Buffy for Beginners 3.15: Consequences

By Sabrina Boyer

This episode begins with a dream. Buffy’s dream to be exact. She’s in water being pulled down to the bottom by the Deputy Mayor, Alan Finch, the one Faith killed. When Buffy makes it to the surface, Faith pushes her back down again. She wakes up to see Joyce watching the news. Alan Finch’s body has been found. Things always have a way of rising to the surface.

The next day, Wesley suggests Finch’s murder merits investigation, but Giles and the slayers don’t think it’s really in their jurisdiction. Cut to Cordy entering the picture and Wesley, aka Giles, the next generation, likes Cordy. Cordy seems to like Wesley. Wesley Wyndam Price. “First word jail, second word bait,” Faith quips. So Wesley pushes the slayers to investigate Finch’s murder, and Buffy confronts Faith on what happened. Faith blames Buffy for being there, and they both, in Faith’s eyes, bear the same responsibility. Buffy seeks out her old friend Will before she went all bad girl with Faith. Things are awkward as the scene cuts to an investigation of the scene of the crime. Angel watches from the sidelines, and remembers that Buffy had blood on her hand that night when he saw her. The poor mayor, in all his evilness, can’t even cheer up using the shredder. “I don’t understand why Alan would leave a paper trail on our dealings. Do you think he was going to rat me out?” It seems Alan was; Mr. Trick also has valuable info for the mayor: that slayers were fighting vamps not a block away. They both lean toward the idea that a slayer did it and could be up for murder one.

As B and Faith snoop through his office, they also think that Alan was looking for them; it seems all signs point to Alan maybe being an ally to the slayers against the mayor. Too bad that he’s now dead. The slayers overhear the Mayor and figure out he’s a black hat. Buffy confronts Faith on her zippity do da attitude about Alan’s death; she rationalizes it by comparing the number of people they helped and the number of times they saved the world vs. one death. Faith thinks they are warriors, that they’re better than everyone else. “That’s right. Better. People need us to survive. In the end, people aren’t going to cry about some random guy who got caught in the crossfire,” Faith admits. “I am,” Buffy says. When she gets home, police are there to ask questions and they’re also at Faith’s. The investigator seems to suspect them, and lurking in the dark as the investigator leaves is Angel. Later that night Buffy heads over to Will’s to talk.

Will shares a little jealousy about Buffy and Faith’s “slayers only” friendship. “Since when wouldn’t I understand? All of a sudden I’m not cool enough for you,” Willow says, unleashing. “Sometimes I unleash, and I don’t know my own strength.” Buffy begins to cry and divulges what happened to Will. Will tells Buffy to go to Giles for advice, and when she gets there, Faith beat her to the punch. Faith told Giles. She told Giles that Buffy was the one who killed Alan. Giles pretends to believe Faith, but as Buffy goes into his office, he lets her know that he’s on to Faith. Lying is not one of her many talents. Giles calms Buffy’s fears by letting her know that this isn’t the first time this has happened, but the Watcher’s Council is not the best option. Faith is unstable and unable to accept responsibility. As they discuss options, Mr. Wesley Wyndam Price eavesdrops, and does, in fact, call in the Watcher’s Council. This episode is not just about Faith and the consequences of her murder, but the consequences of all our actions, no matter how seemingly small.

Meanwhile, the Scoobies meet to discuss what to do about how to reach Faith. Xander volunteers because they “have a connection.” The gang figures it out; Xander and Faith had sex. They agree that Xander wouldn’t be the best option. Willow is obviously upset about the whole sex thing, as she cries quietly in the bathroom, upset at Xan and Faith’s “connection.”  Faith is taking away all of Willow’s “people.” Poor Will. Sex in the Buffyverse is never without its consequences.

Xan goes to see Faith anyway, and she’s looking even darker than usual, with black shiny leather pants and a see through black shirt. Xander lets on that he knows Faith really did it. She kicks up the attitude a bit and Faith comes on to him; she comes on to him so strongly that she tries to rape him and then, in a sudden moment, the potential rape becomes even more violent, as she begins to choke Xander. “I could do anything to you right now, I could make you scream. I could make you die.” It’s obvious Faith is on a power trip after her accidental kill. But, thankfully, and ironically, Angel comes to Xander’s rescue. He chains her up in his castle and Faith resists. She claims that she and Xander were just playing. Buffy waits outside, and Angel warns that Faith may not want help. Angel tries to connect with Faith over what it’s like to kill, the power in it, the intoxication.

But before Angel can reach her, and just as he’s about to, the Watcher’s Council kidnaps Faith for judgment. But, she escapes and is lost. Faith has gone to the dark side. Wesley comes to the library to let the gang know that Faith escaped. At the docks Buffy and Faith have it out. It’s obvious that Faith has an issue with Buffy, and Faith argues that they “don’t need the law, they are the law.” That Faith toes the line because Buffy’s afraid she’ll cross it; that Buffy could be Faith. Buffy hits Faith, and Faith responds, “there’s my girl.” Before they can get in to it any further, they’re attacked by the Mayor’s vamp lackeys. Faith saved Buffy in the fight. Buffy says she’s not gonna give up on Faith. But it seems Faith has already given up on them. She goes to see the Mayor. And so it begins. There are consequences for us all in the Buffyverse.

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About Sabrina Boyer: 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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