Angel: After the Fall issue 5 review
Brian Lynch is a generous man. Really.
After Jay's insulting gesture at him in JASBSB
he could make him one of Kr'ph's slaves. Or Burge's victims. But he accomodated him at Lorne's peaceful oasis.
OK, that was a side-note. :)
Summary:
Somewhere, in a white nothingness, SP are very angry with Wesley because of the destruction of W&H's building. They threaten that Angel's blood will be on his hands. "We really wanted it on ours".
In Silverlake Lorne pities himself and his friends, but, finally finds the courage to act and echoes Angel's words in NFA: "Let's get to work".
In a half-destroyed building shirtless Angel shaves himself in front of the mirror among the rubble. "I should have spent the last couple of hours learning about Groo’s weapons. But I can’t face hell’s champions with stubble." (Hee! Quintessential Angel!) He mounts the dragon and they sett off for the battle.
In Beverly-Hills Spike's squad prepares for the fight. Spider's plan is to kill all demon lords, including "big bad Angel". Spike doesn't like the plan. Once he was the first to leap into any fray, but now he has human refugees to care about and he knows that Illyria is unstable, so he insists that "it’s so much easier if you just tell yourself you’re strategically heading in the opposite direction of those that wish to do you harm".
In Santa Monica Connor, Nina and Gwen prepare for the battle. Connor muses why Angel hasn't come to say good-bye - because he hopes to win or because he's suicidal.
The battle is staged on a big square somewhere in the downtown LA. A lot of people came to watch the show. Gunn and his vampire gang are also there. Angel arrives, makes a speech (great contraposition of his words and his thoughts) and the battle begins. Angel is definitely losing - but the cavalry arrives in time! Connor, Spike, Gwen, Nina, Groo - and Lorne is there, in the middle of the fight! "I’m a lord," he explains to Burge. "I entered a champion. Myself. Full disclosure, I can turn into a whole gaggle of different people".
At the height of the battle Illyria arrives. Spike explains to Angel that she needs help. And that's exactly when ghost!Wesley appears out of nowhere. Spike is shocked. "Does no one stay bloody dead in this world?" But Spike's reaction is mild as compared with Illyria's: on the last panel she transforms into Fred!
Analysis:
When a 12-issue run of season 6 was announced, I mentally broke down the story: in the first act Angel gathers his friends together, in the second act they prepare for the big fight, in the third act they save the day. But Lynch chose another, more twisted road, full of shocks and surprises. The battle that, theoretically, should be the culmination of the story, starts in issue 5, and, obviously, is the end of the first act. It's baffling and, at the same time, incredibly intriguing. If that's just the beginning, what awaits heroes in the end?
The only idea that comes to my mind is that in the next issues they'll try to break into SP's inner sanctum and force them to remove the barrier\return LA to Earth dimension\restore whatever they did.
I may be wrong, but I've got the impression that it's the real Fred on the last panel. "You," Illyria says. "Wesley," Fred says. Looks like these are reactions of two different persons. But if it's really real Fred, then what about her soul? According to season 5, her soul was destroyed resurrecting Illyria. Will she be reintroduced as a soulless human?
On metaphorical level it makes a lot of sense. Fred has always been a "science geek", so her new transformation could be a great metaphor of modern science exploring issues beyond good and evil. Her story could produce a lot of compelling conflicts and it may in many ways connect her back to Gunn - a soulless vampire who also tries to do good in his own twisted ways. Looks like Fred and Gunn may turn into the most interesting characters in season 6 (of course, if the creature on the last panel is really Fred).
I can see the return of the idea of soulless redemption that has been pretty popular in fandom in 2001-2002, when Spike has started helping Buffy on BtVS. Purists will be unhappy, of course. But given the popularity of the idea in a pre-Grave fandom, it could be a great move. Joss loves to reinvent his universe and Lynch is his apt pupil.
Angel's story continues to be incredibly dark and gloomy. Small glimpses of humor (can't face hell’s champions with stubble!) are very appreciated. Spike's new-found responsibility for Illyria and human refugees and his warrior squad triggers interesting changes in his attitude to the battles. He provides much-needed humor without turning into a comic relief. Connor's angsting over Angel's is touching and very in character.
Wesley gets the best close-ups in this issue. Urru finds a very fine balance between Alexis Denisoff's face and comic stylisation. Wes' story continues to be the most mysterious one. Interestingly, SP let him go after their vague threats. Could SP be powerless? Could they just pretend they are in control? In that case there is a creepy parallel with Angel and his glamor.
OTOH, I've always suspected that SP are writers. And they seem to be at their creative peak. :)
Talking about glamor. I've got the impression that it must be an orb identical to the one Gunn took from Kr'ph and then gave to the demons he keeps in his hotel. Another intriguing detail of a sprawling story.
P.S. I read the issue for the first time before Joss has made his statement about comics on Paley reunion. I'm writing this review after I became aware of his words: "if I had to shoot down everything I'm doing in comics because we were doing a project, a film with these actual people, I wouldn't lose a lot of sleep." I'm trying to figure out if it bothers me and the answer is no. Am I too elated because of all that drool-worthy Spuffy stuff at Paley? Maybe. Still I don't feel cheated or betrayed as some people feel. Comics are different canon. Neither superior nor interior to TV. Just different.