Fred vs Illyra. Favorite Amy Acker role on "Angel"?

[Jayson]

I liked Fred alot more than I thought I would when we first saw the character in the phylia arc. I still think Illyra was more intresting. I liked having a character on the show that doesn't seem to be all that human in anyway except having a connection to Wesley.

Jason

 

[Chekov's Phaser]

Fred. No contest, imo. I'm trying to give a great reason but the only thing that comes to mind is:

Come on, it's Fred!

 

[CorporalClegg]

Illyria.

Fred was a waste of Acker's talent. She was at best a poor man's Willow and at worst a hood ornament.

 

[od0_ital]

I liked Fred more than Illyria, simply because she had more time to develop.

Illyria was cool & all, but she was only there for what? six episodes in the last season?

Of course, when I met Amy Acker a couple of years ago at a scifi con, I got 8x10s of both characters signed, since I couldn't pick just one.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

I got a real soft spot for cute little nerd girls but I was impressed with how well AA made Illyria seem like a whole different person and did enjoy that character as short-lived as it was.

 

[NileQT87]

I love them both, but my vote goes to Fredikins.

The episode Fredless has my favorite Amy Acker moment (well, besides "Please, Wesley, why can't I stay?" and "Would you like me to lie to you now?"):

"Well, sure. It's a story. Once upon a time, there was a girl who lived all alone in a horrible cave; so far from home it made her chest hurt. And every day in that horrible cave, the girl tried to figure out a way to escape. None of her plans ever succeeded, of course, and she'd almost given up hopin'. When one day, just like in a fairy tale, a handsome man rode up on a horse and saved her, and took her back to his castle. Now, you'd think that was the end, wouldn'tcha? Dumb old fairy tales and their 'happily ever after's. But see, the minute they got back to the castle, the handsome man went away again. And even though she didn't mean to, didn't want to, high up in that castle, the girl just built herself another cave; hoping he would save her again. But you can't save me this time, can you?"

Man, I relate to that in ways that are scary (certain behaviors--isolationism being one of mine, being rescued and then struggling to stop building yourself another cave). Ultimately, you've got to save yourself. I love that scene so much.

And Amy Acker is a wonderful actress. And the fact that Fred and Illyria were so different is a testament to her. "Because I look like her?"

Hopefully, Amy will get to shine as Whiskey on Dollhouse, too. In fact, it was her presence that actually made me the most excited about that show.

 

[Evil Twin]

Actually just finished watching Angel for the first time last week, and I have to say I can't really choose one. Like them both equally, even though Fred obviously had more time to develop. It's a shame we didn't get another season to further explore Illyria's character, as her arrival was one of the most interesting elements of the final stretch of episodes.

 

[iguana_tonante]

I like 'em both. Fred was a real, nuanced and developed character. Illyria was awesome, but we didn't see a lot of her. Amy was great keeping them separated characters.

But I liked how sometimes you would see Fred creeping out in Illyria (not just the obvious moments when she pretended to be her): I have the sensation that we would have seen more of that if the series had continued. I didn't buy the explanation "Fred's soul was totally consumed and there isn't anything of her in Illyria".


And Illyria was great with Spike: it would be really interesting to see her deal with him and Wesley. We will never see that. Alas.

 

[od0_ital]

^

You should read the After the Fall comics, both Angel and Spike issues.

 

[Peter the Younger]

I loved Fred to death, but I could see how Acker would get bored with the character, and I didn't really see where they could go with her near the end, so the change made sense. Illyria was just so damn interesting, and yeah, I think you could see Fred's personality creeping back in. That just appealled to me on a philosophical level, the notion that this little Texas girl's soul is no so easily stamped out, even by an elder demigod.

 

[FPAlpha]

Fred.. no contest.

She was just such a sweetheart and it broke my heart when she died and left Wesley so soon after they finally got together.. i was especially sad after the episoder where they have shown her packing her stuff for LA with her parents being worried what would happen to her.

Illyria was not bad too.. especially the scene where she realizes she's a "god" without followers and that history had forgotten her and she had one of the best scenes of the entire show ("Lie to me..." ) but still.. Fred is my choice.

 

[Yoda]

I'll take Illyria. Frankly, Fred was kind of boring.

 

[RoJoHen]

Going with Fred, if only because there was more time to develop her. However, while I missed Fred after she died, I couldn't help but want to see more of Illyria. Both characters were fantastic.

 

[Ethros]

I'll have Illyria, and then she can turn into Fred or not depending on what mood I'm in

 

[iguana_tonante]

^

You should read the After the Fall comics, both Angel and Spike issues.

I'm waiting for them, but they don't have them here in Italy. Some day I'm going to do an order on Amazon or something.

 

[Aurian]

I grieved Fred.

 

[Kelthaz]

Illyra. No contest.

The very fact that Illyria is even a contender for best role for Acker with only 6 episodes of air time proves she's the best. And frankly I found Fred pretty boring. She was cute when she was spouting off technobabble, but other than that she didn't do a whole lot.

 

[Mal]

is it weird that i think Illyria was hotter?

 

[BenRoethig]

Toss up. I missed the glowing light that was Fred, but I liked Illyra for how much different the character is from Amy. Her natural personality has a tendency to get her type cast and mask how good of an actress she actually is.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Fred, by far. Just the kind of girl I like. Illyra was a bit interesting on her own, I suppose, but destroying Fred was just another example of killing off a major character for the shock value.