De-Evolution of Angel

[shipperx]

:
So, I'm trying to understand the various Allie and Jeanty Q&A's:

*      In the comics we see Twangel cheering on the anti-Slayer crowd, urging his followers to find stuff to turn people against Slayers, turning up the heat on  the persecution of Slayers, and Twangel announcing that he had to do these things in order  'to bring Buffy low' ( to get her super-special super powers), so he beat Satsu  and plays 'general on the sidelines' figure at the 'epic' battle that kills hundreds of Slayers.


*     Then we get the about-face and are told that Twangel hasn't actually harmed anyone.  He's been trying to help (squints really had to see how.  Still have nothing.  We just need to take on faith that without his invisible interference things would have been worse than they are and worse than the unknown alternative... that we also didn't see.)
 
 

*      But we still had that Twangel had to don the mask to 'bring her low' [though apparently, according to the Q&A and Twangle's 'explanation,'  he actually didn't do anything to accomplish that goal and was secretly 'helping' -- in direct opposition to his stated goal (and even though we never see him helping the slayers) ]  in order to bring about Twilight.


*      Except now Jeanty tells us that Twangel didn't know that Twilight meant space-frakking or the death of the world or... well, let's see....

Looks like Angel basically didn't know anything-- not what Twilight was, how it was activated, what it involved, what it meant, or what it did (nothing wrong with volunteering for a mission like that!).  He did, however, know that it was 'better' than the alternative (whatever that was). So, um... he 'knew'  the alternative was 'worse' than the Twilight that he had no understanding of ... because a talking dog told him so.  Makes perfect sense, right?  Who couldn't be persuaded by that?  He's not stupid at all!  And besides, he didn't actually do anything except the helping stuff that we didn't see.


*      So in pursuing the creation of the Twilight  [that he didn't know what it was but had decided  to  'bring about' by doing ... something (though we're not entirely sure what... which is okay because he had no idea what it would be either) ]

Well, anyway, after he did or didn't do whatever it was he thought he needed to do (but he didn't know what he actually needed to do) to bring about Twilight (whatever he thought that might be), we -- and he -- see that it's destroying the world.  So how does he react?  Twangel wants to stay in his special world even though he can see that it's bringing about the end of the world.  He even gives the circular logic of the present universe being replaced, but Scoobs, who are in the world that is being replaced, would be okay... somehow.  In the dead, replaced world that's coming apart at the seams.  

 

Makes perfect sense, right?  (  Huh?  )
 
 

*    And it's only because Buffy was going back to the world, leaving him in Twilight alone, that Angel decided to go back to the world that was being destroyed, that he didn't seem particularly bothered by it being destroyed (because he wasn't willing to help it until Buffy made him do it) but apparently -- we're now told -- he had no idea was going to be destroyed (other than his standing there witnessing its destruction and not caring very much).  In summary, he didn't actually know what 'bringing about Twilight' actually meant, so he didn't actually intend any of what he did (whatever that was that we're still not clear about).  And he did it just 'cause a talking dog told him to.


*    Then we get Twangel being taken over by Twilight so we can be extra doubly sure that he's really, most sincerely not in control over what he does at the end...even though he's not responsible for any of the rest of it either. 

 

So, let me sum up Twangel's 'character arc' of Season 8:

Angel didn't know anything.   He didn't do anything.  And anything he did do or it looks like he did, he's not actually responsible for except for the 'helping' stuff that we didn't see.  But he's gonna feel really bad about... something (not that he did anything, knew anything, or was actually responsible for anything) so feel really bad for the guy, okay? 

Great character arc, huh.


    

Comments

[infinitewhale.livejournal.com]

This is a free-for-all.

That's exactly the impression I get, too. Allie outright said when it was announced he would write parts of the final arc that only Joss understood the plot (well, he said *he* and Joss, but I think was spin). Allie had access to the entire thing, I don't think that means he understands it, especially give how many times he has contradicted himself.

You definitely get the impression that Jeanty doesn't have a clue what's going on. He's wanking just as hard as some of the fans trying to make sense of it.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

I think Jeanty has even admitted as much a couple of times. I scanned his responses - but I got the impression that he was bewildered by some of the things he was told to draw. ("You want me to draw Angel throwing a plane at her? Oookay. But are you sure that's what Whedon said?" Allie: "We want it to be big! Trust me!" Jeanty shrugs and does it. He also seemed a bit confused about the whole finale sequence and upset he didn't get it right, because he didn't totally get it. It's very hard to draw something you don't understand.)

Allie - also admitted as much, when fans have asked him questions that clearly have left him bewildered. He clearly doesn't understand Spike or Angel's roles in this thing any more than we do. And from what I've read? I don't think Allie gets any of the characters outside of his favorite Xander. He's a B/X shipper and a huge Xander fan. So..Allie writing this thing feels at times like reading a Xander fan's grudge fic or a very long-winded written version of The Zeppo - which, uh, no, I can read that online for free thank you very much.

[infinitewhale.livejournal.com]

Jeanty sort of admitted the characterizations are whacked in a Q&A by saying something to the effect of the story to get those characters to here would be longer than the comics.

Allie gets any of the characters

I can see not getting them, my issue with Allie is he clearly doesn't have a very high opinion of them. But even the things Joss himself has written have come of and nothing short of antagonistic toward Buffy and sexuality.

The comics in most ways come off as almost an over the top satire of comic fanboy tropes. They are so in-your-face offensive to the point where you think they've got to be kidding, but with 39, we find out the joke is on us.

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

can see not getting them, my issue with Allie is he clearly doesn't have a very high opinion of them. But even the things Joss himself has written have come of and nothing short of antagonistic toward Buffy and sexuality.

What about a literal vagina dentata and an embarassing space-frak that gives birth to an entity that destroys the world gives that impression? [/snark]

[infinitewhale.livejournal.com]

Don't forget the rain of demons out of vagina-shaped tears in the dimension and space hymens.