It's field trip day again, but at least there are no hyena's involved this year. This time it's off to the museum. it's also the start of Student Excahnge week where students from all over the world come to Sunnydale and try not to die. (Not that they know that).

As Buffy, Willow and Xander wander around the exhibits we learn that Joyce has offered to take in one of the students, a guy. Bufy doens't know anything else about him apart from his name, Ampata and that he's from South America. Cordelia's exchange-student is a Swede called Sven.

The main exhibit is the Inca Mummy, a teenage girl (a princess) who was sacrificed for her people. Willow wonders why she isn't dressed in those nice white bandages like in the movies.

We also meet Rodney Munson, one of Willow's tutoring charges, who is busy defacing an ancient mask. After the rest of the class leave the exhibit for home, Rodney sneaks back and tries to steal a plate which the mummy is clutching in her hands. Unfortunately he breaks it and this brings the muumy back to life and she kills him for his trouble.

Willow comes into the library the next day and catches the end of a conversation between Xande and Buffy in which Xander says that he loves Willow but only as a friend. The look on her face is heart breaking. She tells them that Rodney is missing so they return to the museum to try to find out what's happened to him and discover his mummified body in place of the real mummy's. They are attacked by a mysterious South American man with a big knife who seemed mjore surprised to see Rodney's body than the scooby gang were. Buffy remember's that she has to meet Ampata at the Bus Station and her, Xander and Willow rush off to meet him.

He, turns out to be she. She being the mummy who killed the real Ampata and stuffed his mumified corspe in one of his trunks. Xander falls for the pretty South American straight away, much to Willow's sadness.

They take Ampata home and Buffy gives her the tour of the house. Ampata is amazed by the modern world and everything in it.

The next day at school, Xander offers to give Amapta the tour of the school and introduces her to the wonders of snack food. Sadly this happy moment is ruined by another attack by the South American guy and recognises Ampata for who she is.

In the library, Giles, Buffy and Willow are trying to piece the plate back together, but Willow is a little preocupied with the whole Xander-Ampata thing. :( Buffy manages to piece a little bit of the plate/seal together which sheds some light onto it's role.

In the best scene of the episode Willow and Xander discuss what Xander should wear to the dance, something that doesn't make his calves look fat. :)

Amapata is cornered in the girls toilets by her South American Bodyguard who tells her that she wrong to kill these innocent people just to stay alive. Amapta responds by mummifiying him. His body is found later.

The higlight of the episode is the Dance at the Bronze. As usual duty calls for Buffy so she can't go to the dance, she has a Mummy to catch. Amapta is going to the dance with Xander (as a date). She is wearing the cerimonial clothes she wore in the coffin (and no one realises) Xander is dressed in a coyboy hat and Mexican poncho prompting Buffy to ask what country he represents ("I am from the country of Leone. It's in Italy, pretending to be Montana.") He asks if Buffy is from the country of White trash (refering to her un-dance like clothes) and is mesmerised by Amapta and off they go to the dance.

Willow is already there dressed as an Eskimo (not the best clothing for the hot Bronze) which leads to teasing from Cordelia (dressed as a hula girl). It is also the first time we meet Oz and his band 'Dingoes Ate my Baby'. Willow catches Oz's eye prompting him to ask "who's that girl" (aah, it's love at first sight). Xander and Ampata get smoochie on the dancefloor and they nearly kiss but Ampata runs away in tears, leaving a confused Xander standing there. He asks Willow if she's seen her, but she hasn't and shrugs. Unfortunately the shrug is lost in the costume.

Meanwhile Buffy finds the corpse of the real Ampata in one of his trunks and rushes to the Bronze to save Xander while Giles goes to the museum to find the last few shards of the seal.

Amapta has found another likely victim, the unfortunate Jonathon, and she's about to kill him when they hear Xander looking for Ampata, Jonathon makes a quick exit. Xander finds Amapta and after a little chat they kiss. Ampata can't bring herself to kill Xander, she loves him too much and runs away.

Buffy finally gets to the Bronze and finds Willow. The two of them search for Xander and find him lying in a daze backstage. They make sure he's OK and rush off to the museum to stop Amapta killing Giles.

They're almost too late. Amapta manages to trap Giles in her coffin and fights Buffy, trapping her also. She grabs Willow and is about to kill her when Xander gives her an ultimatum. If she's going to take anyone's life it should be his. Amapta is mummifying, she needs someones life. She pleads with Xander to reconsider but he won't. She is about to kill him when Buffy escapes from the coffin and pulls Ampata off Xander, (leaving her arms attached to Xander in the process. Euggh.)

Our views

A weak episode, but it was a Xander episode which does give it some goodness and Willow did dress up as an eskimo, which was very funny. But the rest of it was not good. And that's all we have to say about it.

Our score - 4

The Professional View

The worst episode of the series. If Inca Mummy Girl was any more of a dog, it would shed. An uneven script, lacking explanations, a focus and any degree of rationality, and in which the audience is five steps ahead of Buffy all the time. The direction, on the other hand is terrific, so at least this hollow tale of unrequited love and betrayal isn't completely without merit. But it's ugly and depressing stuff.

Their Score - 3