Hank Summers (aka Buffy's Dad):
Hank Summers (aka Buffy's Dad):
Debut -- Nightmares (Season 1)
Last Seen -- When She Was Bad (Season 2)
We first meet Buffy's dad way into the first season. He's supposed to come pick Buffy up from school so they can spend the weekend together. Buffy fears that she's the reason her parents split up, and her nightmare is realized in this episode when her father tells her he doesn't get much out of the weekends with her, and that she's troublesome and sullen and not as smart as he'd hoped she'd be. Of course, it's later realized that Billy Palmer has opened up the realm of nightmares, so none of what Buffy's dad told her is actually true. Still, it's an awful introduction to his character for the unknowing audience.
Hank pops up again in the first episode of Season 2, When She Was Bad. We learn that Buffy's spent the summer with him in LA, and that Hank was unable to communicate with her due to her distant behavior. To make up for not knowing how to handle this, he let Buffy buy lots of new clothes and shoes. This is the first and only episode to date where we've seen Buffy's mom and dad in a scene together.
We hear, but don't see, Hank in Becoming part I. The scene takes place in Los Angeles, and Buffy's just come home from her first day of being the slayer. As she begins to adjust to her newfound life of duty as the slayer, she hears her parents arguing with each other. This is probably right before the Summers get divorced. That's about all we get from Hank in this episode.
Buffy's dad is mentioned briefly by Joyce in Lovers Walk. She's in the kitchen with Spike, who's bemoaning his pathetic relationship (or end thereof) with Drusilla, so Joyce pipes up to talk about the end of her relationship with Hank. Too bad Spike cuts her off, though....
Hank's the absentee father in Helpless. He's supposed to take Buffy out for her birthday...their tradition is to go to the ice show. However, this year he had to bag out on her, so he sends some flowers, balloons, and the tickets. With a note. Y'know...I'm not saying I'm dying for him to show up again anytime soon, but it would be nice to glimpse him. Maybe for Buffy's graduation??
Okay, scratch the graduation idea. Because if Buffy's sending her mom away from the ceremony in Graduation part 1 -- due to the fact that the Ascension is at hand -- odds are good that Hank won't be in attendance either. (Now there's a good way to keep from having to hire an actor for an episode. Heh.)
Harmony Kendall:
Debut -- The Harvest (Season 1)
Other Season 1 and 2 appearances: Invisible Girl (Season 1); Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered (Season 2)
Death -- Graduation Part 2 (Season 3)
Harmony is one of Cordelia's friends, which automatically means that she's shallow, self-centered, and insecure. When we first see her in The Harvest, she's in the computer lab listening to Cordy gossip about Buffy. Harmony has trouble understanding the computer work, and when she glances over at what Willow's doing, she looks utterly confused. This episode uses Harmony, I think, to help define Cordy.
Harmony's next appearance is in Invisible Girl. Again, she helps define Cordelia in that she's nasty to people who are outside of her social circle. Marcie Ross is the invisible girl who terrorizes Cordy by harming her friends, and Harmony does not escape unscathed. When Cordelia and Harmony are talking outside, Marcie pushes Harmony down a long flight of stairs. It's now that Harmony should realize that being friends with Cordelia is a bad idea!
The next time we see Harmony is in Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered. This is probably her largest role on the show to date. In the beginning of the episode, we see her as the ringleader of Cordelia's old cronies, and she's snubbing Cordy because of her association with Xander. She and the others pressure Cordy to dump Xander, which she does. But when Amy Madison casts a love spell on Cordy at Xander's request, it backfires, leaving every other woman in Sunnydale hot for him, Harmony included! She leads another few attacks on Cordy, one so violent that a bunch of chicks are pulling her hair and hitting her.
Then Harmony is seen fighting Willow outside the school; a mob of chicks has assembled in order to claim Xander, and Willow's wielding a fire ax with the intent of killing Xander if she can't have him. So Harmony goes up against Willow and a struggle ensues.
Later, everyone finds out that Xander and Cordy are seeking refuge at Buffy's house, so they come looking for him. When the spell is reversed, Harmony finds herself in Buffy's basement with no idea of how she got there.
In the last scene, we see Cordy walking & talking with Harmony and the others, and Harmony is ranting about maybe being asked out by somebody. But as soon as Xander approached, she insults him a few times, and leaves the door wide open for Cordy's assault on her character. Cordy tells Harmony that she's a follower; then she says she doesn't need or want Harmony's approval. We see Harmony staring shame-facedly after Cordy as Cordy goes off with Xander. It'll be interesting to see where and how Harmony shows up again.
The Wish; Graduation part I; Graduation part II
In The Wish, Harmony's back with her gaggle of bitcas. While she feigns sorrow at Cordy's failed love entanglement with Xander, she's actually plotting to bring Queen C to more shame and embarrassment. She does this by telling Cordy to get back on the dating horse, and that she has someone in mind for her. She tells Cordy that this guy won't cheat on her (at least for a while) and that he has a "kill moped." The gentleman? None other than Jonathan.
In bizarro alternate reality, Harmony is still a big gossip, and she's also the one who tells Cordy that Xander and Willow are dead. She dresses drably and makes a big deal about how her mom freaks if she's not home on time. She also thinks something's up with Cordy when Cordy asks if they're going to the Bronze later. Not much else to speak of where she's concerned. She's pretty nasty, though. Ugh.
Harmony makes a surprise turn in Graduation part I. Okay maybe it's not so surprising, given the nature of students during graduation -- um, I guess -- but she actually seeks out Willow so they can sign each other's yearbooks. I mean, well...who'd have thought Harmony would want to see Willow, right? Heh. Anyhoo, she talks about how she's always wanted to be smart like Willow and that she'll miss her, etc. Behold the weirdness of graduation. Anyhoo, it is neat to see Harmony when she's not dissing anyone. Although I must say, I did wonder if Harmony had written Have a nice summer! in Will's book!
Sigh. Well, in Graduation part II, we see Harmony doing what she does best...yakking with her pals. She gets dragged off by Xander, who's most likely going to fill her in on the Graduation Day hijinks. She probably got over the fact that he wanted to talk to her in public after she got that earful. Anyhoo, Harmony is seated behind Willow during the graduation ceremony, and she up and does her part in the fight. When the kids start to run for cover from the MayorMonster, Harmony gets caught on the stairs by a female vamp, who drains her. She screams. I can't believe she's so yester! Oh well. This death probably should have bothered me since Harmony's been with us since The Harvest, but...oh well. At least she can't be a fair weather friend to Cordy or Willow or..anyone else now.
The Harsh Light of Day; The Initiative
In The Harsh Light of Day, Harmony's back, sort of. Here we learn that when she was drained, some dumb vamp must have decided to sire her after all. Harmony's first would-be victim is Willow...Willow and Oz do a decent job of scaring Harmony off with some weapons.
Probably also surprising is the fact that Harmony's new boyfriend is none other than..Spike? I mean, yeesh. Anyhoo, this ep. features Harmony as a whiny-wanna-go-to-France vamp who's really into her beau, Spike. When Spike's had enough of her mouth, he tries to stake her...unaware that she's wearing the Gem of Amara -- hey, I only just saw the ep., and I can't spell it right now -- which renders her unkillable.
Anyhoo, Harm gets on Spike's nerves...she insults Drusilla a bunch, whines a bunch..and whines some more.
Later, Harmony is cornered by the gang in their quest to find out where Spike is. Last we see of Harmony? She's walking around, Spike-less. Well, Harm...maybe he'll come back. (To finish you off. Heh. Just kidding. Sort of.)
In The Initiative, Harmony's seen putting up a poster of a unicorn in her lair when she's surprised by Spike's reappearance on the scene. You have to almost like this girl a lot...I mean, I still can't stand her, but she's so dumb, she's funny. Maybe it's not fair of me to call her dumb..maybe she's just the same starved for affection wacky sheep she was when she was alive. Except now she can kill people.
The ABCs of Sunnydale
