Angel Or Riley
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anyatara
Scooby
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Angel. Even if I like Angel with Cordy. I didn't like Buffy with Riley all that much. I just didn't really like his character after a while, what was with the whole 'I need to be stronger than her thing' eesh, talk about problems. Anywho, before I go into a rant, gotta be Angel.
G
GATEGOD
Way better with angel for sure
I think this would be one of the more lopsided polls of all time lol. I'm choosing Angel. No explanation necessary, I'm sure plenty of people have done a great job explaining why he's the better choice.
One of my favorite moments in the Buffy/Riley relationship is when Angel comes back and gets into a fight with Riley. Buffy stops it, then after some arguing between the 3 Angel says something to the effect of "You actually sleep with this loser?!" to Buffy. That one had me laughing...hope no one already posted this, if so my bad.
One of my favorite moments in the Buffy/Riley relationship is when Angel comes back and gets into a fight with Riley. Buffy stops it, then after some arguing between the 3 Angel says something to the effect of "You actually sleep with this loser?!" to Buffy. That one had me laughing...hope no one already posted this, if so my bad.
Hahaha yeah thats hilarious! but the absolute best Buffy/Angel/Riley moment is the expression on Angels face when Buffy tells Riley she needs to speak to Angel alone and he won't leave the dorm so Buffy and Angel leave instead with Riley left to protect her room! amd as Angel closes the door he pretty much saunters out with a 'nana nana naaaaa naaaaa' look o his face!
Joyce Summers
Mom of a Chocoholic
I do love that scene. But what makes me laugh even more is when Riley is left behind and he just says to no one at all 'I'm not moving a muscle...' coz you can tell he feels so embarassed.
So many people have voted Angel on here that I'm *actually* starting to feel sorry for Riley haha. I know, I've posted my opinion on here already, but even after reading more opinions from other people I still have a 'it's a tie' view on the two of them.
I mean Bangel was soooooo romantic that I just loved everything about it (yes I'm one of those romantics who has all the movies from 'An Affair To Remember' to 'Titanic' to 'Just like Heaven'. You may empathize with me on this or just think I should be put out to pasture). People say that it was so sad and tragic and always so 'oh my god my hearts being ripped out' but that was what made it so great- it was all part of this epic Jack-and-Rose love. it was fabulous. *But* I'm glad it ended when it did, because seven years of non-stop that might have ruined how we saw the relationship.
I like the Riley/Buffy relationship though for it's initial simplicity. I mean initiative and pigheadedness aside you have to admit that Riley was probably the healthier choice haha
So many people have voted Angel on here that I'm *actually* starting to feel sorry for Riley haha. I know, I've posted my opinion on here already, but even after reading more opinions from other people I still have a 'it's a tie' view on the two of them.
I mean Bangel was soooooo romantic that I just loved everything about it (yes I'm one of those romantics who has all the movies from 'An Affair To Remember' to 'Titanic' to 'Just like Heaven'. You may empathize with me on this or just think I should be put out to pasture). People say that it was so sad and tragic and always so 'oh my god my hearts being ripped out' but that was what made it so great- it was all part of this epic Jack-and-Rose love. it was fabulous. *But* I'm glad it ended when it did, because seven years of non-stop that might have ruined how we saw the relationship.
I like the Riley/Buffy relationship though for it's initial simplicity. I mean initiative and pigheadedness aside you have to admit that Riley was probably the healthier choice haha
I duno, I always felt that without Angel Buffy didn't really have anyone to turn to. Her and the scoobies were drifting and she always always had to be the strong one holding everything together. When she had Angel she could lean on him when it all got too much, Riley never gave her that. Maybe she didn't allow him to but I still maintain that she was a happier Buffy with Angel than without him.
I agree that she was definitely happier with Angel. Though, I do believe Riley made her happy in Season 4 as well. He was a nice, normal guy who wasn't a jerk (like Parker... Riley was awesome for punching Parker 😀 ). But her happiness with him started to deteriorate in Season 5 because she wasn't in love with him and he knew this too.
I still liked the Buffy/Riley relationship though. But Angel is always gonna be my first choice for Buffy. After him though, it would be Riley.
I still liked the Buffy/Riley relationship though. But Angel is always gonna be my first choice for Buffy. After him though, it would be Riley.
TrueVengeance
behind blue eyes
Riley for me (as I duck out of the way of fruits and various meats). I cannot stand Bangel, and Angel for the most part (until he goes to LA...I love him on his own show). "I love you so much but I can't be with you because it'll hurt us both" annoys me so much. I prefer Buffy with someone who she can be happy with, like Xander was with Anya or Willow with Oz/Tara. Sure the initative thing was annoying, but once he was done with that I enjoyed him. Bangel was...blah 😛 I can't believe I just said that in this thread... *runs for cover*
Kana
Soulless human
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Well my favourite character is Angel and at first I didn't like Riley simply because he wasn't Angel but I began to warm to him. I actually liked that he was the anti-Angel, it made his relationship with Buffy interesting for me. Buffy and Angel worked for what and when it was, but we needed Buffy to move on from that. Riley's downfall was tragic but in a different way, a more human relatable way.
To be honest I think Buffy could or actually did love Riley but he was the poor chap who had to follow Angel. This isn't because Angel is so great (I wouldn't advise many girls to go out with emotionally stunted vampires) but because the relationship caused her so much pain. She couldn't let herself hurt that much, especially not with Dawn and Joyce to look after. However this is from Buffy's perspective. The larger question was whether Buffy needed him in the way he wanted to be needed. Riley was intuitively right when he said he didn't feel that Buffy gave him her heart and soul and later Buffy admitted it herself. She wanted to but it was too late. I actually rooted for them at that point.
Outside of his relationship with Buffy or more accurately as a result of it, Riley's character progressed as his world was turned upside down. I found it equally compelling to observe a morally ambiguous character (like Angel) and a wholesome, somewhat naive individual (like Riley) introduced to moral ambiguity. It sets a rich variety and wonderful point of comparison.
By Season 5 I was cheering on Riley and Buffy because it was requisite change to tragic farce of Angel. I felt it's end and the road to it's demise less extreme, more believable and by this time I was more invested in Angel and Buffy actually moving on. Not only did Angel get more interesting after splitting with Buffy but it served as beautiful reflection of what could have been (see Buffy still almost living in the Becoming moment in Selfless) rather than god awful rehash of the failed teen romantic ideals which were perfectly placed in the time and place of it's original occurance. With Bangel, for me, less is more.
Back to Riley. He was pure gorgeousness in Season 6 because he had the benefit of knowing Buffy and moving on. He could have easily judged the f*** out of Buffy for sleeping with Hostile 17 but he didn't, even though after everything (his marriage included) it must have been hard to see her with him. He treated Buffy with respect and behaved with self respect. Angel of course was more mature in Chosen acting like a 5 year old but of course with Angel, her being with Spike is more personal as he has a rivalry with him that exists outside that of Buffy Summers. Not forgetting that his love for Buffy is more iconic and idealistic for him. In any respect Riley was pure cool when he came back.
To be honest I think Buffy could or actually did love Riley but he was the poor chap who had to follow Angel. This isn't because Angel is so great (I wouldn't advise many girls to go out with emotionally stunted vampires) but because the relationship caused her so much pain. She couldn't let herself hurt that much, especially not with Dawn and Joyce to look after. However this is from Buffy's perspective. The larger question was whether Buffy needed him in the way he wanted to be needed. Riley was intuitively right when he said he didn't feel that Buffy gave him her heart and soul and later Buffy admitted it herself. She wanted to but it was too late. I actually rooted for them at that point.
Outside of his relationship with Buffy or more accurately as a result of it, Riley's character progressed as his world was turned upside down. I found it equally compelling to observe a morally ambiguous character (like Angel) and a wholesome, somewhat naive individual (like Riley) introduced to moral ambiguity. It sets a rich variety and wonderful point of comparison.
By Season 5 I was cheering on Riley and Buffy because it was requisite change to tragic farce of Angel. I felt it's end and the road to it's demise less extreme, more believable and by this time I was more invested in Angel and Buffy actually moving on. Not only did Angel get more interesting after splitting with Buffy but it served as beautiful reflection of what could have been (see Buffy still almost living in the Becoming moment in Selfless) rather than god awful rehash of the failed teen romantic ideals which were perfectly placed in the time and place of it's original occurance. With Bangel, for me, less is more.
Back to Riley. He was pure gorgeousness in Season 6 because he had the benefit of knowing Buffy and moving on. He could have easily judged the f*** out of Buffy for sleeping with Hostile 17 but he didn't, even though after everything (his marriage included) it must have been hard to see her with him. He treated Buffy with respect and behaved with self respect. Angel of course was more mature in Chosen acting like a 5 year old but of course with Angel, her being with Spike is more personal as he has a rivalry with him that exists outside that of Buffy Summers. Not forgetting that his love for Buffy is more iconic and idealistic for him. In any respect Riley was pure cool when he came back.
I'm an Angel fan, but I did think Buffy loved Riley. I think Riley was like Angel, he was very protective of Buffy in an old fashioned way. Riley was brought up, in my opinion, to think that men slayed the demons and women did the research. The difference between Riley and Angel was that Angel understood what a slayer was. Buffy wasn't like other human girls, she was a loner, she would shut down to deal with things on her own, the way a slayer was programmed. Riley mistook that for her shutting him out of her life. We know she loved him because she tried to stop him from leaving but was too late.
Could it have ever worked with Riley. I don't think so. But Buffy is doomed to have relationships that don't work 🙂
Could it have ever worked with Riley. I don't think so. But Buffy is doomed to have relationships that don't work 🙂
Hardly an explanation needed, I think Angel was the far better choice than Riley. Riley used Buffy as a way to 'feel accepted' by normal people and when he found out she wasn't completely normal he turned from her and went to the not-so-normal by letting himself being fed off by another vampire 'to feel alive'. He was stupid and immature, and not the most respectable person in the Scooby group. Sure he was 'nice' on the outside, but that was all routine for him because of his background. He had to play nice with the others, but I honestly don't think he was the best choice. Angel was right for Buffy because A) he had a soul, B) he helped Buffy far more than Riley ever did, C) He came back from hell for her.
babyo0ogirl
Damn Skippy Baby!
Angel! Hands down, no contest. Riley was sooo boring, and yeah a nice guy, but just no. I never felt anything between them. Even if Angel & Buffy were doomed from the start, their love was still genuine. It seemed like she wanted to love Riley b/c he was such a great guy, but it just never happened.
angeldork
Townie
Riley was extremely dull in every sense of the word. He couldn't handle the fact that Buffy was like 2 or even 3 times as strong as he was. He couldn't handle the fact that she had dated a vampire and let him drink from her. He couldn't even handle the fact that the Master had drunk from her as well. He was so self-conscious in his relationship with her. Angel on the other hand completely accepted her for who she was, they could really depend on each other. He wasn't insecure in their relationship.
Joyce Summers
Mom of a Chocoholic
Angel would be kinda hypocritical though if he didn't full accept Buffy for who she was you know, considering who *he* was. It's not like either of them were going to be featuring in the Normality Pageant.
And I don't think Riley was dull at all. He was just the complete contrast, the complete opposite to everything Angel was and when faced with so many diehard Bangel fans, this made Riley hard to accept for a lot of people.
I liked him and didn't think he was dull or plain and I don't believe it was that he couldn't handle Buffy's abilities. He totally could handle them, he just didn't know where that put him. He knew she was stronger, that she was the Slayer and had this whole destiny gig but he still wished to fight by her side, to help her and he wasn't sure how he could when she was so much stronger than he was.
He was just struggling to find his place in the fight and by extension their relationship. But he was always accepting of Buffy's abilities and loved her for it. As he said so in The Replacement when he said he had to have it all the strength, the love for bad ice skating movies, everything.
And I don't think Riley was dull at all. He was just the complete contrast, the complete opposite to everything Angel was and when faced with so many diehard Bangel fans, this made Riley hard to accept for a lot of people.
I liked him and didn't think he was dull or plain and I don't believe it was that he couldn't handle Buffy's abilities. He totally could handle them, he just didn't know where that put him. He knew she was stronger, that she was the Slayer and had this whole destiny gig but he still wished to fight by her side, to help her and he wasn't sure how he could when she was so much stronger than he was.
He was just struggling to find his place in the fight and by extension their relationship. But he was always accepting of Buffy's abilities and loved her for it. As he said so in The Replacement when he said he had to have it all the strength, the love for bad ice skating movies, everything.
H
Hello Cutie
Karma for the Angel comment. So true.
Jaded Wolf
Going all Schoolyard
I've been rewatching Season 4 this last week. Last night I watched "Goodbye Iowa" and I really got to like Riley in this one. Marc Blucas is a great actor and he plays that innocent naive farmboy to a tee. I think this episode was a great performance by him.
As for the relationship with Buffy I actually liked it. It took awhile for me to adjust but they did fit. I like Angel way more because he's way cooler but I didn't like him with Buffy. He was always weak around her and in season 3 of Buffy, we see a more stronger Angel as he knows he is about to separate from her. Then in his own show we see this whole new Angel and he is no longer bound to Buffy. I cheered when he told her off in "Sanctuary" concerning Faith.
As for the relationship with Buffy I actually liked it. It took awhile for me to adjust but they did fit. I like Angel way more because he's way cooler but I didn't like him with Buffy. He was always weak around her and in season 3 of Buffy, we see a more stronger Angel as he knows he is about to separate from her. Then in his own show we see this whole new Angel and he is no longer bound to Buffy. I cheered when he told her off in "Sanctuary" concerning Faith.
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