| “Spiral” | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode | |||||||
 |
|||||||
| Episode no. | Season 5 Episode 20 |
||||||
| Written by | Steven S. DeKnight | ||||||
| Directed by | James A. Contner | ||||||
| Production no. | 5ABB20 | ||||||
| Original airdate | May 8 2001 | ||||||
|
|||||||
| List of Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes | |||||||
"Spiral" is the 20th episode of season 5 of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Contents |
Plot synopsis
Summary
Glory discovers the Key, and Buffy and company flee from the Knights of Byzantium.
Expanded overview
With Glory now possessing knowledge that Dawn is the Key, Buffy and Dawn run for their lives, escaping thanks to Willow's magic and a large semi-truck slamming into Glory out on the street. The gang gathers in Xander's apartment, where Buffy resolves that they must get out of town. Spike solves the gang's transportation problem by providing a sun-protected RV. Ben talks to one of Glory's minions, revealing that he is just a human body encasing Glory's god form. The Knights of Byzantium retrieve their crazy member from the hospital, who babbles that the Key is the Slayer's sister. Giles, driving the RV, talks with a motion-sick Xander about Buffy's state of mind. Depressed and worried about their future plans, Buffy is comforted by Dawn until the Knights attack. A sword through the roof nearly kills Buffy, but Spike stops it with his bare hands. While Buffy battles the Knights from the top of the RV, one knight impales Giles with a flying spear, causing the RV to crash to its side. The Scoobies rush to an abandoned gas station, where Buffy fends off the attackers until Willow erects a barrier spell. Meanwhile at the hospital, all those left crazy by Glory repeatedly mutter, "It's time." Spike suggests to Xander that they run, but Buffy refuses to let anyone die. Buffy captures the General, who reveals Glory's plan to use Dawn's blood to dissolve the boundaries between dimensions and destroy the universe. He also says that if Buffy kills Glory's human vessel, she can be destroyed. Buffy promises Dawn that she'll protect her. Realizing that Giles is seriously injured, Buffy arranges a deal with the Knights to allow Ben to safely pass; he stabilizes Giles, and then is left alone with the general, who suspects Ben is an outsider and tempts him with the idea of killing Dawn. Ben realizes that Glory is about to take over his body, but before he can get outside the forcefield, Glory comes forth. She kills the General, fights off the Scooby Gang to take Dawn, and bursts through the forcefield. By the time Willow releases the field, Glory has disposed of all the Knights and disappeared with Dawn. Knowing they have to move fast, everyone heads for Ben's car to chase after Glory. Losing Dawn to Glory has left the Slayer completely emotionally broken and she cannot bring herself to do anything when she should be going to save her sister.
Acting
Main cast
- 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 stars
- Amber Benson as Tara
- Clare Kramer as Glory
- Charlie Weber as Ben
- Wade Williams as General MacGregor ( as Wade Andrew Williams )
- Karim Prince as Dante
Also starring
- Justin Gorence as Orlando
- Lily Knitgh as Grodi
- Jack Donner as Cleric
- Bob Morrisey as Crazy Guy #1
- Paul Bates as Crazy Guy #2
- Carl J. Johnson as Crazy Guy #3
- Mary Sheldon as Nurse
Production details
Translations
- Italian title: "Spirale di Violenza" ("Spiral of Violence")
- German title: "Auf der Flucht" ("On the Run")
- French title: "La spirale" ("The Spiral")
- Spanish title: "Odisea" ("Odyssey")
Continuity
Arc significance
- The General's exposition reveals all pertinent details about Glory that are necessary to eventually defeating her.
- The Key's purpose is also described in detail, outlining why Glory retrieving it is a danger to the world.
- Though not explicit, this episode hints that Glory's mental victims are still connected in some way.
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 |
External links
- "Spiral" at the Internet Movie Database
- "Spiral" at TV.com
