Episode Number: 7.18 Summary written by Leoff Disclaimer: This summary is the intellectual property of someone who wakes in the wee hours to crank these suckers out and he takes pride in his work and doesn't wish to see others take credit for it. Please feel free to link to www.leoffonline.com OR copy and paste this summary, giving credit to Leoff Online and his unofficial sponsor, the Buffy Cross and Stake. Thanks for your support and respect of my work. Previously on Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Faith introduces herself back in season 3, Faith stabs the deputy mayor dude, Buffy stabs faith, Jenny Calendar/the First confronts Buffy, Warren explains "the rules" about not taking coporeal form, SIT's come streaming in, Giles explains the First's aim to kill all the SIT's, shots of German and Istanbul SIT's getting killed, Buffy tells Giles that Spike has a soul and will be a good man, Andrew gives Willow the LA phonecall, Willow says she's leaving for a few days, Giles stalls Buffy, Wood confronts Spike, Buffy confronts Wood, Buffy closes the door in Giles' face. Nighttime and a girl runs through a forest with three Bringers in pursuit. She comes upon a road and at just that moment a pickup truck happens along. She waves it down and jumps in to find the driver, a young, very confused preacher, asking what's wrong. She tells him to just drive. As they speed off, the Bringers chase but can't catch up. The Preacher, speaking in a southern accent, is startled at first, then chats awkwardly, trying to calm the girl down. He looks behind the truck and asks the girl if she got involved with devil worshippers. He then asks if she needs to go anywhere, and she says Sunnydale. He says he's headed that way too. The two introduce themselves as Shannon and Caleb. Caleb asks Shannon why those guys were chasing her, which she is unsure why. "Well, did you ever think that maybe they were chasing you because you're a whore?" Caleb asks calmly. Shannon starts to grow suspicous as Caleb continues his condoning preaching, saying that she was born dirty, which isn't her fault, but she is still dirty. He calmly pushes the truck's cigarrette lighter in while talking as she struggles to find the door handle, which is convinently missing. He points out the broken door, then says that she might not want to get out at that speed, especially with his "boys" behind them. Shannon then tries to grab the steering wheel, but Caleb effortlessly pushes her back into her seat. Caleb takes the now hot cigarrette lighter out and holds it against a ring on his right hand, heating it up. Shannon says "Please, don't hurt me" which Caleb scoffs at, wondering if that's the part that has her begging to do anything? Caleb says she has nothing he wants, then quick as a blink, his hand shoots out and he presses his hot ring against her neck and we hear a brief sizzling. Shannon screams in pain as Caleb talks about "cleansing fire", then tells her that there is a car behind them with some folks headed in the same direction. He says he has a message for the "accept no substitues Slayer." A frightened Shannon agrees to deliver the message. "Thank you, Shannon..." Says Caleb as he pulls out a knife and swiftly stabs her in the belly. She leans forward in shock and disbelief as Caleb goes close to her ear and whispers something. "Now, let's see what we can't do about that door." He kicks her door open and pushes her out. Shannon tumbles down the road, coming to a stop in headlights of a car approaching, which slams on the brakes. Willow hops out on the driver's side and runs up, asking if she's ok. Seeing she's badly hurt, she says to the unseen approaching passenger that they have to get the girl to a hospital quick. Coming into the moonlight, Faith approaches "Yep, I guess I'm back in Sunnydale..." Opening Credits: Nothing new. Although in the credits, Anya is not seen this episode. Still night-time in Xander's apartment, Xander lays in bed as a J-Lo-ish looking SIT sits on the bed in her jammies and talks to him, saying that she's "so scared" and "so young" and such. UBER flirtatious. Xander is talking reasonably, but she is obviously hinting, saying things like she's never experienced things, never had a boyfriend. Xander starts to perk up as she says "I've never been with a man." "I've never been with a man before either" says a second SIT, coming up behind the first and sitting on the bed. Both eye Xander with seduction as Xander's attention is definitely gained. Both approach him seductively as he says they can't, the others might hear them. "No they won't" both SIT's say as they lean down to kiss him. Just then (in slow motion) the door to his living room swings open and we see feathers flying everywhere! Girls in skimpy nighties and underwear jump and bounce, flinging pillows at each other in a playful manner. The scene is every man's dream... "Xander? Xander!" Rona says, looking down at Xander in bed, waking him. He is startled awake as she tells him bluntly that one of the SIT's has the stomach flu and the toilet is backed up. He tells them he'll be out in a moment.. "I've... got a leg cramp." Willow and Faith look on as doctors prep Shannon for surgery. Faith comments how she doesn't look like a SIT. Willow says her situation seems to fit what's happening and they'll know more when she wakes. Faith then turns to Willow and wonders why she didn't get even a heads up if "something" is going around killing all the SIT's and trying to eliminate the Slayer line? Willow is apologetic and says that they thought she was safe in prison. She asks Faith if something happened in prison and Faith tells that someone came after her with a "nasty looking" knife, but after more apologies from Willow, Faith shakes it off and says it's cool. Willow says that they should contact Buffy and tell her what's going on. Faith agrees and starts to head out of the hospital eagerly, but Willow is hesitent, saying that someone should stay to look after the wounded girl. Faith says Willow can stay, she'll find Buffy. Willow is still hesitent at the idea, not wanting Faith to just charge in and say "hi" to Buffy without easing them both into the situation. Faith says if Buffy knows she's coming, then all is good and with a smile she walks off. Yep, still night-time, this time in a graveyard. A young blond girl runs full speed through the cemetary, looking around paniced. She stops momentarily to get her bearings, then a snarl is heard. She spins and is punched back by someone, sending her into a tombstone. The unseen figure approaches the woman, but then it's grabbed from behind and thrown HARD into a gravestone. Faith stands over the attacker, who shakes the cobwebs out of his head. Spike stands up, ready to square off against Faith. She gets first licks in, punching Spike hard and sending him reeling. "Let me guess... Leather pants, nice right cross, doe-eyes, holyer-than-though glower... you must be Faith" Spike says, not fighting back, on the defensive. Faith says she knows him, they've met. Spike starts to say he doesn't recall, but then is hit a few times. "Bloody hell! What are you doing? I'm on your side!" Spike says, a bit surprised. Faith says that he probably hasn't heard that she's reformed now and hits him again. Spike says he's reformed too and now starts to fight back, hitting her across the face. The two exchange blows as Spike says "stop *punch* hitting *punch* me *punch*!" "What do you think? i'm stupid?" Faith asks. "Well, yeah" Spike answers. Faith says he was attacking that girl and goes to charge Spike again, but someone else suddenly belts her, sending her to the ground. "Sorry, Faith. I didn't know that was you..." Buffy says. Buffy asks if Spike is ok, which Spike says yes to. "You're protecting vampires now? Are you the bad Slayer? Am I the good Slayer now?" Faith asks. Buffy says that he's ok, he has a soul now. "Like Angel?" Faith asks. "NO! Nothing like Angel." Spike responds, pissed. Faith asks if he's one of the good guys now, what he's doing chasing down defenseless women, but her words are cut short as the "defenseless" woman broadsides Faith, clearly now a vampire. Faith and the vamp trade blows as Spike and Buffy watch, then asking to borrow something, Faith grabs a stake from Buffy's belt and goes to the attack. A few more punches then the vamp is dust! "Angel's dull as a table lamp, and we have very different coloring." Spike says, still trying to defend himself. Faith collects herself and says she's catching up, wondering if there's anything else she has to know? "Nice to have you back..." Buffy says. Buffy, Faith, and Spike walk in the front door of the Summer's home as Faith comments that everything looks the same. Spike continues down the hall as Buffy says that everything in the house has been destroyed and replaced, so it's new-ish. Sitting in the background in the dining room, Dawn slowly rises and calls Buffy. Giles also rises from the table and both of them glare at Faith who at first tries to smile her welcome. Dawn's glare could break boards though and she asks Buffy if Faith has to stay there. "Isn't there a hotel that takes tried-to-kill-your-sister-types?" Giles doesn't look too pleased either. Faith tries to joke it off, but she's obviously bothered. Buffy says that she has to go to the hospital and check out the situation with the wounded girl, but Dawn (still glaring at Faith) says that Willow has been calling and that she's staying there. Buffy heads off as Giles says that they'd better find somewhere for Faith to sleep. Both he and Dawn walk off, still glaring. "Not all of that tension was about you" Spike says from behind a bothered Faith "Giles was part of a plan to kill me, for Buffy's own good." "Well, that makes it feel better about me... worse about Giles. Kinda shakey about you" Faith says. Caleb poors a glass of red wine out from the spiggot of a winebarrel as he addresses someone about how he always wondered what would have happened if someone had ordered white wine at the Last Supper. He then muses that he seemed lost, going from parish to parish, looking for the lord in all the wrong places. "Then you showed me the light" he says, addressing a shadow in the corner of the dark wine cellar where he is. "Do you think I'm god?" Buffy's voice asks as Buffy/the First strolls out of the shadows calmly. Caleb says he doesn't, that he is beyond such concepts. The First notes that he still wears "the outfit" (the preacher's suit). Caleb says he can't turn his back on where he comes from. The First then asks seductively how he likes what she's wearing, doing a little model twirl for him. "Just another dirty girl, and since you only dress up as dead folk, I'm guessing one who has already payed her way." The First asks him to look hard, tell what he sees. Caleb looks at the First's Slayer form and then notes that he sees strength, and the lonelyness that comes with that strength. Then it dawns on him that he is looking at "her." "The Slayer" the First whispers. Caleb is awestruck, looking at the First's form as if it was a god. He reaches out and his hand passes through her easily. "All this time, all the work I've done for you. Blowing up the Councel, organizing the Ray Charles brigade, and sticking all them splits. You've never shown me." He is still in awe as Buffy/the First says that he'll get to see the real thing very soon. Caleb agrees that she'll get the message. The First asks him why she'll come. Caleb says she won't be able to resist, like offering her an apple. Commercial Break: Windex makes it SHINE! "Faith, her name invokes awe..." Andrew narrates as we see a Faith montage, complete with dramatic music. Lots of scenes from season 3, with her fighting at Buffy's side, but then Andrew's narration tells of how Faith was seduced by the "dark side." Scenes now of Faith killing the Mayor's aide, stealing, shooting Angel with a crossbow bolt, etc. "Nobody was immune to her trail of destruction. Not friends, not family, not even the most logical of races..." Then the montage shows a new scene. A Vulcan (original Star-Trek outfit) is in a darkened cave as Faith attacks. The fight scene is rough, as both exchange blows under Star-trekish music. The Vulcan goes for the neck pinch, but Faith blocks it and soon has a knife to the Vulcan's throat... "What the hell are you talking about?" Amanda questions as Andrew stands in the kitchen, holding a wooden spoon at Rona's neck. A small group of SIT's (with Molly, Chao-ann, and Kennedy present) listen to his tale as Amanda informs him "Faith killed a Vulcanologist." Setting Rona loose, Andrew chuckles "Silly, silly Amanda. Why would Faith kill a person who studies Vulcans?" Amanda tells him that it's a person who studies volcanos, which Andrew backtracks at. Molly says that she though Andrew wasn't supposed to make up stories anymore. Andrew says he didn't make this up (except for that last part) as they look out the window and see Faith working out in the yard, he then continues to tell them that Faith is not to be taken lightly, that she's a killer, and that they should all be on guard when she's around. (Subtitled) "There is a girl in the backyard doing gymnastics" Chao-ann notices. Andrew nods to her, as if he understands. At his desk, Principal Wood is writing as Buffy stands in his office doorway and says he looks better. He says he doesn't, which she then agrees with. He says he'll be ok, unless she starts beating up on him now. Buffy says that as far as she's concerned, they're both even. She doesn't want his vendetta, but needs him in the fight. Robin thanks her, saying that means a lot."So we're good?" Buffy asks. "Absolutely" Robin says, letting Buffy sigh in relief, then he adds "you're fired." "What? I just refrained from kicking your ass!" Buffy walks in, surprised. Robin goes on to tell her that she doesn't have time for this job, she's got more important things to do. With things the way they are, half the kids aren't even showing up to class, and there's really no place for her there. She needs to concentrait on the mission. He says that she has to look at the big picture. Buffy muses, then says she isn't ready for this war, remarking that some of the girls haven't even seen combat. Robin suggests that maybe she should test them. Buffy then tries to change the subject, wondering if she could put up fliers around the school for an encounter group. "And you're fired again" Robin says. Then he gets serious, saying that the mission is what matters. Buffy understands. The basement door opens and we hear the chuckling of SIT's from above. Faith comes down the stairs alone, frustraited at the noise and giddyness. She sits on the stair stoop and pulls out a cigarette, lighting it, tries to relax. "You craving a moment alone in the dank? Can I bum one?" Spike says from his cot. He half-lays (yes, shirtless) on his cot as Faith smiles and gives him her cigarette, then lights one for herself. Faith notices the shackles and chains behind him, which prompts her to hint that she likes it kinky too, starting to tell a story about her, a schoolgirl costume, and a bullwhip. Spike says it's not what she thinks, that he got dangerous for a while. The two talk about his previous "danger" and her incarceration, the "spazzing" SIT's upstairs, and there is a defininte sexual overtone to everything that they say. MASSIVE flirting going on. The two also compare their dangers, how Faith was jailed and, while she could have escaped earlier, chose not to cause she was repentant. More sexual talk (stuff I'm not gonna leak here, let's just say Faith was locked up a long time). Faith then says that she's met Spike before as she strolls over and sits next to him on the cot, the both of them still smoking. Spike doesn't recall meeting her, but then Faith hints at the infamous "body swap" episode. Spike now remembers and talks of how "different" Buffy sounded then. Faith says he should have figured out who was really speaking, cause talk like that would never come from Buffy. "Oh, you have been away for a while then" Spike says. Faith is surprised that Buffy's been getting her naughty on, then says everyone is still surprising. Buffy appears at the bottom of the stairs, awkwardly observing that they seem to be getting along. Faith is smiling, and Spike simply asks why Buffy isn't at work. Buffy says that she decided to cut back on her hours, thinking it would be better to focus on the real problems at hand. Still lots of sexual tension in the room with Faith playing off it and Spike seemingly oblivious to Buffy's jealousy. The basement door opens and Dawn calls downstairs, saying that the girl at the hospital has regained conscousness. Shannon lies in a hospital bed, a bandage on her neck and scrapes on her face. Buffy and Willow stand at her bedside as she recounts the tale of her meeting with Caleb. She says Bringers were after her and that Caleb said they were "his boys" right before he burned her. Shannon puls away the neck bandage to reveal the burn marks of the ring (too hard to tell what they are) which Willow takes a digital picture of with a camera. Shannon then relays the message that Caleb gave her: "I have something of yours." "We've got a new player in town, he dresses like a preacher. Calls himself Caleb" Buffy addresses the troops in her living room. The room is packed with SIT's and Scoobies, with Spike, Giles, Willow, Xander, and Andrew in the foreground. She says that she's tired of waiting, it's time to act now. If Caleb has something of hers, she's going to get it. Commercial Break: Looking for a videotape that lasts just a LITTLE longer? Run out and buy Scraff's 127 min videotape, when 7 extra minutes is JUST what you need. Down in Caleb's wine cellar, a young, good looking blond girl is looking for Caleb. She talks about his sermon and how powerful the words were. He talks back to her about power, and how it's not wrong for her to be drawn to the dark powers. She follows him into the shadows and then we hear her gasp. She falls back into the light, a large stab wound in her stomach. "it's just human..." He answers her. The girl the morphs into the form of Buffy, with different clothes and no stab wound. Buffy/The First gets up calmly as Caleb asks her to do it again. She quips that most people don't like getting visted by the people they've killed, then asks if he wants to see another dead SIT? He says no, he's in the mood for something earlier, a choir girl he once knew. Still in the living room, Buffy now talks to a much smaller group (Spike, Willow, Xander, Giles, Faith. Buffy is making plans, wanting to arm the girls after she and Faith go out on recon. Giles speaks his objections, saying it could be a trap, they don't even know what Caleb has of hers. Buffy says it could be another SIT. Giles says it could be a stapler. Buffy says she's going anyways. Giles argues further for the safety of the girls who have not seen combat. Buffy says it's time for them to see some, at least the experienced girls who have been with them longer. Spike says that it might be the old bait and switch, with the First wanting all the power out of the way so he can come back to the house and have the SIT's killed. Buffy says that's why Willow is staying behind to protect them. Willow is naturally worried about this and expresses concern, but she listens to Buffy. Again Giles speaks up, expressing concern about not knowing anything about Caleb, his powers, or motives, and he thinks they should take their time to do a little more research before going into battle. Buffy says there isn't time anymore and they've got to do this now, and that Giles is also staying behind "help the girls who still NEED a teacher." "No eyes... look at him go! They got sonar or something?" Faith asks Buffy as they walk through a forest, trailing after a Bringer in the shadows. Faith asks how they appear out of nowhere. Buffy says they're usually not like this one, which makes Faith think that it is a trap. Buffy starts to argue that she's tired of waiting around, but Faith stops her, saying she's with her, ready for some action. They talk lightly about the SIT's and how while not ready, they are learning and know how to fight. Faith is trying to make light of the situation but then Buffy bluntly interrupts "Why did you come back?" Faith is thrown by this and says it wasn't exactly planned, then she asks Buffy if she doesn't want her here. Buffy backtracks, looking a little sorry, and none-too-convincingly says that she's glad that Faith is there. Talk then brielfy turns to Angel, with Faith saying that Angel said "Hi" and that he's doing ok. Faith starts to tell Buffy about her "magical mind trip" with Angel (in the episode "Orpheus" on Angel the Series), but they are interrupted when they see the Bringer they were tracking walk into an old building in the woods, with two other Bringers approaching from other directions and entering (the sign above the building says ---ville Vineyard. it's partially obscured). The two girls decide to head back and get the SIT's. In the living room, Xander holds a mace and is addressing the SIT's, as if he were a general, telling them how and where to strike an enemy (very Sparticus-like). Dawn and Andrew are also present. Chest and throat if it's a vampire, stomach, chest, and face if it's a Bringer. He then gives an additional tip for fighting "other" types of monsters to ignore the waving tenticals and go for the center: "Brain, heart, eyes." "I don't care if it's Godzilla... I wanna get in this thing" says Kennedy as she lifts a huge broadsword. Andrew says that Godzilla is mainly Tokyo based and will be a no-show. Amanda then says the unpopular words "Besides, Matthew Broderick can kill Godzilla." This gets Andrew upset and he turns "Xander?!?" "Matthew Broderick did not kill Godzilla. He killed a big dumn lizard that was not the real Godzilla" Xander says, coming to the rescue. Rona then speaks up, getting frustraited and saying the plan is dangerous going right into the bad guy's lair. Xander says they didn't come here to fight plaque. Rona counters, saying she came there for protection. Xander says it's part of the deal, which Rona understands, but then Rona says that Buffy doesn't really care how many SIT's she puts in harm's way. This gets Xander miffed and he cuts her off with this brilliant speech to all assembled: "Let me tell you something about Buffy. In fact you all should listen to this. I've been through more battles with Buffy than you all can ever imagine. She's stopped everything that has ever come up against her. She's layed down her life litterally to protect the people around her. This girl has died two times and she's still standing. you're scared, that's smart. You got questions, you should. But you doubt her motives, you think Buffy's all about the kill, you take the little bus to battle. I've seen her heart, and this time not litterally, and I'm telling you right now she cares more about your lives than you will ever know. You've gotta trust her. She's earned it." "Damn, I never knew you were that cool." Faith says from the doorway. She and Buffy had entered Xander mid-speech and Buffy was obviously moved close to tears. "Well, you always were a little slow..." Buffy answers Faith. Buffy then tells the troops to saddle up. Back in the night-time forest, just outside the entrance into the wine cellar, Buffy divides the group in half, with Xander and two others (can't tell who) staying behind as backup and as a perimiter guard. Buffy enters the basement, walking slowly down the stairs with Spike, Molly, Kennedy, Rona, and one other unnamed SIT. Molly asks what the place is. Buffy says it's an old vineyard. Kennedy says "Evil vineyard, huh?" "Just like Falcons Crest" Spike quips. Buffy walks ahead, wondering where all the Bringers are in the apparently empty cellar, only seeing many large wine barrels. Suddenly Bringers spring up from everywhere! The battle starts and all is chaos! Everyone has their own bringer to fight, but the SIT's are holding their own. It even starts to look like they're gaining the upper hand, but then suddenly all the Bringers back off silently. "WELL now... you girls are just burning with righousness, aren you? You think you're blazing like suns when really you're just burning like match-sticks in the wind." Caleb walks out from the shadows as everything is brought to an abrupt hault. He walks up to Buffy (with Spike at her side) and confronts her, wondering if his "boys" didn't tire them out too much? Buffy says she heard he has something of hers. Caleb hopes that Buffy liked his message, but comments that he ruined his knife and he might have to get a new truck because of the blood. Then Caleb looks at Buffy with a slight hint of awe, almost introducing himself to her, building her up as the "one and only" all powerful Slayer. "The Slayer must indeed be powerful" he says, then out of nowhere backhands her with ease. The blow is incredible, sending Buffy flying up into the air and hard against the wall a good 20 feet away. "So... what else you got?" Commercial break: NEW Ruffles BBQ Vinegar and Onion and Parsley and Hot Dog flavored chips! Contains nearly 10% of actual potato! Instantly in vamp face, Spike snarls and goes to the attack, but Caleb pushes him back effortlessly to the ground. Spike comes up again and charges, doing a punch and spinning back kick, but it doesn't even phase Caleb, who punches back easily, then grabs Spike and throws him across the cellar into a wine storage barrel, breaking it open and letting the vamp get drenched in red wine. Now the Bringers reappear, but this time the SIT's aren't quite with it. They are being pummeled easily as Kennedy gets thrown aside into a barrel and is knocked unconscous. Rona goes to the attack but Caleb grabs her arm in a submission hold "Miss, I do believe you have your own problems you should be worried about" he says as he casually breaks her arm. She crumples to the ground and Caleb smiles as Caleb picks up a Bringer's knife, tosses it to a Bringer, who then gets ready to stab the fallen Rona. Suddenly an arrow strikes the Bringer's Arm. Xander stands at the foot of the stairs with a bow as he, Faith, and another SIT (or two?) charge into the fray. Xander rushes off to help Buffy while Faith confronts Caleb, who recognizes her as the second Slayer and compares her to Cain. Some small biblical talk between the two as Caleb clearly has the upper hand. Faith lays in a few good licks, but soon she loses and Caleb kicks her hard in the air and into a wine barrel, which shatters when she hits, drenching her in wine. Almost absentmindedly Caleb muses as he grabs one of the unknown SIT's by the throat and quickly snaps her neck. She falls lifeless to the ground as Molly looks on in horror. Caleb sees Molly and approaches. Still stunned, Buffy slowly comes to with Xander's help. Buffy tells Xander to get everyone out and retreat. Caleb approaches Molly, who is scared and raises a knife in defense. He easily blocks the arm, grabs her by the throat, and lifts her off the ground against a wall. "What can I say? I work in mysterious ways..." He muses as he plunges a knife into her chest. She falls to the ground dead as he ends with "also some straightforward ones." Buffy witnessed Molly's murder and charges to the attack, getting a few good hits in on Caleb out of pure anger, and manages to lift him off his feet and into a barrel with a punch, but then Spike grabs Buffy and says that they're leaving. Xander calls out to everyone, looking around, saying they're leaving. he turns and runs right into Caleb, who grabs him around the throat (yes, again... I guess he's big on throats) "Why you're the one who sees everything aren't you? Well let's see what we can do about that." Caleb waves his hand for a moment, readying to strike. Spike spots this from a distance as Caleb takes his thumb and jams it in Xander's left eye deeply. Xander howls in pain, blood poors from the socket, as Spike then slams hard into Caleb, releasing his grip. Buffy and Spike go to help Xander up and out the celler. Caleb narrates in his own unique way the story of Eve being brought fourth from Adam's rib while we see Buffy walking in a hospital. She passes silently and sad by Rona, who's arm is in a cast, and then comes to stop in front of a bed that has Xander laying asleep, his head and eye bandaged, with Willow sitting sadly at his side. The narration continues as we see scenes at the Summers home. Buffy walks briefly among the SIT's who are nursing their wounds, then Buffy is seen outside, walking down a Sunnydale street alone at night, trying to hold herself together. We then hear the narration turn sour, with Eve being filled with evil and never knowing good, as we see Caleb "preaching" the story to his audience, Buffy/The First, who sits and smiles wickedly. Grrr... Arrrg... The End Back To Season 7 Episode Guide.. |