Primer for Buffy,
"The Body"

This episode is from Season 5 (#16 of 22). “Hush” and “Restless” were from Season 4. A major diegetic shift happens in Season 5. The season opens with a new character suddenly appearing without anyone, apparently, taking notice: Dawn, Buffy’s sister. She is, in fact, interpolated into all existing photos, etc.. As the troupe discovers, Dawn is, in fact, a mystical key hidden in human form to ensure Buffy will protect it/her and thus keep it/her away from this season’s villain, the God, Glory. Glory needs the Key to open a gate into her hell dimension (an act that would bring about, you guessed it, the end of the world). Buffy has already had numerous run-ins with Glory, who has threatened to kill Buffy’s family and friends.

A good portion of this year’s episodes dealt with Joyce’s health after it was discovered that she had a brain tumor; however, the operation had proven successful, and Joyce was deemed completely cured about six episodes earlier. Her death in this episode (due to an aneurysm) was, therefore, a complete shock to viewers. The previous episode ended with Buffy discovering her mother’s body.
 
     

 

  

Passing References
     
BAND CANDY:
   The reference to “Band Candy” recalls an earlier episode when all of the adults in Sunnydale behaved like wild teenagers, and Giles and Joyce had sex… twice.
     
SELF-IMMOLATION:
   Dawn picked up a reputation for cutting herself, which she did after she discovered that she was the Key. (She had wanted to see if she was real.)
     
   

Things to Note
     
DISCOURSE:
   There is no discursive (or other kind) of music in the entire episode.
     
KISS:
   This episode includes the first on-screen kiss between Tara and Willow.
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