Connor Mindwipe
by SpacedOutLooney
I tried to compile all the references that give clues as to what the Connor mindwipe was like. Unfortunately, there isn't much to go on. It would appear that Wesley, Gunn, Fred, and Lorne (and the rest of LA and the world presumably) pretty much remember everything that happened save Connor. Notably, Wesley's attempted kidnapping of Connor and his knowledge of "The father will kill the son" prophecy are gone. According to Illyria, Fred's memories actually changed, so apparently there weren't just blank spots where Connor used to be. However, the differences appear to be inconsequential, at least to ME. A couple interesting things:
*In the mindwipe, Connor is still named Connor.
*The only people that appear to be unaffected by the mindwipe are Angel, Eve, Hamilton (and presumably the SP), Cordy (at least, the Cordy that visited in Your Welcome), Vail, and Sahjahn.
*The mindwipe did not affect the "Connor will kill Sahjahn" prophecy, MindwipedConnor is still superstrong, and MindwipedConnor "has a thing for older women," suggesting that memories were changed, not reality and not Connor's core personality (or the core personality of others).
*The breaking of the Orlon Window appears to have only restored the memories of Wesley, Illyria/Fred, and Connor.
versaphile compiled the Orlon Window screencaps to give a clue as to what memories were restored.
(From Home)
Angel: I really do love you, Connor.
Connor: So what are you gonna do about it?
Angel: Prove it.
(Angel sweeps the knife across Connor’s throat, invoking the mindwipe. Cut to W&H)
Lorne:(singing) Could be...who knows? There's something due any day I will know right away soon as it shows. It may come cannonballin' down from the sky gleaming inside... Welcome back, Fred. Hi. Hey. Oh, well, let me tell you, when this cruise ship sets sail, I will be on the Lido deck. You know, I mean, it's unbelievable. Secrets of the universe, like Siegfried, evil; Roy, not so much. Oh, and balance? Very, very important.
Fred (to Wesley): Guess we're all straggling back, some more straggly-like than others. Are you—?
Wesley: Just, a lot to take in.
Fred (to Gunn): You look... did they make you taller?
Gunn: I'm doing this. Hope it's not just me, but if it is, that's all right, too.
Wesley: As much as it pains me to admit it, there's probably a great deal we could accomplish with the resources available here.
Fred: I can't believe it. Are you saying we should take the deal?
Angel: I already took it.
Fred: Angel, what?
Wesley: You took the deal?
Angel: Executive decision.
Wesley: I didn't think you'd—
Lilah: Know a silver platter when he's handed one? I'm impressed with the lot of you. Team Angel, all growed up.
Angel: Is it taken care of?
Lilah: Cordelia's safe and sound, probably getting a manicure and a blow dry as we speak.
Fred: You found Cordy? And she's—
Lilah: Still in a coma. But hey, it doesn't mean she can't look her best. She'll receive the finest care, medical and metaphysical. If there is a way to get her back, we'll find it.
Angel: Good. Just one more piece of business. I got to see him.
Lilah: I'm sorry, Angel, but that wasn't part of the deal.
Angel: Value of compromise. Remember, Lilah? I need to see him.
Lilah: You're the boss. There'll be a limo waiting outside. It'll take you to see Connor.
Angel: Thank you.
Fred: Who's Connor?
Connor: You just opened up a whole bottle for yourself, didn't you?
Dad: I'm just saying, you know, you've got your pick. Any college you want to.
Connor: It's really not a big deal.
Mom: Top tenth percentile is a big deal.
Aunt: Are you and Tracy gonna try and go to the same college?
Dad: Oh, bad idea.
Connor: We haven't really talked about it.
Dad: No, I love Tracy. I'm just saying it's a bad way to go.
Sister: Tracy's a vegan.
Mom: So? At least she doesn't live on pop tarts.
Connor: You know, maybe I'll go to school overseas, like Russia. Is there anything further away than Russia?
Mom: Don't you even joke about it.
Dad: I feel a toast coming on.
Connor: Gee, big surprise.
Mom: There he goes.
Dad: To the top tenth percentile—
Connor: OK, whoa, whoa. Enough. That's all I had to hear. Since it's my special day and I'm all brilliant and everything and I'm forced to spend at least a few more months with you freaks...
Aunt: How mean.
Connor: Uh, heh heh, I get to make the toast, OK? To family.
Sister: I think I should get wine for the toast.
Connor: No, really? Well, I wasn't talking about this family. I made that clear, right?
Sister: I'm not gonna tell you.
(From Conviction)
Eve: Rough day at work?
Angel: His son. He took a lethal virus, and he stuck it inside his son.
Eve: Hits you where you live, doesn't it? Of course I know. You lost your son. Well, gave him up.
Angel: To save him.
Eve: Which you did. He's happy and well-adjusted now that he has no memory of you, and the rest of the world, including your best friends, never even heard of Connor.
(From The Cautionary Tale of Numero Cinco)
Wesley: Spike says you no longer believe in the Shanshu prophecy.
Angel: Of course not. The prophecies are nonsense. You know that. Oh, come on, Wes, after everything we've seen the past couple of years? "The father will kill the son."
Wesley: What are you talking about?
(From Lineage)
Eve: Kinda hard on him, weren't you?
Angel: She could have-
Eve: -Been killed. So you said. I think you're making too big a deal about this. And from what I understand, her wound wasn't all that severe.
Angel: You weren't there. You didn't see her.
Eve: But she's OK. And you're still beating him up.
Angel: He can be careless.
Eve: Focuses too much on the big picture? Overlooks the people involved?
Angel: Something like that.
Eve: Willing to risk anything... or anyone... for the greater good. Look, hey... I'm just asking. Could it be there's another reason you're getting so mad at him about this? Mmm... stealing your son, for instance?
Angel: We don't talk about my son.
Eve: You don't trust Wesley, do you? I mean, I can see that. He did turn Connor over to your sworn enemy.
Angel: He didn't mean for that to happen. He thought he was doing the right thing.
Eve: And I guess it all worked out. Connor's OK, you're happy... Maybe Wesley knew what he was doing after all. Even if he doesn't remember any of it.
Wesley: You want to talk about me. All right. The last girl I was with I had to chop into little tiny pieces because a higher power saw fit to stab her in the neck.
(From You’re Welcome)
(In Wesley’s presence)
Cordy: Mystical comas. You know, if you can stand the horror of a higher power hijacking your mind and body so that it can give birth to itself, I really recommend 'em.
Angel: You remember?
Cordy: Last year? Yeah. I remember everything... pretty much. At least until I slipped into slumberland.
Cordy: So, where's Connor?
Gunn: Who?
Cordy: What do you mean, who? Connor. Isn't he— Angel, where's your s—
Cordy: That's right, pal. They dazzled you with shiny objects and beautiful things and— There is no reason you could give me—
Angel: Connor.
Cordy: Where is Connor? Why did Gunn ask—
Angel: They don't remember him. It's part of my agreement to take this job. The senior partners altered reality. They gave Connor a life, a real family, and a childhood. Something I could never give him. He's got no memories of us. And no one remembers him. Except me and you. And Eve, for some reason.
Cordy: Wes? Last year, when that, um, higher...whatever took over my body, did those things. Nobody's talking about it.
Wesley: What's to say? We all understand it wasn't you.
Cordy: Do you?
Wesley: You didn't kill Lilah.
Cordy: I know. Still... I'm sorry. I just wanted to tell you that before—
(From A Hole In The World)
Gunn: Look, I gotta be straight with you 'cause this is kinda blowin' my mind.
Wesley: Tell me.
Gunn: Fred and I are getting back together. She was so keyed up from last night's fight, she asked me over. We ended up talking for hours like old times, then, all of a sudd— I can't even keep this up 'cause your face is gonna make me weep. Wes, I am so messin' with you.
Wesley: I— Oh... No, I...
Gunn: Come on. Brother gets a dig in. That's my right.
(From Origins)
Dad: We had nowhere else to go. Our son was... getting the mail.
Mom: We could see him from the living room. He was walking across the driveway, and this van—
Dad: It must have been going 50, 60 miles an hour. It hopped the curb, and it ran right into him. It slammed him right into the side of the garage, and then... backed up and sped off.
Wesley: And the police think this was intentional? Has homicide found the van?
Dad: You don't understand.
Mom: Our son's not dead.
Wesley: He's not?
Dad: No. He's fine. The van hit him, and he got right up.
Mother: He hardly has a scratch on him.
Father: Police said it was dumb luck, but if you saw it...
Mom: One of the officers called us later, said our son might be different.
Dad: He mentioned that there was a law firm in Los Angeles that dealt with... things like this.
Wesley: Harmony, would you ask Angel to come in here, please?
Mom: Our son's downstairs. He thinks that we're here to set up a trust.
Dad: We didn't know what else to tell him.
Mom: Please, will you help us?
Wesley: Of course.
Connor: Dad?
Dad: Yeah, it's OK. Come on over.
Connor: You know, they have dried scorpions in the vending machines downstairs.
Wesley: Angel, good. This is Laurence and Colleen Reilly, and this is their son—
Connor: Connor. Hi. Nice to meet you.
Angel: The senior partners and I had a deal.
Hamilton: Yes, you did. They took your son—your raging psychopathic son—gave him a new family, changed his memories, changed everyone's memories, actually, in order to give him a new life, a normal life.
Mom: Where are we supposed to go now?
Dad: I'm sure there's someone else who can... handle our trust.
Connor: Um, just so you know, you guys don't have to keep pretending. I know we were there because of the van thing.
Dad: Oh.
Mom: I'm sorry, honey, it's just it was—
Connor: It's cool. I mean, my parents are liars and I can never trust them again, but it's cool. Look...I know you guys are worried, but...the whole point is I'm OK. I got hit and I'm OK. That should make you happy, not like, you know... mental patients. I mean, it turned out fine.
Dad: It's the "getting hit" part. We thought you were dead.
Connor: Hey, have some faith in me.
Dad: Connor...
Connor: All right. Look, you guys... I'm not saying this isn't weird and all, but we'll get through it. You don't have to be scared.
(After the demon’s attack Connor and his parents and Angel rescues them)
Angel: Connor, listen to me—
Connor: You almost broke that guy in half! That was awesome! Seriously, that was the coolest thing I've ever seen.
Angel: Your dad's gonna be fine. He's in good hands. Or claws, as the case may be. They're good doctors.
Connor: What were those things that attacked us?
Angel: Some kind of demon. I'm looking into it.
Connor: Is that what I am? Some kind of demon?
Angel: No.
Connor: Then...what am I?
Angel: Best we can tell, you're a healthy, well-adjusted kid, with, uh... enhanced abilities.
Connor: And you're a vampire. So...demons, vampires, doctors with claws... and I'm some sort of super-hero. OK.
Angel: You're taking this pretty well.
Connor: What am I supposed to do, complain? I just don't know how I'm gonna explain it to my parents. You got family?
Angel: No.
Connor: Right. Vampire. So, what are you, like 500 years old?
Angel: No, I'm about— Do I look 500?
Connor: Do you spend all your time making out with other vampires, like in Anne Rice novels?
Angel: No. Uh—I used to, but...
Connor: You have a girlfriend at least?
Angel: Can't afford to.
Connor: Must be lonely.
Angel: I keep busy.
Connor: Right. So you guys, like, fight crime and save the world here, that sort of stuff?
Angel: Well, that's the idea.
Connor: Wow. Is everyone here a superhero? This place must be insane.
Angel: Guys, you wanna come here for a second?
Connor: What is she (Illyria)?
Angel: She's a... to be honest, I really don't know. She's some sort of ancient demon.
Connor: She have any powers?
Spike: Glad you asked. So far, I've established that she can hit like a Mack truck, selectively alter the flow of time, and possibly talk to plants.
Illyria: I'd like to keep Spike as my pet.
Angel: Connor, this is Spike and Illyria. Guys, this is Connor.
Connor: Hi. Um...I like your outfit.
Illyria: Your body warms. This one is lusting after me.
Connor: Oh... no, I— It's just that— it's the outfit. I guess I've always had a thing for older women.
Angel: They were supposed to fix that.
Connor: What?
Angel: Nothing. (to Spike and Illyria) Connor has brought us a case. We're looking into it, just showing him around.
Lorne: Hey... you kids playing in the training room?
Connor (RE: Lorne): Whoa! Man, this place is way better than college.
Angel: You're in college?
Connor: Yeah.
Angel: Where at?
Connor: Stanford.
Angel: Really?
Lorne: Here we go. Vail listings under accounts paid.
Wesley: Wolfram & Hart did business with him?
Lorne: Yeah. Looks like he was one of their go-to warlocks when it came to the magical mojo. Specialized in memory restructuring, mind control, temporal shifts. Oh, boy.
Wesley: What is it?
Lorne: You could buy Bolivia for what we paid him on this one.
Wesley: Not just him. He supervised some of the most powerful sorcerers on the west coast.
Lorne: Manpower like that, I'm guessing he wasn't doing card tricks.
Wesley: Some sort of reality shift, and it— Oh...
Lorne: What?
Wesley: It happened on the day we took over Wolfram & Hart.
Vail: Could you help me up? I'd have one of my guards do it, but, well, you know. Thank you. When Connor was 5, he got lost in a department store. He wandered off while his family was shopping. It scared the poor child nearly half to death.
Angel: That never happened!
Vail: Yes... but he remembers it happening. He remembers screaming in the middle of the store. He remembers his mother rushing towards him. And he remembers his father sweeping him up into his arms.
Angel: You built his memories.
Vail: I did. He is some of my finest work.
Angel: What do you want?
Vail: I need someone dead. A demon... named Sahjahn.
Angel: Sahjahn.
Vail: I believe you tussled with him before. He's a nasty little cur!
Angel: He's gone. I trapped him in a bottle.
Vail: An urn...actually. It's a morbid thing. Doesn't really go with my decor.
Connor: He wants me to kill somebody?
Angel: A demon named Sahjahn. We've fought him before.
Connor: Why me? Why do I have to do it?
Angel: Because you're special. There's a prophecy that says you're the only one who can kill him.
Wesley: Why are we even entertaining this?
Angel: Vail's made some convincing threats.
Wesley: Since when do we give in to threats?
Connor: He's not threatening you. He's threatening my family.
Wesley: We can't trust anything from Vail. Angel, he did a massive spell the day we took over Wolfram & Hart. Until we understand why—
Connor: Is he pretty strong, this Sahjahn?
Wesley: That's a bit of an understatement. Last time you fought him, Sahjahn nearly killed you (Angel).
Connor: Is that true?
Angel: This is different. Like I said... you're special.
Connor: We don't have a choice, do we?
Wesley: Of course we have a choice. We just need time to figure out what Vail did.
Angel: We don't have time.
Connor: If I kill Sahjahn, Vail will leave my family alone? What are we waiting for?
Angel: You're not alone in this. I'll be right there with you.
Connor: You gonna hold Sahjahn down while I stab him?
Angel: Prophecy doesn't say you can't have a little help.
Connor: Hardly seems fair.
Angel: Fair's not something we worry about.
Connor: Maybe you should. I'm not a bully. If I'm gonna do this, you gotta let me do it my way. Now I just gotta figure out what my way is.
Angel: You'll have your whole life for that.
Connor: Might as well start now.
Angel: All right. Let me show you a few things.
Connor: Well, yeah... I'm all noble and stuff, but I'm not an idiot. I've been in one fight in my entire life, and you bailed me out of it. Should I take one of these with me? An ax, or whatever this thing is. (knocks one of the weapons off the wall) Sorry.
Angel: That's OK. Probably stay away from the weapons for now.
Connor: OK. Sorry.
Angel: Look, you're faster than Sahjahn. Use it! He talks a lot. He'll try to lull you into slowing down. Don't listen. Hit him quick. Keep moving.
Connor: Do you really think I can do this?
Angel: I know you can.
Illyria: You are so concerned with names, dates, times.
Wesley: Reality's being changed.
Illyria: Define change. The world is as it is.
Wesley: Not necessarily.
Illyria: You are a summation of recollections. Each change is simply a point of experience.
Wesley: We are more than just memories.
Illyria: And yet Fred changed the moment her memory did.
Wesley: Fred's memories were changed?
Illyria: In places.
Wesley: Can you see what they were before?
Illyria: No. They're gone. Does this change your view of Fred? Is she still the person you thought she was?
Wesley: No. None of us are.
Connor: This place smells like a retirement home.
Vail: Welcome. I've been waiting for you.
Connor: Oh, lord. Look at him.
Angel: (to Connor) Shh! (to Vail) Listen, Vail, we won't be staying long.
Connor: Here's how it works. I kill this Sahjahn thing, and we walk. You come near my family again, and I'll slit your throat. And if that doesn't kill ya, I'll chop your whole head off. And if that doesn't work, I'll just keep... stabbing you till you bleed to death. Understand?
Vail: I do.
Connor: Good. So...where is he?
Vail: Right through there.
Connor: OK. See you later.
Angel: Listen, he's gonna talk to you. Don't let him distract you.
Connor: I won't.
Angel: Even if he's on the ground, do not take your eyes off him.
Connor: OK.
Angel: Whatever you do, do not—
Connor: Dude, you're starting to freak me out.
Angel: Right. Sorry. Oh... Sorry. Go get him. I'll be right over here.
Sahjahn: Thank you, mortal, for releasing me from my cursed prison. In gratitude, I grant you 3 wishes.
Connor: Really?
Sahjahn: Nah. I'm just messing with you.
Connor: Oh.
Sahjahn: I do appreciate it, though. Ahh... that urn wasn't exactly a day at the spa. I owe you one.
Connor: Right. Well, before you start trying to kiss me, I should probably tell ya... you and I, we're, uh...supposed to fight.
Sahjahn: Is that right?
Connor: Yeah.
Sahjahn: Now, why would you want— Ah... you're him.
Connor: Yeah. I'm me. Hi. You can take a moment, if you want. There's some weapons and stuff over here if you think you'll need them.
Sahjahn: Thanks. Been a while since we've seen each other. How'd Quor-Toth work out for you, anyway?
Connor: Uh...worked out great. Thanks for asking.
Sahjahn: You know, I've had a long time to plan for this moment. I figured you'd be a lot more... intimidating.
Connor: Yeah. Well... I figured I was going to Tony Roma's with my folks tonight, but... I'm here. Learn to cope.
Sahjahn: I'll work on it.
(They fight)
Connor: Ow! God, that really hurt!
Sahjahn: Did it?
Connor: Yeah! I'm sorry.
Sahjahn: You need to call a time out?
Connor: No. I'm all right.
(They fight some more)
Sahjahn: You know...I went through a lot of trouble to get rid of you. What a colossal waste of time that turned out to be.
(Orlon window restores the memories of Illyria/Fred, Wesley, and Connor; Connor regains the fighting ability he had in season 3-4 and kills Sahjahn)
Angel: Connor?
Connor: Whoa! You see that? I went a little hard-core there for a second. That guy made me really cranky.
Angel: Are you OK?
Connor: Yeah. I guess. I don't really like people touching my neck, you know?
Angel: Connor... uh...
Connor: Hey, can we... get outta here? I'd like to go back... see my parents. This whole fighting thing, I'm not... I'm not really sure it's for me.
Illyria: You betrayed Angel. You stole his son. He tried to kill you.
Wesley: Yes.
Illyria: Are these the memories you needed back? Does this now make you Wesley?
Wesley: At least I know what happened.
Illyria: Do you? There are 2 sets of memories— those that happened and those that are fabricated. It's hard to tell which is which.
Wesley: Try to push reality out of your mind. Focus on the other memories. They were created for a reason.
Illyria: To hide from the truth?
Wesley: To endure it.
Connor: I thought sunlight burned you up.
Angel: Special glass.
Connor: Cool. You should, like, make a whole suit out of it like the pope has.
Angel: How's your dad?
Connor: He's fine. They're releasing him now. I should warn you—he's pretty pissed. I told him that you took me out demon fighting and, uh, almost got me killed. He wants to have a talk with you.
Angel: All right. I'll, uh...
Connor: I'm kidding! Man, you gotta lighten up. He thinks we spent the whole night doing tests. I told him I could bench press, like, 1,000 pounds.
Angel: What are you gonna tell them about... who you are?
Connor: The truth, more or less. I'll tell them that I'm different. I'll tell them it's... actually a good thing. I'll tell them to stop worrying so much.
Angel: Well, they're parents.
Connor: Yeah, I know. They'll feel a lot better knowing you're looking out for me.
Angel: We still haven't found Vail, but we will.
Connor: I'm not too worried about him. Nothing he can show me I haven't already seen.
Anyway... I just wanted to say good-bye. I gotta go back to my life now.
Angel: Oh...do you really have to leave? I mean, right now?
Connor: I kinda think I should. I need to take care of my parents. This isn't their world. They really don't feel safe here. You gotta do what you can to protect your family. I learned that from my father.
(From Not Fade Away)
Connor: So she's a werewolf.
Angel: And an art student. She does this great pottery. She made me a vase.
Connor: But it's the wolf part that Jones's you. There's some full-moon love, am I right? Fur flying.
Angel: Huh?
Connor: So vampires really don't understand the concept of jokes.
Angel: I understand jokes. I was at the first taping of the Carol Burnett show. Tim Conway was on fire. It was special.
Connor: I know you're my father.
Angel: You got your memories back.
Connor: Yeah, they're mixed in there with the new ones. Kind of like, uh... a bad dream I had, I guess, a very strange and violent, at times, inappropriately erotic...dream.
Angel: You probably have a lot of questions.
Connor: No. I don't want to make a thing. I get what you did. You know... I'm grateful. That's as far as I want to take it...OK?
Angel: So, what are you working on?
Connor: I am applying for an internship. I'm supposed to write up a resume.
Angel: Need any help?
Connor: Have you ever written a resume before? Ever?
Angel: No... but I have very nice handwriting.
Connor: You girl.
Hamilton: Why do you keep fighting? You signed away your Shanshu. There's nothing in it for you anymore.
Angel: People who don't care about anything will never understand the people who do.
Hamilton: Yeah, but we won't care.
(They fight and Connor shows up to save Angel)
Connor: Care about that, dress-for-less?
Angel: What the hell are you doing here?
Connor: Come on. You drop by for a cup of coffee, and the world's not ending? Please.
Connor: Is he (Hamilton) dead?
Angel: Yeah, he's dead.
(W&H starts collapsing)
Connor: Uh, that's not good, is it?
Angel: Wolfram & Hart. Looks like they're taking the gloves off.
Connor: What do we do?
Angel: You go home.
Connor: Huh?
Angel: This is my fight.
Connor: That's some serious macho—(some debris falls on him) Aah!
Angel: Go home...now.
Connor: They'll destroy you.
Angel: As long as you're OK, they can't. Go.