Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Recap/S5/E01 Buffy vs. Dracula

"Dracula: Do you know why you cannot resist me? Buffy: Because you're famous?"

The legend himself comes to Sunnydale to bring the Slayer under his thrall. .

"Giles: I was just about to kill those loathsome creatures when Riley interrupted me. Riley: Really? You were gonna nuzzle 'em to death?""
 * A Storm Is Coming: A storm heralds Dracula's arrival.
 * Beach Episode: Starts as one.
 * Bishonen: Dracula
 * Blatant Lies: Giles on being licked by three buxom vampire sisters.

"Xander: Dammit! You know what? I'm sick of this crap. I'm sick of being the guy who eats insects and gets the funny syphilis. As of this moment, it's over. I'm finished being everybody's butt-monkey!
 * Buffy-Speak: After going "Repeato Girl" over Dracula's charm, Riley accuses Buffy of transferring her feelings for Angel, causing her to assure him, "I'm not transfer-y!"
 * Butt Monkey: Xander refers to himself for the first time.

[Giles, Riley, and Buffy nod and try to look solemn]

Buffy: Check. No more butt-monkey."

"Dracula: You are resisting. Buffy: Looks like."
 * Collective Groan: "Mum!"
 * Cool vs. Awesome: Slayer vs. the Dark Prince
 * Count Obvious: Dracula has just been Punched Across the Room by Buffy.

"Giles: Willow, um... you mustn't repeat what I'm about to say. Especially not to Buffy. Willow: Uh-oh. Giles: You promise? Willow: Oh, god. Well, I guess. Now that I know there's something to know, I can't not know, just because I'm afraid somebody'll know I know, you know? Giles: Did that mean yes? Willow: Yeah."
 * Department of Redundancy Department: Willow's long way of saying "yes".

"Xander: He totally looked shorter in person."
 * Did Mom Just Have Tea with Cthulhu?: Dracula approaches Joyce in her art gallery, just to get her to invite him to her house.
 * Does Not Know Her Own Strength: Buffy slays the football at the beach.
 * Do Not Taunt Cthulhu: Xander compares Drac's Vampire Vords to the Count in Sesame Street until Buffy informs him that he really is talking to Dracula. Xander immediately Cower Powers behind Buffy.
 * Dramatic Wind: Drac's "music video wind".
 * Expecting Someone Taller

"Buffy: You think I don't watch your movies? You always come back."
 * Foreshadowing: Riley's jealousy over Buffy's attraction to vampires. Willow's use of magic for everyday purposes.
 * The tension between Riley and Spike continues over the season
 * Xander's rant about no longer being the Butt Monkey -- this season he starts making a serious attempt to get a life, starting in "The Replacement".
 * Dracula tells Buffy that her "power is rooted in darkness". Buffy discovers the origin of the Slayer's power in the Season 7 episode "Get It Done".
 * Genre Savvy

"Riley: You're not just saying that because of those "dark, penetrating" eyes of his . . . Are you? Buffy: No! His eyes were -- there were -- there was NO penetration! Cross my heart."
 * Getting Crap Past the Radar: Buffy, Anya, and Willow discuss how "sexy" Dracula is and Buffy mentions his "Dark, penetrating" eyes. When Buffy decides to hold off on killing him until they have more information...

"Riley: I've lived here for two years. You know what I've never noticed? Giles: Castle? Riley: Big honkin' castle."
 * Girl-On-Girl Is Hot: Xander is more than willing to listen to Willow's secret, especially if it's a naughty one involving her and Tara.
 * Geographic Flexibility

"Xander: Nobody harms my Master. You want him, you come through me. Riley: (knocks him out) Okey-dokey."
 * Gilligan Cut: Buffy assures her mother that slaying is "a total drag". Cut to Buffy in her Red Leather Pants of Death enthusiastically slaying a vampire.
 * Go Through Me

"Xander: Here she is, Master. She Who You Most Desire...sorry, Whom."
 * Grammar Nazi

"Buffy: A guy like you should think about going electric. Seriously."
 * Green-Eyed Monster: Riley and Xander. Tara gives Willow the hairy eyeball when she goes on too much about Dracula as well.
 * Hell-Bent for Leather: Buffy wears the Red Leather Pants of Death when hunting vampires, but after being bitten changes into the Pink Leather Pants of Enthrallment.
 * Hollywood Torches

"Dracula: I knew you'd come. Buffy: Why? Because I'm under your thrall? (suddenly pulls out her stake) Well, guess again, pal. Dracula: Put the stake down. Buffy: OK. (instantly puts it down, then looks at her hand in surprise) Right. That... was not... you. (sounding unconvinced) I did that. I did that because ... I wanted to. (looks around nervously) Maybe I should rethink that thrall thing. (whimpers a little)"
 * Hypnotic Eyes: Dracula has hypnotic Blue Eyes that can enthrall even Buffy.
 * I'm Standing Right Here: Dracula starts to reform again (after being staked twice) when Buffy tells him she's still here. After that Drac gives up and goes home.
 * I Resemble That Remark: Joyce sighs over the difficulties in dating when you're a single mother. "Sometimes you just feel like giving up men altogether." Willow and Tara exchange a sly grin.
 * Ironic Echo: Buffy tries to reassure Riley that she's not attracted to Dracula (or transferring her feelings for Angel) by saying, "I swear to you, I’m your girl, and I’m gonna stay that way." But Buffy had already told Angel (in "Enemies") that she'll always be his girl; sure enough the Buffy/Riley relationship will eventually break up because Riley suspects Buffy's attraction to vampires like Angel and Dracula is stronger than her attraction to him.
 * Jedi Mind Trick

"Xander: As if even that's enough to stop the unholy Master! (everyone stares at him) ...bater.
 * Just a Stupid Accent: Lampshaded repeatedly.
 * Kiss of the Vampire: Very much played for its sexuality.
 * Last-Second Word Swap: A rare version where adding syllables makes it ruder.

Xander: I think you're drawing a lot of crazy conclusions about the Unholy Prince. (everybody looks at him funny again.) ...bator."

"Dracula: Unworthy. He let you go. But the embrace, his bite, you remember. Buffy: No...
 * Literary Agent Hypothesis: In-universe, Bram Stoker's Dracula was based on the Buffyverse Dracula, who is something of a publicity hound.
 * Marty Stu: Dracula is unkillable and everyone he's encountered gushes about him. Except Spike.
 * Meaningful Echo: "You think you know who you are, what's to come. You haven't even begun." (from "Restless")
 * Mook Horror Show: We see a vampire running madly through a graveyard... and then we realize he's running for his (un)life. From Buffy.
 * More Than Mind Control: Dracula finds Angel's bite scar on Buffy's neck.

Dracula: Don't fight. I can feel your hunger. (bites her -- Buffy moans)"

"Xander: Come on, Puffy Shirt! Pucker on up, 'cause you can kiss your pale ass good-- Dracula: Silence. Xander: Yes Master."
 * Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: Spike complains that Dracula's taste for publicity has taught the entire world how to kill vampires. Dracula makes Buffy drink from his blood to reveal her true dark nature
 * No Hero to His Valet: Spike is the only member of the cast unimpressed by Dracula's reputation, calling him a "gloryhound" whose powers are little more than "showy gypsy stuff", adding that Drac has done more damage to vampires than even the Slayer has, that because of his movies, everyone knows how to kill them. He's also irked because Drac owes him £11.
 * Not Herself: Buffy turns down Riley's offer of a jelly donut.
 * Our Vampires Are Different: Dracula's stock powers (hypnosis, shapeshifting, teleportation, invulnerability) actually make him the strongest vamp in the Buffyverse. Spike claims it's all "showy gypsy stuff".
 * Paint It Black: Drac in black. He's a dark's only man.
 * Pre-Mortem One-Liner: "How do you like my darkness now?"
 * The Renfield: Xander, right down to the urge to eat spiders.
 * Silence, You Fool

"Joyce: Buffy? If you're going out"
 * Shrouded in Myth: Dracula, of course. Giles implies as much.
 * The Slayers Who Say Squee: Buffy's initial reaction to Dracula is like a girl with a Celeb Crush. She's delighted that he has actually heard of her.
 * Stealth Hi Bye: Justified due to Drac's ability to do his "poof thing"
 * Vampire Invitation: Dracula gets Joyce to invite him home for coffee, thereby gaining access to Buffy.
 * Voluntary Shapeshifting
 * Wham! Line


 * What Do You Mean It's Not Heinous?: Dracula owes Spike £11.
 * Worthy Adversary: Both Dracula and Buffy view each other this way.
 * Your Cheating Heart: Buffy sneaks out of Riley's bed to get in a little slaying on the side. Later Riley reacts to Dracula's bite like a jealous boyfriend whose girl is sporting someone else's hickey.
 * Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny: Albeit one with indecisive outcome.