Buffy the Vampire Slayer s07e01 Episode Script

Previously on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer": Tara? Oh, God.
Somebody! - Things just got worse.
- How? End-of-the-world worse.
Willow's going to destroy it.
I love you.
Things have really sucked lately.
That's all gonna change.
And I wanna be there when it does.
Make me what I was.
- We will return your soul.
- (screams) (# slow Turkish music) (# music changes to faster tempo) (deep breathing) Ugh! Argh! It's about power.
- Who's got it.
Who knows how to use it.
- (growling) So - Who's got the power, Dawn? - Well - I've got the stake.
- The stake is not the power.
But, he's new.
He doesn't know his strength.
He might not know those fancy martial-arts skills they inevitably seem to pick up.
Who's got the power? - He does.
- Never forget it.
It doesn't matter how well prepped or how well armed you are, you're a little girl.
- Woman.
- Little woman.
- I'm taller than you.
- He's a vampire, OK? Demon? Preternaturally strong? - Skilled with powers no human could - Excuse me.
I think I'm stuck.
- You're stuck? - My foot's caught on a root or something.
I don't even know how I got down there.
If you could give me a hand - So, he's got the power.
- Zip it.
I really appreciate it.
It's so dark, and I don't even know what I'm doing here.
Whoa! Ooh! Thanks.
That was a help.
Unfortunately, it was the last (wheezing) thing you'll ever do.
Listen up.
I'm the Slayer.
You don't wanna get into it with me.
You want blood? You can have hers.
Power.
He's got it, he's going to use it.
You don't have it, so Use that.
Perfect.
Argh! Buffy! It's real.
It's the only lesson, Dawn.
- It's always real.
Let me see.
- It's nothing.
It's just a scrape.
- Plus, I had a plan the whole time.
- Really? Yeah.
I planned to get killed, come back as a vampire and bite you.
- You wanted to be trained.
- The next time You did pretty well.
- I did? - Yeah.
Cos, with the rolling thing, I was actually using his strength.
It was very t'ai chi.
- Plus, I nearly got the heart.
- My first time out, I missed the heart too.
- No way.
- Just the once.
- Well, the next vampire I meet - The next vampire you meet, you run away.
I just wish that was all we had to worry about.
Vampires, demons they're nothing compared to what's coming.
I know.
I just can't believe it's back.
Believe me, I thought I was long past it.
I guess you never are.
A few more days till it starts, and then we'll never know what's coming next.
It is my great pleasure and privilege to announce the official opening - on the very ground that it first stood upon - of the brand-new, state-of-the-art, Sunnydale High! (cheers and applause) - That doesn't belong there.
- No, it doesn't.
That's the flora kua ulaya.
Native of Paraguay, if my botany serves.
Is there anything you don't know everything about? Complete mystery to me.
Yep, Paraguay.
- Where's it come from? - Paraguay.
- You brought it through the earth.
- It's all connected.
The root system, the molecules, the energy.
- Everything's connected.
- You sound like Miss Harkness.
- She's taught me a lot.
- Then why aren't you in your lesson? - Sorry.
- It's all right.
I think she was just Afraid.
Yeah.
They all are.
The coven is They're the most amazing women I've ever met.
But there's this look that they get.
Like I'm gonna turn them all into bangers and mash, or something.
Which I'm not even really sure what that is.
They're cautious.
I trust you understand that.
I don't have that much power, I don't think.
Everything is connected.
You're connected to a great power, whether you feel it or not.
Well, you should just take it from me.
You know we can't.
This isn't a hobby or an addiction.
It's inside you now, this magic.
You're responsible for it.
- Will they always be afraid of me? - Maybe.
Can you handle that? I deserve a lot worse.
- I killed people, Giles.
- I've not forgotten.
When you brought me here, I thought it was to kill me.
Or to lock me in some mystical dungeon for all eternity, or with the torture.
Instead, you go all Dumbledore on me.
I'm learning about magic, all about energy and Gaia and root systems Do you want to be punished? I wanna be Willow.
You are.
In the end, we all are who we are.
No matter how much we may appear to have changed.
- Dawn? Xander's here.
- Just a minute! - You're gonna be late.
- I'm comfortable with that.
- Morning.
- You gotta eat something.
I made cereal.
- OK! - You're unconscionably spiffy.
Client meeting.
How exactly do you make cereal? You put the box near the milk.
It was on the Food Channel.
- You want something? - I ate.
I'm good.
How are you? My sister's going to the same high school that tried to kill me, I can't change districts, I can't afford private school, and I can't begin to prepare her for what might happen.
So, peachy with a side of keen, that would be me.
Here's something for what ails you.
- Have you got the rest? - Take a look.
- Hey, check out Double-o-Xander.
- Go, talk with your mouth full.
I've got two crews working on this diabolical, yet lucrative new campus.
One here finishing the science building, and one here reinforcing the gym.
There are no pentagrams, no secret passageways.
Everything's up to code and safe as houses.
- Nothing creepy? Strange? From beyond? - Maybe you're just paranoid.
There is one interesting detail.
I managed to scare up the plan from the old high school.
You remember the very centre of Sunnydale's own Hellmouth? - Under the library.
- Right.
So I lined up the plans new and old, and right exactly where the library was, we now have Principal's office.
- So, the principal's evil? - Or in a boatload of danger.
The last two principals were eaten.
Who'd even apply for thatjob? I guess we'll see.
Ooh, we have to leave though.
- Got everything? Books, lunch, stakes? - Check thrice.
- Did you give her the - No, I was saving it.
What is it? Back-to-school gift.
- It's a weapon, isn't it? - Yes.
It is.
I'll take her to class, have a look around.
- I'll be on-site here, so if you have any needs.
- Thanks.
Remember, if you see anything strange, or - dead - I got it.
And stay away from hyena people, or any lizardy-type athletes.
Or if you see anyone that's invisible I think it's pretty safe to say I'm not gonna see anybody that's invisible.
You could still drop out.
Only nerds finish high school.
It's not fair for you to try and scare me on my first day of high school.
- Cos, it is so redundant.
- This place is evil.
(man) Tough to let 'em go, huh? - Hi.
- I'm Robin Wood, new principal.
Oh.
Buffy Summers.
This is Dawn.
- Nice to meet you.
- Hi.
So you're the new principal.
I expected you to be more aged.
You seem a bit young to have such a grown-up daughter.
No! No sister.
Oh, right of course! You didn't really think she's my - It's my hair.
I have mom hair.
- No.
I have heard of you, Miss Summers, you graduated from the old high school, right? - Yeah, how did - I better get back to work.
Gotta start deadening young minds.
It's really nice to meet you.
You have fun.
- That was suspicious.
- You betcha.
Bye.
- Ooh! Dawn - I know! You never know what's coming, the stake is not the power, To Serve Man is a cookbook, I love you.
Go away! (class bell) OK.
I'm Mr Longren.
Why don't we go around the room and introduce ourselves? Let's start with It's not mom hair.
You can't protect her.
You couldn't protect me.
Get out, get out, get out! I love to dance.
I like music.
I'm very into Britney Spears' early work, before she sold out, so mostly her finger painting and macaroni art.
Very underrated.
Favourite activities include not ever having to do this again, and Dawn! - What? - We have to go, it's not safe.
But We I mean, I saw Can I help you? No.
I Dawn, I just thought you were in danger of smoking.
I'll be around.
I also have a sister.
(# "So High" by Strange Radio) God, they're depressing.
Who are they kidding with that happy shiny crap? Six weeks tops, and she's calling on me for vengeance.
Ooh, he'd better run for cover(!) What's that supposed to mean? Oh, sweetie, you know exactly what it means.
- Excuse me? - It's the talk of the Order.
They're calling you Miss Soft Serve.
Tell me you don't know this.
But who? Listen, Anya.
I know I've always been a little competitive with you.
There was that thing in the Crimean War.
We laugh about it now, but the fact is, I've always looked up to you.
You were the single most hard core vengeance demon and everybody knew it.
Do I have to mention Mrs Czolgosz? - Good times.
- And then you lost your powers.
It happens, and you fell for this Xander guy.
It was a glitch.
A summer thing.
I am so back in the vengeance fold.
No deaths.
No eviscerations.
You're not goading women into anything inventive.
I don't know Waitress downtown wished her husband was a frog? You made him French! He's smelly! And with a little moustache, she - Listen, Anya.
If it was just me - What do you mean, if it was just you? D'Hoffryn? The lower beings? They're all feeling the heat.
Something's rising.
Something older than the Old Ones, and everybody's tail is twitching.
- This is a bad time to be a good guy.
- What is this, an intervention? - Shouldn't all my demon friends be here? - Sweetie they are.
So, how's it looking? Does the place pass inspection? Oh, it's great! If you're a zombie ghost thing.
So school's back in session, huh? Seems like old times.
- So, zombies or ghosts? - I'm not sure.
They were in the mirror, but they disappeared.
But they touched me.
I think.
- Let's just start with dead and pissed.
- They were after you personally? Talked about protecting people.
Told me to leave.
No damage though? I may have destroyed Dawn's social life in 30 seconds.
Apart from that, no.
Being popular isn't so great.
Or so I've read in books.
This isn't a coincidence.
The school being rebuilt? It means something.
As in what? Can I borrow a pencil? - Thanks a lot.
- Aargh! Are you all right? I'm sorry.
There was a bee.
It flew in my eye.
I'm very allergic.
I think it's gone.
- Can I go to the bathroom? - Of course.
Guess it runs in the family.
(girl sobbing) (sobbing continues) Ooh! Sorry! Miss Summers.
I didn't know you were still about.
- I was looking - I thought, in general, it was customary for a person who's graduated to you know, go somewhere else.
Well, it's a new campus.
Just getting to know it.
You know, make sure it's safe.
For my sister.
Hey.
- What's wrong? - There's someone in here.
It's only me.
No.
It's not.
You know, I have to be honest, I actually know a little bit more about you than I let on before.
- Isn't that interesting.
- Oh, it really is.
Let's get you out of here, OK? Maybe we can get some air.
- I'm Dawn.
- Kit.
- Saw something pretty creepy, huh? - You wouldn't believe me.
I kinda sorta think I will.
Was there a pencil involved in any of (both) Aargh! Come on! - Just breathe! - Giles, I can't! - God, it's - Just breathe.
What happened? What do you remember? We were talking and I felt (rumbling) I felt the earth.
It's all connected.
It is, but It's not all good and pure and rootsy.
There's deep deep black, there's I saw the earth, Giles.
- I saw its teeth.
- The Hellmouth.
It's gonna open.
It's gonna swallow us all.
Hey.
Hey, wake up.
Please wake up.
Oh, God.
Are you OK? - We have to leave.
- You're not wrong.
Come on.
There's gotta be a staircase.
The school board recommended I read your record.
It's quite a page-turner.
Kind of a chequered past.
More like a plaid.
A kind of a clan tartan of badness, really.
You know, but there were factors.
What did you see? When I found you in the stall.
A girl.
She said she died here, and that everybody dies here and that we would too.
Here I was worried about not fitting in.
(both scream) - Who are you? - Who are you?! - Are you dead? - Stop saying that! We're not dead.
We saw creepy dead people.
We're just trying to get out.
I just came down here for a smoke.
And I saw a It was a janitor.
He was yelling at me.
I thought he was just pissed, but - I saw him in the light.
- Wait, you came down stairs? Where? Man, I got no clue.
I ran away like a girl.
I don't know this place at all.
OK.
- So, we can run around in circles or - You really think you can run away? - It's not real.
- Lesson one - it's always real.
(second man) I tried to run too.
(woman) I tried to scream.
It doesn't matter how much you scream.
Nobody ever hears you.
Hear me.
Right! Oh, I got a present! What is it? A weapon.
- It's clear your sister looks up to you - No, she's much, much worse than me.
A troublemaker.
Expulsion is really the only way to go.
You know, or you could suspend her for three years.
How about we give her a chance first? Just as long as she keeps her grades up - (phone rings) - Boy! That's loud.
- That's why we don't allow cellphones - Excuse me.
Yeah? Sorry, my dog dog walker.
- They're really dead? - Oh, my God! - No, I'll be right there.
- Your dogs are dead? And Buffy? Isn't this reception amazing? I'm in the fricking basement! - OK.
- Sorry about that.
I have to Yeah, no, of course.
And good luck with that dog tragedy.
Help is on the way, guys.
We've just gotta figure out Where did they go? Dawn? (phone rings) Dawn? I'm close by.
(man) Too late.
But then, you're always too late, aren't you? Sure as hell didn't save me.
Where's my sister? I think she's lost.
If I'm the one who let you die, why take it out on her? I'm right here.
Come on, what are you after? Fear? Revenge? Tasty brains? I'd like Dawn to be my girlfriend.
Again, wrong sister.
I'm the one that dates dead guys.
And no offence, but they were hotties.
I'm sure you had a great personality Busy making out with your dead boyfriend while I was ripped to death by a werewolf? Is that why you let me die? - I was screaming for help when they - Hello? Not making myself clear.
I don't care how you died.
I'm sorry for your loss, but where is my sister? - Dawn! - She's not gonna hear you.
- This place is like a maze.
- This place is ours now.
It was built on our graves.
All we want is for you to leave, so we can rest again.
Actually, I'm thinking all you want is to get between me and that door.
Who's for finding out why? If at first you don't succeed Cheat.
Dawnie, we have to get out Spike? Are you real? Buffy duck.
What? Duck? There's a duck? No visitors today.
Terribly busy.
Told you to get out.
- They'll probably show up in a sec.
- Nobody comes in here.
- It's just the three of us.
- Have you seen Dawn? - She's down here with some kids.
- Don't you think I'm trying?! I'm not fast.
Not a quick study.
I dropped my board in the water and the chalk all ran.
Sure to be caned.
Should've seen that coming.
What did you do? I tried I tried to cut it out.
(phone rings) - Dawn? - Buffy, where are you? I - It's in my instinct - Where are you? I don't know.
In a room by the furnace.
Near where we fell in.
They dragged us in here then disappeared.
- Yeah, they came after me too.
- What do they want? - So far, to piss me off.
- Please, tell me it's working.
I'm damage-bound.
But ghosts can't touch you and zombies can't disappear, so - Not ghosts.
- (Dawn) Who was that? Hold on.
You know what they are? Manifest spirits controlled by a talisman, raised to seek vengeance.
A four-year-old could figure it.
Hang tight.
I'll find you.
These things can hurt you.
You could hurt them too.
Find a weapon.
I'll come for you.
- You gonna help me out? - This is my home.
I belong here.
Always been here.
Cheers for stopping by.
It's in the walls.
(whimpering) I'll get back to you.
Guys? Resentful dead guys? This can't be good.
Come on.
Manifest spirits, raised up, controlled by a talisman.
Xander.
We need to find some kind of a weapon.
Just to hold them off.
I got these.
Kit, give me your bag.
- Do you think they're gonna come back? - (mocking) Think they're gonna come back? We never left.
We'll always be here.
Just like you.
No.
Why do you think we picked you? The ones no one will miss.
The ones that don't belong.
Spend all your time trying to get out of high school, and now you'll never, ever leave.
Aargh! Whoa! Contracty goodness.
Talisman talisman.
You can thank your sister for this.
- Thanks, sis.
- We need to keep them at bay.
The bag! Yes! Talisman.
- You really wanna keep this up? - What are you gonna do? Kill us? Aargh! - Are they gone? - Yeah.
The talisman must have been destroyed.
How'd you know it was a talisman? There's always a talisman.
The real question is, who put it there? Come on, you guys.
Let's go find a way upstairs.
Assuming there is one.
You really weren't kidding about this place.
I guess it hasn't changed.
I don't know.
It seems smaller.
You're gonna be OK.
School's intense, but you'll do all right if you're careful.
And, you might wanna think about sticking together.
Thank you.
Yeah, I mean it.
You are the coolest mom ever.
O K! Come on! We still have a few more classes to live through.
- Curiouser and curiouser.
- What is? Carlos Trejo and Kit Hollburn, right? Possibly the only two students in this school whose files are as thick as yours was.
You really did your homework.
I was looking for one or both of them to implode right before midterms but now I see that you got 'em socialising and hugging, and actually, if I'm not mistaken, headed to class.
Well, we shared an encounter.
I know you were probably happy to get out of this place, but, I gotta tell you, Miss Summers, I think you belong here.
- Hamnoo? - Listen, I know this school's reputation.
What, you think I got this job based on seniority? We got troubled students here, and just enough money to keep it from caving in.
- Yeah, you might need a little extra there.
- We do have a community outreach program, and the money we could pay you wouldn't even fold, - but it would be a couple of days a week.
- Are you asking me to be a counsellor? We have a guidance counsellor, but the kids could use someone - closer to their age who still - I'm in.
What, you're serious? You did hear the part about the money, right? Yeah, I heard.
My schedule might be a little fun-tastic but I'll work it out.
- I'd like to keep an eye on this place.
- Well, that's great! It's not even noon and I've bullied my first family member into helping out.
I'm gonna be the best principal ever.
(Spike) Everything is I had a speech.
I learned it all.
Oh, God, she won't understand, she won't understand.
Of course she won't understand, Sparky.
I'm beyond her understanding.
She's a girl! Sugar and spice and everything useless unless you're baking.
I'm more than that.
- More than flesh.
- More than blood.
I'm you know, I honestly don't think there's a human word fabulous enough for me.
Oh, my name will be on everyone's lips.
Assuming their lips haven't been torn off.
But notjust yet.
That's all right though.
I can be patient.
Everything is well within parameters.
She's exactly where I want her to be.
And so are you, No.
17.
You're right where you belong.
What'd you think, you'd get your soul back and everything would be jim-dandy? A soul's slipperier than a greased weasel.
Why do you think I sold mine? Well, you probably thought that you'd be your own man.
And I respect that.
- But you never will.
You'll always be mine.
You'll always be in the dark with me.
Singing our little songs.
You like our little songs, don't you? You've always liked them, right from the beginning.
(whispers) And that's where we're going.
Right back to the beginning.
Not the bang.
Not the word.
The true beginning.
The next few months are going to be quite a ride.
And I think we're all going to learn something about ourselves in the process.
You'll learn you're a pathetic schmuck, if it hasn't sunk in already.
Look at you.
Tried to do what's right.
Just like her.
You still don't get it.
It's not about right.
Not about wrong.
It's about power.
Urgh! Argh!