Riley [Archive] - Buffy-Boards

white avenger

02-18-2008, 12:01 PM

LittleMissLikesToFight

02-18-2008, 01:36 PM

i still think he was the best for her, as far as normal, happy relationship goes. and watching the series for the 3rd time now, i REALLY really like him. he loved her so much. she just took him for granted big time.

Edmund Blackadder

02-18-2008, 02:22 PM

The main problem with Riley, even from the beginning, when he had his own chip and was getting pumped full of drugs by the Potential, was that he just never measured up to Buffy's other men (except Parker, but I don't consider him either hers or a man). Whether you're Bangel or Spuffy, both, neither, or just couldn't care less one way or the other, Riley was always Buffy's weakest boyfriend, but sadly, he was also the one one who tried the hardest to be her equal. That made him the biggest failure of the three.

If you watched the show in order then by the time Buffy and Riley came to pass she'd only 'had' Angel, Pike(if you include the movie) Scott and Parker - Spike wasn't a love interest.

I think as 'pretty' as Riley was he was punching above his weight. You have your own level on all levels and they just never gelled.

I would have been more interested in Willow and Riley, there was a chemistry there at the beginning.

It would have been interesting to have had Xander turn gay, Riley stay until season 6 when Willow, high on Magic seduced Riley and created a rift between Buffy and Willow THAT caused Riley to leave and her to fall into the arms of Spike.

Edit:

Blondie Bear agrees: That's actually not a bad storyline.
I have my moments and its very believable in a real world situation.

Friends have been known to to do things like that

Joyce Summers

02-18-2008, 03:48 PM

I am from a rare species of people who liked Riley from the beginning. He was just such a genuine sweetie and the fact that he constantly tried to match up to Buffy made him even sweeter.
He was a typical corn-fed, Iowa-raised, all-American boy- and admittedly this deal makes me swoon. However I am the first to admit that he and Buffy were alas not meant to be. I would have loved it if they had been though. There were too many problems though on both sides. Riley's instincts were to protect the woman he loved and with Buffy being the Slayer and therefore stronger than him, that was never necessary and this unfortunately caused him to constantly feel inadequate which is not a good feeling to have in a relationship. Whereas with Buffy I think subconsciously she was always comparing him to Angel and she never wanted to completely open up to him because her heart, no matter how much both she and Angel knew it wasn't possible and tried to move on, belonged to another. Also with everything going on in her life she was finding it more and more difficult share her emotions, thus effectively cutting Riley off.

And the whole vampire-whores thing kinda finished the deal, I believe.

I always thought the potential was there between them but it was all wrong timingyness and bad settings just causing everything to end up wacked and off between them. Boy how I wish it had worked out though; I mean the guy clearly adored her, loved her, worshipped her, he'd do anything for her. And what he says to Xander at the end of The Replacement always breaks my heart.

And so when he left and she's just running trying to catch him on time...I get all weepy, hehe, I'll admit it. It's when she realizes Riley has the potential to be the one. :sigh:. You're probably going to all throw rotten fruit at me now for showing the Buffy/Riley love.....*raises shield for protection just in case*

Kana

02-18-2008, 05:31 PM

I did feel for Riley, it was a little tragic. His little-too-late emotional honesty in Into The Woods had me almost clutching at my Kleenex.

Riley lost his career and instead of getting closer to the girl, he felt as if he was losing her. Riley was kinder gentler than most guys out there but there was the fear that he wasn't enough. Unfortunately it's not hard to see why. Dawn and Spike respectively remind him that certain darker types can bring out feelings in Buffy that he cannot. Also Buffy does hold back emotionally and takes Riley for granted. This isn't simply about Riley not being able to cut the mustard (be strong enough etc) this to me seems situational. Buffy holds back because she's been hurt before and she does sometimes do the loner hero thing (Fear Itself, Yoko Factor). Riley didn't handle it in the best way.

We'll never know what might've been but it had a chance of working. most of Buffy's trainwrecks were situational and not necessarily about the guy being the 'wrong fit' as a person. Whether it's mystical curses, being the rebound guy, or being the willing participant in an abusive relationship. I actually wanted her to want him but I'm glad it didn't work out in a way because, we love the darkness and pain that leads way to light (Spuffy). I actually enjoyed the dichotomy. It was different from Spike and Angel, it explored something. Spike was right about one thing, dispite the vamp, suckjob, Riley didn't have 'it' in him. I actually thought that could be seen as a compliment seen as Buffy saw her apparent attraction to the darkness as a horrible point of reference in terms of definition.

In short, Riley was ok. I need different shades in my characters and in relation to Buffy's other lovers, he certainly provides that.

Vicariously

02-18-2008, 05:38 PM

uggg I agreee I was so glad when he finally left!

IdiotJed

03-19-2008, 09:18 PM

What I find odd is that the only 'men' in Buffy's life that actually left a lasting impression with her were dead. Angel-First love/ True love. Spike-Seedy, sexual affair/lasting affection. In all of her relationships the only guys that stayed in her life, 'killed half of Europe".

Riley, though, was a dud.

LittleMissLikesToFight

03-22-2008, 05:12 PM

Joyce Summers

03-22-2008, 06:39 PM

i actually just watched into the woods, and honestly realized how much i loved Riley, although i am def the minority. but i felt so much for buffy when she ran to catch up with him... its SO sad. and truly, if buffy were ever to have a "normal" life itd be with him. ugh. it just kills me.

Into the Woods is always the one that emphasizes my RileyLove too. It was only at the very end of that episode that Buffy realized that yeah, Riley was The One. (Alive-wise anyway before you Uber-Bangel people start shouting at me). As Xander said Riley is the one that comes along once in a lifetime. I mean yeah there was passion and romance with Angel but it was a deadly relationship, painful and destructive. Tragically romantic and beautiful but way too Shakespeare to ever survive for more than it was. Any longer together (Potential Shanshuing aside) and it would have been self-destructive for both Buffy and Angel. Riley was definitely the healthier choice and his intense love for Buffy and her eventual realization that she felt the same way gives him The One Status, whether you like Riley or not.

BuffyBloke

03-22-2008, 07:37 PM

Yeah I was happy when Riley left because I thought he was being a bit of a whiny little boy.

My exact sentiments. There was one scene in season 5 where he was whining to Buffy about her not letting him in with her problems and then he walks out of her house. I mean come on dude - Her mum isn't well and she's like distracted. Cut her some slack. He just lacked any sort of sympathy towards Buffy when it came to crunch time, I think Buffy at this point was probably numb to the love of the relationship and it seemed that she was dis-interested - but clearly there are different views on this. I got the impression sh was just seeking an Angel replacement. May have to watch season 5 again - but Riley's whiny behavior really annoyed me.

He seemed way too immature for Buffy. I was glad when he left. :) No offense to any Riley fans.

LittleMissLikesToFight

03-22-2008, 08:23 PM

i dunno, i can understand his sentiment. no one in a relationship likes to feel like they are being shut out. I have had a lot of stuff go on in my life, and sometimes my boyfriend feels like i don't tell him things, and it can lead to fights but its understandable. Everyone wants a relationship where they can be open and honest and where they can depend on someone and feel that someone can depend on them. Riley wanted Buffy to know he was THERE for her but she wouldn't let him be. And i have been "buffy" in that sort of situation and realized i was wrong. If you shut out the one you love of course they are going to feel unwanted and worthless. I don't see it as whiny at all, especially when you are that far a long in a relationship where honesty and being vulnerable with each other is important.

I think he had PLENTY of sympathy for buffy, she just blew him off because like he said prior, she didn't really love him. i think in one of the Angel episodes she tells Angel she's with someone new who she loves, but i don't think she ever says "i love you" to Riley (if she does, please correct me). So i felt really bad for him, because he was giving so much more of himself and she was not returning it at all.

caitaintdead

03-23-2008, 06:13 AM

I was glad when Riley left but I actually liked him. Sometimes when I've been in relationships I've actually got where he was coming from... Having low self esteem I find it really hard to be with someone that is more popular/better looking/smarter etc. And then I automatically feel clingy and jealous. I agree with you LittleMissLikesToFight (wow that's a nice long name to write!), Buffy just doesn't give her all to her relationship with Riley and if I was in the same boat with my boyfriend I would definitely run into the arms of someone that genuinely appeared to need me and want me.

But despite all this Buffy is at her best when Riley isn't around... I think it would be interesting to see what would have happened if Buffy had met Riley when she was in her 30's rather then still being so young.

Xin Rong

03-23-2008, 12:41 PM

Riley leaving the show may have been the single greatest moment of the entire show, and there were loads to choose from

Jaded Wolf

03-23-2008, 05:48 PM

I'll write more on this in another thread but I really hated to see Riley go. Joss Whedon really did a good job depicting a man's (Riley) struggle with finding his identity and the need to feel wanted. I'm not saying Riley was a little off base messing around with vamps but still he had a point of needing to feel needed.

Jaded Wolf

03-25-2008, 09:51 AM

I liked Riley as well. The problem with Riley is the problem with most men. He gave up the fight of being a man. Riley fell into despair of trying to equal up to Buffy, his woman, and that does something to a man's ego when he feels he cannot measure up. Buffy didn't help things either with her neglect (it was there believe me). Riley should have sought Buffy from the beginning but instead became passive and sought another answer which was wrong. Again, like so many other men (I'm a man speaking from experience). That's why I liked him because I can relate and I think the writers did a fantastic job of portraying a man without the fundamentals he needs to live: a purpose in life and a beauty to have. Strip those away llike Riley was (his career and Buffy) then all you have is a hollow shell.

Giants Rule 04

03-29-2008, 06:36 PM

I never really liked Riley and always thought that he was the weakest (not only physically) of Buffy's boyfriends. He loved her very much, but he was very insecure and whiny. I started to like him a little more towards the end, but I was still glad to see him go and the show move on.

Also, I just happen to be watching the episode where he leaves right now.

Hello Cutie

03-30-2008, 04:13 AM

Wasn't a fan of the Buffy-Riley concept. She does need a little monster in her man, and Riley just couldn't give her that... how could an extraordinary woman expect to live happily ever after with what in essence is an ordinary man?

LittleMissLikesToFight

03-30-2008, 10:58 AM

but i think Riley, in his "ordinariness" grounded her... i think an ordinary guy was exactly what buffy needed. So she could have someone to go to that isn't constantly reminding her that she's a slayer and she lives in this weird world... ok granted Riley had the initiative but really, he was the most normal and i think she needed that. She always wanted to have a part of life that was normal, and having that little bit of comfort and someone she could be that normal girly girl around i think was good.

Sometimes people need taking care of, and Buffy never liked to admit it. But Riley was there to do that. It's too bad she was so convinced she could deal by herself, which we see in season 6 wasn't the case.

Senior Watcher

03-30-2008, 11:39 AM

i have mixed feelings toward riley. on the one hand, he loved buffy with everything he had. he would have done anything for her. on the other hand, there wasnt much chemistry (mostly on buffys part).

when they were together, i was happy for them, but i always knew in the back of my head that it wasnt going to work. i mean, come on, we just got done with 3 love/hate/fight seasons with angel. because of that, im not sure if riley ever stood a chance.

maybe if he was introduced in season 5 or later, i would be more interested in a ruffy/biley relationship.

Bangelxx

03-30-2008, 11:58 AM

I was SOOOOO happy when Riley left. I felt like celebrating!:p

eunsoma

04-06-2008, 07:43 AM

Riley did get a little annoying, yes, but I think that if Buffy had have treated him more like 'the one' and less like the rebound, things may have gone a lot better. I agree with Xander's speech in the episode where Riley leaves (forgot what it's called, but around the middle of S5). I think that if Buffy had caught up with Riley that night before he left and told him her true feelings, things would have worked from then on and they would have worked out.
Still though, if she had have gone on to die in 'The Gift' and was resurrected in S6, I think their world would've crumbled. Riley wouldn't have been able to handle the 'darkness' of it, where Buffy wouldn't want him around, cuz it's true, she needs that 'darkness' in her men, especially right after she was brought back from the dead and couldn't even connect to her best friends.

Spuffy is true love

04-21-2008, 08:19 PM

Riley just couldn't handle it. He couldn't handle Buffy being stronger than him. He couldn't handle the fact that she had friends and he didn't. He just was a normal human which buffy can never date. The thing that pissed me off the most when in Buffy vs. Dracula when he finds out that Dracula bit her he was like "Where is he and how hard can I Kill him." GIMME A FRICKIN" BREAK!!! are you kiddin' me? That right there made me realize that one I hated Riley and 2 Riley was going to be gone soon enough. He was too bitchy, too whiny, and lets face it, the relationship stemmed from the Initiative, nothing good ever stems from that....

Crazy Flakes

04-25-2008, 04:32 PM

I, too, am part of the minority. I never minded Riley. In fact, I kind of liked him, particularly at the beginning of season 4. He was just a nice, attractive, average guy who was bad at talking to girls and had a big crush on Buffy. And as soon as he punched Parker for making fun of Buffy, I was rooting for Briley. Then, the Initiative came in, and I liked the whole "Buffy and Riley are both Clark Kent" kind of thing. After they got together, I wasn't as big a Buffy/Riley supporter as I had been before, but I still liked them. Fine, they were no Bangel, but still. They were a nice, genuine couple and they didn't have that whole "forbidden romance" thing that just makes you roll your eyes (yes, this is coming from a Bangel fan.) By season 5, when their bond started to loosen, I pretty much knew they were going to break up, and just thought, "Oh. Oh well."

My main problem with the Buffy/Riley relationship wasn't the fact that Riley didn't have the "monster" in him, or the fact that they were a bit bland. I hated how Buffy was using him. In my opinion, it wasn't much better than Buffy and Spike's physical relationship in season 6. Riley loved Buffy more than anything, but Buffy just thought of him as "the post-Angel guy," which is what most fans think of him as. She didn't love him...she just wanted a boyfriend. Maybe if their affections had been mutual, more people would've liked them together. In fact, I almost think her disregard for him justified him going to those "vampire whores."

LadyLavinia

04-26-2008, 12:59 AM

I must admit that I find it difficult to feel any sympathy for Buffy in regard to her relationship with Riley. On some level, I got the feeling that she was using him to prove to herself that she could have a "normal" love life. Mind you, Riley was also to blame for what happened between them. He allowed himself to be used . . . at least for a while. Nor was he honest with her about how he felt about her treatment of him, until it was too late.

scarybunny97

04-26-2008, 12:14 PM

I have complicated feelings about Riley. When he first came on the scene he bugged me. Some of it had to do with the acting, but it was also because it seemed like his character had fallen through some sort of hole in the floor of another show and accidentally landed in the buffyverse--where he clearly didn't fit. All through S4 I felt like he was only there as a convenient way to draw Buffy into the Initiative and make them/it part of her social world. It felt forced.

In S5 I actually did feel for the guy. Buffy may need people on an emotional level, and it's pointed out many times in the series that her emotional connections are a great strength for her--but as the Slayer, as far as just staying safe and protected goes? No. She actually doesn't and never will need people in that sense. Or at least, her needing others to protect her would be the extreme exception rather than the rule. And here's Riley who so clearly is not built to be the "support player," it's not enough for him. I think the only way he and Buffy could have worked out is if he had become he kind of guy who could handle being with someone who would say "I love you," but never, "I need your help." Riley wanted to be loved and be a part of something. Whereas Buffy just wanted the relationship for the love, and Riley's need to be a part of the bigger picture never made sense to her until it was too late. Poor Riley.

Y'know, it would be interesting to compare/contrast Riley's "ultimatum" speech to her about how she needs to give him a reason to stay or else he's leaving--with Spike's speech to her in S7 about how he's not asking her for anything, and that his love for her has nothing to do with him, because it's about who she is. That would be an interesting comparison.

Aethra

04-27-2008, 09:01 PM

Riley... perhaps my least favorite character in all of Buffy. Wait, maybe that's Kennedy. Okay, he's my second least favorite. I didn't like him from the beginning. At first I thought it was because I'd liked Angel so much, but then I liked Spikie more than I'd liked Angel, so I don't know. I do agree that he is whiny, so maybe it was that. Maybe it was because he was a mere mortal--I just don't know.

I threw a party on the inside when he left, although, Xander's speech to Buffy had me almost rooting for him. Almost. It was just written and delivered so well! But then the episode ended, and I returned to my senses.

And, season four's "Where the Wild Things Are," nearly killed me.

girlunstrung

04-28-2008, 08:37 AM

Where The Wild Things Are made me quite a depressed muffin.

I think Buffy could never truly love Riley because she was in love with pain, thanks to Mr Billowy Coat, King Of Pain.

Okay, that's one good thing about Riley. He gave me that quote.

The Ferg

04-28-2008, 09:38 PM

What is wrong with Riley? I just started watching S4, and I'm loving Ruffy (Is that what it's called? idk). He just seems... idk, perfect for the situation, you know? He's like the other thing you do besides school and slaying. Besides Bangel was WAY to romantic for me. Riley and Buffy seems like a relationship that could truly happen.

(Angel's a pansy)

Vampmogs

05-01-2008, 03:44 AM

I liked Riley, I personally don't understand why people hate him so much.

He was exactly what Buffy needed at that time of her life, and he was a very decent guy. I don't think he gets anywhere near the credit he deserves for the sacrifices he made for Buffy by the fans of the series. This is a man who changed his entire black and white view of the world, who gave up a very promising military career and who turned his back on all his closest friends, all for Buffy. His whole world was basically shattered and he did it all for that one girl, that's just as selfless to me as it was when Angel left in 'The Prom.'

And 'As You Were' was a great episode for Riley. He told Buffy exactly what she needed to hear at a time in her life when she was feeling really down and lost. All season she felt disconnected from her closest friends, and alienated from the world she's meant to be a part of. The only person she could talk to at that point was Spike, and he tells her that she doesn't belong with her friends and that she belongs in the dark with him. Riley told Buffy exactly what she needed to hear, that all the stuff going on with her doesn't touch her because "she's one hell of a woman." He gave her the strength to make changes in her life, to stop using Spike and for her to try and get her life back on track.

I personally don't think he has a problem with strong women at all either. If he did he wouldn't have married Sam, who's every bit the strong woman. His issues stemmed from the fact she wouldn't let him get close to her, and I know a lot of fans think he was whiney about it, but many characters, including Joyce and Xander as Buffy tells Dawn, "everyone who wasn't Buffy," picked up on this too. Riley wasn't just imagining it, she was pushing him away, and after loving her so much and sacrificing his career and his friends for her, you can't expect him not to be upset about it. In fact he never mentioned it, never even whined, until their argument just before he leaves. So I'm not even sure where the whiney remarks come from, he never whined to anyone.

Riley was a pretty fantastic guy. Sure he’s not my favourite character, he had his bad moments as all our characters do, but I personally don’t feel he deserves the hatred he gets by the fandom. And lets face it, a lot of it stems from the fact he wasn’t Angel or Spike, and why would he be? Not only would that be boring to see a repeat of another character we already have, but he represents a different sort of character and shouldn’t be compared to others as a basis to determine his worth. :)

Joyce Summers

05-01-2008, 03:49 AM

Wow. Just wow. That was EXCELLENTLY put. I'm a Riley fan myself and you've pretty much covered what I've always thought.

And I definitely like your comment about how he was never whiny- he wasn't was he? I mean he found she called him cute and kitteny (Not exactly what a guy wants to hear) and instead of taking umbridge and being off with her, he teases her about it and takes amusement from the situation- mocking himself in fact.

You've pretty much covered everything else hence the shortness of this particular post haha.

Vampmogs

05-01-2008, 04:08 AM

Wow. Just wow. That was EXCELLENTLY put. I'm a Riley fan myself and you've pretty much covered what I've always thought.

Thanks, I went into a rant a bit but I tend to when I'm defending Riley. Poor guy :(

And I definitely like your comment about how he was never whiny- he wasn't was he? I mean he found she called him cute and kitteny (Not exactly what a guy wants to hear) and instead of taking umbridge and being off with her, he teases her about it and takes amusement from the situation- mocking himself in fact.

Great example. Instead of having a go at her or sulking, he sucks it up and wants to take some frustration out in the training room and that's perfectly ok. Because it wasn't just Buffy's choice of words that upset him, but the fact she'd been treating him differently to how she perceived him around others. He even comes to her house later that day to help her do the spell and even when he knows it was a pity invite, instead of getting grumpy he says "how about we take care of each other" before a nice peck on the lips. He was very nice to her.

Buffy is my favourite character but I have no problems accepting that she wasn’t the best girlfriend to Riley. And the fact he took how she treat him so well for so long probably made her feel he was even more dependable. In many ways his pleasantness did more harm to their relationship than good.

Glad I'm not alone in liking his character :)

Joyce Summers

05-01-2008, 01:55 PM

Buffy is my favourite character but I have no problems accepting that she wasn’t the best girlfriend to Riley. And the fact he took how she treat him so well for so long probably made her feel he was even more dependable. In many ways his pleasantness did more harm to their relationship than good.
Very good, and ironic point. That it was his kindness and acceptingness of Buffy and her attitude toward him that helped the relationship fail. He was too considerate for his own good. Haha.

Glad I'm not alone in liking his character

Ah, don't worry about it there are a few of us Riley fans on here. Emphasis on few. I just always really liked him. He was the sweet, wholesome all-american-boy protective guy. And he was normal!!! And normal can be good. Especially in a decidedly non-normal world. Buffy could have had the normal, white picket fence life with Riley definitely. But then maybe Buffy isn't the white picket fence type unfortunately.

palabravampiress

06-10-2008, 05:23 PM

I'm rewatching seasons 4 and 5. I liked Riley the first time around. Now, the second time around, I love him. I like the way he plays with Buffy (like on the beach) and hangs with her friends and is just generally nice and supportive and awesome. Riley was fun. In general, though, my opinion on him pretty much mimics Joyce Summers' (no surprise there).

I do wonder if the Initiative isn't what doomed their relationship. I mean, for basically the whole time Riley was on our screens, the government was pumping him full of weirdo hormones and vitamins and chips (either that, or he was going through withdrawals). Coming down off of that had to be pretty intense on a physical level. I think that might have driven a lot of his insecurity. I'm not saying the emotional stuff wasn't there... just that I would have liked to have seen how their relationship would have played out if Riley had stuck around for long enough for his body to reach some sort of equilibrium. I think that once his hormone (or who-knows-what) levels evened out and stabilized, he probably would have been better equipped to handle his relationship with Buffy. They still may have broken up, but I think he would have been more mature and less reactionary about it. I mean, think about it: even the vamp whore thing is only half emotional. The other half is physical, as it is implied that he gets some sort of chemical rush/high from it. I think a lot of poor Riley's emotional confusion during that period of his life was due to the influence of the experiments that were being performed by the Initiative. Had Buffy and Riley met at a different time in his life, maybe things would have worked out better.