Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Grave (2)

Grave
Season 6, Episode 22
Airdate	May 21, 2002
Production Number	6ABB22
Written by	David Fury
Directed by	James A. Contner
← 6x21 Two to Go (1)	7x01 → Lessons
Buffy the Vampire Slayer — Season Six

Grave (2) is the twenty-second episode of the sixth season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and the one-hundred and twenty-second episode overall.

Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy Summers), Nicholas Brendon (Xander Harris), Emma Caulfield (Anya), Michelle Trachtenberg (Dawn Summers), James Marsters (Spike)

and Alyson Hannigan (Willow)

Special Guest Star: Anthony Stewart Head (Rupert Giles)

Guest Starring: Danny Strong (Jonathan Levinson), Tom Lenk (Andrew Wells)

Co-Starring: Brett Wagner (Trucker), Steven W. Bailey (Cave Demon)

Plot Overview

As the others continue to protect Jonathan and Andrew, Willow battles Giles when she is forced to take his power. Now overwhelmed with emotion, Willow feels the suffering of the world and decides to end it... by ending the world itself.

Notes

Monster of the Week

• There was no monster of the week due to the season finale dealing with attempting to stop Dark Willow.

Body Count

#	Whom	By Whom	How	Where
1/2	Demons	Spike	Decapitated	African Cave
3	Earth Monster	Buffy	Stabbed	Grave
4	Earth Monster	Dawn	Decapitated	Grave
5/6	Earth Monsters	Willow	Disintegrated	Grave

Arc Advancement

Happenings

• Willow's Crazy: Willow is finally stopped when the magic she sapped from Giles taps into what humanity was left in her, giving Xander ample time to stop Willow.

Characters

• Dawn: Dawn finally does something useful when she takes up arms to fight the earth monsters alongside Buffy.

• Buffy: Buffy comes to terms with her desire to go back to where she was (heaven or otherwise) and her overprotection of Dawn.

• Willow: Willow turns back into her normal form after Xander interrupts with her plot to destroy the world.

• Spike: After successfully enduring the trials, the cave demon grants his request and restore Spike's soul.

Referbacks

• Tabula Rasa: Willow refers to the time when Giles angrily chastised her for misusing magic, first with resurrecting Buffy then with erasing the memories of the gang.

• Smashed: Buffy first started having sex with Spike after her fight with him in the abandoned building.

• Doublemeat Palace: During Buffy's recap of what has been happening while he's been away, she mentions getting a job at the Doublemeat Palace.

• Older and Far Away: Dawn's kleptomania was revealed to the gang in this episode when Anya found the charms stolen from the Magic Box.

• Hell's Bells: Buffy explains to Giles that Xander left Anya at the alter and Anya returned to her post as a vengeance demon.

• Normal Again: When Buffy mentions something about figments in between bursts of laughter, she refers to when she was temporarily driven insane by the demon summoned by the Trio.

• Seeing Red: Xander tells Dawn that Spike tried to rape Buffy and that the only good thing he ever did was leave town. Both happened in the same episode.

Trivia

The Show

• Final Appearance: The interior of the Magic Box is destroyed utterly and is apparently never renovated. Although the inside is never seen again, the outside is shown later in the series.

• Music: The song that plays at the end of the episode is The Prayer of St. Francis by Sarah McLachlan.

Behind the Scenes

• Practical Jokes: While on set about to film the fight between Willow and Buffy, Nicholas Brendon let a mouse loose on the set, terrifying both actresses.

• Series Firsts: This is the only season finale not to be written and directed by Joss Whedon. This is also the only season to go without at least a guest appearance from David Boreanaz.

• Alpert Tomb: The Alpert tomb that Xander attempts to break into for a safe haven is named after series producer Marc David Alpert

• Budget Woes: Originally, the underground fight with Buffy and Dawn was supposed to take place in a sewer against tar monsters. This was changed due to budget constraints and because the episode needed some kind of grave in it due to the title. Also planned was bringing back the dragon from the portal in "The Gift" for Buffy to fight during the Giles/Willow fight, but this was also cut due to budget constraints caused by the big budget episodes "Once More, With Feeling" and "Gone".

Memorable Moments

• Xander talking Willow down on the bluff

Quotes

• Buffy: Willow. Listen to him. I don't want to fight you anymore.

Willow: I don't want to fight you, either. (looking to Giles) I wanna fight him.

• Willow: Remember that little spat we had before you left? When you were under the delusion that you were still relevant here? You called me a rank, arrogant amateur. Well, buckle up, Rupert, 'cause I've turned pro.

• Dawn: You know, if Spike were here, he'd go back and fight.

Xander: Sure, if he wasn't too busy trying to rape your sister.

Dawn: What?

Xander: Forget it.

Dawn: I don't believe you.

Xander: Fine.

Dawn: He wouldn't do that.

Xander: Is this blind spot like a genetic trait with the Summers women? The only useful thing Spike ever did was finally leave town.

• Willow: You're such a hypocrite. Waltzing in here with your borrowed magicks so you can tell me what? "Magick's bad. Behave. Be a good girl." Well, uh, I don't think you're in any position to be telling me what to do. Do you? I used to think you had all the answers. That I had so much to learn from you.

Giles: Willow --

Willow: You were jealous. Still are. Just couldn't bear that I was the one with power. That's why you ran away.

• Cave Demon: You have endured the required trials.

Spike: Bloody right I have. So you give me what I want. Make me what I was, so Buffy can get what she deserves.

Cave Demon: Very well. We will return... your soul.