| Character - by Siobhan | ||||||
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| From Angel to Xander, part one of Becoming, was chock full of new character information, surprising and not so suprising. We were treated the most to more information on Angel’s past. The way I saw it, Angel was basically an 18th century slacker until Darla brought him over. So he pretty much was a bad boy in waiting, but becoming a vampire amplified and speeded up his ascent to ultimate evil. But, as we saw when his soul was returned to him, perhaps he wasn’t all that bad deep down because he showed true remorse for all that he had done. Perhaps, as his later ‘teacher’ told him, he could go two ways, so that’s why there is the duality of ultimate evil and ultimate remorse (which leads him to do good) in him. Or maybe Joss is just using Angel to show us ‘average’ people that we can go either way, and sometimes we are the ones to make the choice.
Next is Buffy. She once more seems like she's ready to take on Angel, like she's dealt with her feelings and knows there's a job to do. But, when she was suddenly given the possibility of returning his soul to him, she found she had a difficult choice. Should she try to give him his soul back, or, considering all he had done since losing his soul, should she just dust him? A hard choice, especially when it's someone you still love. In the end, her feelings for Angel still played a role in her decision when she asked the others to perform the ritual to restore his soul while she fought him. We learn that Giles seems to be considered an expert in the 'real world', something that allows him to interact with others outside of his usual sphere. He seemed to be more at ease, not thinking about his everyday problems when around the museum people, and also being presented with a new puzzle. But, he still seemed to be stuck in his feelings of sorrow over Jenny, as witnessed by his pushing for doing the ritual (since he believed it to be Jenny's 'last wish'), as well as his uncharacteristic lashing out at Xander. He hasn't entirely dealt with his pain yet, and I fear that the longer he keeps it inside, the more hurt he'll cause himself and others. Also, we see his protective side coming out in full force when Willow suggests that she perform the ritual. He knows what can happen using black magic, and he wants to protect her, as well as any others, from the consequences. Speaking of Watchers (well, I was just discussing Giles ;), Buffy's first Watcher somehow seemed lacking. I suppose I've been spoiled seeing Donald Sutherland and Anthony Stewart Head portraying Watchers, but I feel that her new first Watcher didn't have the same 'air' about him. DS and ASH have a certain 'class' to them which carried over to their characters, and that has made me believe that all Watchers would be as such. It was disappointing, to say the least. Next is our favourite hacker, Willow. She has grown a lot, as was again seen in this episode. She has taken on the role of teacher with great zeal, but, as I've mentioned before, she's still worried that she'll buckle under pressure. She did show a great deal of initiative in volunteering to perform the ritual, which is a good sign of her continued growth. Finally, Xander. He showed his true colours in this episode, proving his total contempt of anything to do with Angel. His taking of the 'nay' side in regards to the ritual was not really surprising, but his out and out vehemence in supporting his side, and playing the 'he killed Jenny' card, seemed especially nasty. It was interesting to note though that despite his not wanting the ritual done, he did participate in it all the same. It just goes to show that he comes through in the end, in spite of his feelings. Overall, this was one of the best episodes for the characters. I give it 4.5 out of 5 'Ehs'. |
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| Story - by Wendy | ||||||
An entertaining, thought-provoking episode with many new ideas and explanations guaranteed to have you poised to watch the sequel. One of the few two-part shows in the series wherein the storylines are incomplete, merely a build up to the conclusions in Part II, this episode opens with a flashback sequence detailing the birth of Angelus the vampire by a seductive Darla in 19th century Ireland. Another flashback shows the corruption of a naive young Druscilla in, of all places, a church's confessional booth, by the murderous Angelus as he impersonates a Catholic priest. Interestingly, Druscilla confesses to having her prescient dreams even then which Angelus convinces her are a sign of being a child of the Devil. Next we see the transformation of Angelus into Angel as he is cursed by the Old One of the Gypsies and is given his soul for apparently eternal damnation. So far, we have witnessed the "becoming" of Angelus, Druscilla and Angel. The final flashback is part of the first of the new threads that are introduced. In a surprise depiction, we view Angel in a grubby, rat-infested New York alleyway, circa 1996, as he scrambles for a meal of vermin. He is a far cry from the cool sophisticate that Buffy knows, a little more than a weak, pitiful street person and he is approached by a new character, Whistler, who seems to know all about him. In a surprise twist to the series, Whistler admits to being something entirely new,- a demon representing a group against the destruction of humanity. He takes Angel along to witness the birth of the Slayer, Buffy as she is made aware of her powers and her destiny. In so doing, we realize that Angel's presence as Buffy's protector was in fact a part of an unknown plan. I was disappointed that the "becoming" of Spike was not addressed but perhaps it was not germane to this story. The other storylines begin as we first see the long-awaited discovery of Jenny's lost disk which carries the secret of recalling Angelus soul from the ether. An interesting and spirited debate is held between the group as to the morality of restoring Angel with Xander adamantly opposed and Buffy obviously wavering. A large artifact is unearthed by the local Museum and is later stolen by Angelus and Druscilla as he recognizes it as the tomb of Akafla, a demon who turned to stone after his heart was pierced by the sword of a virtuous knight and who, awakened, can create a vortex capable of pulling our world into Hell, the other dimension of demons. Interpreting the required rituals, Angelus tries in vain to remove the Excalibar-like sword to awaken the demon but finally decides that he may need the help of Rupert Giles, Buffy's Watcher. Another surprise is the return of Kendra along with a sword first wielded by the worthy knight who imprisoned the stone demon. As Buffy is lured away by Angelus' challenge, a band of vampires storm the library where Willow is in the process of restoring Angel's soul. Led by Druscilla, they manage to kidnap Giles, in the process seriously injuring Willow and in the only weak part of the episode, Druscilla kills Kendra with apparently very little effort. Becoming I has set a powerful base for storylines to be completed in the season finale, Becoming II. Joss Whedon frankly is the best writer and director of this series as he manages to fully convey the tale at the same time as building the tension to a crescendo with dialogue and editing skills. |
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| Villian - by Kaboo | ||||||
| Becoming, Part 1, as the first part of the season finale of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, treats viewers to new perspectives on the show's major villains major vampires villains. We see pivotal moments in Angel's past that lead to his own fall and his corruption of others. Joss Whedon also gives us new insights into the reality of demons in the Buffyverse, which open new avenues for plots next season.
As in past episodes, Angel's degeneration into his demonic self is central to the exploration of villainy in Becoming. The episode's opening scene shows us Angelus at the moment he is transformed into a vampire. Interestingly, Angelus before his fall is portrayed as an Irish rogue, full of everyday vices from drinking and thievery to laziness and lust. As he says to Darla, he is up to every challenge "except a hard day's work." It is Angel's fascination with Darla and her talk of adventure that lead him to ask to be admitted to her world. Subsequent scenes of Angel's past show his torment of Drusilla, the moment the gypsy curse was struck, and the meeting with a strange entity, Whistler, who challenges Angel to "become someone." Each episode gives us greater insight into Angel's fall and his reaching for redemption. Both his present self, the demon wanting to wash itself of memories of humanity to be "worthy" of unleashing Armageddon, and his human self, searching for salvation through good works, are contrasted through the flashbacks. The human and demon selves of Drusilla are also explored. Her desperation to be good in her human life is contrasted with the evil she has embraced as a vampire. The poignant plea to her confessor (Angel in disguise) is overshadowed by her joy in killing Kendra in a wicked cat and mouse game. It also becomes clear through the flashbacks and scenes in the present that Angel targeted Dru for vampirism because of her prescient ability; he uses her, despite her devotion to him. It is Dru who works with Angel to kidnap Giles, and leads the particularly brutal attack on the scooby gang. In this episode, we are not privileged to see Spike's past self. What is interesting is his distancing of himself from both Angel and Drusilla. He keeps his recovery secret from Dru as well as Angel. He also downplays Dru's psychic ability by connecting her vision to the artifact in the museum. He takes pleasure in Angel's failure to bring forth the destruction of the world (due to his "unworthiness"). Whether Spike's reactions to Angel and Dru are simply jealousy or another emotion entirely remain to be seen in the second part of the finale. What may cast doubts on Spike's motives is the appearance of Whistler, a demon who claims not to be out to destroy humanity, and leads a repentant Angel to aid Buffy. This is the first time Joss Whedon has suggested that a demon within the Buffyverse, of its own volition (as opposed to being under a curse) has the ability or the desire to choose good over evil. The implications of this are not clear. Whether Whistler was sincere, or simply setting Angel on the road to "become" his demon self are still in question. However, the character of Whistler, although he does not appear to be a villain, begs questions of the potential for redemption of the main villains in the show. On a more terrestrial plane, Principal Snyder makes a brief appearance, chastising the Scooby gang for their "public displays of affection" and making it clear to Buffy that he is looking for any chance to expel her from Sunnydale High. He serves as a reminder that Buffy can count a few mortals among her enemies, and that their more mundane threats of punishment just as dangerous to her as vampires. Part 0ne of Becoming sets up Part Two as promising more insights into our favourite Buffy villains, as well as Buffy's fights against Angel's mind games and Principal Snyder's threats. I give this episode 5 out of 5 Ehs. |
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