Why Did Spike Lose All His Strategic Abilities and Technology Mastery?

[vellavu]

Spike used to have minions. He could make complex plans. He was technology savvy. He spoke different languages and can read ancient tomes. His had great demonology knowledge.

Then he can't even ask for some information from his kitten poker pals. He was treated as a muscle instead of a watcher in the Scoobies. I mean why it was Willow/Xander/Anya/Dawn instead of Spike being Buffy's watcher in S6? Why Spike fought along with Buffy instead of doing research with Willow/Giles in S7?

And he magically restored his "big brain" role in his spaceship and figured out Twilight was Angel in 3 seconds.

And then in S10 he became a muscle again. I mean, I don't think Willow/Giles are any more better in research than Spike. I also don't think Spike fights better than Willow/Giles. Misallocation of human resources much?

 

[amberjane]

i think he learned about the demons through experience, which was the only reason he knew about fyarl demons and their language because they worked for him. i dont think he researched anything via books since he was trying to find a cure for dru in season 2, but even then his lackies did it for him. he lost his lackies and his kitten poker respect due to the chip- he couldnt harm any person which wouldnt let him be what he was, and was subsequently deemed not scary (according to dawn, she was scarier). so basically, he fell down the totem pole of evil commanding big bads. when he was with dru, she was impressed with evil and big evil spectacles, and so he would work harder to do just that. which is why she chose angelus consistently in the past bc spike was emotionally driven and angelus was driven by evil. but basically, no one wanted to follow someone who couldnt even 'step on a flower' as harmony put it. also its not that spike fights better, its that he likes to fight, a quality that is consistent in the show at least.