Line #164 Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS3E5Homecoming


1	[[quoteright:295:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/buffy_homecoming_4411.jpg]]
2
3	->''"I thought, Homecoming Queen, I could open a yearbook someday and say, 'I was there, I went to high school and had friends and for just one minute I got to live in the world.' And there'd be proof. Proof I was chosen for something other than this. Besides, I look cute in a tiara."''
4	-->--'''Buffy Summers'''
5
6	Directed by Creator/DavidGreenwalt
7
8	Written by Greenwalt, Creator/JaneEspenson, & Creator/DouglasPetrie
9
10	This is the final ''Buffy'' episode penned by David Greenwalt, as he shifted his attention to preparing ''Series/{{Angel}}'' for the following season. Aww. Bye, David! As a parting gift, he left us a catfight episode which makes ''Series/{{Dynasty\|1981}}'' look like ''Series/LittleHouseOnThePrairie''.
11
12	The Scoobies decide to share a limo for their last Homecoming dance. Scott hasn't asked Buffy, but after some arm-twisting agrees to go. The next day, Scott breaks up with Buffy because he finds her too distracted all the time now, which she admits is true (for example, rehabilitating Angel in his mansion). She promises to do better, but Scott's fed up.
13
14	Buffy is bummed that her entire high school career will come down to one picture on 1/8th of a page, but Willow and Xander tell her that even that won't be there, since she missed getting her picture taken for the Yearbook. They tell her that Cordelia was supposed to give her the message. Buffy confronts Cordy, who couldn't care less, because it's not about herself. That does it. An enraged Buffy decides to run for Homecoming Queen against Cordy. Meanwhile, Mr. Trick has organized [=SlayerFest=] '98, a competition in which its participants (for a modest fee) get to hunt the two slayers, and the winner takes all the money. The competitors are a demon who can create bone blades from his forearms, a human hunter, two German brothers working with an older man in a wheelchair, and Lyle Gorch (from "[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS2E12BadEggs Bad Eggs]]") along his bride Candy.
15
16	When the limo arrives at Buffy's house, she gets in to discover not Faith, who was scheduled to be the first to be picked up, but rather Cordelia alone, holding a note from their friends saying that they want her and Cordelia to make up on the expensive ride, so they will be forced to spend some time alone together. When the driver stops at their destination, they are surprised to discover not Sunnydale High, but a shack and some woods. The pair fight off their adversaries and run to the school. Meanwhile, Trick is dragged away from his monitor room by two policemen.
17
18	Buffy and Cordelia make their way to the library, only to find Giles knocked out and the Gorchs waiting for them. During the fight, Candy is dusted thanks to a spatula that Cordelia acquired. Lyle is infuriated and is ready to kill the two, but Cordelia finally asserts herself and scares Lyle away when the chips are down. Buffy realizes the corsages they got in the limo were electronic tracking devices. She puts them on the German brothers, who target and kill each other with their high-tech equipment, each thinking they're targeting one of the Slayers.
19
20	The policemen bring Mr. Trick to the office of Mayor Wilkins, who tells Trick that he needs to control rebellious youth elements during this election year. Mr. Trick, knowing the Mayor means business, agrees to join his administration.
21
22	A bedraggled Buffy and Cordelia arrive at the Homecoming dance just in time for the announcement of Homecoming Queen-- but it turns out the tie was between two other competitors. Buffy and Cordelia, united in their disgust, walk out.
23
24	!!Tropes:
25	* ActorAllusion: During one of their many many spats Cordelia mentions Advertising/TheBurgerKing commercials Creator/SarahMichelleGellar did when she was young.
26	* ATeamFiring: Buffy grabs a pair of antlers off the wall and starts sparring with Kulak as Cordy hilariously whacks away with the spatula. Buffy barks at Cordy to grab the gun. She does, but her aim is atrocious, and she can't handle the kick from it either. Buffy changes her mind.
27	-->'''Buffy:''' Cordelia, the spatula.
28	* AllElectionsAreSeriousBusiness: Buffy and Cordelia's spats over homecoming get simply caustic. And Mr. Trick asks the Mayor if he's being recruited because is election year.
29	* AllForNothing: After surviving the ordeal, neither Buffy, nor Cordelia wins the Homecoming Queen. Their faces say it all.
30	* AllYourBaseAreBelongToUs[=/=][[IHaveYourWife We Have Your Watcher]]: Buffy plans to escape to the library with Cordelia and assemble some weapons. Unfortunately, Lyle Gorch already has the book cage open and has found the weapons stash. Pan down to Giles, lying facedown on the floor (i.e. his natural habitat).
31	* AnguishedDeclarationOfLove: While trapped in the shack, Cordelia says that if she dies she'll never find out if her love for Xander is the real thing. Buffy is somewhat surprised; "Do you really love Xander?" Cordelia replies, "He grows on you. Like a chia pet."
32	* AuthorAppeal: Willow's "I'm a rabid dog who should be shot!" line comes from an offhand jest commonly attributed to David Greenwalt about actors in general.
33	* BadassBoast: Gorch comes to his wife's rescue -- just in time to see the spatula handle firmly imbedded in her heart. Gorch cries, "Candy!" but she's dust. He roars that he's about to [[IllKillYou kill both Buffy and Cordelia]], but Cordy -- aware that he's mistaken her for Faith -- gets in his face, giving him a speech that amounts to "[[Film/DirtyHarry Do you feel lucky, punk?]]" She manages to bluff well enough that even Gorch thinks better of taking her on.
34	-->'''Cordelia:''' See, in the end, Buffy's just the runner-up; [[MeaningfulEcho I'm the Queen]]. You get me mad, what do you think '''I'm''' gonna do to you?
35	-->'''Gorch''' [beat] [[VillainExitStageLeft Later.]]
36	* BaitAndSwitch: The tie... which turns out ''not'' to be Buffy and Cordelia sharing the Homecoming Queen crown and engaging in a GoldenMoment, but rather the ''other'' two contestants.
37	* BaitAndSwitchComment:
38	** The LockedInARoom ploy appears to have forced Buffy and Cordelia to discuss their rivalry, but it turns out they're still griping over the corsages.
39	** "We are gonna get out of here, and we are gonna head back to the library, where Giles and the rest of the weapons live. Then I'm gonna take out the rest of these guys just in time for you...to congratulate me on my ''sweeping'' victory as Homecoming Queen."
40	* BearTrap: Buffy, at a warning from Cordy, narrowly avoids getting her foot caught in a bear trap laid by Frawley (the poacher). He moves to shoot them, but Buffy throws the trap at him, causing him to lose his balance and [[HoistByHisOwnPetard step into another trap]].
41	-->'''Buffy:''' ''[[ThatsGottaHurt That's]]'' [[ThatsGottaHurt gotta smart.]]
42	* BigBad: Meet Richard Wilkins, Mayor of Sunnydale. Actually, that explains a ''lot''.
43	* TheBigBoard: Buffy gives a Patton speech to the Scoobies wherein she says that the Homecoming crown will be "won or lost in the trenches." We see that she's standing in front of a huge whiteboard on which she's listed the strengths and weaknesses of the other three candidates, which include "wears polyester", "dandruff", "bad skin" and "too much make-up.".
44	* BountyHunter: Each of Trick's contestants puts up an entry fee to enter the game. The winner gets the whole stash.
45	* BladeBelowTheShoulder: Kulak's forearms produce bone blades which he employs as throwing weapons.
46	* BlandNameProduct: Buffy's "APPLE" brand juice.
47	* BrandX: Cordelia's attempt to bond with some nerds by mentioning the "[[Franchise/StarTrek Vulcan]] [[PressurePoint Death Grip]]"
48	* BribingYourWayToVictory: Buffy's list of Cordelia's strengths includes, "[[ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney Has Money To Buy Votes]]."
49	-->'''Cordelia:''' Buffy! You look ''so'' cute in that outfit.
50	-->'''Buffy:''' I'm not voting for you.
51	-->'''Cordelia:''' [curtly] Then make it snappy.
52	* BuffySpeak
53	** Cordy and Willow want to order a limo for the dance. Xander's worried about the cost. "You wanna talk fun? ''Public bus.'' You meet the funnest people."
54	** Xander and Willow rationalizing their sudden kiss as being the fault of the formal wear. "It's a clothes fluke, that's what it is! And there'll be ''no more'' fluking!"
55	* CarnivalOfKillers: Mr. Trick's idea to get rid of the Slayers.
56	* ChekhovsGun:
57	** Backstage at [=SlayerFest=], Frawley is testing a bear trap. He sticks a mannequin leg into it, and the jaws instantly snap shut, shattering the leg.
58	** [[TrackingDevice Buffy and Cordelia's corsages]].
59	** Once inside the shack, Buffy begins running around and closing the window shutters. Those will be useful in a minute, though not in the way that she intended.
60	** The spatula of doom.
61	* ComicallySmallBribe: Buffy tries to get Jonathan's vote, but he replies that Cordelia gave him six bucks. Maybe if she [[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS3E18Earshot saved his life]] he'd vote for her.
62	* ContinuityNod:
63	** Buffy concedes that she's not popular. But she's not exactly '''[[DamnedByFaintPraise un]]'''popular!
64	--->'''Buffy:''' A ''lot'' of people came to my Welcome Home party.
65	--->'''Willow:''' But they were eaten by zombies.
66	** Mrs. Gorch says she wants to kill Buffy as a "wedding present for what happened to your poor brother." (in [[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS2E12BadEggs "Bad Eggs"]])
67	** Buffy is still looking for a faculty member to approve her reentry to Sunnydale High, a condition Principal Snyder set down in "Faith, Hope and Trick". No mention is made of this in later episodes, however.
68	** When Buffy mentions Giles, Angel looks guilty, what with killing Giles' girlfriend in "Passion" and torturing him for information in "Becoming".
69	* ConversationCut
70	-->'''Willow:''' This is just...
71	-->''(Cut to Willow's room later that afternoon. She paces behind Xander.)''
72	-->'''Willow:''' ...the worst thing that's ever happened. Ever!
73	** TwistedEchoCut also applies, as they're talking about their mutual infidelity, not the Buffy/Cordy spat. Ironically the conversation shifts to the spat after all.
74	* CreepyTwins: The Gruenstalher Twins.
75	* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass: Slayer!Cordy
76	* CutHisHeartOutWithASpoon: Lampshaded by Cordelia while she's in the midst of ruining all of Gorch's ultimatums.
77	-->'''Lyle:''' [furious] I'm gonna--!!
78	-->'''Cordelia:''' Rip out my innards, play with my eyeballs, boil my brain and eat it for brunch?
79	* CutPhoneLines: Buffy tries to phone Giles from the shack, but the Old Man zeroes in on her call.
80	* CuteClumsyGirl: To gather more votes, Buffy cunningly [[ExploitedTrope adopts this persona]] ('accidentally' dropping a folder in front of boys) to chat them up.
81	* DamnedByFaintPraise: Buffy concedes that she's not popular. But she's not exactly '''un'''popular!
82	-->'''Buffy''': A ''lot'' of people came to my Welcome Home party.
83	-->'''Willow''': But they were eaten by zombies.
84	* DanceOfRomance[=/=]ICantDance: Xander teaching Willow how to slow dance.
85	* DarkHorseVictory: Buffy and Cordelia dismiss Holly and Michelle as major Homecoming Queen contenders, and the two have perhaps a minute of combined screen time in their episode. However, when two girls tie for the Homecoming Queen Crown, they're Holly and Michelle, and not Buffy and Cordelia.
86	* DeathByIrony[=/=]FriendOrFoe: As the Gruenstahlers approach the library, the Old Man tracks the girls' movements. Buffy rises from a hiding spot in the corner. She throws a wad of wet toilet paper with the transmitters onto his back, where it sticks. The Old Man gives them new coordinates. The twin in the hall starts firing, and the one in the classroom returns the favor. They both riddle each other with bullets.
87	* DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment:
88	** Buffy accosting the traitorous Willow, who's jumpier than usual. "Hi! How are you? You good? You look good. Anything new? Hey, did I mention you look good?"
89	** Cordelia denouncing the bounty hunters. "Those animals! Hunting us down like poor defenseless-- well, animals!"
90	* DescriptionCut:
91	** Buffy breaks the news to Angel that she's seeing someone. "He's a nice, solid guy. He makes me happy. And that's what I need right now. Someone I can count on." I smell irony coming. We cut to Scott: "I don't think we should see each other anymore."
92	** Xander glumly noting that Buffy and Cordy have been gone for a while. "They must really be [[CatFight getting into it]]." Cut to the girls barricading themselves inside a run-down shack.
93	* DoomedNewClothes: With Homecoming nearly over and Buffy and Cordelia nowhere in sight, Xander asks "what's keeping them?" The pair finally emerge, covered in bruises and their dresses ruined.
94	-->'''Oz:''' I'm gonna go with mud wrestling.
95	* DoubleEntendre / GirlOnGirlIsHot: When asked where Buffy is, Xander reports she and Faith are in the library "gettin' all sweateh." They're training, Cordy corrects him.
96	-->'''Xander:''' "I stand by my phrase."
97	* DramaticGunCock: Buffy with Frawley's pump-action rifle (twice -- no wonder she ran out of bullets).
98	* DramaticIrony:
99	** Buffy seems to have a renewed respect for Cordy by the end of the episode. "Tell you one thing, though. You don't want to mess with Cordelia." Xander laughs nervously as he pictures Cordy [[Film/{{Creepshow}} wearing his balls for earrings]].
100	** Buffy's favorite teacher has a class on "Contemporary American Heroes". [[HeroWithBadPublicity She can't even remember Buffy's name]].
101	** Mr. Trick organizes [=SlayerFest ’98=] because competition is a beautiful thing that makes people strive and try to win. The competitors are trounced by the TeethClenchedTeamwork of Buffy and Cordelia, because they keep falling into each others traps or actively working against each other.
102	* EerilyOutOfPlaceObject: The television set in the middle of the woods. As soon as Buffy and Cordelia see it, it immediately tips the off that something is dreadfully wrong. Then they decide to play the tape...
103	* EstablishingCharacterMoment: A female voice tells the Deputy Mayor, Allan, that the Mayor will see him now, and with all the build-up the audience is probably expecting Hannibal Lecter. Instead, what we get is closer to Burl Ives; nevertheless, Allan is practically [[NothingIsScarier wetting his pants]] in Wilkins' presence. Wilkins is also really gabby about [[NeatFreak cleanliness and germs]].
104	* EtTuBrute: PlayedForLaughs when a smug Buffy aligns the Scoobies against Cordelia, only for all three to defect to Cordy's camp in an instant.
105	-->'''Xander:''' She's my girlfriend. [leaves]
106	-->'''Willow''' It's just that she needs it so much more than you do! [follows Xander]
107	-->'''Oz:''' As Willow goes, so goes my nation. [follows Willow]
108	* EvilBrit / EvilCripple / EvilOldFolks: The Old Man runs the gamut.
109	* EvilerThanThou: Just as [=SlayerFest=] is heating up, Trick is dragged out of his lair by policemen. The cops bring Trick to the office of Mayor Wilkins, who tells Trick that he needs to control "rebellious" elements during this important year.
110	* FailedASpotCheck: Cordelia has been raiding the shack for weapons, but all she's found is a spatula. And a telephone, but Cordy ditzes that a spatula would make a much better weapon. Buffy gives her a "get a clue, you dolt" look.
111	* FantasticRacism: Invoked by Mr Trick.
112	-->'''Trick:''' If this is the part where you tell me that I don't fit in here in your quiet little neighborhood, you can just skip it 'cause, see, that all got old long before I became a vampire. Do you know what I'm saying?
113	* {{Foreshadowing}}:
114	** On the subject of clean nails, Wilkins reminisces, "My dear mother said cleanliness is next to [[AGodAmI godliness]], and I believed her. She never caught a cold." Wise words, [[spoiler: which - if you've seen the entire season - Wilkins seem to have took a bit too literally.]]
115	** The officers show Mr. Trick into the Mayor's office. The Mayor makes it clear that he knows all about Mr. Trick, [=SlayerFest=], and so on. He tells Mr. Trick that he likes things to run smoothly, and that it's an important year for him. "Election year?" quips Mr. Trick. The Mayor: "Something like that."
116	** For [[spoiler: "Band Candy" and "Graduation Day".]] The Mayor says, "The children are our future. We need them. '''I''' need them."
117	** The Mayor telling Finch, "You have all my faith."
118	** Buffy [[spoiler: finally gets her perfect high-school moment in "The Prom".]]
119	* FoodAsBribe: Buffy and Cordelia are shamelessly pandering for votes for the Homecoming Queen. Rival contestant Holly offers a cookie only for Buffy to barge in front of her and hand out large cupcakes. Cordelia then appears handing out baskets of chocolates, taking the cupcakes and throwing them in the trash.
120	* FreezeFrameBonus: Buffy's whiteboard lists the competition's strengths and weaknesses. One of Cordy's weaknesses is "BRIE." Another is "XANDER."
121	* FullNameUltimatum: Used teasingly by Willow when Xander asks her how far she and Oz have gotten.
122	* FurAndLoathing: Frawley. And Lyle Gorch's wife, Candy, wears a [[PinkMeansFeminine pink]] fur trim.
123	* AGlassInTheHand: When the other Scoobies abandon her for Cordelia's campaign Buffy insists to Giles that it's still just fun and nothing serious...and then grips her glass water bottle so hard it shatters.
124	* GloryDays: [[InvokedTrope Invoked]] by Cordelia, who questions whether Buffy's need to relive her past gives her the right to "splinter [Cordy's] vote."
125	* GrenadeLauncher: The twins fire a grenade at the shack, which only manages to [[FriendOrFoe blow Kulak to bits]].
126	* GrenadeTag: Played with in the case of the toilet paper.
127	* HandsOnApproach: Willow worries about her dancing ability, so Xander proceeds to take her hands, ballroom-style. It's now a foregone conclusion that they'll kiss, which they do. They then jerk away and start spazzing out, agreeing that the kiss was a "clothes fluke," right before almost kissing again. Xander says [[ThatCameOutWrong they have to get out of their clothes]]. Realizing the innuendo, they spaz yet again and run away from each other.
128	* HatesBeingTouched: Cordelia tries to shove past Buffy, who coldly tells her ''never'' to do that again.
129	* HardWorkMontage[=/=]LockAndLoadMontage: As Fastball's "Fire Escape" plays in the background, we see Buffy and Cordelia getting out the vote as Mr. Trick's contestants assemble their weapons.
130	* HeartInTheWrongPlace: By far the worst example of this in the entire series, apparently Candy Gorch's heart is in her ''stomach''.
131	* HoistByHisOwnPetard:
132	** Buffy, moments after hurling Frawley's trap back at him, threatens him with his own rifle. Frawley then gets trapped by his own bear trap.
133	** Later, she turns the Germans' tech against them, getting them to shoot each other.
134	* HomoeroticSubtext: After being dumped by her boyfriend, Buffy gets sweaty with Faith, and then accepts her invitation to go to the dance in his stead.
135	* HuntingTheMostDangerousGame: [=SlayerFest=] '98! And in the Buffyverse, there is no game more dangerous than a Slayer. They all get killed, either by each other or by Buffy, and it's frankly astonishing that they expected anything else to happen. This seems even dumber when one considers that Faith was supposed to be there as well, but Cordelia ended up there instead. So instead of two Slayers, they were facing one Slayer preoccupied with looking after a normal, basically noncombatant human - and they still all died.
136	* HypocrisyNod: Cordy checking out her "competition" for Homecoming Queen. There's Holly ("Nice girl, [[BrainlessBeauty brain-dead]]. Doesn't have a prayer.") and Michelle. ("[[ReallyGetsAround Open to all mankind]], especially those with a letterman's jacket and a car.") She turns worriedly to Xander: "''She'' could give me a run."
137	* HypocriticalHumor:
138	** As the Scoobies follow Cordy out of the library, Giles emerges to comment on what a fuss everyone's making of this. Buffy [[StepfordSmiler grins a toothy smile]] and assures him "it's not like anyone takes it ''that'' seriously." Right before she [[AGlassInTheHand crushes a glass bottle in her hand]].
139	** Buffy and Cordy's final lines of the episode.
140	--->'''Cordelia''': After all that we've been through tonight, this whole who-gets-to-be-queen-'capade seems pretty--
141	--->'''Buffy''': ''[[SpoofAesop Damn important]]''?
142	--->'''Cordelia''': Oh yeah.
143	* IAmXSonOfY: I am Kulak, of the Miquot Clan!
144	-->'''Mr. Trick:''' [[DeadpanSnarker Isn't that nice.]]
145	* ImprovisedWeapon:
146	** The spatula finally comes in handy when Candy lunges at Buffy. Cordelia cluelessly tosses her the spatula, which Buffy uses to impale Candy through the heart (the handle was made of wood).
147	** Buffy playing matador with a pair of deer antlers.
148	** Wet toilet paper.
149	--->'''Cordelia:''' [[SarcasmMode Yeah, THAT'LL help]].
150	* IncrediblyObviousBug / TrackingDevice: Later that evening, Giles is awake again. Buffy apologizes for dragging Cordelia into this whole ordeal. Cordy takes solace in that fact that they at least got free corsages. Giles says they weren't included with the limo. Uh oh. Buffy quickly realizes that the Gruenstahlers are tacking them through the corsages.
151	* InherentlyFunnyWords: Spatula.
152	* IronicEcho: Buffy starts to give campaigning assignments to the Scoobies when (SpeakOfTheDevil) Cordelia strides in. Buffy notes the awkwardness of the situation but, since they're all driving to the dance together, says they should try to get along. Cordy snaps her fingers and summons Xander, Willow, and Oz to her side, and they meekly obey. Cordelia [[BadassArmfold folds her arms in triumph]] as Buffy seethes. "I think we're getting along ''great'', don't you?"
153	* ItsALongStory: The Scoobies express horror when Buffy and Cordelia return from their 'intervention'. "Oh, God! What did you two do to each other?!"
154	-->'''Buffy:''' Long story.
155	-->'''Cordelia:''' Got hunted.
156	-->'''Buffy:''' Apparently not that long.
157	* JackBauerInterrogationTechnique: Buffy holds the gun on Frawley and quickly extracts information from him on who the other players in the game are.
158	* LadiesAndGerms: "Ladies, gentlemen, spiny-headed-lookin' creatures..."
159	* LameComeback: Cordelia is campaigning to be May Queen:
160	-->'''Cordelia''': Here's a chocolate...''(snatches chocolate away from Buffy)'' Oh. I don't think I need the loony-fringe vote. ''(walks off)''
161	-->'''Buffy''': Well, I-I don't even like chocolates! ''(beat)'' Okay, that was the lamest comeback of our time.
162	* LamePunReaction: Buffy, waving a pointer stick her rival's pictures, warns her captive audience (the Scoobies) that all three have a big head start. And ''speaking'' of big heads, "if I had a watermelon as big as Cordelia's, I'd be rich! [The Scoobies stare blankly] ...[[CringeComedy Waits for laugh]]."
163	* LastSecondWordSwap: Willow thinks a limo would be fun, and that they could all split the cost. Buffy's not sure if she's going. "Why wouldn't you go?", blurts Willow, "You already have your tickets! I mean, unless you don't have a da" -- Scott enters the frame -- "ay or two to think about it."
164	* LawOfChromaticSuperiority: Buffy wears a red evening gown, while Cordelia is wearing green. Guess who's more useful in a fight?
165	* LifeOrLimbDecision: Kulak comes across Frawley, still struggling in the bear trap, and offers to cut off his leg. Bob declines.
166	* LockedInARoom: Buffy gets into the limo and finds only Cordelia sitting inside. When Buffy asks where Faith is, Cordy merely hands her a letter. It's from their friends, saying that they're not riding with them because their group dynamic is more important than who wins Homecoming Queen. It ends with, "The limo was not cheap -- work it out." Things aren't off to a good start, as Buffy notices there's two corsages, and Cordy snits, "I took the orchid."
167	* LonelyPianoPiece: Scott dumping Buffy in the middle of the hallway and then walking off, leaving her flapping in the wind.
168	* MadeFromRealGirlScouts: Giles complaining that the finger food tastes as if it "contains actual fingers."
169	* ManipulativeBitch: Buffy playing on Willow's guilt (and all those times she's saved her life) to get access to Cordelia's database.
170	* MercyLead: The limo stops, and Buffy and Cordelia find themselves stranded in the woods. A TV and VCR are set up nearby, with a sign that says, "Press Play." Well, why not? Mr. Trick appears on the screen, welcoming Buffy and "Faith" to [=SlayerFest=] '98. He explains that they have "exactly 30 seconds--[checks his watch] no, that's 17 now--to run for your lives."
171	* {{Metaphorgotten}}: Willow expressing her guilt about kissing Xander.
172	-->'''Willow:''' We were so guilty about "the fluke" that we overcompensated helping Cordelia and spun the group dynamic out of orbit. Now we're just this meteor shower headed for Earth...!
173	* MinorFlawMajorBreakup: Scott explains that before they were going out, Buffy seemed "so full of life" but that now she just seems distracted all the time. Buffy promises a "drastic distraction reduction," but Scott isn't having it. Relationship over. Subverted when he turns out to be [[BlatantLies interested in someone else]]. Doubly subverted in [[spoiler: Season 7, when he turns out to be gay.]]
174	* MissionControl: The old man communicates to the twins via [[EarpieceConversation earpiece]].
175	* MistakenIdentity: Trick hasn't gotten a positive ID on Faith yet, seeing as she's "elusive." Everyone simply assumes that the brunette riding in the limo with Buffy is the genuine article because the limo was originally supposed to pick Faith and Buffy up first.
176	* MomentKiller: Faith noticing Scott -- newly single and ready to mingle -- dancing with some new girl. She saunters up to the couple and coos, "Scott? There you are, honey! Good news -- the doctor says the [[TheDiseaseThatShallNotBeNamed itching and the swelling and the burning]] should clear up, but we gotta keep using the ointment." She turns to his date and says, "Hi!" with a bright smile. Then she walks away.
177	* MoreDakka: Hans and Frederick prowling the school with NightVisionGoggles and [=M16-A1s=].
178	* NoNameGiven: The old gentleman in the wheelchair is credited as just that -- Old Man. (In the original script, he is listed as "Boss")
179	* NotCheatingUnlessYouGetCaught: Buffy pasting one of her campaign posters over Cordelia's.
180	* NotMyDriver: The limo driver is none other than one of the Gruenstahlers. Whoops.
181	* AnOfferYouCantRefuse: The Mayor [[AffablyEvil doesn't make any threats]] but Trick is smart enough not to need them; he's [[DemotedToDragon working for the Mayor now]].
182	* OhCrap:
183	** Kulak landing back beside the grenade. BOOM.
184	** Buffy and Cordelia realizing that they're wearing tracking devices on their wrists.
185	* OminousMultipleScreens / SpiesInAVan: Buffy just watches Scott walk away sadly go as the camera pulls back from her. Cut to a view of her through a pair of binoculars. The watchers are in a van with dark-tinted windows that contains a lot of high-tech surveillance equipment.
186	* OralFixation: Mr. Trick sucks on a lollipop.
187	* OutlawCouple: Trick points out that Lyle and Cindy Gorch haven't coughed up their contribution yet. They empty a bag of blood-stained money onto the table.
188	* OutrunTheFireball: Buffy and Cordelia running like mad as the shack explodes into a fireball.
189	* PassThePopcorn: Mr. Trick has a brass dish of popcorn during [=SlayerFest=]
190	* PercussiveTherapy: After being dumped by Scott Hope, Buffy is shown making Faith wince by pounding on the training pads she's holding, leading her to suggest that Buffy would make a better Slayer if she got dumped more often.
191	* PettheDog: Kulak seems like he's genuinely trying to be helpful when he offers to cut Frawley out of his trap. Frawley, preferring to keep his leg, politely declines.
192	* PictureDay: The Scoobies' Yearbook photographs. Cordelia puts on her best rictus grin; Xander smarms; Oz is characteristically deadpan. Willow initially has a winning smile but switches to a confused expression when the photographer takes too long--this is the face he captures.
193	* PlayingBothSides: Gorch, having familiarized himself with the school's layout ("Bad Eggs"), opts to lie in wait while the Slayers thin out his competition.
194	* RageBreakingPoint: Buffy, upon learning that Cordy was supposed to tell her about picture day, but forgot, marches over to her and proceeds to rain down fiery brimstone. Their spat escalates until Buffy vows to steal the Homecoming crown.
195	* RockBottom: Buffy complaining that all she'll have to remember from high school is being a "crappy picture on one-eighth of a crappy page." Actually, Xander and Oz nervously point out, she's not even that; Buffy missed picture day.
196	* SecondPrize: {{Subverted}} for [[PlayedForLaughs comic effect]] in. Cordelia and Buffy compete for the title of Homecoming Queen. As expected, the two descend into vicious (albeit hilarious) rivalry, find themselves in danger, pull together, etc. The writers save the high school cliché through outright parody: CORDELIA: "You know, after everything we've been through, this whole question of who gets to be homecoming queen seems..." BUFFY: "Pretty damn important!" CORDELIA: "Right!" In the end, Sunnydale High awards the prize equally to two people in its first-ever tie. Luckily for us viewers, those two people aren't Buffy and Cordelia, but the two other girls who were competing against them. Buffy and Cordelia leave the auditorium in disgust.
197	* SecretKeeper: When Buffy drops by the mansion to see how Angel's feeling, she reveals that she's been keeping mum about his reappearance to Giles and the others.
198	* SelfParody: The Scoobies are lingering at the dance, blissfully unaware that Buffy and Cordy have been kidnapped. Suddenly, Giles rushes up behind them. "We have to find Buffy. Something terrible's happened." [[HopeSpot Just kidding!]] He chuckles and then heads off to grab some finger sandwiches.
199	* SeriousBusiness: Buffy and Cordy are ''all in'' on being Homecoming Queen.
200	* SexForSolace: Faith suggests she help Buffy get over Scott by finding a couple of studs they can use and discard. Buffy is not entirely averse to the idea.
201	* ShaggyDogStory: The winner of Homecoming Queen is a tie between the two candidates who ''aren't'' Buffy and Cordelia.
202	* SheCleansUpNicely:
203	** In the clothes-changing scene, Willow and Xander are equally stunned by the other's appearance.
204	** Not to mention Faith, who's almost unrecognisable with her hair up and minus her trademark leather pants.
205	* ShoutOut: There's a geek in-joke in Cordelia stating she knows the "Vulcan Death Grip" (confusing it with the Vulcan Nerve Pinch). As any Trekkie knows from the TOS episode [[Recap/StarTrekS3E2TheEnterpriseIncident "The Enterprise Incident"]], there's no such thing.
206	* SinisterSurveillance: The old man and his cohorts, Hans and Frederick. They use a Van in White instead of the usual VanInBlack, so their surveillance is actually inconspicuous.
207	* SnarkToSnarkCombat[=/=]PassiveAggressiveKombat: Buffy vs. Cordy.
208	* SniperRifle: Frawley's hunting rifle.
209	* SoftGlass: Averted.
210	* SoHappyTogether: A subtle version; in contrast to Buffy's isolation from the Scoobies and even Angel, she has genuine moments of bonding with Faith. [[spoiler: The next time they're shown together is in "Revelations", when this bond starts to fray.]]
211	* SpearCarrier: Most of the information about Holly and Michelle comes from TheBigBoard Buffy uses for her Homecoming Queen campaign. The two girls themselves only appear briefly and only speak at the very end of the episode.
212	* StaringDownCthulhu: Cordelia with Lyle.
213	* StatusQuoGameShow: Devon is about to announce the winner for Homecoming Queen when Buffy and Cordy show up, still dirty and disheveled. Devon announces that they have a tie as the [[BaitAndSwitch camera zooms in on Cordy and Buffy]]. The winners are -- Holly and Michelle! Cordy and Buffy look at each other in disgust and walk out together as one of the winners chokes, "[[TryingNotToCry I promised myself I wasn't gonna cry!]]"
214	* SuperReflexes: Thanks to Cordelia's warning, Buffy yanks her foot out of the BearTrap as it's snapping shut.
215	* SuperWindowJump: Buffy and Cordelia are fighting a demon inside an abandoned shack when someone fires a grenade into it. Buffy grabs Cordelia and jumps through one window. The demon jumps through another window...[[OhCrap which is shuttered and boarded up]] so [[DeconstructedTrope he bounces back into the room]] and lands beside the grenade again. BOOM.
216	* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: Buffy repeatedly uses the DramaticGunCock for emphasis. This comes back to bite her when she runs out of ammo quickly.
217	* SuspiciouslySpecificDenial: Willow and Xander stand awkwardly at the dance, watching the Dingoes play. Faith approaches them, and wonders why they're so mopey.
218	-->'''Xander:''' [guilt-ridden] Oh, we're not mopey. We're grooving on Oz's band. He's a great guy, Oz.
219	-->'''Willow:''' [close to tears] He wrote this song for me.
220	* SwappedRoles: Cordelia accuses Buffy of this. Ironically, Cordy ends up getting a taste of a Slayer's work environment.
221	* TeachHimAnger: Buffy and Cordelia hole up in a deserted shack. Buffy, gun in hand, shutters some of the windows. Cordy's panicking about all the things she'll never get to do, including finding out "if it's real" between her and Xander. Cordy's really falling to pieces, but Buffy declares that they're going to find a way out of there, get back to the school and kill their attackers in time for Buffy's "sweeping victory" at the Homecoming Dance. As intended, Cordelia's fear evaporates into white-hot rage.
222	-->'''Cordelia''': I ''know'' what you're up to! You think if you get me mad enough I won't be so scared! ...And hey, it's working! WHERE'S A DAMN WEAPON?!"
223	* TechnologyMarchesOn: The Twins use a lot of really high tech gear. It was absolutely amazing in 1998.
224	* TemptingFate: Buffy tells Angel [[StealthInsult she's got a boyfriend she can count on]]. GilliganCut to Scott breaking up with her.
225	* TerroristsWithoutACause: The Deputy Mayor reports that the Gruenshtahler twins are wanted in Germany for acts of terrorism, including the bombing of a commercial airplane.
226	* ThatDidntHappen: Xander/Willow kissage
227	-->'''Xander:''' (points at her) That didn't just happen!\
228	'''Willow:''' No! (gestures nervously) I mean, it did, but it didn't!
229	* ThisPageWillSelfDestruct: Played with. As soon as Mr. Trick's video greeting concludes, a shot rings out from Jungle Bob's rifle, causing the video monitor to explode.
230	* TrainingMontage:
231	** After Scott dumps Buffy, Xander mentions how she and Faith are [[CovertPervert getting all sweatiah.]] Cut to Buffy ''slamming'' her fists into sparring mits held by Faith, clearly enraged over the breakup.
232	** The [=SlayerFest=] competitors (save for Lyle and Candy, who just make out with each other) also have a moment of this that's juxtaposed with Buffy and Cordelia's campaigns. The twins spar against each other with martial arts moves. Frawley, the hunter, tests his traps and guns. The demon practices knife-throwing.
233	* TheTriple:
234	** The Mayor thinks Allan's nails could be cleaner. Allan says that he washed them, but the Mayor admonishes him, "After every meal and under your fingernails. Dirt gets trapped there. And germs. And mayonnaise."
235	** Mr. Trick lecturing his contestants on the competitive spirit.
236	--->"We all have a desire to win. [gestures to Germans] Whether we're human... [a nod at Lyle Gorch] vampire... [stops beside a yellow demon with spines on his head] ...and whatever the hell you are, my brother, you got them spiny-head lookin' things. I ain't never seen that before."
237	* TwistedEchoCut: Buffy's ultimatum to Cordelia that she's entering the Homecoming race. Cut to Mr. Trick at Slayerfest '98, giving a speech on the beauty of competition.
238	* UnholyMatrimony: Candy and Lyle are HappilyMarried, but are also murderous, ruthless vampires whose idea of a wedding present is Candy avenging the death of Lyle's equally unsavory brother. Incidentally, while we see several long-term vampire couples in ''Buffy'' and ''Series/{{Angel}}'', the Gorches are the only ones to be actually married. Most vampires don't bother with the ceremony.
239	* {{Unperson}}: Buffy laments that she's turned into one these. Even Buffy's favorite teacher hasn't got a clue who she is.
240	* VillainTeamUp: Mr. Trick, realizing the Mayor means business, agrees to [[DemotedToDragon work for him]] willingly.
241	* VillainExitStageLeft: Carrying on the RunningGag from "Bad Eggs", Lyle Gorch flees promising WeWillMeetAgain, instead of risking death to avenge his loved ones.
242	* WalkingShirtlessScene: The twins' shirtless, muscular chests are seen up close as they practice martial arts moves.
243	* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: The old man is left behind thinking he'd won Slayer Fest. Then again there's the money left by the Gorches.
244	* YouHaveNoIdeaWhoYoureDealingWith: Stung by Cordelia's airy dismissal of her ("Just because you were Guacamole Queen when you were 3..."), Buffy lays down the gauntlet.
245	-->"You've awakened the prom queen within."
246	** The noise you are now hearing is the claws coming out.

Context Recap / BuffyTheVampireSlayerS3E5Homecoming