01 Welcome to the Hellmouth – Script

Episode 4V01

WELCOME TO THE HELLMOUTH

“Welcome to the Hellmouth”

Written By

Joss Whedon

Directed By

Charles Martin Smith

SHOOTING SCIPT

August 26, 1996
September 4, 1996 – BLUE
September 5, 1996 – PINK
September 5, 1996 – GREEN
September 6, 1996 – YELLOW
September 10, 1996 – GOLDENROD
January 17, 1997 – SALMON

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/10/96

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER

“Welcome to the Hellmouth”

CAST LIST

BUFFY SUMMERS………………………………………. Sarah Michelle Gellar
XANDER…………………………………………….. Nicholas Brendon
GILES……………………………………………… Anthony S. Head
WILLOW…………………………………………….. Alyson Hannigan
CORDELIA…………………………………………… Charisma Carpenter
MR.FLUTIE………………………………………….. *Ken Lerner
JESSE……………………………………………… *Eric Balfour
THE MASTER…………………………………………. *Mark Metcalf
ANGEL……………………………………………… *David Boreanaz
LUKE………………………………………………. *Brian Thompson
VAMPIRE BOY………………………………………… *Patrick Lawlor
DARLA……………………………………………… *Julie Benz
JOYCE SUMMERS………………………………………. *Kristine Sutherland
BOY……………………………………………….. Carmine D. Giovinazzo
TEACHER……………………………………………. *Natalie Strauss
GIRL #1……………………………………………. *Amy Chance
GIRL #2…………………………………………….
GIRL #3……………………………………………. *Persia White
THE BAND…………………………………………… Sprung Monkey

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/4/96

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER

“Welcome to the Hellmouth”

SET LIST

INTERIORS

SUNNYDALE HIGH SCHOOL
HALL
CLASSROOM
BOB FLUTIE’S OFFICE
HISTORY CLASS
THE LIBRARY
WOMEN’S LOCKER ROOM
HALLWAY OUTSIDE LOCKER ROOM
BUFFY’S BEDROOM
THE CHURCH
DARK PLACE
THE BRONZE
BACKSTAGE
MAUSOLEUM

EXTERIORS

SUNNYDALE HIGH SCHOOL
FOUNTAIN QUAD
SIDE OF GYM
AN ALLEY
STREET
ANOTHER STREET
THE BRONZE
STREET BY WOODED GLADE
GRAVEYARD
MAUSOLEUM
THE FOREST

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/4/96   1.

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER

“Welcome to the Hellmouth”

TEASER

FADE IN
1  EXT.  SUNNYDALE HIGH SCHOOL – NIGHT                            1
The front of the affluent Southern California school gleams
darkly in the moonlight.
CUT TO:
2  INT.  HALL – CONTINUOUS                                        2
TRACK through the hall. Nothing.
CUT TO:
3  INT.  CLASSROOM – CONTINUOUS                                   3
Silent.
We track along the wall, past the maps and drawings tacked
up on it, past the window, which SHATTERS in our faces!
It’s hust a single pane, knocked-in by someone’s hand. It
unlocks the window and slides it up.
The intruder is a college age BOY, a timid GIRL beside him.
She looks about nervously.
GIRL
Are you sure this is a good idea?
BOY
It’s a great idea! Come on.
As they climb in.
CUT TO:
4  INT.  HALL – A MOMENT LATER                                   4
He leads her out here. It’s even darker than the classroom.
GIRL
You go to school here?
BOY
Used to.

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/4/96   2.

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER

4  CONTINUED                                                     4
BOY
On top of the gym, it’s so cool —
you can see the whole town
GIRL
I don’t want to go up there.
BOY
Oh, you can’t wait, huh?
He moves to kiss her.
GIRL
We’re just gonna get in trouble.
BOY
Count on it.
He kisses her, but she turns suddenly, real fear crossing
her face.
GIRL
What was that?
BOY
What was what?
GIRL
I heard a noise
BOY
It’s nothing
GIRL
Maybe it’s something…
BOY
Maybe it’s some Thing
GIRL
That’s not funny
He looks about them. The place is dark, shadowy. She
cowers behind him.
(CONTINUED)

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BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER

4  CONTINUED:  2                                                 4
BOY
Hello?
Silence.
BOY
There’s nobody here.
GIRL
Are you sure?
BOY
I’m sure.
GIRL
Okay…
She bares HORRIBLE FANGS and BURIES them in his neck.
BLACKOUT.

END OF TEASER

CREDITS.

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    (Salmon)     4.

Rev. 1/17/97

ACT ONE

5  INT.  MASTER’S LAIR (THE DREAM)                                5
ANGLE: BUFFY
walks through the lair, looking around. Confused, lost.
5A  OMMITTED.                                                    5A
5B  OMMITTED.                                                    5B
5D  ANGLE:  A GIRL IN BED                                        5C
tossing and turning, as the camera moves down to reveal the
shadow of someone — something — approaching her — and we
an impossibly low voice.
VOICE (O.S.)
I’ll take you… like a cancer…
I’ll get inside you and eat my way
out…
5D  INT:  MASTER’S LAIR                                        5D
CLOSE-UP of The Master
as he rises up behind Buffy, ROARING.
CUT TO:

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6  INT.  BUFFY’S BEDROOM – MORNING                                6
Her eyes snap open. Despite the morning light, we recognize
the girl — and the bed — from the dream. A moment, as she
gets her bearings, shaking off the immediacy of the dream.
BUFFY’S MOM (O.S)
Buffy…
BUFFY
I’m up, Mom
BUFFY’S MOM (O.S)
Don’t want to be late for your first day.
BUFFY
No… wouldn’t want that…
Her voice betrays her uncertainty. She sits up, A wider
angle on her room reveals that it’s only half decorated:
there are still boxes as yet unpacked in the corner.
CUT TO:
7  EXT:  SUNNYDALE HIGH SCHOOL – MORNING                          7
A day as bright and colorful as the night was black and
eerie. Students pour in before first bell, talking,
laughing. They could be from anywhere in America, but for
the extremity of their dress and the esoteric mania of their
slang. This is definately So Cal.
ANGLE: A CAR
pulls up outside the school. Buffy’s mom, JOYCE, is
driving. Buffy gets out the passenger side.
JOYCE
Now, you have a good time. I know
you’ll make friends right away.
Think positive. And honey… try
not to get kicked out.
BUFFY
I promise.
The girl turns, looks at the school. She starts in as her
mother drives away.
ANGLE: A SKATEBOARD
Weaving along the road. On it is XANDER, dressed with the
shaggy indifference common to skateboarders.
(CONTINUED)

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7  CONTINUED:                                                    6
He is bright, funny, and will one day be suave and handsome.
Till that day arrives, he’ll do the best he can with bright
and funny.
He weaves through a thickening mass of students toward the
school.
XANDER
Coming through… coming through…
(as the crowd increases)
Not certain how to stop….
But he’s doing okay until he passes Buffy — intrigued by
the new face, he cranes to look at her, and nearly takes a
header. He saves himself from falling, however, coming to a
stop just in front of:
WILLOW. She is shy, bookish, and very possibly dressed by
her mother. The intelligence in her eyes and the sweetness
of her smile belie a genuine charm that is lost on the
unsubtle high school mind. It’s certainly lost on Xander,
though he brightens considerably to see her. The new face
forgotten, at least for now.
XANDER
Willow! You’re so very much the
person I wanted to see.
Her excitement at the sentiment is sweetly pathetic, and
typically unnoticed.
WILLOW
Really?
XANDER
Yeah. You know, I kind of had a
problem with the math.
WILLOW
(hiding disappointment)
Which part?
XANDER
The math. Can you help me tonight?
Please? Be my studdy buddy?
WILLOW
Wellm what’s in it for me?
XANDER
A shiny nickel…

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/6/96     7.

7  CONTINUED: 2                                                  7
WILLOW
Okay. Do you have “Theories in
Trig?” You should check it out.
XANDER
Check it out?
WILLOW
From the library. Where the books
live.
XANDER
Right. I’m there. See, I want
to change.
8  INT: SCHOOL HALL – CONTINUOUS                                  8
They are approached by JESSE, their bud. He is a little
more awkward than Xander, a little less likely to become a
lady killer in his later years.
JESSE
Hey.
XANDER
Jesse! What’s what.
JESSE
New girl!
XANDER
That’s right, I saw her. She’s
pretty much a hotty.
WILLOW
I heard someone was transferring
here.
XANDER
So. Tell
JESSE
Tell what?
XANDER
What’s the sitch? What do you know
about her?
JESSE
(“that’s all”)
New girl.
XANDER
Well, you’re certainly a font of
nothing.

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/4/96     8.

CUT TO:
9  INT: BOB FLUTIE’S OFFICE – CONTINUOUS                         9
Buffy sits before Principal FLUTIE. He is middle aged, a
tad officious. Caught between the old school of strict
discipline and the new school of sensitivity.
He pulls her transcript from a folder> He looks at it
looks at her.
MR. FLUTIE
Buffy Summers. Sophomore, late of
Hemery High in Los Angeles.
Interesting record. Quite a
career.
He smiles, and carefully tears her transcript up into four
pieces.
MR. FLUTIE
Welcome to Sunnydale. A clean
slate, Buffy, that’s what you get
here. What’s past is past. We’re
not interested in what it says on a
piece of paper
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/4/96     9.

9  CONTINUED:                                                    9
MR. FLUTIE (CONT’D)
Even if it says
(looks down at a piece,
reacts:)
— whoa. At Sunnydale we nurture.
the whole student. The inner
student.
He is taking the pieces of the transcript as he talks and
carefully placing them together again.
MR. FLUTIE
Other schools might look at the
incredible decline in grade point
average — we look at the
struggling young woman with the
incredible decline in grade point
average. Other schools might look
at the reports of gang fights —
BUFFY
Mr. Flutie —
MR. FLUTIE
All the kids here are free to call
me Bob —
BUFFY
Bob —
MR. FLUTIE
— but they don’t.
He pulls out a piece of tape, starts taping the transcript back
together.
BUFFY
Mr. Flutie. I know my transcripts
are a little colorful —
MR. FLUTIE
Hey, we’re not caring about that!
Do you think “colorful” is the
word? Not “dismal”? Just off
hand, I’d go with “dismal,”
BUFFY
It wasn’t that bad.
MR. FLUTIE
You burned down the gym.
(CONTINUED)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/4/96    10.

9  CONTINUED:  2;                                                 9
BUFFY
I did. I really did. But you
gotta see the big picture. I mean,
the gym was full of vamp… uh,
asbestos.
MR. FLUTIE
Buffy. Don’t worry. Any other
school, they might say “watch your
step”, or, “we’ll be watching you”
or, “get within a hundred yards of
the gym with a book of matches and
you’ll grow up in juvie hall” but
that’s just not the way here. We
want to service your needs. And
if your needs and our needs don’t
mesh…
Still smiling blandly, he slips the tapes up transcript back in
her folder.
CUT TO:
10  INT.  HALL – A MOMENT LATER;                                  10
Buffy exits the office, looking a bit depressed. She starts
rummaging through her bag and a student runs by, bumps into
her. Her books and stuff spill out. Frustrated, she kneels
down, starts scooping it back in.
Xander sees this, goes up to her, kneeling.
XANDER
Can I have you? Dyeh — can I help
you?
BUFFY
Oh, thanks…
He starts picking things up, handing them to her.
XANDER
I don’t know you, do I?
BUFFY
I’m Buffy.
XANDER
Xander. Is me. Hi.
BUFFY
Thanks.
(CONTINUED)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/4/96    11.

10  CONTINUED:                                                     10
XANDER
Maybe I’ll see you around. Maybe
at school, since we both… go
there…
BUFFY
Great. Nice to meet you.
He gives her the rest of her books. She stufs it all in
her bag and hurries away.
XANDER
“We both go to school…” Very suave. Very not.
pathetic.
He notices something on the floor, bends down to get it. Calls
after her:
XANDER
Oh, hey, you forgot your…
(looks at the thing in
his hand)
… stake…
But she’s too far of to hear. He looks at the wooden
stake, puzzled.
CUT TO:
11  INT.  HISTORY CLASS – MORNING;                                 11
THE TEACHER is in front, lecturing. We hear her mostly in
voice over as we see Buffy near the back, earnestly taking
notes. Trying to keep up.
TEACHER
It’s estimated that about 25
million people died in that one
four year span. But the fun part
of the Black Plague is that it
originated in Europe how? As an
early form of germ warfare. The
plague was first found in Asia, and
a Kipchack army actually catapulted
plague-infested corpses into a
Genoese trading post. Ingenious.
If you look at the map on page 63
you can trace the spread of the
disease…
Buffy looks about as kids open their books — She hasn’t got
one. The girl next to her, CORDELIA, leans over. She is
pretty, self assued. Killer outfit.
(CONTINUED)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/4/96    12.

11  CONTINUED:                                                     11
CORDELIA
Here.
She moves her book over so Buffy can read off it as well.
BUFFY
Thanks.
TEACHER
And this popular plague led to what
social changes?
CUT TO:
12  INT.  SAME – END OF CLASS                                      12
Kids are piling up ther books and leaving as the bell
RINGS. Cordelia introdcues herself:
CORDELIA
Hi, I’m Cordelia.
BUFFY
I’m Buffy.
CORDELIA
If you’re looking for a textbook of
your very own, there’s probably a
few in the library.
BUFFY
Oh, great. Thanks. Where would
that be?
CORDELIA
I’ll show you.
As the girls walk through the crowded hall.
CORDELIA
You transferred from Hemery, right?
In L.A.?
BUFFY
Yeah.
(CONTINUED)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/6/96    13.

12  CONTINUED:                                                     12
CORDELIA
Oh! I would kill to live in L.A.
Being that close to that many
shoes… Why’d you come here?
BUFFY
Because my Mom moved, is the
reason. I mean we both moved. But
my Mom wanted to.
CUT TO:
13  INT.  HALL – CONTINOUS                                         13
CORDELIA
Well, you’ll be okay here. If you
hang with me and mine you’ll be
accepted in no time. Of course we
do have to test your coolness
factor. You’re from L.A., so you
can skip the written, but, let’s
see… Vamp nail polish.
BUFFY
(tentatively)
Over?
CORDELIA
So over? James Spader.
BUFFY
He needs to call me.
CORDELIA
Frappachinos?
BUFFY
Trendy but tasty.
CORDELIA
John Tesh.
BUFFY
The Devil?.
CORDELIA
Well, that was pretty much a gimme,
but you passed.
BUFFY
Oh, good.
They stop at the water fountain, which is being used by:
(CONTINUED)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/4/96    14.

13  CONTINUED:                                                     13
CORDELIA
Willow! Nice dress.
(Off Willow’s smile)
Good to know you’ve seen the softer
side of Sears.
That hurt. Buffy says nothing, surprised by Cordelia’s
sudden viciousness. Willow says, almost apologetically:
WILLOW
Well my Mom picked it out.
CORDELIA
(witheringly)
No wonder you’re such a guy-magnet.
Are you done?
WILLOW
Oh.
She vacates the fountain. Cordy steps up to it, looking at
Buffy.
CORDELIA
You wanna fit in here, the first
rule is “know your losers”. Once
you can identify them all buy sight,
they’re a lot easier to avoid.
She bends down to drink. Buffy looks at the departing Willow,
unhappily.
CUT TO:
14  INT.  ANOTHER HALL – A MINUTE LATER                            14
As Buffy and Cordelia walk toward the library.
CORDELIA
–and if you’re not too swamped
with catching up you should come
out to the Bronze tonight.
BUFFY
The who?
CORDELIA
The Bronze? It’s the only club
worth going to around here. They
let anybody in but it’s still the
scene. It’s in the bad part of
town.
(CONTINUED)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/4/96    15.

14  CONTINUED:                                                     14
BUFFY
Where’s that?
CORDELIA
About half a block from the good
part of town. We don’t have a
whole lot of town. You should
show.
They arrive at the entrance to the Library.
BUFFY
Well, I’ll try, thanks.
CORDELIA
Good. I’ll see you at gym and you
can tell me absolutely everything
there is to know about yourself.
She goes off.
BUFFY
(thrown by the notion)
That sounds like fun…
CUT TO:
15  INT.  THE LIBRARY – CONTINUOUS                                15
Buffy enters, looking about her. It’s eloquent, full of dark
wood, streaming sunlight, and (duhh) books. It’s also
empty. Buffy steps in, looking around. She looks down at
the check-out counter to see:
ANGLE: A NEWSPAPER
Folded, with an article on the first page circled in red.
The headling reads: LOCAL BOYS STILL MISSING, with a blurry
picture of three brothers.
Buffy wanders further in. She peers around a bookcase —
BUFFY
Hello… Is anybody here?
And someone touched her from behind. Startled, she spins.
GILES
Can I help you?
He is British, of middle age, with a quiet intensity.
(CONTINUED)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/6/96    16.

15  CONTINUED:                                                     15
BUFFY
I was looking for some, well
books. I’m new.
GILES
Miss Summers.
BUFFY
Good call. I guess I’m the only
new kid.
GILES
I’m Mr. Giles, the librarian.
BUFFY
Great. So you have, uh, —
GILES
I know what you’re after.
He leads her to the check-out desk by the door, His offce can
be seen behind it.
He pulls a book out and slides it toward Buffy. Huge, leather
bound, with a single word set in gild in the cover.
“VAMPYR”
Real concern floods Buffy’s face, along with understanding. She
steps back from the desk, eyes on the librarian.
BUFFY
That’s not what I’m looking for.
GILES
Are you sure?
BUFFY
I’m way sure.
GILES
My mistake.
He replaces the book under the counter.
GILES
So, what is it you said —
But she’s gone.
CUT TO:

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/4/96    17.

16  INT.  WOMEN’S LOCKER ROOM – AFTERNOON                         16
Two GIRLS approach their lockers, talking. They begin
undressing (just shoes and coats and stuff. Get your mind
out of the gutter).
GIRL #1
The new kid? She seems kind of.
weird to me. And what kind of name
is Buffy?
GIRL #2
Hey, Aphrodesia.
GIRL #1
Hey.
GIRL #3
Well, the chatter in the caf is
that she got kicked out and that’s
why her mom had to get a new job.
GIRL #1
Neg.
GIRL #3
Pos. She was starting fights.
GIRL #1
(opening her locker)
Negly!
GIRL #3
(opening hers)
Well, I heard it from Blue, and she saw the
transcripts.
Something FLIES OUT of the locker at her! She SCREAMS as
the dead body of the boy from the opening collapses on her,
eyes horribly wide.
ANGLE: FROM ABOVE.
The body sprawls out on the floor as the girl steps back,
screaming for all she’s worth.
BLACK OUT.

END OF ACT ONE


BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/4/96    18.

ACT TWO

17  EXT.  FOUNTAIN QUAD – DAY                                    17
Willow is carefully taking out her packed lunch (and how
healthy it is). Buffy approaches her.
BUFFY
Uh, hi. Willow, right?
WILLOW
Why? I mean Hi. Did you want me
to move?
BUFFY
Why don’t we start with “hi I’m
Buffy.”
(sits by her)
And then let’s seque directly into
me asking you for a favor. It
doesn’t involve moving, but it does
involve you hanging out with me for
a while.
WILLOW
But aren’t you… hanging with
Cordelia?
BUFFY
I can’t do both?
WILLOW
Not legally.
BUFFY
Look, I really want to get by here.
New school… Cordelia’s been
really nice — to me, anyway — but
I have this burning desire not to
flunk all my classes, and I heard a
rumor that you were the person to
talk to if I wanted to get caught
up.
WILLOW
Oh, I could totally help you out!
If you have sixth period free we
could meet in the library –.
(CONTINUED).

END OF ACT ONE


BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/4/96    19.

17  CONTINUED:                                                   17
BUFFY
–or not. Or, you know, we could
meet somewhere quieter. Louder.
That place kind of gives me a
wiggins.
WILLOW
It has that effect on most kids. I
love it, though. It’s a great
collection, and the new librarian’s
really cool.
BUFFY
He’s new?
WILLOW
Yeah, he just started. He was a
curator of some British Museum. Or
the British Museum, I’m not sure..
But he knows everything and he
brought all these historical
volumes and biographies and am I
the single dullest person alive?
BUFFY
Not at all!
XANDER
(entering with Jesse)
Hey. Are you guys busy? Can we
interrupt? We’re interrupting.
BUFFY
Hey.
JESSE
Hey there.
WILLOW
Buffy, this is Jesse, and that’s
Xander.
XANDER
Oh, me and Buffy go way back. Old
friends, very close. Then there
was that period of estrangement. I
think we were both changing as
people, but here we are and it’s
like old times, I’m quite moved.
(CONTINUED)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/4/96    20.

17  CONTINUED:  2                                                17
JESSE
Is it me, or are you turning into a
bibbling idiot?
XANDER
(a little embrarrassed)
It’s not you.
BUFFY
It’s nice to meet you guys… I
think.
JESSE
Well, we wanted to welcome you,
make you feel at home. Unless you
have a scary home.
XANDER
And to return this.
He produces the stake.
XANDER
The only thing I can figure is that
you’re building a really little
fence.
BUFFY
Oh. No. That was for self
defense. Everyone has them in L.A.
Pepper spray is so passe.
XANDER
So. What do you like, what do you
do for fun, what do you look for in
a man… Let’s hear it.
JESSE
If you have any, dark, painful
secrets that we could publish…
BUFFY
Gee, everybody wants to know about
me. How keen.
XANDER
Well, not a lot happens in a
one-Starbucks town like Sunnydale.
You’re big news.
BUFFY
I’m not. Really.
(CONTINUED)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/4/96    21.

17  CONTINUED:  3                                                17
CORDELIA
Are these people bothering you?
She has appeared behind Jesse, all disdain on her face.
BUFFY
Oh! No.
WILLOW
(covering for her)
She’s not hanging out with us.
JESSE
(smitten)
Hey, Cordelia.
CORDELIA
Oh, please.
(to Buffy)
I don’t want to interrupt your
downward mobility. I just thought
I’d tell you that you won’t be
meeting Coach Foster, the woman
with chest hair, becayse gym has
been canceled due to the extreme
dead guy in the locker.
BUFFY
What?
WILLOW
What are you talking about?
CORDELIA
Some guy was stuffed in Aura’s
locker.
BUFFY
Dead.
CORDELIA
Way dead.
XANDER
So not just a little dead then.
CORDELIA
Don’t you have an elsewhere to be?
JESSE
(to Cordelia)
If you need a shoulder to cru on,
or just to nibble on —
(CONTINUED)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/6/96    22.

17  CONTINUED:  4                                                17
BUFFY
How did he die?
CORDELIA
I don’t know…
BUFFY
Well, were there any marks?
CORDELIA
Morbid much? I didn’t ask!
BUFFY
Uh, look, I gotta book. I’ll see
you guys later.
She takes off, the others watching her.
CORDELIA
What’s her deal?
18  INT.  HALLWAY OUTSIDE LOCKER ROOM – CONTINUOUS              18
Mr. Flutie closes the door quietly. He turns to see Buffy
before him.
MR. FLUTIE
Oh! Buffy! Uh, what do you want?
BUFFY
Um, is there a guy in there that’s
dead?
MR. FLUTIE
Where did you hear that? Okay. Yes.
But he’s not a student! Not currently.
BUFFY
Do you know how he died?
MR. FLUTIE
What?
BUFFY
I mean — how could this have
happened?
MR. FLUTIE
Well, that’s for the police to
determine when they get here. But
this structure is safe, we have
inspections, and I think there’s no
grounds for a lawsuit.
(CONTINUED)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/5/96    23.

18  CONTINUED:                                                   18
BUFFY
Was there a lot of blood? Was
there any blood?
MR. FLUTIE
I would think you wouldn’t want to
involve yourself in this kind of
thing.
BUFFY
I don’t. Could I just take a peak?
MR. FLUTIE
Unless you already are
involved…
BUFFY
Never mind.
MR. FLUTIE
(being nicer)
Buffy. I understand this is
confusing. You’re probably feeling
a lot right now. You should share
those feelings. With someone else.
Buffy smiles wanly, backs off.
CUT TO:
19  EXT.  SIDE OF GYM – CONTINUOUS                              19
Buffy comes around the side of the gym/ There is a door to
the locker room and she tries it. It’s locked.
She locks around to make she’s alone, and the PULLS
the door open with a quick tug, splintering the lock. One
last look around and she slips inside.
CUT TO:
20  INT.  WOMEN’S LOCKER ROOM – CONTINUOUS                      20
Buffy approaches the body laid out under a blanket.
She hesitates, sure she’s not going to like what she sees.
Pulls the blanket from his head and shoulders.
(CONTINUED)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/4/96    24.

20  CONTINUED:                                                   20
ANGLE: HIS NECK
Has two big ol’ bite marks in it.
What floods onto Buffy’s face is not horror, but grim
frustration. She stares down at the body, nearly seething.
BUFFY
Oh, great!
CUT TO:
21  INT.  THE LIBRARY – MOMENTS LATER                            21
Buffy strides back in, attitude high.
BUFFY
Okay? What’s the sitch?
She spies Giles and starts up toward him.
GILES
Sorry?
BUFFY
You heard about the dead guy,
right? The dead guy in the locker?
GILES
Yes.
BUFFY
Well, it’s the weirdest thing.
He’s got two little holes in his
neck and all his blood’s been
drained. Isn’t that bizarre?
Aren’t you just going, “Ooooh….”
GILES
I was afraid of this.
BUFFY
Well, I wasn’t! It’s my first day.
I was afraid that I’d be behind in
all the classes, that I wouldn’t
make any friends, that I’d have
last month’s hair. I didn’t think
there would be vampires on campus.
And I don’t care.
GILES
Then why are you here?
(CONTINUED)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/10/96   25.

21  CONTINUED:                                                   21
She’s stopped for a moment.
BUFFY
To tell you that I don’t care.
Which I don’t, and… have now told
you. So bye.
She starts out, maybe a little unsatisfied with her exit.
GILES
Will he rise again?
BUFFY
Who?
GILES
The boy.
BUFFY
No, he’s just dead.
GILES
Can you be sure?
BUFFY
To make you a vampire, they have to
suck your blood and then you have
to suck their blood. It’s a whole
big sucking thing. Mostly they’ll
just take all your blood and then
you just die — why am I still
talking to you?
GILES
You have no idea what’s going
on, do you? Do you think it’s
coincidence, your coming here?
That boy was just the beginning.
BUFFY
(turning)
Oh, why can’t you leave me alone?
GILES
Because you are the Slayer.
She stops. No comeback just now. He starts down after her,
solemnly intoning:
GILES
Into every generation, a Slayer is
born. One girl, in all the world,
a Chosen One. One born with the —
(CONTINUED)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/10/96   26.

21  CONTINUED:  2                                                21
She finishes along with him.
BUFFY & GILES
— the strength and skill to hunt
the vampires —
BUFFY
To stop the spread of their evil
blah blah I’ve heard it, okay?
GILES
I don’t understand this attitude.
You’ve accepted your duty, you’ve
slain vampires before —
BUFFY
Well, I have both been there and
done that. And I’m moving on.
GILES
What do you know about this town?
BUFFY
It’s two hours on the freeway from
Nieman Marcus.
GILES
Dig a bit in the history of this
place and you’ll find there’ve been
a steady stream of fairly odd
occurances. I believe this area
is a center of mystical energy.
Things gravitate toward it that you
might not find elsewhere.
BUFFY
Like vampires?
She tries to move past him and pulls a book off the
shelf, hands it to her. It resembles the vampire book he
showed her earlier. He continues to pull more off, piling
them up in her arms.
GILES
Like werewolves. Zombies
Succubi, incubi… Everything you
ever dreaded under your bed and
told yourself couldn’t be by the
light of day.
BUFFY
What, did you send away for the
Time Life series?
(CONTINUED)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/10/96   27.

21  CONTINUED:  3                                                21
GILES
Uh, yes.
BUFFY
Did you get the three phone?
GILES
The calendar.
BUFFY
Cool.
(remembering her agenda)
Okay, first of all, I’m a vampire
slayer. And secondly I’m retired.
Hey, I know! Why don’t you kill
them?
GILES
I’m a Watcher. I haven’t the
skill.
BUFFY
Oh, come on. Stake through the
heart, a little sunlight — it’s
like falling off a log.
GILES
The Slayers slays. The Watcher —
BUFFY
Watches?
GILES
Yes. No! He — he– trains her,
he prepares her —
BUFFY
Prepares me for what? For getting
kicked out of school? Losing all
my friends? Having to spend all
my time fighting for my life and
never getting to tell anyone
because it might ‘endanger’ them?
Go ahead. Prepare me.
A beat, and she leaves. Giles heads out after her.
ANGLE: IN THE STACKS
A shadowy figure moves about back there, emerges into the
light. It’s Xander, excitement, amusement and disbelief
dancing in his face. “Theories in Trig” in his hands.
(CONTINUED)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/6/96   27A.

21  CONTINUED:  4                                                21
He tries for a long to form a word. When he does, it
is merely:
XANDER
WHAT?
CUT TO
22  INT.  HALL – CONTINUOUS                                      22
Giles comes out of the library, calls out to Buffy.
GILES
It’s getting worse.
She stops, turns. There are people about, so they are
forced to whisper.
BUFFY
What’s getting worse?
GILES
The influx of the undead, the
supernatural occurances. It’s
been building for years and now…
There’s a reason why you’re here,
and there’s a reason why it’s now.
(CONTINUED)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/6/96    28.

22  CONTINUED:                                                   22
BUFFY
Because now is the time my mom
moved here
GILES
Something is coming. Somthing is
going to happen here soon.
BUFFY
Gee, can you vague that up for
me…?
GILES
As far as I can tell, the signs
point to a crucial mystical
upheaval very soon — days,
possibly less.
BUFFY
Come on. This is Sunnydale. How
bad an evil can there be here?
CUT TO:
23  INT.  DARK PLACE – NIGHT                                     23
The camera TRACKS silently through a dark and eerie place.
We see candles, broken statuary. A few figures bent in
supplication. An ominous CHANTING fills the chamber.
As we move up, we see a single figure knee;ling, well ahead
of the rest. He is large, powerfulm appears to be in his
late twenties. In fact, LUKE is much older than that. His
dress speaks of many eras, but definitively of none.
The CHATNTING increases in intensity as the camera continues
to move about the place, passing over Luke and we see what
he is kneeling before for the first time.
A pool of blood.
LUKE
The sleeper will awaken.
As he speaks, we see his face clearly. Vampire. Not
pretty.
LUKE
The sleeper will awaken. And the
world will bleed.
He dips his finger in the blood.
(CONTINUED)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/4/96    29.

23  CONTINUED:                                                   23
LUKE
Amen
And now we see:
WIDER ANGLE: THE CHURCH
It’s a bizarre ruin we’re in, buried beneath the ground.
The stanchions and arches stand at haphazard angles, sheeted
rock pushing in at all sides. The pool of blood is on what
would be the altar.
The CHANTING fills the vas room as we
BLACK OUT.

END OF ACT TWO


BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/6/96   230.

ACT THREE

24  INT.  BUFFY’S BEDROOM – NIGHT                                   24
She is in the agony of outfit choosage, getting ready to go
out. She has two, one scanty, the other somewhat plain. She
holds them alternately in front of her, looking in the
mirror.
BUFFY
(holding up one)
Hi! I’m an enourmous slut!
(the other)
Hi! Would you like a copy of the
Watchtower?
(throws them both down)
I used to be so good at this…
Joyce enters, watches her.
JOYCE
Are you going out tonight, honey?
BUFFY
Yeah, Mom. I’m going to a club.
JOYCE
Will there be boys there?
BUFFY
No, Mom; it’s a nun club.
JOYCE
Well, just be careful.
BUFFY
I will.
As the conversation seques into serious territory, both
women become somewhat uncomfortable with each other.
JOYCE
I think we can make it work here.
I’ve got my positive energy
flowing. I’m gonna get the gallery
on its feet — we may already have
found a space.
(CONTINUED)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/6/96    31.

24  CONTINUED:                                                       24
BUFFY
Great.
JOYCE
And that school is a very nurturing
envirnment, which is what you
need.
BUFFY
Mom…
JOYCE
Oh, not too nurturing. I know.
You’re sixteen, I read all about
the dangers of overnurturing.
(honestly)
It’s hard. New town, and all. For
me, too. I’m trying to make it
work.
(correcting herself)
I’m going to make it work.
BUFFY
I know.
JOYCE
You’re a good girl, Buffy. You
just fell in with the wrong crowd.
But that’s all behind us now.
BUFFY
It is. From now on, I’m only
hanging out with the living. I —
I mean, the lively… people.
BUFFY
Okay. You have fun.
CUT TO:
25  EXT STREET – NIGHT                                               25
Buffy makes her way on foot to the Bronze. She leaves the
suburban area the house is in for the deserted city streets
on the edge of town.
She turns a corner, walks down the street, lostin
thought — until she HEARS FOOTSTEPS behind her.
(CONTINUED)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/4/96   31A.

25  CONTINUED:                                                       25
She stops, turns slowly.
A figure stands in the dark behind her. Far enough away
that she doesn’t feel right saying anything to it. It
doesn’t move — she can’t see its face but it seems to be
looking at her.
Buffy turns to go.
The figure follows.
CUT TO:
26  EXT.  ANOTHER STREET – A MOMENT LATER                            26
Buffy turns the corner,somewhat worried — moving faster
The figure follows, always at a discreet distance.
CUT TO:

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    (Salmon)     32.

Rev. 1/7/97
27  EXT.:  AN ALLEY – A MOMENT LATER                                 27
Buffy turns in. She looks about her. A pipe runs across
the narrow alley some ten feet above her. Garbage cans
cluster at the other end.
ANGLE: BUFFY
doing a handstand on a pipe overhead.
The figure turns into the now-empty alley, starts down it.
Buffy suddenly drops down on him, legs locked over his neck.
She throws herself back, tipping him over, rolling herself
and SLAMMING his body onto the ground.
He’s on his feet quickly, but she grabs him and throws him
up against the wall. She closes in, but he makes no move to
attack. Puts up his hands.
ANGEL
Is there a problem, ma’am
He seems faintly amused. Buffy eyes him suspiciously,
getting her first good look at him.
ANGEL is strikingly handsome, with intelligence and a kind
of distance in his eyes. Move’s with a fighter’s grace.
BUFFY
There’s a problem. Why are you
following me?
ANGEL
I know what you’re thinking, but
don’t worry. I don’t bite.
She backs off a bit, perplexed.
ANGEL
Truth is, I thought you’d be taller.
Or bigger, muscles and all
that. You’re pretty spry, though.
BUFFY
What do you want?
ANGEL
Same thing as you do.
BUFFY
Okay, what do I want?
The amusement leaves his face.
(CONTINUED)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    (Salmon)    32A.

Rev. 1/7/97
27  CONTINUED:                                                    27
ANGEL
To kill ’em. To kill ’em all.
(CONTINUED)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/4/96    33.

27  CONTINUED:                                                    27
BUFFY
(game show:)
Sorry! That’s incorrect but you do
get this lovely watch and a year’s
supply of Turtle Wax what I
want… is to be left alone.
ANGEL
You really think that’s an option
anymore? You’re standing at the
mouth of Hell. And it’s about to
open.
He reaches into his coat for something. It’s a jewelry
box. He throws it to her.
ANGEL
Don’t turn your back on this.
You’ve got to be ready.
BUFFY
What for?
ANGEL
For the Harvest.
He starts out.
BUFFY
Who are you?
ANGEL
Let’s just say I’m a friend.
BUFFY
(exasperated)
Well, maybe I don’t want a friend.
ANGEL
I didn’t say I was yours
He goes. Buffy watches him go, then opens the box.
ANGLE: IN THE BOX
is a cross. Small, antique, on a gold chain.
WIDER ANGLE: BUFFY ALONE IN THE ALLEY
Buffy looks at the cross, at the departing figure of the
departing man.
And as she walks slowly away, the camera TRACKS past the
corner, past another group of garbage cans.
(CONTINUED)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/4/96    34.

27  CONTINUED:  2                                                 27
In front of them, right before us but unseen by Buffy, are
two figures. The poor man we saw in her dream, and a
vampire. The beast has its face burrowing in his neck, as
the list of his life shudders out.
28  EXT.  THE BRONZE – NIGHT                                      28
A decent drowd mills aimlessly around the joint, high school
students and older. The place has an appealingly dive-y
earthiness; no waiting in line for the bouncer to decide
whether you’re cool or not. Those that are in line wait
only to pay the four bucks and get their hands stamped if
they’re old enought to drink.
Buffy moves her way up the line, scanning about for a
familiar face. She doesn’t find one. As she is let in we
FOLLOW HER INTO:
29  INT.  THE BRONZE – CONTINUOUS                                29
It’s dark, crowded and noisy. A fairly thrashsome band
holds forth on stage, blasting the kind of music that would
cause major moshing in a rowdier crowd. Coffee bar in the
back, and a balcony above with tables for two.
Buffy makes her way through, still looking about. A good
looking GUY spies her and waves, smiling.
Buffy smiles vaguely, waving back. A moment before she
realizes he’s waving to a guy right behind her. She
attempts to turn her wave into fixing her hair, looking
embarrassed.
29A ANGLE: WILLOW                                               29A
is getting a soda at the bar. She turns back to look at
the band just as Buffy comes up to her.
BUFFY
Hi!
WILLOW
Oh, hi! Hi.
BUFFY
Are you here with someone?
(CONTINUED)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/6/96    35.

29A  CONTINUED:                                                  29A
WILLOW
No, I’m just here. I thought
Xander was gonna show up…
BUFFY
Oh, are you guys going out?
WILLOW
No. We’re just friends. We used
to go out, but we broke up.
BUFFY
How come?
WILLOW
He stole my Barbie
(off Buffy’s look)
We were five.
BUFFY
Oh.
WILLOW
I don’t actually date a whole
lot… lately.
BUFFY
Why not?
WILLOW
Well, when I’m with a boy I like,
it’s hard for me to say anything
cool, or witty, or at all… I can
usually make a few vowel sounds,
and then I have to go away
BUFFY
(laughing)
It’s not that bad.
WILLOW
It is. I thik boys are more
interested in a girl who can talk.
BUFFY
You really haven’t been dating
lately.
WILLOW
It’s probably easy for you.
BUFFY
(a little forlornly)
Oh, yeah. Real easy.
(CONTINUED)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/6/96    36.

29A  CONTINUED:  2                                               29A
WILLOW
I mean, you don’t seem too shy.
BUFFY
Well, my philosophy is — do you
wanna hear my philosophy?
WILLOW
I do.
BUFFY
Life is short.
WILLOW
Life is short.
BUFFY
Not original, I’ll grant you. But
it’s true. Why waste time being
all shy? Why worry about some guy
and if he’s gonna laugh at you?
You know? Seize the moment.
‘Cause tomorrow you might be dead.
WILLOW
Oh… That’s nice…
Buffy sees somebody moving about on the balcony. Her brow
furrows.
BUFFY
Uh, I’ll be back in a minute.
WILLOW
That’s okay. You don’t have to
come back.
BUFFY
(smiling at her
self-effacing attitude)
I’ll be back in a minute.
WILLOW
It is. I thik boys are more
interested in a girl who can talk.
She takes off, leaving will at the bar.
WILLOW
(to herself)
Sieze the moment…
29B ANGLE: ATOP THE BALCONY                                        29B
Buffy comes up, makes her way to the railing overlooking the
stage. She leans on it, and we see that Giles is standing
beside her. He doesn’t even look at her.
(CONTINUED)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/4/96    37.

29B  CONTINUED:                                                  29B
BUFFY
So, you like to party with the
students? Isn’t that kind of
skanky?
GILES
(witheringly)
Right. This is me having fun.
(looking out on stage)
Watching clown-hair prance about is
hardly my idea of a party. I’d
much prefer to be home with a cup
of bovril and a good book.
BUFFY
You need a personality. STAT.
GILES
This is a perfect breeding ground
for Vampire activity. Dark,
crowded… Besides, I knew you were
likely to show up. And I have to
make you understand —
BUFFY
That the Harvest is coming, I know,
your friend told me.
GILES
(thrown)
What did you say?
BUFFY
The… Harvest. That means
something to you? ‘Cause I’m
drawing a blank.
GILES
I’m not sure… Who told you this?
BUFFY
This guy. Dark, gorgeous in an
annoying sort of way. I figured
you were buds.
GILES
No… The Harvest… Did he say
anything else?
BUFFY
Something about the mouth of Hell.
I really didn’t like him.
(CONTINUED)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/4/96    38.

29B  CONTINUED:  2                                               29B
They both look down at the floor a moment, at the dancing
kids.
GILES
Look at them. Throwing themselves
about… Completely unaware of the
danger that surrounds them.
BUFFY
Lucky them…
GILES
or perhaps you’re right, Perhaps
there is no trouble coming. The
signs could be wrong. It’s not as
though you’re having the
nightmares…
And we MOVE IN on Buffy’s face, clouding over. She says
nothing, just looks down at the dancing kids.
29C ANGLE: THE FLOOR                                             29C
Kids writhe about to the music with healthy abandon.
We find Cordelia off to the side, watching with her friends.
CORDELIA
My mon doesn’t even get out of bed
anymore. The doctor says it’s
Epstein Barr, I’m like “please,
it’s chronic hepatitis or at
least Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.”
I mean nobody cool has Epstein Barr
anymore.
Jesse approaches her, smiling.
JESSE
Cordelia!
CORDELIA
Oh, yay, it’s my stalker.
JESSE
Hey, you look great.
CORDELIA
Well, I’m glad we had this chat —
JESSE
Listen, I, um, do you wanna dance?
(CONTINUED)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/4/96    39.

29C  CONTINUED:  2                                               29C
CORDELIA
(witheringly)
With you?
JESSE
Well, uh, yeah.
CORDELIA
Well, uh, no.
She takes off, posse in tow. Jesse just soaks up the pain.
JESSE
Fine. Plenty of other fish in the
sea. Oh yeah. I’m on the prowl.
Witness me prowling.
He looks around at the throng, officially beginning his
prowl.
29D ANGLE: BUFFY AND GILES                                       29D
In mid-conversation. Shaken by the dream thing, Buffy is
giving ground.
BUFFY
I didn’t say I’d never slay another
vampire. I’m just not gonna get
way extracurricular with it. If I
run into one, sure…
GILES
But will you be ready? There’s no
much you don’t know, about them and
about your own powers. A vampire
appears to be a normal person,
until the feed is upon them. Only
then do they reveal their true
demonic visage.
BUFFY
You’re like a textbook with arms!
I know this!
GILES
The point is, a Slayer should be
able to see them anyway. Without
looking, without thinking. Can you
tell me if there’s a vampire in
this building?
(CONTINUED)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/6/96    40.

29D  CONTINUED:                                                  29D
BUFFY
Maybe?
GILES
You should know! Even through this
mass and this din you should be
able to sense them. Try. Reach
out with your mind.
She looks down at the mass of kids on the floor. Furrows
her brow.
GILES
You have to hone your senses, focus
until the energy washes over you,
till you can feel every particle
of —
BUFFY
There’s one.
Giles stops, nonplussed.
GILES
What? Where?
BUFFY
(pointing)
Down there. Talking to that girl.
ANGLE: THEIR POV
In the corner stands a good-looking young man, talking to a
girl we can’t really see.
GILES
But you don’t know —
BUFFY
Oh please. Look at his jacket.
He’s got the sleeves rolled up.
And the shirt… Deal with that
outfit for a moment.
GILES
It’s dated.
BUFFY
It’s carbon dated! Trust me:
only someone who’s been living
underground for ten years would
think that was the look.
(CONTINUED)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/6/96    41.

29D  CONTINUED:  2                                               29D
GILES
But… you didn’t hone?
BUFFY
(noticing something)
Oh, no…
ANGLE: THE VAMPIRE
Is still chatting with the girl. He motions for her to come
with him, and she comes into view.
It’s Willow.
GILES
Isn’t that —
BUFFY
Willow.
GILES
What is she doing?
BUFFY
Seizing the moment.
She starts toward the stairs.
29E ANGLE: WILLOW AND THE VAMPIRE BOY                            29E
Head out the back door by the stage.
Buffy fights her way down the stairs. She looks toward
where they were and sees they’re gone. She looks about a
moment, and then, guessing correctly, heads for the
backstage door as well.
But it’s a struggle: the closer she gets to the stage, the
more crowded it gets. She finally pushes to the door.
CUT TO:
30 INT.  BACKSTAGE – CONTINUOUS                                  30
It’s dark here, and somewhat labyrinthian. Buffy moves
slowly, cautiously. There is no one about.
She finds an old chair, snaps the leg off, a makeshift
stake.
There is no one about. Buffy heads for the exit door.
Sticks her head out it but there’s no one in the alley
either.
(CONTINUED)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/6/96    42.

30  CONTINUED:  2                                                 30
Slowly, peturbed, she starts back for the main door.
She turns the corner and he’s ON HER! She grabs him,
throws him up against the wall, holding him two feet off the
ground —
Well, holding her, actually. Holding Cordelia, who has
the same dumbfounded gape that the other girls coming out of
the bathroom have.
BUFFY
Cordelia!
CORDELIA
Excuse me… could you be any
weirder? Is there a more weirdness
that you could have?
Buffy lets her down, lowering the stake.
CORDELIA
God, what is your childhood trauma?
BUFFY
(trying to be chipper)
Did you guys see Willow? Did she
come by here?
CORDELIA
Why? Did you need to attack her
with a stick?
Buffy gives up. Face red, she retreates back the way she
came.
Cordy and the others are still agape. After a moment, Cordy
regains her composure.
CORDELIA
Excuse me. I have to call everyone
that I’ve ever met right now.
CUT TO:
31 INT.   THE BRONZE – CONTINUOUS                                     31
Buffy comes back out, finds Giles at the bottom of the
stairs. She looks around as he says:

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/6/96   42A.

GILES
That was fast. Well done. I’d
best go to the library. This
“Harvest” is —
BUFFY
I didn’t find them.
GILES
The vampire’s not dead?
CONTINUED

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/6/96    43.

31  CONTINUED:  2                                                 31
BUFFY
No, but my social life is on
the critical list.
GILES
What do we do?
BUFFY
You go on. I’ll take care of it.
GILES
I should come with you, no?
BUFFY
(heading out)
Don’t worry. One vampire I can
handle.
As she exits, she brushes past Jesse. The camera STAYS on
him, as we see he is chatting up a girl.
JESSE
What did you say your name was?
And the camera comes around to show the girl he’s talking
to: it’s the vampire from the opening. Needless to say,
she has her normal face on. And she’ll be known from now on
as:
DARLA
Darla.
JESSE
Darla. I haven’t seen you before.
Are you from around here.
DARLA
No, but I’ve got family here.
JESSE
Have I met them?
DARLA
You probably will.
CUT TO:
32 INT.   THE CHURCH – CONTINUOUS                                     32
The CHANTING we heard earlier continues, peaking in
intensity. By the altar, Luke suddenly looks up.
(CONTINUED)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/4/96    44.

32  CONTINUED:                                                    32
He starts moving slowly back, eyes wide with religious
fervor. All the figures in the church start moving back,
almost as one.
ANGLE: THE POOL OF BLOOD
We are low, right above the surface, as Luke prays before
it. Suddenly a HEAD shoots up from in the blood. Luke
starts, looks at it. He moves back, away from the pool.
Something breaks the surface of the liquid. Something
rises?
It is THE MASTER, the most powerful of vampires. Born
Heinrich Joseph Nest (some six hundred years ago,) he wears
a vaguely SS-like outfit.
What he does not wear is anything resembling a human face.
He is as much demon as man. As powerful as Luke is, it’s
clear that this man is much more so, both from his bearing
and from the reverence with which Luke looks upon him.
He steps forward, holds out his hand. Luke grasps it
reverntly.
LUKE
Master…
BLACK OUT.

END OF ACT THREE


BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/4/96    45.

ACT FOUR

33 INT.  THE CHURCH – MOMENTS LATER                               33
The Master steps forward, his face still in relative
darkness. Luke steps back reverentially. The Master looks
about him a moment.
THE MASTER
Luke
LUKE
Master…
THE MASTER
I am weak.
LUKE
Come the Harvest, you’ll be
restored.
THE MASTER
The Harvest…
LUKE
We’re almost there. Soon you’ll be
free.
The Master takes another step forward, past Luke. He
reaches his hand out slowly. As he does, the air in front
of him starts to ripple slightly — a kind of mystical wall.
He pulls his hand back
THE MASTER
I must be ready. I need my
strength.
LUKE
I’ve sent your servants to bring
you some food.
THE MASTER
Good.
Luke starts out.
THE MASTER
Luke…
(CONTINUED)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/4/96    46.

33   CONTINUED:                                                     33
LUKE
(stopping)
Yes?
THE MASTER
Bring me something… young.
CUT TO:
34 EXT.   STREET BY WOODED GLADE – NIGHT                            34
Willow and the Vampire Boy walk along, alone in the dark.
She is clearly nervous, though not for the reason she should
be.
WILLOW
Sure is dark…
VAMPIRE BOY
It’s night.
WILLOW
That’s a dark time. Night.
Traditionally.
They walk a bit more.
WILLOW
I still can’t believe I’ve never
seen you at school. Do you have
Mr. Chomsky for History?
He doesn’t answer. Stops.
WILLOW
The ice cream bar’s down this
way — it’s past Hamilton street.
He takes her hand.
VAMPIRE BOY
I know a shortcut.
He leads her into the dark of the wood.
35 EXT.   OUTSIDE THE BRONZE – NIGHT                                35
Buffy comes from around the back, looking around. Xander
comes up to her, carrying his skateboard.
(CONTINUED)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/4/96    47.

35   CONTINUED:                                                     35
XANDER
You’re leaving already?
BUFFY
Xander, have you seen Willow?
XANDER
Not tonight.
BUFFY
I need to find her. She left with
a guy.
XANDER
We are talking about Willow, right?
(impresed)
Scoring at the Bronze. Work it
girlfriend.
BUFFY
(looking around)
Where would they go?
XANDER
Why, you know something about Mr.
Goodbar that she doesn’t? Oh!
Hey. I hope he’s not a vampire.
‘Cause then you’d have to slay
him.
She turns back to him, surprised and miffed
BUFFY
Was there a school bulletin? Was
it in the news? Is there anybody
in this town who doesn’t know I’m
a slayer?
XANDER
I only know that you think you’re
a slayer, and I only know that
’cause I was in the library today.
BUFFY
Whatever. Just tell me where
Willow would go.
XANDER
You’re serious.
BUFFY
We don’t find her, there’s gonna be
another dead body in the morning.
(CONTINUED)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/5/96    48.

35 CONTINUED:  2                                                  35
A beat, as he looks at her. Sees she isn’t kidding. Isn’t
wrong.
XANDER
Come on.
As they head off.
36 EXT.   GRAVEYARD – CONTINUOUS  2                                 36
Willow is still walking with Vampire Boy, but getting
increasingly creeped out.
WILLOW
Okay, this is nice and… scary…
Are you sure this is faster?
He says nothing. She keeps walking beside him, uncertain
He stops at a small mausoleum. The entrance is a well of
black.
VAMPIRE BOY
Hey. You ever been in one of
these?
WILLOW
No thank you.
He moves in close, holding her intimately.
VAMPIRE BOY
Come on. What are you afraid of?
He pulls her into the blackness of the entrance.
CUT TO:
37 INT.   MAUSOLEUM – CONTINUOUS  2                                37
Willow stumbles in., She looks about her frightenedly,
adjusting to the increased dark.
(CONTINUED)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/4/96    49.

37 CONTINUED:                                                     37
The place is small, with carved stone walls. A large tomb
takes up most of the middle, the stone figure of a man lying
atop it. Behind her is the doorway she came in, ahead, a
much smaller, iron door, locked shut.
She spins all the way round to see the boy filling the
entrance.
WILLOW
That wasn’t funny.
No response. He steps closer, his face in shadow. She
circles away from him, moving closer to the doorway.
WILLOW
I think I’m gonna go.
VAMPIRE BOY
Is that what you think?
All the playfulness has drained out of his voice. She takes
a step back, another, turns and moves WHAM — right into
DARLA.
Emitting something between a scream and a squeak, Willow
steps back. Darla looks at her, at the boy.
DARLA
(to him; re her)
Is this the best you could do?
VAMPIRE BOY
She’s fresh.
DARLA
Hardly enough to share.
VAMPIRE BOY
Why dodn’t you bring your own?
DARLA
I did.
She indicates the doorway behind her, as Jesse stumbles
dazed from the darkness.
(CONTINUED)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/4/96    50.

37 CONTINUED:  2                                                  37
JESSE
Hey, wait up…
WILLOW
Jesse!
She goes over to him, relieved. He is clutching his neck.
JESSE
(to Darla)
I think you gave me a hickey…
He takes his hand away. There is blood on it, on his neck.
Willow looks over at the other two, eyes wide.
DARLA
(off the boy’s look)
I got hungry on the way.
WILLOW
Jesse, let’s get out of here.
DARLA
You’re not going anywhere.
WILLOW
Leave us alone.
DARLA
(in Willow’s face)
You’re not going anywhere until
we’ve FED!
And on the last word she brings her face right up to
Willow’s and it CHANGES, snaps right beofre our eyes into
the grotesque demon-face we saw before.
Willow SCREAMS, takles a stumbling step back and falls.
The boy laughs, circling, and we see that he has changed as
well.
BUFFY
Well, this is nice.
(CONTINUED)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/4/96    51.

37 CONTINUED:  3                                                  37
She steps in, Xander following her. Everybody stops.
BUFFY
A little bare, but a dash of paint,
a few throw pillows — call it
home.
DARLA
Who the hell are you?
BUFFY
Wow, you mean there’s actually
somebody around here who doesn’t
know already? That’s a relief
I’m telling you, having a secret
identity in this town is a job of
work.
He is moving between the two vampires, who loosen their grip
on their respective victims.
XANDER
Buffy, we bail now, right?
VAMPIRE BOY
Not yet.
BUFFY
Okay, first of all, what’s with
this outfit? Live in the now.
Okay? You look like DeBarge
(turning to Darla)
Now, we can do this the hard way
or… well, actually, there’s just
the hard way.
DARLA
Fine with me.
BUFFY
You sure? It’s not gonna be
pretty. We’re talking violence,
strong language, adult content.
(CONTINUED)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/4/96    52.

37 CONTINUED:  4                                                  37
As she speaks the Boy Vampire RUSHES her from behind,
charging at her with incredible momentum —
Buffy whips a stake out from her jacket and in one graceful
motion sticks it out behind her, letting the boy impale
himself on it. He stops, eyes wide, and falls back.
Buffy never even faces him.
ANGLE: THE BOY VAMPIRE
As he hits the ground, his body crumbles to dust.
BUFFY
(to Darla)
See what happens when you
roughhouse?
Xander and Willow are speechless, staring at the ground
where a body used to be.
Darla is wide eyed, exceedingly wary. But not cowed. She
moves slowly around, preparing to fight herself.
DARLA
He was young. And stupid
BUFFY
Xander, go.
DARLA
Don’t go far.
She lunges at Buffy, who parries her blows with martial arts
precision.
Xander herds the others out.
CUT TO:

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/4/96    53.

38 EXT.  GRAVEYWARD – CONTINUOUS                                     38
The three kids run out of the mausoleum, Willow and Xander
supporting Jesse. All three are totally freaked — Jesse
the least so, since he’s still weak and dazed.
CUT TO:
39 INT.  MAUSOLEUM – CONTINUOUS                                      39
Darla hits the ground with a painful thud.
Buffy stands over her. She’s a bit out of breath, and the
humor is gone from her visage.
BUFFY
You know, I just wanted to start
over. Be like everybody else.
Have some friends, maybe a dog…
But no. You had to come here. You
couldn’t go suck on some other
town.
DARLA
Who are you?
BUFFY
Don’t you know?
HANDS suddenly GRAB Buffy by the throat, life her bodily
from the ground.
LUKE
I don’t care.
He steps out of the shadows from behind her — his bulk
dwarfing her — and throws her a good fifteen feet. She
hits the wall face first, landing badly.
Luke turns on Darla, who is getting up.
LUKE
You were supposed to be bringing an
offering for the Master. We’re
almost at the Harvest and you dally
with this child?
DARLA
We had someone. But she came
and… she killed Thomas… Luke,
she’s strong.
(CONTINUED)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/5/96    54.

39   CONTINUED                                                      39
LUKE
(contemptuously)
You go. I’ll see if I can handle
the little girl.
ANGLE: BUFFY
She lifts herself off the floor just as Luke suddenly closes
on her, grabs her. She’s ready this time, though; and she
knocks his arms away, kicks him in the face. It sends him
back a bit but he recovers in a second, landing a solid
punch to her jaw.
LUKE
You are strong.
He slams her back to the ground.
LUKE
I’m stronger.
CUT TO:
40 EXT.  THE FOREST – CONTINUOUS                                     40
The three kids are making pretty good time, despite having
to support Jesse.
WILLOW
We’ll get the police — it’s just a
few blocks up —
They stop. They stare, despair creeping onto their faces.
Three vampires stand waiting for them.
CUT TO:
41 INT.  THE MAUSOLEUM – CONTINUOUS                                  41
Buffy looks like she’s been kicked around a bit. She
circles around the tomb, keeping it between her and Luke.
LUKE
You’re wasting my time.
BUFFY
Hey, I had other plans, too, okay?
He SHOVES the top of the tomb with all his might, sends it
flying at her.
(CONTINUED)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/4/96    55.

41   CONTINUED                                                      41
She LEAPS over it — jumps up onto the tomb, leaps off it,
flipping, and WHAM — plants both feet solidly in Luke’s
chest.
He falls back, as does she — she gets up first and pulls
out her stakes, drives it toward his chest — but he grabs it
just before it reaches.
LUKE
You think you can stop me? Stop
us?
He squeezes — and the stake splinters in his powerful
grip. He PUNCHES Buffy, knocks her back.
LUKE
You have no idea what you’re
dealing with.
He stands, triumphant, over her. Begins intoning sacred
text:
LUKE
And like a plague of boils, the
race of Man covererd the earth. But,
on the third day of the newest
light will come the Harvest…
CUT TO:
42 INT.  LIBRARY – CONTINUOUS                                       42
Giles has his ancient texts out, is studying them in growing
consternation.
LUKE (V.O.)
…when the blood of men will flow
as wine…
ANGLE: GILES’S BOOK
Shows a Dore-like engraving: a massacre. People writhing.
blood everywhere — in the center of them all, a Demon with
a three-pointed star on his forehead, feeding off a woman.
CUT TO:
43 INT.  THE CHURCH – CONTINUOUS                                    43
We TRACK on the Master sitting, his face in darkness.
(CONTINUED)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/4/96    56.

43   CONTINUED                                                      43
LUKE (V.O.)
…when the Master will walk among
them once more…
CUT TO:
44   EXT. FOREST – CONTINUOUS                                       44
Xander, Willow and Jesse back away from the vampires —
LUKE (V.O.)
…the world will belong to the
Old Ones…
— to find Darla right behind them!
CUT TO:
45   INT. MAUSOLEUM – CONTINUOUS                                    45
Buffy is getting up, keeping her eyes on Luke —
LUKE
… and Hell itself will come to
town.
She tries to move to the side, to get away — he backhands
Buffy with all the force he has. She flies back — right
into the tomb!
ANGLE: IN THE TOMB
Buffy falls and lands HARD on her back, the wind knocked out
of her. She looks beside her — and sees the withered
corpse of the tomb’s owner.
She’s hurt pretty bad. She looks up but no Luke. Only the
walls of the tomb. He could be anywhere.
Slowly, achingly slowly, she lifts her head. Truly scared.
Looks over one side of the tomb — nothing. Looks over the
other.
Luke FILLS THE FRAME, roaring, jumping into the crypt. He
contemplates her a moment with gleeful animal hunger. Teeth
dripping.
(CONTINUED)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “Weclome to the Hellmouth”    Rev. 9/4/96    57.

45   CONTINUED                                                      45
LUKE
Amen
He bears down.
BLACKOUT

TO BE CONTINUED


| WELCOME TO THE HELLMOUTH | EPISODE GUIDE | BUFFY |

Author: Cider

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