Today, I only want to talk about Angel. And maybe for Jenny for like a sentence or two. But even that is really kind of about Buffy and Giles. Willow/Xander/Cordelia/Oz will be the focus of the next post even though all of that starts here. But the episodes "Surprise" and "Innocence" have a LOT packed into them and I don't want to get into it all in one post. Especially since I'm so tired.
Angel and Buffy have had a pretty rocky relationship from day one. Him being a vampire, her being a slayer - things are already stacked against them. And this has overshadowed their entire will they/won't they relationship. Giles and Willow are firmly in the "Buffy an Angel should be together" camp. Xander is firmly in the "I hate Angel but unfortunately he does come through for us" camp. And Cordelia seems to be in the "I suppose Angel and I are never going to date" camp. My point is, even Xander who does not like Angel accepts that he is one of the "good guys."
Buffy's birthday rolls around. Spike and Drusilla have a major surprise for her in the form of a demon called "The Judge" aka, the "no weapon forged can stop him" demon. And last time he was stopped it took an army who cut him up into pieces and scattered those pieces all over the world. A piece of The Judge falls into Buffy's hands and Jenny suggests Angel gets rid of it. This is two fold. One, the piece does need disposing of. Two, it would take Angel months to do this job thus separating him from Buffy and ensuring his soul remains intact. Why would Jenny want to do this? Because she is a gypsy from the tribe that initially cursed Angel.
While attempting to help Angel get away with the final piece Buffy and him are ambushed and the bad guys get it. Buffy and Angel go back to his place where they have sex, something that Buffy has been contemplating for a while now. However, after experiencing a moment of "true happiness" with Buffy, Angel loses his soul.
Angel then teams up with Spike and Drusilla who are glad to see him restored to their old friend. Angel proceeds to play mind games with Buffy and her friends and helps Drusilla unleash The Judge upon the world. Buffy does stop The Judge and she also kicks Angel's ass big time - but she can't bring herself to kill him yet.
So, first of all, this is a massive game changer that is going to have major implications in Buffy and Angel's future. For Buffy, how can you be with someone when you are what makes them lose their soul? Likewise for Angel, how can you be with someone who causes you to lose your soul? There is no real answer here. There is no closure. Even if Angel's soul is restored can he and Buffy go back to what they once had? And a soulless Angel who plays mind games with Buffy and her friends? That is not going to be a pretty picture. How do you forgive someone when they have crossed lines that shouldn't be crossed. So far Angel hasn't, but...
This also sets Angel up to be the main bad guy of season two. All along Buffy thought she was fighting against Spike and Drusilla - who she thought she stopped. Now the tables are turned and one of the people who knows very intimate details of Buffy and her friends has gone to the enemy. Spike and Drusilla might have started out as the main bad guys this season but ultimately, though some decisions that haven't been made yet (but the groundwork for them has been laid) it will be Angel.
How everyone reacts to Angel's transformation for the rest of the season is going to be key for how events play out. Also, Buffy's own feelings and realization that she is the reason Angel lost his soul.
Now, my Jenny side note. Buffy realizes that Jenny has been lying to everyone all along. While getting ready to go up against The Judge, Jenny says she wants to help. Buffy turns her offer down and tells her to get out. Jenny turns to Giles to appeal to him and he stands by Buffy's decision. This could not have been easy for Giles. Earlier he and Jenny had started to patch things up, finally. It was looking like maybe they could actually have a relationship. But Giles chooses Buffy over Jenny. Which, partly, one could argue that of course he does. She's the Slayer, he is her Watcher. But this shows just how deep his bond with Buffy is - and also how seriously he takes his duties. it has already been established multiple times that he didn't want this life. Jenny could easily be an out for him. But he doesn't take it. Instead he stays with Buffy but not only because his duty is more important but because Buffy is more important. Giles will always make the hard choices when it comes down to Buffy. And sometimes those choices hurt Buffy. But every decision he makes he believes is always for her benefit, even if she does not see it.
Now, my favorite episode? Not "Surprise" or "Innocence." It's actually "Bad Eggs." "Surprise" and "Innocence" are very heavy episodes - very good episodes, but very heavy. "Bad Eggs" is a monster of the week that is pretty light and funny in comparison but still good.
A parenting homework assignment goes wrong when instead of being given real eggs, the students are given eggs with little parasites that take over people. This episode has confusion - why are there eggs all over the school? Suspense - who has been taken over? Creepiness - those parasites attached to people? Ugh!!! Amusement - Xander going to eat his hard boiled child? Priceless. I honestly don't have a lot to say about this episode - and maybe that's because I'm so tired - but it was good. But maybe I just don't have a lot to say because this one kind of stands on it's own.
The four episodes:
Ted - Season 2, Episode 11
Synopsis - Buffy's mom starts dating again but her new boyfriend is NOT what he seems. And proving this gets Buffy into serious trouble.
Bad Eggs - Season 2, Episode 12
Synopsis - Everyone has to take an egg home for a school assignment in parenting but the eggs are actually parasites looking to take over everyone.
Surprise - Season 2, Episode 13
Synopsis - It's Buffy's birthday and Spike and Drusilla are looking to unleash "The Judge" - a demon who cannot be stopped.
Innocence - Season 2, Episode 14
Synopsis - Buffy has to deal with the loss of Angel's soul, Angel teaming up with Spike and Drusilla, and somehow defeat The Judge.
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