Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Recap/S4 E14 Goodbye Iowa

Walsh's creation has escaped The Initiative. Riley is suffering from drug withdrawals.

• Air Vent Escape: Adam escaping the Initiative.
• Ape Shall Never Kill Ape: Invoked by the demon who beats Spike for allying with the Slayer.
• Arson, Murder, and Admiration: Spike giving Riley the thumbs up for apparently trying to kill Buffy.
• Badass Boast: Adam going on about his specs.
• Bad Guy Bar: Willy's Place.
• Bullethole Door
• Brief Accent Imitation: Spike tries putting on his fake US accent again when Riley sees him...then gives up.
• Clipboard of Authority: Actually comes in useful when Buffy uses it to stop a door closing.
• Coincidental Broadcast
• Contemplate Our Navels

Adam: I've been thinking about the world. I wanted to see it. Learn it. I saw the inside of that boy and it was beautiful. But it didn't tell me about the world. It just made me feel. So now...I want to learn about me. Why I feel? What I am?

• Description Cut: Giles wonders what Prof. Walsh was so desperate to hide that she'd kill Buffy over it. Cue Adam walking out into the open air.
• Dressing as the Enemy: Xander in his army greens and Buffy as a lab-coated scientist.
• Exact Eavesdropping: Played unabashedly straight when Buffy and Xander infiltrate the Initiative to determine what is wrong with Riley, only for two scientist mooks to walk around the corner discussing it.
• Failed Attempt At Drama

Buffy - I'm going to the crime scene to see what I can find out. You guys research the Polgara demon. I want to know where it is. When I find it, I'm going to make it pay for taking that kid's life. I'll make him die in ways he can't even imagine. (looks down at herself) That probably would've sounded more commanding if I wasn't wearing my yummy sushi pajamas.

• Fake-Out Make-Out: Subverted. Xander sees two soldiers walking towards them and grabs Buffy.

Xander: Quick; pretend to make out with me. Buffy: (pushing him away) Wait, what are you talking about? Xander: Well I uh, you know. In the movies the guy and the girl have to hide... Buffy: Please, could you possibly draw more attention to us? This is the Initiative, Xander. Military guys and scientists do not make out with each other. Xander: Well maybe that's wrong with the world. Ever think about that?

• Fatal Attractor: Lampshaded by Spike re Buffy.

Got to hand it to you Goldilocks — you do have bleeding tragic taste in men. I've got a cousin married to a regurgitating Frovlax demon got better instincts than you.

• Final Boss Preview
• Foreshadowing: Tara sabotages Willow's demon location spell; the reason is revealed in Season 5's "Family".
  • Riley threatens to kill Adam. He replies, "You won't. You haven't been programmed to."
• From the Mouths of Babes

Adam: Who am I? Child: You're a monster. Adam: I thought so.

• Getting Crap Past the Radar: Another magic = lesbian love discussion.

Willow: I had so much fun the other night, with the spells... Tara: Yeah, that was nice. Willow: I hope you don't think I just come over for the spells and everything, I mean, I really like just talking and hanging out with you and stuff. Tara: I know that. But you wanna do a spell, right? Willow: Yeah, but... Tara: Oh, you don't have to explain. I've been thinking about that last spell we did all day.

• • Then they conjure the Goddess Thespia.
• Grey and Gray Morality: Lampshaded by Riley.
• Heroic BSOD: Prof. Walsh's actions shake Riley's unquestioning loyalty to his superiors.
• Ho Yay: Xander's "Can I sleep with Riley too?" after seeing the Elaborate Underground Base.
• Infant Immortality: Averted.
• The Informant: Willy returns from Season 3. He insists Buffy hit him to make it look good.
• It's a Long Story: Played straight for once — Buffy on why "Hostile 17" is in her house.
• It's Personal: The Initiative commandos disobey orders and go searching for the Polgara demon they think killed Walsh.
• The Lady's Favour: Buffy wraps her headscarf around Riley's injured hand. At the end of the episode she's talking about how she needs to be with Riley as he has "nothing to hold on to" any more. Description Cut to Riley in hospital, looking at Buffy's scarf in his hand.
• Magic Floppy Disk: Kinda detracts from Adam's Badass cyborg look.
• Nerd Glasses: Buffy wears these while posing as a Hot Scientist. The Glasses Come Off when she starts Perp Sweating Dr. Angleman.
• Paper-Thin Disguise: As an attractive female teenager working in an all-male military unit, Buffy must have gotten a lot of covert checking out — it's surprising none of the Initiative guards recognise her.
• Psycho Serum: Riley is unaware that Walsh was covertly drugging the commandos food (presumably the "vitamins" he took in the last episode). He starts to suffer withdrawal symptoms including aggression and paranoia.
• Red Shirt: Dr. Angleman
• Scare Chord: Willow opens the curtain to find a crazed Riley awake and looking back at her.
• Shout-Out: Obvious references to Frankenstein.
• Two Part Episode
• Walk in Chime In / Dynamic Entry

Buffy: Everything that we need to know is here! We just need to find out what was in 314! (Dead commando drops to the floor; everyone looks up to see Adam standing on a catwalk) Adam: Me.

• What Measure Is a Non-Human?: Riley's prejudice against demons comes through; this turns to Rage Against the Reflection when he meets Adam.
• The Worf Effect: Buffy kicking and punching Adam to no effect.