Choices

First televised May 4, 1999
GuestStarring: KristineSutherland (Joyce Summers), Harry Groener (Mayor Witkins), Alexis Denisof(Wesley Price), Eliza Dushku (Faith), andArmin Shimerman (Principal Snyder); Written by David Fury; Directed by James A. Contner; Edited by Skip MacDonald

Intro: Wilkins gives Faith a gift-an elegant blade. He wants Faith to pick up a package from Central America at the airport-sornething "crucially essential" to his ascension. Buffy and Angel battle vampires at the cemetery. Buffy doesn't like the rut they're in.

Act 1: Mom is excited Buffy was accepted to Northwestern University; Joyce calls Aunt Arlene. At school, Buffy talks about colleges with Willow, Oz, and Xander. Willow was accepted at Oxford ("That's where they make Gileses!"); Buffy assumes she'll end up at UC-Sunnyclale herself. Xander figures for him, it's the open road of Kerouac. Buffy tells Price she wants to leave Sunnydale after graduation. Buffy wants to take the fight tothe mayor. That night, Faith picks upWilkins's package and killsthe delivery man.

Act 2: Buffy spies Faith taking a box into City Hall at night. Wilkins is pleased with Faith's work. Buffy interrogates Wilkins's limo driver about the contents of the box. Later, she reports to Giles and the group that it contains "demonic energy" that Wilkins must consume come Ascension day. They make their plans to get the box and ritually destroy it. Xander sees Cordelia in a dress shop; she has been accepted by several good colleges. That night, Buffy and the gang sneak into City Hall. At the library, Oz and Xander work on the spell (following directions Willow left them). From the open skylight above the box, Willow casts a spell and removes the box's magical protection. Angel lowers Buffy down; she grabs the box, but the pulley jams. Vampire guards enter; a fight breaks out. Buffy and Angel grab the box and escape. Wilkins is not happy-until Faith appears with a captured Willow.

Act 3: Buffy wants to trade the box for Willow; Price says no-thousands of lives depend on their destroying it. But Giles calls Wilkins to arrange the exchange. Willow extinguishes one captor (via a levitating pencil into his back!) and sneaks into Wilkins's office. She finds the Books of Ascension and begins reading. Faith finds her; Willow says Faith had a lot going for her, but it's too late for hernow she's nothing, "a big selfish waste." Wilkins enters. Later, at the high school, Wilkins and Buffy make the trade. Wilkins analyzes (and criticizes) Angel's and Buffy's relationship-he thinks Angel is being selfish, and neither are thinking about the future. The trade is made. Snyder appears with a couple of securityguards. One opensthe box,and a large, spider-like creature attacks him.

Act4: The security guard appears to be dead;the creature lands on the mayor's face, but Faith pulls it off, and he heals immediately. Buffy closesthe box. Thecreature lands on Buffy's back; shethrows herself ontothe floor and crushes it. Another creature climbs the wall; Faith kills it with her blade. Wilkins says there are fifty billion more in the box. Faith leaves, leaving her blade stuck in the wall. Buffy grabs Faith's blade. Later, Willow tells Giles what she can remember about the Books of Ascension-and gives him a few pages she toreout. The next day, Buffy realizes she's never leaving Sunnydale. Willow says she's going to attend UC-Sunnydale. ShewantstoaidBuffyinher fight. At the April Fools dress shop, Cordelia eyes a dress-and then has to get back to work. Later, Buffy and Angel talk. Buffy ignores what the mayor said about them; she thinks they'll be okay.

COMMENTS: Here's another solid episode. The plot is good, if not spectacular: what makes "Choices" a cut above are two standout scerics. The first is the confrontation between Faith and Willow. Faith-and the viewer-expects Willow to unload with a typical ---it's not too late 1 - or voxi. we can still help you" kind of speech. Surprisingly, she reams Faith with the opposite-that it is too late for the Slayer. that she squandered opportunities and now has no one on tier side when she could have had so much more. It's a wonderful performance by Alyson Hannigan.

Even better is the confrontation between Buffy and Wilkins. We hadn't realized until Wilkins mentioned it that this is their first
meeting (though of course lie saw her on his office's security's tape in lie then launches a full-fledged psychological assault on her by analyzing her relationship with Angel. Part of this is probably bitterness over his failure to turn Angel. plus Angel's manipulation of him (in "Enemies"). Nevertheless, he understands their situation. at least to sonic degree, because, as an ageless,hundred-year-old entity. he had to face watching a lover grow old and die. jusI as Angel will. Some of his
comments have a double nicaning-he doesn't see much of a future for them because he plans on killing thern later. Others
simply needle Buffy. He tells Angel, "You're immortal. She's not. It's not easy. I married my Edna Mae---and was with her right until the Cud. Not a pretty picture. Wrinkled and senile and cursing me for my youth. Wasn't our happiest time. And let's forget the fact that any moment of true happiness will turn you evil. I mean come on-what kind of life can you offer her? I don't see a lot of Sunday picnics in the offing .... And You want to keep her from the life, she has until it's passed her by. By God, I think that's a little selfish. Is that what you came back from hell for?" Groener's performanceis good, as always, but lie is aided here by sonic top-notch dialogue.