The "bottle" reference likely stems from a key scene in this episode where reveals he has an Orb of Thessulah —a critical mystical item for a soul-restoration ritual—which he had been casually using as a paperweight on his desk. Episode Overview: "Becoming, Part 1" Original Air Date : May 12, 1998.
: Angelus plans to awaken an ancient demon named Acathla to suck the entire world into a hell dimension. [S2E21] Buffy in a Bottle
: Buffy finds a floppy disk containing the soul-restoration spell previously researched by the late Jenny Calendar. While she tries to stop Angelus, Willow prepares to perform the magic to restore Angel's soul. The "bottle" reference likely stems from a key
: The episode is famous for its extensive use of flashbacks , showing how Angel was sired by Darla in 1753 Ireland, his subsequent torment of Drusilla, and the moment he first saw Buffy in 1996. : Buffy finds a floppy disk containing the
: The Orb of Thessulah mentioned earlier is the "spirit vault" needed to house the soul during the ritual. Giles’ revelation that he had one "in a bottle" (or rather, sitting on his desk as a mundane object) is a frequently cited callback to the episode "Passion". Critical Reviews and Analyses
"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" Becoming: Part 1 (TV Episode 1998) - IMDb