Skip (Buffyverse)
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Skip is a fictional character on the WB Network's television program Angel. He appears in seasons three and four, and is played by the actor David Denman.
Skip is a formidable and powerful demon, whose body is plated in armor. He appears in four episodes of the series. The demon sports a confident, charismatic personality and frequently makes humorous reference to human popular culture and turn-of-phrase. The history and nature of Skip is largely unknown since much of what Skip says is later revealed to be a lie. Skip is revealed to be a servant of Jasmine who is used to trick Cordelia Chase into becoming a vessel for the possession and birth of Jasmine.
Skip is first seen in the season three episode "That Vision Thing". Angel is forced to rescue an evil boy named Billy Blim from torment in a demon dimension in order to save Cordelia's life. Skip guards Billy's prison of fire. When Angel first enters this dimension, he and Skip have a very pleasant conversation where Skip claims that he works for The Powers That Be. Skip's pleasant demeanor (juxtaposed with his intimidating appearance) is a surprise for Angel, who has to fight him anyway. Angel wins, and is able to trade Billy for Cordelia's life.
Later, Skip claims he threw this fight. How Billy and Wolfram and Hart's hijacking of Cordelia's visions related to the birth of Jasmine is never revealed.
Skip's second appearance is in the episode "Birthday" where he informs Cordelia that she will die if she continues receiving visions from the Powers. He then serves as Cordelia's guide through a "what-if" scenario where she had never inherited her visions and had become a celebrity. After realizing that fighting evil is her true calling, Cordelia asks to keep her visions. Skip offers to make her part-demon so that she can continue to bear the visions and Cordelia agrees.
Later, it becomes apparent that Skip tricked Cordelia into becoming part-demon. Though, it is unknown whether Skip ever actually worked for the Powers, Skip seems to know much about their actions and events of the Buffyverse. Skip reveals he knew about the Powers turning back time for Angel and Buffy's return from heaven.
In the season three finale, Skip once again returns to Cordelia, this time to inform her that she has been chosen to ascend to a higher realm and become a higher being. Cordelia agrees and ascends to become all seeing but is unable to act and becomes very bored.
Later, Skip reveals that he tricked Cordelia into ascending so she could be possessed by Jasmine on the higher realm. Cordelia finally is able to perform a single action of moving a slot machine part and immediately returns to Earth.
After Cordelia returns and appears to have become evil, Angel and the remainder of the group realize that something bad had happened to Cordelia on the higher realm. Angel seeks out Skip for an explanation. In the episode "Inside Out", Angel once again enters Skip's dimension and questions him about Cordelia's changes. Skip feigns ignorance, but Angel realizes that Skip is hiding something, and a fight ensues. During the fight, Angel is able to defeat Skip, pulling off a small piece of his armor near his ear. Angel then brings Skip back to Los Angeles where he is bound to this dimension and questioned. Skip reveals that he is part of a conspiracy to bring Jasmine into the world. He also claims that most of the important plot points of the entire series were directed by Jasmine (though he does not mention her by name). How much of Skip's story is true is unknown as much of it contradicts previous and later events. Some of the gang are skeptical. Skip also reveals that killing Cordelia is the only way to stop Jasmine's birth. When Angel goes to find Cordelia, an earthquake breaks the spell which had bound Skip, and he begins fighting with the remaining members of the group, including Fred, Gunn, Lorne, and Wes. Seemingly unstoppable, Skip is only killed when Wes is able to target a bullet in the exact place where Angel had broken his armor in the earlier fight. Wes and Gunn then dismember Skip's body in the basement with a buzzsaw.
[edit] Notes
The character of Skip is a tribute to Skip Schoolnik, a producer and director for Buffy and Angel. Schoolnik is credited as co-producer on a number of episodes, including "That Vision Thing", the episode that introduced the character.
Schoolnik directed 5 episodes for Angel including "Habeas Corpses ", "Slouching Toward Bethlehem", "Destiny", "Quickening", and "Underneath".
Whedon has hinted that Skip is aesthetically his favourite demon on the show, promising that demons will be more cool-looking, but not as cool as Skip, in the canonical Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight comic series.[1]
