That Vision Thing
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| “That Vision Thing” | |
|---|---|
| Angel episode | |
 Cordelia bears physical wounds after a particularly nasty vision  The evil psychic who is manipulating Cordelia's visions |
|
| Episode no. | Season 3 Episode 2 |
| Guest stars | Julie Benz (Darla) Andy Hallett (Lorne) Stephanie Romanov (Lilah) Daniel Dae Kim (Gavin) David Denman (Skip) Frank Salsedo Kal Penn |
| Written by | Jeffrey Bell |
| Directed by | Bill L Norton |
| Production no. | 3ADH03 |
| Original airdate | October 1, 2001 |
| Episode chronology | |
| ← Previous | Next → |
| "Heartthrob" | "That Old Gang of Mine" |
| List of Angel episodes | |
"That Vision Thing" is episode 2 of season 3 in the television show Angel. See List of Angel episodes for a complete list.
Contents |
[edit] Plot synopsis
[edit] Summary
Cordelia's vision gift grows dangerous when it begins affecting her in a physical way. After seeing a couple of demons protecting a mysterious coin and later a man in a prison of fire, she develops flame burns, deep cuts and other wounds in her own body. She is on the verge of death when Angel discovers that Lilah Morgan is behind the whole affair. She's hired a psychic capable of interfering with Cordelia's connection with the PTBs and sending her painful versions of her visions. Lilah uses Angel to set free a man imprisoned in an alternate dimension under the threat to kill Cordelia. In the end, Angel kills the psychic and warns Lilah that next time she tries something similar he'll go after her.
[edit] Expanded overview
Wesley and Gunn eat take-out in the lobby and chat while Fred sits on the floor under a table and eats her food. She eventually joins them, off the floor while Cordelia works and waits for her next vision to send them on their way. Gavin Park, Wolfram and Hart minion lawyer, visits with news of the violations that the Hyperion has. After Gavin leaves, Cordelia gets a vision about a special coin with a hole in it and clawed beast. In the bathroom where she recovers, Cordelia informs Wesley through the door that there are five claws, but leaves out that there are five claw marks across her stomach.
The guys leave to find the coin, but not before Angel makes arrangements for Cordelia to be taken home by Fred. He knows Cordelia's visions are getting worse, but she refuses to acknowledge how bad they are. Gunn drives them to the last herb shop they could find and think the coin may be located. Inside, an elderly couple are watching the shop, but don't look all that innocent once they grow talons and a fight ensues. The gang is able to knock out the couple and Angel finds the coin around the neck of the elderly man.
Lilah and Gavin meet at the office and Gavin informs her that he's been moved into her department. The two share bitter words about their approaches to dealing with Angel and don't seem to find any common ground, despite their common purpose. Cordelia has returned home safely and is all cleaned up, so she tries to force Fred to leave. Fred is more concerned with asking questions and just as she gets outside, Cordelia gets another violent vision that leaves her with boils on her face. The whole gang meets at her place and she tries to describe her vision, but Angel is more interested in what's happening to her.
Cordelia shows them how badly the visions are affecting her body and they all question why the Powers that Be would do this to their messenger. Wesley directs Gunn and Fred to do research and sends Angel to a key shop, of all places, to find the key that goes with the coin. Gunn and Fred find that the hotel is being fumigated, but get the books they need anyway. Angel returns to Cordelia's with the key to find that the Host is trying to connect with the Powers that Be in order to question them for their actions. Cordelia fears losing her visions, but is persuaded to try anyway.
Lilah talks a deal with a young man wearing a fez and he signs some papers before meditating on a table. Removing his head dressing, the man reveals his split skull and exposed brain. As a result of the man's mental efforts, Cordelia gets hit with a massive vision about fire that flings the Host across the room and burns her face and limbs. Afterwards, Cordelia wonders what she did to deserve this torture and is finally ready to give up the visions if they keep doing this to her.
The host discovers from his contact with Cordelia that it's not TPTB but a more local source. It's concluded that Wolfram and Hart are behind it all. Angel visits Lilah and offers the key and coin to make her call off whatever they are doing to Cordelia. She informs him that they are for him to use to free an "unfairly imprisoned" man. Angel refuses at first, but Lilah makes it clear that if he doesn't do the job, the physical effects of Cordy's visions will not be stopped; Lilah's cavalier attitude toward Cordelia and her plight earns her Angel's hand around her throat and a warning that she will undo what she has done to Cordy.
Back at the hotel, Wesley tells Angel how the coin and key are items of good nature, so those holding and associated with the objects are likely good as well. Wesley points out that rescuing this man is going against Angel's mission of good, and that he would like to come along. Armed with weapons, Angel orders him to stay and take care of Cordelia before inserting the key into the coin's hole and creating a force that transports him to the demon dimension, without any weapons.
In the dimension, Angel encounters a demon guard protecting a large fiery cube surrounding the prisoner. The guard, Skip, is holding the prisoner in the fire with his will. He and Angel have a friendly conversation before they break into battle, where Skip is knocked out and the man is freed. Back in his own dimension, Angel and the rest of the gang transport the prisoner to Lilah for the exchange. Lilah has Brain Man in the back of a limo work his magic to end Cordelia's suffering. A phone call to Fred at Cordelia's place confirms its success.
The captive man is handed over to Wolfram and Hart, then Angel kills Brain Man by throwing a piece of re-bar through the limo's window and the man's skull. After seeing what happened, Lilah turns around to find Angel right in her face, threatening to kill her if she goes after Cordelia to get to him again, before he leaves with his crew. Cordelia makes food and coffee for Angel as thanks for his work and Angel convinces her the guilt she feels for what happened is unnecessary. He'll deal with Wolfram and Hart and the man he set free when it becomes necessary.
Meanwhile, still in Central America, Darla visits a Shaman, asking for help to get rid of her baby. She reveals that the father is a vampire, although he doesn't act like it. Using some of her blood and herbs, he tries to determine the baby's form and how it could exist in a vampire's body. Unfortunately, what she is carrying is something no one can rid her of, and resolves that her last option is to seek help from the baby's daddy.
[edit] Writing and acting
[edit] Production details
[edit] Quotes and trivia
- Writer Jeffery Bell included a reference to a creature he created for the X-Files episode "Alpha" called a Wanshang Dhole.
- Cordelia speaks with an apparently real hoarse voice throughout the entire episode.
[edit] Translations
[edit] Continuity
[edit] Arc significance
[edit] Timing
- Stories that take place around the same time in the Buffyverse:
| Location, time (if known) |
Buffyverse chronology: Fall 2001 - December 2001 (non-canon = italic) |
|---|---|
| L.A., 2001 | Buffy/Angel novel: Cursed |
| L.A., 2001 | A3.01 Heartthrob |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | Buffy UPN promos: Scooby Gang talk about Buffy |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | B6.01 Bargaining, Part One |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | B6.02 Bargaining, Part Two |
| L.A., 2001 | A3.02 That Vision Thing |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | B6.03 After Life |
| L.A., 2001 | Angel book: Sanctuary |
| L.A., 2001 | A3.03 That Old Gang of Mine |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | B6.04 Flooded |
| L.A., 2001 | A3.04 Carpe Noctem |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | Buffy comic: Reunion |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | B6.05 Life Serial |
| L.A., 2001 | A3.05 Fredless |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | Buffy graphic novel Willow & Tara: Wilderness |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | Buffy book: Blood and Fog |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | B6.06 All the Way |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | Buffy graphic novel: Note from the Underground |
| L.A., 2001 | A3.06 Billy |
| L.A., 2001 | Angel anthology book:The Longest Night |
| Sunnydale, L.A., Monster Island, 2001 | Buffy/Angel novel: Monster Island |
| L.A., 2001 | Angel book: Endangered Species |
| L.A., 2001 | Angel book: Impressions |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | B6.07 Once More, with Feeling |
| L.A., 2001 | A3.07 Offspring |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | B6.08 Tabula Rasa |
| L.A., 2001 | A3.08 Quickening |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | B6.09 Smashed |
| L.A., 2001 | A3.09 Lullaby |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | B6.10 Wrecked |
| L.A., 2001 | A3.10 Dad |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | B6.11 Gone |
| L.A., 2001 | A3.11 Birthday |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | Buffy graphic novel: Creatures of Habit |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | Buffy graphic novel: Death of Buffy: Withdrawal |
| Sunnydale, 2001 | B6.12 Doublemeat Palace |
| L.A., 2001 | A3.12 Provider |
