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Episode 2.14: Innocence | Episode 2.16: Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered
Characters:
| Buffy | Angel | Xander |
| Willow | Giles | Cordelia |
| Oz |
Overall (6/10)
Buffy:
Let's briefly discuss what this episode is about before going through the characters. The central theme of this episode is the "beast" within men. This is the part of guys that are animalistic and predatory. And this theme is worked throughout the episode quite well.
Buffy gets her own chance to be supportive friend for Willow in this episode. We don't see this too often, as she's usually the one getting the support. However, at this time, she's going through her Angel angst.
We also get a taste of the responsibility Buffy carries as part of her calling. Hearing about Theresa's death devastates her because she believes that she could have prevented it. Xander actually gives her some good words of comfort in that she can't be expected to save every person in Sunnydale. And is it not ironic that Theresa is killed the day that she had a self-defense class? Her murder by Angel (a beast) highlights the idea of women falling victim to the predator that is men.
Her death has the other purpose of giving a message to Buffy from Angel. Buffy, in a moment of distress, turns to Xander for comfort. Xander, of course, interprets that moment as a come-on. Fortunately, nothing more comes of this.
It's interesting to note that Willow's research into which student is "beastly" enough to be a werewolf pulls up Buffy. She's associated, in this case, with the predatory male traits inherent in the wolf because of her duty as the Slayer.
Angel:
Angel has started his campaign of terror. He picks a girl at random and kills her to get to Buffy. Bad, bad, evil Angel.
Xander:
And Cordelia runs into one of Xander's major issues: his best friends. As Anya finds out later on, Xander has a lot of trouble thinking of any girl outside of Buffy and Willow. For some reason, Xander is jealous of Oz. At first, it can be construed as simple best friend concern. However, it quickly becomes almost-possessive. This from the guy who was painfully oblivious to Willow's affections earlier in the show.
Still, no matter what, Buffy and Willow come first in Xander's affections. Cordy calls him on it in this episode. Anya later on will have to deal with it, as well.
As far as his involvement in the story, he actively tries to pursue the werewolf while it's in its human form, feeling he has a connection from his time during his hyena possession. He immediately directs his attention to Larry, who is the perfect example of animalistic male behavior.
However, Xander soon discovers that that behavior is a cover for Larry to protect himself from the truth coming out. In fact, Larry is gay, often seen as being the exact opposite of the typical male. In the end, Larry is able to turn away from the image he constructed for himself with Xander's unintentional help.
This would be a bit more touching if Xander weren't so wigged over Larry's announcement. Xander shows more than a touch of homophobia during Larry's revelation, and in his fear that Larry now believes that he is gay.
And here we have an interesting role reversal. Whereas this show presents guys as being lustful beasts, Willow is discouraged because her current love interest doesn't seem, well, interested. Oz seems quite happy to remain non-touchy with her, and Willow is the one who is craving physical attention.
She discusses this with Buffy who urges her to make the first move. Willow, though, is afraid that if she does and exhibits the "male" traits by showing an interest in the physical side of a relationship that she'll be perceived as a "slut". This is actually a well-known double-standard in today's society. It is accepted that men will want teh sex and is, indeed, expected. However, for a woman to want that same thing, she is considered "easy" or "slutty". Of course, Willow doesn't necessarily want sex at this point. She does, however, want to initiate the physical part of their relationship.
In the end, she does confront Oz about this. She discovers that, instead of Oz being completely lacking in the animalistic, lustful side of the male gender, he's actually concerned because at night during a full moon, he embodies those traits and becomes a vicious animal. Once he changes, he chases Willow, and she is forced to shoot him with a tranquilizer dart.
Hold on this moment as we focus on the hunter Cain. Cain could also be said to embody the typical male traits. However, he's not the one who takes out the wolf. Instead, it is the female love interest, Willow, that is literally able to sooth the savage beast. Perhaps this is speaking to the connection between men and women.
That just leaves us with the major question of will Willow still accept Oz? We've seen in the past that Willow is more than willing to accept people despite their...oddities. She openly supported Buffy and Angel's relationship. Therefore, it is no real surprise that she is willing to continue to pursue a relationship with Oz.
Before moving on, let me also just comment on the wonderful Cordelia/Willow scenes. Finally, Willow is able to gripe with somebody who can match her point-for-point with Xander. It's refreshing to see that those two have overcome their differences to find something to form a friendship upon.
Giles is overly eager to get something to research now. Most likely, it's nice to have a distraction from the Angel fiasco. He is research and exposition-guy in this episode, and doesn't really have much more to do.
There's trouble ahead as Cordy realizes that she's coming in third behind Willow and Buffy in Xander's heart. Fortunately, she finds a sympathetic ear in Willow to commiserate with.
Cordy has changed quite a bit. She is now willing to sit with Willow in the Bronze and have a friendly girl chat. She even gives Willow advice on Oz. My word, Miss Chase, how you've grown.
And we come to the main player in this episode. Oz, the cool guy. The guy so in control, he'll turn down smoochies from a girl. He is the absolute opposite of the "man-as-beast" concept.
And it turns out he's a werewolf, the very embodiment of that very concept. Irony, you have found your home.
Oz is, understandably, wigged upon finding out what he is. He is even more wigged when he discovers that he might had killed someone. This is a guy coming to terms with the beast inside. And he's afraid of exactly what he's capable of. This is never more apparent then in the scene where Willow confronts him in his house. He knows that this girl will fall victim to his beastly urges if she stays, so he desperately tries to get her to leave.
All turns out well, though, and Willow accepts Oz for who he is in a very sweet scene.
There's a werewolf on the loose. Really, that's all there is to it.
Well, on the surface level, the werewolf is the baddie. We also have Cain, the misogynistic hunter mucking things about. Not to mention Angel who's having his own fun.
Not an arc episode.
As good a job as this episode does in carrying out the theme mentioned, it falls short somehow. The hunter Cain is two-dimensional and quite annoying. I understand that he's there to help represent the idea of the episode, but I'd much rather him not have been there.
Special performance award goes to Seth Green again for the naked acting. Okay, so I know that he's not actually naked while filming. But he's pretty darn close.
6 out of 10. It would be a lot lower, but the wonderful way they integrated the "man as beast" theme bumps it up a couple points.
The end scene between Willow and Oz. It's very cute with good humor. It's a wonderful set up for their relationship.
Episode 2.14: Innocence | Episode 2.16: Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered
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