Buffy, the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003)

Episode 12 | Season 5  (2000-2001)
(Airdate Jan 23, 2001)

Quentin Travers (Harris Yulin) and several other members of the Council arrive in Sunnydale with information about Glory (Clare Kramer) and begin ordering Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) around. They promise to share their data if Buffy and her friends will submit to tests and interviews, but they warn that without cooperation they'll shut down the magic shop and have Giles (Anthony Stewart Head) deported. Everyone reluctantly goes along with the Council's directives until a pair of close calls shifts the balance of power. First, Glory herself shows up at Buffy's house and threatens to kill Dawn (Michelle Trachtenberg) and Joyce (Kristine Sutherland) if the Slayer doesn't reveal the location of "The Key." Then, a bunch of medieval warriors called the Knights of Byzantium show up, declaring that Buffy is their enemy as long as she harbors The Key. Unflappable even in the face of these twin threats, Buffy turns the tables on Travers. Announcing that she's the one with all the actual power, she gets the Council members to cough up their info. They reveal the subtle but profound distinction that Glory is a god, not a demon. Originally broadcast January 23, 2001, on the WB network, "Checkpoint" marked episode 90 of the cult-favorite series. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide