various rants
Jan. 22nd, 2003 02:53 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
timepiececlockThis is a carry-over from another conversation I had in November, long time ago. It talks about the flaws in the fanatical B/A-er perception of Buffy's character (as I've oserved from visiting othe boards), and then about some differences in how Spike and Angel each loved Buffy.
Some fanatical B/A-ers (the very anti-Spike kind) have Buffy on this absurd pedastal--- she can do no wrong, and everything Spike gets he deserves, etc etc, as well as anyone else. I think that's silly because-- as was proved in CwDP--- Buffy was fucked up last year, and unable to love anyone or tolerate being loved. One of Joss' trademark story styles is to take a character who seemingly's got it all together, and knock them down a peg or twenty. Buffy's no different--- she gets the same harsh treatment. Besides, part of what makes an interesting hero is their flaws, and putting Buffy up like a paragon of everything bright and white and light means you're not watching her as the multi-dimensional person that ME is trying to convey, like they do with all their multi-layered characters.
Now that I think about it, that's also kinda the difference between S/B and A/B... Angel loved Buffy because she was his shining ideal. Spike loved Buffy for a similar reason-- because she was every bright and shining and strong and out of his reach. But he loved her FIRST as a warrior, a challenge, an equal. Then he loved her for being a hero, as I described above. And then, by season 6, he'd seen everything dark in her, everything she could be, and even though it was no picnic for either of them, he loved that part of her too, as strongly as the hero half. He loves her with her flaws, not despite them. It's why Buffy didn't feel she had to present any sort of mask when she was around him (before the sex, anyway)-- because nothing she could do or say or be would change his opinion of her.
Some fanatical B/A-ers (the very anti-Spike kind) have Buffy on this absurd pedastal--- she can do no wrong, and everything Spike gets he deserves, etc etc, as well as anyone else. I think that's silly because-- as was proved in CwDP--- Buffy was fucked up last year, and unable to love anyone or tolerate being loved. One of Joss' trademark story styles is to take a character who seemingly's got it all together, and knock them down a peg or twenty. Buffy's no different--- she gets the same harsh treatment. Besides, part of what makes an interesting hero is their flaws, and putting Buffy up like a paragon of everything bright and white and light means you're not watching her as the multi-dimensional person that ME is trying to convey, like they do with all their multi-layered characters.
Now that I think about it, that's also kinda the difference between S/B and A/B... Angel loved Buffy because she was his shining ideal. Spike loved Buffy for a similar reason-- because she was every bright and shining and strong and out of his reach. But he loved her FIRST as a warrior, a challenge, an equal. Then he loved her for being a hero, as I described above. And then, by season 6, he'd seen everything dark in her, everything she could be, and even though it was no picnic for either of them, he loved that part of her too, as strongly as the hero half. He loves her with her flaws, not despite them. It's why Buffy didn't feel she had to present any sort of mask when she was around him (before the sex, anyway)-- because nothing she could do or say or be would change his opinion of her.
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Re: AT the risk of spoiling my own essay...
Date: 2003-01-22 11:07 am (UTC)Well, I think it would have bugged him last year. It'd probably still annoy him, if only because he wouldn't trust Spike not to hurt Buffy. But this season--nah. I think he's got a lot more to worry about and be upset about than Buffy's romantic choices. Namely, his own. But I don't want to spoil the whole Angel season so far for you, if you dont' know.