Had a great time at Trudy's viewing party (thanks Trudy and guests!).

Alas, plane to catch in the morning so no time to read the comments or sum up my feelings, except I thought it a flawless end to a great season. (And, y'know, series.)

I thought the "thanks from your friends at the WB who stabbed you in the back" was also sort of fitting in a Bush's America kind of way.

When I get back I promise to read all gazillion Angel posts I missed. (Or maybe not ALL...)

What Micole said.

I'm sifting through old Angel-related LJ entries, and I found this exchange between Cindy and me, from right after the cancellation was announced:

Cindy: I'd like him to reach a decision that he doesn't want to Shanshu--that he'll deliberately remain a vampire.

Me: I think I'd like that too.

I wanna tell you how it?s gonna be

You?re gonna give your love to me

Love that lasts more than one day

Well love is love and not fade away

Well love is love and not fade away

Well love is love and not fade away

Well love is love and not fade away

Not fade away

Not fade away

And love is why they fight: love for the world and the people in it, love for what might be better than it is. Cf. Angel's speech to Illyria in "Shells," before Wesley shoots Knox.

Or:

Go out in a burst of glory; don't fade away.

Or:

"Why We Fight" prefigured the season's end thematically, the way we all kinda suspected it did: because death isn't the worst thing that can happen to a hero. Because heroes are willing to die, if their cause is just. Lawson dies, and (unknowing) sells his soul, to complete a mission; Angel kills him, and damns him, for a greater cause. So Wesley dies, and Lindsey's damned, and Lorne damns himself, and Angel goes down fighting a dragon (you know he always wanted to be a knight in shining armor), and they all go down fighting the good fight, in the end.

They're compromised knights in stained armor. Angel arranged for the death of one ally and killed another himself. He violated what he wanted to be, he betrayed the ideals he proclaimed when giving speeches to Cordelia and Illyria, and he did it for the same reason the security head in "Conviction" fought him: for conviction. For his ideals.

And Gunn has the wrist stakes, like Wesley in S4, like Angel in "City of"; he's inherited the fight. And Connor lives; there's something worth fighting for, maybe there's someone out there who will take up the fight.

I don't see this as an unambiguous triumph. But I do see it as a triumph just the same.

I said I'd be happy with a tragic ending as long as it was a heroic tragedy and not a nihilistic one; a heroic tragedy is what I got, and I'm happy with it.

Except for the part where the WB cheated me of an extra year because they're FUCKING BASTARDS.

For people who've been avoiding entertainment news for fear of spoilers, in an interview earlier this week, Joss said that the theme/arc of S6, had they gotten one, would have been:

"If you buck the system and do your best to make it collapse, what if it does?"

Small moments I liked:

- You know, for all that I've detested Spike for years and years, I really did adore that poetry slam thing. It was perfect.

- Hamilton's blood making Angel stronger, which I didn't see coming and which made total sense, in this perfect convergence of metaphor and literal interpretation of the vampire figure

- Connor! Connor coming back to fight

- Harmony betraying them all

- Wesley not being saved by a lie in the end

I'm just barging in to whine. The power supply to my computer was taken out at 4:30 this afternoon by a roving band of--no, by a random stroke of lightning. I missed the watch-n-post. I missed it. I saw the ep, but I watched alone, with not even the Buffistas to mark the event with.

I have to finish packing, and then it'll be back to post #601 (marked) to catch up. I missed you all. We'll not see Angel's like again, I'm certain.

Go out in a burst of glory; don't fade away.

That's what I thought the title referred to -- "It's better to burn out that to fade away."

Oh, thank you, Jessica. That's neat.

Also, in my phantom S6, Wesley's contract had a perpetuity clause. Or possibly he comes back as the new liason to the partners. Or Gunn does. I'm still thinking about it.

This coexists perfectly with the ending where they all die fighting the good fight, and also Buffy and Faith come back in a righteous rage and slay more Evil ass, because I contain contradictions and multitudes like that.

I’m a-gonna tell you how it’s gonna be
you’re gonna give your love to me
I wanna love you night and day
you know my love a-not fade away
a-well, you know my love a-not fade away

I’m a-gonna tell you how it’s gonna be
you’re gonna give your love to me
a love to last a-more than one day
a love that’s love - not fade away
a well, a-love that’s love - not fade away
— Buddy Holly

ETA: Crud, spent so much time on phone with friend, someone beat me to it. Bu look! pretty formatting!