Bad Girls

...And the season heats up. Faith and Buffy's problematic relationship takes a turn. Inexplicably, they are best buds, slaying and talking about the personal lives (translation: sex). Faith' bad girl persona is finally articulated as a life-philosophy, pretty Ayn Rand-esque, essentially, "we are better than other people, therefore, we're not bound by the same rules and expectations other people are held to." Buffy, of course, takes a nearly opposite view, feeling the weight of all the responsibility and none of the fun of slaying. Faith emphasizes the physicality of life as a slayer--all the energy and power that needs an outlet, and for the first time (I think), the theme of slaying as sexual foreplay is broached. Later, Spike--another "bad" character--will again force Buffy to admit that is true.

Together, Faith and Buffy ransack and break in, notably stealing the knife that later, Buffy will stab Faith with. Buffy seems to having fun as she tries out life as a bad girl, until completely by accident, Faith kills a human.

Considering all the bad things that have happened in the series, it might be possible that an accidental killing would be dealt with pro forma. Had Buffy been the one who did it, if she'd been alone--there's almost no doubt that she would have immediately told Giles and council protocol would have been followed, with Buffy exonerated and, althought feeling guilty, accepting of what happened. But Faith isn't Buffy, and crisis of faith and trust ensues.

This is Wesley's first episode. Against the backdrop of a true moral crisis calling for wisdom and leadership, the bumbling watcher flails around trying to inforce his authority.

The fact is, I need to think about this one more, and rewatch it later. The metaplot for this season is heating up, and I think this episode and the next are ones that bear re-watching.