WHY did Wesley help Angel?

[Buffanator]

I am currently re-watching Season 4 of Angel.

Knowing all they'd been thru, and how Angel tried to kill Wes, etc. WHY did Wesley search for Angel? And especially - why did he feed him his own blood? (Had it been me, I'd have drained Justine, esp. since she slit his throat in S-3!!!!)

In watching it, I see that Wesley DOES want to be "back in the fold" of Angel Inc again... but maybe it was something deeper?

 

[Fredsicle]

Because he was in love with Angel.
Or maybe it was because Angel saved his life on many previous occasions, and he sought redemption for kidnapping the baby?

 

[white avenger]

I think both the searching for and the giving his own blood to Angel was Wes' way of trying to atone, if only in a very slight way, for the massive screw up that he felt that he was responsible for. Of course, we all know that it was really the manipulation of Sahjahn and the obsession of Holtz that really caused everything. Wes was only trying to do exactly the same thing that Angel had himself done on several occasions in the past and would continue to do in the future: do things "for their own good" to his friends and acquaintances without ever consulting them or even really looking at the long term consequences of his actions.

 

[Joan the Vampire Slayer]

I think both the searching for and the giving his own blood to Angel was Wes' way of trying to atone, if only in a very slight way, for the massive screw up that he felt that he was responsible for. Of course, we all know that it was really the manipulation of Sahjahn and the obsession of Holtz that really caused everything. Wes was only trying to do exactly the same thing that Angel had himself done on several occasions in the past and would continue to do in the future: do things "for their own good" to his friends and acquaintances without ever consulting them or even really looking at the long term consequences of his actions.

Agreed. Also, in regard to the blood thing, Wes said that Justine's blood was too "thin" to nourish Angel, so he fed him his own blood.

Wesley was holding onto a shred of hope that Angel would forgive him. Despite all that had happened, Wesley cared deeply for Angel. Angel was basically his best friend. He wasn't going to let him die.

 

[Kean]

I think both the searching for and the giving his own blood to Angel was Wes' way of trying to atone, if only in a very slight way, for the massive screw up that he felt that he was responsible for. Of course, we all know that it was really the manipulation of Sahjahn and the obsession of Holtz that really caused everything. Wes was only trying to do exactly the same thing that Angel had himself done on several occasions in the past and would continue to do in the future: do things "for their own good" to his friends and acquaintances without ever consulting them or even really looking at the long term consequences of his actions.

I agree, with the atone part anyway. Wesley helped Angel to make amends and also, to help himself. He had to try and make right awful wrong he had committed. It was either help Angel or fully embrace darkness, and lets face it, he was very close to taking option B.

As for him being manipulated by Sahjahn and Holtz, I'm not as convinced. I feel more like he was wreckless rather than led astray. Wesley has an incredible mind, I don't see how he could ever have thought giving Angel's son to a man who had made it more than clear that he hated Angel. If he needed to get Connor away from Angel surely there was other, safer and more trustworthy avenues he could have exhausted? Sunnydale for example?

 

[Revolver]

I'm confused. I don't recall him ever agreeing to give Connor to Holtz. He was planning on taking Connor and leaving himself until Justine slit his throat and took Connor from him. At any rate, Sunnydale would certainly have been out of the question. If the key to keeping Connor safe (as far as Wes knew) was keeping him away from Angel, then he certainly wouldn't want to take him somewhere Angel has a lot of history and is likely to visit again.

 

[Fredsicle]

At any rate, Sunnydale would certainly have been out of the question. If the key to keeping Connor safe (as far as Wes knew) was keeping him away from Angel, then he certainly wouldn't want to take him somewhere Angel has a lot of history and is likely to visit again.

Well if Wes told Buffy what was going on, Willow would probably have done a protection spell or taken away his invite into the Summers house if they'd heard the prophecy, or Giles would have researched it and seen that it wasn't a real one. I forget if Giles was there or not at this point in Season 6.

 

[charmingslayer]

I think it's cause Wesley knew it was the right thing to do.

 

[Sunnydale Siren]

atonement for what happened with Connor.

 

[Revolver]

Well, yes, Willow could have done a protection spell and he could have been uninvited to the Summer's home. But you have to look at this from Wesley's perspective since he was the one making the decision. He didn't know the prophecy wasn't a real one, so Giles and his research wouldn't have factored into his decision. As far as he was concerned, Angel would at one point kill his child. So the only solution (again, as far as Wes knew) would be to keep Connor as far away from Angel as possible. A protection spell might have been a good short-term solution but so long as Angel was aware of where Connor was, he would have kept trying to get his son back (it's his child, you couldn't even really blame him for that). Connor would pretty much have been stuck inside the Summer's home forever to be safe. And that aside, protection spells have proven fairly unreliable on Buffy/Angel in general. And were Angel to revert to Angelus at some point, all he'd really need to do is burn the Summer's house to the ground. Connor would have been much safer in Wesley's care, constantly on the move so Angel couldn't locate them with a spell. Besides, I don't think Wes wanted the burden placed on anyone else or he would have first turned to the other members of Team Angel. If he acted alone, Angel would only have him to hate.

 

[Sunnydale Siren]

Well, yes, Willow could have done a protection spell and he could have been uninvited to the Summer's home. But you have to look at this from Wesley's perspective since he was the one making the decision. He didn't know the prophecy wasn't a real one, so Giles and his research wouldn't have factored into his decision. As far as he was concerned, Angel would at one point kill his child. So the only solution (again, as far as Wes knew) would be to keep Connor as far away from Angel as possible. A protection spell might have been a good short-term solution but so long as Angel was aware of where Connor was, he would have kept trying to get his son back (it's his child, you couldn't even really blame him for that). Connor would pretty much have been stuck inside the Summer's home forever to be safe. And that aside, protection spells have proven fairly unreliable on Buffy/Angel in general. And were Angel to revert to Angelus at some point, all he'd really need to do is burn the Summer's house to the ground. Connor would have been much safer in Wesley's care, constantly on the move so Angel couldn't locate them with a spell. Besides, I don't think Wes wanted the burden placed on anyone else or he would have first turned to the other members of Team Angel. If he acted alone, Angel would only have him to hate.

Looking back, I liked how Denisof played this s/l.

Wesley agonized over this decision, there was even a point where he thought he was mistaken.

then that fire happened in Angel's hotel room, basically pushed him over the edge.

 

[Willowsgirl]

Personally, I think Wes was stupid for not telling Angel about the prophecy. Angel would have thought of a way to keep Conner safe, even if it meant taking the baby away from him. Angel would never want to do a thing like that and if he absolutely had to, would have given him up. He even does so later on in the series. Angel deserved to know that there was this prophecy out there. I realize that Angel was being fed his sons own blood, but that is all the more reason to inform Angel about the prophecy. Angel inc may have been able to figure out what was going on sooner, had Wes informed Angel.

Also, all the prophecy said was "The Father Will Kill the Son" there was nothing about the events that would lead up to it or how exactly it comes about or even when it happens. For all Wes knew, it happens because Conner turned into a vampire, or he became possessed and Angel had no choice. Hell, it could have happen because the world was ending, and in order to save it Angel had to. The point is Wes didn't know. Wes was stupid to act alone and should have gone to Angel with the information or at least Fred, Gunn or Cordy.

Anyway, I think Wes got Angel out of his ocean coffin because it was the right thing to do. He was ready to embrace some of the darkness, but not ready to go all the way.

 

[Buffanator]

in regard to the blood thing, Wes said that Justine's blood was too "thin" to nourish Angel, so he fed him his own blood.

I always thought his line of her blood being "too thin" was just another verbal dig at Justine - no one's blood is "too thin" to feed a vampire.... is it? I didn't think that Wes was "dark enough" to feed her to Angel. JM2C.

 

[Fredsicle]

When I was first watching S3 of Angel, after they said the father would kill the son, I always thought that he would turn him into a vampire, like when Angel's room is on fire and he's all cut up, I figured Angel would accidentally drip blood on Connor and he would swallow it, and then Angel drank Connor's blood when W&H put it in his fridge.
Guess not.

 

[AgentX7k]

Wesley is kind of a bigger picture/ends justify means kind of guy. Putting aside all else for the greater good which in this case means saving Angel, he tells Lilah he is necessary for fighting people like you.

 

[caitaintdead]

Okay, this has bought up an interesting question - What exactly was Wesley planning to do if he escaped with Connor?

Go to England? Move to the middle of the Nullarbor and bring him up?

Surely Wesley didn't think that would work?

Wesley saved Angel because Wesley is a nice guy, with a good heart.

 

[Wesley]

There is a pretty good amount of information that can be gleaned from the prior and future episodes to figure out the what and why of Wesley.

First of all, why didn't he confide his worries in anyone else? He was alienated from Gunn and Fred because of their relationship and pulls away from them (you can see this in Waiting in the Wings). Cordelia is gone to Mexico with Groo (in my opinion the exact reason they removed Cordy from the show for a few episodes was so Wes would have no safety valve). Angel obviously would call him a fool he would never kill his son and Lorne is a lightweight. So he exhausts all other options such as speaking to the Loa and comes up empty. He doesn't come to the conclusion to steal Connor lightly, he is just so disconnected and lonely that he feels he has no way out.

The reason why he saves Angel? Any number of good ones will suffice. I am pretty sure he explained to Justine somewhat. Angel is a force for good and despite trying to kill Wes (which Wes probably doesn't entirely blame him for) the world is a better place with Angel in it. Also Wesley still views him as his best friend, he gave Wes a family when he had none, and many other reasons to deep to count. Another interesting fact covered is that Wesley never apologizes for anything he does. Perhaps this was his way of apologizing without words.

I don't think it was due to being 'in love' with him however, Wesleys pretty well hetero judging by his flings/feelings with Cordy, the bleach blond, the rich girl he saved pretending he was Angel, Lilah and Fred. There can be no doubt that he did love Angel as a brother however.

 

[Tasha]

Wesley knew it was the right thing to do, he knew the world would be a better place with Angel in it, plus i think Wesley knew how wrong he was for taking Connor etc, he probably would of tried to kill Angel if the same thing had happened to him, (if Angel took Wesleys son) if he had one of course.