Line #96 Recap/AngelS04E16Players


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/angel_players.jpg]]
2
3	Gwen Raiden meets with a shady contact who gives her some papers. She is struck suddenly by something and is knocked down.
4
5	The Angel team reacts to Cordelia's revelation of her pregnancy. Lorne is shocked that a mystical pregnancy occurred right under his nose and he didn't sense it. They decide to research and see if they can understand how she is so far along so quickly. Cordelia talks to Connor, who questions why she asked him to kill Angel.
6
7	Gwen returns to ask Gunn to help her rescue a little girl from a wealthy and powerful tycoon during a posh party at his high-tech security mansion.
8
9	Wesley and Fred talk to each other during research, and Wesley admits that he did have feelings for Lilah.
10
11	Upon their arrival at the party, Gunn surprises everyone with his command of Japanese language and etiquette, even presenting the host with a gift (which he lifted from Gwen's apartment). Gwen uses him to cause a distraction while she goes off on her own mission.
12
13	Meanwhile, Angel and the rest of his team, researching Cordelia's sudden pregnancy, are hindered by an overprotective Connor.
14
15	After beating up a guard, Gunn realizes he has been tricked by Gwen: her target is actually a high-tech military device titled L.I.S.A. Although Gunn initially is angry with Gwen for lying to him, she observes that he's having more fun than he's had in a long time and he eventually relents and assists her.
16
17	Angel has managed to reconstruct a passage from a destroyed book through his photographic memory. Unfortunately, he was not quite able to get all of the details right. Meanwhile, Lorne has managed to contact a demon called Wanda, who provided a spell that should restore his empathic abilities. It will require him to go off by himself, but he reassures the gang that completion of the ritual will allow him to tell what is inside Cordelia.
18
19	After retrieving the device from the safe, Gunn and Gwen are cornered by Morimoto and his guards. In a fit of rage, Gwen reveals that she is stealing the device for herself. She electrocutes the guards and she and Gunn escape from the house.
20
21	Lorne begins his ritual, while Cordelia looks on, unseen.
22
23	Back in her apartment, Gwen admits to Gunn that she has never been able to so much as hold hands. She tells Gunn that he's more than just muscle. She explains that the device will allow her to control her electrical powers and touch other people. In an intimate moment, they use the device, he places it on her back. After a brief scare, when they are unsure of what the device will do, Gunn touches her to test whether the device has worked, and when they both realize it has, the moment becomes more intimate. Although she is initially concerned that the device won't hold, Gunn reassures her, and the two sleep together.
24
25	Lorne continues with the ritual, which includes burning several substances, sprinkling ash on his skin, and then vocalizing while holding a hidden object. Unseen, Cordelia sneaks up on him with a knife, only to find herself cornered by the rest of the Angel Investigations team, with rifles. Lorne reveals that the ritual was a fake, designed to expose Cordelia, and that the object he's holding is a Magic-8 Ball. He asks it if Cordelia has been a bad girl, and it replies "Definitely".
26	----
27	!!Tropes
28	* AndYourRewardIsClothes: When Gunn is about to walk out on her, Gwen says [[BadassInANiceSuit he can keep the suit]]. Gunn casually changes his mind.
29	* BloodKnight / PercussiveTherapy: After the apocalyptic soap opera shenanigans of the past few months, Gunn enjoys a chance to do some good ol' {{mook}} pounding.
30	* BuffySpeak: Angel proving he was listening to what the others were talking about. "Easy Bake. Flop-a-palooza. Woosh. Pop."
31	* CellPhonesAreUseless: Gwen tells Gunn not to worry about the impending apocalypse, 'cause Team Angel will call if they need help. The next episode, Gunn apologises for not turning up for the cliffhanger because being near Gwen [[DoubleEntendre screwed up his equipment]].
32	* {{Cliffhanger}}: Cordelia is going to kill Lorne before he gets his empathic powers back, when the lights come on to reveal Angel, Wesley, and Fred all pointing weapons at her.
33	* ComicallyMissingThePoint
34	-->'''Gwen:''' I need someone suave, a guy who can handle himself in a tight spot.\
35	'''Angel:''' ''(preening)'' Gwen, I'd love to help--\
36	'''Gwen:''' I meant him. ''(points to Gunn)''
37	* ConspicuousTrenchcoat: Gwen meets with her contact, a nervous looking man in a trenchcoat.
38	-->'''Contact:''' So, is it that obvious? (laughs) That I've never done--
39	-->'''Gwen:''' Trench coat. Definite rookie mistake.
40	-->'''Contact:''' So, I should [[{{stripperiffic}} dress more like you?]]
41	* ContinuityNod: Gwen's tendency to attract lightning, which she mentioned in a previous episode.
42	* CornerOfWoe: Connor's "[[Literature/DocSavage Fortress of Solitude]]".
43	* DatingCatwoman: Fred is squicked over Cordy and Connor getting all [[BuffySpeak couply]].
44	-->'''Wesley:''' Things happen, Fred. When you're alienated from the people who care about you, you start to look other places.
45	-->'''Fred:''' ''[looks away]'' Hm. Lilah.\
46	'''Wesley:''' We were fighting on opposite sides, but it was the same war.\
47	'''Fred:''' ''[rolls her eyes, scoffs]'' But you hated her...didn't you?\
48	'''Wesley:''' ''[softly]'' [[FoeRomanceSubtext It's not always about holding hands...]]
49	* DecoyDamsel: Gwen tells Gunn she's been given a job to rescue the child of a client, being held hostage by a rival businessman. Actually she's the daughter of Mr Morimoto, the man whose house she is robbing.
50	* DramaticGunCock: Morimoto's mooks getting an even BiggerStick than a simple staff.
51	* EveryScarHasAStory:
52	-->'''Gwen:''' You collect anything when you travel?\
53	'''Gunn:''' Uh, yeah. I, uh, I got a big ol' scar on my thigh from Boyle Heights... A piece of vamp stake I picked up a while back in Alhambra... And a couple of burn marks on my hip from Encino... Yep, name a town, I'll show you the souvenir.
54	* FanDisservice: Cordelia's well-tassled pregnancy gown (according to the DVDCommentary, it was ordered online and the Costume Dept hadn't realised how trashy it would look).
55	* FailedASpotCheck: Lorne is dumbfounded that a mystical pregnancy happened under his nose.
56	* FetusTerrible: Cordelia's stomach convulses in a sinister manner.
57	* FromTheMouthsOfBabes:
58	-->I'm Aiko Morimoto, and when my daddy finds out you tried to hurt me, ''[points at Gunn]'' he's gonna kill you.
59	* FunWithAcronyms: 'Lisa' stands for Localized Ionic Sensory Activator.
60	-->'''Gwen:''' A covert device worn by black ops. Regulates body temp, heartbeat, body chemistry. Morimoto's company designed it, and I've been hired to steal the beta test.
61	* GeniusBruiser: After being stopped by security, Gunn bluffs Mr Morimoto into thinking they've met before; once the boss accepts them, his mooks let them through. Gwen lampshades this afterwards, pointing out that he's not the DumbMuscle he thinks he is.
62	* GoshDangItToHeck: Lorne's "Oh fudgicle."
63	* HiddenInPlainSight: Gwen uses this to explain why Mr Morimoto's 'hostage' is at the party, as she's surrounded by guards (actually bodyguards).
64	* HilariousInHindsight: The waltz playing as Gunn and Gwen enter the party is "Gran Valz" -- including the bit that would soon become ubiquitous as the ringtone of Nokia phones.
65	* IJustWantToBeNormal: As LISA can regulate one's physiology, Gwen thinks it will prevent her from zapping anyone she touches.
66	* IKnowMortalKombat: Gunn works his way into the party using his knowledge of Japanese culture, learned watching samurai movies.
67	* InTheHood: Lorne's ceremonial robe.
68	-->"You think this ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' cloak is a fashion statement?"
69	* InterchangeableAsianCultures: Japanese Morimoto's party is frequented by many guests in Chinese qipaos.
70	* IronicEcho: "It's not like HoldingHands." Gwen hopes that the LISA device will at least allow her to hold hands with a man.
71	* KimonoFanservice: Gwen dressed up to infiltrate Morimoto's party. And for the ladies there's [[BadassInANiceSuit Gunn in a suit]].
72	* LeaningOnTheFourthWall: Gunn telling Gwen he "spent most of this year trapped in what I can only describe as a turgid [[SupernaturalSoapOpera supernatural soap opera]]".
73	* LeftTheBackgroundMusicOn: One fourth-wall-breaking hint that Lorne's ceremony is fake is that the music he sings is just a more occult-sounding version of that scene's own background music.
74	* LetsSplitUpGang: Gunn isn't silly enough to fall for this twice.
75	* Magic8Ball: Literally.
76	* MagicalDefibrillator: A virginal Gwen is about to have sex with Gunn, and points out that LISA is only a prototype -- what if it fails while he's on the job? Gunn replies that if he goes OutWithABang, Gwen knows how to start him up again.
77	* NavelDeepNeckline: One of the outfits Gwen wears has an open neckline that reaches her abdomen.
78	* TheNicknamer: The BigBad is "High-and-Spitey".
79	* ObliviousMockery: Angel telling Gunn to hang around as they might need some [[DumbMuscle muscle]]. Angel telling Cordelia that [[DoNotTauntCthulhu the Beastmaster was demented]].
80	* OhCrap:
81	** Gunn finding out the girl he's supposed to 'rescue' is not a hostage.
82	** Cordy when she gets caught red-handed sneaking up on Lorne, knife in hand.
83	* {{Pun}}: Gunn regarding Pregnant!Cordy.
84	-->"As soon as you can say "Easy Bake Oven", there's a gigantic bun in hers."
85	* PutDownYourGunAndStepAway
86	-->'''Morimoto:''' Put that on the desk, and step away. Set it down now.\
87	'''Gwen:''' No.\
88	'''Morimoto:''' [[YouHaveNoIdeaWhoYoureDealingWith I don't think you realize who you're up against.]]\
89	'''Gunn:''' (gestures to mooks) Just those two girls? I already kicked their ass once. (the mooks [[BiggerStick pull out guns]]) [[OnSecondThought But, when you put it like that, maybe we should.]]
90	* SarcasticConfession: Angel insists that the Beast had a master, as [[BuffySpeak Lava Boy]] was too crude.
91	-->'''Cordelia:''' I'm his master. (beat) I'm his all-powerful master, and I'm gonna break into a guarded room, steal your soul from a safe (not by ripping it open, but by using the combination) then I'm gonna hunt and kill Lilah right under this very roof. Sure. Evil geniuses live for that playing with fire stuff.
92	** When the tickets she bought off her contact don't scan properly, Gwen tells security it was because she was struck by lightning.
93	* SawItInAMovieOnce: Gunn learnt enough basic Japanese etiquette to impress Mr Morimoto by watching samurai movies. Justified in that Morimoto appreciates Gunn making the effort to be polite, rather than whether he gets the details right.
94	* SexyDiscretionShot: Cut from Gwen/Gunn kissing, to a closeup of the candles in Lorne's ceremony.
95	* ShapedLikeItself
96	-->'''Gunn:''' [[GoodFeelsGood It feels good to be doing good.]]
97	* ShipTease: Gunn and Gwen, pretty much their whole storyline.
98	* ShockAndAwe: Gwen Raiden's in the episode, so...
99	* StealthHiBye
100	-->'''Contact:''' How did you do that?
101	-->'''Gwen:''' I'm a thief.
102	* SupernaturalSoapOpera: "Listen, I spent most of this year trapped in what I can only describe as a turgid supernatural soap opera."
103	* TemptingFate
104	-->'''Gunn:''' Now, if we can just get out as easily as we got in-- (as the guard scans the tickets, an alarm goes off) Why did I even say that?
105	* ToplessnessFromTheBack: Used to good effect when Gunn attaches the LISA device to Gwen's back so he can touch her skin.
106	* TranslationTrainWreck:
107	-->'''Wesley:''' I recognize the text. It's early Fallorian code system. Let's see... (translating) "The green cart-like vehicle eats...I am not a bucket head." It's a tricky language. An inverted serif can alter the meaning of an entire passage.\
108	''[later]''\
109	'''Wesley:''' Something about "strangling poultry".
110	* WeNeedADistraction: Gwen pushes over a coffee table so Gunn can [[HandGagging grab the girl]]. Gwen then points out what Gunn is doing so she can rob the safe.

Context Recap / AngelS04E16Players