Previously on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
So it's her. Under our noses all this time.
- Glorificus will find the witch. - Witch?
- Tara. - You're not the key. You're nothing.
- No! - [ Shouting ]
Tara!
I'm so sorry.
They kill mice.
- Not if I get the key first. - Could you do it?
Take a human life with your own hands?
I told you this wasn't over.
Such pure green energy.
- The key. - Just pack up whatever supplies we need, and that's it.
We're gone.
- Giles! - I see them.
- Help me! - How is he?
- Will? - I think I got him stabilized,
but there's a lot of damage. We need to get him out of here.
[ Xander ] We got company.
The key.
Once the key is activated, the walls separating realities will crumble.
Dimensions will bleed into each other.
I won't let anything happen to you.
- Let me out. - Will, open the door.
No! [ Yells ]
- Buffy! - Dawn!
Buffy, you have to get up.
[ Echoing ] Buffy, please. Buffy?
[ Murk ] Quickly, quickly!
Already we're behind schedule. Someone's bound for a beheading.
Let's make sure it's not me.
Why don't we remain, when our moment of triumph lies so close at hand?
The Glorious One, having acquired much in this world,
doesn't exactly travel lightly.
Hey! Minions, I can hear you.
God-like ears don't miss much, know what I'm sayin'?
- Come here! - 'Twas he who blasphemed, Your Magnificence.
- Spurred on by treacherous urging. - Guys!
I'm not gonna kill you.
I'm not in the mood. What do you think that's about?
In mercy does your power lie?
No, brainless. In torture, death, and chaos does my power lie.
So tell me-- Why am I not popping your head like a zit right now?
- Maybe I'm just hungry. - Yes, we shall fetch a lovely, uh--
No, I'm not hungry. [ Sighs ]
[ Grunts ] I'm just a little tight in this skin is all.
I've been waiting an eternity-- well, 25 human years--
and it all comes down to tonight.
- The portal shall open. - And the great Glorificus shall return.
To the hell I came from,
where I'm gonna rain down more super-sized portions of slaughter, mayhem...
and bloodshed than any of you scabs can even dream about.
So, how come I ain't happy?
I've got everything I ever wanted.
Still, something's off.
I don't know. What do you think?
[ Whimpering ]
[ Door Opens ]
Better part of a century spent in delinquency just paid off.
Hot-wired Ben's auto. Who's for gettin' the hell out of here?
All in favor, let's do it. You good to go?
Oh, don't worry about me. How's Buffy?
The same. Still.
It's been almost a half an hour.
The Slayer's gonna be all right, won't she?
You should try again, Wil.
All right. But I'm not even sure she's, you know,
really in there.
Try. [ Sighs ]
Can you hear me? Buffy!
Buffy.
Buffy?
[ Spike ] Buffy?
She can't just be brain dead.
I mean, she's still Buffy. Somewhere in there, right?
Spike, come on. We're not gonna get Dawn back by sittin' around here.
You're not gonna get Dawn back any way you slice it, Harris. That's for Buffy to decide.
Good. Panic. That ought to help.
We should move her. Un-Unless we shouldn't.
- Should we? - Couldn't that make it worse?
I think I read that somewhere.
I am so large with not knowing.
It's impossible to know for sure.
Losing Dawn, after all that Buffy's been through--
I think it's pushed her too far, into some sort of catatonia.
You don't need a diploma to see that.
Snap her out of it. Buffy!
- Oi! Rise and shine, love! - Spike.
Come on, people. Girl's endowed with Slayer strength.
It's hardly the time to get dainty. Buffy!
- We tried that! - Ow!
- We didn't try that. - Are you insane?
We could be dealing with neurological damage here.
- You want to kill her? - We have to do something.
I can't just sit watching. You waste time with kid gloves.
I'm willing to wager, when all's said and done, Buffy likes it rough.
Separate.
Buffy's out. Glory has Dawn.
Sometime real soon, she's gonna use Dawn...
to tear down the barrier between every dimension there is,
so if you two want to fight, you do it after the world ends, okay?
All right. First, we head back to Sunnydale.
Xander'll take Giles to a hospital.
Anya's looking after Tara,
and, Spike, you find Glory.
Check her apartment. See if she's still there.
Try anything stupid like payback...
and I will get very cranky.
Everyone clear? Anya?
Um, w-what will you do?
- I'll help Buffy. - Okay, then.
[ Tara ] The world is spinning...
straight to a new day. Big day. Big, big day.
- [ Willow ] Shh, shh, shh. - [ Moans ]
Uh, Wil? Now, uh...
don't turn me into a horned toad for asking,
but, what if we come across Ben?
I-I don't think a doctor's what Buffy needs right now.
Well, yeah. Especially not one who also happens to be Glory.
- What do you mean? - You know. Ben is Glory.
You mean... Ben's with Glory?
"With" in what sense?
- They're working together? - No. No.
Ben is Glory. Glory's Ben. They're one and the same.
When did all this happen?
Not one hour ago. Right here, before your very eyes.
Ben came, turned into Glory,
snatched the kid, and pftt! Vanished. Remember?
You do remember?
Is everyone here very stoned?
Ben! Glory! He's a doctor. She's The Beast.
Two entirely separate entities sharing one body.
It's like a bloody sitcom. Surely you remember.
So you're saying...
Ben and Glory-- Have a connection.
Yes, obviously. But what kind?
[ Snickers ] Oh, I get it.
That's very crafty.
Glory's worked the kind of mojo...
where anyone who sees her little presto-chango instantly forgets.
And yours truly, being somewhat other than human, stands immune.
So... Ben and Glory... a-are the same person?
Glory can turn into Ben,
and Ben turns back into Glory.
And anyone who sees it instantly forgets.
[ Sighs ] And a Kewpie doll for the lady.
Excellent. Now...
do we suspect that there may be some kind of connection...
between Ben and Glory?
[ Sighs ]
The key. The key.
[ Loud Hammering ]
[ Sawing ]
[ Chanting Continues ] The key, the key.
[ Glory ] Unbelievable how annoying the groupies can be. [ Chanting ]
They merely sense that tonight, at last, the dimensional portal shall open.
[ Gronx ] Ushering in the long and bloody reign of the great--
What's he doing?
- I must anoint the key. - You really don't. Go.
But-- Get out!
Get out! Get out!
[ Door Slams ] You know,
you recapture your godhood and unleash Armageddon, and all of a sudden...
everybody wants to be a part of the inner circle.
- [ Whimpers ] - [ Sighs ] You okay?
[ Weakly ] I want to go home.
Sweetie! Oh.
- You're about to. - [ Sobs ]
Not that fake suburban nightmare...
the monks cooked up for you, I mean your real home.
As the key, you fit in a lock.
Well, it's like a lock. Hey. You want a pizza?
No. Pillow?
I don't know if this thing gets cable. Doubtful.
[ Sobbing ] Please. Stop.
- You nervous? - Yes.
I know how you feel. It is your last night.
As, you know, a human.
This body? It's just a rental, Dawnie.
Being human-- It's like a costume for girls like you and me.
Being something else-- that's what we are.
- [ Softly ] Don't. - What?
Don't call me "Dawnie."
[ Chuckles ]
[ Chuckling ] Wow.
You know, that actually hurt my feelings.
I'm sorry. Not the point.
I'm just thinking. Here I am, trying to make you feel better,
when comforting others-- not part of my life.
And I'm doing it so I can stop...
feeling so, um--
[ Snapping Fingers ] Help me out. Guilty?
Guilty. [ Chuckles ] That's it.
But I'm not supposed to feel guilty.
I'm not supposed to feel anything.
I'm-I'm-- I'm a god. I'm above it.
I'm-- You.
You did this to me, didn't you?
Some sort of spell. You've been hanging with the Wicca.
You could have-- But no.
Not magic. It's something else.
Still, it is you doing this.
I-I'm not doing anything.
- I swear. - We'll see.
Anoint this thing now!
You know what they're all chanting for out there, Dawnie?
Blood. 'Cause we found out your blood is the key to the key.
All I gotta do is bleed you dry,
- the portal opens up, and I can go home. - [ Praying ]
So knock yourself out, girlfriend. Make me feel bad as you can.
'Cause tomorrow you bleed, little girl.
- Sure you know what you're doing? - I think so.
I don't know.
It's not exactly well-explored territory, but...
I gotta try.
A spell like this could be really dangerous for Buffy.
And you. [ Tara ] Time--
Oh, time is coming.
Shh. It's okay. I'm here. [ Whimpering ]
- You'll look after her while I'm-- - Sure.
What do I do?
Mostly just be here for her.
And there's some pills in my knapsack.
Half of one every two hours keeps her pretty mellow.
Y-You think you'll be gone more than two hours?
- Wish me luck? - [ Sighing ] Okay.
- [ Feigning Enthusiasm ] Good luck! - Thanks.
Okay. Be good now, sweetie.
I'll be back as soon as I can. Okay?
We're good?
[ Whimpers ]
[ Softly ] Good luck.
Hi, Willow.
Hello, Buffy.
[ Young Buffy ] What are you doing here?
Actually, I'm, uh, looking for you.
Do you like dolls?
Buffy, what are you doing here?
I like it here.
But...
you know we need you.
- You have to come out. - Why?
To be with your friends.
It's a big day for me.
[ Door Opens ] [ Woman ] Hello?
Mommy! Daddy!
You're back! You're back!
Hello, Buffy. How's my girl?
Are you ready to meet your new baby sister?
Oh, come on, now, Buffy. She's nothing to be afraid of.
- Who's afraid? - Don't you want to be the big sister?
No. I want to be the baby.
- [ Dad ] Buffy. - You're gonna pay more attention to her...
and forget all about me.
Ohhh--
[ Gurgling ] Doesn't she look funny?
Like a wrinkly old grandpa.
Like this.
Okay, support the head. There you go.
We're calling her Dawn.
- Dawn. - I-I could be the one...
to look after her sometimes if you need a helper.
Mom? Can I take care of her?
[ Chuckles ] Yes, Buffy, you can take care of her.
[ Footsteps ]
Okay.
Can you, uh--
There.
How you doin'? It only hurts when I answer pointless questions.
Where's Buffy? Willow's on it. Or in it.
She's workin' some spell, trying to reach Buffy psychically.
She's gone into Buffy's mind? Pretty trippy stuff.
It's extraordinarily advanced. I was thinking we should check on Glory's victims...
while we're here. The mental ward? I already been.
The vegetable section's closed. Nobody there.
It's like they all just got up and walked away. [ Gasping ]
Checked out Glory's flat. Looks like the great one has scampered.
Gone to, uh, perform her ritual with Dawn...
and leaving us entirely clueless.
Not entirely.
I know this bloke.
Well, not so much a bloke so much as a demon.
But still bookish. All tuned in to the nastier corners of this, our magic world.
It's a bit of a last resort, really,
but still, we might persuade him...
to suss out Glory's game plan.
- Sound worthy? - [ Sighs ]
Off we go, then. Meet back at the shop.
[ Coughing ] Found Ben's room at Glory's. Didn't learn much.
Wait, wait, wait, wait. Ben? At Glory's?
You're saying all this time he's been subletting from her?
This is gonna be worth it.
Ow! Ow!
[ Chuckling ] Last time. From the top.
[ Sighs ] I'm hating this, Murk.
And "this" would be what exactly, Your Holiness?
Memories. I'm starting to remember the things Ben did,
people he spoke with, stuff he wore.
Mmm. Kid.
I came-- He came to see you, didn't he?
- Ben? - Yeah, Ben!
You called him to the desert when you were hiding from me.
And he came. And then he was me. You remember?
Yes.
[ Gasps ] See? She's not supposed to remember that.
Nobody should! The cloak between Ben and me is fading.
I almost helped her! He-- I wanted to.
Huh! I can't do this!
Get him out of me. Wh-What?
Ben. The human meatsack who's infecting me.
Do your mojo. Make an incision...
or removal or whatever you gotta do.
[ Sniffling ] Help me.
I'm-I'm thinking Ben's thoughts,
and I'm feeling his feelings...
and-- [ Groans ] I--
Can't kill the girl.
Damn it. Help me.
Th-This I cannot do.
You risk terrible magics...
in opening the portal.
Nothing comes without a price.
This is yours.
[ Breathing Heavily ] Gods don't pay.
[ Gasps ] We do this now.
Hey! I know you.
You-You're the first original Slayer...
who tried killing us all in our dreams.
- How've you been? - Death is your gift.
- Death is my gift? - Wait. Death is her what?
Death is your gift.
- Where are you going? - [ Murk ] Glorificus! Wait!
Kill the key now, and all will be lost.
We'll be stuck on this mortal plane forever.
[ Choking ] All right. You're right.
It's cool. I'm just a little emotional right now.
[ Chuckles ] Which, if you're into irony-- funny.
Leave. We need a little girl time. Good-bye.
How do they do it?
[ Door Closes ] Do what?
People. How do they function here like this...
in the world with all this bile running through them?
Every day, it's whoo! You have no control. They're not even animals.
They're just these meatbaggy slaves...
to hormones and pheromones...
and their-- and their feelings.
Hate 'em. I mean, really.
Is this what the poets go on about? This?
Call me crazy, but as hard-core drugs go,
human emotion is just useless.
People are puppets, everyone getting jerked around...
by what they're feelin'.
Am I wrong? Really. I want to know.
Gonna bleed you either way.
Depends on the person.
So you're saying some people like this. Some.
Funny, 'cause I look around at this world...
you're so eager to be a part of, and all I see...
is six billion lunatics looking for the fastest ride out.
Who's not crazy? Look around.
Everyone's drinking, smoking, shooting up...
shooting each other, or just plane screwing their brains out...
'cause they don't want 'em anymore.
I'm crazy?
Honey, I'm the original one-eyed chicklet...
in the kingdom of the blind--
[ Sighs ] 'Cause at least I admit the world makes me nuts.
Name one person who can take it here.
That's all I'm asking.
Name one.
Buffy.
I can't keep following you around like this, Buffy. We have to go.
You have to talk to-- me.
I'm sorry. Don't be.
Death is my gift.
Yeah, I keep hearing that, but I'm not exactly sure what it means.
It's really not that complicated.
Not for you, maybe.
It's what I do.
Come on. You've known me... for how long?
It's what I'm here for. It's all I am.
[ Softly Weeping ] Buffy, stop!
No! God, no!
What?
I keep telling you, Wil. I-I figured it out.
Death is my gift.
Oh, Ben. This is really not a good time. [ Breathing Hard ]
Dawn, has Glory hurt you?
Uh, no. Not yet.
But I have to get out of here.
Ben? You okay?
Where is it?
Wh-Where's what?
All the blood.
I can feel it, still warm and wet.
And Glory. Oh, God.
She slaughtered hundreds of men.
But I can feel them breaking.
Ben. Something is happening to both you and Glory.
[ Breathing Hard ] I'm remembering her, aren't I?
The things she's done. Things she's going to do.
I know. Sh-She told me.
I think, whatever the magic is that keeps you guys apart...
is starting to break down.
Ben, Glory could come back any minute.
How could she do this?
I don't know. But we have to get out of here...
and find Buffy. No! I mean, I have a job.
I have a life. And Glory?
She never once thinks about me in all this.
[ Knocking On Door ]
Help me. How?
[ High Priest ] Highness? Please.
[ High Priest ] Is everything all right?
You're not--
I'll take you as far as I can. Ditch you before she comes back.
[ Willow ] Okay. Now, this is weird.
Hi, Willow. What are you doing here?
Actually, I'm, uh, looking for you here.
Again.
Do you like dolls?
No, and I think we already "deja'd" this vu.
[ Giggles ] You talk funny.
Yes. As you'll tell me again...
when we're older and in chem class.
Buffy, what are we doing here?
Don't you like it here?
We don't have time.
[ Door Opening ] Mommy! Daddy!
[ Dad ] We're home! [ Young Buffy ] You're back! You're back!
Hi, Buffy.
We're calling her Dawn.
I could be the one to look after her sometimes.
[ Knocking On Door ] It's always open!
What can I do for you boys?
- Want some cocoa? - [ Spike ] No.
We need information. We need--
- Ben's Glory! - Who's what?
Look at this-- Special Ed remembers.
Yeah, I do. Ben's Glory, and Glory's Ben.
It's like this fog's liftin'.
Wonderful. But not why we're here.
Hell-god type, name of Glory--
- A.K.A. Ben-- - Has gone missing.
She's brewing up some major league bad.
And she's nicked the Slayer's kid sister in the bargain.
Hmm. That girl you brought here. Sweet little thing.
How'd things work out with her mom? Changed her mind, didn't she?
Yeah. You got any idea where Glory would take her?
Glory. Glory. Ooh!
Y-You don't mean Glorificus?
Gosh. What do you want to get mixed up with her for?
That's a sure way to get yourselves killed.
I hear she's awfully unpleasant.
When it comes to hell-gods, my best advice...
is get out of the way... and stay there.
Love to. Can't.
Well, uh, other than that, I'd like to help.
But I-I'm a small town guy.
This Glorificus-- if it is her--
Whoo. She's big city.
- She's got Dawn. - Right.
Well, I may know a fella,
you know, who knows a fella in-in China.
He might-- How the hell are we supposed to get to China?
- Teleport? - I guess.
You know, if you're in that much of a hurry, I wish you luck.
You're lying. And what's more, I believe you're standing...
right in front of the very thing we need.
- [ Whispering ] Idiot. - [ Grunts ] Get him!
[ Grunting ]
You think only underworld bottom-feeders worship The Beast?
Her day is coming, boys!
And when she returns, then you're gonna see something.
[ Groans ] Ow!
[ Grunting ]
What do we got? Something worth dying for.
[ Sizzling ]
Buffy, will you just stop a second and listen to me?
Buffy.
You have to stop doing this. Doing what?
Killing Dawn. Why?
Because this never happened.
You never killed your sister.
Wil, I did this. In your imagination.
None of this is real.
Y-You're stuck in some kind of loop.
I don't know what you're talking about. Excuse me.
Buffy, why are you doing this?
[ Panting, Gasping ]
I think they see us. Stay close to me. Don't look back.
[ Breathing Nervously ]
Shh! Stay very still. [ Men Chattering ]
- [ Grunts ] - I'm sorry.
Sorry?
That actually hurt, you prepubescent puke.
Okay. First thought-- just totally spontaneous, unfiltered,
off the top of my head: Ow!
[ Clattering ]
You hit Ben in his soft human head, and I remember the pain.
[ Gasps, Cries Out ]
You probably think I won't waste any precious blood of yours till tonight.
You're right. But I know...
a thousand ways to hurt you... [ Screams ]
that won't spill a drop-- and you know those pesky feelings I've been having?
Like guilt, empathy? I'm gonna take 'em and mash 'em back down where they belong. Okay?
Now, let's have big girl fun--
- [ Gasps, Cries Out ] - Just you and--
Leave her alone. [ Sighs ]
I said, leave her alone.
No, no. Little late in the game to start growing a backbone, Benjamin.
Be good, and stay quiet. No, you don't!
Get over yourself, Ben!
This is the way things are. I'm strong. You're weak.
[ Chuckles ] This is reality. Stop trying to infect me with your--
Do you ever stop talking?
I don't know which is worse. Waking up in a dress, not knowing where I've been,
or having to hear all your self-involved ranting!
- Animal. - Wrong, Glory. I'm no animal.
This is humanity you're feeling.
- Welcome to the world. - No, no, no!
Stick around, chica.
I won't let you hurt her, Glory.
Ooh! Shut your hole, you sanctimonious little meatworm.
I'm going home no matter what you do.
You really think I'll just let that happen?
Benjamin, what are you doing?
You need her blood?
When I'm through, there won't be enough left to fill a bottle cap.
- Then you, hellbitch, have nowhere left-- - To go. [ Gasps ]
[ Bottle Shatters ]
You can't hurt her, and you know it, Ben.
I know it because I feel what you're feeling.
Scared. Shh! Shh! It's okay.
You don't want to die. Who would?
- [ Chuckles ] I don't. - You can't. You're immortal.
Nobody has to die here, Ben.
Just let me bleed the girl and go home. Everything'll work out fine.
Do you really believe, with all I know, that you can trick me?
Stop and think, baby.
We bleed the kid, return me to my seat of power.
I become a god again.
- And I disappear. - Ooh, unless somebody up there likes you.
Give up the girl, I could like you a lot.
[ Ben ] I won't make a deal with you, Glory.
When exactly did you get stupid?
I'm offering immortality here.
I believe you. That's not the problem.
You make me immortal. Then what?
I have to kill her to do it, and I won't be able to live with that.
Not even for a day. Forget about eternity.
Hey, baby, Baby, baby Ben.
Why do you worry so much?
When you're immortal, all this crap you've been carrying around inside--
The guilt, the anger, the crazy-making pain--
Ooh, it all just melts away like ice cream.
Trust me. When all this is over,
I can set you up real nice.
I'm makin' it easy.
It's you or the girl.
I can't accept that. [ Breathing Heavily ]
Accept it. [ Chuckles ]
I'm a god, stupid.
I'm sorry.
[ Gasps ]
Don't make this harder than it already is.
I'm sorry. I got no choice. It's you or me.
No. Buffy! Leave Dawn alone. What is this?
My gift. This is what I do.
I'm not talking about this. I'm talking about...
th-this.
Right here, it happened. I know...
it's something small, but it's something.
- What? - Don't go there, Wil.
I'm not. You're the one who keeps dragging me back here.
A-And you wouldn't be doing that...
if you weren't trying to show me something.
Do I?
Buffy, come on. It-it's your brain. Just tell me.
[ Willow ] What happened here?
- This was when I quit, Wil. - You did?
- Just for a second. - [ Buffy ] I remember.
I was in the magic shop.
I put a book back for Giles.
Nothing special about it. And then it hit me.
- What hit you? - I can't beat Glory.
Glory's going to win.
You can't know that. I didn't just know it.
I felt it. Glory will beat me.
And in that second of knowing it, Wil?
I wanted it to happen.
- Why? - I wanted it over.
This is-- All of this--
It's too much for me.
I just wanted it over.
If Glory wins, then Dawn dies.
And I would grieve. People would feel sorry for me.
But it would be over.
I imagined what a relief it would be.
I killed Dawn.
Is that what you think?
[ Buffy ] My thinking it made it happen.
Some part of me wanted it.
And in the moment, Glory took Dawn.
I know I could've done something better.
But I didn't.
I was off by some fraction of a second.
- And this is why-- - I killed my sister.
I think Spike was right back at the gas station.
- Snap out of it! - What? - What?
All this-- it has a name.
It's called guilt. It's a feeling, and it's important.
But it's not more than that, Buffy.
Buffies. You've carried the weight of the world on your shoulders...
since high school-- and I-I know you didn't ask for this,
but you do it, every day.
And so, you wanted out for one second.
- So what? - I got Dawn killed.
Hello! Your sister? Not dead yet.
But she will be if you stay locked inside here...
- and never come back to us. - And what if I can't?
Then I guess you're right, and you did kill your sister.
Wait. Where are you going?
Where you're needed. Are you coming?
[ Breathing Fitfully ]
[ Door Opens, Bell Rings ] Buffy?
She's back. [ Xander ] You're okay?
Yeah. I'm okay. I hear you found the ritual text.
Uh, something like that, yes.
Did you know that Ben is Glory?
So I'm told. What do we know?
Um, well, uh, according to these scrolls,
uh, it is possible for Glory to be stopped.
I-I'm afraid it's, um--
Buffy, I've read these things very carefully,
and there's not much margin for error.
You understand what I'm saying?
Might help if you actually said it.
Um-- [ Grunts ]
Glory plans to open a dimensional portal...
by way of a ritual bloodletting.
- Dawn's blood. - Yes.
Once the blood is shed at a certain time and place,
the fabric which separates all realities will be ripped apart.
Dimensions will pour into one another...
with no barriers to stop them.
Reality as we know it will be destroyed,
and chaos will reign on earth.
So how do we stop it?
The portal will only close once the blood is stopped.
And the only way for that to happen is, um--
Buffy, the only way is to kill Dawn.
Grr! Arrgh!