"If they hurt Willow, I'll kill you."

[sosa lola]

It surprises me how this line makes a lot of fans hate Xander and want Buffy to slap him silly. I get hating Xander because he's such a flawed character, but at this moment, I just don't see it.

Buffy had been unbearable since she came back to Sunnydale and everybody was tolerating her, including Xander, but when things got serious and Willow was about to die because Buffy didn't want to listen to her friends' warning, it's no wonder Xander would snap. Obviously he didn't mean it and said it in the heat of anger and frustration, which shows in the way he forgot all about it in the very next second and started helping Buffy to save Willow and the others.

I wonder if people hate Buffy for saying "And I'll kill anyone who comes near Dawn" in The Gift. Because it's very, very similar.

 

[caitaintdead]

Hey, I'm number 1 on the Xander hate train, but this is actually a scene of Xanders that I really really like. He's full of such passion and loyalty for Willow that I wouldn't have expected anything less from a best friend.

Yes, I do personally think it is quite similar to what Buffy says in The Gift, and never really thought about it that way before.

Xander was definitely well within his rights to put Buffy in line for her behaviour, and it just goes to show what a great character Xander was in these earlier episodes. Instead of getting angry at Buffy about her treatment of HIM, he's worried about Willow. Definitely a great moment of selflessness and maturity.

 

[BuffyElevated]

I never understand people who say that when Xander says this line it makes them want to hit him or it makes them hate his character. WTF? In that moment, he's taking a stand against Buffy for the way she's been acting and alienating them; in that moment, I am proud of him for having the balls to let her know just how much she's screwed them all over.

 

[GrrArghx]

And, I'm number one on the Buffy love train, but I was cheering Xander on for this line too. Normally, he makes me want to strangle him when he rags on Buffy, but man, she was being a bitca - obviously! 😛

I'm surprised people actually hate him for it, I wasn't aware anyone did. She needed to get over it, just like Cordy said - by the way, her little speech to Buff was awesome too! 😀

 

[zobothehobo]

I hate Xander and 99% of the things that come out of his mouth make me hate him and want to hit him. But this is not one of them. When I watch this and he says that, I usually reply to my computer screen something to the effect of "You tell 'em." I didn't even know people took issue with this line until now.

 

[caitaintdead]

I hate Xander and 99% of the things that come out of his mouth make me hate him and want to hit him. But this is not one of them. When I watch this and he says that, I usually reply to my computer screen something to the effect of "You tell 'em." I didn't even know people took issue with this line until now.

It goes to show just dramatically different fan groups have different 'popular' opinions! And in general how much things can change even just on the Buffy Boards! I mean the only reason I actually watched Angel to begin with was because everyone was raving about A Hole In The World and I was so keen to check it out. Now everyone is ragging on it! A little off topic, please continue! Haha.

 

[BuffangelLovE]

I didn't even know people took issue with this line until now.

me too. I use to LOL at that line. He's talking to the Slayer, after all. 'You wish' is my reply to that line every time. Partly I do understand his anger here, but still it sounds laughable and misplaced. Therefore, this scene doesn't make me particularly hate Xander. He's done and said much worse.

 

[sosa lola]

😀

It's so funny having a lot of fans who hate Xander here and yet they thought he was justified to say that line. Xander gets hated on for everything he does, including his speech to Dawn in S7, but I don't pay attention to it because some of the complaints are usually a few. However, I've seen a lot of anger toward this line lately which made me curious.

 

[The Unspoken]

From what I gather, Xander is 'hated' in general for being judgmental about Angel and Spike...

...you know, the guys that tried to rape her/kill her/kill her friends/end the world at some point.

 

[caitaintdead]

From what I gather, Xander is 'hated' in general for being judgmental about Angel and Spike...

...you know, the guys that tried to rape her/kill her/kill her friends/end the world at some point.

Thanks for giving us soooo much credit there, but the reasons I dislike Xander are a little more complex then that.

😀

It's so funny having a lot of fans who hate Xander here and yet they thought he was justified to say that line. Xander gets hated on for everything he does, including his speech to Dawn in S7, but I don't pay attention to it because some of the complaints are usually a few. However, I've seen a lot of anger toward this line lately which made me curious.

The speech to Dawn in Season 7 doesn't really bother me to much. That and the dress buying for Cordelia were sweet.

 

[Marisa]

I don't hate him for saying it and think he had the right to at that moment. Sometimes I think they should question Buffy and that was one of those times.
I don't hate Xander and love him it was good to see him stand up for Willow at that point.

 

[BuffangelLovE]

From what I gather, Xander is 'hated' in general for being judgmental about Angel and Spike...

...you know, the guys that tried to rape her/kill her/kill her friends/end the world at some point.

Yeah, the same guy who's dated a (former) vengeance demon for years, who's probably responsible for much more ruined lives as Spike and Angel altogether. Xander also tried to protect Anya from being killed by Buffy after she chose to kill again...

But apart from that, it's not just because he's over-judgemental about Angel and Spike. It's much more complex, like already has been stated by others.

 

[The Unspoken]

Yeah, the same guy who's dated a (former) vengeance demon for years, who's probably responsible for much more ruined lives as Spike and Angel altogether. Xander also tried to protect Anya from being killed by Buffy after she chose to kill again...

But apart from that, it's not just because he's over-judgemental about Angel and Spike. It's much more complex, like already has been stated by others.

It's not a contest - mentioning Xander's flaws doesn't negate the fact that his viewpoints regarding Angel and Spike often were valid and needed to be expressed by someone.

 

[caitaintdead]

It's not a contest - mentioning Xander's flaws doesn't negate the fact that his viewpoints regarding Angel and Spike often were valid and needed to be expressed by someone.

No, it's not a contest but you bought up Spike and Angels past and a valid comparison was made.

 

[BuffangelLovE]

It's not a contest - mentioning Xander's flaws doesn't negate the fact that his viewpoints regarding Angel and Spike often were valid and needed to be expressed by someone.

But they also were often misplaced and based on a lesser knowledge... It's something I dislike in some people's behaviour in real life too. Those ones who constantly feel the urge to comment on things they have no idea about. Xander was often just like that. I'm not saying he was always wrong, but mostly I felt like his judgment wasn't necessary. Nobody has ever complained about his relationship with Anya. She was always welcomed to the scoobies even after the fight against Buffy. Why do you think is that? Because unlike Xander, the others were able to forgive and give second chances, let someone improve themselves to them. Because none of them were perfect, not Angel, not Spike, not Buffy, not Willow, [the list goes on], everyone of them made bad choices and did questionable things. Still, it was possible for them to look past that, besides Xander of course.
But it's just my personal point of view. Some might disagree. And like I said, it's not just about his sometimes misplaced judgment. I dislike pretty much everything about Xander. But it would just take too long to argue about it. Besides, it's the wrong place for that.

 

[sosa lola]

zobothehobo agrees: I'll be honest, the speech to Dawn is cute but sometimes if I'm in the right mood, I get annoyed when I hear it and want to punch him in his face.

Why would you want to punch him for that speech when you're in the right mood?

 

[Nikita]

Now, since this has become a thread about what we think about Xander (which I like), I think it's time to go over the reasons why I like and dislike him.

I LOVED Xander up until the end of Season 5. Loved him. In Season 1-3 he was always very sarcastic, but when it came time to be serious, he was a good guy and most of the time did the right thing, this continued onto season 4, however since Cordelia left his character became more comic relief and a side-part to Anya's story, who was a much more interesting character who actually really became interesting in Season 4 and 5. (And was amazing throughout the rest of the series. A worthy replacement for Cordelia.) However I still liked him in this season because his place, comic relief, was done well by his character. In season 5 he was also very good with his moving relationship with Anya. His quote to Anya also made me love him very much. Other things I like more about Nick than I do about Xander is his acting in episodes like Hells Bells where he really did well in the part he had to play, I do not like Xander for what he did to Anya, but I felt at the time that it was necessary and a bit out OOC, but understandable for the series.

HOWEVER, and as has been mentioned here:

But they also were often misplaced and based on a lesser knowledge... It's something I dislike in some people's behaviour in real life too. Those ones who constantly feel the urge to comment on things they have no idea about. Xander was often just like that. I'm not saying he was always wrong, but mostly I felt like his judgment wasn't necessary. Nobody has ever complained about his relationship with Anya. She was always welcomed to the scoobies even after the fight against Buffy. Why do you think is that? Because unlike Xander, the others were able to forgive and give second chances, let someone improve themselves to them. Because none of them were perfect, not Angel, not Spike, not Buffy, not Willow, [the list goes on], everyone of them made bad choices and did questionable things. Still, it was possible for them to look past that, besides Xander of course.
But it's just my personal point of view. Some might disagree. And like I said, it's not just about his sometimes misplaced judgment. I dislike pretty much everything about Xander. But it would just take too long to argue about it. Besides, it's the wrong place for that.

This is true and it angers me that during the whole Willow arc, Xander was bagging on Spike (I would've done the same because I hate Spike but that's not the point here) and not even saying anything about Willow going off the deep end which shows his bias and this is one of the main reasons I dislike his character. Also bothers me that he didn't want to tell anyone about his engagement. Understandable considering the gangs feelings about Anya, but he still shouldn't have been such a douche to Anya about it.

About the quote however, I think it was EXTREMELY good of him to say that and like I said, I love him in the first 5 seasons so I like that he did this.

 

[PrincessBuffy16]

I don't see anything wrong with that scene. Buffy had problems, but that doesn't give her the right to act like a bitch.. I guess Xander was sick of it, and that one accident spilled the glass.

 

[Wishing Oceans]

My opinion is the usual one here: Xander had every right to say that to Buffy.

 

[Tillow4ever]

I like Xander. I LOVE that line. It shows how much he cares about Willow.