Angel - Season 2 impressions (episode 9)
The Trial
For a summary click here.
- The friendship between Angel, Cordelia and Wesley has started to fracture. The theme that Wesley and Cordy don't know how to get through to Angel has been repeated several times over the last episodes. Especially Cordelia is openly upset by his obsession with Darla. I believe it's hard for both of them to cope with any reminders of Angel's past.
When Angel makes his first appearance in this episode, he's cheerful enough. Apparently, he hasn't been brooding in the basement, but doing the laundry. :-) It turns out, however, that Darla is still very much on his mind and that he asked Gunn for help.
Cordy to Angel: "You lied to us!"
Angel looking at some pictures: "I did. I know."
Wesley: "Why?"
Angel: "I figured you'd nag.
- Holland: "You are not our prisoner, Darla. - You are, however our *moral* responsibility."
Yes, Holland is the most selfless man ever and moral is the first thing that comes to my mind when I think of him. [insert extremely heavy irony]
- The two flashback scenes in this episode, show us that Darla will go very far to secure her survival. We know she's very fond of Angelus, but she's still willing to leave him behind to save her own life.
The flashbacks also introduce the vampire hunter Holtz. Angelus believes that he isn't a "mere mortal". I've read Holtz's name before so I'm sure we'll hear of him again.
Angelus: "At least in Romania they really know how to treat a creature of the night."
Ahhh, I love irony. :-)
- Darla is really desperate to chat up a vampire who's not only inattractive, but also not the most intelligent person that walks the earth. Actually, I think chances are high that he would have killed Darla by accident. While I don't approve of Darla's plan, I'm still impressed how decisively she puts her plans into actions.
- Darla to Angel: "You know, just because we had a thing for 150 years, don't presume you know me!"
This remark is rather funny for a humble mortal such as I. After spending 150 years with someone, I think you do know a lot about that person. :-)
- After Angel has stopped Darla from seeking someone who turns her into a vampire, she agrees to come with him to the Hyperion hotel. The reaction of Cordelia and Wesley says it all: They can't stand her. - I can sympathize with their reaction. After all, it appears to be Darla's fault that their friendship with Angel is falling apart. Still my advice would be to go along with Angel. Darla is obviously very important to him and going against the person he loves will only push him further away.
- In the meantime, Lindsey is moping over Darla's fate. He's obviously attracted to both Angel and Darla.
- Angel: "Do you love her, Lindsey? (Lindsey looks down) Is that what this is? Heh - look at you. A few short months with her and you go all schoolboy. I was with her for *150* years."
Lindsey: "But you never loved her."
Angel after a short beat: "I wasn't capable of it and neither are you."
Lindsey: "Maybe not. - But I'd save her if I could. And you can. And you won't. (Gets up) So you got s choice pal: waste the last two months of her life searching for a cure that doesn't exist, watch her wither away and die - or you can use the only real power you got. You can make this disease go away today if you wanted to."
Angel: "By killing her again."
Lindsey: "By giving her life! Eternal life."
Interesting dialogue between Angel and Lindsey.
Angel claims to have been incapable of loving someone as Angelus. I think he's lying to himself. It could be, of course, that Angelus himself wanted to be as powerful and invulnerable as possible and therefore told himself that love wasn't an emotion he was capable of. If he doesn't love anyone, noone can hurt him.
We've definitely seen though that vampires can love - and that it plays no role if they have a soul or not. I believe that Spike does love Buffy (even though he shows it in very odd ways :-)); he definitely loved Drusilla and seems to have cared for him. And there's no doubt that Darla loved Angelus or she would have killed him when he got a soul. If she hadn't loved him, she also wouldn't have tried to have the curse undone or allowed him to return to her.
Lindsey on the other hand shows that he doesn't understand Angel's moral concerns. Not exactly a big surprise...
- Darla has a very nice voice. :-)
- The three challenges:
This line made me laugh: "Your trials will consist of three separate challenges. I'll need your shirt and shoes." Yeah, it was time again for some shirtless Angel. And during the second challenge, Shirtless!Angel quickly turns into our favorite Shirtless&Tortured!Angel. Time for the merry drinking game. :-)
The nice thing about the three challenges is that Angel is willing to give his life so Darla has a chance living a fulfilled life as a human. And Darla finally sees that Angel really loves her deeply.
Still, Angel successfully proving himself doesn't change anything when it turns out Darla cannot be given life again a second time via magic means. IMO, apologizing to Angel isn't quite enough, they should at least given him free tickets to the cinema or flowers for Darla or stereo system. Sheesh. He risked his life and Darla's life and all he's is a lame apology...
- Darla: "Angel, I've seen it now - everything you're going through, everything you've gone through. - I felt it. I felt how you care. The way no one's ever cared before - not for me. (Gives him a tiny smile) - That's all I need from you."
Angel: "That's not enough."
Darla: "It is."
Angel: "How could the powers allow you to be brought back and dangle a second chance and take it away like this?"
Darla: "Maybe this is my second chance."
Angel: "To die?"
Darla: "Yes. To die - the way I was supposed to die in the first place."
They look at each other for a moment before Darla turns away drawing a shaky breath. Angel gets up and, still limping slightly, goes to sit next to her.
Angel: "I'm not gonna leave you (Darla looks at him trying not to cry) every moment you have left - I'm gonna be by your side. - You're never gonna be alone again."
He drapes his, still burned looking, right hand around her shoulder and pulls her close as she begins to cry.
I *love* this scene! It's really touching without being sappy. Too bad Angel and Darla are interrupted by Lindsey and his team. I *really* can't stand Lindsey. He pretends to wants the best for Darla, but if that were really true he would ask her what she wants.
- Drusilla's entrance gave me the shivers. Really, really creepy and powerful.
When she was turned into a vampire, both Angel and Darla were present. In this scene, things are turned around: Drusilla is no longer the victim, she's the one who has power over life and death. And Angel who hurt her so much in the past is forced to watch while Darla is transformed into a vampire right before his eyes. I think this is Drusilla's ultimate revenge - even though Dru might not see it that way. Like Angel she wants to get her family back together...
And now on to part 10.
For a summary click here.
- The friendship between Angel, Cordelia and Wesley has started to fracture. The theme that Wesley and Cordy don't know how to get through to Angel has been repeated several times over the last episodes. Especially Cordelia is openly upset by his obsession with Darla. I believe it's hard for both of them to cope with any reminders of Angel's past.
When Angel makes his first appearance in this episode, he's cheerful enough. Apparently, he hasn't been brooding in the basement, but doing the laundry. :-) It turns out, however, that Darla is still very much on his mind and that he asked Gunn for help.
Cordy to Angel: "You lied to us!"
Angel looking at some pictures: "I did. I know."
Wesley: "Why?"
Angel: "I figured you'd nag.
- Holland: "You are not our prisoner, Darla. - You are, however our *moral* responsibility."
Yes, Holland is the most selfless man ever and moral is the first thing that comes to my mind when I think of him. [insert extremely heavy irony]
- The two flashback scenes in this episode, show us that Darla will go very far to secure her survival. We know she's very fond of Angelus, but she's still willing to leave him behind to save her own life.
The flashbacks also introduce the vampire hunter Holtz. Angelus believes that he isn't a "mere mortal". I've read Holtz's name before so I'm sure we'll hear of him again.
Angelus: "At least in Romania they really know how to treat a creature of the night."
Ahhh, I love irony. :-)
- Darla is really desperate to chat up a vampire who's not only inattractive, but also not the most intelligent person that walks the earth. Actually, I think chances are high that he would have killed Darla by accident. While I don't approve of Darla's plan, I'm still impressed how decisively she puts her plans into actions.
- Darla to Angel: "You know, just because we had a thing for 150 years, don't presume you know me!"
This remark is rather funny for a humble mortal such as I. After spending 150 years with someone, I think you do know a lot about that person. :-)
- After Angel has stopped Darla from seeking someone who turns her into a vampire, she agrees to come with him to the Hyperion hotel. The reaction of Cordelia and Wesley says it all: They can't stand her. - I can sympathize with their reaction. After all, it appears to be Darla's fault that their friendship with Angel is falling apart. Still my advice would be to go along with Angel. Darla is obviously very important to him and going against the person he loves will only push him further away.
- In the meantime, Lindsey is moping over Darla's fate. He's obviously attracted to both Angel and Darla.
- Angel: "Do you love her, Lindsey? (Lindsey looks down) Is that what this is? Heh - look at you. A few short months with her and you go all schoolboy. I was with her for *150* years."
Lindsey: "But you never loved her."
Angel after a short beat: "I wasn't capable of it and neither are you."
Lindsey: "Maybe not. - But I'd save her if I could. And you can. And you won't. (Gets up) So you got s choice pal: waste the last two months of her life searching for a cure that doesn't exist, watch her wither away and die - or you can use the only real power you got. You can make this disease go away today if you wanted to."
Angel: "By killing her again."
Lindsey: "By giving her life! Eternal life."
Interesting dialogue between Angel and Lindsey.
Angel claims to have been incapable of loving someone as Angelus. I think he's lying to himself. It could be, of course, that Angelus himself wanted to be as powerful and invulnerable as possible and therefore told himself that love wasn't an emotion he was capable of. If he doesn't love anyone, noone can hurt him.
We've definitely seen though that vampires can love - and that it plays no role if they have a soul or not. I believe that Spike does love Buffy (even though he shows it in very odd ways :-)); he definitely loved Drusilla and seems to have cared for him. And there's no doubt that Darla loved Angelus or she would have killed him when he got a soul. If she hadn't loved him, she also wouldn't have tried to have the curse undone or allowed him to return to her.
Lindsey on the other hand shows that he doesn't understand Angel's moral concerns. Not exactly a big surprise...
- Darla has a very nice voice. :-)
- The three challenges:
This line made me laugh: "Your trials will consist of three separate challenges. I'll need your shirt and shoes." Yeah, it was time again for some shirtless Angel. And during the second challenge, Shirtless!Angel quickly turns into our favorite Shirtless&Tortured!Angel. Time for the merry drinking game. :-)
The nice thing about the three challenges is that Angel is willing to give his life so Darla has a chance living a fulfilled life as a human. And Darla finally sees that Angel really loves her deeply.
Still, Angel successfully proving himself doesn't change anything when it turns out Darla cannot be given life again a second time via magic means. IMO, apologizing to Angel isn't quite enough, they should at least given him free tickets to the cinema or flowers for Darla or stereo system. Sheesh. He risked his life and Darla's life and all he's is a lame apology...
- Darla: "Angel, I've seen it now - everything you're going through, everything you've gone through. - I felt it. I felt how you care. The way no one's ever cared before - not for me. (Gives him a tiny smile) - That's all I need from you."
Angel: "That's not enough."
Darla: "It is."
Angel: "How could the powers allow you to be brought back and dangle a second chance and take it away like this?"
Darla: "Maybe this is my second chance."
Angel: "To die?"
Darla: "Yes. To die - the way I was supposed to die in the first place."
They look at each other for a moment before Darla turns away drawing a shaky breath. Angel gets up and, still limping slightly, goes to sit next to her.
Angel: "I'm not gonna leave you (Darla looks at him trying not to cry) every moment you have left - I'm gonna be by your side. - You're never gonna be alone again."
He drapes his, still burned looking, right hand around her shoulder and pulls her close as she begins to cry.
I *love* this scene! It's really touching without being sappy. Too bad Angel and Darla are interrupted by Lindsey and his team. I *really* can't stand Lindsey. He pretends to wants the best for Darla, but if that were really true he would ask her what she wants.
- Drusilla's entrance gave me the shivers. Really, really creepy and powerful.
When she was turned into a vampire, both Angel and Darla were present. In this scene, things are turned around: Drusilla is no longer the victim, she's the one who has power over life and death. And Angel who hurt her so much in the past is forced to watch while Darla is transformed into a vampire right before his eyes. I think this is Drusilla's ultimate revenge - even though Dru might not see it that way. Like Angel she wants to get her family back together...
And now on to part 10.