W & H and the First

[bespangeled]

It's very clear that Buffy and company didn't really beat the first in anything more than a skirmage. They got some of it's troops killed, and closed the hellmouth, but by it's very nature the first can't be permanently beaten or destroyed. They managed a short term disruption in one small place.

Now, the first evil predates humans, as I recall. The Senior Partners also predate humans. The Black Thorn circle is ancient even if none of the current members were part of the original circle. I would say all three of them are parts of the First.

So, given that these are all evil, I am pretty sure that they are used to fights. They like fights - because fighting generally results in some sort of evil. The Black Circle must have a history of back-stabbing and power plays. In fact, I can see W&H rebuilt from some sort of magical template the next day. There is only one member of the Circle left - Angel.

If Angel were told that he had to pick new members for the Circle, or else the First would chose the most horrible demons possible to be part of that circle, what would he do? Would it make a difference that he violated his contract and now Connor was fair game?

Assuming that Wesley and Gunn signed contracts, they could be brought back to life like Lilah. Spike and Illyria survived for all we know. Would those four agree to be members of the circle if Angel asked? Would being a member of the Circle corrupt automatically? And who would he chose for the last place? Buffy? Faith? Willow?

Speculation highly desired here!

 

[Taake]

I kind of always pictured the Black Thorn Circle as kind of an evil fanclub, meaning once its members have been destroyed by Angel and company the Circle is effectively destroyed. Angel could pick and choose new members as he pleased but it would only be the Circle in name, not practice (unless yes, it did corrupt but if he filled it with Angel incs and Scoobies why would it? Who would be influencing them? If they're not out to do evil or sacrificing etc to the First they're not the Black Thorn...) The power of the group was due to what each evil individual member brought it, creating a chain of support and backholding which maximized what they could do with their evil influence and power, that was what made it notable, if there had been 'lesser' evil members it just wouldn't have wielded that kind of power, which was why it was so exclusive.

What I mean is what makes the group is its members. Meaning that if Angel replaced the Black Thorn with white hats it would cease to be what it was.
Evil, real evil, would form a new secret society for their deeds and continue their fanworshipping far away from the likes of Angel and his crew. The First wouldn't have to do anything, its cronies would do it all on their own, I my opinion.

 

[white avenger]

Given what we know about Angel's bargain with Twilight in Season 8 and his reasoning in agreeing to it, I think that he would pick the most vile, evil, despicable creatures he could find to recruit as members of the new Circle Of The Black Thorn, then set himself up as chairman, and try to manipulate the other members and their activities on the theory that the evil that he had them doing would be less damaging than what they might do without him.