"No Place Like Home" is one of the most important episodes of the season. It introduces two important ingredients to the main story arc. First, it explains Dawn's origins, finally telling us where she came from and why no one remembers Sunnydale without her. It turns out that she's a mystical glowy key thing that's been hidden on Earth by monks. Secondly, it's the first time that we meet this seasons Big Bad, Glory. As Buffy explains it, Glory is "sorta like Cordelia." (Vintage Sunnydale High Cordy, not nicer Angel Investigations Cordy, that is.) Glory's often preoccupied with her appearance, pretty vocal about being the queen of all she surveys and willing to pound her enemies into sawdust. With Cordy, though, the pounding was more a social ostracism/verbal insult thing. Glory's just an immortal bad ass who's out to find the key no matter how many brains she has to suck. If you're gonna watch any episodes of season five, you really shouldn't skip "No Place Like Home" because it sets up the whole story arc.
"No Place Like Home" revolves around Buffy investigating Joyce's headaches. Joyce is still sick and the doctors are looking for answers. Buffy is worried that her mother illness might be caused by some supernatural means. Giles holds the grand opening of the Magic Box and Anya, his new employee, suggests that Buffy cast a spell to reveal spells. Intrigued Buffy goes home, sprinkles some special powder, meditates for awhile and suddenly she can see "magic." There's no enchantment around Joyce, but as Buffy moves around the house investigating she starts to notice that the family pictures have Dawn vanishing and her sister is blinking in and out of existence. In other words, Dawn isn't real. Horrified and confused, Buffy jumps to the conclusion that Dawn is a demon of some kind who has cursed Joyce.
The night before, Buffy had stumbled across a glowing golden ball called the Dagon sphere at an abandoned warehouse. It's incredibly ancient and created to repel super-evil beings or something. Also, the warehouse's night watchmen is wheeled into the hospital ranting and suddenly crazy. Buffy heads back to the warehouse for answers. Little does she know that someone else is already there. Glory, AKA the "Beast" has arrived in Sunnydale searching for a key. Glory survives by sucking peoples brains, stealing their sanity and making them into raving lunatics. These crazy people are the ones who can see Dawn is really the key. The key is incredibly powerful and it's been hidden by a sect of monks who are determined to keep it from Glory. She's captured one and is torturing him for information when Buffy arrives.
Buffy is shocked to see Glory. Not so much because Glory is an evil doer who wears silk dresses and designer pumps, but because Glory is stronger than the Slayer. She tosses Buffy around like a Frisbee and laughs off Buffy's punches. Buffy and the monk only escape because Glory gets distracted by a broken heel and accidentally knocks the whole building down on top of her. Outside, the monk tells Buffy the truth about Dawn, She's new to the world and innocent of any wrong doing. In fact, she has no idea that she's abnormal. It seems that in order to protect the key from Glory the monks pressed it into human form. They created Dawn, changed everyones memories, and put her with Buffy because they knew the Slayer would keep her safe. Buffy is amazed and pretty unhappy to hear all this. But when she gets home, she realizes that no matter where she came from, Dawn is still her sister and she loves her. Unfortunately, Glory is still searching for the key and she's not about to give up...
There's a lot to like about this episode. Giles deducing that the Dagon Sphere is supernatural "because it's so shiny" is hilarious. He really has been in Sunnydale too long. And Willow's attempt at gift wrapping is just great. I also love the direction in the scenes where Buffy conducts her spell. The way Dawn's photo phases in and out, her bedroom flashing back to the store room that it was before, even Dawn fading as Buffy watches in amazement... It's all really cool. And I adore Glory. I think that she's one of the most interesting Big Bad's ever on the show. She looks so normal and small and un-evil, that it makes her ability to slam Buffy through walls without even chipping a nail all the more frightening. Glory is tougher than Buffy and she's willing to fight dirty. She doesn't have a conscious or any weaknesses and she's capable of pretty much anything when it comes to getting her own way. Also, I enjoy the "Little Miss Muffit" references in this episodes, which connect back to the Faith/Buffy dream sequence in season three. It's nice to be getting some resolution about what that means. Finally, I always laugh when Anya goes into shopkeeper mode. Her love of money and possessive feelings towards the "Magic Box" will play right into season seven.
On the down side, I really am sad about Joyce's illness. I think that her character has become more interesting as the series progressed and it's a shame that she's sick. I always hoped that she and Giles would get together for real. Also, I kinna wish that Dawn really had been evil. Then Buffy could have fought her and she wouldn't be around for the next three seasons. Just a thought.
My favorite part of the episode: Buffy finding Spike on her front lawn and demanding that he explain that what he's doing out there in five words or less. His response, "Out for a walk, B*tch" just cracks me up every time.
"No Place Like Home" revolves around Buffy investigating Joyce's headaches. Joyce is still sick and the doctors are looking for answers. Buffy is worried that her mother illness might be caused by some supernatural means. Giles holds the grand opening of the Magic Box and Anya, his new employee, suggests that Buffy cast a spell to reveal spells. Intrigued Buffy goes home, sprinkles some special powder, meditates for awhile and suddenly she can see "magic." There's no enchantment around Joyce, but as Buffy moves around the house investigating she starts to notice that the family pictures have Dawn vanishing and her sister is blinking in and out of existence. In other words, Dawn isn't real. Horrified and confused, Buffy jumps to the conclusion that Dawn is a demon of some kind who has cursed Joyce.
The night before, Buffy had stumbled across a glowing golden ball called the Dagon sphere at an abandoned warehouse. It's incredibly ancient and created to repel super-evil beings or something. Also, the warehouse's night watchmen is wheeled into the hospital ranting and suddenly crazy. Buffy heads back to the warehouse for answers. Little does she know that someone else is already there. Glory, AKA the "Beast" has arrived in Sunnydale searching for a key. Glory survives by sucking peoples brains, stealing their sanity and making them into raving lunatics. These crazy people are the ones who can see Dawn is really the key. The key is incredibly powerful and it's been hidden by a sect of monks who are determined to keep it from Glory. She's captured one and is torturing him for information when Buffy arrives.
Buffy is shocked to see Glory. Not so much because Glory is an evil doer who wears silk dresses and designer pumps, but because Glory is stronger than the Slayer. She tosses Buffy around like a Frisbee and laughs off Buffy's punches. Buffy and the monk only escape because Glory gets distracted by a broken heel and accidentally knocks the whole building down on top of her. Outside, the monk tells Buffy the truth about Dawn, She's new to the world and innocent of any wrong doing. In fact, she has no idea that she's abnormal. It seems that in order to protect the key from Glory the monks pressed it into human form. They created Dawn, changed everyones memories, and put her with Buffy because they knew the Slayer would keep her safe. Buffy is amazed and pretty unhappy to hear all this. But when she gets home, she realizes that no matter where she came from, Dawn is still her sister and she loves her. Unfortunately, Glory is still searching for the key and she's not about to give up...
There's a lot to like about this episode. Giles deducing that the Dagon Sphere is supernatural "because it's so shiny" is hilarious. He really has been in Sunnydale too long. And Willow's attempt at gift wrapping is just great. I also love the direction in the scenes where Buffy conducts her spell. The way Dawn's photo phases in and out, her bedroom flashing back to the store room that it was before, even Dawn fading as Buffy watches in amazement... It's all really cool. And I adore Glory. I think that she's one of the most interesting Big Bad's ever on the show. She looks so normal and small and un-evil, that it makes her ability to slam Buffy through walls without even chipping a nail all the more frightening. Glory is tougher than Buffy and she's willing to fight dirty. She doesn't have a conscious or any weaknesses and she's capable of pretty much anything when it comes to getting her own way. Also, I enjoy the "Little Miss Muffit" references in this episodes, which connect back to the Faith/Buffy dream sequence in season three. It's nice to be getting some resolution about what that means. Finally, I always laugh when Anya goes into shopkeeper mode. Her love of money and possessive feelings towards the "Magic Box" will play right into season seven.
On the down side, I really am sad about Joyce's illness. I think that her character has become more interesting as the series progressed and it's a shame that she's sick. I always hoped that she and Giles would get together for real. Also, I kinna wish that Dawn really had been evil. Then Buffy could have fought her and she wouldn't be around for the next three seasons. Just a thought.
My favorite part of the episode: Buffy finding Spike on her front lawn and demanding that he explain that what he's doing out there in five words or less. His response, "Out for a walk, B*tch" just cracks me up every time.
