To Shanshu in LA

Angel Episode Review

In which there is a prophecy.

What Happened

Wesley translates the scroll Angel stole from Wolfram and Hart, uncovering a passage that is all about the vampire with a soul. He is upset when a pivotal phrase seems to indicate that Angel will die, but Angel is completely unfazed by the announcement.

Wolfram and Hart invites Vohkah, a big scary demon, to perform "The Raising," and he is seriously annoyed when he finds out that Angel has the scroll. He sends Cordelia into a coma by overloading her with visions, then kills the Oracles who occasionally help Angel. Finally, he steals the scroll back and blows up the agency, putting Wesley in the hospital. Learning that the scroll holds the key to reversing what happened to Cordi, Angel leaves Gunn to protect his friends and goes to Wolfram and Hart.

Following a convoy to a nearby cemetery, Angel crashes the party as Vohkah summons a monster into a box in the middle of the tomb. While Vohkah battles Angel, Lindsey completes the ritual. Lilah and Holland hustle the box and its contents away as Lindsey threatens to burn the scroll. Angel cuts off Lindsey's hand to keep that from happening, takes the scroll back, and stalks out.

Later, after Angel and Wesley have helped Cordelia, Wes takes another crack at the prophecy. He suddenly realizes that "Shanshu" may not mean "death" after all; it may mean that Angel dies a natural death... after regaining his humanity.

Over at Wolfram and Hart, Holland shows Lindsey and Lilah what's inside the box...

What We Learned

• Wesley gets testy when he's translating.
• It's an ancient sacred text, not a magic eight ball.
• Angel is going to have to start wanting things from life, whether he wants to or not.
• Angel is Cordelia's family.
• It's traditional in the human world to humor people who did you a favor.
• You never want to be on time for a ritual. The chanting, the blood rites, they go on forever.
• Don't believe everything you're foretold.
• Typical. Cordelia hooks up with the only person in history who ever came to LA to get older.

Best Lines

Cordelia: "How would you like a puppy? ... Ficus? They're low maintenance. ... Ant farm?"

What Did I Think?

Darla! Darla. Darla. Darla! Did I mention Darla?