Ep 9. Never Leave Me

As Buffy and her team continue to fight against the First Evil and its army of Turok-Han, they also find themselves dealing with a captive enemy. The episode "Never Leave Me" focuses on Spike, who is being held captive by the Scooby Gang after they discovered that he has been receiving visits from the First. The gang is desperate to find out what the First wants from Spike, but they can't seem to get any answers out of him.

While Spike is being interrogated, the rest of the team deals with their own struggles. Willow is still struggling to control her magic, and the guilt she feels over her past misdeeds is weighing heavily on her. Anya, on the other hand, is feeling lonely and isolated from the rest of the group. Despite their best efforts to help her, she seems to be spiraling deeper into her own depression.

Meanwhile, Buffy is dealing with her own issues when she receives a surprise visitor - Principal Wood. As the son of a Slayer, Wood has his own stake in the fight against the First, but Buffy can't help but feel suspicious of his motives. The tension between the two of them builds throughout the episode, as Buffy tries to figure out whether she can trust him or not.

As the episode progresses, we see glimpses of Spike's past - both his time as a human and his transformation into a vampire. These flashbacks help us to understand Spike's character and motivations more fully, and we begin to sympathize with him more than we have in previous episodes. However, just when we think we have a handle on who Spike really is, a shocking revelation is made that changes everything.

Overall, "Never Leave Me" is a tense, emotional episode that balances character development with plot progression. It's full of twists and turns that keep us on the edge of our seats, and it deepens our understanding of the show's complex mythology. Whether you're a longtime fan of Buffy or you're just starting to get into the show, this is an episode that's not to be missed.