Consequences (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

"Consequences (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)"

"Consequences" is the 15th episode of season 3 of the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Plot synopsis

Faith's plan to hide her accidental murder in the last episode fails when Finch's body is quickly found. Wesley Wyndam-Pryce orders her and Buffy to investigate and see if anything supernatural was involved. Buffy and Faith sneak into City Hall to try to find out what Finch was doing in the alleyway in the first place; although all of his papers have been shredded, they do learn that the Mayor is in league with Mr. Trick. Privately, Faith asks if Buffy is going to turn her in, and Buffy isn't sure. After some deep thinking she decides to tell Giles what happened, only to discover that Faith has already told him that Buffy was the killer. Luckily, Giles easily sees through the lie, though he lets Faith think he believes her so the gang can keep closer tabs on her and get her off the slippery slope she's on. During a meeting of the gang, Xander tells the others that he slept with Faith. Buffy and Giles are openly surprised; Willow tries to play down her reaction but ends up crying alone in the bathroom. Xander tries to reason with Faith, only to have her try to kill him. He's rescued by Angel, who tries his own brand of reasoning and seems to be making progress. Unfortunately, Wesley has also learned what happened and goes by the book, yanking Faith away for trial in England. She quickly escapes, and plans to hop a boat out of Sunnydale. Buffy finds her, but their meeting is interrupted by several vampires led by Mr. Trick. As he is about to bite Buffy, Faith stakes him and saves her. Buffy returns to the library, sure now that there is still good in Faith. However, in the final scene Faith offers her services to the Mayor.

Acting

Starring

• Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers
• Nicholas Brendon as Xander Harris
• Alyson Hannigan as Willow Rosenberg
• Charisma Carpenter as Cordelia Chase
• David Boreanaz as Angel
• Seth Green as Oz (credited but does not appear)
• Anthony Stewart Head as Rupert Giles

Guest starring

• Kristine Sutherland as Joyce Summers
• Harry Groener as Mayor Richard Wilkins
• K. Todd Freeman as Mr. Trick
• Jack Plotnick as Deputy Mayor Allan Finch
• Alexis Denisof as Wesley Wyndam-Pryce
• James G. MacDonald as Detective Stein
• Eliza Dushku as Faith Lehane

Co-starring

• Amy Powell as TV News Reporter
• Patricia Place as Woman

Production details

Music

• Kathleen Wilhoite - "Wish we never met"

Production

• Although credited, Oz does not appear in this episode

Continuity

Arc significance

• Finch's death marks the third murder investigation in which Buffy has been involved in less than two years; she was previously suspected regarding the deaths of fellow Slayer Kendra and her would-be stepfather, the robot Ted.
• Angel seems to be able to get through to Faith, a theme that will be picked up much later when the two meet in LA
• The events of this episode are one of the primary reasons Wesley is eventually dismissed from the Watcher's Council.
• The video of the Mayor and Mr. Trick provide the Scoobies with their first concrete evidence that the Mayor is not what he seems and will become a problem.
• After the death of Mr. Trick, Faith firmly casts her lot in with the Mayor, representing the first conscious, definitive break from the good side she has taken.

Translations

• Italian title: "Fatta per uccidere" ("Made (feminine) to kill")
• German title: "Konsequenzen" ("Consequences")
• French title: "Au-dessus des lois" ("Above Laws")
• Japanese title: "ことの結果" ("Koto no Kekka" - "The Consequence of the Matter")
• Spanish title: "Consecuencias" ("Consequences")

External links

• "Consequences" at IMDb
• Template:Tv.com episode

Reviews

• Peripheral Visions Review
• Swing the Sickle Review