Buffy Hatin'
Something interesting I've noticed, and something that actually really bothers me, is a lot of Spuffy authors' apparent dislike for Buffy herself, or at least a strong favoritism for only Spike. I've read a lot of fic, even some really very popular Spuffy fic, that depicts Buffy (mainly season 6 and on) as suddenly having some sort of "moment of clarity". She realizes how awful and terrible her life is without Spike and his gallant wonderfulness, proceeds to profusely apologize to him for every single wrong thing she ever committed against his person, and completely frees him from any kind of blame he may take for all the things they did to each other over the years. Because obviously Buffy was completely in the wrong the whole entire time, and who on earth does she think she is for not noticing Spike's ridiculous fabulosity sooner?
I'm sorry, I love Spike just as much as the next fangirl (or even the casual rerun watcher), he's got some excellent qualities. He's super loyal, intuitive, hella good-looking, funny, brave, clever, blah blah blah
But you know what else he is? Stubborn, insecure, possessive, territorial, hotheaded. Oh, and he's also got a severe case of likes-to-insert-foot-into-mouth. He makes mistakes, and he says the wrong thing, but he and Buffy make a great team together. And that's the important part: the team part. Buffy and Spike are perfect equal and opposite forces, they're a partnership and that's what makes them work. Not the fact that she's a horrible bitch-monster who should spend the rest of their relationship being grateful for him, and he's this big martyr-guy who isn't responsible for his sans-soul actions because he "didn't know any better" or because "Buffy did mean stuff, too".
I guess the point I'm trying to make is that that doesn't really make any sense to me. Buffy is the main character, the heroine, the protagonist. Everything she does is driven by her morals and ethics, the people she cares about, and her sense of duty. Like anyone who's ever lived, ever, she goes through various personal crises, and needing Spike like she did (yes, I believe she needed him, or at least what he could have been, had they not gotten physical) when he stood for everything she was supposed to hate made her do some crazy things. Just like Spike did crazy things, because he was in love with her in a mad, unhealthy, obsessed, selfish way.
But after that "year from hell", they both came out of it better and stronger than before, with the ability and the eventual willingness to actually build something healthy and beautiful, even if it got taken away from them before they could really explore it. I don't think either of them deserve all the blame for what transpired, and they both learned and grew, and they really could have been the power-couple we all so fervently wished for.
I'm sorry, I love Spike just as much as the next fangirl (or even the casual rerun watcher), he's got some excellent qualities. He's super loyal, intuitive, hella good-looking, funny, brave, clever, blah blah blah
But you know what else he is? Stubborn, insecure, possessive, territorial, hotheaded. Oh, and he's also got a severe case of likes-to-insert-foot-into-mouth. He makes mistakes, and he says the wrong thing, but he and Buffy make a great team together. And that's the important part: the team part. Buffy and Spike are perfect equal and opposite forces, they're a partnership and that's what makes them work. Not the fact that she's a horrible bitch-monster who should spend the rest of their relationship being grateful for him, and he's this big martyr-guy who isn't responsible for his sans-soul actions because he "didn't know any better" or because "Buffy did mean stuff, too".
I guess the point I'm trying to make is that that doesn't really make any sense to me. Buffy is the main character, the heroine, the protagonist. Everything she does is driven by her morals and ethics, the people she cares about, and her sense of duty. Like anyone who's ever lived, ever, she goes through various personal crises, and needing Spike like she did (yes, I believe she needed him, or at least what he could have been, had they not gotten physical) when he stood for everything she was supposed to hate made her do some crazy things. Just like Spike did crazy things, because he was in love with her in a mad, unhealthy, obsessed, selfish way.
But after that "year from hell", they both came out of it better and stronger than before, with the ability and the eventual willingness to actually build something healthy and beautiful, even if it got taken away from them before they could really explore it. I don't think either of them deserve all the blame for what transpired, and they both learned and grew, and they really could have been the power-couple we all so fervently wished for.