Written & Directed by Joss Whedon
In this episode, the season opener, we find that even Buffy has a soft side. After returning from her LA vacation with her dad, she must save her friends--who are on the verge of a kiss--from a vampire. It seems that last season when she faced the master, died, and then returned to kill him, freaked her out a lot more than she was willing to admit. As she tries to keep her friends out of the action for fear of putting their lives in danger, she messes up their friendship.
As Buffy tries for jealously against Angel, she seductively dances with Xander. Xander however actually believes she is dancing with him because she likes him. Then she tells Xander off with a casual, "Did I thank you for saving my life? Don't you wish I would." Buffy leaves her friends clueless as to what's going on. Cordelia makes an attempt to tell Buffy off, but Buffy doesn't want to hear it.
Meanwhile, Colin, the Anointed One, is digging up the Master's bones in attempts to bring him back to life. His minions gather Cordelia and Ms. Calendar for the ritual to bring him back. Buffy walks to the cemetery where she finds the master's grave dug up. The next day at school, she confronts Giles about it and pushes her friends even farther away.
As Giles begins to decipher the text to the Master's revival, Buffy's anger shows through again. She jumps to the conclusion that she is the key that the Anointed One is searching for to complete the ritual. Everyone tries to talk some sense into her, but then a rock is thrown threw the window with a note on it. The vampires are holding Cordelia for ransom to get Buffy away from her friends. While Buffy stubbornly rushes off to save the day, Giles and Willow are taken from the library by some vampires to be used in the ritual. It turns out that it wasn't Buffy they needed, it was those that were physically closer to her: Giles, Willow, Cordelia & Ms. Calendar.
Angel attempts to help Buffy but she continues to push him away. When they get to the Bronze, they find that it was all a trap. Buffy rushes back to the library to find the library in shambles, Xander beat up and Willow and Giles missing. Xander threatens Buffy and then they both head back to the Bronze. Buffy uses some burning tactics to convince one of the vampires to tell them where her friends are.
At the factory, Willow, Giles, Cordelia and Jenny are being hung up side down above the Master's bones. The ritual is about to begin and Buffy arrives just in time. She stakes a vampire and fights with some others. Xander and Angel rush to get everyone down while fending off vampires. Colin runs and hides while Absalom stands up to protect the sacrifices. Buffy and Angel fight off several more vampires while Xander gets their friends down safely. Everyone begins to wake up as Buffy kills the last of the vampires. She then takes a sledgehammer and destroys the Master's bones. She then cries on Angel's shoulder, letting herself finally realize how painful the experience was.
The next day at school, Buffy is ready to apologize on bended knee, but she finds she doesn't have to as Xander and Willow have already forgotten. This episode totally opens up the new season to a fresh start. But beware of what will take the Masters place. The final scene is the anointed one coming out and finding the Master's destroyed bones.
