| Written by: | Marti Noxon |
| Directed by: | David Solomon |
| Starring: | Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers Nicholas Brendon as Xander Harris Emma Caulfield as Anya Michelle Trachtenberg as Dawn Summers James Marsters as Spike Alyson Hannigan as Willow Rosenberg |
| Guest Starring: | Elizabeth Anne Allen as Amy Madison Jeff Kober as Rack Amber Benson as Tara Maclay |
| Co-Starring: | Fleming Brooks as Mandraz Mageina Tovah as Jonesing Girl Michael Giordani as Jonesing Guy Colin Malone as Creepy Guy |
Willow's magic addiction went even more out of control and injured Dawn.
The episode opened the morning after "Smashed" ended. Tara was surprised to find that the entire night had passed and wondered why nobody came home. Dawn was getting worried about Willow and Buffy, but Tara tried to convince Dawn that Willow and Buffy simply lost track of time. She was barely more convincing than when she tried to convince Dawn that Spike had a robot Buffy built to play checkers.
Meanwhile, Buffy and Spike woke up. Spike seemed proud of himself, but Buffy was embarrassed. She made some empty threats and insults, but he had her where he wanted her.
Tara was making some pancakes for Dawn when Willow and Amy arrived home. They had a very awkward reunion. Tara probably thought that Amy was someone that Willow spent the night with, but it was hardly reassurring when it became clear that Amy was simply someone who abused magic with Willow over the previous night. Tara walked away and left the pancake to burn.
Buffy arrived and claimed that she was in an all-night fight. The others believed her. Both Willow and Buffy decided that they wanted to go to sleep. Willow tried to close curtains using magic, but she was too weak and had to do so manually.
Later that day, Buffy, Xander, and Anya were doing research on who froze the security guard in "Smashed." Actually, Xander and Buffy were researching while Anya read bridal magazines. Xander was upset at this, but he realized that research was getting them nowhere.
The conversation went to Willow. Xander was worried that Willow brought Amy back in order to have someone to do magic with without monitoring her like Tara did. Buffy tried to defend Willow but was really defending what she herself did the previous night.
That evening, Willow and Amy searched for something else to do. Amy suggested going to a warlock named Rack who could fix Willow up with all sorts of spells. He seemed to be quite interested in Willow and brought her in to his office ahead of others who were waiting. The next thing we know, Amy was busy spinning around and Willow was pinned to the ceiling. (Get it, she is high.) While up there, she saw some sort of monster dragging a naked woman through a forest. She eventually fell to the floor and found herself back in her room. This followed with a cry in the shower.
Dawn tried her newfound manipulation powers on Willow. They worked just as well as on Tara. Willow suggested a movie and dinner. Buffy returned home to find Willow and Dawn both gone. Instead, she found Amy sneaking in to steal sage. Buffy was quite angry. Amy told her that Willow was even worse and was probably at Rack's. An angry Buffy demanded to know where that was, but Amy did not know because Rack moves to different locations.
Meanwhile, Willow was grilling Dawn about her time with Tara. Dawn noticed that they were not walking to the theater. Willow wanted to go to Rack's first and left Dawn in the waiting room while she went inside.
Much later, Dawn was trying to avoid a creepy guy in the waiting room while Willow was enveloped in a red visual effect. Willow soon found herself floating in space, where she saw a demon carrying a woman.
Buffy woke Spike to help find Dawn. He seemed to think that she was there for something else, but he did realize that getting involved with Rack was dangerous.
Eventually, Willow came out. Dawn was angry at first, but she soon became concerned for Willow. Dawn wanted to go home, but Willow wanted to continue her bender. They argued but were interrupted when the demon from Willow's hallucination arrived. Willow thought that it was still a hallucination, but it was real.
It scratched Dawn on the face, so she responded by kicking it in the gut. This allowed Willow and her to escape into a car. Unfortunately, Willow was still under the influence of magic and drove the car into a wall. Willow was unconscious, but Dawn staggered out holding her arm.
Unfortunately, the demon was uninjured and caught up to them. Dawn tried to hide under the car, but the demon grabbed her. She tried to fight it as much as she could with an injured arm, but it was too strong for her. Fortunately, Buffy heard her scream and came to the rescue. They had a fight that ended with Willow regaining consciousness and burning the demon up.
The others went to tend to Dawn. Willow tried to apologize, but Dawn simply slapped her. Willow collapsed in tears. Spike led Dawn off as Willow begged for help.
Later that night, Buffy gave Willow a mild lecture. Willow admitted that Tara left her because the magic was out of control. Willow believed that magic was the one thing that kept her from being the insignificant person she feared she was in her dream in "Restless." Buffy reassured her that she was special and that Tara still loved her. Buffy seemed to see a parallel between Willow's magic addiction and sex with Spike, so she was in a forgiving mood.
Jeff Kober did a very good job at playing a creepy character.
Willow's magic addiction metaphor became even more blatant.
A demon tried to attack Dawn and Willow. Dawn and Buffy fought it until Willow burned it up.
Anya explained Martha Stewart's true nature.
Willow's magic addiction became much more severe.
Willow animated Tara's clothes for comfort.
Buffy and Spike had a morning after conversation.
Anya is having trouble deciding how much of her demon traditions should be used in her wedding.
Buffy would rather not wear blood larva at Anya and Xander's wedding. She also feels disgusted with herself for sleeping with Spike, which caused her to be forgiving of Willow.
Willow now realizes that her magic is out of control.
Willow now realizes that her magic is out of control.
Willow burned the demon up, but there is no way that she is even going to get consideration for an MVP in this episode. Buffy managed to pull the demon off of Dawn, but Willow and Dawn survived until then mostly because of Dawn being able to fight it off. Dawn gets her first MVP.
Tara figured out that nobody waking her up meant that nobody came home between the previous episode and this one, and Willow realized that she was in trouble with her magic. I am not inclined to reward Willow for anything in this episode, so Tara will get this award.
Willow's magic addiction went even more out of control and led to Dawn becoming injured. She earns her second Goat in three episodes.
I have one little piece of advice for Tara. It might be nice to ask Dawn if she wanted pancakes before mixing up the batter and pouring it into a frying pan.
Dawn sleeps with Tara and follows it up with dinner and a movie with Willow. Someone with a dirty mind and a love of taking things completely out of context might think that Dawn is finally learning all the things that Willow and Tara used to do together.
"Oh, you're bent!" Buffy
"Yeah, but it made you scream, didn't it?" Spike
"Don't be ridiculous. Martha Stewart isn't a demon. She's a witch." Anya
"Please, she... Really?" Xander
"Of course, nobody could to that much decoupage without calling on the powers of darkness." Anya
"I can't decide whether to put my bridesmaids in cocktail dresses or the traditional burlap with blood larva." Anya
"At least I didn't dump you to hang out with an ex-rat." Anya
"You taste like strawberries." Rack
"It was like a meat party in my mouth. OK, now I'm just a kid and even I know that came out wrong." Dawn
"Get dressed. Dawn's missing." Buffy
"Again? Ever think about a Lojack for that girl?" Spike
"Yesterday was the most perverse, degrading experience of my life." Buffy
"Yeah, me too." Spike
"Magic wasn't all great. I won't miss the nosebleeds and the headaches and stuff." Willow
"There you go." Buffy
"Or keeping stinky yak cheese in my bra. Don't ask." Willow
Highlight the space after each question to find the answer. It is strongly recommended that you do not do so if you have not seen episodes through the episode indicated.