Angel. The Fall

[moscow_watcher]

The main complaints against Angel's arc I saw online boil down to two claims: a) Angel is out of character and b) to service Buffy's journey, Angel is destroyed.

Judging by Jeanty's Q&As, Angel's arc in season 8 is over. He won't be in #40. It's time to sum up his story. What the hell has happened to him?

Comments

[moscow_watcher]

Thank you, honey.

This isn't an original character being the big bad, this is Angel, a character with eight seasons of history. Build up was severely needed even though I understand why Joss kept him in the mask. I wish he didn't have to, the story would have been much better if Angel was revealed to be Twilight in #9.

I hope that in season 9 we'll get more flashbcaks with explanations. Jeanty said that Angel will try to undo what he has done, so maybe there will be more backstory.

Before season 8, Joss never could have the luxury of teloling a story on his own terms. He has now. And sometimes it's frustrating. But I try to stay optimistic :)

random commenter

[rowanda380]

It kind of makes sense to me that Angel would fit into Buffy's journey cause well...that is the way that it all started. I mean, there wouldn't even have been an Angel after season 2 if they hadn't asked him to do his own show for him...so in the end, it seems like a return to form for me.

Re: random commenter

[moscow_watcher]

Yes. Thank you for saying that. It's always about Buffy, her struggles, her heartbreaks.

[gigi_tastic]

i'm sorry .. WHAT? i dont read the comics ( they confuse and frgiten me and i wind up in a ball of utter madness) and i have barley started reading this post but i must comment. ANGEL TALKS TO ANIMALS? oh god! I now have this picture of him speaking to the little forest critters like snow white or some other Disney princess. oh god i want this maniped so bad.

i think i might need you to be a dear, if you can, and send me a basic summery of all that has happened in s8 because i try to catch up by reading the comics but they can be frighting and i'm very very lost. i lost my way around the harmony arc.

[gigi_tastic]

OK SINCE WHEN AM I GIVING BIRTH?!?! WITH SOME GUY NAMED RODEN?!?! *brain explodes*

[moscow_watcher]

Hey, honey,

Here's the link to the preview pages where Angel talks with a dog

http://community.livejournal.com/newly_legion/139632.html#cutid1

As to the plot, the fandom still tries to figure out what has really happened. Basically, Buffy and Angel had supersonic sex in space and birthed a new universe. It turned out the the universe could manipulate Angel even before it was born. It manifested itself through different creatures (dog, bird, etc.)

(It's too complicated to explain in a single post, I'm afraid) :))))))))))

[stormwreath]

And here I was thinking that your user name was chosen in honour of the character Gigi in Season 8... ;-)

Also, Angel talking to animals is nothing compared to Wesley talking to giant plastic hamburgers, which he did on the TV show...

Brief for realz summary: there was a powerful supernatural entity manipulating things. It had the power to take over any nearby living creature and speak through them. At one point, it took over a dog and used it as its vessel to communicate with Angel. (In the same issue it also spoke through a bird, two men and two women.)

[moscow_watcher]

Thank you.

The majority of people who read season 8 are unhappy with it for different reasons. I went through that stage in spring when all the interviews were indicating that "Dark Horse" planned to turn Buffy and Angel into Bella and Edward. Thankfully, the interviews were misleading.

I may dislike some particular details, but I love the scope of Joss' ambitions and his tendency to go all the way -- without sugarcoating his bitter pills.

[a2zmom]

Excellent thoughts. I also think Angel was in character. I hope to post my thoughts today (although more likely tomorrow).

[moscow_watcher]

Thank you! I'm looking forward to your meta. I admit that my shipping preference may play a big role in my attitude to the events of the last two arcs, and I'm very curious about your take.

[a2zmom]

I'm kind of funny about shipping. When I'm writing or reading fic, my shipping preference tend to come into play because that's fanon. But in canon, my first thought is always what do the characters want. And if at this point, Buffy decides she never wants to see Angel again and decides to movbe on with Spike, so be it - far be it from me to tell Buffy want to do.

OTOH, if she eventually forgives Angel and remains in love with him, that's also cool.

I don't think I should impose my personal preferences on the characters. Or ignore things that are pretty obvious in canon due to my preferences (By that I mean, it's obvious that Buffy never stopped loving Angel, has deep feelings for Spike and that Angel never stopped loving Buffy as well as having strong feelings for Cordelia.)

[moscow_watcher]

And if at this point, Buffy decides she never wants to see Angel again and decides to movbe on with Spike, so be it - far be it from me to tell Buffy want to do.

OTOH, if she eventually forgives Angel and remains in love with him, that's also cool.

I guess we'll get a clue about Buffy's future love life when it will be announced whether Faith will cross over to Angel's or Spike's comics. :)

Seriously, I think that Joss plans to milk the triangle forever. And if it will be Spike's turn in season 9, Spuffy fans have to assume crash positions in advance.