Buffy the Vampire Slayer’sill-fated romance with the vampire Angel is one of the franchise’s greatest gifts to pop culture – butas much as Buffy, and by extension, fans invested in their relationship, might have pined for Angel to become human again, so he could truly love the Slayer, they didn’t necessarily think of the potential downsides.
InAngel: After the Fall#3 – written by Brian Lynch, from a story by franchise creator Joss Whedon, with art by Franco Urru – Buffy’s wish comes true, as Angel finds himself human once more, in theaftermath of his spin-off series' TV finale. However, unlike how Buffy or Angel might have hoped, being human causes more problems for Angel than solutions.
In fact, Angel’s humanity nearly marks the end of the world. Angel’s plight as a human comes at the worst possible time and manages to make his curse of eternal damnation seem like the right thing for him.
Angel’s Restored Humanity Was A Major Surprise Of The Canon Sequel Comic “After The Fall”
Angel: After the Fall#3 – Story By Joss Whedon; Written By Brian Lynch; Art By Franco Urru; Released In 2007
AsAngelviewers may recall, the original show ended with a fade to black right before"Not Fade Away’s" ending battlecould commence.Angel: After the Falltakes placeright after that fade to black, with the canonical expansion showcasing the story’s final battle and its aftermath, and of course, the fates of the Angel Investigations crew. As the comic reveals, in the heat of the fight, Angel is suddenly teleported away on to a rooftop, unsure why or how he got there.
At the time ofAfter the Fall’srelease, Angel becoming human again was a major twist; in the first two issues of the sequel series, readers weren’t privy to the truth of Angel’s freshly restored human frailty.
When he goes to leap off the building, he realizes his heart has a beat, and, unlike when he was a vamp, his fall nearly dislocates his bones. Eventually, it is established thatWolfram & Hart used its limitless power to take Angel’s vampirism away, knowing he’d need his immortality and invulnerability most during his last-ditch effort to destroy them for good. Simultaneously, the evil law firm sends Angel and the city of Los Angeles surrounding him to a Hell dimension, making Angel’s job all the harder.
In an effort to try and undo what Wolfram & Hart has done, Angel uses magic and healing spells to tend to his injuries, with guidance from Wesley, who’s been made a non-corporeal being after his death, forever bound by his Wolfram & Hart contract. At the time ofAfter the Fall’srelease, Angel becoming human again was a major twist; in the first two issues of the sequel series, readers weren’t privy to the truth of Angel’s freshly restored human frailty, and his attempts to hide this from everyone around him would constitute an ongoing narrative tension for the comic.
“After The Fall” Gave Angel Exactly What He Wanted, At The Worst Possible Time
Angel’s Humanity Became A Burden, Rather Than A Reward
The reveal of Angel’s humanity inAfter the Fall#3 is a brilliant use of dramatic irony, something thatBuffyandAngelwere both always good at. That is, Angel had long coveted the idea of becoming human once more; in fact, much ofAngelrevolved around his quest to fulfill his part in the “Shanshu Prophecy,” which promised that a vampire with a soul would be key to the events of the apocalypse, and would regain his soul as a result. In other words,After the Fall#3’s twist makes good on this prophecy – under the worst possible circumstances.
Over the years, Angel truly grew into the role of a hero, the kind whose service as a hero and a guardian ultimately proved more meaningful to him than redemption – something heartbreakingly embodied by hisAfter the Fallarc.
This is repeatedly emphasized throughoutAfter the Fall; if there was ever a time when Angel needed his vampiric powers, it would be now, as he tries to protect the city of L.A. after it has been sent to literal hell. The cruel twist is that he cannot enjoy his humanity, and thus needs to go on a quest to regain his vampirism, a direct inversion of his previous goal. While the specific situation made this absolutely necessary, it is, ultimately, a reflection of the character’s core character arc.
That is, Angel was not gifted with a soul, but rather cursed; it was a way of making him pay for his atrocities as a vampire. His attempts to earn his humanity back were motivated by a desire for true redemption, but also for freedom from his curse. However, over the years, Angel truly grew into the role of a hero, the kind whose service as a hero and a guardian ultimately proved more meaningful to him than redemption – something heartbreakingly embodied by hisAfter the Fallarc.
Angel’s Struggle To Regain His Vampirism Formed A Core Conflict Of “After The Fall”
Angel: After the Fall#16 – Story By Joss Whedon; Written By Brian Lynch; Art By Franco Urru; Released In 2009
Angel isn’t the only one transformed by LA’s relocation to Hell. Another ally of his, Gunn, was bitten and turned into a vampire during the battle of Los Angeles. Rechristening himself as the most dangerous vampire in Hell, leading a horde, Gunn feels bitter toward Angel for abandoning him to his fate, unaware that Angel was teleported away. In a vengeful fit upon reuniting, Gunn temporarily kills Angel, undoing the magic that was keeping him alive. It was in this purgatorial stasis that Angel learns Wolfram & Hart’s real “Shanshu Prophecy” for him to kickstart the apocalypse.
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Once Angel is revived, he is petrified in the face of his destiny and desperate to find any means to avert it. To do just that, he goads Gunn into a fight to compel him to strike him with a flaming sword. It works, as Gunn kills Angel instantly. However, knowing they need Angel alive for their prophecy to come to pass,Wolfram & Hart is forced to reset the timeline to the beginning of “Not Fade Away’s” alley fight, where Angel was still living and a vampire, with all of Team Angel’s memories intact.
Angels' “After The Fall” Humanity Arc Is Reminiscent Of An All-Time Great “Buffy” & “Angel” Crossover Episode
The Iconic “I Will Remember You”
Angel: After the Fallisn’t the only story to dabble in the prospect of Angel becoming human,as one ofAngel’sfirst crossover episodes withBuffy the Vampire Slayerdoes just that. In the first season’s eighth episode,“I Will Remember You,“Angel is turned human after spilling the blood of a Mohra demon. He and Buffy take the opportunity to enjoy a day and night of true happiness without consequence. Except, Angel realizes how hard being a hero as a human is. To ensure LA isn’t without its champion, he has The Oracles revert time and his humanity.
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This is almost the exact scenario that revolves around the final act ofAngel: After the Fall. While it isn’t impossible to be a hero, it becomes infinitely harder for Angel to serve justice in a world littered with the supernatural without his natural abilities as a vampire. It’s also worth noting that in another crossover from Season One, “In the Dark,“Angelgains the Ring of Amara to walk into the sunlight and become unkillable. However, he realizes that not only is the Ring dangerous if fallen into the wrong hands, it makes his job too easy, so he destroys it.
All issues ofAngel: After the Fallare available now from Dark Horse Comics.
