After the ads, it's time for Connor's big soliloquy. There are lamps burning in the corners of the church, which seems a little strange. They closed the place up, blocked the doors, and left open flames burning near a comatose person? Maybe they're ecclesiastical nightlights or something. Connor opens by telling Cordy that "the new beginning" she wanted has started. He says, "It is better. Not harsh and cruel, the way that Angel likes it, so [that] he has a reason to fight." Cordy replies, "..." Connor whines that the MoG find meaning by fighting things and insists, "I'm not like them. I just...I want to stop. Stop fighting. I just want to rest." Luckily, Connor hasn't taken up bad habits like smoking. Instead, he just whispers, "But I can't." He's all tuckered out from fardel-bearing. He tells Cordy that he tried to believe. Cordy comfortingly suggests, "..." Actually, Connor's so screwed up that he should probably stick to talking to comatose people, because anything a conscious person might say is probably only going to make things worse at this point. Connor snaps, "She's bringing peace to everyone. Purging all of their hate. And anger!" This is the bit I like: he starts to laugh and adds, "But not me!" and then looks completely unhinged as he puts his hands over his face and repeats, "Not me!" See, the thing I like is, they've not only created a teenager who doesn't just feel like he's the most alienated person in the world -- he actually is. Connor stares at Cordy for a bit and finally admits that he knows Jasmine is a lie. "...," Cordy gasps. He explains, "My whole life's been built on them. I just...I guess I thought this one was better than the others." Y'know, that could have sucked so much. I do think it could have been trimmed a bit more, but that's mostly because Kartheiser is so good that you don't actually need him to verbalize everything.

At the hotel, various TV reporters are gibbering like...uh, TV reporters. A male anchor talks about how this will be "the most momentous day in recorded history." He reminds me of Stephen Colbert. Especially in the election special, when he talks about Bush's first day in office. Remember? Yeah, well, it was funny. Oh, Stephen Colbert... Where was I? Ah yes. Another anchor is speaking Spanish, and my eight years of various Spanish classes finally pay off when I can just manage to translate something about "this weekend." Look, they weren't eight particularly recent years.