Discussion of 1.09 "Hero" - Aired 11/30/99 (WB-US)

[B]Oromous[/B] Yeah, you're right. I underestimated Glenn. And it was tactless on my part sympathizing for Glenn as I would towards Doyle. My bad.

It's all cool.

I have huge sympathy for Glenn and I get very cross with people who say rather heartless things about his addiction (I know that's not you! But it's out there) but Glenn wasn't a hero and Doyle wasn't an actor, just like David's not a vampire and Angel's not on Seal Team. I think Glenn does deserve a lot of sympathy, and I think his family would be touched to know that complete strangers still care that he's gone and think it's a tragedy, but it's important to separate that out from 'Hero' which is just the death of a fictional character and by no means the last the world ever saw of Glenn Quinn. It's sad that Glenn's gone because he's gone - not because Doyle sacrificed his life for a boatload of demons and left behind a video. I think it's fine to be sad about both, but not to get them mixed up. And its OK to be honest that really you're more sad about Doyle than Glenn, because he's the one you actually 'knew'.
Besides - he died over 3 years after filming Hero. 3 years is ages whilst your living it - who even remembers 2017? (although in fairness, years were a lot less eventful back then) There's no more need to feel sad for Glenn when watching Hero than there is for any other episode of Angel, or Roseanne or any of the films he made. His death was a tragedy, but I'm sure his life wasn't. The inevitability of it all foreshadowed on Hero is an illusion created by hindsight.
 
A terrific send-off for a character that still had a lot of potential to be developed further, though for just nine episodes, I think we get a pretty decent little arc for Doyle. He's far from my favourite 'Angel' character (he's a lot of fun, just not as interesting to me as the others), but Glenn Quinn was a great actor and always put everything into the performance. Doyle's sacrifice is a very well played scene, and I think it's seeing Cordy's reaction to his death that makes it so impactful for me. Also, seeing him melt into blood and bones is very intense and brutal for a main character death, when most TV shows shy away from that sort of thing.

The Scourge are pretty decent villains, and it's a shame we don't see them again after this, although without Doyle's personal history with them, I don't know if they would have been as effective. They don't just represent racism here, they represent one of Doyle's biggest regrets, which is a big part of why the episode works so well; it really is all about Doyle. More than anything, this episode proved that the show was capable of anything, even killing off a main character permanently, nine episodes in, and it remains one of the most important for that reason alone.
 
This episode had some powerful moments, but I felt like it tried to cram in too much, and thus had a lot of unfulfilled potential, with the Scourge, the general idea of inter-demon prejudice, Doyle and Cordelia's incipient relationship, and Doyle's arc and death.

It also had the deliberate unfulfilled potential of Angel's and Doyle's growing friendship. Opening up to Doyle about the lost day is significant for a brooding, stoic person like Angel, and it's a pity we don't get to see that friendship develop. I never really bought Cordelia and Doyle together, but of course that is another lost potential.

The Scourge-as-Nazis was very obvious, but those scenes were still very effective and chilling. I did think it didn't make sense that they just gave up after their weapon was destroyed, when it seems like they would hardly need it against 20-odd unarmed people and one vampire.

It was good writing for Doyle's backstory showing him refusing to help another demon. It not only shows Doyle's growth as a person, but also works with the Nazi allusion, how their cause was also furthered by so many who didn't want to even "take a chance" to help their victims.

Doyle's death came too early in the series, before I felt very attached to him as a character. But the scene was dramatic and affecting, and gave him a suitably noble demise. And the once-hilarious, now-poignant ad he filmed will pop again in the series, I know.

The Scourge demons were gruesome, with what looked like human flesh stretched over their own faces. Angel's vampire makeup has improved, too. I grinned a bit that they made Angel comb down his hair to join them.
 
The Scourge should have been a Human group. Demons trying to hybridize with Humans as part of their plan to take over the world is as old as the written word, probably older, assuming it didn't actually happen. It also doesn't make any sense with the series lore, as we were told no less than ten episodes ago that all demons are tainted with humanity.

On the other hand, some kind of Demon Hunters trying to purify every trace of Nephilim, Deep One and Trigon from the human genome by force is far more likely and far more defensible. But for every would be antichrist, you could have a lot of exiles and ugly elves. That could work a little better for story beats than Skeletor Nazis with a lore breaking backstory.
 
I re watched this episode tonight for the time in a while and was reminded what great it really is. This show as a noir worked so well, and I sometimes wish it hadn't deviated from that genre.

Also, anytime I rewatch episodes from this time, I always think about what could have been with Cordy and Doyle, and it makes me really sad. Their dynamic and chemistry was so fresh, and I can't help but think about what a great love story they could have had. Not to mention the close bond him and Angel would have had. I know David said during the Angel reunion that him and Glenn were close friends, so that explains the great chemistry that they had.

I also can't help but be reminded about how rude, and frankly, often cold Angel can be to people who care about him when he's struggling. He's doesn't know how to reach out for help, he just pushes people away. Or tries to. Angel should read No Man Is An Island.

I also think it's cool that Angel was honest with Doyle about how long Buffy had actually been there, and about what happened. I think he did tell Doyle because he wanted support. There was a real connection between Angel and Doyle, and it's a shame what happened to Doyle. He was supposed to be with Angel until the end.

Also while we're on the topic of Doyle, what a cool character he was and could have grown into. Such a shame.

It occurs to me I don't remember how Angel met Doyle ...

Doyle giving Cordelia the visions was the ultimate gift though she may have seen it as a curse in the beginning. Because it was the only thing he had to offer her of value.
 
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