Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Recap/S5/E20 Spiral

"Buffy: It just keeps coming."

Trying to escape Glory, the Scoobies leave town only to be cornered by the Knights of Byzantium.

"Anya: Shouldn't somebody be asking, "Are we there yet?" Isn't that what small entertaining children do?
 * Ambiguously Brown: Dante, who may be of "moorish" ancestry.
 * Anachronism Stew: Knights on horses attacking a Winnebago.
 * Arrows on Fire
 * Are We There Yet?

Dawn: That kinda only works if you know where you're going."

"Xander: I mention today how much I don't like you?
 * Barehanded Blade Block: Spike grabs a sword blade that's shoved through the roof before it strikes Buffy.
 * Battle Discretion Shot: Glory killing the Knights.
 * Bridal Carry: Buffy carries Dawn this way to escape Glory.
 * Buffy-Speak: Gregor is General Forehead Guy.
 * Cool Car: Definitely averted.
 * Cool Shades: Spike puts on welding lenses to drive in broad daylight.
 * Empathic Environment: The BEWARE OF THE DOG sign is seen at the gas station, part of a Running Gag with Spike.
 * Enemy Mine: Giles and Xander are aghast that Buffy has called on Spike for help. Buffy shouts them down, making it clear she's not going to debate the matter.
 * Fake Gunshot:
 * Dawn the Terrible: The Key will collapse all dimensions and destroy the Universe.
 * Foot Focus: Dawn appears somewhat taken by Glory's nice feet.
 * Fridge Logic: How did the Knights know which way the Scoobies were heading, or catch up on their horses?
 * Friendship Moment: Xander helps Spike (whose hands are badly damaged) light his Cigarette of Anxiety.

Spike: You mighta let it slip in. Once or twice."

"Willow: Don't hit the horsies!
 * Frying Pan of Doom: Wielded by Anya.
 * Good Is Not Nice

Buffy: We won't! (to Giles) Aim for the horsies."

"Gregor: Dissention in the ranks -- never a good sign."
 * Heroine Worshipper: Dawn raves over how Buffy saved her from last week's cliffhanger. Given that all Buffy did was let Glory get hit by a handy truck, Buffy is not so impressed by herself.
 * Hey, Wait!: Orlando's fellow Knights are signing him out of the mental wing. As they lead him off Dante says how easy that was, only for the nurse to cry out, "Hey wait!" Dante's pal draws a dagger from his sleeve -- but it's just that Dante has walked off with her pen.
 * Heroic Blue Screen of Death: So bad that Buffy's stuck like this till the next episode.
 * A House Divided: Seeing Ben is an outsider, Gregor tries to encourage him to kill the Key.

"Spike: Hello? You're driving one!"
 * I Just Want to Be Normal: Ben
 * Improvised Weapon

"Glory: Hey, it's Gregor! (kills him) Now it's not."
 * Glory kills Gregor with a hurled hubcap.

"Dawn: You're not fleeing. You're... moving at a brisk pace."
 * It Got Worse: From the beginning of the episode to the end, events spiral further and further out of control despite all Buffy's attempts to manage the situation.
 * Knight Templar: General Gregor
 * The Laws and Customs of War: The Knights allow Ben to pass through to treat Giles.
 * Look Both Ways: Glory gets slowed down (though not killed -- she is The Unstoppable Woman, after all) when she's hit by a truck... after standing in the road talking to Buffy for almost a full minute. That must be one hell of a bad driver.
 * Madness Mantra: "All dark, soon.", and "Time! Time!" "Its time!"
 * Mercy Kill: Dante kills a Mind Raped Orlando.
 * Mundane Utility: Willow uses magic on the payphone in the gas station to get it working again.
 * No Except Yes:

"Well, it always works for that creepy cartoon rabbit when he's running from that nice man with the speech impediment."
 * OOC Is Serious Business: Buffy is freaked, as everyone notices.
 * Piano Drop: Anya suggests this as a viable strategy.

"Giles: I'm so proud of you. You're everything a Watcher... that I could have hoped for."
 * Run or Die
 * Saying Sound Effects Out Loud: And then whoosh! Wham! Hell-bitch in orbit!
 * Some Kind of Force Field: Willow's barrier spell.
 * So Proud of You: A wounded Giles to Buffy.

"Dawn: But there's a bright side.
 * Super Speed: Glory's Offscreen Teleportation ability is explained.
 * Tempting Fate: A noticeable Lampshading.

Buffy: There is?

Dawn: At least things can't get any crazier. Right?

(an arrow flies through the window and hits the wall -- right next to Buffy)

Buffy: You know this is your fault for saying that."


 * And of course it doesn't stop there -- Xander says "Did we shake them?" just before a sword plunges through the roof.
 * There Was a Door: Not only Glory, but Buffy escaping from Glory.
 * The Reveal: Gregor reveals Glory's purpose, and that of the Key.
 * Thou Shalt Not Kill: Averted with Buffy killing humans for the first time, albeit in self-defense.
 * Traintop Battle: Buffy fights the Knights on top of a moving Winnebago.
 * Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Spike tells Dawn he should have nicked a Porsche which would have been both fast and just big enough for Buffy, Dawn and him.
 * Weirdness Censor: Well I guess the Knights of Byzantium could always pass themselves off as a medieval reenactment group.