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Score: 9.4 Superb 434 votes

Graduation Day (1)

Episode Number: 55    Season Num: 3    First Aired: Tuesday May 18, 1999    Prod Code: 3ABB21
The gang receive some valuable information from their old enemy Anya, who has actually witnessed an Ascension. She reveals that the Mayor plans to transform himself into pure demon, something that has not been seen for thousands of years. When Angel is poisoned by Faith, Buffy faces Faith for the final time in order to get the only cure to the poison: the blood of a Slayer.

Cast and Crew

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Writer: Joss Whedon
Director: Joss Whedon
Star: Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy Anne Summers),  Seth Green (Daniel 'Oz' Osbourne),  David Boreanaz (Angel),  Nicholas Brendon (Alexander 'Xander' Harris),  Alyson Hannigan (Willow Rosenberg),  Charisma Carpenter (Cordelia Chase),  Anthony Stewart Head (Rupert Giles)
Recurring Role: Alexis Denisof (Wesley Wyndam-Pryce),  Mercedes McNab (Harmony),  Ethan Erickson (Percy),  Emma Caulfield (Anya),  Eliza Dushku (Faith),  Armin Shimerman (Principal Snyder),  Harry Groener (Mayor Richard Wilkins III),  Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers)
Guest Star: James Lurie (Mr Miller),  Hal Robinson (Lester),  Adrian Neil (Vamp Lackey #1),  John Rosenfeld (Vamp Lackey #2)

Notes

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This is the second time Faith tries to kill Angel. The first time is earlier in season 3 in the episode "Revelations". The third time is in Angel, season 1, in the episode "Five by Five". (edit)
We learn that Willow rides a bike to school. Apparently she lives rather close to the school. (edit)
Joss said the part that Angel slips while entering in the professor's office was put as kind of a homage to David Boreanaz, who is pretty clumsy. Also, they wanted to do a funny entering, not only the incredible-out-of-nowhere ones. (edit)
When the Mayor confronts the Scoobies in the library, he picks up a random book and reads, "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." This is the arc that took place in Season 4 of Angel. (edit)
Hearing Anya mention her car has us wondering where she lives and how she gets money. Perhaps D'Hoffryn compromised (since he wouldn't give her her powers back) and agreed to give her money. She could have a job, but it would be hard for a high school student to find one that pays enough to buy a car and pay rent, bills, etc... Yet Anya's place is shown once in season 5's "Into The Woods"..still, such things have never been explained in the actual show. (edit)

Quotes

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Buffy: Mom, graduation is a pointless ceremony where you sit around and listen to a bunch of boring speeches until someone hands you a little piece of paper that says you graduated, which you already know, and maroon does nothing for my complexion so don't argue, okay? (edit)
Faith: Well, look at you. All dressed up in big sister's clothes.
Buffy: You told me I was just like you. That I was holding it in.
Faith: Ready to cut loose?
Buffy: Try me.
Faith: Okay then. Give us a kiss. (edit)
Buffy: I'm just glad Faith is such a suck shot.
Giles: We're sure it was her?
Buffy: Well, I've narrowed down my list of one suspect. (edit)
Angel: Anything in there that connects him to the mayor?
Buffy: I looked through it, but the only thing I understood were the commas. (edit)
The Mayor: "The several races of man will be as one in their terror and destruction." Oh, that's kind of sweet. Different races coming together.
Buffy: You never get even a little tired of hearing yourself speak, do you?
The Mayor: That's one spunky little girl you've raised. I'm gonna eat her.
(Giles puts a sword in The Mayor's chest)
The Mayor: Whoa! Now, that was a little thoughtless. (takes out the sword) Violent outbursts like that, in front of the children. (edit)

Trivia

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Although Buffy knew that Angel needed to drain the blood of a slayer, she stabs Faith which would cause Faith to loose most of the blood that Angel needed to be cured. (edit)
In all other episodes there is a brick wall between the bank and Sunnydale Cinema, with Main Street making a right angle turn to the left. Yet as Faith stands on the ledge after Buffy stabbed her a truck drives straight down Main Street and the brick wall is now gone. (edit)
When Giles puts the sword into the Mayor, it look like he puts it right where his shirt buttons are (in the middle of the shirt). But in the next shot, the hole is a bit more to the left. (edit)
During Faith and Buffy's fight Faith falls on the concrete floor and gets some white dust on her pants, but a few shots later it is gone. (edit)
When Angel enters the apartment just before he says "Not my best entrance", the boom mic is visible right over his head for just a couple of frames. (edit)

Allusions

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Teacher: (while playing hangman with his students) Heh, they always go for the 'E'.
Of course they do: "E" appears more in the English lexicon than any other letter. It has roughly a 12% share and is trailed by "T" (9%), "N" (8%), and "R" (7%). (edit)
Buffy: Take a beat to love the synergy.
Most likely, Buffy is referring to the term "beat" as it is used in screenplays and other scripts to refers to a pause in the dialog. (edit)
Xander: We're going to need a bigger boat.
Xander quotes a line from the movie Jaws when they saw how big the shark was. The picture of the demon that the Mayor will become is so large it takes up three pages of the book. (edit)
Oz: But you got the swinging Habitrail going.
Habitrail is a brand of plastic tubes and such used for hamster (or other pet rodent) housing. (edit)
Buffy: The Box of... I want to say gravlox.
Gravlox is a type of cured salmon. (edit)
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Community Reviews (13)

 
9.5
Superb
Graduation Day (1)
"Exactly why I watch this series"
Another Fantastic Episode.
Continue » Posted Jun 22, 2008 4:56 am PST
9.0
Superb
Graduation Day (1)
"Pivotal"
"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."
Continue » Posted Jun 4, 2008 5:56 am PST
9.7
Superb
Graduation Day (1)
"Well written"
When Slayers Collide
Continue » Posted Jan 19, 2008 7:40 pm PST
9.7
Superb
Graduation Day (1)
"Exciting"
faith vs. buffy
Continue » Posted Jun 28, 2007 5:19 am PST

Slayergirlkal
Report Abuse 1 user agrees
with this review
9.8
Superb
Graduation Day (1)
"Exciting"
The ascension draws closer
Continue » Posted Apr 6, 2007 6:05 pm PST
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Episode Vital Stats

 
Episode: Graduation Day (1)
Season Number: 3
Episode Reviews: 13
Episode
Score:
9.4 Superb 434 votes
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