Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Recap/S4/E04 Fear Itself

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.

I was just thinking about the life of a pumpkin. Growing under the sun, happily entwined with others. Then someone comes in and rips your guts out.

The Scoobies take Buffy to a Halloween frat party so she can cheer up after being dumped by Parker. The frat accidentally summons a fear demon and it's taken over the house

  • Answers to The Name of God: Oz dresses for Halloween as God (which basically consists of wearing his own clothes an a name tag saying "Hello, my name is GOD"). This is the punchline to Willow having dressed up as Joan of Arc, because of their similarities, such as the close relationship with God. He runs with it in dialogue.

Xander: Why didn't I think of that? I coulda been God!
Oz: Blasphemer.
Later, after having to listen to annoying "spooky" sound effects in a haunted house, the noises finally stop:
Buffy: Thank the Lord!
Oz: (holding power lead) You're welcome.

  • The Beard: Buffy says "He wanted the candy, I was just the beard" with regards to her father taking her trick or treating on Halloween. Joyce informs Buffy the candy was actually for her.
  • Big Little Man: Actual size.
  • Blood Magic: Oz cuts his finger fixing the stereo, setting events in motion when he bleeds on the talisman.
  • Chainsaw Good: Giles, making an entrance after the haunted house's door disappears.
  • Cheap Costume: Oz's God costume consists of a nametag with "Hello, my name is God". Who needs costumes when you're that cool?
  • Cobweb Jungle

Willow: Uh, ah! Cobweb! Okay that part was realistic.
Oz: Frat boys aren't too obsessive with their cleaning. Might not be decoration per se.

Buffy: Uhm, this is much better. There is no problem that can not be solved with chocolate.
Willow: I think I’m going to barf.
Buffy: Except that.

Buffy: Will, let's be realistic here, okay? Your basic spells are usually only about 50-50.
Willow: Oh yeah? Well... so's your face!

Xander: (wolf-like) What you got in the basket, little girl?
Buffy: Weapons.
Xander: Oh.

Yeah, Buffy said she was coming but I haven't seen her. We have to make sure she has fun. We have to force fun upon her. And if Parker shows up we just ax-murder him. That's halloweeny!

  • Madness Mantra: "I'm sorry I didn't know...I'm sorry I didn't know..."
  • Mirror Scare: "I CAN SEE YOU!"
  • Mobile Maze
  • Narm: In universe example. Buffy goes to see Giles, who greets her as a trick or treater while wearing a traditional Mexican outfit with sombrero. Buffy takes a moment to get over the initial shock before talking to him, but she simply cannot get over the hat and soon says he has to take it off.
  • Nice Hat: Giles' sombrero.
  • Now You Tell Me: Giles reads that "there are two ways of stopping the demon from being fully summoned. Destroying the mark of Gachnar--" Buffy promptly tears up the floorboards that the symbol is painted on. Giles continues; "--is not one of them and will in fact bring forth the fear demon itself!" Oops.
  • One Dialogue, Two Conversations: Willow is talking to Why-Did-I-Rush-Into-Sleeping-With-Parker!Buffy about her forays into the black arts.

Buffy: Well, no one’s pushing. You know, if it’s too much don’t do it.
Willow: Don’t do it? What kind of encouragement is that?
Buffy: This is an ‘encouragement’ talk? I thought it was ‘share my pain’.”

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