Checkpoint (Buffy episode)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| “Checkpoint” | |
|---|---|
| Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode | |
 |
|
| Episode no. | Season 5 Episode 12 |
| Guest stars | Amber Benson (Tara) Clare Kramer (Glory) Charlie Weber (Ben) Cynthia LaMontagne (Lydia) Oliver Muirhead (Phillip) Kris Iyer (Nigel) Kevin Weisman (Dreg) Troy T. Blendell (Jinx) Kristine Sutherland (Joyce) |
| Written by | Douglas Petrie Jane Espenson |
| Directed by | Nick Marck |
| Production no. | 5ABB12 |
| Original airdate | January 23, 2001 |
| Episode chronology | |
| ← Previous | Next → |
| "Triangle" | "Blood Ties" |
"Checkpoint" is the twelfth episode of season 5 of the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Contents |
[edit] Plot synopsis
[edit] Summary
The Watcher's Council comes to Sunnydale to tell Buffy what they know about Glory, on condition that she proves herself worthy. She refuses to go through their tests, and they tell her Glory is a god.
[edit] Expanded overview
The Scooby Gang gathers at Buffy's house to discuss the Council's plans to come to Sunnydale, which Buffy is very upset about. She recalls that her two previous experiences with the Council put her life in serious danger, and wishes that they would just give her the information she needs without making the trip to Sunnydale.
Glory is at her place, panting and in obvious pain. Dreg and another demon rush into the room, bringing a hysterical mailman. They carry her to the crying man and help her put her fingers to his temples to drain away his sanity. She gets up, refreshed, and the disoriented mailman wanders away. The other demon warns her that she has even less time now to use the key, but Glory isn't worried. She explains that if Buffy is the only obstacle between her and the key, that she won't need much time at all.
Quentin Travers and a large team of watchers arrive at the Magic Shop. They disrupt business, sending paying customers home and criticize Giles's selection of merchandise. They announce that the Magic Shop will be closed for the duration of the Council's stay in Sunnydale. Giles is frustrated and takes an antagonistic position, and then learns that the Council plans on conducting an extensive review of Buffy (her methods, skills, and abilities). Quentin announces that they have information on Glory, but won't reveal it until Buffy's skills have been comprehensively tested and she proves she can handle the information.
In Buffy's history class, the teacher is discussing how Rasputin was considered nearly impossible to kill. Buffy challenges the professor to look at history from another angle, but he shoots her ideas down with scathing criticism and sarcasm, embarrassing her in front of the class. That night, Buffy complains about class to a vampire she's fighting until she is thrown off balance. Spike suddenly appears, flying over a tombstone to tackle and stake the vampire. He expects gratitude, but Buffy accuses him of getting in her way. The two then verbally attack each other.
Jinx confronts Ben at the hospital and relays a message from Glory, who wants Ben's assistance in gathering useful information about the Slayer. Ben responds by beating up the demon. Quentin informs Buffy and Giles that she must pass the review or he will shut down the shop and deport Giles. Buffy and Giles realize that they must cooperate with the Council, which is powerful enough to carry out all its threats. Buffy worries that she may fail, placing everyone in even greater danger.
Council members interview the rest of the Scooby Gang, including Spike, for information about the Slayer. Lydia interviews Spike, and she reveals she wrote her thesis on him. With the exception of Spike (who declares her to be "slipping" because she "can't keep a man"), they all try not to incriminate Buffy in any way, and each tries to justify his usefulness to her (without making it sound like Buffy actually needs help!). In the training room, Buffy is blindfolded and her fighting skills are tested against one of the council members, but she does not pass the test.
Upon returning home, Buffy finds Glory in her living room. Buffy, concerned by Glory's threats against her family, takes Dawn and Joyce to Spike for protection. Although Spike initially protests the sudden increase of "manly responsibilities", he agrees to look after them; after a moment's awkwardness, Joyce and Spike discover their shared addiction to a common soap opera and sit down to watch it together.
On her way to the shop to meet with the council for a comprehensive review of her plans and strategies, several well-armed men wearing medieval fighting gear attack Buffy. Buffy takes them out and discovers from the last conscious one that they are the Knights of Byzantium and are in town to destroy the Key. They consider her their enemy because she protects the Key. Buffy returns to the shop and informs Mr. Travers that she is not going to deal with the review anymore. She now knows that she holds power against both Glory and the Council because they both need something from her; Glory needs to know where the Key is, and the Council needs her to make their jobs meaningful. She delivers an authoritative speech justifying the participation of each of her friends, and demands that Giles be reinstated as her Watcher (receiving retroactive pay from the month of his dismissal). She finally instructs the Council to give her the information that she needs.
Quentin reluctantly agrees to her terms. He then informs Buffy that Glory isn't a demon. She's a god.
[edit] Writing and acting
[edit] Production details
[edit] Quotes and trivia
Doesn't following stuff go to Wikiquote section?
- Buffy: "You guys didn't come all the way from England to determine whether I was good enough to be let back in. You came to beg me to let you back in. To give your jobs, your lives, some semblance of meaning."
- Nigel: "This is beyond insolence—" (Buffy hurls the sword at him, which he must jump aside to avoid.)
- Buffy: "I'm fairly certain I said no interruptions."
- Xander (quietly): "That was excellent!"
- Buffy: "You're Watchers. Without a Slayer... you're pretty much just watching Masterpiece Theater. You can't stop Glory. You can't do anything with the information you have, except maybe publish it in the Everyone Thinks We're Insanos Home Journal. So here's how it's gonna work. You're gonna tell me everything you know. Then you're gonna go away. You'll contact me if and when you have any further information about Glory. The magic shop will remain open. Mr. Giles will stay here as my official Watcher, reinstated at full salary."
- Giles (pretending to cough, muffling the word): "Retroactive."
- Buffy: "To be paid retroactively from the month he was fired. I will continue my work with the help of my friends—"
- Lydia: "I-I-I... don't want a sword thrown at me, but-but civilians — we're talking about children!"
- Buffy: "We're talking about two very powerful witches and a thousand-year-old ex-demon."
- Anya: "Willow's a demon?!"
- Phillip: "The boy? No power there."
- Buffy: "'The boy' has clocked more field time than all of you combined. He's part of the unit."
- Willow (quietly): "That's Riley speak."
- Xander (quietly and with pride): "I've clocked field time."
- Buffy: "Now. You all may be very good at your jobs. The only way we're gonna find out is if you work with me. You can all take your time thinking about that. But I want an answer right now from Quentin. 'Cause I think he's understanding me."
[edit] Translations
- Italian title: "Il controllo" ("The check")
- German title: "Der Rat der Wächter" ("The watcher's council")
- French title: "L'inspection"
[edit] Continuity
[edit] Arc significance
- Beside demonstrating Buffy's distinct detachment from the Council's power structure, this episode sees Giles reinstated at full (retroactive) pay into the Council as her Watcher, as well as revealing the season's Big Bad Truth: Glory isn't any ordinary demon, she's a Hellgod.
- This is the first time Giles is officially Buffy's Watcher since season 3's "Helpless"
- Introduction of the Knights of Byzantium, one of three powers connected to the Key.
[edit] Timing
- Stories that take place around the same time in the Buffyverse:
| Location, time (if known) |
Buffyverse chronology: January 2001 - Spring 2001 (non-canon = italic) |
|---|---|
| Sunnydale, 2001 | B5.12 Checkpoint |
| L.A., 2001 | A2.12 Blood Money |
| L.A., 2001 | A2.13 Happy Anniversary |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | B5.13 Blood Ties |
| L.A., 2001 | A2.14 The Thin Dead Line |
| L.A., 2001 | A2.15 Reprise |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | B5.14 Crush |
| L.A., 2001 | A2.16 Epiphany |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | Buffy book: Wisdom of War |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | B5.15 I Was Made to Love You |
| L.A., 2001 | A2.17 Disharmony |
| L.A., 2001 | Angel book: Vengeance |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | B5.16 The Body |
| L.A., 2001 | A2.18 Dead End |
| L.A., 2001 | Angel book: Haunted |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | B5.17 Forever |
| L.A., 2001 | A2.19 Belonging |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | Buffy graphic novel: Ugly Little Monsters |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | Buffy comic: 'Chaos Bleeds' prequel |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | Buffy video game: Chaos Bleeds |
| L.A., 2001 | Tales of the Slayer: Again, Sunnydale |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | B5.18 Intervention |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | Buffy book: Tempted Champions |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | Buffy book: Little Things |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | Buffy book: Crossings |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | Buffy book: Sweet Sixteen |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | B5.19 Tough Love |
| L.A., 2001 | A2.20 Over the Rainbow |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | B5.20 Spiral |
| L.A., 2001 | A2.21 Through the Looking Glass |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | B5.21 The Weight of the World |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | B5.22 The Gift |
| L.A., 2001 | A2.22 There's No Place Like Plrtz Glrb |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | Buffy graphic novel: Death of Buffy: Lost & Found’ |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | Buffy graphic novel: Death of Buffy |
