Riley in As You Were

[Skanky Vamp]

I thought it was a very good conspiracy! Highly unlikely, but very good.

 

[Deus Ex Machina]

I liked the Finns and its not impossible for Riley to move on so quickly or for Sam to know about his feelings for Buffy as long either. Willow moved on from Oz super quickly and not even in a year and a half to get with Tara and Willow was head over heels in love with Oz.

Sometimes people just know. Sometimes people get married one day to two weeks from meeting and it works out perfectly. It's really just about a feeling. It might seem stupid or brash to outsiders but sometimes it just happens.

As for Sam's ranking, I would think that in the military as long as she was a highly motivated soldier who trained day and night, and considering how small I would think the unit was, I would entertain the idea she could be the same rank as Riley.

 

[white avenger]

As for Sam's ranking, I would think that in the military as long as she was a highly motivated soldier who trained day and night, and considering how small I would think the unit was, I would entertain the idea she could be the same rank as Riley.

Despite what you see in the movies about "battlefield commissions" and the like, promotion and military rank follow a very definite line of progression, and promotion to the next highest rank is determined primarily by four factors:

1) Time in rank. (You have to hold your current rank for a specific amount of time and demonstrate that you are capable of handling that amount of authority and responsibility before you are trusted with any more)

2) Recommendation ( Once you have demonstrated that you are capable of handling the duties associated with your current rank, your immediate superior and the Commanding Officer of your unit. along with whomever he chooses to contribute input, evaluate your performance and give their best estimate as to whether or not they believe that you can handle the duties connected with the higher rank)

3) Availability (There has to be a need for another soldier in the rank that you are being considered for. If there's no position available for a Sargent, you stay a Corporal, no matter how good a Corporal you are or how deserving you might be for the permotion on merit)

4) Location (This goes along with Availability above. Your current unit might not need that Sargent, but another one, somewhere else, might. In that case, you get the promotion, but you're relocated to your new duty station, which may be on the other side of the world. And accepting that promotion/transfer isn't a voluntary thing. You go where Uncle Sam sends you)

And even if you happen to be lucky enough to get the promotion and stay with your original unit, there is also:

5) Seniority (That means that the person who has held the rank longest is the one in command. This is to avoid the "all chiefs and no indians" situation that might otherwise arise.

So, you see, it would be totally impossible for Sam, no matter how good a soldier she might be, to rise to a rank equal to Riley's in that short a time. Therefore, if she IS his rank, then she is lying about how and when she joined the Army. And if she is lying about that relatively unimportant fact, what more important facts are she and Riley concealing?

 

[Skanky Vamp]

I just always took the "he is your superior" remark, or whatever it was, and her subsequent answer to be the common answer of husband and wife versus that of commanding officer.

 

[VisionGirl]

Not surprisingly, I'm with those who like this episode. I am perfectly aware of the plot holes, honestly I don't care much about that (yeah, I wish they would've tidyed that up, how hard would that have been? It's just laziness). What I care more about is how Riley, not Spike, not Angel, not any of the Scoobies, turned Buffy around. Simply by telling her how awesome she truly is. Folks, that's true love. Spike has historically been Buffy's truth-teller, but that stopped the minute they started sleeping together. Interesting, isn't it, how it's the "normal" guy that got through that fog Buffy was in and truly re-awakened her?

Of course, I've thought he had this kind of effect ever since Who Are You, when his sleeping with Faith-as-Buffy turned Faith's notions about sex & love upside down, and sent her on the road to redemption.

Pretty powerful for a "normal" guy. Cardboard my ass.

 

[Kana]

It's not going to surprise you that I love this episode. I saddens me that Riley isn't allowed to happy and well adjusted. I also like how he was non judgemental about her relationship with Spike and focuses on how great she can be rather than how badly she's doing now.

I also like Buffy at the end with Spike. I'm loathe to the opinion that the big bad Riley broke up the wonder that is Spuffy. I don't judge Spike or Buffy really for what they did but it was unhealthy of her and seeing Riley reminded her of how her life used to be when she had that fire. She needed the self-respect to stop using someone who loves her regardless of whether he has a soul or not. She's using him to escape life.

 

[white avenger]

Not surprisingly, I'm with those who like this episode. I am perfectly aware of the plot holes, honestly I don't care much about that (yeah, I wish they would've tidyed that up, how hard would that have been? It's just laziness). What I care more about is how Riley, not Spike, not Angel, not any of the Scoobies, turned Buffy around. Simply by telling her how awesome she truly is. Folks, that's true love. Spike has historically been Buffy's truth-teller, but that stopped the minute they started sleeping together. Interesting, isn't it, how it's the "normal" guy that got through that fog Buffy was in and truly re-awakened her?

Of course, I've thought he had this kind of effect ever since Who Are You, when his sleeping with Faith-as-Buffy turned Faith's notions about sex & love upside down, and sent her on the road to redemption.

Pretty powerful for a "normal" guy. Cardboard my ass.

All conspiracy theory jokes aside, I think that mostly Joss and the writers just needed some sort of valid reason for Buffy to realize that the relationship that she was having with Spike at that time was wrong and destructive for both of them, and somebody said, "You know, Spike basically broke Buffy and Riley up. Maybe we could use a little irony here and have Riley return the favor. But we don't want Buffy to hook back up with Soldier Boy, so let's have him married to a real kick ass girl" That doesn't excuse the badly written, poorly thought out plot devices that they used and all of the questions that the story left unanswered, but I've always gotten the feeling that writers in whatever media they work
do stuff like that isn't unique to this show or even television and movies in general. The writer gets so focused on the story that he is telling that details get either forgotten or ignored.

But I still have fun working out my conspiracy theories.

 

[StarSlayer]

What I care more about is how Riley, not Spike, not Angel, not any of the Scoobies, turned Buffy around. Simply by telling her how awesome she truly is. Folks, that's true love.

Love yes. True love? Eh, not so sure. 😉

After "Into the Woods," which made me despise Riley (and I still do), I actually did like his character in "As You Were." I think part of it was because he was happy with Sam, a woman who was his better half. They did complement each other very well. 🙂

 

[VisionGirl]

Quote:
Originally Posted by VisionGirl
What I care more about is how Riley, not Spike, not Angel, not any of the Scoobies, turned Buffy around. Simply by telling her how awesome she truly is. Folks, that's true love.

Love yes. True love? Eh, not so sure. 😉

Really? True love isn't cutting through the bullshit & recognizing the truth underneath? It doesn't even have to be romantic for that matter. True love (from lovers, family, friends), helps you see your worth and always believes in you. That's what Riley gave to Buffy here.

 

[StarSlayer]

Really? True love isn't cutting through the bullshit & recognizing the truth underneath? It doesn't even have to be romantic for that matter. True love (from lovers, family, friends), helps you see your worth and always believes in you. That's what Riley gave to Buffy here.

Oh my gosh, I was joking (hence the 😉) because I know you like Bangel. I actually like Riley in this episode because he reminded Buffy of the woman that he remembers and the woman that she is. 🙂

---------- Post added at 09:43 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:27 PM ----------

VisionGirl agrees: LOL, on this thread I feel more like a Briley than a Bangel, can't believe I just said that!

LOL, maybe you have an inner Briley after all! 🙂

 

[LadyLavinia]

Liking Riley?! 😱

The entire fandom will probably hunt you down now and subject you to hours of excruciating torture before eating you alive. Better get on that red-eye while you can.

I like Riley a lot. I always have. He's not perfect, but who was?

The odd thing about Riley's character in this episode is that he seemed to be viewed from the POV of the Scoobies, making him seem rather ideal.