Redefinition

Infobox Television episode
Title = Redefinition
Series = Angel


Caption = {Caption|}
Season = 2
Episode = 11
Airdate = January 16, 2001
Production = 2ADH11
Writer = Mere Smith
Director = Michael Grossman
Guests = Julie Benz
(Darla)
Juliet Landau
(Drusilla)
Christian Kane
(Lindsey)
Stephanie Romanov
(Lilah)
Andy Hallett
(Lorne)
Brigid Brannagh
(Virginia)
David Wolfson
Nicolas Surovy
Episode list = List of "Angel" episodes
Prev = Reunion
Next = Blood Money

"Redefinition" is episode 11 of season 2 in the television show "Angel". Written by Mere Smith and directed by Michael Grossman, it was originally broadcast on January 16, 2001 on the WB network. As Wesley, Cordelia, and Gunn reel from the shock after Angel fires them, they end up at the Caritas demon karaoke bar. They talk to the Host about their uncertainty until a vision of Cordelia's leads them to a woman who has been abducted by a demon. Meanwhile, Angel reinvents himself as a cold-hearted, one-man weapon of mass destruction to find and take out Darla and Drusilla, who are recruiting demons for a rampage through the city. Meanwhile, Lindsey and Lilah, the only survivors of the office-party massacre, fear for their lives when the unseen Senior Partners of Wolfram & Hart want to meet with them to replace Holland as chief of the Special Projects division. See List of "Angel" episodes for a complete list.

Plot

Still reeling from being fired, Cordelia, Wesley and Gunn walk down the street clutching boxes of their possessions, questioning their future and the reasons for Angel's actions. They agree to leave Angel alone for now, and all head to their respective homes. At the hotel, Angel burns drawings of Darla in the furnace. Intent on building himself into a one-man killing machine, Angel works on his strength and fighting skills until he is at the level of Wolfram & Hart. At Holland's cellar, dead bodies litter the floor, and from beneath them all, Lindsey wakes up, a survivor of the mess. As the paramedics check him and bodies out, Lindsey is displeased to find out that Lilah also survived.

Virginia can't understand why Angel fired Wesley and the others. Wesley tries to explain, and then the two discuss Wesley's possible future. Lindsey and Lilah worry about their jobs at Wolfram & Hart and whether they will be blamed for the massacre that killed many of their co-workers. Darla and Drusilla are waiting for Lindsey and Lilah in Lindsey's office. Darla explains that they lived so they could be connections on the inside of Wolfram & Hart for the vampires.

At the karaoke bar, Wesley, Cordelia and Gunn all find themselves in search of the truth of their futures - so desperate that they are willing to sing. Angel holds Merl by his ankles over water in the sewers and repetitively dunks the demon until he gets answers about Darla and Dru's whereabouts. Darla and Drusilla arrive at a demon club intending to recruit demons and vampires for their new gang. Angel is hidden in the crowd, and after hearing the plans, he leaves, alerting Drusilla to his appearance. Outside the building, Angel concludes that he's still too attached to Darla to defeat her.

Lilah talks to Lindsey about possibly leaving the firm, but Lindsey figures out her secret plans and pulls the microphone from her blouse. Wesley, Cordelia and Gunn all get very drunk and yell at each other before ending up on stage singing "We Are the Champions." The Host lets the The Powers That Be do the guiding, but offers protection for Cordelia's head as she gets a vision about a very dangerous demon and a young woman in trouble. The three head to the location the vision sent them, but without weapons or Angel, they have to make do with what little they have.

Darla is frustrated with all the focus others are putting on Angel and is eager to get to the factory and select members of her new army. Drusilla rants about fire and pain, but Darla brushes it off as they head for their factory. Angel returns to the hotel and fully arms himself for battle, without even acknowledging the ringing phone. Angel then goes the factory where a large group of demons have gathered. Wesley and Gunn fight the kidnapping demon while Cordelia rescues the girl. Darla and Drusilla find all of their prospective minions dead and Angel at the back of the building smoking a cigarette. He drops the cigarette into gasoline that ignites both Darla and Drusilla, but Darla breaks open a fire hydrant and puts out the flames before it destroys them.

Lilah and Lindsey find themselves sharing the job of Executive Vice-President of Special Projects until one of them can prove he or she is the most qualified. Wesley informs Angel that he and the others will continue to fight the good fight, even if Angel won't. Slightly fazed by the news, Angel reasons to himself, "Let them 'fight the good fight.' Someone has to fight the war."

Acting

Main cast

*David Boreanaz as Angel
*Charisma Carpenter as Cordelia Chase
*Alexis Denisof as Wesley Wyndam-Pryce
*J. August Richards as Charles Gunn

Guest stars

*Christian Kane as Lindsey McDonald
*Stephanie Romanov as Lilah Morgan
*Andy Hallett as The Host
*Brigid Brannagh as Virginia Bryce
*Nicolas Surovy as Hunt Acrey
*Julie Benz as Darla
*Juliet Landau as Drusilla

Co-stars

*Matthew James as Merle
*Joel Stoffer as Vampire #1
*Brad Kalas as EMT
*Jamie McShane as Demon
*David Wolfson as Bartender

Production

To get the effect of Darla and Drusilla being lit on fire, Makeup Artist Dayne Johnson says he put full-face burn makeup on Julie Benz and Juliet Landau. "We were like, 'Well, okay they just got torched and they both have perfect hair,'" Johnson says. "'Can we put a wig on, a ratty wig? Can we do something else?’ They were like, ‘No’ – oh great, alright. TV land, okay, don’t do everything completely realistic." Johnson explains that because the scene was shot on a cold night, the water was warmed before it was pumped from the water-truck to avoid freezing the actresses. [Citation |url=http://www.cityofangel.com/behindTheScenes/bts/DayneJohnson_3.html |title=Dayne Johnson: The Beauty and Horror of the Hellmouth |first=Kristy |last=Bratton ]

Writing

The only time Angel speaks in this episode is during voice-overs.

Crossover with "Buffy": After this episode, Drusilla visits Sunnydale in "Crush".

Music

*"Lady Marmalade" - LaBelle, as sung by Lorne
*"We Are the Champions" - Queen, as sung by Cordy, Wes and Gunn

Translations

* German title: "Neuanfänge" ("New beginnings")
* Italian title: "Solo contro tutti" ("Alone against all")
* Spanish title: "Redefinición" ("Redefinition")
* French title: "Déclaration de guerre" ("Declaration of war")

References

External links

*

ee also