I Wish, Part Two is the seventh issue of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Ten comic book series. Joss Whedon is the executive producer.
Synopsis[]
As Spike and Xander bond – while also seriously getting on each other’s nerves – they are tempted to start writing some rules of their own in the book of magical laws... concerning Buffy and Dawn![1]
Summary[]
The Scooby Gang is moving into their newly demon-free apartment building. Spike and Xander are carrying boxes up to the apartment that they now share. They share a heated discussion about Spike’s issues of Soap Opera Digest and Xander’s many action figures. Xander asks Spike if he planning on getting a job and then tells him that he should see if Supernatural Crimes could use his help. Spike thinks on this and then decides it not a bad idea. Xander leaves to see what the girls are doing across the hall. In the the apartment she shares with Dawn and Willow, Buffy is also unpacking. D'Hoffryn and Giles are at a small table with the Vampyr book. Giles is making an entry about making the magical barriers between earth and hell dimensions much stronger. D'Hoffryn teleports away but warns Giles not to use the book for his own personal needs. Buffy reassures Giles that they are a team, but tells him that she is worried about him living on his own. He assures her that he will be fine and they are just across the hall.
Willow tells Buffy that she has the protection spell set up on Xander and Spike’s apartment, but theirs will take longer and she has an interview. She advises that the book stay at their place until their apartment is locked down as well. They all agree. Dawn comes downstairs carrying a box of Xander’s things. They make small talk and Xander asks Dawn to a movie, but she declines citing work. Buffy gives Xander the book and tells him to be patient with Dawn and stop trying so hard.
Later, Xander and Spike are staring intently at the book. Spike notes that they should not have this kind of power in their hands. Xander warns him not to write anything about Buffy loving him in the book. Spike tells him that he wouldn’t, but says that Xander could correct this thing with Dawn by writing it down. Xander says that it would be selfish, but he has thought about it. Spike tells Xander that before he can truly love Dawn, he has to love himself. Xander gets angry and throws the book, telling Spike that he is full of crap and he knows that Spike still loves Buffy. They agree to go get a drink. At the bar, they talk about Xander’s anger issues and how he’s getting help from Dr. Mike and he asks Spike to help him get Dawn back. Spike agrees, but says he also needs to give her space and how it must be like losing Joyce all over again.
A blonde woman approaches Spike and they hit it off, she introduces herself as Thelma. Xander is annoyed until he also hits it off with a brunette woman. They get a booth and share several beers together. The girls invite them back to their place, but they decline. The girls’ eyes turn green putting both of them into a trance and Spike and Xander both agree to go to their place. The girls lead them down the street. Anya (in ghost form) appears behind him warning him that they are not girls, they are sirens. He starts to come out of his trance until the brunette whistles and he leaves Anya behind. Back at their place, the sirens shed their human guises, back into their true form. Spike tries to kiss one, but she brushes him off and tells them they will be having sex with the Mistress. She motions to an overweight, tentacled demon with green hair, a face like a fish and a crown.
Ten minutes later, Xander and Spike are in their boxers having a pillow fight with each other. The sirens are looking on in delight, but Anya is in complete despair. Anya realizes that if she talks loud enough, Xander might be able to hear her and she can snap him out of it. She starts yelling and he comes out of the trance. He grabs two plastic drink swords and shoves them in Spike’s ears shattering his ear drums. Spike attacks Xander, realizes he’s in his boxers and that they are being seduced by sirens. The two minion sirens attack him while the Mistress makes her getaway. Xander’s hearing returns and he also starts to attack Spike, but he manages to kill the sirens before Xander can stop him.
A bit later, Spike and Xander are back at the bar with Dowling having a drink. Xander leaves and walks back to his apartment with Anya. He apologies for everything that he’s done to her. He offers to try and use the book to make her human again, but she declines. He arrives home and sees Dawn pushing her bike walking next to a guy. He goes upstairs and sits at the table looking at the Vampyr book. Back at the bar, Spike thanks Dowling for the beer and Dowling asks him if he still loves Buffy. After some frustration he admits that he does. They leave together and Dowling tells him that things will work out. Back at the bar, Dylan comes looking for Spike.
Continuity[]
- The Scooby Gang is moving to the building from which they exorcised the Hamelin demon (I Wish, Part One).
- Spike moves in with boxes of soap opera digests on Passions, and mentions often watching them. He was revealed to be a fan of the series in "Something Blue".
- Xander suggests Spike to work at the S.F.P.D.'s Supernatural Crime Unit, as they both have helped Dowling in "On Your Own".
- Xander reflects on the previous times he shared a place with Spike, back in Seasons 4 and 7.
- Giles recalls not resisting the Hamelin's illusions; and his assets are now partially unfrozen (I Wish, Part One).
- Spike mentions his old soulless self; he got his soul in "Grave".
- Spike mentions Dawn's reset of emotions, as revealed in New Rules, Part Four.
- Spike recalls Dawn's reacting to Joyce's death ("The Body").
- Anya was last seen in New Rules, Part Five.
- The Mistress appears for the first time.
- Xander apologizes for leaving Anya Jenkins at the altar ("Hell's Bells") and getting her killed ("Chosen").
- Spike confesses to Dowling he still loves Buffy. This was last mentioned in Spike and Faith, and Dowling had noticed it before in On Your Own, Part One.
- Dylan was last seen in Spike: Into the Light.
Appearances[]
Individuals[]
- Buffy Summers
- Xander Harris
- Willow Rosenberg
- Rupert Giles
- Dawn Summers
- Spike
- Anya
- D'Hoffryn
- Thelma
- Ninny
- The Mistress
- Robert Dowling
- Dylan Turner
- Anya Jenkins (Only mentioned)
- Angel (Only mentioned)
- Mike (Only mentioned)
- Joyce Summers (Only mentioned)
Organization and Titles[]
- Scooby Gang
- Slayer
- Witch
- Magic Council (Only mentioned)
- San Francisco Police Department (Only mentioned)
Species[]
- Human
- Vampire
- Spirit
- Demon
- Siren
- Lower Being
- Hamelin demon (Only mentioned)
- Succubus (Only mentioned)
Locations[]
- San Francisco, California
- Xander and Spike's apartment
- Buffy, Willow, and Dawn's apartment
- Rupert Giles's apartment
- Rialto Theatre (Only mentioned)
Weapons and Objects[]
Death Count[]
Behind the Scenes[]
Trivia[]
- For the variant cover, artist Rebekah Isaacs homages Odd Couple (1968) movie, and Dark Horse Comics counted on Buffy fans on Valentine's Day to choose Xander's and Spike's roles between the main characters. The winner dynamics was Xander as Felix and Spike as Oscar.
Collections[]
- "I Wish"
Pop Culture References[]
- Xander holds a B.P.R.D. comic book in the variant cover.
- Spike mentions the soap opera Passions.
- Among Xander's maquettes, there are an alien from the film franchise Alien, Lara Croft from Tomb Raider, and a Dalek from Doctor Who.
- Buffy mentions using and learning about the Chinese philosophic system feng shui.
- Buffy compares the Scoobies' new living arrangements to the series Friends.
- Giles quotes Persian phrase "This too shall pass."
- Spike mentions Xander's Dungeons & Dragons cards, but Xander corrects him saying they're in fact Magic: The Gathering cards and D&D modules, and references Gary Gygax system.
- Xander asks Dawn to watch the movie The Princess Bride, playing at the Rialto Theatre.
- Spike says he watched an episode of the talk show Dr. Phil.
- Spike references the documentary film The Secret.
- Thelma mentions Percy Bysshe Shelley, John Keats and Raegan Butcher.
- Xander notices Ninny wearing a Diamondback Toolbelts' The Arctic Fox.
- Ninny notices Xander's Hellboy B.P.R.D. patch.
- Anya exclaims Astaroth's name, in reference to the Great Duke of Hell in demonology.
- Anya compares herself to the character Jiminy Cricket .