The Zeppo

I've seen this several times, and thought of it as a fun night in Xander's life, a chance for him to have the spotlight a bit. The structure reminds me of teen movies: a night in the life, leading to an older and wiser protagonist. There have been a couple heavy episodes, and we're heading into a couple more heavy ones (I think), so this is the respite.

Wow. I missed a lot. Still processing this one, in fact. First, remember the beginning of the series? How many Xander-centric episodes there were? He was goofy, he was serious, he was Everyman, he was Joss and the writers....

Then, he was Love Interest. The goofy-ness abated some as his wardrobe cleaned up a bit and Cordelia polished the rough edges--a bit. He was an integral part of the team, and had Buffy's back solidly.

This episode seems to begin the process of marginalizing him and redefining him. The last few episodes, Willow has come more into her own, becoming "The Witch." She's smart, but not nearly the brainiac she'd been in ways; beginning with Lovers Walk (maybe the one before; I'd need to look), she's turning to magic instead of other means to solve problems.

That leaves Xander as the odd man out. Giles has unique training and skills; Willow has magic; Buffy is the Slayer; Oz is a werewolf...and Xander? He's in danger, and clumsy, and--more strongly now than before--the punchline. He's also the reason the others are doing what they do: symbolically, Xander is the Everyman Sunnydale resident that they are protecting.

The episode has wonderful dialogue, and Nick Brendon's comic timing as well as his ability to evoke pathos are well used. The conversation about how to be "cool"--the laconic, ultra cool Oz (Seth Green) and the over-excited, rambling Xander is both insightful and hilarious. The conversations between Xander and Cordelia which bookend the episode mark the change between Xander the hapless spurned boyfriend and Xander on the road to manhood, laconic and cool, able to walk away from Cordelia's truthtelling (She is one of the most subtly named characters--a nod to King Lear, fulfilling her namesake's legacy in this episode).

And yes, this is the episode where Xander first saves Faith as she fights, then loses his virginity to her in a sweetly funny--and abruptly telling--couple of scenes. But that's not what made him a man tonight: standing up to Jack O'Toole, getting O'Toole to admit that he wasn't ready to really die--"janitor sweeping up pieces" dead, instead of zombie dead, coolly claiming he wouldn't "mind the silence"--that prototype to the famous yellow crayon speech in season 6 is the moment we see the Xander that lies beneath. For the next couple seasons, he is marginalized, but all through, the Xander who sees (as Caleb will note in season 7) is evolving. He has an almost parallel life to the mystical Scoobies in ways--and when Buffy points out to the council in season 5 that Xander has logged more field time than they all have put together, he puffs up with pride because he is often overlooked as a contributing member of the team. The habit of dismissing Xander's abilities as a Scooby are underscored, and in ways begin, with this episode.

Notably, Buffy and the others are in a parallel, apocolyptical plot which is only alluded to. In a fascinating structural tour-de-force, we see key moments, startling emotional, violent pastiche of imagery, with no context as Xander bumbles in the way of whatever Buffy et al are fighting. It's fun, and the story comes to a conclusion with them glad Xander was "safe," never looking at him hard enough to see the differences that Cordelia and the audience mark. The audience notes the team feel of the battered veterans around the table, with Buffy fapparently forgiving Giles for his betrayal last episode--and Xander sees them much more clearly than they see him--not for the last time, either.

"Inca Mummy Girl"

Couple notable things about this episode:

• First sighting of Oz and Jonathon, as far as I can tell--which is sort of cosmic balance. The embodiment of cool and the social outcast intro'd at the same time. And Oz is attracted to Willow from first glance, which is nice.
• Buffy sees an analogy between herself and the mummy girl, both chosen, both sacrificing themselves. The only mention of Buffy and death is at the very end, when she tells Xander she wouldn't be alive without him and smiles...not the "thank you" she'd purred that he wished for when she danced at him, but a far more genuine acknowledgment. Contrasting that with the pat little speech she gives at the Magic Box to thank them for bringing her back in season 6...this, unspoken, is much more sincere.
• In an episode about sacrifice, it's Xander who offers himself as the sacrifice, pulling Willow out of danger and saying he wants to be in the line of fire--or kissing, as the case may be. (Judas imagery, but not...) This is almost practicing for the yellow crayon speech at the very end of season 6--same dynamic in the logic, and interestingly, same goal: saving Willow.
• The goofy Xander/champion Xander split is becoming more pronounced, I think. Even the way he's dressed in a scene forshadows which one we see--that's my theory. I'm going to keep watching to see if it holds true. Thus far, I still think the writers understand him better than any other character and so we're getting a more nuanced personality from him, but the others are coming along.

No Spike, Angel, or Jenny in this one, and Cordelia is just comic relief. But what I'm noticing (first impression--gotta see if this holds true) is that the episodes in season 1 & 2 that I originally thought were throw-aways or weaker (Teacher Pet, the Pack, etc)--usually not part of the meta-plot--are in fact character building/defining episodes and figure importantly into the overarching mythos of the series. Hm....gotta think.