History Recap / BuffyTheVampireSlayerS2E21BecomingPart1

* DeconstructedTrope: While Angelus put his own dark spin on the StalkingIsLove trope, this episode subverts the Bangel romance with a ''{{Lolita}}'' {{subtext}} that portrays Angel as a pathetic loser motivated as much by his desire for the innocent Buffy, as by his quest for redemption. This theme is reinforced by the Season 3 episode "Amends".

* WolverineClaws: Darla instructs Liam to close his eyes, changes to her vampire visage, and bites his neck. Liam swoons to the ground, and Darla seals the deal by slashing a fingernail across open her [[OfCorsetsSexy corseted bosom]] and forcing Angel's mouth onto it. Not as kinky as it sounds.
** This is shown to be the [[BoobBite preferred method for female vampires]] (well, Darla and Drusilla, anyway) to sire their mates.

* FemmeFatalons: Darla instructs Liam to close his eyes, changes to her vampire visage, and bites his neck. Liam swoons to the ground, and Darla seals the deal by slashing a fingernail across open her [[OfCorsetsSexy corseted bosom]] and forcing Angel's mouth onto it. Not as kinky as it sounds.
** This is shown to be the [[BoobBite preferred method for female vampires]] (well, Darla and Drusilla, anyway) to sire their mates.

* CallForward: Buffy is revealed to be quite the ditz (like Cordelia) before she found her destiny. This will be mentioned in a later episode in which Buffy confesses she once made Cordy [[UpToEleven look deep by comparison]].

** The seeds of the Spuffy relationship are planted here with several familiar elements -- the exchange of snarks and punches, their instinctive teamwork in a crisis, and their NotSoDifferent connection when compared to outsiders like Joyce.

* BookcaseDominoes: In the library melee, a vampire pushes a bookshelf onto the screaming Willow, who is knocked out. The following episode reveals that she has [[ConvenientComa slipped into a coma]] from her injuries.

* TapOnTheHead: Giles hasn't been knocked out since "Passions", so he gets a turn.
* ThrowTheBookAtThem: In the library melee, a vampire pushes a bookshelf onto the screaming Willow, who is knocked out. The following episode reveals that she has [[ConvenientComa slipped into a coma]] from her injuries.

* StalkingIsLove

* HellOnEarth: Actually earth sucked ''into'' hell.

* {{Hobos}}:Angel in early 1997

** A huddled, smoking figure walks through the halls toward Buffy's classroom. No one takes notice of this person it enters Buffy's classroom. The woman pulls the shawl off of its face and declares, "Tonight. Sundown. At the graveyard," before beginning to smoke. "You will come to him or more will DIE!" The female vamp then explodes into flames, all the while pointing accusingly at Buffy. Man, that Angelus is a drama queen.

** This is shown to be the preferred method for female vampires (well, Darla and Drusilla, anyway) to sire their mates.

** When Buffy realizes that Angelus has lured her away from the library so that Giles can be captured, he gleefully points out that "you falls for it ''every time''!" This is a reference to "When She Was Bad", in which Buffy followed a false lead, leaving Willow, Cordelia, Jenny and Giles to be abducted for the Master's resurrection.
** When Drusilla is about to kill Kendra she says "Be in me" hypnotizing Kendra. This same line is used by Lothos' the ''Buffy'' movie.

* AntiClimax: Blood in his hand, ominous evil speech made, Angelus grasps the sword's hilt and an intense bright light pours forth. And nothing else happens. Suddenly, a giant flame erupt, sending him [[BlownAcrossTheRoom flying backward and landing on his ass]].

* {{Foreshadowing}}: Whistler speaks of "our side" and it is doubtful that he is referring to the Watchers' Council. This could be a subtle foreshadowing to the "PowersThatBe" in the spinoff ''{{Angel}}''.

* SwordInTheStone: Inverted, as the bad guys are the ones trying to unsheathe it.

-->'''Buffy:''' How about [[DialogueReversal testing my face-punching]]? 'Cause I think you'll find it's improved.

* BigApplesauce
* BloodMagic

* CallForward: Buffy is revealed to be quite the ditz (like Cordelia) before she found her destiny. This was mentioned in an earlier episode in which Buffy confesses she once made Cordy [[UpToEleven look deep by comparison]].
** Joyce's marriage is already hitting the rocks in 1996. Following Buffy's first vampire kill, Joyce reproaches Buffy for not phoning. Downstairs, Dad's on the warpath. After her mother departs, Buffy turns on her bathroom faucet to drown out the sound of her parents arguing at the top of their lungs.

** When Buffy realizes that Angelus has lured her away from the library so that Giles can be captured, he gleefully points out that "you falls for it ''every time''!" This is a reference to "When She Was Bad", in which Buffy followed a false lead, leaving Willow and Giles to be abducted for the Master's restoration.
** When Drusilla is about to kill Kendra she says "Be in me" hypnotizing Kendra. This same line is used by Rutger Hauer's villain in the ''Buffy'' movie.
* CoolSword: During the strategy session over how to tackle Acathla, Kendra produces a sword blessed by of those pesky virtuous knights that were so common in centuries past. Giles becomes very animated when he inspects it.

** Inverted in the final flashback, with Angel resolving to aid the Slayer and "become somebody." We're then zipped back to the present with Angelus basking before Acaltha, saying, "I have strayed. I have been lost. But Acathla redeems me. With this act, ''we'' will be free."
* {{Foreshadowing}}: Whistler speaks of "our side" and it is doubtful that he is referring to the Watchers' Council. This could be a subtle foreshadowing to the "PowersThatBe" in the spinoff ''Angel''.

* {{Frameup}} / ItGotWorse: Buffy sprinting across town, only to find she's too late; Giles has been kidnapped, and Kendra lies dead on the library floor. Buffy collapses to her knees and strokes Kendra's face with her hand as a gun is raised behind her. "Freeze!" shouts a police officer. Caught red-handed.

* HellOnEarth

* {{Hobos}}

* IHaveManyNames: 1996!Angel asking who the strange man accosting him in an alleyway is. He cheerfully says his name is Whistler; "Well, lately it is."
* InTheHood: Buffy patrolling the park in her Unibomber hoodie.

* {{MIB}}: In 1996, an older man in a black suit approaches our heroine and asks if she's Buffy Summers. Buffy briefly worries that a department store sent him, because she "[[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial meant to pay for that lipstick!]]" Actually, this is Merrick, Buffy's first (and [[MentorOccupationalHazard short-lived]]) Watcher.

** The vampire may be newly "sired," however, and thus comparatively weak; similarly, the vampire is shown to be smoking from exposure to the sun before she enters the classroom where she burns up. Indirect sunlight might be enough to kill her in her weakened state.

* SelfImmolation

** Watcher Circa 1996 tells Buffy he's come to escort her to her destiny. Buffy protests that she's "destiny-free," but the man corrects her that "you are the Chosen One. You alone can stop them." "Who?" queries Buffy. Well, the vampires, obviously. Buffy dumbly says, "Huh?" and gives him a cross-eyed look. Quick cut to a cemetary, where Buffy is fumbling around with her very first vampire mook.

* PercussiveTherapy: After Angelus' ritual goes awry, he grabs the nearest stone pot and smashes it.

* TakeThis: On her way out, Buffy gets stopped by Kendra, who lends her a distinctive-looking stake nicknamed "Mr. Pointy." Buffy is amused yet touched by the gift.
** Buffy borrows the nickname for her own stake in later episodes, though the original stake never appears again.

* LiteralMinded: Willow sits on Oz's lap in the cafeteria, while Cordelia and Xander end up giggling and tussling. From behind them, Snyder snaps, "That's enough of that!" and then asks Willow if there's a "chair shortage."
-->'''Willow:''' I didn't read anything about... Oh. [slides off of Oz's lap] I get it.