Professor Gerhardt on the phone.
Gerhardt : It’s a very exciting opportunity. I can’t wait to go down there myself. It’s
just…Well, it’s means we’re going to have to start looking for a new location. … No, it’s
really up to the dean. … I just hope this doesn’t cost us another year. … Ok. Talk to you
later.
We see green smoke coalesing around an ancient knife. The professor inspects it and the
smoke turns into a native american. He grabs the knife, seizes the professor and slits her
throat.
~~ Part 2 ~~
Willow and Buffy are inspecting the site of the professors death.
Willow : I’ll never get used to this. One day, she’s at the friendship ceremony. The next
day, she’s on the news. The coroner’s office said she was missing an ear. So I’m
thinking, Maybe we’re looking for a witch. There’s some great spells that work much
better with an ear in the mix.
Buffy : That’s one fun little hobby you’ve got there, Will.
Willow : Or…Or maybe an ear-harvesting demon that–it’s, like, building another demon
completely out of ears. Or…Ooh. Thought. We’re just assuming someone else cut off the
ear. What if it was self-inflicted, like van gogh?
Buffy : So…She brutally stabs herself, dumped the body, then cut off her own ear?
Willow : No. She cut off her ear, then killed herself, then dumped the body– I’m really
off my game, aren’t I?
Buffy : Yeah. Wait. Something’s missing from this case. (She reads the inscription.)
“Early 1800 chumash knife.” There’s a picture.
Willow : What’s it look like?
Cut to Buffy in Giles kitchen getting the food ready for thanksgiving dinner.
Buffy : Pretty darn scary. It more like a riot than a ralph’s.
Buffy : I thought I was going to have to use slayer moves on this one woman who was
completely hoarding the pumpkin pie filling.
Giles : And at some point, you are going to tell me about the murder?
Buffy : Oh, right. The knife was some sort of indian artifact. Chumash, I think. That’s
all we got.
Giles : Oh, chumash indians. They were indigenous to this whole area.
Buffy : That’s interesting.
Giles : Then, of course, the murder weapon might have just been a convenient choice.
Buffy : Uh-uh. There was a big ol’ scissors lying right there. That knife was picked for a
reason. Do you even own a turkey pan?
Giles : Tell me again why we’re not doing this at your house.
Buffy : Giles, if you would like to get by in american society, then you are going to
have to follow our traditions. You’re the patriarch. You have to host the festivities, or it’s
all meaningless.
Giles : And this is in no way an elaborate scheme to stick me with the cleanup?
Buffy : How about that ceremonial knife, huh? Pretty juicy piece of clueage, don’t you
think?
Giles : Yes, all right, I’ll look into the chumash connection and see if there’s any ritual
significance to the ear removal.
Buffy : Thank you. (Buffy pauses looking lost in thought.)
Giles : You all right?
Buffy : Yeah. Uh… I still need to pick up a few things, so I’ll check in. And keep your
hands off the food.
Giles : Oh, I’ll try and restrain myself from eating uncooked potatoes and cranberries.
Buffy leaves and Angel walks out from a room in the back of the apartment.
Giles : So, what do you think?
Angel : She sounds good. Kind of intense about this thanksgiving thing.
Giles : I think perhaps she’s a little lonely, but I meant about the murder.
Angel : Whatever killed the woman in the museum, that’s probably the danger.
Giles : Yeah, well, this danger, your friend has some ominous vision about Buffy. It’s all
terribly vague. I mean, there are other things happening on this campus.
Angel : Well, maybe I’m wrong, but I gotta try something. I can’t just keep watching.
Gilse : I’m glad that you’re watching out for her, but I feel I should remind you that she’s
not helpless and it’s not your job to keep her safe.
Angel : It’s not yours anymore, either. Are you going to walk away?
Giles : All right. But I feel we should tell her. I don’t like keeping this secret.
Angel : No. If she knew I was here, it was distract her. It could get her hurt. I don’t want
to get in the way.
Giles : Um, I’m assuming that there’s some connection to the old mission. Something is
angry about being disturbed.
Angel : Or maybe it was trapped there, and now it’s released. Something that has a
fondness for ancient weapons. You know father gabriel?
Giles : No.
Angel : He knows the history of this place pretty well. His family dates back to mission
times. He might be able to fill in some blanks.
Giles : Ok. Well, I’ll see about contacting him. Where are you going?
Angel : To watch her.
Giles : It’s not fair. You know that’s what she’d say. You can see her, but she can’t see
you?
Angel : Believe me, I’m not getting the good half of this deal. To be on the outside
looking in at what I can’t… Well, I’d forgotten how bad it feels.
Cut to Willow and Buffy walking along outside, in the business district.
Willow : But you have whipped cream. I saw it in giles’ fridge.
Buffy : But that’s whipped cream in a canister. Look, it’s only right if you whip it
yourself.
Willow : Hey, and then later, we can churn our own butter and make sweaters out of
sheep.
Buffy : Ok. It’s the last thing. I promise. Besides, I have an appointment with that priest
that Giles called about. He thinks he might have some information.
Riley: (Runs up to them.) Buffy? Hey, Buffy.
Buffy : Riley. Where’d you come from? I didn’t see you at all.
Riley : Oh, just across the street… And a couple of blocks down. Hey, willow.
Willow : Hi. Well, I’m just gonna let you two… Look, they’re selling coffee in the coffee
shop. Yum. (She runs into the coffee shop and into Angel. He grabs her and covers her
mouth with his hand. She’s trying to talk through it and it comes out garbled.) Oh!
Angel– evil! You’re all evil again.
Angel : I’m not evil. I’m here to help Buffy. (He removes his hand and lets her go.)
Willow : What’s going on?
Angel : My friend had a vision. Buffy’s in danger.
Willow : So tell her. Help her.
Angel : If she sees me, it’ll be worse.
Willow : See, I don’t get that, all this “leaving for her own good” garbage. Because
that’s what it is. You can’t just give up because there’s obstacles. What kind–
Angel : (Interupting her tirade.) Willow.
Willow : Sorry. My stuff.
Angel : You know how I feel about her. If there was any way…
Willow : Yeah. I know.
Angel : It’s just…Everything’s different now.
Willow : Hey, is cordelia really working for you? ‘Cause that’s gotta be a special
experience. Of all the people you could’ve hired.
Angel : Willow, I’m here to protect Buffy. I don’t have a whole lot of time for personal
stuff.
Willow : Right. Well, how can I help?
Angel : Well, if you can just tell me… (Looking out the window. He sees Buffy and
Riley chatting.) Who’s that guy?
Cut to outside where Buffy and Riley are talking.
Buffy : It’ll be just like it was when I was a kid. Only without me building a fort out of
my mashed potatoes.
Riley : Sounds like fun.
Buffy : It will be. Um, you know, if you don’t already have plans… You should come.
I’m a great cook… In theory. I’ve eaten a lot.
Riley : That sounds so great, but I’m outta here tonight. I caught a last-minute flight
back to Iowa.
Buffy : Iowa. That’s one of the ones in the middle, right?
Riley : My folks are there. We always do thanksgiving at my grandparents’ house. A
little farm outside Huxley.
Buffy : Sounds nice.
Riley : It is. After dinner, we all go for a walk down by the river with the dogs. There’s
trees and… And I know what you’re thinking. It’s like I grew up in a grant wood
painting.
Buffy : Exactly. If I knew who that was.
Riley : Just a guy who painted stuff that looked like where I grew up.
Buffy : Well, have fun at the homestead.
Riley : Always do. What’s the line? Home’s the place that, when you have to go there…
Buffy : They have to take you in.
Cut to Harmony’s crypt. She’s advancing towards Spike yelling at him.
Harmony : Get out.
Spike : (Leaning against a wall.) But, baby, this is where I belong.
Harmony : (Pointing.) Out. I mean it. I’ve been doing a lot of reading, and I’m in control
of my own power now, so we’re through.
She backs up as Spike advances towards her. He grabs her abruptly. He begins to kiss
her shoulder. She looks uncertain.
Spike : You don’t mean that.
Harmony : Yes, I do. I…I do. (Spike picks her up and carrys her over to the bed.) I mean
it a lot.
Spike : See? I knew you’d end up welcoming be back (He begins to stroke her legs.)
With open…Arms. (He leans into kiss her.)
Harmony : No. (She pushes him away.) I’m powerful, and I’m beautiful, and I don’t need
you to complete me. (She goes around the bed and lifts the matress revealing a stake
which she grabs.) And you’re mean. (She stands up holding the stake up.)
Spike : (Backpedeling, then falling off the bed.) You had that in our bed? Do you know
how dangerous that is?
Harmony : (Advancing on him.) Let’s find out.
Spiek : You wouldn’t do it. (Backing up as she walks towards him still wielding the
stake.)
Harmony : You did it to me, remember?
Spike : All right. All right, I’ll go. Just– (He falls.)
Harmony : What?
Spike : Can I have someone to eat?
She goes to stake him and he runs off. Cut to the outside of a church. Inside we see
Buffy walking around.
Buffy : Father gabriel? Father gabriel? (She goes through a set of double doors.) Father?
Are you out here? (She sees the indian in the middle of slicing the throat of the priest
he’s hung.) God.
Buffy runs the rest of the way to the indian and punches him in the stomach. She then
redirects him a few feet away. He gets up to a defensive crouch, in a fighting stance.
Indian : You can’t stop me.
Buffy : You’re very wrong about that.
He rushes her again, but she sidesteps him and redirects him forward, which makes him
slam his head into a conviently low hung bell. He lands a few feet back, gets up and
tries to slice Buffy with his knife. She dodges back again. He tries to punch her and she
dodges, making him hit an ornemental stand.
Hus : Yaugh! (They fall and he is on top of her, wielding a knife.) I am vengeance. I am
my people’s cry. They call for hus, for the avenging spirit to carve out justice.
Buffy : They tell you to start an ear collection? (She kicks high, which throws him off.
She rolls over, punching him, then slams his knife arm into a tree but he doesn’t let go.
He punches her, but she kicks the legs out from under him. She grabs him and he’s stuck
holding his knife to his throat.)
Hus : You slaughtered my people. Now you kill their spirit. This is a great day for you.
She shoves him away and he gets up. Then he turns into a group of bats and they fly off.
~~ Part 3 ~~
Cut to Buffy and Giles in his kitchen again. They’re back to getting dinner ready.
Buffy’s checking the settings on the stove and Giles peeling vegetables in the sink.
Giles : It’s clear we’re dealing with a spirit of some kind. It’s very common for indian
spirits to change to animal form.
Buffy : It’s plenty uncommon for me to freeze up during a fight. I mean, I had the guy, I
was ready for the take-down, and I stopped. And native american.
Giles : Sorry?
Buffy : We don’t say “indian.”
Giles : Oh, right. Yes, yes. Um, always behind on the terms. Still trying not to refer to
you lot as “bloody colonials.”
Buffy : And the thing is, I like my evil like I like my men– evil. You know, “straight up,
black hat, “Tied to the train tracks, soon my electro-ray will destroy metropolis” bad.
Not all mixed up with guilt and the destruction of an indigenous culture.
Giles : This spirit warrior– hus, you called him– Has killed innocent people.
Buffy : Ok. You know what? We need to boil those and put them through the ricer.
Giles : I don’t think I have a ricer.
Buffy : You don’t have a ricer? What do you mean? How could someone not have a
ricer?
Giles : Well, do you have one at home?
Buffy : I don’t know. What’s a ricer?
Giles : We’ll mash them with forks, much like the pilgrims must have. Did you catch the
part about the innocent people?
Buffy : Yes. Ok? And I do want to stop him. I’d just like to find a non-slayee way to do
it.
There’s a knock at the door. Buffy opens it and we see Willow standing with a huge pile
of books.
Buffy : Hey.
Willow : Hey.
Buffy : Peas?
Willow : Peas.
Buffy takes the small box of peas leaving Willow to struggle with a mound of books.
Buffy : These are frozen.
Giles : What’s all that?
Willow : Atrocities. I got the full poop on the chumash indians and our fabulous buried
mission.
Buffy : You said you were going to get fresh ones.
Willow : Atrocities?
Buffy : Peas. They come in little pods. You were going to shell them.
Willow : I didn’t have time. I was busy reading about the chumash war.
Giles : The chumash were peaceful.
Willow : Oh, they were peaceful, all right. They were fluffy indigenous kittens, till we
came along.
Buffy : They’re gonna be mushy.
Willow : They won’t be mushy.
Giles : I like mushy peas.
Buffy : You’re the reason we had to have pilgrims in the first place. So what happened
to the chumash?
Willow : How about imprisonment, forced labor, herded like animals into a mission full
of bad european diseases.
Buffy : Boy. Cultural partnership center really didn’t stress any of that stuff.
Willow : Not even a diorama. And it gets better. The few chumash who tried to rebel
were hanged. And when a group was accused of stealing cattle, they were killed– Men,
women, and children. And for proof to bring back to their accusers…
Giles : They cut off their ears?
Buffy : So hus wasn’t kidding about the rightful vengeance routine.
Giles : He’s recreating all the wrongs done to his people. And it’s up to us to stop him.
Buffy : Yes, but after dinner, right?
Willow : Are you sure we shouldn’t be helping him?
Giles : No, I think perhaps we won’t help the angry spirit with his rape and pillage and
murder.
Willow : Well, ok, no, but we should be helping him redress his wrongs. Bring the
atrocities to light.
Giles : If the history books are full of them, I’d say they already are.
Willow : Giving his land back.
Giles : It’s not exactly ours to give.
Willow : I don’t think you wanna help. I think you just wanna slay the demon, then go–
La la la
Giles : And I think your sympathy for his plight has blinded you to certain urgent facts.
We have to stop this thing.
Willow : Ok, unfeeling guy.
Giles : Willow, that’s not fair.
Buffy : (Running to the kitchen.) I have to baste.
Giles : Willow, I– (in hushed tones)I have reason to believe buffy herself may be in
particular danger from this menace.
Willow : You mean… Angel? I saw him, too.
Giles : That’s not terribly stealthy of him.
Willow : I think he’s lost his edge.
Giles : But buffy doesn’t know.
Willow : Oh, no, not a peep.
Giles : Well, that’s good, but this is why I think we should all keep a level head in this.
Willow : And I happen to think mine is the level head, and yours is the one things
would roll off of.
There is another knock at the door. Giles opens it and Anya and Xander are there.
Xander : Happy thanksgiving.
Giles : Xander. You look like death.
Willow : Are you ok?
Buffy : You didn’t bring rolls?
Xander and Anya walk in. Xander lays on the couch and Anya tends to them.
Xander : The doctor couldn’t figure out was up with me. He said I had a lot of
symptoms that didn’t connect.
Buffy : I think they do connect.
Xander : What, to this chumash spirit vengeance guy?
Buffy : Didn’t you say the chumash got all diseased when they were all holed up in the
mission?
Willow : Yeah. This has a better account of everything. It lists the various–
Xander : Various? As in…
Willow : Well, the important thing is not to panic.
Xander : You just recited the mystical panic-causing incantation, so little hope there.
Let’s talk about the various.
Willow : Well, they did suffer from malaria, some smallpox–
Anya : I was gonna say smallpox.
Willow : (Softly mumbly) You know, syphilis, but basically–
Xander : (In shock.) Syphilis?
Willow : Well, but this is probably mystical, and it’ll all go away as soon as–
Xander : As soon as what?
Willow : We still don’t know what we’re gonna do. Well, maybe I can find something.
Let’s give him some land.
Giles : I’m sure that’ll clear everything right up.
Willow : Sarcasm accomplishes nothing, giles.
Giles : It’s sort of an end in itself.
Xander : Can we come rocketing back to the part about me and my new syphilis?
Anya : (Stroking his forehead.) It’ll make you blind and insane, but it won’t kill you.
The smallpox will.
Willow : Maybe there’s a wiccan spell that can cure it. Something regular medicine
doesn’t know. Ooh, there was a potion. (She looks through a book and pulls out a piece
of paper and begins reading.) Sage, salt…Onion?
Buffy : That’s the stuffing.
Xander : Oh, god.
Anya : Uh, you’re gonna get vesicles and pustules. They have pictures. (Tries to show
him the book.)
Xander : I hate this guy.
Willow : He’s just doing what was done to him.
Xander : I didn’t give him syphilis.
Giles : No, but you freed his spirit, and after a century of unrest, he saw you as one of
his oppressors.
Xander : What, so he rises up and infects the first guy he sees? That’s no fair.
Willow : Like you’ve never woken up cranky?
Giles : But why the others? Why them particularly?
Xander : So we take this guy out. Buffy, it is for to be slaying sometime soon, yeah?
Buffy : (Looking up from her stirring.) That’s sort of the question before the court.
Xander : Question?
Willow : There are 2 sides to it.
Xander : Slaying him? The representative from syphilis votes yea.
Willow : It’s not that simple.
Xander : He’s a vengeance demon. You don’t talk to vengeance demons. You kill them.
Anya : (Drawing back.) I didn’t know you felt that way.
Xander : (Totally confused.) What?
Willow : Anyway, he’s a spirit, not a demon.
Giles : Yes, and we’ve never faced this sort of spirit before. We really don’t know what
will kill it.
Willow : Again with the killing.
Giles : Figuratively speaking. Or bind it or whatever. Yes, willow, we all appreciate
your perspective.
Anya : Sometimes vengeance is justified.
Xander : You know that I didn’t mean you.
Willow : I don’t think anyone appreciates the truth of the situation.
Giles : Oh, I think we do.
Buffy : (Getting up abruptly holding the bowl.) This is no good! It needs more
condensed milk. (She flees into the kitchen.)
Giles : Buffy, xander’s in real danger. Are you sure the solution is pie?
Buffy : (Adding more condensed milk.) Over bickering and confusion, I’ll take pie. We
will find a solution. And we will have a nice dinner, ok? Both. End of story. I’m having
thanksgiving, and it’ll be perfect.
Giles : Hus won’t stop. Vengeance is never sated, buffy. Hatred is a cycle. All he will do
is kill.
There’s a knock at the door. Buffy goes to answer it and Spike is standing there,
cowering below a blanket. Smoke rises as he’s being seared by the indirect sun.
Spike : Help me. (Buffy shoves him back and he goes tumbling.) Ohh! What part of
help me do you not understand?
Buffy : The part where I help you.
Spike : Come on, I’m parboiling out here.
Buffy : (Giles hands her a stake.) Want me to help make it quicker?
Spike : Invite me in.
Giles : No. It’s fairly unlikely.
Spike : Oh, damn it! look, I’m safe. I can’t bite anyone. Willow, tell’ em what I did.
Willow : You said you were gonna kill me, then buffy.
Spike : Yes, bad, but let’s skip that part and get to the part where I couldn’t bite you.
Willow : It’s true. He had trouble perfoing.
Spike : Yeah, well, it looks like they’ve done me for good. Um…
Buffy : What are you saying?
Spike : I’m saying that spike had a little trip to the vet and now he doesn’t chase the
other puppies anymore. I can’t bite anything. I can’t even hit people.
Buffy : So you haven’t murdered anybody lately? Let’s be best pals.
Spike : I’ve got information. About the soldier boys you were fighting. Got the inside
scoop. Come on, what have you got to be afraid of?
Cut to Hus performing a ritual to summon other spirits.
Hus : First people who dwell in mishupashup, hear me and descend. Walk with me upon
itiashup again. Hear me also, nunashush. Spirits from below… Creatures of the night…
Take human form and join the battle. Bring me my revenge.
We see a cloud of green smoke which turns into a dozen warriors.~~ Part 4 ~~
Cut to Spike sitting in a chair, being bound by rope by Buffy.
Spike : G Grrr. Bloody hell, woman. You’re cuttin’ off my circulation.
Buffy : You don’t have any circulation.
Spike : Well, it pinches.
Buffy : Get used to it. I have more important things to worry about.
Spike : I came to you in friendship. (Buffy gives him a look.) Well, all right, seething
hatred, but I’ve got useful information, and I feel I’m being mistreated.
Buffy : So tell me everything you know.
Spike : I’m too hungry to remember everything.
Buffy : Then sit.
Anya : (At the stove stirring a pot.) Uh, how much butter goes in with these?
Buffy : About half a stick and a quarter cup of brandy. (To Giles.) You do have brandy,
don’t you?
Giles : What? Oh, yes. Um, on the bookcase.
Spike : I wouldn’t say no to a brandy.
Buffy : What’s wrong?
Giles : The victims. Apart from xander, Hus has targeted authority figures. Father
gabriel, the curator of the cultural center. Who else fits this pattern?
Buffy : Just a small brandy.
Buffy : The dean. Dean guerrero. He’s the king of us, And he was at the ceremony.
Giles : Likely candidate. We should warn him.
Buffy : Will, anything in those books about how to stop a native american spirit guy?
Some nice, non-judgmental way to, you know, kill him?
Willow : I’m not gonna help you kill him. I’m not on board.
Buffy : What choice do we have?
Willow : Buffy, this isn’t a western. We’re not at fort…Giles with the cavalry coming to
save us. It’s one lonely guy. Oppressed warrior guy who’s just trying to…
Buffy : Kill a lot of people?
Willow : I didn’t say he was right.
Buffy : Will, you know how bad I feel about this. It’s eating me up– (To Anya.) 1/4 Cup
of brandy and let it simmer– (To Willow.) But even though it’s hard, we have to end
this. Yes, he’s been wronged, And I personally would be ready to apologize–
Spike : Oh, someone put a stake in me.
Xander : You got a lot of volunteers in here.
Spike : I just can’t take all this mamby-pamby boo-hooing about the bloody indians.
Buffy : Uh, the preferred term–
Spike : You won. All right? You came in and you killed them and you took their land.
That’s what conquering nations do. It’s what caesar did, and he’s not going around
saying, “I came, I conquered, I felt really bad about it.” The history of the world isn’t
people making friends. You had better weapons, and you massacred them. End of story.
Buffy : Well, I think the spaniards actually did a lot of– Not that I don’t like spaniards.
Spike : Listen to you. How you gonna fight anyone with that attitude?
Willow : We don’t wanna fight anyone.
Buffy : I just wanna have thanksgiving.
Spike : Heh heh. Yeah…Good luck.
Willow : If we could talk to him–
Spike : You exterminated his race. What could you possibly say that would make him
feel better? It’s kill or be killed here. Take your bloody pick.
Xander : Maybe it’s the syphilis talking, but… Some of that made sense.
Giles : I made these points earlier, but fine, no one listens to me.
Buffy : Fine, ok? But someone still has to go warn the dean.
Willow : I’ll go. I need the air.
Buffy : Not alone.
Anya : I’ll go.
Xander : Me, too.
Buffy : Sure you’re up to it?
Spike : Oh, leave that one. He looks like he’s ready to drop any minute, and I think I can
eat someone if he’s already dead.
Xander : (Getting up.) I’m up to it.
Giles : I’ll keep on looking for a solution.
Buffy : Yeah. Guys, the dean’s house is up past the gym. And hurry. Dinner’s in an hour!
Spike : Hey, when do I get fed?
Buffy : Later. I hope the others are ok.
Spike : You know what happens to vampires who don’t get to feed?
Buffy : I always wondered that. Giles, plates.
Spike : Living skeletons, mate. Like famine pictures from those dusty countries, only
not half as funny.
Buffy : You can have gravy. That has blood in it, right?
Spike : Do you know what else has blood in it? Blood.
Buffy : Do I have to gag you? Because I am not gonna listen to you whine all the way
through my dinner. It’s gonna be a nice, quiet, civilized–
Suddenly an arrow pierces the decrotive scarecrow on the table. We see Hus in the
window with a bow and arrow.
Buffy : You. Listen, maybe I wasn’t clear before about how terrible we all feel. ‘Cause
we’re trying to help.
Spike : What’s going on?!
Giles : It isn’t working.
Buffy : Uh, you can have casinos now.
Giles : Get down!
Giles and Buffy crouch behind the table as arrows rain through the window.
Spike : What about me? You gonna leave me here like this? (An arrow hits him a few
inches to the right of his heart.) Hey! Watch the heart!
Willow, Anya and Xander are leaving the deans house.
Anya : Well, that was a waste of time.
Xander : I think he thought we were crazy.
Willow : Maybe if anya hadn’t opened the conversation with, “Everybody got both
ears?”
Anya : I liked his wife. She gave me pie.
Willow : So what do we do now?
Xander : We could stay here and stand watch, or I just don’t–
Angel : (Appearing before them. ) Willow.
Xander : Angel?
Anya : So this is angel. He’s large and glowery, isn’t he?
Xander : He’s evil again.
Angel : I’m not evil again. Why does everyone think that?
Willow : Angel’s here to protect buffy.
Angel : I haven’t been evil for a long time.
Willow : She’s not supposed to know he’s here. Angel, do you have something new?
Angel : Yeah. All the chumash weapons are missing from the cultural center.
Something’s up. Where’s buffy?
Willow : Still at giles’. She sent us to check on dean guerrero.
Angel : Why the dean?
Willow : We think he’s going after someone in charge. A leader?
Angel : He’s a warrior. To a warrior, the leader means the strongest fighter.
Willow : Buffy.
Angel : He’s formed a raiding party.
Willow : We gotta get over there.
Angel : I’ll call her. You get back fast.
He crouches down and snaps the chain lock on a bicycle.
The phone rings at Giles. He picks it up.
Giles : H-hello? Yes. … Yes, w-w-we’re well aware of that. … We-we’re under siege
now, actually. … Thank you.
Buffy : Who was that?
Giles : A…Someone. Uh, we need a plan.
Buffy : Yes, let’s talk about it some more. Where’s your weapons chest?
Giles : Over there. (He indicates the chest across the room.)
Buffy sidles over to the chest after a moments pause, but is shot in the arm by an arrow.
Buffy : Ohh!
Giles : Buffy!
Spike : (Riddled with arrows.) Remember that conquering nation thing? Forget it.
Apologize.
Buffy : Shut up, spike.
Spike : Fine, I’ll do it myself. Hey, sorry. Sorry about that, chief.
Buffy : How many?
Giles : Uh, the leader upstairs. 2 By the living room windows. Uh, one through the
window by the door.
Buffy : It’s too many. We need help.
Spike : Ok, one… 2… 3. Ow! Bloody hell! Ohh!
Buffy : Giles, these guys– they don’t die.
Giles : (Wrestling with an Indian who has him by the neck.) Bit busy over here.
Spike : (Falling and carrying the chair with him.) Hey!
Willow : (Standing with Anya continuing to beat the Indian with a shovel.)
Why…Don’t…You…Die?!
Angel runs up, grabs the Indian and snaps his neck with a deft twist.
Anya : What’s he like when he is evil?
Angel is grabbed from behind by the neck and struggles.
Angel : Help the others!
Buffy fighting with Hus slices him with his knife. This leaves a cut.
Buffy : Your knife can kill you.
Hus turns into a large bear.
Buffy : A bear!
Spike : You made a bear!
Buffy : I didn’t mean to.
Spike : Undo it! Undo it!
Xander : Hey, gentle ben, over here. (He starts throwing food at him.)That’s for giving
me syphilis.
Buffy stabs the bear in the back as he’s distracted by Xander.
Spike : What happened? Did we win?
Everyone is gathered around the table eating.
Willow : I feel lousy.
Giles : Turkey came out rather splendidly.
Buffy : Oh, it was yummy.
Willow : It’s just…Did you see me? 2 Seconds of conflict with an indigenous person,
and I turned into general custer.
Giles : Violence does that. Instinct takes over.
Spike : Yeah, that’s the fun.
Buffy : Nobody asked you.
Spike : Oh, lay off. You all had a fine meal.
Willow : But me…An entire siege.
Spike : You’d think one of you would bleed a little.
Giles : Good work, buffy… On both counts.
Buffy : Thanks.
Giles : Well, you know, you should be very pleased.
Buffy : Wasn’t exactly a perfect thanksgiving.
Willow : I don’t know. Seemed kinda right to me. A bunch of anticipation, a big fight,
and now we’re all sleepy. And we did all survive.
Buffy : I guess that much is true.
Buffy : First thanksgiving on my own, and we all got through it.
Xander : (Patting Anya on the shoulder.) And you know what? I think my syphilis is
clearing right up.
Buffy : And they say romance is dead. Or maybe they just wish it.
Willow : Well, maybe we started a new tradition this year. (She gets a look from
everyone.) Maybe not. But at least we all worked together. It was like old times.
Xander : Yeah, especially with angel being here and everything.
Everyone looks at Buffy.
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