This episode scored a 4.7/7 in the overnight ratings.

This episode ranked 2nd out of 9 UPN shows for the week.

Guest star Nathan Fillion also stars in Joss Whedon's third TV series, Firefly.

Ranked 69 out of 93 prime time shows.

Joss Whedon had originally written a longer script that included the return (through The First) of Kendra, Joyce Summers, and Oz; as well as a longer interaction between Buffy and Angel; more scenes between the core three characters; and during the final battle, Xander dies (rather than Anya) and all of Xander's dialogue afterwards was spoken by Anya.

This episode marks the deaths of Anya, Spike, Caleb, as well as several potentials, Amanda being the only identifiable one.

Xander: See, it's the eye-patch thing.
Buffy: Right, do you go with the full black secret agent look --
Willow: Or the puffy shirt pirate-slash-poet feel. Sensitive yet manly...
Xander: Now you're gettin' a little renaissance fair on me.
Buffy: It's a fine line.
Giles: The earth is definitely doomed.

Faith: Looks like the Hellmouth is officially closed for business.
Giles: There is another one in Cleveland. Not to spoil the moment...

Angel: Not saving the damsel in distress, that's for sure.
Buffy: You know me. Not big with the damseling.

Angel: (About Spike having a soul) No, no, that's great. Everyone's got a soul now.
Buffy: What are you, pissed?
Angel: No, it's great. One for our side.
Buffy: He'll make a difference.
Angel: You know, I started it. The whole... having a soul. Before it was all the "cool new thing"...
Buffy: Oh my god, are you twelve?
Angel: I'm gettin' the brush off for Captain Peroxide, it doesn't bring out the champion in me.

Buffy: Everybody! Why are you so -- Are you gonna come by and get all Dawson on me every time I have a boyfriend?
Angel: Aha! Boyfriend!
Buffy: He's not! But... he is in my heart.
Angel: That'll end well.
Buffy: And what was the highlight of our relationship? The time you broke up with me or the time I killed you?

Buffy: Because... okay, I'm cookie dough, okay?
Angel: Yet another curveball...
Buffy: I'm not done baking yet. I'm not finished becoming... whoever the hell it is I'm gonna turn out to be. I've been looking for someone to make me feel whole, and maybe I just need to be whole. I make it through this, and the next thing, and the next... maybe one day I turn around and realize I'm ready. I'm cookies. And then if I want someone to eat m -- or, to enjoy warm delicious cookie-me, then that's fine. That'll be then. When I'm done.
Angel: Any thoughts on who might enjoy... do I have to go with the cookie analogy?

Xander: (To Buffy after he failed to take away Dawn) Don't look at me, this is a Summers' thing. It's all very violent.

Xander: Operative word "If."
Anya: Operative word "Fail."
Dawn: Or, operative word "Wheeee!" Nobody gets me.

Spike: So where's Tall, Dark and Forehead?
Buffy: Let me guess. You can smell him.
Spike: Yeah, that and I also used my heightened vampire eyeballs to watch you kissing him.

Anya: Come on. Let's go assemble the cannon fodder.
Xander: We're not calling them that, sweetie.
Anya: Not to their faces -- what am I, insensitive?

Giles: Could it possibly get uglier? I used to be a highly respected Watcher. Now I'm a wounded dwarf with the mystical strength of a doily. I wish I could just sleep.
Amanda: What kind of person could sleep on a night like this?
(Anya sound asleep on the table)
Xander: Only the crazy ones.

Andrew: We will defend it with our very lives.
Anya: Yes, we'll defend it with his very life.
Xander: Don't be afraid to use him as a human shield.
Anya: Good, yes, thanks.

Buffy: I love you.
Spike: No you don't. But thanks for saying it.

Andrew: I think they're coming.
Anya: Oh God. I'm terrified. I didn't think...I just figured you would be terrified and I would be sarcastic about it.
Andrew: (also scared) Picture happy things. A lake. Candy canes. Bunnies.
Anya: (her eyes narrow) Bunnies. Floppy, hoppy, bunnies. (She raises her sword, no longer afraid).

(Last line of the episode)
Dawn: Yeah, Buffy. What are we gonna do now?

Spike: (looking at the amulet worn around his neck) Not to be a buzz kill, love, but my fabulous accessory isn't exactly tingling with power.
Buffy: (psyching herself up as she looks around slack-jawed) I'm not worried.
Spike: I'm getting zero juice here, and I look like Elizabeth Taylor.
Faith: Cheer up, Liz. Willow's big spell doesn't work, it won't matter what you wear.

The scene which includes only the core Scoobies -- Buffy, Xander, Willow, and Giles -- in which Giles states that "the Earth is definitely doomed" is a callback to a similar scene from the second half of the series pilot (The Harvest), in which Giles remarks, "The Earth is doomed".