in/victus

Episode 2.08

Teaser

Flashback: Connor is possessed by the Syndicate demon at the end of season one. The demon dismisses the prophecies that predict Connor will have a big future. He's Connor's future now.

Act One

In the present, Connor changes his major to art. He leaves a campus building and spots a bird-like demon who then mysteriously disappears.

At Hobo's tavern, Faith's impending hearing with the senior Council members has her in a foul mood. The prophecies that seem to lock in Connor's future have him in a foul mood. Aiden arrives and three agree to go out for Connor's birthday.

Flashback: Connor is living with the Reillys and does not yet have his original memories back. He and his girlfriend Tracy discuss college. Connor is feeling oddly disconnected to his past.

Aiden and Giles discuss the Nyazian prophecies. A similar conversation is going on in Professor Roth's office. Connor has the potential for both great darkness and great light. The prophecies refer to him both as the miracle child of the Powers that Be, and "the Destroyer."

Act Two

Gunn and Professor Roth point out that several passages in the Nyazian Scroll have come true. Willis tells Professor Roth that their patrons want to corrupt Connor. He tells her that Connor will face a crisis their patrons will manufacture. It is her job to encourage him to "make the wrong choice" when that happens. Melanie concludes corrupting Connor will somehow help their patrons "wriggle out" of a curse they are under. Such corruption is their modus operandi.

While visiting his art professor, Connor sees the bird-like demon again. He chases it, but it disappears.

Flashback: As Jasmine and Connor gaze over the crowd at the Hyperion, she tells him that he is her creation, and his destiny is to be by her side in the new world she is creating.

Faith returns to the bombed-out warehouse and is given a scrap of cloth with demon writing on it by one of the soldiers there. Meanwhile, the group that blew up the warehouse are at odds with each other. Not all of them believe violence is the answer in the fight against demons.

At work, Connor sees the bird-like demon again in the library stacks. But when he goes after it, it tells him to go outside and disappears again.

Act Three

Outside, the demon refers to Connor as "the Son" and gives him the jeweled "Dagger of the Nyazians", telling him his clan has been holding it for Connor for a thousand years. It is his destiny to use it.

Flashback: Although he hopes his son will one day be a champion, Angel throws Connor out of the Hyperion after he returns from his summer at the bottom of the sea.

Professor Roth calls forth all existant materials on the Nyazian Scroll, trying to determine why her patrons have an interest in Connor. Some of these materials disappear from the Slayer Council library, causing Giles concern. Willis appears and steals the Syndicate scholars' notes on the scroll from Professor Roth's office.

We catch up with the disturbed Connor drinking at Sekhmet. He allows Alix to lead him into the "back room" where, instead of stopping her from feeding on him, he encourages her.

Faith and Aiden, who are waiting to go out on the town with Connor, conclude he is not going to show. But Dave does, and he tells Aiden he is still concerned about Connor's erratic behavior.

Flashback: After Steven Holtz kills a demon threatening himself and his father Daniel, Holtz tells him he will someday return to Earth. Steven promises he will kill Angel then.

Act Four

Connor is rapidly losing his life at the hands of Alix. Just then, Angel appears and drags him out of the nightclub. He drives Connor to the emergency room. Later, Angel explains to Faith that he sensed Connor's life was fading through the connection they had created with the Amulet of Aurelius, and returned from hell to save him. Faith tells Angel Connor has been bothered by the prophecies written about himself and Angel. Connor tells Angel he was testing fate. Angel informs Connor his life is his own.

The next day, Gunn tries to encourage Faith to stand up to the other senior members of the Slayer Council. Aiden and Giles test out new security measures on the Council suite library--they have moved it into a pocket dimension.

And Professor Roth signs a new contract with her patrons, agreeing to help them corrupt Connor in exchange for her freedom from them.

Episode 2.09 summary