Episode 12: Checkpoint

Season Five, Episode Twelve

"Checkpoint"

It's time for a Scooby meeting! Giles was able to score some information about Glory from the council. Or at least will score some information once the council comes to Sunnydale to tell them what they've discovered. The world freaks out and Tara doesn't understand why because Watchers should just be like "other Gileses." However, before she learns how wrong she is, I'd like to point out how amazing she looks:

Look at her hair!

Everyone done swooning? Okay, good! Now Buffy goes back to freaking out saying that the council almost killed her and she doesn't want them here. And she does have a point. As Willow pointed out, the last time they tried to kill her they thought she was Faith but the time before that in Helpless? What was their excuse then? Buffy rehashing these stories worries Anya who doesn't believes that they will be ex-demon compatible.

Buffy continues freaking the hell out saying that it's a delicate time since she has to take care of Dawn...but, as Xander points out, she's always had to take care of Dawn. And then she freaks out more when she finds out Dawn was listening in but, as Willow points out, what's she gonna do? "set the Junior High buzzing with 'There's a delegation a-comin'?'"

We then switch over to Glory who has a killer migraine that can only be cured by sucking someone's brain. So basically just your run of the mill migraines that everyone get. Anyways, after she's cured she discusses with her ugly minion how she needs to find the key and she's going to use "Mousy the Vampire Slayer" to figure out where it is.

And now it's party time at The Magic Box! And there ain't no party like a Council party because a Council party, well, isn't any fun...

They start off their party by going through the store and pointing out everything wrong with it and which items should be removed. They then move onto the second stage of their grand ole' time: closing the store!

"Customers, please bring your money back!"

After Anya gets upset, the Council announces who they are and she very abruptly leaves. After, they announce that the reason for their visit is because they have vital, but delicate, information and they needs to do a review in order to know that Giles and "his Slayer" can handle it. But don't worry, Buffy has acquired "remarkable focus":

PROFESSOR ROBERTS: I assure you, there's near consensus in the academic community regarding Rasputin's death-

BUFFY: There was near consensus about Columbus too, until someone asked the Vikings what they were up to in the 1400's and they were like - "discovering this America-shaped continent."

Now this is a bit strong but Buffy does have a point. She's in college and has opinions and her suggesting to come at things from a different perspective should not have been made fun of so harshly by this professor. This gives us some insight as to how the Council review is going to unfold. These old academics believe they deserve respect because of the work they've put in. However, Buffy doesn't deserve the same respect because in their eyes she's just a student. Buffy keeps fighting with authority figures because it doesn't seem fair or right that they get respect because they've earned a title whereas she isn't warranted any because of the title given to her.

But don't worry, Buffy's going to take some of her anger out on the next vamp she meets; just like always. However, Spike ends up staking the vamp for her. Uh-oh, poor guy. Buffy is very angry and she didn't need his help! He made a boo boo by coming to her rescue.

We move over from angry!Buffy to grumpy!Ben. Glory's minion approaches Ben to ask that he gets closer to the Slayer since she would like more information on her. Ben doesn't think he knows the Slayer but once the minion tells him that her name is "Buffy something" it registers: Buffy Summers is the Slayer. However, I doubt he's going to be willing to help her. He announces that he has a message for Glory too and the screen cuts to black.

And now back to The Magic Box where Buffy walks in and sees the Council. She tries to leave since she's already had a bad day but they stop her. Everything is pretty boring with them explaining their stupid rules to her and what is going to take place. However, things get adorable when Giles gets angry and begins yelling at Travers saying that she's not their bloody instrument. Poor guy, he just wants to protect Buffy from these pricks but he holds no power over them. In fact, they announce how much power they hold over them by saying that, if they don't follow by their rules, they'll close The Magic Box and send Giles back to England. Again with annoying people with earned titles demanding Buffy's respect. How annoying...

GILES: It's a power play, is what it is. It's all about who has the power.
BUFFY: I'm guessing they do. Big power outage in Buffy County.
GILES: I should've set you loose on 'em, that's what I should've done.
BUFFY: Giles, that guy Travers, he's like sixty something years old. I can't hit him. Can I?
GILES: I suppose not. But I bloody well could. Think I will.
BUFFY: Can they really do the stuff they threatened to do? Kick you out of the country?

GILES: In a hot second. They're all right when it comes to the rough stuff, a little ham-handed but they get it done. But this stuff, bureaucracy, pulling political strings, paperwork... this is where they're the best in the world. They can kill you with a stroke of the pen. Poncy buggers.

This is a big issue within the entire series of Buffy and frankly all of Joss' work: power lies within the bureaucracy. What this means is that while Buffy and the scoobies hold knowledge about demons and have the ability to save the world and should hold the power, they don't because they don't have the paperwork to prove it. Welcome to the world where shit is really annoying most of the time.

We'll go back from this intensely informative moment into more adorableness: Buffy telling Giles that they worked the right angle with her because she can't lose him. D'awwwwwww.

Buffy ends by asking Giles where they're going to start and the answer to this is with the interogation of her friends! God, do I love this part!

Anya: Anya Christina Emanuella Jenkins, twenty years old. Born on the fourth of July, and don't think there weren't jokes about that my whole life, mister, 'cause there were. "Who's our little patriot?" they'd say, when I was younger, and therefore smaller and shorter than I am now.
Philip: (taking notes) So, you spell it A-N-Y-A, yes?
Anya: Yes.
Philip: Fine, now we can get to the questions.

Nigel: Good. I need to know a little bit more about the Slayer, and about the both of you. Your relationship, whatever you can tell me.
Tara: O-o-our relationship?
Willow: We're friends.
Tara: Good friends.
Willow: Girlfriends, actually.
Tara: Yes, we're girlfriends.
Willow: We're in love. We're ... lovers. (puts hand on Tara's knee) We're lesbian, gay-type lovers.
Nigel: I meant your relationship with the Slayer.
Tara: Um, just good friends.

Xander: Best friends. Willow and me and Buffy. The three of us have been together from the beginning. We've always gone on patrols, and uh, done demon research with her and everything.
Philip: Have you mastered any fighting disciplines over the years?
Xander: No.
Philip: So, you have no special skills, or powers, or knowledge that you bring to the mix. Neither of you.
Anya: Just enthusiasm for killing the demons. Go deadness for the demons.
Xander: I don't have any powers, but I do help.
Philip: How? Be specific.
Xander: Last year, uh, Willow, Giles and me combined our essences with Buffy, which isn't as weird as it sounds. (laughs nervously) We merged, and I was the heart part of a super-Buffy. Again, let me stress the not-as-weird thing.
Anya: I'm told it was all very professional.

Nigel: Are you saying that the Slayer needs that level of help from you often?
Willow: No, no, she doesn't need help.
Tara: She'd be fine without us. Sometimes she goes off and does stuff without even telling us.
Willow: Not that she's like a, a weird loner or anything.
Tara: I'm not sure we're saying this right.
Willow: See, here's the thing. We, we can help because we do magicks. I'm working on this ball of sunshine thing. See, I have this theory.
Tara: It's very cool.
Willow: A-and if it works, easier slaying for Buffy. Not that it's hard for her now!
Nigel: Interesting. What level are you at?
Tara: Level?
Nigel: Magical proficiency level?
Willow: Oh! Uh, high, a high level. Very high. One of those ... top levels.
Tara: Five!
Nigel writes this down as Willow and Tara give each other anxious looks. Willow mouths, "five??" and Tara shrugs.
Nigel: And you're registered as practicing witches under the names as you gave them to me?
Tara: R-registered?
Willow: Oh yes! Yes, of course we're-
Tara: ...r-r-registered.

Philip: Do either of you know anything about the key?
Anya: Nope, but it sounds demony to me. I don't hold with that demon nonsense. Muffin? I cooked them myself.
Philip: So, Buffy sometimes protects you from the dangerous elements of her work.
Xander: Yes. She's saved my life lots of times. The Vampires in this town hate her.

Watcher: We understand that you help the Slayer
Spike: I pitch in when she pays me.
Watcher: She pays you? She gives you money?
Spike: Money, a little nip of blood out of some stray victim, whatever.
Watcher: Blood?
Spike: Well, if they're gonna die anyway. Come to think of it, though, that's a bit scandalous, isn't it? Personally, I'm shocked. The girl's slipping.
Watcher: You've noticed a decline in her work?
Spike: Oh, yeah. See, the poor little twig can't keep a man. Gets her all down. Few more disappointments, she'll be cryin' on my shoulder, mark my words.
Watcher: Is that what you want? I'd think you'd want to kill her. You've killed Slayers before.
Spike: Heard of me, have you?
Watcher: I ... wrote my thesis on you.
So. Freaking. Hilarious.

Next we move onto the physical test where Buffy will be given instructions in Japanese. Which in other words means Buffy is screwed. After she epicly fails this task she asks for another chance saying she "might be getting this, like, inner ear thing, and so maybe, maybe if I got a note, I could try again." I love this line; apparently Buffy thinks she's at school or something saying she could get a doctor's note.

The last part of the test will be to look into Buffy's strategies. This section will begin tonight giving Buffy a few hours to "prepare." Or, you know, have a conversation with Glory in her living room.

Dawn once again proves she's an idiot when Glory brings her into the conversation. Buffy tells Glory that she knows nothing and Dawn interrupts saying that she knows stuff and she hears things she's not supposed to all the time and she'll figure it out eventually. *head desk* Dawn, why are you stupid? Buffy was trying to PROTECT you because you ARE the key!

After this conversation, Glory threatens to kill everyone Buffy loves while she watches which makes Buffy force Dawn and Joyce to pack their bags and take them over to Spike who is going to babysit them. The best part of this is when Joyce and Spike connect over Passions.

Back at The Magic Box, the Council morons are counting each minute Buffy is late because this is the most important thing ever. It's not as if she has a sacred birthright that sometimes forces her to need to fight evil things on her way to meetings.

However, through this surprise attack from the Knights of Byzantium, Buffy learns exactly how to get back at the Council.

Buffy: No review. No interrogation. No questions you know I can't answer. No hoops, no jumps -and no interruptions. See ... I've had a lot of people talking at me the last few days. Everyone just lining up to tell me how unimportant I am. And I've finally figured out why. (looks Travers in the eye) Power. I have it.
Buffy: Glory ... came to my home today.
Giles: (alarmed) Buffy, are you-
Buffy: Just to talk. She told me I'm a bug, I'm a flea, she could squash me in a second. Only she didn't. She came into my home, and we talked. We had what in her warped brain probably passes for a civilized conversation. Why? Because she needs something from me. Because I have power over her. You guys didn't come all the way from England to determine whether or not I was good enough to be let back in. You came to beg me to let you back in. To give your jobs, your lives some semblance of meaning. You're Watchers. Without a Slayer, you're pretty much just watchin' Masterpiece Theater. You can't stop Glory. You can't do anything with the information you have except maybe publish it in the "Everyone Thinks We're Insane-O's Home Journal." So here's how it's gonna work. You're gonna tell me everything you know. Then you're gonna go away. You'll contact me if and when you have any further information about Glory. The magic shop will remain open. Mr. Giles will stay here as my official Watcher, reinstated at full salary...
Giles: (coughing) Retroactive.
Buffy: ...to be paid retroactively from the month he was fired. I will continue my work with the help of my friends...
Watcher: I, uh, I ... don't want a sword thrown at me, but, but, civilians, I - we're talking about children.
Buffy: We're talking about two very powerful witches and a thousand-year-old ex-demon.
Anya: Willow's a demon?!
Philip: The boy? No power there.
Buffy: The boy has clocked more field time than all of you combined. He's part of the unit.
Willow: (whispers to Xander) That's Riley-speak.
Xander: (whispers back, with a big grin) I've clocked field time.
Buffy: Now. (addresses the Watchers) You all may be very good at your jobs. The only way we're gonna find out is if you work with me. You can all take your time thinking about that. (turns back to Travers) But I want an answer right now from Quinton, 'cause I think he's understanding me.
Travers: (clears throat) Uh, your terms are acceptable.

Yayyyyy

Then funniness happens when Travers tells Giles they found some alcohol when they were looking through his shop and he'd like a glass. Buffy tells him to wait until she hears about what kind of demon Glory is. But that's just the thing, Glory isn't a demon: she's a God.

Holy crap

Until next time!

-Sarah