Connor (Angel)

Connor (aka Connor Angel, Connor Reilly, Steven Franklin Thomas Holtz and The Destroyer) is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon and Tim Minear for the television series Angel. The character is portrayed as an infant by the triplets Connor, Jake, and Trenton Tupen and as a teenager by Vincent Kartheiser. Connor has a recurring role in season three, becomes a regular in season four, and has his last television appearance in the series finale as a guest star. He continues his story in the canonical comic book series Angel: After the Fall.

Within the series, Connor is the superhuman son of the titular character Angel, who is a vampire. Introduced in the third season as a newborn, Connor is kidnapped and taken to a hell dimension in an act of revenge against his father. He returns as a battle-hardened, disturbed teenager who has been raised to hate Angel. His consequent violent and estranged relationship with his father and increasing internal conflict making him shift alliances between protagonists and antagonists forms the storyline for his character. Towards the end of season four, events take their toll on Connor's sanity, and his memories are rewritten to give him a normal life. The next time he appears in season five, Connor is a well-adjusted person. At the return of his memories, Connor finally reconciles with Angel in the series finale. The comic book series follows Connor accepting his abilities and role of a hero.

Created to give Angel an "emotional" connection, the infant Connor was used to develop other characters. After he grows up, he initially becomes a tragic figure and foil for the protagonists before eventually evolving to a protagonist himself. Connor has received attention in academic texts related to family studies and masculinity in fiction. The character proved to be controversial among fans, while critics have given mixed views.