Buffy Reviews

Bad Girls

Character - by Adreenis
Story - by JaKaL
Villian - by Kaboo
In Bad Girls, there is a whirlwind of villainous activity. An order of vampiric swordsmen arrive in Sunnydale on a mysterious quest, while The Mayor works toward increasing his own power. With a new Watcher to complicate matters, Buffy and Faith demonstrate their own rebellious nature, and inadvertently explore their own potential as villains.      With the arrival of the vampiric swordsmen, it becomes clear that Buffy and Faith must fight skilled foes. The new baddies seem to have a strong sense of honour for demons, relishing in one on one fights. As the Scooby gang does some research (with the help of Angel), they discover that the new villains serve the demon Balthazar, and are attempting to recover his amulet of power. In their attempts to keep the amulet from Balthazar's allies, Buffy and Faith find the swordsmen excellent warriors, and a great challenge for the Slayers' own warrior skills.      Balthazar himself is a huge contrast to his servants. While they are sleek fighting machines, Balthazar is immobile in a tub of healing liquid. He seems as trapped by his own weight and the need for to be constantly bathed in the liquid. He orders his servants to abandon their honour and get the amulet by any means possible. Like the Mayor, he hides while sending others to do his work.      In the midst of this ongoing struggle between the Slayers and Balthazar's minions, the Mayor unfolds his own, mysterious plans to increase his power. Although he hoped that all his foes (the Slayers and Balthazar), would destroy each other while he continued his quest for power undisturbed, the Mayor's schemes are partly revealed due to the accidental killing of Deputy Mayor Allen Finch by Faith. Even though he is rendered invincible until the upcoming "ascension," the secrecy of the Mayor's nature has been violated.      While the darker side of the Slayers is revealed in Faith's killing of Alan, Buffy and Faith's investigation of his office allows them to see the Mayor and Mr. Trick together, finally destroying the Mayor's facade of goodness. Faith's reaction to Alan's death is almost as disturbing as the revelation of the Mayor's true nature. She seems to have no remorse for the killing. Her vision of herself as being above the law, combined with her berserker fighting style show the danger within themselves that Slayers must also combat.      In the end, Balthazar and his minions are defeated. Despite the kidnapping of the Watchers, Buffy, with Angel's help, is able to rescue them and defeat Balthazar. Balthazar's enigmatic warning seems to refer to the Mayor and his rise to a more dark power. To make matters worse, Faith's lack of remorse reveals her to be very dangerous. Buffy is left to deal with this shadow version of herself, and the consequences of her involvement in Faith's crime.      I give this episode 3.75 out of 5 Ehs.