Which characters were best for Buffy?

Myself I would say -
Joyce - she was there for Buffy & gave her a good upbringing in Sunnydale unlike a lot of the parents there .
Dawn - she gave Buffy a reason to live & someone to care for when things were rough .
Giles - In the latter seasons you could see he cared for Buffy in spite of what he was taught .
Willow - She was her best friend & was there for Buffy . She really cared for her .
 
Fool for Buffy
Fool for Buffy
Same as my list :)
Giles: he was a solid father figure until the what I like to call the "wtf seasons of s6 & s7" occurred
Joyce: she wasn't as terrible as some of the fandom likes to say she is, and at the end of the day she really did care about Buffy and Buffy was a lot happier and stable when her mother was alive
Angel: he helped her in so many ways. He was her lover, her friend, her ally, her equal. He was always there for her to be vulnerable. When he left, I felt like she lost the person she felt she could be completely herself around until Tara soooo
Tara: Buffy had someone again in her life she felt she could be vulnerable with, too bad that was quickly killed- figuratively & literally
The scoobies: They were her support system. Maybe they didn't help her grow, but without a support system you could and most likely would digress. Even Spike points out that the only reason Buffy has lasted this long is bc of her ties to the world
 
I really don't understand the replies which say that Spike was "good" for Buffy or helped her. How did anything he did in Season 6 benefit her? All he did was alienate her from her friend, feed into her depression, take advantage of her fractured state of mind, abuse her, push her sexual boundaries and assault her. How is any of that helpful? Then in Season 7 he manipulates her with the soul, makes out that she wronged him, refuses to acknowledge the damage he caused her, is perfectly happy to have her coddle and baby him and enables her more extreme actions not to mention how he, once again, helps to isolate her from her friends and family, the ones who truly are good for her. I mean, yikes.

I think in the early seasons The Scoobies and Giles were extremely good for Buffy, helping to keep her tied to humanity, providing her with support, being her confidantes and going into battle with her time and again, not to mention they literally save her life several times. The later seasons are debatable, as past Season 5, the Scoobies are pretty fractured and self-centered (and this includes Buffy).

Joyce was actually really good for Buffy. She was a link to Buffy's humanity and, as we see when she dies, she really kept a big burden from being placed on Buffy's shoulders (that of adulthood and early responsibility) allowing Buffy to really concentrate on her Slayer duties. When Joyce does die, Buffy is never really the same and the extra responsibility put on her shoulders greatly affects her.

I want to say that Angel was good for Buffy, and he initially was, but the Angelus period kind of messes that up and in Season 3 his initial return actually has more of a detrimental effect on her. It's not until he leaves and is there for her when she needs it (but is not a constant presence in her life) that he becomes good for her again and can offer her support and love when needed (such as when he comes to see her when Joyce dies).
 
Fool for Buffy
Fool for Buffy
To be fair, Buffy alienates herself in season 6
I think in the early seasons Buffy's connection to humanity was what set her apart from other slayers. That she had a caring mother, a supportive watcher/father figure, that she had good friends (Willow/Xander) and that she was able to fall in love with a guy who understood her calling and lived in her "freaky world." (Angel). Each of these relationships made Buffy a better person and a better slayer because it gave her a purpose outside of just fighting/slaying (otherwise she would've been Kendra or Wishverse!Buffy). None of these relationships remained perfect throughout the run of the show. For example, Angel losing his soul caused Buffy a great deal of trauma and that experience was not good for her. But like many of her traumas, it was something she overcame and learned from. In the later seasons, I think Tara was also someone who provided Buffy with a much needed shoulder to cry on when others were unavailable and she was a positive influence for Buffy. But towards the end, Buffy suffers from having frayed relationships with the friends and family that had previously provided her that human connection.
 
RachM said:
I really don't understand the replies which say that Spike was "good" for Buffy or helped her. How did anything he did in Season 6 benefit her? All he did was alienate her from her friend, feed into her depression, take advantage of her fractured state of mind, abuse her, push her sexual boundaries and assault her.
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I think Spike's behavior towards Buffy made Buffy realize some things about herself and made her stronger; adversity and abuse can sometimes do that if you can bear it (obviously I'm talking about fictional characters going through bad stuff).
But the thing is the 'help' was entirely incidental to Spike's true goal, so he gets no credit whatsoever. Buffy got the strength to dump him, not live in darkness, and move on to what's important.
Hmn, maybe I should've given Riley some credit for helping her in S6 even though he really had nothing to benefit from it. Yeah, I'm adding Riley post-relationship

Oh, and its the same with S7; Spike was there to get/demand forgiveness not to help Buffy initially; but by the halfway point Buffy needed validation so she wanted him around (even though he was a proven liability by that point); so zero credit there either.
 
Agreed with you on Season 6 . Spike did so bad things to Buffy in that season . Like that scene where they by the roof & Spike saying she belongs up therewith him instead of with her friends . But I also think he did better in S 7 myself.
 
RachM said:
Then in Season 7 he manipulates her with the soul, makes out that she wronged him, refuses to acknowledge the damage he caused her,
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How does he make out that she wronged him or refuse to acknowledge the damage he caused her?
"I hurt you Buffy." (Help)
"You know what I did" (Same Time Same Place)
"I could never ask. Not after..." (Selfless)
"I never truly hated myself back then. Not like I do now" (Never Leave Me)
"Kill me" (Never Leave Me)

To me, this is him acknowledging his wrongdoing and how he hurt Buffy and being honest with her and himself. Eventually he decides it would be best for her to kill him. I don't think he's manipulating her.
 
Fool for Buffy said:
How does he make out that she wronged him or refuse to acknowledge the damage he caused her?
"I hurt you Buffy." (Help)
"You know what I did" (Same Time Same Place)
"I could never ask. Not after..." (Selfless)
"I never truly hated myself back then. Not like I do now" (Never Leave Me)
"Kill me" (Never Leave Me)

To me, this is him acknowledging his wrongdoing and how he hurt Buffy and being honest with her and himself. Eventually he decides it would be best for her to kill him. I don't think he's manipulating her.
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But he also points out enough times how much she wronged him and basically victim blames her. Both can't be true. He's either humbled enough by the soul to admit what he did and doesn't put any more blame on her (especially since his final act was attempted rape) or he doesn't really mean it when he acknowledges his mistakes. He might have the right to blame her for using him (which she did) except Buffy has never made a secret out of that in S6, she told him up front that that was what she was doing. And he took it willingly. So to blame for her for that is nonsense anyway.
 
RomanticSoul said:
But he also points out enough times how much she wronged him and basically victim blames her. Both can't be true. He's either humbled enough by the soul to admit what he did and doesn't put any more blame on her (especially since his final act was attempted rape) or he doesn't really mean it when he acknowledges his mistakes. He might have the right to blame her for using him (which she did) except Buffy has never made a secret out of that in S6, she told him up front that that was what she was doing. And he took it willingly. So to blame for her for that is nonsense anyway.
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When does he victim blame her? He acknowledged that she used him in Never Leave Me. Not because he is trying to pin something on her, but because he finally understands why she did it. But he does not "point out how much she wronged him." I seriously can't think of any other incident where he comes close to blaming her. As far as your either or, I'm not sure how those are exclusive. He can be humbled by the soul and admit what he did, (which he does) and he can mean it when he acknowledges his mistakes. In fact, those go hand in hand.
 
Fool for Buffy said:
When does he victim blame her?
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He does appear to want her to understand that his current condition of suffering is attributable to rhe decision he made “for her” as well as wanting an acknowledgement that she has made him suffer before he has a soul. Some examples I have seen on re-watch:

Beneath You
“Hey, hey, hey! No touching. Am I flesh? Am I flesh to you? Feed on flesh. My flesh. Nothing else. Not a spark. (nods) Oh, fine. Flesh then. Solid through. (starts unzipping his pants) Get it hard; service the girl.” His expressing that he was just about sex for her and he resents that and that lead him to get a soul. And the of course the line “It’s what you wanted right?” But perhaps Spike gets a pass here because he is out of his mind? I don’t give him one but I can see where others would.

Never Leave Me:
After he tells her about the torture he went through to get the soul “for her” (Which he certainly didn’t have to share unless he wanted to make her feel guilty about what he went through) he goes on with “Meaning I have come to redefine the words pain and suffering since I fell in love with you.” Then “You used me.”

Whether you think that these are fair points for him to bring up is, of course, a matter of opinion. I personally did not feel his accusations were warrented.
 
Fool for Buffy
Fool for Buffy
Yes these are fair points. I appreciate your perspective. I just can't decide if I agree on Beneath You. In some of my claims he was insane too :)
I think in Beneath You he wasn't saying that was the reason as much as he liked her & Buffy never did .
That as why he keep going after her & I sure his getting a soul was a lot more twisted instead of trying to make Buffy
feel guilty I think.
 
Dawn: She was the embodiment of everything Buffy was created to protect. In season 5 Buffy was struggling with how being the slayer was making her hard, a fighter, a killer. Dawn is a reminder that, while Buffy might be those things, she is also guardian and protector to the innocent. The fact that she ends up needing to be Dawns guardian in every way when their mother died he helps ground Buffy to her humanity.
 
PaulParmar1 said:
Which characters do you feel helped Buffy evolve the most & were the best for her?
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This is a great question!

In no particular order:

1. Spike.

Spike was not always the best for Buffy, but in the end, I believe her relationship with him helped her evolve the most. Firstly, Spike challenged Buffy to be a better leader and better Slayer. He supported her when she needed encouragement the most. Though in many ways he puts her of a pedestal, he is also the first to call her out on a bad decision. He is her rock, her best friend, her biggest supporter. She is her best fighting side by side him.

2 Giles.

Without Giles and his unrelenting insistence that she be her best, Buffy wouldn't be the Slayer and leader that she is today. Giles was a huge influence on her, and acted as her father figure when she needed it the most.

3 Dawn

Dawn taught Buffy unconditional love. Sacrificing herself for Dawn was, arguably, the first truly selfless act we see Buffy do. I think Buffy's relationship with her sister enriched her life immeasurably.
 
RomanticSoul said:
Nah. It's just Spike being his usual multi personality self. Just like he was pre-soul.
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I wouldn't say he has multiple personalities before his soul, but after the violent introduction of his soul into his psyche, his mind seems naturally fragmented.
 
WillowFromBuffy said:
I wouldn't say he has multiple personalities before his soul, but after the violent introduction of his soul into his psyche, his mind seems naturally fragmented.
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You can find anything Spike has said or done and find him doing or saying the complete opposite. Sometimes even in the same freaking scene/sentence. If they had ever let the real Spike stand up (instead of him being a plot puppy) I might take his character more seriously. But they never did so it's fun to bash his various personalities.
 
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