The Wish (Buffy episode)
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| “The Wish” | |||||||
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| Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode | |||||||
| Episode no. | Season 3 Episode 9 |
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| Written by | Marti Noxon | ||||||
| Directed by | David Greenwalt | ||||||
| Production no. | 3ABB09 | ||||||
| Original airdate | 8 December 1998 | ||||||
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| List of Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes | |||||||
"The Wish" is the ninth episode of season 3 on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. See also List of Buffy (series) episodes.
Contents |
[edit] Plot synopsis
[edit] Summary
Following Xander and Willow's kiss in "Lovers Walk", Oz has called a time-out on his relationship with Willow and Cordelia is decidedly avoiding any contact with Xander. Cordelia returns to school only to be rejected and taunted by Harmony and her former clique as being "Xander's castoff". Cordelia goes to the Bronze that night and Buffy accidentally humiliates Cordelia further by knocking her into a pile of trash in front of her friends while fighting a vampire. Cordelia later determines Buffy is to blame for her predicament as she never would have dated Xander if Buffy hadn't hung out with him and made him cooler. The next day, Anya - a new girl who has been trying to befriend Cordelia - gives Cordelia an amulet while goading Cordelia into wishing that Buffy Summers had never come to Sunnydale. Anya immediately switches to demon form, that of Anyanka, and grants it.
Cordelia finds herself in a town overrun by the Master, where most of the student body are either dead or vampires and there is a nighttime curfew. Students wear dull colors in order to make them less conspicuous to the vampires who have taken over Sunnydale. Cordy finds that she is back in with her former group, but quickly loses her cool when she finds out that Willow and Xander are dead. Walking through the streets at night she is stopped by Xander and Willow, whom she realizes are vampires. Cordy is saved by the "White Hats," a group of human vampire-fighters led by Giles and including Oz and Larry.
Cordelia tries to explain to Giles what happened and asks to have Buffy back so that things could be the way they were, but, before she can elaborate, she is killed by Xander and Willow, whom the Master had sent as assassins, fearing that Cordelia would summon the Slayer to Sunnydale. Giles calls Buffy in Cleveland and, through research, discovers that the amulet is that of Anyanka, the patron saint of scorned women.
At the same time, the Master has created a human blood processing plant, where he plans to industrialize blood removal from humans through assembly lines, thereby eliminating the predatory aspect of the vampire's nature.
On his way home, Giles encounters vampires who are herding humans for the plant, and, an extremely "different", war-worn Buffy rescues him when he is nearly captured himself. This Buffy is very much like Faith in that she is only interested in the kill and is emotionally shut down. She is cynical about Giles's prospects of reversing Anya's spell, but does offer to kill the Master while she is in town.
Pleased that Cordelia is dead, the Master allows his underlings to toy with Angel, a captive in the abandoned factory in Sunnydale. Buffy finds Angel in his jail cell and agrees to take the vampire along, after Angel relates his desire to stop the Master after the torture that was inflicted on him.
The Master starts up the plant with the first human victim before a cage of prisoners. Giles summons Anyanka, who confirms Cordelia's story. Buffy and Angel attack the vampires, but most of the characters die in the fight: Angel is killed by Xander, Xander is killed by Buffy, Willow is killed by Oz and finally, Buffy's neck is broken by the Master. As Buffy's lifeless body falls to the ground, Giles realizes that Anyanka's amulet contains her powers and tears it from her neck. To distract Giles, she asks how he can be sure the real world is a better one. Giles replies "Because it has to be". He breaks the power center and reverses the spell. Anyanka is dismayed to find herself a powerless Sunnydale High student unable to grant any of the now-very much alive Cordelia Chase's wishes.
[edit] Acting
[edit] Starring
- Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers
- Nicholas Brendon as Xander Harris/Vampire Xander
- Alyson Hannigan as Willow Rosenberg/Vampire Willow
- Charisma Carpenter as Cordelia Chase
- David Boreanaz as Angel
- Seth Green as Oz
- and Anthony Stewart Head as Rupert Giles
[edit] Guest starring
- Mark Metcalf as The Master
- Emma Caulfield as Anya/Anyanka
- Larry Bagby III as Larry Blaisdell
- Mercedes McNab as Harmony Kendall
[edit] Co-starring
- Danny Strong as Jonathan Levinson
- Nicole Bilderback as Cordette #1
- Nathan Anderson as John Lee
- Mariah O'Brien as Nancy
- Gary Imhoff as Teacher
- Robert Covarrubias as Caretaker
[edit] Writing
[edit] Arc significance
- There is a different side of the Scoobies. Without support, Buffy is fatalistic and cynical - which along with the reference to Cleveland points to previously developed parallels with Faith Lehane.
- Anya was intended to be a one-episode character, but would eventually become a cast member providing comic relief.
- In the sequel to this story, "Doppelgängland", Anya attempts to retrieve her amulet and reacquire her demon powers. The spell goes awry, however, and Vampire Willow is transported from the world of "The Wish" into 'real' Sunnydale, adding a sexual twist to the character that becomes important in season four, and remains so for the rest of the series.
[edit] Continuity
- Even in this alternate reality, the prophecy mentioned in "Prophecy Girl is fulfilled: "The Master will rise, and the Slayer... [will die]."
- With this episode the audience have now seen Buffy, Xander and Willow as vampires. Buffy was seen as one previously in the episode " Nightmares".
- Larry is a Scooby/"White Hat" in the alternate universe. Good characters in Western shows during the black-and-white TV era were often distinguished by their white cowboy hats; hence the line in which the alternate universe "Scooby Gang" are referred to as "White Hats."
- Cleveland is said to be a hotbed of demonic activity; in the last episode of season 7, it is revealed the 'regular' universe has a Hellmouth under Cleveland.
- Jonathan makes another appearance in the series as the boy Harmony suggests to Cordelia.
- Vamp Willow's name for alt-Angel is "Puppy.". Drusilla also frequently referred to Angel as a dog or puppy.
[edit] Cultural references
- Prada: Cordelia is complimented and surprised when Anya recognizes that her handbag is a quality brand name and not from Payless. Cordy returns the compliment later, asking Anya if her pendant is from Gucci.
- Tears of a Clown: Xander is upset that Cordelia seems to be over him so quickly.
- Merchant Of Venice: The Master says "What news on the Rialto", a direct quote from the Shakespeare play.
[edit] Production details
[edit] Music
- Christophe Beck - "Bizzaro Sunnydale"
- Christophe Beck - "Blood machine"
- Christophe Beck - "Slayer's Elegy"
- Gingersol - "Never noticed"
- Music House - "Get out of my way"
- The Spies - "Tired of being alone"
[edit] Translations
- German title : "Was wäre, wenn..." ("What if...")
- Italian title: "Il desiderio" ("The wish")
- Turkish title : "Dilek" ("The Wish")
- French title: "Meilleurs voeux de Cordelia" ("Best Wishes from Cordelia")
- Japanese title: "ねがい" ("Negai" - "The Wish")
- Spanish title: "El deseo" ("The wish")
[edit] Timing
- Stories that take place around the same time in the Buffyverse:
| Location, time (if known) |
Buffyverse chronology: Fall 1998 - Christmas 1998 (non-canon = italic) |
|---|---|
| L.A./Sunnydale, 1998 | B3.01 Anne |
| Sunnydale, 1998 | B3.02 Dead Man's Party |
| Sunnydale, 1998 | B3.03 Faith, Hope & Trick |
| Sunnydale, 1998 | B3.04 Beauty and the Beasts |
| Sunnydale, 1998 | B3.05 Homecoming |
| Sunnydale, 1998 | B3.06 Band Candy |
| Sunnydale, 1998 | Buffy book: Sins of the Father |
| Sunnydale, 1998 | Buffy graphic novel: Play With Fire |
| Sunnydale, 1998 | B3.07 Revelations |
| Sunnydale, 1998 | Buffy book: Child of the Hunt |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | Buffy video game: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Xbox) |
| Sunnydale, 1998 | B3.08 Lovers Walk |
| Sunnydale, 1998 | Buffy graphic novel: Spike & Dru: Who Made Who |
| Sunnydale, 1998 | Buffy graphic novel: Remaining Sunlight |
| Sunnydale, 1998 | Buffy book: Ghoul Trouble |
| Sunnydale, 1998 | Buffy book: Paleo |
| Sunnydale, 1998 | B3.09 The Wish |
| Sunnydale, 1998 | Buffy book: The Evil That Men Do |
| Sunnydale, Christmas, 1998 | B3.10 Amends |
| Sunnydale, Christmas, 1998 | Tales of the Vampires: Numb, (During Amends) |
| Sunnydale, Christmas, 1998 | Christmas Buffy promo, (After Amends) |
[edit] External links
- "The Wish" at the Internet Movie Database
- "The Wish" at TV.com
- BBC episode guide to "The Wish"
- BuffyGuide.com episode guide to "The Wish"
- Peripheral Visions Review
- Section 31 Review
- Swing the Sickle Review
- Philosophical Analyses of "The Wish"
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