FromDawn Summers’s (Michelle Trachtenberg) backstoryto the musical episode “Once More With Feeling,” there are a lot of aspects ofBuffy The Vampire Slayerthat fans are critical of. The early seasons are generally considered to be entertaining and compelling, and the two-part season 2 finale sees Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) fighting evil and trying to save Sunnydale once again.

With 22 episodes and great performances from the talented cast,Buffy The Vampire Slayerseason 2 has several riveting storylines that build up toward an epic and action-packed conclusion that changes Buffy forever.

Willow (Alyson Hannigan) and Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) in Buffy The Vampire Slayer

RELATED:Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 1 Ending, Explained

How Does Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 2 End?

In episodes 21 and 22 of season 2 ofBuffy The Vampire Slayer, “Becoming: Part 1” and “Becoming: Part 2,” Angel (David Boreanez) has turned into Angelus, his evil vampire form. There are someeerieBuffy The Vampire Slayerepisodesand this two-part finale features Acathla, one of the most horrifying villains in the TV series. These two episodes are also important because whileWillow Rosenberg (Alyson Hannigan) becomes evillater,

In “Becoming: Part 1,” Buffy and Willow are trying to save Angel and turn him back into his kind-hearted self. Kendra Young (Bianca Lawson), who is one ofthe strongest vampire slayers inBuffy, arrives in Sunnydale to stop Angelus and Drusilla (Juliet Landau) from achieving their terrifying goal. The vampires want to take a block from the museum that can release Acathla, which would mean that the world would end and become hell. Angelus challenges Buffy to a fight so Drusilla can take Giles (Anthony Stewart Head) and murder Kendra. Willow has also passed out, which terrifies Buffy and makes her feel guilty that her vampire slayer fate has hurt one of her closest friends.

Xander (Nicholas Brendon), Willow (Alyson Hannigan) and Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) in Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Buffy The Vampire Slayer season 2 guest stars

In “Becoming: Part 2,” Buffy tells her mom Joyce (Kristine Sutherland) that she is a vampire slayer, which is one of the most emotional moments inBuffy The Vampire Slayerseason 2. Another moving scene is when Xander Harris (Nicholas Brendon) tells Willow that he has feelings for her. Since Xander has always been an outsider at school who has struggled to talk about his emotions, this scene proves that he has experienced some growth.

When speaking to her mom, Buffy says:

“Open your eyes, Mom. What do you think has been going on for the past two years? The fights, the weird occurrences. How many times have you washed blood out of my clothing, and you still haven’t figured it out?”

When Joyce says “It stops now,” Buffy has a passionate response ready and says:

“No, it doesn’t stop. It never stops. Do-do you think I chose to be like this? Do you have any idea how lonely it is? How dangerous? I wouldloveto be upstairs watching TV or gossiping about boys or, god, even studying! But I have to save the world. Again.”

TheBuffy The Vampire Slayerseason 2 finale also features Willow realizing that she has magical powers and giving Angel his soul back after Giles is hypnotized by Druscilla, who shows him that Acathla can only wake up from Angelus’s blood. Spike and Buffy save the day by fighting Angelus, which proves that Spike is one ofthe strongestBuffyvampires. Unfortunately for Buffy, when Acathla comes close to waking up and wreaking havoc, she hurts Angel, who ends up in hell along with Acathla. In the final scene, Buffy runs away from home because she is so distraught by what has happened. Drusilla and Spike also exit Sunnydale.

TheBuffy The Vampire Slayerseason 2 finale is powerful because Buffy now truly understands the threats facing Sunnydale and the role that she plays in stopping them. She feels awful about Willow almost dying and Angel going to hell. In the season 3 premiere “Anne,” she gets a job as a server and pretends to be a girl named Anne.

What Is Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 2 About?

Buffy The Vampire Slayerseason 2 sees Buffy adjusting to her role as the slayer and also dealing with some trauma from the previous season. In the season 2 premiere, “When She Was Bad,” Buffy can’t stop dreaming about the Master, whom she fought in the season 1 finale. Some memorable and entertaining episodes are set at Sunnydale High School, including “School Hard” when Spike arrives during Parent Teacher Night. In episode 12, “Bad Eggs,” Buffy and her classmates work on a school project that involves parasites that break free from eggs. In episode 20, “Go Fish,” a sea creature murders the swim team.

ThroughoutBuffy The Vampire Slayerseason 2,Buffy has to fight evil and eerie monsters, and she also gets to know Spike better. Later on in the series, Spike and Buffy fall in love, but at this point, she still sees him as ascary and powerfulBuffy The Vampire Slayervillainwhom she has to keep her eye on. Season 2 is a great season with the perfect blend of character development and fast-paced, action-packed scenes.