The Long Way Home, Part Three

Publication

May 2, 2007

Length

22 pages

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight #3

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The Long Way Home, Part Two	The Long Way Home, Part Four

"The Long Way Home, Part " s the third issue of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight comic book series, part of the Season Eight meta-series.

Synopsis

The figure in the duster and red shirt is revealed to be Ethan Rayne, a former friend of Giles and chaos-worshipping sorcerer. He reveals that he and Buffy are trapped within Buffy's dreamspace, the conglomeration of all of a person's possible dreams. Ethan urges Buffy to escape so she can help the battle raging outside.

Willow and Amy are locked in a magical duel, with Willow absorbing Amy's magics to "decode them". Willow then casts a spell that makes the undead army behave as if they are at a ball. Amy retaliates with another magic spell, which Willow counters - her eyes and hair turning black in the process. While Amy taunts her, the gigantic Dawn crushes Amy beneath her foot.

Meanwhile, Ethan has led Buffy through her dreamspace to Amy's cage from her time as a rat. Buffy then sees three Xs, and Ethan begins speaking in riddles, saying that "Twilight is falling", and to remember the things she has seen in her dream.

With Amy out of the way, Willow addresses Buffy's condition. She reveals that someone in the room is in love with her, even though that person may not have realized it or will not admit it. Willow then commands all the people in the room to close their eyes and asks the person in love with Buffy to come forward and kiss her. Buffy, feeling something on her lips, suddenly awakens, yelling "Cinnamon Buns", but the identity of her the one who has kissed her is not revealed.

Giles contacts a demon of the same breed as those Buffy had previously killed,^[1] asking for information about the symbol found on the bodies, but the demon insists that the symbol is meaningless to his kind.

Xander contacts Andrew in Italy to see if their station was attacked, and cautions him to be on alert. Xander then visits a wounded but recuperating Renee, reassuring her that she did her best in the battle.

Buffy and Willow examin Amy, now held in a binding spell. Buffy and Willow attempt to catch up: Willow asks about Dawn's giant condition - asking Buffy if the cause was having sex with a Thricewise - and Buffy asks about Kennedy. Willow reveals that Kennedy died, prompting Buffy's shock and sympathy, but Willow quickly explains that it was only a short-lived mystical death, adding she always says that wrong, and that they are currently taking a break. Willow traces the source of Amy's power, finding that it came from something besides Amy herself. The tracing spell opens a portal, and forcibly transports Willow to the army base with Amy in tow; Buffy fumes to Xander that they had been tricked. At the base, Amy mentions that they had agreed to capture Buffy, but figured that Willow would serve as bait. Unseen, Amy's 'boyfriend' boasts of being looking forward to killing Buffy, but adds that he's most excited about revenging himself on Willow. The figure emerges from the shadows and is revealed to be a skinless man: Warren Mears.

Continuity

The events take place after 'The Long Way Home, Part Two' and before 'The Long Way Home, Part Four'.
It will be revealed in A Beautiful Sunset that the mysterious person that kissed Buffy was actually her fellow Slayer Satsu.
Amy taunts Willow by referencing her time as Dark Willow at the end of the sixth season. The giant Dawn asks if Willow became evil again, as her hair turns black after fighting with Amy.
Buffy's flashback features several glimpses from the past years such as her "Buffy&Angel 4Ever" signing ("The Prom"), the Master, her Graduation, her dead mother and the Vampyr book.
Amy mocks Willow's role as the "helpless" opponent. Willow was previously made hostage by the Big Bad in "Choices".
Warren was telekinetically flayed by Willow in "Villains".

Appearances

Individuals

Organizations and Titles

Species

Human
Slayer
Zombie
Unidentified demon
Thricewise (Only mentioned)

Events

Locations

Weapons and Objects

Scythe

Death Count

Behind the Scenes

Trivia

Joss Whedon makes a cameo appearance in Buffy's dreamspace.

Collections

Pop Culture References

Buffy associated the three Xs in her dream space with Vin Diesel and pornography.
A demon that Buffy spotted in her dream space looks like a Gamorrean from Star Wars
One of the Slayers in the Italy squad is seen reading a Fray comic book.

Gallery

Variant Covers

Quotes

“	Ethan Rayne: "Twilight is falling. You're going to need all the help you can get. Pet."
- The Long Way Home, Part Three		”

References

↑ The Long Way Home, Part One

[1] The Long Way Home, Part One

[1]