Buffy the Vampire Slayer s07e19 Episode Script

- Previously on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer": - Get me out of here! - Call me Caleb.
- I'm Shannon.
I want you to deliver a message for me.
It's for the one and only, the original Slayer.
Hey.
Got a spare bed for a wanted fugitive? - Hello, Faith.
- I guess "wanted" wasn't really accurate.
I have a mission to save the world.
I don't have time for vendettas.
The mission is what matters.
I think you've taught me everything I need to know.
- I heard you have something of mine.
- I do now.
No! Get them outta here.
I work in mysterious ways.
- Argh! - (Buffy) Xander! (child) I don't wanna leave.
Can we please stay? - Hey, you.
- Hey.
Can you believe this mishegaas? You'd think these people had never seen an apocalypse before.
What about you? Just going for a quick spin to 7-Eleven in Nebraska? It's gettin' bad here.
Really bad.
Hellmouth acting up again.
People feeling it, getting crazier.
You can't swing a cat without hittin' some kind of demonic activity.
Not that I swing cats or eat Nope.
Cuttin' way back.
Cholesterol Morals.
- I mean morals.
- Right.
We've seen some bad stuff in this town before, but, you know this time it's like itjust seems different, more powerful.
I don't think anyone's gonna be able to stop it.
I mean, I'm sure you'll do fine.
Complete confidence in you.
If anyone can do it, you can, because you rock! If you save the world, we'll have drinks.
When When, I mean.
When you save the world.
It's gonna be great with all the rocking.
Maybe you should just get outta town this time.
Yeah.
I probably should.
You take care of yourself, OK? Bye.
- Thank you, Officer.
We appreciate your help.
- Oh, no.
Thank you, Inspector.
We don't get a lot of contact with Interpol, so we're happy to help.
Is there anything else? No.
Thank you, we're fine.
Right.
Because - Wait.
Who are you? - I'm with the inspector.
You're with the inspector.
Right.
We don't get a lot of contact with Interpol, so A single step! A single step, and it is upon us.
It is nigh! - From beneath you it - Nutcase.
- (punching) - Ow.
People are actin' up, gettin' nuts.
Let us know if you need help with your guy, cos we are itchin' to hand out some justice.
He doesn't seem like much of a threat.
And you are? I think it's time we were catching our flight to Interpol.
Right.
OK.
Good idea.
My control was fading.
What's up with those cops? Oh, same as everyone.
The Hellmouth is active again.
Come on.
I wanna get back to Xander.
- Who was that? - Um I don't know.
- Did you get one of these yet? - No.
What is that? Fugitive.
Ran to ground right here in our own backyard.
Yeah? Sounds like a situation that needs some justice.
You should expect some bruising when you remove the bandages.
Bruising around the area.
The bone structure and musculature was hit pretty hard.
OK.
Also they said that the meds may cause you some stomach discomfort, so we're gonna have to be careful with your diet.
I can't taste anything right now anyway.
I keep waiting for my other senses to improve 50 per cent.
That should kick in any day now.
We're looking at a possible release as early as tonight.
We're waiting for your labs, and Dr Calid said that should be a couple of hours.
That's great.
OK.
I think we're all caught up.
Thank you for this.
This was really great work.
Oh.
I thought we were gonna There were gonna be card games.
I know.
I just I should really get back.
I wanna get everyone started on this.
I think we're really close to something.
It's OK.
It's gotta be done.
And I might see you tonight.
Without depth perception, of course, but still So I guess you're stuck with me then.
Let's order some cherry-flavoured off-brand gelatin, and then I think we'll be up for a rousing game of - I might need a parrot.
- Huh? To go with the eye patch.
To really complete the look.
I think I still have that costume from Halloween.
Yeah, and don't underestimate the impact of a peg leg.
Maybe the hospital can hook you up with a nice one.
Maybe they have a "two body parts for the price of one" deal.
You know the best part? No one will ever make me watch Jaws 3-D again.
Yeah, and you'll never have to Oh, Willow Please don't.
So we know that a battle is coming.
Ubervamps galore.
We also know that the Ubervamps are hard to kill.
Hard to kill.
But I have been talking to my old contacts and they've provided some surprising news.
Yay for them! Um OK.
For example, Ubervamps can be staked right through the heart.
Zing! Poof! Just like regular vamps.
We didn't know this.
Of course, these guys have incredibly strong sternums, so it's a lot like driving a wooden stake through solid steel.
But you guys are all superstrong, right? Um no.
Right.
OK.
But still heart information - still good to know, since holy water seems to run off these guys like they've been Scotchgarded.
And sunlight would work, but guess what? They're not coming out during the daytime.
Also, beware of their teeth and the claws they use to shred flesh.
You know what? I used to be really afraid of these Ubervamp guys.
But then the scary preacher blew into town, and now I'm mostly terrified of him.
Right, well We're working on getting info on that guy.
Why bother? Nothing works.
Nothing will.
I know you're all upset, and I myself would much rather be sitting at the bedside of my one-eyed ex-fiancé than killing time here in this overcrowded and increasingly ripe-smelling basement.
And I would be too, if not for a certain awkward discussion he and I recently had right on that cot immediately following some exciting and unexpected break-up sex.
But I need to give him some space.
So I'm doing what I can do, contributing any way I can.
And so will all of you.
You still need to know this information.
We can't stop just because something else is trying to kill you.
You got enough to share? I'll trade ya for a carton of cigarettes and some soap.
Sorry.
Habit.
Shouldn't you be down at Hogwarts? Probably.
All right.
Playing hooky.
Score one for the boarding-school brat.
Anya's technique's probably not what you're used to.
Do you think there will be questions about her sex life on the test? I really hope I don't have to study all that.
Whenever she talks about getting sweaty with Xander, I just remind her I had him first.
Shuts her right the hell up.
Thing is, what's the point? Studying demon hot zones and pressure points doesn't do much good when preacher man's out there, ready to finish the job.
No one's got any info on Caleb yet? No.
Nothing is working.
Not research, not Anya's contacts.
We're lousy with dead ends around here.
Everyone's feeling pretty pointless.
We don't even have a place to start.
(Buffy) Hey.
Who's here? Hey, Buffy.
How's Xander? He's doing really well.
He's ready to come home, I think.
What you got? Info that Giles and Willow pulled off the police database.
We figured with Caleb's overt religiosity thing, if we wanna learn more about him, let's find out where he's been.
"Incidents of violence connected to California religious institutions in the last ten years.
" Looks like this gives us a place to start.
I figure we start with California.
If we don't find anything, we'll expand the search.
But Caleb didn'tjust get in the game.
He's been playing for a while, and I wanna know where.
Whatever it takes.
You good to help? I was gonna do lots of homework, but, darn the luck, they cancelled school, so looks like I got the time.
Good.
Buffy, how was Xander's mood, you know, exactly? Did you get a chance to talk to the doctor about the meds? It seemed like Pipsqueak, why don't you go get some of the stuff you've already gotten from Giles? Or we can talk about this later, maybe.
OK.
Yeah.
I'll be right back.
Try to find anything that looks like Caleb.
His church, his ring His ability to render a slayer useless in just one punch.
I didn't That was stupid.
I don't know why I said that.
It's OK.
I have to go to the school, pick up the rest of my stuff.
- I really didn't mean - It's fine.
Really, it's fine.
Don't worry about it.
Hey, isn't Anya doing that thing for you guys today? Yeah.
We were.
- We probably should head down there.
- OK.
I'll be back soon.
- See that everyone else gets started on this.
- Yeah.
(Caleb) Oh, now, look.
Things don't go exactly your way, so here come the waterworks.
Ain't thatjust like a woman? - Get out of here.
- Now, now, little girl.
Manners.
I do imagine that firebrand tongue of yours has inflamed many a man, weak as they are.
This here is a public school, ain't it? Kinda deserted.
Only just, I suppose.
Folks work so hard at keepin' the Lord out.
Look what happens in return.
He abandons you.
Not that he could do you much good now, anyway.
Uh, uh, uh.
Wouldn't do that were I you, sweet pea.
Fightin' back didn't do you much good last time, did it? And how is poor, sweet Xander? Let him know he's in my prayers, and any time he's willin', I'm ready to finish the job.
Go near Xander again and I will end you.
Mind your manners.
I do believe I did warn you once.
You're angry, frustrated, scared.
I like that in a girl.
You really should relax a little.
Look at where you are.
History's gonna look back at you, at me, at this place, and they're gonna see the glory.
Great things are happenin' now, right here.
This school, the seal.
It's all a part of the great sweepin' tide of change, and you're gonna be a part of it.
Why would you wanna miss that? More importantly, why would you want to get in its way? I guess I'm just ornery.
(chuckles) I knew you'd be a wild one.
I'm gonna take such sweet pleasure in taming you.
I'll see you soon, little lady.
Here's the one that stood out.
It's a mission up north in Gilroy.
Faith stole the last meatball-and-mozzarella Hot Pocket even though I had dibs on it.
- I don't see anything.
- Exactly.
No vandalism at all.
- Then why is it in the file? - The place was abandoned.
Locals noticed after a few days that no one was going in or out.
Six members of the order lived there, but when the cops showed up, all gone.
The Post-it's still here: "Andrew's.
Please do not eat.
" But the box is empty now.
- Oh.
- Oh? Oh, good? I'm not sure.
Here.
It's not the Hot Pocket itself - even though it did have that new-and-improved tomato sauce.
- It's just the fundamental lack of respect.
- Shut up.
Pay attention.
Dawn, what do you see? - What am I looking for? - On the back wall, a knothole.
That's not a knothole.
Amanda, would you go down to the basement and get Spike? Maybe this'll help, if this does bring us closer to Caleb.
Sounded like there was news.
What's up, Rupert? - Spike, I have a mission for you.
- Oh, really? Sometimes our missions end up with you trying to kill me.
Not fond of those.
This is bona fide, with real ramifications.
Take a look at this.
Looks like our boy's been here.
You want me to go check it out? I need someone who can take care of himself in case Caleb has left some souvenirs.
Are we gonna get to the food-stealing issue soon? - Take Andrew.
- (both) What? You say you wanna get outta the house more.
- Yeah, but - There may be demons lurking about.
- He's a demon expert.
He can help.
- Oh, please.
He could bring his pan-flute thing along.
Excellent.
Off you go.
See? That's something, right? We'll have some news soon.
Sure.
Maybe that'll get us somewhere.
"Maybe.
" In the meantime, the troops gotta sit and stew, feeling crappier by the minute.
We should keep them occupied.
Yeah.
I know how to keep 'em occupied.
(# "Rock City News" by Nerf Herder) What kinda band plays during an apocalypse? I think this band might be one of the signs.
Hey.
Guys, how's it - going? - Buffy.
Are you hurt? - Caleb came back looking for seconds.
- My God, is he? Still able to make me see cartoon birdies all around my head? You betcha.
The short lack of consciousness was nice.
I feel rested.
So, how did those police files work out? Were they helpful? Yes.
Very much so, I think.
There's evidence that Caleb may have established a foothold up north.
- That's great.
That's - I I sent Spike to look into it.
Spike? Is this a mission from which you intend Spike to return alive? Yes.
I sent Andrew with him.
Again I ask the question.
Buffy, you weren't here.
Decisions have to be made in your absence.
- Those are the ones that scare me.
- I did what I thought was right.
You sent away the one person that watches my back.
Again.
We're all watching your back.
Funny.
That's not really what it feels like.
Buffy - Where did everybody go? - What? Faith.
The girls.
Where are they? Faith thought that the girls could do with some time off their studies.
I thought She took them to the Bronze.
You know what I figured out tonight? Every high school in this country, from one end to the other, smells exactly alike.
Why do you suppose that is? And how was our best girl? They always think they should put up a fight.
- Did you lay the proper groundwork? - I did.
She got the message, even if she doesn't know it yet.
So now the big, strong Slayer goes back to those girls.
She's just so ready to walk them right into it.
All we have to do is give her that one final gentle nudge.
Excellent.
This is so cool.
Buffy would never let us do this.
You are so cool.
This woman is so cool.
- Hey, how old are you? - 17.
We're gonna get you a real nice 7UP, OK? I wondered what was taking you boys so long.
Where you been? We're asking you to come with us, miss.
Outstanding warrants.
Yeah, or we could try this one on instead.
How about you guys buy me another drink, and we'll see where the evening takes us? Hey! - What's goin' on? - (Faith) It's cool.
I got it.
It's nothing.
Get off me.
- Get off me.
- Shut up.
I tell you right now, I'm not going back to jail.
- Who said anything aboutjail? - (guns cocked) Stay back.
This doesn't concern you.
- You can't keep us in here.
- It'll be over before you know it.
Trust me.
The best thing you can do is wait here.
Don't listen to him.
He won't hurt us.
You know what? I'm just gonna go borrow the phone.
Best thing you can do is wait here.
- You'll have to shoot us all to stop us.
- It doesn't really bother me.
(Rona) These cops are really getting Hellmouthed.
- Back up! - No! What? Faith! What are you doing? Just blowing off steam.
Well, it started that way.
Turned when the cops went evil on us.
Girls, go home.
I need to talk to Faith for a minute.
- Buffy, we weren't - Dawn, you too.
Go.
- What is this? - They needed a break, all right? They've been running themselves into the ground.
Taking a break is one thing.
I get blowing off steam.
But they were fighting.
And those girls were drunk! - What were you thinking? - Seemed like a good idea at the time.
- What if someone had gotten hurt? - They didn't.
Faith, I need to know that these girls are safe when I'm not around.
No one got hurt, B.
You don't know these girls.
Maybe you should have more confidence in 'em.
Let 'em mess up, get down and dirty.
- How else are they to learn? - Learning from your mistakes is one thing.
- But you don't throw children - They're not children.
That really isn't the point.
What about the vineyard? What? How safe were they when you took them to meet Caleb? How safe was Rona, Amanda or Molly? You sure you don't wanna stop and pick up some burgers or something? Road-trip food? It's not a road trip.
It's a covert operation.
Right, right.
Gotcha.
I bet even covert operatives eat curly fries.
They're really good.
Not as good as those onion-blossom things.
- Ooh, I love those.
- Yeah, me too.
It's an onion, and it's a flower.
I don't understand how such a thing is possible.
The genius of it is, you soak it in ice water for an hour so it holds its shape.
Then you deep-fry it root-side up for about five minutes.
- Masterful.
- Yeah.
Tell anyone we had this conversation, I'll bite you.
Right.
- The meeting hasn't started yet, has it? - God, I hope so.
Faith? You must be Principal Wood.
Heard a lot about you.
It hasn't really started yet, has it? I hate being late.
Troops are still gathering.
I think you're safe.
Looks like someone banged you up pretty well.
Yeah.
Cops.
- Mostly.
- Mostly? This one's from someone who just thinks she's a cop.
It's my favourite of all my current bruises.
Someone who thinks she's a cop, huh? You gonna have to, like, ice her now or something like that? I'm not gonna kill her.
Wanted to, but didn't.
By the way, bully for me since no one else said it.
- For what? For not killing Buffy? - It's this new thing I'm trying.
- She told me about you.
- Believe every word.
So what changed? I mean, why didn't you fight back? Other things matter more.
I think you're worried about her.
I think you need to brush up on your Buffy and Faith history.
All right, if you say so, but I read people pretty well.
It's a thing I do.
You live around here, right? No, not exact Well, it's the centre of town, really.
This town, walkin' anywhere after dark is, like, an extreme sport.
Someone who didn't know you very well might think you were out looking for a fight.
Maybe you got bigger issues than what's wrong with B.
- I read people too.
- (car approaches) Xander's home.
No one's here.
These kind of places make me feel funny inside.
How about that? You and me got something else in common after all.
Spike! (door opens) (Xander) Oh, God.
We didn't have time to do more.
You have to pretend there's a big party here.
That's fine.
Parties in this house, I usually end up having to rebuild something.
Welcome home, Xander.
I wanted you to be here for this.
I think you'll be interested in what I found out.
What did you find out? It's about the cellar.
I know that night wasn't fun for any of us.
But I figured out some things about that place, and I realise now what we have to do.
We're going back in.
Tell me about the mark.
Hey! Are you part of Caleb's faction? No.
No.
- Then tell me what happened.
- I can't.
"Can't" is a four-letter word.
I'm Andrew.
I'll be your bad cop this evening.
You don't start singing, my associate We're trying to fight him.
Caleb.
We need your help.
You can't fight him.
You can't stop him.
- You can only run.
- "Run" is a four-letter wor A three-letter word.
Talk.
I'll do better.
I'll show you.
One night, some time ago, a man arrived at our doors.
And you said "Come in.
Do some damage.
"? We are a benevolent order, and, yes, we welcomed him.
We offered to feed him, but he had come for something else.
Behind this, he revealed something even we didn't know was here.
A secret room.
He was excited, talking the whole time.
Destiny, that sort of thing.
Yeah.
We hear he's a real smooth talker.
He went on about this ancient inscription.
Neat.
He read it, and he didn't like what it said.
His temper He was the purest evil I've ever seen.
He burned his mark upon me.
And then I ran and I hid and I listened to the others die.
Running away saved your life.
What does it say? "It is not for thee.
" "It is for her alone to wield.
" I know what you're thinking, but I had a visit at the school from Caleb.
- Buffy, why didn't you? - I'm fine.
It wasn't fun, but I'm fine.
I'm better than fine.
I figured something out.
He kept making all this noise about the school.
- Is it that seal again? - Do we need to shut it again? No, that's just it.
We've spent all this time worrying about the seal and the Hellmouth.
Why isn't Caleb guarding them? Why doesn't he have someone protecting it? Why is he out at the vineyard? The bad guys always go where the power is.
If the seal was so important to Caleb and the First, they would be there now.
They're protecting the vineyard or something at the vineyard.
I say it's their power, and I say it's time we go in and take it away from them.
Or, in the alternative, how about we don't? It's a neat theory, B, but I'm not goin' back in that place, not without proof.
Neither should you, neither should they.
- I'm not saying it's gonna be easy.
- I think Faith had the floor.
Maybe it ends OK the way you wanna play it, but maybe it doesn't.
- I don't think I want you playing the odds.
- Did you come here to fight? We're all fighters, but you gotta give me something to fight, something real, not Windmills.
- There is something there.
- Maybe.
We can't be sure of that.
- This is a hell of a lot to ask.
- Too much.
I don't understand this.
For seven years, I've kept us safe by doing this - exactly this.
Making the hard decisions.
And now you're all acting like you can't trust me? Didn't you say to me today you can't trust us? Maybe there's something there that should be addressed.
Is that why you sent Spike away? To ambush me? - Come on.
- I am sick of your deal with this Spike guy.
This isn't about him.
This is about you.
- You're being reckless.
- What? You are! I don't even know you, and I can tell.
You are so obsessed with Caleb, you will jump into any plan without thinking.
- This is not what I'm doing.
- Well, that's how it feels to us.
- People are dying.
- (Willow) Kennedy Why are you always standing up for her? - I'm not.
- What do you mean, you're not? With everything that's happened, I I'm worried about yourjudgment.
I wish this could be a democracy.
I really do.
Democracies don't win battles.
It's a hard truth, but there has to be a single voice.
You need someone to issue orders and be reckless sometimes and not take your feelings into account.
You need someone to lead you.
And it's automatically you.
- You really think you're better than us.
- No But we don't know.
We don't know if you're actually better.
You came into the world with certain advantages, sure.
That's the legacy.
- I - But you didn't earn it.
You didn't work for it.
Nobody's said you deserve these things more than anyone else.
They were handed to you.
So that doesn't make you better than us.
It makes you luckier than us.
I've gotten us this far.
But not without a price.
- Xander - I'm trying to see your point here, Buff, but I guess it must be a little bit to my left, cos I just don't.
I'm willing to talk strategy.
I'll hear suggestions on how to do it, but this is the plan.
We have to be together on this or we will fail again.
We are clearly not together on this.
Which is why you have to fall in line.
- I'm still in charge here.
- Why is that exactly? - Because I'm the Slayer.
- Isn't Faith a slayer too? What? Whoa, whoa, whoa.
So not what I meant.
I'm not "in charge chick".
I think B here just needs to chill out for a little bit, take a siesta or somethin'.
- But I'm not the one you want.
- Maybe we need a vote.
To see who wants Faith to have a turn in charge.
- No.
- No, what? No.
You don't get to vote until I've had my chance to pal around, get everybody drunk.
I didn't get that this was a popularity contest.
I should have equal time to bake them cookies, braid their hair Learn their names? - You're loving this.
- You have no idea what I feel.
Come in here, take everything that I have.
You did it before.
Did you tell them that? Did you tell them you used to kill people for fun? Is that nifty? Buffy, that's enough! I didn't come here to take anything away from you, but I'm not gonna be your lapdog.
I came here to beat the other guy, to do right, however it works.
I don't know if I can lead.
But the real question is, can you follow? So we vote.
Wait.
Guys I can't watch you just throw away everything that I know I'm right about this.
I just need a little I can't stay here and watch her lead you into some disaster.
Then you can't stay here.
Buffy, I love you.
But you were right.
We have to be together on this.
You can't be a part of it.
So I need you to leave.
I'm sorry, but this is my house too.
Ding dong, the witch is dead.
Shut your mouth.
Hey.
- I swear I didn't want it to go this way - Don't.
I mean it Don't be afraid to lead them.
Whether you wanted it or not, their lives are yours.
It's only gonna get harder.
Protect them.
Lead them.
Urgh! Argh!