Beneath You...did anyone else's heart break for Spike?

[Five]

I didn't think James Marster's acting in this scene was outstanding. It was good, yes, and it didn't look ridiculous. Because it could have, with this kind of scene, it's really easy to fall in the "stupid" category, if you can't catch what it's about. But still, I didn't adore it the way, per example, Amy Acker's acting in the last episode of Dollhouse made me drop my jaw.

 

[Perny]

That scene is...Possibly on my top five of scenes throughout the WHOLE series. I love it, I adore it, and the acting is wonderful from both sides.

I cried a lot, I still cry when I see the scene. The way James makes his voice hoarse and trembling. I love it!!!!!!!

 

[Rayne]

The scene is very moving, I might have cried the first time I saw it, but now I stay away from that episode.

It's because of how "easily" Buffy accepted Spike back after the rape attempt and because of how Spike acted at the Bronze.

I realize on a rational level that Buffy did act as expected. She didn't want to think about the almost rape, so she tried to ignore it, focusing on the important task at hand, letting Spike go with her. Also, I think she remembered the schock on Spike's face in the bathroom. It sure looked like he regreted it. The denial and the regret probably made it bareable for her to be near him, even tough my ideal reaction for a almost rape victim would be to kill the rapist. Of course, if she didn't do it in season 6, (even wanted Dawn to stay with him) it can't be expected months afterwards, when she has had time to deal with it.

And with Spike, he had been feeling like crap for months, so what he did in the Bronze, when Anya brought attention to his soul, was to try to repress that, by turning into jerk. Since it's the only time right now I remember him acting taht way towards Buffy in season 7, it is forgivable.

But, since rape is a very strong fear of mine, and it has happened to people I know, the Bronze scene gives the whole episode a bad aftertaste, even the beautiful church scene.

I think Spike reacted the way he did at the Bronze because He thought everything would be alright after getting his soul back. Once he did though, and gained the perspective of someone with a conscience he had to live with everything he'd done and didn't want Buffy to know because as bad as he wanted her he didn't deserve her. Couldn't live with what he'd done to her let alone make up for it or expect forgiveness.

As for Buffy I think she sees the laws of thier world through different eyes than most. She knows that the monster in him was a seperate entity then the soul bearing man. If you notice she still had a hard time with him for awhile but she wasn't forgiving the monster, she was accepting the man.

 

[Friendly Lurker]

And with Spike, he had been feeling like crap for months, so what he did in the Bronze, when Anya brought attention to his soul, was to try to repress that, by turning into jerk. Since it's the only time right now I remember him acting taht way towards Buffy in season 7, it is forgivable.

I thought he was just trying to be the old bad-ass Spike again.

"Didn't work. Costume. Didn't help, couldn't hide."

 

[satam55]

Yep! I'm a guy and I felt for him. But, that's probably because he's one of my favorite characters in the Buffyverse.

 

[Tasha]

yup one of my fav moments for Spike, it breaks my heart every time i watch it.

Buffys face is like :'(

 

[jamesgirl]

has to be one of my favorite episodes ever the way buffy just looks at him and the speech...fantastic i cried when i first saw it and i still do. the other one that gets my crying is his speech in touched when he tells he she's the one.

 

[Emzzie]

Awww I cried. Poor Spikey.
James rules. I thought his acting was insanely good!

 

[white avenger]

This is another one of those Buffy/Spike scenes that I would have loved to see exactly what happened after the fade to black, but it's infinitely more fun just to let my wicked evil mind fill in the blanks.

 

[Eleftheria]

I really felt sorry for Spike. The look in Buffy's face. Her stake is ready and once Spike starts talking and mentions Angel, Buffy begins to understand about the soul. She is shocked and she feels sorry for him. His body burning on the cross and "can we rest now?" is heartbreaking.

 

[white avenger]

Actually, I felt kind of proud for him. Finally, after all of the trials, the pain, and the anguish that he had gone through, the one person in the world that it would really matter to, finally understood what he had done, and what's even more important, she realized that he had done such an unthinkable thing in order to be a better man FOR HER. James' performance was perfect, and Sarah's support put the cherry on the topping. Her initial apprehension, or maybe even fear, at what she was going to find in the chapel, of what she was almost certainly going to have to do, slowly turning to shock when the truth hit her. Then the final line, "Can we rest now?" Four words that have probably been asked by every hero and champion the world has ever known. And the answer is always the same: "Not yet."

This is, to me at least, one of the most powerful Spuffy moments in the whole series

 

[thevikingsgirl]

Actually, I felt kind of proud for him. Finally, after all of the trials, the pain, and the anguish that he had gone through, the one person in the world that it would really matter to, finally understood what he had done, and what's even more important, she realized that he had done such an unthinkable thing in order to be a better man FOR HER. James' performance was perfect, and Sarah's support put the cherry on the topping. Her initial apprehension, or maybe even fear, at what she was going to find in the chapel, of what she was almost certainly going to have to do, slowly turning to shock when the truth hit her. Then the final line, "Can we rest now?" Four words that have probably been asked by every hero and champion the world has ever known. And the answer is always the same: "Not yet."

This is, to me at least, one of the most powerful Spuffy moments in the whole series

It kind of parallels Giles's song to Buffy in OMWF. "I wish I could lay your arms down and let you rest at last. Wish I could slay your demons, but now that time has passed." The heroes don't get to rest. Makes me think of Angel first finding out about Shanshu, that light at the end of the tunnel for him. A lot of people daydream about being the hero, but it's sure not all fun and prizes.

 

[Kelsey]

God, I loved this scene. I watched it again recently just because the dialogue got stuck in my head (kinda like a song--weird, huh?). I love when he says, "They put the spark in me, and now all it does is burn." And his speech at the end, "Buffy, shame on you!" was just so beautiful. And then Buffy's face--horror and awe and complete disbelief all mixed into one. I just LOVE that scene!

It kind of parallels Giles's song to Buffy in OMWF. "I wish I could lay your arms down and let you rest at last. Wish I could slay your demons, but now that time has passed." The heroes don't get to rest. Makes me think of Angel first finding out about Shanshu, that light at the end of the tunnel for him. A lot of people daydream about being the hero, but it's sure not all fun and prizes.

Very true. If you've ever watched Supernatural, the song "Carry On My Wayward Son" became a sort of theme song for the heroes in that show. The lyrics always hold true to me no matter which hero you're talking about: "Carry on my wayward son, there'll be peace when you are done."

 

[Joan the Vampire Slayer]

I agree with everyone's sentiments regarding the church scene in 'Beneath Me.' I've always loved that scene. The dialogue is beautiful, and both do a great job with their performances in the scene. The image of Spike burning on the cross, asking to be forgiven, is one of the most powerful images in the entire show, in my opinion.