Angel

Episode 18 | ORIGIN

When a warlock brings Connor back into Angel’s life, Wesley finds out that Angel has tinkered with the memories of his friends.

After Angel discourages Wes from brooding over Fred’s death, Wes meets with two people, Laurence and Colleen, who want to understand how their son miraculously survived being hit by a speeding van. Wes calls Angel in, and as Angel approaches, Wes sees Connor into the lobby. When Connor addresses Laurence as “Dad,” Angel realizes who they are and says he can’t help. Wes, who has no recollection of Connor, tries to change Angel’s mind, but Angel refuses. Meanwhile, in the suburban basement, the medieval torture demon cuts Gunn’s heart out, then hands him the light bulb he came downstairs looking for. A bit later Spike studies with Illyria in Wolfram and Hart’s new training dojo, and as he takes one beating after another from her, Wes enters and says he just doesn’t understand Angel. At the same time Angel visits Hamilton, the new liaison to the Senior Partners, and demands to know why Connor has returned. Hamilton says the Partners had nothing to do with it, but someone is apparently trying to send Angel a message. Later that night, as Connor and his parents pull into a motel, a demon crashes through their windshield. Instinctively Connor fights it off, and when a second demon tackles him, Angel appears and kills it with a sword... which Connor deems “awesome.”

Colleen sees Laurence is bleeding, so Angel offers to take him to the doctors at Wolfram and Hart... and tells Connor there are things they should talk about. Later, after Laurence checks into the medical wing, Angel assures Connor that he’s a normal kid with some “enhanced abilities,” but then reveals his own vampire status and explains that he and the rest of the firm are dedicated to fighting evil. Just then Spike - thrown by Illyria - comes crashing through a door, so Angel introduces Connor to Spike, Illyria, and Lorne. Connor says the firm is “way better than college,” and Angel is thrilled to learn Connor now attends Stanford University. Later Wesley shows Angel a photo of the Kith’harn demons that attacked Connor and his parents. Wes says the demons are henchmen of a warlock named Cyvus Vail, and later Angel walks into Vail’s office. Vail tells Angel that he wasn’t trying to kill Connor: he was just testing the boy’s capabilities. Angel asks how Vail even knows about Connor, and Vail says, “I built him.” Back at Wolfram and Hart, Wesley and Lorne find a record of a large payment from Wolfram and Hart to Vail - for some sort of memory, mind control, and/or temporal spell - on the day they took over the firm. Meanwhile, after Vail explains how he created childhood memories for Connor, Angel asks what he wants, and Vail says he needs the demon Sahjhan killed. Angel reminds him Sahjhan is locked away in an urn, but Vail says urns can break, and he needs a final solution. Then he produces a glowing glass box called an Orlon Window, which shows scenes of the past as it really was... and which, if broken, would restore Connor’s (and Angel’s friends’) memories. Understanding the blackmail, Angel agrees to kill Sahjhan, but Vail says there’s only one person who can do it: Connor.

Later, back at Wolfram and Hart, Angel tells Connor what Vail wants him to do. Connor is skeptical, but realizes Vail won’t leave his family alone unless he complies, so he agrees. Meanwhile, as the medieval demon tortures Gunn again, Hamilton interrupts and pulls off the necklace that keeps Gunn there. He offers Gunn a chance to return to his normal life, but Gunn just asks for his necklace back, and Hamilton obliges. Back at Wolfram and Hart, while Angel gives Connor advice on fighting Sahjhan, Wes searches for clues about the reality shift Vail provided, and Illyria, who can see glimmers of Fred’s memories, confirms they were altered. Then Wes finds an authorization form signed by Angel, and begins to suspect what happened. A bit later Angel and Connor arrive at Vail’s palace, and Vail points Connor to a chamber where Sahjhan is waiting. Connor enters, and the door immediately disappears, cutting him off from Angel and Vail (who can still see Connor, even though he can’t see them). Connor opens Sahjhan’s urn, and Sahjhan oozes out and takes shape. As he thanks Connor for releasing him, Connor tells him they’re supposed to fight, and Sahjhan realizes who Connor is. They circle each other, and Sahjhan eventually smacks Connor in the face. Angel tries to rush in, but is knocked back by a force field. Angel orders Vail to open it, but Vail points to the Orlon Window, which could still be broken if Angel doesn’t behave. Inside, Connor and Sahjhan trade blows, and as Connor gets the worst of it, Angel looks at Vail again, but this time sees him frozen in time while Wesley stands there with Illyria (who has frozen Vail) and the Orlon Window. Wes accuses Angel of selling out his friends to Wolfram and Hart, and Angel lunges at the Orlon Window, but Illyria throws him across the room. Finally, as Connor continues to fight Sahjhan inside, Angel admits to Wes that Connor’s his son. Wes accuses Angel of trading Connor’s life for Fred’s, and asks if breaking the Orlon Window would undo the spell. Angel says it can’t bring Fred back, but Wesley no longer trusts him. Wesley smashes the window, setting off a huge, blinding explosion.

As a rapid montage of scenes from Wes and Connor’s lives flashes by, Angel realizes that Connor must be affected too. At that very moment something clicks in Connor, and he immediately takes charge of the fight with Sahjhan, finally killing him with an axe. As Sahjhan dies, the door re-opens, and Angel enters. To his surprise, Connor is merely in awe of what he’s just done, and is still ignorant of his connection to Angel. The next day, back at Wolfram and Hart, Wesley tells Illyria what he now remembers about betraying Angel and stealing his son. Illyria notes that the alternate set of memories still exists in their heads, and Wes suggests they might help them endure the truth, not forget it. In Angel’s office, Connor says his dad is being released from the hospital wing, and when Angel asks what Connor’s going to tell his parents about the previous night, Connor says he’ll tell them that Angel is looking out for him. Angel reminds him that Vail is still at large, but Connor says he has to go back to his own life so he can protect his family... which is something he learned from his father. Then he heads for the elevator, but before he gets on, he and Angel lock eyes one last time.