Yay, Buffy

[snick_backup]

As I mentioned a while back, it's taken me a long time to 'get' Buffy as a character (and I don't think I have it all yet). When I watched the show, I had a sort of forest-for-the-trees problem - the show was so very much about Buffy that I had trouble seeing her. I finished the series and she was pretty much still a cypher to me. I couldn't have explained to you who she was or even what was important to her. She just didn't make innate sense to me as a character the way Spike or Faith or Giles or Dawn did.

And because of that, I was somewhat ambivalent about the Spuffy ship, even though I read tons of Spuffy fic because, hey, I love Spike and in terms of het, Spuffy pretty much is the fandom. So I understood his side of the ship, but I didn't really understand hers. I think this is partly why, despite my claimed Spuffy partisanship, I've written very little of it - just one sonnet and one drabble thus far.

All of which is prepatory to saying that angearia just wrote some fabulous awesome Buffy meta, and you should all read it. Because now, finally, I'm starting to have opinions about Buffy, and they pretty much are angearia's, only less articulate. Yes, Buffy is proactive and strong and a leader. I knew her portrayal in lots of fics bothered me (especially "Spike is the perfect boyfriend and Buffy doesn't deserve him, the bitch." *gag*). But, now, finally, I'm starting to understand why.

And it comes down to this: Buffy is an amazing woman. She's got superpowers, sure, but in the long run that's just the raw material for the Awesomeness of Buffy. It's Buffy's inner strength, Buffy's character that makes her a hero instead of just pest control. The more I understand her (finally), the more I like her. Very much.

Comments

[slaymesoftly.livejournal.com]

Buffy is an amazing woman. The "Buffy's a bitch, she doesn't deserve Spike" gang annoys the hell out of me. Fics that portray her as all fail and Spike as all perfect usually lose my attention sooner or later. My preference is for them to be nicer to each other, but failing that - I'll settle for some good, realistic angst based on their very real issues.
And, yes, I did notice that your mpreg fic seems to be taking, if not a Spuffy turn, at least one that allows for a friendship. I think you could have written it either way, but it pleases me that they are learning to appreciate each other a little more.

[snickfic]

I'll settle for some good, realistic angst based on their very real issues.

Exactly. It's not like they lack for angsty issues.

And, yes, I did notice that your mpreg fic seems to be taking, if not a Spuffy turn, at least one that allows for a friendship.

Yeah. I noticed that, too. *g* I think I've taken that direction partly because I'm finally starting to feel surer of Buffy. I had no Spuffy intentions when I started the fic and I was mildly terrified of portraying Buffy badly - I worried my deaf ear for her would screw me up. But instead, writing her has helped a lot in my understanding of her, I think. Putting her in specific situations and working out for myself how she'd respond has been a good way for me to feel out her character. Turns out, even when I don't intellectually know what a character would do, I still sometimes can feel out when a portrayal is off.

Plus, as flavors of Spuffy go, I like friendship very much, and it's awfully rare in fic. Usually they jump straight to the sex-having.

[shapinglight]

But instead, writing her has helped a lot in my understanding of her, I think.

Sorry to butt in, but just wanted to say, yes to this. I didn't understand Xander at all until I actually wrote him.

[slaymesoftly.livejournal.com]

I think it's working great so far. She was believably uncaring and reluctant at the beginning, but her innate kindness and sense of fairness prevailed over her at-that-time animosity towards Spike. And now, they are both learning more about each other's good qualities and finding things to like.
and it's awfully rare in fic. Usually they jump straight to the sex-having. Word! There's so much room there for friendship without sex - or without immediate sex, anyway. Since canon Spike went from "I hate her" to "I love her" almost overnight, I think we can argue that he wanted it. But, William being who and what he was, I can see Spike settling for what he could get. I would love to read more Buffy/Spike friendship fics, although my Spuffy lovin' heart wouldn't be upset to find them together by the end... lol

[rebcake.livejournal.com]

I like Buffy. Loads. I could count the ways, but I'll spare you. However, like you, I understood Spike's side of their relationship better, because he's a heart on the sleeve kind of guy. She plays it much closer to the vest, especially with him. I'm really curious to know what she was thinking and feeling, so I often find myself writing their relationship from her POV, whereas I almost always write the Spike POV when he appears with anyone else. We didn't see enough of what was going on with her inner life (especially vis a vis Spike), which means we can flesh it out to our satisfaction. That's good, right?

[snickfic]

However, like you, I understood Spike's side of their relationship better, because he's a heart on the sleeve kind of guy.

Very true. Spike is just much more emotionally open, even (or maybe especially) when he's trying not to be. Aw, Spikey.

That's good, right?

If it means you writing fic, then I'd say absolutely yes. :)

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

Um, I could totally have written this entire post, nearly word for word. It took me a bit of time to start writing the Spuffy ship after I saw the show because, like you, I was enamored of Spike but didn't have a firm hold on Buffy.

But it seems every time I watch an episode or read a fic or a piece of meta (especially anything angearia creates, obvs), I love her moremoremore.

Anyways, long story short: I AGREE.

[snickfic]

Hee. Agreement! I can live with agreement.

[angearia.livejournal.com]

I remember us having a discussion about Buffy's character a long time ago and that you were a bit ambivalent about her, couldn't quite grasp her. It's so cool that you're getting a handle on her now. It's kinda like with me finally getting Faith recently. New character love is the best!

[snickfic]

I remember us having a discussion about Buffy's character a long time ago and that you were a bit ambivalent about her, couldn't quite grasp her.

Yep! This post is very much a continuation of that one. And I'm very pleased to finally get a bit of a grip on her. You're right - yay new character love!

(OTOH, I loved Faith by the end of S3, when she had all her angsty issues, and then after that I loved her because she totally brightened up any episode she happened to drop in on.)

[jen-nsync-landl.livejournal.com]

My sympathy for Buffy as a character varies somewhat by the season, I think, but I admire her and have considerable affection for her throughout, and have since my first viewing of the show back in 2001. Some of the most effective Buffy scenes come for me right in at the end of S1 - SMG's ability to convey both the painful burden the Slayer faces and the incredible dignity of Buffy herself as she goes to face the Master, to what is the promise of certain death, pretty much still blows me away to this day. There are other moments/arcs, some of which are pretty easy to guess (Buffy having to deal with Joyce's illness and then death invokes lots of empathy; early S6 Buffy pulled out of heaven just *kills* me), others much more random (I'm probably cross-fusing my own college experience with what we see in "The Freshman," but dude, I LOVE Buffy in that episode). Hmmm, as I write this I'm noticing that I am often powerfully moved by the way Buffy faces ordinary kinds of troubles, not just the supernatural ones. I think that might be at the heart of how I experience the show: what's perfect about Buffy for me is that she manages both to be kickass warrior and to be a girl who deals with the same kinds of drama and heartbreak that everyone else faces. That what makes Buffy *Buffy*, as opposed to the other slayers. We're led to believe that most of the girls have been cut away from ordinary life and its ordinary issues (although that view gets considerably more sophisticated as the show went on, from Faith's story to that of Nikki Wood); Buffy defies convention by juggling engagement with the world with her "one girl in all the world" status. Thus, my fascination with the character. I wouldn't *want* her to be all one thing or the other (nor do I seek out fic that depicts her as such).

As you note, Spike is *easier* than all of that complexity in a number of ways; it makes me no less affectionate for the character (quite the contrary!). I guess I can't do much better on this point than the line right at the end of my fic "Inscrutable," where Dawn thinks that Spike is so bad at hiding his feelings it's almost like being honest. That's me *and* Dawn talking there. ;) In some ways my affection for Spike, then, is simpler, and so I feel that I'm forever sorting through my feelings for Buffy because they are so much more complex. Therein is the fun, and the need to keep talking about the character all these years later.

[snickfic]

That what makes Buffy *Buffy*, as opposed to the other slayers... Buffy defies convention by juggling engagement with the world with her "one girl in all the world" status.

Dude. You and my friend B, who got me started on BtVS in the first place, would get on very well together. That's how she's been explaining Buffy to me all along, and it's definitely been formative in how I view the character.

Which is to say: yep yep yep. :)

where Dawn thinks that Spike is so bad at hiding his feelings it's almost like being honest.

I've mentioned, right, how much I adore that line? I adore that line. It's one that's stuck with me through all my long (well, a year and a half, anyway) fannish development.

I feel that I'm forever sorting through my feelings for Buffy because they are so much more complex.

Agreed.

[shapinglight]

I've been ambivalent about Buffy myself in the past. I think I didn't start to love her until season 5 of the show, though there were plenty of times before that when I felt for her a great deal, especially during the Angelus affair. Seasons 6&7 were a bit of a roller coaster ride because I was watching the show in real time and the fandom was so intense. However, rewatching both seasons later, I finally and completely fell in love with the character.

[snickfic]

However, rewatching both seasons later, I finally and completely fell in love with the character.

Yeah. It's definitely taken rewatching for me to learn to love the character.

I have to say, I am only the teensiest bit sorry I missed the real-time era of fandom. I'm a little sad I wasn't around when so much of the now-classic fic was being produced, but man, I don't think I'd have survived all that fannish intensity.

[shapinglight]

but man, I don't think I'd have survived all that fannish intensity.

Heh! Yes, it got a bit much at times, to put it mildly, hence the reason why some of us old timers get a bit touchy when stuff happens that brings it all back.

[timeofchange.livejournal.com]

Yes, Buffy is awesome for all the reasons listed by you and those who have commented on your post.

And, ITA about the annoyingness of the "Spike is so wonderful/Buffy is a bitch who doesn't deserve him" fic. I always assume it's very young authors who write that shite because the characters are so shallow. Although, truth to tell, I have met older fans who should know better about the complexities of love, attraction, affection, etc., and don't. Generally, I just smile and back away slowly.

[slaymesoftly.livejournal.com]

Alas, the ones I'm thinking of are old enough to know better. I think many of them are so besotted with Spike that they can't see past "Buffy hurt Spike. Buffy bad!" I just have way too much sympathy for Buffy and the life she has lived to take a view like that.

[snickfic]

I'm with slaymesoftly - most of the people whom I've noticed writing perfect!Spike have been in fandom long enough to have outlived their "very young" stage. Bleah. Bleah!

EDIT: Although I should add that I read mostly on LJ, with occasional visits to archives. I imagine there's a whole ocean of perfect!Spike fic over at ff.net, as written by folks who don't have as much life experience. I have the impression that LJ fandom skews a lot older than fandom in general. (Or possibly just my flist does. *g*)

[riccadonna.livejournal.com]

I don't have time right now to read the comments, but I will because I wanna bask in shared Buffy love!!!!!

[snickfic]

Yay, Buffy-love. :)