Directed by David Grossman
Written by David Fury, Rebecca Kirshner, & Steven S De Knight
Xander carries a weakened Willow off toward the Magic Box, where Tara and Anya will meet them and they can try and contact Spike and Dawn. The Buffybot is in the possession of the demon bikers and getting beaten badly. Meanwhile, beneath the ground, the real Buffy desperately claws her way out of her coffin.
Xander stops on the way to the magic shop, and Willow is desperate to try the spell again however Xander tells her they can't as the Urn of Osiris was broken. Willow is devastated, telling Xander that it was the only one in existence and can't be repaired. Believing Buffy is truly gone forever, Willow breaks down into tears believing she failed. Tara and Anya pause on their way in time to hide from a few of Razor's followers and overhear their conversation about visiting some stores.
With the Hellions trashing the other houses on their street, Spike prepares to leave with Dawn for a safer location. Buffy finally breaks out of her coffin and reaches the surface. Dressed in a black dress and pumps, Buffy roams the damaged streets of Sunnydale, confused by the mayhem occurring. Back at the Magic Box, Tara and Anya return to find that the store is still safe. Tara casts a spell to locate Willow and Xander. Xander questions Willow's directions back to the shop and the power of the spell she conducted. Tara's spell sends a small blue light to guide Willow and Xander back to the Magic Box.
A disoriented Buffy bumps into a car, setting off the alarm and causing the owner to threaten her with a shotgun. Out in the streets, Spike knocks one of the demons off his moving bike with ease and takes it for him and Dawn to ride off on. The gang meets up at the shop to discuss their plans and how they're going to deal without Buffy, Spike, Giles, or a strong Willow. The real Buffy stumbles upon the demon bikers in the midst of celebration. Buffy stumbles upon four of the demons on their bikes which are chained to the limbs of the Buffybot. The Buffybot notices Buffy, but is then brutally ripped apart when the bikers drive off in four different directions.
The real Buffy draws attention to herself and is forced to run off, followed by the bikers. The Scooby Gang is armed and ready for battle, discussing the reasons for their failure when Buffy drops down from a fence in front of them. Willow recognizes her as the real Buffy, but scares her off.
The gang follows and Xander realizes to his horror that the spell brought Buffy back to life inside her coffin. Buffy is frightened and confused, but is motivated to beat the demons when Razor and his crew try to hurt her and her friends.
Dawn and Spike find the Buffybot's head and torso and while Spike looks for the rest of her, the robot hints that the real Buffy is back before it shuts down for the last time. Dawn takes off, leaving Spike to freak out when he doesn't know where she went. Buffy finishes off most of the demons before she runs off to Glory's tower, but Razor doesn't die. Willow, Tara, and Anya fight with Razor using various weapons and magic. As he is strangling Willow, Tara kills him with an axe. Dawn tracks Buffy to the tower and follows the Slayer as she heads to the top.
Buffy remembers what occurred the last time she was there until Dawn interrupts. Buffy questions if she's in hell and contemplates another jump. The tower starts to collapse as Dawn begs Buffy to come with her - she and the others need her. Buffy uses a rope and pulley to get partially to the ground. They fall the rest of the distance and Buffy cushions the fall and rolls them out of the way before the tower completely collapses. Safe, the girls hug, but Buffy's eyes don't reflect happiness.
Tropes:
- And I Must Scream: There's hardly any air in her coffin so Buffy can't even scream.
- An Arm and a Leg: Razor and his gang chain the Buffybot's limbs to their motorcycles. The bikes take off, and the 'Bot is neatly quartered. Yuck.
- Almost Dead Guy: The Buffybot survives long enough after being ripped apart to reveal to Dawn that the real Buffy is back.
- Badass and Child Duo: Spike and Dawn.
- Beware the Nice Ones: Tara hits a biker demon with an ax. TARA.
- Big "NO!": Buffy on seeing the Buffybot torn apart.
- Bond One-Liner:
- Tara gets one, but she doesn't go for humor.Nobody messes with my girl.
- Averted when Buffy knocks down the demon leader...and says nothing at all.
- Tara gets one, but she doesn't go for humor.
- Buffy Speak: Willow gets "avoidy" when Xander starts grilling her about the magic she was using.
- Came Back Wrong: Buffy is frightened of the chaos around her, visibly traumatized and refuses to speak.
- Chain Pain: Two demons on bikes try to snare Buffy with a chain. She ducks and the chain wraps itself around the other demon's head, pulling them both off their bikes.Demon 1: Sorry!Demon 2: Sorry!
- Dumb Struck: In a character famous for her snarky commentary and Bond One Liners, Buffy's silence is rather unsettling.
- Exotic EquipmentRazor (to Willow, Tara, and Anya): Now let me tell you something, children. We're not gonna fight you. We're just gonna hold you down and enjoy ourselves for a few hours. You might even live through it. Except that certain of my boys got some...anatomical incompatibilities that, uh, tend to tear up little girls.
- Explain, Explain... Oh, Crap!: When Spike is explaining to Dawn about the Hellions he comments on how they usually target places they believe are vulnerable, causing them both to realize that they know that Buffy is gone.
- Foreshadowing: Buffy asking if she's in hell, even though she's supposed to have been rescued from a terrible hell dimension.
- The original concept of the series was "High school is hell." (later "college is hell") This season will explore the concept of "real life is hell" or as Joss Whedon put it, "Real life is the Big Bad."
- Hero Stole My Bike : Spike flying-kicks a demon off his bike, which he keeps throughout the season.
- Impairment Shot: Buffy's point of view is hazy as if she's not used to using her eyes.
- It's Going Down: Glory's tower collapses right after Dawn and Buffy get off it. Addressed on Television Without Pity, after 9/11 the reviewer would not want to type sentences with towers and collapsing.
- Killed Mid-Sentence: Razor Neck Lifts Willow after she uses a curse to shatter his razor-claws."So, witch, got a little power after all. Well, let's see what tricks you can manage while I choke the life outta—" (falls forward with Tara's axe In the Back).
- Let's Split Up, Gang!:Xander: New plan. We split up.
Anya: No, bad plan. - Lotus PositionTara: Willow and I always know how to find each other. (sits cross-legged on the table)Anya: With yoga?
- Morality Pet: Dawn to Spike. There's an evil smile on Spike's face when he watches the demon bikers force their way into a house to attack the people inside, then he remembers who he's protecting.
- My God, What Have I Done?: The Scoobies realise that, even though their spell worked, they left Buffy to dig herself out of her grave.
- New Era Speech: Razor gives one to his gang, then commemorates it by having them rip the Buffybot limb from limb."This here is a momentous occasion, the beginning of a new era. Now, no question, the open backroads and highways have been good to us. But we've got ourselves a juicy little burg here, just ripe for the picking. And I ain't in no hurry to leave it, you? (demons all yell "NO!") So I figure, what better way to kick off our ... semi-settling-down, than with a little christening? A symbolic act commemorating the new order around here ... and ridding ourselves of any not-so-pleasant reminders of the old."
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Buffy was resurrected inside her coffin, forcing her to dig herself out of her own grave and become freaked beyond belief.
- No OSHA Compliance: Dawn has to talk Buffy down off Glory's tower which is on the verge of collapse.Dawn: This tower was built by crazy people and I don't think it's holding up very well!
- Protectorate: Buffy only reacts when her friends and sister are in immediate danger, though she appears to be functioning entirely on her Slayer instincts.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: See Dumb Struck.
- Punch Catch: Razor punches Buffy in the face, an act that sent Xander and Willow flying. Her head snaps aside; her body doesn't move. Uh oh — Razor throws another punch. Buffy catches it in her palm and uses her other hand to beat Razor unconscious.
- Rape as Drama: Implied, Razor spells out exactly what his intentions are for the women, leaving very little room for misinterpretation.
- Rape, Pillage, and Burn: The demon bikers do all three.
- Resurrection Sickness: Buffy can't even seem to speak or see properly.
- Revealing Hug: The episode ends with Dawn hugging Buffy, but only the audience sees her Dull Eyes of Unhappiness.
- Rise from Your Grave: Buffy claws her way out of her own grave. Xander notices the state of her (broken and dirt-stained) hands and realizes that she was forced to dig herself out.
- Rule of Symbolism: Buffy returns in time to see the sweet Buffybot permanently destroyed when it's ripped apart by demons, showing Buffy's loss of innocence and the need to build herself anew.
- She's Back: Subverted; the Scoobies think this when Buffy starts kicking demon ass, but she's just acting on instinct, running away (leaving her friends to fight the demon leader) and trying to commit suicide.
- Spark Fairy: Tara uses one to guide Willow and Xander to their location.
- Talking Down the Suicidal: Buffy tries to reenact her death leap from Glory's tower. Dawn talks her out of it.
- Tempting Fate:
- A played-straight version where Tara suggests that the bikers arriving just in time to wreck the raising was the Fates dishing out punishment for their hubris.
- And of course the traditional Buffyverse version with Xander saying the demon bikers will eventually tire of wrecking Sunnydale and move on — Cut to Razor addressing his minions. "Say hello to your new home, boys!"
- Anya saying, "That's it — no more surprises!" Then back-from-the-dead Buffy appears in front of them.
- That Came Out Wrong: Xander calling himself a man-witch.
- Two-Part Episode
- Visible Boom Mic: During the scene in the tower with Buffy and Dawn, a small microphone can be briefly seen above Dawn's head.
- Walk-In Chime-In: Xander is trying to communicate with Buffy.Xander: Yeah, that's it. You're home.
Razor: Yeah, welcome home, Slayer. - Wolverine Claws: Demon-biker leader Razor has metal extensions to his claws.
- Worf Had the Flu: The main reason why Willow isn't able to fight off the bikers, despite her ability to actively harm a fully powered Glory months prior, is because she was drained in resurrecting Buffy from the dead. She can conjure small spells, but her magic is of little use against the demons.
- You Are in Command Now: With Willow unconscious and Giles on a flight back to London, Xander takes command of the group in the initial aftermath of the bikers invading.
- You Have No Idea Who You're Dealing With: Willow tries this on Razor, who is unimpressed, especially when Willow can't muster any power to fend him off (having been drained by her efforts earlier).
