Tough Love

Season 5, Episode 19
Written by Rebecca Rand Kirshner
Directed by David Grossman
Original Airdate: 30 April 2001

“I mean, tell me if I said something wrong. Otherwise, I know I’ll say it again, probably often and in public.”

Tara

REGULAR CAST

Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers
Nicholas Brendon as Xander Harris
Alyson Hannigan as Willow Rosenberg
Emma Caulfield as Anya Jenkins
Michelle Trachtenberg as Dawn Summers
James Marsters as Spike
Anthony Stewart Head as Rupert Giles

GUEST CAST

Clare Kramer as Glory
Charlie Weber as Ben Wilkinson
Troy T. Blendell as Jinx
Anne Betancourt as Principal Stevens
Leland Crooke as Professor Lillian
Amber Benson as Tara Maclay

CO-STARRING

Todd Duffey as Murk
Alan Heitz as Slook

SYNOPSIS

Buffy drops out of college, notifying one of her professors about the decision and regretting the need to make the decision. Ben finds himself fired from his job at the hospital because Glory has been monopolizing the human form they share. Glory takes a bath while she demands that her blindfolded minions tell her everything they know about the Key. Dawn and Buffy are called into Dawn’s principal’s office where Dawn’s poor grades are discussed. At the magic shop, Anya talks about patriotism and how money ties into that.

Buffy seeks Giles’ advice about being Dawn’s mother figure then takes her sister home, attempting a parental role with Dawn. Glory’s minions provide her with enough information to conclude who the Key is and Glory leads the way to gather it. Tara and Willow discuss their relationship and Willow’s powers as a witch, but the discussion ends up angering Willow when Tara expresses her fear that Willow may eventually decide that being a lesbian is not what she wants.

Buffy talks with Dawn about how Dawn’s situation needs to improve in school or Buffy could possibly loose guardianship of her sister. Depressed over her first major fight with Willow, Tara goes to a cultural fair, but finds herself sitting next to Glory on a park bench. Giles finds one of Glory’s minions at the shop and questions him about Glory’s plans. Willow goes after Tara who is in Glory’s grasp but can’t get to Tara before it’s too late. Glory finds that Tara isn’t the Key, but when Tara won’t tell her who is, she drains Tara’s mind of sanity.

At the hospital, doctors look after Tara while Willow plans her vengeance against the evil God, Glory. Buffy arranges for Dawn to be kept safe by Spike in some underground caves while she takes care of the issues involving Tara. Dawn worries that she is evil and feels guilty, but Spike tries to convince her otherwise. Buffy thinks she’s talked Willow out of any attempts to go after Glory, but Spike and Dawn later convince her that one can’t be talked out of something like that. Willow rages, going to the magic shop to gather dangerous magic supplies in preparation for her attack on Glory.

At Glory’s place, Willow makes an unexpected, but grand appearance, casting spells wildly, all in attempts to attack and destroy Glory. Unfortunately, the God is far more powerful than the witch, and Willow is almost seriously wounded, but Buffy is there to stop it. Buffy and Glory battle ferociously, until one of Willow’s force fields allows Willow and Buffy to escape. The next day, Willow, Tara, Buffy and Dawn eat while discussing the responsibilities that Willow and Buffy now have. Glory suddenly appears as one of the walls surrounding them is violently destroyed. Glory smiles evilly as a crazy Tara points and reveals that Dawn is the Key.

TRIVIA

Leland Crooke, who plays Professor Lillian, played Archduke Sebassis in the Angel episodes Life of the Party, Power Play and Not Fade Away.

To achieve the brain-sucking effect, Clare Kramer pushed her fingers into a dummy head covered in blue material. In post-production, the blue head was digitally removed by computer and replaced by Amber Benson’s.

CONTINUITY

Spike still has mass bruising from his encounter with Glory in the previous episode.

This episode continues the trend of having the nineteenth episode of a season centre around Willow and Tara. In season four’s New Moon Rising, Willow chooses Tara over Oz, and in season six’s Seeing Red, Tara is killed by Warren.

Buffy drops out of U.C. Sunnydale in this episode, to take better care of Dawn.

Willow reminds Tara that she took Psychology 101 “from an evil government scientist who was skewered by her Frankenstein-like creation.” She’s referring to Maggie Walsh and her death at Adam’s hand in season four.

GOOFS

As Giles interrogates Slook, you can see a line on Slook’s forehead which shows where his prosthetic face goes.

When Glory crushes Tara’s hand, blood drips onto the bench, but later shots show a clean bench.

When Glory’s minions spy at an open window at Buffy’s house, we see Dawn talking to Buffy about how school is useless since she’s a Key. Why didn’t they hear this?

After Willow spits on Glory’s face, the area goes dry then wet again.

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

EPISODE
Intervention / Spiral

STORY ORDER
Dead End / Spiral