Airdate: January 29th, 2003
Guest Starring: Vladimir Kulich
Roger Yuan
Written by: David Fury & Steven S. DeKnight
Directed by: James A. Cotner
Teaser
The sun is still blotted out. A news report says basically that they dont know what happened to the sun in L.A. plays on. At A.I. they realize itll mean a significant rise in vampire activity. Fred is doing some research but shes getting nowhere, she needs Wesleys help. But he left without a word after the sun was blotted out, and Gwen skipped town. Connor says theyre wasting time, the answer is among them, and points at Angel whos in his office with Lorne. Connor doesnt believe for a minute that Angel doesnt remember the Beast, Cordy points out that it was Angelus, not Angel, who made the pact. Connor doesnt see the difference. Gunn thinks its time they meet Angelus because they have no other option so its worth a try that get that info out of him. Cordy explains that the gypsy curse that ensouled Angel, filling him with remorse and guilt so that he could suffer, can only be lifted if he experiences a moment of perfect happiness, and thats in short supply. Inside the office, Angels just finished singing, and Lorne as nothing, and it doesnt make sense. Angel remembers everything Angelus did, he did, every detail and yet cant dredge up anything on the Beast. Lorne says if its in there its buried deep inside Angelus. Angel says thats the way it stays, even if he wanted it, theres no way to bring Angelus back.
Inside a shrine, an Asian shaman is in the middle of a prayer, while a battle finishes outside. Wes comes in, a bit beaten, hes heard rumours that the shaman has certain skills he requires. specifically, he needs a soul extracted.
ACT I
The Hyperion: Angel informs his crew that doesnt remember the Beast meeting Angelus, Fred tells him they dont have much to go on and that the device used to blot out the sun is useless without the orb (which got swallowed by the Beast.) Gunn says theyre losing ground, the only victory they can claim is that they arent dead yet. Angel says that theyre down but not out, and now with eternal darkness its the devils playground outside. Connor is pissed, Angel telling them what they already know, and everybody thought it was him working for the Beast, but it was Angel, willing or unwilling, it makes no difference. Connor blames it all on Angel, hes the reason his life sucks. Angel tells him to get over it. Fred would like a plan and Wes walks in with one. the shaman, Wu Pang, can deliver Angelus to them. Angel takes Wes aside, the latter informs Angel that Wu Pang is a shaman, a dark mystic who can remove and restore a soul. Angel is incredulous. Wes tells him theres no choice, no plan b, and theyre running out of time. Angel says that that releasing Angelus is the last thing they should do, Angel wont be able to protect anyone. Wes assures him its only temporary and theyll take all the necessary precautions and contain him. Angel tells him all he knows of Angelus is in books, hes never had the pleasure of his company. He tells Wes to get rid of the shaman. Angel storms outside and Cordelia follows him to the garden. She notes that all the flowers, trees and plants will all die without the sun. she came to support him, Angelus cant be released, hed be a danger to all. Given that she was present in Sunnydale during his reign of terror and relived all of his experiences as Angelus as a higher being, it makes her much more understanding to the dangers of Angelus than anyone else. He asks if she thinks hes under the Beasts control and after a bit of hesitation she admits she doesnt know. If he is, he notes that hes already a danger to them. Cordy says that Angelus would be more so: hes ingenious, ruthless and sadistic. Like the Beast, Angel sees that theyre one of a kind and bolts up goes to his crew and tells them hell need a cage and list odd the specs. Its to hold Angelus.
Angel inspects the work in the basement on the cage, does some tweaking and has the shaman brought in. Angel tells Connor that while he may have thought he was the enemy before, after the ritual he will be the thing Connor was raised to believe about him. Its what Angel never wanted Connor to see and that whatever Angelus says or does, hes not his father, Angel is. Connor leaves, and adds that he wants Connor to kill him if anything goes wrong. Connor agrees a little too quickly for his taste.
Angel is strapped securely to a table while the shaman sets up the Mo Ping, the receptacle that will house Angels soul. Angel doesnt want Cordy there, but shes not leaving. The shaman enters the cage and Gunn double locks it. Cordy tells Angel he doesnt have to do this, but its a little late for that. The shaman recites an incantation, his voice doubling and his eyes turning red. He whispers to Angel time to say goodbye and grabs a knife from his robes.
ACT II
Angel breaks his restraints and grabs the shamans arm, the latter telling him he serves the awakened one. Gunn unlocks the cage and rushes the shaman. The shaman is too fast with his blade for any of them but Connor strikes a blow, disarming him. Angel wants to know why the Beast suddenly wants him dead. When no answer is forthcoming he wants to know what the Beasts plan is. The shaman takes out a dagger and stabs himself. They remove the shroud, the shaman has writing all over his body. A bit later Wes is able to translate it: the shamans order are acolytes of the Beast. Wes reads on about a weapon that can destroy it: the tooth of light. But all the opposers of the awakening of the Beast were wiped out centuries ago, and the tooth was hidden. Cordy gets a vision that the tooth is a sword, and its hidden underneath the city. Angel is a bit snippy for Wes wanting him to turn into Angelus when theres a sword to kill the Beast. Wes is sorry and begins to leave when Angel asks him if it was an apology. Wes says he was careless, it could have gotten Angel killed. Its the first time hes heard Wes apologize about anything. Connor breaks the moment and asks if theyre going to get the sword.
In the sewers, Angel is understandably baffled on how a sword from the 3rd Century A.D. is conveniently located under Los Angeles. Cordy vaguely explains that its a cesspool from a hundred points all over the world. They find a tunnel down and Connor rushes first and comes back having found ropes with bells dropping from the ceiling. Angel brushes one and wooden pikes burst out from a wall and retract. They walk through the passageway carefully, Cordy almost triggering the system when a bell is caught on her shirt. Wes removes it but then accidentally triggers the system himself. Angel and Wes rush to safety, the others already out of harms way. But its a dead end. Theres Hebrew letters on the wall, Wes pushes one, the wall lifts a bit then comes down. Wes explains that Hebrew letters have a numerical value and pushes the next one in sequence, a stake stabs his hand. He realises that the letters represent the first letter of the nine anti-diluvian patriarchs in Genesis in ascending order. After two more are pressed, the wall lifts high enough for Angel and Connor to hold it up while the others pass under it. They separate, Connor objecting not going with Cordy, but goes with Wes anyway. When Angel and Cordy are alone, she apologises for his behaviour, Connors confused and shes made more of a mess of things. Some decisions shed like to take back, she starts to say something and spots a lit chamber with a central stone, but no sword. Angel thinks its there and since theres no light source, it has to be coming from somewhere. He places his arm over the stone it goes through a portal, a white shining ball. He explains that its some sort of dimensional hub and thats how the sword could be a hundred places at once. Hr pulls out the sword and the while orb turns angry red and drops, triggering an earthquake. Fire erupts separating them, Cordy screams.
ACT III
Angel jumps over her fire and rescues Cordy. They run, barely escaping as the chamber collapses and are thrown one atop another. They move off and hug, she cries a bit that they could have died. She couldnt have had the chance to tell him shes sorry for what happened, what she let happen with Connor. She wanted to be with Angel but she couldnt. Angel says its going to be okay. She tells him she can look back at all the things hes done as Angelus, but when she looks at him, she sees all the good hes done as Angel. She says she doesnt deserve forgiveness but he doesnt care what shes done in the past either. They kiss but break when Connor and Wes are standing over them. Connor runs, Angel runs after him.
Connor, still walking away, wants to be alone, but Angel wont leave him. He enters another chamber and all the torches light up. Angel tells him not to move, Connor doesnt want to be told what to do and walks on a trigger and an arrow whizzes by him, hitting Angels shoulder. Connor smiles, he can see why she wants him. As Connor walks around, Angel tells him to be careful. He asks why and throws back Angels bit on how nothing in this world is as it ought to be. Its harsh and cruel. Connor steps on another trigger, and Angel grabs him out of the way before the projectile hits him. But Connor doesnt want to be saved and throws Angel to a wall and the latter is nearly impaled when his hand brings out a stake. They fight, Angel triggering and ducking arrows. Connor tells him its all his fault, Angel tells him hes not the only person whos ever wanted his father dead and what he wants isnt necessarily what people need. He screams that shes his and strikes Angel hard enough to throw him at the other end of the chamber. Connor tells him she was his, but Cordelia, now behind them, says she wasnt, shes sorry but he needs to understand that. Connor storms out.
Angel, Cordy and Wes return with the sword and Angel gives the sword to Gunn so he can play with it. Wes lies to the others that Connor is out patrolling. Gunn breaks a table in half with the powerful sword. Most of Lornes connections have left for more hospitable dimensions but rumours have the Beast sighted in the warehouse district. Fred has uncovered that the only way to kill the Beast with that sword is to pierce its brain. When its dead, the energy used to block the sun will be released. Bit the catch is all that power released will kill anything human within close proximity to the beat, shes not even sure that Angel can survive, he says hell let her know. Cordy tells him that hes not going to fight it alone, but he doesnt have a choice. He tells them theyve all made a difference in the world, theyve been pushed to the edge so many times, done things theyve shouldnt have. Theyve always been there for each other and its not because of the Powers That Be, or the super strength, or the magic weapons; its because they believe in each other as champions, together. He leaves but Cordy tells him he just said theyre stronger together. She cant lose him now that theyve just started what could be something meaningful. He promises hell come back, hes sure hell come back but first he has to find the Beast. The Beast suddenly breaks down the back doors. Angel doesnt have to far after all.
ACT IV
The Beast has grown weary of Angel, Angelus cowardice, if hes not with him, hes against him. Angel tells the others to go and fights the Beast using the sword, the Beast deflects it with its rocky arms.. Cordy wont leave but Angel cant defeat it if she stays, Wes gets her out as Angel is thrown aside, the Beast a bit stung by the blows. He ask Angel why he opposes him, they could rule the world. Angel brings up the rain of fire, blotting out the sun and generally hes just pissing him off. They fight more, the Beast Grabbing the sword and breaking the blade at several points. He grabs Angel by the throat and asks if he really thought he could defeat him. Connor hits the Beast with a double sided axe, the Beast drops Angel. Connor and the Beast briefly fight but is quickly tossed aside. Connors arrogance reminds him of Angelus, Connor tells him his name is Angel. Angel stabs the beast at the base of the throat with a piece of the sword and rams it up to its brain. The beast lights up and vanishes, the sun reappears outside. Connor helps Angel up, telling him hed never let him take sole credit for defeating the Beast. And where it stood, only a smoldering pile of ash remains. Connor tells Angel that it is harsh and cruel but Cordy was the only thing that made it hurt less and could tell that she didnt love him, she loves Angel, always him. Angels sorry, Connor jokes that she was too old for him anyway and asks if thats what it feels like to be a champion. Angel says pretty much and the gangs comes in. Angel tells them they did it, all of them. There are smiles all around, Wes and Gunn seeming to forget their differences and asks one of them to sweep up the Beasts remains. Outside people are enjoying the suns return, Angel watches it from inside. Cordelias with him, understanding that its hard for him: everybodys happy because of what he did, bringing the light back, but not being able to go into it. He says theres no place hed rather be than here with her. they kiss and break off, she tells him everything is as its supposed to be. They continue and make love and right after it hits him, he whispers Buffys name and is in pain
and were back with Angel strapped to the table in the cell. The shaman tells them its done. None of it ever happened. Angel turns to Cordy, she can tell its Angelus. He laughs maniacally, free of his soul.
Summary By Dannyboy
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