Choices (Buffy episode)
Encyclopedia
"Choices" is the 19th episode of season 3 of the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
complains that Angel never takes her anywhere new. New is exactly where Buffy's mom, Joyce
, wants her to go: Northwestern, or one of the other good schools she's been accepted to that aren't in Sunnydale. Buffy, who has also been accepted at the University of California, Sunnydale is reluctant to make any plans.
At school, Principal Snyder
's obsessive drug search includes a student's lunch. Buffy, who reviews the reasons she can't leave Sunnydale, is not the only one with college news: Willow
is awash in acceptances from Harvard, Yale, MIT, and even Oxford
. Xander
is less fortunate, but has plans to travel like Jack Kerouac to find his future. Cordelia
offers insults, but no information about her own situation.
Buffy worriesWesley and Giles
by telling them that she wants out of Sunnydale
. She offers a deal: if she takes the offensive against the Mayor, defeats him, and stop the ascension, they could afford to be Slayerless for long enough for her to go away to college.
That night, Faith does her job: she arrives at the airport, kills the courier, and separate him from the box by taking off his hand. Watching from the bushes. Buffy sees Faith arrive in a limo to deliver the box to the Mayor. After the coast is clear, Buffy forces the driver to disclose information about the box before staking him with Kendra's Mr. Pointy.
The gang plan the attack on City Hall to steal the Box of Gavrok: it is being kept in a top-floor conference room. First, Willow will remove the magic protecting the box so Buffy and Angel can take it. Then, Xander and Oz will prepare the ritual Willow will use to destroy the box. Xander is sent in search of ingredients; en route he spots Cordelia in a clothing store, where her mystery deepens: she has in fact been accepted to a batch of good schools, including Columbia.
That night, they execute the plan. Wesley and Giles drop off Buffy, Willow and Angel at City Hall. While Xander and Oz follow Willow's directions to create the necessary potion, Willow performs the spell at City Hall so Angel can lower Buffy through the skylight to grab the box. Everything goes fine until she picks up the box, when two things happen: the guy ropes stick and an alarm goes off. As two vampires enter menacingly, Angel drops to Buffy's rescue. They escape, box in hand. The Mayor's anger and the gang's relief reverse when all discover that Faith has captured Willow.
A library discussion ensues: is Willow's life worth those of the many thousands who would be saved if the box is destroyed? Oz casts the final vote by smashing the pot containing the potion needed for the ritual. Buffy tells Giles to set up a meeting to exchange Willow for the Box of Gavrok.
At City Hall, Willow escapes from the room she's imprisoned in and examines the Mayor's office. She is reading the Books of Ascension when Faith finds her. Giles's call comes in time to stop Faith from killing her.
The meeting is in the school cafeteria. The Mayor, chatty as ever, spends a little time telling Buffy and Angel that they have no future together. They make the trade, but are disrupted by Principal Snyder and his security guards, still bent on drug-busting. One of the guards opens the box, which gives a clue to its contents: a large beetle-like creature jumps out and kills him. Another beetle breaks free and the two attack the Mayor and Buffy. Both beetles are killed – one by a throw of Faith's new knife, which she is forced to leave behind.
Back at the library, Willow presents Giles with a few important pages she tore from the Books of Ascension she hopes will have helpful clues. In the meantime, Wesley counts the cost of her rescue: the gang are now back exactly where they started, with no way to stop the Ascension.
At school the next day, Buffy and Willow talk again about their future. Buffy now knows she can't leave; Willow now knows she doesn't want to leave because fighting evil and studying Wicca
are what she wants to do. Both will attend UC Sunnydale. Meanwhile, we learn a piece of Cordelia's secret: she's working at that clothing shop. On patrol late that night Buffy and Angel try to convince each other that the Mayor was wrong. After all, he's evil.
Plot synopsis
A box - the Box of Gavrok - is due to arrive by courier at the airport. The Mayor offers Faith a knife in return for intercepting it. In between fighting vampires, BuffyBuffy Summers
Buffy Summers is a fictional character from Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer franchise. She first appeared in the 1992 film Buffy the Vampire Slayer before going on to appear in the television series and subsequent comic book of the same name...
complains that Angel never takes her anywhere new. New is exactly where Buffy's mom, Joyce
Joyce Summers
Joyce Summers is a fictional character in the fantasy television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer . Played by Kristine Sutherland, Joyce is the mother of the main character, Buffy Summers . Joyce appears regularly from the first episode until the character's death in the fifth season episode "The...
, wants her to go: Northwestern, or one of the other good schools she's been accepted to that aren't in Sunnydale. Buffy, who has also been accepted at the University of California, Sunnydale is reluctant to make any plans.
At school, Principal Snyder
Principal Snyder
Principal R. Snyder is a fictional character in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, played by Armin Shimerman. Shimerman originally auditioned for the role of Flutie, but lost that role to Ken Lerner...
's obsessive drug search includes a student's lunch. Buffy, who reviews the reasons she can't leave Sunnydale, is not the only one with college news: Willow
Willow Rosenberg
Willow Rosenberg is a fictional character created for the fantasy television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer . She was developed by Joss Whedon and portrayed throughout the TV series by Alyson Hannigan...
is awash in acceptances from Harvard, Yale, MIT, and even Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
. Xander
Xander Harris
Alexander LaVelle "Xander" Harris is a fictional character in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as well as in numerous items in the series Expanded Universe, such as comic books, tie-in novels and video games...
is less fortunate, but has plans to travel like Jack Kerouac to find his future. Cordelia
Cordelia Chase
Cordelia Chase is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer; she also appeared on Buffy's spin-off series Angel...
offers insults, but no information about her own situation.
Buffy worriesWesley and Giles
Rupert Giles
Rupert Giles is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The character is portrayed by Anthony Stewart Head. He serves as Buffy Summers' mentor and surrogate father figure...
by telling them that she wants out of Sunnydale
Sunnydale
Sunnydale, California is the fictional setting for the U.S. television drama Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Series creator Joss Whedon conceived the town as a representation of a generic California city, as well as a narrative parody of the all-too-serene towns typical in traditional horror...
. She offers a deal: if she takes the offensive against the Mayor, defeats him, and stop the ascension, they could afford to be Slayerless for long enough for her to go away to college.
That night, Faith does her job: she arrives at the airport, kills the courier, and separate him from the box by taking off his hand. Watching from the bushes. Buffy sees Faith arrive in a limo to deliver the box to the Mayor. After the coast is clear, Buffy forces the driver to disclose information about the box before staking him with Kendra's Mr. Pointy.
The gang plan the attack on City Hall to steal the Box of Gavrok: it is being kept in a top-floor conference room. First, Willow will remove the magic protecting the box so Buffy and Angel can take it. Then, Xander and Oz will prepare the ritual Willow will use to destroy the box. Xander is sent in search of ingredients; en route he spots Cordelia in a clothing store, where her mystery deepens: she has in fact been accepted to a batch of good schools, including Columbia.
That night, they execute the plan. Wesley and Giles drop off Buffy, Willow and Angel at City Hall. While Xander and Oz follow Willow's directions to create the necessary potion, Willow performs the spell at City Hall so Angel can lower Buffy through the skylight to grab the box. Everything goes fine until she picks up the box, when two things happen: the guy ropes stick and an alarm goes off. As two vampires enter menacingly, Angel drops to Buffy's rescue. They escape, box in hand. The Mayor's anger and the gang's relief reverse when all discover that Faith has captured Willow.
A library discussion ensues: is Willow's life worth those of the many thousands who would be saved if the box is destroyed? Oz casts the final vote by smashing the pot containing the potion needed for the ritual. Buffy tells Giles to set up a meeting to exchange Willow for the Box of Gavrok.
At City Hall, Willow escapes from the room she's imprisoned in and examines the Mayor's office. She is reading the Books of Ascension when Faith finds her. Giles's call comes in time to stop Faith from killing her.
The meeting is in the school cafeteria. The Mayor, chatty as ever, spends a little time telling Buffy and Angel that they have no future together. They make the trade, but are disrupted by Principal Snyder and his security guards, still bent on drug-busting. One of the guards opens the box, which gives a clue to its contents: a large beetle-like creature jumps out and kills him. Another beetle breaks free and the two attack the Mayor and Buffy. Both beetles are killed – one by a throw of Faith's new knife, which she is forced to leave behind.
Back at the library, Willow presents Giles with a few important pages she tore from the Books of Ascension she hopes will have helpful clues. In the meantime, Wesley counts the cost of her rescue: the gang are now back exactly where they started, with no way to stop the Ascension.
At school the next day, Buffy and Willow talk again about their future. Buffy now knows she can't leave; Willow now knows she doesn't want to leave because fighting evil and studying Wicca
Wicca
Wicca , is a modern Pagan religious movement. Developing in England in the first half of the 20th century, Wicca was popularised in the 1950s and early 1960s by a Wiccan High Priest named Gerald Gardner, who at the time called it the "witch cult" and "witchcraft," and its adherents "the Wica."...
are what she wants to do. Both will attend UC Sunnydale. Meanwhile, we learn a piece of Cordelia's secret: she's working at that clothing shop. On patrol late that night Buffy and Angel try to convince each other that the Mayor was wrong. After all, he's evil.
Arc significance
- Believing Cordelia is in a shop to buy clothes, Xander later learns ("The Prom") that she actually works there because she needs the income.
- When Faith has to leave her knife behind after pinning one of the scuttling scarabs to the wall, she alters her own path ("Graduation DayGraduation Day (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)"Graduation Day" is the season finale of the WB Television Network's third season of the drama television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, consisting of the twenty-first and twenty-second episodes. They are also the fifty-fifth and fifty-sixth episodes of the show overall...
, Part One") and seals the Mayor's doom ("Graduation DayGraduation Day (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)"Graduation Day" is the season finale of the WB Television Network's third season of the drama television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, consisting of the twenty-first and twenty-second episodes. They are also the fifty-fifth and fifty-sixth episodes of the show overall...
, Part Two).
Continuity
- The Mayor—evil, but clearly not heartless, and who has actually lived as an immortal with a mortal wife—believes Buffy and Angel shouldn't be lovers. This resonates painfully with Spike's observation in "Lovers WalkLovers Walk"Lovers Walk" is episode 8 of season 3 of the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Sound Editing in a Series.- Plot synopsis :...
" when he says, "You're not friends. You'll never be friends." Neither Buffy's lover nor her friend, Angel has been wondering what the future can hold for them since even before he became Angelus in season two (e.g., "Surprise"). He is as shaken by the Mayor's unexpected insight as by Spike's. The Slayer remains in denial. - We learn that Buffy has an aunt in Illinois, Arlene. She appears to be Joyce's sister since Joyce phones her to talk about Buffy's acceptance to Northwesten University.
Cultural references
- On the RoadOn the RoadOn the Road is a novel by American writer Jack Kerouac, written in April 1951, and published by Viking Press in 1957. It is a largely autobiographical work that was based on the spontaneous road trips of Kerouac and his friends across mid-century America. It is often considered a defining work of...
: Xander is reading Jack KerouacJack KerouacJean-Louis "Jack" Lebris de Kerouac was an American novelist and poet. He is considered a literary iconoclast and, alongside William S. Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg, a pioneer of the Beat Generation. Kerouac is recognized for his spontaneous method of writing, covering topics such as Catholic...
, which inspires to him to go on a road trip after graduation. However, as Buffy learns in Season Four, he only makes it as far as Oxnard when his car breaks down. - The GodfatherThe GodfatherThe Godfather is a 1972 American epic crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, based on the 1969 novel by Mario Puzo. With a screenplay by Puzo, Coppola and an uncredited Robert Towne, the film stars Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Richard...
: When the Mayor asks Faith, "What happened to the courier? I was supposed to pay him," she replies, "I made him an offer he couldn't survive."