The Last Episode of Angel

[morrigirl]

I cried twice. First, when Spike started reciting poetry. That just wasn't what I as an audience member had been conditioned to expect from Spike on his last night on earth. But...it made total sense and that's what was so beautiful about it. Because it stayed true to Spike's character. That's one thing I love about Joss Whedon, he's always true to his characters. OF COURSE Spike, one of the badest bad asses in television history would spend his final night reciting poetry in a biker bar. When the audience started clapping for him I cried even harder. Spike the proverbial outsider finally found acceptance.

Second time was when Illyria lied to Wes. I knew Wesley was gonna be the one to get bumped off, so I was prepared for it. I was not expecting Illyria to show up though. The second I saw Fred's hand slide across his cheek, I lost it. And I started crying even harder when it became apparent that Illyria wasn't lying to him, that she was speaking from her heart. She finally experienced real human emotion, and in that moment she made her full transition into earthly existance.

I usually don't like ambiguous endings, but I was surprisingly satisfied with this one. Sure there were lots of loose ends, but I'm happier to see them flapping in the wind, then tied into nice little bows. Yes, we can infer that none of the remaining characters will make it through the final battle. But the loose ends give us hope. They give the fans something to hold on to. Sure Angel signed away his soul, but if the people who wrote up the contract are all dead, is it still binding in the spiritual realm? And even if it is, does that mean Spike will regain his soul if he makes it through the fight? Did the senior partners try to go after Lorne and Connor as well?

Speaking of Lorne...WOW! I did not see that coming. Well....once their post slaying chit chat started turning into an actual scene I knew one of them was going to die. But I thought Lindsey would betray Angel and take out Lorne. I never expected the champion to recruit and then betray Lindsey. But it makes sense. It's true to form.

My one complaint is that Connor and Angel should have taken out Hamilton together. Hamilton should have been defeated through the team work of father and son. Connor should not have been out of commission for the final blow.

I think they ended on a good note though, one that summed up the purpose and message of the entire series. Redemption is hard work and it's never done. The only true path towards redemption is to fight the good fight till the very end, and do it without any expectation of reward. In a single episode Joss managed to turn Angel into a Christ figure. Well...actually he's always been a Christ figure, but with the final scene of the series leading up to his death, it was particularly apparent.

I realize that Angel's team has taken more hits than any of the scoobies ever did. All of the primary characters from the first season of Buffy made it out of that series alive: Buffy, Giles, Willow, Xander. You can throw in Cordelia too. But NONE of Angel's first and second season team made it out alive. Doyle, Cordy, Wes, all dead as doornails. But it seemed right to have Buffy end with everyone intact. It seemed right to have her story end with the lightening of her burden.

And it seems right to have Angel's story end with he and his three remaining allies fighting ultimate evil to the death knowing there's no possible way they can win.

Comments

[kdc4evr.livejournal.com]

I have since decided that yes it's over b/c really there's no way to continue a story with that as the last scene & am starting to like the ending

I was thinking though, the only way they could ever come out of that fight would be if Buffy, Willow & the entire slayer army showed up to help them - which would be cool & make for a good opening sequence of a movie, but then where would the movie go? I mean yeah Angel signed off on the shanshu prophecy (it wasnt his soul, it was his chance to be made human/mortal) but the shanshu prophecy never specifically named Angel - it just said a vampire with a soul & Spike didnt sign off on it so really if he lived he could still regain his mortality - and I mean he did already die saving the world so wouldnt he deserve it? But still, not a good movie - so there's really no more angel *sniff*

I also loved the Spike poetry scene - when he got up there & started reading poetry I just started like cracking up - it was the best! This Saturday in syndication is the Buffy episode where Principal Wood tries to kill Spike & we see him as poor William & how he sired his mother.

yes, we always have syndication & DVDs...........

[morrigirl.livejournal.com]

Yeah I totally typed that wrong. It was late. I meant to say Angel had signed away his right to fullfil the Shanshu, and that if the contract held up and Spike made it through the final battle HE might be able to fullfil it.

Oh dude it would be so sweet if they started a movie out like that. Oh man I think I'd shit myself! Hmm where would that movie go? Well....Naturally all the slayers would kick as and take names. Buffy's faith in Angel would be restored, Angel, Spike, and Buffy would all have to have a REAL sorting out and moving on, not like that half assed one they had in the third to last episode. SOMEONE would have to fullfil the Shanshu. They'd still have to best the senior partners. And then, everyone rides off into the sunset?

[acsnavely.livejournal.com]

i never got into the whole WB thing...
now you gat to find a new show to become obsessed over ;) hehe

[altrocks.livejournal.com]

Well, first, I think the ending was good. It was kind of opposite that of Buffy. If you failed to notice, only the humans made it out alive from Buffy... all of the undead and demony things apparently died (sans Spike, because he wanted his acting career to go on). Angel had almost all the humans killed off over the last year or so (the ones that were left) and the end of the show had Angel, Spike and BlueFred left with Gunn apparently dying (Connor, being unnatural and Lorne being big green and horned were also apparently alive, but not there). So there it was... only the inhuman characters survived... or.. died... or.. I dunno... they were a live when the credits started rolling.

But yeah. Vastly different themes between the two shows... strangely similar yet different endings.

"I dunno about you guys... but I kind of wanna slay the dragon."

[morrigirl.livejournal.com]

No I hadn't noticed that. Then again I still haven't actually SEEN the final episode of Buffy, just heard about it. Glad you pointed that out though.

And by the way, I fucking loved that line. I liked how they went out on a funny note. Wise cracking till the very end.