The Long Way Home, Part Four

"The Long Way Home, Part Four" was the fourth story from Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight.

Synopsis
Warren begins torturing Willow, (who is magically bound to an operating table,) irritated by his death at the witch's hands. He reveals how his human life ended, and how Amy saved him with a "pretty hokey" disappearing trick and used magic to keep him from dying of shock. With Amy's powers serving as his new skin, Warren prepares to mutilate Willow with a scalpel.

Back in Scotland, Dawn is fuming over Willow's kidnapping. She begs Buffy to bring Willow back and tells her "Will is like a mom to me." This doesn't seem to sit well with Buffy but she opts not to discuss it, instead choosing to focus her attention on the mystics trying to track the portal's echo so it can be reopened. Xander explains that the portal will only be able to let two people through it. Buffy wants Xander to go, but he refuses as he does not consider himself a fighter; he says that Willow is too important and Buffy needs to do this right by picking the best person for the job. Buffy eventually picks Satsu, who is initially apprehensive, but Leah reassures her that it's Buffy's decision and warns her not to embarrass the rest of them. As they wait to go through the portal, Buffy asks Satsu if she could borrow some lip gloss; she notes the flavor is cinnamon, hinting that Satsu might be the one who kissed Buffy.

When the portal is opened, Voll has already set up a high powered energy cannon to blast anyone on the other side of the wormhole. Fortunately for Buffy, Xander had already taken the necessary precautions by rigging a large mirror to reflect the energy blast back through the portal, destroying the cannon and leaving Voll's squad badly damaged and uncoordinated. Buffy and Satsu then appear through the opening. Slayer Scythe in hand and Satsu at her side, Buffy takes on the entire squad, mortally wounding many. This gives her the perfect leverage for the location of her friend, as Willow will be able to heal them.

Meanwhile, Warren taunts Willow to use her powers by going "dark", as doing so would feed her bindings. As he begins to slice into her eye with a scalpel, a group of mysterious, elemental beings allow her passage into another plane of existence. There they show Willow a manifestation of the damage being dealt to her, explaining that Warren is lobotomizing her and remind her that if he succeeds in killing her, there will be no coming back. One being asks Willow if she has a plan to which Willow replies "Have I ever told you about my best friend...?"

Buffy confronts Amy, who is already using her magics to summon a minion to do her dirty work. Things look a little ugly until Buffy's eyes go black and energy starts to crackle around her. With Willow apparently channeling magic through her, Buffy makes quick work of the creature that Amy set loose. Amy declares that Buffy's borrowed powers are just a light show and that she could not have a fraction of Willow's power. However, Buffy then manages to score a break in Amy's defenses by taking the form of Catherine Madison, Amy's mother, distracting her long enough for Satsu to toss a grenade under the witch's feet. Warren and Amy eventually escape with Willow awakening, already having healed herself from the torture she had to endure.

As they begin their escape from what Xander has discovered to be a Initiative-type base two miles south of Sunnydale, Buffy passes a door that has the number thirty on it. Realizing that thirty is XXX in roman numerals, Buffy breaks open the door to the cell, occupied by Ethan Rayne... who has been shot in the head by General Voll. After a brief skirmish, Buffy discovers the mark that was on the bodies back at the church is also on Voll's chest. Voll explains that the mark means "Twilight"; specifically, twilight for Buffy and her Slayers. The General continues to explain that they have to wipe out the entire Slayer population because they fear that the demon aspect of the Slayer's power will eventually lead them to try and create a master race once they are done battling the forces of evil.