Graduation Day (Part 1)

Writer/Director : Joss Whedon

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, David Boreanaz as Angel.

Main guest stars : Eliza Dushku as Faith, Harry Groener as Mayor Richard Wilkins III, Alexis Denisof as Wesley Wyndham-Pryce, Armin Shimerman as Principal Snyder, Larry Bagby III as Larry, Danny Strong as Jonathan, Mercedes McNab as Harmony, Ethan Erickson as Percy.

Original broadcast date : May 18, 1999

For a few minutes after a truck takes Faith¹s unmoving body away, Buffy just stands there on the balcony, in complete shock. Then she drops the knife to the ground and climbs down the fire escape, just in time: in the apartment, the Mayor and some vampires are inspecting the damage, searching for Faith. Wilkins shows real concern for the rogue Slayer, barking orders to his vampires to find Faith, and then repeating to himself that she¹ll be all right.

While Giles, Xander and Cordelia ­ the latter indignant of the fact that Buffy fired Wesley ­ research the demon Olvikon at the library, Willow, at the mansion, looks after Angel. Sweating profusely and delirious, the vampire mistakes Willow for Buffy, and starts passionately telling her how much he needs her. After correcting him and urging him back to sleep, she steps out and tells Oz about Angel¹s worsening condition.

Buffy comes in, and when Willow asks her if she got to Faith, she doesn¹t answer; instead, she asks them to leave her alone with Angel. She then steps into Angel¹s room; he tells her that he¹s ready to die, but she protests that he has to live, and takes off her jacket. Pulling her hair away from her neck, she asks him to drink her.

Horrified, he refuses to kill her, and tries to stumble away from her. He suggests Faith as a solution, but she informs his that she killed Faith, and that this is the only way. Then she hits him ­ again and again ­ to provoke him into biting her. Finally, he goes into full vamp face and does bite her. As he drinks, slowly, Buffy crushes a metal jug, then kicks at a table, breaking it in two, trying to get him to stop before it¹s too late. He finally does stop ­ but Buffy is unconscious.

Angel runs into the hospital, carrying Buffy, pleading with the doctors to save her. As they snap to work, Angel, out of frustration, breaks off a door handle, then goes out to a payphone to contact Giles. Right beside him, in another room, a doctor is explaining to the Mayor that although Faith¹s broken bones and damaged kidney are healing fast, the head trauma and massive blood loss has put her into a coma from with she¹s likely to never emergeŠ

The camera pans in on Faith¹s bruised face; the Mayor caresses her hair, telling her that it¹s her day. A nurse comes in and tells the doctor that he¹s needed for the other girl with severe blood loss. Realizing who this must be, the Mayor crosses through a laboratory separating the two rooms, goes to Buffy¹s bed, and puts his hand over her mouth and nose, choking her. A nurse catches him in the act, though, and calls for help. Angel comes rushing in and pulls the Mayor away from Buffy; the two argue, then Angel flings him across the room. The Mayor laughs it off, tells Angel that this is not over, and leaves.

Giles, Willow, Oz and Xander show up, and Angel explains to them that Faith is in a coma, and that Buffy forced him to drink from her, curing him. Willow is worried that Buffy might become a vampire, but Angel reassures her ­ Buffy didn¹t drink from him. Xander takes the opportunity to once again express his dislike of Angel, accusing him of draining the girl who loves him to save his own ass. Giles breaks it up by suggesting Angel go home, since the sun will be up soon.

Buffy is dreaming that she¹s back in Faith¹s apartment, where boxes are packed and piled ­ a sign that someone is leaving. She spots a cat on the bad, and wonders who¹ll take care of him. Faith appears, saying it¹s a she. Buffy muses that there¹s something she¹s supposed to be doing; Faith answers “Oh yeah. Miles to go. Little Miss Moffett, counting down from seven-three-oh.” (Note: this episode takes place 730 days before Buffy¹s death in “The Gift”Š).

On the bed, the knife with which Buffy stabbed Faith appears and disappears. Faith gives Buffy a hint ­ the Mayor¹s human weakness won¹t go away. She tells Buffy to take whatever she needs from the apartment, then asks her if she¹s readyŠ Buffy wakes up in her hospital bed, gets up, and shuffles a bit unsteadily to Faith¹s room, where she softly kisses the other Slayer on the forehead. Then, fully dressed, she emerges out in the waiting room, telling the gang to get ready. Then dressed, Buffy walks out to the waiting room, telling her friends to get everyone ready. When they ask for what, she answers “war”.

At the library, exposes her demented plan to everyone. Cordelia exclaims that they couldn¹t come up with anything crazier, but Oz corrects her by suggesting they attack the Mayor with hummus, just to keep things in perspective. Buffy informs Xander that he¹ll be the key of the plan, with his military training. She then tells her friends that the Mayor¹s vulnerability is human weakness (his affection for Faith) and that she plans to use it. Cordelia makes a last-ditch effort to convince everyone that the plan is crazy, and suggests that they instead attack the Mayor with the Ebola virus or something similar. Xander mocks her by going back to the hummus idea, prompting Oz to say “He¹ll never see it coming” (har har).

Wesley then comes in, awkwardly asking if he can help. He explains he¹s not there in Council capacity, that he just wants to do whatever he can. After angrily telling him off, Buffy grudgingly admits that the Watcher has at least made the effort.

In his office, the Mayor explains another plan to a group of vampires. He tells them that when the eclipse happens, they are to come out and make the students run; he also instructs them to only kill and not feed, because he¹ll have to eat within the first few minutes in order to keep his new form.

Back at the library, Buffy informs Xander and Angel that they¹ll be working together, and they immediately start bickering. Buffy breaks it up, impatiently telling them they¹re like little old ladies. She then instructs Giles to get as many weapons as he can, and leaves, saying that there¹s something she needs to pick up. Meanwhile, Xander and Willow go out to brief other students on the plans, including Harmony and Percy. Wesley and Cordelia remain at the library, packing books. In a short but comical romantic scene, they inch closer to each other, Wesley asking her if there¹s something that could keep him from going back to Britain. They kiss, then stop, then kiss again ­ and discover they¹re not meant for each other. They go back to packing books, a bit embarrassed.

Larry and Jonathan are helping unload supplies from Oz¹s van. After they leave, Oz and Willow remain alone in the van, kissing, taking advantage of what little time they have left. In the library, Buffy informs Angel that Giles is out getting the weapons, and that she got what she needed. He interrupts, telling her that after all is done with, he won¹t say goodbye, he¹ll just go. After he leaves, Buffy takes out something wrapped in a handkerchief ­ the knife, still stained with Faith¹s bloodŠ

Outside the school, Willow and Oz, in their gowns, make their way to their seats, just as Principal Snyder introduces Mayor Richard Wilkins III. Buffy and Willow realize with horror that the Mayor intends to go through the whole speech (evil!). But just after Willow wishes the Mayor to “ascend already”, the eclipse takes place, and Wilkins jolts in pain. He tries to keep going, but finally admits to the students that although it¹s too bad he can¹t finish the speech, he doesn¹t mind the transformation coming a bit early. Grunting and moaning, he turns into a VERY big serpent, which rises high above the school and roars.

At Buffy¹s signal, the students, gathered in one large group, take off their gowns, revealing the weapons hidden underneath. At Xander¹s command, a first wave armed with firethrowers and flaming arrows have a go at the demon. Then some students turn the other way to launch an attack on a group of vampires coming up from behind. The vampires are caught between two enemies, the students on one side and a group led by Angel, Wesley and Percy on the other. Meanwhile, the Mayor does some damage, eating first a student, then Principal Snyder, and killing Larry with his tail. Harmony gets drained by a vampire.

Buffy orders everyone to regroup and fight the vampires, leaving her alone to fight the Mayor. She taunts him, holding up the blood-stained knife and telling him how easily it slid into Faith ­ like butter. She then asks him, “You wanna get it back from meŠ Dick?” Roaring in anger, the Mayor-demon chases her inside the school, breaking down walls on the way. Once inside the library, she plunges through a window to safety, as the Mayor-demon, startled, exclaims “Well, gosh!” Then, a large explosion rocks the school, destroying the library and the demon.

Some time later, ambulances and fire trucks are surrounding the burning school; a whining and moaning Wesley is being rolled into an ambulance, and Buffy is looking for Angel. Giles joins her, and they behold the scene together. He then giver her the diploma he saved from the flames, before going to see how Wesley is doing, leaving Buffy alone with her thoughts. Then, through the smoke and the dust, she spots Angel. They look at each other from afar, and finally Angel turns his back on her and leaves.

Buffy and friends gather around the smouldering ruins of Sunnydale High. Oz asks them to take a moment to realize that they survived high schoolŠ As they leave, the camera pans to a Sunnydale High yearbook, engraved with the words “The future is ours”.

Summary by OttsFiveByFive.

Episode Ratings

Mac -

“In my top 3, that includes ‘Lover’s Walk’ and ‘Earshot’. A fitting end to Sunnydale High. Fire bad, tree pretty.”

DJ Angelus - <—TIED for Best Episode of the Season—> “Everyone wants to go out os HS with a bang. Buffy did it best by blowing up the whole school. Go Buffy it’s your Graduation Day.”

Quotes

Graduation I 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

C: I can’t believe this loser look. I lobbied so hard for the teal. No one ever listens to me. Lone fashionable wolf. X: I like the maroon. It has more dignity. C: Dignity? You? In relation to clothes? I’m awash in a sea of confusion. X: I just want to look respectable in this… considering I’m probably gonna die in it. C: Excuse me? X: I’m telling you, I woke up the other day with this feeling in my gut. I just know. There is no way I’m getting out of this school alive. C: Well, you’ve really mastered the power of positive giving up. X: I’ve been lucky too many times. My number’s coming up. And I was short. One more rotation and I’m shipping stateside. You know what I mean? C: Seldom, if ever.

H: You know, I really wish we could have got to know each other better. W: Me, too. H: I mean, you’re so smart. I always wanted to be like that. W: Thanks, you’re so sweet! H: I hope we don’t lose touch. W: No, we’ll hang out. Oh, I’m gonna miss her. B: Don’t you hate her? W: Yes, with a fiery vengeance. She picked on me for 10 years. The vacuous tramp. It’s like a sickness, Buffy. I’m just missing everything. I miss P.E. B: I think it’s contagious. The whole senior class has turned into the 60’s. Or what I would have imagined the 60’s would have been like, you know, without the war and the hairy armpits.

X: Guess who our commencement speaker is? W: Siegfried? X: No. W: Roy? X: No. W: One of the tigers? X: Come out of the fantasy, Will.

X: Lends credence to my whole “I’m gonna die” theorem, doesn’t it?

Lester: I’ll scream! F: Who wouldn’t?

F: Sorry, friend. The boss wants you dead. Lester: Why? F: You know, I never thought to ask.

MW: And everything went smoothly with Mr. Worth? F: Not if you’re Mr. Worth. MW: Well, that’s swell.

F: I feel wicked stupid in this. MW: You look lovely. Perfect for the Ascension. Any boys that manage to survive will be lining up to ask you out.

MW: Nobody knows what you are. Not even you, little Miss Seen-it-all.

P: Check it out - history final. W: B: minus! That’s great. P: I’m a scholar. I’m like a scholar!

P: Hey, listen, thank you. I mean, for helping me. Being so patient. And also, for not kicking my ass like you did in the Bronze. W: you know, Percy, that was actually… for your own good.

W: It’s bad enough we have to fight the mayor. I don’t want him eating Percy and the whole class.

Teacher: Mr. Harris, would you care to begin? X: Um… E? Teacher: No, there’s no “E”. They always go for the “E”.

An: So, I was wondering, maybe if you’re free this weekend, maybe we could do some… entertaining thing. X: Would that be along the lines of you telling me about all the men you destroyed back in your demon days? ’Cause, pencil me in.

An: We could watch sports of some kind. X: Uh, I don’t know. An: Men like sports. I’m sure of it. X: Yes, men like sports. Men watch the action movie. They eat of the beef and enjoy to look at the bosoms. A thousand years of avenging our wrongs, and that’s all you’ve learned?

B: Faith. WP: You’re sure? B: It’s one of her pieces. I recognize the brushwork.

G: There’s nothing in here that bellows “motive”.

WP: Everybody does seem to be going a bit mad lately. Faith has something of a head-start.

B: If the mayor’s trying to hide, I say we go seek. WP: Ah, by attempting to keep a valuable clue from us, the mayor may have inadvertently led us right to it. B: What page are you on, Wes? ’Cause we already got there.

B: I just love it when you take charge, you man, you. WP: But, wha… was that a yes? I’m having trouble keeping track.

B: Been there, killed that… she’d not much for follow-up.

G: Faith has you at a disadvantage, Buffy. B: ’Cause I’m not crazy, or ’cause I don’t kill people? G: Both, actually.

B: I can’t kill her. Fun as it may sound.

B: Stopping Faith _is_ my work. Take a beat to love the synergy.

An: I was there cursing a shepherd who’d been unfaithful. His wife wished that all his sheep would lie- B: Can we cut back to the chase?

An: I’ve seen some horrible things in my time and life. I’ve been the cause of most of them, actually…

An: You’ve never seen a demon. B: Excuse me - killing them professionally, four years running.

MW: Sunnydale owes you a debt. It will be repaid. Yes, sir, we’ll mark that invoice “Paid in full”.

W: How come evil girl’s in the mix? G: Anya witnessed an ascension. W: Oh, okay then.

MW: “The several races of man will be as one in their terror and destruction.” Oh, that’s kind of sweet. Different races coming together. B: You never get even a little tired of hearing yourself speak, do you? MW: That’s one spunky little girl you’ve raised. I’m gonna eat her.

MW: Whoa! Now, that was a little thoughtless. Violent outbursts like that, in front of the children.

C: What’s her saga? X: She’s freaking. C: About what? X: The mayor is gonna kill us all during graduation. C: Oh. Are you gonna go to 5th period?

J: What are you doing? You’re running away again? And you’re taking my clothes.

B: Mom, graduation is a pointless ceremony where you sit around and listen to a bunch of boring speeches till someone hands you a piece of paper that says you’ve graduated, which you already know, and maroon does nothing for my complexion.

J: Oh, you know, Buffy, looking back at everything that’s happened, maybe I should have sent you to a different school.

B: I wish I could be a lot of things for you - a great student, a star athlete, remotely normal.

W: Oh, this is frustrating. O: Nothing useful? W: No, it’s great… if we want to make ferns invisible, or communicate with shrimp, I’ve got the goods right here. O: Our lives are different than other people’s.

O: You think I don’t care? W: I think we could be dead in two days time, and you’re being ironic detachment guy. O: Would it help you if I panicked? W: Yes! It’d be swell.

W: What are you doing? O: Panicking.

B: Stealthy. A: Not my best entrance.

A: Anything in there that connects him to the mayor? B: I looked through it, but the only thing I understood were the commas.

A: Are you mad at me for being around too much, or for not being around enough? B: Duh, yes!

B: I know. World in peril and we have to work together. This is my last office romance, I’ll tell you that.

Vamp: Missed the heart. F: Meant to.

B: I’m just glad Faith is such a suck shot. G: We’re sure it was her? B: Well, I’ve narrowed down my list of one suspect.

W: I feel different, you know? But I guess that makes sense. Do you feel different? Oh, no, you’ve already… Probably no big change for you. It was nice. Was it nice? Should this be a quiet moment? O: I know exactly what you mean. W: Which part? O: Everything feels different.

MW: I have to ingest several of the inhabitants of this box. F: Ingest? MW: Eat. F: You’re wicked gross.

F: Don’t you need anyone dead or maimed? I could settle for maimed.

An: When I think that something could happen to you, it feels bad inside, like I might vomit. X: Welcome to the world of romance. An: It’s horrible. No wonder I used to get so much work. X: Well, I’m sorry I gave you barfy feelings.

X: I got friends on the line. An: So? X: That humanity thing’s still a work in progress, isn’t it?

An: Fine. You know what? I hope you die. Aren’t we gonna kiss?

WP: We’re talking about laws which have existed longer than civilization. B: I’m talking about watching my lover die.

WP: You can’t turn your back on the Council. B: They’re in England. I don’t think they can tell which way my back is facing. WP: Giles, talk to her. G: I have nothing to say right now.

WP: We need a strategy. B: I have a strategy. You’re not in it. WP: This is mutiny. B: I like to think of it as… graduation.

X: I just don’t want to lose you. B: I won’t get hurt. X: That’s not what I mean.

X: Boy, it’s a good thing no one ever wanted to check any of these books out, huh? G: Yes, very convenient. X: Come on, Olvikan. Hey… We’re gonna need a bigger boat.

MW: My god, what a feeling. The power of these creatures. It suffuses my being. I can feel the changes begin. My organs are shifting, merging, making ready for the Ascension. Plus these babies are high in fiber, and what’s the fun of becoming an immortal demon if you’re not regular, am I right?

MW: We don’t knock during dark rituals?

F: That’s mine. B: You’re about to get it back. Credit: The Sunnydale Slayers