Buffy comes to the conclusion that the Potentials don't have what it takes to fight the First, but when she uses a device belonging to an earlier Slayer, she is taken to the place where the first Slayer was given her powers with no way back home.

I'm not Doug Petrie's biggest fan. While he was great in the early days of Buffy, he's been superseded now by a bunch of other writers who are wittier, cleverer and more interesting. Therefore I have concerns when he's writing an episode, let alone when he's also directing it, as is the case here. It's not that his stories are bad, per se, just that they're invariably mediocre. Indeed, his story in the Tales of the Slayers graphic novel had the same problem, as did his one-off comic adventure for Buffy.

Onto this episode then, and my slight concern about the extensive supporting cast is now starting to be borne out a little. The problem is simply the number of Potentials around Buffy's house, which, aside from the food issues, seem to have the ability to vanish at a moment's notice when it's required of them. The house should be full of rubbish everywhere by now! This problem is partially solved by the First, popping by at the start of the episode to murder another one of the girls, Chloe. Now, the resulting talk Buffy gives is absolutely right. As I mentioned last episode, the First only has power if it can talk people into doing things. It doesn't seem to have any real powers, just the ability to push those already close to the edge right over it. Buffy's statement that Chloe was weak is dead on: last week Andrew managed to fight off the First, but Chloe was a weak link, easily susceptible to suggestion and her own worst enemy.

This is the main thing about this episode: it's got several really vital key scenes, but a lot of piddling about inbetween. Buffy's speech is very good: tough, hard-hitting and nasty but vital. There's a moment where you think it's going to turn back into the 'Scoobies have a go at each other' hour again, but while Xander gets sarcastic and annoyed at Buffy, Willow sees what she's saying is the plain, unvarnished truth and backs her up. It's not pleasant, but Buffy is right to make the recruits knuckle down and understand just how much of a threat they're all under. Her put-down of Anya is also delivered perfectly and no doubt likely to play into her leaving at the end of the season That said, Buffy doesn't really pay any attention to her own advice, as when she's offered her full Slayer power to fight the enemy, she refuses. Frankly, her defence of it making her less human is poor, especially bearing in mind that strictly speaking she's been dead and reanimated as it is and after everything she's been through lately it looks like she could use something of a boost.

If anything, this episode is an attempt to unite the forces of good and return some power to the group. Willow uses some pretty major magic once again, although she somehow seems to have lost the wealth of knowledge she absorbed at the end of last season, which seems odd. Meanwhile, Buffy encourages Spike to find his inner demon so he can be of more use to her. While her gradual change into the general of an army is making Buffy less likeable, it does demonstrate her growing maturity and need to use every possible means of support available to her. The only question is exactly how she can ever beat the First, a creature that has to exist to balance the forces of good and evil. Once again we're offered some portents, in this instance a roomful of Turok-Han and the suggestion that Buffy is the final Hellmouth guardian. While the first yields a shout of 'Holy crap!', the second seems merely to suggest that this is the fight that will close the Hellmouth once and for all, and allow Buffy to finally move on with her life. Because, let's face it, they're not going to kill her again. Are they?

Oh yes, and while I love Spike's return to form, he still doesn't seem to be his old self, even if his retrieval of 'his' jacket is simultaneously cool and a reminder of the person he killed to get it. And I can't believe that neither he or Buffy have worked out why Wood is so odd around him. It's not like they don't know the principal's background now, so why can't they make the link? And surely if Wood wants Spike dead, he's had at least one chance now…

***

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