"Ground State"
Written by: Mere Smith
Directed by: Michael Grossman
In Wisconsin, 1985, a young girl named Gwen is dropped off at Thorpe Academy by her parents. Tightly wrapped up in thick clothes Gwen is discouraged from touching and finds it difficult to fit in with the other children. When a young boy approaches her at recess and offers her a toy car to have, she makes the mistake of touching him and shocking the boy with a fatal bolt of electricity. At Cordelia's apartment, Fred cleans up Cordy's things because they can't afford to keep paying the rent. Angel thinks back about Cordelia and looks through some of her possessions.
Wesley flights off a couple of large demons with a couple of minions of his own. Angel shows up and tries to thank Wesley for rescuing him and to take back some of the things he said to Wesley when he promised never to forgive his friend for stealing Connor. Wesley knows Angel came for information on Cordelia and offers a folder with everything he was able to find. Wesley thinks Cordy is still alive, but in another dimension. He tells Angel about a demi-goddess named Dinza who may hold some sort of an answer about Cordelia's location.
Angel finds Dinza and she tells him than an old power known as the Axis of Pythia that can help him. A young woman dressed in red leather waltzes into a restaurant and draws the attention of all the men. She sits with a man named Elliot and talks about the price of the Axis. Elliot wants it for his collection and this woman, whom is recognized as Gwen, to steal it for him in exchange for a hefty price. Fred gives a verbal and visual explanation about the Axis of Pythia, but her drawings are overshadowed by Angel's own artistic abilities. The Axis is located at an auction house with extensive security. Angel is determined to steal the Axis because he thinks it'll bring Cordelia back. Angel brainstorms the equipment they'll need while elsewhere, Gwen gets ready to steal the Axis herself.
Lilah and Wesley share some small talk about work while they romp around his apartment together. Gwen finagles her way into the building where the Axis is held but only a short distance behind her, Angel, Gunn and Fred break into the building as well. Angel checks out the vault, but electrical beams block his entrance and then a gate is dropped, completely blocking his path. Gwen drops down from the ceiling and manipulates the beams out of her way. While Angel questions who she is and her intentions, she steals the axis and prepares to leave. Gunn shows up to help Angel while Fred triggers an alarm that encourages Gwen's fast retreat. Once the gate has been lifted out of the way, Gunn tries to grab Gwen before she gets away and instead is struck with a fatal blow by Gwen.
Guilt-ridden at the thought of killing yet another innocent person, Gwen knocks Angel and a grieving Fred out of the way and shocks the life back into Gunn. Angel runs into Lilah while looking over Connor, who's now living outdoors with a bunch of homeless. Angel threatens her into looking up the Wolfram and Hart client that is buying the Axis of Pythia from Gwen. Gunn rests up in bed while let's the overwhelming elements of her life finally get the best of her. Gunn's brief death and her constant responsibilities in the Fang Gang make her yell and screams at Gunn and finally break down into tears.
Angel finds Gwen on the way to deliver the Axis and the two fight. Gwen repeatedly tries to shock Angel to death, but his vampire status makes that difficult. Determined, she shocks his chest repeatedly, which causes his heart to beat for a moment and the two to kiss. Both are surprised by the sudden life to Angel's heart and then bars cover the elevator doorway and Elliot shows up. He explains that because of her terrible theft job, she has to be killed. He had the elevator changed so that Gwen could have no access to an electrical charge that would allow her to escape when the elevator is filled with gas.
Once the door closes, Gwen tries to continue breathing while Angel punches a hole through a thick plastic wall so the wires can be reached and the two are able to escape. Angel fights with Elliot's lackeys while Gwen focuses her attention in on Elliot. Angel stops her from killing him and then she lets him have the Axis. Back at the hotel, one of the rooms glows a bright gold while Gunn and Fred wait impatiently outside the closed door. Angel exits the room, leaving a still slightly glowing axis behind him. The three sit around the lobby and talk about what Angel saw and try to deal with her new role. Although he misses her, he manages to accept the fact that she's where she should be. Meanwhile, high up in the heavens, Cordelia watches over the three and shouts at them to free her from her "higher" life.
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