Synopsis:
When students start dropping out of cheerleading tryouts
by spontaneously combusting, going blind and losing the power
of speech, Buffy and her posse suspect a powerful witch is
in their midst. Buffy herself soon becomes the target of a
deadly spell as they discover the witch's true identity. Meanwhile,
Xander finally musters up the nerve to ask Buffy out on a
date but in the throes of a witch's spell, Buffy's response
isn't exactly as he'd hoped.
Written by: Dana Reston
Directed by: Stephen Cragg
Original Airdate: March 17, 1997
Destructo Girl Recap:
In the library, Giles fervently attempts to talk Buffy out
of trying out for the cheerleading squad. He feels that for
some reason, since Buffy has a sacred birthright to kill vampires
and save the human race, cheerleading is beneath her. She's
not buying it, though, and reasons, "I wanna do something
normal. Something safe."
This being Sunnydale, *nothing* is safe.
And if you didn't already know that, we cut to a dark room with all kinds of weird stuff going on. Flowers and dolls hang from the ceiling as someone - whose identity remains hidden - moves through the room to a cauldron with bubbling green goo in it. They dangle a pendant over the cauldron for a second before snatching a Barbie doll off a wire.
In the Sunnydale High gym, numerous girls are busy stretching and doing gymnastics moves to prepare for the tryouts as Buffy, Willow and Xander enter. Buffy tells them how Giles is all spazzing about her cheerleading, despite the fact that they haven't seen a vampire in over a week. Her friends inform her that they support her; especially Xander, who is quite impressed with the flexibility of the girls and their revealing clothing. After he manages to drag his eyes off of them, he presents Buffy with an ID bracelet he bought for her with the words 'Yours always' inscribed on it. Buffy understandably finds this a little strange as she sees Xander as just a friend, but he quickly covers and says it came like that. Before anyone can further comment on the lameness of that lie, Cordelia comes over to bitch jealously about Amber Grove, who is so good, it's rumored she turned down the Laker Girls. According to Willow, anyway, and we all know how gullible she is. Joy, who is credited as 'senior cheerleader' - which opens a whole big bag of worms since she is still a cheerleader in the next season, so you have to wonder if by senior, they just mean she is the highest ranking cheerleader, or if she is a senior that flunks and has to stay another year - announces that it is time for the tryouts. Amber is up first, so everyone else moves off the floor. Willow's friend Amy joins them. Willow comments that Amy lost a lot of weight and introduces her to Buffy. Amy says that she hates the auditioning process. The camera turns to Amber as she begins her routine. Willow may have been right about the Laker Girls thing, because Amber is really good. Everyone in the gym stares, impressed. Amy informs Buffy that Amber trained with "one of the best coaches money can buy." Buffy is surprised there even *are* cheerleading coaches. Amy tells her that she trains with her mother three hours in the morning and three at night. Wow, that's a lot of practicing. We later find out that she technically practices with her mom all by herself, but does she really practice six hours a day? It sounds very tiring. I think I need a nap just thinking about it. Buffy wisely comments that if she spent that much time with her mom, it would likely result in Joyce being dead. No kidding Buff - sometimes just watching her for five *minutes* is enough to make me want to kill her. No longer able to watch someone else more talented than her (although it really could do her some good, prepare her for the rest of her life and all that) Cordelia turns her back on Amber. Everyone else continues to watch in amazement as Amber continues on flawlessly… until smoke starts to rise from her pom-poms. She tosses the pom-poms to the ground as her hands and forearms burst into flames. As she stands there, waving her arms in the air, and everyone stands still, completely stunned, Buffy runs and grabs a banner, then rushes over to Amber and puts out her fire. Hehe. I amuse me.
The kids have joined Giles in the library and presumably told him about what happened with Amber. Giles explains to them that this appears to be a case of spontaneous human combustion. When Xander complains about how they have no idea what caused it, Giles excitedly says that is the thrill of living on the Hellmouth, which gets him strange looks from everyone. He explains that in most cases of spontaneous combustion, the person was in a rage. They suggest that perhaps Amber has the power to set herself on fire - although, I don't know why, since she wasn't in a rage and had no reason to be when she was auditioning - and decide to start investigating her. Willow gleefully announces that she can hack into the school's computer system to check out Amber's records and Xander says he will ask around. Buffy tells them that they don't need to get involved; she doesn't want to put them in danger. However, the other two want to be a part of the team. Buffy doesn't argue, just tells them to be discreet since they aren't sure Amber is causing this herself.
Buffy comes home to find her mother in the kitchen, unpacking crates with merchandise for a tribal art display in her gallery. She mentions that they had tryouts and Joyce offers lots of support before admitting that she has no clue what Buffy was trying out for. Buffy reminds her that it was cheerleading and Joyce is pleased - it will keep Buffy out of trouble. When Buffy points out that she isn't in trouble, Joyce replies, "No, not yet." Noticing that she has hurt her daughter's feelings, she quickly explains that Buffy quit cheerleading just before she got into trouble the last time. Buffy gets over it and mentions that Amy and her mother train three hours a day (even though they actually train six… I am going to assume she either knows that her mom would never agree to six hours a day or she just doesn't want to work out that much herself, so she fudged the numbers). Joyce says it sounds like Amy's mother doesn't have a lot to do.
The next day, the tryouts are on again. During a group performance, Amy screws up a cartwheel and collides with Cordelia, who quickly lets the judges know that it wasn't *her* fault.
In the halls of school, Amy stares into the trophy case as Buffy comes up to stand next to her. Amy points out a cheerleading trophy and proudly announces that it's her mother. She reveals that her mother made the team tri-county champions. According to her mother, I'm sure. She also explains that her parents were Homecoming King and Queen and got married right after graduation. Buffy comments on how romantic that sounds… until Amy adds that her dad was a big loser who never made any money and ran off with Miss Trailer Trash when she was twelve. Buffy commiserates; being a child of divorced parents as well. Amy adds that her dad left her mother with nothing, but she was able to put herself through cosmetology school, give Amy everything she ever wanted and never gain an ounce. Sensing that she needs to hear it, Buffy assures her that she doesn't have to follow in her footsteps. Amy laments that she can't get her body to move like her mother's. Buffy tries to calm her down, but Amy rushes off as Willow approaches. Willow explains how Amy's mom is pretty much psycho. If she gains an ounce, all she eats is broth. When she used to go on her rampages, Amy would come over to Willow's and they would pig out on brownies. The topic switches to Amber and the fact that they haven't come up with anything. Willow found that she got in trouble for smoking once, but the normal kind - with a cigarette, not burning flesh. Buffy concludes that they will just have to wait and see what happens… maybe nothing will. Yeah, wishful thinking!
Amy is alone in the locker room when she starts hearing noises. She looks around and it's creepy and everything 'cause you don't know if a monster is going to jump out and get her. Unfortunately, it's much worse than that… Cordelia appears beside her. She's pissed because Amy messed her up and so she has to threaten her. She knows that it was an accident and it's not enough to be pissed - she wants Amy to know that if Cordelia doesn't make the team, Amy will regret it.
As, Willow and Xander walk together in the hallway near the quad she tells him that she told Buffy about Amber. He's just interested in hearing if Buffy's wearing the bracelet he got her, though, saying that it's pretty much like they are going out. Willow jokes, "Except without the hugging or kissing or her knowing about it." Xander concedes that he should just ask her out and Willow agrees that he will never know until he does. Much to her chagrin, he happily declares that she is like a guy that knows girl stuff. Xander is then distracted by the fact that they are posting the list for whom made the cheerleading squad and rushes off. In front of the bulletin board where Joy is posting the list, a large crowd of girls has gathered to see who made the cut. Buffy and Amy are in the back of the crowd when Xander comes up behind them and pushes his way through to the board. Cordelia emerges from the crowd and informs Amy that she is lucky - she (meaning Cordelia) made it. Xander returns to them and happily announces that Buffy is the first alternate and Amy is the third. Amy rushes off, extremely disappointed. Xander starts to suggest they ought to celebrate with a romantic something or other, but Willow interrupts and informs him that alternates didn't make the team, they just fill in. Is it just me, or was that really dumb of Xander? I mean, 'alternates' is not a cheerleading term. Five years later, that still really bugs me. Anyway, Buffy excuses herself and goes after Amy as Xander revels in his massive faux pas.
Buffy catches up with Amy and tries to console her, suggesting they have a brownie pig-out at her place. Mmm… do you know how long it's been since I had a brownie? It totally sucks when you are obsessed with every gram of fat you put in your mouth! But enough about *my* pain; Amy's got problems too. Not even chocolate can brighten her spirits as she wonders aloud how much more she can do. Saying this would never happen to her mother, she hurries off and leaves Buffy staring after her.
Cut to a large house, we end up back in the witch's lair. She stirs the brew in her cauldron as she calls on "the laughing gods" and snatches a doll off one of the hooks, wrapping a scrunchie around it's head. Holding it over the cauldron, she creepily asks them to accept her sacrifice… of Cordelia… and tosses the doll in.
The next day, Buffy fixes herself half a bagel for breakfast as Joyce comes in the kitchen with her old high school yearbook. Buffy makes fun of her Farrah hair, but Joyce quickly corrects her - it's Gidget hair. She suggests that since cheerleading didn't workout, Buffy should join the yearbook staff. Buffy tells her that it's not really her tip - she has an ounce of cool and the people who work on yearbook are so dorky that even the nerds pick on them. Joyce is insulted and gets defensive, exclaiming that some of her best times in school were working on the yearbook. Buffy retorts that she isn't Joyce, she does her own thing. Joyce bitches that her own thing got her kicked out of school. Hurt, Buffy grabs her bag and goes. Joyce has the good sense to at least regret what she said.
Cordelia walks down the hallway at school in a daze, not even acknowledging Xander when he asks her why she hasn't been mean to him all day. He turns to Willow and points out that Cordelia doesn't even seem to know he exists. While being the invisible man is a blessing in her case, it's a curse in Buffy's. Willow assures him that he is not invisible to Buffy. Xander says it's worse - he's just part of the scenery. He decides that he has to be more direct with her and just ask her out. Willow tries to talk him out of it, since she would much rather he ask *her* out. Xander is firm, though, but when he sees Buffy coming he starts to get extremely nervous. As Buffy approaches, Xander summons up the courage and tries to ask her out for that Friday night, but Buffy doesn't even notice. She's too busy watching Cordelia fumble with a locker combination before giving up. Buffy decides to follow her and hands Xander her book before chasing after Cordelia.
With Buffy following from a distance, Cordelia heads outside where Mr. Pole, the Driver's Ed teacher, and two students wait for her. He's annoyed that she is late and tells her that it's her turn to drive. She says that she doesn't want to drive today and he informs her that she has already flunked twice, so she'd better "show [him] some moves, or [she'll] be taking the bus to college." Cordelia gets in the driver's seat while he tells her to check the mirrors, check the brake… all that boring stuff they make you do in Driver's Ed that you forget about once you get your license. She starts the car and instead of putting it in drive like he says, she puts it in reverse. The car goes screeching backwards and slams into some signs before Cordelia stops it and finds drive. For some reason, her inability to see has affected her foot, because she is driving way too fast through the course, running over all the cones, and crashes through a chain link fence, ending up on the street. I guess that brake the instructor has on the passenger side is all a big fake lie. Mr. Pole orders everyone out and they all scramble to exit the car. Still in a daze, Cordelia stands in the middle of the street when a UPS driver floors it, coming straight at her. Okay, I think we are supposed to think they are just driving and it's all an accident, but the guy was so far away and they don't even try to slow down. Buffy races out into the street and pulls Cordelia to safety in the nick of time as the truck whizzes by, taking out the Driver's Ed car door. Again, we hear no sound of breaking… I bet the truck just kept on going. Buffy and Cordelia don't seem to care, though, because Cordelia finds she is completely blind as Buffy sees that her eyes are now completely white.
In the library, Giles declares that blinding someone to disorient them is classic witchcraft. Xander jokes that between witches and vampires, it's no wonder you can still afford a house in Sunnydale. Giles asks why someone would want to hurt Cordelia and Willow suggests they met her. Hehe. I miss this humble Willow. He wonders why the witch would want to hurt Amber too and Xander agrees, since Cordelia and Amber aren't friends or anything. Buffy points out that they're both cheerleaders. Giles thinks it is perhaps someone who doesn't like cheerleaders and Buffy replies that they might like it too much. She and Willow both think it's Amy, since she is so desperate to be on the team. Giles can't believe someone would go to such great lengths to be a cheerleader, but Buffy tells him that he's underestimating the pressure a kid can feel to follow in their parent's footsteps. Xander says they have to stop Amy, but Giles doesn't want them to make her aware of their suspicions until they are sure. Willow suggests they check to see who has checked out any books on witchcraft and rushes over to the computer with Buffy. Xander tries to stop them, pointing out that Buffy is now on the team and could be in danger, trying to drag her off to a safe house. They find that several books on witchcraft have been checked out by the same person - Alexander Harris. When he says that it's not what they think, Willow asks if he wanted to see the semi-nude engravings. He admits that it *is* what she thinks. Giles, meanwhile, is completely uninterested in the whole affair and sits down at the table with a book on witchcraft, explaining that they need to find a test. He quickly finds one that will show them if a person has performed a spell in the past forty-eight hours by turning their skin blue. All they need is some quicksilver, aqua fortis and a bit of the witch's hair. Willow says those are all things they have in the science lab, but I don't think she means the hair. Then again, this *is* Sunnydale, so who knows. Giles adds that they will need some Eye of Newt. Fun.
In the science lab, Xander is struggling to remove the eye of a dead frog for the spell. As the teacher, Dr. Gregory, gives instructions from the front of the room, Xander wimps out. Willow quickly grabs the tweezers from him and removes the eye, dropping it in a beaker. Xander asks how Buffy is doing with the hair and we see Buffy walking down the aisle up towards the front of the room. Another girl, Lishanne, smiles at her and jokes, "Isn't this exciting?" Buffy sarcastically agrees and approaches Amy, asking her a really lame question. She 'accidentally' drops her pencil and when picking it up, reaches into Amy's open backpack and pulls some hair from her brush. She stands back up and looks at Amy, who has noticed what she did, but doesn't comment, just smiles at Buffy. Relieved, Buffy heads back to her table and discreetly drops the hair on Willow and Xander's. Willow adds the hair to the mixture as Amy looks back and she and Xander. He quietly tells her to "Wave 'Hi' to the nice little witch!" Amy overhears him and looks back again. Once she puts the finished potion in a test tube, she hands it to Buffy, who says she will spill it on Amy and try to make it look natural. As Buffy walks back up to her, Dr. Gregory is asking Lishanne a question and not getting an answer. She pours the mixture on Amy and pretends to be surprised as it turns blue, but it doesn't matter because Amy is too busy staring over at Lishanne… who no longer has a mouth. Everyone in the room, including Amy, is shocked.
Outside in the hall, Xander says that Amy was as freaked as the rest of them. Willow asks if that means it's not her, but Buffy says it has to be - the test was positive. She thinks that Amy just doesn't realize what she is doing. Willow asks if they should talk to her, Buffy thinks maybe they should talk to her mother. She wonders if she realizes what her obsession with cheerleading has done to her daughter.
Back to the large house, we see Amy walking through a creepy looking gate in front of it. She comes in and looks for her mother, who turns off the TV and gets up off the couch, just as Amy walks to the doorway of the living room. As Catherine nervously stands there, Amy expresses her disapproval at her mother spending "Another productive day in front of the TV" and drops her bag on the ground, ordering her to write a history report for her. Amy says that she should be on the team by now, but instead she's got Buffy and Co stealing bits of her hair. Opening her hand, she reveals that she has Buffy's ID bracelet before going upstairs as Catherine watches on.
The next day, the camera pans across Buffy's messy room to the bed where she is sleeping. The alarm clock goes off and Buffy slaps it… breaking it.
In the kitchen, Joyce makes orange juice when Buffy enters in a cheerleading outfit, singing "Macho Man." She grabs a glass of the juice and downs it, making some enthusiastic comments. Joyce notices her good mood, which Buffy explains is due to being on the squad and feeling like cheering and leading others to cheer. Her mother starts to apologize for what she said the day before, but Buffy tells her it's not necessary - it's true that she did get kicked out of school. She's "just wacky that way." Joyce still wants to apologize, but Buffy cuts her off and says, "Mom, you just don't get it. And, believe me, you don't want it. Y'know, there are just some things about being a Vampire Slayer that the older generation..." Joyce is (for once) understandably confused, but doesn't get an explanation out of Buffy as she is soon singing and bopping her way out of the kitchen.
Cut to cheerleading practice in the gym after school. Buffy is quite enthusiastically going through the routine until she accidentally steps on Joy's foot in one of the moves. Joy screams at her as Willow and Xander come in. Buffy is distracted and jumps up and down greeting them. As the cheerleaders resume their practice, Willow and Xander comment on Buffy's odd behavior. Just as they say they need to get Buffy out of there, Buffy totally overthrows Joy while they do an assisted cartwheel, sending the other girl flying into the wall. Buffy, Willow and Xander come running over and Joy kicks Buffy off the team, telling Amy that she has now made cheerleader. Buffy protests and starts to tell Joy that Amy is a witch, but Xander covers her mouth as he and Willow drag Buffy out of the gym.
Out in the hall, Willow and Xander help Buffy walk as she realizes that she just got kicked off the team. Xander tells her that he doesn't think it's her fault and Buffy says that's because he is her friend. He listens gleefully as she leans against him and asks if he knows why she loves him so. Willow tries to interrupt and say that they need to get her some help, but Xander wants to hear what Buffy has to say. Much to his dismay - and Willow's delight - Buffy announces that Xander is completely one of the girls. As she goes on to talk about how other guys would want to date her, she starts to get dizzy and starts to collapse.
In Giles' office, Buffy rests in a chair with a cloth on her head. Willow wants to take her to a hospital, but Giles says that they won't be able to do anything for her - this is a bloodstone vengeance spell. It hits the body like alcohol and then wipes out the immune system. He quietly admits that she was just trying to get the other girls out of the running, but Amy intends to kill Buffy. And she only has a few hours left before it will. The only two ways to break the spell are to get Amy's spell book or to decapitate her. Since Xander is the only one down with the decapitation, Buffy and Giles decide to go to Amy's house to try and get the spell book while Willow and Xander keep an eye on Amy. They'll need to keep her out of the science lab so that they can do their counter spells.
Buffy and Giles arrive at Amy's house. Catherine Madison is on the couch with a plate of brownies on her lap as she eats one of them when Giles knocks on the door. She's startled, but slides the brownies under the couch and gets up to answer it when Giles continues to knock. When she opens the door, Giles tells her he needs to talk to her about her daughter. She tries to get rid of him, but he's not having it and stops her from closing the door on him and pushes his way in, helping Buffy to sit down on the couch. He confronts Catherine about what her cheerleading obsession has led to, but Mrs. Madison denies any fault. Buffy spots the brownies and starts to realize what is really going on. Giles tells Mrs. Madison that she ought to take some responsibility, but she says that Amy is out of her mind. Ever since her dad left, she can't control her. Buffy slowly gets up and asks if she is Amy. Giles doesn't understand until Buffy explains that Amy switched their bodies. Amy-in-Catherine's-body admits that it's true, "She said I was wasting my youth. So she took it."
I will use the handy little break here to announce that for future reference, I will be referring to Amy and Catherine as whose body they are in. Got it?
Buffy and Catherine are sitting on the couch as Giles watches on in a chair. Catherine explains that she had no idea that her mother had these powers; when her dad had been around, he had called her a witch, but she didn't know he meant literally. When he left, her mother went crazy, wouldn't let her call him or anything, locked herself upstairs for days at a time and she was always yelling at Amy and telling her she had it easy. She told her that she didn't know how hard it was to be her - but she has showed her now. Catherine goes on to explain that a few months earlier, she woke up in her mother's body. Giles speaks up, asking about how her mother locked herself upstairs.
Giles bursts into the attic with Catherine on his heels, begging him not to go in there because her mother will kill her. He doesn't listen, instead exploring the dim room. He finds two dolls tied together for the body-switching spell and tells Catherine that he thinks they can reverse all of her mother's spells. Catherine is relieved, "You could? Really, you could?" Giles tells her that they need to find Amy's books and starts looking. He tells her to grab the dolls and other personal effects as he opens a trunk. A black cat jumps out and scares the heck out of him, but he quickly recovers and looks in the trunk - and finds Amy's spell book.
Giles and Catherine come back downstairs to find Buffy still on the couch. She asks if they found and he tells her they did while he hands Catherine the book and helps Buffy up. She's gotten weaker, though, so he picks her up in his arms as he explains to Catherine that they are going to the school and she is coming along.
In the school gym, the Sunnydale High basketball team runs out the doors and onto the court as the cheerleaders do their thing. Willow and Xander sit in the stands, watching Amy closely. You know, I just have to comment… their bleachers are just *sad*. Yeah, I know that Sunnydale is a small town and I am sure that Sunnydale High has a lot less students that my school did… but isn't it customary that bleachers to go at least close to the entire length of a wall? It looks like these don't even cover half the wall. I know that they filmed a lot at a school, but I think this must be a set or something. But I digress, as usual.
Giles carries Buffy into one of the science labs with Catherine following behind. He lays Buffy on a table, putting his jacket under her head for a pillow as he vows to stop this. He joins Catherine up at the desk in the front of the room and opens the spell book as she asks how Buffy is doing. He grimly informs her that they only have a few minutes left.
Back in the gym, Amy and the rest of the squad perform a cheer as the game goes on behind them. Amy is in her glory.
In the science lab, Catherine squeamishly removes the eyeball of a frog as Giles starts casting a spell.
In the gym again, Amy is doing a cheer when she starts getting flashes of what is going on in the science lab. She continues on with the cheer, but seems a bit disoriented.
Cut to the lab. Catherine announces the spell is working before she staggers back and covers her face. Giles continues to recite the spell from the book and the lights go out.
Gym again. The cheerleaders lift Amy up for a pyramid (I think… I've never been a cheerleader… but this isn't really important. They're standing, she's standing, they're holding her feet. Got it? Good.). Once she is up, she lifts her arms and smiles for the crowd as they clap. However, she starts to get dizzy as she has more flashes from the science lab and loses her balance. The other girls are unable to hold her and they all end up tumbling down. Kinda like Humpty Dumpty, but nobody is an egg. Joy starts to bitch at Amy, but Amy gives her a murderous look that shuts her up as she scoots away. I have to say "Yay!" because that is one snarky little wench! Anyway, Amy pushes herself up to her feet, giving everyone the same look as they watch on in silence. She backs up before turning and running out of the gym.
In the lab, Catherine lifts her head and announces that Amy is coming. Giles looks nervous.
Amy rushes through the halls, heading to the science lab when Willow disrupts her. She starts asking questions about being a witch to distract her while Xander sneaks up from behind. Amy senses him, though, and turns around, reaching out her arm and moving her hand like she is grabbing his neck. She makes a fist and twists it and Xander falls to the ground, choking. Wow! What a cool trick. I'm gonna learn me some witchcraft. Next time a customer pisses me off, I can make them feel like I shoved my foot up their ass! How cool is that? Err, but back to the recap. Amy punches Willow in the face and she ends up on the ground as well. Unimpeded, Amy runs off to the science lab…
Where Giles is still chanting, his arms in the air, before he plunges his hands into this mixture he has created. It's all bubbling and I worry that it is boiling, because he looks kind of pained, but since his hands have skin on them afterwards, I am going to hope he is just stressed. Because ouch!
Amy is determined to stop them as she reaches the science lab and starts yanking on the door. Inside, Giles continues to recite the spell and removes his hand from the mixture. Catherine is startled when she notices that someone is trying to open the door. Amy gives up on the doorknob and goes to a case with a fire axe. Breaking the glass, she grabs the axe and starts to chop down the door. Giles is repeatedly shouting "Release!" as Amy chops a big enough hole to reach in and unlock the door. She marches in, axe in hand, and is almost to Buffy when Giles shouts "Release!" once more and it works. Amy and Catherine switch back to their own bodies. Amy is a little stunned, stepping back and lowering the axe. Completely recovered, Buffy sits up and slides off the table, looking at Amy closely. Catching her off guard, Catherine rushes her from the side, effectively tackling her. When Giles moves to help Buffy, Catherine knocks him out. Catherine confronts Amy, who is holding the axe in front of her defensively. Catherine quickly uses her powers to snatch the axe away before tossing it aside. She tells Amy that she's never been anything but trouble, so she is going to put her where she can't make trouble again. Before she can do anything, though, Buffy is back up and punching her. Catherine flies across the room, but quickly recovers, shouting "That body was mine! Mine!" Buffy tells her to grow up and Catherine sends her flying into the wall behind the teacher's desk. Catherine begins to chant a spell, little glowy things swirling around her head. Buffy notices that she is standing right by the pole that holds the position of the mirror hanging from the ceiling so students can see the top of the teacher's desk for demonstrations. At the very last second, she kicks the pole and the mirror swings down. Catherine's spell is reflected back at her, swirling around her as she screams until it swallows her up. Giles wakes up and Buffy helps him to his feet. He modestly says that he assumes that all the spells were reversed, as this was his first casting. At the time this first aired, that was fine, but now I say "Huh?" Okay, I don't know much about witchcraft and the like, but aren't we to believe that Giles was messing around with spells and stuff back in his college years? Oh well. Buffy declares that he is a God, since he saved her life. Amy admits that she didn't think he would pull it off. All of a sudden, Xander bursts in and grabs Amy, shouting for them to cut her head off. Buffy orders him to release Amy and they explain that Amy was her mom. Willow then rushes in, bat in hand, ready to beat Amy's ass until Xander explains that he "took care of it." Appeased, Willow relaxes and smiles.
Buffy is sitting on her bed in her room, tossing the remains of her alarm clock in the wastebasket when her mother enters and declares, "I don't get it." Oh, if we ever had to pick the *perfect* line for a character, that would be Joyce's. But anyway, she tells Buffy that she has been doing a lot of thinking, trying to relate to Buffy and she realizes that she just doesn't get it. She thinks it is because Buffy's sixteen. Buffy asks if she would ever want to be sixteen again and Joyce admits that even if it helped her understand her daughter, she would never want to go through all that again. They exchange smiles before Buffy tells her mom that she loves her and gives her a kiss on the cheek, then leaves the room. Joyce looks after her, confused, and repeats, "I don't get it."
In the halls of Sunnydale High, Buffy and Amy walk together as Amy complains about how clingy her dad is before admitting that she loves it. Cordelia walks up to the two girls and rubs it in that they both got bumped back to alternate. Amy bites back, telling her that she knows she will miss the intellectual thrill of spelling out words with her arms. Cordelia says it's just sour grapes and moves on as Buffy and Amy stop in front of the trophy case. Amy remembers that Buffy actually wanted to be on the squad and apologizes, but Buffy is cool - cheerleading is a little too perilous for her taste. They look at Catherine's trophy and Amy says there has been no sign of her. She doesn't expect to, since Catherine had said she would send her somewhere that she would never make trouble again. They turn and head off down the hall while Amy talks about possibly getting fat, as the camera gets a close up of the trophy. We see that it's eyes are moving is making muffled noises that sound suspiciously like Lishanne's when she lost her mouth, but I will just ignore that. :)
I don't think this is a favorite episode among many, but I really like it. And you know, watching Amy loving her cheerleading so much, and thinking about all the things she did to get there. Creepy.