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* HistoricalInJoke: Anya mentions a curse where a woman wished a man were in love with [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_McKinley#Assassination President McKinley]].
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Changed line(s) 176 (click to see context) from:
* TwinThreesomeFantasy: Jonathan has a couple of [[SexyScandinavian blonde Swedish twins]] in his BigFancyHouse. Those lucky twins.
to:
* TwinThreesomeFantasy: Jonathan has a couple of [[SexyScandinavian blonde Swedish twins]] in his BigFancyHouse. Those lucky twins.twins (as the spell makes Jonathon the best at everything...).
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Changed line(s) 59 (click to see context) from:
* AffectionateGestureToTheHead: Spike does the [[FoeYay creepy villain version]].
to:
* AffectionateGestureToTheHead: Spike does the [[FoeYay creepy villain version]].version.
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fantastic aesop cleanup
* BrokenAesop: The moral seems to be "dreaming about being super-cool perfect is just selfish narcissism." The way it does it is by having Jonathan cast a spell that turns him into a MartyStu. The moral has two halves; the first is that the spell creates an equally perfect evil opposite that torments people. This qualifies, since the only reason the evil opposite exists is that the writers put it there. The other half can be considered a type 1 version: in the real world, people ''aren't'' perfect, so claiming perfection is narcissistic. But if it really were possible to be perfect, claiming perfection is not narcissistic, merely realistic. "Genuine" perfection just isn't a good metaphor for imaginary perfection.
** Though it does have some relevancy with the idea that, by making Jonathan so great at everything, the spell also made everyone around him a little bit worse (i.e. Jonathan being a great demon fighter means Buffy is now a less capable and confidant Vampire Slayer, unsure how to save the day without Jonathan's help). OTOH, if that's the case, then isn't it also a case for Willow, or Giles, or Buffy herself? Or anyone who is above average in something?
** It also seems to be an example of the fairly standard Aesop NoChallengeEqualsNoSatisfaction - since Jonathan didn't have to work for his achievements they were ultimately hollow and built on sand.
** Also a BrokenAesop because Jonathan identifies Adam's one weakness (his nuclear power core), which is how Buffy later defeats him. The spell actually did give them an advantage they wouldn't have had otherwise.
** Though it does have some relevancy with the idea that, by making Jonathan so great at everything, the spell also made everyone around him a little bit worse (i.e. Jonathan being a great demon fighter means Buffy is now a less capable and confidant Vampire Slayer, unsure how to save the day without Jonathan's help). OTOH, if that's the case, then isn't it also a case for Willow, or Giles, or Buffy herself? Or anyone who is above average in something?
** It also seems to be an example of the fairly standard Aesop NoChallengeEqualsNoSatisfaction - since Jonathan didn't have to work for his achievements they were ultimately hollow and built on sand.
** Also a BrokenAesop because Jonathan identifies Adam's one weakness (his nuclear power core), which is how Buffy later defeats him. The spell actually did give them an advantage they wouldn't have had otherwise.
Deleted line(s) 121,124 (click to see context) :
* FantasticAesop: The moral seems to be "dreaming about being super-cool perfect is just selfish narcissism." The way it does it is by having Jonathan cast a spell that turns him into a MartyStu. The moral has two halves; the first is that the spell creates an equally perfect evil opposite that torments people. This qualifies, since the only reason the evil opposite exists is that the writers put it there. The other half can be considered a type 1 version: in the real world, people ''aren't'' perfect, so claiming perfection is narcissistic. But if it really were possible to be perfect, claiming perfection is not narcissistic, merely realistic. "Genuine" perfection just isn't a good metaphor for imaginary perfection.
** Though it does have some relevancy with the idea that, by making Jonathan so great at everything, the spell also made everyone around him a little bit worse (i.e. Jonathan being a great demon fighter means Buffy is now a less capable and confidant Vampire Slayer, unsure how to save the day without Jonathan's help). OTOH, if that's the case, then isn't it also a case for Willow, or Giles, or Buffy herself? Or anyone who is above average in something?
** It also seems to be an example of the fairly standard Aesop NoChallengeEqualsNoSatisfaction - since Jonathan didn't have to work for his achievements they were ultimately hollow and built on sand.
** Also a BrokenAesop because Jonathan identifies Adam's one weakness (his nuclear power core), which is how Buffy later defeats him. The spell actually did give them an advantage they wouldn't have had otherwise.
** Though it does have some relevancy with the idea that, by making Jonathan so great at everything, the spell also made everyone around him a little bit worse (i.e. Jonathan being a great demon fighter means Buffy is now a less capable and confidant Vampire Slayer, unsure how to save the day without Jonathan's help). OTOH, if that's the case, then isn't it also a case for Willow, or Giles, or Buffy herself? Or anyone who is above average in something?
** It also seems to be an example of the fairly standard Aesop NoChallengeEqualsNoSatisfaction - since Jonathan didn't have to work for his achievements they were ultimately hollow and built on sand.
** Also a BrokenAesop because Jonathan identifies Adam's one weakness (his nuclear power core), which is how Buffy later defeats him. The spell actually did give them an advantage they wouldn't have had otherwise.
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* BackstoryInvader: Though Jonathan ''was'' a character prior to this episode, the way he inserts himself into the action created a template for later, straighter uses of this trope (such as Series/{{Torchwood}}'s "Adam").
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Changed line(s) 169 (click to see context) from:
* SpottingTheThread: Buffy realizes that Jonathan's heroics don't square with established facts, despite everyone remembering them. There's no reason he should be that much better at vampire hunting than the Slayer, for example, and he starred in ''Film/TheMatrix'' without leaving town.
to:
* SpottingTheThread: SpottingTheThread:
** When Jonathan advises the Initiative on how to fight Adam, he makes an astute observation: while they've known Adam to kill, he doesn't seem to eat anything. This led him to realize that his power source is mechanical, not biological - and this information helps Buffy kill him later on.
** Buffy realizes that Jonathan's heroics don't square with established facts, despite everyone remembering them. There's no reason he should be that much better at vampire hunting than the Slayer, for example, and he starred in ''Film/TheMatrix'' without leaving town.
** When Jonathan advises the Initiative on how to fight Adam, he makes an astute observation: while they've known Adam to kill, he doesn't seem to eat anything. This led him to realize that his power source is mechanical, not biological - and this information helps Buffy kill him later on.
** Buffy realizes that Jonathan's heroics don't square with established facts, despite everyone remembering them. There's no reason he should be that much better at vampire hunting than the Slayer, for example, and he starred in ''Film/TheMatrix'' without leaving town.
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* AloneWithThePsycho: Buffy goes off alone with Jonathan to hunt the demon. Then the Scoobies discover that if Buffy kills the demon, Jonathan's alternate universe will collapse.
to:
* AloneWithThePsycho: Buffy goes off alone with Jonathan to hunt the demon. Then the Scoobies discover that if Buffy kills the demon, Jonathan's alternate universe will collapse. Ultimately subverted, as Jonathan really just wants to help.
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Fixed ZCE
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** Xander gripes that Anya [[WrongNameOutburst said Jonathan's name during sex]] (who wouldn't?). When Buffy and Riley are [[SealedWithAKiss kissing at the end]], Buffy lets slip an "Mmmm, Jonathan!"
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** Xander gripes that Anya [[WrongNameOutburst said Jonathan's name during sex]] (who wouldn't?).sex]]. When Buffy and Riley are [[SealedWithAKiss kissing at the end]], Buffy lets slip an "Mmmm, Jonathan!"
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* WrongNameOutburst: See BrickJoke.
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* WrongNameOutburst: See BrickJoke.WrongNameOutburst:
** Xander gripes that Anya said Jonathan's name during sex.
** When Buffy and Riley are [[SealedWithAKiss kissing at the end]], Buffy lets slip an [[BrickJoke "Mmmm, Jonathan!"]]
** Xander gripes that Anya said Jonathan's name during sex.
** When Buffy and Riley are [[SealedWithAKiss kissing at the end]], Buffy lets slip an [[BrickJoke "Mmmm, Jonathan!"]]
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removed flame bait.
Deleted line(s) 140 (click to see context) :
* MartyStu: [[JustifiedTrope Justified]]. It's Jonathan, and he really is that great. Also, there was magic involved. [[invoked]]
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* OutOfCharacterMoment: When the comment "scampered away like a bunny" was made, Anya doesn't react. Creator/JaneEspenson notes that it is because at this point they hadn't decided to make Anya's fear of rabbits a running gag.
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* ShoutOut: The ''Film/JamesBond'' tux and music.
to:
* ShoutOut: ShoutOut:
** The ''Film/JamesBond'' tux and music.
** The ''Film/JamesBond'' tux and music.
Changed line(s) 165 (click to see context) from:
* SmartPeoplePlayChess: During the Scooby MissionBriefing, the brilliant Jonathan takes time out to checkmate Giles.
to:
* SmartPeoplePlayChess: During One of the Scooby MissionBriefing, first things we see the brilliant new suave Jonathan takes time out doing is beating Giles at chess while simultaneously teaching slaying strategy to checkmate Giles.the rest of the Scoobies.
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* DoubleStandardRapeSciFi: Jonathan brainwashing twins into having sex with him is overlooked and at the end he just mentions that they left his mansion.
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* RetargetedLust: implied. Anya asks Xander for sex while watching Jonathan on stage.
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Directed by Creator/DavidGrossman
Written by Creator/JaneEspenson & Creator/DouglasPetrie
Written by Creator/JaneEspenson & Creator/DouglasPetrie
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Changed line(s) 99 (click to see context) from:
* EquivalentExchange: By turning himself into a paragon of all that is good, Jonathan also creates a demon that is totally evil.
to:
* EquivalentExchange: By turning Jonathan magically turns himself into a an amazing paragon of all that is good, Jonathan who effectively takes over Buffy's role as hero. Unfortunately, the spell also creates a demon that is totally evil.homicidal monster not even he can beat.
-->'''Giles''': In order to balance the new force of good, the spell has to create the opposing force of evil - the worst of everything, everyone's nightmare.
-->'''Giles''': In order to balance the new force of good, the spell has to create the opposing force of evil - the worst of everything, everyone's nightmare.
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Changed line(s) 159 (click to see context) from:
* SmokeOut: Tara does this with magic to escape the demon.
to:
* SmokeOut: Tara does this with magic to escape against a demon. She'd taken over the demon.DamselInDistress role, so was more interested in escaping demons than fighting them.
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* AudienceSurrogate: Rather oddly, Adam takes on the role as he's immune to the spell and confused at this Jonathan person suddenly being so huge.
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Changed line(s) 57 (click to see context) from:
* AlwaysSecondBest: Buffy is nervous about the prospect of fighting more than two vampires, and [[TheChick the other Scoobies have trouble respecting her ideas]]. Understandable when you're overshadowed by the amazing Jonathan.
to:
* AlwaysSecondBest: Buffy is nervous about the prospect of fighting more than two vampires, and [[TheChick the other Scoobies have trouble respecting her ideas]]. ideas because she's never really had a chance to prove herself. Understandable when you're [[OvershadowedByAwesome overshadowed by the amazing Jonathan.Jonathan]].
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Changed line(s) 110 (click to see context) from:
* TheFifties: Mostly during the Bronze sequence. Everything has an eerie "fifties" feeling. Note the Teddy Boy handing the mike over to Jonathan on stage. The tune ''Serenade in Blue'', however, is a Glenn Miller tune, made popular as early as ''1941''.
to:
* TheFifties: Mostly during the Bronze sequence. Everything has an eerie "fifties" feeling. Note the Teddy Boy handing the mike over to Jonathan on stage. The tune ''Serenade in Blue'', however, is a Glenn Miller Music/GlennMiller tune, made popular as early as ''1941''.
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* FantasticAesop: The moral seems to be "dreaming about being super-cool perfect is just selfish narcissism." The way it does it is by having Jonathan cast a spell that turns him into a MartyStu. The moral has two halves; the first is that the spell creates an equally perfect evil opposite that torments people. This qualifies, since the only reason the evil opposite exists is that the writers put it there. The other half can be considered a type 1 version: in the real world, people ''aren't'' perfect, so claiming perfection is narcissistic. But if it really were possible to be perfect, claiming perfection is not narcissistic, merely realistic. "Genuine" perfection just isn't a good metaphor for imaginary perfection.
** Though it does have some relevancy with the idea that, by making Jonathan so great at everything, the spell also made everyone around him a little bit worse (i.e. Jonathan being a great demon fighter means Buffy is now a less capable and confidant Vampire Slayer, unsure how to save the day without Jonathan's help). OTOH, if that's the case, then isn't it also a case for Willow, or Giles, or Buffy herself? Or anyone who is above average in something?
** It also seems to be an example of the fairly standard Aesop NoChallengeEqualsNoSatisfaction - since Jonathan didn't have to work for his achievements they were ultimately hollow and built on sand.
** Also a BrokenAesop because Jonathan identifies Adam's one weakness (his nuclear power core), which is how Buffy later defeats him. The spell actually did give them an advantage they wouldn't have had otherwise.
** Though it does have some relevancy with the idea that, by making Jonathan so great at everything, the spell also made everyone around him a little bit worse (i.e. Jonathan being a great demon fighter means Buffy is now a less capable and confidant Vampire Slayer, unsure how to save the day without Jonathan's help). OTOH, if that's the case, then isn't it also a case for Willow, or Giles, or Buffy herself? Or anyone who is above average in something?
** It also seems to be an example of the fairly standard Aesop NoChallengeEqualsNoSatisfaction - since Jonathan didn't have to work for his achievements they were ultimately hollow and built on sand.
** Also a BrokenAesop because Jonathan identifies Adam's one weakness (his nuclear power core), which is how Buffy later defeats him. The spell actually did give them an advantage they wouldn't have had otherwise.
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Changed line(s) 6,7 (click to see context) from:
[[caption-width-right:350:"Sounds like you could use my help."]]
to:
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Changed line(s) 140 (click to see context) from:
* ResetButton: ZigZaggedTrope. The death of the demon reverts reality back to normal, and memories of the events fade away over the next few days. (Such a shame.) But Jonathan's advice to Buffy and Riley, [[spoiler: and his theory about how to stop Adam]], still hold up.
to:
* ResetButton: ZigZaggedTrope. The death of the demon reverts reality back to normal, and memories of the events fade away over the next few days. (Such a shame.) But Jonathan's advice to Buffy and Riley, [[spoiler: and his theory about how to stop Adam]], Adam, still hold up.
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Changed line(s) 149 (click to see context) from:
** A CentralTheme of this episode, most prominently lampshaded by Xander, is that of "take away the life lie and take away the happiness", known from the Ibsen play ''Theatre/TheWildDuck''. Once again, Whedon exploits his knowledge of Ibsen.
to:
** A CentralTheme of this episode, most prominently lampshaded by Xander, is that of "take away "deprive the life lie average human being of his life-lie, and take away the you rob him of his happiness", known from the Ibsen play ''Theatre/TheWildDuck''. Once again, Whedon exploits his knowledge of Ibsen. The "average man" in question is, of course, Xander, but also Jonathan, who created a life lie for everyone to make himself happy.
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** A CentralTheme of this episode, most prominently lampshaded by Xander, is that of "take away the life lie and take away the happiness", known from the Ibsen play ''Theatre/TheWildDuck''. Once again, Whedon exploits his knowledge of Ibsen.
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* BigBrotherIsWatching: Referenced when Buffy walks past a number of posters, all showing Jonathan with a stern look. In this universe, the man controls ''everything''.
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* TheFifties: Mostly during the Bronze sequence. Everything has an eerie "fifties" feeling. Note the Teddy Boy handing the mike over to Jonathan on stage. The tune ''Serenade in Blue'', however, is a Glenn Miller tune, made popular as early as ''1941''.
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* PowerAtAPrice: Jonathan's spell makes him everyone's greatest dream, but [[EquivalentExchange balance the scales]] creates a monster which is everyone's worst nightmare.
to:
* PowerAtAPrice: Jonathan's spell makes him everyone's greatest dream, but to [[EquivalentExchange balance the scales]] creates a monster which is everyone's worst nightmare.
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Changed line(s) 1,4 (click to see context) from:
->'''Xander:''' ''"So we're saying he made a spell just to make us ''think'' he was cool?"''
->'''Giles:''' ''"Yes."''
->'''Xander:''' ''"That is so cool!"''
->'''Giles:''' ''"Yes."''
->'''Xander:''' ''"That is so cool!"''
to:
->'''Xander:''' ''"So So we're saying he made did a spell just to make us ''think'' he was cool?"''
->'''Giles:''' ''"Yes."''
->'''Xander:''' ''"Thatcool?\\
'''Giles:''' Yes.\\
'''Xander:''' That is socool!"''
cool!
->'''Giles:''' ''"Yes."''
->'''Xander:''' ''"That
'''Giles:''' Yes.\\
'''Xander:''' That is so
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Changed line(s) 138 (click to see context) from:
* ResetButton: The death of the demon reverts reality back to normal, and memories of the events fade away over the next few days. Such a shame.
to:
* ResetButton: ZigZaggedTrope. The death of the demon reverts reality back to normal, and memories of the events fade away over the next few days. Such (Such a shame.) But Jonathan's advice to Buffy and Riley, [[spoiler: and his theory about how to stop Adam]], still hold up.
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Changed line(s) 57 (click to see context) from:
* AlwaysSecondBest: Buffy is nervous about the prospect of fighting more than two vampires, and the other Scoobies have trouble respecting her ideas. Understandable when you're overshadowed by the amazing Jonathan.
to:
* AlwaysSecondBest: Buffy is nervous about the prospect of fighting more than two vampires, and [[TheChick the other Scoobies have trouble respecting her ideas.ideas]]. Understandable when you're overshadowed by the amazing Jonathan.
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Changed line(s) 6,7 (click to see context) from:
[[caption-width-right:284:"Sounds like you could use my help."]]
to:
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The Scoobies are having trouble with a nest of vampires, so they turn to... Jonathan?! (The one and only!)
to:
At the crypt, Jonathan slays the majority of the vampires,
While putting pictures of Jonathan up on a wall, Willow and Tara talk about the fight earlier that night and Buffy's relationship with Riley.
At Riley's dorm room, Riley tells Buffy he is feeling better and is no longer taking the drugs that the Initiative was feeding him. His superiors tell him that the food at the Initiative is no longer doctored, but to be sure, Riley no longer eats it. Buffy jokes about her poor basketball skills as a way to cover the fact that any time he tries to touch her, she moves away. She leaves, cutting the conversation short.
Buffy meets Jonathan at the Espresso Pump to get relationship advice. Jonathan thinks Buffy is still angry with Riley for sleeping with Faith while she had swapped bodies with Buffy. Jonathan advises Buffy to forgive Riley for not realizing that he was really sleeping with Faith, instead of her. While they are talking, one of Jonathan's fans, named Karen, asks him to sign a copy of his book for her.
Colonel George Haviland is the new commander at The Initiative, but he yields to Jonathan, who is consulting with the Initiative on how to find and
Outside Jonathan's mansion, the fan from the coffee shop, Karen, is trying to get another glimpse of the amazing Jonathan and uses binoculars to peer in his windows. While spying, she is attacked by a grotesque, long-armed monster in the rain, but manages to escape and run away, terrified.
At the Initiative headquarters, Riley seeks advice from Jonathan about his relationship with Buffy. Riley echoes the same concerns that Buffy expressed to Jonathan earlier at the coffee shop. As he tells Riley not to worry, that "people don't always see what's in front of them," Jonathan nonchalantly dons a blindfold and raises a pistol to shoot apples off the heads of three Initiative commandos.
At The Bronze, Jonathan sings on stage, Rat Pack style, while Buffy and Riley take the dance floor. When Jonathan finishes his song and plays his trumpet ("something from the new album!" exclaims Tara), Xander and Anya, very turned on by Jonathan, leave to have sex. Buffy lets Riley know that she forgives him and wants to move on with their relationship. A still terrified Karen goes to The Bronze to find Jonathan, who comforts her and takes her to his mansion for her safety. Buffy and Riley follow.
At the mansion, Karen describes the monster, "it was ugly... big... ugly!" She draws a picture of a triangular symbol on its forehead. Jonathan recognizes the symbol, but underplays its significance. He says the monster is little more than an animal and not harmful, and promises to take care of the matter. As Jonathan leaves to take Karen home, Buffy looks puzzled, noticing his evasiveness.
Adam sits in front of several television sets at his lair. When he sees Jonathan on the screens, he knows at once that "these are lies" and that Jonathan has cast a spell. Adam claims to be "more awake and alive" than any human or demon has ever been. He sees no need to do anything about Jonathan because "these magics are unstable."
At Jonathan's mansion, twin blond Swedish girls, Inga and Ilsa, call for Jonathan to come back to bed. He drops his robe to reveal a triangular symbol on his shoulder, just like the one on the monster that Karen had described.
Buffy, Willow and Tara are walking on campus. Buffy says that Jonathan seemed scared when he recognized the symbol. Willow protests that Jonathan is never scared. To prove his bravery, Willow reminds Buffy that Buffy had presented Jonathan with a class protector award at their senior prom. Tara then leaves Buffy and Willow to go her dorm room. On the way to her room, Tara is attacked by the same monster that had attacked Karen. She confuses it with a spell and hides in a supply closet. The next morning, Tara identifies the demon by the symbol on its head, and Buffy has even more reasons to question Jonathan.
Buffy stops by Xander's place. He is not there, but Anya lets her in. Xander has a collection of Jonathan comic books and trading cards. Buffy questions how Jonathan could be so perfect. She asks Anya if a person could wish that the whole world would be different. Based on her experience as a vengeance demon, Anya answers yes. Anya then illustrates her point to Buffy by describing how an entire world could exist without shrimp, "...even entire worlds with nothing but shrimp!"
Buffy calls a Scooby meeting at Giles' place, where she expresses doubts about Jonathan. She does not know how he starred in "The Matrix" without ever leaving Sunnydale, or how he graduated from medical school when he's only 18 ("...effective time management," Xander proclaims to defend his idol). She asks the group if Jonathan might not be too perfect, but none of them can see her point. Even Riley thinks her ideas sound like nonsense, but "having learned to trust her," he encourages everyone to follow her lead, in spite of the scoobie's lack of trust in her abilities compared to Jonathan's. They look at Giles' copy of Jonathan's swimsuit calendar to see the monster's mark on his shoulder. Jonathan arrives and explains that he does have a history with the monster and becomes confused every time he faces it. He says that he had the monster's mark tattooed on him so that he "would not underestimate it next time."
Buffy suggests that the two of them go after the monster. Jonathan says it has probably left town, but agrees to try to find it with Buffy. While searching a cemetery, Jonathan and Buffy meet Spike. Buffy threatens Spike, telling him that the butchers in town respect Jonathan, and Spike might get "kinda thirsty" if he doesn't give them some information. Spike tells them several vampires have been kicked out of a cave by something "probably pretty big."
Back at Giles' place, Willow finds the mark in a book and learns that Jonathan did an Augmentation spell to make himself a paragon of all that is ideal and great. The downside is that the spell must create an opposing force of evil to balance the new force of good. Giles concludes that if Jonathan's monster were killed, the spell would be broken and the world, including Jonathan, would revert to "whatever he was before." Anya says that Jonathan will not want Buffy to "get very far."
Jonathan and Buffy go to the cave mentioned by Spike. They see a deep pit. Jonathan reaches for Buffy's hand, and for a moment it appears he may intend to push her into the pit. Instead, he grasps her wrist and reminds her that they are hunting a monster. The monster appears and knocks Jonathan out.
At Giles' place, the gang considers what the world would be like if the spell were broken. Willow can't believe that Buffy was actually right, and Xander dislikes the idea. Giles says the world will be "pretty much the same" except that "our Jonathan" won't be in it, making them all sad. Riley is afraid that if Buffy can't kill the monster, they will be stuck "in this wrong world" forever.
Back at the cave, Jonathan recovers and attacks the monster, but with little effect. He tells Buffy that she will have to do the fighting; he explains that the more she hurts the monster, the more Jonathan will succumb to his true nature. Buffy's fighting skills suddenly improve. The monster almost knocks her into the pit, but Jonathan tackles it from behind and both of them fall in. Buffy grabs Jonathan's ankle, saving him, while the monster falls.
A band of white light passes through Sunnydale, erasing all the signs of Jonathan's celebrity. The next day, under a tree on the UC Sunnydale campus, the Scoobies reflect on how things are changed. Xander misses the way Jonathan made him feel about himself. Riley says that, in the alternate reality, he felt "way too tall." Buffy sees Jonathan standing alone at a distance and walks over to join him. Jonathan explains that he learned the spell from a boy he met during counseling after his attempted suicide. "He glossed right over the monster," Jonathan says. Buffy warns him not to "try to make everything work out with some big gesture all at once." She says "things are complicated; they take time and work." She basically gives him back the advice he gave to her earlier about mending her relationship with Riley.
Buffy and Riley are kissing on his bed, both happy that things are better between them. Buffy jokingly moans, "Jonathan."
