How Much Older Than Buffy Is Angel? Shocking Age Gap Secrets Revealed

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In “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” Buffy and Angel’s romance is far from smooth sailing, and their challenges are many. One major issue is the substantial age difference between them. Another, quite evidently, stems from the fact that he is a vampire, while she is destined to eliminate his kind. Giles often comments on the ironic tragedy of this relationship, as it seems almost predestined for failure throughout the entire series. This romance, indeed, ranks among the most ill-fated from the outset across the show’s duration.

The central theme of Buffy and Angel’s narrative revolves around forbidden love, as he is bound by a curse that grants him the capacity to genuinely love Buffy, but at the price of their inability to be physically intimate without him losing his soul and reverting back to the villainous Angelus. Despite Buffy no longer being on television for over two decades, it continues to be analyzed through modern perspectives, and several aspects of the Buffy-Angel relationship are often criticized as problematic – whether he has a soul or not – such as their significant age difference.

Angel Is 270 & Buffy Is 16 At The Start Of BtVS, Making Him 254 Years Older Than Her

He Was Born In 18th-Century Ireland

In the series “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” Angel begins as a 270-year-old character, but contrary to his American accent, he was originally born in Galway, Ireland, way back in 1727. This is significantly before Buffy Summers, who was born on January 19, 1981, in Los Angeles, entered the scene.

In some romantic stories, age differences between characters are portrayed, which is a topic often met with criticism due to concerns about manipulation or grooming. However, when it comes to fantasy romance, there’s a bit of leeway given because, after all, supernatural beings like vampires aren’t genuine. As a result, fans of the genre can indulge in forbidden love narratives without the complications of real-life issues, whether it’s Buffy and Angel or Bella and Edward from Twilight.

Actually, the issue of age causing problems between Buffy and Angel isn’t due to their difference in years, but rather their species. Although they appeared to be around the same age during their relationship, the Mayor points out a crucial detail: as a human, Buffy ages, whereas Angel, being a vampire, does not. Despite their relationship not progressing far enough for this to become an issue, there’s still another unsettling aspect related to their age disparity.

Angel Was 26 When He Was Sired, Making His Age Gap With Buffy More Uncomfortable

Especially Because He Falls In Love With Her When She’s 15

In the realm of fantasy romance, it’s common for characters like Angel, who’s over 200 years old as a vampire, to have a backstory. What sets him apart from others is that he was an adult when he was turned into a vampire by Darla in 1753, making him significantly older than Buffy, who was only 16 at the time.

Vampire Birth Year Death Year/Siring Sired By
Darla 16th century 1609 The Master
Angel 1727 1753 Darla
Drusilla 19th century 1860 Angelus
Spike 1853 1880 Drusilla

It’s particularly troublesome that when Angel initially meets Buffy, she’s actually younger at 15 years old. The moment he witnesses her being chosen as the Slayer is intended to be a romantic scene, but instead, it’s when Angel reminisces about his initial infatuation with her.

It’s particularly unfortunate that Buffy learned the bad news just as she was outside her school with friends, chattering about a forthcoming dance and inviting them to call her. What adds to the discomfort is that she was also enjoying a lollipop at the time, although it may not be a deliberate reference to Lolita, I can’t help but associate it with the novel.

In the world of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, it’s commonplace for Buffy and her companions to engage with supernatural beings romantically, and Angel isn’t the only vampire Buffy has had a relationship with. While Buffy and Spike’s relationship is toxic, it’s important to remember that Buffy is in her early 20s when she makes this choice, unlike a minor. During my rewatches of the series, I don’t find their age difference problematic, but it does occasionally cause a shiver of unease.

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2025-05-17 21:18