Supersymmetry (Angel episode)
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| “Supersymmetry” | |
|---|---|
| Angel episode | |
 |
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| Episode no. | Season 4 Episode 05 |
| Guest stars | Andy Hallett (Lorne) Stephanie Romanov (Lilah) Randy Oglesby (Professor Seidel) |
| Written by | Elizabeth Craft Sarah Fain |
| Directed by | Bill L. Norton |
| Production no. | 4ADH05 |
| Original airdate | November 3, 2002 |
| Episode chronology | |
| ← Previous | Next → |
| "Slouching Toward Bethlehem" | "Spin the Bottle" |
| List of Angel episodes | |
"Supersymmetry" is episode 05 of season 4 in the television show Angel. See List of Angel episodes for a complete list.
Contents |
[edit] Plot synopsis
[edit] Summary
Fred tries a comeback into the academic world by writing a noted article on string theory which gets her a chance to speak at a seminar by her old college professor Seidel, which takes a sudden turn when a dimensional portal opens during her speech and snake-like creatures emerge to kill her. Angel and Gunn at first think Lilah is behind it, who’s now keeping an eye on Wesley, while another lead leads them to a comic book fanatic who’s a fan of Angel’s listed on an Internet web site. But Fred learns that Professor Seidel is the one responsible and the one who abducted Fred into the Pylea dimension six years earlier along with some other classmates of hers in which Seidel felt were competing for his job. Against Angel and Gunn‘s advice, Fred asks Wesley’s help for some mean-spirited revenge against her former mentor. Meanwhile, Cordelia is staying with Connor at his vast empty loft and being taught by him how to slay vampires and demons while a possible romance between them blossoms.
[edit] Expanded overview
Fred screams in happiness as she shows off an article on physics she had published in a magazine and then she and Gunn celebrate wrapped up in each other's arms. Angel brings a recovering Lorne a meal to eat but Lorne recognizes Angel's ulterior motives. Angel wants Lorne to read Cordelia again so they know what Wolfram and Hart does, but Lorne refuses. Angel hears a sound and goes to investigate, finding Connor packing up some of Cordelia's belongings for her. They exchange a few words and then as Connor leaves, he throws a parting blow to Angel by mentioning that Cordelia always steals the covers.
The next morning, Fred raves about how she's been asked to give a speech on her article subject and she wants to practice it for the guys. She rambles on nervously and needs support, but as Lorne explains, Angel is a bit distracted after Connor's visit the night before. Lilah brings Wesley a gift, but he's wary of her offerings. She gives him an expensive armor helmet, which he appreciates, but has to leave. She finds paperwork on the seminar where Fred will be speaking and realizes that's where he went to. Cordelia puts up pictures and arranges her belongings that Connor brought for her. She still feels as if she's missing something though and Connor suggests that he teach her to fight again to fill that void.
Fred, Angel, and Gunn arrive at the event where she's speaking and Fred worries about her placement between two other important physicists. She runs into an old professor, Professor Seidel, and they talk in highly scientific terms that intimidate Gunn and Angel. In the auditorium, Angel grabs some seats and notices from afar that Wesley is also in attendance. The lights dim and Fred's professor introduces her to speak before the crowd. As she speaks, Lilah shows up and spots Wesley, then sneaks away while talking on her cell phone.
A portal of sorts appears above the stage, catching the attention of the audience and Fred, then a long tentacled demon emerges and wraps its limbs around Fred. Angel and Gunn rush to rescue her as Wesley moves towards the stage to help and a male student hangs out in the seats, taking pictures of the scene before him. Angel cuts off one of the tentacles and the demon retreats into the portal, releasing them all. Angel catches Lilah in a parking garage, tearing open the hood of her convertible. Despite their usual exchange of threats, Angel quickly realizes that Lilah didn't have anything to do with the portal.
Gunn wakes up to find Fred nervously writing on the walls of their bedroom. She's terribly scared and Gunn tries to comfort her, but she has a hard time believing his reassuring words. The next morning, Angel has a bunch of chairs assembled in the lobby and he refreshes his memory of the crowd, picking out the people that didn't seem to fit. One guy in particular, the one who was taking pictures, catches his attention and he sets out with Gunn to find the young student at a comic book store. They violently encourage the boy to talk and he spills that he was just there to see if Fred was really one of the students sucked into the portal. The guy informs them that there have been other disappearances of smart young science students.
Fred talks with Professor Seidel and fills him in on her time in Pylea although he struggles to believe it. In his office, Professor Seidel proposes that she take another class from him, but she's pretty set in her new life. The professor is called away and Fred takes an opportunity to browse through the professor's collection of books. She discovers one that contains a picture of the portal and demon that attacked her and realizes he's been sending students through portals for a while. Just as Angel and Gunn realize that Professor Seidel was responsible for the portal at the auditorium, Fred returns and she knows that the professor was the one who sent her to Pylea. She becomes dead set on the idea of killing Professor Seidel and rages as she grabs weapons and prepares to go on a rampage. Angel and Gunn try to talk some sense into her and eventually she breaks. Fred heads upstairs, seemingly convinced that killing him is not a good idea and needing some time alone.
Unbeknownst to Angel and Gunn, Fred goes to Wesley for his assistance. He agrees to help her and they start to plan it as she gets a message on her cell phone in a foreign language. A portal starts to open in the room, but Wesley prevents Fred from being pulled in. Meanwhile, Connor and Cordelia take on a vampire together as Cordelia works on her fighting skills. After the vampire is staked, she happily kisses Connor, but stops when she realizes it might not be the best thing for her to be doing. Angel and Gunn find Fred's room empty and split up to get to the professor before Fred does.
Wesley drives Fred to the professor and he tries to be supportive while subtly trying to discourage her from taking a human life. Angel arrives in the professor's office and threatens him for his attempts on Fred's life. Professor Seidel chants words from one of his books and summons a demon from another portal. The demon attacks and the professor tries to escape, only to run right into Fred and her crossbow. At Connor's place, Cordelia folds up some of her clothes while Connor gets a bit too close for her comfort. She talks to him about the kiss they shared earlier and reminds him that she doesn't want to rush into anything while not having her memories.
Angel repeatedly tries to kill the demon, but it doesn't stay dead no matter what he does. Fred yells at and threatens the professor, knowing that he sent her and other students away because they were too smart. She then chants to open a portal on the ground. Gunn arrives just in time and desperately tries to convince Fred not to go through with it. She doesn't listen to him and so Gunn intervenes in the only way he thinks he can. He grabs the professor, snaps the man's neck and tosses him into the portal, much to Fred's utter shock. Angel joins them at the end and is given a fake explanation for what happened to the professor. Gunn and Fred go upstairs quietly to bed and Angel turns to see Cordelia in the lobby. They go out to talk in the garden to talk and in an attempt to find her true self, she asks him not to lie to her anymore. He agrees and she then asks him if they were in love.
[edit] Quotes and trivia
- There is a reference to Dark Horse, the publishers who publish the Angel comics. (During the scene with a comic nerd who wore the Thwack! shirt, Angel is reading from a Ghost comic, published by Dark Horses, and the nerd says "We're kinda crushing the Dark Horses" when Gunn is pushing him up against the comic book rack.) Joss Whedon has written for Dark Horse comics.
[edit] Translations
- Italian title: "Supersimmetria" ("Supersymmetry")
[edit] Arc Significance
Much of this episode surrounds the notion of vengance, and how one must live with the consequences of it. Gunn, in particular, warns Fred about this. However, it is Gunn who kills the professor and throws him into the portal, and thus it is he who must live with the consequences of that.
[edit] Timing
- Stories that take place around the same time in the Buffyverse:
| Location, time (if known) |
Buffyverse: Fall 2002 - December 2002 (non-canon = italic) |
|---|---|
| Sunnydale, 2002 | B7.01 Lessons |
| Mexico, 2002 | Buffy/Angel book: Seven Crows |
| L.A., 2002 | A4.01 Deep Down |
| Sunnydale, 2002 | B7.02 Beneath You |
| L.A., 2002 | A4.02 Ground State |
| Sunnydale, 2002 | B7.03 Same Time, Same Place |
| Sunnydale, 2002 | Buffy book: Apocalypse Memories |
| L.A., Las Vegas, 2002 | A4.03 The House Always Wins |
| Sunnydale, 2002 | B7.04 Help |
| L.A., 2002 | Angel book: Dark Mirror |
| Sunnydale, 2002 | Buffy book: Mortal Fear |
| Sunnydale, 2002 | Buffy book: Spark and Burn |
| Sunnydale, L.A., 2002 | Buffy/Angel book: Heat |
| L.A., 2002 | A4.04 Slouching Toward Bethlehem |
| Sunnydale, 2002 | B7.05 Selfless |
| L.A., 2002 | A4.05 Supersymmetry |
| Sunnydale, 2002 | B7.06 Him |
| L.A., 2002 | Angel book: Solitary Man |
| L.A., 2002 | A4.06 Spin the Bottle |
| L.A., 2002 | Angel book: Love and Death |
| L.A., 2002 | Angel book: Monolith |
| Sunnydale, 2002 | B7.07 Conversations with Dead People |
| L.A., 2002 | A4.07 Apocalypse, Nowish |
| Sunnydale, 2002 | B7.08 Sleeper |
| L.A., 2002 | A4.08 Habeas Corpses |
| Sunnydale, 2002 | B7.09 Never Leave Me |
| L.A., 2002 | A4.09 Long Day's Journey |
| Sunnydale, 2002 | B7.10 Bring on the Night |
| Unknown, 2002 | Tales of the Vampires: Stacey |
| New York, 2002 | Tales of the Vampires: Spot the Vampire |
| Unknown 2002 | Tales of the Vampires: Taking Care of Business |
| L.A., 2002 | A4.10 Awakening |
