Season 1 – Episode 5 (Original air date 31 March 1997)
I am currently re-watching every episode (for like the 500th time) and am writing this overview post, along with some of my favourite quotes. Please note these are all my personal opinions and I have no affiliation what so ever with any of the cast members or the shows creators. I am just a massive fan. Leave a comment below if you want to weigh in.
Favourite Quote / Quotes:
Oh that’s great. I kill them, you fence their stuff.
Buffy
Oh I have something like that. Well it’s an actual blanket. Oh and I don’t really carry it around anymo – more.
Buffy
Here endeth the lesson.
The Master
Buffy, while the mere fact that you want to check out a book would be grounds for a national holiday, I think we should focus on the problem at hand.
Giles
Alright I’ll just jump into my time machine, go back to the 12th century and ask the vampires to post-pone their ancient prophecy for a few days while you take in dinner and a show.
Giles
Well in that case I won’t wear my button that says I’m a slayer ask me how.
Buffy
If the apocolypse comes, beep me.
Buffy
Cordelia, Own and I would like to be alone right now and for that to happen, you would have to go somewhere that’s away.
Buffy
Hello salty goodness!
Cordelia
That was my hopeful ear, could you repeat that?
Buffy
Episode Breakdown:
It starts with a fight scene in the cemetery. Buffy kills a vampire, cut to Giles who is hiding behind a gravestone, criticising Buffy’s technique. He notices the vampire left behind an odd-looking ring. He’s not sure why exactly, but he needs to do research on it.
The Master is quoting out of an old book, about a prophecy regarding the anointed one. He reprimands one of his minions for doing a bad job while out on a mission.
Back in the library, Buffy and Giles discover the ring has a symbol on it, which signifies the Order of Aurelius. They are interrupted by a student looking to check out a book, Owen, who makes Buffy very nervous because he’s very cute. She stumbles over her words, trying to impress him.
In the cafeteria, Buffy manages to get a date with Owen. Cordelia tries to hone in on him, but his interest in Buffy is obvious and he is persistent. Buffy’s elation is short-lived as Giles bumps into the girls and tells them about a prophecy about to transpire. Buffy is disappointed but Giles is adamant that tonight is the night that the vampire is to rise, as per the prophecy.
After much waiting, it seems Giles’ calculation was mistaken and Buffy leaves to try to salvage her night with Owen.
Buffy gets to the Bronze to find Owen and Cordelia dancing intimately. She doesn’t stick around.
Cut to a bus filled with passengers and one guy who scares everyone else as he preaches about fire and judgement. The bus is run off the road by a group of vampires who starts killing all the passengers.
The next day at school Buffy is venting to Xander about how hard it is not being able to date. Xander tries to subtly let her know he is available but he is cut off by Owen’s arrival. They reschedule their date, Owen claiming that Cordelia’s dancing was pretty much one-sided.
Xander and Willow are helping Buffy get ready for her date. All of Xander’s attempts to make Buffy dress less attractively are dismissed by the girls. Giles arrives, distraught as he thinks the accident from the night before might have been his prophecy come to light. Upon Owen’s arrival, he can’t force Buffy to go investigate with him. She assures Giles that she will be available if needed but she desperately needs a night off. Giles goes to the funeral home to investigate the bodies on his own. Willow and Xander follow Giles, to make sure he doesn’t get in over his head.
In the Bronze where Owen and Buffy are having a good time. She does feel guilty for temporarily abandoning her post as the Slayer. Cordelia tries to steal Owen away but he firmly puts her in her place.
Cut to Giles being cornered by a bunch of vampires. Luckily Willow and Xander had followed him and went to get Buffy’s help.
Back at the Bronze, Cordelia is disgusted that Buffy has the attention of two hot guys, as Angel comes to the Bronze looking for Buffy. The introduction between the two guys is tense, as the chemistry between Angel and Buffy is tangible. He was trying to warn Buffy about the prophecy, he didn’t bother to hide his jealousy about Owen. Xander and Willow arrive, cryptically telling Buffy that she was needed at the funeral home. Buffy makes excuses with Owen and leaves with the gang.
Unbeknown to the rest, Owen decides to follow them all to the funeral home. Trying to avoid any suspicion, Buffy plays along for his sake, that they are just messing around like a bunch of troublemaking teenagers. She successfully manages to save Giles and fight off a newly made vampire. Owen attempts to help her fight him and gets knocked on the head.
Buffy thinks she blew her chances with Owen as he seemed a little freaked out the night before, but he finds her the next day in school and tells her he would like to see her again. She is hopeful, but it turns out that he enjoys the thrill of danger. She realizes that his adrenaline-seeking ways will get him killed in her world and so she breaks up with him.
Giles plays the fatherly role well and tells Buffy about how his own childhood was cut short due to duty and responsibility. It is a bonding moment for the two, which will help solidify their relationship.
The gang think the vampire Buffy killed was the one from the prophecy, the anointed one and close the book on the prophecy. The last scene in this episode, the Master welcomes the anointed one to the fold, a little boy who was one of the victims of the bus massacre.
Trivia:
The Master says the phrase “here endeth the lesson”, a phrase which is used twice later on in the show. Both times being pivotal to the story line.
Christopher Wiehl, who plays Owen, is an actor, director and author. He has had roles in a very long list of movies and TV series. One of which was on an episode of Charmed, another favoured cult classic.