Rewriting "Not Fade Away"

[BuffyElevated]

So I just finally got my hubby to finish "Angel". He was PISSED at how the show ended! Personally, I loved how the final episode ended, although I did wish we had gotten to see some of the battle. But my hubby had this whole other idea for how the show should have ended...
My husband says that if he had written the final episode, he would have shown people like Cordelia, Doyle, Darla, and maybe other characters who have been killed off on "Angel" as spirits descending from Heaven to fight the forces of Darkness along with the AI Team.
If YOU would have written the ending to "Not Fade Away", what would you have chosen to do?

 

[ToShanshuInLA]

NO! That's too Return of the Jedi (dead characters showing up as 'spirits' during the final scene, though in ROTJ they were just sorta loitering). I liked it just fine. Plus 'spirits'? Would they have been solid?

If he wants to catch the battle, tell him to read After the Fall.

 

[Taake]

Hm interesting question... but honestly?
Not a darn thing.
I love the end. I love the fade out before the big fight (we've seen it before, we know the deal by now that screen time was better used to other stuff), I love them just soldiering up and getting ready to do it and I kind of love that they're doing it alone.
Partly because for me help from the outside (especially from passed away characters) but also from Buffy or anyone etc would have cheapened the moment for me.

Cause that moment was Angel Inc to me - there ready to fight, alone or together, whatever the odds... till the end.

 

[Marisa]

I am with you on this one I wouldn't have changed a thing. I loved everything about the finale and I think we got some good moments instead of a fight which IMO was shown on Buffy enough for the both. I liked how the finales differed. If I would rewrite and change one thing I might agree with your husband and maybe bring Cordy back.

 

[white avenger]

If I were going to change the ending of "Not Fade Away," I would have had Lorne put the word out to all of his demon clientele that a common enemy was going to try and take over "their" city. All of the locals would have agreed on a temporary alliance to face the common enemy, and just when Angel said, "Let's go to work," an army of howling, screaming, roaring, hissing and snarling demons would have ran past him and wiped out W&H's army, leaving Angel, Spike, and Illyria standing there in the rain dumbfounded. Then Angel's cell phone would have rang:

Angel: Uh...Hello? (short pause) Well...yeah, he is, but... (another pause) Well, see, I figured, just for your own good, you understand, that it would be best...AH! (Angel jerks the phone away from his ear in pain as muffled shouting comes from the earpiece. He turns to Spike and hands him the phone) It's for you. It's Buffy. And she's pissed...

Fade to black.

 

[Bungle Jerry]

I'd have changed a lot, I think. I don't know what I would have done, but I'd have scrapped the Circle of the Black Thorn for sure. I'd have had Angel actually meeting the Senior Partners in one way or another (Hey, Lilah got to meet one) and I'd have had a better resolution to the Shanshu plot than the idea that signing a paper suddenly nullifies prophecy. I get that 'fighting the Senior Partners is enough to sacrifice Angel's big reward', but it annoys me every time that suddenly how prophecies work gets changed.

 

[TheChosenTwo]

I haven't read the comics (they aren't available anywhere here), so I'd like to know how the battle goes and if Gunn did die or not (He probably didn't)

 

[Buffyverse Fan]

I haven't read the comics (they aren't available anywhere here), so I'd like to know how the battle goes and if Gunn did die or not (He probably didn't)

Gunn was turned into a vamp moments after NFA cut out. But the end result of AtF was:

Cordy - Really is an ascended being, watching over Angel, but the caveat is that she's FAR too weak/new to contribute in any meaningful way. She notes that it took her months to just gather enough energy to manifest as an incorporeal being to team Angel.

Wes - Is bound to W&H, much like Lilah. He was a major player in AtF, taking over Hamilton's position as liaison between Angel & W&H, but Angel's punishment for outsmarting the Senior Partners was that they took Wesley away from him "permanently."

Gunn - Was turned into a vamp, but due to Angel's final plan, the time line was reset. This time they won the battle swiftly with Illyria doing most of the heavy lifting, and Gunn was saved.

Cordy & Wes still technically exist, but neither have a practical means of dealing with Angel.

Fred was confirmed to be completely destroyed.

 

[Tome]

Gunn was turned into a vamp moments after NFA cut out. But the end result of AtF was:

Cordy - Really is an ascended being, watching over Angel, but the caveat is that she's FAR too weak/new to contribute in any meaningful way. She notes that it took her months to just gather enough energy to manifest as an incorporeal being to team Angel.

Wes - Is bound to W&H, much like Lilah. He was a major player in AtF, taking over Hamilton's position as liaison between Angel & W&H, but Angel's punishment for outsmarting the Senior Partners was that they took Wesley away from him "permanently."

Gunn - Was turned into a vamp, but due to Angel's final plan, the time line was reset. This time they won the battle swiftly with Illyria doing most of the heavy lifting, and Gunn was saved.

Cordy & Wes still technically exist, but neither have a practical means of dealing with Angel.

Fred was confirmed to be completely destroyed.

I liked how it turned out for Cordy, Gunn(cool vamp finally!) and characters like Groo, Lorne, Connor ect... I just hated Wesley's role and the whole human Angel part.

Oh and Britt, I kinda agree with your husband that the end lacked a big finish but they couldn't bring Doyle back because the actor was dead 😉

 

[BuffyElevated]

If that's how the characters ended up, I'm glad I haven't read the comics. 🙁 I don't like that... Especially about Wes.

 

[Big Damn Hero]

Woah, a spoiler tag wouldn't have hurt.

I've literally just ordered the comics and was really looking forward to reading them without being spoilered.

Anyway, I wouldn't change a thing. And I cannot emphasise how much I am glad that there were no "guest appearances" from any of the BtVS characters (except Faith, but she actually appeared on Angel in a way that added to story-lines and arcs, rather than Buffy who just showed up and moped a bit). I think if there were I would've been so pissed off it would've put me off of Angel completely.

 

[Senior Partner]

If YOU would have written the ending to "Not Fade Away", what would you have chosen to do?

I found the whole of Season 5 an extreme let down although I did quite like the idea of ending the verse just as they were squaring up for battle (sorry folks but the comics don't count for me. As far as I''m concerned Angel's story ends when the dvd ends). There were many times when I felt the writers had lost their way and I often found myself unconvinced by developments of plot, or even character. If I had had the choice the one element I would have changed from the final episode was Wesley's death. I would much prefer to have had Angel sending him forth before the battle began, telling him that SOMEONE had to survive to carry on their work even if the rest perished. He could have left on his motorbike in much the same way that he originally arrived. But, of course Wes would have to have a powerful motive to leave them like this. Call me a sap but I would have Angel finding out that it might be possible to retrieve Cordelia in some way if the right magic/circumstance could be found and Wesley was the only member of the gang he could trust who would have the knowledge and expertise to find out if this was true. Wes could have been sent from the battle scene on a quest to find their lost friend and try and fulfill Angel's final wish. For me, Wesley had become a dark and intriguing character who could easily have carried his own haunting spin-off series (much like the talked about series of Ripper, based on the other BtVS Watcher, Giles, which has sadly never come to light).
OR, I would have him standing shoulder to shoulder with his friends at the end and left it there.

 

[PDH5204]

I found the whole of Season 5 an extreme let down although I did quite like the idea of ending the verse just as they were squaring up for battle (sorry folks but the comics don't count for me. As far as I''m concerned Angel's story ends when the dvd ends). There were many times when I felt the writers had lost their way and I often found myself unconvinced by developments of plot, or even character. If I had had the choice the one element I would have changed from the final episode was Wesley's death. I would much prefer to have had Angel sending him forth before the battle began, telling him that SOMEONE had to survive to carry on their work even if the rest perished. He could have left on his motorbike in much the same way that he originally arrived. But, of course Wes would have to have a powerful motive to leave them like this. Call me a sap but I would have Angel finding out that it might be possible to retrieve Cordelia in some way if the right magic/circumstance could be found and Wesley was the only member of the gang he could trust who would have the knowledge and expertise to find out if this was true. Wes could have been sent from the battle scene on a quest to find their lost friend and try and fulfill Angel's final wish. For me, Wesley had become a dark and intriguing character who could easily have carried his own haunting spin-off series (much like the talked about series of Ripper, based on the other BtVS Watcher, Giles, which has sadly never come to light).
OR, I would have him standing shoulder to shoulder with his friends at the end and left it there.

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Since we wouldn't have one of the better lines of both series: Would you like me to lie to you now?

I also loved the moment immediately following his death, with our demon friend there saying something about "little girl" and then "little girl" goes all blue on him (as it were). And, yes, not much time for character development there for Illyria, but good to see that she came to have some affection for ole Wes.

---------- Post added at 12:32 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:27 AM ----------

Sorry, almost forgot, but as I said in some other post in some other thread a while back, the end was fitting. Recall Angel's words to Faith in season 4: ...our time is never up, Faith. So good to see the ending with....let's go to work...

 

[Marisa]

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Since we wouldn't have one of the better lines of both series: Would you like me to lie to you now?

I also loved the moment immediately following his death, with our demon friend there saying something about "little girl" and then "little girl" goes all blue on him (as it were). And, yes, not much time for character development there for Illyria, but good to see that she came to have some affection for ole Wes.

---------- Post added at 12:32 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:27 AM ----------

Sorry, almost forgot, but as I said in some other post in some other thread a while back, the end was fitting. Recall Angel's words to Faith in season 4: ...our time is never up, Faith. So good to see the ending with....let's go to work...

I agree that was on of my favorite scenes can I lie to you now? It was just so powerful we see a whole different side to Illyria and how she punches that guy is amazing. Plus when she goes back to the gang and says I feel grief for Wesley.
I will admit I am a sucker for the Let's get to work line.

 

[dan k]

"Lets go to work" line led to me punching the air in the end in delight. :biggrin3:

 

[Buffyverse Fan]

"Lets go to work" line led to me punching the air in the end in delight. :biggrin3:

Yeah 🙂 David Fury said Joss wrote that part before they even started on Season 5. He was told that all of the events from the first episode of S5 onward were building up to that final scene!

Of course, Joss also told him that Season 6 would open up with Angel walking over mangled cars and a generally destroyed Los Angeles as the aftermath of that battle...

 

[Senior Partner]

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Since we wouldn't have one of the better lines of both series: Would you like me to lie to you now?

I also loved the moment immediately following his death, with our demon friend there saying something about "little girl" and then "little girl" goes all blue on him (as it were). And, yes, not much time for character development there for Illyria, but good to see that she came to have some affection for ole Wes.

---------- Post added at 12:32 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:27 AM ----------

Sorry, almost forgot, but as I said in some other post in some other thread a while back, the end was fitting. Recall Angel's words to Faith in season 4: ...our time is never up, Faith. So good to see the ending with....let's go to work...

Sorry but YEUUUUWWWW!!!! The whole Fresley thing just made me wanna barf! I thought the Wes death scene was cheesy, and I just couldn't take Illyria seriously, especially the blue rinse. As for the old 'our time is never up' - that's easy for an immortal character to say, not so true if you're dead-Wes or gone-forever-Fred. If Angel had been resurrected for a new season, and Joss had found a way of bringing Fresley back, it still wouldn't have worked. Fred was wetter than a monsoon and Wesley had a dark side that only Lilah and Angel really understood. Infact, I think the Wesley/Lilah relationship had some unexpected poignant moments which were much more powerful and authentic than anything Fred/Illyria/Wesley had.

 

[VampireJason]

I think I'm the only one who wasn't a huge fan of Angel Season Five. Angel's characterization was kinda lousy, him telling Wesley after Fred died, "Wesley, Fred's dead you're still alive, start acting like it", that's horrible what if someone told Angel that after Darla or Buffy died? That's not what Angel would say. Or what about Spike trying to take the Shanshu away from Angel when Angel deserves it more than Spike? Angel sacrificed everything in order to get to where he is. And as for the Finale, I think it was very-Angel like except for one problem:If they had to take out every member of the Circle, Angel is technically a member and he's still alive. Anyways, for me the highlight of Angel Season Five was Gunn peeing on Angel's chair when he was under Lorne's influence.

 

[Senior Partner]

I think I'm the only one who wasn't a huge fan of Angel Season Five. Angel's characterization was kinda lousy, him telling Wesley after Fred died, "Wesley, Fred's dead you're still alive, start acting like it", that's horrible what if someone told Angel that after Darla or Buffy died? That's not what Angel would say. Or what about Spike trying to take the Shanshu away from Angel when Angel deserves it more than Spike? Angel sacrificed everything in order to get to where he is. And as for the Finale, I think it was very-Angel like except for one problem:If they had to take out every member of the Circle, Angel is technically a member and he's still alive. Anyways, for me the highlight of Angel Season Five was Gunn peeing on Angel's chair when he was under Lorne's influence.

No, you're not the only one. I thought Season 5 sucked.