Buffy the Vampire Slayer

The Good;
The battle between Buffy and Faith is epic and a long time coming. Note that for some reason Buffy feels the need to put on her shiny red leather trousers before deciding to kick Faith's delectable butt?

The Bad;
Couldn't Buffy just let Angel have some of her blood in batches whilst chugging down iron pills by the handful? We know the Mayor's impervious to harm but why don't they just grab him and tie him up when he's in the library?

Best line;
Willow (guessing who the Graduation Speaker will be) "Seigfreid? Roy? One of the tigers?" (according to Lorne in Angel Seigreid is actually evil, Roy not so much) beating Xanders 'We're going to need a bigger boat' from Jaws. Xander also paraphrases Private Hudson from Aliens (who in turn is paraphrasing every Vietnam film you've ever seen).

Character death;
No but Angel on the brink. Faith's murder of the professor and her glib remark about it marks the nadir of her fall from grace. But you note that even then she wants her victim to turn around so she doesn't have to look into his eyes. When she chucks herself off the building it's her first suicide attempt but she'll make another later in Angel.

Shot;
Angel with Faith's bow and arrow

Tied up;
Buffy and Faith handcuffed together

Knocked out;
Angel and Faith in a coma

Women good/men bad;
Actually the relationship between Faith and the Mayor is lovely, especially when we see her in her dress. Faith also refers to her childhood in Boston again and you feel her pain. As for Xander he neatly sums up the male of the species;
"Yes, men like sports. Men watch the action movie. They eat of the beef and enjoy to look at the bosoms"
Buffy tells Wes 'I love it when you take charge, you man you' but one day she will. Will and Anya still have hostility.

Jeez!;
Faith killing the harmless old prof is beyond horrible. Plus the Mayor's eating the spiders (liquorice?). And Buffy sticks it to Faith with her great big knife

Kinky dinky;
What must the Professor and his neighbours think when Faith arrives on his doorstep dressed as she does? Probably how much does she charge per hour? I for one am glad we don't get to hear the end of Anya's shepherd story.

Calling Captain Subtext;
Again, violence and intimacy with Faith and Buffy who even penetrates Faith's body with her knife. Faith's goading Buffy about Angel's pain could once again be seen as sexual jealousy. Faith to Buffy "Give us a kiss". Faith also refers to Buffy as 'big sister' (does this make Joyce mom and Dawn her little sister?)

Guantanamo Bay;
Buffy is quite prepared to feed Faith to Angel to save him

Scoobies to the ER;
Buffy get's a hiding at Faith's hands and Angel nearly dies through poisoning

Where's Dawn?
Presumably Buffy get's little sis out of town alongside Joyce.

Questions and observations;
Where's this anti-vamp poison been all these years? It would have come in useful, don't you think? Stonkingly good in almost every respect with the promise of even better things to come in pt 2. Love Will's chopper bike. Nice that Willow and Harmony make up before Harmony gets all bumpy. Can anyone please explain to me why exactly the Mayor wants to be a giant snake? What is his plan for Sunnydale? Buffy breaks from the Watcher's Council and won't come back into the fold again until season 5. Just what are the odds that Anya, the only living survivor of an Ascension just happens to be at SDH? Is that the work of God/the PTB?
Faith's method of surviving her fall off the roof is reminiscent of Catwoman in Batman Returns. Love Giles and Wes fencing which will come in useful for both later.

Marks out of 10;
8/10

Graduation Day (1) was another terrific episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. This episode had lots of information and plots to play with. The Mayor of Sunnydale is about to Ascend and become a pure demon, capable of destruction and devistation beyond comprehension. This was a great episode that puts all the pieces in place for the season finale. This episode finds Buffy realizing that her relationship with Angel is pretty much over for good, and the rest of the Gang are dealing with the fact that they may die on Graduation. It was so awesome and touching what the Senior Class did for Buffy at the Prom. It was a token of appreciation she never expected! This episode was appealing because it relates to the fears we all go through in High School, and graduating. I really enjoyed the story lines, action, drama, and intrigue in this episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer!!!!!

Graduation Day is approaching, and Faith shoots Angel with a poisonous arrow. After searching for a cure, they discover that the only cure is the blood of the Slayer. So, in order to give Angel the blood of the Slayer, Buffy fights Faith, but things don't end as planned.



I loved this episode. It's one of my favorite episodes of season three, just because of the Buffy/Faith fight. I liked when Lester said, "Put that away! I'll scream!" and Faith said, "Who wouldn't?" LMAO! I love Eliza Dushku! Plus, the Buffy and Faith fight at the end of the episode. It was well choreographed and the end was awesome.

Faith was always up to something bad ever since she joined the Mayor on the Bad side of things.



She has managed to Shot Angel with a Posoinous Arrow, she did not kill him but he can die.



The only thing that can save him is Faith's Blood and we saw the big fight between Buffy and Fait.



The Winner was Buffy but will Buffy manage to save Angel in time?



I hope so.. How will the Mayor feel when he finds out what happened?



It seems that whenever Buffy needs help from the Council they are enver there to help... A Very Good Episode. It seems that this Series just keeps getting better!

Graduation Day, Part 1-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. Well, it's finale time, and Part 1 of this chaotic finale is quite amazing. All the changes and storylines that have been going on this season are at the center of the episode and each character is going through some emotional stress as Graduation Day is right around the corner. Buffy and Angel are still struggling to get by as they as no longer together but suddenly Angel is poisoned by Faith, bringing them closer once again. Like always, Sarah M. Gellar and David Boreanez convey a wonderful sense of dread as Buffy struggles to find a way to save the love of her life while Angel struggles to hold on to dear life. The most interesting development of the situation is the cure for Angel's sickness is the blood of a slayer. It's a brilliant plot device as it leads to big showdown between the 2 slayers that has been building up since the last time they saw each other. And what a fight it was, one of the biggest fights between 2 characters so far, and the setting actually makes it so much better. Both Sarah M. Gellar and Eliza Dushku show some great tension between the characters as they literally fight to the death. But it's also a shocking development as Buffy stabs Faith, it's a huge step for Buffy as she's willing to kill for love. It's a great sequence as Faith punchs Buffy and falls off a building willing to kill herself to beat Buffy yet she is saved by a large truck.



There are also many other great moments in the episode, like the Mayor's confrontation with the Scooby Gang in the library. It continues to show how versatile the Mayor is as he can be so peachy yet intimidating at the same time. Not to mention, when Giles stabbed him with a sword and he merely gave some quality advice about settling an example to the kids as he cleans the sword is brilliant. There are some funny scenes between Xander and Anya, she even provides some knowledge about the Ascension. The character is already becoming a fitting new cast member as Emma Caulfield plays the character perfectly. Then, there's Willow losing her virginity to Oz which is a sweet scene as both characters consummate their relationship. Lastly, is Buffy's quiting of the Watcher's Counsel which is an intense scene as Wesley pretty much left hanging dry. A superb Part 1 as Part 2, or course, is much better!

wow. this was really good. action packed and funny. faith shoots angel with a poison arrow, i must add, he looks pretty good in pain. anyway, buffy has to get him the blood of the slayer, meaning faith. so they fight to the death, well kinda. the fight sequence is really col. buffy stabs faith and you could tell she really didnt want to be a killer like faith. faith jumps off the roof so buffy couldnt save angel. this was so cool. the episode leaves you thinking faith is dead. that would not be good. elsewhere, buffy quits the council telling wesley that she wanted to save angel. she really showed him, wesley was so annoying. and in panic willow and oz slept together. it was funny when she ruined the quiet moment. anya wanted to leave town with xander. aww. this was a great and exciting episode.

There was so much going on in this episode and that's what made it so great. There were developing character relationships everywhere: Faith and the Mayor, Buffy and Angel, Willow and Oz, Anya and Xander, Faith and Buffy, all of these relationships were growing and developing here.



Anya was amazing. I loved how she was trying to convince Xander to run away with her after Xander told her about the ascension. I loved how when she came by to se if he had changed his mind and then insulted him and then asked if they were gonna kiss. Anya was just so incredible here.



I loved Angel and Buffy. You could tell that Buffy was having trouble coming to terms with the end of their relationship. I loved what Faith did to him to distract Buffy. I liked that Buffy was going to try and kill Faith for Angel in the end.



It was obvious here that the Mayor and Faith had a father daughter relationship. It was nice to see the two of them together like that. It showed that the bad guys care about people.



Willow and Oz were great too. I loved how Oz made Willow stop panicking by kissing her. It wasn't surprising that they finally slept together though. They were the cute couple of this episode.



And then there was Faith and Buffy. Their fight at the end was just so amazing. They are so similar and you could kind of see them coming to terms with the fact that they are alike. Their fight was full of passion and it was just so amazing. It was like they were fighting until someone died but they could have also just flipped each other over and torn their cloths off. There was a sexual tension between them in this fight and on some level you could see that both of them felt it.



I also loved Buffy telling Wesley that she quit the council and that she wasn't going to take orders from them. It was just amazing that Buffy didn't make that choice sooner.



This was such an incredible episode on so many levels; Joss did an amazing job with this.

Favorite Quotes:



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."



The gang is in scramble mode trying to find out anything useful about the ascencion. They catch a break finally in the form of Anya, who has witnessed an ascension. While they all try and wrap their minds around that, Faith strikes out in a most cruel way. She poisons Angel. The gang finds out that to cure him, he must drink the blood of a slayer. Buffy intends to bring him one. She and Faith face off in one of the greatest fights I've seen and she ends up stabbing Faith in the gut with her own knife. Faith refuses to be Angels cure, so she falls onto a moving truck. Buffy goes to Angel and makes him drink her to save himself. Was it me or was that one of the sexiest (albeit creepy) scenes ever???

Buffy isn't too hyped up about graduation day, she sees it for what it really is, the handing over of a piece of paper.



When Angel was hit by Faith's arrow I knew he was going to survive but when he took a turn for the worse because of the poison I was sure he was going to die even though I knew he wasn't.



The fight between the two slayers was fantastic and Buffy stabbing Faith just shows how she is willing to stoop to Faith's level of murder just to save Angel. And when everything fails she makes Angel drink her, a brilliant twist.



I love this episode and the second half must be better!

The reason I love this episode is Buffy's fury and her fight scene with Faith. It's a personal favourite of the series.



I didn't like how Xander was brushed off, just as he always was, by Buffy, throughout the series. I did like seeing the scooby gang making their own plans and preparing for the upcoming apocalypse without Buffy. It showed how they were all superheroes when they didn't have any powers.



We see a hint of vulnerability in Faith when she interacts with the Mayor and we're reminded of that when Buffy stabs her. The shock on the rogue slayers' face says it all.



What I didn't like about the episode was Buffy obsessing over Angel for a good deal of the episode. I think there was a little too much of that, but I know it was put in there to make a point, and for a little dramatic effect.

So the gang finds out that the Mayor is the key speaker at the graduation and that is where the accession is taking place. They also talk to Anya (who has witnessed one) and she explains as mush to them as she can. Buffy wants her mom to leave town so she doesn’t have to worry about her but Joyce says no. Willow is freaking out that she isn’t a good witch and can’t help Buffy at all. Oz starts kissing her and they have sex. The mayor shows up to challenge the gang and Angel gets hit with a poisoned arrow – her mind is no longer on the accession. The poison can only stopped by draining the blood of a slayer so Buffy sets out to find Faith. They have a huge fight and Buffy stabs faith but she falls into a moving truck (dead or just unconscious). Meanwhile the gang find out the demon that they mayor is turning into and it’s a big one. Buffy decides that to save Angel he will let him drink from her – she beats up on him until he gets all vampy and bites her. He drinks until she looses consciousness and he takes her to the hospital where we find Faith in a coma. In Buffy’s state she has a dream where Faith is talking in riddles. She wakes up with a plan and goes to tell the gang. They start working their plan and graduation starts (this is when the gang realizes that the mayor is going to give his entire speech, how evil). The accession starts and the students stand up and fight back, that was Buffy’s plan. Larry is killed, Harmony is bitten by a vamp and the mayor as a demon eats Snyder. Buffy distracts the mayor taunting him with the knife he gave Faith and then the school blows up taking the mayor with it. When it is all over Oz wants them to reflect that they survived…high school. Buffy sees Angel in the haze as he walks away.

Powerful episode that hits all of the right marks:



When Buffy and Angel are forced to work together despite now being 'exes' they both get a little childish. All of that immediately fall away however, when Angel is impaled with an arrow. (Its a great scene with the camera zoom-jumping in on Faith working at the side of a vampire)



Things quickly get worse however when they find out that the arrow had a poison designed to dust the undead.



I also always get a chill when we find out that only a Slayer's blood will provide the antidote. Not really the scene leading up to the reveal, because they drag it out just a bit too long. But, the moment when you see Buffy put the facts together and know she's willing to kill Faith...



And of course, the episode closes with one of the all-time best fights Buffy has ever had (despite the stuntpeople being far too obvious...suspension of disbelief is necessary). And when it ends with Faith apparently being stabbed to death by Buffy, you can only wonder where this is going to lead our heroine.

‘Graduation Day, part I’ is the first part of the season 3 season finale. It was mostly excellent, the show moving on and growing up. Cutting some loose-ties like Faith, Wesley and Angel. And a fascinating end that you wouldn’t expect.



It’s almost graduation, and Xander is already sure that he’s not going to go through it. His numbers have come short and now they are gone, He still continues hanging out with Cordelia and their scenes keep being funny and intense, he asks her if she understands him, ‘seldom if ever’.



Meanwhile he’s also hanging with Anya, a Cordelia wannabe but she works. She makes me laugh and her chemistry with Xander is almost as great and the Xander/Cordy chemistry. Anya is also definitely showing crush-signs on Xander and she wants him to leave with her because she thinks he will die. She learns about the ascension and she was to one. The entire town was devoured in a few seconds. She says that when someone ascends that they become pure-demon which is a lot larger to begin with.



While that storyline continues, Faith keeps killing people because she’s crazy. But as a character, she really came through. She had her annoying bits at the beginning of the season *cough*Revelations*cough* but she came through and so did The Mayor who was dreadfully boring at first. They have now a father/daughter bond and it’s beautiful. You can see that both of them really care about each other.



Meanwhile everyone is school is saying goodbye because they are almost graduated. The Mayor comes to school and in the library he tells Giles that he’s going to eat up Buffy. Giles grabs a sword and tries to kill him with it but it doesn’t work. The Mayor says that he waits for them the graduation day, he’s going to give a speech and then eat everyone up.



While Oz and Willow have sex for the first time, Buffy makes her mom leave Sunnydale because she can’t worry about her, if she stays she’ll get her killed.



Also the Bangel drama continued, their relationship broke into pieces and when they see each other again they fight. Angel thinks she’s a brat and Buffy thinks he doesn’t care enough about them. In the middle of the fight Faith shoots Angel with an arrow but now through the heart. Soon they learn that he’s poisoned and the only way to cure him is with the blood of a slayer. Buffy immediately knows what she has to do. She quits the council because they don’t want to help her and that’s her graduation, getting rid of Wesley.



Meanwhile Faith is in her apartment listening to music. Buffy walks in and she’s ready to get loose like Faith wanted it. They fight to the death, Buffy puts Faith in chains and when Faith frees herself Buffy puts Faith’s knife in her guts. Faith tells her that Buffy killed her but it won’t help Angel, Faith jumps off the building into a truck.



This entire episode was fascinating. Great fight scene between Faith and Buffy and finally the show started to grow to the end of high school and so did all the characters,.



To be continued…

Buffy is feeling ambivalent about Graduation Day, a sentiment that is not revised when the gang discover that the Mayor intends to use the graduating Senior Class as his first fodder when he achieves ascension. Once again, Buffy’s school and Slayer problems will come together for one last explosive time. But not yet. First, we have 42 minutes to fill, or as the Mayor puts it: “tying up loose ends”. Willow and Oz have to panic, Anya must make one last ditch attempt to seduce Xander (“men like sports, I’m sure of it”), Giles must fight Wesley with one hand whilst reading the paper and oh yeah, there’s gotta be a big Faith/Buffy showdown.



So, Faith is doing the Mayor’s bidding and killing a volcanologist (and they don’t pay off that joke til Series 7) so that Professor Worth won’t be able to tell Buffy or the gang that a whole lotta lava is the only way to kill the big CGI snake-monster that the Mayor intends to become. Faith is to be a big part of the ascension and Daddy Dearest has even bought her a Buffy-esque floral-frock to wear to the party. In a touching scene, where he tells her that she’s both powerful and adorable, it is implied that it is only she who will be able to stop the Mayor, that her intervention is going to be needed. This is the first mislead.



Meanwhile Xander and Cordelia are still snarking at each other, but in a low-key forgiving kind of way and the end-of-school lurve is spreading as ‘vacuous tramp’ Harmony and Willow sign each other’s yearbooks with compliments. Cordy shows how far she’s come as Xander tells her about the ascension and she doesn’t run away screaming, as Anya does. Xander shows his loyalty to his friends and to the mission: Anya begs him to escape Sunnydale with her and he chooses to stay and help, once again, to save the world. Anya, after smiting down unfaithful lovers for centuries, discovers the pain of love.



Which is something that both Buffy and Angel know by heart. Faith’s diversionary tactic - to keep Buffy from spoiling the ascension – works as she shoots the poisoned arrow near Angel’s heart. At least it interrupted their tedious bickering. The ‘not un-poetic’ cure for the poison of a Slayer’s blood finally gives Buffy a reason to kill Faith and she gets changed into Faith-esque leathers to do so. Believing Faith is going to die is the second mislead.



There’s just one last thing Buffy has to do before the fight: graduate from the council, become her own Slayer, resign from the control of the Watchers. She is, as the Mayor puts it in the chilling library scene: “one spunky little girl”. Giles tries to protect his daughter-substitute with a sword, but only succeeds in showing us just how indestructible Richard Wilkins is. We finally find out what the Gavrok spiders are for – a tasty fibre-filled power-snack: “what’s the point of being an immortal demon if you’re not regular?” asks the Mayor. Obviously he’s gonna carry on being germ-free when he’s a giant reptile.



The Buffy/Faith smackdown is all we’ve hoped for and is nicely ambiguous: Buffy may win the fight but Faith’s escape means that she hasn’t got Faith’s blood for Angel’s cure and she has been forced to the dark side as she stabs her alter-ego with her own knife. Faith believes that she is the triumphant Slayer: “You did it B – you killed me”. It’s a wholly pyrrhic victory for Buffy.

i think that this is one of my favorite episodes...this is such a good one to watch over and over again and i LOVE the angel-buffy love story so i was very upset when angel left to LA because i have been a huge fan of them as a couple from the beginning and they are perfect together. i was shocked when buffy made angel bite her because it shows that she would die for him and i think that it was the cutest thing ever but i was scared when angel had to take her to the hospital. This episode gets a *10* on my list because i never get tired of it and it leaves you thinking and it has suspence!! i am sooo sad that this show ended, if sarah didnt quit i bet the show would still be going on, i am also a huge fan of sarah's and i was shocked when i heard that she quit. This epidode also shows that xander is the only one out of the scooby gang that we havent seen lose his virginity but But overall i love this episode!!!!!