Willow and Tara delight in their renewed relationship. The Trio arm themselves with an artifact of great power and face off again with the Slayer. Spike's obsession with Buffy drives him further than ever.

Willow returns to Sunnydale, but fears her friends have abandoned her when she finds herself completely unable to perceive them. Meanwhile, the rest of the gang don’t see Willow either, but fear she is involved when a body turns up without its skin.

Xander and Spike search for the source of a spell that has bewitched the girls into competing for the affections of the high school quarterback.

Buffy and the gang capture and interrogate Spike and Andrew.

Buffy takes the Potentials to a demon bar and then to Spike's crypt, in order to teach them the art of slaying. When Willow casts a spell to seek out the next Potential, the spell leads them to believe that Dawn may be a future slayer.

Buffy introduces Principal Wood to the rest of the team. He brings an artifact that transports Buffy to see the origin of the Slayer, but the others must face a powerful demon to bring her back.

Faith returns to Sunnydale just as a new villain, Caleb, arrives and sends Buffy a message in the form of a badly beaten Potential. Buffy leads the rest of the girls to Caleb and The First's lair, with devastating consequences.

After being ousted from the group, Buffy tries to figure out how to move forward. Faith and the Potentials plan to interrogate a Bringer for information on Caleb and the First. Many people turn to each other for comfort in the face of the impending apocalypse.