Angel

Angel - 5x18 - Origin ... "Crazy, Mixed-up World"

And as we wind on down the road...

We find ourselves heading down the final stretch of path. In a few steps this long marathon of glorious brilliance will come to a standstill, this universe as we know it, will stop dead in its tracks as a tribute to the beauty of the Whedonverse. Alas, we have four episodes left. So allow me to pay my respects.

Play Nice

It seems like Illyria didn’t learn how to play nice with the other kids in the sandbox. Spike as a normal Coat and Yammer Wolfram & Hart employee was just the welcome they needed to dose us with good ole Vitamin C - as in chuckle. Illyria purportedly stuffing a Petrie Dish in her mouth was comical enough, but to have her seemingly analyzing what she had just done really made me giggle.

“Third, no touching my clipboard.”

Seeing Spike in a bit of distressed aggravation was to a greater extent amusing. Seeing Spike try to layout the rules only to have Illyria ignore them like an ill-mannered child, and by “ignore” I mean “smack Spike upside the head,” had me henning an egg.

Even throughout this side-splitting activity, there was enlightenment from Angel,

“Fred’s dead, Wes. You’re still alive. Start acting like it.”

As much as it pains me to see Illyria, and realize that Fred has been expunged from the pages of time, Angel is right. Wesley still has the memory of Fred, and lo and behold, memories compel quite a reason for others to do good, but more importantly, live on.

Speak no Evil

Seeing Connor as a normal non-angst teen was rather refreshing. Seeing Connor as a non-complacent, mild and mannered teen, who felt no detestation towards Angel, was just as big as a relief. Quite frankly, I welcomed the dialogue and interaction from Connor’s alternate self. That is a Connor I could grow to like and understand - if only Kennedy had her mind duped ... or combusted. Either or.

The most ambrosial dialogue spawned from anything related to Pleasant Connor would be when Illyria detected “heat” originating from Connor,

“This one is lusting after me.”

My sides split, and I couldn’t help but burst out with laughter. I guess humor isn’t such a bad thing amidst the drama.

And the truth shall set you free...

How horrible Wesley must feel. Not only to lose your lover, and more importantly her very essence, which in itself justifies all concurring liquor and sleep habits, but to also be the reason of which quite the many laundry lists of problems that may or may not have ever occurred because of your actions would trigger catatonia and disbelief in the best of us. Although I am sure on some level that having your throat slit, and nearly being strangled was up there on the unpleasant barometer as well.

In the back of Angel’s mind, I am sure that shattering the Olan Window box was a highly lingering thought. Once Pleasant Conner started to have his wits bashed around, I am sure that it went from a lingering thought to almost action. That is, until an Illyria-protected Wesley shattered it for him.

Wesley is not wrong in assuming that Angel sacrificed them all though. Angel’s agreement was very self-serving, possibly rueful, but a gracious deed none-the-less. Could it have altered reality to skew it towards an Illyria derived arcing? Relatively yes. The slippery slope of signing themselves over to Wolfram and Hart, introducing Fred to Knox, and so on, is reasonably all Angel’s fault; and I assume that Wesley realizes that in some form.

“To hide from the truth?” - Illyria

“No, to endure it.” - Wesley

Quotes of the Night

*Spike goes flying out the swinging doors* “You filthy harlot! I’m going to tear your neck out!” - Spike to Illyria

Another delightfully hilarious exchange between Spike and Illyria.

“This one is lusting after me.” - Illyria to everyone

My stomach was aching for a good while after hearing that line, and seeing the look on her face. Well played. Game. Set. Match.

“There’s nothing he can show me that I already haven’t seen.” - Connor to Angel

Where it was definitely clear that Connor had his memories restored.

“You gotta’ do what you can to protect your family ... I learned that from my father.” — Connor

Who knew Connor could be so ... human? This hurt, and brought a tear to my eye.

Crazy, Mixed-up World

Restoration.

Realization.

Remembrance.

An interaction between Giles and Buffy, from “The Prom,” sums Connor’s engagement best,

“I had no idea that children en masse could be gracious.” (Giles)

“Every now and then, people surprise you.” (Buffy)

“Every now and then.” (Giles)

I always understood where in the depths Connor was coming from. Stolen as a baby, raised in a torturous Hell Dimension, brought up to believe that your father abandoned you. It’s a crazy, mixed-up world to grow up in. And as contemptuous, and infuriating as Connor was, I could always feel for his mindset. Forgetting and forgiving would not be easy for any of us.

Which is why it floored me when I saw Connor exhibit a trait that only comes from experiencing a loving family - gratitude. In a moment which caught me off-guard, no matter how much I knew what Connor knew, it brought me to tears as Connor walked out, not before expressing his appreciation,

“You gotta’ do what you can to protect your family ... I learned that from my father.”

Awestruck and bewildered, how the once hostile child could be so gracious. I know what thoughts are being plucked from the well of Angel’s conscious, and yes, it was worth it.

There was no other way. If Angel had not inked his name in blood, Connor would have never had the opportunity to feel the warmth of true adornment, genuine love. For the Connor that once was could not feel. He was jaded, apathetic in every sense of the word.

So Connor knows, and appreciates what Angel has done for him. Figure that, Connor appreciating. This is the most fitting closure to any relationship within the entire Whedonverse that does not involve a finale. Connor finally-FINALLY understands that Angel loved him enough to do what he did, and loves him enough to walk away. In light of all of this joy, Connor knows that Angel wants what is best for him, which is why Connor is going return to his surrogate rapture. Angel can once again sleep with a little more comfort in knowing that what he always wanted for Connor - to live a normal life, loved, in a crazy, mixed-up world, while Connor finally recognizes how much Angel loved the son he never will have.