PROLOGUE:
12 INT. BUFFY'S
LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Someone's sweeping up broken glass from the floor. Pan up to show it's Xander.
He stops and addresses the room. Buffy's doing research at the dining room
table, sitting next to Willow who is using her laptop computer. Anya and Dawn
are on the couch in the living room looking through books.
XANDER
(exasperated) It's a loop...like the Mummy Hand. I'm doomed to replace these
windows for all eternity. You know, maybe we should just board these up until
things are less hellmouthy.
ANYA
(holds up a notebook she was reading) Nothing...and nothing. (holds up two
other books, one in each hand) Cliff Notes to nothing. Nothing abridged...
WILLOW
(looks up from her computer) Yeah, my search isn't turning anything up either.
(to Buffy) Are you sure this thing called itself The First?
BUFFY
Pretty sure. It claimed to be the original evil, the one that came before
anything else.
ANYA
(looking up over her reading glasses) Please, how many times have I heard that
line in my demon days? "I'm so rotten, they don't even have a word for
it. I'm bad. Baddy bad bad bad. Does it make you horny?" (everyone stares
at her) Or terrified. Whatever.
BUFFY
It wasn't a line. When I came up against this thing, I felt it. It was ancient
and enormous. It nearly got Angel to kill himself. And if we don't rescue
Spike soon, God only knows what the First'll get him to do.
XANDER
(looks over at Andrew, who's passed out, tied to a chair) I wish Sleeping Ugly
would come to. He's been out all night.
ANYA
Yes, he was just starting to squeal when the spooky SWAT attacked. Said The
First was held up at the Seal of...Danzar something?
DAWN
(stands, walks to Andrew) Hmm. Maybe he's just faking so he doesn't have to
answer any more questions. (punches him in the face, stands back to observe)
Hm. Or maybe he's in a fugue state.(rears back to punch him again, but Buffy
interrupts)
BUFFY
Dawn.
DAWN
What?
BUFFY
He'll come to when he comes to. Keep reading. If we're gonna rescue Spike, we
need to figure out how to fight this thing.
DAWN
(pouts, goes back to the couch) Anya gets to hit him.
WILLOW
Hey! Here, The First!...Bank of Delaware. Sorry.
BUFFY
(sighs) Hand me the Watchers' Codex again. (someone hands her an old-looking
book)
JOYCE
Can I get you anything else, baby? (Buffy recognizes the voice and turns to
look) How 'bout some tea?
BUFFY
(searching her, shocked) Mom? (sighs, closes eyes) You're not real.
JOYCE
(bends to Buffy's eye level) OK, is that, uh, slang, like you're not for real,
or—?
BUFFY
(looks her in the eyes) You're The First.
JOYCE
Oh, baby, you're so tired, you're not making sense. Maybe you should get some
sleep.
BUFFY
No.
JOYCE
You can't win against this thing. Not if you don't rest.
BUFFY
(visibly shaken) Stop. Stop being like this. It's a lie.
JOYCE
I don't want to scare you, but I want you to take care. (slowly) You need to
wake up.
BUFFY
What?
XANDER (O.S.)
You're dreaming. Buff, wake up.
BUFFY
(having fallen asleep at the dining room table, she wakes) Hm? Did you see it?
(looks around)
XANDER
There's nothing to see. You were just doing a little dream talking, that's
all.
BUFFY
Oh.
XANDER
You OK? What'd you see?
BUFFY
(shakes head) Nothing. It was nothing.
Cut to:
13 INT. UNDERGROUND
CAVE - NIGHT
In the background, chanting in Latin can be heard. Spike is being dragged,
face up, along the dirt ground. His chest wounds have started to close, but
the symbols cut into him remain clear on his chest. Spike looks around, a
little disoriented, and sees Harbingers with torches and someone dragging him.
It's the UberVamp dragging Spike into a special room. The UberVamp stops, lets
go of Spike's leg, and stares at him. Spike/First walks into the room.
SPIKE/FIRST
Go on. Give it a kick then. You always liked that, didn't you?
Spike/First morphs into Drusilla's form.
DRUSILLA/FIRST
Kick a dolly when he's down. That was always your style.
Drusilla/First kneels to watch UberVamp kick Spike in the ribs so hard
he rolls over. Spike lifts his head to glare angrily at the UberVamp. The
UberVamp hisses and growls at Spike.
DRUSILLA/FIRST
Has buckets of energy, poor dear. He's been laying in wait for his moment
since before the bug walked. (stands, walks to UberVamp) There, there, pet. (clicks
tongue) Soon as the moon comes, you'll have your carnage. (looks at Spike)
Little girls tear so easily, like pink paper. 'Til then, we'll have our way
with this one. Got it coming, he does. (hums)
The UberVamp goes back to Spike, kicking him. Spike screams.
Fade to black.
ACT I:
14 INT. BUFFY'S
LIVING ROOM - DAY
Show Andrew, still passed out and tied to a chair in the living room. Someone
splashes water in his face. He shudders a little, but doesn't regain
consciousness. Show Dawn and Anya standing there looking at him. Anya's got a
cup in her hand.
ANYA
That was something.
DAWN
(to Anya) Maybe if you threw hot water on him.
ANYA
Good thinking.
Dawn and Anya walk toward the kitchen, but Buffy comes into the room, so
they go sit on the couch instead.
ANYA
Whoa, hey.
DAWN
Hi. (Buffy stares at them, but they avoid eye contact) Nothing.
BUFFY
What?
DAWN
(wringing hands) Oh, um, I thought you were gonna ask us what we were doing.
BUFFY
No, was going to ask—
DAWN
(Andrew coughs) Oh! Look who's awake. (stands and goes to Andrew)
ANYA
(follows Dawn) Silly Andrew, (slaps his chin gently) you drooled all over
yourself.
ANDREW
(to Buffy) I'm—I was about to be dead. You saved me.
BUFFY
(steps up between Dawn and Anya) For the time being. (crosses arms) But if you
don't tell us what we need to know, then I'm gonna offer you to The First on a
platter and let him chop you into tiny pieces.
ANDREW
The first what?
ANYA
The name of the evil thing that pretended to be Warren to get you to kill
Jonathan.
ANDREW
Oh, not very ominous sounding.
DAWN
No, i-it is if you understand the context.
ANDREW
No, an evil name should be like Lex or Voldemort or—
BUFFY
Hey, I was intimidating here. (flanking Buffy, Dawn and Anya turn and glare at
Andrew)
ANDREW
Oh, sorry. Um, go ahead.
BUFFY
(sighs) Forget it. Where's the seal?
Cut to:
15 INT. BASEMENT
AT SUNNYDALE HIGH - DAY
Buffy, Dawn and Xander are following Andrew through the school basement.
ANDREW
It's around this corner, I think.
BUFFY
You better be right this time.
ANDREW
I told you—I'm not sure.
Cut to:
16 INT. SEAL
OF DANTHAZAR ROOM IN BASEMENT AT SUNNYDALE HIGH - DAY
Andrew leads Buffy, Dawn, and Xander to the room where he killed Jonathan.
XANDER
Maybe you should get sure. I'm sick of all the runaround with you— (sees the
seal of Danthazar) Whoa. Check out the goat-heady badness.
BUFFY
What's it do?
ANDREW
I don't know. Something not good. It didn't work 'cause... there wasn't enough
blood. (turns to leave) OK. (Buffy stops him)
DAWN
(investigating the wheel they hung Spike from last episode) There's blood on
this. Lots. (turns to Buffy) Looks like the first made another sacrifice. Or a
music video.
BUFFY
The seal could've been activated. I bet that's what the First needed Spike for.
ANDREW
(panics) That wasn't there before. I had nothing to do with that.
XANDER
Thanks for clearing that up 'cause otherwise we might've thought you were up
to no good here at the satanic manhole cover. You killed your best friend!
ANDREW
(softly) He's in a place of joy and peace. He told me. (Buffy rolls her eyes)
XANDER
No, nobody told you. You got tricked by a fake ghost.
BUFFY
Boys, can we save the encounter session? We need to cover this thing up. (grabs
nearby shovels, hands them out) Whatever it does, we can't leave it exposed
like this.
They start shoveling dirt over the seal.
Cut to:
17 INT. BASEMENT
AT SUNNYDALE HIGH - DAY
After covering up the seal, Xander and Andrew walk out of the Seal of
Danthazar room and into the hallway, followed by Buffy and Dawn.
ANDREW
Man, this place gives me the creeps. It's like in Wonder Woman, issue
297/299—
XANDER
"Catacombs"—yeah with the skeletons.
ANDREW & XANDER
(simultaneously, smiling and nodding) That was cool.
XANDER
(suddenly frowns and pushes Andrew) Move it. This way.
DAWN
So what next? We found the seal, but no Spike.
BUFFY
(sighs) I don't know. The first was camped underground last time I found him,
but—
Principal Wood passes them in the basement hallway, carrying a shovel,
looking a little disheveled.
PRINCIPAL
Buffy?
BUFFY
(turns to face him) Hey.
PRINCIPAL
Hey. I—thought that you were, um—
DAWN
Sick? She was. Oh, vomiting and oozing from various places and—
PRINCIPAL
Yeah, I remember, so please don't go on.
DAWN
Oh, but now, it's amazing. The doctor gave her some cream.
BUFFY
(overlapping with Dawn) Pills. (Principal looks back and forth between them)
And a cream. And I'm all better. (stares at the Principal's shovel)
PRINCIPAL
Oh, yeah, um, apparently somebody left this in the courtyard, and I was just
returning it.
BUFFY
That's some full-service principaling.
PRINCIPAL
I try.
BUFFY
(looks at her own shovel) Oh, I was down here helping Dawn with a school
project.
DAWN
For science.
BUFFY
We buried a, um, uh, time capsule.
DAWN
Hello people of the future. Kids of today like Red Bull and, uh, Jackass. (laughs
nervously)
BUFFY
We better go. (Buffy and Dawn turn to leave)
PRINCIPAL
Buffy? (Buffy turns back to face him) You know if you are feeling better, I
could really use you back at work. I've been wait listing kids who really want
to see you.
BUFFY
Oh, uh, yeah. Uh, I'm sorry, you know, I was just—I've been ill and stuff.
PRINCIPAL
No, no, it's fine, and I understand. It's just things are starting to back up.
BUFFY
Well I-I-I'll be there tomorrow. No problem. 100% ooze free.
PRINCIPAL
Good.
BUFFY
OK.
Buffy and Dawn walk away one direction and Principal Wood walks away in
the other direction. Buffy turns to look at him quizzically, then turns back.
Then Principal Wood turns to look at Buffy, twirling his shovel as he walks
away.
Cut to:
18 INT. DINING
ROOM AT BUFFY'S HOUSE - DAY
Anya brings in a candle and sets it on the dining room table in front of
Willow. Willow strikes a match to light the various candles in front of her.
Dawn's at the other end of the table using Willow's laptop computer. Buffy and
Xander are standing at the end of the room, near the foyer, watching the
goings on.
XANDER
(to Buffy) How's it going?
BUFFY
Dawn's trying to find out anything she can about the Seal of Danzalthar.
Will's about to do a locator spell, see if we can find The First. (yawns)
XANDER
Why don't you go get some rest. You haven't slept for like two days. We'll
call you if we find anything.
BUFFY
Nah, I-I couldn't sleep. Too much going on.
XANDER
It'll be OK, Buff. We've faced this kind of stuff before.
Willow pours a sandy mixture on the table in front of her.
BUFFY
You didn't see The First. I did. I felt it. It was like—
A magical explosion sends Anya back against the wall in the corner. The
bowl in front of Willow glows red. Dawn shrieks and jumps back from the table,
crawling away to hide. The red light surrounds Willow then enters her body
through her nostrils. She throws her head back and a demonic apparition (huge,
with two horns on its head and glowy red eyes) escapes her mouth, lunging
toward Buffy.
BUFFY
Will!
The demon goes back inside Willow, and she stands, sending red lightning
bolts from her mouth. The bolts are aimed at Buffy, knocking her down and
sending her across the floor on her back into the foyer.
WILLOW
(in a deep possessed voice) You only make me stronger!
Xander grabs the glowing bowl from the spell, and throws it against the
dining room wall, shattering it. The light disappears, and Willow collapses,
crying and twitching. Xander goes to check on Anya. Buffy kneels at Willow's
side, holding her head.
BUFFY
Will!
WILLOW
It's still in me. I feel it!
BUFFY
No, it's not. It's gone. You're OK.
WILLOW
I don't want to hurt anybody. Please, Buffy, don't let it make me. Oh, God!
BUFFY
We won't. I promise, OK? I promise. We won't use magic to fight this thing
until we know what we're doing.
WILLOW
I can't. I can't. I'm sorry.
Cut to:
19 INT. LIVING
ROOM AT BUFFY'S HOUSE - DAY
Willow's standing off to the side of the room. Anya and Dawn are sitting on
the couch. Buffy's got her coat on, ready to leave. Xander's discussing the
plan with her.
XANDER
At least let me come with you.
BUFFY
(walks to foyer) I'm going alone.
XANDER
You said yourself, you don't know how to fight The First, or even where it is.
BUFFY
(sighs) It's out there. It's hurting my friends. I'll find it.
Buffy opens the front door to leave, but sees Giles standing there on
her front porch when she opens it.
GILES
Buffy.
BUFFY
Giles.
Buffy goes to hug Giles, but is cut off when three girls she's never met
walk right into her house.
GIRL #1
(in a Cockney British accent) Nice place. Bit of a mess. (walks inside the
house)
Girl #2 walks by Buffy and smiles, but says nothing.
GIRL #3
(looks at Buffy) This is a slayer? (looks away and sighs on her way inside the
house)
Buffy stares at the girls, then looks at Giles, confused.
GILES
Sorry to barge in. We have a slight apocalypse.
Fade to black.
ACT II:
20 INT. LIVING
ROOM AT BUFFY'S HOUSE - DAY
Dawn's standing in front of the three girls Giles brought with him. The three
girls are lined up against the wall, and Dawn's inspecting them, arms crossed
in front of her.
DAWN
They're all slayers?
GILES
Potential slayers. Waiting for one to be called. There were many more like
them all over the world, but, um, now there's just a handful, and they're all
on their way to Sunnydale.
BUFFY
The others were murdered.
20a EXT. CITY
STREET IN ISTANBUL, TURKEY - NIGHT
A dark-haired girl is held down by two hooded figures, and a third figure
raises an arched, shiny, silver dagger and thrusts down at her.
20b INT. PARKING
GARAGE IN FRANKFURT, GERMANY - NIGHT
A girl with hot pink hair with black bangs at her forehead, a nose ring, and
a metal collar is trying to escape her pursuers. Robed men close the door
behind them and start to fight with her. She is knocked to the ground, lying
on her back. Finally, one of the robed people pulls out a curved silver
dagger and stabs her.
GILES
In cold blood. As well as their watchers. We always feared that this day would
come, when there'd be an attack against not just an individual slayer, but
against the whole line.
20c INT. FLAT
IN ENGLAND - DAY
Giles enters the flat, looking around. He sees Robson lying injured on the
floor and goes to his side.
ROBSON
(eyes flash open) It's started.
BUFFY
The First. That's what it wants.
GILES
Yes, to erase all the slayers in training and their watchers along with their
methods.
BUFFY
And then Faith, and then me. And with all the potentials gone and no way of
making another, it's the end. No more slayer. Ever.
WILLOW
But we haven't found any information on The First. No documentation—
GILES
(crosses arms) That's because it predates any written history, and it rarely
shows its true face. The only record I know was in the Council Library.
ANYA
What about the Council? What do they say about this?
GILES
Gone. (looks at Buffy, who stares back in shock)
WILLOW
What?
GILES
Obliterated. They were in session, and, uh, there was an explosion.
WILLOW
That means all the Council's records are-are destroyed?
GILES
Annabelle. (Girl #2 unzips her book bag, takes two books and a stack of files
from it and lays them on the coffee table in front of Willow) That's what's
left. (Willow, Anya, Dawn and Buffy each take some of the new material and
peruse it) The mystic secrets of the Watchers. And whatever I could find on
The First. When I learned what was happening, I-I, um, I stole them.
ANYA
And you blew the Council up! See, this is what happens when you're all stuffy
and repressed. You overreact.
GILES
Not—I didn't. Must've been an agent of The First, after my little burglary
session. The knowledge contained in these files had to be protected, and there
wasn't time for-for bureaucracy or debate. The Council knows no other way.
ANDREW
(still tied to a chair, he lets out a melodramatic observation) And it cost
them their lives! (everyone turns and stares, he sits back) Go on.
BUFFY
(to Xander) Can we gag him? (Xander claps and goes to Andrew, putting duct
tape over his mouth) But what do these records say about The First?
GILES
Uh, very little. It can change form. Uh, it only appears in the guise of
someone who's passed away.
WILLOW
Our ghosts.
GILES
Also it's not corporeal. It can't touch or fight on it's own. It only works
through those it manipulates. And its followers, the Bringers.
GIRL #3
Those freaks in the black robes.
GIRL #1
Yeah, with the hoodies and the crazy alphabet eyes. I never saw 'em, I just
heard—
ANNABELLE/GIRL #2
Shh! Molly, Mr. Giles doesn't need us prattling on.
GILES
(sits on arm of couch) The First is unlike anything we've faced before. I mean,
there's evil and then there's the thing that created evil, the source.
BUFFY
And that's what this thing claims to be?
GILES
That's what it is. It has eternities to act, endless resources. (stands) How
to defeat it—I-I— (sighs) honestly I don't know. But we have to find a
way. If the slayer line is eliminated, then the hell mouth has no guardian.
The balance is destroyed. (walks up to Buffy) I'm afraid it falls to you,
Buffy. Sorry. I mean, we'll do what we can, but you're the only one who has
the strength to protect these girls—and the world—against what's coming.
XANDER
But no pressure.
GIRL #3
(walks to the center of the room, addressing everyone) That's it? That's the
plan? I don't see how one person, even a slayer, could protect us. I saw what
those bringer guys can do. They tore apart my watcher.
GILES
Of course we'll use all our resources—
GIRL #3
And if this thing is the root of all evil, isn't the hell mouth it's number
one vacation spot? I mean, don't you think we should be hiding our asses on
the other side of the globe?
ANNABELLE
Kennedy!
BUFFY
No, she's not wrong. We need more muscle. That's why we need to find Spike.
ANYA
Yeah, he'll help. You know, if he's not crazy or off killing people or dead.
Or, you know, all of the above.
Cut to:
21 INT. UNDERGROUND
CAVE - DAY
Spike's head is thrust underwater, and he struggles under the force of hands
that are holding him down. Pan out to show that it's the UberVamp holding
Spike's head in a pool of water in the cave. Drusilla/First is pacing behind
them, supervising. Finally, Spike stops struggling, and the UberVamp pulls
Spike's head out of the pool and throws him on the ground.
DRUSILLA/FIRST
That's why our kind make such good dollies.
Lying face up on the ground, Spike coughs out water. He looks away from
Drusilla/First.
DRUSILLA/FIRST
Hard to kill. Tried to enlighten little Buffy, didn't you? Spilled, spilled,
spilled our secrets like seed. (reaches down to touch her dress at thigh level,
slowly starts pulling up her skirt) But you forgot, I say what you tell and
what you know. I say when this is over. (lets go of her skirt and puts her
hands behind her head) And I'm not done with you yet. Not nearly. (clicks
tongue)
On Drusilla/First's command, the UberVamp picks up Spike and heads for
the pool, forcing his head underwater again.
Cut to:
22 EXT. SUNNYDALE
STREET - NIGHT
Zoom in on a holiday display in a storefront window. Pan over to Buffy and
Giles walking side by side down the street.
GILES
This place you originally saw The First—you say it was in a Christmas tree
lot?
BUFFY
Under it. There was a hidden cavern. Just happened to be under a tree lot. The
Bringers were doing some kind of ritual. (looks at Giles) Giles, this is bad,
isn't it? A new kind of bad.
GILES
Just in time for Christmas.
BUFFY
(sighs, looks around) You know, I didn't even realize it was December. Maybe
when we get home, we should decorate the rubble. (looks at Giles) Think you'll
ever show up for a real visit? The kind where the world isn't about to end?
GILES
If we survive this, I promise.
BUFFY
Good. 'Cause I miss you.
GILES
I miss you too.
Cut to:
23 INT. LIVING
ROOM AT BUFFY'S HOUSE - DAY
Andrew is still tied to the chair, talking to Xander.
ANDREW
So, how long have you followed Buffy?
XANDER
I don't follow her. She's my best friend.
ANDREW
Huh. She seems like a good leader. Her hair is shiny. Does she make you stab
things?
Willow, who's putting a pillow and blanket on the couch, is talking to
Kennedy. She grabs a stack of bed sheets and starts walking toward the
staircase.
WILLOW
OK, so Annabelle can sleep down here, uh, Molly can sleep in Dawn's room—
KENNEDY
Not if Dawn actually wants to sleep. Molly'll talk her ear off.
WILLOW
OK, then Molly down here, you with Dawn, and Annabelle in my room.
KENNEDY
Bad idea. Annabelle snores.
WILLOW
(hands sheets to Kennedy) You wanna do the sleeping arrangements?
KENNEDY
(starts up the stairs) OK. (turns to face Willow) You, uh, better not hog the
covers. (smiles, turns to go upstairs)
Willow eyes widen.
DAWN
(walks up to Willow from the kitchen) Does she want to eat?
WILLOW
What? Huh? Oh, she's—Oh, she's new. (glances up the stairs after Kennedy)
DAWN
(walks back to the kitchen, Willow follows) Well, Annabelle and Molly are
starved and I totally burnt the mac and cheese. Oh, um, I'll put hot sauce on
it, tell 'em it's an American thing, say it's blackened.
24 INT. KITCHEN
AT BUFFY'S HOUSE - DAY
Anya is scraping the burnt mac and cheese out of the pot and into the garbage
can.
ANYA
Actually, it's not blackened so much as ruined.
WILLOW
Or we can order pizza.
ANNABELLE
(sitting at the island, reading a book) As long as it's plain. I'm veggie.
MOLLY
(going through the cabinets, opening a box of cereal) Cracked, you mean.
ANNABELLE
Just because you'll eat any kind of trash—
MOLLY
(finds boxes of cookies on the counter) Brill! Biscuits! You don't mind do you?
I got a case of the nerves after Mr. Giles lecture.
DAWN
(opens a box of cookies) Knock yourself out. I feel a cookie problem coming
on, myself.
Dawn and Annabelle get into one box of cookies, and Willow and Molly
share another while Anya mumbles in the background.
Cut to:
25 EXT. CHRISTMAS
TREE SALES LOT - NIGHT
Buffy and Giles walk into the empty Christmas tree lot. Lights are strung, but
there are no trees there. The two of them are looking around.
GILES
So the entrance to the cave was above ground here?
BUFFY
Yeah, I'm pretty sure it was around here somewhere.
GILES
Well, we'll just keep—
BUFFY (O.S.)
(crunch of breaking wood can be heard) Aah! (Giles turns to look) Found it!
Buffy has fallen into a hole in the ground that was covered with wooden
slats that apparently gave way. Giles puts his glasses on and bends to look
into the hole.
GILES
Good lord, are you all right?
Cut to:
26 INT. UNDERGROUND
CAVE - NIGHT
Buffy has fallen into a cave and landed on top of some rubble. She stands and
dusts herself off while talking to Giles, who is still above ground.
BUFFY
Peachy, except my knees bend backwards now. OK, Giles, stay up there. I'm
gonna check it out.
Buffy walks off further into the cave.
GILES
Right. (stands and looks around the empty lot above ground)
Buffy walks around among the various cave formations. She looks up, she
looks down, and then something passes behind Buffy, unseen by her. She turns
to look, but no one is behind her. When she turns back, the UberVamp hisses in
her face. Buffy is startled, and the UberVamp takes that opportunity to punch
her so hard she flies across the room, landing against the wall and falling to
the ground. He kicks and punches her with such force that her blocks are
mostly ineffective.
She retreats, but he follows. Finally she gets some good offensive moves
in, but he's able to avoid or block more than half of them. He punches her
again, sending her rolling into another room. She gets to her feet before the
UberVamp can get to her and readies herself with a stake. When he finally
comes close enough, she stakes him right through the heart. He looks at the
stake, growls, looks at Buffy, and takes out the stake. Buffy's eyes grow wide
as she stares in utter shock.
Fade to black.
ACT III:
27 INT. UNDERGROUND
CAVE - NIGHT
Resume. Buffy's staring at the UberVamp.
The UberVamp punches Buffy and comes after her with her own stake. Buffy
avoids his attacks, but her back's literally against the wall. Her eyes are
still wide as she watches him come after her. He punches her in the stomach
and throws her against the wall. She throws a punch at him, but he catches her
fist in his palm and squeezes until it makes crunching sounds, then twists her
arm, then pulls her body by the arm until he slams her head into a stalagmite,
before finally grabbing her throat, squeezing, and lifting her off the ground.
Buffy winces and looks around desperately until she finds a stalactite. She
breaks the stalactite off of the cave ceiling and bashes the UberVamp's head
with it. He drops her and falls to the ground.
While he's recovering, Buffy makes a run for it. She climbs the cave
walls toward the hole where she fell in. She's almost out, her hands are on
the Christmas tree lot ground, when the UberVamp grabs her heel. Buffy
struggles against him, trying to get out of the hole, but the UberVamp pulls
her back in. There's nothing on the ground for her to grab on to to resist.
She kicks the UberVamp in the head and tries again to crawl out of the hole.
She barely gets out of the hole and looks up at Giles, who is backlit by the
rising sun, which he blocks. The UberVamp starts to crawl out of the hole, but
sees the sunlight, and retreats back into it.
Cut to:
28 INT. KITCHEN
AT BUFFY'S HOUSE - DAY
Buffy and Giles walk into the kitchen through the back door, only to see the
three slayers in training already up and eating breakfast.
BUFFY
(to Giles)...the others just yet. It'll give us a chance to— (sees the girls
in the kitchen)
KENNEDY
(eating a bowl of cereal) Sorry about the British invasion.
MOLLY
(preparing toast and jelly) We've been up for hours.
ANNABELLE
(drinking from a mug) 4 P.M. London time.
KENNEDY
Are you all right? You look...
BUFFY
(shuts the door) Oh. Yeah, I'm OK. I just got into a fight is all. (to Giles)
You want to tell me with what? (takes off her coat)
GILES
Yes, Buffy, but don't you think we should, uh, discuss this privately?
BUFFY
You mean, not in front of the next generation? No time to coddle them, Giles.
Welcome to the war room, guys.
Annabelle gets out a notepad to take notes.
GILES
Uh, what you fought was a vampire, but it was, um, something more than that.
It was a Turok-Han. As Neanderthals are to human beings, the Turok-Han are to
vampires. Primordial, ferociously powerful killing machines, as single-minded
as animals. They are the vampires that vampires fear. An ancient and entirely
different race and, until this morning, I thought they were a myth.
BUFFY
So, The First shows up, and now this? You think it's a coincidence?
GILES
I think it's more likely that the Turok-Han is here as an agent of The First.
ANNABELLE
Um, did you slay it?
BUFFY
No, it's still out there, somewhere.
MOLLY
What's it want?
BUFFY
All of us dead. But for now it looks like sunlight is keeping this UberVamp
away.
GILES
So, until sunset, I suggest you get some rest. A few hours sleep will do a
world of difference.
BUFFY
No sleep today. Can't.
GILES
Oh, come on, you're exhausted.
BUFFY
Ah, it comes with the gig. Somehow I don't think taking on prehistoric evil
comes with nap time. Sorry, potential guys. I know you came a long way, and
you wanna get into it, but the best thing you can do right now is just sit
tight, wait it out. I'm gonna go to work, see what I can find out. I'll be
back before sunset.
GILES
How do you plan to research something as ill-defined as The First?
BUFFY
I have the best plan ever.
Cut to:
29 INT. BUFFY'S
CUBICLE AT SUNNYDALE HIGH - DAY
Buffy is sitting at her desk, talking on the phone, using her computer. Beside
her keyboard is a large gourmet coffee. She has a web browser up, and is using
a search engine. In the search field, she has typed "evil".
BUFFY
(to phone) Yeah, well, I already re-checked the basement. (beat) Wait, you
know, hold on, I'm gonna try something. (types, sighs) Maybe The First isn't
ready for modern technology. Displaying results 1 through 10 of 900,517. OK, I
gotta narrow this down. I'll call you back? Yeah. (Buffy hangs up then types)
PRINCIPAL
(walks up to her cubicle wall without her noticing, reading from her computer
screen) Manifestations of evil? (Buffy types more in the search field,
Principal reads what she's typing) In... the... movies. (to Buffy) You're
searching for evil movies?
BUFFY
Uh, I know it's not the all-time most kosher use of my office hours, um, but,
you know, looking at some down time. And what can I say, I just love those
evil, evil movies. Like Exorcist, you know, Blair Witch...
PRINCIPAL
Hmm. As opposed to Rob Schneider's Oeuvre.
BUFFY
Different kind of evil.
PRINCIPAL
Yeah. (walks into her cubicle) Buffy, you know, I'm not that big a fan of
scary movies, even the hokie ones. Sometimes they go to a place that I think
kids could stand to avoid. (sits in the chair in front of her desk, crosses
his arms and leans forward on her desk)
BUFFY
Well, it's not for the kids.
PRINCIPAL
(looking her right in the eyes) Yeah, yeah, I'm only saying that once you see
true evil, it can have some serious after burn, and then you can't unsee what
you saw. Ever. That's just one opinion. I better get back to work. (stands and
walks out of her cubicle)
BUFFY
(calls after him) What kind of movies do you like?
PRINCIPAL
(pauses, answers without turning around) Oh, me? Mysteries. I love finding out
what's underneath it all at the very end. (grins)
Cut to:
30 INT. UNDERGROUND
CAVE - DAY
Spike is propped up on a rock, looking beaten and haggard. One of his eyes is
swollen shut. He lies there as Drusilla/First stand in front of him talking.
DRUSILLA/FIRST
Think of it as a game. A fun, funny game. Without all the rules, or any of the
bothersome winning part. But still, there are sides. You have to choose a
side, Spike. Then we can fly—be free and visit all our friends as they come
squirming up from out the earth. (starts dancing) I know you like a good
wriggle and a giggle and a squiggle.
SPIKE
You're not Drusilla.
DRUSILLA/FIRST
(giggles) No, I'm really not.
SPIKE
She was crazier than you.
DRUSILLA/FIRST
(covers her ears with her hands) Ooh, daddy. No kicking. It's almost Christmas
day today and you've gone spoiling it. I've been so very good all year.
(growls playfully in Spike's face) But I could be bad if you like. (Spike
looks away from her, but the UberVamp punches him in the head) Bad daddy.
Needs a caning. Never learned his headmaster's lesson while all the school
bells ring (mimes ringing a bell) and ring and ring and ring and ring...(bends
down to whisper in his ear) Choose a side. Choose our side. You know that it's
delicious. (feigns licking his face, but doesn't actually) What do you say?
SPIKE
(whispers) Dru, luv...
DRUSILLA/FIRST
Hmm?
SPIKE
Get bent.
DRUSILLA/FIRST
(stands, pouts) Stupid, stubborn daddy.
Drusilla/First holds her hands over her heart and walks away as the
UberVamp starts pummeling Spike again. Drusilla/First swings her hips back and
forth, watching Spike get beaten, and mumbles to herself.
DRUSILLA/FIRST
Ringing, ringing, ringing...
Cut to:
31 INT. BATHROOM
AT SUNNYDALE HIGH - DAY
The school bell rings. Buffy is washing her face in the sink. She touches a
sore spot on her face, then goes to inspect her arms as well. She unzips the
arm of her blazer to reveal scrapes and bruises worse than we've ever seen on
her.
BUFFY
Ow. Oh. Ah.
Cut to:
32 INT. BUFFY'S
ROOM AT BUFFY'S HOUSE- DAY
Suddenly, Joyce's loving touch, and her concerned voice speaks.
JOYCE (O.S.)
Buffy, what happened?
BUFFY
(looks up, and finds herself in her house, talking to her mother) Uh, oh, it's
OK, Mom.
JOYCE
I tried to warn you, but—right. The last thing you need now is one of
helpful Mom's guilt trips. I'll get you some ice.
BUFFY
No. Mom, I-I can't.
JOYCE
Buffy, you have to heal.
BUFFY
I don't have time.
JOYCE
Are you worried about the sun going down? Because there's some things you
can't control. The sun always goes down, the sun always comes up.
BUFFY
Everyone's counting on me.
JOYCE
Well, they do that, and I'm sorry, Buffy, but these-these friends of you put
too much pressure on you. They always have.
BUFFY
Something evil is coming.
JOYCE
Buffy, evil isn't coming, it's already here. Evil is always here. Don't you
know? It's everywhere.
BUFFY
And I have to stop it.
JOYCE
How are you gonna do that?
BUFFY
I-I don't know yet, but—
JOYCE
Buffy, no matter what your friends expect of you, evil is a part of us. All of
us. It's natural. And no one can stop that. No one can stop nature, not
even—
Cut to:
33 INT. BUFFY'S
CUBICLE AT SUNNYDALE HIGH - DAY
The school bell rings, and Buffy wakes up at her desk. There's a student
sitting in the chair in front of her desk.
BUFFY
Oh, um, I'm sorry. What were we talking about?
TEEN BOY
Only my life. You're just like all the others.
BUFFY
No. No, no, no. I'm different. I'm hip. I relate to the young people. (stands
to leave) No, don't go, uh, uh...
TEEN BOY
Roger.
BUFFY
Roger. See? I knew that! (Roger leaves, Buffy sighs and hangs her head in her
hands) Oh...
Principal Wood is watching Buffy through his office window.
Cut to:
34 INT. LIVING
ROOM AT BUFFY'S HOUSE - DAY
Dawn and Willow are getting weapons from the weapons chest. Giles is pacing.
Xander is finishing up working on the living room window. The slayers in
training are sitting on the couch.
GILES
This day's almost over. (looks at watch) And the sun will go down in 17
minutes.
XANDER
Hey, junior slayers, don't look so worried. I mean, sure, we don't know where
Spike is, or how to fight The First, or if and when the super style vampire is
gonna attack us all. However, house—(taps hammer on boarded up windows)
boarded up. No all we gotta do is trap this UberVamp in a pantry, and it's
game over.
WILLOW
Xander, newbies. Let's ease them in to the whole "jokes in the face of
death" thing.
XANDER
Who's joking? That pantry thing could work. Are you saying M. Night Shamalayan
lied to us?
BUFFY
(to slayers in training) You'll be OK.
WILLOW
(standing near Buffy now, holding a mace, to slayers in training) OK, or even
better. It's like our guarantee. (to Buffy) Um, Buffy, I just, I want you to
know that I'm really sorry for letting you down. You know, here before with
the magic going all aah and me going all eeee and everything getting all rrrr.
I wish I could help out.
BUFFY
No one expects you to make everything right.
WILLOW
So, I can't do everything, but I should at least be able to do something. I
have so much power, but when I try to use it—
BUFFY
Don't, OK?
WILLOW
OK. But, you need help, Buffy. I know you, and I know you'll never admit it,
but you need help.
BUFFY
(shrugs) I'll be OK. OK, or better. It's like my guarantee.
KENNEDY
(stands, walks up to Buffy and Willow) Hey, are we getting weapons? Trained
fighters? Patton is coming? I've heard worse ideas.
ANNABELLE
We'll be armed when the slayer feels we're ready.
MOLLY
I feel ready.
ANNABELLE
You're frightened. You must learn to control your fear.
KENNEDY
(turns to Annabelle) Hey, you know what would help with that? (turns to Buffy)
Weapons.
BUFFY
Uh, I don't know about that—
KENNEDY
We're sitting ducks without them.
ANNABELLE
We're with the slayer. Safe as houses.
KENNEDY
(to Annabelle) Do you see the house we're in?
ANNABELLE
It'll come straight for us, won't it?
BUFFY
We should load them up, Giles.
Cut to:
35 INT. DINING
ROOM AT BUFFY'S HOUSE - DAY
Andrew is still tied to a chair. Xander walks into the dining room.
ANDREW
Listen to me, man, I've got a bad feeling about this.
XANDER
Of course you've got a bad feeling, dude. You're-you're tied to a chair.
ANDREW
No. Yeah, but above and beyond that. I'm telling you that my spider-sense is
tingling. This is gonna get hairy. I'm talking weird with a beard. Better
untie me.
BUFFY
And that'll help us, how?
ANDREW
(sighs) OK, I know what you're thinking. Andrew, bad guy. You think I'm a
super-villain like Dr. Doom or Apocalypse or-or The Riddler. But I admit I
went over to the dark side, but just to pick up a few things, a-and now I'm
back. I've learned. I'm good again.
BUFFY
And when were you good before? (Buffy and Xander walk out)
ANDREW
OK, technically, never. Touché. (struggles against his restraints) But I'm
like Vader in the last 5 minutes of Jedi with redemptive powers minus a
redemptive struggle of epic redemption which chronicles... (stops struggling
and sighs) These ropes itch.
Cut to:
36 INT. LIVING
ROOM AT BUFFY'S HOUSE - DAY
Buffy's looking out the window, and she turns to speak to Giles as he walks up
to her.
BUFFY
How're we doing on time?
GILES
Sunset should be any minute now. Done everything we can. And don't worry,
everyone here understands that you're calling the shots.
BUFFY
I just hope I'm calling the right ones.
GILES
You have all my faith. And they're depending on you.
BUFFY
Giles, that's not exactly what I needed to hear right now.
MOLLY
(enters the room, interrupts them) Guys? Annabelle split.
Cut to:
37 EXT. STREET
IN SUNNYDALE - NIGHT
Annabelle is running down the street, looking over her shoulder. She's run
into an industrial manufacturing complex, and as she runs past a dumpster, the
UberVamp jumps out and grabs her by the throat, growling and lifting her off
the ground. Cut to a shot of her cross pendant necklace falling to the ground.
Fade to black.
ACT IV:
38 EXT. STREET
IN SUNNYDALE - NIGHT
Buffy has found her way to the same industrial manufacturing complex where
Annabelle was last seen being attacked by the UberVamp. She walks past the
dumpster and sees Annabelle's body lying still on the ground.
Buffy is visibly upset, taking a moment to contemplate the situation,
when the UberVamp attacks her from behind, knocking her to the ground. Buffy
crawls away to crouch beside the dumpster. She looks at the UberVamp and then
gets up to fight with it. She kicks, he ducks. She punches, he blocks. He
punches her in the face, then in the stomach, and Buffy falls to the ground
face first. He picks her up and tries to choke her, but she spits blood in his
face, startling him, and Buffy manages to escape his clutches. She runs away,
hiding in the nearby factory. The UberVamp licks the blood off of his face,
growls, and heads after Buffy.
Cut to:
39 INT. FACTORY
IN SUNNYDALE - NIGHT
Buffy runs into the factory and looks around for somewhere to hide.
She's not making a fast flight since she's limping. She goes deeper into
the building, which is very industrial in nature with many vertical metal
pipes and valves. The UberVamp has followed her to the building and is looking
for her. She surprises it by coming from behind it and smacking it in the head
with a large metal pipe, but she doesn't even manage to knock him down. They
fight and he wrestles the pipe from her hand when she swings it at him again.
He throws the pipe to the ground and they return to martial arts.
He punches her and she bends over at the waist. He kicks her in the
chest, sending her crashing into a metal support beam. He comes at her again,
and she drops to the ground to avoid his fist. She stands, and he punches and
kicks her, finally causing her to double over in pain as he punches her ribs.
He punches her in the head, sending her to the ground again. He picks her up,
backhands her in the face, then punches her so hard, she flies 25 feet across
the room.
He runs toward her, but she looks around and notices a pulley hoisting a
pallet of metal beams. Buffy kicks a control lever for the pulley, sending the
beams crashing on top of the UberVamp as he comes towards her. Still lying on
the ground, Buffy hides her face as they land. She gets up and runs away
slowly, still limping, but stops and turns around. Her eyes widen as she sees
the UberVamp rising from the pile of metal beams, unhurt. He leaps out of the
rubble and sprints after her.
In no time at all, he has caught up to her, grabbing her from behind and
throwing her into a concrete wall. She steps back, still standing, as the
UberVamp literally crawls up the wall to gain momentum and height to kick her
in the face, knocking Buffy to the ground. Then he kicks her in the head again
before grabbing her arm and throwing Buffy through a concrete block wall. The
wall crumbles down on top of her, the roof caves in, and there's blackness.
Cut to:
40 INT. FACTORY
IN SUNNYDALE - NIGHT
In the blackness, Xander's voice can be heard.
XANDER
Buffy!
He lifts off part of the metal roof that has fallen on top of Buffy,
revealing her body lying there still on the ground in a pile of rubble, her
face covered in blood. Xander is flanked by Willow and Giles.
XANDER
Oh, God almighty.
They all stare at Buffy's beaten body.
Cut to:
41 INT. UNDERGROUND
CAVE - NIGHT
A frowning Drusilla/First is talking to Spike, who's lying face up on a rock.
DRUSILLA/FIRST
Do you know why you're alive?
SPIKE
(weakly) Never figured you for existential thought, luv. I mean, you hated
Paris.
DRUSILLA/FIRST
You're alive for one reason, and one reason only. Because I wish it. Do you
know why I wish it? (holds her hands to her heart) Because I'm not done with
you.
SPIKE
(scoffs) Give it up. (Drusilla/First rolls her eyes and turns away) Whatever
you are, whatever you get away with, I'm out. You can't pull this puppet's
strings anymore.
DRUSILLA/FIRST
(snaps back to face Spike) And what makes you think you have a choice? What
makes you think you will ever be any good at all in this world?
SPIKE
She does. Because she believes in me.
Cut to:
42 INT. BUFFY'S
HOUSE - NIGHT
Buffy's curled up in fetal position in a chair in an empty room, listening to
the others talk in the next room. She's beaten up quite badly, her face bloody
and bruised. She stares straight ahead as she listens.
GILES (O.S.)
We could make plans as we always do, but the truth is, Buffy was our plan.
There is no back up.
WILLOW (O.S.)
Giles, she looks bad.
GILES (O.S.)
She does. I'm afraid there may be internal bleeding.
WILLOW (O.S.)
What does that mean? Will she—
GILES (O.S.)
Die? I don't think so. I don't know.
WILLOW (O.S.)
What do we do if she can't fight, if she can't beat this thing?
Cut to:
43 INT. DINING
ROOM AT BUFFY'S HOUSE - NIGHT
Giles is pacing, talking. The slayers in training are sitting around the
dining room table, along with Dawn and Anya. Xander and Willow are leaning
against the wall.
GILES
We're back at square one.
XANDER
Which square would that be, exactly?
GILES
I'm not sure. The First predates everything we've ever known, or can know.
It's everywhere. It's pure. I don't know if we can fight it.
Buffy walks in, and everyone turns to look, seemingly unaware that she'd
been listening.
BUFFY
(solemn) You're right. We don't know how to fight it. We don't know when it'll
come. We can't run, can't hide, can't pretend it's not the end, 'cause it is.
Something's always been there to try and destroy the world. We've beaten them
back, but we're not dealing with them anymore. We're dealing with the reason
they exist. Evil. The strongest. The First.
GILES
Buffy, I—I-I know you're tired.
BUFFY
(resolute) I'm beyond tired. I'm beyond scared. I'm standing on the mouth of
hell, and it is gonna swallow me whole. And it'll choke on me. We're not
ready? They're not ready. They think we're gonna wait for the end to come,
like we always do. I'm done waiting. They want an apocalypse? Oh, we'll give
'em one. Anyone else who wants to run, do it now. 'Cause we just became an
army. We just declared war. From now on, we won't just face our worst fears,
we will seek them out. We will find them, and cut out their hearts one by one,
until The First shows itself for what it really is. And I'll kill it myself.
There is only one thing on this earth more powerful than evil, and that's us.
Any questions?
Cut to:
Closing credits.