S4,E21: Peace Out

[Joe Hellandback]

PEACE OUT

The Good; It's bad taste but love the 'God is nowhere, Jasmine is the way' sign outside the church. Also love Jasmine picking up the car and love Connor killing her. Angel's quest is also good although the lack of budget shows. It's a small moment but I adore the scene where the blonde reporter is awestruck that Jasmine knows her name, just the little look of exasperation Gina Torres gives is priceless. Plus HERE's LILAH!

The Bad; Note that when the Guardsmen are clustered around the captive AI the only one without his face covered is the one who Jasmine later speaks through (scene shot out of order?). Angel aside the rest of AI just seem to spend all their time locked in the cellar and don't contribute much. If CC is so precious to Jasmine why is she guarded by exactly 2 cops with pistols and not ringed with troops and tanks? How come the guy Connor tortures gives up his info, surely Jasmine's followers are prepared to die for her? (or has her power faded as she prepares herself for her broadcast?). Note that in the bridge scene the LA sky keeps getting darker and then lighter again between shots.

Best line; Jasmine (to Angel); "You're not human" Angel; "Working on it" (indeed he is!)

Jeez, how did they get away with that? Connor kills his 'daughter'. Do we really wonder why he's so screwed up?

Apocalypses: 5 not the end of the world by any means

Angel Clichés In disguise; 8

DB get's his shirt off; 12

Cheap Angel; 6

Fang Gang in bondage: Lorne, Wes, Gunn and Fred in plasticuffs Cordy: 5 Angel: 14 Wes: 7 Gunn; 5 Lorne; 5 Fred; 3

Fang gang knocked out: Cordy: 15 Angel: 17 Wes: 7 Doyle; 1 Gunn; 2 Lorne; 6 Groo; 1 Connor; 1 Faith; 1 Fred; 2

Kills; one demon for Angel, one demon/human(?) for Connor Cordy: 5 vamps, 3 demons Angel; 44 vamps, 59 and 1/2 demons, 5 zombies, 8 humans Doyle; 1 vamp Wes; 14 demons+5 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 humans Kate; 3 vamps Faith; 18 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans. Gunn; 11 vamps+ 13 demons, 5 zombies, 1 human. Groo; 1 demon Fred; 3 vamps+ 2 demon, 5 zombies Connor; 16 vamps, 5 zombies, 2 demons, Jasmine

Fang Gang go evil: Cordy: 3 Angel: 3 Gunn; 1 Wes; 1

Alternate Fang Gang; Cordy: 4 Angel: 11 Fred; 2 Wes; 1 Gunn; 1 Connor; 1

Characters killed: according to Angel thousands have died due to Jasmine's actions 2255

Recurring characters killed; 9;

Total number of Angel Investigations;5 Angel, Gunn, Fred, Lorne, Wes,

Angel Investigations shot: Angel: 12 Wes; 2

Packing heat; Wes; 8 Doyle; 1 Angel; 3 Gunn; 2 Fred; 1

Notches on Fang Gang bedpost: Cordy: 5 ?+Wilson/Hacksaw Beast+Phantom Dennis+Groo+Connor plus possibly the Beast Angel: 5; Buffy, Darla and The Transcending Furies Wes; 3 definite; Virginia, the bleached blonde and Lilah, 1 possible, Justine Gunn; 2 Fred and Gwen. Fred; 1 Gunn Groo; 1Cordy

Kinky dinky: The way Jasmine eats people is rather reminiscent of vore fetishism (beautiful women enjoying being swallowed whole by giant snakes, carnivorous plants etc). Yes, I'm serious, it really exists, just google the term

Captain Subtext; Connor teases the rest of AI because they're now alone, obvious resentment from when they left him alone.

Know the face, different character; 4

Parking garages; 6,

Guantanamo Bay; Angel tortures his way to what he wants without a moments hesitation.

Buffy characters on Angel; 16 Wetherby, Collins and Smith. Angel, Cordy, Oz, Spike, Buffy, Wes, Faith, Darla, Dru, The Master, Anne, Willow and Harmony. POSSIBLY The First Evil

Questions and observations; The blonde reporter in the hotel foyer reminded me at first of Reese Witherspoon and then of Jenny McCarthy but it's neither. The dark haired reporter with the glasses also looks very familiar from somewhere. How exactly does Angel manage to materialise exactly back in the hotel foyer? Is the orb programmed to home in on Jasmine? Surely if Angel appeared to everyone on TV worldwide he should be hugely famous? This of course is an argument similar to that explored in Torchwood; Children of Earth (guest starring James Masters), Jasmine would devour a couple of dozen people a day but if she abolished war, crime and poverty etc she would save millions (apparently 1000 children a day die in India from preventable diseases). But Angel says that the important thing is that mankind has to make it's own choices, learn from it's own mistakes. Interestingly when Angel talks to Jasmine on the bridge he even holds out redemption for her. Jasmine talks about wiping out Angel's species, does she mean humans or vampires? OK she's pretty strong and can't be killed with electricity but if Connor can just kill her with a fist through the head she's not that tough (not compared to Glory anyway)? Or is that because Connor is her 'father' that he can kill her? Night of the Comet is referenced, a nice little sci-fi film that Joss cites as one of his inspirations for Buffy (Geoffrey Lewis is in The New Guy with Eliza Dushku so in 2). Note in the bridge scene there's a company offering 'Facials' which Jasmine certainly needs.

Marks out of 10; 8/10