Himiko
Potential
As someone who likes neither Buffy/Angel nor Buffy/Spike, and having seen very few Buffy/Riley episodes:
Yes, I think she did love Angel. I think she loved him very much. And I believe that he loved her. I think they still do love each other (as of end of Season 7), to an extent- when they meet up, after Season 3, their actions seem to suggest that they do still have feelings for each other. I believe that Buffy's "I loved Angel more than I loved or ever will love etc." (not sure if the quote is 100% correct, but you get the idea) may well imply that she doesn't believe she will ever love anyone as much as she loved Angel AT THAT POINT IN TIME SHE WAS REFERRING TO. I believe she and Angel have, to a certain extent, moved on, and are both perfectly capable of having feelings for other people- we see that with Riley, Spike, Cordelia, Nina, etc.
If Angel were to become human, then perhaps I could see a future for them as a couple. Perhaps. Though I prefer Angel as a character away from Buffy. Their relationship can be pretty destructive on both of them, and those around them.
Now, Buffy isn't psychic, it is entirely possible that at some point in her life she will love someone as much as she loved Angel at that moment. Personally, the vague idea I've always had after the show ends is that Buffy is able to think fondly on her past relationships, and remember the good times, and hold each man she cared about in her heart- but she is able to move on. And if there is a guy who Buffy spends her life with, it'll be someone we, as the viewers, never met.
Do I believe that Buffy and Angel's relationship was immature? I'm not sure I would label their relationship as immature. Both were committed to the other- they wanted to be together far into the future, that much was clear. They had very deep feelings for the other, and when the relationship ended, it ended with Buffy heartbroken, and Angel leaving for what he believed was their own good. I do believe that being in that relationship caused them to act immaturely on occasion (and even dangerously- Buffy is unable to kill Angelus in Innocence, leading to numerous deaths and near-Apocalypse)- Buffy does not tell the Scoobies when Angel returns. In fact, she seems pretty pissy that they're all being so "mean and unsupportive of her" *grumble* but that's part of my peeve with Buffy rather than their relationship.
Do I believe that her future relationships were any more mature? Well, Parker, yes- she had casual sex with a guy she barely knew, then spent several episodes pining after him (not to say that he didn't act badly- he should have made it clearer that's what he was looking for). Riley, I can't really comment on as I've not seen enough episodes. Spike... not really. Certainly not their S6 relationship, which is based largely on violence and sex whenever Buffy is feeling low. In S7- once again, I'd argue that although their relationship, however you'd categorise it, is not immature per se, and inspires Spike to become that hero that will sacrifice himself to save the world, it doesn't mean that they don't act immaturely at times. Buffy gives Spike a free pass to kill Wood? Really? I get that Wood acted badly at a bad time, but he has every reason to hate Spike. Knock him on the head, tell him to wise up or get the hell out of her fight, but saying that added another bullet point to my "Lines that make me want to smack Buffy upside the head" list. I get that Buffy needs Spike as a fighter, but when he is killing again, he is a risk. I haven't seen S7 in a while, but I do remember thinking that Buffy seemed to always put Spike at the top of her priorites, because "He had her back". And her friends apparently didn't, because they doubted and questioned some of her decisions? I mean, that's a lot to do with Buffy becoming the kind of authority that she'd always disapproved of in earlier seasons, so it might be unfair to put that as an immaturity point in the Buffy/Spike camp.
I think at the end of the day, any kind of relationship with a vampire is going to carry certain down points with it, however many Buffy dates. They are killers, there is still a demon inside of them. You will never be able to have children with them, or be able to walk in the sunlight with them. You will never grow old together. In some ways, I think it would be very hard to have a lasting relationship on this basis- and when I say lasting, I mean settling down together, years of commitment, etc. That's a lot to give up permanently- sure, not everyone wants kids. But times change, you might want them in the future. Sure, you can live without your partner going out in the sunlight, but that doesn't mean that a few years in you won't regret it. Sure, when you're young the idea of not growing old at the same time doesn't phase you. But will that still hold later in life? The Mayor's speech is an interesting one there...
Honestly, I'm not entirely sure I agree with what I've said in the last paragraph- I do believe a relationship can be mature and loving and meaningful without being lifelong, and I am aware that any relationship comes with flaws and sacrifices to be made. Just some thoughts.
In conclusion: Buffy loved Angel, part of her may still do, doesn't mean that she can't love anyone else, doesn't mean she won't find an even greater love in the future. Buffy/Angel had their immature points, no more so than the rest of Buffy's relationships.
Yes, I think she did love Angel. I think she loved him very much. And I believe that he loved her. I think they still do love each other (as of end of Season 7), to an extent- when they meet up, after Season 3, their actions seem to suggest that they do still have feelings for each other. I believe that Buffy's "I loved Angel more than I loved or ever will love etc." (not sure if the quote is 100% correct, but you get the idea) may well imply that she doesn't believe she will ever love anyone as much as she loved Angel AT THAT POINT IN TIME SHE WAS REFERRING TO. I believe she and Angel have, to a certain extent, moved on, and are both perfectly capable of having feelings for other people- we see that with Riley, Spike, Cordelia, Nina, etc.
If Angel were to become human, then perhaps I could see a future for them as a couple. Perhaps. Though I prefer Angel as a character away from Buffy. Their relationship can be pretty destructive on both of them, and those around them.
Now, Buffy isn't psychic, it is entirely possible that at some point in her life she will love someone as much as she loved Angel at that moment. Personally, the vague idea I've always had after the show ends is that Buffy is able to think fondly on her past relationships, and remember the good times, and hold each man she cared about in her heart- but she is able to move on. And if there is a guy who Buffy spends her life with, it'll be someone we, as the viewers, never met.
Do I believe that Buffy and Angel's relationship was immature? I'm not sure I would label their relationship as immature. Both were committed to the other- they wanted to be together far into the future, that much was clear. They had very deep feelings for the other, and when the relationship ended, it ended with Buffy heartbroken, and Angel leaving for what he believed was their own good. I do believe that being in that relationship caused them to act immaturely on occasion (and even dangerously- Buffy is unable to kill Angelus in Innocence, leading to numerous deaths and near-Apocalypse)- Buffy does not tell the Scoobies when Angel returns. In fact, she seems pretty pissy that they're all being so "mean and unsupportive of her" *grumble* but that's part of my peeve with Buffy rather than their relationship.
Do I believe that her future relationships were any more mature? Well, Parker, yes- she had casual sex with a guy she barely knew, then spent several episodes pining after him (not to say that he didn't act badly- he should have made it clearer that's what he was looking for). Riley, I can't really comment on as I've not seen enough episodes. Spike... not really. Certainly not their S6 relationship, which is based largely on violence and sex whenever Buffy is feeling low. In S7- once again, I'd argue that although their relationship, however you'd categorise it, is not immature per se, and inspires Spike to become that hero that will sacrifice himself to save the world, it doesn't mean that they don't act immaturely at times. Buffy gives Spike a free pass to kill Wood? Really? I get that Wood acted badly at a bad time, but he has every reason to hate Spike. Knock him on the head, tell him to wise up or get the hell out of her fight, but saying that added another bullet point to my "Lines that make me want to smack Buffy upside the head" list. I get that Buffy needs Spike as a fighter, but when he is killing again, he is a risk. I haven't seen S7 in a while, but I do remember thinking that Buffy seemed to always put Spike at the top of her priorites, because "He had her back". And her friends apparently didn't, because they doubted and questioned some of her decisions? I mean, that's a lot to do with Buffy becoming the kind of authority that she'd always disapproved of in earlier seasons, so it might be unfair to put that as an immaturity point in the Buffy/Spike camp.
I think at the end of the day, any kind of relationship with a vampire is going to carry certain down points with it, however many Buffy dates. They are killers, there is still a demon inside of them. You will never be able to have children with them, or be able to walk in the sunlight with them. You will never grow old together. In some ways, I think it would be very hard to have a lasting relationship on this basis- and when I say lasting, I mean settling down together, years of commitment, etc. That's a lot to give up permanently- sure, not everyone wants kids. But times change, you might want them in the future. Sure, you can live without your partner going out in the sunlight, but that doesn't mean that a few years in you won't regret it. Sure, when you're young the idea of not growing old at the same time doesn't phase you. But will that still hold later in life? The Mayor's speech is an interesting one there...
Honestly, I'm not entirely sure I agree with what I've said in the last paragraph- I do believe a relationship can be mature and loving and meaningful without being lifelong, and I am aware that any relationship comes with flaws and sacrifices to be made. Just some thoughts.
In conclusion: Buffy loved Angel, part of her may still do, doesn't mean that she can't love anyone else, doesn't mean she won't find an even greater love in the future. Buffy/Angel had their immature points, no more so than the rest of Buffy's relationships.
