The Gift (Buffy episode) - gift-and-ideas.com

The Gift (Buffy episode)

"The Gift" is the 22nd episode in season 5 of television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Plot synopsis

The episode starts with a montage containing at least one scene from all of the previous 99 episodes. In the first real scene of the episode Buffy slays a vampire who is attacking a teenage boy. The Scooby Gang, knowing that Glory has the advantage over them, make plans to try to avert the apocalypse that will result if her plans succeed. None of them have any ideas apart from killing Buffy's sister Dawn, which Buffy refuses to consider. In the end Anya suggests the use of two items that had been found earlier in the series: the Dagon Sphere, which is supposed to repel Glory, and the hammer of Olaf the Troll God. They then try to find out where Glory's plan might be occuring, but Tara, who had been made insane by Glory in a previous episode, tries to lead them there saying that she has a big day and needs to be somewhere. All of Glory's victims who had been turned insane instictively knew where Glory's base was. Dawn is tied up at the top of a tower that Glory's minions have constructed for the ritual to open the gates between dimensions, allowing Glory to return home but setting all hell loose on Earth in the process.

The group prepare to leave, waiting until sundown with the aim of delaying the ritual that will dissolve the barriers between dimensions long enough for Glory's window of opportunity to pass, if not to kill her. As Tara arrives at the tower, she is accosted by Glory who demands to know what she is doing there. Glory is then ambushed by Willow, who performs some sort of spell that restores Tara's sanity, confuses and dazes Glory and throws all three of them backwards violently. Glory, still dazed, decides that she need a brain to psychically feed on and sees Buffy. She tells her minions to guard the path up the tower.

Buffy brandishes the Dagon Sphere and tosses it to Glory, who is obviously in pain holding it. Glory manages to crush it in her hands. In this time Buffy runs up and attacks her, initially gaining the upper hand. Giles, Spike and Anya attack the minions at the base of the tower, with the hope of breaking through to rescue Dawn. Glory regains her senses during the fight with Buffy and throws a puch that is hard enough to knock Buffy's head off, revealing that she was actually fighting the Buffy-Bot that had been constructed earlier in the season. The real Buffy sneaks up behind Glory and strikes her with the hammer. Glory is thrown backwards into a wall by the force of it. Buffy then forces her way past Glory's minions and attempts to climb the tower. However, Glory again regains her senses and fast catches up with her. They fight on the path up the tower and Buffy desperately tries to climb higher, hindered by Glory eventually resulting in both of them falling off the tower path to the ground. The hammer lands several feet away from Buffy and Glory confronts her before she can retreive it. Glory is kocked off her feet, however, by a wrecking ball that Xander is using. Buffy picks up the hammer and sets about beating a dazed Glory repeatedly with it. Glory quickly reverts back to the form of the mortal Ben, and Buffy tells him to leave Sunnydale and never return. She then leaves to try and rescue Dawn. Giles approaches a panting Ben and suffocates him to prevent Glory ever returning.

At the top of the tower, Dawn is nevously watching the battle raging below. She is surprised to see Doc at the top of the tower and, unaware that he is working for Glory, cries to him for help. He instead pulls out a knife and advances on her.

Giles, Anya and Spike are not making any progress through the minions and fall back, until Spike notices that there is someone at the top of the tower along with Dawn. Willow communicates telepathically with him and tells him to run to the top of the tower and rescue Dawn, and then she and Tara use magic to knock all the minions down. Spike sprints to the top of the tower and when Dawn sees him she calls to him. Doc turns round and Spike advances on him. The fight is short-lived however, as Doc proves to be far stronger than suspected and throws Spike from the tower, giving himself time to initiate the ritual. He makes shallow cuts on Dawn's stomach.

Buffy runs to the top of the tower and pushes Doc from the top of it. She unties Dawn but some of her blood has already dripped into the air and the portal has been created. It expands and all manner of demons emerge from it around Sunnydale. Dawn attempt to jump into it to close it but Buffy stops her and, realising that she and Dawn share similar blood, runs and throws herself into it, closing it and killing Buffy whose body falls to the bottom of the tower.

All of her friends grieve and the last scene of the series is Buffy's grave bearing the epitapth 'Devoted Sister, Beloved Friend. She saved the world a lot.'

Arc significance

Writing and acting

Production details

Quotes and trivia

See also

• List of Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes

External links