Bangel

Bangel is the het ship between Buffy and Angel from the Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel fandoms.

Canon
Guided by Whistler, Angel is introduced to the new slayer, Buffy, and seemingly falls in love with her at first sight. He follows her to Sunnydale and keeps in the shadows, aiming to protect and aide her however he can. Buffy soon realizes he's following her and they meet for the first time. Buffy is instantly taken with Angel's mystique, but moreso his fighting abilities and willingness to help her do what's right. She develops a crush on Angel, but when he returns her feelings, their relationship grows intense and Buffy discovers Angel's true identity and past. Though shocked, Buffy decides that she can trust Angel to help her with Slaying and that she can trust him, as Angel is ensouled. Angel is torn by his feelings for Buffy, mostly when he sees what his competition for her affections, Xander, is able to give her that he can't: A 'normal' life, growing old together and his breath, when Xander revives a Buffy murdered at the hands of The Master.

Following her death, Buffy is traumatized and acts out, with Angel trying to reach her. As they fight a group of vampires trying to resurrect The Master, Buffy finally releases her anguish and Angel is there to comfort her. They start dating and fight together to protect Sunnydale from its Hellmouth proximity. Buffy becomes insecure about Angel's long 'life' and experience over centuries, and tries to broach the subject but quickly regrets doing so. For Halloween, she decides to dress up as one of the noblewomen Angel would've encountered in his original time period, as she imagines they are who he wants Buffy to be. Unfortunately, the costumes bear spells that turn the wearers into their costume, rendering Buffy a scared, helpless damsel in distress for an evening. Following their reversal of the spells, Angel is puzzled by why Buffy chose that specific costume and she reveals her fears. Angel assures her that he found those women only boring and incapable — that he prefers someone like Buffy, who is strong and independent.

They become a fighting duo as Angel helps Buffy in her work to rid Sunnydale of vampires, and grow closer. Following a near death experience with Spike and Drusilla, Buffy and Angel escape and, soaked by the rain, hide out in Angel's apartment. Overcome, they can't keep their feelings at bay any longer and they make love for the first time. Later, Angel wakes up seemingly in agony and runs out into the street in the pouring rain.

Fanon
The most popular het ship in the fandom, which was at its heights throughout the first three seasons, before Angel leaves for LA. To this day, Bangel is synonymous with Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, and the template for the tragic human/vampire star crossed lovers romance. Specifically the /Juliet element of the ship is something that drew viewers in and propelled their love story to another level. Viewers also enjoy that Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy Summers) prefers Bangel over the unplanned, other vampire-with-a-soul ship, Spuffy. Its biggest rivals are Spuffy and Cangel.

Fandom
FAN FICTION
 * Buffy/Angel tag on FanFiction.net
 * Buffy/Angel tag on FanFiction.net

TUMBLR
 * 2016
 * 2015
 * 2014
 * 2016
 * 2015
 * 2014
 * 2016
 * 2015
 * 2014

WIKIS

Trivia

 * Sarah Michelle Gellar, the actress who portrays Buffy, ships Bangel.