Unsouled Spike needed to "belong" and played the part, whether it was being the bad ass slayer killer to impress Drusilla/fanged four, or killing Demons with scoobies so he wouldn't starve to death. He was a survivor but he was also an actor. Again, in GOODBYE IOWA we get the small glimpse of the toll it is taking on him.
Souled Spike was a different story. He told Buffy he was going to leave because of the trigger (Season seven) but she asked him to stay and he complied because she needed him there, not because he was in love with her. (which he was) Also, with the gang, he seemed to feel that they needed him there more than anything. (which was true) It didn't seem that he wanted to hang out with Angel, in fact the opposite.
Also, I loved Gishlane's post on CDS about this. I do think Buffy's feelings weren't just "I hate myself and I'm going to use him". There was so much more than this going on with her. She literally needed him to feel anything, and she wondered why she kept letting him in. So, although their relationship was mutually abusive because of Buffy's depression and Spike's lack of soul, there were also some deep feelings involved there that you simply can't dismiss.
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rosecarmine
(no subject)
Date: 2005-05-10 12:15 am (UTC)Souled Spike was a different story. He told Buffy he was going to leave because of the trigger (Season seven) but she asked him to stay and he complied because she needed him there, not because he was in love with her. (which he was) Also, with the gang, he seemed to feel that they needed him there more than anything. (which was true) It didn't seem that he wanted to hang out with Angel, in fact the opposite.
Also, I loved Gishlane's post on CDS about this. I do think Buffy's feelings weren't just "I hate myself and I'm going to use him". There was so much more than this going on with her. She literally needed him to feel anything, and she wondered why she kept letting him in. So, although their relationship was mutually abusive because of Buffy's depression and Spike's lack of soul, there were also some deep feelings involved there that you simply can't dismiss.