Great Buffyverse Rewatch of 2015: Phases
After the excitement of last week you might think the show would slip back into MOTW form. No such thing, however - another brilliant episode, in my not-so-humble opinion, in which the relationships develop, the season arc progresses a little and astonishing things happen.
Phases
In the school hallway Oz is fascinated by a statuette. It really looks as if its eyes move. We know he’s right, because we watched S1; it’s Amy’s mom.
Willow joins him - in a ski hat for some reason - it appears they went on a date to the cinema last night. He can’t recall the film but he did like the popcorn.
Just as it looks as if they might say more, Buffy appears and Willow joins her, observed by Larry and his thuggish friends. Oz observes that Larry has really mastered the single entendre, but passes up the chance to boast about Willow ‘putting out’. He’s decent, something Larry doesn’t seem to understand.
Willow is sad that Oz is not ‘an animal’ with her. Be careful what you wish for, Will. She doesn’t want to be the only girl in school without a real boyfriend. Buffy is sad. Xander is dating Cordy, which involves making out in a car, but he’s obsessing about Willow, prey to Oz who is a senior. They are being watched by something big, growly and hairy.
Xander hears something. It interrupts his concentration. When the werewolf attacks it breaks Cordy’s train of thought too. As they drive away Xander at least feels his concern was justified.
The next day Cordy is upset that her dad’s car has been damaged. (Though not in the cap above, I note.) Giles is sure it was a werewolf - animals have been attacked. Willow is really worried about the bunnies, but Oz reassures her that bunnies are tougher than they look and can take care of themselves. (Justification for a phobia we will later encounter in another character?) Tonight is the full moon - so it would appear werewolves change the night before the full moon as well. Giles is really quite excited.
A self-defence lesson. (Juniors and seniors mixed?) Oz mentions that his little cousin Geordy does not like to be tickled, and bit him. Larry was attacked by a wild animal - 39 stitches. Mislead or what?
Buffy shows her skills, even though Willow warns her to behave like a meek little girly-girl.
Giles attempts to explain stuff. Werewolves are an extreme manifestation of our inborn animalistic traits. Like your average male. No bullets, please - bring him back alive - he is human, after all.
Giles and Buffy patrol where various lovers are parked. He thinks they should knock on a few windows. Buffy thinks that’s silly. And then Buffy is caught in a net.
Cain has a gun and threatens Giles before letting her down. He makes smutty innuendoes about Giles and Buffy. She’s only a girl, too, so it’s ridiculous to think she could catch a werewolf. Cain hunts them for money - the pelts fetch a good price in Sri Lanka. He also takes a tooth for each one he kills - how very masculine of him. Trophies of one sort or another are important in this episode, aren't they? Werewolves apparently really like places where lots of young people get all sexually excited.
Theresa is on her way home in the dark. She runs from a growling thing and bumps into a friendly person. Angelus. He reassures her because he knows Buffy - this is not going to end well.
At the Bronze Cordy complains Xander is not paying her enough attention. Willow sympathises. A genuine rapport over guys. Who do they think they are?
Then the werewolf attacks - cue terror and much running away. Buffy enters the empty club and fights the werewolf. (No prizes for FX) It gets away. Cain is unimpressed - this is what happens when a woman tries to do a man’s job. If anyone is harmed it will be her fault.
Outside the beast follows bloody tracks to Theresa’s body and Angelus. Buffy rejoins Giles who was napping in his car. They hear the news on the radio that Theresa’s corpse has been discovered. Dawn comes (no, not that Dawn) and we watch the werewolf transform back into a human. Naked Oz. (Tasteful ferns hiding half of him.) He is surprised.
“Huh” - so he calls his aunt to confirm that, yes, Geordy is a werewolf. He is really not happy about this. When he joins the others in the library he is very distressed to hear about Theresa. Oz hopes there is no way to work out who it is, but Xander says he is an expert, because of once being hyena-boy. He knows what it’s like to be taken over by uncontrollable urges. Buffy reminds him that he said he didn’t remember anything. Embarrassed Xander grins.
Xander tries to get inside the animal’s head. It’s obvious - it must be Larry. He will go to force a confession out of him. Oz looks all broody. Willow is sympathetic and suggests he could help her look stuff up. He refuses - he knows he will be busy tonight.
Xander accosts Larry in the locker room. There is a crossing of messages - Larry assumes Xander is blackmailing him. The big bully is terrified people will find out he’s gay. Xander is somewhat taken aback. And now Larry is confident they share an experience, and promises to keep Xander’s secret.
The other name with a track-record of violent behaviour on Willow’s computer is Buffy. She is more bothered by the fact that Oz wanted to be somewhere that was not with her. Buffy points out that this is a male thing: “They grow body hair, they lose all ability to tell you what they really want.” We see what you did there. Perhaps Willow should make the first move. (And whyohwhy is Buffy wearing a strappy top while Willow is in a thick sweater and dungarees?)
Xander joins them just as Willow goes off to look at/help/do Cordelia’s history homework. Xander is a little perturbed that the two girls are hanging out together.
Buffy has second thoughts about the reports of Theresa’s death - nowhere does it say she was mauled. She and Xander go to the funeral home, where it is quickly evident she dies from a vampire monster, not a wolf monster. Then she sits up - she has been turned, so she can give Buffy a greeting from Angel. Xander stakes her.
After dark, in the woods, Cain is preparing his silver bullets. (Which cool down from molten very quickly.)
At home, Oz is trying to fetter himself in irons. He is distracted by Willow’s arrival. She is upset by his mixed messages. He says it’s him, not her - he’s going through some changes.
As Willow spots the chains (and jumps to the wrong conclusion) Oz goes through his changes. Willow runs, climbs over a fence and hits him with a dustbin. Buffy joins Giles in the library and tells him about Theresa. Meanwhile Willow is running from the werewolf and reaches the library to tell them.
Cain is stalking the beast. He has a gun. Buffy kicks it out of his hands.
Fisticuffs ensue, and Willow tranquillises Oz.
Cain believes no-one in this town is man enough to kill monsters. Buffy casually bends his gun in half, to show how wrong he is.
Buffy and Xander are both concerned about how they will be able to ‘talk to him again’. Larry thanks Xander, who is uncomfortable about it. He is more worried about being close to a gay man than to a werewolf.
Though if it were up to him he would not let Willow be near Oz. Buffy points out it’s not up to him.
Willow and Oz meet. They talk properly. Oz offers to stay out of her way. She’s kind of OK with him being in her way. It is a scene of awesome cuteness. “I’d still. I’d very still.” No biting - but she kisses him. He’s a werewolf in love.
*****
Men are animals when they are aroused. The central metaphor of this episode is puberty and the dawning of adolescent sexuality, even if senior year is a little late for that. The fake-out, that Larry is the werewolf, deepens the metaphor he and Oz may be very different physically, but they both have secrets they are worried about, and by the end of the episode have come to terms with. Things will never be the same again for either of them, but that’s OK.
Willow bonds not just with Buffy but with Cordelia in this episode. She may have been horrified by her discovery of the relationship, but the chance to talk about the stupidity of males, especially those called Xander and Oz is irresistible. Buffy can give advice, but her own love-life is hardly in a good place right now, as the cruelty of the message sent via Theresa emphasises. While her friends are managing to sort out their lives, hers seems to be in stasis, and Cain’s misogyny helps to remind her that she has failed in her primary mission, to protect her home town. She can demonstrate how stupid his assumptions about her physical capacity are, but she feels the responsibility deeply.
Giles is alone - all these adolescent hormones bubbling around him, and he has nothing. But he still gets excited about research. So that’s all good then.
Larry - one minute he’s a thug with a posse of bullies. Then he comes out to Xander and we don’t see him again with his gang. Is this credible?
And Xander. Is he understandably an adolescent male, confused about sexuality, so desperate to prove his own heterosexual credentials, not least to himself, that he overreacts, or is he a jerk, once more assuming the right to dictate everyone else’s private life? He had the chance to be honest about his hyena phase - why didn’t he? And is Buffy’s put-down at the end sufficient?
*****
Screencaps as always are from Pretty as a Picture.
OK, the werewolf outfit is not of the best, I admit. But what about the rest? Real bonding, real issues and some extremely cute moments. What did you like best? What didn’t work for you? What was a surprise, at least the first time you saw this? Do tell!
Phases
In the school hallway Oz is fascinated by a statuette. It really looks as if its eyes move. We know he’s right, because we watched S1; it’s Amy’s mom.
Willow joins him - in a ski hat for some reason - it appears they went on a date to the cinema last night. He can’t recall the film but he did like the popcorn.
Just as it looks as if they might say more, Buffy appears and Willow joins her, observed by Larry and his thuggish friends. Oz observes that Larry has really mastered the single entendre, but passes up the chance to boast about Willow ‘putting out’. He’s decent, something Larry doesn’t seem to understand.
Willow is sad that Oz is not ‘an animal’ with her. Be careful what you wish for, Will. She doesn’t want to be the only girl in school without a real boyfriend. Buffy is sad. Xander is dating Cordy, which involves making out in a car, but he’s obsessing about Willow, prey to Oz who is a senior. They are being watched by something big, growly and hairy.
Xander hears something. It interrupts his concentration. When the werewolf attacks it breaks Cordy’s train of thought too. As they drive away Xander at least feels his concern was justified.
The next day Cordy is upset that her dad’s car has been damaged. (Though not in the cap above, I note.) Giles is sure it was a werewolf - animals have been attacked. Willow is really worried about the bunnies, but Oz reassures her that bunnies are tougher than they look and can take care of themselves. (Justification for a phobia we will later encounter in another character?) Tonight is the full moon - so it would appear werewolves change the night before the full moon as well. Giles is really quite excited.
A self-defence lesson. (Juniors and seniors mixed?) Oz mentions that his little cousin Geordy does not like to be tickled, and bit him. Larry was attacked by a wild animal - 39 stitches. Mislead or what?
Buffy shows her skills, even though Willow warns her to behave like a meek little girly-girl.
Giles attempts to explain stuff. Werewolves are an extreme manifestation of our inborn animalistic traits. Like your average male. No bullets, please - bring him back alive - he is human, after all.
Giles and Buffy patrol where various lovers are parked. He thinks they should knock on a few windows. Buffy thinks that’s silly. And then Buffy is caught in a net.
Cain has a gun and threatens Giles before letting her down. He makes smutty innuendoes about Giles and Buffy. She’s only a girl, too, so it’s ridiculous to think she could catch a werewolf. Cain hunts them for money - the pelts fetch a good price in Sri Lanka. He also takes a tooth for each one he kills - how very masculine of him. Trophies of one sort or another are important in this episode, aren't they? Werewolves apparently really like places where lots of young people get all sexually excited.
Theresa is on her way home in the dark. She runs from a growling thing and bumps into a friendly person. Angelus. He reassures her because he knows Buffy - this is not going to end well.
At the Bronze Cordy complains Xander is not paying her enough attention. Willow sympathises. A genuine rapport over guys. Who do they think they are?
Then the werewolf attacks - cue terror and much running away. Buffy enters the empty club and fights the werewolf. (No prizes for FX) It gets away. Cain is unimpressed - this is what happens when a woman tries to do a man’s job. If anyone is harmed it will be her fault.
Outside the beast follows bloody tracks to Theresa’s body and Angelus. Buffy rejoins Giles who was napping in his car. They hear the news on the radio that Theresa’s corpse has been discovered. Dawn comes (no, not that Dawn) and we watch the werewolf transform back into a human. Naked Oz. (Tasteful ferns hiding half of him.) He is surprised.
“Huh” - so he calls his aunt to confirm that, yes, Geordy is a werewolf. He is really not happy about this. When he joins the others in the library he is very distressed to hear about Theresa. Oz hopes there is no way to work out who it is, but Xander says he is an expert, because of once being hyena-boy. He knows what it’s like to be taken over by uncontrollable urges. Buffy reminds him that he said he didn’t remember anything. Embarrassed Xander grins.
Xander tries to get inside the animal’s head. It’s obvious - it must be Larry. He will go to force a confession out of him. Oz looks all broody. Willow is sympathetic and suggests he could help her look stuff up. He refuses - he knows he will be busy tonight.
Xander accosts Larry in the locker room. There is a crossing of messages - Larry assumes Xander is blackmailing him. The big bully is terrified people will find out he’s gay. Xander is somewhat taken aback. And now Larry is confident they share an experience, and promises to keep Xander’s secret.
The other name with a track-record of violent behaviour on Willow’s computer is Buffy. She is more bothered by the fact that Oz wanted to be somewhere that was not with her. Buffy points out that this is a male thing: “They grow body hair, they lose all ability to tell you what they really want.” We see what you did there. Perhaps Willow should make the first move. (And whyohwhy is Buffy wearing a strappy top while Willow is in a thick sweater and dungarees?)
Xander joins them just as Willow goes off to look at/help/do Cordelia’s history homework. Xander is a little perturbed that the two girls are hanging out together.
Buffy has second thoughts about the reports of Theresa’s death - nowhere does it say she was mauled. She and Xander go to the funeral home, where it is quickly evident she dies from a vampire monster, not a wolf monster. Then she sits up - she has been turned, so she can give Buffy a greeting from Angel. Xander stakes her.
After dark, in the woods, Cain is preparing his silver bullets. (Which cool down from molten very quickly.)
At home, Oz is trying to fetter himself in irons. He is distracted by Willow’s arrival. She is upset by his mixed messages. He says it’s him, not her - he’s going through some changes.
As Willow spots the chains (and jumps to the wrong conclusion) Oz goes through his changes. Willow runs, climbs over a fence and hits him with a dustbin. Buffy joins Giles in the library and tells him about Theresa. Meanwhile Willow is running from the werewolf and reaches the library to tell them.
Cain is stalking the beast. He has a gun. Buffy kicks it out of his hands.
Fisticuffs ensue, and Willow tranquillises Oz.
Cain believes no-one in this town is man enough to kill monsters. Buffy casually bends his gun in half, to show how wrong he is.
Buffy and Xander are both concerned about how they will be able to ‘talk to him again’. Larry thanks Xander, who is uncomfortable about it. He is more worried about being close to a gay man than to a werewolf.
Though if it were up to him he would not let Willow be near Oz. Buffy points out it’s not up to him.
Willow and Oz meet. They talk properly. Oz offers to stay out of her way. She’s kind of OK with him being in her way. It is a scene of awesome cuteness. “I’d still. I’d very still.” No biting - but she kisses him. He’s a werewolf in love.
*****
Men are animals when they are aroused. The central metaphor of this episode is puberty and the dawning of adolescent sexuality, even if senior year is a little late for that. The fake-out, that Larry is the werewolf, deepens the metaphor he and Oz may be very different physically, but they both have secrets they are worried about, and by the end of the episode have come to terms with. Things will never be the same again for either of them, but that’s OK.
Willow bonds not just with Buffy but with Cordelia in this episode. She may have been horrified by her discovery of the relationship, but the chance to talk about the stupidity of males, especially those called Xander and Oz is irresistible. Buffy can give advice, but her own love-life is hardly in a good place right now, as the cruelty of the message sent via Theresa emphasises. While her friends are managing to sort out their lives, hers seems to be in stasis, and Cain’s misogyny helps to remind her that she has failed in her primary mission, to protect her home town. She can demonstrate how stupid his assumptions about her physical capacity are, but she feels the responsibility deeply.
Giles is alone - all these adolescent hormones bubbling around him, and he has nothing. But he still gets excited about research. So that’s all good then.
Larry - one minute he’s a thug with a posse of bullies. Then he comes out to Xander and we don’t see him again with his gang. Is this credible?
And Xander. Is he understandably an adolescent male, confused about sexuality, so desperate to prove his own heterosexual credentials, not least to himself, that he overreacts, or is he a jerk, once more assuming the right to dictate everyone else’s private life? He had the chance to be honest about his hyena phase - why didn’t he? And is Buffy’s put-down at the end sufficient?
*****
Screencaps as always are from Pretty as a Picture.
OK, the werewolf outfit is not of the best, I admit. But what about the rest? Real bonding, real issues and some extremely cute moments. What did you like best? What didn’t work for you? What was a surprise, at least the first time you saw this? Do tell!