Cortona, Italy. 1418. Wow, this one's got some serious backstory. A big ol' creepy demon guy is asking a young man named Carlo for his love, promising Carlo his fondest wishes in return. Carlo surprises me by eagerly pledging his love. Then the demon guy surprises me even more by snapping Carlo's neck.

In a monastery nearby, a monk warns that Moloch the Corruptor is getting more and more powerful, as people continue to be mesmerized by the demon. Ah, see, I knew there had to be a reason Carlo was so forthcoming with the love. I mean, not to be species-ist or anything, but Moloch? Kinda creepy and not making up for it with good looks. But the monks have a plan to bind Moloch. They chant over an open book, summoning Moloch to them and imprisoning him inside the pages. Then they pray that the accursed book shall never again be read. So you just know the accursed book's gonna get read again.

Sure enough, Buffy finds the book in a large shipment Giles has recently received. There's a big hubbub in the Library, computers and books strewn all over the table. Giles asks Buffy to put the book to the side so that he can look at it before it's scanned into the computer. Actually, he says "skinned", but the computer teacher (Jenny Calendar) is there to correct him and give him some condescending comments about joining the 20th century. One of her students, Fritz, decides to be even more eccentric and ridiculing of the non computer literate. She makes apologies for his attitude, but she honestly doesn't come off much better herself. And I'm not just defending Giles here - she's just plain mean. The group breaks up, what with the judgmental tension and all. Giles goes back into the stacks, Willow continues scanning books, and hey those symbols look familiar. As the symbols on the page are captured by the scanner, they begin disappearing from the pages of the book. Willow doesn't notice this, as she's paying attention to the computer screen. But then she closes the book and turns away. The screen goes black, and three words appear. "Where am I?"

When we return from the opening credits, Willow is in a seriously dreamy daze. Buffy finally gets her attention and mentions Willow's phone being busy all night, and Willow spills her secret. She was talking to someone she met after the scanning project, and she's seriously crushing on him. Malcolm's just about perfect in every way, but Buffy's a little confused when Willow doesn't have any idea what he looks like.

She follows Willow into the computer lab, not hearing the guy who's making promises to his computer, and Willow explains that she met her new beau online. Miss Calendar comes in to begin lab. But she lets Buffy stay a few to chat with Willow, so I start to feel a little more kindly towards her. Willow's extremely psyched to see she's gotten email from Malcolm. Buffy does the friend thing and encourages her to be careful about moving too fast with somebody she really doesn't know anything about. Willow's a bit defensive, of course, and apparently so's the computer's webcam, which starts to focus in on Buffy's face as she cautions her friend.

In a different room, a computer begins to access student files, zeroing in on Buffy. And the fact that there's nobody operating the computer while it does this is not to be taken as a good. It calls up her information (see "Quirks"), then the camera pulls back to reveal that we're looking at yet another computer, this one operated by Fritz. The screen goes black, and two words appear. "Watch her." Hey, that bodes well. Miss Calendar stops by Fritz's desk to note that he & Dave have spent a lot of extra time online recently, and he tells her it's for a new project and that she'll just die. Sheesh.

On the school steps, a guy's perplexed and miffed to see that his report's been changed to "Nazi Germany was a model of a well-ordered society". Yeah, um, he didn't write that. Willow walks past, and Xander approaches her, hoping she'll be going with him to The Bronze later that evening. She's gonna stay home and talk to Malcolm, though. He mentions it to Buffy and expresses suspicion and displeasure, but Buffy's theory is that he's jealous. He insists he doesn't feel that way about Willow, but Buffy didn't mean it that way - just that Willow's got a guy in her life that's not him, and maybe he's feeling replaced. Xander's got a much better concern, though. After all, for all they know, Malcolm could be anybody.

Later that night, Fritz just can't stop staring at his computer screen, babbling about being jacked in, and carving an "M" into his arm. That's healthy.

The next day, Willow's a couple hours late for school. She says she overslept, but until 5th period? Impressive. Buffy correctly assumes she was talking to Malcolm the night before. Willow gets defensive about Buffy's attitude, mistaking Buffy's concern for her safety for Buffy not wanting Willow to be happy with her new boyfriend. And it's no big deal if she blows off a couple classes. Okay, one? For Willow, blowing off classes is a very big deal. Two? She just said she overslept. Willow says Malcolm told her that Buffy wouldn't understand. Ah, excellent, the old "separate her from her friends and tell her you're the only one who understands" routine. Always the mark of a caring and considerate lover, don't you think?

Buffy goes to the computer lab and finds Dave there. He's seriously zoned into his computer, but she finally gets his attention. She's asking him about tracing an email to find out more about where it's coming from, but when she mentions Malcolm, Dave gets totally antsy, telling Buffy to mind her own business. Buffy thinks for a second that he might be Malcolm, but he just tells her to split because he's got work to do. She leaves, determined to do some work of her own, not noticing the psychotic look that Fritz is giving her. Wonderful.

Buffy tries to talk to Giles about the what's going on, but he's completely out of his element when it comes to computers. If she thinks something's really going on with Dave, he suggests, maybe she could follow him? She scoffs at the whole trenchcoat and sunglasses thing, so naturally, as Dave leaves school, Buffy's set to tail him in her trenchcoat and sunglasses. She watches him enter a building called CRD. Then we see the security camera watching her. Ah, but the screen the video's on is once again Fritz's, and he's back at school. Buffy's getting too close to something, and Fritz wants instructions. So what does his computer screen have to say? "Kill her." Fritz is down with that.

In the Library, Xander tells Buffy that the company she followed Dave to closed the year before. Which doesn't mesh with the lively bustle of activity Buffy saw there earlier. Giles doesn't know what to suggest, and Buffy decides that breaking into the place is a good idea. Giles tries to say how much he doesn't love that plan, but Miss Calendar enters, and the two of them are quickly involved in another bickering fight about computers vs. books.

Over in the computer lab, Willow is chatting with Malcolm. He makes with the creepy "No one understands you like I do" jazz, and they talk about meeting soon. He tries to tell her not to listen to Buffy, since she's such a troublemaker, but when he mentions her previous expulsion from Hemery, Willow wonders how he knows that. He tries to cover, saying she must have mentioned it to him, but Willow seems a little uneasy and logs off. Go with those instincts, Willow.

Giles and Miss Calendar are still fighting. They're both making some good points, but what with the theme of the episode, I'm going to have to give some extra weight to Giles's argument about not looking forward to a world where people can be manipulated and controlled by machines. She points out the odd, empty book that Willow scanned earlier. When Giles sees the cover, he's clearly troubled and bids Miss Calendar a hasty goodbye.

Out on the quad, a student is being taken to the hospital, and the school nurse is upset that there wasn't anything in the computer about him being allergic to penicillin. Dave apologizes to Buffy for the day before then tells her that Willow's in the girls' locker room, looking for her. Buffy heads in there, but doesn't find Willow. The only person in there is Fritz, who turns on the shower. Not that she sees him. She hears the shower running and goes to see if that's where Willow is. She steps into the empty shower to turn off the water, and suddenly Dave hollers for her to look out. There's an exposed wire on the floor of the shower, and she's about to be electrocuted. She starts to jump just as the water reaches the wire, but the shock still jolts her across the room. Good thing she's the slayer, no? Because when she shakes off the impact and looks down, the soles of her shoes are smoking.

Dave returns to the computer lab, upset. He tells the computer that he can't do it. Buffy's no real threat, and he just can't kill her. The computer tells him that he'll only have to kill just this once, since all their plans are about to come to fruition. It repeats the speech the demon guy gave poor Carlo back in 1418, but Dave still refuses. Then suddenly, a new window opens on the screen. It types out a suicide note and signs Dave's name to it. He backs away, and we see Fritz lurking in the corner of the room, sporting another one of his trademark sociopathic expressions. Things aren't looking so good for Dave.

Xander and Giles are in the Library with Buffy, giving her some soothing tea and reassuring her that electrostatic hair is a good look for her. Buffy doesn't understand why Dave would have done such a thing, but Giles thinks it's connected to the now-empty book. As he explains, back in the Dark Ages, the souls of demons would sometimes be imprisoned within books and remain trapped there until they were read aloud. Uh-huh. But since the demon's no longer in libro, they're a bit confused. Firstly, a big ol' demon with horns isn't exactly inconspicuous, and secondly, he's not likely to need a guy like Dave to carry out his dirty work.

Then they put it together. None of them read the book, but the scanner did. Which means that not only is Moloch the Corruptor in the Library's computer, it's in every computer that's reachable by modem. Which makes it pretty much everywhere now. Lovely. Even though it's probably a useless gesture, Buffy gets on the computer to try to delete what Willow scanned. But the file won't delete. Instead, Moloch's big demon face appears on the screen and orders them to stay away from Willow. Hey, think they'll listen?

Nope, time to find Willow. Buffy tells the guys to call Willow's house while she checks the computer lab. When she walks in, the computer screens flicker to life. She backs away and runs into Dave. He's dead, hanging from the ceiling with Moloch's suicide note pinned to his chest. New plan - Buffy and Xander will go to Willow's while Giles looks for a way to contain Moloch. That'll be troublesome, though. He has records of the ceremonies, but they don't exactly apply to demons that are currently binary. Buffy suggests getting Miss Calendar's help, but Giles doesn't think it's going to be easy convincing her that there's a demon in the Internet.

Willow is just getting home. When she walks into her room, her computer informs her that she's got email. She opens the message from Malcolm, who says it's time for them to meet, but she's still uneasy about what he said. She shuts off her monitor and turns away. Then it suddenly turns itself back on, announcing more email. Cyberstalkers can be such fun. Especially ones that can make your computer insist you read their email. The doorbell rings, and Willow goes to answer it, looking nervously over her shoulder at her computer. She opens the door, and Fritz grabs her, holding a chloroform-soaked rag over her mouth until she passes out.

Giles is researching, amid radio reports of global computer mishaps. Miss Calendar arrives, and he hesitates, unsure how to convince her what's wrong. After a couple false starts, he finally spits it out - there's a demon in the internet. I wait for her inevitable shock and disbelief and get a much more intriguing answer instead. She already knows.

Buffy and Xander arrive at Willow's to find the front door unlocked and Malcolm's email open on her monitor. Guessing Moloch stepped up his plans to see Willow, they decide to check out CRD.

But more about Miss Calendar's interesting revelation. Not only is she not surprised, she admits she's seen it coming for days, what with the strange computer activities of late and the bones she's been casting. Giles says it's Moloch, and she knows just what kind of trouble that means. Miss Calendar tells Giles that she's a technopagan. She's not a witch - she doesn't have that kind of power - but she's totally on board with the situation, ready and able to help.

Inside CRD, Willow wakes up and hears Malcolm's voice. She looks aghast at the computer monitor across the room as he tells her how pleased he is to finally see her. Then she looks up and sees where the voice is really coming from. It's roboMoloch, in a fancy new mechanical body, curling metal horns and all. He tells Willow how wonderful he feels. Not only is he privy to pretty much all the information and secrets in the world, but after centuries, he finally has a body again. And what's a newly reincarnate demon gonna do with his new body? Snap Fritz's neck. Just creepy. Not only because of the casualness of it but because just like Carlo, Fritz dies with a look of blissful contentment on his face.

Buffy gracefully leaps down from the fence outside CRD, while Xander does more of an ungainly plummet. They're inside the compound now, but those security cameras come in handy. Moloch knows they're coming. Not that he's particularly worried about it.

Giles and Jenny, meanwhile, are about to start the binding ritual, which begins by forming the circle of Kayless. Giles worries that two of them don't exactly make a circle, but she doesn't mean them - she means her fellow technopagans online.

Willow asks Moloch what he wants from her, and his answer is a little surprising. I assumed he'd say he just wants her love, but he also wants to thank and repay her for freeing him. However, Willow's more about the personal betrayal she's feeling at the moment, angry that he lied to and manipulated her.

Buffy and Xander are almost to Willow, but when the corridor they're in gets locked down, and the CO2 fire suppression system kicks in to suffocate them, they notice the building's computerized security system. Oops.

Now that other members of Jenny's online coven have linked up, the circle's formed, and they're ready to begin the ritual. Giles will read, and she'll type.

Moloch continues to advance on Willow, professing his love and insisting that she's his, until she firmly declares that she's not, nor will she ever be, his. For a moment, it almost looks like her rejection defeats him, but it was really more a moment of quiet contemplation. She won't be his? Oh, well. It's neck-snapping time. He puts his hand on her head, and she screams.

But Giles and Jenny are making progress, and when they summon the demon, he rears back in pain. Which gives Buffy and Xander enough time to come to Willow's rescue, since they heard her scream. Buffy springs into action, landing an excellent flying kick right in the center of Moloch's chest, but she bounces off him and lands sprawled on the floor. Oh, man, that was funny. I gotta watch it again. Be right back.

Hee, that was just as funny the second time around. Especially with the big metal clang when she bounces off him. Sorry, back to the peril...

Giles continues the ritual, Jenny typing as he speaks. Actually, it's more of a really intense and powerful shout to summon the demon, and I get off track again for just a minute. Gotta watch that little bit again too. That was just... ahem. Anyway. The ritual is wreaking havoc with Moloch's inner cool as winds swirl through the Library. Xander decks a lab tech who's trying to restrain him (Go, Xander!), and he, Buffy, and Willow run out into the hallway. The Library computer sparks and flickers, and Moloch sinks to his knees. The spell ended, Jenny proclaims the Internet a Moloch-free zone. He's bound. Except that he's not back in the book. Which means he's taken up permanent residence in his buff metal battlebody.

With more of Moloch's henchfolks coming towards them down the corridor, the gang closes that door behind them and turns to try the other direction. But Moloch crashes through the wall to cut off their escape. Buffy tries to fight him, but he easily bats her away. He's furious that he's confined to his metal body, but before he can snap Buffy's neck, Willow whacks him with a fire extinguisher. It doesn't harm him much, really, but that doesn't stop her. She continues to pummel him and breaks up with him in no uncertain terms, and I pretty much stand up and cheer for Willow. But Moloch's had just about enough and swats her away. He turns to face Buffy again, and there's not much she can do to stop him from punching a hole in her head. But as he lunges for her, she ducks, and his fist connects with the high-voltage circuit-breaker box behind her (clever girl, that Buffy). He sparks, he sizzles, he explodes. No more Moloch.

The next day, Giles tentatively steps into the computer lab to return an earring Miss Calendar left in the Library. She teases him about his obvious discomfort around computers and asks him what he's got against them. He tells her it's the smell. Or lack of it. The musty scent of old books makes the knowledge gained from them seem all the more real and tactile, as opposed to the temporary nature of information on a computer screen. And while I don't share his phobia or discomfort with computers, I know exactly what he means about the smell of books. Just the mention of it puts me right back in the stacks of the university library. Jenny seems to understand what he means too, and her teasing softens. He teases her back about the earring he returned, mentioning her dangling a corkscrew from her ear, but she corrects him. That's not where she dangles it. Oh, my.

Outside, Buffy, Xander, and Willow commiserate. Willow's depressed that the only guy who's shown any interest in her turned out to be a homicidal demon. But Buffy counters that the guy she likes in a vampire. And Xander? Bug lady. They laugh about how doomed they are to lead horrible love lives, but after a moment, it kind of sinks in. Man, they really are doomed.

Thoughts

This was actually another episode I missed the first time around. Unfortunately, I skipped it for the very reason I find it so interesting now. At the time it first aired, it seemed like you couldn't go three days without seeing yet another news story about how the Internet is such a horrible, dangerous thing that will eat your children alive. Since then, I think people have gotten a lot smarter about revealing too much personal information online and monitoring their children's Internet use, but at the time, the media was all about blaming the technology. So when I saw the promo for the "stalker demon in the Internet" episode, I pretty much rolled my eyes and took a pass on Buffy for the week.

Thing is - yes, that issue was very much at the heart of the episode, but I liked the way it was handled. Even though Jenny Calendar came on so strong, ridiculing Giles for his reluctance to embrace the computer age, she did a good job of lobbying on technology's behalf. Plus, I appreciated that the demon of the week wasn't some new thing the Internet created. Actually, the issue kind of went past the Internet to cover dating in general. Dates who try to alienate you from your friends and family? Not good dates. Naturally, when you've got someone new and exciting in your life, you want to spend a lot of time with them. But when Willow started lying and skipping classes? Not a good.

Quirks

Buffy's student file #1: Birthdate: 10/24/80 Status: Senior GPA: 3.4

Buffy's student file #2: Birthdate: 10/24/80 Status: Sophomore GPA: 2.8

Buffy's student file #3: Birthdate: 05/06/79 Status: Sophomore GPA: 3.4

Neat, huh?

How's this for nitpicking? When the computer accesses Buffy's student file for the first time, right below her is a student named Martin Milligan, who's a cheerleader. But unless things have changed since 'The Witch', Sunnydale doesn't have any male cheerleaders.

So Buffy tails Dave when he drives to CRD. I'm wondering... did she jog along behind his car or what? She could probably do it, being the Slayer and all, but I'll bet a girl running across town behind a car is gonna attract some attention and defeat the subtle 'trenchcoat & sunglasses' look she's going for.

When Buffy tries to delete Willow's file, why is she typing the file's name instead of just clicking on it? I mean, the folder's sitting right there on the desktop. She even clicks and drags it to the trash when she's done typing the filename. So what was with all the typing?

When Willow goes to answer the door, the black screen was calmly saying she had mail, but when Buffy and Xander get to Willow's room, her email's open again.

And while I'm nitpicking computer bits, what's with the OS? The computers themselves appear to be IBM-type PC's, but the interface looks like classic Macintosh.

Body Count

Carlo - neck broken by Moloch (1418)
Dave - hanged by Fritz
Fritz - neck broken by Moloch
Moloch - forced into his body by Giles & Jenny (and her coven), then electrocuted himself

Haiku

Jenny flirts with Giles
Teasing 'bout his musty books
Silly girl, he's mine

(^_^)

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