| Written by: | Tracey Forbes |
| Directed by: | Nick Marck |
| Starring: | Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers Nicholas Brendon as Xander Harris Alyson Hannigan as Willow Rosenberg James Marsters as Spike Anthony Stewart Head as Rupert Giles |
| Guest Starring: | Marc Blucas as Riley Finn Emma Caulfield as Anya Elizabeth Anne Allen as Amy Madison |
| Co-Starring: | Andy Umberger as D'Hoffryn |
Willow's spell made her will be done, but only when she was being sarcastic or facetious.
Buffy caught Riley hanging a sign for the Lesbian Alliance, which piqued her curiosity. Riley suggested a picnic, then wondered if he already discussed having a picnic with her or if he merely practiced discussing having a picnic with her.
That night, while on patrol, Buffy talked about Riley with Willow, including her fixation on Riley's arms. Willow neglected to point out any parallels to her fixation on Oz's hands. Buffy was worried that her relationship with Riley would lack the pain that her relationship with Angel had.
Buffy tried to interrogate Spike, but he was not particularly forthcoming with answers. He was afraid that he would be killed as soon as he told Buffy and Giles everything, despite their assurances that they would not kill someone so impotent. Willow came up with the idea of a truth spell and promised to get supplies the next day. When she left, Buffy and Giles thought that Willow was coping well with Oz's departure, but Spike knew better.
In fact, Willow went to Oz's room and found it vacant. This forced her to recognize the fact that he was not planning to return soon. She was so upset that she forgot to bring the spell components to Giles the next day and walked in on Buffy and Riley's picnic.
At the Bronze, Xander, Buffy, and Anya discussed Oz sending for his stuff. Anya said that she would liquefy Oz's entrails for Willow if Anya had her powers back. Willow did look better, but only because she had beer in her pocket. She went from elation to saying harsh things to Xander, which led Buffy to drag her home.
Willow pulled out some magic supplies and brought them to a bathroom. While surrounded by a bunch of candles, she cast a spell that would ensure that her will is done. The candles flared up and emitted a lot of light, so something happened. However, the next day, she failed to heal her heart, get a book to speak, or unbend a Q-Tip.
Giles came to visit because he was concerned that Willow failed to get the truth spell supplies as she promised. He was not happy that Willow has been casting spells while unsupervised. Willow got very defensive and said that Giles does not see anything. He immediately started to feel uncomfortable and left.
He started to try to cast the truth spell on Spike but had trouble reading the spell. While he was distracted, Spike was able to get the key to the manacles holding him and escape.
Willow talked to Buffy about her conversation with Giles. Willow admitted that she was not all that good with magic and that Amy the Rat had more power. Willow talked about how Amy was a normal person and then was a rat without looking behind her to see that Amy momentarily turned into a normal person before turning back into a rat.
Giles called to say that Spike escaped, which meant that Buffy had to leave Willow to catch him. Willow was upset and wanted Buffy to stay. When Buffy left anyway, Willow commented that Spike was just standing there and that Buffy would catch him in two seconds, which she did.
Willow went to Xander's basement to talk with him. She lashed out at Xander, calling him a demon magnet. She was also frustrated that Buffy seemed to consider Spike to be more important than she was and even suggested that Buffy should just marry Spike. At Giles's apartment, Spike got down on one knee and proposed. Buffy said yes.
Like many newly engaged couples, they eagerly discussed wedding plans. Buffy wanted a daylight wedding, but Spike was concerned that this would cause the groom to turn into a pile of dust. Buffy wanted Giles to give her away, but he viewed the whole thing as insane. Buffy accidentally let the name "Angel" slip, which upset Spike. Buffy countered by expressing jealousy at Drusilla. Giles's blindness was getting worse, which led to Spike offering to help, something that greatly surprised Giles.
Buffy went out to get supplies for a general reversal spell. On the way out of the magic shop, she saw a wedding dress in a nearby window. Riley caught her admiring it, which led her to say that she was going to marry Spike. Riley was very shocked.
Xander was alone with Anya in the basement. They were about to make out when a demon arrived. They fought until Xander was able to drown it in a convenient sink filled with water. Another demon then started to climb through the window.
Spike and Buffy were arguing over what name to put on the invitations when Xander and Anya burst in to say that they were being followed by demons. After being shocked by the upcoming Buffy and Spike nuptials, Xander realized that Willow's comments were coming true. There was general agreement that Giles not seeing and Xander becoming a "demon magnet" came from her spell, but Buffy was not convinced that she was affected.
Willow returned to her dorm to be ambushed by D'Hoffryn, who was Anya's boss before she reverted to being human. D'Hoffryn heard Willow's pain, saw how she reacted, and wanted to nurture her talent. By the time that Buffy, Spike, Anya, and Xander arrived, Willow was gone.
Anya figured out that D'Hoffryn took Willow, so she, Xander, Buffy, and Spike went to a crypt to try to summon him. On the way, Buffy spotted what she believed was the perfect place for wedding photos, but demons attracted to Xander arrived. The four of them fled into a crypt while Anya tried to cast the summoning spell. The demons broke in, forcing a fight and interrupting the spell.
D'Hoffryn showed Willow the battle. Willow was concerned for her friends and politely rejected D'Hoffryn's offer to become a vengeance demon. D'Hoffryn was disappointed, but he gave her a talisman she could use to summon him if she changed her mind.
In the middle of the fight. Spike was shoved down, which caused Buffy to want to kiss him while Xander and Anya were desperately struggling against a demon. Willow appeared in the crypt and dispelled her magic. The demons disappeared and a shocked Buffy and Spike realized what they were doing.
Willow baked cookies in Giles's apartment to relieve her guilt. Giles was a bit disappointed that he still needed his glasses. Buffy decided that she was through with bad boy relationships and just then realized that Riley believed that she was getting married. The next day, she explained to Riley that she was just playing a joke on him when she said that she was getting married. He was quite relieved. She might be insane, but at least she was single.
This episode followed the formula of the admittedly superior "Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered." Start with a premise (every woman in Sunnydale except for Cordelia is obsessed with Xander. Willow's sarcastic/facetious statements come true), and see how far it can go. It works when the writer has the courage to go far enough to have Drusilla fall for Xander or have Buffy and Spike plan a wedding.
This may be the best episode so far in the fourth season, but it will not hold that title for long.
Xander and Anya fought demons in his basement.
Buffy briefly fought a demon outside the crypt where she wanted wedding photos taken.
Buffy, Xander, and Anya fought more demons in the crypt.
This is a classic comedic episode. Most of the humor comes from Willow's My Will Be Done (Only If I Am Sarcastic or Facetious) spell, especially Buffy and Spike getting engaged.
Willow is in a lot of pain from Oz leaving. She seems to crave comfort from her friends and drive them away simultaneously.
Buffy asked Giles to give her away at her wedding to Spike. Giles was torn between being touched and thinking that the whole situation was crazy.
Buffy and Spike got engaged and start to plan a wedding, albeit under the influence of a spell.
Willow is still in a lot of pain because Oz left her. She feels that others do not want to hear about her pain but pushes away any genuine act of concern. She also gets very defensive when anyone questions whether she should use magic, despite real insecurities about her ability to use her power.
Spike, once again, can figure out someone's emotional state when everyone else is in denial.
Buffy clearly sees Giles as a father figure to the point where she wanted him to give her away at her wedding rather than have her biological father do so.
Giles realized that a spell probably caused Buffy to want to marry Spike but appeared to be genuinely touched by Buffy's request that he give her away at the wedding.
This episode foreshadows a couple of future plot arcs.
If Willow intended the events of this episode to happen, she would be the clear MVP. Otherwise, nobody really accomplished all that much in the episode, so nobody gets the award.
Xander figured out that Willow's comments appear to be coming true for a clear win. Anya gets some credit for realizing that D'Hoffryn took Willow.
Willow gets the Goat for the obvious reason, casting a spell that caused a lot of problems for her friends. She also gets it for less obvious reasons, such as trying to push away everyone who cares about her.
I am not nearly as concerned about the fact that a male rat played Amy in this episode as I am about the fact that a large number of observers apparently looked.
"Is there something you want to tell me?" Buffy
"What? Oh, yes, I am a lesbian." Riley
"Well, it's good that you're so open about it." Buffy
Passions is on! Timmy's down a bloody well, and if you make me miss it I'll..." Spike
"You'll do what, lick me to death?" Giles
"Giles, I accidentally killed Spike. That's OK, right?" Buffy
"I know that you probably don't approve, and my father's not that far away. I mean, he could... But this day's about family, my real family, and I would like you to be the one to give me away." Buffy
"Where would Angel like to register, and can we have the photographer Angel would've wanted and flowers Angel would've liked?" Spike
"Hey, you think I don't live with the shadow of Drusilla over my head? That I'm not wonder if you're gonna be thinking of her on our honeymoon when you're making sweet love to me?" Buffy
"Are you helping me?" Giles
"Well, it's almost like you're my father-in-law, isn't it?" Spike
"I'm getting married. Can you believe it?" Buffy
"I don't think 'no' is a strong enough word." Riley
"Honey, we need to talk about the invitations. Do you want to be "William the Bloody," or just 'Spike,' 'cause either way, it's gonna look majorly weird." Buffy
"Whereas the name 'Buffy' gives it that touch of classic elegance." Spike
"What's wrong with 'Buffy?'" Buffy
"Oh, such a good question." Giles
"This is the crack team that foils my every plan? I am deeply shamed." Spike
"Spike and I are getting married." Buffy
"How? What? How?" Xander
"Three excellent questions." Giles
"Something about Willow and her griefy poor-me mood swings. So, so tired of it." Xander
"You mean I don't have to be nice about her anymore?" Anya
"You want me to stop working?" Buffy
"Let's see, do I want you to give up killing my friends? Yeah, I've given it some thought." Spike
"Well, baking lifts about 30% of my guilt, but only seven percent of my inner turmoil." Willow
"I'm not the one who wanted 'Wind Beneath My Wings' for the first dance." Spike
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.