Buffy's Anger at Riley in "Doomed"

[BuffyElevated]

Why did Buffy feel like she had the right to be so pissed at Riley in "Doomed" when she found out he wasn't Joe Normal? This has always bothered me. She has made it her life's work to lie about who she is and for her to be so pissy always felt wrong to me. I get being suspicious of Riley and his motives but why so much anger?

 

[PassionBecoming]

That always bothered me, too, but I think it was just her knee-jerk reaction to realizing the guy she thought would bring some normal to her life is really as involved in the nuttiness of demon-fighting as she is.

 

[FaithsFollower]

She was hoping to find a normal, decent guy after both Angel and Parker. I would be pissed too if I found out the guy I liked [and secretly had high hopes that he wouldn't be involved in my world] was as involved as I am in the nuttiness that is the Hellmouth.

Just sayin'. Was it wrong? Possibly. But it was natural and understandable.


(and yeah, I was pissed off myself. I had high hopes for Riley Finn being as oblivious as he was presented to be...and when I found out he was a part of The Initiative, all my hopes and dreams fell to the ground. 🙁)

 

[Xin Rong]

Yeah, it was just because she wanted a nice normal guy, so got upset when she realised the 'normal' guy she had fallen for wasn't actually so normal.

Also, she was used to being the one with secrets, maybe it annoyed her someone else had a few, and a air of mystery around them... stealing her limelight a little.

 

[Taake]

I just think she felt betrayed, it's not necessarily rational considering that she herself was a woman with secrets, but then she had been taught to be secretive for her own saftey. And being a Slayer is who she is, it's part of her personality, so I don't think she sees it's as the same thing.

Finding out that Riley had a secret life, more or less a secret alternate persona, was probably like a slap in the face because it seemed to go against everything she had learned about him (or was assuming about him) as a person. Most likely it made for a knee-jerk reaction where she felt betrayed to the extent where she even felt like questioning who he was now, how this new load fitted in with her image of Riley.

I certainly do not think she was mad because he stole her limelight...

 

[ChosenOneK]

In my opinion I dont blaim her. After the whole angel thing she had relationship issues and she just wanted a normal guy. So her being hesitant never bothered me

 

[NightBird]

I think it's a case of disappointment manifesting as anger, Buffy had built a picture of who Riley was and the desire she's always had for a 'normal' life, Riley being an average joe was a big part of that, finding out he's in the big I shattered the vision she had of Riley and the normal life she could have had with him.

While I think she's out of line, I can understand the reaction, she's only the slayer after all. 😀