History Recap / AngelS05E22NotFadeAway

** Conversely, the Circle's weakness also presents two key flaws for Angel's endgame. First, Angel and company ''need'' to hit all the players simultaneously to ensure nobody can warn the others; otherwise they'll regroup, circle the wagons, and the Fang Gang won't get another chance at this (as they'll be fighting for their lives and likely dying when the Senior Partners retaliate). Second, even isolated, all the individual Circle members ''are'' still formidable. If the Fang Gang was hitting each individual member collectively, their chances of winning would be greater. But because the plan hinges on splitting up the team, everybody's on their own and in danger of being overwhelmed withoutt backup (which is what happens to Gunn, Wesley, and Angel).

* AchillesHeel: As Angel points out at the top of the episode, collectively the Circle are one of the most powerful occult forces on the planet; they can easily crush the Fang Gang in a one-on-one fight without even breaking a sweat. However, that great strength is also conversely their great weakness. Take away the collective might and power of the Circle and what are its members individually? Your standard demons, vampires, warlocks, etc. -- the usual rogues and ne'er-do-wells Angel Investigations has dealt with and fought on a weekly basis for the last 5 years. Therefore, the key to taking out the Circle is to instead isolate its members and hit them all individually. This also means that Angel and company ''need'' to hit all the players simultaneously to ensure nobody can warn the others, regroup, and circle the wagons.

* ExactWords: Angel's assurance that Lorne is providing "back up" to Lindsey. That ''is'' technically true, since taking on the Sahrvin Clan will not be easy even for Lindsey (and indeed Lorne's assistance is invaluable). Angel never actually says that support role will continue ''after'' Lindsey's mission objectives have been achieved.

* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: Lindsey's death. He's walked back and forth through the HeelFaceRevolvingDoor too many times over the last 5 years and has proven he ''can't'' be trusted. In the wake of the events of Lindsey's return this Season -- and ''especially'' after being warned ''not'' to come back to LA -- Angel's finally had ''enough''. Lindsey is useful as another body to throw at the Black Thorn, but once that objective's been achieved, Angel isn't taking any more chances and has his rival assassinated when his guard's down.

* FatalFlaw:

* ExactWords: Angel's assurance that Lorne is providing "back up" to Lindsey. That ''is'' technically true, since taking on the Sahrvin Clan will not be easy even for Lindsey (and indeed Lorne's assistance is invaluable). Angel never said that support role would continue ''after'' Lindsey's mission objectives had been achieved.

* AchillesHeel: As Angel points out at the top of the episode, collectively the Circle are one of the most powerful occult forces on the planet; they could easily crush the Fang Gang in a one-on-one fight without even breaking a sweat. However, that great strength is also their great weakness. Take away the collective might and power of the Circle and what are its members individually? Your standard demons, vampires, warlocks, etc. -- the usual stuff Angel Investigations has dealt with and fought on a weekly basis for the last 5 years. Therefore, the key to taking out the Circle is to instead isolate its members and hit them all individually. This also means that Angel and company ''need'' to hit all the players simultaneously to ensure nobody can warn the others and regroup to circle the wagons.

* ThePurge: The deaths of the Black Thorn members has definite aspects of ''Film/TheGodfather'' finale, right down to the mafia-style murders of Izzy and Lindsey.

* AchillesHeel: As Angel points out at the top of the episode, collectively the Circle are one of the most powerful occult forces on the planet; they could easily crush the Fang Gang in a one-on-one fight without even breaking a sweat. However, that strength is also their weakness. Take away the collective might and power of the Circle and what are its members individually? Your standard demons, vampires, warlocks, etc. -- the usual stuff Angel Investigations has dealt with and fought on a weekly basis for the last 5 years. Therefore, the key to taking out the Circle is to isolate its members and hit them all individually. This also means that Angel and company ''need'' to hit all the players simultaneously to ensure nobody can warn the others. Otherwise, the Circle will regroup and circle the wagons, and the Fang Gang will be right back to square one.

* AchillesHeel: As Angel points out at the top of the episode, collectively the Circle are one of the most powerful occult forces on the planet; they could easily crush the Fang Gang without breaking sweat. Individually, however, they're all your standard demons, vampires, warlocks, etc. -- the usual stuff Angel Investigations has dealt with and fought on a weekly basis for the last 5 years. Therefore, the only way to take them out is to isolate and hit them individually (which also conversely means Angel and company need to hit all the players simultaneously, lest they regroup and circle the wagons).

Back at Wolfram & Hart, Hamilton continues to beat the ([[JustForPun un]])living hell out of Angel. Connor arrives to help his father, but the duo still have trouble taking Hamilton down. Exasperated by the persistence of both father and son, Hamilton tries to boast about his power:

* InsaneTrollLogic: When Angel confronts Harmony about her betrayal, [[NeverMyFault she insists]] it's because he has no confidence in her. When he points out it's because she [[AlwaysChaoticEvil is a soulless vampire]], she ''still'' insists she would have a soul if he had more confidence in her.

** Illyria tells Gunn she finds him attractive -- if she's indeed influenced by Fred's memories, they would include their affair in Seasons 3 and 4.

* TheBusCameBack: Chantelle/Lucy/Anne returns to give Gunn the moral boost he needs to charge into an unwinnable war against evil.
* CallBack: As hinted at the end of "Origin", Connor got his old identity back when Wesley smashed an artifact belonging to Cyvus Vail -- the sorcerer who doctored all of Connor's fake memories. His real memories are now "[[DoubleConsciousness mixed in]]" with the fake ones. Angel figures that Connor has questions, but Connor shakes his head and says he understands what Angel did, but he doesn't want to complicate his normal life. Angel understands and agrees not to push the issue.

** During [[{{Recap/AngelS05E15AHoleInTheWorld}} their last meeting]], Lorne prophesied Eve had a terrible future ahead of her.

* ConscienceMakesYouGoBack: Ignoring Angel's instructions to regroup at the alley, Illyria bursts into Vail's mansion and catches Wesley just as he collapses from his gut wound.

* DivideAndConquer: Gunn asks if the plan is to take out The Circle in one swoop. Angel says The Circle as one body is the most powerful group on earth, but separated they're just demons.

* FakeDefector: Wesley is selected to kill Cyvus Vail for three reasons: he knows the layout of Vail's place ("Origin"), he's the team's magic expert, and Vail already thought that he'd usurp Angel at some point.

* GrandFinale: Angel and his friends make a final stand against Wolfram & Hart and their agents of corruption. This marks the end of the televised part of the ''Buffyverse'', three years later the storylines resumed with the ''Buffy'' & ''Angel'' comic series.

* KillEmAll: Angel's plan is to assassinate each member of the Circle of the Black Thorn, as well as Marcus Hamilton, and Lindsey, to cripple the Senior Partners, even if temporarily.

* AnAxeToGrind: Brucker is continuing her interview even as Gunn wipes out her staff. You have to admire her dedication. Gunn then pulls a small axe and lobs it across the room, landing it neatly in Brucker's forehead. THWACK.
-->'''Brucker:''' The families are protected against pedophiles and other undesirables. [[KilledMidSentence Even the United States govern--]]
-->'''Gunn:''' Looks like you boys need to [[BondOneLiner find a new candidate]].

* CouldntFindAPen[=/=]ImpaledPalm: Angel is reaching for the Shanshu Prophecy when Izzy jabs a fountain pen in his hand. "It's got to be in blood."

* BadassBoast: Hamilton gets one in "Not Fade Away". It backfires a bit.

* BloodKnight: Spike is the first to vote in favour of Angel's plan. [[DeathSeeker Wesley is second.]] Then Gunn and last of all a reluctant Lorne.

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: After Angel and his team assassinate all members of the Circle of Black Thorns, the evil forces of the world decide to pull out all the stops and unleash every available evil creature on LA.

* ThatMakesMeFeelAngry: After informing everyone else of Wesley's death:

* RealityEnsues: Lindsey has a big showdown planned with Angel, only to be outraged when he's shot and killed by Lorne. Turns out that tropes like ArchEnemy and TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatYou make great fiction but life seldom turns out that way. "Goodnight, folks."

* InstantAwesomeJustAddDragons: The demon army at the end includes a dragon, just for pure RuleOfCool.