Tallgent's Thoughts on "Unleashed"

Pretty low-key episode that ended in a nicely full-circle way, even if the characterizations were, um, kinda off.

So to kick things off.

1. Again, loved the full-circularity of Angel and company gathering for a "picnic" and then actually gathering at Angel's for an honest-to-goodness Chinese food picnic.

2. Not sure where I place Spike here. I don't know whether we were supposed to be sick of him or empathize with him. I got "Pangs" vibes off of this one big time. More on that later.

3. Dr. Phlox! Dr. Phlox singing "Jesse's Girl!" Dr. Phlox being the main patsy! And to top it off, Werewolf Phlox! Heck, yeah!

4. Nina was serviceable, though I liked her rude introduction to the paranormal. The whole idea of what's considered "normal" changing after a freak accident cuts very close to me. More on that later.

5. And, once again, Boreanaz flunks chemistry.

6. For the first time the whole potentiality of a CSI vibe really hit me.

7. Nice parallel between Nina and Angel and their similar plights. Though to be fair, Liam kind of asked for his.

8. And it's nice to see Gunn still be Gunn, which was a lot of what this episode addressed. Nature and how it changes some things, but the underlying essence of who you are doesn't. Similar to what Giles told Willow way back when.

9. So then the question to ask is who we really are? And I have a feeling that it's gonna be Angel doing most of the asking.

10. Which leads me into Episode 8….but that's, yep, later.

11. And if you haven't done so, read Kly's review. Insightful as always.

12. Families are not constant, they are filled with change. Happily, there are additions, but the flip side is also a presence as well whether it come from nature, time, personal grievances, or just drifting off from lack of contact. And it was nice to see that through W& H bureaucracy and having to navigate through morally uneven terrain, that the gang still communicated. If not for the comfort than at least to know where everyone stands.

There have been some unnerving changes.

For one, Fred has been hanging with the wrong crowd and as admirable as her intentions are in believing that not everyone in her department is evil, she seems overconfident in being faithful to a crew that may no longer know the difference. As Wesley pointed out, she's been putting her faith in the wrong side. The AI crew should be the side to bank on, her dependable friends.

Would that were true.

But how much is that the case anymore? Gunn has radically changed himself and fully accepts that they all made deals. Nefarious deals. They all had to hand over a piece of themselves, their souls, their dignity, their sense of purpose, to gain what they have. And what they have gained is a chance to change W & H's mission statement. Prices have to be paid.

Angel knows this as well as anyone. And he's under the impression that one of the things up for payment is their friendship. He's now CEO. They work for him. They can advise and suggest, but it is ultimately his decision. Which is fine. But when they bring up personal matters, especially stuff he doesn't want to address, he doesn't have to listen to them. The boss never has to listen.

Family devolving into workmates—distant workmates. Not a good sign.

13. Nina, too, must deal with changes, and it was the strongest point of the episode to demonstrate that. So often, "Buffy" had always glossed over how truly traumatizing the sudden change of ordinary people thrust into extraordinary circumstances is. Did we ever see Buffy just inexplicably burst into tears after a routine night of slaying? Did we ever see Xander get moody when, say, he meets an old buddy and sees how tranquil and sedate his life is. And how happy his buddy is with that life? And what about Willow? Were their some moments when she wished she never had magical powers, especially after discovering what horrors she was capable of?

Through Nina we finally get a glimpse of how unfair supernatural life can be. Suddenly things that were mere observances must be taken into account. She can no longer see a full moon. She must keep herself in a cage. We've seen this before with Oz, but he was arguably an anti- social animal to begin with. Forced or not, he was used to it.

But Nina has a family, she has friends and in a sense she can never go back to that. The plight of having to deal with yourself as a monster, when before you were the most harmless creature on earth. Now, under a set of circumstances, you can become an unwilling killer?

Nina's predicament touches Angel in so many ways. Ironically, it is Nina's fear of being separate from humanity that makes Angel want to reconnect to his friends as friends, his family as family.

14. But once again Angel is being too easy on himself. Nina is a complete innocent, and Angel never was. Darla turning him set Liam free to do everything he ever wanted. Get back at the people who had always stamped his down. Free himself of every imposed inhibition. And Angelus never considered himself an animal. He told Spike that without the artistry of a kill, that's all a vampire is. An animal. Angelus believed he was monstrous, but he was never an animal.

So does the beast have a say in who you are? Nina discovers that, no, not really. Deep down inside she is still Nina. As for Angel, the demon will always be a part of him, but he too will always be Angel. For what keeps us who we are? Environment? Circumstance? Nature?

15. That is answered nicely in the second half as we see the gang as we know and love them best. Together. Working together as a team. Picking the other up when he's down. Providing solutions when there seem to be none. And beneath everything, beneath the ambiguity of their new situation, beneath the untrustworthiness pressing in around them from all sides, they still have each other and they can still perform exemplary.

So Wesley can still provide able backup and knowledge. Gunn can still kick ass. Fred is still a loyal and compassionate woman. And Angel— CEO Angel—can still do what it takes to help the helpless and save lives. Angel still has his team—his family—to remind him of who he is.

16. And Nina is reminded of this, too. I really liked how Nina and Angel both had their families to fall back on. Despite her own fears that nothing would ever stay the same again—and they won't. But despite all of that, family takes you in because that's what family is. That's what people in a family do. Nina does not have a new family because of her entrance into the paranormal. No, instead Angel and his friends are an extended family. But her flesh and blood, she learns, will always be her flesh and blood. And they will always welcome her home.

17. So it ends where it begins, except now the love and appreciation for the families each has is genuine. If this were a series finale it would be hokey and cheesy as hell, but triumphant.

But it's not.

There was one part of that family who was forgotten and what ultimately makes "Unleashed" ring (purposefully?) hollow.

18. Families are not constant. They are filled with change. And sometimes, people enter into your life that makes it harder. You don't feel a sense of obligation out of blood to help them. Or even consider them part of your family. You shun them.

And for Angel that someone is Spike.

So often he is used to being ignored as Klytaimnestra mentioned. And here it is no different. Spike's whiney way of stating may have been grating, but he's right. Nina by nature is not what she once was, and as much as Angel wants to save her from the change inflicted in her, he can't. So it's a fact that every full-moon she will turn into a mindless beast who hunts, and kills, and feeds.

But for Spike his very existence is on the line. And even if he can't tell Angel—or chooses not to—nevertheless, his family should care because he's family, unwanted or no.

So thank goodness for Fred, who even if she doesn't trust Spike or know Spike, makes true on her promise to help Spike. Because that is who she is.

And when it comes to Spike, Angel has forgotten who he is. Lorne points this out early when he tells Angel that Spike isn't his enemy anymore. It doesn't matter whether he likes him or not, that's his prerogative. But like or dislike, he owes it to Spike and to himself to help him. But he refuses.

And, ironically, this is where Nina succeeds. She does not forget her real family despite the potential alienation that may come because she is a werewolf. Angel has forgotten his real family, the oldest one he's got.

SPOILERS FOR NEXT WEEK

Angel redeems himself somewhat in next week's episode when he learns how serious Spike's ordeal really is. But even this could be tainted. I don't think Angel will be too shocked by Spike's being pulled into hell, even if he is a champion as deemed by Buffy. To Angel it's all too typical, probably deserving, and further evidence that Spike is irredeemably evil with or without a soul..

EPISODE 8 SPOILERS

Which leads me finally into "Destiny." ….I really think we need to see how this plays out. Fury episodes are always like this. In this case both vampires end up looking bad and yet perhaps exorcised of their demons by the end. Angel might be finally ready to start anew with Spike.

Because that's the issue here. Baggage. Pent-up emotions and betrayals and disappointments from both ends. I'm beginning to understand why Whedon had Spike "unloved" by the end of Chosen. Personally, I don't think he was unloved, but he himself believed he was unloved. And it would have all been fine if he just stayed dead and rested.

But being brought back and confronted with the one person who has taken everything away from him that had meaning, that was his. Now I do understand. Because in Spike's mind, he just can't catch a break. Angel's got everything. And we learn here that he has ALWAYS gotten everything.

Maybe that's the price to pay for unconditionally loving someone else. Don't expect to be loved in return. "The Prayer of St. Francis" set Spike up very well at the end of Grave.

Or even simpler and more ironic, love isn't brains; it's blood. It should make sense that Spike would be loved, but he's not and that's that. Ramses and some other Sparklies have all pointed out how Spike's experiences are resembling Buffy's quite a lot. But that doesn't necessarily translate to love, I guess.

Even when Spike went and did what he did, Angel is still the top dog gaining the love. But here is where things change and whether or not you may agree with how he is portrayed, it is borne of decades of frustration.

Even his actions to Harmony seem to echo this frustration. He's finally solid and, by God, he's gonna let everyone know that Willy Boy is back. So lecherous rogue though he is, I wonder if that's part of the reason he may win the Shanshu. Because we may not see the best of humanity in Spike with Harmony, but we do see him at his most Falstaffianly human, celebrating being in the flesh by partaking of the flesh.

And Spike reacts with all too human jealousy at Angel. Angel's jealousy is more righteous. I should deserve the Shanshu. I deserve to be champion. I deserve Buffy. And I deserve Buffy's love.

But I think based on the flashbacks and Spike's "human" emotions, we are supposed to side with Spike here. All he wants is his moment where he's not in Angel's shadow. Where he can say, "I did this. And did it because I could. Not because Angel could. I did it." Angel has his moment in the sun thanks to W & H, literally. Now it's Spike's turn.

Perhaps, that's why we didn't see the shot of Spike just looking at the daylight in thankful awe out of Wolfram's windows. Because Spike's tragedy is he's never seen the sun. He's had the sun coming out of him, but he's never had that moment where it's him and only him. Not him and Dru. Not him and Angel. Not even him and Buffy. Just Spike.

And I think finally Angel gets this. I'm hoping that we see two former foes, jealous rivals, and reluctant teammates become equals. Angel calls for Spike to stay with him. Then asks him politely, probably the first time he's done this. And Spike respects his wish. Because it wasn't a command it was a request. That's all Spike wants. To be treated as someone worthy of respect.

Now about Spike beating Angel, I hope that this isn't some kind of "Rocky" movie on the making. You know, Angel has to go back to where he started with Wesley playing the Mickey role.

Wesley Mickey: "Do you wanna lose to that peroxided fruitcake and have to listen to him brag about beating ya! You're a Champion, ya bum! Now go and chase that chicken!!"

If that's the case then maybe Spike is not so much the ideological Big Bad as he is Big Bad based on plot. In other words, we're supposed to root against Spike just because he's Angel's main adversary for the prize. So if you remember that Rocky did beat Apollo Creed after all was said and done, this doesn't bode well for Spike.

So who would be Adrienne? Eve?

Instead, I was watching "League of Their Own" and seeing the competition between Kit and Dottie and how it reconciled itself. I don't think it was with Kit beating Dottie's tag to win the game, but with the prologue.

An older Dottie tells her grandson to let the younger brother win once and a while. That showed that Dottie learned her lesson.

For Spike to finally, truly come into his own and for Angel to become more whole, Angel must allow Spike his moment, just as Buffy did. That way there is an acknowledgment that, yes, Angel does accept Spike as a champion. And as for the Shanshu, maybe it's not who deserves it more but who's more willing to give it up that will reveal who will gain it.

We'll see.

Suddenly, based on a variation of Season Four's Initiative's mindset and X-Men's "God Loves, Man Kills", Smallville's quality improved by leaps and bounds. And as for Lionel Luthor and Chloe, the poor girl's already figuratively slept in his bed. But soon she may be resting in a grave both figuratively and literally.

All R.E.M. in next week's episode. Now ask any of the regular teenage viewers if they care.

As for me, hell yeah!

Kill Bill. Think samurai mixed with Spaghetti Westerns. And Tarantino's one twisted mother. God bless him.

Going for the Marlins. Hate the Yankees.

Angel looks really bloody good next week.

But pretty bloody bad for William.

And as for the whole "Angel" sans SMG thing, I will retire any Spuffy stuff for the time being unless there is any textual or subtextual evidence in the episode to suggest otherwise.

So it'll probably be more a Michael Jordan retirement than Larry Bird.

Till next time.

Tallgent