Doppelgangland

First televised February 24, 1999
Guest Starring Harry Groener (Mayor Wilkins), Alexis Denisof (Wesley Price), Emmo Caulfield (Anya), Ethan Erickson (Percy), Efiza Dushku (Faith), and Armin Shimerman (Principal Snyder); Written and Directed byJoss Whedon;Editedby Regis B. Kimble

Intro: Anya pleads before a demon to regain her power of "The Wish," which she had for a thousand years. He says she must live out her mortal life, then die. She vows to get her "power Center" back. Willow levitates a pencil and talks with Buffy about Faith.

Act 1: Willow and Percy West meet in Snycler's office-Willow will tutor him in history so he can stay on the basketball team. Buffyand Faithare undergoing Slayer evaluations. Willowworkson accessing the mayor's personal files as Faith watches. Later, Faith reports to Wilkins while he shows her around her new upscale apartment. Anya asks Willow for help with a "temporal fold" spell-she's trying to get her necklace back. Willow becomes frightened. The necklace doesn't appear. Willowrefusesto participate further. An angry Anya breaks a plate. The alternate-reality vampire Willow says, 'This is weird."

Act2: The alternate Willow walks the streets of Sunnydale. She attacks Percy. Xander intervenes; she's glad to see him alive. Buffy doesn't know what to make of Willow. Willow says she doesn't like her and leaves (as she momentarily becomes a vampire). Two vampires (working forWilkins) attack her in an alley, buttheythought she was a human. She overpowers them; now they workfor her, and she's going to make things the way they were, starting with the Bronze. Buffy and Xander report to Giles. The real Willow enters, and they're happy to see her. At the Bronze, Anya can't get a beer; Angel asks Oz about Buffy; and alternate-Willow arrives with her vampire henchmen. Angel escapes to get Buffy. Willow attacks a girl, Sandy. Anya tells Willow this isn't her world. Angel finds Buffy at the library. They go to the Bronze. The alternate Willow finds the real Willow at the library.

Act 3: Alternate-Willow thinks the real Willow can get her back to her world. They end up fighting; Willow tranquilizes the alternate and locks her in the library cage. Buffy and the gang-who never made it to the Bronze-head over there with the real Willow dressed as the alternate. Cordelia finds the alternate Willow (dressed as the real one) in the book cage. Before unlocking Willow, Cordelia wants to talk about "the ethics of boyfriend-stealing." Anya is suspicious of Willow. Cordelia bores the alternate Willow but finally frees her.

Act 4: Cordelia flees. Alternate-Willow has her cornered, but Price intervenes and saves her. Willow screams at the Bronze, signaling the entry of Buffy, Angel, Giles, and Xander. A big fight breaks out. Willow doesn't want Buffyto kill the alternate Willow. Later, Gilesand Anya workon a spellto return the alternate Willow to her world. She does-just in time to be killed by Oz. The next day at school, Willow tells Buffy she "see[s] now where the path of vice leads" and will be happy with her life of boredom and "dying a virgin."

COMMENTS: This episode is a sequel of sorts to "The Wish" from earlier this season. Though a solid episode, it's weak compared to the other episodes written and directed by Whedon. One reason is that there really isn't much going on: the alternate Willow appears. gets defeated, and is returned to her own world. It provides for some predictable confusion- of- identities humor, but viewers don't learn much about Willow that they don't already know. Whedon was probably attempting an exploration of Willow's ,"evil side," but the evil Willow, though interesting. isn't all that complex. She' s just-evil.