History Recap / BuffyTheVampireSlayerS2E14Innocence

** When Angelus snubs Buffy in his apartment, the heart on his claddagh ring is now pointing in the ''opposite'' direction. Traditionally, the heart facing away from the base of the finger means the wearer [[FridgeBrilliance isn't in a committed relationship]]. (This may, however, be [[EpilepticTrees unintentional]].)

** It's also revealed that the Romani didn't even tell ''Jenny'' the truth; they told her to keep Buffy and Angel apart but didn't tell her why. Jenny

* ProductPlacement: During their fight at the mall, you can see advance posters for ''WesternAnimation/QuestForCamelot'' behind Buffy and Angel. Earlier, you can see the poster for ''Film/{{Fallen}}'' behind Angel. Both movies were distributed by Warner Bros. around the time this episode aired.
** [[MeaningfulName Fallen.]] [[FridgeBrilliance Yeah.]]

* UnusuallyUninterestingSight: The arrival of the Judge does not appear to raise an eyebrow amongst the blasé West Coast shoppers. Commentary?
** It's California. The shoppers would pass him off as on the way to Vegas.
** For that matter, everybody forgets Buffy used a freaking rocket launcher to blow someone or something up at the mall? The WeirdnessCensor was working overtime.

* SwordOverHead: Angelus collapses and Buffy pulls a stake, but then her lip quivers and she lowers the weapon. "You can't do it. You can't kill me," sneers Angelus, so Buffy settles for dealing him an extremely powerful [[GroinKick kick to the peaches]].

* TechnologicallyBlindElders: The Judge was last defeated centuries before his clash with Buffy and boasts that no weapon man has forged could stop him. It hadn't occurred to him that weapons had advanced at all in that time and doesn't even seem to realize the danger he's in ''as'' Buffy reduces him to pebble sized chunks with a rocket launcher.

* TechnologyMarchesOn:

* TwoPartEpisode

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Buffy sleeping with Angel. Although neither of them could have known there would be deadly consequences since the Romani didn't tell Angel about his CurseEscapeClause, so this trope really belongs to ''them''.

** Subverted with The Judge, Xander thinks this is exactly what they'll do.

'''Xander:''' No, I might die ''from'' you. Does that get me any points?

* HeelFaceMole[=/=]ReformedButRejected: Buffy accuses Jenny of knowing about Angel's curse, and Giles tries to interfere until Jenny admits she was planted there to keep her and Angel apart. When war plans are being laid, Jenny stands in the doorway and offers her help, but both Buffy and Giles tell her to GetOut and then turn their backs on her. Ouch!

* JackBauerInterrogationTechnique: In the wake of Buffy's dream, she stomps into school the next morning, headed straight for Jenny's classroom. She spots Jenny and Giles chatting at the front, grabs Jenny's throat, and slams her backward onto the desk, demanding. "Did you do it? Did you change him?" A stammering Giles meekly dismisses the class. In the commentary for this episode, Creator/JossWhedon says he loved "how violent this is", and in other interviews he praised Robia for being willing to do the scene herself.

* LinkedListClueMethodology: Buffy muses that the Judge will need to go "somewhere crowded" to start his killing, and Willow suggests the Bronze. But the Bronze is closed, so the gang is stumped until Oz suggests TheMall.

%%* CerebusSyndrome: And how!

* YouCanPanicNow: Giles is not weathering the news of Angelus's return well. In fact, when Xander ask what they're going to do about it, Giles says he's "leaning towards blind panic."

Written by Whedon, Creator/RobDesHotel, Creator/DeanBatali, & Creator/DeanBatali

* PoorCommunicationKills: When the Romani cursed Angelus, they didn't bother to tell Angel there was a way the curse could be lifted if he experienced pure happiness. In the modern day, Uncle Enyos still doesn't mention it to anyone until ''after'' Angelus is back, only ordering Jenny to keep Buffy and Angel apart so that the latter's suffering continues, without explaining what will happen if she doesn't.

** Xander admonishes Angelus to "Don't do that!" when he's choking Willow. (Angelus pulls an "Are you serious?" face.) Of course Angel would do this himself [[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS3E22GraduationDayPart2 a year later,]] though in his defense he wards off who he says it to.

-->'''Willow:''' No. It just means you'd rather be with [[BelligerentSexualTension someone you hate]]... then be with me.

* CurseEscapeClause: The escape clause for Angel's is revealed; if he experiments even one moment of perfect happiness, he will be stripped of his soul. In this case, it was having sex with Buffy, a person he truly loves.

* AuthorAppeal: Creator/JossWhedon really wanted the scene with Buffy using the rocket launcher, and declares it the part of the series he loves the most.

* LameComeback: The Scoobies butt heads over whether or not to double-back to Spike's lair and risk getting roasted by the Judge; Xander and Willow are ready to stomp off and save Buffy, but Giles and Ms. Calender are more cautious.

** Once Miss Calender drives him off, Angelus grabs Buffy by the shoulders and, his face inches away from hers, hisses, "Things are about to get ''very interesting''." He full-on kisses her on the mouth, then shoves her against the wall railing before mwu ha ha'ing it out of there.

-->'''Cordelia''': Does looking at guns make you wanna have sex?

* CosmicRetcon: The comic story "False Memories" reexamines how the early years of ''Buffy'' were changed by the reality shift that produced Dawn Summers. In the alternate history, it was Dawn rather than Willow who Angelus throttles inside the school.

->'''Willow:''' ''Well we don't have cable so we have to make our own fun.''

* RewatchBonus: Uncle Enyos belief that the return of Angelus was 'arranged' is a lot more plausible knowing he's a tool of the PowersThatBe, both good and evil, in the [[Series/{{Angel}} spin-off series]], and Twilight in the comic series.

* PoorCommunicationKills: When the Romani cursed Angelus, they didn't bother to tell Angel there was a way the curse could be lifted if he experienced pure happiness. In the modern day, Uncle Enyo still doesn't mention it to anyone until ''after'' Angelus is back, only ordering Jenny to keep Buffy and Angel apart so that the latter's suffering continues, without explaining what will happen if she doesn't.

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Buffy sleeping with Angel. Although neither of them could have known there would be deadly consequences since the Romani didn't tell Angel about his CurseEscapeClause, so this trope really belongs to them.

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Buffy sleeping with Angel. Although neither of them could have known there would be deadly consequences, since the Romani didn't tell Angel about his CurseEscapeClause, so this trope really belongs to them.

* PoorCommunicationKills: When the Romani cursed Angelus, they didn't bother to tell Angel there was a way the curse could be lifted if he experienced pure happiness. In the modern day, Uncle Enyo still doesn't mention it to anyone until ''after'' Angelus is back, only ordering Jenny to keep Buffy and Angel apart without explaining what will happen if she doesn't.

* AndYourLittleDogToo: Giles says Angelus' profile indicates he'll "strike out at the things that made him most human."

* BecauseDestinySaysSo: Uncle Enyos came to Sunnydale to stop Angelus' return, but now realizes that it was foretold.
* BestServedCold: Angelus' rage at Buffy for making him experience love.
** Also the Romanis' rationale.

** Angelus' first victim is standing next to a sign saying BEWARE OF THE DOG. In later seasons this becomes a RunningGag with Spike.

* HeroicBSOD: Overwhelmed by the revelation of the part she played in Angelus' return, Buffy retreats back to her bedroom. She spots the crucifix Angel gave her and [[DramaticNecklaceRemoval pulls his claddagh ring from her finger]]. Sobbing, she falls on the bed, cradling the ring.
** Subverted when Buffy pulls herself together despite Angelus' expectations.

* ILikeThoseOdds: With Angelus' return, Spike gloats that it's now "four against one; and those are the kinds of odds I like to play."

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Buffy sleeping with Angel. Although neither of them could have known there would be deadly consequences, since the Romani didn't tell Angel about his CurseEscapeClause.

* BaitAndSwitchBoss: The great evil foretold to rise in "What's My Line?" wasn't Spike, Drusilla, or even the Judge. He was right under Buffy's nose all along. Ironically, Kendra came very close to fulfilling her original mission when she nearly killed Angel on first meeting him.