"I'm... Angel. The vampire with a soul. Fighting for my redemption with — with — with killing evil demons. That's right."
Angel and Gunn prepare to storm Wolfram & Hart's fortress, where Angel is convinced Darla is hiding. He is intercepted by Cordelia and Wesley, who refuse to let him go through with his suicidal plan. At a loose end, everyone winds up at Caritas to consult with The Host, who refers Angel to a swami who lives in Ojai.A shifty person arrives at the office looking for Angel. He pulls a gun on Cordelia and threatens to kill her if she doesn't produce Angel. Wesley hears this from the next room; In the spur of the moment, he throws on Angel's coat and strides inside, introducing himself as Angel. The goon takes Wesley to meet his boss, Magnus Bryce. Somebody, probably a business rival, has been threatening his daughter, and he needs "Angel" to act as her bodyguard. Meanwhile, Angel (the real one) makes his sojourn to see the swami. The door is answered by a not-at-all swami-like, paunchy middle-aged man.
"Angel" is introduced to his employer's daughter, Virginia, who drags Wesley along on a shopping trip. As predicted, two men accost Virgina in the store. When she drops Angel's name, the men recoil with intimidation. Seems Angel's reputation precedes him. Wes discovers these men work for Paul Lanier, one of Bryce's competitors. Back at the cabin, Magev gets on the dog and bone to speak with someone: it's Lanier. The "Swami" isn't sure how much longer he can keep up this Yoda act. It seems this is an imposter hired by Lanier to keep Angel busy. Lanier is puzzled, having just seen Angel at Bryce's house. Ruh-roh. Meanwhile, Virginia is beginning to find Wesley attractive. Things get hot and heavy; Wesley tries to tell her the truth about who he really is, but ends up going to bed with her.
The next morning, Gunn pulls up to the cabin, having been sent by Cordelia and sent to fetch Angel. The Swami greets him warmly and then knocks Gunn out. Angel witnesses the act from the porch and works out that the real Magev is probably fish food. This imposter taunts Angel, thinking he is safe in the sun, but Angel is quite the fly fisherman and with one cast snags him in the mouth with a hook, then reels him onto the relaxing shade of the porch. Ouch. At Case de Bryce, Bryce storms upstairs and declares Wesley to be a fraud. Seems Lanier made an anonymous call to Bryce, and the jig is up. Virginia is crushed. We later see that Magnus has a sacrificial altar with chains waiting for the guest of honor - Virginia.
Everyone rendezvous back at the hotel, where they begin to piece together what Bryce is up to. Angel says the "Goddess" Yeska isn't really a goddess. She's a demon who grants enormous power in exchange for a tribute - in this case, a female virgin. Lanier was trying to intervene to prevent his rival from achieving his goal. At the Bryce Estate, the party is in full swing. A pair of henchmen grab Virginia and shackling her on an altar, while Magus begins the incantation for Yeska. The Bat Pack storms in as Bryce completes the incantation. Yeska is brought forth, but as she reaches for the sacrifice she senses Virginia is "impure" and...vanishes. Well, that was anticlimatic. Bryce is livid. He accuses Wesley of defiling his daughter. Virginia smugly reveals that she hasn't been a virgin for quite a while, having slept with his chauffeur when she was sixteen, and several other men since then. She decks her father and leaves with Wesley and the others.
Days later at the Hyperion, Angel is sitting at his desk when Cordy bursts in with an tabloid magazine. It seems Virginia has a new "bodyguard to the stars" and Wesley is getting some quality press time, something Cordy hungers for. Angel tries to play it down, but is clearly jealous when the article calls the company the Wyndam-Pryce Agency.
Tropes:
- Agony of the Feet: Thanks to Wesley and Cordelia interrupting his invasion of Wolfram & Hart, a guard shows up to stop Angel with a baton loaded with a hidden stake. Angel plunges it into the guy's foot.Gunn: Oh, that's nasty.
- All Is Well That Ends Well: Despite Wesley lying his way into the sack with her, Virginia is touched that he returned to rescue her. They formally become a couple in this episode.
- Artistic License – Biology: When Wesley drank the cup of blood that Bryce gave him, he was lucky not to get sick. Uncooked blood risks carrying pathogens, though naturally human blood acquired by a wealthy sorcerer probably doesn't carry that risk. Beyond that, the only real risk would be hemochromatosis, an injurious build-up of iron in the body, which can damage the joints and a number of organs. Given he only had half a whiskey's worth, he's probably okay.
- Badass Longcoat: Which Angel would really like back, if Wesley would be so kind.
- Becoming the Mask: Wesley's confidence increases as he takes on the Angel role; eventually he's giving orders to everyone while Angel just gripes about wanting his coat back.
- Bed Trick: Wesley sleeps with Virginia while pretending to be Angel. She's understandably pissed, but once he shows up to save her from her father all's forgiven.
- Big Fancy House: The Bryce Estate.
- Bland-Name Product: Wesley gets his photo taken for Bio, a gossip magazine in the vein of Us Weekly.
- Bodyguard Crush: Wesley gets involved with Virginia. Bryce apparently knew about this trope, because Wesley was impersonating Angel, who was wanted specifically because he can't have sex. He needed her for a Virgin Sacrifice - as it turned out, he should have started paying attention to this possibility a lot earlier.
- Bound and Gagged: Virginia is treated to iron shackles.
- Buffy Speak: Angel leads a still-dazed Gunn into the lobby, and Cordy asks what happened. Angel says he got hit. "By who? The swami? Swamis don't hit! Swamis swam."
- Butt-Monkey: Wesley's old role is played up for comedic effect, particularly while he is trying to pass as Angel.
- Celibate Hero: Virginia apologizes for kissing Wesley, explaining she says that she knows about "his" curse. Flustered, Wes insists that the whole curse thing "has been wildly misinterpreted." It's "less of a curse, and more of a hex, actually. Barely that — a recommendation."
- Chekhov's Gunman: The gold trinkets depicting Yeska, Bryce's "favorite creepy deity."
- An offscreen bartender named Ramone strolls by with a drink for The Host, who is exceedingly fond of him: "I was just thinking, I'd rather be drinking!" He's referred to by name, so you know he's trouble.
- Clark Kenting: Cordelia infiltrates Wolfram & Hart by wearing glasses. "Hello, lawyer!"
- Corrupt Corporate Executive: Magnus Bryce. His rival Paul Lanier also counts.
- Dead Person Impersonation: The bubba redneck swami. Technically Wesley, too, is impersonating a dead person.
- Department of Redundancy Department: Cordelia attempting to reason with Angel. "You're all insane, and angry, and...insane! You need help!"
- Description Cut: "I'd hate to think what he'd be up to about now". Cut to Wesley out shopping with Virginia.
- Discreet Drink Disposal: Wesley tips the rest of the blood into a flower vase; unfortunately it's transparent and the water turns bright red, forcing Wes to quickly move to block it.
- Do Not Taunt Cthulhu: Once outed, the fake swami revels standing in the sunlight and taunts Angel over being unable to touch him. Angel promptly picks up a nearby fishing line, casts it and hooks the guy through his lip, and then yanks him up to the porch.
- Does This Remind You of Anything?: This exchange (note that Wesley is explaining a plot involving a woman named Virginia, with whom he recently had sex, but Angel thinks he's referring to the state):Angel: When were you in Virginia?Wesley: That's not the point.
- Dressing as the Enemy: Cordelia and Wesley take a page from Angel's playbook, donning business suits to sneak into Wolfram & Hart.
- Eat That: Upon their introduction, Bryce offers "Angel" a tall glass of fresh blood. Wesley turns it down, claiming he doesn't like to drink "in front of humans." Bryce, unimpressed, warns that he would consider it an insult if Wes doesn't drink it. Wesley, not wanting to blow the charade, quaffs it down. Eww."Dear GOD! ...That's...nummy."
- Emergency Impersonation: Wesley impersonates the unavailable Angel. This episode's title is the former Trope Namer.
- Everything Is Online: Subverted. Cordy gets bored looking at mug shots online, and starts flipping through a glossy magazine. By sheer chance, she lands on a photo depicting Bryce and his daughter standing alongside their bodyguard - the same goon who grabbed Wesley at gunpoint.
- Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: For some reason Lanier thinks it is smarter to try to kill Angel rather then just tell him what's going on, which would have made him stop Bryce anyway.
- Faceless Mooks: Besides his hired muscle, Bryce also employs hooded sorcerers.
- Feet-First Introduction: Wesley as himself, scratching the back of his leg with his heel, and Wesley in a Badass Longcoat as "Angel".
- Foreshadowing:
- Virgina mentions her father's 50th birthday is coming up and he's having a big bash for his "favorite creepy deity," the Goddess Yeska.
- Angel rejects the idea that image is important to him as he can't look into a mirror. The fake swami says that his mirror is how his friends and others see him.
- Funny Background Event: When Virginia reveals that she had been sexually active for some time, including with at least a couple of Bryce's minions, one of the minions tries to sneak away.
- The Glasses Come Off: Wesley menacing the would-be kidnappers. Astonishingly, it works.
- Hey, That's My Line!: Wes leads the charge into Bryce's gala, declaring, "Release her, or die."Angel: [offscreen] Don't I say that?
- Hidden Purpose Test: On a boat dock outside the cabin, Angel and the faux Swami are fighting with staves. Magev accuses Angel of holding back, and Angel confesses that if he lets "it" loose, he will kill Magev. The faux Swami responds by knocking Angel flat with his stick, thus illustrating the point. Angel can't win the fight against evil while he's fighting himself.
- Hollywood Tone-Deaf: Cordelia's response to hearing Angel doesn't have to sing is an overly loud, "Oh Thank God! ...for your sake, because you don't like to do that."
- Hypocritical Humor: Twice for Angel:
- Upon being labeled "angry" and "insane" by Cordy, Angel states that he is neither insane nor angry. A surprised security guard appears outside the elevator and goes for his stake-baton. Angel swipes the baton and jams it down into the guard's shoe. Crunch.
- Cordy is jealous of the attention Wesley gets in the press about bodyguarding Virginia, with Angel telling her to "get some perspective." Then he himself gets irritated when he sees the newspaper article referring to Angel Investigations as the "Wyndam-Pryce Agency."
Angel: Maybe I am a little angry. - I Just Want to Be Normal: Virginia confides in Wesley that she sometimes thinks about running away, getting a simple job and living in an apartment.It's a waste of a life. I keep waiting for my life to start, and it never does. There's just... more locks and surveillance cameras and... [turning a corner] guards?
- I'm a Humanitarian: Yeska has an appetite for virgins.
- Imperfect Ritual: A man tries to sacrifice his virgin daughter to a demon on his 50th birthday in exchange for great power, but it turns out his daughter isn't a virgin so the demon just leaves.
- Improvised Weapon: "Magev's" fishing flies.
- In the Hood: A pair of mooks loitering around Virginia's bedroom.
- Later at the party, Bryce's various guests are hidden beneath cloaks. When Virginia gloats, "I even dated Rick.", one of the hoods ahems and quietly shuffles out of the room.
- I Resemble That Remark!: "Magev" advises Angel on how to get over his Darla issues.Magev: "Right. So here's what you do. You go out and find yourself some small, blonde thing. You bed her, you love her, you treat her like crap, you break her heart. You and your inner demon will thank me, I promise."Angel: "Uhm..."
- Ironic Echo: Not-Magev manages to mumble, "What're you doing?!" after getting skewered with his fishing hook. Angel, his game face on, parrots, "Getting in touch with my inner demon." Well, that sounds therapeutic.
- Irony: The swami suggests Angel; vulnerable to sunlight and driving around in a soft top hot rod, gets a Vanity Plate saying this, asking, "Why do you hate yourself?"
- It's All About Me: As Virginia pleads with her father to spare her, Bryce complains, "Be a good girl. This is hard enough already." His henchman, Benny, asides, "He's really torn about it."
- Karma Houdini: His plans fail miserably but Bryce is still alive, unjailed and unrepentant at the end of the episode. Also Lanier, who never has to pay for killing the real swami, and actually comes out ahead due to Bryce's ritual failing.
- Leitmotif: Angel's leitmotif from Season One is briefly re-used here, as Wesley strides into Angel's office while wearing his coat.
- Mad Scientist's Beautiful Daughter: Virginia, as Magnus Bryce is most definitely mad. However, he's a wizard instead of a scientist.
- The Mafia: Instead of rival crime families, we have rival wizard companies.
- Mafia Princess: Virginia
- Meaningful Name: Virginia. Though she really isn't.
- Missing Reflection: Wes screams and jumps aside when he realizes he can be seen in Virginia's mirror. He insists that it be covered, much to the bemusement of everyone as they already know he's a vampire.Wesley: "I'm terribly sorry. It's just strategy. If the attack - were to happen here... If I were to fight here I - wouldn't want my opponents to know too soon - what I really am."
- Mistaken For Eunuch: Angel spends the entire scene after the fight repeating "I'm not a eunuch".
- The Mole: Ramone is one for Paul Lanier. He's the one that reveals that the Host would send Angel to the T'ish Magev.
- Most Definitely Not a Villain: Inverted, as Wesley acts as if he is most definitely a vampire.
- Must Be Invited: As Wes strolls into Bryce's home, Benny gives him permission to enter — fortunately Benny is walking in front of him so he doesn't see Wes quickly jumping back through the threshold to make a more delayed entrance.
- By "No", I Mean "Yes": Magev observes that Angel is very ambivalent. Angel protests, "Well, I am and I'm not."
- Overshadowed by Awesome: Wesley believes he is.
- Parental Abandonment: Virginia explains to Wesley that when she was little, her father used to tell her all about rituals, magic and incantations. But once she reached a certain age, he shut down all emotion toward her.
- Parental Betrayal: Because when you're planning to feed your daughter to a demon succubus at age 50, you don't want to get too attached.
- Punctuation Shaker: T'ish Magev.
- Rabbit Season Duck Season: Angel and Cordelia dueling over the elevator buttons.
- Rescue Romance: Wesley saves Virginia from two kidnappers who are lurking right outside her bedroom. Sex naturally ensues.Wesley: "Things happen. Two young people, danger..."
- The Rival: Paul Lanier to Magnus Bryce.
- Scare Chord: As the elevator closes on Angel and Gunn, a briefcase suddenly swings between the doors. It's Wesley.
- Sensei for Scoundrels: Angel starts to suspect this swami is less than legitimate when he suggests finding a woman with a passing resemblance to Darla, having sex with her, then dumping her. How cathartic. "You and your inner demon will thank me."
- Slippery Skid: At the episode's start, Wesley tugs on a drawer. It won't open. He tugs harder, and it flies out, spilling its contents all over the floor and causing Wes to repeatedly pratfall. Somehow, the customer at the front desk is unimpressed by the crack staff at Angel Investigations.
- Later, when Wesley makes his badass entrance as Angel, he trips over the coat.
- Snowball Lie: Wesley's attempt to impersonate Angel snowballs into something much bigger.
- Soft Glass: Averted; Cordelia knocks down a mook by hitting the back of his legs with a champagne bottle, like you would with a baton.
- So Was X: When Wesley insists Virginia's father loves her, given the trouble and expense he's gone to in protecting her, Virginia snits, "He has his car insured, too."
- Spiky Hair: Another hair gel joke; plus Wes trying to spike up his hair during his You Won't Like Me When I'm Angry speech.Angel: "Well, maybe my persona is a little - affected."
Magev: "A little affected? Come on. How many warriors slated for the coming apocalypse do you think are gonna be using that hair gel?" - Suicide Mission: Gunn protests Cordelia's implication that he's being led around by a madman. He calmly assures her that Angel has a plan. Angel outlines his plan thusly: "I get to the offices before they stop me."Gunn: See? [Double Take] — what?? That's the plan? Walkin' real quick was the plan?!"
- Targeted Human Sacrifice: Yeska has the pretty exacting sacrifice requirements that people have to sacrifice their daughter, she has to be a virgin, and it has to be done on the father's fiftieth birthday.
- Tap on the Head: Gunn getting clunked on the head by "Magev".Angel: Which lesson was that, exactly?
- Tempting Fate: When outed on impersonating Magev, the fake swami grins and admits to everything. "But you know what? Somehow, I'm not worried about you right now, seeing as how you can't get any closer." He laughs again and savors the warm rays of sunlight. "Wish you were here!" ...Oops.
- That Came Out Wrong: Wesley has been hired as a bodyguard for and subsequently slept with Virginia. A confused Angel, thinking he's talking about the state, asks, "You were in Virginia?" Cue visible embarrassment from Wesley.Wesley: (mumbling)...that's not the point.
- Took a Level in Badass: Wesley, playing the role of Angel, is pushed to act without the crippling anxiety his traumatic childhood pushed on him, and really steps up. We've seen shades of it before, as in The Ring, where concern for Angel overrode his anxiety.
- Twisted Echo Cut: Wesley explains that he didn't go Game Face because he is "not like a regular vampire". "Not a vampire at all, really", says Angel, talking about Darla.
- Unwanted Rescue: Cordelia, having traced Wesley to the Bryce home, barges her way inside to take Wesley away. To her astonishment, Wesley begs off — he's quite happy here and doesn't want to leave Virginia unprotected.
- Villainous Demotivator: Benny wonders aloud why they're letting Cordy and Wes go, suggesting that he should just kill them. Bryce grabs Benny and throws him up against the wall, saying he's lucky he doesn't kill him for hiring a Shemp instead of Angel.
- Virgin Power: Bryce accuses Wesley of taking his daughter's virginity, since he's aimed to keep her away from all men in order to keep her 'pure'. Virginia triumphantly informs him that she actually hasn't been suitable for the sacrifice for years; she's been having sex since she was sixteen, with men beneath her dad's notice - such as the chauffeur, or one of his wizard goons.
- Virgin Sacrifice: Hilariously averted. Not just because Wesley slept with Virginia, but because she had already lost her virginity long before.
- Willfully Weak: In a stick-fighting match with the swami, Angel repeatedly gets beaten back while his opponent asks him why he's holding back. "Because if I let it, it'll kill you."
- You Won't Like Me When I'm Angry: Wes as Angel tells the kidnappers that he doesn't kill humans (Death Glare) except when I'm angry.
- Subverted after Virginia finds out her father's intentions.
Bryce: "Don't make me angry."Virginia: "No, because then you might do something bad." - You Remind Me of X: "Angel" impresses his new ward with his knowledge of talismans ("Attractive, but it isn't real gold - one good spell would melt it"), causing her to remark, "You sound like my dad."
- You Wouldn't Like Me When I'm Angry!: Virginia finds her warlock father intends to offer her as a Virgin Sacrifice. When he uses this trope, she snaps back in Sarcasm Mode, "No, because then you might do something bad!"
