Dave's Birthday (episode)

Dave's Birthday is the fourteenth episode of the third season of Moriah Blake.

Plot
In the "cold open," Emily and Irene meet up on a park bench somewhere in Olympia. This is the first time they have seen each other since the last day of school. Irene chastises Emily for her relationship with Scott, who Irene still resents. She explains how the only purpose women have in the world is to be attractive but stupid, rather like Ashley's line in Critical Feedback. Emily insists that she is wrong, and that Scott loves her for more than her body. Emily gets up and leaves.

Dave invites friends Ashley, Scott, Devin, and Robin over to his house for a birthday party. Ashley brings Austin along, and Scott brings Emily. Ashley and Austin decide to make their relationship official, which makes Scott jealous. Scott then decides to be open about his relationship with Emily, who knows that he is in love with Ashley. Finally, Ashley asks Austin to talk to Scott. He does, explaining to him that he can't keep pretending life is a fairy tale.

Later, Dave and Ashley are the only ones left at the house. Dave tries to show Ashley the baggie of weed that he received from Parker in The Sounds of Silence, but sees that it has disappeared.

In the "tag," it is revealed that Parker gave Dave's marijuana to Emily, explaining that it was his originally.

Characters
For the first time, we see Austin surrounded by the lead characters. Their reactions vary; Dave doesn't seem to mind him, while Scott is immediately on guard. Austin is seen to have very few boundaries, as he and Ashley make out in the presence of her friends, who are total strangers to him.

Ashley, Emily, and Scott all go through deliberate personal changes. Ashley comes to realize that she alone has the ability to overcome the overbearing innocence which has been forced on her through her entire life. She throws her innocence to the wind, making out with Austin on Dave's couch. Emily, alternatively, realizes that Ashley's sweet, innocent nature is what Scott was attracted to, and wonders if she can be more like Ashley. Scott, after a talk from Austin, begins to doubt the reality of his perfect world, wondering if maybe he needs to give up on his "Gatsby" persona and become more like a normal person.

Similarity to Justin Flint
Just as Audrey did four episodes ago, in Dave's Birthday," the titular character hosts a party at his house, although his real birthday was a month earlier. In Justin Flint, Ashley introduces Justin, her Californian boyfriend, to her friends. This annoys Charlie, who still retains feelings for Audrey. Similarly, in Dave's Birthday'', Ashley introduces Austin to her friends, which annoys Scott, who still has feelings for her.