The Prom (Buffy episode)
Encyclopedia : T : TH : THE : The Prom (Buffy episode)
"The Prom" is Episode 20 in Season 3 of the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. See also List of Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes.
Plot synopsis
Summary
Angel decides to do the right thing and break up with Buffy, as they can never have a real life together. Buffy, of course, doesn't feel like it's the right thing, but she must put her pain aside when some Hellhounds with a fetish for formal clothing threaten the Prom. Determined to let her friends, at least, have a happy Prom, Buffy saves the day in the nick of time. Buffy's night doesn't turn out so bad after all, as she receives the Class Protector award, and Angel stops by for one last dance.
Expanded overview
Buffy wakes up in Angel's bed at the mansion after the two fell asleep after patrol. Buffy talks a bit about bringing some of her stuff over so every once in a while she could spend the night and she mentions going to the prom. When she opens the curtains to check for the sun, she accidentally lets in a strong beam and it hits Angel but he manages to move before it really burns him.
At school, Anya, still a mere human being, asks Xander to the Prom. Both are dateless, and desperate so he says yes. Later, Buffy, Willow, Oz, and Xander discuss prom plans, and dresses. Joyce visits Angel at the mansion and tells him she's worried about the affect he's having on her daughter. She tells him that he can't get in the way of her future and if Buffy can't see that he'll have to do something about it.
Buffy and Willow are talking prom dresses while Giles is continuing research for the Ascension. They don't know for sure what kind of demon the Mayor will transform into. Giles and Wesley will both be chaperoning the prom which Buffy protests is going to be the one and possibly last night of fun they'll have in Sunnydale. Meanwhile, in a small house, someone plays a video for a caged dog beast that makes the dog go wild. Buffy and Angel get married. As they exit the church, Angel is fearful of the sun, but it is Buffy that burns up and dies--not him--when they come in contact with the sun's light. Then Angel wakes up.
While patrolling, Buffy and Angel have an argument. Angel's still very disturbed by his dream and the visit from Joyce, telling Buffy they need to talk. He tells her that it's unfair for her to be in a relationship with him because of all the things he can't give her. In order to make her realize how serious he is, he breaks up with her and tells her he doesn't want be with her. He plans to leave Sunnydale after the ascension.
Buffy goes to Willow for comfort and she realizes that Angel was right; the two of them really can't be together. But, after such a long and dedicated relationship falls apart so quickly, Buffy just feels horrible and cries. At "April Fools," a store where Cordelia works, Xander spots her through the window and goes in to talk. She reveals that she's now working there because her family lost all of their money and now they have nothing and she can't afford to go to any college. Their argument is cut short as one of the beasts that broke free breaks through the window and kills a boy dressed in a tux.
At the library, they study the video of the attack, and spot a guy outside who turns out to be Tucker Wells, who used to have a chemistry class with Oz. Tucker has plans to ruin prom night by sending a hell-hound trained to attack those in formal wear after the students. Buffy vows not to let this dog ruin the big night and issues orders for everyone to split up and search for clues. She ends up finding an address at the butcher where Tucker ordered cow brains to feed the dogs. She runs into Angel and the two have a post-break-up argument. As Cordelia leaves for work, she finds that her prom dress has been paid for.
Buffy returns from her searching and orders everyone else to attend the prom while she takes care of the hounds. She tells Giles that Angel is leaving town. She finds Tucker in his basement and ties him up before he can release the hound, but she also finds out that there are four dogs, and three are already on their way to the school. After killing all of the dogs, Buffy changes into her prom dress and shows up for the dance. Everyone looks amazingly dressed up in their tuxes and formal dresses. Cordelia shows up and clings to Wesley (after thanking Xander for paying for her dress) while Anya tells Xander of her past, and Willow and Oz just enjoy the evening.
When Class awards are given out, Xander is snubbed for Class Clown but Buffy is actually honored with the award of Class Protector. It turns out Sunnydale High students were actually aware of Buffy's actions when protecting them from the evils of the Hellmouth. She's given an ornately decorated parasol for the award. After she accepts the award, the students continue to dance when Angel surprises her by showing up in a tux. While Angel assures her that his presence doesn't change their status, Buffy is just glad to be held in his arms as they dance.
Writing and acting
Production details
Music
- Christophe Beck - "Class Protector"
- Christophe Beck - "Deadly Beloved"
- Christophe Beck - "The Beginning of the End"
- Cracker - "The good life"
- Fatboy Slim - "Praise you"
- Kool & The Gang - "Celebration"
- Prince - "1999"
- Sister Sledge - "We Are Family"
- The Lassie Foundation - "El Rey"
- The Sundays - "Wild horses"
Quotes and trivia
Buffy told Angel that she had to stop a "crazie from pulling a Carrie at the prom."
Tucker Wells showed the beasts movies like "Pump Up The Volume" and "Prom Night" to fuel their vicious impulses.
In the scene where Angel breaks up with Buffy, Sarah Michelle Gellar admits that she "could not stop crying", and the set was closed for a full 25 minutes. Sarah has been known to say that she believes Buffy and Angel are soul mates.
Continuity
Arc significance
- This episode marks the end of Buffy and Angel's relationship. He would leave Sunnydale after the season finale and start the spinoff Angel.
- Buffy achieves the high school moment she dreamed of ("Homecoming") and was floored to be recognized by her peers for her work.
- In a small act of compassion, Xander helped make Cordelia's night.
- Tucker Wells has an even more obscure brother Andrew, who will become involved starting in season six.
Timing
- Stories that take place around the same time in the Buffyverse:
| Location, time (if known) | Buffyverse chronology: January 1999 - Spring 1999 (non-canon = italic) |
|---|---|
| Sunnydale, 1999 | Buffy graphic novel: Uninvited Guests (Buffy comic)>Uninvited Guests |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | Buffy comic: The Final Cut (Buffy comic)>The Final Cut |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | Buffy graphic novel: Bad Blood (Buffy comic)>Bad Blood |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | B3.11 Gingerbread (Buffy episode)>Gingerbread |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | Buffy comic: Food Chain (Buffy comic)#Bad Dog>Bad Dog (by Doug Petrie) |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | Buffy graphic novel: Crash Test Demons (Buffy comic)>Crash Test Demons |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | Buffy graphic novel: Pale Reflections (Buffy comic)>Pale Reflections |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | B3.12 Helpless (Buffy episode)>Helpless |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | B3.13 The Zeppo (Buffy episode)>The Zeppo |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | B3.14 Bad Girls (Buffy episode)>Bad Girls |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | B3.15 Consequences (Buffy episode)>Consequences |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | B3.16 Doppelgängland (Buffy episode)>Doppelgängland |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | Buffy book: Doomsday Deck (Buffy novel)>Doomsday Deck |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | Buffy book: Immortal (Buffy novel)>Immortal |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | B3.17 Enemies (Buffy episode)>Enemies |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | Buffy graphic novel: |
| Sunnydale, spring, 1999 | Buffy book: Prime Evil (Buffy novel)>Prime Evil |
| Sunnydale, spring, 1999 | Buffy book: Revenant (Buffy novel)>Revenant |
| Sunnydale, spring, 1999 | B3.18 Earshot (Buffy episode)>Earshot |
| Sunnydale, spring, 1999 | B3.19 Choices (Buffy episode)>Choices |
| Sunnydale, spring, 1999 | Buffy book: Power of Persuasion (Buffy novel)>Power of Persuasion |
| Sunnydale, spring, 1999 | B3.20 The Prom (Buffy episode)>The Prom |
| Sunnydale, spring, 1999 | Buffy book: Resurrecting Ravana (Buffy novel)>Resurrecting Ravana |
| Sunnydale, spring, 1999 | Buffy books: The Gatekeeper (Buffy novel)>The Gatekeeper [Trilogy] |
| Sunnydale, spring, 1999 | Buffy book: Return to Chaos (Buffy novel)>Return to Chaos |
| Sunnydale, spring, 1999 | Buffy book: Visitors (Buffy novel)>Visitors |
| Sunnydale, spring, 1999 | Buffy book: Unnatural Selection (Buffy novel)>Unnatural Selection |
| Sunnydale, spring, 1999 | Buffy book: Obsidian Fate (Buffy novel)>Obsidian Fate |
| Sunnydale, spring, 1999 | Buffy book: Deep Water (Buffy novel)>Deep Water |
| Sunnydale, spring, 1999 | Buffy book: Here Be Monsters (Buffy novel)>Here Be Monsters |
| Sunnydale, spring, 1999 | Buffy book: The Book of Fours (Buffy novel)>The Book of Fours |
| Sunnydale, spring, 1999 | B3.21 Graduation Day, Part One (Buffy episode)>Graduation Day, Part One |
| Sunnydale, spring, 1999 | B3.22 Graduation Day, Part Two (Buffy episode)>Graduation Day, Part Two |
| Sunnydale, spring, 1999 | Sunnydale High Yearbook (Buffyverse)>Sunnydale High Yearbook |
| Sunnydale, spring, 1999 | Buffy comic: Food Chain (Buffy comic)#Double Cross>Double Cross |
External links
Reviews
| Buffyverse | ||
| Main | Canon | Index Chronology: Ancient | Modern | BS1 | BS2 | BS3 | BS4/AS1 | BS5/AS2 | BS6/AS3 | BS7/AS4 | AS5 | Future | Flashbacks | |
| Buffy | Characters (main) | Characters (minor) | Episodes | Plot | Comics | Film | Pilot (unaired) | Promo: History.. | Novels | Promos: Pre-"Bargaining" | |
| Angel | Characters (main) | Characters (minor) | Episodes | Plot | | |
| Spin-offs | Comics | Fan made productions | Fray | Novels | Spike movie | Undeveloped productions Buffy Animated | Card Game | RPGs | Tales of Slayer (prose) | Tales of Slayers | Tales of Vampires | Toys | Video Games Upcoming: Blackout | | | | | | Portal Through Time | Spike vs Dracula | | |
| Powers | Angel Investigations | Circle of the Black Thorn | Order of Aurelius | The First Evil | The Initiative | Monsters | Old Ones | The Powers That Be | Ra-Tet | Scooby Gang | Senior Partners | Watchers' Council | Wolfram & Hart | |
| People | Adam | Amy | Andrew | Angel | Anya | Buffy | Caleb | Connor | Cordelia | Dawn | Darla | Doyle | Dru | Eve | Faith | Fred | Giles | Glory | Gunn | Harmony | Holtz | Illyria | Jasmine | Jenny | Joyce | Jonathan | Kate | Kennedy | Lilah | Lindsey | Lorne | The Master | Mayor Wilkins | Oz | Professor Walsh | Riley | Spike | Tara | Warren | Wesley | Willow | Xander | |
| Places | L.A. | Sunnydale Bronze | Caritas | Hellmouth | Hyperion | Library | Magic Box | Pylea | Sunnydale High | |
| Music | Complete Tracklist | Use of Music in Buffy & Angel | Dingoes Ate My Baby | Film | | | Once More, With Feeling | |
| Key Terminology | "Demon" | "Slayer" | "Vampire" | "Watcher" | "Werewolf" | "Witch" "Child of Senior Partners" | Shanshu | Sunnydale Syndrome | Tro-Clon | |
From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License See Wikipedia Copyrights for details.