next_to_normal (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
next_to_normal) wrote2009-03-04 08:34 pm
next_to_normal) wrote2009-03-04 08:34 pm
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Food for thought
This is something I never noticed from "As You Were," which I only just picked up on while rereading the transcript. Here's Riley's speech to Buffy at the end of the episode (with Buffy's interjections edited out):
"Buffy, none of that means anything. It doesn't touch you. You're still the first woman I ever loved and the strongest woman I've ever known. And I'm not advertising this to the missus, but you're still quite the hottie. [...] So you're not in the greatest place right now. And maybe I made it worse. Wheel never stops turning, Buffy. You're up, you're down... it doesn't change what you are. And you are a hell of a woman."
Sound... familiar?
Here's Spike's speech from "Touched":
"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're a hell of a woman. You're the one, Buffy."
Seems interesting to me that two very different lovers of Buffy's would hit on such similar themes, even use the exact same wording at times. (Particularly when Riley's speech comes in an episode where Spuffy fans love to vilify him.) Don't know what it means, but it sure is interesting, and I've never seen it pointed out before.
"Buffy, none of that means anything. It doesn't touch you. You're still the first woman I ever loved and the strongest woman I've ever known. And I'm not advertising this to the missus, but you're still quite the hottie. [...] So you're not in the greatest place right now. And maybe I made it worse. Wheel never stops turning, Buffy. You're up, you're down... it doesn't change what you are. And you are a hell of a woman."
Sound... familiar?
Here's Spike's speech from "Touched":
"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're a hell of a woman. You're the one, Buffy."
Seems interesting to me that two very different lovers of Buffy's would hit on such similar themes, even use the exact same wording at times. (Particularly when Riley's speech comes in an episode where Spuffy fans love to vilify him.) Don't know what it means, but it sure is interesting, and I've never seen it pointed out before.
no subject
After all, I wonder if Angel might say something similar if given the chance.
Hmmm. I'd say Buffy had just as much effect on Angel as she had on Riley or Spike, so he very well might. At the very least, he's indicated his availability should Buffy's cookies ever get baked. ;) Of course, some find this wildly out of character due to things you haven't seen yet in Angel S4, but that's a story for another day.
no subject
Well...just on the basis of what I've seen, I do find the Bangel scene in Chosen to be wildly OOC for Angel. After all, over four years ago, Angel decided that he and Buffy couldn't be together and left her. Then, suddenly, he comes back to Sunnydale bugging her about getting together again? Huh what? What happened to the whole "I'm a vamp. You're a human. It wouldn't work." angst? Did he just get over that?
Plus, he's so damn pushy in that scene. It almost gives the impression that it was her decision to break up all those years ago...when it wasn't. He made the choice.
So, yeah, I see that scene as pretty much pure fan-service (Especially the kiss which was just completely random). It makes no sense to me.
That being said, without knowing more about S4, at this point I do still think that Buffy holds a big part of Angel's heart. She's his angst-bunny, after all. And she was the one who put him on the path of redemption, so I think she'll always be "the one" to him, even though he doesn't think they should actually be together.
Not sure if the thing with Cordy is gonna change my opinion on that much. Will have to wait and see.
no subject
Well, he must have, to some extent, right? I mean, he's pretty darn in love with Cordy, but he's not really angsting over her being human (but then, so many other things for those two to angst over :P), so he must have come to terms with it to some extent. Angel the series is all about Angel forging connections with humans, so perhaps he's realized that those relationships are worth it, even if he'll outlive the humans.
And she was the one who put him on the path of redemption, so I think she'll always be "the one" to him, even though he doesn't think they should actually be together.
I can see that. And you know, actually, that's a pretty good way to describe Riley and Spike, too, at the point when they give her their speeches. Maybe not the redemption thing for Riley, but they both seem to realize that a relationship with Buffy is never going to happen, but they still recognize that she was special to them, and they love her anyway.