After discovering that her favorite teacher does not remember her, and that it was Cordelia's fault that she missed yearbook photos, Buffy decides to compete for the Homecoming Queen title.
Meanwhile, Trick introduces a competition, "SlayerFest '98", with a group of participants including German twin assassins Hans and Fredrick Gruenstahler, "The Most Dangerous Game" hunter Frawley, Kulak, a demon of the Miquot Clan, and Lyle Gorch and his new wife Candy.
They begin to bond when Cordelia admits that she loves Xander and Buffy reveals that she spent a year's allowance on her dress.
Buffy distracts the German assassins as they enter the school, managing to plant the trackers on them and have them annihilate each other with their high-tech equipment.
It leaves little time for the hunting-humans-as-sport storyline, a twist on the theme of Richard Connell's 1924 short story "The Most Dangerous Game" and its 1932 film adaptation of the same name.
[1] At the site InsectReflection.com, essayist Emily (last name not given) writes, "Since this series started, Cordelia Chase has existed for one specific purpose – to act as Buffy’s Shadow Self.
This is Cordelia’s last hurrah – the last episode in which she fully acts as Buffy’s Shadow before Faith takes on the role full-time.
"[4] Vox writes, "Homecoming introduces Xander and Willow's inevitable, ill-advised romantic dalliance, which reverberates throughout the season.
"[5] Myles McNutt writes that "we saw in 'Becoming' that Xander loves Willow as a friend enough that it could some day evolve into something more, so my issue is more the speed than the very fact of the matter.
However... It’s a great way for the show to prepare us for the fact that their connection isn't 'going away,' and to use a device which has much larger functions for the purpose of ongoing character development is just some really smart long-form storytelling.
)"[8] Justin Carreiro of TVFanatic.com writes that the episode "paired our favorites queens in a thrilling battle that showed every reason why Cordelia and Buffy needed more scenes together."
"[9] Myles McNutt observes, "Ultimately, the episode needs them to be rivals so that there can be conflict when they're trapped in the wonder that is Slayerfest '98, but David Greenwalt does a nice job of drawing from each character's strengths and insecurities to explain their feud.