Housekeeping and the odd manifesto.

[romanyg]

Just a few housekeeping notes:

I've redone my info blurb for the first time in almost two years. Yes, almost two years, *gasp*, you've been stuck with me for that long. *g*

Apologies to my dial-up friends, but I succumbed to the banner craze.

Thanks to the lovely marenfic, I've finally figured out how to put up the banner that I commissioned from xanphibian.

Comments

[shadowscast]

Okay, wow. There are so many brilliant observations in that essay, I want to quote, like, the whole thing back at you and say "Yes! Yes! Yes!"

A couple bits that stood out especially:

Angelus discarded Penn, abandoned him pretty much after he turned him. Penn was a failed project. So Spike is wrong, Angelus didn't want a mirror. He had no use for one. Angelus is a family man; Angelus wanted a legacy.

That's a really interesting point. Hmm. Cool. I liked the observation that Spike was a "project" to Angelus, too.

This exchange is all very funny, but what we need to remember is that this takes place after Cordy dies, after Angel has his vision.

Okay, wow. You know, that hadn't even occurred to me. That changes the whole meaning that exchange.

[romanyg]

*blushes* Thank you!

I liked the observation that Spike was a "project" to Angelus, too.

As much as Spike would like to think that his persona is of his own devising, Angelus certainly had a hand in it. Like a scultor waiting for the marble to speak, Angelus may have been intrigued by the surprises within. A masterpiece is only fully realized upon completion.

And in his anger during "Destiny", Spike did credit Angelus for making him who he was.

That changes the whole meaning that exchange.

Yes, I hadn't realized it until I started having to work out a timeline for a fic that I'm working on and then *lightbulb* I realized that Angel might have a motivation that he's not giving voice to.

[dlgood]

And in his anger during "Destiny", Spike did credit Angelus for making him who he was.

And Angel's reply is interesting too - "I didn't make you a monster. I opened a door and you walked through it."

Which tells you something about Angelus the sculptor. That he was looking for interactive media to work with... not some malleable automaton. As you mentioned, he opened that door with Penn too and he was never anything resembling proud or impressed with him. Whereas he is with Spike.

The other interesting thing is that Angel(us) probably looks at Dru as his greatest/most terrible creation... but he's also somewhat bored with her. He's not bored with Spike. Because IMHO he thinks Spike's not done. More work to do with the boy, so to speak.

[romanyg]

And Angel's reply is interesting too - "I didn't make you a monster. I opened a door and you walked through it."

Yes, in denying responsibility in the making of Spike, Angel admits, unwittingly or no, the potential that he saw there. Penn just stayed in that doorway. He didn't change his MO for 200 years, never invented anything of his own, nothing that Angelus could take pride in.

And yes, Dru is a finished work, although she's not incapable of inventiveness either. I think her turning William took Angelus by surprise and intrigued him.

And yes, he doesn't feel Spike's done. In S2, despite his obsession with Buffy, Angelus took the time to sculpt him even more, with unexpected results.

[rahirah]

All this is why I don't ship Angel and Spike, because they don't need Teh Sex to be fascinating.

[romanyg]

Yes, they don't need it. The sex isn't the important thing in their relationship; it's not the basis for it. "Buddies" wouldn't be the word for them either, because they're not friends, but they're something. I think, near the end, they were finally coming to terms with what that something is.

But yeah, you don't need the slash-glasses for them.

[frimfram]

Bookmarking this all to hell :)

[romanyg]

Why, thank you! *preens*

[romanyg]

Thank you! Yes, I always wondered why Angelus abandoned Penn, whom he bit, and kept Spike, whom he didn't. I think he felt an equal sense of entitlement and Penn just bored him.

And I love S/X too, so many good authors there. There's a reason that it's the most popular slash ship in the verse. But S/A just called to me. The issues, the issues get me every time.

[chrisleeoctaves]

Even though you're slightly misguided (*vbg*)...it's still a wonderful 'essay'. Can I post it at Octaves? Do you want to post it at your site?

*smooch*

Your banner is teh pretty, btw.

[romanyg]

Even though you're slightly misguided (*vbg*)...

Hee! Thank you. The way I ship these two doesn't negate either B/A or S/B. All the complications involved with the three of them are mesmerizing, to say the least. Not that I would ever think of such a thing. *coughs*

You'd like it? Sure! And for me putting it on the site, I'd like to. I need to fly out to see my mother so I might not have internet access for a week. I'll see if I can send this to you before that.

*big smooch*

[chrisleeoctaves]

I can nab it right off your LJ!

[romanyg]

And so you did! I see it and it looks purty. Thank you!