Buffy #9.7
So...read the comic. I've taken a few pages and/or panel to discuss briefly here. And in my humble opinion, this comic does not bode well on the Spuffy front...
What boggles my mind about this scene...
So we have Buffy not only telling him that running away was simply a flight of fancy, she puts her hand on his shoulder in what appears to me to be a patronizing manner. The panel after that--very Jamesy looking face there. To be that expression says, "What a piece of work you are. Hmph." And then of course he storms out right after that. Buffy decides to do her best impression of Homer Simpson ("Doh!").
ETA: In the scene preceding this, or more specifically, the panel, Buffy complains about his lack of closet space. Nevermind that she's only staying temporarily and only has one suitcase--just another way of pointing out how Spike isn't good enough. Joy.
So, we once again get to hear "Spike's not my boyfriend." That never gets old. No, really. Love the expression on her face when she says that as well, and Dowling's look of confusion. I could see why Dowling would erroneously assume that, spending most of his time with Spike (not that I think Spike implied that at all; just the overt love showing on his foolish face), but I think both he and the audience are getting a good idea that no, this is not reciprocated by any means.
So, Buffy is painfully clueless...Yuh huh. She asks Spike to declare his love (once a friggin' again), but thank the heavens Spike doesn't take bait!
Spike seems to be pro!baby, touching her tummy with tenderness. Spike finally gets some sense and gets the picture that there is simply no future for him with Buffy. Good for you Spike--get the fudge out of there and move the hell on.
So Buffy once again tries to pull out an "I love you" from Spike, asking for affirmation when she says "You stayed here for me?" Um...no shit he did. I'm glad that he says he doesn't want to be her dark place and rejects that position. I don't think he's ever been her dark place, frankly, which I discussed in my last review of the comic before this one.
Spike wants normal with Buffy. Honestly, if it weren't for what happens next, the way things have been going so far, it's probable, I think, Buffy would have given him another good natured, patronizing scoff about how that's impossible with Spike ever.
The silhouette panel--I don't think they were going to kiss there. I think it was meant to be conveyed as a "moment" obviously, but not one where they kiss or that it was even inevitable. I don't think Spike would have made that particular move, and I'm sure as shit Buffy wasn't going to do it.
Spike seems a bit blase at this new development. Not just at her arm being torn off, but the fact that it's also robotic, as does the rest of Buffy appear to be. And why the crap are his nails black??
Spike gives the bot a pat--"there there..." His facial expression seems a tad amused, so perhaps he knew she was a bot all this time? Or is he really that jaded at this point?
The robot is clearly surprised that she's a robot. Like a humorous interpretation of Sam Worthington's robot in "Terminator: Rise of the Machines." I can't take her it seriously.
Again--Spike looks amused to me at this current change of...well, whatever the hell you want to refer to this as.
Additionally, I have to say that I found it terribly insulting that Spike pours his guts out to a fucking robot. We've had this repetition in the series about how Spike's feelings aren't real for the last three seasons of the series, and now we get to have this. I found it to be demeaning and a slap in the face to Spuffies and Spike fans alike on a meta level, and can't ignore the metaphor there. Until we learn that Spike was aware that that was in fact a bot he was speaking to, it shows us that one, Spike can't tell the difference between what's real and what isn't, and two, it paints the picture of what difference does it make/who cares? because Spike is just as real as this bot is--not at all.
I cannot tell you how sick I am of this message.
ETA: I think Buffy--the real one--is still pregnant somewhere in the world. No idea when they pulled the switcheroo, but I have to say that making Andrew suddenly a robotics genius is lame. Jonathan was the big gun in magic (and really, "Superstar" shows him leagues beyond Willow's capabilities), Warren was the robotic genius, and Andrew was the master demon summoner. But whatevs.
These "twists" in the arcs...I don't think they're the best or the brightest by a long shot. Just my opinion.