The SAT results are back, and everyone passed but Xander. Buffy did extremely well. She ponders leaving Faith in charge when she goes to Uni.

Spike crashes back into town - drunk, single and pissed off. He kidnaps Xander and Willow, making her cast a spell to make Dru love him again. Angel and Buffy learn Spike’s back - he makes them go with him to the magic shop for ingredients, and are trapped by a welcome home present from the Mayor - a gang of vamps. Thinking that they are doomed, Willow and Xander kiss again, observed by Oz and Cordelia, who have just arrived to save them. A shocked Cordelia falls through a rotten staircase and is impaled by a steel rod. Invigorated by the violence, Spike decides to get Dru back by himself, and tells Angel and Buffy where the hostages are. Next day, all three relationships seem to be over: Buffy and Angel, Willow and Oz, Xander and Cordelia. Spike is happy, though, as he drives back.

Review:
He’s back! And he has another hilarious scene with Joyce! James Marsters returns to his old scene-stealing tricks, praise be. in fact, you could argue that the two Spike/Joyce scenes are the two funniest in the series.

The whole affair is incredibly involving - a heartbreaking ending, but equally some great comedy scenes.

Best line: We Like Spike: “You’re not friends. You’ll never be friends. You’ll be in love ‘til it kills you both. You’ll fight, and you’ll shag, and you’ll hate each other ‘til it makes you quiver but you’ll never be friends. Love isn't brains, children, it's blood. Blood screaming inside you to work its will. I may be love's bitch, but at least I'm man enough to admit it.” (When he spoke to SFX, Joss Whedon picked this speech out as one of his all-time favourites.)

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Trivia: Pop culture reference: “I’m thinking Weird Science.”

As he drives back, Spike sings along to My Way, the Sid Vicious version. Sung by Gary Oldman. If you see what I mean.

The Mayor was fully aware of Spike’s movements all last season