The Replacement (Buffy episode)
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| Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode | |
|---|---|
| “The Replacement” | |
 |
|
| Episode no. | Season 5 Episode 3 |
| Guest star(s) | Michael Bailey Smith (Toth) Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers) |
| Writer(s) | Jane Espenson |
| Director | James A. Contner |
| Production no. | 5ABB03 |
| Original airdate | October 10, 2000 |
| Episode chronology | |
| ← Previous | Next → |
| "Real Me" | "Out of My Mind" |
"The Replacement" is the third episode of season 5 of the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. See also List of Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes.
Contents |
[edit] Plot synopsis
[edit] Summary
A demon meaning to use his wand to split Buffy into two accidentally uses the wand against Xander. Xander is split into a persona which is suave, gets a raise and rents an apartment, and a persona who is scruffy looking and miserable. Throughout the episode, both parts are sure the other is an evil robot.
[edit] Expanded overview
Xander and Anya watch a movie with Buffy and Riley while listening to the background noise of Xander's drunk parents fighting and yelling upstairs. The next day, the gang looks at a prospective apartment for Xander. He doesn't think he can afford it and this upsets Anya. Giles receives a visit from a demon searching for the Slayer. He later identifies the demon as Toth, only survivor of the Tothric Clan.
The gang checks out the city dump in search of the demon and find Spike collecting. The demon hits Xander with light from a rod and knocks him to the ground. He gets to his feet and walks off with the rest of the gang, but then we see that there is another Xander still lying in a pile of trash. The next morning, one Xander awakens at the city dump and then discovers his double upon returning to his house. Spike has put together a Buffy doll from mannequin parts which he uses to practice beating up on.
One of the Xander's is very ambitious and gets a promotion at work, signs a lease for the apartment, and sets up a date with Anya. The unconfident Xander watches as all this happens and finally confronts his double. After the two Xander's see each other, the confident Xander talks to Buffy and she makes this a matter of Slayer business. Soaked by the rain, weak Xander goes to Willow and tries to explain that this double is taking over his life. He tells Willow that the double is doing a better job of living his life but then suddenly realizes that his double is going after Anya and that is one thing he won't allow.
Anya and the Xander double discuss their future and Anya expresses her fears about not living forever. Giles discovers that the rod Toth used split Xander into two real Xander's, one with weak qualities and the other with strong qualities. The weak Xander crashes the date between strong Xander and Anya. Both think that the other is a demon and the weak Xander pulls out a handgun he got from Anya's apartment.
Buffy tells the doubles the truth about their situation and tries to convince them not to kill each other. They eventually begin to get along, and their actions become so similar to each other that the comment is made that Xander is a "bad influence" on himself. Toth appears at the apartment then Buffy and Riley fight and kill him. Willow ends the spell on the Xander's and makes them one again. While moving Xander into his new apartment, Xander and Riley talk. Riley confesses that despite how much he loves Buffy, he realizes that she doesn't feel the same.
[edit] Writing and acting
[edit] Production details
[edit] Quotes and trivia
- In some of the scenes during this episode Xander's duplicate is played by Kelly Donovan, the twin brother of Nicholas Brendon who normally plays Xander. Both have the real surname Schultz, having used their middle names for professional purposes.
- This was not Kelly's final appearance, however. Kelly would act as his brother's stunt-double in the episode "Intervention" when Nicholas was too sick to attend work. Kelly often played his twin brother's stunt double.
[edit] Continuity
[edit] Arc significance
[edit] Timing
- Stories that take place around the same time in the Buffyverse:
| Location, time (if known) |
Buffyverse chronology: Fall 2000 - December 2000 (non-canon = italic) |
|---|---|
| Sunnydale, 2000 | B5.01 Buffy vs. Dracula |
| L.A., 2000 | A2.01 Judgment |
| Sunnydale, 2000 | Buffy graphic novel: Haunted (by Jane Espenson) |
| Sunnydale, 2000 | B5.02 Real Me |
| L.A., 2000 | A2.02 Are You Now or Have You Ever Been |
| L.A., 2000 | Angel book: Image |
| L.A., 2000 | Angel book: Stranger to the Sun |
| Sunnydale, 2000 | B5.03 The Replacement |
| Sunnydale, 2000 | Buffy graphic novel: False Memories |
| Sunnydale, 2000 | Buffy Graphic novel story: Willow & Tara: Wannablessedbe |
| L.A., 2000 | A2.03 First Impressions |
| L.A., 2000 | Angel graphic novel: Long Night's Journey |
| Sunnydale, 2000 | B5.04 Out of My Mind |
| L.A., 2000 | A2.04 Untouched |
| Sunnydale, 2000 | B5.05 No Place Like Home |
| L.A., 2000 | A2.05 Dear Boy |
| Sunnydale, 2000 | B5.06 Family |
| Sunnydale, 2000 | Buffy graphic novel: Autumnal |
| L.A., 2000 | Angel graphic novel: Autumnal |
| L.A., 2000 | A2.06 Guise Will Be Guise |
| Sunnydale, 2000 | B5.07 Fool for Love |
| L.A., 2000 | A2.07 Darla |
| Sunnydale, 2000 | B5.08 Shadow |
| L.A., 2000 | A2.08 The Shroud of Rahmon |
| Sunnydale, 2000 | B5.09 Listening to Fear |
| L.A., 2000 | A2.09 The Trial |
| Sunnydale, 2000 | B5.10 Into the Woods |
| L.A., 2000 | A2.10 Reunion |
| Sunnydale, 2000 | B5.11 Triangle |
| L.A., 2000 | A2.11 Redefinition |
