Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Recap/S4/E15 This Years Girl

"Buffy: It doesn't have to be like this, you know.

Faith: Actually, I think it has to be exactly like this."

After eight months in a coma, Faith wakes up to wreck Buffy's life.

"Tara: You're like; 'cool monster fighter'.
 * Abandoned Hospital Awakening: Not a literal version of this trope, but the hospital wing Faith wakes up in has an ill-maintained look with flickering lights, unpainted walls, and no staff on duty at the time.
 * Black Comedy Rape: Xander makes light conversation about he and Faith having a relationship (a night stand in "The Zeppo", before Faith's Attempted Rape and murder in "Consequences") -- though it's entirely in-character for Xander to make stupid jokes about things that make him nervous.
 * Black Helicopter:
 * Butt Monkey: Xander electrocutes himself while examining the taser blaster. Nobody takes any notice.
 * Call Back: To Consequences. Xander jokes about it now, but this may be because he's scared shitless of Faith.
 * Chekhov's Catch Phrase: Five-by-five.
 * (It's a radio communication slang for "loud and clear". Now you know.)
 * The Chick

Willow: Well, technically, Faith isn't a monster. And as far as fighting, I'd be lucky to bruise her fist with my face.

Tara: (worried) Oh. Face punching. I'm not so good with the whole-- (throws cat-paw punches at the air in front of her)

Willow: Swimming?"

"Faith: Hi, Joyce. (whack!)"
 * Continuity Lock Out (In Universe): After the rest of the Scoobies have a lengthy, intensive discussion about Faith waking up and what she could be doing, Riley sheepishly asks "Who's Faith?"
 * Cryptic Conversation / Rule of Symbolism: Faith's dreams.
 * Dead Demon on Display / Gutted Like a Fish: The Scoobies find a demon that Adam has tied between two trees and eviscerated as part of his ongoing research into demon and human physiology.
 * Dead Man Writing: The Mayor's Video Will for Faith.
 * Description Cut: Buffy says that Faith will come after the people she loves. Cue Buffy's mother answering a knock on the door.

""Now, normally, I wouldn't be going for something this dark. But I read in some magazine that eight months in a coma will damage a girl's natural skin tone. Good thing pale is in this year. Or was it last year?""
 * Destination Defenestration: A variation - Faith throws open a glass door right in Buffy's path, making Buffy run through it.
 * Does Not Like Guns / Bigger Stick: Buffy's character trait of a distaste of firearms is averted in this episode; she really wants the blaster fixed to take out "The Terminator without the bashful charms."
 * Dramatic Gun Cock: The powering-up sound when Xander charges the taser blaster.
 * Dramatic Thunder / A Storm Is Coming: In Faith's dreams.
 * Dreaming of Things to Come:.
 * Eerie Pale Skinned Brunette: Faith is trying on Joyce's lipstick.

"Faith: How do I look?
 * Evil Is Sexy: Faith is trying on Buffy's clothes and Joyce's lipstick.

Joyce: Psychotic.

Faith: I was shooting for sultry, but hey..."

"Forrest: Now's the time for us to band together, not go flying off our separate ways.
 * Foot Focus: Faith walking out of her hospital room.
 * Foreshadowing
 * Buffy's plan to attack the Initiative is similar to what the Scoobies will do in "Primeval".
 * The dream where Buffy and Faith make the bed is referenced in "Restless", and foretells
 * Dream!Buffy jumping into the grave and Faith crawling out.
 * Spike: "Just because I can't do the damage myself doesn't stop me from aiming a loose cannon your way."
 * Xander telling Spike he wouldn't recognise Faith when he saw her.
 * Adam's 'research' into demon anatomy hints at his Evil Plan.
 * Buffy is warning Riley about Faith and he says, "Never seen anyone get under your skin this way before."
 * The Scoobies speculate that
 * Freudian Excuse: Faith goes over the edge this time because she is plagued by nightmares of Buffy hunting and killing her and the Mayor, Faith's father figure.
 * Freud Was Right: Faith describes her dreams seriously, then adds with her tongue (probably) firmly in her cheek, "That, and some stuff about cigars and a tunnel."
 * Friend Versus Lover: The Initiative soldiers object to Riley leaving the hospital to see Buffy.
 * Friend Versus Lover: The Initiative soldiers object to Riley leaving the hospital to see Buffy.

Graham: Forrest has a point, Riley.

Forrest: We have a problem, we deal with that problem. You know, the most important part of the equation now is that we keep said problem within the family.

Riley: Family? Is that what we are? Step aside."

"Joyce: Were you planning to slit my throat any time soon?"
 * Get It Over With

"Buffy: Faith, these are innocent people.
 * Half Truth: When filling in Riley about her past re Faith, Buffy decides to "edit out" the bits about Angel, realising that Its a Long Story for another time.
 * Hannibal Lecture: Faith does this on both Summers' women; unfortunately they're Shut UP Hannibal types.
 * Healing Factor: The doctors are dumbfounded that Faith could wake up at all, let alone walk out of the hospital after being immobile for months.
 * Improvised Weapon: When fighting Buffy in Joyce's home, everything Faith can get her hands on.
 * Innocent Bystander: Faith challenges Buffy in the middle of campus.
 * Innocent Bystander: Faith challenges Buffy in the middle of campus.

Faith: No such animal."

"Riley: All I had in there was this one little part of you.
 * Its Personal: Killing the Mayor, stabbing Faith in the guts, and being too self-involved to notice Faith was Slowly Slipping Into Evil -- it's all Buffy's fault. To be fair the fandom is fairly evenly divided on just how much Buffy is to blame.
 * Kneel Before Zod: The Mayor jokes that maybe his Video Will is playing in the Richard Wilkins Museum, and right now children are sitting looking up at him with fear and wonder. "Hi, kids!"
 * The Ladys Favour: Riley returns the headscarf Buffy gave him as a bandage.

Buffy: It's just the scarf part of me, really.

Riley: I'm serious. Just knowing you were out there...that you cared."

"Spike: Tell you what I'll do then. I'll head out, find this girl, tell her exactly where you are and then watch as she kills you. (Off their looks) Can't any one of your damn little Scooby Club at least try to remember that I hate you all? Just because I can't do the damage myself doesn't stop me from aiming a loose cannon your way. And here I thought the evening be dull.
 * The Mole: Riley volunteers to be Double Agent Guy to feed the Scoobies information on Adam. The nurse at the hospital turns out to be working for
 * Mood Whiplash: Dream!Faith is helping Buffy make the bed, looks down and realises Buffy has just shoved a knife into her gut.
 * Mugged for Disguise: Faith beats up a girl visiting the hospital and takes her clothes.
 * Nice Job Breaking It Hero: Xander and Giles come across Spike and ask him to keep an eye out for Faith.

Xander: Go ahead. You wouldn't even recognize her.

Spike: (from Xander's description) Dark hair, this tall, name of Faith, criminally insane. Like this girl already.

Xander: (to Giles) We're dumb."

"Faith: What day is it?
 * Not So Different: Faith argues this to Joyce, saying that Buffy is too wrapped up in her own life to care about those that matter.
 * Padding: The episode was nine minutes short, hence the Scoobies searching for Faith scenes.
 * Previously On: A long one thanks to all the arc elements that have to be referenced -- Faith, her coma, the Mayor, Adam, Riley, Riley loves Buffy, Walsh sets up Buffy, Walsh gets killed, Riley gets wounded, etc etc.
 * Psycho Strings
 * Redemption in The Rain / Skyward Scream: Dream!Faith after emerging from her grave.
 * Reptiles Are Abhorrent: Averted with the Mayor gently shooing away a snake that's interrupted his picnic with Faith.
 * Right Behind Me: Buffy is briefing the Scoobies, all set for Storming the Castle to rescue Riley from whatever evil Mind Control the Initiative is performing on him, when Riley says behind her "Am I really worth all that?"
 * Buffy is walking through the college campus saying to Willow that if she was Faith she'd "Get the hell out of Dodge post-haste-y". A girl in front of her turns around and disagrees -- it's Faith.
 * Shirtless Scene: Hospital!Riley.
 * Shout Out: See What Year Is It below; it's a nearly word for word copy of the Trope Codifier scene from The Terminator.
 * Stating the Simple Solution: The Scoobies ask how Riley got out of the military hospital, expecting some tale of derring-do. He says simply, "I walked."
 * Willow suggests "beating the crap out of her" is the most efficient response to the Faith problem.
 * Stealth Hi Bye: While fleeing police and Buffy, Faith climbs a wall and disappears.
 * Slasher Movie: Faith's dreams, in which she is an innocent girl being stalked by implacable, murderous Knife Nut Buffy.
 * Spider Sense: While Buffy and Faith are facing off, Willow tries sneaking up behind her -- without looking around Faith warns "Red" not to try anything or she'll lose an arm.
 * Shoot the Messenger: A demon turns up in a dark alley with a package for Faith "from a friend". Faith not being the friendly type, she Neck Snaps him and takes the package.
 * Super Window Jump / Conveniently Timed Attack From Behind:
 * Tempting Fate: Subverted when Faith tells Joyce that "Buffy is gonna come crashing through that door." Genre Savvy viewers naturally expect Buffy do just that, but nothing happens.
 * Titled After the Song: "This Year's Girl" is an Elvis Costello song.
 * Two Part Episode / To Be Continued
 * Wham Line / Something Only They Would Say: Faith repeatedly uses her Catch Phrase "five by five," which is later used as a cue that
 * What Does This Button Do: Willow's suggested approach for repairing the taser blaster. Xander informs Willow that since they're fiddling with a 'Blaster', randomly hitting buttons is not high on his agenda. He then adds that if it were called the 'Orgasminator', that would, in fact, be his desired approach.
 * What Year Is This

Girl: Friday.

Faith: What date? The date!

Girl: February 25th.

Faith: What year?"

"Xander: I guess this wins the Worst Timing Ever Award."
 * White Sheet of Death: Faith's blood drips on the white bedsheets in her dream.
 * Worst Whatever Ever: Just when the Scoobies have their hands full with an unstoppable demonoid cyborg, Faith has to wake up.

"Faith: You're thinking "You'll never get away with this!"
 * You Fight Like a Cow: Naturally two Slayers find it impossible to bash each others heads in without snarking at each other in the process.
 * You Got Spunk

Joyce: Actually I was thinking "My daughter is going to kill you soon."

Faith: That a fact?

Joyce: More like a bet.

Faith: Whoa. You got a pair on you, Joyce."