This is why I love Buffy

[gabrielleabelle]

This post is fangirlish gushing of squee, not meta (My squeeing is just very geeky and involves feminism). If you don't get what I'm blabbering about, just smile and bask in the awesomeness of the episode. I'm not gonna debate my interpretation or explain it any further cause, frankly, I'm lazy and don't feel like it.

Ack! My love for Helpless

Comments

[elisi]

I think one reason I love Spike/Buffy so much is because from the start he sees her as an equal.

(It was something I took even further in my Buffy/Jack fic. Jack thinks it's hot that she has super powers (of course) but he is completely uninterested in anything to do with her slaying, and never even considers asking if she wants help. She's a professional, and he respects that.)

(Sorry if I waffle, it's early here...)

[gabrielleabelle]

I was struck by that, too. How Angel immediately fell in love with the vulnerable, innocent girl and wanted to protect her.

And Spike immediately became obsessed with the capable Slayer and wanted to kill her.

Very, very interesting dichotomy there. :)

[elisi]

My first ever fic tried to spell out my thoughts on all that (and Spuffy & Bangel generally, and why Spike never called during S5 etc), and I still love it to pieces. :)

ETA: A snippet, because I am sad. ;)

Spike (to Angel): “See, the problem with you Peaches, is that you loved the girl, but you never understood her. You fell in love with this pretty little girl with a big destiny that she didn’t want. The big lug in there [Riley] fell in love with a college girl and when he found out who she really was, he couldn't cope. But I fell in love with the Slayer. And that little girl you once knew was buried so deep, that it took me years to find her and get her to come out again. So, no she doesn’t need me anymore. We had our moment, and I made sure that she didn’t leave her heart at the bottom of the hellmouth with me, but took it with her out in the world! And when she’s ready, she’s going to use it.”

[empresspatti]

That paragraph sums up my love of your Spuffy btw! And your Spike and your Buffy!

[angearia]

Oh Buffy. My Favorite Fictional Character of All-Time.

[gabrielleabelle]

*snuggles Buffy*

Cause superpowered chicks kicking ass is cool.

Regular, non-powered chicks kicking ass tops the awesome cake, though. *nods*

[lavastar]

Basically: chicks. Ass. Some kicking, possibly. That's what we're about. :D

[deird1]

Bwah!

Hear hear!

[beer_good_foamy]

It's about Angel, too, whose first instinct upon seeing a 15-year-old Buffy is to protect her.

Which, as the episode points out, is "incredibly gross" when you strip away the metaphor. ;-)

But yes to everything here.

[gabrielleabelle]

Which, as the episode points out, is "incredibly gross" when you strip away the metaphor. ;-)

Well, it could be referring to the metaphor, alone, as "incredibly gross". :)

But yes to everything here.

:)

[angearia]

I can see an argument for how Giles sometimes crosses over into taking charge versus helping (LMPTM), but not Xander. When you say you haven't finished Season 3, you mean on the rewatch, right? Because Xander is by far the most helpful and less demanding friend one could ask for in the later seasons. I kinda think he's always been that way, barring his jealousy issues when Angel is around. From the moment he follows Buffy in The Harvest to when he saves her life in Prophecy Girl. In fact, there are numerous lines in the show where Xander simply says all he wants is to help Buffy.

[gabrielleabelle]

I actually thought Angel was the most annoying in that regard. Even near the end of S3, he's vowing to always be around to protect Buffy (with her getting all googly-eyed in response) and in AtS' I Will Remember You is entire reason for erasing the day is so he can protect Buffy if need-be. Which leads me to roll my eyes and go, "Dude! She doesn't need you to protect her! She's the fucking Slayer!"

Giles, Xander, Spike, and Oz all, with few exceptions, defer to Buffy's leadership. They feel no patronizing urge to protect her. They support her. So they're better on that front than Angel.

[mikeda]

Ironically, the Council firing Giles probably does more to help repair the Buffy/Giles relationship than just about anything else they could have done after the "Test".

After all, if he stays on the job he's still the visible representative of the group that put her through the ordeal, even though he sided with her at the end.

But once he's fired for helping her, it makes reconciliation easier emotionally. Buffy can simply side with Giles against the Council.

[gabrielleabelle]

Yep. Though I bet Giles is still thankful when they retroactively pay him in Checkpoint. :)