firewall

You know, I never considered myself a shipper of any couple on BtVS (aside from Cordy/Xander), but I've been rewatching s1-3 lately and appreciating B/A more than I ever did before. Maybe because I'm older or because I know the whole story?

In any case, I can see why they're so iconic, and even though I never shipped them in the strictest sense, I think my deep-seeded belief that they were *the* couple, kept me from shipping any other Buffy or Angel pairings as well. So, there's that.

BlackWhiteRose

source: https://www.tumblr.com/search/buffy%20and%20angel%20gif

tender looks

Yeah, I think you maybe did like her just a bit Angel.

I can identify with bits of your post firewall, I can't say I properly ship them because Spike/Buffy is an OTP of mine. But despite that, I can still appreciate them and how iconic they are, and some of their moments still make me very emotional. The close your eyes moment in the S2 finale leaves me a mess every time.

FuriosityShell

Same. I'm not a Bangel shipper. If I ship Buffy with anyone, it's Faith. If I ship Angel with anyone, it's Darla. But I do like Bangel (in S1 and S2 at least, in S3 they kind of annoyed me). I like every couple in the Buffyverse (except for Willow/Kennedy) and think there is something to be appreciated about all of them. I feel like the word shipper has a negative connotation because of all the ship wars that go on, not just in Buffy fandom but in all fandoms. Tender looks, I think it's great that you are a Buffy/Spike shipper and prefer them, but you can still appreciate Bangel. I like that on here, we can appreciate other ships while still valuing our own and not be considered traitors or anything.

firewall

^Honestly, in the Jossverse, the storytelling is so rich, and the characters so interesting that the ships are very much secondary. Which is why, back in the day, I don't think i even knew shipping was a thing. Wait, that's right, I totally didn't. I just watched and liked certain pairings or disliked others without overthinking it. Which is why I still maintain that I have no BtVS ships. I do have AtS ships, but neither of them revolve around Angel himself. And back when I was watching both shows when they first aired, I wasn't involved in fandom, so it was just me, myself and I, liking whatever I liked without knowing or caring what anyone else was doing.

I really like B/S, like a lot. Because Spike was my fave and I enjoyed rooting for him to get with the woman he wanted. But, I never felt passionately that they *had* to be together, the way I do about my actual ships. I just really, really enjoyed their relationship for what it was.

Same with Buffy/Angel-- I never felt like they had to be together, but I accepted that their story was a continuing thing that transcended the end of their actual relationship. They'd always be connected and would always love each other... but I wasn't pulling my hair out wishing they were together at any given time.

Now I'm rambling, but to put a point on this-- I like both pairings for completely different reasons. I used to like B/S more, but now I think I really do like them both equally and I'm glad Buffy had such two different relationships over the course of the show.

BlackWhiteRose

For me personally Buffy and Angel were the best
Didn`t ship Buffy with anyone else than him. She loved him more than the other guys she had (my personal opinion). Season 2 was the best season with them
Loved Season 3 too even for the fact that Angel left but he came back in Season 4, 5 and 7.

tender looks

I agree, and I can't think of any canon pairing I really dislike, except Wilow/Kennedy and no one really likes them anyway. That's the beauty of these shows, the writing is so rich and the characters so layered that there's something to appreciate about everything, even if you're not a hardcore fan/shipper. Plus it helps that Bangel and Spuffy was never seriously played as a love triangle and pitted against each other, they're vastly different and happened in totally separate parts of the show, so it's easier to enjoy aspects of both and what they brought to Buffy herself as a character.

firewall

^Well, I also didn't like Buffy/Riley or Cordy/Groo. Hopefully that's not offensive to anyone, as I don't think those pairings were terribly popular either.

FuriosityShell

If anything, I'm more appreciative of the friendships of the shows. The Buffy/Giles father-daughter dynamic, the Cordy/Angel FRIENDSHIP dynamic, Buffy/Willow/Xander, Cordy/Wes friendship are more powerful to me than any romantic ships.

I always think it's funny how the die-hard opposing shippers who hate each other come together over ships they both hate. Like, Bangel and Spuffy shippers who hate each other come together over hating on Buffy/Riley. Or Willow/Oz and Willow/Tara fans who hate each other come together to hate on Willow/Kennedy. Same with Cordy/Angel, Cordy/Xander and Cordy/Doyle fans hating on Cordy/Groo.

BlackWhiteRose

source: SMG RPH

tender looks

That's gorgeous

BlackWhiteRose

Loved that scene

Bangelfanforever

I also love that scene.

I'm watching BTVS again at the moment. I'm watching season 2. I just watched ''The Dark Age''. I can't wait for their scene on the skating rink. It's one of my favorite Buffy/Angel scenes.

Have you seen this Buffy/Angel video? It's so sad but it's such a great video...

BlackWhiteRose

Wonderful video

tender looks

That video is really wonderful