| “Forever” | |||||||
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| Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode | |||||||
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| Episode no. | Season 5 Episode 17 |
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| Written by | Marti Noxon | ||||||
| Directed by | Marti Noxon | ||||||
| Production no. | 5ABB17 | ||||||
| Original airdate | April 17, 2001 | ||||||
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| List of Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes | |||||||
"Forever" is the 17th episode of season 5 of the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Contents |
Plot synopsis
Buffy selects a casket for her mother with Giles and Dawn. Dawn expresses her concern that their mother would not have appreciated Buffy's choice. Later, the gang gathers for dinner at the Summers residence and discusses plans for the funeral, excluding Dawn from any decision making. Spike, while bringing flowers to the Summers home, runs into Willow and Xander, who accuse him of taking advantage of the situation to score points with Buffy. Spike makes it clear that the flowers are a sincere gesture because he liked Joyce, noting that she was the only one in the whole "lot" who had ever treated him decently. He tosses the bouquet down and leaves, and Xander and Willow recognize the sincerity of his gesture when they see that he hadn't included a card with the flowers. The next day, a small group of people gather at a cemetery for Joyce's funeral. Dawn leaves with Tara and Willow; when she asks their help in performing a resurrection spell on Joyce, they are shocked and refuse, explaining that it is wrong to use witchcraft in matters of life and death. After making love, Anya tells Xander how special it is to be able to have children, and how sex has become much more meaningful. Ben encounters Jynx and says he will not help Glory and he is tired of her games, but accidentally makes a comment that leads Jynx to conclude that the Key is human. Not wanting Glory to learn that fact, Ben stabs the minion with a knife. Hours later, after the sun has set, Buffy still stands at Joyce's grave and Angel appears beside her. Angel does his best to comfort Buffy when she worries how Joyce's death will affect her future. Buffy asks him to stay with her forever and the two kiss sweetly, but pull away, knowing nothing more can happen. He stays with her for the remaining moments before the sun rises. The next morning, Dawn is sulking over Willow and Tara's refusal to help her, but before she leaves, Willow magically pulls out a book on the bookshelf to make it noticeable. Alone, Dawn notices the book. Later, at the Magic Box, Dawn searches through books, sneaking up to the second level when Giles tells her that's where he keeps the most dangerous books. She leaves unnoticed with several items. While collecting dirt from Joyce's grave that night, Dawn is caught by Spike, who shocks her by offering to help and demanding that Buffy never find out. Meanwhile, Glory fumes about Ben after Jynx returns to her wounded. She quickly cheers up when he informs her that the Key is human. Spike takes Dawn to a man named Doc for help in resurrecting Dawn's mother. Doc provides them with supplies, telling them they still need a Ghora demon's egg and a picture of Joyce - which will break the spell if torn - but advises Dawn that the results could not be what she wants. Spike takes Dawn to a Ghora demon nest, where he plays interference with the demon while Dawn gets the egg, getting wounded in the process. Tara realizes that a witchcraft book is missing from the shelf and after concluding that Dawn took it, she and Willow decide to call Buffy. Buffy hears about Dawn's spell just as she is finishing it upstairs in her room. When Buffy confronts her, the two girls yell at each other about their different ways of dealing with their mother's death. A shadow of a figure passes by the front window followed by a knocking on the door, but Dawn rips Joyce's picture before Buffy opens the door. The sisters hug and collapse to the floor, crying.
Acting
Starring
- Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers
- Nicholas Brendon as Xander Harris
- Alyson Hannigan as Willow Rosenberg
- Emma Caulfield as Anya Jenkins
- Michelle Trachtenberg as Dawn Summers
- James Marsters as Spike
- and Anthony Stewart Head as Rupert Giles
Guest Starring
- David Boreanaz as Angel
- Clare Kramer as Glory
- Charlie Weber as Ben
- Troy T. Blendell as Jinx
- Amber Benson as Tara
- and Joel Grey as Doc
Co-Starring
- Todd Duffey as Murk
- Andrea Gall as Customer
- Alan Henry Brown as Funeral Director
- Darius Dudley as Minister
- Anne Talbot as Lady With Baby
- Noor Shic as Lady With Rosary
Production details
Writer and director Marti Noxon says, "To me, the idea of wanting to defy death is just an inherent, almost mythological, iconic notion. It’s something we can relate to...a universal longing." She says the idea for this episode arose from the idea that Dawn would be in the bargaining stage of mourning, and "if you were in Sunnydale and someone you loved died, you would absolutely call on the forces of darkness" to resurrect them."[1] The magical-resurrection plot thread of this story bears a strong resemblance to the 1902 short story The Monkey's Paw by W. W. Jacobs.
Music
- Splendid: "Tomorrow We'll Wake"
- Cream: "Tales of Brave Ulysses". — Giles listens to this record in his apartment. Giles had played the song for Joyce in "Band Candy".
- While looking for a book, Doc hums "Peter's Theme" from Peter and the Wolf.
Continuity
- Angel's visit to comfort Buffy occurs after his reunion with his LA associates, in the episode "Epiphany".
- The song Giles listens to is the same he and Joyce listened to in "Band Candy".
- This is the last episode to feature Giles' apartment as when he returns in Seasons 6 & 7 he stays at the Summers' house.
Arc significance
- This is the first episode to feature Willow misusing magic (to encourage Dawn to investigate resurrection) which will become a running theme throughout Season 6.
- This episode firmly establishes that Spike has an affection for Dawn that isn't related to his attraction to Buffy.
Translations
- Italian title: "Per Sempre" ("Forever")
- German title: "Gefährlicher Zauber" ("Dangerous Magic")
- French title: "Pour toujours" ("Forever")
- Spanish title: "Por siempre" ("Forever")
Timing
- Stories that take place around the same time in the Buffyverse:
| Location, time (if known) |
Buffyverse chronology: January 2001 - Spring 2001 (non-canon = italic) |
|---|---|
| Sunnydale, 2001 | B5.12 Checkpoint |
| L.A., 2001 | A2.12 Blood Money |
| L.A., 2001 | A2.13 Happy Anniversary |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | B5.13 Blood Ties |
| L.A., 2001 | A2.14 The Thin Dead Line |
| L.A., 2001 | A2.15 Reprise |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | B5.14 Crush |
| L.A., 2001 | A2.16 Epiphany |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | Buffy book: Wisdom of War |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | B5.15 I Was Made to Love You |
| L.A., 2001 | A2.17 Disharmony |
| L.A., 2001 | Angel book: Vengeance |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | B5.16 The Body |
| L.A., 2001 | A2.18 Dead End |
| L.A., 2001 | Angel book: Haunted |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | B5.17 Forever |
| L.A., 2001 | A2.19 Belonging |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | Buffy graphic novel: Ugly Little Monsters |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | Buffy comic: 'Chaos Bleeds' prequel |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | Buffy video game: Chaos Bleeds |
| L.A., 2001 | Tales of the Slayer: Again, Sunnydale |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | B5.18 Intervention |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | Buffy book: Tempted Champions |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | Buffy book: Little Things |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | Buffy book: Crossings |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | Buffy book: Sweet Sixteen |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | B5.19 Tough Love |
| L.A., 2001 | A2.20 Over the Rainbow |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | B5.20 Spiral |
| L.A., 2001 | A2.21 Through the Looking Glass |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | B5.21 The Weight of the World |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | B5.22 The Gift |
| L.A., 2001 | A2.22 There's No Place Like Plrtz Glrb |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | Buffy graphic novel: Death of Buffy: Lost & Found’ |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | Buffy graphic novel: Death of Buffy |
References
- ^ "Interview with Marti Noxon", BBC, <http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/buffy/interviews/noxon/page7.shtml>. Retrieved on 09-14-2007
