by 'stina
post Buffy s2
Kindly donated by 'stina's Buffy theories

Ok.. so here's the deal.

Ever since the show started we have heard debates about Xander versus Angel (this has absolutely nothing to do with Angel-->Xander, though that would solve all the debates, but it would leave Buffy in the cold), and who is better, more heroic, or who has "saved" people and / or Buffy more often. Obviously, this is a matter of serious opinion, and some people feel VERY passionately about the guy they've been rooting for.  There are factors that cannot be changed for a lot of people.  These people probably shouldn't read any further, because I'm not going to change your mind

Being the engineering grad student that I am (not in engineering, public health...but that's not the point), I decided to actually go to the source and collect the data on these two characters' activities over the course of the first two seasons of the show. I went through every single episode, scene by scene, and compiled activities by Xander and Angel.  I then compiled the data here for everyone to see. There probably is a strong Xander bias, as Angel tended to be absent from the majority of the first season, and evil for a good part of the second season.

Note: If Xander is possessed by something, the activities under the possession are in italics. If Angel is missing his soul, those activities are in italics.  This does not mean necessarily that Xander or Angel are not unable to make decisions, but I thought it was important to note that they were not themselves as they were introduced to us in Welcome to the Hellmouth.

EPISODE BY EPISODE DATA:

Welcome to the Hellmouth /The Harvest
Xander
Offers to lend a hand in finding Jesse (twice). Goes to actually help Buffy with the unknown Saves Cordelia from Jesse.

Angel
Cryptically gives Buffy warnings about the Harvest and a cross. Refuses to help Buffy look for Jesse because he's "afraid".

The Witch
Xander
The term "Slayerettes" is used.  Xander claims, "I laugh in the face of danger.. Then I hide until it goes away."  He also sneaks up behind Katherine / Amy to try to stop her twice (once getting knocked out for his troubles, once getting the wrong witch)

Angel
Didn't bother to assist in any way, shape or form.

Teacher's Pet
Xander
(After being kidnapped) Helps Buffy fight an evil preying mantis by spraying it with bug spray.  Hacks away at a nest of preying mantis eggs.

Angel
Saves Buffy from the cold by giving her a jacket.  Another cryptic warning about fork guy.

Never Kill a Boy on the First Date
Xander
Goes to the funeral home with Giles.  Is able to convince Buffy (with the help of Willow) to come back to the funeral home to save Giles. Prevents Buffy from being distracted by Willow while fighting Pork ‘n’ Beans.

Angel
Again, cryptic warning about the Anointed One.  Ineffective in getting Buffy to fight until Xander shows up with Willow.

The Pack
Xander
Went to save Lance from torment. Taken over by a hyena in the process, so not very useful after that. Saves Willow from the zookeeper.

Angel
Didn't bother to assist in any way, shape or form.

Angel
Xander
Goes to warn Buffy that it was Darla who attacked her mom, even though he isn't sure what he's going to do about it if she's being attacked by hundreds of vampires.

Angel
First time helps Buffy physically. Gets involved with the fight against the Three. Injured in the process.  Takes a bullet from Darla. Tries to commit suicide by slayer. Kills Darla.

I Robot You Jane
Xander
Comes through with the knowledge on the research facility.  Goes with Buffy to save Willow (climbing fences, punching out flunkies, and getting knocked out by Moloch).

Angel
Didn't bother to assist in any way shape or form.

The Puppet Show
Xander
Grabs the rope to the guillotine and prevents it from slicing open Giles’s head. Lets go of the rope and kills the demon.

Angel
Didn't bother to assist in any way, shape or form.

Nightmares
Xander
Bravely faces old nemesis (clown) and punches him out.  Stops the coach from getting away from the hospital room.

Angel
Didn't bother to assist in any way, shape, or form.

Invisible Girl (Out of Sight, Out of Mind)
Xander
Leads the charge to talk to Marcie.

Angel
Offers to help with research on the Master (the Codex) for Giles.  Saves Willow, Giles and Xander from the gas filled room.

Prophecy Girl
Xander
The only one who tries to stop Buffy’s prophecy from coming true. Goes to Angel for directions (with cross in hand).  Enters the Hellmouth,  Refuses to give up on Buffy, gives Buffy mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, saves her life, and fights vampires side by side with Angel.

Angel
Brings Giles the Codex. Takes Xander to the Hellmouth, Brings Buffy’s body out of the water. Fights vampires side by side with Xander.

When She was Bad
Xander
Takes on a vampire in the opening scene (putting himself between Willow and the vamp).  Goes off on Buffy when she gets haughty.  Survives a vampire kidnapping attack. Goes to the factory to save Willow, Giles, Cordelia and Jenny.

Angel
Cryptic warning about the anointed one. Follows Buffy to help her in the Bronze. Guards captured vampire.  Goes to the factory to save Willow, Giles, Cordelia and Jenny. Kills a vampire.

Some Assembly Required
Xander
Goes to the graveyard to dig up old bones. Finds the locker with evidence. Races into the fire to get Cordelia out of danger. Pulls Cordelia out of the fire.

Angel
Knocked out by a shovel by Stefan. Saves Cordelia from an arm (after driving her to the dumpster in fright).  Takes Cordy home. Comes to make sure everyone’s ok after the fire.

School Hard
Xander
Runs back to the Bronze to get Buffy a stake/throws it to her.  Whittles stakes to prepare for the Feast of St. Viggeus. Reluctantly goes for help during the attack, and comes back with Angel, Endures being "bait."  Runs when Angel’s plan fails.  Fights vampires, and nearly strangled. Rescued by Angel.

Angel
Gives cryptic incomplete warning about Spike and disappears before answering questions.. Drags Xander into a vampire infested building and tries to bluff out Spike. Runs from Spike. Takes care of the vampire strangling Xander.

Inca Mummy Girl
Xander
Takes on the guardian twice (once in museum, once on bleachers). Steps between Amapta and Willow to protect Willow from the kiss of death. Offers own life instead.

Angel
Doesn’t bother to help in any way, shape, or form.

Reptile Boy
Xander
Goes to the frat party to protect Buffy (and maybe catch an orgy). Stays around to look out for Buffy. Endures the agony of being a "new pledge." Notices that Buffy and Cordy haven’t left the party. Finds robe to sneak into the house fully prepared to rescue Cordy and Buffy.  Punches frat boys.

Angel
Identifies blood on the bracelet. Tells Giles and Willow where the bracelet was found. Goes to frat house to save Buffy and figure out what’s going on with the missing girls. Confronts the hooded figure (Xander).  Game faced attacks the house. Fights a lot of frat guys. Prevents Tom from escaping.

Halloween
Xander
Defends Buffy’s honor to Larry (though is interrupted by Buffy herself).  As soldier:  Defends Willow and Buffy (knocking out a "monster" and scaring off more with gunfire).  Goes after Cordelia and makes sure she's ok.  Gets everyone secure in Buffy’s house. Saves Buffy from Larry’s attack (punching out Larry). Fortifies the defenses of warehouse so others can get away. Captured by Spike and held down by two monsters but is able to brake free. Almost shoots Spike before his weapon is restored to a toy.

Angel
Comes to Buffy’s house to make sure everyone’s ok.  Attacks vampire intruder (scaring Buffy off in the process). Helps to find Buffy again. Held back by Spike’s guys.

Lie To Me
Xander
Goes to find out about the Sunset Club. Goes to help get people out of the club after the vampire attack.

Angel
Saves a little boy from Dru. Goes to Willow for help about Ford. Goes to find out about the Sunset Club. Warns Buffy about Ford. Goes to help people out of the club after the vampire attack.

The Dark Age
Xander
Tries to prevent Ethan from getting away from the library by grabbing him. Pulls Cordelia out of immediate danger from Philip/Eyghon.  Takes on the almighty Cordelia.  Runs in to help at Ethan’s shop.

Angel
Helps Buffy fight the vampires at the hospital (his gets away).  Chokes Jenny/Eyghon so that it passes out. Uses the demon inside to fight and destroy Eyghon.

What’s My Line, Part 1
Xander
Breaks into Buffy’s house to look for her.

Angel
Tackles the first Turaka bounty hunter so Buffy can kill him. (Nearly strangled when she comes.)  Goes to find out from Willie who has ordered the hit on Buffy.  Fights Kendra.

What’s My Line, Part 2
Xander
Pulls Cordy away from worm man and into the basement. Sprays worms from Cordy with hose.  Taunts worm man into his and Cordy’s trap and kills him.

Angel
Kidnapped by Willie. Tortured by Spike and Dru. Tries to goad Spike into killing him.  Offered in sacrifice to cure Dru.

Ted
Xander
Breaks into Ted’s apartment.  Leads the charge into Ted’s basement and finds the bodies.

Angel
Wounded the entire episode. Worked as a shoulder to cry on.

Bad Eggs
Xander
Goes with Buffy into the pit of mama Bezoar. Fights possessed students (including Cordy) to prevent egg infestation.

Angel
"Hunts" with Buffy in the graveyard.  Says that he’ll hunt the Gorches for Buffy so she can get some work done for school. (Not exactly a completed task.)

Surprise
Xander
Plans for party for Buffy. Looks up information on the Judge.

Angel
Helps with Buffy’s party.  Saves her from an arm.  Valiantly offers to take the arm to a far away place.  Fights the vampires on the docks, losing the box, but getting out.  Goes recon with Buffy to the warehouse.  Crashes the video monitors on the Judge.  Once again, saves Buffy from the cold, this time by giving her his bed.

Innocence
Xander
Goes to the bus depot to look for the Judge. Leads the charge to go to the factory after Buffy. Researches for a way to kill the Judge and comes up with one.  Saves Willow by sneaking up on Angel and warding him off with a cross. Breaks into an army camp and steals a anti-tank rocket launcher. Teaches Buffy how to use the launcher. Brings the launcher to the mall and hands it to Buffy to take on the Judge. Separates the Judge pieces.

Angel
Leaves Buffy in bed and kills a hooker.  Joins the bad guys’ team.  Freaks out Buffy’s sense of sexuality with the "I’ll call you" thing. Attacks Willow. Kills Uncle Eynos. Sics the Judge on a crowded mall. Fights Buffy.  Uses old face to make her not kill him.

Phases
Xander
Attempts to force a confession out of an alleged werewolf. Kills Theresa when she attacks Buffy.

Angel
Stalks, seduces and kills Theresa. Growls at the were-Oz.

Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered
Xander
Goes on patrol with Buffy. Blackmails Amy into casting a love spell.  Resists the affections of everyone in school (including Buffy and Willow) Fights Angel.  Saves Cordelia from mobbing crowd on three occasions.

Angel
Kills a shop girl. Upstages Spike. Goes to kidnap Buffy. Pulls Xander out of her house. Nearly eats Xander. Laughs at Dru.

Passion
Xander
Goes to the station to look for Giles. Goes to Giles’s house to look for Giles.

Angel
Eats a woman outside the Bronze. Watches Buffy in her sleep, and leaves terrifying picture.  Taunts Spike. Kills Willow’s fish.  Scares Buffy by giving a picture of her mother.  Scares Joyce and tells her that he and Buffy slept together. Kills Jenny.  Fights Giles. Fights Buffy. Runs away.

Killed By Death
Xander
Avoids being killed by Buffy.  Helps Willow and Buffy fend off Angel.  Carries Buffy to the hospital.  Holds hospital vigil for Buffy.  Faces down Angel.  Looks for relevant medical records. Sits sentry duty again.  Went to the basement with Buffy.  Gets the kids away from the Kindestod.  Helps Buffy out of the basement.

Angel
Attacks Cordelia. Attacks Buffy. Beaten by Xander, Willow and Cordelia.  Goes to the hospital to taunt Xander.

I only have eyes for you
Xander
Attacked by an arm; rescued by Buffy.  Goes to take part in the exorcism.

Angel
Finds a new home. Taunts Spike. Taken over by Grace, shot by Buffy / James. Freaks out due to possession.

Go Fish
Xander
Encounters Cameron in before and after stages in the cafeteria. Joins the swim team in an effort to gain more information.  Sits in the sauna asking questions. Keeps an eye on Gage. Finds out that the steroids are in the steam.  Knocks out the coach, and saves Buffy from being raped by the fish boys.  Knocked out by the coach.

Angel
Attacks Gage and runs away because of the taste.

Becoming, Part 1
Xander
Goes on patrol with Buffy, gets in a fight with a vampire. Takes a stand against Willow, Giles and Buffy on his opinion of what to do with Angel’s soul.  Attacked from behind in the library, but knocks it into the bookshelf, but unable to prevent his arm from being broken. Distracts vampires so Cordelia can get away. Knocked out.

Angel
Drunkenly suggests that he should rob his father so he can get more booze, lured to the dark side by Darla.  Watches Buffy fight. Torments Dru in a confessional.  Soul restored by Gypsies.  Steals the statue of Akathla. Plots to open Akathla.  Tries and fails to perform the ritual. Sits in a gutter for 100 years.  Stalks Buffy for a year. Sends bait to Buffy, leads her away from her friends, has Giles kidnapped and Kendra killed. Fights Buffy in the graveyard.

Becoming, Part 2
Xander
Protects Buffy with his hug in the hospital; fills her in on relevant details.  Keeps an eye on Willow until she wakes up. Goes to Buffy to help attack Angel, and offers to help. Does not tell Buffy about the attempt to try the spell.  Knocks out a vampire.  Finds and frees Giles.  Gets Giles out of the building.

Angel
Kidnaps and tortures Giles.  Cajoles Giles.  Sics Dru on Giles.  Starts the ritual and is successful again. Attacked by Spike. Fights Buffy. Taunts Buffy.  Defeated by Buffy.  Soul restored.  Kisses Buffy. Impaled by Buffy.

 

'stina's conclusions that mean absolutely nothing:

Xander directly saved Buffy four times (Prophecy Girl CPR, Halloween pummeling of Larry, Phases' Theresa's attack, and Go Fish's pulling her from certain rape).  On multiple occasions, he's also saved other people (Cordelia from death by Jesse in The Harvest, Willow from the knife of the zookeeper in The Pack, Giles from being guillotined in The Puppet Show, Cordelia from being burned in Some Assembly Required, Willow from the kiss of death in Inca Mummy Girl, Cordelia from Philip/Eyghon in The Dark Age, Willow from Angel in Innocence, and Giles from torture and death in Becoming 2). There are other times where he was extremely useful and one would consider brave, especially considering that he's quite mortal and capable of being killed or hurt. Consider briefly: Killed by Death: getting the kids out of the basement and facing Angel; The Harvest: following Buffy to help find Jesse; Go Fish: joining the swim team to find out what's going on; Reptile Boy: preparing to go into the frat house alone to get Cordelia and Buffy out.

Angel, on the other hand, was more adept at saving Buffy from certain death, though he seemed to do it only twice, in Angel and  What's My Line, Part 1.  He assisted her in The Dark Age and Some Assembly Required, though it didn't appear that she was in that much immediate danger on either occasion. Saving her from the Arm in Surprise could have been a direct save of her life, but since there were others there to help, it may not have been absolutely necessary for her survival. Angel's main method of assistance in the show has been the cryptic warning (Welcome to the Hellmouth, The Harvest, Teacher's Pet, Never Kill a Boy on the First Date, When She Was Bad, and School Hard).  He has been a bit generous in his protecting other people.  He released Giles, Xander, and Willow from the gas filled room in Invisible Girl, and he saved a small child from Dru in Lie to Me.  He offered to take the Judge's Arm to Nepal, far away from Buffy in Surprise. In School Hard, Angel did come to help presumably everyone at the request (and expense) of Xander. His losing his soul was quite a damper on his "heroicness".

  • Xander: More access to the Slayer and her information. Can appear more heroic because he possesses no particular skills.
  • Angel: Not around as much, so therefore doesn't get the opportunity to save the day, or at least help to save the day, as Xander does.  Was just beginning to open up a bit more when he lost his soul.

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Your opinion:

Or you can
Email the Webmaster

Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel: The Series are the property of the WB Network or perhaps Fox, maybe both. I'll leave them to work it out and contact me with the result. This web site, its operators and any content on this site relating to "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" are not authorized by Fox. No copyright infringement intended. This site is for entertainment purposes only and does not profit in any way.

The picture was taken from UC Sunnydale and is © the WB.

The Above the Law banner is an altered form of a screen-cap taken from the The Slayer Show, the original screen-cap is © the WB.