Comic Issue
"The Chain"
Publication date	July 25, 2007
Pages	22
Series
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight #5
previous "The Long Way Home, Part Four"	next "No Future For You, Part One"
Creative Team
Published by	Dark Horse Comics
Writer(s)	Joss Whedon
Penciller(s)	Paul Lee
Editor(s)	Scott Allie
Cover artist(s)	Jo Chen Georges Jeanty Paul Lee
Inker(s)	Andy Owens
Colorist(s)	Dave Stewart
Letterer(s)	Richard Starkings & ComiCraft's Jimmy Betancourt

"The Chain" was the fifth issue of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight comic book series, which was part of the Season Eight meta-series.

Contents 1 Synopsis 2 Continuity 3 Appearances 3.1 Individuals 3.2 Organizations and Titles 3.3 Species 3.4 Events 3.5 Locations 3.6 Weapons and Objects 4 Death Count 5 Behind the Scenes 5.1 Trivia 5.2 Collections 5.3 Pop Culture References 6 Gallery 6.1 Additional alternate covers 7 Quotes 8 References

Synopsis

A demon called Yamanh of Hoht held up the body of a dead Slayer he believed to be Buffy Summers, with various demons around him cheering him on. It was not the real Buffy, but one of her body doubles. While The Decoy was dying, her life flashed before her eyes.

She remembered a previous conversation before going up to Yamanh to fight him, where her friend, a faerie named Tink, pleaded with her not to go. The Decoy insisted that Yamanh and his army were marching to the upper world and that Tink should go and warn others, while she would hold them off.

Then The Decoy remembered how she had been called. She was having lunch with her friends when suddenly she was hit by an invisible force as her powers came to her.

Next The Decoy remembered explanations she had gotten from Giles and Rona about the Slayer line, as well as the dreams she had had, seeing various Slayers from history as well as their foes.

The Decoy also remembered seeing a commercial on local television starring Andrew and Vi, which helps the girl finds the Slayer organization and "the chain" to which all Slayers are connected. There, she trained in a squad with Rona. One day also receiving a lecture from Giles, who was visiting.

She then thought back to an occasion on which they were fighting vampires with a squad of Slayers, she intervened to save a fellow Slayer and was bitten by a vampire. Squad leader Rona identified the Slayer as a candidate to serve as a Buffy decoy in an underground society of demons, monsters, and faeries.

The Decoy thought back on how after having accepted the job, she first climbed down into the darkness of the underground world. There she met faeries and slimefolk and after passing their test, she explained that Yamanh and his demons would kill all the benevolent creatures there in order to get up and that the only way to stop him would be by working together.

Then she remembered after being called, that she got up and at just that moment a driver had lost control over his truck, which would hit her and her friends, if she had not reacted quickly. Luckily, with her new powers, she managed to save them.

Then finally she remembered the fight against Yamanh and his army, in which all the benevolent creatures had indeed united at her side. Inspite of that, he had beat her and she was dying, while he held her body up. Just at that moment though, several Slayer, having been alerted by Tink, descended into the cave, to aid her the battle.

Her final thoughts suggested she was happy to have saved the world and been part of "the chain", even if her own name would never be known.

Continuity

The events took place after "The Long Way Home, Part Four", but before "No Future For You, Part One".

Appearances

Individuals

• Buffy Summers (Only mentioned)
• Yamanh of Hoht
• The Decoy (Also in flashbacks)
• Tink
• Holly Braeburn (Only mentioned)
• Mike Billenger
• Rupert Giles
• Sineya (Only in flashbacks)
• Unidentified Maiden Slayer (Only in flashbacks)
• Naayee Neizghani (Only in flashbacks)
• Nikki Wood (Only in flashbacks)
• Elizabeth Weston (Only in flashbacks)
• Anni Sonnenblume (Only in flashbacks)
• Xin Rong (Only in flashbacks)
• The Master (Only in flashbacks)
• Andrew Wells
• Vi
• Rome Decoy (Only mentioned)
• Simone Doffler
• Rowena
• Leah
• Satsu

Organizations and Titles

• Slayer Organization
• Ravenclan

Species

• Human
• Slayer
• Unidentified demon
• Faerie
• Vampire (Only in flashbacks)
• Turok-Han Vampire (Only in flashbacks)
• Slimefolk
• Leaf-blower demon

Events

Locations

• Underground
• Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

Weapons and Objects

• Scythe

Death Count

• The Decoy, killed by Yamanh of Hoht
• a demon, killed by The Decoy
• five vampires, dusted by Slayers

Behind the Scenes

Trivia

• Scott Allie describes "The Chain" as an important story: "Joss put a lot into this one. If it were an episode of the show, he would have directed it."
• This is the first ever episode or issue of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" not to feature the character of Buffy Summers.
• The issue is dedicated to Janie Kleinman, a network executive whom Whedon had worked with and admired.

Collections

• The Long Way Home
• Season 8 Library Edition, Volume 1

Pop Culture References

Gallery

Additional alternate covers

Quotes

“	The Decoy: "There is a chain, between each and every one of us. And like the man said, you either feel its tug or you ignore it. I tried to feel it. I tried to face the darkness like a woman and I don't need any more than tat. You don't have to remember me. You don't even know who I am. But I do."
- The Chain		”

References