Ep 2. Beneath You

At the beginning of Buffy The Vampire Slayer season 7 episode 2, entitled "Beneath You," the audience sees Spike (James Marsters) in an underground lair conversing with a disembodied female voice. The conversation is somewhat cryptic and reveals that Spike is tormented by guilt over his actions and past. Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) enters the lair and finds Spike, who is emotionally unstable and acting strangely. Buffy tries to calm Spike, but he refuses to listen to her, and instead, he leaves the lair.

Later, Buffy is attending her new role as a counselor at Sunnydale High, where she meets and counsels a student who is also facing emotional turmoil. As Buffy leaves the school, she encounters Spike again, who is now acting more erratically and aggressive than before. Spike continues his erratic behavior, and Buffy realizes that there is something wrong with him beyond just his usual "vampire" impulses.

After a series of events, the audience discovers that Spike has a vision of a monster living under the Hellmouth, the portal to the underworld beneath Sunnydale. Spike believes that he is responsible for releasing the monster and that it is his fault that it is now attacking people. Buffy and Spike become involved in a battle with the monster, and Spike fights it using a ritual and a mystical artifact.

From there, the episode takes an introspective turn as Buffy and Spike have a conversation about his sanity, past misdeeds, and redemption. Spike's vulnerability and shame are exposed, and Buffy has a moment of understanding and a connection with him while giving him a path to work through it all.

Ultimately, "Beneath You" is an episode that examines the demons (metaphorical and otherwise) that plague us all, whether in the form of guilt, emotional turmoil, or physical monsters. The episode focuses on the human characters' internal struggles and tells a touching story of redemption, forgiveness, and hope. For long-time fans of the show, this episode is an essential watch as it takes the character of Spike to new depths and further develops his relationship with Buffy, all while setting the stage for an exciting season of the popular series.