From The TV IV

Forever is the seventeenth episode of the fifth season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the ninty-fifth episode overall, and further follows up on Joyce's death--particularly the funeral.

Guest Stars: Amber Benson (Tara), David Boreanaz (Angel), Joel Grey (Doc), Alan Henry Brown (Funeral Director), Darius Dudley (Minister), Annie Talbot (Lady with Baby), Noor Shic (Lady with Rosary), Andrea Gall (Customer)

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 was given enough screen time to be considered as such.

[edit] Body Count

#	Whom	By Whom	How	Where
There were no deaths in this episode.

[edit] Arc Advancement

[edit] Happenings

• The Key: Ben slips and mentions that the key is "an innocent." This leads Glory to realize that the key is human.

[edit] Characters

• Willow: Willow shows that she may have some degree of telekinesis beyond being able to cast spells by pulling the book out for Dawn subtly.

[edit] Referbacks

• Band Candy: Giles listens to Tale of Brave Ulysses by Cream at his home. This is the song that he and Joyce listened to before they had sex in the referenced episode.

[edit] Trivia

[edit] The Show

• Final Appearance: While it isn't a character, this is the last time we see Giles' apartment in the series.
• Video Game Tie-In: The second Buffy video game, Chaos Bleeds takes place between this episode and Intervention.

[edit] Behind the Scenes

[edit] Allusions and References

• Cream: Cream was one of the most influential and important bands of the 1960s. The band featured Eric Clapton on guitar, Jack Bruce on bass and Ginger Baker on drums. They produced some of the great blues rock classics like "Sunshine of Your Love" and "White Room." In the show, the song "Tale of Brave Ulysses" is played which originally was released on the 1968 album "Disraeli Gears."

• Peter and the Wolf: The tune that Doc hums while looking for a book is from the children's symphony "Peter and the Wolf" by Sergei Prokofiev, composed in 1936.

• Osiris: In the ancient Egyptian mythology, Osiris was the lead god (like the Zeus of the Egyptians). However, his brother (and lord of the underworld) killed and dismembered him, scattering his pieces across Europe. His wife and sister recovered all of the parts except for this "manhood" and resurrected him. He was rendered unable to give new life and became the Lord of the Dead and Resurrection.

Dawn: Osiris, giver of darkness...

• The Monkey's Paw: The episode was clearly influenced by the Monkey's Paw horror story, written in 1902 by W.W. Jacobs. In the story, a person (it varies from telling to telling) gets a magic monkey's paw that allows them to ask for three wishes. The first wish is always careless with horrific consequences, the second attempts to fix the consequences of the first and the third is made when the consequences of the second wish arise. By the end of the story, the last two wishes are cancelled out but the first stands.

[edit] Memorable Moments

• Angel appearing to console Buffy after the funeral.
• Dawn performing the incantation to resurrect her mother.
• Buffy and Dawn having the heartfelt confession with a shadow moving in the background that was vaguely in the shape of their mother.

[edit] Quotes

• Glory: What about the key?
  Jinx: He indicated that it was a person, most... highest... you.
  Glory: The key's in human form?
  Jinx: I believe so... good one.
  Glory: Jinx, you robed stud, you're my man! I'm even gonna let you slide on the lame toadying on account of you're dying and stuff.

[edit] Reviews

• Overall Grade: N/A with 0 reviews
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