Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1996–2003): Season 7, Episode 19 - Empty Places - full transcript

Previously on
Buffy the vampire slayer.

- What's going on?
- Get me out of here.

- Call me Caleb.
- I'm Shannon.

I want you to deliver
a message for me...

To the one and only,
the original slayer.

Hey, got a spare bed
for a wanted fugitive?

Hello, faith.

Huh. I guess "wanted"
wasn't really accurate.

I have a mission to save the world.
I don't have time for vendettas.

The mission is what matters. I think you've
taught me everything I need to know.

I heard you have
something of mine.



I do now.

No!

- Get them out of here.
- I work in mysterious ways.

Xander!

I don't wanna leave.

Can we please stay?

I'll take you.

Hey you.
Hey.

Do you believe this
meshuggaas?

Yeah. You'd think these people had
never seen an apocalypse before.

What about you? You just
going for a quick spin...

To 7-Eleven...
In Nebraska?

It's gettin' bad here...
Really bad.

Hellmouth acting up again. People
feeling it, getting crazier.



You can't swing a cat without hitting
some kind of demonic activity.

Not that I swing cats, or eat.
Nope. Cutting way back.

Cholesterol...
Morals!

I mean morals.
Right.

We've seen some bad stuff in
this town before, but, you know,

this time, it's like it just
seems different, more powerful.

I don't think anyone's
gonna be able to stop it.

I mean, I'm sure
you'll do fine.

Complete confidence in you.

If anyone can do it,
you can, because you rock!

If you save the world, I'll come back.
We'll have drinks.

When. When, I mean.
When you save the world.

It's gonna be great
with all the rocking.

Maybe...

Maybe you should just
get out of town this time.

Yeah.
I probably should.

You take care of yourself,
okay?

Go!

Uh, thank you, officer.
We appreciate your help.

Oh, no. Thank you,
inspector.

We don't get a lot of contact with
Interpol, so we're happy to help.

- Is there anything else we can help with?
- No. Thank you. We're fine.

Right. Because... wait.
Wh-who are... who are you?

I'm with the inspector.

You're with the inspector.
Right.

Well, we don't get a lot of contact
with Interpol. Single step.

Clear the sidewalk, folks. A
single step and it is upon us.

It is nigh! From beneath you!
A nutcase.

Ow?

People are acting up, getting nuts.
Man, you just let us know...

If you need help with your guy because
we are itching to hand out justice.

- He doesn't seem like much of a threat.
- A-and you are?

Um, I think it's time we were
catching our flight to, uh...

Interpol.
Right. Okay.

Good idea.
My control was fading.

What's up with those cops?
Oh, same as everyone.

The hellmouth
is active again.

Come on. I wanna
get back to Xander.

Who was that?
Um, i... I don't know.

Did you get one of these yet?
No, what is that?

Fugitive. Ran to ground right
here in our own backyard.

Yeah? Sounds like a situation
that needs some justice.

And that you should expect to see some
bruising when you remove the bandages.

Bruising around the...
Area.

The bone structure and
musculature was hit pretty hard.

Okay.

Um, also, they said that
the meds may cause you...

Some stomach discomfort, so you'll
have to be careful with your diet.

I can't taste anything
right now anyway.

I keep waiting for my other
senses to improve 50%.

And they should kick in
any day now.

Well, we're looking at a possible
release as early as tonight.

Um, we're just waiting
for your labs to get back...

And Dr. Kallet said that
should be a couple of hours.

That's great.

Okay. I think
we're all caught up then.

Thank you for this. This
was, um, really great work.

Oh. I thought we were
gonn...

There were gonna be
card games.

Uh, no, I just...
I should really get back.

I wanna get everyone started on this. I
think we're really close to something.

It's okay.

It's gotta be done.

And I might
see you tonight...

Without depth perception,
of course, but, still.

So, I guess you're stuck
with me then, huh?

Let's order some cherry-flavored,
off-brand gelatin...

And then I think we'll be
up for a rousing game of...

- I might need a parrot.
- Huh?

Well, to go with the eye patch.
To really complete the look.

I think I still have that costume
from Halloween. Yeah, and...

Don't underestimate
the impact of a peg leg.

Maybe the hospital can hook
you up with a nice one.

Maybe they have a two-body-parts-for-the-price-
of-one kind of deal.

Oh, you know what
the best part is?

No one will ever make me watch
jaws 3-d again. Yeah, and...

You'll never have to...

Oh, Willow,

please don't.

And so we know
that a battle is coming.

Ubervamps galore.

Uh, we also know that the
ubervamps are hard to kill.

Hard to kill.

But I have been out talking
to some of my old contacts,

and they've provided some
surprising bits of news.

Yea for them!

Um, okay. For example,
ubervamps...

Can be staked...

Right through
the heart.

Zing. Poof.
Just like regular vamps.

Um, we didn't know this.

Um, of course, these guys have
incredibly strong sternums, so,

it's a lot like driving a wooden
stake through solid steel,

but you guys are all
super-strong, right?

Um, no.

Right. Okay. Um...

But, still, heart information,
still good to know...

Since holy water seems to run off these
guys like they've been scotchgarded.

Um, and while sunlight
would work, but guess what?

They're not coming out
during the daytime.

Uh, also, beware
of their teeth...

And the claws they use
to shred flesh.

Okay. You know what? I used to be
really afraid of these ubervamp guys,

but then the scary preacher blew into town
and, now, I'm mostly terrified of him.

Right. Well, um,
we're working...

On getting info
on that guy.

Why bother? Nothing works.
Nothing will.

Okay. I know
you're all upset,

and I, myself, would
much rather be sitting...

At the bedside of my
one-eyed ex-fiance...

Than killing time
here with you people...

In this overcrowded, and, might I add,
increasingly ripe-smelling basement,

and I would be too, if not for a certain
awkward discussion he and I had...

Right over there on that cot
immediately following some...

Exciting and unexpected
break-up sex.

But I need to
give him some space.

So, I'm doing what I can do,
contributing any way I can...

And so will
all of you.

You still need to know
this information.

We can't stop just because something
else is trying to kill you too.

Got enough to share?

I'll trade you for a carton
of cigarettes and some soap.

Sorry. Have it.

Hey, shouldn't you
be down at Hogwarts?

Probably.

All right. Playing hooky. Score
one for the boarding school brat.

Anya's techniques are probably a little
different than what you're used to.

Do you think there are gonna be questions
about her sex life on the test?

'Cause I really hope I don't
have to study all that.

Whenever she starts talking about
getting all sweaty with Xander,

I just remind her
I had him first.

Shuts her
right the hell up.

Thing is, what's the point? Studying
demon hot zones and pressure points...

Doesn't do a hell of a lot of good
when preacher man's out there...

Ready to finish
the job he started.

- No one's come up with any info on Caleb yet?
- No. Nothing is working...

Not research, not Anya's contacts.
We're lousy with dead ends.

Everyone's feeling
pretty pointless.

We don't even
have a place to start.

Hey, who's here?

Hey, Buffy,
how's Xander?

He's... doing really well.

He's, uh, ready
to come home, I think.

What you got?

Info that Giles and Willow were able
to pull off the police database.

We figured with Caleb's, you
know, overt religiosity thing...

We wanna learn more about him,
let's find out where he's been.

"Incidents of violence
and vandalism connected...

To California religious
institutions in the last 10 years."

Looks like this gives us
a place to start.

Yeah, I figured we'd start with California.
If we don't find anything there,

then we'll expand the search.

But a guy like Caleb didn't
just get in the game.

He's been playing for a while
and I want to know where.

Whatever it takes.
You good to help?

Well, I was gonna do lots and lots
of homework, but, darn the luck,

they went and canceled school,
so it looks like I got the time.

Good.

Hey, Buffy...

How was Xander's mood,
uh, you know, exactly?

And did you get a chance to talk
to the doctor about the meds?

Uh, because it seemed...
Hey, pip-squeak,

why don't you go and get some of the
stuff you've already gotten from Giles.

Or, um, you know, we can talk
about this later, maybe.

Okay.

Yeah. I'll be right back.

Try to find anything that looks
like Caleb... his church, his ring.

His ability to render a slayer
useless in just one punch.

I didn't... uh...

That was stupid. I don't
know why I said that.

Uh, it's okay.
Um, you know, I-i...

I have to go to the school, pick
up, uh, the rest of my stuff.

I really didn't mean...
It's fine.

Really, it's fine.

Don't worry about it.

Hey, uh, isn't Anya doing that
thing for you guys today?

Yeah.

We were.

We probably should
head down there now.

Okay. I'll be back soon.

See that everyone else
gets started on this.

Yeah.

Oh, now, look.

Things don't go exactly your way,
so here come the waterworks.

Ain't that just
like a woman.

Get out of here.
Now, now,

little girl, manners.

I do imagine that firebrand tongue
of yours has inflamed many a man,

weak as they are.

This here is a, uh,
public school, ain't it?

Kind of deserted.

Only just, I suppose. Folks work
so hard at keepin' the lord out...

And look what happens
in return.

He abandons you.

Not that he could do you
much good now, anyway.

Uh-uh-uh!

Wouldn't do that,
were I you, sweet pea.

Fighting back didn't do you
much good last time, did it?

And how is poor,
sweet, Xander?

Let him know he's
in my prayers.

And any time he's willing,
I'm ready to...

Finish the job. Go near Xander
again, and I will end you!

Mind your manners.

I do believe
I did warn you once.

You're angry,
frustrated, scared.

I like that in a girl.

You really should
relax a little.

Look at where
you are.

History's gonna look back at
you, at me, at this place,

and they're gonna
see the glory.

Great things are happenin'
now, right here.

This school, the seal, it's all
gonna be part of the great...

Sweeping tide of change, and
you're gonna be a part of it!

Now, why would you
wanna miss that?

More importantly, why would
you want to get in its way?

I guess I'm just
ornery.

Oh, I knew you'd be
a wild one.

I'm gonna take such sweet
pleasure in taming you.

I'll see you soon,
little lady.

Okay, well, here's
the one that stood out.

It's a mission
up north in Gilroy.

Um, Mr. Giles.
Faith stole the last...

Meatball-mozarella-flavored hot
pocket out of the freezer...

Even though I had
called dibs on it.

I don't see anything. Exactly.
No vandalism at all.

Then why is it
in the file?

The place was abandoned. Locals
started noticing after a few days...

That no one was going
in or out.

Six members of the order lived
there, but when the cops showed up,

all gone... unsolved.

Yup, see. The post-it's still here:
"Andrew's. Please do not eat."

But the box
is empty now.

Oh.
Oh? Oh, good?

I'm not sure.
Here.

See, it's not the
hot pocket itself,

even though it did have that
new-and-improved thicker tomato sauce.

It's just the fundamental lack of respect.
Shut-up. Pay attention.

Dawn, what do you see?
What am I looking for?

On the back wall.
Uh, knothole.

- That's not a knothole.
- Amanda.

Would you go down to the
basement and get spike?

Maybe this'll help if this
does bring us closer to Caleb.

Sounded like
there was news.

What's up, Rupert?

Spike, I have
a mission for you.

Oh, really? 'Cause, you know,
sometimes our missions...

End up with you trying to kill
me... I'm not fond of those.

This is bona fide,
with real ramifications.

Take a look at this.

Looks like our boy's
been here.

- You wanna go check it out?
- I need someone who can take care of themselves...

In case Caleb is after
some souvenirs.

Are we gonna get to
the food-stealing issue soon?

- Take Andrew.
- What? - What?

Well, you are always saying you
wanna get out of the house more.

Yeah, but... well, there may
be demons lurking about.

You never know. He's a demon expert.
He can help. Oh, please.

Well, he can bring his
pan flute-thing along.

Excellent. Off you go.

So, see.
That's something, right?

We'll have some news soon. Sure.

Maybe that'll
get us somewhere.

Maybe.

In the meantime, the troops here gotta sit
and stew, feeling crappier by the minute.

We should keep them
occupied.

Yeah. I know how
to keep 'em occupied.

♪♪ ♪ Liv-ing ♪

♪ On a wing and a prayer ♪

♪ Out on the strip ♪

♪ Nobody cares ♪

♪ Scabbing off
a valley chick ♪

♪ Sleeping on
the practice room floor ♪

So, what kind of band
plays during an apocalypse?

I think this band might
actually be one of the signs.

♪ Rock city blues ♪

♪ You gotta pay your dues ♪♪

Hey, guys,
how's it...

Going?

Buffy, are you hurt?

Oh. Caleb came back
looking for seconds.

My god, is he...

Still able to make me see cartoon
birdies all around my head?

You betcha.

The short lack of consciousness was nice.
I feel rested.

So, how did those police files work out?
Were they helpful?

Uh, uh, yes.
Very much so, I think.

Um, Th-there's evidence that Caleb may
have established a foothold up north.

That's great. That's... i, um,
I sent spike to look into it.

Spike?

Is this a mission from which you
intend spike to return alive?

Yes. I sent Andrew
with him.

Again,
I ask the question.

Buffy,
you weren't here.

Decisions have to be made
in your absence.

Yeah, well those are the ones
that have been scaring me.

- I did what I thought was right.
- You sent away...

The one person that's been
watching my back... again.

We're all watching
your back.

Funny, that's not
really what it feels like.

Buffy!
Where did everybody go?

What? Faith, the
girls, where are they?

Um, faith thought that
the girls could do...

With some time off their studies.
I thought...

She took them
to the bronze.

You know what I
figured out tonight?

Every high school in this country,
from one end to the other,

smells exactly alike.

Now, why do you suppose
that is?

And how was our best girl? They always
think they should put up a fight.

Did you lay the proper groundwork?
That I did.

Reckon she got the message, even
if she doesn't know it yet.

So, now, the big, strong slayer
goes back to those girls...

She's just so ready to
walk them right into it,

and all we have to do is give her
that one, final, gentle nudge.

Excellent.

♪ No ♪

This is so cool.
♪ Don't want a boyfriend ♪

Buffy would never let us do this.
You are so cool.

This woman is so cool.

Hey, hey, how old are you?

17.

Yeah, we're gonna get you a
real nice seven-up, okay?

♪ Someone with blood
that's cold and mean ♪

♪ You want something better ♪

♪ Than me-e-e ♪

♪ Me-e-e ♪

Hey! I was wondering what was taking
you boys so long. Where you been?

We're gonna have to ask you
to come with us, miss.

- Outstanding warrants.
- Yeah, or we could try this one on instead.

How 'bout you guys
buy me another drink,

and we'll see where
the evening takes us?

- Come on!
- Hey!

Let's go.

- What's going on?
- It's cool. I got it.

It's nothin'.
Get off of me!

- Get back.
- Get off of me. - Shut up.

I'll tell you right now.
I'm not going back to jail.

Who said anything
about jail?

Stay back.
This doesn't concern you.

You can't keep us in here. It'll
be over before you know it.

Trust me. The best thing
you can do is wait here.

Don't listen to him.
He won't hurt us.

You know what? I'm just
gonna go borrow the phone.

Hey! Hey!

The best thing you can do is wait...
Here.

You're gonna have to
shoot us all to stop us.

- It doesn't really bother me.
- These cops are really gettin' hellmouthed.

- Back up.
- No.

What?

Faith! What are you doing?

Just blowin' off steam.
Well, it started that way.

It turned when the cops
went evil on us.

Girls, go home.

I need to talk
to faith for a minute.

- Buffy, we weren't...
- Dawn!

You too. Go.

What is this? They needed
a break, all right?

They've been runnin' themselves into the
ground. Things just got out of hand.

Taking a break is one thing.
I get blowing off steam,

but they were fighting, and
those girls were drunk.

What were you thinking? It seemed
like a good idea at the time.

Yeah, what if someone had gotten hurt?
They didn't.

Faith, I need to know that these
girls are gonna be safe...

When I'm not around. No one got hurt, b.
You don't even know these girls.

Maybe you should have a little
more confidence in them.

Let 'em mess up, sometimes,
you know, get down and dirty.

How are they gonna learn? Learning
from your mistakes is one thing,

but you don't throw children...
they're not children.

That really isn't
the point.

Hey, what about
the vineyard?

What?

How safe were they when you
dragged them off to meet Caleb?

How safe was rona
or Amanda or Molly?

You sure you don't wanna stop and
pick up some burgers, or something,

you know,
road trip food?

It's not a road trip.
It's a covert operation.

Right. Right.
Gotcha.

I bet even covert operatives eat
curly fries. They're really good.

Not as good as those
onion blossom things.

Ooh, I love those.
Yeah, me too.

It's an onion
and it's a flower.

I-I don't understand how
such a thing is possible.

Well, you see, the genius of it is,
you soak it in ice water for an hour,

so it holds its shape.

Then you deep-fry it root-side
up for about five minutes.

Masterful.
Yeah.

Tell anyone we had this
conversation, I'll bite you.

Right.

The big meeting hasn't
started yet, has it?

God, I hope so.

Faith.

You must be principal wood.
I heard a lot about you.

It hasn't really started yet, has
it, 'cause I hate being late.

The troops are still gathering.
I think you're safe.

Looks like someone banged
you up pretty well.

Yeah, cops... mostly.

- Mostly?
- This one's from someone who just thinks she's a cop.

It's my favorite
of all my current bruises.

So, someone who thinks
she's a cop, huh?

You gonna have to, like, ice her
now, or something like that?

I'm not gonna kill her.

Wanted to, but didn't. And, by the way,
bully for me, since no one else said it.

For what?
For not killing Buffy?

It's this new thing
I'm trying.

She told me about you.

Believe every word.
So, what changed?

I mean, why didn't you
fight back?

Other things matter more.

I think you're
worried about her.

I think you need to brush up on
your Buffy and faith history.

All right,
if you say so,

but I read people
pretty well.

It's a thing I do.

You don't live around here, right?
Uh, no, not exactly.

Well, it's the center
of town really.

This town, walking anywhere after
dark is like an extreme sport.

Someone who didn't know you very well might
think you were out looking for a fight.

Maybe you got bigger issues
than what's wrong with b.

I read people too.

Xander's home.

No one's here.

These kind of places make me feel
funny inside. How 'bout that.

You and me got something
else in common after all.

Spike!

Oh, god.

We didn't have time to do more. You have
to pretend there's a big party here.

That's fine. Parties in this house, I
usually end up having to rebuild something.

Welcome home, Xander. I wanted
you to be here for this.

I think you'll be interested
in what I found out.

Wh-what did you find out?
It's about the cellar.

Look, I know that night
wasn't fun for any of us,

but I figured out some
things about that place,

and I realize now
what we have to do.

We're going back in.

Tell me about the mark.

Hey. Are you part
of Caleb's faction?

- No, no.
- Then tell me what happened.

- I-i-i can't.
- "Can't" is a four-letter word.

I'm Andrew. I'll be
your bad cop this evening.

If you don't start singing, my associate
here... we're trying to fight him.

Caleb. We need your help.

You can't fight him.
You can't stop him.

- You can only run.
- "Run" is a four-letter wor...

A three-letter word.

Talk.

I'll do better.
I'll show you.

One night, some time ago,
a man arrived at our doors.

And you said,
"come in. Do some damage"?

We are... we are a benevolent
order, and, yes, we welcomed him.

We offered to feed him, but he
had come for something else.

Behind this, he revealed something
even we didn't know was here.

A secret room.
He was excited,

talking the whole time.

- Destiny. That sort of thing.
- Yeah, we hear he's a real smooth-talker.

He was going on about
this ancient inscription.

Neat.

He read it, and he didn't
like what it said.

His temper... he was the
purest evil I've ever seen.

He burned his mark
upon me.

And then I ran,
and I hid,

and I listened
to the others die.

Running away saved your life.

What does it say?

"It is not for thee."

"It is for her alone
to wield."

I know what you're thinking, but I had a
visit today at the school from Caleb.

- Buffy, wh-why didn't you...
- I'm fine.

I mean, it wasn't fun,
but I'm fine.

I'm better than fine.
I figured something out.

He kept making all this
noise about the school.

- Is it that seal again?
- Do we need to try shutting it again?

No. That's just it. We've spent
all this time worrying about...

The seal and the hellmouth.

Wh-why isn't Caleb
guarding them?

Why doesn't he have someone
there protecting it?

Why is he camped out
at the vineyard?

The bad guys always go
where the power is.

If the seal was so important to Caleb and
the first, they would be there right now.

They're protecting the vineyard
or something at the vineyard.

I say it's their power, and I say it's
time we go in and take it away from them.

Or, in the alternative,
how 'bout we don't?

I mean, it's a neat theory, b., but
I'm not going back in that place,

not without proof... and neither
should you and neither should they.

- I'm not saying it's gonna be easy.
- I think faith had the floor.

Maybe it ends okay the way you wanna
play it, but maybe it doesn't.

And right now, I don't think
I want you playing the odds.

Did you come here to fight?

Listen, we're fighters, all of us, but
you gotta give me something to fight.

- Something real, not...
- Windmills.

There is something there.

Maybe, but w-we can't
be sure of that.

Y-you... this is
a hell of a lot to ask.

Too much.

I-I don't understand this.

For seven years, I've kept us safe
by doing this... exactly this.

Making the hard decisions.

A-a-and, now, what, suddenly you're
all acting like you can't trust me?

Didn't you say to me
today you can't trust us?

Maybe there's something there
that should be addressed.

Is that why
you sent spike away,

to ambush me?
Come on.

You know what? I am sick of
your deal with this spike guy.

This isn't about him. This is about you.
You're being reckless.

What?
You are!

I don't even know you and I can tell.
You are so obsessed with beating Caleb,

you are willing to jump into
any plan without thinking.

This is not what I'm doing. Well,
that's how it feels to us.

People are dying.

- Kennedy.
- Why are you always standing up for her?

I'm not.

- What do you mean you're not?
- With everything that's happened,

I... I'm worried
about your judgment.

Look, I wish this
could be a democracy,

I really do,

but democracies
don't win battles.

It's a hard truth, but there
has to be a single voice.

You need someone to issue orders
and be reckless sometimes...

And not take
your feelings into account.

You need someone to lead you.

And it's
automatically you.

You really do think you're
better than we are.

No, i...
But we don't know.

We don't know
if you're actually better.

I mean, you came into the world
with certain advantages, sure.

I mean, that's the legacy. I...

But you didn't earn it.
You didn't work for it.

You've never had anybody come up to you
and say that you deserve these things...

More than anyone else...
They were just handed to you.

So, that doesn't
make you better than us.

It makes you luckier
than us.

I've gotten us this far.
But not without a price.

- Xander.
- I'm trying to see your point here, buff,

but I guess it must be
a little bit to my left,

'cause I just don't.

Look, I'm willing
to talk strategy.

I'll hear suggestions on how to break
this down, but this is the plan.

We have to be together on
this, or we will fail again.

We are clearly demonstrating that
we are not together on this.

Which is why
you have to fall in line.

I'm still in charge here.

- And why is that exactly?
- Because I'm the slayer.

- And isn't faith a slayer too?
- What?

Whoa, whoa, whoa. So not what I meant.
I'm not "in charge chick."

I think b. Here
just needs to chill out...

For a little bit,
take a siesta or something,

but I'm not the one you want.
Maybe we need a vote...

To see who wants faith
to have a turn in charge.

- No.
- No what?

No, you don't get to vote until
I've had my chance to pal around...

You know,
get everybody drunk.

See, I didn't get that this
was a popularity contest.

I should have equal time to bake
them cookies, braid their hair.

Learn their names.

You're just lovin'
this, aren't you?

- You have no idea what I'm feeling.
- Come in here.

Take everything I have. I mean, you did
it before. Did you tell them that?

Did you tell them how you
used to kill people for fun?

- Hey, you guys think that's nifty?
- Buffy, that's enough!

I didn't come here to take
anything away from you,

but I'm not gonna be your
little lap dog, either.

I came here to beat the other guy.
To do right, however it works.

I don't know if I can lead, but the
real question is, can you follow?

So, we vote.

Wait, guys.

I can't watch you just
throw away everything...

I know I'm right about this.
I just need a little...

I can't stay here and watch her
lead you into some disaster.

Then you can't stay here.

Buffy, I love you,

but you were right.

We have to be together
on this.

You can't be
a part of it.

So, I need you to leave.
I'm sorry,

but this is my house too.

- Ding-dong, the witch is dead.
- Shut your mouth.

Hey.

Look, I swear, I didn't want
it to go this way. Don't.

I mean it. I...
Don't...

Be afraid to lead them.

Whether you wanted it or
not, their lives are yours.

It's only gonna get harder.
Protect them.

Lead them.

Grr! Arrgh!