Charles Gunn
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Charles Gunn (born 1978 in Los Angeles, California) is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon and introduced by Garry Campbell for the cult television program, 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.
Biography
Gunn is a dedicated member of Angel's group at Angel Investigations.
Charles Gunn was born in the badlands, a section of inner-city Los Angeles where police would not go, and looked after his sister Alonna from a very young age. Although he had a few brushes with the law, Gunn acts as a kind of urban Robin Hood to keep the streets in his neighborhood safe. In his teens, Gunn rose through the ranks to become the leader of a gang of streetfighters who protect their turf from vampires using guerrilla warfare 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 17, because he believed he had no future.
Gunn first crossed paths with Angel in 2000 when he observed Angel roughing up a blackmailer and tried unsuccessfully to dust him. Eventually, Angel won Gunn’s trust, but unfortunately not in time to save Alonna from being turned into a vampire. Gunn had no choice but to stake her, a decision that haunts him to this day. It was this loss that forced Gunn to question his own motives and become more receptive to Angel's help, realizing he cannot do everything alone.
Angel recognized Gunn's strength and often called on him if he needed back up in battle or if he needed protection for the people he cared about when he could not protect them himself. Although Gunn initially regarded his time with Angel Investigations as a "paying side-gig", he eventually became a fulltime member of the gang, gaining mutual respect for those he fought side by side with while finding his place in the world.
His work with his new 'family' often led to conflicted loyalties, never more so than in the episode "Belonging". In this, Cordelia was accidentally sucked into the portal to Pylea while a member of his old street crew, Rondell, succumbed to the bite of a vampire. Gunn felt 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, Gunn realized that he could not commit the same crime twice and allow Cordelia to suffer the same fate, so he joined Angel, Wesley and Lorne to rescue her.
A short time after their return, demons across the city were being massacred. Gunn came to the conclusion that his old gang was responsible for the deaths. He realized that his ties with his old life were gone and that his loyalty now lay with the vampire with a soul. In a chilling showdown with one of his lifelong friends, Gunn finally chose the mission of the Angel Investigations team.
Without realizing it, Gunn had found the future he thought he would never have. He had friends, loyalty, respect and a mission to pursue. He even found love in the arms of the new girl Fred Burkle, but his past still came back to haunt him. In the episode "Double or Nothing", the demon Jenoff decided it was time to cash in on the deal Gunn had made years earlier by claiming Gunn's soul. Luckily, Angel and the others at AI were able to aid Gunn and defeat Jenoff, allowing Gunn the luxury of living his life to the fullest.
Fred became the most important person in his world. His devotion suffered the ultimate test in the episode "Supersymmetry" when he killed the person responsible for deliberately sending Fred to Pylea in order to save her from having to carry the burden of doing it herself. The guilt of what he had done for her plagued Fred and instead of bringing them closer together, it began the rut that led to the end of their relationship.
That same relationship with Fred also destroyed the friendship between him and his co-worker (and later, his boss) Wesley. During Angel's absence from the group, where he went at it alone, Gunn and Wesley had developed a bond of brothers in arms. This friendship continued to develop, however it was severely affecting by Gunn and Fred entering into a relationship. Wesley was hurt because he too was in love with Fred and was jealous of their relationship. The friendship between Gunn and Wes detoriated and they almost became bitter enemies during the show's fourth season. However, in season four, Wes is gradually reintroduced to the AI team and the pair are friends again by season five.
Although no longer romantically linked, Gunn and Fred continued to fight side by side as part of Team Angel. Gunn later went on to have a fling with Gwen Raiden in the episode "Players".
When the evil law firm Wolfram and Hart wanted to cut a deal to have Angel take over the L.A. branch, Gunn was led into the mysterious White Room where he was exposed to the mysterious, panther-like conduit to the Senior Partners, who impressed Gunn with his immense power.
Gunn undergoes a remarkable transformation at Wolfram and Hart. He submits to a procedure at the hands of W&H 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 the Angel team that can work inside the system seamlessly. The change not only makes Gunn a mental equal, he also sheds his street look for the sleek, professional suits of a legal powerhouse. He also serves as their only conduit to the Senior Partners in the White Room.
While he helps finesse many a case and client at W&H, his figurative (and almost literal) deal with the devil eventually comes back to haunt him when his mental abilities begin to diminish and - fearful of losing his new talents and position of respect - Gunn makes a pact with the doctor who performed his implant - Gunn gets a permanent upgrade in exchange for Gunn signing to release an ancient curio stuck in customs.
The curio ends up being a sarcophagus for the Old One, known as Illyria. The demon ends up infecting Fred and killing her from within. Although the friendship between him and Wesley had been mended by that time, and although Wesley could understand, he could never forgive (him and Fred having entered into a relationship shortly before), and he stabbed Gunn. Later, devastated by his part in her death, Gunn willingly offers himself to take Lindsey's place in a hell dimension in order to free their former nemesis and get information on how to stop the Senior Partners.
While the team had no clue how to free him, Illyria saved him with ease (before her powers were drained). Team Angel sensed that maybe she only did this because she sensed that Gunn was important to them and that by saving him she would have earned herself some bargaining power. Gunn returned to the fold, changed and seeking redemption for his sins. In the end, Charles 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. He slays Senator Helen Brucker, one of the members of the Circle of the Black Thorn, and is seriously injured in the process. However, that does not stop him from meeting up with Angel and the rest of the team to stage one last fight against the army of the Senior Partners.
Although initially considered to be the muscle of the Angel Investigations Team, Charles Gunn proved himself over time to be much more. He was as smart and resourceful as he was strong, and was immensely loyal to the team right up until their last stand.
In the Angel comics Gunn somehow survived the battle against the demonic legion sent by the Senior Partners.
Powers and abilities
Gunn is a regular human and has no supernatural abilities. However, he possesses great strength and knowledge of fighting techniques due to his years as vampire hunter.
Due to Wolfram & Hart's legal upgrade, Gunn also has knowledge of all legal codes, both human and demon, as well as fluency in some demonic languages, knowledge of golf technique and knows all Gilbert and Sullivan light operas.
Trivia
There are several instances where Gunn displays his amazing knowledge regarding comic books.- In one instance he threatens a man (in a comic book store) by referencing the specific issue of Daredevil (#181) in which Bullseye kills Elektra, 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, he compares her to three different incarnations of the Flash: Jay Garrick, Wally West and Barry Allen.
Possible Future
In a recent article posted on IGN.com, Amy Acker, who played Fred and Illyria, states that, had the rumored TV films about the Buffy/Angelverse been made, Gunn would have become a vampire, and would have become a central villain [link]Romantic relationships
- Veronica: Gunn had a romance with a girl named Veronica prior to becoming a full-time member of Angel Investigations
- Winifred Burkle: Gunn and Fred fell in love and continued a strong relationship throughout much of seasons three and four. However, an incident in which he murdered a man in order to protect Fred's innocence meant the start of the end of their close relationship.
- Gwen Raiden: Gunn and Gwen flirted and had sex in the episode Players in which Gwen gains the ability to touch people without harming them.
Appearances
Gunn has appeared in:
- Angel
- Gunn became a regular in the series' second season and remained so until the series' end. He appeared in 91 episodes in total, including guest appearances in the episodes
- Season 1 (1999-2000) - War Zone, Blind Date and To Shanshu in LA.
See also
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