I was rather busy before, but I'll try and finish what I wrote.
I completely agree that the curse isn't about just sex. In "Amends," I know Angel wants to be with Buffy and Buffy wants to be with Angel, and it's more than just a sexual relationship. They want a future together and they want to be happy together. I personally just can't stand them whining about all the time. Where's Cordy and Wes to demonstrate, lol?
I love that Bangel piss take from Wes and Cordy lol. Ahem, but in all seriousness I don't think he's all that whiney at this point. He was merely saying he wanted to be with Buffy and a PART of him didn't care that he'd lose his soul. I can relate to that. I think perhaps it's simply one of those subjective things, you know like thinking Buffy was a bitch in Season 7.
I understand he's tempted to want to be with the woman he believes he can be happy with, which would result in him becoming a monster again. But, the fact that Angel said, "he doesn't care" makes the whole situation selfish in my eyes. IMO, that's not true love. True love is about sacrificing your happiness for the person you love. In "Amends," Angel thought about his "happiness" over Buffy's, and he continued to do that as the season progressed. He didn't think once, even when Buffy was pleading with him to come inside, that he would be hurting Buffy by killing himself. We needed the act of snow to wake him up
For one thing there is happiness here. Angel also said, a PART of him doesn't care. We all have selfish sides and desires to give in to such temptations. Everyone wants love, no wants to be alone. I can't imagine what it's like to endure thr torture of hell or spend almost century alone, unsure of your place, being the only one of his kind.
It's not true love? I'm not sure how I feel about true love in and of itself. I'm not being cynical but I really believe you cannot seperate the love from the lover. There can be no perfection in love because there is no perfect person. Being weak at anyone time does not mean the love you feel isn't real. Just in the same way Spike hit, attempted to manipulate, and tried to rape Buffy and blamed her for his feelings but doesn't mean he didn't love her but because of his lack of the soul and psychological disposition at the time. He truly loved Buffy but he can still makes mistakes in regards himself and her.
Also, yes I'm sure he realised he'd be hurting Buffy but I think he most likely felt in the long run, she and the rest of the world, would be better without him. Yes it is a little self pitying but I don't think it's as dastardly as you're making out.
I don't think Angel should have tried to kill himself (he is a true champion), but I'm 100% behind Buffy when she shows him some tough love (he needs to keep fighting and be strong).
I think Angel had the potential to be a champion but IMO, Champions aren't born, they're made. He always a work in progress which is why I like him so much and love that his journey isn't linear or even always progressive. It's messy, up and down, but God, you know, he's not a bad soul. I guess I'm one of those softies who have sympathy for people who commit suicide. Um, yep Buffy was spot on but it doesn't mean I hate Angel in this episode. I think there are far worse things people do or can do.
I actually love Angel as a character, but he gets on my nerves in that scene. How many times do we have to see Angel feel weak because he feels like he doesn't belong or isn't worthy?
To be honest, the amount of flak he gets on the forums, I'm surprised he doesn't break out in tears everyday
😀. I don't mind broody self-loathing Angel, as I've said, I just relate to it. I don't see anything wrong with what he said. I just saw someone desperate and vulnerble. He just couldn't trust that he'd be able not to give in. He'd rather die than fail and kill Buffy or force Buffy to kill him. Again not exactly noble but not totally selfish. It just seems you're being hard on him when there are far worse things people do.
The woman (a slayer no less) that Angel claims to love, wants him to live. She understands his past, his history, and still wants to be with him. And more so, she still believes he can be a better man. She's told him this not just in "Amends," but in prior episodes. Yet, he still wants to meet the sun and die? I'm sorry but Angel makes me so mad in that episode, maybe because I know he's better than that. He's shown it in prior episodes.
Angel was so scared about becoming a killer again, it freaked him. Simply saying "Well, you don't be a killer" isn't all that simple. It is hard to fight and we can't know what it's like to have a limit on your happiness and have to fight the temptation of bloodlust everyday. He can be better and he does get better but because of that, I can forgive him for a moment of weakness.
After Spike was able to get his soul, I do agree that this idea should have been explored or explained more. If Spike could get his soul back, why couldn't Angel find a way to break the curse but keep his soul? Even if he couldn't, give me something hat satisfies the inquiry. Yet, I don't think I can assume Wes explored the idea and believed it wouldn't work in Angel's case because it's too significant to assume.
Yeah, normally I don't go outside the show for things like this but the fact that no one even mentions it is a little sloppy. Even if they had one episode and have Willow or someone say it's not possible would have satisfied me. For example in Orpheus if someone said, "Wouldn't it be better if he had a soul without the curse?" and have the dialogue run from there.
You can't choose whom you love and I agree with Buffy there. "Love isn't brains children. It's blood." For that reason, when it came to Buffy's feelings for Angel at that point, it is that simple. Despite what Angel did and how he could cause her pain, she still loved him. And I agree that Buffy did try to put Angel (or at least the idea of being with him) out of her mind because a relationship with him could cause her pain. However, although she tried to, she demonstrated time and again that she still loved him because she took care of him.
Yep! All this said, I really, really, really want Angel and Buffy to move on from Bangel now though. It's like when Joey from Friends says "Man get over it, it's been four years" lol. I mean canon-wise it's been longer hasn't it?