Quite a good review. I'm not really sure why the reviewer bothered going into the theories about TPTB or the Senior Partners bringing Spike back, when it seemed obvious to me (and the reviewer) that it was Lindsey's doing. I'd imagine it was a means to distract and screw with Angel while Lindsey could work out his plan to take control of W&H.

As for some of the "loose ends" mentioned -- the Cup Of Perpetual Torment prophecy was a fake. The inbalance caused by two souled vampires fighting over the Shanshu was fixed when Angel signed the prophecy away. (Which I have an issue with -- how do you sign away a prophecy?! Makes no sense.) The inbalance caused by Buffy's resurrection was just enough for The First to swoop in with it's master plan.

And no, I don't think Buffy ever learned that Spike is back. Unless Andrew told her.

MindPieces | July 13, 20:15 CET

FINALLY!! I've been waiting not-so-patiently for this review since the final credits rolled on the episode. Nan's reviews are always great, and this one is no exception. Although I do have to say that, considering the time it's taken to write it, it seems pretty sparse (compared to Ms. Dibble's usual fare). But still, good stuff.

Haunt | July 13, 20:33 CET

Didn't Andrew say to Spike and Angel that she loves them both? Or something to that effect? Implying that she knows...

herb | July 13, 20:57 CET

Yeah I think she must know or else Spike would've been way more wary about bumping into her in Rome.

narky | July 13, 21:30 CET

I'm sure she (buffy) knew that Spike was alive, since Andrew made an appearance at W&H earlier in the season when he came for the rogue slayer.

dawnyl | July 14, 00:58 CET

Buffy didn't know Spike was alive in "Damage" and Spike tells Andrew not to tell her, so it's a question of whether Andrew can keep his mouth shut. It did seem that she knew in "The Girl In Question" but it's possible she didn't.

I've read a few reviews of the season that ask questions like "who brought Spike back?", "why did the world never start to fall apart again?" and "what was the point in the cup of perpetual torment" but all those questions were answered in the same episode, the one bit about Spike's return I'd like to see adressed was whether Lilah knew the amulet would do what it did, were she and Lindsey in cahoots, did they want Angel to become a ghost?

As great an episode as "Lineage" was it left too much hanging, were the cyborg-ninjas sent by the Circle, seems unlikely as Angel was already an instrument of theirs, were the cyborg-ninjas sent by the followers of Illyria, Knox probably had the technical know-how. And how the hell did robo-pop know so much about Wesley's past, do the watcher's council keep detailed records of young watcher's activities, how would they possibly know that a young Wesley tried to resurrect a bird?

Looking back like this it makes it even more clear that Joss was confident the show would get a 6th season, I don't think a season ever left so much unresolved (except season 6 of Buffy when he knew they were coming back, and season 3 of Angel where he knew they were probably coming back). Why couldn't Levin's overthrow have come 5 months later?

Ghost Spike | July 14, 01:42 CET

I always thought it was bit odd - Lindsey being back. I was happy to see the character again, he was in the first episode of Angel and was such an important part of the show (also not hard on the eyes!)it was great to have him back for season 5. However I always thought when Lindsey left at the end of the Deadend episode that he was finished and made his peace with things (and Angel to a point). He left with his "evil hand", maybe it stopped being evil after the people who previoulsy owned the parts were released from their suffering. I guess he found out through the grapevine that Angel was running WR&H , and it was too much to take, so he came back to mess Angel up. It just seemed to me he was done, and gone and he came back out of nowhere. Did I miss something? or does anyone else feel this way too?

Passion | July 14, 02:09 CET

It just seemed to me he was done, and gone and he came back out of nowhere. Did I miss something? or does anyone else feel this way too?
I felt the same way, Passion. Don't get me wrong – I love Lindsey as a character, and I was pleasantly (and very!) surprised to see him return at the end of Destiny. But I never really felt like his return made sense. And in some ways, it disrupted what had been a good finish for his character. I loved the scene when he left town in his pickup, and it did seem like he had made his peace with things and was done with Wolfram and Hart, Angel, and the whole LA scene.
I felt like the writers thought he'd make an interesting addition, so they brought him back, and were scrambling ever since to explain a reason for it – and none of the reasons they came up with ever felt really solid. Why bring Spike back? And why try to torment Angel in Soul Purpose? Did he want to bring down the Senior Partners, or join the circle of the black thorn himself? If the latter, as we're led to believe, then why join Angel at the end? I realize a lot of these questions got answered to a degree – i just found those answers convoluted, unsastifying, and somewhat inconsistent with Lindsey's character. As happy as I was to see him return – I've always loved his character, and I enjoyed him this season as well – I wish in retrospect they'd let him go out the way he did in Season 3.

acp | July 14, 03:32 CET

"What was all that business about Feigenbaum ?"

It was a joke about Fred's interest in science. Feigenbaum was one of the researchers into Chaos theory. Hence the rabbit 'Feigenbaum, master of Chaos' refers to mathematics not to the supernatural. Unfortunately I can't remember who posted this to a fan discussion board to give them the proper credit.

[ edited by technovamp on 2004-07-14 01:45 ]

technovamp | July 14, 03:45 CET

It was a joke about Fred's interest in science. Feigenbaum was one of the researchers into Chaos theory. Hence the rabbit 'Feigenbaum, master of Chaos' refers to mathematics not to the supernatural. Unfortunately I can't remember who posted this to a fan discussion board to give them the proper credit.

This was explained by posters on several boards. However, Nan Dibble also made reference to it in her review of
"A Hole in the World".

i just found those answers convoluted, unsastifying, and somewhat inconsistent with Lindsey's character. As happy as I was to see him return – I've always loved his character, and I enjoyed him this season as well – I wish in retrospect they'd let him go out the way he did in Season 3.

I share your sentiments exactly, acp.

palehorse | July 14, 04:25 CET

Not me! What the heck?

I was off my chair cheering when they brought him back! I don't care about him trundling off in his broken down pickup! As cool as that was, and it WAS cool, I was even happier to see him return!

Willowy | July 14, 04:57 CET

ACP - thanks for your response. It always just bugged me a bit. We all have little things in the Jossverse that nag a bit, but overall it's the best verse around!

Willowy - Yes I am happy Lindsey came back for season 5, looking extremely hot I might add... and the tattoos... WOW. I just remembered him leaving and would have liked that once he got back, and we were surprised by his return, that we would have got alittle fill in story to find out what happened to him, while he was away, that made him come back so committed to his purpose in season 5.

Passion | July 14, 15:33 CET

Yeah I agree Passion, that would have been nice.

I wonder if Joss has a tally somewhere that lists all the unresolved and iffy plot points on Buffy and Angel. Wouldn't that be a GREAT movie?

Oh and while your at it, bring Lilah back!

Willowy | July 14, 19:36 CET

Of all the things that this article covered, the one question it didn't ask is the one that I'm still puzzled by - why would Wesley try to attack a professional sorceror with magic? He may not be a slouch but he's no pro and he's been a knife&gun brawler for several seasons now. It seemed..... odd.

phearlez | July 16, 18:57 CET