Innocence

Innocence is Episode 14 of Season 2 on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

After sleeping with Buffy the previous night, Angel escapes into the alley with a piercing pain in his heart. In the drenching rain and thundering storm, he realizes that he is losing his soul. When a prostitute tries to help him, he kills her. Angel leaves for the factory, where Spike and Drusilla are pleased to find the Judge has no effect on him.

While researching how to battle the Judge, which "no weapon forged can stop," Xander and Cordelia share another kiss behind the bookcase and are caught by the already suspicious Willow. She runs out of the library, distraught that he obviously found Cordelia more attractive than her. Then Xander remembers something from his time as a soldier in "Halloween".

It is revealed that his night with Buffy gave Angel "one moment of true happiness." It cost him his soul and caused him to revert to Angelus.

The gang goes to the army depot, where Xander uses another piece of his army knowledge to steal a heavy weapon. Waiting outside, Oz senses that Willow still has feelings for Xander, and will not kiss her to make Xander jealous, but will kiss her when the right moment comes.

The gang arrives at the Sunnydale shopping mall just as the Judge begins zapping people. Xander hands Buffy "the best present ever," a rocket launcher. Angel and Drusilla jump off the platform just before Buffy fries the ignorant Judge. Buffy chases Angel, but cannot bring herself to kill him.

Quotes and trivia

 * Angelus: She made me feel like a human being. That's not the kind of thing you just forgive.


 * Cordelia: "Well, does looking at guns make you wanna have sex?" Xander: "I'm 17. Looking at linoleum makes me wanna have sex."


 * Kristine Sutherland told BBC that this is her favorite episode as a fan. She had the most fun shooting "Band Candy".


 * Joss Whedon has listed this as his favorite episode.


 * This episode was the highest rated episode of Buffy ever, scoring a 5.2 Neilsens rating, with each ratings point representing 980,000 households.