Synopsis:
Old and new friends gather at the Summers home for Buffy's
21st birthday party and it goes off without a hitch - mostly.
Feeling neglected by Buffy and the Scoobys, Dawn's wish to
keep people from leaving her is answered by a demon friend
who binds the attendees of the party to the house - with the
demon inside also, of course.
Written by: Drew Z. Greenberg
Directed by: Michael Gershman
Original Airdate: February 19, 2002
Destructo Girl Recap:
It's that episode that no Buffy season is complete without!
The birthday episode! As any fan knows, every year around
January/February, we get to see Buffy's birthday… and whatever
horrible fate the Gods see fit to inflict upon her on what
is supposed to be her special day.
Okay, so the episode begins with Buffy in her living room, packing weapons as Dawn looks on. The elder sister promises to have a real dinner soon, but she has a demon to kill. Dawn smiles and assures her it's okay and tries to get Buffy to agree to spend some time with her getting ready for Buffy's party. However, Buffy says that Willow is taking care of it and poor widdle Dawn is disappointed! I'm distracted from my not caring about the evil witch as Buffy slides on a REALLY cute coat. It's velvet-like and red and I WANT!
Cut to Buffy in the cemetery, fighting a demon with a sword. A cheater demon, that is, because he keeps doing this disappearing thing! Rude, I know. Anyway, when he loses his hold on his sword, Buffy (apparently) kills him. Buffy doesn't notice, but he turns into this weird glowy thing that is sucked into the sword, which Buffy admires and keeps for herself.
Theme song. Commercials. Who the Hell would want to see Super Troopers? Even the commercials are annoying enough to make me want to stab myself with a sharp object. I can only imagine how obnoxious sitting through the entire film (and I use that term loosely) must be.
At the Magic Box, Anya's trying to foist the slug candles off as a decoration for Buffy's birthday bash. Fortunately, Xander is able to shoot her down. Buffy's got karma working against her, let's not get slugs involved. Once his fiancé is appeased Xander asks Willow, who is seated at the table with him, if she would be cool with Tara attending, since Buffy really wants her there. Willow eagerly agrees, pleased at the thought of some time with Tara. Dawn shows up and asks if anyone wants to go shopping at the mall with her. Everyone says no (I can't blame them… I love to shop but I would rather wear plaid pants with a leopard print tube top than go shopping with her) and Dawn is once again disappointed. You see, people just can't have things to do… it's a personal offence against Dawn.
Dawn comes back home to a dark and (after calling for Buffy) decidedly empty house. After going up to her room, she pulls off her coat and reveals a leather jacket underneath it with the tags still attached. I don't know about you, but when I buy something, they usually give it to me in a bag, so I'm thinking Dawn got a five finger discount. Either that or it was so cold she doubled up on coats, but since this is southern California and Angel's too busy being a dork to be suicidal, I doubt it.
The next day (I assume), Dawn is sitting in class when she gets a note to go to the guidance counselor, who is very sympathetic about her mom and tells her that she knows "there's been a lot of loss" and asks if there is anything she can do. Dawn hedges at first, but after a bit of prodding she says "People have a tendency to go away. And I miss them. And sometimes I wish I could make them stop. Going away."
Evidently, it's time for the party and Buffy's in the kitchen with Xander and Anya. She mentions that Sophie, a friend from work, is coming and Anya all-too-happily announces that she and Xander have invited someone as well. A guy someone. Buffy's not amused and Xander is quick to say it's not a setup, but Anya yammers on about hoping Buffy will find a lot in common with the guy so that they can double date and someone else to talk to. Amazingly enough, Buffy doesn't seem thrilled.
Tara arrives and Buffy is quite pleased to see her. Tara asks if Spike is coming and Buffy says no, which is good because she is still not ready to "out" herself. Buffy asks her how she is, if she's nervous about Willow (who is upstairs examining herself in the mirror… not closely enough, though, or else she would take off her UGLY top and burn it). Tara admits that "'gulp' comes to mind." As Willow comes down the stairs, Buffy makes a completely unsmooth exit, leaving the two of them alone. Awkward conversation ensues.
Buffy's back in the kitchen, pouring herself a glass of something I am going to guess is juice or punch, when Tara comes in and grabs it, tense after seeing Willow. There's a knock at the back door before it opens and Spike comes in, a six-pack of beer in hand. Buffy's shocked to see him, but I'm all grinning and happy. Spike explains that Willow mentioned the party, but I have to wonder if that's true. Eh, who cares? Anyway, he's brought along Clement (aka Clem) who was that loose skinned demon that played kitten poker with him back in Life Serial. Xander enters with a cute guy around his age in tow, looking a little nervous, who is introduced as Richard. He gets the great idea to tell Buffy to show Richard where to park his car as a way to get them talking. As the two of them head out, Richard asks Buffy about Clem. She explains that it's a skin condition. Tara teases a jealous Spike, discussing Richard's cuteness with Clem. Fun fun fun!
In the living room, Dawn is chomping at the bit about Buffy opening presents, then is annoyed as Anya talks to her as though she were a child. Anya doesn't think Dawn quite understands about Buffy's "grown-up friend" and patronizes her. The brat ain't happy, to say the least.
Spike corners Buffy as she comes down the stairs, propositioning her to go "blow out [his] candles." She turns him down and he lightly asks if she just doesn't want to make Richard jealous. Buffy suggests that Richard may not be the jealous one.
Buffy's opening her presents… a portable massager from Willow, which garners a suggestive look from Spike. Dawn thrusts her gift into Buffy's lap. Upon opening it, Buffy finds the leather jacket and is understandably stunned that her fifteen-year-old sister could afford it. Plus, she finds the security tag. Dawn, don't you know? All you need is a magnet to take that off! Not that I steal… but I do work retail! Well… Dawn probably wants to get caught anyway. But no dice! Xander wheels in a gorgeous wooden trunk and Buffy is all impressed, putting the box with her jacket back in a (are you ready to be shocked?) *pouting* Dawn's lap! Buffy stands up and walks over to them to get a closer look at the trunk, asking if they made it, to which Anya responds "Xander did the building. I offered helpful suggestions while observing from a safe distance." Oh God, I can imagine what that was like. Poor Xander. He ought to be sainted for not killing her. Sophie, Buffy's friend from the Doublemeat, arrives and turns out to be pretty… quirky? Quirky is good, because I like quirky and I do like Sophie. She's kinda spazzy - as soon as she comes in she thanks Buffy for inviting her and lists off all the things she can't eat as her mother told her to do. Anya is pleased with herself and whispers that the friend they brought is better. Dawn closes the door and we see the guidance counselor standing on the porch. However, she soon morphs into a demon visage and we see it's actually Hallie (Halfrek), Anya's vengeance demon friend from last week. I actually knew it was her in the earlier scene, but I figured "Hey, let the kiddies be surprised!" So were ya? Anyway… Hallie says "Wish Granted." Ooh… ominous.
We must endure more commercials, one of which is the horrendous Radio Shack ones. Is there anyone left on Earth who doesn't wish Teri Hatcher and Howie Long dead, so long as we never have to see them raving about a computer again?
When we get back to Buffy, the party's in full swing. There's loud music playing as Sophie and Clem dance, people are sitting and talking. Everyone (besides Dawn, and I sure don't care) is having fun. Out in the hall, Richard approaches Buffy and comments on how much fun everyone is having and that nobody is even thinking about leaving. Buffy doesn't seem too into the idea of trying for a "regular" relationship, though. Richard makes a hasty exit and Spike strolls over to Buffy, making fun of the "other man." He gets her cornered again, making with the touching before putting her hand on his thigh. Unfortunately, they're interrupted by Tara and Buffy quickly rushes off. Spike lamely explains that he had a muscle cramp and Tara grins, not buying it for a second.
Xander and Anya are nuzzling each other in a chair, being all disgusting and saying "No, you go!" to each other until Willow blessedly says *she* will go. On a beer run, as it turns out. Sophie offers to go with her, despite the fact that she can't drink beer ('cause of the barley). However, nobody moves and after a moment, Willow puts her head down on the table.
In the living room, Buffy plays monopoly with Richard, Dawn, Willow and Anya, while Clem, Xander, Spike and Tara play poker (without the kittens, which Clem finds weird). Spike's still big with the suggestive comments to Buffy, and Tara delightfully teases him about his muscle cramp. Oh, and Dawn suggests they have a slumber party, to which everyone agrees. Now she's finally pleased.
It's the next morning and everyone is still at the Summers house. Willow and Sophie are conked out on the couch and Dawn, Xander and Clem are planted in front of the TV, watching cartoons. Buffy and Spike are sitting on the floor by the new weapons chest and Buffy is shuffling a deck of cards. Wouldn't it be fun if they played strip poker? Not in front of everyone else, of course. Richard comes in and tells Xander they need to get going to work. Xander doesn't seem phased. Spike, eager to have him gone, suggests they go find his coat. Richard's all confused why he's (himself, not Spike) not leaving. Spike starts talking about how hungry he is, giving Richard pointed looks, and Buffy drags him off the foyer, angrily telling him, "We do not joke about eating people in this house!" Spike gets mad and asks if she's going to beat him up again.
As the blonde twosome bicker, Willow and Tara share more awkwardness in the kitchen. They both comment on how they want to leave…. but they don't want to.
Back in the foyer, Buffy and Spike are still arguing. She says it's time for him to go, but he points out that with the daylight, it might be a bad idea. Buffy says she'll go then, but remains firmly planted where she is. After a few seconds, both say that they really are trying to move…. but they can't.
The entire party is gathered together, something is obviously wrong. They try to go as a group (minus Dawn, who is too busy being sullen), but nobody moves. Everyone says that they need to go… they have work and school that they need to go to. Dawn, of course, decides it's all about her. They want to leave because they don't want to be around her. Willow tries to say they have more important things to do, but Dawn doesn't buy that. What could be more important than hanging out with Dawn? She storms upstairs and flops down on her bed. Buffy, Spike, Tara, Willow and Xander follow and ask if she knows something about this. Dawn gets mad at them for suggesting that (because she's acting as any normal person would, right?) and gets even crankier. They try to assure her that if she did do something, they understand, but then she rants "God! I didn't do anything! I wish I had. I'm glad you're trapped. How else can I get anybody to spend any time with me?" Oh God. Can't they give me one single episode to forget why I hate her so much? And if that's not enough, she starts shrieking "Get out!" at the top of her lungs. I think that is possibly the most annoying thing in the world I have ever witnessed. Can someone please see if Michelle could tone it down just a little?
Back downstairs, they discuss Dawn's suspicious behavior. Anya thinks she is possessed, but Xander says she is a teenager. I hate when people use that as an excuse. If Dawn acted as mature as a teenager, I would accept that, but it wasn't that long ago that I was fifteen. I could be trusted alone, I did chores, I even had a job. And I know that my mom wasn't dead and I wasn't being raised by my sister, but that still doesn't give Dawn the freedom to act like this. In fact, I would think that this stuff would make her grow up faster, so she would be MORE mature than your average teen. Ugh, anyway…. The phones are out. They have lost all connection to the outside world. It's decided that magic is their best bet. However, Buffy got rid of all the magic stuff when Willow went cold turkey. But then Willow reluctantly admits that she did save a few things, which Tara does NOT like. She firmly says that she is doing this alone.
In the kitchen, Tara does the spell as Spike, Willow, Anya, Clem, Richard and Sophie are at the door, ready to leave if Tara's successful. As swirly, colored smoke appears, Tara says "Release." The smoke moves through the house to the sword that Buffy took from the demon the other night.
More commercials. I feel no pity for that guy in "40 Days and 40 Nights." I gave up swearing for Lent. Trust me, it's much easier not having sex than not swearing. Come Easter, I'm going to be cussing so much, I'll make sailors blush.
The demon turns out not to be dead, I'm sure you're all as shocked as I am, and attacks. Richard gets stabbed, but not in the dead way. Buffy fights the demon, but then he disappears again. He quickly reappears and Buffy fights him again, but he throws her into Spike and pulls his vanishing act again. I told you he was a cheater. Buffy promises everyone that they will be out soon.
It's now dark out and they are still stuck. Spike wryly suggests that Buffy not celebrate her birthday anymore. Dawn is back downstairs and sulking. They hear creepy noises as the demon moves inside the walls.
Upstairs, Anya is totally wigging out. I bet she would be a bad person to be stuck in a stalled elevator with. Xander tries to calm her down, but it doesn't seem to do much good. He decides to go get her some water and leaves her alone as he heads downstairs, just as the demon reappears. He attacks Xander, who fights back. Spike starts fighting the demon as well and is soon joined by Buffy. The wussy demon disappears yet again and we find that Xander's arm has been cut. Anya has come down the stairs and is even more freaked, even when Xander assures her he is okay. Buffy asks Dawn if is she okay, to which she gets a snarky, "Do you care?" Buffy seems to be getting sick of the attitude and tells her to stay with Spike. However, when the slayer goes up to her room, Dawn follows, telling her that she didn't mean for this to happen. She complains that she feels all alone.
Back downstairs, the rest of the gang is trying to find a way out. Anya goes after Willow, saying that she is so powerful and she CAN get them out, she just won't. Xander starts to back her up, trying to pressure Willow to do magic, saying they brought her back once, they can do it again. I've never really had an addiction that I had to quit, but even I know that is really jacked. Sometimes Xander can be an amazing friend, but sometimes I want to strangle him. Tara isn't having it, though, and stands up to Anya. When Spike weighs in on the side of supporting Willow's decision to quit magic, Anya knows she is outnumbered. Telling them that *she* will get them out, she marches past them and up the stairs.
Sitting side by side on her bed, Buffy tells Dawn that she wishes she would have told her about how she felt, Dawn complains that she is not around. Does she think Buffy works for fun? Doesn't she understand that money is kind of one of those necessary things and Buffy does have to earn it. Anyway, Buffy says Dawn is her most important job and Dawn asks if her if she read a handbook from the guidance counselor. Buffy gets suspicious and starts asking questions about the guidance counselor. Dawn realizes her mistake and admits that she made a wish to the stranger. Hearing some strange noises, the sisters jump up.
Anya's going through Dawn's room, searching, as Xander looks on and tries to stop her. She won't, though, insisting that Dawn knows something. Buffy and Dawn come in to find her tearing through everything. Dawn tells her to stop, but she is ignored. Buffy tries to explain that it's not Dawn's fault, but she won't listen to her either. Anya opens a box and finds a bunch of stolen jewelry. She looks at it all in shock, along with Buffy and Xander. "Half this stuff is from the Magic Box." She asks Dawn how she could do this, but the brat just does what she does best. Runs out of the room. And, as the common theme of this episode has been, they all follow her downstairs.
Anya is understandably betrayed, after all she has done for Dawn, she steals from her store. Buffy tries to get Dawn to tell Anya she's wrong until she looks at the leather jacket and something clicks. Her sister is a kleptomaniac. Isn't that an offense punishable by death? No? That sucks. But back to the show! Buffy explains that this isn't all Dawn's fault, that she made a wish to her guidance counselor. Anya asks if the counselor was wearing a pendant with a dark blue stone. Dawn asks, "And little red flecks?" I think she was probably casing it. Anyway, Anya figures it out and starts bellowing for Hallie. She explains that only a vengeance demon can break her own spell, Hallie is the only one who can get them out of there. Hallie materializes, but only in time to be speared by that annoying demon.
After yet another commercial break, Anya starts kicking some demon butt, then Buffy and Spike join in. Buffy finally kills him and breaks the sword in two so he will never come back. Yay.
The focus moves back to Hallie, lying on the floor where she fell after being stabbed. Anya starts yelling for them to get her pendant. She and Buffy rush over to her, but before they reach her, she sits up and pushes her hand out so Anya goes flying into the sofa. Buffy simply stares at her. It turns out that it was just a flesh wound. Not for a regular person. You or I would be dead… but vengeance demons are special. Hallie scolds Anya, saying she ought to know better. Anya's all upset with her for doing this, especially since "Some of them are in the wedding party." Hallie says she just goes where she is needed. She notices Spike and calls him William. Spike recognizes her as well, but when Buffy asks if they know each other, they deny it. Tara says she thought vengeance demons only went after men who scorned women, but Hallie explains that was just Anya's thing. The rest of them like to be more well rounded. And also, they prefer the term, "justice demon." Hehe. Anya argues that Hallie has a thing for bad parents, but Hallie says the children just need her. Anya counters that she has Daddy issues. As a little side note, this seems a little strange after Hallie thought she was summoned by Anya to punish Xander, but maybe she is more well rounded than Anya and while she prefers to help children, she branches out. Anyway, Hallie says it doesn't matter, nothing changes the fact that Dawn was in pain. She could hear her crying out everywhere she went. She tells them that they deserve to be cursed. Excuse me, somehow Dawn brainwashed Hallie into thinking everything was about her as well. It's just not realistic for them to expect everyone to not do anything but sit around with Dawn all the time! Ugh… I'm not even going to get started. You all know that I completely do not agree with this and thus will not be surprised to hear that when Hallie looks at Buffy and shakes her head, I want to smack her silly (Hallie, not Buffy). Telling them all to enjoy their time together, she dramatically moves her arms so that she can leave with a flourish, but alas, she's still there. She tries again. And fails. Anya tells her that it's the curse - she's stuck too now. Realizing she is right, Hallie declares the curse is lifted and finally makes her exit.
In the kitchen, Tara is packing up the herbs and stuff she used for the spell as Willow watches on. Willow thanks Tara for standing up for her and explains that she wasn't planning on using the stuff, she just kept it around as a safety net. Tara says that she understands, but it's time to work without the net. She points out that things got really bad and Willow made it. She smiles as she goes back to packing up the herbs and Willow smiles as well.
For whatever reason, they decided not to call 911 to come fetch Richard and instead, Anya and Xander are supporting him between the two of them as they come down the stairs and into the foyer, informing everyone (who have gathered around) that they're taking him to the ER. Anya tells Dawn to get used to two words - punitive damages. Buffy asks Spike if he thinks the spell has worn off. There's only one way to test it, so he goes over to the door and opens it. Xander and Anya carry Richard out, followed by Willow, Tara, Sophie and Clem. Being outside is shiny and new and everyone is thrilled to be out of the house. Clem gives Buffy a thumbs up, "Good party!" I like that guy. Spike gives Buffy a smile before going out the door as well. Buffy walks over to the door, Dawn following with a sad look on her face. But Buffy just shuts the door and as it closes, Dawn smiles. Why not? The evil brat got her way.