This isn't my favorite episode, but it does set up the rest of the season. The introduction of Jasmine will drive the next four episodes and help set-up season five. It also tries --sorta unsuccessfully-- to explain the season's happening so far. You really need to see it if you're watching the season on DVD.
"Inside Out" revolves around Evil Cordy giving birth. Team Angel has discovered that she's not really Cordy and is holding her at gun point. As they demand answers, Conner arrives, beats them up and drags Evil Cordy to safety. Team Angel tries to figure out what's happened. Angel goes to that other dimension looking for Skip, the demon who took Cordy to the Higher Plane back in season three. Angel quickly realizes that Skip is a Black Hat. The two of the fight and Angel drags him back to the Hyperion, where Team Angel locks him in a mystical circle and demands some answers. Skip says that they're all idiots and the Evil Cordy's baby is some sort ultimate power. It's controlled everything for years, especially Conner's birth, so that it can be born. The only way to stop it is to kill Cordy's body. Angel is heartbroken, but goes looking for her. When Skip escapes his magic cage, Wes shoots him.
Meanwhile, Conner is upset that Team Angel tried to attack Evil Cordy. She insists that they wanted to kill the baby and it has to be born.. NOW. The only way to induce labor is to smear her stomach with the blood of the innocent. Conner goes out and kidnaps a teenage girl to kill. An ghostly vision of Darla appears trying to stop him. Thanks to Evil Cordy's interference, Conner believes that Darla is a trick form Team Angel and helps Evil Cordy slice the girl's throat. Evil Cordy goes into labor as Angel arrives. He looks at her face and says, "I'm so sorry." He raises his sword. But by then Evil Cordy has given birth... Too a full grown woman. Conner and Angel fall to their knees before her as she whispers "Angel"
There are some good parts to this episode. I always snicker when Angel sighs that Conner isn't evil. "He's just confused... Again." And I'm really glad that Angel knows that Cordy didn't sleep with his son. That part, at least, has got to be sort of a relief. And I like that the first thing he wanted to know from Evil Cordy is "Where's Cordelia?" He loves her and he needs her back in his life. When he realizes that he may have to kill her body to save the world, he's so heartbroken. I'm not sure Angel really could've done it. (Although, it does tie in nicely with Buffy stabbing him with a sword back in BTVS season two's "Becoming Part Two" and Angel's later actions in season five's "Hole in the World.") As it is Angel, has the sword raised over Cordy's body and he hesitates just a second too long as he stares at her, giving Jasmine time to be born. Also, I really like Darla being in this episode. I like to think that she's at least partly "real Darla" and that she's finally found some peace. Finally, I like Wes shooting Skip in the head. It seems like Wesley is the only White Hat in the Buffyverse who can use a gun successfully.
On the down side, Conner can't come back from this in my book. You don't kidnap & help murder an innocent girl and emerge with any likability. Not if you're human (Pardoning Spike and Angel). Not if you have control of your own mind and body (Pardoning Cordy). Not if you have a soul. It just can't be done. (Well, unless you're Andrew and Jonathan on BTVS. I still like them, for some reason.) Anyway, I've never been a Conner fan, but this episode just sinks him forever. Maybe, I'm biased.
Also, am I really suppose to believe that the entire series to this point has been full of manipulated events so Jasmine could be born? 'Cause I'm not buying that. It flat-out doesn't make any sense. The only way that Jasmine could be born is by killing Gunn's sister, sending Fred to Pylea and having Wes sleep with Lilah? Why? How did that Beast guy blotting out the sun even ties into this? Is it already Jasime controlling Cordy's body or is it something else? Did Lorne's spell really wake it up? How? Is it that demon thing that Skip put into Cordy back in season three's "Birthday?" Am I just totally off base or does this have a certain "made-up-as-they-go-along" quality? Honestly, I just sort of shrug all this aside as kinna silly and move on with the season like its a whole new storyline.
My favorite part of the episode: Lorne summarizing Conner and Cordeila's escape. "Kid Vicious did the heavy lifting, Cordy just "Ma-wah-ha-ha-ed" at us. It's so perfectly described that I grin every time I hear it.
"Inside Out" revolves around Evil Cordy giving birth. Team Angel has discovered that she's not really Cordy and is holding her at gun point. As they demand answers, Conner arrives, beats them up and drags Evil Cordy to safety. Team Angel tries to figure out what's happened. Angel goes to that other dimension looking for Skip, the demon who took Cordy to the Higher Plane back in season three. Angel quickly realizes that Skip is a Black Hat. The two of the fight and Angel drags him back to the Hyperion, where Team Angel locks him in a mystical circle and demands some answers. Skip says that they're all idiots and the Evil Cordy's baby is some sort ultimate power. It's controlled everything for years, especially Conner's birth, so that it can be born. The only way to stop it is to kill Cordy's body. Angel is heartbroken, but goes looking for her. When Skip escapes his magic cage, Wes shoots him.
Meanwhile, Conner is upset that Team Angel tried to attack Evil Cordy. She insists that they wanted to kill the baby and it has to be born.. NOW. The only way to induce labor is to smear her stomach with the blood of the innocent. Conner goes out and kidnaps a teenage girl to kill. An ghostly vision of Darla appears trying to stop him. Thanks to Evil Cordy's interference, Conner believes that Darla is a trick form Team Angel and helps Evil Cordy slice the girl's throat. Evil Cordy goes into labor as Angel arrives. He looks at her face and says, "I'm so sorry." He raises his sword. But by then Evil Cordy has given birth... Too a full grown woman. Conner and Angel fall to their knees before her as she whispers "Angel"
There are some good parts to this episode. I always snicker when Angel sighs that Conner isn't evil. "He's just confused... Again." And I'm really glad that Angel knows that Cordy didn't sleep with his son. That part, at least, has got to be sort of a relief. And I like that the first thing he wanted to know from Evil Cordy is "Where's Cordelia?" He loves her and he needs her back in his life. When he realizes that he may have to kill her body to save the world, he's so heartbroken. I'm not sure Angel really could've done it. (Although, it does tie in nicely with Buffy stabbing him with a sword back in BTVS season two's "Becoming Part Two" and Angel's later actions in season five's "Hole in the World.") As it is Angel, has the sword raised over Cordy's body and he hesitates just a second too long as he stares at her, giving Jasmine time to be born. Also, I really like Darla being in this episode. I like to think that she's at least partly "real Darla" and that she's finally found some peace. Finally, I like Wes shooting Skip in the head. It seems like Wesley is the only White Hat in the Buffyverse who can use a gun successfully.
On the down side, Conner can't come back from this in my book. You don't kidnap & help murder an innocent girl and emerge with any likability. Not if you're human (Pardoning Spike and Angel). Not if you have control of your own mind and body (Pardoning Cordy). Not if you have a soul. It just can't be done. (Well, unless you're Andrew and Jonathan on BTVS. I still like them, for some reason.) Anyway, I've never been a Conner fan, but this episode just sinks him forever. Maybe, I'm biased.
Also, am I really suppose to believe that the entire series to this point has been full of manipulated events so Jasmine could be born? 'Cause I'm not buying that. It flat-out doesn't make any sense. The only way that Jasmine could be born is by killing Gunn's sister, sending Fred to Pylea and having Wes sleep with Lilah? Why? How did that Beast guy blotting out the sun even ties into this? Is it already Jasime controlling Cordy's body or is it something else? Did Lorne's spell really wake it up? How? Is it that demon thing that Skip put into Cordy back in season three's "Birthday?" Am I just totally off base or does this have a certain "made-up-as-they-go-along" quality? Honestly, I just sort of shrug all this aside as kinna silly and move on with the season like its a whole new storyline.
My favorite part of the episode: Lorne summarizing Conner and Cordeila's escape. "Kid Vicious did the heavy lifting, Cordy just "Ma-wah-ha-ha-ed" at us. It's so perfectly described that I grin every time I hear it.