Written by DG
MORE FROM "EMPTY PLACE" Buffy is taking the whole thing with Xander, and her feelings of failure from not protecting him and the SITs in the last episode very much to heart. Dawn, Willow and Buffy decide to research Caleb -- see if they can find any info about him in police records and files via the internet. While this is going on Buffy goes back to the school (which is now closed) to get her things; while cleaning out her desk she sees a photo of her, Willow and Xander together. She breaks down crying and when she looks up -- Caleb is there.
Dawn & co find some info on Caleb's symbol -- that it is on the wall at some abandoned mission. Giles sends Spike to go investigate, saying they need someone strong in case there is danger there; Spike notes that the last "mission" Giles sent him on was a trick to get Spike killed. Andrew is being annoying (very funny stuff with Faith) so Giles tells Spike to take Andrew with him.
Meanwhile, Buffy and Caleb fight again and he knocks her unconscious.
Spike and Andrew go off to the mission (very funny -- they bond over their mutual love of the flowering onion thing) -- while there they find the one survivor of the monks (?) who lived there. Like the girl that Caleb attacked last episode, he has a scar from Caleb's ring. He tells them that they took in a stranger (I assume Caleb) who found some sort of seal in the basement that they didn't know was there; they check out the seal and Andrew reads it. Basically it says that "it" is for her alone.
Buffy has gone back to the house; while she was unconscious Faith decided to take the depressed SITs dancing at the Bronze. Giles tells her that Spike is off on a mission, which she is not happy about -- and then she goes off in search of the SITs.
Faith and the SITs are having a great time at the Bronze, when a bunch of police arrive to haul off Faith. It appears that SOMETHING is going on with the Police, as they have ducttaped over their badges and are essentially acting as a hit squad. They haul Faith outside and basically try to kill her -- the SITs try to help and then Buffy shows up. However, I don't think Buffy gets that the police are possessed; instead, she gives Faith a big lecture about keeping the SITs safe and so on. Faith says -- why weren't you concerned about keeping them safe when you took them to the wine cellar? Buffy hits her -- Faith just takes it.
Everyone goes home (I am not doing this quite in time -- sorry -- in this part Andrew and Spike are still at the mission) and has a big welcome for Xander when he arrives back from the hospital. Everyone is glad to see everyone and then Buffy comes down and says she has been thinking about why the First isn't down protecting the seal in the basement of the school. She says that she has figured out that they are at the vinyard because there is something there that has to be protected -- so they should all go now to investigate.
EVERYONE says no. Giles says she isn't thinking clearly; Dawn says no, Rona says she is being reckless, Faith says she doesn't want to face that kind of danger again on a hunch of Buffy's, Willow tells everyone to lay off Buffy since she is under a lot of stress -- but no one backs her plan.
One of my posts got lost -- basically, after Caleb knocks Buffy out, he goes back to the vinyard and Buffy/The First asks him how it went. Caleb says everything is ready, and they cackle evilly. Sort of. They say that now she will go back to the SITs and all they have to do is give her one more little push
Okay, so everyone tells Buffy they aren't going with her. She and Giles start bickering -- he says she can't just do everything alone -- people get hurt -- like Jenny. She brings up what he did to Spike, and Ben. Xander says he isn't going either -- he has sacrificed enough. Buffy says she is in charge because she is the SLAYER. Someone says - well, isn't Faith a Slayer too??
A NOTE -- this is sort of the Yoko Factor, Part II.
Faith is all like -- hold on -- no -- I don't want to lead anyone. Everyone decides they will follow Faith and not Buffy; Buffy is shocked -- she can't just sit back and watch everything go to hell and she doesn't think Faith can handle it. Dawn tells Buffy to leave the house if she can't go along, cause Faith is now in charge. Buffy looks around for support, but no one backs down. Buffy leaves the house.
My take on the Faith thing is that Buffy is pissed, and Faith utterly hits her buttons about the not protecting everyone thing. Everyone has been doing that all episode by the way -- and Buffy has been quietly taking it. Faith is the only person Buffy can hit.
Yes, I think Xander is only in two scenes.
Spike does not return from the Mission in this episode, so his scenes end with Andrew and his finding of the seal thing. Faith is trying to be restrained I think -- she doesn't hit Buffy back, she really tries not to take over for her when everyone says she should.
Misc Answers:
1) Written by Drew Greenberg.
2) Dawn even KISSES Buffy before she kicks her out. HELLO??? I too hope Spike kicks their collective ass.
3) Spike is NOT in the group when they turn on Buffy. Anya really yells at her -- saying she is the slayer only by accident and has never had to work for anything.
No Buffy-Spike interaction at all.
Last scene is Buffy being kicked out and all alone.
Not sure what Buffy found out that led her to decide to go to the vinyard then -- it sort of comes out of nowhere.
In the beginning, Buffy and Willow go to the hospital to see Xander -- that is when he is making pirate jokes. Buffy is being very matter of fact but caring about him -- going over what pills they will give him and when he can get released. She then leaves to go research more on Caleb -- Willow kind of wants her to stay, asking if they can play card games, but Buffy is all we have to find out what we can now. Xander and Willow sit alone and joke and then both sort of tear up -- they just sit almost crying.
More tidbits: When Caleb and Buffy fight, he asks how Xander is doing -- and then he offers to take the other eye. Buffy goes dead serious and tells him that if he ever comes near Xander again she will destroy him. Caleb torments her with more of his misogynistic evilness ... then they fight and he knocks her out
