History Recap / BuffyTheVampireSlayerS2E22BecomingPart2

* BittersweetEnding: The most bittersweet, with the possible exception of season five, as Buffy manages to save the world... but was forced to send Angel, not Angelus, to Hell and runs away from home in the wake of her mother telling her "If you walk out that door, don't even ''think'' about coming back".

* TheLastOfTheseIsNotLikeTheOthers: Buffy yelling at her mom that she never chose to be this way; she would rather be upstairs watching TV or gossiping about boys, "or God, even '''studying!'''"

** Oddly nor does Buffy on her way out again.

* ParentsAsPeople: Joyce doesn't respond well to learning her daughter is a Slayer and gives her a ''very'' stupid ultimatum.

* BetrayalByInaction: Though they were only temporary allies when they fought Angelus together, once Spike gets Dru back, he shrugs and leaves Buffy to potentially get killed by Angelus.

* AlwaysSaveTheGirl: Willow manages to resoul Angel at the worst possible time. After Angelus has activated Akathla, after Buffy's defeated him, but before she's reversed what he did.

* BlatantLies: Willow wants to try re-cursing Angelus again. She instructs Xander to tell Buffy her plans, hoping she can stall until the curse is complete. Upon rendezvousing with Buffy outside the mansion, Xander suddenly remembers, "Willow! Uh, she told me to tell you --" ([[OnSecondThought rethinks it]]): "Kick his ass."

* ChokeHolds: An odd example: Spike appears to choke Drusilla out. It's also possible he's using {{Pressure Point}}s) -- which is [[EroticAsphyxiation almost fitting for these two]] -- or cutting off her blood flow, not her air.

* TortureFirstAskQuestionsLater: At Angelus' place, a captive Giles asks what he wants. Angelus hops to his feet and says matter-of-factly, "[[NecessaryWeasel I wanna torture you]]." He explains that he's tried to wake Acathla, with no results, and was hoping Giles could give him some pointers. "But honestly," he confides, "I sorta hope you don't. 'Cause I ''really'' wanna torture you."

* ChekhovsGunman: Principal Snyder mentions the BigBad of Season 3 [[spoiler: when he calls the cops- Mayor Wilkins.]]

** Principal Snyder is seen asking to speak with the mayor, [[spoiler: who becomes the BigBad in the next season.]]

*** For that matter, the seeds of [[spoiler: Spike's HeelFaceTurn are planted, as it shows his willingness to pair up with the good guys if it so conveniences him--which is what initially gets him over to the Scoobies' side, his eventual love for Buffy being what makes him stay for as long as he does.]]
** Whistler thought Angel was supposed to be the hero who saved the world from Acathla, but he turned evil, so it's Buffy who does so -- with some help from her friends and Spike. This reflects the ambiguity in the ''Series/{{Angel}}'' series [[spoiler:over which side Angel would end up on when the Apocalypse happened. In the final season of the spin-off, it's also ambiguous whether Angel or Spike is TheChampion foretold in the Shanshu Prophecy.]]
** The foundations of Spike and Joyce [[spoiler: genuinely growing to like each other are laid with their sitting together in the living room and making awkward conversation.]]
** Spike being a fan of Manchester United is a subtle piece of foreshadowing towards the ''much'' later reveal that [[spoiler: he's an upper-middle-class man pretending to be working class.[[note]]Any real working class Londoner would view an accusation of supporting Manchester United as a death-worthy insult, but it's a common stereotype in British football culture that many MU supporters are middle-class people from outside the North-West, with little knowledge of football, who only like them because of their fame and record of success.[[/note]] ]]

* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: When Joyce, in the heat of the moment, tells Buffy not to come back if she leaves the house and Buffy walks out anyway, you can briefly see the fear on Joyce's face that Buffy will take her at her word. ([[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS3E1Anne And Buffy does]], [[spoiler: for a couple months anyway.]])

* OutOfSightOutOfMind: Spike offers to take Drusilla out of the country and never come back. [[spoiler: He likely meant it at the time...]]

** Angel [[spoiler: who won't be back for [[YearInsideHourOutside another hundred years]].]]

* TrailersAlwaysSpoil: At the time, there was never a big question as to whether [[spoiler: Angel would return, since the announcement of ''Series/{{Angel}}'' was made right after this episode aired.]]

** He was also meant to be in ''Angel'', but the actor's drug problems interfered. [[spoiler: [[SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute His intended role was taken by the new character Doyle]]...who was then quickly killed off because his actor ''also'' had drug problems that would kill him a couple years later.]]
** He finally full on reappears in the ''Angel & Faith'' comic series. [[spoiler: This time with nothing potential about it: He's the BigBad of that half of season 9.]]

* InTheEndYouAreOnYourOwn:

* AdultFear: When Joyce, in the heat of the moment, tells Buffy not to come back if she leaves the house and Buffy walks out anyway, you can briefly see the [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone fear]] on Joyce's face that Buffy will take her at her word. ([[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS3E1Anne And Buffy does]], [[spoiler: for a couple months anyway.]])

* MindRape: Angelus is on the verge of killing Giles, who has withstood extensive torture without revealing his knowledge of the ritual on how to destroy the world. Spike suggests that Dru play a game; she agrees, and reads Giles' mind to discover his weakness. She finally cajoles the information she wants out of Giles by hypnotizing him, so that she appears as Jenny, his dead girlfriend, in his eyes.

* FauxAffablyEvil: Angelus [[GlassesPull polishes Giles' glasses for him]], places them back on his face, then proceeds to break his fingers.

** Angel was supposed to be the hero who saved the world from Acathla, but he turned evil, so it's Buffy who does so -- with some help from her friends and Spike. This reflects the ambiguity in the ''Series/{{Angel}}'' series [[spoiler: over which side Angel would end up on when the Apocalypse happened. In the final season of the spin-off, it's also ambiguous whether Angel or Spike is TheChampion foretold in the Shanshu Prophecy.]]

-->'''Giles:''' In order...to be worthy... you must perform the ritual... [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments in a tutu]]!

* TheLastOfTheseIsNotLikeTheOthers: Buffy yelling at her mom that she never chose to be this way; she would rather be upstairs watching TV or gossiping about boys, "or god, even '''studying!'''"

* NothingIsTheSameAnymore: Outside the house, Joyce starts asking a few too many questions, and Buffy is anxious to move the conversations inside. As they approach the door, a vampire pounces at them. Buffy and Spike make short work of the vamp, who ends up getting dusted right in front of the astonished Joyce. The vamp is identified as "one of Angelus' boys"; Joyce demands to know what is going on. Oh....right. ''You're'' still here?

* LostInCharacter: Drusilla delving a bit too far into her role as "Jenny," is still snogging with Giles as Spike and Angelus [[{{Ahem}} clear their throats]] impatiently. They have to try a couple of times to get her attention until Dru turns around and sheepishly responds, "Sorry. I was in the moment."

** Both times Angel dies, the words he hears are: "close your eyes." It's the last thing Darla said to him before she made him a vampire, And it`s also the last thing Buffy says to Angel before she runs him through with her sword.
** Angel really should be more careful when beautiful blondes tell him to do things.

* {{Leitmotif}}: In the most heartbreaking way possible. Angel and Buffy's theme finally reappears... as Buffy kisses Angel and runs him through. Even more of a TearJerker when you realize where that track's title comes from.

* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: Spike decides to bug out of Angelus' plan to destroy the world because he likes the world (because it has things like dog racing, Manchester United, and millions of people running around like Happy Meals for him). He quickly teams up with Buffy so he can grab his lover, Drusilla, and ditches out the second he has her. He comes back later.

* TrailersAlwaysSpoil: There was never a big question as to whether Angel would return, since the announcement of ''Series/{{Angel}}'' was made right after this episode aired.

** He was also meant to be in ''Angel'', but the actor's drug problems interfered. [[SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute His intended role was taken by the new character Doyle]]...who was then quickly killed off because his actor ''also'' had drug problems that would kill him a couple years later.
** He finally full on reappears in the ''Angel & Faith'' comic series. This time with nothing potential about it: He's the BigBad of that half of season 9.

* OutOfSightOutOfMind: Spike offers to take Drusilla out of the country and never come back. He likely meant it at the time...

** Angel, though he won't be back for [[YearInsideHourOutside another hundred years]].

** Principal Snyder is seen asking to speak with the mayor, who becomes the BigBad in the next season.

*** For that matter, the seeds of Spike's HeelFaceTurn are planted, as it shows his willingness to pair up with the good guys if it so conveniences him--which is what initially gets him over to the Scoobies' side, his eventual love for Buffy being what makes him stay for as long as he does.
** Angel was supposed to be the hero who saved the world from Acathla, but he turned evil, so it's Buffy who does so -- with some help from her friends and Spike. This reflects the ambiguity in the ''Series/{{Angel}}'' series over which side Angel would end up on when the Apocalypse happened. In the final season of the spin-off, it's also ambiguous whether Angel or Spike is TheChampion foretold in the Shanshu Prophecy.
** The foundations of Spike and Joyce genuinely growing to like each other are laid with their sitting together in the living room and making awkward conversation.
** Spike being a fan of Manchester United is a subtle piece of foreshadowing towards the ''much'' later reveal that he's an upper-middle-class man pretending to be working class.[[note]]Any real working class Londoner would view an accusation of supporting Manchester United as a death-worthy insult, but it's a common stereotype in British football culture that many MU supporters are middle-class people from outside the North-West, with little knowledge of football, who only like them because of their fame and record of success.[[/note]]