Welcome to Rewatching Buffy, the part of the blog where I rewatch Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Each Tuesday evening, you’re invited to join me as I attempt to rediscover what made me love this show 21 years ago.

Real Me

• Buffy’s renewed training with her symbolically reinstated Watcher, Giles, is interrupted by Dawn.
• Yeah, if you missed that at the end of last week’s episode, Buffy’s got a sister.
• Who has seemingly appeared as if from nowhere.
• She’s probably evil. Or, at the very least, obnoxious and abrasive.
• You know, like Spike these days.
• I guess we’ll find out plenty about her since the episode is basically told from her POV.
• So far, she’s just obnoxious.
• Though I’m sure it’ll be interesting to see everyone through her eyes.
• Dawn doesn’t like that Buffy gets all the attention because she’s the Slayer.
• She’s not impressed with Riley, but she does notice that he’s way more into Buffy than she’s into him.
• She doesn’t think Giles likes her very much. She assumes it’s because he’s old.
• Dawn has to tag along with Giles and Buffy to the magic shop and they run into Willow and Tara on the way.
• She digs Willow and Tara, but doesn’t quite understand the depths of their relationship.
• The magic shop has been ransacked and the owner has been killed by vampires.
• When they discover the body, Buffy rushes Dawn outside so she doesn’t see the gruesomeness.
• While Dawn waits outside, she encounters a clearly insane man. He tells her she doesn’t belong here.
• He’s not wrong.
• It’s important to note that all of our main characters treat Dawn as if she’s been around this whole time.
• As they investigate, the Scoobies discover that some books and a ceramic unicorn were taken.
• This leads us to Harmony, who now has her own posse of vampires and they’re planning to kill the Slayer.
• Joyce is mad that Buffy brought Dawn to a murder scene. Because that was Buffy’s fault.
• Since Buffy has to patrol to find Harmony’s gang and Joyce has a work thing, Xander and Anya come over to babysit Dawn.
• Dawn has a massive crush on Xander. She doesn’t seem to respect Anya very much.
• While they play the Game of Life, Harmony throws a brick through the window with a note inviting Buffy outside to die.
• Xander opens the front door to have a face to face with Harmony, delivering the news that Buffy’s not home and they’ll have to come back to be killed by her later.
• Harmony can’t come in because she hasn’t been invited. Until Dawn opens her big mouth and tells her to come inside.
• Ugh… Shut up, Dawn!
• Harmony’s minions try to follow her in, but the invitation was for one. Xander and Anya manage to kick Harmony out.
• Buffy’s definitely not happy about Dawn’s invite.
• Harmony runs into Spike in the graveyard, giving him plenty of opportunity to mock her and her new gang.
• But he also gives her the idea to abduct one of Buffy’s friends to lure her into a trap.
• Meanwhile, Dawn overhears Buffy saying some pretty harsh things and runs away before she can hear Buffy express how concerned she is and how she can’t protect Dawn 24/7.
• So, of course, Dawn is the one who’s abducted by Harmony.
• Chained up, Dawn is forced to listen to Harmony complain about how her minions don’t respect her.
• Buffy arrives, and pretty easily dusts all four of Harmony’s minions while Harmony runs away.
• All’s well that ends well.
• Oh, and Giles buys the magic shop.
• Body count: Humans – 1; Vampires – 4