Who should have led Angel investigations?
May. 16th, 2008 01:33 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jackAt the start of series 1, Angel Investigations forms around Angel. When Angel goes unofficially evil and casts the other team members loose, they resolve to go on, and Wesley, the most suited to a desk, becomes de facto leader.
Neither of these work out very well. Which of the people ought to be put in charge?
The powers that be
The powers that be send visions that direct Angel to what good deeds need doing next. They're the driving force behind the whole universe. You'd think you could throw your trust in them and be done.
However, they're annoyingly cryptic, arbitrary, unfeeling, Byzantine, and fully half the time turn out to have been being impersonated.
Angel
Pros: the core of the team, it wouldn't exist without his crusade for redemption for his vampire past.
Pros: Popular, charismatic, decisive, and the best survivor.
Cons: Prone to individualism, likely to run off without telling anyone and try to fix everything himself, which works 90% of the time, and puts everyone in horrible danger 10% of the time.
Cons: Also prone to turning evil and driving away everyone who ever loved him.
Conclusion: 90% of the time a perfect leader, but when things go wrong, needs someone to force him back on track, else things go to hell in no time.
Cordelia
Pros: The heart of the team, encourages and empowers everyone else.
Pros: Has visions which tell everyone where to go
Pros: Runs the office, so good reason to stay
Cons: Improved massively over three seasons, but not really a front-line leader
Cons: Too whimsical. Put in charge of something will be good 90% of the time, but 10% of the time tease people in ways prone to disaster if wielded with actual power.
Gunn
Pros: Respected by everyone
Pros: Not known to go off the rails
Pros: Previous leader of his gang, known to be good leader
Cons: New to the team, we don't yet know in what way he cracks up.
Fred
Pros don't really matter, an inability to communicate effectively and forcefully pretty much doom this from the start.
Wesley
90% of the time a good leader, organised, fair, self-sacrificing. But awful failure modes, as bad as Angel. Possessed by every evil voodoo going. And too clever for his own good. When he thinks Angel is going to kill Angel's son, he's willing to risk himself and his friendships to take the baby away safe. And in Elysium, he's the one willing to risk people's lives for the common good.
But he's too ready to think his cleverness and ruthlessness are necessary, and not talk to people to try to work things out enough first. Put Wesley in charge and it's only a matter of time before he sells everyone out for "the greater good" by accident.
Doyle
I'd forgotten him, I liked him a lot at the start (although I was sad he wasn't Whistler). Basically, yes, very good choice. And that he grew throughout the series, maybe not at first, but when he got control of himself, I think he could have handled everyone very well.
Lorne
The obvious choice really. He doesn't really want to stay with the group, it's not really his thing.
But he can always be the one the others trust and turn to. His failure mode is self-pity for himself, but all the time, he knows just what's right for everyone else. When everything's fine, he can tell Wesley to direct the organisation, and Angel the fighting, etc. And when the wheels start falling off, he can tell everyone what they really ought to do, and they do.
Neither of these work out very well. Which of the people ought to be put in charge?
The powers that be
The powers that be send visions that direct Angel to what good deeds need doing next. They're the driving force behind the whole universe. You'd think you could throw your trust in them and be done.
However, they're annoyingly cryptic, arbitrary, unfeeling, Byzantine, and fully half the time turn out to have been being impersonated.
Angel
Pros: the core of the team, it wouldn't exist without his crusade for redemption for his vampire past.
Pros: Popular, charismatic, decisive, and the best survivor.
Cons: Prone to individualism, likely to run off without telling anyone and try to fix everything himself, which works 90% of the time, and puts everyone in horrible danger 10% of the time.
Cons: Also prone to turning evil and driving away everyone who ever loved him.
Conclusion: 90% of the time a perfect leader, but when things go wrong, needs someone to force him back on track, else things go to hell in no time.
Cordelia
Pros: The heart of the team, encourages and empowers everyone else.
Pros: Has visions which tell everyone where to go
Pros: Runs the office, so good reason to stay
Cons: Improved massively over three seasons, but not really a front-line leader
Cons: Too whimsical. Put in charge of something will be good 90% of the time, but 10% of the time tease people in ways prone to disaster if wielded with actual power.
Gunn
Pros: Respected by everyone
Pros: Not known to go off the rails
Pros: Previous leader of his gang, known to be good leader
Cons: New to the team, we don't yet know in what way he cracks up.
Fred
Pros don't really matter, an inability to communicate effectively and forcefully pretty much doom this from the start.
Wesley
90% of the time a good leader, organised, fair, self-sacrificing. But awful failure modes, as bad as Angel. Possessed by every evil voodoo going. And too clever for his own good. When he thinks Angel is going to kill Angel's son, he's willing to risk himself and his friendships to take the baby away safe. And in Elysium, he's the one willing to risk people's lives for the common good.
But he's too ready to think his cleverness and ruthlessness are necessary, and not talk to people to try to work things out enough first. Put Wesley in charge and it's only a matter of time before he sells everyone out for "the greater good" by accident.
Doyle
I'd forgotten him, I liked him a lot at the start (although I was sad he wasn't Whistler). Basically, yes, very good choice. And that he grew throughout the series, maybe not at first, but when he got control of himself, I think he could have handled everyone very well.
Lorne
The obvious choice really. He doesn't really want to stay with the group, it's not really his thing.
But he can always be the one the others trust and turn to. His failure mode is self-pity for himself, but all the time, he knows just what's right for everyone else. When everything's fine, he can tell Wesley to direct the organisation, and Angel the fighting, etc. And when the wheels start falling off, he can tell everyone what they really ought to do, and they do.
no subject
Date: 2008-05-19 02:13 pm (UTC)