Angel/Hero

Hero
Season 1, Episode 9
Airdate	November 30, 1999
Production Number	1ADH09
Written by	Howard Gordon & Tim Minear
Directed by	Tucker Gates
← 1x08 I Will Remember You	1x10 → Parting Gifts
Angel — Season One

Hero is the ninth episode of the first season of Angel.

David Boreanaz (Angel), Charisma Carpenter (Cordelia Chase), Glenn Quinn (Allen Francis Doyle)

Guest Starring: Tony Denman (Rieff), Anthony Cistaro (Scourge Commander), Michelle Horn (Rayna), Lee Arenberg (Tiernan), Sean Gunn (Lucas)

Co-Starring: James Henriksen (Elder Lister Demon), David Bickford (Cargo Inspector), Christopher Comes (Storm Trooper #2), Paul O'Brien (Captain), Ashley Taylor (First Mate)

Plot Overview

When an army of demon supremacists are on the hunt for a group of demons, Doyle finds his past coming to revisit. To make amends for his sins, Doyle helps protect the helpless demons.

Notes

Monster of the Week

• Lister Demons: The Lister is a clan of half-breed demons. Their supernatural abilities (if they have any at all) are not touched on, probably because any sort of power would take away from the parallel to the Jews during the Holocaust.

• The Scourge: The Scourge is a group of full-blooded demon fanatics who despise half-breed demons like Doyle. So, they hunt down these "unpure" demons and kill them to preserve demonic genetics. The Scourge is not unlike other groups that base their ideals on ethnic cleansing, particularly the Nazis.

Body Count

#	Whom	By Whom	How	Where
1/2/3/4/5	Brechian Demons	The Scourage	Stabbed	Alley
6	First Mate	Commander	Disintegrated	The Scourge HQ
7	Scourge Commander	Angel	Snapped Neck	The Ship
8	Doyle	—	Disintegrated	The Ship

Music

There is no licensed music in this episode.

Arc Advancement

Characters

• Doyle: Doyle's secret about being a half-breed demon is outed to Cordelia. He shows her his face just before leaping into the beacon, an act which kills him.

• Cordelia: When Doyle kisses Cordelia, a blue light passes between them. What this actually means is not explained until the next episode.

Referbacks

• 1x08 - I Will Remember You: Buffy came through Los Angeles in the last episode looking for Angel. He explains the events of the previous episode to Doyle, but because of the time reversal, Doyle doesn't remember. Doyle also tells Cordelia about the day, making it so only three know what really happened.

Trivia

The Show

• Last Appearance: Due to his death, this is the last regular appearance of Doyle in the series.

• Cannibalized: The opening scene with Cordelia pitching her commercial idea to Angel is directly from the original David Fury script to "Corrupted", the scrapped second episode.

Behind the Scenes

• Ratings: On its first airing, this episode scored a 5.4/8 in the overnight Nielsen ratings. It was ranked 3rd out of the 15 WB shows which aired that week.

Allusions and References

• The Man with Two Brains: The Man with Two Brains is a comedy movie starring Steve Martin as a neurosurgeon who has perfected brain transplant operations through a screw-open skull. The second brain is the disembodied brain of a woman, whom Martin's character falls in love with.

Cordelia: Oh, Uh, I know this one! Ah, mask—mask head, ah, the man with two brains!

• The Love Boat: The Love Boat was a comedic drama that aired on ABC during the late 1970s and mid 1980s. Created by Aaron Spelling, the series took place on a cruise ship featuring a great deal of actual celebrities in guest roles.

Cordelia: Well, it's not exactly the Love Boat, is it?

Memorable Moments

• Doyle comes to terms withs the Powers That Be and his demon identity in time to kiss Cordelia and save the Listers from the Scourge's beacon device. He leaps into the light of the jewel and pulls the plug, but is killed in the process.

Goofs

• The Scourge claim to be pure blood demons, but according to Anya in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode "Graduation Day", all demons that walk the earth are "tainted" because they are human hybrids. A pure demon is something along the lines of what Mayor Wilkins transforms into during his Ascension; meaning that, among other things, they are much larger than the likes of the Scourge.

• Despite being basked in its light and standing no more a distance away from it than the Lister demons are later in the episode, Angel is unaffected by the Scourge's beacon.

Quotes

• Angel: And you can count on me, 'cause I'm the Dark Avenger.

• Doyle: "If you need help, then look no further. Angel Investigations is the best! Our rats are low--"

Cordelia: Rates!

Doyle: It says "rats".

• Doyle: (to Cordelia about Angel Investigations) I don't know. I think people will be pouring in as soon as they hear about our low rats.

• Cordelia: (about Angel) I feel kind of hopeless with him down there doing the nonprofit brooding. It's not like he has a heart. How can it be so broken?

• (about Angel)

Cordelia: Maybe if we get him a costume!

Doyle: A costume?

Cordelia: Well, the guy's a bonafide hero. Would it kill him to put on some tights and a cape and garner us a little free publicity?

Doyle: I don't see Angel pulling on tights. Oh, now I do and it's really disturbing.

• Doyle: (to Angel) All right, one of us has been drinking and I'm sad to say it isn't me.

• Doyle: It just seems unfair, you know. You gotta save all the helpless types around here and now you gotta fight the apocalypse as well?

Angel: It's all the same thing. Fight the good fight, whichever way you can.

Doyle: Tell you what - you fight and I'll keep score.

• Cordelia: I've rejected you way before now. So you're half demon. Big whoop! I can't believe you'd think I care about that. I mean, I work for a vampire. Hello?

Doyle: It's true, I just--

Cordelia: What do you think I am, superficial?

• Tiernan: You lied to us, half-breed.

Angel: You catch on quick, football head.

• Tiernan: Soon only the pure will be left standing.

Angel: Actually, pure boy, you'll be on your ass! (breaks Tiernan's neck)

• Doyle: Too bad we'll never know... (morphs into his demons face) if this is a face you could learn to love.

• Doyle: "If you need help, then look no further. Angel Investigations is the best! Our rats are low--"

Cordelia: Rates!

Doyle: It says "rats". "Our rates are low, but our standards are high. When the chips are down and you're at the end of your rope, you need someone that you can count on. And that's what you'll find here. Someone who'll go all the way, who'll protect you no matter what. So don't lose hope. Come on over to our offices, and you'll see that there's still heroes in this world." (pause) Is that it, am I done?