Who is Cordelia Chase?
Is she the lies she tells herself? Is she the attitude she projects? After all,
she was all about things leaking. She gave an astonishing read for
garbage bags. Cordelia is a woman who is professional enough to prepare for an
audition, but not "professional" enough to sleep with the director
like the dominiatrix who got the job.
Is she her crappy apartment in which she does personal affirmations? We saw a
rundown of terrible places to live -- starting with her own -- like something
out of the ersatz nanny applications Robin Williams voiced in "Mrs.
Doubtfire."
And I'm intrigued by the prescene of peanut butter in Angel's bed. That's just
wrong.
Oh, btw -- NAKED ANGEL! David's first nude scene on the series -- his lats were
so proud.
Doyle knows someone. Griff? Well, not Griff, maybe, but what a
charismatic one-shot character.
At least his house hookup was slightly more reliable -- well, only slightly,
given the poltergeistilicious apartment he found for her.
I'm flying right by the Cordy in Angel's dungeon because while that was very
much Cordy, she was mostly there for Odd Couple farce. "Don't mind me, I'm
just going to change everything around and take up the flooring."
But who is Cordelia Chase?
She isn't even the person who first moves into the apartment -- status-seeking
and into the material, one step further along from the Cordettes. In just a few
short years she is making huge sacrifices to save the world, although she needs
a trip through the looking glass to confirm that.
No. Who she is, sadly, is the person the morning after she moves in with
a psychotic ghost.
She hides things from her friends.
Her first instinct whenever there is trouble
is to circle the wagons, turn inward and not trouble anyone else with what's
going on with her in her life.
This is a charitable instinct. No one wants to be a downer. But she gives so
much, and doesn't give anyone else an opportunity to be there for her.
The apartment has attacked her but she won't let Angel and Doyle know
what's going on until the place starts getting completely out of hand and they
drag her from it.
This is a character flaw that will destroy her. It's part of why Cordelia Chase
towers as a tragic figure in this series. Her fatal flaw.
When she gets impregnated with demon seed, she doesn't go into work, and Angel
actually has to go to her house to find out what's going on with her. She will
endure massive brain trauma before the Powers actually step in and infuse her
with demon essence.
When she can't deny the help she needs, after she returns from her higher
dimension with amnesia, she withdraws, runs and hides, allying herself with
perhaps the one figure on this bombed-out hellscape more screwed up than she
is.
And in this fugue, she gets completely taken over by something horrifying. When
she begins to suffer some of the consequences of this possession, rather than
tell anyone, she just lets it happen.
And in her final scenes, she won't just come out and say what's going on, to
let the group mourn, to say goodbye properly. Instead, she lets them believe
she will be right behind them and that they've got a lovely evening of catching
up and reminscing ahead of them.
Cordelia Chase doesn't want to burden anyone with her troubles.
It's very dramatic, and it makes for good storytelling, but ultimately, it
kills her. And one wishes that she might have learned to trust people a little
bit more.
Loved the introduction to Dennis, of course, and his backstory -- so very sad.
Also, loved a plot point raised by Kate -- if Angel's an investigator, he needs
to get himself some bona fides.
And someday soon, Doyle, we're all going to need to hear it.
Sooner rather than later, boychik.
For now, however, "Pope Angel" indeed. Fun fight scene and nice
intertwining of storylines. And Cordy gave an outstanding turn as the
"biggest bitca in Sunnydale." Her victory was delicious.
For now, for what we knew, for the fifth episode of Season 1, great, great
installment.
And just a few dark rumblings of what lies ahead.