On Your Own, Part Two is the seventh issue of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Nine comic book series. Written by Andrew Chambliss and illustrated by Georges Jeanty, it was originally published on March 14, 2012 by Dark Horse Comics.
Synopsis[]
Still seeking normalcy in the midst of zompire-stricken San Francisco, Buffy contemplates a life-changing decision the likes of which few Slayers have ever faced. Meanwhile Spike rushes to the aid of Detective Dowling, who’s in over his head with his recent investigation into the undead bloodsuckers plaguing the city.
- Buffy settles down with... Spike?!
- A cliffhanger certain to shock fans!
- Executive produced by Joss Whedon![1]
Summary[]
Anaheed and Tumble take a vote on whether they should allow Buffy to stay with them or not. They are surprised to discover that both of them want her in the apartment. They talk about being safer to live with a Slayer, she has a crossbow that she could teach how to use, and she's actually a cool person: they just had overreacted. They both go to her room to announce her the good news, when they realize that Buffy has already gone, finding only her stuff packed there.
Buffy is on top of Spike's ship, which is flying over the city. Spike comes telling her that her suitcase is in the cabin and that the bugs can pick up her things whenever she wants. She says to do so when the roomies aren't home, since Tumble is too scared of cockroaches which have the size of an actual cockroach. Spike then asks her if she's sure about it, which she confirms: her roomies look at her now the way people look at Spike whenever he gets his vampire face. She adds that this is another proof of how messed up she is with ordinary things. Spike explains that he was actually asking her about the pregnancy; he called the doctor as she had asked him to do and arranged an appointment for her for the following day. Buffy says she doesn't want to postpone or cancel it, she is sure about it and she wants to get through with it once and for all; for the first time in her life, she feels that she must do the right thing considering her life and choices.
Inside a police car, Dowling and Cheung hear on the police radio that help is needed on the Pioneer Park. There is a vampire threat and Dowling has some stakes hidden inside his car after meeting with Spike the previous night. They decide to move and go to help.
In the spaceship cabin, Buffy complains of the closet space while she tries to put her clothes inside it. Spike asks her if it's true that he was her first choice to run away with when she found out she was pregnant. Buffy says that he was the best option to consider getting away from her calling forever, but she believes that things wouldn't have worked out between them. Spike complains that she has never watched him with kids before and he has certainly done a great job looking out for Dawn during the time she was dead. She says that, if she wanted a normal life, he's exactly what she'd be running from. Spike, clearly hurt, leaves the room while saying he's just "the bloke" to go to when she "need help out of a jam."
Spike's phone rings and it's Dowling. Spike tells him that he doesn't have any time right now to tutor him about vampires. Dowling admits that he's not ready for a vampire nest, and now he knows why. He and Cheung are at a scene full of blood with a crashed police car. Their backup is already dead and the detectives are alone on this for the moment. A zompire suddenly attacks Cheung.
In the ship, Spike orders the bug to get to the park ASAP. He goes to Buffy to tell her what's happening, telling her about the nest and that he's going to help the detectives. Buffy wants to go as well, but Spike immediately stops her. He states that as long as Buffy is pregnant, slaying (or putting herself in harm’s way) is off limits.
Cheung is in a very bad position against the zompires and Dowling can do nothing but watch her getting attacked while he hides behind the crushed car. More zompires arrive and go straight to him, so he runs inside the tower and locks himself there. Spike arrives and jumps out of the spaceship, fighting the zompires. Inside the building, Dowling tries to remember what he learned the previous night. Buffy, watching everything from the spaceship, sees zompires climbing the tower trying to get to Dowling, so she orders the bugs to take the spaceship as close as they can so she can jump in for help.
The zompires reach Dowling, when Buffy comes and helps him as he stakes his first zompire. While Buffy is getting ready to slay the rest of them, Dowling is surprised to see her living inside the spaceship as well. She tells him that Spike is not her boyfriend, but questions if Spike told him otherwise. Dowling answers that he didn't have to hear that from him - anyone could clearly see Spike is still in love with Buffy. Buffy slays all zompires and tells Dowling to go to the ship. She then jumps to help Spike against the remaining zompires. She quickly eliminates the threat and Spike thanks her for that.
Buffy then asks if it's true that he's still in love with her. He sadly questions if she'll make him say "what everyone else already worked out." She says that she's terrible at everything besides slaying and wonders why he didn't tell her. He says (while touching her belly) that he couldn't because she has more serious things to work out. He adds that he understands now how things are between them, so when he knows she's fine he'll take the spaceship and run away from her and from her life. Buffy is surprised to find out that he's been sticking around San Francisco for her. Gently touching her chin, Spike tells Buffy that he can give her what she needs - that he wants normal too and he wants it with her.
Suddenly, a zompire attacks and tears apart Buffy's arm. Spike slays the zompire. Holding Buffy's arm, they notice it's full of electric wires. Spike signals the bugs to come and pick them up, who were inside joking with Dowling that on their home planet they step on little humans. Buffy says she doesn't understand: she's herself, not a robot. Spike tells her he knows what it's like to be around a Buffybot and she's certainly one. She says this means she's not pregnant after all. Buffy realizes she's a robot.
Continuity[]
- Spike indicates that he has doubles of his jacket, which he got after losing the original duster in "The Girl in Question."
- Spike mentions that he could be good with children, mentioning the time he took care of Dawn after Buffy's death in "The Gift" until "Bargaining, Part Two."
- Buffy is surprised that Spike is still in love with her. This ignorance of Spike's continued feelings echoes "Crush."
- Spike tells Buffy that everyone already worked out that he's in love with her, as noticed by Koh in Freefall, Part Four and Dowling in On Your Own, Part One.
- Buffy tells Spike that he's exactly what she'd be running from if she wanted a normal life, and he adds that he can give it to her. In Freefall, Part Four, Spike declared that she needs a normal life, which is something he's not.
- Spike tells Buffy that he's tired of being used as her dark place, something he mentioned in On Your Own, Part One and Buffy imagined telling him in Last Gleaming, Part Two.
- Spike tells Buffy that he knows his way around a Buffybot, a reference to his sexual encounters with the first one in "Intervention."
Appearances[]
Individuals[]
- Anaheed
- Buffybot (Only mentioned)
- Buffybot (II)
- Miranda Cheung
- Robert Dowling
- Sebastian
- Spike
- Buffy Summers
- Dawn Summers (Only mentioned)
- Tumble
Organizations and titles[]
Species[]
Events[]
Locations[]
- Europe (Only mentioned)
- San Francisco
Objects[]
- Robert Dowling's car
- Spike's ship
- Stake
Death count[]
- Miranda Cheung, sired by a zompire.
- Three zompires, staked by Spike.
- One zompire, staked by Robert Dowling.
- Eight zompires, staked by Buffy.
Behind the scenes[]
Production[]
- The fight against zompires takes place at the Pioneer Park in San Francisco, with Dowling entering the Coit Tower and the bronze statue of Christopher Columbus visible in the background.
Distribution[]
- On Your Own, Part Two was the 70th best selling comic issue in its publishing month, with 28,908 sales in March 2012 at comic specialty stores.[2]
Collections[]
Pop culture references[]
- Spike snarked to Dowling about not having time for "Keystone Kops," referring to the usually comically incompetent police in silent films.
- Spike said he would go off on his space ship into the "wild black yonder," a reference to Star Trek.
Gallery[]
Covers[]
Cover artwork[]
Preview[]
Quotes[]
| Tumble: "What if there's a tie?" |
| Anahead: "Then Buffy's the tie-breaker." |
| Tumble: "Like she'd ever vote herself out of her own apartment." |
| Buffy: "Is this all the closet space you have?" |
| Spike: "Fits all my clothes." |
| Buffy: "You have like one jacket." |
| Spike: "What makes you think I don't have doubles?" |
| Sebastian: "Your majesty, I think I lost a limb in mistress Buffy's room. " |
| Spike: "Wanna lose another one?" |
| Buffy: "Why do alien bugs use European sockets?" |
| Spike: "Real question's why Europeans use alien sockets." |
| Buffy: "You know I'm terrible at anything that doesn't end with slaying. I'm not well-rounded. I have lots of corners. And most of them are pointy. Why didn't you tell me?" |
| Spike: "'Cause you had bigger problems and needed my help. But I get how things work with us. I was twit to think they might have changed. So once I know you're okay, I'm getting into my space ship and flying into the wild black yonder. 'Cause I don't want to be the dark place you run to when things aren't working. That's not why I fought to get my soul back. That's not why I've been sticking up for you about the seed. And that's certainly not why I've stuck around this bloody city." |
References[]
- ↑ "Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9 #7 (Phil Noto cover)". Dark Horse Comics. Retrieved on October 5, 2020.
- ↑ "Top 300 Comics Actual--March 2012". ICv2, April 9, 2012.