while Spike gets out of the basement, and begins forging a new identity during S4, Xander doesn't. He cycles through dead end jobs, and is nagged and kicked around by Anya. So their positions, their temperments, don't lend themselves to an equality of relationship because of who they both are in the long term.
I see the opposite. In early season five, Xander gets a nice apartment and a better job. In "The Replacement," he realizes that he's capable of adulthood and responsibility. Throughout season five he grows comfortably, and though he grows darker in season six, he's still powerful. In season seven, we see him confident and healthy, striding around in a suit and a better job. Emotionally healthy, missing Anya but ready to move on, being supportive to Buffy and Dawn.
Spike, meanwhile, falls for his worst enemy, mopes around desperately wanting her, gets tortured for her, breaks down when she dies, spends the summer taking care of her sister (with no emotional support, unlike Xander who has Anya and the Scoobies), is ostracized from the group when she returns, becomes her fucktoy, has a mental breakdown, gets a soul, goes (more) insane, spends early season seven in the school basement being haunted, moves in with Xander *again* while still incredibly emotionally fragile, gets tortured by the First Evil, gets chained up in Buffy's basement....
Basically, throughout seasons six and seven especially, Xander is the more powerful one. Spike still has the chip through most of this period, so Xander could kick his ass. Spike is dependent on the Scoobies to not kill him, and in season seven he's again dependent on them for food and shelter. Emotionally, Xander is the healthier one, because Spike's an absolute mess most of this time.
I see quite a bit of evidence that *Xander* could be the powerful one just as easily as Spike. And I like that this makes their relationship more equal. And from what I've seen (minus a few exceptions that go in both directions) it does.
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Date: 2003-10-15 05:02 pm (UTC)I see the opposite. In early season five, Xander gets a nice apartment and a better job. In "The Replacement," he realizes that he's capable of adulthood and responsibility. Throughout season five he grows comfortably, and though he grows darker in season six, he's still powerful. In season seven, we see him confident and healthy, striding around in a suit and a better job. Emotionally healthy, missing Anya but ready to move on, being supportive to Buffy and Dawn.
Spike, meanwhile, falls for his worst enemy, mopes around desperately wanting her, gets tortured for her, breaks down when she dies, spends the summer taking care of her sister (with no emotional support, unlike Xander who has Anya and the Scoobies), is ostracized from the group when she returns, becomes her fucktoy, has a mental breakdown, gets a soul, goes (more) insane, spends early season seven in the school basement being haunted, moves in with Xander *again* while still incredibly emotionally fragile, gets tortured by the First Evil, gets chained up in Buffy's basement....
Basically, throughout seasons six and seven especially, Xander is the more powerful one. Spike still has the chip through most of this period, so Xander could kick his ass. Spike is dependent on the Scoobies to not kill him, and in season seven he's again dependent on them for food and shelter. Emotionally, Xander is the healthier one, because Spike's an absolute mess most of this time.
I see quite a bit of evidence that *Xander* could be the powerful one just as easily as Spike. And I like that this makes their relationship more equal. And from what I've seen (minus a few exceptions that go in both directions) it does.