Let's start with Faith. She has quite a few moments in "Choices" alone. Her relationship with the mayor grows as he fills a much needed void in her life. She has nothing in her life that isn't Buffy based. No matter where she turns everything is about Buffy. All of her Watchers have either let her down or died - with the exception of Giles, but he is clearly Buffy's Watcher. All of her friends are Buffy's friends. Even her love interest (Angel) is Buffy's boyfriend. Faith will always be second best to Buffy in Buffy's world. And she knows this. The mayor fills that void by being strictly Faith's world - and I really do think he cares about her. But Willow's words to her definitely hurt. When she mocks Willow saying it isn't too late, Willow responds with it is and Faith knows it. The look on Faith's face says it all. She knows she has turned her back on her family, and despite her loyalty to and love for the mayor she isn't sure she is making the right choice. Later she even saves Wesley's life when the mayor's box is opened. She and the mayor could have let the demonic spider kill everyone and then leave, but instead she kills it, saving Wesley in the process.
We also see some serious Xander/Cordelia growth/healing. While those two will never make up and get back together they do start to bury the hatchet. While exchanging insults Xander discovers that the previously rich Cordelia is now financially destroyed and her father is in jail. Instead of kicking her while she is down, Xander lies to keep her secret and even pays off her prom dress that she can't afford. Cordelia and Wesley do finally have their moment where they kiss, but it is an awkward kiss and they quickly decide remaining friends is better. While this is the end of Cordelia's story in the Buffy story line (she goes to L.A. where she meets up with Angel) she gets closure with Xander and is firmly established as a part of Buffy's circle. While Cordelia might have started helping for selfish reasons, in the end she stayed and fought because it was the right thing to do.
As for Giles and Angel, they have had their ups and their downs. They quickly became friends, bonding over the shared goal of protecting Buffy, but Angel destroyed that friendship when he lost his soul. It took a long time for Giles to get over Jenny's death and he did not immediately welcome Angel back with open arms. However, Giles did start to let Angel back in, bonding once again over keeping Buffy safe. But when Faith poisons Angel and only a slayer's blood can save him, Buffy makes Angel drink from her, putting a damper on their relationship once again when Buffy is hospitalized for blood loss. Ultimately Giles does accept Angel as a close ally, but their relationship is always rocky.
Lastly we return to Faith - by looking at Buffy and Faith. Determined to drag Faith - alive or dead - to Angel so he can be cured, Buffy confronts her former friend. She even openly tells Faith she will kill her if she has to. Faith is shocked by this vehemence - and is even more shocked when Buffy actually stabs her in the gut. But ever determined to deny Buffy the chance to win a dying Faith gets away. Buffy returns to Angel, under the belief that she has killed her friend and accepting this no matter how much it hurt her. After they both wind up in the hospital (Faith in a coma from their fight, Buffy asleep from blood loss) they share a dream. In this dream Faith gives Buffy a cryptic message about her sister Dawn coming. She also tells Buffy how to bring down the mayor, telling Buffy that all of her possessions are hers and to take what she needs. Buffy wakes up with the knowledge that Faith is the key to undoing the mayor. In life all Faith and Buffy did was butt heads but when it comes down to it, Faith has her moments where she picks Buffy. When she killed Mr Trick is a perfect example. When she gives Buffy the means to undo the mayor, that is another. Despite their rocky relationship, despite all of Faith's betrayals, she still cares about Buffy - and Buffy still cares about Faith. Perhaps it is because when Faith looks at Buffy she sees what she could have been if someone had loved her - and when Buffy looks at Faith and sees what she would have been if no one had loved her.
Favorite episode? "Choices." Buffy and Angel realizing they will never make it - but refusing to voice it. Faith realizing just how much Willow's words hurt and just how much she misses her friends. This episode is aptly named as everyone has to face the consequences of their choices.
The episodes:
Choices - Season 3, Episode 19
Synopsis - Buffy decides to be proactive and take the fight to the mayor by stealing a box he needs for his ascension. But Willow gets captured in the process and Buffy must trade the box back to save her best friend.
The Prom - Season 3, Episode 20
Synopsis - The prom arrives and everyone finds out that someone is planning to attack it with hell hounds. Angel breaks things off with Buffy.
Graduation Day (Parts 1 & 2) - Season 3, Episodes 21 & 22
Synopsis - Graduation day is arriving and Mayor Wilkins will be the guest speaker as his ascension occurs. Faith also tries to take out Angel with a painful poison and Buffy finds out Faith's blood is the cure.
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