10 Darkest Buffy The Vampire Slayer Moments

Earshot is largely a fun episode. Buffy gains the ability to read people’s thoughts, which leads to plenty of comedic moments. But whilst inside the school cafeteria, she also becomes aware of someone who’s plotting to commit mass murder.

Buffy’s investigation leads her to the top of the school clocktower, where she finds Jonathan with a firearm. Assuming him to be the potential murderer, she does her best to talk him out of it.

It soon transpires, however, that Jonathan intends to use the gun on himself, not his fellow students. Before this revelation, it’s difficult to feel too sorry for Jonathan, but when he reveals his true intention, he’s immediately a sympathetic figure.

In addition to being a surprising twist, Jonathan’s confession sheds light on the mental torment many teenagers experience whilst at school. Indeed, Buffy’s dialogue also touches upon the hardships of adolescence: ‘Every single person down there is ignoring your pain because they’re too busy with their own.’