Consequences (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

"Consequences"
Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode
Episode no.	Season 3 Episode 15
Directed by	Michael Gershman
Written by	Marti Noxon
Production code	3ABB15
Original air date	February 16, 1999 (1999-02-16)
Guest actors
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 Amy Powell as TV News Reporter Patricia Place as Woman

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

Plot

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. Privately, Faith asks if Buffy is going to turn her in, and Buffy isn't sure. 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.

After much thought and discussion with Willow, Buffy decides to tell Giles what happened, only to discover that Faith has already told Giles 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 is on. Giles explains to Buffy what will happen when mistakes with human murder occur and that Faith is in denial about the murder. Wesley sees them talking and calls the Watcher Council.

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. Buffy expresses her worry about Faith and the need to deal with the problem now. Xander is asked to help Giles and Willow with the research that needs to be done on the Mayor and Mr. Trick.

Xander tries to reason with Faith, only to have her try to kill him. She repeats her favorite saying, "I see, I want, I take." Xander is eventually rescued by Angel, who tries his own brand of reasoning and seems to be making progress. The Mayor and Mr. Trick discuss Buffy and Faith's City Hall break-in. The Mayor says that the slayers both have to be taken care of and quickly and that there isn't enough evidence against them to put them in jail.

Unfortunately, Wesley learns what happened and follows Watcher Council procedure. Accompanied by others with crosses and nets, Wesley attacks Angel and yanks Faith away for trial in England. She quickly escapes, and plans to hop a boat out of Sunnydale. Because of the arrest and the escape, Wesley receives very hostile attitudes from the gang. Buffy finds Faith, and they start to fight as she tries to reason with Faith. Their confrontation is interrupted by several vampires led by Mr. Trick. As he is about to bite Buffy, Faith stakes him. Buffy returns to the library, sure now that there is still good in Faith. However, in the final scene Faith is seen offering her services to the Mayor.

Production

• Although credited, Seth Green does not appear in this episode. This is the only Season Three episode Oz does not appear in.

Continuity

• Finch's death causes the third murder investigation involving Buffy in less than two years: she was previously suspected in the deaths of fellow Slayer Kendra and her would-be stepfather, the robot Ted. Each investigation is headed by Detective James Stein (played by James MacDonald).

Arc significance

• Angel seems to be able to get through to Faith, a theme that will be picked up much later when the two meet in Los Angeles ("Five by Five"/"Sanctuary").
• 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 provides the Scoobies with their first concrete evidence that the Mayor is not what he seems and will become a problem.
• The events of this episode mark Faith's first conscious, definitive break from the good side.
• Willow keeps on trying to reverse Amy's spell that has changed her into a rat in "Gingerbread", without success until Season 6 in Smashed.

Cultural references

• Buffy describes Faith's inappropriate good cheer with the phrase "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah", the title of an optimistic song in the movie Song of the South.

External links

• "Consequences" at IMDb
• "Consequences" at TV.com