"Trapped By a Title"

"TRAPPED BY A TITLE"

I feel sorry for Emma Swan. I may not like her very much at the moment. But I do feel sorry for her. More importantly, she has become, since Season Two, one of the most frustrating characters on "ONCE UPON A TIME". Which is probably why I have just written my third or fourth article about her. 

From the moment her son Henry Mills found her in the series' premiere episode, (1.01) "Pilot" and revealed that she was destined to break a curse cast by his adopted mother, Regina Mills that currently trapped the citizens of Storybrooke; she has been stuck with the role of "Savior". Yes, I said "stuck". Because there is no other way to describe her situation, pre-"Dark One"curse. And she will continue to be stuck in the role, once she breaks free of the curse. Henry was the first to forced the role of "Savior". After Emma broke that first curse, her parents - Snow White and David Prince Chraming - and other citizens of Storybrooke enforced that role upon her as well. But I think this was a mistake on Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz's part. They should have dropped the "Savior" title, after Season One. Instead, they have allowed other characters, including the reformed Regina, to insist that she is the "Savior".

For me, this is so wrong on so many levels. Perhaps Kitsis and Horowitz are trying to re-create another Buffy Summers. Who knows? But this insistence that she has to be this savior who is supposed to be solely responsible for the lives of others and guarantee their happy endings is ridiculous. And it does not serve Emma's emotional growth as many believe it will. Instead, it has become something of a detriment to her character . . . an emotional straight jacket. As long as Emma continues to allow the others to dictate what she has to do for the rest of her life, she will never grow as an individual or as a character. Being"the Savior" should not have been her job description in the first place. This is something that was enforced upon her by Rumpelstiltskin's scheming, because he wanted a way to the "Land Without Magic" in order to find his missing son, Baelfire. And the Storybrooke citizens - especially Emma's parents and Regina - have enforced this role upon her, due to their inability to see her as someone other than a glorified magical vigilante. There is no real law that she has to spend the rest of her life giving people "happy endings". I see no reason why she always has to be the one who has to defeat some magical Big Bad. Past seasons have allowed others like Regina, Rumpelstiltskin, Snow White, Henry and Anna of Arendelle (via emotional persuasion) to defeat or help defeat the Big Bad. So why is everyone still insisting that Emma has to be "the One"? 

However, I fear that once Emma is freed from the "Dark One" curse, she will continue to allow everyone to squeeze her into some straight jacket labeled "Savior". Because of this belief that she always has to save someone, Emma ended up making one of the biggest mistakes in her life in the Season Three finale, (3.22) "There's No Place Like Home" when she tried to change the timeline and save Maid Marian's life. She thought that because she was "the Savior", she had the right to commit the dangerous act of changing the timeline in order to save someone who had died in the past. Yet, she also believed that Rumpelstiltskin did not have the right to change the timeline in order to prevent Neal's death. Not only were Emma's actions hypocritical, they also led to Zelena's resurgence in their lives (Rumpelstiltskin helped with his so-called act of murder). In the Season Four finale, (4.23) "Operation Mongoose, Part 2" she called herself saving Regina's moral compass - something which the latter never asked in the first place - from an entity that eventually led her to become the new "Dark One". 

Four years have passed since Emma first found herself stuck with the role of "Savior". This role has proven to be something of an emotional strain for other fictional "saviors" and "chosen ones" such as Buffy Summer, Jack Shepherd, and Harry Potter. I find it odd that other than late Season One when Henry and August Booth aka Pinocchio kept insisting that she has to break that first curse, Emma has never really dealt with any emotional strain over being a "chosen one". And the only reason she found it a strain was due to her inability to believe Henry and August about the curse. I find this both odd and unrealistic. The longer other "chosen one" or "savior" characters were forced to accept this role, the harder it became for them to deal with it. Instead, Emma dealt with the problems of her relationship with her parents and Neal, the growing strength of her powers, Henry's amnesia in late Season Three, Regina's anger in early Season Four over her time travel escapades, and her parents' lies regarding Maleficent and the latter's child, former childhood friend Lily Page. But not since Season One can I recall Emma dealing with the pressures of being the "Savior". 

It occurred to me that sooner or later, Emma needs to break free of that role/straight jacket in order to dictate her own life. I am not stating that she needs to stop saving others or stop being a town sheriff (despite being lousy at the job). But she does not have to make being the "Savior" a life long job description. If Emma continues down this path, she just might make another mistake on the same level as the one she made in "There's No Place Like Home" or make a decision similar to the one that led her to become the "Dark One" . . . or something even worse. And she will never have the freedom to be herself.

"ANGEL" RETROSPECTIVE: (5.08) "Destiny"

"ANGEL" RETROSPECTIVE: (5.08) "Destiny"

One of the most interesting episodes to air on "ANGEL" during its Season Five turned out to be the eighth episode called(5.08) "Destiny". Written by David Fury and Steven S. DeKnight, the episode is considered one of the best in the series. It also marked a relief for many viewers who had become weary of Spike in corporeal form. 

"Destiny" begins with a flashback to 1880 London, where a recently-sired William Pratt (yes, that is his surname) meets Angelus for the first time. The latter accepts William into the group that also includes Drusilla and Darla and adds that he looks forward to killing with another man. Angeleus expresses a vow that he and William are "gonna be the best of friends". The two male vampires seal their new friendship with clasped hands burning in the sunlight. One hundred and twenty-three years later, a mysterious package arrives at the Los Angeles Wolfram and Hart offices, addressed to William (now Spike). Harmony Kendall, Angel’s vampire secretary, opens the package, which produces a flash of light. Minutes later, Spike tries to materialize through and discovers that he is corporeal again. It is not long before Eve, the firm’s liaison to the Senior Partners, announces that the whole universe is in turmoil. Spike’s return to corporeal form and existence is messing with the expected course of the Shanshu prophecy, because after dying on the Hellmouth to save the world in the "BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER" finale, Spike now qualifies as a champion.

When an employee named Sirk, who worked under the absent Wesley Wyndham-Pryce, is questioned for more information on the Shanshu prophecy, he informs them that they did not get everything from the translation. Sirk adds that "The balance will falter until the vampire with a soul drinks from the Cup of Perpetual Torment". In other words, whoever (Spike or Angel) drinks from the cup, that vampire is the one who was destined for the prophecy. And once the champion is decided, the universe will go back to normal. Sirk also adds that the Cup of Perpetual Torment was destroyed in an opera in Death Valley, Nevada. This bit of news leads both Spike and Angel to race to Death Valley in order to find the cup. And the two souled vampires end up battling out to determine which one of them will achieve the Shanshu prophecy. What Angel and Spike fail to discover was that their battle for the prophecy had been planned by Eve and her lover, former Wolfram and Hart attorney, Lindsay MacDonald, to mess with the Senior Partners’ plans for the older vampire.

I might as well say it. "Destiny" was a bloody, intense and brilliant episode. In a small way, this episode reminded me the "BUFFY" finale, (7.22) "Chosen" and Angel’s reaction to the news about Spike possessing a soul. I initially found it odd that Angel would react to the news about Spike’s souled state in such a negative way. Surely he would have been thrilled at the idea of another vampire – especially one he has known for over a century – as a fellow champion. Instead, he reacted with a mild mixture of annoyance and resentment. This attitude carried over in "ANGEL", after Spike reappeared as a ghost at the end of (5.01) "Conviction" . It occurred to me that being the souled champion of the supernatural appealed to Angel’s ego and he did not like the idea of another supernatural being – especially a vampire – raining on his parade. And I am certain that his feelings about Spike played a major part in his reactions.

Then again . . . one only has to look at the flashbacks featured in "Destiny". Not long after welcoming vampire William as a future hunting mate, Angelus made certain that the younger vampire got the message that he was the sole alpha male of the group. And he did this by making certain that William knew that Drusilla was his "property" and no one else’s. And since Drusilla was William’s sire, the latter was also his by extension. I would not be surprised that Angel viewed the role as souled vampire/champion as his alone. It is possible that he viewed Spike as a mere interloper. And Spike’s past history with Buffy – someone Angel viewed as his sole love – probably did not help matters.

As for Spike, he must have harbored a great deal of resentment toward Angel from the moment he could the latter with Drusilla together back in 1880. This resentment probably increased after his relationship with Buffy. After all, the vampire slayer had never declared her feelings for him as she had done about Angel in the past. Despite Angel/Angelus' claim as the alpha male, Spike challenged the former’s claim every chance he could. Remember their confrontation in the Yorkshire caves in one of the flashbacks featured in the "BUFFY" episode, (5.07) "Fool For Love"? It was simply another moment of Spike upsetting Angel’s claim as the superior. 

One also had to take in Spike's accusation in "Destiny" that Angelus made him into a monster. On one level, he was right. Although Drusilla had sired Spike, it was Angelus who more or less taught the former how to be a first-class vampire. Angel claimed that Spike always had the ability to be a monster. And he was also right. Angelus alone could not have been responsible for the creation of Spike aka William the Bloody. The darkness within William (even before he became a vampire) played a major part, as well. It seemed as if both vampires were trying to deny their own responsibility in the formation of the "Slayer of Slayers".

Finally, we come to Lindsay MacDonald and Eve’s role in this scenario. I have this feeling that some kind of conflict has been set in motion with the scheming of Lindsey and Eve. I must admit that I was a little surprised to see the former Wolfram and Hart attorney again. But I originally could not understand why he had returned to kick-start this rivalry between Angel and Spike . . . especially since he had willingly put both Angel and the firm behind him back in Season Two’s (2.18) "Dead End". In the latter episode, Lindsay had discovered that he had been chosen to be the new CEO of the Los Angeles branch of Wolfram and Hart. It is possible that the news of Angel assuming this very position had not only revived his old dislike of the vampire, but resentment toward the Senior Partners for allowing a nemesis to manage their firm. 

It is obvious that Lindsay used Eve as a minion for his plans to put Wolfram and Hart off balance. Many fans had not been impressed by Eve as a replacement for the very memorable Lilah Morgan. But in this episode, Eve managed to fool the Fang Gang with an air of innocence that many believed would not have suited Lilah’s personality. She became a more believable adversary for the team. Lindsay and Eve had used a spell to convince the others that the universe was in chaos due to the presence of two vampire "champions". The spell caused blood to leak from Harmony’s eyes, but it had no physical effect on the mortals that worked there . . . except for Charles Gunn. It could be that his "legal upgrade" made him supernaturally vulnerable to the couple’s spell.

The acting was superb in "Destiny". Both James Marsters and David Boreanaz were absolutely fantastic as Spike and Angel. Not only were their verbal interactions sizzled with electricity, but I believe that their superb fight scene may have been one of the best ever featured on both "ANGEL" and "BUFFY". I also have to commend J. August Richards for his portrayal of Gunn in this episode. I am certain that his Charles had fulfilled the fantasies of many by choking Eve. Christian Kane’s return to the series was a sight for my sore eyes. And Sarah Thompson gave her best performance as Eve, since she first joined the cast at the beginning of the season. As for the brief Spike/Harmony sexfest - it was not as bad as I thought it would be. Loved the look that Spike gave Harmony, and how she finally capitulated. Both Marsters and Mercedes McNab proved they had not lost their screen chemistry. In fact, Marsters not only worked well with Boreanaz and McNab, it was great to see him renew his old chemistry with Juliet Landau, who was great as ever as the eccentric Drusilla. 

Overall, David Fury and Stephen S. DeKnight wrote a first-rate episode . . . probably one of the best of the series. And their work was handled with care by a superb cast and solid direction from Skip Schoolnik. Two thumbs up for "Destiny"!

"Different Paths of Brotherhood"

"DIFFERENT PATHS OF BROTHERHOOD"

While reading an old review by someone named Tchaikovsky about the Season Five ”ANGEL” episode, (5.08) “Destiny”, I noticed that the reviewer discussed a lot about Angel and Spike’s relationship as ”brothers”, whether they were in their souled or unsouled states. When I first viewed that particular season, I noticed one particular thing about it. There seemed to be a great deal of focus upon brotherhood.

In the relationship between Angel and Spike, viewers had two vampires with the potential to be close ”brothers” when they first met in 1880. However, their feelings for one female vampire – namely Drusilla – fragmented that sense of brotherhood. After his disappointments with his former object of desire, an English debutante named Cecily and his mother Anne, whom he had transformed into a vampire; Spike (or .should I say, William) saw the female vampire as his destiny, someone to love and worship.

I am not sure what Angel (aka Angelus) saw in Drusilla. Perhaps he viewed her as something or someone to completely control, perhaps? As the son of an Irish merchant, Liam never really had any control in his relationship with his father until the moment he killed the latter after becoming a vampire. Despite his rejection of his grandsire, the Master, Angelus found himself controlled by Darla, via her usual subtle way by making him believe that he was in control. And perhaps, deep down, Angelus knew this. Perhaps this is why he had decided to betray William by having sex with Drusilla. Perhaps he wanted to make the other male vampire realize that he was in control and that William’s idea of Drusilla being his destiny was nothing more than an illusion.

Due to Drusilla’s mental state, Angelus was not only Spike’s grandsire, but also acted as the latter’s sire and mentor. Yet . . . the night Angelus slept with Drusilla also marked the beginning of an antagonistic relationship and rivalry between the two. That antagonism intensified when Angel lost his soul in 1998 and became Angelus again; their antagonism deepened. Not only did Angelus resume a sexual relationship with Drusilla; Spike, in a crippled state, found himself unable to do anything about it. Until he healed and formed a partnership with the blond Slayer, Buffy Summers. Spike and Angel’s antagonistic relationship lasted over 120 years.

And yet, after Spike had reappeared in Los Angeles in Season Five of ”ANGEL”, the two vampires slowly began to form another bond. Before that could happen, the two vampires had to deal with another rivalry for the heart of Buffy Summers. After all, Spike had witnessed Buffy and Angel’s reunion kiss in the second to last episode of ”BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER”, (7.21) “End of Days”. And in the following episode, (7.22) “Chosen”, Angel learned several things – namely that Buffy and Spike had formed some kind of relationship, Spike had a soul and that Buffy had chosen the blond vampire as her personal champion. The two vampires’ resentment over Buffy spilled over when Spike’s non-corporeal form appeared at the end of (5.01) “Convictions”. Yet, from the moment following their fight over the Cup of Destiny in ”Destiny”, to their bonding over shared experiences in (5.11) “Damage”, and finally to their partnership in episodes like (5.20) “The Girl in Question” and (5.22) “Not Fade Away”; the pair managed to reconnect as ”brothers”. They finally realized that they need each other in their fight against Evil. Besides, with the Fang Gang slowly disintegrating, perhaps Spike became the only person that Angel could truly depend upon.






In contrast to Angel and Spike’s relationship, Season Five marked the final destruction of Charles Gunn and Wesley Wyndham-Price’s friendship. It is interesting that back in the series’ Season Two, they were close friends and partners in a detective agency with Cordelia Chase. Many of the series’ fans would remember the secret handshakes and the ”I got your back” declarations, and the manner in which they had fought together against demons.

But in the end the relationship was destroyed by Wesley’s kidnapping of Angel’s son; and a woman – namely one Winifred “Fred” Burkle. I am not saying that she is to blame for their past or present estrangement. But their views of Fred, along with their personal demons - Charles’ insecurity (which was fed by Fred’s comment about him being the gang’s muscle) and Wesley’s secretive nature and a whore/Madonna view of women eventually brought about a complete destruction of their relationship. Fred and Connor’s kidnapping turned out to be two reasons for their first break-up.

Yet, their friendship resurrected when both men finally decided to forgo a romantic pursuit of said female in late Season Four. But Angel’s decision to allow the Senior Partners, the evil overlords of the Wolfram and Hart law firm erase their memories of Connor and any other memories linking to the vampire’s son. This decision also led to the gang becoming employees of the law firm, Charles’ decision to become an attorney by supernatural means and resurrected Wesley’s desires for Fred. The two eventually began a romantic relationship. All of this culminated in disaster when Charles makes a pact to revive his diminishing legal abilities in exchange for signing the release of an ancient curio stuck in Customs. When this curio resulted in the death of Fred and the resurrection of a demon called Illyia in Fred’s body. A grieving Wesley decided to seek revenge by the attempted murder of Charles. Although both men assisted Angel in the latter’s battle against the Senior Partners and the Circle of Thorn in the Season Five finale, (5.22) “Not Fade Away”, their friendship never returned to the state it had been during Season Two and the second half of Season Four.

I find it amazing that two different male relationships ended on divisive paths. Angel and Spike’s relationship – which began on a rocky foundation saturated with resentment, rivalry over two females- managed to reconnect into a strong brotherly bond. On the other hand, Charles and Wes’ friendship began on a strong note and ended in complete ruin before the series ended. And to think that this all happened during Season Five.

"ANGEL" RETROSPECTIVE: (5.15) "A Hole in the World"

Below is a look into (5.15) “A Hole in the World”, a Season Five episode from “ANGEL”:


"ANGEL" RETROSPECTIVE: (5.15) "A Hole in the World”

Written and directed by Joss Whedon, the Season Five episode, (5.15) “A Hole in the World”, centered on the death of one of the series’ regulars, Winifred “Fred” Burkle. The slow road to her death began when a Wolfram and Hart employee named Knox accepts the delivery of a sarcophagus. When Fred touches one of the crystals that cover the lid, a puff of dusty air is released, making her cough. Later, she eventually starts coughing up blood before collapsing.

It turns out that by touching one of the sarcophagus’ crystals, Fred becomes infected by the spirit of an ancient demon named Illyria. The entire crew searches for a cure, but give up hope when Spike and Angel discover that the only way to save Fred's life would kill thousands of people. Wesley Wyndham-Pryce tries to comfort Fred as she dies and eventually witnesses the emergence of Illyria.

”A Hole in the World” was a very interesting episode that replayed the same issue from various ”BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER” episodes like (3.19)”Choices” and 5.22)”The Gift” and ”ANGEL” episodes like (3.16)”Sleep Tight” - namely the task of making a choice for the need of the few or the many. And the choice that Angel had to make was whether to save Fred from death and the growing influences of a demon that had infected her body, or to ensure that the world would remain safe. Angel chose the world over his friend. And judging from the reactions on the forums when the episode first aired, not many agreed with his choice. I did not condemn Angel's choice. I believe that he had made the right one . . . just as Buffy had made the right choice for her in ”The Gift”. It did not really matter if the needs of the many were more important than the needs of the few, or vice versa. What mattered was that each person had to make the choice that was more important to his or her heart. For Buffy, Dawn was more important to her; and for Angel, sparing the world from destruction. Or perhaps being a champion was more important to Angel. However, if the choice had been between . . . say . . . Connor and the world; I suspect that Angel would have chosen Connor.

Angel’s decision proved to be some of an irony for Wesley. His reaction to Fred’s death in the following episode, (5.16) “Shells” certainly proved this. After all, I am talking about the ”King of Tough Choices”. This was the same man who felt it was more important to prevent Mayor Wilkins from getting his hands on the Book of Ascension than saving Willow's life in the ”BUFFY” episode, ”Choices”. He was also willing to risk the lives of rebellious Pyleans for a successful revolution in the ”ANGEL” episode (2.22) “There's No Place Like Plrtz Glrb”. And in ”Sleep Tight”, he risked his friendship with Angel and the others in order to prevent said vampire from killing his infant son, because of a prophecy. Considering his past history, one can only ponder over his reactions to the circumstances that led to Fred’s death.

And speaking of Fred, what about her choices? One has to admit that many of her choices have led her to this point - a slow death and demonic possession. Fred chose to leave her home in San Antonio in order to attend college in Southern California. This decision put her in the path of Professor Siedel. And her curiosity caused her to open a book that led to five years of bondage in Pylea. After being rescued by Angel Investigations, she made the decision not to follow her parents back to Texas. Instead, she bound her fate with the souled vampire and his companions. This, in turn, led to her employment with Wolfram and Hart . . . and her death by the end of this episode. I have one question - why did Fred open the sarcophagus without first doing any research on it? I must have missed the scene. If so, this only proves to me that Fred never really had a healthy respect for the spiritual and the supernatural, despite her five years in Pylea and three years with Angel Investigations. She has always had a tendency to treat anything supernatural as a science experiment. And in doing so, she may have paid the price for her attitude. It is not surprising that Wesley angrily cursed her curiosity.

I also wanted to touch upon a few other points about this episode:

*While Eve was trying to hide from the Senior Partners, I bet she must have been wondering what kind of situation her love for Lindsey had brought her.

*I could not help but wonder if Fred upchucking blood over Wes was a metaphor or sign of the tragic death that overtook Wesley in the series finale.

*Angel and Spike were quickly becoming quite the screen team by this episode. I enjoyed watching our favorite vamps' relationship progress from polite antagonism to mutual grief over Angel's decision. I also enjoyed Spike’s “hole-in-the-world” speech. Very poignant.

*There is an old saying that if you do not have anything nice to say about something or someone, say nothing at all. Considering my opinionated nature, I could not hold back my opinion on the Wesley/Fred romance of Season Five. Watching them share a kiss following their victory over a demon around the beginning of this episode, reminded me of the early stages of Buffy and Riley's romance in the middle of Season 4 for ”BUFFY”. Wesley and Fred led me to conclude that watching a 30-something man and a 20-something woman act like teenagers in love seemed a little sad . . . and very saccharine.

Does anyone remember the Season Four episode, (4.16) "Players" and the conversation between Wesley and Fred in that episode? I do. In it, Fred had expressed her disgust over the Connor/Cordelia affair. When Wesley tried to make her to understand what would lead those two to have an affair, the conversation eventually drifted toward Wesley’s affair with Wolfram and Hart attorney, Lilah Morgan. Not only did Fred failed to understand Wesley’s lack of disgust over Connor and Cordelia, she could not understand how he could have become involved with Lilah in the first place. And that is how the conversation (and scene) ended . . . with Fred at a loss over Wesley’s attitude. I cannot say what was going through Wes' head at the time. But judging from the look on his face and his eventual silence, I got the impression that he realized Fred would never really understand "the real him". Considering that this conversation began with the topic of Cordelia and Connor, I could not help but wonder if Wesley and Fred had lost their memories of this discussion, due to the erasure of their memories of Connor, at the end of Season Four. Also, Wesley's kidnapping of Connor proved to be one of the catalysts for his relationship with Lilah in Season Four.

I also cannot help but wonder if they would have ever gotten involved in the first place, due to the mindwipe. I realize that many Jossverse fans tend to view Wesley and Fred’s romance as idealized, I never could accept that prevailing view. I simply found their relationship boring and somewhat infantile. It had an uneasy mixture of a high school romance and incest, due to Wesley’s habit of treating Fred as part-lover and part-daughter. It was not surprising to me that a dying Fred had expressed confusion at the reasons behind Wesley’s feelings for her.

*Fred’s Death Scene was one of the most unbearable I have ever experienced on television. In fact, I found it so excruciating . . . and slow that I was unable to experience any compassion or sadness over her death. I simply felt relieved when she finally died.

I must admit that A Hole in the World” was never a favorite episode of mine. In fact, I have never been that fond of the second half of Season Five. But I must admit that Whedon had written a first-rate episode. Yes, I found the Wesley/Fred romance a bit nauseating to endure. And Fred’s death seemed to go on forever. But Whedon’s handling of theme regarding hard choices and the introduction of the Illryia character made this one of the more memorable episodes of the series.

"ANGEL" RETROSPECTIVE: (1.08) "I Will Remember You"

Below is a look into (1.08) "I Will Remember You", a Season One episode from "ANGEL" (1999-2004): 


"ANGEL" RETROSPECTIVE: (1.08)"I Will Remember You"

One of the most popular episodes to air on "ANGEL" is the eighth episode of Season One called (1.08) "I Will Remember You". This particular episode served as a follow-up to the Season Four "BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER" episode called(4.08) “Pangs” in which Angel, the vampire with a soul, had paid a surreptitious visit to Sunnydale in order to protect his former love, vampire slayer Buffy Summers, from a malignant spirit during the Thanksgiving holidays. 

After Buffy had learned of Angel’s visit to Sunnydale, she pays a visit of her own to Angel’s detective office in Los Angeles. There, she confronts him about his surreptitious assistance back in Sunnydale. They are attacked by a Mohra demon. When Angel kills the demon, he is restored to mortality by its powerful blood. After The Oracles - a link to The Powers That Be - confirms that Angel is human again, Angel and Buffy spend a blissful night together. Unfortunately, Doyle receives a vision that the Mohra demon has regenerated itself. Instead of recruiting Buffy, Angel leaves her to kill the demon for good. In the ensuing battle, Angel discovers the consequences of having only human strength. Buffy must come to his rescue and slay the demon herself. Angel returns to The Oracles, who that if he remains human, Buffy will face the minions of darkness alone and die much sooner. They agree to turn back time, so that Angel, accepting the entire cost of the bargain, can kill the Mohra before its blood makes him human. They also inform him that Buffy’s memories of their day together will erase once time is turned back.

I might as well be frank. I really dislike this episode. I almost hate it. Honestly. And although I am not a fan of the Buffy/Angel relationship, the one thing I truly dislike about this episode is the paternalistic manner in which Angel treats Buffy, once he agrees to the Oracles’ bargain. One, I suspect that Angel could not deal having human strength. It still amazes me that many fans have castigated Riley Finn for being unable to deal with Buffy being stronger than him; and yet in this particular episode, Angel seemed to be suffering from the same problem. Then he does something even worse by making that deal with the Powers to resume being a vampire . . . after being told that Buffy would have no memories of their day together. As far as I am concerned, he committed psychic rape via the Oracles and the Powers to Be. Even worse, he only told Buffy about his decision . . . seconds before she lost her memories.

Some fans have used Buffy’s alleged desire for a ”knight in shinning armor” as an excuse for Angel’s behavior. Many of these fans still view Buffy as that 16-18 year-old girl featured in the series’ first three seasons. And apparently, so does Angel. I really do not see how this desire of Buffy is supposed to condone or excuse Angel's decision to becoming a vampire again at the expense of Buffy’s memories. Others point out that the Oracles had informed Angel that order to prevent circumstances from repeating exactly, he alone will remember all they have shared. Let me see if I understand this. Angel could not tell Buffy that he had erased her memories of their day together, in case the circumstances of that day repeat themselves. Yet, Angel went ahead and informed Buffy that she would lose her memories seconds before she lost them? If Angel wanted to avoid a repetition of that day repeating, he could have told Buffy what had happened . . . and add that they could not stay together, in case the circumstances of that day would be repeated. But Angel did not bother. In fact, he remained silent. Personally, I found his actions appalling. 

To me, Angel was a selfish and controlling bastard who could not handle the lack of vampire strength needed to deal with the supernatural beings he had fought, in the first place. Without that strength, he could not be a hero. One, he was stupid enough to go after the Mohra demon when he lacked the strength to fight it. He could have easily allowed Buffy to do so in the first place. And when he found himself forced to depend upon Buffy’s strength to take down the demon, he turned to the Oracles to get his strength back. And all of this happened before he learned of the details surrounding his return as a vampire. I suspect that deep down, his act of sacrifice was nothing more than bullshit. I have always suspected that Angel was nothing more than a control freak, who got his kicks making decisions for others . . . without their consent. If he had really cared about Buffy, he would have never agreed to the spell in the first place. Or . . . he could have told her what happened after the spell went into effect, just as I had pointed out in a previous paragraph. Or he could have told her what he was considering, before he allowed the Powers to Be remove her memories and turn back time. But he did not, because he simply viewed Buffy as a child who had to be controlled . . . by him. And considering that Buffy ended up dead a year-and-a-half later (with Angel not around), it seemed that Angel had given up being a human for nothing.

"I Will Remember You" strikes me as a good example of why I have never been a fan of the Buffy/Angel romance. It has always seemed like an unequal relationship that was never able to develop into an equal one. This episode also reminded me that many seemed to prefer a fictional romance that featured between an infatuated adolescent female and lovesick older man obsessed with her youth and his need to be controlling. To me, the relationship was nothing but a patriarchal wet dream . . . at least for Angel. And his actions in both the "BUFFY" episode, "Pangs" and this one seemed to confirm this.

"ANGEL" RETROSPECTIVE: (5.02) "Just Rewards

Below is a look into (5.02) “Just Rewards”, a Season Five episode from ”ANGEL”:


”ANGEL” RETROSPECTIVE: (5.02) "Just Rewards"

Co-written by David Fury and Ben Edlund and directed by James A. Contner, the Season Five episode, (5.02) “Just Rewards”, was an immediate follow-up to the conclusion of the season premiere, (5.01) “Conviction”. The latter ended with Angel receiving a mysterious package that contained the amulet he had given to Buffy Summers in the ”BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER” finale, (7.22) “Chosen”. When the amulet activated, it released Spike’s non-corporeal body.

At the beginning of ”Just Rewards”, Spike explains that he was killed in Sunnydale during the final battle featured in ”Chosen”, while wearing the amulet. He also explains that the amulet he wore brought his non-corporeal spirit to Wolfram & Hart. When Angel learns that a necromancer named Hainsley is buying corpses from Wolfram & Hart to reanimate with demonic essences, he decides to pay him a visit to tell him that they will no longer supply him with bodies. Spike decides to tag along and is offered a body by Hainsley.

First of all, I have to say that the interaction between Angel and Spike were dead on. When the episode had first aired, someone stated that Spike's character seemed to have regressed. Of course, you have to understand from his point of view that a) he is dealing with Angel; b) his death did not go off as expected, hence his anger and frustration at The Powers to Be; c) despite his "regression" and dislike of Angel, he helped his grandsire overcome the necromancer anyway. James Marsters' performance was fantastic, although there were moments when he seemed to overdo it a little. However, his last scene with Amy Ackers was superb, as he effectively brought out Spike's pathos and fear of being permanently stuck in a hell dimension. I am not surprised that a Spike/Fred romance never materialized. They never really struck me as a couple with a potential for romance. However, I was not surprised that they became close friends.

David Boreneanz also gave a great performance. It seemed as if working with Marsters has brought out the best in him. I had no idea that Angel had so many issues regarding Spike. I guess it would have been a lot easier for him to believe that the Bleached Wonder had not changed. It is interesting that he had failed to inform the Angel Investigations team about Spike and Buffy's relationship, Spike's soul and the fact that the latter had saved the world. Resentment perhaps? It seemed as if both Angel and Spike had major issues that need to be resolved between them around that time. And the first issue they both had to get over their “rivalry” over Buffy, just as Drusilla had been an issue in the past.

I had also heard people complain that Wesley Wyndham-Pryce, Fred Burkle and Lorne were not seen that much in this episode. I believe they were right. With the exception of the establishment of Spike’s friendship with Fred, she – along with Wes and Lorne – barely made an impact in this episode. However, Charles Gunn did not suffer from a lack of scenes. In fact, I suspect that he was slowly assuming Wes' role as Angel's "Prime Minister" around this time.

As for Harmony, she did not bother me one bit. I have always enjoyed Mercedes McNab’s portrayal of Harmony. Quite frankly, she has always been a lot of fun to watch. And I really enjoyed her jealous reaction to the news about Spike's relationship with Buffy. Poor Harmony. Even after shooting Spike in the back with an arrow and declaring her emotional independence in the ”BUFFY” episode, (5.14) “Crush”, she remained infatuated with him. Victor Raider-Wexler (from AMC-TV’s ”THE LOT”) gave a deliciously creepy performance as the necromancer, Magnus Hainsley. The character seemed to be a powerful magic practioner. I wonder how he would have done against Willow? I also wonder how many of his previous clients continued to walk the streets of Los Angeles.

All in all, ”Just Rewards” was an entertaining episode. It reminded me of how much I had enjoyed that early period of Season Five.

"The Fashion Sense of Good Girls Who Go Bad"

"THE FASHION SENSE OF GOOD GIRLS WHO GO BAD"

Recently, I came across an interesting analysis of the Jossverse character, Cordelia Chase, portrayed by Charisma Carpenter. Written by Jenny Crusie, "The Assassination of Cordelia Chase" gave an in-depth look into the changes endured by and inflicted upon the character from both "BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER" and "ANGEL". One of things I found interesting about Ms. Crusie's essay was a comment she had made about Cordelia's character in Season Four of "ANGEL":

"From there, things only got worse. Cordy came back dressed like Elvira Queen of the Night and slept with Connor, Angel's sulky son. (A good topic for another essay: Why do the Good Girls Gone Bad of the Whedon Universe--the Bad Willow, Buffy from Cleveland, Cordelia the Beastmaster, and Blue Fred--always wear too much eyeliner and dress like dominatrixes? Where's the subtext, the humor, the subtlety?) That Cordy came back with bad fashion sense was a real betrayal; that she came back and cuckolded Angel with a boy she'd considered her son was just gross."

Ms. Crusie pointed out an interesting thing about many of the female characters in the Jossverse. Whenever many of the "good" females turned dark or evil, they seem to adapt a rather bizarre appearance . . . or simply bad fashion taste. And this was not only apparent in two of the Jossverse television series - "BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER" and "ANGEL", but also in another WB series, "CHARMED" and the third Indiana Jones film - "INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE":

"ANGEL"

First, we have Cordelia Chase's metamorphasis from good/snarky leading lady to evil skank possessed by power-hungry deity and Winifred "Fred" Burkle (Amy Acker) inhales the essence of an old demon named Illyria, dies and has her body used by the latter, turning into a blue Seven-of-Nine without tits:

Cordelia, before her fateful decision in "Tomorrow" (3.22)




Cordelia, Queen of Skank in "Players" (4.16)




Fred . . . perky and pretty in "Just Rewards" (5.02)




A blue/leather Fred/Illyria in "Shells" (5.16)




"BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER"

In this series, Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Geller) goes butch in the dark alternate universe, created by Cordelia's wish for Buffy to never live in Sunnydale . . . and Willow Rosenberg (Alyson Hannigan) becomes the ultimate dominatrix when she turns dark and evil, following the death of her lover, Tara:

Buffy .. . before Cordelia's deadly wish in "The Wish" (3.09)




Buffy Goes Butch in "The Wish" (3.09)




Willow . . . Before Tara's Death in "Entropy" (6.18)



Darth Willow in "Two To Go" (6.21)





"CHARMED"

With the exception of Piper and Phoebe (Holly Marie Combs and Alyssa Milano) in the Season Three episode, "Bride and Gloom", whenever the Halliwell sisters become evil, their fashion sense goes out the window. Of course . . . to be honest, they never really had much fashion sense between Seasons Three and Eight:

Prue before marriage to a warlock in "Bride and Gloom" (3.13)




Goth Queen Prue following her marriage to an evil warlock in "Bride and Gloom" (3.13)




Piper and Phoebe before becoming influenced by Prue's marriage to the warlock in "Bride and Gloom" (3.13)




Piper and Phoebe remain tasteful, while evil in "Bride and Gloom" (3.13)




Phoebe and Paige (Rose McGowan) are evil and tacky from mirror universe in "It's a Bad, Bad, Bad, Bad World - Part I" (6.21)





"INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE" (1989)

Some critic once commented that the costumes for the Dr. Elsa Schneider character (Alison Doody) goes tasteful to tacky, following her revelation as a Nazi collaborator:

Elsa Schneider Meets Indiana Jones and Marcus Brody




Elsa Schneider, Nazi Commando




It is easy to see that Ms. Crusie knew exactly what she was talking about.

Top Ten (10) Favorite Episodes of "ANGEL"

Below is a list of my ten favorite episodes of "ANGEL" (1999-2004), which starred David Boreanaz:


TOP TEN (10) FAVORITE EPISODES OF “ANGEL”



1. (1.19) “Sanctuary” - The second of a two-part episode about a burnt out Faith’s appearance in Los Angeles. Following her breakdown, Angel discovers that the Watchers Council and Buffy are after her.






2. (2.07) “Darla” - Angel tries to find a way to save a human Darla from the clutches of Wolfram and Hart, while she remembers her past as a vampire.






3. (5.11) “Damage” - Angel and Spike hunt down a psychotic Slayer who has escaped from an institution and believes that Spike is the man who drove her insane.






4. (2.02) "Are You Now or Have You Ever Been" - In this send-up on the post-World War II Communist witch hunts, Angel recalls a traumatic experience during the 1950s at the Hyperion Hotel.






5. (1.18) “Five by Five” - The first half of Faith’s appearance in Los Angeles has the rogue Slayer being recruited by Wolfram and Hart to assassinate Angel.






6. (3.09) “Lullaby” – Holtz, a demon hunter from the past, hunts down Angel, while Darla endures a difficult labor.






7. (4.10) “Awakening” - In an attempt to bring down The Beast and restore the sun, Wesley brings in a dark mystic to extract Angel's soul.






8. (5.08) “Destiny” - Spike is recorporealized, and the two souled vampires battle it out to drink from the "Cup of Perpetual Torment" to settle the renewed conflict of the Shanshu Prophecy.






9. (4.16) “Players” - Gwen Raiden enlists Gunn's help to steal a device to control her electrical abilities while Lorne attempts a ritual to restore his empathic powers.






10. (4.04) “Slouching Toward Bethlehem” - Cordelia inexplicably returns from her higher dimension, but she has no memory of who she is and who her friends are; and Lilah Morgan develops an interest in her reappearance, as well.

"Charles Gunn and His Role in Angel Investigations"

"CHARLES GUNN AND HIS ROLE IN ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS"

There is something about one of the episodes of ”ANGEL” that has always bothered me. My unease centered around an incident between two of the series’ major characters that occurred in the early Season 3 episode, ”That Old Gang of Mine”. But to understand the nature of my unease, one has to return to two episodes from Season 2 - ”Reunion” and ”Blood Money”.

As many fans of ”ANGEL” are aware, Angel had decided to fire his three companions – Cordelia Chase, Wesley Wyndham-Price and Charles Gunn – as a despondent reaction over his failure to save a human Darla from the manipulations of Wolfram and Hart and the vampire he had sired, Drusilla; in the episode ”Reunion”. Although upset over Angel’s actions, Cordelia, Wesley and Charles had decided to revive Angel Investigations in the following episode, ”Blood Money”:

Gunn takes the card and looks at it.
Gunn: "That's a Angel? Looks like a - a lobster with a - growth or... We'll make our own logo."
Wesley: "Yes. Something sleek, but edgy."
Gunn: "Something that says: you need help, we're there."
Wesley: "Exactly. Danger is our business. (Cordy put a hand to her forehead and begins to stagger) We'll catch you when you fall."

While celebrating the successful conclusion of a case that involved a demon, the trio had a discussion on their agency’s new name:

Gunn: "Our new agency."
Wesley: "Wyndham-Price Agency."
Cordy and Gunn: "The what?"
Wesley: "You don't like it? - It's classy."
Cordy: "It's stuffy. - The Chase Agency! *That* has the right ring."
Wesley: "Why?"
Cordy: "Because it's my name."
Gunn: "Uh, Wes, Ms. Chase, alright, there is only one player here with a name that strikes dread in the demon heart."
Points at himself.
Cordy: "Gunn?"
Gunn: "Uh-huh."

Mind you, the above conversation that took place was nothing more than a spot of fun for the trio. They eventually decided to maintain the agency’s former name – Angel Investigations.

Now, according to many fans of the series, Cordy, Charles and Wesley had all decided that despite being equal partners in the updated version of the firm, Wesley would act as case leader. In other words, due to his past as a Watcher and extensive knowledge of the supernatural world, he would lead the other two when they were actually on a case. This did not make Wesley head of the firm altogether or the official boss of Angel Investigations. He would simply act as leader during a case. But after an early episode in the following season, a good number of people – including Joss Whedon and Tim Minear – had forgotten.

Then came the early Season Three episode, ”That Old Gang of Mine”. In this particular episode, Charles discovers his former comrades are murdering harmless demons for fun. When he tries to convince them to stop, he learns that - due to his association with Angel - he has lost their trust. One of his former associates gives Charles the opportunity to win their trust by killing Angel, who is unable to defend himself due to a spell. Near the end of the episode, Wesley had threatened to fire Charles if the latter ever goes against Angel Investigations again.

Here is the rub. Why in the hell would Wesley threaten to fire Charles? HE HAD NO RIGHT TO DO THIS. Charles was no longer an employee of Angel Investigations. He was one of three partners. I realize that he and Cordelia had voted to allow Wesley act as leader in their cases. But this gave Wesley NO RIGHT to treat Charles as an employee, instead of a partner. He should have told Charles that he and Cordelia would break their partnership with Charles if the latter ever pulled again what he did in "That Gang of Mine". Instead, Wesley treated Charles like a minion. Even worse, no one has protested against Wesley’s behavior this to this day:

Gunn: "Don't guess Rondell and his crew are gonna be crossing Venice boulevard again any time soon."
Wesley: "It's never easy - the pull of divided loyalties. - Whatever choice we do end up making we feel as though we've betrayed someone."
Gunn: "Yeah."
Wesley: "If you ever withhold information or attempt to subvert me again, I will fire you. - I can't have any one member of the team compromising the safety of the group, no matter who it is. If you do it again you will be dismissed, bag and baggage, out of a job onto the streets."

Just reading the above passage pisses me off. Did Wesley actually believe he had a right to treat Charles like an employee? Like some damn minion? Tim Minear – who wrote the transcript – and Joss Whedon obviously allowed Charles to accept the threat as genuine. And I do not understand this. What in the hell were they thinking? Both seemed to have forgotten that Angel Investigation 2.0 had been co-founded by Wesley, Cordelia and Charles. Because of this, Wesley had no right to treat Charles like some employee, instead of a colleague and co-owner of the agency. But since Minear and Whedon seemed to be stuck in some vision of Charles as a muscle-bound employee, they made a major blooper in regard to Charles' character. And worst of all, the majority of the Jossverse fans see nothing wrong in Wesley’s treatment of Charles or the idea that the Englishman was the African-American’s employer and not fellow colleague.

I am sick to my stomach.

Top Ten Favorite Buffyverse Fan Fiction

Below is a list of my favorite fan fiction stories based upon both series, "BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER" and "ANGEL":


TOP TEN FAVORITE BUFFYVERSE FAN FICTION

1. "Things Present – Things Past" by Estepheia and Marcee - Due to a spell, Buffy switches bodies with a Slayer in late 19th century London. Set during early Season 6 "BUFFY".

2. "Another Peaceful War" by Marina Frants - During a summer trip to his family in Iowa, Riley Finn suffers emotional and physical consequences from the events of "BUFFY" Season Four.

3. "Zombies Are a Girl’s Best Friend" by Jennifer-Oskanna - Crossover story featuring Lilah Morgan's dealings with the Bluth family from "ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT".

4. "Mind If I Join You?" by AmatrixClavus - A different version of how Wesley Wyndham-Price and Lilah Morgan first started their affair in the Season Three finale of "ANGEL".

5. "Demons and Dharma" by Sangga55 - Set in early Season 5 of "BUFFY", Spike joins Buffy in her yoga/aerobics class, much to her annoyance.

6. "The Sixth Day" by Jennifer-Oskanna - Another deliciously perverse story about Wesley Wyndham-Price's affair with Lilah Morgan between Seasons 3 and 4 of "ANGEL".

7. "The Quality of Mercy" by Yahtzee - As Angel tries to pull his life together in Season Two of "ANGEL", Riley Finn shows up in L.A. as his life is falling apart.

8. "Queer Eye For the Spike Guy" by Michael Weaver - The Fab 5 from "QUEER EYE FOR THE STRAIGHT GUYS" have a challenge on their hands with a certain bleached blond vampire in Sunnydale. An alternate Season 6 "BUFFY" story.


9. "Who’s Afraid of Red, White, Green" by LadyCat and Estepheia - Angel, Spike and the members of the Fang Gang spend their first Christmas at Wolfram and Hart. With disasterous results.

10. "This Isn't How It's Supposed To Be" by Robyn the Snowshoe Hare - A very funny reunion between Buffy and Angel.