This week on Buffy and the Art of Story: Prophecy Girl (Season 1, Episode 12 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer).

This pivotal story for Buffy begins in Xander's point of view. We'll explore that as well as (1) creating multiple characters the audience identifies with; (2) using actions to demonstrate characters’ feelings; (3) a very layered Story Spark/Inciting Incident; and (4) a strong midpoint and three-quarter plot turn.

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

Sorry, no Season 1 DVD commentary for Prophecy Girl.  

Next Up:  Season 1 Overview  

Last Week: Out of Mind Out of Sight S1 E11

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About 

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 Prophecy Girl

Hello and welcome to Buffy and the art of story.

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 Season 1 Episode 12 Prophecy Girl. It is the finale for Season 1.

This is a huge story for Buffy.

Interestingly, it's wrapped in Xander's experience, so we’ll explore that as well as:

the different characters we identify with emotionally

how the writers and actors use action to express the characters’ feelings and emphasize them

a very layered Story Spark

and a strong Midpoint and three-quarter turn.

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.

Opening Internal Conflict

Prophecy Girl was written and directed by Joss Whedon.

We began in the Bronze, a classic Buffy location. And we start with conflict -- Xander's conflict.

It is mainly internal. He is struggling over whether to, or how to, ask Buffy out. Specifically, for the Spring Fling, which is what they call the prom. He's practicing his lines on Willow, as she looks on adoringly.

What I love about Willow in this scene is that she is such a good friend to Xander. Though her feelings are so clear on her face, and we know she has this crush on him, she really does her best to encourage him about what to say. But mostly to be a sounding board for him.

Xander wonders what Buffy is doing right now.

Opening External Conflict

And we cut to Buffy. She's fighting a vampire outside in what looks like a field. There are people parking there, including Cordelia who hears noises. Buffy eventually defeats the vampire. When it's over, she says, “Three in one night. Giles would be so proud.”

She sounds so weary, and we cut to Giles.

He's in the library, and he's translating Latin. And he says to himself as he's parsing through the words, “The Master shall rise…this is it…and the Slayer... My God.”