Sleep Tight (Angel)

Summary

Angel’s sudden outbursts of anger, reckless behavior and sudden craving for human blood, frighten Wesley enough to conspire with Daniel Holtz to kidnap Connor. However, the plan backfires when Holtz and Justine betray Wesley and kidnap the child in order to lure Angel into a final confrontation.

Meanwhile, Angel discovers that Lilah and her associates at Wolfram & Hart have been spiking his supply of pigs' blood with traces of Connor’s blood which they stole from the hospital. As Angel confronts Lilah in a bar, the demon Sahjhan, who summoned Holtz, appears before Angel for the first time.

Expanded overview

Wesley has been studying the prophecies regarding Angel and Connor, and his findings are making him increasingly nervous. Angel enters Wesley's office, strangely cheerful and trying to comfort Connor, who is fussing. Angel pours himself a glass of pig's blood, and the two of them watch Lorne listen to a female client sing. Fred talks on her cell phone with Gunn who walks into the hotel during the conversation. Angel talks of baby proofing the hotel while Wesley holds Connor, and decides to take Connor out for a day to play. Lorne asks the gang to watch the woman sing; as she does, her face suddenly twists and becomes a horrific demon face. The woman blurts out horrible words about eating eyeballs before her face reverts to human form.

The singing woman, Kim, talks about a band she'd been playing with and their weird behaviors and appearances. Angel continues to drink blood and draw attention with his unusual behavior. Fred and Wesley discover Kim has just been infected with the demon and it can be cured with a mystical medication. Kim tells the others about the demons--Wraith-ers that can appear human temporarily--and where they can be found and killed. Angel is enthusiastic about the fight and Wesley sends a group out while he pursues business of his own.

Justine directs Holtz's minions in the process of learning how to kill vampires. She expresses worry to Holtz about killing the humans associated with Angel, but eventually realizes that because they chose Angel's side, they deserve to die. Wesley again appears at Holtz's lair to talk about Connor. The demonic band plays until Angel, Gunn and Fred crash into the party. Gunn becomes angry and inspired for battle when one of the demons makes inappropriate remarks about Fred. Angel vamps and furiously attacks the Wraith-ers, ripping one's arm off.

Wesley talks with Holtz about ending the fight before it really begins and Justine accuses Wesley of trying to betray them. After sympathizing with her loss of family, Wesley grabs Justine to emphasize the point that he doesn't stab people in the back. Holtz gives Wesley one day to deal with the problem of Angel killing Connor before Holtz gets involved. Angel and the others return to the hotel and Angel starts chugging blood and shouting about how annoying Connor is. As he throws a glass of blood against the wall, the rest of the gang go into defense mode and Angel realizes something is very wrong with him.

Lorne notices Angel's obsession with the blood and offers the possibility that the blood has been spiked. Wesley walks the streets until he finds that Justine has been following him. Wesley lectures her about the difference between Holtz and Angel. As Wesley leaves, Holtz shows up behind Justine, surprising her. Fred studies the pig's blood under a microscope, but Angel already knows that the blood has been spiked with Connor's own blood, giving Angel a desire for more. Angel finds Lilah at the bar and shares a short version of her life story and they discuss their working methods and etiquette. Sahjhan appears and although Angel doesn't recognize him from his past, Angel figures out that Sahjhan brought Holtz back. Sahjhan is upset that Angel doesn't remember him and promises retribution before disappearing.

Wesley packs Connor's bag as he prepares to take Connor. Lorne watches, concerned that Angel never mentioned anything about Wesley taking Connor for the night, but he brushes it off. As Wesley begins to hum a lullaby to Connor, Lorne reads Wesley's intentions and realizes the man is going to take the child. Wesley reacts immediately and after putting Connor down, he chases Lorne into the office and knocks him unconscious. Angel returns to find Wesley and agrees to let Wesley take Connor for the night so they can go to the park in the morning. Angel wonders where Lorne is, but Wesley explains that he went out for a little while.

Angel says his goodbyes to Connor, drills Wesley on the necessary facts and asks Wesley to investigate Sahjhan. Offering to research at his own place, Wesley takes Connor and leaves the Hyperion on foot. Gunn and Fred offer to keep Angel company through the night without Connor and as the three hear moaning from Wesley's office, Holtz and a several men show up at the hotel. Holtz wants to know where Connor is, but since he's not there, Holtz directs his men to attack as long as Angel stays alive. As the battle ensues, Lorne wakes up and uses a high pitch note to debilitate some of the attackers. As Holtz and some of his men retreat, Lorne reveals that Wesley has been seeing Holtz and has kidnapped Connor.

Wesley packs up his car and begins to leave with Connor, but a badly beaten Justine stumbles upon him and explains that Holtz turned his back on her. When Justine gets close enough, she slits Wesley's throat with a knife and takes Connor, driving away in Wesley's car. Angry because of his lost son and Wesley's betrayal, Angel lets loose on his co-workers, attacking Gunn. Fred breaks up the confrontation and suggests they focus on the real problem: Connor. The vampire threatens some of Holtz's wounded minions until one of them reveals the location of Holtz's lair.

Lilah talks with some military types and then departs with them to a bridge location where Holtz is suspected of being. Angel takes out a couple of them and steals a truck to follow the rest of the group in. Holtz gets into the car with Justine and identifies himself and Justine to Connor as the baby's new parents. Lilah's group, Angel and Holtz all arrive at the bridge at the same time and Sahjhan appears soon after. Lilah explains that she wants the baby alive despite her deal with Sahjhan.

Angel tells Holtz to take Connor because it means Connor will live. Sahjhan opens a portal to Quor-Toth--a very dark dimension--and explains that either the child dies or everyone is sucked into the portal. In the interest of survival, Holtz runs with Connor into the portal, which surprises and pleases Sahjhan. Angel tries to follow, but he's thrown back and then the portal is closed. The others leave and a horribly devastated Angel lays on the ground, crying for his lost son.

Translations

• German title: "Das Tor zur Hölle" ("The gate to hell")
• Italian title: "Sogni d'oro" ("Sweet dreams", literally "Dreams of gold")

Arc Significance

Daniel Holtz is first mentioned in Season Two, as a foe that Angel and Darla are fleeing in Europe; with this episode, we see the conclusion of part one of Holtz's plan to finally kill Angel. Holtz's abduction of Connor into Quor-Toth sets the stage for the conflicts between Angel and his son, the ultimate father-son fight.

Timing

• Stories that take place around the same time in the Buffyverse:

External links

• Sleep Tight at IMDb