''A world that reflects his humanity will show Angel the truth about what lies within him.''
Through The Looking Glass - 2ADH21
Written by Tim Minear - Directed by Tim Minear - First Aired on May 15th, 2001
Synopsis -
Creature Feature -
Cool Quotes -
References -
Continuity -
Goofs -
Trivia -
The Morgue -
Cast -
Famous Faces -
Points Of View
Synopsis
The Short: Part three of the four part Angel finale leads to danger, as Cordelia learns she is a tool of the Covenant, meant to mate with a warrior named the Groosalugg, Wesley and Gunn are captured by rebels who plan on killing them, Angel learns his demon half is uncontrollable in this world, and the host is beheaded as a lesson to Cordelia.
The Long: After a ''Previously on Angel'' segment (see Continuity #1) the crew are shocked to see Cordelia as the ruler. Although they want Cordelia to let them go, she plays with them a little first, ordering them beheaded then saying ''kidding'' (see Reference #1)!
The crew are shocked to learn that Cordelia has been made a princess by the priests because of a prophecy about a woman with visions restoring the monarchy. Cordelia frees Angel, Gunn, Wesley and the host of Caritas. Angel learns he has a reflection, and is taken aback by his hair (see Goof #1). Wesley and Gunn start to research how to get back home with books possessed by the priests. Angel and the host and look for Landokmar and the host's family hoping to learn about local psychic hot spots. Secretly the priests plan on killing Cordelia after she performs the com-shuk. Although the host is unwelcomed by his family, Landokmar speaks highly of Angel and they celebrate his slaying of the drokken (see Continuity #2). Wesley discovers their may be a connection between the priests and Wolfram & Hart while reading the holy books, and finds that Cordelia is supposed to com-shuk with the Groosalugg (see Reference #2). Angel has a
party thrown in the village in his honor Angel tells stories and is invited to swing the crebbil, whatever that is (see Continuity #3-#4 and Reference #3). As Wesley argues with Cordelia about the intent
of the priests, the priests walk in and they learn that the com-shuk is a mating ritual, and that the Groosalugg is on his way now. Cordelia is nervous about having to mate with some demon, and wants to escape. In the village Angel learns that the crebbil is an axe used to execute a girl, who they plan on eating.
Angel frees the girl and starts fighting with the crowd. The host starts singing and all the demons fall over grabbing their ears in pain. Angel and the girl grab a horse and ride out as one of the guardsmen rides in the knocks the host out. Cordelia, Wesley and Gunn try to escape from the palace through the sewage system, but Cordelia doesn't make it before the guards walk in on her, saying the Groosalugg has arrived (see Continuity #5). Angel and the girl leave the horse and try to lose their followers on foot.
He followers her into a cave where she obviously lives. She's somewhat batty, from the years of torture and pain, and isn't sure if Angel is real. Angel realized she's Winifred Burkle, the girl from Cordelia's vision. Angel tries to calm her. In the castle Cordelia is introduced to the Groosalugg, a rather muscular and dashing man. Fred and Angel make way to the castle when two guardsmen on horseback attack them. Angel vamps out, but the demon is much stronger in this world and he becomes green, horned and mega-violent, ripping into a guardsman like a mad animal.
The Angel-demon turns and sniffs Fred, then runs off. In the castle the Groosalugg tells the tale of how he is considered an animal to his fellow demons because he obviously has human blood in him. Cordelia empathizes with him and it taken by his good looks (see Continuity #6-#7). The Constable barges in with the host, hoping Cordelia will pass swift and cruel punishment on him, but Cordelia pardons him and sends him away. In the woods Wesley and Gunn are lost. Wesley hears something and they are attacked by the Angel-demon (see Reference #4). Wesley sees the tattoo on it's back and realizes it's Angel. Fred shows up with blood on her hand and calms him. He follows her off. When Wesley and Gunn go to follow Angel they are captured by rebels. Angel follows Fred back to the cave where he changes back to human form. She cares for him.
In the castle, Cordelia is taken by the Groosalugg, but doesn't think she is worthy of being a princess. He makes her feel special. The priests get nervous as Cordelia wants parchment to make proclamations, so they decide to send Cordelia a message. In the rebel camp they plan to make a move against the princess. Wesley offers to help them send a message to the princess, showing them a picture of Cordelia, Angel and him. The rebels decided that they will send a message to the princess by shoving it in their severed heads and sending the heads to the princess. In the cave Fred cleans Angel up, who is still freaked about turning into a demon. Angel doesn't want to face his friends now that they know what his demon looks like. Fred says he can stay with her. In the castle Cordelia plans on freeing the slaves and outlawing polyester. Silas the priest walks in and lays down the law, telling Groo to leave. He tells her she will do as he says and shows her the host's head on a silver platter.
Creature Feature
The Covenant of Trombli are a demonic sect who rule over their land and are guided by prophecy about the coming of the Cursed One. They seem to have some connection with Wolfram & Hart, and may be Pylea's branch of it. According to the prophecy the Cursed One is supposed to com-shuk (mate) with the Groosalugg (the brave and undefeated one). They keep their holy books coded in a trionic form, so that you need all three to follow the text, as the passages swap from one book to the next. Based on the depictions on their holy books it is suspected they may be affiliated with the law firm Wolfram & Hart.
One would have to guess that the Groosalugg was a half-demon, like Doyle, but born with some human ancestor's genetics becoming dominant, so even though he was born of two demon parents, he was essentially human. He has unusual blue eyes, is very physically fit for a human, and is the greatest fighter in his land. He was granted his title as Groosalugg, the brave and undefeated, by the Covenant of Trombli. The Groosalugg's valet seems to be the same species of demon as Mordar The Bentback.
Obviously this world causes vampires to manifest very differently. They have reflections, don't burn in sunlight, are more demonic in vamp face and are much more savage in that form. Wesley theorizes that vampires are unable to maintain the balance between human and demon in Pylea, and they are almost totally human or demonic.
Cool Quotes
- Mother: ''You have shamed our clan and betrayed your kind.''
Host demon: ''Thanks, mom.''
Mother: ''Each morning before I feed I go out into the hills where the ground is thorny and parched, beat my breast and curse the loins that gave birth to such a cretinous boy-child!''
Host demon: ''My mother.''
Mother: ''Your father was right. We ate the wrong son.''
Family reunions are so touching.
References
- Cordelia: ''Off with their heads!''
This is a reference to the 1865 Lewis Carroll book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, where the Queen of Hearts used to say this often. This story was also referenced by Spike in Primeval.
- Cordelia: ''It's not a heart, it's a Bambi.''
Bambi is the title of the 1942 animated film made by Disney. Plot: The animated story of Bambi, a young deer hailed as the 'Prince of the Forest' at his birth. As Bambi grows, he makes friends with the other animals of the forest, learns the skills needed to survive, and even finds love. One day, however, the hunters come, and Bambi must learn to be as brave as his father if he is to lead the other deer to safety.
- Host demon: ''Well, you're just a regular Hans Christian Tarantino, aren't you?''
Hans Christian Andersen, 1805-1875, was a Danish writer of fairy tales and moral tales. Although the Disney company has made Andersen's fairy tales light and fun, in fact they are dark and disturbing (the Little Mermaid was in pain while on land; the Girl Who Trod on a Loaf sank into Hell; Kay's heart turned to ice in "The Snow Queen"). Andersen was successful in his own lifetime after a grim beginning.
(Thanks to Melissa Evans for this information.)
Quentin Tarantino is a combination actor/producer/writer/director who has done some particularly violent films. His production company has an official web site at http://www.abandapart.com/.
- Gunn: ''You're having a Blair Witch moment?''
The Blair Witch Project is a 1999 suspense film which includes a great deal of footage of frightened people lost in the woods. Plot: Three film students travel to Maryland to make a student film about a local urban legend... The Blair Witch. The three went into the woods on a two day hike to find the Blair Witch, and never came back. One year later, the students film and video was found in the woods. The footage was compiled and made into a movie.
Continuity
- Cordelia: ''Previously on Angel.''
Belonging - Landokmar arrives on Earth through a portal, we learn he's the cousin of the host of Caritas. The crew look for the missing Winifred, who fell through a portal. They send Landokmar back. Cordelia disappears.
Over The Rainbow - Wesley deduces Cordelia is in the host's dimension. Cordelia is made a slave. The host says it a bad place. Cordelia shovels dung and meets Fred. Fred is captured. The crew and the host drive to Pylea. Angel learns the suns of Pylea don't burn vampires. Cordelia is accused of being cursed. She says she has visions. The Covenant says she is cursed. The crew is arrested for assault. They plan to fight and find themselves before Cordelia.
- Landokmar: ''He's Angel! The brave and noble drokken killer.''
Belonging - Angel killed the Drokken Beast and helped save Landokmar's life when he had been accidentally sent to Earth.
- Angel: ''...and the scroll is just tipping from his fingertips, and his eyes - the fighting was fierce, and then whack! I chopped off the evil lawyer-beast's hand and he screamed and he screamed and then I left.''
To Shanshu In L.A. - Angel is recounting his confrontation with Lindsey McDonald over the scroll of Obearsain.
- Landokmar: ''Angel. You must again tell the tale of the sorcerer who could remove his limbs and reassemble at will!''
I Fall To Pieces - Landokmar refers to Angel's fight with psychic surgeon Ronald Meltzer.
- Cordelia: ''If you ever find a way to get us out of here, I want you to find me a dimension where some demon doesn't want to impregnate me with its spawn! Is that just too much to ask? What is it about me anyway? Do I put out some kind of com-shuk-me vibe? I mean, you'd tell me, right?''
Expecting - Cordelia was impregnated with the spawn of a Haxil Beast.
Epiphany - Cordelia was impregnated with the spawn of a Skilosh demon.
- Cordelia: ''My parents were busted for tax fraud and my trust fund dried up over night.''
The Prom -
Cordelia first revealed to Xander Harris that her parents were broke due
to the I.R.S. taking everything they had.
- Cordelia: ''Last job I had you should have seen the horrible thing they made me wear! It was this tiny, skimpy, exploitative... uh, nothing like this!''
Belonging - Cordelia got a job acting in a sun tan lotion commercial, and had to wear a bikini.
Goofs
- How in the world would Angel not know what his own hair looks like when he not only saw himself back in I Will Remember You, but Wesley has a picture of him in his wallet? In fact their have been a number of pictures of Angel throughout the series.
Trivia
The Morgue
- Anonymous demon guardsman: In the mountains, dismembered by Angel.
Note: Although one would guess that Krevlornswath had been killed off camera, things are not as bad as they appear for him.
Cast
Starring:
David Boreanaz as Angel
Charisma Carpenter as Cordelia Chase
Alexis Denisof as Wesley Wyndham-Pryce
J. August Richards as Charles Gunn
Guest Starring:
Andy Hallett as the Host Demon (Krevlornswath of the Deathwok Clan)
Amy Acker as Winifred "Fred" Burkle
Brody Hutzler as Landokmar of the Deathwok Clan
Tom McCleister as the Deathwok Clan Mother
Mark Lutz as the Groosalugg
Michael Phenicie as Silas.
Co-Starring:
Adoni Maropis as the Rebel Leader
Brian Tahash as Constable Narwek
Andrew Parks as Priest #1 (Barshon)
Dahan Pere as Rebel #1
Joss Whedon as Numfar of the Deathwok Clan
Famous Faces
Tom McCleister, who played the host's mother, also played Kolos in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode Q-Less 1.07. He
also had a part in the Roswell episode Into The Woods 1.12 and played the captain in the Charmed episode A Witch's Tale Part 2 5.02.
Mark Lutz, who played the Groosalugg, played Eric Tanner the Mutant X episode Lit Fuse 1.07. He also has his own web site at http://www.marklutz.com/. There is a good interview with Mark at http://www.cityofangel.com/behindTheScenes/bts/lutz.html.
Joss Whedon, who played Numfar of the Deathwok Clan, is in fact the creator of Buffy The Vampire Slayer. You've most likely heard him giving interviews on the video releases of Buffy The Vampire Slayer. As it was reported in the Buffyguide Newsbytes section: Joss will make an on-screen appearance in episode 2.21 of Angel, Through the Looking Glass, on May 15th. Joss confirmed this himself, saying (at the Bronze), ''Yes. I will make my on-screen debut in Angel 21. No, I will not speak, and no, you will not see my face. But I will make my presence known! Just remember my watchword: Dignity. Always dignity.''
Points Of View
Mathew:
I really didn't like this one at first for some reason. Angel should have needed some blood to drink, and why the heck do they need to find a portal? Isn't there one where they arrived? I admit, Joss was funny as Numfar.
Page by Webmaster Mathew - November, 2002
Special thanks to The Complete Buffy Episode Guide for
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