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Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Surprise (1)
| Surprise (1) | |
| |
| Season 2, Episode 13 | |
| Airdate | January 19, 1998 |
| Production Number | 5V13 |
| Written by | Marti Noxon |
| Directed by | Michael Lange |
| ← 2x12 Bad Eggs |
2x14 → Innocence (2) |
| Buffy the Vampire Slayer — Season Two | |
Surprise (1) is the thirteenth episode of the second season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and the twenty-fifth episode overall.
Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy Summers), Nicholas Brendon (Xander Harris), Alyson Hannigan (Willow Rosenberg), Charisma Carpenter (Cordelia Chase), David Boreanaz (Angel)
and Anthony Stewart Head (Giles)
Guest Starring: Seth Green (Oz), Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers), Robia LaMorte (Jenny Calendar), Brian Thompson (The Judge), Eric Saiet (Dalton)
Special Guest Star: Vincent Schiavelli (Uncle Enios)
Guest Starring: James Marsters (Spike), Juliet Landau (Drusilla)
Uncredited: Roger Stoneburner (Vampire)
Contents |
Plot Overview
Buffy's 17th birthday is approaching, but she is more concerned about Angel, due to a troubling dream where he was killed by Drusilla. The fear is not unwarranted, as a healthy Drusilla and wheelchair-bound Spike have begun assembling The Judge, a powerful demon with the ability to burn down humanity.
Notes
Monster of the Week
The Judge is a "demon brought forth to rid the Earth of the plague of humanity." It exists to separate the righteous from the wicked and destroy the righteous group. According to legend, the Judge cannot be killed. When an army was sent against him, many were killed until they managed to dismember him. The body parts were then sent to the far corners of the world so that he couldn't be reassembled.
Aside from apparent immortality, his touch can "literally burn the humanity out of you," which only a being of intense evil can survive. This power is displayed when he kills Dalton in an attempt to rejuvenate himself a bit. He can also sense human qualities in both people and demons, immediately sensing the emotions of Drusilla and Spike, as well as seeing that Dalton has a love of reading.
Body Count
| # | Whom | By Whom | How | Where |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | Vampires | Buffy | Staked | The Bronze |
| 3 | Dalton | The Judge | Burned Up | Spike's Lair |
Music
- "Transylvanian Concubine" by Rasputina: The song that plays while Drusilla dances, just before The Judge is completely assembled, is "Transylvanian Concubine" by Rasputina, a gothic trio of cellists. The song first appeared on the band's 1996 debut album Thanks for the Ether and was also selected for the first Buffy soundtrack.
Arc Advancement
Happenings
- Prophecy: Buffy has a dream where Drusilla is still alive and she kills Angel. Fearing that this is a portent, like her dream about the Master last year, Buffy believes that it will come true. In some part, her dream is literal because Drusilla is still alive. On the other hand, however, the "death" of Angel is symbolic.
Characters
- Spike: After his altercation with the slayer, Spike is now confined to a wheelchair with part of his face hideously disfigured.
- Jenny Calendar: When Ms. Calendar is confronted by a vaguely Eastern European gypsy, whom she refers to as her uncle, he reveals that her name isn't Jenny Calendar but rather Janna of the Kalderash people, the same clan of gypsies who cursed Angel. She was placed in Sunnydale as a representative of her clan and to make certain that Angel continues to suffer under the burden of his curse.
Referbacks
- 2x01 - When She Was Bad: In the first episode of this season, Buffy comes back from Los Angeles, only to discover that The Anointed One was trying to bring The Master back to life in a ritual involving his skeleton. After foiling the scheme, Buffy grabbed a sledgehammer and completely destroyed the skeleton with it.
- Xander: You ground his bones to make your bread.
Trivia
The Show
Behind the Scenes
- International: Buffy the Vampire Slayer has been dubbed into many different languages and the title translated for each different international version. Some international translations of this episode's title are:
- French: "Innocence (1/2)"
- Italian: "Sorpresa" ("Surprise")
- German: "Der Fluch der Zigeuner" ("The Curse of the Gypsies")
- Japanese: "誕生日の贈り物" ("Tanjōbi no Okurimono" - "Birthday Present")
Allusions and References
Memorable Moments
Goofs
- When Buffy kisses Angel's hand, it's in a fist, but open in the next shot.
Quotes
- Buffy: (to Willow, about Oz) You think he's too old 'cause he's a senior? Please! My boyfriend had a bicentennial.
- Oz: I'm gonna ask you to go out with me tomorrow night. And I'm kinda nervous about it, actually. It's interesting.
- Willow: Oh. Well, if it helps at all, I'm gonna say yes.
- Oz: Yeah, it helps. It - it creates a comfort zone. Do you wanna go out with me tomorrow night?
- Willow: (slaps her forehead) Oh! I can't!
- Oz: Well, see, I like that you're unpredictable.
- Willow: Are you okay?
- Oz: Yeah. Hey, did everybody see that guy just turn to dust?
- Willow: Uh, well, uh... sort of.
- Xander: Yep. Vampires are real. A lot of them live in Sunnydale. Willow will fill you in.
- Willow: I know it's hard to accept at first.
- Oz: Actually, it explains a lot.
