Who's Best for Buffy?

[nerd4hire]

Yeah I know...another Spike versus Angel poll, but I was thinking...

So many of these threads seem to based on the hottness of one, or the other, but nobody seems to consider what's best for Buffy.

So based on whatever - contentment, personal growth, support for her chosen profession, who's best for Buffy? Angel, or Spike.

[tommy]

Neither, I guess. Spike saw that she never truly loved him. Angel goes evil when he's happy. Both have vampire issues.

[Keanoite]

I think it is hard for anyone to deny that Buffy was at her happiest when she was with Angel.

Her happiest is undoubtedly pre-Surprise but even after he came back from Hell, despite everything that they had to go through she had some form of contentment that we never see with her again. I think with Angel Buffy had someone who she felt comfortable enough with to be vulnerable, she was able to let him take care of her, no other boyfriend ever really got that privilege. And I think it will always come back to Angel for Buffy, in Selfless she says she loved him more than she will ever love anything in this life and in Chosen she pretty much tells him she sees him in her future, that her cookies are for him.

Everyone argues that Angel made choices for her that he had no right to do, but Buffy herself said that she thought he was right to leave in The Prom. I think both her and Angel need each other, they do better when the other is with them, like the Mohra said ' Together you are powerful'.

[GATEGOD]

Well for Buffy it can't be angel because she seems .... addicted to sex... lol, and she obviously can't do that with Angel so I guess Spike, even though Angel is a nicer guy and all that good stuff. She trully loves Angel but idk if she truly loves spike... so I have no idea!!

[palabravampiress]

I like Buffy best with end of Season 7 Spike. They seemed to have a real connection there at the end. They both seemed to draw strength from one another. For the first time in one of Buffy's relationships, there was equal give and take and equal, mutual respect. There was a lot of bad stuff there, too, but I think you need to be able to love the good and bad in each other in order to really have love. If Angel knew the full extent of the depths to which Buffy has sunk, I don't think he'd be all big with the unconditional love and support. I think she and Season 7 Spike could have gone on to have a really healthy partnership, which is why he had to die, of course. :-)

[GATEGOD]

haha yea... then she finds a new man that we never see in Angel season 5 ... :/ /// it's like arg!!! but it made for HILARIOUS episodes with spike/angel haha

[palabravampiress]

haha yea... then she finds a new man that we never see in Angel season 5 ... :/ /// it's like arg!!! but it made for HILARIOUS episodes with spike/angel haha

Oh yeah! That was one hilarious episode. Really, I like Angel and Spike together a lot. I wouldn't want to take him out of Angel's circle and throw him back with Buffy. Angel and Spike playing off of one another, well, it's just too darn funny. I am in Joss' "finally found the right girl for Angel... and it's Spike!" camp. They are just too funny.

[Keanoite]

I like Buffy best with end of Season 7 Spike. They seemed to have a real connection there at the end. They both seemed to draw strength from one another. For the first time in one of Buffy's relationships, there was equal give and take and equal, mutual respect. There was a lot of bad stuff there, too, but I think you need to be able to love the good and bad in each other in order to really have love. If Angel knew the full extent of the depths to which Buffy has sunk, I don't think he'd be all big with the unconditional love and support. I think she and Season 7 Spike could have gone on to have a really healthy partnership, which is why he had to die, of course. :-)

I really don't think he would be suddenly back tracking on the unconditional love just cuz she is into rough, dirty monkey sex or because of her relationship with Spike. He knows better than anyone what it is to lose yourslef, he would never hold that against her, no more than she held Angelus against him.

[white avenger]

I think it is hard for anyone to deny that Buffy was at her happiest when she was with Angel.

...and yet she cried more during that time than she ever did after he left, except for "The Body" of course.

Strangely, this was something that I was just thinking about a couple of hours ago. At the risk of sounding chauvinistic, Buffy most definitely needs a man in her life (or at least a love interest, if you favor Buffy/Faith, Buffy/Willow, etc) if for no other reason than the girl just loves sex, which is understandable. She's a highly passionate person.

As much as I love the Buffy/Spike relationship, it would most likely never stand the test of time, especially with him being immortal and all. Of course, if Spke were to be the one to shanshu...

All things remaining as they are at the present, however, I have to say that Buffy's "guy" just hasn't shown up yet. If I were the one to plan it, I would probably steal the idea of Lee Falk's Phantom and pair her up with the current warrior in a long line of demon fighters heretofore unknown to the Watchers or anyone else, or maybe a rip off of either one of the guys on "Supernatural." Whoever it is, he should be a warrior her equal, and mortal.

[palabravampiress]

I really don't think he would be suddenly back tracking on the unconditional love just cuz she is into rough, dirty monkey sex or because of her relationship with Spike. He knows better than anyone what it is to lose yourslef, he would never hold that against her, no more than she held Angelus against him.

I'm not talking about the sex or Spike. I think that rankles, yes, but I don't think that's the biggest issue. I'm talking about how she stopped wanting to live and stopped wanting to fight and stopped wanting just about everything and anything. Angel held Cordy's dark time and Wesley's dark time against Cordy and Wes; what makes you think he wouldn't hold Buffy's dark time against her?

[Keanoite]

I'm not talking about the sex or Spike. I think that rankles, yes, but I don't think that's the biggest issue. I'm talking about how she stopped wanting to live and stopped wanting to fight and stopped wanting just about everything and anything. Angel held Cordy's dark time and Wesley's dark time against Cordy and Wes; what makes you think he wouldn't hold Buffy's dark time against her?

Because he went through the exact same thing as she did during the whole Darla thing and Buffy's dark time had nothing to do with kidnapping or bedding his son! and he did forgive Wes and Cordy. He forgave Wes when he found him under the ocean and Cordy too, look at his actions to get her better and in Your Welcome.

[palabravampiress]

Because he went through the exact same thing as she did during the whole Darla thing and Buffy's dark time had nothing to do with kidnapping or bedding his son! and he did forgive Wes and Cordy. He forgave Wes when he found him under the ocean and Cordy too, look at his actions to get her better and in Your Welcome.

Good point. Maybe they would work. And you are right. He eventually forgave Wes and Cordy. He does have a history of being a hypocrite, but maybe he would be able to get past that side of Buffy and also learn to accept her as she slayer, not as "in the sunshine" girl.

I guess I'm biased. I just don't have a lot of faith in Angel's character when it comes to interpersonal relationships. Ideally, I'd like to see him treat someone with respect and trust before he gets back together with Buffy. I guess I think he needs a successful relationship rebound partner. I mean, he bought Nina a plane ticket and shipped her off "for her own good" and over her protestations. Same old Angel. And you know how I feel about that side of him. I don't think he and Buffy can, at this juncture, form a partnership like the one that I saw between Buffy and Spike at the end of Season 7. I don't think Buffy's the only one who needs time to bake. Angel does, too.

And, even then, I'm not sure it would work. If he gets happy, she would have to kill him all over again. One minute, they're baking literal cookies as a tribute to their metaphor cookies and then - whamo! Angel realized he has the girl of his dreams and a relationship with his son and he's perfectly happy and now Angelus is back. Bad times ensue.

I honestly don't see it working out.

[Keanoite]

Good point. Maybe they would work. And you are right. He eventually forgave Wes and Cordy. He does have a history of being a hypocrite, but maybe he would be able to get past that side of Buffy and also learn to accept her as she slayer, not as "in the sunshine" girl.

I guess I'm biased. I just don't have a lot of faith in Angel's character when it comes to interpersonal relationships. Ideally, I'd like to see him treat someone with respect and trust before he gets back together with Buffy. I guess I think he needs a successful relationship rebound partner. I mean, he bought Nina a plane ticket and shipped her off "for her own good" and over her protestations. Same old Angel. And you know how I feel about that side of him. I don't think he and Buffy can, at this juncture, form a partnership like the one that I saw between Buffy and Spike at the end of Season 7. I don't think Buffy's the only one who needs time to bake. Angel does, too.

And, even then, I'm not sure it would work. If he gets happy, she would have to kill him all over again. One minute, they're baking literal cookies as a tribute to their metaphor cookies and then - whamo! Angel realized he has the girl of his dreams and a relationship with his son and he's perfectly happy and now Angelus is back. Bad times ensue.

I honestly don't see it working out.

Angel never had any issues with Buffy being the Slayer, that was Riley.

I know what you mean though about the happiness, the Mayor had a point. I just don't see them fitting with anyone else. Whether you believe in soulmates yourself, Buffy and Angel are perfect for each other, but that ain't always enough.
I know we will never agree on this aspect of Angel's character but in his defense, L.A. got sucked into Hell. Nina was better off finding an elsewhere to be.

Would the soul really be an issue now? I mean perfect happiness is so elusive. Is Angel, after everything he went through capable of it? or would even the basic knowledge of the loophole prevent him from reaching that one split second of euphoria? I'm not talking orgasm here, I mean that pure, unadultered joy. I don't know if that is even possible for him now.

I suppose if season 4 is anything to go by he is and it's still Buffy who triggers it.damn! stupid curse!

[palabravampiress]

Angel never had any issues with Buffy being the Slayer, that was Riley.

I know what you mean though about the happiness, the Mayor had a point. I just don't see them fitting with anyone else. Whether you believe in soulmates yourself, Buffy and Angel are perfect for each other, but that ain't always enough.
I know we will never agree on this aspect of Angel's character but in his defense, L.A. got sucked into Hell. Nina was better off finding an elsewhere to be.

Would the soul really be an issue now? I mean perfect happiness is so elusive. Is Angel, after everything he went through capable of it? or would even the basic knowledge of the loophole prevent him from reaching that one split second of euphoria? I'm not talking orgasm here, I mean that pure, unadultered joy. I don't know if that is even possible for him now.

I suppose if season 4 is anything to go by he is and it's still Buffy who triggers it.damn! stupid curse!

They don't call them curses for nothing.

Yeah, I know LA got sucked into hell. And I never even noticed. The gang should have met up in Malibu. That place is always on fire lately. Seriously, though, my family keeps getting worried. They're all like, "Oh my god! There was an Earthquake!" Or a fire or a mudslide or who knows what else. And I'm like, "Really? Yeah, it was a little smokey yesterday," or "Oh, maybe that's why the cats woke us up at 3am." Seriously, L.A. is so sprawled out that hell could easily descend upon certain parts and I doubt most of us would notice until the commute to work got messed up. It rained today. You'd think the world is ending. There's something L.A. folks can't handle! It took my husband 2 hours to get to work this morning.

[nerd4hire]

Here's my thoughts...

I'm not sure the "great first love" thing really works in reality. It tends to burn out, and tumble off into chaos based on what I've seen. So I don't think Angel would be good for Buffy.

Spike though. They grew together. Their connection tightened with added contact as opposed to becoming possible. They have mutual respect, and have shown the willingness to sacrifice for each other. They have common goals now. They get along now, but are not so sympatico it gets boring. They want the best for each other. I think Spike would be good for Buffy.

Actually I voted neither, but the more I thought about it, the more I decided I was wrong.

[Keanoite]

They don't call them curses for nothing.

Yeah, I know LA got sucked into hell. And I never even noticed. The gang should have met up in Malibu. That place is always on fire lately. Seriously, though, my family keeps getting worried. They're all like, "Oh my god! There was an Earthquake!" Or a fire or a mudslide or who knows what else. And I'm like, "Really? Yeah, it was a little smokey yesterday," or "Oh, maybe that's why the cats woke us up at 3am." Seriously, L.A. is so sprawled out that hell could easily descend upon certain parts and I doubt most of us would notice until the commute to work got messed up. It rained today. You'd think the world is ending. There's something L.A. folks can't handle! It took my husband 2 hours to get to work this morning.

Sounds like Dublin to me! well without the forrest fires, earthquakes and mudslides!

[Dalek Bubble Bath]

Neither are good for Buffy as long as they are Vampires, but if Angel was human then .....

[Dlou444]

Here's my thoughts...

I'm not sure the "great first love" thing really works in reality. It tends to burn out, and tumble off into chaos based on what I've seen. So I don't think Angel would be good for Buffy.

Spike though. They grew together. Their connection tightened with added contact as opposed to becoming possible. They have mutual respect, and have shown the willingness to sacrifice for each other. They have common goals now. They get along now, but are not so sympatico it gets boring. They want the best for each other. I think Spike would be good for Buffy.

Actually I voted neither, but the more I thought about it, the more I decided I was wrong.


Well, I picked Spike, for just those reasons because the question is who is best for BUFFY. I think hands down Spike is best for her.
Although, I'm NOT sure that Buffy is best for Spike. I think she got him to a certain point of self-awareness, but I think her helpfulness in his development has hit a plateau. His time on Angel showed me that. Maybe someday though! I hope!!!

[alexa]

Owh didn't see this thread.
Falling in love always burns out.. with every relationship. What you have left is what's important.
Anyway I think they both could be good for Buffy (if and when they are human.. and on earth) so.. no both option. Went with Angel because I just enjoy their relationship the most ;)