Jaime Bee

Well all 3 gifs are 500 size.

It's hard enough when they are just 250.

~AnastasiaGrey~

True

Jaime Bee

That's my fave art of that scene. I love the blue coloring.

Rabbit-moon

In some ways that scene from Xander & Anya's wedding is more painful to watch than when Buffy actually broke it off with Spike. Why is that?

Jaime Bee

Because you could tell Buffy longed to be with him and the breakup hurt her too. She even admits the latter. SMG/JM played the scene perfect. The way they looked at each other. It feels like they both wish they could just be together. They don't know how to make it work though.

The way Buffy looks at him with such longing when he walks out.

Plus Joss wrote it. Everything he basically writes is amazing.

This moment I think shows how Spike not having his soul is a major issue.

It wasn't long before Buffy was completely in love with him after he got it back.

I know she was by the ending of Showtime. The look in her eyes when she rescued him was pure love.

If this isn't love then I don't know what is.

Rabbit-moon

Oh yes, you put it perfectly. That's what I see ~ such heartwrenching longing. (It kills me.) If I'd had any doubts about Buffy loving Spike, after that scene they were gone. Why would it hurt her to see him with another woman if she didn't love him?

Jaime Bee

Well over all these years I've never been able to figure out if Buffy loved Spike in Season 6. I'm not saying she didn't have very powerful feelings and Buffy even admitted she had feelings for him and it was obviously how hurt she was seeing Spike with Anya. Even Dawn and Willow could see it on her face. I honestly feel like what Buffy felt for Spike in general scared her on many levels. I think the intensity that Spike loved her scared her too. I think that's understandable.

Bathroom scene

Buffy: I do have feelings but it's not love. I could never trust you enough for it to be love.

Spike: Trust is for old marrieds Buffy. Great love is wild and passionate and dangerous. It's burns and consumes...

Buffy: Until there is nothing left. Love like that doesn't last.

I feel this next thing should be in bold.

Buffy is right and that speech shows just how screwed up he is with what love really truly is. I can't blame him when he only really had a relationship with Dru. It annoys me a lot to see that speech seen as a positive thing from Spuffy shippers. It's not at all. Season 7 was about forming that love/trust and connection that can last. Spike now since he has a soul understands love and is completely selfless with his love for Buffy.


Season 2 and Bangel.

Angel: Do you love me?

Buffy: I love you but I don't know if I trust you.

She was naive then and didn't realize that if there is no trust that you can't have a real lasting love. This is of course before all the innocence she still had was stripped away by Angelus.

Season 4 because of everything with Angel this is Buffy's view.

Buffy: But I can't help thinking — isn't that where the fire comes from? Can a nice, safe relationship be that intense? I know it's nuts, but.. part of me believes that real love and passion have to go hand in hand with pain and fighting.

I don't like when that is used as a positive thing either. It's obvious by Season 6 Buffy realized that wasn't true.

I like when the fire metaphor is used positive like how Buffy wanted the fire back and Spike gave it to her and more. Buffy knew he wanted her to go on living. So one them was living. Spike brought her back to life. He made her feel alive in Season 6 too.

This is why Bring Me To Life is the Spuffy Anthem.

This is a classic vid I uploaded.

Spuffy Bring Me To Life

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYOm6xvY1G0


I could write a lot more but don't feel like it.

There are So many more things that I could get into like Buffy's abandonment issues and how Spike became lost because she was. Buffy was his inspiration to change.

I really hope at least most of this makes sense.

This cap.

~AnastasiaGrey~

Hey

Rabbit-moon

Thanks Jaime! Yes, that makes perfect sense. Your explanation is very clear and concise. But, I guess Im just one of those blind romantics that believes Buffy loved Spike in Season 6.

Yes, I know it wasn't healthy, and they both had major issues, but we don't love people because things are perfect. We love imperfect people, with all their issues, and their faults. We even love bad people, sometimes. I truly believe Buffy loved Spike. She just couldn't reconcile this with her Slayer worldview and past heartbreak with Angel. She was also afraid to get hurt again, and afraid of what her friends would say. Spike was an evil, soulless vampire, and she could not allow herself to get past that, even if she wanted to. And, Im not advocating that she should have. Spike being an unrepentant, evil, blood-sucker is a pretty big hurdle to cross.

My feeling is, where Spike was concerned, Buffy was all about denial. She could tell herself she didn't love him, but her actions speak louder than words, i.e., her jealousy, her hurt feelings, her longing for him. Saying stuff like "I have feelings for you" is just subterfuge, so she doesn't have to actually verbalize what she's completely not ready to acknowledge or accept in herself. And, that's valid. I get what she's doing.

I agree that Buffy and Spike needed Season 7, where love and trust could grow into a healthy, loving, and selfless relationship. They both needed Spike's soul for this to happen, and it was a beautiful thing.

(As a side note: The interesting thing about television is that we, the audience, got to see more of Spike's soulfulness and good intentions than Buffy or the Scoobies ever saw. The lens of the camera gave us a close-up on James' heartfelt performances. We saw Spike's heart in Jame's eyes. I think that is why the audience fell in love with Spike long before Buffy ever did.)

BTW, love that picture you posted. Love the look on his face; Spike is so lost in her.

straws

Jaime Bee

Where have you been?

straws

Cottage country, no internet.

Lots of beach and funnel cakes tho. *drools*

Jaime Bee

I have to have my internet.

Did you have fun?

straws

Yeah it was relaxing.

Jaime Bee

I'm glad you did and that you came back.