Buffy The Vampire Slayer Episode Guide

Season 1, episode 1

Welcome To The Hellmouth

Written by Joss Whedon
Directed by Charles Martin Smith
Original air date: March 10, 1997
Episode #: 4V01

Cast:
Buffy Summers: Sarah Michelle Gellar
Xander Harris: Nicholas Brendon
Willow Rosenberg: Alyson Hannigan
Rupert Giles: Anthony Stewart Head
Cordelia Chase: Charisma Carpenter
Joyce Summers: Kristine Sutherland
Principle Flutie: Ken Lerner
Darla: Julie Benz

Welcome To The Hellmouth kicks off the television series of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, based on the 1992 feature film of the same name.
This episode picks up where the film left off. Buffy Summers and her mom have moved to the quiet town of Sunnydale, California because Buffy was kicked out of school in Los Angeles. At her new school, Sunnydale High, Buffy quickly meets a few new friends: Xander, Willow and the popular Cordelia.
When she goes to the library, she meets Giles, the librarian. He knows that Buffy is the chosen one, the vampire slayer. When he confronts her with it, she denies it and runs away. She thought that moving to Sunnydale also was the end of the vampire slaying, but unfortunately for her, it isn't. Giles thinks it's not a coincidence that Buffy moved to Sunnydale, since the town was built right on top of the Hellmouth.

When a dead body is found in a locker room, and Buffy learns that he has two holes in his neck, she goes back to Giles. Giles informs her about the Hellmouth, and that he is her new Watcher. Buffy finally accepts her fate as the vampire slayer.

On her way to the Bronze, Sunnydale's only club, she meets a mysterious stranger who tells her the Harvest is coming. Once in the Bronze, she tells Giles (who is searching for vampires there) about it. Then she senses a vampire, only to see him walk away with Willow. Buffy goes after them, but can't find them anymore. Outside, she runs into Xander, who had overheard Buffy's conversation with Giles in the library, so he now knows about Buffy's slaying activities. He helps Buffy to find Willow.
Willow was taken to a mausoleum, where she finds Jesse, a friend of Xander. Jesse was lead there by Darla, a vampire. The vampires were gathering food for The Master, a demonic vampire who has risen again. The Master had asked for fresh blood to strengthen him a bit to prepare for the Harvest.
Buffy and Xander arrive just in time at the mausoleum to free Willow and fight the vampires. Unfortunately, Jesse had already been taken to The Master.

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