Was it necessary for Angel to leave?

Absolutely. As characters (not just as a ship, I mean), they have a long way to go at that point. Angel didn't just leave to give Buffy a chance at a normal life, though of course that was part of it. I think he left for himself too because he had a greater calling to fulfill. Saving souls. Even if he didn't know it yet.

On the shippy side, I think I'd like Bangel a bit better if the circumstances had been different. Like, if Joyce hadn't had to go behind Buffy's back and if Angel had reached the decision to leave with more input on Buffy. But oh well. I love the scene with Angel melting back into the shadows at the end of Graduation Day.
 
Neither character could grow if they stayed together and I think it would have bogged down the show way too much which is why Joss Whedon chose to spin Angel off into his own show.

Besides I don't think they would have been able to pull of I Will Remember You, and which I was the highlight of the episode.
 
Yes, it was the best thing for him to leave.

As much as I love Bangel, it was the best thing. How do they say.. If you love something, let it go. If it comes back to you, it's yours, if it doesn't, it never was.
 
K
kndizzle
Very true. 100%
I don't know if it was necessary, but I think it ended up being a good thing. 7 years of will they or won't they would have gotten old on Buffy, instead the show got to bring in new love interests and Spike got to be the resident vampire on the show, where he was very well developed. For Angel, it let him have his own identity outside of Buffy and chart his own path. It also gave Cordelia the chance to be a leading lady on a show, a role she shined in.
 
I believe it was necessary for Angel to leave. It gave room for both characters to grow which would not have been possible if he had stayed. Also I think that if Angel had stayed then they would have gotten physical again.
 
Leaving Sunnydale was the best thing that could have happened for Angel. For a long time his purpose was to be there for Buffy and look out for her. By leaving, he had to discover a new purpose.

All of Angel's development as an individual happened on his own series. Doyle, Cordelia, Wesley, Gunn, and the rest only added to his growth.

For me, Angel wouldn't have been half as interesting had he stayed in Sunnydale to be the love interest.
 
nightshade
nightshade
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By the end of season 3, Angel was hardly doing anything besides being a on/off love interest for Buffy. He wasn't developing as a character, and it had also come to a point in the Bangel relationship where they really couldn't be together without major difficulties. Honestly, what could he have contributed to the show past those seasons? His being involved with Buffy would be the only role he could play, honestly. He needed his own show, so that he would be able to develop. And I wouldn't give up the show Angel even if it meant mabye not having potentials in season 7, or the lame adam storyline in season 4.

I totally agree with this. Angel wasn't doing much of anything except brooding and being Buffy's boyfriend at that point. He needed to go; the distance between him and Buffy was a good thing.
 
I definitely think it was good that Angel left, not only for him as a character, but for BtVS. The show wouldn't be the same if there was the whole forbidden love going on with Angel and Buffy. The first three seasons dealt with that very well, but if Angel would have stayed, it would have held him and Buffy back.
 
I think logically that was the only way that the Buffy/ Angel thing wouldve worked out so that the viewers wanted more. I mean how many seasons of breakups and make ups can we take with these two? They couldnt be completely happy and it was tearing them apart. They were lovers, they were enemies, there was no where else to go. Although I reaalyyyyyy am a die hard Buffy/Angel shipper and it kills me to say that.
 
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