Ever feel like you’re invisible? This episode opens with Cordy lamenting on her May Queen status, and Buffy stumbles out of the library, dropping her bag full of weapons and feeling outcast from the popular people. Cut to “If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh, if you poison us, do we not die and if you wrong us, do we not avenge?” from Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice and the subtext for the episode rapidly becomes text as the class begins a discussion on outcasts in society, justice, and what it means to be defined as the other.
Meanwhile, Mitch, Cordy’s date for the spring dance, gets attacked in the men’s locker room by a bat that has a life of its own after he hears maniacal laughing; this scene, of course, comes after Cordy surmises that after Mitch sees her dress “Mitch is gonna die!” Hmmm. So what is Cordy up to? Bribery as she campaigns while Buffy longs to be in the ‘in crowd.’ She even manages to feel outcast from Xan and Will as they reminisce over Cordy memories.
After Mitch is found, Buffy pulls her usual Nancy Drew, finding the word “Look” on the lockers where Mitch was attacked. Since monsters usually “crush, kill, destroy,” it’s not a ‘vampire bat’ as Xan suggests; Giles surmises it might be a ghost, telekinesis (think Carrie) or an invisible creature. The Scoobies compile a list of dead or missing kids, and we begin to see flashbacks of Cordy and Harmony waxing rude on a fellow classmate. As Buffy attempts to talk to Cordy, Harmony gets pushed down the stairs, inexplicably. As Buffy’s spider sense tingles, she follows mysterious laughing into the band room, and finds a secret hiding place where someone has obviously been living. Also, there are creepy men in black suits sniffing around campus; Buffy concludes that there’s an invisible girl creeping around campus with a grudge.
Later that afternoon, Buffy watches as Cordy and her minions dress her for the May Queen dance while Angel visits Giles in the library. Don’t worry, he’s not there to eat. As Angel mentions that it’s too difficult to be around Buffy, Giles responds with one of the greatest lines of dialogue: “A vampire in love with a slayer, it’s rather poetic in a maudlin sort of way.” Angel dumps some major knowledge about the Master; something’s brewing and we learn of the Kodex, a book of prophecies concerning the slayer. Angel promises to bring the book to Giles and this scene sets up the final episode of the season.
In another flashback, we see Marcie, a student who tried to win over Cordy and her friends, to no avail. Cordy wins May Queen and states “being this popular is not just my right, but my responsibility and I take it very seriously.” Buffy seems to think Cordy is the key and she is right. The people attacked are those who seem to be related or helping Cordelia.
Marcie Ross has turned invisible because no one noticed her. Instead of magic, it seems to be physics related; reality is shaped and/or created by our perception. People perceived her as invisible, and she became so. Buffy suggests that this something that was done to Marcie, not a power she developed on her own. Is that the case? Who is truly responsible here; Marcie or those around her?
The Hellmouth almost freezes over as Cordy asks Buffy and the Scoobies for help hoping she was in a gang; as Giles mentions he doesn’t recall seeing her in the library before she responds with “oh no, I have a life.” She also doesn’t remember ever seeing Marcie, although she tormented her on more than one occasion. But we also see another side to Cordelia; “you think I can’t be so lonely just because I’m cute and popular? I can be surrounded by people and be alone. I don’t even know if they really like me.” And so we see the other side of the coin. Being popular for Cordelia beats being alone all by yourself.
Xan, Will and Giles are lured to the basement and almost gassed to death while Cordelia and Buffy are kidnapped and almost killed by Marcie on the stage of the Bronze as Marcie’s clues come together: “Look, Listen, Learn.” She has gone mad from the loneliness and constant exile and attempts to cut up Cordelia’s most perfect face, giving her a face no one will ever forget.
After Buffy knocks Marcie out by using her slayer powers, the men in the black suits take Marcie away, and we learn that they are secret government officials who are going to “rehabilitate her so she can become a useful member of society.” Cut to a scene with Marcie getting led into a classroom with what we are to assume are other invisible kids getting secret op training on “assassination and infiltration.” Loneliness comes in all flavors.
About Sabrina: As a kid my dad would sneak scary movies past my mom and let me indulge in his horror movie fetish. I grew up watching V, Alien Nation, The Thing, The Fog (all originals) and then, in 1992 when Buffy the movie came out, I became obsessed with vampires, girl power, and all things gothic. I once stayed home from school, faked sick, and watched BTVS: the movie 6 times in a row. I know the beginning cheerleading dance by heart (still). Currently, I’m obsessing over Laurell K. Hamilton novels, and dream about Anita Blake being my best friend.
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Lisa Fary's earliest influences are Princess Leia, Rainbow Bright, Astronaut Barbie, and her 6th grade teacher, Ms. Palmer. She's angry that it's 2011 and she still doesn't have a hovercraft, but will accept a jetpack as consolation. That jetpack had better be pink with a rhinestone monogram. 
