Double or Nothing

Template:Angelepisode Double or Nothing is episode 18 of season 3 of the television show Angel, and is the 62nd episode overall. Written by David Goodman and directed by David Grossman, it was originally broadcast on April 22, 2002 on the WB network.

Gunn and Fred are totally in love with each other. But it's revealed that seven years earlier, Gunn had visited a demon at a casino in order to trade his soul for something. Now, the time has come to pay the debt and the demon wants Gunn's soul before he can give it to Fred. Gunn tries to leave Fred out of this but she sees through him and asks Angel's help. In the meantime, Wesley goes home from the hospital, alone and angry with himself in the wake of his selfish betrayal of Angel that cost them Angel's son. Angel and the others, including Cordelia and the Groosalugg both back from their sunny vacation in Mexico, go to the casino and kill the demon, saving Gunn right when he was about to pay his debt and give up his life. It is revealed that he gave his soul for a pickup truck (he was young and thought he wouldn't live long).

Synopsis

Gunn and Fred look through Wesley's files. Gunn finds them bewildering. Sometimes he can't even pronounce the client's name. One file is for a demon couple named Frzylca (frizz-ill-ka), who have a squatter in their lair. Lorne comes downstairs and joins the conversation. Cordelia and the Groosalugg unexpectedly return bearing gifts. Cordelia knows immediately that something has happened.

Cordelia goes upstairs to comfort Angel, who is brooding by Connor's empty crib.

At a casino, Jenoff, a demon in a tuxedo with a bow tie who owns the place, hands a marker to one of his enforcers. "It's time to collect his soul," says Jenoff. The marker is a business card for Angel Investigations.

Gunn and Fred interview the Frzylcas, an elderlycouple married for 300 years. A Skench demon has occupied their house. Skench demons make loud noises and project streams of phlegm to drive other demons out of their lair. Gunn and Fred promise to remove the Skench demon that day.

Fred visits Wesley at the hospital and bring him some things from his office. Wesley cannot speak, but Fred tells him he was wrong to go to Holtz instead of trusting his friends. She adds that Angel will kill him if he ever returns to the hotel. As she leaves, she tells him that the prophecy was false.

Jenoff's enforcer appears at Angel Investigations. He meets the Groosalugg, whom he mistakes for Angel.

Gunn finds the Frzylca's home in a cave leading off a sewer. He quickly kils the Skench demon, but when he rises, he sees Jennoff's enforcer.

In a flashback to seven years earlier, Gunn enters Jenoff's casino. After a frisking by Jennoff's enforcer, Gunn speaks with the man himself, who recognizes him and knows his reputation as a protector of the young and innocent. Gunn hands Jenoff a photograph of his heart's desire. Jenoff says he can "make it happen," but it will cost Gunn his future. Gunn, thinking he has no future, agrees and signs a blood oath.

At the Frzylca's lair, the Repo Man tells Gunn it's time to pay off. The casino watches the Akashic Records and know that Gunn plans to transfer his soul to Fred, which would violate his contract with Jenoff. Gunn has 24 hours to report to the casino and deliver his soul. If Gunn reneges, Jenoff will take Fred's soul as well as Gunn's.

Gunn returns to Angel Investigations, where he meets Cordelia, who advises him to take a day off and go on a date with Fred.

The next morning, Gunn brings Fred breakfast in bed. He tells her they both have the day off and he intends that they should have the best day of their lives together.

At the hospital, a doctor informs Wesley he will be released from the hospital, and asks if Wesley has a friend or family member who can pick him up. Wesley remains silent.

Angel and Cordelia reflect on the loss of Connor and what it means.

Gunn and Fred are eating at a garden restaurant. Fred says she is full. Gunn wants to fill the afternoon with movies, club, shopping, and roller rink. Fred says she's "kind of wiped." Gunn is afraid he is trying too hard. Suddenly, Fred guesses that something is wrong. She asks Gunn if he has leukemia, which makes him laugh. Now she guesses that something is wrong with the relationship, and asks Gunn to tell her the truth. Gunn, appearing to be suddenly angry, tells her they are through and storms off.

Cordelia tells Angel that the hurt he is feeling will never go away, and he will continue to love and miss his son always, even if he lives another 200 years. Angel says he does not know how he will get through it.

Cordelia hears Fred weeping through the door, so she opens it. Fred says Gunn must be in terrible danger.

At the casino, Jenoff, standing on a mezzanine, sticks two fingers in a man's eyes, which is how he takes a person's soul. Downstairs, Gunn appears and tells the Repo Man that he is there to pay his bill.

In the lobby of the Hyperion Hotel, Fred explains that Gunn would only hurt her if that were necessary to protect her, so he must be in danger. Angel, Cordelia and the Groosalugg are doubtful, but Angel says he intends to help Gunn.

Wesley returns to his apartment alone.

The AI team makes plans to find Gunn. The Groosalugg produces the business card that the Repo Man left with him. Angel knows Jenoff, whom he calls "the soul sucker."

At the casino, Jenoff's latest victim is hauled away. The Repo Man brings Gunn to Jenoff. As Jenoff is about to insert his fingers in Gunn's eyes, the AI team bursts in. They are soon surrounded both by casino customers and Jenoff's henchmen, all hostile. Jenoff orders his henchmen to kill them. Angel interrupts the slaughter by offering Jenoff a double or nothing bet in which Jenoff might win Angel's soul as well as Gunn's.

Fred is unhappy with the wager. Angel promises he will not lose, then hands Cordelia a stake with which she should kill him in the event he loses and turns evil.

At the card table, Angel proposes a simple cut of the deck, high card winning. Jenoff pulls the nine of clubs. Angel pulls the three of hearts. Cordelia stakes Jennoff's hand to the table, and Angel chops off his head with an axe. Jenoff immediately sprouts a new head. Angel shouts, "Anybody else here owe this guy?" which causes the whole crowd to attack Jenoff. In the melee, the AI team escapes.

Sitting in Gunn's truck, Fred and Gunn make up. Fred asks for whom Gunn traded his soul. Gunn explains that he traded his soul for his truck.

Angel disassembles Connor's crib while Cordelia watches.

Acting

Main cast

Special guest star

Patrick St. Esprit as Jenoff

Guest stars

Co-stars

Quotes

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Notes

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Continuity

Cordelia and Groo return and discover Wesley's betrayal and Connor's kidnapping.
None of the Angel Investigations team go to the hospital to assist Wesley, causing him to lose all his social support. This starts Welsey down a dark path, where he will remain cold, distant, and reserved for the remainder of the series.