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| 64. Pangs Original Air Date: November 23, 1999 Written by: Jane Espenson Directed by: Michael Lange Guest Cast: David Boreanaz (Angel) Emma Caulfield (Anya) Marc Blucas (Riley Finn) Leonard Roberts (Forrest) Bailey Chase (Graham) Mercedes McNab (Harmony) Tod Thawley (Hus, Chumash spirit) Margaret Easley (Professor Gerhardt) Mark Ankeny (Dean Guerrero) [Out of respect for the feelings of others I want to comment on Indian vs. Native American. If you have no interest in this topic, please go directly to the summary below. In the script for this episode the writers used the word Indian most of the time. A few times, a character mentions that Indian is no longer politically correct. I think the reason they used it, is that Native American is rather awkward in text and speech, by comparison. I also noticed that the New York Times continues to use the word Indian. As an amateur writer, my only goal was to increase the readability of the summary. If anyone is offended by the word Indian, I apologize. It was not my intention to demean or disrespect anyone. - OBC] A young man walks in the woods. Buffy confronts and punches the man in the face. He instantly changes to vampire mode and while he curses the day the Slayer ever came to Sunnydale, she dusts him. Hearing or sensing something unusual, Buffy pauses, before moving on. In the shadows, Angel watches. The next day Buffy, Willow and Anya watch a groundbreaking ceremony for a new Cultural Studies Center. Actually Anya is watching Xander, as he works on the construction crew. She cannot help telling the other women that she is having sexual fantasies about him. Willow is upset that Professor Gerhardt lists Thanksgiving as a part of America's melting pot tradition, contributing to a blending of a multitude of cultures. Willow is cynical about the hypocrisy of saying that the Indians were "blended" into American culture. Buffy's mom is visiting relatives and Buffy has given little thought to Thanksgiving. Anya's point of view is that Thanksgiving is an important ritual sacrifice, something she always enjoys. Anya has a repeat fantasy when the big shots finish the ceremonial shoveling and Xander begins to "ripple" as he starts seriously digging. Suddenly, the ground gives under Xander feet and he falls, unhurt, into an underground chamber. That evening, Angel keeps to the shadows outside Buffy and Willow's window. Inside, Buffy stands at the window watching, until Willow draws her away. Willow is explaining to Buffy that Xander accidentally discovered the long-lost Sunnydale Mission, which was buried in an earthquake in 1812. Remembering that the Master's lair was a church buried in the '30s (see first season), Willow wonders what else might be underground in good old Sunnydale. The dorm is buzzing with students celebrating the end of midterms and the beginning of a holiday break. Feeling left out, Buffy decides to throw a Thanksgiving feast. Despite her discomfort with the history of the holiday, Willow begrudgingly agrees and they begin planning to include the other members of the Slayer's "family". Spike shivering, in a tattered blanket, stumbles through the woods, looking gaunt. At the slightest sound he scampers into some bushes. Riley's team is patrolling and talking about their holiday plans. Riley has to leave on vacation late, because of Initiative duties and, of course, Forrest kids him about his dedication. Anya finds Xander in his basement apartment. She is upset that he isn't digging, because she wanted to watch him some more. He tells her that he is just leaving, but she quickly realizes that he is sick and she insists that he stay in bed. To Anya, he looks sicker than the men she cursed as an avenging demon for women betrayed. As she undresses him, he warns her she might catch his illness. She tells him that that would be romantic, as she begins to remove his pants. When he refers to her as a strange girlfriend, she is surprised to hear that he considers her to be his girlfriend. He pleads delirium. Back at the buried Mission, a green smoke rises from the floor and passes through the cover placed over the hole Xander fell through. In the museum, Prof.Gerhardt is on the phone. After she hangs up, she is startled to see the green mist enter an open display case. As she watches, the mist changes into a hand. Before her stands an Indian, in his hand a stone knife from the case. He grabs the Professor and slashes her throat. Willow and Buffy sneak into the crime scene to look for clues. Willow wonders if the fact that the Professor was missing an ear is a clue to the killer. Buffy notices that a Chumash Indian knife is missing from the display case. At Giles house, he tires of Buffy's description of the carnage that is holiday food shopping and insists that they talk about the murder. As she unpacks food from a shopping bag, she tells him about the knife and that there seemed to be a reason the knife was used, instead of other convenient weapons in the museum. When Giles begins to complain that Buffy's house would be better for the dinner, she explains that as the father figure for their group, it is his responsibility. When he accuses her of planning to stick him with the clean up, she changes the subject. Giles volunteers to research the Chumash. Buffy suddenly stops as she walks across the kitchen. She tells Giles that she is all right, but she sounds distracted. She leaves to get more goodies. After she is gone, Angel emerges from a back room. They agree that everything seems okay, but Angel's friend, Doyle, had a vision that Buffy is in great danger. Angel is frustrated that all he can do is watch and Giles reminds him that he is no longer Buffy's protector. Angel reminds Giles, that he is no longer her Watcher, but neither of them can ignore the fact that Buffy might be danger. Giles wants to tell Buffy that Angel is in town. Angel is sure that their relationship is so complex that that would be bad for Buffy's state of mind, especially if she is facing a serious threat. They assume that the murder has something to do with the Mission. Angel recommends that Giles contact Father Gabriel, a local historian. Before Angel leaves, to follow Buffy, Giles re-news his objection to this tactic. Speaking for Buffy, he insists that she would want to know, to keep this secret is unfair. Angel tells how he is suffering again the horrible frustration of seeing Buffy, knowing he cannot be with her - which is what's unfair. He is sure that this is the best way for both of them. That night, Spike watches longingly through the dirty window of a shack, as a group of vampires feed on a male victim. As they walk down Main Street, Willow teases Buffy's desire for a perfect Thanksgiving dinner, to the point of whipping her own cream. Buffy has a meeting planned with Father Gabriel later. Riley runs a couple of blocks to catch up to them and Willow makes a lame excuse to leave them alone. She walks into the open-air coffee shop and is pulled into a side room by Angel. When he tells her that Buffy is in danger, but he doesn't want Buffy to see him, Willow unloads about how she thinks they gave up on their love too easily, until Angel interrupts. At first he seems to need Willow's help, but finally he has to ask - Who is that guy Buffy's talking to? Buffy is sharing some holiday memories with Riley and invites him to dinner. He begs off, because he is going to Iowa to have a Walton-holiday with his parents and family. They reflect for a moment on how nice it is to have someplace to call home. Meanwhile, Harmony is throwing Spike out. She tells him that she has studied her powers and she doesn't need him anymore. Despite his weakened condition, he carries her to the bed and starts to seduce her. His hand begins to trace up along her inner thigh and he comes VERY close to completing the maneuver, before she jumps off the bed and threatens him with a stake. He recoils in horror and she backs him up to the entrance. Ignoring a final plea for something to eat, she chases him away. In an ornate church, Buffy is looking for Father Gabriel. In an outdoor passageway she sees the Father hanging by a rope. An Indian man is slicing off his ear. She fights the killer and for a moment they reach a stalemate with Buffy on the ground, the warrior over her with her grip on his arm preventing him from cutting her. He tells her that he is Hus, the Chumash Spirit of Vengeance, that he has been called by his people and that she cannot stop him. The battle resumes and reaches another pause when Buffy holds Hus' knife hand inches from his throat. Hus mocks Buffy by congratulating her on killing his people's spirit, just as she slaughtered his people. She pushes him away and he becomes a flock of crows that fly into the night. The next day, Giles and Buffy work in the kitchen as they talk about what happened. Buffy is concerned that she allowed her guilt about the past to prevent her from finishing off Hus. Giles reminds her that two people have already been killed. She wishes for a way to stop the killing without having to kill. Willow arrives with a collection of relevant books and frozen peas. Willow describes the disgraceful treatment that the Chumash Indians received at the hands of settlers, including imprisonment and massacres. The taking of ears was how settlers counted the Chumash dead. Willow is sympathetic to the Chumash, which causes an argument with Giles. He is much more interested in stopping the killing, than righting the wrongs of the past. Outside a rear window, a wolf listens to their conversation and then trots off. Buffy retreats to the kitchen. Giles and Willow whisper about Angel until they begin to argue about Hus, again. A knock on the door brings Anya, practically carrying Xander. At the museum, Hus is busting up a display case and collecting weapons. Back at Giles', Xander explains that the doctor cannot tell what is wrong with him, because he has a strange combination of symptoms. They begin to wonder if Xander is infected with diseases that killed the Chumash, like small pox and syphilis. Xander becomes more panicky with each revelation of how bad his condition can get. He cannot understand how anyone can doubt that the Vengence demon must be killed, as a way to cure him. This causes ex-demon Anya to argue for the demon's right to exist. Willow and Giles resume their argument over whether to try to appease Hus or simply destroy him. Buffy interrupts them all briefly, but again retreats to the kitchen. Giles follows and tries to convince her to go Slaying, but she won't give up on her dream of a perfect Thanksgiving dinner. Another knock on the door and Buffy opens it to find nothing. Suddenly, Spike, using his blanket to protect him from the sun, leaps into the doorway and says, "Help me." Instead, Buffy knocks him down. As he stands there smoldering, Giles hands Buffy a stake. Spike's pleas for help do not move them. He tries to lunge through the doorway, but an invisible barrier to uninvited vampires knocks him back. He asks Willow to explain that he cannot harm them. She confirms that he is indeed incapable of killing. Buffy is not impressed and doesn't care if he dies. Then he offers to give them information about the mysterious commandos who captured him. Hus is in the underground chamber, reciting a spell and laying out the weapons he stole. Six Chumash warriors materialize. Spike protests as he is tightly bound to a chair. Giles begins to wonder about the selection of victims, besides Xander, who was infected because he fell into the chamber. Giles thinks that Hus is killing authority figures and Buffy suggests that College Dean Guerrero is a likely target. When Buffy turns to Willow, she refuses to help kill Hus. As they debate the necessity for drastic action, Spike chimes in with his disgust over feeling sorry for Indians. He expresses the survival of the fittest argument. Strong conquers weak and has no reason to apologize for creating an empire. Finally, he tells them that they have no hope of making amends for genocide and they have no choice but to kill Hus. Without commenting on his bloodthirsty attitude, Giles and Xander agree with his conclusion. Willow and Anya are sent to warn the Dean and Xander joins them, when Spike expresses an interest in feeding on him after he dies. Spike continues to whine about his hunger. He tells them that vampires that do not feed become just like human famine victims, but they don't die. As Buffy sets the table, she tells him to shut up because she does not want her Thanksgiving ruined. Then, an arrow pierces the centerpiece. Hus is in a window over the stairs. Buffy tries to talk to him, but he simply reaches for another arrow. Another two warrior bust windows in the back of the room. Giles and Buffy are forced to find cover behind the couch. Spike, still bound to the chair, takes an arrow in the chest, but not the heart. Xander, Willow and Anya leave Dean Guerrero's house and run into Angel. He tells them about the stolen weapons and they tell him about the theory that victims are authority figures or leaders. Angel realizes that Hus is a warrior, he would probably assume a powerful warrior was a leader. He also realizes that more weapons mean more warriors to fight. Angel breaks the chains holding some bicycles and sends the others ahead. He calls Giles house and Giles explains that they need immediate help. He doesn't answer when Buffy asks him who called. They are totally pinned down. Spike has three arrows sticking out of him. While reaching for the weapons chest, Buffy is hit in the forearm with an arrow. Giles tends to it briefly and they pull weapons from the chest. Outside, Xander slams a flowerpot over one warrior's head. Willow and Anya fight another with shovels. Hus jumps through the upstairs window and into the living room, where him and Buffy tangle. Two other warriors jump through the windows. Giles hits one attacker with a hatchet and grapples with the second. Spike takes another arrow, in his leg. Buffy manages to drive a stake into Hus, but it has no effect and he slashes her arm with his knife. The Indian that Xander hit with the flowerpot gets up and knocks Xander through the door while trying to stab him. All are fighting for their lives, but no one knows how to kill the attackers. Angel arrives and breaks the neck of the Indian fighting Willow and Anya. He watches through the doorway as a warrior tries to sneak up on Buffy from behind. He picks up an Indian knife and throws it into the warrior's chest, which seems to kill him. The Indian, supposedly with a broken neck, grabs Angel from behind. Willow and Anya go into the house to help the others. Buffy picks up an Indian knife and slashes Hus. She realizes that the warriors' own weapons can kill them. Hus changes into a bear. Buffy tries to find a way to stick Hus with the knife without being crushed by the massive animal. Xander breaks away as Willow and Anya attack his attacker with shovels. Xander yells and throws food, until the bear turns. From behind, Buffy drives the knife deep into the bear. Hus stops and changes briefly into human form, before becoming a cloud of green mist, which disappears. All the other warriors also vanish. As everyone recovers, Angel sees through the window that Buffy is all right. He turns and walks out of sight, just before Buffy is drawn to look out the window. As they feast, Willow is disappointed with herself for forgetting all of her guilt and attacking the Indians. Spike is disappointed that no one suffered any bloody wounds, so everyone got to eat but him. Buffy is disappointed that Thanksgiving wasn't perfect. Xander opines they did get to fight and eat. Giles reminds them that no one got killed. As Buffy starts to feel better about the evening, Willow thinks that it seems like old times. Xander agrees, especially with Angel being around. Buffy looks up from her plate and everyone, except Spike, is looking sheepish. Xander can only say, "Oops." Summary by: OBCooke at EpisodeGuides.com |
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