'Faith, Hope and Trick' Story Code '3ABB03' by David Greenwalt

Sunnydale has two new arrivals: a black vampire named Mr. Trick and Kakistos, his cloven-hoofed master who has plans to kill the Slayer. Buffy has another disturbing dream about Angel, of how she had to kill him to save the world. The next day, Principal Snyder is forced to readmit Buffy to school, providing she take catch-up tests and sees a psychologist to help with her violent tendencies. When Willow and Buffy visit the library Giles informs them that he is casting a binding spell to ensure that Acathla - the demon Buffy banished when she killed Angel - is truly bound to Hell; in order to do so, he needs some details about how Buffy stopped the demon. After giving a brief description of the events, Buffy runs off to a test, while Willow accidentally reveals to Giles that she has been dabbling in witchcraft. At ‘The Bronze’ that night, Buffy strikes up a conversation with Scott Hope, a boy from school who has a crush on her; however, when she sees a vampire leave the club with a girl, Buffy sets off to help, only to find that the girl is happily beating up the vampire. The girl introduces herself as Faith, the new Slayer called into action following the death of Kendra. Later, Buffy finds herself starting to resent Faith, who gets on extremely well with her friends, and even proves popular with Buffy’s mother. Mr. Trick and his master discuss paying back the Slayer for her actions - they actually mean Faith, who was responsible for the loss of the demon’s right eye. When Buffy explains to her mother how there are now two Slayers, Joyce is devastated to find that her daughter had died, despite the fact that she was later revived. Buffy and Faith go on patrol, but break into an argument when Faith mentions Angel; they are then attacked by vampires, who tell them that they were sent by Kakistos. Buffy is appalled to see Faith enjoying beating up the vampires before killing them; she informs Giles about her behaviour, who decides to contact Faith’s Watcher. Giles also discovers that Kakistos is a very old vampire, so old that his hands have turned into hooves, and Buffy guesses that the creature must have followed Faith to Sunnydale. Later, Scott asks Buffy out on a date and then gives her a ring, but it reminds her of Angel, and she runs away in tears. Giles discovers that Faith's Watcher is dead, while Buffy visits Faith at her motel room and confronts her about her lies. They are ambushed by Kakistos, Trick, and a host of vampires; the Slayers make their escape, but the vampires herd them to their hideout. Faith reveals that after Kakistos killed her Watcher, she fled from him; together the Slayers fight Kakistos and his vampire lackeys, while Trick turns tail and runs. Buffy’s normal-sized stake fails to kill the demon, but Faith is able to destroy the creature using a massive wooden pole. The Watcher's Council agrees to allow Faith to stay in Sunnydale indefinitely, remaining under Giles' care until a new Watcher is assigned to her. Buffy finally tells Giles and Willow the truth about Angel, of how he had regained his soul the moment before she killed him. Later, Buffy takes Scott up on his offer of a date, and then goes to the mansion where she killed Angel; placing the Claddagh ring he gave her for her birthday present on the ground, she quietly says goodbye. But after she has left, the ring becomes illuminated by a bright shaft of light - out of which a naked Angel falls trembling to the floor…

Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy Summers), Nicholas Brendon (Xander Harris), Alyson Hannigan (Willow Rosenberg), Charisma Carpenter (Cordelia Chase), David Boreanaz (Angel), Seth Green (Oz), Anthony Stewart Head (Rupert Giles), Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers), Fab Filippo (Scott Hope), K. Todd Freeman (Mr. Trick), Eliza Dushku (Faith), Armin Shimerman (Principal Snyder), Jeremy Roberts (Kakistos), John Ennis (Manager)
Directed by James A. Contner

TX (US): 13th October 19
TX (UK - Sky One): 3rd September 1999
TX (UK - BBC): 13th April 2000

Notes:
*Featuring Buffy, Xander, Willow, Giles, Oz, Cordelia and Angel

*This episode introduces a new Slayer, Faith, who becomes a regular character