We are once again visiting Buffy and Angel as they make their way through the Hellmouth. Bad things are happening and bad things are coming soon. Before this is all over, I don’t think anyone in Sunnydale will be left untouched.
Note: This recap may contain spoilers!
We start off with a monster monologue, spouting off about his power and how it extends to the regular population. Arguments and emotions abound in many of us and he feeds upon it. Good to know, but more immediately pressing is the fact that Buffy and Angel are battling a multitude of monsters down in the Hellmouth. Unfortunately, their missions are not in line and Angel keeps trying to tell Buffy how to do her job. He wants to get straight to Drusilla, while Buffy’s taking down every monster they come across.
For all of Angel’s experience, things in the Hellmouth are different. The vampire claims that real monsters don’t announce themselves or present opportunities, and then one does exactly that. The creature then drags Angel into a hole and of course Buffy goes jumping in after him. She certainly doesn’t want to be left battling the inhabitants of the Hellmouth alone. Get Angel, fight monsters, get Drusilla. Seems like a simple enough plan.
What Buffy finds as she follows Angel is a whole underground city filled with mirages, one of which is her mother telling her they need Buffy. Xander and Willow’s images soon join in and try to manipulate Buffy. Meanwhile, the monster keeps torturing Angel, but he overcomes and forces the creature out of his head. While running away, he sees mirages as well and they mention that with Angel’s body and “her blood,” Drusilla can walk above. Angel doesn’t know whose blood they are referring to, but jumping back to Buffy it’s clear they mean her. So the vampire and the Slayer are all part of Dru’s plan.
Once Angel rejoins Buffy, he explains that the images they saw was a result of a change demon. It takes the form of people you know, feeds on fear, and uses it to control. But understanding that logically and accepting what you see in front of you is not real are two different things. Buffy keeps needing reassurance that what they’re seeing isn’t real because there’s a whole lot of monsters and a whole lot of city in their view.
After a quick attempt to fight the monsters, the creatures start running away – towards something. Buffy thinks she sees and hears Drusilla, so she follows. And as we end the issue, we are faced with one final twist. They find what I think is Drusilla chained up, spouting off nonsense. Looks like insane Dru is finally here. The Hellmouth does not leave any of its victims untouched, even those who are trying rule.
Rating: 4 / 5 Stars
