Angel/Recap/S03 E22 Tomorrow

Connor and Justine take revenge for Holtz's death. Cordelia realises she loves Angel, but the Powers That Be have another destiny for her.

• All Part of the Show: Connor flinches when a jet fighter roars across the movie screen.

Angel: "Sorry. It's just make believe." [A Wolfram & Hart Spec Ops helicopter comes flying over the top of the screen, searchlight probing the carpark for them.] Connor: "How'd they do that?"

• And I Must Scream / Sealed Coffin in the Middle of Nowhere: Justine and Connor weld Angel into a metal coffin and drop it off a boat into the Pacific Ocean.
• Answer Cut

Groo: I'm not the one you love; he is. Cordy: Who 'he'? (Cut to Angel talking to Lorne).

• Anywhere but Their Lips: Connor kisses Holtz on his forehead before disposing of his corpse in the manner he'd been taught.
• Ascend to a Higher Plane of Existence: Skip tells Cordelia she's needed to fight against evil on "other planes and dimensions".
• Badass Adorable: Angel tells Fred to pretend to be a vampire for Connor's sparring session. Fred raises her hands like claws and lets out a fierce growl.

Angel: "Vampire. You're not in Cats." Fred: (pulling her hands in) "Grrr?"

• Bedmate Reveal / Dating Catwoman: Wesley sleeps with Lilah.
• Can You Hear Me Now: Angel fumbles his cellphone off the cliff moments before Connor turns up to attack him.
• Cliff Hanger
• Comically Missing the Point / Brick Joke: Groo suggests relieving Cordy's tension by "gently then more rapidly rubbing your Schlug-Tee" — it turns out he's referring to a neck massage rather than an indecent act. That doesn't stop Angel from kidding Cordy about it later when suggesting she could give Connor The Talk.

Angel: "You could help fill in the blanks. He's gonna have questions. Like, what do you do with a woman's Schlug-Tee again?"

• Continuity Nod: Gunn and Fred notice that Angel is humming away happily. Fred says, "Not perfectly happy, I hope!" and starts poking Angel with a stake to restore some angst to his life.
• Curse Cut Short / Smash Cut: When Cordy realises that time has stopped.
• Drive-In Theater: Angel takes Connor to see an action movie. He loves it.
• Due to the Dead: Justine takes Holtz to be buried in a green field like his native England, only to watch horrified as Connor cuts off his head with an axe and burns the body, because Justine has lied that Holtz was killed in a vampire attack.
• Fast Roping: When you're a Wolfram & Hart Spec Ops team in a helicopter, it's what you do.
• Foe Yay (In-Universe): Lampshaded in Lilah and Wesley's post-coital conversation.

Wes: "Hmm. You know that sinking feeling you sometimes get the morning after? It arrived early." Lilah: (stretching) "It's like a little death. Several, in fact." Wes: "Get Out!." Lilah: "What? No sweet kiss? No 'When can I see you again?' (Wes gives her a look) Watch the dirty looks. That's what got me going in the first place. (Lilah begins to pull on her clothes) I'll give you this — you sure know how to channel your rage, frustration, and hate. Always a bigger turn on than love."

• Get Out!: Played straight the morning after, but put more poetically the night before.

Lilah: "Mind if I join you?" Wes: "On many levels and with great intensity."

• Incredibly Lame Pun: Lorne's CD of love songs.

Angel: "Songs for the love - Lorne. Oh, I get it. Lovelorn, because your name is Lorne." Lorne: "Yeah, my publicist's idea. Her name is mud now but the tunes are good."

• Interrupted Declaration of Love: Angel and Cordelia set up a meeting with the intention of acknowledging their love for each other. Connor and the demon Skip have their own plans.
• Ironic Echo: The things said by Phantom Cordelia in her apartment (which Cordelia assumes is a confirmation of her Love Epiphany) turn out to be a vision of her impending conversation with Skip.
• I Want My Beloved to Be Happy: Groo leaves because he realises that Cordelia loves Angel, not him.
• Love Epiphany: It's mutual.
• Mundane Utility: Cordelia using her glowy thing as a nightlight.
• Only I Can Kill Him: The reason why Connor fights so hard to protect Angel from the Spec Ops team.

Angel: "That's why you wouldn't let them kill me at the drive-in. So you could." Connor: "Killing is too good for you. You don't get to die. You get to live...forever."

• Rule of Symbolism: Cordy is raised up to heaven while Angel sinks down to the depths.
• Say My Name: Subverted when 'Stephen' says his name is Connor. Should be a Crowning Moment of Heartwarming, but it's actually one more deception by Connor.
• Secret Test of Character: Skip says the Powers were testing Cordelia to see if her newfound power went to her head. When Cordelia refuses to go without first telling Angel that she loves him, she realises that's the final test.

Skip: "What you're being called to do, transcends love."

• Snark to Snark Combat: Wes and Lilah make it clear that just because they've boned each other doesn't mean they still can't be mortal enemies.

Lilah: "Don't go making more of this than it is. I'm not one of the doe-y eyed girls of Angel Investigations. Don't be thinking about me when I'm gone." Wes: "I wasn't thinking about you when you were here." Lilah: "So your former boss has a soul and you're losing yours. Why, you're just new all over, aren't ya?"

• Spies in a Van: Linwood watches Wolfram & Hart's Spec Ops team attack Angel from a surveillance van parked in the drive-in theatre. Big mistake.
• Static Stun Gun: Connor takes down Angel with one — presumably supplied by Justine.
• The Talk: Angel and Cordy arguing over who gives this to Connor pretty much puts the seal on whether they're meant to be together.
• Teach Me How to Fight: Connor asks this of Angel to make him lower his guard, and learn about his fighting style.
• Tempting Fate: Lorne tells Angel that sometimes things do work out. Really? In a Joss Whedon show?

Cordelia: I know somehow it's all going to be all right.

• That Came Out Wrong

Groo: "Cordelia and Angel are upstairs trying out bedrooms. (Gunn and Fred stare, then look at each other) For Angel's son."

• Too Happy to Live: Angel with Connor.
• Toplessness From the Back: Lilah after getting out of Wesley's bed.
• Two Scenes, One Dialogue: Lorne talking to Angel cuts back and forth to Groo talking to Cordy.

Cordy: "I love Angel? What are you talking about? I - love... you know... us." Lorne: "You two are so obviously connected." Groo: "You finish each others... Lorne: "...sentences. You laugh at the same..." Groo: "...jests. When he grieves, when he is hurting..." Lorne: "...her heart breaks for you."

• Villain Ball: Gavin didn't think Connor would fight so hard on Angel's behalf. Really? All they know is that he's Angel son and has already fought well at his father's side. And duh — they're both being attacked by masked commandos!
• Woman in White: Cordelia just happens to change into a white dress and sandals before she goes on her last car journey.