Sunday, April 7, 2024

Most Memorable Scene and Quote: Buffy Summers and Rupert Giles (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

Buffy: Hello? Is anybody here? (startled) Ooo! Anybody's here!

Giles: Can I help you?

Buffy: I was looking for some, well, books. I’m new.

Giles: Miss Summers.

Buffy: Good call. I guess I’m the only new kid, huh?

Giles: I’m Mr. Giles, the librarian. I was told you were coming.

Buffy: Great! So, um, I'm gonna need 'Perspectives on 20th Century...'

Giles: I know what you’re after. (He pulled out a book titled “VAMPYR”)

Buffy: That’s not what I’m looking for.

Giles: Are you sure?

Buffy: I’m way sure.

Giles: My mistake. So, what is it you said...

~ Buffy Summers and Rupert Giles, Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 1 episode 1: Welcome to the Hellmouth

I love this scene because Buffy Summers and her mother Joyce had recently moved to Sunnydale after there was a bad incident at Buffy's old high school, Hemery High in Los Angeles. During the Senior Dance, she had fought off a large vampire attack at her school which ultimately lead to the school's gym burning down (see the Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie). This left Buffy with a bad reputation as a troubled student.

So this move to Sunnydale was a fresh start for her and hopefully away from both being a Vampire Slayer and the supernatural world. Which is why at this point, the last thing she would ever want to see was that VAMPYR book. I don't know why Rupert Giles thought it would be a good idea to show her that book. Especially since he only introduced himself as the school's librarian and not as a Watcher (someone who guides and trains the Vampire Slayer). She didn't know who he was and that just made the experience for her weird and creepy.

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