Bad Girls (Buffy episode)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| “Bad Girls” | |
|---|---|
| Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode | |
 |
|
| Episode no. | Season 3 Episode 14 |
| Guest stars | Eliza Dushku (Faith) Kristine Sutherland (Joyce) K. Todd Freeman (Mr. Trick) Harry Groener (Mayor Wilkins) Alexis Denisof (Wesley) Jack Plotnick (Deputy Mayor Allan Finch) |
| Written by | Douglas Petrie |
| Directed by | Michael Lange |
| Production no. | 3ABB14 |
| Original airdate | February 9, 1999 |
| Episode chronology | |
| ← Previous | Next → |
| "The Zeppo" | "Consequences" |
"Bad Girls" is Episode 14 of Season 3 of the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. See also List of Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes.
Contents |
[edit] Plot synopsis
[edit] Summary
Buffy gets a new Watcher; Faith lures Buffy into reckless abandon.
[edit] Expanded overview
While out slaying, Faith asks Buffy if she's ever had sex with Xander, and Buffy says they're just friends. They're attacked by a vampire with weapons--a short blade and long blade--and then kill it. The next day at school, the gang is looking into college and they discuss future plans. Wesley, Buffy's stuffy new Watcher annoys Giles in the library while both Slayers do their best to ignore him as much as possible. Buffy is instructed to go retrieve an amulet that once belonged a demon named Balthazar (who led a cult of swordsman vampires) before he was killed. Faith expresses to Buffy her belief that as the Slayers, they can do what they want, and enjoy it. Buffy is skeptical, but Faith believes Buffy gets off on slaying as much as she does.
That night, Buffy finds the amulet but a group of Balthazar's vamps enter before she can take it. Faith arrives and the two slay some of the vamps before taking the amulet back. After handing over the amulet to Wesley, Buffy leaves to take a necessary chem test, but she can't stop talking through the whole test about the night previous and how much she ended up enjoying it. Faith shows up at the window and she and Buffy leave to destroy a vampire nest. The two go dancing afterwards at the Bronze where Buffy meets up with Angel. She's acting very strange and he tries to ignore it and tells her that Balthazar isn't dead and he's looking for his amulet. When Wesley comes looking for Buffy, she takes the amulet from him and gives it to Angel.
Buffy and Faith go out and find Balthazar, a very heavy and ugly demon that must live in a large pool of water and constantly be kept wet. At a loss for weapons against a large group of vampires, they break into a hardware shop and steal some. Faith continues to expound on her philosophy of being a Slayer to Buffy. "Life as a Slayer is very simple. Want, take, have." The police arrive and arrest them, but in the car, the two Slayers kick down the metal gate separating them from the cops, causing the car to crash and the cops to be injured. The following morning, Buffy checks the local newspaper for any news regarding the accident, but finds nothing. The Mayor is attacked by one of Balthazar's vampires, who is foiled by Mr. Trick.
Balthazar demands his minions bring him the Watchers and kill the Slayers. No matter the cost, he must have his amulet. The enemy who crippled him is about to gain ultimate power and he refuses to let this come to pass. Willow presents Buffy with a protection spell and is ready to go slaying that night, but Buffy tells her that it's too dangerous and that she's going with Faith instead. This leaves Willow feeling hurt. The two run into several vampires and stake them, then Allan, the Mayor's secretary walks out and Faith accidentally stakes him, too. He dies before anything can be done and both Slayers flee the scene of the crime in separate directions. Buffy runs into Angel and he tells her about Balthazar taking Giles while Faith returns to the scene where Allan is and just stares at the body.
With the two Watchers in his possession, Balthazar searches for answers as to who has his amulet. Wesley, coward that he is, is willing to give up anything in exchange for his life. Angel shows up with Buffy, frees Giles and everyone fights. When Balthazar captures Angel, Buffy tosses live wires into his tub of water, electrocuting him. With his dying breath, Balthazar warns them of his enemy. "When he rises, you'll wish I'd killed you all." In his office that night, the Mayor performs a ritual that makes him invincible. He is now unable to be killed. Buffy confronts Faith about Allan's death but Faith doesn't want to talk about it. She doesn't care.
[edit] Writing and acting
Faith follows Angel as a character who fought on Buffy's side but turns into a villain. While Angel's turn was sudden and caused by his curse, Faith's transformation is more gradual; the seeds were planted in her first appearance.
Buffy's instantly antagonistic relationship with Wesley recalls her first meeting with Giles, revealing how far they have come.
[edit] Production details
[edit] Music
- Curve - "Chinese Burn". - Plays whilst Faith and Buffy dance in the Bronze.
[edit] Quotes and trivia
The dance Buffy and Faith perform at The Bronze was duplicated almost exactly in the X-Men: Evolution episode "SpykeCam" by Rogue and Shadowcat, with Rogue as Faith and Shadowcat as Buffy. Joss Whedon has stated that he based some ideas about Buffy on Shadowcat. Also, they were performing the dance to prepare for their auditions for Dracula.
In this episode, Oz is wearing a T-shirt for the early English punk band Eater.
Alyson Hannigan first met future-husband Alexis Denisof on the set of this episode. While they did like each other, Alyson was already dating and the two decided not to get involved while working on the same show. However, some time later Alyson was single again and Alexis had moved to Angel and they decided to give it a go. The two were married in September 2003.
- Buffy (Sarcastically to Wesley): When Giles sends me on a mission, he says 'please.' And afterwards I get a cookie.
[edit] Translations
- Italian title: "Balthzar" (sic! Balthazar with an "a" missing!)
- German title: "Der neue Wächter" ("The new watcher")
- French title: "El Eliminati"
- Japanese title: "バッドガールズ" ("Baddo Gāruzu" - "Bad Girls")
[edit] Continuity
[edit] Arc significance
- This episode is the major turning point of season three. Faith has been a loose cannon with issues of trust, and she enjoys slaying a little too much, but she has been fighting for the right cause. She will not for much longer. The Mayor's plan becomes clearer, and Wesley has arrived and will bug the Scoobies until the end.
- Willow gives Buffy the protection spell she has been working on since "Gingerbread" in a lavender-scented pouch.
- This episode marks the first appearance of Wesley Wyndam-Pryce who goes on to become a prominent member of Angel Investigations in L.A.
[edit] Timing
- Stories that take place around the same time in the Buffyverse:
| Location, time (if known) |
Buffyverse chronology: January 1999 - Spring 1999 (non-canon = italic) |
|---|---|
| Sunnydale, 1999 | Buffy graphic novel: Uninvited Guests |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | Buffy comic: The Final Cut |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | Buffy graphic novel: Bad Blood |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | B3.11 Gingerbread |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | Buffy comic: Bad Dog (by Doug Petrie) |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | Buffy graphic novel: Crash Test Demons |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | Buffy graphic novel: Pale Reflections |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | B3.12 Helpless |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | B3.13 The Zeppo |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | Buffy book: The Deathless |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | B3.14 Bad Girls |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | B3.15 Consequences |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | B3.16 Doppelgängland |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | Buffy book: Doomsday Deck |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | Buffy book: Immortal |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | B3.17 Enemies |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | Buffy graphic novel: Angel: The Hollower |
| Sunnydale, spring, 1999 | Buffy book: Prime Evil |
| Sunnydale, spring, 1999 | Buffy book: Revenant |
| Sunnydale, spring, 1999 | B3.18 Earshot |
| Sunnydale, spring, 1999 | B3.19 Choices |
| Sunnydale, spring, 1999 | Buffy book: Power of Persuasion |
| Sunnydale, spring, 1999 | B3.20 The Prom |
| Sunnydale, spring, 1999 | Buffy book: Resurrecting Ravana |
| Sunnydale, spring, 1999 | Buffy books: The Gatekeeper [Trilogy] |
| Sunnydale, spring, 1999 | Buffy book: Return to Chaos |
| Sunnydale, spring, 1999 | Buffy book: Visitors |
| Sunnydale, spring, 1999 | Buffy book: Unnatural Selection |
| Sunnydale, spring, 1999 | Buffy book: Obsidian Fate |
| Sunnydale, spring, 1999 | Buffy book: Deep Water |
| Sunnydale, spring, 1999 | Buffy book: Here Be Monsters |
| Sunnydale, spring, 1999 | Buffy book: The Book of Fours |
| Sunnydale, spring, 1999 | B3.21 Graduation Day, Part One |
| Sunnydale, spring, 1999 | B3.22 Graduation Day, Part Two |
| Sunnydale, spring, 1999 | Sunnydale High Yearbook |
| Sunnydale, spring, 1999 | Buffy comic: Double Cross |
[edit] External links
- Bad Girls at the Internet Movie Database
