Angel/Recap/S01 E16 The Ring

"“Tonight’s match features a new favorite in the ring – a vampire. Ladies and Gentlemen please welcome for the second night in a row, and still fresh from his first kill – Angel!” "

Angel is forced to take part in a demon gladiator sport.


 * Divided We Fall / Fantastic Racism: Angel can't convince the other demons to band together to escape.
 * Dramatic Gun Cock: Wes facing Darin.
 * Education Through Pyrotechnics: Wes trying to find the right conductor to open the bracelet.
 * Evil Lawyer Joke: Cordelia asks why Wolfram & Hart aren't mentioned on the demon website.
 * Explosive Leash
 * Failed Attempt At Drama: When declaring his intention to confront the loan shark, Wesley attempts to dramatically take out a crossbow from a drawer, only to pull out a tangle of weapons, holsters, etc.
 * Foe Yay: There's a seductive quality to Lilah's attempt to make a deal with Angel.
 * Foreshadowing: Our introduction to Amoral Attorney Lilah Morgan. Her suggestion that Angel treat Wolfram & Hart as a Necessary Evil becomes significant in Season 5.
 * Fingore: A severed finger is sent to the brother of a man who owes money.
 * Finish Him!: Angel refuses to do this to Trepkos; the more practical Trepkos simply attacks him again, but likewise when he has Angel on the ropes refuses to make the kill either.
 * Getting Crap Past the Radar: "Hey, if anyone is wearing a push-up bra around here it's__(Angel walks in) Angel!"
 * Gladiator Games / Gladiator Revolt
 * Hoist by His Own Petard: The demons put one of Darin's own wrist-collars on him, then toss him into the disintegrating field.
 * Impersonating an Officer: Wes and Cordelia pose as undercover detectives to take the tickets from a couple attending the fight. When the man says he's a personal friend of the Chief of Police, Wes and Cordy use that to their advantage by telling him a raid is going down and they've been sent to warn him off.
 * Loan Shark
 * Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: The Fang Gang are patting themselves on the back for having freed the gladiator demons; when one gives an Evil Laugh as he walks off they realise that might not have been a smart idea.
 * Overly Long Tongue: Cribb
 * Perp Sweating / Impaled Palm
 * Schiff One-Liner
 * Shoot the Hostage: Angel threatens to Neck Snap Darrin's brother unless he lets them all go; Darrin responds by pumping a couple of bullets into his brother's chest.
 * Simple Staff: Tired of watching Angel and Trepkos whale on each other, the guards drop in a couple of pointed wooden staffs.
 * Single-Stroke Battle: Trepkos just stands there as Malish hits him in the head, then grabs Malish’s arm, twists it, grabs his neck with his other hand and breaks it.
 * These Hands Have Killed: Angel looks down at his bloody hands after killing in the ring despite having vowed not to.
 * Took a Level In Badass: The loan shark and his minions aren't impressed by this prissy limey with a crossbow, until Wes shoots the loan shark in the hand, takes his Glock, orders the minions to throw down their guns and then starts twisting the quarrel to make the loan shark talk.
 * Totally Radical: Wes says "Something is going down with the Man" while Impersonating an Officer -- Cordy snarks him later for it.
 * We Can Rule Together: Lilah Morgan offers to free Angel in exchange for his turning a blind eye to the gladiator fights, suggesting that he should learn to pick his battles. Angel chooses to return to the ring. Their attempt to "reason" with Angel having failed, Wolfram & Hart from now on take a more aggressive stance to his interference.
 * We Need a Distraction: Cordy asks a guard for the location of the ladies room while Wes slips in behind him.
 * White Shirt of Death: Angel's bloodsplattered singlet.
 * White Shirt of Death: Angel's bloodsplattered singlet.