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Note: This article is about the comic story. For the creature, see MacGuffin.
Btvs The subject of this article is non-canonical.
While created as part of licensed material, it has not been confirmed as part of the "real" Buffyverse continuity.
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"MacGuffins" is a short story of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Classic comic book series. Written by Jen Van Meter and illustrated by Luke Ross, it was originally published on August 26, 1998 by Dark Horse Comics.

Synopsis[]

Can Buffy pass the test of the MacGuffins?[1]

Summary[]

While Buffy is on summer vacation, Giles sends her a box of MacGuffins, with Xander, Willow, and Cordelia as his accomplices. At her friends' worry, Giles explains it was the perfect time for the test, as her guard is down and she didn't expect a threat.

Meanwhile, Buffy is at her father's house in Los Angeles, killing flies blindfolded to pass the time. She thinks of how this was a challenge at first, but after fifty they were just a bother. She talks in the telephone with the pest control company, which was supposed to have arrived already, but was late due to the rain.

The doorbell rings and the postman gives Buffy a registers package. When she opens it, one of the creatures gives her an electric shock, while the other escapes. The two MacGuffins start to mess with the objects around the house, taunting the Slayer and pulling her hair, but Buffy is unable to stop them. The pest control arrives, but she has to ask the man to wait, while she tries to deal with the creatures.

Done with the situation, Buffy calls Giles for help, and he confesses he was the one who sent the box, as a traditional challenge. He explained it was a puzzle in which she would have to find out how to make them passive. Buffy gets frustrated with the mess they're making at her father's house, and her vacation that would be ruined. Giles feels guilty, considering calling her back to give her the solution.

One of the MacGuffins had taken the telephone, and, while they were distracted, Buffy slowly approaches and catches them. She then knocked the two on each other, making them receive electric shocks, and, with their arms interlocked, they became passive and disoriented. While Buffy cleaned the mess, they reveal she had concluded the test, 46 hours faster than the Slayer Garnhuld in 561 A.D. They also tell her Giles had bet on her, confident she would beat the record by two full days, but she missed by only two hours.

Later, Buffy is by the pool calling Giles, who had received the two boxes she sent him. She tells him she made the MacGuffins promise not to mess with his books, and that he only would have to catch them, as he knew the solution of the puzzle. Suggesting this new tradition, Buffy also gave him a tip: they like houseflies.

Continuity[]

  • Buffy is on her summer vacation at her father's, an event taking place in 1997 between the first and the second seasons of the television show.
  • The MacGuffins mention having dealt with the Slayer Garnhuld, in the year 561 A.D.
  • Buffy stays with her father in a house, while in the prose story "Dust" they stay in an apartment.

Appearances[]

Individuals[]

Organizations and titles[]

Species[]

Locations[]

Behind the scenes[]

Production[]

  • "MacGuffins" is the first story of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer comics ever published.
  • This story was originally published for the Dark Horse Presents: Annual 1998 anthology.[2]
  • The art was originally in black and white, only published with colors when first collected for The Remaining Sunlight.
  • According to Scott Allie, this story was supposed to be drawn by Randy Green, but the illustrator took another assignment at the last minute.[3]
  • Dark Horse made this comic available to read on their website.[1]

Collections[]

Pop culture references[]

  • The bearded MacGuffin sings "Heat Wave" (1933).

References[]

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