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Offspring

"Offspring" is the seventh episode of the third season of Angel and the fifty-first episode in the series. Written by David Greenwalt and directed by Turi Meyer, it was originally broadcast on November 5, 2001, on The WB network.

Synopsis

Angel comes face-to-face with the consequences of his night of passion when Darla arrives on his doorstep inexplicably pregnant. While Angel tortures himself over the decision whether or not to destroy the demon seed, the gang uncovers a prophecy that predicts the arrival of a great evil which will bring about the ruination of mankind.[1]

Summary

Rome, 1771 — With Angelus trapped in the sewers, Holtz tortures him with the help of several priests from the Inquisitore order. Holtz is surprised to encounter Angelus in a holy city, but Darla loves the Sistine Chapel and Botticelli's paintings. As Holtz stabs Angelus with a pitchfork, Darla and a group of vampires arrive and rescue him. She kills everyone but Holtz, content with having ruined his life. A shrouded vampire drives a carriage through the front doors, and Darla and Angel leap into the wagon's back. They kiss underneath a tarp before riding out into the sun, leaving Holtz wounded on the ground.

In present-day Los Angeles, Darla arrives in town on a bus, having drunk from all of the other passengers.

Angel trains with Cordelia on her hand-to-hand combat skills. They discuss the hinted prophecies that the apocalypse is coming. Angel is skeptical, as he's heard a lot of similar rumors throughout his life. Cordelia has decorated the dungeon with plastic flowers and talks to Angel about plans for his birthday. Fred walks in on them sparring and, after Cordy has left, tells Angel that he and Cordy are attracted to one another, to which Angel reacts with incredulity.

Gunn and Wesley break into a home to steal the lost Nyazian Scrolls, which are part of the apocalypse prophecy. The owner catches them, and they make a deal with him to see the scrolls.

Back at the Hyperion Hotel, the Angel Investigations team talks about the prophecy of Angel becoming human. Fred does calculations to figure out when the prophecy will come to pass, and they show it has already begun, starting with some unspecified bad thing.

At that moment, a heavily pregnant Darla walks in and tells Angel he's knocked her up. Cordelia is upset that Angel would sleep with Darla, especially because he swore he would never do anything like that. Angel and Wesley confirm what they're seeing is impossible, as vampires can't become pregnant. Cordelia acts protectively toward the pregnant Darla and shows animosity toward Angel. Fred wonders if this is the prophesied bad event. Angel wonders if she's really pregnant, and Darla offers to let him feel the baby kicking inside of her.

The team goes to visit the Host at Caritas, which he is in the midst of rebuilding. He is currently being visited by the Transuding Furies, and their delight at seeing Angel further irritates Cordelia. She takes Darla to lie down in the back and stops Angel from coming with them. The team discuss with the Host about what the pregnancy means, wondering if this child is an evil being from the prophecy and is destined to be bad. Fred says "screw destiny" and that they can defeat any obstacle.

Cordelia starts to bond with Darla over demonic pregnancies, until Darla attacks her and starts feeding off of her. A struggling Cordelia begins to have visions of children playing. Angel arrives and flings Darla across the room. Darla runs away, and Angel tells Cordelia that he'll kill Darla for what she's done to her. Cordy apologizes for her treatment of Angel and letting herself forget what Darla is since she appeared to be a helpless mother. She then remembers her vision: Darla has a never-ending hunger now that she's pregnant and craves young blood. Angel arms himself as Cordy realizes where Darla has gone.

Angel catches up with Darla in an arcade, about to feed off a toddler. Angel strangles Darla against the wall as she begs him to murder her and end her hunger. He grabs a stake and starts to drive it into her chest, but he pauses as he hears the unborn child's heartbeat. Darla lunges at him, shaking him and demanding that he stake her. Angel restrains Darla, pleading with her to accept that, because the baby has a heartbeat, it must have a soul. She sobs in disbelief.

Back at the Hyperion, Angel settles Darla into one of the rooms so she can rest. He promises her they will deal with her pregnancy together and that she is no longer alone. He offers her a mug of pig's blood, but she throws it against the wall and tells him to get out. Angel cautions the crew to be on their watch and make sure Darla does not feed on anyone. Suddenly, Fred warns the gang that the prophecy is about to be fulfilled at that very moment.

In an underground cavern, a demon named Sahjhan approaches a statue, throws powder over it, and recites an incantation. After several seconds, the statue crumbles, leaving behind a crouched form. Sahjhan approaches, telling the man he's now in the 21st century. Holtz demands to know where Angelus is.

Continuity

  • Gunn shows his talent with juggling, just like Buffy and Clem did in "Hell's Bells."
  • It is the first time Angel sees Darla since the episode "Epiphany."
  • Upon meeting Darla for the first time, Fred is told by Gunn she is an old flame of Angel. She asks if she is "the one who died." This refers to Buffy, whose death in "The Gift" prompted Angel to seek existential relief on a monastery (as shown in "Heartthrob") and whose resurrection in "Bargaining, Part One" had Angel rushing out of town to meet her (in the end of "Carpe Noctem").
  • Cordelia saying to Darla, "I was pregnant once," refers to the events in the episode "Expecting."
  • Gunn suggests that Darla and Angel's child could become an "uber-vamp." This is a term that the Scoobies will later use to describe the Turok-Han ("Bring on the Night").
  • In this episode, the Nyazian prophecies foretell that Connor's creation will lead mankind "into darkness." The sun will be blotted out in "Long Day's Journey."
  • After being mentioned in "The Trial" and featured in a flashback sequence of "Heartthrob," Holtz is brought into the 21st century.
  • Caritas is being rebuilt after being destroyed by Gunn's former crew in "That Old Gang of Mine." It is going to be destroyed again in "Lullaby," to be rebuilt again only years later in "Underneath."

Appearances

Individuals

Organizations and titles

Species

Events

Locations

Objects

Rituals and spells

Death count

  • Two Inquisitores, burned by Darla (in flashbacks).
  • Two vampires, dusted by two Inquisitors (in flashbacks).
  • Monseigneur Rivalli, pushed by Darla (in flashbacks).
  • Remaining Inquisitores, killed by vampires (in flashbacks).
  • Three bus passengers, blood drained by Darla.

Behind the scenes

Broadcast

  • "Offspring" had an audience of 3.0 million households upon its original airing.[2]

Goofs

  • Wesley tells the homeowner that, while he's talking to the police, he can tell them why he has "so much GHB... you know, Rohypnol, the 'date rape drug'" on his property. GHB (gamma-Hydroxybutric acid) and Rohypnol (Flunitrazepam) are two completely different drugs, though both have been saddled with the date rape moniker.

Music

International titles

  • Czech: "Potomek" (Offspring)
  • Finnish: "Yhteinen lapsemme" (Our Communal Child)
  • French: "La Prophétie" (The Prophecy)
  • German: "Die Prophezeiung" (The Prophecy)
  • Hungarian: "Az ivadék" (The Offspring)
  • Italian: "Progenie" (Offspring)
  • Portuguese (Brazil): "Filhos" (Offspring)
  • Russian: "Oтпрыск" (Offspring)
  • Spanish (Latin America): "Reproducción" (Reproduction)
  • Spanish (Spain): "El vástago" (The Offspring)
  • Turkish: "Yavrular" (Offspring)

Quotes

Angelus: "Darla, shouldn't we be killing Holtz?"
Darla: "I know. But it's just so much fun ruining his life. He's like family now."
Angel: "Darla?"
Cordelia: "Darla?"
Wesley: "Darla?"
Fred: "Who's Darla?"
Gunn: "Angel's old flame, from way back."
Fred: "Not the one who died?"
Gunn: "Yeah. No, not that one, the other one that died and came back to life. She's a vampire."
Fred: "Do y'all have a chart or somethin'?"
Gunn: "In the files. I'll get it for you later."
Angel: "Cordy. I'm sorry I lied. It was just...it was a very dark time."
Cordelia: "Oh! You used her to make you feel better during your dark time. Well, that makes it all heroic."
Angel: "It wasn't like that. It just happened. It wasn't like I went evil or anything, I just..."
Cordelia: "You just went male."
Lorne: "Born out of darkness to bring darkness."
Angel: "Great. So, we're saying that my child is the scourge of mankind?"
Angel: "Where is she?"
Wes: "She got away."
Gunn: "We tried to stop her by hitting her fists and feet with our faces."

References

  1. ↑ "angel: Offspring." TheWB.com. Archived from the original on February 14, 2004.
  2. ↑ "Nielsen Ratings for Angel's Third Season." Nielsen Ratings for Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, & Firefly. Archived from the original on July 5, 2008.