The Players:
Charles Gunn: the streetwise vampire/demon hunter with the tragic past in love with...
Fred: the quirky physics genius recently rescued from a demon dimension who has a thing for...
Wesley: the former Watcher who has been on the outs with the rest of the team since kidnapping the infant...
Connor: who is the son of Darla and Angel, raised on a demon dimension for 18 years and now old enough to bonk...
Cordelia: who at the end of last season was elevated into a higher being but returned no longer in love with...
Angel: who has been pretty much darkly brooding since first season Buffy about the evil acts committed by...
Angelus: the soulless vampire version of Angel who's recreation has been a series long project of...
Wolfram & Hart: a demon law firm who recently massacred by...
The Beast: which is some kind of lava demon who missed killing...
Lilith: a junior partner with Wolfram & Hart who has been bonking Wesley and recently kidnapped...
Lorne: a refugee to Earth from a very amusing demon dimension who can read the aura of people who sing to him.
Got it?
Previously on Angel: Apocalypse is coming, rain of fire, much gratuitous sex, Wesley decides that maybe bringing Angelus in for questioning might be a good idea, surprise - it isn't, Angelus throws gas on all the love triangle fires before being set free by Cordy who stabs Lilith and admits she wanted Angelus free.
Currently on Angel: The A-team decides the best way to find Angelus is to just hang out until he comes back to kill them all. Worried that he may have turned Lilith Wesley volunteers to lop off her head. Wes and Lilith chat a bit about love and redemption. Upstairs the rest of the gang tries to make an anti-violence spell while Gunn and Lorne worry that there's no one around to control Connor.
Cut to Stockton, California where Faith walks out onto the exercise yard. Someone tries to stab Faith with a fancy dagger which really looks like it belongs to a Bringer but Faith beats her easily. A guard comments that they were taken aback that someone was crazy enough to try to take out Faith. Guess she has a rep, eh?
Angelus looks for the Beast. Angelus finds the Beast. The Beast says Angelus works for The Master now. Angelus laughs. The Beast tries to act assertive. Angelus laughs some more and leaves. The Beast fumes. Cordy walks out of the shadows and chastises the Beast and assures him that Angelus will be back. If not, the Beast can kill him. A kiss is involved but we don't want to go there, thank you.
Back at the Hotel they get the anti-violence spell working and Wes comes in to tell them that there's been another change in plan: capture Angelus and get Angel back. Plus, bonus feature, he knows who can help them.
Cut to Stockton, California where Faith walks into the visitor area. Wes brings her up to speed and she escapes. Wes brings Faith up on what's been happening with the A-Team. They arrive at the Hotel where Faith takes charge much to Connor and Dark Cordy's annoyance. They go a-huntin'. Connor gives Faith some attitude and she slaps him down. Connor and Gunn return to the Hotel.
Angelus hears that there's a Slayer in town and figures out which one. He makes a big welcome sign as a subtle trap and two vamps jump Wesley to separate him from Faith. Faith explores the warehouse, egged on my Angelus playing hot/cold until she finds him. And the Beast.
The Beast is ticked with Angelus for bringing a Slayer and proceeds to beat Faith to a bloody pulp. This gives Angel a chance to find the dagger made from part of the Beast's body and kill him with it. The Beast dies and the sun comes back. Angelus explains that he wanted the Beast to soften up Faith (worked) and moves in but Faith whips a chain on a pulley at him. Angelus dodges with ridiculous ease but Faith's target was the window which, when broken, bathes her in sunlight. Angelus leaves with vague promisey threats.
Back at the Hotel everyone is basking in the sun except Cordy. Connor runs upstairs all excited and puppy dog because Faith killed the Beast and brought back the sun and isn't she awesome and just generally in a warrior princess haze. Cordy pops the bubble by telling him they're having a baby. More kissing, still not going there.
Fade to black.
RANDOM THOUGHTS
I wrote somewhere, sometime that the only reason that Faith was in prison is because she wanted to be and that she could escape anytime she wanted. Guess Wes knew that too.
Wesley bringing Faith up to speed reminded me of Buffy bringing Giles up to date at the end of last season.
And I have to wait a WEEK!
RANDOM QUOTES
Wesley: "You need to know..."
Faith: "It's Armageddon again. I dig. Last thing you need is me in the mix. Besides, Angel will come shining through like he always does."
Wesley: "Angel's gone, Faith. [beat] Angelus is back."
Faith: "Step away from the glass." [Faith dives through the glass, takes down two guards, push/pulls Wesley through a third story window, lands on a car roof, helps him up and dusts him off] "You okay?"
Wesley: "Five by five."
Wesley: "Thought you could use a little release. Feel natural?"
Faith: "Like riding a biker."
Cordelia: "Weren't you convicted of murder and sent to a state correctional facility for, like, a gadzillion years?"
Faith: "Murder two, 25 to life. For the record."
Connor: "Vampire slayers. I've heard of them. Why are you always girls?"
Faith: "I dunno. Better at it, I guess."
Connor: "Haven't seen what I can do."
Faith: "Let's not."
Faith: [fights Connor and wins] "I get it. You're a super being." [fights Connor some more] "You a murderer? 'Cause I am. And if it comes down to you and Angelus I haven't seen anything that makes me want to take your side."
Wesley: "How do you expect to find Angelus without Connor?"
Faith: "The kid's not the only tracker. We keep looking and something will turn up. A trail of bodies. An obvious clue. [sees huge sign reading 'welcome Faith'] "Maybe carpet fibre."