Who loves Buffy more?
This is an ironic question . . . Really. The first thing a majority of people would say is, “It’s Angel, of course he loves her the most!” Well, I could like to move away from that idea and think about an alternative. Don’t get me wrong, for a long time Angel has always been my favorite character. Someone that, a lot of guys would look up to and want to be like, so he’s got kudos, but if you really think about it. . . Which one of them, truly, loves Buffy more?
Let’s look at Angel. He was a man, not a particularly amazing or fascinating man, and then he was a vampire. (All the non-amazing and non-fascinating characteristics he lacked as a human were definitely redefined when he became a vampire) As soon as he changed, he was basically one of the worst vampires ever. He killed, and killed, and killed. Until one day, well it most likely wasn’t one day, but defeating the point . . . moving along, he was given a gypsy for his “birthday”, killed her and the family cursed Angel with a soul. This vampire, Angel, would never feel true happiness in his life or he would be reborn into the evil vampire he once was. (Yadda, yadda, yadda)
Let’s look at Spike. Billy idol wannabe? A pretty damn good one. He was a human, like a majority of them start of as, and again, I would explain him . . . more of the timid, tortured artist type. Until he became a vampire, and all of it went out of the window. Almost as if a new “William” was created but the darkness. He was pretty . . . bad, “The Big Bad.” He’s killed two Slayers in his time and many, many people on his spare time. He was in love with this vampire, Drusilla, ironically, Angel’s girl . . . Which is weird and I really don’t want to think about it too much. He would spend a good long time with her, killing and planning the new Slayer’s death. (Planning, not succeeding)
Now, I would say let’s look at Buffy, but the entire show is about her, and I think that’s more of a look than I can write out. So, I’m sticking to the male vamps. (I would bring Riley into this, but I never really liked his character at all). I’m not sure why Buffy is attracted to vampires, all the time, I didn’t create her character but I think she needs to get a grip and . . .stick with ‘em. All the humans she picks are always horribly, horribly worse. Well, actually I do probably know or I’m just the King of Speculation. (Lesson #1: Speculation = Good!) Moving along, Buffy and Angel’s relationship was pretty shady from the very beginning. Angel equals Stalker and Buffy equals Stalkie. I mean, I really wanted them to be together to the very end . . . and in a way they were but that’s not the point, nor is the path there incredibly interesting. Angel is a vampire, Buffy is a slayer. Angel loves Buffy, Angel has a soul, Buffy is freaked out Angel is a vampire but can help herself and thus also loves him. (Weird, and incredibly confusing if you don’t get it the first time) So, they try to be together. (Personally, I don’t think they tried quite hard enough) It was good in the beginning, obviously. Until the lying started, aka not telling Buffy she can’t have sex with him or he goes Ubervamp on the world. Thus, the curse is lifted and doom! Everyone is dead. (If that was true, the series would have finished in the three’s and four’s). See, this is my theory. Angel really did love Buffy and, well he still loved her throughout her series and then the whole moving to L.A thing, he still loved her there too. The way I see it, it was a whole lot of love . . . laying back on the excuse that it’s because he has a soul. In reality, funny word to use for this type of show, he loved Buffy when he had humanity in him, but when he was soul-free all that love turned into obsessive compulsive disorder, neat trick. Angel was still completely evil underneath his soul, as much as he’s awesomely cool, it’s true and it makes me wonder. (After you watch season one through seven, along with the Angel series . . . It’s almost annoying the way he keeps showing up in Buffy’s series – Go be cool in your own show!)
Spike:
You listen to me. I've been alive a bit longer than you and dead a lot longer than that. I've seen things you couldn't imagine and done things I'd prefer you didn't. I don't exactly have a reputation for being a thinker. I follow my blood which doesn't exactly rush in the direction of my brain so I make a lot of mistakes. A lot of wrong bloody calls. A hundred plus years and there's only one thing I've ever been sure of. You. Hey, look at me. I'm not asking you for anything. When I say I love you, it's not because I want you, or because I can't have you. It has nothing to do with me. I love what you are, what you do, how you try. I've seen your kindness and your strength. I've seen the best and the worst of you and I understand with perfect clarity exactly what you are. You are a hell of a woman. You're the one, Buffy.
On to Spike and Buffy’s relationship. Well, they never really had a relationship. If you call “I’m going to kill you” and “I’m going to kick your ass” a match made in heaven, then yes, they had a wonderful relationship. Regardless, in the beginning, Spike really only came to Sunnydale to kill the Slayer, he has a tendency to be good at that line of work. After failing miserably, MANY times, and after Angel went all bugger on everyone, he basically joined up with Buffy for a bit, in order to sneak out of town with Dru. He later comes back to Sunnydale, all depressed and really wants the whole world to sod off, literally. Their relationship is still based on, monotone voice “Ah, Spike you’re evil – I will you ‘cause it’s something I should have done a long time ago” or “Oh my god, it’s the bloody slayer – Don’t you ever leave me alone, you will die today.” Some bullshit along those lines, I suggest everyone watch season six. Very educational. (Note; sarcasm) In the beginning of the series, and a few seasons in, Spike was all about evil and working evil, and destroying the slayer or living his . . . dead life? Until, the initiative kidnaps him and installs this chip in his brain. (Similar to Angel’s soul – Killer to non-killer, but incredibly different in the same way) Buffy and Riley had been all, “together”, but the gang had always been suspicious of the “commandos” so the relationship kind of began with that. (I really dislike Riley) Spike had info, and the gang had ears. (No one particularly liked each other but that’s how most things turn out anyways)
Buffy:
Your job is to kill the Slayer. But all you can do is follow me around making moon eyes.
Spike:
I'm in love with you.
Now the Chip vs. Angel’s soul. Both of them are demons, Angel and Spike. Both of them are on heavy, some burdened, leashes. Spike’s chip stopped him from hurting anything that was human, or had humanity in it. (Which is odd, rules sort of shift out of place in this show) Basically, rendering him helpless, which is pretty shameful for a vampire, I would assume. He was still a demon, a “monster” as most people call him in the show (Which I don’t really understand, personally, I think a lot of people just took their anger out on him ‘cause it was possible but anyways) The chip didn’t give him any soul, or any humanity, he was still a demon who thought like a demon, drank blood, wanted to kill. Then how did he fall in love with Buffy? I’ve always wondered. I mean, Angel was BAD, he was a hundred times worse then spike but if he had a soul all he thought about was Buffy and how much he LOVED her. When he lost his soul and became the very same demon that Spike is, then how come all that love he had for her didn’t shine through? The extent of each of their love for that girl, it’s interesting how a majority of people don’t actually think about it. This is why a majority of people think that Angel loved her more than Spike did. (Remember, speculation and personally opinion based on observation of specific scenes and ideas) If you look at it from a logical view, another funny word to use for this show, then it seems that Spike did a lot that consisted of compassion while he was still the demon he was. He protected Dawn with his life, he loved Buffy, he helped save people, even if a majority of it was done to kill demons because he can’t really go cold turkey on the death thing, nonetheless, he’s still a vampire without a soul and even on a leash was capable of great, fully loaded love, things. Of course, Spike tried multiple times to rid himself of the chip – All of the times he tried, he failed. Eventually, he learned to live around it, work around it. It makes sense, Angel couldn’t help the fact that he was . . . evil without his soul and he is a better man with one. It probably takes a lot of courage and strength to live his “life” after what he’s done, but he never sought out his soul. He was cursed with his soul. He didn’t have a choice, the only choice he has is to live with it or break the curse. They both live on leashes but the difference is one of them has more of an open and clear mind than the other.
Spike said he was in love with Buffy and Buffy used him when she was lonely. (Not too sure he minded, considering he said he didn’t) Buffy knew he was a demon, all he had was a chip, it didn’t change anything. Spike obviously took it to heart and there were a lot of “scary moments” but, in the end. He sought out his soul, he went and endured trials for one person, and he caused himself pain so that one person would love him back. Spike could have waited, and found a way to get the chip out. He could have left Sunnydale, and forgot about Buffy and everyone. He could have killed Buffy, since . . . the whole being able to hit her thing. Instead, he got a soul. Knowing that every one of his victims would come back to him, every one of them would be in his mind trying to hurt him, but he still did it so that she would love him or at least see him. He was a demon, without a heart, which fell in love with a Slayer. Instead of ridding himself of the love, which he tried, he took his ability to become a better man, a better “person”, and he did and he did it for her. Which is more than some people can say.
Now, I like Angel just as any other guy would. (That sentence came out horribly wrong) In reality - did he get past the whole "I'm an evil vamp without a soul" thing and still love Buffy? No, and in reality, that is still his true form. So, I think, Spike loved her more, even if love makes you do uncontrollable and crazy things, he got over himself for her. I'm not saying that everything Angel did for Buffy wasn't amazing but in the long run, I do think that Buffy and Angel will always have this "special love" connection but I also think that Spike and Buffy have a connection of their own. Angel left so that Buffy could be happier, which was stupid because Riley came along and I really don't like him, but anyways, he did a lot for her, protecting her and keeping an eye out but everything can be reduced to a primitive thought and if, or I should say when both "men", if that's the word to use, were a hundred percent evil vamp. Angel was not exactly ringing wedding bells.
Buffy:
How did you do it? How'd you get your soul back?
Spike:
Saw a man about a girl.
So, I think Spike wins! XD
Ironically, I was always an Angel x Buffy couple fan but - the series, and the "latest" coupling sort of grows on you.
On a side note, They're both awesome characters. Kudos for the awesomeness.
-Hiro
Took me a week to finish season one through seven.
