Episode 4: Inca Mummy Girl

Season Two, Episode Four

"Inca Mummy Girl"

We open the episode with the gang all going to the museum while discussing the upcoming foreign exchange program. Cordelia is basically treating this program as some sort of fast food establishment where you can place an order for exactly what you want. And, by not picking out which student she gets, Buffy is apparently “living on the edge.”

Have I mentioned how much I love Giles and Buffy? It’s hysterical how Buffy hurts him so much so he gives in. The gang all start discussing how some guy that no one likes ending up going missing and they start laughing about the completely insane scenario that he could have been killed on the field trip. This is all very hilarious up until the point they all realize that they live on a Hellmouth and this is a very real possibility for what occurred and, as it turns out, this is exactly what happened.

The normal brainstorming is taking place when Buffy remember she needs to pick up her exchange student who happens to be a guy. Xander can't get over this fact and is increasingly more and more paranoid about him staying with Buffy before even meeting him.

“oh yeah, fall for the ‘let me translate that ancient seal for ya’ come on. Do you know how many times I’ve used that?”

Willow and Xander tag along while Buffy goes to pick him up only to realize that the exchange student is a girl because she killed the actual exchange student because sometimes translations can be done wrong on forms or something else more realistic. Basically, they all just go along with it thinking Ampata is who she says she is. I think Willow takes the cake for absolute funniest statement ever made to someone after you first meet them (“so Ampata, you’re a girl”) to which Ampata has the best response (“yes, for many years now"); this scene cracks me up every time.

The introduction of Oz is going to take over this post now! I’m so glad Oz comes in and likes Willow; I hate her moping over Xander. And I’m just going to say for the record right now that Willow has the best relationships out of the scoobies. She got Oz AND Tara who are amazing and amazinger. And Willow deserves them both because she’s amazing (and hot.) I love when Willow tells Xander to ask out Ampata because it shows that she’s choosing to try and move on.

“You know what Willow, you’re my best friend” “I know” I love this! She’s finally recognizing what her relationship with Xander should be. I think that teenagers especially place so much emphasis on relationships that they feel like they should never be just friends with the opposite sex. It really irks me that this is how things happen but it is what it is. In this moment, however, Willow is realizing that she doesn’t need more than friendship from him to be okay. And, may I just say now, I am firmly a Willow/Tara shipper but, my god, is Oz’s reaction when he first sees Willow beyond adorable!

This episode also deals a lot with the issue of doing things for the greater good and whether or not it works out well. I’m going to try my hardest to not mention the other series that discusses—OMG THIS WAS IN HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS! I’m actually not going to discuss HP much but I just needed to bring it up because I have Harry Potter Tourette's. Anyways, here Buffy is chosen to protect all and Ampata was chosen to die as a sacrifice to protect all. Both have to suffer, the difference is that Buffy is learning to cope with her situation whereas Ampata is hiding from it and feels as if her life is worth the murder of others. It’s a thin line of right versus wrong and individual privilege versus duty to humanity for both of them. They both have been dealt some pretty unfortunate cards.

Ampata is sort of nice, though, about this whole i-have-to-kill-others-to-live thing. She could easily have taken Xander’s life but she likes him and wants him to live. Poor girl, she is really faced with some shitty decisions to make. And, once again, the awesomeness of this show is presented when Xander tells Ampata that she can't take Willow and if she wants life she needs to take his and she says that she'd be okay with that. Guess you get really desperate when you're about to die, eh?

And, to conclude this post, LOOK HOW ADORABLE WILLOW IS?!?!:

Favorite Line(s): “Where are you from, the country of white trash?” - Xander & “Why are you suddenly so worried about looking like an idiot? That came out wrong…” – Willow

-Sarah!

Kali’s Notes:

- I know that we can learn many things from researching/dissecting mummies, but when you think about it, it’s super creepy. We take dead bodies out of their graves to perform experiments on them, and then display them for students and anyone else to see. Hence why I want to be cremated (which is also quite gross, but no one will be poking at me and displaying my naked, desiccated body…hopefully).

- It's sweet how the Inca Mummy Princess couldn't kill Xander at first. I know she's the "bad guy", but you have to feel bad for her. Sacrificed before she got to have a real life and all she is trying to do is live. Yes, she is killing other people, but what would you do? Kill a stranger so you can survive? At least Buffy sympathizes with her. Xander, not so much, but he’s bitter over the fact that he’s slowly learning that he will never date anyone that isn’t a demon/monster. Yes, I’m including Cordelia in that statement.

- We get to meet a new, important character…Jonathan! I’m not sure if this is his first episode, but this is his first speaking role in the show. But really, we meet OZ! Oz is one of my favorite characters and I wish we could have had more of him. Just about everything he says is witty and thoughtful. Even when he says "No, not her. The Eskimo!” I just about squeed myself to death. Can he be my boyfriend too? “Who is that girl?” Also, I need a Dingo's Ate My Baby shirt.

- While I don’t fan girl over Willow like Sarah, could she be any more adorable in this episode? "Maybe I should have worn something sexy" NO WILLOW! Don't ever change! You just stay adorable.

- Lastly, I briefly mentioned in “When She Was Bad” how in Season 1 it took our main characters more than half the episode to figure out what the audience already knew. Season 2 they are able to figure out at least some parts much quicker and it makes things much less annoying. Almost immediately they figure out that the mummy is killing people and it’s presented in an entertaining way rather than straight exposition.  “LOL, the mummy probably came to life...oh wait...yeah...that probably is what happened.”

Favorite Line: Buffy (mocking Giles) "Slaying entails certain sacrifices, blah blah bitty blah, I'm so stuffy, give me a scone."