Episode 21: Chosen

Written by Joss Whedon

Buffy and Angel are still kissing. They break off the kiss and seem happy to be with each other. Angel tells her he came to bring her some things. Meanwhile, Caleb rises up again, still alive, and knocks out Angel. Buffy and Caleb fight, and Buffy uses the scythe to cut Caleb in two. Angel regains consciousness as Buffy puns about Caleb's death. She says she's glad Angel's there. The First as Buffy taunts Spike that Buffy doesn't need him. Angel gives Buffy an amulet that a champion should wear during the battle. He says he will wear it, fight alongside her. Spike sees this and leaves. Buffy tells Angel she doesn’t want him there; she needs him in LA in case they fail. Angel accepts this but is dubious that it's the only reason. He wonders if it has to do with Spike; he's smelled Spike's scent on her. Buffy says that Spike has a soul now and is fighting for good. Angel is miffed that Spike got a soul and somewhat jealous. Buffy is frustrated by Angel's jealousy. She says she realizes now she doesn't have to make decisions about the future. She compares herself to cookie dough, not yet baked, ready. Someday, maybe, in the future she could be with Angel. She does think about it. Angel says he'll wait for her.

Buffy returns to the Summers home to find Xander and Dawn there. Dawn kicks Buffy and they argue a little over Dawn's refusal to leave. Buffy turns over the new information to the others then goes downstairs to see Spike. Spike lets Buffy know he saw Buffy and Angel kiss. Buffy denies it meant anything. She gives Spike the amulet; Spike is surprised because he's never been a champion before. Buffy hints that she'd like to sleep downstairs. Spike tells her no way, that he has his pride. As Buffy goes to leave, he stops her, telling her he was lying about having pride. They're both relieved. Later, as they're in bed together, Buffy can't sleep and gets up. The First as Caleb appears to her and taunts her. Then it morphs into the appearance of Buffy and taunts her about being alone. Buffy gets an idea about how to fight the First.

Buffy presents her plan (which we don't hear about fully yet) to the others. It involves going down to the Hellmouth and opening the Seal. They think it's a great plan, though Willow has some reservations because it involves her doing some big magic. They start to prepare. Buffy begins to give a speech to the Potentials. Faith and Wood go to the high school and make some preparations. They discuss Faith's fears about getting involved, and Wood tells her maybe she should let some guy surprise her some time. Kennedy reassures Willow that she will keep her grounded while she's doing the serious magic. In the final hours before the battle, Giles, Xander, Andrew and Amanda play Dungeons and Dragons to relax. Dawn tells stores about Buffy's past exploits to the Potentials. Buffy goes downstairs to visit Spike again.

The next morning, they all enter the high school. Buffy assigns everyone to their positions. Buffy, Faith, Spike and the Potentials go down into the Seal and open it with the blood of Buffy, Faith and the Potentials while Willow does a spell with the scythe. It channels the power of the scythe to empower all the Potentials, apparently worldwide. The spell works just as the Ubervamps begin to attack. The Final Battle is on. Willow, whose hair has been turned white momentarily by the white magic she has used, sends Kennedy to take the scythe back down to Buffy. The battle is fierce. As some Ubervamps get away and Bringers arrive and fight, they fight the teams of Andrew/Anya, Xander/Dawn and Giles/Wood upstairs in the school.

Buffy is stabbed by an Ubervamp. The First appears to her and tries to taunt her with failure, but Buffy gets back her strength and keeps fighting. Several Potentials die, including Amanda. Anya is killed in battle. The amulet Spike is wearing starts to work. It blasts energy in the cavern, causing it to start crumbling, and the light dusts Ubervamps. It pins Spike in place. Buffy goes to him, tries to get him to leave, but he says he has to to stay and see it through. She holds his hand and tells him she loves him. He tells her he doesn't believe her but thanks her. He pushes her away as the cavern is falling down around them. She leaves, and Spike faces his death. The others have escaped the school and are in a bus leaving Sunnydale. Buffy barely escapes the crumbling school and follows the bus, jumping over rooftops and onto the bus at the last minute. The bus pulls to the outskirts of Sunnydale, where they see that Sunnydale has been sucked into the Hellmouth, leaving a crater. They stand at the edge and wonder what they will do next. Dawn asks Buffy what she will do now that she is not the only one, and Buffy smiles.