"Hell's Bells" is the 16th episode of season 6 of the television series ''

Buffy the Vampire Slayer ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' is an American supernatural fiction, supernatural drama television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon. The concept is based on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer (film), 1992 film, also written by Whedon, a ...

''. It aired on March 5, 2002 on

UPN The United Paramount Network (UPN) was an American broadcast television network that operated from 1995 to 2006. It was originally a joint venture between Chris-Craft Industries (later sold to News Corporation)'s subsidiary, United Television, ...

. In the episode, Anya and Xander are about to get married but things change due to the arrival of an old man.

Plot

Buffy and

Willow Willows, also called sallows and osiers, of the genus ''Salix'', comprise around 350 species (plus numerous hybrids) of typically deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions. Most species are known ...

criticize their bright green dresses and discuss

Anya Anya, Ania or Anja is a given name. The names are feminine in most East European countries and unisex in several African countries. Origins and variant forms * Anya (Аня) is a Russian diminutive of Anna. * Ania is the spelling in Polish ...

and

Xander Xander is an abbreviated form of the name Alexander and pronounced like "Zander". Alexander is the Latin form of the Greek name "Alexandros". The name's meaning is interpreted from "alexein" which means "to defend" plus "andros" which translates ...

rehearsal dinner A rehearsal dinner is a traditional pre-wedding ceremony in the United States, usually held after the wedding rehearsal and the night before the wedding ceremony. The guests generally include the married-to-be couple and others who form the wedd ...

, noting that the Harris family surprisingly accepted Anya's demon friends as "circus people". Willow is the best man, while Buffy,

Dawn Dawn is the time that marks the beginning of twilight before sunrise. It is recognized by the diffuse sky radiation, appearance of indirect sunlight being Rayleigh scattering, scattered in Earth's atmosphere, when the centre of the Sun's disc ha ...

, and Tara are bridesmaids. Xander struggles to get dressed amid his family and Anya's friends. His parents, Tony and Jessica, complain about the wedding arrangements. An old man appears mysteriously in Sunnydale. Buffy helps Xander with his attire, while Tara and Willow assist Anya with her dress. Xander's uncle Rory shows off his date, who is actually a caterer.

D'Hoffryn D'Hoffryn is a fictional character on ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'', played by Andy Umberger. He is a powerful entity high in the demonic hierarchy. He is the master of the vengeance demons, a cabal which includes humans who are "elevated" to demo ...

and

Halfrek Halfrek or Hallie is a recurring fictional character on the television series ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer.'' She appears as a vengeance demon in seasons 6 and 7, and has previously appeared as Cecily in season 5. She is played by actress Kali Roc ...

arrive, and Dawn greets them. D'Hoffryn gives Dawn a live wedding gift. Dawn mingles and encounters Spike with a date. Buffy and Xander discuss keeping his parents out of trouble. Xander is bombarded with complaints, and a drunken Tony insults Anya's demon friends, nearly causing a fight. The old man, claiming to be future Xander, warns present Xander not to marry Anya, showing him a grim future. Shocked, Xander is advised to call off the wedding. Buffy and Spike discuss the wedding and Spike's attempt to make her jealous with his date, leading Spike to leave with his date. Willow gives Xander a final pep talk. Anya rehearses her vows, and Buffy stalls the guests with charades. Anya learns Xander is missing and panics. Xander walks away in the rain, while his parents return to the bar, blaming Anya for the ruined wedding. A fight breaks out between the wedding guests, and Willow rescues Tara. Anya confronts a man in a trench coat, discovering he is a demon she created, seeking revenge. He showed Xander false future visions to ruin the wedding. Buffy and Xander defeat the demon. Xander, fearing he will become abusive like his father, refuses to marry Anya. They part ways, leaving both devastated. Anya is comforted by D'Hoffryn, who offers her job as a vengeance demon back.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Hell's Bells (Buffy The Vampire Slayer) Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 6 episodes 2002 American television episodes Television episodes about weddings Television episodes directed by David Solomon (TV producer)