Buffy Reviews

Faith, Hope, and Trick

Character - by Jenny68
Now that things are relatively cool between Buffy and her friends, and Snyder forced to allow her back into school, there are only two major untouched issues left to deal with from last spring: the death of the slayer Kendra, and Buffy's inability to let Angel go now that he's in hell.      Willow and the gang feel uncomfortable with being attached while Buffy is left single. In order to solve this problem, Willow figures Scott Hope is just the thing Buffy needs to get back into the dating scene and let go of Angel. Scott has apparently had a thing for Buffy since last year, so Willow sets up a situation where the two could actually meet up and talk: The Bronze. Buffy is not down on this though, she's still not ready to move on, so she turns down the invitation to dance. After this, Scott tries a couple of more times, but Buffy always has something important to do, which feels like the brush off to Scott. Scott gives Buffy a claddagh ring in his last ditch effort, but she freaks out. Buffy had just had a nightmare with Angel and the claddagh ring he had given her, so she's startled, which seems to close the book on Scott's chances at a good friendship with Buffy. Buffy does slow down enough in the episode to catch up to him and offer another chance, which is granted, and they set their date. Unlike NKABOTFD, it seems this boy is going to be sticking around for more dates with Buffy, although, the appearance of Angel at the end of the episode suggests that Scott may have competition.      Buffy does seem to like Scott, even though the most she shows him in this episode is clumsy politeness. For the most part, it seems that Buffy just doesn't have time for someone new in her life, she's too busy being a slayer, and now being a student. When she dated Angel, it was convenient. He knew what she was, and often was right in there helping eliminate the baddies. Buffy didn't need to separate herself from her isolated world when she was with Angel. Dating Scott on the other hand, would force her to interact with others outside of her group, which may prove to be interesting. Besides the slight interest in Scott, Buffy has another reason to claim him for her own. Faith struck up conversation with him in the hallway and took a shine to him right away, which left Buffy a little jealous. Already feeling suffocated by Faith's entrance into her life, she decides to secure a date with him before the other girl can make her move.      Faith seems to be yet another breed of slayer. There is Buffy, who as disciplined as she is, does not live every waking moment for slaying. She prefers to lead a life of variety, sometimes pushing slaying to the back burner in order to do something she really has her mind set on. Kendra's life on the other hand, had no variety. She lived strictly for slaying, and that was it. She eventually learned a bit from Buffy in the life department, but still was no comparison. Faith is like Kendra, in that she lives for and loves the slaying, but she does not have the discipline of either Kendra or Buffy. From what opportunity she had during the episode, she wasn't focused, and showed her lack of trained efficiency. Perhaps in a way, she is sort of like the Buffy of two seasons ago, where Giles had to repeatedly lecture her about efficient slaying and focus on the fight. This can all be because of the traumatic loss of her Watcher, though, and since Faith is here to stay for a while, her skills may be sharper with the elimination of Kakistos, the old vampire after her life.      With the exception of Buffy, everyone seems to like Faith right from the start. She has a lot of energy and wild tales to tell about her vamp slaying experiences. Xander lusts after her, Giles approves of her, and Joyce simply adores her. Faith takes the temporary role of Buffy's little sister, and Joyce is quite taken with the girl who shares her daughter's unique ability. Joyce actually ignores Buffy for a moment in order to hear what Faith has to say about her opinion on slaying. She even goes so far as to suggest to Buffy that she share her slaying duties with Faith while she's in town, and perhaps even let the new slayer take over from her. Buffy tells her mother the slayer's fate, specifically the serve until death bit, and of course Joyce freaks on the knowledge that Buffy has obviously died before in order for there to be two slayers living at once. She's calmed down though, with the assurance that Buffy is not going to die anytime soon, because she has all the help she can stand.      With Faith sticking around for the time being, and the prospect of getting back into the dating scene, Buffy decides it's time to let Angel go. Taking Faith's lead in facing up to her fear and painful memories, she finally tells Giles and Willow the rest of the details from defeating Angel and Acathla. Willow finally knows that her spell did work, and as far as Buffy knows, Giles' binding spell can be completed. After Buffy leaves though, Giles has the look of relief, as he knows Buffy can finally heal from her pain. Willow feels able to legitimately help Giles with the spell, but Giles confides that there wasn't one. Giles simply gave the excuse to draw out the information he knew she would take forever to reveal otherwise.      Giles does indicate to Willow that he will indulge her new ability of witchcraft. At the beginning of the episode, he seemed quite wary of her interest in it, perhaps because the memory of Jenny. He changed midway though, and seemingly decided to accept Willow into the role that has been vacant since Passion. No longer just research girl, Willow moves up the ranks a bit in the scooby gang.      As for Buffy, she decides to physically let go of Angel, but leaving the claddagh ring he gave her where she last saw him in the deserted mansion. After she leaves though, the ring glows and Angel drops to the ground, back from hell.      For an episode that resolved many unanswered questions and introduced some more new faces...not to mention Xander falling for yet another slayer, with Cordelia quick to tell him exactly just where his attention should be....I give Faith, Hope & Trick 4.5 ehs.
Story - by Vlad
Faith, Hope, and Trick might just as easily have been called Dealing and Moving On. Like many of the episodes of BtVS, this one didn't have just one plot, but rather several sub-plots connected around a central theme.      The episode opens with Buffy rejecting would-be suitor, Scott, for the first of what would become several times. Clearly she is still not able to deal with the loss of Angel. The scene then shifts to the arrival of our villains, Mr. Trick and his cloven-pal, Kakistos. Mr. Trick sees opportunity in Sunnydale; Kakistos seeks revenge against the slayer. This was one of my favourite scenes. And didn't that "fast food" just give you the munchies?      Next day, and Buffy is back at school. Mother and daughter listen as the Snyde-man explains the terms for Buffy's re-admission. But it is obvious that he has been forced by the school board to allow her back in school. A couple of "nah-nah's" from Joyce rubs it in. Mother and daughter standing together---nice to see and lots of fun.      The arrival of second slayer, Faith, is not what Buffy has been waiting for. Faith is an uncontrolled version of Buffy, and the antithesis of Kendra. Faith is guilt-ridden and angry over the death of her watcher. She is also very afraid of the killer, Kakistos. Rather than deal with all this, she has chosen to run to Sunnydale and to vent her frustrations by pummeling vamps instead of quickly slaying them. While I find Faith an interesting character, the two-slayer thingie is a bit of a bore. The show is titled Buffy the Vampire Slayer, not Buffy and Kendra/Faith the Vampire Slayers.      When Buffy brings Faith home to dinner we see Joyce ever-hopeful that Buffy can get out of the slayer business. Although Joyce has come a long way in dealing with Buffy as a slayer, she still hasn't fully accepted it. But then, it isn't every day that a girl tells her mother about the time she died!      Finally we come to the inevitable slayer/villain showdown. It is two slayers against Mr. Trick, Cloven-Boy, and a few other vamp-types. And this time Faith does not run. As Buffy later tells Giles about Faith, "She had a lot to deal with, but she did it. She came through in the end." And Buffy might have been describing herself too, for she also comes through in the end. She is finally able to open up to Giles and Willow and let out her feelings about Angel's "death". Later, after agreeing to a date with Scott, Buffy takes a final step in dealing and moving on. She returns to where Angel "died," removes the ring he gave her, and places it on the floor. And that was a very good place to end an excellent episode.      Unfortunately, Joss and writer David Greenwalt have not been able to deal with Angel, and move on. Therefore we get the event predicted by a multitude: The Return of Angel. And to that I can only say, "I can't deal with that kind of baloney!"      Aside from the last minute of Faith, Hope, and Trick, I liked it very much. It is my favourite of the first three episodes of the new season. I give it 4.5 "Eh's" out of 5.
Villian - by Kaboo
Faith, Hope and Trick, introduces us to a new group of vampire baddies, as diverse as the ages, and who each have a different perspective on the bounties Sunnydale offers. Kakistos, an ancient Greek vampire, who is the "worst of the worst," only desires vengeance, while Mr. Trick, a vamp who sees opportunities in Sunnydale for globalization of vampire activities. Kakastos is obsessed with the past, but Mr. Trick has a vision for the future, which influences their attitudes towards Buffy and the newly called Slayer Faith.      Kakistos, existing according to the code of vendetta (so much the crux of ancient Greek tragedy) is consumed with vengeance. He obsessively chases his target, the new Slayer Faith, to Sunnydale. The relationship between Faith and Kakistos is reminiscent of that between Buffy and The Master; in both relationships, an ancient vampire instills fear into a new Slayer, and uses that fear as a weapon. Other similarities between the Master and Kakistos is a reliance on cronies to do their bidding, and the inablitiy to physically hide the demons within them. Unlike, the Master, Kakistos is unable to physically kill Faith; unlike buffy, Faith must find renewed strength (and "faith" in herself) in a way other than resurrection.      Mr. Trick differs from Kakistos in a variety of ways. He sees the danger in confronting two Slayers at once, in contrast to Kakistos' single-minded focus on revenge. While Kakistos hungers to "suck the marrow" from Faith's bones, Mr. Trick has a penchant for fast food (delivery persons). he also sees the "big picture" rather than focusing only on personal conflicts. Unfortunately, his visionary endeavours are not appreciated by Kakistos. It is not surprising that Mr. Trick leaves the ancient vampire to reap the rewards of his vengeance; destruction by the teamwork of two Slayers. Mr. Trick, like Spike, seems to be an adaptable vamprie, who is willing to change the rules to survive. He will clearly make a formidable foe for Buffy and her friends.      I give this episode a 4 out of 5 Ehs.