444:
ranks it at #36 on their "Every
Episode Ranked From Worst to Best" list, praising the "rather heartbreaking conversation between her and Jonathan about the fundamental loneliness and pain of human existence... despite its heavy subject matter and rather clumsy misdirection around the true nature of
405:
telepath, while Buffy suddenly gains the ability after coming in contact with a demon. While Buffy's telepathy isn't permanent, it causes her to react the same as Tam, isolating herself to escape the pain caused by constant chatter in her head. Ultimately, Buffy recovers, but not before using her
323:
Angel hunts down the surviving demon and brings its heart in a glass mixed with other ingredients, after Buffy finds the effects of mind-reading to be stressful and distracting. He forces Buffy to drink it and she goes into convulsions. When she wakes up, she is no longer able to hear thoughts.
456:
Billie Doux, giving the episode 4 out of 4 stakes, writes, "We had the biting wit and great lines, and yet they were addressing truly serious issues here. ... I really enjoyed the scene where she was smugly reading her teacher's mind." She also praises the continuing subplot of
356:
had only had small, comedic parts on the series over the years, she had faith that he would be able to handle the dramatic scene. Espenson also mentions in her commentary that she included the exchange in which Buffy discovers that her mother slept with Giles in
319:
In the lunchroom, Buffy hears that someone is planning to kill all the students. She tells everyone to get organized and find out who the potential killer is. Buffy goes home to rest while Willow and the others go around interviewing students and faculty.
327:
Willow and the rest of the Scooby Gang locate all the students on the list except Freddy
Iverson, so they all go looking for him. They finally corner Freddy in his office and learn that he is not the potential killer. They find a letter from
315:
says almost exactly what she thinks, Oz thinks extremely deep thoughts, Willow thinks about how she is left out of things, and Wesley thinks about
Cordelia romantically but reprimands himself for having amorous feelings for an underage girl.
332:
apologizing for his upcoming actions. The gang finds
Jonathan in the clock tower, assembling a rifle. Buffy takes it from him, and then discovers that he was planning to kill only himself. Xander checks the kitchen and stumbles upon a
665:
422:
occurred one week before the episode was originally scheduled to air. Because it included a scene with a student loading a rifle – apparently for mass murder, but in reality for suicide – the WB substituted a rerun of
292:
by listening to the thoughts of her classmates. She also hears the thoughts of Freddy
Iverson, who writes editorials for the school newspaper and who has a negative opinion about everything at Sunnydale.
304:. He informs her that she can no more read his mind than see his image in a mirror. He tells her that what happened with Faith meant nothing and that in 243 years, he has loved only Buffy.
1005:
361:" because she was surprised that fans were not sure that they had had sex and she wanted to eliminate any doubts. James South wrote that Oz's thoughts, overheard by Buffy, "
802:
453:
similarly ranks it at #44 and writes of the face-off between Buffy and
Jonathan, "It's incredibly powerful and comes out of nowhere, hitting you like a freight train."
406:
telepathy to prevent a classmate's suicide. Tam, meanwhile, chooses suicide by joining with the Tin Man lifeform. Bonus points: While he doesn't appear in "Earshot,"
1708:
144:
340:
Giles and Buffy recap what happened as they walk in the school grounds. Buffy tells Giles that she now knows he had sex with her mother; Giles walks into a tree.
263:
on April 20, 1999. Buffy goes slowly mad with a case of telepathy, while the Scooby Gang must solve the mystery of who might kill the students of
Sunnydale High.
126:
1713:
478:
in the episode, and generally on TV and film, but praised the humorous and poignant insights it gave into what Buffy's friends were thinking. A review for the
1688:
1683:
286:
The next day, as she is walking through the halls, Buffy finds that she can hear the thoughts of others. In class, she answers the teacher's questions about
908:
1703:
1673:
1026:
1414:
1359:
539:
352:
reveals that when she found out that she was going to write this episode she knew that she wanted the student in the tower to be
Jonathan. Even though
279:
explains that she may be infected with an aspect of the demon. Buffy worries about what physical attribute she might be getting and is horrified when
942:
795:
639:
1698:
1255:
1067:
557:
275:
runs into two mouthless demons and succeeds in killing one, but some of its blood is absorbed through her skin. When her hand starts itching,
1574:
1693:
970:
859:
1678:
1449:
1317:
1019:
894:
788:
1324:
1227:
1186:
816:
428:
229:
1262:
880:
398:
1158:
963:
1616:
1442:
1421:
1407:
1130:
1102:
845:
832:
1602:
1470:
1393:
1386:
1345:
1331:
1088:
901:
521:
1588:
1269:
1151:
991:
956:
590:
424:
1581:
1539:
1477:
1366:
1338:
1283:
1137:
1116:
1040:
984:
977:
873:
582:
1644:
1560:
1511:
1463:
1435:
1428:
1310:
1179:
1033:
1012:
866:
207:
195:
1651:
1502:
1377:
1352:
1294:
1197:
1051:
998:
926:
824:
482:
praised the concept of Buffy the mind reader, but was less impressed by the plot's more routine group investigation.
242:
219:
363:
I am my thoughts... if they exist in her, Buffy contains everything that is me, and she becomes me. I cease to exist
1491:
852:
301:
297:
1532:
1234:
1060:
1553:
1546:
419:
393:
260:
612:
536:
337:
putting rat poison into the food. She tries to kill him with a cleaver, but Buffy knocks her unconscious.
716:
838:
812:
247:
32:
744:
427:". The episode was delayed until September 1999, two weeks prior to the season four premiere. The
149:
1623:
1074:
511:
1525:
1081:
887:
296:
Later that day, Buffy goes to the mansion to use her mind-reading abilities to check up on
255:, directed by Regis Kimble, and first broadcast, out of sequence, on September 21, 1999 on
8:
691:
307:
At the library, Buffy tells her friends about her ability to read minds. She learns that
117:
104:
445:
the threat, for most of its runtime 'Earshot' remains on the lighter side of things."
1303:
1206:
775:
517:
375:
walking right into a tree after Buffy told him she knew he slept with her mother was
329:
135:
780:
1595:
935:
280:
1276:
949:
543:
458:
1567:
1165:
640:"In honor of Buffy's 20th anniversary, we ranked it from worst to best episode"
312:
122:
113:
410:, who plays Tam, also played the Mayor of Sunnydale in this season of Buffy."
1667:
1241:
915:
721:
470:
449:
440:
407:
349:
308:
272:
252:
108:
65:
500:
Writer Jane
Espenson's audio commentary for the episode on the season 3 DVD.
1637:
1456:
1248:
558:"10 Times Buffy the Vampire Slayer Mirrored Star Trek: The Next Generation"
376:
372:
353:
276:
131:
1630:
1609:
1518:
1400:
1109:
380:
140:
771:
513:
Buffy the
Vampire Slayer and Philosophy: Fear and Trembling in Sunnydale
1095:
462:
358:
334:
1484:
1144:
666:"'Buffy the Vampire Slayer': Every Episode Ranked From Worst to Best"
475:
366:
717:"Buffy The Vampire Slayer: "Doppelgangland" / "Enemies" / "Earshot""
1213:
402:
546:
Episode Guide, Season 3 Episode 18, "Earshot" Trivia & Quotes.
288:
259:. The originally scheduled broadcast was postponed following the
1123:
256:
1220:
300:
and find out the truth about what happened between him and
16:
18th episode of the 3rd season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer
479:
391:
The website Women at Warp compares the episode with the
810:
431:
was also delayed due to "school violence concerns".
1709:Television episodes pulled from general rotation
1665:
1714:Television controversies in the United States
796:
1689:Impact of the Columbine High School massacre
1684:Television episodes written by Jane Espenson
496:
494:
509:
1704:American LGBTQ-related television episodes
1674:Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 3 episodes
803:
789:
491:
379:'s idea, although he did not expect that
503:
663:
173:Jay Michael Ferguson as Another Student
1666:
386:
1699:Television episodes about mass murder
784:
556:Eley, Candice Renee (16 March 2020).
348:In her commentary on the DVD, writer
689:
593:from the original on October 4, 2012
555:
365:" is a reference to the philosopher
1694:Television episodes about telepathy
692:"Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Earshot"
637:
613:""Buffy" Slayed by School Massacre"
13:
1006:Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered
867:Never Kill a Boy on the First Date
14:
1725:
1679:1999 American television episodes
1187:Graduation Day, Parts One and Two
971:What's My Line, Parts One and Two
765:
737:
709:
510:James South (August 21, 2013).
283:wonders if the demon was male.
241:" is the eighteenth episode of
161:Wendy Worthington as Lunch Lady
1554:Conversations with Dead People
683:
664:Francis, Jack (May 20, 2023).
657:
631:
605:
575:
549:
530:
420:Columbine High School massacre
394:Star Trek: The Next Generation
383:would actually let him do it.
261:Columbine High School massacre
42:
1:
1387:Bargaining, Parts One and Two
638:Pai, Tanya (March 10, 2017).
516:. Open Court. pp. 227–.
485:
343:
311:constantly thinks about sex,
474:criticized the portrayal of
434:
413:
155:Justin Doran as Hogan Martin
83:September 21, 1999
7:
1041:Becoming, Parts One and Two
745:"Episode Guide - "Earshot""
158:Lauren Roman as Nancy Doyle
10:
1730:
167:Molly Bryant as Ms. Murray
1501:
1376:
1293:
1196:
1050:
925:
909:Out of Mind, Out of Sight
823:
228:
221:Buffy the Vampire Slayer
218:
184:
179:
101:
94:
79:
71:
61:
53:
40:
30:
21:
1027:I Only Have Eyes for You
839:Welcome to the Hellmouth
813:Buffy the Vampire Slayer
248:Buffy the Vampire Slayer
164:Robert Arce as Mr. Beach
33:Buffy the Vampire Slayer
1624:Lies My Parents Told Me
1415:Once More, with Feeling
1360:The Weight of the World
1075:Faith, Hope & Trick
266:
245:of the television show
943:Some Assembly Required
401:." "Tam is a lifelong
170:Rich Muller as Student
1526:Same Time, Same Place
1082:Beauty and the Beasts
888:I, Robot... You, Jane
690:Doux, Billie (2002).
150:Keram Malicki-Sánchez
587:Entertainment Weekly
251:. It was written by
387:Cultural references
118:Wesley Wyndam-Pryce
105:Kristine Sutherland
1575:Bring On the Night
542:2010-01-16 at the
180:Episode chronology
1661:
1660:
1304:Buffy vs. Dracula
1207:Living Conditions
523:978-0-8126-9747-6
235:
234:
214:
213:
152:as Freddy Iverson
136:Jonathan Levinson
96:Guest appearances
80:Original air date
1721:
1596:The Killer in Me
1256:This Year's Girl
1068:Dead Man's Party
936:When She Was Bad
805:
798:
791:
782:
781:
760:
759:
757:
755:
741:
735:
734:
732:
730:
713:
707:
706:
704:
702:
687:
681:
680:
678:
676:
661:
655:
654:
652:
650:
635:
629:
628:
626:
624:
619:. April 23, 1999
609:
603:
602:
600:
598:
589:. May 25, 1999.
579:
573:
572:
570:
568:
553:
547:
534:
528:
527:
507:
501:
498:
243:the third season
230:List of episodes
186:
185:
97:
90:
88:
44:
19:
18:
1729:
1728:
1724:
1723:
1722:
1720:
1719:
1718:
1664:
1663:
1662:
1657:
1497:
1372:
1318:The Replacement
1289:
1277:The Yoko Factor
1192:
1046:
1020:Killed by Death
950:Inca Mummy Girl
921:
895:The Puppet Show
819:
809:
768:
763:
753:
751:
743:
742:
738:
728:
726:
715:
714:
710:
700:
698:
688:
684:
674:
672:
662:
658:
648:
646:
636:
632:
622:
620:
611:
610:
606:
596:
594:
581:
580:
576:
566:
564:
554:
550:
544:Wayback Machine
535:
531:
524:
508:
504:
499:
492:
488:
468:Noel Murray of
459:Larry Blaisdell
437:
416:
389:
346:
269:
205:
193:
145:Larry Blaisdell
141:Larry Bagby III
95:
86:
84:
72:Production code
48:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1727:
1717:
1716:
1711:
1706:
1701:
1696:
1691:
1686:
1681:
1676:
1659:
1658:
1656:
1655:
1648:
1641:
1634:
1627:
1620:
1613:
1606:
1599:
1592:
1585:
1578:
1571:
1568:Never Leave Me
1564:
1557:
1550:
1543:
1536:
1529:
1522:
1515:
1507:
1505:
1499:
1498:
1496:
1495:
1488:
1481:
1474:
1467:
1460:
1453:
1446:
1439:
1432:
1425:
1418:
1411:
1404:
1397:
1390:
1382:
1380:
1374:
1373:
1371:
1370:
1363:
1356:
1349:
1342:
1335:
1328:
1325:Out of My Mind
1321:
1314:
1307:
1299:
1297:
1291:
1290:
1288:
1287:
1280:
1273:
1266:
1259:
1252:
1245:
1238:
1231:
1228:Something Blue
1224:
1217:
1210:
1202:
1200:
1194:
1193:
1191:
1190:
1183:
1176:
1169:
1166:Doppelgangland
1162:
1155:
1148:
1141:
1134:
1127:
1120:
1113:
1106:
1099:
1092:
1085:
1078:
1071:
1064:
1056:
1054:
1048:
1047:
1045:
1044:
1037:
1030:
1023:
1016:
1009:
1002:
995:
988:
981:
974:
967:
960:
953:
946:
939:
931:
929:
923:
922:
920:
919:
912:
905:
898:
891:
884:
877:
870:
863:
856:
849:
842:
835:
829:
827:
821:
820:
808:
807:
800:
793:
785:
779:
778:
767:
766:External links
764:
762:
761:
736:
708:
682:
656:
630:
604:
574:
548:
529:
522:
502:
489:
487:
484:
465:as a gay man.
436:
433:
415:
412:
388:
385:
345:
342:
268:
265:
233:
232:
226:
225:
216:
215:
212:
211:
199:
182:
181:
177:
176:
175:
174:
171:
168:
165:
162:
159:
156:
153:
147:
138:
129:
123:Ethan Erickson
120:
114:Alexis Denisof
111:
99:
98:
92:
91:
81:
77:
76:
73:
69:
68:
63:
59:
58:
55:
51:
50:
45:
38:
37:
28:
27:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1726:
1715:
1712:
1710:
1707:
1705:
1702:
1700:
1697:
1695:
1692:
1690:
1687:
1685:
1682:
1680:
1677:
1675:
1672:
1671:
1669:
1653:
1649:
1646:
1642:
1639:
1635:
1632:
1628:
1625:
1621:
1618:
1614:
1611:
1607:
1604:
1600:
1597:
1593:
1590:
1586:
1583:
1579:
1576:
1572:
1569:
1565:
1562:
1558:
1555:
1551:
1548:
1544:
1541:
1537:
1534:
1530:
1527:
1523:
1520:
1516:
1513:
1509:
1508:
1506:
1504:
1500:
1493:
1489:
1486:
1482:
1479:
1475:
1472:
1468:
1465:
1461:
1458:
1454:
1451:
1447:
1444:
1440:
1437:
1433:
1430:
1426:
1423:
1419:
1416:
1412:
1409:
1405:
1402:
1398:
1395:
1391:
1388:
1384:
1383:
1381:
1379:
1375:
1368:
1364:
1361:
1357:
1354:
1350:
1347:
1343:
1340:
1336:
1333:
1329:
1326:
1322:
1319:
1315:
1312:
1308:
1305:
1301:
1300:
1298:
1296:
1292:
1285:
1281:
1278:
1274:
1271:
1267:
1264:
1260:
1257:
1253:
1250:
1246:
1243:
1242:The I in Team
1239:
1236:
1232:
1229:
1225:
1222:
1218:
1215:
1211:
1208:
1204:
1203:
1201:
1199:
1195:
1188:
1184:
1181:
1177:
1174:
1170:
1167:
1163:
1160:
1156:
1153:
1149:
1146:
1142:
1139:
1135:
1132:
1128:
1125:
1121:
1118:
1114:
1111:
1107:
1104:
1100:
1097:
1093:
1090:
1086:
1083:
1079:
1076:
1072:
1069:
1065:
1062:
1058:
1057:
1055:
1053:
1049:
1042:
1038:
1035:
1031:
1028:
1024:
1021:
1017:
1014:
1010:
1007:
1003:
1000:
996:
993:
989:
986:
982:
979:
975:
972:
968:
965:
961:
958:
954:
951:
947:
944:
940:
937:
933:
932:
930:
928:
924:
917:
916:Prophecy Girl
913:
910:
906:
903:
899:
896:
892:
889:
885:
882:
878:
875:
871:
868:
864:
861:
860:Teacher's Pet
857:
854:
850:
847:
843:
840:
836:
834:
833:Unaired pilot
831:
830:
828:
826:
822:
818:
815:
814:
806:
801:
799:
794:
792:
787:
786:
783:
777:
773:
770:
769:
750:
746:
740:
725:. 3 July 2009
724:
723:
722:The A.V. Club
718:
712:
697:
693:
686:
671:
670:Rolling Stone
667:
660:
645:
641:
634:
618:
614:
608:
592:
588:
584:
583:"School Daze"
578:
563:
562:Women at Warp
559:
552:
545:
541:
538:
533:
525:
519:
515:
514:
506:
497:
495:
490:
483:
481:
477:
473:
472:
471:The A.V. Club
466:
464:
460:
454:
452:
451:
450:Rolling Stone
446:
443:
442:
432:
430:
429:season finale
426:
421:
411:
409:
408:Harry Groener
404:
400:
396:
395:
384:
382:
378:
374:
370:
368:
364:
360:
355:
351:
350:Jane Espenson
341:
338:
336:
331:
325:
321:
317:
314:
310:
305:
303:
299:
294:
291:
290:
284:
282:
278:
274:
264:
262:
258:
254:
253:Jane Espenson
250:
249:
244:
240:
231:
227:
224:
222:
217:
209:
203:
200:
197:
192:
188:
187:
183:
178:
172:
169:
166:
163:
160:
157:
154:
151:
148:
146:
142:
139:
137:
133:
130:
128:
124:
121:
119:
115:
112:
110:
109:Joyce Summers
106:
103:
102:
100:
93:
82:
78:
74:
70:
67:
66:Jane Espenson
64:
60:
56:
52:
47:Season 3
46:
39:
35:
34:
29:
25:
20:
1638:Empty Places
1457:Normal Again
1450:Hell's Bells
1263:Who Are You?
1249:Goodbye Iowa
1172:
1159:Consequences
964:The Dark Age
811:
752:. Retrieved
748:
739:
727:. Retrieved
720:
711:
699:. Retrieved
696:Doux Reviews
695:
685:
673:. Retrieved
669:
659:
647:. Retrieved
643:
633:
621:. Retrieved
616:
607:
595:. Retrieved
586:
577:
565:. Retrieved
561:
551:
532:
512:
505:
469:
467:
455:
448:
447:
439:
438:
417:
392:
390:
377:Anthony Head
371:
362:
354:Danny Strong
347:
339:
326:
322:
318:
306:
295:
287:
285:
270:
246:
238:
236:
220:
201:
190:
132:Danny Strong
57:Regis Kimble
31:
23:
1631:Dirty Girls
1617:Storyteller
1610:Get It Done
1519:Beneath You
1443:As You Were
1422:Tabula Rasa
1408:All the Way
1401:Life Serial
1131:Gingerbread
1110:Lovers Walk
1103:Revelations
846:The Harvest
754:November 6,
729:November 6,
701:January 15,
567:23 December
381:Joss Whedon
271:On patrol,
54:Directed by
1668:Categories
1603:First Date
1471:Seeing Red
1394:After Life
1346:Tough Love
1332:Checkpoint
1096:Band Candy
1089:Homecoming
902:Nightmares
675:January 4,
649:January 4,
486:References
463:coming out
359:Band Candy
344:Production
335:lunch lady
127:Percy West
87:1999-09-21
62:Written by
49:Episode 18
1589:Potential
1485:Two to Go
1270:Superstar
1152:Bad Girls
1145:The Zeppo
992:Innocence
957:Lie to Me
772:"Earshot"
617:E! Online
597:August 3,
476:telepathy
435:Reception
425:Bad Girls
414:Broadcast
397:episode "
367:Descartes
1582:Showtime
1540:Selfless
1503:Season 7
1478:Villains
1378:Season 6
1367:The Gift
1339:The Body
1295:Season 5
1284:Restless
1214:Beer Bad
1198:Season 4
1138:Helpless
1117:The Wish
1052:Season 3
985:Surprise
978:Bad Eggs
927:Season 2
874:The Pack
825:Season 1
817:episodes
591:Archived
540:Archived
403:Betazoid
330:Jonathan
313:Cordelia
223:season 3
191:Previous
41:Episode
1645:Touched
1561:Sleeper
1512:Lessons
1464:Entropy
1436:Wrecked
1429:Smashed
1311:Real Me
1180:Choices
1173:Earshot
1034:Go Fish
1013:Passion
623:June 9,
399:Tin Man
289:Othello
239:Earshot
208:Choices
204: →
196:Enemies
189:←
85: (
36:episode
24:Earshot
1652:Chosen
1353:Spiral
1124:Amends
999:Phases
537:TV.com
520:
309:Xander
281:Willow
257:The WB
75:3ABB18
1492:Grave
1221:Pangs
881:Angel
853:Witch
373:Giles
302:Faith
298:Angel
277:Giles
273:Buffy
1533:Help
1235:Hush
1061:Anne
776:IMDb
756:2016
731:2016
703:2024
677:2024
651:2024
625:2011
599:2010
569:2023
518:ISBN
418:The
267:Plot
202:Next
1547:Him
774:at
749:BBC
644:Vox
480:BBC
461:'s
441:Vox
143:as
134:as
125:as
116:as
107:as
43:no.
1670::
747:.
719:.
694:.
668:.
642:.
615:.
585:.
560:.
493:^
369:.
210:"
198:"
1654:"
1650:"
1647:"
1643:"
1640:"
1636:"
1633:"
1629:"
1626:"
1622:"
1619:"
1615:"
1612:"
1608:"
1605:"
1601:"
1598:"
1594:"
1591:"
1587:"
1584:"
1580:"
1577:"
1573:"
1570:"
1566:"
1563:"
1559:"
1556:"
1552:"
1549:"
1545:"
1542:"
1538:"
1535:"
1531:"
1528:"
1524:"
1521:"
1517:"
1514:"
1510:"
1494:"
1490:"
1487:"
1483:"
1480:"
1476:"
1473:"
1469:"
1466:"
1462:"
1459:"
1455:"
1452:"
1448:"
1445:"
1441:"
1438:"
1434:"
1431:"
1427:"
1424:"
1420:"
1417:"
1413:"
1410:"
1406:"
1403:"
1399:"
1396:"
1392:"
1389:"
1385:"
1369:"
1365:"
1362:"
1358:"
1355:"
1351:"
1348:"
1344:"
1341:"
1337:"
1334:"
1330:"
1327:"
1323:"
1320:"
1316:"
1313:"
1309:"
1306:"
1302:"
1286:"
1282:"
1279:"
1275:"
1272:"
1268:"
1265:"
1261:"
1258:"
1254:"
1251:"
1247:"
1244:"
1240:"
1237:"
1233:"
1230:"
1226:"
1223:"
1219:"
1216:"
1212:"
1209:"
1205:"
1189:"
1185:"
1182:"
1178:"
1175:"
1171:"
1168:"
1164:"
1161:"
1157:"
1154:"
1150:"
1147:"
1143:"
1140:"
1136:"
1133:"
1129:"
1126:"
1122:"
1119:"
1115:"
1112:"
1108:"
1105:"
1101:"
1098:"
1094:"
1091:"
1087:"
1084:"
1080:"
1077:"
1073:"
1070:"
1066:"
1063:"
1059:"
1043:"
1039:"
1036:"
1032:"
1029:"
1025:"
1022:"
1018:"
1015:"
1011:"
1008:"
1004:"
1001:"
997:"
994:"
990:"
987:"
983:"
980:"
976:"
973:"
969:"
966:"
962:"
959:"
955:"
952:"
948:"
945:"
941:"
938:"
934:"
918:"
914:"
911:"
907:"
904:"
900:"
897:"
893:"
890:"
886:"
883:"
879:"
876:"
872:"
869:"
865:"
862:"
858:"
855:"
851:"
848:"
844:"
841:"
837:"
804:e
797:t
790:v
758:.
733:.
705:.
679:.
653:.
627:.
601:.
571:.
526:.
423:"
357:"
237:"
206:"
194:"
89:)
26:"
22:"
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.