I love Wesley. His slow evolution from nervous goof ball, to loyal friend, to bitter outcast, to unshaven hard ass is probably the most compelling transformation in the course of show. Wes routinely steals scenes from Spike and Angel and, since they're my favorite characters, you know I've got to really like this guy to say that. Wes can do anything and keep it sympathetic, understandable and --well-- Cool. He's one of the greatest characters in all of the Buffyverse. "Parting Gifts" is Wes's first episode on "Angel." He did appear in the second half of BTVS season three, where he first met Cordy and Angel. But if you haven't seen those episode, don't worry. It's pretty easy to follow along without them. Just watch "Parting Gifts" and you'll understand the back story pretty fast.
Basically, "Parting Gifts" revolves around Cordy inheriting Doyle's visions. That kiss he gave her at the end of "Hero" passed his visions on to her, so now she's getting the headaches and flashes of people in trouble. Cordy is horrified with her "gift" and tries to get rid of it by kissing Angel and any other man she meets. It doesn't work. Cordy's stuck with the visions and, when she sees a "ugly gray blob-y thing" in one of them, she tries to draw it for Angel. Meanwhile, a empath demon has come to Angel for help. He says that someone is after him. Angel agrees to investigates. It turns out that the person tracking the demon is Wesley. He's been fired from the Council and is now a freelance "rouge demon hunter." He says that the demon is dangerous. Angel says he's not. And right about then they realize they're discussing different demon. A gigantic demon drops from the ceiling and escapes them both.
Angel takes Wes home and tries to figure out what's going on. He starts trailing the big demon again, telling Wes and Cordy to stay behind with the empath demon. After Doyle's death, he doesn't want to work with anyone else. Wes ignores him. He follows Angel to the big demon's hiding place, but it isn't evil. It's dying. Someone has stolen it's magical horn and Wes and Angel begin to see that they're made a mistake. The empath demon with Cordy is really a auctioneer, who sells supernatural stuff. He stole the horn and a lot of other powerful items from other demons. When he discovers that Cordelia is a seer, he decided to kidnap her and auction her off. Wes and Angel desperately search for her. Finding one of Cordy's drawings of the "ugly gray blob-y thing," they realize that it's really a sculpture at a nearby hotel. They arrive in time to save Cordy, stab the empath demon with the magical horn, and Wes is on his way to becoming part of the Angel Inc. team.
There are some really fun parts to this episode. I love Cordy kissing everyone she meets trying to get rid of her visions. It's especially funny when she tries it with Wes because he drags her forward and kisses her back. It's a nice little nod to BTVS season three's "Graduation Day Part Two" where Wes and Cordy tried kissing with very little success. Clearly, Wes is getting better at it. And Cordy's break down at her audition is also hilarious. She's weeping over Doyle, screaming as a vision hits her and possibly even drooling. The casting people just look at her and say, "Okay, we'll let you know." I also like that Wes is still trying to fight evil, but he's not sure how to go about it. He's been fired from the Council, but demon fighting (or rouge demon hunting) is just what he does. He's surprisingly good at a lot of it, for all his anxious mistakes. Wes can understand demon languages and do research faster than anyone. He's also a heck of a shot. His relationship with Angel and Cordy gives Wesley the security to be himself. Wes is fighting evil, not because he was tapped by the PTB, but because he wants to help. And Angel and/or Cordy desperately need his expertise about once an episode for the next five seasons. With them, he's found a home. A place where he can fight evil his own way and finally fit in. It's cool. Finally, I really enjoy the supernatural auction. Cordy shouting at the participants over their low biding, the demon guys killing each other, Wolfram and Hart getting involved... It all just fun.
On the down side, I feel bad that the big horned demon died. He seemed like an innocent victim. Also, I think it would have made more sense if Wes identified that statue instead of Angel. It's seems sort of modern for Angel to know on sight. Finally, what happens to that picture Cordy framed? I don't think that we ever see it again.
My favorite part of the episode: Cordy, Angel and Wes all sitting down to breakfast with each other at the end. It's just a really sweet scene that makes me smile every time.
Basically, "Parting Gifts" revolves around Cordy inheriting Doyle's visions. That kiss he gave her at the end of "Hero" passed his visions on to her, so now she's getting the headaches and flashes of people in trouble. Cordy is horrified with her "gift" and tries to get rid of it by kissing Angel and any other man she meets. It doesn't work. Cordy's stuck with the visions and, when she sees a "ugly gray blob-y thing" in one of them, she tries to draw it for Angel. Meanwhile, a empath demon has come to Angel for help. He says that someone is after him. Angel agrees to investigates. It turns out that the person tracking the demon is Wesley. He's been fired from the Council and is now a freelance "rouge demon hunter." He says that the demon is dangerous. Angel says he's not. And right about then they realize they're discussing different demon. A gigantic demon drops from the ceiling and escapes them both.
Angel takes Wes home and tries to figure out what's going on. He starts trailing the big demon again, telling Wes and Cordy to stay behind with the empath demon. After Doyle's death, he doesn't want to work with anyone else. Wes ignores him. He follows Angel to the big demon's hiding place, but it isn't evil. It's dying. Someone has stolen it's magical horn and Wes and Angel begin to see that they're made a mistake. The empath demon with Cordy is really a auctioneer, who sells supernatural stuff. He stole the horn and a lot of other powerful items from other demons. When he discovers that Cordelia is a seer, he decided to kidnap her and auction her off. Wes and Angel desperately search for her. Finding one of Cordy's drawings of the "ugly gray blob-y thing," they realize that it's really a sculpture at a nearby hotel. They arrive in time to save Cordy, stab the empath demon with the magical horn, and Wes is on his way to becoming part of the Angel Inc. team.
There are some really fun parts to this episode. I love Cordy kissing everyone she meets trying to get rid of her visions. It's especially funny when she tries it with Wes because he drags her forward and kisses her back. It's a nice little nod to BTVS season three's "Graduation Day Part Two" where Wes and Cordy tried kissing with very little success. Clearly, Wes is getting better at it. And Cordy's break down at her audition is also hilarious. She's weeping over Doyle, screaming as a vision hits her and possibly even drooling. The casting people just look at her and say, "Okay, we'll let you know." I also like that Wes is still trying to fight evil, but he's not sure how to go about it. He's been fired from the Council, but demon fighting (or rouge demon hunting) is just what he does. He's surprisingly good at a lot of it, for all his anxious mistakes. Wes can understand demon languages and do research faster than anyone. He's also a heck of a shot. His relationship with Angel and Cordy gives Wesley the security to be himself. Wes is fighting evil, not because he was tapped by the PTB, but because he wants to help. And Angel and/or Cordy desperately need his expertise about once an episode for the next five seasons. With them, he's found a home. A place where he can fight evil his own way and finally fit in. It's cool. Finally, I really enjoy the supernatural auction. Cordy shouting at the participants over their low biding, the demon guys killing each other, Wolfram and Hart getting involved... It all just fun.
On the down side, I feel bad that the big horned demon died. He seemed like an innocent victim. Also, I think it would have made more sense if Wes identified that statue instead of Angel. It's seems sort of modern for Angel to know on sight. Finally, what happens to that picture Cordy framed? I don't think that we ever see it again.
My favorite part of the episode: Cordy, Angel and Wes all sitting down to breakfast with each other at the end. It's just a really sweet scene that makes me smile every time.
