Buffy and Riley Appreciation Thread

[Flannen]

This has come out of the fact that I feel poor ol' Riley is left out of 'ship discussions way too much and he's really overlooked due to all the hate towards him as an individual character.

So this is a thread, not necessarily for 'Briley' 'shippers (as I'm not one myself) but for those who can appreciate the relationship that Buffy and Riley had. 🙂

I actually, despite that pesky Bangel thing, loved this relationship. I grew to love Riley and what he stood for. I think he developed greatly over the show because of his relationship with Buffy.

Out of all the partners Buffy has had (serious partners) I think Riley was, for the most part, the most selfless in his love for her. It was pure and without any kind of ulterior motive. He gave up everything he had known by choosing her side over the Initiative and for a long time he tried to give Buffy what she needed even though he was constantly being pushed away.

It's a real shame that Buffy realised she loved him (which I think she absolutely did) too late. A lot of people say Riley had to leave, but had he finally been made aware of the fact Buffy did love and need him, then I think he could have been explored a lot further.

So, favourite Buffy/Riley moments, episode, quotes and the like?

I think one of mine has to be the things he does for her in 'Fool for Love'. I love how he tends to her wound and looks after her, and he takes out the whole vamp crew in such a kick ass way.

I also think the thing with the scarf in season four, is super cute too.

This relationship certainly gave me warm, fuzzy feelings! 😀

NOTE: Please don't Riley bash, I am honestly looking to see if other people do appreciate the relationship for what it was. I don't want to see any hating goin' on! 😛

 

[PrincessBuffy16]

I was thinking today to open this thread. Weird. Do you have acces in my mind! ^^

I think people don't like Briley because they are to tipical. One special girl and one ordinary boy.. that doesn't go together. But I do like Riley, and I did liked them together, they were cute, and Buffy was really happy with him. I think things would be very different if he stayed

I do like they kiss in Hush, and I like everything about them in season 4. But season 5, I kinda felt sorry for him, for them, and the couple lost their esence.

Or like Joss said:

"There was two reasons why the Buffy and Riley relationship didn't fly. There was nobody getting over Buffy and Angel. Just nobody. Two, because I'd seen the tortured Romeo and Juliet, `This is the wrong guy, he's going to make me miserable' romance, I wanted to see Buffy have a nice relationship with a nice guy. America doesn't want to see that. America doesn't give a rat's ass about a nice relationship with a nice guy."

and of course:

"There was nobody getting over Buffy and Angel . Just nobody."

 

[MinwaraYana]

I love Riley and Briley. I've just watched As You Were yesterday. And it's definitely there. Their feelings toward each other. Buffy knows in her heart that some parts of her still love him. So did Riley. 🙂

I like how he always be there for her. He devotes for her and loves her as much as Angel and Spike do. He's a nice guy that you can trust. And it's such a shame the way their relationship ended and the fact that Buffy didn't love him as much as he loved her. But I love how Buffy said she wishes things ended up in different way.

I like As You Were, because they showed that they still care about each other as friends and the way their relationship ended up didn't ruin their memories about good beautiful time they had together. And the Riley's quote at the end is touching.

"Buffy, none of that means anything. It doesn't touch you. You're still the first woman I ever loved and the strongest woman I ever knew. And I'm not advertising this to the missus, but still quite the hottie."

 

[PrincessBuffy16]

One thing I found intersting about them. He told her " I love you" a couple of times, but she never told him that words. That's kinda sad.

 

[Flannen]

One thing I found intersting about them. He told her " I love you" a couple of times, but she never told him that words. That's kinda sad.

I agree. I always found that really unsatisfying. The closest she got it is in 'The Yoko Factor':

Riley: Because I'm so in love with you I can't think straight.

Buffy: Tell me about it.

That doesn't make me doubt she didn't love him though. I think she really did, but after Angel I think she always struggled with opening herself up too much, which is understandable, I guess. But I do think it's a shame as Riley really deserved to hear those three little words.

 

[PrincessBuffy16]

Yeah I do think she loved him very much. I'm sure of it. I just think that 3 words for her are precious, and she knows true meaning of them, so she doesn't go around and gift them to everyone.

 

[Kana]

I definitely appreciate Ruffy. I think Riley was a good boyfriend but the situation was a little tragic. I think the scene in Into the Woods, where they had their dicussion about the relationship really showed how he felt. I don't think Riley was being especially needed but simply wanted to be close to his girlfriend. I agree that Buffy was scared of opening up after Angel but I also believe she saw Riley as the long haul guy in the end.

I also liked that look in Buffy's eyes when she saw him again in As You Were. The light in her eyes isn't just about seeing him but reminding her of how life used to be when she had that 'Slayer Fire' as it were, but I believed she loved Riley and missed him.

 

[anyatara]

I'm not exactly a Riley/Buffy fan, but I can say I don't hate them together. I thought it was nice, seeing them together to be honest. Other than Riley; none of Buffy's relationships were exactly great. He, Angel and Spike were her three main partners; and, well, the other two were vampires. To be honest, I liked them together to begin with, for a while in season four. It was a nice, normal relationship and whereas they didn't have a boat load of chemistry, they were still cute together and seemed to get on really well. They were both lying to each other to begin with, sure, but at least then things were all good between them. I started disliking them as a couple in season five, Riley didn't seem to really get Buffy, and Buffy didn't really want to let Riley in. Everyone's always so anti-Riley, but I think they were both in the bad. I think, while it lasted, their relationship was pretty good, but I'm glad that Riley left in season five, any longer and it'd have only grown dull.

 

[Megalita]

Buffy not "loving" Riley was the center of a few episodes, wasn't it? Or at least her problem with opening up. But then Riley left anyway and Buffy was too late to catch up with him. I thought it was a little sad, but I disliked Riley -- I was happy to see him go and thought it was for the better. Like PrincessBuffy16 said, he was just so normal and plain.

It was obvious that Buffy's mind was elsewhere. At that point in time, it seemed like she wasn't stable or ready enough for a relationship.

 

[Joan the Vampire Slayer]

I actually, despite that pesky Bangel thing, loved this relationship. I grew to love Riley and what he stood for. I think he developed greatly over the show because of his relationship with Buffy.

Nice thread topic, Flannen. Believe it or not, I liked Briley up until it became obvious he was seeing those vampire whores behind her back. I was honestly sad when he left. I did feel bad for him. He loved Buffy very much. He gave up everything for her. She never really returned his devotion. It wasn't really her fault; on some level, he was a rebound, and she was distracted with her Slayer duties and later on, with her Mother's illness.

Out of all the partners Buffy has had (serious partners) I think Riley was, for the most part, the most selfless in his love for her. It was pure and without any kind of ulterior motive. He gave up everything he had known by choosing her side over the Initiative and for a long time he tried to give Buffy what she needed even though he was constantly being pushed away.

I agree with this statement completely. Buffy did take him for granted. But in the long run, they weren't good for each other. She was the Slayer, and he was a regular guy. He had to choose his own path.

It's a real shame that Buffy realised she loved him (which I think she absolutely did) too late. A lot of people say Riley had to leave, but had he finally been made aware of the fact Buffy did love and need him, then I think he could have been explored a lot further.

I don't know if she intended to tell him she loved him that day. Xander convinced her to ask him to stay. I think she definitely was going to ask him to stay (that's what he wanted) but I don't know if, at that point, she was ready to tell him she loved him. Who knows if he would have believed her, anyway. When she told him, "I've given you everything that I have, I've given you my heart, my body and soul!" he didn't believe her then.

But who knows, right? We'll never know if that was that she intended to tell him if she had been able to catch that helicopter.

Even if she had caught that plane and asked him to stay, I think the enviable nature of their break-up would have been merely postponed. Joss was planning on hooking Buffy up with Spike early on. But that side, perhaps they would have stayed together until Joyce's death - but I still believe Riley would have left her. Absolutely. His destiny was not to be the Slayers boyfriend, it was with the Army. The work he did with them was his true passion in life.

So, favourite Buffy/Riley moments, episode, quotes and the like?

I really like the scene in 'Something Blue' in front of the bridal shop where she tells him she's marrying Spike. So funny! He looks so confused!!! 😉

I know this isn't really a moment regarding the two, but I always liked what Xander had to say to Buffy about Riley in "Into The Woods":

But you missed the point. You shut down, Buffy. And you've been treating Riley like the rebound guy. When he's the one that comes along once in a lifetime. He's never held back with you. He's risked everything. And you're about to let him fly because you don't like ultimatums? If he's not the guy, if what he needs from you just isn't there, let him go. Break his heart, and make it a clean break. But if you really think you can love this guy... I'm talking scary, messy, no-emotions-barred need... if you're ready for that... then think about what you're about to lose.

I think this one of my all-time favorite Xander quotes. After his talk with Buffy, Xander realizes that he needs to tell Anya how much he loves her. I always liked how his talk with Buffy about Riley made him realize that. 🙂

NOTE: Please don't Riley bash, I am honestly looking to see if other people do appreciate the relationship for what it was. I don't want to see any hating goin' on! 😛

FlannenI respect your thread, and will stay on-topic 😉

 

[ubi4soft]

They were OK, I think. I really liked how Riley stood up for Buffy in Yoko Factor. His world (the Initiative plot) was crushing down on him, but with Buffy's support he was able to pass through it.

They didn't have a very good start, Riley opens his eyes to Buffy only after his mentor Prof. Walsh said she liked her.

Anyhow, I just found this behind the scene and wanted to share
Buffy Riley Behind Scene
[url="http://www.flickr.com/photos/42620756@N05/3932212370/]Buffy Riley Smiling[/url]

 

[Willow-Tree]

I thought Riley was the most normal boyfriend she had, for obvious reasons.

He really did love her, but she didn't return his love. At least, she thought she loved him.

I think the only reason she never said "I love you" was because she knew deep down that she really didn't... although that kind of contradicts her actions in "Into the Woods"...

 

[Eleftheria]

I agree about Riley being the most normal boyfriend Buffy had.And i think that after Angel left Sunnydale,she needed sth normal...the fact that she didn't tell him "i love you"...i think she cared for him a lot.

Buffy had spent 3 years with Angel,she had loved Angel more than anything and they went through many difficult and certainly not normal situations...Buffy never hesitated telling Angel she loved him.Because he was her soulmate...and she couldn't live without him.The other person Buffy said "i love you" was Spike in the end.I think Buffy only says those three words only when she really,really feels them.Angel was her soulmate...and Spike had stood by her side when noone else was there for her.

I think Riley is the boyfriend that most girls want.But what really matters is what you can't live without.It's the kind of relationship i regularly see around...someone who loves you and wants to make you happy,but he is not what you really want or need.And that is really bad for that person and you, but some things are just that way.And deep down i think Riley knew the truth and Buffy knew also that she couldn't love him.

She had already experienced love...the eternal,soulmate kind of love.Everything is gonna be compared to that.

By the way...really sweet behind the scenes pictures!🙂

 

[PrincessBuffy16]

I must say I was in love with Riley when I saw him. He was all American boy. He had that kind of charm, and if Buffy was ordinary girl, maybe for them things would be great. I think they would end up together always and forever. But Buffy wasn't an ordinary girl, and that was the problem. Long ago I was a Briley fan (don't tell anyone 😀), not a hardcore, but I was. I loved them together. They are cute couple, they worked, he was that one ordinary thing is her life she needed, but they don't belong together. I guess Buffy wanted ordinary so bad, but when she tasted it she figured it out it's not that good.