Buffy and the gang encounter a vampire claiming to be the legendary Dracula. Meanwhile, Giles fears his work in Sunnydale has been insignifiant and considers returning to England.
Buffy's little sister Dawn expresses dislike for Buffy's friends, with the exception of Xander. When Xander and Anya act as Dawn's babysitter, Dawn inadvertantly lets Harmony into the house and is kidnapped in an attempt to trap Buffy.
A demon with its sights on the Slayer zaps Xander with a weapon that splits him into two separate Xanders. As each half tries to convince the Scooby gang that the other half is an evil counterpart, Buffy tries tracking down the demon in order to make Xander whole again.
Riley's life is jeopardized by the drugs tested on him from the Initiative. With his reluctance to be medically treated and become a normal man again, Buffy tries to coax him to the operating room, only Spike plans to alter their plans.
Buffy begins to believe that a supernatural force is responsible for the illness plaguing her mother. After rescuing a monk from being attacked, Buffy also comes to learn the truth about her recently-arrived sister, Dawn.
Tara's family pays a surprise visit for her 20th birthday, but she learns that instead of celebrating, they have come to retreive her before she, like her mother, is to turn into a demon.
Buffy turns to Spike to find out about the slayers he has killed in battle after being impaled by her own stake. Meanwhile, her mother's illness is becoming more serious.
Riley begins to feel that he is not good enough for Buffy after being taunted by Spike and having himself compared to Angel by Dawn. Meanwhile, Buffy has to protect Dawn's identity as the key from being revealed to Glory.
A demon from outer space takes up residence in the Summers household.
Though Buffy and her friends breathe a collective sigh of relief when her mother's surgery is deemed a success, Buffy must then contend with Spike horning in on her relationship with Riley.
Willow accidentally summons a troll as Buffy tries to get over losing Riley.
Buffy must put her slayer skills to the test for the Watchers Council.
Dawn learns she is the Key at Buffy's 20th birthday celebration.
Spike decides to reveal his true feelings for Buffy following Drusilla's return.
Buffy fights with a female robot created to be the perfect girlfriend.
Buffy and her friends suffer an unexpected personal loss with the death of Buffy's mother.
Angel comes back to Sunnydale once he hears of the death of Buffy's mother.
While the extremely lifelike Buffy robot Spike builds fools everyone, the real Buffy goes on a quest to figure out why she's so emotionally detached from everything.
As Buffy tries to keep Dawn under control in the wake of their mother's death, Tara is captured by Glory in an attempt to track down the key.
When Glory figures out that Dawn is the key, Buffy and her friends hightail it out of of Sunnydale.
In the wake of Glory kidnapping Dawn, Willow must enter Buffy's mind to snap her out of her catatonic state.
In trying to prevent Glory from using Dawn to unleash hell on Earth, Buffy makes the ultimate sacrifice.