Angel

Is season 5 arc a whodunit ? If yes - who’s the manipulator ? (Spoilers up to 509)

As far as spoilers go, there isn’t a season storyarc in the first 9 episodes. Or maybe there is - but we don’t notice it ?

In the first episode Angel receives an envelope and as he opens it, GhostSpike appears.

In the sixth episode Angel deals with Numero Cinco who may deliver the envelope. Numero Cinco dies, but writers show that, theoretically, he can be back in an extreme situation if good guys need his help.

In the eighth episode it’s Spike who receives an envelope with a recorporealisation spell. Nobody still knows anything about the mysterious manipulator who sends these messages.

May these three events be major plot points of overall season arc ? Since we’ve got nothing else to deal with, let’s explore the possibility of a "whodunit" arc superimposed upon MoTW format.

My specs are mainly based on "outside" arguments. I try to evaluate show’s perspectives and possibilities from a writer’s viewpoint. Such an approach may be deemed too bold or plain wrong, because the majority of posters tends to analyse the situation using "inside" arguments - i.e., the events of the show itself. But I think that "out-of-the-box" attitude is more suitable here.

OK, let’s start with the amulet sent in envelope. JW once said that he used the amulet to bring Spike back because he couldn’t find any other plausible way to do it. But if he wanted to use the amulet ONLY as a means to bring back a character, he could devise more dynamic and dramatic story. For example, Angel finds out that the amulet is very valuable asset of W&H. He sends a W&H operative unit to recover it from SD crater, some MoTW tries to stop him... He could easily construct a dymanic two-parter around the amulet retrieval. In that case ME would gain dramatic tension and lose the mystery of the amulet.

Since writers didn’t go that way, we can safely assume that amulet’s mystery was more important to them than potentially dramatic circumstances of its retrieval. They wanted us to wonder WHO and WHY has done it. (And they succeeded. At least with me)

OK, next thing I want to prove is that this mysterious manipulator must be someone we know. Again, I can only use an "outside" argument, such as rules of writing a detective story. Any whodunit starts with introducing a number of characters (suspects) and later one of them turns out to be a criminal. So, in case the writers stick to detective storytelling, the person who sends the envelopes is one of FG members. It’s definitely not Sirk, because there is no mystery here. It can’t be a random bad guy who appears in the penultimate episode of the season, because it’s against the rules of detective writing. It’s somebody we know well. One of the main players. Someone in the inner circle.

As I rewatched the "ghost-out-of-the-envelope" scene I couldn’t shake off the impression that JW intentionally created a classical whodunit atmosphere. All the members of FG are present in Angel’s study when Spike appears. We are shown their reactions. All of them react differently. Typically detective set-up where the key to the mystery may be hidden in suspects’ reactions.

Next step. If there is a "mole" in the inner circle, who is it ?

(Here I want to mention that my specs about the identity of mysterious manipulator are inspired by disputes with fellow posters on a number of Russian boards, Gero and Strenger. Thanks !)

OK, the reactions. Angel is grim (which is perfectly understandable). Fred looks genuinely puzzled. Lorn tries to calm Spike ("No one’s gonna hurt you"). Gunn is hostile at first but his reaction is normal for a man who used to fight demons. And Wes...

Wes is the first to identify Spike (although they obviously never met before). Maybe it’s just my impression, but his reaction sounds a little... well... rehearsed.

My next argument is again an "outside" one. In the end of the first episode we see three characters in the same frame. Wesley : Spike ? Angel : Spike. Harmony : Blondie Bear ? Curious mis-en-scene. Angel is in the foreground. Wesley stands a little behind him. Harmony appears at the background. Seems like a disposition. Three characters who will play major roles in Spike’s destiny in this season. And Wes’ role is almost as important as Angel’s.

In the second episode, as the scene progresses, Wes abruply leaves Angel’s side and joins the other FG members. It looks like he wants to distance himself from Angel in Spike’s eyes.

Later Spike calls Wes "Persy". In the next episode he tells Fred that he and Wes have a past, then downplays it. Was it a joke ? In the script of the next episode Wes warns Fred against Spike and sounds like a person who knows him well. (The scene was cut, but still.) Do they really have something in common ? From a writer’s viewpoint it does make sense if it’s Wes who sends the envelopes. In that case writers may retcon past contacts between characters to create a base for their future interaction.

Crucial question : does it mean that Wes may be the Big Bad of the season ? Not certainly. Quite the contrary - he may end up the only good guy in corrupted milieu. He may have his own plans to save Angel and FG from corruption.

But, of course, psychologically he’s in a very bad place right now. He’s the only one who got virtually nothing from the deal with W&H (Angel saved Connor, Fred got a scientific heaven, Lorne is a big boss in showbiz, Gunn became brilliant lawyer... and Wes got a sterling silver pen). In Home it’s obvious that Wes agrees to go to W&H only to save Lilah. He fails. Later Angel decides for him to accept the offer of Senior Partners. Wes may be revolted against the idea of working for W&H and his acts may be aimed at destroying W&H against Angel’s orders. He may plan to use Spike 1) as an ally 2) as a means to distract Angel 3) as a tool to revert destinies.

Still, can Wes be the manipulator ? I see more pros than contras. Yes, Wes wants to give Spike eternal rest in JR - but writers can easily explain that. For example, Wesley didn’t know that Spike will come back incorporeal and after he discovers that, he thinks it’s merciful to destroy the amulet and let Spike rest in peace. But later he finds the recorporealization spell and frees Spike from his ghostly state.

I also want to emphasize that till now the manipulator, whoever he is, didn’t do anything that indicate he’s a bad guy. He brought back a Champion. He gave him back his corporeality. Yet he wants to stay anonymous. It doesn’t make him bad - it makes him intriguing.

The last "pro" argument I want to bring here is again an "outside" one. It hasn’t anything to do with plot, character development or rules of Angelverse. Here’s the argument : Wes deserves a real storyarc. A strong, unusual, breath-taking, thought-provoking storyarc. AD’s acting range is extremely wide and he can pull off anything. And the character of Wes is one of the best assets WE has. It would be a shame if they won’t use his full potential in season 5.

Agree ? Disagree ?