I Robot…You Jane

• Air Date – April 28th, 1997
• Writers – Ashley Gable and Thomas A. Swyden
• Director – Stephan Posey
• Producer – Joss Whedon

I Robot…You Jane is the first of many Willow-centric episodes, and does a great job of beginning the characterization process in much more depth than we have seen up to date.  The title is also amusing as it is a combination of Isaac Asimov’s “I, Robot” and the Tarzan quote “Me Tarzan, you Jane”.  Both of these references become relevant in the episode.  This is also the first appearance of Jenny Calendar.  She holds the distinction of being the first on-screen love interest of Giles, and the first primary character to be killed.

We begin in the middle ages at a monastery.  A large demon names Moloch is holding court surrounded by young men.  The demon professes that all he wants is love from his followers then breaks one of their necks.  Elsewhere a group of monks are all chanting around an old book.  The lead monk opens the book and the demon is pulled into it and locked away in a box.

Cut to a box being opened in the Sunnydale High School library.  Dave and Fritz, two aspiring computer geeks, are helping Xander and Willow scan the school’s library into computer files.  Ms. Calendar, the computer science teacher, is also overseeing the operation and never misses an opportunity to criticize Giles on his obvious dislike of technology in general and computers specifically. The book that the monks used to trap the demon is being scanned by Willow.  During the scanning process the text of the book begins to disappear.  Although Willow doesn’t see the computer screen, the text on it reads, “Where am I?”.

A few days later Willow begins having an online relationship with a boy named Malcolm.  It is clear that Buffy is concerned about this relationship the moment Willow reveals it too her.  Not knowing how to research someone online, Buffy turns to the computer geek Dave for assistance.  Dave is not only resistant to the idea of checking out Malcolm he makes it clear that Buffy needs to mind her own business.

Ms. Calendar, again in the library messing with Giles, begins thumbing through the demon book Willow scanned.  Giles looks the book over and becomes concerned after seeing the demon on the cover.

Dave approaches Buffy and tells her Willow is looking for her in the girls’ locker room.  Fritz has set a trap for Buffy in the locker room with a running shower and a live electrical wire.  At the last moment Dave warns Buffy and she leaps to safety, though she got enough of a shock to have smoking shoes.  Dave, speaking to a computer, tells it he won’t kill Buffy.  The computer begins typing up Dave’s a suicide note.

Giles, Buffy, and Xander are discussing demons in the library.  Giles explains that in the Dark Ages, certain magical books were used to trap the souls of demons.  These books could restrain the demons, and would do so until they were read aloud.  This would release the demon.  It is clear that Willow released the demon into the Internet.  Giles also explains that this particular book held the essence of Moloch the Corruptor.  Moloch was notorious for seducing young minds into doing his bidding, and it is obvious this is what happened to Fritz and Dave.  In an attempt to stop Moloch, Buffy tries to delete his “file” from Willow’s computer.  Moloch appears on the monitor and acts very demony and tells Buffy to stay away from Willow.

Buffy, while looking for Willow too keep her away from Malcolm (Moloch), finds the body of Dave hanging in the computer lab, along with his bogus suicide note.  Willow in the meantime is getting kidnapped by Fritz and taken to a computer warehouse.

Although Giles has extensive knowledge on the occult, he knows nothing about computers or the Internet.  In desperation he asks Ms. Calendar for help.  In doing so he finds that she too

has occult knowledge, and indeed refers to herself as a “techno-pagan”.  Together they begin casting the spell used by the monks in the Dark Ages to bind Moloch to the book, but this time direct it into the Internet.

Buffy and Xander follow Willow’s trail to the computer warehouse. As they are arriving Moloch reveals himself to Willow as himself, and not the Malcolm persona he has been using.  The demon has downloaded himself into a robot that somewhat resembles the form he had as a demon.  He kills Fritz as a demonstration of the fact he’s an ass then when it is clear Willow won’t love him moves into position to break hers as well.  It is at this time that he becomes aware of Buffy and Xander, and begins to move towards them.  Just then the spell Giles and Ms. Calendar are casting kicks in, and Moloch is bound.  Not bound to the book this time, but to the robot body he is in.

Now that he can’t download himself into the Internet, he is vulnerable.  Buffy performs the usual fisticuffs and positions him where he punches a fuse box and electrocutes himself to death.