Angel without the Buffy relationship

[Chasing Cordy]

I think Angel(us) could have played just as important of a role without having a deep relationship with the title chracter (for BtVS).
He could have been the guy that works from the inside and gives the good guys the scoop on how to beat the evil dudes...and he didn't need to hit the sack with anybody to do it.

[M-a-r-c]

Yeh but I think the only reason he helped Buffy was because he loved her.

In the flashback in Becoming when whistler shows him Buffy being called, he immediately wanted to protect her because it was love at first site.

BUT if he felt differently yet still helped he would just be info guy like you said. Maybe he'd have been like Merl. Buffy having to kick the crap outta him to get the information. That would've been funny.

[~angelic slayer~]

Lol yeah that would be funny.... I think Angel COULD have been a great character regardless (although Joss would have had to do a lot more with his character and his "socialness" on BTVS), however I wouldn't change it if I could (hardcore Bangel shipper I'm afraid;)). I think that their relationship was just too big a part in the story and the characters' developments to picture it otherwise. Plus if it weren't for Angel, who knows who Buffy would have ended up with in those seasons... like Parker or Scott *shudders* lol

[Black Eye Guy]

I don't think he could of actually, I mean one of the biggest incidents in the Buffyverse was the Angel changing over to Angelus storyline, and it effected the course of the show so much and it would not have had the same impact if he was not in a relationship with Buffy, I mean lets face it we are not nice people we like to see our heroes be pushed fully to their limits, we want to see them go through hell and back, and we want to see them suffer from love and loss, that’s what make's Buffy so great it is not afraid to touch on the big subjects.

Having Buffy fall in Love, complete and utter head over heals love, is a big storyline, That allot of other shows would cover, but then have the lover of the hero turn evil after she sleeps with him for the first time, not just their first time but her first time ever, then have the lover torment her friends, and murder the people around her, before resulting in a fight to the death in which she has to kill him, just so the world can continue for another day! That’s freaking huge, and it was covered in one season!

I mean I think if Angel had not had this love storyline with Buffy, he would have been pushed to the back, and Angel it to big a story to have pushed to the back, I mean that’s why he got his own show, I just don't think it would have been possible to continue that character in the way he was heading in season 1.

[Kimm]

^ I agree!!

The writers HAD to make Buffy and Angel fall madly in love with each other for the season 2 plots to be effective.

I admit I have a bias though because I am 100% a Bangel shipper.

[angeldarla]

at the begining angel was a little " naked" without buffy. their relationship was really importante to btvs. but when he went to LA he proved tha the could handle himself without buffy and he understood that he had to move on.

[Angel's vision]

I think if Angel had not of fallen for Buffy lost his soul tehn got sent to hell and back he would not of discovered his destiny and watching the first ep of Angel i must say it was good to see him without her, and he really came to grow.

[palabravampiress]

Angel without Buffy?

I think it's necessary backstory for both characters. That said, I always thought it was more than a little a little pathetic that a 250-year-old immortal guy was made happiest by boinking a 17-year-old virgin. Being a father? Saving the world? coming back from Hell? Happy, but not happy like fresh... a word I don't think I'm allowed to say here. I mean, come on!

I don't know how it would have worked on the shows, but I think I would have liked Angel better if we hadn't seen him do the puppy love thing with Buffy. He was too bossy. He didn't treat Buffy like an equal. He treated her like she was part precious thing and part child. He made decisions for her instead of with her. That colored my opinion of him forever after.

[Keanoite]

Angel without Buffy? Im not trying to be over dramatic but I think without this relationship A LOT of people wouldn't be on this forum right now because quite frankly Buffy would have been a lesser show and Buffy herself a weaker character without it.

As had been stated before season one of Buffy isn't as emotionally wrought as your average Buffy season. There are alot of reasons for that but one of the main reasons is what happens to Buffy in season two. She CANNOT be that young naive girl anymore because of what happened to Angel. There were four OH MY GOD moments in the first two seasons of Buffy and they ALL involved Angel and his relationship with Buffy.

1)In Angel when we find out he was a vampire
2)In Surprise when he lost his soul
3)In Passion when he killed Jenny
4)and In Becoming II when Buffy killed him

Without bangel so much would have been lost...pretty much seasons 2&3

We would never have gotten Angel the show because it was through seeing DB act in 'I only have eyes for you' that Joss saw the potential. That means no Doyle, No new Cordy, no Gunn, Wes, Lorne I mean the list is endless. I honestly don't think its possible to measure how valuable buffy and Angel's relationship is to the Buffyverse.

I mean if he had just been the info guy that appeared every now and again then he would have been no better than Willie or Merl!! A one dimential character used as punching bag!!

Maybe its cuz I'm devoted to Bangel but really, Buffy without Bangel is MADNESS!!!