Jenny Calendar
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 Robia LaMorte as Jenny Calendar |
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Jenny Calendar is a fictional character played by Robia LaMorte in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Jenny Calendar is a Sunnydale High computer science teacher whose modern approach does not sit well with Rupert Giles. She calls herself a techno-pagan and is a member of a cyber-coven. She assists the Scooby Gang in the first two seasons. As they work together against evil, Ms. Calendar and Mr. Giles gradually fall in love.
Jenny first appears in the first season episode "I, Robot... You, Jane" as a computer teacher, whose teaching methods and interests are at odds with, and seem to infuriate fellow faculty member; Rupert Giles. She later appears in the season one finale "Prophecy Girl", approaching Giles after she becomes anxious over several signs of an impending apocalypse she's become aware of. Giles soon reveals the truth about the Master's plan and Buffy's true identity and Jenny is present when the Hellmouth is briefly opened during Buffy's battle with the Master.
Throughout the earlier stretch of the second season, Jenny's flirtation with Giles gradually becomes a slow-burning romance. However, the romance is hindered in the season 2 episode "The Dark Age" when Giles' past comes back to haunt him, and Jenny is violently possessed by a demon Giles had summoned in his youth. Jenny then avoids Giles for some time, however by the episode "Ted" she is finally ready to forgive Giles, and by the end of the episode the two of them have rekindled their romance.
After Buffy loses her virginity to Angel ("Surprise"), Jenny is revealed to be Janna of the Kalderash gypsy clan, which had cursed Angel with his soul and years later sent Jenny to watch over him. Jenny was not told that Angel would lose his soul, but the Scooby Gang is still angry that she had concealed her identity. She decides to make up to Buffy by attempting another restoration and translates the spell using a computer. The mad seer Drusilla senses her plan and warns Angelus, who kills her before she can cast the curse. He leaves her dead body in Giles' bed with a trail of romantic symbols leading to the scene ("Passion"). Rupert is devastated and attempts revenge by himself. Xander views Jenny's murder as evidence that Angel is beyond redemption. After Buffy rescues Giles from his ill-conceived act of revenge and visits the grave of the ill-fated Jenny, Buffy reveals that due to the loss, she is finally ready to slay Angel.
In the season two finale, Drusilla manipulates a badly tortured Giles into seeing her as Ms. Calendar and revealing what is needed to activate Acathla and suck the world into hell. The First Evil assumes her image again in season three ("Amends") to torment Angel into killing Buffy (or himself, it does not mind).
[edit] Trivia
- During her time on Buffy, Robia LaMorte became a born-again Christian.
- The character was originally intended to be named "Nikki Calendar", but this was changed to avoid on-set confusion with actor Nicholas "Nicky" Brendon.
- For the two episodes she appears in during the first season ("I Robot, You Jane" and "Prophecy Girl") and in the second season premiere ("When She Was Bad"), Jenny's first name is never uttered -- other characters only refer to her as "Ms. Calendar". It's not until the second episode of the second season, "Some Assembly Required", does she get a first name. This happens when Jenny asks Giles to refer to her as such by saying, "Please, call me 'Jenny'. 'Ms. Calendar' is my father."
- The death of Jenny was never originally meant to occur. The original plan had been for Oz to be the character who met their end at the hands of Angelus, but that plan was changed after the fan reaction to Oz had been so positive. The grisly demise was then dealt to the character of Jenny.[citation needed]
[edit] Appearances
Jenny has appeared in 14 episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer:
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- Season 1 - "I, Robot... You, Jane", "Prophecy Girl"
- Season 2 - "When She Was Bad", "Some Assembly Required", "School Hard", "Lie to Me", "The Dark Age", "Ted", "Surprise", "Innocence", "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered", "Passion" (killed), "Becoming, Part Two" (illusion)
- Season 3 - "Amends" (as a form of the First Evil)
