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| 80. Real Me Original Air Date: October 03, 2000 Guest Cast: Mercedes McNab (Harmony) Giles' voice is calm and measured as he talks Buffy into a meditative state. She stands feet spread apart, before a short wooden pedestal. Then, in one smooth motion, she performs a handstand and is perfectly poised on the wooden block. After a few moments she raises her right arm and maintains her vertical line while balanced on one hand. As the seconds pass, Giles discerning stare approaches awe. A short distance away someone attempts to add a crystal to a delicately balanced group of three. The entire set collapses in a noisy heap and, distracted by the sound, Buffy comes crashing down onto the floormats. As she recovers, her sister Dawn's face pushes in close to hers and whines for a new place to go. The next morning, Dawn is writing in her diary about the dangers and loneliness that come with being the sister of The Slayer. At the kitchen table we hear a continuing monologue as Dawn belittles Buffy's life despite obviously being jealous of her. Both young women are horrified to discover that their mother intends for older sister to take Dawn Back-to-School shopping. Buffy protests that she intends to shop with Giles at the Magic Shop for supplies to use in her new regimen of training, but Joyce won't be dissuaded. Riley arrives and as he lovingly greets Buffy, Dawn wonders how far they have gone together and if Riley will ever stop calling her "kid". Once alone, Riley is surprised to find that Buffy thinks his visit is a surprise. She forgot that they promised to get together, but he quickly forgives her and encourages her to pursue her calling. Buffy and Dawn cruise down the street in Giles' bright red sports car. Dawn is not very happy with Giles, who is very, very, very old, but perhaps that's because she doesn't think that he likes her, since he mostly scolds her to be quiet and sit still while he trains Buffy. Giles reminds Buffy that the learning and training will not be easy, just before he begins to complain about the automatic transmission in his new convertible. Giles admits that since he hasn't worked in a long time, he was looking for a change. When Dawn spots Willow and Tara, Giles leaps at the chance to show-off his new car. Both of them are on their way to the Magic Shop. Dawn's voiceover tells us that she thinks Willow is wonderful and likes Tara as well. Dawn casually mentions that she once told her mother that she's interested in the same things Willow and Tara are - she meant witchcraft, but Joyce seemed upset, which echoes a recurring theme, witchcraft as a code word for Willow and Tara's relationship. Willow is delighted to hear that Buffy is getting serious about something and getting a "work ethic", until she hears that it means Buffy won't be able to be in her drama class. They are interrupted when they notice the Magic Shop seems unusually quiet and dark. Inside Willow literally trips over the body of the owner. Buffy quickly rushes Dawn outside to avoid exposing her to the gruesome details. Dawn peers through the window until an unsettling street person approaches her ranting about cats. When she tries to scream, he puts his finger to her lips and tells her that he knows what she is and she doesn't belong here. A short time later, Tara emerges from the shop and finds Dawn sitting around the corner from the shop entrance. Tara tells her that the owner is dead and that "non-Scoobys" like her and Dawn should just wait until the others finish their investigation. Inside the fantastic four have determined from the obvious evidence that more than one vampire was involved. A quick check of the inventory and Willow finds several things missing, including a text about The Slayer. As Giles looks over the books, he is surprised to find out how lucrative the little shop can be, which is why there is never trouble in getting a new owner. Buffy reminds him that they often have to get a new owner, since the monsters in Sunnydale, make this a risky job. Giles is undeterred as he advises Buffy to begin her search for the vampire pack, while evaluating the Magic Shop as an enterprise. Willow reminds Buffy that she is stuck with Dawn. Giles notices a missing artifact - a cheap porcelain unicorn. Harmony is congratulating her minions on the raid and thanking the brown-noser who stole the unicorn for her. She sired these vampires, but she doesn't seem entirely in charge as they bully her to tell them when she plans to kill The Slayer. She finally tells them that it will be tonight and they seem happy. Back home that night, Joyce is ready to kill Buffy for not only blowing off the shopping but taking her little sister to a murder scene. Now due back at work, Joyce accuses Buffy of wanting to go out with Riley, instead of babysitting her sister. Buffy insists that she should be patrolling. Buffy finally suggests that they ask Xander to baby-sit and Dawn quickly agrees. Dawn is all smiles as she answers the door for Xander. He can do no wrong in her eyes, except, of course, by bringing Anya with him. Anya arrives bearing a trio of classic games classics. Tara is worried about Dawn, as she tells Willow that Dawn probably feels left out of the group - that she's an outsider. Willow quickly realizes that Tara is talking about herself. Willow assures her that she is accepted, but Tara insists that the others have been together so long, that she doesn't really feel the same camaraderie. Willow hugs Tara and repeats her reassurances with feeling. Tara seems happy, but pulls away when Willow tells her that she's now one of the good guys. Willow suggests that they need to come up with some kind of initiation ritual or a membership ring, but Tara tells her it's not necessary. Tara does repeat the same concerns about Dawn, but Willow tells her that Buffy will take care of Dawn. Buffy is venting to Riley about how irritating her sister is and how her mother is no help. Riley pushes to find out the source of this tension and Buffy admits to feeling stifled because Dawn is always around. Riley suggests that Dawn might be an admirer of Buffy's, but she doesn't buy. Buffy also admits to being jealous of Dawn's life, because she gets to grow up normally and doesn't have to start worrying about how to save the world at a young age. Dawn is venting to Xander and Anya about how irritating her sister is and how her mother is no help. Xander pooh-poohs Dawn's concerns, but she still thinks romantic thoughts about him, until Anya interrupts. Anya is upset at all the money she is stuck with, until Xander tells her that she is winning the game. All of which is interrupted by a rock through the window. A note attached tells them that Harmony has come to kill Buffy. Xander enjoys standing in the doorway and telling Harmony that she failed even to find The Slayer. Harmony and her armed gang cannot enter the house without an invitation and Xander relishes irritating Harmony, including laughing in her face. In the give and take of insults, Dawn makes the mistake of daring Harmony to come inside the house. Harmony instantly transforms into her vampire state and attacks Xander. Dawn and Anya retreat, as Harmony sits on Xander chest and punches him. Frustrated at not being able to find a weapon in The Slayer's house, Anya tries to attack Harmony with a lamp, but is brushed aside. In the momentary break this gives Xander, he manages to raise his feet and kick Harmony out of the door, which they quickly close. Harmony leaves with the threat to carry out her threats later. Buffy is all giggles as Xander tells her about Harmony and her minions. She stops laughing when she hears that Harmony has a standing invitation to enter her house. Harmony and her minions are walking through town complaining about how the night has turned out. They do not know they are being stalked until one of them is punched unconscious. Spike is ready to take on the whole bunch. When he sees Harmony he is momentarily surprised. They pass the time pleasantly until one of her minions reminds her that Spike is the enemy of other inhumans. Spike doesn't bother to explain that there is a chip in his head that now prevents him from harming humans and since he is still, after all, evil he's got to take it out on someone. Spike is definitely surprised that Harmony has a gang and definitely amused to hear that Harmony intends to kill Buffy. He tries to warn her, but she is confident in her plan. Spike quickly tells her that the kidnap-Buffy's-friend-and-lead-her-into-a-trap plan is worthless. Harmony denies that that is her plan. As Spike walks away, Harmony warns him that one day she will track him down and kill him, but she doesn't sound very mad at him. Then she announces to her gang - a new plan. Xander and Riley watch as Buffy prepares weapons to assault Harmony's gang. As they plead the case for calm, she rants about how her sister's carelessness could get them all killed, as Dawn listens from the next room. Buffy has no patience with the argument that Dawn is too young. Buffy feels that Dawn should know by now that you have to be careful in the Summers' house. Besides, treating her like a child has made her dependant and stupid. Dawn leaves, close to tears, before Buffy calms down. Dawn runs past Anya in the kitchen and out the back door. Dawn just wants some time alone, but Anya catches her and reminds her that it's too dangerous outside right now. Anya is proven right when she is knocked back into the kitchen and Dawn is kidnapped. Buffy, Xander and Riley find Anya on the floor and, despite a bad head wound, she manages to tell them that Dawn is in danger. Dawn is chained to a wall as Harmony again explains her plan. Her gang is not happy about not getting to eat Dawn, but Harmony is insistent that her plan requires them to wait. Buffy strides into Spike's mausoleum hide-away and without a word punches him in the nose. Spike's first impulse is to lie about seeing Harmony, but another punch convinces him to tell Buffy what he knows about Harmony's hideout. She leaves him with one last fist to the face. Harmony is venting to Dawn about how irritating her gang is. Dawn can sympathize with the lack of appreciation Harmony feels. They are interrupted when Harmony's gang arrives to tell Harmony that they have changed the plan to killing both her and Dawn now. Harmony is slow to realize that she has lost control and almost begs for another chance. As she is brushed aside, a gang member approaches Dawn. She warns him that Buffy will kill him if he touches her. In a joking mood, the vampire reaches out with his index finger and touches Dawn's shoulder. Then the gang begins to laugh. The next sound is the stake being driven through his heart. He turns to dust to reveal Buffy. She warns Dawn to close her eyes so she won't see what's about to happen. Harmony tries some lame super-villain boasting, but the gang interrupts by attacking Buffy. Buffy quickly kills two more of them. While she is insulting Harmony, the biggest member of the gang slips behind Buffy. Dawn's warning is just in time, as Buffy turns to face Mort's attack. Mort's size and strength work to his advantage. Harmony runs away as Buffy tries to subdue the giant monster. He manages to close his massive grip on her throat and pick her off the ground. Flailing with her legs, Buffy's foot brushes a possible weapon. She breaks free and somersaults a few feet back. Mort falls back against the cave wall. Buffy picks up and stabs Mort through the heart with a kiddie-size unicorn. As she frees Dawn, Buffy warns her that she is in big trouble. Dawn threatens to get Buffy in trouble with their mother. When they get home, they tell their mother nothing of what happened that night. The next day, Dawn writes in her diary that Buffy was probably afraid of getting into more trouble, but it was good that she didn't say anything. Meanwhile, despite Buffy's warnings about the pitfalls of the retail business and the short life expectancy of Magic Shop owners, Giles is preparing to open his new business - part-storefront and part-Slayer Workshop. Buffy marvels at his energy and Giles admits that he was so bored when not working that he watched the soap opera, Passions, with Spike, which must forever remain a secret. As Buffy emerges repeatedly from the back room to tell Dawn not to move, Dawn reflects that she may have a surprise in store for Buffy if she thinks that Dawn is an ordinary little sister. Summary by: OBCooke at EpisodeGuides.com |
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