Faith, Hope & Trick

Plot

Kakistos and Mr. Trick roll into town, talking over their plan to take out the Slayer. After the school board overrules him, Principal Snyder lets Buffy come back to school only if she catches up on her missed work. In the library, Giles questions Buffy about the night she killed Angel and stopped Acathla, claiming he needs the details for a binding spell to keep the demon from coming back. At the Bronze, Scott Hope tries to chat with Buffy, but she gets distracted by what looks like a vampire leading a girl outside.

That girl kills the vampire and introduces herself as Faith, a new Slayer. Cordelia figures out that Kendra’s death must have called Faith. Joyce and the gang warm up to Faith quickly, but Buffy stays wary. Kakistos and Trick plot their revenge on Faith for scarring Kakistos’ face with an axe.

During a joint patrol, vampires attack; Faith hammers away at one vampire while Buffy handles the rest alone. Giles explains the vampires work for Kakistos, an ancient vampire with cloven hands and feet. Scott gives Buffy a Claddagh ring just like Angel’s, which rattles her. Giles then reveals Faith’s Watcher is dead, not on a retreat as Faith claimed.

Buffy visits Faith’s motel room and warns her about Kakistos. Faith admits Kakistos killed her Watcher in Boston.

Kakistos and his vampires break in, forcing Buffy and Faith to escape through a window, only to end up in his lair. Buffy takes down many vampires while Faith stabs Kakistos through with a big beam, finishing him. Mr. Trick escapes with another vampire.

Reception

Vox ranked the episode at #50 of all 144 episodes on their "Every Episode Ranked From Worst to Best" list, writing, "Now Faith is here, and things can really get started." Noel Murray of The A.V. Club enjoyed the characterizations, noting that the core ensemble has become nicely rounded-out since the end of Season Two, with more functional members of the slaying circle leading to a more complicated and entertaining rhythm. He praised how the Buffy team keeps the season's master-plot moving swiftly and ratchets up the intensity quickly.

Billie Doux, giving a rating of 3 stakes out of 4, called the episode well balanced and a lot of fun. She discussed Faith as a threatening, darker version of Buffy who invades every facet of Buffy's life. Doux admired Mr. Trick as a modern, practical vampire with computer skills. She noted the best part of the episode is the way Giles subtly maneuvers Buffy into talking about what happened with Angel.

Mark Oshiro examined how the introduction of Faith piggybacks on the emotions of "Dead Man's Party," with Buffy having dealt with feelings of inadequacy and suddenly someone arrives who can seemingly do everything better, exciting her friends and family.

Did You Know?

• Mr. Trick is the longest-running character of color in the series after Principal Robin Wood and Kendra, with 5 appearances.
• Elyce Rae Helford noted that Mr. Trick's speech overtly clarifies the racial metaphor underlying the show's narrative by comparing African Americans in Washington, D.C., with vampires in Sunnydale.
• Buffy's complaint about being "Single White Femaled" references the 1992 movie Single White Female.