Becoming, Part Two

Infobox Television episode
Title=Becoming, Part Two


Series=Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Season=2
Episode=22
Airdate=May 19, 1998
Production=5V22
Writer=Joss Whedon
Director=Joss Whedon
Episode list=List of Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes
Prev=Becoming, Part One
Next=Anne

"Becoming, Part Two" is episode 22 of season 2 of the television series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer". It is the second of a two-part season finale.

Plot synopsis

ummary

Buffy argues with her mother, is accused of Kendra's murder, and is expelled from school. Angelus' attempt to end the world using Acathla is halted by Buffy. However Buffy has to kill Angel to save the world. Unable to cope, Buffy leaves Sunnydale.

Expanded overview

The two policemen accompany Buffy outside the library as Principal Snyder arrives with more cops. Buffy hopes that Snyder will tell the police that she was not involved in the attack, but he tells the officers that if there is trouble around, Buffy is behind it. To escape being arrested for Kendra's murder, Buffy strikes the cop holding her and flees, becoming a fugitive from the law.

Disguised, Buffy finds Xander in the hospital and they enter the comatose Willow's room. Cordelia is also there, admitting that she had run away from the fighting to save herself. Buffy learns that Willow may wake up from her coma, but the longer she stays unconscious, the less likely her recovery becomes. She also discovers that Giles is missing.

Angelus wakes Giles and announces his intention to torture him for information concerning the ritual to awaken Acathla, as well as for the fun of it.

The police visit an incredulous Joyce, informing her that Buffy is a wanted fugitive for Kendra's murder. Joyce tries to protest, insisting that there is some mistake. She mentions that Buffy is supposed to be with her friend Willow, and the police tell her that Willow is one of the other victims. They also remind Joyce of Buffy's violent history, and ask Joyce to contact them if she hears from her daughter.

Buffy finds Whistler in Giles' apartment and they discuss Angel's reversion to Angelus. He is about to tell her how to stop the demon when Buffy, frustrated, leaves. As she walks down the street, a policeman stops her, recognizing her as a fugitive, when Spike shows up out of nowhere and knocks him out. After a brief fight, he strikes a deal with her: he will help her stop Angelus if she allows him and Drusilla to leave town. Spike explains his motivations thusly: while vampires may love to talk about destroying the world amongst themselves, Spike prefers the world as it is. Moreover, he cannot stand the way Drusilla acts around Angelus. While Buffy is unimpressed by his speech, he reminds her that he is all she has got, and that neither of them can fight both Angelus and Dru alone.

Buffy accepts the ceasefire and decides to talk with Spike inside her home, but she is intercepted in the driveway by her mother, who demands to know what is going on. Spike is surprised and amused to discover that Joyce has no idea that Buffy is the Slayer. When Joyce demands to know what is going on, Buffy tries to cover by saying that she and Spike were in a band together. However, the three are attacked by a vampire sent by Angelus to follow Spike, and Joyce watches in shock as Buffy slays the creature. After this display, Buffy is forced to explain her destiny as the Slayer to her mother, who has significant difficulty accepting the truth.

In the hospital, Xander tells a comatose Willow that he loves her. She wakes and asks for Oz, who appears in the room. She tells him that her head feels "big" and asks him if it is, in fact, big, and he responds: "No, it's head-sized."

Back at the Summers' home, there is an awkward silence between Joyce and Spike. Joyce recognizes him from somewhere and asks him about it. Spike, cheerfully, says she hit him on the head with an axe once, followed by "Get the hell away from my daughter", referring to the first appearance from Spike in "School Hard". Both are very happy when Buffy shows up, getting them out of their silence. Buffy says she'll accept Spike's offer, although she is hesitant to let Dru walk because Dru killed Kendra. Spike expresses surprise and pride that Dru "bagged a Slayer", but then realizes that this is probably not the best thing to say in front of Buffy. He insists that Buffy will get no help from him if Dru is harmed, and she accepts these terms, adding that Drusilla only leaves if Giles survives. Spike leaves the house and in a dramatic argument, Joyce insists Buffy must tell her everything and tries to prevent her from leaving. Buffy tells her mom that she wishes she could be a normal teenager, but that she has to go save the world, again. Joyce tells her daughter not to come back if she leaves the house. Buffy looks shaken, but leaves without hesitation.

On her hospital bed, Willow, despite protest from Xander, decides to try the curse again. She sends Oz and Cordelia after her supplies, which had been left in the library after the attack. She sends Xander to tell Buffy her plans, hoping she can stall until the curse is complete.

Buffy returns to the library to retrieve Kendra's sword, where she runs into Snyder, who expels her even though he knows that she is not the murderer. She insists that the truth will be revealed, and he points out that the law enforcement authorities in Sunnydale are "deeply stupid". After she leaves, Snyder calls the Mayor with "the good news" of her expulsion.

Spike, back in his wheelchair, discovers a frustrated Angelus on the verge of killing Giles, who has withstood extensive torture without revealing his knowledge of the ritual. Spike, who must keep Giles alive so that Buffy will let Dru leave, uses reason to persuade Angelus not to kill Giles. Spike then suggests that Dru play a game; she agrees, and reads Giles' mind to discover his weakness. She finally cajoles the information she wants out of Giles by hypnotizing him, so that she appears as Jenny in his eyes. He reveals that Angelus must use his own blood, not someone else's, to awaken Acathla. Angelus then orders Giles killed, but Spike quickly jumps in and recommends keeping him alive in case he is lying. Angelus agrees, and notes Spike's sudden use of common sense.

Buffy returns to Whistler, who tells her Angelus' blood will send both evil beings back to hell. On her way to the mansion, Xander arrives with Willow's message, but decides to tell Buffy that Willow said to "kick his ass" instead. Buffy asks him to free Giles while she deals with Angelus. Chaos reigns inside the mansion as Spike leaves his wheelchair and attacks Angelus, and is subsequently attacked by Drusilla. During the fight, Angelus recovers and removes the sword from Acathla. He and Buffy begin to duel, with Angelus eventually gaining the upper hand. Xander removes Giles and Spike knocks a dismayed Drusilla unconscious and is carrying her from the fray. On his way out, Spike sees Angelus approaching an unarmed Buffy with a sword and believes that Angelus is actually going to kill Buffy. He shrugs, unmoved, and leaves. Angelus notes that Buffy is all alone, with no weapons and no friends. He asks her what is left, and thrusts his sword at her head. Eyes closed, she stops the blade with her hands. She opens up her eyes, and says "me". At the same time, a weak Willow is performing the restoration ritual and falls into a trance. Her friends watch in shock and surprise as she recites perfect Romanian.

Spike takes Drusilla by the neck as he drives away in his car. Buffy fights ferociously, and quickly backs Angelus up against the statue just as Willow finally succeeds with her spell; the Orb glows and vanishes, and Buffy watches Angel return. However, the re-ensoulment has come too late; Acathla opens his mouth, and the bright, shining vortex begins to expand outward. Angel hears something behind him, but Buffy reassures him that everything is fine. After a final kiss, Buffy tells Angel to close his eyes. When he complies, she violently stabs Angel through the chest into the vortex. A shocked Angel extends his arm, but no help is coming. Buffy watches as Angel is sucked into Hell and the vortex closes behind him, then begins to weep as she realizes everything she has lost.

Joyce finds a note on Buffy's bed among clothes that have been strewn everywhere. The Scooby Gang gathers in front of the school, speculating on Buffy's whereabouts. Unbeknownst to them, Buffy is watching from a distance. She turns without hesitation and boards a bus. As the bus leaves, the camera focuses on a road sign which reads, "Now leaving Sunnydale. Come back soon!"

Acting

tarring

*Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers
*Nicholas Brendon as Xander Harris
*Alyson Hannigan as Willow Rosenberg
*Charisma Carpenter as Cordelia Chase
*David Boreanaz as Angelus/Angel
*and Anthony Stewart Head as Rupert Giles

pecial guest

*Max Perlich as Whistler

Guest starring

*Seth Green as Oz
*Kristine Sutherland as Joyce Summers
*Robia LaMorte as Jenny Calendar
*James G. MacDonald as Detective Stein
*James Marsters as Spike
*Juliet Landau as Drusilla
*and Armin Shimerman as Principal Snyder

Co-starring

*Susan Leslie as First Cop
*Thomas G. Waites as Second Cop

Production details

Music

* Christophe Beck - "Close Your Eyes"
* Christophe Beck - "Vision Of Jenny"
* Christophe Beck - "Waking Willow"
* Sarah McLachlan - "Full of Grace" - Buffy leaves Sunnydale to this song. Sarah McLachlan's music would appear one more time at the end of the sixth season in "Grave". McLachlan's songs have included the tracks 'Angel', and 'I Will Remember You' (also an Angel episode).

Allusions

* Spike's description of the end of the world as "goodbye Picadilly, farewell Leicester bloody Square" is a quote from the song "It's a Long Way to Tipperary" by Jack Judge and Harry Williams.
* The Mutant Enemy skeleton at the end of the credits says, "Ohh... I need a hug," referencing the events that ensue in the episode.

Translations

* French title: "Acathla - 2ème partie" ("Acathla - Part 2")
* Italian title: "L'inizio della storia - II parte" ("The beginning of the story - Part 2")
* German title: "Spiel mit dem Feuer" ("German idiom"; "Playing with Fire")
* Japanese title: "変貌 パート２" ("Henbō Pāto 2" - "Transfiguration, Part 2")

Continuity

Arc significance

*Joyce finds out that Buffy is the Slayer in this episode. She later tells Buffy that she needs help and Buffy argues back that she is not crazy. In the episode "Normal Again", we learn that Joyce and Hank sent Buffy to a hospital because she told them about vampires when she was called as the Slayer. Buffy previously made a comment about saving the world from vampires in the episode "Bad Eggs" which Joyce took as a joke.
* Buffy resolves her confusion towards Angel/Angelus – a major arc of the season – and sends an ensouled lover to Hell for the sake of the world.
* Angel will not lose his soul and become Angelus again until "Awakening", although he does experience happiness brought on by a synthetic drug in "Eternity".
* Xander refrains from telling Buffy of Willow's attempt to restore Angel's soul, instead dishonestly telling her that Willow said to "Kick his ass." His lie will not be alluded to until Season 7's "Selfless", when Buffy prepares to do battle with Anya. In that episode, Xander protests Buffy's decision to take out Anya by implying that Buffy will always turn the other way when someone she loves does something problematic, and Buffy reminds him that she sent Angel to Hell to save the world, even though he had been re-ensouled. During this argument, the subject of Xander's lie is briefly raised.
* Buffy, constantly faced with being alone as the Slayer, finds herself in the same situation again. Kicked out by her mother and emotionally separated from her friends, Buffy takes her isolation to a palpable conclusion when she leaves Sunnydale with a note to her mother.
* Willow pulls off the restoration spell in another development of her budding abilities as a witch, a crucial plot through the rest of the series.
* Buffy invites Spike into her home, despite knowing that he is a vampire and has proven to be a dangerous enemy. He routinely takes full advantage of this invitation, particularly during Season 5, until Willow and Tara perform the disinviting spell in "Crush". However, he earns himself a re-invite before the end of that season.
* Spike and Joyce meet for the second time in this episode. She asks him if they have met before, and he tells her, "You hit me with an ax one time; you know, 'get the hell away from my daughter,'" referencing their interaction at Parent-Teacher Night in "School Hard". Even after she knows who/what he is, she still tries to make pleasant conversation, asking him if he lived around there. As the series progresses, Joyce continues to treat Spike with decency and respect, most notably in "Lovers Walk", when she sympathetically listens to his relationship problems, offering him kind advice over hot chocolate; and later in "Checkpoint", when they watch soap operas together. Spike later remarks to Xander and Willow in "Forever" that Joyce was the only one of the whole gang that he could really stand, and the only one that ever treated him decently.
* In this episode, Spike plays a role in saving the world, marking the first alliance between him and Buffy. His actions will both haunt and sustain him as his character develops. His actions result in his estrangement from Drusilla; this breakup drives Spike into an extended state of drunken depression, and inspires his return visit to Sunnydale in Season 3. As he and Angel later examine their individual efforts to save the world in "The Girl in Question", they will look back on the events of this episode and disagree over who gets credit; Angel believes that he should get credit, because it was his body and his blood that stopped the Hell vortex from swallowing everything (and he said that he "signaled" Buffy with his eyes), while Spike argues that the whole mess was Angel's fault in the first place, and that Buffy saved the world by running Angel through with a sword. Spike argues that since he helped Buffy stop Angelus' evil plan, "that one counts as mine".
* This is the first episode where Buffy and Spike work together. Though they still see each other as mortal enemies, they fight together like a team, a possible foreshadowing to their teamwork in Season 5 and close relationship in Season 7.

Timing

* Stories that take place around the same time in the Buffyverse:

External links

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* [http://www.restlessbtvs.com/trivia/episodes/season-2/222 Buffy Trivia Guide's episode synopsis and reference guide]
* [http://www.buffyguide.com/episodes/becoming2.shtml BuffyGuide's episode synopsis, reference guide and reviews]