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timepiececlockSo more than a year ago, in the middle of Season 6 of BTVS, I wrote this mini essay about how Spike represents the "lone wolf." I drew mostly from stuff I'd read in books (primarily The Call of the Wild), and not on anything concrete or scientific, so I probably got some stuff wrong. But that aside, the essay isn't too bad at proving the point, I think. Despite my knowledge of Angel being rather limited too.
Mini-Essay:
Panthers are solitary creatures. They talk and hunt alone, only taking mates for a time, then returning to self-imposed isolation
Wolves are pack animals. They need the pack, the group, the experience of hunting with brothers and sisters, they need the family. Sometimes, a wolf will be forced into solitude. But in the end, a wolf will not go on living alone—and not for reasons of strength or power. A wolf can survive alone, but it cannot live well without the pack. So in the end, the lone wolf is left with three choices… rejoin his old pack, join a new pack, or die alone. Wolves mate until death. Unless a male wolf is cast out of the pack because of weakness, and then he loses his mate.
Angel is the panther, and Spike is the wolf.
Spike was weakened, and the results of that weakness cost him first his place as the alpha male, and then his pack entirely (his pack being Drusilla & minions).
For a time he was a lone wolf, drifting from the fringes of other packs (Harmony, other minions). Then he became alone entirely.
However, the new pack, the new family he tried to be in, was the Scooby Gang. But he was weak, and he had to go to them in humiliation, neck bared to Buffy, the pack leader (who in this case represents both his prospective mate, and the role of the alpha male). He spends a long time earning his place in their pack.
He makes courtship overtures to Buffy, but he is not strong, and she refuses him, because he’s still on the fringe of the family/pack.
It is interesting to note that in a wolf pack, weaker males are left to baby-sit the children—Spike baby-sits Dawn; she is left repeatedly in his care. It is also the role of the baby-sitting wolf to teach the cubs to hunt, and Spike teaches Dawn how to break into the Magic shop without getting caught, and tells her stories of his previous “hunting” experiences, both figuratively and literally, when he’s telling her scary stories.
Eventually, after a long period of time, he demonstrates his that strength has returned, and proves in both the major battle and all the little battles over the summer that follows—which represent hunts, that he is strong, and valuable to the pack.
When Buffy is resurrected, she immediately reclaims her place as pack leader, and she demonstrates her acknowledgement of Spike’s place as a member of the pack by allowing him to patrol, or “hunt” with her. Spike does not resume his romantic attempts, instead choosing to strengthen his position as a pack member.
However, once Spike finds out that the chip doesn’t work with Buffy, he is strong again, and he now has the "right" to court her. He challenges her, not for leadership of the pack, but for courtship—yet the battle is much the same. In that battle he proves himself as strong enough to be her mate, and some part of Buffy accepts that.
----
Interesting to look back on old stuff, huh?
Mini-Essay:
Panthers are solitary creatures. They talk and hunt alone, only taking mates for a time, then returning to self-imposed isolation
Wolves are pack animals. They need the pack, the group, the experience of hunting with brothers and sisters, they need the family. Sometimes, a wolf will be forced into solitude. But in the end, a wolf will not go on living alone—and not for reasons of strength or power. A wolf can survive alone, but it cannot live well without the pack. So in the end, the lone wolf is left with three choices… rejoin his old pack, join a new pack, or die alone. Wolves mate until death. Unless a male wolf is cast out of the pack because of weakness, and then he loses his mate.
Angel is the panther, and Spike is the wolf.
Spike was weakened, and the results of that weakness cost him first his place as the alpha male, and then his pack entirely (his pack being Drusilla & minions).
For a time he was a lone wolf, drifting from the fringes of other packs (Harmony, other minions). Then he became alone entirely.
However, the new pack, the new family he tried to be in, was the Scooby Gang. But he was weak, and he had to go to them in humiliation, neck bared to Buffy, the pack leader (who in this case represents both his prospective mate, and the role of the alpha male). He spends a long time earning his place in their pack.
He makes courtship overtures to Buffy, but he is not strong, and she refuses him, because he’s still on the fringe of the family/pack.
It is interesting to note that in a wolf pack, weaker males are left to baby-sit the children—Spike baby-sits Dawn; she is left repeatedly in his care. It is also the role of the baby-sitting wolf to teach the cubs to hunt, and Spike teaches Dawn how to break into the Magic shop without getting caught, and tells her stories of his previous “hunting” experiences, both figuratively and literally, when he’s telling her scary stories.
Eventually, after a long period of time, he demonstrates his that strength has returned, and proves in both the major battle and all the little battles over the summer that follows—which represent hunts, that he is strong, and valuable to the pack.
When Buffy is resurrected, she immediately reclaims her place as pack leader, and she demonstrates her acknowledgement of Spike’s place as a member of the pack by allowing him to patrol, or “hunt” with her. Spike does not resume his romantic attempts, instead choosing to strengthen his position as a pack member.
However, once Spike finds out that the chip doesn’t work with Buffy, he is strong again, and he now has the "right" to court her. He challenges her, not for leadership of the pack, but for courtship—yet the battle is much the same. In that battle he proves himself as strong enough to be her mate, and some part of Buffy accepts that.
----
Interesting to look back on old stuff, huh?
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Date: 2003-11-24 11:46 pm (UTC)It also reminds me why I'm trying to avoid watching AtS... because I get unhealthily emotionally invested in the Buffyverse. If it turns out well for Spike (and I mean in terms of his characterization, not just if he has a good time of it), or if it goes Spuffy, then I can always watch in reruns. :)
caia
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Date: 2003-11-24 11:49 pm (UTC)Dude, singing to the choir. I've never gotten as into ANYTHING in any kind of fandom as I'm into BTVS. It's insane... and yet I feel like I've been doing it for years upon years... it's only been the last 2.5. Before that, I only read fanfic. Never posted on boards, rarely chatted, never was interactive. Now? All that plus emotional investment.
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Date: 2003-11-25 12:03 am (UTC)caia