I love this. Great essay. Thinking about Wes in charge, it's his idea (evil scheming set-ups aside) to call forth Angelus to learn about the Beast in season 4 and he pushes the idea, standing firm in the face of Angel's attempt to chew him out for bringing in the dark shaman("Awakening," AtS 4x11). Then, just like you talk about at other times, he's resolute about bringing Angel back. "We'll find a way to bring Angel back....The way we always do: skill, perseverance, luck," he tells Fred after Angel's soul goes missing ("Calvary," AtS 4x12). But then he really puts his money where his mouth is once Angelus escapes and he brings Faith in to help retrieve him.
Interestingly, it takes being reminded of Angel's example of never giving up on people to nudge Wes back to that mission after he despairs briefly. "Our only advantage is Angelus might think we want to capture him. I think we're all agreed that's not an option anymore," Wes says at the end of "Calvary." The Lilah-shaped figment of his imagination soon brings him back around: LILAH: You couldn't save me from me. WES: Is that what you thought? LILAH: Me? Lover, I'm not even here. I'm just a figment in your devilishly handsome head. So, clearly, it's what you thought. For all your supposed darkness, edge of the razor mystique, there was always a small part of you that thought you could pull me back from the brink of my evil, evil ways. Help me find redemption. WES: Redemption? LILAH: Angel's influence, I suppose. The whole not giving up on someone, no matter how far he — or she — has fallen.
And Wes emerges from his gut-wrenching experience disposing of Lilah's body declaring, "We're going to bring Angelus in alive....We're caught in the middle of a maelstrom, and we can't get out without our champion. We're gonna save Angel," putting on his coat and heading out to get the only person who can help him do that. ("Salvage," AtS 4x13)
Angel inspires him, makes him dig ever deeper in himself to find the spark of hope shrouded in the darkness of his own soul. Because that's what Angel is about. And Wes is all about Angel. Bring on the catnip!
All of which is just a warm up for what you say about the end of season five. ::sob:: My Wes! My Angel!
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Interestingly, it takes being reminded of Angel's example of never giving up on people to nudge Wes back to that mission after he despairs briefly. "Our only advantage is Angelus might think we want to capture him. I think we're all agreed that's not an option anymore," Wes says at the end of "Calvary." The Lilah-shaped figment of his imagination soon brings him back around:
LILAH: You couldn't save me from me.
WES: Is that what you thought?
LILAH: Me? Lover, I'm not even here. I'm just a figment in your devilishly handsome head. So, clearly, it's what you thought. For all your supposed darkness, edge of the razor mystique, there was always a small part of you that thought you could pull me back from the brink of my evil, evil ways. Help me find redemption.
WES: Redemption?
LILAH: Angel's influence, I suppose. The whole not giving up on someone, no matter how far he — or she — has fallen.
And Wes emerges from his gut-wrenching experience disposing of Lilah's body declaring, "We're going to bring Angelus in alive....We're caught in the middle of a maelstrom, and we can't get out without our champion. We're gonna save Angel," putting on his coat and heading out to get the only person who can help him do that. ("Salvage," AtS 4x13)
Angel inspires him, makes him dig ever deeper in himself to find the spark of hope shrouded in the darkness of his own soul. Because that's what Angel is about. And Wes is all about Angel. Bring on the catnip!
All of which is just a warm up for what you say about the end of season five. ::sob:: My Wes! My Angel!