Essential Angel Facts

 

            Otherwise known as: Things NOT to get wrong

 

-          born Liam ? in Galway, Ireland

-          sired by Darla in an alley

-          changed name to Angelus after his sister mistook him for an angel

-          Joined the Order of Aurelius led by the Master

-          Later rebelled and travelled with Darla, killing, eating…

-          Known to travel extensively across Europe, including Italy, France, Britain and Romania

-          Drove insane and sired Drusilla, an English seer, who later sired Spike

-          Pursued by Daniel Holtz, whose family Darla and Angelus killed in 1764, until 1773 when Holtz made a deal to “sleep” until 2001. Holtz killed in May 2002 (end of Season 3)

-          Cursed with a soul by Romanian gypsies after killing a girl.

-          After re-ensoulment was in China during the Boxer Rebellion, Chicago during the 1920s, Los Angeles during the 1950s, New York during the 1970s and again in the early 1990s. Called by the mysterious Whistler to help the new slayer, Buffy Summers in Sunnydale, CA.

-          Fell in love with said slayer, leading to the (un?)timely demise of Darla at Angel’s hands and the loss of his soul, reverting to Angelus.

-          Joined forces with Spike and Drusilla, and old rivalries emerged

-          Prevented from ending the world by the cooperation of Spike and Buffy. Simultaneously re-ensouled by witch Willow and killed to prevent the end of the world by Buffy.

-          Mysteriously sent back from a hellish dimension, and tormented by the First Evil in the guise of Angelus’ victims

-          Decided to leave Sunnydale for Los Angeles

-          Key enemy in LA: law firm Wolfram and Hart, which represents a number of evil clients. Key figures at Wolfram and Hart: Lindsay McDonald, Lilah Morgan, Holland Manners

-          Met Doyle, a seer, and Cordelia, an actress from Sunnydale. Formed Angel Investigations with them. On Doyle’s death, his visions passed to Cordelia and Wesley, a former watcher, joined the team.

-          Later, a prophecy foretold that when Angel had fulfilled his destiny he would become human.

-          Recruited freelance vampire hunter Charles Gunn.

-          Became obsessed with Darla again when Wolfram and Hart resurrected her as a human.

-          Locked several Wolfram & Hart lawyers in a wine cellar with newly-vamped Darla and Drusilla and fired his staff. Estranged for a period before re-joining his friends.

-          Visited demon dimension Pylea and rescued trapped Fred! (note: Angel was not vulnerable to sunlight in Pylea)

-          Retreated to Tibet after hearing of Buffy’s death

-          Had a son (Connor) with Darla, defying laws of nature

-          Protected Connor from Holtz until Wesley believed Connor to be in danger and kidnapped him, allowing Holtz to intercept him and take the baby to Quortoth.

-          Fell in love with Cordelia, to lose out to a Pylean human, the Groosalugg

-          Connor returned as a teenager, loyal to Holtz

-          Connor became convinced that Angel and Angelus were the same and set out to kill him.

-          Cordelia realised she loved Angel, but was called to be a higher being before they could talk.

-          After Holtz framed Angel for his death, Connor sank Angel to the bottom of the sea in a box, where he remained until…

 

<SPOILERS FOR SEASON 4>Highlight to read:

-          Wesley found him.

-          Cordelia returned minus her memories, then turned out to be possessed. Having controlled a Beast, killed Lilah, brought back Angelus and given birth to an evil demi-goddess, she lapsed into a coma.

-          Angelus was finally subdued by Faith, another slayer, and his soul was again returned by Willow.

-          When Connor threatened to kill both himself and Cordelia, Angel made a deal to take over Wolfram and Hart in return for wiping the memories of Connor and his friends and placing him in a normal family

:end season 4 spoilers:

 

<SPOILERS FOR SEASON 5 (UK)>Highlight to read:

-          Angel took over Wolfram and Hart, encountering the mysterious Eve.

-          Fred is head of science, Wesley is head of research, Gunn has been given extensive knowledge of the law, and Lorne is head of the entertainment department.

-          Spike, who was killed on the Hellmouth in a battle with the First Evil, returned when the amulet given to Spike by Angel was received in an envelope. However, he was not corporeal and revealed to Fred that he was slipping into hell. This was due to the actions of dead warlock Pavayne, who used other souls to pay his debt. Angel and Spike defeated Pavayne, though Spike remains incorporeal.

-          Angel has doubts about the ethics of using the restrictions of Wolfram & Hart to do good.

:end Season 5 (UK) spoilers:

 

<SPOILERS FOR SEASON 5 (US & Canada)>Highlight to read: Up to 5x12 (Feb 3, 2004)

-          The gang became increasingly stressed.

-          Angel’s lack of faith in the shanshu prophecy led him to question his purpose, but a mission to help the last remaining member of a demon-fighting brotherhood convinces him that he does have a destiny.

-          An invasion of robots and a fake prophecy implying that Spike and Angel have to compete for the shanshu distracted from the mission at hand. Eve was revealed to have goals of her own, being in league with returned ex-Wolfram and Hart lawyer Lindsay, who is covered in runic-type symbols which protect him from surveillance.

-          Spike’s apparent status as a season-one-Angel, helping the helpless complete with visions from Doyle (Lindsay in disguise) again challenged Angel to explore through Eve-induced hallucinations a world in which Spike was the real champion.

-          Spike was himself forced to confront his past deeds when he met an insane slayer who knew him only as William the Bloody, with help from Angel. Angel showed his understanding of Spike’s predicament.

-          Cordelia’s awakening just as Angel is ready to quit Wolfram and Hart convinced him that his doubt was misplaced. Cordelia’s guidance ended when she told him that she could not be there to see his success. After confirming that they were indeed in love, she disappeared, as Angel heard the news that Cordelia had died without ever waking up.

:end Season 5 (US & Canada) spoilers:

 

 

Other facts to note

-          Many prophecies relating to Angel may be found in the Nyasian Scrolls

-          Obsessed with Darla; known to compete with Spike for Drusilla but mostly to assert dominance over Spike

-          Speaks many languages; including Irish, French, Korean, Spanish, Italian, Romanian and Russian, possibly Hebrew and Latin

-          Angel’s soul will be removed if he stops suffering and experiences even a moment of pure happiness.

-          Can be killed by usual vampire measures; stake to the heart, sunlight, decapitation, fire, vulnerable to holy water and religious symbols. Must drink blood to survive (usually pig’s blood)

 

 

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