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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
~*~*
I posted a follow-on to yours at ATPO, but just a few comments here...
Angel was not a standard employee, he was a recruited executive who the SPs evidently wanted very badly. I had the distinct impression that he had a strong negotiating postion and could gain concessions from the SPs. I assumed, based on Angel's comments to Lilah in Home to the effect that ... "Now I'll tell you how this deal's going to work" ... Angel could have negotiated the perpetuity clause out of his contract.
I just think Angel's soul was far too valuable to him and I really don't believe he would have taken a deal that put the rest of AI at risk even with Connor's desparate situation.
If push came to shove and it was the only way to save Connor and the innocent bystanders he had as hostages, Angel probably would have sacrificed his eternal soul for Connor, but I don't think it was necessary. The SP wanted Angel for other reasons and so expunging the perpetuity clause may not have been a deal breaker.
Gunn, OTOH, seemed to make the decision for himself after his visit to the conduit in "Home" before Angel came down to announce his "executive decision". I think he may well have agreed that what he would gain would be worth it. Afterall, he once traded his soul for a truck. And there are bits of dialog in Season 5 that imply that he was owned by the SPs.
Wesley knew about the Standard Perpetuity Clause because of his conversation with Lilah after he was shown that her contract could not be destroyed. I'm sure he would have shared that detail with Fred at the very least, before anyone signed anything.
Honestly, I don't think either Fred of Wes would sign over their eternal souls in perpetuity to the SPs. I just can't see any reason why they would consider that a fair trade for whatever they got from the SPs in return.