Charles Gunn . . . The Muscle?

[LadyLavinia]

In "Fredless", Fred Burkle had described her new friends to her parents in a rather one-dimensional manner. She committed a truly thoughtless act by describing Charles as the group's "muscle":

"It's what he does. Angel's the champion, and Wesley's the brains of the operation, Gunn's the muscle and Cordy's the heart, and I'm..."

Also, I had just finished watching Season 2's "Reunion", in which Charles had figured out where Drusilla, along with Wolfram & Hart had Darla stashed:

"Angel: "Maybe I'm looking at this wrong. - Dru doesn't see this thing as a death - but as a birth. She talked about getting the nursery ready."
Wesley: "Angel, I fear you may be looking for a logical pattern in the rantings of someone who doesn't think logically."
Angel: "Soil. - Soil near the stars. She said she wanted to be near the stars. She used to - talk to the stars. She spent *hours* in my garden in Sunnydale, communing with the night sky."
Gunn: "Maybe she didn't mean baby nursery. - Well you said she liked the garden. Plant nursery's got the dirt - the view - and it's more of a birthplace than a death place. Maybe if we look for one up high that'll be it.""

Now, this doesn't sound like the reasoning of a person one would describe simply as the "muscle". Charles struck me as being a logical and intelligent man.

But then we come to "Players", when he actually believes the same as Fred and possibly the others - that he is simply the "muscle":

"GUNN
Back where he belongs. I gotta give you credit. You are
stubborn.
GWEN
I know what I want.
GUNN
I get that. At least I used to. Things aren't always so clear
anymore.
GWEN
You seemed pretty clear tonight.
GUNN
Adrenaline rush. When I was trying to save that girl.
GWEN
I meant when you were saving me.
GUNN
(shrugs)
Hey, I'm just the muscle.
GWEN
Don't knock the muscle, buddy. Makes the girls go all
knocky in the knees. But if that's all you were, we never
could have gotten into that party tonight.
GUNN
Oh, you would've gotten in. Of course, the damage would
have been significantly higher.
GWEN
Thanks to your brains-over-brawn approach"¦
GUNN
Not so much brains as too many movies.
GWEN
Man, they have done a number on you. You really believe
this "I'm the muscle" crap.
GUNN
This your version of a pep talk?
GWEN
Could be. Need one?
GUNN
Nah.
GWEN
Good. It's not my area of expertise. So why do you stay if
that's all they see in you?"

In my opinion, Gwen had asked a good question. And I have two others. What on earth made Charles harbor such a low opinion of himself? And does the Angel Investigations team seem so willing to accept this limiting image of himself, as well?

 

[Jacklyn]

You are completely correct. I have never understood why AI always looked at Gunn as the muscle of their group even though he had made countless contributions to the group as a thinking man. It is indeed thoughtless, how they constantly downplayed him into the point that he truly began to believe it. No one really had a label at AI-Angel was the champion, but he made his fair share of mistakes. Wes was the smarts, but he did well with the weapons. Somthing may be one's expertise, but it shouldn't be what they are defined by!

Besides, I think AI got theirs for their way of thinking in the end. By belittling Charles down to thinking he was only the muscle, he felt desperate to prove that he had the brains as well, thus allowing W&H to muck around in his brain and eventually signing the death warrant of the very person who had first stated his "Muscle" title-Fred. Ironic?

 

[LadyLavinia]

Besides, I think AI got theirs for their way of thinking in the end. By belittling Charles down to thinking he was only the muscle, he felt desperate to prove that he had the brains as well, thus allowing W&H to muck around in his brain and eventually signing the death warrant of the very person who had first stated his "Muscle" title-Fred. Ironic?

You have a point. It is ironic that Fred's comment, which exposed Charles' insecurity, eventually led to her death.

 

[BillieHunter]

I completely and totally agree with you both. He contributed so much more than just being the muscel. And, I, also find it ironic that the one who first classified him as that, is the one who dies because of his insecurtiy over it. He had such a low view of himself, that when he was afraid he would become just the "muscle" again...he refused to go back to that. He felt the only way he ever contributed was when he had all the knowledge they shoved in his brain.

 

[Mulder22]

Good Points. I hated Gunn for the first half of season 5, but I feel bad for him when he says he can't go back to being just the muscle. It is truly sad that he and the others didn't realize he was so much more.