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| 66. Hush Original Air Date: December 14, 1999 Written by: Joss Whedon Directed by: Joss Whedon Guest Cast: Marc Blucas (Riley Finn) Emma Caulfield (Anya) Leonard Roberts (Forrest) Phina Oruche (Olivia) Amber Benson (Tara) Lindsay Crouse (Professor Walsh) In Psychology class, Prof. Walsh is lecturing on communication without or beyond the capability of language. To demonstrate she asks Buffy to come down and lie on a table in front of the class. At Prof. Walsh's signal, Riley reluctantly approaches. He takes Buffy into his arms and tells her that with a kiss he can make the sun go down. For a few brief, but intense moments they kiss. When they stop, true to his word, the classroom is dark and all the others are gone. Buffy hears a child's voice singing a rhyme. She follows the sound into the hallway to find a young, blond girl standing near the doors, holding a small wooden jewel box. She is singing about how the "Gentlemen" will come for the seven and you will die screaming, but no one will hear. Riley approaches Buffy from behind and places his hand on her shoulder. When she turns towards him, she sees a humanoid creature in a dark suit with a white face, sunken eyes and an obscene grin. Buffy awakes and realizes that she is again sleeping through Walsh's class. Willow teases her by saying that Walsh just told them how to pass the final exam. Leaving class, Buffy begins to tell Willow about her dream. Riley interrupts her to kid Buffy about sleeping in class. Willow has an excuse to leave them and quickly does. Riley re-starts the conversation by asking about the dream. A mischievous Willow cannot help but sneak around and listen to the beginning of their talk. She is pleased to see Buffy and Riley together. As they leave the class building, Buffy accidentally tells Riley that she is on patrol tonight. She recovers by telling him that she has to study petroleum tonight. He tells her that he has to grade papers. They are disappointed that they cannot get together. Before he can kiss her, she asks him what papers he has to grade since they are close to finals and there are no outstanding papers. He recovers by telling her that some people turned in papers late and he has to grade them. He leaves her, but without the kiss. Buffy phones Giles' to ask for research help on the "Gentlemen", in case her dream turns out to be prophetic. After hanging up, Giles asks Spike about the Gentlemen, but he doesn't know them. As Xander and Anya approach Giles', they are having one of "those conversations" - about their relationship. She is complaining that he doesn't treat her right and she wants him to say how much she means to him. When he tries humor, it only irritates her more. When pressed, he stumbles and finally asks to talk about it later. Inside the house, she accuses him of using her for sex. At Giles' irritation and Spike's sudden interest, Xander reminds her to keep some things private. Giles tells them that he called them to take Spike with them for a few days, because he has a friend coming for a visit. Anya quickly asks if it's an "orgasm friend". While all three bitch and moan about the situation, Giles tries to concentrate on his reading. In Wicca group, Willow is trying not to laugh as the circle of women meditates, while one chants pretentious poetry. Next the group turns to more mundane subjects like newsletters and bake sales. When Willow suggests that they might attempt witchcraft, they mock her for believing in actual magic. Only one member tries to support Willow, but the others act sarcastically to the idea that Tara might have something to contribute. The blond, plain-looking Tara is easily intimidated and decides not to speak up. She even sits on the floor, while everyone else is in chairs, as if she doesn't belong on the same level as the others. Willow feels for her. Buffy and Willow walk towards their room, as Willow tells of her frustration with the group. She was hoping that they would lead to a breakthrough in developing her magic powers. In their room, Willow asks for the scoop on Riley, but Buffy thinks he is all talk. Willow encourages Buffy to get things moving, but Buffy complains that it's tough to be in a relationship when you have a secret life fighting evil. In the Initiative's complex, Riley is complaining to his friend, Forrest about the same thing. Forrest agrees, but he thinks that if they were able to tell people about their commando job, it would make them babe magnets. Xander ties Spike to a recliner for the night. As he tries to sleep, Spike teases him by mimicking Anya's nagging relationship questions. Giles friend, Olivia arrives and very quickly him and the pretty young woman are kissing. Inside a tower with a lighted clock, a white, bony hand opens an ornate wooden box. Whispers are heard and all over Sunnydale, a white mist rises from the mouths of the sleeping citizens, including Giles and Olivia, in bed together. A cloud of mists flow into the wooden box being held by a humanoid creature in a dark suit with a white face, sunken eyes and an obscene grin, like a demonic undertaker. The next morning Buffy and Willow realize they cannot speak. In the hall, confused and frightened students are gathering. At Xander's apartment, he is pointing an accusing finger at Spike, who shrugs it off. Spike gives him the reverse V-for-Victory or Peace sign, showing him the back of his hand, which in England is the same as a certain American single-finger salute. Xander calls Buffy, but realizes that a phone does you no good if you cannot talk. Riley and Forrest head to the secret elevator to the Initiative. They cannot activate the voice authorization and as gas seeps into the elevator, Riley must hurriedly engage a keypad override. When they arrive at the complex, Prof. Walsh points to a sign to remind them that in an emergency they are supposed to use the stairs. Tara wanders into a student lounge, where everyone is startled by a dropped glass that shatters the unnatural silence. On main street, Buffy and Willow see that some shops are closed, some people are stocking up on liquor, but most people are shocked and bewildered. The religious gather together to read the Bible and the ambitious sell white boards and marker pens. Buffy and Willow arrive at Giles' with white boards and marker pens around their necks. Anya, Xander and Spike are already there. They wave hello and Giles' hand on Buffy's shoulder shows that he is glad to see her safe and wants to give her encouragement. Books are open on his table, but he has nothing to show her. Xander directs their attention to the television, where reports are that the entire town is suffering from an epidemic of laryngitis, causing the town to be quarantined. Buffy writes for Giles to continue research and she will patrol town tonight. At the Initiative, Prof. Walsh is using a voice synthesizer to give Riley and the men instructions, by typing at a computer console. They are to patrol undercover in civilian clothes, to help calm the people and maintain order, while the scientists attempt to find a cause and a cure. That night, Buffy sees Riley trying to break up a fight. While he tries to calm one of the men, the other picks up a pipe. Unseen by Riley, Buffy grabs the man's wrist and with a cracking sound, the man drops the pipe and falls over. When Riley turns, he sees Buffy and embraces her. A crashing sound down the street reminds them both that they have a job to do. Before he lets her get away, Riley gives her a brief, but passionate kiss. At the clock tower, a door opens and six tall, bald white-faced demons emerge, grinning. Dividing into three pairs, they float about a foot off the ground and are accompanied by demons in straight jackets with heavily bandaged and distorted faces, walking stooped like monkeys, but appearing to be pet dogs from the way they amble alongside their masters. Olivia gets out of bed and goes downstairs. She looks out a window and sees a floating Gentlemen at the house next door. Suddenly, one of the grinning ghouls passes inches from her just outside the window. The hairless jokers are all over town it seems. Two of the pasty-faced monsters and their subservient demons traverse the dorm hallway as if trying to decide which students to visit. They knock on a door and a male student answers. Two henchmen grab the man and hold him down on his bed. One of the Gentlemen is carrying a medical bag, from which he removes a scalpel. The other Gentlemen takes it and, without a sound, starts to slice the screaming student. At the clock tower, a Gentlemen adds a heart in a sealed glass jar to a collection of two other hearts and four empty glass jars. He pauses as if to relish the accomplishment and the other leering Gentlemen politely applaud. The next day, Buffy sneaks into the room of the dead college man and Giles gets the news from the morning paper. Olivia has drawn a sketch of the white wraiths and Giles immediately goes to a large tome of . . fairy tales. Using an empty classroom Giles gathers the Scooby Gang for a briefing complete with transparencies and classical music. Frame-by-frame he shows what they know so far. When Xander writes a question about how to kill them, Buffy pantomimes that she intends to stake them. Giles' slides tell them that swords could not harm them, but a Princess's scream can kill them all. Willow waves a CD at Giles, but his transparency tells them that it must be a real human voice, though he does not know how to restore Buffy's voice. Instead, she will patrol and everyone else will hit the books. The Initiative has also noticed that there were an unusual number of heart-snatchings last night, even for Sunnydale. Riley and his men are fully dressed and loaded. Buffy and Riley both patrol the night. Riley notices activity in the clock tower and goes to investigate. Tara takes Willow's address with her as she leaves her room. While keeping an eye on her back, she trips. As she picks up her books she catches the eye of two Gentlemen and their slavish demons. They chase her. As Buffy watches a Gentlemen across the street from her, a demon dog pounces from a bush in front of her. Tara reaches the dormitory and pounds on doors for help, but no one answers. She ducks into a stairwell, still being hunted. Buffy fights two minion demons and manages to break the neck of one. She chases the other demon when it flees from her. Riley sneaks through the front door of the clock tower. In the darkness, a menial demon grabs him from behind and he loses his rifle-like weapon. He rolls, loosens the monster's grip and subdues it with the help of a collapsible metal baton pulled from his boot. Instantly, another creature is upon him. Tara reaches a dormitory door and begins franticly banging. Willow, asleep at her computer, is awaken by the sound and goes to her door. Tara sees the door open and inside is a smirking Gentlemen, holding a freshly harvested heart. She flees down the hall and runs straight into Willow, who has just come out of her room. They run together into another hallway. Riley is fighting both of the slave demons in the clock tower, when a third runs in through the door. Buffy breaks through a boarded-up window and attacks this third servile demon that she chased there. Buffy and Riley knockdown their opponents. Buffy unslings her crossbow, Riley recovers his rifle and they turn, prepared for anything. They come face-to-face, eye-to-eye, and weapon-to-weapon with each other. Before either can recover from the shock of seeing the other, the subordinate demons renew their attack. Both heroes fire and Riley's weapon releases electrical taser-like energy. They are soon engaged again in deadly hand-to-hand combat. When possible, Riley pauses briefly in his fighting to admire Buffy's ability. At Giles', Spike is having a blood nightcap, next to a sleeping Anya. When he bends over to pickup a book, Xander enters and to him it seems that a blood-mustached Spike is leaning over a helpless Anya. Xander does not hesitate to begin pummeling Spike's face. Only when he realizes Anya is okay, does he stop to kiss and embrace her. His actions and the look on his face tell her more than mere words - he does care! While a bemused Giles and Olivia look on, Anya suddenly makes a very unsubtle gesture indicating how she hopes to celebrate the moment. Tara helps Willow down the stairs. When they reach the laundry room, the demons pound on the door to get in. Willow hops, with an injured ankle over to a soda machine, hoping to push it in front of the door, but even together they are unable to move it. Willow hobbles away and sits on the floor. She attempts to move the machine by concentrating her power, but only succeeds in making it rock. Tara realizes what Willow is attempting; she slowly takes Willow's hand, interlacing their fingers, and indicates for her to try it again. As if one, they both turn their heads towards the machine and it instantly slides across the floor, slamming into the door. For a moment they continue to hold hands, each considering how much power they have together. Buffy and Riley continue to fight the underlings. One goes up the stairs to the tower and Buffy follows. There are several attendant demons and the Gentlemen waiting for her. As three demon dogs hold her, one of the grinning fiends advances with a scalpel. He is suddenly hit by a shot from Riley's gun, as he joins Buffy upstairs. Riley's weapon only fires one more time, but it is enough for Buffy to free herself and continue the fight. They are both hard-pressed by the henchmen. In the melee, one of the Gentlemen manages to stab Buffy in the back with his scalpel. As she struggles, Buffy sees the wooden box on the table. She remembers that the girl in her dream held the box in her hands. She is pinned down by a servile demon, but manages to get Riley's attention and indicate the table. Riley raises his weapon and smashes it down... on a blue bottle, next to the box. He then looks to Buffy for approval. While being choked, she manages to pantomime opening a box and he gets the idea. This time he smashes the box and the mist of voices escapes and spreads. When the mist that is Buffy's voice enters her mouth, she begins the longest scream she can possibly maintain. The subordinate demons fall and shake. The Gentlemen raise their hands to their ears and quiver. After a few seconds, all of them lower their hands to their sides and one-by-one their heads explode, in a spray of white flesh and yellow goo. The next day, Tara explains to Willow that she was coming to see her because she figured that Willow was the only other real witch in the Wicca group. Tara's mother was a powerful witch, like Willow, and Tara started practicing as a child. Willow is humble about her abilities, but Tara insists, almost fawning. Giles and Olivia are sharing a quiet moment on the couch. Olivia admits that she doubted a lot of what Giles told her about his life, but now she knows it's all true. He admits that he wasn't one of the founders of Pink Floyd, but all the rest is true. He's concerned when she admits that she isn't sure yet if his life is too scary for her. Buffy is in her room, when Riley arrives. They both agree they really need to talk. They sit down, face-to-face, and begin a long, awkward silence. Summary by: OBCooke at EpisodeGuides.com |
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