Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Older and Far Away

Older and Far Away
Season 6, Episode 14
Airdate	February 12, 2002
Production Number	6ABB14
Written by	Drew Z. Greenberg
Directed by	Michael Gershman
← 6x13 Dead Things	6x15 → As You Were
Buffy the Vampire Slayer — Season Six

Older and Far Away is the fourteenth episode of the sixth season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and the one-hundred and fourteenth episode overall.

Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy Summers), Nicholas Brendon (Xander Harris), Emma Caulfield (Anya), Michelle Trachtenberg (Dawn Summers), James Marsters (Spike)

and Alyson Hannigan (Willow)

Guest Starring: Kali Rocha (Halfrek), Ryan Browning (Richard), Amber Benson (Tara)

Co-Starring: Laura Roth (Sophie), James C. Leary (Clem), Elizabeth Cazenave (Teacher)

Plot Overview

The Scoobies and a few other friends gather at the Summers home to throw Buffy a birthday party. However, they soon find that even when they try, they can’t seem to make themselves leave the house. The enclosed environment brings up tension among them, especially when a demon is freed inside.

Notes

Monster of the Week

• Unknown Horned Demon: The red demon that Buffy fights at the beginning is unnamed but is apparently only weak to getting hurt by his own sword. He has the ability to melt into solid surfaces like walls and floors and may have some kind of teleportation ability. He is trapped in his sword at the end of the episode, which is shattered by Buffy.

Body Count

#	Whom	By Whom	How	Where
1	Horned Demon	Buffy	Trapped and shattered	Buffy's Living Room

Arc Advancement

Characters

• Dawn: Following her brief flirtation with crime, Dawn has apparently taken to shoplifting.

• Spike: Spike and Halfrek apparently know each other from a long time ago. She addresses him as "William," his given name.

Referbacks

• Fool for Love: William's love interest before he was turned into a vampire by Drusilla was Cecilly, played by Kali Rocha. It could be inferred that Halifrek is Cecilly because of Halifrek's recognition of Spike, but as much as actors are reused in the series, this could be baseless.

• Once More, With Feeling: Xander makes a comment about invoking the powers of a musical amulet. He's the one who accidentally summoned Sweet from the musical episode.

Trivia

Allusions and References

• The Twilight Zone: "It's a Good Life" was an episode of The Twilight Zone in which an eight-year old boy with omnipotent powers cuts an entire town off from the world and forces the towns people to be happy and appease him. If they defied his demands, he would banish them to "the cornfield."

Xander: And now we can't leave. The only thing missing is a cornfield. There isn't a cornfield, is there?

Goofs

• When the demon is initially absorbed into the sword while she isn't watching, Buffy states her belief that it ran away. But when it reappears later in the house, she says she killed it.

Quotes

• Spike: I had a muscle cramp. Buffy was, uh, helping.

Tara: A muscle cramp? In your... pants?

Spike: What? It's a thing.

Tara: Right.

• Spike: Besides, Richie, you can't skip breakfast, a growing boy like you. Me? I used to love breakfast. In the old days, I probably would have eaten by now.

Buffy: Of course, with that new diet of yours, you want to be careful what you try putting in your mouth now, Spikey.

Spike: Yeah? I don't know. Tummy's making all kinds of gurglies. Maybe I ought to just feed on whatever's around even if it doesn't go down well. (to Richard) You, uh, work out?

• Buffy: We do not joke about eating people in this house!

• Buffy: I should have thrown you out the second you got here. I was insane to ever think you could just hang out with my friends.

Spike: And I was insane to think -- No, wait. You were right. You're insane.

• Buffy: I think it's time for you to go.

Spike: Yeah. Well, can't. Daylight.

Buffy: Okay. I'll go.

Spike: I'll get the door.

Buffy: Fine.

Spike: Fine.

Buffy: I'm actually trying to move right now.

Spike: Me, too.

Buffy: Well, this can't be good.

• Anya: (about Dawn) I think she's possessed.

Xander: She's a teenager.

• Spike: (to Buffy) So, you ever think about not celebrating your birthday? Just to try it, I mean.

• Tara: I thought vengeance demons only punished men who wronged women.

Halfrek: Oh, that was Anya's little raison-d'être. Most of us try to be a little more well-rounded. And actually, we prefer "justice demons", okay. FYI.

Anya: Well-rounded, huh? Is that how you explain your thing for bad parents?

Halfrek: Oh, it's not a thing. The children need me.

Anya: Hmm. (coughing) Daddy issues.