TV-Reviewed

This episode featured the season final of the first season. The entire season was new and hip. It delivered some entertaining material and introduced to new TV stars. The show was one of the best shows on television during that era. The WB (now the CW) had a show they could build a network around. Before Smallville, Buffy The Vampire Slayer was the show that the network cared about the most. The season finale was a great way to end a very good season.

It begins with some disturbing news. The master will rise and kill the slayer. This sends Giles into a frenzy. He is looking at all his books trying to prove what he read is wrong. Ms. Calendar begins helping him. He asks her to ask a monk about the anointed one. It seems as though he is the one that will lead her to her death. When she finds out the truth she reacts like anyone else would, terrified.

Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers

She tries to quit her duty of being a slayer but that was a dumb move. Her next was to throw books at Giles and have an outburst that reminded me of a rugrat. She told Giles and Angel where to stick it and ran home. Her mother inadvertently gave her words of wisdom. She told her to live her life to the fullest let nothing stand in your way. She hears news that Willow was in danger. Willow told her what happened and Buffy had no other choice but to be strong. She tells Giles that she is going to face the master her own way. He tries to stop her but she ends up knocking him out. She takes the tools she needs and goes off to find the master.

The anointed one found her first. He took her to see the master and it was there that she was killed. The master was able to defeat her with his mind control. He also tasted her blood that lead him to escape his prison. He left Buffy for dead. That was until Angel and Xander showed up. Xander was able to breathe life back into her. She awakes a new woman and a more powerful slayer. She will need her new strength to save her friends at the school. They are being ambushed by a three headed dragon and a legion of vampires.

Giles, Cordelier, Willow, and Ms. Calender were doing their best to fend off the intruders. Buffy was able to watch the school and have one last fight with the master. This time she was able to fight the master on her turf. Angel and Xander were holding back the vampires when Buffy throw the master through the roof landing on huge stick. The master dusted away into a skeleton, sending everything that came out the hell mouth back into their world. Buffy and her gang saved the day once again but it wasn’t the last time she had to deal with the master and his legion of followers.

This episode also featured a second storyline. This was the episode that had Xander show his true feelings for Buffy. Buffy didn’t return the favor and Xander heart was broken. He did show how much he loved by risking his life to save hers. He even forced angel to help him find the girl. This was his first act of extreme bravery. Xander wasn’t the brightest of characters but it did have a lot of heart.

This season ended on a very good note. The season finale was more entertaining than most other shows, including the ones that are on today. It closed up the storyline of the master and left us wondering what will happen with the anointed one. His fate was answered in the second season. The second season also delivered good television and many surprises. The love angle between Buffy and Angel went down in television history as being one of the best love stories ever told. The first season was only the beginning. The second season built the legacy.

Rating: 7.0