Let me start by saying that I think that having Team Angel taking over Wolfram & Hart is one of the best plots ever. It's completely unexpected and, at the same time, it makes perfect sense. What better way for Wolfram & Hart to corrupt our Champions than to bring them inside the belly of the beast? This episode is really like a preview of season five. Where Team Angel finds themselves sliding down a slippery slope of compromise and begins forgetting their mission. It's not about trying to mitigate (or even fight) evil or about personal gain. It's about helping the helpless and in season five that distinction becomes a major story line. Anyway, "Home" is an important episode and you really shouldn't skip it.
"Home" revolves around Lilah visiting from the after life and offering Team Angel the keys to the chocolate factory... aka Wolfram & Hart. It seems that the Senior Partners are impressed that Team Angel stopped world peace and wants to reward them with control of the LA branch. They promise that Team Angel will be in charge of the offices of Wolfram and Hart and they can use it for good or for evil depending on their choices. Team Angel is suspicious, but they each wind up agreeing to tour Wolfram & Hart. Gunn is shown the White Room, Lorne the entertainment devision, Fred the science labs, Wes the research department and Angel the CEOs office.
At the same time, Conner is falling apart. He kidnaps Cordy's comatose body, takes some people hostage and threatens to blow up a sporting-goods store. In order to save his son, Angel cuts a deal with Lilah. He'll take over Wolfram & Hart is they give his son a new life, free from the memories of Angel, Holtz and all the rest. If Conner can finally have a home. In doing that history is rewritten and no one can remember Conner except Angel. Team Angel all sign on at Wolfram & Hart and Angel goes to look in on his son. Seeing Conner happy with his new family, Angel quietly walks away, into the darkness.
There are some great parts to this episode. I like Team Angel reacting to Lilah's theory that they'd wiped out world peace. "We didn't end world peace. We stopped a evil plot to enslave humanity. Didn't we?" And I think it's sweet that Gunn finally sees that Wes had real feelings for Lilah. When Wes calls her a "loved one," Gunn looks sort of surprised and sad for him. It's a nice moment between the two of them. Also, having that Sirk guy be an ex-Watcher is just a great way to touch on the shows history. And it's pretty funny that Angel is completely unimpressed with the fancy office and power of Wolfram & Hart... But he's seduced by that hi-definition television set. And it's interesting that Angel really does fulfill that prophesy from season three, the father DOES kill the son in "Home." He does it out of love, but it still comes true. In the Buffyverse, prophesies just always seem to come true no matter how hard you fight against them. Finally, it's cool that Wolfram & Hart gave Angel that pendant to take to Sunnydale. It plays a big role in BTVS season seven's "Chosen" and in "Angel" season five, so it's cool to see it Lilah with it for the first time.
I think that Angel, really ALL of Team Angel, makes the wrong choice in this episode. They never should have joined Wolfram & Hart. Angel does it out so he can save Conner. Which I can understand, but it's still a bad call and wiping out the memories of his friends is just flat-out wrong. I'm not sure that Wes would have joined Wolfram & Hart if he'd had all his memories. Gunn and Lorne would've. Maybe even Fred, but Wes had a chance to join Wolfram & Hart before and he turned it down. Plus, he seemed more interested in helping Lilah then learning about his new job offer. Really, I think that season five bares out that this is just a really bad decision for all of them. That's what makes it such a great story line. It's dramatic, with a lot of conflict and moral dilemmas. Who wants to watch characters who always know just what to do or who always make the right choices? Where's the fun in that? It's why season five is one of my favorite seasons in the entire Buffyverse. It's so gray and ethically complicated.
On the down side, this is Lilah's last episode. It's a shame because I just love her and I want to know what happens to her next.
My favorite part of the episode: Wes trying to burn Lilah's contract and set her free. I think it's the sweetest, most heartbreaking scene of the entire season.
"Home" revolves around Lilah visiting from the after life and offering Team Angel the keys to the chocolate factory... aka Wolfram & Hart. It seems that the Senior Partners are impressed that Team Angel stopped world peace and wants to reward them with control of the LA branch. They promise that Team Angel will be in charge of the offices of Wolfram and Hart and they can use it for good or for evil depending on their choices. Team Angel is suspicious, but they each wind up agreeing to tour Wolfram & Hart. Gunn is shown the White Room, Lorne the entertainment devision, Fred the science labs, Wes the research department and Angel the CEOs office.
At the same time, Conner is falling apart. He kidnaps Cordy's comatose body, takes some people hostage and threatens to blow up a sporting-goods store. In order to save his son, Angel cuts a deal with Lilah. He'll take over Wolfram & Hart is they give his son a new life, free from the memories of Angel, Holtz and all the rest. If Conner can finally have a home. In doing that history is rewritten and no one can remember Conner except Angel. Team Angel all sign on at Wolfram & Hart and Angel goes to look in on his son. Seeing Conner happy with his new family, Angel quietly walks away, into the darkness.
There are some great parts to this episode. I like Team Angel reacting to Lilah's theory that they'd wiped out world peace. "We didn't end world peace. We stopped a evil plot to enslave humanity. Didn't we?" And I think it's sweet that Gunn finally sees that Wes had real feelings for Lilah. When Wes calls her a "loved one," Gunn looks sort of surprised and sad for him. It's a nice moment between the two of them. Also, having that Sirk guy be an ex-Watcher is just a great way to touch on the shows history. And it's pretty funny that Angel is completely unimpressed with the fancy office and power of Wolfram & Hart... But he's seduced by that hi-definition television set. And it's interesting that Angel really does fulfill that prophesy from season three, the father DOES kill the son in "Home." He does it out of love, but it still comes true. In the Buffyverse, prophesies just always seem to come true no matter how hard you fight against them. Finally, it's cool that Wolfram & Hart gave Angel that pendant to take to Sunnydale. It plays a big role in BTVS season seven's "Chosen" and in "Angel" season five, so it's cool to see it Lilah with it for the first time.
I think that Angel, really ALL of Team Angel, makes the wrong choice in this episode. They never should have joined Wolfram & Hart. Angel does it out so he can save Conner. Which I can understand, but it's still a bad call and wiping out the memories of his friends is just flat-out wrong. I'm not sure that Wes would have joined Wolfram & Hart if he'd had all his memories. Gunn and Lorne would've. Maybe even Fred, but Wes had a chance to join Wolfram & Hart before and he turned it down. Plus, he seemed more interested in helping Lilah then learning about his new job offer. Really, I think that season five bares out that this is just a really bad decision for all of them. That's what makes it such a great story line. It's dramatic, with a lot of conflict and moral dilemmas. Who wants to watch characters who always know just what to do or who always make the right choices? Where's the fun in that? It's why season five is one of my favorite seasons in the entire Buffyverse. It's so gray and ethically complicated.
On the down side, this is Lilah's last episode. It's a shame because I just love her and I want to know what happens to her next.
My favorite part of the episode: Wes trying to burn Lilah's contract and set her free. I think it's the sweetest, most heartbreaking scene of the entire season.