Overall Rating: 9.6 Matt: 9.8 Eric: 9.4 Written and Directed by: Joss Whedon Cast : Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers, Nicholas Brendon as Xander Harris, Alyson Hannigan as Willow Rosenberg, Charisma Carpenter as Cordelia Chase, David Boreanaz as Angel, Anthony Stewart Head as Rupert Giles. Main guest stars : Kristine Sutherland as Joyce Summers, Seth Green as Oz, Robia LaMorte as Jenny Calendar, James Marsters as Spike, Juliet Landau as Drusilla, Brian Thompson as The Judge, Vincent Schiavelli as Jenny’s uncle. Original broadcast date : January 20, 1998 My one-line description: At the factory, Spike is worried that Angel and Buffy have escaped and know about the Judge, but Drusilla believes Angel is too smart to face the Judge again. Suddenly, Dru cries in pain and drops to the ground. Slowly, the pain on her face is replaced by wonder, and then by joy. Buffy wakes up in Angel’s bed and calls his name, but gets no answer. Outside, Angel is on his knees, in pain. A woman approaches and asks if he’s OK, and Angel slowly rises… and, in full vamp face, grabs her and drains her. Buffy sneaks into her house at sunrise, and runs into her mother. Joyce asks her if she had a good time at Willow’s, and Buffy lies that she did. At the library, the Scoobies compare notes after a full night of research, and worry that neither Buffy nor Angel have checked back in. As they move out to mount a rescue, they run into the Slayer, and she tells them that the Judge is assembled and active. She lies that she and Angel had to hide in sewer tunnels, and then split up. She seems worried that no one has heard from him… The kids head out to class, while Giles and Jenny go research a way to stop the Judge. In class, Buffy can’t seem to concentrate on the lecture; finally, she gets up and walks out, as Willow and Xander look at her go, puzzled. A little while later, she enters Angel’s apartment, but finds it empty… Angel shows up at the factory, startling Spike and Drusilla. The Judge tries to burn him, but finally admits that there is no humanity left in this one. Drusilla smiles in glee – Angelus is back. Incredulous at first, Spike also accepts him; both vampires are happy that Angelus has returned and they’re a family again. Drusilla talks about her plans to destroy the world, but Angelus wants time to hurt the Slayer – seems her has a grudge against her for making him feel human. At the library that evening, the Scoobies get a call from Buffy – no sign of Angel anywhere. As Willow comments on the situation with Giles, Xander goes to the bookshelves to fetch a book – and ends up arguing with Cordelia, and then necking with her. Suddenly, Xander notices Willow looking at them, pain and disbelief on her face. She runs off, and Xander goes after her. He catches up with her in the hallway; whirling around, she berates him for kissing Cordelia. What seems to hurt most is that he would rather be with someone he hates than be with her. She runs off again, and he goes to follow her, but thinks better of it. Buffy walks up to her house and pauses. Turning around, she walks away. She goes to Angel’s place and wanders inside. Angelus shows up behind her, and she embraces him. He puts up a good act of being the loving boyfriend – until she asks him why he left. Obviously meaning to hurt her bad, he tells her he didn’t want to stay around after that, adds that she has a lot to learn about men, and belittles what they did the previous night. Buffy is hurt, alright. She weeps as Angelus leaves, lewdly winking at her and promising to call her. In his motel room, Jenny’s uncle lectures her on the meaning of vengeance for their people. Jenny pleads with him to let Angel help them beat the Judge, but the gypsy man reveals it’s too late for that – one moment of happiness, and Angel loses his soul; now Buffy will have to kill him… At school, Xander sees Willow heading for the library and calls out to her. She coldly informs him that things are not OK between them, but she came back because more is at stake right now. She asks him where they stand on the Judge issue, and he deplores that they don’t have an army at hand – which leads him to have an idea… and a plan. Suddenly, the lights go out, and they turn to go to the library. Angelus appears in the hallway, and tells them he has something to show them. He instructs Xander to get the others, and tells Willow to come closer… She goes, but Jenny appears and tells her to get away from him. Willow turns, and Angel takes advantage of the moment of surprise to grab her. Xander sees this and comes back; they all realize that Angelus is back. He claims he has a message for Buffy. "Then give it to me yourself", Buffy calls to him. He replies that the message involves finding the bodies of all her friends; in a disbelieving tone, she pleads that there must be some part of him that remembers who he is… "Dream on, schoolgirl", he replies; "your boyfriend is dead!" Xander takes advantage of the distraction to shove a cross in Angelus’ face. The vampire growls and lets go of Willow; he lunges at Buffy, grabs her and kisses her, promising things are about to get very interesting. Then he tosses her to the ground and makes a run for it. Buffy looks traumatizes by the whole experience. A bit later, the gang gathers in the library to discuss this new problem. They’re all wigged, especially Buffy. Giles prods her, trying to get information on what could have happened to trigger the change. Bad idea – Buffy freaks out and leaves the library, as Willow realizes what has happened. Cordelia declares that they’ve undoubtedly hit bottom, but Xander reveals that he has a plan to deal with the Judge. He recruits Cordelia as well as Oz’s van; they are to meet at Willow’s place in half an hour. They decide to let Buffy be by herself for now. At the factory, Angelus gloats about how he hurt Buffy. Spike is appalled that he didn’t kill her, but Drusilla realizes that Angelus wants to hurt Buffy as much as he hurt Dru. Angelus adds for Spike’s benefit that they have to kill the Slayer from the inside; "To kill this girl… you have to love her", he concludes. Buffy enters her bedroom and looks at herself in the mirror, shaking. Noticing the Claddagh ring still on her finger, she pulls it off abruptly, and then collapses on her bed, curled up in bitter tears. She cries herself to sleep and dreams… in a graveyard, she stands at Angel’s grave. A woman behind her lifts her black veil – Jenny. Buffy turns back to the grave, and Angel is standing there. "You have to know what to see", he declares. Buffy wakes up in her bed, still dressed. The next morning, Buffy storms into the computer class and grabs Jenny by the neck, asking her what she knows. Giles, standing by, interposes himself, and Buffy relaxes her grip on Jenny. As the few students in the class file out, Jenny admits she was told what was going to happen, and reveals she was sent here to make sure Buffy and Angel stayed apart. She adds that one moment of true happiness made Angel lose his soul, confirming Buffy’s fears and helping Giles put two and two together. Buffy demands that Jenny curse Angel again, but the teacher answers she can’t do it. Buffy asks to be taken to someone who can. In his room, the uncle hears the door open behind him, and supposes that Buffy has come for answers. Nope – it’s Angelus, eager to resume his torturous ways. Oz’s van pulls up outside an army base. Xander and Cordy climb out, squeeze through the fence and stroll inside, looking very much like a couple out on a date. They head for the armory, but they’re halted by a soldier. Xander makes up a story about being a soldier on leave, eager to show his girl the big guns. He threatens he’ll report the soldier for having non-regulation shoes and so on, and it works. Xander and Cordy enter the armory and start looking for what they want… In the van, Willow and Oz sit in uncomfortable silence. Suddenly, gathering up her courage, she asks if he wants to make out with her. He’s surprised, and she retreats… before asking again. This time, he answers that he often dreams of kissing her; however, he won’t, not right now, because it might look as though she were trying to make Xander jealous, or even the score. He tells her not to worry – he can wait. She looks back at him in admiration as he steps out to help Xander and Cordy load their package in the van. Buffy, Giles and Jenny enter the uncle’s room, and find his tortured body on the bed. On the wall, Angelus has written "Was is good for you too?" in blood. Giles tries to reassure Buffy, telling her he’s just trying to make it harder on her. Buffy replies that he’s actually making it easier – now she knows she has to kill him. At the factory, Angelus and Drusilla prepare to leave with the Judge, who is finally ready, on their errand of horror. Angelus comments the Judge looks spiffy. At the library, Giles, armed with a crowbar, opens the crate Xander and Oz have brought in. Buffy inspects her "birthday present" and starts giving out instructions. Jenny shows up at the door of Giles’ office; without lifting her eyes from the crate, Buffy orders her to get out. A moment later, Giles echoes the order. Buffy asks Xander to show her how her "present" works. The Scoobies enter the factory and find it empty, as Buffy thought they would. As Spike listens, hiding in the shadows, they debate where the Judge could have gone (the Bronze is closed tonight). Oz comments that he knows where he’d go... At the mall, a bunch of people are lining up for a movie while other shoppers are milling around. Unbeknownst to them, the Judge, Angelus and Drusilla appear on the top on a staircase. While some vampire minions go to lock the exits, the Judge selects a businessman, gestures at him, and the man burns alive. Elsewhere, the Scoobies also enter the mall, fully armed. The Judge extends his hands, and his burning energy passes through two more people, creating a web of energy on the way down the staircase; the energy catches a crowd of people, who all begin to shake. Suddenly, an arrow thuds into the Judge’s chest, making him stumble back and cutting off his power. Buffy is standing on top of a concession stand, holding a crossbow. The Judge tells her she’s a fool – no weapon forged can harm him. "That was then", Buffy replies. "This is now", she concludes, lifting a rocket launcher to her shoulder. Angelus and Drusilla duck; only the Judge stays still, wondering what that thing does… BOOM. The shot hits the Judge, sending debris flying in every direction. Drusilla flees, whimpering, and her minions follow. Buffy instructs the gang to pick up the pieces of the Judge, and she goes look for Angelus. She spots him fleeing with a group of shoppers; as she follows, the sprinklers come on, making water cascade everywhere. She ends up in a remote corner of the mall, and she stops… Angelus rises and knocks her to the ground. As they fight, he tries to taunt her, but she knows better now. She fights him and rapidly starts pummelling him, the rage pouring out of her. She pulls out a stake… and pauses. He grins, noting that she can’t do it – she can’t kill him. She launches a vicious kick at him, catching him right where it hurts the most – in the crotch. He falls to the ground, gasping in agony. "Give me time", she remarks as she leaves. Giles gives Buffy a ride home. He tells her it’s not over – Angelus will come after her in revenge for making him human. She thinks Giles is disappointed in her, and blames herself for what happened. Giles replies that she won’t get guilt from him – only his support and his respect. Inside the Summers house, Buffy sullenly watches an old love movie. Joyce enters with two cupcakes, lights a candle on one and wishes her daughter a happy birthday. She prompts Buffy to make a wish… but Buffy decides to let the candle burn. Sensing that something is wrong, Joyce puts her hand softly on Buffy’s hair. Buffy reclines her head on her mother’s lap, looking for comfort. Summary by OttsFiveByFive.