#my darla lives masterplan mwahahaha

[gh-0-stcup]

Trying to think of more ways Darla living and making it to the end of the show could work. Mainly something that's not just a complete rehash of Angel or Spike's plots.

What if Connor continued functioning as Darla's soul? Not in a mystical, motherhood inherently makes you a completely better person sort of way. In a parenthood forces you to grow up and reevaluate the impact your actions have on other people way.

Darla survives the birth and it turns out the love she felt for Connor came entirely from her. She gives up her murder girlboss lifestyle so she can be part of his life. Connor's only going to live for like 82 years - what's that to someone who's been around since the 1600s?

So that's what kicks off her arc, trying to be a decent mom and not traumatize or endanger her child. From there, she starts to relearn how to interact with humans and live in their society. She'll have to play nice if she's going to be organizing playdates and going to doctor's appointments, PTA meetings, etc.

You could have a comedic episode where the B plot involves Darla getting a group of mommy friends who she despises but puts up with because it's "normal". And also they know a lot more about caring for human babies in the 21st century. They're all catty upper middle class winemoms, ofc.

Darla gets a job, because she wants Connor to live a cushy, spoiled life where bills are never a concern. She could have a little sugar daddy arc that ends when he expresses dislike about her son. Maybe she becomes an interior designer/stylist to the stars. She could also end up working for Wolfram & Hart, in PR or Marketing, which helps set up the s5 arc.

As the show continues, Darla slowly begins developing some empathy. She starts to see herself in mothers, Connor in children. She could be involved in a couple episodes featuring cases of kids or mothers, showing progress from disdain/boredom to offense or (repressed) sadness.

Season 4 or 5 could have a second episode featuring Darla's mommy friends. Usually just a recurring gag, this one could humanize them a bit. One of them has some sort of heartbreak - maybe it turns out her husband is a cheater and he makes her feel responsible for it (not pretty enough, bad at sex, etc). Darla helps the friend leave him and they enact some sort of petty, human revenge. Maxing out his credit cards, trashing the house, getting him fired, etc. It ends with the girls chatting and laughing about it, a new sense of camaraderie between them all.

Basically just helping show Darla's evolution, becoming protective over some women she was initially just using, feeling anger on behalf of another person. "Linda's botched tit job does make her sexually repulsive - but I'M the only one who's supposed to say that! And definitely NOT her HUSBAND who is middle aged, balding, and smells like cheap cheese!" kinda vibes.

Towards the end of season 5, she can start expressing a tiny bit of regret for some of the more heinous things she did to kids/mothers in the past. Her and Angel could have a chat where she concedes she may have gone a little overboard with the babynapping in China.

She could have a scene where she realizes Connor will probably have kids, who will themselves have kids. She's no longer so certain she can go back to her old lifestyle when Connor dies.

Darla doesn't end the series as a good person, exactly. And she'll never be a hero like Angel or even Spike. But she's a little more responsible, a little less selfish, and a very good mother.

Besides just being a way to keep Darla around, this idea helps tie her into the "faces the struggles of adulthood" theme ATS has going on.

Becoming a parent as a person with a complicated past or unhealthy lifestyle means you need to make adjustments if you want to be in that child's life. Loving and caring for a child changes you and the way you see the world. It's not a quick fix to all your problems, but it can motivate a lot of positive change if you let it.

Utilizing soulless!Darla to explore this opens up opportunities for representing real life struggles like:

How can I be a good parent when I have the history I do?

How do I not allow my problems to negatively impact my child?

Learning to interact with people normally after spending so much time basing your life around manipulation and selfishness.

Overcoming your addiction for the sake of your child.

While Angel could be used for these in an AU where Connor wasn't aged up, Darla is the better character for it having a stronger impact. She doesn't have 100 years of abstinence under her belt or an internal compass to guide and motivate her. All she starts with is love for her son, from there she must pull herself away from her impulses and change her life through sheer force of will.

It mirrors pieces of both Angel and Spike's arcs, thematically connecting Darla to her vampire family, while still being a story unique to her.