Bargaining, Part II

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Contains Season 6 spoilers - you've been warned

Bargaining, Part II: The Scoobies find Buffy alive and well... ok, maybe just alive
Season 6, Episode 2
First US airdate: October 2, 2001 (aired with Bargaining, Part I)
Directed by David Grossman, Written by David Fury

Guest Stars
Geoff Meed.... Mag
Franc Ross.... Razor

Episode Synopsis:
The scene opens right where Bargaining, Part I left off - the Scoobies are fleeing from a group of hell biker demons, and, unbeknownst to everyone, a suddenly alive Buffy is trapped in her coffin. Above ground, the demons damage the BuffyBot, while Xander, Willow, Anya, and Tara hide in the woods. Willow, weakened from the force of the resurrection spell, needs to be carried out of the woods, so the group agrees to split up. Xander takes Willow with him, and Anya and Tara head off in another direction. Buffy, meanwhile, starts clawing at the inside of her coffin, unable to speak.

As Xander and Willow make their way through the forest, Xander tells Willow that their main ritual component, the Urn of Osiris, is broken. Willow, knowing that the Urn of Osiris can't be repaired or replaced, suddenly realizes that Buffy is "really gone". Elsewhere in the woods, Anya and Tara overhear two of the demons talking about looting, and Anya hopes that they'll stay away from the Magic Box. Across town, Spike and Dawn watch the demon chaos going on outside. They decide that they won't be safe at the house for very long.

Meanwhile, Buffy digs her way out of her grave. Her hand breaks through the ground, and she pulls herself to the surface. She stands, disoriented and terrified, and looks at her tombstone. Buffy then manages to make her way to the main part of Sunnydale, which has been severely damaged by the Hellions. Buffy's vision is blurry, and the images before her are bewildering - burning cars, smashed windows.

As Buffy wanders the streets, Tara and Anya reach the Magic Box. They're happy to see that the store hasn't been looted by the demons, but they're also worried - Xander and Willow are still unaccounted for. Tara, hoping that Willow and Xander are just lost in the woods, does a spell to guide them back to the Magic Box.

Buffy, still disoriented, continues wandering the strange streets of Sunnydale, as Spike and Dawn make a run for it using a motorcycle that Spike steals from one of the demons. Meanwhile, Xander and Willow arrive at the Magic Box. The group decides to go look for Dawn and Spike, even though they're not sure how they'll fight the demons by themselves; the BuffyBot is gone, Willow can barely stand, and what they really need now is Buffy herself.

Elsewhere, the demon bikers have decided to make Sunnydale their new home, and are preparing a housewarming ceremony of sorts - they've hooked the bot's limbs to their motorcycles, and are getting ready to dismantle the bot in "one quick, really, really violent fell swoop." The newly-resurrected Buffy walks up behind the demons, looks at the bot, and finally recognizes something: herself. As the bot is ripped apart, Buffy lets out a scream. The demons suddenly notice her, and chase after her when she flees.

Meanwhile, Xander, Willow, Anya, and Tara search for Dawn and Spike. They come across Buffy in an alley; at first think that she is the bot, until Willow realizes that it's really Buffy. They notice that Buffy's hands are bloody and that she is covered with dirt, and Xander realizes that Buffy had to dig out of her own grave. The Scoobies try to comfort Buffy, but the reunion is cut short when the hellions find them. Razor and the Scoobies toss some insults back and forth as Buffy becomes more aware of the situation. When Razor threatens her, Buffy snaps out of it enough to be able to fight.

Meanwhile, Spike and Dawn come across the remains of the BuffyBot. The failing bot tells Dawn that the "other Buffy" was there, and Dawn, understanding that Buffy might be alive, runs off to find her sister. The Scoobies and the demons continue fighting until the all the demons are defeated. Buffy, not quite herself yet, runs off after the fight. She kills a demon in another alley, and then notices Glory's sacrificial tower from "The Gift." She heads towards it.

While Razor and the Scoobies continue fighting, Buffy reaches the tower. After looking up at the walkway from which she jumped to her death, Buffy climbs to the top of the tower. Dawn finds her way to the top as well, and is amazed to find her sister alive. She realizes that Buffy, who is confusing past events with the present, plans to jump off the tower. Buffy finally snaps out of her disorientation as the tower begins to fall apart; she knows that she needs to save Dawn. The sisters barely make it off the tower, and the reality that Buffy is alive hits Dawn. She tells Buffy that she is "home," and although Buffy seems to have gotten over her initial shock, she shows no emotion upon being reunited with Dawn.

Things to note:
Giles (Anthony Stewart Head), having left for England in "Bargaining, Part I," is not in this episode (or this half of the episode, depending on how you look at things).

Part II of "Bargaining" finds Buffy back among mortals. As she walks through the burning streets of Sunnydale, the images before her are terrifying, especially through her blurry post-resurrection vision. When she asks Dawn, "Is this hell?" at the end of the episode, it comes a shock to her sister, but isn't all that surprising to us. The audience has seen firsthand the experiences of her first night back - waking up in a coffin, rioting demons, violence, fighting.

Also, Willow and the rest of the gang finally begin to deal with the fact that Buffy is really gone. As long as they had the prospect of the spell, a part of Buffy was still alive for them. When the spell fails (or so they believe), this reality sets in, especially for Willow. It is just as the remaining Scoobies start truly accepting life without Buffy that she returns. However, it's painfully obvious that Buffy will take some time to re-adjust - she doesn't just climb out of her grave and go back to being herself. For the time being, the audience is led to believe what the Scoobies believe - that Buffy's experience in an untold hell dimension has deeply scarred her, and her recovery might not be too quick.

Quotes:

Xander: Maybe they're on their way here. I mean, this place is NORAD, and we are at DefCon 1. (The girls give him a look) Okay, I so need male friends.

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... (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.

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