----------------------------recap----------------------------
After Angel saves Buffy from a gang of vampire warriors (the Three), their relationship starts to become more intense. As their love blooms, Buffy learns that Angel has been hiding a dark secret. She hesitates, not sure what to believe, but when Angel's secret puts someone she loves in danger, she knows what she has to do.
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Angel: The elders conjured the perfect punishment for me. They restored my soul.
Buffy: What, they were all out of boils and blinding torment?
I find this one of the better season 1 episodes, mostly in retrospect. A lot of the future storyline in season 2 is hinted at here.
Lots of backstory in this one.
- It is revealed Angel is a vampire with a soul who was named Angelus (The One with the Angelic Face) and killed his own family when he first became a vampire. It is revealed that he is 240 years old and has a tattoo on his right shoulder blade. The origin of his gypsy curse, which will play a major role in Season Two, is also revealed.
- It is revealed that Darla, a 400 year old vampire, was once romantically involved with Angel and that she sired him.
- Darla dies (for the second of four times, as revealed in later episodes of Buffy and Angel), but is resurrected three years later at the end of the first season of Angel.
- This episode is the first time Joyce meets Giles and Angel.
One of the few gunfight sequences of the series. I'm no gun expert but does Darla ever run out of bullets?
Buffy realizes that she is in love with a vampire, and ponders what to do. On the one hand, Buffy says (reflecting Xander's somewhat self-serving letter-of-the-law argument - Slayer. Vampire. Dead vampire), she simply should get over her feelings so she can kill him. It has been noted elsewhere that if this is taken as a straightforward principle then Buffy's duty is clear. They go on to state that the Slayer shouldn't kill Angel because he has a soul, and Slayers shouldn't kill anyone with a soul. I personally think that there is actually a finer line to this than that. I think that Buffy adopts the moral guideline that she won't kill someone with a soul that has a chance and and some hope for redemption. For example, Anya as a demon has a soul. As long as Anya wasn't on a wholesale slaughter kick, Buffy didn't go after her, but once she killed those boys in the frat house she went after Anya, soul or no soul. Similar situation here with Angel. Angel is shown to have a soul, and Buffy forgos killing him, because he can possibly be redeemed. I don't think this is a conscious decision yet, but something that she is still working out, and will come into play in Spike's arc of redemption in season 7.
Just a note to anyone who happens to be reading this blog. My own prejudices will obviously color these commentaries. I cannot stand David Boreanaz's acting at this point. His heavy, stuttered breathing just annoys the bejeezus out of me. If this bothers anyone, well that's just the way it is. Not everyone likes the same things, nor should they.
Foreshadowing
Darla asks Angel if she thinks Buffy will ever be able to kiss his true face. What's My Line?
My views/status of characters;
Buffy - like
Willow - like
Xander - understandable
Giles - like
Cordelia - dislike
Angel - understandable
The Master - like
Overall I consider this a very good episode compared to the rest of the season.
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