Angel S01 E08 – Significant others and sewers

Previously: Doyle’s wife came into town and it almost resulted in him getting his brains eaten.
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I Will Remember You

Lorraine: The moody music starts right away as Angel winds a clock and tests the levelness of his desk. Cordelia and Doyle enter. She gives us the exposition: Angel was in Sunnydale for three days and saw Buffy! Why isn’t he brooding more? Cordy’s guess is that his lack of brooding actually means that he’s brooding more than usual. Cordy sees him take out a stake from his desk, assumes the worst, and rushes into the office telling him it’s not worth it! He will meet someone else! Angel explains he just needs the stake to level his desk, which just seems like the most inefficient way to level anything. He is going to trip over that stake. For sure.

Sweeney: It’s round! That doesn’t even make sense! Also: dangerous. Not your best move, Angel.

K: Also, homeboy has one HELL of a clean desk policy. I find his insanely clean desk kind of terrifying. But yeah, stake = hella trip hazard.

Lor: Angel explains that he went to Sunnydale strictly to protect Buffy and he didn’t even speak to her. Cordy translates: you avoided her. Angel recaps that she’s human and he isn’t and that is never going to change. Still, says Cordy, she can imagine that if her ex came to town and stalked her and didn’t even say anything she’d be…

“A little upset,” we hear as the music swells. It’s Buffy! Aw, I love her. OMG, we’re only two minutes into the episode and I’m already sappy. Cut to black and cue the cellos.

Sweeney: I knew it was coming and still I lost my shit a little over Buffy’s initial appearance.

K: I was less with the losing of shit and more with the sniggering over Angel standing there gawping like a goldfish. 

Lor: Cordy asks what brings Buffy to town. She’s there to visit her father and decided to pay a visit. Angel looks like someone kicked his puppy. Not really. He looks like he’s daydreaming about someone kicking his puppy, so like blank with a hint of underlying emotion. After Buffy pointedly answers the question of how she’s been with “I’ve been better,” Cordy and Doyle exit quickly.

B demands an explanation and wonders what game Angel is playing if he can see her but she can’t see him. Angel swears it isn’t a game and that he thought he was making the right decision. She tells him it was a decision he made without her. She isn’t in high school anymore and he can’t stalk her around town whenever she’s in mortal danger. But also, you know, thanks for helping her not get killed.

K: I love that every single person he ran into in Sunnydale was like “DUDE. WORST PLAN EVER.”, and Angel was all “Don’t be ridiculous!”, and now SEE?? Buffy’s pissed. They told you so. 

Lor: Outside, Cordy invites Doyle for a coffee as they have time for it and “probably the director’s cut of the Titanic,” while Angel and Buffy work out their issues.

Back in the office, Angel apologizes for all his bush-lurking and asks Buffy what he should’ve done. B admits she doesn’t know and says that whenever he’s around, even if she doesn’t see him, she feels him. Inside.

K: Well, that certainly explains her weird staring vaguely off into the distance-ing in today’s episode of BtVS! 

Lor: And so, they should just stick to the plan and keep their distance until enough time passes that they should be able to… “Forget,” Angel finishes and Buffy gives him a look that says, “I WAS ONLY GOING TO SAY BE ABLE TO NOT FEEL EACH OTHER ON THE INSIDE, BUT WHATEVS ASSHOLE. I’LL FORGET YOU.” Something like that.

Buffy’s about to leave but a Ninja Demon comes barreling in through the window. They both fight it, and B manages to disarm him.

K: Also, at the risk of pissing Sweeney of by mentioning it, Angel ends up standing at the now-smashed-open window in broad daylight and doesn’t turn to dust. That LA smog really DOES have magic powers! 

Lor: I don’t think pointing out the sunlight thing pisses her (or me) off. It’s the discussing the technicalities of sunlight at great lengths thing. No one walks away from that conversation happy.

Angel slides over, picks up the discarded sword and sticks the demon with the pointy end. There is neon green blood that the Zoomy Camera tells us to pay attention to. The Ninja Demon removes the sword and jumps back out the window. Buffy asks if that was a friend of Angel’s, but he’s never seen it before. They agree to go kill it. That’s one way to flirt.

Sweeney: They are at their best when they’re killing and/or hunting things together. Whatever that says about this relationship.

Lor: Seizure cut to the sewers, where Angel and Buffy are tracking the wounded Ninja. Angel comments that he can smell the blood trail and Buffy sarcastically notes that that’s a handy skill. We’ve all been there too, where we suddenly like to pretend like things our exes do are totally gross/annoying/weird. But we fell for it, didn’t we? You once thought his vampy-prowess was hot, Buffy, and don’t you forget it.

K: So I have a bone to pick with the Buffster right now. She was wearing black earlier. And when they decided to go kill the demon, she asked Angel if there was somewhere she could change into something more appropriate for demon killing. SHE’S NOW WEARING A WHITE FLUFFY SWEATER. To hunt demons. In the sewers. I can’t even.

Lor: She got a little sweaty during the fight? Yeah, that’s all I got.

Anyhow, they keep bickering, and Angel says he can do this alone. Buffy insists on helping since he helped her and she’d like to even the score. “We’re keeping score now?” Hmm, who’s winning the break-up? Since Buffy got crushed by Parker and Angel spends his nights alone and in the dark, I’d say they were even already.

Angel looks like he’s daydreaming about a stomach ache and Buffy asks if he’s alright. He feels weird and Buffy word-vomits that OMG she does too, on account of being around him makes her feel all confused. Angel’s all, “cool story, bro” but he meant he felt weird thanks to the Neon Ninja Blood. (K: LOL. Awkward turtle for Buffy.) He admits, though, that being with her is confusing. When they are apart, it hurts everyday, but when they are together, it’s unbearable. I’m already imagining Kirsti’s response in my head.

K: Did I meet your expectations, Lor?

Lor: Pretty much!

Buffy says they have to bear it though, and Angel gets closer and closer to her, but is stopped when she says that if something happens here, they will want more, but that can’t happen because her vagina is still magic. Buffy snarks that she was jonesing for another heartbreaking sewer talk, and I am reminded that Angel once broke up with her in a sewer. I’m not entirely sure why we’re doing this again.

Sweeney: Joss Whedon also has a PSA side-project, discouraging young people from going into sewers with their significant others.

Lor: I know you are thinking that SO’s in Sewers isn’t a big issue, but perhaps that’s all thanks to Joss Whedon’s PSAs. Thanks Joss!

Back to business, Buffy thinks maybe the demon went up into the daylight where Angel can’t follow (K: Except when he has to go to Cordy’s. Or to Wolfram & Hart. Or pretty much anywhere in LA ever…). They agree to split up and he sends her to a demon bar nearby to look. Alone in the sewers, Angel comes across the Ninja Demon. It uses a sword to cut Angel’s hand before they fight and I notice that Ninja Demon also has a giant jewel in the middle of his forehead. FANCY.

Sweeney: Major style points! If you’re going to be a demon, why not be a demon with a little built-in bling?

Lor: Angel stabs the demon and we see the Neon Ninja blood has gotten all over his open wound. Open wounds are no one’s friends, supernatural or no. Angel’s wound heals and then a white, glowy light comes out of him. He starts taking big, heaving breaths and realizes he’s alive!

K: It’s kind of unfortunate that when the white, glowy light is going through him, he has a serious case of “Moment of true happiness” face. Awkward…

Lor: Back at Angel Investigations, Doyle and Cordy check out the damage in the office. Cordy thinks Buffy killed Angel, but it’s actually a disgustingly big pile of we-never-clean-here dust. Angel walks in the front door. Cordy thinks this means he’s invested in an umbrella, though Doyle correctly guesses that he’s alive. (S: Related to his creepy bro-sniffing skillz?) Angel complains about a back ache and then suddenly realizes that he’s starving. He raids the mini-fridge in that way you only see in TV and movies. He likes chocolate but not yogurt. It reminds me a little of fishfingers and custard.

K: I’m going to stop and laugh for a minute, because he drinks the yoghurt that he doesn’t like out of the tub, and so spends about half of this scene with a little line of yoghurt across his nose.

Lor: You spell yogurt funny.

Angel sends Cordelia to find Buffy and tell her that he’s killed the demon, but not tell her that he’s human now. Doyle finds the Ninja Demon in a book and says that they are assassins that take out warriors like Angel and Buffy. But when Doyle says Buffy it sounds like “bouffy.” It’s adorable. The Ninja Demon also has super healing blood, which explains what happened to Angel, but not why.

During this exchange Angel catches his reflection in some glass. He’s probably thinking, “wow! I am hot!” Theoretical and implied shots for one and all!

Sweeney: Commenters tell us this game is going to end soon, which is a bummer, but let’s take them while we can! LOLJK, I’m sure we’ll invent a new drinking game soon enough.

K: The Snark Squad: inventing new drinking games since 2011.

Lor: Doyle says he thought the only way to be made mortal was if The Powers That Be Contriving stepped in. Angel gets the feeling Doyle isn’t telling the whole story, and he isn’t. It’s on a need-to-know basis and the TV viewing public doesn’t need to know. Angel was to talk to TPTB(C).

We seizure cut to Angel visiting some so-called Oracles. He asks what’s happened to him, and they say he’s just gone human! He’s no longer a vampire and he’s free from his service. It’s real and he’s free. So what does Angel want to do with his freedom?

Buffy walks alone in the day time and Angel approaches her and they kiss.

Sweeney: I mean, you know, obviously. Since that was just about the only thing he wasn’t “free” to do. That and hanging out in the sun, although he could have already had that too.

K: Angel’s wardrobe is NOT made for daylight. He’s wearing three different shades of black and it’s upsetting me. I’m also slightly concerned how many times I comment on the costumes in these posts, considering I spent about half my life in holey yoga pants and hoodies from universities I haven’t attended (what up, Harvard?).

Lor: At least you are self aware. But seriously the three different shades of black thing is funny.

At Angel Investigations, Cordy blames a dead plant on Buffy. Doyle thinks Cordy is just jealous but she insists she just knows things won’t end well. Angel and Buffy have been downstairs in the Brooding Basement for hours, and when they get “groiny” bad things happen. Doyle says they don’t even know if they are getting groiny, but Cordy is sure, on account of forbidden love suddenly being less forbidden after months apart. She sarcastically says she’s sure they are downstairs having tea and crackers.

Cut to Angel and Buffy at his table having tea. I don’t see any crackers, but I’m sure the SEGUE MAGIC Fairy made sure they were there. Angel babbles about not rushing into things to make sure he’s actually mortal so that nothing funny happens with the sex. He goes on to enumerate a number of possible problems, like Buffy still being the slayer and being distracted by all his hot man loving. Something like that. B’s a little annoyed, and after they promise to take it slow and keep in touch, she says goodbye and touches his hand. That escalates to full on making out as we watch the sun go down.

That night naked Angel is bringing snacks back to bed and they are snacking and kissing and aw, man. I can’t believe they gave them a night of normal sex. I CAN’T BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE BEING ADORABLE IN BED RIGHT NOW. I don’t want to feel anything else for Bangel, BUT THEY ARE MAKING ME.

Sweeney: Confession: I’m oddly spoiled for lots of random bits of this show for assorted reasons. I found out about this episode shortly before Lor suggested that we recap and it was a huge factor in why I was all, “YEAH, ALL RIGHT. LET’S DO THIS.”

Before Whedon inevitably does his heart-crushing thing, I’m going to flail for a moment.

Lor: Appropriate gif, considering those two were a doomed couple too…

K: Meanwhile, I’m over on the Team Heartless Cow ottoman:

Lor: We cut to Cordelia grousing at a bar. Doyle is being too enthusiastic about not answering to TPTB(c) anymore and not having anymore migraine visions, so of course, he gets one. It’s the Ninja Demon.

In bed, Buffy listens to Angel’s heartbeat. She says she’s tired, spent, but that she doesn’t want to fall asleep so the day won’t end. Angel tells her to sleep, as they will make another great day tomorrow. Buffy gushes about feeling like a normal girl for the first time ever, falling asleep in the arms of her normal boyfriend. Her face is lit all angelically in this scene too, just so that we’re extra sure shit’s gonna go to hell soon.

K: Because that’s what Whedon does best! 

Lor: Buffy sleeps and Angel hears Doyle enter the Brooding Basement. He tells Angel about the Ninja Demon being alive and in a factory. Angel says he has to go after it and kill it. Doyle suggests waking the supernatural warrior girl, but Angel rarely makes the right decision when it comes to B and decides to leave her sleeping.

Sweeney: Word. I don’t think that point gets stressed enough, but Angel’s inability to make good decisions when she’s involved is a far greater hazard than her ability to make good decisions when he’s in the mix.

Lor: Agreed and it’s funny because he’s always worried about what she will do if he’s in the picture.

At the factory where the Ninja Demon is hiding out, Doyle tells us that to slay it “one must bring darkness to 1000 eyes.” The Ninja Demon jumps down and start beating both Angel and Doyle.

At the office, Buffy is looking for Angel but comes across Cordelia who is organizing a little going out of business sale. B asks her where Angel is, but she’s been instructed not to say. When Buffy asks if they are in the second grade, Cordelia says that Buffy is the immature one. “Maybe it’s time you grew up and realized that you can’t have everything. You can’t have Angel and save the world.”

STFU, Cordelia. Maybe this is the moment that I realize I don’t like Cordy when she’s near or around Buffy. Anyways, she let’s spill where Angel is.

Back over at the factory, the Ninja is giving Angel a world of pain. Buffy arrives just in time to BAMF-about the Ninja hurting her boyfriend. It’s kind of like BAMF-lite though, because again, we’ve seen this. They fight a little and Angel realizes that the thousand eyes refers to his forehead being Bedazzled and that Buffy has to destroy the jewel. Buffy does and poof goes the Ninja. Buffy runs over to comfort Angel.

K: I’m kind of impressed that Buffy has sufficient skills with a mace that she can hit the jewel precisely without also smashing a giant chunk of the demon’s head.

Lor: Skillz.

We seizure-cut back to the office of the Oracles. See, the Ninja Demon mentioned that many more soldiers of darkness were going to rise up and he wants to know if that’s true. It is. Angel asks what will happen to the Slayer when the soldiers rise up, and they say she will die. Then, Angel offers to exchange his life for hers. But really, he’s feeling impotent, I think. Oh sure, he feels he cannot protect Buffy in this state, but he also knows he cannot protect anyone. He can’t be useful. He wants to be a demon with a soul.

Sweeney: Yes, but also this exchange was basically, “Her life is shorter with you mortal.” I’m not saying that being useless isn’t a major problem for him, but this is a huge factor too.

Lor: Fair.

The girl Oracle says she can hook Angel up, since he’s willing to sacrifice love and human happiness. They can Timey Wimey the day away, as if it never happened. Except, Angel will remember that it did happen and can stop almost-history from repeating. The Oracle asks if Angel can carry the burden and we all LOL, because his boots were made for burdens.

K: True dat.

Lor: Buffy is pacing in the Brooding Basement and Angel explains that he asked the Oracles to turn him back. If they are both mortal, they will die, which, yeah, is kind of the point of being a mortal. Angel can’t stand by and watch her take chances to protect him, because it isn’t fair to the people they are supposed to be protecting. Buffy says Angel tried being regular Joe for 24 hours and then decided it was more fun to be a superhero. She’s crying her big tears. Must. Look. Away. Angel asks how they can be together at the cost of her life or the lives of others.

Angel explains that the day will be erased and Buffy cries that it isn’t enough time and cries and Jesus I’m such a pansy.

Sweeney: ALL OF THE FEELS. I HAVE ALL OF THEM.

K: Meanwhile, Team Heartless Cow is all “UGH. ANOTHER reason for Angel to spend all his time brooding? That’s just what this show needed…” 

Lor: It’s not really ANOTHER reason. It’s the Buffy reason, so your thought is rejected by Team Feels.

She spends the last few seconds repeating to Angel that she’ll never forget. A white flash of light and we’re back in Angel’s office just as he tells her that with enough time, they will be able to forget. The Ninja Demon comes crashing in, except this time, Angel immediately smashes his jewel. Buffy is impressed and then says that there really is nothing else to say.

She leaves.

Welp. I guess I have nothing else to say either.

 

Next time on Angel: Doyle gets the change to help out some bi-racial demons in S01 E09 – Hero.