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| Episode 16, Season 2 Title: "Epiphany (Part 2 of 2)" Written by: Tim Minear Directed by: Thomas J. Wright Original Air Date: February 27, 2001
"But we... ?"
On the balcony, the rain pelts down on both as Angel rises and Darla is happier than after a fresh kill with his complete surrender. He gazes at her with dumbfounded eyes as she beams with pride. Then Angel turns the tables, "I'm sorry Darla. You saved me... I'm sorry I couldn't do the same for you." She welcomed Angelus, but Angel is still Angel. Her face turns to horror and disgust as she returns inside. Angel is confused and his wheels are churning and wants some answers. Darla is stupefied with her inability to turn Angel. "That was perfect!" she claims in disbelief, but Angel clarifies, "It was perfect despair." All along he believed that by saving Darla that he could save himself. But after this epiphany, he no longer feels his obsession toward Darla or anything at all for his sire. Some of Darla's words echo Kate's desperate call and remind Angel of the ex-detective's precarious situation. He resolves to help and turns to leave but Darla grabs a piece of the broken door and tries to stake him. Catching her hand mid-air, he makes it clear, "The next time I see you, I will have to kill you." He heads to Kate's apartment and leaves a speechless Darla behind.
Darla has returned to Lindsey's apartment. She is gazing out the window, but he quickly closes the curtains because the firm's orders are for Darla to be staked on sight. She has the Band of Blacknil in her hands and Lindsey recognizes it and wants to know how she got it. She claims it doesn't work, but Lindsey explains that a disenchanting spell took place immediately after Angel took it. Darla replies, "It was my payment." He wants to know everything that happened that night. Lindsey is a very jealous man.
"I'm not your link to Cordelia arrives at the Sharpe home and lets herself in only to find the family slaughtered in their kitchen. She shrieks in horror and then in pain, receiving a vision of herself being attacked inside the kitchen as well. She grabs her purse and tries to flee but a Skilosh demon attacks her immediately and she yells to the Powers That Be: "That was helpful!"
The Skilosh demon slams Cordelia against a wall and she's knocked out. A bit later, she wakes to find herself in the living room surround by Skilosh demons. One of them refers to her as "Destroyer of our spawn." She pleads innocent, but as the demon turns to talk to the other two, she recognizes the third eye in the back of his head. They have found the "Wheel-ed one" - Wes - and want to know where Gunn is. The Skilosh tribe want retribution, not to mention multiplicity.
"What are you doing here?" At Lindsey's apartment, Darla and Lindsey are silently sitting on the couch. She refuses to reveal what she and Angel shared. Lindsey goes to his closet and retrieves his ass-kickin' boots. He's going out to get some answers. Meanwhile, Angel and Wes are driving to the office to get Cordy. Angel is trying to make small talk, but Wes isn't receptive. He attempts to reveal his epiphany, but finds it a losing battle and instead asks Wes to fill him in on their case and surmizes that the Skilosh demons are looking for revenge. Angel compliments Wes on his research abilities, trying to find a way to get Wes to be friendly. The crew saved the little girl from the Skilosh demon and Angel remarks, "You did a good thing." Wes says, "thank you," but the odd thing, Angel replies, "You're welcome." This isn't the same brooding-never-needs-thank-you-or-say-you're-welcome Angel that Wes knew.
Angel and Wes have arrived at the office and while the Wheel-ed One keeps watch near the open door, the Epiphanied One searches the desk for a clue as to Cordy's whereabouts. Wes notices a truck pass by for a third time. Angel thinks Cordy is out with friends, but Wes corrects him. The vision girl has changed from a social butterfly to a solitary soul who takes her destiny seriously. Unlike Angel, Cordy cannot runaway from her duty. Suddenly, Angel senses something is coming and they turn off the lights, while Angel reaches for an ax. Gunn is a pleasant surprise when he walks through the door. He turns cold at Angel's presence but greets Wes with warmth. Angel knows both have bonded since his long absence and feels left out. Wes gives Gunn the low down and joins the search for Cordy. Making a bee-line for Cordy's message pad, Gunn turns down Angel's suggestion that they do a rubbing of the message and instead points out the easily read carbon copy. The directions to the Sharpe's home are on the copy and Wes asks Gunn to take the deocculation powder just in case. Angel doesn't think it seems right that she would leave in the middle of the night, but Wes and Gunn retort: "They owe us money!" It makes sense now and all three dash out the door.
Across town, Gunn, Wes and Angel are heading to the Sharpe's home. Angel keeps looking in his rear view mirror, but dismisses it. "So... had an epiphany did you? So, what, you just wake up and 'bang'?" Angel smerks, "Sort of the other way around." He doesn't get it but Gunn isn't letting Angel back into their circle. He warns Angel not to have another "epiphany" before they help Cordy or else. Suddenly, a Skilosh demon jumps Wes in the running car. Gunn kicks the demon off Wes and the car screeches to a halt. The demon is in the middle of the street, but half a dozen join him. Angel grabs the ax and orders Wes and Gunn to go on ahead. If he doesn't stop the demons, they may catch up to them at the house. Angel is left behind, but instead of the demons attacking they run away. Angel turns just in time to receive the front end of an old Ford truck. Angel rises from the road but Lindsey reverses his the vehicle and hits Angel square in the chest.
In the middle of the street, Lindsey's assault continues on Angel. Wes and Gun are getting impatient and decide to save Cordy on their own. Lindsey steps out of his truck with a sledgehammer in his one good hand. He wants to know exactly what happened with Darla. Angel refuses to tell him, despite the sledgehammer that keeps finding his face, back and face again. Angel remains steadfast and Lindsey returns to his truck bed to retrieve a stake. Angel uses this opportunity to regain his balance and counterattack Lindsey. Angel returns every blow with punches and kicks until Lindsey falls to the ground. Lindsey reaches for the stake, but Angel uses the sledghammer to shatter the false hand, "Could've been the other one. Just be glad I had an epiphany." He kicks the lawyer with a final request, "Mind if I borrow your truck?"
“You really hurt my feelings.” The next morning, Lindsey finds his truck in front of his apartment with a note, "Thanks." He searches his apartment in vain for any trace of Darla. Later that evening, Kate visits Angel at the Hyperion. Sitting together in the courtyard, she regrets her actions yet Angel knows the feeling. He offers her his new understanding that 'nothing they do really matters', adding that there is 'no bigger meaning than the smallest act of kindness' they can do each day. "Yikes, sounds like you had an epiphany." "That's what I keep saying," he tells her. Kate is proud of Angel as well as greatful for his rescue, but there's one other thing. She's regained her faith because, "I never invited you in!" This stumps the vamp with a soul, and they realize they are definitely not alone in their battle against evil.
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