After moving to Sunnydale, California, Buffy Anne Summers just wants to be a normal teenager. Back in Los Angeles, her first Watcher had died; she inadvertently burned down the gymnasium at her old high school; and her parents got a divorce. The move to Sunnydale is supposed to give both her and her mother, Joyce, a clean slate. But then she meets the school librarian, Rupert Giles, and quickly learns there is no escaping her destiny. With Giles as her new Watcher, she reluctantly steps back into her role as the Slayer. But this time she is not fighting alone. She now has an inner circle of special friends-- Willow, Xander, Cordelia, and a mysterious young man named Angel-- ready to join the fight and drive in a stake or two if need be.

New vampires Spike and Drusilla come to town along with the new slayer, Kendra Young, who was activated as a result of Buffy's brief death in the season one finale. Xander becomes involved with Cordelia, while Willow becomes involved with witchcraft and Daniel "Oz" Osbourne becomes a werewolf after being bitten by a young cousin who just happens to be a werewolf. Buffy and the vampire Angel develop a relationship over the course of the season, but Angel's dark past as the evil and sadistic Angelus threatens to destroy Buffy and the world.

Buffy returns from the big city to find her friends have been battling the forces of evil without her. As she struggles to regain her mother's and her friends' trust, a new slayer named Faith arrives in town, quickly winning over all of Buffy's friends. But Faith's arrival is just the beginning of new forces Buffy must face. For a few nights later she encounters Angel, who has somehow returned, feral and violent from the hellish demon dimension where Buffy had sent him. But the real demon Buffy must ultimately face is already on this side of the portal, preparing a special graduation day surprise for Sunnydale High.

Buffy begins college feeling completely overwhelmed...but once the monsters show up, it's just like old times. Then she starts dating Riley, a handsome commando battling the same monsters. He's part of a secret organization called The Initiative, and Buffy is all too happy to join the team. But she soon suspects The Initiative may be more dangerous than the monsters they are supposed to be battling...

After an unsettling encounter with the Dracula, Buffy asks Giles to once again be her Watcher. Luckily he agrees, for Buffy is about to face mortal problems far more threatening than the undead.

Elated with having Buffy back from the dead, her friends never wonder if she may have been in a better place.

As Buffy accompanies Dawn on her first day at the new Sunnydale High, Giles continues Willow's magic education in England. But while Buffy is surprised to be offered a guidance counselor job, Willow is shocked to experience a horrific future vision of the Hellmouth.