Faith, Hope & Trick

Written by: David Greenwalt
Directed by: James A. Contner

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, Armin Shimerman as Principal Snyder, Nancy Lenehan as Pat, Jason Hall as Devon.

Original broadcast date : October 6, 1998

The episode begins with Willow having a hard time realizing she¹s a senior and can leave the school at lunchtime. Xander and Oz almost have to bodily carry her outside, to a picnic lunch a still-expelled Buffy has prepared just off the school grounds. As they eat, Willow spots Scott Hope, a boy who¹s been interested in Buffy for a while; Willow hopes he might be the key to helping Buffy get on with her life.

That evening, a limousine pulls up in the drive-thru of the Happy Burger. But one of the passengers, Mr. Trick, isn¹t that interested in the food; he prefers the drive-thru employee, which he promptly drains while marvelling at Sunnydale¹s potentialŠ

Buffy dreams that she¹s dancing with Angel at the Bronze. Buffy¹s claddagh ring falls to the floor, and as Angel picks it up and hols it, blood gushes from his chest. As she tries to help him, he tells her to go to hell, laughing and saying that he did. As Buffy wakes up, her mother informs her that Principal Snyder has been forced to take her back in. Both meet with the grudging principal, who gives Buffy a huge list of things to do to prove her worth, including make-up tests.

After leaving Snyder¹s office, Buffy triumphantly enters the library, where Giles prods her about how she dealt with Acathla and Angel at the mansion the previous spring. He tells her he wants to do a spell to keep Acathla dormant. Willow wants to help with the spell, but Giles refuses, even though she¹s been doing magic all summer without his knowing it. At the Bronze that night, Scott Hope has worked up the courage (with a little push from Willow) to ask Buffy to dance. Buffy hesitates, and he says he’ll be waiting by the dancefloor if she changes her mind.

Xander and Cordy join Buffy, Willow and Oz, and Cordy remarks on an unlikely couple on the dance floor, a somewhat sensual and slutty-looking girl and a guy whose dress code and dance style seems more prehistoric. Buffy realizes that the guy is a vampire, and as the couple leaves, she makes her way through the crowd, but bumps into Scott, who thinks Buffy has changed her mind.

After confusedly apologizing to Scott, Buffy arrives outside with the Scoobies in tow, and looks for the couple. Stunned, they find the girl beating the hell out of her vampire date. As Xander decides that this may be a new Slayer, the girl, without missing a beat, introduces herself as Faith, borrows Buffy¹s stake, and dusts the vampire. Later, at the bronze, Faith regales the Scoobies, especially Xander and Willow with her wild slaying stories, while an ignored and slightly jealous Buffy looks on. The next day, Faith charms Giles, actually flirting with him. Giles informs the two Slayers about missing individuals on Sunset Ridge, and suggests Buffy and Faith might patrol together that night, which Buffy grudgingly accepts. As she goes to take a make-up exam, her friends take Faith on a tour of the school. When Buffy meets with her friends, she finds Faith hitting on no other than Scott HopeŠ where she later finds, and hits on Buffy’s not boyfriend Scott.

That night, Faith is invited at the Summers home for dinner. Faith confides to Joyce how much she loves slaying, and Joyce tries to get Buffy to be more like Faith in her slaying. As Buffy and Joyce retreat to the kitchen and Joyce suggests that Faith take over all the slaying, Buffy spies the other Slayer hungrily cleaning her plate, then Buffy¹s, then her mom¹sŠ

On patrol, the two Slayers get into an argument, mainly about Angel. When they come under attack by vampires, Buffy takes on two of them, while Faith busily pummels the other. Buffy, pinned down, calls for Faith¹s help, but the other Slayer is ragingly taking it out on her vamp; finally, Buffy manages to stake her vampires, then disposes of the one Faith is still hitting.

The next day, Buffy tells Giles about what happened, and asks him to contact her Watcher. While she waits for him to come back, Scott arrives and invites her to a Buster Keaton dance. When she agrees, he offers her a present ­ a claddagh ring. Freaked out, Buffy drops the ring and almost bursts into tears, scaring Scott away. Giles arrives as if on cue to give Buffy more bad news: Faith’s Watcher is dead.

Buffy goes to talk to Faith about her Watcher¹s death, and about Kakistos, a name one of the vampires of the previous night had mentioned. Faith reveals that Kakistos is a vampire so old he has cloven feet. He killed her watcher, and then followed her to Sunnydale. Just then, Kakistos arrives at her door, and the two Slayers escape through the window to an old neighbouring building, which turns out to be Kakistos¹ hangout. Buffy fights some vampires, but Faith is incapacitated by terror and gets beat up by Kakistos. Buffy succeeds in staking him, only to find that he can’t be killed that way. Then Faith picks up her courage, grabs a big wooden beam and drives it through him. Mercifully, he turns to dust.

The next day Giles informs Buffy that Faith will be staying for a while and that he¹ll temporarily double as her Watcher. He then asks her for more details for that famous Acathla spell he¹s working on. Buffy finally decides to give away all the details, notably that at the last moment, the Willow¹s soul-restoring spell worked. After she leaves, Giles tells Willow, who is still anxious to help, that there is no spell. He did it all just to help Buffy come to terms with what happened.

Buffy goes to find Scott and asks him if they can still go out. He considers, briefly and then they make plans for that night. Before they go out, Buffy pays a visit to the old mansion, and lays her claddagh ring down on the ground where she stabbed Angel. After she leaves, the mansion is plunged in darkness, the ring glows and then Angel falls down from the ceiling, naked.

Summary by OttsFiveByFive.

Episode Ratings

Mac -
“The introduction of Faith, the new slayer. The first appearance by the infamous Mr. Trick, and the return of Angel. Naked. Well, the ladies liked it. I liked everything except the last part. hehe”

DJ Angelus -
“Hhhhheeeelllloooooo Faith.  Nude gator wrestling. Need I go on?”

Quotes

(B=Buffy, G=Giles, X=Xander, W=Willow, C=Cordelia, O=Oz, A=Angel, J=Joyce, PS=Principal Snyder, T=Mr. Trick, F=Faith, Sc=Scott, K=Kakistos)
—
W: I’m giddy.
O: Oh, I like you giddy. Always have.
W: It’s the freedom! As seniors, we can go off campus now for lunch. It’s no longer cutting. It’s legal. Heck, it’s expected! Oh, also, it’s a big step forward, a senior moment, one that has to be savored. You can’t just rush into this, you know? Ohhh! No, I can’t!
X: You can.
O: See, you are.
W: Oh, but no, what if they change the rule without telling? What if they’re lying in wait, to arrest me, and throw me in detention and mar my unblemished record?
X: Breathe. Breathe.
W: Okay… hmmm. This is good. This is… hey, we’re seniors. Hey, I’m walking here!
X: Ah, Buffy and food.

W: Hey, maybe we shouldn’t be too couple-y around Buffy.
C: Oh, you mean ’cause of how the only guy that ever liked her turned into a vicious killer and had to be put down like a dog?
X: Can she cram complex issues into a nutshell, or what?
O: All right, prepare to uncouple… uncouple.

X: Buffy, banned from campus, but not from our hearts. How are you and what’s for lunch?
B: Oh, I just threw a few things together.
C: When did you become Martha Stewart?
B: First of all, Martha Stewart knows jack about hand-cut prosciutto.
X: I don’t believe she slays, either.
O: Oh, I hear she can, but she doesn’t like to.

W: Ooh, Scott Hope at eleven o’clock. He likes you. He wanted to ask you out last year, but you weren’t ready then. But I think you’re ready now. Or at least in the state of pre-readiness to make conversation. Or to do that thing with your mouth that boys like. Oh, I didn’t mean the bad thing with your mouth! I meant that little half-smile thing that you… You’re supposed to stop me when I do that.
O: I like when you do that.

Sc: Hi, Buffy.
B: Hi.
W: I think that went very well! Don’t you think that went very well?
C: He didn’t try to slit our throats or anything. That’s progress.

B: Look, I’m not trying to snare Scott Hope. I just want to get my life back, you know, do normal stuff.
W: Like date?
B: Well…
X: Oh, you want to date. I saw that half-smile, you little slut. < laughs > Buffy punches him Ow.
B: All right, yes, date, and shop, and hang out, and go to school, and save the world from unspeakable demons. You know, I want to do girlie stuff!

T: Sunnydale. Town’s got quaint. And the people? He called me sir. Don’t you just miss that? I mean, admittedly, it’s not a haven for the brothers, you know, strictly the Caucasian persuasion here in the Dale. But, you know, you just gotta stand up and salute their death rate. I ran a statistical analysis, and, hello darkness! It makes D.C. look like Mayberry, and ain’t nobody saying boo about it.

K: The Slayer. I’m going to rip her spine from her body. Then I’m going to eat her heart and suck the marrow from her bones.
T: Now I’m hungry.

B: I had to.
A: I loved you.
B: Oh, God, Angel…
A: Go to hell! I did.

J: Morning, Sunshine. Ready to face the Beast?

PS: Here are the terms of your re-entry, Missy, take ’em or leave ’em. One: That you pass a make-up test of every class you skipped out on last year. Two: That you provide, in writing, one glowing letter of recommendation from any member of our faculty who is not an English librarian. Three: That you complete an interview with our school psychologist, who must conclude that your violent tendencies… are under control.

B: So let me get this straight: I’m really back in school because the school board overruled you. Wow. That’s like having your whole ability to do this job called into question, when you think about it.
J: I think what my daughter’s trying to say is… nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah!

W: I think it’s great that you’re a schoolgirl again.

W: Have you ever noticed, though, when he is mad, but he’s too English to say anything, he makes that weird cluck-cluck sound with his tongue?
B: Hi, Giles.
W: Oh, hi. Been there long?

G: Oh, uh… well, I, um… Well, of course it’s wonderful to have you back. That goes without saying. But, you enjoy making me say it, don’t you?

B: Acathla, huh? What are you doing, making him some demon pizza?

W: Oh, a spell? Can I help?
G: Possibly, with the research. It’s very sensitive and…
W: Oh! Who’s more sensitive than me?
G: …and difficult spell.

G: And Angel?
B: Big fight. Angel got the pointy end of the sword, Acathla sucked him into hell instead of the world. That’s about the it.

B: Oh, no, I have to go take an English makeup exam. They give you credit just for speaking it, right? Ohhh!

W: Sage, I love that smell! And marnox root. You know, just a smidge of this mixed with a virgin’s saliva… does something I know nothing about.
G: These forces are not something that one plays around with, Willow. What have you been conjuring?
W: Nothing! Much… Well, you know I tried this spell to cure Angel, and I guess that was a bust. But since then, you know, small stuff - floating feather, fire out of ice, which next time I won’t do on the bedspread. Are you mad at me?
G: No, of course not, no. If I were, I would be making a strange clucking sound with my tongue.

W: Are you… is she glow-y?
O: Yeah, I suspect happiness.
B: I passed my English makeup exam, hangin’ with my friends. Hello, my life, how I missed you.

W: Hi, Scott. What are you doing here?
Sc: You told me if I came after eight, I could run into Buffy. Uh, I’m sorry, I’m a bad liar. It’s not good for the soul, or the skin, actually, it makes me blotch.

Sc: If you change your mind, you can mosey on over, and then if not, then you don’t mosey.

W: Come on, Buffy. I mean, the guy is charm, and, and normal, which is what you wanted to get back to.
O: Plus bonus points for the use of the word “mosey”.

C: Check out slu-o-rama and her disco dave. What was the last thing that guy danced to, K.C. and the Sunshine Band?
B: I don’t think that guy thrives on sunshine.

C: I bet it’s nothing. They’re probably just making out
F: Hey! < thud! >
W: That’s not what making out sounds like. Unless I’m doing it wrong.

O: I’m gonna go out on a limb and say there’s a new Slayer in town.

F: So it’s like 118 degrees, and I’m sleeping without a stitch on. And all of a sudden I hear this screaming from outside. So I go tearing out, stark nude, and this church bus has broken down and there’s these three vamps feasting on half the Baptists in South Boston. So I waste the vamps, and the preacher comes up, and he’s hugging me like there’s no tomorrow, when all of a sudden the cops pull up, and they arrested us both.
X: Wow! They should film that story and show it every Christmas.

F: Isn’t it crazy how slayin’ just always makes you hungry and horny?
B: Well… sometimes I crave a nonfat yogurt afterwards.
C: I get it! Not the horny thing, yuch!

X: And so was this, um, also naked?
F: Well, the alligator was.
C: Xander, find a new theme.

O: Something occurring… Now, you both kill vamps, and who could blame you. But I’m wondering about your position on werewolves.
W: Oz is a werewolf.
B: It’s a long story.
O: I got bit.
B: Apparently not that long.
F: Hey, as long as you don’t go scratchin’ at me or humpin’ my leg, we’re 5 by 5, you know.

G: It’s a great honor to be invited. Or so I’m told.
F: Oh, it’s boring. Way too stuffy for a guy like you.
B: Um, maybe I should introduce you again. Faith, this is Giles.
F: I’ve seen him. If I’d known they came that young and cute, I would have requested a transfer.
B: Raise your hand if “eww”.
G: Well, um, leaving aside for a moment my, uh, youth and beauty…

W: Aha! Sorry, I just meant, Aha! There’s big evil brewin’. You’ll never be bored here, Faith, ‘cause this is Sunnydale, home of the big brewin’ evil.

B: Acathla, Angel, me, sword.
G: That’s what I thought, but…
B: Giles, look, I’ve got makeup tests to pass, missing people in Sunset Ridge, and a zesty new Slayer to feed. Next time I kill Angel, I’ll video it.

W: And over here we have the cafeteria, where we were mauled by snakes.

X: And they say young people don’t learn anything in high school nowadays, but I’ve learned to be afraid.

F: You guys are a hoot and a half. I mean, if I’d had friends like you in high school, I… probably still would’ve dropped out, but I might have been sad about it, you know?

C: What is it with you and Slayers? Maybe I should dress up as one and put a stake to your throat.
X: Please, God, don’t let that be sarcasm.

C: Does anyone believe that is her actual hair color?

W: Hey, maybe Faith and Scott could hit it off. I mean, if you’re done with him. Not that you used him!
B: Well, I hadn’t definitely 100% said no for all time, it’s just, you know, you don’t enter into these things lightly. You know, there’s repercussions to consider, and… why am I seeing a look?
W: You really do need to find the fun, B. …uffy.

T: All I’m saying is, we stay local - where the humans are jumpin’ and the cotton is high - but we live global.

J: So you’re a Slayer too. Isn’t that interesting.

F: Well, when I’m fighting, it’s like the whole world goes away and I only know one thing - that I’m gonna win and they’re gonna lose. I like that feeling.
B: Well sure, it beats that dead feeling you get when they win and you lose.

B: She gets along with my friends, my Watcher, my Mom. Look, now she’s getting along with my fries.

J: Does anyone else think Faith is creepy?
B: No, but I’m the one getting single-white-femaled here.

J: When did you die? You never told me you died.
B: It was just for a few minutes.
J: Oh, I hate this. I hate your life.

J: I have tried to march in the “Slayer Pride” parade, but… I don’t want you to die.

B: I’ve got help now. I’ve got all the help I can stand.

F: Didn’t we do this street already?
B: Funny thing about vamps, they’ll hit a street even after you’ve been there. It’s like they have no manners.

B: You got a problem?
F: I’m 5 by 5, B. Living entirely large, actually wondering about *your* problem.

F: What are you getting so strung out for, B?
B: Why are your lips still moving, F?

F: My dead mother hits harder than that!

B: Faith, stake him already and give me a hand!

F: Gee, if doing violence to vampires upsets you, I think you’re in the wrong line of work.

G: What you must realize, Buffy, is that you and Faith have very different temperaments.
B: Yeah, and mine’s the sane one. The girl’s not playing with a full deck, Giles. she has almost no deck. She has a three.

G: They’re probably sitting down to a nightcap. I wonder if they still kayak. I used to love a good kayak.

B: Giles, there are two things that I don’t believe in - coincidences and leprechauns.

Sc: Think of this as my last-ditch effort. I realize that one more is going to qualify as stalking.

Sc: It begins with conversation. We all know this. Maybe over a cup of coffee, or maybe at the Buster Keaton festival playing on State Street all this weekend.
B: You know, come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve given a fair chance to… Buster Keaton. I… I like what I’ve seen of him so far. I think it might be time to see a little more.
Sc: Keaton is key.

B: What was that you said about my problem, gotta deal and move on? Well, we have the “moving on” part right here. What about dealing?

B: You run, he runs after you.
F: That’s where the head-start comes in handy.

B: Scream later. Escape now.

T: If we don’t do something, the Master could get killed. Well, our prayers are with him.
(CC’SC: If we don’t do something, she just might kill him. I don’t think I have a problem with that.)

T: There’s a reason these vengeance crusades are out of style. The modern vampire sees the big picture.
(CC’SC: Incense, candle burning, missing the Bulls game ’cause he’s too cheap to pop for cable. Who’s had enough here?)

B: But I liked what you said about friendship. I liked it a lot. And Buster Keaton - big fun. And I’m capable of big fun even though there’s no earthly way you could possibly know that about me. Wow, if I knew I was gonna go on this long, I probably would have brought some water.

Sc: Uh, I don’t know, Buffy, I’m really going to have to think about this. Okay, you know what, I’ve thought about it and I’m in, when do you want to go?

Credit: The Sunnydale Slayers