Angel

PEACE OUT

The Good;
It's bad taste but love the 'God is nowhere, Jasmine is the way' sign outside the church. Also love Jasmine picking up the car and love Connor killing her. Angel's quest is also good although the lack of budget shows. It's a small moment but I adore the scene where the blonde reporter is awestruck that Jasmine knows her name, just the little look of exasperation Gina Torres gives is priceless. Plus HERE's LILAH!

The Bad;
Note that when the Guardsmen are clustered around the captive AI the only one without his face covered is the one who Jasmine later speaks through (scene shot out of order?). Angel aside the rest of AI just seem to spend all their time locked in the cellar and don't contribute much. If CC is so precious to Jasmine why is she guarded by exactly 2 cops with pistols and not ringed with troops and tanks? How come the guy Connor tortures gives up his info, surely Jasmine's followers are prepared to die for her? (or has her power faded as she prepares herself for her broadcast?). Note that in the bridge scene the LA sky keeps getting darker and then lighter again between shots.

Best line;
Jasmine (to Angel); "You're not human"
Angel; "Working on it" (indeed he is!)

Jeez, how did they get away with that?
Connor kills his 'daughter'. Do we really wonder why he's so screwed up?

Apocalypses: 5 not the end of the world by any means

Angel Cliches
In disguise; 8

DB get's his shirt off; 12

Cheap Angel; 6

Fang Gang in bondage: Lorne, Wes, Gunn and Fred in plasticuffs
Cordy: 5
Angel: 14
Wes: 7
Gunn; 5
Lorne; 5
Fred; 3

Fang gang knocked out:
Cordy: 15
Angel: 17
Wes: 7
Doyle; 1
Gunn; 2
Lorne; 6
Groo; 1
Connor; 1
Faith; 1
Fred; 2

Kills; one demon for Angel, one demon/human(?) for Connor
Cordy: 5 vamps, 3 demons
Angel; 44 vamps, 59 and 1/2 demons, 5 zombies, 8 humans
Doyle; 1 vamp
Wes; 14 demons+5 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 humans
Kate; 3 vamps
Faith; 18 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Gunn; 11 vamps+ 13 demons, 5 zombies, 1 human.
Groo; 1 demon
Fred; 3 vamps+ 2 demon, 5 zombies
Connor; 16 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 demons, Jasmine

Fang Gang go evil:
Cordy: 3
Angel: 3
Gunn; 1
Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang;
Cordy: 4
Angel: 11
Fred; 2
Wes; 1
Gunn; 1
Connor; 1

Characters killed: according to Angel thousands have died due to Jasmine's actions
2255

Recurring characters killed;
9;

Total number of Angel Investigations;5
Angel, Gunn, Fred, Lorne, Wes,

Angel Investigations shot:
Angel: 12
Wes; 2

Packing heat;
Wes; 8
Doyle; 1
Angel; 3
Gunn; 2
Fred; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost:
Cordy: 5 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo+Connor plus possibly the Beast
Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies
Wes; 3 definite; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah, 1 possible, Justine
Gunn; 2 Fred and Gwen.
Fred; 1 Gunn
Groo; 1Cordy

Kinky dinky:
The way Jasmine eats people is rather reminiscent of vore fetishism (beautiful women enjoying being swallowed whole by giant snakes, carnivarous plants etc). Yes, I'm serious, it really exists, just google the term

Captain Subtext;
Connor teases the rest of AI because they're now alone, obvious resentment from when they left him alone.

Know the face, different character; 4

Parking garages;
6,

Guantanamo Bay;
Angel tortures his way to what he wants without a moments hesitation.

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

Questions and observations;
The blonde reporter in the hotel foyer reminded me at first of Reese Witherspoon and then of Jenny McCarthy but it's neither. The dark haired reporter with the glasses also looks very familar from somewhere. How exactly does Angel manage to materilize exactly back in the hotel foyer? Is the orb programmed to home in on Jasmine? Surely if Angel appeared to everyone on TV worldwide he should be hugely famous?
This of course is an argument similar to that explored in Torchwood; Children of Earth, Jasmine would devour a couple of dozen people a day but if she abolished war, crime and poverty etc she would save millions (apparently 1000 children a day die in India from preventable diseases). But Angel says that the important thing is that mankind has to make it's own choices, learn from it's own mistakes. Interestingly when Angel talks to Jasmine on the bridge he even holds out redemption for her. Jasmine talks about wiping out Angel's species, does she mean humans or vampires? Ok she's pretty strong and can't be killed with electricity but if Connor can just kill her with a fist through the head she's not that tough (not compared to Glory anyway)? Or is that because Connor is her 'father' that he can kill her? Night of the Comet is referenced, a nice little sci-fi film that Joss cites as one of his inspirations for Buffy. Note in the bridge scene there's a company offering 'Facials' which Jasmine certainly needs.
Marks out of 10; 8/10

Peace Out was a perfect episode of Angel because it had a lot of great scenes full of interesting characters such as those Angel faced in the other dimension. Jasmine is at her prime, has captured the unbelievers, and is about to go global. I thought the interactions between every one in the gang was fun to watch, and it made sense that they got to Connor about Cordelia. I really enjoyed watching this episode because of the great story telling, character development, and supernatural action. I wish we could have learned more about Jasmine, or seen more of her true divine self. The ending was a bit shocking and quite a surprise!!!!!!!

Peace Out is an excellent episode that concluded the main arc of this season and storylines that began over two seasons ago! It is fast paced, shocking and full of twists.



Jasmine was excellent here again, improving a lot from previous episode where she was just annoying. She was quite manical and very devious and who knew she could fight like that? Go Jazzy! Here, Jasmine gets as close to world domination as any villain ever could- she actually have complete control over everyone for a minute before Angel went and scuppered her plans of war free, hunger free and disease free world. Huh? Isn't Angel the good guy? Yes, he is. Jasmine isn't a bona fide villain. She truly wants world peace but her methods are evil. At the end, you are left wondering if Angel did the right thing or if Jasmine was the hero here- she could stop so much pain in so little time but at the cost of free will. It's an episode that makes you think- Angel said humanity has the right to free will but Jasmine points out free will never got it anywhere. To a degree, she is right. Look where free will got Germany during WW2. It's an interesting question and Lilah next episode points out that everything comes at a price, including world peace. It's a point to think about. Connor was good here- I enjoyed his speech to comatose Cordelia. He proves that he isn't a bad person- just extremely messed up. His life has been built on lies and mistrust and everyone has failed him. Angel let Holtz take him (well not let), Holtz killed himself to make him hate Angel and Cordelia is in a coma. He is lost and doesn't have any balance or constant in his life except pain. He's a tragic figure indeed. I enjoyed the Angel/Jasmine fight. It was short but quite brutal. Jazzy ain't so easily undone it seems! Her fighting was actually better than Illyria's and she is very powerful. Heck she gets electrocuted and stands up again! Connor killing her was sad- she's the last person he has left, his daughter, but he kills her. It's a sad moment.



The ending was excellent- Lilah's back? Yay! She again states what Angel has done- ended world peace. Not cool Angel. I'm glad she's back as she's so brilliant though.



Peace Out is an excellent conclusion to our main arc. It's exciting and very satisfying. It will leave you thinking about many things. A brilliant episode.

i'll first say i really dislike conner, but i felt bad for him after he killed jasmine i mean, after he was used by evil cordelia, and she never really loved him, thats sad. but i'm glad jasmines out of the picture though i thought her death would be in the season finale. i've gotta say i don't like how angel never really beats the bad guy, i mean yes he stoped jasmines power, but he didn't kill her, and come to think of it he never really does. i can't waite for the season finale. blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah balhabnbvieuohybgfv ndhubn bdcysun bvdghsb

Peace Out-Angel must fight through a gauntlet of foes to discover the one thing that can nullify Jasmine's power. Meanwhile, back in L.A., Connor searches for Cordelia, Jasmine prepares to take her influence to a global level, and the gang receives a very unexpected visitor.



A powerful conclusion to not only this season's huge story arc but storylines that began all the way back in Season 2. I mean everything in the past seasons was all designed by Jasmine to rule the world with be overwheming thrawl, this is an intriguing and fulfilling way to end it. The rest of the gang has lost the fight and Jasmine's captures them, wait, I thought she wanted to kill them, no she doesn't she needs them for Angel? Okay, Gina continues to be every so flawless as Jasmine begins to show her truer and darker colors. After she explains her past conquests in bug world, it's off to the dungeon for our heroes. Meanwhile, our soulful vampire seems to have scared away all those demons and journey to the top of the fuzzy blue screen, I mean huge mountain of the insect dimension to save the day. Meanwhile back in L.A., we find out old Connor was never under control of Jasmine and has had maggot, rottoning head vision all this time. Turns out he only wanted to be apart of daughter dearest's thrawl and be apart of the love, aww, wait?...ehw! Anyway, back in bug world, he enters the mighty temple which is a brilliant setting by way, he meets the guardian of the word, no the guardian of the keeper, NO, the guardian of the keeper of the word...right! Okay, Angel begins his battle with Keeper boy whose mouth seems to be shut, darn, a fight begins! Meanwhile, Connor is curious about our Cordy, Jasmine didn't eat her, yay! yet she is where she wants her to be...so vague...so not needed! So the Quor-tohian goes on a mission to find her, beats on a couple of Jasmanics along the way (finally that boy does something right!), to which he finds her in an abandon church. Vincet shows his not just boy wonder after all again and gives a good performance as he pours his heart out to the woman he loves whose can't even hear him since she's comatose, hello! The rest of the gang is still caged and fear the end as Jasmine is about to make her world debut, but don't worry, Jasmine feeding on about 30 people will surely give her a severe stomach flu!...ohh wait, no it doesn't! Jasmine is fierce and ready to go! A lot of cameras on Jasmine, the people of the hotel watch in amazment as Jasmine almost blows her cover with a plea for a massive temple in her name, but luckily she doesn't lose it yet! Suddenly Angel returns with the Keeper's head, only her name can stop her and take away her power! But how exactly do you pronounce "AHHHWHHHHHHEEHHWW!"? I was never too good with mystical names of power. Jasmine's hideous form is revealed to the world and her thrawl is broken. L.A. is in chaos again, Jasmine wonders, Angel stalks her to which brings some incredible and insightful dialogue between the 2:



ANGEL: Jasmine, it's over. You've lost.

JASMINE: I've lost? Do you have any idea what you've done?

ANGEL: What I had to do.

JASMINE: No. No, Angel. There are no absolutes. No right and wrong. Haven't you learned anything working for the Powers? There are only choices. I offered paradise. You chose this!

ANGEL: Because I could. Because that's what you took away from us. Choice.

JASMINE: And look what free will has gotten you.

ANGEL: Hey, I didn't say we were smart. I said it's our right. It's what makes us human.

JASMINE: But you're not human.

ANGEL: Working on it.



JASMINE: Why do you hate me so much?

ANGEL: Let's run down the list, huh? Rain of fire, blotting out the sun, enslaving mankind, and, yeah, oh, yeah, hey, you eat people!

JASMINE: Like you never have?

ANGEL: Thousands of people are dead because of what you've done.

JASMINE: And how many will die because of you? I could've stopped it, Angel. All of it. War, disease, poverty. How many precious, beautiful lives would've been saved in a handful of years? Yes, I murdered thousands to save billions. This world is doomed to drown in its own blood now.

ANGEL: The price was too high, Jasmine. Our fate has to be our own, or we're nothing. It's what makes this episode so fantastic in restrospect, Jasmine thought she could win the world and use the reign of fire, to the Beast, to Angelus to win it back. She wanted peace through violence and destruction, she want harmony through control and dependence on her. She stole the world's will, which is our greatest asset when you think about it. Without free will, we are not fully human and thus the world can not be, and Jasmine knew this and that's how the world would have ended! That's why the Jasmine arc and the character itself is so complex with themes of religion, anarchy, and a power struggle. Jasmine was never good or bad, she just was! If that makes sense, but it's my theory so *sticks touge out!* After that awesome scene, Jasmine opens a can, wait, makes that a cabnet of whoop a$$ on Angel with some incredible superstrength. I mean she sends him flying off a bridge, throws a car on him, knocks him into a brick pole, even takes a few punches like they were just kisses on her check! Who knew Miss Goody Goody had it in her! Angel pretty much can't beat this brawny brawd, but Connor sure does as he punches through Jasmine's face as easily as butter! Seems anti-climatic doesn't it, but hey, his her Daddy in the biological sense and not a sexual one, so it would make sense only he or Cordelia would be able to kill her. So thust this gigantic arc ended, even the rest of the gang made it out, thanks to Gunn no less, but wait Lilah's back just as Angel returns to his friends. What she up too? And why does she still have her head? All and All, one of the most powerful episodes of the series full of intense, fast paced moments, amazing twists and incredible themes.

very nice and exciting episode .



it makes y wonder what will happen next .



and i would like to say that conor did a great job in this season . he is really a good actor . and i expeect a bright future for him too . he has good face expressions and a very sad and hansome face .



angel also is very nice and cool and he looks sencere in this episode . i really love his work and wish him lots and lots of sucess and good luck .



and for the rest of the team i wich them good.

Angel finds himself in a very strange world, amidst many of the skittering creatures like the one who inhabited the sewer. Fortunately they are scared of the orb he has and they run off. He sees the "castle" where he needs to go and get the answers about Jasmine, specifically her real name. The rest of the gang are not faring well, as they are captured by Connor and taken back to the hotel and put into the downstairs cage. Wes asks Connor if he sees Jasmine as they see her, and surprise..he has seen her that way all along. (love is blind) Meanwhile, Jasmine is preparing for a huge feast. Yeah, she is going to eat ALOT of people at a banquet in preparation for her worldwide debut on the air. Connor wants to know where Cordy is, but she will not tell him. Connor ends up finding her on his own after roughing up a couple of followers. Angel finally makes it to the castle and after some fighting he gets what he came for. As Jasmine is about to spread her sunshine globally, Angel appears with a severed head that has a sealed mouth. Jasmine implores Angel not to do it, but too late, he cuts the mouth open. Her name has been spoken and just like that everyone sees her true hideous face. Bedlam would be a good way to describe the scene. The gang in the basement got loose thanks to Gunn. Angel goes after Jasmine who is wandering the streets. She tells him that she could have given the world everything but he reminds her that she took away free will in the process. They fight, but in the end it is Connor who kills her. He looks utterly empty after that and takes off. Angel comes back to the hotel and the gang is sitting around dumbfounded because.....Lilah is there and congratulating them. For ending world peace. mmmkay

the end of jasmine and i must admit. a very good episode!

jasmine fighting angel and throwing a car!

connor going to church and saying goodbye to cordelia and explain why he did those things he did!

angel in the other world searching to defeat jasmine.



what a fantastic episode! when angel gets what he wants to makes jasmine reveal to everybody over the world and stopped world peace by that/ the one who killed jasmine was connor but he gave up then. he cannot handle the death of her and is giving up.



very sad sad episode. but lilah at the end was really a bright spot. another tru great episode.

Peace Out



One of the best written, directed and best effects of the entire show. Finally everyone discovers Jasmine's true identity and instead of Angel killing her, it's Connor who kills the black maggot beauty. The episode was specially dramatic for Connor, his scene with Cordy is one of the shows best. The episode is brilliant in overall and ends up with Lilah telling them that they ended world peace.



Cut to where Sacrifice ended and the cop things defeat Lorne, Fred, Gunn and Wes. Connor asks where Angel is. Cut to Angel with that bowl in his hand and he scares off the monsters.



the credits start



Connor is very upset against them. They tell Connor that she a lie but Jasmine tells them to bring them to her and he didn't want to but does anyway. Cut to Angel climbing up a cliff in that other world. Jasmine asks them about Angel and Wes tells her about the creature in the sewer. Jasmine tells about that other world and that Angel is losing his time but they say that if it was so, she would have killed them but she says time will come. Wesley knows that she is going to do a satellite to make everyone hers. Fred wanted Connor to see Jasmine face and he looks at her and sees maggots and he says she's beautiful. Jasmine takes them to a prison and Connor asks what is Angel looking for, she says the unattainable.



Cut to Angel going to a temple. Angel sees the guardian of the word but he isn’t it. He is of the few faithful ones and that she left them and many don't believe anymore. Angel came for the name and then he tills him up but he says he already lost everything. Cut to Connor putting them in a jail and Lorne asks if he has always seen Jasmine's true face and Connor says he is used to stuff like that. Then Fred asks about Cordy and that the coma is bad for her. Connor says that she has been moved and he says someplace save. Wesley asks what Jasmine eats and he says he doesn't know but Wes says that the followers. They realise that Jasmine eats people. Then they think that she ate Cordy and that freaks Connor out.



Cut to the temple and Angel wants to know the name and he says that the cheaper is the only one who knows. Angel sees the keeper and that his last breath will take out the name. It's mouth is shut so Angel knows that he has to do it the hard way. Cut to Jasmine with people in the room, all taking their clothes off but Connor comes to ask her about Cordy. Jasmine says that she is where she wants her to be but he still wants to know. She realised that he thinks she ate her but she says she isn't offended. She says she couldn't hurt her because she is her mother. Connor asks who took her and she says it doesn't matter because he knows she is alive and under constant guard.



Cut to Angel fighting the monster, the guy says that his friends are dead because he believes and asks for what he is fighting. The world doesn't care about him and doesn't want him and it's not why he is here. The guardian says that Angel is fighting for Connor and that he already lost Cordy. But Angel is going to fail and loose Connor too. Cut to the house and they are going to do the tv thing. Connor smells two guys that smell like Cordy. They flirt with Connor but then he asks about Cordy and he wants to know where she is. They say that they have to ask Jasmine and he attacks them and grabs one of them and forces him to tell where Cordy is.



The guardian says that is never enough to Connor but he says it's because he is his dad and that Connor will never love him. And then the other hit him and kills him. Cut to the cage and Gunn is trying to brake it. They think they were getting to him. Wesley knows about Cordy's blood and he thinks Jasmine moved her because she is a threat. Wes thinks that if Cordy dies, Jasmine dies too. The only way to stop Jasmine is by waking up Cordy. Cut to Connor going to a church and walks into it but there are guards who tell Connor to leave. Connor begins to fight them and knock them out and then he sees Cordy lying on a some sort of bed.



Cut to Jasmine after eating being all whole again and time for her close up. Cut to Connor telling Cordys body that he wanted to see her. And that the new beginning started and he wished she would see it. Connor says that the world is better and not harsh and cruel and that the gang are finding reasons to fight. Because that gives their life meaning and that he's not like them. He wants to stop fighting and rest, but he can't. He says it's not working and he tried to believe. He says that Jasmine is bringing peace to everyone but not to him. He says that Jasmine is a lie, his whole life is build on them but he just thought this one was better than the others.



Cut to the hotel where they are going to broadcast. The attacked man goes to Jasmine and he tells her what happened and she goes to the press conference. She comes on tv to make the world better and build on love. She says that they all have to love one another and wants a temple. But then a portal opens with Angel and the head. Jasmine tells him not to do but he has the head and opens it's mouth and the words come out and then her face changes and everyone sees it. Then everyone runs away and she sees Angel and it's all over tv.



Cut to the cage and Gunn continues hitting the door until he opens the door and says to never give up. Cut to Jasmine outside and everyone is fighting and they throw things to her. Then she calls Connor to come over to her and that she needs him. Cut on a bridge with Jasmine and Angel tells her she lost. He says he had to do and she says that there isn't a wrong and a right. She offered paradise and he says because he could and she took choice from them and that it's not right but it's their right and that makes them human but she says he isn't human.



She is going and she doesn't want him to follow her but he has and she asks if he is going to kill her. and he says he can't let her hurt someone else. She asks why he hates her so much and he tells her the list. He says that thousands have died because of her and she says she killed thousands to save millions. Angel says that the price was too high and or else they are nothing and she says like her. Angel wants her to make the world better and she didn't lost all her powers and hits him up in the air and he crushes onto a car.



Jasmine grabs anther car and throws it at Angel. Jasmine begins to fight Angel and she says that she cared. Angel grabs electricity and it smashes her away. They continue fighting and she hits him away and then she kisses him and that he destroyed world peace. Then Connor comes and he says Angel always gets the girls. The gang looks through the hotel and nobody is in there. Lorne says something big went down. Cut to Jasmine and she tells Connor that Angel ruined everything and she asks if he still loves her and he says yes and crushes her skull with his hand. Angel says it's over. but Connor runs away. Cut to the hotel again and Angel comes back and he sees that they are still alive and that Jasmine is dead and Connor killed her. Angel says that Connor's face was blank and that he had nothing left and that he is just giving up. but then Lilah comes and says that they ended world peace.



Black Out

----------

Best episode quotes:



Connor: What did you think you could do? Poison the whole city with your hate? Your tricks? Now I have no choice but to kill you.

Wesley: Connor-

Connor: Shut up. All your talk about saving the world. Well... now somebody's gone and done it. Made everything right... and good. And you can't stand it because you're all so full of yourselves. Don't you get it? You're all alone now. All of you. You're the ones left out in the cold. You... don't... belong.

Gunn: If belonging means following some bogus god and killing in her name, then you're damn right we don't.

Connor: I'm not listening to your lies.

Wesley: Jasmine's the lie. You've no idea what she is.

Connor: Yes, I do. She's mine.

Guard/Jasmine: Connor, wait. Bring them to me.

Connor: Why?

Guard/Jasmine: Has it become necessary to explain my wishes to you?

Connor: No, just-

Guard/Jasmine: Then be a sweet boy and bring them. Intact. Thank you, Connor.



Guardian: A long way to come, dead thing, only to fail. Don't worry. The way down will be much, much quicker.

Angel: Thanks for the tip. Maybe I can use your body to cushion the blow.

Guardian: I doubt if my form would provide you much protection, but you're welcome to try.

Angel: You. You're the-

Guardian: High priest, guardian of the word, caretaker of her most blessed temple.

Angel: Well, blessed temple's kind of empty, padre. So where are the other true believers? Or are you it?

Guardian: Betrayers, blasphemers. Centuries of waiting for her return have caused most to doubt.

Angel: But, not you, her faithful P.R. flak.

Guardian: She is the light. She is the way.

Angel: She is not coming back.

Guardian: She will when she's through with your world.

Angel: You know, maybe we're not talking about the same person here. What's the name of yours again?

Guardian: That's why you're here, dead thing. What you've come for. The word. The name.

Angel: Good. You got that. So I don't have to ask it again. What is it?

Guardian: Fool. You can take away her power, but you've already lost... everything.



Lorne: I just gotta know one thing. The reason our little blood ritual didn't raise any veils for you. You've always seen Jasmine's true appearance, haven't you?

Gunn: You gotta be kidding me. You know what maggot-face looks like, and you're still big with the worship?

Connor: I grew up in Quor-Toth-a hell dimension full of all sorts of things you can't even imagine. So, you know, appearance? Not that important to me.

Fred: What is important to you, Connor?

Gunn: Not us, apparently. Or his own father.

Fred: What about Cordelia? She needs help, medical attention. I mean, who knows what that coma's doing to her?

Connor: She's fine.

Fred: Are you sure? Have you checked on her? Connor, if you don't care for her, then-

Connor: She isn't-she's been moved.

Gunn: Moved? What do you mean?

Connor: Someplace safe, OK? She's taken care of, so just quit-

Wesley: Connor, what does Jasmine eat?

Connor: What?

Wesley: The creature in the sewer. It called her the "devourer." Devourer of what?

Connor: I don't know.

Wesley: Don't you? The followers she randomly chooses to come to her room. The ones she sent to meet her in the banquet hall.

Lorne: They're the banquet.

Gunn: Wait. People? She eats people?

Fred: Oh, no.

Gunn: "To Serve Man." It's "To Serve Man" all over again.

Fred: And now she's going global.

Gunn: You don't think Cordy's-

Wesley: I hope not, but we really have no way of knowing, do we?



Guardian: I know all about you, dead thing. She who brought us up out of the mud and molded us into what we are has given me sight into the hearts and minds of others. I see you. I know all about- Aah!

Angel: Then you know I'm kind of in a hurry. Give me her name.

Guardian: Keeper!

Angel: That's it? Caper?

Guardian: The true name is known only by the keeper of the name.

Angel: Right. That's you!

Guardian: No, I am the guardian of the word!

Angel: You said the word is the name.

Guardian: Yes, and I guard the keeper of it.

Angel: So you're the keeper's keeper?

Guardian: I am the Guardian of the Word!

Angel: Yeah, OK, so where's this Keeper of the Name? Swell.

Guardian: The keeper will not be forthcoming. Only with its last breath will it divulge the true name of the blessed devourer.

Angel: Ok, big guy, you got a name I need. So we can either do this the easy way or the hard way. But you're gonna give me her name or-Right. The hard way.



Jasmine: Can we do this later? I really hate to keep these lovely people waiting.

Connor: I'm sorry. I was- I was just wondering. I, uh... I wanted to know-

Jasmine: Cordelia.

Connor: Yeah. What did you do with her...exactly?

Jasmine: I told you. She's exactly where I need her to be, out of harm's way.

Connor: Yeah. I think I should know.

Jasmine: But there's no reason for you to know. Just take comfort in my words. She's safe, and... You think I ate her.

Connor: What? No! No.

Jasmine: It's all right, Connor. I'm not offended. But who would put such a ridiculous idea in your head?

Connor: No one. I never thought- So, no, then... about the eating?

Jasmine: I could never hurt Cordelia Chase any more than I could you. You're my parents, my tether to this world. It was your love that brought me here. I understand. You miss her.

Connor: So she's still here. She's not in some alternate dimension?

Jasmine: Of course not. I had a few of my faithful move her to a secure location for her protection.

Connor: Who? Who took her?

Jasmine: It doesn't matter. Just know she's alive and...well, comatose. And under constant guard, much as our guests downstairs are supposed to be. Thank you, Connor. Shut the door on your way out.



Guardian: What is it you think you fight for, dead thing? Valor? What you call justice? Your friends are dead... most likely. Or so you believe, so it's not for them you fight.

Angel: I'm trying to save my world.

Guardian: Your world?! A world that doesn't care for you? Doesn't want you.

Angel: It needs me.

Guardian: So your Powers That Be tell you, and maybe they're right, but it's not why you're here.

Angel: Ok, bugsy, you want to tell me what I'm fighting for?

Guardian: Him.

Angel: Him?

Guardian: The boy. The woman you've already lost. The boy is what you're fighting for. But you're going to fail. You're going to lose him, too.



Brent: Jasmine's dad.

Connor: Connor.

Jeremy: Connor?

Brent: Jasmine for the press conference.

Connor: Right, 'cause she needs more of that. Listen, you're the guys who moved Cordelia, right? I kind of need to know where she is.

Jeremy: You must have got your wires crossed. Right, Brent?

Brent: We didn't do anything with the transcendent mother.

Connor: Hey, it's OK. Jasmine told me you two helped move her. I mean, how else would I know, right?

Jeremy: Sorry, Connor. You're just gonna have to ask Jasmine.

Connor: I'm asking you. I can smell her on you. So tell me, and I'll crush your windpipe.

Jeremy: You mean "or," right? Or you'll crush my windpipe?

Connor: Where's Cordy?



Guardian: So much effort, always struggling, trying to make things right for the boy, for Connor, but it's never enough. Why do you bother?

Angel: I can see you never had kids.

Guardian: The boy should not even exist. He was only a device to bring forth the blessed she- a means to an end.

Angel: Yeah, well, people get born for all sorts of reasons.

Guardian: He will never love you.

Angel: It doesn't matter.



Fred: I mean, starting not to look so good for us. Not that I'm giving up or anything.

Lorne: You can stop that anytime now.

Gunn: I will... just as soon as somebody comes up with a better idea... to get us out of here.

Lorne: And then what, Kato? The anti-Jasmine crowd's about to become a staggering minority on this planet.

Gunn: Yeah, well, first things first. We'll worry about that when the time comes.

Lorne: Bell's rung, babe. Time's come.

Fred: Weird-Connor walking out like that, you know? Leaving us unguarded.

Lorne: Yeah. If he's not careful, we might move about freely in our impervious 10 by 9 steel cage.

Gunn: Maybe we were getting to him.

Lorne: More than likely, her godliness summoned him for a little tender-lovin'-

Wesley: Blood.

Fred: Is that some kind of ritual she has him doing? 'Cause...ew.

Wesley: What? Oh, no, I was just thinking. Cordelia's blood, it had the same power as Jasmine's to break the thrall she had over us.

Fred: So I figured. Mother and daughter, they share the same blood.

Wesley: And now she's been moved-Cordelia. Why?

Gunn: Guess so people like us don't use Cordy's blood against Jasmine.

Wesley: There are no people like us. Not anymore. We're it. She had us on the run. And if Cordelia's so dangerous to her, why not kill her and be done with it?

Fred: Because maybe she can't.

Wesley: Exactly. I think Jasmine may be dependent on Cordelia. She can't hurt her, not without hurting herself. But maybe Cordelia can hurt Jasmine.

Gunn: That's a whole lot of maybes.

Wesley: Maybe, but if I'm right, Cordelia might be our only hope to stop Jasmine.

Lorne: If we can wake her up.

Fred: Wake her? We have to find her first.



Connor: I wanted to see you again. I had to, to know that you're still here... with me. I'm sorry I haven't- It's started, Cordy. The new beginning. Just wish you'd wake up and see it. Just what you wanted. I mean... it is what you wanted, right? Why you came to me? You know...what this was all about? Protecting our baby-Jasmine-so she can...be, and make this world the... the kind of place you wanted. And it is better. Not harsh and cruel-the way that angel likes it so he has a reason to fight. 'Cause you know that's what he's about, him and the others. Finding reasons to fight. Like that's what gives their lives any meaning. The only damn thing! I'm not like them. I just... I want to stop. Stop fighting. I just want to rest. God, I want to rest. But I can't. It's not working, Cordy. I tried. I tried to believe. I wanted it. Went along with the... the flow. Jasmine, she's...she's bringing peace to everyone, purging all of their hate and anger. But not me. Not me! I know she's a lie. Jasmine. My whole life's been built on them. I just... I guess I thought this one was better than the others.



Angel: Jasmine, it's over. You've lost.

Jasmine: I've lost? Do you have any idea what you've done?

Angel: What I had to do.

Jasmine: No. No, Angel. There are no absolutes. No right and wrong. Haven't you learned anything working for the Powers? There are only choices. I offered paradise. You chose this!

Angel: Because I could. Because that's what you took away from us. Choice.

Jasmine: And look what free will has gotten you.

Angel: Hey, I didn't say we were smart. I said it's our right. It's what makes us human.

Jasmine: But you're not human.

Angel: Working on it. Where you going?

Jasmine: Leave me alone.

Angel: Sorry, but... can't do that.

Jasmine: What? You've taken everything. You're gonna try to kill me now, as if you could.

Angel: Maybe not. But I'll die before I let you hurt anyone else.

Jasmine: You're already dead!

Angel: You know what I mean. It ends right here.

Jasmine: Why do you hate me so much?

Angel: Let's run down the list, huh? Rain of fire, blotting out the sun, enslaving mankind, and, yeah, oh, yeah, hey, you eat people!

Jasmine: Like you never have?

Angel: Thousands of people are dead because of what you've done.

Jasmine: And how many will die because of you? I could've stopped it, Angel. All of it. War, disease, poverty. How many precious, beautiful lives would've been saved in a handful of years? Yes, I murdered thousands to save billions. This world is doomed to drown in its own blood now.

Angel: The price was too high, Jasmine. Our fate has to be our own, or we're nothing.

Jasmine: Like me?

Angel: Look, we've all done horrible things. All we can do is try and make up for it. So, OK, you know, it's not the world that you wanted, but maybe you can still help us make it better, even if you have lost your powers.

Jasmine: Not all of them.

Angel: Run.

Jasmine: Think the price was too high? You haven't begun to pay! Maybe you're right. Maybe I can still make this world a better place. One body at a time. I loved this world. I sacrificed everything I was to be with you.

Angel: So you could rule us?

Jasmine: Because I cared. The other Powers don't. Never really did. You know that's true in your heart. Shame now I gotta rip it out. I was forged in the inferno of creation, vampire. Do you really think a little electricity would destroy me?

Angel: Worth a shot.

Jasmine: Remember the prophecy, Angel? The one that says in the time of the apocalypse, you'd play a major part? How you never knew whether you'd be on the side of good or evil? Well, now you know. Thanks to you, this frail, little Power That Was has just enough strength in her to wipe out your whole species. And it's all on your hands.

Angel: This isn't my fault! Go to hell.

Jasmine: You first, baby.

Connor: Always the same, dad. I get a girl, you gotta make a play for her.

Angel: Connor.

Jasmine: Connor.



Jasmine: Connor, I still have you. Angel's ruined everything. But he can't defeat both of us. You still believe in me, don't you? You still love me?

Connor: Yes.

Angel: Connor... It's OK. It's over. Look, I know this is difficult for you. I'm just- I'm just happy to have you. Connor. Connor? Connor. Connor!



Fred: Angel.

Angel: Oh, my God. You're alive.

Wesley: Angel.

Angel: Jasmine's dead. I brought back her name and her powers were destroyed. Connor killed her.

Fred: Connor?

Wesley: Um, there's something-

Angel: I've never seen him like this. He wasn't hurt or angry, he just... killed her. And his face, it-it was just blank, like he had nothing left.

Wesley: Angel, you really-

Angel: I've got a bad feeling. He's just...given up. I think he's gonna do something. You know, he might-

Lilah: End world peace? Well, you already took care of that. Congratulations.



----------

Story: 10

Acting: 10

Writing: 10

Picture: 10

Gripping: 10

My Rank: 10

----------

Total: 10

This is an excellent episode, as it does not deal in black and white, but in shades of grey. It is so easy to look at the good and the evil and make a choice, but here you see the price of doing good, and the consequences that are attached with it.

To see the choice of Angel, and at what price it all went for is the interesting ploy of this episode, and basically the end of this season.



are 20 lives a day worth to end crime and unhappiness? An interesting question. One that could have gone either way, and in the end it goes perhaps the wrong way.

In this episode, we finally found out why Connor hadn’t re-joined the rest of the gang after being exposed to Cordy’s blood: he’d already seen Jasmine’s true face, from the very beginning. He followed her, we realize, because she let him become part of something entirely, the way he’d never been before; he could fight side-by-side with his father and the rest of Angel Inc without fearing their mistrust. And Jasmine also represented the “world-changing good” possessed Cordy had promised. And lastly, she is, technically, his daughter.



But when he found Cordy and confessed to her that he knew Jasmine was a lie, we realized the kind of turmoil Connor had been hiding since “Shiny, Happy People.” This gave Vincent Kartheiser an opportunity to do some fine acting; Connor can be an annoying character, but this isn’t due to Kartheiser’s performance. When you’re kidnapped as an infant by your surrogate uncle, raised in a hell dimension by your father’s nemesis, and manipulated by a beautiful woman into fathering her demonic daughter, then rejected sexually, then manipulated into almost killing your father and aiding in the murder of an innocent woman who looks like your mother…annoying is probably the best anyone can expect from you. Angel’s concern for Connor after he murders his own daughter (with Cordelia in her coma, he’s the only conscious person capable of killing Jasmine) is heartbreaking, and Lila’s return at the end of the episode—well, that’s just brilliant.

Previously, on "Angel":



+ Angel and Darla fulfilled the Naizean prophecy of the Troclan by Angel's moment of perfect despair with the recently sired Darla, thus bringing Connor into the world.

+ Cordy became part demon in order to avoid having the back of her head blown out by the visions she carried.

+ Holtz made an appearance as part of Sahjahn's fear of prophesied execution to muck everything up and make it possible in the first place.

+ In a panic attack of madness, Holtz leaps into the darkest of the dark worlds and Connor ages 16 years practically overnight.

+ Far from fulfilling his end of the bargain with Sahjahn (to destroy Angel? Connor? This isn't exactly clear) Holtz raises Connor to hate Angel and Darla.

+ Connor returned to this world to ... what, exactly? Meet Angel? Destroy him? His actions suggest the latter, but in his conversation with Holtz, his motives seem a bit muddly.

+ Believing Angel to have murdered Holtz, Connor, together with his father's //actual// murderer, Justine, sinks Angel to the bottom of the sea.

+ At exactly the same time, Cordy's destiny (to float about in a bubble of light made of pure joy) is fulfilled because she's so good and pure. No, rather she's taken out of the picture and subject to hijacking by Jasmine, who might not have had anyone to latch onto if Cordy hadn't so readily acquiesced to the offer of infusion with demon essence so as to retain the visions. Skip back to "S1x02 - Lonely Heart" when she told Doyle if the visions were her gift she'd return it. She could've just given the visions to Groo, but no. She needed to be //special//.

+ Sometime in the next three months -- presumably earlier rather than later -- Wesley tracks Justine down and locks her in his closet. After he retrieves Angel he leaves her chained to a pickup truck and she disappears for the balance of the show.

+ Angel confronts Connor and kicks him out.

+ Cordy returns, massively disoriented and not entirely herself.

+ She remembers that she was in love with Angel and so naturally goes to sleep to Connor, who is still exiled.

+ Portents of devastation rock the city -- plagues of rats, snakes, sparrows and so forth.

+ The Beast arises melodramatically in the spot that Darla gave birth to Connor.

+ He, at the behest of his Beastmaster, Cordy, kills a bunch of people, causing the Rain of Fire.

+ Cordy sleeps with Connor. Angel sees this.

+ The Beast kills a bunch of lawyers -- much like Angel did in S2 except that Angel just unleashed Darla and Dru on them and didn't turn them into zombies. For reasons that are never explained, he rips Lilah a new one but lets her live.

+ The Beast, guided by Cordy, blots out the sun. Truckloads of vamps flood the city as it is now permanent midnight.

+ The one remaining sister in the sisterhood who could banish the Beast is found murdered by Cordy.

+ Angelus arises, and Angel's soul is stolen by Cordy. This is the single worst move Jasmine made, if Jasmine is guiding events. There's no way to ensure Angelus won't simply kill Cordy. And there was no truly satisfying reason for why didn't.

+ Cordy executes Lilah in the same manner that Justine executed Holtz -- making it look like a vamp attack.

+ Wesley springs Faith from prison and Faith and Angelus destroy the Beast, bringing back the sun. Is this also part of Jasmine's plan? Jasmine later suggests she's made mistakes -- not anticipating the ramifications of the connections she was going to make with people, and in this episode, mistakes she made with the Blue World. Is this also a mistake?

+ In another crossover, Willow arrives to put Angelus back in the Angel box. Cordy tries to kill her, too, like she tries to kill Lorne, and whatever other target wanders into view (given the erratic nature of her actions).

+ After all of this mishegah, Skip and Jasmine both suggest that Jasmine's responsible for all these things. Well, take her at her word, then yes, she's responsible for the vamp carnage in Los Angeles and the devastation in the wake of the rain of fire.

+ Jasmine makes everyone happy. But what is emphasized in this episode, simply by her finally using her own fists instead of those of everyone else, Jasmine never takes any direct action. She merely directs others to do her bidding.

+ Fred discovers that mingling Jasmine's blood with her own allows her to see Jasmine for what she truly is. If we know nothing about anything, we know that Fred has a good heart, and if she's repelled by what she sees, then Jasmine must be a being of pure amoral chaos, at the very least, and of dark and disturbing evil at worst.

+ Fred equips Angel to see Jasmine as she does, and together they disenchant the others.

+ They are pursued into the sewers where they meet one of Jasmine's other acolytes from the Blue World.

+ Following a hunch, Angel travels there, while Connor leads the attack against what Gunn called the Big Bad Free Will Gang.



And our old friends, the Powers That Be?



Powers That Be: * sip *



Actually, there's two references to the Powers That Be in this show, and they're striking because they've barely been mentioned the entire season.



The first occurs in the Blue World, where the oddly bipedal High Priest, Guardian of the Word (and can I just say what a terrible reimagination of "Who's on First" //that// was?) reminds Angel, in flawless English, that it's the Powers That Be that tell him he needs to fight, but that they could be wrong.



The second is from Jasmine, still claiming to be a Power That Was, pointing out that there are no absolutes in serving the Powers -- just choices. Her true colors are shown, by the way, in fighting Angel. He gave her the chance to join him in fighting darkness, making the world a better place with what powers she retained, and since she could not rule it, she chose to work to destroy it. Q.E.D.



As the episode begins, Connor and the Jasmanians subdue CYNTHIA!



Side note: I couldn't help noticing that Fred seems to have had more weapons pointed point-blank at her throat in this season than in all the others combined (I can only remember it happening once before, in S3x03 - "That Old Gang of Mine," when she's confronting Gio.) In S4, she had one pointed at her in "Deep Down," "The Magic Bullet" and here in "Peace Out." Even in her near fatal confrontation in S5's "Lineage," the weapon was fired from across the room. Just something that struck me about this opening fight sequence.



Jasmine's connected to all of Jasmania. CYNTHIA! could be absolutely anywhere -- it truly doesn't matter -- so why bring them in? Bargaining chips my butt.



Jasmine: "Has it now become necessary for me to explain my wishes?"

Connor: "No."



Um ... //yes//, actually. If you keep them alive and put them in the Talky-Talk Cage (with no facilities, incidentally -- that must've gotten pretty irritating pretty fast), they'll talk to Connor and -- well, Connor already suspected you'd eaten Cordy. They merely articulated it.



This was officially a Connor episode -- perhaps his first decent front-and-center appearance since S3x20 - "A New World." He had his big long speech at the beginning, he was the one who tracked Cordy to the cathedral -- the one with the big Tim Minear project "Miracles"-reference "God Is Nowhere" sign outside (we can be thankful, I suppose, that no talking wax lions appeared anywhere) -- and the big long speech to Cordelia (who might, now that you mention it, enjoy a beeping machine, an IV drip and some hydration, thanks, rather than just a shoddy half-assed attempt at bricking her into a sanctuary -- one that had to have a dozen other entrances anyway besides the main one).



It's striking because Joss doesn't seem to set a lot of scenes in churches. There's maybe a few others, but I can only remember like half a dozen in the whole 'verse (besides all the scenes with the Master trapped underground in one) -- Kendra and Buffy's throwdown with Spike and Drusilla in "What's My Line (2)," Buffy tracking that priest in "Pangs," Buffy's throwdown with Faith in "Who Are You?" that scene with Buffy and Spike in the church in "Help," Angel and Wes meeting with the nun in "I've Got You Under My Skin" and then this one. Even the confrontations with Caleb took place in an abbey winery rather than a church, per se.



Jasmine kept them alive because the plot demanded it. There was no good reason for her to keep them alive.



I did enjoy the continuity of Jasmine forming a circle with her followers to communicate with her more distant followers. I'm not sure what they all were doing, y'know, standing around while Connor made his way back with them to the hotel, but I'm sure they had lots to talk about (Oh, Jasmine, you're so wonderful, who does your spackling?, etc.)



Connor's disillusionment was heartbreaking. He //had// grown up in the Qor'toth, his value structure //was// at risk, he //had// a desperate need to belong to something. And when he finally admitted to himself that Jasmine was a lie, his devastation demanded the violence of his action.



Jasmine: You believe me don't you? You still love me?

Connor: Yes. //fist through the skull//



Always a compelling way to go.



Angel's fight with Jasmine was instructive. Building on Fred's two-word comment to Jasmine -- "Nobody asked" -- in reference to all of the help that Jasmine meant to provide -- Angel outlined some of the worst of what she'd been directly and indirectly responsible for -- the rain of fire and the blotting out of the sun, which brought a mass of evil to the city. The fighting we watched in "Shiny Happy People" could hardly have been comprehensive, and anyway she was actually //responsible// for the concentration of evil in the first place.



Jasmine had offered world peace (through whatever means) in an entirely nonnegotiated abdication of free will. Angel demanded choices. Humanity demands choices. Expanding on my comment from "Sacrifice," a future with no choice and a complete worship of Maggoty Ann -- they could make a temple approximately the size of one of the main islands in Japan and ignore sustainability and self preservation.



Her message -- love one another and enjoy one another (right up until it's snacktime) -- is inoffensive. But real peace between people comes from engaging hopes and ideals, expanding communication, making sacrifices. Loving Jasmine more than you hate other people is a shortcut, and it might even have held, but it's unstable.



That guy drew a knife on Jasmine's father fast enough, after all.



Lilah showing up in the final scene was delightful. But her leveled accusation that they ended world peace is a slap in the face to their efforts over the second half of the season.



Now don't get me wrong. All of this stuff needed to happen. In order to fulfill the prophecy set forth in the first season, all of the stuff that happened -- the Beast, the Coming Darkness and so forth -- needed to be as big and as operatic and as end-of-the-world as this season was in order for Angel to fulfill the Shanshu (Shoop) prophecy and earn his humanity.



But it threw off the pacing of the show. Rather than one Big Bad (which this season ultimately suggested there was), this show had many many Big Bad things happen.



And as big as this was, ultimately, I don't believe Angel earned the Shoop. A car on fire in the middle of the street and people looting and running and screaming in every direction is not an apocalypse. I personally believe that as much as Angel went through, Joss made the right call in leaving the Shoop for sometime in Angel's future -- if indeed it would ultimately happen at all.



It probably will.



Sometime after the grand apocalyptic battle he was facing at the end of S5.



"Ending world peace? You've already taken care of that."



Oh, Lilah.



You're such a buzzkill. :)