The third issue of the Long Way Home arc of Season 8 of the comic book launch of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", returns with some revelations, including the identity of the man in Buffy's dream-- as well as the identity of Amy's gruesome boyfriend whom General Voll has referenced several times, but not identified by name or face.

They are both of course returning characters from the Buffyverse, along with Amy's return previously-- it seems almost as if Joss Whedon is reintroducing all the Buffy characters he can-- above creating new ones. Thus Ethan Rayne, who regularly plagued Buffy and Giles, year after year, until Season 4-- whether it was Halloween costumes that transformed their wearers into their costumed characters, band candy that reverted grown ups to teenagers or turning Giles into a giant horned demon, returns as the finger in Buffy's dream or rather 'dreamspace' which is described as the collection of all the possible dreams a person can dream and attempts to guide her through it into a portion of Amy's dream, which reveals her rat cage and three X's.

The second major character returning is an unlikely one, Warren in all his skinless glory, whom Willow had skinned alive after his accidental murder of Tara, was apparently alive and well and joined up with Amy and harboring a sizable grudge of course-- against a certain Willow Rosenberg. If Issue Two served as the reappearance and introduction of Giles, Issue Three serves as the reappearance and introduction of Willow, beginning with her return and ending with her imprisonment. Indeed after Amy's first attack on Buffy failed, her entire second attack appears to have been a feint to draw Willow to exactly where she was as bait for Buffy.

However the puzzle of who kissed Buffy with the kiss of true love and woke her from her sleep, remains a bit of a mystery. Amy in Season Eight Issue 2 hinted to Xander that he should be the one to do it. In Buffy's own nightmare, she sees herself proposing that she and Xander spend the night together. Promising to be gentle this time. It is unclear if there really was a previous time-- or if this was more randomness from Buffy's subconscious.

Season 8 Issue Three , has Willow proposing a plan to anonymously kiss Buffy by having the one who truly loves her, step forward to give her a kiss. It isn't shown who kisses Buffy, but Xander appears to quickly step back when Buffy wakes, however Willow also stands close to Buffy and Buffy's first words are addressed to Willow. Buffy also appears to taste cinnamon buns-- a little clue that may help reveal the party in question.

Buffy's dream and Xander's centrality throughout all three issues thus far suggests that Joss Whedon may finally be ready to make Xander's dreams come true-- now that he's somewhat matured enough for it and move along a romance between Buffy and Xander. If the kiss did come from Xander, that would strongly suggest the development of such a potential romance is moving further along. However if the kiss came from Willow, that may raise a whole other range of questions instead.

Meanwhile Giles is continuing his own investigation of the mysterious symbol carved on the demons-- without getting anywhere. Buffy encounters the three X's, another mysterious symbol, with no real answer. At the end of Issue 3, Buffy realizes they've been played all along and with matters on the ropes, she may be preparing to strike back in force. The attack has cost the lives of some of the girls already, lost to the army of the undead-- as we learn during Xander's visit with Renee. With Willow kidnapped and Buffy tortured and nearly killed herself, matters are only growing worse.

The phrase "a slow year" serves as a running line by Buffy-- who is feeling a bit deprived and Xander-- who despite all the female company is apparently taking care of things the old fashioned way. Since relationships are never far from a Buffy storyline-- no matter how the demons may crowd around and how near the end of the world may be-- Xander is drawing closer to a relationship with Renee, one of the Slayers, while the question of who kissed Buffy still hovers in the air and Buffy's own dreamspace exploration features one sexually explicit embrace of Buffy, Spike and Angel. Buffy's love life has always been part of the ongoing disaster, between Angel, Riley, Spike and Glory's better half-- it seems the Slayer has rarely made wise choices when it comes to romance and whatever romantic choices she makes during the remainder of Season 8 is likely to be a part of the equation.

Season 8 Issue 3 ends on a dark note, yet also on a note of resolve, with some initial questions answered-- but the largest questions still looming overhead. Who or what is conspiring against the Slayer army and is behind the mysterious insignia as well. If the return of Amy, Ethan Rayne and Warren are any sign-- it is likely as not to be another existing character in the Buffyverse.