Circle of the Black Thorn

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The Circle of the Black Thorn was a secret society based in Los Angeles with ties to the law firm Wolfram & Hart. The Circle gathered some of the most powerful beings, both economically and politically.

Background

"To be a Black Thorn is to be the Senior Partners' instrument on Earth. It doesn't get bigger than that."

―Lindsey McDonald^[src]

The origins of the Circle of the Black Thorn remained unrevealed, though it was likely that it was created after the Senior Partners, then known as the Wolf, the Ram and the Hart were driven away from this dimension. The members of the Circle, the self-fashioned Black Thorns, were considered the earthly instruments of the Senior Partners and were charged with the task of being the driving force behind Wolfram & Hart's apocalyptical plans and dedicated to maintaining "man's inhumanity to man", not from a belief in evil per se, but because being a Black Thorn allowed them to amass power for themselves and wield said power with absolute impunity. However, for all their power, the Black Thorns still answered to the Partners for their actions. As an associated organization, Wolfram & Hart worked closely with the Circle and performed a number of services for its members.

As of the Circle's was composed by Archduke Sebassis; Senator Helen Brucker; Cyvus Vail; Ed, Grand Potentate of the Fell Brethren; the leader of the Sahrvin Clan; Izzerial the Devil; as well as three other men. Their latest recruit was Angel.

Thanks to a vision given to him by Cordelia Chase ("You're Welcome"), Angel learned that the Circle represented the true powers behind Wolfram & Hart's apocalypse. ("Power Play") After a lengthy investigation, Angel learned that he could only draw the attention of the Circle by sacrificing his role as Champion and killing one of his lieutenants. Taking advantage of subsequent events, Angel allowed the Circle to believe that he was responsible for the death of Fred and her subsequent possession by Illyria.

In the following months, Angel pretended to become corrupted by his position at Wolfram & Hart. He helped the Fell Brethren acquire a baby to be used as a sacrifice on the child's thirteenth birthday ("Time Bomb"), he offered the firm's services in discrediting one of Senator Brucker's political rivals, Mike Conley, by brainwashing him to become a pedophile, and sent a demon assassin after Drogyn the Battlebrand, guardian of the Deeper Well. After suitably impressing the Circle members, Angel was granted membership following an initiation ritual that included the torture of Drogyn, and his death by being drained by Angel. ("Power Play")

While pleased that Angel had joined them, the Circle remained wary that Angel would try to betray them as a way to fulfill the Shanshu Prophecy. They demanded that Angel renounced his claim to such destiny, a request to which Angel complied, taking advantage of the fact that the Circle wouldn't imagine that Angel would do good simply for its own sake rather than for a reward. ("Not Fade Away")

After Angel revealed his plot to his allies and spending a last day on Earth doing whatever they wanted to do, they set out on a mission to destroy the Circle as an indirect attack on the Senior Partners. While Partners might be eternal and forever, Angel intended to show them that they would never control them regardless of their power.

Angel secretly poisoned the Archduke Sebassis via the slave demon the duke drank blood from from, subsequently killing Marcus Hamilton – the liaison to the Senior Partners – with the aid of his son Connor by drinking Hamilton's blood and thus acquiring some of his strength.

Izzerial and the three human Black Thorns were slaughtered by Illyria. The leaders of the Sahrvin Clan, including its Representative in the Circle, were slain by Lindsey with the aid of Lorne, who then turned on Lindsey and shot him at Angel's behest.

Wesley Wyndam-Pryce faced Cyvus Vail, though he was unable to defeat the powerful warlock. Vail lethally injured Wesley, only to be slain by Illyria. Spike wiped out the Fell Brethren and their Grand Potentate Ed while rescuing the infant they had desired to sacrifice.

Gunn fought past the vampires staffing Senator Brucker's office and killed her with an axe to the head, although he himself is badly wounded in the process. ("Not Fade Away")

Membership

• Archduke Sebassis
• Cyvus Vail
• Izzerial
• Senator Helen Brucker
• Angel
• Ed, Potentate of the Fell Brethren
• The leader of the Sahrvin Clan
• Three unidentified Black Thorns