Amends

"Amends"
Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode
Episode no.	Season 3 Episode 10
Directed by	Joss Whedon
Written by	Joss Whedon
Production code	3ABB10
Original air date	December 15, 1998
Guest actors
Kristine Sutherland as Joyce Summers Saverio Guerra as Willy the Snitch Shane Barach as Daniel Edward Edwards as Travis Cornelia Hayes O'Herlihy as Margaret Eliza Dushku as Faith Lehane Robia LaMorte as The First/Jenny Calendar Mark Kriski as Weatherman Tom Michael Bailey Smith as Tree Seller Guy

"Amends" is episode 10 of season three of the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Plot synopsis

It is Christmas in Sunnydale and Angel is haunted with dreams of the people he murdered over the years as Angelus. When Buffy starts getting dragged into his memory-nightmares, experiencing Angel's dreams also, they realize something unnatural is happening. Visions of his past victims, including Jenny Calendar, appear to him and try to get him to kill Buffy, saying that he will be released from the pain if he does so. Angel cannot bring himself to do this, so instead he opts to kill himself by standing on a hill and waiting for the sun to come up. Meanwhile Oz tells Willow that he is willing to give their relationship another chance while Cordelia is not as forgiving and resumes her previously hostile ways towards the Scooby gang.

Buffy and Giles figure out that the First Evil has been driving Angel insane. Buffy finds the Bringers and pummels them. After the First appears to her, informing her that she cannot possibly fight it, and that Angel is about to be destroyed by the dawn's light, she runs to his mansion to stop him.

Oz goes to Willow's house to watch videos only to find her dressed up and playing Barry White's music, intending to sleep with him. Oz appreciates the gesture, but explains to Willow that he wants their first time to be special rather than just a way for her to try to make things up to him.

Buffy finds Angel atop the hill behind the mansion, awaiting sunrise. However, the heatwave from which Sunnydale has been suffering abruptly ends and the first flakes of snow start to fall. With the weather report saying the sun should not be expected to be seen at all that day, Buffy and Angel take a walk through the town.

Continuity

• The area where Angel attempts suicide is the same area where a corrupted Willow will attempt to trigger an apocalypse in "Grave," where it is finally named as "Kingman's Bluff".
• Oz refusing to sleep with Willow in this episode recalls his declining her offer to make out in "Innocence". Oz demonstrates again that he does not like doing things that he may want to do for the wrong reason. In this episode, Oz understands that Willow offers to sleep with him to show him that she is invested in their newly reestablished relationship, whereas in "Innocence", he believes she asks him to kiss her (largely) to make Xander jealous.
• Joyce continues to be awkward around even the mention of Giles, thus reminding the viewer of their psychologically youthful indiscretions in "Band Candy".
• Oz asks Willow if she ever had the dream "where you're in a play, and you're right in the middle of it and you kinda don't know your lines or the plot?" Willow has had this dream, or rather nightmare, as seen the episode "Nightmares", and it became a reality for her in the episode "The Puppet Show". Willow will have this nightmare again during the episode "Restless".
• While it is later made clear in season seven that the First cannot touch anything, the First, as Jenny Calendar, touches Angel and, while the touch is brief, his hair visibly moves.
• When Cordelia mentions Xander's family's "drunken Christmas fights", this is the first real hint in the series of Xander's unhappy home life, which is something that will be expanded on later in the series and become very significant in season six. Furthermore, Xander is explaining his "Christmas tradition" to Willow, and it is Cordelia who remarks about his family's "drunken Christmas fights." Whedon himself claimed this to be an error in writing, as Willow and Xander have been best friends since childhood, and she already knows all about the Harris family.
• As the First is trying to manipulate Angel into drinking Buffy, it accurately says that Angel will indeed drink from Buffy, which happens later in the season after Angel is poisoned by Faith.

Arc significance

• This is the first appearance of the First Evil and the Bringers, who will not appear again until "Lessons", when it returns as the Big Bad of season seven.
• Buffy and Angel renew their relationship.
• The First tells Angel, "sooner or later, you will drink her." This prediction comes true in "Graduation Day, Part Two".
• Oz forgives Willow for her affair with Xander, and they continue their relationship.
• The First tries to convince Angel to kill Buffy. This could be construed as an early attempt to disrupt the slayer line with Buffy's death, and start its plan that eventually takes place in season seven.
• Since the First's plan to use Angel to kill Buffy failed, it will not appear again until season seven, where it continues to try to have Buffy killed, this time using Spike.
• When Angel intends suicide to prevent his ever harming anyone else, Buffy argues with him, telling him that if he dies now, he will never be anything more than a monster. The only way he can make amends for all the evil that he has done is to stay alive and do good. This will become one of the main themes of the eventual spin off show.
• The snowstorm can be seen as a direct interference of The Powers That Be in the Buffy universe. Despite the First's claims, the Powers are also responsible for Angel's returns from Hell.^[1] They will continue to help Angel throughout his own spinoff.

Production details

This is the second time in the series that the Mutant Enemy monster logo screen after the end credits is altered from the norm. In "Amends" the monster sports a red Santa cap on his head as he moves across the screen saying his familiar line "Grrr Arrrgh!" with Christmas jingles playing in the background.

Previously at the end of "Becoming Part 2" when the monster went across the screen he moaned "Oh! I need a hug" instead of his normal line.

Promo synopsis

Buffy is standing outside at a phone booth. Strangely, it appears to be snowing in Sunnydale. Buffy says "This season with 1-800-Collect, you don't have to be alone for the holidays." She then begins dialing the phone. Buffy hears footsteps behind her. She turns and grabs a stake-shaped icicle, and makes a staking motion before Angel grabs her hand. Angel: "Sorry I'm late." Buffy replies, "You should have called." The two smile, look into the snowing sky, then walk off together.

Promo offer

The promo was offering fans the chance to enter a sweepstakes every time they made a call using the 1-800-Collect communications system. The prize was a walk-on part on Buffy. Jessica Johnson of Maryland won a three-day trip for two to participate in the episode "The Prom", which aired later in the third season.

Promo continuity

The commercial would take place shortly after "Amends", since snow just started falling in Sunnydale at the end of the episode. It is clearly not part of the Buffyverse canon since both the narrator and Buffy actively break the fourth wall.

External links

Wikiquote has quotations related to: Amends

• "Amends" at the Internet Movie Database
• "Amends" at TV.com
• Where Do We Go from Here? A farewell to "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and a look back at the show's ten best episodes

References