The storyline concerns Riley's return to Sunnydale with his wife Sam and their search for a creature called a Suvolte Demon.
Buffy and Riley fight a Suvolte demon on the streets of Sunnydale, but it escapes and they pursue him to a dam in his car.
At the house, Sam explains that the Suvolte demon has come to the Hellmouth to lay a nest full of its offspring.
The next day, Buffy finds Spike at his crypt and ends their relationship, telling him that she cannot love him nor can she keep using him to avoid her problems as it is killing her to do so.
Club called this "one of the most entertaining—and unexpectedly emotional—Buffy episodes in a good long while," noting that Riley appears "as a stark reminder of what Buffy's missing in her life at this moment, and as a catalyst for change.
"[1] TheTVCritic.org noted that it succeeded to hit the emotional points it was aiming for, and particularly praised Riley's speech about how great Buffy is.