Charles Gunn
Encyclopedia
Charles Gunn is a fictional character
created by Joss Whedon
for the television series, Angel
. The character is portrayed by J. August Richards
, and was named by Whedon after filmmaker James Gunn and actor Sean Gunn
, both of whom had worked with Whedon. Gunn is introduced as the leader of a street gang which protects its neighborhood from vampires.
where the police would not go, and looked after his sister, Alonna, from a very young age. Although he had a few brushes with the law, he acted as a kind of urban Robin Hood
to keep the streets in his neighborhood safe. In his teens (although now Gunn is in his early 20's), Gunn rose through the ranks to become the leader of a gang of street-fighters who protect their turf from vampires using guerrilla
tactics. Possessing the mind of a military strategist and the strength of a back-alley brawler, life in the ghetto hardened Gunn to the extent that his life became less important than the cause, resulting in him trading his soul for a truck in a deal with a demon named Jenoff when he was only seventeen, because he believed he had no future (cf. "Double or Nothing
").
", when he observes the vampire
Angel roughing up a blackmail
er and tries, unsuccessfully, to dust
him. Later on, a gang of vampires, who are at war with Gunn's gang, attack their hideout, kidnapping several gang members in the process, including Gunn's sister Alonna. Eventually, Angel wins Gunn's trust, but unfortunately not in time to save Alonna from being turned into a vampire. Gunn has no choice but to stake his own sister, a decision which continues to haunt him through the series. It is this loss that forces Gunn to question his own motives and become more receptive to Angel's help, realizing he cannot do everything alone. Angel recognizes Gunn's strength and often calls on him if he needs back up in battle or if he needs protection for the people he cares about when he cannot protect them himself. Although he initially regards his time with Angel Investigations
as a "paying side-gig," Gunn eventually becomes a full-time member of the gang, gaining mutual respect for those he fights side-by-side with while finding his place in the world. However, his work with his new 'family' often leads to conflicted loyalties; in the episode "Belonging
", Cordelia
is accidentally sucked into a portal to Pylea
while a member of Gunn's old street crew, George, succumbs to the bite of a vampire. Gunn feels responsible for his friend's death, believing that it would not have happened if he had still been around to help in the fight. Yet even in his grief, he realizes that he could not commit the same crime twice and allow Cordelia to suffer the same fate, so he joins Angel, Wesley
, and Lorne to rescue her.
A short time after their return from Pylea, demons across the city are being massacred - regardless of whether or not they actually did anything to deserve being killed in the first place - and Gunn comes to the conclusion that his old gang is responsible for the deaths, currently being led by a man named Gio, who has a serious grudge
against supernatural entities due to an unrevealed event in his past (cf. "That Old Gang of Mine
"). He realizes that his ties with his old life are gone and that his loyalty now lies with the vampire with a soul. In a showdown with one of his lifelong friends, Gunn finally chooses the mission of the Angel Investigations
team. Without realizing it, Gunn finds the future he thought he would never have. He has friends, loyalty, respect, and a mission to pursue. He even finds love in the arms of the new girl Fred Burkle
, but his past still comes back to haunt him in the episode "Double or Nothing
," when the demon Jenoff decides it is time to cash in on the deal Gunn had made years earlier by claiming Gunn's soul. Luckily, Angel and the others at Angel Investigations
are able to aid Gunn and defeat Jenoff, allowing Gunn the luxury of living his life to the fullest.
Fred becomes the most important person in Gunn's world, but Gunn's devotion suffers the ultimate test in the episode "Supersymmetry
", when he kills Professor Seidel (who deliberately sent Fred to Pylea) in order to save Fred from having to carry the burden of doing it herself. The guilt of what he had done for her plagues Fred and instead of bringing them closer together, it begins the rut that leads to the end of their relationship. Although no longer romantically linked, Gunn and Fred continue to fight side-by-side, and Gunn has a fling
with the electric Gwen Raiden in the episode "Players
". When Wolfram & Hart
want to cut a deal to have Angel take over the L.A. branch, Gunn is led into the mysterious White Room where he is exposed to the mysterious conduit to the Senior Partners, who impresses Gunn with his immense power. Soon, he undergoes a remarkable transformation at Wolfram & Hart
.
's Medical Department that enhances his mind with a comprehensive understanding of the law (and Gilbert & Sullivan, to help improve his voice and diction), making him the only member of Angel's team who can work inside the system seamlessly (cf. "Conviction
"). When his mental abilities begin to diminish, Gunn, fearful of losing his new talents and respect, makes a pact with Dr. Sparrow and gets a permanent upgrade in exchange for signing to release an ancient curio stuck in customs. When this curio results in the death of Fred and the resurrection of Illyria (cf. "A Hole in the World"), a guilt-ridden Gunn willingly offers himself to take Lindsey McDonald
's place in a hell dimension in order to get information on how to stop the Senior Partners (cf. "Underneath
"). While the team have no clue how to free him, Illyria saves Gunn with ease. He then returns to the fold, changed and seeking redemption for his sins. In the show's finale "Not Fade Away
", he spends his potential-last day alive helping Anne Steele out at her youth help center, and then slays Senator Helen Brucker, one of the members of the Circle of the Black Thorn, but is seriously injured in the process. While preparing for one last fight against the army of the Senior Partners, Illyria states that he has only minutes to live with Gunn quoting, "Then let's make them memorable." Joss Whedon later discussed the final battle in SFX Magazine: "Gunn is dead. Illyria keeps fighting. Angel loses an arm. Spike gets Shanshu. And Xander
loses another eye, which is funny, because he isn't even there."
However, in the second issue, Gunn insists that he is still a good guy. He resents being a vampire, though he is prone to murderous impulses due to his lack of a soul. He reveals that he blames Angel for his condition, believing he had allowed him to be turned, and that he intends to save L.A. to prove that one doesn't need a soul to be a champion. As part of his plans, he kidnaps the psychic fish Betta George and imprisons him, forcing George to tap into his psychic ability to freeze Slayers in their tracks and contact people outside of Hell/Los Angeles.
In a later issue, he is seen making mystical plans; the intent is to have Angel come to the conclusion he sent Gunn to die, then Angel himself will die moments later. As part of his revenge against Angel, Gunn destroys the Wolfram & Hart building, Angel's headquarters in the war with the Demon Lords, which also forces Wesley back to the Senior Partners for a short time. Gunn later bears witness to Angel's defeat of the Lords, hanging back to ensure that not all of the people are slaughtered should Angel fail. Shortly after the team moves back into the Hyperion Hotel, Gunn confronts them and reveals his vampire nature.
Upon seeing what has become of Gunn, Angel tells him he is sorry. Gunn says he figured he would say that, and tells him to table that for now. Gunn takes Angel around his base of operations, explains what happened to him. When Angel sees that Gunn thinks he is doing the right thing, Angel cautions him that the beast is the one in control, not him. Gunn attacks him, angered that Angel thinks that Gunn isn't himself. Gunn proceeds to remove all of the magic that had kept Angel alive, and realizes that Angel was actually now a human. Gunn decides to let Angel lie there and die slowly, only to be confronted by Wesley's "ghost", who reveals to him that the visions he has been receiving are from the Senior Partners rather than the Powers That Be. Ignoring this revelation, Gunn continues to attack his former friends, his team of Slayers apparently staking Spike- although Spike is later seen alive thanks to Illyria's timeslips- before he is kicked out of a window by Connor while trying to kill Angel again. Confronting Illyria, he tricks her into transforming into Fred so that he can shoot her, reverting her to her true form in the hope that he can convince her to use her powers to rewind time so that the Fall never occurs, only for Illyria to vow to unmake time itself. Realizing that the Senior Partners cannot allow him to die, Angel provokes Gunn into killing him, thus forcing the Senior Partners to reverse time to the original battle in the alleyway, giving Angel the opportunity to save Gunn before he is sired, the group subsequently taking Gunn to the hospital, where he falls into a coma
. In Aftermath #18 Gunn is shown driving a sports car. Gunn seems to be recovering from his wound well, but was stated not to be ready to rejoin the team yet. In Angel: After the Fall
#23 Gunn is spotlighted. It is explained how he was cured so quickly from the attacks at the end of the series and he and Illyria come to a mutual agreement and strike a friendship
of sorts. In the end Illyria and Gunn take off to find adventure, slay demons, and find a new direction in their lives.
Gunn eventually returns to Angel Investigations
, though he nonetheless faces multiple difficulties upon his return, as Spike and Connor still regard him as a traitor due to his actions in Hell and are distrustful of him. When Connor takes over the leadership of Angel Investigations after Angel is captured by Innovation Labs, a biotech
company seeking to duplicate Angel's status as an immortal with a soul, Gunn, while still loyal to Angel's mission, left the team due to escalating disagreements and arguments with Connor. Gunn departs with the intent of starting his own crew and fighting the good fight his way, though he nonetheless intends to return when Angel is found. However, his attempts to start anew are briefly halted when he is attacked by Eddie Hope, an ice-manipulating devil who has been hunting down people for crimes they committed while Los Angeles was in Hell, while at a diner.
expertise due to his years as a vampire hunter, often being described as "the muscle" of Angel Investigations. Angel himself once claimed that Gunn could beat him in a fight, but this is seemingly contradicted in After the Fall, wherein, despite Gunn's vampiric status and Angel's human status, Gunn only defeated Angel in a fight because Angel wanted to lose. However, episodes like "Darla
" and "Reunion
" have proven that Gunn is also a talented and intelligent investigator. Due to Wolfram & Hart
's legal upgrade in Season Five, Gunn also has knowledge of all legal codes, both human and demon, as well as fluency in some demonic languages, knowledge of golf
techniques and knows all Gilbert & Sullivan light operas.
Gunn is a fan of pop culture and often displays a detailed knowledge regarding comic books:
In the canonical Angel: After the Fall comic series, set after Angel' s fifth season, Gunn is revealed to have become a vampire. As such he has the standard powers and vulnerabilities of a vampire: superhuman strength, speed, reflexes, and durability, along with virtual immortality and accelerated healing. He is vulnerable to holy items and sunlight, and must regularly feed on mammal blood to maintain his vitality. Gunn cannot enter the home of a living human without being invited by someone who lives there first. However, since in Angel: After the Fall L.A. is currently located in Hell, it is unknown what effect is had on Vampire abilities or vulnerabilities. In a conversation with his sire, it is suggested that his W&H upgrade partially affects the control the inner demon has over Gunn's actions; he considers himself "good" despite his lack of a soul and feeding on humans, claiming that the demon does what it wants "on [his] terms." He also tells Angel that he has added to his powers by devouring a prophetic
demon and since acquiring its power to receive visions, which he believes come from the Powers but in fact come from the Senior Partners. With time having been reversed so that Gunn was never turned into a vampire, it remains to be seen whether he retains the visions.
". In the final episodes, Gunn comes full circle, returning to his roots, taking back his street clothes, and reawakening his purpose as a soldier in the fight against evil.
Angel
: Gunn was a series regular from seasons 2 - 5. He appeared in 91 episodes in total, including guest appearances in the episodes:
Angel: After the Fall
: Gunn has appeared in issues #1, #2, #4, #5, #8–#17, #23 and Angel: Aftermath #18
material such as comics and novels
, most notable his own one-shot comic Gunn: Spotlight in 2006.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
created by Joss Whedon
Joss Whedon
Joseph Hill "Joss" Whedon is an American screenwriter, executive producer, director, comic book writer, occasional composer and actor, founder of Mutant Enemy Productions and co-creator of Bellwether Pictures...
for the television series, Angel
Angel (TV series)
Angel is an American television series, a spin-off of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The series was created by Buffys creator, Joss Whedon, in collaboration with David Greenwalt, and first aired on October 5, 1999...
. The character is portrayed by J. August Richards
J. August Richards
Jaime Augusto Richards III is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his portrayal of vampire hunter Charles Gunn on the WB cult television series Angel.-Early life and education:...
, and was named by Whedon after filmmaker James Gunn and actor Sean Gunn
Sean Gunn
Sean Gunn is an American actor, most famous for his role as Kirk Gleason on the television show Gilmore Girls .-Early life:...
, both of whom had worked with Whedon. Gunn is introduced as the leader of a street gang which protects its neighborhood from vampires.
Character history
Gunn was born in the Badlands, a section of inner-city Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
where the police would not go, and looked after his sister, Alonna, from a very young age. Although he had a few brushes with the law, he acted as a kind of urban Robin Hood
Robin Hood
Robin Hood was a heroic outlaw in English folklore. A highly skilled archer and swordsman, he is known for "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor", assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men". Traditionally, Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes....
to keep the streets in his neighborhood safe. In his teens (although now Gunn is in his early 20's), Gunn rose through the ranks to become the leader of a gang of street-fighters who protect their turf from vampires using guerrilla
Guerrilla warfare
Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare and refers to conflicts in which a small group of combatants including, but not limited to, armed civilians use military tactics, such as ambushes, sabotage, raids, the element of surprise, and extraordinary mobility to harass a larger and...
tactics. Possessing the mind of a military strategist and the strength of a back-alley brawler, life in the ghetto hardened Gunn to the extent that his life became less important than the cause, resulting in him trading his soul for a truck in a deal with a demon named Jenoff when he was only seventeen, because he believed he had no future (cf. "Double or Nothing
Double or Nothing (Angel episode)
"Double or Nothing" is episode 18 of season three in the television show Angel.-Plot synopsis:Fred and Gunn work at the office searching through files for current cases and try to get by without Wesley. Lorne joins them and a discussion arises about Angel, who is upstairs alone...
").
Angel Investigations
Gunn is introduced in the Season One episode "War ZoneWar Zone (Angel episode)
"War Zone" is episode 20 of season 1 in the television show Angel. Written by Gary Campbell and directed by David Straiton, it was originally broadcast on May 9, 2000 on the WB network...
", when he observes the vampire
Vampire
Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person...
Angel roughing up a blackmail
Blackmail
In common usage, blackmail is a crime involving threats to reveal substantially true or false information about a person to the public, a family member, or associates unless a demand is met. It may be defined as coercion involving threats of physical harm, threat of criminal prosecution, or threats...
er and tries, unsuccessfully, to dust
Stake
Stake may refer to:* @stake, a computer services company* Equity stake, a share or interest in a business or investment* "Stake", a tent peg* Stake -Military:* Sudis , a fortification carried by Roman legionaries...
him. Later on, a gang of vampires, who are at war with Gunn's gang, attack their hideout, kidnapping several gang members in the process, including Gunn's sister Alonna. Eventually, Angel wins Gunn's trust, but unfortunately not in time to save Alonna from being turned into a vampire. Gunn has no choice but to stake his own sister, a decision which continues to haunt him through the series. It is this loss that forces Gunn to question his own motives and become more receptive to Angel's help, realizing he cannot do everything alone. Angel recognizes Gunn's strength and often calls on him if he needs back up in battle or if he needs protection for the people he cares about when he cannot protect them himself. Although he initially regards his time with Angel Investigations
Angel Investigations
Angel Investigations is a fictional detective agency run by the title character Angel previously on the WB television series Angel . It is sometimes abbreviated as AI...
as a "paying side-gig," Gunn eventually becomes a full-time member of the gang, gaining mutual respect for those he fights side-by-side with while finding his place in the world. However, his work with his new 'family' often leads to conflicted loyalties; in the episode "Belonging
Belonging (Angel episode)
"Belonging" is episode 19 of season two in the television show Angel.-Plot synopsis:The Angel Investigations team celebrates at an expensive restaurant for Cordelia's role in a national commercial. Cordelia expresses her worries about leaving them temporarily while Wesley and Gunn are sure they can...
", Cordelia
Cordelia Chase
Cordelia Chase is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer; she also appeared on Buffy's spin-off series Angel...
is accidentally sucked into a portal to Pylea
Pylea
In the fictional universe established by the television series Angel, Pylea is a world in an alternate dimension where demons are the dominant life form and humans are treated as animals to be used as beasts of burden or even food...
while a member of Gunn's old street crew, George, succumbs to the bite of a vampire. Gunn feels responsible for his friend's death, believing that it would not have happened if he had still been around to help in the fight. Yet even in his grief, he realizes that he could not commit the same crime twice and allow Cordelia to suffer the same fate, so he joins Angel, Wesley
Wesley Wyndam-Pryce
Wesley Wyndam-Pryce is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel...
, and Lorne to rescue her.
A short time after their return from Pylea, demons across the city are being massacred - regardless of whether or not they actually did anything to deserve being killed in the first place - and Gunn comes to the conclusion that his old gang is responsible for the deaths, currently being led by a man named Gio, who has a serious grudge
Grudge
A grudge is something that is held against someone for something or an issue they haven't resolved peacefully or discussed.Grudge may refer to:*The Grudge, a horror film**The Grudge *The Grudge , an album by Mortiis...
against supernatural entities due to an unrevealed event in his past (cf. "That Old Gang of Mine
That Old Gang of Mine (Angel episode)
"That Old Gang of Mine" is episode 3 of season 3 in the television show Angel, originally broadcast on the WB television network. In this episode, Gunn discovers his former comrades are murdering harmless demons for fun...
"). He realizes that his ties with his old life are gone and that his loyalty now lies with the vampire with a soul. In a showdown with one of his lifelong friends, Gunn finally chooses the mission of the Angel Investigations
Angel Investigations
Angel Investigations is a fictional detective agency run by the title character Angel previously on the WB television series Angel . It is sometimes abbreviated as AI...
team. Without realizing it, Gunn finds the future he thought he would never have. He has friends, loyalty, respect, and a mission to pursue. He even finds love in the arms of the new girl Fred Burkle
Winifred Burkle
Winifred "Fred" Burkle is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon and introduced by Shawn Ryan and Mere Smith on the television series Angel. The character is portrayed by Amy Acker.-Character history:...
, but his past still comes back to haunt him in the episode "Double or Nothing
Double or Nothing (Angel episode)
"Double or Nothing" is episode 18 of season three in the television show Angel.-Plot synopsis:Fred and Gunn work at the office searching through files for current cases and try to get by without Wesley. Lorne joins them and a discussion arises about Angel, who is upstairs alone...
," when the demon Jenoff decides it is time to cash in on the deal Gunn had made years earlier by claiming Gunn's soul. Luckily, Angel and the others at Angel Investigations
Angel Investigations
Angel Investigations is a fictional detective agency run by the title character Angel previously on the WB television series Angel . It is sometimes abbreviated as AI...
are able to aid Gunn and defeat Jenoff, allowing Gunn the luxury of living his life to the fullest.
Fred becomes the most important person in Gunn's world, but Gunn's devotion suffers the ultimate test in the episode "Supersymmetry
Supersymmetry (Angel episode)
"Supersymmetry" is episode 5 of season 4 in the television show Angel. Written by Elizabeth Craft and Sarah Fain and directed by Bill L. Norton, it was originally broadcast on November 3, 2002 on the WB network.-Plot:...
", when he kills Professor Seidel (who deliberately sent Fred to Pylea) in order to save Fred from having to carry the burden of doing it herself. The guilt of what he had done for her plagues Fred and instead of bringing them closer together, it begins the rut that leads to the end of their relationship. Although no longer romantically linked, Gunn and Fred continue to fight side-by-side, and Gunn has a fling
Casual relationship
A casual relationship, colloquially known as a fling, is a physical and emotional relationship between two people who may have a sexual relationship or a near-sexual relationship without necessarily demanding or expecting the extra commitments of a more formal romantic relationship...
with the electric Gwen Raiden in the episode "Players
Players (Angel episode)
"Players" is episode 16 of season 4 in the television show Angel. Gwen Raiden returns to ask Gunn to help her rescue a little girl from a wealthy and powerful tycoon. Meanwhile, Angel and the rest of his team are researching Cordelia’s sudden pregnancy....
". When Wolfram & Hart
Wolfram & Hart
Wolfram & Hart − Attorneys at Law is a fictional international, and interdimensional law firm featured in the television series Angel, as well as other extended materials in Joss Whedon's Buffyverse.-Fictional history:...
want to cut a deal to have Angel take over the L.A. branch, Gunn is led into the mysterious White Room where he is exposed to the mysterious conduit to the Senior Partners, who impresses Gunn with his immense power. Soon, he undergoes a remarkable transformation at Wolfram & Hart
Wolfram & Hart
Wolfram & Hart − Attorneys at Law is a fictional international, and interdimensional law firm featured in the television series Angel, as well as other extended materials in Joss Whedon's Buffyverse.-Fictional history:...
.
Wolfram & Hart
Feeling undervalued by his friends, Gunn submits to a procedure at the hands of Wolfram & HartWolfram & Hart
Wolfram & Hart − Attorneys at Law is a fictional international, and interdimensional law firm featured in the television series Angel, as well as other extended materials in Joss Whedon's Buffyverse.-Fictional history:...
's Medical Department that enhances his mind with a comprehensive understanding of the law (and Gilbert & Sullivan, to help improve his voice and diction), making him the only member of Angel's team who can work inside the system seamlessly (cf. "Conviction
Conviction (Angel episode)
"Conviction" is the first episode of season 5 in the television show Angel, originally broadcast on the WB network. In this episode, Wolfram & Hart C.E.O. Angel and the rest of the group cope with their new, morally ambiguous lifestyle. Their client - an unsavory, violent gangster - threatens to...
"). When his mental abilities begin to diminish, Gunn, fearful of losing his new talents and respect, makes a pact with Dr. Sparrow and gets a permanent upgrade in exchange for signing to release an ancient curio stuck in customs. When this curio results in the death of Fred and the resurrection of Illyria (cf. "A Hole in the World"), a guilt-ridden Gunn willingly offers himself to take Lindsey McDonald
Lindsey McDonald
Lindsey McDonald is a fictional character from the television series Angel. He first appeared in the series' first episode, "City of," and featured prominently in the story arcs of seasons one, two, and five. Lindsey is the only character besides Angel himself to appear in both the first and last...
's place in a hell dimension in order to get information on how to stop the Senior Partners (cf. "Underneath
Underneath (Angel episode)
"Underneath" is episode 17 of season 5 in the television show Angel. Written by Elizabeth Craft and Sarah Fain and directed by Skip Schoolnik, it was originally broadcast on April 14, 2004 on the WB television network....
"). While the team have no clue how to free him, Illyria saves Gunn with ease. He then returns to the fold, changed and seeking redemption for his sins. In the show's finale "Not Fade Away
Not Fade Away (Angel episode)
"Not Fade Away" is the 22nd and final episode of season 5, and the series finale of the television show Angel. Written by series creator Joss Whedon and directed and co-written by Jeffrey Bell, it was originally broadcast on May 19, 2004 on the WB network...
", he spends his potential-last day alive helping Anne Steele out at her youth help center, and then slays Senator Helen Brucker, one of the members of the Circle of the Black Thorn, but is seriously injured in the process. While preparing for one last fight against the army of the Senior Partners, Illyria states that he has only minutes to live with Gunn quoting, "Then let's make them memorable." Joss Whedon later discussed the final battle in SFX Magazine: "Gunn is dead. Illyria keeps fighting. Angel loses an arm. Spike gets Shanshu. And Xander
Xander Harris
Alexander LaVelle "Xander" Harris is a fictional character in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as well as in numerous items in the series Expanded Universe, such as comic books, tie-in novels and video games...
loses another eye, which is funny, because he isn't even there."
After the Fall
In issue one of the Angel: After the Fall comic series (which is the canonical continuation of the Angel series), Gunn and a group he has assumed leadership of storm a stadium and kill Kr'ph, one of the demon lords of L.A., who has taken up residence there. The group frees humans, who were forced to fight each other by the demon. Gunn then makes a suggestive comment to the demon's female captives. At the end of the issue, Gunn is revealed to be a vampire, having been turned either during or after Team Angel's battle with the Senior Partners' army at the end of "Not Fade Away", who feeds on the women and turns the "rescued" men into vampires as part of "Team Gunn".However, in the second issue, Gunn insists that he is still a good guy. He resents being a vampire, though he is prone to murderous impulses due to his lack of a soul. He reveals that he blames Angel for his condition, believing he had allowed him to be turned, and that he intends to save L.A. to prove that one doesn't need a soul to be a champion. As part of his plans, he kidnaps the psychic fish Betta George and imprisons him, forcing George to tap into his psychic ability to freeze Slayers in their tracks and contact people outside of Hell/Los Angeles.
In a later issue, he is seen making mystical plans; the intent is to have Angel come to the conclusion he sent Gunn to die, then Angel himself will die moments later. As part of his revenge against Angel, Gunn destroys the Wolfram & Hart building, Angel's headquarters in the war with the Demon Lords, which also forces Wesley back to the Senior Partners for a short time. Gunn later bears witness to Angel's defeat of the Lords, hanging back to ensure that not all of the people are slaughtered should Angel fail. Shortly after the team moves back into the Hyperion Hotel, Gunn confronts them and reveals his vampire nature.
Upon seeing what has become of Gunn, Angel tells him he is sorry. Gunn says he figured he would say that, and tells him to table that for now. Gunn takes Angel around his base of operations, explains what happened to him. When Angel sees that Gunn thinks he is doing the right thing, Angel cautions him that the beast is the one in control, not him. Gunn attacks him, angered that Angel thinks that Gunn isn't himself. Gunn proceeds to remove all of the magic that had kept Angel alive, and realizes that Angel was actually now a human. Gunn decides to let Angel lie there and die slowly, only to be confronted by Wesley's "ghost", who reveals to him that the visions he has been receiving are from the Senior Partners rather than the Powers That Be. Ignoring this revelation, Gunn continues to attack his former friends, his team of Slayers apparently staking Spike- although Spike is later seen alive thanks to Illyria's timeslips- before he is kicked out of a window by Connor while trying to kill Angel again. Confronting Illyria, he tricks her into transforming into Fred so that he can shoot her, reverting her to her true form in the hope that he can convince her to use her powers to rewind time so that the Fall never occurs, only for Illyria to vow to unmake time itself. Realizing that the Senior Partners cannot allow him to die, Angel provokes Gunn into killing him, thus forcing the Senior Partners to reverse time to the original battle in the alleyway, giving Angel the opportunity to save Gunn before he is sired, the group subsequently taking Gunn to the hospital, where he falls into a coma
Coma
In medicine, a coma is a state of unconsciousness, lasting more than 6 hours in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light or sound, lacks a normal sleep-wake cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. A person in a state of coma is described as...
. In Aftermath #18 Gunn is shown driving a sports car. Gunn seems to be recovering from his wound well, but was stated not to be ready to rejoin the team yet. In Angel: After the Fall
Angel: After the Fall
Angel: After the Fall is a comic book published by IDW Publishing. Written by Brian Lynch and plotted with Joss Whedon, the series is a canonical continuation of the Angel television series, and follows the events of that show's final televised season...
#23 Gunn is spotlighted. It is explained how he was cured so quickly from the attacks at the end of the series and he and Illyria come to a mutual agreement and strike a friendship
Friendship
Friendship is a form of interpersonal relationship generally considered to be closer than association, although there is a range of degrees of intimacy in both friendships and associations. Friendship and association are often thought of as spanning across the same continuum...
of sorts. In the end Illyria and Gunn take off to find adventure, slay demons, and find a new direction in their lives.
Gunn eventually returns to Angel Investigations
Angel Investigations
Angel Investigations is a fictional detective agency run by the title character Angel previously on the WB television series Angel . It is sometimes abbreviated as AI...
, though he nonetheless faces multiple difficulties upon his return, as Spike and Connor still regard him as a traitor due to his actions in Hell and are distrustful of him. When Connor takes over the leadership of Angel Investigations after Angel is captured by Innovation Labs, a biotech
Biotechnology
Biotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and bioprocesses in engineering, technology, medicine and other fields requiring bioproducts. Biotechnology also utilizes these products for manufacturing purpose...
company seeking to duplicate Angel's status as an immortal with a soul, Gunn, while still loyal to Angel's mission, left the team due to escalating disagreements and arguments with Connor. Gunn departs with the intent of starting his own crew and fighting the good fight his way, though he nonetheless intends to return when Angel is found. However, his attempts to start anew are briefly halted when he is attacked by Eddie Hope, an ice-manipulating devil who has been hunting down people for crimes they committed while Los Angeles was in Hell, while at a diner.
Powers and abilities
In the television series, Gunn is a normal human with no supernatural abilities, but he has strength and martial artsMartial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
expertise due to his years as a vampire hunter, often being described as "the muscle" of Angel Investigations. Angel himself once claimed that Gunn could beat him in a fight, but this is seemingly contradicted in After the Fall, wherein, despite Gunn's vampiric status and Angel's human status, Gunn only defeated Angel in a fight because Angel wanted to lose. However, episodes like "Darla
Darla (Angel episode)
"Darla" is episode 7 of season 2 in the television show Angel. Written and directed by Tim Minear, it was originally broadcast on November 14, 2000 on the WB television network. In this episode, Angel tries to rescue Darla from the clutches of Wolfram & Hart and Lindsey's affections, as she...
" and "Reunion
Reunion (Angel episode)
"Reunion" is episode 10 of season 2 in the television show Angel.-Plot synopsis:Angel tells his associates that Drusilla has returned and, working with Wolfram and Hart, has made Darla a vampire again. Wesley and Cordelia investigate the law firm's plans for Drusilla and Darla as Angel prepares to...
" have proven that Gunn is also a talented and intelligent investigator. Due to Wolfram & Hart
Wolfram & Hart
Wolfram & Hart − Attorneys at Law is a fictional international, and interdimensional law firm featured in the television series Angel, as well as other extended materials in Joss Whedon's Buffyverse.-Fictional history:...
's legal upgrade in Season Five, Gunn also has knowledge of all legal codes, both human and demon, as well as fluency in some demonic languages, knowledge of golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
techniques and knows all Gilbert & Sullivan light operas.
Gunn is a fan of pop culture and often displays a detailed knowledge regarding comic books:
- In the episode "Supersymmetry", Gunn threatens a college student in a school book store by referencing the specific issue of DaredevilDaredevil (Marvel Comics)Daredevil is a fictional character, a superhero in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Bill Everett, with an unspecified amount of input from Jack Kirby, and first appeared in Daredevil #1 .Living in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood...
(#181) in which BullseyeBullseye (comics)Bullseye is a fictional character, a supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe.A psychopathic assassin, Bullseye uses the opportunities afforded by his line of work to exercise his homicidal tendencies and to work out his own personal vendetta against Daredevil.Although he possesses no...
kills ElektraElektra (comics)Elektra Natchios, usually referred to only by her first name Elektra, is a fictional character in publications from Marvel Comics.Elektra is a kunoichi – female ninja assassin – of Greek descent. She wields a pair of bladed sai as her trademark weapon. She is a love interest of the superhero...
, even quoting from the cover blurb which reads "...One wins, one dies." - When commenting on how fast Illyria appears to move when using her time-warping abilities, Gunn compares her to three different incarnations of the FlashFlash (comics)The Flash is a name shared by several fictional comic book superheroes from the DC Comics universe. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in Flash Comics #1 ....
: Jay GarrickJay GarrickJay Garrick is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe and the first to use the name Flash.-The Flash:...
, Wally WestWally WestThe Flash is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. He is the first Kid Flash and the third Flash....
, and Barry AllenBarry AllenThe Flash is a fictional character, a superhero in the DC Comics universe. He is the second character known as the Flash. The character first appeared in Showcase #4 , created by writers Robert Kanigher and John Broome and penciler Carmine Infantino. His name combines talk show hosts Barry Gray...
. The reference elicits little response from his confused friends, so he merely says that it was "like she was movin' really fast".
In the canonical Angel: After the Fall comic series, set after Angel
Prophecy
Prophecy is a process in which one or more messages that have been communicated to a prophet are then communicated to others. Such messages typically involve divine inspiration, interpretation, or revelation of conditioned events to come as well as testimonies or repeated revelations that the...
demon and since acquiring its power to receive visions, which he believes come from the Powers but in fact come from the Senior Partners. With time having been reversed so that Gunn was never turned into a vampire, it remains to be seen whether he retains the visions.
Appearance
Following his mental upgrade, Gunn sheds his street look for the sleek, professional suits of a legal powerhouse. He also lets his hair grow slightly, having had it shaved in all previous seasons, which comes as a surprise to Cordelia in the episode "You're WelcomeYou're Welcome (Angel episode)
"You're Welcome" is the twelfth episode of season five of the television show Angel. Written and directed by David Fury, it is the 100th episode of the series, and originally broadcast on February 4, 2004 on the WB network. In "You're Welcome", former series regular Charisma Carpenter returns as a...
". In the final episodes, Gunn comes full circle, returning to his roots, taking back his street clothes, and reawakening his purpose as a soldier in the fight against evil.
Romantic interests
- Veronica — Gunn had a romance with this girl prior to becoming a full-time member of Angel InvestigationsAngel InvestigationsAngel Investigations is a fictional detective agency run by the title character Angel previously on the WB television series Angel . It is sometimes abbreviated as AI...
. She appears briefly in the "First ImpressionsFirst Impressions (Angel episode)"First Impressions" is the third episode of season 2 in the television show Angel. Written by Shawn Ryan and directed by James A. Contner, it was originally broadcast on October 10, 2000 on the WB television network.-Plot synopsis:...
", in which her non-fatal injury at the hands of a vampire brings back painful memories and feelings of guilt about Alonna. - Winifred "Fred" BurkleWinifred BurkleWinifred "Fred" Burkle is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon and introduced by Shawn Ryan and Mere Smith on the television series Angel. The character is portrayed by Amy Acker.-Character history:...
— Gunn and Fred fall in love and continue a strong relationship throughout much of Seasons Three and Four, which was ruptured when Gunn murdered a human being in order to protect Fred's innocence. Nevertheless, he retains strong feelings of friendship for her and is devastated by her death, for which he is partially responsible. Unlike the other characters, who usually referred to Gunn by his surname, Fred always called him Charles and continued to do so following their break-up. - Gwen Raiden flirts with Gunn in her first two appearances, and they have sex in the episode "PlayersPlayers (Angel episode)"Players" is episode 16 of season 4 in the television show Angel. Gwen Raiden returns to ask Gunn to help her rescue a little girl from a wealthy and powerful tycoon. Meanwhile, Angel and the rest of his team are researching Cordelia’s sudden pregnancy....
" when, with Gunn's assistance, Gwen gains the ability to touch people without harming them.
Friendships
- Wesley Wyndam-PryceWesley Wyndam-PryceWesley Wyndam-Pryce is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel...
— During Angel's temporary absence from the group in Season Two, Gunn and Wesley develop a brothers-in-arms bond. This friendship continues to develop, but is strained by romantic rivalry over Fred (cf. "Waiting in the WingsWaiting in the Wings (Angel episode)"Waiting in the Wings" is the thirteenth episode of season 3 in the television show Angel. Written and directed by series creator Joss Whedon, it was originally broadcast on February 4, 2002 on the WB network...
"). The friendship between Gunn and Wesley deteriorates further after Wesley misguidedly attempts to kidnap Angel's son Connor and is accordingly fired from the agency. However, in Season Four, Wesley is gradually reintroduced to the AI team and the pair are friends again by Season Five. The Beast's attack on Los Angeles requires Wes and AI to join forces, and Wes saves Gunn's life in their first confrontation with the creature. Unfortunately, this friendship is again put under stress when the creation of Illyria (for which Gunn is indirectly responsible) causes Fred's death; Wesley stabs Gunn with a scalpel. The pair eventually do reconcile. - Cordelia ChaseCordelia ChaseCordelia Chase is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer; she also appeared on Buffy's spin-off series Angel...
advocated bringing Gunn into "Team Angel", and pushes for him to start getting paid as well as making sure the team begins to see him as an equal. Gunn began quickly to respect her and not just think of her as a "Barbie doll" as he did in the beginning. Over the years a solid friendship was formed.
Canonical appearances
Gunn has appeared in 95 canonical Buffyverse appearances.Angel
Angel (TV series)
Angel is an American television series, a spin-off of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The series was created by Buffys creator, Joss Whedon, in collaboration with David Greenwalt, and first aired on October 5, 1999...
: Gunn was a series regular from seasons 2 - 5. He appeared in 91 episodes in total, including guest appearances in the episodes:
- Season 1 (1999–2000) - "War ZoneWar Zone (Angel episode)"War Zone" is episode 20 of season 1 in the television show Angel. Written by Gary Campbell and directed by David Straiton, it was originally broadcast on May 9, 2000 on the WB network...
", "Blind DateBlind Date (Angel episode)"Blind Date" is episode 21 of season 1 in the television show Angel. Written by Jeannine Renshaw and directed by Thomas J. Wright, it was originally broadcast on May 16, 2000 on the WB network. In Blind Date, Angel reluctantly agrees to help lawyer Lindsey McDonald save a group of three blind...
", and "To Shanshu in L.A."
Angel: After the Fall
Angel: After the Fall
Angel: After the Fall is a comic book published by IDW Publishing. Written by Brian Lynch and plotted with Joss Whedon, the series is a canonical continuation of the Angel television series, and follows the events of that show's final televised season...
: Gunn has appeared in issues #1, #2, #4, #5, #8–#17, #23 and Angel: Aftermath #18
Non-canonical appearances
Gunn has also appeared in Angel expanded universeExpanded Universe
The term Expanded Universe is generally used to denote the 'extension' of a media franchise with other media...
material such as comics and novels
Angel novels
Angel novels have been published since 2000 by Pocket Books. The last was published in 2004.-Season 1:These Buffyverse tales take place during Buffy season 4, and Angel season 1 .-Season 2:...
, most notable his own one-shot comic Gunn: Spotlight in 2006.