As a spin-off of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, every episode of Angel was packed with the same sense of adventure and fun that fans have become accustomed to. However, much like its predecessor, Angel also featured more than its fair share of heartbreak and saw its characters suffer tragedy and loss frequently.
This kept the stakes of the show high, with Angel Investigations going up against greater threats every season. The loss he and his friends suffered reminded everyone why they were fighting the good fight and pushed them to do better. With this in mind, here are the 10 saddest episodes of Angel.
Lineage
Wesley changed a lot during his time on the spin-off series, and season 5's "Lineage" saw Wesley's father, Roger Wyndam-Pryce, visit his son for the first time. As one of the most senior members of the Watcher's Council, Wesley had spent his entire life trying to live up to his expectations and make him proud.
This resulted in a complex relationship, in which Wesley both respected and feared his father. However, Roger led an assault with other members of the council on Angel and his friends, which resulted in Wesley killing him. While it turned to simply be a cyborg, Wesley was left devastated and changed forever upon realizing how far he was willing to go to protect his friends, specifically Fred, and that his relationship with his father was far more complex than he had originally believed.
I Will Remember You
Angel becomes human again in season 1's "I Will Remember You," which sees the vampire transformed due to the influence of demonic blood. This allows him to gain a glimpse into the life he has been dreaming about, and he can finally be together with Buffy.
However, Angel quickly realizes that his new human form makes him utterly useless in the fight against evil. This results in Angel choosing to abandon his human form and his happy life to fight the forces of darkness.
War Zone
As Angel needs all the help he can get, season 1's "War Zone" introduced Charles Gunn, who would go on to become one of the titular hero's greatest allies. Gunn began from humble beginnings, fighting vampires as best he could with his sister and their underequipped gang.
However, Gunn's sister was tragically turned into a Vampire, forcing him to make the heartbreaking decision to kill her. This proved to be one of the most difficult things would ever have to do, and continued to affect him in the proceeding seasons.
You're Welcome
Every character deserves a fitting ending and for a while, it didn't look like Cordelia was going to receive one. The character fell into a coma and her fate was left in the balance. However, Angel's 100th episode, "You're Welcome," proved to be one of the best the series produced.
It saw Cordelia finally wake from her coma to help Angel who believed he wasn't doing enough good anymore. She successfully set Angel back on the right path before dying in her coma. The death of the long-running and fan-favorite character offered a satisfying conclusion to her character arc, who had been through more tragedy than most.
Hero
Doyle was one of the first friends Angel made when he moved to L.A, and the two quickly formed Angel Investigations and sought to help the helpless. Doyle's psychic visions proved to be immensely helpful in the fight against evil and he became Angel's closest allies.
However, Doyle became the first casualty of the good fight and sacrificed himself to save his friends. Much like Angel, Doyle was a demon trying to do some good and his heroic act was never forgotten.
The Girl In Question
The loss of Fred proved to be one of the most heartbreaking moments of the series and changed the group forever. However, this was not the last they saw of her. With her body now hosting the ancient demon Illyria, a being of immense power, they were reminded every day of their former friend.
Illyria possessed the ability to take on whatever form she wanted and decided to become Fred, after seeing how devastated Wesley was. Although she had the best intentions, Illyria only increased Wesley's suffering when she transformed herself into Fred and caused him yet more pain.
There's No Place Like Plrtz Glrb
Buffy made the ultimate sacrifice at the end of Buffy the Vampire Slayer's season 5 and lost her life saving the world. In her own series, fans saw her friends grieve for her, and the news reached Angel in the spin-off's season 2 episode, "There's No Place Like Plrtz Glrb."
The episode featured Angel and the rest of the gang returning from another dimension in high spirits after saving the day. Only to be met by Willow, who delivers the devastating news. The news shocked Angel, who went on to spend the entire summer at a monastery in Sri Lanka to help him grieve.
Sleep Tight
Season 3's "Sleep Tight" proved to be one of the most shocking episodes of the series and saw the dynamic of the group change forever. Although he acted with the best of intentions, Wesley made a colossal mistake that resulted in Angel's son being taken to a hell dimension.
Wesley kidnapped Angel's son after reading an ancient prophecy that foretold of the father killing his son; in reality, this prophecy had been manipulated by a time-shifting demon. Wesley was double-crossed, had his throat slip, and was left for dead, which remains one of the saddest moments in the series.
Not Fade Away
"Not Fade Away" marked the epic conclusion of the series and saw Angel and the rest of the gang go up against the biggest challenge of their demon-slaying careers. As the heroes were now working for the evil law firm Wolfram & Hart to try and bring it down from the inside, they stepped things up a notch and took down the members of The Black Thorn.
This resulted in retaliation that saw L.A transformed into a hellscape as an array of demonic creatures descended upon the city. The episode concludes with Angel and the team prepared to give their lives to defend the city, which served as both a satisfying and tragic ending.
A Hole In The World
The group suffered many losses over the show's five seasons, but none proved to be more devastating than the loss of Fred. With her body now host to an ancient demonic spirit, Angel and the rest of the gang worked tirelessly to find a solution.
Upon discovering that releasing the spirit would kill thousands, they had no choice than to allow Fred to die. Her heroic sacrifice remains the show's most heartbreak moment and one of its saddest episodes. Fred's death hit Wesley the hardest, as they had just become a couple. He never recovered from losing her.