Does Forest have a thing for Riley?

[palabravampiress]

I'm rewatching season 4 and I gotta say... I'm getting a mega Mercutio vibe from Riley's soldier boy pal. The first time around, I just thought he was protective of the Initiative and that Buffy represented a threat to that mission. This time around, though, I'm noticing that the beef seems to be personal. He's overprotective of Riley, not just the Initiative -- and not very nice or respectful toward Buffy. It's subtle and not something that I can pick up from quotes... it's more in the acting.

So... did anyone else pick up on this vibe?

[Blondie Bear]

I saw it as the best friend resenting the girlfriend for taking up too much of Riley's time. I've seen this firsthand; one of my hubby's friends was not the happiest when we got together because my hubby (obviously) made me his priority, with his friends a close second. The friend in question put his friends even above his girlfriend, to the point that she finally broke up with him (it didn't help that he was a chauvinistic, emotionally abusive bastard). But, no, I think Forest would have hated Buffy regardless, but the Initiative thing just gave him more to bitch about.

[littlewilly]

I think he just loved Reilly as a best mate. Nothing sexual there.

[Joyce Summers]

Well you know Buffy is so B.Y.O.Subtext. Forrest's attitude can be read on so many different levels. Personally, I saw it in the same manner that Blondie Bear did. It's a macho-united thing; a group of guys have this tight clique where they are bond doing I don't know what, but most likely something sports related or in this case Initiative-Demon-Hunting, and then one gets a girl and 'takes away' said male from the group and their clique dissolves. Some, such as Graham, accept this. I mean you see him say to Forrest numerous times things like 'Yeah, it's his girl', pointing out that obviously Riley was gonna put her first. Forrest is the other typical reaction on the other side of the coin. The one that states 'Machoness over Girlfriends'. Notice how while the other Initiative guys while most often single are seen flirting, but Forrest never is? Which leads me to....

B.Y.O.Subtext. This can be taken in many ways.
1. His opinion of Riley having a girlfriend is the same for himself. He thinks they get in the way.
2. His priority is the Initiative so he doesn't have time for any relationship.

3. The real reason is jealousy...of Buffy. I mean does get all touchy when Buffy is made Riley's second-in-command, claiming that he's always Riley's second-in-command. The femininity of this possessive statement is heightened my Graham telling him 'Don't get your panties in a twist'

What I'm trying to say is I totally caught onto the vibe your talking about but subtexty-wise it can be read in so many different ways, most likely more than I've listed here.

[Kana]

Buffy threatened his world view. This may be something he's more protective this perhaps than Riley. As it's been said, a brotherhood that someone can share in the military (ok so I'm told) is something that can barely be explained to an outsider.

He seemed to originally think Buffy was worth a shag but as soon as she threatens something dear to him he becomes a protective. It's a fraternity in the truest sense (think of the stress of the military plus having to deal with the supernatural, and look at his rationalisation of the supernatural) but more than that, it's the feeling of vulnerability ones gets when they sense that they are losing everything important to them. Riley wasn't his world but losing him represented losing everything in his world.

[Blondie Bear]

^ I think it was also that Buffy's existence as the Slayer called into question his view of the supernatural as "just animals, man." She was obviously supernatural, and human, and he couldn't really rationalize that. And then there was Oz, and that would REALLY have thrown his worldview for a loop. But, like most people, he can't change it (that would admit being wrong, and human beings are nearly cognitively incapable of doing so), so he just gets angry at the person he sees as having destroyed everything he knows--Buffy.

[Vampmogs]

I think it's a number of things, and in some ways I think I can relate to Forest without being 'macho.' I've had a friend who I was extremely close with and then he got a new girlfriend and put her before me. Which is to be expected, but to the point where he made no time for myself or others at all, and yeah there's a little bit of resentment there at times.

With Forest it's a bit more complicated than that. The 'family' was falling apart already and it's easy to blame Buffy when it coincidentally happens at the same time she shows up. Not only does she start taking up Riley's time, but she butts heads with Professor Walsh and the "no questions" methods of the Initiative. It was two worlds colliding and Forest seemed rather complacent and cosy in his world. He didn't want that collision. Remembered that he viewed the slayer as a 'myth' when he learnt the slayer was real that expanded his black and white view on the world.

I basically view him just like Riley, both had very short sighted views on the supernatural because they'd been taught that way. Though Riley ultimately embraced the learning and expanded his horizons whilst Forest resisted it and stayed shut off.

And then of course there's the fact that Riley was spending a lot of time with Buffy. He didn't like this, we see them playing the ball game in his bedroom and all Riley talks about is Buffy, he's constantly doing the deed with Buffy, he starts hanging out with Buffy's friends and Forest didn't like this. He also didn’t take to the idea of a girl being stronger to him either, so there’s a bit of a chauvinistic, egotistical nature to Forest on top of everything else.

So that’s my take of it. Buffy shows up and the black and white world of the Initiative begins to fall apart, he looses his friend, his position in the squad and it’s easy for him to direct all this resentment towards Buffy.

[white avenger]

Yeah, Forrest had a "thing" for Riley. For that matter, the "thing" was pretty much mutual. It's called "comrades in arms." There certainly is love involved, as well as concern for the wellbeing one for the other, but I seriously doubt that romance entered into it in any way.

[palabravampiress]

I seem to be the only one getting the Mercutio vibe here... which is good, because I am quite happy to relinquish that interpretation in favor of the much better reasons that you guys have offered up. :-)