Original Air Date: November 30, 1999

Written by Tracey Forbes
Directed by Nick Marck

Summary

A sad and depressed Willow sits in Oz's old dorm room and smells one of his shirts. Meanwhile Buffy and Riley are talking in the halls and Riley tells her that he's interested in her and then invites her out for a pinic. That night while patrol with Willow, Buffy tells her about Riley and how he's incredibly nice and great to be with but she feels that there's something missing, like intensity or pain or passion.

At Giles' house, Buffy is interrogating Spike who is chained to a bathtub. She doesn't get much info out of him and makes fun of him for being neutered. Willow then suggests trying a truth spell and Giles agrees. They agree to do it tomorrow morning. Willow goes back to the dorms and decides to stop by Oz's dorm but she finds that everything has been removed. Willow goes back to her dorm and cries to Buffy about Oz taking his stuff without talking to her. Buffy tries to comfort her and tells her that the pain will eventually fade. The next day, Buffy and Riley go out and having their picnic on the school grounds. They're having a great time until Willow shows up and kind of dampens the mood. At the Bronze that night, the whole gang is hanging out and Willow's going nuts on the dance floor, mainly because she's drunk. Buffy decides she's had enough and takes her home, despite protests. Whilw Buffy is asleep in bed, Willow pulls out her witchcraft materials and heads to the public washroom. She sets candles in a large circle and sits in the center, chanting. He spell is about her will being done on command. When she's done, the candles flare up and a bright light emanates. The next day, Willow tries stuff to see if her will works but so far nothing is working. She did the spell to see if she could heal her broken heart by her command. Giles visits her and reminds her about the spell which she'd completely forgotten about. Giles says that maybe she should wait until she feels emotionally better before doing any more spells. She says that he doesn't see anything and suddenly her eyes flash. Giles pulls off his glasses and rubs his eyes. He then leaves, bumping into things everywhere. He heads home and tries to cast the truth spell on Spike but he can't read. Spike manages to escape from his handcuffs and runs out of Giles' house.

Willow is in her room with Buffy and the Amy-rat sitting on the bed. Willow says she'll never have the kind of power that Amy had when she was a girl. Suddenly the Amy-rat turns back into a girl but turns back into a rat when Willow says that too bad Amy's a rat and can't help her. Both Willow and Buffy are unaware that Amy was briefly human again because their backs are to the bed. The phone rings and it's Giles letting her know that Spike escaped. Buffy leaves the room, locates Spike easily and takes him back to Giles'. Willow goes to Xander and starts complaining about Buffy. Xander explains that they need Spike because of the info that he has. Willow's eyes flash as she says that if Buffy needs Spike so much they should just get married. Over at Giles', Spike is on his knees proposing to Buffy. She says yes and they kiss furiously. Giles walks in and can't believe his eyes. Back at Xander's house, Willow's decided that all relationships are doomed and that Xander's life is a prime example because he's a demon magnet. Back at Giles', Giles goes completely blind and he's certain that it's a spell. Spike searches for an undo spell while Buffy heads to the Magic Shop for ingredients. On her way back, Buffy spots a wedding dress in a display window and looks at it in wonder. Riley spots her and stops to talk. Buffy tells him about the wedding. Riley gets really confused and decides to leave their conversation.

Xander and Anya are hanging out in Xander's basement when demons start appearing everywhere. They run to Giles' house where they learn that Giles is blind and Buffy and Spike are in love. Something clicks and Xander says that Willow is the one who did all these things by saying them. Meanwhile Willow heads back to her dorm but when she opens the door D'Hoffryn grabs her head and there's a flash of light. Buffy and co. head to the dorms and they find a black circle of ash on the floor. Anya explains that it must be D'Hoffryn who must want to make Willow into a vengeance demon like he made Anya. They head to the graveyeard where Anya plans to summon D'Hoffryn from a certain crypt. Suddenly demons start appearing and the four run into the crupt and try to barricade the openings. Anya begins her spell but she can't remember the exact words. The demons break through the barriers and there's a vicious fight. Meanwhile D'Hoffryn offers to make Willow into a vengeance demon but she refuses so D'Hoffryn hands her his talisman and says that if she ever changes her mind she can call him. She's transported back to her world into the crypt where her friends are fighting. Spike has fallen and Buffy rushes over and begins kissng him. Willow reverses her spells and the demons disappear and Buffy and Spike pull violently away from each other with absolute disgust.

The next day at Giles', Willow is baking cookies trying to make up for the trouble she's caused. Willow continues to apologize and then Buffy suddenly remembers what she said to Riley and freaks out. The next day, Buffy explains to Riley that it was just some elaborate joke that she was playing on him, he's somewhat confused but glad that she's single.

Summary written by Nika

Quote of the Week

Spike: This is the crack team that foils my every plan? I am deeply shamed.

My Rating

4/5

Nika Summers' Review

And once again we have someone's piece of humorous fanfic made it on screen! Not that it's bad thing, just really bizarre... It was a fun episode though it absolutely disgusted me to see Buffy and Spike playing tonsil hockey. Ugh... the very idea of them together is enough to make me violently ill for several days. Yuck.. I'm not even going to mention anything more except that Buffy was acting completely possessed when she was around him and completely not like herself. I really loved Anya's hair! Great cut! Emma Caulfield was great in this episode as well. What really disappointed me was Willow's reaction to everything. I honestly don't think she'd think that buffy and everyone was being inconsiderate towards her and that they didn't care how she felt. Of course they did! And if anything, Buffy knows how she feels, if not more! It's one thing for your boyfriend to leave you for a little while and another to actually have to kill your boyfriend and send him to hell! I can honestly understand how Willow is feeling but they way she was treating everyone else seemed to be extremely out of character. Buffy and Riley, Buffy and Riley. I cannot wait any longer for those two to get together! They look so good together! I thought Riley was going to kiss Buffy at the end and it looked like she thought so too but no. He just hold your head, says something incredibly cute and then just walks off. Oh well... we can pray for the next episode.

Niki Bartl's Review

As good as an actress Alyson Hannigan is, I didn't like her in this episode much. Willow is supposed to have pain, and lots of it. There were times in this episode that we could feel her mopeyness, but other moments she seemed so lighthearted that if she was in that much pain, she wouldn't forget it so easily, you know? This episode came close to what I wanted: someone with Spike. However, I wanted it to be Willow, not Buffy. Speaking of Buffy, it looks like she got her ass kicked by a crimping iron! The updos aren't bad, but the frizzy hair a la Ally McBeal? The writer's are really laying down the drinking-bad rules though? I'm not condoning drinking, but we're teenagers and we shouldn't feel like criminals for experimenting. Ooh, Amy! I love her! Bring back Amy! fix her, make her human, bring her back! It's touches like those which make Buffy the best... the immaculate attention to detail. One last thing : Oz better be back, and when he is, Willow's going to put him through hell.

Cast