Original Air Date: May 12, 1999

Written by Marti Noxon
Directed by David Solomon

Summary

Buffy wakes up in bed with Angel after a post slayage nap (fully clothed) with funny bed hair. She gets up to fix it but Angel reminds her that there are no mirrors. Buffy suggests getting a mirror and some drawers so that she can keep some stuff at his mansion. Buffy brings up the prom and says that lots of other girls have older boyfriends so he'll blen in with the rest of the crowd. Angel suggests that Buffy should go home, Buffy thinks that there's quite a few hours before sunrise and she goes to check at the window. She opens the curtains and a beam of bright sunlight shines down into the room. Angel reacts immediately and runs to a shadowy corner of the room. Buffy realizes her mistake and closes the curtains quickly. Angel stands in the corner, panting.

That day before school, Anya catches up with Xander in front of the school. Xander teases her about her lost powere and Anya assures him that she'll get her powers back. Anya carries on about her hate for the male species and then proceeds to ask Xander to the prom. Xander asks why him and Anya tells him that he doesn't seem as obnoxious as the other guys at school plus she knows that he doesn't have a date. Later on, Xander tells Oz, Willow and Buffy that Anya is his date to the prom and that it was either her or the sock puppet of love. Willow's a little wary of Anya but Buffy's glad that they all have dates, demon or otherwise, to the prom.

At the mansion, Angel's walking around when he spots one of Buffy's notebooks from school. He picks it up and written on it is Buffy & Angel forever. He puts the book down when he hears a knock at the door. He answers the door and Joyce Summers walks in. He offers her something to drink but she declines. Joyce gets straight to the point and tells Angel that she's worried about him and Buffy. Joyce reminds him that Buffy's still a young girl and that she has a lot of choices ahead of her. Joyce says that if Buffy can't make the choices herself, he'll have to it for her.

In the library, Buffy and Willow are discussing prom dresses. Giles comes out of his office and thinks that their descript of a certain prom dress is that of a demon. Buffy corrects him and syas that he really should get his mind off of demons. Giles reminds them of the Ascension and that he's very wary right now. Wesley comes out from the stacks with Cordelia and tells them that they still don't know which demon the Mayor will turn into come Ascension day. He suggests that they focus on the Mayor and not on school dances. Cordelia says that he would look awesome in a tux which makes Wesley tell Giles that he'll be aiding the chaperoning at the dance. Buffy assures Willow that they'll find her a dress. She suggests that they check out April Fools, Cordelia quickly tells them not to go there because she shops there.

Meanwhile at someone's house, a type of beast called a hell hound is locked in a cage and forced to watch tv. The beast is exteremyl vicious and as he trashes around, the metal bars of the cage begin to give.

At an elegant church during the day, a priest is marrying Buffy and Angel. As the priest finishes the vows, they exchange rings. Angel lifts Buffy's veil and they kiss softly. They clasp hands and walk down the aisle together. Angel begins to get nervous seeing the sunlight outside of the church. Buffy steps out into the light and Angel hesitantly joins her. The sun has no affect on him but it does on Buffy. She whispers his name as she begins to smoke. She quickly enflames and burns to ash. Angel wakes up suddenyl in his bed, breathing deeply from his nightmare.

Later on that night, Buffy and Angel are in the sewers searching for a vampire that got away from them. Buffy bringsup the prom and the fact that Angel still doesn't have a tux. Angel evades the topic of the prom. The vampire they were looking for drops down and Buffy stakes his quickly without so much as fight. Buffy turns to Angel and sats that every think she brings up the prom he either gets cranky or he changes the topic. Angel doesn't know where to start but he says he's afraid that she's getting too invested in her life with him. He says that he's afraid her future with him would not be fair to her. Angel's ashamed on what he is and that she deserves more in life than him. Buffy tells him that she wants her life to be with him, he says he doesn (even though he doesn't mean it). She can't believe that he's breaking up with her. He tells her he still loves her but that it's for her own good. He then says that after the Ascension, assuming they all live, he's leaving Sunnydale.

The next day, Willow is over at Buffy's and they're sitting on Buffy's bed. Buffy tells Willow everything that happened between her and Angel. Willow isupset for Buffy and tries to console her. Buffy concedes that she thinks Angel will be right in the long run, Willow agress with her. Buffy begins to cry and tells her that she feels like she's dying inside. Willow cradles Buffy's head in her lap while she cries uncontrollably.

Meanwhile, the hell hound as escaped from it's cage.

That day, Xander spots Cordelia looking at the same dress in April Fools. He walks in and asks her how long it takes her to buy a dress. Cordelia is surprised to see him there and tells him that she's being careful with her decisions. A store clerk stops by and tells Cordelia she'd better get to work before the manager fires her. Xander is shocked to learn that Cordelia works there. Cordelia tells him that her dad lost all his money because he's been making mistakes on his taxes for twelve years and that everything she had was taken away from her. Suddenly, the loose hell hound jumps through the glass window. Xander pushes Cordelia aside and tries to attack the hell hound. The beast pushes Xander aside and jumps a teen trying on a tux. After demolishing the teen, the hell hound leaves by way of the window.

Back at the library, the gang is watching a replay of the events at April Fools on TV. The tape came from the security cameras. Cordelia points out that the hell hound jumped immediately on the guy in formal wera and passed over everyone else in normal attire. Buffy doesn't want to watch the video anymore but Giles thinks that if she's going to hunt it, she should study it. Giles and Wesley give them some info on the hlle hound finishing with the news that hell hounds feed off of brains. Wesley asks Cordelia what she was doing with Xander, Cordelia is at a loss for words and Xander jumps into say that Cordelia was just shopping and he bumped into her while looking for a tux. Oz spots something on the screen and Xander pauses the tape. It's a clear view of a person peering into the store. They look up the guy in the yearbook and his name is Tucker Wells. They begin their search, Willow manages to hack into Tucker's e-mail account via her laptop. She discovers a sent message to somone. In short, it says that Sunnydale students won't know what hit them on the night of the prom. Cordelia smirks because she's way ahead of them. They're all disappointed because they want to attend the prom, Willow contemplates taking her dress back. Buffy tells them all with a vengeance that they're all going to have a nice, safe prom even if she has to kill everyone on the face on the planet to do it. Buffy sets up her plan: Wesley and Cordelia are to go to Tucker's house, Oz and Willow will go to the person who received Tucker's e-mail and Xander's going to the Magic Shop. Buffy goes to a butcher shop to see if they've been selling a lot of brains lately. The butcher gives Buffy the address that they deliver to. Buffy spots Angel paying for some blood and he looks up and spots her as well. They're both uncomfortable and are unsure of how to act around each other. Angel tells her that he misses her but she doesn't to get into it. Buffy tells him a little about the problem at hand and he offers to help. She refuses his help and sets off on her own.

Meanwhile, Cordelia picks up her jacket and starts to leave from her work shift at April Fools. The other clerk stops her and reminds her not to leave her dress that is on layaway. Cordelia admits that she hasn't paid for it in full yet, the clerk checks the tag and informs her that someone has. Cordelia takes a look at the tag and looks up in surprise.

Back at the library, the gang is disappointed and glum because they have no leads. Buffy bursts in andtells them that she has the address and forcefully tells them to go get ready for the prom. They go despite protests saying that she may need some help. Giles senses that sometimes is up with Buffy because of her attitude. She informs him that Angel is leaving her, leaving town. Giles is at a los for words but suggests that they should get some ice cream. Buffy tells him that ice cream will come later, for now she justs wants to dispose of some hell hounds and that counts as therapy for a Slayer.

At the prom, the students are dancing up a storm and the place is packed. Xander walks by Wesley and Giles with Anya on his arm. She;s talking furiously about her conquests against males. Cordelia, dressed in a sulty dress, walks in and Wesley just about chokes on the veggies he's munching on. Willow walks in with Oz. Wesley makes his way over to Cordelia, he compliments her apperance and she's evidently pleased. They hook elbows and walk off together. Anya is still rambling on to a very bored Xander, they run into Cordelia and Wesley and Cordelia subtly thanks Xander for paying for the dress. He smiles and says she looks great in it.

Meanwhile, Buffy enters the basement of Tucker's hideout. Tucker leans down to open the hell hound's cage but Buffy grabs his shoulders and pushes him away. Buffy spots some video tapes labelled The Prom, Carrie and Pump Up The Volume and she figures out that he brainwashed the hell hounds by making them watch hours of people in formal wear. Tucker's excuse for ruining the prom is that he couldn't get a date. She doesn't care, binds his hands together and opens a closet so that she can lock him in it. She stops when she sees that the 'closet' is filled with empty cages and TVs. Tucker tells her that three hell hounds are already on their way to the prom. Buffy makes her way over to the school and sees the three hell hounds nearing the school. She kills one of them with a handheld crossbow. The other two see her and chase after her as she tries to lead them away from the prom. The hell hounds stop dead in their tracks when they hear the music spilling out of the shcool's gym. They make a 180 and head back for the gym. Buffy runs after them and gets into a rough and tumble with them in front of the doors to the gym. She dispatches one with a knife. A students exits the gym and narrowly misses being attacked by the remaining hell hound. She twists his neck and he's dead as well. The student asks for directions to the washroom, a little oblivious as to what has just transpired in front of him, and Buffy points him in the appropriate direction. After hiding the bodies of the hell hounds in the bushes, Buffy pulls her prom dress out of her bag and goes to get ready.

Buffy enters the gym clad in a long purplish-pink gown. Giles spots her and smiles, she smiles back. Oz sees her as well and Willow tells her that everything is perfect. Later on that night, the student's council is handing out the class awards. Xander prays that he'll get picked as class clown but he gets passed over in favor of another student. Buffy's at the punch bowl filling up her glass when Jonathan steps up to the mic to announce that there is one more award. He asks if Buffy Summers is in the audience. Buffy, a little surprised, puts down her punch and turns to face the stage. Jonathan says that there is a new category. He pulls out a letter that basically said that the student body was aware of the strange events that occur in Sunnydale and they appreciate her davings their lives. He declares that the class of 99 has the lowest mortality rate of any class ever to graduate from Sunnydale High. The students applaud and Jonathan pulls out a small parasol that has the inscript BUFFY SUMMERS, CLASS PROTECTOR inscribed on it. The students continue to applaud as Buffy goes to receive her award.

Later on, Wesley asks Giles whether or not he should ask Cordelia to dance. Giles tells him to "Have at it" and to stop fluttering about. Buffy is by herself, watching couples dance to a slow song. Giles joins her and commends her for her award. Giles spots something over Buffy's shoulder and slowly takes her parasol away. Buffy turns around slowly to see Angel. He walks over to her. They talk a little bit and Angel says that just because he's here doesn't mean that they can get back together, he just wanted to be with her on this big night for her. Buffy understands and smiles at him. Angel then asks her to dance. They hold each other while they dance slowly for what may be their last time together.

Written by Nika

Miscellaneous Info

 

Quote of the Week

Buffy: You are going to have a nice, safe prom, even if I have to kill everyone on the face on the planet.
Xander: Yay?

My Rating

4.5/5

My Comments

They broke up! Oh this is horrible! How can they do this to us loyal Buffy and Angel fans? This absolutely the worst thing (except for Angel going to hell in Becoming, that was really bad in an even worse way). I didn't really like the way it was done though. I mean, in the sewers? Please! Well, we all knew that it had to happen because Angel is getting his own show but this if horrible. I wonder... If Angel weren't getting his own show, would they keep him around anyway? Think about that...

I think Joyce's talk with Angel was a little inapropriate. It may be argued that she was looking out for the best in Buffy but I don't think that it was quite apropriate to literally tell Angel that Buffy was only like a little girl in love. Buffy has proved time and again that she would do what was best for the world. I really don't think that Joyce knows her daughter too well. I've said this before and I'll say it again; by taking Angel away it may only make Buffy angry and bitter and remove a lot of her fire.

I really like the Class Protector award that was given to Buffy at the prom. It just goes to show that the students of Sunnydale High are not as obviously as they may seem. A side note: Sure it's cool and all that there's only one Slayer in all the world (well okay, two then (Buffy really screwed that part of the clause up didn't she?)) but wouldn't it work a whole lot better if the whole world new about vampires? Then they could get rid of them a heck of a lot easier. Also, why doesn't the Watcher's Council drown a couple of Slayers and then revive them? Then they could a legion of Slayers!

All in all though, a pretty good episode. Definitely in the top three of this season.

Cast