Buffy is training with Giles, and is concentrating really hard. She is doing great up until a small noise distracts her and she falls on her head. She looks up to see Dawn staring at her, asking if they can go home yet.
Opening credits
The next day, Dawn is in her room writing in her diary. She says that nobody understands her; no one knows the real her. There isn't anyone that's interested in hearing her opinions on anything. It's also impossible for anyone to understand what it's like to be the Slayer's sister.
Joyce, Buffy, and Dawn are in the kitchen making themselves some breakfast. Dawn thinks about how Joyce lets Buffy get away with everything because she can do backflips and stuff. (Dawn steals Buffy's cereal bowl and then uses the rest of the milk while she's thinking this.)
Joyce asks Buffy what her plans are, and forces her to take Dawn out to go school shopping. Neither of the girls are happy about this. Riley shows up at the house, and it's clear that Dawn doesn't really care for him. He called her a kid, which must be a big no no in her book, so she walks away, telling him, "I'm not a kid!"
It appears that Buffy completely forgot about her plans with her boyfriend, but he isn't mad at her. In fact, he thinks it's great that she's applying herself to her training, so he leaves.
Later in the day, Buffy, Giles, and Dawn are riding around in his new car. Giles gets annoyed with Dawn, and she figures that it's because he's old. He still can't get used to an automatic car, and he gets really annoyed with it. As he's telling Buffy that this car is never going to work, and that it seduced him to begin with, they see Willow and Tara, and Giles stops to show them his new car.
Dawn thinks that Willow is just awesome, and she really admires her for the spells that she does. She remembers telling her mother that she wished that Willow and Tara would show them some of the things they do together and Joyce got really quiet and told her to go to her room. (Dawn assumes that it's because of the witchcraft.) On the way into the magic shop, Willow is proud of Buffy for being so dedicated to her training this year, but is upset when she finds out that Buffy is breaking the best friend loop hole and is dropping the class that they have together.
Tara realizes that the magic shop looks closed. When they all go in, they find the owner dead. Dawn is forced to go wait outside while they investigate, and she is approached by a crazy guy who tells her that she doesn't belong there.
Tara goes outside with Dawn, and they bond over feeling left out by the rest of the group. Inside, the group decides that this was done by a new gang of vampires. Several things were stolen, including a book about slayers (one that Buffy was there to buy) and a ceramic unicorn that was worth $12.95. Giles also takes note that there is a lot of money to be made in the magic shop.
Meanwhile, Harmony is in a cave congratulating her new gang of minions on their successful raid on the magic shop. She is given the unicorn as a gift, and says that the books all seem to hold a lot of interesting information. She must have smartened up, because she determined all that from skimming over the outside of the books. <g>
The group plans on killing Buffy that night. Back at the Summers' house, Buffy and Joyce are arguing about Dawn being on patrol with Buffy even though it was not in the itinerary to find a dead body. They decide to ask Xander to babysit her, which Dawn doesn't mind. When Xander gets there, we see that Dawn has a massive crush on him. She's very happy to have him there until Anya comes in. With boardgames. Willow convinces Tara that she's not an outsider and the two have a very sweet moment together.
While Buffy and Riley patrol in the cemetery, she complains that she wishes she was an only child. Riley tries to defend Dawn, but Buffy doesn't want to hear logic.
Meanwhile, Dawn is complaining about how Buffy is the one who has it lucky. She plays the game of Life with Xander and Anya. (The ex-demon is winning.) Their game is interrupted when a rock flies through the window. A note is attached. "Slayer! Come out and die." The "i" on die even has a little smiley face around it. :) Harmony is standing there with her minions, and she doesn't believe the Scoobie's when they say that Buffy's not home. Xander and Harmony get in a funny sort of argument, and Dawn keeps trying to stick up for him. Trying to help him, Dawn yells out, "Oh yeah? Come inside and say that." Before Dawn realizes what she's done, Harmony runs inside and starts fighting with Xander. Her minions can't enter. She leaves, and Xander doesn't want to even think of what Buffy will say about this. When she gets home, Buffy is in stitches over the thought of Harmony having minions. Her and Riley laugh their asses off over it, but don't find it funny once Anya lets her know that Dawn invited Harmony in. Harmony is walking away with her minions, upset that not only did she not kill the Slayer, but she didn't even get to kill Xander. Spike approaches them and thinks that it's just as funny as Buffy did that Harmony is trying to be the new Big Bad. When she won't tell him her plan for killing Buffy, Spike guesses that she's going to do what every other vampire has done and try taking a Scooby hostage. Harmony denies it, and when she leaves Spike, tells her minions that there's a new plan.
Dawn overhears Buffy complaining about her to Xander and runs off before Buffy gets to the part where she says that she was concerned. Anya tries to stop Dawn from leaving the house, but she's already outside and it's too late. Anya gets knocked out and Dawn gets taken by Harmony's minions. Buffy finds this and runs to help.
Harmony is very happy with what her minions did, and continues to be an airhead about it. "Once again, nice work, minionators!" The minions on the other hand, are getting annoyed with Harmony's plan. Buffy rushes into Spike's crypt to find out where Harmony is. While she's there, she decides to practice her boxing skills on his nose. :( Harmony complains to Dawn that her minions don't respect her, and one of them goes and tells Harmony that they don't like her game. They're going to kill her instead.
Dawn is about to be eaten by one of the minions, and she threatens him that if he touches her, Buffy will kill him. He pokes her in the chest, and Buffy is suddenly behind him, staking him.
Buffy and Harmony have a hilarious confrontation, and while Buffy fights with the minions, Harmony runs like hell. With all vampires gone, Buffy unchains Dawn and the two squabble about who's going to get in more trouble by Joyce. When they get home, Joyce doesn't even know anything went wrong. The two girls go upstairs for the night, and Dawn thinks that Buffy would have been in more trouble anyway.
The next day at the Magic Shop, Buffy is worried about Giles buying it, since it's practically a death trap to every owner. She tells Dawn not to break anything, and Dawn writes in her diary about how Buffy thinks that she's a nobody, but she's wrong.
[Review]
All in all, I think this was a really good episode. I really want to know what's going to happen with Dawn! My curiosity is peaked, and now I want answers, damn it! lol
I loved the way that the scenes interwove with Buffy and Dawn having their mental sibling rivalries, both oblivious to their own mistakes. Very cute. :)
Giles and his new car was a hoot. I loved every second of that scene. I find the people who get along with Dawn the best to be interesting. The only ones that she's bonded with are Willow, Tara, Xander, and in a twisted sort of way, Harmony. Interesting choice there...
I think it was sweet of Riley not to get mad about Buffy canceling their plans, but I think that she still should have tried to include him someway. I wonder if anything will come of that...
On to happier stuff... Harmony is a riot, as always. I loved every interaction with her and Spike. Harmony: I've been doing my homework, reading books and stuff. Spike: What, "Evil For Dummies?" Hahaha! Speaking of Spike, isn't he just yummy looking? <sigh>
Anya was too funny while they played Life. Typical Anya to want to trade in the children for more money... <g> I'm also very happy that Giles is finally getting something to do, with buying the Magic Shop and all. Though I personally wouldn't mind being in his shoes when he watched Passions with Spike last season...
Basically, this ep was really cute. I'm really intrigued about Dawn now, and I hope that they keep bringing in more Harmony! Great acting by all, and I'm left with a great feeling about this season.
[Overall rating] 8/10 tiny pink children. :)