Episode no. Season 2
Episode 6 Written by Carl Ellsworth Original air date October 27, 1997 | Directed by Bruce Seth Green Production code 5V06 | |
"Halloween" is episode six of season two of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It was written by freelance writer Carl Ellsworth and directed by Bruce Seth Green. The narrative follows Ethan Rayne who sells Halloween costumes that transform their wearers into a more real version of that costume.
Plot
Buffy and Angel finally agree to a date, but Buffy is delayed by a vampire. As Angel waits at The Bronze, Cordelia shows up and starts flirting with him. When Buffy finally arrives, she sees Angel talking to Cordelia and turns to leave.
The next day, Principal Snyder forces Buffy and her friends to chaperone small children while they trick-or-treat. Larry, the school bully, threatens Xander while asking him about Buffy, who smashes Larry into a soda machine.
Buffy and Willow speculate about what type of women Angel was attracted to when he was human. To find out they decide to sneak into Giles' office and borrow the passed-down Watchers' Diary.
The gang head to Ethan's Costume Shoppe, where Willow gets a Halloween ghost costume and Xander buys a toy gun to go with his army fatigue outfit. Buffy gets a beautiful pink 18th-century gown—one that matches what she has spied from Giles' Watcher files on Angel.
Spike is reviewing a video of Buffy fighting. Drusilla tells him that someone will make Buffy weak on Halloween night. Meanwhile, Ethan is chanting to a statue of Janus in the back room of his shop.
Later that night, Ethan's spell takes effect and everyone wearing a costume from his store turns into the respective persona. Willow becomes a real ghost, able to walk through walls; Xander a soldier; and Buffy an 18th-century noble woman.
With Buffy incapable of fighting the threats around them, Willow is forced to take the lead and rushes them to Buffy's house. Outside, Cordelia screams and Xander goes out to save her. Angel shows up and takes Buffy into the kitchen. As Angel tries to kill a vampire that has sneaked in, he reveals his vampire face. Buffy is horrified and runs from the house.
Arriving at the library by walking through walls, Willow tells Giles about Ethan's costumes. They head to the shop, where Giles reveals that he knows Ethan. He forces Ethan to tell him how to reverse the spell.
Spike is hunting for Buffy, who enters an alley and meets Larry, now a pirate. Xander arrives to beat up Larry while Willow shows up to warn them of Spike. The gang tries to barricade themselves inside a warehouse, but Spike's gang breaks in. Ethan reveals the secret to ending the spell and Giles smashes the statue, breaking the spell. Buffy recovers just in time to defeat Spike and he flees.
Buffy admits to Angel that she was dressing to impress him. He tells her that he hated those people back then. The women were dull; he wanted someone exciting. They kiss. The next day, Giles returns to the store to find a note. Ethan has promised to return soon.