Consequences

As Buffy tries to deal with the Vice-Mayor being stabbed by Faith, everything she says falls on deaf ears. Faith is power hungry and won't try to change. She even blames Buffy for the killing when she goes to Giles. Forces are at work through the Mayor's office. He is pure evil. He now has things that he can do because of his incantations which make him move forward on his grand plans. Mr. Trick is there to aid him although I don't understand why he trusts the Mayor, being a vampire himself. Buffy enlists Angel to try to bring Faith down to earth. But to no avail. The episode ends with a startling event that makes the future even more uncertain.

Following on from 'Bad Girls', where Faith accidentally killed the deputy mayor, Buffy is having nightmares about it while Faith seems unconcerned. Ultimately Buffy decides that she must tell Giles; unfortunately Faith has already seen him... to say Buffy was the killer. Giles didn't believe her though and the group discuss what they can do to help Faith; even if she doesn't want to be helped. Meanwhile Wesley learns what happened and contacts the Watchers' Council.

This episode is very different compared to most; there is no main supernatural threat; it is all about trying to help Faith deal with the consequences of what happened. Eliza Dushku is great in the role; she really makes the viewer believe that she is conflicted but could go either way and could become really dangerous... the scene where Xander went to talk to her perfectly illustrated her dangerous side. It isn't just the deputy mayor's death that has consequences; when news of Faith's night of passion reaches Willow she is genuinely upset; Alyson Hannigan was great in this scene. It isn't all talk and emotion; there is a decent amount of action. The episode concludes in a way that I didn't see coming; this will surely have major effects for the rest of the series. Overall a fine character led episode with some good action and a nice twist at the end.