Wolves at the Gate conclusion
We open with Renee's thoughts as she dies, impaled on the stake end of the scythe. Fog is curling up around the team, Kumiko tackles Willow out the building window, and Xander is coming towards her as the fighting starts. "Xander, I'm not ready." Six Feet Under style whiteout as she dies.
Xander cradles her body and Buffy rallies the others around them to keeps the vamps from Xander. Dracula tells Buffy he can stop the spell, but he needs Willow, so would she please go get her. She doesn't want to leave Xander vulnerable, but Dracula has his back. What did happen with those two? Buffy transfers command to Satsu and dives out after the witches.
Willow and Kumiko are flying and falling, Will's green magic against Kumiko's red. Kumiko tells her they were both students of Saga Vasuki, aka the green snake lady. Did we know her name yet? I can't remember. Anyway, Will reads Kumiko's mind and finds Vasuki there. "Did you think I could not find you? Did you think you could hide from what you are? Or what's to come?" Those words echo from Restless and Buffy vs. Dracula, only then there were for Buffy. Now Willow gets a dose of it, along with a fiery vision of a city in flames, the scythe, and the snake lady curled around it. I think all this is foreshadowing the Fray future arc to come.
Kumiko is on top and Will is stunned from her vision when Buffy lands on Kumiko and sticks a knife into her heart. Hopefully she's dead, but who knows. Buffy and Willow continue to fall towards the battle below.
The slayers aren't having much luck, and Rowena calls for them to fall back, but Dawn is not having it. She stomps on a few more vamps and leads the charge toward the building. But the vampires were prepared for this. Come one, Tokyo, robotics division, you knew it was coming. Mecha Dawn! Toru: "Well, there's something you don't see everyday." Echoing Andrew's words last issue. Dawnzilla vs. Mecha Dawn commences.
Raidon says the slayers are within the radius -- so does that mean the spell is still limited to the city/country and not global? -- but no word from Kumiko. Turo's up for doing the incantation himself, and he starts that now that the lens is powered up. Then Dracula leads the infiltration team onto the roof. He tackles Turo, freeing the scythe. Satsu jumps for it and gets it and continues her arc over the edge of the building. Oops.
On the street, Willow woke up just in time to turn the sidewalk to water for them to land in. They crawl out dripping wet and see Satsu falling through the air. We focus on the two of them talking as they watch Satsu's descent. They discuss whether Satsu is Buffy's girlfriend now, and Willow tells Buffy to be careful with her Sappho sister's heart. And BTW, Willow never wanted Buffy that way, she's not even on the list. So there. Then they decide to catch Satsu.
From the roof, Raidon has the chance to be there when Willow appears with Buffy, Satsu and the scythe. Lucky him. But the vampires are still all full of gypsy tricks and can't be killed. Dracula calls to Willow, gives her his sword. He says -- this is interesting -- it's an ancient relic and bound with demon spirit, like the scythe. (Was there stuff about this in Fray at all? I can't remember.) Dracula tells Willow to do some sort of reversal spell that uses his sword and the lens to take the power from the vampires pretty much the same way they were going to take the power from the slayers using the scythe. Interesting. I guess Dracula's weird magic powers come from the sword somehow. Anyway, Willow casts the spell and the vampires are killable again. The slayers go to work.
Dawnzilla and Mecha Dawn fight while Andrew offers his finally useful expertise. Mecha Dawn says things like, "I like blue jeans and irony," "I cry a lot," and "I often let boys take advantage of my weak emotional states." Dawnzilla has had enough. She rips Mecha Dawn's head off.
In the battle on the roof, Satsu kills Raidon, saving Buffy. Dracula takes on Toru, calling for his sword back. Will tosses it his way and Toru intercepts. But Vlad Dracule is no slouch at combat. He takes back the sword, cuts Toru's hands and feet off, claiming that he has always been unique among vampires and Toru shouldn't be so cocky. Then he hands the sword to Xander. Xander cuts off Toru's head with determination but no joy.
The vampires run for it. Buffy orders her slayers to seal off the streets and let none escape as she walks to Xander to hold him as he collapses and cries.
Aftermath. At the Japanese fort, Dracula takes his leave of Xander. And I guess the manservant label is going the way of the dodo.
Buffy and Satsu talk once more. Satsu can't handle it. "I'm in love with you. And I need not to be." She wants to stay in Japan in Aiko's place, leading this squad. Buffy agrees. They say nice things and make love one last time.
The last page mingles Dracula's words to the captain of the ship carrying him away to quick shots of our Scooby gang:
"We have a cold journey ahead of us." Willow, meditating or communing with her snake lady.
"Find what warmth you can for now." Buffy and Satsu entangled in bed.
"And I'll stand watch alone." Xander scattering Renee's ashes and saying goodbye.
Now that was a particularly fine story arc.
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