Watching the watchers
It's Angel finale night and the end of the Buffyverse on TV. I woke up at 3AM to join our site's chatbox at Flickr.
I am watching people chat as they watch the finale on USA television. I won't be able to see it until later tonight (early Thursday morning) when the download becomes available. They're trying to chat without spoiling the story for me. Which is nice.
Stupid WB.
Post finale coda: There's more and it's got spoilers in it, so lasciate omni speranze voi ch'entrate, and all that jazz:
None of the main characters' deaths have ever moved me in this 'verse, so Wes going didn't do it for me. But I started bawling when Angel went to visit Connor in Starbucks: "I know you're my father."
I suppose that's what attracted me to this series in the first place: family, friendship, loyalty. Life.
But the two stand out moments in the Buffyverse (which includes 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' and 'Angel' are when Giles strangles Ben (Buffy S6) and now, the moment where Lorne shoots Lindsey. The good guy having to do the dirtiest job.
I guess I'm all about the ruthless.
Lorne ending up on his own? Makes sense with last season's Spin the Bottle. Then there's the prophesised 5 deaths: Doyle, Cordelia, Fred, Wes and Gunn (he had 10 minutes left). That Joss, so clever.
So did I like the finale? Yes. More than Buffy's ending - which I hated. Female empowerment is not a theme I care for.
But Angel's end was all Butch and Sundancy, all 'band of buggered' and heroic. They had to separate to work as a team and the twists (Harmony the betrayer, Anne showing up, Connor understanding) were surprising and touching. They even rescued the Spike character for me with that little throwback to his bloody poetry past.
I've had 4 Whedon-filled years (I got into it during Buffy's 4th season). Nothing else on television has ever drawn me in this much. And all we have left now (for those of us who don't read comics) is next year's Serenity (the Firefly movie).
"People who don't care about anything will never understand people who do!" Angel tells Hamilton - the 'suit', evil incorporated.
Whither now, Whedon?
Thought I had tonight off, but I'm working. Ack. Have to wait until the morning...
Great writeup, Caz. I was also thinking of Giles and Ben during the Lorne/Lindsey scene. Powerful stuff.
One question: When was there a prophesy about five deaths?
I don't recall exactly, but there's a mention of 'five will be sacrificed' in Season 5. I'll try to look it up.
It's actually in the ritual Lindsey uses in S1, to Shanshu in L.A.
"And the five shall be a sacrifice... and the one who is dead shall live..."
So it's probably not related.
Ah. Dayam! Good memory!