War of the Worlds/The Angel of Death

The Angel of Death
Season 1, Episode 24
Airdate	May 15, 1989
Written by	Herbert Wright
Directed by	Herbert Wright
← 1x23 The Raising of Lazarus	2x01 → The Second Wave
War of the Worlds — Season One

The Angel of Death is the twenty-fourth episode of the first season of War of the Worlds.

Jared Martin (Harrison Blackwood), Lynda Mason Green (Suzanne McCullough), Philip Akin (Norton Drake)

and Richard Chaves (Colonel Ironhorse)

Special Guest Stars: Elaine Giftos (Q'Tara), John Evans (Jake)

Also Starring: Rachel Stephens (Housewife #1), Denise Baillargeon (Housewife #2), Maryanne McIssac (Housewife #3), Vito Rezza (Stavrakos), David McKnight (Max), Ilse Von Glatz (Advocate #1), Ric Sarabia (Advocate #2), Frank Pellegrino (Advocate #3)

Featuring: Dwight Bacquie (Fireman #1), Peter James Haworth (Fireman #2), Alan Fawcett (Fireman #3), Gerry Mendecino (T.J.), Richard Blackburn (Fred), Doug Hughes (Man with Glasses), Art Nefsky (Janitor), Adrian Pellett (Beggar)

Plot Overview

The Blackwood Project finds a new player arriving on Earth - a synth from the planet Qar'To who makes quick work of every alien she encounters in an effort to find and eliminate the Advocacy. Discovering her mission and with the assurance that she has humanity's safety as her goal, the team reaches out to her. However, the aliens are familiar with the Qar'To and fully aware of her true agenda.

Notes

Teaser Quote

"Paul is dead."

Base Three

• Q'Tara takes out two groups of aliens travelling in three. The body count implies most of her kills were also in some group of threes.

• Jake's group consisted of six. Returning alone, he is joined with two others to find the Qar'To synth.

The Number 23

• The alien in the teaser throws himself down the elevator shaft from the 23rd floor.

Locations

• Portland, Oregon

• Seattle, Washington

• Spokane, Washington

Timeline

• Q'Tara promises to return within one year.

Arc Advancement

Happenings

• A synth is sent to preserve humanity by the beings from the planet Qar'To, which shares the same star system as Mor-Tax.

• Q'Tara came to Earth via a fold in space. She leaves with promise to return with another of her kind within a year.

Characters

• Harrison is given hope that the aliens of Qar'To will help them defeat the People of the Three that they've been fighting.

• Ironhorse has his minded invaded by Qar'To to gain information to help her mission. He even seems to suffer a form of brainwashing as he quotes her verbatim.

Referbacks

• Ironhorse says that the race from Qar'To come from "beyond the stars." In "Dust to Dust", Joseph Lonetree claimed the aliens who visited the Westeskiwin also came from "beyond the stars."

Trivia

The Show

• As Q'Tara approaches, the image of Earth shown is taken from the same image used in the teaser intro and closing credits.

• Q'Tara refers to the aliens from Mor-Tax as "People of the Three". This is the only name ever given to the aliens. While fans have used variations based on their planet's name, "People of the Three" is the only official name and thus the only one to be considered canon.

Behind the Scenes

• Guest star Elaine Giftos was married to episode writer/director and creative consultant Herbert Wright until his death in 2005.

• Adrian Pellett is credited as "Beggar". He can be seen briefly when the police pull up to Jake and the other two. This small appearance suggests something more with the character was cut.

Allusions and References

• Harrison and Ironhorse quote the book The Art of War, which was written by Chinese general Sun Tzu.

Memorable Moments

• Jake and two other aliens are using a jury-rigged tennis racket to track the Qar'To synth when a cop car approaches. They pose with it to take a picture in order to avoid suspicion.

Goofs

• When Q'Tara first opens up her communication device, the picture clearly freezes with the exception of the special effect.

• The remains of the first housewife Q'Tara kills and stops to look at don't match with the one who was hit. In fact, it's clearly the third housewife's remains, given what we see when the Blackwood Project is examining it in the next act. The shot we see seems to be taken from something longer that was cut.

• The shot of the housewife after she is hit by Q'Tara is either reused or an extension of a later shot after she shoots herself.

• The headphones on Jake are suddenly off and later inexplicably reappear on his head.

• While encased in the protective blister, there is a reaction shot, first of Harrison and then Suzanne and Ironhorse. Based on the background and their positions, the shots are clearly lifted from later in the scene.

Quotes

• Ironhorse: My own theory is that it's an armed mutiny against the alien leaders.

Suzanne: But why?

Ironhorse: Maybe they promised their people an easy victory they did not deliver.

Norton: Bad policy.

• Harrison: I think we're dealing with the same phenomena here. Whatever's out there killing aliens did that, too.

Ironhorse: We're talking a different M.O. here, Harrison.

Harrison: No signs of a struggle.

Ironhorse: Now, wait a minute. Are you suggesting that he let himself be pushed into this shaft?

Harrison: No, I think he jumped.

Ironhorse: 23 floors? Now, why the hell would he do that?

Harrison: Because whatever he was afraid of is worse than 23 floors, without a parachute.

Ironhorse: What could be worse than that?

• Harrison: Know your enemy.

Ironhorse: "And know yourself, and victory will be yours."

Harrison: Well, I'm glad they're still teaching Sun Tzu at West Point, Colonel.

Ironhorse: Little did an old Chinese general ever imagine that one day his advice would apply to aliens from outer space.

• Transmission: (subtitled) Avoid drinking water in Mexico. That includes ice...

Jake: They've recorded our broadcast communications. Obviously they have no idea what they mean.

• Ironhorse: Where am I?

Q'Tara: Earth.

• Ironhorse: Where's the rest of your team?

Q'Tara: I am the only one.

Ironhorse: You're it, against thousands of hostile aliens?

Q'Tara: Only one is needed to accomplish this simple task.

• (subtitled)

Fireman #1: Is the Qar'To Synth inside?

Jake: Yes. She has returned with three male humans.

Fireman #2: Humans as allies? These ignorant humans.

Fireman #1: If only they knew their fate.

• Harrison: You know something? I never thought I'd be able to say this... but I think we're going to win this war.

• Harrison: (watching Q'Tara leave) I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.