Revelations (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

Plot

Gwendolyn Post shows up in Sunnydale as Faith's new Watcher. She is British, rude, and self-assured, and she treats the Scoobies, especially Giles, with contempt. She tells them a demon named Lagos is hunting for the Glove of Myhnegon, a strong gauntlet. While researching, Xander and Willow share a second kiss.

Later at the Bronze, Oz and Cordelia pick up on their awkwardness, but Buffy and Faith show up long enough to shift attention away. Xander goes to find the Glove but spots Angel, whose return the group didn't know about. Xander follows him, intending to stake him, but sees Angel and Buffy kissing. Angel then shows Buffy he already has the Glove.

Xander reports this to Giles, and though Gwendolyn doesn't hear them, she realizes they are hiding something. The next morning, the gang confronts Buffy. Xander and Cordelia are openly angry about Angel, unable to separate him from Angelus's recent crimes. Willow urges caution, partly because she feels guilty about her secret kisses with Xander.

Buffy explains that she and Angel plan to destroy the Glove. Giles defends her in front of the others but later scolds her privately for not telling him about Angel. Gwendolyn visits Faith at her motel and mentions Giles's secret meeting. Faith, now angry, meets Xander at the Bronze.

He tells her Angel is alive, has the Glove, and that Buffy kept it secret. Bonding over their resentment, Faith decides to kill Angel, and Xander eagerly agrees to go with her.

Reception

Vox ranked the episode at #75 of all 144 episodes on their "Every Episode Ranked From Worst to Best" list, describing it as a graceful exploration of character dynamics and noting the first Faith/Buffy fight. Valerie Frankel called Gwendolyn Post arguably the most powerful woman of the show, observing that while Post appears to be a strong female mentor, it is significant that innocent Willow, representing Buffy's sensitive side, is threatened by her. Noel Murray of The A.V. Club found the final battle predictable but praised the scene where Post puts on the glove and has her arm severed by Buffy.