This episode shows a bit of bitterness from everyone towards Buffy, as they were worried about Buffy and what had happened to her on the night Angel was defeated and the Acathla stayed dormant, (Becoming, Part 2). Giles, Willow, Xander, Oz, Joyce and even Cordelia were hurt by and worried about Buffy. In this episode Buffy does not yet clearly explain what happened really happend that night, she does not tell anyone that Angel was changed before she struck him with the sword sending him to hell and closing the mouth of Acathla in order to save the world. Buffy tries to explain her feelings to her friends but there are still unresolved areas at this point.
In this epised we find that Giles, Xander, Willow, Oz and Cordelia have been trying to pick up for the departure of Buffy and therefore try to patrol and stake vamps. Although it is said that they don't get all of them, they still try to keep the vampire population down in Sunnydale.