Season Two made such a strong impression on me that I actually briefly seriously considered converting to Christianity -- and that's extremely significant considering I am a top leader at my synagogue!
Season 2 was incredibly powerful, wasn't it? I'd not really seen it at the time, and ending up watching it in one big chunk on DVD and was amazed by the strength of the overall season arc. Especially how Angel falls into despair after failing to save Darla - it's the sort of loss of faith that anything matters that's got immense personal relevance to... well, anybody. His big epiphany in "Epiphany" still stands for me as the ultimate statement of the show. (Which is also why the series' ending bugged me, with the whole suicide attack thing - it seemed to refute that idea, mostly because there wasn't enough time put into setting it up right. It just seemed like more despair taking over rather than a gesture of hope.) So yeah, that's a good example of a personal message that can be taken away, no matter what the original intent was or wasn't. It's there anyway for us to take.
I think the one sacrifce that "stuck" was Doyle, who sought redemption by saving the half-demons of another tribe after having refused to do so for his own.
(slaps forehead) Yes, Doyle! Definitely. And there's even the aspect that he's doing it to make up for previous misdeeds.
As far as Connor, I think we may sort of agree on that ... I wrote a short fanfic that gives a redemptory explanation for him ... the show itself ultimately didn't support this, but I still like my theory ...
I also liked your essay on the Shanshu. Seemed to me a viable theory for Connor as Angel's true redemption - the life he earned through his sacrifice for Darla.
Re: thoughts
Season 2 was incredibly powerful, wasn't it? I'd not really seen it at the time, and ending up watching it in one big chunk on DVD and was amazed by the strength of the overall season arc. Especially how Angel falls into despair after failing to save Darla - it's the sort of loss of faith that anything matters that's got immense personal relevance to... well, anybody. His big epiphany in "Epiphany" still stands for me as the ultimate statement of the show. (Which is also why the series' ending bugged me, with the whole suicide attack thing - it seemed to refute that idea, mostly because there wasn't enough time put into setting it up right. It just seemed like more despair taking over rather than a gesture of hope.) So yeah, that's a good example of a personal message that can be taken away, no matter what the original intent was or wasn't. It's there anyway for us to take.
I think the one sacrifce that "stuck" was Doyle, who sought redemption by saving the half-demons of another tribe after having refused to do so for his own.
(slaps forehead) Yes, Doyle! Definitely. And there's even the aspect that he's doing it to make up for previous misdeeds.
As far as Connor, I think we may sort of agree on that ... I wrote a short fanfic that gives a redemptory explanation for him ... the show itself ultimately didn't support this, but I still like my theory ...
I also liked your essay on the Shanshu. Seemed to me a viable theory for Connor as Angel's true redemption - the life he earned through his sacrifice for Darla.