Can Buffy and Angel be friends?

Mrs Gordo

Mrs Gordo

Bangel extremist...
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Black Thorn
Spike once famously said, a long long time ago (in a buffyverse far far away), that Angel and Buffy weren't friends and they would never be friends.

Do you think that holds up today? Taking into account all of their history as well as where their characters are today, how things have changed/progressed, could Buffy and Angel learn to be friends? And if so, do you think we will ever see such a dynamic in the comics?
 
Nope. They could certainly keep their feelings in check and be around each other if they needed to be, but with their history and the pull they always have to each other a true friendship seems impossible.
 
Skanky Vamp
Skanky Vamp
Exactly. But I don't even think she and Riley could be friends.
Normally, I think it is a beautiful thing when past lovers can be friends, but this is supposed to be epic, romantic love, not real life. A casual friendship would cheapen the drama of the early seasons.
 
I think you have to make a distinction between whether they can ever be 'just friends', or whether they can develop a friendship within a relationship. It's difficult to say because IMO much of the chemistry of the relationship came from the way SMG and DB played off each other - the eye contact, the body language in each other's presence - which is something you can't really replicate in another format like the comics. Based on what we saw on the shows I'm inclined to say 'no' to the first because I feel like there will always be something more there between them even if they kept it in check around each other, but I'd say 'yes' to the second.
 
I don't think so because they love and want each other too much. Friendship wouldn't be enough for Buffy and Angel because they would want more. Trying to be friends when they weren't in the beginning would be taking them back to a place Buffy and Angel weren't.
 
EarthLogic said:
I think you have to make a distinction between whether they can ever be 'just friends', or whether they can develop a friendship within a relationship. It's difficult to say because IMO much of the chemistry of the relationship came from the way SMG and DB played off each other - the eye contact, the body language in each other's presence - which is something you can't really replicate in another format like the comics. Based on what we saw on the shows I'm inclined to say 'no' to the first because I feel like there will always be something more there between them even if they kept it in check around each other, but I'd say 'yes' to the second.
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Yeah I meant the former. And I guess I mean from the writers perspective, can they bring Angel back into the Buffy title and have them interact as friends, without the romance - or does that seem unrealistic.

As @WillowFromBuffy says that does somewhat undercut the previous seasons, including s8 where they screwed a universe into existence. It’s hard to be just friends with someone who you created Eden with....

I’ll go ahead and say that I think Buffy could be just friends with Riley just fine.
 
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How would you describe their relationship now? I guess there's not really a term for it. It's a version of friendship. They're not together, but they still care about each other. They are still, at least in a small way, part of each others' lives.

Do I think they could, like, live next door to each other and hang out all the time? Probably not. They both have somewhat jealous personalities, so I think it would eat at them, even if they mutually decided that acting on any lingering feelings was something they didn't want to do. And if they were both single in this scenario, then definitely not. They might pretend for awhile, but eventually something would happen.

dcai0830 said:
I’ll go ahead and say that I think Buffy could be just friends with Riley just fine.
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Do you think they are friends in the comics, or do you think it's more of just a professional relationship?
 
Grace said:
How would you describe their relationship now?
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Well what I'm asking is can they have a friendship where they live and interact in each other's worlds. Like her and Xander or her and Dowling. And I'm not only asking as a shipper but I'm also wondering, for purposes of the comics would the writers be able to bring them under the same title working near each other as friends but without a romantic angle. Is a story like that believable.

You mentioned that it would be hard if they were single but what if Buffy continued her relationship with Spike? And Angel moved back to help long term. To me its pretty inconceivable that they could co-exist without being drawn together because that is all we have ever seen. But if they wanted to show that they had finally moved on (or at least that Buffy had) that would be the way to do it right?

Grace said:
Do you think they are friends in the comics, or do you think it's more of just a professional relationship?
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I think they are pretty much only interacting on a professional level and its only the few times here and there right? But I think if Riley and Sam were around more they would make a good team.
 
dcai0830 said:
You mentioned that it would be hard if they were single but what if Buffy continued her relationship with Spike?
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That's what I meant when I was talking about the jealous personalities. I think Angel would not be able to handle watching that all the time, and if Angel had a girlfriend (or, you know, even just hugged someone else, lol), Buffy would feel the same way. I feel like they would constantly be telling each other they needed space until Angel actually did leave (assuming he was coming into Buffy's book, because they'd never put her full-time in his).

And, honestly, even if I could believe that Buffy and Angel could just be friends while constantly interacting all the time, I could never believe that Angel and Spike could get along in that situation. They can barely get along when Buffy is on a different continent.

Now that Angel's been spun off, I don't think he can ever be unspun. He could be merged into a "Buffy & Angel," but not squeezed back into the current BtVS for long, at least in my opinion.
 
My answer is no.

There is too much history and unresolved feelings between Buffy and Angel for them to be friends. They could retain a professional relationship when they only see each other occasionally but if they were around each other on the regular, something would give.

Angel is best kept away from Buffy on account of the fact that if he is around her then it would feel forced for them NOT to be together, and if they do get together then it makes Buffy look bad for ditching Spike to be with Angel as if Spike was just a bed warmer.

Spike is too beloved by fans for him to be treated like that, so the only option is if Spike dumps Buffy which serves the dual purpose of Spike choosing to end the relationship for whatever reason, which in turn leaves Buffy free to be with Angel.
 
I can't see them being friends either. They obviously still care about each other and will be there if the other needs them, as they would for a friend. But I don't think they could ever just feel platonic affection for each other. There's too much history there and they've never had closure.

I don't see Angel coming back to the buffy title as it is now. It would imply too much conflict and tension between the characters and I don't think the comics writers are interested in that, based on the last few seasons.

As for Spuffy ending, I'm torn on it. I would love it if Buffy chose to break up with Spike, but I also think it would be refreshing to see Spike break up with her. It would certainly make his character more interesting to me. I can't see any of those 2 options happen though so I think we're stuck with Spuffy.
 
No they can't be friends. Way too much evidence points to them not being able to just be friends. Too much history, pain, and love there.

Pre-chip Spike was pretty insightful.
He was dead on in Lover's Walk "You're not friends. You'll never be friends. You'll be in love til it kills you both."
-which she killed him in s2
-he drained her in s3

At the end of Lover's Walk Buffy tells Angel "What I want from you I can never have."
-Angel still wants to try to be friends so Buffy asks him to tell her that he doesn't love her and all we get is silence

In the Prom Angel breaks up with Buffy and tells her he is going to leave because they both know if he stays they will just end up back together

IWRY
The sewer talk where Buffy tells him "I just know that when you're around I feel you, inside. And it throws me."
Angel tells her that being around her isn't just difficult it's unbearable
This is all because they still want each other
So they agree to keep their distance until a lot of time has passed so they can forget.
-The problem with this is they won't ever forget what they shared

Forever
Buffy asks him to stay in town Forever, they kiss and realize it's a bad idea because they will fall into old habits

Selfless
Buffy admits that she has never loved anything more in this life than Angel

Chosen
Buffy and Angel kiss and both still admit to wanting/hoping for some type of future together

There are far more examples, but these are the ones I could come up with on the top of my head
Every time they are around each other some type of pull happens. They can't physically be around each other without kissing, confessing feelins, or hurting one other because they are still so hurt over the past and the fact they both know they can't be together.
They could never be friends.
 
my parents were like that. even at my wedding after being separated almost all my life, they flirted and (maybe more) but give them half an hour and they would be like howling beasts. Ihe thing people don't get about exes sometimes is this: All the things that drew them together can still remain, even though all the things that drove them apart also are still present.

They may still be attracted, but fundamentally even come close to hating each other (and hating themselves for the conflict). Real life isn't neat. Just because two people should never be together doesn't mean they can't be VERY attracted or have residual affection, sometimes even LOVE.

I think Spike was entirely right.
 
append. I think my lover killing my friends, my mentor's lover and random schoolmates is kind of a deal killer. the kind one doesn't get over. And of course, this doesn't include the trying to suck the world into hell thing... yeah, no. oh and this forced her to basically 'kill' him? sure. They can be friends. On a very cold day. In a very frozen hell.

And on Angel's side of the register.... she sent him to HELL for decades... I wouldn't get over that, even if i did 'understand'.

Friendship requires TRUST and mutual respect. Attraction and history isn't enough.
I have history with my enemies too.
 
DeepBlueJoy said:
And on Angel's side of the register.... she sent him to HELL for decades... I wouldn't get over that, even if i did 'understand'.

Friendship requires TRUST and mutual respect. Attraction and history isn't enough.
I have history with my enemies too.
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1st, Buffy sending Angel to hell isn't even a factor here. He forgave her and that has NEVER been an issue between them.

2nd, Buffy and Angel had plenty of trust and definitely respected each other a lot. It's not like there was only attraction between the 2. They deeply cared about each other as was shown even after Angel left Sunnydale. It's not a "I'll always be attracted to my ex even though I hate him". There's no hate there AT ALL. So I don't get your point about having an history with your enemies?
 
Buffy and Angel are not enemies, there was miscommunication and misunderstanding sure but season 10 shows that they are on good terms. The word enemies seems very pretty far from what I would characterize their relationship.

Certainly the events that cited regarding s2-3 were a non-issue she still loved him after the Angelus period and he loved her despite the hell thing (it was a non-issue). Considering the last Buffy saw Angel in the show she was like:

Bangel-in-Chosen-buffy-the-vampire-slayer-26477534-500-222.gif


I see no hate here. Only love.
 
If asked back in season 7 I would probably said no.
But today considering the latest comics for both Buffy and Angel I can actually see it working for them as friends.

/SK
 
No, never gonna happen. Like Spike said They were never friends ans they will never be friends. They can try but there will always be history between them and unfinished business.
 
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