Written and Directed by: Joss Whedon

Transcribed by: AleXander Thompson for Psyche's Transcripts

Copyright © 1997 Alexander Thompson

Disclaimer

I do not own the characters in this story, nor do I own any rights to the television show "Buffy the Vampire Slayer". They were created by Joss Whedon and belong to him, Mutant Enemy, Sandollar Television, Kuzui Enterprises, 20th Century Fox Television and the WB Television Network.

This is not a novelization or a script. It is a straightforward and dry transcript of the episode "Prophecy Girl". It also includes descriptions of the settings, action scenes and camera movements where I felt they were needed.

I made every effort to accurately transcribe the dialogue from this episode. If you notice anything that is transcribed incorrectly, please let me know and I will post an update. rev 98.09.28

This episode was originally broadcast on June 2, 1997.

Teaser

In every generation there is a Chosen One. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer.

The Bronze at night. Cut inside to Xander and Willow sitting at a table.

Xander: You know how I feel about you. It's, uh, pretty obvious, isn't it? There's never been anyone else for me... but you. And we're good friends, and it's time to take the next step.

Willow is listening to him dreamily.

Xander: Would you, um... date me? Oh that's good! Date me! It's terrible, right?

Willow: (comes back to earth) Huh? Oh, no! Oh, yes, 'date me' is silly...

Xander: See, what I should do is I should just start with talking about the dance. (clears his throat) Y'know, Buffy, Spring Fling just isn't any dance. It's a time for students to choose, um... a mate and then we can... observe their... mating rituals and tag them before they migrate. Just kill me!

Willow: You're doing fine!

Xander: Why's it so hard? I should just walk up to her and say, 'Hey, I like you. Let's go to the dance together.'

Willow: Direct and to the point.

Xander: I'm ready. I wanna do it now. I *gotta* do it now.

Willow: Oh, Buffy's not here. You can practice on me some more.

Xander: No, no, I can't wait until tomorrow, I-I'll be thinking about it too much. Why didn't Buffy show up tonight? What's she doing?

Willow: Oh, you know, the usual.

Cut to the park. A car is parked in the distance with its windows all fogged up. Buffy comes falling into the field of view in slow motion and hits the ground hard on her back and exhales. Cut inside the car. Cordelia breaks off her kiss with Kevin.

Cordelia: What was that?

Kevin: What was what?

Cut outside. Buffy props herself up. A vampire approaches her and growls. Cut inside the car.

Cordelia: Someone's out there.

Kevin: That's silly! Who would be out there?

Cut outside. Buffy rolls in a reverse somersault and comes up standing, ready to fight. The vampire growls at her. She pulls a stake out from under her jacket behind her back and holds it pointing out from her hips so the vampire can see. He frowns at the sight of it as Buffy puts on an evil smile. This infuriates the vampire and he launches himself at her. She hits him with an out-to-in crescent kick, and then follows up with a high front snap kick, stunning him. She immediately plunges the stake home, and he falls over backward and bursts into ashes when he hits the ground.

Buffy: Three in one night. Giles would be so proud.

Cut to the roof of the library. The camera pans over to the skylight and looks in. Giles is at the table researching. He gets up and goes into his office to make some tea. Cut to Giles' office. He sits down at his desk with his cup of tea and reads the text of the Codex.

Giles: Ho korias phanaytie toutay... tay nuktee. 'The Master shall rise...' Yes, yes, this is it! 'The Master shall rise, and the Slayer...' (looks up in disbelief) My God!

He considers what he's just read for a moment and then reaches for his tea. The cup begins to jiggle, and he looks at it curiously. A few seconds later the whole building begins to shake, and he realizes he's experiencing his first earthquake. He gets up and looks around at everything shaking. His teacup vibrates off of the desk and smashes to pieces on the floor. Cut to the Bronze. The people panic. Xander grabs Willow and guides her away.

Xander: Under the stairs! Under the stairs!

They get under the stairs, and Willow grabs onto a step from underneath to steady herself. Someone rushing down the stairs nearly steps on her fingers, and she yelps as she pulls her hand back. Cut to Cordelia's car. She and Kevin hold on as they ride out the quake. Cut outside. Buffy looks around her at the shaking trees. Car alarms are going off everywhere. Cut to the library. Giles comes out of his office and sees several bookshelves fall over as the walls and the floor sustain severe damage. Cut to the Master's lair. He stands with his arms stretched out above him.

Master: Yes! YES! Shake, Earth! This is a sign! We are in the final days! My time has come! Glory! GLORY!

The quake is over as quickly as it started. The Master looks over at Collin.

Master: Whadaya think? 5.1?

Opening credits roll. Buffy's theme plays.

Act One

The library. Giles comes out of his office and walks over to the cage. Buffy comes in.

Buffy: Morning!

She looks around at all the damage. Giles looks at her like he's just seen a ghost.

Buffy: Wow. The damage looks fairly structural. Are we safe in here?

Giles: Buffy!

Buffy: What? Do I have something on my face? (pats her face)

Giles: No! Uh, and, and yes, we're, we're safe. (indicates the stacks) Uh, but probably best not to go up there.

Buffy: How're you doin' there, Giles? Get much sleep last night?

Giles: Um... I-I-I've been working.

Buffy: Me, too. I went hunting last night, and it is awfully sweet of you to ask. It's getting hairy out there, Giles. I killed three vampires last night, and one of them was practically on school grounds.

Giles: Their numbers are increasing.

Buffy: And they're getting cockier. Look, I'm not loving it. Last night was a pretty close call.

Giles: (distracted) Yes.

Buffy: Giles, care? I'm putting my life on the line battling the undead. Look, I broke a nail, okay? I'm wearing a press-on. The least you could do is exhibit some casual interest. You could go, 'hmm'.

Giles: (still distracted) Hmm? Oh, sorry. Um, yes, I'm very glad that you're alright. Uh, I-I need to verify, um... I just can't really talk right now.

Buffy: Fine. That's okay. I can't put it off any longer. I have to meet my terrible fate.

Giles: (turns around quickly) What?!

Buffy: Biology.

The bell rings as Buffy leaves the library to go to class. Giles watches her go. Cut outside after class. Buffy, Xander and Willow come out of the doors onto the balcony and head down the stairs.

Buffy: (exhales) Wow. That was boring.

Xander: I don't feel that boring covers it.

Buffy: No, boring falls short.

Willow: Even I was bored. And I'm a science nerd.

Buffy: Don't say that.

Willow: I'm not ashamed. It's the computer age. Nerds are in. They're still in, right?

Xander: Willow, don't you have a thing?

Willow: A thing? (remembers) The thing! That I have! Which is... a thing that I have to go to.

They reach the bottom of the stairs.

Willow: See ya later. (waves and departs)

Buffy: What on earth is her deal?

Xander: Uh, she's Willow. (laughs) So, uh, Buffy, I wanted to, um... There was this thing I wanted to ask you, to talk to you about.

Buffy: Okay, what's up?

Xander: Uh, let's go over here and sit.

He leads her over to a bench.

Buffy: Okay, now you're making me nervous.

Xander: Oh, no, no, there's nothing to be nervous about. Really, it's silly. Ha, ha! (laughs nervously)

They reach the bench, but a boy is sitting there.

Xander: (to the boy) Hey. (the boy looks up) Leave. (the boy leaves) Thanks. (they sit)

Buffy: Well?

Xander: Um... You know, Buffy, uh, Spring Fling is a... time for students to gather and... Oh, God! (takes a breath) Buffy, I want you to go to the dance with me. You and me, on a date.

Buffy: (speechless) I-I don't know what to say.

Xander: Well, you're not laughing. So that's a good start. Buffy, I like you. A lot. And I know we're friends, and we've had experiences...

We've fought some blood-sucking fiends, and that's all been a good time. But I want more. I wanna dance with you.

Buffy: Xander, you're one of my best friends. You and Willow...

Xander: Well, Willow's not looking to date you. Or if she is, she's playing it pretty close to the chest. (laughs nervously)

Buffy: I don't want to spoil the friendship that we have.

Xander: Well, I don't want to spoil it either. But that's not the point, is it? You either feel a thing or you don't.

Buffy: (looks down a moment, then back up) I don't. Xander, I'm, I'm sorry. I-I just don't think of you that way.

Xander: Well, try. I'll wait. (smiles weakly)

Buffy: Xander...

Xander: Nah. Forget it. (gets up) I'm not him. I mean, I guess a guy's gotta be undead to make time with you.

Buffy: That's really harsh.

Xander: Look, I'm sorry. I don't handle rejection well. Funny! Considering all the practice I've had, huh?

Buffy: Xander, I'm sorry, I don't know...

Xander: You know what? Let's just not.

He goes into the building with his head hung low. Buffy exhales, bummed. She turns and watches him leave. Cut to the library. Giles is on the phone.

Giles: Hello. Uh, this is Giles. Uh... Uh, Rupert Giles.

Ms. Calendar walks in and stands by his office door.

Giles: (into the phone) I-I need to see you. No, I-I realize that. Uh... Come after sundown. Good. I'll see you then. (hangs up)

Ms. Calendar: You know, that outfit looks just like the one you wore yesterday. Only wrinklier. Were you here all night?

Giles: Sorry, uh... I'm not really up to, uh, socializing just now.

Ms. Calendar: Something's going on, Rupert, and I'm guessing you already know what it is.

Giles: (turns around and gets up) What do you know?

Ms. Calendar: Well, I have been surfing the 'Net, looking for unexplained incidents. You know, people are always sending stuff my way. They know the occult's my turf. Now, here is the latest. A cat last week gave birth to a litter of snakes. A family was swimming in Whisper Lake when the lake suddenly began to boil. And Mercy Hospital last night, a boy was born with his eyes facing inward. I'm not stupid. This is apocalypse stuff. And throw in last night's earthquake, and I'd say we've got a problem. I would say the end is pretty seriously nigh.

Giles: I don't know if I can trust you.

Ms. Calendar: I helped you cast that demon out of the Internet. I think that merits some trust. Look, I'm scared, okay? Oh, plus, I've got this, this crazy monk e-mailing me from Cortona about some Anointed One?

Giles: The Anointed One? He's dead!

Ms. Calendar: Someone's dead?

Giles: Uh, who is this monk?

Ms. Calendar: Uh, a brother Luca something? Keeps sending out global mailings about a prophecy.

Giles: I need you to talk to him, find out everything he knows.

Ms. Calendar: Look, Rupert, you haven't told me jack, so what's with the order?

Giles: Just do it! I'll e-explain later.

Ms. Calendar: You better.

Cut to the halls.

Kevin: I'll get everything tonight after practice. The guys'll help me.

Cordelia: Well, it's all in the A-V room. The sound system, and the decorations... And, oh, Aura needs help, um, moving the coolers.

Kevin: Don't sweat it!

Cordelia: Well, bring everything to the Bronze, and I'll meet you there in the morning!

Kevin: Done!

Cordelia: (giggles) You're so sweet! Why're you so sweet?

Kevin: I dunno! 'Cause I'm usually mean as a snake!

She smiles at him. She spots Willow.

Cordelia: Willow! (to Kevin) I'll see you in the morning.

Kevin: Okay. (leaves)

Cordelia: Willow! I really like your outfit!

Willow: No, you don't.

Cordelia: No, I really don't, but I need a favor.

Willow: What kind?

Cordelia: Well, the Bronze won't let us use their sound system, and I need someone who knows how to hook one up. If you could just show up tomorrow morning...

Willow sees Xander throwing a ball against the wall in a classroom.

Cordelia: ...I'd be really, really grateful! I mean, I'd talk to you at the dance and everything.

Willow: Sure. (looks back at Xander)

Cordelia: Great! Tomorrow at ten?

Willow: Sure.

She goes over to Xander in the room.

Willow: Hey!

Xander: Hey! (throws the ball)

Willow: How'd it go?

Xander: (throws the ball) On a scale of one to ten? It sucked. (throws the ball)

Willow: Oh.

Xander: Well, I guess it could be worse. (throws the ball) I could have gangrene on my face. (throws the ball)

Willow: Well, what'd she say?

Xander: Apart from 'no', does it really matter? She's still jonesin' for Angel, and could care less about me.

Willow: At least now you know.

Xander: Yeah, you're right. The deal's done. The polls are in, and it's time for my concession speech. (has an idea and brightens) Hey, I know what we'll do! We can go! Be my date! We'll, we'll have a great time! We'll dance, we'll go wild... Whadaya say?

Willow: No.

Xander: Good! What?

Willow: There's no way.

Xander: (exhales) Willow, come on!

Willow: You think I wanna go to the dance with you and watch you wish you were at the dance with her? You think that's my idea of hijinks? You should know better.

Xander: (exhales) I didn't think.

Willow: I'm sorry it didn't work out for you. I'll see you on Monday. (leaves)

Xander: That's okay. I don't wanna go. I'm just gonna go home, lie down and listen to country music. The music of pain.

He throws the ball again and lets it bounce wild. Cut outside the school at night. Cut to the girls' locker room. Buffy shuts her gym locker. Two girls walk by chatting. Buffy plays with a stake as she heads to the sinks and puts it down on one. She looks at herself in the mirror and absently turns on the water. After looking in the mirror another moment she looks down and sees that blood is pouring from the faucet. Cut to the library. Buffy comes in.

Buffy: (to herself) Giles, you are not gonna believe this.

She stops when she hears Giles talking and looks into his office.

Giles: It's clear. It's what's gonna happen. Uh, it's happening now!

Angel moves into the light to read the Codex, and Buffy sees him.

Buffy: Angel?

She heads toward the office.

Angel: It can't be. You've gotta be wrong.

Giles: I've checked it against all my other volumes. It's very real.

Buffy stops at the door.

Angel: Well, there's gotta be some way around it.

Giles: Listen. Some prophecies are, are a bit dodgy. They're, they're mutable. Buffy herself has, has thwarted them time and time again, but this is the Codex. There is nothing in it that does not come to pass.

Angel: Then you're reading it wrong.

Giles: I wish to God I were! But it's very plain! Tomorrow night Buffy will face the Master, and she will die.

Buffy is stunned.

Act Two

Giles' office.

Angel: Well, have you verified the text?

Buffy begins to laugh. Angel and Giles see her and exchange a look. She slowly starts to walk away from the office door. Angel comes out of the office after her. She stops by the table and faces them. Giles stands in his office doorway.

Buffy: So that's it, huh? I remember the drill. One Slayer dies, next one's called! Wonder who she is. (to Giles) Will you train her? Or will they send someone else?

Giles: Buffy, I...

Buffy: They say how he's gonna kill me? Do you think it'll hurt?

Tears are flowing freely from her eyes. Angel tries to hug her, but she puts up her hands and quickly steps away.

Buffy: Don't touch me! (to Giles) Were you even gonna tell me?

Giles: I was hoping that I wouldn't have to. That there was... some way around it. I...

Buffy: I've got a way around it. I quit!

Angel: It's not that simple.

Buffy: I'm making it that simple! I quit! I resign, I-I'm fired, you can find someone else to stop the Master from taking over!

Giles: I'm not sure that anyone else can. All the... the signs indicate...

Buffy: The signs? (throws a book at him) READ ME THE SIGNS! (throws another one) TELL ME MY FORTUNE! YOU'RE SO USEFUL SITTING HERE WITH ALL YOUR BOOKS! YOU'RE REALLY A LOTTA HELP!

Giles: No, I don't suppose I am.

Angel: I know this is hard.

Buffy: What do you know about this? You're never gonna die!

Angel: You think I want anything to happen to you? Do you think I could stand it? We just gotta figure out a way...

Buffy: I already did. I quit, remember? Pay attention!

Giles: Buffy, if the Master rises...

Buffy: (yanks the cross from her neck) I don't care! (calms down) I don't care. Giles, I'm sixteen years old. I don't wanna die.

Giles is at a loss. Buffy throws her cross down. Angel doesn't know what to say either. She walks out of the library without looking back. Cut to Willow's room. She's at her desk studying. She looks up at a picture of her and Xander and sighs. She picks up the phone and dials his number. Cut to Xander's room. "I Fall to Pieces", by Patsy Cline, is playing on the radio.

Lyrics: I fall to pieces

The phone rings. Xander lifts it off the hook, lets it drop back on the hook and then takes it off the hook completely.

Lyrics: Each time I see you again

Cut to Buffy's room. She's looking through a photo album. Jonatha Brooke's "Inconsolable" is playing on the radio. Her mother comes in.

Lyrics: I never knew what enough was

Joyce: Hi, honey. You alright?

Lyrics: Until I'd had more than my share

Buffy: Sure.

Joyce: Probably just full from that bite of dinner you nearly had.

Lyrics: I let the darkness in

Joyce: Feel like telling me what's on your mind?

Lyrics: And it was then I lost the dare

Buffy: (turns to her mom) Mom, let's go away! (smiles)

Joyce: What?

Buffy: Anywhere, just for a while, all weekend!

Joyce: Honey, I...

Buffy: No, it'll be great! You and me, a mother-daughter thing... We can talk about all the embarrassing things you love to bring up.

Joyce: You know the gallery's open on weekends.

Buffy: Mom, please!

Joyce: Isn't the Prom tomorrow night? Or Spring Fling, whatever they're calling it?

Buffy: I-I guess.

Joyce: Nobody asked you?

Buffy: Oh, someone...

Joyce: But not the right someone. See, sometimes I actually do know what you're thinking. (goes over to Buffy's closet) Well, then, uh, this probably isn't the best time for this, but, uh...

She opens the closet to reveal a beautiful white sleeveless gown.

Joyce: I saw you eyeing it at the store. I figured...

Buffy: (gets up) Mom, we can't afford this.

Joyce: The way you've been eating, we can afford it.

Buffy: (comes over to look at it) It's beautiful.

Joyce: I think you should wear it. To the dance.

Buffy: No, I-I can't go to the dance.

Joyce: Says who? Is it written somewhere? You should do what you want. Homecoming, my freshman year of college. I didn't have a date, so I got dressed up and I went anyway.

Buffy: Was it awful?

Joyce: It was awful. For about an hour.

Buffy: Then what happened?

Joyce: (smiles) I met your father.

Buffy: He didn't have a date either?

Joyce: He did. And that's a much funnier story that you will *not* get to hear. Oh, but it was a beautiful night! (exhales)

Buffy: And you had your whole life ahead of you.

Joyce: Yeah.

Buffy: Must be nice.

Cut to the school the next day. Cut inside to the halls. Cordelia and Willow are coming down the stairs.

Cordelia: Oh, Kevin said that he'd bring everything to the Bronze last night. He promised! We'll never get everything ready in time.

Willow: He probably forgot. It's not *that* big a deal.

Cordelia: Uh, you don't understand. I'm not mad! He totally flaked on me. On me! And I don't even care. God help me, I think it's cute! Oh...

Willow smiles. They reach the Audio-Visual room. They see Kevin and his friends through the windows.

Cordelia: There they are! They're watching cartoons. That's so cu...That's not cute. That's annoying. I'm annoyed.

Willow: Right. I'm furious.

Cordelia: Men. I don't know why we put up with them.

Willow: I hear ya.

Cut to a view of the door from inside the room. Kevin is sitting on the floor leaning against it. The room is trashed and the boys are all dead.

Cordelia: Obviously, Kevin has underestimated the power of my icy stare.

She opens the door, and Kevin's body falls out into the hall. He has a vampire bite on his neck.

Cordelia: (screams) Oh, my God! Kevin! (kneels by him) No!

Willow looks up and slowly goes into the room. She sees the death and devastation.

Cordelia: Kevin!

There's a bloody handprint on the TV screen. Cut to Buffy's room. She's wearing her new white prom gown, and is looking at herself in the mirror. Her mom comes rushing in.

Joyce: Buffy?! There's something on the news. Willow.

Cut to a view of the sunset.

Willow: I've seen so much.

Cut to her room. She's on the bed hugging her knees. She's been crying.

Willow: I thought I could take anything. But, Buffy, this... this was different.

Buffy: It'll be alright.

Willow: I'm trying to think how to say it... to explain it so you understand.

Buffy: It doesn't matter as long as you're okay.

Willow: I'm not okay. I knew those guys. I go to that room every day. And when I walked in there, it... it wasn't our world anymore. They made it theirs. And they had fun. (a tear rolls down her cheek) What are we gonna do?

Buffy: What we have to. (gets up and exhales) Promise me you'll stay in tonight, okay?

Willow nods. Buffy starts to go.

Willow: Buffy?

Buffy stops and turns back.

Willow: (smiles through her tears) I like your dress.

Buffy looks down at it and smiles weakly, then looks back up.

Buffy: Take care. (leaves)

Willow looks down sadly and stays on her bed. Cut to the Master's lair. He tests his confines as Collin watches.

Master: Soon.

He sends Collin on his way to get Buffy. Collin climbs up to the exit.

Master: Soon!

Cut to the library. Giles is getting weapons out of the cage and prepares them.

Ms. Calendar: Okay, so this Master guy tried to open the Hellmouth. But he got stuck in it, and now all the signs are reading that he's gonna get out, which opens the Hellmouth, which brings the demons, which ends the world.

Giles: Yes. That about sums it up, yes.

Ms. Calendar: The part that gets me, though, is where Buffy is the Vampire Slayer. She's so little.

Giles: You know how to get in touch with this, uh, brother Luca chap?

Ms. Calendar: Hmm. As far as I can tell, no one can. He's disappeared. Did send out one last global though. A short one.

Giles: What did it say?

Ms. Calendar: Isaiah 11:6, which I dutifully looked up.

Giles: 'The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf, the lion and the fatling together, and the little child to lead them.'

Ms. Calendar: That's kinda warm and fuzzy for a message of doom.

Giles: Well, that depends where he's leading them to. Aurelius wrote of the Anointed One, 'The Slayer will not know him, and he will lead her into Hell.'

Ms. Calendar: So Luca thinks the Anointed is a kid.

Giles: If the vampire that Buffy killed was in fact not the Anointed, then it may well be.

Ms. Calendar: Well, then we need to warn her.

Giles: I don't intend involving her at all.

Ms. Calendar: What do you mean?

Giles: Buffy's not gonna face the Master. I am.

Buffy: No, you're not.

Giles and Ms. Calendar look over and see her approaching.

Buffy: So, I'm looking for a kid, huh? And he'll lead me to the Master?

Giles: Buffy, I'm not gonna send you out there to die. Now, you were right. I-I've waded around in these old books for so long, I've forgotten what the real world is like. I-it's time I found out.

Buffy: You're still not going up against the Master.

Giles: I've made up my mind.

Buffy: So have I.

Giles: I made up my mine first! I'm older and wiser than you, and just... just do what you're told for once! Alright?

Buffy: That's not how it goes. I'm the Slayer.

Giles: I don't care what the books say. I defy prophecy, and I am going. There's nothing you can say will change my mind.

Buffy: I know.

She pretends to turn to go, but then throws a hard punch to his face, knocking him out. He falls backward to the floor. Ms. Calendar scrambles to his aid. Buffy sees her cross on the table and puts it back on. Ms. Calendar lifts Giles' head in her hands and gets under it with her knees. She looks up at Buffy.

Buffy: When he wakes up tell him... I don't know. Think of something cool, tell him I said it.

Ms. Calendar: You fight the Master, and you'll die.

Buffy: Maybe. (picks up the crossbow) Maybe I'll take him with me.

She leaves the library. Ms. Calendar turns her attention to Giles. Cut outside the school. Buffy walks a short distance, looking all around, when she comes upon Collin.

Collin: Help me...

She lowers the crossbow and walks over to him.

Buffy: It's okay. I know who you are.

Collin holds out his hand. She takes it, and he starts to lead her away to the Master.

Part Two