| Written by: | Douglas Petrie |
| Directed by: | James A. Contner |
| 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 Anthony Stewart Head as Rupert Giles |
| Guest Starring: | Serena Scott Thomas as Gwendolyn Post Eliza Dushku as Faith |
| Co-Starring: | Jason Hall as Devon Kate Rodger as Paramedic |
An ex-watcher seeking a magic glove came to Sunnydale.
The episode opened in the Bronze as a guilty Willow and Xander tried to hide their attraction from a clueless Oz and Cordelia. This led to discussion about Buffy spending time alone and speculation about a new boyfriend. However, she was planning to spend the evening patrolling with Faith. After each of them staked a vampire, a British woman, Mrs. Gwendolyn Post, critiqued their performance and announced that she was Faith's new watcher.
In the library, Mrs. Post critiqued Giles's book collection and announced that the Watchers Council was concerned that Giles was becoming too American, much to Buffy and Giles's surprise. She also announced that there was a demon named Lagos who was in Sunnydale to seek the Glove of Myhnegon.
Buffy snuck away to do a tai-chi dance with Angel. He has finally found a shirt, even if he did not figure out how to use it until after the dance. Meanwhile, Xander and Willow tried to help a very frustrated Giles find information about Lagos or the Glove. However, Xander and Willow were fairly distracted with each other and started to kiss as soon as they were out of sight. They were interrupted when Giles discovered the location of the Glove. Xander went to look for Buffy.
On her way back home, Faith ran across Lagos going through crypts. Lagos failed to find a glove while Faith failed to do much even to delay him. Xander meanwhile, found Angel and followed him to Buffy, where he saw Angel kiss her. Xander left to report to Giles and missed Angel revealing that he recovered the Glove.
The next day, Xander, Cordelia, Oz, Giles, and Willow confronted Buffy about her hiding Angel. Xander and Cordelia were particularly upset with Buffy with only Willow trying to sympathize until Giles shooed them all away so he could chew her out himself.
Mrs. Post let slip to Faith that the others had a meeting without her, so Faith asked Xander about it at the Bronze that night. He told her that Angel was back, and they both agreed to go kill him. Meanwhile, Giles told Mrs. Post that he knew where the Glove was and that it could be destroyed. She promptly knocked him unconscious.
Willow and Buffy waited for Lagos at the tomb where Angel found the Glove. Willow was about to confess her kissing Xander when Lagos arrived. Buffy was more successful than Faith and managed to behead him, much to Willow's delight.
Faith and Xander heard some moaning when they arrived at the library to get weapons. When they found Giles, Faith assumed that Angel attacked him, but Xander wondered why there were no bite marks. Xander called an ambulance while Faith went after Angel. Buffy and Willow arrived ten minutes later just as the EMTs were taking Giles away. Xander warned them that Faith believed that Angel attacked Giles. Buffy went after Faith while Xander and Willow tried to prepare the spell to destroy the Glove.
Mrs. Post arrived at Angel's mansion first, claiming that she was there to help destroy the Glove. She tried to kill him but did not realize that Angel was a vampire. They fought, and Angel had the upper hand until Faith arrived. She proceeded to beat on Angel until Buffy arrived. The two slayers then fought each other until Mrs. Post managed to get the glove and put it on.
The glove apparently channeled lightning, because Mrs. Post started to shoot lightning at the other characters. Fortunately, she was a bad shot and missed everyone. Eventually, Buffy tossed a piece of broken glass that cut off Mrs. Post's arm. This caused lightning to burn her up.
The next day, Buffy appeared mostly forgiven, although Cordelia still did not trust her. Giles noted that Gwendolyn Post used to be a watcher but was kicked out for misusing dark magic. Buffy went to see Faith, who still seemed upset at Buffy without saying why.
The scene in which the other characters confronted Buffy about Angel was very well done.
I understand that it was a macguffin, but the Glove was still pretty lame. I do not see why Mrs. Post would throw her life away just so she could be permanently attached to a glove that shoots lightning bolts, even if the visual effects were neat looking.
Buffy and Faith participated in synchronized slaying during the teaser.
Lagos tossed Faith around when she first encountered him.
Buffy fought and beheaded Lagos.
At Angel's mansion, there was a series of fights between Mrs. Post, Angel, Faith, and Buffy until Mrs. Post knocked Willow out and put on the glove.
The other characters found out that Angel is back in town and that Buffy has been hiding him. They are all very displeased.
Angel and Buffy are back to kissing, but they feel as guilty about it as Xander and Willow do about their kissing.
Xander was very upset to see Angel back in town and is especially upset that he was kissing Buffy. He was the most aggressive in confronting Buffy during the intervention. He did keep his head and was open to the idea that someone other than Angel attacked Giles.
Cordelia was less emotional than Xander but just as displeased with Buffy hiding Angel. She appeared to be concerned for her own safety and said that she still does not trust Buffy.
Willow was the most understanding of Buffy wanting to keep a secret, mostly because Willow has a secret of her own that she is hiding. She wanted to tell Buffy but backed away after Lagos interrupted.
Giles was quieter than the other characters (except for Oz) during the intervention, but he still harbors some bitterness over being tortured by Angel at the end of the second season.
Faith was feeling isolated from the other characters. She did not like not being invited to the intervention, but she did not realize that it was not about the Glove. She claimed that she was "five by five" at the end of the episode, but it was clear that she was still upset.
Faith is starting to feel alienated from the rest of the characters. In part, this was due to Mrs. Post instilling doubts over whether Faith was accepted. However, Faith continued to feel isolated afterward.
Buffy gets the MVP for killing Lagos and for stopping Mrs. Post. It remains to be seen if she deserves credit or shame for saving Angel from Faith. Angel gets some credit for saving Willow.
There are a few candidates. Giles discovered where the Glove was hidden and how to destroy it. Angel actually found the glove, and Xander discovered that Angel was back in town and figured out that Angel was not responsible for attacking Giles, although Jenny did not have any bite marks when Angel killed her. Xander's discoveries had more long-term significance, so he will get the award for this episode.
Mrs. Post went through all this trouble just to get a glove that channels lightning only to be fried herself. She is the clear goat. Faith is the only other competitor, but, as Buffy said, Mrs. Post fooled everyone.
Why did Faith pick a blunt baseball bat with a metal hook as a weapon to fight Angel? She would have been much better off with a sword, an ax, or a stake.
"When your last steady killed half the class, and then your rebound guy sends you a dump-o-gram, it makes a girl shy." Cordelia
"Interesting lady, can we kill her?" Buffy
"I think the Council might frown upon that." Giles
"I've had my share of losers, but you boinked the undead." Faith
"Hey Giles, here's an idea. Why don't I alleviate my guilt by going out and getting myself really, really killed?" Xander
"I feel worried, about me. Last time around, Angel barely laid a hand on Buffy. He was way more interested in killing her friends." Cordelia
"I just wanted to wait." Buffy
"For what? For Angel to go psycho again the next time you give him a happy?" Xander
"You would just love an excuse to hurt him, wouldn't you?" Buffy
"I don't need an excuse. I think lots of dead people actually constitutes a reason." Xander
"I won't remind you that the fate of the world often lies with the slayer. What would be the point? Nor shall I remind you that you have jeopardized the lives of all that you hold dear by harboring a known murderer. But sadly, I must remind you that Angel tortured me for hours, for pleasure. You should have told me he was alive. You didn't. You have no respect for me or the job I perform." Giles
"Faith, word of advice, you're an idiot." Mrs. Post
"Well, as long as she and Angel don't get pelvic, we'll be OK, I guess." Xander
Highlight the space after each question to find the answer. It is strongly recommended that you do not do so if you have not seen episodes through the episode indicated.