This week on Buffy and the Art of Story Becoming Part 1 (Season 2 Episode 21 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer):

This podcast episode covers (1) use of recurring images and actions to link characters’ stories together; (2) major plot points through the Midpoint for the 2-episode story arc; (3) how those points intertwine with episode plot turns; and (4) in spoiler section, how this episode sets up the next one, Season 3, and Willow’s series arc.

As always, the discussion is spoiler-free, except at the end (with plenty of warning).

Last Week: Go Fish

Next Up: Becoming Part 2

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More Episode Links

Happiness, Anxiety, and Writing: Using Your Creativity To Live A Calmer, Happier Life

Buffy and the Art of Story Season One: Writing Better Fiction by Watching Buffy

Book 1 in The Awakening Supernatural Thriller Series free in April and May, 2020, for Kindle, Kobo, Nook, GooglePlay, and AppleBooks.

Or download and listen from Audible.

Where You Can Find The DVDs

Season 2 Buffy DVDs

Buffy DVD Complete Box Set

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About Lisa M. Lilly

In addition to hosting the podcast Buffy and the Art of Story, Lisa M. Lilly is the author of the bestselling four-book Awakening supernatural thriller series and the Q.C. Davis mysteries, as well as numerous short stories. She also writes non-fiction, including books on writing craft, under L.M. Lilly. She is the founder of WritingAsASecondCareer.com.

Episode Transcript for Becoming Part 1

Hello and welcome to the podcast Buffy and the Art of Story Season Two. If you love Buffy the Vampire Slayer and you love creating stories – or just taking them apart to see how they work – you’re in the right place.

I am Lisa M Lilly, author of the Awakening supernatural thriller series and the Q.C. Davis mysteries and founder of WritingAsASecondCareer.com

Today we're talking about Becoming Part One, the first part of the two-part finale of Season Two.

What’s Included

There's so much to talk about here. A few points in particular:

the use of recurring images and actions to link the characters’ stories together;

what I think is the best use of flashbacks we have seen in Buffy so far, because those flashbacks tell a story of their own;

major plot points through the Midpoint for the two-episode story arc; and

(in the Spoiler section)n how this episode sets up the next one, Season Three, and Willow's series arc.

As always, there will be no Spoilers except at the end to talk about foreshadowing, but I’ll give you plenty of warning.

Okay, let's dive into the Hellmouth.

Becoming Part One was written and directed by Joss Whedon.

Opening Conflict - Voiceover

We start with a voice over. We’ll later meet this character Whistler, a demon who seems to be on the side of good.

Whistler: Here's the thing. There's moments in your life that make you….Some are little or subtle and some are not.

A subtitle tells us we are in Galway 1763. Angel as a human and his friend are being thrown out of the pub. The friend passes out in the street. Angel sees a woman. Her back is to him, and she walks down an alley. She looks a lot like the drawing of the woman in the fancy dress tha...