Becoming
Two police officers rush into the library. From the looks of things, they
believe that Buffy has just murdered Kendra. They take her outside, where
Principal Snyder arrives with several more cops. Before one of them can cuff
her, Buffy knocks the guy down and flees the scene. After disguising herself
in a coat and black cap, Buffy goes to the hospital and runs into Xander,
who is now wearing a cast on his right forearm. They go to Willow's room,
where she lies motionless in a coma. Cordelia arrives, and Buffy learns that
Giles was neither with her or in the hospital. Giles has been taken to the
vampire's mansion hideout, where Angel hopes to force the necessary info
concerning the ritual out of the Watcher. Meanwhile, Joyce learns from the
police that her daughter is suspected of murder and that she's a fugitive
from the law. Buffy goes to Giles apartment to see if he's there, but
instead meets Whistler, who has been waiting inside. He tells Buffy that
Angel was destined to stop Acathla, not revive him. However, Buffy's
relationship with Angel changed all that. Buffy leaves before Whistler can
tell her how to stop the demon. Outside, a patrolling officer recognizes
Buffy and orders her to freeze. Suddenly, Spike arrives and beats the cop
into unconsciousness. He wants Buffy's help in stopping Angel so he can have
Drusilla back the way she used to be, in exchange for his leaving town with
Dru and never returning. After some hesitation, Buffy decides to take him
back to her house so they can plan their attack. They get there just as
Joyce is pulling into their driveway. As Buffy tries to make up an excuse
for Spike's presence, a vampire that has been spying on them attacks. Right
in front of Joyce's eyes, Buffy stakes the vampire spy, turning him to dust.
Realizing what she has to do, Buffy confesses to her mother that she is a
vampire slayer.
At the hospital, Xander pleads to Willow for her to wake up. She finally
snaps out of her coma just as Xander says that he loves her. The first word
out of her mouth is Oz's name, who arrives to greet her back to
consciousness. Meanwhile, Giles refuses to divulge the information that
Angel needs to properly perform the ritual, so more torture ensues. Back at
the Summers home, Buffy and Spike agree to work together, but only on the
conditions that Dru can leave with Spike, and that Giles survives. After
Spike leaves, Joyce begs her daughter to explain everything that's going on.
Buffy tells her mom that there's no time to explain it all, which furiates
Joyce. Joyce doesn't want her daughter to be in charge of saving the world,
to which Buffy responds that she never wanted the duty in the first place.
Joyce tries to restrain her daughter from leaving the house, but Buffy
pushes her back against the kitchen counter. Joyce tells Buffy to never come
back should she walk out the door, but Buffy leaves anyways.
At the hospital, Willow tells the others that she is going to try the curse
again. Buffy returns to the library to retrieve the sword that Kendra
brought. Principal Snyder finds her there and promptly expels her due to all
the trouble she's been involved in. After Buffy leaves, Snyder calls someone
to tell the Mayor that he has good news. Meanwhile, Drusilla tricks Giles by
making herself look and sound like Jenny Calendar in his eyes. Giles says
that Angel's blood is the key to the awakening ritual. Homeless and
expelled, Buffy has only one path to follow now. She returns to Giles
apartment and asks Whistler how to use the sword. He tells her that only
Angel's blood can open and close the vortex to Hell. With one blow, both
Angelus and the demon Acathla would be sent back to Hell, and the vortex
would be closed.
Xander catches up with Buffy on her way to the mansion. She tells him to
concentrate on freeing Giles and escaping. Xander does not inform Buffy that
Willow is attempting the curse again. Inside the mansion, Angel slices his
hand and approaches the sword in Acathla's chest. Suddenly, the ritual is
interrupted by Buffy's arrival. Angel doesn't even notice Spike rising out
of his wheelchair from behind. While Spike brutally beats Angel to the
floor, Buffy takes one of the other vampires in the room. During this
battle, Xander unties Giles and gets him safely outside. Spike doesn't get
too many hits off before an enraged Drusilla jumps into the fray, tackling
Spike. While they fight, Angel manages to get back up and run to Acathla.
Just as Buffy drives a stake through the vampire's heart, Angel grabs the
sword with his bloody hand and finally pulls it out. Swords in hand, Buffy
and Angel engage in a sword duel. Elsewhere, Willow, Cordy, and Oz perform
the curse of restoration. Suddenly, Willow loses control of her actions and
seemingly becomes possessed by some spirit. Cordy and Oz watch in fright as
Willow performs the curse herself in perfect Latin. Spike subdues Drusilla
and takes her with him as he escapes from the mansion in his car. After the
long duel, Buffy finally backs Angel up against Acathla. Just as she is
about to deliver the final blow, Willow completes the curse, restoring
Angel's soul to his body. Buffy lowers her sword as she realizes the change,
and the two lovers are finally reunited. However, it is too late, for
Acathla is now awake. Buffy looks over Angel's shoulder and sees Acathla's
mouth creating a vortex to Hell. Angel has no idea what is going on, so all
that Buffy can do is give her lover one last kiss before driving the sword
through his stomach, thus releasing the blood needed to close the vortex and
send the two demons back to Hell. Shocked, Angel reaches out towards Buffy
with his right hand, but nothing can be done now. Buffy watches as the
vortex closes around Angel, leaving the demon Acathla as nothing more than a
silent statue once again.
Buffy goes home and packs up her belongings without Joyce ever knowing she
had returned. When Joyce enters the room, she finds a farewell letter from
her daughter left on the bed. At Sunnydale High, nobody knows what happened
to Buffy and Angel. Some believe that Buffy had to kill Angel before the
curse was completed, while others believe that Angel has been restored and
they were taking time off to be alone together. Unbeknownst to them, Buffy
is standing far away by one of the trees, giving her school and her friends
one last look before hopping on a bus. The bus heads out of Sunnydale, and
Buffy faces an unknown future.
