Discussion of 5.10 "Soul Purpose" (WB-US) - Airing 1/21/04

Lorne the Host:

Interesting thoughts about a power struggle.

Perhaps the senior partners figure they can't destroy Angel and his crew...so why not let them destroy each other?

Hm...
 
i really liked this episode. it still doesn't beat my fave of the season thus far, but it was a really good episode. and a wonderful directorial debut from out resident vampire with a soul DB. i was proud.

Anyone notice the Spike fight looked awfully similar to the Angel fight in City Of...? i suppose people did. It's pretty obvious.

I loved all of the dreams...esp the one where Fred is pulling things out of ANgel's stomach. I have a picture of the bear in my avie on another forum. It's so great. This was a very well crafted episode, but had enough storyline to further the arc (under dream episodes like restless, that had no point whatsoever)

i was very happy with this episode and can't wait to see teh next one
 
Originally posted by Lorne The Host
I have the idea that there will be a power struggle in w&h soon, what with two vampires with a soul and all, and we saw Wesley and Gunn argueing, also we know they went to Spike without telling Angel. Something tells me some will side up with Spike and others with Angel, not so sure with who will go which way, but it sort of makes sense. [/B]

The power struggle idea would make for some very interesting TV if it happened. As for this episode it didn't do much for me aside from Spike berating the woman after he saved her and when he saved Angel and then said "just helping the helpless." It did , however, highlight some of the tension and changes within the group. I think someone else mentioned that we may look back at this as an episode that really set the stage for the rest of the season and I agree with that. I might like it more if I watched it again but for now I would put it with "The Cautionary Tale of Numero Cinco" as my least favorite of the season.
 
Originally posted by DarthRosenberg
The power struggle idea would make for some very interesting TV if it happened. As for this episode it didn't do much for me aside from Spike berating the woman after he saved her and when he saved Angel and then said "just helping the helpless." It did , however, highlight some of the tension and changes within the group. I think someone else mentioned that we may look back at this as an episode that really set the stage for the rest of the season and I agree with that. I might like it more if I watched it again but for now I would put it with "The Cautionary Tale of Numero Cinco" as my least favorite of the season.

Really? I didn't think it was nearly as bad as TCoNC. But I loved it so I suppose that's why. But yeah. The power struggle would be good. Because power struggle seems to be a theme in Angel...season 2....season 3....though in season 4 the whole gang was all fluffy and happy with each other because they were all to busy saving the world from a half dozen apocolypsese (sp?) that arguments in the ranks would be bad for the team. This week, now that we are into a more MOTW mode, we can get that seperation of power that seems to be so common in the Angel verse.
 
Can I just say, I LOVED this episode. I'm a big fan of trippy episodes as it is, so this one was right down my alley. I was thoroughly amused for the whole episode, especially during all the hallucinations. I laughed my ass off at the bear & Angel's autopsy. I also legitimately enjoyed Angel this week, instead of finding him really annoying. He's usually the character I love to hate, but there's something about him when he's all confused and loses the superiority complex that I find really, really, adorably attractive hehe 😉 I'm also a huge Spike fan, and seeing him make Angel so jealous and miserable was priceless (not to mention the whole turining L.A. into a fantasy wonderland - LMFAO). Additionally, I really haven't been into the whole corporatey thing this season, but I'm starting to warm up to it now. And Eve rocks.

I was actually so amused after watching "Soul Purpose" that I renamed my fish "Angel's Soul." 😀

Can't wait for next week...
 
Originally posted by This Year's Girl


I was actually so amused after watching "Soul Purpose" that I renamed my fish "Angel's Soul." 😀


can i just take a moment to laugh and say i did too? but mine isn't just a dinky goldfish like the one in the ep, but still... i did...which is REALLY odd. and i named my other fish bear, just because, there was a bear, and bear is the bigger one.

wow, that's REALLY REALLY funny
 
I found the episode merely reasonable, but it was fun to watch anyway.

I like the power struggle idea--now I'll be disappointed if it doesn't happen.

A different someone put forth the idea that the Senior Partners might not be evil. That would be bizzare, but at this point (we saw a Higher Being come down raining fire and brimestone and, since then, we've seen the good guys set up shop the very heart of evil) we should probably be open to all possibilities however bizzare they may seem. One problem would be: how do you explain all the darn human sacrifices? 🙂

After the episode, I briefly entertained the notion that Lindsey really is Doyle, but it doesn't make much sense so I suppose he isn't.

(Answering a previous question) The runes on Lindsey serve the simple (but important!) purpose of hiding him from prying (scrying) eyes--like those of W&H and those of the Senior Partners. They may have some sort of offensive capability but I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for that to happen.

I still have no real clue as to what Lindsey's master plan is. My guesses are: revenge against Angel and/or general Chaos for Chaos's sake (remember Giles's nemesis Ethan Rain). Oh! neat inspiration thingie: Remember also what Lindsey's last words were to Angel before he left:
LINDSEY: The key to Wolfram and Hart: don't let them make you play their game. - You gotta make them play yours.

And since it took me a half hour to find a site that still has transcripts, I'd like to post a link to that script (and site) here. Although it's likely many folks here have already been there since it has such a mainstream-sounding name.

P.S. Don't forget about the robo-clones from 5x07.
 
Originally posted by MinorChord03
Really? I didn't think it was nearly as bad as TCoNC. But I loved it so I suppose that's why. But yeah. The power struggle would be good. Because power struggle seems to be a theme in Angel...season 2....season 3....though in season 4 the whole gang was all fluffy and happy with each other because they were all to busy saving the world from a half dozen apocolypsese (sp?) that arguments in the ranks would be bad for the team. This week, now that we are into a more MOTW mode, we can get that seperation of power that seems to be so common in the Angel verse.


I loved "Cautionary Tale of Numero Cinco" and I loved this episode. Both are very original in content.
 
I'm a little bit out of touch with recent events in <i>Angel</i>, but I loved this episode. Major props to David for directing it. The parasites really made me squeamish, and I found a sick sort of humor in the Buffy/Angel/Spike scene. I was extremely happy to see that the Buffy/Angel love is still being upheld. I only wish they could have gotten the <i>real</i> Buffy for the shot. Or at least had the actress's face turned towards Spike, and out of focus. The way they had the double in there just didn't work for me.

I think I've simply missed far too much of Spike's character development, but the fact that he's willingly pulling an Angel out there in LA, I don't know... it just doesn't sit right with me. When he was in Sunnydale, he loved Buffy, and so did what he could to help her. But for William the Bloody to turn full-fledged good guy? Eh. As I said, I probably missed too much.

When it showed Angel as a mail boy, I actually started crying. I thought that scene was so sad. Angel reduced to a disposable employee, and ignored by his old friends, who are cheering on his rival as Spike is redeemed and given life. My god, watching Angel turn and walk away was so upsetting.

In any case, I'm definitely tuning in for the next episode.
 
I'm one of those who believe the senior partners aren't evil, ever since season 1's Blind Date, W&H staff mentioned how they weren't about good or evil (like The First did), and how they were about power (remember Reprise?). They realized that Angel is the real power in the Buffyverse, what with defeating Jasmine which in turn defeated them. So they give their LA office to Angel, because he is the one with most power, they really don't care what he's gonna use it for. They are not evil, they will most likely not gonna become enemies in the season. The enemies are Lindsey and Eve, and probably some others in the Fang Gang.
 
Although I felt badly for Angel in those dream scenes..I dont' know..they've just been portraying him in such a bad light lately that I had a hard time feeling sorry for him. He's been so grumpy and short with everyone, and the fact that he's at the core of W&H now...

I wonder if he may not be the new Big Bad?? Now that would be something! And I don't mean Angelus, I mean Angel.
 
My friend luckycookie posted this on her LiveJournal:

Why didn't Angel have any shoes? He was sans shoes... shanshu! Combined with Spike "drowning in footwear" (He had too many shoes) in Chosen, I think they're trying to tell us that shanshu is Angel's.
Insightful, no?! I think she's on to something! Maybe!?

(also check out herwhole post - some other good stuff in there)
 
i like that theory, esp the part about angel being the one who shanshu's and not Spike 😛
 
I thought this ep was great. There was finally the Spike I love and miss. He was sarcastic, honest, and just him. I think his apartment looks like Angel's first one, where the real Doyle finds him.

Loved how Wesley and Gunn did the whole good cop/bad cop routine, and then you find out that they might be looking for an Angel replacement! Ha, loved that, but then I detest Angel. They are definitely going to the dark side. It's so cool how now W&H are still after the lone vampire champion, only now Team Angel are W&H, and Spike is the "champion". I think it adds a nice symetry. Spike is back where we are familir seeing him-on the outside, hanging out and drinking beer and being aloof.

I have to say those dream sequences were a bit over the top for me. Did they remind anyone else about the ST-TNG ep where Data Dreams?

Love Lindsey! But I cannot believe they have him pretending to be Doyle.
 
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