Buffy the Vampire Slayer Timeline - Season 7
The dates listed below are more or less the dates of the events in Sunnydale, NOT in what most of us think of as "the real world."
Click on the episode title to go to Otts' wonderful episode summery.
Color key - Audience first sees a character, Buffy (et al.) first meet a character,
Character death, Character
leaves show, Romance, Breakup, Character
returns, 
= important event
Episode 1 (123rd in the series)
(Time for everyone to go back to Sunnydale High)
Early September, 2002
- Some random girl in Istanbul is killed by guys in robes.
- Xander's construction company is finishing the rebuild of SHS.
- We meet Principal Robin Wood.
- Spike is living in the basement of SHS.
- Willow and Giles are in England (apparently have been since June)
- Principal Wood offers Buffy as job as a counselor.
- Spike is "visted" by the images of Warren, Glory, Adam, Mayor Wilkins, Drusilla, the Master, himself, and Buffy.
Episode 2 (124th in the series)
(We find out a bit about what's going on for Spike and Anya)
September, 2002
- Some random girl in Frankfurt is killed by guys in robes.
- Xander has a promising date that is ruined by the side effects of Anya's wish-granting.
- Willow leaves England for Sunnydale.
- Spike reveals to Buffy that he has his soul back.
Episode 3 (125th in the series)
(Willow is invisible. Or is it everyone else?)
Late September, 2002
- Willow returns to Sunnydale.
- All is forgiven, more or less.
Episode 4 (126th in the series)
(Buffy the counselor at work.)
October, 2002
- We first see Buffy in her new job.
- We meet Cassie.
- Cassie dies. (heart condition)
Episode 5 (127th in the series)
(All about Anya - except the bunnies.)
October, 2002
- Willow shows a hint of "Black Magick Willow"
- Willow summons D'Hoffryn (see season 4, episode 9 "Something Blue")
- Halfrek dies. (killed by D'Hoffryn)
- Anya "quits" being a vengeance demon and becomes human again.
Episode 6 (128th in the series)
(All the girls fall for the same guy... even Willow.)
Early November, 2002
- Spike moves in with Xander.
Episode 7 (129th in the series)
Conversations with Dead People
(Buffy, Dawn, and Willow have an intense night dealing with the dead.)
November 12, 2002
- Andrew and Jonathan return to Sunnydale to destroy the Seal of Danzathar in the basement of SHS.
- Willow talks to a Tara through a Cassie's ghost (?) (It's really something bigger and badder.)
- Andrew talks to Warren's ghost (?)
- Dawn hears from Joyce's ghost (?)
- Buffy talks with newly made vampire Holden Webster who tells her that Spike sired him.
- Joyce tells Dawn that things are going to get bad and that Buffy won't choose her.
- We see Spike drain a woman, apparently without the chip going off.
- Jonathan dies. (Andrew guts him with a knife and lets him bleed over the seal.)
- Holden Webster dies... again. (Buffy stakes him.)
Episode 8 (130th in the series)
(Spike is out of control.)
The days following November 12, 2002 (immediately after "Conversations with Dead People")
- Buffy discovers that somehow Spike has been siring people and can't remember it.
- The First Evil is controlling Spike.
- In London, a slayer trainee (Nora) and her Watcher (Robson) are attacked by the guys in robes; the slayer trainee dies.
- Giles is attacked by one of the guys in robes. (Possibly dead?!?)
Episode 9 (131st in the series)
(The Big Bad is identified.)
November, 2002 (just after "Sleepers")
- Buffy talks to Quentin Travers who tells her that Giles is MIA
- Willow discovers that Andrew is in town and brings him to the Summers' house.
- Principal Wood finds Jonathan's body & the seal, and not only doesn't seem surprised, but buries him outside town.
- Guys in robes attack the Summers' house and kidnap Spike.
- Buffy realizes that they are facing the Harbingers (aka Bringers) and the First Evil. (see season 3 episode 10 "Amends")
- The building housing the Watchers' Council is blown up, killing the top Watchers.
- Spike is tortured and bled onto the seal.
- The seal opens and a really scary, old-looking vampire emerges.
Episode 10 (132nd in the series)
(Buffy declares war on the First Evil.)
November, 2002 (just after "Never Leave Me")
[Note from fiat: Buffy says it's almost Christmas, but there is no way that weeks have passed between this and the previous episode. A bit of a timing issue, if you ask me.]
- Buffy and the Scoobies find and bury the seal.
- Buffy and the Scoobies start to become suspicious of Principal Wood.
- Giles shows up at the Summers' house with three "potential slayers" (aka "slayers-in-training" or SiTs) Annabelle, Molly, and Kennedy.
- Giles confirms that they are battling the First Evil, which can appear as any person who has died, but is not corporeal.
- "Joyce" talks to Buffy a couple of times.
- Buffy encounters the new vamp (Turok-Han), finds out that it's powerful and tough to kill (staking doesn't quite work), and barely escapes with her life.
- Annabelle dies (killed by Turok-Han)
Episode 11 (133rd in the series)
(The Scoobies mount their first attack against the First.)
January, 2003
- More SiTs arrive.
- Kennedy hits on Willow.
- Giles and Anya consult a being known as the Belljox Eye. It tells them that the Slayer line has been disrupted because there is more than one Slayer.
- Willow works her first big magick in months.
- Turok-Han dies. (Buffy decapitates it with a wire noose)
- Buffy frees Spike.
Episode 12 (134th in the series)
(Are we going to get Dawn the Vampire Slayer?)
Late January, 2003
- We meet SiTs Rona and Violet
- Willow does a spell to locate SiTs, and it looks like Dawn is one.
- Dawn is NOT a SiT - a classmate from Sunnydale High is (Amanda)
Episode 13 (135th in the series)
(Willow turns into Warren)
February, 2003
- Spike's chip starts misfiring, causing him a LOT of pain.
- Kennedy tricks Willow into a date and they kiss.
- Robson (the Watcher Giles was trying to help in episode 8 "Sleepers") is still alive.
- Giles is NOT dead! (Scoobies finally realize they haven't seen him touch ANYTHING since he came to Sunnydale and tackle him.)
- The Initiative is still intact and active in Sunnydale. They offer Buffy the choice - fix Spike's chip or remove it.
Episode 14 (136th in the series)
(A Buffy Valentine... sorta)
Mid-February, 2003
- We discover that Principal Wood is the son of 1970's Slayer Nicki, who Spike killed. (See season 5, episode 7 "Fool for Love")
- Spike no longer has the chip.
- Buffy and Wood go out for a dinner date; Spike gets jealous.
- Buffy discovers that Wood is a demon fighter and the son of a slayer.
- Andrew finally and firmly chooses to be a Whitehat
- We meet SiT Choi-Ahn.
- The First (as Nicki) tells Wood that Spike is the vampire who killed his mom.
Episode 15 (137th in the series)
(The origin of the Slayer)
February, 2003
- Wood confronts Spike about his soul
- SiT Chloe dies (lured into hanging herself by the First Evil.
- Buffy discovers that the first Slayer was a girl who was infused with the spirit of a demon by "Shadow-Men"
- The "Shadow-Men" show Buffy that an army of Turok-Han are waiting under the Hellmouth.
Episode 16 (138th in the series)
(Andrew pretends he is the god of Masterpiece Theatre.)
Late February, 20023
- Xander and Anya admit that they still love each other.
- Xander and Anya have "breakup sex."
Episode 17 (139th in the series)
(Meet the Parents Wood's and Spike's moms)
Mid-March, 20023
- We see more about the past. (Nicki and Spike's first days as a vampire)
- We discover that Spike's trigger (key to being controlled by First Evil) is the song "Early One Morning."
- Wood (with Giles' cooperation) tries to kill Spike and fails. Buffy finds out and chews out both of them.
- Fred calls Willow and Willow leaves for Los Angeles. (see "Angel" season 4 episode 15 "Orpheus")
- Spike breaks free of the trigger.
Episode 18 (140th in the series)
(Sunnydale gains a new hero... and a new villain)
Late March, 2003
- We meet Caleb, a "preacher man" who has been working for the First Evil. (He destroyed the Watchers Council building)
- Willow brings Faith back from Los Angeles. (see "Angel" season 4 episode 15 "Orpheus")
- Wood fires Buffy. (tells her to concentrate on Slayer duties)
- Buffy et al. meet Caleb.
- Molly dies. (Killed by Caleb)
- Caleb gouges out Xander's left eye.
Episode 19 (141st in the series)
(Buffy becomes an outcast)
Early April, 2003 (about a week after "Dirty Girls")
- The population of Sunnydale evacuates. (including Clem)
- Xander comes home from the hospital.
- Wood meets Faith.
- Spike and Andrew go to a mission church in Gilroy and find a seemingly important inscription.
- Citing poor leadership, the Scoobies and the SiTs ask Buffy to leave and Faith to be in charge.
Episode 20 (142nd in the series)
(Faith takes charge.)
Early April, 2003 (immediately after "Empty Places")
- Spike and Andrew return to Sunnydale.
- Spike tells Buffy that he loves her. (again, but very serious)
- Faith and Wood have sex.
- Willow and Kennedy have sex for the first time.
- Xander and Anya have sex.
- Buffy finds a seemingly mystical scythe.
- Faith and the SiTs walk in on a bomb.
Episode 21 (143rd in the series)
(The Scoobies reunite and head into the final battle.)
Early April, 2003 (immediately after "Touched")
- Faith and SiTs badly injured by bomb.
- Buffy takes the scythe.
- Buffy asks Xander to take Dawn away so she'll be safe.
- Dawn "tazers" Xander and returns to Sunnydale.
- Buffy meets a Guardian who tells her that the scythe is a Slayer weapon that was used to kill the last pure demon.
- The Guardian dies. (Caleb snaps her neck.)
- Angel shows up to help Buffy fight Caleb. (see "Angel" season 4 episode 22 "Home")
- Buffy and Angel kiss. And Spike witnesses it.
Episode 22 (144th in the series)
(Showdown with the First Evil.)
Early April, 2003 (immediately after "End of Days")
- Caleb dies. (Buffy slices him groin to head with the scythe.)
- Buffy tells Angel she can't be with anyone until she knows who she really is.
- Angel gives Buffy an amulet and leaves.
- Buffy gives Spike the amulet.
- Buffy and SiTs open the seal with their combined blood.
- Willow casts a HUGE spell that makes all girls who had any Slayer potential into actual Slayers.
- Anya dies. (sliced by a Bringer while protecting Andrew)
- Amanda dies. (killed by a Turok-Han)
- Buffy tells Spike she loves him. Spike says she doesn't, but is glad to hear it.
- Spike and the amulet burn the Turok-Han and cause the Hellmouth to collapse.
- Spike dies. (turned to ash by the burning light from the amulet)
- The Whitehats all escape Sunnydale just before it caves into the ground.
End of the series. Thank you Joss for seven seasons of amazing stories.
I've left out characters that made minor, one time only appearances. If you think I've missed something that is important to the canon of the show, drop me a private message on the posting boards or email me at fiatlux@hellmouthcentral.com and let me know.
- fiatlux