WWDD: S2E12 “BAD EGGS”

Big news in Sunnydale: the mall opened a Limited Too. Dawn begs Joyce to take her, which is perfect because Joyce has errands anyway. Buffy decides to tag along despite Dawn’s observation that Buffy is always copying her. At the mall, Dawn meets up with Shannon, Janice, and Melinda while Joyce and Buffy do boring adult stuff. Later, Dawn is outraged to learn she somehow missed slaying at the mall.

The next morning, she struts through Sunnydale Elementary armed with glitter scrunchies, butterfly clips, and flavored ChapSticks. She nearly screams when she opens her locker and finds another note, ripped from her journal: I think we should talk. Heart pounding, she slams her locker shut and tries to act normal. She’s grateful for the distraction when Buffy comes home with an egg. Buffy jokingly asks Dawn to babysit while she’s patrolling, and Dawn accepts with enthusiasm. Before Buffy’s out the window, the egg has a name—Eggbert. Dawn crafts it a tiny basket, creates Buffy a nightly checklist, and tucks it into Buffy’s bed surrounded by her best stuffed animals.

The next night, while Buffy is out with Angel, Dawn abandons her food pyramid homework (why does anyone need an entire loaf of bread every day?) to upgrade Eggbert’s living situation. She adds more stuffed animals and attempts to knit a pink carrier before noticing the egg move. She taps it; it shivers. Before bed, she adds “check for possible haunting” to the list. The next morning, Buffy shows her what’s left of “Eggbert.” Dawn isn’t sure what’s more disturbing: her journal stalker or the creature she’s been nurturing.

That night, Joyce and Buffy get home late, so Dawn takes matters into her own hands. She inspects every egg in the fridge, decides none can be trusted, and throws them all away—smashing most for good measure. The episode ends with Buffy and Angel making out through Buffy’s window while Dawn stands in the doorway making gagging noises until Buffy starts launching stuffed animals at her.