Post by Sweet on Jun 16, 2016 23:48:34 GMT
Angel on the other hand was a git before he became a vampire and went looking for trouble wherever he could find it. His evil deeds proceeded his turning and so his balance was far outweighed to begin with. The curse changed him, but maybe beyond what he was from the start. Maybe he would have been the kind to kill and not care as a human. We don't know, maybe the curse enhanced his pain after it was put in place.
Spike, for me, will always be the greater champion in that respect. Angel was selfish from the start (and as noted in another thread his motives in Angel to do good was to wipe his slate clean and be human again so was also selfishly motivated). Spike was a truly good guy.
To be honest, I can't say that soulless Spike was a good guy, he was evil and capable of evil things, but I see your point and I like especially your words about darkness changing him. He was made evil by the demon in him and by the influence of those around him: Drusilla, Angel, Darla, but his soul, his personality is inherently good and the proof is that once souled he couldn't even kill other demons at the beginning.
On the other hand Angel killed even with his soul and didn't feel guilty for it. I think the issue with him is that he is a narcisist, he isn't able of feeling real deep love for anybody except himself. Oh, eventually he learns to care for someone, Buffy, Cordelia, Connor, Fred... but love? No, not if it went against his own interests. He is indeed selfish. Though I don't think he really ever cared to become human, you do? I think he does good because he is the kind of 'man' that needs validation, who wants to be important. He was the 'best' evil vampire and now that he can't be that anymore (because, and I have to give him credit on this, he can't kill as he did before the curse) he's trying to be important as a hero, a champion. That's why he hates Spike so much, because he isn't the only souled vampire anymore and Spike's good actions bring to light the bad things that Angel still does.