"Because I'm Not Ready..."

[white avenger]

In Season 7, when Wood reveals that he is the son of a Slayer, Spike offers to leave Sunnydale, to which Buffy replies, "You can't...I'm not ready for you to not be here." This is not a debate, not an argument, not a ship war. This is your personal opinion and interpretation of the statement:

Why do you think that Buffy wasn't ready for Spike to not be there?

 

[Still a Scoobie]

He was the extra muscle, and even though it'd been rocky, there were feelings there. She needed his help with the First etc. and it's always hard to let go of someone who you've been close to, even if maybe you wish you hadn't been close or you don't really even like them that much.

 

[brinkster130]

I think there are two things she meant, first, he was a support system for her and she didn't want to face the upcoming battle(s) feeling alone, and two, she knew he could be a useful fighter to have on her side. Having him around was easier than dealing with losing him.

 

[Lyri]

Buffy needed strength, not just physical, she needed the unwavering support that Spike gave her. No matter what happens with them, whatever's between them, Spike believes in Buffy one hundred percent, no matter what she does, thinks, doesn't do. Spike will always be on Buffy's side. In a season when Buffy's motives and actions were being questioned again and again and again, Buffy needed to know that she had someone who would be on her side, agree with her, no matter what. And that person - for better or worse - was Spike.

She knew that Spike would do whatever she asked of him, whatever it was, and in a time of her life when she was floundering and unsure and scared of being the leader the Potentials turned her into, having that support system made Buffy think that she could do whatever it was that she needed to do.

Aside from Buffy herself (at the time of this conversation) Spike was the physically strongest ally she had. Willow was scared of using her powers, the Potentials were scared, period, and everyone else in Buffy's army were remarkably human. Buffy didn't yet know what she was up against, not fully, and Spike's strength would only be an asset to whatever they would have to do.

 

[thetopher]

We have three options:

1) It's the apocalypse and Buffy needs emotional support from somebody she respects/ has been close to in the past.

2) She's totally in love with Spike, and can't ever be without him.

3) She needs him as muscle/ally against the ultimate evil, and that's all.

Spuffy's will see option 2, Spike haters will see option 3. The most likely is that its option 1 but Buffy couches the answer in a way to make Spike feel special/valued, which is my opinion.

 

[Kean]

I think she and the Scoobies were not in a great place and she felt like he was the only person in her corner at the period of time. Also, she knew that he could support her with fighting too. I think she would have felt alone without him there.

 

[PassionBecoming]

I think mostly because of what [MENTION=6332]Lyri[/MENTION] and [MENTION=10582]brinkster130[/MENTION] already said: She needed a strong fighter that she could always count on, and that is Spike. He is always up for a fight, no matter the odds, and he always has Buffy's back. Especially now, when everyone else is wavering in support of her, she needs a solid ally.

I don't discount the fact that Buffy is aware that Spike has feelings for her, he fought for his soul for her, and they had a sexual relationship in the past. Those things have bonded them one way or another, and I'm sure Buffy finds comfort in it.

 

[Xin Rong]

In Season 7, when Wood reveals that he is the son of a Slayer, Spike offers to leave Sunnydale, to which Buffy replies, "You can't...I'm not ready for you to not be here." This is not a debate, not an argument, not a ship war. This is your personal opinion and interpretation of the statement:

Why do you think that Buffy wasn't ready for Spike to not be there?

Because everyone else more or less thinks she's a douche at this point, and Spike is the only one who still sees her a holier than thou, better than everyone figure, which she needs if she's going to substantiate her own views.

If Spike agrees with her, surely she can't be wrong... right? :/

 

[Black Eye Guy]

She needed her yes man, she'd gotten used to being praised for her bad decisions, she needed someone to continue doing that and he was an extra fighter.

 

[Blaze]

I disagree with everyone saying she wanted him there as an extra fighter or as a muscle man.

To me, the soul and only reason that she wanted him there was emotional. She had feelings for him and Spike in s7 treated her right. He was more supportive than the entire house put together, and call him a yes-man or whipped all you want, Buffy needed someone to support her. She had other people to "tell her how it is", Spike played a huge role in her emotional support. Some may deny it, but what they had in s7 was real, regardless of Buffy being in love with him or not.

 

[Gum Gnome33]

She had feelings for him and Spike in s7 treated her right. He was more supportive than the entire house put together, and call him a yes-man or whipped all you want, Buffy needed someone to support her. She had other people to "tell her how it is", Spike played a huge role in her emotional support. Some may deny it, but what they had in s7 was real, regardless of Buffy being in love with him or not.

Yup. This is how I see it, too.

 

[Kana]

Funnily enough, I always thought it was because of her amorous feelings for him...and not a Spuffy!!!!

It's just that other characters seem to infer that she has feelings for Spike and even Buffy herself was defensive of her attraction to Spike.

Wood definitely saw a romantic vibe between the two and if memory serves, Spike asks where Wood stands after Buffy says those words and the fact that Buffy doesn't answer leaves it ambiguous.

The other thing that gets me is that when Spike is attacked in this episode, Buffy instinctually goes to Spike instead of her best friend of 7 years and the way she touches Spike? There's a vibe, it's vibey.

Sigh, I don't know. It's always going to be ambiguous, but I definitely think there is a romantic undertone. Like all things, it depends on your perspective, but judging from the look between them at the end, there is connection, that goes simple loyalty.

 

[thetopher]

Really, if Spike had been strong enough in character he should've left Sunnydale, no matter what Buffy said. Simply because he was a danger. At this time he was an unwitting ally of the First.

Then Faith could've wore the amulet, told Buffy that she loved her, sacrificed herself, died and then shown up for the entirity of Angel Season 5. 😀

Would've improved both Seasons greatly imo. 🙂

 

[ladydorotea]

We have three options:

3) She needs him as muscle/ally against the ultimate evil, and that's all.

Spike haters will see option 3. The most likely is that its option 1 but Buffy couches the answer in a way to make Spike feel special/valued, which is my opinion.

Don't underestimate my wickedness. 😉 I totally believe that Buffy says that (partially) to butter Spike up and 'condition' him for his ultimate sacrifice - and make herself feel better for banging him last season. She can feel something bad coming and she needs somebody she can convince to burn for her ( to save the world). At least, the writers of the season made it feel almost so, by making her need Spike as a emotional crutch via Scooby/Giles alienation, and at the same time by neglecting to resolve the almost rape victimhood properly. So, it feels as a Stockholm syndrome intertwined with a need to see him being redeemed by sacrifice, and she unwittingly pushes Spike in this direction out of the need to feel vindicated. (I.e I banged a 'hero' not just a monster.)

 

[white avenger]

Really, if Spike had been strong enough in character he should've left Sunnydale, no matter what Buffy said. Simply because he was a danger. At this time he was an unwitting ally of the First.

Then Faith could've wore the amulet, told Buffy that she loved her, sacrificed herself, died and then shown up for the entirity of Angel Season 5. 😀

Would've improved both Seasons greatly imo. 🙂

More likely, with Spike gone, Buffy would have let Angel stay (Does anyone REALLY believe that "second front" excuse?) and wear the amulet himself, just as the Senior Partners planned. Then HE would have been the ghost lurking the halls of the Wolfram & Hart Building

 

[thetopher]

More likely, with Spike gone, Buffy would have let Angel stay (Does anyone REALLY believe that "second front" excuse?) and wear the amulet himself, just as the Senior Partners planned. Then HE would have been the ghost lurking the halls of the Wolfram & Hart Building

No, nobody believes the 'second front' excuse. It was to stop Angel and Spike meeting and spending the apocalpyse constantly, jealously sniping at each other. 'Cause you just know they would.

But still, think about it:
with no Spike then Giles wouldn't have been alienated from Buffy, and she would've listened more carefully to his advice.
The Potentials wouldn't have had half as many reasons to question Buffy's judgement like they did. (Most of them didn't 'get' the whole Spike situation, and were weirded out by it,)
Faith wouldn't have had the mistaken identity fight/then flirt with Spike which then made Buffy distrust her, again. Thet might've gotten a little closer as a result. 🙂
Wood wouldn't have turned on Buffy. 😡
All in all the group would've been far more cohesive for when Caleb arrived to spring his trap.

Plus, Angel isn't going to 'die' on another show is he?, so it still would've been Faith who got to wear it in the end.
Who knows, maybe Buffy would've used the 'second front' excuse anyway, to avoid any awkwardness between the three of them. (remember 'Sanctuary'?) Buffy is just a little jealous of the whole Angel/Faith bond thing, mainly because she doesn't completely understand that it's platonic.

 

[Silverspike]

Plus, Angel isn't going to 'die' on another show is he?, so it still would've been Faith who got to wear it in the end.

Nah, imo as a character she wasn't relevant as regard as to what had gone before plot wise. Fans milage does vary of course. 😀

 

[white avenger]

No, nobody believes the 'second front' excuse. It was to stop Angel and Spike meeting and spending the apocalpyse constantly, jealously sniping at each other. 'Cause you just know they would.

Almost certainly, Angel and Spike would have done a whole lot MORE than just snipe. (You think Buffy and Spike are good at taking a house down? Angel and Spike would have reduced Buffy's house to splinters, and not in a romantic way.) and I've always thought that Buffy knew that, and THAT, not any second front fantasy, was why she sent Angel back to LA. You don't put two pit bulldogs or two jealous vampires in the same house.

And why couldn't Angel "die" on another show? Talk about plot twists! No announcement that he's re's returning in Season 5, unlike what happened with Spike. His team vow to carry on the mission in honor of their fallen leader. Then, in Episode 1 of Season 5, Angel's ghost pops up, then everything carries in as when Spike actually did, with Wes, Gunn, and Fred working to run the evil empire and recorporealize their ghostly boss. Maybe Spike could have shown up, still looney from his soul replacement, and be worked into the show's cast that way.

Once Angel becomes solid again, the rest of the season would go on unchanged.

Sure, it's almost all been used before on either "Buffy" or "Angel," but it wouldn't have been the first time that Joss had reused a plot device.

 

[SiegePerilous02]

I have to go with what a lot of other people were saying in that Buffy wanted someone who was 100% in her corner, and Spike was the only one who fit the bill at the time. Her relationships with the Scoobies and Giles had turned sour, and the Potentials didn't really like her all that much from the start. Instead of compromising and learning to let others share the burden, she retained her holier than thou attitude and pushed them even further away.

Also, this scene makes Buffy look like the most selfish, irresponsible idiot ever. Spike was right to say that he should leave while the trigger is still active, but Buffy would rather put the lives of everyone else in the house at risk so that she can be comforted by his presence. Her needs took priority over their safety. Is it any wonder why they booted her ass out of the house a few episodes later?

 

[Joan the Vampire Slayer]

Spike was Buffy's main source of support that that point. He was her best friend, confidant and ally. She wasn't ready to lose his support during the most difficult battle of her slayer life. She needed him, and wasn't afraid to admit it.