![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
So, a recent question popped up on ATPO: Did anyone from Angel investigations sign one of those pesky Wolfram & Hart Eternity Contracts?
I'd like to think they didn't. I certainly wouldn't want the series to conclude with the services of Our Heroes owned by an evil lawfirm in perpituity.
However, I find it much harder to believe they wouldn't be.
In general, most law firms do not require employees to sign contracts. Or so I've heard. But W&H did, at least in the case of Lilah. I find it hard to believe W&H would give away the keys to the kingdom without securing such leverage.
Furthermore, given the particular work they do, I find it hard to believe W&H would present Wesley and Fred with Non-Disclosure Agreements, Intellectual Property Contracts, and Non-Competes as well. I base this on my own experience - I've never worked for a professional office that didn't require me to sign several forms of documentation that went beyond the standard W4, W2 and I9 forms. But then, I've had clearances, and have published at these places. (And one imagines Fred would have had publishing opportunities at W&H)
And I must admit that I think it's a large sacrifice of the credibility of W&H (and the SP) as a villain to consider that they wouldn't find some way to attach such a clause to the folks at AI. It's quite easy for me to believe that such a clause was included in the fine print of any number of forms that W&H would have gotten their new management to sign - and that it wasn't shown because it wasn't necessary to the story to show it.
It makes it a pretty wimpy Faustian Bargain otherwise. And of course, the SP would retain the option to call or not call upon AI members. They wouldn't be required to.
I'm willing to believe that AI didn't sign such contracts, and are free of such worries - but I do find it a bit less plausible and uncharacteristic of W&H that such is the case.
I'd like to think they didn't. I certainly wouldn't want the series to conclude with the services of Our Heroes owned by an evil lawfirm in perpituity.
However, I find it much harder to believe they wouldn't be.
In general, most law firms do not require employees to sign contracts. Or so I've heard. But W&H did, at least in the case of Lilah. I find it hard to believe W&H would give away the keys to the kingdom without securing such leverage.
Furthermore, given the particular work they do, I find it hard to believe W&H would present Wesley and Fred with Non-Disclosure Agreements, Intellectual Property Contracts, and Non-Competes as well. I base this on my own experience - I've never worked for a professional office that didn't require me to sign several forms of documentation that went beyond the standard W4, W2 and I9 forms. But then, I've had clearances, and have published at these places. (And one imagines Fred would have had publishing opportunities at W&H)
And I must admit that I think it's a large sacrifice of the credibility of W&H (and the SP) as a villain to consider that they wouldn't find some way to attach such a clause to the folks at AI. It's quite easy for me to believe that such a clause was included in the fine print of any number of forms that W&H would have gotten their new management to sign - and that it wasn't shown because it wasn't necessary to the story to show it.
It makes it a pretty wimpy Faustian Bargain otherwise. And of course, the SP would retain the option to call or not call upon AI members. They wouldn't be required to.
I'm willing to believe that AI didn't sign such contracts, and are free of such worries - but I do find it a bit less plausible and uncharacteristic of W&H that such is the case.
no subject
Lilah and Holland were the people who came back.
They were also ex-LA Office heads.
If we saw post-"HB" Gavin, then I'd buy more that anyone other than Angel was subject to the contract.
And I doubt that pig's blood signatures really bind a vampire. Or human victim's blood signature. A vampire has no blood of his own. That's why I think he couldn't have given up his destiny in S5.
no subject
Why? Neither Holland, nor Lilah, were the heads of LA W&H. They were heads of the "Special Projects" division and had supervisiors above them.
Furthermore, it's mentioned that the SP's had the option to bring Holland and Lilah back - not that they had to. That the SP's didn't reuse Gavin doesn't necessarily mean that they couldn't.
I doubt that pig's blood signatures really bind a vampire. Or human victim's blood signature. A vampire has no blood of his own.
I agree. That said, that a contract might not be made to apply to Angel, and others, (as Gunn says about contracts in general in S5) doesn't necessarily mean that W&H wouldn't try to stick them with one.
It could go either way for me, and I'm not sure either side could ever be proven. I'm just inclined to seriously consider the possibility that W&H would have tried to get them signed up for an eternal tour.
no subject
And yeah, that doesn't mean they couldn't have used Gavin, but their hold seems to be gone on Cinco, doesn't it? If it was everyone, then they'd control whether he could go off with Uno through Quatro.
no subject
Incorrect. Holland was the Director of Special Projects, and they were his underlings - but Holland wasn't up top. Given that Nathan Reed had the authority to select Holland's successor, presumably he was above Holland in the chain.
And yeah, that doesn't mean they couldn't have used Gavin, but their hold seems to be gone on Cinco, doesn't it? If it was everyone, then they'd control whether he could go off with Uno through Quatro.
Lilah noted, that it cost resources (she doesn't elaborate) for the SP to reuse employees. A case could be made that the SP could re-use Cinco and chose not to. Or that he somehow evaded the contract clause. Playing Devil's Advocate, it would seem a bit of an overuse to resurrect a nebbish like Gavin or some mailguy.
no subject