Crush (Buffy episode)
Encyclopedia
"Crush" is the 14th episode of season 5 of the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Dawn
has a crush on Spike, who reveals his crush on Buffy
when he takes her on a stakeout date. When his advances are turned down, Spike kidnaps Buffy and Drusilla, who has returned to Sunnydale
. He tries to force an admission of love from Buffy. Harmony
appears as well and breaks up with Spike.
re-opens under new management, and Buffy watches as her friends dance. Spike shows up and tries to carry on a conversation with an uninterested Buffy, only to be forced away by Xander
. Willow
reveals that she is suffering from headaches and nosebleeds as a result of her teleportation
spell. Buffy spots Ben and offers her thanks to him for looking after Dawn. A train pulls into Sunnydale, but the porter goes on board to find all the passengers dead before he too is attacked.
Buffy returns home, and Giles
suggests that Dawn be treated normally. Harmony tries to get Spike sexually aroused and suggests a game
where she pretends to be Buffy. Buffy reads about the train murders, but concludes that it's a vampire and not Glory
. Buffy searches for Dawn and finds her with Spike, listening to one of his scary stories. Dawn reveals her crush on Spike but really shocks her sister when she says that Spike has a crush on Buffy.
Buffy and Xander
investigate the train, and Buffy confesses the possibility of Spike loving her, though Xander doesn't take it seriously and is even amused by this. Buffy finds her mother
and sister talking in the kitchen with Spike; Joyce subsequently explains that Spike arrived to apologize for the situation with Dawn. Spike tells Buffy that he believes he knows where the vamps from the train are.
Staking out in front of a warehouse, Buffy is unnerved by some of Spike's behavior, such as offering her bourbon, asking her what kind of music she likes, and the fact that he is doing this for free. Buffy and Spike attack the vampires, but they immediately run off at the sight of the Slayer. Buffy realizes that the warehouse is a vampire nest, and thus they couldn't have been involved in the train massacre. When Spike goes so far as to unwittingly hold the door open for her, Buffy finally demands to know why he is acting like this, demanding to know if everything that just happened was just Spike's version of a date. At first, Spike loudly and amusedly denies it, but then asks, in a hopeful manner, "Do you want it to be?" Buffy is disgusted. Despite Spike's pleas and confessions, Buffy refuses to listen to him and denies that there is something between them, insisting that Spike is still a dangerous villain and, being soulless, is incapable of such emotion. Having completely and brutally rejected Spike, Buffy departs the warehouse in horror and disgust. Despondently returning to his crypt, Spike is greeted by his longtime love, Drusilla
.
Drusilla tells him of the events in Los Angeles and tries to convince him to return with her. She's already aware of the chip in his head and tries to convince him he can be evil, even with the chip. Harmony arrives and yells at Drusilla for hurting Spike. Spike throws Harmony out of the way, announcing that not only is Drusilla back - he's back. Joyce and Willow talk to Buffy about the problem with Spike and tell her she has to make it clear to Spike that there is nothing between them. Buffy agrees, but tells Willow to do "something" for her while she is out...
Spike and Drusilla dance at the Bronze before Dru spots a couple on the catwalk for them to feed on. She snaps the neck of the girl, offering her to Spike before taking the guy for herself. Spike hesitates, but soon vamps and bites. Buffy discovers the extension of Spike's lair underground and a shrine dedicated to herself. As she returns to the surface, Buffy finds Spike and Drusilla waiting for her. Spike watches Drusilla shock Buffy with a cattle prod. After the Slayer collapses, Drusilla turns to Spike, only to be shocked herself as he seizes the cattle prod and uses it on her.
Buffy awakens to find herself chained up in the underground space below Spike's crypt, Drusilla tied to a pole across from her. Spike poetically describes his 120-year romance with Drusilla—prompting an appreciative sigh from her—but also professes his love for Buffy and offers to kill Drusilla to convince Buffy of his love. He threatens that if Buffy does not return his love, he'll untie Drusilla and let her kill Buffy. Spike asks for only a small sign that Buffy could love him. Buffy rejects Spike again, and he goes into a rage about women being so difficult. Harmony arrives and shoots Spike with a crossbow bolt. While Harmony and Spike fight, Drusilla breaks free and goes after Buffy while the Slayer is still chained up. Spike grabs Drusilla, and unchains Buffy. Realizing that the Spike she once loved is gone forever, Drusilla leaves Sunnydale heartbroken.
Harmony leaves Spike, telling him it's completely over between the two of them. The minute she leaves, Buffy physically attacks Spike and storms off. Spike follows her and desperately attempts to get her to talk to him, but Buffy makes it very clear that he is no longer a part of her life, and he is to stay away from her and her family and friends from now on. Undaunted, Spike tries to follow her into her house, only to find that she has had his invitation revoked. As he recovers from the surprise, Buffy merely glares at him with disdain and closes the door in his face.
, asked to do an episode that took the Buffy/Spike relationship to the next level, decided that it was time for the audience to discover that Spike was in love with Buffy. He says, "...and it then progressed into Buffy finding out, which was something we were saving for later. It turned out to be a good play because we were able to take them to interesting places throughout the rest of the season." According to Fury, the resurrection of Spike and Drusilla's relationship "was really significant in terms of what love means to Spike."
Dawn
Dawn Summers
Dawn Summers is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon and introduced by Marti Noxon and David Fury on the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, portrayed by Michelle Trachtenberg. She made her debut in the premiere episode of the show's fifth season, and subsequently appeared in every...
has a crush on Spike, who reveals his crush on Buffy
Buffy 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...
when he takes her on a stakeout date. When his advances are turned down, Spike kidnaps Buffy and Drusilla, who has returned to 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...
. He tries to force an admission of love from Buffy. Harmony
Harmony Kendall
Harmony Kendall is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off Angel. The character is portrayed by Mercedes McNab...
appears as well and breaks up with Spike.
Plot synopsis
The BronzeThe Bronze
The Bronze is a fictional nightclub in Sunnydale, the fictional setting for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Of 144 episodes of the series, 66 have at least one scene at the Bronze, not including its appearance in the unaired pilot....
re-opens under new management, and Buffy watches as her friends dance. Spike shows up and tries to carry on a conversation with an uninterested Buffy, only to be forced away by 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...
. 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...
reveals that she is suffering from headaches and nosebleeds as a result of her teleportation
Teleportation
Teleportation is the fictional or imagined process by which matter is instantaneously transferred from one place to another.Teleportation may also refer to:*Quantum teleportation, a method of transmitting quantum data...
spell. Buffy spots Ben and offers her thanks to him for looking after Dawn. A train pulls into Sunnydale, but the porter goes on board to find all the passengers dead before he too is attacked.
Buffy returns home, 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...
suggests that Dawn be treated normally. Harmony tries to get Spike sexually aroused and suggests a game
Sexual roleplaying
Sexual roleplay is an erotic form of roleplay: it is a sexual behavior where two or more people act out roles in a sexual fantasy. How seriously this is taken depends on the people involved, and the scenario may be anywhere from simple and makeshift to detailed and elaborate, complete with...
where she pretends to be Buffy. Buffy reads about the train murders, but concludes that it's a vampire and not Glory
Glorificus
Glory is a fictional character in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Also known as "Glorificus," "That Which Cannot Be Named," "The Abomination," and "The Beast," she appeared during the fifth season of the program and was portrayed by Clare Kramer.-History:Glorificus is a god from a...
. Buffy searches for Dawn and finds her with Spike, listening to one of his scary stories. Dawn reveals her crush on Spike but really shocks her sister when she says that Spike has a crush on Buffy.
Buffy and 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...
investigate the train, and Buffy confesses the possibility of Spike loving her, though Xander doesn't take it seriously and is even amused by this. Buffy finds her mother
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...
and sister talking in the kitchen with Spike; Joyce subsequently explains that Spike arrived to apologize for the situation with Dawn. Spike tells Buffy that he believes he knows where the vamps from the train are.
Staking out in front of a warehouse, Buffy is unnerved by some of Spike's behavior, such as offering her bourbon, asking her what kind of music she likes, and the fact that he is doing this for free. Buffy and Spike attack the vampires, but they immediately run off at the sight of the Slayer. Buffy realizes that the warehouse is a vampire nest, and thus they couldn't have been involved in the train massacre. When Spike goes so far as to unwittingly hold the door open for her, Buffy finally demands to know why he is acting like this, demanding to know if everything that just happened was just Spike's version of a date. At first, Spike loudly and amusedly denies it, but then asks, in a hopeful manner, "Do you want it to be?" Buffy is disgusted. Despite Spike's pleas and confessions, Buffy refuses to listen to him and denies that there is something between them, insisting that Spike is still a dangerous villain and, being soulless, is incapable of such emotion. Having completely and brutally rejected Spike, Buffy departs the warehouse in horror and disgust. Despondently returning to his crypt, Spike is greeted by his longtime love, Drusilla
Drusilla (Buffyverse)
Drusilla is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon and David Greenwalt for the American television series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. The character is portrayed by American actress Juliet Landau...
.
Drusilla tells him of the events in Los Angeles and tries to convince him to return with her. She's already aware of the chip in his head and tries to convince him he can be evil, even with the chip. Harmony arrives and yells at Drusilla for hurting Spike. Spike throws Harmony out of the way, announcing that not only is Drusilla back - he's back. Joyce and Willow talk to Buffy about the problem with Spike and tell her she has to make it clear to Spike that there is nothing between them. Buffy agrees, but tells Willow to do "something" for her while she is out...
Spike and Drusilla dance at the Bronze before Dru spots a couple on the catwalk for them to feed on. She snaps the neck of the girl, offering her to Spike before taking the guy for herself. Spike hesitates, but soon vamps and bites. Buffy discovers the extension of Spike's lair underground and a shrine dedicated to herself. As she returns to the surface, Buffy finds Spike and Drusilla waiting for her. Spike watches Drusilla shock Buffy with a cattle prod. After the Slayer collapses, Drusilla turns to Spike, only to be shocked herself as he seizes the cattle prod and uses it on her.
Buffy awakens to find herself chained up in the underground space below Spike's crypt, Drusilla tied to a pole across from her. Spike poetically describes his 120-year romance with Drusilla—prompting an appreciative sigh from her—but also professes his love for Buffy and offers to kill Drusilla to convince Buffy of his love. He threatens that if Buffy does not return his love, he'll untie Drusilla and let her kill Buffy. Spike asks for only a small sign that Buffy could love him. Buffy rejects Spike again, and he goes into a rage about women being so difficult. Harmony arrives and shoots Spike with a crossbow bolt. While Harmony and Spike fight, Drusilla breaks free and goes after Buffy while the Slayer is still chained up. Spike grabs Drusilla, and unchains Buffy. Realizing that the Spike she once loved is gone forever, Drusilla leaves Sunnydale heartbroken.
Harmony leaves Spike, telling him it's completely over between the two of them. The minute she leaves, Buffy physically attacks Spike and storms off. Spike follows her and desperately attempts to get her to talk to him, but Buffy makes it very clear that he is no longer a part of her life, and he is to stay away from her and her family and friends from now on. Undaunted, Spike tries to follow her into her house, only to find that she has had his invitation revoked. As he recovers from the surprise, Buffy merely glares at him with disdain and closes the door in his face.
Writing
David FuryDavid Fury
David Fury is an American television Screenwriter and Producer, best known for his work on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Lost, 24, and Fringe.Fury was a Co-executive producer and Writer for the first season of Lost...
, asked to do an episode that took the Buffy/Spike relationship to the next level, decided that it was time for the audience to discover that Spike was in love with Buffy. He says, "...and it then progressed into Buffy finding out, which was something we were saving for later. It turned out to be a good play because we were able to take them to interesting places throughout the rest of the season." According to Fury, the resurrection of Spike and Drusilla's relationship "was really significant in terms of what love means to Spike."
Cultural references
- While waiting in front of the vampire lair, Spike sings the chorus of "I Wanna Be SedatedI Wanna Be Sedated"I Wanna Be Sedated" is a song by the American punk rock band the Ramones. It is one of the band's best known songs. It was originally released on their fourth album, Road to Ruin, in September 1978 and was the b-side of the UK single "She's the One" released on January 10, 1979. The song was later...
". - Xander refers to Spike as "Evil Dead".
- Willow and Tara discuss The Hunchback of Notre DameThe Hunchback of Notre DameThe Hunchback of Notre-Dame is a novel by Victor Hugo published in 1831. The French title refers to the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, on which the story is centered.-Background:...
, with Tara coming to the conclusion that "you know it's not going to be a happy ending when the main guy's all bumpy", a reference to several relationships throughout the series. Tara also says Quasimodo had no moral compass and was selfishly motivated by love for a woman who couldn't love him back, a clear reference to Spike's demonic nature and unrequited love for Buffy.
Continuity
- In Spike's lair, he tells Buffy that he loves her. Drusilla begins to laugh and then says "I knew. I knew before you did that you loved the Slayer." Which was shown in the episode "Fool for LoveFool for Love (Buffy episode)"Fool for Love" is episode 7 of season 5 of the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It is a companion to the Angel episode "Darla", which first aired later the same night on The WB network; both episodes include multiple flashbacks to the history of Spike and Darla, shown from their...
" as Spike recounts how he killed the two slayers to Buffy. - After Buffy finds out how Spike feels she asks "Are you out of your mind?" calling back to the episode "Out of My Mind" when Spike first becomes conscious of his feelings for her.
- This episode marks the final "in person" appearance of Drusilla in the Buffyverse as all her future appearances are either in the forms of illusions or flashbacks.
- This episode marks the final appearance of Harmony on the series; however, she will later appear as a recurring character and finally a regular cast member in the AngelAngel (TV series)Angel is an American television series, a spin-off of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The series was created by Buffys creator, Joss Whedon, in collaboration with David Greenwalt, and first aired on October 5, 1999...
series, becoming Angel's secretary at Wolfram & HartWolfram & HartWolfram & Hart − Attorneys at Law is a fictional international, and interdimensional law firm featured in the television series Angel, as well as other extended materials in Joss Whedon's Buffyverse.-Fictional history:...
.
Arc significance
- Crossover with Angel: Drusilla's arrival in Sunnydale follows the events of "Redefinition". Harmony is next seen in "DisharmonyDisharmony (Angel episode)"Disharmony" is episode 17 of season 2 in the television show Angel.-Plot synopsis:Angel has a difficult time adjusting to the new situation at the hotel where Wesley has taken over his old office and Angel is taking orders from his new employers. A young couple making out in a car is attacked by...
". - Spike's feelings toward Buffy become known to Buffy and the Scoobies at large.
- Spike's dis-invitation lasts only a few episodes: Buffy re-invites him at the end of the season. She never removes the invitation for him again, not even following his attempted rapeSeeing Red (Buffy episode)"Seeing Red" is episode 19 of season 6 of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. In North America, this episode was transmitted to UPN affiliates a week early by accident...
. - Buffy says she wants Spike "out of [her] life" in this episode, and uses the same line later in "WreckedWrecked (Buffy episode)"Wrecked" is the 10th episode of season 6 of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.-Plot synopsis:Tara and Dawn wake on the couch and find that neither Buffy nor Willow returned home the night before. Buffy wakes up naked with Spike to find that the building around them fell down as she...
". Both times the rejection is very short; this time it lasts almost four episodes, before (at the end of "InterventionIntervention (Buffy episode)"Intervention" is the eighteenth episode in the fifth season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.- Plot synopsis :At the Summers's home after dinner, Buffy confesses to Giles that she's worried about her ability to love. Giles suggests he and Buffy go to a sacred location in the desert so that she can...
") Buffy learns that Spike is capable of great personal sacrifice on her behalf. Soon after she seeks out his help protecting Dawn ("SpiralSpiral (Buffy episode)"Spiral" is the 20th episode of season 5 of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.-Plot synopsis: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...
").
External links
- "Crush" at BuffyGuide.com