Reaction to #7

[gryfndor_godess]

I don’t know if I can say I love the Spuffy because I’m not pleased with how naïve Buffy is acting, but I did like it.  I do love how Spike is finally sticking up for himself.  I don’t see his statement that he’s going to leave as a “threat” or as Nice Guy behavior.  Just as Buffy has every right to not want to be in a relationship, he has every right to not be satisfied with only friendship and pursue something else instead.  I appreciate that he’s finally being honest with her.

Also, I feel so vindicated by “’Cause I don’t want to be the dark place you run to when things aren’t working” because I hated that "dark place" line back in #40 and everyone else was like, “OH MY GOD IT’S THE BEST THING EVER.”  No, I really think it’s not.  That was not Buffy telling Spike she needed and wanted him in her life.  That was Buffy telling Spike she needed him when she was miserable and wanted to wallow.  Big difference.  I’m really freaking glad that Spike is calling her on it.

The one thing I didn’t like about their conversation on the ship was when he told her she wasn’t allowed to slay.  If she were keeping the baby, I could understand it.  If she were three months pregnant and about to have an abortion, I could understand it.  But only a few weeks pregnant and about to have an abortion?  Spike just comes off as rude and controlling.

So about Buffy, I’m displeased with how naïve she acts about Spike’s love for her.  I have to keep reminding myself that this is not S7!Buffy.  Because S7!Buffy?  She wouldn’t be so obtuse.  She might try to ignore his feelings or lie to herself, but if Spike actually broached the subject, she wouldn’t be able to keep up the façade.

However, S9!Buffy is not S7!Buffy, and I just have to remember that when reading.  Truthfully, I don’t love S9!Buffy.  I feel sorry for her, sure, and I like her enough, but she doesn’t hold a candle to Real Buffy.  Spike is by far my favorite character in the comics, whereas in the show, Buffy and Spike are tied.

Anyway, I guess S9!Buffy’s reactions are realistic enough. (they match her attitude toward him in 8.40, and I’m glad about that consistency).  I’m not surprised that she reneges on what she said about wanting to run away with him.

Things I did really like:

-Dowling and Cheung.

-The humor, like the closet space, the bugs saying her arm will grow back, European sockets vs. bug sockets, etc.  The dialogue felt snappier and more BtVS-like than usual.

-That we finally had a relationship conversation, even if it didn’t necessarily end the way I wanted.

-I love that Spike called the doctor for her.  But seriously: Buffy, you depend on Spike to call the doctor to schedule your abortion and you think he couldn’t be a “normal” part of your life?  You’re an idiot.

-“You ever see me with the kidlets?”  Aadlfkjaldkfjalkdfj!  Spike wants to be a dad!!!

-I love page 8.  I think Buffy is an enormous jerk for saying, “But, Spike, if I were trying to have a normal life…you’d be exactly what I’d be running from,” but I appreciate that it seems to match S9!Buffy’s characterization, and I LOVE that for once Spike gets angry and leaves (that close-up of his face is excellent) (this was also the first time I almost teared up at the comics; the second was at the end when he said he didn’t want to be her dark place).

-Basically, I love that Spike is standing up for himself.  Which is not to say that I think he was being a wuss or anything in previous issues; I think it was rational for him not to broach the subject, and given their past, I’d completely understand if he never felt comfortable making the first move.  But I do love seeing him confront her on the "normal" issue (and I love the implication that Koh and Dowling both had an effect on him).  “I can give you what you need.  I want normal, too.  And I want it with you” makes me ADLFKJADLKFJALFKJALDFJALKDJFADFKJADLKF.  I love him so much in this issue.  SO MUCH. 

I adore everything he says from “You really going to make me say what everyone else already worked out?” up until “And I want it with you.”  It’s all so honest and reasonable and realistic.  I really think he’s the best-written character in the comics* (and he’s drawn REALLY well, too; his tearing-up eyes on pg 21?  GAH).

*Except for this: I cannot believe how blase Spike is on the last page: "Trust me, luv.  I know my way around a Buffybot.  And you are definitely one."  REALLY, Spike?!?  That's your reaction?  Why aren't you flabbergasted?
And possibly the part where he tells her she can’t slay.  I definitely think overprotective!Spike is realistic, but I’m not sure he would ever actually order Buffy around like that.*

“That’s not why I fought to get my soul back.”
ADLFKJADLFJADLFKJLADKFJLAKSDFLADJFLKADJFLKSADJFLAKJFAS.

And on the ending:

I hate the ending.  It is absurd to me that Buffy could have "lost" her body and been turned into a robot without her knowledge, especially since magic is supposedly still gone.  It is ridiculous that Spike couldn’t tell she wasn't human (you could wank it that she smelled different and he just assumed it was because she was pregnant; but basically there's no way to handle this without wanking it to a laughable extent).  It is horribly offensive that this is how Joss could carry out the pregnancy storyline: Buffy is in a robot while her real body gestates the baby- that way she can keep slaying!  And she doesn’t have to have an abortion!  (Because heaven forbid Joss actually carry through on that; no, he wants to have his “feminist” cake and eat it too, claim that Buffy would have gotten an abortion but then magically doesn’t have to; yeah, we’re not buying it, jerk, go eat Hypocrite Cake instead.)  Also, I’ve heard that Doctor Who did something similar with the Ponds?  I don’t know, as I haven’t watched it, but that’s even grosser if Joss is stealing storylines.  Also, even if Buffy hadn’t been pregnant, this is STILL A HUGE BODILY VIOLATION.  Seriously, every single aspect of this robot storyline is horrifically offensive so far.

Basically, I hate the last two pages and wish they didn’t exist.

If I had to theorize what happened, I’d guess that she slept with Heinrich/the Master at the party, he impregnated her with the Seed, and then he switched her body to make sure she couldn’t abort the Seed.  Although Andrew’s probably involved?  But I don’t want Andrew to be a bad guy.  :(

Comments

[snickfic]

I dunno. I think this might very well be stupider than faux-Cordelia; the reason I care more about faux-Cordelia is because it actually happened in, yanno, canon. These comics, they are not my canon.

[gryfndor-godess.livejournal.com]

Oh, I don't mean I care less about faux-Cordelia. I call it stupider partly because it mattered more...because it was canon...