From The TV IV

Blood Ties is the thirteenth episode of the fifth season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the ninty-first episode overall, and is the ever omnious birthday episode. The main arc starts to hit its stride when Dawn figures out her true nature and the relationship between Ben and Glory brings about even more questions.

Guest Stars: Amber Benson (Tara), Kristine Sutherland (Joyce), Justin Gorence (Orlando), Michael Emanuel (Burly Guard), Joe Ochman (Janitor), Paul Bates (Crazy #1), Carl J. Johnson (Crazy #2), Candice Nicole (Young Buffy), Elyssa D. Vito (Young Dawn)

Contents 1 Plot Overview 2 Notes 2.1 Monster of the Week 2.2 Body Count 3 Arc Advancement 3.1 Happenings 3.2 Characters 3.3 Referbacks 4 Trivia 4.1 The Show 4.2 Behind the Scenes 4.3 Allusions and References 4.4 Memorable Moments 5 Quotes 6 Reviews

[edit] Plot Overview

[edit] Notes

[edit] Monster of the Week

• No monster of the week due to the episode being heavy in plot.

[edit] Body Count

#	Whom	By Whom	How	Where
1/2/3/4	Demons	Knight	Stabbed	The Forest
5/6/7	Knights	Glory	Stabbed	The Forest
8	Security Guard	Glory	Snapped Neck	Hospital Locker Room

[edit] Arc Advancement

[edit] Happenings

• The Key: The gang finds out that Dawn never existed and is actually the key. Dawn also figures this fact out when she breaks into the magic store and steals the book.
• Glory: It's revealed that Ben and Glory are connected as family. But the full extent of the relationship is not known other than that Ben can transform into Glory. However, that fact remains unknown because Dawn forgot that he transformed.

[edit] Characters

• Dawn: This is the first time in which Dawn realizes that she's the key and not a proper human being.

[edit] Referbacks

• Triangle: Spike finds the troll hammer stashed away in the magic shop.
• Shadow: There is a brief flashback to the snake creature recognizing Dawn as the key.
• Earshot: Joyce offers Dawn chicken and stars soup to make her feel better. She offered Buffy the same to keep her from overhearing that she and Giles had sex.

[edit] Trivia

[edit] The Show

• Diaries: The entries in Dawn's diaries are actual, real entries. One is about getting an A on an oral exam and the other is about trying to gett Buffy to give her daggars and armor for protection.

[edit] Behind the Scenes

[edit] Allusions and References

• Teletubbies: Teletubbies is a children's television show created in 1997 by the BBC. The series was designed to teach children about speech and vocabulary and was also the center of controversy when several bored Americans decided that one of the Teletubbies was homosexual and was corrupting the youth. The series is broadcast in America on PBS.

Spike: Sneaking out to braid hair and watch Teletubbies with your mates?

• Gentle Ben: Gentle Ben was the title character of the title character of the 1960s TV series Gentle Ben. The series was about a boy and his tamed bear, starring Clint Howard.

Glory: What I'm tryin' to noodle, is what in the world was the Slayer's little sis doin' here with Gentle Ben?"

[edit] Memorable Moments

• Dawn mocking Spike for hiding in the bushes with a crumpled box of chocolates for Buffy's birthday.
• Dawn standing in the background with a gash in her arm, demanding to know if she's real.
• Ben transforming into Gloria and being teleported high above the city by Willow.

[edit] Quotes

• Dawn: Is this blood?
  Buffy: Dawn!
  Joyce: Oh, baby.
  Buffy: What did you do?!
  Dawn: This is blood, isn't it? It can't be me. I'm not a key. I'm not a thing.
  Joyce: Oh, sweetie, no. What is this all about?
  Dawn: What am I? Am I real? Am I anything?

[edit] Reviews

• Overall Grade: N/A with 0 reviews
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