The return of Angel. (Forever)

[damnthemvamps]

Frankly, I'm quite surprised no one has posted anything about Angel. I for one was thrilled that Angel came to Buffy's side when she was down. And there's no doubt that they still have strong feelings for each other. I think the fact that at her weakest moment, it was Angel and not Spike (OR RILEY) who helped her through the night proves a lot.
Same goes for the last episode of season 7. It feels like every time Buffy really needed someone, Angel will some how find his way back, (and they would have a reunion liplock, of course). And that's why I really love their relationship, because they had something that could never be replaced, and even though Angel left, in some way he's always there. And every once in a while Joss would remind us of that too.

🙂

 

[Misty]

I thought it was sweet of him to come back and comfort her too 🙂. However, this is probably his only appearence after season 4 that I like, because I did not like his appearance in Chosen.

 

[Marisa]

I didn't mind seeing him at that time whatever made Buffy happy was great since she was going through so much.
I did not think of Riley actually being there is that sad?
All I know is at that time Spike and Buffy hadn't developed into what they were so I guess it was normal for Angel to be there.

 

[BananaBuffy]

I did enjoy this, I think it was nice that Angel was there but I think he was moving on. Yes, Angel and Buffy will always love each other but we can't expect Riley or Spike (at this time) to do what Angel was doing. Riley had left and he was god knows where and face it, nobody wanted him to come back anyway. And Buffy never would have let Spike comfort her with something like that. She wouldn't have wanted to see him. The love that they share later on hadn't developed yet and so it would have been very OOC for them to have the same type of thing that Angel and Buffy had in this episode.

But it was a good scene and...yeah, that's about it.

 

[PrincessBuffy16]

You know, on that point, it's been a really long time since Buffy and Angel reunited. I remember first time watching it, I had no idea why was she standing on that grave, then he came. Like she knew. She knew he'll come. That he'll be there for here. They have this bond that can never be broken. And at that point I realized, it doesn't matter if they don't end up together, because she'll always love him. And he'll always love her. And that's all what matters.

 

[brinkster130]

it doesn't matter if they don't end up together, because she'll always love him. And he'll always love her. And that's all what matters.

So true! 🙂

I loved seeing Angel come back to comfort her.

 

[Chosen Enemy]

It was nice, but since it was so short, I felt it was a little bit forced. Have him in just to have him in. They found the right timing, because he almost never there, doesn't visit a lot after season 4. And I think Buffy was grown enough to understand that he shouldn't stay. Her mother's death surely had made her an adult. That's the point where I can say their relationship had become more adult like. She wasn't a school girl with a crush anymore, she understood that being with him is nice, but he cannot stay. that it was a bad idea, for both.

 

[PrincessBuffy16]

It was nice, but since it was so short, I felt it was a little bit forced. Have him in just to have him in. They found the right timing, because he almost never there, doesn't visit a lot after season 4. And I think Buffy was grown enough to understand that he shouldn't stay. Her mother's death surely had made her an adult. That's the point where I can say their relationship had become more adult like. She wasn't a school girl with a crush anymore, she understood that being with him is nice, but he cannot stay. that it was a bad idea, for both.

Forced? Come on, Buffy and Angel were, and still are, one of the most loved and remembered couples of all time. It wasn't forced, we deserved that, Buffy deserved that, and Angel deserved that. They deserved to see each other again. It wasn't forced by any meanings.

Yes, Buffy is not a school girl anymore.. and that's the point. She's adult now, and Angel is still by her side. He was there when she needed him the most. He offered her something no one else did. And she said him staying is a bad idea not because she doesn't love him anymore, or because she doesn't want to be with him.. it's because she's not that little selfish girl anymore who wanted to risk everything for him. She realized he has his own life, people he loves.. she grew up, but that doesn't mean she stopped loving him.

 

[Chosen Enemy]

Forced? Come on, Buffy and Angel were, and still are, one of the most loved and remembered couples of all time. It wasn't forced, we deserved that, Buffy deserved that, and Angel deserved that. They deserved to see each other again. It wasn't forced by any meanings.

I mean forced script wise. They gave Bangels a crumb instead of, say, a whole episode. They put Angel in the script just to put him in the script. It was a good timing, great timing with a great excuse. But they just put him there for a second, just so Angel could be this one time in this season. In season 7 it's almost the same. They brought him in just to give that useless crumb, and someone, don't remember who (don't think it was Joss, but maybe it was) admits that. It was very forced and clear that they only wrote him in for useless reasons.

Yes, Buffy is not a school girl anymore.. and that's the point. She's adult now, and Angel is still by her side. He was there when she needed him the most. He offered her something no one else did. And she said him staying is a bad idea not because she doesn't love him anymore, or because she doesn't want to be with him.. it's because she's not that little selfish girl anymore who wanted to risk everything for him. She realized he has his own life, people he loves.. she grew up, but that doesn't mean she stopped loving him.

Oh, no, not what I was saying at all! I do know (not "think", know) she loves him, I didn't mean she didn't anymore. I just think she realized they can't be together, therefore it's best he leaves. For both of them's sake.

 

[racheltng]

Loved it. It's proof of that eternal connection between the two of them.

 

[mayfever]

I was really happy about it, but I agree with ChosenEnemy about the "forced" bit, although I wouldn't put it that extremely. Like Buffy, I was grateful that he came, but I couldn't shake the feeling that he wasn't really offering anything except platitudes. When I watched that ep for the first time, I knew nothing about the Buffy and Angel lore (I was too young when seasons 1-3 aired, I tuned in somewhere mid-season 4), and I was thoroughly confused about that fella who shows up all of a sudden and gets all cuddly with Buffy. It makes sense when you know about Bangel, but when that scene is the first time you ever see Angel (as it was for me), the deep connection doesn't really come across all that well, and that's what feels forced.

 

[white avenger]

I know that this is primarily about Angel coming to comfort Buffy, and, honestly, I have no problem whatsoever with that. The thing about this episode that I did think was kind of wrong was that Angel and Joyce had never been close, were, in fact, barely more than acquaintances, and she never made any bones about the fact that she didn't like the idea of Angel with her little girl (okay, that's just my opinion, agree or disagree, it really doesn't affect the point that I',m making here)

Angel was there for Buffy, not Joyce, and as I said above, that's all fine and good, but I can't help feeling that we should have had some brief little scene in which Spike was allowed to say his goodbyes. He and Joyce WERE friends, even before the chip. If there was a vampire who actually had a right to be there at Joyce's graveside, it was him, not Angel.

(Okay, I've had my say. You can all go back to the Buffy/Angel cuddlefest now)

 

[VisionGirl]

I'm confused WA...Spike did show up at the house with flowers. "They're for Joyce....
Joyce was the only one of the lot of you that I could stand....I liked the lady. Understand, monkey boy? She was decent. She didn't put on airs. She always had a nice cuppa for me."

Or are you referring specifically to Spike being at the cemetary with Buffy? They didn't have that type of relationship at that point. It didn't matter that Angel wasn't close to Joyce: he was there for Buffy.

 

[LadyLavinia]

Couldn't care less about Angel's return.

 

[Angelus88]

I read in a magazine not too long ago that, maybe not so much for this episode but definitely for Chosen, that it was something to do with a contract that David (Angel) was only allowed to appear on BtVS for so long? Not sure how true it is but thats just what I read and maybe a contributing factor to the "forced" feeling some have from Angel's return. Anyone know anything more about that contract situation?

 

[Willow My Love]

Don't know anything about a contract, but I loved Angel being there. It seemed to fit perfectly, in my eyes. Just a little bit of comfort, to show her he still cares, that he's still there for her. I thought it was absolutely beautiful. She just reached back, and there he was.

 

[PassionBecoming]

I thought Angel coming back fit in perfectly. Again, not a Bangel shipper, but I do think these two are soul mates.They have come to realize it isn't going to work between them, but the connection will always be there and they will always be there for each other.

 

[forget]

All I need to say is that I basically screamed every time he appeared on Buffy after Angel started, and when he came back in Season 7: I couldn't help but SOB tears of joy. I felt like such a dork. My mom saw me and was like "What happend on Buffy now? Did Angel kill Buffy now?" (because I always felt the need to explain everything that happend) and I was like "No, HE CAME BACK TO HELP!!!!" and she looked at me like I was crazy, laughed, and walk away.
Every time I remember that first time I cried when he showed during those last episodes, I feel like such a loser. 🙂

 

[Zeppo]

I don't understand why Angel needs to offer more than his shoulder and listening ear for Buffy in order for that encounter to not be "forced." Does their history mean nothing? Had he not shown up, I bet we'd see topics about "where was Angel to support Buffy when Joyce died? I thought they were supposed to love eachother so much!!1!"

There was no one at that point that Buffy could've opened up to the way she could with Angel. Sorry. Once Buffy left that cemetery she was officially a caregiver, bill payer, college student and Slayer - not to mention motherless. No one else was going to top the support that Angel could give at that moment. I always assumed she called for him to come which meant she needed him there, even for a night. So obviously, it wasn't a useless reason for his appearance; our heroine needed him. It was about being comforted. I'm confused why even that is not enough for those who call it forced.

 

[kalike123]

Any Angel is good Angel. I took what I could get there.

I don't know what a "Bangel shipper" is, but after reading it in context a few times, I suspect I'm in the group. 😱

My ex showed up when my mother died. I was glad to see him and took some comfort. We both knew it didn't mean he could stay around, just that he thought I might need him, which wasn't entirely wrong. I'm not the Dead Parents Expert, but this might happen more often that I thought.