As this episode opens preparations are underway to start building a new cultural centre at Sunnydale University; during the speeches it is commented on that it is appropriate that work starts on Thanksgiving... something Willow doesn't approve of because of the way the native population was treated. Shortly afterwards as the workers start digging Xander digs through to a building that had been buried during an earthquake in the 1830s. It was an old mission where local Native Americans were imprisoned and died. Soon afterwards Xander gets rather ill and the curator at the new centre is murdered... by Hus, a vengeful Native American spirit. Buffy and the gang will have to find a way to deal with him. In secondary stories Angel is back, but avoiding Buffy, as he heard she is in danger, and The Initiative is searching for Spike; who just wants to find something he can eat.
This was a pretty solid episode; even if despite all the talk of how terrible it was how the Native Americans were treated they are depicted like attackers in an old western! Hus was a decent enough threat and the final confrontation was lots of fun. The episode starts really well with Anya ogling 'workman Xander' amusingly his later illness does nothing to reduce her lustful feeling! The real highlight of the episode was Spike's story; James Marsters is great in the role; very funny in a deadpan way. He also nicely portrays how Spike isn't the vampire he used to be in an entertainingly pathetic way... it will be interesting to see what happens to his character in later episodes. Angel's reappearance was enjoyable even if his role turned out to be fairly small. Overall a fun character led episode which raises certain issues in a way that isn't annoyingly preachy.
This was a pretty solid episode; even if despite all the talk of how terrible it was how the Native Americans were treated they are depicted like attackers in an old western! Hus was a decent enough threat and the final confrontation was lots of fun. The episode starts really well with Anya ogling 'workman Xander' amusingly his later illness does nothing to reduce her lustful feeling! The real highlight of the episode was Spike's story; James Marsters is great in the role; very funny in a deadpan way. He also nicely portrays how Spike isn't the vampire he used to be in an entertainingly pathetic way... it will be interesting to see what happens to his character in later episodes. Angel's reappearance was enjoyable even if his role turned out to be fairly small. Overall a fun character led episode which raises certain issues in a way that isn't annoyingly preachy.