WWDD: S2E11 “TED”

Dawn is at Janice’s house while Joyce is out with Ted. When she comes home, Xander is in her kitchen eating pizza! He probably even likes anchovies; they’re basically soulmates. That night, Buffy tells Dawn Ted is mom’s boyfriend, and the Summers girls smack-talk him together on Dawn’s bed. Dawn is sick for mini-golf and stays home, so Ted makes her chicken fingers and mustard before they leave. By the time they return, Dawn feels oddly cheerful, but Buffy looks shaken and implores Dawn not to trust Ted.

Things turn bad fast when Dawn accidentally catches Ted rifling through Joyce’s planner. “Good girls don’t interrupt grownups,” he snaps. “You’re not my dad,” she fires back and runs upstairs. He follows, sending her to bed without dinner. When she protests, he grabs her wrist—too hard—and she feels cold metal. After he leaves, she finds a lock installed outside her door and Ted tells Joyce Dawn is “too sick” for dinner. Trapped and scared, Dawn later hears Ted rummaging in Buffy’s room.

When Buffy returns, Dawn hears Ted’s threatening tone and the ensuing physical struggle. She hides under her bed before she hears the crash downstairs and Joyce’s gasp: He’s dead. Dawn can’t help but feel relieved that Buffy is safe. Minutes later, Buffy finds Dawn under her bed, telling her to stay put while she and mom talk to the police and Shannon’s sister babysits. When they return, neither will say much, but Dawn eventually crawls into Buffy’s bed.

Ted sneaks back in while Dawn lies awake in her room. She hears creaky stairs. Footsteps. Then, a sillouette. Darting under her bed again, she stifles a scream as Ted moves down the hall. She hears the fight in Buffy’s room and seconds later, Buffy appears in the doorway with a finger to her lips before disappearing downstairs. She hears the clang of metal, a crash, then silence. Finally, Buffy returns, promising, “it’s over—he’s not coming back.” Despite Buffy’s words, she can’t help thinking: How many Teds are out there?