Hero (Angel)
"Hero" is episode 9 of season 1 in the television show Angel. Written by Tim Minear and Howard Gordon and directed by Tucker Gates, it was originally broadcast on November 30, 1999 on the WB television network. In "Hero", Angel joins Doyle’s crusade to save a group of part-human Lister demons from The Scourge, an army of supremacist stormtrooper demons who claim "pure" blood and consequently persecute those of "mixed" blood. While Doyle goes after a strayed Lister teen and Cordelia handles details of the escape plan, Angel infiltrates the enemy and discovers their secret weapon, a bomb-like device called the Beacon that combusts anyone with any taint of human blood. Events lead to a climactic showdown aboard a tramp freighter, where Doyle finally confesses his half-demon heritage—and his love for her—to Cordelia, and proves that he, like Angel, is a Champion in his own right.
Plot
Cordelia and Doyle bicker while working on a video advertising Angel Investigations. After talking to Angel, Doyle has a vision of a group in distress. At the scene of the vision, they find a group of Lister demons hiding from the Scourge, an army of pure-blood demons who hate all demons of mixed blood. Doyle tells Angel about a past encounter with the Scourge.
Angel and his team arrange for the Listers to escape on a cargo ship. The Scourge find the Listers' hiding place after they have left for the ship. Angel pretends to join the Scourge, and learns they have a device, the Beacon, which can kill half-breeds from a distance. The Scourge prepares to attack the cargo ship. Doyle and Cordelia flirt while waiting for Angel.
Angel arrives, and the ship is preparing to leave when the Scourge appears. Angel attempts to sacrifice himself to destroy the Beacon as it begins to operate, but Doyle, himself a half-breed demon, knocks Angel out, kisses Cordelia, disables the Beacon, and dies from its effects.
Production details
Special effects Supervisor Loni Peristere explains David Greenwalt described his vision of Doyle's death as "I want him to melt to death...I want his flesh to melt off and muscle and then bones." Peristere was concerned that that effect would be too graphic for television. He shot Doyle in his demon form, and Doyle with half-burned make-up then used mat elements to digitally "chew through his skin", including an element of acetone poured on Styrofoam.[1]
Arc significance
- This is the final episode in which Doyle is seen (barring his video recording later viewed in subsequent seasons). The actor who plays Doyle, Glenn Quinn, does get a "credit-only" credit in the following episode.
Trivia
- In true Joss Whedon form, he kills off a central character during his happiest time. Doyle had just landed a date with Cordelia and was finally starting to open up to Angel. But Whedon kills him off despite this. Whedon mentions in the DVD commentary for the series opener that he wanted to do the same with Eric Balfour (Jesse from the first two episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer). That is, he wanted to put someone's name in the opening credits and kill him off shortly thereafter. He later does this with Amber Benson's Tara in the Buffy episode Seeing Red.
Writing
- Doyle's search for atonement, his growing love for Cordy and her honesty, and his rocky road to self-acceptance come together in this episode in one immolating flash of apotheosis. The darkest, most shameful secret of Doyle's past has come back to haunt him, but he's no longer the half-demon he was, and he brings off his second chance with humor, grace and courage. Angel, to his abiding admiration and sorrow, thus learns Doyle's tale in its entirety.
- This is the episode in which Doyle passes his Powers-given-gift of vision to Cordelia, although this will not be made apparent until the following episode. This gives her character a new dimension and enhances her protagonism from now on.
Continuity
- The videotaped commercial Doyle makes with Cordelia is seen again in the season three episode "Birthday", and in the season five episode, "You're Welcome".
- Although the Scourge never reappear in the series, they are mentioned as one of the groups who may pose a threat to Connor's existence in "Dad", shortly after his birth
- Sean Gunn, who plays Brachen demon Lucas in this episode, also appears in "She (Angel)" as Mars.
Cultural references
- Patrick Stewart: Cordy wants to hire a well-known actor to narrate her commercial and her first choice is "that bald Star Trek guy," although she would settle for "one of the cheaper Baldwins."
- Braveheart: After Angel goes back downstairs without saying a word, Cordelia changes her mind and decides not to cast him as The Dark Avenger in her commercial, theorizing that his "larger-than-life character" would project an image that would be "way too Braveheart for Joe-couch-potato to relate to."
- Mask: When Doyle is stricken by a vision in the foyer, Cordelia pretends to be playing charades with him for the benefit of passersby. Her next fake guess is The Man with Two Brains.
- Brion: The Senior Lister tells Angel they are heading for a refuge established on a small island off the coast of Ecuador. That area of the world is known for its many unique species.
- Carnival Cruise Lines: Until she softens up a bit, Cordelia is horrified to be sending a group of refugees on an all-AI-expense-paid cruise. Her only consolation is that it won't be with Carnival.
- The Love Boat: When Cordelia inspects the tramp freighter on which they've booked passage for the Listers, she bluntly tells its captain, "Well, it's not the Love Boat, but it'll have to do."
Reception and reviews
This episode was rated as one of the series' top five episodes in a poll done by Angel Magazine.[2] It also appeared eight on Slayage.com's list of the top 10 episodes of Angel.[3]
References
- ^ Bratton, Kristy, Special FX: CoA Interviews Loni Peristere, Special FX Supervisor, http://www.cityofangel.com/behindTheScenes/bts/digitalMagic4.html
- ^ Top Angel episodes, BBC, 18 January 2005, http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/news/cult/2005/01/18/16581.shtml, retrieved 2007-10-16
- ^ Erenberg, Daniel, Best Of The Best, Part Two, Slayage.com, http://www.slayage.com/articles/000055.html, retrieved 2007-09-22
External links
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