Buffy Logo 'Chosen'
Story Code '7ABB22'

by Joss Whedon
Buffy

Buffy and Angel share a tender kiss. Angel begins to tell Buffy that he is there to help her in the battle against the First, but Caleb interrupts him - the preacher is still not dead, and he attacks Angel. Buffy takes on the evil preacher, and, after a vicious battle, she emerges the victor after slicing Caleb in half with her scythe. Alone at last, Angel gives Buffy a file of information gathered on the First, which he gained from Wolfram and Hart, together with an amulet that must be worn by “a warrior ensouled”; naturally, Angel assumes that this role to be his. As he talks to Buffy, Angel realises that he can smell Spike’s scent on her; Buffy informs him that Spike is very special to her, but ultimately hopes for a future with Angel. After Buffy reveals that Spike now has a soul, she instructs Angel to return to Los Angeles in case she should fail in the coming battle against the First. Angel tells her that he will wait for her, and then returns home. Buffy makes her way back to her house, only to receive a kick in the shin from an angry Dawn; realising that she cannot keep her sister away from the upcoming battle, Buffy resigns herself to letting her stay and fight at her side. She then goes to the basement talk to Spike, who tells her that he saw her kissing Angel; Spike is obviously very jealous, but Buffy assures him that she and Angel only shared a kiss. Spike tells her to give him the amulet, which is obviously meant for him. Seeing as her room is being used by Faith, Buffy asks Spike if she can stay with him; later that night, while Spike sleeps, Buffy walks about the basement and is confronted by the First, now wearing the form of Caleb; the demon tells Buffy that it will win the battle and rule the world, and will use the Turok-Han to upset the balance, enabling it to become corporeal. Buffy is not impressed by its claims until it takes on her appearance, and then remarks that Buffy lives her life alone, and that is how she will die. The First disappears and Spike wakes; the vampire asks Buffy what is wrong, and she tells him that she has suddenly realised that they are going to win. The next morning, the Scooby gang, Faith, Principal Wood and all the Potentials gather in the living room, where Buffy tells them about the battle and her new plan: they will make for the Seal of Danthazar in the school basement, open up the Hellmouth, and finish the fight once and for all. Part of the plan involves Willow, who seems very nervous at the idea. The meeting ends with Buffy informing the Potentials that they all have a choice to make. That evening, a nervous Xander, Giles, Andrew and Amanda try to calm themselves by playing a role-playing game, while Buffy seeks out Spike in the basement. The following morning, everyone walks determinedly into the abandoned high school; while the Potentials and Faith head for the Seal, Buffy, Willow, Xander and Giles head for their appointed places, savouring their last moment together; Buffy then joins the Potentials, Spike and Faith in the basement, where they cut open their palms and allow their blood to open the Seal, revealing stairs leading down into the Hellmouth. Meanwhile, in Wood’s office, Willow and Kennedy prepare a spell utilising Buffy’s scythe. As Buffy, Faith, Spike and the Potentials walk onto a ledge over an enormous cavern they see before them thousands of Turok-Han - exactly as Buffy saw in her vision. They hope that Willow will have time to cast her spell, but are immediately seen by the Turok-Han, who then rush towards them. As Willow begins her spell, magical energy rushes through both her and the scythe -the spell is completes, and every girl in the world who was a Potential becomes a Chosen one, fulfilling their destinies. Before she collapses, Willow’s hair momentarily turns white, as she becomes a force of good; she then instructs Kennedy to take the scythe to Buffy. Now that the Potentials have gained Slayer-strength, the battle with the Turok-Han becomes more even, but it is still not enough and many of them, including Amanda, are killed. Some of the Turok-Han escape into the school upstairs, but Giles and Wood are able to deal with them, although Wood takes a vicious stab wound to the gut, and collapses. Xander and Dawn are also faced with the vicious vampires, but Dawn is able to open the blinds and the sunlight dusts the creatures. When Andrew and Anya are attacked by Bringers, Anya is killed by one of their number. Buffy shouts orders to the Slayers, but is stabbed through with a sword; she collapses, and, as Faith rushes to her, Buffy passes the scythe to her and tells her to hold the line. The First appears wearing Buffy’s form and begins to taunt her, but Buffy is able to regain her strength and rejoin the battle. The First disappears, and Buffy reclaims her scythe. Suddenly, Spike stumbles against the wall of the cavern, unable to fight because something is happening with the amulet around his neck: bright sunlight shoots out from the charm, blasting a hole in the cavern roof. More beams shoot out from it, decimating hundreds of the Turok-Han. As the cavern begins to collapse, the Slayers bid a hasty retreat, except for Buffy, who goes to Spike; the vampire is agony, and he tells Buffy that he can feel his soul. Buffy takes his hand, and, despite the flames that burn her, she tells him that she loves him. Spike smiles, and replies that she is only saying that to be nice to him. After he sends her away with the others, the cavern collapses and he disintegrates into dust. As Xander leaves the collapsing school he calls out to Anya, unaware that her lifeless body lies nearby. Principal Wood leads the survivors onto a school bus, and they drive away from the school; as they look back they see Sunnydale High as the Hellmouth swallows it up. Buffy emerges from the devastation and runs after the bus, just as the Hellmouth also engulfs the town behind her. Buffy is able to jump on top of the bus before it reaches the city limits; Wood then stops the bus and Buffy, Willow, Xander, Giles, Dawn, Andrew, Kennedy and Faith disembark and look down at the giant crater that used to be Sunnydale - not one building is left standing. Buffy tells Giles that it was Spike that caused all of this. Xander is immeasurably proud of Anya when Andrew informs him of her sacrifice, while Faith becomes concerned when Wood seems to die, but is relieved when he regains his breath - it looks like he will pull through. Faith joins Buffy, Dawn, Giles, Willow, Xander and Kennedy as they look out over the crater. Buffy is no longer the only Slayer - as Dawn asks her what they are going to do now, Buffy smiles.

The Scooby Gang

Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy Summers), Nicholas Brendon (Xander Harris), Alyson Hannigan (Willow Rosenberg), James Marsters (Spike), Emma Caulfield (Anya), Michelle Trachtenberg (Dawn), Eliza Dushku (Faith), David Boreanaz (Angel), Tom Lenk (Andrew), Anthony Stewart Head (Rupert Giles), Iyari Limon (Kennedy), D.B. Woodside (Principal Robin Wood), Nathan Fillion (Caleb), Sarah Hagan (Amanda)
Directed by Joss Whedon

TX (US): 20th May 2003

Notes:
*Featuring Buffy, Xander, Willow, Anya, Dawn, Giles, Faith and Angel

*This is the final episode of the series