05-20-2004, 05:55 PM
Warning, spoilers per usual in a thread like this:
Well, first off...UPN didn't pick up the option for Angel, reportedly due to the steady decline of the network that has limited the money they can spend purchasing it from Fox, particularly after how much they paid for the last seasons of Buffy.
There are rumors of possible Angel telemovies, which might be possible considering the Buffyverse still has a considerable fanbase that is clamoring for a proper ending to both series. Since UPN didn't pick up the rights from Fox, it would mean that the WB still has the option of approaching Joss to do some with a lot of rumors saying that plans are already in the works. We always like to hope, don't we?
Anyhow, onto the final episode stuff...
Wow. For me this season more than made up for the travesty that was the grown-up Conner arc (I liked the Darla pregnancy and the baby episodes with Waiting in the Wings coming to mind). It even grudgingly made me like Conner a bit in the two episodes he was in, because they were appropriate to wrap up some loose ends and Conner was given a bit more dimension when he wasn't simply a plot device.
So many surprises in one hour and it's too bad the WB had to spoil the scene with Lorne/Lindsey during the previews, I would have never seen it coming. Even when it did happen, it was a huge shock. First of all, it was Lorne, who subtlely shifted to the darker side in comparison to how working for Wolfram & Hart affected the rest of Angel's company. I saw people complaining he was underused but at that final moment, the impact just hit in a lot stronger about how everything got to him. Next, Angel ordered him to do it, after Angel spoke to Lindsey about it not being about them and Lindsey telling Eve that Angel would do right by him. No wonder Angel didn't say anything when Lorne said he wouldn't be coming back since he knew what he'd just ordered Lorne to do. Finally, it was Lindsey who finally died. Sorry, but the character was just pivotal to the whole Angel series and the shock in his face when Lorne shot him pretty much summed up what I thought, but his words were equally haunting. "I'm not just...Angel...kills me..." He knew he was going to die at some point, but never to the 'lackey'.
Harmony betraying Angel to Hamilton? It wasn't too much of a surprise, but it was something that just made me appreciate how well we know even the supporting players. The more surprising thing was that Angel suspected it, and set it up so that he'd have a showdown with Hamilton because of it. Then he even gave Harmony a recommendation that was already on her desk knowing he was going to fire her instead of staking her. How Angel killed the Archduke was clever, but it doesn't match the mold of what we'd traditionally see a champion of good doing, y'know? Even James Bond didn't go around poisoning his adversaries.
Wesley and Illyria? Oddly enough, this was the one thing that I was totally prepared for and predicted. When I was warned someone was going to die, it had to be Wesley, since he was the lovebird that was waiting to die in order to be with his mate...or not, considering Fred's soul was consumed by Illyria. I believe that of all the actors on Angel, Alexis Denisof has put on the most consistently surprising and powerful performances considering how we first knew him from Buffy. When he asked Illyria to lie for him, it was a very touching moment. When Fred died, I theorized that a part of her existed in Illyria since there's always that concept of love lasting forever. Illyria even told Gunn that he was not unpleasant to her eyes after telling him not to die, perhaps showing Fred's affection for her former lover. I believe that if another season was to take place, Wesley would've been brought back in order to somehow continue the Fred-Illyria/Wesley relationship that was developing. If Willow could've brought Buffy back, I'm sure a grieving Illyria who has substantial power and knowledge yet not able to fully understand the concept of grief without her guide would attempt a similar resurrection.
Anyhow. For [wcip]Angel, I'll make mention of what I perceived as some answers to those questions. Like Giles said about prophecies, they aren't written in stone. When Angel signed that document in blood, it was his sacrifice much like in Season One when he sacrificed his humanity to save Buffy when he realized he could not fight the evil as well as he could as a vampire. As it stands, Angel gave up the Shanshu prophecy because he knew the fight against evil would never end and that the world would always need champions. Like Angel said to Lindsey, "Maybe they're not there to be beat, maybe they're there to be fought. Maybe fighting them is what makes human beings remarkably strong".
Maybe there's a happy ending for Angel and Buffy, but like Angel and Cordelia noted during her last episode:
Cordelia: Guess we missed our moment, huh?
Angel: Maybe we were meant to. Or maybe people like us just don't get to... have that.
Cordelia: Angel, there are no people like us.
Buffy with the Immortal in "The Girl in Question", Angel with Nina in "Power Play", and the fact that if he survived, Angel said he'd go to find Nina was put a bit of a hamper on the 'destined' ending of Angel and Buffy, which it was supposed to...for the moment. Much like the Shanshu prophecy.
The rest is left to your imagination, which is what the ending of the finale pretty much did. Angel and the rest could've died in that alley heroically, with the message of the eternal fight resounding with each sword clang that other champions will come forth to sacrifice themselves against evil.
Conner: They'll destroy you.
Angel: As long as you're okay, they can't.
They could've survived, in which case...the fight still goes on because there will always be evil to fight for them. What happens with the characters after that I suppose they can be left to fanfics, books, and hopefully telemovies.
Oh. I also liked parts of the ending simply because of the dialogue, from Illyria talking about Wesley "I am feeling grief for him. I cannot seem to control it. I wish to do more violence." To Angel and Spike's last exchange:
Spike: And in terms of a plan?
Angel: We fight.
Spike: Bit more specific?
Angel: Well, I kind of want to slay the dragon. Let's go to work.
-Grim-
Well, first off...UPN didn't pick up the option for Angel, reportedly due to the steady decline of the network that has limited the money they can spend purchasing it from Fox, particularly after how much they paid for the last seasons of Buffy.
There are rumors of possible Angel telemovies, which might be possible considering the Buffyverse still has a considerable fanbase that is clamoring for a proper ending to both series. Since UPN didn't pick up the rights from Fox, it would mean that the WB still has the option of approaching Joss to do some with a lot of rumors saying that plans are already in the works. We always like to hope, don't we?
Anyhow, onto the final episode stuff...
Wow. For me this season more than made up for the travesty that was the grown-up Conner arc (I liked the Darla pregnancy and the baby episodes with Waiting in the Wings coming to mind). It even grudgingly made me like Conner a bit in the two episodes he was in, because they were appropriate to wrap up some loose ends and Conner was given a bit more dimension when he wasn't simply a plot device.
So many surprises in one hour and it's too bad the WB had to spoil the scene with Lorne/Lindsey during the previews, I would have never seen it coming. Even when it did happen, it was a huge shock. First of all, it was Lorne, who subtlely shifted to the darker side in comparison to how working for Wolfram & Hart affected the rest of Angel's company. I saw people complaining he was underused but at that final moment, the impact just hit in a lot stronger about how everything got to him. Next, Angel ordered him to do it, after Angel spoke to Lindsey about it not being about them and Lindsey telling Eve that Angel would do right by him. No wonder Angel didn't say anything when Lorne said he wouldn't be coming back since he knew what he'd just ordered Lorne to do. Finally, it was Lindsey who finally died. Sorry, but the character was just pivotal to the whole Angel series and the shock in his face when Lorne shot him pretty much summed up what I thought, but his words were equally haunting. "I'm not just...Angel...kills me..." He knew he was going to die at some point, but never to the 'lackey'.
Harmony betraying Angel to Hamilton? It wasn't too much of a surprise, but it was something that just made me appreciate how well we know even the supporting players. The more surprising thing was that Angel suspected it, and set it up so that he'd have a showdown with Hamilton because of it. Then he even gave Harmony a recommendation that was already on her desk knowing he was going to fire her instead of staking her. How Angel killed the Archduke was clever, but it doesn't match the mold of what we'd traditionally see a champion of good doing, y'know? Even James Bond didn't go around poisoning his adversaries.
Wesley and Illyria? Oddly enough, this was the one thing that I was totally prepared for and predicted. When I was warned someone was going to die, it had to be Wesley, since he was the lovebird that was waiting to die in order to be with his mate...or not, considering Fred's soul was consumed by Illyria. I believe that of all the actors on Angel, Alexis Denisof has put on the most consistently surprising and powerful performances considering how we first knew him from Buffy. When he asked Illyria to lie for him, it was a very touching moment. When Fred died, I theorized that a part of her existed in Illyria since there's always that concept of love lasting forever. Illyria even told Gunn that he was not unpleasant to her eyes after telling him not to die, perhaps showing Fred's affection for her former lover. I believe that if another season was to take place, Wesley would've been brought back in order to somehow continue the Fred-Illyria/Wesley relationship that was developing. If Willow could've brought Buffy back, I'm sure a grieving Illyria who has substantial power and knowledge yet not able to fully understand the concept of grief without her guide would attempt a similar resurrection.
Anyhow. For [wcip]Angel, I'll make mention of what I perceived as some answers to those questions. Like Giles said about prophecies, they aren't written in stone. When Angel signed that document in blood, it was his sacrifice much like in Season One when he sacrificed his humanity to save Buffy when he realized he could not fight the evil as well as he could as a vampire. As it stands, Angel gave up the Shanshu prophecy because he knew the fight against evil would never end and that the world would always need champions. Like Angel said to Lindsey, "Maybe they're not there to be beat, maybe they're there to be fought. Maybe fighting them is what makes human beings remarkably strong".
Maybe there's a happy ending for Angel and Buffy, but like Angel and Cordelia noted during her last episode:
Cordelia: Guess we missed our moment, huh?
Angel: Maybe we were meant to. Or maybe people like us just don't get to... have that.
Cordelia: Angel, there are no people like us.
Buffy with the Immortal in "The Girl in Question", Angel with Nina in "Power Play", and the fact that if he survived, Angel said he'd go to find Nina was put a bit of a hamper on the 'destined' ending of Angel and Buffy, which it was supposed to...for the moment. Much like the Shanshu prophecy.
The rest is left to your imagination, which is what the ending of the finale pretty much did. Angel and the rest could've died in that alley heroically, with the message of the eternal fight resounding with each sword clang that other champions will come forth to sacrifice themselves against evil.
Conner: They'll destroy you.
Angel: As long as you're okay, they can't.
They could've survived, in which case...the fight still goes on because there will always be evil to fight for them. What happens with the characters after that I suppose they can be left to fanfics, books, and hopefully telemovies.
Oh. I also liked parts of the ending simply because of the dialogue, from Illyria talking about Wesley "I am feeling grief for him. I cannot seem to control it. I wish to do more violence." To Angel and Spike's last exchange:
Spike: And in terms of a plan?
Angel: We fight.
Spike: Bit more specific?
Angel: Well, I kind of want to slay the dragon. Let's go to work.
-Grim-
Kwansu, dudes! - A whole bunch of Patu San citizens.