When She Was Bad

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When She Was Bad
Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode
Episode no. Season 2
Episode 1
Written by Joss Whedon
Directed by Joss Whedon
Production no. 5V01
Original airdate September 15, 1997
Episode chronology
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"Prophecy Girl" "Some Assembly Required"
List of Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes
"When She Was Bad" is also the name of a book by Patricia Pearson

"When She Was Bad" is the first episode in the second season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Contents

[edit] Plot

Xander and Willow are quizzing each other on film quotes on the outskirts of a cemetery. Willow is doing poorly. The pair comment on the quiet summer in Sunnydale since they buried the Master in the graveyard. A tender moment ensues when Xander playfully puts ice cream on Willow's nose, but just as he is about to kiss it, a vampire appears behind Willow. Xander intervenes and is barely holding out when Buffy shows up and kills the vampire. She tells her friends about spending the summer in Los Angeles with her father. At home, her mother is a bit uneasy about Buffy's shopping spree. Hank explains that he felt guilty when Buffy appeared distant.

At school, Principal Snyder expresses again his disgust with students. Giles spots Jenny Calendar and slips away; an oblivious Snyder babbles on. Giles finds the gang and explains that although they have closed the Hellmouth, the mystical energy still attracts evil forces to the town. He asks Buffy to resume her training after school.

Whilst practicing, Buffy has a vision of the Master and begins whaling on a dummy. At night, she dreams of being killed by him when Angel appears in her room to warn her of the child-like Anointed One. Buffy coldly brushes him off. He tells her he missed her and leaves before she can reply. The next day, the young Scoobies run into Cordelia, who seems unmotivated to keep Buffy's identity a secret. Buffy heaps an insult on Cordy that her friends find "too good." At the Bronze, Xander and Willow wonder about Buffy's behavior. Willow tries in vain to recreate the ice-cream moment. Buffy then arrives in a very revealing dress and mocks Angel. She begins a slow, sensual dance with Xander that makes everyone squirm.

Meanwhile, the Anointed One and his preacher pal are forcing their vampires to dig up the Master's bones barehanded through consecrated earth.

Back in the club, Buffy leaves Xander hanging mid-dance. Cordelia confronts her outside and tells her to get over her problems. Buffy leaves and Cordy is kidnapped by two dark figures. They throw her into a basement with an unconscious Ms. Calender. Buffy walks to the grave that holds the bones of the Master, and finds it dug up.

At lunch the next day, Giles shares Xander and Willow's concerns about Buffy, who shows up to tell them about her discovery. Giles remembers some revivification spells and Buffy is angered that he never told her. Snyder shoos away the students and tells Giles he would like to expel Buffy.

That night, the Scoobies learn that a revivification spell needs the blood of the "closest" person to the deceased. Cordelia's watch, wrapped around a large rock, sails through the library window. Buffy leaves for the obvious trap, saying she cannot look out for them while slaying.

Outside the basement where Cordelia was held, Buffy tries to pick a fight with Angel, who ignores her. Inside, they find one female vampire. Buffy realizes that the trap is not for her. At the same time, Giles realizes that the foreign text actually said that the ritual requires the blood of those physically nearest to the Master when he died -- in other words, Giles, Willow, Cordelia and Ms. Calendar.

Buffy returns to the library to find a bloody Xander, who angrily warns that if anything happens to Willow, he will kill Buffy. They go back to the female vampire, whom Buffy tortures into confession. Buffy interrupts the ritual while Angel and Xander rescue the others. Before she leaves, Buffy smashes to bits the Master's bones and with them, her own frustrations.

The next day, Buffy apologizes for her behavior and is pleasantly surprised to find herself forgiven. Meanwhile, the Anointed One gazes at the scene of destruction and exclaims, "I hate that girl!"

[edit] Music

"It doesn't Matter" - Alison Krauss
"Sugar Water" - Cibo Matto
"Spoon" - Cibo Matto

[edit] Production

[edit] Starring

[edit] Guest starring

[edit] Translations

  • French title: "La Métamorphose de Buffy" ("The Metamorphosis of Buffy")
  • Italian title: "L'ombra del Maestro" ("The shadow of the Master")
  • German title: "Im Banne des Bösen" ("Under the spell of evil")
  • Japanese title: "バフィーはイヤなヤツ!?" ("Bafī wa Iya na Yatsu!?" - "Buffy's a Bad Guy!?")
  • Portuguese title: "A Volta" ("The Return")
  • Spanish title: "Cuando Ella Era Mala" ("When She Was Bad")

“When She Was Bad” pulled in an audience of 2.9 million households.[1]

[edit] Timeline

  • Stories that take place around the same time in the Buffyverse:
Location, time
(if known)
Buffyverse chronology: Fall 1997 - Spring 1998
(non-canon = italic)
Sunnydale, fall 1997 B2.01 When She Was Bad
Sunnydale, 1997 Tales of the Slayers: Broken Bottle of Djinn, 1997
Sunnydale, 1997 B2.02 Some Assembly Required
Sunnydale, 1997 Tales of the Vampires: The Problem with Vampires
Sunnydale, 1997 Buffy graphic novel: Spike & Dru: The Queen of Hearts
Sunnydale, 1997 B2.03 School Hard
Sunnydale, 1997 B2.04 Inca Mummy Girl
Sunnydale, 1997 B2.05 Reptile Boy
Sunnydale, 1997 Buffy graphic novel: Dust Waltz
Sunnydale, October 1997 B2.06 Halloween
Sunnydale, 1997 B2.07 Lie to Me
Sunnydale, 1997 Buffy book: Keep Me In Mind
Sunnydale, 1997 Buffy book: The Suicide King
Sunnydale, 1997 Buffy book: Colony
Sunnydale, 1997 Buffy book: Night Terrors
Sunnydale, 1997 B2.08 The Dark Age
Sunnydale, 1997 B2.09 What's My Line, Part One
Sunnydale, 1997 B2.10 What's My Line, Part Two
Sunnydale, 1997 Buffy book: After Image
Sunnydale, 1997 Buffy book: Carnival of Souls
Sunnydale, 1997 B2.11 Ted
Sunnydale, 1997 B2.12 Bad Eggs
Boston, December 1997 - June 1998 Buffy book: Go Ask Malice: A Slayer's Diary
Sunnydale, 1997/8 Buffy book: Blooded
Sunnydale, 1998 B2.13 Surprise
Sunnydale, 1998 B2.14 Innocence
Sunnydale, 1998 B2.15 Phases
Sunnydale, 1998 B2.16 Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered
Sunnydale, 1998 B2.17 Passion
Sunnydale, 1998 Buffy graphic novel: Ring of Fire
Sunnydale, 1998 B2.18 Killed by Death
Sunnydale, 1998 B2.19 I Only Have Eyes for You
Sunnydale, 1998 B2.20 Go Fish
Sunnydale, spring 1998 B2.21 Becoming, Part One
Sunnydale, spring 1998 B2.22 Becoming, Part Two
Sunnydale, spring 1998 Buffy graphic novel: Spike & Dru: Paint the Town Red

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Nielsen Ratings for Buffy's Second Season." <http://home.insightbb.com/~wahoskem/buffy2.html>
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