Would unleashing Angelus this season have been better?

[slayer730]

I’ve always liked the return of Angelus in season 4 and felt it was one of his highlights of not just that season but the show in general. In retrospect however, his presence felt very crowded and irrelevant to the Jasmine end game they eventually went with.

I got to thinking and wondered would season 3 be a better time to introduce him. Unlike the Beast I feel Angelus has stronger ties to Holtz and I could imagine upon seeing Angel reformed he’d want to bring back the old Angelus to interact with and exact his vengeance.

What do you all think?

 

[Skanky Vamp]

No. If Angelus was running around it would further validate Holtz' desire to eradicate him. Besides, I don't really see a place in S3 where Angelus would fit. You kinda needed Angel to be front and center for those episodes.

 

[AlphaFoxtrot]

Like we need another lunatic running around in that season. First, you had pregnant Darla, then Holtz, then Sanjan, then whomever was running Wolfram & Hart that season. Then Justine. Then Angel or Wes, because neither one of them were really of sound mind. Then Connor. Now, into that you want to throw Angelus into that mix? The one guy who would probably just kill Fred and Gunn and go back to Sunnydale for what he called "A playdate."

 

[Skanky Vamp]

The one guy who would probably just kill Fred and Gunn

Well, I might change my vote now. If it means getting rid of that damn Frunn ship I say bring on Angelus.

 

[Anyanka Bunny Slayer]

No way. Angelus was brilliant in Buffy, but other than that, he was far too over-the-top. There was no finesse, he was like a cartoon version of evil. David's over-acting pretty much destroyed the character...or rather, made him laughable.

 

[slayer730]

I'm not sure Angel would go back to Sunnydale with all of the drama going around in front of him. I mean, he could have easily done that in season 4 when he got unleashed but he didn't.

The general idea I had for it was along the lines of Holtz wanting to not only unleash and meet Angelus again, but use him as a tool to destroy his own family, the fang gang like Angelus did his. So he'd find a way to capture his soul in the glass like it was done in season 4 and with the assistance of Justine and after having him do something horrible break the glass so it can be restored.

 

[Mrs Gordo]

I actually kinda love this idea. It may have redeemed a pretty crappy season.

I read a fic once where Angel was so depressed over Connor's death that some how he let Angelus take the reins. It's not a perfect fic and it was more ship centric but I really like the idea of Angelus coming up at the end of s3 and causing some real damage.

 

[Buffy Summers]

I feel like Angelus props up Season 4, so I wouldn't want him to have been moved to season 3 lol

 

[Wesley Junior]

The general idea I had for it was along the lines of Holtz wanting to not only unleash and meet Angelus again, but use him as a tool to destroy his own family, the fang gang like Angelus did his. So he'd find a way to capture his soul in the glass like it was done in season 4 and with the assistance of Justine and after having him do something horrible break the glass so it can be restored.

I like this idea. I can see Holtz doing this. And then alternate Season 4 could be about Angel trying to repair the damage Angelus caused.

 

[FaithLehane16]

No. It seemed pointless.

 

[Mr Trick]

No, there were already enough strong villains that season. I don't like all the stuff with him in S4 but I can see more of a place in the plot for him than in S3.

 

[NeonSlayer]

I think s4 was the right time but gotta say it is MUCH more believable that Angel would lose his soul & become Angelus from the happiness of being a father to newborn Connor than that lameass Shaman induced faux world dream.

 

[Miss Muffet]

Though I think Connor would have worked better than a dream fantasy, Angelus works better S4. He's one of my favorite parts of the season (behind the Jasmine arc). Also, they couldn't have crossovers S3, so Willow couldn't help them, assuming she's not off the magic at that point.

 

[Stake fodder]

I feel like this season was so stuffed with story arcs that I don't know that there would be room for an Angelus one. I did wonder, though, why baby Connor did not induce "perfect happiness," as Angel seemed so full of joy with him.

 

[TriBel]

I did wonder, though, why baby Connor did not induce "perfect happiness," as Angel seemed so full of joy with him.

Read S11...in case you don't - personally I think "perfect happiness" and the curse relates to events in Liam's life...to a promise made to his sister (to always remember her) and a "curse" placed on him by his father (who tells him his evil side will always come out and he'll corrupt his sister - isn't this what happens with Dru?). Everything that happens after can be read as a catalyst for a return of these repressed memories. Connor is a different type of happiness. It's "purer", non-transgressive. It's the antithesis of the spell, which addresses corruption. Remember, Angel "takes" Buffy's "innocence". Connor IS innocent. (I could change my mind...that's only just occurred to me). In part, it's Angel trying to rewrite the past...to be the "good father" he'd repressed memory of (because he killed that father) but the past catches up with him. In S4 his solution is to wipe the past completely...but it still reappears. It follows him through to S11 where he catches up with the past. Really, it's one long therapeutic journey. S12 is ambivalent about the results.

AtS might be messy and people might not like the path Cordy's story takes but it's pure Oedipus and its repercussions/implications. It's a bit heavy handed in places - killing fathers and sleeping with mothers - but the wider picture is very clever.