Review of Episode 22, Season 5 "Not Fade Away" Five seasons, 112 episodes, countless battles, prophecies, victories and losses and it all came down to the one last stand the loyal Whedon-verse fans may ever witness Angel and his brave team fight again in, "Not Fade Away". As co-written by Jeffrey Bell and Joss Whedon, the series finale is a violent, heartbreaking denouement for a series that has always been a bit tough to explain, but addictively entertaining. The Angel creative machine, both on and behind the screen, rose to the occasion of leaving the series on a classic note, never veering from the message that has been at the heart of the show since its inception, "The fight is never over." The final episode was often times bleak, without the hope amply displayed in Buffy's finale, but it gave closure, in theme if not action, without sacrificing its proverbial soul. There may be many fans unsatisfied with the open-ended nature of the final fade to black, but if you've ever worshipped at the altar of Joss, its impossible really to have expected anything more tidy than what was given and in the end it felt right. Speeding by at a frenetic pace, "Not Fade Away" literally picked up where "Power Play" left off and barreled towards its bloody conclusion. Spike, Wes, Gunn and Lorne all willingly heeding Angel's last call to battle and accepting their assignments to take out each individual member of the Senior Partner's Circle of the Black Thorn. Understanding the gravity of the tasks at hand, Angel tells them all to go out and spend one last day doing what they most want in what is probably, their final hours. In a quietly powerful montage, Gunn returns to the streets from whence he came and connected with Anne (Julia Lee), who embodies the metaphor of the series personified in the flesh. Lorne sings one more time; Spike sweetly musters the strength to read his poetry in front of a crowd of thugs who actually appreciate his art and the courage it takes to embrace accepting who you are; and Angel reunites with the now happy Connor who is busy preparing to take advantage of living the promising life his father provided for him. The only person without a perfect day left to savor is Wesley, having already lost Fred, so he chooses to administer to a wounded Illyria, reinforcing the uncertain future of a warrior without anything to fight for anymore. Emotional without being maudlin, it was rewarding to see these fallible heroes accepting their fates and coming to peace with their pasts. The rest of the episode is a flurry of violence as we watch all the cleverly choreographed machinations in bringing down the Black Thorn members either succeed or fail. Even side characters like Lindsey, Eve and Harmony are given their closure. Lindsey makes a surprising alliance with Angel in exchange for assuming the reigns at W&H at battles end. Harmony reminds us of her true nature - a vampire without a soul to guide her loyalty and becomes Angel's betrayer to Hamilton. And Eve loses everything that was important to her in the ruins of the place she once commanded. The overall narrative flies along with tight focus and the action scenes, as always, are exceptional but it's the quiet moments littered amongst the fray that get to the heart of what this show is about. The entire cast is marvelous and all of them deliver at least one goosebump inducing moment as they passionately service their characters one last time. Gunn shines, in a beautifully nuanced turn by J August, as he returns to form coming full circle as a redeemed man who bravely flies into battle and still stands up for a final fight even as his life blood weeps from his chest. Lorne making his final stand - killing for the greater good only to walk away from the fight forever with the broken spirit of someone who has seen and done too much for the greater good. Angel and Hamilton exchanging brutal blows and words about the nature of the fight where evil will never care about how much good sacrifices and then having Connor return to help his dad save the day one more time. But the show reaches its perfect moment when Wes loses his battle with Vail and he lies mortally wounded. Illyria comes to him with the foreign impulse of "concern" and stays with him as he finally leaves this Earth he no longer wants to be part of. After losing Doyle, Cordelia and Fred to the mission, Wes is the next hero to fall in their war against evil and in his devastating final moments we are strikingly reminded of what an immense journey he has taken. Over six years, Wes achieved Mutant Enemy's most astonishing character progression going from geek Watcher to dark hero in an arc that was so plausible and convincing that his last moments accepting the lie of Fred's visage from Illyria to make his death more palpable is probably one the most painful moments to watch in the history of the Buffy-verse simply because it felt so real. The incomparable Alexis Denisof and Amy Acker made that scene achieve unbearable heights of emotion giving an honorable goodbye to an indelible character. Granted the episode wasn't perfect, Harm got off far too easy, Eve was given too much time and Lindsey's return felt underdeveloped despite a death that was ultimately fitting. And the Shanshu prophecy, which was given so much reference and attention in the past, proved to just be a disappointing but understandable MacGuffin in Angel's path to redemption. Small quibbles when almost everything else was so good. And so the last moments found our surviving heroes, Angel, Spike, Gunn and Illyira bloodied outside the Hyperion alley - successful in their quest, but about to pay dearly as expected. Borrowing heavily from such cinematic classics as The Godfather, The Wild Bunch and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, the heroes willingly walk into the face of the hellions unleashed by the Senior Partners in retaliation for their deeds. With a final swipe of swords, Angel leads the unflinching group once more saying, "Let's get to work." With such a dire situation, the odds of their survival look slim and so it seems like a fool's folly and a huge waste for them to even try - but then they are a different breed from those who would balk at such a fate. They are heroes and better than the throngs who would never even think of doing what they do, so if this is how they choose to go out - who are we to question how they end their fight? A sad and unsettling way to end? Yes. But also appropriate and fitting for what Angel has always been about, I say yes, even through my intense pride and tears. I give it... Review by Staff Writer, Phoenix

CoA Stakes Rating Guide   = Disappointing, stake it, bury it!     = Not too bad, Lacking a few graves.       = Typical Dark Avenger saves the day Saga.         = Better still, Quality Headstones.           = Outstanding! Reward it with mortality!

Vail: You have ascended, Angel. You should not be burdened with this kind of--(gasps) Aah! Sebassis! Your manservant has become entangled in my bodily fluids again! (Angel pushes the slaveboy) Slaveboy: Eeeep! Vail: We are most interested in Mr. Wyndam-Price. He seems intriguingly unstable. Senator Brucker: Mr. Gunn, on the other hand, does not, which is a pity. He had so much potential. Sebassis: He is not, however, our greatest concern. Angel: If the next words out of your mouth are kill Spike, we just might have to kiss. Angel: You haven't heard a word I've said. For, like, years back. Lindsey: Well, you get a little speechy, all right? 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. Angel: Why? Lindsey: 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 the 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. Angel: I want you, Lindsey. I'm thinking about rephrasing that. Lindsey: Yeah, I think I'd be more comfortable if you did. Gunn: What if I told you it doesn't help? What would you do if you found out none of it matters? That it's all 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? Annie: I'd get this truck packed before this new stuff gets here. Wanna give me a hand? Gunn: I do. Wesley: 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. Illyria: You want to be with Fred. Wesley: Yes. Yes, that's where I'd be if I could. Illyria: I could assume her shape, make her come alive again this once for you. But you would never ask me to. Wesley: The 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. Connor: I know you're my father. Angel: You got your memories back. Connor: Yeah, they're mixed in there with the new ones. Kind of like, uh...a bad dream I had, I guess. A very strange and violent, at times, inappropriately erotic...dream. Angel: You probably have a lot of questions. Connor: No. I don't want to make a thing. I get what you did. You know...I'm grateful. That's as far as I want to take it...OK? Lorne: Hey, Angel I, I'll do this last thing for you, for us...but then I'm out, and you won't find me in the alley afterwards. Hell, you won't find me at all. Do me a favor. Don't try. Spike: What do you think all this means for that Shanshu bugaboo? If we make it through, does one of us get to be a real boy? Angel: Who are you kidding? We're not gonna make it through. Spike: Well, long as it's not you. Angel: Get out of the building. Harmony: Are you firing me? Angel: Among other things, yes. Harmony: Do you think I could get a recommendation? Angel: Yeah, OK. Harmony: But see, if you don't so much live as the other thing-- Angel: It's already in the desk. Harmony: You're the best. Angel: What the hell are you doing here? Connnor: Come on. You drop by for a cup of coffee, and the world's not ending? Please. Lindsey: You don't think a man can change? Lorne: It's not about what I think. This was Angel's plan. Lindsey: Come on. I could sing for you. Lorne: I've heard you sing. (shoots him) Lindsey: Why--why did you... Lorne: One last job. You're not part of the solution, Lindsey. You never will be. Lindsey: You kill me? A flunky?! I'm not just...Angel...kills me. You...Angel... Lorne: (sighs) Good night, folks. Illyira: You'll be dead within moments. Wesley: I know. Illyria: Would you like me to lie to you now? Wesley: Yes. Thank you. Yes. (Illyria changes into Fred) Hello there. Fred: Oh, Wesley. My Wesley. Wesley: Fred. (whispering) I've missed you. Fred: (kisses him) It's gonna be OK. It won't hurt much longer, and then you'll be where I am. (crying) We'll be together. Wesley: I--I love you. Fred: I love you. My love. Oh, my love. Gunn: Any word on Wes? Illyria: Wesley's dead. I'm feeling grief for him. I can't seem to control it. I wish to do more violence. Spike: Well, wishes just happen to be horses today. Angel: Among other things. Gunn: You take the 30,000 on the left. Illyria: You're fading. You'll last 10 minutes at best. Gunn: Then let's make it memorable. Spike: In terms of a plan? Angel: We fight. Spike: Bit more specific. Angel: Well, personally, I kind of want to slay the dragon. Let's get to work. Quotes by Staff Writer, BCangel