Angel/Recap/S03 E17 Forgiving

As Fred and Gunn search for Wesley, they worry about the lengths Angel will go to retrieve his son.

"Conduit: They were all about torture and death. (to Angel) You can relate. Well, they caused a lot of trouble. Don't get me wrong; I like trouble -- but I hate chaos."
 * Always Chaotic Evil: Sahjahn is a Granok demon, who were like this in the past. To avert this the Senior Partners turned them incorporeal.

"Linwood: Once the firm finds out what you've done--
 * Bait and Switch Comment / Mood Whiplash: When he finally catches up with Wesley at the hospital, Angel seems about to forgive him, pointing out that he didn't turn evil like Wes feared. Then he grabs the pillow and shoves it over Wes' face, screaming that he's going to kill him.
 * Black Magic
 * Blood Magic: Human blood is needed for the ritual. Linwood gets an Oh Crap look when Lilah approaches him wielding a dagger...then pointedly slices her own palm.
 * Buffy-Speak: "That's doomy."
 * Chekhov's Gun
 * The Resikhian urn used to trap Sahjahn.
 * When Fred empties a trash bin, Gunn tells her she won't find Wesley's diaries in there.
 * The Black Magic pentagram becomes significant in "The Price".
 * Creepy Child: Our introduction to the Conduit to the Senior Partners.
 * Curb Stomp Battle / Conveniently-Timed Attack From Behind: Sahjahn vs. Angel, Fred and Gunn -- the demon is kicking all their asses and is about to stake Angel when Justine sucks him into the urn.
 * Despair Event Horizon: Justine and Angel.
 * Eureka Moment: Fred realises Wesley has thrown his diaries in the trash after seeing Justine's messy place.
 * Flashback Echo: Justine remembers cutting Wesley's throat and stops her men from doing the same to Gunn. She later remembers her past with Holtz after realising that he only wanted revenge, not her.
 * Good Is Not Nice: Angel makes a point of letting Wesley know that it isn't his evil Angelus side that's going to smother him.
 * Just Between You and Me: Sahjahn reveals the whole Evil Plan to the Fang Gang.
 * If You're So Evil Eat This Kitten: The Conduit informs Angel that, as he knows, there's always a price for their help. She tells Angel to kill Lilah. Angel moves immediately to Neck Snap the Wolfram & Hart attorney, only to be stopped by the Creepy Child's laughter. She was just checking that he was willing to cross his own Moral Event Horizon.
 * Ineffectual Death Threats

Angel: They'd kill you before they'd kill me."

"Sahjahn: Do I look like I need more skin problems? (punches Fred)"
 * Kill It with Fire: Averted; Fred chucks a brazier of hot coals in Sahjahn's face to no effect.

"Angel: You're takin' me there.
 * Look Both Ways: Sahjahn coporealises in the middle of the street and promptly gets hit by a truck. It doesn't stop him.
 * Not Quite Dead: Wesley survives having his throat cut.
 * Punched Across the Room
 * Revenge Myopia: Angel doesn't actually fall victim to this, though it's likely he would have killed Wesley if he hadn't been stopped.
 * Security Cling: Fred to Gunn when facing Sahjahn.
 * Self-Fulfilling Prophecy: Sahjahn found a prophecy predicting his death at the hands of the one sired by the vampire with a soul. He then went back in time and planted the prophecy saying that Angel would kill Connor, so Wesley would take action to prevent it.
 * Shaggy Search Technique: Checking the trash is a basic technique for Private Detectives -- which Angel Investigations aren't, as has been pointed out in the past.
 * Staircase Tumble: When the spell apparently fails to conjure Sahjahn, Angel starts dragging Linwood up the stairs still tied to his chair. When Lilah appears to tell Angel that Sahjahn has just turned up elsewhere, Angel lets Linwood go -- all the way down the stairs.
 * Super Strength: Sahjahn lifts a two-ton pickup truck off himself after being run over.
 * Take Up My Sword / Blatant Lies: Justine tells Holtz's men that he charged them with carrying on his mission to kill Angelus.
 * Torture Technician: Angel selects handy office items to torture Linwood.
 * Verbal Backspace: Lorne says that Linwood is human...marginally.
 * Villains Never Lie

Sahjahn: Couldn't even if I wanted to.

Angel: You're lying.

Sahjahn: No, that, I'm telling the truth about. Whole universe could go kaplooie. Bad for me, bad for America.

Fred: So what are you lyin' about?

Sahjahn: Oh, well. I don't like to brag but...read any good prophecies lately?"

"Sahjahn: I miss gravity, friction, and smashing things to pieces. Let's start with your skulls.
 * Vorpal Pillow: Angel tries to smother Wesley before being dragged off by hospital staff and his friends.
 * Walk in Chime In

Angel: (entering) Or yours."


 * What Measure Is a Non-Human?: Angel is threatening to torture a human and Lorne, who's a demon, tries to dissuade him, saying "Angel, that's not a slimey demon you've got there, that's a human". Apparently, even good demons value human life more than demon life.
 * White Void Room: The aptly named White Room where Angel meets the Conduit.