Some good points there @Jaime Bee
I can see the appeal of Bangel no doubt about it.
Its a fairly simply and common Beauty and Beast story.
The tall, Brooding vampire falls in love with the girl...its a nice fairy tale.
But to me that always was it, a fairy tale that can never grow out of it.
Im a easy guy who ships two characters in a span of one episode, but i never felt it with Bangel.
I trust my instincts and i got the feeling that Buffy/Spike work, same goes with Cangel after their first scenes...there was just this dynamic that i can see truly go somewhere.
I dont have a problem with Angel, i find him boring in Buffy but in Angel he is actually quite enjoyable.
But he always felt like he holds Buffy back as a character and hangs over her like a shadow.
While Spike felt like he was walking right beside her and grow with her.
I dont know where i saw this, maybe a meta or a fanfiction...but somebody said that Buffy will always be Angels girl, but she is no girl any longer.
The whole Spuffy vs Bangel thing will never end and i dont think it needs to, but to me there is simply no question which is endgame.
The show pretty much destroyed Bangel when Spike got his soul.
I get why neither the comics nor the Show itself focused on the details of it, because that would show a huge problem with Angel.
Because if they focus on it, the simple truth is that Spike in all his evil soulless existence...loved Buffy enough to face torture and pain to get himself a soul.
Which would mean that Angels love for Buffy has its limit, and that limit is the soul.
While Spikes whole being, demon, soul and everything wanted the soul for buffy.
The evil Monster that Spike was supposed to be, followed a Legend without being 100% if his goal would even be in reach...but for him there was no going back.
It was either dying in a cave or getting his soul because of his Love for Buffy.