After Life (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

Plot

The Scooby Gang heads to Buffy's house, correctly guessing she’s there. With Razor destroyed, the bikers are fleeing. At the house, a confused Buffy learns from Dawn that Giles has left. Spike storms in, angry and searching for Dawn, but softens upon seeing Buffy and tends to her wounded hands. When the rest of the gang arrives, Spike slips away. Overwhelmed by everyone’s attention, Buffy retreats upstairs while Xander and Anya go out for food. Outside, they find a hurt Spike, furious that he wasn’t told about the resurrection plans despite helping all summer. He warns Xander about the magical consequences ahead.

Willow and Tara notify Giles of Buffy’s return, then go to bed, discussing the spell and changes they see in Buffy. In her room, Buffy looks at pictures that briefly morph into skulls. That night, Willow and Tara are visited by a Buffy who yells at them, hinting that Willow killed the deer for the ritual. When they check, Buffy is asleep in her room, and neither knows what caused the incident. A moving lump in the ceiling prompts Willow to call Xander. As Xander talks, Anya enters with a knife and smoky eyes, slitting her own cheek before collapsing.

The next day, the gang brainstorms at the Magic Box, but Buffy remains closed off and leaves to patrol alone. With Buffy gone, a demon takes over Dawn, who shouts at her friends and breathes fire before collapsing. Buffy finds Spike at his crypt, and he opens up, expressing guilt for not saving her. Following Spike’s hint, Xander questions Willow and Tara. Willow reveals the creature was created by the spell that brought Buffy back. The demon has no body, which is why it possesses gang members. Reversing the spell would undo the demon but also cancel Buffy’s resurrection. Dawn panics at losing Buffy again, but Willow discovers the demon can only survive if Buffy is killed. The demon, now in Xander’s body while Willow shares this, heads for the Slayer. Buffy is attacked by the formless demon. Willow and Tara cast a spell to make it solid, and Buffy kills it with an axe.