Eion Bailey. Hee.
We open at the zoo, with a shot of a sign pointing one way to the elephants, another to the reptiles, and another to the hyenas. Which one is going to be important in this episode, given its title? The camera pans down to show Buffy, clad in thigh-high boots and an ugly tan brushed-leather coat. Four teens approach her. Let me describe them in detail, as it'll make the recap clearer and easier. Plus, I'm dying to rip them to shreds. There are two boys and two girls. One boy, a blond, looks vaguely like Blake from Queer as Folk, so Blake he shall be. And I wouldn't be surprised if he were hanging out with Blake right now, if you know what I mean. One of the girls looks a bit like Fairuza Balk, only nowhere near as bitchy or scary. She'll be Balk Lite. I'm highly ashamed to say that I recognize the other girl as Jennifer Sky, sporting a blonde bowl cut. She played a recurring character on Xena for a short period, and according to the IMDb, she'll be appearing on Fastlane this fall. Poor Kim. However, the most embarrassing "credit" I can find on Sky's résumé is that she played the title character in the short-lived series Cleopatra 2525. So she'll be Miss Cleo, because it amuses me. You think I write these recaps for you? And last, and very definitely least, we have Eion Bailey. After annoying appearances on shows such as Dawson's Creek, he headlined a god-awful show called Significant Others, which I'm even more ashamed to say I saw all two episodes of. He'll be Feyon, because he feys his way through this role. And now, for an in-depth symposium entitled "Why Eion Bailey Sucks," I present to you guest lecturer Sars. ["Thank you, Couch Baron. [clears throat] Eion Bailey sucks for the following reasons: 1) He sucks. 2) We already have a Paul Rudd, one who's actually, you know, not a fugster. 3) He's a horrible actor. 4) He sucks. 5) It's called 'a razor,' Demi-Don Johnson. Get one. 6) He sucks. Here endeth the lesson." -- Sars]
Collectively, these four will be known as "The Prat Pack." I originally came up with "The Pack-thetic," but I like this better. Sars suggested the "(S)peeyack," which I like as well. I smell a poll question.
The Prat Pack starts with sad attempts at snark. Feyon's first: "Oh look, it's Buffy and all her friends." He's wearing a bright yellow collared shirt. I know it's California and all, but if they're trying to depict these four as the bad element at Sunnydale High, couldn't their clothes have been made a little edgier? They're called vintage shops, Prat Pack. Look into them. Buffy's amused until Balk Lite brings up Buffy's old school. Her face falls. They walk off, but not before Blake mock-warns them, "Careful. She might beat you up." I think he's referring to the stories that circulated about why Buffy got kicked out of Hemery. Willow and Xander rush up excitedly, and tell Buffy they saw the zebras mating. Willow: "It was like the Heimlich, with stripes!" There's a joke there somewhere, I'm sure of it. Buffy doesn't share their enthusiasm, and Xander points out that she's not really in the spirit of the trip. She whinges that they took the same trip at her old school every year. Yeah, but Buffy, this is the Sunnydale Zoo! Why waste your time with animals that have never lived on a Hellmouth? Xander points out the obvious --namely that the trip means no classes -- and Buffy perks up.
Cut to a geeky-looking guy taking notes. He looks like a cross between Screech from Saved By The Bell and Kevin McDonald from The Kids In The Hall. The Prat Pack harass the kid, whose name is Lance. And by "harass," I mean that they say things to him that might intimidate an eight-year-old. Blake grabs his notebook, and hijinks ensue until Principal Flutie comes up and demands to know what's going on. Feyon takes about a minute to come up with the witty rejoinder, "Nothing." Flutie: "Did I ask you to speak?" Hee. "Okay, I guess I did, but I want the truth. Lance?" Lance predictably tells him nothing, and Flutie leaves. The Prat Pack are all about Lance now, and invite him to check out the hyena house. Lance says that it's off-limits. Feyon: "And therein, my friend, lies the fun." Okay, do I need to point out that no bully in the world (except possibly a TWoP employee) would use the word "therein"? Shut up, Feyon.
They head into the hyena house, the entrance to which is decorated with yellow "Caution" tape. Buffy, Willow, and Xander observe the group, and think that Lance might be in trouble. Buffy says she'll check it out, but Xander wants to prove his manliness and goes in instead. What chutzpah. Willow and Buffy decide they should back him up, but are stopped by a man I'll dub Zookeeper Exposition, who's definitely getting a "Hey, It's That Guy!" from me. Time to visit the IMDb again...I'm back. His name's James Stephens, and he's had a bunch of movie and TV guest-star appearances. Nothing exciting. Oh, well. Z.E. says that hyenas are quick to prey on the weak. Wow, thanks! It's not like I learned about predators when I was six or anything. He goes on that the house is quarantined, because the hyenas just arrived from Africa. Uh, shouldn't they have been cleared before they got to the zoo? The zookeeper must be lying! Why no, I've never watched this episode before. Or TV at all. More blather about hyenas understanding and mimicking human speech in order to lure humans to a grisly death by eating. Yawn. Would you like to tell us anything else that's going to unfold on the screen in the forty minutes?
Lance and the Prat Pack enter the hyena house and look around. Lance: "I don't see any hyenas." A hyena pops its head up. Oh, you wacky, unpredictable Joss, you! And what's this I hear about cowboys in space? Lance wants to leave, but the Prat Pack grab him and pull him up to the railing. Wouldn't the hyenas be completely caged? Sigh. Lance is freaked, but Xander comes to the rescue and pulls him away. Lance moves to a safe distance away. Feyon and Xander posture a bit, but the hyena growls, and the five of them turn to look. The hyena's eyes glow green, as do those of Blake and Balk Lite. The hyena's eyes glow again, and now so do Feyon's and Miss Cleo's. An aerial shot shows us that the kids are standing on a large painted symbol that looks vaguely like a crocodile's open mouth. Lance turns to run, but trips and falls. Xander keeps his back to us for dramatic effect, but the other four turn to look at him. Blake has an expression on his face like he's just taken a shower at the Oswald Correctional Facility, but the others start cackling like, well, hyenas. Lance runs out. Xander turns, and as he does, his eyes glow green as well. Ruh roh! Credits.
The Bronze. Buffy and Willow talk about guys. Meaning, of course, that they talk about Xander and Angel. Willow asks Buffy if she noticed Xander behaving strangely on the bus ride home. Buffy says no, but that she's not as "hyper-aware" of him as Willow is. Or aware of him at all, really. Ignorance truly is bliss. Buffy teases that she's not constantly monitoring "his health, his moods, his blood pressure..." Willow pipes up, "130 over 80." Aw. So cute. And yet, to paraphrase Angelus, "Gosh, Will...that's really pathetic." Buffy: "You got it bad, girl." Thanks, home slice. Willow says that Xander makes her tingly (ew, not like that. I hope. Ew) and asks Buffy if anyone makes her feel that way. Buffy says no, but Willow brings up Angel. Buffy admits that he's a "honey," and I don't know whether to giggle or be horrified at that characterization. I think I'll settle for an uncomfortable combination of the two. She babbles a bit until Willow happily says, "There he is!" Buffy: "Angel?" No, it's Xander. He checks out a girl as he walks in, and there's a certain animal magnetism. Geddit? He walks over, and starts chomping on Buffy's croissant that's been sitting untouched in front of her this whole scene. Buffy cocks an eyebrow. Willow anxiously asks him if he still wants her to tutor him in geometry the day, and he distractedly says yes. He's acting weird enough that they want to know what's wrong. Willow: "Did I do something?" Aw. Poor, doormat-y Willow. He assures her that he's fine. He then sniffs Buffy, and notes that she took a bath, but says that's okay. Buffy: "And the weird behavior award goes to..." Well, I don't know, but the crappiest lines award goes to you in this scene.
The Prat Pack enter, and quickly spot Xander. Feyon and Blake both fix him with long, smoldering, homoerotic looks. I think Michael Rosenbaum watches this episode to get in character. The Prat Pack walk over to a portly kid sitting at a table, and tell him to beat it. Balk Lite: "Shouldn't you be hovering over the football stadium with 'Goodyear' written on you?" The Prat Pack laugh, as does Xander. Buffy looks at him questioningly. Xander: "Kid's fat." His delivery was hilarious there. By the way, Miss Cleo has not yet had a line in this episode.
Giles holds focus pads for Buffy as she trains. She punches and kicks until he basically cries for mercy. She wonders if her technique was a little sloppy, but he tells her to go to class. After she leaves, he continues, "While I wait for the feeling to return to my arms." Pointless scene, but entertainingly goofy.
Speaking of which, we get a camera angle from something running down the crowded hall. Students scream and get out of the way as dramatic music plays. Principal Flutie: "It's gotten loose!" Not that I would have fallen for this anyway, but if it's something that he knew about already, how dangerous could it be? Anyway, Buffy scoops it up. It's a baby pig, wearing a football helmet and the cheapest-looking construction of a ridge on its back imaginable. I could have produced something more professional-looking when I was four. Flutie tries to get everyone psyched about Herbert, the Sunnydale High Razorbacks' new mascot. Honestly, I like Flutie in small doses, but he's no Snyder, so I'm glad about what's to come. Also, has anything actually happened in this episode yet?
That would be "no." Willow tutors Xander. He's not getting it. She's patient. He's petulant. She's patient. He has a headache. She's patient. He throws his textbook in the trash and stomps off. She's patient. Hey, did anyone notice that Willow was kind of patient in that scene?
Buffy carries the pig as Flutie lectures her on school spirit. "Today it's all gangs and drugs and those movies on Showtime with the nudity." Boy, imagine if he'd lived to see Queer as Folk U.S. And is that show getting picked up for a third season? Because if it is, all I can say is, poor, poor Pamie. Flutie: "Of course, when I was your age, I was surrounded by old guys telling me how much better things were when they were my age." He smiles. Aw. They always make them so sympathetic right before they're eaten. Flutie goes into the classroom as Buffy coos over the pig. Xander walks by, and the pig starts screaming. Xander walks off. Buffy, didn't you see Alien? The animals always know what's up! Actually, she does look kind of wigged.
Lightning crashes. An old mother dies. Oh, sorry. Cut to the gym, where the kids are lined up in two rows facing each other. The gym teacher, a man that looks in his early fifties, walks down the row and gives this speech: "It's raining. All regular gym classes have been postponed. So you know what that means. Dodgeball." Hee! Buffy and Willow exchange a look. As the teacher walks, we see that Xander, Lance, and the Prat Pack are all on the same side. Blake gives another smoldering look, and is the only male wearing a tank top in the whole class. God, he looks gay. In the real sense and in the Smurfy sense. Not that he's not cute, but still. The teacher continues, "For those of you that may have forgotten, the rules are as follows: You dodge." Hee. The game starts. Several kids get hit, but not the Prat Pack. Willow survives for a while, but eventually Xander hits her, hard. She looks at him reproachfully, and sits down. Soon, the only ones left are Xander, Lance, and the Prat Pack on one side, and Buffy on the other. Pretty predictable so far. But in the first part of the episode that I really like, the Prat Pack and Xander slowly turn to Lance, and start whaling on him with the dodgeballs. Buffy rushes over and helps Lance to his feet. He steps behind her, and she and Xander throw visual gauntlets. Xander turns to go, and the Prat Pack follows, but not before Blake throws another smoldering look in the direction of the gym teacher. The teacher mutters, "God, this game is brutal. I love it." What happened to that guy?
Xander and the Prat Pack walk into the hall. Willow's waiting, and she sticks her chin out and calls Xander's name. He comes over, not out of earshot of the Prat Pack. He says he knows he's been different around her, and that his feelings have been changing. At this point, Buffy appears and goes to her locker, putting her in earshot of the conversation as well. Xander continues that he's dropping geometry (since when do you get a choice about taking geometry?) and says he won't be needing her tutoring services any more. "Which means I won't have to look at your pasty face again." Ouch. He and the Prat Pack laugh loudly. Willow can't believe it, but finally takes off. Buffy slams her locker and slowly approaches Xander. They respect her enough to momentarily stop laughing, but start again when she says, "You gonna say something to me?" They walk off. Buffy looks very concerned.
Xander leads the Prat Pack outside. Feyon feys. Xander sniffs the air and announces, "Dogs." They walk over to a table where two Phish-fan types are having some musical argument. I'm amazed that they both have had more lines so far than Miss Cleo. They ask Xander for his opinion. Miss Cleo and Blake grab their hot dogs. The Phish fans protest. Feyon gets his one good line of the episode: "You're sharing." Miss Cleo and Blake sample the dogs. I half-expected Blake to start sucking on his. Xander asks if they're good, but Blake says they're too well-done. I bet you like your meat raw, Blake. Miss Cleo cracks me up by cleaning off her fingers with a napkin. It just seems so incongruous. Xander sniffs again, and the Prat Pack is off, but not before Blake caresses one of the Phish guys' shoulders under the guise of wiping his hand off.
They walk into the classroom where Herbert is residing. Blake is licking his lips in a manner that's a little suggestive for just eating. They close the blinds and surround the cage. Xander: "Let's do lunch." How about after the script rewrite? They start hyena-cackling at the terrified pig. Sure, no one'll hear that. Idiots.
Xander and the Prat Pack slo-mo walk up the stairs outside. Blake wipes his lips twice. Since no one else did it even once, I'm wondering if he had a little sausage after that ham. They walk. People look at them quizzically. They pass Lance. Blake wipes his lips again. Well, it wasn't his acting skills that got him this part. Xander looks up at the outdoor balcony, and sees Buffy and Willow sitting with their backs to him. He concentrates, and we're meant to understand that with his animal senses he can hear what they're saying. Cut up to said conversation. Willow says she's never seen him like that. AH does a great job of sounding like she just had a good long cry. Buffy says she thinks something's wrong with him. Willow: "Or maybe there's something wrong with me." This scene lends so much credibility to the Willow-freaks over Xander in "Innocence" and "Consequences." Buffy doesn't know what she means, but Willow points out that Xander's not picking on Buffy. She breaks my heart with this line: "Maybe three isn't company anymore." Aw. Buffy firmly points out that that doesn't explain why he's hanging out with the Prat Pack, and says he's just acting too weird. Willow wants to know what she's going to do. Buffy: "I'm gonna talk to the expert on weird."
Library. Hi, Giles! Maybe that's why this episode has dragged so far. Buffy's explained the situation. I have to transcribe this exchange verbatim:
Giles: Xander's taken to teasing the less fortunate?
Buffy: Uh huh.
Giles: And there's a noticeable change in both clothing and demeanor?
Buffy: Yes.
Giles: And otherwise, all his spare time is spent lounging about with imbeciles?
Buffy: It's bad, isn't it?
Giles: It's devastating. He's turned into a sixteen-year-old boy. Of course, you'll have to kill him.
Hee! And it's ironic that this analysis was so off, whereas a very similar one in "When She Was Bad" was spot-on. Buffy presses her case: "I can't believe that you, of all people, are trying to Scully me!" You know, I've never seen Giles cock an eyebrow. That seems like something he'd do. She tells him to get his books and look stuff up. Giles wants evidence, and Buffy tells him that Xander scared the pig. That's what I'm sayin'! Giles still isn't buying, and says that "preying on the weak" is normal for teenaged boys. Just boys? Did he ever watch Popular? And -- ding ding ding! Buffy's heard those words before. She quickly realizes the hyena connection. Giles is amusedly condescending until Willow bursts in and tells them about Herbert. Buffy fixes Giles with a look, and he starts to walk off. Willow wonders what he's going to do. A chastened Giles: "Get my books. Look stuff up." Ha!
Flutie finds the Prat Pack outside. He says they're busted. Balk Lite asks how Herbert is. Miss Cleo gets her first, and only, line: "Crunchy!" Uh, aren't we talking about raw meat? Shut up, Miss Cleo. Flutie orders them to his office. Feyon feys up from the bench, and they all follow.
Willow and Buffy talk about how evil hyenas are. Willow: "Why couldn't Xander be possessed by a puppy, or some ducks?" Anything to increase his IQ. Giles tells them that animal possession is common among one tribe in Africa; they believe that the soul is a perversion, so they seek to be possessed by only the most predatory of animals, and for God's sack would SOMETHING please happen in this episode already? Buffy asks what happens to the person that's possessed, and Giles shows her an illustration, which sends her running to find Xander. Willow looks at it, and let's just say it's nine kinds of gross.
Buffy enters the classroom where Herbert became a ham sandwich. She sees the cage, which has been torn apart, and notes that the possessed humans are strong. She steps on something, and kneels down to inspect Herbert's bones. Creepy music plays as someone comes up behind her. She stands, and when she turns, Xander's in her face. She fakes right, and he matches the move. She says they need to talk, but then tackles him instead. Smart girl. He laughs: "Been waiting for you to jump my bones."
I've been waiting for something to happen, and I finally get my wish. In his office, Flutie lectures the Prat Pack on how sick they are. They're all dressed way better now, by the way. Who knew hyenas had a keen fashion sense? They start growling softly, and slowly move toward Flutie. We can see where this is going, but it's still scary, thanks to the editing and the creepy score.
Back to Xander and Buffy. Xander flips over to be on top of Buffy. She tells him to get off, but he says that's not what she really wants. He says she likes her men dangerous and mean, which is kind of hard to argue with in retrospect. He's all, "Well, guess who just got mean."
Flutie tells the Prats not to make things worse for themselves, and sits at his desk to call their parents. Blake, facing him across the desk, slaps the phone away from him. Flutie's hemmed in by Balk Lite on his left and the other two on his right. He grabs the phone again, but Balk Lite throws it to the floor. She snits, "I'm sorry. " I thought that was this scene's only weak moment -- they're supposed to be almost completely feral at this point, and she stops to be snotty? Flutie tries to get by them, but Feyon gives him a pretty convincing growl, and he falls back into his chair.
Xander bores Buffy with some talk, and she throws him off. Undaunted, he says that Willow's kidding herself if she thinks he would settle for anyone but Buffy. Buffy tells him she doesn't want to hurt him, but he grabs her and slams her into a snack machine. The force causes some change to drop through the machine. Nice detail. He says he likes it when she's scared, because she smells better. He sucks on her neck.
The Prat Pack is in full growl mode now. Flutie again tries to leave, but they don't let him. Blake jumps up to crouch on the desk. Balk Lite scratches Flutie across the face, drawing quite a bit of blood. Finally, something that Fairuza would actually do! The blood is the last straw. The other three lean in, and Blake jumps on top of Flutie. They all attack him. The camera does that tired pan in to Flutie's picture on the desk (who has a picture of himself on his desk?) to let us know that Flutie has gone to visit Herbert on that great slop farm in the sky. But when I first saw this episode, this scene was very shocking, I'll admit.
In a very nice cut, we see Willow in the library, watching a program on her computer that shows hyenas feeding. Buffy drags an unconscious Xander into the library and tells Willow to help her put him in the cage. Willow asks what happened. Buffy says she hit him. Willow: "With what?" Buffy: "A desk." Heh. Why couldn't we have seen that? Buffy says, "It's safe to say that in his animal state his idea of wooing doesn't involve a Yanni CD and a bottle of Chianti." So she's waiting for her "honey" Angel to "woo" her with a Yanni CD? Now that's an image I could do without. Willow wonders what to do about Xander, but Buffy says she's more concerned about the Prat Pack. Giles walks in and tells them the Prats were sent to the principal's office. Willow thinks that's good, but quickly realizes that something went wrong. Buffy: "They didn't hurt him, did they?" Giles, after a pause, manages: "They -- ate him." Willow sits down with a great look of shock. Buffy, all business, wants to know how to transpossess someone. Giles figures out that it's possible to transfer the demon spirit to another human, but Buffy points out that that doesn't really help them. Wouldn't Giles be a lot more familiar with this, given "The Dark Age"? Buffy remembers the zookeeper, and surmises that he might not have quarantined the hyenas because they were sick. I have to say, as much as I love Giles, there were a lot of times in the first season where Buffy ran rings around him in the deductive reasoning department. I'm glad they smartened him up later. They make to go, but Buffy realizes that someone has to watch Xander. Willow volunteers. Buffy's not sure about that idea, but Willow firmly says she'll be all right. Hmm. They really needed more Scoobies back then.
We come to the only scene in the episode that still scares me. A young mother walks at night with her baby on her back. She comes across the Prat Pack, lying on the ground, surrounded by some bushes. Feyon and Balk Lite are lying together, which isn't the pairing I was expecting. They open their eyes, which are all iridescent, and start growling. The woman is pretty paralyzed with fear. She shifts right into Blake, who looks really scary in this light. He drools at the prospect of fresh meat. The woman finally finds the strength to move, and backs up slowly. The Prat Pack look ready to pounce, but she moves farther away, and they let her go and settle back down to sleep. Creepy.
Xander comes to, and groggily calls Willow's name. He asks why he's locked up, and Willow says it's because Buffy said he's sick. He snits about Buffy. Willow says she's saved both of their lives. Xander: "Before she came here, our lives didn't need that much saving, did they." Willow's too smart to buy such a specious argument, isn't she? Or is she? Xander plays to her weaknesses, saying that things were simpler when it was just the two of them. He says he knows there's something wrong with him, but that he wants her to help him, not Buffy. Who's a clever little hyena? Willow defends Buffy again, but Xander wonders why she left Willow alone with him. Willow says it's because she knows him better than Buffy does, and she wanted to see if he was still Xander. Xander: "You know I am. Look at me." Willow relents, moving forward. Don't do it! He grabs for her through the book drop, but she's prepared and avoids him. She smiles, satisfied. "Now I know." Psych! You go, girl! Xander goes nuts.
Buffy and Giles talk to Zookeeper Exposition. They fill him in about the possession. Zzzzz. He's familiar with transpossession, but is unclear on some of the details. Giles informs him that the ritual involves a "predatory act and some kind of symbol." Z.E. can barely contain his glee upon learning that news. Buffy tries to stir them to action. Z.E. says they have to get the possessed students over to the hyena cage. Buffy says she doesn't know where four of them are, but Z.E. reveals that the pack will seek out its missing member. Realizing what that means for Willow, Buffy and Giles are out of there.
Xander calls Willow's name, but she says she's not listening. Feyon and Miss Cleo appear at the half-moon windows of the library. Feyon calls Willow's name, because hyenas do that to lure humans away from their group. Only Willow's alone, so it's just dumb. Like Feyon.
Feyon continues to call Willow's name until she sees him. Then the Prat Pack comes crashing through. That made a lot of sense. Willow runs out of the library. The Prat Pack quickly rips the door off the cage. In an incredibly homoerotic shot, Feyon and Blake sniff Xander. Blake even rubs up against him and licks his jacket. This kid's taking method acting to a whole new level. A very gay level. And for those of you who have never seen a gay hyena, just think of Richard Simmons. Willow runs into an empty classroom and shuts the door. Xander and the Prat Pack rush out of the library and split up, sniffing away. Willow hides under the teacher's desk. Xander seems to have the best schnozz out of the group, which may explain why he's clearly the leader. He and Miss Cleo enter Willow's room and sniff around. They turn to leave, and the door closes. Willow gets up, but when she turns around, Xander is there. She screams. He dives over the desk at her. She manages to avoid him and get out the door, but Miss Cleo is waiting. She moves in, but Buffy appears out of nowhere and conks her from behind with a fire extinguisher. She decks Xander , but the other three hear the commotion and come running. Buffy, Giles, and Willow shut themselves in the classroom. Xander and the Prat Pack try to get in, but quickly give up and leave. Buffy says that they'll be looking for a weak target, and that she has to get them to the zoo. Giles points out that, individually, they're almost as strong as Buffy, so as a group, they might kick her ass. Buffy counters that they're getting stupider. Well, that happened when Xander became their leader, didn't it? Buffy orders Giles and Willow to the zoo, and takes off.
A married couple with a young son named Joey leaves a house and bickers. They get into their SUV. The father wonders where the keys are. I have no idea what he's talking about. Did he leave them in the car, and the Prat Pack stole them? Do I really care? We hear voices calling, "Joey!" Again, this is pointless, since the kid's not going anywhere. Xander and the Prat Pack appear out of nowhere, and menace the Bickersons. Xander breaks the driver's side back window and tries to drag Joey through it. Buffy runs up, and knocks away Balk Lite and Feyon, then gets Xander's attention by telling him not to play with his food. Clunk. She tells him to come get what he wants, then runs off down the street with the five in pursuit. Wouldn't they, like, stay for the nice meal? They'd get a free SUV out of it!
Willow and Giles reach the entrance to the hyena house; Giles tells Willow to stay outside, and to alert him when she hears Buffy coming. He goes inside to prepare the ritual.
Buffy runs through the woods. The Prats chase her.
Giles enters the hyena house. He cracks me up by calling out, "Doctor? Zookeeper?" So English to worry about niceties in a life-or-death situation. Z.E. comes out, wearing face paint. He's a face-painter! Just like David Puddy! Giles notes that it's the traditional garb of the tribe that practices transpossession. He then sees the sacred circle, and wonders why he would need that, unless...he smiles humorlessly as realization dawns. I get distracted as I notice that he's wearing an ugly scarf. This is a disturbing trend. I always thought of Giles as a master mold of fashion, but that's two recaps in a row where he's been wearing something hideous around his neck. Anyway, he turns to Z.E. "How terribly frustrating for you, that a bunch of schoolchildren could accomplish what you could not." Z.E. acknowledges that, but says he'll have the power soon enough. Giles tries to get by him, but Z.E. hits him in the stomach and then the back with a club, knocking him out. He drags Giles's unconscious body off-camera.
Buffy runs some more. Willow hears hyena noises, and goes into the house. She calls for Giles, but finds only Z.E. She tells him that they're almost there, and wonders where the hyenas are. He says they're in the cage. Willow doesn't see any red flags in the face paint, the ceremonial garb, the absence of Giles, or the fact that Z.E. takes some rope and ties her wrists together. Willow? Clue phone! It's for you!
Buffy approaches the house, and yells that they're right behind her. Z.E. grabs Willow and holds a knife to her throat, reminding her about the "predatory act." Willow: "You'll pretend to slash my throat and put the evil in the hyenas?" Z.E.: "Something like that." Willow finally figures out what's going on, and as Buffy enters, Willow yells that it's a trap. Xander and the Prat Pack tackle Buffy from behind, and are about to make dinner out of her dinners when Z.E. shouts something in, I assume, the language of the transpossession tribe. More unexplained plot points: What happened to the predatory act? Did the Prat Pack's attack on Buffy satisfy that requirement? Or was it unnecessary because he was only transferring the hyena spirit to another human -- himself? Sigh. Xander and the Prat Pack's eyes glow, as do those of Z.E. He growls, and tries to snack on Willow, but Xander runs into him. Z.E. slaps him aside, but Buffy's recovered by this time, and she attacks him. They fight, and she quickly flips him into the hyena pit. He tries to crawl out, but the hyenas make short work of him. Huh? Isn't he as strong as they are? And would they really attack a human possessed by another hyena? I know this is going to be an unpopular opinion, but this episode kind of sucks. The Prat Pack bails. Giles stumbles out into the room: "Did I miss anything?" I'm really glad they didn't go with Butt-Monkey Giles on a long-term basis.
Wrap-up time. Buffy, Willow, and Xander walk through the courtyard at school to the outdoor stairs. They talk about Flutie's death, and the girls tell Xander he had nothing to do with it. That's another thing that bothers me about this episode -- it seems like such a cop-out that Xander wasn't involved in Flutie's death. I guess since it was only the sixth episode, they didn't want to make one of the characters too unsympathetic, but still. They inform him that he did eat a pig, but he doesn't remember anything. Willow thanks him for saving her life, and they share a nice moment. He asks if he did anything else bad, and Buffy generously tells him no. She and Willow leave. Giles appears, and busts Xander, saying that he's been reading up on transpossession, and there's no record of anyone suffering memory loss afterward. Xander nervously asks if he's told Buffy and Willow that, but Giles promises to keep the secret. Xander walks off dejectedly. Aw. Giles looks after him mischievously. I don't remember Giles being so silly.
Strengths of this episode: Editing, score, NB's acting. Weaknesses: Over-exposition, terrible pacing, crappy supporting cast. Sorry, but it's just not one of my favorites.