Were Giles and Robin Wood wrong?

[bespangeled]

Should they have conspired to keep Buffy occupied while Spike was being killed?

I tend to say no just because it's what the first wants them to do. Convince me?

 

[white avenger]

It might be argued that their intentions were right, eliminating the possibility of Spike killing everyone in the house under the First Evil's direction, but their method of doing so, was a betrayal of Buffy's trust and a violation of her specific statement, call it orders or just her declaring that Spike was under her protection.

So, yes, they were wrong in their action, but that action was based on what they considered to be the proper manner to eliminate something that they believed to be a legitimate threat to the group., combined with the fact that both men had their own personal reasons for just plain not liking Spike.

It might be interesting to speculate on Buffy's reaction if they had been successful, and how the rest of the season would have been changed.

 

[bespangeled]

It might be argued that their intentions were right, eliminating the possibility of Spike killing everyone in the house under the First Evil's direction, but their method of doing so, was a betrayal of Buffy's trust and a violation of her specific statement, call it orders or just her declaring that Spike was under her protection.

So, yes, they were wrong in their action, but that action was based on what they considered to be the proper manner to eliminate something that they believed to be a legitimate threat to the group., combined with the fact that both men had their own personal reasons for just plain not liking Spike.

It might be interesting to speculate on Buffy's reaction if they had been successful, and how the rest of the season would have been changed.

I think that was the whole purpose - thematically - of Wood's vendetta. That made it clear this was evil (smart - but evil) in the sense that you can't use evil to do good. If Woods and Giles had succeeded - aside from shocking a nation of fans into hysterics - they would have become part of the First. At that time - so close to the battle - it might have created enough distrust for the First to win.

That's the rub - doing what seems right but is morally wrong is what the First feeds on. Giles knew that when he killed Ben - he knew what he was doing was wrong but expedient. Buffy refuses to do that - most of the time at least - which is why she's a hero. I can see the temptation to off the sociopathic murderer because the soul seems like a leash of dandelion fluff - that's what ups the drama quotient nicely.

And, of course, to finish his redemption Spike had to be the sacrifice. Buffy had to let him chose. Giles had to discover Spike was a needed piece of the puzzle. Practically speaking there are others who could have worn the necklace but Spike going up in flames validates Buffy's choices. Buffy already died once as did Angel - so that would be sort of a rerun and hard to do better than the original deaths. Faith (I love Faith!) would be a deux ex machina here in Buffyland for non-Angel watchers. While the whole thing can (and should) seem shaky moving forward, it does reverse engineer nicely.

 

[Blaze]

Yes, they were wrong. For Wood alone, he stooped down to a level that is to be expected from someone that can't be the bigger person and learn that lowering himself to an (ex)-evil person's action can only be bad. Especially that Spike was no longer the same, it was a simple story of revenge. And revenge, as tempting as it is, just serves to make the person just as much of a monster as the other. What Wood did was plan wrong if only for the reasons.

Giles, well him it's more a question of his actions being hurtful to Buffy. Her father figure betrayed her (I'd say for the first time since Helpless) and it was very much deliberate. I see how Spike might be a risk in harming other potentials, but it was wrong of Giles to try and kill him without Buffy knowing.

 

[bespangeled]

Yes, they were wrong. For Wood alone, he stooped down to a level that is to be expected from someone that can't be the bigger person and learn that lowering himself to an (ex)-evil person's action can only be bad. Especially that Spike was no longer the same, it was a simple story of revenge. And revenge, as tempting as it is, just serves to make the person just as much of a monster as the other. What Wood did was plan wrong if only for the reasons.

Giles, well him it's more a question of his actions being hurtful to Buffy. Her father figure betrayed her (I'd say for the first time since Helpless) and it was very much deliberate. I see how Spike might be a risk in harming other potentials, but it was wrong of Giles to try and kill him without Buffy knowing.

Wood had more reason than most to fall prey to the machinations of the First - which makes his role both more understandable and, as you point out, clear warning of a weak person. I really think it was Buffy's slap down that motivated him to support Faith when Buffy was kicked out.

It's Giles who troubles me. At least he was blindly following protocol when he betrayed Buffy in Helpless. Here he is simply taking over - lecturing Buffy on making hard choices while he is deliberately taking away her ability to chose. We saw the First get into various people's heads (or try to) and I assume those were not the only appearances the First made.

Giles disliked Spike all along. He had the ability and reasons to dust him any time. Spike was clearly an important source of strength for Buffy. Granted Giles was ready to fall, but what did the First say that tipped him over the edge? Why was he willing to do something that he knew was both wrong and evil? Did he play on Giles' insecurities? Did Jenny come to him to remind him of the danger of Buffy and vampires? Why not just wander down into the basement and dust Spike in his sleep? Was it because he knew he was in the wrong?

I also see this as the reason Giles turned against Buffy later. She refused him the position he wanted, while Faith was willing to be his student.

 

[SiegePerilous02]

All four of the major characters of this episode were complete, unlikable idiots. Wood remains the most sympathetic, even if his choosing this time to go through with his vendetta was very poorly timed. At this point, Spike was more of a liability than an asset, so I can see Giles's point of view too. But he seriously showed a lot of disrespect towards Buffy's authority, and he should have tried harder to reason with her before jumping into this plan.

But Buffy and Spike were not being remotely cooperative throughout the episode, either. Giles tried to help Spike deactivate his trigger*, but Spike thew a temper tantrum instead. Buffy unchained him because "she believed in him," which is pretty damn hilarious after he just got triggered and threw a bed frame at Dawn. Yes, Spike managed to beat the trigger, but only because of the situation Giles and Wood put him in. If they hadn't come up with their plan, it was unlikely the trigger would have been dealt with, and suddenly we have a whole bunch of dead potentials on our hands (if the First Evil was ever gonna get off its lazy ass and make it happen, that is).

This episode really needed one of the other characters (like Xander. Remember him? ME certainly didn't) to point out how stupid they all were.

*They found out about the trigger in "Sleeper," why the holy hell did they wait this long to do something about it?

 

[bespangeled]

All four of the major characters of this episode were complete, unlikable idiots. Wood remains the most sympathetic, even if his choosing this time to go through with his vendetta was very poorly timed. At this point, Spike was more of a liability than an asset, so I can see Giles's point of view too. But he seriously showed a lot of disrespect towards Buffy's authority, and he should have tried harder to reason with her before jumping into this plan.

But Buffy and Spike were not being remotely cooperative throughout the episode, either. Giles tried to help Spike deactivate his trigger*, but Spike thew a temper tantrum instead. Buffy unchained him because "she believed in him," which is pretty damn hilarious after he just got triggered and threw a bed frame at Dawn. Yes, Spike managed to beat the trigger, but only because of the situation Giles and Wood put him in. If they hadn't come up with their plan, it was unlikely the trigger would have been dealt with, and suddenly we have a whole bunch of dead potentials on our hands (if the First Evil was ever gonna get off its lazy ass and make it happen, that is).

This episode really needed one of the other characters (like Xander. Remember him? ME certainly didn't) to point out how stupid they all were.

*They found out about the trigger in "Sleeper," why the holy hell did they wait this long to do something about it?

I have to disagree on the attempt to deactivate the trigger. Essentially the stone works to bring for memories. To have someone who is clearly hostile put it in and then demand an instant answer seems pretty counterproductive. If you really want results - clear the room, let Buffy stay to monitor, and see what happens. It's not like Spike wanted to keep the trigger - but Woods and Giles presence kinda worked against their purported aim.

Why do you think Spike was a liability? Wood and Giles actually chose to work against the person they claimed to follow. Xander and Willow were kind of caught up in their own things (ugh - Kennedy). Giles was completely biased (and I think he was OOC through most of season 7). Spike followed Buffy with blind devotion, and I think things were hard enough that Buffy needed that validation.

On a Doylist level, I know a lot of people resent the way that Spike seemed to take over the show. I wasn't a fan until reruns so I wasn't as invested in the earlier seasons. But on a Watsonian level, none of the other characters really absolutely believed in Buffy. I suspect the First had a lot to do with that, since we know it's weapon is mainly mind****ery.

 

[ladydorotea]

Why do you think Spike was a liability?

Maybe because it was discovered at this point that Spike was going around at nights killing and turning people by the dozen, i.e. breeding more vampires, sowing chaos, etc ? - without anybody knowing about it. Yes, it was involuntary, but go explain it to the victims. Buffy and Co had no idea how that trigger was activated, but surely, throwing a metal bed frame at Dawn counted as dangerous ?

Wood and Giles actually chose to work against the person they claimed to follow.

Working against means something different for me, I guess. Wood and Giles motives , while ambiguous, never included undermining Buffy or helping the First. In fact, I am not sure that Spike could not have tipped over completely at some point, if not fro Giles/Wood attempt at him. It might very well be that Giles and Wood played the key role in saving the day, by attempting to eliminate Spike ?

Giles was completely biased (and I think he was OOC through most of season 7).

I don't think that Giles was either biased or OOC vis-a-vis Spike and Spike's trigger.

Spike followed Buffy with blind devotion, and I think things were hard enough that Buffy needed that validation.

Blind devotion can be as much of a liability as a validation. Especially when it is a blind devotion of Spike's kind - aimed at separating her from the group (yet again), and ignorant/hostile/jealous of anything and anybody who comes between Buffy and the devotee.

none of the other characters really absolutely believed in Buffy. I suspect the First had a lot to do with that, since we know it's weapon is mainly mind****ery.

And why absolute non-critical, blind and irrational 'belief' is such a good thing ? On a rational level Spike's devotion was as much a liability as it was validation. I mean, just put herself in her shoes:'I am a leader of white hats, yet the only devoted follower that I have left is a recently ensouled vampire who has been obsessed with me for the last 3 or 4 years, and whom I used to beat up and have self-loathing sex with, who also happened to be randomly obsessed with/devoted to other women he had a crush on.' Does this count as a 'big validation' platform to somebody who is seeking approval as both a military leader and a person, or does it breed more doubt ? In fact, Spike 'devotion' was undermining Buffy's authority with potentials and putting her in a very awkward position of a leader who is suspected of doling out personal favors to former sex partner. Just saying.

 

[bespangeled]

Maybe because it was discovered at this point that Spike was going around at nights killing and turning people by the dozen, i.e. breeding more vampires, sowing chaos, etc ? - without anybody knowing about it. Yes, it was involuntary, but go explain it to the victims. Buffy and Co had no idea how that trigger was activated, but surely, throwing a metal bed frame at Dawn counted as dangerous ?

Well, yeah - have to give you points for the obvious there. For some reason I was thinking about the season instead of the episode. At that point Spike was a liability in some ways. However, Buffy could take him out, and he had said he would only be with her or chained up.

Working against means something different for me, I guess. Wood and Giles motives , while ambiguous, never included undermining Buffy or helping the First. In fact, I am not sure that Spike could not have tipped over completely at some point, if not fro Giles/Wood attempt at him. It might very well be that Giles and Wood played the key role in saving the day, by attempting to eliminate Spike ?

You distract her while I kill him is about as unambiguous as it can get - IMO. Of course they included undermining Buffy - that was the entire purpose. Buffy is too enmeshed and refuses to see the risk. You distract - I kill, and we both ignore revenge as my main motive. And, again, if Wood is not an idiot - and he isn't show to be one - he is quite aware that the First wants Spike dead and wants him to do it. But you're also right that it did break the trigger.

I don't think that Giles was either biased or OOC vis-a-vis Spike and Spike's trigger.

Here is where we differ - is it okay to kill someone who is souled and not an immediate threat? Giles accepted a difference when he was willing to deal with Angel after Angel tortured him and killed Jenny. He knows what a soul is. Why then is it not biased to give Spike the same chance? If it were Willow or one of the potentials would killing them be an appropriate response? I can see keeping Spike restrained or monitored, but killing him is about as obvious bias as I can imagine.

Blind devotion can be as much of a liability as a validation. Especially when it is a blind devotion of Spike's kind - aimed at separating her from the group (yet again), and ignorant/hostile/jealous of anything and anybody who comes between Buffy and the devotee.

How is it aimed at separating her from the group? Does Buffy have any agency here or is she just easily manipulated? And where does he show that he is ignorant/hostile/jealous of anything and anybody who comes between Buffy and him? I see separation in the group but I also see a lot more factors than Spike. Yeah, blind devotion can be a liability in some cases. If everyone was like that it would be scary. But in a crisis, from one friend, don't see it as a risk here.

And why absolute non-critical, blind and irrational 'belief' is such a good thing ? On a rational level Spike's devotion was as much a liability as it was validation. I mean, just put herself in her shoes:'I am a leader of white hats, yet the only devoted follower that I have left is a recently ensouled vampire who has been obsessed with me for the last 3 or 4 years, and whom I used to beat up and have self-loathing sex with, who also happened to be randomly obsessed with/devoted to other women he had a crush on.' Does this count as a 'big validation' platform to somebody who is seeking approval as both a military leader and a person, or does it breed more doubt ? In fact, Spike 'devotion' was undermining Buffy's authority with potentials and putting her in a very awkward position of a leader who is suspected of doling out personal favors to former sex partner. Just saying.

Now we get to it - you just don't like Spike. That's okay - nothing I can say will change your mind which is fine with me. I do think the fact that after their hideous relationship he went a chose to get a soul, and returned to help her in any way he could is validating to a white hat. And a mattress in the basement with chains hardly seems like doling out favors. What made situations suspect is Buffy referencing her former relationship with Spike, and even that was pretty minor. (A comfy crypt)

 

[thetopher]

When we look at what Giles and Wod did we have to examine their motivations for doing so. For Wood, its a vendetta, revenge- and I get that this clouds his judgement- but it feels like he isn't seeing anything clearly. He just wants to kill Spike. He doesn't really think about the trigger or the First or anything like the big picture.

Giles is almost the opposite, its been said that he partly decides to get rid of Spike because he doesn't like him. Bull.
This is the guy who worked with Angel even after everything, the guy who's demon tore into Giles life, killed the woman he loved and tortured him for hours. Giles doesn't do vendetta's- not like that.

Giles is thinking all about the big picture, Spike as a tool/weapon for the First, take away that weapon and your enemy gets weaker- and he certainly doesn't see Spike as an asset, more like a liability, a dangerous, uncontrollable factor.

Could they have done it any other way, No. Buffy couldn't be reasoned with. Buffy was content to let a dangerous, uncontrollable guy wander around because she had fuzzy feelings for him- that is not good judgement. If your leader doesn't listen to you or show good judgement then other steps need to be taken. It's that simple.

It's also worth noting that Spike is pretty much one of the reasons why Buffy's leadership is called into question (at least by the Potentials) and leads to the scene where they all kicked her out of the house. If Spike were dead that probably wouldn't have happened, even if, undoubtable, Buffy had still been at odds with both Wood And Giles.
Even after everything I'm not entirely convinced that Giles and Wood were wrong, at least from a tactical standpoint.

 

[bespangeled]

When we look at what Giles and Wod did we have to examine their motivations for doing so. For Wood, its a vendetta, revenge- and I get that this clouds his judgement- but it feels like he isn't seeing anything clearly. He just wants to kill Spike. He doesn't really think about the trigger or the First or anything like the big picture.

Agreed here.

Giles is almost the opposite, its been said that he partly decides to get rid of Spike because he doesn't like him. Bull. This is the guy who worked with Angel even after everything, the guy who's demon tore into Giles life, killed the woman he loved and tortured him for hours. Giles doesn't do vendetta's- not like that.

So you don't think the First used Jenny like it used Tara, or Joyce? There was no contact at all between Giles and the First? I disagree - like Wood said; the First comes to you when you are a major player. And Giles has weak spots - we all do. If not Jenny, then Ethan, or even the loss of the WC.

Giles is thinking all about the big picture, Spike as a tool/weapon for the First, take away that weapon and your enemy gets weaker- and he certainly doesn't see Spike as an asset, more like a liability, a dangerous, uncontrollable factor.

So - Giles' opinion of the situation matters more than Buffy's, in his mind. You believe it is okay for Giles to preemptively kill Spike in order to make sure that anything Giles is simply imagining won't come true . He colluded with Wood - a man he knew had a vendetta against Spike - to give Wood control of Spike and time enough to kill Spike. He took Buffy away - to lecture her on being a leaser, ironically - in order to dupe her.

Sorry - those are neither the morals or the loyalties I would want. I much prefer a tormented Giles making one more exception than a hypocrite who lies, connives, and facilitates preemptive murder behind the back of someone he claims to love and respect - for her own good - in other words someone who has neither trust in nor loyalty to Buffy.

Could they have done it any other way, No. Buffy couldn't be reasoned with. Buffy was content to let a dangerous, uncontrollable guy wander around because she had fuzzy feelings for him- that is not good judgement. If your leader doesn't listen to you or show good judgement then other steps need to be taken. It's that simple.

Buffy is usually considered both emotionally and physically strong and very willing to listen. She makes some hard decisions and she has a level head, always tries to do the right thing. Buffy is amazing - a good part of why we love the show.

Then Spike shows up on the screen and it seems to some fans that Buffy is suddenly an emotionally weak, naive, unreasonable, moron with permanent PMS and no self will at all. She can't be talked to, or reasoned with.

Actually they are just upset that they can't make her agree, hence the name calling...so all that makes it it okay to...don't want to list it all again.

It's also worth noting that Spike is pretty much one of the reasons why Buffy's leadership is called into question (at least by the Potentials) and leads to the scene where they all kicked her out of the house. If Spike were dead that probably wouldn't have happened, even if, undoubtable, Buffy had still been at odds with both Wood And Giles.

Wow - okay, I don't share your fantasy at all here. Is this to make sure we don't need Spike to say the words that revitalized Buffy when she was down and needed it?

Wood would be long gone. And if her most trusted mentor had treated her like that, exactly what is there left for Buffy to trust? He is clearly working for the First. The very fact that the First has shown it wants Spike dead, and Giles killed him shows he is working for the First. I suspect the group would have lost unless something else changed. If nothing else, they had to find someone else to immolate.

The funny thing is I absolutely believe that if it were given to him as a choice Giles would have chosen to die instead of Buffy. That's the sad thing. The Giles I love is fallible but not cold-blooded, disloyal or hypocritical by nature. People will do things under stress that they would never do normally.

Even after everything I'm not entirely convinced that Giles and Wood were wrong, at least from a tactical standpoint.

Well, I'm pretty sure they were but we seem to have very different visions of the show.

 

[thetopher]

There is no evidence that Giles was visited by the First at all- that's just your opinion.

Giles decision about Spike is completley ration, knowing what we knew at the time, that the First could take control of him on a whim, just by humming some tune. None of them, except Giles, had a notion about how to stop/cure it. When Giles proposed cure seemed to have failed he moved on to the next solution- eliminating the problem. It was Buffy that saw it as a betrayal, because she didn't think of Spike rationally, it was all emotions.

A lot of the consesus is that S7 Buffy did not think clearly when it came to Spike, nobody, not Giles, Willow, Xander or the Potentials thought she was behaving rationally, 'cause she wasn't. That, partly is what led to her ousting, it wasn't just the vineyard and what happened there.
You can hand-wave it away all you want but by having a dangerous trigger-happy Spike walking around slayers-in-training was Buffy at her most reckless. The First could've used Spike at any time to cause havoc, kill anybody at any time- they were all just lucky that it didn't and that Spike only hurt Dawn.
Spike mere presence helped fracture the group and, whether he realised it or not, intended it or not, distracted Buffy and distanced her from her friends, because she leant on him, not on them.
Looking at it objectivly its hard to see Spike's being absence from those last critical episodes as anything other than a good thing.

 

[Silverspike]

Except of course he ended up being one of the major players in wiping out the UberVamp army at the climax of the season. 🙂

Thus showing Buffy's trust in him had been the right choice after all.

 

[RomanticSoul]

I don't think either were wrong.

From Giles' POV he tried talking to Buffy rationally in the basement after Spike just proved the trigger to still be active and it didn't work. I don't think there is anything he could have done either to stop Wood and his vendetta. Giles is a big picture kind of guy so for him I see the following possible scenarios play out:

1) Wood kills Spike thereby removing a threat, weapon of the First and major distraction of Buffy's from the picture.

2) Spike kills Wood proving once and for all that a soul doesn't mean good and then Spike would have to be dealt with anyway.

The simple reason he lures Buffy away is because that way she is kept out of it, preventing her from murdering a human being to protect Spike (and she said herself she would let Spike murder Wood). And quite frankly I wouldn't be surprised by S7 Buffy doing it herself since she had no regard for human life anymore and the writers goal was to have Buffy stand by Spike to the point of insanity.

Wood's vendatta had the pleasant side effect of deactivating the trigger so the First's influence over Spike was gone.

So no I don't think either of them were wrong in what they did. Spike was a threat that needed to be dealt with and Buffy wouldn't listen to reason. Unchaining the triggered Spike after he had just thrown a cot at Dawn that could have killed her (not that Buffy cared) just because the shackles made Spike uncomfortable. Letting him run loose in a house full of people that can't possibly defend themselves if he goes on a triggered rampage. Yeah the word insanity spring to mind.

Except of course he ended up being one of the major players in wiping out the UberVamp army at the climax of the season. 🙂

Thus showing Buffy's trust in him had been the right choice after all.

Except for the part where Angel, Buffy, Faith, any of the newly empowered Slayers and possibly Willow or Dawn could have worn the bling. And saying 'it turned out alright' is the worst excuse ever. And I doubt it would work on Holden, Linda and all the other people that were killed and their families.

 

[Silverspike]

Except for the part where Angel, Buffy, Faith, any of the newly empowered Slayers and possibly Willow or Dawn could have worn the bling. And saying 'it turned out alright' is the worst excuse ever. And I doubt it would work on Holden, Linda and all the other people that were killed and their families.

Ah but they didn't. The show is done and dusted now and it was Spike that took that role. 🙂

 

[thetopher]

Ah but they didn't. The show is done and dusted now and it was Spike that took that role. 🙂

The point is that they could've, not that they did.

Spike's role was entirely interchangable. It was a noble thing that he did, but it could've been done by any number of people, and doesn't in and of itself, justify Buffy's insanity in trusting an unstable Spike earier on.

Pick a better argument. 🙂

 

[RomanticSoul]

Ah but they didn't. The show is done and dusted now and it was Spike that took that role. 🙂

And I don't care. Again just because it worked out ok doesn't make it ok. Lots of people died because the writers decided Buffy had to be completely bonkers and irrational when it comes to Spike. When you get down to it you can lay the blame of the deaths at Buffy's feet since it was that irrationality that cost them thier lives.

I can see you don't care much for Buffy but I used to. UPN was literally hell for Buffy's character. Between having her rolling around in the dirt with a soulles monster giggling herself silly as he tells stories about killing people and how he would kill her friends, to the insanity when it comes to Spike in S7 and general attitude they successfully killed my love for the character. And all of that to tell a story about a secondary character? No thanks, I pass.

 

[Silverspike]

All I can say It's irrelevant speculating as the story played out the way it did.

Spike's role was entirely interchangable.

For you maybe, but not for me. 😀

 

[SiegePerilous02]

And I don't care. Again just because it worked out ok doesn't make it ok. Lots of people died because the writers decided Buffy had to be completely bonkers and irrational when it comes to Spike. When you get down to it you can lay the blame of the deaths at Buffy's feet since it was that irrationality that cost them thier lives.

I can see you don't care much for Buffy but I used to. UPN was literally hell for Buffy's character. Between having her rolling around in the dirt with a soulles monster giggling herself silly as he tells stories about killing people and how he would kill her friends, to the insanity when it comes to Spike in S7 and general attitude they successfully killed my love for the character. And all of that to tell a story about a secondary character? No thanks, I pass.

QFT. Everything working out ok isn't a validation of Buffy's faith in Spike. She had nothing to do with resolving the trigger crisis, and if things had continued the way she wanted, it would have ended in disaster.

S7 in general isn't that great for the Buffster. It was Angel and Lilah/W&H who defeated the First, not her. Activating the Slayers didn't seem like it was going to turn the tide that much, as they were still vastly overwhelmed by the Ubervamps. So what did Buffy accomplish at the end of the day? Not much. Which is a shame considering her name is in the title.

 

[ladydorotea]

You distract her while I kill him is about as unambiguous as it can get - IMO.

We are not talking about the method here, but rather about strategic goal. Strategic goal for Giles is not killing Spike because he personally does not like him. Giles honestly thinks that Spike is a danger - on the same level that Ben was. And he did not flinch at killing Ben.

Of course they included undermining Buffy - that was the entire purpose. Buffy is too enmeshed and refuses to see the risk. You distract - I kill, and we both ignore revenge as my main motive.

I disagree here. Buffy's life's purpose is not protecting Spike. As a Slayer her duty is to the world, not to her former beau who tried to rape her and then went out and got better. She was rational enough about it ( ie not mixing personal feelings with her duty) in S2, and she was right. The fact that in S7 she goes all irrational when the world is hanging on the balance might be a mix of post-traumatic stress disorder inter-meshed with Stockholm syndrome, or it might be the work of the First on her, for all they know. There is not to say that the First is not affecting Buffy's judgement - by making her obsessively protective of the guy with the trigger in his head. The First is quite opportunistic entity ('But this will do' - to quote from S2.) It tries to break everybody's barriers, and there is no say that Buffy is not affected as much as Spike, Wood , or any of the Potentials. In fact , it is reasonable to assume after 'Amends' and 'Conversations with dead people' that at the right circumstances anybody can be breached and bent to unconsciously work for the First. Buffy as much as anybody else.

And, again, if Wood is not an idiot - and he isn't show to be one - he is quite aware that the First wants Spike dead and wants him to do it.

Now, this is absolutely unsupportable point of view. Wood is affected by visions of his dead mother, but it only means that his best judgement is compromised and he is not quite his rational self. The whole point of the First being able to make a healthy young girl kill herself from fear is that it can take over somebody's mind and make them irrational. (And no, Buffy, had no right to say what she said about Chloe.)

Why then is it not biased to give Spike the same chance?

Once again, Giles is on board with eliminating Spike at this point not because he despises Spike as a person ( although yes, Giles generally thinks Spike is a bad joke , judging from his reaction in S6), but because at that particular point in the story Spike is a real danger - soul or not. Every vampire has to fight their demon, but on top of it Spike's being proven to be a walking talking bomb with a trigger set to kill at some point. That's the only reason Giles is going after him - same way he goes after Ben. As for Robin, he as, I tried to explain already, is himself compromised and honestly believes Buffy needs to be protected from Spike even against her will - because she is a Slayer and Spike has history with Slayers.

If it were Willow or one of the potentials would killing them be an appropriate response? I can see keeping Spike restrained or monitored, but killing him is about as obvious bias as I can imagine.

Neither Willow , nor one of the potentials were repeat offenders at that point. And yes, Giles never felt particular affection towards Spike the way he felt about Willow. And yet the fact that Giles places no particular value on Spike's life 'at that point' because he does not see Spike as a potential champion of good - does not make Giles any more biased or OOC than his killing of Ben. And honestly, nobody is supposed to see Spike as a potential champion of good at this point. That's the whole plot of the season - would he turn evil again, or would he not? That's the suspense. Blaming Giles for not being as blind as Buffy is preposterous. Blaming Robin for hating his mother's killer and not trusting him - while being goaded by the First on top of that - is unfair.

Does Buffy have any agency here or is she just easily manipulated?

Both. She has and agency, and is manipulated. It is a plot device.

I do think the fact that after their hideous relationship he went a chose to get a soul, and returned to help her in any way he could is validating to a white hat. And a mattress in the basement with chains hardly seems like doling out favors. What made situations suspect is Buffy referencing her former relationship with Spike, and even that was pretty minor.

Spike gets a soul by his own choice - but not to help Buffy, or to be the champion of good. The whole season is build around him 'becoming' champion of good 'after' his soul kicks in and he realizes that there is more to having a moral compass than 'to be hers'. That's why he chooses the sacrifice in the end - because with the soul comes consciousness and responsibility. But by no means anybody is obliged to forgive him, believe in him, and risk the lives of their loved ones for him. Buffy does that at her own risk and it is she who is biased - but luckily for her she is the protagonist and she always gets it right in the end. The season is build around her 'grooming' Spike with her forgiveness to became her sacrifice, and it is all well and good, but the whole point of the plot was to keep it in suspense till the very end ( that's why the First takes Buffy's shape in the end and goads Spike into a fit of jealousy). To assume that Robin and Giles were somehow entitled of more knowledge than the audience is strange.