Angel (Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode)

"Angel" is the seventh episode of season 1 of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The episode aired on The WB on April 14, 1997. It was written by co-executive producer David Greenwalt and directed by Scott Brazil.

While Buffy grows more and more annoyed with Angel's mysterious disappearing act, she can't deny her growing obsession with him. Meanwhile, it's killing Xander that Buffy doesn't have a clue how he feels about her and, as he vents his frustrations to Willow, she knows all too well how he feels. And in the underworld, The Master is incensed that Buffy has taken the lives of so many members of his family, and he summons warrior vampires to annihilate her.^[1]

The Master (Mark Metcalf) is displeased that Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) has been slaying his vampires, the latest victim being Zackery. Darla (Julie Benz) offers to kill Buffy, but the Master believes her reasons are too personal. The Master decides to send the Three, a trio of warrior vampires, to eliminate the Slayer.

The Three ambush Buffy on her way home from a pre-fumigation party at the Bronze. Angel (David Boreanaz) shows up at a critical moment but is wounded during the fight. Buffy and Angel run to her house, and she yells at him to get inside. With the Three on the other side of the door, Angel explains that a vampire can't enter someone's home unless invited in. Buffy recalls hearing that but tells Angel she's never had to put it to the test before.

In the kitchen, Angel removes his jacket and shirt so Buffy can dress his wound. She notices a tattoo on his back. Buffy thanks Angel for his help and asks how he happened to be so close by. Buffy's mother, Joyce (Kristine Sutherland), suddenly returns home from work. Buffy hurries to the front door to ensure her safety and that no vampires enter, then tries to coax her upstairs. Angel, now fully dressed, walks into the room. Buffy claims Angel is a college student tutoring her in history. A skeptical Joyce informs Buffy that it is too late for tutoring and goes upstairs.

Buffy pretends to send Angel off but instead sneaks him up to her bedroom. Angel says he doesn't want to get her into any more trouble, but Buffy insists he stays in case the Three are nearby. They discuss her room's single bed, and Buffy offers it to Angel since he is injured, but he insists on taking the floor. Buffy questions Angel's decision to fight vampires despite not being the Chosen One. She wonders what his family thinks of his career choice, but he explains they're dead. Buffy asks if vampires killed his family, and Angel confirms. She theorizes that hunting vampires is a "vengeance gig" for him, but Angel changes the subject. They settle down for the night in their respective spots.

The next morning, Buffy tells Xander (Nicholas Brendon) and Willow (Alyson Hannigan) about her night with Angel, calling him a "perfect gentleman." Xander protests that Angel is trying to seduce Buffy by saving her life and getting stabbed. Giles (Anthony Head) identifies the armored vampire trio and reassures the Three are no longer a threat because they must offer their lives in penance for failing their mission. Indeed, the Master allows Darla to execute the Three in his underground lair as a lesson on power for Collin, the Anointed One (Andrew J. Ferchland).

Returning to the library later that day, Buffy begins weapons training. She is disappointed when Giles requires her to start with the quarterstaff rather than the "cool" crossbow, but she easily defeats her Watcher and progresses to crossbow training.

Later that evening, Buffy brings food to Angel, who has waited out the day in her bedroom. Buffy asks Angel how he passed the time, and he replies that he did "a little reading" and a lot of thinking. Buffy notices her diary out of the drawer and nervously explains away entries that reveal her crush on "A." Angel stops her and explains that Buffy's mother moved the diary while straightening up and assures her he didn't read it. He confesses that he shouldn't be around her because all he wants to do is kiss her. As Buffy approaches him, Angel explains he is older than her and should go. They move closer to one another and begin to kiss. Suddenly, Angel pulls back with a snarl. When he turns back to her, his demon face reveals the truth — Angel is a vampire. Buffy screams, and Angel escapes through her window. When Joyce rushes into the bedroom and asks what happened, Buffy tells her she saw "a shadow."

Bringing her friends up to speed before school the next morning, Buffy wonders why Angel was good to her despite being a vampire. Giles insists there are no good vampires — they can retain the memories or personality of the person they take over, but they are still demons "at the core." Xander encourages Buffy to slay Angel.

Returning to his apartment, Angel becomes aware of an intruder but seems unsurprised to see Darla. She taunts him, saying that despite living above ground and killing vampires, he will never be human. Angel responds that he is not exactly like her either. Darla tells him that he can only suppress his true nature for so long and he should inform Buffy about the curse to see if she will accept him.

Giles and the gang spend time in the library researching Angel's past. They discover that, despite his century-long reputation as the sadistic killer Angelus, he has shunned the company of other vampires since coming to America and has apparently stopped hunting humans. Meanwhile, in the Master's lair, Darla insists on being allowed to kill Buffy. The Master agrees upon hearing Darla's plan to use Angel as her weapon.

That evening in the library, Willow is having a hard time tutoring Buffy in history since they are both distracted by gloom over boys; Buffy doesn't want to slay Angel, and Willow wants to attract Xander. Lurking upstairs in the shadows, Darla eavesdrops on their conversation.

Darla arrives at Buffy's house and deceives Joyce into inviting her in by claiming to be Buffy's friend. Lurking outside, Angel hears Joyce's scream and rushes in just as Darla begins to drink from her. Daring him to have a taste, Darla shoves the now unconscious Joyce into Angel's arms and escapes out the back door.

Buffy arrives home and finds a vamped-out Angel holding her bleeding mother in his arms. Buffy throws him through a window and calls for an ambulance. At the hospital, the gang tries to help Joyce remember what happened. Joyce recalls inviting Buffy's "friend" inside. Buffy misunderstands, believing she is talking about Angel instead of Darla. Buffy races to the library, takes the crossbow from the weapons cabinet, and storms out into the night.

In Angel's apartment, Darla tells him that Buffy is out hunting him right now and that the Slayer could never look at his "true face" and kiss him. Meanwhile, Giles talks further with Joyce and learns that it was Darla, not Angel, who bit her. With Xander and Willow in tow, he rushes to find Buffy.

Buffy tracks Angel to the deserted Bronze and engages him in combat. Angel tackles and disarms Buffy, but she retrieves her crossbow and fires at him, the bolt hitting the wall beside his head. Buffy demands an explanation, and Angel tells her the story of the Kalderash girl he once killed, whose family cursed him as retribution. The Gypsies restored his soul, condemning him to eternal torment and guilt for his past sins. Angel denies that he bit Joyce, though he admits to having the desire to do so as well as wanting to kill Buffy. The Slayer lays aside her crossbow and offers her throat to Angel.

Suddenly, Darla emerges from the shadows, boasting that she is the vampire who sired Angel and the two were together for "generations." Darla tells Angel that he could've ruled with her in the Master's court but instead chose to love someone who hates vampires. When Buffy aims her crossbow, Darla pulls out a pair of handguns and fires. Angel crumples to the floor after being shot. Buffy dives for cover behind the bar and shoots a bolt that misses Darla's heart. Hearing gunfire, Giles, Willow, and Xander rush in and distract Darla, shouting to Buffy that it was Darla who bit Joyce, not Angel.

As Darla shoots at Buffy, Angel approaches from behind and stakes her in the heart. Turning around in shock, Darla says his name before crumbling into dust. Underground, the Anointed One consoles the Master over the loss of Darla at Angel's hands. He tells the Master that Darla was weak and promises to deliver the Slayer to him.

During the post-fumigation party at the Bronze, Buffy notices Angel across the crowded room and goes over to greet him. Angel tells her they can never work, and Buffy agrees. Instead of walking away, they kiss. Buffy mentions how painful it is, telling him, "I'll see you around." As Angel watches Buffy go, his chest is burned in the shape of her cross necklace, which he gave her during their first encounter.

During the production of this episode, it took the makeup department 60 to 90 minutes to apply the vampire prosthetic on David Boreanaz.^[2]

Angel's Hugo Boss duster he wears is worth over $1,000.^[2]

"Angel" was first broadcast on The WB on April 14, 1997. It earned a Nielsen rating of 2.3 on its original airing.^[3]

Vox ranked it at #39 on their "Every Episode Ranked From Worst to Best" list of all 144 episodes (to mark the 20th anniversary of the show), saying, "No one would ever accuse young David Boreanaz of being a great actor... but he and Sarah Michelle Gellar have chemistry compelling enough to keep the audience feeling every bit of their pain."^[4]

Noel Murray of The A.V. Club gave "Angel" a grade of A, calling it the best episode thus far. He praised how Buffy inviting Angel into her home was used as a metaphor, how that "ambiguity" was used to tease the audience, and the "multitude of character touches, funny bits of dialogue, and milieu-enriching moments".^[5] DVD Talk's Phillip Duncan called the episode "excellent", highlighting the "well-crafted" dialogue-heavy part and the "poignant ending".^[6] A review from the BBC praised the way the episode was constructed and noted the importance of it character-wise, but called it "rather mundane."^[7]

Rolling Stone ranked "Angel" at #52 on their "Every Episode Ranked From Worst to Best" list, writing that after Buffy finds out Angel is a vampire, "we basically get the wider arc of Season Two writ miniature in this excellent episode. There’s the love and romance, the emergence of the dark side, their confrontation and opposition, and finally, reconciliation. Season Two would expand it to much greater effect, but this little amuse-bouche of an episode whets the appetite for what is to come."^[8]

"Angel" was ranked at #41 on Paste Magazine's "Every Episode Ranked" list^[9] and #50 on BuzzFeed's "Ranking Every Episode" list.^[10]

• "Angel" at IMDb