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Episode 21, Season 5 Title: "Power Play" Written by: David Fury Directed by: James A. Contner Original Air Date: May 12th, 2004 Teaser: 
In a stone chamber, a man on his knees, head covered by a cloth hood, is being beaten by masked, robed assassins as he cries out in pain. There is a wall of flame covering the entrance to the chamber.Angel walks along a dark stone corridor and jumps through the flames into the chamber. Angel lifts the man up and removes his cloth hood, he has his back to us and his identity is not known. He thanks Angel but Angel looks at him before vamping out and sinking his fangs into the man's neck. Act I: 
19 hours earlier - Angel and Nina lie in bed at his apartment at the law firm. Laughing, Nina asks if he is perfectly happy as she has her wooden stake at the ready. He assures her she is safe and she asks if Buffy has crossed his mind as he is frowning. It is not Buffy but he admits there are a lot of things happening with work so Nina suggests they go on vacation which he agrees would be wonderful except that there are things he has already set in motion that he has to see through. He explains that he has spent years fighting to get somewhere and now he is close to it, he doesn't like what he sees. Nina says that he is a hero but he tells her he may not always be.Illyria wanders the halls at the law firm and, spying her, Spike says he understands that she can't enjoy haunting the place, being less than what she was, he has been there. He offers her some advice, suggesting she gets out once in a while. She tells him she is weary of the world and even becoming more human has not changed her view. Wesley has not communicated with her since she took on Fred's persona and she doesn't know why so Spike explains that it is because she looks like Fred which is her most devastating power. Angel and Gunn cross the lobby where Marcus has arrived with Senator Brucker and her aide, Ernesto, who Angel senses is a vampire. The Senator was with the firm in the days of Holland Manners and Gunn introduces himself making it clear things have changed since then. Marcus asks Harmony for some human blood for Ernesto and she advises him they do not have any as it is against policy. Marcus thinks they could make an exception and Angel asks Harmony check the lab to see if they have any before showing the Senator and Ernesto into his office. Just then Wesley approaches with a file, there has been a third murder at the abandoned amusement park and it appears to be the work of a Boretz demon. Spike and Illyria arrive, the former aware of the Boretz demon's nasty MO which Wesley confirms as he tells them the latest victim, a teenage girl, was ripped apart. Angel seems very blase about the situation, he thinks she is just one more statistic and it can wait, they can't sweat the small stuff. Wesley is shocked, telling Angel the victim's name was Stacey Bleuth, but Angel asks him to gather information on the demon as he has to see the senator. Spike offers to kill the demon and asks Illyria if she would like to help. In Angel's office, Senator Brucker shows Angel the campaign video for her rival Mike Conley. She is losing her women voters to him and stresses she did not crawl her way from hell, to be installed in a human body, only to lose now. She wants the firm to brainwash Conley into thinking he is a paedophile and send out that message to the voters too but Gunn says it is not on, the firm does not operate that way anymore. Angel interrupts confirming they will do it as Gunn, amazed at this, asks if he is serious. Angel will not discuss it. In his office, Wesley opens a source book asking for information on Boretz demons and as he reads the text, a message appears, "You are looking in the wrong place," followed by a circular symbol on the opposite page. Gunn arrives to talk to Wesley about Angel's strange behaviour and as Wesley looks at the pages once more the original text has reappeared. Angel plays squash with the red, horned, tailed demon Izzy [You're Welcome], the latter filling him in on the Fell Brethren's baby and how pleased they are with Angel. He says there is a buzz going around about Angel but he just wants to know how long he has to wait for an answer; Izzy says it won't be long. Spike and Illyria hunt for the Boretz demon in the city. Illyria notes that this case is not important to Angel and warns that Angel has been corrupted, the signs being that he has no interest in battles that hold no gain for him and he no longer listens to those closest to him. Spike says she is wrong about Angel, if it was true he would feel it but Illyria is sure he will have proof soon as Angel will murder one of them. Just then Drogyn, keeper of the Deeper Well, steps from the shadows saying he already has and the Boretz demon jumps down on them. Spike fights the demon, and as he gets knocked to the ground Illyria steps in, dispatching of it with one kick. Spike asks a battered and bleeding Drogyn why he is in L.A. and he says he came to warn them; it was Angel who attacked him. Act II: 
At Wolfram & Hart, Wesley draws a picture of the symbol he saw and entering Angel's office he finds him deep in conversation with Marcus. Angel asks him to come back later.Lorne approaches Wesley in the lobby, Angel has let six of his clients go without warning and they are all suicidal. Gunn arrives and they all go into Wesley's office, agreeing that Angel is not right as just then Spike phones. In Spike's apartment Drogyn tells the gang that he was attacked by a Satari demon and upon winning the fight he tortured the demon until he confessed that Angel had sent him. He wanted to prevent Drogyn from finding out something buried in the 'deeper well', his involvement in helping Illyria escape from her tomb. Wesley states that her escape was predestined which was Drogyn's belief too but now he is sure it was planned. Lorne thinks that doesn't make sense but Drogyn tells them the assassin spoke of a sacrifice of someone trusted and dear. Wesley asks if that means Angel is responsible for Fred's death and Drogyn admits it is difficult to believe but the assassin was not lying and Drogyn is unable to lie due to a curse. Wesley shows Drogyn the symbol but he doesn't recognise it so he shows it to the others and explains how it appeared in the source book. Lorne can't believe Angel is responsible for Fred's death and, although they have all noticed Angel behaving strangely, he wonders why it is happening now. Illyria tells them it is because Angel is preparing to make his move and they decide to go and ask him what is going on, leaving Illyria to watch over Drogyn. The gang confront Angel in his office. Spike tells him that Drogyn is in town and asks if he knows anything about the attempt on Drogyn's life which he denies. Angel wants to get back to business and Wesley wonders what business is so Angel tells them that it is the game that matters, be the best, have the most, win! Gunn wonders if that is Angelus talking but Angel points out that most of them would already be dead if he were and the truth is that only one of them ever understood how things work, Lorne, because he didn't judge. Angel is sure that if you spend your life obsessed with good and evil, you only get swallowed and none of it makes a difference anyway; he wishes it did but an ant with the best intentions is just an ant. There is only one thing that matters, power and until he gets that power he will accomplish nothing and getting it is not pretty. He says that Wolfram & Hart have been calling the shots and he has a chance to change that and Lorne asks if he will though as power corrupts and if you get high enough all the people start to look like ants. Angel says he can't worry about the small stuff. Just then Harmony arrives to notify Angel his important call has come through so he tells them to leave. Wesley asks if the small stuff includes Fred and Angel says he loved Fred but Wesley is not satisfied with this and Angel shuts the door in his face. Act III: 
Wesley is sure there is a reason behind all this and Lorne hates to think Angel is responsible for Fred but if he believes everything he said then&Wesley says Angel has never been interested in power and Lorne points out that he has never really had real power before, he has seen it now and he is going to go for it. Spike and Gunn arrive, Lindsey in tow.As Nina leaves work, Angel calls to her and she gives him a kiss before asking if he is ok. He hands her some plane tickets but her excitement turns to disappointment as she realises they are for her family and don't include him. He advises her to leave as it is not safe but she wants to be with him if there is trouble and so he admits that he is the thing that may hurt her. He promises that he does want to be with her and if he gets through this intact he will come for her. She tells him he is an amazing man but a crappy liar as he repeats she has to go, adding that he is not asking. She agrees to leave. In Spike's apartment, Drogyn tells Illyria that she has no right to be on earth and should be in the well and she admits she wishes she had never been brought out. Marcus bursts through the door and Drogyn recognises him as they go way back but Marcus is there to kill him. Illyria orders Marcus to not harm Drogyn but he just punches Drogyn before turning on her and, although she tries to fight him, her powers are too weak and she loses the battle. Back in Wesley's office and despite being threatened by Spike, Lindsey is adamant that he doesn't know what is happening with Angel. Wesley shows him the symbol, which he recognises, but he says there is no way they would take Angel. The Circle of the Blackthorn is a secret society of elite demons who mastermind the path of the apocalypse. Wesley states that the Senior Partners are responsible for the apocalypse, but Lindsey points out that it is players within the circle that make things happen; getting tapped by one of them is like getting the keys to the chocolate factory. To be a Blackthorn is to be the Senior Partners' instrument on earth and it doesn't get any bigger than that. Lindsey says Angel doesn't have it in him; he would have to give up being a champion and wouldn't even get on the radar until he killed one of his own. Lorne thinks the Senior Partners are killing Angel by degrees and Gunn states that Angel would not want to be this. Wesley adds that Angel dedicated his life to help others and it was a path he chose to take and they have to try and help him, set him back on the right path. Angel walks along the dark stone corridor (as in the opening scene) and seeing the flames he runs through them into a stone chamber where a man is being beaten by masked, robed assassins. The assassins stand back as Angel lifts the man up and removes his cloth hood, it is Drogyn and as he focuses he thanks Angel. Angel vamps out and sinks his fangs into Drogyn's neck before snapping it and dropping him to the floor. Act IV: 
In the stone chamber, one of the robed figures holds out his hand to show the glowing symbol of the Blackthorn. He presses his hand against Angel's bare chest where the thorn imprints and fades as the other figures chant an initiation ceremony. Once the ceremony is complete the figures remove their masks and Izzy shakes Angel's hand, welcoming him to the circle. Behind the masks are several familiar faces, Senator Bruckner, Cyvus Vail [Origin], the Arch Duke Sebassis [Life of The Party], the leader of the Fell Brethren [Time Bomb] and Izzy who is proud of the fact that they got a warrior such as Drogyn for the sacrifice. Sebassis makes the assumption that Angel is now Angelus but is soon corrected. The Senator reintroduces herself and Vail and Angel shake hands as Vail compliments Angel on Connor's fighting skills. Izzy offers Angel more champagne before taking him off to meet the others.Angel arrives back at the law firm and entering his office is immediately punched to the floor by Spike. Gunn, sword in hand, closes the door, Lorne aims a crossbow at Angel and Wesley has a shotgun. Gunn tells him they know what he has been doing, including trying to take out Drogyn to cover up what he did to Fred and all to get into the circle. Angel realises they have figured things out and Lorne confirms that Lindsey has filled in the gaps. Angel tells them if they don't like it they can leave before he kills them. Wesley says they have a problem and Angel agrees as he grabs the butt of Wesley's rifle and throws him to the floor before punching Spike and knocking the sword from Gunn's hand. Lorne shoots him with the crossbow but misses his heart and as Wesley grabs his handgun, Angel kicks it from his hand before grabbing Lorne and holding him around the throat. He orders Lorne to pull the arrow from his chest before holding up a crystal which throws a blinding light around the room. As the light fades nothing appears to have changed. 
Angel pushes Lorne off and tells them they have 6 minutes before the glamour wears off, to the world outside they are still at each others throats. Angel tells them that everything they think they know is a lie, the message in the book was from Angel and the assassin was not sent to Kill Drogyn but to make it look as if he was and to give him just enough information to think Angel was responsible for Illyria and lead him to L.A. to warn them all. Wesley asks why he wanted them to believe he killed Fred and Angel states that the Blackthorn needed to believe it, they needed to believe his own people didn't trust him anymore. Spike asks when it all started and Angel says it was two months ago when Cordelia kissed him leading Wesley to the realisation that she passed on the visions. Angel says it was a one shot deal just to put him on the path to the real powers but he couldn't see who they were so when Fred died he decided to use it, to make her death matter. He confirms to the gang that he is in and he knows who the powers in the apocalypse are. The Senior Partners may be eternal but they can make their existence painful by stopping the Blackthorn, the machine will come to a grinding halt even if just for a moment. Angel makes it clear the plan is to kill every single member of the Blackthorn and they will not walk away from it because the Senior Partners will vent their full wrath and he is talking full on hell as they will do everything in their power to destroy them. He tells them they can't bring down the Senior Partners but for one shining moment they can let them know they don't own them. He makes it clear that they need to be sure, he can't order them but he can't do it without them so he asks them to vote. Full of despair they stare into space then Spike shakes his head, resigned, before raising his hand, followed by Wesley, with a wry grin, and Gunn. Lorne is about to raise his hand when the glamour wears off as outside the office Marcus watches the original scene, Angel holding Lorne by the throat as they shout at each other.
Summary by Staff Writer, Raven
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