Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Villains

Villains
Season 6, Episode 20
Airdate	May 14, 2002
Production Number	6ABB20
Written by	Marti Noxon
Directed by	David Solomon
← 6x19 Seeing Red	6x21 → Two to Go (1)
Buffy the Vampire Slayer — Season Six

Villains is the twentieth episode of the sixth season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and the one-hundred and twentieth episode overall.

Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy Summers), Nicholas Brendon (Xander Harris), Emma Caulfield (Anya), Michelle Trachtenberg (Dawn Summers), James Marsters (Spike)

and Alyson Hannigan (Willow)

Guest Starring: Danny Strong (Jonathan Levinson), Adam Busch (Warren Meers), Tom Lenk (Andrew Wells), Jeff Kober (Rack), Amelinda Embry (Katrina), Amber Benson (Tara)

Co-Starring: James C. Leary (Clem), Steven W. Bailey (Cave Demon), Tim Hodgin (Coroner), Michael Matthys (Paramedic), Julie Hermelin (Clerk), Alan Henry Brown (Demon Bartender), Mueen J. Ahmad (Doctor), Jane Cho (Nurse #1), Meredith Cross (Nurse #2), David Adefeso (Paramedic #2), Jeffrey Nicholas Brown (Vampire), Nelson Frederick (Villager)

Plot Overview

With his cohorts in jail, Warren claims to have killed the Slayer, unaware that he actually killed Tara and Willow has embraced the darkest of magicks to reap bloody vengeance. Meanwhile, Spike has fled Sunnydale to Africa to find a means of restoring himself to what he once was.

Notes

Monster of the Week

• There was no monster of the week as such due to it dealing mainly with Willow turning evil.

Body Count

#	Whom	By Whom	How	Where
1	Warren	Willow	Skinned and incinerated	The Woods

Arc Advancement

Happenings

• Willow's Addiction: Willow reverts to her previous addicted form when she tries to resurrect Tara.

Characters

• Willow: After Tara's death, Willow snaps and absorbs the knowledge from the black magic books at the Magic Box.

• Spike: It is revealed that Spike has left the country for Africa in order to find a demon to return him to his former self.

• Anya: It is revealed to Buffy and Xander that Anya has retaken her job as a vengeance demon.

Referbacks

• Doppelgangland: Willow says "Bored Now," a favorite catchphrase of her vampire alternate reality counterpart.

Trivia

The Show

• Chronology: "Seeing Red, "Villains", "Two to Go" and "Grave" all occur in the same 24 hour period.
• Music: The song playing in the background while Warren is bragging in the bar is "Die, Die My Darling" by the Misfits.

• Final Appearance: This episode marks Tara Maclay's final appearance in the series. Unlike other deaths in the series, she never returns in a different form somewhere along the line.

Behind the Scenes

• Credit Change-Up: Although Amber Benson was finally credited in the main credits in the previous episode, she is removed all together in the first airing. In the second, she is credited as The Body in the second run of the show.

• Oops: Season 7 writer Drew Goddard was on set being interviewed for joining the staff while this episode was filming. He was upset because he was spoiled beyond repair for the rest of the sixth season. But at least he got the job.

Allusions and References

• Matthew Broderick: Matthew Broderick is an actor best known for playing the role of the title character in 1986's Ferris Bueller's Day Off. He acted in several movies of varying quality before performing on Broadway in the musical The Producers.

Andrew: I miss Ferris Matthew. Broadway Matthew-- I find him cold.

• Puppet Masters: The Puppet Masters is a science fiction novel written by Robert A. Heinlein about aliens which take over the minds of humans to make them do whatever they want as part of a plot to conquer the Earth. The novel also spawned a movie in 1994 starring Donald Sutherland, who also played Buffy's Watcher in the Buffy feature film.

Xander: Fine, puppet master wants to drive? That's fine!

• Country Time Lemonade: Country Time Lemonade is a brand of lemonade drinks owned by Dr. Pepper/Seven Up Inc. It comes in a variety of flavors and is considered to be a staple of Americana.

Clem: Can I get you ladies something? I was just about to mix up some Country Time.

• The Wedding Planner: The Wedding Planner is a movie starring Jennifer Lopez and Matthew McConaughey about a wedding planner who falls in love with the groom of the biggest wedding of her career.

Clem: Or we could rent videos. I've been dying to see The Wedding Planner.

Memorable Moments

• Willow going to the Magic Box and literally absorbing the information from the dark magic books.

• Willow slowly torturing and killing Warren in the woods.

Quotes

• Demon Bartender: And you killed the Slayer?

Warren: With these hands.

Demon Bartender: What are you, a warlock?

Warren: Funny you mention that. You know, I've explored all the dark arts - witchcraft, demonology. I mean, you name it, I tried it against the Slayer. But you know what I found really works? Gun.

Vampire: You killed the Slayer with a gun?

Warren: In her own backyard. Don't underestimate science, my friends. Good old-fashioned metal meets propulsion.

(the vampire and bartender begin laughing)

Demon Bartender: Oh, man, this is gonna be good.

Warren: Oh, the best! The town is ours!

Vampire: Ours, maybe. You are screwed.

Demon Bartender: "Metal meets propulsion," yeah. But you still better be a good shot.

Warren: Well -- This isn't the evil laugh of victory, is it?

Vampire: More like the evil laugh of "you're a dead man."

Warren: Okay, uh, what's the joke?

Demon Bartender: It was just on the news. A girl was shot.

Vampire: In her back yard.

Demon Bartender: She survived. She's in the hospital. And Slayers heal fast. Real fast.

Vampire: Yeah. I was gonna eat you myself during the commercial, but now I think it'll be more fun to let the Slayer de-gut you. Might want to get a head start, my friend, 'cause this girl is gonna be coming for you, big time.

• Warren: I have my own guys. The Trio. Yeah, you've heard of us.

Rack: Right. What were you, a band or something?

• Xander: You said it yourself, Will. The magic's too strong. There's no coming back from it.

Willow: I'm not coming back.

• Xander: Willow's out for blood big time. We need to find her before she finds Warren. Is there something you can do? A locator spell?

Anya: I don't need a spell. I can feel her.

Xander: You can --

Anya: Feel her. Her thirst for vengeance, it's overwhelming.

Xander: Is that, like, left over from your vengeance demon days, this sensor?

Anya: No. Not left over.

Xander: Oh.

Anya: Yeah.

Xander: When?

Anya: When do you think?

• Willow: Something, isn't it? One tiny piece of metal destroys everything.

• Willow: Bored now.