Dru's love for Spike

[kittenpoker]

I'm sorry if this has already been discussed, I did not look through all the past topics...

I'm wondering about Dru's love for Spike - in the context of the latter part of season 2... she sees, right, but she didn't see Spike's hurt, then deception (that he could walk and was stronger than he pretended to be) and planned betrayal with Buffy... was she so caught up in the bad with angelus, or just not paying attention...and in that case, where is the love...

I'm also wondering, with all that angelus did to her, maybe she's not really capable of love, in the sense of truly caring about someone else, at least not in a sustained way...

anyway, what do you think?

why was dru so blind to spike's suffering?

 

[spikecakes]

I think Dru was blind to a lot of things, Spike's suffering being one of many. I think James Marsters once said that Dru and Spike's love goes way beyond anything we'll ever be able to understand. So with that, I do think Drusilla loved Spike, very much so, but madness quite clearly had an effect on her, so the true love she felt didn't show prominently very often. I don't think she was completely blind to it, she just had a special way of revealing thoughts and feelings only when she felt like it. She's a cool kid, really.

 

[kittenpoker]

thanks for the answer, spikecakes...makes sense to me, and I don't think I can really understand anyone's relationship - least of all my own. these things are always complicated. so, I'm sure being an insane immortal being just adds more complexity. 🙂

and, sorry if I'm stirring up a pot that has long since been settled to simmer. 🙂

 

[white avenger]

I think that most likely, Dru is the vampire most NOT likely to defy the rule about vampires being incapable of love, at least the romantic type of love that we're referring to here. She sees Spike in pretty much the same way that she sees Miss Edith and whatever other toys that she possesses at one time or another. He's a plaything, or at best a playMATE to her, nothing more. Even when she first introduced him to Angel and Darla, she referred to him as one would refer to an inanimate object ("Look what I made. It's a Willie.") She has no sense of loyalty toward him, as is made obvious by her escapades with Angelus and any available Chaos Demon. Probably the only reason that she came back to Sunnydale looking for him in Season 4 was that she was bored and between lovers at the time. With Darla dead and Angel ensouled, he was the only member of the old gang left to hang around with, and I have no doubt that, before too long, she would have left him for someone or some THING new.

 

[Chosen Enemy]

I think that most likely, Dru is the vampire most NOT likely to defy the rule about vampires being incapable of love, at least the romantic type of love that we're referring to here. She sees Spike in pretty much the same way that she sees Miss Edith and whatever other toys that she possesses at one time or another. He's a plaything, or at best a playMATE to her, nothing more. Even when she first introduced him to Angel and Darla, she referred to him as one would refer to an inanimate object ("Look what I made. It's a Willie.") She has no sense of loyalty toward him, as is made obvious by her escapades with Angelus and any available Chaos Demon. Probably the only reason that she came back to Sunnydale looking for him in Season 4 was that she was bored and between lovers at the time. With Darla dead and Angel ensouled, he was the only member of the old gang left to hang around with, and I have no doubt that, before too long, she would have left him for someone or some THING new.

Never thought of that this way before. I was looking for an answer to this thread, but couldn't really explain, even to myself. Now that I'm thinking about what you said, it all seems to make sense. I support your theory, keep that up! 😀

 

[KellGreen]

I think that most likely, Dru is the vampire most NOT likely to defy the rule about vampires being incapable of love, at least the romantic type of love that we're referring to here. She sees Spike in pretty much the same way that she sees Miss Edith and whatever other toys that she possesses at one time or another. He's a plaything, or at best a playMATE to her, nothing more. Even when she first introduced him to Angel and Darla, she referred to him as one would refer to an inanimate object ("Look what I made. It's a Willie.") She has no sense of loyalty toward him, as is made obvious by her escapades with Angelus and any available Chaos Demon. Probably the only reason that she came back to Sunnydale looking for him in Season 4 was that she was bored and between lovers at the time. With Darla dead and Angel ensouled, he was the only member of the old gang left to hang around with, and I have no doubt that, before too long, she would have left him for someone or some THING new.

I agree with this, but I also think she loved her "things" like children tend to (ya know, special blanket, favorite stuffed animal, etc.). She really is a special type of crazy I haven't really seen depicted anywhere before. I think she loved him in her way, and like a child, didn't always necessarily want to play with him, but also wanted to be able to still "have" him around for when she did want to. Maybe😕 This is a hard one for me...

 

[PassionBecoming]

I think the main points are that a) Dru and Spike are soul-less and evil. They may "love", but it isn't the same kind of love that those with souls have - much more twisted and self-serving. b) Dru is insane. No logic, off in la-la land nuts. Even though she may have loved Spike in her own way, it probably didn't compute that treating him like she did was really that bad of a thing.

 

[white avenger]

I agree with this, but I also think she loved her "things" like children tend to (ya know, special blanket, favorite stuffed animal, etc.). She really is a special type of crazy I haven't really seen depicted anywhere before. I think she loved him in her way, and like a child, didn't always necessarily want to play with him, but also wanted to be able to still "have" him around for when she did want to. Maybe😕 This is a hard one for me...

Granted, a child can love its toys or special possessions, or even a pet. And, granted, Dru does have a certain child like quality about her (that is, if you can imagine a child serial killer), but any feelings that she might have for Spike fall, I think, are more possessive than affectionate.

 

[KellGreen]

Granted, a child can love its toys or special possessions, or even a pet. And, granted, Dru does have a certain child like quality about her (that is, if you can imagine a child serial killer), but any feelings that she might have for Spike fall, I think, are more possessive than affectionate.

Yes. I was just going along the lines of "she loves him as much as she is capable of loving anything." I personally know more than one person IRL who are not capable of what you and I would deem to be "real love" but still sort of try anyway. And then there's those crazy pathetic people who really do view their lovers as possessions. But yes, we are actually in agreement; I just see a bit more at play kind of😕

 

[Joan the Vampire Slayer]

Interesting!

I don't believe that Drusilla loved Spike in close to the same way he loved her. He was completely devoted to her for a hundred years, doting on her and protecting her; and she was sleeping with Angelus. Enough said.

I think there's truth to what you suggest regarding what Angelus did to her. He drove her insane, and perhaps as a result, she doesn't have the capacity to sense the pain of others.

Worth noting though is that she was able to sense that Spike had fallen in love with Buffy, even before he knew it.

 

[Marisa]

I do think Dru loved him. The problem is she was crazy so that love can only go so far. I don't think any of Spike's women loved him as much as he loved them though.

I honestly think Dru either ignored it or was just oblivious because she was having to much "fun" with Angelus and being bad. Like I said earlier I believe Dru loved Spike but not enough considering I don't think she could.

 

[kittenpoker]

Worth noting though is that she was able to sense that Spike had fallen in love with Buffy, even before he knew it.

Yes, that is worth noting! thanks.

I honestly think Dru either ignored it or was just oblivious because she was having to much "fun" with Angelus and being bad.

Yes, I think you're right.

 

[BuffyElevated]

Honestly?? I don't think Dru loved Spike at all. I think she wanted him around to have someone to "play" with or whatever. I think Dru was so crazy that she couldn't really love anyone in the sense of falling in love and being romantic with them. I think she was a dark, twisted creature who enjoyed Spike fawning all over her, but I don't think she ever truly loved him OR Angel... I think for her it was all about who made the better "playmate" or "pet".

 

[InsaneMystic]

I'd mostly side with WA on this (that it's the possessive "love" of a child for her toy or pet), and we also should keep in mind that Dru was the one of the Fanged Four who always thought in terms of family/"blood relatives" (pun certainly intended) of the other three - chillingly disturbing as the thought is, as she boinked at least two, and quite probably all three of them. I really don't see her feelings for Spike as romantic, more like the attachment that a deranged child with a huge case of Stockholm Syndrome would feel towards their heavily abusive, but firmly "us against the world" family.

 

[FetalPig]

Yep. Dru was a Mother Hen even before she was sired.