02 The Harvest – Script

Episode 4V02

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER

“The Harvest”

Written By

Joss Whedon

 

Directed By

John Kretchmar

SHOOTING SCIPT

September 11,, 1996
September 13, 1996 – BLUE
September 30, 1996 – PINK
October 21, 1996 – GREEN
October 22, 1996 – YELLOW
October 28,, 1996 – GOLDENROD
January 21, 1997 – SALMON

 

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER

“The Harvest”

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
DARLA……………………………………………… Julie Benz
JOYCE SUMMERS………………………………………. Kristine Sutherland
HARMONY……………………………………………. Mercedes McNab
GUY………………………………………………..
BOUNCER…………………………………………….
GIRL……………………………………………….

 

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER

“The Harvest”

SET LIST

INTERIORS

SUNNYDALE HIGH SCHOOL
THE LIBRARY
COMPUTER CLASSROOM
MAUSOLEUM
TUNNELS
A JUNCTION OF THE TUNNELS
A SUBTERRANEAN ROOM
THE CHURCH
AIR VENT
THE BRONZE
BACKSTAGE
BUFFY’S BEDROOM

 

EXTERIORS

SUNNYDALE HIGH SCHOOL
SCHOOL GROUNDS
FOUNTAIN QUAD
THE BRONZE
OUTSIDE THE BRONZE
BEHIND THE BRONZE
GRAVEYARD
STREET

 


 

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER

“The Harvest”

TEASER

NOTE: THIS EPISODE WILL OPEN WITH A RECAP OF THE LAST,
ENDING WITH LUKE PINNING BUFFY IN THE TOMB

 

FADE IN:
1  INT.  MAUSOLEUM – NIGHT                                        1

 

LUKE bears down on BUFFY, fangs bared. She struggles, but
he’s got her pinned. He rips open her shirt a bit to get at
her throat. Grabs her — and SCRAMS.

 

He jumps back, SMOKE curling out of his hand.

 

ANGLE: BUFFY’S NECK

 

The cross Angel gave her has slipped out of an inside
pocket.

 

Buffy takes the moment and KICKS with both legs, sends Luke
flying back out of the tomb. She jumps up herself and
before he can recover, she RUNS out of there.

 

CUT TO:
2  EXT.  GRAVEYARD – CONTINUOUS                                   2

 

As fast as she can — stumbling a bit and breathing hard
from the beating she took — Buffy books through the
graveyard. As she reaches the trees on the edge of it, she
looks back at the Mausoleum.

 

Nobody’s coming.

 

She hears WILLOW SCREAM

 

WILLOW
No! Nooo! Get — off —

 

Buffy runs to the sound of the voice — comes to find:

 

ANGLE: WILLOW

 

on the ground, struggling with a vampire.

 

The vampire has Willow pinned, is going in for the neck —
then he looks up, hearing soemthing.

 

(CONTINUED)

 


 

    2.

 

2  CONTINUED                                                     2

 

Buffy’s foot whips into his face, sending him flying way
back.

 

He lands hard on his back and scrambles away, holding his
nose.

 

Buffy is all business now, looking around her in quiet fury.
Her senses alert.

 

She hears a CRACK, some SCUFFING on the ground. Takes off,
leaving Willow wide-eyed and freaked. After a moment, she
rises and follows.

 

ANGLE: XANDER

 

is unconscious, being dragged away by two other vampires.
They hear something behind them, then slowly turn around.

 

It;s Willow, stumbling out from behind a tree. She looks
extremely unthreatening.

 

They turn back and Buffy is right in front of them. She
takes them both out with one punch. They fly back, then
scramble to their feet.

 

Buffy grabs a branch, snaps it off the tree. She comes at
them with this makeshift stake — nails one in the chest.

 

The other flees.

 

Willow runs up to Xander, cradles his head. He is just
coming to.

 

WILLOW
Xander, are you okay?

 

XANDER
Man… something hit me…

 

Buffy is still looking around, unsatisfied.

 

BUFFY
Where’s Jesse?

 

WILLOW
I don’t know — they surrounded
us — he was really weak…

 

XANDER
That girl grabbed him. Took off.

 

BUFFY
Which way?

 

(CONTINUED)

 


 

    3.

 

2  CONTINUED:  2                                                 2

 

XANDER
I don’t know.

 

Buffy looks into the night. The camera CIRCLES her as she
looks around. There is nothing to see.

 

BUFFY
(quietly)
Jesse

 

BLACKOUT.

END OF TEASER

CREDITS.

 


 

    4.

 

ACT ONE

3  INT.  THE LIBRARY                                            3

 

We open on a Globe. As we hear GILES begin to SPEAK, we PAN
over to Xander and Willow, sitting in the middle of the
library. Neither of them appears to have slept since last
night.

 

GILES (O.S.)
This world is older than any of you
know, and contrary to popular
mythology, it did not begin as a
paradise. For untold eons, Demons
walked the earth; made it their
home, their Hell.

 

Still we PAN, to find Giles on the upper level, standing at
the railing. His expression is as grave as theirs.

 

GILES
In time they lost their purchase on
this reality, and the way was made
for the mortal animals. For Man.
What remains of the Old Ones are
vestiages: Certain magicks, certain
creatures

 

BUFFY
And vampires.

 

She emerges from Giles’ office, wrapping a bandage around
her forearm. Xander rises, agitated.

 

XANDER
Okay, this is where I have a
problem, see, because we’re now
talking about vampires. We’re
having a talk with vampires in it.

 

WILLOW
Isn’t that what we saw last night?

 

BUFFY
No, thise weren’t vampires. Those
were just some guys in thudering
need of a facial. Or maybe they
had rabies – it coulda been rabies.
And that guy turning into dust…
just a trick of the light
(MORE)

 

(CONTINUED)

 


 

    5.

 

3  CONTINUED:                                                    3
BUFFY (cont’d)
(to Xander)
That’s exactly what I said the
first time I saw a vampire. I
mean, when I was done with the
screaming part.

 

WILLOW
Oooh… I need to sit down.

 

BUFFY
You are sitting down.

 

WILLOW
Oh. Good for me.

 

XANDER
So vampires are demons?

 

GILES
The books tell that the last Demon
to leave this reality fed off a
human, mixed their blood. He was a
human form possessed — infected —
by the Demon’s soul. He bit
another, and another… and so they
walk the earth, feeding. Killing
some, mixing their blood with
others to make more of their kind.
Waiting for the animals to die out,
and the Old Ones to return.

 

CUT TO:
4  INT.  A TUNNEL – MORNING                                       4

 

Not that you could see whether it was morning or night in
this place — it remains as dark an dhumid as the earth that
swallowed it.

 

JESSE is being dragged through the tunnel by Luke. DARLA by
his side. Jesse is still staggering into consciousness, and
the more he awakens, the less he likes it.

 

He looks about in fear at the two inhuman faces, at the end
of the tunnel they are dragging him through. It seems to be
an old cracked pipe, and it ends at:

 

5  INT.  THE CHURCH – CONTINUOUS                                  5

 

Coming out of the Pipe, the threesome makes its way down a
pile of rocks to the floor of the wrecked church.

 

(CONTINUED)

 


 

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “The Harvest”    Rev. 9/30/96            6.

5  CONTINUED:                                                    5

 

Jesse looks about, wonder tinging the edges of his fear.
He is stood before the altar, before the pool of blood.

 

From the darkness, something moves. Emerges.

 

THE MASTER regards his servants, his total authority obvious
to all. He looks at Jesse.

 

THE MASTER
Is this for me?

 

LUKE
An offering, Master

 

DARLA
He’s a good one. His blood is
pure.

 

THE MASTER
(quietly — almost
innocuously)
You’ve tasted it.

 

Darla starts back a step, afraid.

 

THE MASTER
(smiling)
I’m your faithful dog. You bring
me scraps.

 

DARLA
I didn’t mean to –

 

THE MASTER
I have waited. For three score
years I have waited. While you
come and go I have been stuck here
(voice rising)
here, in a house of worship. My
ascension is almost at hand. Pray
that when it comes… I’m in a
better mood.

 

DARLA
Master, forgive me. We had more
offerings but there was trouble. A
girl.
(CONTINUED)

 


 

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “The Harvest”    Rev. 9/30/96              7.

5  CONTINUED: 2                                                  5
LUKE
There was a girl. She fought
well, and she knew of our breed.
It’s possible that she may be…

 

The Master turns to him.
THE MASTER
A Slayer?

 

SMASH CUT TO:

 

6  INT: THE LIBRARY                                             6

 

XANDER
And that would be a what?.

 

GILES
As long as there have been
vampires, there has been the
Slayer. One girl in all the
world —

 

BUFFY
He loves doing this part.

 

GILES
(speeding up)
All right: They hunt vampires, one
Slayer dies, the next is called,
Buffy is the Slayer, don’t tell
anyone. I think that’s all the
vampire information you need.

 

XANDER
Ecept for one thing. How do you
kill them?

 

BUFFY
You don’t. I do.

 

XANDER
Well, Jesse —

 

(CONTINUED)

 


 

    8.
6  CONTINUED:                          6

 

BUFFY
Jesse’s my responsibility. I let
him get taken.

 

XANDER
That’s not true.

 

WILLOW
If you hadn’t showed up, the would
have… taken us too… Does
anybody mind if I pass out?

 

BUFFY
Breathe…

 

WILLOW
Breathe.

 

BUFFY
Breathe.
(to Giles)
This big guy, Luke, he talked about
an offering to the Master. I don’t
know who or what, but if they
weren’t just feeding, Jesse may
still be alive. I’m gonna find
him.

 

WILLOW
This is probably the dumb questions,
but shouldn’t we call the police?

 

GILES
Do you think they’d believe us?

 

WILLOW
We don’t have to say vampires. We
could say there was… a bad man.

 

BUFFY
They couldn’t handle it if they did
come. They’d only show up with
guns.

 

GILES
(to Buffy)
You’ve no idea where they took
Jesse?

 

(CONTINUED)

 

    9.

 

6  CONTINUED:  2                                                 6

 

BUFFY
I looked around, but… soon as
they got clear of the woods they
could have just
(indictating flight_
— whoom.

 

XANDER
They can fly?

 

BUFFY
They can drive.

 

XANDER
Oh.

 

WILLOW
I don’t remember hearing a car…

 

GILES
Well, lets take an enormous
intuitive leap and say they went
underground.

 

BUFFY
Vampires really jam on sewer
systems. You can get anywhere in
town without catching any rays. I
didn’t see any access around there,
though.

 

XANDER
Well, there’s electrical tunnels.
They run under the whole town.

 

GILES
If we had a diagnostic of the
tunnel system, it might indicate a
meeting place. I suppose we could
got the building commission —

 

BUFFY
We so don’t have time.

 

WILLOW
Uh, guys? There may be another
way.

 

CUT TO:

 


 

   10.

 

7  INT:  THE CHURCH – CONTINUOUS;                                 7

 

THE MASTER
A Slayer… Have you any proof?

 

LUKE
Only that she fought me and yet
lives.

 

THE MASTER
Very nearly proof enough. I can’t
remember the last time that
happened.

 

LUKE
1843, in Madrid. And the bastard
caught me sleeping.

 

THE MASTER
She mustn’t be allowed to interfere
with the Harvest.

 

LUKE
I would never let that happen.

 

THE MASTER
You needn’t worry. I believe
she’ll come to us. We have
something that she wants, If she
is a Slayer, and this boy lives,
she’ll try to save him.

 

Luke goes up to Jesse, smiling.

 

LUKE
I thought you nothing more than a
meal, boy. Congratulations.
You’ve just been upgraded to
“bait”.

 

CUT TO:

 

8  INT:  THE LIBRARY – CONTINUOUS;                              8

 

ANGLE: A MAP OF THE ELECTRICAL TUNNELS

 

On a computer screen.

 

BUFFY (O.S.)
There is is.

 

WIDER ANGLE.

 

Willow sits at the computer, everyone else gathered around
her.

 

(CONTINUED)

 

   11.

 

8  CONTINUED:                                                  8

 

WILLOW
This runs under the graveyard.

 

XANDER
I don’t see any access.

 

GILES
So all the city plan are just open
to the public?

 

WILLOW
Uh, well, in a way. I sort of
stumbled onto them when I
accidentally… decrypted the city
council’s security system.

 

XANDER
(Still focused on the
screen)
Someone’s been naughty…

 

BUFFY
There’s nothing here. This is
useless!

 

GILES
I think you should ease up on
yourself.

 

BUFFY
You’re the one who told me I wasn’t
prepared enough. Understatement.
I thought I was on top of it, and
then that Monster Luke came out of
nowhere —

 

She stops. Pauses.

 

XANDER
What?

 

BUFFY
(working it out)
He didn’t come out of nowhere. He
came from behind me. I was facing
the entrance. He came from behind
me and he didn’t follow me out.
(looks at them)
The access to the tunnels is in the
mausoleum.

 

GILES
Are you sure?

 

(CONTINUED)

 

   12.

 

8  CONTINUED: 2                                                8

 

BUFFY
The girl must have doubled back
with Jesse after I got out. God,
I’m so mentally challenged.

 

XANDER
So, what’s the plan? We saddle up,
right?

 

BUFFY
There’s no ‘we’. Okay? I’m the
Slayer, and you’re not.

 

XANDER
I knew you were gonna throw that in
my face.

 

BUFFY
Xander, this is deeply dangerous.

 

XANDER
I’m inadequate. That’s fine. I’m
less than a man.

 

WILLOW
Buffy, I’m not anxious to go into a
dark place full of monsters, but I
do want to help. I need to.

 

GILES
Then help me. I’ve been
researching this Harvest affair.
Seems to be some sort of
pre-ordained massacre. Rivers of
blood, Hell on earth… Quite
charmless. I am fuzzy on the
details, however, and it may be
that you can wrest some information
from that dread machine.
(off their
uncomprehending looks)
That was a bit British, wasn’t it?

 

BUFFY
Welcome to the new world.

 

GILES
(translates to Willow)
I want you to go on the Net.

 

WILLOW
Oh! Yeah. Sure. I can do that.

 

(CONTINUED)

 

   13.

 

8  CONTINUED: 3                                                  8

 

BUFFY
Then I’m out of here.
(to Xander and Willow)
If Jesse’s alive, I’ll bring him
back.

 

GILES
Do I have to tell you to be
careful?

 

Buffy looks at him a moment. Then she’s out.
CUT TO:

 

9  EXT: SCHOOL GROUNDS – DAY                                    9

 

Buffy heads toward a gate that stands open. She is about to
go through it when FLUTIE appears right behind her.

 

MR. FLUTIE
And where do we think we’re going?

 

BUFFY
We? I? Me?

 

MR. FLUTIE
We’re not leaving school grounds,
are we?

 

BUFFY
Because if we were leaving school
grounds on our second day at a new
school after being kicked out of
our old school for deliquent
behaviour — do you see where I’m
going with this?

 

BUFFY
(it comes to her:)
Mr. Giles!

 

MR. FLUTIE
What?

 

BUFFY
He asked me to get a book for him.
From the store ’cause I have a free
period and I’m a big reader did it
mention that on my transcripts?

 

(CONTINUED)

 

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER “The Harvest” (Green) Rev. 10/21/96 14.

 

9  CONTINUED:                                                    9

 

MR. FLUTIE
Mr. Giles

 

BUFFY
Ask him.

 

Mr. Flutie shuts and locks the gate, saying:
MR. FLUTIE
Well, maybe that’s how they do
things in Britain, they’ve got that
royal family and all kinds of
problems. But here at Sunnydale
nobody leaves campus while school’s
in session. Are we clear?

 

BUFFY
We’re clear.

 

MR. FLUTIE
That’s the Buffy Summers I want in
my school. The sensible girl, with
her feet on the ground.

 

He smiles, leaves.

 

ANGLE: BUFFY’S FEET

 

Standing before the fence. After a bit they jump up, leave
the frame. A moment later we see her land on the other
side, take off running.

 

CUT TO:

 

A9  INT. HALL                                                   A9

 

Willow and Xander enter the hall from the library. Students
are filing into classes.

 

WILLOW
(listing)
Murder, Death, Disaster — what
else?

 

XANDER
Paranormal, Unexplained — you got
Natural Disasters?

 

WILLOW
(nodding)
Earthquake, flood…

 

(CONTINUED)

 

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER “The Harvest” (Green) Rev. 10/21/96 14A.

 

A9  CONTINUED:                                                  A9

 

XANDER
Rain of toads

 

WILLOW
Right.

 

XANDER
(It’s unbelievable)
Rain of toads. Are they really
gonna have anything like that in
the paper?

 

WILLOW
I’ll put it on the search. If it’s
in there it’ll turn up. Anything
that’ll lead us to vampires.

 

XANDER
And I meanwhile will help by
standing around like an idiot.

 

WILLOW
Not like an idiot. Just standing.
Buffy doesn’t want you getting
hurt.
(smaller voice)
I don’t want you getting hurt.

 

They arrive at Willow’s class, stand by the door.

 

XANDER
This is just too much. Yesterday
my life is like, “Oh no. Pop
Quiz.” Today — Rain of toads.

 

WILLOW
I know.
(looking at other
students)
And everyone else thinks it’s just
a normal day.

 

XANDER
Nobody knows. It’s like we’ve got
this big secret.

 

WILLOW
We do. That’s what a secret is:
when you know something other guys
don’t.

 

(CONTINUED)

 

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER “The Harvest” (Green) Rev. 10/21/96 14B.

 

A9  CONTINUED:  2                                               A9

 

XANDER
(somewhat distracted)
Right. Well, you better get to
class.

 

WILLOW
You mean “we.” “We” should get to
class.

 

XANDER
Yeah.

 

WILLOW
Buffy will be okay. Whatever’s
down there. I think she can handle
it.

 

XANDER
(Not believing it)
Yeah, I do too.

 

WILLOW
(not believing it)
So do I.

 

CUT TO:

 

10  EXT. GRAVEYARD – DAY                                          10

 

Buffy makes her way to the mausoleum. Enters

 

CUT TO:

 

11  INT. MAUSOLEUM – CONTINUOUS                                   11

 

But for the light from the doorway, it’s just as dark in
here as it was last night. Buffy makes her way cautiously,
looking about her. She senses a lurking presence, but the
shadows give up nothing.

 

She reaches the iron door on the other side. Tries it.
It’s locked. She stops, letting out a long breath.

 

(CONTINUED)

 

    15.

 

11  CONTINUED:                                                  11

 

BUFFY
(not looking around)
I don’t suppose you’ve got a key on
you?

 

ANGEL steps from the shadows, a smile in his eyes
ANGEL
They really don’t like me dropping
in.

 

BUFFY
Why not?

 

ANGEL
They really don’t like me.

 

BUFFY
(sarcastically)
How can that possibly be?

 

ANGEL
I knew you’d figure out this
entryway sooner or later.
Actually, I thought it was gonna be
a little sooner.

 

BUFFY
I’m sorry you had to wait. Look,
if you’re gonna be popping up with
this cryptic wise man act on a
regular basis, can you at least
tell me your name?

 

ANGEL
Angel.

 

BUFFY
Angel
(offhand)
It’s a pretty name.

 

ANGEL
Don’t go down there.

 

BUFFY
Deal with my going.

 

ANGEL
You shouldn’t be putting yourself
at risk. Tonight is the Harvest.
Unless you can prevent it, the
Master walks.
(CONTINUED)

 


 

    16.

 

11  CONTINUED:  2                                               11

 

BUFFY
If this Harvest thing is such a
suckfest. Why don’t you stop it?

 

ANGEL
Because I’m afraid.

 

The unashamed openness of the statement catches her a bit
off guard. She looks at him a moment.

 

She KICKS the door open.

 

ANGEL
They’ll be expecting you.

 

BUFFY
I’ve got a friend down there — or,
a potential friend.
(joking)
Do you know what it’s like to have
a friend?

 

He doesn’t answer.
BUFFY
(gently)
That wasn’t supposed to be a
stumper.

 

ANGEL
When you hit the tunnels, head
east, toward the school. That’s
where you’re likely to find them.

 

BUFFY
Wish me luck?

 

He says nothing. She looks at him a moment more, then heads
into the darkness.

 

He stands there, not moving. Quiet concern on his face.

 

ANGEL
(softly)
Good luck.

 

BLACK OUT

 

END OF ACT ONE


 

    17.

 

ACT TWO

12  INT: TUNNELS – DAY                                           12

 

They are dark, forbidding, and they run in all directions.

 

Buffy climbs down a ladder, drops into them. She looks
about her, taking it in.

 

ANGLE: A RAT

 

Scurries by her foot.

 

Buffy doesn’t flinch. She starts down a tunnel, moving
slowly. The dark enveloping her.

 

She turns a corner, slowly. Nothing. Starts down it.

 

She hears something and spins, sneaks up and looks down
another tunnel.

 

ANGLE: DOWN THE OTHER TUNNEL

 

Shadows. Noise. Nothing solid.

 

She pulls her head back and he’s right behind her!

 

XANDER
Did you see anything?

 

BUFFY
Xander! What are you doing here?

 

XANDER
Something stupid. I followed you.
I couldn’t just sit around not
doing anything.

 

BUFFY
I understand. Now go away.
XANDER
Jesse’s my bud, okay? If I can
help him, then that’s what I gotta
do.

 

A beat, she accepts this.

 

XANDER
Besides, it’s this or Chem class.
(CONTINUED)

 


 

    18.

 

12  CONTINUED                                                    12

 

They make their way through the dark.

 

CUT TO:

 

13  INT THE LIBRARY – DAY                                        13

 

Giles has his arcane volumes out, is consulting them. After
some digging, he finds something interesting. He looks
closely at one passage, translating to himself from the
Latin.

 

GILES
“For they will gather, and be
gathered. All that is theirs shall
be his… From the Vessel pours
life.” Pours Life…

 

ANGLE: AN ENGRAVING

 

A bestial fellow holds his hand out, commanding a throng of
villagers, all of whom are bleeding. Below, in what might
be Hell, a demon glows with power.

 

Upon the bestial one’s forehead, a crude symbol has been
drawn, a star with three points.

 

He looks over at another passage.

 

GILES
(reads)
“On the night of the crescent moon,
the first past the solstice, it
will come.” Of course.
(He looks up)
Tonight.

 

CUT TO:

 

14  INT COMPUTER CLASS – DAY                                    14

 

Everyone is working, alone and in groups, devising programs.
CORDELIA and HARMONY struggle mightily with theirs.
CORDELIA
No! It’s supposed to find the
syntax and match it. Or, wait…

 

HARMONY
(typing slowly)
Are we going to the Bronze tonight?

 

(CONTINUED)

 


 

    19.

 

14  CONTINUED:                                                   14

 

CORDELIA
no, we’re going to the other cool
place in Sunnydale.
Harmony looks at her inquisitively.

 

CORDELUA
Of course we’re going to the
Bronze! Friday night, no cover.
But you should have been there last
night.

 

HARMONY
(re: program)
I think we did this part wrong.

 

CORDELIA
Why do we have to devise these
programs? Isn’t that what nerds
are for?
(quitely)
What did she do?

 

Harmony cranes over to look at:

 

ANGLE: WILLOW

 

Sitting next to them, but in her own world. She is bringing
things up on the Net, typing inently, scrolling,
searching…

 

HARMONY
Uh, she’s doing something else.

 

CUT TO:

 

15  INT: TUNNELS – LATER                                        15

 

Buffy and Xander turn a corner, ready for anything.

 

Nothing. They keep walking, alert. Xander picks up the
conversation they were in:

 

XANDER
Okay, so: crosses, garlic, stake
through the heart.

 

BUFFY
That’ll get it done.

 

XANDER
Cool. of course, I don’t actually
have any of those things.

 

(CONTINUED)

 


 

    20.

 

15  CONTINUED:                                                   15

 

BUFFY
(hands him a cross)
Good thinking.
XANDER
Well, the part of my brain that
would tell me to bring that stuff
is still busy telling me not to
come down here. I brought this,
though.

 

He produces a flashlight, turns it on.

 

BUFFY
Turn that off.

 

XANDER
(he does)
Okay, okay. So, what else?

 

BUFFY
What else what?

 

XANDER
For Vampire Slayage.

 

BUFFY
Fire, beheading, sunlight holy
water… the usual.

 

XANDER
(a little weakly)
So you’ve done some beheading in
your time?

 

BUFFY
Oh yeah. There was this one time,
I was pinned down by this vampire,
he played left tackle for the
varsity – I mean, before he was…
well anyway he’s got one of those
really thick necks and all I’ve got
is a little Exacto knife…
(off Xander’s gape)
You’re not loving this story.

 

XANDER
Actually, I find it oddly
comforting.

 

CUT TO:

 


 

    21.

 

16  INT. COMPUTER CLASS – DAY                                        16

 

Willow is busily bringing up relevant data from the Net, her
brow furrowed in concentration. At the next terminal,
Cordelia is struggling with a program while holding court.

 

CORDELIA
Okay, and then “Pattern Run”,
right? Or “Go To End”. That’s it.
HARMONY
Maybe… I think…

 

CORDELIA
Well, what does the book say?
(as Harmony looks it up)
So anyway, I come out of the
bathroom and she comes running at
me with a stick, screaming, “I’m
gonna kill you! I’m gonna kill
you!” I swear.

 

GUY
(leaning in)
Who?

 

CORDELIA
Buffy.

 

HARMONY
The new girl.

 

GUY
What’s her deal?

 

CORDELIA
She’s crazed!

 

HARMONY
Did you hear about her old school?
Booted.

 

CORDELIA
I exhibit no surprise.

 

GUY
Why was she kicked out?

 

CORDELIA
Cos she’s a psycho-looney.

 

WILLOW
No, she’s not.

 

Silence, as Cordelia registers the concept that Willow just
contradicted her.

 

(CONTINUED)

 


 

    22.

 

16  CONTINUED                                                    16

 

CORDELIA
What?
WILLOW
She’s not a pyscho. You don’t even
know her.

 

CORDELIA
Excuse me? Who gave you permission
to exist? Do I horn in on your
private discussions? No. Why?
Because you’re boring.

 

Willow looks down, hurt. She stands and takes some pages
that have come up on the printer. The girls turn back to
their project.

 

HARMONY
There. I think the program’s done.

 

CORDELIA
Finally, the nightmare ends. Now
how do we save it?

 

WILLOW
(as she exits.)
“Deliver”

 

CORDELIA
(staring at the screen)
Deliver — where is that — Oh!

 

ANGLE: A KEY

 

Marked “DEL”. Cordelia hits it.

 

Long pause, the two girls staring at the screen, their
smiles about to melt into perplexity as we

 

CUT TO:

 

17  INT. TUNNELLS – LATER                                           17

 

Buffy and Xander are still making their way through the
dark. The banter quotient has plummeted — they’re both
fairly tense.

 

Buffy looks around, brow furrowed.

 

BUFFY
They’re close.

 

(CONTINUED)

 


 

    23.

 

17  CONTINUED                                                    17

 

XANDER
How can you tell?
BUFFY
No rats.

 

Xander doesn’t love that information, but he says nothing.
Still they progress, until:
XANDER
Over there. What’s that?

 

He indicates a small, dark side-chamber. Nothing can be
seen past the first few inches.

 

They come up to it. Xander pulls out his flashlight, shines
it.

 

ANGLE: IN THE CHAMBER

 

A beam of light finds a body, lying face down. It looks

 

XANDER
Jesse!

 

BUFFY
Oh, no…

 

She starts forward, Xander keeping the light on her. Goes
over to the body, reaches out —

 

and Jesse JUMPS UP, brandishing a pipe. He’s about to slam
her with it when Xander calls out:

 

XANDER
Jesse!

 

JESSE
(stops, amazed)
Xander?

 

He drops the pipe and the two friends hug. Xander pulls
away, looking him over.

 

XANDER
Jesse, man, are you okay?

 

JESSE
I’m not okay on an epic scale. We
gotta get out of here!

 

He indicates his leg — he’s been chained to the wall.

 

(CONTINUED)

 


 

    24.

 

17  CONTINUED  2                                                 17

 

XANDER
It’s cool! Buffy’s a superhero!

 

The superhero frowns at the chain, feels it.

 

BUFFY
(to Jesse)
Hold on.

 

She takes the pipe he dropped and SMASHES the lock on his
shackles. It’s not a quiet operation.

 

XANDER
You think anybody heard that?

 

ANGLE: A TUNNEL – CONTINUOUS

 

A few black shapes move in the shadows, hearing it.

 

ANGLE: BUFFY AND THE OTHERS

 

They start out.

 

JESSE
They knew you were gonna come.
They said that I — I was the
bait…

 

XANDER
Oh, now you tell us.

 

JESSE
I’ve seen their leader.

 

The look in his eyes describes their leader in detail.

 

Buffy leads the two boys back through the tunnel. She
stops.

 

Shadows move at the other end.

 

BUFFY
Oops.

 

JESSE
Oh, no, no…

 

BUFFY
Do you know another way out?

 

JESSE
I don’t, uh, maybe?

 

(CONTINUED)

 


 

    25.

 

17  CONTINUED  3                                                 17

 

XANDER
Come on.

 

They truck out the other way.

 

CUT TO:

 

18  INT A JUNCTION OF TUNNELS – A SECOND LATER                    18

 

They come into this one, moving at a good clip. Try one
avenue —

 

Eyes gleam in the dark. Whispered LAUGHS drift at us.

 

They turn back, pause at a fork.

 

JESSE
Wait, wait. They brought me
through here! There’s a way up. I
hope.

 

They take off.

 

CUT TO:

 

19  INT A SUBTERRANEAN ROOM – MOMENTS LATER                       19

 

The run in, vampires approaching slowly behind them. Look
around, horror growing on their faces.

 

There is no door. There is no exit. Buffy and Xander look
about them, frantically.

 

BUFFY
I don’t think this is the way out.

 

She goes back to the doorway they came in, listens for the
approaching vampires.

 

XANDER
We can’t fight our way back through
those things… what do we do?

 

JESSE
I’ve got an idea…

 

And the CAMERA PANS over to Jesse standing right behind
Xander. His visage grotesque, his smile icy. He’s a
vampire.

 

(CONTINUED)

 


 

    26.

 

19  CONTINUED                                                  19

 

JESSE
You can die.

 

BLACK OUT.

 

END OF ACT TWO

 


 

    27.

 

19  CONTINUED                                                  19

 

ACT THREE

Xander backs away from Jesse. Buffy looks from him to the
entrance, not sure what to do.

 

ANGLE: THE ENTRANCE

 

We HEAR approaching vampires, see shadows begin to move,
thrown on the outer wall by figures down the hall.

 

XANDER
Jesse… Man, I’m sorry…

 

JESSE
Sorry? I feel good, Xander. I
feel strong.

 

Buffy grabs the door, tries to close it. But it’s thick
metal, rusted open.

 

JESSE
I’m connected, man. To everything.
I can hear the worms in the earth.

 

XANDER
Well, that’s a plus.

 

JESSE
I know what the Master wants. I’ll
serve his purpose. That means you
die. And I feed.

 

BUFFY
Xander! The cross!

 

Xander holds it up — and Jesse stops coming toward him.
The smile leaves his face.

 

Buffy continues trying to shut the door — it’s beginning to
budge. But coming down the hall are:

 

ANGLE: THE VAMPIRES

 

Making their way down the hall to the door. They move
slowly, grinning — sure of victory.

 

XANDER
Jesse. Man, we’re buds. Can’t
you remember?

 

(CONTINUED)

 


 

    28.

 

20  CONTINUED                                                  20

 

JESSE
You’re like a shadow to me now.

 

Xander moves forward, cross in hand.

 

XANDER
Then get out of my face.

 

Jesse stumbles back, pissed. Xander backs him toward the
door.

 

Buffy continues to strain. The vampires approach.

 

Jesses lashes out, knocks the cross from Xander’s grasp. He
grins — and then Buffy grabs him from behind and HURLS him
out of the room, knocking vampires over like bowling pins.

 

BUFFY
Help me.

 

Xander snaps out of his shock and comes to the door with
her. With both their backs to it, they slam it shut —

 

— an arm SHOOTS in, grasping for them. Buffy opens the
door slightly and slams it again till the arm withdraws.
She bolts the door, breathing heavily.

 

XANDER
I can’t believe it… we were too
late.

 

A resounding THUD shudders the door. The vampires are gonna
break it down.

 

BUFFY
We need to get our of here.

 

XANDER
There is no out of here!

 

Another THUD and the door begins to buckle on ist hinges.
Buffy looks around — there is some junk lying around. She
throws it our of the way to see if there is a doorway behind
it. No joy.

 

Xander also looks around. He spies:

 

ANGLE: AN AIR VENT

 

We can see just of an air vent’s grating behind a
metal sheet. It’s high up in the shadows.

 

XANDER
What’s that?

 

(CONTINUED)

 


 

    29.

 

20  CONTINUED  2                                               20

 

Buffy sees it too. She throws a box down, steps on it to
reach the vent. Pulls away the metal sheet, revealing the
grate. It’s big enough to climb through.

 

She begins trying to pry the grate open with her bare hands.

 

Another THUD. Xander looks from Buffy to the door.

 

Buffy pulls, bending a corner.

 

The door comes off its hinges enough for a vampire to put
his fingers through, grip it.

 

Buffy RIPS the grating loose, throws it aside.

 

BUFFY
Come on!

 

And a vampire SHOOTS out of the air vent at her, grabbing
her head.

 

The door comes out enough for a vampire to get is face in.

 

Buffy pulls the vampire all the way out of the vent, throws
it to the floor. Jumps down on top of it.

 

BUFFY
(to Xander)
Go!

 

He runs by, climbs on the box as Buffy sinks a stake into
the vampire’s back. He sticks the flashlight in:

 

ANGLE: IN THE AIR VENT

 

Nothing. Clear.

 

ANGLE: THE DOOR

 

Breaks down. Vampires pile in.

 

Buffy jumps up and pulls herself into the air vent.

 

CUT TO:

 

21  INT. AIR VENT – CONTINUOUS                                   21

 

The two of them crawl along in the dark, the vampires at
their heels.

 

(CONTINUED)

 


 

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER “The Harvest” (Goldenrod) Rev. 10/28/96 30.

 

21  CONTINUED:                                                 21

 

They come to a wider space, with a ladder going up.
Sunlight can be seen through the grating at the very top.

 

XANDER
Up?

 

BUFFY
UP!

 

He starts climbing, Buffy right behind him.

 

He gets to the top and opens the grating, climbs out into:

 

CUT TO:

 

22  EXT. STREET – AFTERNOON                                    22

 

It’s deserted as Xander rolls out, reaches in to help Buffy
up. She is almost out when:

 

ANGLE: A HAND

 

grabs her ankle, starts pulling her back down.

 

She pulls up, bringing the hand up into the sunlight. It
begins to SMOKE — we hear a SHRIEK and it is withdrawn.

 

Buffy rolls out, slams the grating shut.

 

For a moment both of them just lie there, catching their
breath.

 

CUT TO:

 

A23  INT. THE CHURCH – LATER                                   A23

 

The Master rises from his chair. He looks less than
pleased. A few vampires stand before him, only one of whom
has his face visible.

 

THE MASTER
She escaped. She walks free when I
should be drinking her heart’s
blood right now. Careless.

 

VAMPIRE
Master, we had her trapped.

 

(CONTINUED)

 


 

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER “The Harvest” (Goldenrod) Rev. 10/28/96 30A.

 

A23  CONTINUED:                                                A23

 

THE MASTER
Are you going to make excuses? You
are all weak. It’s been too long
since you faced a Slayer. But it’s
no matter to me. She’ll not stop
the Harvest. It just means there
will be someone worth killing when
I reach the surface.
(to the Vampire)
Is Luke ready?

 

VAMPIRE
He waits.

 

THE MASTER
(to another)
It’s time. Bring him to me.
(to the first)
And, Lucien, You failed me.
(with gentle menace)
Tell me you’re sorry

 

VAMPIRE
I’m sorry…

 

THE MASTER
There now. That wasn’t so hard.
Oh, hold on —

 

He JABS his finger viciously out of frame. We hear a GASP.

 

THE MASTER (cont’d)
— you’ve got something in your
eye.

 

23  INT. THE LIBRARY – DAY                                 23

 

Giles is sill pouring over his notes when Willow enters.
He looks up, hoping to see.

 

GILES
Buffy?

 

WILLOW
It’s just me. So there’s no word?

 

GILES
Not as yet.

 

WILLOW
Well, I’m sure they’re… great.

 

(CONTINUED)

 


 

    31.

 

23  CONTINUED                                                  23

 

GILES
Did you find anything of interest?

 

She sits, shows him copied articles as she talks.

 

WILLOW
I think maybe. I looked through
the old papers, around the time of
that big earthquake back in ’37.
And for several months before it
there was a rash of murders.

 

GILES
Great! I mean, not great in a good
way… Go on.

 

WILLOW
They sound like the kind you were
looking for. Throats, blood.
Months, and not even a clue.

 

GILES
It’s all coming together. I rather
wish it weren’t.

 

CUT TO:

 

24  INT. THE CHURCH – CONTINUOUS                               24

 

We see a candle being lit, the last of a row. Darla steps
back from it, the taper in her hand glowing softly.

 

As she does, another vampire does the same on the opposite
wall. They are at the back of the church, staring ahead.
The rows of candles run up to the altar, where the Master
stands waiting.

 

CHANTING can be heard, a low, primal whisper.

 

Luke steps forward, pulling off his shirt. He stpes
forward, kneels before the Master. The Master holds out his
hand. Luke leans forward and kisses it. The Master turns
his open palm up and Luke kisses that as well. Gently, Luke
takes the Master’s wrist in his hand, brings his lips to
that as well.

 

And bites it.

 

The Master winces, shuts his eyes. Luke feeds for a few
moments, then rears his head back with holy pain.

 

(CONTINUED)

 


 

    32.

 

24  CONTINUED                                                  24

 

THE MASTER
My blood runs with yours. My soul
is your province.

 

LUKE
My body is your instrument.

 

The Master takes a drop of blood from his wrist, dabs it on
Luke’s forehead, painting the three-pointed star. He
speaks to the assembled:

 

THE MASTER
On this most hallowed night, we are
as one. Luke is the Vessel. Every
soul he takes shall feed me. Their
souls will grant me the power to
free myself. Tonight I will walk
the Earth… and the stars
themselves will hide.

 

CUT TO:

 

25  INT. THE LIBRARY – CONTINUOUS                               25

 

Buffy and Xander enter, somewhat the worse for their
adventure. Willow takes one look at their faces and doesn’t
have to ask. She does anyway.

 

WILLOW
Did you find Jesse?

 

XANDER
Yeah.

 

WILLOW
Was he dead?

 

BUFFY
Worse.

 

She sits heavily.

 

BUFFY
I’m sorry, Willow. We were too
late. And they were waiting for
us.

 

WILLOW
At least you two are okay.

 

Xander kicks a trash bin in frustration.

 

(CONTINUED)

 


 

    33.

 

25  CONTINUED                                                  25

 

XANDER
I don’t like vampires. I’m gonna
take a stand and say they’re not
good.

 

BUFFY
So, Giles, you got anything that
make this day worse?

 

GILES
How about the end of the world?

 

BUFFY
I knew I could count on you.

 

GILES
This is what we know. Some sixty
years ago aver old, very powerful
vampire came to this shore, and not
just to feed.

 

BUFFY
They came ’cause this town is a
mystical whoosit?

 

GILES
Yes. The Spanish who first settled
here called it Boca Del Inferno —
roughly translated: Hellmouth. A
sort of portal from this reality to
the next. This vampire hoped to
open it.

 

BUFFY
Bring the demons back.

 

XANDER
End of the world.

 

WILLOW
But he blew it. Or, I mean, there
was an earthquake that swallowed
about half the town. And him
too — or at least there were no
more vampire-type killings after.

 

GILES
Opening dimensional portals is
tricky business. Odds are he got
himself stuck. Like a cork in a
bottle

 

(CONTINUED)

 


 

    34.

 

25  CONTINUED  2                                               25

 

XANDER
And this Harvest thing is to get
him out

 

GILES
It comes once in a century, on this
night. A Master can draw power
from one of his minions while it
feeds. Enough power to break free,
and to open the portal. The minion
is called the Vessel, and he bears
this symbol.

 

He shows them a sketch of the three-pointed star.
BUFFY
So, I dust anyone sporting this
look, and no Harvest.

 

GILES
Simply put, yes.

 

BUFFY
Any clue where this little
get-together is being held?

 

GILES
Well, there are a number of
possibilities —

 

XANDER
They’re going to the Bronze.

 

WILLOW
Are you sure?

 

XANDER
Come on, tasty young morsels all
over the place. Anyway, that’s
where Jesse’s gonna be. Trust me.

 

GILES
Then we need to get there. The sun
will be down before long.

 

They head out toward the door.

 

BUFFY
I gotta make a stop. Won’t take
long.

 

GILES
What for?

 

(CONTINUED)

 


 

    35.

 

25  CONTINUED  3                                               25

 

BUFFY
Supplies

 

CUT TO:

 

26  ANGLE. THE SUN                                             26

 

Big and Red, sinking low.

 

27  INT. BUFFY’S BEDROOM – DUSK                                 27

 

The last rays are streaming in as Buffy enters, starts going
through her closet.

 

JOYCE (O.S.)
Buffy?

 

Buffy’s mom JOYCE SUMMERS, enters. Buffy keeps going
through her clothes, picking out a good slaying outfit.

 

JOYCE
You going out?

 

BUFFY
I have to.

 

JOYCE
I didn’t hear you come in last
night.

 

BUFFY
I was quiet.

 

JOYCE
It’s happening again, isn’t it?

 

Buffy looks at her.

 

JOYCE
I got a call from your new
principal. Says you missed some
classes today.

 

BUFFY
I was… running an errand.

 

She pulls an old trunk out of her closet. She opens it,
starts going through it.

 

(CONTINUED)

 


 

    36.

 

27  CONTINUED                                                  27

 

JOYCE
We haven’t finished unpacking and
I’m getting calls from your
principal.

 

BUFFY
Mom, I promise you, it’s not gonna
be like before. But I have to go.

 

JOYCE
No.

 

BUFFY
Mom…

 

Buffy looks at the window, at the growing dark.

 

JOYCE
The tapes all say I should get used
to saying it. No.

 

BUFFY
This is important.

 

JOYCE
I know. You have to go out or
it’ll be the end of the world.
Everything is life or death when
you’re a sixteen year old girl.

 

BUFFY
Mom, I don’t have time to talk
about it —

 

JOYCE
You’ve got all night, Buffy.
You’re not going anywhere. Now you
can stay up here and sulk if you
want. I won’t hold it against you.
But if you want to come down, I’ll
make us some dinner.

 

Joyce leaves, closing the door quietly but firmly behind
her. After a moment, Buffy reaches into the trunk.

 

ANGLE: IN THE TRUNK

 

Girl stuff, memorabilia, Teen Beat magazines

 

Buffy reaches in a little and lifts out the inside — the trunk has a
false bottom. Below it stakes, crosses, host, garlic, and a
widemouthed jar of holy water.

 

(CONTINUED)

 


 

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “The Harvest”    Rev. 10/22/96           37.

27  CONTINUED 2                                                27

 

Buffy takes out a particularly deadly looking stake. It
fits in her hand like it’s part of it. She stuffs it into a
bag, along with a few other items.

 

She stands, goes to the door. Listens by it.

 

She goes to the window, opens it. Starts crawling out.

 

CUT TO:

 

28  ANGLE THE HORIZON                                          28

 

The sun is gone. The sky a deepening blue.

 

CUT TO:

 

A29  INT. THE BRONZE – NIGHT                                  A29

 

From the balcony, we look down upon a pool game in progress.
Tilt up to see Cordelia holding court at a table.

 

CORDELIA
Senior boys are the only way to go.
They’re just a better class of
person. The boys in our grade?
Forget about it. They’re children.
Like Jesse — did you see him last
night? The way he follows me
around… He’s like a little puppy
dog: you just want to put him to
sleep. Senior boys have mystery,
they have… what’s the word I’m
searching for? Cars.

 

A Cordette starts to speak. Cordelia interrupts:

 

CORDELIA
I’m just not the type to settle.
If I go into a clothing store, I
always have to have the most
expensive thing not because it’s
expensive, but because it costs
more.

 

A Cordette starts to speak.

 

CORDELIA
Hello! Miss Motormouth — can I
get a sentence finished? Oh! I
love this song!

 

She gets up, friends in tow, and heads to the balcony.

 

CUT TO:

 


 

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “The Harvest”    Rev. 10/22/96          37A.

29  INT. THE BRONZE – CONTINUOUS                               29

 

TILT UP on Cordelia, dancing away in the middle of the
crowd. She looks great.

 

ANGLE: AT THE DOOR

 

Jesse walks in, a new man. A cool, subtle swagger in his
step. His eyes go right to Cordelia. He smiles.

 

CUT TO:

 

30  EXT. OUTSIDE THE BRONZE – CONTINUOUS                       30

 

There are a few people lounging around outside, but not much
activity. Then, a ways off, we see them coming, walking
slowly into the half-light.

 

Eight vampires, Luke in the middle.
None of them saying a word.
BLACK OUT.

 

END OF ACT THREE
 


 

    38.

 

ACT FOUR

31  INT. THE BRONZE – MOMENTS LATER                            31

 

Cordelia is still dancing with her friends, having a good
time.

 

Jesse makes his way slowly through the crowd, not towards
but around her, his eyes never leaving her. She sees him
too — and for the first time, doesn’t look away in disgust.
There’s something different about him.

 

A SLOW SONG starts playing, and Cordelia stops dancing,
heads off the floor.

 

He’s suddenly standing in her way. Smiling that distant
smile.

 

CORDELIA
What do you want?

 

It’s the old attitude, but she’s not fooling anyone.

 

He takes her hand, starts leading her onto the floor.

 

CORDELIA
Hey! Hello, caveman-brain! What
do you think you’re doing?

 

He turns back to her, smiles winningly.

 

JESSE
Shut up.

 

Brings her to the middle of the floor and starts dancing
with her. He holds her, hardly touching her, moving slowly.

 

CORDELIA
Just this one dance…

 

She moves closer to him.

 

CUT TO.

 

32  EXT. THE BRONZE – CONTINUOUS                                32

 

ANGLE: THE DOOR.

 

The BOUNCER is suddenly confronted with the vampire group.
Their faces are mostly in shadow.

 

(CONTINUED)

 


 

    39.

 

32  CONTINUED:                                                  32

 

BOUNCER
I need ID.
(as they start past him)
Hey! Nobody goes insider until I
see —

 

Luke stands over him. His face inches from the Bouncer’s.

 

LUKE
Get inside.

 

The Bouncer complies instantly.

 

33  INT. THE BRONZE – A MOMENT LATER                             33

 

Once inside, the vampires spread out, each heading for an
exit. Two of them stay behind and close off the front.

 

Darla heads for the door by the stage that leads backstage.
Goes in.

 

One goes to the bar — swings over it and stands in front of
the door.

 

One heads upstairs.

 

And Luke climbs up on stage.

 

CUT TO.

 

34  INT. BACKSTAGE – CONTINUOUS                                 34

 

Darla checks that the exit door is secure. Then she goes
over to the fuse box, flips a switch.

 

CUT TO:

 

35  INT. THE BRONZE – CONTINUOUS                                35

 

The main lights and the music go off. There are GASPS,
MURMERS. A voice from the stage calls out:

 

LUKE
Ladies and gentleman, there’s no
cause for alarm.

 

On stage, a single spot continues to shine. Luke steps into
the light. His face is rivetingly awful.

 

(CONTINUED)

 


 

    40.

 

35  CONTINUED:                                                  35

 

LUKE
Actually, there is cause for alarm..
It just won’t do any good

 

Major GASPS and MURMERS at the sight of him.

 

ANGLE: THE FRONT DOOR

 

A couple tries to get out. The vampire standing guard —
his normal face gone — shakes his head no.

 

They shrink back from him.

 

ANGLE: CORDELIA

 

She stares at the stage, Jesse’s hands still on her.

 

CORDELIA
I thought there wasn’t any band
tonight.

 

She looks at Jesse to see his face has changed as well.
Starts to struggle but he holds her, pulls her back into the
dark under the stairs.

 

ANGLE: DARLA

 

re-emerges from backstage. Looks up at Luke on stage.

 

LUKE
This is a glorious night. It’s
also the last one any of you shall
ever see.
(beat)
Bring me the first!

 

One of the vampires pushes the Bouncer up on stage.

 

BOUNCER
What do you want?, you want
money? Man, what’s wrong with your
faces?
Luke grabs him by the scruff of the neck, squeezing any further
conversation out of him.

 

LUKE
Watch me, people!
(to the Bouncer)
Their fear is elixir. It’s almost
like blood.

 

As he brings the Bouncer to him and bites his neck,
sucking the life out of him in huge gulps.

 

QUICK DISSOLVE TO:

 


 

    41.

 

36  INT: THE CHURCH – CONTINUOUS                                 36

 

The Master stands, power coursing through him — visibly.
It lights him up.

 

QUICK DISSOLVE TO:

 

37  INT: THE BRONZE – CONTINUOUS                                 37

 

Luke continues feeding. After a bit he pulls his head back,
throws the Boucner’s dead body from him.

 

LUKE
Next!

 

CUT TO:

 

38  EXT: OUSTIDE THE BRONZE – CONTINUOUS                         38

 

Buffy and the others run up to the front door. She tries it
— it’s locked.

 

BUFFY
It’s locked.

 

GILES
We’re too late.

 

BUFFY
Well, I didn’t know I was gonna get
grounded.

 

XANDER
(re: door)
Can you break it down?

 

BUFFY
Not this thing. You guys try the
back entrance. I’ll find my own
way.

 

GILES
Right.
(to Xander and Willow)
Come on.

 

BUFFY
Guys!

 

They stop. Buffy hands them her bag of tricks.

 

(CONTINUED)

 


 

    42.

 

38  CONTINUED:                                                    38

 

BUFFY
You get the exit cleared and you
get people out. That’s all. Don’t
go Wild Bunch on me.

 

GILES
See you on the inside.

 

They take off, as Buffy starts circling in the other
direction, looking up.

 

CUT TO:

 

39  EXT:  BEHIND THE BRONZE                                       39

 

As Giles and others come round. Xander tries the door,
it’s locked. They look around for something to open it
with.

 

XANDER
Damn. We’ve got to get in there
before Jesse does something
stupider than usual.

 

GILES
Xander. Jesse is dead. You have
to remember that if you see him.
You’re not looking at your friend.
You’re looking at the thing that
killed him.

 

CUT TO:

 

40  INT: THE CHURCH – CONTINUOUS                                 40

 

The Master is even more powerful now. He truly glows.

 

He steps over to the mystical wall that traps him, pushes at
it. It begins to disintigrate slightly at his touch.

 

THE MASTER
Almost free.
(shuts his eyes)
Yes! Give me more!

 

CUT TO:

 

41  INT: THE BRONZE – CONTINUOUS                                 41

 

Luke trimphantly drops another body. He’s flush with
power, looking about him at his hostages.

 

(CONTINUED)

 


 

    43.

 

41  CONTINUED:                                                    41

 

They are really scared now, seeing corpses (two now) lying
before them. There is some screaming, some whimpering.

 

ANGLE: CORNER UNDER THE STAIRS

 

Darla is having a face off with Jesse, who holds Cordelia

 

JESSE
This one’s mine.

 

DARLA
They are all for The Master.

 

JESSE
I don’t get one?

 

ANGLE: UPSTAIRS WINDOW BY THE BALCONY

 

The window opens slowly, an oblivious vampire before it.
Buffy slips in.

 

She looks down at the stage, at Luke.

 

LUKE
I feel him rising! I need another

 

BUFFY
(to herself)
The Vessel…

 

The vampire turns, hearing this. He grabs Buffy, dragging
her up to the middel of the balcony to present her to Luke.

 

LUKE
Tonight is his ascension. Tonight
will be History at its end! Yours
is a glorious sacrifice.
Degradation most holy.
(looking around)
What, no volunteers?

 

Darla emerges, holding Cordelia.

 

DARLA
Here’s a pretty one.

 

CORDELIA
Noooo….

 

Darla drags her toward the stage, hands her over to Luke.

 

(CONTINUED)

 


 

    44.

 

41  CONTINUED: 2                                                  41

 

ANGLE: BUFFY

 

slips out of the vampire’s grasp and THROWS him off the
balcony. He lands WHAM on his back right in front of
the stage.

 

Silence.

 

BUFFY
Oh, I’m sorry. Were you in the
middle of something?

 

LUKE
YOU!

 

BUFFY
You didn’t think I’d miss this, did
you?

 

LUKE
(smiles)
I hoped you’d come.

 

CUT TO:

 

42  INT. BACKSTAGE – CONTINUOUS                                   42

 

The exit door swings open, a metal pipe-wielding Giles
behind it. He starts in, the other two behind him.

 

CUT TO:

 

43  INT. THE BRONZE – CONTINUOUS                                  43

 

A vampire comes at Buffy from the side and she grabs him
THROWS him itno the hookah pit.

 

he scrambles back up and she FLIPS herself over backwards,
goes through the hole and lands on top of the pool table. A
pool cue is lying on the table — she does a hand spring and
lands on the floor holding the cue.

 

A vampire rushes her from the side —

 

ANGLE: BUFFY

 

without looking, she JAMS the cue end into his heart. We
don’t see him — we just hear the PLUNGE. And when Buffy
let’s go, the cue stays right where it is.

 

BUFFY
Okay, Vessel-boy. You want blood?.

 

(CONTINUED)

 


 

    45.

 

43  CONTINUED:                                                    43

 

She steps forward just as the cue rises like the arm of a
guard gate and we hear the vampire’s body THUD to the floor.

 

LUKE
I want yours. Only yours.

 

BUFFY
Then come and get it.

 

Cordelia, seeing her chance, tries to break free of Luke’s
grasp. He throws her to one side —

 

— and Buffy rins, LEAPS at him, slams her fist into his
face. This one really hurts, and he stumbles back in pain.

 

He comes back at her but she ducks, comes back up with a
roundhouse kick to the face. Another score.

 

She whips out her stake, comes at him — but he blocks.
Nails her in theface, and she skids into the corner, badly
hurt. The stake falls at his feet.

 

ANGLE: DOOR TO BACKSTAGE

 

It bursts open, Xander nearly falling out.

 

He looks about him — no vampires in the immediate
vicinity — and begins hearding people out.

 

XANDER
Come on!

 

CUT TO:

 

44  INT. BACKSTAGE – CONTINUOUS                                  44

 

The people rush past Willow and Giles, who push them towards
the exit.

 

CUT TO:

 

45  INT. THE BRONZE – CONTINUOUS                                  45

 

Buffy kicks Luke in the chest. He flies back, landing hard.
She’s about to go in for the kill when she sees

 

ANGLE: A VAMPIRE

 

going for Xander, who’s too busy shepherding people out to
notice.

 

(CONTINUED)

 


 

    46.

 

45  CONTINUED:                                                    45

 

Buffy turns to the drum kit and kicks the cymbol right off
the stand. She catches it mid air —

 

— the vampire reaches Xander, grabs him —

 

— Buffy HURLS the cymbol, frisbee style —

 

— the vampire turns, eyes wide, and the cymbal flies
straight at his neck

 

ANGLE: XANDER

 

As he hears the SLICE, his eyes follow the trajectory of the
liberated head.
XANDER
(softly)
Heads ups…

 

ANGLE: BUFFY

 

barely has time to turn before Luke GRABS her from behind,
lifting her up in a crushing bear hug.

 

ANGLE: XANDER

 

is going to help Buffy when he hears a SHRIEK, turns and
sees:

 

ANGLE: CORDELIA

 

is being dragged off into the area below the stairs by
Jesse.

 

He throws her to the ground, kneeling above her. Pinning
her.
JESSE
Hold still. You’re not helping.

 

Xander appears behind Jesse, holding a stake. He could
plunge it right through the back into the heart, but he
hesitates.

 

XANDER
Jesse, man… don’t make me do it.

 

Jesse looks around, grinning inhumanly.

 

JESSE
Buddy…

 

(CONTINUED)

 


 

    47.

 

45  CONTINUED: 2                                                  45

 

ANGLE: BUFFY

 

Is failing to get out of Luke’s grasp. He squeezes even
harder and she begins to lose consciousness.

 

LUKE
I’ve always wanted to kill a
Slayer…

 

We hear something in her begin to CRACK.

 

CUT TO:

 

46  INT: BACKSTAGE – CONTINUOUS                                  46

 

People are still rushing out.

 

GILES
Come on! We’ve got to open the
front as well!

 

He heads for the door to the main room and Darla JUMPS on
him, digging for his throat. His stake is knocked out of
his hand as he topples to the ground.

 

CUT TO:

 

47  INT: THE BRONZE – CONTINUOUS                                  47

 

Xander takes a step back as Jesse rises, faces him.

 

XANDER
Jesse, I know there’s still a part
of you in there.

 

JESSE
(exasperated)
Okay, let’s deal with this. Jesse
was an excruciating loser who
couldn’t get a date with anyone in
the sighted community! Look at me
now! I’m a new man!

 

He grabs Xander and HURLS him against a wall. Xander
falls in a heap to the cowering Cordelia.

 

JESSE
See. the old Jesse would have
reasoned with you.

 

(CONTINUED)

 


 

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “The Harvest”    Rev. 9/13/96          48.

48  INT. BACKSTAGE – CONTINUOUS                                  48

 

Willow frantically digs through Buffy’s bag, looking for a
weapon. She oull sout the jar of holy water.

 

Darla continues to struggle with Giles — has him pinned on
the ground.

 

WILLOW (O.S)
Get off him!

 

Darla turns to face Willow and is DOUSED with holy water
right in the face.

 

SCREAMING she brings her hands to her face, smoke pouring
out from between her fingers.

 

Giles pushes her off him, getting up to face her. But
Darla is already stumbling out the exit in smoking agony.

 

CUT TO:

 

49  INT: THE BRONZE – CONTINUOUS                                  49

 

Buffy is limp in Luke’s grasp. Head dangling forward.

 

LUKE
Master, taste of this and be free.

 

He opnes wide, leans in — and Buffy HEADBUTTS him with the
back of her head, sends him staggering back.

 

BUFFY
How’d it taste?

 

She is weak, despite her bravado. She grabs the cymbal
stand, holds it as a weapon. Looks around her — and sees:

 

ANGLE: THE WINDOW

 

at the back of the stage. It’s painted black, one huge
pane.

 

Buffy looks at it, at Luke.

 

ANGLE: XANDER

 

Jesse picks him up again, fury etching his demon face.

 

(CONTINUED)

 


 

    49.

 

48  INT. BACKSTAGE – CONTINUOUS                                  48

 

JESSE
I’m sick of you getting in the way,
you know? Cordelia, she’s gonna
live forever. You’re not.

 

Xander holds the stake up to Jesse’s chest, determined but
scared.

 

JESSE
Oh, right! Put me out of my
mysery! You don’t have the g–

 

And a fleeing woman SLAMS into Jesse from behind, driving
him onto the stake. He drags himself on a stunned Xander,
dying.

 

And then he’s dust. Xander barely has time to react before
two more vampires grab him.

 

ANGLE: BUFFY

 

She swings the cymbal stand at an approaching Luke. He
smiles.

 

LUKE
You forget. Metal can’t hurt me.

 

BUFFY
There’s something you forgot about,
too.

 

He hesitates, doubt clouding his face.

 

BUFFY
Sunrise.

 

And she takes the stand and HURLS it right through the
plate glass window at the back of the stage — SHATTERING
the entire thing.

 

ANGLE: LUKE

 

The warm light STREAMS IN on him, he SCREAMS, raises his
hands —

 

— and stops. Puzzled.

 

Buffy DRIVES the stake in through his back. He arches
forward in real agony this time.

 

BUFFY
It’s in about nine hours, moron.

 

(CONTINUED)

 


 

    50.

 

49  CONTINUED. 2                                                49

 

ANGLE: THE BROKEN WINDOW

 

And Luke realizes the light from the window is merely a
streetlight, shining in the darkness.

 

Luke stumbles forward —

 

QUICK DISSOLVE TO:

 

50  INT. THE CHURCH – CONTINUOUS                                50

 

And the Master stumbles forward in the exact same position,
the bright energy beginning to fade from him. He reaches
out, nearly doubled over —

 

QUICK DISSOLVE TO:

 

51  INT. THE BRONZE – CONTINUOUS                                51

 

— as does Luke. After a moment he falls, and is dust.
Buffy stands over him, breathing hard.

 

CUT TO:

 

52  INT. THE CHURCH – CONTINUOUS                                52

 

The last of the energy fades from the Master.

 

THE MASTER
(weakly)
Nooooo….

 

He falls to his knees, reaches out blindly for support.

 

What he touches is the wall, once again too strong for him
to bend. Fury and despair corss his face as he looks up at
it. A scream wells up inside him, and right before it
bellows out, we

 

CUT TO:

 

53  INT. THE BRONZE – CONTINUOUS                                53

 

Xander struggles with the remaining vampires, who hold him,
their attention on the stage.

 

Buffy looks down at the spot where Luke’s body was. After a
moment, she turns her gaze slowly toward the vampires.

 

(CONTINUED)

 


 

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “The Harvest”    Rev. 1/21/97          48.

53  CONTINUED.                                                  53

 

They look at the expression on her face for about 1/8th of a
second, then they drop Xander and bolt out the front door.

 

ANGLE: THE BACKSTAGE DOOR

 

Giles and Willow come slwoly out, meet Buffy and Xander in
the middle of the dance floor.

 

GILES
I take it it’s over.

 

WILLOW
Did we win?

 

A moment, as they look about at the carnage that surrounds
them. Most of the patrons have fled, though some remain,
stunned and silent.

 

BUFFY
Well, we averted the apocolypse.
You gotta give us points for that.

 

ANGLE: CORDELIA

 

Sitting right where Jesse left her. Not a word.

 

XANDER
One thing’s for sure. Nothing is
ever going to be the same.

 

CUT TO:

 

A54  EXT. THE BRONZE – CONTINUOUS                             A54

 

The vampires run out in a panic. As they bolt down the
street, we see Angel step out of the shadows. He looks at
them, looks back at the entrance of The Bronze. He smiles.

 

ANGEL
She did it. I’ll be damned.

 

54  EXT. FOUNTAIN QUAD – DAY                                   54

 

Everything is exactly the same. We see kids milling about,
talking, laughing in the bright sunshine. Pick up Cordelia
walking by with her friends.

 

(CONTINUED)

 


 

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “The Harvest”    Rev. 1/21/97         51A .

54  CONTINUED.                                                  54

 

CORDELIA
Well, I heard it was rival gangs.
Anyway, Buffy totally knew these
guys which is too weird. I can’t
remember anything too well, but I’m
telling you, it was a freak show.

 

GIRL
Oh, I wish I’d been there.

 

And we leave them, picking up Buffy and the others nearby
crossing the other way. Xander has a look of disbelief on
his face.

 

(CONTINUED)

 


 

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER    “The Harvest”    Rev. 1/21/97         51A .

54  CONTINUED.                                                  54

 

CORDELIA
Well, I heard it was rival gangs.
Anyway, Buffy totally knew these
guys which is too weird. I can’t
remember anything too well, but I’m
telling you, it was a freak show.

 

GIRL
Oh, I wish I’d been there.

 

And we leave them, picking up Buffy and the others neraby
crossing the other way. Xander has a look of disbelief on
his face.

 

(CONTINUED)

 

    52.

 

54  CONTINUED.                                                  54

 

BUFFY
Well, what exactly were you
expecting?

 

XANDER
I don’t know! Something. The dead
rose! We should’ve at least had an
assembly.

 

GILES
People have a tendancy to
ratiionalize what they can, and
forget what they can’t.

 

BUFFY
Believe me, I’ve seen it happen.

 

WILLOW
Well, I’ll never forget it. None
of it.

 

GILES
Good. Next time you’ll be
prepared.

 

XANDER
Next time?

 

WILLOW
Next time is why?

 

GILES
We stopped the Master from freeing
himself and opening the mouth of
Hell. Doesn’t mean he’ll stop
trying. I’d say the fun is just
beginning.

 

WILLOW
More vampires?

 

GILES
Not just vampires. The next
creature we face may be something
quite different.

 

BUFFY
I can hardly wait.

 

GILES
We’re at the center of mystical
convergence here. We may in fact
stand between the earth and total
destruction.

 

(CONTINUED)

 


 

    52.

 

54  CONTINUED.  2                                               54

 

XANDER
Buffy, this isn’t good.

 

BUFFY
Well, I gotta look on the bright
side. Maybe I can still get kicked
out of school.

 

She smiles at Giles and starts off, the other two keeping up
with her.

 

XANDER
Hey, that’s a plan. ‘Cause a lot
of schools aren’t on Hellmouths.

 

WILLOW
Maybe you could blow something up.
They’re really strict about that.

 

BUFFY
I was aiming for a subtle approach,
like excessive not studying.

 

Giles watches them go, an uneasy smile plastered on his
lips.

 

GILES
The earth is doomed.

 

BLACK OUT.

END OF SHOW


 

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Author: Cider

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