Revelations (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

"Revelations" is the seventh episode of season 3 of the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Plot synopsis

Gwendolyn Post shows up as Faith's new Watcher. She is British, strict, arrogant, and looks down on all the Scoobies and especially Giles. She warns that the demon Lagos is in Sunnydale looking for the Glove of Myneghon, a powerful gauntlet.

While doing research, Xander and Willow kiss again. Due to his guilt, Xander goes looking for the Glove of Myneghon. He instead finds to his surprise Angel and Buffy kissing. Angel shows Buffy that he has recovered the glove and now he needs to get a way to destroy it.

While Giles is meeting with Mrs. Post, whose constant criticism leaves him on edge, Xander arrives to tell Giles about Angel. Post does not overhear the conversation, but knows that they are keeping a big secret from her.

The next morning, the gang stages an intervention with Buffy. Both Xander and Cordelia are hostile about Angel and see him as a serious threat, unable to separate him from the recent activities of Angelus. Willow (and by association, Oz) are less sure and advise caution, though Willow is partly motivated by guilt about her own private romantic indiscretions with Xander. Buffy tells them that Angel has the glove with him and now they are going to destroy it. Giles ultimately comes to Buffy's defense, but in private scolds her for keeping the secret, reminds her of her responsibilities, tells her about how Angel tortured him for hours, and says that she has no respect for him or his job as a Watcher.

Post then goes to visit Faith at the motel and lets drop that Giles is having a secret meeting with Buffy and her friends, which makes Faith feel excluded. The angry Faith ends up in a bar with Xander, who tells her that Angel is alive and has the glove. The two nurse their grudges together; Faith decides to slay Angel and Xander eagerly volunteers to accompany her.

Post arrives to speak with Giles at Giles' behest. He tells her where the glove is, and that "a friend of Buffy's" has it. He wants to discuss destroying it with her, but when he turns his back, Post bludgeons him, knocking him out.

Xander returns with Faith to the library to get weapons, but he find Giles unconscious and gravely injured. He calls 911. Faith is sure that Angel attacked Giles, but Xander thinks not because it is not his style and there are no bite marks. Faith goes alone to Angel's while Xander stays with Giles and is joined soon after by Buffy. Xander tells Buffy about Faith's goal. Gwendolyn shows up at the mansion first and knocks out Angel, who she thinks is human. Angel attacks Post, and then Faith attacks Angel, thinking he killed Post because he wants the glove. Buffy shows up and attempts to stop Faith, but Post tells Faith to attack Buffy, and the two Slayers fight.

Having successfully distracted the Slayers and enlisted the help of Xander and Willow, Post retrieves the glove and attacks, demonstrating the glove's power to manipulate the elements and, most hazardously, lightning. At this point, the gang all realize who the real enemy is, and unite to attack. Faith draws her fire, Angel gets Willow to safety, and Buffy cuts off Post's arm, leading to her electrocution because she no longer has the glove.

The next day at school, the Scooby Gang are still wary of Angel but trust Buffy's judgment, except for Cordelia. Buffy goes to Faith's apartment and tries to convince her that she is on Faith's side. But Faith doesn't believe her (unable to get over being lied to and betrayed by Miss Post) and as Buffy leaves, Faith says to her, "I'm on my side. That's enough."

Production

The lightning that shoots from the Glove of Myhneghon in this episode was drawn frame by frame by an artist per Joss Whedon's request.

Continuity

• Buffy cuts off Gwendolyn's arm in the same way that Angel later cuts off Lindsey's hand in "To Shanshu in L.A.".
• When Xander challenges Buffy about Angel's role in her love life, she immediately deflects the discussion to his own love life. This proves to be consistent behavior between Buffy and Xander; she similarly deflects him during conversations in "Into the Woods" and "Seeing Red".

Arc significance

• Angel's resurrection is revealed to the Scoobies at large.
• Xander and Willow continue their secret relationship, actually engaging in a lengthy kiss.
• Faith finds someone to depend on and trust, only to find out that person a liar. This reinforces her distrust of other people. Gwendolyn Post also reinforced Faith's feeling of distance from the rest of the gang, which remains for the remainder of the season.

Trivia

• The Glove was included in DST's Weapons Accessory Pack for its range of Buffy action figures. It is solid rather than hollow so that figures cannot actually wear it.

External links

Wikiquote has quotations related to: Revelations

• "Revelations" at the Internet Movie Database
• "Revelations" at TV.com