Angel

Liam (later "Angelus", yet later "Angel") was born to a wealthy family in Galway, Eire, in 1727 (see "How Old is Angel?" for a discussion the validity of this statement of age). His father was a silk merchant, and the family had one servant who worked for them. Liam was fonder of the low life than his high social status would usually dictate, and he frequented taverns and associated with wild women, finding the upper-class girls too dull ("simpering morons" was, I believe, his term). One day, of course, he took with the wrong woman altogether: a foreigner named Darla.

She sired him into the vampiric fold, and one of Angelus' first acts was to kill his father (whom he hated) along with the rest of his family. Later, the two vampire lovers traversed the surface of the Earth having wild and violent escapades together. Angelus was known far and wide (by those aware of the undead's existence anyway) as the most vicious (if not the most powerful) vampire around. The Master (Darla's mentor, and possibly sire) admired Angelus' work though the two did not spend so much time together.

While Darla served the Master, she and Angel nonetheless caroused all over the world independently. While in England, she intoriduced him to a young psychic named Drusilla. He became fascinated with her, torturing her mentally and killing her family. He eventually sired her, once she was driven mad.

During an absense (yet to be determined) of Darla's, Angelus took Dru as a lover, and eventually he sired Spike to become the third member of their trio. Angelus apparently grew bored of this group, however, and left Spike and Dru together to get back with Darla. Around the turn of last century the two terrorized Budapest during an earthquake. It was around this time that Angelus' unlife changed forever.

While in the continental region, he took it upon himself to kill a gypsy girl, beloved of her Kalderash clan. Outraged, her people took it upon themselves to curse Angelus. Using a Thessalan orb, they summoned his soul from the nether regions where it was trapped and placed it back in his body. Still a vampire, Angelus would now feel remorse for all of his vile acts. In pain and sadness, he fled to the country of America, where he became simply "Angel", living in the Manhattan gutter. It was there that Whistler found him.

Up to now, Angel had not been a hero. He had begun as a drunken slob, become a vicious killer, and finally returned to his pitiful state. It is in Angel's genetic make-up that he be a brooder. As soon as his soul is restored, Angel retreats inwards and lives off "a rat once a month" on the streets. His unkind existence even before becoming a vampire was merely (if you will) a forward reflection of the evil to come. Once that had passed, his true self was allowed to take over. His "Loser Pining Guy" attitude.

Whistler changed that. He showed Angel life was worth living. He showed him what it means to help people. He showed him Buffy.

Angel fell in love instantly. He saw Buffy outside her school as she was called by Merrick. She walked down the stairs, and Angel was in love. He vowed then to get his act together, get in shape, and follow her to her destiny in Sunnydale, California: the Hellmouth.

But all was not well. As he and Buffy got closer, his brooding persona was allowed to take over because of the pain he was causing her. It was fine for a while, but then Angel's soul was once again removed after a night of passion with Buffy. When it finally came back, she was forced to send him to Hell where he was torutured for centuries (only months passed on Earth). Brought back again by the mysterious Powers That Be (apparently), Angel realized his relationship with Buffy could never be, and he once again retreated into himself.

For all Angel's outward strength, he is a weak individual. At times he can be strong as an oak (and recently this side has become more dominant) but at other times as weak as a dry twig. When the First Evil tried to turn him, Angel tried committing suicide, claiming about his weakness: "It's not the vampire in me that needs killing, it's the man." Unable to be around Buffy without being with her, he was forced to move to LA, where he now fights the forces of darkness as a private investigator.

It's easy for Angel to be physically strong. He fights well, enjoys the practice to a certain extent. He was content to be saving lives until Doyle came along and showed him that he had to touch people's lives, not just save them. This emotional solidity is difficult for the tortured vampire. When there's no face-to-face, everything's fine. As soon as it gets personal though, Angel's in trouble.

Luckily he has a team to help him. Cordelia Chase may not be the best to advise him ("consider the source", as Doyle pointed out) but she performs the duty of humanizing Angel adequately. Similarly, Doyle (with his alcoholism and gambling addiction) is far from perfect, but together the three made a whole. With the loss of Doyle, Angel is made slightly less. However, Wesley and Gunn, both individuals searching for themselves, do their best to replace the Irish demon.

Not to say Angel isn't strong. When the chips are down, you can usually rely on the guy to do the right thing. Witness his destruction of the Gem of Amara (In the Dark) or his refusal of humanity in I Will Remember You. Angel does have inner strength, but to get to that, there's a lot of pain and torture to go through. It may take a while, but Angel is on the path to becoming human again - in spirit first, then hopefully in body.