Buffy is cat napping at Angel's place and wakes up to him watching her. Her hair is severely disheaveled, and she wants to check in the mirror, but Angel doesn't have any mirrors. She brings up the "we're a couple, I should have a drawer" thing. She talks about Prom and how he'll blend in. He doesn't say anything. She realizes that it's day and must go home.
At school, Anya pretty much begs Xander to take her to Prom. He subsides. The gang go into full Prom discussion mode and Buffy is planning to wear a great dress.
Joyce goes to see Angel and expresses her concern about how involved he and Buffy are. She feels that Buffy might not be able to make smart decisions about him and her future. She says that he's going to have to make some decisions if he loves her.
Prom excitement grows and the gang talks about dresses and Giles tries to get them back on track about the mayor and the ascension. Meanwhile, there is some crazy dog-like creature locked in a cage.
Angel takes Buffy down into the sewyer and they battle a demon. She starts to ramble more about Prom and Angel finally breaks it to her... he wants to breakup. He also tells her that if they survive the ascension, he is leaving Sunnydale.
Buffy takes the solitary route at home and Willow comes over to console her. Buffy tells her that she feels like she's breaking inside. Much saddage.
Xander goes to the store where Cordelia is working. He realizes that something weird is going on. She finally comes clean. Her daddy dabbled in the tax evasion for twelve years and now she has nothing. She can't go to college, doesn't have a car, or a home anymore. Just as they are in the middle of that; crazy dog-boy bursts in and attacks a guy in a suit. He is summoned out by a remote control and runs out.
The gang watches the security tapes and Buffy sits in the corner, depressed. They notice the guy with the remote control and look him u p in the yearbook. Willow hacks into his email and reads that he is planning to crash and kill Prom. The group mopes about cancelled Prom, Xander protects Cordelia and her secret, and then Buffy vows to save Prom.
The gang all sets out on their research mission and Buffy goes on a lead that the creature eats brains. The butcher tells her that the guy has been buying cow brains twice a week and gives her an address. She sees Angel buying blood and they have a cold, painful moment.
Cordy is going to leave work and forgets her dress. Her coworker points it out and Cordelia says that she hasn't finished paying for it yet. But, someone has already paid for it for her.
At the library, Buffy tells them to go to their merry Promming and that she will stop the demon. Giles realizes that she isn't going with Angel. He tries to console her, but she stops him.
The Prom commences! Xander & Anya chat and Giels & Wesley chaperon. Cordelia makes an entrance. Wesley goes gaga. Willow and Oz enter, and she looks great in a velvet strap dress. Wesley compliments her outfit, and she is thoroughly happy. Xander is bored to tears with Anya's incesant stories about the wishes she's granted. They meet with Cordelia & Wesley and she exchanges a "thank you for the dress" look.
Buffy gets to the psycho's house and he tries to stop her from foiling his plans. She nonchalantly asks why. It's all because some girl turned him down. She ties him up, but he shows her that he's already got three viscious dogboys on their way to the Prom.
Buffy finds a them on their way and kills one. Then, she chases the remaining two to the Prom and kills one with a knife. The other tries to attack a guy and she kills it too. She drags them outside and decides to hit Prom. She pulls out her dress, gets decked out, and makes a grand entrance.
Buffy does the happy thing with Willow. Later, they hand out class awards and Xander doesn't get class clown! They decide to give Buffy an award. Jonathan presents her with "Class Protector". They have all figured out that Sunnydale High isn't normal and that she saved the day often. They haven't the highest mortality rate of any graduating class! Serious applause commences.
Giles sits in the corner and Wesley asks if he should dance with Cordelia. Giles tells him to shut up and go away. So, he does dance with her. Everyone dances and Buffy feels incredibly alone. Giles compliments her on her bravery. And, Angel shows! Fully done up in Prom wear. They have a last dance! (Hey! I may be a B/X-er, but I love a good B/A mushy moment!) As they dance; Buffy begins to kinda cry. But, the painful moment is sentimental.
***
A pretty good episode! I liked it far more than Choices. I'm not a Faith fan, so I enjoyed the lack of Faith. I find that whenever Faith is involved in a plot, the entire episode has a different, dark feel. Episodes such as this one gave me that good 'ol Season two feel.
We all know I'm a Xander fan. So, I didn't love the Anya thing. But, he was miserable, so I was good. He so should have won class clown! But, the whole class doesn't exactly get to be around when he does his funnies in dangerous situations.
Loved the Cordelia stuff. I used to love her, so it's nice to see her less slutty and in this episode. She's been either bitter, throwing her self at Wesley, or both for most of season three. In this ep, she reverted back to the season two Cordy I love.
Willow & Oz: okay, serious lack of! But, Oz had a few good lines, and Willow did well in the scenes consoling Buffy. I liked her dress, kinda.
The Angel & Buffy breakup. Woah. But, it didn't work for me that they played a variation on the music that was playing in I Only Have Eyes For You. I kept thinking of that scene at the end, which I love dearly. And, when he said "It kills me to say this", I thought of the 98 Degrees song "The Hardest Thing". You know, he looks like the lead singer...
Can you tell how Season two-ish it was for me? I'm way nostalgic! But, it made the episode three-star-able! I didn't love the wedding scene, it didn't click, although I understand the purpose. I also didn't love any of the prom dresses. The closest thing to one that I loved was one of the ones on the rack Cordelia walked over to after that co-worker blew her cover. I like the really princess-like corset dresses. But, Buffy's was close enough - it had the nice chiffon/silk thing. Definitely liked that, but it wasn't "cute pink" enough. Sorry 'bout the critisism! I'm big into Prom dresses! Probably cause I'm not going! But, overall; very good! But, because I don't like Faith, I feel like Graduation will be ick. I can only hope that Joss comes through and gives me enough satisfactory Xander jokeage.