Firstly, I agree with a lot of what you'd said. More specifically:
I'd argue that Spike falling in love with Buffy was the right decision because on reflection what else could they have done with his character?
I actually agree with you here. Basically, Spike had - for three seasons - played the villain and comic relief part. He had to change, to evolve, in order to stay interesting. So, why not have him fall in love with the lead character? So, he became the Slayer's ally. Then, the love interest. Then, the friend. It was a genius way to guarantee his involvement in the series. Having the Initiative put a chip in his head was a great plot device to jump-start his eventual desire to redeem himself. And of course I believe it was a good move for Spike to fall for Buffy. Spike had played so many roles on the show. He's the show's Chameleon. He fits everywhere, with everyone, and in every situation. He can adapt to his environment. It's just part of the characters brilliance.
Anyhow, I find it really interesting that fans dislike Spike falling for Buffy. It makes no sense to me. His love for her was so important to his personal journey and to the show's finale. Remember; it was his love for her that inspired him to improve himself, which in the end, inspired him to sacrifice himself and
save the world.
If he didn't develop this love for Buffy then what would be his reason to stay in Sunnydale? His obsession with Buffy meant it made sense for him to stick around. If that wasn't there then surely Spike would have to leave?
Exactly. The reason he came in the first place was to use the healing powers of the Hellmouth to treat the ailing Drusilla and to kill the Slayer. Falling in love with Buffy made perfect sense. It could only go on so long with him being the 'bad guy.' It was a logical progression for the character. He fell in love with someone who was truly good, and as a result, was inspired to be the kind of man she deserved. It's beautiful, really. Uh-oh, I'm on a tangent again...
If he stayed evil then there is only a certain amount of encounters with Buffy he could have had before you wondered why Buffy hadn't just staked him.
Exactly. When he got his chip, she no longer thought it was right to stake him because he was defenseless. Makes perfect sense, considering Buffy's moral beliefs.
The fans who think Spike should never have been written to fall in love with Buffy are the ones who thought his character should have stayed a Big Bad, staked, or left.
In terms of being solely evil if Spike remained like that then i think the character would have eventually became stale and boring. In what other evil direction could they have taken with him?
Exactly. Pure evil is boring. Ambiguous, layered, complicated, contradictory - now that's what makes a character interesting. That's what makes Spike interesting; that he's not perfect. In fact he's quite flawed. The writers saw potential in Spike, the fans liked him, so they did what they could to keep him on the show. Simple as that. Spike explored the theme of the gay area and evil. The idea that a character who was "evil" and still commit good deeds was a new thing when he arrived
[quoteIf Spike was to have a meaningful role in the show then he had to change. Pairing him up with Buffy made sense. It gave him a reason to stick around longtime and in doing so play a crucial role in the storylines.
I completely agree. In fact, I like Spuffy best when they're allies, and fighting side by side on the side of good. They compliment each other so well.
