I loved the moment. A lot. But, to me, it was rather a writer's comment on James Marsters acting: give him any lines to read and he will make them awesome.
I agree, but... I'm torn about that moment. It feels like the end of his journey. It's a perfect moment to part with the character. Which, I think, works very well for people who don't read comics, but is quite depressing for me who does.
I can see that and I see that Spike also had a perfect moment at the end of Chosen too. He's certainly a character who has some fantastic endings and then carries on as normal afterwards.
Chosen bookends his journey as a lover. The most compelling story, in my books - but not the only one.
NFA closes the story of Spike's inner poet; Spike and Angel's rivalry; Spike becoming a champion.
I wonder what's left to tell.
I don't believe that Joss keeps Spike around only because he is popular. Spike is not a core character, like Willow and Xander who will always be present in Buffy's story. Spike will be there only as long as Joss has some ideas about him. I wonder if Severin could suck his demon essense out of him and turn him into William - a shy, insecure mama's boy.
I hate to sounds like a "concern troll", but I'm always happy when somebody reassures me. :)
I try to figure out the big picture about Joss' plans for Spike. Recently Andrew Chambliss who writes season 9, told that he'd love to write "Spike" series in season 10. His answer doesn't mean much, because he was asked a leading question, but still, I wonder, if season 9 will be about re-imagining Spike in a leading man status.
A vampire Mal Reynolds, maybe? (I'm in the middle of rewatching "Firefly", so my mind is skewed in that direction)
I agree about their relationship, but I was talking about Spike's journey in connection of their relationship. It reached its pinnacle in "Chosen". It's hardly possible to outdo beauty and intensity of their final scene together. Unless Joss has something in mind - something that will change their dynamics radically.
Otherwise, their s9 interaction will be about resolution and closure, indeed. And I don't want it to end like that, with Spike turning into a vampire version of Xander the loyal friend.
Their relationship wasn't resolved in Chosen. One could also say that it's hard to outdo the beauty and intensity of Buffy's death scene in The Gift, and therefore it should have been the end of her story (and many do say so), which I don't agree with.
Big final gestures of sacrifice aren't the be all and end all, because they have very little with being able to live real life day to day. Buffy and Spike were never on the same page as to how to define their feelings and their relationship, and they certainly never tried to have a regular day-to-day relationship.
Otherwise, their s9 interaction will be about resolution and closure, indeed. And I don't want it to end like that, with Spike turning into a vampire version of Xander the loyal friend.
Then we must have very different ideas about the nature of their relationship and Buffy's feelings for Spike, because I can't imagine Spike turning into a version of Xander the loyal friend. :)
I can't imagine Spike turning into a version of Xander the loyal friend. :)
Frankly, me, too! :)
But what other options are there? We know that Joss will never let Buffy be happy. It's obvious (to me) that Buffy and Spike still love each other. How long can Joss dwell on their misunderstandings and mixed signals? (How long had he been planning to play on Mal and Inara's false hostility that hid their romantic feelings?) Sooner or later he has to break them up to avoid happy!Buffy.
So I guess Buffy's possible romantic relationship with Spike in s9 can bring either his death (hardly, because Joss doesn't like to repeat himself) or some other disaster to keep them apart.
*Or* -- there will be some radical re-imagination of their dynamics soon. I agree that "loyal friend" option sounds lame - I wish I could see another one.
You know, I thought a lot about what else Joss could do to shock us again. After space-frak our pain barrier upped considerably :)
Vampire!Buffy is one of the most shocking developments and one of the most obvious ones. Given the number of "bitey" Spuffy fics, and given the fact that diehard fans are always ahead of the canon, it's quite a possibility.
But I'm not sure that Joss is interested in going there, thematically. I think a lot depends on s9 stories.
I just think it would be very hard to come up with justification of such a plot twist. I can't imapine Spike siring Buffy only to save her from death, because he *sob* can't live without her. It would be too fanfic-y. But I can imagine a plot similar to the story about The Beast and Angelus on AtS s4; something about the necessity of having a vampire!Buffy to save the world. And it could be a fascinating story.
Severin will learn to vomit back the demons he sucked in. Or maybe Andrew will build a disposable device to pour Spike's demon into Buffy's body. Or maybe Willow will find a way to break through the interdimensional wall and grab the first demon at hand. Or maybe Dawn will sacrifice herself to connect Earth to a demon realm through her keyness.
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NFA closes the story of Spike's inner poet; Spike and Angel's rivalry; Spike becoming a champion.
I wonder what's left to tell.
I don't believe that Joss keeps Spike around only because he is popular. Spike is not a core character, like Willow and Xander who will always be present in Buffy's story. Spike will be there only as long as Joss has some ideas about him. I wonder if Severin could suck his demon essense out of him and turn him into William - a shy, insecure mama's boy.
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NFA closes the story of Spike's inner poet; Spike and Angel's rivalry; Spike becoming a champion.
I wonder what's left to tell.
I like the way you put that, but I think that some of the best stories happen to people who felt like they were "done" :).
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I hate to sounds like a "concern troll", but I'm always happy when somebody reassures me. :)
I try to figure out the big picture about Joss' plans for Spike. Recently Andrew Chambliss who writes season 9, told that he'd love to write "Spike" series in season 10. His answer doesn't mean much, because he was asked a leading question, but still, I wonder, if season 9 will be about re-imagining Spike in a leading man status.
A vampire Mal Reynolds, maybe? (I'm in the middle of rewatching "Firefly", so my mind is skewed in that direction)
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Otherwise, their s9 interaction will be about resolution and closure, indeed. And I don't want it to end like that, with Spike turning into a vampire version of Xander the loyal friend.
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Big final gestures of sacrifice aren't the be all and end all, because they have very little with being able to live real life day to day. Buffy and Spike were never on the same page as to how to define their feelings and their relationship, and they certainly never tried to have a regular day-to-day relationship.
Otherwise, their s9 interaction will be about resolution and closure, indeed. And I don't want it to end like that, with Spike turning into a vampire version of Xander the loyal friend.
Then we must have very different ideas about the nature of their relationship and Buffy's feelings for Spike, because I can't imagine Spike turning into a version of Xander the loyal friend. :)
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Frankly, me, too! :)
But what other options are there? We know that Joss will never let Buffy be happy. It's obvious (to me) that Buffy and Spike still love each other. How long can Joss dwell on their misunderstandings and mixed signals? (How long had he been planning to play on Mal and Inara's false hostility that hid their romantic feelings?) Sooner or later he has to break them up to avoid happy!Buffy.
So I guess Buffy's possible romantic relationship with Spike in s9 can bring either his death (hardly, because Joss doesn't like to repeat himself) or some other disaster to keep them apart.
*Or* -- there will be some radical re-imagination of their dynamics soon. I agree that "loyal friend" option sounds lame - I wish I could see another one.
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Her sire?
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You know, I thought a lot about what else Joss could do to shock us again. After space-frak our pain barrier upped considerably :)
Vampire!Buffy is one of the most shocking developments and one of the most obvious ones. Given the number of "bitey" Spuffy fics, and given the fact that diehard fans are always ahead of the canon, it's quite a possibility.
But I'm not sure that Joss is interested in going there, thematically. I think a lot depends on s9 stories.
I just think it would be very hard to come up with justification of such a plot twist. I can't imapine Spike siring Buffy only to save her from death, because he *sob* can't live without her. It would be too fanfic-y. But I can imagine a plot similar to the story about The Beast and Angelus on AtS s4; something about the necessity of having a vampire!Buffy to save the world. And it could be a fascinating story.
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It's Jossverse. Possibilities are endless. :)
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