Love and Kate
or 10 Things I Kate About You
Well, I guess I should start by admitting a somewhat embarrassing fact. I like Kate Lochley. Quite a bit actually. She's warm, witty, charming, insecure, bold, very pretty. It's hard not to like her, especially as portrayed by Elizabeth Rohm. But I object to her from a moral standpoint. She shouldn't be there; it's clear she's just a poor substitute for Buffy as a romantic interest.
So here I go with my top reasons for not wanting Kate and Angel to get together. Ready? Then let's begin:
She's a doppelBuffy. Really, could they be more obvious about trying to recreate Buffy? Kate's blond. She's pretty. Very strong and tough, fighting for the side of good (Kate's a cop, Buffy's the Slayer). Instantly attracted to Angel, but carrying on a platonic-but-I-wish-it-was-more relationship, impeded by mistrust of his secrecy. This is all mondo familiarro (very familiar). Déjà vu much?
Angel's still in love. Did anyone forget Buffy, the love of Angel's life? I didn't mind too much when Buffy hopped immediately into the sack with Parker Abrams, 'cause she's a teenager. I doubt she felt the same love for Angel that he did for her, though she may have thought so. Buffy's young, and she doesn't know better. But Angel is very old, and mature. His love was true and eternal. He'll always love Buffy. So no Kate, you hear me!
Gettin' groiny. Think Kate would go for a celibate relationship? Granted she hasn't been dating much (her father was reportedly beginning to think she might 'swing the other way') but few young adults these days seem to want to show that kind of restraint. And recall that when Angel 'gets pelvic' he has the unfortunate tendency to lose his soul and become quite evil. I think he could do without the temptation.
Love hurts. Remember how Angel left Buffy to come to LA? Remember how Mayor Wilkins told him it was unfair to Buffy to let her grow old while Angel didn't? Remember when Angel agreed and broke Buffy's heart for her own good? Remember how he thought this was the right thing to do? So why go through this all over again with Kate?
Wrong kind of reputation. In Sense and Sensitivity, Kate says she doesn't "want a reputation for getting [Angel] killed". If she starts dating Angel, this'll turn back the other way. He's kind of a danger-magnet, drawing all kinds of ghouls and demons to him like flies to honey. Unless he's out to get her killed, he'd probably better not get too close to her.
Unnecessary distraction. Off the bat Kate became a temptation and a bad distraction for Angel. While he was talking with her at D'Oblique (in Lonely Hearts) he didn't see Cordy and Doyle attracting trouble elsewhere in the room. Does he really want someone who'll blind him to the hurt around him? He gave up the Gem of Amara in In the Dark for this reason.
The wrong foot. Just a minor point, but Kate started off their relationship with a lie. She pretended to be hanging out at D'Oblique when she was really there investigating a serial killer, whom she suspected Angel of being. Plus the whole shooting him in the back thing.
Cordelia. Sure, I know it'll never happen. But if Angel goes out with anyone but Cordelia, there's just no justice in the world. See how she makes him laugh in Halloween. No one else, not Buffy, not Kate, not anyone, can make him do that. Under the influence of 'the whammy' in Sense and Sensitivity he tells her, "Cordelia, do you have any idea just how precious you are?" She already knows his secrets, she's okay with the supernatural danger thing. She's good for him, he's good-looking enough for her. It's perfect.
Never happen though. I know.
Okay, so there's not quite the titular 10 items there. But I may get stuff to add here in the future.
Remember, dating Kate Lochley is not big and it's not clever. Just say no.
Much thanks to Angel Passages for the first Kate pic!
