Overall Rating: 9.95 Matt: 9.9 Eric: 10.0 Writer/Director: Joss Whedon Cast : Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers, Nicholas Brendon as Xander Harris, Alyson Hannigan as Willow Rosenberg, Emma Caulfield as Anya, Michelle Trachtenberg as Dawn Summers, James Marsters as Spike, Anthony Stewart Head as Rupert Giles. Main guest stars : Amber Benson as Tara, Clare Kramer as Glory, Charlie Weber as Ben, Todd Duffrey as Murk, Joel Grey as Doc, Matthew Lang as High Priest minion. Original broadcast date : May 22, 2001 My one-line description: Do not watch without a box of Kleenexes. Probably the saddest BTVS episode. In a back alley, a young man runs away from a vampire. He reaches a dead end, tries to open a locked door, and turns as the vampire corners him. Suddenly, the door opens, and Buffy pops her head out, asking what’s going on. She steps outside, stating that fighting is not cool. She asks the vampire if he’s ever heard the expression "Vampire Slayer", and gets a blank look in return. She fights him and easily dusts him, tells the boy to go home, and steps back inside. In the shop, Buffy joins the gang and asks Giles if there’s anything new. "Nothing you want to hear", he replies. She asks him to explain to her again how the ritual works, and he does so – Glory will use the Key to make the walls between dimensions tumble; since the Key is human, the gates will close when the blood flows no more… when Dawn is dead. Buffy decides they have to stop Glory before she performs the ritual. Giles tries to add something, but Buffy doesn’t want him saying it – until Giles rises and yells that they bloody well ARE talking about this. "If Glory begins the ritual… If we can’t stop her…" he says. Buffy challenges him to tell her to kill her sister; she explains that Dawn is more than her sister - the monks made her out of her. Giles warns that if they fail, every living being will suffer horrible torture, including Dawn. "Then the last thing she’ll see is me protecting her", Buffy replies. The gang looks for ways to stop Glory; Anya comes up with two workable ideas – the Dagon Sphere (the crystal ball Buffy found when she first met Glory) and Olaf the Troll’s enchanted hammer. Buffy goes over to a shelf, hoists the hammer and decides she likes it. The gang is astounded at Anya’s sudden helpfulness, but Buffy calls them back to the matter at hand, commenting that they still have no way to find Glory. "Big day", Tara suddenly declares; "it calls out and… I have to be there". The gang look at each other. At the site construction office, Ben enters the room where Dawn is being held, carrying a purple gown for her to wear. However, Dawn is very unhappy with him, and quickly clamors for him to become Glory. Ben finally morphs into the Hellgod; Glory tosses the gown to Dawn, and the teenager grabs it while the god keeps an end of it. Glory yanks on the gown, lifting Dawn off the floor and to her. Putting a hand on the teen’s face, she relishes in telling her that she doesn’t see her sister galloping to her rescue – maybe Buffy knows what a mistake that’d be. She tosses Dawn to the floor, ordering her to put on the gown. Giles enters the training room, where Buffy is having a go at the punching bag. Giles tentatively explains that although he loves Dawn, he was sworn to protect this sorry world. Buffy understands, but promises that if he tries to hurt Dawn, she’ll stop him. The two of them go sit on the couch, where Buffy says the saddest thing she’s ever said: "I sacrificed Angel to save the world. I loved him so much… But I knew. What was right. I don’t have that anymore; I don’t understand… I don’t know how to live in this world; if these are the choices, if everything’s just stripped away, then I don’t see the point… I just wish… I wish my mom was here." She rises, and remembers the guide told her that death was her gift. She takes it to mean that she’s just a killer after all. She promises that if Dawn dies, she’s quitting. She walks out, leaving Giles alone. Dawn has put on the gown, and is folding her clothes into a small pile. Glory gives the signal to leave, and a minion grabs Dawn, who screams for Buffy. The minions take her outside to what the crazies have been building – a huge iron tower, topped by a platform stretching out into the void, like a diving board. There are poles to tie Dawn’s hands. Dawn looks up and takes it all in. Xander and Anya are in the basement looking for the Dagon Sphere. Giles calls to them, asking if they’ve found it. They emerge from the shadows, buttoning themselves up quickly and embarrassedly answering that they’re still looking. They resume their search, and Xander yells in surprise as he comes about the BuffyBot. Anya, in turn, screams as she comes across a stuffed bunny; she says it’s an omen, and start a rant that leads her to say that she couldn’t be more nervous than she is right now. "Care to wager on that?" Xander replies, popping a diamond ring from a tiny box. He proposes… and she slaps him. "You’re proposing to me because we’re going to die!" she accuses him. He replies that he’s proposing because they’re not going to. He gently explains that he believes they’re going to get through this. Touched, she says yes, but then asks him to give her the ring after the world doesn’t end… Upstairs, Buffy tells Willow that she’s her big gun – Willow is the only one who ever hurt Glory, even for a moment. Willow reveals that she’s been studying a way to get back what Glory took from Tara, which might weaken Glory or make her less coherent. Buffy likes the plan. Buffy is chatting with the gang about something, while Willow tries to reassure Tara – it won’t be too long. Tara suddenly slaps her, and Willow recoils in pain – both for Tara and for herself. Tara looks frightened, like a child. Willow promises to get her back. Meanwhile, the gang shares an idea with Buffy. They make preparations to get weapons; Buffy asks Spike to go home with her to grab some. Buffy walks into her house and tells Spike where the weapons chest is. He calls to her - he can’t come in anymore. She invites him in, and he starts to gather weapons. She tells him they won’t all be coming back from this, and adds that she’s counting on him – to protect Dawn. He solemnly swears it. Then, as she starts up the stairs: "I know you never loved me…" As she turns to look at him, he adds: "I know that I’m a monster, but you treat me like a man. And that’s…" At a loss for words, he asks her to get her things; he’ll be waiting for her. On the tower, Dawn looks stoically ahead as the minions leave after having bound her to the platform. Under her feet, it’s a long way down… At the Magic Box, the gang is ready. Willow approaches Tara and asks her if there’s somewhere she has to be. Tara hesitantly gets up and moves to the door. Buffy asks Willow to follow her, saying they’ll follow with weapons in a minute. Tara approaches Glory’s tower in awe, followed by Willow, and then the gang. Xander takes it all in and mysteriously declares that he can work with that. He heads off in another direction. Willow begins a silent incantation. Tara wanders onto the site, where the crazies are rummaging for things to use as weapons. As she also starts rummaging, Glory comes up to her, demanding to know what she’s doing her. Willow suddenly appears, and shoves her fingers into both women’s heads... All three scream in pain, until a white blast sends them flying in different directions. Some minions help Glory up, but it’s obvious she’s not all right. She looks for a brain to feed on, and suddenly spots one… "Okay then", Buffy says, defiantly; "Come and get it!" Buffy taunts Glory, but the hellgod is confused and slow to attack. Glory blames it on the witch (Willow) but Buffy produces the Dagon Sphere from her pocket. She comments that it must repel Glory, which means the hellgod shouldn’t touch it… She tosses the Sphere to Glory, who instinctively catches it. Energy ripples from it, making Glory writhe in agony. With effort, she crushes the Sphere and looks at Buffy, hate in her eyes – and Buffy slugs her. She flies to the ground, and barely has time to regroup before the Slayer falls on her, kicking and punching. As the girls fight, the minions rally and prepare to hold the Scoobies at bay. But Giles, Xander, Anya and Spike charge them with fury. Meanwhile, Willow comes to and sees Tara still unconscious, not far from her. Tara finally wakes up, takes in her surroundings, and finally recognizes Willow… "I got so lost", she says, tears rolling down her face. "I found you. I’ll always find you", Willow replies, covering Tara’s face with kisses. They share a tight hug. Buffy and Glory are still fighting, but Glory is feeling better. She kicks Buffy’s head off… The Slayer’s body falls to the ground, revealing wires and technology. Glory is surprised and wonders if anyone else knew the Slayer was a robot. Suddenly, a voice calls to her… and the real Buffy swings Olaf’s hammer into her face, sending her flying into a wall. Buffy comments that Glory is not the brightest God in the Heavens. But suddenly, she hears Dawn’s terrified voice… the teen has realized Buffy is here. Buffy looks up and bolts for the stairs, but Glory sees her and goes after her. A vicious fight ensues, which ends with Buffy causing both Glory and herself to fall back down to the ground. Glory gloats that Buffy has lost her hammer, and wonder what the Slayer is going to hit her with now… Suddenly a demolition ball comes swinging towards the hellgod and knocks Glory into the wall of the site office. "Whatever’s handy", Buffy replies. The camera shows that Xander is working the giant crane. Buffy picks up her hammer and goes after Glory again. Elsewhere, the Scoobies have been beaten back by the crazies and the minions to a pile of rubble. However, Giles observes that it doesn’t matter – Glory only has a few minutes left to start the ritual. Up on the tower, Dawn sees someone standing before her – it’s Doc. She asks him to untie her and help her… but he just comments that Her Highness is running late and isn’t there to bleed her. Doc produces a knife and smiles… On the ground, Willow communicates telepathically with Spike, directing him to get up to where Dawn is. Willow and Tara join hands and perform a spell that splits the group of minions of crazies down the middle and allows Spike to go through. He climbs with speed… Cut to Doc, looking at his watch and seeing it’s that time. Dawn sees Spike first and makes the mistake of calling out to him; Doc turns to face him, and Spike charges – but Doc plunges the knife into his back. Buffy is still pummelling Glory with the hammer. The hellgod, who now has a bloody nose, complains that Buffy can’t understand her pain; Buffy replies that she’ll just have to settle for causing it. On the platform, Spike and Doc face each other after fighting. Suddenly, Doc knocks the vampire off his feet with his tongue, and then hurls Spike off the tower, sending him careening to the ground. Buffy is still pummelling Glory with the hammer. The hellgod morphs into Ben, and Buffy orders him to tell Glory it’s over – and if she ever comes nears Buffy or hers again… "We won’t", Ben replies. Buffy gets up and leaves. Ben coughs, and suddenly Giles is looming over him. Ben comments that Buffy could have killed him, but Giles replies that Buffy couldn’t kill him because she’s a hero. "She’s not like us", he says, clamping his hand over Ben’s nose and mouth, cutting off his air supply until he dies. The Ripper’s expression is cold and terrifying. Buffy climbs as Dawn screams for her. Up on the platform, Doc is using his knife to slice into Dawn’s arms and limbs, making the blood flow. Buffy makes it onto the platform and quickly dispatches Doc to the ground. As Buffy begins untying Dawn, the teen’s blood drips, and then stops in midair… It begins opening a portal, crackling with energy. Buffy finished untying Dawn and leads her away, but Dawn resists, showing her sister what is happening. The portal throws tendrils of energy into Sunnydale, transforming a street into an abyss and turning a building into an alien structure, out of which zombies wander. On the ground, another bolt makes concrete and metal fall onto Anya. Xander digs her out, but she seems to be badly injured. Dawn lunges for the platform, trying to end this. Buffy holds her back, but Dawn asks her to look at what’s happening – a huge dragon flies out of a rift – and explains that the blood has to stop flowing. Suddenly, Buffy realizes – the monk telling her how they made Dawn out of Buffy’s blood; Buffy grabbing Dawn’s hand and telling her it’s Summers blood… death is your gift… Buffy turns towards the platform, over which the sun is starting to rise amidst the chaos. Sensing what her sister is thinking, Dawn starts to panic. Buffy draws her close and asks her to listen to her. Dawn begins crying as Buffy speaks; then Buffy kisses her sister, and runs towards the end of the platform. She swandives into the energy rift, as Dawn weeps behind her. Inside the rift, Buffy is struggling against all the gigawatts of energy… The rift expands, and then collapses. "Dawn, listen to me. Listen. I love you. I will always love you. This is the work I have to do…" The smoke clears. The Scoobies slowly converge towards the point where Buffy’s corpse has hit the ground. Spike crumples to the ground in bitter tears, and Willow also cries. Giles tries to hold back his tears. "Tell Giles I… I figured it out, and I’m OK. Give my love to my friends. You have to take care of them now; you have to take care of each other. You have to be strong. Dawn, the hardest thing in this world is to live in it. Be brave – live. For me." In a cemetery, a peaceful grave. Zoom on the headstone: BUFFY ANNE SUMMERS 1981-2001 BELOVED SISTER, DEVOTED FRIEND SHE SAVED THE WORLD A LOT Summary by OttsFiveByFive.