Allen Francis Doyle | |
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Angel character | |
Glenn Quinn as Allen Francis Doyle
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First appearance | "City Of" (1999) |
Created by | Joss Whedon |
Portrayed by | Glenn Quinn |
Information | |
Affiliation |
The Powers That Be Angel Investigations |
Classification |
Half-Brachen demon Half-human |
Notable powers |
Precognitive visions Superhuman strength, dexterity, stamina and speed |
Allen Francis Doyle is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the cult television series, Angel. The character was portrayed by Glenn Quinn. Doyle is a seer who receives prophetic visions from The Powers That Be, usually of people in peril. His demon heritage allows him to manage them without suffering any permanent damage. His half-Brachen demon physiology grants him the ability to shift from normal human to demonic appearance, in which he has heightened sense of smell and superior strength, speed, stamina, and dexterity, the last of which allows him to twist his head around in such a manner as to fake a broken neck. However, Doyle rarely used his Brachen powers, preferring to remain human, thus limiting his usefulness in a fight.
Doyle is an Irishman who was born to a human mother and a Brachen demon father. Doyle never knew his father or anyone on that side of his family, and his own demonic genes didn't physically manifest themselves until he was 21 years old. At that time, Doyle was a third grade teacher and a soup kitchen volunteer married to a woman named Harriet. He didn't take the news of his demonic heritage very well. In spite of Harriet's acceptance of his other side, his marriage ultimately disintegrated. Doyle hid behind the flimsy veneer of a ne'er-do-well hustler and con artist, seemingly more interested in where his next drink was coming from than helping others.
Later, he was approached by a fellow Brachen demon, Lucas, who told Doyle that the Scourge, a militant group of pure blood demons, was after all half-breeds and begged for Doyle's help. Doyle turned Lucas away, believing this wasn't his problem. Soon after he received a vision, which he described as "splittin' migraines that come with pictures". The vision showed him a group of massacred Brachen demons. Doyle searched the city to find out if what he had seen was real – it was. These visions, which come from The Powers That Be, are what led Doyle to Angel. As Doyle says, "We all got something to atone for," and therefore the two join forces to fight evil in Los Angeles. Once Cordelia Chase joins the team, Angel Investigations is officially formed.