Angel Season One: A Question

[2maggie2]

For some reason I can never remember the details of AtS.  I've watched it through twice, but am very vague about what happens.  Now Angel is back in the Buffyverse, and AtS is on Netflix, and so I'm rewatching.

Season one basically shows Angel in a good light.   The end of Sanctuary is my all-time favorite Angel moment.  He really is a wise and

Comments

[subtle_shades]

Right, so I recently stumbled across your excellent episode-analysis-post-thingies (I'm always the last to arrive to the party) and you admittedly don't know me from Adam

[2maggie2]

Thanks for de-lurking. I look forward to your take on Spike and Dru, but I can't promise to be persuaded! I have one of those special animosities for that pairing that's not quite rational.

I agree about Angel not really having made decisions. I was surprised to get so many comments from folks who believe he has made the big decision. There are whole essays written about Angel as a puppet of fate, and have a niggling suspicion I've seen that idea of Angel as a puppet elsewhere too (/sarc). I have compassion for the guy... but the gap between perception and reality is one I'm going to point to a lot. I like the idea that this just is exactly his Achilles' heel.

Welcome on board!

[subtle_shades]

Thanks

Strudel

[subtle_shades]

As one who tends to view Angel through a very dark lens, I'm looking forward to your comments on our episode reviews. I'm always looking for new and better ways to kick that character in the head.

jk

What Angel wants

[anonymous]

I agree that Angel never made a decision to change. His advice to Lindsey isn't wrong but he hasn't followed it. Think about the contrast that is set up between Spike and Angel. Spike is a bad guy who outwardly wants to be as evil as possible but subconsciously wants to be good again. Angel is a good guy who outwardly wants to be as good as possible but subconsciously wants to be bad again.

If you confronted Evil Spike with the idea that he actually wants to be good, he would deny it. If you confronted Good Angel with the idea that he actually wants to be bad, he would deny it. They would both mean it but they would both be wrong.

Angel is a hero and he's trying as hard as he can. But deep down, so deep down that he's not aware of it, there is a part of him that wants to be bad again. He references it when he says he misses the clarity. He thinks he's talking nostalgically and philosophically. But he's not. There's a part of Angel that misses being Evil and never wanted to change at all.