This is Doyle's final episode. I actually really like the guy and I'm sorry to see him die. He added a lot of humor to the show and his relationship with Cordelia was kind of sweet. His death illustrates the tough choices and un-happy endings that the show will face in the seasons to come. Scarifices, and wrong turns, and loss will affect all the characters. The fight against evil is never easy and "Angel" isn't afraid to show the darker consequences of the battle. If you're watching the show, you really need to see this episode. Doyle's death will be referenced through out the show, especially in season five, and "Hero" sets up Cordy's new gifts.
"Hero" revolves around a clan of evil Nazi demons, called the Scourge, coming to LA. They want to wipe out all the "impure" demons. Their newest victims are a bunch of harmless gray demons who are trying to hide from the Scourge stormtroopers. Angel wants to help them and he starts planning how he can ship them out of the country to safety. He cuts a deal with a captain friend of his to smuggle them out on a steamer. Cordy starts evacuating them to the boat as the Scourge draws closer. The demons see Angel as the "Chose One," a figure from their myths who protects them from evil. Doyle admits that his cousin was killed by the Scourge and that his visions initially began because he didn't help his cousin escape them. When one of the teenage demons runs off, Doyle goes after him.
Angel goes undercover as a member of the Scorage and finds out that they are developing a weapon. It's a big light thing that burns anyone with humanity alive. They plan to use it on the demon clan. The Scourge has discovered that they're on the boat and heads for the docks. Angel hurries to warn the others. Meanwhile, Doyle finds the missing kid and Cordy discovers that Doyle is part demon. That doesn't matter too much to her. (Way less than his being short or poor, actually.) Doyle and Cordy begin to arrange a date, when Angel and the Scourge arrives. Soon the big light thing is deployed. It's suspended above the demon clan and someone has to leap onto it and deactivate it. It's a suicide mission. Angel prepares to jump on to it, but Doyle pushes him off the catwalk. Then he kisses Cordy and leaps on to the light machine. Angel and Cordy scream at him to stop, but Doyle deactivates the weapon and dies.
There are some good parts to this episode. I especially love the video Cordy and Doyle make. Watching them film it is hilarious. Doyle's suppose to be accessible to all the "joe-six packs" in the audience. But, the commercial is about Angel, someone who will fight and protect you no matter what. Doyle stumbles through his lines ("Our rats are low") and smiles nervously when he's done reading the cue cards. It's just a funny little scene. But when Angel and Cordy watch it at the end of the episode, the video becomes so much deeper. Suddenly it's about Doyle. An "average" guy who sacrificed himself to save others and protected his friends with his life. Angel wasn't the "chosen one" those demons were waiting for or the "Hero" in the episodes title or the subject of the commercial Cordy filmed... Doyle was. His last words, "Is that it? Am I done?" just break my heart every time. What a great, beautiful scene. (On a side note, the video is played again in Angel's 100th episode, season five's "You're Welcome." It's one small part of why I end up sobbing through most of that episode.)
On the down side, I think that the "pure" demon Nazi's are ridiculous. Not only is there "master race" agenda pretty heavy handed, but it just doesn't make any sense. How can they be "pure" demons? In BTVS season three's "Graduation Day Part One," Anya very clearly explains that there are no "pure" demons in the world. All the demons on earth have been "corroputed" by human taint or whatever. That's why the Mayor was such a threat. Because he was going to ascend into a gigantic, world crushing, "pure" demon. So are these Nazi demons just delusional or what? If they're only after demon's with human parents or something, then why did they kill Doyle's cousin? Why were they after that demon clan? I saw a lot of kids and no human parents in the group. That teenage demon kid (whose name I've forgotten) said his mother could "pass" as human. Meaning that she wasn't really human, but a demon. Are there degrees of humanity and demon-ness? And why would they just let Angel join their cult? (Not that he doesn't look cute with his hair all dark and slicked down. In fact it's sort of a funny disguise, given that Spike dresses up like a Nazi in season five's "Why We Fight" with that same hair do, but I digress...) If they don't trust vampires or humans, why are they so fast to accept Angel? And where do they go after they activate the light weapon thing? Are they still wandering around LA? Why are they never mentioned again? Am I missing something or does this whole just not make sense?
My favorite part of the episode: Cordelia's ridiculous concept for the Angel Investiagations TV commercial. Every time I hear Angel say, "I'm the Dark Avenger!" I just have to smile.
"Hero" revolves around a clan of evil Nazi demons, called the Scourge, coming to LA. They want to wipe out all the "impure" demons. Their newest victims are a bunch of harmless gray demons who are trying to hide from the Scourge stormtroopers. Angel wants to help them and he starts planning how he can ship them out of the country to safety. He cuts a deal with a captain friend of his to smuggle them out on a steamer. Cordy starts evacuating them to the boat as the Scourge draws closer. The demons see Angel as the "Chose One," a figure from their myths who protects them from evil. Doyle admits that his cousin was killed by the Scourge and that his visions initially began because he didn't help his cousin escape them. When one of the teenage demons runs off, Doyle goes after him.
Angel goes undercover as a member of the Scorage and finds out that they are developing a weapon. It's a big light thing that burns anyone with humanity alive. They plan to use it on the demon clan. The Scourge has discovered that they're on the boat and heads for the docks. Angel hurries to warn the others. Meanwhile, Doyle finds the missing kid and Cordy discovers that Doyle is part demon. That doesn't matter too much to her. (Way less than his being short or poor, actually.) Doyle and Cordy begin to arrange a date, when Angel and the Scourge arrives. Soon the big light thing is deployed. It's suspended above the demon clan and someone has to leap onto it and deactivate it. It's a suicide mission. Angel prepares to jump on to it, but Doyle pushes him off the catwalk. Then he kisses Cordy and leaps on to the light machine. Angel and Cordy scream at him to stop, but Doyle deactivates the weapon and dies.
There are some good parts to this episode. I especially love the video Cordy and Doyle make. Watching them film it is hilarious. Doyle's suppose to be accessible to all the "joe-six packs" in the audience. But, the commercial is about Angel, someone who will fight and protect you no matter what. Doyle stumbles through his lines ("Our rats are low") and smiles nervously when he's done reading the cue cards. It's just a funny little scene. But when Angel and Cordy watch it at the end of the episode, the video becomes so much deeper. Suddenly it's about Doyle. An "average" guy who sacrificed himself to save others and protected his friends with his life. Angel wasn't the "chosen one" those demons were waiting for or the "Hero" in the episodes title or the subject of the commercial Cordy filmed... Doyle was. His last words, "Is that it? Am I done?" just break my heart every time. What a great, beautiful scene. (On a side note, the video is played again in Angel's 100th episode, season five's "You're Welcome." It's one small part of why I end up sobbing through most of that episode.)
On the down side, I think that the "pure" demon Nazi's are ridiculous. Not only is there "master race" agenda pretty heavy handed, but it just doesn't make any sense. How can they be "pure" demons? In BTVS season three's "Graduation Day Part One," Anya very clearly explains that there are no "pure" demons in the world. All the demons on earth have been "corroputed" by human taint or whatever. That's why the Mayor was such a threat. Because he was going to ascend into a gigantic, world crushing, "pure" demon. So are these Nazi demons just delusional or what? If they're only after demon's with human parents or something, then why did they kill Doyle's cousin? Why were they after that demon clan? I saw a lot of kids and no human parents in the group. That teenage demon kid (whose name I've forgotten) said his mother could "pass" as human. Meaning that she wasn't really human, but a demon. Are there degrees of humanity and demon-ness? And why would they just let Angel join their cult? (Not that he doesn't look cute with his hair all dark and slicked down. In fact it's sort of a funny disguise, given that Spike dresses up like a Nazi in season five's "Why We Fight" with that same hair do, but I digress...) If they don't trust vampires or humans, why are they so fast to accept Angel? And where do they go after they activate the light weapon thing? Are they still wandering around LA? Why are they never mentioned again? Am I missing something or does this whole just not make sense?
My favorite part of the episode: Cordelia's ridiculous concept for the Angel Investiagations TV commercial. Every time I hear Angel say, "I'm the Dark Avenger!" I just have to smile.