Spike, Buffy, and Angel are examples of Champions.
- “Nothing in the world is the way it ought to be. It's harsh, and cruel. But that's why there's us. Champions. Doesn't matter where we come from, what we've done or suffered, or even if we make difference. We live as though the world is as it should be, to show it what it can be.”
- ―Angel[src]
Champion, informally referred to as "champ,"[1][2][3] was a title used to denominate heroic individuals who used power,[4] sacrifice,[5] and integrity[6] to act as forces for good against evil.[7][1][8][5] For such acts, the Powers That Be often counted on Earth's Champions to influence the world.[9][3]
Examples[]
Angel[]
Angel, the vampire with a soul, was recognized as a Champion by his colleagues at Angel Investigations,[10][11][12] his enemies at Wolfram & Hart,[13][14] the demigoddess Dinza,[15] the Conduit to the Powers That Be,[16] and the former Power Jasmine.[17] Referring to his dedication to saving people's lives, Doyle described Angel as "a faceless champion of the hapless human race";[18] five years later, Hamilton said the fates made Angel a vampire with a soul, a champion, and "a hero of the people."[19]
Kamal[]
At one point, Angel volunteered as Jo's champion to represent her in a battle facing the Tribunal. He replaced her former champion Kamal, a Prio Motu demon who had turned against the violent nature of his species.[20]
Groosalugg[]
The Groosalugg was an undefeated champion of the realm of Pylea.[1] He became known as such after winning every contest of skill and daring he entered,[21] but Groo did not believe in his status as a Champion until Cordelia pointed out the goodness in him and his potential to fight evil.[1] While working together on Earth, Groo and Angel recognized each other as Champions.[22]
Cordelia[]
Angel once denied Cordelia's status as a Champion in an attempt to save her from the effects of her visions,[16] but he also believed she deserved to be with a Champion.[22] However, Lorne described Cordelia as an "old school" Champion,[23] and Gunn said she had the heart of one.[24] The Powers eventually ascended Cordelia as a higher being in recognition of her sacrificing her humanity and using her given powers as a warrior for good.[6]
Connor[]
The former Power That Be Jasmine recognized Connor as a Champion like his father, Angel.[25] Connor learned from Angel how to help make the world a better place and be a Champion, but Fred and Wesley noticed that Jasmine groomed the young man to be her Champion instead.[8] Before her eventual defeat,[26] Jasmine told Connor that Angel's time as a Champion was in the past, and it was Connor's destiny to become one.[27]
Buffy[]
In 2003, Wolfram & Hart offered Angel an amulet of importance in the battle against the First Evil. It was meant for someone ensouled but stronger than human: a Champion. Angel recognized himself as the right person, but Buffy, the Slayer then active for seven years in the fight against the forces of evil, added that she also fitted the description.[4]
Spike[]
Buffy gave the amulet to another Champion: Spike, her ally and a vampire who had recently fought for his soul. He sacrificed himself to defeat the First's horde of Turok-Han and close the Hellmouth,[4] an act that Fred recognized as proof he was a Champion.[28][29] Eve also indicated that the event made Spike a candidate for the Shanshu Prophecy, which mentioned a Champion who would play a pivotal role in the apocalypse.[5] Despite their rivalry, Angel recognized that both he and Spike were Champions.[30][31]
Behind the scenes[]
- Cassandra Rayne, a character in the non-canon game Chaos Bleeds, was a champion of the Powers during the 12th century.
References[]
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