Something Blue (Buffy episode)
Encyclopedia
"Something Blue" is the 9th episode of season 4 of the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Written by Tracey Forbes
and directed by Nick Marck
, it originally aired on November 30, 1999 on the WB network
. In "Something Blue", a spell by Willow goes awry, blinding Giles, making Xander a literal demon magnet, and causing Buffy and Spike to fall in love and get engaged.
invites Buffy
out on a picnic. Willow
and Buffy discuss the consequences of a possible relationship with Riley, who seems "safe" and unlikely to hurt her. Buffy wonders if true passion requires pain and fighting. Later, Buffy interrogates Spike, who is chained up in Giles
' bathtub, but he doesn't give up much. Willow suggests a truth spell to make Spike talk.
Going to Oz's place, Willow learns he had his possessions shipped to him, crushing her last hopes of his return. That night at The Bronze
, she opts to drown her sorrows in alcohol. Later, in the dorm bathroom, Willow performs a spell to let her will be granted in order to make her pain go away. However, her commands don't seem to work.
Giles drops by to find out why she didn't show to help him perform the spell as scheduled. She feels like there's too much pressure on her that she can't live up to. Angry, she says that he can't see anything, and then Giles leaves. Giles tries to perform the spell on Spike alone, but has difficulty reading. After Giles drops the key to the chains keeping Spike captive, Spike is able to escape.
While Willow and Buffy talk, one of Willow's casual comments causes Amy
to become human for a brief second, before another turns her back into a rat. After Giles calls, Buffy goes to find Spike and once he's caught (by another sarcastic comment from Willow), she brings him back to Giles's apartment. While talking to Xander
, Willow sarcastically suggests that Buffy and Spike get married. Meanwhile at Giles' place, Spike proposes to Buffy and she accepts.
Xander continues to try to console Willow; in misdirected rage and grief, she calls him "a demon magnet." While Buffy and Spike cuddle and kiss and make plans for the wedding, Giles calls Willow for help, confessing he is totally blind. He states that he is blind without his glasses, but doesn't seem to have them on. Buffy runs into Riley outside of a bridal shop and tells him about the wedding, which confuses and upsets him.
Xander and Anya
's romantic time is interrupted by various demons that attack them. They rush to Giles' place where Xander realizes that everything Willow has said is coming true. D'Hoffryn
, the demon responsible for making Anya a vengeance demon, comes forth and takes Willow through a portal into his demon world to make the same offer. When the gang goes to look for her, Anya recognizes the remains of a portal left by D'Hoffryn.
Buffy and the rest of the group go to a crypt where they hope to stop D'Hoffryn from turning Willow into a demon. En route to the crypt, several demons attack, still drawn to Xander because of Willow's spell. In the meantime, Willow turns down D'Hoffryn's offer and he sends her back. Willow breaks the spell and Buffy and Spike find themselves in the middle of a kiss. Willow apologizes and tries to make up for her messed up spell with cookies. Buffy claims she is over the whole "bad boy" thing. The next day, Buffy confronts Riley and manages to convince him that she's not getting married.
Tracey Forbes
Tracey Forbes is a Canadian television writer and producer. She has worked on numerous Canadian and American television shows including Flashpoint, The Bridge, Spider-Man: The New Animated Series and Buffy the Vampire Slayer....
and directed by Nick Marck
Nick Marck
Nick Marck is an American television director.He has worked most notably on a number of episodes from the television series Veronica Mars, Northern Exposure, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and The Wonder Years. Some of his other directing credits include Monk, Gilmore Girls, Malcolm in the Middle,...
, it originally aired on November 30, 1999 on the WB network
The WB Television Network
The WB Television Network is a former television network in the United States that was launched on January 11, 1995 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and Tribune Broadcasting. On January 24, 2006, CBS Corporation and Warner Bros...
. In "Something Blue", a spell by Willow goes awry, blinding Giles, making Xander a literal demon magnet, and causing Buffy and Spike to fall in love and get engaged.
Plot
RileyRiley Finn
Riley Finn is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Portrayed by Marc Blucas, Riley was introduced in the 1999 season four premiere episode, "The Freshman", and Blucas was part of the series credited cast for the second part of season four...
invites 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...
out on a picnic. 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...
and Buffy discuss the consequences of a possible relationship with Riley, who seems "safe" and unlikely to hurt her. Buffy wonders if true passion requires pain and fighting. Later, Buffy interrogates Spike, who is chained up in 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...
' bathtub, but he doesn't give up much. Willow suggests a truth spell to make Spike talk.
Going to Oz's place, Willow learns he had his possessions shipped to him, crushing her last hopes of his return. That night at The Bronze
The Bronze
The Bronze is a fictional nightclub in Sunnydale, the fictional setting for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Of 144 episodes of the series, 66 have at least one scene at the Bronze, not including its appearance in the unaired pilot....
, she opts to drown her sorrows in alcohol. Later, in the dorm bathroom, Willow performs a spell to let her will be granted in order to make her pain go away. However, her commands don't seem to work.
Giles drops by to find out why she didn't show to help him perform the spell as scheduled. She feels like there's too much pressure on her that she can't live up to. Angry, she says that he can't see anything, and then Giles leaves. Giles tries to perform the spell on Spike alone, but has difficulty reading. After Giles drops the key to the chains keeping Spike captive, Spike is able to escape.
While Willow and Buffy talk, one of Willow's casual comments causes Amy
Amy Madison
Amy 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...
to become human for a brief second, before another turns her back into a rat. After Giles calls, Buffy goes to find Spike and once he's caught (by another sarcastic comment from Willow), she brings him back to Giles's apartment. While talking to 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...
, Willow sarcastically suggests that Buffy and Spike get married. Meanwhile at Giles' place, Spike proposes to Buffy and she accepts.
Xander continues to try to console Willow; in misdirected rage and grief, she calls him "a demon magnet." While Buffy and Spike cuddle and kiss and make plans for the wedding, Giles calls Willow for help, confessing he is totally blind. He states that he is blind without his glasses, but doesn't seem to have them on. Buffy runs into Riley outside of a bridal shop and tells him about the wedding, which confuses and upsets him.
Xander and Anya
Anya Jenkins
Anya is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She also appears in the comic book series based on the television show. Portrayed by Emma Caulfield, the character appears as a guest star in the third and fourth seasons of the show before...
's romantic time is interrupted by various demons that attack them. They rush to Giles' place where Xander realizes that everything Willow has said is coming true. D'Hoffryn
D'Hoffryn
D'Hoffryn is a fictional character on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, played by Andy Umberger. He is a powerful entity high in the demonic hierarchy. He's the master of the vengeance demons, a cabal which includes humans who are "elevated" to demonic status and endowed with mystical powers enabling them...
, the demon responsible for making Anya a vengeance demon, comes forth and takes Willow through a portal into his demon world to make the same offer. When the gang goes to look for her, Anya recognizes the remains of a portal left by D'Hoffryn.
Buffy and the rest of the group go to a crypt where they hope to stop D'Hoffryn from turning Willow into a demon. En route to the crypt, several demons attack, still drawn to Xander because of Willow's spell. In the meantime, Willow turns down D'Hoffryn's offer and he sends her back. Willow breaks the spell and Buffy and Spike find themselves in the middle of a kiss. Willow apologizes and tries to make up for her messed up spell with cookies. Buffy claims she is over the whole "bad boy" thing. The next day, Buffy confronts Riley and manages to convince him that she's not getting married.
Cultural references
- The title comes from a wedding tradition that began in VictorianVictorian eraThe Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The full poem reads, "Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a silver sixpence in her shoe." Each item is supposed to bring good luck to the bride. It's also a reference to Willow, who is upset, or "blue", because of Oz while also referring to D'Hoffryn who himself is Blue.
Arc significance
- Crossover: Buffy briefly mentions her visit to Angel in Los Angeles (I Will Remember You), which took place after the previous episode.
- This episode foreshadows three major plotlines of season six - Willow's abuse of magic for her own ends, Willow's inner capacity for vengeance and Buffy and Spike in a relationship.
- This episode also marks the first time Willow does a large, complex spell that goes awry. This happens again in future episodes.
- In this episode, D'Hoffryn gives Willow a talisman so that she can summon him if she changes her mind about becoming a vengeance demon. Willow will later use this talisman in the season seven episode "SelflessSelfless (Buffy episode)"Selfless" is the fifth episode of the seventh and final season of television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.- Plot synopsis :Anya finally gets back into her old vengeance demon ways by helping a girl get revenge on an entire fraternity by having a spider demon tear their hearts out...
" in order to talk to D'Hoffryn about Anya. - The "UC Sunnydale Lesbian Alliance" banner that Buffy sees Riley hanging in the beginning of the episode is a foreshadowing of Willow's upcoming lesbian relationship, beginning in the next episodeHush (Buffy episode)"Hush" is the tenth episode in the fourth season of the fantasy television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer . It was written and directed by series creator Joss Whedon and originally aired in the United States on December 14, 1999 on The WB Television Network...
. - While under the spell, Willow unknowingly manages to turn Amy back into a human, but then turns her back into a rat without realizing what happened. Amy will not become human again until the Season 6 episode "SmashedSmashed (Buffy episode)"Smashed" is the 9th episode of season 6 of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.-Plot synopsis:Willow, sad and lonely without Tara, figures out a way to turn the metamorphosed Amy from a rat back into human. Feeling newly liberated, they decide to go out and have some fun. At The...
". - Buffy admits to Willow that she feels "real love and passion have to go hand in hand with pain and fighting", and questions if a normal relationship can have the same sort of intensity. This foreshadows her violent relationship with Spike in season six, as well as the reason her relationship with Riley ultimately fails.
- It's also worth noting that Buffy, under Willow's spell, asks Giles to give her away at her and Spike's Wedding.
- Despite the fact it has been shown vampires have no reflection, Spike can be seen many times in a mirror to left of the door, visible just past Giles' shoulder and in the glass front of the bookshelf next to his chair.
Trivia
- In 2007, Alyson Hannigan would star in an episode of "How I Met Your MotherHow I Met Your MotherHow I Met Your Mother is an American sitcom that premiered on CBS on September 19, 2005, created by Craig Thomas and Carter Bays.As a framing device, the main character, Ted Mosby with narration by Bob Saget, in the year 2030 recounts to his son and daughter the events that led to his meeting...
" entitled "Something Blue." - In the scene where Willow confesses to Giles that she tried to perform a spell to have her will done a poster with the title "Murphy's LawMurphy's lawMurphy's law is an adage or epigram that is typically stated as: "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong". - History :The perceived perversity of the universe has long been a subject of comment, and precursors to the modern version of Murphy's law are not hard to find. Recent significant...
" is visible over her shoulder (may only be visible on widescreen versions).