Angel/Recap/S05/E13 Why We Fight

A vampire he turned back in World War II seeks revenge on Angel.

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Tropes used in Angel/Recap/S05/E13 Why We Fight include:

• Beethoven Was an Alien Spy: One of the vampires claims to have been Rasputin's lover.
• Call Forward: 1942-Spike declares "I'm not going to be experimented on by the government!" and 1942-Angel replies "And I'm not going to get trapped at the bottom of the ocean!". Both of which make perfect sense in context (they're on a submarine), but are hilarious, because the viewer knows that about sixty years later, Spike will be experimented on by the US government and Angel will spend several months trapped underwater.
  • The "Demon Research Initiative" is an apparent precursor to "The Initiative" in Season 4 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
• Continuity Nod: Spike still isn't aware that Angel has a soul, though the 1940's version of the Initiative does.
• Create Your Own Villain
• Death Seeker: Lawson's motive.
• Desperately Looking for a Purpose In Life
• Flash Back
• Ghostapo: The Nazis are building a vampire army.
• Got Volunteered: Angel isn't interested in fighting, so the US Government wraps heavy chains around his legs and throw him overboard. The only way to get them off is to get the help of the sailors on board the submarine.
• I Hate You, Vampire Dad
• How We Got Here: Begins with Angel's friends being picked off one-by-one by a well-groomed vampire. The rest of the episode consists of flashbacks to a World War II submarine, where the mystery man (Jack Lawson) first crossed paths with Angel.
• Looks Like Orlok: The Prince of Lies is probably the most explicit version of this trope in the Buffyverse, with trademark pointed ears and long fingers. Like other Buffyverse examples, his appearance is credited to age.
• Not So Different: Lawson declares that only the evil Nazis would use vampires in war. The Nazi scientist looks directly at Angel and bursts out laughing.
• Patriotic Fervour
• Same Clothes, Different Year: Spike becomes so taken with a U-boat captain's leather trenchcoat he kills him for it.
• Schmuck Bait: Spike says that he, Nostroyev, and the Prince of Lies were apparently captured by the Nazis when they attended a "free virgin blood party."
• Sub Story
• Swiss Cheese Security: Wolfram & Hart's lousy security strikes again. Probably revenge for how Team Angel kept making them look ridiculous in the early seasons.

Lawson: Aren't you going to ask how I got in here?
Angel: No, you'd be amazed at how many people break into this building on a regular basis.

• Those Wacky Nazis
• Transhuman Treachery: "They look so small."
• What the Hell, Hero?:

Spike: Bloody brilliant. Turn the poor sod to save the ship, then make him dash to dry land before the sunshine scorches him a new one. You're still a dick.

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