Spike the Racist
Or so he's been called, apparently.
You know, I had this entire thing written out, and then...it somehow disappeared. Joy.
Anyway, I was reading some other post a couple of weeks months ago (wow, has it been that long?), and in the comments, it was mentioned that "some" thought of Spike as a racist, because the only two slayers he offed were minorities. Oh, and the fact that when he had that fight in the church with Kendra and switched over to Buffy, he made the comment, "I'd rather be fighting you anyway."
I don't recall if there were other examples, but clearly these are concrete examples of Spike's racism.
Except when it's not.
Let's get real--the only reason we had those minority slayers was for the show to meet some minority quota because there weren't any leads (or really even series regulars) who weren't white. Shortage of color? Then hey--let's make the two slayers Spike bested non white, just to prove a point that we indeed to have people of color on this show (for brief periods of time who usually end up dead).
I will say that I don't think that was Kendra's role, necessarily, since Bianca Lawson in fact auditioned for the role of Cordelia, and didn't get it. Funnily enough, so did Gellar, and Charisma herself actually auditioned for Buffy. But anyway, it seems that almost all actresses who auditioned for the role of Buffy came back in the series as someone else--Mercedes McNab, Julie Benz, Elizabeth Anne Allen (Amy) and Julia Lee (Anne/Lily/Chanterelle). Lawson's character, funnily enough, ended up dead after a few eps, and stayed that way.
I can't imagine the majority of people misconstruing this, other than perhaps, people in fandom who dislike Spike. There are actually a couple of posts going on right now about "misunderstood arcs" in the 'verse (which, quite honestly, inspired me to finish my brief thoughts on this after sitting on it for so long). My thoughts on misunderstood arcs, characters, etc. is simply this: they're typically most misunderstood by folks who aren't a fan. It's understandable; and it's human nature. The only true unbiased view, I think, would be someone coming in cold--someone who isn't a fan. Hard to find one of those who'd actually bother to watch the show, though.
Anyway.
I haven't actually read any arguments about Spike being a racist other than in passing in the comment that I read by someone so very long ago...but I imagine it was something brought up in fandom long before I was ever in it.
Also, and apparently...there was a discussion (in parts I do not know) that claim that the First Slayer was subhuman? A neanderthal? Can I just say how retarded that is Okay, good.
She had no voice and moved disjointedly in dreams...Was she from ancient times? Of course. But so were the dudes that created her--you know, the ones Buffy spoke to in that other dimension in the fine robes and the big staffs? The Shadow Men? Did it ever occur to the ding-a-lings who suggested such a thing (cause she was covered in mud and black, probably) that the reason how she behaved was due to the fact that she was imbued with the entity of pure demon and not because of the time period from which she came (or race)? Some things just make the mind boggle.
Sorry for the hiatus.
I haven't been feeling fandom, or much of anything lately. It appears that life has pissed all over my plans, and is more than likely getting ready to take a huge dump on it. I haven't done much writing, and only have begun reading, well anything, again the last few weeks. This is my poor attempt at getting back into the swing of things...perhaps there's hope for this old gal yet.
You know, I had this entire thing written out, and then...it somehow disappeared. Joy.
Anyway, I was reading some other post a couple of weeks months ago (wow, has it been that long?), and in the comments, it was mentioned that "some" thought of Spike as a racist, because the only two slayers he offed were minorities. Oh, and the fact that when he had that fight in the church with Kendra and switched over to Buffy, he made the comment, "I'd rather be fighting you anyway."
I don't recall if there were other examples, but clearly these are concrete examples of Spike's racism.
Except when it's not.
Let's get real--the only reason we had those minority slayers was for the show to meet some minority quota because there weren't any leads (or really even series regulars) who weren't white. Shortage of color? Then hey--let's make the two slayers Spike bested non white, just to prove a point that we indeed to have people of color on this show (for brief periods of time who usually end up dead).
I will say that I don't think that was Kendra's role, necessarily, since Bianca Lawson in fact auditioned for the role of Cordelia, and didn't get it. Funnily enough, so did Gellar, and Charisma herself actually auditioned for Buffy. But anyway, it seems that almost all actresses who auditioned for the role of Buffy came back in the series as someone else--Mercedes McNab, Julie Benz, Elizabeth Anne Allen (Amy) and Julia Lee (Anne/Lily/Chanterelle). Lawson's character, funnily enough, ended up dead after a few eps, and stayed that way.
I can't imagine the majority of people misconstruing this, other than perhaps, people in fandom who dislike Spike. There are actually a couple of posts going on right now about "misunderstood arcs" in the 'verse (which, quite honestly, inspired me to finish my brief thoughts on this after sitting on it for so long). My thoughts on misunderstood arcs, characters, etc. is simply this: they're typically most misunderstood by folks who aren't a fan. It's understandable; and it's human nature. The only true unbiased view, I think, would be someone coming in cold--someone who isn't a fan. Hard to find one of those who'd actually bother to watch the show, though.
Anyway.
I haven't actually read any arguments about Spike being a racist other than in passing in the comment that I read by someone so very long ago...but I imagine it was something brought up in fandom long before I was ever in it.
Also, and apparently...there was a discussion (in parts I do not know) that claim that the First Slayer was subhuman? A neanderthal? Can I just say how retarded that is Okay, good.
She had no voice and moved disjointedly in dreams...Was she from ancient times? Of course. But so were the dudes that created her--you know, the ones Buffy spoke to in that other dimension in the fine robes and the big staffs? The Shadow Men? Did it ever occur to the ding-a-lings who suggested such a thing (cause she was covered in mud and black, probably) that the reason how she behaved was due to the fact that she was imbued with the entity of pure demon and not because of the time period from which she came (or race)? Some things just make the mind boggle.
Sorry for the hiatus.
I haven't been feeling fandom, or much of anything lately. It appears that life has pissed all over my plans, and is more than likely getting ready to take a huge dump on it. I haven't done much writing, and only have begun reading, well anything, again the last few weeks. This is my poor attempt at getting back into the swing of things...perhaps there's hope for this old gal yet.