When She Was Bad
Written and Directed by: Joss Whedon
Cast : Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers, Nicholas Brendon as Xander Harris, Alyson Hannigan as Willow Rosenberg, Charisma Carpenter as Cordelia Chase, and Anthony Stewart Head as Rupert Giles.
Guest stars : Mark Metcalf as The Master, Andrew J. Ferchland as The Anointed One, and Robia LaMorte as Jenny Calendar.
Original Broadcast Date: Sept. 15, 1997.
It is the last night of the summer holidays, and Willow and Xander are so bored that they play Guess which movie this line¹s from¹ as they walk past the graveyard. Neither seem worried about vamps hardly any have been seen since the Master¹s demise. No-one has heard much from Buffy, either, as she spent the vacation with her father in LA. Xander jokingly daubs a bit of his ice cream on Willow¹s nose. They have gotten very close over the summer, and as he wipes her nose clean with a tissue he leans in for a kiss Willow screams as a vampire appears beside them, but Buffy arrives in the nick of time to save her friends! Very pleased to see her, they tell here how they ritually buried the Master¹s bones while she was gone.
Back at chez Summers, Joyce is unpacking Buffy¹s things, and arguing with her ex-husband over how much shopping he allowed her to do. He admits to having overcompensated, and complains that she seemed distant¹.
The first day back at school, and Snyder is telling Giles his opinion of students, describing them as gibbering idiots when they meet the opposite sex. His conversation parodies Giles¹ actions, as the Watcher catches the eye of Miss Calendar. The two teachers walk off, leaving an oblivious Snyder talking to himself! They meet Xander, Willow and Buffy in the corridor, where Buffy seems very reserved. She declines Giles offer of a few days break before training, but during an intense session she goes overboard and breaks some of the apparatus. Noting her emotional state, Giles becomes concerned
Meanwhile, the Anointed One is holding a meeting with his minions. Within three days they plan to bring the Master back!
Buffy is sitting alone at school, seeming very isolated until Willow and Xander turn up. She is about to tell them about a weird dream she had, when Giles appears to tell her of vamp trouble. Buffy assures him she can handle it, but he doubts her word. “I killed you once.” He says. “It shouldn¹t be too difficult to do it again.” Knocking her onto the table between Willow and Xander, he tries to strangle her. Her friends don¹t even seem to notice. As Buffy scratches at his face, it peels off, revealing him to be the Master! She wakes from the dream to find Angel in her room. He has come to warn her that the Anointed One is planning something. Irritated, she tells him to go. As he leaves, Angel tells Buffy that he missed her. She turns to tell him the same, but he has already gone.
The next day at school, she tells Willow and Xander about Angel¹s visit. They meet Cordelia in the hall, and Buffy puts her down with a few bitchy comments. Not used to this side of her friend, Willow is disturbed by Buffy¹s attitude.
That evening at The Bronze, Willow and Xander are waiting for Buffy. They discuss how different she seems. Wanting to recreate the moment from the other night, Willow puts a blob of cream on the end of her nose. Xander, distracted and concerned about Buffy, simply points out to her that it is there. She is left feeling foolish and hurt.
In the graveyard, the vampires are digging up the Master¹s bones. There are not enough spades, so the Anointed One orders them to dig with their hands despite the fact that the consecrated ground burns them.
Back at the Bronze, Cibo Matto are playing a sexy song as Buffy arrives. Angel approaches her and asks what he has done wrong, but she heartlessly tells him that she has moved on to the living¹. Practically ignoring Willow, Buffy asks Xander for a dance. She dances provocatively with him, then leaves at the end of the song. Willow, Xander and Angel are left humiliated and confused. Cordelia, who saw and heard everything, follows the Slayer outside. She advises her to get over her problems before she ends up with no friends. As Buffy storms off, Cordy is dragged away by two vampires, and thrown into a cell with an unconscious Miss Calendar
Buffy walks home through the graveyard, discovers the empty grave, and freaks!
The next morning at school Giles, Willow and Xander discuss Buffy¹s behaviour. Wil thinks she might be possessed, but Giles says it¹s more likely that she can¹t come to terms with what happened last term. At this point Buffy arrives to tell them the Master is gone. She guesses that they are planning to resurrect him, and blames the Watcher for not warning her it could happen. An argument ensues, which is broken by the timely arrival of Principal Snyder.
Later, the scoobies meet up in the library. Giles has managed to locate a revivication spell, but has trouble with the translation. He thinks it says the spell requires the presence of someone close to the Master. A rock smashes through the window, bearing a note tied on with Cordelia¹s choker. The vamps want Buffy to come alone to the Bronze, or they¹ll kill Cordy! Buffy tells the others flat out that she neither needs nor wants their help.
Outside the Bronze, Angel is waiting. Buffy taunts him, and tries to provoke a fight, but he backs down. He follows her inside, where they find a vamp girl pretending to be Cordy. Something is wrong
Back at the library, Giles works out the translation. The spell needs the people physically closest to the Master when he died! Realising that the trap was for them not Buffy he looks up to see that they are surrounded by vamps!
Buffy runs back to the library, leaving Angel to watch the vamp girl. She finds signs of a struggle, and a bloody-nosed Xander who says this wouldn¹t have happened if she had included them.
Back at the Bronze, Buffy tortures the vamp girl with a crucifix until she tells them where the others are being held. They arrive at the vamps¹ lair to find Willow, Cordelia, Jenny and Giles hanging upside down over a table that holds the Master¹s bones. As the vamps begin the ritual, Buffy attacks with a vengeance! Xander and Angel rescue the scoobies, and they all watch as Buffy dusts the vamps one by one. The last vamp attacks her with a sledgehammer, but she torches him and uses the hammer to crush the bones. Seeing her vent all her anger and frustration, her friends finally realize what she¹s been going through. Angel holds Buffy as she breaks down in tears.
At school the next morning Buffy discusses her behaviour with Giles. She feels ashamed and embarrassed, and can¹t face her friends. He tells her not to worry. In class, Willow and Xander have saved her a seat. To her surprise and joy, they act as though nothing has happened. Buffy smiles. Her friends love her, and everything is going to be okay
In the vampire¹s lair, the small figure of the Anointed One walks through the powdered remains of the Master. Looking around in dismay, he says with passion “I hate that girl!”
Summary by Dreamer.
Episode Ratings
Mac -
“It dabbles in Buffy’s emotions, and shows that when the slayer isn’t right in the head a lot of bad things can happen.”
DJ Angelus -
“A bad bad Buffy. She sure looks likes she is having when she is being bad.”
Quotes
Key: B=Buffy, G=Giles, X=Xander, W=Willow, C=Cordelia, JC=Jenny Calendar, J=Joyce, PS=Principal Snyder
W: Use the force, Luke. X: Do I even have to dignify that with a guess?
X: I’ve just gotta say that this has been the most boring summer ever. W: Yeah, but on the plus side, no monsters or stuff.
X: Please, I’m so over her! Did she, um, mention when she might be getting back? About which I do _not_ care!
X: I mock you with my ice cream cone, Amish guy!
X: Man, your timing really doesn’t suck!
W: I think we had the upper hand, in a subtle way.
X: Our summer was kind of yawnworthy.
Hank: The more time we spent together, the more I felt like she was nowhere to be seen. J: Hence the shoes?
Hank: You know, at least when she was burning stuff down, I knew what to say.
C: I was totally beachless for a month and a half. No one suffered like I suffered.
C: Is it possible to have too much character?
PS: One day the campus is completely bare, empty. The next day, there are children everywhere… like locusts. Crawling around, mindlessly bent on feeding and mating, destroying everything in sight in their relentless, pointless desire to exist. G: Well, I do enjoy these pep talks. Have you ever considered, given your abhorrence of children, that school principal was not, perhaps, your true vocation? PS: Someone has to keep an eye on them.
PS: They’re just a bunch of hormonal time bombs. Every time a pretty girl walks by, every boy turns into a gibbering fool. G: Ms. Calendar. JC: Mr. Giles. G: Well, I- I- I- , um… hello!
JC: They had drum rituals, mobile sculptures, raves, naked mud dances… You would have just… hated it with a fiery passion. Giles: Uh, I–I can’t imagine finding any redeeming, uh…naked?
X: Yo, G-man, what’s up? G: Nice to see you, and don’t ever call me that.
W(loudly): Buffy killed a vampire last night. B: I think you can get a little more volume if you speak from the diaphragm.
X: Which means that we’re still the undead’s favorite party town.
B: You’re the Watcher, I just work here.
G: Yes, I must consult my books. X: Oh, 8 minutes and 33 seconds. Pay up! I called 10 minutes before you’d consult your books about something.
X: We’re your bosom friends, the friends of your bosom.
W: The other night I dreamt that Xander… Uh, it wasn’t Xander. In fact it wasn’t me. In fact, it was a friend’s dream, and she can’t remember it.
B: It is kinda late- or well, it is for me, anyway. What is it for you, lunch hour?
B: So… some of your cousins are in town for a family barbecue, and we’re all on the menu.
W: Cibo Matto? They’re playing? X: No, Willow, they’re gonna be clog dancing. W: Cibo Matto can clog dance?! Oh, sarcasm, right.
C: Oh, look, it’s the 3 Musketeers. B: Was that an insult? X: It kinda lacked punch. W: The 3 Musketeers were cool. C: I see your point. X: I would have gone with Stooges.
C: Did you guys fight any demons this summer? W: Yes, our own personal demons. X: Yeah, such as lust and… thrift. B: I would have to go with Stooges also.
B: Cordelia, your mouth is open, sound is coming from it. This is never good.
B: Xander, did I ever thank you for saving my life? X: No. B: Don’t you wish I would?
C: You’re really campaigning for bitch of the year, aren’t you? B: As defending champion, are you nervous? C: I can hold my own.
C: You know, we’ve never really been close, which is nice, ’cause I don’t really like you that much….
C: Whatever is causing the Joan Collins ’tude, deal with it. Embrace the pain, spank your inner moppet, whatever, but get over it.
X: Are we overlooking the possibility that she may be very attracted to me? ….She’s possessed.
W: What would somebody want with Master bones? X: A trophy? A horrible conversation piece?
PS: There are some things I can just smell. It’s like a 6th sense. G: Well, actually, that would be one of the five.
PS: I smell expulsion, and just the faintest aroma of jail.
B: We killed each other. It really promotes togetherness.
W: Well, what about the rest of the note? B: The rest of the note? W: The part that says, P.S.: This is a trap.
B: You know, being stalked isn’t really a big turn-on for girls.
B: You’re a vampire. Oh, I’m sorry. Is that an offensive term? Should I say ‘Undead American’?
X: I don’t know what your problem is, what your issues are, but as of now, I officially don’t care.
X: If they hurt Willow, I’ll kill you.
X: What are you going to do? B: I’m going to kill them all. That ought to distract them.
G: Where’s Buffy? X: Dealing with her issues.
B: So, are you going to kill me, or are we just making small talk?
C: What an ordeal. And you know what the worst part is? It stays with you forever. No matter what they tell you, none of that rust and blood and grime comes out. I mean, you can dry-clean until judgment day, you are living with those stains. JC: Yeah, that’s the worst part of being hung upside down by a vampire who wants to slit your throat: The stains. C: I hear you.
B: What am I supposed to say? ‘Sorry I almost got your throats slit. What’s the homework?’
B: I put my best friends in mortal danger on the second day of school. G: What are you going to do, crawl inside a cave for the rest of your life? B: Would it have cable?
G: That was hardly the worst mistake you’ll ever make. That wasn’t quite as comforting as it was meant to be. B: Well, points for effort.
X: Well, we could grind our enemies into talcum powder with a sledgehammer, but gosh, we did that last night.
Colin: I hate that girl!