As a Bangel Fan, How Do You See B/A Going Forward?

[Kean]

Just wondering how B/A fans see the future panning out for the ship? Do you think we will ever get a genuine shot a reunion (that isn't laden with tragedy.) Do you think B/A are endgame, no matter? When you look into the future, what do you see?

 

[Taake]

Well B/A is certainly my end game. I'm not sure that I have faith enough in the verse or Joss to think that it's their end game (especially not without horrible tragedy).

Although I suppose in the future I never see a happy riding off into the sunset ending. I would just like B/A to be together again, fighting together, until their separate or joint final fight. It's who they are so I can't really picture them settling down (how would that work really?).

Living and loving and fighting together. That's what I want. That's what I see.
🙂

 

[Kean]

On LJ, we sort find ourselves talking about this a lot, and below is a comment I made in a friend's LJ and I think it's about as succinct as my feelings on the topic can be.

I think the VERY best case scenario for Buffy and Angel is them going out together in battle, side by side. I think in verse, that is the most Whedon would ever give us, and you know, it would be a sweet ending. Apt.

But dear God I would be lying if I said I didn't want the hand-holding at sunset and the little fixer upper they'll get where they will paint their actual white picket fence. Where Angel will bake with the kids because Buffy accidentally set the kitchen on fire... three times. And Buffy will coach little league baseball, teaching the kids to swing the bat like an axe because Angel is OLD, as in predates organised sports old and really has no idea what is happening. And they'll stay up till 3am on Christmas Eve making toys and have everyone over for Thanksgiving and Christmas because FAMILY! Finally, FAMILY. And Connor will take his brothers and sisters to the cinema and babysit. On Sunday nights, when the kids have been tucked in, Buffy and Angel will slow dance to old records Angel likes and Buffy will tease him mercilessly but really she absolutely loves it and OH MY GOD I WANT THIS SO BAD.

 

[Taake]

But dear God I would be lying if I said I didn't want the hand-holding at sunset and the little fixer upper they'll get where they will paint their actual white picket fence. Where Angel will bake with the kids because Buffy accidentally set the kitchen on fire... three times. And Buffy will coach little league baseball, teaching the kids to swing the bat like an axe because Angel is OLD, as in predates organised sports old and really has no idea what is happening. And they'll stay up till 3am on Christmas Eve making toys and have everyone over for Thanksgiving and Christmas because FAMILY! Finally, FAMILY. And Connor will take his brothers and sisters to the cinema and babysit. On Sunday nights, when the kids have been tucked in, Buffy and Angel will slow dance to old records Angel likes and Buffy will tease him mercilessly but really she absolutely loves it.

😱

*died of happiness at the mere imagery of this*

*don't have words anymore*

Seriously, I don't even have words because... :heart: It's everything I never dared myself to want for them.


(this part in particular I like "Where Angel will bake with the kids because Buffy accidentally set the kitchen on fire... three times."😛)

 

[janas]

What I see is Angel human and I see them grow old together. He wearing white sweaters because Buffy has eliminated all his sweaters blacks from the wardrobe, because they now share drawers. Because that's what couples do, they have drawers.

I see Angel laugh in front of the mirror because it's popped his first gray hair. I see Buffy and Angel have lunch with Connor at the college canteen, because within hours he has an important exam and Buffy and Angel are there for him, to support him, because they are a family.

...but what I see isn't what Joss see. 🙂

Kean :fling: :heart:

 

[Buffy Summers]

Surely it's the endgame, because otherwise, what was the point? 😀

I don't think either will ever be satisfied with anything else - they may not get it, but they will always keep trying to.

 

[Kean]

Surely it's the endgame, because otherwise, what was the point? 😀

I don't think either will ever be satisfied with anything else - they may not get it, but they will always keep trying to.

Exactly. It would be like Friends ending and Rachel and Ross not getting back together.

 

[Blaze]

If Joss keeps being involved, I see them sadly both ending alone and broken, 'cause that's what Joss does.

But in reality, even if they end up alone, they ARE endgame (ya that makes a whole lot of sense right). I don't think either will be satisfied with ever being with someone else as a true long term relationship. So they'll either end up together or alone, even if they have relationships in between. It's like how Willow and Tara were endgame to me, doesn't matter that she died they are still what I would call an endgame couple.

The only way I can see these two really reuniting would be for the Sanshu to finally happen after all forces of evil have been vanished. No more slayer, no more vampires, no more bad. And even then I think too much has happened for them to have the perfect walk into the sunset ending. But I do think they would settle down together and try to forget.

(Oh dear could you imagine Connor and Dawn moving in with them, now that would be the opposite of a happy ending 😛)

 

[Kean]

If Joss keeps being involved, I see them sadly both ending alone and broken, 'cause that's what Joss does.

But in reality, even if they end up alone, they ARE endgame (ya that makes a whole lot of sense right). I don't think either will be satisfied with ever being with someone else as a true long term relationship. So they'll either end up together or alone, even if they have relationships in between. It's like how Willow and Tara were endgame to me, doesn't matter that she died they are still what I would call an endgame couple.

The only way I can see these two really reuniting would be for the Sanshu to finally happen after all forces of evil have been vanished. No more slayer, no more vampires, no more bad. And even then I think too much has happened for them to have the perfect walk into the sunset ending. But I do think they would settle down together and try to forget.

(Oh dear could you imagine Connor and Dawn moving in with them, now that would be the opposite of a happy ending 😛)

I like that. They're endgame for each other. Getting to live out that endgame is a totally different matter though.

 

[EVIL UU]

The way I see it, to be together these two need to either be both alive ( done already ) or they need to be both dead. Thing is, to do that, to transgress like this either one of them has to get over the hero gig. Could they do that? I honestly do not know. On the top of that, the elephant in the room - Buffy is not getting any younger. In this franchise however, nothing is impossible.

 

[Kean]

The way I see it, to be together these two need to either be both alive ( done already ) or they need to be both dead. Thing is, to do that, to transgress like this either one of them has to get over the hero gig. Could they do that? I honestly do not know. On the top of that, the elephant in the room - Buffy is not getting any younger. In this franchise however, nothing is impossible.

I don't think either one of them will ever get over the "hero gig" but a "Bridges of Madison County" type ending wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.

As for Buffy, she may not be getting younger, but she isn't necessarily getting older either. The comics have gone out of their way to not put an actual date on when they are set or how old the characters are (with the exception of Giles, of course.) Either way, I don't think age is much of an issue. I don't see Buffy reaching senility somehow.

 

[The Bronze]

Up until Season 8 I always felt that if you asked Buffy or Angel the simple question of who they'd want to be with in a perfect world they'd answer each other. I always thought that it was circumstances keeping them apart. I think [MENTION=11194]EVIL UU[/MENTION] has it right in saying that they need to be in the same state first and foremost. If that was achieved then I think there'd either need to be significantly less evil and magic around for them to be able to ease off a little or a very effective group to pass the baton on to.

Personally I'm not to sure it's what Buffy wants anymore at this stage of the story. It would take so much to put the events of Season 8 firmly in the past. Also as others have said Joss and happy endings are few and far between. I'd say going out fighting side by side is the best that could be hoped for really, like the ending of AtS.

 

[Buffy Summers]

I don't think either one of them will ever get over the "hero gig" but a "Bridges of Madison County" type ending wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.

As for Buffy, she may not be getting younger, but she isn't necessarily getting older either. The comics have gone out of their way to not put an actual date on when they are set or how old the characters are (with the exception of Giles, of course.) Either way, I don't think age is much of an issue. I don't see Buffy reaching senility somehow.

And I feel like it's been implied that because Buffy has an element of "magick" about her, she ages less rapidly than other people. But even if you go with one season being one year, she's what, 26?

 

[CordelliasHeart]

What I WANT

Angel Shanshus sweeps buffy off her feet she retires, and they both live happily ever after.

the end.

What I expect.

The audience to be played with it to seem like its about to happen then some horrible heartbreakign tragedy...

 

[SiegePerilous02]

If I were to accept season 8 as canon, I'm not too sure I even want them to get back together anymore. The whole thing is just too skeevy.

Luckily for me, I'm more than happy to ignore the crappy comics and their hatchet job on Angel's character, so I just look at what was aired on TV. And to me, the fact that it's pretty clear that both of them would rather be with each other than anyone else makes it endgame, even if it doesn't end with a cliched happy ending. I see many fans point out the fact that they "got over each other," but that was never the case with me. They're just not each others' top priority 100% of the time, and have duties and relationships outside of one another. That doesn't mean they don't love each other, it just makes it a more healthy, selfless love. They are there for each other when they need it, and know when to give each other space.

I would have been fine with Buffy staying dead in "the Gift," and Angel honoring her by continuing his mission to save souls and right wrongs till he either turns human or ends up as dust. Or a scenario like Kean's where they both go out in a blaze of glory. A bittersweet ending seems like the best route to take these two.

That being said, I always role my eyes when Joss says they can't be together, because then the tension would be gone. Eventually, "will they/won't they" stuff can get too drawn out and just become annoying as hell. It's not like their romance is the main draw of the series for me, they can still build interesting storylines with Buffy and Angel in a romance together. The whole fictional universe they live in doesn't revolve around shipping.

 

[thetopher]

As soon as they kissed at the end of S7 after they'd both been through so much I 1) Instantly forgot all about the tortured Spuffy nonsense and watched Buffy 'bask' happily. 2) Saw that whatever they went through, whatever crap was flung at them Buffy and Angel could always come back to each other.

So, even after the events of S8 🙂mad🙂, with some time passing, and with the help of their friends, Buffy and Angel will find their way back to one another again.

Just in time for the final apocalypse where they both go out in a blaze of glory. 🙂

C'mon, this is Joss we're talking about. they're all gonna die this way.
It's not about happy endings, it's about living and fighting and never giving up and trying your darndest not to let any of it grind you down.

To me, Bangel is about love and tenderness and passion, not happy endings.

 

[bespangeled]

I'm curious - what would change after Shanshu that makes life different from I Will Remember You?

I've never really been a big fan of Shanshu for a lot of reasons, but it always seemed to me that Angel had real reasons to decide not to stay human. Aren't all those reasons still in effect? It seems to me that they already had a dry run. Would they really be able to fight evil together when Angel is so vulnerable? Would they be able to let go of the fight and just live?

 

[Kean]

I'm curious - what would change after Shanshu that makes life different from I Will Remember You?

I've never really been a big fan of Shanshu for a lot of reasons, but it always seemed to me that Angel had real reasons to decide not to stay human. Aren't all those reasons still in effect? It seems to me that they already had a dry run. Would they really be able to fight evil together when Angel is so vulnerable? Would they be able to let go of the fight and just live?

Everything has changed. IWRY was a specific moment in time. It was right at the start of Angel's mission when he was still figuring out what he would do, plus he was told if he stayed human at that point Buffy would die. Even then his first instinct wasn't to give up his humanity, it was to beg for her life. He was refused so he offered the only other option he had.

Now, we are years later, they live in a world filled with Slayers to help with the fight and he has already lived through a spell where he fought as human and still made a difference.

Letting go of the fight is another thing. As yet, neither seem to know how to do that. But that doesn't mean it can't or won't be done at the end of the story.

 

[EVIL UU]

But even if you go with one season being one year, she's what, 26?

18 months between season 7 and 8, 6 months between season 8 and 9, I think that she should be closer to 30 than to 25.

@Kean

Either way, I don't think age is much of an issue. I don't see Buffy reaching senility somehow.

It's not that, I don't expect Buffy to die from natural causes either, it's just, people change as they get older. Priorities change. Sure, I don't know if slayers work like this, it's pure speculation but what if Buffy decides one day that she wants to be a mom, wants to start a family? What if age starts affecting her performance as the slayer? What if she's ready to retire but Angel is not? Buffy doesn't have an eternity, that's what I'm trying to say, I guess.

 

[bespangeled]

Everything has changed. IWRY was a specific moment in time. It was right at the start of Angel's mission when he was still figuring out what he would do, plus he was told if he stayed human at that point Buffy would die. Even then his first instinct wasn't to give up his humanity, it was to beg for her life. He was refused so he offered the only other option he had.

Now, we are years later, they live in a world filled with Slayers to help with the fight and he has already lived through a spell where he fought as human and still made a difference.

Letting go of the fight is another thing. As yet, neither seem to know how to do that. But that doesn't mean it can't or won't be done at the end of the story.

I pretty much agree - even more so that Angel has changed enough to have different values. He knows better how it feels to lose someone you love by the end of season 5.

It's the letting go that would be the hard part. Even more so as they grow older. And I assume Buffy would keep her slayer abilities which would lead to even more issues.

I like the grit and passion Angel and Buffy had - I can't see them settling down. More of a meeting everywhere they can meet thing for at least a few years.