"Bargaining, Part 2"
Written by David Fury; directed by David Grossman

The Buffybot faces off with the demon gang but finds herself overpowered. Tara and Anya meet up with Xander and Willow; they decide to split up again and meet at the Magic Box. Buffy pounds and claws at the lid of her coffin. Xander and Willow hide in the woods and Willow says that the need to go back and try the spell again. Xander tells her that the Urn of Osiris was destroyed and she says that it’s the only one - they can’t fix it, and they can’t use it to resurrect Buffy. Buffy breaks through the coffin lid and begins to fight her way out. Anya becomes frantic when she hears the demons discussing looting stores in Sunnydale. At the Summers’ house, Spike gathers supplies as he and Dawn realize that the demons are there because they know Buffy’s not. Spike tells her that they have to leave but she refuses, wanting to wait for the Scoobies to return. Spike says that they have to protect themselves since no one is going to come save them. Buffy reaches out from her grave and pulls herself out. She turns to see her headstone, then heads downtown, walking home.

Anya and Tara arrive at the Magic Box (which Anya is happy to see hasn’t been looted) and worry about Willow and Xander. Tara assures Anya that they’re okay, then remembers that she and Willow have a way to find each other if one is lost. Willow and Xander are, indeed, lost - Xander has been following what he thought was the North Star, but which was actually a blimp. They see a light coming towards them and Xander panics. Willow realizes what it is and tells Xander that it’s Tara. Confused, he asks, “And how long have you known that your girlfriend's Tinkerbell?” Buffy runs into an angry Sunnydale citizen with a gun who apparently thinks that a dazed 20-year-old is going to rob him. Outside the Summers’ house, Spike has a moment of wishful thinking, wanting to join the demons in their destruction. He finds a football helmet and hands it to Dawn, who is confused. When a demon comes riding by the house, Spike knocks him off of his motorcycle and he and Dawn ride off.

Willow and Xander finally arrive at the Magic Box and wonder if Spike and Dawn might be on their way. Willow decides that they need to go look for them, but Anya is unsure that they can handle the situation without Buffy. Willow announces that they failed and Buffy isn’t coming back; she takes charge and says that they’re going to look for Spike and Dawn. Xander thinks that the gang will eventually grow tired of Sunnydale and leave, but Razor announces to his minions that Sunnydale will be their new home. Buffy approaches just as they chain Buffybot to different motorcycles and prepare to destroy her for good. Buffy and the Buffybot are surprised to spot each other, and even more surprised when the Buffybot is ripped into pieces. The demons spot the real Buffy and decide to have a little fun with her, too.

Buffy, smartly, takes off down the street. On another street, the Scoobies are on the lookout for Dawn and Spike. Willow tells Tara that she thinks the spell would have worked if the urn hadn’t been destroyed. Tara says that maybe the spell wasn’t meant to work - maybe they were using forces they shouldn’t have been fooling with. Meanwhile, Anya is still harping on the idea of telling the Scoobies that she and Xander are engaged, not understanding that it’s not the best time. The Scoobies encounter Buffy but think she’s the Buffybot. After a minute, Willow realizes it’s really her, but Buffy runs off. They catch up to her and realize that she had to dig herself out of her coffin. Razor and his gang arrive and the Scoobies try to stand up to them. Razor hits Buffy, who comes back at him confidently and knocks him out. She fights the rest of the demons with some help from the Scoobies as Spike and Dawn ride down another street. They find the Buffybot, who tells Dawn that she saw “the other Buffy.” She “dies” and Dawn runs off.

All of the demons defeated, Buffy runs off again. Unfortunately, Razor is still alive and looking to kill some Scoobies. Buffy fights another demon, then heads for the tower she dove off of in “The Gift.” Elsewhere, Dawn sees the tower and also takes off for it. The Scoobies fight Razor until Tara finally defeats him with an axing (“my first”). Buffy makes her way to the platform of the tower, followed by Dawn. As the tower creaks and shakes, Buffy looks over the edge and Dawn tells her not to jump. She tries to get Buffy to walk to her. Buffy asks, “Is…this hell?” and remembers standing on the platform and jumping. Dawn tells her that she’s tried to be strong without Buffy, but it’s been hard and she thinks she can do better if Buffy is with her. As pieces of the tower begin to fall, Buffy runs over and grabs Dawn, pulling her into the tower. She grabs a rope and jumps. They propel to the ground as the tower falls. Dawn is amazed that Buffy is really there and hugs her.

MORAL, or CRAMMING COMPLEX ISSUES INTO A NUTSHELL: Tara is Tinkerbell.

R.I.P.: Buffybot

GRADE: B- Buffy's back. Raise your hand if you're surprised.

MEMORABLE QUOTES - “Already been looted, sorry! Uh, try the appliance store down the block, they've got great toasters.” - Anya, after hearing someone knock on the door of the Magic Box

Anya: “I knew you weren't dead.”
Xander: “Wow, then why was I so worried?”

Razor: “Not looking too good, though, is she?”
Xander: “I don't see you winning too many beauty contests, unless the Miss My Face Fell Off pageant gets going.”
Razor: “Big axe you got there.”
Xander: “The better to cut you down to size, Grandma.”

Xander: “I happen to be a very powerful man-witch myself. Or…male….” (over his shoulder, to Willow) “Is it a warlock?” (Willow nods) “Warlock.”
Anya: “Plus, we have a Slayer here, uh, who might actually be looking to eat some brains, so, I think a little quiet moseying, no hard feelings, and I'm sure your demon horde won't think any the less of you.”

Razor: “Well, I better back off, or you might, what? Pull a rabbit out of a hat?”
Anya: “Don't, don't do that! Why would she do that?”

“Does this mean we win?” - Anya, after Buffy knocks out Razor

Tara: “Nobody messes with my girl.”
Xander: “Tara, nice axing.”
Tara: “My first.”


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