Forever (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

"Forever (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)"

"Forever" is the 17th episode of season 5 of the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It follows up on the previous episode's central issue, as the group attends Joyce's funeral, while Dawn enters a state of growing desperation and ultimately chooses to try and bring her mother back.

Plot synopsis

Summary

After Joyce’s funeral, Dawn stays with Willow and Tara and tells them that she wants to bring her mother back from the dead; they (especially Tara) insist that it cannot and should not be done. Angel comes back to support Buffy, though they both know that he can’t stay forever. Ben’s slip of the tongue reveals to Jinx, one of Glory’s minions, that the Key is in human form. Dawn steals a book from the Magic Box and prepares to resurrect Joyce, despite the witches' warnings. Spike offers to help her out of sympathy and takes her to Doc, a not-quite-human who knows how to bring the dead back to life. Doc tells them how to perform the spell, although he notes that Joyce might not be quite the same as she was. Tara notices a witchcraft book missing and realizes what Dawn is up to; Willow warns Buffy. Buffy finds Dawn too late; the spell has just been completed. Buffy, after insisting to Dawn that she shouldn't do this to their mother, reveals to Dawn that she just as scared and hurting as Dawn is. A resurrected Joyce is on her way; there is a knock at the door, but Dawn ends the spell by ripping Joyce’s photo in half.

Expanded overview

Buffy selects a casket for her mother with Giles and Dawn. Dawn expresses her concern about Buffy's choice, worried that their mother may not appreciate the choice. Later, the gang gathers for dinner at the Summers's residence and discusses plans for the funeral, excluding Dawn from any decision making. Briefly, they discuss how Buffy's father has remained out of reach, then Dawn suggests that she stay with Willow after the funeral is over.

Spike brings flowers to the Summers home but runs into Willow and Xander on his way. Xander gives the vampire a hard time, but Spike makes it clear that the flowers are a sincere gesture as he actually liked Joyce. A small group of people including the entire Scooby Gang gathers at a cemetery during the day for Joyce's funeral. Dawn leaves with Tara and Willow as the rest of the crowd also move away. Hours later, after the sun has set, Buffy still stands at the grave and Angel appears beside her. Dawn is still having a difficult time accepting the loss of her mother, so she asks Willow and Tara to help her perform a spell that will bring Joyce back. Willow and Tara are shocked and refuse, explaining that it is wrong to mess with matters of life and death with witchcraft.

In bed, Anya explains to Xander how special it is to be able to have children and how sex has become much more than it used to be. Buffy and Angel talk about the loss of Joyce and Angel does his best to comfort Buffy when she talks about the events as they played out and how it will all affect her future. Buffy asks him to stay with her forever and the two kiss sweetly, but pull away, knowing nothing more can happen. He stays with her for the remaining moments before the sun rises. Ben encounters Jynx and stresses the fact that he will not help Glory and he is tired of her games. He makes a comment that leads Jynx to conclude that the Key is human and worried about Glory, he stabs the minion with a knife.

The next morning, Dawn is sulking, still upset that her friends won't help her, but as Willow and Tara are leaving for breakfast, Willow magically moves a book on the bookshelf to make it noticeable. Alone, Dawn notices the book titled, "History of Witchcraft" standing out amongst the others. Later, at the magic shop, Dawn searches through books, sneaking up to the second level when Giles tells her that's where he keeps the most dangerous books. She leaves unnoticed with several items. While collecting dirt at Joyce's grave site that night, Dawn is caught by Spike who shocks her by offering to help and demanding that Buffy never find out.

Meanwhile, Glory fumes about Ben after Jynx returns to her wounded. She quickly cheers up when he informs her that the Key is human. Spike takes Dawn to a man named Doc for help in resurrecting Dawn's mother. He provides them with all the supplies and information he has, tells them of the other materials he does not have and advises Dawn that the results could not be what she wants. He mentions the necessity for a picture of Joyce which he says will break the spell if it is torn. Spike and Dawn leave to find a Ghora demon and steal one of its eggs for the spell. He plays interference with the demon while Dawn gets the egg, even getting wounded in the process.

Tara realizes that a witchcraft book is missing from the shelf and after concluding that Dawn took it, she and Willow decide to call Buffy. Buffy hears about Dawn's spell just as she is finishing it upstairs in her room. Buffy confronts her and the two girls yell at each other and cry about their different ways of dealing with their mother's death. A shadow of a figure passes by the front window followed by a knocking on the door. Buffy goes to open the door, but Dawn tears up the picture first. The sisters hug and collapse to the floor, crying.

Production details

Music

• Splendid - "Tomorrow We'll Wake"
• Cream - "Tale of brave ulysses". - Giles listens to this record in his apartment. Giles had played the song for Joyce in "Band Candy".

Quotes and trivia

• This was speculated to be the last "crossover" episode due to Buffy switching networks the following year. However, Angel made one final appearance at the end of 7th season despite the network schism.
• This is the first episode to feature Willow mis-using magic to encourage Dawn to investigate resurrection, which will become a running theme throughout Season 6.
• The magical-resurrection plot thread of this story bears a strong resemblance to the 1902 short story The Monkey's Paw by W. W. Jacobs.

Continuity

Timing

• Stories that take place around the same time in the Buffyverse:

External links

• "Forever" on BuffyGuide.com