Angel (1999–2004): Season 5, Episode 22 - Not Fade Away - full transcript
In the series finale, Angel reveals that his questionable moral behavior has been part of a bigger plan: to destroy The Circle of the Black Thorn and show the Senior Partners that the power of good can still make a difference. Wesley struggles with helping Illyria adapt to the world, scolding her for her attempts to take on Fred's form. As Gunn continues his quest of self-discovery, Lorne becomes more aware of the lack of happiness in the world. Harmony attempts to seduce Marcus Hamilton for information, Lindsey makes an important decision regarding his alliance, and Eve continues to deal with being mortal. As Spike comes closer to understanding the nature of heroism, Angel pays a visit to the one person he truly loves. On Angel's bidding, the gang goes out and spends each day as if it were their last...
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ANNOUNCER:
Previously:
LINDSEY: To be a Black Thorn
is to be the partners' instrument.
Wouldn't make the radar
till he killed his lieutenant.
IZZY:
Welcome to the fold.
GUNN:
We know what you been doing.
Involvare.
- All right, we have six minutes.
- Till what?
The glamour collapses. Anyone outside
thinks we're at each other's throats.
I'm talking about killing every...
...single member...
...of the Black Thorn.
You need to decide...
...if that's worth dying for.
- I'm in.
- I'm in.
Then we're all agreed.
Yeah. We're all one big happy
Manson family.
GUNN: All at once?
ANGEL: Can't.
Circle of the Black Thorn
is the most powerful group...
...in this plane of existence.
Together, they'd vaporize us.
Separated, they're just demons.
- When do we make our move?
- Soon. Meantime, keep up the infighting.
Circle needs to believe
we're coming apart at the seams.
- What about Illyria?
- What about her?
Move like this, wouldn't hate
having Blue Thunder in our corner.
Can't trust she'll come down
on our side.
She's housebroken.
She was babysitting Drogyn...
- She was with Drogyn?
SPIKE: The two were getting on.
- You have to get over there.
WESLEY: Why?
Drogyn's dead.
- And how do you know that, Kreskin?
- Because I killed him.
What? You son of a...
Sorry. Didn't know you were
in conference.
I was just making
a closing statement...
...unless somebody didn't hear me.
Up to you too, Wes.
Illyria's your responsibility.
Make sure she doesn't get twitchy.
Well, you've got yourself a problem.
- Nothing you have to worry about.
- Not me. Your new friends...
...the Black Thorn.
They're very concerned.
Tell them to send me a memo. I'm busy.
Trying to run a business.
You can tell them yourself.
They want to see you right now.
No rest for the wicked.
Not Fade Away
WESLEY:
Illyria.
SPIKE:
Bloody hell.
Illyria, can you hear me?
SPIKE:
Who did this to you?
It was Hamilton.
Took Drogyn.
LORNE:
Straight to his buddy Angel.
I'm telling you, our fearless leader
has fearlessly lost it.
No part of this makes any sense.
We could be next.
I don't think
we're being monitored here.
I'm not playing to the crowd, Gunn.
I'm telling you, I still don't trust the man.
We don't have to trust him.
We just gotta pray the Black Circle does.
CIRCLE MEMBERS:
The world's woe now convene.
All is bound by the Circle
and its thorns.
Invisible, inviolate.
We, the seeds of the storm...
... at the center of the world's woe
now convene.
The Circle does not abide secrets.
Which is interesting for a secret society.
Remember your place, vampire.
ANGEL:
My place is in the Circle.
This morning's insurrection
did not go unnoticed.
- You mean my people.
- They tried to kill you.
An embarrassing affront,
to say the least.
And a stepping stone to disaster.
You have ascended, Angel.
You should not be burdened
with this kind of...
[GASPING]
Sebassis! Your manservant...
...has become tangled
in my bodily fluids again.
[YELPS]
My people are the problem?
- Some of them, yes.
ANGEL: Some?
- Who missed the cut?
- We're interested in Mr. Wyndam-Pryce.
He seems intriguingly unstable.
Mr. Gunn, on the other hand, does not.
Which is a pity.
He had so much potential.
He is not, however,
our greatest concern.
If your next words out of your mouth
are, "Kill Spike"...
...we just might have to kiss.
Spike is not the threat.
You are.
You've proven your loyalty
to the Circle.
Regrettably, there's something
stronger than loyalty.
Hope.
ANGEL: This is the shanshu prophecy.
- The original.
"The vampire with a soul will play
a pivotal role in the Apocalypse."
VAIL: "And as a reward,
will become human."
SEBASSIS: A paranoid person might
think you're trying to manipulate us...
...in an attempt to fulfill this prophecy.
- I have no desire to become human.
- Oh, good.
Then you won't mind
signing that pesky future away.
Through that document,
the prophecy can be undone.
Your signature there
will remove any opportunity...
...that you will ever earn
your once-precious humanity.
Will you sign it?
Of course.
- Ah!
- It's gotta be signed in blood.
[GROANING]
Um... Angel?
Just wondering where everybody is.
You ever miss it?
You returned, what...
...five years ago?
Oh, that.
Yeah. Graduation night.
I don't know. It's weird.
Part of me always knew life would end
after high school.
I was very popular, you know.
The whole "golden years" thing.
I don't remember what it was like...
...being human.
It was too long ago.
Not so great.
Zits, dandruff, mortality.
Although I do remember...
...my heart...
...and the way it would thump when I
kissed a really hot boy for the first time.
That was cool.
Angel...
...something's going down, isn't it.
And everybody's in on it except me.
- You're not a part of this.
- I could be. I'm your assistant, after all.
I could, I don't know,
assist you or something.
- Hamilton.
- Hamilton?
I need to get some things done,
pay a quiet visit to Archduke Sebassis.
I'd like to keep our liaison
out of the loop.
- Out of the loop? That's where I live.
- Distract him. I don't care how.
Throw some punches at him,
some files.
Just keep him busy
for as long as you can.
- What are you gonna do now?
- One more thing I don't want to.
You gotta be joking.
Why on God's green and verdant earth
would I trust you...
...or you trust me?
Because it's not about us, Lindsey.
It's about them.
The Wolf, the Ram, the Hart. The ones
we've been fighting against forever.
- We can't beat them.
- Maybe they're not there to be beat.
Maybe they're there to be fought.
Maybe fighting them...
...is what makes human beings
so remarkably strong.
LINDSEY: You're not talking about
the kind of strength human beings have.
This is not about coveting
your neighbor's ass...
...your buddy's job,
the last Mallomar in the box...
You're talking about fighting flesh...
...and something that passes for
blood demons with enormous power.
- And they will mow you down.
- Maybe...
...but I keep thinking that once
this world was theirs, and now it's not.
Isn't it?
ANGEL:
Give me the "Hell on Earth" speech.
I know how bad things are,
how much sway the demons hold.
I happen to be the greatest
mass murderer you've ever met.
Never given you props for that?
There'll always be power,
there'll always be corruption.
- So again, I ask...
- It's not what I'm expected to do.
You're good in a fight.
Let's say we come up rolling sevens,
and this does go our way.
We tear up this firm,
someone's gonna have to step in.
I know that's what you want.
I'm more comfortable with
the thought of you in that position...
...than anyone else.
- The devil you know.
- That'd be you.
- What if you roll snake eyes?
You'll talk your way out of it.
Tell them I forced you to help me.
- Tell them I made my scary face.
- Believe it or not...
...I was actually talking about you.
I mean, you care
about being squashed like a bug?
You haven't heard a word I've said.
For, like, years back.
Well, you get a little speechy,
all right, and I breeze out.
I got the Cliff Notes.
Honor and humanity. Absolute good.
I heard it.
So here's the plot twist: I'm in.
Why?
Everybody goes on about your soul.
"Vampire with a soul."
Nobody ever mentions the fact that...
...you're really a vampire
with big brass testes.
This is gonna be a circus.
I mean, win or lose,
you're about to pick the nastiest fight...
...since mankind drop-kicked the last
demon out of this dimension.
And that you don't do without me.
If you want me, I'm on your team.
I want you, Lindsey.
Thinking about rephrasing that.
Yeah, think I'd be more comfortable
if you did.
GUNN: How's she doing?
- She needs more care...
...than I can provide here.
I have to get some supplies from home.
Watch over her for me.
Fat lot of good that's gonna do
if Hamilton makes another house call.
ANGEL:
Hamilton did this?
- You didn't know?
- He brought Drogyn.
To the Circle, so you could kill him
to prove you'd gone over.
Say, any other tips on how to be a hero
we could share with the kids at home?
I had no choice.
They'd have killed us both.
GUNN: We'd just like to know
if they need the rest of us as proof.
Pick us off one by one?
No, they won't.
We're killing them all tonight.
I want you all to do something for me,
for yourselves.
- Take the day off.
- What?
If we're planning to assassinate...
...the power elite of the Apocalypse,
shouldn't we be cowboying up?
We'll be ready, but today,
I want you guys to go out.
Live. Do whatever you want.
Live the day like it's your last...
... because it probably is.
[SINGING "IF I RULED THE WORLD"]
Hi.
[SPIKE GASPS]
- Nice crowd.
- Can get pretty ugly in here...
...I gotta warn you.
- What I'm after.
Couple more shots of courage,
and I may make my presence felt.
BARTENDER:
Your funeral.
Well, I never had a proper one.
[DOG BARKING]
- Charles.
- Annie.
How you doing?
ANNIE:
Pretty good, I guess.
Got a bunch of furniture donated.
Gotta move it to the new shelter.
- Still fighting the good fight, huh?
- That's the drill. How are things uptown?
More fight, less good.
Seen Rondell or the guys?
Hit some of the old spots,
didn't see anyone.
They should be around.
Said they'd help me haul this stuff.
You know how it is, though.
Things come up.
You got much vamp trouble these days?
Never goes away for good. The boys
help out, though. We're pretty safe.
Gives me time to concentrate
on the little things.
Crack, runaways, abuse victims...
...psychotics, the old gang.
- I remember.
- It's not so bad.
We've had some really decent donations,
and it's helping.
We actually have
a part-time paid psychiatric staff.
What if I told you it doesn't help?
What would you do if you found out
none of it matters? That it's controlled...
...by forces more powerful and uncaring
than we can conceive...
...and they will never
let it get better down here.
What would you do?
I'd get this truck packed
before the new stuff gets here.
- Wanna give me a hand?
- I do.
GUNN: One, two, three.
- I don't understand.
- It'll help you heal faster.
- lf you really plan to join us in this fight...
ILLYRIA: I will fight.
I've been broken and humiliated.
I will return in kind
every blow, every sting.
I will shred my adversaries.
Pull their eyes out just enough...
...to turn them towards
their mewing, mutilated faces.
You're a very inspirational person.
Have I mentioned that?
You are one I don't understand.
And I would be different because...?
Angel told you to do
whatever you wanted...
...today.
Tonight, you may all be dead.
Yes. Good point.
I am not what you want.
No.
- Then why...
- Don't I go off...
...and have one last perfect day?
Smell the flowers, or skydive.
Or, have a go
with Mistress Spanks-a-lot.
Or, whatever the hell one is
supposed to do in these situations.
- Mistress who?
- There is no perfect day for me, Illyria.
There is no sunset or painting
or finely aged Scotch...
...that's going to sum up my life
and make tonight any...
There is nothing that I want.
You want to be with Fred.
Yes.
Yes, that's where I'd be if I could.
I could assume her shape. Make her
come alive again this once for you...
...but you would never ask me to.
First lesson a Watcher learns
is to separate truth from illusion.
Because in the world of magics,
it's the hardest thing to do.
The truth is that Fred is gone.
To pretend anything else
would be a lie.
And since I don't actually
intend to die tonight...
...I won't accept a lie.
Is it better?
It's better.
SPIKE:
My soul is wrapped in harsh repose
Midnight descends
In raven-colored clothes
But soft, behold!
A sunlight beam
Cutting a swath of glimmering gleam
My heart expands
'Tis grown a bulge in it
Inspired by your beauty
Effulgent
MAN:
Yeah!
MAN: That was great, man.
SPIKE: Thank you.
That was for Cecily.
All right. This next one's called
"The Wanton Folly of Me Mum."
- So she's a werewolf.
- And an art student.
She does this great pottery.
She made me a vase.
But it's the wolf part that joneses you.
There's some full-moon love,
am I right? Fur flying?
ANGEL:
Huh?
Vampires really don't understand
the concept of jokes.
I understand jokes.
I was at the first taping
of The Carol Burnett Show.
Tim Conway was on fire.
It was special.
I know you're my father.
You got your memories back.
Yeah, they're mixed in there
with the new ones.
Kind of like a bad dream I had,
I guess.
A very strange and violent...
...at times,
inappropriately erotic dream.
You probably have a lot of questions.
No.
I don't want to make a thing.
I get what you did, you know...
...and I'm grateful.
That's as far as I want to take it, okay?
So, what are you working on?
I'm applying for an internship.
I'm supposed to write up a resume.
- Need any help?
- Have you ever written a resume before?
- Ever?
- No...
...but I have very nice handwriting.
- You girl.
- What are you thinking about?
- Angel.
You simply couldn't have said
a worse thing than that.
Well, you know what I mean.
I do.
Nice to know you're one
of the few things in my life...
...he didn't get his mitts on,
you know?
I don't believe Angel trusts you.
It ain't about that, love.
It's about what he needs.
Right now, he needs every hand
he can get.
As long as I'm fighting on his side,
he'll play me fair.
Smoke clears,
then we'll see where we stand.
You sure you can handle the Sahrvin?
I'm going with Karaoke Boy,
how tough can they be?
- With Lorne?
- What's up?
You worried about his reading?
Said your future was gonna be crappy?
He's probably telling you
just to mess with you.
Yeah, probably.
If this thing does go down...
...I want you
to stay the hell away from it.
I'm not gonna
let anything happen to you.
Damn... Girl, you gave up
immortality for me.
It's like something out of a fairy tale.
We don't live in a fairy tale.
ANGEL: This may come out
a little pretentious, but...
...one of you will betray me.
Wes.
Oh. Can I deny you three times?
Vail's the sorcerer of the bunch.
You know that game.
You've seen his place.
He believes you'd
make a play for my spot.
- That's not very flattering.
- It'll get you in the door.
Illyria.
Izzerial the devil and three other
members of the Circle...
...dine together every night.
- I'll make trophies of their spines.
Good to have you on the team.
- Gunn.
GUNN: Yo.
Your friend Senator Brucker
has a campaign office in West L.A.
You know she's pure hellspawn,
and she surrounds herself with vampires.
I was hoping for vamps.
Haven't dusted enough this year.
- No offense.
- It's all right.
ANGEL: Spike.
- Right.
First off, I'm not wearing any amulets.
No bracelets, brooches, beads,
pendants, pins or rings.
Fine. All you need is a rattle.
- The baby.
- And the legion of the Fell Brethren.
Return him to his mother
and dismember the foster family.
Done and done.
Sebassis has over 40,000 demons
at his command.
Other members of the council
fear him.
He's the key player, so he's mine.
- Lorne.
LORNE: I'm not a fighter, Angelwings.
I've never had the stomach for it.
Looks like I'm your weak link.
I need you to back up Lindsey.
- Can't believe you brought him in.
- He's part of this.
It'll be just as dangerous for him as
it will be for everyone else on our team.
Mmm.
This just gets better
and better every day.
Anyway,
about Angel's secret plan...
Guess we're not going
back to the office after.
The alley just north of Hyperion.
Everyone who makes it meets there.
We do any damage at all, the senior
partners are gonna rain hell on us.
So be ready.
Hey, Ange,
I'll do this last thing for you...
...for us, but then I'm out.
And you won't find me
in the alley after.
Hell, you won't find me at all.
Do me a favor. Don't try.
Day went by fast.
Try not to die.
You are not unpleasant to my eyes.
Thanks. You...
...try not to die too.
Later, then.
What do you think all this means
for that Shanshu bugaboo?
If we make it through this,
does one of us get to be a real boy?
Who you kidding?
We're not gonna make it through.
Well, long as it's not you.
I'm curious.
What makes you think
I won't kill you where you sit?
Because you're smarter
than the others.
Smart enough to have your doubts
about Angel.
And rightly so.
He's...
...unpredictable and worse.
- He has a conscience.
- You make a very persuasive argument.
Wait. It gets better.
[BABY CRYING]
BRUCKER: I can't officially comment
on that, but off the record...
...if Mr. Connolly's confession is true...
...he's a very sick man
who needs professional help.
One of the goals for my next term
is stronger federal guidelines.
[DEMONS SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]
[CLANGING]
[DEMONS SHOUTING]
[KEYS JINGLING]
Harmony, where's Hamilton?
Records room.
Been keeping him busy like you said.
Good. Gotta stop by the penthouse,
but have my car ready.
Just make sure Hamilton stays busy.
No problemo, boss.
[DOOR SLAMS]
HAMILTON:
Going out?
Why? You wanna order in?
I hear you already have plans.
Gonna take that
when you visit Sebassis?
Why don't I think that's a gift?
[GROANING]
- Oh, my God.
- Hamilton.
He's not my boyfriend.
I mean, I certainly didn't betray you.
- Drop the act, Harm.
- It's not an act. I'm really this nervous.
I knew you'd turn on me.
I just didn't know when.
- What do you mean, you knew?
- Loyalty really isn't high on your list.
Is that right? I'll have you know
I am damn loyal, dumb-ass.
You betrayed me. You are betraying me
now even as we are talking.
Because you never have
any confidence in me.
- No, because you have no soul.
- I would if you had confidence in me.
- Get out of the building.
- Are you firing me?
Among other things, yes.
- Think I could get a recommendation?
- Yeah, okay.
But see, if you don't live
is the other thing...
- It's already in the desk.
- You're the best.
[DOOR OPENS]
Good luck. Um...
May the best man win?
- So.
- Yeah.
- Did that hurt at all?
- Little bit.
Ah!
But it's all part of the job.
[GROANING]
The senior partners have expended an
awful lot of time and resources on you.
Personally, I would have
told them not to bother.
You're gutter trash.
That's where you should've stayed.
Drinking and whoring your way
through an unremarkable life.
But the fates stepped in
and made you a vampire.
With a soul, no less.
A champion,
a hero of the people.
And yet you still managed
to fail everyone around you.
Doyle, Cordelia, Fred.
They're all gone.
It's time you followed.
Did you really think you were
going to kill Archduke Sebassis?
No. I think I already did.
I spiked his drink.
I figured you were the one
I needed to be alone with.
Why? So I could kill you?
Well, I thought the fight
would be going a little better.
Oh.
Hello, junior. Name's Spike.
And lucky for you, I'm on a strict diet.
Place the Holy Vessel
back in the bassinet.
Right.
Your influence on this world is over.
The rest of the Circle
will wither and die...
...like you're about to.
VAIL: You don't know who you're
dealing with, do you, boy?
[GASPING]
I mean, really.
I crap better magic than this.
Now, then. Let me show you
what a real wizard can do.
Why do you keep fighting?
You signed away your Shanshu.
There's nothing in it for you.
People who don't care
about anything...
...never understand people who do.
Yeah, but we won't care.
Care about that, Dress-For-Less?
- What the hell are you doing here?
- Come on.
You drop by for a cup of coffee,
and the world's not ending? Please.
Families are protected against
pedophiles and other undesirables.
Even in the United States gov...
Looks like you boys are gonna
need to find a new candidate.
And you wonder why folks don't vote.
Those guys were chumps.
LORNE:
Now they're chunks.
Demon strength or no,
you're quite the master swordsman.
I couldn't have done it without
that high note in "MacArthur Park."
- Slays them every time.
- Any word on the rest of the team?
For all I know,
we are the rest of the team.
I haven't heard squat.
- That's weird.
- They'll call.
No, I mean, me saying "team."
And meaning it.
- I kind of like the feeling.
- Yeah, today.
You're really done with them?
It isn't my kind of work anymore.
It's unsavory.
- Gee, I think it's just getting interesting.
- Yeah, I bet you do.
You don't trust me.
You don't think a man can change?
It's not about what I think.
This was Angel's plan.
Come on.
- I could sing for you.
- I've heard you sing.
[GUNSHOTS]
Why...? Why did you...?
One last job.
You're not part of the solution,
Lindsey.
And you never will be.
You killing me?
A flunky?
I'm not just...
Angel kills me.
You...
Angel...
Good night, folks.
VAIL: Did you really think
you had a shot at this?
I can bend the very fabric of reality
to my will.
Your parlor tricks
could never kill me, boy.
Then I'll just have to do this
the old-fashioned way.
Yes.
I suppose we will.
[GASPS]
Wesley.
This wound is mortal.
Aren't we all.
It was good that you came.
I killed all mine.
And I was...
Concerned?
I think so.
But I can't help.
You'll be dead within moments.
I know.
Would you like me to lie to you now?
Yes.
Thank you, yes.
Hello there.
FRED:
Wesley.
My Wesley.
Fred.
I missed you.
It's gonna be okay.
It won't hurt much longer...
...and then you'll be where I am.
[SOBBING]
We'll be together.
[FRED SNIFFLES]
l... I love you.
I love you.
My love.
Oh, my love.
How very touching
his meaningless death was...
...but this fight was never for mortals.
Take your best shot, little girl.
What is with you people?
Connor!
Let me say this as clearly as I can.
You cannot beat me.
I am a part of them.
The Wolf, Ram and Hart.
Their strength flows through my veins.
My blood is filled
with their ancient power.
Can you pick out the one word there
you probably shouldn't have said?
[GROANING]
Wow.
You really are full of it.
What was that you were saying
about ancient power?
You don't really think
you're gonna win this, do you?
You don't stand a chance.
We are legion. We are forever.
I guess forever...
...just got a hell of a lot shorter.
[MOANS]
Is he dead?
Yeah. He's dead.
[GLASS SHATTERING]
That's not good, is it?
Wolfram & Hart.
They're taking the gloves off.
- What do we do?
- You go home.
- This is my fight.
- That's some serious macho... Ah!
Go home now.
- They'll destroy you.
- As long as you're okay, they can't.
Go.
[RUMBLING]
What the hell is going on?
We're getting kicked out of the garden.
Where's Lindsey? Where is he?
He's not coming for you.
- You.
- Time to go.
Go where?
SPIKE:
Boo.
ANGEL: Anyone else?
- Not so far.
You feel the heat?
It's coming.
Finally got ourselves a decent brawl.
GUNN: Damn! How'd I know
the fang boys would pull through?
You're lucky we're on the same side,
dogs, because I was on fire tonight.
My game was tight.
Supposed to wear that red stuff
on the inside, Charlie-boy.
Any word on Wes?
Wesley's dead.
I'm feeling grief for him.
I can't seem to control it.
[CROWD SHOUTING]
I wish to do more violence.
Well, wishes just happen
to be horses today.
Among other things.
[DRAGON SHRIEKS]
Okay. You take the 30,000
on the left...
You're fading.
You'll last 10 minutes at best.
[SHOUTING AND SNARLING]
Then let's make them memorable.
- And in terms of a plan?
- We fight.
Bit more specific?
Well, personally,
I kind of want to slay the dragon.
Let's go to work.
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