Angel

Tensai looks at the casting information for episode 5x07

Some info has come out about Wesley’s father, Roger, based on casting information. There isn’t a lot to go on, but it’s enough to put a few ideas in my head.

Episode Seven

Wesley is in his office, having just finished talking to Angel. It was not a good meeting, and Wesley is deep in thought. Fred comes in, with her arm in a sling. Apparently Wesley and Fred were in a battle earlier, where she was hit with a grappling hook. Fred is fine with it, but Wesley is very apologetic and regrets having brought her along. This angers Fred, as she feels that he’s acting like a child. To which Wesley responds, ’Father’. Which ticks Fred off even more, until she realizes that Wesley’s father has stepped into the room behind her.

Roger makes a crack about Wesley’s lack of manners and introduces himself to Fred. Fred can feel the tension and decides to let the two be alone. After Roger gets in a dig or two, Wesley asks why he’s there. He admits that it’s for business reasons, as the Watcher’s Council is trying to rebuild itself after the attack the year before. He is there to evaluate Wesley, to consider if he’s worthy of membership once more.

Wesley doesn’t want any part of it, but Roger persists. He states that Wesley is perhaps the greatest failure of the Council, and that not everyone wants him back. But Roger wants to give Wesley a chance to restore the family name and reputation. Wesley declines, he’s happy where he is. Which is another bone of contention with his father, who considers this to be a ’house of ill-repute’.

Later, while researching an object, they go into Wesley’s library where all the research materials are kept. Roger is berating Wesley about his feelings for Fred, and his failure to be a man and tell her how he feels. Wesley is trying to stay in research mode, and goes to the table that contains the books that access Wolfram and Hart’s archives. Roger is shocked to discover how easy it is to access the information stored in the archives. He’s also concerned about the powerful information that is just lying around, unguarded and unlocked. Wesley states that all the really powerful items are kept elsewhere. In any event, this is Wolfram and Hart and pretty secure to begin with.

That’s all I have right now.

Pretty clean, not a lot that gives details to the episode itself. But I’m getting a vibe, from this info, that all is not as it seems with Wyndham-Pryce Senior. This is only speculation, so I could be completely wrong with this assumption, but I think we’re looking at another Gwendolyn Post scenario. Why do I think this? Here are some key points.

Roger seems extremely interested in the library and mystical objects held in Wolfram and Hart’s research department. The comments about security seem a bit too obvious, especially when they stress that the building itself is rather secure. Even the story that there is a group trying to rebuild the Watcher’s Council seems a bit fishy. One would presume that the core would be formed around Giles, the two Slayers, and the remaining Scoobies. Sending Wesley’s father out to evaluate his worthiness doesn’t seem like something they would do.

It also makes more sense that this strained visit would, in terms of storyline, be more about building Wesley up. Especially when he’s getting it from all sides, including Angel and Fred. What better way to restore Wesley’s faith in himself and his abilities than to demonstrate that, while he’s always lived in the shadow of his father (and his expectations), his father is not the proper and honorable man that he seems to be. It’s a classic plot-twist and it’s my gut feeling that it’s going to be used in this episode.