Angel remained an important part of Buffy's life.

The Buffy the Vampire Slayer revival seems to set to explore the later life of Buffy Summers, delving into her life over two decades since the conclusion of her show. It's likely that the show will also address other characters and their respective fates, establishing what happened to the Scoobies in their later years. It would be bizarre for the revival to not include Angel, given his importance in the franchise and in Buffy's life. There's even a perfect way to make Angel mortal again so David Boreanaz he could have realistically aged.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer's Revival Could Reveal Happened To Angel

The Buffy Revival Needs To Reveal What Happened To Angel After "Not Fade Away"

Angel needs to make an appearance in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer revival, with one element of Angel's spin-off potentially being the key to bringing back David Boreanaz without needing to de-age him. After being one of the most important ing characters in the first three seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel departed Sunnydale after the battle against Mayor Wilkins and moved to Los Angeles.This was the focus of Angel, which ran for five years. Neither show fully moved on from the other though, with the shadow of Angel and Buffy's romance hanging over all of their subsequent relationships.

As such, it's likely that the Buffy the Vampire Slayer revival will bring Angel into the story in some capacity. This means the show will have to answer what happened after the purposeful cliffhanger of Angel season 5. After incurring the wraith of the interdimensional law firm Wolfram & Hart by slaying many of their representatives on Earth, the show's finale "Not Fade Away" concludes with Angel and his few remaining allies facing off with a demonic horde. With the revival delving into a future where Buffy has grown older, the show must also address what became of Angel.

Angel And Buffy The Vampire Slayer Are Deeply Connected

Angel And Buffy Crossed Over Plenty Of Times

As a spin-off of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, it goes without saying that Angel shares a universe with that show. However, the two crossed over more than most shows and their respective spin-offs, even after Buffy the Vampire Slayer moved to a different television network. Angel and Buffy remained vital in one another's lives, lending aid when called upon while also dealing with their own dramas. This led to some fascinating beats, especially when they ended up on opposing sides of an issue or even came to blows.

Angel refusing to hand over Faith to Buffy or the Slayers losing faith in Angel during season 5 were interesting approaches to heroic schisms. There was a massive amount of crossover between the two shows, which only reinforced the bond between Buffy and Angel. Buffy and Angel were incredibly important to one another. Angel's importance to the franchise means it would be odd if the character didn't appear at all in the Buffy revival. Even just a mention of Angel would feel underwhelming, especially if it doesn't bring closure to the events of "Not Fade Away."

Angel's Ending Could Be Given Closure In The Buffy Revival

"Not Fade Away" Purposefully Ended On An Ambiguous Note

After steadily losing more and more of his allies over the course of season 5, "Not Fade Away" served as one last hurrah for the group. Although Wes was killed and Lorne left the group after helping bring down their targets, the rest of Angel Investigations — Angel, his old rival Spike, former vampire hunter Gunn, and the old god Illyria — faced off with Wolfram & Hart's army. While the Buffy sequel comics also explored the fallout of Angel's final stand as well as the fates of his allies, the revival could approach it from a completely different place.

This could also be a good chance to reveal what happened to Gunn and Illyria as well, even if it's just to confirm how Angel and Spike survived the battle and made their way back to Buffy's life.

If Angel or Spike appear in the Buffy revival, the show explore their fates in contrast to the lives that Buffy has made for herself in the years since the events of the TV show's conclusion. Given the importance role Angel and Spike both had in the life of Buffy, it would be weird to not see them in the Buffy revival. This could also be a good chance to reveal what happened to Gunn and Illyria as well, even if it's just to confirm how Angel and Spike survived the battle and made their way back to Buffy's life.

The Buffy Revival Needs To Focus On The Slayers

Buffy Needs To Stay At The Center Of Any Buffy Revival

Even if Angel and Spike appear in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer revival and the show takes the time reveal what happened after Angel, it's important that the revival not become too much about them. The revival seems to be ultimately a story about Buffy. It needs to keep that focus no matter what, even if it does address some of the lingering threads and questions from Angel. Angel and Spike's return could pay off the long-standing love triangle that exists between them, giving an older Buffy the chance to make a decision on who she wants to be with.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer ran for seven seasons, concluding in 2003. Angel, which began during the fourth season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, ran for five seasons and concluded in 2004.

If Angel and Spike appear in the revival, it needs to be in service of Buffy's story and not just to appease fans of Angel. They could return as her love interests or even just as old friends, but would need to be careful to not draw the focus of the plot away from Buffy. While it would be weird for the vampires to not appear in Buffy the Vampire Slayer's revival, it's important that they not steal too much of the spotlight from the titular hero.

Angel And Spike Need To Reappear In The Buffy Revival

The Shanshu Prophecy Could Explain How Angel And Spike Could Age

The biggest challenge to bringing back Angel and Spike would be the fact that the actors have noticeably aged since they last appeared on-screen. As immortal vampires, they shouldn't have aged at all. While there is de-aging technology and make-up practices that could hide their age, it would be costly. However, Angel actually introduced a possible fix for this with the Shanshu Prophecy. Established in season 1, the prophecy reveals that a vampire with a soul will one day be redeemed and rewarded for their valentine acts by being turned back into a human.

If the prophecy had been achieved off-screen or by attacking Wolfram & Hart, then Angel (and Spike, for that matter) could have been made human again — meaning they would naturally age. Although Angel seemed to sign away his connection to that prophecy as part of his plan to bring down Wolfram & Hart, it's possible that it still took effect. This could allow Angel and Spike to return for the Buffy the Vampire Slayer revival but as humans, allowing them to have naturally aged and finally reach a resolution to their long-standing romance.