Why C/A appealed to me

[brownsbros3]

Why does C/A appeal to me? That's a question I'm sure many of us have thought about over the last five years. I am going to explore here why I really enjoyed the relationship.
The first thing I enjoyed about it was that it wasn't just forced on us. I like how they started out as acquaintances, became friends, best friends, and then by the end of season three were falling in love with one another. It came across more natural. It came across so natural in my view, that several times I forgot about the curse, and just wanted them to be together. I never really got into the whole B/A thing for two main reasons:
1.) I'm a guy, hence the Romeo and Juliet tragic romance thing bores the crap out of me.
2.) The other more serious reason is that I felt it was forced. It was like we have a good looking guy and a hot chick, let's throw them together. I tried, but I just couldn't make myself like it.
Another thing about it, is that Angel and Cordelia shared the qualities that I myself am looking for in a relationship.
1.) They both loved each other. We know that because Cordelia admitted it in "Tomorrow," Angel admitted it in "Ground State," and they both admitted it in "Spin the Bottle."
2.) They both trusted each other. Angel said at the end of "Somnambulist" that he trusts Cordelia to stake him should he become evil again, and Cordelia told Angel at the end of "Expecting," that she trusts him with her life.
3.) They enjoy being together. I don't think anyone has ever made Angel smile as much as Cordelia has with a smart aleck remark, a snappy comeback, a funny putdown, or just one of her brutally honest observations.
4.) They do things they don't want to do. Cordelia didn't really want to talk to Fred about getting out of the hotel for while, but did so because Angel asked her to. Angel didn't really want to talk to Fred about her crush on him, but did so because Cordelia asked him to.
5.) They are there for each other when they are needed most. Cordelia was provided a dry shoulder for Angel to cry on when his son was taken from him. When Cordelia thought Angel wouldn't want her around if she didn't have the visions, he assured her that even if she didn't have the visions he would still need her.
6.) She gave up everything for him. In "Birthday," even though she knew the next vision could kill her, Cordelia gave up everything she wanted out of life for Angel. She gave up being a famous actress, and even being 100% human in order to keep the visions and help him fight the good fight. Angel has also proven on many occasions that he'd be willing to give up his own life to save hers.
7.) Each is more afraid of the other dying than themselves. Angel said in "Birthday" that he's more afraid of Cordelia dying than she is. Whenever Angel would go out on a mission, Cordelia would worry about him until he got back safely.
8.) They each put the other's needs ahead of their own. Angel paid for her vacation with Groo even though he clearly didn't want her to go. Cordelia later told Fred that Angel is her priority and that his needs are the only ones that matter.
The third and final thing is the great moments that they provided. Here are my top 10 favorite C/A moments.
1.) The kiss from "You're Welcome"
2.) making out in the Prima Ballerina's dressing room in "Waiting in the Wings"
3.) Angel hugging Cordelia in the hospital and not wanting to let her go in "You're Welcome"
4.) Cordelia kissing Angel in order to take back the visions in "Birthday"
5.) In "To Shanshu in L.A.," Cordelia says "I've seen them all. They're suffering and in pain. We have to help them." Angel reassures her, "We will."
6.) Angel and Cordelia falling asleep on the bed together with baby Connor in between them in "Provider"
7.) When he starts worrying about being a father in "Tomorrow," Cordelia tells Angel, "He'll love you because you're you." Later in the conversation, she adds, "You have the biggest and best heart of anyone I've ever known."
8.) In "Waiting in the Wings," when Cordelia walks into the room in her new dress, and Angel's jaw drops to the floor after seeing just how beautiful she looked.
9.) The smile on Angel's face as Cordelia comes in and just takes over his office in "City of"
10.) In "Awakenings" Angel told Cordelia in that room that he wouldn't want to be anywhere else, and then made passionate love to her. (Unfortunately it turned out to be a hallucination.)
C/A produced a lot of good memories for me. Many of them can be seen on a special Angel/Cordelia musical tribute at www.rogue-videos.com. For those of you that haven't seen it, it takes a while to download, but it is definitely worth the wait. It's a shame that Mutant Enemy decided not to further C/A, because I think they missed a big opporunity. If only they would know not to let personal grudges get in the way of doing big business. Oh well, at least I still have my re-runs on TNT and in syndication.

[CordyAngelFan03]

That summons it up for me!

[CAMartin]

C/A to me was the best solution because it wasn't about romanticism, about delcaring their love for each other when it came to the end of the world, or jumping over obstacles and romantic interests to get to one another.

They were just...there. There for each other and to stick around 'till the end'.

Until Season Three hit and they decided to give the ship a chance only to turn it into a toned down version of B/A. Kyerumption, moira...it all seemed pointless to me.

Cordelia and Angel weren't destined to be together, they weren't some big forbidden/tortured love. They were friends who understood each other better than anyone and were always there for each other. Cordelia had faith in Angel and he had faith in her.

That's what they were to me and that's what they'll always be.

[CordyQueenBitca]

I disagree that Cordy and Angel weren't destined to be together. I truly believe that she was meant to be his seer and he her champion. "Birthday" proved that to me. So I think they were meant to be together more so than B/A, but that could also be all the smutty goodness that is the fanfiction on this site talking to me. I don't know if I can list all my favorite C/A moments on this message board. But the first time I became a shipper was in "Belonging" when he offered to rip the director's head off for her. Ever since I was a definite Cordy-Angel fan. Even more so when he jumped head first into a hell dimension to save her. That's friendship/love. Aww (sniff)...I need a moment...

[brownsbros3]

I also disagree. C/A definitely had several romantic moments. Sure, it started out as a friendship, but it developed into something more. "You're Welcome," was the best episode of Angel ever, in my opinion, and proof that they belong together. Cordelia completes Angel. I kind of compare their relationship to Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt in "As Good As it Gets." Being with Cordelia, makes Angel want to be a better man. C/A and B/A were nothing alike. Cordelia didn't treat Angel like garbage. She did her best to make him feel like he was apart of the world, while Buffy frequently reminded him of how seperated he is from it. I liked that they had a normal healthy adult relationship rather than the high schoolish tortured romance/forbidden love crap from BTVS.

[Dannyblue]

I've probably said this before, but what I liked most about C/A was that I could imagine them married, and still in love, in 40 or 50 years. There that old, gray couple who bicker all the time. Then, suddenly, the old guy pinches his wife on the behind, and she scolds him for being a dirty old man, but you can see the laughter in her eyes.

With B/A, even when I kinda liked it, I could never imagine it beyond 2, possibly 3, years in the future. I mean, I just never thought of them growing old, happily, together. That relationship had to be full of angst, and conflict, and pain, and declarations in moments of crisis. I remember that that was the only time I found it interesting. With C/A, I found the two of them just sitting around talking interesting.

Another difference is that being with Cordy made Angel feel...well, good. Well, unless she was mad at him about something...which could also be fun to watch. But, really, Angel seemed more willing to believe he was a good person, a good man, vampire or not, when he was around Cordy. On the other hand, one of the staples of B/A was that Angel felt like a monster around Buffy. That was one of the points of that relationship. The message seemed to be that Buffy was willing to love Angel in spite of the fact that he was a vampire. But Cordy just loved Angel, vampire and all.

I guess part of it does boil down to what kind of relationship you find more romantic. If you like the Romeo & Juliet, tragic love thing, you're gonna love B/A.

If, on the other hand, you dream of being in a relationship where you're in love with your best friend, and you feel complete and good when you're together, you'll probably favor C/A.

[nikkiwawa]

Well, C/A have appealed to me in a lot of ways. It all started in Buffy. You know how Cordelia was always trying to get Angel, unsuccessfully. lol Then, when I found out Charisma was moving to Angel along with David, I said to myself, "Those two are going to get together". It was inevitable.

To answer the question, what appealed to me was the growing friendship C/A had. I mean, their friendship grew over the years, and it gave them the chance to understand eachother inside and out. What's best, is that they realized they loved eachother through all of this. I think someone said it here somewhere, in that Cordy/Angel had time to develop, where as Buffy/Angel was just angst love in your face, and they didn't develop a friendship as strong as C/A did. It wasn't said like that, but I added my 2 cents.

Although, they ultimately couldn't be together, their friendship said more than anything else.

~nikki~

[brownsbros3]

Well, if Angel did die in that alley, then maybe he and Cordy are together again. However, I came up with an alternate to that. If you want you can check out my season six fantasy fan-fic of Angel episodes 1-22, and my brand new season seven episode 1, in the serial fan fiction section of this website.

[JoJo]

Buffy was so busy with her slayer stuff that she never really got to know Angel the man. All she seemed to care about was Angel the forbidden fantasy lover.

I've been saying that for years! One thing I love about this bb, is that I can finally speak my mind without being yelled down by Bangels.

I'll take C/A friendship or romance. Either way, their relationship always seemed more solid, it was grounded in friendship, not teenage angst.

I'd love to see Buffy and Angel reunited and find out, after spending time together, that they have nothing common and/or can't stand each other.

[nikkiwawa]

Agreed JoJo. I take it at other bb's you've got attacked by Bangels? It's ashame, really. People can't appreciate others' opinions.

Angel + Buffy= Huge teen angst

Angel + Cordelia= hardcore friendship.

Buffy saw Angel as a vampire with a soul. Yeah, she loved him, but she constantly threw it in his face that he can't give her what she wants, and that he is a dead being.

Cordelia saw Angel as a man. Cordelia loved Angel for him. She didn't even think about what he can GIVE her. Angel was what she wanted, and that was it. I think Angel loved that about Cordy. She never judged him the way Buffy did.

[brownsbros3]

Another thing, Angel's was first attracted to Buffy based on her outer beauty. With Cordelia, while of course he thought she was beautiful, it was the type of person she was (the inner beauty) that attracted him to her.

[Yelsew]

Can I sum up all of my Cordy/Angel love in this? No. Will I try? No. Will I put a few things on here that remind me why C/A is such a wonderful couple? Duh.

Honestly, I didn't watch it in the beginning (BtVS). I was a little kid then...I didn't even know what they were talking about. (Don't worry, after years and years I've seen just about every episode, spoiler-thingy, and review possible; pretend like I was there all along!) Anyway...onto C/A goodness...

B/A was just too lusty for me. They couldn't hang out or have fun...or anything. And Buffy treated Angel like crap. (Notice: she treats Spike the same way...that girl has issues beyond my theraputic repair.)

Buffy, re: Angel's kisses
"It makes me want to die."

Also

Buffy and Angel:
Angel: You think I'm an animal? (More of a statement, actually. From his POV.)
Buffy: No. Animals I like.

Buffy tends to become an obsession for vamps, most likely a slayer thing.

While I won't doubt Angel and Buffy's love for each other in the beginning, it's over now. Cordelia is his light, she has a way with words and she makes his blood without the ittiest bittiest grimace. She cares about him. Way I see it, (In S1 Ats) Cordelia wanted to accept Doyle and Angel to some degree, so that they would accept her. That acceptance just got bigger and bigger, it grew throughout the seasons. They fell in love.

Plus, B/A was like that teenage time in your life when you think you'll be with that person forever. No, Angel was NOT a teen, but it was still Teen Love.

After two-hundred plus years, the guy grew up.
Cordelia did to.
They grew up together.

[brownsbros3]

Did you ever also notice then when Angel would tell stories about his past, Buffy would get creeped out by him, but Cordelia would listen enthusiastically?

When Buffy was faced with the reality of all the rotten things Angel did when he was Angelus, she could never get past it. However, with Cordelia those things didn't matter. She could see that Angel is not that person anymore.

[Dusted]

Originally Posted by brownsbros3

Did you ever also notice then when Angel would tell stories about his past, Buffy would get creeped out by him, but Cordelia would listen enthusiastically?

When Buffy was faced with the reality of all the rotten things Angel did when he was Angelus, she could never get past it. However, with Cordelia those things didn't matter. She could see that Angel is not that person anymore.

I like the fact that even through the comments from time to time it was clear for all to see Cordelia appreciated the fact that Angel opened up to her. Gave her a sense of belonging.. an issue she faced many times.

[Dannyblue]

C/A was my first real 'ship...and remains my only real one, in fact. And what I loved most about them was that they brought out the best in each other. Knowing each other made them better people. I can't imagine either one getting where they got if they hadn't known each other.

I was into B/A when it was going on (although I started getting tired of it in season 3, but I still didn't want Angel to leave her) but, boy, did they bring out the worst in each other. It was like being together stunted them or something. And I kinda get why. They felt like their relationship was under constant siege (disapproval from others, the "unnaturalness" of a Slayer and a vampire being in love, their own doubts and fears about the relationship being able to work). As a result, they almost seemed to try to surround themselves with this protective bubble, one designed to keep all of the outside (and internal) issues from coming in and messing things up. But, by trying to protect their love from the outside world, and forget all their troubles (or at least pretend they didn't exist) when they were together, they were preventing their relationship from changing and growing. I mean, when you preserve something, yeah, it can last forever. But it's frozen and static.

C/A was about dealing with life together. Taking things on, side-by-side. Not trying to forget their problems, but sharing them, and offering to help each other get through them. Being able to run away from it all with the person you love might seem romantic and all. But real love is about facing life, living it, both good and bad, together. That's what makes relationships stronger.