Written and directed by Joss Whedon
Willow is dreaming that she's painting Latin on Tara's back and Tara is worried about not finding the kitty's name. Willow isn't worried around Tara. Tara tells her that she doesn't know everything about her and that they will find out about the real Willow. Willow is walking through the University campus, and she meets Xander and Oz, and mentions that she is taking drama, and Oz tells her he's been here forever. Willow realizes she's going to be late when the bell rings. She goes backstage and finds out they are about to do a play. Buffy comes and tells her that no one will find out about the real Willow and that everyone she's ever met is out there. A guy with some cheese appears and talks about cheese. Willow walks through the red curtains when Tara appears. Tara notices she still doesn't understand and they will punish her if they find out. Willow senses something following her. Tara disappears and Willow is attacked in the curtains. Buffy saves her and they go through a classroom wondering why Willow is still in costume, and rips off her clothes, revealing the old long-haired-high-school Willow. They all laugh and Oz flirts with Tara. Willow is attacked by something with human features and meanwhile Willow's real body is being harmed too.
The gang wakes up and leaves Willow asleep. Xander is dreaming still and heads on upstairs, where he encounters Joyce on the way to the bathroom. She tells him the others left and not to get lost. He goes to the bathroom, and discovers the whole Initiative is watching. He leaves and ends up in his basement. He is frightened by the banging on the door. He goes to the park where Buffy, Spike, and Giles are. Giles is teaching Spike to be a watcher while Buffy plays in the desert. Xander is in an ice cream truck with Anya. Willow and Tara are in the back dressed up and invite Xander back. Anya tells him to go while she steers not even touching the wheel, but making motions in the air. Xander is back in the basement again and the banging continues. The cheese dude appears and says the cheese won't protect him. Xander is at the University and meets up with Giles and Anya. They tell him what they are about to say may help save his life. Then the start speaking in French. They take him to Military Camp with Principal Snyder. He says time is running out, and Xander notices something following him. He gets chase around back to his basement, where the door bursts open and a black woman with paint on her face appears, and she rips his heart out. You see Xander's chest moving up and down as if his heart is trying to leave.
Giles is at the fair with Olivia and Buffy (all childish). Buffy throws balls at a fake vampire while Olivia says to not be so harsh on her. Buffy all of a sudden has goo on her face. Spike calls Giles over to the crypt, where Spike has hired himself as an attraction. Olivia is pregnant and Giles leaves, and encounters Mr. Cheese. Giles goes to the Bronze where Xander and Willow are researching while Anya is telling jokes. Giles goes on stage to sing and tell them it may be some primal warrior when the mic goes dead. He goes back stage where he encounters the cords all tangles up. He says that was obvious while the woman appears. He tells her that she wouldn't know who he was, she never had a Watcher. The Slayer then cuts his head open with a knife.
Buffy is in her room with Tara. Tara tells her that she thinks she knows who she is, and what's to come and that she hasn't even begun. Buffy leaves to find the gangs and Tara tells her to be back before dawn. Buffy finds Joyce living in the walls and encounters Riley and Human Adam planning to take over the world. Buffy opens her suitcase and puts goo all over her face. She ends up in a desert where she encounters the first Slayer and the cheese man. The Slayer using Tara to talk says that they are alone and destruction. They fight and Buffy wins, they all wake up shaken. Buffy heads upstairs remembering Tara's words.
Willow
The Scoobies meet the First Slayer in their dreams.
Rating
5/5
Predictions
This episode showed a number of things yet to come on Buffy, and here is the episodes it predicted:
Buffy Vs. Dracula
Tara says, "Be back before Dawn." Dawn comes in Buffy vs. Dracula.
The Replacement
Buffy sleeps in her dorm room and wakes up at her home, and next season she leaves the dorm.
Family
Tara says Willow doesn't know everything about her. Next season we discover that Tara believes she's a demon.
Into the Woods
Riley tells her she's on her own. Riley leaves her.
The Gift
Tara tells Buffy that 7:30 is wrong, no longer making it days until her death.
Once More, With Feeling
Giles says to stay in character in the musical numbers.
Hell's Bell's
Xander's dad yells at him for being ashamed of them and his mother is crying her guts out. Xander leaves Anya at the atler in Hell's Bells afraid he will turn out like his dad and his mother cries.
Entropy
Anya thinks about going into vengence, and she does.
Get It Done
The first slayer is tied to the ceiling. We discover that they made the first Slayer by chaining her to the ground. Buffy also tells Adam that they aren't demons, but she finds out they make slayers with a demon heart.
Chosen
The First Slayer tells Buffy she will always be alone. The First also tells her this, making Buffy think of the way to win.
Trivia
Joss Whedon hoped for Charisma Carpenter to return to laugh at Willow, Eliza Dushu to do the 730 deal, and David Boreanez for translating for the Slayer.
The cheese guy means nothing says Joss Whedon. He was only there to be funny.
Farewell
This is the last episode for Seth Green (Oz), Armin Shimerman (Snyder), and Phina Oruche (Olivia.)