Lessons (Buffy episode)
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| “Lessons” | |
|---|---|
| Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode | |
 |
|
| Episode no. | Season 7 Episode 1 |
| Guest stars | Anthony Stewart Head (Giles) Alex Breckenridge (Kit) D.B. Woodside (Principal Wood) Kali Rocha (Halfrek) |
| Written by | Joss Whedon |
| Directed by | David Solomon |
| Production no. | 7ABB01 |
| Original airdate | 24 September 2002 |
| Episode chronology | |
| ← Previous | Next → |
| "Grave" | "Beneath You" |
"Lessons" is the first episode of the seventh and final season of the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Contents |
[edit] Plot synopsis
[edit] Summary
Dawn finds vengeful spirits in the new Sunnydale High; Giles is rehabilitating Willow in England.
[edit] Expanded overview
Istanbul: A dark-haired girl is running through the arched hallway, looking over her shoulder and panting from the exertion of running so fast. She slips down an embankment. She's being chased. A man on the street sees her through his front door, and closes it rather than help her. Two people in hooded cloaks are chasing her. After trying various alleys looking for an escape route, she finds herself trapped in a dead-end. She sees a drain pipe next to her and decides to use it to scale the building. The people chasing her grab her foot, but she manages to escape their grip and easily climbs up to the roof. There, another hooded figure is waiting and pushes her off the building. She screams, but she lands on the ground alive, on her back. Two hooded figures hold her down, and she fights back with all her might. A third figure raises an arched, shiny, silver dagger and stabs her...
Buffy is in Sunnydale training her sister on how to fight vampires. She instructs Dawn that fighting (and slaying) are about power. They discuss the fact that Sunnydale High has just reopened. Meanwhile, Willow is studying with Giles in Westbury, England. She studies magic and meditation with a coven of wiccans that Giles knows. She is learning control, but feels frightened and distraught because she "killed people".
Xander is working construction at the new high school which Dawn is to attend. He notes that the principal's office is right over the Hellmouth. Buffy follows Dawn into the school where she meets Principal Robin Wood. She wanders into a bathroom, where she finds a mysterious talisman. Upon seeing the talisman, she sees a dead girl who threatens her. She says she was killed by a werewolf and Buffy was unable to protect her, and that she will not be able to protect Dawn either.
Anya is still in the vengeance business, and is drinking coffee with her fellow vengeance demon Halfrek. "Hallie" tells Anya that the other demons are noticing a lack of quality in her work, and that "something big is coming".
Buffy tries to warn Dawn, but winds up only embarrassing her. Dawn then sees a similar dead student. She hurries to the bathroom where she meets Kit Holbum, who has also been seeing things. They are about to leave the bathroom when the floor caves in and they wind up in the high school basement. Willow, back in England, has had a vision. She saw "the earth's teeth" -- the Hellmouth. She tells Giles, who has taught her that everything is connected, that not everything that is connected to the earth is good.
Dawn and Kit run into another student in the basement, Carlos Trejo, who says he saw a dead janitor. They are soon confronted by the three dead people. The dead people tell them that everyone dies at Sunnydale, and they will be no different. Dawn calls Buffy on her new cell phone. Buffy descends into the basement to help Dawn, but cannot find her. Instead, she finds Spike holed up in a small room.
He has scratches around his heart which he explains as attempts to "cut it out". He is rambling incoherently, but tells Buffy that the dead students are not zombies or ghosts, but "manifest spirits" raised by a talisman. Buffy calls Xander, telling him to find and destroy the talisman. She then hears Dawn screaming, and runs to her rescue. She fights the spirits off as Xander wrestles with one to destroy the talisman. Xander breaks the talisman and the spirits disappear.
Buffy then sends Dawn, Kit, and Carlos off to class. Principal Wood is impressed that Buffy was able to convince Carlos to socialize and go to class. He offers her a job working as a counselor at the school, and she gladly accepts. She wants to be able to keep an eye on her sister, the school, the Hellmouth, and the new principal.
Spike is now huddled in a corner in his basement room. He says that he had a speech to Buffy prepared, but she would not understand. Warren Mears is seen pacing around him. He begins to give a speech about how great he is. He turns into Glory, Adam, Mayor Wilkins, Drusilla, and then The Master. These each speak to Spike about a plan to go "back to the beginning". The Master says, "It's not about right. It's not about wrong." Then he transforms into Buffy and tells Spike, "It's about power."
[edit] Acting
[edit] Main Cast
- Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers
- Nicholas Brendon as Xander Harris
- Michelle Trachtenberg as Dawn Summers
- Emma Caulfield as Anya Jenkins
- James Marsters as Spike
- Alyson Hannigan as Willow Rosenberg
[edit] Special Guest Star
[edit] Guest Stars
- DB Woodside as Robin Wood
- Alex Breckenridge as Kit Holburn
- Kali Rocha as Halfrek
[edit] Also Starring
- Mark Metcalf as The Master
- Juliet Landau as Drusilla
- Harry Groener as Richard Wilkins
- George Hertzberg as Adam
- Clare Kramer as Glory
- Adam Busch as Warren Mears
- David Zepeda as Carlos Trejo
- Jeremy Howard as Dead Nerd
- Ken Strunk as Dead Janitor
- Rachael Bella as Dead Girl
- Ed F. Martin as Teacher
- Simon Chernin as Student
- Jeff Denton as Vampire
[edit] Writing
[edit] Arc Significance
This is the first of multiple episodes to begin with the killing of a potential slayer, until their pivotal stand in "Chosen." Furthermore, "Lessons" also introduces The First Evil, this season's Big Bad. A final new character introduced is Principal Robin Wood, who will later be revealed to be the son of Nikki Wood, one of the two Vampire Slayers Spike has killed.
During the previous season, Willow's problems with magic were shown along the lines of drug or alcohol addiction. This changes with the beginning of season seven, where we are told that Willow will never be able to live without magic, but must learn to control it. Until the very last episode, she will be struggling for that control in the face of increasing pressure from those around her to use her powers.
Spike has returned to Sunnydale with his newly regained soul, but no one there knows it. Buffy is struggling with her opinion of Spike and will to continue to do so after she learns he has a soul in "Beneath You". The regain of his soul will be key in the series finale's battle when Buffy is presented with an amulet that can only be worn by someone ensouled and stronger than human.
[edit] Continuity
This episode marks Dawn's first day at Sunnydale High. The First remarks to Spike, "We're going back to the beginning." The first episode of Buffy depicted Buffy's first day at the old Sunnydale High. (This is just one of many references to the old days of Sunnydale High.)
Willow's magic addiction from season six have led to her rehabilitation in this episode. Certain key episodes of her abuse include "Tabula Rasa," "Smashed ," "Wrecked," "Villains," "Two to Go," and "Grave."
When the dead student says he wants Dawn to be his girlfriend, Buffy replies, "Wrong sister. I'm the one that dates dead guys." Buffy has had two relationships with vampires -- one with Angel (seasons one through three) and one with Spike (season six). However, Dawn did (unknowingly) kiss a vampire in the season six episode "All the Way".
Buffy is now employed at Sunnydale High. Previously she was working at the Doublemeat Palace. The character of Principal Wood is introduced, and will later be revealed to be Nikki Wood's son.
Buffy and Spike had a violent and sexual relationship last season. In "Seeing Red," Spike nearly raped Buffy in an attempt to attain her love. Spike then made his final effort by achieving a soul through trials in Africa ("Two to Go" and "Grave.")
The six villains seen by Spike are meant to represent the Big Bads of each previous season of Buffy, starting with season 6 and moving backward.[citation needed]. An attentive viewer could discern that the entity impersonating them is the First Evil, first seen in season three's "Amends" confronting Angel. (Note: The First is able to assume the form of Buffy because she died in the season one finale and the season five finale "The Gift". Likewise, vampires, such as Drusilla are also technically "dead".)
[edit] Quotes
Dawn: "He might not know those fancy martial art skills they inevitably seem to pick up." Dawn comments on the supernatural strength that vampires inherit.
Giles: "Synchronized swimming. Complete mystery to me." Giles admits the one thing he doesn't know anything about.
Buffy: "Ah, you put the box near the milk. I saw it on the food channel." Buffy teaches Xander how to make cereal.
Buffy: "You know, you could still drop out. Only nerds finish high school." Buffy gets cold feet about leaving Dawn at Sunnydale High.
Xander: "Whoa. Contracty goodness." Xander sees big bucks when coming across the bathroom floor caved in.
Warren (re: Buffy): "She's a girl! With sugar, and spice, and everything... useless, unless you're baking." Buffy will use a similar metaphor in the final episode.
[edit] Pop-Culture References
- Dumbledore - Willow remarks how confused she is that Giles is teaching her magic, like the fictional wizard character. Dumbledore is the headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the school Harry Potter attends, in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series of books and movies.
- Food channel - Buffy jokes where she learned how to make cereal. Correctly called The Food Network, the cable television channel air food centric programs, such as Emeril Live.
- The Grateful Dead - Buffy refers to the three spirits as the "Resentful Dead"
- The Twilight Zone - Dawn assures Buffy that she knows To Serve Man is a cookbook.
[edit] Production Details
[edit] Music
- Douglas Romayne Stevens - "In Westbury Field"
- Douglas Romayne Stevens - "Istanbul"
- Douglas Romayne Stevens - "Just In Time"
- Douglas Romayne Stevens - "Lesson One"
- Strange Radio - "So High". The duo perform the song at The Espresso Pump.
[edit] Trivia
- Kali Rocha filmed all of her scenes for this season in one day, including those in "Selfless".
- The scenes that are marked as taking place in Westbury were actually shot at Anthony Stewart Head's house in Somerset, England. He owns the horse seen in the episode, and it is named "Otto".
- Willow's mentor in England, Ms. Harkness, is named after the Marvel character, Agatha Harkness, who is also a witch.
- This show marks the first time Buffy is seen using a cell phone. However, it leads to a wardrobing goof as the pants Buffy is wearing and slips the cell phone into do not have a back pocket.
- This is the only episode in the entire series where you can briefly see one of Sarah's real life tattoos. In the first act when Buffy & Xander are discussing the Sunnydale High you can the Chinese symbol for hope or luck on her left hip. But not later in the episode.
- When Halfrek is discussing Anya's demon days, she remarks "Remember Mrs. Czolgosz?" This is in reference to Anya (as Anyanka) forcing an unfaithful man to "fall in love with President McKinley". Leon Czolgosz assassinated President McKinley.
[edit] Translations
- French title: "Rédemption" ("Redemption")
- German title: "Alles auf Anfang" ("Back to the Roots"/"Reset")
- Italian title: On TV "La consulente" ("The consultant" (a female one)) or, on DVD, "Lezioni" ("Lessons")
- Spanish title: "Lecciones" ("Lessons")
- Turkish title: "Dersler" ("Lessons")
[edit] Technical Goofs
- The First (as Drusilla) touches and moves Spike's hair, However it is made clear later in the season that The First is not corporeal, which means it is unable to physically touch anything.
[edit] Timing
- Stories that take place around the same time in the Buffyverse:
| Location, time (if known) |
Buffyverse: Fall 2002 - December 2002 (non-canon = italic) |
|---|---|
| Sunnydale, 2002 | B7.01 Lessons |
| Mexico, 2002 | Buffy/Angel book: Seven Crows |
| L.A., 2002 | A4.01 Deep Down |
| Sunnydale, 2002 | B7.02 Beneath You |
| L.A., 2002 | A4.02 Ground State |
| Sunnydale, 2002 | B7.03 Same Time, Same Place |
| Sunnydale, 2002 | Buffy book: Apocalypse Memories |
| L.A., Las Vegas, 2002 | A4.03 The House Always Wins |
| Sunnydale, 2002 | B7.04 Help |
| L.A., 2002 | Angel book: Dark Mirror |
| Sunnydale, 2002 | Buffy book: Mortal Fear |
| Sunnydale, 2002 | Buffy book: Spark and Burn |
| Sunnydale, L.A., 2002 | Buffy/Angel book: Heat |
| L.A., 2002 | A4.04 Slouching Toward Bethlehem |
| Sunnydale, 2002 | B7.05 Selfless |
| L.A., 2002 | A4.05 Supersymmetry |
| Sunnydale, 2002 | B7.06 Him |
| L.A., 2002 | Angel book: Solitary Man |
| L.A., 2002 | A4.06 Spin the Bottle |
| L.A., 2002 | Angel book: Love and Death |
| L.A., 2002 | Angel book: Monolith |
| Sunnydale, 2002 | B7.07 Conversations with Dead People |
| L.A., 2002 | A4.07 Apocalypse, Nowish |
| Sunnydale, 2002 | B7.08 Sleeper |
| L.A., 2002 | A4.08 Habeas Corpses |
| Sunnydale, 2002 | B7.09 Never Leave Me |
| L.A., 2002 | A4.09 Long Day's Journey |
| Sunnydale, 2002 | B7.10 Bring on the Night |
| Unknown, 2002 | Tales of the Vampires: Stacey |
| New York, 2002 | Tales of the Vampires: Spot the Vampire |
| Unknown 2002 | Tales of the Vampires: Taking Care of Business |
| L.A., 2002 | A4.10 Awakening |
[edit] External links
- Lessons at the Internet Movie Database
- "Buffy versus Angel"
- "All Things Philosophical on Buffy: the Vampire Slayer and Angel: the Series"
