Original Air Date: November 9, 1999

Written by Marti Noxon
Directed by David Grossman

Summary

Buffy is on her nightly patrol and stakes a vampire while Spike watches from a building above. Suddenly two electrodes plunge into Spike's back, he's electrocuted and dragged off by some people dressed in black.

The whole gang is at the Bronze just hanging out when Giles drops by and sits down with them, apparently he's there for the fun. Veruca appears with her band, Shy, on stage and Oz becomes transfixed again. Buffy tries to distract him for Willow's sake but it doesn't work. The next day Willow wakes up in bed with Oz. She has to get to class soon. Oz goes wolfy tonight and Willow has a wiccan meeting with some college kids so they can't get together tonight.

Over in psych class, Buffy gets a paper back with a grade so high she even beat Willow. Professor Walsh asks Buffy to lead a discussion next week on her paper topic. Willow and Buffy then plan to meet for lunch with Oz in a few minutes. Outside, Oz runs into Veruca and has a seat at her table. They get started talking about music stuff just as Willow has a seat at the table. Just as things start to get uncomfortable, Oz says he has to leave and Veruca decides to leave as well. Buffy arrives and finds a lonely Willow. Buffy tries to tell her that Oz's attraction to Veruca is nothing because Oz loves Willow. Just before sunset, Oz locks himself in his cage. He wolfs out and keeps on barging into the door until it breaks and he escapes. Professor Walsh is walking outside on the school campus when she is attacked by a werewolf. She runs but smacks into another werewolf. The werewolves fight while Professor Walsh escapes. The next morning, Oz wakes up in the forest, naked, beside an equally naked Veruca. They're covered in scratch marks. Oz is completely shocked. The two head to the campus' laundromat and put on some clothes that they find hanging around. Veruca makes some advances on Oz but he refuses to reciprocate. She tells him that he has to accept the wolf inside himself to be completely happy. Later that day, Willow joins Oz in his dorm, dressed similarly to Veruca, and wants to make love. Oz stops her with the excuse that he's really tired. Willow then goes to Xander's basement and tells him about her problems with Oz. Xander tells her not to worry but she should discuss this problem with Oz.

Buffy hears the news that Professor Walsh was attacked by some wild dogs that lookd like gorillas and goes to Giles' house. She relates about the two werewolves and Giles' says he'll look into it while Buffy heads off to have a chat with Oz. She finds Oz welding his cage together again. Buffy asks him if he's seen another werewolf but Oz says that he never remembers anything when he's a werewolf. Just before sunset, Oz is in his cage with the door open when Veruca walks into the lair. She refuses to get in the cage but he grabs her and starts kissing her and the cage locks them in. The sun sets and they both wolf out.

The next morning, Willow brings breakfast for Oz to the cage. She sees Oz and Veruca lying together naed and drops everything she's holding. Oz and Veruca wake up and Oz tries to explain but Willow's furious. Oz orders Veruca to leave and then tries to apologize to Willow. Willow runs out and walks around town. Buffy spots her and takes her home when she sees that Willow's been crying. Buffy leaves Willow in their dorm after trying to console her. Buffy goes to Oz's room and they go in search of Veruca. Oz picks up Veruca's scent but they end up finding a piece of her clothing. It was a trap so that Veruca could get to Willow. Buffy and Oz rush back. Buffy bashes into a guy dressed completely in black with an assault rifle. She stops for a few seconds but keeps on going.

Meanwhile, Willow's working a spell on Veruca and Oz so that they never find peace or love. She gets to the end of the spell but she can't finish it. Veruca drops in, ready to kill Willow. Veruca punches Willow, when suddenly Oz barges in. Veruca tries to say that by killing Willow, Oz can be free. Oz has had enough of her and when they wolf out, Oz attacks Veruca. They fight for a short while and Oz gains the upper hand, he bites down into Veruca's neck, killing her. Oz then spots Willow and lunges for her, Buffy appears then and shoots him with the tranquilizer gun. Buffy then runs over to comfort a sobbing Willow.

The next day, Buffy is at Giles' and she explains the entire situation between Oz, Willow and Veruca. She also tells him about the guy she ran into who had some serious artilery with him. Later on, Willow goes to Oz's dorm to find him packing up all his stuff. He says that he's leaving town for a while until he can figure out where the wolf stops and he starts. Oz explains that even though he's leaving her, he still loves her. Oz gets in his van and leaves behind a sobbing Willow.

Summary written by Nika

Quote of the Week

Buffy & Willow: Put the blame where it belongs.

My Rating

4.5/5

Nika Summers' Review

This was an incredibly powerful episode. There were so many emotions in this episode it was unbelievable. Alyson and Seth but did an incredible job of acting and this episode is definitely worth rewatching over and over again. Willow's scene with Oz when she finds him with Veruca was incredible. The tension was so thick you could almost cut it. Oz's loud exclamation to Veruca to leave was completely unexpected but to me it showed strength on his part. I loved Veruca as the bad guy for this episode, she was nasty and someone everyone fears in a relationship; the other girl. She did a great job of getting underneath Oz's skin. BTW, I really liked her tattoos, especially the one on her stomach. I could hardly believe that Oz was leaving at the end, and it almost looked like he wouldn't leave but he did and it broke my heart to see Willow like that. She looked so alone and helpless. Of course, I knwot hat Seth had to leave to shoot some movies but I still didn't want him to go! I could hardly believe it was happening. I wonder where Oz is planning on going? How will he come back? Oh god...

Niki Bartl's Review

No! Was the final word that escaped out of my mouth as Oz left. How could he? This was not the Oz we all know and love! But "finding yourself" is something I have extreme respect for, so let's just hope he comes back to us the old, happy Oz, and soon. Second of all, Alyson Hannigan deserves so much acclaim for this episode. Beautifully acted, and my heart broke every time her chin started to wobble before crying. Her reaction to Oz and Veruca was amazing too. I expected her to fly into an angry rage, a la Reptile Boy (when she yells at Angel) but her reaction was just as heartbreakingly mesmerizing also. Question: what does Giles do? How does he make money now, since he seems to always be at home now? All in all, a great episode, I just need another "happy one" where I can laugh, because my couch pillow is getting soaked with tears!

Cast