Kiss The Vamps And Let Them Die

[white avenger]

Two times in the series, Buffy found herself saying goodbye to a vampire boyfriend: Angel at the end of Season 2, and Spike at the end of Season 7. With each one, she said the same 3 words, "I love you." This isn't going to be an opinion poll about the meaning of her statement, but rather your take on the two separate scenes. Something like this:

Season 2, Angel. Buffy's choice was unavoidable. The portal had been opened with Angel's blood, it had to be closed the same way. She kisses Angel, tells him that she loves him, stabs him, and sends him to hell.

Not particularly heroic on Angel's part. He had no input in the matter. Would he have voluntarily sacrificed himself? Almost certainly, but he never got to make the decision. Would it have been more dramatic if he, seeing what he, or Angelus, had done, had kissed Buffy one last heart stopping, toe tingling time, grabbed the sword, shouted something heroic, and jumped? Probably. But the scene was about Buffy's heartbreak, not Angel's bravery. Something along the lines of, "I could not love thee near so much, loved I not honor more." So Angel goes to hell with a shocked look on his face and a sword sticking out of his chest, and Buffy runs away to Los Angeles to grieve for the summer.

Season 7, Spike. Once more the choice is inevitable. The sacrifice has to be made, and Spike is the one who has to make it. Buffy tells him that she loves him, takes his hand, which promptly bursts into flame, shares a brief, intimate moment, then he breaks away and orders her to leave.

Unlike Angel, he is allowed to make the decision for himself. Would it have been more dramatic if he had sent her away after uttering some noble phrase, something a bit better than, "It's plain to see, school's out for the bloody summer"? Possibly, but it really wasn't necessary. This was a scene about Spike's bravery, not Buffy's grief. Spike goes to what he believes will be certain death laughing defiantly.HE was the one who wound up in Los Angeles in his own version of hell: close proximity to Angel (nothing really to do with the scene, just a strange coincidence)

The end of Season 2 had Buffy grief over the loss of someone who she loved. The end of Season 7 had Buffy proud of the sacrifice of someone who she loved.

That's my interpretation of the two scenes. Now, what's yours?

 

[PrincessBuffy16]

Very intersting, I like how you said it's not about Angel's bravery, it's about Buffy's heartbreak. In season 2 Buffy lost her first love, she never had to something like that before. She did a lot for the world, but when we compare it with season 7, back then, she was just a kid. She was heartbroken. Who wouldn't. It was about her job, about her being a hero, about how she is going to feel. She left. But I don't think she tried to run away, she only wanted to get close to Angel again, so she went to the City of Angels 🙂

I wouldn't say she was proud of Spike's sacrifice. If she loved him, she was probably hurt, just he died at the end of the show, so they gave us a heroic part, something Buffy really is. They wanted to finish one chapter, but not to close the whole book. If she bursted into tears about loosing Spike, we would want more, to know how she is feeling and what is she going to do with that emotions. But it was the end, so they had to give us the perfect ending. I think, if that wasn't the end of the show, they would show us her feelings different.

 

[white avenger]

If she bursted into tears about loosing Spike, we would want more, to know how she is feeling and what is she going to do with that emotions. But it was the end, so they had to give us the perfect ending. I think, if that wasn't the end of the show, they would show us her feelings different.

But I personally have always felt a little bit robbed because we never got to see that closure. It WAS supposed to be the end of the series. As far as we know, a Season 8 was the farthest thing from Joss' mind at that time. And I'm not referring to Spike exclusively. We lost Anya. Several of the Potentials/Slayers died there in the hellmouth. Those people deserved something more than, "That's my girl. Always doing the stupid thing." That's not morbidity on my part, it's the honest feeling that those people deserved some sort of recognition.

How many episodes was Doyle in, and Cordy is still looking poignantly at his video 5 years later. He didn't even finish one complete season. Tara was in 3 seasons. Spike and Anya were on the show, either as guests or regular characters for 6years and 4 years, respectively, and the series ends without so much as a "We'll miss you," or, "We'll carry on in their memory." Wesley got a better epitaph when Illyria said, "I wish to do more damage."

 

[PrincessBuffy16]

I agree. Xanya never got it's closure. They decided to do some things in the last episodes, things I don't find fair, because some of the characters got the whole season or more where others were mourning over them, and some got only one line, that's not that special. But Spike did returned in Angel, he lived on, and I can't belive I'm even saying that but I'm in my romantic phase at the time, but don't loose your hope, Spike is alive, and maybe he'll see Buffy again. But if Joss decides otherwise, don't be sad.

 

[thevikingsgirl]

I agree. Xanya never got it's closure. They decided to do some things in the last episodes, things I don't find fair, because some of the characters got the whole season or more where others were mourning over them, and some got only one line, that's not that special. But Spike did returned in Angel, he lived on, and I can't belive I'm even saying that but I'm in my romantic phase at the time, but don't loose your hope, Spike is alive, and maybe he'll see Buffy again. But if Joss decides otherwise, don't be sad.

Aren't you sweet, throwing us a bone like that! 🙂

 

[GrrArghx]

Emma Caufield has said she felt Anya's death was very Anya-like and I agree with that.
I didn't feel robbed, although as a fan of her's I wished she had've lived.

Anyways, WA, I think your interpretation of those two particular scenes was correct.

 

[PrincessBuffy16]

Emma Caufield has said she felt Anya's death was very Anya-like and I agree with that.
I didn't feel robbed, although as a fan of her's I wished she had've lived.

Anyways, WA, I think your interpretation of those two particular scenes was correct.

Yeah, that was Emma's wish, but I don't agree it's Anya like. I mean death is not a good part of any character, and I think there is a lot of things about Anya that haven't been told.