Destiny
I imagine some people will be upset about the Sparmony stuff. I’m not. And even if I were, I would love this episode. Because did you see that fight? Can you say “guh”? And no complaints about Spike playing substance-less snark role this go-round, because that was all the dealing with issues a girl could want. (For now.)
But I’ll come back to that glorious battle. Let’s begin at the beginning.
Slashiest. Teaser. Ever. Am I wrong? I really thought Angel was going to come right out and say he couldn’t wait to get William in his bed, or something like that. He might as well have. I mean, damn! If the writers don’t want us to see the slash there, I’m a Fig Newton. “Another rooster in the henhouse.” Excited about Spike’s cock, are you Angel? “Don’t mistake me, I do love the ladies, it’s just, lately, I’ve been wondering what it’d be like to share my bed the slaughter of innocents with another man. Don’t think that makes me some kind of a deviant, do you?” Day-um. And squee!
And flashback!William’s hair has lightened again, and JM, while still not looking like he did in FFL, definitely looks younger than LMPTM flashback!William. Good enough for me.
As soon as Spike walked through that pillar I knew there was going to be a gag once he got recorporealized in which he walked into a wall. It was still funny. And Harmony’s exaggerated eyeblink after the package flashed was adorable. Kind of an anti-climactic way to recorporealize the guy, but if something good (in the sense of cool, meaningful plot) comes of the dues ex machinas by mail (possibly something involving Lindsey?!) I’ll be perfectly satisfied. It’s what I said when Dawn showed up (Buffy doesn’t have a sister! You better come up with a good explanation for this!) and they did, so I’m happy to trust in the Joss for a while.
What’s the first thing Spike does upon realizing he’s flesh and blood again? Gropes Angel’s boobies! Hee! And then hugs Gunn. Hee again! And then Gunn was poking at him or something. Spike was totally gonna go for Gunn when Harmony walked up, and I know I’m not just making that up because wisteria_ had the same thought. Spike hasn’t been able to touch or feel anything for weeks - he couldn’t even jerk off. I don’t think it’s the least little bit out of character that his first thought is sex. That’s what Spike is. He’s in love, he has sex. He’s rebounding, he has sex. He’s trying to get through to Buffy, he has sex. He’s looking for solace, he has sex. He’s giddy about having his body back, he has sex. Of course he has sex. He’s only just told Angel to kiss whoever recorporealized him on the mouth. Think maybe he has sex on the brain? Then Harmony, who opened the box, whom Spike has had sex with (while in love with Buffy, no less) before, walks up - and he kisses her on the mouth. And then seduces her with a complement and look, because he is sex on a stick.
Flashback again. I’ve just realized Spike’s refusing a drink, “nah, that’s your spoils” is to play up the betrayal he feels when he finds Dru with Angel, and while it is sweet, and yet another example that Spike rode the short bus to demon school, he really just didn’t know how the game was played yet. That was just a lesson Spike had to learn sooner or later - and I doubt it was the hardest lesson Angelus taught him, though maybe after that he’d be smart enough to alter his expectations and not feel betrayed in the future.
I don’t think Spike slugging Harm was meant to show that he’s an evil abusive male, either. She attacked him first, and he seemed pretty shaken up by the whole thing, plus? Later in the ep they’re playing him up as a hero, a Champion, which would kind of contradict the abusive boyfriend idea. That’s exactly why Angel says “oh yeah, you’re a real hero” derisively when Spike tells him what happened - Angel always belittles Spike’s ability to compete with him: doesn’t tell the MoG Spike had a soul, or that he saved the world; and every time Angel does this, he’s wrong. Spike shows up and corrects him. Same thing going on here.
Love that Spike says okay, I’m off to Europe. And even better is Angel’s “Europe will still be there,” because Europe = Buffy. That’s remarkably like a concession from Angel. And now that Spike’s corporeal and ready to rush off to Buffy, there’s definitely no reason for him not to call her, right?
Back on track. I quite like Sirk’s snarking about Angel reading the English translation of the prophecy, because I had that reaction at the time. “Dude, that’s a translation. It can’t be that accurate.” That said, I agree with Gunn: I miss Wesley. But I can definitely see why he had to be gone for the whole false prophecy (again!) dealy. Of course, the last false prophecy turned out to be true in the end, didn’t it? Angel slitting Connor’s throat and wiping out his existence and all? Let’s ponder what that means, shall we?
Spike stealing Angel’s car was great. And, “all these years, thinking you were the signified monkey, only to find out you’re just a big hunk of nobody cares,” is a fucking awesome line. A great way to say what lots of people have been saying since Spike got the soul. And let’s not forget how ME loves to torture Angel - what better way to do that than to get him back believing in his prize only to rip it away and give it to Spike, of all people? “Someone wasn’t worthy.”
“Don’t be fingering the robots.” Heh. Gunn’s robots in his fancy office are adorable. And I’m glad the “what the hell is up with this Eve person” is finally getting pushed.
That shot up to Spike standing in the window/ledge thing over Angel was not only gorgeous, it’s a traditional hero-arriving-to-save-the-day thing. Like Buffy in “Showtime.”
Flashback placement of Angel mocking Spike’s “destiny” can only mean it’s time for Spike’s destiny to come up again.
Quite a few statues of panthers in the background at the old opera house. Plus, Buddha. Hmmm.
Spike rubbing in that he earned his soul will never get old, and you could just see it getting to Angel. And then Spike making the super-vamp-leap (finally!) and saying “it’s my destiny” the way he did gave me the shivers. He said it with such significance, clearly remembering how Angel mocked him for such notions before, and shoving it in Angel’s face now, knowing he’s right. Believing in himself. Instigating a fight with Angel, not punching him and bolting for the cup, but fighting fair believing he can win where he has always lost before. God, I love Spike, And I love this fight.
“Heard it was just to get into a girl’s pants.” Well, Angel, either you heard wrong or you just suck at comebacks, because he’d already gotten in her pants before he got the soul - he got it to prevent himself from hurting her.
Angel’s tuck off the platform was very nice. Grabbed his shins, not the backs of his knees, as too many male gymnasts do these days. Nice tight form. Good on him. [/gymnast moment]
Watching Spike and Angel fighting with those metal staff thingies is one of the most gorgeous things I have ever seen. As always, excellent performance by Spike’s duster.
Flashback!Angelus knocking the body off the couch to sit next to William - and put his hand on his thigh! - amused me.
“I’ll tell you why you can’t stand the bloody sight of me. Because every time you look at me, you see all the dirty little things I’ve done. All the lives I’ve taken. Because of you! Drusilla sired me, but you made me a monster.” Hello, Insightful!Spike. Always good to see you. And that right there? Cinches the “School Hard” sire issue. Totally setteled in my mind. And Spike beating the hell out of Angel while sharing his insight? Quintessential Spike.
And then, holy crap, Spike beaming Angel with the cross. Backing up his earlier assertion that he’s different from Angel that way. “You never knew the real me.” Standing there, still holding the cross while his hands smoke slightly. “I am nothing like you.” Angel snatched his hand away from the same cross… and they have very different coloring ;)
Angel’s “Buffy never loved you” crack: Spike doesn’t argue, exactly - but he’s not as pissed as one might expect, either. Angel, even at this point, wouldn’t take Spike seriously if Spike insisted Buffy did love him - that that’s exactly the last thing she said to him. Instead, he plays on what Angel knows is true, what he had that Angel didn’t: lots and lots of sex with Buffy. Whether Spike believed her in the end is still ambiguous. Or is it?
After our boys vamp out and Spike passes on his chance to stake Angel, he says, “Probably shoulda dusted you. But honestly, I don’t wanna hear her bitch about it.” Bitch about it. Not dust him, not even kick his ass over it, just nag. Like an annoyed girlfriend, or perhaps wife? This and the Europe stuff earlier are showing us a Spike who clearly expects to be welcomed back into Buffy’s life.
Angel calls the cup a “cross. One you’re gonna have to bear, till it burns you. To ashes. Believe me, I know.” But who was the one comfortably holding the cross while his hands sizzled away, and who was the one who snatched his away from it instantly? And do I even need to mention “Beneath You”? Or the fact that Spike has “burned to ashes” before?
The fact that there was Mountain Dew in the cup? Cracks me up. All those commercials where guys do insane things to get to “Do the Dew.” Hee!
Spike inviting Gunn to go out drinking like they’re old buddies was quite interesting. There are definite Spike/Gunn vibes here, and I like that - but I also really like the idea of Spike having a good male friend. The more friends he has, the happier I am. And after this, I hope to see Spike being treated as part of the team. Maybe getting his own office, as he wanted in the teaser.
Hearing Angel say, “He won the fight, Gunn. For the first time. Doesn’t matter if the cup was real or not. In the end, he… Spike was stronger. He wanted it more… What if it means I’m not the one?” was just a wonderful experience. Not just because it gratifies my Spike-love to hear Angel admit to losing to Spike, but because I actually like Angel when he’s facing the possibility that he’s not all self-righteous and special.
Angel’s statement that “it doesn’t matter if the cup was real or not” is also an important one, and continues the theme that came up with Wesley at the very end of last week: that it doesn’t matter that his father is alive, because he believed he was killing him. Because we make our own realities, and self-fulfilling prophecies come true because we believe them and bring them to pass. That kind of prophecy, it doesn’t matter if it’s “real” or not, because it’s our actions and choices that make them real. The father killed the son. Last week, Wes killed his father, and this week he’s taking a leave of absence because even though he technically shot a cyborg and his father is still alive, when Wes unloaded that gun he believed killing his father, and now he’s dealing with the consequences of that. We live according to our emotional realities, and the way we live, in turn, shapes the world around us, to bring it into agreement with what we feel. Spike and Angel both now believe that the Shanshu is Spike’s.
And hey, my Great Shanshu Theory has only been very slighty Jossed and is still mostly viable.
Also? I am not the biggest Lindsey fan, but those are some hot tattoos.
I fucking love this episode.
But I’ll come back to that glorious battle. Let’s begin at the beginning.
Slashiest. Teaser. Ever. Am I wrong? I really thought Angel was going to come right out and say he couldn’t wait to get William in his bed, or something like that. He might as well have. I mean, damn! If the writers don’t want us to see the slash there, I’m a Fig Newton. “Another rooster in the henhouse.” Excited about Spike’s cock, are you Angel? “Don’t mistake me, I do love the ladies, it’s just, lately, I’ve been wondering what it’d be like to share my bed the slaughter of innocents with another man. Don’t think that makes me some kind of a deviant, do you?” Day-um. And squee!
And flashback!William’s hair has lightened again, and JM, while still not looking like he did in FFL, definitely looks younger than LMPTM flashback!William. Good enough for me.
As soon as Spike walked through that pillar I knew there was going to be a gag once he got recorporealized in which he walked into a wall. It was still funny. And Harmony’s exaggerated eyeblink after the package flashed was adorable. Kind of an anti-climactic way to recorporealize the guy, but if something good (in the sense of cool, meaningful plot) comes of the dues ex machinas by mail (possibly something involving Lindsey?!) I’ll be perfectly satisfied. It’s what I said when Dawn showed up (Buffy doesn’t have a sister! You better come up with a good explanation for this!) and they did, so I’m happy to trust in the Joss for a while.
What’s the first thing Spike does upon realizing he’s flesh and blood again? Gropes Angel’s boobies! Hee! And then hugs Gunn. Hee again! And then Gunn was poking at him or something. Spike was totally gonna go for Gunn when Harmony walked up, and I know I’m not just making that up because wisteria_ had the same thought. Spike hasn’t been able to touch or feel anything for weeks - he couldn’t even jerk off. I don’t think it’s the least little bit out of character that his first thought is sex. That’s what Spike is. He’s in love, he has sex. He’s rebounding, he has sex. He’s trying to get through to Buffy, he has sex. He’s looking for solace, he has sex. He’s giddy about having his body back, he has sex. Of course he has sex. He’s only just told Angel to kiss whoever recorporealized him on the mouth. Think maybe he has sex on the brain? Then Harmony, who opened the box, whom Spike has had sex with (while in love with Buffy, no less) before, walks up - and he kisses her on the mouth. And then seduces her with a complement and look, because he is sex on a stick.
Flashback again. I’ve just realized Spike’s refusing a drink, “nah, that’s your spoils” is to play up the betrayal he feels when he finds Dru with Angel, and while it is sweet, and yet another example that Spike rode the short bus to demon school, he really just didn’t know how the game was played yet. That was just a lesson Spike had to learn sooner or later - and I doubt it was the hardest lesson Angelus taught him, though maybe after that he’d be smart enough to alter his expectations and not feel betrayed in the future.
I don’t think Spike slugging Harm was meant to show that he’s an evil abusive male, either. She attacked him first, and he seemed pretty shaken up by the whole thing, plus? Later in the ep they’re playing him up as a hero, a Champion, which would kind of contradict the abusive boyfriend idea. That’s exactly why Angel says “oh yeah, you’re a real hero” derisively when Spike tells him what happened - Angel always belittles Spike’s ability to compete with him: doesn’t tell the MoG Spike had a soul, or that he saved the world; and every time Angel does this, he’s wrong. Spike shows up and corrects him. Same thing going on here.
Love that Spike says okay, I’m off to Europe. And even better is Angel’s “Europe will still be there,” because Europe = Buffy. That’s remarkably like a concession from Angel. And now that Spike’s corporeal and ready to rush off to Buffy, there’s definitely no reason for him not to call her, right?
Back on track. I quite like Sirk’s snarking about Angel reading the English translation of the prophecy, because I had that reaction at the time. “Dude, that’s a translation. It can’t be that accurate.” That said, I agree with Gunn: I miss Wesley. But I can definitely see why he had to be gone for the whole false prophecy (again!) dealy. Of course, the last false prophecy turned out to be true in the end, didn’t it? Angel slitting Connor’s throat and wiping out his existence and all? Let’s ponder what that means, shall we?
Spike stealing Angel’s car was great. And, “all these years, thinking you were the signified monkey, only to find out you’re just a big hunk of nobody cares,” is a fucking awesome line. A great way to say what lots of people have been saying since Spike got the soul. And let’s not forget how ME loves to torture Angel - what better way to do that than to get him back believing in his prize only to rip it away and give it to Spike, of all people? “Someone wasn’t worthy.”
“Don’t be fingering the robots.” Heh. Gunn’s robots in his fancy office are adorable. And I’m glad the “what the hell is up with this Eve person” is finally getting pushed.
That shot up to Spike standing in the window/ledge thing over Angel was not only gorgeous, it’s a traditional hero-arriving-to-save-the-day thing. Like Buffy in “Showtime.”
Flashback placement of Angel mocking Spike’s “destiny” can only mean it’s time for Spike’s destiny to come up again.
Quite a few statues of panthers in the background at the old opera house. Plus, Buddha. Hmmm.
Spike rubbing in that he earned his soul will never get old, and you could just see it getting to Angel. And then Spike making the super-vamp-leap (finally!) and saying “it’s my destiny” the way he did gave me the shivers. He said it with such significance, clearly remembering how Angel mocked him for such notions before, and shoving it in Angel’s face now, knowing he’s right. Believing in himself. Instigating a fight with Angel, not punching him and bolting for the cup, but fighting fair believing he can win where he has always lost before. God, I love Spike, And I love this fight.
“Heard it was just to get into a girl’s pants.” Well, Angel, either you heard wrong or you just suck at comebacks, because he’d already gotten in her pants before he got the soul - he got it to prevent himself from hurting her.
Angel’s tuck off the platform was very nice. Grabbed his shins, not the backs of his knees, as too many male gymnasts do these days. Nice tight form. Good on him. [/gymnast moment]
Watching Spike and Angel fighting with those metal staff thingies is one of the most gorgeous things I have ever seen. As always, excellent performance by Spike’s duster.
Flashback!Angelus knocking the body off the couch to sit next to William - and put his hand on his thigh! - amused me.
“I’ll tell you why you can’t stand the bloody sight of me. Because every time you look at me, you see all the dirty little things I’ve done. All the lives I’ve taken. Because of you! Drusilla sired me, but you made me a monster.” Hello, Insightful!Spike. Always good to see you. And that right there? Cinches the “School Hard” sire issue. Totally setteled in my mind. And Spike beating the hell out of Angel while sharing his insight? Quintessential Spike.
And then, holy crap, Spike beaming Angel with the cross. Backing up his earlier assertion that he’s different from Angel that way. “You never knew the real me.” Standing there, still holding the cross while his hands smoke slightly. “I am nothing like you.” Angel snatched his hand away from the same cross… and they have very different coloring ;)
Angel’s “Buffy never loved you” crack: Spike doesn’t argue, exactly - but he’s not as pissed as one might expect, either. Angel, even at this point, wouldn’t take Spike seriously if Spike insisted Buffy did love him - that that’s exactly the last thing she said to him. Instead, he plays on what Angel knows is true, what he had that Angel didn’t: lots and lots of sex with Buffy. Whether Spike believed her in the end is still ambiguous. Or is it?
After our boys vamp out and Spike passes on his chance to stake Angel, he says, “Probably shoulda dusted you. But honestly, I don’t wanna hear her bitch about it.” Bitch about it. Not dust him, not even kick his ass over it, just nag. Like an annoyed girlfriend, or perhaps wife? This and the Europe stuff earlier are showing us a Spike who clearly expects to be welcomed back into Buffy’s life.
Angel calls the cup a “cross. One you’re gonna have to bear, till it burns you. To ashes. Believe me, I know.” But who was the one comfortably holding the cross while his hands sizzled away, and who was the one who snatched his away from it instantly? And do I even need to mention “Beneath You”? Or the fact that Spike has “burned to ashes” before?
The fact that there was Mountain Dew in the cup? Cracks me up. All those commercials where guys do insane things to get to “Do the Dew.” Hee!
Spike inviting Gunn to go out drinking like they’re old buddies was quite interesting. There are definite Spike/Gunn vibes here, and I like that - but I also really like the idea of Spike having a good male friend. The more friends he has, the happier I am. And after this, I hope to see Spike being treated as part of the team. Maybe getting his own office, as he wanted in the teaser.
Hearing Angel say, “He won the fight, Gunn. For the first time. Doesn’t matter if the cup was real or not. In the end, he… Spike was stronger. He wanted it more… What if it means I’m not the one?” was just a wonderful experience. Not just because it gratifies my Spike-love to hear Angel admit to losing to Spike, but because I actually like Angel when he’s facing the possibility that he’s not all self-righteous and special.
Angel’s statement that “it doesn’t matter if the cup was real or not” is also an important one, and continues the theme that came up with Wesley at the very end of last week: that it doesn’t matter that his father is alive, because he believed he was killing him. Because we make our own realities, and self-fulfilling prophecies come true because we believe them and bring them to pass. That kind of prophecy, it doesn’t matter if it’s “real” or not, because it’s our actions and choices that make them real. The father killed the son. Last week, Wes killed his father, and this week he’s taking a leave of absence because even though he technically shot a cyborg and his father is still alive, when Wes unloaded that gun he believed killing his father, and now he’s dealing with the consequences of that. We live according to our emotional realities, and the way we live, in turn, shapes the world around us, to bring it into agreement with what we feel. Spike and Angel both now believe that the Shanshu is Spike’s.
And hey, my Great Shanshu Theory has only been very slighty Jossed and is still mostly viable.
Also? I am not the biggest Lindsey fan, but those are some hot tattoos.
I fucking love this episode.