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 so many years ago.

Empty Places

• Downtown Sunnydale is kind of a mess…
• People are leaving town.
• Buffy talks it over with Clem… who is also leaving town.
• He’s worried about her, suggests that maybe she should skip town this time, too.
• Down the road, Giles and Willow are talking with the police, who Willow has sort of bewitched into believing they’re with Interpol.
• When they move on, the police look over a flyer about an escaped fugitive that may be in the area.
• Faith, anyone?
• At the hospital, Xander is still recovering from his severe eye trauma.
• He jokes that he’s waiting for his other senses to kick up an extra 50%.
• Buffy leaves Willow with Xander…
• They try to keep things light, but the seriousness of the situation gets to Willow, but Xander begs her not to cry…
• Anya and Andrew try to rally the Potentials in Buffy’s basement.
• But they’re basically inconsolable after their recent crushing defeat at the hands of Caleb.
• Kennedy and Amanda sneak up and talk to Faith about the lack of info on Caleb.
• Dawn tries to ask Buffy about Xander… but Buffy has completely disconnected at this point.
• Buffy is pretty tense with everyone at the moment and leaves Faith to peruse the police files that Giles and Willow got their hands on.
• Buffy goes to the high school, which has now been abandoned.
• She sits at her old desk and finds a framed picture of Season 2 her, Xander, and Willow.
• Then in walks Caleb, mocking her tears.
• He asks how Xander is doing, letting her know that whenever he’s up to it, he’s ready to finish the job…
• Buffy threatens him if he goes near Xander.
• Caleb is unafraid, tossing her desk across the room like it’s a throw pillow.
• He gets in her face, taunting her some more, then she throws the first punch.
• Seems like he could easily kill her, but he settles for throwing her through a window into the hallway and tells her he’ll see her later.
• The First must want Buffy basically unharmed for the time being.
• Back at the house, Dawn and Giles find a decent lead on Caleb while Andrew is being obnoxious.
• In a photo taken at an old monastery, they find evidence that Caleb has been there…
• A wall bears the mark of the ring that Caleb wears.
• Giles sends Spike and Andrew to check the place out.
• Meanwhile, Faith suggests taking the Potentials out to The Bronze to blow off some steam.
• This place is pretty packed for a town that seemed to have begun a mass migration earlier that day.
• Buffy comes home and isn’t thrilled about Giles sending Spike away, concerned that Giles doesn’t exactly have his best interests in mind.
• And she’s also not thrilled about all the girls going to The Bronze.
• Back at the vineyard, Caleb talks things over with Not Buffy.
• Police show up at The Bronze and confront Faith.
• But these officers are not interested in law and order… they want to just execute.
• More victims of an overactive Hellmouth.
• Faith has no problem taking care of herself outside while another blocks the Potentials from getting outside to help her.
• Wackiness ensues and the girls all brawl with the cops.
• Buffy shows up in time to see Faith beating the crap out of the last cop standing.
• Buffy sends everyone but Faith home… then the two Slayers argue about how things are going.
• On the road, Spike and Andrew discuss the culinary masterpiece that is the onion blossom.
• Faith is hanging out on the front porch when Robin walks up for tonight’s briefing.
• So they meet for the first time…
• At the monastery, Spike and Andrew are attacked by a monk, but it turns out he’s got Caleb’s burned mark on his face… so probably not a fan of the guy.
• Xander and Willow get home in time for the meeting.
• Buffy breaks the news to everyone that they need to go back into the cellar at the vineyard.
• That’s gonna go over really well with everyone.
• Back at the monastery, the monk explains that they welcomed Caleb, not knowing the evil they were inviting in.
• Caleb revealed a hidden room that the monks didn’t even know was there.
• Inside the room, Caleb read an inscription that he didn’t like.
• In his rage, he branded the monk and killed the rest of the order.
• Spike is able to read it: “It is not for thee. It is for her alone to wield.”
• Buffy understands that the bad guys go where the power is, which is why they’re guarding the vineyard.
• Faith speaks against this plan… then Robin backs her up…
• So does Giles.
• Buffy is alarmed by everyone’s lack of trust in her, but she just told Giles that she couldn’t trust them.
• The Potentials are all distrustful of her.
• Even Willow is worried about Buffy’s judgment.
• Buffy says it’s not a democracy… they need a leader.
• Anya asks why that needs to be Buffy.
• Rona asks why Buffy is in charge…
• So Buffy says it’s because she’s the Slayer.
• “Isn’t Faith a Slayer, too?”
• But Faith isn’t necessarily on board to lead.
• “I don’t know if I can lead, but the real question here is, can you follow?”
• It all ends with Dawn putting the final nail in the coffin and telling her she needs to leave.
• They can’t be together if they’re not united.
• Buffy leaves without saying a word.
• Faith follows her and tells her this isn’t want she wanted.
• Buffy tells Faith not to be afraid to lead them… protect them.
• Body count: No one died!