Recap / Buffy the Vampire Slayer S2E10 "What's My Line?: Part 2"

Spike: "What the hell is this?!"

Buffy: "It's your lucky day, Spike."

Kendra: "Two Slayers!"

Buffy: "No waiting!"

Directed by David Semel

Written by Marti Noxon, Rob Des Hotel, & Dean Batali

We open straight onto where we left: Buffy and Kendra in Angel's apartment, putting up their dukes. Buffy tells her to knock off the Slayer cover-story. Kendra lapses into a speech worthy of Giles about how she is one girl in all the world, a chosen one with strength and skill to kill the vampires. Speaking of... Across town, Angel's huddled in a corner in his cage. The sun is blazing through the window now, and there is very little shade left.

Buffy and Kendra go to Giles for help in explaining their situation. They deduce that since Buffy was, for a moment, physically dead (in last season's finale), it caused the "activation" of the next Slayer. Their squabble reveals that Kendra had locked Angel in a cage, leaving him to be dusted at sunrise. Buffy and Kendra rush over there to find only an empty cage with a bit of smoke; Buffy fears the worst, but Kendra points out the absence of dust.

Willy the Snitch arrives in time to saves Angel, only to dump his body down a sewer grate where Spike is waiting. Spike hands Willy a wad of cash, and his men cart the severely-weakened Angel off.

Xander and Cordelia face bigger problems: Cordy is busy lecturing an increasingly-annoyed "salesman" about her complexion, to which he mechanically answers "$9.99 tax included." Xander spots a worm scurry across Norman's face, and warns Cordelia off. As he does so, Norman explodes into a pile of writhing maggots that chase Xander and Cordelia into the basement, slamming the door behind them.

Spike takes Angel back to the factory, where Dru coyly asks Spike to "let [her] have him." Spike agrees to let her play (i.e. torture), on the condition that she doesn't kill him, as he's needed for the ritual.

Back at school, Giles begins to bond with Kendra, who is more dedicated to her Slayer studies and training than Buffy. As the pair are left chatting about books, Buffy sourly ruminates on the co-existence of two slayers, and entertains the possibility of quitting and letting Kendra take over.

We cut back to Cordy and Xander who are still in Buffy's basement. Xander yells at her for letting in worm-guy; Cordelia fires back that Xander ought to be thinking up a plan, and he replies that he has one: to sit and wait for Buffy to come and save them. This sets off more arguing — until finally, they grab each others' faces and kiss passionately, whilst the music swells to a cheesy high point with violins and clashing cymbals. They break apart and Xander, with a look of alarm, points out that they really need to get out of there. They carefully remove the duct tape from the door and peek out. Coast is clear. Xander makes it, but Cordelia is covered in a barrage of worms falling from the ceiling and starts squealing for Xander to help her as she runs out of the house. Xander grabs a garden hose and starts hosing her down, then they jump into the "Queen C" and swerve off down the road.

Buffy sulks down to the career fair to appease Principal Snyder. The female cop leading the seminar reads off Buffy's name, but when Buffy identifies herself, the officer draws her gun. Buffy avoids the spray of bullets, which instead hit Oz in the arm as he pushes Willow out of harm's way. Kendra comes to Buffy's rescue, and Assassin #3 makes her escape. The Scoobies gather in the library, where Giles inquires after Oz (the bullet just grazed him) and then announces that Spike intends to kill "Drusilla's sire" in a ritual in order to restore Drusilla to full strength.

Angel is tied to the bedposts in Drusilla's room, and it's not as fun as it sounds. Dru pours holy water on him ("It makes pretty colors") as she reminds him about how he killed her whole family. Angel taunts Spike with insinuations that Dru is enjoying this too much, and that Spike is unable to satisfy Dru, in hopes that Spike will kill him. Spike flips out, but Dru warns him not lose sight of the big picture.

The Slayers go kicking in Willy's door again. Buffy forces Willy to take her to the location of the ritual, but Kendra refuses to accompany her because "proper procedure" dictates they report to their Watcher first. So Buffy alone accompanies Willy, but it's a trap—he delivers her right into the assassins from earlier, then together they go into the church where the ritual is in progress: Angel and Dru are tied up beside the pulpit with a dagger through their palms. Spike orders Buffy's death, but at that moment, Kendra arrives to save her — and she's brought the rest of the Scoobies with her. Xander taunts "Larva boy" to follow him, then lures him outside where Cordelia is waiting with a bucket of liquid glue. The sticky trap keeps the worms from re-materializing, allowing Cordy and Xander to stomp them. Spike starts a fire and rushes to untie the unconscious Dru, hoping that the ritual has had time to cure her. However, Buffy knocks him into a pipe organ, which collapses on top of him and Dru. She rushes to the floor to help the weakened Angel, and everyone beats a hasty retreat.

Willow finds Oz by the vending machine where he is buying a box of animal crackers. The two have a conversation in which Willow tries to thank Oz for saving her life (he "doesn't do" thanks) and the two walk off together.

Meanwhile, Xander and Cordy finally confront each other about the events in Buffy's basement. They argue for a while about who initiated the kiss, before finally locking lips again (complete with the cheesy orchestra).

Kendra and Buffy part on cordial terms—Kendra even wearing Buffy's shirt. She tells Buffy she does not blame her for being with Angel, but chastises that slaying is not "a job", it is a part of who they are.

Back at the soot-blackened church, Drusilla rises from the rubble, completely revived, and carrying an unconscious Spike.

Tropes

• Achilles' Heel: Norman can only be killed in his disassembled state.
• Amazon Chaser: After Buffy and Kendra beat him up, Willie asks if they'd like to do some nude modelling.
• As Long as It Sounds Foreign: Buffy making Kendra promise not to go "wiggy" until they go talk to Giles and find out what's up.
  Kendra: (fists up) Wiggy?
  Buffy: No kicko, no fighto.
• Ask a Stupid Question...: As the henchvamps pick Angel up and cart him off, Willy asks what they're planning to do to do with Angel. Spike: "I'm thinking maybe dinner and a movie. I don't want to rush into anything. I've been hurt, you know."
• Attack Hello
  Buffy: Doesn't anyone just say 'hello' where you come from?

• Bad Moon Rising: The restoration ritual requires the presence of Drusilla's sire, and must take place in a church on the night of the new moon.
• Badass Normal: Patrice is an entirely human assassin. She comes the closest of any of the assassins to killing Buffy, and manages to cut Kendra's arm in their fight before Kendra learns to harness her anger.
• Baddie Flattery: "I'd rather be fighting you anyway."
• Bait-and-Switch: The misdirect from "Part 1" pays off, with a third assassin revealing herself. Actually quite effective; from Kendra's reveal at the end of the first part and a cliffhanger with multiple characters endangered, the first act of this episode speeds by so quickly that many viewers won't notice that there's a jaguar Tarot card unaccounted for until she starts shooting.
• Berserk Button: Angel insinuates that Drusilla still prefers him to Spike (an insecurity that goes back a long way). Spike immediately forgets the ritual and tries to kill him.
• The Big Damn Kiss: Cordelia and Xander kiss (TWICE!) to the accompaniment of swelling chords.
• Big, Stupid Doodoo-Head: Xander, trying to keep up appearances, mocks Cordelia in front of the other Scoobies. Cordy (clearly off her game) retorts by calling him "dorkhead." Giles holds his head.
• Blatant Lies: After giving himself props for saving Angel(!), Willy says that he went underground to "recuperate."
• Blood Magic: The key to Drusilla's cure.
• Book Ends: Drusilla carries off an unconscious Spike, which bookends the Dance of Romance they did in the previous episode.
• Bound and Gagged: Angel.
• Bread, Eggs, Milk, Squick: Drusilla's dream.
  "We were in Paris. You had a branding iron. And there were worms in my baguette."
• Bridal Carry: Gender-inverted in the final scene, where Drusilla carries an unconscious Spike out of the church's burnt remains.
• Bring Him to Me: Drusilla asks Spike if she can "have" Angel until the new moon. Spike drags Angel over to Dru, who says, "You've been a very bad daddy," and slaps him. Sometimes the fanfics write themselves, y'know?
• Broken Record: "$9.99, tax included."
  Cordelia: You know, Nothing Personal, but maybe you should look into selling dictionaries."
• By "No", I Mean "Yes": Kendra deadpans that she had good reason to think Buffy was a creature of the night, as she saw her kissing one.
  Willow: (stands up in her defense) Buffy would never do that! —Oh. Except for that sometimes... you do that. (sits)
• Call-Back:
  • To "Prophecy Girl," when explaining how two Slayers can exist at once.
  • Upon learning that Buffy is enrolled at SHS, Kendra casts her a disdainful look. "Right, of course. And I imagine she's a cheerleader as well." Buffy looks a bit cowed, and Giles chuckles that she actually was a cheerleader, and "it's a funny story."
  • "You and bug people, Xander. What's up with that?"
  • Drusilla sings the lullaby her mother sang to her ("Lie to Me") while torturing Angel.
• Cannot Talk to Men: Kendra gets flustered when talking to Xander and refuses to look at him. She tells Buffy later that her Watcher forbade her to have anything to do with boys.
• Ceiling Cling: It's easier when you're a swarm of maggots.
• Clothing Reflects Personality: Buffy slouching around in an unbuttoned man's shirt in contrast to her usual Action Fashionista look, highlights the difference between her and Kendra.
• Comfort Food: "When this is over I'm thinking pineapple pizza and teen video movie fest. Possibly something from the Ringwald oeuvre."
• Cut His Heart Out with a Spoon: Spike gives Willy several bills, but adds a warning, "Talk and I'll have your guts for garters." For good measure, he drops one of the bills in the sewer water.
• Damsel in Distress: Gender-inverted with Angel.
• Dark Action Girl: Patrice the entirely human assassin lady.
• Dope Slap: Xander's quip about Angelus getting "major neck in his day," earning him a smack from Willow.
• Duct Tape for Everything: The larvae try to get in through the crack between the floor and the door. Xander stuffs the frame with duct tape.
• Dynamic Entry: Patrice aims at Buffy from point-blank range, but a foot comes into the frame and kicks the gun away, then connects with cop lady's face for good measure.
• Early-Installment Weirdness: Angel ends up lying partially in the sunlight, and is clearly fully exposed while Spike's human henchman drags him to the sewer trapdoor, yet he's only very exhausted / power-drained and panting like an overheated dog, not smoking or screaming.
• Eek, a Mouse!!: Cordelia doesn't "do" worms.
• Effortless Amazonian Lift: The final scene shows the newly rejuvenated Drusilla pulling Spike out of the rubble, holding him up by one of his arms and then carrying him out of the church.
• Emotions vs. Stoicism: Kendra, polishing a knife, tells Buffy that emotions are a weakness. Buffy concedes that Kendra's a better technical fighter than she, but "I woulda kicked your butt in the end."
  Kendra: I could wipe de floor wit you right now!
  Buffy: That would be anger you're feeling.
  Kendra: ...What?
  Buffy: You feel it, right? How the anger gives you fire? A Slayer needs that.
  • Subverted later when Buffy walks right into a trap, and is saved by Kendra, who's gone to get the Scoobies instead.
• The End... Or Is It?: Drusilla becomes Dragon Ascendant.
• Establishing Character Moment: Oz explaining his decision not to become a Corporate Computer Suit Guy... or a work-of-any-kind guy.
  Willow: Well, don't you have some ambition?
  Oz: Oh, yeah! Yeah. E-flat, diminished ninth.
  Willow: Huh?
  Oz: Well, the E-flat, it's, it's doable, but that diminished ninth, y'know, it's a man's chord. You could lose a finger.
• "Eureka!" Moment: Kendra says she's not allowed to speak with boys, to which Buffy asides, "Unless you're pummeling them..." She has a thought concerning Willy. Heh heh.
• Evil Redhead: Patrice, the redhead assassin for hire.
• Failed a Spot Check: Kendra initially thought Buffy was a vampire... while Buffy was wearing a cross around her neck.
• Fire-Forged Friends: Buffy and Kendra.
• Football Hooligans: Referenced by Xander, arriving after Patrice's attack:
  "Who sponsored career day today, the British Soccer Fan Association?"
• Foreshadowing:
  • Tension within the Spike/Drusilla/Angel family unit becomes significant later on in the season.
  • Kendra was sent because the portents showed a 'very dark power' was to rise in Sunnydale. At the end of the episode it appears to be Drusilla, but it's later revealed to be Angelus — meaning Kendra actually got the right target.
• Geeky Turn-On: Giles and Badass Bookworm: Kendra.
  Buffy: Hello and welcome to the Planet Pocket Protector.
• Gender-Blender Name: Patrice, the female assassin posing as a cop.
• Geographic Flexibility: This one is justified.
  Giles: There are forty-three churches in Sunnydale? That seems a little excessive.
  Willow: It's the extra evil vibe from the Hellmouth. Makes people pray harder.
• Golden Moment: Has the required Aesop, but...
  Kendra: I don't hug.
  Buffy: Right. No. Good. Hate hugs.
• Good Cop/Bad Cop: "Just heet him, Buffy!"
  Buffy: "She likes to hit."
• Half-Dressed Cartoon Animal: Lampshaded by Oz with respect to animal crackers.
• Hope Spot: Willy opening the cage, smiling in a possibly evil manner, and dragging Angel out by his feet. Hooray! Then he dumps him in a sewer.
• Human Shield: Jonathan's the Butt-Monkey, yet again — he's briefly held at knifepoint by Patrice.
• Hypocritical Humor: Willy promising the girls that Angel's A-OK. "I swear on my mother's grave! ..Should something fatal happen to her, God forbid."
  • "Here you go. Don't ever say your friend Willy don't come through in a pinch."
  • Xander and Cordelia agreeing to put the kiss behind them... which intensifies into another argument, and they end up swapping spit again.
  • Reliably Unreliable Guns: Kendra talks about how she's an expert with all weapons, then has an accidental crossbow discharge.
    Buffy: (to Giles) It's okay. Kendra killed the bad lamp.
• Idiot Ball: None of the slayers thinks to make sure that Spike and Dru are really dead. They help Angel walk out of the room instead — something that any of other characters could’ve accomplished.
• I'll Kill You!: Kendra noting that there are no ashes in the cage, which means she didn't kill Angel. Buffy clarifies, "...And I don't need to kill you."
• I'm Going to Disney World!: Buffy suggests she might take time off to do this now that Kendra is around.
• Impaled Palm: The knife that transfers Angel's power to Drusilla.
• Impersonating an Officer: The third assassin.
• Improvised Weapon: Cordelia beating back worms with a broom.
  • Glue is used to defeat Worm Guy.
• Ironic Echo:
  • Kendra's dry question to Buffy, "Did anyone explain to you what 'Secret Identity' means?", recalls Buffy's own exasperated observation to that same effect in the series premiere, "Welcome to the Hellmouth".
  • Willy always comes through in a pinch.
  • Willy manages to pull off the quickest version of this ever: telling Buffy "Here you go. Don't ever say your friend Willy don't come through in a pinch" as he leads her to the church where Spike's crew is about to sacrifice Angel, and then repeating the line about five seconds later to Spike's bounty hunters, indicating that he's selling her out.
• Ironic Nursery Tune: Drusilla's "Run and catch."
• I Shall Taunt You: Angel implies he's Too Kinky to Torture, and that Drusilla is a lot more satisfied with him. Spike nearly stakes him on the spot before he realises what Angel is trying to do.
• Just a Flesh Wound: Oz's shoulder injury.
• Karma Houdini: Willie escapes to get beaten up for information on another day.
• Lame Comeback: From Cordelia for once.
  Cordelia: "Dorkhead!"
  Xander: "Dorkhead! You slash me with your words!"
• Let Us Never Speak of This Again: Cordelia and Xander's kiss.
• Locked in a Room: Xander and Cordelia are trapped in Buffy's basement with Worm Guy lurking upstairs. They start arguing about whether or not to break out, which degrades into Volleying Insults which ends in a Big Damn Kiss. They then break apart, stare at each other in horror, and agree to break out immediately.
• Logical Weakness: A man made of worms is vulnerable to glue. And getting stepped on.
• Long Story Short: How there came to be two Slayers.
  Kendra: She died?
  Buffy: (defensively) Just a little.
• Major Injury Underreaction:
  • Oz is kind of excited to be shot. "It's odd! And painful."
• Multi-Part Episode: Type I.
• Must Let Them Get Away: Patrice, having exhausted all of her guns, grabs Jonathan and holds a knife to his throat. She backs up toward the exit, then throws Jonathan aside and bolts.
• My Favorite Shirt: Kendra;
  Kendra: That's ma favorite shirt! That's ma only shirt!
• Neck Lift: Spike to Angel.
• Needle in a Stack of Needles: In this episode, we learn that there are 43 churches in Sunnydale.
• Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Drusilla is healed anyway.
• No-One Could Have Survived That: Spike and Drusilla were trapped under a collapsed organ (as well as a fair chunk of the church itself) and were surrounded by a blazing fire.
• Not Quite Dead: Spike is buried under a church organ, and is retrieved by a now-restored Drusilla.
• Nothing Up My Sleeve: Patrice's switchblades.
• The Only One: Only now, she's not.
  Xander: I knew all that "I'm the only one" business was just an attention-getter!
• Offscreen Teleportation: Xander and Cordy running away from Norman as he blows apart into a mess of larvae. The kids rush into another room, but find a reconstituted Norman in it.
• Only One Name: Subverted. Kendra says she has no last name. However, Joss Whedon later explained that her last name is Young but she never knew it.
• Opponent Switch: Buffy switches with Kendra so she can fight Spike.
  Spike: I'd rather be fightin' you anyway.
  Buffy: Mutual.
• Out-of-Character Moment: As explained in the previous episode, Order of Taraka assassins are supposed to operate alone. Yet as the end of the episode approaches they start to act more like simple Mooks and even take orders from Willy.
• Piano Drop: Onto Spike and Drusilla.
• Pietà Plagiarism: Drusilla carrying injured Spike.
• Pre-Mortem One-Liner: Buffy's shocked to see the state of Angel. Spike sunnily says that it pains him as well, but since Angel will be dead in five minutes, he'll tough it out. "Don't feel too bad for Angel, though. He's got something you don't have." Buffy asks what that might be. Spike menaces, "Five minutes."

• Put on a Bus: Kendra, who leaves at the end of this episode, and only returns to die later.
• Race Against the Clock: To get to the church before the moon is up, and then again to save Angel before he dies.

• Read the Freaking Manual: Kendra referring to the Slayer Handbook. Buffy, chagrined, asks why she never got a handbook, to which Giles drolly replies, "After meeting you, Buffy, I realized that the handbook would be of no use in your case."
• Reckless Gun Usage
  Kendra: I'm an expert in all weapons.
  (bolt shoots out of the crossbow and breaks a lamp)
  Giles: Is everything alright?
  Buffy: Yeah, it's okay. Kendra killed the bad lamp.
• Relationship Upgrade: Cordelia/Xander and Oz/Willow.
• Rescue Romance: Oz for Willow.
• Revival Loophole: Two Slayers coexisting should be impossible, but Buffy drowning and being resuscitated evidently counts as "death."
• Rewatch Bonus: Buffy's belief that a Slayer must "improvise" and "go with the flow" is the exact opposite of her speech to the Potential Slayers ("Potential") about the obsessive need to plan every move.
• Scooby Stack: When Xander and Cordelia are leaving Buffy's house they peek around a corner Scooby-Stack-style (likely in a specific Shout-Out to the Trope Namer, given that Xander gave our first reference to the 'Scooby Gang' in the previous episode).
• Sealed with a Kiss: Embarrassed over their earlier smooch, Xander and Cordelia agree That Didn't Happen, but then start arguing over whose fault it was, which only gets them worked up for yet another kiss.
• Secret Identity
  Kendra: And dose two, dey also know you are de Slayer?
  Buffy: Yep.
  Kendra: Did anyone explain to you what 'secret identity' means?
  Buffy: Nope. Must be in the handbook.
• Seinfeldian Conversation: About animal crackers.
• Sexy Soaked Shirt: Xander spraying the maggots off Cordelia with a garden hose, partially aiming at the wrong places. Either of them could’ve thought to just take off the jacket.
• Shaped Like Itself: Giles asking Xander what his assassin looked like. Cordy pulls out a larva from somewhere in her dress, and runs off in a panic to shower.
  Xander: Like that.
• She-Fu: Kendra and Buffy, to no surprise.
• Shout-Out: "If Dru dies, your little Rebecca of Sunnyhell Farm and all her mates are spared her coming out party." This is a play on Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, the 1903 book by Kate Douglas Smith Wiggin.
• Sixth Ranger: More like a Special Guest Ranger, as Kendra leaves at the end of the episode.
• Snark-to-Snark Combat: Happens naturally when you've got two Slayers in the same room.
  Buffy: I don't take orders. I do things my way.
  Kendra: No wonder you died.
  • Also occurs between Xander and Cordelia.
• Straw Vulcan: Kendra, who has been trained to suppress her emotions.
• Super-Strength: Drusilla picks up Spike with one hand, showing she's returned to full strength.
• Switch-Out Move: Buffy is fighting Patrice, while Kendra is fighting Spike. Buffy just shouts "Switch!" and bends over; Kendra rolls over Buffy's back to face Patrice, immediately landing a punch and knocking her into the wall. Buffy faces Spike.
• Taking the Bullet: Trying to track Buffy's moves, Patrice fires several shots, one of which hits Oz in the arm as he dives to cover Willow.
• Talking the Monster to Death: Cordelia badgering Norman about whether he has anything in raisin, as she's "both a winter and a summer."
• Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: Buffy and Kendra.
• Touch of the Monster: Drusilla and Angel.
• Trust Password: Kendra's watcher, Sam Zubuto, is very well respected, leading Giles to conclude that Kendra seems to be legitimate.
• Unexplained Recovery:
  Kendra: You died?
  Buffy: Just a little.
• Unstoppable Rage: When Kendra fights the cop, The latter has the upper hand - that is until she rips Kendra's sleeve.
  Kendra: That's me favorite shirt! That's me only shirt!
• Vampires Are Sex Gods: Even Kendra concedes that Angel is cute.
• Villain Ball: Several Order of Taraka assassins manage to surround Buffy but instead of immediately killing her accept orders from Willy and lead her to Spike. Spike tries to rectify this problem, but it's too late.
  • Several scenes later, one of the assassins draws her gun, almost puts it to Buffy’s head at a point blank range and... does nothing for a second to let the other Slayer make her front flips and reach them for her kick.
  • Spike decides to have a little chit-chat with running away Willy while Buffy is breaking the ritual composition and separating Angel from Dru.
• Villainous Rescue: Willy "rescues" Angel from death by sunlight...so Spike can sacrifice him to restore Drusilla.
• Violently Protective Girl Friend
  Buffy: ...I've had it. Spike is going down. You can attack me, you can send assassins after me; that's fine. But nobody messes with my boyfriend!
• Volleying Insults
  Cordelia: I can't believe that I'm stuck spending what will probably be my last few moments on Earth here with you!
  Xander: I hope these are my last few moments! Three more seconds with you, and I'm gonna... (steps closer)
  Cordelia: (steps closer) I'm gonna what? Coward!
  Xander: Moron!
  Cordelia: I hate you!
  Xander: I hate you!
  • They look at each other for another second before grabbing each other and engaging in a mad, passionate kiss. It goes on for several seconds before they suddenly release each other and look at each other in horror.
  Xander: We so need to get outta here.
  Cordelia: (nods) Mm-hm!
• Walking Armory: Patrice is packing at least three guns and has a switchblade up each arm.
• Waxing Lyrical: Xander discovers a description of the Bugman. "Coo coo kachoo!"
• We Wait: Xander's content to wait in the basement until Buffy comes to rescue them.
  Cordelia: How will she even know where to find us?!
  Xander: Cordelia...this is Buffy's house. Odds are she'll find us.
• Weird Moon: The full moon just happens to be that night.
• Wham Episode: Drusilla is now back to full health.
• Why Don't You Just Shoot Him?: Spike orders Buffy killed right away in an attempt to avert this, but even the strictly limited Evil Gloating he does is enough time to allow the Scoobies to barge in for a Big Damn Heroes.
• You Are Not Alone
  Buffy: I guess I can't fight it. I'm a freak.
  Kendra: But not the only freak.
  Buffy: Not anymore.
• You Can Keep Her!: Cordy announces she prefers to take her chances with Bug Guy, and opines that Xander probably would just let a girl go off to her doom alone.
  Xander: Not just any girl. You're special.
• You Have Failed Me: During the climax, Willy tells Spike it's not his fault; the Slayers tricked him. "Well then, I'll only kill you just this once."
• You Killed My Father: Dru tortures Angel for what he did to her family. She's enjoying herself at first, but when Angel starts to tell her he'd undo his crimes against her family if he could, she angrily dumps the entire pitcher on his chest.

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