Ok, seriously people, everyone has been saying over and over again how much they want Spike back, you got him! What's the big?
As one of the "people," I can only say that I am happy to see Spike here, if for no other reason, to settle the speculation, once and for all, about whether she knew that he had returned or not, and if not, why? Remember, somebody assigned a team of Slayers to patrol Los Angeles (or was ir really just to keep tabs on Buffy's two immortal boyfriends) which would seem to me to indicate that they were reporting back to somebody. If mot "Mama Slayer," who, and why was the information kept from her.
I've said before, I wanted Buffy to have her reunion with Angel. I wanted them to have their time, alone, to simply be together. Well, they got that, and in spades. Now, I want Joss to allow Spike the same courtesy, if for no other reason, simply because he has earned it. He has changed more and suffered more for Buffy than Angel ever has or possibly could (okay, that's my opinion. Feel welcome to form your own as you see fit)
My objection to Spike's arrival has nothing to do with him being there and everything to do with the (completely predictable and totally unnecessary) cliffhanger ending to this issue, with a three month wait for the next installment. At the very least, if a cliffhanger ending MUST be used, it should be a surprise. How many people were even slightly in doubt that Spike would make an appearance before Joss started his final arc? But more than a surprise, it should be a plot device used sparingly, or the writers become like the little boy who cries "Wolf!" too often. Eventually, nobody wants to hear it anymore. We had a cliffhanger ending in Season 7, between "Touched" and "Chosen," which wasn't as bad, since there was only a week's wait. (And, arguably, a cliffhanger with Spike dying in "Chosen," then popping up again the next fall in Angel's Season 5) Then we had a cliffhanger ending in "Not Fade Away," whether Joss chose to call it one or not. Renee gets stabbed at the end of Issue 14, leaving us a month to wonder. And so on.
And here we have yet another good ol' cliffhanger.
As a plot device, Joss has worn this one out. It's time to try something new and innovative, like, maybe, concluding, or at least finding a decent stopping point, at the end of the issue. Especially since this issue is the conclusion of an arc.
Okay, my rant's over. I'm sure that there's somebody ready to disagree with every point. Do your worst. Just don't insult my dog. A guy's gotta have SOME limits.
