Spoiler Slayer

Lots of ground to cover today, and I'm swamped with many other things to do, so I'm going to try and get all the news in the update. However, the Spoiler page will not get updated until tomorrow sometime.

You Gotta Have Faith

Reports have steadily been coming in about Faith being the future of Buffy. Today, perhaps the most significant indication that this could be a strong possibility is a report on BBC.com

The report essentially backs up what has been reported by other sources, that Faith has been signed for next season. However, most of the earlier reports were reporting that they were in negotiation to bring Eliza to the show full-time. This is the first major news outlet to post a story about it being a done deal.

While it's not entirely accurate (there are some obvious mistakes), I do feel that we are getting closer and closer to discovering the future plans for the series. Certain things that were also announced today (see below), lead me to believe that Faith, The Vampire Slayer may well be the next phase of the show.

Momma Told Me Not To Come

The script for Episode 17 has begun to surface on the net, many details are coming in from various sources. Laurie provided me with a synopsis of what is now titled "Lies My Parents Told Me". BubonicPlague also posted a synopsis on FanForums.

The new title, Lies My Parents Told Me, refers to Nikki (Wood's Mom), Anna (Spike's Mom) and Giles (Buffy's surrogate daddy).

As expected, it features a Wood and Spike confrontation.

Giles is back and we find out why Giles has been missing -- he'd been seeking info on how to detrigger Spike. He has Willow do a spell to try and determine the trigger and hopefully detrigger him. They figure out the origin of the trigger song -- it was Spike's Mom's favorite -- but Spike refuses to supply more details and work through its significance, which is necessary to a successful detriggering.

Giles tries to continue to get Spike to cooperate, but Buffy stops him -- says the spell didn't work and she's releasing Spike. (He's chained in the basement while they work the spell.) Which means the trigger is still active. Wood and Giles are both very concerned about this... as are the Potentials.

Wood approaches Giles and asks him to help Wood kill Spike because he's a danger. He tells Giles who he is -- actually Giles guesses the moment he learns that Wood was raised by a Watcher and which Watcher. Wood says it's not revenge though -- just doing the right thing to keep Buffy safe.

Giles agrees -- sets Spike up for Wood to kill him by taking Buffy out of the picture for a few hours, while Wood is *looking after* Spike at his (Wood's) place. PS -- Spike had saved Wood's life in the teaser.

Giles takes Buffy away while it's happening, so he can work on her *training* -- tells her all about the greater good; the need to let someone die if necessary in order to save the world. He speaks of Spike as a liability. He says that Angel was wise enough to leave because he knew how harmful the relationship was, but that Spike doesn't have that kind of sense. Buffy says Spike is there because she wants him there and needs him for the fight.

Giles reminds her the First is using Spike. Buffy agrees, but says that Spike is innocent. Giles notes that so was Ben -- and the truth comes out about Benjy's timely death.

Buffy realizes that Spike has been set up and runs off in horror to try and save him.

Meanwhile, Wood has taken Spike to his garage -- nasty place for a vamp, walls lined with crosses. Wood tells him who he is -- Inigo Montoya flashbacks, anyone? Anyway, he doesn't want to kill NiceSpike, so he tries to trigger him with the still active trigger.

However, instead of instant EvilSpike, we get confuzzled Spike, slipping in and out of flashbacks revolving around his Mom and his decision to vamp her -- and the aftermath. Flashbacks interspersed with ongoing fight with Wood.

The Mom stuff is very sad, btw. It's also striking how very *human* Spike seems, even as a young vampire -- still loves his Mom and wants to share this wonderful gift of eternal life and health with her.

As a result of this interaction and the flashbacks, Spike resolves his issues -- and the trigger is broken. Spike thanks Wood for untriggering him -- says he's his own man now -- and he's going to kill Wood out of free will. He vamps out and bites Wood.

Buffy shows up after Spike has finished with Wood, who is still alive. Spike tells Buffy he gave Wood a free pass this time because of his Mom -- but if he even looks funny at Spike again, Spike will kill him. Buffy tries to check out his injuries, but he brushes her off and leaves. Buffy tells Wood that there's no time for vengeance -- and ps, he's seeking vengeance against a man who no longer exists -- and Spike is her strongest warrior and she needs him. And that if Wood tries anything again, she'll let Spike kill him.

At the end, Giles says he knows she's angry, but this was for the greater good. She tells him Wood failed; Spike is still alive. Giles says that doesn't change the fact that he was right and she still has to learn -- Buffy stops him, and tells him she thinks he's taught her everything she needs to know. And closes the door in his face.

As usual, I have no reason to doubt either source, and as usual I have independent confirmation for most of these spoilers. I am slightly surprised at both the change in the Episode Title and the name of Spike's mother. Not certain why, but again it's not the first time this has happened.

I am not entirely surprised by Giles actions in this episode, mainly because I noticed a change in his character this week (and you'll have to wait until the weekend to hear my thoughts on 'First Date', but Giles is a major topic of discussion in the review). But am I glad that there will be some resolution of the Wood/Spike storyline by episodes end. Which will be needed, as things get even busier in Episode 18.

Laurie doesn't have a link for her spoilage, but here is the one to Bub's spoilage at FanForum.

Was The Son Of A Preacher Man

Amy over at FilmJerk has updated with new casting information. It appears that the show will be adding a character for the final five episodes, and it's not Faith. (Thanks to Edward for the heads up)

Buffy The Vampire Slayer : We're getting close to the end, and starting with the currently untitled episode 18, there'll be at least one new person in Sunnyvale. Caleb is a fallen preacher, quietly convinced he’s on the side of right. He is seductive, sexual and cold as steel. But whose side is Caleb on? He's in for the final five episode arc, so we'll probably not know until the end.

Whether or not this character is being brought in for a possible spin-off, and I have to admit he kind of sounds like a male-Faith to me, is yet to be seen. From what little I've been about to coax out of my sources, I would definitely place him into the threat category, rather than the ally category.