Merl (Buffyverse)
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 Matthew James as Merl |
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Merl is a fictional character from the television series Angel and was a recurring character in the show's second season, to later be killed in the third season. He is portrayed by Matthew James and first appears in the first episode of the second season: "Judgment".
[edit] History
Merl is a tongue-less Parasite demon with the reputation of a snitch among the underworld community. He hangs around mostly at Caritas, the karaoke bar that fellow green-skinned demon Lorne runs. He is introduced to Angel by Wesley, who had used his services before, in exchange for money.
Afterwards, he is frequently used by Angel for information about the vampires Darla and Drusilla. Instead of giving Merl monetary payment however, Angel frequently physically and vocally intimidates Merl into giving him the necessary information.
Merl is largely used for comedic relief during the darker turn the show takes during its second season, centered around the frequent abuse the character is forced to endure. Merl is one of the few demons that are in fact, not evil, and Merl is a likeable person all around. Over the course of the second season Merl grows to dislike Angel, and with him, his friends as well.
In the beginning of the third season, Merl is once again used for information by Angel, but he has finally had enough after being hung upside down by Angel and not let go. He demands an apology, and when Angel goes to visit him the next day with a box of donuts, he finds Merl dead.
Merl was killed by a demon hunting gang (former crew of Charles Gunn) in the episode "That Old Gang of Mine", who had been influenced by a new demon killer called Gio, who had turned the group into a pro-active demon slaying group, often unnecessarily killing "good demons". The group is confronted and defeated by Angel's team when they proceed to destroy Caritas, somewhat avenging Merl's death.
