Holtz was an 18th century English vampire hunter who chased Angelus and Darla through much of Europe and North Africa. He had connections to an elite order of Inquisitors within the Roman Catholic Church and an army at his command. Angelus and Darla retaliated by attacking Holtz's family, killing his wife and son. As a finishing touch, they tu...
Show more »
Holtz was an 18th century English vampire hunter who chased Angelus and Darla through much of Europe and North Africa. He had connections to an elite order of Inquisitors within the Roman Catholic Church and an army at his command. Angelus and Darla retaliated by attacking Holtz's family, killing his wife and son. As a finishing touch, they turned his remaining daughter, Sarah, into a vampire. Upon returning home, Holtz had little choice but to throw his sired daughter into direct sunlight and watch her burn to ashes.Holtz relentlessly chased Angel and Darla across two continents, even capturing Angel twice (only to lose him both times). Desiring more than just a quick death for his nemesis, Holtz repeatedly squandered his chances to kill Angel. Holtz finally managed to trap him in the sewers beneath Rome, and tortured him for hours; But eventually Darla arrived and broke Angel free. Following this incident, Holtz gave up his hunt and became a hermit.After a time, the demon Sahjhan came to him and offered him a chance for revenge. Holtz is transported through time and space to Los Angeles in the year 2001, where he is briefed by Sahjhan on navigating the city. He is also given a new army, this time a cadre of demons. A lot has changed in those 200 years: Darla is pregnant and Angelus now has a soul. Since his motives are not in the interest of justice but rather vengeance, Holtz once more spares Angel's life--unsatisfied with merely killing him--and instead devises a more elaborate plan to use Angel's newborn son Connor to cause the vampire as much pain as Angelus caused him.Before long, Holtz poisons his demon soliders; His reasoning being that they are just mercenaries, and therefore useless. Holtz claims to need real warriors who are invested in what they are fighting. He recruits a brash young vampire hunter, Justine Cooper, who lost her sister to a vampire's bite and has since wandered through her own life, seething with rage. Holtz manipulates her thrist for vengeance, as well as that of many others, and builds a new army.Shortly after Connor's birth, Holtz arranges for Wesley Wyndam-Pryce to kidnap Connor. Out of devotion to Holtz, Justine helps abduct the baby and slits Wesley's throat. Holtz and Justine plan to keep Conner for themselves and raise him as their own. When Lilah Morgan's men and Angel ambush Holtz's truck, they are forced to pull over and are surrounded by Lilah's armed gunmen. A tense four-way confrontation between Angel, Wolfram & Hart, Holtz, and Sahjhan ensues beneath the bridge at the edge of town. Sahjhan threatens to swallow all of them into portal leading to Quor-Toth, the darkest of the dark worlds , but at the last minute Holtz defies expectations and shoves Justine to the ground, leaping into the hellish portal with Conner clutched in his arms.For years Connor grows up in Quor-Toth, where time moves faster than on Earth. During his childhood and teens, Holtz poses as Conner's father and instills a deep hatred of Angel within him. Connor finds a way to return to Earth, and an elderly Holtz soon follows. Holtz gives the impression that he wants Connor to live a healthy life with his biological father, but this is simply the final phase of his scheme. Holtz reunites with Justine and asks her to kill him. Together, they simulate a vampire attack by stabbing Holtz twice in the neck, in a manner resembling a vampire's fangs. Holtz himself seems to realize how far he has fallen, even telling Justine, I'm not asking you to follow me into Hell, just send me there. Once he discovers his father's corpse, a heartbroken and furious Connor blames Angel.Holtz, like many villains on Angel, was not evil per se. In fact, he was a force for good in the 18th century. However, Holtz's life was utterly destroyed by Angelus, and he never recovered. After his family was killed, only his bitterness and hatred kept him alive. Holtz found no solace in Angel's remorse, or the fact that his soul had been restored, and instead exploited that soul as an instrument of torture. Even in death, Holtz thought of nothing but his own revenge. One could argue that he finally gave Angel what he deserved.
Show less «
