Consequences

Writer: Marti Noxon Director : Michael Gershman

Cast : Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers, Nicholas Brendon as Xander Harris, Alyson Hannigan as Willow Rosenberg, Charisma Carpenter as Cordelia Chase, Seth Green as Oz, Anthony Stewart Head as Rupert Giles.

Main guest stars : Kristine Sutherland as Joyce Summers, Eliza Dushku as Faith, K. Todd Freedman as Mr. Trick, Harry Groener as Mayor Richard Wilkins III, Jack Plotnick as Deputy Mayor Allan Finch, James G. MacDonald as Detective Stein.

Original broadcast date : February 16, 1999

Picking up where “Bad Girls” left off, “Consequences” start late at night with Buffy dreaming that she is being held underwater by the dead Deputy Mayor. When she finally manages to break free and reach the surface, Faith pushes her bad under till she drowns. Waking up with a start, Buffy, unable to sleep, goes downstairs and finds her mother watching the report on the Deputy Mayor¹s death on TV.

The next day, things get even more awkward for Buffy when Wesley instructs the two Slayers to investigate on the murder. Faith, on the other hand, isn¹t worried ­ she¹s convinced they can keep it secret, but wants to know if Buffy is going to “rat her out”. Buffy suggests telling Giles about it, but Faith refuses. Hurting to tell someone, Buffy tries to talk to Willow, but her friend, still hurt that Buffy is spending more time with Faith, avoids her.

In the alley where the Deputy Mayor was killed, a detective is questioning a witness who says she heard a man scream the previous night. Lurking in the shadows, Angel sees the blood on the dumpster and remembers the blood on Buffy¹s handsŠ

At City Hall, the Mayor is busy at the shredder, complaining about the paper trail his Deputy left. But Mr.Trick brings him good news: apparently, the autopsy has found wooden splinters in the Deputy Mayor¹s wound, suggesting he was killed with a stakeŠ

Meanwhile, the two Slayers are sneaking into the Deputy Mayor¹s office, trying to find out why he was in the alley. Of course, all the DM¹s files are gone, so they leaveŠ and quickly hide to avoid getting caught by the Mayor and Trick, who are just leaving.

After leaving City Hall, Faith and Buffy get into an argument about Faith¹s lack of remorse. Buffy argues that being the Slayer doesn¹t entitle one to take a human life, bur Faith disagrees. She thinks that being the Slayer means she¹s above the law.

When Buffy gets home, Detective Stein, whom we saw earlier investigating the dumpster, questions her about the murder. He does the same for Faith at her apartment. Both Slayers deny knowing anything about it.

Unable to take it anymore, Buffy goes over at Willow¹s to talk. Willow starts by berating her, but Buffy starts crying and the redhead, feeling bad, comforts her. After hearing Buffy¹s story, Willow agrees that she has to go to Giles.

The next day, Buffy enters the library, intent on doing just that ­ but then Faith walks out of Giles¹ office; she pinned the murder on Buffy. Giles coldly orders Buffy in his office, as Faith smugly leaves. Once he¹s certain Faith is gone, Giles reassures a panicking Buffy, telling her that Faith is not a very good liar. He also informs her that the Council has measures for such “accidents”, but that he¹s rather deal with this in a more discreet manner. However, Wesley is eavesdropping and immediately picks up the telephone to contact Quentin TraversŠ

Giles and Buffy convene a gang meeting to figure out how to help Faith. Xander suggests that he talk to her, saying he and Faith have a “connection”. After some prodding, he reveals he slept with her. Giles and Buffy are disturbed, but it¹s hardest of all on Willow, who afterwards goes to the bathroom to cry.

Making good on his idea, Xander goes to see Faith, and awkwardly tries to tell her that he¹s there as a friend. But Faith is intent on showing him that he¹s just a sex toy and that she¹s superior. She pins him on the bed, kisses him, then starts to strangle him. Just as things are getting pretty alarming, Angel shows up and knocks her out.

When Faith comes to, she¹s in Angel¹s mansion, tied to the wall by chains. Angel tries to reason with her, but she just jokes with him.

Frustrated, he goes outside, where Buffy¹s waiting. He tells her that talking to Faith is like talking to a wall, “except you get more from a wall.” But he promises to keep trying. Going back inside, he has another go at it, but Faith is not very cooperative ­ she just wants to have sex with him.

Then, just as it looks like he just might be making some headway, Wesley and some Council workers burst in, pin Angel to the ground with a net and take custody of Faith. Wesley, intent on taking her back to England to be judged by the Council, handcuffs her and forces her in the back of a van. But Faith manages to get a guard down on the floor with her foot on his neck, and threatens to kill him if Wesley doesn¹t let her go. He does, and she jumps out.

Buffy finds Angel at the mansion and learns of Faith¹s disappearance. She convenes another Scooby meeting at the library, and they discuss what comes next. Willow thinks that maybe Faith does belong in jail; but just then, Wesley shows up and informs them that she¹s gotten away. Incensed, Buffy accuses him of doing perhaps irreparable damage to the younger Slayer¹s faith in others, and suggests he might want to return to the mother country.

The gang splits up to look for Faith; finally, Buffy finds her at the docks. Faith is angry at the Scoobies¹ attempts to make her more like Buffy, and suggests that the contrary might be true ­ that Buffy is in fact more like her. To prove herself right, she taunts Buffy into hitting her. But then Buffy pushes Faith out of the way as a falling crate cascades down, pinning Buffy to the ground. As she goes to Buffy¹s help, Faith is attacked by Mr. Trick and some vampires; she holds them off long enough to allow Buffy to wriggle herself out.

But as soon as Buffy emerges from under the crate, she¹s attacked by Mr.Trick, who rapidly has her at a disadvantage. Faith, who¹s dispatched her own vampires, saves Buffy in the nick of time, dusting Mr.Trick.

Later that night, Buffy tells Giles about Faith¹s good deed, and promises she won¹t give up on her. Giles answers that if she has Buffy, perhaps Faith stands a chance.

At City Hall, the Mayor is packing up his things for the night. As he opens the door to leave, he finds Faith standing there. She informs him that she dusted his vampiresŠ and asks if that means he has a job opening. Silently, he lets her into his officeŠ

Summary by OttsFiveByFive.

Episode Ratings

Mac -

“Looks like Buffy has a new enemy.”

DJ Angelus -

“Faith Falls completely.  We learn what a tool Welsey really is.”

Quotes

Key: B=Buffy, G=Giles, X=Xander, W=Willow, C=Cordelia, O=Oz, A=Angel, J=Joyce, PS=Principal Snyder, WP=Wesley, F=Faith, M=Mayor Wilkins, MT=Mr. Trick

G: The Deputy Mayor’s murder was the result of human malice. There’s nothing supernatural about it. WP: We don’t know that for certain. I say it merits investigation. G: Which I’m sure the police are doing. Meantime, if you ask me, there are better uses for the Slayers’ time. WP: Ah. But I don’t believe I did. Ask you. G: Considering the success of your previous adventure…

C: Don’t let me interrupt. Wait, let me interrupt. I’m in a hurry. G: What do you need? C: Psych class. Freud and Jung. Book me. G: Happily. C: Check out Giles, the next generation. What’s your deal? WP: Uh, I, uh, well… I’m, uh… F: New Watcher. C: Oh. WP: Does everybody know about you? B: She’s a friend. C: Let’s not exaggerate.

C: So… you’re the new Watcher. WP: Wesley Wyndam-Pryce. C: I like a man with two last names. I’m Cordelia. WP: And you teach Psychology. C: I take psychology. G: She’s a student. WP: //snatching back hand// Oh, well. I… yes.

WP: In fact, I am. Here to watch. Girls. Bufy and Faith, to be specific. C: Well, it’s about time we got some fresh blood around here. WP: Ha ha. Well. Fresh. Yes.

WP: My. She’s… cheeky, isn’t she? F: First word, “jail,” second word, “bait.”

WP: I’m your commander now, and on the matter of this murder, I am resolved. Natural or super, I want to know. F: Fine with me. Always ready to kick a little bad-guy butt.

B: Look, if we don’t do the right thing, it’s only gonna make things worse for you. F: Worse than jail for the rest of my young life?

W: I’m meeting Michael. The warlock guy? We’re still trying to de-rat Amy.

M: It’s not working. MT: It’s supposed to do something besides shred? M: It’s supposed to cheer me up. Usually, using the shredder gives me a lift. It’s fun. MT: And today, you’re not getting the ya-yas? M: No. I guess it’ll take more than this to turn my frown upside down.

M: Do you think he was going to betray me? Oh, now, that’s a horrible thought. And now he’s dead, I’ll never have the chance to scold him.

M: Do you think he talked? To them? MT: If he did, I’m thinking he said the wrong thing.

M: Well, this is exciting. A Slayer, up for murder one. That’s sunshine and roses to me, it really is.

F: He came out of nowhere. B: I know. F: Whatever. I’m not lookin’ to hug and cry and learn and grow. I’m just saying it happened quickly, you know?

F: So his papers are gone. That doesn’t prove anything. B: Except that somebody didn’t want us to prove anything.

F: So the Mayor of Sunnydale is a Black Hat. That’s a shocker, huh? B: Actually, yeah. I didn’t get the bad guy vibe off of him.

B: Just look at you, Faith. Less than 24 hours ago you killed a man. And now it’s all zip-a-dee-doo-dah?

F: Is there going to be an intermission in this?

F: How many people do you think we’ve saved by now, thousands? And didn’t you stop the world form ending? Because in my book, that puts you and me in the plus column.

Stein: Somebody stabbed this guy through the heart. Strange thing is, the weapon, it was made out of wood. Any of this mean anything to you? F: Yeah. That whoever did it wasn’t hip to the Bronze Age.

B: I need to talk to you. W: Good. ’Cause I’ve been letting things fester. And I don’t like it. I want to be fester-free.

W: It’s like all of a sudden I’m not cool enough for you because I can’t kill things with my bare hands.

W: Oh, Buffy. Don’t cry. I’m sorry. I was too hard on you. Sometimes I unleash. I don’t know my own strength. It’s bad. I’m bad. I’m a bad, bad, bad person.

B: I’ve been blowing off my classes, in the sense of not attending.

G: She may have many talents, Buffy, but fortunately lying is not one of them.

WP: The code word? Monkey. M-O-N-K… just put him on, will you?

W: Maybe we should all talk to Faith together. B: You mean, like that intervention thing you guys did on me? As I recall, Xander and I nearly came to blows. X: You nearly came to blows, Buffy. I nearly came to loss of limbs.

X: Well, I can be the one… on her one. Let’s rephrase.

B: When did you guys hang out? X: Well, she was fighting one of those apocalypse demon things and I helped her. Gave her a ride home. B: And you guys talked? X: Not extensively, no. B: Then why would you…? Oh. G: Oh! W: …I don’t need to say “oh”, I got it before. They slept together. G: Fine, fine, let’s move on.

X: Pretty much not gonna try to take you under any circumstances. See, here, feel that. Probably like a wet noodle to ya, huh? F: Five minutes. X: That’s all I need. For talking and conversation. I’m, uh, quick as a bunny.

F: Lights on or off? Kinks or vanilla?

F: I could do anything to you now, and you’d want me to. I could make you scream. I could make you die.

F: Finally decided to tie me up, huh? I always knew you weren’t really a one-Slayer guy. A: Sorry about the chains. It’s not that I don’t trust you, it’s… Actually, it is that I don’t trust you.

F: I know what it looked like, but we were just playing. A: And he forgot the safety word. Is that it? F: Safety words are for wusses.

A: You want to go the long way around, hey, I can do that. I’m not getting any older.

B: How’s she doing? A: It’s like talking to a wall. Only you get more from a wall.

M: Shh, here comes my favorite part. Where the Slayers see us in the hall together, thick as thieves. Oh, wait, we are thieves. And worse.

A: You can’t imagine the price of true evil. F: Yeah? I hope evil takes MasterCard.

B: You let her get away? WP: “Let” wouldn’t be the way I’d phrase it, but, yes, she escaped.

WP: What can I do? I want to help. B: Still got your ticket back to the Mother Country?

MT: I hear once you’ve tasted a Slayer, you never want to go back.

MT: Oh, no. No, this is no good at all.

F: You sent your boy to kill me. M: That’s right, I did. F: He’s dust. M: I thought he might be, what with you standing here and all. F: I guess that means you have a job opening.

Credit: The Sunnydale Slayers