After the Fall: Epilogue: Become What You Are

Issue 23
Story by Joss Whedon
Written by Brian Lynch
Pencilled by Frank Urru
Colours by Paolo Maddaleni with 2B Studio

“I was a soulless demon who got off on hurting other people. Felt euphoria every time I tasted someone. I loved watching, causing, being death. And then it was just gone.”
Charles Gunn

In Silverlake, Charles Gunn is stretched out on the ground, naked as the day he was born. People run screaming past him in a hurry. In front of him, the Old One, Illyria the Merciless. She’s telling him how she feels remorse for him. Fred felt for him. She trusted him. And it got her killed. She was weak, the Old One booms, as she prepares to strike.

She tells Charles that she has to kill him. She pauses when he tells her that he agrees with her.

Weeks ago. A comatose Gunn has been brought to Silverlake by Lorne and his people, to be protected from assassins while he recovers from wounds he sustained in the battle in the alley way. While he’s unconscious, he’s vaguely aware of the many visitors that come into his room.

The Groosalugg comes in and reads him comics from the funny pages. Lorne takes care of his medical team. Gwen seeks solace for her actions in Hell. Charles thinks back to Hell. Who did he hurt? He remembers being told Gwen was dead. He remembers killing Connor.

He also remembers Angel visiting him and not killing him, which tells him that Connor survived. But he can still feel it all: every bite, every drop of blood, taste still in his mouth, the craving – the vampire’s bloodlust.

Betta George visits him. He finds non-Hell Gunn much less talkative than the one who kidnapped him. He knows of a place, for people like them. People who are supernatural and struggle with their place in society. Control their powers. Find solace from their guilt – things like that. It’s called Mosaic. He leaves the address in Charles’ head. He remembers more from Hell: stabbing Angel and realising he was human; nailing the vision-bearing demon to the wall. Horrors beyond his imagining. His worst nightmares.

As the weeks continue, the visitors frequent his room less. Some visitors, such as a tentacled assassin, are killed as soon as they breach his room – courtesy of Illyria, still standing across the street, on guard, on constant watch, to protect Fred’s old friend.

One day, Illyria leaves her post. A figure walks into Gunn’s room. They check their plan: the dinosaur outside will keep the Old One busy. Gunn recognises the cheap perfume.

It’s Non, the pixie. She says he looks different, less powerful. She’s surprised. They used to be something in Hell, she says. She also remembers him stabbing her. That was something she didn’t really appreciate. She comes closer to him, and then touches him. He begins to burn.

Gunn is startled awake: What’s happening? Is this it? Is he dying? He’s horrified to find out that it’s worse than dying – she has healed him. His major wounds are gone. Even his eye has regenerated in it’s socket. She has made him alive.

He asks her why she did that. Non looks down at him, confused: wasn’t that a trip? She wants him better. She wants him ruthless and mean like he was, so they can work together and become an unstoppable team. He tackles her out of the multi-storey window, twisting her so that she breaks their fall, his hospital gown ripping to shreds on the glass.

Gunn gets up and watches as Non rants about her life now: she was something in Hell, somebody important, but now; she’s homeless and no one will talk to her. She’s been cast aside because of her actions during the Fall. She starts to drain passers-by, who instantly begin to rot and die.

Then, Illyria is on Non, from out of nowhere. She has defeated the diversionary dinosaur easily. Non rants at her, tells her she is ready to rumble, but Illyria is not-concerned – she simply throws Non into the air over her shoulder.

She approaches Gunn. She tells him she intends to kill him. He agrees – and she strikes.

Gunn is surprised to wake up, dressed and alive, in his hospital room. Illyria is on the floor, writing and scribbling on the walls: just as Fred used to do when she was stressed. She tells him that she has written down many ways to kill him. If she is pushed, she will pick one. He tells her that it was nice of her to dress him. She tells him that it was the male store assistant that was freaking out.

She tells him that Wesley, Spike, Angel… they worshipped Fred. And while she wants to kill Gunn, Fred, or rather the memories of Gunn that she has, won’t allow Illyria to either. She is feeling grief and pain and loss and doesn’t understand the emotions. She thinks she’s infected with humanity.

Gunn sits next to her on the bed. “You’re not infected with humanity,” he tells her. She tells him that he feels riddled with guilt. He admits that while that is true, he also feels guilty because he misses it. He misses the pain and the bloodlust. Maybe, deep down, he is evil. Maybe she should kill him.

She tells him that if he genuinely wants that, she will grant his request. Charles considers her offer, but turns her down. Besides, Fred’s memories would still bother her. The guilt of killing him would eat her up. Illyria says that she knows. That’s why she wants Fred gone.

They arrive later at the Mosaic Rehab Facility for the Supernatural. The doctors there are talking to Charles, explaining what they do. Betta George has accompanied them. They go deep into the facility where the newest patient has settled in.

It’s Non, straitjacketed up, sharing a room with an annoying roommate who looks set to test Non’s patience to it’s limits. As they leave, Betta George asks Gunn if he’s okay. He says that no, he’s not okay. But he’s slightly closer today than he was yesterday.

Outside, Illyria waits by a car. Charles tells her that they’ll check on Non, because it’s the right thing to do. He heads to the driver’s seat only for Illyria to get in his way.

“I want to control it,” she demands. Gunn looks at her: do you even know how? He scoots over as she takes the driver’s seat. “We are surrounded by nothing but vast emptiness,” she observes. “That is an ideal situation to learn.”

Gunn shrugs: she wants to learn about humanity, humans drive. Why not? But he does warn her that if she starts driving towards any living thing, she is done. She agrees to this, and then Illyria turns, questioningly to Gunn. She asks if there will still be battles – she enjoys slaughtering armies and dragons, she exclaims.

Gunn chuckles. “In fact, emotion, passion – these things make you a better fighter,” he tells her. She looks at him again, and a new sight, a small smile, graces her lips. “I am looking forward to getting in touch with my humanity,” she deadpans.

Gunn smiles again and pulls out, heading for the open road. “Me too,” he says. “All right,” he states, as he turns the ignition. “Let’s find out.”

CONTINUITY

Gunn knows Gwen died during the Fall, but doesn’t know the circumstances – he remembers Connor telling him in Chapter XIII. During her visit, Gwen mentions her betrayal of Connor during the Fall, which happened in Chapter XII. He also remembers killing Connor in Chapter XV.

Non still wears her bad perfume, as Spike was fond of pointing out in Spike: After the Fall (Part 2). She met Gunn, and was stabbed for taking Illyria by him, in (Part 3). Non also mentions Illyria beheading the Sadecki demon in (Part 4).

Illyria writes on the walls of Gunn’s hospital room – like Fred used to, as seen on the cave walls in Through the Looking Glass and on her room in the Hyperion in Heartthrob.

COVER GALLERY