Shells (Angel)

This article has multiple issues. Please help or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages) The topic of this article may not meet Wikipedia's notability guideline for television. Please help to demonstrate the notability of the topic by citing reliable secondary sources that are independent of the topic and provide significant coverage of it beyond a mere trivial mention. If notability cannot be shown, the article is likely to be merged, redirected, or deleted. Find sources:  –  ·  ·  · scholar · JSTOR (June 2011) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) This article possibly contains original research. Please by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations. Statements consisting only of original research should be removed. (June 2011) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources:  –  ·  ·  · scholar · JSTOR (June 2011) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) This article consists almost entirely of a plot summary. It should be expanded to provide more balanced coverage that includes real-world context. Please to focus on discussing the work rather than merely reiterating the plot. (June 2011) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

"Shells" is episode 16 of season 5 in the television show Angel.

Plot synopsis[]

This article's plot summary may be too long or excessively detailed. Please by removing unnecessary details and making it more concise. (December 2018) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

The episode picks up at the ending of "A Hole in the World" as Wesley realizes that Fred has become Illyria. Wesley attempts to speak to her to see if Fred is still there but Illyria states Fred is just the "shell" she is inhabiting. She then throws him across the room and says that if humans are in charge, she has a lot of work to do. Meanwhile, Angel and Spike fly back home, frustrated and disconsolate. However, Angel believes that since the body houses the soul, there may still be hope for Fred. Meanwhile, Gunn and Harmony have Knox tied up in Angel's office. When Wesley arrives, they tell him that Knox was involved with what happened to Fred. Wesley then announces that Fred is dead.

Angel and Spike return from England and Wesley suggests that Willow could help them, but in the meantime, they have to keep Illyria contained. However, at that moment, Illyria bursts into Angel's office, knocks Harmony out and takes Knox to the lab as he is her Qwa'ha Xahn, her guide in this world. Angel calls Giles to find Willow, but Giles does not trust Wolfram & Hart and hangs up on him. Harmony then arrives and informs the gang of Illyria's presence. They try to stop Illyria and Knox from leaving the building, but she slows down time to escape.

Afterwards, speaking with Spike, Angel vows he will not lose Fred like he did with Cordelia. In the science lab, Wesley smashes the sarcophagus and takes a crystal from it. Harmony finds Knox's cell phone and Wesley discovers that he has three missed calls from Dr. Sparrow, whom Gunn is questioning. Gunn begs Sparrow to take back the legal knowledge in exchange for Fred, but Sparrow explains Fred's soul was destroyed in resurrecting Illyria. Wesley arrives, having overheard their conversation and knocks out Sparrow and stabs Gunn with a scalpel, as punishment for his part in Fred's death.

As Gunn recovers in the hospital, Angel asks Wesley to put aside his feelings to focus on dealing with Illyria. The team discovers that Illyria is trying to open a portal to her temple which is entombed with an army that has been waiting for her return. Knox finishes performing a spell to open the gateway for Illyria, just as Angel, Spike, and Wesley arrive. Knox tells them that they cannot win this battle, but Angel offers to have mercy on him if he surrenders. However, Wesley shoots Knox. The gang fight Illyria, who beats them easily until Angel pulls out the crystal Wesley grabbed from the sarcophagus, which makes him unaffected by Illyria's time-altering powers. The portal opens and Illyria runs to her temple, followed by Wesley. However, her army is dead and her temple has been destroyed. Defeated, she returns with Wesley to the gang.

Back in Angel's office, Angel says that they need to close the portal to make sure that Illyria does not try to raise another army. Spike decides to stay in L.A., since that is what Fred would have wanted. While Wesley packs up Fred's office, Illyria finds him. She explains to Wesley that there are still fragments of Fred inside her. Using Fred's voice, she repeats to him Fred's last words, "Wesley, why can't I stay?", which nearly causes him to break down, and she asks him to stay as she is stuck in this world and needs a guide. Wesley agrees because she looks like Fred but makes her promise not to kill anymore. She asks him if there is anything in this life but grief. Wesley replies by speaking of love and hope. Illyria wonders if that is enough to live on.

In a flashback to Texas, Fred packs up her car, says goodbye to her parents, and heads to L.A.

Production details[]

Acting[]

While writing the episode "A Hole in the World", Joss Whedon thought about using the character of Rupert Giles in the Deeper Well scene, but it would have been too expensive to fly in Anthony Stewart Head to guest star.^[1] In this episode Angel instead speaks to Giles over the phone.

Soundtrack[]

The song "" by Kim Richey plays during the closing montage depicting the flashback of Fred leaving her parents in Texas, and the other characters contemplating her loss in the current time.^[2][3]

References[]

External links[]

Wikiquote has quotations related to: Shells

• "Shells" at IMDb