Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Recap/S4/E07 The Initiative

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    Spike escapes the Initiative. Riley tries to put the moves on Buffy.

    • Armor-Piercing Slap: Harmony greeting Spike.
    • Attack Hello: Buffy has to quickly hide her stake after Riley walks up on her instead of Spike.
    • Badass Decay: Xander's fight with Harmony was put in to show that Xander no longer remembered his military skills from "Halloween".
    • The Bait: The commandos see Buffy sitting on a park bench and suggest using her to draw out Spike. Riley isn't impressed and tries to persuade Buffy to go home. As Buffy is hoping to draw out Spike herself, Hilarity Ensues.
    • Big "Shut Up!": Xander and Giles are out in the woods looking for vampires.
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    Xander: Every man faces this moment. Here. Now. Watching. Waiting. For an unseen enemy that has no face. Nerve endings screaming in silence. Never knowing which thought might be your last.
    Giles: Oh, shut up!

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    Harmony: Let's leave the Slayer alone. She's just going to slap you around. I can do that.

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    Spike: I don't care how brilliant she (Buffy) is!
    Buffy: (struggling with a ballpoint) Stupid pen.

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    Spike: I don't understand. This sort of thing's never happened to me before.
    Willow: Maybe you were nervous.
    Spike: I felt all right when I started. Let's try again. (He tries to bite Willow, but he can't do it.)
    Spike: Damn it!
    Willow: Maybe you're trying too hard. Doesn't this happen to every vampire?
    Spike: Not to me, it doesn't!
    Willow: It's me, isn't it?
    Spike: What are you talking about?
    Willow: Well, you came looking for Buffy, then settled. You didn't want to bite me, I just happened to be around.
    Spike: Piffle.
    Willow: I know I'm not the kind of girl vamps like to sink their teeth into. It's always like, "Oh, you're like a sister to me," or, "Oh, you're such a good friend."

    Spike: Don't be ridiculous. I'd bite you in a heartbeat.

    Willow: Really?

    Spike: Thought about it.

    Willow: When?

    Spike: Remember last year? You had on that fuzzy pink number with the lilac underneath. (Gives her a sexy look.)

    Willow: I never would have guessed. You played the bloodlust kinda cool.

    Spike: Mmmm. I hate being obvious. Being all fangy and 'Rrrr.' Takes the mystery out.

    Willow: But if you could...

    Spike: If I could, yeah.

    Willow: You know, this doesn't make you any less terrifying.

    Spike: Don't patronize me! (Paces around the room.) I'm only 126!

    Willow: You're being too hard on yourself. Why don't we wait a half an hour and try again?

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    Willow: Have fun! And remember, if you hurt her, I'll beat you to death with a shovel.
    Riley: [pulls questioning face]
    Willow: [matter-of-fact-ly] A vague disclaimer is nobody's friend.

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    Forrest: I bet a lot of guys would like to get their hands on her.
    Cut to Spike lying in his cell, half-conscious.
    Spike: Slayer... I'll kill you. Not so tough. I... Kill Slayer.

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    • Love Epiphany: Riley doesn't realise he fancies Buffy until he punches Parker for making a crude remark about her. His friends tell him that they've always known.
    • Meaningful Echo: Riley's friends kid him that his referring to Buffy as "peculiar" was a dead giveaway that he's into her. At the end of the episode after Riley's bumbling attempts to ask her out, Buffy comments that he's peculiar. Riley takes this as a good sign.
    • Metaphorgotten: Riley asks Willow for her help in courting Buffy, but Willow is still depressed over Oz leaving her.
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    Willow: Ok, say that I help [sweet music plays] and you start a conversation. It goes great. You like Buffy, she likes you. You spend time together, feelings grow deeper, and one day, without even realizing it, you find you're in love. Time stops, And it feels like the whole world's made for you two, and you two alone [[[Musicalis Interruptus]]] until the day one of you leaves and rips the still-beating heart from the other, who's now a broken, hollow, mockery of the human condition.
    Riley: ...Yep, that's the plan.

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    Willow: Why don't we wait a half an hour and try again? (Beat) Or... [grabs a lamp and whacks him]

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    Xander: Harmony, it's been great catching up. Really, I'm just gonna pick up the tattered shreds of my dignity and go home.

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    Buffy: You know for someone who teaches human behavior, you might try showing some.
    Prof. Walsh: It's not my job to coddle my students.
    Buffy: You're right. A human being in pain has nothing to do with your job. (walks away)
    Prof. Walsh: (to Riley) I like her.

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