Overview of S7E21: End of Days
Ashley and Kimmy recap the penultimate episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, an action-heavy setup chapter that moves the series toward its finale. The episode centers on Buffy finally pulling the ancient scythe from the vineyard, the aftermath of the trap in the sewers, Faith’s leadership fallout, and a major reveal about the scythe’s origins. The hosts also spend time on Buffy’s complicated emotional beats with Spike, Faith, and Angel, and how the episode balances setup, lore, and character payoff.
Episode Recap
Buffy claims the scythe
- Buffy returns to the vineyard, where Caleb is rattled to see her pull the scythe from the stone with ease.
- The First and Caleb briefly let her go because she’s needed elsewhere, mainly to rescue Faith and the Potentials after the sewer explosion.
- Buffy leaving with the weapon signals that Caleb’s confidence has been shaken, even if he isn’t done yet.
The sewer explosion and rescue
- The Potentials are trapped after a bomb goes off in the sewers.
- Faith is knocked unconscious, and the girls scramble to find survivors and escape the collapsing tunnels.
- Buffy arrives just in time and uses the scythe to take down three Ubervamps with surprising ease, showing how powerful the weapon really is.
The house becomes a makeshift hospital
- Back at Buffy’s house, the injured girls are treated in a chaotic, improvised triage setup.
- Anya and Andrew go to a deserted hospital to steal medical supplies, and Andrew is given some credit for actually helping.
- Buffy emphasizes that they need to learn everything possible about the scythe before the final battle.
Research into the scythe
- Giles and Willow discover that the vineyard was once a monastery, but the scythe itself predates Christianity.
- They identify the weapon as something ancient and likely tied to older, possibly pagan, Slayer lore.
- Willow can’t sense a magical signature from it the way Buffy does, which raises the question of whether magic is required to win the coming fight.
Xander, Dawn, and the secret mission
- Buffy sends Xander on an unspecified mission, which he takes badly, feeling useless after being injured.
- Dawn is secretly taken by Xander after Buffy leaves a note explaining that she was being kept safe.
- Dawn wakes up angry, tasers Xander, and turns the car back around, refusing to be left out of the fight.
Faith and Buffy reconnect
- Faith wakes up in Buffy’s room and talks honestly with Buffy about leadership, guilt, and jealousy.
- She admits that seeing Buffy’s life made her realize how lonely it is to carry everything alone.
- Buffy extends compassion and grace, telling Faith it wasn’t her fault and that the group needs unity, not blame.
Spike and Buffy’s emotional conversation
- Spike returns at night, and Buffy reveals the scythe to him.
- Their conversation revisits the previous night’s intimate moment, which Spike says was the best night of his life.
- Buffy acknowledges the connection without fully defining it, and the two leave things unresolved but emotionally open.
The tomb and the scythe’s history
- Buffy goes alone to a hidden tomb to learn more.
- She meets an ancient guardian woman who explains that the scythe was forged to protect Slayers and was used to kill the last pure demon on Earth.
- Before she can fully finish explaining, Caleb kills her by snapping her neck.
Caleb, Angel, and the final confrontation
- Buffy and Caleb fight over the scythe in the tomb.
- Angel unexpectedly appears to help, and Caleb even admits Buffy needs to finish this fight herself.
- Buffy ultimately stabs Caleb in the stomach and seemingly kills him.
- In the final beat, Buffy kisses Angel, which Spike sees from a distance as the First taunts him.
Key Discussion Points
Leadership and forgiveness
- The hosts note that Faith’s emotional turn is one of the strongest parts of the episode.
- Faith finally understands Buffy’s burden as a leader and recognizes how isolated Buffy has been.
- Ashley and Kimmy appreciated the growth, especially the way Buffy gives Faith grace that she herself was never given.
The scythe as the episode’s central lore reveal
- A major takeaway is that the scythe is not just a weapon, but a symbol of Slayer power and ancient protection.
- The hosts liked finally learning where it came from and what it represents in the larger mythos.
Buffy’s emotional rush back into the group
- Ashley’s main criticism was that Buffy is welcomed back into the Scoobies too easily after being kicked out the night before.
- She felt the joking and casual tone between Buffy, Willow, and Xander didn’t quite match the emotional weight of the previous episode.
- Kimmy agreed the transition felt a little too smooth, even though Buffy’s character naturally leans toward generosity.
The Spike/Buffy scene and Angel cameo
- Both hosts loved the Buffy and Spike conversation, especially Spike calling their previous night the best of his life.
- They also appreciated Angel’s return, even though it was expected at this stage in the series.
Memorable Moments and Quotes
Favorite lines mentioned on the podcast
- “We’re hot chicks with superpowers.”
- “Scythe matters.”
- Buffy’s “tan takes the edge off” joke during the episode’s lighter moments.
Favorite scene
- The hosts’ standout scene was the Buffy/Spike conversation, which they both found emotionally strong and one of the episode’s highlights.
Host Ratings and Final Take
- Ashley rated the episode 4.7/5
- Kimmy rated it 4.8/5
Overall verdict
The hosts saw this as a strong setup episode that does important work for the series finale:
- it deepens the mythology of the scythe,
- gives Faith meaningful closure,
- reinforces Buffy’s role as leader,
- and sets up the final showdown with Caleb and the First.
The episode ends with major emotional and plot momentum heading into “Chosen,” the series finale.