 The episode 's musical style varies significantly . Buffy 's opening number , " Going Through the Motions " , was influenced heavily by the Disney song " Part of Your World " sung by Ariel in The Little Mermaid . Whedon wanted to use a similar opening in which the heroine explains her yearning . While singing her song , Buffy fights three vampires and a demon who themselves break into a choreographed dance ; Whedon wanted this to be fun but not distracting . The song ends with chord influences from Stephen Schwartz 's Pippin and a visual tribute to Disney : as Buffy stakes a vampire , it turns to dust that swirls around her face . 
