"I know you'll never love me..."

white avenger

white avenger

white avenger
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The scene in the last episode of Season 5. Buffy has just re-invited Spike back into her home. He's gathering weapons, and she heads upstairs to change. She stops halfway up when Spike says, "I know you'll never love me. I know that I'm a monster. But you treat me like a man and that's..."

If you could have written a reply from Buffy at that moment, what would it have been?

(And I'm not trolling necessarily for Spuffy affirmation or denial here, but she SHOULD have said something at that moment, not just left it hanging like that)

I would have had her say something like, "I love you enough, BELIEVE in you enough, to trust you with Dawn's life. I could never do that with a monster."
 
S
Spuffy is true love
oooo yeah, i like that, i read it and it gave me goosebumps
Joan the Vampire Slayer
Joan the Vampire Slayer
Awesome topic ;)
E
EveryNiteISaveU
That scene was so powerful, even without a verbal response from Buffy..
oh that's great! And I agree..She should have said something.

I imagine Buffy stepping one step down the stairs, looking intensely at him, and then started in a whisper.
"You have proven yourself a powerful ally more than once...If you really were a monster, you'd never helped out to start with." And she would have turned around, walked up the stairs, and without looking over her shoulder said:
"I believe in you Spike."
 
I dont mind that Buffy didnt say anything, I agree it adds to the dramatic effect. But I was just waiting for her to gush out her true feelings for him, and all she did was turn and walk up the stairs. Idve been all "Who said I'll never love you? I didnt ever say that." Then I would lunge at him.
 
B
Blondie Bear
Definitely with the lunging. Of course, I'd have jumped him long before this. XD
I think the scene is much more powerful because she didn't say anything, and as pointed out above, it is in character for Buffy.


white avenger said:
I would have had her say something like, "I love you enough, BELIEVE in you enough, to trust you with Dawn's life. I could never do that with a monster."
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I can't see her saying that she loved him at that point. And I've always thought that Buffy's actions speak louder than her words. It's obvious that she believes in him without saying it.
 
BuffyElevated
BuffyElevated
[No message]
I also agree that it's better for the dramatic effect.
It also gives the viewer some thinking space in what she could have felt when he said that. It leaves it open which I prefer 🙂
It could actually move her. or not.
More fun in overthinking that
 
sosa lola said:
I think the scene is much more powerful because she didn't say anything, and as pointed out above, it is in character for Buffy.




I can't see her saying that she loved him at that point. And I've always thought that Buffy's actions speak louder than her words. It's obvious that she believes in him without saying it.
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I used the word "love" at that point only because Spike had used it. I agree that, whatever Buffy's feelings were for Spike at that particular moment, she wasn't ready to use the "L" word at that point. I think that there's irony in the fact, 2 seasons later, SHE was the one who brought up the subject, and Spike whose answer was, to more than a few of us, ambiguous.
 
She'd just invited him back into her home. She'd just told him (I believe...or she's about to tell him at any rate) that he's to protect Dawn no matter what, which means she trusts him to the highest degree. She said everything that she needed to in this episode, and the ones before, and the ones after, with her actions. So I don't necessarily think that a response was necessary either.
 
Buffy Summers said:
I disagree. I think it's far more dramatic and true to character that she doesn't respond. Especially in hind sight when she tells Spike she loves him in Season 7.
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Very true.By her not saying anything,it leaves the next two seasons wide open for Buffy and Spike to figure out what kind of relationship they have. If she had said something mushy,it would of sort of "ruined" that I suppose.And besides,it wouldn't have been in Buffy's character to say something mushy.
 
Spuffy is true love said:
i thought it would have been awesome if she didn't say anything and turned to go up the stairs and then they cut to spike walking away and then you see buffy and she has one tear going down her cheek and she whispers "i do love you"
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I would have loved that. Especially if Spike did not hear it.
It's nice that they had the dramatic silence thing but I think it would have also been cool for this to happen just so we know how she (was obviously) feeling without ruining the tension between her and Spike.
 
white avenger said:
The scene in the last episode of Season 5. Buffy has just re-invited Spike back into her home. He's gathering weapons, and she heads upstairs to change. She stops halfway up when Spike says, "I know you'll never love me. I know that I'm a monster. But you treat me like a man and that's..."

If you could have written a reply from Buffy at that moment, what would it have been?

(And I'm not trolling necessarily for Spuffy affirmation or denial here, but she SHOULD have said something at that moment, not just left it hanging like that)

I would have had her say something like, "I love you enough, BELIEVE in you enough, to trust you with Dawn's life. I could never do that with a monster."
Click to expand...

Great question and I love your response for her. I'd like to have seen her say something similar. I think "You're not a monster" would have been sufficient. I mean, at that point, she didn't know she'd fall for him.

Yet her silence speaks volumes, in my opinion. If she knew for certain she had absolutely no feelings for him, that she could never see herself falling for him - her response would have been something like, wearing a sad smile, "I'm sorry, Spike. You're right, I could never love you, but, I do trust you. With me and my sister's life. I trust you can protect her. And that means everything to me." The fact that she said nothing could mean she didn't want to say something she'd regret - or that he just felt bad for him, and didn't want to crush his hopes at her loving him someday. By saying nothing she was acknowledging the possibility of love in the future between them. In 'Crush', she refused to let him even say she loved him. In this episode, she allowed him to express himself. I know she said that most of them would not make it past that *last* battle, but she knew that Spike would. Spike is indestructible, after all (mostly). And she would, too. And there might be a future for them. She was only starting to realize this.

And I disagree that it was out of character for Buffy to not say something in response. Every other time Spike has professed his love for her, she's responded with disgust. This time she didn't.
 
E
EveryNiteISaveU
[No message]
S
Skytteflickan88
If she had responded with disgust, that would have been out of character. She often abused Spike, but that would have been like kicking a puppy.
I think it was really poignant that Buffy didn't respond to Spike at this moment when he invited her back into his home. Both SMG and James Marsters really nail be able to convey what they're thinking or feeling without words - and just with their facial expressions. I think that must be an immensely difficult thing to do, and they both (especially Spike) do it so well, this scene included. Buffy doesnt respond to Spike when shes going up the stairs, but you can tell by the look on her face that there's some sort of feeling there for him brooding. I just love it.
 
I think it's fun to think of all the different lines Buffy could have said there, but I have to admit that I like it better that she didn't say anything. It makes the scene much more dramatic.
 
She turns to him,and half smiles and says"I've fought alongside you spike,left dawn in your care,i'd never let a monster do that".Then simply carries on up the stairs.Actually
i think thats a line from another episode i've stolen,fits though i think.
Buffy never loved spike,not in the traditional sense anyway.
Loves a big,big word.She cared deeply for him,and loved him in a sense,but her true inconditional love was angel.
Look how cut up she was when he left,the only thing that got her that upset was when he attacked her in her bathroom.
But............................you always hurt the ones you love,and she hurt spike in many,many occasions.The constant
bickering,arguing,denials of her feelings,its a wonder she got as far as she did as a slayer,that alone could have killed her.
I honestly feel she never loved anyone again after angel.
Riley,scott,spike,they all fell short of her first true love,her angel.
So yeah,saying nothing would be more apt in that situation.
Even though poor spike puts everything on the line for her,she simply cannot,and will not,do the same.Too much
is at stake(he he he)for her.
 
white avenger said:
The scene in the last episode of Season 5. Buffy has just re-invited Spike back into her home. He's gathering weapons, and she heads upstairs to change. She stops halfway up when Spike says, "I know you'll never love me. I know that I'm a monster. But you treat me like a man and that's..."

If you could have written a reply from Buffy at that moment, what would it have been?

(And I'm not trolling necessarily for Spuffy affirmation or denial here, but she SHOULD have said something at that moment, not just left it hanging like that)

I would have had her say something like, "I love you enough, BELIEVE in you enough, to trust you with Dawn's life. I could never do that with a monster."
Click to expand...

That reply is so out of character. I get why you would think that was romantic, but I don't think the things Spike had done for Buffy in season 5(which were admirable, even tough he off course did most of them to get Buffy to love him, not out of the goodness of his heart) could make her believe he's not a monster, love or not. He's a massmurderer.

Also, I believe she loved him in season 6 or 7, but most likely not in season 5.

Not that I call your guess a bad guess, but it was too early to say anything about love.

I myself don't know what she could have said. She must have had other things on her mind. Maybe a nod and half-smile? Maybe she was too moved to speak? Confused about her feelings?
 
Skytteflickan88 said:
That reply is so out of character. I get why you would think that was romantic, but I don't think the things Spike had done for Buffy in season 5(which were admirable, even tough he off course did most of them to get Buffy to love him, not out of the goodness of his heart) could make her believe he's not a monster, love or not. He's a massmurderer.

Also, I believe she loved him in season 6 or 7, but most likely not in season 5.

Not that I call your guess a bad guess, but it was too early to say anything about love.

I myself don't know what she could have said. She must have had other things on her mind. Maybe a nod and half-smile? Maybe she was too moved to speak? Confused about her feelings?
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As I said before, I only used the word "love" because Spike had just used it. "I know you'll never love me..." It wouldn't have been at all out of character for Buffy to make very sure at that moment that Spike knew that she didn't think of him as a monster. That's not romance, it's just common courtesy to a comrade in arms. No, she didn't have to declare her undying love, then drag him upstairs for a last moment of searing passion, but Buffy was asking a tremendous favor of Spike. She wanted him, not Giles or Xander, to be the one primarily responsible for taking care of Dawn, and to basically take care of the Scoobies, despite knowing full well how much they distrusted and disliked him. To me, that requires a bit more than just heading up the stairs with no comment. Spike deserved something in return for the service that she was asking of him, at least some sort of thanks or reassurance, and he never got it.
 
I didn't think she really loved Spike until season 7. She seemed to have a mental block on the whole soul issue. He did some good things even without a soul but I think she was unable to let herself acknowledge any real emotion toward him until he had his soul. It was probably there, buried somewhere, but I think she would never have let it surface if he hadn't gotten his soul back.

I do think she loved people after Angel. I'm not sure about Riley-I think she could have loved him, had things not gone the way they did. I definitely think she loved Spike even though he didn't believe her. Angel was not only her first love, but also set apart by being absolutely forbidden. He was everything she wanted and couldn't have (and the same goes for her, where he's concerned) and I think that probably stays with a person forever.
 
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