The Replacement
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| Buffy the Vampire Slayer | |
| Season 5, Episode 3 | |
 | |
| Air date | October 10, 2000 |
| Written by | Jane Espenson |
| Directed by | James A. Contner |
| Episode Guide | |
| previous Real Me | next Out of My Mind |
"The Replacement" is the third episode of the fifth season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and is the eighty-first episode altogether. It was written by Jane Espenson and directed by James A. Contner. It originally broadcast on October 10, 2000.
When Xander takes a mystical hit from the demon Toth that was intended for Buffy, he wakes up to find a mysterious double living his life in his place -- and, frankly, doing a much better job of it.
Contents |
Synopsis
The Scoobies check out the city dump in search of the demon and find Spike collecting. The demon hits Xander with light from a rod and knocks him to the ground. He gets to his feet and walks off with the rest of the gang, but there is another Xander still lying in a pile of trash. The next morning, one Xander awakens at the city dump and then discovers his double upon returning to his house. Meanwhile, Spike has put together a Buffy doll from mannequin parts which he uses to practice beating up on.
One of the Xanders is very ambitious and gets a promotion at work, signs a lease for the apartment, and sets up a date with Anya. The other, unconfident Xander watches as all this happens and finally confronts his double. After the two Xanders see each other, the confident Xander talks to Buffy and she makes this a matter of Slayer business. Soaked by the rain, weak Xander goes to Willow and tries to explain that this double is taking over his life. He tells Willow that the double is doing a better job of living his life but then suddenly realizes that his double is going after Anya and that is one thing he won't allow.
Anya and the Xander double discuss their future and Anya expresses her fears about not living forever. Giles discovers that the rod Toth used split Xander into two real Xanders, one with weak qualities and the other with strong qualities. The weak Xander crashes the date between strong Xander and Anya. Both think that the other is a demon and the weak Xander pulls out a handgun he got from Anya's apartment.
Buffy tells the doubles the truth about their situation and tries to convince them not to kill each other. Toth appears at the apartment then Buffy and Riley fight and kill him. They eventually begin to get along, and their actions become so similar to each other that the comment is made that Xander is a "bad influence" on himself. Giles and Willow research and come up with a way to reunite the two Xanders but Anya expresses disappointment over this as she wants both to stick around for some sexual shenanigans, much to the disturbance of the others. Willow ends the spell (literally -- she simply says "let the spell be ended") on the Xanders and makes them one again. While moving Xander into his new apartment, Xander and Riley talk. Riley confesses that despite how much he loves Buffy, he realizes that she doesn't feel the same.
Starring
- Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers
- Nicholas Brendon as Xander Harris
- Alyson Hannigan as Willow Rosenberg
- Marc Blucas as Riley Finn
- Emma Caulfield as Anya Jenkins
- Michelle Trachtenberg as Dawn Summers
- James Marsters as Spike
- Anthony Stewart Head as Rupert Giles
Guest Starring
Co Starring
- Kelly Donovan as Xander Double
- Cathy Cohen as Building Manager
- David Reivers as Foreman
- Fritz Greve as Construction Worker
Trivia
- Nicholas Brendon's real-life twin brother Kelly Donovan is his body double for this episode. In almost all of the scenes Nicholas Brendon played both suave and goofy Xander with his brother Kelly Donovan playing the twin with the non-speaking role. Kelly only spoke in the scenes where both Xanders had speaking lines.
- Xander's quote "Shoot us both, Spock" is from the Star Trek episode "Whom Gods Destroy" in which Kirk tells Spock to shoot both himself and Garth of Izar disguised as Kirk. But this episode is actually an homage to the Star Trek episode "The Enemy Within" in which Kirk is split into his two emotional halves.
- Xander makes a comment about his Babylon 5 commemorative plates. While such plates were planned, they never actually went into production.
- At the time of the episode, Michael Bailey Smith, who portrays the demon Toth, is the only other person other than Robert Englund to play Freddy Krueger. By 2009, Jackie Earle Haley has taken over the role in the Elm Street reboot.
Quotes
Buffy - "Well, if this guy wants to fight with weapons, I've got it covered from "A" to "Z" - from ax to... zee other ax."
Xander - "So you bought the magic shop and you were attacked before it opened. Who's up for a swingin' chorus of the "We told you so" Symphony?"
Riley - "Psychologically this is fascinating, doesn't it make everyone wanna lock them in separate rooms and do experiments on them? [everyone stares] Just me then."
Giles - "We just, uh, need to arrange the candles. Also, we should continue to pretend we heard none of the disturbing sex talk." Willow - "Check. Candles and pretense."
Xander - "Hey, wait till you have an evil twin. See how you handle it. (Exits)" Willow - "(pouts) I handled it fine." -- a reference to "Doppelgängland".
Xander - "I just thought you could help carry a little." Anya - "Me? Buffy has super-strength. Why don't we just load her up like one of those little horses."
Continuity
- To prove to Willow that he's the real Xander, weak Xander does the Snoopy Dance, which Willow noted she likes seeing him do when she goes to his house to watch "A Charlie Brown Christmas" ("Passion").
- While the viewpoint generally follows the "weak" Xander, the episode (like "The Zeppo") establishes that Xander is neither completely helpless nor useless. While we are led to believe that "strong" Xander is using mind control to obtain the promotion and the new apartment, in fact these things were earned by Xander already.
- Riley reveals to Xander that he knows Buffy doesn't love him back, which serves as the first solid indication of trouble in their relationship and a prelude to their break-up in the coming episodes.
- When Buffy and Dawn argue, Joyce grabs her head and refers to her "two teenage girls in the house" headache, all the while looking visibly distressed. While it is implied that she is being sarcastic, this exchange is in fact a prelude to the brain cancer she will develop, beginning in the next episode.
