"Bad Girls"

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Episode 14 of Season 3

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"No, you don't get it. I don't care."

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Original US airdate: February 9th, 1999

Rewatched: January 15th, 2022

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• Writer: Dougals Petrie

• Director: Michael Lange

• Guests: Kristine Sutherland, Harry Groener, K. Todd Freeman, Jack Plotnick, Alexis Denisof, Christian Clemenson, Eliza Dushku

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This episode is a juxtaposition of who Giles and Buffy could be versus who they are. 

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First, there is a new Watcher in town, Wesley, who is stuffier and more British than Giles. One scene, which has Wesley and Giles cleaning their glasses in synch, underscores that they do have some underlying similarities (both being British Watchers, for one), but Wesley's by-the-book attitude and lack of ability to stay strong in the face of danger is a stark contrast to Giles's bravery, ability to face the foe if needed, and to be flexible in his dealings. He trusts Buffy, and cares for her, and Wesley's arrival highlights how Giles has grown and how much he and Buffy have bonded over the years. 

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Second, Buffy and Faith are still contending with being very different Slayers. Although Buffy is not Kendra, trained to do everything by the book, she is more cautious than Faith. She is willing to listen to her Watcher (even Wesley) and more willing not to run into a fight without a plan. The beginning of the episode has Faith and Buffy arguing about the appropriate approach to slaying. After meeting Wesley, Buffy is willing to follow his orders, but not Faith. Faith claims that they can do whatever they want, since they are Slayers and they shouldn't let Wesley take the fun out of it. Buffy questions whether slaying is fun but Faith tells Buffy she is a liar. To a certain extent, Faith is not wrong. While Faith has fully embraced the fun of slaying, to the extent that she is not readily able to trust others and seems to have turned off most of her emotions, Buffy still seems to enjoy slaying, at least to some extent. Perhaps, as she claims to Faith, not actually the killing, or the chance to be killed, but she does enjoy the power. After all, only two episodes ago ("Helpless"), she was worried about what losing her powers would mean. However, Buffy also understands her responsibility. Perhaps not so much in terms of blindly following her Watcher and the Council, but in terms of saving the world, and if her Watcher can help her do that, she will follow orders. 

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But Faith and Buffy go out slaying again. Faith convinces Buffy to take a risk and jump down a sewer with her to follow vampires (an allusion to Alice in Wonderland) and although Buffy is nearly drowned, she does end up thinking Faith's methods aren't that bad. The next day, she skips her chemistry test to go take out a vampire nest with Faith, and ends up dancing with Faith and a bunch of guys at the Bronze. Angel appears, and he is a bit taken aback by Buffy's behavior, but when he tells her the demon they thought was dead is still alive, Buffy does leave with him to save the day, taking Faith with her as well. The two Slayers find the demon alive, but lack weapons to take him out. Buffy suggests returning to the library, Faith suggests stealing. Buffy decides to go along with Faith's motto of "Want. Take. Have", but the two are arrested. They free themselves from the police car by causing an accident. Buffy is shaken and wants to make sure the officers are okay, but Faith convinces her to leave. Incidentally, Faith acquires her long bow in the episode through the theft at the sporting goods store. 

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The next night, Buffy and Faith go back to get the demon. While killing his vampire minions en route to the demon's lair, Alan, the mayor's assistant, is accidently killed (he was looking for the Slayers to tell them about the Mayor's plans). Faith and Buffy flee the scene, and Buffy regroups with Angel to face and kill the evil demon. Later, Buffy finds Faith at her apartment, washing blood from her shirt. Buffy wants to talk to Faith about the life they took, but Faith shuts her down. While Buffy wants to help Faith, Faith claims not to care. 

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This reaffirms to Buffy that her way is a good way. Taking the responsibility out of slaying is not the answer. For Faith, this marks her turn to the dark side. 

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Giles and Buffy have both learned how to navigate being a Watcher and Slayer, more or less, and how their relationship and their emotions can give them strength. Seeing Faith and Wesley lacking this maturity and emotion only shows how far they have come. 

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In some final notes: viewers learn that the Mayor is planning an ascension and the demon Balthazar tells Buffy that when he rises, she will regret not being killed earlier. Angel is being set up for his own show, getting a big entrance in the final fight with the demon. And finally, Buffy becoming closer to Faith in this episode makes Willow feel left out. However, their friendship will weather this short storm, and in the next episode, the two will strengthen their bond. 

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"Consequences"

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Episode 15 of Season 3

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"You need me to toe the line because you're afraid you'll go over it."

 

Original US airdate: February 16th, 1999​​

Rewatched: January 22nd, 2022

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• Writer: Marti Noxon

• Director: Michael Gershman

• Guests: Kristine Sutherland, Harry Groener, K. Todd Freeman, Jack Plotnick, Alexis Denisof, James G. MacDonald, Eliza Dushku

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Faith turns to the dark side in this episode and the main themes involve the dichotomy between Faith and Buffy, and redemption. 

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In the Buffy vs. Faith category, they are still dealing with the aftermath of the death of Alan Finch in the last episode. Buffy wants to come clean and tell Giles what happened so they can get help, but Faith sees this as betrayal. Faith compares her situation to when Buffy kept Angel's return a secret, ignoring that Buffy has since learned keeping secrets doesn't work. Faith's solution is to double-cross Buffy and tell Giles Buffy is the murderer. Giles sees through this and the Scoobies try to save Faith. While Xander is unsuccessful, Angel seems to make headway, using his own experience with murder as a basis to connect to Faith, Wesley double-crosses the Scoobies and has the Council come for Faith. Faith evades the Council and runs for the docks. Buffy confronts her there, where the two Slayers are attacked by Mr. Trick. Although Faith saves Buffy by staking Mr. Trick, she ends up at the Mayor's office, looking for a job. Faith's lack of faith leads her to the dark side. As an aside, that Angel will have a large role in saving Faith later is foreshadowed in the headway he makes with Faith before Wesley stops him.

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Angel tells Faith that she has a choice and that she doesn't have to disappear into darkness. Faith tells Buffy that they are better than other people. The question is how to toe the line when one has power and if the line is crossed, how to seek redemption. Angel is right: Faith is on the path to darkness, but also there is a way out. In later episodes, notably those in season 7, Faith will walk the path of redemption, although in this episode, she decides against it. But Faith is also not wrong in her claim that she and Buffy are better, and that they are the law. Buffy will even use this language in an episode in season 7, but the problem with Faith is thinking this without taking on the responsibility. While Buffy is hesitant to think of herself in these terms, she ultimately does take on the responsibility needed to make decisions about others. This allows Buffy more credibility in her judgements. 

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Thus, it can be said that Faith is not ready for redemption or responsibility, she only seeks power and the Mayor gives her the chance to have power without remorse, so she takes it. 

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In fun facts, Cordelia meets Wesley and the sparks fly (he mistakes her for a teacher, which is a bit humorous as Charisma Carpenter was old enough to be one). The Scoobies find out Xander slept with Faith. Buffy and Willow re-bond. 

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"Doppelgängland"

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Episode 16 of Season 3

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"This world's no fun."

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Original US airdate: February 23rd, 1999

Rewatched: January 29th, 2022

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• Writer: Joss Whedon

• Director: Joss Whedon

• Guests: Harry Groener, Alexis Denisof, Emma Caulfield, Ethan Erickson, Eliza Dushku, Armin Shimerman

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This episode revisits the events in "The Wish" and reiterates the theme of being careful what you wish for. In a scene reminiscent of "Go Fish", Willow is asked to tutor star athlete Percy, which means Percy expects Willow to do his homework. Buffy, Xander and Giles also see Willow as their go-to friend to get things done, like hacking into the Mayor's files or recording a TV show. Oz also didn't invite Willow to a concert out of town, since he assumed she wouldn't want to miss school. This leaves Willow feeling boring and predictable, and she jumps at the chance to help Anya with a spell to get her necklace back. Anya is actually looking to get her powers back. D'Hoffryn turned down her pleas, so making a temporal fold with Willow is her only option. Only instead of her necklace, Vampire Willow is brought into this world. Willow and the Scoobies have a chance to experience a Willow only interested in murder and mayhem. Once the Scoobies figure out Willow's not really dead, they move to stop Vampire Willow from taking over the Bronze. They save the day, more or less, and send Vampire Willow back to her dimension (where she is promptly staked by Oz in the battle in the warehouse). Seeing the evil version of herself makes Willow worry less about being the reliable person. On the other hand, thanks to being terrorized by Vampire Willow, Percy is doing his homework himself, showing that having a bit of a backbone might not be so bad. 

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This episode continues to show the contrast between Buffy and Faith. Faith is playing nice with the Scoobies and Council, going through a series of tests with Buffy. At the same time, she is working for the Mayor, giving him information about what the Scoobies are up to (and moving into her swanky new apartment). A more striking contrast happens in the fight at the Bronze with Vampire Willow, when Buffy is ready to stake her and Willow yells no, causing Buffy to stop, in contrast to Faith's lack of a reaction to Buffy's no when she staked Alan Finch. While it could be chalked up to Buffy's experience, it could also be that Buffy has always worked with a group and never fully embraced the violence that slaying entails, unlike Faith. 

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So, this episode shows Willow her doppelgänger, but it also continues to show Buffy and Faith as doppelgänger. 

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Some final points: Vampire Willow sires Sandy in this episode, who will have two later appearances as a vampire in Sunnydale. The Mayor tries to kill Willow (but Vampire Willow is attacked by his minions and gets them to work for her). Willow thinks that Vampire Willow is kind of gay, foreshadowing her own coming out next season. 

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In terms of magic and demonhood, Anya will not actively pursue becoming a demon again until later seasons and will become a Scooby at the end of this season, but her desire to have the immortality and power to wreak vengeance never really goes away, as indicated by her easy return to demonhood after Xander leaves her. And while Willow warns Anya that magic is dangerous and not to be toyed with, Willow will soon no longer heed her own advice. 

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"Enemies"

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Episode 17 of Season 3

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"Kill me, you become me."

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Original US airdate: March 16th, 1999

Rewatched: February 5th, 2022

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• Writer: Douglas Petrie

• Director: David Grossman

• Guests: Kristine Sutherland, Harry Groener, Alexis Denisof, Michael Manasseri, Gary Bullock, Eliza Dushku

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It's Buffy vs. Faith (with a little bit of Buffy's and Angel's issues) in this episode. In the Faith vs. Buffy theme, Faith seems to have remorse about who she is becoming and turns to Angel for help, but it turns out this is a ruse to try to turn Angel evil. Angel ends up playing along, pretending to lose his soul and join Faith as a minion of the Mayor. Angel and Faith capture Buffy and plan to torture her slowly (the Mayor is concerned her fast death would bring another Slayer to Sunnydale). While Buffy is captured, Faith confronts her with her feelings. She feels that everyone was focused on Buffy, making her play the 2nd string, and not realizing how good of a Slayer she was. As she says, "Everyone always asks why can't you be more like Buffy, but didn't anyone ever ask if you could be more like me?" Faith also reveals the Mayor's plans for the Ascension, as well as prodding Buffy to admit she's better than Faith. Buffy replies with "I am. Always have been." Then she and Angel reveal their deception. Buffy notes that she never realized how much rage Faith had, and then fights with her. They reach a standoff, with both holding a knife at the other's throat and Faith challenges Buffy to kill her. Somewhat mirroring Buffy's reaction to Angel turning evil in "Innocence" when Angel noted she couldn't kill him, Faith says that Buffy isn't ready to kill her. 

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To a certain extent, Faith is very right in some of the things she says. The Scoobies are very Buffy-centric and Faith wasn't really accepted with open arms. As discussed before, this most likely stems from Buffy's own issues at the beginning of the season and their relationship never really recovered. Faith's lack of faith in the Scoobies made her not to give them a 2nd chance. And ultimately, her inability to face her mistakes led her to take the easy way out by joining the Mayor, a man who plays the loving father figure to her, but by accepting her worst tendencies (murder and mayhem) is not really a friend, but an exploiter. 

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This also really underscores the difference between Faith and Buffy (and to a larger extent the Scoobies). Buffy makes mistakes. Sometimes it takes her awhile to accept the consequences. But she does. Faith is unable to accept help and recover from her mistakes, and this makes her a worse Slayer. 

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Finally, this episode shows cracks forming in Buffy and Angel's relationship. The episode starts with Angel saying, "It feels nice just to feel" in response to Buffy's worry that he is experiencing frustration at being together, but not being able to be physically intimate. When Buffy sees Angel with Faith, however, she does doubt his feelings for her. While Willow reiterates that Buffy is the only thing in the world for Angel, Buffy underlines that Angel and Faith have a lot in common and Angel doesn't tell her everything. Buffy seeing Angel and Faith together represents the first crack. Then Angel plays evil, bringing up feelings about Angel turning evil and terrorizing Buffy that she had dealt with or put aside until she experienced Angel being evil again. Buffy ends the episode clearly distressed. And although she says she'll always be Angel's girl at the end of the episode, it is clear some feeling is missing. In "The Prom", the cracks will become a break. 

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In the open questions department: just when did Giles, Buffy and Angel meet to hatch their counterplot? Buffy tells Willow she saw Faith and Angel together, and then goes to Angel. However, Faith beats her to him and takes his soul. But if Buffy already knew Faith was trying for Angel's soul, why did she tell Willow she doubted him? Unless we only think Faith beat Buffy to Angel... 

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