Showing up in town to "protect" the perfectly competent slayer, involving Giles, and hiding from Buffy was just poor form. If Angel wants to go to Sunnydale to, I don't know, bask in the mystical convergence rays of the Hellmouth, then that's cool. No heads up necessary. If he wants to go butt into Buffy's life, well then, a hey-I'm-here is kind of polite. Why'd he have to get all lurky? Why couldn't he have just told her about the visions and being sent to help? Lurking in the shadows and being all secretive instead of being up-front about the danger was, well, creepy. Coming back around later and acting all jealous and and then beating up her new boyfriend? That was beyond creepy.
Angel's actions in this little arc clearly indicate that he's not yet over Buffy, but that the love he feels for her doesn't outweigh other considerations like fear of turning back into Angelus or his desire to do his duty as a champion (even when it's no longer his appointed duty). Basically, he's having a hard time living with the consequences of decisions - decisions that were entirely his to begin with. He made the decision to walk away not once but twice. But as soon as she starts to live life without him, he gets jealous. Cuz that's what happens when you make decisions based on what you think is best for another person instead of working through your issues like adults. He didn't want to be with Buffy, but he didn't want anyone else to have her, either. His resulting actions were creepy. You can explain his actions and even sympathize with him, but you can't justify what he did. It's never right to break up with someone, leave town, come back and stalk her, and then beat up her new boyfriend. Not right. We might have the inside info about the day that wasn't, but Buffy doesn't. It's not fair for Angel -- who made that decision for her, too, I might add -- to throw that baggage onto her when she has no idea it even happened.
And that's why I don't like Bangel. When it comes to romantic relationships, Angel has the emotional maturity of an adolescent boy raised in a highly patriarchal household. His word is final and not to be gainsaid, but hers is flexible and not to be taken too seriously. Angel treats Buffy like a child. Maybe, someday, if he grows out of that and shows her some respect, I'd give them a second chance. But as long as Angel acts like a caveman in a cool coat, I'm firmly out of the Bangel camp.
