Lorne's song makes me sad.

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The ending really was perfect, the more I think about it. Gunn, even if he's going to die in 10 minutes, goes out doing what he was born to do -- street-fighting demons and dusting vamps. For Spike, this isn't like "Chosen," where he was the only one who could wear the amulet and therefore actually had no choice -- in that alley behind the Hyperion, he had a choice to turn tail and run, or go out and kick some demon tail, all fist and fangs. For Illyria, this must have been as close as possible to the world she remembers from the time she actually was a god -- nothing but demons, waiting to be fought and conquered.

And Angel? He goes out fighting the good fight, dealing with the demons because That's What You Do. That's what *he* does -- in the end, Angel is back to that world of black and white he's so comfortable with. Demons bad; MoG good. (It's *not* that simple, of course; never is, but as Lilah said to Angel, he lives as though the world were the way it should be, and the fight in the alley *is* Angel living as though the world were the way it should be -- black and white, good and bad.)

Now I'm rambling.

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And I don't even think this story "has to" end in death. It just has to never end.

I am so with you, Cindy. I just played the finale for my daughter. She was all into it until the end. When the credits popped up she said, "that's it?" She wanted the final battle. I couldn't get her to understand there is no final battle, the fight is all that matters. Her comment, "that's it, I'm no longer an Angel fan." Ha..ha.....ha. I told her it was a moot point and she said she wouldn't buy the DVDs! Yoiks. Very harsh. But, in a way I can understand her. At her age I wanted clear cut answers, yes-no, black-white, live-die. I hated the way GWTW ended, I couldn't handle the uncertainty. Now, I can see that life is all about uncertainty and it's the taking the next step into that uncertainty that makes life worth living, that gives us courage. At some point, I suspect my daughter will realize that, too.

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Rack me up as another mark in the "perfect ending for the show" column.

I think in her present state Illyria can sit and trade blows with multiple enemies at real-time or slightly better than real-time speed-- in the case of Vail, there was no need to trade blows...

Not just Vail. Everything it's hit in earnest except Hamilton has gone down for the count after the first or second blow, both pre- and post-"Time Bomb." Angel himself (he of the skull thick enough to play tag with grenades) on at least three occasions I recall.

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I watched Hero for the first time a few a few days ago. I was 'ok' with the ending of the final when I first saw it but now after Hero its perfect. While I want more stories I can't think of a better ending.

I do feel a little blessed that I have quite a few episodes I have yet to see (I am a late Angel convert). I at least have new episodes (well new for me) to help with my pain.

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I at least have new episodes (well new for me) to help with my pain.

Ooh, envy. What great, classic episodes do you get to see for the first time?

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Ooh, envy. What great, classic episodes do you get to see for the first time?

Would you belive most? I watched the first few episodes season 1 and missed a few and when I watched it again I was so confused (during that time Doyle had died, I liked Doyle where was he) so I just stopped watching. I started watching again last year. So we have most of season 1, all of season 2 and 3 and a few others.

So in one way I have a lot to look forward to but in another way I am sorry for the time I lost.

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Wow, Christ. I recently went through the first three seasons on DVD, and since I hadn't seen them since they aired, it was almost like seeing them for the first time, except I still knew all the major plot developments.

Keep posting your thoughts here (and by here, I suppose I mean Previously). I can't wait to hear your reactions, and what you think's going to happen, and all that.

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Aw, don't parse the shout-out.

I swear, I'd never seen the "lurkers support me" bit anywhere else. With Angel being so lurky it seemed like a good fit. I thought I was so clever and apparently it was lame, but that's the way of things. Matt, I got the impression that Allyson preferred her own name to Merciless, and the goal was to give y'all a nod, not establish street cred, y'know?

I don't mean to cause a thing, since I'm very aware that opinions about me here are... well, mixed. I just wanted to tip my hat because y'all impressed me. Hell, I've been insulted here in ways I thought were hilarious. It was a shout-out to all of you, and of course Allyson in particular, and I've enjoyed reading your posts over the years. And that's it.

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Aw, don't parse the shout-out.

Love this. Taggably so.

Nice to see you here.

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