Halloween (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Episode)
From Iwe
| "Halloween" | |||
| Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode | |||
| Episode no. | Season 2 Episode 6 | ||
| Directed by | Bruce Seth Green | ||
| Written by | Carl Ellsworth | ||
| Production code | 5V06 | ||
| Original air date | October 27, 1997 | ||
| Guest actors | |||
| Episode chronology | |||
| ← Previous "Reptile Boy" | Next → "Lie to Me" | ||
| List of Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes | |||
"Halloween" is episode six of season two of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It was written by freelance writer Carl Ellsworth and directed by Bruce Seth Green. The narrative follows Ethan Rayne, a Chaos worshiper, who makes everybody turn into their costumes, meaning a chance for Spike to kill the Slayer.
Contents |
Plot
Buffy and Angel finally agree to a date, but Buffy is delayed at Pop's Pumpkin Patch by a vampire. Another vampire films the fight from hiding. As Angel waits at The Bronze, Cordelia shows up and starts talking to him. When Buffy finally arrives, she is turned away by Cordelia's sharp tongue. Cordelia continues to hit on Angel, unaware of his history.
The next day, Principal Snyder forces Buffy and her friends into chaperoning small children while they trick-or-treat. Buffy would rather take a break during the only slow night for vampires. Later, Larry, the school bully, threatens Xander while asking him about Buffy, who smashes Larry into a soda machine. Xander is angered by the damage that does to his reputation.
After Xander leaves, Buffy and Willow's conversation eventually turns to speculation about Angel's past. The two decide to sneak into Giles' office and borrow the passed-down Watcher's Diary. From this, they hope to learn more about what type of girls Angel used to be attracted to as a human. Buffy is slightly mopey after her date with Angel didn't fly, and is eager for information on how to win him over.
The gang has to dress up for Halloween. They head to Ethan's Costume Shoppe, where Willow gets a ghost costume and Xander buys a toy gun to go with his army fatigues from home. Buffy and Xander make up, but then she spies the most beautiful 18th-century pink sack-back gown—one that matches what she has spied from Giles' Watcher files on Angel. Ethan Rayne appears and makes her an offer she cannot refuse.
Spike is reviewing Buffy's fight. Drusilla comes to tell him that someone will make Buffy weak on Halloween night. Meanwhile, Ethan is chanting to a statue of Janus in the back room of his shop.
On Halloween night, Buffy persuades Willow to wear a black miniskirt and a long-sleeved crop top, but Willow's shyness returns; when Buffy goes to answer the doorbell, she covers up with her ghost costume. Later that night, Ethan's spell takes effect and everyone wearing a costume from his store turns into the respective persona. Willow becomes a real ghost, able to walk through walls, Xander a soldier, and Buffy an 18th-century noble woman.
With Buffy incapable to lead or even fight because of the spell, Willow is forced to take the role as a leader of the circle, convinces Xander not to shoot at people. They find Buffy disoriented, frightened and confused by the modern world. Willow rushes them to Buffy's house, where her mother is conveniently not home. Outside, Cordelia screams and Xander rushes out to save her. They find that Cordelia has not changed into what she is wearing—a cat—because she bought her costume from another store. Willow goes to Giles for help. While Cordelia searches the house, Angel shows up and takes Buffy into the kitchen. As Angel tries to kill a vampire that has sneaked into the house, he reveals his vampire face. Buffy is horrified and runs from the house.
Arriving at the library by walking through walls, Willow, after scaring Giles by just showing up where there isn't a door, tells him about Ethan's costumes. They head to the shop, where Giles reveals that he knows Ethan. He orders Willow to leave and physically persuades Ethan to tell him how to reverse the spell.
Continuity
- A diary entry depicts a girl connected to Angel's past from 1775, when the entry also says Angel was an 18 year old human. This date does not fit with later flashbacks to Angel's early days. In the first part to the season two finale, "Becoming, Part One", the date when the vampire Angelus was sired is given as 1753. This date is also upheld in several episodes of the Buffy spin-off, Angel.
- Since it is Halloween, all vampires are allowed to enter the houses of residents without the usual needed permission. This is how a vampire enters the Summers home. However, it is also possible that this is a costumed person, not a real vampire, thus negating normal vampire rules.
- When told to leave the costume shop, you can hear Willow open the door while she is a ghost and unable to touch anything.
Arc significance
- Cordelia learns Angel is a vampire.
- Xander retains his knowledge and skills of an experienced soldier after Ethan's spell, thus becomes proficient with military hand-to-hand combat, tactics, and weaponry. This comes to use in later episodes.
- This episode marks the first time that Willow takes command of the Scoobies, as Buffy has no recollection of who she is & therefore has no way of leading her friends. Willow will take command of the Scoobies again many times, most notable during the time between seasons 5 & 6, when Buffy is dead.
- This is the first hint at Giles's past, more of which is explained in "The Dark Age".
- This episode marks the first appearance of Ethan Rayne, who will later be a recurring character. For the first time, we learn from him the former nickname of his old friend Giles, "Ripper".
- Willow assures Buffy that Cordelia is not Angel's type, Buffy relaxes. However, in the television spin-off Angel, the characters Cordelia and Angel do eventually develop romantic feelings for each other.
- This episode establishes that vampires show up on film, despite the fact that they have no reflections. This trait will continue until the series finale and crossover to the spin-off Angel.
External links
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