The Trial

Season 2, Episode 9
Teleplay by Douglas Petrie and Tim Minear
Story by David Greenwalt
Directed by Bruce Seth Green
Original Airdate: 26 November 2000

“Okay, I know I’m probably going to regret this. In fact, being prescient, I’m actually sure of it.”
Lorne

REGULAR CAST

David Boreanaz as Angel
Charisma Carpenter as Cordelia Chase
Alexis Denisof as Wesley Wyndam-Pryce
J. August Richards as Charles Gunn

GUEST CAST

Christian Kane as Lindsey McDonald
Andy Hallett as Lorne
Sam Anderson as Holland Manners
Jim Piddock as The Valet
Julie Benz as Darla
Juliet Landau as Drusilla

CO-STARRING

Evan Arnold as Young Vampire

SYNOPSIS

Cordelia and Wesley talk about Angel while Angel is down in the basement, doing his laundry. Gunn has located Darla at the Royal Viking Motel, but Lindsey has gotten to her first. Lindsey and Holland confront Darla with information about her health. Angel and Gunn check out the motel room, but find little information.

In France, 1765, Angelus and Darla run from a vampire hunter and hide in a barn. As the mob closes in, Darla knocks Angelus down and leaves on the only horse. In present time, Darla tries to talk a young male vampire into making her a vampire. Outside, in an alley, Angel stakes the vampire before he can bite Darla. They talk and Darla reveals that she is terminally ill and only has a few months left to live. Angel brings Darla to the hotel and expresses that he doubts the truth of the records Wolfram and Hart showed her.

Angel visits Lindsey and finds that Darla really is dying. Lindsey reveals that Darla is dying from the same diseases she was dying from when she was first human. Angel takes Darla to the demon karaoke bar where she sings beautifully while the Host talks to Angel. He tells Angel of the only way to save Darla, but it may mean Angel’s death. Angel dives into an empty pool and into an underground location where he must survive three trials to save Darla’s life.

Angel is advised by a valet before being left in a room to fight unarmed against a large demon that has weapons. Angel eventually slices the demon in two, and chains the pieces to opposite sides of the room. From the safety of another room, Darla watches. Angel moves onto another room that consists of crosses covering the walls and floors. After crossing the burning ground, Angel must fish a key out of a bowl filled with holy water. Chained spread-eagle before a wall of wooden stakes, Angel finds that the third trial requires him to die in order for Darla to live.

The valet presents Angel with his options, but Angel is willing to give his life, and that enough to pass the test. The valet gives Angel and Darla bad news though as it’s revealed that Darla is already living her second chance at life. Furious, Angel violently attacks the room that surrounds them, truly distraught that after everything he went through, he couldn’t save Darla. Upon returning to the surface, Darla is accepting of her fate and Angel is there to support her. Lindsey and several large men break into the room and restrain Angel and Darla. Drusilla makes a shocking return and while Angel watches, she makes Darla a vampire, again.

TRIVIA

Juliet Landau returns to the present day for the first time since Buffy season two’s finale. She’s credited in the end titles to keep her return at the climax a surprise.

CONTINUITY

Darla, of course, has been back since the season one finale, To Shanshu in LA.

It seems that Darla was a prostitute when she was alive and dying of syphilis in 1609 when the Master sired her. We saw it all happen earlier this season in Darla. We’re also reminded that Angel was sired in an alley (seen in flashback in Becoming (Part 1) and again in The Prodigal) and we’re also reminded of Darla’s first death from Angel.

Angel is still angry with Lorne from his encounter with the swami in Guise Will Be Guise.

In the flashback, Darla and Angelus both refer to their pursuer, Captain Holtz, who we’ll meet in both the past, and the present, in season three.

GOOFS

In the scene between Angel and Lorne, the Host gets handed the same drink twice in consecutive scenes.

When Angel bisects the demon during the trial, the stunt harness used is pretty obvious.

As the third trial begins and Angel is chained, there is blood all over his mouth. In the next shot, it’s gone.

Drusilla cuts her chest with a fingernail to feed blood to Darla, but the cut appears a little bit above her fingernail.

Angel burns his right arm to fetch the key in the holy water–he uses the same hand to unlock the door, but the close up shows him unlocking the door with his left hand.

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

EPISODE
The Shroud of Rahmon / Reunion

STORY ORDER
Into the Woods / Reunion