Season 3, Episode 20

Written by Marti Noxon

Directed by David Solomon

Original Airdate: 11 May 1999

""Most of the people here have been saved by you. Or helped by you at one time or another. We're proud to say that the class of '99 has the lowest mortality rate of any graduating class in Sunnydale history. And we know that at least part of that is because of you. So the senior class offers its thanks and gives you, uh... this." It's from all of us. And it has written here, Buffy Summers — Class Protector."

Jonathan

REGULAR CAST

• Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers

• Nicholas Brendon as Xander Harris

• Alyson Hannigan as Willow Rosenberg

• Charisma Carpenter as Cordelia Chase

• David Boreanaz as Angel

• Seth Green as Daniel "Oz" Osbourne

• Anthony Stewart Head as Rupert Giles

GUEST CAST

• Kristine Sutherland as Joyce Summers

• Alexis Denisof as Wesley Wyndam-Pryce

• Brad Kane as Tucker Wells

• Emma Caulfield as Anya Jenkins

CO-STARRING

• Danny Strong as Jonathan Levinson

• Andrea E. Taylor as Salesgirl

• Mike Kimmel as Butcher Guy

• Bonita Friedericy as Mrs. Finkle

• Joe Howard as Priest

• Tove Kingsbury as Tux Boy

• Michael Zlabinger as Student at Mike

• Damien Eckhardt as Jack Mayhew

• Monica Serene Garnich as "No" Girl

• Stephanie Denise Griffin as Girl in Store

SYNOPSIS

• Buffy wakes up in Angel's bed at the mansion after the two fell asleep after patrol. Buffy talks a bit about bringing some of her stuff over, so every once in a while she could spend the night, and she mentions going to the prom. When she opens the curtains to check for the sun, she accidentally lets in a strong beam and it hits Angel, but he manages to move before it really burns him.
  
  At school, Anya, still a mere human being, asks Xander to the Prom. Both are dateless, and desperate, so he says yes. Later, Buffy, Willow, Oz, and Xander discuss prom plans, and dresses. Joyce visits Angel at the mansion and tells him she's worried about the affect he's having on her daughter. She tells him that he can't get in the way of her future and if Buffy can't see that he'll have to do something about it.
  
  Buffy and Willow are talking prom dresses while Giles is continuing research for the ascension. They don't know for sure what kind of demon Mayor Wilkins will transform into. Giles and Wesley will both be chaperoning the prom, which Buffy protests is going to be the one, and possibly last, night of fun they'll have in Sunnydale. Meanwhile, in a small house, someone plays a video for a caged dog beast that makes the dog go wild. Elsewhere, Buffy and Angel get married. As they exit the church, Angel is fearful of the sun, but it is Buffy that burns up and dies, not him, when they come in contact with the sun's light. Then Angel wakes up.
  
  While patrolling, Buffy and Angel have an argument. Angel's still very disturbed by his dream and visit from Joyce, and tells her they need to talk. He tells her that it's unfair for her to be in a relationship with him because of all the things he can't give her. In order to make her realize how serious he is, he breaks up with her and tells her he doesn't want be with her. He plans to leave Sunnydale after the ascension.
  
  Buffy goes to Willow for comfort and she realizes that Angel was right; the two of them really can't be together. But, after such a long and dedicated relationship falls apart so quickly, Buffy just feels horrible and cries. At "April Fools," the store where Cordelia works, Xander spots her through the window and goes in to talk. She reveals that she's now working there because her family lost all of their money and now they have nothing and she can't afford to go to any college. Their argument is cut short as one of the beasts that broke free breaks through the window and kills a boy dressed in a tux.
  
  At the library, they study a video of the attack, and spot a guy outside who turns out to be Tucker Wells. Tucker has plans to ruin prom night by sending a hell-hound trained to attack those in formal wear after the students. Buffy vows not to let this dog ruin the big night and issues orders for everyone to split up and search for clues. She ends up finding an address at the butcher where Tucker ordered cow brains to feed the dogs. She runs into Angel and the two have a post-break-up argument. As Cordelia leaves work, she finds that Xander has paid for her prom dress.
  
  Buffy returns from her searching and orders everyone else to attend the prom while she takes care of the hounds. She tells Giles that Angel is leaving town. She finds Tucker in his basement and ties him up before he can release the hound, but she also finds out that there are three dogs already on their way to the school. After killing all of the dogs, Buffy changes into her prom dress and shows up for the party. Everyone looks amazing dressed up in their tuxes and formal dresses. Cordelia shows up and clings to Wesley, while Anya tells Xander of her past and Willow and Oz just enjoy the evening.
  
  When Class awards are given out, Xander is snubbed for Class Clown, but Buffy is actually honoured with the award of Class Protector. It turns out that the Sunnydale High students were actually aware of Buffy's actions when protecting them from the evils of the Hellmouth. She's given a golden umbrella for an award. After all is said and done, the students continue to dance, and when Buffy thinks nothing more could happen, Angel shows up decked out in a tux. While it doesn't change anything, Buffy is just glad to be held in his arms as they dance.

TRIVIA

• Sarah Michelle Gellar told Entertainment Weekly in 2003 that this is one of her favourite episodes. She said, "I loved 'The Prom.' It stood for everything Buffy was about: the fact that she so badly wanted to be part of the other kids' lives."

• Angel doesn't drink coffee. Not because he can't - it just makes him jittery. He drinks a hell of a lot of it in Angel though.

• Tucker Wells is the older brother of Andrew, the nerd from seasons six and seven. They often get mixed up but Andrew explains that he was the one who released evil flying monkeys on the school play, not the hellhounds.

CONTINUITY

• Cordelia's still working in April Fools, mainly due to her father's tax evasion landing them in trouble with the law.

• Angel announces that he's leaving Sunnydale after the Ascension, which he does in Graduation Day (Part 2).

GOOFS

• While the group is discussing the Prom in the Library, there is a close shot of Giles, and a small pile of books on a cart. In the longer shot there are more books on the pile.

• In the scene where Angel breaks up with Buffy, her hair is in front of her shoulder. As the camera cuts back and forth between her and Angel, her hair moves behind her shoulder and then back in front again.

• When the Hell Hound bursts through the window of the store, "Tux Boy" keeps calmly adjusting his tuxedo right up until he is attacked.

• At the Prom, Wesley is holding a red napkin when he first spots Cordelia. The camera cuts to her, and when it cuts back to Wesley, he's holding a yellow napkin.

• Buffy takes her prom dress out of her bag, then leaves the bag full of weapons on the grass outside the school.

Anne | Dead Man's Party | Faith, Hope and Trick | Beauty and the Beasts | Homecoming

Band Candy | Revelations | Lover's Walk | The Wish | Amends | Gingerbread

Helpless | The Zeppo | Bad Girls | Consequences | Doppelgangland | Enemies

Earshot | Choices | The Prom | Graduation Day (Part 1) | Graduation Day (Part 2)