David Boreanaz and Christian Kane are the only two actors who were in both the series premiere and series finale of Angel. David Boreanaz and Mercedes McNab are the only actors who were in the Buffy premiere and the Angel finale - they saw the whole Buffyverse through.

NGL I just love the tragedy of Wesley as a character. HE was so often led astray my his own bad choices, by his own self righteousness, to the point it just kept bringing him pain, breaking him little by little. But he was always pushed by that need to do good that was almost fanatical, and how often he erred kinda showed how deeply flawed he was. It's just sad to see a character trying to make the right choices, but carrying so many deeply ingrained flaws. He could have very easily, and very compellingly so, made into a villain, but that idea that even deeply flawed people can choose to keep trying to do good, even when it destroys them, is just so bittersweet. While the characters kinda seemed to forgive him to easily, the tragedy of his character as this broken person that just keeps trucking on an endless battle until he dies is just, so sad, like a knight on a mission that ends up loosing everything, starting with his naive idealism, and only had few moments of happiness before meeting his end.

Fun Fact: Mercedes McNab (Harmony) has the longest arc in the Buffyverse. She appeared in the unaired pilot of Buffy (1996) and the last episode of Angel (2004).

I may be wrong, but as I recall this is the first time Lorne has killed, human or not. All the others are warriors of some type but he has always been an entertainer.

I've always liked Lorne's ending because it has the film noir note of what Angel was when it started.

IMO this finale is about as perfect as a series finale can get. Angel signing away the Shanshu prophecy thus symbolizing that he is truly fighting the good fight for its own sake, Spike finally getting appreciated for his poetry, Gunn going back to his roots and helping the people in his community, Anne showing up again to deliver the thesis statement of the show, Wesley meeting a tragic end as befits a tragic character, Illyria at last understanding grief, Lorne walking away from the fight for good this time......the episode's got it all. And if you think about it, they're all doing this because of the vision Cordelia gave Angel, so she gets to play a key role too. We don't see the fight, but we don't have to. Angel as a show was always more about the psychological battle between the good and evil inside each person than about external threats. No matter what fate befalls the people who made it to the alley, they already won just by showing up. After all the tragedy that has befallen them, all the conflicts and betrayals between them, all the temptations they've faced to give in to evil, their better natures prevailed, and they chose to come together as a team to do the right thing. In other words......the astronauts won. ;)

There is this really great parallel between Wesley's final day with earlier and one of his earliest episodes after joining the Angel crew. In S1 Wes talks about how Angel is disconnected because he doesn't want anything in life and then all these years later he's in that exact same boat. It's an incredibly tragic arc that does do a lot for me despite all of the kinda icky stuff in the middle. Also his death scene with Illyria is such a great parallel to the "Lie to Me" episode in Buffy S2.

One thing I always think about that last scene with Lorne is that he's heard Lindsey sing. I wonder how long Lorne knew that he'd eventually be the one to kill him...

It's not so much that Wes has been put on a pedestal, it's shows that when you accept Angels mission it doesn't always work out the way you want. Angels entire arc is, "if nothing we do matters, all that matters is what we do." we can see that Wesley proves that things we do actually do matter. Maybe not to the larger world but it matters to your friends, it matters to the people around you. "if nothing we do matters, all that matters is what we do." was taken on by the whole group but Wes does what he thinks is right no matter what. Even when stealing Conner makes everyone hate him. Even when ending the spell to alter reality so Conner can have a better life only brings back pain and resentment.

Kyle seems to be referring solely to Buffy season 8 as far as Angel's future, but Angel season 6 also has a comic that reveals the final fate of team Angel as well as Los Angeles

"Well, I guess I kinda worked it out. If there's no great glorious end to all this, if nothing we do matters...then all that matters is what we do. 'Cause that's all there is. What we do. Now. Today. I fought for so long, for redemption, for a reward, and finally just to beat the other guy, but I never got it." - Angel, Epiphany (season 2 episode 16)

Welsey's death always gets me, but fuck it was done so well

That Illyria/Fed & Wesley scene always gets me. I love this finale, probably to a fault. It's my favourite finale of any tv show and I have probably seen it at least 10 times, before reactions even come into the equation.

Buffy, a story that ends with sunshine. Angel, a story that ends with rain. But, see, they share an important point: it never ends. Someone told me recently that they thought it was amazing how I talk about Buffy and Angel. They said they can't imagine loving any tv show that much for that long. 20 years for me. The truth I've learned from these stories is life doesn't end when the story ends and stories don't necessarily need to end with a satisfying win or conclusion. They just need to mean something. They need a beating heart. It's exactly why Not Fade Away means so much to me, from the moment I watched it live when I was 15. There is no reward at the end. There is the never ending battle to help those who need it, giving a big middle finger to those who try and keep us down, and being present in the pieces of our lives we actually get to live. Fighting back against the powerful, even when it's a fight that is never won, is the most important choice we make. I think I understand that now more than ever. Thank you both so much for being part of this universe with us.

I found it funny that Wesley's "last perfect day" is spent mentoring a human form hosting the presence of a god/demon, just as he would have done as a Watcher for Buffy or Faith.

The way I see it, Wesley succeeded by making Ilyria love him. Rather than having him win a magic battle, which has nothing to do with his arc really. Out of all of them it's probably the most fitting. Also Spike saving a baby.

I can vividly recall the night of the finale when Hamilton said "you continually fail everyone around you, Doyle, Cordelia, Fred..." I thought to myself, "Damn every person that was Angel's conscience ended up dead."

As far as Wes having no impact, I would say that the only reason Illyria remained with the group and fought with them at the end was because of Wesley. Through Wesley she learnt about being human to the point that she felt grief for one, which is completely opposite to her feelings and view of the world when we met her. For her to 'lie' to Wesley at the end of his life shows an incredible amount of compassion. That was the impact that Wesley left behind, when for most of his life he was told he would never good enough.

Lorne’s last scene was such a gut punch to me, too. I think for him it was one thing to be out there fighting evil, and another to be straight-up murdering a guy. He was asked to lie, betray, and kill Lindsay, and while he understood the need of it (and why it had to be him), he just wasn’t comfortable with it. Everyone lost something in the Wolfram & Hart deal, and he lost his innocence - his sense that they were doing noble things in a good cause.

I really love this ending. The illyria scene with wesley. And the end that is not abouy a resolution but fighting the good fight

The fight never ends and also there is no redemption for someone like Angel or Spike. Their fight for redemption keeps going until they die.

The incredible sadness all Buffyverse fans feel when reaching the end of Angel is palpable. The main reason being that these two shows were some of the best TV Drama ever shown, and many find it hard to find anything that compares. Its is the endless re-watches that keeps most Buffyverse fans going. This is a spectacular ending from a brilliant S5 unmatched by anything in The Buffyverse. This last episode had everything, the absolute brilliance of Angel taking revenge on Marcus Hamilton 'you know the one word you shouldn't have mentioned there', the fantastic slaying by Gunn with an axe of the evil Senator, Lorne shooting Lindsey, a shocking scene as Lorne was such a gentle character, and the most heartbreaking scene ever when Illyria says to Wesley ' would you like me to lie to you now ' and changes back in to Fred, cementing the tragedy that is Wesley's life, but at that point his is at peace, knowing that Fred loved him so much. Then we have the fantastic punch from Illyria smashing the head of Cyvus Vail, giving us all great revenge. The ending in the Alleyway in the rain (this loves alleyways in the rain) the four that are left know they are vastly outnumbered but will go down fighting to the last. David Boreanaz on being interviewed said they didn't survive, James Marsters said they did. Who really knows, but this was the greatest all all episodes in The Buffyverse. A fitting ending to two great shows, but don't you just wish at the end that Buffy and the rest of the Scoobies appeared with and army of Slayers for that ultimate final battle!

Harmony. In the first episode of Buffy and the last episode of Angel. She doesn't get enough credit lol

Rest in Peace Andy Hallett, Lorne he died from a Heart Infection shortly after "Angel" ended, so sad, he was such a good person by all accounts.

Spike and his poetry 😂

Just a wacky idea. Mackenzie watches as the fan from Buffy 1x1 with a new...newb. Thanks in advance.

I felt the same way about the ending. But you know. After. God knows how many years…it’s grown on me. I really appreciate it.

If anyone ever looks up and it's on KZfaq the Angel 20th Anniversary retrospective Entertainment Weekly did on "Angel" David Boreanaz says after they shot the final scene, he took his set chair, he had his Dad with him and he just went home, lol. He's not into long goodbyes.

Illiryia- "you're fading, you're last 10 minutes at best" Gunn- "well, let's make them memorable" That was a cool line

I have always loved how insulted Lindsey was that Lorne was the one who ended him and I also love that Lindsey's last line was: "Angel." I have always loved that Lindsey always viewed himself as the Bullseye to Angel's Daredevil whereas Angel looked at Lindsey as an annoying little insect, for example Lindsey was not even worth Angel draining his Blood or snapping his neck, Lorne just shoot him afterwards, lol.

I would like to thank Kyle and Mackenzie, Mackenzie in particular gave me a new perspective on "Angel" and on "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" that I didn't have in my late teens, early twenties.

This ending was fine and a lot like the ending to Buffy to where it was open ended. The one main problem I had was the reason they gave the job they did to Wesley. He faces a centuries old sorcerer because Wesley is "good with magic." Um, since when!? It made no sense to me. Mackenzie doesn't like his end either but I still have to ask: Are you happy now, Mackenzie!? ARE YOU HAPPY!? LOL

Wes easily has the best arc in the Buffyverse. As to Wes failing he succeeded in his larger quest of teaching Illyria humanity, so that in itself was his victory though bittersweet as it is.

If nothing we do matters, then all that matters is what we do. I really do love this series. And this universe. The Black Thorn did feel kind of small and rushed but I assume that was because they didn't know they were cancelled. I never believed Wesley had a chance to win in his fight, that guy was able to warp reality. Wesley has studied magic but is not that level. So it makes sense he needed help. My only wish would have been more of a group fight instead of a lot of solo fights but overall I enjoyed it.

Spoilers for Buffy/Angel I thought it was interesting that in Buffy, the supernatural characters are the ones that die (Spike, Anya) but in Angel, it's the humans that die (Wes, Lindsey, probably Gunn - and that makes more sense to me).

Well, it was sort of planned… He who must not be named forced the network for early renewal which led for early cancellation, thus forcing them to wrap up everything as quickly as they did and ending on such a cliffhanger. It made more sense having an open end when they spent the first half of the season with filler episodes.

The beauty of this ending is it is exactly the same as the beginning. They are all worse for the wear, but ready to fight. The only difference is; They can more clearly see the bad guys they are up against now.

Didn't expect this episode/series finale till next week, thanks Fan Theory, shocking and sad Wesley died 😢 however when Ilerya to act like Fred was soo sweet, knowing Wesley was looking at the woman he loved, Lorne killing Lindsay 😲 Angel and Connor teaming up against Marcus was amazing and it's still awesome how Angel defeated/killed Marcus and still not surprised at Harmony's betrayal, Happy Holidays everyone, have a safe Holiday and New Year Year 🙂

The last scene perfectly some up Spikes character and how he still looks up to Angel.

The 1st year of Angel cmics? Good. The special for Lorne after Andy's death? Great exit

I was expecting this next week. Unlike _Chosen,_ this really is the end unless someone found a way to react to _all_ the comics. 😁 Although, what I would love is to have another video of Mackenzie re-watching the episode _Restless._

Thanks to the both of you, Kyle and Mackenzie. It's wonderful to experience these shows for the first time, and you've helped me do that a second time.

The million dollar question: will she cry for Wes now? Edit: nope 😂

I hated how angel ended I remembered watching the final episode & when it ended it said to be continued & than it never came back for season 6

Man this ending is so good. I'm always sad that they cancelled the show but this is the best way to end it, the boys out on one last mission. Also "Would you like me to lie to you now?" and "There is nothing that I want" still get to me all these years later.

The first time I watched the finale, I was furious with the way it ended. Now, that I've rewatched it, it's the best finale Angel could have had and the best I've ever watched.

Hands down the greatest finale I've seen. I love Angel and Buffy and they feature high on my list. But I couldn't say they are in the same league as Sopranos, Breaking Bad, Banshee, Battlestar, Babylon 5 etc. They were great though. But this finale gives you pay off all over the shop, closure for all even if it wasn't happy. Fuck I wanted to be in that alley. I'd have fought that frigging Dragon. Wow.

Read the book Queen of The Slayers. Its canon to Buffy/Angel & has a huge revelation for Buffy concerning the ending of Angel's series

" the fight never stops" is such a cop out. s6 would've been amazing.

That was pretty dark Angel telling Lorne to kill Lindsay but I liked that Lindsay's character from the beginning was kinda corrupted he couldn't choose to be Good or Evil he says to Lorne he means it this time but will never know if he did mean it. Angel I guess couldn't take any chance this time LOL. I loved this Series Finale even tho it was a cliffhanger.... It reminded me of X-Men Days of Future Past they keep fighting until the end even tho there all gonna die which I know they don't because of the Angel Comics.

I love your breakdown of Lorne. I always felt his character, although a fan fav, was always placeda little bit on the back-burner. Andy Halek, the man who played Lorne, was amazing, and deserved so much more chredit than he received. Sadly, Halek passed away not long after the show ended.

If they had done Season 6, Fred was suppose to come back sharing her body with Illyria.

So bittersweet! Fun to see the completion of this wonderful project, but also sad that there won’t be more.

I love the irony of the Lorne character from where started in Season Five, to where is now, he is not even Human and he's like: I am sick of seeing my friends die, I am not a solider, never wanted to be a solider, if people recall that's why he left Pylea in the first place and he is just done. I say irony because Lorne's a Demon and he has what the average Human Reaction to this war would be.

Angel asks Lindsay "why" Lindsay wants in. Lindsay talks about how big of a circus it'll be and how he wants in. Look at the disappointment in Angel's face when Lindsay gives his answer. THAT was the moment Angel decided to kill him. Sorry, Lindsay. Wrong answer.

It will never not bother me that Buffy and all the slayers didn't show up at the very end.. like Willow would have sense that up rise of evil- she could have sent them. and omg what an ending to end Fighting together.

I love how a show that doesn't usually have big bads, has a big bad for each member of the team.

That one punch scene with Illyria is really cool. So I understand why he reused it in The Avengers. But now watching this and Banner’s “I’m always angry,” I’m always thinking about the other show.

Lorne's ending is heartbreaking and tragic, but I thought it was very fitting with the tone of the show. He may not die, but the fight against evil has left him broken. Kinda makes sense as he's the only character who was never a fighter.

A lot of finals of a lot of shows are either disappointing, anticlimactic or just meh. This final though is one of the best of a TV show i have ever seen.

From what I’ve read is that Joss was pushing hard to get an early pick up for another season from the network, but the head of the network decided to just cancel the show

Respectfully, Mackenzie, you’ve been doing this for years. You’ve been officially a fan for a long time! You’ve just finally completed the shows.

Thank You Kyle you and Anne Hathaway aka (Mackenzie) are a great team/ friends. A great duo. Not proposing what you should do, but if I were you guys I'd redo Dollhouse with you two, almost guarantee the view would be good, but thanks again for being such wonderful humans much appreciated.

Congrats on finishing! Whenever someone watches and finishes buffyverse, i get the same satisfaction a religious person must get when they convert someone and save a soul lol

Eh, the audio could be a lot worse. I just had to turn it down a little. Prophecy thing felt a little anticlimactic too. 9:02 so back when I started my channel I was promising to do a couple of musicals but I ended up starting with this cuz I was just moved on that particular day from that particular reactor and sang a tribute to this song instead. Anne's arc is my favorite mini character arc in the show 10:51 Completely get it, when Spike asks, "can I deny you three times?" I lose it. 15:48 Never noticed that. Thanks. 20:30 you guys, that was Adorable! 21:29 Maybe it's the non western influence... But I love that ending. Actually there's a set of anime's that are very similarly drawn but look like a test on western audiences for how a final an ending needed to be. Air, (can't remember the name but it's based on a type of classical music that repeats itself with a specific variation), and Clannad.

😭😭😭 it’s really over

Epic final episode which for me represents the hope tomorrow will get better because no matter how little the effort made it can change the world for the better. Awesome job! You both have done amazing and thank you for hosting and reacting:)

Probably the best ending of a series that I've seen in a while

Thank you both so much for all of your great work and I look forward to see more of your stuff real soon. Happy Holidays to you both.

Compare the Wesley tragic death to Anya's death and I'd say, it's a better one. imho.

I enjoyed the journey with you guys!

The wait is killing us. When are you finally going to react to "The Nevers" . The Slayerverse is not over guys ✌️

The comics ran a season 6, and had most of the characters return/resurrected.

Joss directed 'Fred' and Wesley last scene.

Effulgent!

Harmony betraying angel was totally on brand for her character.

One of my favorite series finales of any show. I didn't like the cliffhanger the first time I watched this but after time it grew on me and I've come to realize it's perfect. For Angel the fight never ends, or at least it only ends when he dies. He will always be fighting for redemption and it was perfect for his show to end with them going into battle. If you do want to know what happens to them there is the Angel season 6 comics.

Every ending feels so in character to me. Every 'final perfect day'. Every final fight. I feel like if there's one thing this show does in this last season is stay true to the characters. And that's what I love about it! Season four kinda screwed with some characters, mostly cordelia. But season 5 felt like an apology for that. I'm so glad. This finale was as close to perfect as it could be, imo. Not just the characters too but like, the message of the show itself. I feel like this episode expresses what the whole show was about so perfectly. Beautiful!!!!!!

This episode has gotten a lot of critical reevaluation over the years, it's considered now to be one of the better series finales. And like Buffy there was a Canon continuation in comic form. As I understand had the series gotten another season the only difference would've been Wesley's survival.

This was the most beautiful and irritating finish ever. I love and hate it gloriously in equal parts.

Someone who doesn't like this finale for Angel, clearly doesn't get what the show was always really about. Especially from Season 2 onwards. I love it. Angel was never going to end with a smile.

Sooo, Is McKenzie (sorry if I spelled it wrong) going to take Kyle's place and introduce someone else to SlayerVerse? Could be fun :) Passing on the torch!

Hi McKenzie, I like your t-shirt. Where can I purchase one?

Was their a reason the writers killed of Fred? Did the actress want a change or something of that nature?

It's kind of insane, in 2004, I didn't think this would be the last I would ever watch anything what is now known as Slayerverse. Now that Joss Whedon has been exposed for being a Bully and Piece of Human Garbage, most likely fans of the universe will never see a continuation of this story or stories. However, much like "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" "Angel" never wore out it's welcome and ended strong.

I don't get why people think that they survive. The title of the episode is Not Fade Away. In other words, going out with a bang. They are facing off against tens of thousands of demons. There is no surviving this and that's the point of the episode. Even though they know that they are going to die, they still keep fighting the good fight until the end. It gets retconned because of the comic book, but if the comic never came out, I just don't see how anyone can see them surviving

Yay

Where's the better audio?

The thing is angel never told lorne to kill lindsay. Lorne did that on his own. I never liked that he killed lindsay.

❣

Fun Fact this was shot in an alley at like 5 in the morning & David’s dad was their watching plus he kept a coat! Also I heard Gunn died & Angel turned him for the help! Don’t know if you all know but the actor who played Lorne is dead in real life!

Personally, I just ignore the comics. This ending was perfect. The heroes go out in a blaze of glory because that's all they could do.

The Sound was fine, no problems with hearing everything.. also concerning Lorne, i think the writers did him dirty, I went off him during 'a hole in the world ' when he punched Eve. It really seemed out of character and the writers did him wrong!

It´s sad that it had to end there. To be honest ... season 1 from the beginning to the end of season 4 was a bit messy. Enjoyable but still weird and messy. Too many plot lines with nothing at stake. Too many plot lines just left along the road. Season 5 was the best season. Would have really wished for a finale sixth season. At least the comic books keep us covered with a full ending.

😳😋🥰😂😭

Technical No season 6 green light but things BTS destroyed the amazing up come season.

This was awesome! For me Wesley’s dead was the right one because he never redeemed, he shouldn’t be a hero. It was fun!!

It´s sad that it had to end there. To be honest ... season 1 from the beginning to the end of season 4 was a bit messy. Enjoyable but still weird and messy. Too many plot lines with nothing at stake. Too many plot lines just left along the road. Season 5 was the best season. Would have really wished for a finale sixth season. At least the comic books keep us covered with a full ending.