Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Prophecy Girl

Prophecy Girl
Season 1, Episode 12
Airdate	June 2, 1997
Production Number	4V12
Written by	Joss Whedon
Directed by	Joss Whedon
← 1x11 Out of Mind, Out of Sight	2x01 → When She Was Bad
Buffy the Vampire Slayer — Season One

Prophecy Girl is the twelfth episode of the first season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Buffy's future looks bleak when Giles discovers an ancient book that foretells her death and the end of the world, but she's determined to survive and party at the Spring Fling.

Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy Summers), Nicholas Brendon (Xander Harris), Alyson Hannigan (Willow Rosenberg), Charisma Carpenter (Cordelia Chase)

and Anthony Stewart Head (Giles)

Guest Starring: Mark Metcalf (The Master), David Boreanaz (Angel), Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers), Robia LaMorte (Jenny Calendar), Andrew J. Ferchland (The Anointed One)

Co-Starring: Scott Gurney (Kevin)

Plot Overview

Buffy learns of an ancient prophecy that foretells the rising of the Master and her subsequent death. Horrified to learn this, she struggles to defeat her fate, either by avoiding it or facing it head-on.

Notes

Monster of the Week

This episode entirely revolves around the Master's plot to free himself from the Hellmouth, which causes dozens of vampires to flock to the library of Sunnydale High and a hydra-like demon to burst out of the floor.

Body Count

#	Whom	By Whom	How	Where
1	Vampire	Buffy	Staked	Cemetery
2–6	Kevin & AV Club	Vampires	Blood Drained	AV Club Room
7	Buffy	The Master	Drowned	Cave
8	Vampire	Angel	Staked	Sunnydale High
9	The Master	Buffy	Impaled	Library

Music

• Jonatha Brooke - "Inconsolable"

• Patsy Cline - "I Fall to Pieces"

Arc Advancement

Happenings

• Prophecy: Giles translate a line from the Pergamum Codex, given to him by Angel, stating that the Master shall rise and the slayer shall die. According to Giles, "There is nothing in it that does not come to pass." However, according to The Master, prophecies are tricky because they never quite reveal how everything will play out. In this case, Buffy does die, but she also comes back to life with the powers necessary to resist The Master.

• Vampire Mythos: Although most vampires apparently can't do it, The Master displays an apparent ability to exert control over a victim's mind. He manages to stop Buffy and force her to come towards him before she "died," but no other vampire has attempted this tactic. His mastering of this ability can likely be attributed to his age.

Trivia

The Show

• Loose Ends: There are two discrepancies in this episode that are never picked up again. The first comes when, after being resuscitated by Xander, Buffy says "I feel strong. I feel different." The extent and cause of this supposed change is never explored in the series and her apparent ability to resist hypnosis is only referenced occasionally.

  Additionally, when killed, the Master doesn't completely turn to dust when he dies. Instead, his skeleton is left behind without any reason why he's different from the typical vampire (the accepted theory is that his age is why). The skeleton exists as a plot point for the second season premiere, but not to tie up that particular loose end.

Behind the Scenes

• International Titles: Because Buffy the Vampire Slayer is an international phenomenon, the title of this episode has been translated into several different episodes to go along with the redubbed show. Some of these names are listed below:
  • French: "Le Manuscrit" ("The Manuscript")
  • German: "Das Ende der Welt" ("The End of the World")
  • Italian: "La Profezia" ("The Prophecy")
  • Japanese: "予言の少女" ("Yogen no Shōjo" - "Prophecy Girl")

Goofs

• When Buffy falls into the water, her hair is tied in a ponytail and both of her hands are by her side. However, when Xander and Angel find her, her hair is no longer tied and her arms are out.

• In the final shot, the broken table shard is missing from the Master's skeleton, as is the damage it inflicted.

• In the closing credits, the Director of Photography is listed as Director of Photographer.

Quotes

• Cordelia: Willow, I really like your outfit.

Willow: No, you don't.

Cordelia: No, I really don't, but I need a favour.

• Giles: This is the Codex. There is nothing in it that does not come to pass.

Angel: Then you're reading it wrong.

Giles: I wish to God I were! But it's very plain: tomorrow night Buffy will face the Master, and she will die!

• Buffy: They say how he's gonna kill me? Do you think it'll hurt? (to Angel) Don't touch me! Were you even gonna tell me?

Giles: I was hoping that I wouldn't have to. That there was... some way around it.

Buffy: I've got a way around it. I quit.

Angel: It's not that simple.

'Buffy: I'm making it that simple. I quit. I resign. I'm fired. You can find someone else to stop the Master from taking over.

Giles: I'm not sure that anyone else can. All the signs indicate...

Buffy: The signs? Read me the signs! Tell me my fortune! You're so useful sitting here with all your books! You're really a lot of help!

Giles: No, I don't suppose I am.

Angel: I know this is hard.

Buffy: What do you know about this? You're never gonna die.

Angel: You think I want anything to happen to you? Do you think I could stand it? We just gotta figure out a way.

Buffy: I already did. I quit, remember? Pay attention!

Giles: Buffy, if the Master rises...

Buffy: (tearful) I don't care! I don't care. Giles, I'm sixteen years old. I don't wanna die. (throws her cross on the ground)

• Willow: Buffy, I like your dress.

• Ms Calendar: The part that gets me, though, is where Buffy is the vampire Slayer. She's so little.

• Xander: (outraged about Buffy) How could you let her go?

Giles: (holding an ice-pack to his cheek) As the soon-to-be purple area on my jaw will attest, I did not let her go.

• Xander: You were looking at my neck!

Angel: What?

Xander: You were checking out my neck! I saw that.

Angel: No, I wasn't!

Xander: Just keep your distance, pal.

Angel: (annoyed) I wasn't looking at your neck.

Xander: I told you to eat before we left!

• The Master: (to Buffy) By the way, I like your dress.

• The Master: Yes. Come forth, my child. Come into my world.

Buffy: I don't think it's yours just yet.

The Master: You're dead!

Buffy: I may be dead, but I'm still pretty. Which is more than I can say for you.

The Master: You were destined to die! It was written!

Buffy: What can I say? I flunked the written.

• The Master: Did you really think you could best me here when you couldn't below?

Buffy: You have fruit punch mouth.

The Master: What?

Buffy: And save the hypnosis crap for the tourists.

• Buffy: It's just been a really weird day.

Xander: Yeah, Buffy died and everything.

Willow: Wow. Harsh.

Giles: I should have known that wouldn't stop you.

• Angel: By the way, I really like your dress.

Buffy: Yeah, yeah. It's a big hit with everyone.