(no subject)
Feb. 14th, 2003 01:58 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rusty_haloMy conviction to avoid episode 17 spoilers lasted a grand total of four hours. I have no willpower.
I can't wait for the episode; looks like it might be the best of the season. :)
I've been wondering how ME's "female empowerment" theme fits with the fact that, when the series began, Buffy took orders from an educated, middle-aged white male -- a figure typically used as a representation of patriarchy (of course that's a vast oversimplification of Giles' character and of his relationship with Buffy, but it's still metaphorically relevant). It makes sense that part of Buffy's "growing up" is to reject Giles's authority and choose to rely on her own. It angered me to no end that Angel was always the one to make decisions for her, "for her own good," an excuse which men have traditionally used to dominate and control women. Buffy's not standing for it anymore, and I'm very glad.
I've always felt that Spike's attraction to/obsession with powerful female figures must have been related to his relationship with his mother, which was obviously a strong one (as Joss wouldn't have had him mention her in FFL if there wasn't a reason). As Alane recently pointed out on BAPS, there is a "mother" theme that runs throughout "Fool for Love" (THE pivotal Spike episode): William wants to go home to his mother, Drusilla becomes his symbolic mother figure, according to the script Spike feels compassion for the Chinese Slayer when she mentions her mother, and Spike bonds with Buffy at the end because she's crying about her mother. I'm so incredibly excited that ep 17 is going to explore this in further detail.
Also, it seems that someone at ME has been paying attention to our complaints that souled Spike is too boring/wussy/damsel-in-distress like. Ep 17 Spike sounds like the redeemed Spike I was hoping to see all along: doing good and making the right choices while still being badass, having the attitude and the coat, not taking anyone's shit, and not brooding about the past. I sincerely hope his character continues this way.
I would probably never have read Peasant's fic if it hadn't been recommended to me, but I'm very glad that I did, as it's quite good. I particularly recommend "Sweet William," written after "Fool for Love," which is Peasant's attempt to explain how the William of "Fool for Love" became the Spike we know today. It's probably soon to be Jossed, so I'd recommend reading it now. :)
And in real life news, I saw my ex today for the first time in months. The split was amicable; I broke it off because I felt that I was being treated unfairly, and he pretty much agreed. We kept in touch for a while, but then drifted apart. I had no idea how to react to him today; it was terribly awkward, but we ended up having a nice talk. He explained a few things from the past, and we caught up with each other's current lives. I kept resisting the urge to hug him. I would really, really love to have that safe feeling that comes from being in his arms again. Even though I haven't spoken to him in months, he's still the closest person to me in the whole world, and I miss him terribly. But I know that the relationship is impossible, and I'm not going to get sucked into it again. I'm still just kind of shell-shocked from seeing him, as it was completely unexpected.
I can't wait for the episode; looks like it might be the best of the season. :)
I've been wondering how ME's "female empowerment" theme fits with the fact that, when the series began, Buffy took orders from an educated, middle-aged white male -- a figure typically used as a representation of patriarchy (of course that's a vast oversimplification of Giles' character and of his relationship with Buffy, but it's still metaphorically relevant). It makes sense that part of Buffy's "growing up" is to reject Giles's authority and choose to rely on her own. It angered me to no end that Angel was always the one to make decisions for her, "for her own good," an excuse which men have traditionally used to dominate and control women. Buffy's not standing for it anymore, and I'm very glad.
I've always felt that Spike's attraction to/obsession with powerful female figures must have been related to his relationship with his mother, which was obviously a strong one (as Joss wouldn't have had him mention her in FFL if there wasn't a reason). As Alane recently pointed out on BAPS, there is a "mother" theme that runs throughout "Fool for Love" (THE pivotal Spike episode): William wants to go home to his mother, Drusilla becomes his symbolic mother figure, according to the script Spike feels compassion for the Chinese Slayer when she mentions her mother, and Spike bonds with Buffy at the end because she's crying about her mother. I'm so incredibly excited that ep 17 is going to explore this in further detail.
Also, it seems that someone at ME has been paying attention to our complaints that souled Spike is too boring/wussy/damsel-in-distress like. Ep 17 Spike sounds like the redeemed Spike I was hoping to see all along: doing good and making the right choices while still being badass, having the attitude and the coat, not taking anyone's shit, and not brooding about the past. I sincerely hope his character continues this way.
I would probably never have read Peasant's fic if it hadn't been recommended to me, but I'm very glad that I did, as it's quite good. I particularly recommend "Sweet William," written after "Fool for Love," which is Peasant's attempt to explain how the William of "Fool for Love" became the Spike we know today. It's probably soon to be Jossed, so I'd recommend reading it now. :)
And in real life news, I saw my ex today for the first time in months. The split was amicable; I broke it off because I felt that I was being treated unfairly, and he pretty much agreed. We kept in touch for a while, but then drifted apart. I had no idea how to react to him today; it was terribly awkward, but we ended up having a nice talk. He explained a few things from the past, and we caught up with each other's current lives. I kept resisting the urge to hug him. I would really, really love to have that safe feeling that comes from being in his arms again. Even though I haven't spoken to him in months, he's still the closest person to me in the whole world, and I miss him terribly. But I know that the relationship is impossible, and I'm not going to get sucked into it again. I'm still just kind of shell-shocked from seeing him, as it was completely unexpected.
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(no subject)
Date: 2003-02-13 11:26 pm (UTC)And I am ecstatic to see our bad-ass Spike back again. Please let ME keep up the trend for the remaining 5 eps afterward.
And wow, I'm actually really proud of Buffy this ep, being her own woman and sticking up for what she believes is right, despite Giles' disagreement. Finally, a bit of the Buffy that originally hooked me and made me love the show.
(no subject)
Date: 2003-02-13 11:42 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2003-02-14 06:23 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2003-02-14 03:07 pm (UTC)I miss you too! Come into the city when it gets warm and we'll go shopping and get dinner, or something like that. We really need to catch up.