Belonging (Angel)

"Belonging" is episode 19 of season two in the television show Angel.

Plot synopsis

The Angel Investigations team celebrates at an expensive restaurant for Cordelia's role in a national commercial. Cordelia expresses her worries about leaving them temporarily while Wesley and Gunn are sure they can handle things while she's working on her career. Angel continues to feel left out of the group and worries about the prices of their meals. Angel attacks a woman wearing a shawl that he mistakes as a witch's garb, making an unnecessary scene. Moments later, Cordelia discovers that the food is not all that great as she throws it up on the floor of the restaurant.

The next day, Wesley speaks with his parents on the phone. After wishing his father a happy birthday, his spirits are lowered, as his father puts down everything Wesley tells him. Angel makes an appearance at the set where Cordelia's commercial is being shot, enjoying the fake sunlight effect of the beach scene. When Cordelia comes up to him and asks him why he is there, Angel starts to question her about the Haklar demon she saw in her vision, but they are interrupted by the arrival of Seth, the commercial director. As Angel watches, Seth, who appears to be deeply frustrated, becomes irritated at Cordelia when he has to ask her twice to see her bikini costume, and after studying her, notices that there are circles under her eyes from where she had suffered from food poisoning the previous night and asks his assistant when she is scheduled to go to the makeup department, only for Cordelia to tell him she has already been. Irate at their incompetence, Seth tells his assistant to take her back and then, in anger, makes some flippant, rude comments about her appearance, diet, and desirability. Angel is furious and, after confronting Seth, threatening him with his body language and coming very close to attacking him, asks Cordelia if she wants him to rip Seth's head off for offending her, but she just wants him to leave and stop damaging her career.

Gunn's friends, George and Rondell, arrive at the hotel, requesting Gunn's assistance with a vampire problem. Gunn is more than willing to help, but Angel returns with news on the Haklar demon they're tracking and Gunn's friends are put on hold. Angel expresses his worry for Cordelia to Wesley and Gunn, telling them about the way she had endured the bad-tempered Seth's derogatory treatment of her, and wondering why she would want to work in an environment with someone who would treat her so badly. At Caritas, an ugly gray demon enters through a portal that opened up in the club. Angel and Wesley return to the hotel after killing the Haklar demon to find Cordelia in the aftermath of her embarrassing job experience. Out of frustration during an argument with her after she messed up at one point during the shooting of the commercial, an exasperated Seth had made it clear that she was really just there for visual purposes, not her acting abilities.

The Host visits the hotel, requesting the aid of Angel Investigations to kill the Drokken demon that arrived unexpectedly at Caritas. He stresses the importance of killing the demon, as it is a man-eating demon and probably very hungry. Cordelia gets a vision about a woman in a library and a portal opening up behind her. Gunn returns to the hideout of his gang only to find that George has been bitten and they don't know if he'll be coming back undead or not.

At the library, a description of the woman and pendant Cordelia saw in her vision is given to a woman there. The woman recognizes it, but says that its owner, a woman named Fred (short for Winifred), has been missing for five years. While investigating the area where Fred disappeared, Cordelia finds a book in an odd language and reads some of it aloud. The Host is worried as she sounds out the text and he tries to say something a few times, but doesn't. Another portal appears in the library and a large green demon, similar to the Host appears.

The Host recognizes the demon as Landok, but he isn't excited about it in the least. Landok identifies the Host as Krevlornswath of the Deathwok Clan and the Host admits that the two demons are cousins. Landok questions the Host's disappearance from their home dimension, but the Host has no interest in returning. The Drokken demon becomes the focus again as Landok offers his help and expertise on tracking it and killing it. On the streets, Gunn confronts Rondell about waiting for him, but Rondell makes it clear that they've been waiting for him for far too long.

While searching for the Drokken, the Host tells Angel about his homeland, painting a very interesting picture. With the help of Landok, the gang is able to locate the Drokken and Angel and Landok go after it. The demon has a woman he's holding for food, and the gang must save. Landok is fatally bitten, the bite being venomous to his kind. A big fight ensues with the demon as it runs off after the woman. Wesley and Angel battle as best they can against the demon and Angel finally kills it by throwing a sword through its throat.

Outside, Cordelia reveals that they can get Landok back home for a cure by reading from the book. She's not sure how she's positive about it, but she is. Gunn and Rondell burn George's body on top of a stack of wood, sad for the loss of their friend. At Caritas, Landok reads from the book and after a portal opens and closes, Landok is gone. As the gang muse over the latest adventure, they find that Cordelia has vanished.

Cordelia wakes up in unfamiliar territory, realizing she's in a whole new world.

Writing

Arc significance

This is one of the first times Angel shows that he might have deeper feelings for Cordelia, given the way he reacts after witnessing commercial director Seth being rude to her in a moment of anger.
This episode leads to the season-ending adventure in Lorne's world, Pylea. Cordelia is the first to travel to Pylea. The others will follow in the next episode.
"Belonging" also marks the first appearance of Fred on the series, who would go on to join the regular cast until the she is replaced toward the end of the fifth season by Illyria, also played by Amy Acker.
This episode reveals the real name of The Host as "Krevlornswath of the Deathwok Clan" or Lorne as he is mostly referred to for the remainder of the series.
This is the final episode in which Cordelia tries to gain an acting career. After this, she purely focuses on "helping the helpless" and accepts her visions as her responsibility. In the Season 3 episode, "Birthday," she discovers what her life would have been like if she became a famous actress and never met up with Angel in L.A. In this reality, Cordelia still chooses to help people and turns away from acting.

Continuity

Wesley's telephone conversation displays his strained relationship with his father, which is revisited in season 5's "Lineage".

Cultural references

When The Host's name is revealed to be 'Lorne', he admits he doesn't like to use it because the name and the color of his skin make people think of Lorne Greene.
During the library scene, Lorne says "I'm tempted to just show up tomorrow morning with Harry Potter," referring to the popular book series of the same name.
After reading from the portal book, Cordy says "Yeah, Pat, I'd like to buy a vowel," referring to the TV show Wheel of Fortune.

External links

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