When Faith first showed up in this episode, I didn't like her very much. She was always "on," always causing problems and it really seemed like she was out to steal Buffy's life. It took me awhile to see past Faith's "bad-girl" facade and start understanding the lost, lonely person she is inside. As the season goes on, Faith makes some really bad choices and careens towards the Darkside. Ironically, it's when she at her lowest point, in "Consequences," that I start liking her. In the meantime, Faith offers some interesting new problems for Buffy to deal with and this episode sets the stage for the season long story arc to come.
"Faith, Hope and Trick," refers to Faith, the new Slayer; Scott Hope, Buffy's new boyfriend; And Mr. Trick, the cool new vampire henchman in town. All of them are introduced in this episode with differing results. To start with, Kendra's death at the hands of Dru last season has led to the creation of a new Slayer, Faith. Faith has allegedly come to town to meet Buffy and do a little Slayer-Slayer bonding. In reality she's running from the evil vampire Kokistos (Am I spelling that right? Meh...) who killed her watcher and wants her dead. Meanwhile, Buffy is finally allowed back into Sunnydale High and is struggling to pass make-up tests in all of her classes. Scott Hope, a fellow student, is attracted to her and begins asking her out. However, Buffy, still traumatized by what happened to Angel, is reluctant to date again. Mr. Trick, Kokistos' right hand vampire, also arrives to help track down Faith. The guy is pretty fun. He immediately sets a new standard for culinary creativity by calling for pizza then eating the delivery boy. Spike would be so pleased that someone finally found a Sunnydale restaurant that delivered.
Buffy is not thrilled to have Faith in Sunnydale. However the Scooobies and Joyce are impressed with the new Slayer. Giles sends Faith out patrolling with Buffy. Even Scott Hope seems interested in Faith's sultry flirting. Buffy claims that she's being "single white femaled." Faith accuses Buffy of being uptight. But, the two of them have to work together to beat Kokistos. And so begins the prickly, love/hate relationship that will carry them right into season seven.
Giles is also prying into the specifics of Buffy and Angels' fight in "Becoming Part Two." Claiming that he needs to know everything for a binding spell for Acathla, he asks about all the hows and whys of the battle. Where Angel was standing, what Buffy did, etc... In reality, he's just trying to get her to open up and talk about what's bothering her. Buffy finally breaks down and admits that Willow's spell worked at the last minute. Angel had regained his soul when she killed him. Feeling lighter after she tells the truth, Buffy goes to Angel's mansion and says good-bye. The scene fades to black... And then suddenly, everything starts shaking. The lights come back and Angel falls out of a portal. Alive. Well, undead, anyway.
There's a lot of good parts to this episode. It marks the beginning of the "there's no such thing as leprechauns" joke that will continue right into season five of "Angel." Plus, you gotta like Willow and Xander's guided tour of Sunnydale High and Oz's "How I became a werewolf" tale. "Got bit." Really funny. Of course, "Faith, Hope and Trick" also marks the start of Angel's return, which is reason enough to like it. Even if he doesn't really get to do anything until the next episode. And Giles' gentle prodding into Buffy and Angel's fight, is really sweet. He gets her to confide in him so she can move on with her life. Honestly, the writing in this episode is all top notch. The dialog and pacing is excellent. It seems like the episode accomplishes so much in such a short time.
The episode has a continuing theme of facing the past and dealing with it head on. Faith is trying to run from Kokistos. Buffy is trying to run from the memory of Angel. But both of them have to confront the very thing that they're trying to avoid. Kokistos is also living in the past. His out-dated vengeance schemes and inability to let go leads to his death. Mr. Trick, being a "modern vampire" is much more willing to just walk away. Willow and Xander are willing to face the past, as well. They show Faith around Sunnydale High, cheerily listing all the horrors that they've faced there. Joyce, is less accepting. Upon learning that Buffy died once, she decides that she doesn't want to face any more details of her daughter life. But, "Faith, Hope and Trick" doesn't allow anyone to take the easy way out. No one can run from their pasts, because it always catch up to them in the end.
A few problems with the episode, how could Faith have so many vampire fighting adventures? She was just called up a few months back, when Kendra died. She sure has crammed a lot of stakings into her short Slayer-life. Also, do vampire's naturally develop hooves as they get older or was Kokistos ancient and cloven before he became a vampire how ever many years ago? Actually, it's the same problem I have with the Master. Why does he look like that? And the Uber-vamps of season seven just add another question mark to my understanding of vampiric-evolution. One thing I do know, if Spike and Angel ever start looking like the Master or this Kokistos guy,... they're not gonna be happy.
My favorite part of the episode: Mr. Trick's analysis of Sunnydale. "Admittedly it's not a haven for the brothers. Strictly, the Caucasion persuasion here in the Dale. But, ya just gotta stand up and salute that death rate." Who doesn't love that guy?
"Faith, Hope and Trick," refers to Faith, the new Slayer; Scott Hope, Buffy's new boyfriend; And Mr. Trick, the cool new vampire henchman in town. All of them are introduced in this episode with differing results. To start with, Kendra's death at the hands of Dru last season has led to the creation of a new Slayer, Faith. Faith has allegedly come to town to meet Buffy and do a little Slayer-Slayer bonding. In reality she's running from the evil vampire Kokistos (Am I spelling that right? Meh...) who killed her watcher and wants her dead. Meanwhile, Buffy is finally allowed back into Sunnydale High and is struggling to pass make-up tests in all of her classes. Scott Hope, a fellow student, is attracted to her and begins asking her out. However, Buffy, still traumatized by what happened to Angel, is reluctant to date again. Mr. Trick, Kokistos' right hand vampire, also arrives to help track down Faith. The guy is pretty fun. He immediately sets a new standard for culinary creativity by calling for pizza then eating the delivery boy. Spike would be so pleased that someone finally found a Sunnydale restaurant that delivered.
Buffy is not thrilled to have Faith in Sunnydale. However the Scooobies and Joyce are impressed with the new Slayer. Giles sends Faith out patrolling with Buffy. Even Scott Hope seems interested in Faith's sultry flirting. Buffy claims that she's being "single white femaled." Faith accuses Buffy of being uptight. But, the two of them have to work together to beat Kokistos. And so begins the prickly, love/hate relationship that will carry them right into season seven.
Giles is also prying into the specifics of Buffy and Angels' fight in "Becoming Part Two." Claiming that he needs to know everything for a binding spell for Acathla, he asks about all the hows and whys of the battle. Where Angel was standing, what Buffy did, etc... In reality, he's just trying to get her to open up and talk about what's bothering her. Buffy finally breaks down and admits that Willow's spell worked at the last minute. Angel had regained his soul when she killed him. Feeling lighter after she tells the truth, Buffy goes to Angel's mansion and says good-bye. The scene fades to black... And then suddenly, everything starts shaking. The lights come back and Angel falls out of a portal. Alive. Well, undead, anyway.
There's a lot of good parts to this episode. It marks the beginning of the "there's no such thing as leprechauns" joke that will continue right into season five of "Angel." Plus, you gotta like Willow and Xander's guided tour of Sunnydale High and Oz's "How I became a werewolf" tale. "Got bit." Really funny. Of course, "Faith, Hope and Trick" also marks the start of Angel's return, which is reason enough to like it. Even if he doesn't really get to do anything until the next episode. And Giles' gentle prodding into Buffy and Angel's fight, is really sweet. He gets her to confide in him so she can move on with her life. Honestly, the writing in this episode is all top notch. The dialog and pacing is excellent. It seems like the episode accomplishes so much in such a short time.
The episode has a continuing theme of facing the past and dealing with it head on. Faith is trying to run from Kokistos. Buffy is trying to run from the memory of Angel. But both of them have to confront the very thing that they're trying to avoid. Kokistos is also living in the past. His out-dated vengeance schemes and inability to let go leads to his death. Mr. Trick, being a "modern vampire" is much more willing to just walk away. Willow and Xander are willing to face the past, as well. They show Faith around Sunnydale High, cheerily listing all the horrors that they've faced there. Joyce, is less accepting. Upon learning that Buffy died once, she decides that she doesn't want to face any more details of her daughter life. But, "Faith, Hope and Trick" doesn't allow anyone to take the easy way out. No one can run from their pasts, because it always catch up to them in the end.
A few problems with the episode, how could Faith have so many vampire fighting adventures? She was just called up a few months back, when Kendra died. She sure has crammed a lot of stakings into her short Slayer-life. Also, do vampire's naturally develop hooves as they get older or was Kokistos ancient and cloven before he became a vampire how ever many years ago? Actually, it's the same problem I have with the Master. Why does he look like that? And the Uber-vamps of season seven just add another question mark to my understanding of vampiric-evolution. One thing I do know, if Spike and Angel ever start looking like the Master or this Kokistos guy,... they're not gonna be happy.
My favorite part of the episode: Mr. Trick's analysis of Sunnydale. "Admittedly it's not a haven for the brothers. Strictly, the Caucasion persuasion here in the Dale. But, ya just gotta stand up and salute that death rate." Who doesn't love that guy?
