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Soul Purpose.
Wrote quite long thoughts in response to AOQ's review. Figured I could re-post them here, with a few editions.
I *love* dream episodes! First of all I'll rec this analysis, which does a very good job of separating the different parts of the episode (what's real for whom). (I think I agree with most of this, except for Eve not being in on the final stage of the plan - I think she is. Will explain further down.)
ANGEL: Let's kill them all.
FRED: What?
ANGEL: Warlocks, minions—they're all evil. Sold their kids to the devil. Let's just wipe 'em all out. We got the power to do that, right?
WESLEY: Yes, but, Angel—
ANGEL (stands, in a frenzy): Why don't we? Let's just get back to the basics: Good versus evil. Offing the monsters where we find them.
GUNN: We have to tread light here, Angel. We can't afford to— Are you all right?
ANGEL (sighs, rubs his head): I'm just...tired. Gunn, get a meeting with your best Judas. Feel him out, but don't tip your hand. Any hint of him carrying word back to Drake, we go with Wes' plan.
Here we see how Angel is tied into a role he hates, but can't get out of. To illustrate it perfectly, here are two crucial (and familiar, I know) quotes - from 'Deep Down' and 'Home' respectively:
ANGEL: Nothing in the world is the way it ought to be. - It's harsh, and cruel. - But that's why there's us. Champions. It doesn't matter where we come from, what we've done or suffered, or even if we make a difference. We live as though the world was what it should be, to show it what it can be.
LILAH: Nothing in this world is the way it ought to be. It's harsh, and it's cruel, but that's why there's you, Angel. You live as if the world were as it should be. With all this, you can make it that way. People don't need an unyielding champion. They need a man who knows the value of compromise and how to beat the system from inside the belly of the beast.
The two speeches are almost identical - except for that last bit. Angel sees the role of Champion as 'showing the world what it could be' - and that's the one thing he can't do as CEO of W&H. Angel is an unyielding kinda guy, and yet every day he has to bend and find compromises. No wonder he's so depressed.
And then of course there's Lindsey pretending to be Doyle... I'd forgotten just how slashy some of those scenes were:
Spike (at the club): "Uh, yeah, thanks... but not really my type, Mary."
Spike (in the basement): "Look—I appreciate what you've done for me, making me corporeal and all, but I draw the line at being your kept boy."
As if we didn't have enough vibes between Lindsey and Angel! *g*
Also it's interesting to note how sex goes from being the objective to the currency. At least it's interesting to me, because it shows clearly how the power balance shifts from Spike to Doyle.
And then we get Spike finding a purpose... There's the quiet, almost sombre, way he answers the question "Who are you?" with "I'm the hero." He's trying out a new role - and he finds that it fits him very well indeed. Some call him 'Spike the Vampire Slayer' at this point, which works rather well. I think he sees Doyle more as a Watcher than a 'guide' or friend.
We see his satisfaction most clearly when Wes and Gunn come to see him. Because the thing is, that Spike - Spike of all people, forever looked down on by the Scoobies on BtVS - is now morally superior to Angel and all his crew. He knows it - and they know it. And that is something that's worth more than all the creature comforts in the world! To quote 'As You Were' for a moment:
SPIKE: Well, looky here. I don't usually use the word delicious...but I've gotta wager this little tableau must sting a bit, eh? Me and your former? Must kill.
'Former' in this case of course being 'the good fight' or 'destiny' or 'shanshu'...
Now before someone jumps on me, I'm going to make a distinction: I'm not saying that Spike is a better person than any of the AI team. He's shown to be rather unpleasant thoughout (Doyle: "You this prickly with all your friends?" Spike: "I'm soft on the inside."), and Angel - to pick the obvious example - has a much finer sense of morals as we see in 'Damage'...
But - Spike is doing the right thing for the right reasons. He holds the moral high ground for the first time in his entire life, and honestly I can't blame him for being a little smug.
It is also one of the things I love most about S5. Of course it would have been lovely for him to go off to be with Buffy, but I like that he's trying to find out who he is on his own (more or less). Much as I love Spike being 'Love's Bitch', I don't want him to sit around moaning that 'he's nothing without her'.
And I feel I ought to quote AOQ's thoughts on the topic as well:
From there, we cut back to real life and see what Angel's crew
actually thinks of the new champion in town, and vice versa. That's a
nice bit of pacing. One might argue, despite Spike becoming the
action hero, and the cleverly realized meta-fears about Spike stealing
the series, that Captain Peroxide's part exists almost entirely in
service of Angel's story. (I know someone here who used to say that
kind of stuff all the time.) Still, Spike makes it his own, right
down to the fridge being filled with beer rather than blood. This is
a perfect role for him, as the low-income punk who'd sooner be staked
than sell out to The Man, taking refuge in fighting the good fight and
listening to his loud music.
*g*
Worth noticing also is that Spike's appartment is #2! (No way that was not done on purpose.)
And interestingly Spike appears to get through to Gunn in a way Angel has failed to all season:
FRED: "Like what?"
WESLEY: "Apparently we're not good enough for him."
GUNN: "Thinks we sold out."
FRED: "We didn't sell out. We're changing the system from the inside."
GUNN: "You know, when you say it out loud, it sounds really naive."
The dream where Angel tries to sing is one of my favourites. Lorne as Honky-Tonk is fabulous and also illustrates Angel's most basic fear most clearly. And it's not being 'empty':
LORNE
Now you're gettin' it. Everything hurts, and then we die. Or in your case, everything hurts and... then you go on...
(hits a low note on the piano)
and on...
(hits a lower note on the piano)
and on...
(hits a lower note on the piano)
and on.
Because that is Angel's tragedy... he's immortal. Everyone he cares about will eventually die, leaving him alone. To quote Anna: 'Heaven is completion, hell is eternity'.
But I love that scene for other reasons, only one of which is Harmoney's costume! ;) Because we also see how wary Angel is of Gunn. But the best line is undoubtedly Wesley's:
WESLEY
Yes, but this is ridiculous!
(leans forward)
We paid good money for this.
(cocks his head)
We paid blood for this.
Blood? ("Because it's always got to be blood...") Contracts signed in blood (Lilah: "I knew what I signed up for!" Did the AI team?) ... they all followed Angel's lead when they joined W&H (except for Gunn, and possibly Lorne). They paid blood for Angel - and for what? He feels he has nothing to offer, that he's lead them into a fool's paradise. They look to him to lead, but can he?
Oh and the final dream, where he's been put out to pasture is just gorgeous. It's my current wallpaper. (You can find it here.)
Anyway, I think Lindsey is very, very clever indeed. Giving Angel the nightmares is all very well, but a dream is after all only a dream. But then Angel wakes to find the dream coming true. Spike has taken over his old role. Right down to the tagline ("I help the helpless!"). If it hadn't been for Eve's mistake with the ear rings (and yes, I think she was in on the whole plan - otherwise why change her clothes?) Angel would be in pretty deep water. But - thankfully he realised that he was being played. Not the full extent of course, but part of it.
A few other bits'n'pieces:
SPIKE: "Prima ballerina up there's Sunshine. Though I'm fairly certain that's not her real name."
A vampire watching 'fake' sunshine... Hmm. For some reason I'm also reminded of Connor and Sunny, although I can't really make any sort of connection apart from the names.
ANGEL: "Guys! C.E.O., right here, in the dark"
Oh Angel...
WESLEY: "Vigilante reportedly killed 2 vampires at a gas station, then asked the women he saved if they'd, quote, 'like to get a bottle of hooch and listen to some Sex Pistols records with him'"
And we see straight away why Spike never needed the real Doyle's speech:
Doyle: "You see this vampire, he thinks he's helping. Fighting the demons. Staying away from the human's so as not to be tempted. Doing penance in his little - cell. But he's cut off. From everything. From the people he's trying to help."
Spike - not so cut off. Although that bed is awfully narrow... but then he and Buffy tended to miss the bed, so that's not necessarily a problem. ;)
And I really, really love Angel and the mailcart, taking Numero Cinco's role - because that one image refers back to a whole episode's worth of fears and doubts. It's beautiful shorthand!
I love this episode very, very much... but then it is possible I just get brainwashed by the hotness of Spike (wearing The Coat!) fighting in slo-mo! ;)
ETA: Via yhlee's review a thought:
SPIKE: No offense, Mr. Vader, but I've got no itch to join the evil empire.
Which of course ties in *beautifully* with the the Spike/Angel history:
SPIKE: You think you can fool me?! You were my sire, man! You were my... Yoda!
Spike as Luke Skywalker? Angel as Anakin (Vader)/Yoda - which of course again is symptomatic of the dual nature of their relationship - Spike as son (New Connor) and legacy (New Angel). *loves show*
I *love* dream episodes! First of all I'll rec this analysis, which does a very good job of separating the different parts of the episode (what's real for whom). (I think I agree with most of this, except for Eve not being in on the final stage of the plan - I think she is. Will explain further down.)
ANGEL: Let's kill them all.
FRED: What?
ANGEL: Warlocks, minions—they're all evil. Sold their kids to the devil. Let's just wipe 'em all out. We got the power to do that, right?
WESLEY: Yes, but, Angel—
ANGEL (stands, in a frenzy): Why don't we? Let's just get back to the basics: Good versus evil. Offing the monsters where we find them.
GUNN: We have to tread light here, Angel. We can't afford to— Are you all right?
ANGEL (sighs, rubs his head): I'm just...tired. Gunn, get a meeting with your best Judas. Feel him out, but don't tip your hand. Any hint of him carrying word back to Drake, we go with Wes' plan.
Here we see how Angel is tied into a role he hates, but can't get out of. To illustrate it perfectly, here are two crucial (and familiar, I know) quotes - from 'Deep Down' and 'Home' respectively:
ANGEL: Nothing in the world is the way it ought to be. - It's harsh, and cruel. - But that's why there's us. Champions. It doesn't matter where we come from, what we've done or suffered, or even if we make a difference. We live as though the world was what it should be, to show it what it can be.
LILAH: Nothing in this world is the way it ought to be. It's harsh, and it's cruel, but that's why there's you, Angel. You live as if the world were as it should be. With all this, you can make it that way. People don't need an unyielding champion. They need a man who knows the value of compromise and how to beat the system from inside the belly of the beast.
The two speeches are almost identical - except for that last bit. Angel sees the role of Champion as 'showing the world what it could be' - and that's the one thing he can't do as CEO of W&H. Angel is an unyielding kinda guy, and yet every day he has to bend and find compromises. No wonder he's so depressed.
And then of course there's Lindsey pretending to be Doyle... I'd forgotten just how slashy some of those scenes were:
Spike (at the club): "Uh, yeah, thanks... but not really my type, Mary."
Spike (in the basement): "Look—I appreciate what you've done for me, making me corporeal and all, but I draw the line at being your kept boy."
As if we didn't have enough vibes between Lindsey and Angel! *g*
Also it's interesting to note how sex goes from being the objective to the currency. At least it's interesting to me, because it shows clearly how the power balance shifts from Spike to Doyle.
And then we get Spike finding a purpose... There's the quiet, almost sombre, way he answers the question "Who are you?" with "I'm the hero." He's trying out a new role - and he finds that it fits him very well indeed. Some call him 'Spike the Vampire Slayer' at this point, which works rather well. I think he sees Doyle more as a Watcher than a 'guide' or friend.
We see his satisfaction most clearly when Wes and Gunn come to see him. Because the thing is, that Spike - Spike of all people, forever looked down on by the Scoobies on BtVS - is now morally superior to Angel and all his crew. He knows it - and they know it. And that is something that's worth more than all the creature comforts in the world! To quote 'As You Were' for a moment:
SPIKE: Well, looky here. I don't usually use the word delicious...but I've gotta wager this little tableau must sting a bit, eh? Me and your former? Must kill.
'Former' in this case of course being 'the good fight' or 'destiny' or 'shanshu'...
Now before someone jumps on me, I'm going to make a distinction: I'm not saying that Spike is a better person than any of the AI team. He's shown to be rather unpleasant thoughout (Doyle: "You this prickly with all your friends?" Spike: "I'm soft on the inside."), and Angel - to pick the obvious example - has a much finer sense of morals as we see in 'Damage'...
But - Spike is doing the right thing for the right reasons. He holds the moral high ground for the first time in his entire life, and honestly I can't blame him for being a little smug.
It is also one of the things I love most about S5. Of course it would have been lovely for him to go off to be with Buffy, but I like that he's trying to find out who he is on his own (more or less). Much as I love Spike being 'Love's Bitch', I don't want him to sit around moaning that 'he's nothing without her'.
And I feel I ought to quote AOQ's thoughts on the topic as well:
From there, we cut back to real life and see what Angel's crew
actually thinks of the new champion in town, and vice versa. That's a
nice bit of pacing. One might argue, despite Spike becoming the
action hero, and the cleverly realized meta-fears about Spike stealing
the series, that Captain Peroxide's part exists almost entirely in
service of Angel's story. (I know someone here who used to say that
kind of stuff all the time.) Still, Spike makes it his own, right
down to the fridge being filled with beer rather than blood. This is
a perfect role for him, as the low-income punk who'd sooner be staked
than sell out to The Man, taking refuge in fighting the good fight and
listening to his loud music.
*g*
Worth noticing also is that Spike's appartment is #2! (No way that was not done on purpose.)
And interestingly Spike appears to get through to Gunn in a way Angel has failed to all season:
FRED: "Like what?"
WESLEY: "Apparently we're not good enough for him."
GUNN: "Thinks we sold out."
FRED: "We didn't sell out. We're changing the system from the inside."
GUNN: "You know, when you say it out loud, it sounds really naive."
The dream where Angel tries to sing is one of my favourites. Lorne as Honky-Tonk is fabulous and also illustrates Angel's most basic fear most clearly. And it's not being 'empty':
LORNE
Now you're gettin' it. Everything hurts, and then we die. Or in your case, everything hurts and... then you go on...
(hits a low note on the piano)
and on...
(hits a lower note on the piano)
and on...
(hits a lower note on the piano)
and on.
Because that is Angel's tragedy... he's immortal. Everyone he cares about will eventually die, leaving him alone. To quote Anna: 'Heaven is completion, hell is eternity'.
But I love that scene for other reasons, only one of which is Harmoney's costume! ;) Because we also see how wary Angel is of Gunn. But the best line is undoubtedly Wesley's:
WESLEY
Yes, but this is ridiculous!
(leans forward)
We paid good money for this.
(cocks his head)
We paid blood for this.
Blood? ("Because it's always got to be blood...") Contracts signed in blood (Lilah: "I knew what I signed up for!" Did the AI team?) ... they all followed Angel's lead when they joined W&H (except for Gunn, and possibly Lorne). They paid blood for Angel - and for what? He feels he has nothing to offer, that he's lead them into a fool's paradise. They look to him to lead, but can he?
Oh and the final dream, where he's been put out to pasture is just gorgeous. It's my current wallpaper. (You can find it here.)
Anyway, I think Lindsey is very, very clever indeed. Giving Angel the nightmares is all very well, but a dream is after all only a dream. But then Angel wakes to find the dream coming true. Spike has taken over his old role. Right down to the tagline ("I help the helpless!"). If it hadn't been for Eve's mistake with the ear rings (and yes, I think she was in on the whole plan - otherwise why change her clothes?) Angel would be in pretty deep water. But - thankfully he realised that he was being played. Not the full extent of course, but part of it.
A few other bits'n'pieces:
SPIKE: "Prima ballerina up there's Sunshine. Though I'm fairly certain that's not her real name."
A vampire watching 'fake' sunshine... Hmm. For some reason I'm also reminded of Connor and Sunny, although I can't really make any sort of connection apart from the names.
ANGEL: "Guys! C.E.O., right here, in the dark"
Oh Angel...
WESLEY: "Vigilante reportedly killed 2 vampires at a gas station, then asked the women he saved if they'd, quote, 'like to get a bottle of hooch and listen to some Sex Pistols records with him'"
And we see straight away why Spike never needed the real Doyle's speech:
Doyle: "You see this vampire, he thinks he's helping. Fighting the demons. Staying away from the human's so as not to be tempted. Doing penance in his little - cell. But he's cut off. From everything. From the people he's trying to help."
Spike - not so cut off. Although that bed is awfully narrow... but then he and Buffy tended to miss the bed, so that's not necessarily a problem. ;)
And I really, really love Angel and the mailcart, taking Numero Cinco's role - because that one image refers back to a whole episode's worth of fears and doubts. It's beautiful shorthand!
I love this episode very, very much... but then it is possible I just get brainwashed by the hotness of Spike (wearing The Coat!) fighting in slo-mo! ;)
ETA: Via yhlee's review a thought:
SPIKE: No offense, Mr. Vader, but I've got no itch to join the evil empire.
Which of course ties in *beautifully* with the the Spike/Angel history:
SPIKE: You think you can fool me?! You were my sire, man! You were my... Yoda!
Spike as Luke Skywalker? Angel as Anakin (Vader)/Yoda - which of course again is symptomatic of the dual nature of their relationship - Spike as son (New Connor) and legacy (New Angel). *loves show*
no subject
I was disappointed with the makeup and lighting in this episode. JM was about 39 — playing a character who is biologically (thanatologically?) about 30 — but they made him look 50ish.
no subject
And I agree with you about the make-up and lighting. It wasn't very good during most of S5, so that the times it was really stood out.
no subject
Puppy! Darn, there's probably an essay in that somewhere, although the puppies are more of an Angel thing...
I was disappointed with the makeup and lighting in this episode.
And a *lot* of S5. *sigh*