Reptile Boy
Written & Directed by: David Greenwalt
Cast : Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers, Nicholas Brendon as Xander Harris, Alyson Hannigan as Willow Rosenberg, Charisma Carpenter as Cordelia Chase, Anthony Stewart Head as Rupert Giles, and David Boreanaz as Angel.
Original broadcast date: Oct. 13, 1997.
Buffy, Willow and Xander are bored. There have been few vamp or demon sightings for a while, so they pass the time watching Bollywood¹ movies instead.
Elsewhere, a teenage girl smashes a window on the first floor of a building, and leaps out. She runs, terrified, across the lawns, pursued by several robed and hooded young men. She scales a wall into the graveyard, where she is recaptured after a struggle. One of the robed figures removes his hood. He calls her Cally¹, and tells her she cannot escape
At school the next morning, Cordelia has a new book that tells her how to captivate men. She practices laughing sincerely, as the book says she must make eye contact with a man, listen to what he says, and laugh often! Buffy and Willow discuss smoochy dreams that the slayer is having about Angel. Cordy brags to Xander that she is dating a college guy now a delta zeta kappa to be exact. He is unimpressed! Buffy arrives late for a meeting with Giles, and he gets mad. Just because Sunnydale is quiet, doesn¹t mean she can slack off. He tells her she should take this time to train harder, but Buffy says she¹d rather get a life!
At the end of the school day, a shiny red sports car pulls up beside Cordy. The driver is her new boyfriend, Richard, who also happens to be the robed guy that caught Cally! He asks Cordelia to come to a party at his frat house the following night. His friend seems smitten by Buffy, and asks to be introduced. Despite her protestations, Cordy drags her over, and Tom manages to charm Buffy much to Xander¹s disgust! He appears to be quite sweet, and invites her to the party, but she declines. At that point an angry Giles shouts her name. Buffy is late again!
In the library, Giles tests her defenses by trying to attack her. The slayer easily disarms him, and he sends her patrolling instead.
In the graveyard, Buffy finds a broken bracelet. Angel appears, and says it smells of blood. Buffy says it would be nice to see him when it doesn¹t involve blood, but when he asks if she means a date she gets embarrassed and says no. He points out the difference in their ages, and says a relationship would get out of control.
The next day at school, Cordelia tells Buffy that the college boys want her at the party. If the slayer doesn¹t go, then Cordy is not invited either. Depressed and feeling the pressure, she agrees to go.
In the basement of the DZK House, an initiation ceremony is taking place. The new guy pledges his life to the group, and to Machida whom we serve¹. The frat boys begin to party, while Cally is chained to the wall
Buffy tells a surprised Willow that she is going to the party that night. She gives Giles the bracelet, but when he tells her to investigate she says she¹s not free. Her watcher starts on about duty, and Buffy tells him her mother is sick. Giles then agrees that she should take the evening off.
Outside in the corridor, Xander and Willow chide her for lying. Buffy says she sees no harm in having a little fun once in a while.
Later, Cordelia tells Buffy that this evening is not about fun! She is there to help Cordy meet boys, and that is all. After giving her a list of what not to wear, or say, or do, she tells Buffy it is imperative to lie to her Mom! Mothers are rarely keen on their daughters going to frat parties.
Willow and Xander talk about Buffy lying to Giles. Xander says he is going to go to the party to make sure Buff is okay and hopefully catch an orgy
When Buffy and Cordelia arrive Richard greets them with a drink, which Buffy declines. He and Cordy go off, leaving Buffy alone. Xander climbs in through a window, and tries to blend in. An extremely drunk frat boy tries to grab Buffy, but Tom saves her just in time. They slow dance, and she says that she shouldn¹t have come, explaining that she has responsibilities.
Meanwhile, Richard and his friends have spotted Xander. Chanting New pledge!¹ they drag him away
Buffy goes outside for some air, and notices broken glass beneath a boarded up window. It¹s the one that Cally tried to escape from. As she glances toward the graveyard wall, Richard and Tom arrive beside her. Richard hands her another drink, and this time she takes it.
Back in the library, Willow and Giles are working on the bracelet. The broken part bears the letters ENT, and Wil is trying to find a match on the computer. Suddenly she remembers where she has seen ones like it before. Kent Prep School hence the ENT. She looks up the school newspaper on the net, and finds an article about Cally going missing.
Xander is not having fun! Wearing a wig, women¹s clothing and make-up, the frat boys are making him dance! In the background, Buffy is feeling unwell. Her drink was obviously drugged, and she staggers toward the stairs. She climbs them, looking for Tom, and collapses on a bed in one of the rooms. As she passes out, Richard comes in and starts to touch her Tom enters the room, and angrily pulls him away. “She¹s here for the pleasure of the one we serve.” He reminds his friend. Beside the bed, on the floor, lies an unconscious Cordelia.
Giles studies the newsletter and reads that Cally has been missing for a week. Willow discovers that other high school girls have gone missing before always around this date. Giles needs to know where the bracelet was found, and Willow suggests he call Angel.
The party is over, and Xander is thrown out. He asks about Buffy, but they slam the door in his face.
In the basement, the robed guys have gathered. Richard pulls a sword from the fire and carves a symbol into Tom¹s back. Tom is stripped to the waist, and his body is already heavily scarred. Behind them, Buffy, Cordelia and Cally are chained to the wall. Cally tells them to watch out for Tom, as he is the leader! Tom takes three stones one for each girl and washes them with a goblet of water. He places them by what appears to be a well
Angel tells Giles where the bracelet was found, and Willow realizes that it¹s right next to the frat house. She tells them that Buffy and Cordy are there. She blames Angel for never finding any time to spend with Buffy, and Giles for constantly putting her under pressure. Having made them both feel ashamed, she suggests they go help!
Xander finds Cordelia¹s car outside. His friends obviously didn¹t leave
In the basement, the ritual has begun. An offering of three girls is made to Machida every year, and in return he gives his followers wealth and power. There is a loud rumbling noise, and a demon erupts from the well! His upper half is humanoid, with the body of a snake. Machida is huge! The robed guys kneel as he writhes above them, and Buffy struggles with her chains.
Giles, Willow and Angel arrive at DZK. A robed figure steps out behind them it is Xander! Willow tells him about the disappearances, and Xander says the girls are still inside. He saw the college boys go down to the basement, stole a robe, and was about to sneak in. Realizing that Buffy¹s in danger, Angel vamps out.
Machida heads for Cally, but Buffy yells at him to try her instead. Tom slaps her face, and threatens to cut her throat if she speaks again!
A robed Xander knocks on the door, and is let in. He, Angel and Giles attack
Hearing the disturbance, Richard sends more guys upstairs. Buffy manages to free herself, and starts to pummel Machida and his crew.
Willow peers down into the basement, and tells the others about the big snake! They finish fighting the frat boys, and run down the stairs.
Tom attacks Buffy with the sword, but she disarms him and uses it to kill the demon. The defeated sect are lead away, and Buffy apologizes to Giles for the lie. He admits that he shouldn¹t have pushed her so hard.
At the Bronze, Jonathon fetches a coffee and muffin for Cordelia. He gets the order slightly wrong, and she sends him back. From now on she is only dating young men she can push around! Xander reads a newspaper article to Buffy and Willow. All of Machida¹s followers have been given life sentences in jail. Bones of girls dating back fifty years have been found beneath the frat house, and people who used to go to DZK are finding their fortunes reversed! Angel arrives and asks Buffy if she would like to get a coffee sometime. She says she¹ll let him know, and walks off smiling.
Episode Ratings
Mac - “That could’ve been one of the worst episodes of all-time. Besides Willow’s schpiel to Giles and Angel, was there anything redeemable?”
DJ Angelus -
“Solid Ep about the dangers of high school girls going to Frat Praties. Just remember kiddies - Farternities are evil MMMM’Kay.”
Quotes
Key: B=Buffy, A=Angel, X=Xander, W=Willow, G=Giles, C=Cordelia, R=Richard, T=Tom
X: Is she dying? B: I think she’s singing. X: To a telephone in Hindi. Now, that’s entertainment.
X: Why is she singing? W: She’s sad because her lover gave her 12 gold coins, but then the wizard cut open the bag of salt, and now the dancing minions have nowhere to put their big maypole… fish thing. X: Uh-huh. Why’s she _singing_? B: Her lover? I thought that was her chiropractor. W: Because of that thing he did with her feet? No, that was personal.
W: I know, we could go to the Bronze, and sneak in our own teabags, and ask for hot water. X: Hop off the outlaw train, Will, before you land us all in jail. B: I for one, am giddy and up. There’s a kind of hush all over Sunnydale. No demons or vampires to slay. I’m here with my friends. So, how does the water buffalo fit in again?
C: I happen to be dating a Delta Zeta Kappa. X: Oh, an extraterrestrial. So that’s how you get a date after you’ve exhausted all the human guys.
C: You’ll go to college some day, Xander. I just know your pizza delivery career will take you so many exciting places.
B: And the little slice of life that still belongs to me from, I don’t know, 7:00 to 7:05 in the morning, can I do what I want then?
B: Right, who needs a social life when you’ve got your very own Hellmouth?
G: You have a commitment in life. Now, how many people your age can say that? B: We talking foreign or domestic? How about none?
X: Okay, so tonight, channel 59, Indian TV, sex, lies, and incomprehensible story lines? I’ll bring the betel nuts.
C: Come on, Richard and his fraternity brother want to meet you. B: Well, I don’t really want to meet any fraternity boys. C: And if there was a god, don’t you think he’d keep it that way?
R: Hi, sweetheart. I’m Richard. And you are? B: *So* not interested.
R: What, she likes to play hard to get? T: No, Richard, I think you’re playing easy to resist.
X: She’s gonna walk away. Now. Okay, boots, start a-walking.
X: I hate these guys. Whatever they want just falls into their laps. Don’t you hate these guys? W: Yeah, with their charmed lives, and their movie-star good looks, and more money than you can count… I’m hating.
A: Listen, if we date, you and I both know one thing’s going to lead to another. B: One thing already has led to another. You think it’s a little late to be reading me a warning label? A: I’m just trying to protect you. This could get out of control. B: Isn’t that the way it’s supposed to be? A: This isn’t some fairy tale. When I kiss you, you don’t wake up from a deep sleep and live happily ever after. B: No. When you kiss me, I want to die.
C: Richard explained it to me, but I was so busy really listening that I didn’t hear much.
C: Oh, Buffy, it’s like we’re sisters, with really different hair.
W: She’s got a date with Angel. Isn’t that exciting? X: I’m elated.
W: Cordelia?! Did I sound a little jealous just then, ’cause I’m not really… Cordelia?! X: Cordelia’s much better for you than Angel.
B: Angel barely says two words to me. X: Don’t you hate that? B: And when he does, he treats me like I’m a child. X: That bastard. B: You know, at least Tom can carry on a conversation. X: Yeah. Tom? Who’s Tom? W: The frat guy. X: Oh, Buffy, I don’t think so. Frying pan, fire?
B: I wasn’t lying. I was just protecting him from information that he wouldn’t be able to digest properly. X: Like a corndog.
X: Whoa, whoa, rewind. Since when do they have orgies, and why aren’t I on the mailing list?
C: Don’t wear black, silk, chiffon, or spandex. These are my trademarks.
W: I can’t believe she lied to Giles. My world’s all askew. X: Buffy’s lying. Buffy’s going to frat parties. That’s not askew, that’s cockeyed. W: Askew means cockeyed. X: Oh.
W: You want to protect her? X: Mm-hmm. W: And prove that you’re just as good as those rich snotty guys? X: Mm-hmm. W: Maybe catch an orgy? X: If it’s on early.
C: Are you ready for this? B: I don’t know. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. C: Me, too. Let’s go.
C: You know what’s so cool about college? The diversity. You’ve got all the rich people, and…all the other people.
T: We’re not all drunken louts. Some of us are sober louts.
C: Why did I ever let you talk me into coming here?
G: What are you doing? W: Oh. Sorry. The reflection thing that you don’t have… Angel, how do you shave?
W: I mean, she’s sixteen going on forty!
W: …and you! I mean, you’re going to live forever, you don’t have time for a cup of coffee? Okay, I don’t feel better now.
X: One day, I’ll have money, prestige, power… and on that day they’ll still have more.
C: You guys… I just… hate you guys! The weirdest things always happen when you’re around.
G: From now on, no more pushing, no more prodding. Just an inordinate amount of nudging.
W: Have you heard from Angel? When he got so mad about you being in danger, and changed into a… grrr!…. It was the most amazing thing I ever saw. I mean, how many guys can… X: Angel, Angel, Angel. Does every conversation we have have to come around to that freak? (to Angel) Hey man, how ya doin’?
A: Buffy. B: Angel. X: Xander.