After the Fall: Chapter V

Issue 5
Story by Joss Whedon
Written by Brian Lynch
Pencilled by Franco Urru
Colours by Ilaria Traversi

“His blood will be on your hands, Wesley. Which is disappointing. We really wanted it on ours.”
The Senior Partners

Wesley has reappeared in the White Room. He assures the Senior Partners that everything is under control. They show him the burning ruins of their offices, along with everything inside. Wesley makes a joke about not being aware of being their caretaker, but they silence him. They need Angel to not fight. Wesley needs to dissuade him. If he doesn’t, Angel will die. And they want to kill him at their leisure.

In Silverlake, Lorne is frantic. As he pours another sea breeze (and complains about how hungover he’s going to be), the Furies hover around him. He questions Wesley’s motives and thinks they’re all doomed. He thought Fred was the victim, but he was wrong. They all are. At least she’s at peace. The Furies tell him that Heaven cannot be Heaven without your loved ones – and all of Fred’s are here. Lorne looks up. He smiles. They have work to do.

Angel stands in a burnt out K-Mart and stares at his reflection as he shaves. Wouldn’t do not to keep up the pretence – particularly as all his healing artifacts have now been destroyed with his office. Luckily the glamour keeping his secret is inside him, quite literally. That was a long night. He takes to the sky upon the dragon.

In Beverly Hills, Spike‘s models are now attired in armour and armed. Ready for battle. They expect Spike to lead them into battle, hoping he’ll kill Angel. Spike wants to get himself and Illyria away – she says they are not retreating – just as something teleports into the room with them.

In Santa Monica, Connor, Gwen and Nina watch as the human civilians head for the battle site: they’ve been given leave by the Lords to attend. Connor knows what’s coming: once Angel is gone, it’ll be a human slaughter. They’re prepared as well as they can be, but Connor has his doubts about his father’s ability to survive. As they discuss whether they should attend the battle, the same something that teleported to Spike appears on the roof top.

At the battle site, on a floating piece of rock, the demon Lords arrive. They lay down the rules. All humans are to stick close to their assigned Lords. It’ll make it easier to identify them all afterwards. Gunn and his cadre watch from nearby. Gunn won’t interfere unless civilians are harmed. As one of the demons throws a civilian as an example to discourage rebellion, Gunn prepares to charge – and watches as Angel and his dragon swoop down and save the civilian.

The demon lords proclaim that Angel is the cause of all of their problems: he is responsible for it all going to Hell. Angel takes responsibility and reiterates his terms: if he wins against their champions, everyone goes free.

]The battle begins. As Angel defends himself, it’s clear the champions have the upper hand. He’s human and he’s losing. Badly. Suddenly a blue light shines, blinding them all. Lightning.

In the White Room, Wesley is being tortured to ensure his cooperation. The Senior Partners threaten to revive someone else to take his place, but Wesley counters: They need him to keep Angel alive for their purposes. They remind him that he works for them. As he’s returned to Silverlake, he asks after Lorne and Angel. The Furies tell him that Lorne has gone and rallied the troops.

As Angel fights on, he’s joined in combat. The lightning was Gwen, alongside the calvary: recruited by Lorne, Gwen, Nina, Groo, and Connor launch into the fray. The Lords call foul, but Lorne dissuades them with a quip. Gunn watches impressed: the gang is back together. And it was down to his machinations.

As the dragon joins the fray, Spike appears. Also recruited by Lorne, he tells Angel that fighting back was the right thing to do, and he’s in. As a spore monster comes towards them. Illyria punches her way through in triumph. Spike admits he’s also there for her: they need to fix Illyria, and Spike can’t do it alone. Wesley suddenly appears in front of them. Spike reacts oddly, warning Angel that if he had known Wes was around, he wouldn’t have come. Angel asks why not, as Wes realises Illyria is in front of him.

As soon as she sees him, she stops. As the demons close in around her, she’s no longer Illyria.

Suddenly, Winfred Burkle is in front of them.

CONTINUITY

Lorne can be seen drinking quite heavily once Wesley disappears. When running Caritas, Lorne was very fond of sea breezes.

Angel mentions that shaving is easier than cutting his hair. Angel was seen concerned about his hair style in Over the Rainbow.

Angel has long had trouble with public speaking. This was first mentioned in Judgement.

Angel asks one of the champions, seemingly a t-rex, if he’s on the wrong side, a reference to the dragon switching sides in Chapter I.

The Senior Partners threaten to resurrect Eve or Lindsey to replace Wesley as their liaison.

Lorne mentions to Burge that he’s from a different dimension, which has different rules of nature. This was first seen in Belonging.

Spike is surprised to see Wesley and even more surprised to find him non-corporeal, as he was in season five. He asks Wesley if his intangibility is a result of an amulet, a reference to Chosen.

When Fred appears, she’s wearing the same clothes from Not Fade Away when Illyria lied to Wesley.

COVER GALLERY