PrincessBuffy16
Scooby
Helpless
Air Date: January 19, 1999
Writer: David Fury
Director: James A. Contner
Trivia:
- David Fury reveals in the commentary of this episode that the name "Zachary Kralick" came from his own nephew's name.
- This is the only time that holy water is used to kill a vampire. It is used at other times to injure or torture a vampire, but this is the only time a vampire is killed using it.
- Kralik photographs himself with Joyce, proving that the Buffyverse doesn't use the old "vampires can't be photographed" thing. Which makes sense, as modern mirrors don't generally use mirrors to take the picture anyway.
- Faith is noted in this episode, but does not appear. She is on one of her "unannounced walkabouts."
- Willow threw up on Woodstock as a child, backstage at "Snoopy on Ice."
- Again we see that Buffy enjoys ice skating, as does Sarah Michelle Gellar.
- Buffy says that parties in her honor tend to go badly ("monsters crash, people die"), referring to her surprise party in "Surprise" and her welcome-home party in "Dead Man's Party".
- There is an old vacant boardinghouse in Sunnydale, the Sunnydale Arms. This is where Buffy's "test" took place.
- Amy is mentioned "” she is still a rat and Willow is keeping her. She has gotten her a wheel and "the cutest little bell."
- Angel references "Surprise" when he says "Then why'd you seem more excited last year when you got a severed arm in a box?"
- Angel reveals to Buffy that he had seen her before they met in "Welcome to the Hellmouth." That moment was shown as a flashback in "Becoming, Part One."
- We know that there must have been Slayers for at least 1200 years, as Quentin tells Giles, "It's been done this way for the past dozen centuries."
Goofs and Gaffes:
- Buffy states that she and her dad go to the ice show every year for her birthday. They didn't go last year, or even mention the tradition, during "Surprise."
- When Giles injects Buffy with the needle, her shirt sleeve goes from being up, to, when he 'wakes' her up, being down without anyone pulling it down.
References:
- "It's in Cuernavaca." Cuernavaca is some 53 miles south of Mexico City. It's mild climate attracts the wealthy and fashionable from the capital.
- "Snoopy on Ice" is an ice show in which people skate and dance around in huge "Peanuts" character costumes.
- "Brian Boitano, doing Carmen, is a life changer." Brian Boitano is a 1988 Olympic gold medalist, and one of the world's most celebrated figure skaters. Carmen was originally a novel by Prosper Mérimée written in 1845.
- "Maybe what we should be looking for is something like um... Slayer Kryptonite." The term used to designate any surviving fragment of the exploded planet Krypton, home world of Superman.
- Angel gave Buffy "Sonnets from the Portuguese" by Elizabeth Barrett Browning for her birthday. It was originally published in 1850 in a two volume publication entitled Poems. It contains the famous poem "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways."
- "Cruciamentum is not easy for Slayer or Watcher." Cruciamentum is a Latin word meaning torture or torment.
Body Count:
- Blair (Human and Vampire), Anonymous vampire, Hobson, Kralik.
Best Quotes:
- Buffy: Nice attempt at casual. Actually, I do have a date. Older man. Very handsome. Likes it when I call him 'Daddy'.
Angel: Huh, your father. It is your father, right?
- Quentin Travers: Congratulations again.
Buffy: Bite me!
Quentin Travers: Yes, well, colorful girl.
- Buffy: I'm way off my game. My game's left the country. It's in Cuernavaca!
- Angel: I saw you before you became the Slayer.
Buffy: What?
Angel: I watched you, and I saw you called. It was a bright afternoon out in front of your school. You walked down the steps... and... and I loved you.
Buffy: Why?
Angel: 'Cause I could see your heart. You held it before you for everyone to see. And I worried that it would be bruised or torn. And more than anything in my life, I wanted to keep it safe... to warm it with my own.
Buffy: That's beautiful. Or taken literally, incredibly gross.
Angel: I was just thinking that, too.
Episode Information:
- This story had the working title "18" as it is set around Buffy's eighteenth birthday.
- Jeff Kober, who plays Kralik, returns to play Rack in Seasons 6.
Continuity:
- This episode marks the beginning of Buffy's father's estrangement. Eventually Hank begins a relationship with his secretary and severs all ties with his former family.
- Buffy is disappointed by both of her father figures in this episode - her father does not follow through on their tradition of attending the ice show, and Giles betrays her trust.
- Giles reveals his parental feelings towards Buffy.
- Head of the Watchers Council Quentin Travers is seen for the first time. He will reappear several times, usually in opposition to Buffy's methods and activities.
- Giles being fired from the Council makes way for Buffy's own rebellion towards the Council and her decision to operate outside their authority. The separation of Council and Slayer - and Giles' own situation with the Council - will not be solved until "Checkpoint".
- The 12th or 13th episode of each season is traditionally when Buffy celebrates her birthday; her birthday takes place in episode 13 of Season Two ("Surprise"), episode 12 of Season Four ("A New Man"), episode 13 of Season Five ("Blood Ties") and episode 14 of Season Six ("Older and Far Away"). Buffy's birthday is not shown celebrated in Season One (it presumably occurred before the beginning of the half-long season) or in Season Seven.
Soundtrack:
- Christophe Beck - "A Father's Love"
- Christophe Beck - "Betrayal"
- Christophe Beck - "Kralik's House"
