Where to begin.
Impossible as it is to believe that Cordy has just allowed Fred to hang about
in the dark recesses of the Hyperion -- which it occurs to me they never really
explored overmuch we arrive fresh clean and new from demon hunting, kung-fu
fighting with demon monks (and the camera having a moment with David's bum in
white linen troosies) and Fred peeking into the hallway.
If you get a look at the stuff she's writing she's really not that brilliant,
but she's struggling with the concept of peace "trading one cave for
another" as Cordy would have it. And again, it's impossible to believe
Cordy did not grab her by the arm and drag her to the mall for a week or ten of
shopping.
The visions are clearly killing Cordy which opens some nice plot potentials,
and here we are introduced to the image of Phantom Dennis as a Floating Loofah,
which is a pleasant reintroduction. Dennis demonstrates so much compassion for
Cordy that the question of intimacy becomes downright intriguing.
But not for us -- we sad, we demon-obsessed -- to focus on this for Angel has
yet another brush with his past, in the form of Elizabeth, a vampire with a
true-and-forever love. It's just a tiny little world, but we begin to wonder
why the Powers That Be are interested in barely saving these two persons from
the massacre.
It is legitimate, in that the storylines are about to explode, to notice the
motivations of the PTB. Team Angel is not going to get there in time to save
anyone well, any more than two people. Instead, Angel who has been out of
the picture and away from their guidance for three months comes face-to-face
with the other motivating factor in his life his love of Buffy.
Sri Lanka was a vacation. While Buffy lay cold and dead, Angel headed to the
hinterlands to unleash massive gouts of aggression, but he wasn't whole yet.
It wasn't until he could confront the sort of sick depths True Love can drag a
person to cut-out-one's-heart blood vengeance against any who stands between
lover and beloved that he can face the fact that not only is he allowed to be
OK in the wake of Buffy's death, but that he must be OK, or he's going
to be a sick and wounded puppy licking his wounds for the rest of the season,
and useless as a champion.
Do the Powers touch this level of emotional nuance? It's hard to say. So far
they simply parbroil Cordy's brain and Team Angel snaps into action.
It will be interesting to analyze the kinds of tasks they set for him, the sorts
of directives he is given, in terms of what their intentions must be.
In this instance, their communication seems less about helping the hopeless
(why, for instance, couldn't the visions have come 20 minutes earlier and everyone
could be saved?) and more about ultimately shoring up Angels resolve.
Incidentally, in terms of fighting James, why he couldn't just behead the guy
is beyond me. Probably because it would have worked. Invulnerability is just a
concept until one discovers a vulnerability.
Also, nice pass to Darla at the end. That must've been wildly exciting to see
for the first time -- so many questions, I'm not even going to think about the
inevitable disappointments.
If we didn't have that little bun in the oven, it's possible we'd never have
had Jasmine. But we wouldn't have had that wonderfully sweet little gummybear
Connor at the end either, so I'll allow it.
We seem to be off to an inventive, eventful season.