EPISODE 1
"Buffy vs. Dracula"
The Season 5 Premier 

Giles informs Willow that he plans to move to England because he's no longer needed. Xander and Willow are chatting and walking through the cemetery when they decide to look for Buffy. Buffy comes face to face with none other then Dracula. He suggests that there is a strong connection between them, and that there's evil in her blood. She doesn't buy it so she tries to stake him but he disappears as Xander and Willow show up. Drac reappears and tells Buffy that it's not yet time, then turns into a bat and flies off. Later, Buffy admits that she was blown away that Drac had heard of her. Anya admits that she and Drac hung out back in the day. Xander walks off, right into Dracula, who entrances him to be his eyes and ears in daylight, in exchange for immortality. Xander, under Drac's transfixing spell, agrees to serve the master. Riley asks Spike for info on Dracula, and learns that Spike and Drac are old rivals. Spike warns Riley that he's out of his league.  

Meanwhile, Dracula shows up, seemingly uninvited, and she wakes up and finds herself unable to move. Dracula sees her bite marks and claims that she still feels for Angel. He says she craves him, but she denies it. He then bites her neck. She wakes up the next morning and covers the marks with a scarf before heading to Giles'. There, everyone goes over what they know about the dark prince, and the whole time, Xander is acting very strange and eating spiders, but no one notices. Buffy leaves on a mission to find Dracula, despite Riley's objections. Riley follows her outside and, worried she's under Drac's spell, pulls off her scarf. She tells them that she doesn't know why she covered it up.  They agree that she needs to stay somewhere safe, and Xander says she can stay at his place. Tara and Willow head to Buffy's to do a protection spell, and Joyce reveals that she invited Drac in for coffee, not thinking anything of it. Riley and Giles make with the looking for Dracula's hideout, but have no leads. Meanwhile, Xander tells Buffy that he has to take her to the master. She agrees. 

Dracula tells Buffy that he wants to teach her about her history, her powers. He cuts his wrist and offers her a taste of his blood, which she half willingly takes. He urges her to show her true nature, and she does- She is The Slayer. Dracula is enraged that she doesn't share his view, and the two brawl in a well matched battle that ends with Buffy staking Dracula, sending him to dustville. Riley and Giles arrive, followed by Xander, who announces that he's tired of being everyone's butt-monkey. Just as they leave, Dracula reforms in time for Buffy to stake him again (she's seen his movies.. he always comes back.) He goes to reform again, but decides not to and mists away.

The next day, Giles is about to tell Buffy about his plans to move to England when she confesses that she is going through major changes and she needs him to be her watcher again. All Giles can say is OK.

Later, Buffy is on her way out when, to her irritation, Joyce tells her to take her sister.

EPISODE 2
"Real Me"

After he training is interrupted by Dawn, Buffy agrees to take her bratty sister school shopping. On the way there, they spot Willow and Tara and they head to the magic shop, where they discover the owner dead. While waiting outside, Dawn runs into a crazy bum, who insists that she does not belong there. The others discover multiple punctures, concluding that it was a gang of vamps. While checking the inventory list, they discover several books on the Slayer were taken, and Giles is surprised by how much profits the store makes. They notice a small ceramic unicorn was also taken and wonder what other worldly creature would want that. 

The answer: Harmony. Harm congrats her 'minions' on the success of the magic shop raid, and announces that she's going to kill the Slayer, tonight.

Xander shows up to baby-sit Dawn and Dawn is excited, however she gets annoyed because he also Anya, who she dislikes. Tara confesses that she feels bad for Dawn, since she knows what its like to be an outsider. Willow convinces her that she's one of the gang. Later, Harm shows up with her "gang" waiting for Buffy. Xander laughs at her, just before Dawn accidentally invites Harm in. Harmony attacks Xander, who manages to get rid of her, despite her seemingly increased reflexes. Buffy has a good laugh when she learns that Harmony has lackeys, until Anya blurts out that Dawn invited her in. 

Harm and Co. run into Spike, who laughs at her attempts to be the Slayer's arch rival. She forms a new plan. 

Upset, Dawn runs out the back door but Anya grabs her and tries to pull her inside, until Harmony's cronies show up and knock Anya unconscious, and kidnap Dawn. The gang finds Anya and Riley suggests Anya needs to get to the hospital as Anya manages to let them know that the vamps have Dawn. Buffy runs to Spike's and beats him into telling her how to find Harmony. 

Buffy shows up and kills the vamps, except Harmony, who runs off, and unchains Dawn, the two of them arguing about who's gonna be in more trouble.  They get home just before Joyce, and neither of them rats out the other.

The next day, Giles begins settling into the Magic Shops (which he now owns) while Dawn writes about how Buffy thinks she's just the dumb little sister, and that Buffy's in for a big surprise.

EPISODE 3
"The Replacement"

Xander, Anya,  Buffy and Riley are hanging out in Xander’s basement when Xander expresses his desire to move. Meanwhile, A nasty looking demon is casting a spell in hopes of killing the Slayer. The next day, Xander takes the crew to check out an upper class apartment. Anya is impressed but the landlord doesn’t seem to thrilled with the slacker attitude Xander gives off. Xander has to hold off, but Anya is mad because it seems like their lives aren’t going anywhere, then she complains about her arm and storms out. While settling into the Magic Box, Giles gets a visit from the ugly demon that was doing the spell, who tells him that he’s only interested in The Slayer. Later, Giles tells the Scoobs about the demon and they figure out that the demon is called Toth, and from it’s pungent odor, they track it to the City Dump.  Toth shows up and starts firing blasts from a tube weapon. Xander sees that it’s aimed for Buffy and shoves her out of the way, catching the blast him self. The demon disappears and everyone helps Xander up and leaves, forgetting only one thing- Xander (?)

Xander wakes up in the dump the next morning and heads home. He  peeks through window and is shocked to see himself getting dressed. He heads to a phone to call Buffy, but when he spots the other “Xander”, he decides to follow him. Meanwhile, Spike sets up a mannequin Buffy which he proceeds to ‘kill’, professing that one of these days he’ll get her. “Xander” gets to work at the construction site then gets called into the boss’s office while Xander watches, expecting to get fired. He looks in and notices “Xander” playing around with some kind of shiny metal disc, and when the boss actually offers “Xander” a promotion, Xander thinks the disc is a hypnosis device.  Later, the landlord at the apartment congratulates the suave “Mr. Harris” on getting the apartment, then even comes onto him. The whole time, “Xander” is playing with his apparent hypno-disc. She leaves and “Xander” calls Anya and tells her to meet him at the apartment so he can apologize. “Xander” leaves the apartment, and Xander jumps him.  “Xander” seems more thrown, and punches Xander out and runs off. Xander needs help so he heads to Giles, only to find “Xander” there, claiming to Buffy, Riley and Giles that there’s an imposter out there, and insisting very strongly that they should kill it. Buffy suggests that Toth somehow stole Xander's. "Xander" leaves to go meet Anya, then Giles learns that both Xander's in fact are real. Apparently, Toth's blast separated Xander into two; one with all his strongest qualities and one with the weakest- a blast that was meant for Buffy. If either half dies, they both die so Buffy and Riley rush to stop Xander from killing himself. Buffy asks Riley if he wishes that she were split in two, but confesses that he loves every thing about her. Xander runs to Willow and has no trouble convincing her that he's the real deal, since she has no idea what's going on. He fills her in on the double, then suggests a revealing spell, but Xander is upset that the demon version is living his life better then he is. He almost considers giving up but then he remembers Anya, and rushes out to save her. He gets to her place and here's the message from "Xander" then frantically searches her dresser for something. Anya gets to the apartment and insists that they have to start their lives soon, because she thinks she's dying.  "Xander" points out that she's not dying, she's human, and she says that she's worried that she's going to age and die alone, but he convinces her that he'll be there. Xander bursts in and Anya gets confused, then he pulls out a gun. Buffy jumps in just in time to fill them in. Then Xander asks about the shiny disc, but it turns out that it was actually just a flattened out nickel "Xander" found at the construction site. Later, with a simple incantation, Willow breaks Toth's spell and the Xander's are one again. The next day, Anya, Buffy and Riley help Xander move back into his basement. After getting a guilt trip from Anya, Xander asks Riley how he stays sane, and Riley confesses that when he's with Buffy, every part of him is content, and the he loves her with his life; then he adds softly... "But she doesn't love me". Buffy comes back in the room and kisses Riley tenderly and Xander watches, confused.

EPISODE 4
"Out of My Mind"

Buffy patrols solo until an energetic Riley joins in. Another vamp charges, and this time, Spike does the slaying. Buffy warns Spike to stay out of her way, then she and Riley take off.  Spike professes to himself that he will know Buffy’s blood. At the Giles, Xander, Anya and Tara are remodeling. Giles confesses that he’s impressed with Xander’s carpentry abilities. Buffy heads to the back room to train and finds it completely upgraded, with mats and weapons… a real training area, compliments of Giles and Xander. Riley shows up and is anxious to try the new room out. Later that night, Harmony tells Spike she's Buffy’s arch nemesis. The next morning, Joyce is making breakfast for Dawn when she suddenly gets lightheaded, and then out of nowhere, she looks at Dawn and says ‘who are you?’ just before passing out. Dawn panics and calls 911. Buffy and Riley get to the hospital, where the doctor informs them that Joyce is ok. Dawn, playing with a stethoscope, is alarmed by Riley's speedy heart rate. Riley dismisses the doctor’s direct recommendation to stay in the hospital, and when Buffy asks why, he tries to convince her that his heart is different because of the Initiative tests. Joyce gets released so and they leave. Later, Buffy confesses that she’s worried about Riley, but she doesn’t know how to help him. Willow suggests the Initiative, but they don’t exist anymore. Dawn suggests that if “Big Brother” is watching, then Buffy should say something so they’ll hear her.  Buffy heads to Riley’s, and picks up his phone, which is clearly tapped, and states to whoever is listening that Riley is in trouble. Riley runs into Graham, who tries to convince him that The Initiative can fix him, but he doesn’t buy it. When Graham tells him he doesn’t have a choice, Riley knocks him out and runs off. Graham gets to Buffy and tells her there’s a doc at the hospital waiting, and she says she’ll get Riley there. Later, Riley goes to the initiative caves to hide out. Meanwhile, the Scooby’s try to figure out where he could be. Xander and Anya run to check the docks, and Willow and Tara check the old high school. Buffy considers the caves, but she’ll have to enlist Spike’s help. She barges into his crypt and offers to pay Spike to find Riley and get him to the initiative doctors. Graham asks the Doctor at the hospital is it’s soon enough to help Riley, but the Doc isn’t sure. Spike and Harm show up, knock out Graham, and tell the doctor that he’s got a new patient.  They take him to the Medical Lab at Sunnydale University. The doc is reluctant to perform the surgery, but Spike threatens his life. At the old high school, Tara is impressed with Willow's increasing witchy powers. Meanwhile, Buffy manages to find Riley deep in the caves. Riley confesses that he doesn’t want the operation because then he’ll be a normal guy, and he feels that Buffy won’t love him anymore. Buffy convinces him that she loves him for him, and that she needs him. He decides to go see the doctor. When they get there, Graham informs that Hostile 17 has the doc. Back at the lab, the doctor informs Spike that the chip is out. Just as he finishes. Buffy and Riley show up. Riley takes Harm and Spike takes Buffy only to realize that he still can’t hurt her. He looks in the can where the doctor supposedly dropped the chip and finds a penny. Riley suddenly collapses from an apparent heart attack, and Spike and Harm run off, cursing Buffy. Spike is convinced that Buffy is haunting him because he can’t get away from her. Riley gets all patched up and Buffy and him reconnect before she has to leave. Later, Graham tries to convince Riley that he doesn’t belong in Sunnydale, and that he belongs with them. That night Spike awakes from a terrifying dream involving him and Buffy heatedly kissing- and Spike telling Buffy that he loves her.

EPISODE 5
"No Place Like Home"

Two months ago, in an abandoned warehouse, some robed guys huddle over something, chanting, as something bangs fiercely at the blocked door. They vow to protect “The Key” from the danger that hunts them.

Present day, outside the same warehouse, Buffy is startled by a security guard, who finds a glowing orb and hands it to Buffy, thinking she dropped it. The next morning, Buffy and Dawn make breakfast for Joyce, who is still unexplainably ill. Buffy drags Dawn off to the Grand Opening of the Magic Box, which is less then busy. Giles admits that he has had no customers and Buffy confesses her worries about her mom’s health. Riley and Willow show up and Buffy presents the orb, but no answers come up. Riley wants to patrol but Dawn spills about how Buffy doesn’t want Riley to patrol. Riley gets upset and leaves and Buffy goes to yell at Dawn, but Willow stops her, confessing her sympathy for the ‘spaz’. Buffy wishes she were an only child. They get home and find Joyce more ill, so Buffy heads to the hospital pharmacy to get her prescription refilled. Buffy sees the now-crazy security guard strapped to a stretcher, screaming that ‘they’ will get Buffy through her family. He’s wheeled off before she can get answers, but she’s starting to figure out what’s wrong. 

Meanwhile, back at the warehouse, one of the Mormon that was to protect the key gets a visit from The Beast, who turns out to be an attractive young woman. She manages to tie him up and torture him, but he tells the obviously mental demon-stuck-in-a-mortal-body that she’s not getting the Key.

Buffy's theory of her moms illness is that something supernatural is trying to hurt Buffy through her family, and that something touched the security guard and made him see though what everyone else was blind to. As business picks up, Giles gets overwhelmed and enlists the gang to help with the store. Anya fills Buffy in on a spell to see spells and Buffy decides to try it. While under the trance, Buffy sees nothing around Joyce, but she notices Dawn’s image fading in and out of a family picture, and then the same thing happens with Dawn when she walks in.  Buffy professes that Dawn is not her sister. She is interrupted when Giles calls and tells her the Dagon Sphere is used to ward off “That which cannot be named.” Buffy heads out, warning Dawn that she would get home before Joyce does. She heads to the warehouse, where she finds the Mormon.

Joyce gets home early from her proclaimed big night out and Dawn is quick to offer her some tea. Back at the magic shop, Giles offers Anya a job, and she accepts.

The Beast proceeds to effortlessly kick Buffy’s ass until Buffy grabs the Mormon and leaps out the window. Unable to keep up, the annoyed beast accidentally causes the ceiling to cave in on herself. The Mormon tells Buffy that for centuries his Brethren kept The Key but when their enemies found them, they gave it human form and sent it to The Slayer for protection. They built everyone’s memories to think she’s been there all along. He tells Buffy that Dawn is a portal that opens the door, but she is also an innocent, and that Dawn does not know the truth either. The Mormon dies and Buffy goes home and apologizes to Dawn, and the two share a sisterly moment when they confess their equally sincere worries for their mother's health. 

EPISODE 6
"Family"

Buffy tells Giles about what she learned about Dawn. Giles suggests sending Dawn away, but Buffy insists that she has to take care of her. Glory (the Beast) enlists the help of the Leiach Demons to kill the Slayer. Later, as everyone helps Buffy move back home, Tara makes a joke, but feels out of her skin when no one gets it. Everyone assures Willow that they will be as Tara's b-day party. Later, Buffy and Xander admit that they’re not to thrilled about Tara’s birthday, but they’re going because it means a lot to Willow. As Tara arrives, she is greeted by her father, brother and cousin.

Dawn goes to leave, but Buffy stops her because it’s not safe. Dawn gets irritated and goes to her room. After Buffy kills one of Riley's ideas, he ends up at the demons bar where he meets a girl named Sandy, who invites him out, but he tells her he doesn’t go out with vampires. (Good call).

Tara's father admits that he had hoped that she would get over the witchcraft. He tells her that the evil inside her will come out on her 20th birthday. She tells him that her power doesn’t feel evil. He asks her how her friends would feel if they saw her true face. Later, Willow suggests they try the spell to locate demons again, but Tara gets nervous and makes excuses. As the gang meets, Tara performs a spell and leaves. She runs into her cousin Beth who tells her that she’s selfish because her father and brother have a house that needs taken care of. Beth says she can’t wait until her friends see her for what she is, but Tara confesses that she did a spell on them so they wouldn’t see the demon part of her. Beth plays on her emotions and walks off.  

Later Harmony tells Spike that the Leiach gang is going to kill the Slayer, and he rushes out to get a front row seat.   

The Leiach brethren waltz into the Magic Shop, unknown to the gang because of Tara's spell. Buffy hears one of them and starts fighting. Spike arrives and, against his better judgment, helps Buffy. They begin to attack in force and no one can see anything until Tara walks in a breaks her spell, the revealing the demons. They obliterate the clan just as Tara’s family shows up and threatens to take her home. Buffy gets upset when Tara confesses her spell-doings, and Willow almost loses it when she confesses that she’s a demon. Mr. Maclay says that all the women in their family have demon in them, and that the family can control it. Tara expresses her desire to stay, and her father threatens to take her anyway. Buffy says he can have her, he just has to get through her (and Dawn, Giles, Xander… etc.). When Anya asks them what kind of demon Tara is, no one gives a straight answer. Seeing what’s going on, Spike walks up to Tara and hits her in the face, causing an instant zap to his brain, proving that Tara’s human. He suggests to Tara’s father that the demon thing is a myth to keep the ladies in line. She tells her family to leave and they do.  

The next night, everyone enjoys Tara’s Bronze party. Riley shows up and reconnects with Buffy, and Willow and Tara share a romantic dance, each confessing their love for the other while floating unnoticeably above the ground.  

EPISODE 7
"Fool for Love"

I'm sorry, but this is only a basic run-down of the episode... I was not to impressed with this episode because I was expecting an actual crossover, but this was just flash backs. Don't get me wrong, I liked it, but I had much higher expectations. Anyway, basically it goes like this: Buffy almost gets killed by a no neck vamp, prompting her to dig more into her legacy. She decides to ask the only person who's killed two Slayer's- Spike. In telling the tale of his life, Spike reveals that he was once a dorkish poet, before being sired by Drucilla. He tells of the two Slayer's he's killed- One in 1900's China, the other in New York in 1977. Later, Joyce tells Buffy that she needs to check into the hospital, and Buffy seeks (somewhat) comfort in Spike, who had gone to her house to kill her. 

EPISODE 8
"Shadow"

Joyce undergoes a cat scan  while Buffy and Dawn sit worriedly in the waiting room. Meanwhile, Giles shows off his new Yellow Pages ad while Xander admits his annoyance with Riley, who destroyed the nest of vamps without the team.

A demon named Dregg gives Glory a long lost spell that she hopes will Aid her in finding the key. She just needs some extra ingredients, which she plans to get from The Magic Box. 

Riley goes to Buffy’s only to find Spike lurking in her room. Spike tells Riley that he’s not dark enough for Buffy, then informs Riley that Buffy’s at the hospital, making sure to rub in the fact that Spike knew and Riley didn’t. Riley goes to the hospital and sits with Dawn while Buffy goes in and sees the doctor. Joyce explains that they found a “Shadow” in Joyce’s brain. It maybe minor, but a biopsy is necessary to know for sure.  

Back at the shop, Tara suggests that maybe the new evil predates the written word. Just hen, Glory walks in and buys some witch stuff and leaves as the gang continues to think up possibilities as to where she could be hiding.  Later, Anya is going through some receipts when she notices that Giles sold someone a Cole’s Amulet and a Sobekian Bloodstone, which are lethal together. Giles sees no cause for alarm… that is until he realizes he sold them to Glory.

The surgery goes ok, but the doctor explains that Joyce has a brain tumor. They still need to determine if the tumor is operable. Dr. Ben tells the doctor he’s needed, then confesses that he thought Buffy could use a break. He scoot’s off as Buffy gets up, confessing that she’s going to do a healing spell, despite Riley’s objections. Riley agrees to drive Dawn to school and Buffy tells him to tell Dawn that they don’t know anything yet. Riley takes Dawn to the fair and she tells him that she’s glad he’s there. She also mentions that Buffy doesn’t get all worked up over him like she did with Angel.  

Buffy asks for the Scooby’s help on finding a healing spell, but Giles informs her that magic could make things worse. Anya blurts out the fact the Giles sold things to Glory, then tells how the Sobeks were reptile worshippers. They figure that Glory is going to make a giant cobra, all though they’re not sure what for. Buffy heads out to find her.  Later, Riley goes to the magic shop is hurt when he learns Buffy again didn’t call him for help. Xander tells him that it wasn’t smart of him to charge those vamps alone. He agrees and heads out, a little distraught. He goes to Willy’s where he runs into the vampire Sandy. The begin to kiss and he allows her to bite him (I’m guessing he thought Buffy would want him more if he was a vamp) but he pulls away at the last second and stakes her.  

At the Zoo, Dregg helps Glory with the incantation when they’re rudely interrupted by Buffy, who Glory again easily fights off. The giant cobra rises and Glory commands it to find The Key then tell her where it is. The cobra runs off. Buffy calls Giles from the hospital and lets him know that the monster is loose, and reminds him that Dawn is on her way to him. He promises to keep her safe. Buffy sits in with Joyce when the doctor explains the severity of her illness. Joyce is instantly distraught.   Buffy gets to the Magic Shop and just as Willow confirms a non-sighting of the big snake, it crashes in and heads straight for Dawn. It stops just short of her, looks at her, then turns and flees the building, leaving everyone (except Buffy and Giles) confused. Buffy and Giles chase after it in his car, eventually catching up to it in the park. Buffy tackles it and manages to beat it to death with her bare hands (but only after strangling it doesn’t work)  

Glory awaits the snake’s return, and is unnerved when she realizes snaky isn’t coming home.  

EPISODE 9
"Listening to Fear"

Buffy and Dawn visit with Joyce at the hospital when the doctor tells them that her surgery will take place the day after tomorrow. Meanwhile, Giles, Xander and Willow take out a nest of vamps and state their disapproval with Riley for not showing. Apparently, Riley was too busy letting a vamp suck the blood from his arm. The next day,  Joyce hammers out a senseless comment, so they decide to let her rest. In the corridor, Buffy reassures Dawn that Joyce will be fine when the custodian from the warehouse that Glory first showed up in (now a babbling crazy person) starts calling Dawn a 'thing' then walks off. Dr. Ben shows up and informs Buffy that the mental ward is booked beyond capacity and that they're releasing people even though they aren't cured.

Willow and Tara star gaze when one of the stars crashes to earth. Not too far away, wandering in the woods, the crazy man from the hospital has a run in with the creature from the meteor, which ends up at the hospital, lurking on the ceiling. Buffy pleads with the Dr. to let Joyce stay at home until the surgery, and against his recommendation, he agrees, as long as Buffy can play nurse.

The gang heads to the crash site where they discover the mental patient dead, with some foul smelling goo in his mouth. Realizing that this is new territory, the vote research is in order. Riley nominates himself to investigate. They head off and he calls the military. Grant and his team arrive at the site and Riley suggests tracking the extraterrestrial with a gamma tracker, and they agree. 

The patients of Sunnydale General's mental ward get a visit from the alien, which then heads out and watches as Joyce gets released and goes home with Buffy and Dawn.  

Joyce wanders to the kitchen and almost burns the place down. Unbeknownst to them, something is lurking in the basement. Buffy and Dawn help her back to bed and when Dawn kisses her, she jumps up and calls her a thing. Dawn gets upset and leaves. She tells Buffy about how people keep calling her a thing, and Buffy manages to convince her to not listen to it.  

The scoobs discover that the alien is a Quellar demon, something that is summoned from outer space to 'quell' mental patients. Willow calls Riley, who's at Sunnydale Hospital with 5 mental patient corpses, and informs him of what's going on. Riley fails to mention his military companions. When the gamma trail ends, they figure that the demon hitched a ride with a patient, and Riley fears it was Joyce.  

Joyce lies in bed spitting out some major babble to the Quellar Demon, who is resting on her ceiling. It spits its goop on Joyce, but Dawn manages to knock it off before it gets too serious. Buffy hears the screams and runs to help. After she manages to get away from the Quellar, she runs into Spike, who was in her basement (apparently stealing pictures of Buffy). Spike helps her kill the Quellar just as Riley and his team burst in. Buffy ignores Riley and runs upstairs to comfort Joyce and Dawn.

At the hospital, Dr. Ben has a run in with Dregg, who asks why he summoned the Quellar. Ben replies that he was cleaning up Glory's mess, as he has done his whole damn life.  

EPISODE 10
"Into the Woods"

Buffy and the gang are all relieved when they learn that Joyce's surgery a success,  Later, Xander and Anya baby-sit Dawn while Buffy and riley get in some much needed quite time.  Unbeknownst to them, Spike is keeping a close eye on her bedroom window. When Buffy falls asleep, Riley leaves, and Spike decides to follow him. The next morning, Buffy visits with Joyce, who tries unsuccessfully to convince Buffy to have some fun. Meanwhile, Grant's military team has tracked a demon hot spot in Central America, and they want Riley to go along.  

Spike out of concern it seems, brings Buffy to where he followed Riley. Inside lay a nest of vamps feeding on what seem to be willing humans. He leads her upstairs where she sees Riley willingly letting a female vampire feed off him. The shock sends her reeling and she runs out, and Spike feels bad when he sees the look in her face. Riley gets home and is confronted by the army to go to Central America, and they inform him that they leave at midnight the next day.  

Anya expresses her discontent of being made fun of for being newly human, and Willow tries to convince her that she doesn't talk about her. When Xander comes to Willow's defense, Anya gets upset. Buffy storms in and inquires about the new nest. Anya points out that people have been paying vampires to bite the (for the rush) for centuries. Buffy collects some weapons and the gang follows. When they get there only to find the place empty, Buffy sets the whole place on fire.  

Riley bursts into Spike's crypt and immediately jams a stake into his chest. He pulls it out a minute later and reveals that its plastic. Spike confesses that he's into Buffy, but that he isn't the problem. Buffy needs some monster in her men, and that's not riley. The also notes that he doesn't think he has a shot with Buffy, but he has to try. They end up chumming over a bottle of champagne.  

Buffy makes with some fierce training as Anya and Xander discuss what could be bothering her. Riley shows up and asks them to clear out and when Anya makes some badly timed puns, Xander gets irritated and heads off. Riley confesses that he started with the whole thing because he wanted to feel what she felt with Dracula and Angel. And he also confesses that he felt needed with the vampires. Riley blurts out his offer from the military, and tells Buffy that unless she gives him a reason to stay, he's going to Central America. Stunned, Buffy leaves without saying a word. In the alley behind the store, Buffy gets jumped by the vamp gang the ran the "suck house". She manages to take out all 10 of them with no problem. Xander shows up and they have a heated argument about Buffy treating Riley like a convenience, and Buffy turns the tables and points out that Xander does the same with Anya. Xander manages to convince Buffy that she has to get him. She hits the pavement and runs with everything she has. Xander goes home and confesses to Anya that she makes him feel complete. Meanwhile, when Buffy doesn't show, he boards the chopper but as it begins to take off, Buffy gets there and starts screaming to him, only he never looks down so he doesn't see her. Instead, he takes off on his way to fight a deadly battle in a Central American village, having no idea what he's left behind.

Episode 11
"TRIANGLE"

Xander confesses that he misses having Riley around when Anya suggests that maybe Buffy is the one who messed things up. Meanwhile, Buffy slays a vamp in a convent, and asks a nun how she likes being a nun. 

Buffy and Giles discuss his upcoming trip to England to meet with the counsel in hopes that they can give some info on Glory. Buffy expresses her concerns over Dawn being mentioned, but Giles assures her that he'll only mention 'The Key'. Giles kills Anya's plans to run the store alone, which she feels insulted by. Willow jumps in and offers to help out- which annoys her even more. Buffy returns home to find Joyce up an about, looking better. Dawn and Buffy discuss Riley and share another 'sisterly' moment. Spike preaches to Buffy's plaster look alike about how he feels. (Freak). Willow and Tara mess around with some spells at the magic shop (Amy is mentioned, but still not deratted) when they decide to do a sunlight creating spell to help Buffy out. Anya advises against it and feels left out when she's compared to the fish from The Cat in the Hat. When Xander shows up, Willow and Anya's argument prompts both him and Tara to leave so they can work things out. Later, she tries the spell and when she messes up the incantation (with Anya's help), they end up releasing a giant troll from a nearby crystal, which proceeds to trash the store before heading out. Meanwhile, Buffy and Tara compare their schedules and when Tara mentions that Xander and Anya had a fight, Buffy states how they need to be together and starts balling, leaving Tara confused. 

Xander runs into Spike at The Bronze and they begin bonding over their love problems (although Xander has no idea what the hell Spike is talking about) before the Troll bursts in. Willow and Anya track the beast to The Bronze at the same time Buffy and Tara arrive. Willow begins a spell but the troll interrupts her, pointing out that he and Anyanka used to date, before she turned him into a troll (which is how she got the job as a vengeance demon). The troll attacks hard, sending the upper level of the Bronze crashing below, hurting many party goes, before running off. Spike helps some of the injured and tries to take credit for not 'sampling' to impress Buffy, but he only makes her sick. Willow and Anya go back to the store to try another spell when Anya realizes that Willow doesn't like her because she's afraid she'll hurt Xander, but Anya retracts with Willow having feelings for Xander, but Willow reestablishes the fact that she's gay. They establish that neither is going to hurt Xander just as Olaf the troll breaks in and throws them across the room. Xander shows up and tries to fight him off, but ends up getting a really nasty beating. As a reward for fighting bravely, Olaf offers Xander the chance to choose between Anya and Willow. After seeing him go through a few more hits and a NASTY broken wrist, Anya offers to be the one to die. Just then Buffy shows up and rushes the troll, but she can only put up a mediocre fight. The giant pounds on Buffy and even has her at one point until he makes a crack about Anya and Xander not making it as a couple. This infuriates Buffy and she manages to kick his ass the way only Buffy-pissed-about-something-love-related can. After Anya and Willow are over their 'Xander issues' they make up, and Willow sends the unconscious troll to another dimension.

Later, Giles (back early) discusses the status of the Watcher's Council. Buffy expresses her concern about the Council finding out that Dawn is the Key, and Joyce admits that its unnerving, since Dawn has always been her little girl. Buffy ponders what would happen if they found out 'The Key' was Dawn. Little do they know- Dawn is listening.

Episode 12
"Checkpoint"|

Giles meets with the gang and informs them that the council will be arriving with info on Glory, and Buffy expresses her concerns with them, seeing as how they've tried to kill her on several occasions. Meanwhile, Dreg informs Glory that the signs of the alignment are moving faster, and that she needs to act quickly if she's going to find the Key in time to use it. Glory suspects that The Slayer knows where the Key is. Quentin Travers from the Watcher's Council arrives and proceeds to close down the Magic Box to meet with Giles. He informs Giles that he has vital information on Glory, but will not give it to Buffy unless she passes a review. Meanwhile, Buffy's history professor embarrasses her when she counterpoints his lecture on Rasputin, leaving her upset. Later, she takes her anger out on a vamp until Spike charges and slays it before she's done venting. She gets angry and he plays on her inability to keep a boyfriend before walking off.

Dr. Ben learns that Buffy is the Slayer when Dreg tries to get him to help Glory by giving her Buffy's address. He doesn't agree, and sends Dreg back to Glory badly bruised. He informs Glory that Ben won't help, and she confesses that he makes her angry.

At the Magic Shop, Buffy is reunited with the man that almost killed her on her 18th birthday, Quentin. He explains that she must pass an exhaustive review of her methods, abilities, even friends, before he can give her the dirt on Glory, adding that if she disagrees to the review, he'll have Giles deported to England. Later, Giles rants about the Council's power trip, and stresses their political powers are endless. Buffy wonders what she'll do when they ask her questions she can't answer. The next day, the Council begin to interview Xander, Anya, Willow, Tara, and Spike, and although they all mean well in regards to The Slayer... their testimonies might have made the wrong impressions...( the fact that Buffy's got 2 Civies, 2 unregistered witches and a vampire helping her... it doesn't look too good.) Buffy fails the physical part of her review when she is unable to understand Quentin's Japanese instructions while trying to defend a dummy victim blind folded. They agree to meet later for the final part of the review.  Buffy returns home and is shocked to find Glory in her living room. Glory calmly asks Buffy where her key is, and (in a moment that must have been nothing less then mind blowing for Buffy) when Dawn walks in, Glory asks if SHE knows where the Key is.... Dawn reiterates the fact that Buffy is always talking about stuff Dawn isn't supposed to hear (referring to the convo she overheard between Buffy Joyce and Giles) before running off. Glory makes it perfectly clear that she will kill everyone Buffy loves, including Dawn, until she gets her key. This prompts Buffy to bring Joyce and Dawn to Spike and asks him to watch them because he is the only one strong enough to protect them. He agrees. Outside the Magic Box, Buffy gets jumped buy three cloaked guys sporting some heavy metal.. Buffy fights two of them away and pumps the third for information. He's part of an Ancient Order known as the Knights of Byzantium, a brotherhood sent to destroy the key before The Beast (Glory) can use it. He lets the Slayer know that as long as she protects the Key, she is their enemy.... and she does NOT want these people as enemies. To his surprise, she lets him go. She goes inside and when confronted to start the review, she professes that there isn't going to be a review. She tells how the only reason everyone keeps pushing her around is because she has power. The Council needs their Slayer, and all these tests and things are because they have nothing better to do.. She TELLS Quentin that Giles will be rehired as her watcher and when a council member questions the idea of having civilians patrol, Buffy quickly retracts by pointing out that they are all a team. After Quentin agrees to Buffy's terms, they sit down and Buffy asks him what kind of demon Glory is.. The Answer: "Glory isn't a Demon....She's a God."

EPISODE 13
"Blood Ties"

The gang discusses their newfound knowledge of Glory, as well as plans for Buffy's twentieth birthday. Buffy protests that they need to stop Glory before she finds the Key, and when questions arise, she feels it's time to tell them the truth about Dawn.

Meanwhile, several of the Knights of Byzantium chant in the woods, hoping to find and destroy the Key (as is the will of God) before they're interrupted by Glory. Glory takes one of the Knights and tortures him for The Key before mind-sucking him dry. Later, Ben finds the Knight in the mental ward, and Dreg tries to threaten him, reiterating the fact that Ben is a direct link to Glory's legacy. Ben shakes off the threats, since he knows Glory can't touch him.

The next day, Willow and Tara perform an early warning spell on the magic shop and Dawn shows up wanting to help, but they say no. She goes inside and Xander and Anya act weird towards her, although she's not sure why. She eyes a book of Giles notes and grows curious as to what they say. Later, everyone celebrates Buffy's birthday at the Summers' house, and when everyone starts acting weird around Dawn, she gets upset and sneaks out of the house only to run in to Spike, who was arriving for the party (presents in hand). She points out that she's breaking into the Magic Shop, so he goes along. They do so and Dawn finds the book, which reveals that she is in fact The Key. She goes home and cuts herself, wondering if she's real, if she's a 'key'. Buffy explains that she was made six months ago, and she doesn't deal with things well. Later, Buffy learns Spike was there so she goes to his crypt, demanding to know how he could let Dawn find out like that. He points out that if she had told Dawn the truth, she wouldn't have found out that way. Buffy storms off. Before storming off to school, Dawn points out that Joyce is not her Mother, and cannot tell her what to do.

That night, Dawn decides to run away. Buffy and the gang split up and begin searching. Buffy confesses that Spike was right about how she should have told Dawn, and he reassures her that they'll find her. Xander admits his egoness when he points out the fact that the all-powerful Dawn has a crush on him. They all end up in the same place, with no sight of Dawn. Buffy thinks they should check the hospital, incase something happened to her.

Searching for answers, Dawn decides to sneak into the hospital's mental ward, where the Knight of Byzantium points out that she must be destroyed. She runs into Dr. Ben, who tries to comfort her by telling her that he has problems with his sister (Glory?) too. Dawn blurts out the fact that she is the Key, and Ben panics, telling her to get out. Before she can run, Ben turns into Glory and grabs her. Luckily, Glory doesn't remember the conversation. She asks Dawn again where the Key is, but Dawn tries to get some info on it. It's old, it's mysterious blah blah blah. When Glory concludes that Dawn doesn't know where it is, she figures she can still send The Slayer a message. Just as she's about to mind-suck Dawn, Buffy and Co. charge in and attack. Glory knocks out Spike, Giles and Xander, and manages to catch Buffy with a crow bar (which Buffy jumped in front of to protect Dawn) before Willow and Tara were able to teleport her to outside the city. As everyone recovers, Buffy tells Dawn that they will always be sisters, and grabs Dawn's bloody hand with hers, making them 'blood sisters'.

EPISODE 14
"Crush"

Buffy sits alone at the Bronze until Spike decides to join her, showing concern for her aloneness. She tells him to go away, and he does, hurt. Willow confesses that the teleportation spell she did on Glory has been causing her constant headaches. Buffy sees Ben and thanks him for helping Dawn. Meanwhile, a train with a car full of massacred people pulls into Sunnydale Station. Spike obsesses over a sweater he stole from Buffy and when Harm wants to play around, Spike dresses her up like the Slayer.

 Buffy gets wind of the train massacre, in while all passengers were found with throat/neck wounds. Dawn goes to see Spike because she feels like he talks to her like an adult. When Dawn mentions Buffy, Spike's face lights up. And when she admits that she feels safe with him, he freaks, but calms down. When Buffy arrives home and can't find Dawn, she goes to Spike for help, only to find Dawn there. She scolds Dawn, who admits she has a crush on the vamp, but he's too preoccupied with Buffy. Buffy is shocked.

 Buffy and Xander check out the massacre train, and Buffy pitches the idea of Spike having a crush on her to him, but he only laughs. His laugh disappears when he learns Dawn's new crush is Spike, not him. Unbeknownst to them, a blindfolded doll lies in the compartment over head. Buffy arrives home to find Joyce and Dawn hanging with Spike, who reveals he knows who the train massacre vamps are. They attack the suspected vamps, but Buffy soon realizes that they aren't the culprits, and that Spike was just leading her on. She confronts him about his possible feelings, and he admits that he feels something deep for her, and insists she feels it too. She shoots him down and makes it clear that there is no 'them' before storming out. Spike returns home to find none other the Drusilla, who has returned to reclaim her William, and to convince him to come back to LA with her to reign with Darla and hopefully Angelus. She convinces him that he can still hurt with the chip and that it's all in his head. When Harmony shows up, he throws her out, and admits that he's back. Spike and Dru go to the Bronze, where, after Dru kills the girl, Spike is able to feed off a human for the first time in a long time.

Buffy fills Joyce and Willow in on the sitch with Spike, and Willow convinces her to confront him rather then avoid him. Before she heads out, she tells Will that she needs her to do something. She goes to Spike's lair and discovers a shrine of pictures and drawings of her. Totally freaked, she tries to leave, but runs into Spike and Dru on the way out. They zap her unconscious, and then Spike does the same to Dru. When they come to, they're both chained up, and Spike again admits how in love with Buffy he is. Even when he offers to slay Drusilla, despite how much he loves her, Buffy makes it clear that she can't stand him. Spike's low tolerance for women hits an all time high when Harmony shows up and nails him with a crossbow arrow. As he and Harm fight, Drusilla manages to get free, an begins whaling on still-restrained Buffy, until Spike fights her off, and sets Buffy free. Drusilla is very disappointed in Spike, and runs off. Spike is blind sided when Buffy punches him clear across the room. He follows her home, trying to convince her that they can't deny their feelings. Se retracts by telling him to leave town- soon. He doubts her seriousness until he tries to follow her inside, only to find out he's been de-invited. He stares into Buffy's eyes, shocked, as she closes the door in his face.

EPISODE 15
"I Was Made to Love You"

Buffy trains with the thought of Spike liking her in her head, and complains that she's never going to find a normal guy. She suggests changing, but Xander lovingly convinces her that she's great the way she is. Meanwhile, a strange and annoyingly perfect girl named April arrives in town, looking for 'true love'. Buffy and Dawn give Joyce a hard time about her pending date with a guy she met at work. Tara and Anya discuss Anya's success in playing the stock market when April approaches them, asking if they'd seen 'Warren'. When they say no, she smiles and asks the next person. Later, Buffy shares a dance with Xander at a Spring Break party, until Buffy notices Ben. The two chat for a moment and when he walks away to get a drink, Spike approaches Buffy, but leaves when she tells him to. Ben comes back and gives Buffy his phone number in hopes that they can go out for 'coffee'. April shows up calling out for Warren, and when he hears her, he grabs his girlfriend Katrina and bolts. Xander makes a comment on how beautiful April is, he seems hypnotized. Feeling rejected, Spike hits on April, but she is appalled, and in turn throws him through a window. When Buffy approaches her, she shoves Buffy clear across the room with ease, then apologizes and walks off. Later, the gang agrees that she's a robot looking for whoever built her. Buffy gets home in time to get the details of Joyce's date, who of course is just hassling Buffy. 

The next day, Willow tracks down Warren's address. Tara suggests how sad it is that Warren couldn't find a human to love him, prompting Buffy to call Ben. He happens to be morphing back from Glory just in time to get the phone and agree to meet with her the next night. 

Spike shows up at the magic shop and is hardly welcomed with open arms. Giles makes it very clear that they are not his friends, and that he needs to move the hell on (referring to his crush on Buffy). He swears it was a misunderstanding, but they throw him out anyway. He goes to his crypt and throws all the contents of his Buffy shrine in a box, stating "Oh, I'll get over it all right." 

Warren and Katrina argue until Buffy shows up and Katrina walks off. Warren confesses that he built April to love him, but she was too predictable. When he met Katrina, he told April he was going out- and never came back. They decide to find her. Katrina wanders to a nearby park where she runs into April. When she tells April to stay away from HER boyfriend, April starts choking her. Buffy and Warren show up and she lets Katrina go. Warren sicks April on Buffy and grabs Katrina and runs. April puts up a good fight until she gets too weak and the two start chatting instead. Before her battery dies, April instills some optimism on the Buffster, because 'every cloud has a silver lining'. Later. Spike goes to see Warren, and places an order for a Buffybot.

Buffy confesses to Xander that she is going to be alone for a while. She calls Ben to cancel their date but gets his machine. Glory over hears the message and wonders if Ben, seeing as how he's in cahoots with The Slayer, is planning something against her. Then she wonders how Buffy could turn 'them' down. 

Buffy returns home and finds flowers from Joyce's date stating how much of a wonderful time he had. She proceeds to the living room and, to her horror, she discovers her mother lying motionless on the couch- dead.  

EPISODE 16
"The Body"
Written and Directed 
by Joss Whedon

(Click here for my screen shots from this episode)

 Flashback to Thanksgiving 2000 as the gang enjoys a heartwarming turkey dinner. Present day: In an utter panic, Buffy tries to wake her mother up, but has no luck. She calls 911 and attempts CPR, but ends up cracking a rib. While waiting for the paramedics, Buffy calls Giles and informs him that “She’s at the house” (?) The paramedics arrive and attempt to revive Joyce, but have no luck either (although Buffy envisioned they revived her). They call her death and instruct Buffy to wait for the coroner, and not to disturb the body. Giles arrives, panicked because he thinks Buffy was referring to Glory. He discovers Joyce and tries to revive her, but Buffy tells him, to her horror, not to move ‘the body’.    


At school, Dawn is worried that the boy she likes, Kevin, thinks she’s a freak, thanks to rumors about her being a cutter. She brushes it off and heads to art class, where she gets a table next to Kevin, and they start talking. He confesses that he’s felt like cutting himself too. Buffy shows up and takes Dawn in the hall and subtly tells her about their mother. As classmates watch, Dawn sobs, telling Buffy it’s not true, before collapsing to floor, sobbing harder.  

The gang prepares to meet Buffy at the morgue. Willow panics to find something to wear, and Tara calms her down, pointing out how strong they are together. Xander and Anya arrive, and Xander wonders if Glory could be responsible, but they figure she’d want everyone know. Xander rants about how the doctor let Joyce go to early, and Willow calms him down. Tara suggests they take over patrolling, for as long as they need to.  

Anya blurts out some inappropriate questions, and when Willow attacks her, she breaks down because she doesn’t understand the concept of death, and she is unsure what to do. They conquer that they don’t know how death works. 

Xander slams his hand through a wall and ends up getting cut. They leave, and Xander states that they need to help Buffy, because that’s what they do.  

They all meet up in the waiting room and exchange hugs and ‘I’m sorry’s’. Joyce’s doctor finishes the autopsy and tells them that she did in fact have an aneurysm, but didn’t suffer. Giles offers to help with the paperwork and heads off. Dawn asks ‘what about..’ but doesn’t finish her question. Instead she goes to the bathroom. Anya tells Buffy, in her literal way, that she wishes Joyce didn’t die, and Buffy, realizing her sincerity, thanks her. They head off to the snack machine while Buffy sits with Tara. Tara confesses that her mother died when she was 17, and that she understands and will help Buffy if she needs her.    

EPISODE 17
"Forever"

With the help of her friends, Buffy begins the daunting task of planning her mothers funeral. Dawn is having a hard time accepting the fact that Joyce is gone, and asks to sleep at Willow’s after the service. On the way out, Xander and Willow bump into Spike, who claims he’s there to leave flowers because he liked Joyce, but Xander insists he’s trying to score points. Spike throws the flowers down and walks off, and they realize that there wasn’t a card. 

After Joyce’s (tearful) service, Dawn goes home with Willow and Tara. Buffy stays behind until sundown, when Angel arrives, apologizing because he couldn’t get there sooner. Buffy confesses her fear of tomorrow to Angel, who convinces her that she needs some time. Buffy wants Angel to stay, but when they start to kiss, they both realize that he HAS to go before things get Angelus.. They share a few more peaceful moments together before he heads off.

Dawn's need for her mother leads her to try to convince Willow and Tara to do a spell to bring Joyce back. They immediately say no, but Willow is a little more open with the information, saying that it IS possible, and that there are books. 

Xander and Anya make love and Anya confesses how Joyce’s death has opened her eyes to how great but short life can be, and how amazing it is that their love could create life. 

The next  morning, on her way out, Willow secretly levitates a history of witchcraft book on the bookshelf, causing it to stick out. Dawn notices the book and starts reading up on resurrection. At the Magic Box, Dawn pretends to be helpful while sneaking around looking for a book, which she finds. That night, at the grave, she tries a spell, but is interrupted by Spike, who offers some caution, then offers to help. He takes her a guy named Doc, who knows all about resurrection spells. We forewarns, but tells her how to do it. She needs the egg of a gaura demon and a picture of Joyce, and he reminds her that the only way to break the spell is to tear the picture. The kindly old man insists Dawn keep in touch, then she gets a glimpse of his not too human eyes, before she leaves. They head to the sewers where Spike fights off the Gaura demon and Dawn is successful in getting the egg.

Ben runs into Glory’s minion Jinx, and accidentally reveals that the key is a human. Realizing Jinx will tell Glory, Ben sees no choice but to stab the minion and leave him for dead. The wounded Jinx makes his way back to Glory and fills her in on the key being in human form, and the Bitch Goddess is very pleased, as ‘this narrows the search in a serious way.’ Willow realizes that Dawn may have learned to much and calls Buffy immediately. Buffy gets upstairs in time to see Dawn complete the spell. The run to the living room, and Dawn confesses that she feels unwanted, and is upset with Buffy for her lack of emotion. Buffy breaks down and insists that Dawn is important to her, and that she, of course, does care. The resurrected Joyce looms in the shadows just before knocking at the door. In a fleeting moment, Buffy thinks her mother has come back, but Dawn, seeing clearly now, rips the picture of Joyce before Buffy can open the door. Then, the girls break down in each others arms, mourning their mother. 

EPISODE 18
"INTERVENTION"

Buffy feels that being the Slayer is turning her into stone, and that Riley left because she shut him out. She feels her whole life is being a killer, and she’s not sure how to love. Giles suggests a desert quest that other slayers have taken to regain their focus, but Buffy doesn’t want to leave Dawn, but Dawn says go for it, if it will help. 

Spike is pleased when he is presented with his very own Buffybot, who's programmed to know everything Buffy knows. He takes a few minutes to give his scenario programmed slayer a test ride. After they do the deed, and Spike is resting up, Buffybot decides that she needs to do some slaying. 

Glory admits that Ben is getting stronger, and that its getting harder to share her body with her enemy. She confesses that time is running out, then orders her minions to  follow Buffy and  everyone she knows, and too see there’s anyone new, who could be the Key. 

Buffy and Giles arrive in the desert and, after Giles finishes his incantation, Buffy is on her way, guided by a tiger. The kitty brings her to the area where she battled the first slayer in her post-adjoining spell dream. She falls asleep on some rock, and is awakened by a fire, set by the first Slayer. She confirms that Buffy is full of love, and that love will bring her to her gift- death. Buffy is not to thrilled with her answer, but it is an answer, so the first slayer has fulfiller her duties. 

Anya, Xander and Tara discuss patrolling and witchery when Dawn sneakily swipes a pair of Anya’s earrings, which Anya had just taken out. Anya and Xander hit the cemetery and run into Buffybot, who they mistake for the real deal. They are interrupted by Spike, who has a hard time keep his love toy off him without looking suspicious. They get attacked by some vamps, and Buffybot fights valiantly to protect Spike, actions that are observed closely by Glory’s voyeuristic minions. Xander and Anya take off, but conclude that Buffy is acting spacey, so they go back to question her, only to find her ‘boinking’ Spike. Baffled, they rush home and fill Willow and Tara in, and they all conclude that she’s lost it. Xander leaves again to talk some sense into her. He goes and threatens Spike before getting attacked by Glory’s minions, who knock Xander out and kidnap Spike, congratulating themselves for finding The Key. Buffybot wakes up and goes to Willow’s. Willow is curious about her odd behavior, but Xander returns before she can get any answers. Xander, Buffybot, Willow and Anya go to Buffy’s to get weapons in order to fight Glory. Buffybot goes upstairs to get changed and everyone comments on her new found obsession with Spike, and in walks real Buffy. When Xander questions her having sex with Spike, she’s completely perplexed, until Buffybot comes back. Everyone is surprised, and they figure out that she’s a robot. Buffy learns of the Glory/Spike sitch and decides they have to kill Spike before he opens his mouth. They start looking from the place where Buffy killed Glory’s snake monster. 

Glory instantly knows that Spike’s not the Key, but figures he knows where it is, so she starts with the torturing. Spike endures some horrific torture from the hell God, and eventually confesses that the Key is Bob Barker. Glory doesn’t buy it and the two have words so she kicks him across through the wall, and he uses to opportunity to get away.. Spike gets to the first floor as Buffy and Co. show up and the fighting ensues. They fight off the minions, but not before Buffybot gets a fatal punch in the head while trying to save Giles 

Back at the magic shop, Willow announces that she could fix the robot, but wouldn’t. Buffy is worried that Spike may have told Glory about Dawn, and figures if she asks him, he would just lie. So she concocts a scheme… she goes to Spike’s lair posing as Buffybot and gets him to admit that he would never tell Glory about Dawn, because it would hurt the real Buffy. Buffy, utterly touched, kisses Spike, and he realizes that it’s the real deal. She admits that what he did for her was real, and that she’d never forget it.

EPISODE 19
"Tough Love"

Buffy withdraws from her poetry class and is a little upset, but plans to return next semester.  Meanwhile, Ben shows up for work is surprised to learn that he hasn’t been there for two weeks and was fired. As he’s cleaning out his locker, he screams for Glory to stay out of his body, but she decides to take it over again anyway. She proceeds to order her minions to tell her everything they saw when they were spying so she can figure out who the key is. She decides she knows who the key is and heads out to collect it while her minions head out to keep an eye on the Scoobies.

At the magic shop, Anya expresses her new found patriotism, and her belief in capitalism. Giles gives Buffy advise on being a mother figure to Dawn, but she’s scared beyond words. Willow helps Dawn with a math problem, but it comes across to Buffy as goofing off and she gets upset. Willow tries to defend Dawn, but Buffy insists that Dawn doesn’t have time for games, and that Willow couldn’t understand.  Later, Buffy and Dawn argue about the house rules and Buffy fills Dawn in on the fact that if she doesn’t listen and go to school, then Buffy won’t be fit to be her legal guardian. 

Willow and Tara discuss the Buffy situation, and Tara comments on how Willow really can’t understand, which agitates Willow just a little. Tara sees willow’s agitation and instantly begins over-apologizing. The argument escalates when Tara suggest how frightened she is by Willow’s growing witchery, and again when Tara confesses her fear of Willow turning straight again, prompting Willow to storm out. At the cultural fair, Tara sits alone on a bench all alone until a hand takes hers. She turns and is face to face with Glory. Glory grabs her hand and starts squeezing, and warns Tara to stay quiet or she’ll start killing. She instantly realizes Tara isn’t the Key, and Tara holds strong and doesn’t tell. Figuring she’s useless, Glory decides to do her mind warp thing. 

Meanwhile, Willow and Giles stumble upon a minion and easily get him to confess that Glory thinks Tara is The Key, since she was the new one in the group. Willow immediately runs to Tara, but is too late. She gets there just in time to console her incoherent girlfriend. At the hospital, Xander once again expresses his hate towards hospitals while the doctor suggests Tara spend one night in the psych ward. Enraged, Willow claims she’s gonna go after Glory, but Buffy freaks and tells her she doesn’t stand a chance, and that they need to wait until they know how to fight her. Willow pretends to back down, then runs to the magic shop, fills a bag with some weapons, and cracks open a book of dark magic.

Spike baby-sits Dawn and shows her some well hidden caves and she confesses that she fears herself because she causes so much hurt and pain, but Spike convinces her that it’s ok. Buffy shows up and fills them in on how she calmed down Willow, but Spike doesn’t buy it, and then Buffy puts herself in Willow's shoes, then runs off to help her friend.  

Glory brags about feeding of Tara when the lights go out and the walls shake. Willow, decked out in super witch mode, floats in and starts beating on Glory with lightening bolts spewing from her hands. Glory quickly turns the tables and Willow learns fast that even at her best, she’s no match for the hell God. Glory is about an inch away from stabbing Willow to death when Buffy saves her at the last minute. She barely fights Glory off, and Willow is able to use magic to contain the God long enough to get away… while Glory points out that it isn’t over. 

The next day, Dawn and Buffy bring Willow and Tara lunch. Willow confesses that she will take care of Tara for as long as she needs to, and she and Buffy come to a mutual understanding about having to care for “their girls.” Just then, a pissed off Glory rips the side of the house down, and amidst the surprise, the mentally ill Tara looks at dawn and refers to her as “beautiful green energy,” and Dawn and Buffy are left in paralyzing fear as Glory smiles, knowing that her Key is finally within her reach.. 

EPISODE 20
"SPIRAL"

Buffy grabs Dawn and runs while Willow slows Glory down with her magic. Glory eventually catches up and is about to take the Key when she’s bashed by an 18-wheeler, and Buffy and Dawn are able to once again barely escape with their lives, and an angry Glory reverts back into a confused Ben. Later, Ben confesses to Glory’s minion that he plans to contain Glory by getting the Key first, since if she gets it, he’ll cease to exist.

Meanwhile, some of the Knights of Byzantium go incognito and get the knight that was victimized by Glory a while back out of the mental ward. They bring him back to the General, and he blabs about the Key being a little girl. Since the General knows the Slayer is protecting the Key, he assembles his MEGA army and orders them to retrieve it.

Buffy and the gang reconvene, and Buffy comes to the conclusion that Glory is too strong, and the only way for them to survive is if they leave town. Buffy gets Spike to provide his battered RV, and brings him along, since he’s the only one with her strength. In the RV, the gang tries to form a plan. Tara accidentally opens the blinds and lights Spike’s hands on fire, but he is forgiving, since she doesn’t know any better. Along with Tara, the rest of Sunnydale’s ‘glory-fied’ mental patients start chanting in unison- “soon.” At the same time, one of Glory’s minions is happy, as “the signs are in alignment.” 

Dawn takes a moment to thank Buffy for everything she has done, but Buffy is beating herself up for running, and she’s feeling overwhelmed with all the horrible things that keep happening (I.e.- Joyce’s death, Riley leaving, and Tara’s mind-warp). Just when Dawn suggests that things couldn’t get any crazier, the RV is besieged by the Knights of Byzantium. Buffy climbs on top of the speeding RV and valiantly battles some of the men. Down below, everyone takes cover, and Spike’s hands are wounded from a sword he took for Buffy. Just when they think the knights are backing off, one catches them off guard from ahead and manages to spear Giles, who’s driving. He loses control, and Buffy is thrown from the roof gas the RV topples over. Although everyone suffers only minor injuries, Giles has a nasty gut wound. They find their way to an abandoned as station, where they are again attacked by the Knights. The General gets inside, but is quickly knocked out. Willow is able to form a barrier around the building, but the Knights have some ancient guys working on getting it down. 

Buffy ties the General up, and tries to convince him to back off, but he refuses. He points out that Dawn is an instrument of chaos, no matter what form she’s in, and she must be destroyed. Then, Tara, again in unison with the crazies, begins to chant “it’s time.” The guys in the mental ward break free from their restraints and march off.

Buffy sits with Giles, who admits how proud he is of her, and that she has never let him down. Noticing how serious his wound is, Buffy convinces the Knights to allow someone to come help. Seeing no other option, she calls Dr. Ben, who is now in a position to obtain the Key first. He stitches Giles up, and reassures Buffy that he won’t leave until she wants him to.

Xander and Spike watch over the general and Spike suggests they all make a break for it, that way some of the could live. Buffy steps in and makes it clear that everyone will make it out. 

The General informs Buffy that Glory was ruled her hell-dimension with two other Gods, but grew so powerful that even they were scared of her. With that, they banished her to a lower ‘plane of existence’ and imprisoned her within the body of a new born male. He points out that if you kill the man, you kill Glory. He adds in that Dawn was created because the monks thought they could harness the key’s powers for good. Apparently, the Key opens the gate to separate dimensions, and Glory plans to use it to go home. However, once activated, the Key will cause all dimensions to bleed into each other, and the entire universe will be thrown into chaos. Dawn confesses that she knows she isn’t evil, but worries because the power is inside her. 

The General seizes the oppritunity to convince Ben (who he thinks is just a friend) to kill Dawn, so the Beast will fade. For a second, it seems that Ben is going to go after Dawn, but he’s just injecting Giles with some meds. Then, he feels Glory coming so he freaks out, urging for the consufed Scoobie’s to let him out. It’s too late, and in front of the very shocked group, he morphs into the one person they needed to hide from. Glory quickly kills the general then knocks through Spike, Xander, Willow, and Buffy. Finally, there’s no one standing between her and Dawn. She grabs Dawn and runs, punching a whole in the barrier. Buffy tries to run after her, but the barrier reforms and she can’t get out. She runs back in to tell Willow to take it down, and by the time they get back outside, the army of Knights is slaughtered, and Glory and Dawn are no where in sight. Amidst the shock, Buffy sits down and is unable to move, as she begins her decent into utter catatonia.

EPISODE 21
"The Weight of the World"

As her minions prepare for their ritual, Glory wines to a bound-and-gagged Dawn about the sudden onslaught of feelings she’s experiencing. She takes Dawn to a warehouse where more of her followers are preparing for the ritual. In a secluded back room, Glory actually tries to reassure Dawn when her disturbing feelings of guilt return. Annoyed, she has a minion priest ‘annoint” Dawn, and reveals that Dawn’s blood is what opens the portal, and that tomorrow, they bleed her. Glory confesses that the cloak between her and Ben is fading, as she is starting to lose control over him, as his thoughts are getting into her mind. She admits to Dawn that the world makes her crazy, and tells Dawn to name one human who can take it, and Dawn names Buffy. Then, Glory turns back into Ben, who is also starting to remember Glory’s thoughts. Dawn fills him in on the magic break down, and begs for him to help her. He knocks out the priest and they make a run for it. They get down the street and Dawn knocks Ben out in hopes of getting away, only Glory quickly reemerges. Then Dawn watches as Glory and Ben get involved in a morphorific argument, and Glory strikes Ben with a deal: work with her to use Dawn, and she’ll make him immortal.. go against her, and he’ll surely die. Seeing no other option, Ben grabs Dawn and returns her to the warehouse. 

At the gas station, everyone tries to get through to Buffy, who is sitting wide-eyed and completely unresponsive. Spike and Xander start arguing about what to do when Will steps in and takes control, designating tasks for everyone. Spike wonders what they should do if they run into Ben, and they all look at him like he’s nuts. Turns out that they don’t remember anything about Ben turning into Glory, since she put a spell so any human who see the change instantly forgets (that explains why Dawn didn’t remember in “Blood Ties.”). 

Now back in Sunnydale, Spike checks out Glory’s old place but it's empty. All he finds is a medical shirt with Ben’s ID. He and Xander meet up and Spike suggests trying to get information from Doc (the demon who helped Dawn bring back Joyce). Doc offers a warning not to mess with The Beast, but Spike quickly figures out that he’s hiding something. He pledges his allegiance to Glory then throws an oak box into a fire. Xander stabs him to death and Spike recovers the box, and they take off. On the floor, the seemingly dead demon comes back to life. 

At Xander’s, Willow performs a risky spell, in which she transports herself into Buffy's mind. At first, she ends up at Buffy’s old house in LA, where a young Buffy first meets her little sister Dawn, brought home by two extremely happy parents. Little Buffy admits that she’s afraid the new baby will take attention away from her, but when she holds Dawn in her arms, she instantly expresses her desire to help take care of her. Buffy’s mind takes Willow to the magic shop, where she watches current Buffy place a book on a shelf, just before she’s taken to Buffy’s memory of her encounter with the first Slayer, where Willow witnesses the first Slayer inform Buffy that “death is her gift”. She ends up in current Buffy’s house, where she follows Buffy to Joyce’s Grave (sort of), and Buffy repeats that death is her gift. They go into Dawn’s room and Willow is horrified as she watches Buffy mercilessly suffocate Dawn, you know, since death is her gift. Then, Buffy again recalls when her parents brought Dawn home. Again, Willow follows current Buffy only this time they end up back in the magic shop, where ALSO current Buffy is shelving that same book over and over again. Willow inquires the meaning of this, and the Buffy’s confess that this moment was when Buffy realized that she wasn’t going to beat Glory, and she admits that, for that second, she wanted Glory to win- she wanted it to be over. Now she feels that her thinking it made it happen, and the she could have done more when Glory took Dawn. Willow informs her that Dawn isn’t dead, but will be if Buffy doesn’t SNAP OUT OF IT, and adds that she is going where Buffy is needed. In that moment, in reality, the two of them snap out of it. Buffy falls apart with sobbing, and Willow is there to hold her. 

Episode 22
THE GIFT
BUFFY'S 100th Episode and TheWB Series Finale
Written and Directed by Joss Whedon

A terrified young teenager gets attacked by a vamp outside the magic shop, and Buffy manages to fight him off, to the kid's amazement. Inside, the scoobs wonder why Dawn’s blood is the Key, and Spike points out that blood is life.. “it’s always gotta be blood.” Buffy wants to try to stop Glory before she starts the ritual, but Giles strongly disagrees, pointing out that Dawn isn’t Buffy’s sister. Buffy reminds him of how important Dawn is to her, and that she is a part of her. Giles again reminds her that everyone in every dimension will suffer eternal torment including Dawn, but she’s not hearing it. Xander suggests killing Ben, but they all know they can’t kill a person. A very worried Anya reminds the gang that they still have the Daghon Sphere, as well as Olaf the troll god’s enchanted hammer. They still don’t know how to find Glory, until Tara’s incessant ramblings indicate that she knows where to go.  

Ben brings Dawn her dress for the ritual, and  she yells for him to be Glory- she can’t stand the sight of him. Glory emerges and wonders out loud why Buffy hasn’t come to rescue Dawn. Dawn points out that Buffy’s not afraid of her, and Glory retracts with a nasty smack. Dawn, helpless, calls out her sisters name. After some time, Dawn gives and puts on the dress. As the time grows near, Glory’s minions drag the terrified child up the steps that lead up to a hi-rise platform. Dawn is securely tied up on the platform, which is raised disturbingly high above the ground. 

Giles subtly suggests that he can kill Dawn for Buffy if she can’t, but she warns him not to go near Dawn. Buffy reflects on when she had to sacrifice Angel because she knew she had to, but now, she doesn’t know how to live in a world where everything gets taken away. She wishes her mom was there to comfort her. She recalls death being her gift, and states that if Dawn dies, she’s ‘done with it.’  As Anya and Xander search the basement for the Daghon Sphere they come across the harbored Buffybot, and figure Willow is keeping it for research on robotics. Anya admits that she is extremely nervous of the impending Armageddon, and Xander pops out the one thing that could make her more nervous- an engagement ring. She thinks he’s proposing to her because he thinks the world is over, but he convinces her that he doesn’t plan on dying anytime soon, and that he wants her to be in his long and silly life forever. She accepts, but requires he give her the ring when the world doesn’t end.  

Buffy informs Willow that she is their best shot at slowing down Glory, since she is the only one to ever hurt her. Willow thinks she can reverse what Glory did to Tara, thus weakening Glory. As Willow has a painful moment in which she is slapped by the incoherent Tara, the others formulate a plan. Buffy takes Spike to her house to grab some weapons, and she re-invites him in, to his surprise. Buffy admits that they’re not all gonna make it, and adds that she’s counting on him to protect Dawn, which he swears he’ll do, ‘til the end of the world..’ He also thanks her sincerely for treating him like a man, instead of a monster.  

Buffy makes sure everyone knows their jobs, and adds that she’ll kill anyone who goes near Dawn. Nerves and fear are at an all time high as the Scooby Gang arrives at the site. Tara wanders off and Glory finds her, and Willow pops in and slams her hands into Glory’s and Tara’s brains, causing a major energy rush, which blasts them all away, knocking the humans unconscious. Buffy shows up and points out that Glory isn’t quite on the ball, probably because of the Daghon Sphere, which she throws at Glory, who crushes it instantly. As the others launch an attack on the minions, Buffy takes on the hell god. A very weakened Willow comes to and crawls over to Tara, who seems to have regained her sanity. Willow states that no matter what, she will always find Tara. Glory delivers a nasty blow to Buffy, only to realize that it’s the Buffybot. The real Buffy sneaks up and starts wailing on Glory with the troll hammer. She starts running up the high rise to get to Dawn, but Glory quickly follows. After a short battle, the two plummet off the edge. Then, Buffy throws Glory in front of a wall where, as if on cue, a massive wrecking ball (controlled by Xander) crashes through and knocks Glory out of the picture. Buffy again begins whaling on Glory, who’s confused with her own lack of power. Meanwhile, Doc surfaces on the platform, prepared to bleed Dawn.  

Down below, Willow telepathically tells Spike to get to Dawn, and she and Tara join hands, causing the slew of minions blocking the staircase to go flying out of the way. Spike instantly charges like a mad man up the stairs. He gets there, and although Spike does his best to protect Dawn, Doc gets the upper hand and, after the vampire gives the girl an utter look of sorrow, Doc throws him over the edge.  

Buffy hammers Glory to the point where Glory begs her to stop, but Buffy just keeps beating her. Weakened, Glory reverts back to (a very battered) Ben. Buffy tells him to leave and if Glory ever comes back, she’ll kill her. He swears they’ll stay away, and Buffy runs off. Giles enters and points out the fact that Buffy is not like the two of them, just before he suffocates Ben, knowing that Glory would eventually come back.  Buffy gets to the platform just as Doc finishes slicing “shallow cuts” into Dawn, and her blood starts flowing. Buffy tosses Doc over and frees Dawn, but they quickly realize they’re to late- the portal has already started. The portal starts spewing weird creatures all over Sunnydale. Down below, the scoobies brace themselves for what they believe to be the apocalypse. A mountain of bricks tumbles towards Xander, and Anya selflessly throws him out of the way and takes the brutal hit, which leaves her motionless.  

Dawn accepts what she has to do, and is prepared to kill herself by jumping in the energy, but Buffy won’t allow her. She pleads with Buffy, pointing out the growing chaos around them, and reminding her that it has to have the blood to stop. Buffy suddenly remembers when she and Dawn became “blood sisters,” as well as the fact that the monks, in a sense, made Dawn from Buffy, then remembers again that “Death is her gift.” In that single moment, for the first time in her life, it is clear what she has to do. She offers words of encouragement, telling her sister to live life, and to help protect the others. She shares a tearful hug and a good-bye kiss with Dawn, then she valiently runs to the edge of the platform and leaps into the portal. The energy shocks her and pulsates through her for a moment, then her body lay still within the portal. Down below, as everyone regroups (Anya is alive, so is Spike), they are all met with a horrible sight- the lifeless body of their cherished friend. Everyone begins to mourn the unbearable loss as Buffy’s last words echo through Dawn’s mind. 

In the very end, we are given a glimpse of the one thing we thought we’d never see.. Buffy’s grave stone, which states:    

BUFFY ANNE SUMMERS  

1981 - 2001 

BELOVED SISTER
DEVOTED FRIEND 

SHE SAVED THE WORLD A LOT

: END SEASON FIVE :