Consequences (Buffy episode)
Encyclopedia
"Consequences" is the 15th episode of season 3 of the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
orders her and Buffy
to investigate and see if anything supernatural was involved. Privately, Faith asks if Buffy is going to turn her in, and Buffy isn't sure. Buffy and Faith sneak into City Hall to try to find out what Finch was doing in the alleyway in the first place; although all of his papers have been shredded, they do learn that the Mayor is in league with Mr. Trick.
After some deep thinking, and talking with Willow about it, she decides to tell Giles
what happened, only to discover that Faith has already told him that Buffy was the killer. Luckily, Giles easily sees through the lie, though he lets Faith think he believes her so the gang can keep closer tabs on her and get her off the slippery slope she is on. Giles explains to Buffy what will happen when mistakes with human murder occurs and that Faith is in denial about the murder. Wesley sees them talking and calls the Watcher Council.
During a meeting of the gang, Xander
tells the others that he slept with Faith. Buffy and Giles are openly surprised; Willow
tries to play down her reaction but ends up crying alone in the bathroom. Buffy expresses her worry about Faith and the need to deal with the problem now. Xander is asked to help Giles and Willow with the research that needs to be done on the Mayor and Mr. Trick.
Xander tries to reason with Faith, only to have her try to kill him. She repeats her favorite saying, "I see, I want, I take." Xander is eventually rescued by Angel, who tries his own brand of reasoning and seems to be making progress. The Mayor and Mr. Trick are seen talking about Buffy and Faith's break in of the City Hall. The Mayor says that the slayers both have to be taken care of and quickly and that there isn't enough evidence against them to put them in jail.
Unfortunately, Wesley learns what happened and follows Watcher Council procedure. Accompanied by others with crosses and nets, Wesley attacks Angel and yanks Faith away for trial in England. She quickly escapes, and plans to hop a boat out of Sunnydale. Because of the arrest and the escape, Wesley receives very hostile attitudes from the gang. Buffy finds her, and they start to fight as she tries to reason with Faith. Their meeting is interrupted by several vampires led by Mr. Trick. As he is about to bite Buffy, Faith stakes him and saves her. Unlike most vampires, Mr. Trick says, "Oh no, this is no good at all," after Faith stakes him. Buffy returns to the library, sure now that there is still good in Faith. However, in the final scene Faith offers her services to the Mayor.
Plot
Faith's plan to hide her accidental murder in the last episode fails when Finch's body is quickly found. Wesley Wyndam-PryceWesley Wyndam-Pryce
Wesley Wyndam-Pryce is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel...
orders her and Buffy
Buffy Summers
Buffy Summers is a fictional character from Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer franchise. She first appeared in the 1992 film Buffy the Vampire Slayer before going on to appear in the television series and subsequent comic book of the same name...
to investigate and see if anything supernatural was involved. Privately, Faith asks if Buffy is going to turn her in, and Buffy isn't sure. Buffy and Faith sneak into City Hall to try to find out what Finch was doing in the alleyway in the first place; although all of his papers have been shredded, they do learn that the Mayor is in league with Mr. Trick.
After some deep thinking, and talking with Willow about it, she decides to tell Giles
Rupert Giles
Rupert Giles is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The character is portrayed by Anthony Stewart Head. He serves as Buffy Summers' mentor and surrogate father figure...
what happened, only to discover that Faith has already told him that Buffy was the killer. Luckily, Giles easily sees through the lie, though he lets Faith think he believes her so the gang can keep closer tabs on her and get her off the slippery slope she is on. Giles explains to Buffy what will happen when mistakes with human murder occurs and that Faith is in denial about the murder. Wesley sees them talking and calls the Watcher Council.
During a meeting of the gang, Xander
Xander Harris
Alexander LaVelle "Xander" Harris is a fictional character in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as well as in numerous items in the series Expanded Universe, such as comic books, tie-in novels and video games...
tells the others that he slept with Faith. Buffy and Giles are openly surprised; Willow
Willow Rosenberg
Willow Rosenberg is a fictional character created for the fantasy television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer . She was developed by Joss Whedon and portrayed throughout the TV series by Alyson Hannigan...
tries to play down her reaction but ends up crying alone in the bathroom. Buffy expresses her worry about Faith and the need to deal with the problem now. Xander is asked to help Giles and Willow with the research that needs to be done on the Mayor and Mr. Trick.
Xander tries to reason with Faith, only to have her try to kill him. She repeats her favorite saying, "I see, I want, I take." Xander is eventually rescued by Angel, who tries his own brand of reasoning and seems to be making progress. The Mayor and Mr. Trick are seen talking about Buffy and Faith's break in of the City Hall. The Mayor says that the slayers both have to be taken care of and quickly and that there isn't enough evidence against them to put them in jail.
Unfortunately, Wesley learns what happened and follows Watcher Council procedure. Accompanied by others with crosses and nets, Wesley attacks Angel and yanks Faith away for trial in England. She quickly escapes, and plans to hop a boat out of Sunnydale. Because of the arrest and the escape, Wesley receives very hostile attitudes from the gang. Buffy finds her, and they start to fight as she tries to reason with Faith. Their meeting is interrupted by several vampires led by Mr. Trick. As he is about to bite Buffy, Faith stakes him and saves her. Unlike most vampires, Mr. Trick says, "Oh no, this is no good at all," after Faith stakes him. Buffy returns to the library, sure now that there is still good in Faith. However, in the final scene Faith offers her services to the Mayor.
Production
- Although credited, Seth Green does not appear in this episode. This is the only Buffy Season Three episode Oz does not appear in.
- This is also the only episode in the entire season where a main character does not appear.
Arc significance
- Finch's death causes the third murder investigation involving Buffy in less than two years: she was previously suspected in the deaths of fellow Slayer Kendra and her would-be stepfather, the robot Ted. Each investigation is headed by Detective James Stein (played by James MacDonald).
- Angel seems to be able to get through to Faith, a theme that will be picked up much later when the two meet in Los Angeles ("Five by Five"/"SanctuarySanctuary (Angel episode)"Sanctuary" is episode 19 of season 1 in the television show Angel. Co-written by Tim Minear and series creator Joss Whedon and directed by Michael Lange, it was originally broadcast on May 2, 2000 on the WB network....
"). - The events of this episode are one of the primary reasons Wesley is eventually dismissed from the Watcher's Council.
- The video of the Mayor and Mr. Trick provides the Scoobies with their first concrete evidence that the Mayor is not what he seems and will become a problem.
- The events of this episode mark Faith's first conscious, definitive break from the good side.
- WillowWillow RosenbergWillow Rosenberg is a fictional character created for the fantasy television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer . She was developed by Joss Whedon and portrayed throughout the TV series by Alyson Hannigan...
keeps on trying to reverse AmyAmy MadisonAmy Madison is a fictional character, a witch played by Elizabeth Anne Allen in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and by Shay Astar in the Season 8 motion comics. She made appearances in every season of Buffy except Seasons Five .Amy is a witch...
's spell that has changed her into a rat in "Gingerbread", without success.
Cultural references
- Buffy describes Faith's inappropriate good cheer with the phrase "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-DahZip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah"Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" is a song from the Disney 1946 live action and animated movie Song of the South, sung by James Baskett. With music by Allie Wrubel and lyrics by Ray Gilbert, "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" won the Academy Award for Best Original Song...
", the title of an optimistic song in the movie Song of the SouthSong of the SouthSong of the South is a 1946 American musical film produced by Walt Disney and released by RKO Radio Pictures. The film is based on the Uncle Remus cycle of stories by Joel Chandler Harris. The live actors provide a sentimental frame story, in which Uncle Remus relates the folk tales of the...
.