Ep Idea: "Death by Chocolate"

[Drew]

Proposed by Inyan.

A demon named Muhammed and played by Dave Foley is killed by chocolate. He comes to our dimension because there is a power gap.

[Inyan]

Here's a basic plot summary as I see it.

We open on the gang in an elevator. Spike and Angel are fighting about whether Spongebob or Patrick is dummer or something. The door opens and there are +-40 vamps waiting for them. Spike says " Blimey ", cut to theme song.

After song we have onscreen writing saying one hour earlier over a shot of the Demon shelter. Cut to inside.

Tobit is busy briefing them on a new threat. An Entity a level below the PTB has come into our world and is setting up a new Demon Empire. He's hired load of vamps as his personal body guards. The gang must take them out before he amasses to big a force. The gang leaves.

Cut back to interior of building. Exchange of witty banter between the gang and the enemy vamps. Fighting starts.

Cut to a Vamp bar ( “Last week” on screen ). Muhammad Chin materialises in the centre of the bar in a column of white light. A beam of black light singles out one vamp and immediately white light engulfs the rest of the bar ( with the vamp in the black beam of light being protected ). All the vamps except the black light vamp are gone and in the centre of the room stands Muhammad ( Played by Dave Foley ). The vamp put on his game face and heads toward Muhammad, Muhammad says : “ You have seen what I can do. Do you want to see it again.” The vamp backs away. “ I didn't think so .”

We next see Muhammad interviewing vamps for his personal army in a huge richly decorated chamber, asking lame ass questions like “ Were do you see yourself in five years.” ( I see Muhammad as generally cheesy, sort of a big nerd who is suddenly in charge kind of thing. ) Next we see Muhammad giving a motivational speech to his vamp army, telling them how important they are to him and how they should be proud to be part of this great adventure. He reminds them that he is strong enough to take out every vamp in the room but until his full power is reached in about a week, he's vulnerable to the weakness of a normal human body and that is why he depends so much upon them. At that point his head vamp ( the vamp from the bar ) enters and tells him that the leaders of the other great demon houses have come to pay their respects, He shows them in.

Cut back to fight we see the last ten vamps being dusted and the gang approaches the door of the final chamber.

Cut back to a bit earlier and Muhammad is receiving gifts, his head vamp comes back and tells us that the building is under attack. The Demon Heads leave through a back door in a rush and Muhammad is left alone. We hear fighting coming from the other side of the door. He looks through his gifts and opens a box of chocolates without bothering to read the card. He puts a chocolate in his mouth. Suddenly the sounds of fighting stop and the door is thrown open. The gang steps out of a wall of ash and sees Muhammad writhing and pain and die. Witty remarks, they leave.

Cut back to the Demon heads leaving the chamber and we see Tobit placing the box of chocolates on the top of the pile of gifts as he leaves. ( we didn't see him there before in all the hubbub )

Cut back to Muhammad lying dead on the floor, we zoom in on the card on the box and it says “ All the best, PTB “

[Joss]

I like this episode. If for nothing else because it is getting to be a very unusual and twisted episode.

Going back and forth in the time frame, a twisted villain, an incredible fight, all of that adds up to something. If nothing else it will be a really good wacky episode, if we choose to do it.

[Drew]

Is this demon evil? If so, wouldn't the PTB welcome him? I mean, just in the context of our season.

And what does it mean that he's a step under the PTB - simply powerwise? Or does that mean something else?

I like it when episodes are non-linear, but there always has to be a good reason or else it's just meaningless. For this one, there's really no reason it can't be linear (for now). The only thing that it's nice to look back upon is the Tobit reveal. But having the whole thing out of order needs some more justification.

[Joss]

Drew said:

Is this demon evil? If so, wouldn't the PTB welcome him?

The man's got a point there. It might make more sense if he was crusader trying to rid the world of demons[/u], someone who is genuinly good, who wants to rid this world of evil.

Of course this cramps the PTB's style so they gotta take the guy out.

MAybe the revelation of this guy being "good" is good reason for it to be non-linear?

[Everlong]

Joss_Whedon said:

Going back and forth in the time frame, a twisted villain, an incredible fight, all of that adds up to something. If nothing else it will be a really good wacky episode, if we choose to do it.

This is starting to sound more and more like "Killl Bill". Especially with the revelation that the villian isn't that bad.

[Inyan]

Is this demon evil? If so, wouldn't the PTB welcome him? I mean, just in the context of our season.

- I think he is evil. He is like uber evil. So evil that once he reaches his full strength he wouldn't balance the scales; he would tip them in the other direction, were evil would have the upper hand. The powers wouldn't want this.

And what does it mean that he's a step under the PTB - simply powerwise? Or does that mean something else?

- I mean that he is an entity like the PTB. His type also watches man but instead of trying to protect them thay hate them. They get held in check by the powers but now that the powers and kinda distracted he was able to break through. Like I said before if he were to reach his full power he would be damn near unstopable.

But having the whole thing out of order needs some more justification.

- One of he main reasons I want it out of order is to make the battle seem greater. Realisticly we cant really write it long and as we arent actually shooting the thing having it spread through the episode in chunks makes it appear longer; kind of its going on all the time while we are flashing back to earlier times. The fact that the powers take him out needs to come as a surprise.

[Inyan]

Im taking the silence as an agreement to what ive said....

[Joss]

Don't. We arejust thinking of other things. Me might get back to this later.

[Joss]

The thing abou the guy being the uber-evil is that I don't think that the PTB would kill him off like that. I think that what they would do is let him be evil until the world ios balanced and then kill him. That way they would be with their balance and without the huge demon guy. To me it doesn't make much dense that they would kill this evil outright and not try to use it to their advantage.

[Inyan]

The way I was thinking is that he would reach his main power level at one shot, not slowly build up. He would go from being " easy to kill " to " holy crap were in trouble " immediately.

If this is going to be a problem then we can make him good, buit then it doesnt really make sense him having a demon army to protect him.

What if he's not good or evil just so god damn annoying that the powers cannot suffer him to live.

Or maybe he is the ex - boyfreind of one of the powers who she banished to an alternate dimension when they broke up; and now that hes shown up again she decides just to do away from him because hes so god damn annoying that she cannot suffer him to live.

I need suggestion to fix the problem- This episode must see the light of day!!!!!!

[Inyan]

Here's a revised plot summary. I think this works better. I've made it more linear and taken into account that if he is uber-evil the PTB will not want him out of the way - Grace will.

We open on the gang in an elevator. Spike and Angel are fighting about something. The door opens and there are +-40 vamps waiting for them. Spike says " Oh Crap ", cut to theme song.

Cut to a Vamp bar ( “Seven days ago” on screen ). Muhammad Chin materialises in the centre of the bar in a column of white light. A beam of black light singles out one vamp and immediately white light engulfs the rest of the bar ( with the vamp in the black beam of light being protected ). All the vamps except the black light vamp are dusted and in the centre of the room stands Muhammad ( Played by Dave Foley ). The vamp put on his game face and lunges toward Muhammad, Muhammad says : “ You have seen what I can do. Do you want to see it again.” The vamp backs away. “ I didn't think so .”

Cut back to interior of building. Exchange of witty banter between the gang and the enemy vamps. Fighting starts.

Onscreen writing saying one hour earlier. Grace is busy briefing The Gang. A powerful Entity has come into our world and is setting up a new Demon Empire. He's hired load of vamps as his personal body guards. The gang must take them out before he amasses to big a force. The gang leaves.

Cut to a big hall. Muhammad giving a motivational speech to his vamp army, telling them how important they are to him and how they should be proud to be part of this great adventure. He reminds them that he is strong enough to take out every vamp in the room but until his full power is reached in about a week, he's vulnerable to the weakness of a normal human body and that is why he depends so much upon them. At that point his head vamp ( the vamp from the bar ) enters and tells him that the leaders of the other great demon houses have come to pay homage. Muhammad dismisses the vamps and tells Head vamp to show them in.

Muhammad walks over to a throne in the centre of the hall. The leaders walk in and
start giving Muhammad gifts, his head vamp comes back and tells him that the building is under attack. The Demon Heads leave through a back door in a rush and Muhammad is left alone. We hear fighting coming from the other side of the door.

Split screen view:

On th left: We see the fighting. We see the last ten vamps being dusted and the gang approaches the door of the big hall.

On the right: Muhammad looks through his gifts and opens a box of chocolates without bothering to read the card. He puts a chocolate in his mouth. Suddenly the sounds of fighting stop and the door is thrown open.

Single screen view: The gang steps out of a wall of ash and sees Muhammad writhing and pain and die. Witty remarks, they leave.

Cut back to Muhammad lying dead on the floor, we zoom in on the card on the box and it says:
“All the best, Grace“

Notes:

At this point the Gang already know that the PTB are the big bad and are working with Grace.

[Joss]

Okay, makes more sense now.

So if we already know the PTB are the big bads it will have to be late in the season. Origin/Time Bombish late.

[Inyan]

Yeah, I thought it could be one of the first efforts by PTB to balance things??

[Inyan]

Since were booting plans that noone seeme to like maybe we should vote on this one??

[Joss]

All right. I would vote... nay on this one.

[Drew]

Is "yay" to boot the ep? Or is "nay"?

[Inyan]

I beleive nay is to boot.

[Joss]

No actual it is "yay" I beleive we should boot this episdoe or "nay" this has some great potential.

[Drew]

Alright. I'm really sorry. I'm not a big fan of the idea. I vote yay to boot, but also believe we have a bit of time to decide on this one if it comes near the end.