Season 3, Episode 17 | Aired: 16 March 1999 | Written by: Douglas Petrie | Directed by: David Grossman
The Mayor tries to strip Angel of his soul using a rogue sorcerer, turning him into Angelus again to be Faith’s partner. Buffy discovers the plan. Angel and Giles fake the soul loss to get information from the Mayor. Faith reveals the Mayor’s Ascension plan to what she believes is a soulless Angelus. The episode is a long con, and it plays fair with the audience — Angel’s “darkness” is readable as performance if you’re looking — but it still lands as a reversal.
What Happens
A rogue sorcerer is hired by the Mayor to cast the spell that removed Angel’s soul before. It appears to work. “Angelus” and Faith torture Buffy for information. At the last moment, Angelus reveals he was acting — the sorcerer was paid by Giles to fake it. Faith has told them the Ascension is happening at Graduation. She escapes. The Mayor is not pleased, but the Ascension is too close to abort.
Key Moments
The interrogation scene — Faith and apparent-Angelus working together is effective television, in part because Dushku and Boreanaz are genuinely good at playing people who enjoy cruelty. The reversal is satisfying without being cheap.
Monster / Villain
The Mayor, coordinating; Faith, doing his work; the sorcerer, doing everyone’s work for money.
Notable Quote
“Was that acting or was that the way it is?” — Buffy, to Angel, afterward. He answers carefully.
Where It Fits
Enemies is the episode that gives the Scoobies the intelligence they need for Graduation — the what and when of the Ascension. It comes at the cost of Faith’s trust being fully burned, and Angel being reminded of how easily he can access the darkness. Both matter.