Becoming, Part One: Buffy Angel Show
Becoming, Part One: Buffy Angel Show
Becoming, Part One: Buffy Angel Show
(March 9, 1998)
Teaser
ANGLE: A COBBLESTONE STREET
Seen from directly above at night, moonlight raking across the cobbles. It may be
difficult to tell exactly what we're looking at for a moment. Over this still image, a
voice:
WHISTLER (V.O.)
Here's the thing. There's moment
in your life that make you. That set
the course of who you're gonna be.
Sometimes they're little, subtle
moments. Sometimes. . . they're
not. I'll show you what I mean.
At that moment a man on horseback rides below us through frame and the camera
arms down to reveal:
A pair of well heeled YOUNG GENTLEMEN are pushed out of a doorway, someone
inside growling about deadbeats. One of the gents turns back, laughing. He is
Angel.
ANGEL
We'll come back when we've
found a bit more cash money.
Keep the girls warm.
(to his friend)
Come on. We'll sneak in and
take some of my father's silver.
He'll never miss it. Eats with
his hands, the pig.
ANGEL
Or why don't you rest here.
Angel leaves his friend where he lies, moving on down the street with lubricated
grace. He spots
ANGLE: A LADY of considerable means, heading alone into a dark alley. He starts
ANGEL
So I'd ask myself, what is a lady
of your station doing alone in an
alley with the reputation that this one has?
She turns slightly, a knowing smile playing across her lips. Those of us who know
her, know her as Darla.
DARLA
Maybe she's lonely.
ANGEL
In that case I would offer
myself as escort. To protect
you from harm, and to while
away the dull hours.
DARLA
You're very gracious.
ANGEL
It's often been said.
DARLA
Are you certain you're
up to the challenge?
ANGEL
Has a challenge been made, then?
ANGEL
My lady, you will find that with
the exception of an honest day's
work there is no challenge
I am not prepared to face.
(reaches her, peers)
God, but you're a pretty thing.
Where are you from?
DARLA
Around. Everywhere.
ANGEL
Never been anywhere, myself.
Always wanted to see the world, but. . .
DARLA
I could show you.
ANGEL
DARLA
Things you've never seen.
Never even heard of.
ANGEL
Sounds exciting.
DARLA
It is. And frightening.
ANGEL
I'm not afraid. Show me.
Show me your world.
She moves even closer to him, the sexual energy fair peaking between them as she
touches his breast with her little hand.
DARLA
Close your eyes.
He does.
His eyes fly open. He is locked -- can't even struggle. Arms about her, body jerking
with pain.
She lets go and he collapses to his knees. She swoops down onto hers. Takes her
finger and draws her fingernail across her chest. Draws blood.
She takes him and holds his head to her breast. Makes him drink. He does, with
increasing hunger.
We see the two of them from afar, on their knees, Darla feeding Angel in perfect
silence.
A speeding VAN wipes the frame with a roar of its motor to take us to the present
day.
Angel watches something from afar. His eyes are filled with the serenity of Evil; the
garrulous boy of the flashback is long gone. He is watching:
ANGLE: BUFFY
As she battles two, count 'em, two vamps. One she throws as the other comes at
her. She spars with the second vamp as the first circles silently around to her back.
Buffy is well in control of the situation, very focussed.
BUFFY
Come on. Ooh, nice try.
BUFFY
She hammers him -- pulls out a stake. Just as the first vamp attacks from the rear
she slams the stake home in his chest (yes, she doesn't look behind her). The
second vamp stops, worried.
BUFFY
I want you to give Angel
a message for me. Tell him
I'm done waiting. I'm taking
the fight to him. You got that?
Do you want me to write it down?
Fury crosses the vampire's face -- he lunges -- and Buffy stakes his sorry ass. He
dusts just like the first one.
BUFFY
All right, I'll tell him myself.
XANDER
I'm good, don't worry about me. . .
BUFFY
You know, you don't have to patrol with me.
XANDER
Hey, I had that guy under
control until he resorted to fisticuffs.
(he shakes his head)
What is that: five vampires in three nights?
BUFFY
But no Angel.
XANDER
You really that anxious
to come up against him?
BUFFY
I just want it over with.
XANDER
I hear that.
BUFFY
We better get back. I haven't
even started studying for finals.
XANDER
Oh, yeah, finals. Why
didn't you let me die?
BUFFY
Look on the bright side.
It'll all be over soon.
ANGLE: ANGEL
ANGEL
Yes, my love. It will.
BLACK OUT.
END OF TEASER
Act One
INT. MUSEUM ROOM - DAY
DOUG
(to a worker)
Careful. Concentrate on this area.
Through the door well behind them enters Giles, looking about.
GILES
Hello?
DOUG
Rupert Giles?
GILES
Yes.
DOUG
Doug Perren.
(they shake)
Thank you for coming.
GILES
Not at all. I'm flattered to be asked.
DOUG
Well, I talked to Lou Tabor
at the Washington Institute,
he said we had the best
authority on obscure relics
right here in Sunnydale.
GILES
He may have exaggerated
slightly. Is this the. . .
DOUG
That's our baby. Construction
crew dug it up just outside
of town, you know they're
putting up those high-rises.
DOUG
I know there were Spanish
settlers here from way back,
we've found plenty of artifacts.
But whatever's written on this. . .
well, it ain't Spanish.
And the camera finally comes all the way around to reveal the artifact in question.
It looks not unlike a tomb or sarcophagus, a big block of dusty stone carved all over
with demonic runes. (It may appear first as more of an obelisk -- it looks solid, not
like something's inside.) It stands nearly ten feet tall, and four deep. The two
workers are brushing the dust from the cracks between the letters.
GILES
No. Not Spanish.
DOUG
Any ideas?
GILES
(still scanning it)
A few. . . none I'd care to
share until I can verify. . .
Have you dated this?
DOUG
We won't have the results
for a couple of days. I'm
gonna go out on a limb and say "old".
GILES
Yes, this predates any settlements
we've ever read about.
He looks along the side, finds a faint line running up it. He motions to one of the
workers to hand him a brush.
GILES
May I?
GILES
You haven't tried to open it, I assume.
DOUG
I'll be damned. I figured it was solid.
What do you think's in there?
GILES
I don't know.
DOUG
I guess we won't find out till we open it.
GILES
If I could ask. . . wait. Let me
work on translating this text.
It might give us some indication
as to what we'll find inside.
DOUG
You don't want to be surprised?
GILES
As a rule, no.
DOUG
All right. You're the expert.
I'm pretty damn curious, though.
GILES
Yes. Yes, so am I.
He stares at it.
XANDER (O.S.)
You can't sneak up on me!!
Tell Angel I'm gonna kill him -
no -- wait -- I'm gonna kill you! Die! Die!
Toothpick stabs ketchup pack -- and Xander squeezes the ketchup pack to signify
blood spurting.
XANDER (O.S.)
ARRGGHH!! Mother!!
Ketchup pack falls dead and we widen to see Xander conclude his drama. At the
table are Cordy, Willow, sitting on the lap of Oz, and Buffy.
XANDER
That's it.
XANDER (O.S.)
Scene.
BUFFY
Yeah, that's just exactly how it happened.
OZ
I thought it was riveting.
I was a little unclear about
some of the themes.
BUFFY
The theme is, Angel's too much
of a coward to take me on face to face.
XANDER
The other theme was "Buy American,"
but it got kind of buried.
WILLOW
(to Buffy)
Are you sure you're ready to fight Angel?
BUFFY
Can everybody stop asking me that?
Yeah I'm ready. Also willing, also able.
It's the one test I might actually pass.
WILLOW
Don't say that. You're gonna pass
everything. I'm gonna get you
through this semester if I have to sweat blood.
XANDER
Do you think you're likely to?
'Cause I'd like to be elsewhere.
WILLOW
It was only metaphor blood.
OZ
I think you'd sweat cute blood.
WILLOW
(to Buffy)
Sixth period, after my computer class,
we'll rock on Chemistry.
BUFFY
CORDELIA
Boy, Willow, you've really gotten
the teaching bug. Taking over that
computer class, tutoring. . .
WILLOW
I love it. I really do.
CORDELIA
I think it's great to do that BEFORE
you go out and fail in the real world.
'Cause then it's not like falling back
on something, it's like falling. . . well, forward.
XANDER
And almost sixty five percent of
that was actual compliment.
(to Cordy)
Is that a personal best?
CORDELIA
Gee, Xander, what are you gonna
teach when you fail in life?
Advanced loser-being?
XANDER
I will teach. . .
(eurotrash)
. . . the language of love.
CORDELIA
Don't touch me! You have fish hands!
XANDER
Come, let me caress you. . .
CORDELIA
Stop it!
Principal Snyder appears, looking grim as usual. He clears his throat and everyone
stops.
SNYDER
That's enough of that.
(to Willow)
And you. Are we having a chair shortage?
WILLOW
SNYDER
These public displays of affection
are not acceptable in my school.
This isn't an orgy, people. It's a classroom.
BUFFY
(is he nuts?)
Yeah, where they teach lunch. . .
SNYDER
Do you have something to say?
BUFFY
This is a cafeteria. I'm pretty sure.
SNYDER
Always with the wisecracks.
One day you're gonna go too far.
BUFFY
Or I could go with the classroom theory. . .
SNYDER
Just give me a reason to kick you out, Summers.
Just give me a reason.
He stalks off.
CORDELIA
How about, 'cause you're a tiny
impotent Nazi with a bug up his
butt the size of an emu?
BUFFY
Sums it up.
CORDELIA
Don'tchya think?
XANDER
Now 'lunch' I could actually teach.
OZ
I can see that.
(as teacher)
"Baloney. It's not a toy. Let's put
it on the bread - The rye bread!
Careful!" Lunch teacher.
WILLOW
(to Buffy)
Do you want to come by tonight,
do some cramming?
BUFFY
WILLOW
Again? Do you really expect
Angel to turn up tonight?
BUFFY
No, I don't expect him to.
And that's when he usually does.
To establish.
A poor but pious GIRL walks. If we see past the sanity, we might recognize Drusilla.
She stops, crosses herself, and goes into the confessional.
opens between her and the priest. We see her through the latticework screen.
DRUSILLA
Bless me, father, for I have sinned.
It has been two days since my last confession.
Has Angel in it, holding the body of a dead priest. He says nothing.
DRUSILLA
Father?
ANGEL
Uh, uh, two days? That's not very long.
You must sin a great deal to be back so soon.
DRUSILLA
Oh, father. . . I'm so afraid.
She is near tears. Angel finds himself both amused by his impromptu gig and
strangely moved by the girl.
ANGEL
Hush, child. The Lord is very
forgiving. Tell me your sins.
DRUSILLA
I had. . . I've been seeing again, father.
Didn't try to, I swear! But yesterday
the men were going to work in the mine
and I had a terrible fright, my stomach
all tied up and I saw a horrible crash,
men screaming in the dark. . .my mum
said to keep my peace, it didn't mean
ANGEL
Go on.
DRUSILLA
(it pours out:)
My mum says I'm cursed.
My seeing things is an affront
to the Lord. That only He's
supposed to see anything before
it happens. But I don't mean to,
Father, I swear. I try to be pure
in His sight and I do my penance,
I don't want to be an evil thing.
ANGEL
Hush, child. The Lord has a plan
for all creatures. Even a devil child like you.
DRUSILLA
(mortified)
A devil. . .
ANGEL
Yes, you're a spawn of Satan, all the
hail Mary's in the world aren't going
to help. The Lord will use you and then
smite you down, he's like that.
She is crying.
DRUSILLA
What can I do?
ANGEL
Fulfill his plan for you, child. Be evil.
Perform evil works. Attack the less
fortunate. You can start small: laugh
at a cripple. You'll feel better. Just give in.
DRUSILLA
No. . . I want to be good. . . I want to be pure. . .
ANGEL
We all do, at first. World doesn't work that way.
DRUSILLA
Father, I beg you. . . help me.
ANGEL
Very well. Uh, ten Our Fathers
and an act of contrition.
Does that sound good?
DRUSILLA
ANGEL
The pleasure was mine.
(she starts to go)
Oh, and my child?
DRUSILLA
Yes?
ANGEL
God is watching you.
Drusilla wanders into the garden from outside, crazy and evil, the way we know her
and love her. Looking at the night.
SPIKE
Nice walk, pet?
DRUSILLA
I met an old man. I didn't like him.
He got stuck in my teeth.
(looks up)
And then the moon started whispering
to me. All sorts of dreadful things.
SPIKE
It's a naughty moon.
ANGEL
What did it say?
SPIKE
Oh, look who's awake.
ANGEL
What did the moon tell you?
Did you have a vision?
Is something coming?
DRUSILLA
Oh yes. . . something terrible.
ANGEL
Where?
DRUSILLA
At the museum. A tomb.
With a surprise inside.
ANGEL
You can see all that in your head?
SPIKE
No, you ninny, she read it
in the morning paper.
He holds the paper up. Angel looks at Dru, who smiles apologetically. Angel takes
the paper, scans it. He is obviously excited by what he sees.
ANGEL
Oh, my. . .
DRUSILLA
Is that what's been whispering to me?
ANGEL
Oh yeah. Don't worry though.
Soon it'll stop.
ANGEL
Soon it'll scream.
BUFFY
Waaahhh.
She is staring at the book, and at her own notebook. She is tiny and helpless.
BUFFY
This doesn't make sense!
WILLOW
Well, sure it does, see. . .
(looks at Buffy's work)
Oh, no, that doesn't make any sense.
BUFFY
It's senseless.
WILLOW
It is. But at least you know that!
BUFFY
Yay me.
(as Willow looks at her work)
Oh well. It doesn't matter. I mean,
in the real world when am I ever
gonna need to use chemistry, math,
history or the English language?
WILLOW
(re: notebook)
Oh, I see your problem.
BUFFY
I'm a moron?
WILLOW
Will you stop that? You're not stupid.
You've just had a lot on your mind.
You can do all of this real easily but
if you're just gonna give up then
don't waste my time.
A beat.
BUFFY
Wow. You really are a good teacher.
WILLOW
(smiling)
Good pep talk?
BUFFY
I got the pep.
WILLOW
Okay. Look at this. It's a covalent
bond -- which means these two atoms
are linked by this one electron. You
know, basic linkage. Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Chlorine. . .
BUFFY
Oh. Hold it.
She reaches in and grabs the pencil - her fingers almost brushing the disk -- but
just missing it.
BUFFY
WILLOW
Well, you see --
BUFFY
Whoah. Deja vu.
WILLOW
Really?
BUFFY
The thing with the pencil -
I have a perfect memory of
being exactly like --
She bends down again with the pencil -- and this time she sees the disk.
BUFFY
--hey.
BUFFY
I think you dropped this.
WILLOW
It's not mine. It might be
something of Ms. Calendar's.
They look at each other. Willow pops it in the computer. They wait to see it come up
on the screen.
BUFFY
This feels kind of morbid.
WILLOW
Well, I've gone through most
of her files already.
BUFFY
Does that make this less
morbid or you really morbid?
WILLOW
I had to -- to teach the class.
BUFFY
Relax. I'm making with the funny.
What does that say, "restoration"?
WILLOW
It's one of her spells, I think.
You know, she wasn't a practicing
witch, but she did dabble in --
BUFFY
Buffy is reading, her eyes getting steadily wider. Willow concentrates on the screen.
Gets it.
WILLOW
Oh boy.
WILLOW
Oh boy.
WILLOW
Oh boy.
BLACK OUT.
Act Two
EXT. RUMANIAN WOODS - NIGHT (1898)
We heard funereal chanting, some sobbing, as the camera moves (looking straight
down) over the body of a beautiful GYPSY GIRL. She has been laid out in a funeral
gown. A couple of women in shawls kneel by her, keening with grief.
Sits in a shawl, with a painted mark on her forehead. She speaks in very low
Rumanian, waving her hands over an Orb of Thesulah. As she speaks, it begins to
glow.
GYPSY WOMAN
(Rumanian)
Nici mort nici al fiintei te invoc, spirit al trécerii
Reda trupului ce separa omul de animal
Cu ajutorul acestui magic glob de cristal
(Not dead, nor not of the living. Spirits of the interregnum,
I call. Restore to the corporal vessel that which separates us
from beast. Use this orb as your guide.)
Angel stumbles into frame, trying to get away from something. He drops to his
knees, in obvious pain. Gets up and tries to run again.
As she finishes her incantation, the glow envelops the orb, which disappears.
ANGLE: ANGEL
He gets to his knees, groggy and bewildered, as an old GYPSY MAN approaches.
GYPSY MAN
It hurts, yes? Good. It will hurt more.
ANGEL
Where am I?
GYPSY MAN
You don't remember. Everything
you've done. For a hundred years.
In a moment you will. The face of
everyone you have killed - our
daughter's face -- they will haunt
you and you will know what true
suffering is.
ANGEL
Killed? I don't. . .
ANGEL
Oh. . . no. . . no. . .
We see the two of them from a distance, the old man standing over the kneeling
Angel, as Angel begins to scream.
Xander, Cordelia and Giles are facing Buffy and Willow. Buffy holds a few sheets of
printout in her hand. Everybody is quiet.
GILES
What are you saying?
BUFFY
The curse. This is it.
She holds up the sheaf of paper. Giles steps forward, takes it, examines it.
WILLOW
It looks like Ms. Calendar was trying
to replicate the original curse. To restore
Angel's soul again.
GILES
BUFFY
Well, she tried anyway. And it looks
like it might have worked.
XANDER
So he killed her. Before she could
tell anyone about it. What a prince.
CORDELIA
Well, this is good, right? I mean,
we can curse him again.
GILES
It's not that simple. This points
he way, but the ritual itself
requires a rather more advanced
knowledge of the black arts
than I can claim.
WILLOW
Well, I. . . I've been going through
her files and reading up and. . . I've
been sort of checking out the black
arts. Just for fun -- or, educational fun.
I might be able to work this.
GILES
Willow, performing this kind of ritual,
channeling such potent majicks through
yourself -- it will open a door you may
not be able to close.
BUFFY
Will, I don't want you putting yourself in danger.
WILLOW
And I don't want danger. "No" to danger.
But I might be the best person to do this.
XANDER
HI! For those of you who have just
tuned in, everyone here is a crazy
person. This spell might restore
Angel's humanity? Well, here's
an interesting angle: Who cares?
BUFFY
I care.
XANDER
Is that right?
GILES
Xander, let's not lose perspective here --
XANDER
WILLOW
Xander --
BUFFY
It's not that simple.
XANDER
What, come back home, all is forgiven?
I can't believe you people!
CORDELIA
Xander has a point --
XANDER
(turning on Cordy)
You know just once I wish you would
support me and I realize right now
that you were and I'm embarrassed
so I'm gonna get back to the point
which is that Angel needs to die.
GILES
Curing Angel was apparently Jenny's last wish --
XANDER
Yeah, well, Jenny's dead.
GILES
Don't you speak of her in that insolent --
XANDER
(simultaneously)
Can't you see what I'm saying --
BUFFY
All right, stop it!
They do.
WILLOW
(to Buffy)
What do you want to do?
BUFFY
I don't know. . . What happened
to Angel wasn't his fault. . .
XANDER
What happened to Ms. Calendar is.
You can paint this however you want.
Way I see it you want to forget all about
Ms Calendar's murder so you can have
your boyfriend back.
CORDELIA
Wow. Even I know that was insensitive.
XANDER
(staring Willow down)
Am I wrong?
Doug Perren is at his desk, working late. He is pooled in the light of his desk lamp.
The object sits at the other end of the room, mostly in shadow.
DOUG
Hello?
(after a beat)
Danny? That you?
He hears the whispers again, and looks over at the artifact. Moves slowly toward it.
Peering.
Doug reaches it, holds his hand slowly out. Touches it. The whispers grow louder.
He moves his hand away and they subside. Puts it back and they grow.
He steps closer to the artifact -- and Drusilla appears behind him in vampface.
Takes a great honking bite out of his neck, hand over his mouth as he thrashes and
strains.
ANGEL
Let's see. . . I'll have one of these.
(points at it)
To go.
ANGEL
Be careful. I don't want this thing cracked.
Your weak imitations of life depend on it.
(to Dru, re: Doug)
Save me some.
BUFFY
Yeah, I'll do a couple of sweeps,
then I'll stop by.
(listens)
Yeah, Xander was pretty much being a. . .
(mildly shocked)
Willow. Where'd you learn that word?
My god. You kiss your mother with that mouth?
(Listens)
I don't know. I don't know what I want.
BUFFY
Okay. I'll see you in a while.
JOYCE
Where are you going?
BUFFY
Oh. Uh, to Willow's. To Study.
Got two finals tomorrow.
JOYCE
All right. Make sure you two study.
Don't talk about boys all night.
BUFFY
Oh, we don't like boys. I mean,
while we're studying. We like
boys. Some boys. . .
As she's talking, she shifts and two crosses fall out of her bag. Joyce bends down to
get them, looks at them.
BUFFY
You know, it's funny. I've just
been kind of. . . religious. Lately.
JOYCE
Oh. Well, you know your father and
I are both agnostic, we always thought
you should decide for yourself.
BUFFY
JOYCE
Well, that's good.
BUFFY
Okay.
JOYCE
Get a ride back if you come home late.
She comes to a row of tall hedges. Stops, turning. Did she hear something?
Someone BURSTS out from between the hedges right behind her. She spins, takes
an attack stance.
BUFFY
You know, polite people call before
they jump out of the bushes and attack you.
ANGLE: KENDRA
KENDRA
Just wanted to test your reflexes.
BUFFY
(not angry)
Would you like to test my face-punching?
'Cause I think you'll find it's improved.
KENDRA
I was on my way to your house.
Saw you walking. Couldn't help myself.
BUFFY
Which begs the question and don't
think I'm not glad to see you but
why are you here? Wait. Let me
guess. Your Watcher has informed
you that a very dark power is about
to rise in Sunnydale.
KENDRA
That's about it.
BUFFY
Great. Did he give you any idea
As the artifact hits the floor with a rounding thud, kicking up dust.
SPIKE
It's a big rock. I can't wait to tell my friends.
They don't have a rock this big.
ANGEL
Spike, boy, you never did learn your history.
SPIKE
Let's have a lesson, then.
ANGEL
Acathla, the demon, came forth
to swallow the world. It was killed
by a virtuous knight who pierced
the demon's heart before it could
draw breath to perform the act. Acathla
turned to stone, as demons sometimes
do, and was buried where neither man
nor demon would be wont to look. Unless
of course they're putting up low rent housing. Boys?
Two vampires take crowbars and, standing at either side of the artifact, wedge it
open. The front falls to the floor with a great dusty thud.
Inside is the very stone demon of which Angel spoke, his face in a horrible grimace,
a stone sword sticking out of his chest.
DRUSILLA
Oooh, he fills my head. . .
I can't hear anything else. . .
SPIKE
Let me guess. Someone pulls out the sword --
ANGEL
Someone worthy. . .
SPIKE
-- the demon wakes up and wackiness ensues.
DRUSILLA
He will swallow the world.
ANGEL
And every creature living on this
planet will go to Hell. My friends,
we're about to make history. . .
(turning back to them)
BLACK OUT.
Act Three
INT. LIBRARY - NIGHT
Giles emerges from his office, joining Buffy, Kendra and Willow in the library.
Kendra is putting her bag on the table (not: her bag should be long and go over her
shoulder like a quiver -- her sword is contained therein.)
GILES
I've just been on the phone with
the museum. The artifact in question
is missing. And the curator has been
murdered. Vampires.
BUFFY
And we're sure this thing
was the Tomb of Alfalfa?
GILES
Acathla. And yes, the information
Kendra's Watcher has provided seems conclusive.
WILLOW
Okay, can somebody explain the
whole 'he will suck the world into
Hell' thing? That's the part I'm not loving.
GILES
The demon universe exists in a
dimension separate from our own.
With one breath Acathla will create
a vortex, a kind of whirlpool that
will pull everything on Earth into
that dimension, where any non-demon
life will suffer horrible, eternal torment.
BUFFY
So that would be the literal kind
of sucking into Hell. Neat.
KENDRA
(to Buffy)
You think Angelus and the others
are responsible for the theft of the tomb?
BUFFY
I'd bet folding money on it.
KENDRA
I can't believe you dated him.
(off her look)
WILLOW
We don't know where they are.
They moved after Giles torched their house.
KENDRA
(to Giles)
You did? Good for you.
GILES
It was nothing, really.
BUFFY
Willow. . . I think you should try
to do the curse. Bring Angel back.
KENDRA
I tend to side with your friend Xander
on this one. Angel should be eliminated.
BUFFY
I'll fight him. If I have to, I'll kill him.
But if I lose, or I don't find him in time. . .
Willow might be our only hope.
WILLOW
I don't want to be only hope. I crumble
under pressure. Let's have another hope.
KENDRA
We have.
KENDRA
Blessed by the knight who first slew the Demon.
If all else fails, this might stop it.
(less confidently)
I think.
GILES
Let's hope all else doesn't fail.
(to Willow)
How close are you to figuring
out the ritual for the curse?
WILLOW
I need a day, maybe. And I need
an Orb of Thesulah, whatever that is.
GILES
Spirit vault for the Rituals
of the Undead. I've got one.
(sheepish)
I've been using it as a paperweight.
WILLOW
(to Buffy)
BUFFY
I'll wing it. Of course, if we
go to Hell by then I won't have to take them.
(sudden fear)
Or maybe I'll be taking them forever. . .
GILES
Well, Angel has a ritual of his own
to perform before he can remove the
sword and awake Acathla. With any
luck, that may take some time as well.
Spike is alone, pacing, thinking. We hear chanting from behind the door. Then:
DRUSILLA (O.S.)
Spike?
He beelines for the chair, gets in just before she enters the room.
DRUSILLA
Spike, sweetie, the fun's about to begin.
SPIKE
It is? Seems more to me like
the fun's about to end.
DRUSILLA
Don't be all gloomy.
SPIKE
Darling, if this works, everything changes.
Think about it. In this world, we can be
kings. In the next. . .
DRUSILLA
My Spikey's getting cold feet. Don't you
worry about the next world. You'll always
have me. . .
SPIKE
Will I?
She doesn't answer. A SCREAM emerges from the main room -- that of a young
man.
DRUSILLA
Oh! The blood ritual! To cleanse
Angel. Let's go and see.
SPIKE
(giving in)
Well, if there's blood. . .
In the main chamber, where the statue stands free of its casing at one end.
At the other, Angel waits as two vampires bring the young man before him. Angel
looks at him, eyes glowing in reverent reverie.
ANGEL
I will drink. . . the blood will wash in me,
over me and I will be cleansed, I will be
worthy to free Acathla.
(to Spike and Dru)
Bear witness, as I ascend.
(looking at the man)
As I become.
It's a dark, grimy district -- not many people out, and none with too much money.
ANGLE: A RAT
The man makes a dive for the rat, but it gets away and he lands in a clatter among
the cans. We see that is it Angel. He looks utterly lost and destitute -- not entirely
sane, even.
WHISTLER
God, are you disgusting.
Angel starts, not used to being talked to. He starts to crawl back into the shadows.
WHISTLER
This is really an unforgettable smell.
This is the stench of death you're
giving off here. And the look says
crazy homeless guy, it's not good.
ANGEL
Get away from me.
WHISTLER
What are you gonna do, bite me?
WHISTLER
Oh, but you're not gonna bite me
'cause of your poor tortured soul,
it's so sad, a vampire with a soul,
how poignant. I may physically
vomit right here.
ANGEL
Who are you?
WHISTLER
Let's take a walk. Come on.
He starts to help Angel up. Angel is clearly weak. As he gets to his feet a
respectable PASSERBY stares at the pair.
WHISTLER
(to the passerby)
What? Yes, he's my lover,
you mustn't judge us!
WHISTLER
God, I hate people.
The two are walking together. Whistler's doing most of the talking.
WHISTLER
What are you eating, like a rat once
a month? You're skin and bones here.
Butcher shops are throwing away more
blood in a day than you could stand.
Good blood. You lived in the world
a little bit you'd know that.
ANGEL
I want to know who you are.
WHISTLER
And I want to know who you are.
ANGEL
You already do.
WHISTLER
Not yet. I'm looking to find out.
'Cause you could go either way here.
ANGEL
WHISTLER
Nobody understands me. It's my curse.
WHISTLER
(to the vendor)
Dog me.
(to Angel)
There are three kinds of people that
no one understands. Geniuses,
madmen, and guys that mumble.
My name is Whistler. Anyway,
lately it is. My real name is hard
to pronounce unless you're a dolphin.
ANGEL
You're not a vampire.
WHISTLER
A demon, technically. But I'm not
a bad guy -- not all demons are dedicated
to the destruction of all life. Someone has
to maintain balance, you know. Good and
evil can't exist without each other, blah
blah blah. I'm not like a good fairy or anything,
I'm just trying to make it all balance -- do I
come off defensive?
ANGEL
What did you mean, I could go either way?
WHISTLER
I mean you could become an even
more useless rodent than you are
right now, or you could become. . .
someone. A person. Someone to be counted.
ANGEL
I just want to be left alone.
WHISTLER
You've been alone for what, ninety years?
And what an impressive package you are.
The stink guy.
ANGEL
You don't know what I have to
deal with. What I've done.
WHISTLER
You're annoying me! The self pity
thing is not gonna bring in the chicks.
It's a bore.
WHISTLER
I want you to see something. It's happening
very soon, we'd need to leave now. You see,
and then you tell me what you want to do.
ANGEL
Where is it?
We see Angel in the shadows (or indoors, depending on location) looking out into
the bright sunlit courtyard. We see, as he does:
ANGLE: BUFFY
Walking along with her FRIENDS, talking. She is all of fifteen, completely carefree
and not a little superficial.
BUFFY
So, I'm like, "Dad, you want me
to go to the dance in an outfit I've
already worn? Why do you hate me?"
GIRL
Is Tyler taking you?
BUFFY
Oh my god! Where were you when
I got over Tyler? He's of the past.
Tyler would have to crawl on his
hands and knees to get me to go
to the dance with him. Which he's
actually supposed to do after practice,
so I'm gonna wait.
GIRL
Okay. See you later.
BUFFY
Call me. Call me. Call me.
They all go and Buffy sits. She has waited for a moment when a MAN approaches
her in a dark, rumpled suit. He looks vaguely nervous, and deadly serious. His name
is MERRICK.
MERRICK
Buffy Summers?
BUFFY
Yeah? Hi. What?
MERRICK
BUFFY
You're not from Macy's, are you?
'Cause I meant to pay for that lipstick. . .
MERRICK
There isn't much time. You must
come with me. Your destiny awaits.
BUFFY
I don't have a destiny. I'm destiny-free. Really.
MERRICK
Yes, you have. You are the chosen one.
You alone can stop them.
BUFFY
Who?
MERRICK
The vampires.
Buffy stares at him for a good long while, a polite smile playing on her lips, trying to
come up with a response. Finally she breaks down into:
BUFFY
Huh?
Buffy crashes into frame, wide-eyed and terrified, a VAMPIRE right on top of her.
BUFFY
AAAAAAGHHHH!
BUFFY
Oh god oh god oh god --
She comes up with it as the vampire charges her again -- she instinctively flips it
onto its back.
BUFFY
Whoah! Wow.
Collecting herself, she drops down and plunges the stake into its chest, pulling it out
again. The vampire screams, but nothing happens.
BUFFY
Ooh, that's not the heart. . .
She tries again, and the vampire's dying rasp tells her she's hit home.
BUFFY
GAAAGHHH!
She starts back from this unexpected effect, stays panting on the grass. We see a
pair of legs come into the frame near her.
MERRICK
You see? You see your power?
She says nothing, still staring at the spot where the vampire was.
ANGLE: ANGEL
We see in from the outside. Buffy enters her bedroom, followed by Joyce.
JOYCE
Why didn't you call?
BUFFY
I'm sorry, Mom, I didn't know it was so late.
Tyler and I were talking.
JOYCE
That boy is irresponsible.
BUFFY
It's my fault.
JOYCE
You know we worry, that's all.
Dinner's in ten minutes.
BUFFY
Okay.
Buffy moves into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.
ANGLE: ANGEL
We see her go to the sink, take off her jacket. Splash her face. She is very shaken.
Over her silent actions we hear the voices of her parents:
HANK (O.S.)
Did she say where she was?
JOYCE (O.S.)
HANK (O.S.)
I don't want her seeing him
anymore. Period.
JOYCE (O.S.)
You're over reacting, dear.
HANK (O.S.)
Don't do that! Don't talk to me
like I'm a kid.
JOYCE (O.S.)
I don't -- forget it.
HANK (O.S.)
Just because you can't discipline her,
I have to be the ogre.
JOYCE (O.S.)
I'm not having this conversation
again. All right?
Angel jumps down at one end. At the other, Whistler waits. Angel slowly approaches
him.
WHISTLER
She's gonna have it tough, that Slayer.
She's just a kid. And the world is full
of big bad things.
ANGEL
I want to help her. I want to. . .
I want to become someone.
I want to help.
WHISTLER
Jeez, look at you. She must be
prettier than the last Slayer.
(Angel looks down)
It's not gonna be easy. The more
you live in the world the more you
see how apart from it you are. And
this is dangerous work. Right now
you couldn't go three rounds
with a fruit fly.
ANGEL
I want to learn from you.
WHISTLER
Okay.
ANGEL
But I don't want to dress like you.
WHISTLER
See? Again you're annoying me.
Angel lifts his face, blood on his mouth, from his victim. He walks slowly to the
statue, the others watching him.
ANGEL
Everything that I am, everything that
I have done, has led me here.
This night. This act.
(to the statue)
You will be free.
BLACK OUT.
Act Four
INT. MANSION - NIGHT
The light still fills the room, along with a crackling energy -- that stops in an instant
as Angel is thrown back to the floor. He seems to have gotten an enormous
electrical shock, and his vampface is gone.
SPIKE
(singsong)
Someone wasn't worthy. . .
ANGEL
The ritual. There must be something
I missed. The incantations, the blood. . .
Dammit! I don't know. . .
DRUSILLA
This is so disappointing. What are we going to do?
ANGEL
He grabs an old vase from off a pedestal, rage and impatience seething in him, and
hurls it against the wall.
It shatters.
The morning sunlight brightly rakes the classroom. Buffy is seated, along with
Xander and Willow and Cordy, amidst the other students. They are all taking their
final exam, scribbling in their bluebooks. The room is silent.
The Camera dolly's behind a figure in the hall. She moves slowly, a shawl wrapped
around her head, her clothes dark and shabby.
VAMPIRE (O.S.)
Tonight. Sundown. In the graveyards.
TEACHER
(rising)
Excuse me. . .
Buffy looks up. The woman is standing in the classroom -- speaks to Buffy --
VAMPIRE
You will come to him.
She pulls off her shawl, revealing her vamp visage, and moves toward Buffy,
deliberately stepping into the sunlight. She begins to smoke. Kids start trying to
move away. Buffy can't take her eyes off the vampire.
VAMPIRE
You will come to him or
more will die! Tonight!
VAMPIRE
His hour is at hand!
And she's gone, flamed out. The classroom is nearly empty except for our principals.
Buffy still hasn't moved.
The gang's all here (minus Oz, plus Kendra). Willow is deep in a pile of books.
KENDRA
And I should go with you.
BUFFY
I need you here. Just in case.
I'll be all right. As long as
Angel's fighting me he's
not doing this end of the
world ritual and that's good.
And with any luck. . . Willow?
What do you think?
WILLOW
I'm not sure. I just want to cross check --
BUFFY
We don't have time. If this is
gonna work I need it to work now.
WILLOW
I need maybe half an hour
once we're set up.
GILES
Which means you just have to
hold Angel off. Don't let him
close on you. If the curse succeeds,
you'll know.
CORDELIA
Why don't you just wait here to
find out if it worked? See if he phones you?
BUFFY
I can't risk him killing more people.
XANDER
What if he shows up with an army?
BUFFY
I'll run away.
KENDRA
A Slayer never runs aw --
(off their looks)
Good plan.
BUFFY
I'd better go.
XANDER
Please be careful.
BUFFY
I will.
KENDRA
Here. In case the curse does not succeed. . .
This is my lucky stake. I have killed
many vampires with it.
(in a low voice)
I call it Mister Pointy.
BUFFY
You named your stake.
KENDRA
(embarrassed)
Yes.
BUFFY
Remind me to get you a stuffed animal.
(Puts the stake in her jacket)
Thanks.
KENDRA
Watch your back.
Buffy exits.
ANGEL
Hello, lover.
She turns to face him. He stands some twenty feet away, grinning nonchalantly.
ANGEL
I wasn't sure you'd come.
BUFFY
After your immolation-o-gram?
Come on, I had to show. But
shouldn't you be destroying the
world right about now? Pulling
the sword out of Al Franken, or
whatever he's called?
ANGEL
There's time enough. I wanted to
say goodbye first. You are the one
thing in this dimension I will miss.
BUFFY
(suppressing emotion)
This is a beautiful moment we're
having here. Can we just fight, please?
ANGEL
BUFFY
No?
ANGEL
Gosh, I was hoping we could get
back together! What do you
think, do we have a shot?
ANGEL
All right, we'll fight.
He lunges at her.
Willow sits at the desk, the orb in front of her. Cordelia is waving a burning sage
bush, not loving her task. Giles stands on Willow's other side, holding a volume.
There are elaborate markings on the table and Willow has a painted mark on her
forehead to match the Gypsy Woman's.
GILES
(Latin)
Quod perditum est, invenietur.
(What was lost, shall be found.)
WILLOW
Not dead, nor not of the living.
Spirits of the interregnum, I call.
Buffy and Angel spar, Buffy still holding back. Buffy is thrown to the ground.
BUFFY
(quietly)
Come on, Willow.
WILLOW
Let him know the pain of humanity,
gods -- reach your wizened hands to
me, give me the soul of --
ANGLE: XANDER
XANDER
Look out!
ANGLE: XANDER
as he whips out a stake, makes for Vamp 1 as Vamp 2 comes down toward the
ritual.
Kendra punches Vamp 3, sends him into the wall. Vamp 4 passes her.
As Vamps 2 and 4 converge in the middle, Cordy and Willow make for the stacks.
Giles faces the vamps and they handily knock him down and out.
Vamp 1 grabs Xander's wrist, bends it. We hear it snap and Xander's eyes go wide.
Kendra spars with Vamp 3, knocking him out and going for Vamp 4, who stands
over Giles.
Vamp 2 leaps onto the table, over the railing and slams into a bookcase, knocking it
over on Willow. She falls very hard, instantly unconscious.
Xander falls to his knees, the stake dropping, Cordy tries to get out behind Vamp 1.
He turns to get her and Xander rises, throws him into Vamp 2.
XANDER
Go!
Cordy races out as Xander picks up the stake in his good hand.
ANGLE: KENDRA
throws Vamp 4 through the window to Giles' office as Vamp 3 hits her from behind.
ANGEL
Is it me, or is your heart not in this?
ANGEL
Maybe I'll just go home.
Destroy the world. . . sulk. . .
BUFFY
I think Mister Pointy is gonna
have something to say about that.
BUFFY
Come on. Let's finish it. You and me.
ANGEL
You never learn, do you?
Little miss ego. 'You and me.'
This wasn't about you. This
was never about you.
Her expression drains. She turns and bolts, Angel calling after her.
ANGEL
And you fall for it every single time!
ANGLE: KENDRA
DRUSILLA
Enough.
The vamps back off. Kendra turns to face Dru. Dru drops her shawl, looking
dreamily into the heavens.
Kendra lunges and Dru evades, slashes at Kendra with her fingernails. Draws blood.
Kendra and Dru spar, Kendra getting in some good hits, Dru mostly weaving and
giggling.
Finally Dru sees an opening and grabs Kendra's throat, pushes her against the wall.
Kendra struggles, pulling at the arm.
DRUSILLA
Look at me, Dearie. Be in
my eyes. Be in me.
Buffy runs.
Dru pauses -- then slashes her fingers across Kendra's throat. Kendra's eyes widen
-- she grabs her throat and blood wells out between her fingers.
She drops.
DRUSILLA
(to Kendra)
Night night.
(to the vamps)
Let's get what we came for, dears.
Two of the vamps bend down and lift up Giles -- start dragging him out.
Buffy bursts into the lounge, running as fast as she can. As the camera follows her
she goes into slow motion, all sound bleeding out of the sound track.
WHISTLER (V.O.)
Bottom line is even if you see
'em coming, you're not ready
for the big moments. No one
asks for their life to change,
not really. But it does.
She spots Kendra lying on the ground, goes to her, cradles her on her lap -- tries to
stop the bleeding as Kendra dies right in front of her.
WHISTLER (V.O.)
So, what, are we helpless? Puppets?
No. The big moments are gonna
come, can't help that. It's what
you do afterwards that counts.
That's when you find out who you are.
We see them from behind, Buffy still holding Kendra's head in her lap, when a
policeman's GUN comes into frame.
COP
Freeze!!
BLACK OUT.
WHISTLER (V.O.)
You'll see what I mean.
END OF SHOW