Episode 18 - The Grand Illusion
ACT THREE
INT. BUFFY'S HOUSE/LIVING ROOM - DAY
We see the Scoobs gathered.. worried looks on their
faces.
BUFFY
One moment, she was there, then..
XANDER
Pooff?
BUFFY
Yup.. cept', you know, without the
sound effects.
DAWN
She dissapeared?
Buffy nods.
ANYA
Guess she wasn't crazy after all.
XANDER
(to Buffy)
You sure she didn't like slip out while
you weren't looking?
BUFFY
What am I? The blind slayer who fights
evil with her trusty cane? I was
standing between her and the door.
Would've noticed.
ANYA
People vanishing into thin air? This
isn't good.
GILES
It almost always never is.
DAWN
Well, where did she go?
BUFFY
I don't know Dawn, but we gotta go find
her. Her and anyone else who might be
missing from town. I mean, they must
have gone somewhere.. right?
TARA
(hesitantly)
Not necessarily. I mean, they could
just be.. like.. gone.
A creepy beat.
BUFFY
We can't think that at the moment. We
have to at least try to find them.
Buffy walks slowly away from the group, trying to think
things through.
BUFFY
(to herself)
Something's coming. What's coming?
As she ruminates, she idly fiddles with the locket around
her neck.. as if reaching for it to give her inspiration.
WILLOW
Well, we could try some sort of
locating spell.. see where everyone's
gone?
BUFFY
You can do that?
TARA
Probably. We'd have to stop by the
Magic Box to get some ingredients.
DAWN
I'll help.
GILES
I'll call the Council. See if they can
make anything of this.
Giles walks away to the phone.
XANDER
I'll take a drive around town, you
know, see if anything weird.. weirder
is happening over there.
ANYA
I'll sit here and provide helpful
interjections that will in now way
place my life in jeopardy.
We see Giles over at the phone with the receiver to his
ear. He fiddles with the phone, looking frustrated. He
gives up and walks back to the group.
GILES
The phone's dead.
The Scoobs stare worriedly at each other for a beat.
Xander walks over to the television and switches it on.
It comes to life.
XANDER
(relieved)
Look.. see! TV's still working.
(turning affectionately back
to the television)
TV's our friend.
We see Xander's relieved face change slightly as he
stares at what's on the Box.
ANGLE ON : TV
where we see the weather guy in front of a map.
WEATHER GUY
.. and what about Sunnydale? Don't talk
to me about Sunnydale cause it's gonna
be fine, fine, fine. Nothing but blue
skies and clear sunny weather
forecasted for the next two weeks! I
guess that's why they call this place
Sunny.. Dale?
We switch from the weather guy to the newscaster.
DALE THE NEWSCASTER
(not impressed)
Yes, that never gets old.
The screen then resets back to the shot of the weather
guy as he starts all over again.
WEATHER GUY
.. and what about Sunnydale? Don't talk
to me about Sunnydale cause it's gonna
be fine, fine, fine.
Xander switches off the TV.. completely creeped out.
BUFFY
Okay.. What's going on here?
DAWN
You guys?
Everyone turns to Dawn who is standing by the window.
DAWN
(indicating out the window)
I think you better take a look at this.
Buffy walks over to Dawn by the window and takes a look
out. She and Dawn share a concerned look. Buffy rushes
away and towards the front door. The rest of the group
follows.
EXT. BUFFY'S HOUSE/PORCH - DAY
ANGLE ON : FRONT DOOR
as it opens. We see Buffy rushing out. We TRACK her as
she runs out to the middle of the street and stares
gaping at something.
REVERSE ANGLE : THE SKY
from Buffy's POV. The clouds in the distance are pitch-
black and seem to be poisoning the otherwise clear, blue
sky. The area of the sky near the clouds has been
discoloured, flashing red and green as the black clouds
seemingly eats it up.
ANGLE : BUFFY
from the back, standing in the middle of the street and
staring up at the strange anomaly. She is joined by the
rest of the Scoobs who similarly stare up in wonderment.
Giles stands next to Buffy, staring up.
GILES
(quietly to himself; with
dread)
It's the end of the world.
Buffy hears Giles and looks up at him, a little shocked.
Giles, not noticing Buffy's look, takes a look around the
street. Not a person in sight. The street is also
completely silent except for the sound of a distant
rumble.
GILES
(to the group)
Come on. I think it best if we move
back into the house.
Giles ushers the group back into the house.
INT. BUFFY'S HOUSE/LIVING ROOM - DAY
as the group piles back into the living room. Buffy and
Dawn stand in the middle of the living room. The rest of
the Scoobs gather loosely around them.
ANYA
(stressed out)
Okay, what the heck was that? And don't
anyone say it was nothing, because I've
seen nothing. I know what nothing looks
like and that.. that thing was not
nothing.
WILLOW
No, I think we all pretty much agree
that that was something.
ANYA
Something? You mean the something
that's coming? That something?
BUFFY
Calm down An. That something could be
anything.
TARA
Yeah.. and that anything could turn out
to be.. um.. nothing at all.
BUFFY
There's no need to worry yet. We just
gotta take time to think things
through.
ANYA
(incredulous)
Take time to think things through?
BUFFY
Too many Ts?
ANYA
Some scary, quite possibly evil thing's
coming. People are dissapearing. Black
clouds are eating up the sky.. tell me
Buffy.. When exactly should I start to
worry?
The couch Anya is standing behind suddenly dissapears.
Then the television, then a table and then an entire wall
of the house. A shocked beat.
ANYA
Okay, that was a rhetorical question.
GILES
(taking charge)
This is what we're going to do. Willow,
Tara? We need some kind of spell to
uncover what's happening here.
Willow and Tara nod.
GILES
I'll see if I can't find some way to
get through to the Council. Meanwhile,
Buffy..
Giles dissapears.
BUFFY
Giles!
ANGLE : THE SCOOBS
in a wide shot, standing stunned in the living room..
looking around at each other.
INT. THE MAGIC BOX - DAY
ANGLE ON : FRONT DOOR
as it opens, we hear the bell chime. Xander enters
urgently.
We TRACK him as he walks deeper into the store, to the
big, round Scoob table where everyone is gathered around
Willow and Tara who are performing a spell.. their hands
joined across the table.
XANDER
You should see what it's like out
there. Big with the weird and wacky.
DAWN
Shh. They're trying to concentrate.
Xander shuts up. Willow and Tara, their eyes focused on
the centre of the table, continue to concentrate..
silently mumbling an incantation. We see a glowy green
mist cover the table.
Tara looks at the mist strangely, then up to Willow.
Willow returns the look of confusion.
BUFFY
Well. Did you find him?
WILLOW
No.. not yet.
(turning back to study the
green mist)
This is all wrong.
XANDER
What?
WILLOW
Well, the spell works by giving us a
map of Sunnydale and the position of
all its inhabitants.
BUFFY
How do we know which one is Giles?
TARA
Well, Giles would come up as a blue dot
on the map.. and everyone else red.
DAWN
(looking at the green mist)
But.. there's nothing but green here.
No dots of any colour.
WILLOW
That's the thing.
TARA
But not the only thing.
Willow and Tara share a worried look.. knowing what the
map is telling them.
BUFFY
(turning to Tara, then
Willow)
Okay, what's not the only thing.
WILLOW
According to this, we're not where we
should be.
ANYA
What? The Magic Box?
WILLOW
No. Yes. I mean, this isn't the Magic
Box. In fact, according to this, we're
not even in Sunnydale anymore.
XANDER
Come again?
ANYA
What he said.
BUFFY
Are you guys sure? I mean, look around.
We've been walking around town all day.
ANYA
Are you sure you did the spell right?
WILLOW
(to Anya; disdainfully)
Oh, please.
(to the group)
All I know is that this isn't the place
where we used to be.
DAWN
What.. so, like nothing here is real?
BUFFY
That would kinda explain our
dissapearing playhouse.
DAWN
I don't understand. How can all this
not be real?
XANDER
Ooh.. Maybe its like in Star Trek, when
it looked like they moved this entire
village to a new place, only the whole
thing was like a giant hologram. I'd
betcha that's what's going on here.
BUFFY
(unbelieving)
Xander.
Xander walks over towards a wall.
XANDER
No, wait. I'll show you. My hand's
gonna go straight through this wall.
Xander takes a swing and smashes his hand into the wall.
The wall fails to give way. A severely pained expression
crosses his face. Everybody else winces.
Xander turns slowly back to the group, holding on to his
hand.
XANDER
(still wincing; in a high,
pained voice)
Much, much pain.
Anya goes over to comfort him.
BUFFY
(to Xander)
Feeling any better?
XANDER
Okay, so we're not on a show on UPN.
ANGLE : WILLOW AND TARA
still sitting at the table. Willow looks down at the
dissapering green mist, deep in thought.
WILLOW
It doesn't make any sense. Why would
anyone take all this trouble to move us
to this place?
TARA
And then make it seem like we haven't?
DAWN
Why are people dissapearing? And
where's Giles?
XANDER
All good, incisive, brand spankin' new
questions. Did any of you check the box
to see if they came with any answers?
BUFFY
First things first.
(to Willow and Tara)
You guys. Would that protection spell
you two were tinkering before work
here?
WILLOW
Sure. I mean, we just have to tweak it
a little.
BUFFY
Well, get tweaky. I don't want anyone
else dissapearing on me.
Willow and Tara get to work. Willow heads off towards a
bookcase to fetch a spellbook. Before she reaches it,
however, the entire bookcase dissapears, along with
several other random items in the shop. The Scoobs stare
at each other.
BUFFY
Okay, new plan.
EXT. ROAD - DAY
We TRACK a car from above, driving at high speed on a
lonely road. We also see dark clouds on the horizon.
We prelap:
ANYA (O.S.)
Quit pushing.
WILLOW (O.S.)
I'm not pushing.
INT. INSIDE XANDER'S CAR - DAY
where we see Xander and Buffy in the front seats.. Xander
driving. We DOLLY past them and focus on the four cramped
passengers at the back.. (from left to right) Willow,
Dawn, Anya and Tara. Dawn looks very uncomfortable tucked
in between Willow and Anya. Willow has a large book on
her lap and is trying to read it.
DAWN
Ow.
WILLOW
(to Anya)
Shove over. You're squishing Dawn.
ANYA
If anyone's squishing Dawn, it's you.
DAWN
Okay.. guys? Dawn still being
squished..
(winces)
more so.
TARA
Wait, I'll sit up a bit.
Tara does so, making a little more space for the four at
the back. Dawn looks a little happier.
ANGLE : XANDER AND BUFFY
sitting up front.
XANDER
Where exactly are we going?
BUFFY
I don't know. But I know I don't like
our chances back in town.
TARA
We should head for Greenville. We
didn't get the chance to pick up any
ingredients for the spell and they've
got a magic shop over there.
XANDER
Greenville it is.
ANYA
(noticing something out the
front windshield)
Um.. You know when that girl said
something was coming? Did anyone
consider that she was talking about
that?
All eyes look out the front windshield.
REVERSE ANGLE : THE SKY
Black clouds in the distance, coming closer. The car,
which is travelling uphill and thus the horizon isn't
visible, is seemingly heading straight into it.
XANDER
It does have the look of the foreboding
about it.
Tara looks all around, checking out the sky through each
window.
TARA
It's all around. Like it's closing in
on Sunnydale.
BUFFY
We'll just have to drive through it. I
mean, what choice do we have? Once we
reach Greenville, we can stop and setup
and Will and Tara can do the spell.
XANDER
Speaking of which.. How's that spell
coming there Will?
ANYA
Yeah. What's taking so long?
WILLOW
(trying to read the book but
looking decidedly queasy)
You know how the world is divided
between people who get carsick when
reading in moving vehicles and people
who don't? Well, I think I finally
figured out which one I belong to.
TARA
You want me to take over sweetie?
Willow nods queasily and starts to hand over the book.
Anya grabs it before it is passed over to Tara.
ANYA
(opening the book and
flipping through the pages)
For God's sake, just let me look for
it. Honestly, I've seen quadruplets
that have taken longer to deliver.
WILLOW
(grabbing the book)
Hey! Give that over!
A mini tug-of-war develops between Willow and Anya. Dawn,
still squished in the middle, is nudged from side to side
as Willow and Anya tug at the book.
DAWN
(to herself)
This must be what my socks feel like
when to go in the washing.
BUFFY
(turning back to the rear)
Hey you guys. Stop it.
ANGLE : XANDER
who is the first to notice it. His eyes widen as he
stares at something through the front windshield. He
stops the car. Xander just stares at the sight before
him.
Buffy, noticing, turns around to look at Xander.
BUFFY
What? Are we out of gas?
She turns to look out the windshield. She looks
flabbergasted. She slowly gets out of the car.
EXT. ROAD - DAY
ANGLE : THE CAR
from behind, at the top of a hill. We see Buffy and the
rest of the Scoobs get out and look in the distance. We
CRANE UP over them to look at what they are looking at.
We see, off in the distance, that the black clouds are in
fact a thick wall of black, extending from the ground to
the sky.. slowly eating up the landscape as it
approaches. There is a slight discolouration in the sky
near the black wall.. as if a smeared water-colour
painting. The ground just before the black wall is
entirely bare, as if stripped of everything. We hear a
loud roar coming from the approaching black wall.
BUFFY
Okay, we have to turn back.
ANYA
You think?
Anya is first to get back into the car, placing herself
snugly in the front seat. Everyone else piles in after
her. The car starts up again, then slowly executes a
three-point turn and drives back in the opposite
direction.
INT. INSIDE XANDER'S CAR - DAY
All the faces looking frantic. Tara is leafing through
the magic book, looking for the spell. Buffy looks
through the back window and notices the black wall
bearing down upon them. She turns around to look through
the front window.. dark skies further off in the horizon.
Dark skies all around, slowly closing in.
BUFFY
Suddenly, Sunnydale doesn't look like a
bad place to hang.
ANYA
(looking back to Buffy)
We're going back there now? After that
big sell about skipping town?
BUFFY
(re the black wall)
Well, I didn't count on Mister happy,
black oblivion there waiting for us
just over the hill. We'll just have to
double back and get back to the Magic
Box..
(to Willow and Tara)
you know, work the spell there like we
planned before.
Tara hands the open magic book over to Willow, pointing
to something.
WILLOW
(nodding)
We're ready.
DAWN
(scared)
Buffy. What's happening?
BUFFY
Just stay next to me Dawn. I promise I
won't let anything happen to you.
A quick moment of consolation between the sisters.
BUFFY
(leaning over to take a look
at the spell in the magic
book)
Xander, how long till we get to
Sunnydale?
No answer.
BUFFY
(turning slowly to the
front)
Xander, I said..
Buffy's eyes widen in shock. We PULL BACK to reveal the
front seats.. empty. Anya and Xander have dissapeared.
Buffy turns back and stares at Willow, Tara and Dawn in
the back seats. The driverless car begins to swerve.
Buffy leaps to action, reaching forward and grabbing the
steering wheel.
EXT. ROAD - DAY
where we see the car swerving out of control from left to
right as Buffy struggles to keep the car on the road.
INT. INSIDE XANDER'S CAR - DAY
as Buffy squirms her way forward to the front seat,
frantically trying to steer the car as she does so. She
finally manages to get her feet down to the pedals. She
applies the brakes and the car screeches to a halt.
Buffy breathes deeply, then turns back to check on
everyone else. Willow, Tara and Dawn are similarly
stunned. No words are exchanged. Buffy sees the dark
skies approaching from behind. She turns back to the
front and gets the car going forward again.
EXT. SUNNYDALE STREET - DAY
Empty and desolate in the center of town. We see a
solitary car speeding its way down the street.
INT. INSIDE XANDER'S CAR - DAY
where all is quiet. Willow, Tara and Dawn look nervously
around at the scene before them. Buffy, in the front,
drives forward with a determined look on her face.
EXT. MAGIC BOX - DAY
as the car pulls up in front of it. The girls pile out.
As they rush out, a fire hydrant dissapears in front of
them. They stop and look at each other.
BUFFY
Go.
Willow, Tara and Dawn enter the store. Buffy takes one
last look up at the sky.
REVERSE ANGLE : THE SKY
again, we see dark skies closing in.
Buffy turns back around and rushes into the store.
INT. THE MAGIC BOX - DAY
as Buffy enters the store. We see Willow and Tara are
already preparing for the spell. Willow frantically
searches for some ingredients on a shelf while Tara draws
a large figure eight on the floor with a chalk. Two
circles joined.
Willow comes back holding two small bottles, one of which
she hands over to Tara.
BUFFY
What do we do?
WILLOW
We have to get in the circles.
Willow steps into one of the circles.
WILLOW
(to Buffy)
You and me in this one and Dawn and
Tara in the other.
They step into their respective circles. Willow takes a
look down at the magic book which has been placed on the
floor close by. She goes through the spell in her head.
She takes a look at the small bottle in her hand..
looking unconvinced.
BUFFY
(noticing)
You sure got the right spell?
Willow takes a look at the dissapearing world outside the
window. We can hear a roar off in the distance.. getting
increasingly louder.
WILLOW
Too late to shop around now.
Suddenly, we see a series of dissapearances.. the cash
register, a vase, a chair. Everyone looks stunned for a
beat.
TARA
Will.
Willow snaps out of it. She begins the spell..
WILLOW
I call upon our goddess Hecate.
Protect us from the dark.
I call upon our goddess Hecate.
Keep us in the light.
Keep us from evil.
Keep us from hate.
Keep safe the four in the eight.
Willow empties the bottle into her hand.. a powdery
substance spills out. She then throws the powder up into
the air. As it settles to the ground, we see half of the
figure eight light up.. an illuminated S on the floor.
Willow looks up to Tara and nods. Tara takes her cue. As
she speaks, several random items dissapear from the
room.. one after another.
TARA
I call upon our goddess Hecate.
Protect us from the dark.
I call upon our goddess Hecate.
Keep us in the light.
Keep..
Willow dissapears. Everyone is stunned. Tara looks to be
in shock.. all the air taken from her lungs. She stares
at the empty space where Willow used to be. After a beat,
she turns to Buffy, then Dawn. She closes her eyes.. as
if forcing herself to concentrate.
TARA
Keep.. keep us from evil.
Keep us from hate.
Keep safe the four in the eight.
Things continue to dissapear from the shop at a constant
interval. Tara pours the powder from her bottle into her
hand. Just as she is about to throw the powder in the
air, she dissapears.
The powder falls to the floor, weakly illuminating the
other half of the figure eight.
Buffy and Dawn stare at each other.. helpless, afraid and
sad. The roar getting louder and louder outside. More
items dissapear from the store. The big table, a lamp,
the ceiling. Dawn and Buffy look up to see the sky above
starting to look discoloured.
DAWN
(almost in tears)
Buffy?
BUFFY
(trying to be strong)
Just stay in the circle Dawn.
Dawn does so. She looks nervously around her. More things
dissapear. A ladder, a door, a window.
BUFFY
I'm right here Dawn. I won't let
anything happen to you. Just stay in
the circle.
Dawn looks over at Buffy. She reaches out with her hand.
Buffy reaches out with hers. Their fingers almost
touching but unable to for fear of breaking their
respective circles.
BUFFY
Stay with me Dawn. Nothings' going to
happen to you. You hear me? Nothing's
going to happen.
Dawn nods solemnly. More items dissapear. The counter, a
bookcase.. and Dawn.
Buffy stands there, shocked.. staring into empty space.
She starts to tear up.
BUFFY
(to herself, quietly)
Nothing's going to happen.. nothing's
going to happen.
She stands rooted to the spot for a beat, teardrops
running down her face. A strange calm then seems to
envelop her. She steps out of the circle and waits. More
things continue to dissapear. Even so, Buffy stands and
waits.. waiting for her turn. Eventually, all four walls
of the shop dissapear, along with everything else in the
shop.
EXT. SUNNYDALE STREET - DAY
Buffy takes a look around. She finds herself standing out
in the open, with a dissapearing town around her. It is
getting darker and darker as the black skies approach
closer with an accompanying roar.
Buffy starts to walk slowly down the street.. all fear
now vanished from her body. Around her, entire buildings
are now dissapearing. She takes little notice. She closes
her eyes and waits for the end.. the darkness closes in.
She suddenly senses something. She opens her eyes to see
something approaching her.. a tiny point of light. Little
friend circles around Buffy, then speeds off to the left.
Buffy slowly follows it.
EXT. PARK - DAY
where we see Little friend leading Buffy back to a
familiar place, untouched by everything going on around
it. The circus tent sits proudly in the centre of the
park, its lights off.. waiting for Buffy.
Buffy enters the circus grounds. Immediately the sound of
the roaring outside dissipates. Everything inside the
circus grounds is eerily calm and quiet.. as if it is in
the eye of a hurricane.
We see the tiny point of light zipping into the circus
tent. Buffy calmly follows it, approaching the large,
foreboding structure. She stops at the entrance and looks
up.
ANGLE ON : THE SIGN
as it lights up.. flickering itself to life. It reads..
"The Grand Illusion".
Buffy enters the tent.
BLACKOUT
END OF ACT THREE
CONTINUE TO ACT FOUR