My Buffyholism is Showing

Of Souls and Spuffy

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 19:11:47 GMT

Hey guys! My double test day is over with so now I can finally do this poll I've been sitting on! Recent discussions have me curious about the general shape of Spuffy fandom right now as it pertains to Spike's soul status. So let's poll this bad boy. I've included a separate question for non-Spuffy fans, just for inclusiveness and comparison's sake.

For the purposes of this poll, you are a Spuffy fan if you consider yourself a Spuffy fan. I think the poll is pretty self-explanatory other than that. The first question may be tricky if you get hung up on, "Well, it didn't happen in canon, so..." but the basic gist is if you think their canon characterizations make such a relationship viable, despite the fact that canon events didn't quite pan out that way.

If you're a Spuffy fan, skip the second question. If you're not a Spuffy fan, skip the first question. Comment and discuss. Be awesome. Go!

View Poll: #1706195

Leaving me is BAD

Sat, 12 Feb 2011 23:13:16 GMT

Okay, so I'm sick (upper respiratory infection FTW!), but I can't help but have thoughts about Never Leave Me, which I watched last night.

It's a weird episode. It has no narrative climax and resolution. Stuff just...happens. Though I guess it's supposed to be taken along with Bring on the Night and Showtime, but it still makes for an odd episode to watch as a one-off.

I was struck by the recurrent theme of overtures of or allusions to power. It starts with Principal Wood bluffing to the two boys about what he could do to them with his authority as principal. We additionally get Andrew alluding to his special power when faced with Willow. In turn, Willow makes reference to her dark power to intimidate Andrew. Then Xander expounds at length about Anya's powers to intimidate Andrew. Finally, Spike shares stories with Buffy in an attempt to paint a picture of his potentially dangerous power.

I can only take this in the context of the wider "power" theme of S7, because Never Leave Me doesn't do much more than present this. Though, again, maybe I'll pick up something in the next two episodes.

I also found the conversation between Buffy and Spike in the basement to be interesting. I'm rethinking my thoughts that Buffy had reconsidered her worldview on vampires post-BY.

When Spike goes on about torturing and killing girls in his past, Buffy refutes him with: "It's not your fault. You're not the one doing this."

Later she says, "Be easier, wouldn't it, it if were an act, but it's not. You faced the monster inside of you and you fought back. You risked everything to be a better man."

I'm not sure what to make of her statements. It seems she and Spike are speaking at two different angles, and they don't really line up until Buffy just tells him she believes in him.

But before that? When she says she "saw [him] change", is she talking about getting the soul? Or things he did before getting the soul? After all, she also notes, "You fought by my side. You've saved lives. You've helped - "

She has to be referring to pre-soul Spike there, as post-soul Spike really hasn't done much of that (yet).

So what are we seeing here with Buffy's views? Is she rethinking her Angelus-influenced ideology that soulless vampires are distinct from their souled counterparts? Or is she rationalizing Spike as an exception? Or is she only taking notice because of the soul?

I don't know. I find Buffy hard to read in this episode. She's very shut down. Even when her actions are tender, her expression is cold. I know this is part of the NLM/BotN/ST arc because, well, compare this closed offedness with HER FACE OF LOVE when she rescues Spike in Showtime. But at this point, I'm not sure what to take away from her.

I think Spike feels the same way, as he gets increasingly frustrated through the episode until she tells him she believes in him. That cuts through all the ambiguity, and he gets that. Hell, he holds it with him for the next two episodes as The First tortures him so it obviously made an impact.

Regardless of all that, Spike is obviously her sole focus. Well, he had been in Sleeper, too. Here it's even more apparent, though, given how little attention she pays to Andrew's arrival. Buffy is never not talking about or dealing with Spike in this episode. He's a big deal for her.

Eh. We'll see if I pick up on anything in the next couple episodes. Y'all discuss. I'm feeling woozy and in need of a lie-down.

Look! Look here now!

Mon, 07 Feb 2011 00:51:16 GMT

Hello, Spike and Spuffy fans! vamp_mogs is curious for some feedback from our crowd (in a friendly way, not a hostile way) about S6 and such. Post is here. Go share. I'll continue ignoring the Superbowl to watch Miranda on YouTube. Such fun!

Squeefulness

Fri, 28 Jan 2011 17:25:29 GMT

"Buffy, shame on you. Why does a man do what he mustn't? For her. To be hers. To be the kind of man who would nev-

To be a kind of man.

She shall look on him with forgiveness, and everybody will forgive and love. He will be loved. So everything's okay, right?

Can - can we rest now? Buffy...can we rest?"

YES YOU CAN REST, SPIKE!!!

♥

Yeah, just some brief fangirling. I don't have much more to say about the scene that I didn't already say in ye ol' meta on it. I still loves it.

Gratitude?

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 00:02:50 GMT

So, this image:

Made the round on Tumblr a while back, so I had Chosen on the brain when I watched Hells Bells a few nights ago. I love the Spuffy scene in that episode. It's fantastic. And I was struck by this part at the very end:

BUFFY: I should...
SPIKE: Yeah.

She starts to walk past him.

SPIKE: But it hurts?

She stops, turns back.

BUFFY: Yeah.
SPIKE: (quietly) Thanks.

Spike...thanks her for admitting that it hurts to see him with another woman. Thanks her. Thanks her.

Since then, my mind's been setting this side-by-side with his thanking her in Chosen for her "I love you". My mind's been flashing back to appeals for "crumbs" in Crush, too.

My mind hasn't managed to coalesce much together from any of that. But I find it interesting in its potential resonances and connections and implications blah blah blah I'm so stuffy, give me a scone and I thought I'd toss it out to you guys.

The Spike in Team (Non-Buffy Edition)

Thu, 11 Nov 2010 16:34:47 GMT

You ever have a meta that would NOT LEAVE YOU ALONE till you wrote it? That's what this is.

As I was working on the BCBW for Normal Again through Seeing Red, I found myself, as usual, intrigued by Spike's part in those episodes. I think that a lot of interesting stuff goes un-commented on because the Big Event of Seeing Red (SR) kinda overshadows...everything.

So I want to take the time to do up some meta on Spike's arc there, specifically looking at the non-Buffy parts.

Yeah, you heard me. stormwreath's meta, Spike's Soulquest is something I rec a lot with good reason. While recognizing The Buffy of Spike's decision to get his soul, it also explores the other reasons that played into that decision. I want to do the same thing in a more general way. Buffy/Spike gets a lot of airtime in meta, especially as regards Spike's soul. However, I want to look at the non-Buffy angle. This isn't to say that Buffy wasn't important. Of course she was. She was a huge factor in what Spike did. I just want to look at the other factors. :)

To do so, though, I'm gonna have to go back to S4.

It might be possible to extend this out further to S2 or Spike's William days, but I'm not really inclined to do so here. S4 is where this theme is pretty explicitly established.

S4 is largely about group dynamics, specifically as they relate to the Scoobies and the Initiative. However, Spike's new role as a regular also plays into this as he takes the part of a character who is involuntarily excised from his social group (vampires) via the chip.

Pangs illustrates this with a blanketed Spike staring wistfully at a family of vampires encouraging a fledgling to feed on a human (Awww!). Because of the chip, he's now on the outside looking in. However, Pangs also shows Spike turning to the Scoobies for help. In the forced absence of his own group, he's left with little recourse but to turn to the Scoobies. Why? He explains later in The I in Team: "Because you do that. You're the goody-good guys. You're the bloody freaking cavalry."

He's not appealing to them out of any sense of camaraderie or friendship (indeed, in Pangs he specifically says he came in "seething hatred"). However, he's pegged the Scoobies as people that will help, no matter what, and Spike's an opportunistic sort.

The revelation in S4 that Spike can hurt demons with the chip will further distance him from his old social group. In Goodbye, Iowa, Spike is beaten up whilst in a demon bar and is told:

Bad-ass Demon: What did you expect, Spike? A welcome party?

Quick shot of two more mean looking demons standing in the doorway.

Bad-ass Demon: Word's out: you've been making war on the demon world.

Spike: (dazed) War?

Bad-ass Demon: With the Slayer! You kill other demons and the rest of us don't hold with that.

The other two demons, growling, duck back inside where the jukebox can be heard playing loudly.

Bad-ass Demon: Still . . . if I see you around here again, *I'll* be inclined to break that code. Do you understand?

Spike has found himself not only cast out by his own kind, he's being associated with the Slayer, despite his not-really-allied with her state at the time. Indeed, in The I in Team, Spike explicitly tells Giles he's not interested in being part of the Scoobies.

Giles: Um, thinking about your affliction and, uh, your newfound discovery that you can fight only demons; it occurs to me that (chuckling) I realize this is completely against your nature but I-I-I-- Has it occurred to you that there may be a higher purpose--

Spike: Ugh! You made me lose count. (faces him) What are you still doing here?

Giles: Talking to myself, apparently.

Spike: Well piss off, then. (indicates the money in his hands) This bit of business wraps up any I got with you and your Slayerettes. From here on I want nothing to do with the lot of you.

Giles: Your choosing to remain in Sunnydale might make that a little difficult.

Spike: Well you and yours will just have to show a little restraint is all. Get out.

Giles doesn't say anything and heads for the door.

Spike: (following) And I don't want you crawling back here knocking on my door pleading for help the second Teen Witch's magic goes all wonky or little Xander cuts a new tooth. We're through. You got it?

The memo doesn't get out to the rest of the demons, obviously, as we'll see them repeatedly imply that Spike and Buffy are teamed up throughout the next couple seasons, regardless of whether Buffy and Spike actually are.

The end of the season sees Spike, in a typical opportunistic twist, fall in with Adam, who promises to remove the chip and allow Spike to become a true demon again. In doing so, this would restore Spike to his former position of glory within his social group.

That, as we know, doesn't happen. Adam's plan isn't a success, and Spike is left trading sides again. This time, with gusto.

The door breaks down and a demon comes inside.

Spike comes in and breaks the demon's neck.

The demon falls to the floor.

Spike: Nasty sort of fellow. Lucky for you blighters I was here, eh?

Giles: Yes, thank you.

Cut to Spike.

Giles: Although your heroism has been slightly muted by the fact that you were helping Adam to start a war that would kill us all.

Xander: You probably just saved us so we wouldn't stake you right here.

Spike: Did it work?

They all get up.

Spike: Well, then everything's all right. And we all get to be not staked through the heart. Good work, team.

Indeed, throughout S4, we see Spike make surface appeals to a Scooby teamwork at the same time he's often rejecting a part in it. In Doomed, after he discovers that he can hurt demons, he attempts to rouse Willow and Xander to go fighting with him.

Spike: “What’s this? Sitting around watching the telly while there’s evil still a foot. (Turns the TV off) That’s not very industrious of you. I say we go out there (Rubs his hands together) and kick a little demon ass! (Xander and Willow stare at him) What, can’t go without your Buffy, is that it? To chicken? Let’s find her! She is the Chosen One after all. – Come on! Vampires! Grrr! Nasty! Let’s annihilate them. For justice - and for - the safety of puppies – and Christmas, right? Let’s *fight* that evil! - Let’s *kill* something! (Fade to black) Oh, come *on*!”

Later, we see a similar rousing speech in Where the Wild Things Are, but this time he'll manage to talk himself out of it.

XANDER: Anya, look around! There's ghosts and shaking, and people are going all Felicity with their hair... We're fresh out of superpeople, and somebody's gotta go back in there. (Deep breath) Now who's with me?

(Willow and Tara hesitate.)

SPIKE: I am.

(Everyone looks at Spike in surprise.)

SPIKE: I know I'm not the first choice for heroics ... (drops his cigarette and grinds it out with his foot) and Buffy's tried to kill me more than once. And, I don't fancy a single one of you at all. But... (pauses) Actually, all that sounds pretty convincing. (Frowns, shakes his head and walks away.) I wonder if Danger Mouse is on.

S4 shows us a character who's been shoved out of his former group and who's made a few half-hearted, largely insincere attempts to join with the Scoobies. S5 will begin with this dynamic and develop it further.

S5 starts early with a reference to Spike's outcast status in Real Me.

HARMONY: How've you been?

SPIKE: (shrugs) Not bad. Just got a brand-new telly in my crypt, so...

MORT: (walking up behind Harmony) Why are you talking to him?

HARMONY: It's okay, we used to go steady. (sighs) Spike, Mort. Mort, this is-

MORT: I know who he is. He kills our kind.

HARMONY: Oh yeah! (to Spike)What's up with that?

SPIKE: (shrugs) Bloke's gotta have a hobby, don't he? Piss off, Mort.

Of course, the show then adds a twist in having Spike develop feelings for Buffy. This will invigorate his desire to join her group. We'll soon see Spike present for the Big Family Scene in Family and he'll play pool with Xander in Triangle.

In Blood Ties when Buffy angrily accuses Spike of trying to ruin her life by helping Dawn find out her true origins, Spike replies in an interesting fashion:

BUFFY: How could you let her find out like that? From books and papers? You hate me that much?

SPIKE: I was just along for the ride. Not like I knew she was mystical glowy key thing. Nobody keeps me in the bloody loop, do they?

Spike's complaint that nobody keeps him in the bloody loop implies that he feels as if he should be part of the Scoobies Loop. As opposed to S4, he's started associating himself with the Scoobies despite his own tenuous status as one. Indeed, in the previous episode, Checkpoint, Spike had described his relationship with Buffy to the Watchers.

WATCHER #2: (OS) But we understand that you *help* the Slayer.

We see that Spike is being interrogated by Watcher #2 while the other two nameless male Watchers stand between her and Spike. One of the men holds a cross, the other a crossbow.

SPIKE: I pitch in when she pays me.

WATCHER2: She pays you? She gives you money?

SPIKE: Money, a little nip of blood out of some stray victim, whatever.

He explains what he does as "pitching in", as if he's a go-to accomplice. He's settled himself into a peripheral Scooby state.

This gets shaken in Crush, when Spike's feelings for Buffy (and stalking of her) are revealed. Buffy de-invites him and cuts off all contact, business or otherwise. The very next episode has Spike rushing to the Scoobies to try to clear things up.

SPIKE: Hello, all. What's going on then?

GILES: Spike, you're not welcome here.

WILLOW: Yeah, and by the way, we're working on a way to de-invite you from here. (Spike looks surprised) Even if it is a public place.

XANDER: Nah, forget it. Letting him in is good, 'cause then we get to toss him out.

ANYA: Ooh, can we throw him out the window like the robot did? 'Cause that was neat.

SPIKE: Robot? That's what she was? (scoffs) Knew something wasn't right. (looks over at Dawn, who's standing behind Tara) Hey. Someone's glad to see me, aren't you, little bit?

DAWN: Stay away from me.

TARA: I think you better go. (steps in front of Dawn and folds her arms)

SPIKE: Okay, now, I was afraid of this. Misrepresentations, misunderstandings, slurs and allegations. I don't know what Buffy told you, but the thing is, the Slayer and I worked together, side by side, to get rid of Dru. Who was up to no good. And I don't mind telling you-

GILES: (takes off his glasses, moves closer to Spike) Spike ... listen to me.

SPIKE: It's just ... I'm trying to explain. She might have said some things that sounded like I expressed some kind of feeling-

Giles pegs Spike as trying to get into their good graces to get to Buffy. However, I think Spike's previous behavior - as well as his appeal to Dawn - show that there's a secondary concern of his, and that's of his disappearing liminal Scooby status. Once he's not welcome with the Scoobies, he's effectively cut off. It isn't until Intervention that things change. Spike earns Buffy's trust, and the escalating Glory situation necessitates his more tangible addition to the group.

GILES: (grimly) What's he doing here?

SPIKE: Just out for a jaunt. Thought I'd swing by and say howdy.

GILES: Out.

BUFFY: (looks up from the table) He's here because we need him.

XANDER: The hell we do.

BUFFY: If Glory finds us, he's the only one besides me that has any chance of protecting Dawn.

XANDER: Buffy, come on-

BUFFY: (jumps up angrily) Look, this isn't a discussion! He stays. Get over it.

With this Buffy-ordered imperative, Spike is situated within the group, a turn of events he's seemingly very pleased with. He banters with the other Scoobies, often in a good-natured way (Offering his flask to Willow in The Gift, he and Giles quoting the Saint Crispen's Day speech, his near-constant back and forth with Xander). He ends the season with Buffy dead, but with access to a social group that he'd previously not had access to.

This all brings us to S6 (finally). We're immediately shown that Spike is part of the team.

SPIKE: I'm never gonna get anything killed with you lot holding me back.

TARA: (panting) I thought the big ones were supposed to tire more easily.

SPIKE: No, that's over-the-hill shopkeepers.

GILES: (leaning against a gravestone, panting) I'm fine. I just need to ... to die for a minute.

SPIKE: (to Tara) It was that powder you blew at him made him rabbit off.

TARA: It's sorbis root, it was supposed to confuse him, but ... it just kinda made him peppy.

Spike rolls his eyes.

TARA: It's not supposed to mix with anything, you think he might be taking prescription medication?

SPIKE: (sarcastic) Yeah, that must be it.

GILES: Good god, I hope he doesn't try to operate heavy machinery.

Giles and Spike laugh.

SPIKE: Yeah, we could all be in real-

That's genuine camaraderie there that's presumably been present all summer. The Scoobies even assign him his own task: babysitting Dawn. What's more, Spike's placement in the group appears to be accepted by even Xander.

Spike grabs Xander and spins him around, slams him up against the tree and holds him there.

ANYA: Hey!

SPIKE: You didn't tell me. You brought her back and you didn't tell me.

XANDER: Well, now you know.

SPIKE: I worked beside you all summer.

XANDER: We didn't tell you. It was just ... we didn't, okay?

Spike references his position in the Scooby group in his anger at Xander. He "worked beside [them] all summer". Xander, for his part, appears apologetic. He doesn't make any refutation that Spike isn't part of the team or anything. No, Spike is integrated as a Scooby.

He's also still distanced from demons. Tabula Rasa and Life Serial, like Real Me in S5, had succintly established that Spike's still an outcast from the demon world.

In Life Serial:

GREEN DEMON: You know the game, Spike. You in?

MANY-EYED DEMON: He kills our kind. Don't let him in.

And from Tabula Rasa:

SHARK DEMON: You're an odd duck, Mister Spike. Fighting your own kind ... palling around with a Slayer. (Spike turns to face him) And whoa, that suit! Chutzpah must be your middle name. (chuckles weakly) Uh, hey, look, um ... about our little debt problem, it's okay, I don't need the kittens.

Spike's managed to finagle himself back into a minimal position within the demon world. However, in this position, he's constantly having to justify his presence whereas he'd previously been hailed at the Slayer of Slayers. His inability to harm humans leaves him a demon on par with Clem. For Spike, this only allows him access to a pale shadow of his former position.

However, at the beginning of S6, it seemingly doesn't matter as he's settled into his place with the Scoobies.

This all changes with Buffy's return. The dynamics shift. We don't see any interaction between Spike and the Scoobies until OMWF.

WILLOW: We're not just gonna stay here.

GILES: Yes we are. (looks intently at Buffy) Buffy's going alone.

SPIKE: (disgusted laugh) Gah! Don't be a stupid git. There is no-

GILES: If I want your opinion, Spike, I'll- (pauses to consider) I'll never want your opinion.

It appears as though the Scoobies have gone back to their S4 to mid-S5 patterns towards Spike now that Buffy's returned. Whereas he'd previously been an ally, he's now not needed. Instead, Spike begins to interact almost exclusively with Buffy.

It's hard to say exactly why this is. Part of it is that the Buffy/Spike dynamic isolates both of them. They pull each other under, and as Spike encourages Buffy to distance herself from her friends, he convinces himself to stay away from them, too. Buffy awakens the darkness in Spike, and he embraces it. Doing so requires casting off his other attachments.

This puts him in a new position with regards to group dynamics. Instead of attempting to be with "the demons" or "the Scoobies", Spike attempts to carve out his own place with Buffy. The two of them, alone together. Both of them enjoying their darkness apart from others. This appeals to Spike, and he spends much of the season indulging in this new niche with Buffy.

When Buffy calls things off in As You Were, though, the next episode, Hells Bells shows Spike returning to the Scooby group as a guest at Anya and Xander's wedding. However, his appearance is short-lived, as he leaves promptly so as to not upset Buffy further. Prior to his departure, Buffy tells him he has "every right to be here". His place in the group is still recognized, but it's a tenuous position now. As we see, despite the fact that Spike has every right to be there, he still leaves because he thinks it'll be easiest on Buffy. The fallout from the Buffy/Spike relationship will eventually completely oust Spike from his former place, as we'll soon see.

Whew! All that to set up what was supposed to be a fairly short meta on these next few episodes. Well, let me dig in here.

Normal Again is when Spike starts being a douchetastic ex-boyfriend. However, the douchiness comes later in the episode, after an interesting confrontation.

Buffy and Spike meet in the cemetery and have a friendly conversation about what had happened at Xander and Anya's wedding. Then we get this.

XANDER: (OS) Spike.

Willow and Xander walk up, holding stakes.

XANDER: I shoulda known you'd be tagging along.

BUFFY: (stands) Hey, guys. I, uh ... I found Spike and was, uh, trying to figure out what kind of dangerous contraband he had.

SPIKE: (looks disgusted, gets up) Tell you what, Slayer. (drops his cigarette and grinds it out with one foot) Let me get out of your way. (picks up grocery bag) I'll stop bothering you.

XANDER: Yeah, maybe you should do that, Spike, just run along.

From Xander's very first line, he's casting Spike as an outsider, a status he hadn't had since last year. Despite the fact that Spike's not been present in his role in the gang for much of the season, his appearance at Xander's wedding suggests he still feels he has a claim on it. Xander's cavalier dismissal of him as "tagging along" and then Buffy's decision to disassociate herself from him quickly turns Spike bitter, with good reason.

Buffy's breaking up officially drove the nail in the coffin to Spike's dream of him and Buffy as their own little social group. Now, Buffy's integrating back with her friends, and Spike's left with no one.

The scene between Xander and Spike escalates until Xander punches Spike. Xander's final comment before leaving with Buffy and Willow, "Spike, just go, okay? She's our friend. We'll take care of her." slams the door on Spike's former position as a Scooby.

Despite this, Spike's still called on to help track down and capture the demon. This adds further insult to injury that he's being used for the muscle without actually being granted access to the group anymore.

When he next sees Buffy, he gives her an ultimatum: "You either tell your friends about us...or I will."

Why does this become so important for Spike? He hadn't been insistent on this before. However, now it's important because he thinks it would restore his former status in the Scooby gang. Facing the possibility of being an outcast, he's grasping to try to get back in.

Spike reiterates the request at the beginning of Entropy. Buffy's not impressed.

SPIKE: Here, I could take care of this guy if you want.

BUFFY: Whatever.

Buffy kicks the first vamp off and flips to her feet.

BUFFY: Your call.

SPIKE: I mean, sure he don't look like much...

VAMP 2: Hey!

SPIKE: ...but I'd wager he could give you a bit o' nasty. (Buffy kicking Vamp 1) Save you the staking. (Buffy throwing Vamp 1 to the ground) All you gotta do is-

BUFFY: I am not telling my friends about us.

SPIKE: Right, I'll just be dropping him down to you then.

BUFFY: (still struggling with Vamp 1) You wanna tell them so badly? Go ahead.

She finally manages to get a hand free and stakes the first vamp. Buffy stands up and walks over to the gate, looks up at Spike and the still dangling Vamp 2.

BUFFY: You know why? I tried to kill my friends, my sister, last week ... and guess how much they hate me. Zero. Zero much. (shrugs) So I'm thinking, sleeping with you? (Spike looking annoyed) They'll deal.

She turns to go. Spike lets Vamp 2 go. He falls to the ground and rushes at Buffy from behind.

SPIKE: In that case, why won't you sleep with me again?

The ultimatum doesn't faze Buffy because she's gotten the scoop that her friends would likely be able to deal. Her framing puts Spike off, though. He was wanting her to tell them in order to restore his social position. The implication Buffy makes, however, is that he had wanted her to come clean in order to turn her friends against her. In reaction, Spike makes another appeal that Buffy sleep with him again - trying to grasp at that constructed social niche the two had formed in mid-S6. Buffy, of course, turns him down.

Later in Entropy, Spike commiserates with Anya. She's in much the same position as Spike. She'd managed to secure a place in the Scooby gang through her relationship with Xander. Now that that relationship is over, she's cast out. Both Buffy and Willow "side" with Xander, and Anya's left by herself.

We see Anya and Spike both attribute their problems to that which forced them to gravitate towards the Scooby gang in the first place:

ANYA: (angrily) Thing about it is, none of this was my idea. (disgusted) I didn't ask to be human. (pouring)

SPIKE: Right! And I didn't ask for this bloody chip in my head.

This isn't just about being jilted lovers. Anya is lamenting the fact that she became human. That was what allowed her to enter the social circle in the first place. Likewise with Spike and the chip.

In their bitterness, both of them start to complain about the group from which they've been expelled.

ANYA: I did everything for that man. Was it ever enough?

SPIKE: Never! (slurred) I was always going above and beyond. I saved the Scoobies how many times? And I can't stand the lot of you.

ANYA: Me either! I hate us! Everybody's so *nice.* Nobody says what's on their mind.

SPIKE: You do. That's why you're the only one of them I wouldn't bite if I had the chance.

ANYA: (giggles, pleased) Really?

SPIKE: Absolutely. I have nothing but respect for a woman who is forthright. Drusilla was always straightforward. Didn't have a single buggering clue about what was going on in front of her, (Anya giggling) but she was straight about it. That's a virtue.

ANYA: Mm. Xander didn't think so. He thought I was rude.

SPIKE: (like 'duh') That's because he's one of them. Uptight. Repressed. (makes "uptight" gesture with one finger)

ANYA: (frowning) You think?

SPIKE: Please. It's no wonder they couldn't deal with the likes of you and me, luv. We should have been dead hundreds of years ago ... and we're the only ones who are really alive.

While their coupling is invariably about their respective exes, it's also about the similar social positions they find themselves in as a result of their relationship failure. When they gripe about the Scooby gang, they're doing so with the air of the kids who aren't allowed in the clubhouse and then decide they never wanted to be in it anyway.

In Seeing Red, we're treated to the Scene That Overshadows Everything. After being reprimanded by Dawn, Spike attempts one last-ditch effort to get to Buffy. In doing so, he's also making one last attempt to regain his former position as a Scooby (or at least be alone in the darkness with Buffy).

That doesn't end well, and Spike later agonizes in his crypt about it. A lot of the agonizing is about Buffy, but there's one key line that is instrumental in Spike's decision to get a soul:

SPIKE: (angrily) It's the chip! Steel and wires and silicon. (sighs) It won't let me be a monster. (quietly) And I can't be a man. I'm nothing.

This is the struggle Spike's been in since S4. He can't be a monster, as we've seen time and time again when he's been rejected and berated by demons for his actions. He can't be a man and fit into Buffy's social circle. He's "nothing".

His seeking out his soul is as much about establishing his own identity as it is about atonement. Just as his relationship with Buffy had fallen apart and culminated in Seeing Red, his precarious social position had seen an upswing (in late S5 to the beginning of S6) only to have it all spectacularly go kablooey after Buffy broke up with him. He'd tried the "hanging with humans" thing and it hadn't worked out. Spike attributes this to his own lack of humanity and sees the solution as going to get a soul.

"The missing...the piece that fit."

That's from the Beneath You church scene for those who don't have it memorized.

I'm a geek. I find these group dynamics fascinating, especially as they apply to Spike's arc in the series as he so often shifts status within the group.

Fool for Love: Cliff Notes Edition

Sat, 30 Oct 2010 22:13:13 GMT

So I was working on this thing as a way of practicing with Photoshop CS 5 (cause I've finally upgraded from Photoshop 7...for real). Then getting a tumblr made me think it'd be a good thing to post it there, so I did. But then I thought that only a handful of peeps are following me on tumblr so why not share with everybody (especially as tumblr doesn't seem to be resizing it properly for some reason *shakes fist*). So...

...long pointless explanation summed up: I made a funny pretty for you guys about my favorite episode: Fool for Love. :)

Image under the cut!

Happiness is...

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 03:17:53 GMT

Let's play a bit of 'what if?' Imagine that when Spike went to get his soul in S6, it came with a Gypsy-style happiness clause so that when he returned in S7, a moment of perfect happiness would cause him to lose it again.

So, what would do the trick? I'm not thinking of specific events in S7, per se, just general ideas of what would make a souled!Spike in S7 so happy that the clause would kick in.

Poll is below. And you are heavily encouraged to comment with ideas. :)

View Poll: #1595958

Spike Speak in S5

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:37:33 GMT

To give you guys a break from glowy Bangel-fucking, let's play with Spike! I mean...numbers...concerning Spike...it's fun!

Old-school members of my flist might remember Spike Speak wherein I ~~was a huge nerd~~ tallied up the nicknames Spike used for people in S4. Basically, I had/have a thought that Spike uses people's real names more than fans seem to think he does in fanfics, so I wanted to check it out myself. After doing S4, I went back and did Spike Speak for S2 (w/ Bonus S3!). And I've now finally done S5! Look at the progress!

This is useful for Spike nerds and writers. Also, if you're bored. Or you just want something Buffy-related that has nothing to do with the comics.

And a few notes, but it can be difficult to tell what "counts" in these things. Basically, if I could substitute the character's name in, I tallied it up. So Spike calling Angelus a "poofter" in the FFL flashback doesn't count (as Spike yelling "Angelus" at him wouldn't make any sense). Also, sometimes he used variations on the same name (Most noticeably variation between "the Slayer" and just "Slayer"). When this occurred, I counted them as one and the same. Savvy?

Buffy:

Buffy - 34
     Directed to someone else: 20
     Directed to Buffy: 14
Slayer - 23
     Directed to someone else: 12
     Directed to Buffy: 11
Bitch - 4
Love - 4
The girl - 4
Baby - 2
Summers - 2
Honey
The poor twig
Big sister
Sunshine
Blondie
Pet
Big sis
Lady

Yes, Spike refers to Buffy most often by her name, comprising 42% of his references to her. Slayer comes in second at 24%. I also noted down who he was talking to when using the terms, and he was still most likely to call her by her name while talking to her as opposed to calling her "Slayer" (36% vs 28%). I included the raw numbers so you guys can play with them.

Riley:

Boy - 2
Cubscout
Enormous hall monitor
Captain Cardboard
Charlie
You sod
Friend
Riley
What's-his-face

He has a variety of names for Riley. And he obviously doesn't like the guy as he only refers to him by name 10% of the time (and that was while talking to someone else)

Harmony:

Harm - 8
Harmony - 3
You silly bint
Baby
Sweetbreads

He calls Harmony by her full name 21% of the time, but if we include "Harm", her shortened name, that jumps up to 79%.

Drusilla:

Dru - 6
Drusilla - 3
Pet - 2
Love
My ex

And, again, we have him often resorting to a shortened version of her real name. However, he uses some variation of her name 69% of the time.

Dawn:

Dawn - 4
Kid - 2
Little bit - 2
Nibblet - 2
Brat kid sister
Bite-sized one
Kid sis
Bitty Buffy
Platelet
Sweet bit
The girl

While he does refer to Dawn by name 24% of the time, he has a very wide variety of nicknames for her. It'll be interesting to see how this develops in S6.

Joyce:

Mum - 4
Joyce - 3
The lady

I feel I should clarify that he refers to her as either Buffy or Dawn's "mum" a lot when talking to other people. He's not referring to her as his mum.

Giles:

Giles
Captain Slowpoke
Gramps

Xander:

Monkey boy
Harris
Special ed
Lackbrain

Willow:

Will - 2

Anya:

Lady

Buffybot:

Slayer - 3
Buffy - 2

I had to make a call in distinguishing between the Buffybot and Buffy. I decided to go ahead and consider them as separate entities, despite the fact that Spike talks to her as if she were Buffy for most of the episode.

Scoobies:

Scoobies
Kids

Ben:

Ben - 8
Doc

I'll admit, the "Ben is Glory" gag at the beginning of Weight of the World inflates the numbers quite a bit...

Glory:

Glory - 15
This skank
Glory chippie
Bitch
The great one
The lady

And ditto what I said for Ben.

Doc:

Bloke - 2
Doc - 2
Mate
A fella

Darla:

Darla

Gregor:

Scarface
General Armor-all

Willow and Tara:

Lover-Wiccas

Dracula:

Dracula
Drac
Poncy bugger

Mort:

Mort

Pacey:

Pacey - 1

Doctor (From OOMM):

Doc - 6
The good doctor
Mate

Cecily:

Cecily - 3

Angel/us:

Mate - 2
Angel

The Chinese Slayer:

Love

Random vamp:

Mate

Olaf:

Mate

Lydia:

Pet

Joyce and Dawn:

Ladies

April:

Darlin'

Warren:

Warren

Summers Women:

Summers women

Whew! In total, he makes reference to people 221 times throughout the season. He uses a person's name (shortened or otherwise) 104 times. That means that 47% of the time Spike will use a person's proper name.

Questions? Comments?

Talking during sex...

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 23:07:41 GMT

I find myself curious as I've been reading oodles of lovely Buffy fanfic. It seems to be a constant in fics that Spike likes to talk during sex. A lot. To the point of "babbling". This doesn't seem to be a wholly Spuffy phenomenon either as I've read it in Spike/Joyce, Spike/Angel, and Spike/Riley (Hey, told you guys I was branching out).

So I'm left wondering...what is this based on? In canon.

Like, I know the idea that Spike likes performing cunnilingus in fics is based on his going down on the Buffybot in Intervention (Cause...stop and marvel that the first sexual act he does with a robot is to perform oral sex on her).

So where does this sex babbling come from? In the sex scenes we see in the show, he's pretty darn quiet. The only thing I can think of is his line in Wrecked about Buffy and him "whispering nasties" to each other.

Is that it? Is it?

And I'm not complaining at all! I enjoy this particular Spike-trait as seen in every fanfic EVER! I'm just wondering why it seems to be almost universal.

More about Spike

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 21:57:00 GMT

moscow_watcher recced my post about Spike's role in AtS S5 at buffyversetop5. It kinda jogged my memory about some stuff. I remember at some point reading a comment made by someone (can't remember who) that it seemed people who enjoyed Spike's part in S7 didn't like him in AtS S5 and vice versa. I filed this away at the back of my brain as one of those "interesting things someone said", and moscow_watcher's post prompted me to wanna poll on it. :)

Also, another question about souled!Spike and Drusilla that I've been wanting to ask for a while now. Have at it!

View Poll: #1512860

Seven Seasons of Spike

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 18:56:18 GMT

There's a bunch of news buzzing about Spike in S8. I feel a little left out because I don't have much of an emotional stake in any of that. But I do like Spike, so I figured I'd do us all up a poll on the guy. One question for each season of the TV show. I don't know near enough about S8 to do a question for that. Sorry.

Enjoy. :)

View Poll: #1511590

"I can't cry the soul out of me."

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 05:04:26 GMT

I took a break from studying to watch Sleeper and now I must gush in true fangirl fashion.

Sleeper! Sleeper!!! Sleeper!!!!!!

- JM is fantabulous in this episode. That's generally a given, but it still bears saying.

- The scene between Anya and Spike is great comedy, but I love it on another level. When Spike wakes up, he's all tough guy, bad-ass, asking Anya why she's rustling through his stuff. Then, as soon as she mentions sex, he's scrunched up against the wall, wide-eyed and freaked out. What a perfect way to show the difference between souled!Spike and soulless!Spike.

Heh. Upside down and halfway to happy town.

- I can't be the only one with the "jealous girlfriend" vibe going off when Buffy confronts Spike in his bedroom. Or maybe I'm just distracted by the fact that Spike's wearing leather pants and no shirt.

- Okay, help me out here. You know the scene where Buffy's looking for Spike and has a convo with the bouncer of some club where he warns her away from Spike...what's the larger point of that scene? Is it just filler (Unlikely)? Usually, those little scenes have a larger thematic resonance in the context of the episode, but I'm having a bit of difficulty putting my finger on this one. Quinara wins.

- And the bestest bestest scene ever down in the basement.

Cause stairs have been a running theme for Spuffy. That and Spike being "beneath" Buffy. Last we saw in the Stairs Saga, Buffy was coming down to Spike's level in After Life. However, Spike's level was in her home, as he was trying to fit in with the other humans.

Now, however, we're in a basement. Spike goes down to the bottom of the stairs, but Buffy hesitates. The basement here is Spike's rock bottom. It's his monster, created by the First Evil (FE). It's the full horror of what he is. Buffy eventually goes down and ends up attacked by his little vamplings.

Love it love it love it. Why do I love it? Because Spike gives up at this point. He tried so freaking hard. Trying to be good without a soul. Fighting to get a soul when that fell through. And then it just didn't work. He couldn't escape from his demonness. He's still killing people.

So Spike opens up his shirt to give Buffy her chance. Cause, you know, Buffy's been saying for years how she's just waiting for Spike to give her a reason to dust him. Now she's got it. Objectively, Buffy knows that, yeah, he killed all those people.

But she also clues in to the fact that he's not quite in control of what's going on.

In Help, Spike asked Buffy to help him when he was crazy in the school basement. She tells him that she thinks it's worse when she's there. Here, he asks Buffy for help again, and this time, she agrees.

Early S7 is a gradual process for Buffy. After the attempted rape, she has no real reason to give Spike any benefit of the doubt. However, his revelation in Beneath You set the gears turning in her head. Makes her rethink a lot of things. But she's hesitant because she can't get a gauge on his recently souled up state. At first, he's just too crazy. She can't get a read on whether he's still a threat or not. So after Selfless, she moves him in with Xander to get him away from bad Hellmouth-y vibes.

In CWDP, though, the bombshell of Spike siring Holden makes her assume the worst: that Spike is willingly evil again. She doesn't dust him right off the bat, though. She tries to catch him in the act. When that fails, she directly confronts him. Finally, seeing his behavior in the basement clarifies for her that he's being controlled. That he's only a threat because of some outside force acting on him.

Unfortunately, just now when Buffy's getting to the point of unwavering belief in Spike, he's given up on himself.

*can't wait for Never Leave Me*

*huggles Spike*

"A girl who sleeps with the vampire she hates? Yeah, that makes sense."

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:39:49 GMT

Normal Again! Normal Again!!! *flails*

You know, S6 is an odd mix. It has some of the most brilliant episodes in the series (After Life, OMWF, Dead Things, Normal Again, Villains) and then it has some absolute duds (Wrecked, AYW).

At least the high points are really high.

I'll refrain from my Buffy-gushing because I'll get into what's going on with her whenever I do the BCBW on NA. But I actually wanna talk about Spike. Cause...wow...

We have one of my favorite Spuffy scenes in Hells Bells. Buffy and Spike are just sweet and genuine and thoughtful and pretty together there. And NA starts well, but then Spike takes a turn for the douchebag when he pulls an ultimatum on Buffy: Tell the Scoobies about them or he will.

Where did this come from? No, really. Why is it suddenly important to Spike that everybody knows about the past Buffy/Spike affair?

As I said, NA starts well. Buffy and Spike meet in the cemetery, and they have an actual conversation. It actually seems reminiscent of the "confidant" relationship Spike had with her pre-OMWF.

But things take a turn for the bad. Because Xander and Willow show up, and Buffy immediately, and blatantly, disavows any friendly overtures. In fact, suddenly she's on mid-S5 terms with him. What's more, Xander follows Buffy's lead and dismisses Spike.

That's when Spike lashes out against Xander, and then he's grumpy for the rest of the episode, culminating in his ultimatum to Buffy.

I suddenly feel the need to point you guys towards jen_nsync_landl's seasonal_spuffy contribution, In the Living Season.

Let me present my theory. Feel free to share yours. We see in Bargaining that when Buffy was dead, Spike had become a pretty fully-fledged member of the Scooby gang. He'd integrated.

However, things shifted when Buffy returned. Spike isolated himself from the rest of the group because of them pulling Buffy out of heaven. He focused his attentions on Buffy. All his reiterations that she's alone in the dark with him means that he's also alone in the dark with her.

But that all ends. Buffy breaks up with him, and Spike's adrift again. Much like he was in early to mid-S5, just he doesn't even have Harmony. His connection to his former social group is now broken. In NA, Buffy's denial of him in front of her friends ostracizes him fully. It makes him an outcast from his former comrades.

A lot of Spike's development deals with his wanting to belong. To be accepted. And he's losing all the acceptance he had had with the Scoobies. So he lashes out. He wants Buffy to acknowledge to her friends that there had been something between them. He thinks this will reform the ties. He thinks that this will, at least, recognize him as being something other than an outsider.

This is illustrated in NA in the scene in Buffy's room. Spike tries to approach her but is impeded by a sunbeam. He's isolated. There's obstacles between him and Buffy. In reality, those obstacles are due to his nature: a soulless vampire (hence the sunbeam). However, Spike doesn't realize this. He attributes it to Buffy's stubbornness. Her addiction to being miserable. Admitting to her pals that she had an affair with him will solve things, in Spike's mind.

Oh, Spike...

Awesome You Were

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:50:29 GMT

Note to newsletters or linky folks: I'd prefer not to share this one with fandom-at-large, so please please don't link to it. Thanks!

Okay, okay. I know that As You Were is the oft-mocked and hated upon episode of S6, especially for Spuffy fans. Indeed, I've taken part in such mockage myself. However, rewatching it has changed my view substantially, and I'm gonna attempt to defend it here by pointing out the good parts of the episode.

1. Riley

The guy was a regular for over a season. We'd grown to love him over that time, and then he just leaves. Leaves! We need to see him return. For closure. I mean, picture Oz leaving in Wild at Heart without returning in New Moon Rising. His story would be incomplete. We needed to see him come back and pass approval (or not) on his sweetie's new relationship. We also needed to see if he could resolve his own issues.

Same thing with Riley. Last we saw, he was in bad shape. Visiting vamp whores, being a complete douchebag, having fits of hypermanliness just to prove he still had balls. Not pretty. But in AYW, we see that in a little over a year, he's gotten completely over it. Completely. He's moved on, is a success in the army, has fallen in love and married a fantastic new girl, and there's no sign of any of his former issues. In fact, nobody even mentions them (Well, except Dawn and Spike, but who listens to them anyway?). You know what? This is brilliant. Because it just confirms that Riley's problems in S5 were all because of Buffy. Once he gets away from Buffy, he bounces back. As you can imagine, I'm overjoyed to see Riley absolved of all responsibility for his part in the Buffy/Riley fiasco.

What's more, we see that, again, Buffy's been the problem. After all, his return highlights how very fucked up she is. Does Riley rub it in? No. He's a complete prince and even reminds her of how awesome she used to be before she started sleeping with Spike. Even more, he tells her that the filthy ickiness from fucking a vampire doesn't even touch her because she's so awesome. His generous affirmation of her is heartwarming. I love to see men validating women's self-worth for them.

And then his triumphant departure, having given Buffy such motivating words of wisdom. It's so good to see Riley, who had been portrayed as so fucked up in S5, finally get his due and become the Savior of Buffy in S6's depression arc. Who better to rescue her from emotional fucked-upedness than the guy that she had monstrously and callously emotionally neglected last season to the point where he had to run away to escape from her?

The final shot of him leaving with the helicopter...well, that's just a fitting exit for such a swell guy.

2. Sam

I know she gets a lot of flak. Usually, the word "cardboard" or "pod person" gets used. And, yes, she is a bit on the perfect side. But I really felt for her character. It's subtle, but there's so much more to this gem of a character than meets the eye.

And I suppose I get a bit discouraged when I see a strong, intelligent, commanding, and confident woman so hated on in fandom. I mean, really, this is what we want in a female hero. Not the overly-whiny, self-absorbed Buffy. But Sam, who little girls can look up to and admire. Instead of fucking vampires, Sam is fucking Riley. Who's the obvious pick for role model here?

And yet, everybody hates her. Why do nearly-perfect women threaten us so much?

Sam has seen tragedy. When she was in the Peace Corps, her entire infirmary was killed by demons. Instead of moping about it, like Buffy would, she tries to use that experience to learn and grow. Personally, I think Sam would be a much better hero than Buffy.

Some people call her a Mary Sue. I beg to differ. She's not flawless. In fact, I noticed she stuttered a bit during the scene in Buffy's living room.

But the best thing about Sam is that she proves that Buffy was the defective one in S5, not Riley.

3. Somebody besides Buffy...

Frankly, the season had been too much Buffy. Buffy whining. Buffy moping. Buffy being a bitch. Just get over it, honey!

And then all the sex. Just too much. It's good that Buffy's sordid entanglement with Spike finally ended, and I'm so glad that the episode that ends it chooses to divert the focus onto Riley and his new beau rather than delving into the twisted and unappealing Buffy/Spike dynamics. We've had enough of that nonsense already. Bring in Riley to remind Buffy's what's what and then get the Buffy/Spike sex over with already!

4. The plot

Okay, so people like to poke holes in the "Spike as an international underground demonic arms dealer" plot. But it's not that bad.

I mean, so you would think that Spike would be averse to taking on the codename of "The Doctor" given its similarity to "Doc". But I think it was an intentional allusion on Spike's part. He's reclaiming the name. Taking away its power. So Doc represents Spike's failure to save Buffy last year? Well so what? The Doctor will represent Spike's failure to help Buffy this year!

Quite genius actually.

And we all know Spike is still evil with the chip. Even though he's an outcast from the demon community, he's also fully capable of coming up with evil conspiracies using minions or third parties as his hands. After all, we see it time and time again once he becomes chipped.

...okay, so we see it twice. Once at the end of S4 and then at the beginning of S5 with Harmony, both pre-Buffy love.

But he totally could have! We see that he often wanted to really badly. So it seems logical that he has actually been masterminding underground demonic criminal acts under the Scoobies' noses. His best friend in S6, and his main contact with the demon world, is Clem! We know how shifty and dangerous Clem is. It's wholly probable that Spike would have had the resources and contacts to work his little international demonic arms scheme.

5. Drawbacks

I gotta say, though, the initial premise of this episode is trite. I mean, Buffy's ex-boyfriend returns to remind her of who she used to be and still is, and this then motivates her to take an important step towards recovery? Absolute horse-hooey. Fortunately, the brilliant execution saved what would otherwise be another unbearable Dead Things-like episode.

Still, it's not entirely perfect (and it doesn't quite edge out Wrecked as the best of the season, though it comes close). The one major drawback is that we're forced to watch another naked Spike scene. Good gosh. I think I've seen enough of Spike's nude body to last me twelve lifetimes. Enough please!

The Spike Problem or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Canon

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 19:35:40 GMT

Well, snickfic, I finally did it. :)

We all know Spike's an interesting character. But let me get meta, because he's not only interesting in the bounds of the show, but he's interesting in terms of the complications he presented to the writers.

Cause in S4, he becomes a regular. They made a former antagonist into a regular. In fact, a former Big Bad. And, unlike Angel, he wasn't all souled up and trying to fight on the side of the Good. He was still evil.

That's not an easy task. Because having an evil antagonist on the cast will typically lead to dumb storylines where he gets defeated every week but not quite killed. Eventually he descends into buffoonery. People, rightfully, wonder why he's even sticking around. He becomes a caricature. Like a cartoon villain that pops in every week just to be defeated.

No, really. Try to think of Glory being on the cast in, say, S3. The season arc isn't about her, but she shows up in every episode anyway just to satisfy the contract.

Not appealing.

So the writers added in a twist: the chip. They couldn't have Spike play the role of the full antagonist anymore. That just doesn't work when he has to be in every episode. Instead, they had to start working on integrating him into the cast. And the quickest way to do that is to defang him. Make him not an immediate threat.

Suddenly, we get a whole world of possibilities with Spike's character. Moral questions: Should Spike be staked now that he's defenseless? Thematic quandaries: If Spike is an outcast from the demon community, can he fit in with the Scoobies? Does he want to? Do they want him to? And tying everything into the main arc: Adam offers Spike a new niche. Can Spike still be evil with the chip?

S4 handles all of these adeptly. Spike's ostracism from his former group fits well with the thematic arc of the season. His eventual alliance with Adam reminds us that the chip may hold him back physically, but it doesn't stop the compulsion to be evil. And his early alliance with the Scoobies forms the ties that will make him an eventual peripheral member of the gang.

Spike retains his evilness in S4. At the same time, his character is allowed to change and go through trials of his own. Is the chip a plot device? Of course. But it's an effective device in ensuring Spike's place as a cast member. Without it, Buffy, frankly, would have had to kill him before the end of the season.

S5 presents new difficulties, though. We've already had it demonstrated that Spike can still be evil. Where to go from there, though? Static characters are boring. Spike in S5 could easily become a cardboard cut-out of a character, forever complaining about the chip and being compelled by outside forces into mingling with the plot.

They can't have Spike struggle with his place as a demon in S5. They did that last season. They can't use the season to demonstrate that Spike's still a demon. Again, it had been done. A new direction had to be taken.

So Spike fell in love with Buffy.

It's one of those retcons that makes so much sense, it honestly doesn't bother me at all. They took advantage of Spike's passion and already-established romantic nature, mixed it with his Slayer-killing reputation, and started up the Spuffy.

Suddenly, Spike's arc takes a whole new path. Instead of figuring out how to still be evil with a chip, Spike is trying to figure out how to get Buffy's attention. How to be Good so that she'll notice him.

His attempts are often-juvenile. And we, again, are introduced to a host of interesting questions. Can you love without a soul? Can a soulless creature do Good without being Good? Is this love sufficient to bring him into the Scoobies?

Throughout the season, we see Spike resort to chocolates and cattle prods to try to convince Buffy of his feelings. In the end, it takes being tortured by a hellgod to get some respect from her, and to be accepted by her into the group.

By the end of S5, we have Spike, the antagonist and former Big Bad, working with the Scoobies to save the world. Two seasons after his introduction as a cast member. This journey could easily have come out contrived. It could be unbelievable. Possible missteps were everywhere. But the writers ultimately handled it deftly and used the opportunity of Spike-as-cast-member to flesh out his character, develop it, and allow it to move forward.

S6 is something of the natural climax of Spike's story. He's become one of the team. He's done undeniably Good deeds. And yet...still a vampire. Still with no soul.

Where do you go from there?

His position as one of the peripheral Scooby members marks him as available for Buffy to use to get out her post-resurrection angst. In the meantime, as Buffy, his guiding light, falters, so does he. We see a regression, almost, of Spike. No longer spouting pure intentions as he did in S5, he takes advantage of Buffy's dark period to relate to her with his own darkness.

In some ways, it's not so much a regression but an opportunity to show us the demon side that still exists in Spike (as seen in S4). Good intentions can't get rid of that.

This all has the controversial culmination in the AR scene which has the effect of showing that despite the progress he had made - the chip, the love, the Good deeds - he's still a demon. And when unchecked, as it was with Buffy, he's still capable of doing Evil, even to the one person he'd never want to hurt.

Finally, we get to the soul. The staple of the Buffyverse to make vampires safe. In some ways, this turn of events could be seen as inevitable from the time he joined the cast in S4. Spike's struggles to be Good reflect the struggles the writers have to bring him into the cast, integrate him into the gang, justify having an antagonist as a regular character.

It's not an easy line to walk.

For a long time, S6 bothered me. I was caught up in what the writers meant with what they were doing. In S5, it seemed clear to me that I was supposed to view Spike sympathetically. We were shown his struggles. We were shown his point of view. We were shown his backstory. And we saw his eventual triumph and his final status as comrade. I took it as a sign that the writers wanted me to root for this guy.

S6 seemed like a betrayal, in many ways. Especially the AR. It seemed as if, suddenly, I was being told I was wrong. I felt the writers had sabotaged their own attempt at characterization in an effort to "prove" to me that Spike was still evil. The message in the AR seemed clear: "You stupid fangirl! See how evil your character is?"

This bothered me greatly. I resent being manipulated. I resent being shown such a sympathetic character in S5 and then being slapped upside the head in S6 when I actually sympathize with him.

Time passed, though, and, as things do, the show took on a different light. I know there was backfighting among the writers. I know there was drama going on there. But I realized that it didn't matter. Because the show they gave us can be taken independently of any of that. And Spike's arc, even up through S6, suddenly worked for me.

I stopped worrying about what the writers had wanted me to think. I stopped feeling insulted by the seeming betrayal of S6. Instead, I viewed it as a natural progression of the Spike character. I took the series in a vacuum, devoid of whatever motivations the writers may have had for it. And, to my surprise, the story worked. Even when the underdog Spike reveals the depths of his demon in S6.

Because Spike's story isn't one of love changing him from Evil to Good. It's a story about Spike changing himself from Evil to Good. Because of love, yes. But love alone can't do the trick, as we see in S6. There's more needed.

Spike's character is an oddity. Brought on as a regular despite the difficulties of having a former Big Bad on the cast. His character journey is so well-done, so poignant. And yet, it's all a result of the complications that come from his antagonist status. How to integrate him into the show. In some ways, these difficulties made the character who he is.

It also made him controversial. For how he challenged the mythology. Not even the writers agreed on his character. And watching the show with the view that the events onscreen are "messages" from the writer to the audience is an unpleasant experience.

That's not what the show is, though. It isn't a vehicle for telling us what to think of the characters. It's a vehicle to tell a story. The writers may have wanted to get a message across. Very rarely is this so transparently done that it confuses the natural story, though (AYW is a good example of this done all wrong).

I've reached the point that, barring a few exceptions where it is frightfully transparent, what the writers may have wanted me to think doesn't matter. Because ignoring all that - the backstage drama, the dumbass comments by various writers - and just watching the show as it is...it all works. It's painful sometimes. It's not easy to watch all the time. But it works. And Spike's arc is magnificent.

Or...if you really want to live by what the writers think, go by what Joss has to say:

TV's like whitewater rafting: Without rocks, there wouldn't be rapids, and it wouldn't be as much fun. ... [Rolling with it] gave us Spike falling in love with Buffy. ... You plan your ideas and themes, and then you let the rest form naturally, and then it feels real. It doesn't feel like you're imposing something on everybody. -- Joss Whedon (The Salon, 5-03) - Thanks to enisy for gathering

Notes on 'Everything a Big Bad Wolf Could Want'

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:27:18 GMT

Consider this a general thanks for the feedback on Everything a Big Bad Wolf Could Want. I'm not gonna reply to each comment individually, because it feels a little strange to do so with that fic. It's more the fic that you cast into the wind and then pretend you didn't do it.

I appreciate all the responses, and I'm glad it had its intended effect.

Just some points about the fic. In case you're curious.

- The title is, of course, from the song by Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs. It's a song that I thought was fun and catchy as a kid. Then when I learned about the creepy sexual undertones to the Red Riding Hood story, it took on a different aspect. I think of it as a pedophile song now. It seemed pretty appropriate.

- I wish I'd had a chance to rewatch S7 before writing the fic, just to make sure everything "fit". As it is, I set it after LMPTM to provide a bit of irony. Spike at the beginning declaring that he's "safe" now that the trigger is out, and then by the end realizing that he's actually not quite as safe as he'd thought.

- There was originally an extra sentence right before the final paragraph that would have made it much more ambiguous as to whether the two girls made it safely home with Spike. I opted to take it out because the fic, to me, is an exploration of Spike's eventual triumph over his demon. Even though he has those compulsions and urges, his soul and Buffy's faith in him keep him from acting on it. It's a thin line for him, but he makes it.

- The subject matter is, obviously, difficult. I didn't want to portray it in any prurient, titillating fashion. I've read fics that have done so (not in Buffy fandom), and it's always very disturbing. And yet I knew I had to make it graphic in order to demonstrate the depravity of what Spike had been. Otherwise, the reader may tend to take the nicest possible interpretation of any vague text on it. I wanted to make it clear that what Spike had done (and still wanted to do) was evil. Recognizing the depth of his demon makes his redemption arc all the more powerful to me.

- I don't know if Spike actually had/has an out-and-out predilection for young girls. His "veal" comment could mean anything from "I have a fixation on young children, ages 6 to 14" to "You're on the older end of middle age, and I tend to prefer young adults". However, I don't doubt that he did rape and kill people, some of whom probably were children. Again, the beauty of his redemption story is that the good he attained must be contrasted with...well...unabashed evil.

- I've always felt the more significant struggle for a souled vampire would be not only coming to terms with past sins, but also coming to terms with their own demonic impulses to continue to sin. A person can find a peace with things they did in the past. However, having a constant reminder of what they are, what they're capable of, what they want to do, must be a perpetual torture for a being trying to be good.

Do you like the Ramones?

Sun, 04 Oct 2009 02:17:36 GMT

Meh. I'm sick, but I just have to fangirl about Crush because that's when I think Spike is at his most adorable.

He's just so earnest in trying to get Buffy to notice him in a good way. He...actually reminds me of my parent's dog who will bark at something he hears outside and then look back at my mom expectantly for praise for a job well-done.

Spike's just grasping to hit upon that something it takes to get kudos from Buffy.

Attempt: Reluctantly joins in fighting off demons in Family
Result: She doesn't even notice. Damn invisibility.

Attempt: Helps bleeding disaster victims and doesn't sample from them in Triangle
Result: Overwhelming disgust

Attempt: Brings chocolates to Buffy's birthday as a sort of peace offering over the Riley thing in Blood Ties
Result: Dawn makes fun of him

Attempt: Wears Normal Guy clothes and tries to have a casual convo with her
Result: Complete shutdown

Attempt: Slay date! With a confession of love.
Result: One brassed-off Slayer

Attempt: Since she keeps running away, chain her up so she has to stay still. Oh, and offer to kill Drusilla for her...with the threat of letting Dru kill her...
Result: Get de-invited. Shit.

It's just so...cute. Spike's so horrible at this whole thing, but he's trying his damnedest. And, of course, he's making all these attempts at "being good" to get the nummy from Buffy (um...speaking in dog terms). The big payoff is in Intervention when he does actual mucho good without any expectation of Buffy praising him or giving him a crumb.

*loves Spike's S5 arc*

It's that look he gets when he's trying to "sell" Buffy on himself. When he tells her he can be good, and it's not hollow words there. He honestly believes that he can be good for her. And he wants to be. *huggles Spike*

Of course, Buffy's (and later Giles') over-the-top reaction makes sense when you think about the last soulless vamp that had a yen for her and stalked her like crazy...so I can't fault her much for that.

But Spike's look when he runs into the barrier at the end just kills me. *pets Spike*

And I'm not even getting into the heavily meta-ish symbolism of Spike offering to stake Drusilla etc etc etc because I have a fever and I'm not good for much beyond simple fangirling.

Also, "real" and "precious" really are the Key Words this season, aren't they?

Oh, also also, Harmony rocks in this episode. I love her. And I am hoping someday to be able to leave an ex-lover with as much class and style as she did. Yep.

Dudely Posturing: Riley-Spike

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:39:01 GMT

Looking at the characters Riley and Spike, it soon becomes apparent that they're actually warped mirrors of each other. This is alluded to in Into the Woods and As You Were. However, they also have a fascinating interpersonal dynamic that centers around power and resentment.

This meta piece is primarily about Riley (Yeah, yeah. I know people are skipping past already). For Spike's part, he obviously is hostile towards Riley as part of the Initiative. Later, Riley will also be a source of jealousy for Spike. Riley has Buffy. Spike doesn't.

Far more interesting (to me) is Riley's side in this dynamic.

Riley was raised in a black and white world. Humans good. Demons bad. This is explored in depth in S4's Goodbye, Iowa and New Moon Rising. The gray areas, the ambiguity, the judgment calls aren't Riley's strong point. And his rigid worldview is challenged and partially shattered through various events in S4.

Worldviews aren't overturned in six easy steps, however. Riley learns to be more flexible with the gray areas. In New Moon Rising he becomes a traitor to his group for Oz's sake. But Oz is still human most of the time. And most importantly, Riley knew Oz first as a human. This makes it easier for Riley to accept the demon part.

At the end of the episode, though, Buffy tells Riley about her larger-than-life love affair with Angel, a vampire. This and Riley's reaction, along with subsequent events in The Yoko Factor, will form the basis for Riley's treatment of Spike. It also plays a large part in Riley visiting vamp whores and the resultant Buffy/Riley break up, but that's outside the bounds of this meta.

Let's set the scene for how things start out in S5, which is when the Riley-Spike dynamic heats up.

1. Riley's not a soldier anymore.

A huge part of his identity is gone. What's more, it was an aspect that granted him a great deal of power, both over "civilians" and HSTs. Now, the primary power he has over HSTs comes from his relationship with Buffy, who slays as her duty. This brings us to our next point.

2. He senses that Buffy has a thing for vampires.

Whether this is actually true or not is besides the point (so don't bring it up). Riley believes it to be true and this belief greatly affects his actions.

He thinks Angel has some sort of power over Buffy (and this is then confirmed to him by the events with Dracula). In Into the Woods Riley says, "I wanted to know why Dracula and Angel have so much power over you." What's more, Riley's already feeling insecure about his lack of power, especially in relation to Buffy and vampires. The thought that vamps, who he's still not a fan of, have power over his girlfriend just compounds the issue. And this leads to our final point.

3. Riley's still a bigot towards vamps.

Yes, you can argue that it's justified, but that's besides the point. This is an exploration of Riley's character, not a scathing bout of character-bashing so please don't get defensive on Riley's behalf.

S4 taught Riley to loosen up his ideals in some areas. Specifically, with demons that he'd previously known and had identified as human. He has been given no reason to feel the same way towards vampires.

Okay, so scene established.

We get a perfect display of everything that's described above in the Riley-Spike scene of Buffy vs. Dracula. Riley goes to Spike for information on Dracula. Spike, as expected, is less than helpful. And to make things worse, Spike patronizes Riley by telling him to go home and curl up with Buffy. "You're out of your depth on this one, boy." Spike's outright challenging Riley's macho dudeliness, which Riley's already feeling insecure about. For Spike's part, this type of lashing out is the only way he can assert his own power in his chipped state. He can't fight physically, but he can wound with words. With these comments, he's attempting to position himself above Riley in the pecking order.

So queue the male posturing. Riley informs Spike that, while Buffy doesn't want to kill Spike because Spike has helped in the past, Riley has no such qualms. After that, we get a typical manly stare down with Riley taking advantage of his much larger size and the fact that...wait...Spike can't fight back!

Yep, that's right. Spike's all chipped up. He literally can't hurt Riley directly. While Riley is trying to deal with the loss of his power over vampires, Spike is one of the only vampires that he does have almost absolute power over. And that can be a rush for a guy in a crisis. It reaffirms his machoness. What's more, it's an affirmation of dominance over a being that he feels holds a lot of power over his girlfriend.

This intimidation by Riley has many different effects. To Riley, it puts Spike in his place when Spike tries to throw Riley off-guard. It also gives Riley that warm fuzzy "I am a Man" feeling to be able to successfully overpower a vampire.

This kick-starts the dynamic we'll see at play through the rest of the season.

Out of My Mind is significant for many reasons. One, it's the final nail in the coffin for Riley's superhuman strength. He tries to hold onto it till the very end, but he ends up having to go through the surgery to save his life. In doing so, he becomes a "normal" guy. This will just heighten his insecurities. He's convinced this isn't enough for Buffy. Once he's Joe Normal, his worst fear is that Buffy will "give in" to the influence vamps have over her and discard Riley for someone stronger, a vampire. This is made worse by the fact that Riley has said the magic "I love you" to Buffy and she has yet to say it in return. Riley's not clear on Buffy's feelings for him, and so he assumes the worst.

Additionally, OOMM clues Spike and the audience in to Spike's romantic obsession with Buffy. Riley will soon pick up on this and begin to see Spike as a threat. But Spike's a threat that Riley still has control over because, again, Spike can't fight back directly.

Shadow gives us our first taste of this. Riley discovers Spike in Buffy's room, sniffing her sweater. And while Spike puts on an thoroughly unconvincing act about it being a "predator thing", Riley's not dumb. He can connect the dots. So he manhandles Spike down the stairs and almost out the door when Spike decides to poke the bear by hinting that Buffy has a thing for him as evidenced by the fact that Buffy hasn't de-invited him yet. And, to add insult to injury, Spike brags about Buffy taking him out for drinks and staying out with him all night (Spike cleverly hides the context there to make it appear like a date, just to goad Riley). As usual, Spike can't just leave it at that. He has to taunt the bear beyond all reason.

"What do you got, a piercing glance? Face it, white bread. Buffy's got a type, and you're not it. She likes us dangerous, rough, occasionally bumpy in the forehead region. Not that she doesn't like you ... but sorry Charlie, you're just not dark enough."

This plays into almost every one of Riley's insecurities at the moment (Spike is the master at perceiving others' weaknesses, after all).

Riley's response? A bit of torture by sunlight. Just to "prove" his darkness.

Then the last shoe drops when Spike lets out that he knows about Buffy's mom being in the hospital. He knows before Riley knows. He's leaving the unspoken subtext that Buffy digs him, not Riley because she'll confide in him where she won't do so with Riley.

It doesn't matter that what Spike's saying is ridiculous and obviously skewed. Given Riley's massive insecurities and biases, it doesn't take much to buy into it. Or to just act on the emotions it evokes. He lets Spike go (because Spike is a popular cast member and, therefore, cannot be killed until the series finale). But his almost-sadistic lashing out shows how he regards vampires as not-human, a threat, and a challenge to his masculinity and worthiness as Buffy's boyfriend.

Things only get worse in Listening to Fear when Riley walks into Buffy's house prepared to save the day only to find the day already saved...by Buffy and Spike, who are "caught" hand-in-hand after having partnered up to kill the demon. To Riley, this is showing him to be ineffective as a partner for Buffy. And it's his worst nightmare come true to see Spike being an adequate Slaying partner in his place. It's what he fears will happen with what he perceives as Buffy's strange attraction to vampires. Add onto it Spike's gleeful gloating, and you have a very irked Riley.

Everything builds up to Into the Woods, where Spike blows the whistle on Riley's recent activities.

Riley takes it as it is: an act of jealousy on Spike's part to get Riley out of the way. And Riley retaliates in kind by stabbing Spike through the heart with a plastic wood-grain stake.

Not something that Riley would ever do to a human. But Riley doesn't regard Spike as human in the least. Vampires are still just demons to him, and this allows him to use and abuse them at will. It allows him to use the vamp whores to "explore" Buffy's world, and it allows him to take out his frustration on Spike.

It's interesting that Riley's primary motivation in this scene is to warn Spike to stay away from Buffy. "Stay away from her. Or we'll do this for real next time."

Riley sees it as almost an inevitability that Buffy will get together with an available vampire. He thought so in The Yoko Factor when he jumped the gun and assumed that Buffy had slept with Angel. And he thought so in Buffy vs Dracula when he showed mass insecurity about Dracula's power over Buffy. Spike is just another example of a vampire who's after Buffy and who Riley thinks Buffy is vulnerable to. Given Spike's chipped status, Riley has the ability to keep putting him in his place through force. And he does so.

Spike, of course, just plays right into this fear. "The girl needs some monster in her man, and that's not in your nature...no matter how low you try to go."

It's almost funny that Spike's so keyed in to exactly what's going on with Riley and how to push his buttons while Buffy, the girlfriend, is completely oblivious. To Riley, Spike is the problem. Spike represents the seductive vibeness of all vampires that tempts Buffy away from Riley. Spike's just the one vampire that Riley can assert physical dominance over, even while Spike is trying to subvert that through verbal manipulations.

It's at this point where the two guys actually start to mirror each other. Spike's line, "Sometimes I envy you so much it chokes me. And sometimes I think I got the better deal. To be that close to her and not have her. To be all alone even when you're holding her. Feeling her, feeling her beneath you. Surrounding you. The scent...No, you got the better deal."

It's what Riley has then, and it's what Spike will get in S6. And it's what Riley will return to in As You Were (an episode not covered in this meta because I haven't hit it in my rewatch).

This whole long meta can best be summed up by positing that Spike is the representation of just about everything that Riley fears in the Buffy/Riley relationship. And Spike encourages this fear in an attempt to gain a bit of power back in his chipped state. So Spike's tattling on Riley to Buffy can be seen as the inevitable outcome of all of Riley's insecurities and reservations breaking apart the relationship. The fact that Riley truly believes that Buffy needs some monster in her man, and this belief drives him absolutely insane to try to measure up in some way.

And just as Buffy's completely oblivious to Spike's romantic obsession, she's also oblivious to Riley's inner turmoil over this until the last minute possible.

But that starts creeping into the Buffy/Riley break-up which, while an important peripheral aspect of the Riley-Spike dynamic, is not the point of this meta. Though I have no doubt people will see fit to comment on it anyway. :)

Anyway, to bring this around and wrap it all up, Riley-Spike is a dynamic that pretty much perfectly displays the two characters. It shows off Spike's perceptiveness, his willingness to manipulate and goad people in order to get a bit of his own back. And it highlights Riley's weaknesses, which he's more than happy to put all on Spike. That makes it interesting to me.

Not sure if it interests anybody else, but hey. That's what happens when you write a Riley-centric meta. :)

The inks are still wet...

Sun, 20 Sep 2009 20:42:33 GMT

Okay, just a little FFL fangirling.

- I love Buffy getting injured by some no-name vamp. In a season where she's fighting a freaking god, she gets a reminder that even the wussiest vamp could take her out. As Spike says, it's not about "Why'd they win?" but it's about "Why'd she lose?"

- William! *fangirls William* Glasses and floppy hair and really bad poetry...just so adorable.

- I love the scene with the Chinese Slayer. For one, she's got some mad skills. Spike looks thoroughly baffled by her leet moves at first. Until he gets into the whole bloodlust thing. Then I also love Drusilla coming in after Spike kills the Slayer. She's dressed in white, virginal. Then she and Spike get it on with the fire and the death in the room. And then when we see them out in the street, she's wearing a red jacket. Baptized in blood. It's like Dru is the representation of Spike coming into his own. She is his "creator" after all. The metaphorical source of his demonosity. And she becomes stained in blood after his first Slayer kill. Very brilliant.

- I have equal love for Nikki, who just rocks my socks off. I think it's her jeans. I want those jeans. Oh, and the jacket. Plus, the awesome fightiness. And that entire scene, with the intercutting and Spike's speech is simply awesome and fantastic and represents some of the best of BtVS.

Then the whole scene building up the tension and the unbelievable chemistry until it just explodes with Spike trying to kiss Buffy and then getting the smackdown. Gah! *loves the episode*

- And the porch scene. Which...well, what can you say? It's just lovely. Spike, once again back where he was after Cecily's rejection, offered a choice in his life. Kill Buffy, continue on the path Dru led him to, or...don't kill Buffy. Take a sharp turn and return way back to his William roots. Of course, he chooses to try to comfort Buffy. And Buffy's so utterly unsure how to receive his awkward attempts at comfort (Course, I love how unfazed Buffy is by Spike showing up with a shotgun). Then the sitting in silence, the synchronized exhalation, like the two keeping silent vigil with each other. Shades of what's to come between the two of them.

Such a momentous episode for Spike's character. Such a momentous episode for Buffy's character. Leading them both on paths that will end up side-by-side in the future. So....brilliant.

And now, because I am that much of a fangirl, I've just picked out some of my favorite quotes/exchanges from the episode below the cut. I promise, I won't quote the whole episode! I just must gush.

Riley: So tell me about the bad guy - or guys. What do you think they were?
Buffy: Vampire.
Riley: How many?
Buffy: One.
Riley: So...what? He was like a super-vampire or something?
Buffy: No, he was the regular kind. He just beat me.
Riley: That ever happen before?
Buffy: I'm in the best physical shape of my life. I mean, if you're asking how it happened, I don't -

Giles: Yes, well, the problem is after a final battle, it's difficult to get any...well, the Slayer's not...she's rather...
Buffy: It's okay to use the D-word, Giles.
Giles: Dead. And hence not very forthcoming.
Buffy: Why didn't the Watchers keep fuller accounts of it? The journals just stop.
Giles: Well, I suppose if they're anything like me, they just find the whole subject too -
Buffy: Unseemly? Damn. Love ya but you Watchers are such prigs sometimes.
Giles: Painful...I was going to say.

Buffy: Were you born this big a pain in the ass?
Spike: What can I tell you, baby? I've always been bad.

Party-goer: Ah, William! Favor us with your opinion. What do you make of this rash of disappearances sweeping through our town? Animals or thieves?
William: I prefer not to think of such dark, ugly business at all. That's what the police are for. I prefer placing my energies into creating things of beauty.
Another party-goer: I see. Well, don't withhold, William.
And another: Rescue us from a dreary topic.
William: Careful. The inks are still wet. Please, it's not finished.

William: Oh, they're vulgarians. They're not like you and I.
Cecily: You and I?

William: I know I'm a bad poet, but I'm a good man and all I ask is that...that you try to see me -
Cecily: I do see you. That's the problem. You're nothing to me, William. You're beneath me.

Angelus: You can't keep this up forever. If I can't teach you, maybe someday an angry crowd will. That...or the Slayer.
Spike: What's a Slayer?

Spike: Become a vampire, you've got nothing to fear. Nothing but one girl. That's you, honey. Back then...it was her.

Drusilla: Oh, Spike, look at the wonderful mess you've made. That's a Slayer you've done in. Naughty...wicked...Spike.

Spike: Don't be so glum, mate! The way you tell it, one Slayer snuffs it, another one rises. I figure there's a new Chosen One getting all chosen as we speak. I tell you what...when and if this new bird does show up, I'll give you first crack at her.

Spike: Lesson the second: ask the right questions. You want to know how I beat them? The question isn't "How'd I win?" The question is "Why'd they lose?"

Spike: She was cunning, resourceful...oh, did I mention? Hot. I could have danced all night with that one.
Buffy: You think we're dancing?
Spike: That's all we've ever done.

Spike: And the thing about the dance is, you never get to stop. Every day you wake up, it's the same bloody question that haunts you: is today the day I die? Death is on your heels, baby, and sooner or later it's gonna catch you. And part of you wants it... not only to stop the fear and uncertainty, but because you're just a little bit in love with it. Death is your art. You make it with your hands, day after day. That final gasp. That look of peace. Part of you is desperate to know: What's it like? Where does it lead you? And now you see, that's the secret. Not the punch you didn't throw or the kicks you didn't land. Every Slayer... has a death wish. Even you. The only reason you've lasted as long as you have is you've got ties to the world... your mum, your brat kid sister, the Scoobies. They all tie you here but you're just putting off the inevitable. Sooner or later, you're gonna want it. And the second- the second- that happens...You know I'll be there. I'll slip in... have myself a real good day. Here endeth the lesson. I just wonder if you'll like it as much as she did.

Spike: Come on. I can feel it, Slayer. You know you want to dance.
Buffy: Say it's true. Say I do want to. It wouldn't be you, Spike. It would never be you. You're beneath me.

Spike: I haven't said a word about the bloody Slayer since we left California. She's on the other side of the planet, Dru!
Drusilla: But you're lying! I can still see her floating all around you, laughing. Why? Why won't you push her away?

Drusilla: You can't blame the girl, Spike. You're all covered with her. I look at you... all I see is the Slayer.

Buffy: What do you want now?
Spike: What's wrong?
Buffy: I don't want to talk about it.
Spike: Is there something I can do?

Dracula vs Spike

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 02:31:18 GMT

It's, obviously, obvious.

Dracula looks like a doof while fighting.

Spike just looks bad-ass.

On an unrelated note, I need to write something up about the insane lopsided power relationship between Riley and Spike. I mean, I'm fairly neutral on Riley, but wow does he act like a douchebag to Spike.

Vids I like

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 00:53:22 GMT

I'll admit that I have a thing for fanvids. Because I'm a sucker for somebody combining my favorite show with music and making it all pretty. And I think I'm probably a picky watcher because I like flashy effects and fast cuts and all sorts of things that'll make me go, "Oooo! Purty!" because I have the attention span of a cracked out goldfish.

And I tend to squirrel away vids in fear that they'll disappear from the internet (I think it's because I've been on the internet for a long, long time and have seen a lot of cool stuff vanish. So now I download stuff I like just on the off chance it may disappear into the ether). So I decided to just take stock of the vids I have for Buffy and do up a rec list. These are just vids that I've enjoyed. I tried to trace them back to where I downloaded them, but some aren't available anymore.

Oh, and yes, there's a whole bunch of Spike and Spuffy. Duh.

Lots of gushing below. This is your warning.

Buffy/Spike!

Dream On
Song Title: Dream On
Artist: Depeche Mode
Vidder: shoopdancer
My plug: Lessee...fast editing, flashy effects, dark Buffy/Spike atmosphere, twisty S6 relationship...yeah, this vid's just kinda up my alley.

Haunt You Every Day
Song Title: Haunt You Every Day
Artist: Weezer
Vidder: Beasley Jr.
My plug: More Buffy/Spike twistiness. Primarily about their destructive S6 relationship. The vid, itself, is incredibly well-done.

I Touch Myself
Song Title: I Touch Myself
Artist: Divinyls
Vidder: Big Fluffy Puppy Productions
My plug: I'm not sure where I downloaded this. All I could find was a link to view it online. Huh. Anyway, mad fun. Seriously. Pop ups, Spuffiness, absolute hilariousness. Run, don't walk. Must-see.

Tainted Love
Song Title: Tainted Love
Artist: Marilyn Manson
Vidder: Molly
My plug: Is this not the perfect song for S6 Buffy/Spike? Unfortunately, I can't find this one anywhere anymore online either. Very sad, because it's a fab vid. Beautiful editing, well-timed with the music, and an excellent look at the twistiness of Buffy/Spike.

Must Get Out
Song Title: Must Get Out
Artist: Maroon 5
Vidder: dualbunny
My plug: This is hard for me to rec because I hate Maroon 5. But the vid is good enough that I can overlook the music. It's Spuffy!

Halo
Song Title: Halo
Artist: Beyonce
Vidder: DarlaProduction
My plug: As far as I know, this one isn't available for download. But watch it. I'm eternally grateful to Emmie for pointing me towards it, as it's now my favorite Spuffy vid. Beautiful and ethereal and touching and just everything I adore about the ship.

Anything But Love
Song Title: Anything But Love
Artist: Apocalyptica
Vidder: raspberry_splat
My plug: A damned hypnotic Spuffy video. Really, it just flows and blends and washes over you with all its glorious Spuffiness. Watch it.

Sorry
Song Title: Sorry
Artist: Nerf Herder
Vidder: dualbunny
My plug: It's Dualbunny so you know it's nifty. Spuffy as told from Spike's POV. Often hilarious, cleverly done, and ultimately touching in that underdog sorta way that Spike has.

Spike!

Tragedy
Song Title: Tragedy
Artist: The Bee Gees
Vidder: dualbunny
My plug: Okay, stop whatever you're doing...which I suppose is reading this...but you must watch this one. Really. There's no reason not to. It's the ultimate Spike the Underdog vid with oodles of awesome effects and niftiness. It's just plain fun. Watch it. Now!

Black Black Heart
Song Title: Black Black Heart
Artist: David Usher
Vidder: dualbunny
My plug: Spike/Spike's Duster. Do I need to say anything more?

Chocolate
Song Title: Chocolate
Artist: Snow Patrol
Vidder: _happyme_
My plug: This one is Spike's arc, all wrapped up in a musical bow. Starting with the Spike in the late seasons, then going all the way back to the beginning to show his progression. Absolutely fantastic. Makes me happy.

Willow!

American Witch
Song Title: American Witch
Artist: Rob Zombie
Vidder: Lady Manson
My plug: I think I have a magic kink. Anyway, the witches of the series. Willow, Tara, and Amy all get some love here. Plus, Dark Willow! Very nifty. Go watch. Shoo!

Incensed
Song Title: Incensed
Vidder: Txlsplash
My plug: This is apparently to the Chrono Cross opening music, so I'm not sure about the artist there. It's instrumental. Anyway, the Dark Willow arc in 2 1/12 minutes. Fast cuts, Dark Willow, nifty editing stuff that I know nothing about, Dark Willow, sad Tara's death stuff, Dark Willow. Really...come on...Dark Willow!!!

System
Song Title: System (Lestat Version)
Artist: Chester Bennington
Vidder: Adarra
My plug: Gah! More Dark Willow! Unfortunately, I don't think this one's available online anymore. But, wow, it's nifty. With flashy effects and fast cutting and pure awesomeness. Usually I'm not big on the use of actual music video footage in fanvids, but this works because it adds to the gritty, dark and twisted atmosphere.

Other cool vids

Bed of Lies
Song Title: Bed of Lies
Artist: Matchbox 20
Vidder: catatonic1242
My plug: A vid I've had for a while. So long, the site I got it from is gone. Not sure if it's available anywhere else. It's a look at Giles' character as it relates to the Buffy/Giles relationship. Specifically in context of the events of LMPTM, drawing from footage all the way back from S1 to provide the background for Giles' actions there. Very, very nice.

Good Riddance
Song Title: Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)
Artist: Green Day
Vidder: Keaira
My plug: There's a reason this song has been the "graduation song" at every high school at some point or another. It's just right. A fabulously touching and sentimental Buffy retrospective spanning all seven seasons.

Hymn of Heroes
Song Title: Hymn
Artist: Craig Armstrong
Vidder: Kaydalia
My plug: Very short vid about the Core Four through the series. Sentimental and nostalgic and such.

Strong
Song Title: Blow Me Away
Artist: Breaking Benjamin
Vidder: Aleisha
My plug: BtVS: A show with girls kicking ass. This vid: A vid showing girls kicking ass. Really. Love.

Bachelorette
Song Title: Bachelorette
Artist: Bjork
Vidder: obsessive24
My plug: Oh, I did up a post plugging this one. 'Tis nifty.

Superstar
Song Title: Superstar
Artist: Tegan & Sara
Vidder: Here's Luck
My plug: I've always had mad love for this song. Then I found out that someone had done a Faith vid to it. And then I was happy to see that it really was awesome. You can't not watch this one. Just not possible.

Boulevard of
Song Title: Boulevard of Broken Songs
Artist: Party Ben (mash-up of Green Day, Oasis, and Aerosmith)
Vidder: Shati
My plug: A vid all about Buffy's Slayerness. The isolation that comes with it, her bonds with the other Slayers she meets, and then how Buffy ultimately ends up empowering those around her. Very cool.

Promises
Song Title: Promises
Artist: The Cranberries
Vidder: obsessive24
My plug: I almost have no words for this one. It is the S2 Angelus arc. Just perfectly captures the tragedy and brutality of what Buffy goes through.

Why I Don't Celebrate Saint Spike's Day

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 19:11:03 GMT

*Edit: This post got away from me. Here's my mea culpa.

Oh, here. I'm just gonna make an unpopular post, but, hey. Oh well.

For the love of fucking god, folks, Spike ain't perfect. He isn't a saint. He isn't in a special Do No Wrong bubble. He isn't victimized by the women around him. He isn't Uber Super Nice Guy.

Spike's a jerk. A douchebag. A very rude, bad man. He kills people. He rapes people. He yells at people. He partakes in gratuitous violence. He doesn't always have a good handle on his emotions, and he lashes out sometimes. He was a complete and total douchebag to Harmony. He's often an ass to just about everybody he meets. In fact, he revels in being an ass.

Recognizing the fact that Spike is kinda not-nice doesn't mean that everybody else around him is Perfect Saint Buffy/Dru/Harmony/Xander/Giles/Whoever. Making an assessment of one person doesn't automatically follow to making an assessment of anybody else. If I say Spike was a douchebag sometimes in S6, it doesn't mean that Buffy wasn't, either.

Spike's whole "thing" is his redemption arc. Redemption. Going from bad to good. That means recognizing that Spike was bad at some point. And not just, "Forced by other people to be bad but really a gentle sort, himself" bad. But "Likes young girls and violence and killing and is a bad, rude man to most anybody he meets" bad.

And me saying all this about Spike isn't me making any sort of commentary on any other characters. Cause you know what? They ain't saints, either! And I could make a similar post for each and every one of them. It's the Buffyverse. Nobody gets through the series without resorting to douchebaggery at some point.

I fangirl Spike liek whoa. I think he's awesome, and I love him to death. I love him for all the fuck ups he has. For the times when he doesn't quite behave as he should. For the snark and the general asshattery. For the fact that starting in S5, he tries to be better despite himself.

I'm really, really tired of the whitewashing of Spike's character, though. Especially when doing so means demonizing the people around him (Buffy. Harmony. Dru. Giles. Riley. Xander.). What's this compulsion to rationalize away the bad things Spike does? Why can't we just go, "Yeah, that was a jerk move. Oh, Spike." and move on? If I hear another person try to justify Spike's treatment of Harmony by saying, "Well, she's annoying. He was so nice and patient to stay with her!" (Not something I've heard recently, but I have read it elsewhere) No. Just no.

You know, we can understand it. We can get where it's coming from. Oh, Spike was bitter over Dru. He was lashing out. Eager to hurt someone like he'd been hurt. Fine. That makes sense. But it's still douchebag behavior. Full stop.

Listen, when David Fury makes comments about Spike fangirls being like those chicks that dig serial killers, that's bullshit. We all know it. Because we all know the difference between reality and fiction. And we know we can enjoy stuff in fiction that we wouldn't approve of in real life. We can totally love a character who's a bad-ass killer and sorta a jerk. It's acceptable. Revel in it.

So why the need to twist and turn things to try to make him less culpable for these traits? Why? This is fiction. We don't have to try to make Spike "acceptable" by real life standards. We can love him even when he's being a douchebag. That's the whole point.

All the characters in the verse do some fucked up shit. They do pretty damn awful things to other characters at various points. I'm quite alright calling them out when they do so.

This rant brought to you by my sudden frustration with the idea that Spike Can Do No Wrong. It's not directed at anybody in particular, though it is prompted by recent discussions around the LJ. However, please note that I didn't once mention the word "boyfriend" because, frankly, I don't care to make assessments as to whether Spike was a "lousy" boyfriend to Dru by human or vamp standards or whatnot. Not the point. Don't bring it up. Seriously.

Why is shirtless!Spike so lickable?

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 05:04:37 GMT

James Marsters, my dear, would you please stop being so damned sexy? With your cheekbones chiseled by God, Himself, and your well-defined and perfectly toned scrumptious compact body, and that yummy fake British accent, and your panty-wetting panther bed crawl of pure raw sex....

Not that I'm opposed to any of this overwhelming sexiness on its own, but it's mighty distracting when in an episode as I'm compelled by your seductive rays of naughty pleasure to rewind the sexy scenes and play them a couple times. Inevitably, this throws me out of the episode, breaks the flow of the story, and leaves me in a fangirlish stupor for the next hour or so by which point I've found I have lost all recollection of the preceding plot and that I have to start over from the beginning.

This obviously leads me to a loop as I, again, hit your various scenes of sexiness and have to start the process over again.

In other words, I almost couldn't watch The Harsh Light of Day past the shirtless!Spike scene. It's just too damn much sexiness. And people worry about the oodles amount of sex in porn? They obviously haven't seen James Marsters' gorgeous body prowling across the bed. I had to wipe the sex off my screen afterward.

I consider myself a very resilient fangirl that I was able to make it past that scene and calm down my squee enough to follow the rest of the episode...finally.

Conclusion: The Buffyverse exists in a fantasy world.

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 09:26:18 GMT

This was written for penny_lane_42 who needed a non-S7-spoilery defense of Spike in relation to the AR. And I think she and I share the same basic opinion of the AR, so I hope this is sufficient. Most of these points are conclusions I've come to after extensive pondering and discussion. The vast majority of the discussion has taken place in flocked posts, though.

I would prefer this not be linked to by any comms or link round-up posts. I don't feel up to hosting a fandom-wide discussion on the topic at this time. Individual recs to friends are fine, though.

As a note to those not in the know, I'm an ardent feminist and very vocal about my anti-rape stance. Yes, these views were difficult to reconcile with my love for Spike. And I'm still of the opinion that the writers made an error of judgment in including an attempted rape scene because of the larger cultural context and issues that go along with it.

Now, onto the post.

1. There is an established mythology on the show concerning the soul, or lack thereof. It is demonstrated that a being without a soul cannot be Good. They may do acts that are good, but they, themselves, lack the moral compass to guide them to being on the straight and narrow. Additionally, the inherent violence and bloodlust of demons is well established in the show. Spike, despite the good he'd done through S5 and S6, is still a soulless demon.

2. Spike has committed far greater crimes than attempted rape in his past. Rape is a serious crime. It is not a "fate worse than death", though. Murder is a greater crime. Torture, in some cases, may be a greater crime. Spree killing for over a hundred years? REALLY BAD.

3. Angelus, in S2, murdered many people while without a soul. He even killed Jenny Calendar, a recurring character and friend to the Scoobies. He is clearly meant to be forgiven by the audience, though, upon receiving his soul again by the end of the season. There exists a precedent in the Buffyverse for the soul being a tool of salvation and forgiveness. After returning in S3, Angel is allowed back into the group, and eventually becomes the protagonist of his own show. This all after he had committed numerous on-screen murders while soulless in S2.

4. There exists two primary contexts for the AR scene:

The first being the one as laid out about above, taking the AR in context of the show and the show's existing mythology. There's also the additional context of Spike's lack of malicious intent in his attack on Buffy, and of his crime being motivated by a mental breakdown of desperation. Within this context, the AR is mitigated by the circumstances surrounding it: the importance of the soul in a being's moral character, the tumultuous Buffy/Spike relationship that had previously taken place, Spike's own confused thinking, his utter anguish at what he had done.

However, any rape scene portrayed in the media also has to be considered in the real world context. This is why I, ultimately, wish the scene had not been included. Because prior relationships, subsequent remorse, avowals that he was just "confused" should not mitigate rape in the real world context.

In the real world, though, there are no people lacking a soul (don't get religious on me. I'm speaking in Buffyverse terms). A person who commits a crime such as the AR has no valid excuse for their actions. They have no means of literally changing themselves to ensure they aren't of the nature to do it again.

In the Buffyverse, Spike does. Getting a soul changes his very nature. We have no real world equivalent to this. We have no comparable action that would morally absolve a person of their past transgressions. We have no distinction between "soulless vampire" and "souled vampire" (because we have no vampires).

That's why the AR is problematic when taken in a real world context. Because in show context basically requires us to judge the AR less harshly than we would an attempted rape in the real world. Spike's subsequent actions in seeking out his soul become worthy of a clean slate, even when this would never take place in the real world.

5. Some people cannot get beyond the real world context. I understand this. It's distressing to see a major character do something like that to the title character. It's powerful, it's horrible, it's truly awful. It shows that Spike was still a soulless demon even after all the progress he'd made. Rape is a serious topic that is much misunderstood in real life. Seeing an attempted rape that is "excused" by the show's surrounding context is very disturbing. In fact, I think it's outright dangerous to have such a depiction on TV.

But the in show context does also need to be recognized, even if it is something that is overshadowed by the real world context for you (and each person is individual in how they'll make this assessment). It is very difficult to judge Spike's actions pre-soul by any real world standards.

Edit (and something I should have clarified earlier): I'm up for debating the real world context on this one (how the scene relates to real world rape and the ramifications therein). I'm not willing to debate the in show context right now, though. If you disagree about something in regards to the in show context, you're free to let me know, and I'll acknowledge you (cause...yeah, that's what I do). But I won't engage in a debate. You guys are more than welcome to discuss it amongst yourselves, though.