Original Air Date: December 21, 2002

Written by Rebbeca Rand Kirshner
Directed by James A. Contner

Summary

    In the cemetery at night, Spike and Buffy are trying to teach the potential slayers how to fight against vampires and when to know to run. The next day they're all in the basement chattering away and Buffy gets their attention by telling them that they're all going to die. She tells them that death is what a Slayer lives and they must always be wary. The good news is that Buffy has killed the ubervamp and the first evil has gone into hiding, but the bad news is that the first evil now has time to regroup and build an army. She goes on to say that they all have a reason for being here, because they're all special, while Dawn looks on, slightly hurt and alone.

    Buffy is at work at the school. Amanda walks in to talk to Buffy, telling her that she thinks this guy likes her because he keeps picking on her and now she wants to pick on him. Amanda thinks it's weird that they're mean to each other, but that they might like each other. At which point Buffy goes on a spiel saying that being mean is bad and how it's totally over because it was all bad (in reference to her and Spike's behaviour). Buffy returns home to find everyone in the house yelling at each other. Willow pulls her away quickly, as well as Xander, Andrew and Anya and tells them that the Seers in England found a new potential Slayer right here in Sunnydale. Willow's going to do a locator spell while Buffy takes the potentials out for a patrol.

    Willow begins to set up the ingredients for the locator spell while Dawn mumbles about who she hopes isn't going to be the potential slayer. She casts the spell into the fireplace but the egg she throws in causes a horrible smell which makes them all choke. A brilliant ball of shimmery air appears in the front of them; it's supposed to locate the new Slayer by surrounding her. Dawn goes to open the door to air out the place when the ball of shimmery stuff hits her and she glows from the inside. Realizing that she's the next potential Slayer, Dawn starts to pace, unsure of what to do. She freaks out a little and runs up to her room while Anya tries to tell them that Dawn's fate isn't exactly coming up roses and that there's a lot of stuff to deal with. Still kind of wigged, Dawn climbs out her window. Meanwhile, Buffy and Spike take the potential slayers to a demon bar where Buffy runs in to Clem. Happy to see them she tells him to freak out the girls, which he does by making his face explode into several slimey things. Out on her walk, Dawn runs into Amanda which she notices has a cut on her forehead. After a couple of questions, Amanda admits that she was attacked by a vampire at school and now thinks she's crazy. She was headed to Buffy's house because she figured she could help. Dawn, of course, believes her and they rush back to the school in order to kill the vampire. They sneak in, only to find that the vampire isn't locked in the room like he should be. He's propped himself up onto the ceiling so he can't be seen. He suddenly drops down on them and they run away, screaming frantically. Dawn manages to hit it several times with a fire extinguisher, and they're off running again.

    Buffy has taken the potentials to a crypt, where she tells them that a vampire can live anywhere, not only in crypts. She finds a vampire in one of the corners and starts fighting with it, while instructing the potentials. Meanwhile, Dawn and Amanda are in a science classroom where they've barricaded the door. The vampire finally breaks in and Dawn's starts throwing glass beakers at him. She grabs a flag pole and whips it at him while Buffy decides to teach the potentials a harsh lesson and leaves them alone in the crypt with the vampire, locking the door behind her. Back at home, the rest of the group finds Dawn's room empty and her window open. Suddenly the Bringers break into the classroom and grab Amanda, realizing her mistake, Dawn turns on the gas and lights it on fire causing an explosion while she and Amanda race out of the classroom. Out in the hall, Dawn hands her the flagpole, telling her she was born to do this and she'll know what to do. Amanda begins to hit the Bringers repeatedly with the pole while Buffy and Spike show up. They kill the two Bringers and Amanda stakes the vampire. Confused, Dawn explains that Amanda was at the door when Dawn was hit by the fireball, and she's actually the potential Slayer.

    At home the next day, the potentials are talking about their exciting adventures while Dawn watches on, slightly saddened. While the potentials are brought into the basement, Dawn begins research again. Xander steps up to her and tells her that no one will ever know how hard it is to not have the superpowers like they do. He knows how she feels because he's gone through 7 years of it and he knows more than anyone realizes because no one's watching him. He tells her that she's not special, but absolutely extraordinary.

Summary written by Nika

 

Quote of the Week

Xander: Hell, I could fit Oz in my shaving kit. But come a full moon he had a wolfy mojo not to be messed with.

 

My Rating

2.5/5

 

Nika's Review

Mediocre episode, and simply because of the horrid ending. Most people are aware that I don't want Dawn to be a potential Slayer. But after this new Amanda chick... I'd LOVE for Dawn to be a potential Slayer. Amanda irks me. She's annoying and every word out of her mouth is aggravating. GAH. I originally thought Amanda was evil. Especially when she was leading Dawn to the school. And how was the door not locked? And the vampire decided to stay inside there anyway?

I'm glad they're keeping Andrew around, that guy is hilarious. Plus he's always good for a chocfull of Star Wars references. I was  in tears from laughing so hard when Xander got frustrated at Andrew and told him he'd pay him to talk about Star Wars again. heheh. One comment I really didn't like by Xander in this episode was when he told Dawn she was "special now." Good god, just how rude is that? Like she wasn't special or anything before she had potential superpowers? Damn.

Oh, and where was Chloe? We know that Giles was off getting another potential Slayer, but where was Chloe? I liked that girl! hmph. Oh... another thing I'm not too eager about is Buffy's authoritative tone. Seeing her instructing the new Slayers isn't really all that exciting or interesting. Maybe if she used a different tone of voice or something. And that whole death speech was just depressing. There's no way you could motivate people like that. I don't believe in sheltering people but you also can't tell them that all their life is going to be is death, because then they have no further wish to live. Especially when life seems so desolate.

Cast