Thanks,
@Grace and I were actually commenting on how we should have had your comments on another thread on the boards handy when we were discussing his age because you seem to have a good grasp of it. Anyway, I think there is significance to the fact that he doesn't count his human age. I think he does really feel like his life ended and started in a different way.
Also, I think that Angel arrived in Sunnydale before Buffy so I think he probably went there sometime in 1996. Because in The Wish he said he went there and waited for her.
I was thinking of that but I wasn't sure how much of a head start he would have between the Summers girls picking Sunnydale and them moving there. They arrived in January 1997 so he could've arrived in late 1996. Maybe Whistler (a PTB with precognition) knew before Buffy did that she'd end up in Sunnydale.
Actually, how much time did Giles have between the Summers girls picking Sunnydale and their arrival? He moved from England to the States, got an apartment, and got hired as SHS librarian before Buffy got there.
I think Joyce had to wait for escrow. That can take a couple of months. It makes perfect sense.
Buffy was activated in January 1996. Her Watcher died just before the school dance (April or May) and she got expelled for starting a fire at it in the gym. She takes off for a week to Las Vegas to delay the inevitable and because there was a case there. She gets back and it's revealed to them that she is the Slayer and they lock her in the psych ward for 2-3 weeks. It is too much for her parents and they divorce that summer and her dad moves out. Buffy is banned from most of the schools in the LA district so can't just enroll for fall semester. Joyce does research and finds 4 locations that have an art gallery she could manage and a school that will admit Buffy. She picks Sunnydale and spends what would've been her fall semester of 10th grade in independent study or not in school. In
Welcome to the Hellmouth Buffy says she feared she'd be behind in all her classes, introduces herself to Willow by asking for help studying because "I have a burning desire not to flunk all my classes", is seen trying to catch up, and has a nightmare that she flunked an exam.
Demons not counting their human years seems to be a thing. Spike didn't count his human years. Anya didn't count her human years.
Angel did bring up his time as Liam to Buffy though. He told her when he became Angelus he killed his parents, their friends, & their friend's children. He gave her a claddagh ring, which he remembered couples wearing back in Galway. He told her about how when he was her age he always wanted to meet a girl who was exciting & interesting. The First Evil mocked his wasteful youth and how he was a terrible disappointment to his parents.
