Oh yeah - that is perfect! One of the things I dislike about Riley is his persistent refusal to allow Buffy to be a powerful warrior. He is so hung up on traditional sex roles. Even more stereotypically, he grew up in an old fashioned Grant Wood idyllic home, reinforcing how it is traditional values which make for happiness.
Each time that Buffy shows what she is capable of, Riley tries to hold her back. No matter how many times Buffy proves herself capable, Riley won't believe her. And when he come up with an incredibly manipulative speech, essentially saying all the difficulties are Buffy's fault, and unless she is willing to beg him and promise to try harder he will leave her.
And Xander has such a crush on Riley he should have jumped into that helicopter and gone off with his misogynistic perfect man hero.
Agree with the man crush. I think Xander hated how Buffy was with both Spike and Angel. Since he never was able to be with Buffy, Riley was okay since he was human. Or as close to human as a guy could be and fight aside of her. I saw Xander as controlling and hateful. I think he was awful to all the women in the verse. He slut shamed Buffy when it came to Angel and Spike. He was nasty to the women in his life. He judged Cordy and Anya by Buffy standards which made no sense. Both Cordy and Anya called him on it and he still didn't get it.
The scene I hate most is Xander leaving Anya at the wedding - not even adult enough to help her announce it - just walking off. But when Anya has sex a few weeks later he dares to act possessively and decry the fact that she wasn't being supportive of him - as well as him attacking someone he can't hit.
I was recently a member of a site *cough*snark squad*cough* which claimed to be operating against the rape culture and anything that could be considered an insult to women. But they felt Xander had ever right to judge and shame Anya, but Spike had no right to expose the fact that he had slept with Buffy. Massive illogic there.
I'm right there with you on that subject. Xander was big on deciding what was okay and what was wrong. It was okay for him to just walk off and leave Anya to explain things at the wedding. What bugged me was how Buffy and Willow seemed to just excuse his actions. The show seemed to whitewash anything certain characters did and never allowed certain characters any credit for trying to do better.
Xander didn't have the right to say anything about Anya and Spike. It was no longer any of his business. Xander seemed even more upset that Buffy and Spike had been together than about Anya and Spike.
Xander had no problem about going after Spike. He knew Spike couldn't hurt him without a lot of pain. Much like Riley using a plastic stake on Spike. It was both of these normal men being a bully because they knew Spike couldn't fight back.
The Snark Squad justifies their opinions in such a strange way. No normal human logic there.
An excellent article. I don't know that I would have come to those conclusions myself - but then I look at the fics I've written, and Riley is just about always a major jerk who oversteps boundaries in a big way. So maybe subconsciously? I remember when I was in middle school, the boys would chase us around and grab us. We were supposed to squeal and giggle and try vainly to get away. Nine times out of ten, I got myself away - usually by causing the boy some serious pain. (I'd spend my entire life in detention or suspended now-a-days) After I made one boy bleed (forget if I bit him or scratched him) the principal complained to my father that I had injured another student when he wouldn't let me go. His response "did he let go?" End of conversation. :) I did have one boyfriend, who looking back, was clearly abusive verbally and always tried to tear me down. His comment, the first time we went out on a real date and played kissy-face for a while was "I thought you were out of my league". Should have been a clue...especially when he
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Sadly, my ex prepped me for what he did later on in marriage. He treated me like I was treasured at first. Then later on he brainwashed me that everything was my fault and no one would want me. Classic. I fell in love with his kids and knew I was their only hope for a caring parent. I'm still with my younger stepson. We formed our own family. Both his mother and father are on their third marriage. He doesn't speak to either of them now
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Comments 12
Each time that Buffy shows what she is capable of, Riley tries to hold her back. No matter how many times Buffy proves herself capable, Riley won't believe her. And when he come up with an incredibly manipulative speech, essentially saying all the difficulties are Buffy's fault, and unless she is willing to beg him and promise to try harder he will leave her.
And Xander has such a crush on Riley he should have jumped into that helicopter and gone off with his misogynistic perfect man hero.
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I was recently a member of a site *cough*snark squad*cough* which claimed to be operating against the rape culture and anything that could be considered an insult to women. But they felt Xander had ever right to judge and shame Anya, but Spike had no right to expose the fact that he had slept with Buffy. Massive illogic there.
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Xander didn't have the right to say anything about Anya and Spike. It was no longer any of his business. Xander seemed even more upset that Buffy and Spike had been together than about Anya and Spike.
Xander had no problem about going after Spike. He knew Spike couldn't hurt him without a lot of pain. Much like Riley using a plastic stake on Spike. It was both of these normal men being a bully because they knew Spike couldn't fight back.
The Snark Squad justifies their opinions in such a strange way. No normal human logic there.
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