The burden of being a Slayer is weighing heavy on Willow’s shoulders. And we begin to learn more about how this destiny came to be. Meddling in the affairs of others has dire consequences. And now Willow’s paying the price.
Note: This recap may contain spoilers!
Willow is having sleep problems. She has tried all the calming exercises Giles, Buffy, and Xander suggested, but each time she closes her eyes she sees death. It’s a burden she has to carry as the Slayer. And it seems like there’s no way to escape it.
There’s no time to rest either, as Giles texts Willow with an urgent situation. He summons her to the shop to introduce her to Faith. It’s not an easy meeting. They get in a tumble before Willow throws her off with magic. It’s a precursor to Willow’s emotional breakdown.
She doesn’t want to be the Slayer and would welcome Faith taking on the mantle. In fact, Willow was never supposed to be the Slayer in the first place. It came into being because of a magical incident, triggered by Giles and Willow. Buffy was being weighed down with her destiny, so they found a spell. It was supposed to just lift Buffy’s trauma, but instead it wiped her memory. Willow got all the memories, trauma, and powers of being a Slayer, while Buffy remembers nothing.
The spell is why there are two Slayers now. Giles and Willow essentially killed Buffy, so a new Slayer had to be called. Now they have Faith, who is next in line, and Willow, who is unprepared for the role. They’ve been so focused on trying to reverse the spell that they’ve ignored the need to train Willow. But it is a necessity because she has the role now and has to step up.
Giles has no way to reverse the spell at present. So, Faith offers to train Willow. It’s a very hands-on and draining night. Willow still feels unprepared, but she listens to Faith and taps into the memories she gained to help her perform. Still unsteady and not quite embracing of her new path, she’s at least willing to learn. And they end the night at the bar where Buffy works. Willow wants Faith to meet her. Perhaps eventually Buffy will once again regain her true destiny. It’s going to be interesting watching the current situation evolve.
Rating: 3 / 5 Stars
