Awakening
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 don’t know what happened to the sun in L.A. plays on. At A.I. they realize it’ll mean a significant rise in vampire activity. Fred is doing some research but she’s getting nowhere, she needs Wesley’s help. But he left without a word after the sun was blotted out, and Gwen skipped town. Connor says they’re wasting time, the answer is among them, and points at Angel who’s in his office with Lorne. Connor doesn’t believe for a minute that Angel doesn’t remember the Beast, Cordy points out that it was Angelus, not Angel, who made the pact. Connor doesn’t see the difference. Gunn thinks it’s time they meet Angelus because they have no other option so it’s 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 that’s in short supply. Inside the office, Angel’s just finished singing, and Lorne as nothing, and it doesn’t make sense. Angel remembers everything Angelus did, he did, every detail and yet can’t dredge up anything on the Beast. Lorne says if it’s in there it’s buried deep inside Angelus. Angel says that’s the way it stays, even if he wanted it, there’s 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, he’s 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 doesn’t remember the Beast meeting Angelus, Fred tells him they don’t 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 they’re losing ground, the only victory they can claim is that they aren’t dead yet. Angel says that they’re down but not out, and now with eternal darkness it’s the devil’s 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, he’s 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 there’s no choice, no plan b, and they’re running out of time. Angel says that that releasing Angelus is the last thing they should do, Angel won’t be able to protect anyone. Wes assures him it’s only temporary and they’ll take all the necessary precautions and contain him. Angel tells him all he knows of Angelus is in books, he’s 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 can’t be released, he’d 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 he’s under the Beast’s control and after a bit of hesitation she admits she doesn’t know. If he is, he notes that he’s already a danger to them. Cordy says that Angelus would be more so: he’s ingenious, ruthless and sadistic. Like the Beast, Angel sees that they’re one of a kind and bolts up goes to his crew and tells them he’ll need a cage and list odd the specs. It’s 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. It’s what Angel never wanted Connor to see and that whatever Angelus says or does, he’s 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 Angel’s soul. Angel doesn’t want Cordy there, but she’s not leaving. The shaman enters the cage and Gunn double locks it. Cordy tells Angel he doesn’t have to do this, but it’s 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 shaman’s 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 Beast’s 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 shaman’s 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 it’s hidden underneath the city. Angel is a bit snippy for Wes wanting him to turn into Angelus when there’s 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. It’s the first time he’s heard Wes apologize about anything. Connor breaks the moment and asks if they’re 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 it’s 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 it’s a dead end. There’s 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, Connor’s confused and she’s made more of a mess of things. Some decisions she’d like to take back, she starts to say something and spots a lit chamber with a central stone, but no sword. Angel thinks it’s there and since there’s 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 it’s some sort of dimensional hub and that’s 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 couldn’t have had the chance to tell him she’s sorry for what happened, what she let happen with Connor. She wanted to be with Angel but she couldn’t. Angel says it’s going to be okay. She tells him she can look back at all the things he’s done as Angelus, but when she looks at him, she sees all the good he’s done as Angel. She says she doesn’t deserve forgiveness but he doesn’t care what she’s 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 won’t leave him. He enters another chamber and all the torches light up. Angel tells him not to move, Connor doesn’t want to be told what to do and walks on a trigger and an arrow whizzes by him, hitting Angel’s 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 Angel’s bit on how “nothing in this world is as it ought to be. It’s harsh and cruel.” Connor steps on another trigger, and Angel grabs him out of the way before the projectile hits him. But Connor doesn’t 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 it’s all his fault, Angel tells him he’s not the only person who’s ever wanted his father dead and what he wants isn’t necessarily what people need. He screams that she’s 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 wasn’t, she’s 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 Lorne’s 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 it’s 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, she’s not even sure that Angel can survive, he says he’ll let her know. Cordy tells him that he’s not going to fight it alone, but he doesn’t have a choice. He tells them they’ve all made a difference in the world, they’ve been pushed to the edge so many times, done things they’ve shouldn’t have. They’ve always been there for each other and it’s not because of the Powers That Be, or the super strength, or the magic weapons; it’s because they believe in each other as champions, together. He leaves but Cordy tells him he just said they’re stronger together. She can’t lose him now that they’ve just started what could be something meaningful. He promises he’ll come back, he’s sure he’ll come back but first he has to find the Beast. The Beast suddenly breaks down the back doors. Angel doesn’t have to far after all.
ACT IV
The Beast has grown weary of Angel, Angelus’ cowardice, if he’s not with him, he’s against him. Angel tells the others to go and fights the Beast using the sword, the Beast deflects it with its rocky arms.. Cordy won’t leave but Angel can’t 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 he’s 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. Connor’s 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 he’d 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 didn’t love him, she loves Angel, always him. Angel’s sorry, Connor jokes that she was too old for him anyway and asks if that’s 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 Beast’s remains. Outside people are enjoying the sun’s return, Angel watches it from inside. Cordelia’s with him, understanding that it’s hard for him: everybody’s happy because of what he did, bringing the light back, but not being able to go into it. He says there’s no place he’d rather be than here with her. they kiss and break off, she tells him everything is as it’s supposed to be. They continue and make love and right after it hits him, he whispers Buffy’s name and is in pain…
… and we’re back with Angel strapped to the table in the cell. The shaman tells them it’s done. None of it ever happened. Angel turns to Cordy, she can tell it’s Angelus. He laughs maniacally, free of his soul.
Summary By Dannyboy
Quotes
(A=Angel C=Cordelia W=Wesley G=Gunn F=Fred L=Lorne Cn=Connor Wu=Wu Pang B=Beast)
G: “As soon as vamps everywhere realize this town’s open for business 24/7, there’s going to be a huge rise in undead tourism.”
Cn: “He _is_ Angelus.”
C: “Believe me, you’ve never met Angelus.”
W: “Rumor has it you have certain skills I require. I need a soul extracted.”
F: “Whatever power this device had got swallowed up by the beast. It won’t bring back the sun. Without the orb its as useless as…”
G: “…us. Face it, man. We’re losing ground. Pretty much the only victory we can claim is that we’re not dead yet.”
A: “Look, The Beast is not our only concern right now. Until we figure out how to end eternal darkness, it’s a devil’s playground out there.”
Cn: “Just the way you like it. Huh?”
Cn: “It’s you. You’re the reason my life sucks.”
A: “Get over it.”
F: “Right this way, Mr…um… Pang. Any special tea you…?”
Wu: “How about Orange Zinger?”
F: “Oh, ’K.”
A: “We’re not bringing Angelus.”
W: “You don’t have a choice.”
A: “Actually, I do! That was it. You want to hear it again? Not with the bringing!”
W: “Don’t make this harder than it has to be, Angel. There’s no Plan B and we’re running out of time. People are in serious danger.”
A: “Then unleashing Angelus is the last thing that we should do. If he’s here, I’m not. I won’t be able to protect anyone from the beast. Or from me.”
W: “I’m not blind to the risks! I know what Angelus…”
A: “You have _no idea_ what Angelus is, Wesley. All you know is what you’ve read in books. You’ve never had the pleasure of his company. And you’re not going to.”
C: “They’re all going to die: The flowers, the plants. The trees. Without sun. I’m just realizing.”
C: “I just came to say that I’m on your side. Angelus is the jumbo, family-sized bad of bad ideas.”
C: “They don’t get it.”
A: “But you do.”
C: “Well, if I didn’t when Angelus was loose and killing in Sunnydale, then reliving his past horrors in virtual, wide-screen,
sens-surround during my tenure in floaty-ville pretty much makes me an expert.”
A: “Do you… do you think Connor’s right, that I’m being used by the Beast without even knowing it?”
C: “No.”
A: “Are you just saying that?”
C: “Yes.”
A: “Then I’m already a danger to you. All of you.”
C: “Well, not like Angelus would be. I mean he’s… he’s smart….”
A: “Excuse me?”
C: “You’re smart, he’s just…”
A : “Ingenious.”
C : “But in that twisted sadistic, ruthless kind of way?”
A: “Like the Beast.”
C: “Yes! Exactly. They think alike. Always a step or two ahead of us. I mean, what is it about evil that jacks up the I.Q. points? It’s like whenever… What?”
L: “Hey, uh, listen, Angel-cakes, if it’s all the same to you, think I’ll sit this one out upstairs. You know how dark magic unleashing it’s unspeakable evil gives me the heebies.”
A: “Well, just keep in mind that whatever Angelus says, whatever he does. Remember: He’s not your father. I am. No matter what happens… or happened. I… I love you.”
A: “Look, one more thing. Since I’m going to be out of commission for a while, I want you to… you know… take care of everybody, you know what I’m saying? That means if anything should go wrong with Angelus… you’re going to have to kill me.”
Cn: “O.K.”
A: “*If* anything goes wrong!”
A: “Cordy? I don’t want you here.”
C: “Yeah? Tough.”
C: “Angel, you don’t have to do this.”
A: “Now she tells me.”
Wu: “Time to say goodbye!”
G: “So this was all a set-up? This whole soul colonic thing?”
W: “Gunn, see if he’s got something on him.”
G: “He’s got something on him all right.”
G: “So that’s why we couldn’t find anything written about Beastie-Boy in the books. These jokers are walking around with it on their asses!”
W: “The Bosh M’ad forged something to destroy the Beast, The Tooth of Light.”
F: “They made a tooth?”
C: “It’s sword. The Sword of Bosh M’ad. I can see it… Pretty!”
A: “You hear that? There’s a sword. A sword to kill the Beast. And you wanted to turn me into Angelus by having an evil shaman cut off my head! Not that that wasn’t a swell plan too.”
W: “Sorry.”
W: “I was careless. I made a mistake that almost cost you your life. …Would have made pulling you out of the ocean a big waste of my time.”
A: “How is it that a sword from the third century is located conveniently here in Los Angeles?”
C: “I don’t think it is. I mean, I get the impression that somehow it’s accessible from, like, a hundred points all over the world.”
Cn: “How does that work?”
C: “I don’t know. I just get the visions, not the Cliff Notes.”
C: “What are those? Holiday decorations left over from some S&M bondage party?”
A: “Wood. Why did it have to be wood?”
C: “Who booby-traps a dead end? That’s just not right!”
W: “Maybe that one.”
C: “ ‘_Maybe_’? I don’t have enough shirt to bandage both of you!”
A: “Connor, go.”
Cn: “Both of us.”
A: “Now.”
A: “Which way now?”
C: “Don’t look at me, I’m not a Thomas Guide!”
C: “I’m sorry about that… back there… Connor. He’s still confused about things. God, I’ve really made a mess of a messy situation, haven’t I? Some really rotten decisions I’d love to take back. I don’t know if you ever… could…”
A: “Could…? … Could what? What could I ever…?”
A: “I missed the pointy end.”
C: “What if we’d been deep-fried trying to save the world again and… and I… didn’t have the chance to tell you…”
A: “Tell me what?”
C: “I’m sorry …for what happened – for what I _let_ happen with Connor. I was lost… and frightened… and I thought it was the end… and I wanted to be with you. But I couldn’t.”
C: “You need to know that I can look back and see every horrible thing you’ve ever done as Angelus and it doesn’t matter anymore.
Because when I’m with you all I feel is the good you’ve done as Angel. I know I’ve hurt you. I know I don’t deserve forgiveness…”
A: “Cordy, I don’t care what you’ve done in your past either.”
C: “I don’t know if this is right, Angel…”
A: “Stop talking.”
C: “O.K.”
Cn: “You don’t know anything, Dad. Except how to take things away from me.”
Cn: “It’s all your fault! I never should have been born!”
A: “Grow up! You think you’re the only one who ever felt like that? Who wished his father were dead?
Cn: “Yeah, but mine already is.”
A: “It’s not all about you, Connor. What you want is not always what other people need.”
Cn: “She was mine!”
C: “No she wasn’t. I’m sorry, Connor, but you need to understand that.”
C: “The Sword of The Bosh M’ad…”
W: “The slayer of the Beast.”
G: “Ooh! Can I play with it?”
L: “Well, most of my connections have am-scrayed to dimensions a little lighter on the stomping-your-entrails-out. All I could Kolchak was rumor of bad mojo rising. Down in the warehouse district.”
C: “What about the sun?”
G: “One good poke in the coconut should take care of that too.”
F: “Nothing human can survive at that close a range. I’m not even sure you can.”
A: “I’ll let you know.”
A: “You’ve made a difference, each of you. Not just to me, but to the world. We’ve been pushed to the edge so many times, done things were sure can never be forgiven. But we’re always there for each other when it counts. We’ve never let the darkness win. And it’s not because of The Powers That Be, or the super-strength, or the magical weapons. It’s because we believe in each other. Not just as friends, or lovers, but as Champions. All of us. Together.”
C: “You can’t do this alone.”
A: “I’m not.”
C: “Drop the Hallmark crap. That might placate the shiney-happies over there, but I’m working with a little more investment!”
A: “Hey I’ve never been more sure of anything. I’ll come back. Cordelia, I promise, for you. But first I’ve got to do this. I’ve got to find the Beast and…” [*crash*!] “Oh! There he is.”
B: “I grow weary of your cowardice, Angelus. If you will not stand with me then suffer the agony of my wrath… Is that what think it is?”
B: “We could rule this world. Why do you oppose me?”
A: “Rain of fire? Blocking out the sun? You just kinda piss me off.”
B: “The boy joins the father in death!”
Cn: “No, in kicking your stony ass.”
B: “Such arrogance! So much like Angelus.
Cn: “His name is _Angel_.”
A: “Consider your ass kicked!”
Cn: “Dad”
A: “You came back.”
Cn: “Like I’d let you take all the credit for saving the world?”
Cn: “I could feel it in her touch. She loves you. It’s always been you.”
Cn: “Is this what it feels like? Being a Champion?”
A: “Pretty much.”
C: “It must be hard. Seeing everyone so happy because of what you did. Bringing the light back, but not being able to go out into it.”
A: “There’s no place I’d rather be… than here with you.”
A: “Buffy? No! Oh God, no!”
Wu: “The illusion becomes reality. It is done.”
C: “Angelus.”
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