Freefall

"Freefall" is the first story arc of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Nineissues #1 - # 4, the comic book series which coincides with Angel and Faith. The first issue will be released on September 14, 2011.

Part 1 (Issue #1)
Buffy wakes up the morning after a party in bed naked and can't remember why.

Flashback to the party the night before: Buffy greets Xander and Dawn as they arrive. Buffy is happy that she has her own place. She shares the apartment with a woman named Anaheed and a guy named Tumble. Next, Willow arrives with their old schoolfriend Aura.

In the present, Buffy sees will come out of the shower and is worried that they slept together, but Willow says they didn't. Willow says Buffy '"brought the house down." Elsewhere, two detectives find a dead girl in an alley but she has no wounds. It's the third girl they've found this month.

Flashback to the party the night before: Buffy greets Riley, Spike, and Andrew when they arrive. Buffy tells Spike that her roommates don't know that she is the Slayer. Andrew says that took several of his former Slayer squads and started a disaster-relief organization, which makes Buffy feel small. Spike says that "something's coming."

The present: In an office, a man and woman hand a picture of Buffy to a demon. The man says, "it has to be dealt with." Buffy reports to work, but her boss has her shift covered because he didn't think she would be in shape to work after what happened at the party the previous night.

Elsewhere, a group of demons (which look like an army) holding energy spears stand in front of a giant green ball of energy. One demon says, "The spells that bind it have weakened." The monster inside breaks out and kills all of them. It has trouble with words, even in thought. Buffy tries to remember what happened the previous night, and we get a flashback of her and Andrew playing in the pool.

Flashback to the previous night: Buffy and Riley walk down the street to his van. Buffy checks out the inside of it. Riley says that "monster hunting work's pretty thin these days." He tells her she did the right thing by shattering the seed because it was the only way to stop what was happening. Buffy says his van needs "a woman's touch."

The present: Buffy lowers her head in shame, realizing she made a pass at a married man. Later, her roommates tell her they can't have any more wild parties like that or they'll get in trouble with the neighbors. Tumble says that he and Spike are going to start a band.

Elsewhere, a Simone Doffler van drives toward San Francisco with machine guns and grenades in the back. She is planning "something big... that changes things... that shows them we're still here."

Flashback to the previous night at the party: Buffy shows Xander her bedroom. Something is bothering Xander. Buffy asks if he wants to talk about it. He says he doesn't. She places her hand on his arm. Xander says that Dawn "never has to know" and the scene abruptly ends.

Later, the police show up at the front door, but they join the party and dance with everyone else.

The present: It is the following evening. Buffy patrols with Willow and they are joined by Spike. Willow says she wanted to talk to Buffy alone. She says that by destroying the seed, Buffy "took the spark of creation out of the world." She says that Buffy can't see it the way she does and hopes it won't be too late when she (Buffy) finally does.

A demon then emerges from the shadows and says, "It is too late. Buffy Summers, it is time for you to pay... your student loan!" Willow and Spike laugh at the absurdity of the situation while Buffy is annoyed.

Questions

 * Why does Buffy wake up naked in bed? Did she sleep with someone?


 * What is Xander talking about when he tells Buffy that Dawn "never has to know"? Never has to know what?


 * Why is Buffy broke when she looted a bank vault during Season 8?

Characters

 * Buffy Anne Summers
 * Xander Harris
 * Willow Rosenberg
 * Dawn Summers
 * Spike
 * Riley Finn
 * Andrew Wells
 * Severin
 * Anaheed
 * Tumble
 * Aura

Previews
Freefall Pt. 1