Angel

AWAKENING

The Good;
Love Wes beating up the shamen's guard, he's really come a long way from the fop we first met in Buffy season 3. CC's little talk with Angel is excellent, manipulating him shamelessly.

The Bad;
It seems a bit silly all the hassle they go to in order to take Angel's soul away. Either give him some of the drug from 'Eternity' or invite Buffy down for a one night stand. Why not just destroy the wooden swords or cut the belts and bells?

Best line:
Angel; "Wood, why does did it have to be wood?"

Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Spike through Wes' hand anyone? Stabbing the Beast up through the chin also isn't nice but you'd do it if you had to.

Apocalypses: 5

Angel Cliches
Inverting the Hollywood cliche;
Connor more than willing to kill his father.

In disguise; 8

DB get's his shirt off; 12

Cheap Angel; 6

Fang Gang in bondage: Angel tied to the table
Cordy: 5
Angel: 13
Wes: 6
Gunn; 4
Lorne; 4
Fred; 2

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 13
Angel: 16
Wes: 5
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 1
Lorne; 4
Groo; 1

Kills:
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3 demons
Angel; 41 vamps, 57 and 1/2 demons, 5 zombies, 8 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 12 demons+3 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 humans
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 16 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 12 demons, 5 zombies, 1 human.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamp+ 1 demon, 5 zombies
Connor; 8 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 demons

Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 2
Angel: 2
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang:
Cordy: 4
Angel: 10
Fred; 2
Wes; 1
Gunn; 1

Characters killed:
250

Recurring characters killed;
8;

Total number of Angel Investigations: Cordy back in
Angel, Gunn, Fred, Lorne, Wes, CC

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 11
Wes; 1

Packing heat;
Wes; 7
Doyle; 1
Angel; 3
Gunn; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost: this ep is a Cangelers delight but alas it was never to be.
Cordy: 5 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo+Connor
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 3; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah
Gunn; 1 Fred
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy

Kinky dinky:
Fred a bit bashful over shining the torch over the Shamen's body. CC refers to the belts and bells as an S&M bondage party, has she been to many? CC tells her breasts that she knew they'd get her in trouble one day. But in fairness they've done a great deal for her over the years.

Know the face, different character; 4

Parking garages;
6,

Buffy characters on Angel; 16
Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony

Questions and observations;
Gwen has skipped town and I don't blame her. Kolchak the Nightstalker referred to (the inspiration for the X-files).
I'm afraid here we have the definitive end of Cangel. When Angel lost his soul in Suprise everything was going to hell and Buffy alone was all it took to give him the happy. In this it takes a number of factors, killing the Beast, bringing the sun back, Wes back in the fold, Connor losing his resentment AND sex with CC. What's more watch it with the subtitles on. As Angel, ahem, has his pleasure moment, he says 'Buffy'. Sorry CC he wasn't thinking of you. What exactly is Jasmine's plan? Why does she want to turn day into night?
Marks out of 10; 8/10

Why I loved this episode so much is because it gives most of us out there who are still Buffy/Angel fans some hope for the seemingly ended relationship! In Angel's fantasy, when he and Cordelia are sleeping together, Angel calls out for Buffy when he realizes he was losing his soul. This, of course, is an allusion to the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" episode "Surprise"(2x13) where Buffy and Angel consummate their love for the first time and Angel becomes Angelus again, and while he runs out into the rain he continually calls out for Buffy. I'm sorry for all the Cordelia fans out their, because I like her too, but I am waaaaaaaaaaay to much of a Buffy/Angel fanatic to let this one go unnoticed! Long Live Buffy and Angel!!!!

Let's begin shall we? Start off with the different faces of people in LA. We get it already. Los Angeles is diverse... while Larry McCormick (RIP) reports in the background. Cool, they used the real Los Angeles WB affiliate. The gang realize that LA will become a demon playground. Jealous Gunn makes a swipe at Wesley who everyone believes has run away skurred. But he's actually got his henchmen to beat up one of Wo-Pang's guards while he cleans his knuckles trying to fool us into believing that he did it. Yeah right! The gang is feeling pretty useless and Conner has apparently been inhabited by the spirit of S5 Dawn. Angel tells his son to get over it. He finally understands what Cordevil was telling him last ep. Angel tries to be proactive with pep but is interrupted by Wesley. Hee! Orange Zinger. Angel and Wesley bicker a bit but Cordevil wants her way so she sneakily convinces Angel. Angel needs a cage, Gunn is dumb, Wesley is smart... we get it.



Onto the desouling and into Angel's fantasy. Angel easily removes the leather straps... I guess they would've all been dead if the desouling would have gone through... in Angel's mind. Tattoos galore. Fred is kinda shy at seeing Wo-Pang's butt. Heh. Gunn is dumb, Wesley is smart... we get it. Cordevil busts out her mojo... I guess she's just plain ol' non-evil Cordy here. The sword's in LA and Angel asks what we're all thinking, "How is it a sword from the third century is conveniently located here in Los Angeles?" But never you worry, Cordy has an explanation for that... touché writers. Boobie-Traps galore. A shot of Wesley avoiding the bells is used twice... sloppy. Cordelia looks at her boobs (no I didn't mean Angel and Wesley) and says, "Oh, I knew you two would get me in trouble some day." :lol: Wesley deciphers the riddle... kinda. "He was wrong", is Connor's reply and Angel gives him the meanest look ever...Well I'm assuming, 'cause his back is turned. Connor still wants to impress Cordy with his strength... it's not working. I guess Angel is a big fan of Indiana Jones... otherwise there wouldn't be so many references in his fantasy.



Cue Angdelia. You know? This doesn't disgust me as much as Spuffy. Go fig. Angel finds the sword... Yay! The place goes all fire bad tree pretty. They manage to get out and sneak in a kiss not so sneakily. The Hyperion. Angel sees Gunn as a clumsy little kid. Ha! Gunn is dumb, Wesley is smart... We get it. The beast is tired of waiting so he goes to the Hyperion. Unfortunately he doesn't knock this time. Aaand they fight. There's a father/son bonding moment... Aww. The beast is no more. Apparently, Angel wants Gunn and Wesley to make up... Aww (Too bad its not real). Nice shot of Downtown Los Angeles. Cordelia and Angel get their swerve on and Angel yells "Buffy!" right before he loses his soul. Aaand Angel is now Angelus. Angelus muhahahahs a bit and we get to see the jar o' Soul. Cool.

Awakening was a really great episode of Angel. I really enjoyed watching this episode because there was a lot of plot development as well as character growth. I thought the story of this episode was excellent and very intriguing. I like how it all seemed to happen over a longer period than it did, and the fact that the gang now has to deal with Angel's darker side. I thought this episode was a clever way to move the season forward. I really can't wait to watch the next episode to see how every one reacts to the return of Angelus!!!!!!!

Awakening is a great episode with an even better twist at the end, and one that fools you from start to end. The main storyline of extracting Angel's soul was good and I'm glad they didn't rush into it and make a mess of the thing. Angel's struggle with himself was good here; he can pass on the offer to find out information on The Beast and remain as Angel or find out the information at the expense of his soul. Angel, as a champion, will always do the right thing at the end but Angelus is his weakness; he knows how dangerous and evil Angelus is but they need this information. It lets people who haven't seen Angelus yet know what a danger he is. Angelus is calculating, cunning and extremely powerful- his words alone can do more damage than his vampiric strength. The dream sequence is well done and it's basically Angel's perfect day- killing The Beast, saving the day, beating up Connor (who hasn't wanted to do that?), Connor finally accepting him and then boning Cordelia at the end. It's all pretty predictable and some parts and speeches are quite cheesy but this is Angel's head I guess! It had me fooled all the way through and I was starting to get disappointed that The Beast was so easily destroyed but then the ending happened, which was excellent. Angel's perfect day also feautures him to be seemingly perfect- he wins every fight he's in, rescues the damsel and does what he does best. Also at the end, he looks at the people enjoying the sun and would rather be inside; it shows that he wishes he could feel this way and not let his tendency to burst into flames in sunlight bother him. I really hated when he said "Buffy?" at the end of having sex with Cordy though- as a Cangel fan it felt cheap and tacked on as if trying to earn a seal of approval from all the "Buffy and Angel forever" fans. If he was really thinking about Buffy why not have her there? It really irritated me as it's obvious he loves Cordelia now.



The ending was creepy- Angelus' laugh just sent shivers down my spine. He looked positively evil at this scene with just a laugh! It shows he's not a typical vampire who'd want to attack the man in his cell but that he'd rather frighten the people around him- true to Angelus' character. Great episode!

The first impression of the episode, if you cut off the last five minutes, is simply alright. It wasn't great, and some parts didn't make sense if this is what Angel would really have wanted, but it was "Beer Bad," which, I recall, did make me at least half-smile at one point, so that wasn't all horrible. But the suprise ending is what made this episode great. It was almost impossible to see it coming, unless you paused the episode and really thought about how bizzare those things were. However the parts with Wes were very subtle but neccessary. When Wes says he is sorry, it was something, but you didn't really think twice about it. And Wes and Gunn getting along? True, it wouldn't happen, but I think that since everyone wants it to happen, they were happy enough to pretend like it would really be that simple. Plus finally, they actually listened when Angel told them to leave him. That might be the first time that that has happened in the entire series. Congrats writers. I do have some complaints, though. If this is what Angel really wants, then why did he get beat up so much? Connor hit him with some pretty good blows, would Angel really want him to do that? And no offense or anything to Cordy, but she's not Buffy, which supposedly is his true love. And wouldn't he still be so ticked off that Cordy slept with Connor that he realistically wouldn't want to be with her anyway, right? I guess that since it is "prefect happiness" I shouldn't look that far into it, but I couldn't help it.



Oh, and the ending? That was great. The way Angelus looks at the camera and laughs, that's priceless. The reaction couldn't have been better.

Awakening-Cordelia has a vision, which reveals that the Beast once knew Angelus. Since Angel has no memory of this, the gang realizes that there is only one thing to do. They must find a way to bring forth Angelus.



As far as original episodes go, this one really hit the mark! The episode starts with Angel not wanting to become Angelus again, but coming around for the greater good. The shaman is a creepy character and the way he had all those japanese writting all over his body was disturbing. There are also some nice settings like Angel and the gang going after the sword to kill the Beast, which leads to some trapped caves and dangerous tombs...Very Indian Jones-eqse! Although the Angel and Cordelia's romance in this episode felt a bit extreme, not to mention Connor's jealously when as Angel and Cordelia kiss. Though there is a great fight scene at the end where Angel and Connor fighting together to defeat the Beast. The sun is returns, Angel and Connor finally work out their issues. Not to mention, Angel and Cordelia finally slept together! Everything seems perfect, a little too perfect, then suddenly we see Angel never left his cage and the shaman is still over him while everyone watches. It's the best fake-out the series ever written as we see Angelus has returned as he laughs and we see Angel's soul in the shaman's bottle. I couldn't believe how good that revelation was and the only down side is, after the first viewing it's not as good as the first time. All and All, a superb episode thats one of the best episodes of the season thanks to the unpredictiable ending twist!

I was reeled in bigtime during this episode, and who wouldnt have been?? The only thing that (finally) got me clued in was when Angel and Connor took out the beast together and had their cheesy bonding dialogue. Also, watching Angel and Cordy in bed together was a bit much considering she just recently gave it up to Connor. Oh the lengths the writers go to! Well, we all knew that bringing Angelus back wasnt going to be all roses and candy (like this dream sequence) and now we are going to find out the hard way that manipulating Angelus into telling the gang what *most* of them want to know is going to be perilous at best. Stay tuned!

a very touching episode about angels dream life and how he wishes it would turn. killing the beast very simply and with help of his son,. his son loving him and respecting him and getting cordelia to love him and not to care what he did in the past



but sadly it is all his imagination because a sha-man is using it to make him turn into angelus by having true happiness and thats when he sleeps with cordelia at the end. what makes me mad is that he says buffy when he changed and that was gross! but the episode was very good and well written and fooling!

I was fooled the entire time, and even several times since I've seen the episode, it "gets me."



This is why the Buffy-verse rocks. In this dream sequence nothing crazy happens, all the characters act like themselves (even the sex, seems logical; it has been building up for several seasons).



The reason I gave it an 8.9 v. a 10, it is not the best episode. It was great, but because it was a dream episode, nothing happened, and we spent 40 minutes that doen't move the plot along (but the other 12 minutes do a great job moving the overall plot along).



I still wonder though, why Buffy didn't come and help with the beast, it's too big a thing not for her to notice that the sun has been blotted out in LA. I understand she has her own troubles, but darn, wouldn't a Slayer come in handy fighting the Beast (hint to get a better score: with Buffy out of the picture, Faith could have come in earlier).

Awakening



Another great episode. not as good as the most season 4 and that's because the dialog and everything seems too happy and out of character and if it didn't have that twist at the end it would have had a lower rank. but it's definitely surprising and that's how Angel would want everything to go. It's a great episode that couldn't have been better for it's own story.



cut to where it left and that the sun is out and people are looking at it. The gang is watching the news and they know that the vampires are coming and Fred says she needs Wesley. Gunn says that Gwen and Wes left and Connor says that Angel is part of the plan. Gunn says he wants to know Angelus but Cordy doesn’t want to and the only way to remove the soul and take it away and the only way to lose it is with pure happiness. cut to Angel who just sang at Lorne and Angel doesn't understand why he doesn't remember about The Beast and it's maybe because it's deep inside Angelus and there is no way to bring him back. cut to a guy doing something but then Wesley arrives and tells him that someone has to have his soul distracted.



the credits start



cut to Cordy going to Angel and Lorne couldn’t help him and Angel says that the beast is not their only problem. Connor says he was mad because everyone thought that it was going wrong cause of him but it was Angel and then he gives Angel all the guilt and Angel tells him to get over it. and then Wes arrives with the ninja thing and that he can deliver Angelus. cut to Angel and Wes but Angel doesn't want to do that plan but Wes says that people are in danger and they have to do it but Angel says that Angelus is too risky and that Wes has no idea and he never was around Angelus and tells him to get rid of the shaman and goes outside and Cordy follows him to the garden. Cordy says that without sun all those plants are going to die and that she is on his side and that Angelus is a bad idea because of what she has seen. and Angel says he is already a danger and Cordy says that Angelus is smarter than him because he's evil and then Angel suddenly changes his mind and goes inside.



He goes inside and he needs a cage and Wesley knows it's for himself. cut to the addict with a big cage and it's time and they all go above and Angel wants to talk to Connor and he says he will become his enemy and whatever Angelus says that he's not his father and that he loves Connor and that if something goes wrong and that he has to kill him. Then they leave Angel in the cage and he tells Angel to close his eyes and the shaman begins to speak in another language and then tries to kill him but Angel escapes and then they all fight and the man kills himself. And then they take off his clothes and he has marks on him and then they begin to study them. And Wes reads and they have to find some sort of tooth and then they see Cordy having the vision and she tells them where it is and in the city and with a sword they have to kill him. Then Wes says sorry to Angel and he feels glad for the apology and he says that it's the first time he apologizes and they are going to get it.



cut to some sort of cafe and then Connor says he found something and that it's dangerous because there are booby traps. then they come to the other place who looks to be booby trapped and Cordy say's that's not right but they find a way how to come through and then they open it and Angel and Connor hold it and they go together. Then they are splitting and Connor wants to go with Cordy but she tells him to go with Wes and Cordy says she has made wrong dictions and she wished he could but then she finds a place where the sword should be but Angel finds it in some other dimension and takes out the sword but then it all goes red and the cafe begins to fall in and he goes out with Cordy and everything falls in but they are saved and she falls on him and she begins to cry because she was afraid something would happen and they could have died and she wouldn't have had a chance to tell him that she's sorry and she tells about Connor but she wanted to be with him and it doesn't matter of what he has done because he has done many good things and he forgives her and they kiss.



Connor and Wes saw everything and Connor is upset and goes away and Angel after him and they arrive in a place and then things shoot and they fight each other and that it's not all about him but Connor says she was his but Cordy arrives and she says she wasn't and he has to understand it. cut to them arriving the house and they have the sword and they have to kill the Beast with it by smashing his head they are not sure he can survive but he has to fight it by himself and then he makes a speech why they are all important and that they believe in each others as champions. But Cordy doesn't want to loose him because they are finally starting to have something but he says he will come back. Then The Beast comes and they have to fight him and he sees what Angel has and they fight but they won't go but they go anyway and continue fighting but The Beast wants him to work with him and he destroys the sword and grabs him but then Connor comes to save him but The Beast kicks Connor's ass and then Angel kills him with the sword and the sun goes back to how it used to be.



Then Conor says that Cordy was the only thing that made him feel better but she wanted Angel and loves him and Angel is sorry. Then the rest of the gang arrives and they did it and are happy together. cut to Angel looking outside and Cordy comes over to him and she says it must be hard but he's happy where he is and then they begin to kiss. She tells Angel that everything is supposed to be the way it should be and they begin to take off their clothes and go to bed and then he has an orgasm on her and suddenly turns and he screams and is back to the table. 'Illusion becomes reality' and the shaman says it's done. and Angelus is back who keeps on laughing.



Black Out

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Best episode quotes:



Angel: Something to say, Connor? You got a problem?

Connor: You.

Cordelia: Hey, Connor.

Connor: Acting like the big leader, like we don't already know what we know.

Angel: And what do you know?

Connor: Everybody thought it was me. Maybe even I was starting to, but it was you all along. You're the one who's working with the Beast.

Angel: I'm not.

Connor: Well, then, you're a puppet. Either way, everything's going to hell because of you. You're the reason that the sun is gone, that I don't have a home to go back to. You're the reason that she- It's you. You're the reason my life sucks.

Angel: Get over it.



Cordelia: They're all going to die- the flowers, plants, trees- without sun. I'm just realizing... I just came to say that I'm on your side. Angelus is the jumbo family-sized bad of bad ideas. He'd be a danger to all of us. You made the right call. Wesley, the others...they don't get it.

Angel: But you do.

Cordelia: Well, if I didn't when Angelus was loose and killing in Sunnydale, then reliving his past horrors in virtual wide-screen sense surround during my tenure in floatyville pretty much makes me an expert.

Angel: Right. Do you- Do you think Connor's right, that I'm being used by the Beast without even knowing?

Cordelia: No.

Angel: Are you just saying that?

Cordelia: Yes. I don't know, Angel. It's possible.

Angel: Well, if I am, then I'm already a danger to you, all of you.

Cordelia: Well, not like Angelus would be. I mean, he's- he's smart.

Angel: Excuse me?

Cordelia: Well, you know what I mean...

Angel: You're saying Angelus is smarter than me.

Cordelia: No, I mean....you're smart. He's just-

Angel: Ingenious.

Cordelia: But in that twisted, sadistic, ruthless kind of way.

Angel: Like the Beast.

Cordelia: Yes. Exactly. They think alike, always a step or two ahead of us. I mean, what is it about evil that jacks up the I.Q. points? It's like whenever… What? Angel.



Angel: Connor.

Connor: What?

Angel: Look, I know you like to think that I'm the enemy, but if this works, I will be. I'm gonna become the one thing you were raised to believe I was. The thing I never- never wanted you to see.

Connor: Yeah. I think I can handle it.

Angel: Uh-huh. Well, just keep in mind that whatever Angelus says, whatever he does- remember, he's not your father. I am. No matter what happens- or, happened- I- I love you. Look, one more thing. Since I'm gonna be out of commission for a while, I want you to, you know, take care of everybody. Keep 'em safe. That means, if anything should go wrong with Angelus, you're gonna have to kill me.

Connor: OK.

Angel: If... anything goes wrong.

Connor: Right. I got it.



Lorne: Is there any part of this guy that doesn't have writing all over it? Scratch that- I don't want to know.



Angel: Dead end.

Cordelia: Who booby-trapped a dead end? That's just not right.

Wesley: There's something here.

Angel: Assyrian?

Wesley: Hebrew. Rashi script.

Connor: Can you read it?

Wesley: Just random letters, one on each stone... unless...

Cordelia: This is it, you did- You didn't.

Wesley: There's a pattern. Hebrew letters have numerical values. Aleph is one. The letter with the next highest numerical value would be...He. 5.

Angel: What happened? What happened?

Connor: He was wrong.

Wesley: I don't know. I don't know what else-

Angel: 9 stones.

Wesley: Yes, that's it. It's not their numerical value. These are the first letters of the nine antediluvian patriarchs in Genesis.

Cordelia: That would've been my next guess.

Angel: So which one do we press?

Wesley: Aleph was Adam, so in ascending order...Shin for Seth. That one.

Angel: Now what?

Wesley: Kaf for Cainan.

Angel: Which one's Kaf?

Wesley: Maybe that one.

Cordelia: Maybe? I don't have enough shirt to bandage both of you.



Cordelia: I'm sorry about that. Back there. Connor. He's still confused about things. I've really made a mess of a messy situation, haven't I? Some really rotten decisions I'd love to take back, but... I don't know if you ever could.

Angel: Could?

Cordelia: Whoa.

Angel: Could what? What could I ever?

Cordelia: This has got to be the place. So where is the sword? OK, great. It's gone.

Angel: Maybe.

Cordelia: What maybe? I don't see it. Do you?

Angel: No. The light must be coming from somewhere.

Cordelia: Angel?

Angel: It's some kind of dimensional hub. That's why the sword can be in a hundred places... at once. Ah. Ah. I'd say things are starting to look-

Cordelia: Uh, Angel... Can we get out of here now?

Angel: Cordy!

Cordelia: Angel! Angel!

Angel: Hang on!

Cordelia: Oh, my God! Are you-?

Angel: No, no. I'm good. I'm good. See? I missed the pointy end. What? Shh... hey... shh...

Cordelia: We could've died.

Angel: But we didn't.

Cordelia: What if we had? What if we'd been deep fried trying to save the world again, and I- and I didn't have the chance to tell you.

Angel: Tell me what?

Cordelia: I'm sorry for what happened, for what I let happen with Connor. I was lost and frightened, and I thought it was the end, and- I wanted to be with you, but I couldn't. Oh, God. Angel, what I did-

Angel: It's gonna be all right.

Cordelia: No, it's- you need to know that I can look back and see every horrible thing you've ever done as Angelus, and it doesn't matter anymore. Because when I'm with you, all I feel is the good you've done as Angel. I know I've hurt you. I know I don't deserve forgiveness.

Angel: Cordy, I don't care what you've done in your past either.

Cordelia: I don't know if this is right, Angel.

Angel: Stop talking.

Cordelia: OK. Connor. Connor- Connor, wait.

Angel: Connor.

Connor: Leave me alone.

Angel: Can't we just talk about this? Don't move.

Connor: Don't tell me what to do.

Angel: Connor- Ow. That hurt.

Connor: Yeah, I can really see why she wants you.

Angel: Connor, I know you're hurt-

Connor: You don't know anything, Dad, except- except how to take things away from me.

Angel: Be careful.

Connor: Why? Nothing in this world is the way it ought to be. It's harsh and cruel- Because of you!

Angel: This isn't the place for this.

Connor: It's your fault. It's all your fault. I shouldn't have been born!

Angel: Grow up! You think you're the only one who ever felt like that? Wished his father was dead?

Connor: Yeah, but mine already is.

Angel: It's not all about you, Connor. What you want isn't always what other people need.

Cordelia: No, she wasn't. I'm sorry, Connor, but you need to understand that.



Cordelia: You're not going to fight this thing by yourself.

Angel: There's no choice.

Cordelia: There's always a choice.

Angel: Not for me. I have to do this. You made a difference. Each of you- not just to me, but to the world. We've been pushed to the edge so many times, done things we're sure can never be forgiven, but we're always there for each other when it counts. We've never let the darkness win. And it's not because of the Powers That Be, or the super-strength, or the magical weapons. It's because we believed in each other. Not just as friends or lovers, but as champions. All of us. Together.



Angel: I gotta do this. I gotta find the Beast- Oh, there it is.



The Beast: The boy joins the father in death.

Connor: No, in kicking your stony ass.

The Beast: Such arrogance. So much like Angelus.

Connor: His name is Angel.

Angel: Consider your ass kicked.

Connor: Dad.

Angel: You came back.

Connor: Like I'd let you take all the credit for saving the world? You're right. It is harsh. And cruel. She was the only thing that made it hurt less.

Angel: Connor...

Connor: But it's not me. I could feel it in her touch, in her eyes. She loves you. It's always been you.

Angel: I'm sorry.

Connor: She was too old for me anyway. Is this what it feels like, being a champion?

Angel: Pretty much.

Cordelia: Connor? Oh, my God! You did it.

Angel: We did it. All of us. Now, could one of you do me a favor and, uh, sweep that up?



Cordelia: Must be hard. Seeing everyone so happy because of what you did. Bringing the light back, but not being able to go out into it.

Angel: There's no place I'd rather be... than here with you. Cordy...

Cordelia: No. Whatever it is, whatever the reason or excuse or logic, we're here. Now. Together. Everything is the way it's supposed to be. For once. Angel, haven't we waited long enough?

Angel: Buffy? No! Oh, God! No!

Wo-Pang: The vision becomes reality. It is done.

Cordelia: Angelus.



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Story: 10

Acting: 9

Writing: 10

Picture: 10

Gripping: 9

My Rank: 9

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Total: 9.5

The quest portion of this episode is the portion I liked the best. It was cool, very "Raiders of the Lost Ark" -- down to Angel's "Wood -- why did it have to be wood?" line.



These mysterious caverns, these keys and puzzles that Angel dreams up (his ultimate fantasy involves a stake punching through Wesley's hand -- does that seem right to you?) It also involves a naked Chinese shaman with writing up and down him, however, so it's best not to read too much into these things.



Oh, and I didn't hear him say "Buffy." I'm sure I heard him say "Cordy." But I didn't have my subtitles on and it sounded more than anything like a gasp.



Angel is too easily talked into becoming Angelus. And, somehow, by Cordy.



//Monty, this seems strange to me.//



Jasmine's wiping Angel's memory so that only Angelus has access to the information means that she doesn't want Angelus to surface, right? She'd gone to all that trouble, after all, to remove all references to the Beast from this dimension, right?



Well, the memories Angel is running around being all broody about are the memories Angelus made. So she wiped his memory, too, and this should've been an exercise in futility.



//Motivation, motivation ...//



Well, I like the idea that Faith was sprung to address Angelus and then trucked back to Sunnydale. She was one of the coolest things about S7. But motivation in bringing Angelus forth is from the people who want to stop the Beast ...



... unless Jasmine honestly believes that Angelus and the Beast will join forces.



Wow, has she misread this world.



He is convinced to try -- or to relent -- they bring in the shaman, build the cage and his soul is removed through what Angelus later calls a "retarded fantasy."



Tell us about it. //Oy.//



JASMINE WATCH: Oh, just about everywhere. But she is hiding, being very circumspect. She's throwing Lorne a bit -- he couldn't read Angel through "The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia," after all (and Angel was clearly singing his heart out) and she's trying to pretend to be all Cordy and light (why did she want to raise the Beast and block out the sun? How did that help? And why was she the one to present the winning argument about raising Angelus? Is she just a //loon//?)



But never mind all that. She's got a physical presence, now, so she's about to become even more erratic and difficult to read.



Nice to see the Beast go down, even if it was in a dream sequence.



But what a ... //weird// set of stories this has become.