ONCE MORE, WITH FEELING
Written & Directed by Joss Whedon
The ladies of the Summers house wake and go
about their daily activities to prepare for a new day. Usual behavior continues
at the magic shop with wedding planning, training and research. Patrolling
leads to Buffy slaying a demon and rescuing a man all while singing about
"Going Through the Motions."
Buffy:
Every single night, the same arrangement: I go out and fight the fight.
Still, I always feel this strange estrangement: nothing here is real! Nothing
here is right!
I’ve been making shows of trading blows just hoping no one knows
That I’ve been going through the motions,
Walking through the part
Nothing seems to penetrate my heart!
I was always brave and kind of righteous; now, I find I’m wavering.
Crawl out of your grave? You find this spike doesn’t mean a thing…
Random Vamp 1:
She ain’t got that swing…
(staking noise, body thumps)
Buffy:
…thanks for noticing.
Vamp Chorus:
She does pretty well with fiends from hell but lately we can tell
That she’s just going through the motions
(echo: going through the motions)
Faking it somehow
Random Demon 1:
(after being impaled on a sword) She ain’t even half the girl She…ow…(dies)
Buffy:
Will I stay this way forever? Sleepwalk through my life’s endeavor?
Gorgeous Guy:
(freshly rescued) How can I repay…?
Buffy:
Whatever.
I don’t wanna be
Going through the motions
Losing all my drive
I can’t even see
If this is really me
And I just wanna be
Alive.
The next day, when Buffy questions the gang
about singing the night before, their similar experience lead into another song
where all of the gang sing their theories about the cause of their strange
musical behavior.
I’VE GOT A THEORY
Giles:
I’ve got a theory
That it’s a demon
A dancing demon!
No, something isn’t right there…
Willow:
I’ve got a theory
Some kid is dreaming
And we’re all stuck inside his
Wacky Broadway nightmare…
Xander:
I’ve got a theory
We should work this out…
All:
It’s getting eerie—what’s this cheery singing all about?
Xander:
It could be witches! Some evil witches! …which is ridiculous ‘cause witches,
they were persecuted…Wicca good and lovely…women power…I’ll be over here.
Anya:
I’ve got a theory
It could be bunnies
(crickets chirp)
Tara:
I’ve got a…
THE EVIL BUNNY SONG
Anya:
Bunnies! Aren’t just cute like everybody supposes!
They got them hoppy legs and twitchy little noses!
And what’s with all the carrots? What do they need such good eyesight for
anyway?
Bunnies! Bunnies! It must be bunnies!
(silence)
It could be midgets?
Willow:
I’ve got a theory
We should work this fast
Willow and Giles:
Because it really could get serious
Before it’s past
Buffy:
I’ve got a theory
It doesn’t matter…
NOTHING WE CAN’T FACE
Buffy:
What can’t we face if we’re together?
What’s in this place that we can’t weather?
Apocalypse? We’ve all been there.
The same old tricks; why should we care?
All:
What can’t we do if we get in it?
We’ll work it through within a minute.
We have to try; we’ll pay the price.
It’s do or die…
Buffy:
Hey, I’ve died twice!
All:
What can’t we face if we’re together?
Giles:
(underneath) What can’t we face?
All:
What’s in this place that we can’t weather?
Giles:
(underneath) If we’re together?
All:
There’s nothing we can’t face.
Anya:
Except for bunnies…
Buffy begins another song that describes the ability of the Slayer and the
Scooby Gang to withstand anything as long as they're with each other. When the
singing stops, the gang question whether they're the only ones affected, but a
look outside confirms that all of Sunnydale, at the very least, is affected.
Dawn returns from school to talk about her equally musical day. Willow and Tara
rush off to research but really take some private time, leaving behind the gang
and a pendant that Dawn secretly takes. In the park, Tara and Willow are
playful with each other as Tara sings about her love to Willow. The singing
continues as the two dance their way home to their bedroom where Willow makes
Tara literally float off the bed.
I've lived my life in
shadow
never the sun on my face
It didn't seem so sad though
I figured that was my place
Now I'm bathed
in light
something just isn't right
I'm under your spell
how else could it be
anyone would notice me
It's magic I can tell
How you set me free
brought me out so easily
I saw a world
enchanted
Spirits and charms in the air
I always took for granted
I was the only one there
But your power's
shone
Brighter that any I've known
I'm under your spell
Nothing I can do
You just took my soul with you
You worked your charm so well
Finally I knew
Everything I dreamed was true
You make me believe
The moon to the tide
I can feel you inside
I'm under your spell
Surging like the sea
holding you so helplessly
I break with every swell
Lost in ecstasy
Spread beneath my Willow tree
You make me complete
You make me complete
You make me complete
You make me complete
At the magic shop, Willow and Tara's non-researching activities are brought up
by Xander. Meanwhile, out in an alley somewhere, a man is tap dancing
frantically until he begins to smoke and eventually burst into flames as a
result. A demon, Sweet, watches and enjoys the sight. The next morning, Xander
and Anya lie in bed planning breakfast. This leads into a song and dance number
of the two explaining their complaints about each other and worries about their
upcoming marriage.
Anya:
This is the man that I plan to entangle
Isn't he fine?
My claim to fame was to maim and to mangle
Vengeance was mine
But I’m out of the biz
The name I made I'll trade for his
The only trouble is...
I’ll never tell
Xander:
She is the one she's such wonderful fun
Such passion and grace
Warm in the night when I’m right
In her tight--
embrace,
Tight embrace
I’ll never let her go
The love we've known can only grow
There's just one thing that--
No.
I’ll never tell
Both:
'cause there's nothing to tell
A: He snores
X: She wheezes
A: Say "housework," and he freezes
X: She eats these Skeezy cheeses that I can't
describe
A: I talk, he breezes
X: She doesn't know what pleases
A: His penis got diseases from the Chumash
tribe
Both:
The vibe gets kind of scary
X: Like she thinks
I'm ordinary
A: Like it's all just temporary
X: Like her toes are kind of hairy
Both:
But it's all very well
'Cause, god knows,
I'll never tell
Anya:
When things get rough
He just hides behind his Buffy
Now look, he's getting huffy
'Cause he knows that I know
Xander:
She clings,
She's needy
She's also really greedy
She never--
Anya:
His eyes are beady
Xander:
This is my verse, hello?
She--
Anya:
Look at me!
I'm dancin' crazy!
Both: You know
X: You're quite the charmer
A: My knight in armour
Xander:
You're the cutest of the scoobies
With your lips as red as rubies
And your firm yet supple--
Tight embrace
A: He's swell
X: She's sweller
A: He'll always be my feller
X: That's why I’ll never tell her that I’m
petrified
Anya:
I’ve read this tale
There's wedding
Then betrayal
I know there'll come the day
I'll want to run and hide
Both:
I lied
I said it's easy
I’ve tried
But there's these fears I can't quell
X: Is she looking for
a pot of gold?
A: Will I look good when I’ve gotten old?
X: Will our lives
become too stressful
If I’m never that successful?
A: When I get so worn and wrinkly
That I look like David Brinkley
X: Am I crazy?
A: Am I dreamin'?
X: Am I marrying a demon?
Both:
We could
Really raise the beam
In makin' marriage a hell
So, thank god,
I'll never tell
I swear
That I’ll never tell
X: My lips are sealed
A: I take the fifth
X: Nothing to see, move it along
I’ll never tell
Later, while walking with Giles, the two
complain to Giles about the truth that resulted from their duet.
Buffy pays Spike a visit at his crypt, where he's getting himself drunk. She
wants information, but he has nothing to offer her...but a song. Spike shares
his interpretation of her feelings for him, knowing she's using him and wanting
her to let him go.
I died,
too many years ago
You can make me feel,
like it isn’t so.
Why you come to be with me,
I think I finally know...
You’re scared,
ashamed of what you feel
You can’t tell the ones you love
You know they couldn’t deal.
Whisper in a dead man’s ear
Doesn’t make it real....
That’s great, but I
don’t wanna play
Being with you touches me more than I can say.
Since I’m only dead to you,
I’m saying stay away,
And let me rest in peace.
Let me rest in peace,
Let me get some sleep.
Let me take my love and bury it
In a hole 6 foot deep
I lay my body down
but I can’t find my sweet release...
let me rest in peace.
You know I’m your
willing slave.
And you just love to play the part
And you might misbehave.
But till you do, I’m telling you
Stop visiting my grave,
And let me rest in peace.
I know I should go,
But I follow you like a man possessed.
There’s a traitor here beneath my breast
And it hurts me more than you’ve ever guessed.
If my heart could beat it would break my
chest...
But I can see you’re unimpressed,
So leave me be.
Let me rest in peace
let me get some sleep
Let me take my love and bury it
In a hole 6 foot deep.
I lay my body down
But I can’t find my sweet release...
Let me rest in peace.
Why won’t you let me rest in peace?
They move out into the cemetery, where Spike
rudely interrupts a funeral, dancing and singing on the coffin. Buffy pulls him
away from hurting the funeral attendees and they fall into the open grave which
startles and confuses Buffy, so she runs away.
Tara finds Dawn and tries to explain the strange behavior of the town in a
non-frightening way. Dawn mentions Willow and Tara's fighting which leads to
Tara realizing that she's forgotten and the dried flower she found earlier on
the bed may have been involved. Alone, Dawn puts on the pendant she found
earlier at the shop and as she sings, she's kidnapped by a group of demons.
Sweet:
Why'd you run away?
Don't you like my style?
Ah...
Why don't you come and play?
I guarantee a great big smile
I come from the imagination
And I’m here strictly by your invocation
So what do you say
why don't we dance a while?
I’m the how to swing
I’m the twist and shout
When you gotta sing
When you gotta let it out
You call me, and I come a-runnin'
I turn the music on, I bring the fun in
She's taken to Sweet who's taken over the
deserted Bronze and claims her as his new wife. After learning that the Slayer
is Dawn's sister, Sweet demands her presence so he can see her burn.
Buffy trains with Giles and talks about dealing with Dawn which Giles responds
to in song. He sings how she's not prepared for the world and how he's holding
her back by trying to be a father figure to her, but Buffy didn't listen to a
word he sang.
You're not ready
For the world outside
You keep pretending,
but you just can't hide
I know I said that I’d
Be standing by your side
But I
Your path's unbeaten,
And it's all uphill
And you can meet it,
But you never will
And I’m the reason that you're standing still
But I
I wish I could say
The right words
To lead you through this land
Wish I could play the father
And take you by the hand
Wish I could stay here
But now I understand
I’m standing in the way
The cries around you,
You don't hear at all
'Cause you know I’m here
To take that call
So you just lie there when
You should be standing tall
But I
I wish I could
Lay your arms down
And let you rest at last
Wish I could
Slay your demons
But now that time has passed
Wish I could stay here
Your stalwart, standing fast
But I'm
Standing in the way
I’m just standing
In the way
Tara arrives at the magic shop in search of
information about the spell she suspects Willow did. A duet between her and
Giles begins as they both sing about planning to leave the people who hurt and use
them: Willow and Buffy.
Tara:
I'm under your spell
God how can this be
Playing with my memory
You know I've been through hell
Willow, don't you see
There'll be nothing left of me
You make me
Tara and Giles:
Believe
Giles:
I don't wanna go
Tara and Giles:
And it will grieve me
'cause I love you so
But we both know
Giles:
Wish I could say the right words
Tara:
Wish I could trust
That it was just this once
but I must do
what I must
Giles:
To lead you through this land
Wish I could play the father
and take you by the hand
Tara:
I can't adjust
(...)
That I just
Tara and Giles:
wish I could stay
wish I could stay
wish I could stay
wish I could stay
Spike presents one of Sweet's minions to the gang at the shop, which informs Buffy
and friends that Dawn is in trouble and she needs to go to her. When Giles says
Buffy needs to go alone, Spike gets upset and eventually claims that he hopes
both girls burn. Buffy sings as she goes to find Sweet and her sister while
Spike sings along from a safe distance and soon Sweet joins in on the song as
well. Buffy and Sweet sing about walking through fire and Buffy's pull towards
it as Spike sings about his confusing feelings for Buffy.
Buffy:
I touch the fire and it freezes me
I look into it and it's black
Why can't I feel?
My skin should crack and peel
I want the fire back
Now though the smoke
she calls to me
To make my way across the flame
To save the day or maybe melt away
I guess it's all the same
So I will walk
through the fire
Cuz where else can I turn
I will walk through the fire
and let it...
Spike:
The torch I bare is scorching me
Buffy's laughing, I've no doubt
I hope she fries,
I'm free if that bitch dies!!!
...
I better help her out
Sweet:
Cuz she is drawn to the fire
Some people...
Spike:
She...
Sweet and Spike:
will never learn
And she will walk through the fire
and let it...
Giles:
Will this do a thing to change her?
Am I leaving Dawn in danger?
Is my Slayer too far gone to care?
Xander:
What if Buffy can't defeat it?
Anya:
Beady eyes is right, we're needed
Or we could just sit around and glare
Slayerettes:
We'll see it through
It's what we're always here to do
So we will walk through the fire
Buffy:
So one by one they turn from me
I guess my friends can't face the cold
Tara:
What can't we face
Buffy:
But why I froze
not one among them knows
Tara:
If we're together?
Buffy:
And never can be told
Anya:
She came from the grave much graver
Sweet:
So one by one, they come to me
Spike:
First I'll kill her, then I'll save her
Sweet:
The distant redness as their guide
Tara:
Everything is turning out so dark
Buffy:
Going through the motions
Sweet:
But what they'll find ain't what they have in
mind
Spike:
No I'll save her, then I'll kill her
Willow:
I think this line is mostly filler
Sweet:
It's what they have inside
Giles:
What's it gonna take to strike a spark?
Buffy:
These endless days are finally ending in a
blaze
Sweet: She will come
to me
All:
So now we're caught in the fire
The point of no return
So we will walk through the fire
and let it burn
let it burn
let it burn
let it burn!
The whole Scooby gang join in and it's one big musical extravaganza. Spike and
Tara sing about love, Buffy and Sweet sing about their upcoming encounter and
Dawn's rescue, and Giles and Willow sing about plans to defeat the demon. Buffy
offers a deal to Sweet to exchange her life for Dawn's and this, yet again,
leads into a song and dance number. Buffy sings while taking out minion after
minion then is backed up by Anya and Tara for more. She goes on to tell the
truth about being in Heaven and taken from that which stuns everyone and brings
Willow to tears. With her friends standing by, horrified by what she just
revealed, Buffy begins to dance uncontrollably and smoke.
Life's a show,
And we all play our parts
And when the music starts
We open up our hearts
It's all right
If some things come out wrong
We'll sing a happy song
And you can sing along
Where there's life,
There's hope
Every day's
A gift,
Wishes can
Come true
Whistle while
You work,
So hard
All day
To be like other
girls
To fit in in this
Glittering world
Don't give me songs
(Giles: She needs back-up.
Anya, Tara...)
Don't give me songs
Give me something to sing about
ah ah ah
ah ah ah
I need something to sing about
ah ah ah
ah ah ah
Life's a song
You don't get to rehearse
And every single verse
Can make it that much worse
Still, my friends
Don't know why I ignore
The million things or more
I should be dancing for
All the joy
Life sends
Family
And friends
All the twists
And then
Knowing that
It ends
Well, that
Depends
On if they let you go
on if they know enough to know
That when you bow
You leave the crowd
There was no pain
No fear, no doubt
Till they pulled me out
Of heaven
So that's my refrain
I live in hell
'Cause I’ve been expelled
From heaven
I think I was in heaven
So give me something to sing about
Please give me something
Spike:
Life's not a song
Life isn't bliss
Life is just this
It's living
You'll get along
The pain that you feel
Only can heal
By living
Have to go on living
So one of us is living
Spike jumps in and stops her before she bursts into flames, giving telling her
the brutal truth about life. That musical number ended, Sweet still refuses to
leave with Dawn, but Dawn knows she didn't summon him, even though she found
the pendant. Xander reveals himself to be the one who summoned Sweet, all
because he wanted the tension gone and the truth out before the wedding.
Fortunately for Xander, Sweet ignores the fact that Xander should be leaving as
his "bride," and leaves with a song.
With the truth out and Sweet gone, the gang sings "Where do we go from
here?"
Dawn:
Where do we go from here?
Dawn and Spike:
Where do we go from here?
Giles:
The battle's done,
And we kind of won
Giles & Dawn:
So we sound our victory cheer
Giles & Dawn:
Where do we go from here?
Why is the path unclear?
When we know home is near
All:
Understand
We'll go hand in hand
But we'll walk alone in fear
Giles:
Tell me
All:
Where do we go from here?
When does the end appear?
(Spike: Ha. Bugger this)
When do the trumpets cheer?
The curtains close
On a kiss god knows
We can tell the end is near
Spike leaves, but Buffy
follows, and the two sing to each other. More singing can be heard in the
background as the two draw close and kiss intensely.
Buffy: I touch the
fire, and it freezes me
Spike: I died
Buffy: I look into it...
Spike: many years ago
Buffy: And it's black This isn't real
Spike: You can make me...
Buffy: But I just wanna feel
Both: Feel
(snowwhite tunes LOL)
All: where do we go
from here?
THE END.