"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" Consequences (1999)

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Director:

Michael Gershman

Writers:

Joss Whedon (creator)
Marti Noxon (written by)

TV Series:

"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997)

Original Air Date:

16 February 1999 (Season 3, Episode 15)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Fantasy

Plot:

Buffy tries to convince Faith to face up to the consequences of her actions, but Faith thinks that being a Slayer puts her above the law...

Plot Keywords:

Returning Character Killed Off | Heroine | Library | Hero Gone Bad | Female Protagonist

Cast

Sarah Michelle Gellar	...	Buffy Summers
Nicholas Brendon	...	Xander Harris
Alyson Hannigan	...	Willow Rosenberg
Charisma Carpenter	...	Cordelia Chase
David Boreanaz	...	Angel
Seth Green	...	Oz (credit only)
Anthony Head	...	Rupert Giles (as Anthony Stewart Head)
Kristine Sutherland	...	Joyce Summers
Harry Groener	...	Mayor Richard Wilkins
K. Todd Freeman	...	Mr. Trick
Jack Plotnick	...	Deputy Mayor Allan Finch
Alexis Denisof	...	Wesley Wyndam-Pryce
James MacDonald	...	Detective Stein (as James G. MacDonald)
Eliza Dushku	...	Faith
Amy Powell	...	T.V. News Reporter

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:TV-PG

Company:

Mutant Enemy

Goofs:

Continuity: When Buffy and Faith are at the dock and the pile of boxes drop over Buffy, vampires attack Faith. Between shots, Buffy is sitting and watching the fight (when the camera is on Faith) and lying down on her back (when the camera is on Buffy).

Quotes:

[about trying to help Faith accept what she's done]
Angel: It's like talking to a wall. Only you get more from a wall.

Movie Connections:

References Song of the South (1946)

Soundtrack:

Wish We Never Met

Faith and the Mayor: One of the show's best couples

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

I love Faith and the Mayor. The characters are so interesting together and this is the episode that really begins their relationship. As the season goes on, we see that Faith respects the Mayor's authority and follows his orders, because she feels... safe with him. He doesn't come on to her or try to turn her into a Buffy-like Slayer. Instead, he buys her video games and special knives and takes her mini-golfing. Indeed, the Mayor comes to see Faith as his daughter. He loves her, wants to protect her and is counting on Faith to carry on his evil legacy. Fathers and daughters are a recurring theme of season three. Faith and the Mayor create an darker counterpoint to Giles and Buffy's relationship. You really shouldn't skip "Consequences," since it starts them down a compelling path that will resonate into season seven.

"Consequences" deals with the fall out from "Bad Girls." Faith has accidentally killed a human and is complete denial about it. She refuses to confess the truth to Giles and swears Buffy to secrecy. Buffy is having a hard time coming to grips with Alan's death. Especially, when Wesley instructs the Slayers to investigate the murder. Unable to keep the secret any longer, Buffy goes to Willow for help. They both realize that they need to tell Giles. But, when Buffy arrives to confess, she finds that Faith has already told Giles everything... Except she claims that Buffy was the one wielding the stake. Luckily, Giles doesn't believe Faith's lie. He and Buffy decide to try and help Faith, without telling Wes or the Council.

Wesley's overheard their plan, though. He contacts the Council himself and they set out to capture Faith and take her to England for trial. Meanwhile, Xander goes to Faith, thinking that their romantic interlude will make her more willing to listen to him. Instead, Faith tries to kill him and Angel has to knock her out. Taking her back to the mansion, Angel begins talking to Faith. He identifies with the darkness inside her and she actually seems to be opening up a bit, when Wes and the Council arrive. They incapacitate Angel, handcuff Faith and take her away in a van. She quickly escapes and heads for the docks, thinking that she can catch a freighter out of Sunnydale. Buffy shows up and tries to reason with her. Mr. Trick and some vampires attack. Faith stakes Mr. Trick. And the episode ends with Faith going to the Mayor and applying for Mr. Tricks job.

There are some fun parts to this episode. I like Angel and Faith's scenes together. They have a connection, even if it's not romantic, and it's always nice to see them interacting. And it's pretty realistic that Willow still has feeling for Xander. When she hears that he and Faith slept together, her heart just breaks. The scene of her crying in the bathroom is so sweet and sad. Also, I like that Giles instantly believed Buffy over Faith. It's good that we didn't have to sit through a whole long ordeal of Buffy trying to clear her name. Instead, Giles just trusted that she didn't kill Alan. And, of course, the end of the episode with Faith and the Mayor is great.

I think that the title of the episode, "Consequences," is referring to more than just Buffy and Faith dealing with the Deputy Mayor's death. It's also talking about Wesley. "Consequences" marks the first of several times that Wes does what he feels is right, regardless of the fall-out. He follows his own moral compass and even if you don't always agree with him, at least you understand his point of view. Wesley catches a lot of flak in this episode, but I'm not sure that he deserves it. He's suppose to be Faith's Watcher, but Giles and Buffy are deliberately excluding him. They're keeping important information from him and, what's more, they could be endangering other people by hiding Faith's crime. She nearly strangles Xander, after all. Wesley doesn't know the Scoobies and they don't know him. Why would he just allow them to undermine his authority and disobey Council rules? Even Willow sort of agrees with Wesley's point of view. The episode is about the "consequences" of Wes and the Scoobies not trusting each other.

On the downside, why do people have such a hard time weighing down bodies in the Buffyverse? Faith dumps Alan's body and it pops back up again. And Spike will have the same problem in season six's "Dead Things." (Only Conner over on "Angel" gets the job done. But, lets not get me started on how much I hate Conner.) And, speaking of "Dead Things," is it just me or do Spike and Faith also offer similar rationals for their body-hiding activities? Slayers are special. It was an accident. You've done far more good than bad. How could you help people in jail? etc... Somehow, it sounds more convincing when Spike says it, though. Also, I'm sad to see Mr. Trick go.

My favorite part of the episode: Wes and Cordelia coming face to face for the first time. It's kind of surreal and funny, all at the same time.