Angel/In the Dark

In the Dark
Season 1, Episode 3
Airdate	October 19, 1999
Production Number	1ADH03
Written by	Douglas Petrie
Directed by	Bruce Seth Green
← 1x02 Lonely Hearts	1x04 → I Fall to Pieces
Angel — Season One

In the Dark is the third episode of the first season of Angel. Angel is given the Gem of Amarra, a ring that makes the wearer invulnerable (as long as he's a vampire). But, the ring only manages to bring more trouble his way.

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

Guest Starring: Seth Green (Oz), James Marsters (Spike), Kevin West (Marcus), Malia Mathis (Rachel)

Co-Starring: Michael Yavnieli (Lenny), Ric Sarabia (Vendor) (credit only), Tom Rosales (Manny The Pig), Gil Combs (Bouncer), Buck McDancer (The Dealer), Jenni Blong (Young Woman)

Plot Summary

Oz stops off to give Angel the Gem of Amarra, a ring that grants invulnerability to any vampire wearer Buffy retrieved from Spike. However, Spike has also arrived in L.A. to get the ring back from Angel.

Notes

Monster of the Week

• Marcus: While not a monster in the traditional regard, he is a notoriously cruel and torturous vampire who is credited with developing several techniques of torture. Although, he never admits which ones. He has a penchant for Mozart's 47th symphony and killing children. By the end of the episode, he steals the Gem of Amarra but is killed by Angel before he can do any damage.

Body Count

#	Whom	By Whom	How	Where
1	Marcus	Angel	Staked	Under the Pier

Music

Songs are listed in order of appearance in the episode.

• Unknown Artist - Smoker's Revenge

• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Symphony No. 41

Arc Advancement

Happenings

• Angel Investigations: Angel has his first walk-in customer and the agency's first (potentially) paying gig.

Characters

• Angel: Angel is given the Gem of Amarra, but rejects it because it isn't truly redeeming. He admits that the only way he can achieve forgiveness and redemption is by continuing his fight in the dark. He says that if he adapts to life in the day, then he wouldn't be able to see the things that people can't help themselves against in the night.

Referbacks

• BtVS - 2x03 - School Hard: Cordelia makes a reference to the main arc of the second season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer in which Spike and Drusilla raised a demon called The Judge.

Cordelia: This one time he and Dru raised this demon that burned people from the inside. It was this whole weird thing with an arm in a box.

Trivia

The Show

• First Appearance: This episode marks Spike's first appearance on the Angel spinoff. He made several appearances previously on the Buffy series and will go on to become a billed cast member.

• First & Final Appearance: Oz, a billed character on Buffy the Vampire Slayer played by Seth Green, makes his first and only appearance crossing over to Angel.

Behind the Scenes

• Buffy Crossover: This episode is the second part of a story begun in "The Harsh Light of Day", an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The episodes were originally aired back to back.

Allusions and References

• Angela's Ashes: Angela's Ashes is a novel written in 1996 by Frank McCourt about an Irish family immigrating to America from Ireland. The story is told through the eyes of a child and recounts experiences of American bigotry and Irish poverty. The book was adapted into a film in 1999 starring Emily Watson

Cordelia: I think the trick is laying off the ale before you start quoting Angela's Ashes and weeping like a baby man.

• Johnny Depp: In 1994, Johnny Depp destroyed $9,767 worth of furniture in a New York hotel. It was a major media snafu because he was brought to jail in front of TV new cameras. However, no charges were brought after he paid for the things that he destroyed.

Cordelia: When you're are done giving the place the Johnny Depp once-over, I hope you have the cash to pay for all of this.

• Human Torch: The Human Torch is one of the members of the Fantastic Four, a Marvel comics superhero team created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Johnny Storm developed the power to turn into living fire after being caught in a cosmic storm with his friends and family. He's most well known for shouting "Flame On" before bursting into flames and flying away.

Cordelia: It's daylight and you're ringless. Unless you're changing the act to human torch, I don't think so.

Memorable Moments

• Angel being captured and tortured into saying all he wants is forgiveness by Marcus.

• Oz bursting through a wall in his van in order to help Cordelia and Doyle rescue Angel.

Quotes

• Spike: (as Rachel) How can I thank you, you mysterious black-clad hunk of a night thing? (as Angel) No need, little lady. Your tears of gratitude are enough for me. You see, I was once a badass vampire, but love - and a pesky curse - defanged me. And now I'm just a big, fluffy puppy with bad teeth. No, not the hair! Never the hair! (as Rachel) But there must be some way I can show my appreciation. (as Angel) No, helping those in need's my job. And working up a load of sexual tension, and prancing away like a magnificent poof is truly thanks enough. (as Rachel) I understand. I have a nephew who's gay, so... (as Angel) Say no more. Evil's still afoot. And I'm almost out of that Nancy-boy hair-gel I like so much. Quickly, to the Angel-mobile! Away!

• Angel: Oz.

Oz: Angel.

Angel: Nice surprise.

Oz: Thanks.

Angel: Staying long?

Oz: Few days.

(long pause)

Doyle: (to Cordelia) They always like this?

Oz: No, we're usually laconic.

• (after Angel gets the ring of Armara)

Doyle: Why don't you put it on and, here, I'll stake you. It'll be fun!

Angel: Maybe later.

Doyle: What, are you out of your mind?

Angel: I said, maybe later.

Doyle: Yeah...

Angel: Doyle!

• Angel: Is this your big strategy for getting the ring back?

Spike: I had a plan.

Angel: You, a plan?

Spike: A good plan. Smart, carefully laid out. But I got bored. All that watching, waiting. My legs started to cramp.

• Cordelia: Frankie Tripod? Oh, I get it. Some kind of three-legged monster, right?

Doyle: No, he’s human.

Cordelia: Then what's his name supposed to... Oh.

• Doyle: Manny the Pig said he didn't know anything about a vampire called Spike.

Angel: So?

Doyle: Yeah, well, he said that before I mentioned anything about Spike. So, you'll find him at a joint down on third called the Orbit Room.

Angel: Okay, I'll start with Manny the Pig, then.

• Spike: It's called addiction, Angel. We all have them. I believe yours is named Slutty the Vampire Slayer. (music stops) Thank you. Speaking of little Buff, I ran into her recently. Your name didn't come up. Although, she has been awful busy... jumping the bones of the very first lunkhead who came along. Good-looking fellow. Used her shamelessly. She is cute when she's hurting, isn't she?

Angel: I think she's cuter when she's kicking your ass.

• Cordelia: (on searching for the Ring of Armara) This is not a needle in a haystack. This is a needle in Kansas.

• Doyle: So what, you don't get the ring because your period of self-flagellation isn't over yet? Think of all the daytime people you could help between 9 and 5.

Angel: They have help. The whole world is designed for them, so much that they have no idea what goes on around them after dark. They don't see the weak ones lost in the night, or the things that prey on them. And if I join them, maybe I'd stop seeing, too.

• Angel: I don't know about you, but I had a nice day. You know, except for the bulk of it while I was nearly tortured to death.