Another excellent episode, with lots of surprises and multiple cliffhangers. I was thinking that the only two possible things they could do with Connor would be (1) Holtz taking him and raising him (which kind of has synchronicity, considering what Angelus did to Holtz's family), or (2) Connor magically growing up somehow so that he could interact with the cast as an adult. I think the writers might actually be prepping us for both of these plot devices with the Holtz/portal thingy. Of course, now that we have a five-week hiatus, we won't know for awhile.
I realize that Wesley was trying to do what he thought was best by kidnapping Connor, but allying with Holtz? Okay, getting eaten by Dad is bad. Growing up in the Hyperion surrounded by monsters and constantly in danger of being kidnapped or murdered wouldn't have been good for the kid, either (at the very least, he'd have to spend years in therapy). But why didn't Wesley trust Angel enough to tell him about the prophecy so that Angel could make the right decisions for Connor? Angel would never have kept Connor if he had known. He loves him too much.
David Boreanaz was very good in this episode; manic, jovial, hairtrigger violent – come to think of it, he was definitely channeling Angelus through most of it, wasn't he? Until the end, when he was truly suffering, which is something Angel does so well.
Holtz and Justine were real wild cards; I couldn't tell from one moment to the next what they were going to do with (1) their followers, (2) Wesley, and (3) each other, much less their real intentions for the baby. Did Holtz intend his vampire fighters to be cannon fodder, or did he honestly think he could win the Battle of the Hotel? What did Holtz know about the baby that we still don't know? Of course, even with his duplicity, given a choice between giving my baby to Holtz or to Lilah, I'd certainly make the same decision that Angel did.
So Angel doesn't know who Sahjhan is ("did he boink your demon bride? eat your mother?") Dan and I were both theorizing the obvious, that Angel did something to Sahjhan in the future, which would explain why Angel doesn't know him yet. Dan even thought that Sahjhan might be a future Connor trying to end his own existence retroactively, although I couldn't quite buy into that one.
I gasped out loud twice in this episode: the first time when Wesley attacked Lorne (I tend to think of Lorne as a non-combatant and it just seemed so wrong) and the second time when Justine cut Wesley's throat. Not that I think Wesley is dead. It didn't look like Justine cut deep enough, plus Gunn and Fred were on their way, right? Though Wesley may not want to be alive if Angel is still channeling Angelus when he finally catches up with him.
Bits and pieces:
— Loved Lorne doing the Rat Pack with the stuffed animals.
— Lorne is now doing his readings in the hotel. No more Caritas, ever? Couldn't they open it up right there in the hotel, now that Lorne is no longer tied up with constant babysitting chores?
— I absolutely loved Fred and Gunn doing Texas vs. California ("Texas doesn't hate the black man."). I've lived in both states and there's no contest; I'm definitely on Gunn's side.
— This was the second episode without Cordelia. Is Charisma Carpenter doing a movie or something?
— You'd think by now that the L.A. Scoobies would know better than to hum or sing around Lorne.
— The writers have confirmed that human blood really is tastier. Maybe they should set up a blind taste test. Is pig's blood closer to human blood in taste? What about cow's blood? Is Slayer's blood really like Thai stick?
Quotes:
Angel: "I like nuns. How did the flying nun fly anyway? Was it God or magic?"
Gunn: "You were all hyped this morning. Then you went all Tyson on those demons. Then you kind of crashed. Then you had another drink, then you started throwing things."
Fred: "Mm hmm. Just like my aunt Viola and her Southern Comfort."
Lilah: "Well, I'm looking at a mountain of paperwork."
Excellent. Four out of four stakes,
Billie
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Billie Doux reviewed all of Buffy and Angel, so she knows the plural of apocalypse.
Just rewatched the episode, and I wanted to add a small note: Wesley doesn't ally himself with Holtz per se. He merely talks to Holts to learn his timetable so he can make his move independently without risking the baby's life. He never intended to give the baby away to anyone, least of all Holtz.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Wesley should have talked to someone, although maybe not Angel. He's proven himself very selfish regarding his son (and Cordelia) this season. Also, Wesley doesn't know about the blood thing, so Angel must have looked to him as if he was going crazy as part of the prophecy.
He can't plot with Gunn and Fred either because their endless honymoon phase has given them the attention span of a guppy and it would put Fred at risk of suffering Angel's wrath. I think that's why it was important to artificially remove Cordelia from the equation. Wesley is all alone.
A second viewing of this season has really helped me appreciate how all the various ramdom subplots actually fit together. It's all been about seeing how many times the writers can kick Wesley in the groin until he collapses.
I just watched this episode for my second time, and I agree that it makes a lot more sense the second time around. It is clear on a second viewing that Wesley has really been isolated throughout the earlier part of the season and could be thinking he has nowhere to turn. He probably does believe that Angel has gone a little crazy with the comment he made about "at least I would have a snack" or something to that effect. It seems as if the human blood was making a bit of Angelus poke through without Angel really being fully aware of it. Interesting concept since it does often seem as though Angel is holding Angelus back and when Angelus shows himself, he pushes Angel under.
ReplyDeleteI just started thinking after writing the paragraph above if maybe one of the reasons that Spike seems so much tamer after the chip is because he isn't feeding on human blood anymore. Does human blood bring out a darker side in vamps even though they are already half demon without it.
WESLEY DID NOTHING WRO-
ReplyDeleteWell actually I never understood why even if he couldn't trust that Angel wouldn't snap as soon as he even mentioned the translation, couldn't he have at least trusted the rest of the crew with his deception? Fred and Gunn I unnerstand (sorry) considering their PDA annoy even me, and Cordelia's gone but why not Lorne? Well I bought it all regardless.
"he was definitely channeling Angelus through most of it, wasn't he?"
I didn't really make such a connection, he was lacking Angelus's joyful menace. It was interesting to see though, like yet another side of Angel slowly unraveling.
"Dan and I were both theorizing the obvious, that Angel did something to Sahjhan in the future, which would explain why Angel doesn't know him yet."
I didn't even think of that, neat. It's so curious to me now, I don't know why I don't remember what his deal is or whether I was even interested the first time.
"Dan even thought that Sahjhan might be a future Connor trying to end his own existence retroactively"
lol
"— You'd think by now that the L.A. Scoobies would know better than to hum or sing around Lorne."
Poor Wes must've assumed because this already happened with Holtz recently it wasn't anything he'd have to worry about anymore. The curse of "knowing" you're in a TV show.
From Dimitri: "A second viewing of this season has really helped me appreciate how all the various ramdom subplots actually fit together."
Ditto. It was so fucking satisfying and I love the bar scene so much. I love you Lilah
From Suzanne: "Does human blood bring out a darker side in vamps even though they are already half demon without it."
It was interesting to me, and seems to be the case. I wonder if they ever touch on this again.
Brrrrravissimo Angel's writing team, loved everything. I wonder where Cordy will fall on this development.