Angel: Orpheus

"Break me off a switch, son, there's about to be a whuppin'."

- Faith Lehane

"Orpheus" is the fifteenth episode of season four of the supernatural fantasy series Angel and the 82nd episode of the series overall. It was directed by Terrence O'Hara and written by Mere Smith. It first aired on the WB Network on Wednesday, March 19th, 2003. In this episode, Angel, having reverted to his former evil self, Angelus, tries to feed off Faith Lehane, only to discover that she has injected herself with the mystical drug known as Orpheus. Angelus falls into a dream-state whereupon he must face the good part of himself. Meanwhile, the evil Cordelia Chase sends Connor out to kill Angel and reveals a shocking surprise.

Notes & Trivia

 * This episode is available on disc four of the Angel: Season Four DVD collection as well as the Angel: The Complete Series boxset edition. Director Terrence O'Hara and executive producer Jeffrey Bell provide audio commentary.


 * Production code number: 4ADH15.


 * This is the fourth episode of Angel directed by Terrence O'Hara. He previously directed "Long Day's Journey". His next episode is "Why We Fight".


 * This is the eleventh and final episode of Angel written by Mere Smith. She previously wrote the episode "Calvary". Mere also serves as a story editor on the series.


 * Final appearance of Faith Lehane on Angel. She appears next in season seven episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer entitled "Dirty Girls". The character's final television appearance is in the Buffy series finale, "Chosen". The further adventures of Faith can be found in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season Eight comic book series published monthly by Dark Horse Comics.


 * Actor Peter Renaday lends his vocal talents only to this episode.


 * Actors Nate Dushku and Adrienne Wilkinson are uncredited for their participation in this episode.


 * Nate Dushku is the older brother of Eliza Dushku, who plays Faith Lehane. Nate has also appeared with his more well-known sister in two episodes of Tru Calling where he played "party monster" Marty in "Morning After" and "In the Dark". He also appeared with Dushku in one episode of Dollhouse.

Allusions

 * The title to this episode is taken from the drug that is used on Angel, which nearly kills him. The name is taken from a legendary figure of Greek mythology. The major stories about him are centered on his ability to charm all living things and even stones with his music, his attempt to retrieve his wife, Eurydice, from the underworld, and his death at the hands of those who could not hear his divine music.


 * Willow Rosenberg makes reference to Buffy Summers, who is Angel's former girlfriend and a Slayer, just like Faith. She is the main character from the WB Network series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.


 * The song that Angel is listening to in the 1970s flashback is "Mandy" by Barry Manilow. Though the song was originally composed in 1971 by Scott English and Richard Kerr, American audiences are more familiar with Manilow's 1974 version, which appeared on Barry Manilow II. Angel's appreciation for Manilow was first revealed in the season two episode, "Judgment" when he was made to perform it at Karaoke Night at Caritas.

Quotes

 * Wesley Wyndam-Pryce: No other major changes I'm not up on?
 * Willow Rosenberg: Just little things...so, Fred, what's her story?

....
 * Connor: All right, I get it. I messed up.
 * Faith Lehane: Hey, cheer up, punk. That just makes you one of us.

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 * Willow Rosenberg: Yes, hi. You must be Angel's handsome yet androgynous son.
 * Connor: It's Connor.
 * Willow Rosenberg: And the sneer's genetic. Who knew?

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 * Angelus: Why do I have to go through this again?
 * Angel: Because maybe it's not about you, jackass.

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 * Connor: First he's slaughtered Lilah, now he's killed Faith--
 * Wesley Wyndam-Pryce: She's not dead yet.
 * Connor: You're lying to yourselves. If you all think I'm taking this personally, you don't have to. But inside you know I'm right. We need to put Angelus down.
 * Willow Rosenberg: I don't think so. I think you need a witch.

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 * Angelus: Does anyone notice a fight with your alter ego going on?!

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 * Faith Lehane: You're reliving Angel's good deeds. You are in hell! Wicked!

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 * Angelus: This isn't my life, it's his!
 * Faith Lehane: Angel's?
 * Angelus: It annoyed the crap out of me the first time around. This sucks!

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 * Cordelia Chase: Hear me Angelus. Heed my warning. Awaken at once, return from the darkness... (after realizing her spell isn't working) ...or just lay there and let that red headed meddler put your soul back. Whichever.

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 * Lorne: Speaking of sense, are you on permanent sabbatical from yours?

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 * Willow Rosenberg: Good things come in jars: peanut butter, jelly, those 2-headed fetal pigs at the natural history museum...
 * (strange look from Wesley)


 * Willow Rosenberg: Oh, come on! Who doesn't like those 2-headed fetal pigs?

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 * Angelus: (to Faith) It's no big mystery - they suffer, they die, and that's what they do.

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 * Angelus: Is that the nasty little lie that kept those thighs nice and warm in your prison bunk?

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 * Winifred Burkle: All this stuff about bachanals and spells... Actually I think it's funnier in Latin, you know how that is sometimes.
 * Willow Rosenberg: I'm seeing someone.

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 * Lorne: The more you take, the deeper you sink.
 * Wesley Wyndam-Pryce: It leads you down to Hell... and leaves you there.

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 * Faith Lehane: (as Angel listens to 'Mandy') It must kill you that he's got a jones for the power ballad.
 * Angelus: The concerts were even worse.

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 * Faith Lehane: When is this?
 * Angelus: When isn't it? Twenty years after that stupid donut shop and his fingers never smelled of anything but rat!

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 * Willow Rosenberg: C'mon, everybody loves fetal pigs!
 * Wesley Wyndam-Pryce: Oh, sorry. I think my sense of humor's trapped in a jar somewhere.
 * Willow Rosenberg: Does seem like you've given in to the grumpy side of the force.

....
 * Wesley Wyndam-Pryce: A lot has happened, not just Angelus. I've been... I've changed. I've seen the darkness in myself. I'm not sure you would even begin to understand.
 * Willow Rosenberg: I flayed a guy alive and tried to destroy the world.
 * Wesley Wyndam-Pryce: Oh. Well... I never flayed anyone... I did keep a woman chained in a closet. (pause) I know, it's not the same.
 * Willow Rosenberg: No, no, that's dark. You've been to a place.

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 * Angel: Faith, listen to me. You saw me drink. It doesn't get much lower than that. And I thought I could make up for it by disappearing.
 * Faith Lehane: I did... my time...
 * Angel: Our time is never up Faith. We pay for everything.
 * Faith Lehane: It hurts...
 * Angel: I know. I know.

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 * Angel: I'm not perfect Faith. Even with a soul I've done things I've wished a thousands times I could take back.
 * Angelus: Yeah, like those Manilow concerts!

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 * Angel: Get up! You've to get up now Faith. You have to fight. I need you to fight. Do you understand what I'm saying?

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 * Willow Rosenberg: All I need to do is harness the Delothrian ebb, focus it through my little marble-o-doom here and we'll restore the Muo-Ping's entropic equilibrium.
 * Charles Gunn: Jar go smash?
 * Willow Rosenberg: Smash-O-Crash.