Airdate: April 16th, 2003.
Guest Starring:
Gina Torres
Danny Woodburn
Patrick Fishler
Written and Directed by: Jeffrey Bell
Teaser
Its the idyllic view of Los Angeles: beautiful sunshine and palm trees, beach tunes, civility, kids getting ice cream, And Fred running from Gunn and Wes near downtown. They lose her for a second and spot her walking away. They catch up except it isnt her; its someone she gave her cardigan to. They split up, we see Fred hiding in the sewers then running away.
ACT I
The Hyperion is filled with people waiting to see Jasmine. Every room and space has been rented out. Lorne is sorting through people waiting for rooms in the lobby. One man is so desperate he wants to give his house to Lorne. But neither Lorne nor Jasmine wants possessions. The man just wants to be close to her, to thank her for making him feel good when she showed up on TV. Jasmine arrives and Lorne encourages him to go see her. She steps down from the balcony with Angel and Connor flanking her. She goes to a pregnant Chinese woman, and in Mandarin, tells her that her child will lead a healthy and loving life. Angel asks Jasmine how she always knows what to say. She simply looks in their hearts. Wes and Gunn return without Fred, and Angel and Connor excuse themselves.
In the office, Gunn tells them she escaped, but theyll catch Fred. Connor just wants to bring back her scalp, but Angel reminds him that Jasmine wants her alive, to find out why she rejected her love and straighten her out. Angel and Connor walk back out to the lobby as Jasmine selects people, including the desperate man from earlier to come with her. She blesses them all and goes to her suite. Gunn wonders if shell ever pick them.
Fred enters the Magic Bullet Bookshop, the owner remembers her from three days ago, on the possibility of Mass Hypnosis. The books she bought all have flawed theories and shes looking for one that could affect everyone across the board. Shes been his only customer since the last time, his type of literature (Satans Dictionary for example) isnt in huge demand in this utopian society, and hes never been happier. Not that it shows, but Fred goes with it. Hes a new man since hearing Jasmines broadcast. He used to be obsessed with mind control, and still believes in it, but now he doesnt worry about it with Jasmine around. Then he guesses what shes up to, opens a drawer, digs out a revolver and several other items before pulling out a book: Making mind control work for you. He tells her she doesnt need that book to fight The Man but to trust that Jasmines love will reach the rest of the world. Oh happy day she moans
Angel and Connor are tracking Freds scent down the sewers, Connor telling his father that Holtz thought him to use his tracking skills, tying him to a tree and escaping, then locating Holtz, which is how he became a good tracker. Angel is horrified and both receive Jasmines summons in their minds and return to the hotel.
The A.I. team and Jasmine are watching a web broadcast of Jasmines love. Wesley will have the site up and running in a few days. Angel and Connor enter her suite, she explains that they are all becoming connected, thats how she was able to summon Angel and Connor back. She has them all joins hands, herself included, in this circle, so that they can find Fred. She cant do it alone yet. They close their eyes and picture her. Fred meanwhile is checking in at a motel and is spotted by several people and knows it. She walks away then runs, pursued by a driver. In the circle we hear Jasmine: Theres nowhere to run my dear. My love is all around you. Fred is nearly hit by another car; she keeps running, dodges behind a broken down Camaro and the driver crashes in it. The gasoline from the parked car ignites and reaches the other car. The driver steps out, on fire, walking towards Fred telling her not to be afraid.
ACT II
In the circle, Jasmines hand begins to crisp in Connors hand. They quickly sit her down. Shes been badly burned; but refuses to see a doctor, insisting she just needs rest. She saw Fred, but she managed to get away. But everyone within Jasmines love knows now what Fred looks like and knows to catch her or call them. She wants them for now to manage the hotel and they already know this as theyre becoming more connected. She mentions a pair of twins in the lobby, they already know whom and that she wants to see them. This is only the beginning of Jasmines plan; no one will ever feel lonely again.
Fred is walking on a deserted hill road; a SUV passes her by, stops and reverses. She goes off the road and trips, falling down the hill and going through the ground landing on a small demon. They struggle, until Fred grabs hold of an axe and he screams he s a vegetarian. She looks dubiously at his teeth, he also eats fish and some vermin he admits. She lets him up but not out of her site.
At the hotel lobby, Wesley is giving a conference to attendees on Winifred Burkle: shes insane, a siren trying to lure them away from Jasmine. Lorne then has the floor, going through the hotel announcements and then the surprise: open mike night for those who want to share their love of Jasmine. We see a diverse group with different stories or just emotions, including Angel and Connor singing a song to Jasmine to the tune of Mandy.
In the hole, the diminutive demon is getting cold, but Fred still wont let him out of her sight. He used to be an executive but, thanks to Jasmine and her demon Jihad, hes in this hole with Fred. Even if shes a Jasmine fugitive hes still angry with her because she hasnt let him go to the bathroom and now hes wet himself. They have to stop Jasmine but not tonight, and as he lifts his blankets to go to sleep Fred sees several severed hands. He tries to bluff his way out but quickly abandons that and jumps on her, knocking her to the ground. She struggles, he bites her several time, she lays a hand on the axe and brings it on the demons head, killing him. Looking at the wound, she has a revelation.
Freds now in front of the Magic Bullet, facing many Jasmine believers. At the hotel, Jasmine is aware of her. Fred enters the bookstore, axe in hand, the shopkeeper assures her theyre under strict orders not to harm her and confirms that Jasmines on her way. She moves behind his desk as Jasmine comes in, flanked again by Angel and Connor. She rewards the shopkeepers faith by telling him there that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in Kennedys assassination. Jasmine moves closer to Fred and tells her she still loves her, and that nothing will stop that. Freds so sorry, Jasmine forgives her, but she was talking to Angel. Fred pulls out the revolver and fires, the bullet hits Jasmines shoulder, comes out and hits Angels shoulder. He vamps out, grabs Fred and pushes her against the desk and presses the revolver on her neck.
ACT III
Angel, still holding the gun ready to shoot Fred when she tells him to look at Jasmine. He does and once again its maggot face. He stumbles away, human guise again. Freds sorry, but she had to show him. Connor is at a loss on this one but Jasmine understands: its the blood. She tells Connor that Angels been infected; hes as dead to them as Fred. Fred picks up the gun, she loved her, and empties it out on Jasmine. Connor takes the gun from Fred and throws her aside, knocking her out. Angel is still in shock. Connor has to get Jasmine out of here and throws Angel aside Youve ruined everything he screams. Angel picks up Fred and runs away, Jasmines needs Connors help right now. She tells Connor and the shopkeeper to stay away from the blood, and asks the latter to burn the shop down to the ground. The shopkeeper lights up a book as the other two walk out.
A Banquet is being held in the hotel, the remaining A.I. boys feeling empty with Jasmine away, and when she returns huddled in a blanket with only Connor at her side, something is definitely wrong. When they see her alone she tells them bluntly that Angels been infected, and that they must eradicate their hate. She comes back out and takes three people from the banquet and Connor. Gunn just wishes Angel would make up his mind, evil, not evil, Wesley tells him it doesnt matter, he gets to die.
Fred wakes up in an alley next to Angel, whos brooding for lost time. He misses her so much, its been a week for her and she still cries, sometimes wanting to believe the lie. Jasmines blood, mixed with theirs, broke the hold she had on them. He tells her she did the right thing, but she cries that shes been so alone and scared; shes not a champion like him. Everything he sees tells him otherwise. They need more of Jasmines blood to help the others; Angel has an idea, but a horrible one. Hearing people pass by, they kiss. The passers by didnt buy it and attack.
Jasmine brings the strangers in her suite, and has Connor stand guard in the hallway. She has the others disrobe as she concentrates and a wound of hers heals.
In Cordys room, shes still lying there comatose, Angel and Fred sneak in. He pulls out a knife, its of small comfort that she wont feel it. He kisses Cordelias forehead and her arm extends and grabs his.
ACT IV
He grabs her, hoping shes awake, but Fred says its probably a reflex. Even though stranger things have happened, he shouldnt get his hopes up. Connor stands guard dreamily as a green light emanates from Jasmines room. Angel has drained some blood from Cordy as Lorne comes in to pay his respects. They grab him, muzzle him, and Fred brings up the knife. Jasmine comes out of her room, the green glow quickly diminishing in front of her. Connor tells her shes the most beautiful thing hes ever seen and asks her where the others are. She ate them, it doesnt bother him. Lorne is now recruited into the anti-Jasmine camp and goes into the lobby, to find Wes and Gunn. He tells them Jasmine wants to see them, even if they havent felt it, he dodges the question of his bandaged wrist and brings them to an empty room and beats them with a bat
Now Wes and Gunn are Jasmine-free and depressed beyond belief. Its Angel who figured out that Cordy and Jasmine share a blood bond, as well as a mystical one, but theres no way to reverse this on several million people. Angel doesnt know what to do yet, but hes not leaving without his son. Wes volunteers and brings back Connor to the room. Too late he realizes that Angel is there, he holds him back while Wes cuts him dabs some of Cordys blood on him. He stops struggling, Angel lets him go. They all feel the sadness and Fred tells him it gets better after a while. He understands why theyre here and why they did what they did. He stumbles backward nearer to the hallway and shouts theyre here!
Summary by Dannyboy
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