Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1996–2003): Season 3, Episode 21 - Graduation Day: Part 1 - full transcript

I can't believe this loser look.

I lobbied so hard for the teal.

No one ever listens to me,
lone fashionable wolf.

I like the maroon. Has more dignity.

Dignity? You?
In relation to clothes?

I'm awash in a sea of confusion.

I just want to look
respectable in this...

considering I'm probably
gonna die in it.

- Excuse me?
- I woke up the other day

with this feeling
in my gut. I just know.

There is no way I'm getting
out of this school alive.



Well, you've really mastered the power
of positive giving up.

I've been lucky too many times.

My number's comin' up. And I was short.

One more rotation,
and I'm shipping stateside.

- You know what I mean?
- Seldom if ever.

Bye. We'll keep in touch.

Willow, will you sign my yearbook?

Yeah. You have
to sign mine, too.

You know, I really wish we would
have got to know each other better.

Me, too.

I mean, you're so smart.

I always wanted to be like that.

Thanks. You're so sweet.

- I hope we don't lose touch.
- No, we'll hang out.



- Bye.
- Bye.

Oh, I'm gonna miss her.

Don't you hate her?

Yes, with a fiery vengeance.

She picked on me for 10 years...

the vacuous tramp.

It's like a sickness, Buffy.

I'm just missing everything.
I miss P.E.

I think it's contagious.

The whole senior class
has turned into the sixties.

Or what I would have imagined
the sixties would have been like,

you know, without the war
and the hairy armpits.

- You don't feel it?
- No, I don't.

I mean, I guess
I'll miss stuff,

but I just don't get
the whole graduation thing.

I mean, you get a piece of paper
and nothing changes.

I don't even think I'm gonna go.

Oh, trusty soda machine...

I push you for root beer,
you give me Coke.

What do you mean not go? Why not?

Ascension, mayor becoming a demon,

snacking upon populace.

I was planning on fighting him.

We can't do both?

Both what?

Go to graduation and fight the mayor.

The mayor?

- What, you guys didn't hear?
- Hear what?

Guess who our commencement speaker is?

- Siegfried?
- No.

- Roy?
- No.

- One of the tigers?
- Come out of the fantasy, Wil.

I don't believe this.

Lends credence to my whole
"I'm gonna die" theorem, doesn't it?

The mayor at graduation?

A hundred helpless kids to feed on.

Got any other surprises for us?

[Knock On Door]

Just a moment.

Hi. I'm looking for Professor Worth.

Oh, that's me.

But I should ask you to come back
during office hours.

- Students generally make appoint...
- Uh, I'm not from the college.

I work for Mayor Wilkins. I'm Faith.

Oh, well, come in, please.

I was so surprised when he called.

Didn't expect a politician

to be interested in my research.

- He's a big fan, Professor.
- Oh, oh, Lester's fine.

We alone here, Lester?

Well... yes.

Lifelong bachelor.

Like my space.

I hear that. You want to turn
and face the wall, Lester?

What are you doing?

I'll make it quick.

Put that away.

- I'll scream!
- Who wouldn't?

Oh, oh, please!

Sorry, friend.
The boss wants you dead.

Why?

You know, I never thought to ask.

[Lester Groans]
Oh! Ohhhh!

And everything went smoothly
with Mr. Worth?

- Faith: Not if you're Mr. Worth.
- [Chuckles]

Well, that's swell.

You know how I feel
about loose ends.

And the big day is so close.
You can smell the excitement in the air.

Say, are you ever coming out of there?

- I don't know.
- Oh, come on.

Well... aren't you a vision.

I feel wicked stupid in this.

You look lovely.
Perfect for the ascension.

Any boys that manage to survive

will be lining up to ask you out.

- It just isn't me, though.
- Not you?

Let me tell you something.

Nobody knows what you are.

Not even you,
little Miss Seen-It-All.

The ascension isn't just my day.

It's yours, too.
Your day to blossom,

show the world what
a powerful girl you are.

I think of what you've done,

what I know you will do.

No father could be prouder.

- I hope I don't let you down.
- Impossible.

Now, come on, change back into your
street clothes. I'll buy you an Icee.

- Hey, Rosenberg.
- Hey, Percy.

Check it out. History final.

"B-minus." That's great.

I'm a scholar. I'm like a scholar.

Congratulations.

Hey, listen, thank you.
I mean, for helping me,

being so patient.

And also, for not kicking my ass
like you did in the bronze.

You know, Percy,
that was actually...

for your own good.

I know. I know.

- Hey.
- Hey.

History's important, you know.

No, I totally get that now.

And I got the grades,

I'm graduating tomorrow.

I can forget all this crap.

Well, on the bright side,
after graduation,

he may not have the chance
to forget it all.

Ha ha.

I'm just trying
to keep things light.

But things aren't light. I mean, it's
bad enough we have to fight the mayor.

I don't want him eating Percy
and the whole class.

We have to find a spell or something
to stop the ascension.

Then we will.

Thank you for
joining us, Mr. Harris.

Look, I realize that you've all
finished your finals

and you're ready to move on.

But you haven't graduated yet.

This is still a class,
and everyone will participate.

Mr. Harris,
would you care to begin?

Um...

"E."

No, there's no "E."

They always go for the "E."

- Mr. Miller: Next.
- Hi.

Mr. Miller: Steven.

Hey.

Um, so I was wondering...

uh, maybe if you're
free this weekend,

maybe we could do some...

entertaining thing.

Would that be along the lines
of you telling me

about all the men you destroyed back
in your demon days?

'Cause pencil me in.

Well, we could do
something else you like.

We could, um...

watch sports of some kind.

Uh, I don't know.

Men like sports. I'm sure of it.

Yes, men like sports.

Men watch the action movie.

They eat of the beef
and enjoy to look at the bosoms.

A thousand years of avenging our wrongs
and that's all you've learned?

Hey, I'm trying, OK? You don't need
to take my head off.

I'm sorry.

Look...

I don't even know if I'm
gonna make it to next weekend.

I'll tell you what,
I survive the ascension,

and then maybe you and I could do
some sports-related...

what?

- Faith.
- Wesley: You're sure?

It's one of her pieces.

I recognize the brushwork.

"Brutally stabbed...

Lester Worth, visiting
professor of geology."

There's nothing in here
that bellows "motive."

Random killing, perhaps? Fit of rage?

Everybody does seem to be
going a bit mad lately.

Faith has something
of a head start.

Doesn't read.
I think it's homework.

The mayor wanted
the good professor out of the way.

Which leads
to the question, "How come?"

I'm gonna destroy the entire city,

but I take the time
to kill harmless Lester first?

Tying up loose ends?
Lester had something or knew something.

Then I want to know, too.

If the mayor's trying to hide,
I say we go seek.

Ah, by attempting
to keep a valuable clue from us,

the mayor may have inadvertently
led us right to it.

What page are you on, Wes?
'Cause we already got there.

Yes, well, you will go tonight,
look over his apartment,

anything of note,
report back here.

I just love it when
you take charge, you man, you.

Yeah, but that...
was that a yes?

I'm having trouble keeping track.

I'll go.

Be careful.

If Faith should show up...

I don't think she'll show.

Been there, killed that.

She's not much for follow-up.

Nonetheless, keep watch.

Faith has you at
a disadvantage, Buffy.

'Cause I'm not crazy or
'cause I don't kill people?

Both, actually.

I hear you.

I can't kill her. Fun as it may sound.

I can make her cry uncle,
though, and I mean to.

Don't let your feelings
about Faith interfere with your work.

Stopping Faith is my work.

Take a beat to love the synergy.

Faith is a footnote.
Our priority is stopping the ascension.

Easier said than done,
Monarchy Boy.

Xander, if you don't have
something constructive to add...

You guys want to know
about the ascension?

Well, meet the only living person
who's ever been to one.

About 800 years ago, in
the Kaskov valleys above the Urals,

there was a sorcerer
there who achieved ascension.

Became the embodiment
of the demon Lohesh.

I was there cursing a shepherd
who'd been unfaithful.

His wife had wished
that all his sheep would lie...

Can we cut back to the chase?

Sorry. Um...

Lohesh was...

It... It decimated
the village within hours.

Maybe 3 people got out.

I've seen some horrible things
in my time and life.

I've been the cause of
most of them, actually, but this...

Ahem. I'm sorry. Lohesh was a 4-winged
soul killer, am I right?

I was given to understand
that they're not that fierce.

- Of all the demons we've faced...
- You've never seen a demon.

Uh, excuse me.

Killing them professionally
4 years running.

All the demons
that walk the earth are tainted,

are human hybrids, like vampires.

The ascension means that a human
becomes pure demon.

They're different.

- Different?
- How?

Well, for one thing...
they're bigger.

The kids are here,
the parents off to the side there.

We'll go up, they'll
play the processional,

and then you'll
give the address.

It all looks wonderful.

As long as nobody
makes any trouble.

Oh, stop worrying.
You just make sure the kids show up.

Anybody who doesn't feel
like coming to graduation,

well, they'll just have
to live without a diploma.

They'll be here, sir.

Call me Richard.

You've done a great job here.

I know things are, um...

well, different here in Sunnydale.

We've both seen all sorts of things.

What's important is we keep it under
control, and that's what you've done.

What's important is we keep it under
control, and that's what you've done.

- I believe in order.
- Sunnydale owes you a debt.

It will be repaid.

Yes, sir, we'll
mark that invoice "Paid in full."

It doesn't sound like Lohesh.
The rituals are all different.

- I wish that was a relief.
- Oz: What's going on?

How come evil girl's in the mix?

Anya witnessed an ascension.

OK, then.

What about the spiders? The mayor had
a box of spiders that he had to eat.

The box of...
I want to say gravlax.

- Gavrok.
- It doesn't ring a bell.

There must be something you can remember
that would be helpful.

Mayor: So...

this is the inner sanctum.

Faith tells me this is where
you folks like to hang out

and concoct your little schemes.

I'll tell you, you know,
it's just nice to see

that young people are still interested
in reading in this modern era.

[Chuckles]

So what are kids
reading nowadays?

"The beast will walk upon the earth
and darkness will follow.

The several races of man will be as one
in their terror and destruction."

Oh, that's kind of sweet.

Different races coming together.

You never get even a little tired
of hearing yourself speak, do you?

That's one spunky little
girl you've raised.

I'm gonna eat her.

Oh.

Whoa!

Now, that was a little thoughtless.

Violent outbursts like that...

in front of the children.

You know, Mr. Giles, they look to you
to see how to behave.

Get out.

I smell fear. That's smart.

But some of your deaths will be quick,
if that's worth anything.

Well, see you all at graduation.

You don't want to miss
my commencement address.

It's going to be
one heck of a speech.

Anya, wait!

- Where you going?
- Anywhere. If there's a lunar shuttle

going up anytime
soon, I'm on it.

We need you here.
You might be able to help.

Or I might be able to live.

You can't stop the ascension, Xander.

You were right the first time.

The only thing any sane person
can do now is run.

- What's her saga?
- She's freaking.

- About what?
- The mayor is gonna kill us all.

Oh. Are you gonna go
to fifth period?

- I'm thinking I might skip it.
- Yeah, me, too.

Buffy, I'm home.
Do you want to go to...

What are you doing?

You're running away again?

And you're taking my clothes.

Mom, I need you
to leave town... tonight.

Buffy, I'd miss your graduation.

- Yeah, that's sort of the idea.
- There's no way. I wouldn't dream of it.

Mom, graduation is a pointless ceremony

where you sit around and listen to
a bunch of boring speeches

till someone hands you a piece of paper
that says you graduated,

which you already know, and
maroon does nothing for my complexion,

so don't argue, OK?

What, is some terrible demon going
to attack the school?

Oh, I see.

Oh, you know, Buffy,

looking back at everything
that's happened,

maybe I should have sent you
to a different school.

Just promise me you'll be
far away from here.

I am not leaving you to
face an awful monster.

- If I go anywhere, you're going with me.
- You know that I can't.

Well, then I can't either.

- I know you wish I were different.
- Buffy, no...

I wish I could be
a lot of things for you...

A great student, a star athlete,

remotely normal... I'm not.

But there is something I do I can do
better than anybody else in the world.

I'm gonna fight this thing.

But I can't do it
and worry about you.

Oh, Buffy, I just can't...

If you stay, you'll get me killed.

You have to trust me on this.

Can you do that?

Oh, this is so frustrating.

Nothing useful?

No, it's great...

if we want to make ferns invisible

or communicate with shrimp,

I've got the goods right here.

Our lives are different
than other people's.

Oh, who am I kidding?

I'm not gonna find a spell
to stop the ascension.

I'm no witch.

I can't even change poor
Amy back to a person.

But you got the
swinging habitrail goin'.

I think Amy's in
a good place emotionally.

- Oz...
- What?

Could you just pretend to care
about what's happening, please?

You think I don't care?

I think we could be dead
in 2 days' time,

and you're being
ironic detachment guy.

Would it help you if I panicked?

Yes! It'd be swell.

Panic is a thing people can share
in times of crisis,

and... and everything is
really scary now, you know?

And I don't know
what's gonna happen.

And... And there's
all sorts of things

that you're supposed to get
to do after high school,

and I was really looking
forward to doing them.

And... And now we're
probably just gonna die,

and I'd like to feel
that maybe you would...

- What are you doing?
- Panicking.

Ow!

Stealthy.

Not my best entrance.

I think they were
moppin' in the halls.

What are you doing here?

I checked in with Giles.
He asked me to back you up.

- He's afraid I'll run into Faith.
- You're not?

It's gonna happen sooner or later.

What's that?

A report, excavation
of some old lava bed.

The guy was a volcanologist
or something.

Anything in there that connects
him to the mayor?

I looked through it, but the only thing
I understood were the commas.

- I'm gonna bring it to Giles.
- I'll give you a hand.

You know what? Thank you, but I can
take it from here.

It's all right.
I'll walk you there.

Look, I don't need an escort.

I'm a big girl.
Superpowers, remember?

I don't need you crowding me.

I didn't think I was.

No, of course you don't.

You just show up at the prom,
and then you disappear into the ozone.

For all I know, you left town.

Are you mad at me for being around too
much or for not being around enough?

Duh, yes.

- Which?
- What?

I don't get you.

No, you don't. Not anymore.

Are you just making this harder
to make this easier on yourself?

Can we stop with
the brainteasers?

I just wish it was over. Done.

It's not that simple.
Once the mayor...

I know. World in peril
and we have to work together.

This is my last office romance,
I'll tell you that.

You want me out of your face?

Isn't it even a little hard for you?

How can you ask me that?
Just 'cause I'm not acting like a brat

- doesn't mean I don't feel anything.
- Nice to know what you think of me.

What do you expect me to say
when you just attack?

I just can't do this anymore.

I can't have you in my life
when I'm trying to move on...

Angel!

Missed the heart.

Meant to.

Unh!

- OK, ready?
- Yeah.

On 3.

- 1...
- Unh!

I knew you were
gonna do that.

Giles: Not too much blood here.

I heal pretty fast.
I should be all right.

I'm just glad Faith
is such a suck shot.

- We're sure it was her?
- I've narrowed my list of one suspect.

- Fascinating.
- What?

It seems our Mr. Worth

headed an expedition in Kauai,

digging through old
lava beds near a dormant volcano.

- I'm not fascinated yet.
- He found something underneath.

- A carcass, buried by an eruption.
- Giles: A carcass?

A very large one.

Mr. Worth posits that it might be
some heretofore undiscovered dinosaur.

A demon?

Yes, that would be something
the mayor would want to keep a secret.

If it's the same kind of demon he's
turning into and it's dead, it means...

well, he's only impervious to harm
until the ascension.

In its demon form,
he can be killed.

Great. So all we need is a million tons
of burning lava. We're saved.

Well, it's a start anyway...

OK, you have been
a real klutz today.

You need to...

Damn.

We'll have to run some tests.

Angel: My shoulder's
completely numb.

- You're burning up.
- It's poison. I can feel it.

I'll call the others, get them here.

We'll need to move him to the safety
of his own bed before the sun comes up.

Will you be able to
find out what this is?

The Council has all
the known toxins on file,

mystical or otherwise.
I'll contact them immediately.

Thanks.

You're going to be OK.

I feel different, you know?

But I guess that makes sense.

Do you feel different?
Oh, no, you've already...

Probably no big change for you.

I-I-It was nice.

Was it nice?

Should this be a quiet moment?

I know exactly what you mean.

Which part?

Everything feels different.

[Telephone Rings]

Hello?

We gotta go.

- He's dropped, boss.
- Applause, applause.

Right in the back. He pitches over
and Buffy's freaking,

looking around, all panicked...
it was a good time.

Well, that should
keep her occupied for a spell.

- What next?
- [Sighs] The ritual of Gavrok.

I have to ingest several
of the inhabitants of this box.

- Ingest?
- Eat.

- You're wicked gross.
- [Laughs]

Well, you don't have to watch.
Go home, take it easy.

It's a big day tomorrow.

You gotta give me something to do.
There's no way I'm sleeping.

Don't you need anyone... dead or maimed?
I could settle for maimed.

You little firecracker.

My mom used to call me that.

When I was little.

I was always running around.

Tomorrow. The ascension and all that.
Am I gonna get to fight?

If everything goes smoothly,
you won't have to.

But how often do things go smoothly?

- So you'll still need me in there.
- Always.

When I was a kid,

a couple of miles outside of Boston
there was this quarry,

and all the kids used to swim there
and jump off the rocks.

And there was this one rock,
like, 40 feet up.

I was the only one
that would jump off of it.

All the older kids were too scared.

Not you, though.

Nah. I could do it easy.

Get some rest.

Good luck with your spiders there.

They should have all
this at the Magic Shop.

I can run a trace analysis,
see if it's a mystical poison.

I'm a little short on cash.

- Just tell them it's for me.
- Right.

Anya: Xander.

What are you doing here?

I thought you'd be in Aruba by now.

Hey, I'm packed.
My car's right outside.

I... I just, um...

I, uh, I had to, uh...

What?

[Sighs]

That you could come with me.

Come with you?

You mean that?

Why not?

We could just get
in the car and drive.

No one would miss us. We could...

take turns driving,

keep each other awake.

You're going to die if you stay here.

I guess I might.

When I think that something
could happen to you,

it feels bad inside,

like I might vomit.

Welcome to the world of romance.

It's horrible!

No wonder I used
to get so much work.

Well, I'm sorry I give you
barfy feelings.

Come with me.

I can't.

Why not?

I got friends on the line.

So?

That humanity thing's
still a work in progress, isn't it?

Are you really gonna be
that much help to them?

I mean, you'll probably
just get in the way.

Your stock's plummeting
here, sweetheart.

Fine. You know what?
I hope you die.

Aren't we gonna kiss?

[Groans]

It'll be OK.

You'll be OK.

[Door Opens, Footsteps]

Did you reach the Council?

Wesley: Yes.

They, uh...

They couldn't help.

Couldn't?

Wouldn't.

It's not Council policy
to cure vampires.

Did you explain that these were
special circumstances?

Not under any circumstances, and
yes, I did try to convince them.

Try again.

Buffy, they're very firm.

We're talking about laws which have
existed longer than civilization.

I'm talking about
watching my lover die.

I don't have a clue what
you're talking about, and I don't care.

Buffy, we'll find a cure.

- The orders are to concentrate on...
- Orders?

I don't think I'm going to be
taking any more orders.

Not from you.
Not from them.

You can't turn your back
on the Council.

They're in England.

I don't think they can tell
which way my back is facing.

Giles, talk to her.

I have nothing to say right now.

Wesley, go back to your Council
and tell them

until the next slayer comes along,
they can close up shop.

I'm not working
for them anymore.

Don't you see what's happening?

Faith poisoned Angel to distract you,

to... to keep you out
of the mayor's way, and it's working.

- We need a strategy.
- I have a strategy.

You're not in it.

This is mutiny.

I like to think
of it as graduation.

Giles, I can't
stay here any longer.

- I'm going to see if I can help.
- Of course.

You'll watch him?

I'll call if there's any change.

Buffy...

you don't know what you're doing.

Get a job.

Finding the poison
wasn't that hard.

It's a mystical compound.

The Latin name translates roughly to
"killer of the dead."

- Used on vampires.
- And the cure?

There aren't a lot of instances
of it being cured.

- But there are some?
- One or 2.

Pretty vague accounts. How is he?

- Hold it.
- You got something?

- I'm not sure.
- Be sure.

OK. "Killer of the dead."
That's our boy.

And here's a vamp that
walked away from it.

Does it talk about the cure?

Damn.

Nothing?

No, it's in here, but...

Wait. "Completely
reversed the effects..."

Oh...

- What?
- The suspense is killing Angel.

The only way to cure this thing...

is to drain the blood of a slayer.

Good.

Good. What did I miss?

No, it's perfect. Angel needs to drain
a slayer, then I'll bring him one.

Buffy, if Angel drains Faith's blood,
it'll kill her.

Not if she's already dead.

A leasing agreement,
should be recent.

Won't be in her name, but if the mayor's
putting her up, it might be in his.

Maybe he's charging it to the city.

Right. Cross-reference realty
with municipal funds.

You wanna drive?

Sorry.

Someone should take over
for Giles after a while, watch Angel.

I don't mean to play
devil's advocate here,

- but are you sure you're up for this?
- It's time.

We're talking to the death.

I can't play kid games anymore.
This is how she wants it.

- I just don't want to lose you.
- I won't get hurt.

That's not what I mean.

Just get me an address.

I got it.

[Rock Music Blares]

[Music Stops]

Thought I'd stop by.

Is he dead yet?

He's not gonna die.

It's a good try, though. Your plan?

Uh-huh. Mayor got me the poison.

He said it was wicked painful.

There's a cure.

Damn. What is it?

Your blood.

As justice goes, it's not unpoetic.
Don't you think?

Come to get me?

You gonna feed me to Angel?

You know you're not
gonna take me alive.

Not a problem.

Well, look at you,

all dressed up
in big sister's clothes.

You told me I was just like you.

That I was holding it in.

Ready to cut loose?

Try me.

OK, then.

Give us a kiss.

Unh!

You're not getting tired, are you?
I'm just starting to feel it.

Stick around.

Buffy.

Right. Right.

Something about the demon?

The, uh, local villagers
near the volcano site

make reference to
the legend of Olukai.

That may be
a bastardization of"Olvikan."

Xander:
Who's Olvikan?

It's a demon, a very old one.
I might have a picture.

Boy, it's a good thing
no one ever wanted

to check any of these
books out, huh?

Yes, very convenient.

Come on, Olvikan.

Hey...

we're gonna need a bigger boat.

Mmm.

My God, what a feeling.

The power of these creatures...

it suffuses my being.

I can feel the changes begin.

The organs are shifting, merging,

making ready for the ascension.

Plus these babies are high in fiber,
and what's the fun...

of becoming an immortal demon
if you're not regular, am I right?

We don't knock
during dark rituals?

Sir, there may be trouble. At Faith's.

Hyah!

What's the matter, all that killing,

and you're afraid to die?

[Strains]

That's mine.

You're about to get it back.

Man, I'm gonna miss this...

Unh! Ohh!

You did it...

you killed me.

Still won't help your boy, though.

Shoulda been there, "B."

Quite a ride.