Reunion (comic)

⤷ Note: This article is about the comic issue. For the episode, see Reunion.

The canonicity of this article's subject remains dubious. Though it doesn't contradict official continuity, it has not been referenced in any confirmed canonical material.

Reunion is a one-shot of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Classic comic book series. It was written by Jane Espenson and illustrated by Paul Lee, Brian Horton, Ryan Sook, Chynna Clugston, Randy Green, Rick Ketcham, and Eric Powell. It was originally published on June 19, 2002, by Dark Horse Comics.

Synopsis[]

When Buffy came back from the dead earlier this season, she received a call from Angel, asking for a secret rendezvous. When she came back to Sunnydale the next episode, she didn't tell anyone what happened while she was away. Now Jane Espenson, the TV scribe behind both those episodes, gives us a glimpse into that secret night... Featuring a reunion of Buffy artists dating from the very beginning of our series.

This special one-shot, featuring extra story pages, brings back Randy Green, Chynna Clugston-Major, Ryan Sook, and many more. Fronted by Jeff Matsuda, who's drawn more Buffy covers than any other artist, this is a must for followers of the show.^[1]

Summary[]

Buffy trains with Giles in the back of the Magic Box. Meanwhile, Willow, Xander, and Anya discuss what could have happened with Buffy and Angel when they met after he learned she was alive. Willow decides to leave Xander and Anya to their speculation and heads off to get some rare ingredient from a witch. Xander and Anya decide to come up with their ideas of what happened, just as Dawn arrives.

In Xander's version, the pair meets at the Hollywood sign. Angel has gotten in trouble with a gangster demon and needs Buffy's help to defeat the fiery monster. The demon attacks and they have a brief fight, with Angel acting cowardly. The demon is killed by a falling letter "L" from the Hollywood sign.

Dawn takes a turn telling her story, which starts romantically by the sea. Shortly into her story, the demon from Xander's demon appears suddenly, to which Dawn is confused. The fight ends quickly when Buffy throws the demon into the sea.

They wonder how the story got away from Dawn, but Anya assumes they must have fought something because that was the basis of their relationship. She begins to tell her story, but Xander warns her off, worried about the stories controlling themselves.

Anya proceeds to tell her story, noting that she's feeling compelled to do so. Anya's version has the pair meeting in a Denny's in Oxnard so they can sit and talk. Just as Buffy is about to explain to Angel how her being dead is different, a demon attacks through the window. Xander worries it's the fire demon, but it's a giant rabbit instead. Angel gets knocked out as Buffy fights the demon. Shortly through the story, the rabbit transitions to become the fire demon from the previous stories. Just as Anya is telling the end of the story, in which Buffy tragically loses, Giles and Buffy interrupt.

The three come clean to Buffy and say they were talking about her and Angel. Just as Giles starts to research, worried that a demon has invaded the three's subconsciousness, Willow busts into the Magic Box. Their stories were being changed because she had been trying to magically send them messages warning about the fire demon. Although the gang seems happy it wasn't a demon, they don't seem too happy about Willow's magic.

Suddenly, the fire demon from the stories busts in the shop and attacks them. Buffy struggles to fight the monster due to its fiery skeletal nature and gets burned in the process. Eventually, she douses it with a fire extinguisher and beheads it. Afterward, Xander asks Willow what spell she needed the special ingredient for. Willow says it doesn't matter anymore.

Moments before, Willow cast a summoning spell. She summons the demon as a means of getting the story out of Buffy. However, it backfires and the demon misinterprets her request as wanting the Slayer's heart.

Continuity[]

This story takes place after Buffy's return to Sunnydale in the episode "Life Serial."
The events that Xander, Dawn, and Anya attempt to recount take place between the episodes "Flooded" and "Life Serial" and the Angel episodes "Carpe Noctem" and "Fredless."

Appearances[]

Individuals[]

Organizations and titles[]

Species[]

Demon
Human
Vampire (Only in visions)

Locations[]

Los Angeles (Only in visions)
Oxnard (Only in visions)
- Denny's (Only in visions)
Sunnydale
- Maple Court
  - Magic Box
- Revello Drive (Only in flashbacks)
  - 1630 Revello Drive (Only in flashbacks)

Rituals and spells[]

"Compel"

Death count[]

The fire demon, beheaded by Buffy.

Behind the scenes[]

Production[]

This comic is considered to have disputed canon for being written by Jane Espenson, part of the Buffy writing staff.
The photo cover features a promotional picture taken for Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 6.