Buffy is weaker than normal on patrol, and nearly gets into trouble. It’s her birthday soon, but her Dad has to pull out of the traditional ice show treat.

At the deserted Sunnydale Arms boarding house three men are preparing something - they have a psychotic vampire, Zachary Kralik, locked up, who needs pills at regular intervals. One of the men, Quentin, says: “the Slayer’s preparation is nearly complete. “She tries to convince Giles to take her instead, but he tells her to study the flaw in a large gem. It hypnotises her and Giles injects her with a mysterious fluid. Buffy continues to weaken, while Giles visits Quentin, objecting to the Cruciamentum, a test all Slayers must perform sans powers when they hit 18. Kralik escapes, and Giles warns Buffy what’s happening - she’s stunned at his treachery. Kralik kidnaps Joyce (he has a thing about mothers: “My mother is dead to me now. Mostly because I killed and ate her.”), so Buffy hunts him down and uses her natural born wiles to slay him. By warning Buffy, Giles exhibited “a father’s love for the child”, and is fired from the Council by Quentin.

Review:
Buffy’s fighting prowess has been more and more impressive throughout the seasons, but this is the first time attention is drawn to just how much stronger, faster, and better she is that normal folk. Are we ever going to see another sympathetic Watcher character? It looks unlikely. Fairly average episode (which is to say it’s still pretty damn good). The sexual tension between Angel and Buffy is building up nicely...

Best line: Oz: “Ice is cool. It’s water - but it’s not.”

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Trivia: Pop culture reference: Oz and Xander has a discussion about exactly which colour kryptonite does what to Superman.

Vampires can drink water just fine.

Cruciamentum means torture.

Watch out for some Little Red Riding Hood references.

Mr Pointy, the stake Kendra gave Buffy in "Becoming (Part One)", is mentioned again.