Immortal Love (by Dana)
Something just struck me about my fascination with the Angel/Buffy love saga. I don't really care that much about Buffy. It's Angel that I adore.
Buffy is more a symbol. She is the normal person, you or me, who has been given superpowers thereby shifting her into the darkness of fantasy so she isn't too *real*. But just real enough to be the representation of who we'd like to be mixed with who we are. Because when you get down to it, everyone just drools over Angel. (C'mon, would the show be *nearly* as popular without him?!) The reason we want Buffy with Angel is because he loves her so absolutely. Moreover, people yearn for a beautiful love. A love they can never experience. It would be the ultimate unfairness if fantasy was as cruel as reality.
Angel. The very name echoes through the senses. The epitome of everything ever imagined of the perfect soulmate. In varying degrees, in different forms, a part of us lies in our perception of Buffy. Because we all want an Angel. To love us, to cherish us, to protect us and worship us, as he does Buffy. When you think about it, in reality if Angel and Buffy existed, we'd be calling her a bitch, complaining that she's not worthy of such a man. In this fantasy there is no need to be envious, because we are part of Buffy, and we have an invested interest in their fated love. Because we know we will never have it for ourselves.
Buffy. The very name's verging on the ridiculous. She's cheery, she's naughty, she's not all that bright. In sum, she's pretty normal. But that is where it ends. She is the Slayer, with exceptional powers that place her above us mere mortals. (Also, she's gorgeous and has an endless wardrobe!) We all get sick of ourselves at times, yearn for something to be special about ourselves. That is why we choose to identify with dear Buff. It is no good for Angel to be swept away with us; we need to have something to offer, something that will make us equal. Buffy as an individual character is cool, with Angel, she is wonderful, but with a part of us in her as well - then, she is truly immortal. Because she then becomes a part of us as well.
Examined realistically, Angel and Buffy relationship is not that extraordinary. They have next to nothing in common, their age difference is the ultimate pedaphilia, and they have a severe communication problem. But none of that matters in our minds; because our veiled eyes see the picture differently. Common interests are unimportant, trivial in fact, when it comes to the core of their love: passion. They are magnetised to each other by the force of Fate. Fate. That in itself is a romantic notion nowadays, and we could never use it in our own lives. But would we really want to anyway? Things are so much simpler, so much better in fantasy, that to try to imitate them in reality would be a degredation. Although we crave to share such a love with our Angel, in our heart we do not really want to. Because that would be real. And then the veil is lifted.
Amends (by Neesh)
All my thoughts are jumbled up. I think Amends is the most beautiful episode of Season Three, which is both wonderful and horrible at the same time. Why couldn't Joss have made more, they are so poetic and gut wrenching.
Joss wrote this episode, and I have read that it was sought of a pilot episode for the "Angel" series. When watching Amends I felt that this was how "Angel" would be, a man trying to find forgivemenss, to make "Amends". However, Joss also explained that Angel came back from hell not because of Buffy and "that" ring, but because a "big evil" wanted hime to wreak havoc on Earth. This is Joss at his cruelest towards shipper fans.
The dream sequence is also important, because this could be the way Joss does the Buffy-Angel crossovers. Having already established that they share dreams in "Amends", it would be quite natural if they popped up in each other's dreams from now on, rather than physically entering each others world. Perhaps Joss fells that he will be satisfying the shippers, while not disrupting the flow of either series. Of course, I am only saying this so that it will not happen.
Another point to not is that in "Amends" Jenny Calender in the form of "the One" said to Angel that it was his destiny to feed off Buffy, and he did in G2. Therefore, it was always Joss's plan to carry out the whole suckage thing. This proves that Joss always has a plan for the sequence of the show, and is not haphazardous like some of us think he is. I think I have rambled on long enough, I just have to say that "Amends" is my favourite episode of Season three.
G2 Analysis (by Dana)
Firstly, have to scream about how much I LOVED the blood-suckage scene! Big kiss to you Joss, you're a fanficer's Angel. No, make that God. Anyhoo, I want to take this opportunity to draw the parallel between this scene and the Amends dream sequence where Angel and Buffy do the deed and then he turns and feeds off her. G2 was thus an actualisation of the dream, becuase as any viewer could plainly see, that suckage scene seeped with sexual connotations. The First Evil's words prove to be quite prophetic heard in this providential light:
"Take her. And then you'll be ready... to kill her."
Note that during both opportunities, (the almost-rape in Amends, and the feeding scene in G2), Angel is delirious, 'poisoned'.
Also a nice parallel is the Willow/Oz relationship. In Amends, the concept of love-making for the couple is raised, but Oz declines, preferring to wait until they both "need it for the same reason." Well, that reason apparantly came in G2 (mutual fear), and they too actualised the idea brought up at Christmas in Graduation.
Now to the whole Faith thing. There is a certain parallel between Faith and Angel. In season 2, Angel turned bad, becoming Buffy's enemy, and she spent the latter part of the season trying to summon the courage to kill Angelus, and in the end, she did. How? She stabbed him through the stomache. Compare with season two, where Faith turns bad and becomes Buffy's enemy. Again, Buffy spends the latter part of the season summoning the courage to kill Faith. How? Stab through the stomach. In both cases, Angel and Faith, neither dies. Is there a parallel here or is there a parallel here?
"She wants you to touch her. What are you waiting for?"
Has Joss Been Reading Shakespeare? (by Dana)
Re-watching "Lie To Me", I have suddenly realised that there are major correlations between the Angel-Dru thing and the Hamlet-Ophelia relationship. "I'll show you what I mean":
Angel ... Hamlet:
Drusilla ... Ophelia:
The Buffy World (by Dana)
The realm of BtVs is a completely, entirely different world from that in which we find ourselves, an alternate reality in a sense.
In the world of Buffy, teenagers don't have the petty problems of eating disorders, sexual diseases, alcohol, drugs, domestic violence, or even a helluva lotta homework. The real problems our heroes have to deal with are demons and vampires, saving the world from nightly doom, and being ready for character development in life-threatening situations. And in this world, parents even believe you!
It is the fact that this world is so serious about its absurd reality that makes it work. It believes those supernatural happenings are normal, and we are convinced too. Suddenly it is shows like Dawsons Creek and Ally McBeal that seem ridiculous, for they are unrealistic representations of our own world - the world we choose to escape by turning of the television.
Indeed, it takes the actual Buffy show to remind us how crazy it actually is: Cordelia's line that everyone in the Scooby Gang has a special quality: slayer, watcher, witch, vampire, warewolf, while only Xander is the Zeppo - she puts us in an objective perspective that has completely passed us by because we are so immersed in the Buffy world.
This season there have been hints of making hte show properly serious, to deal with real problems in the world, but I have felt inside that to see that on the screen was wrong, odd, against what BtVS stands for. Take for example, "Anne": the issue of teen homelessness was raised, and we all reeled back and thought; "Hey, this isn't Buffy!" In All Men Are Beasts, the issue of violent couples just semed so inappropriate. We can accept subtle issues as long as they have a connection to non-reality: Xander is bullied at school - but we find out that the victimiser is dead, and anyway later, he wants to be X's psycho-friend, so all is well. Perhaps if we are really looking for meaning, we could infer from the whole Angel losing his soul on obtaining a 'happy', that the message is for teens should no rush headlong into sexual relations in a moment of Passion.
Up until now, the meanest character has been bitchy brainless Cordelia. Now though, evil has the human face of Faith, who is the only 'real' character on the show. Perhaps that is why no viewers like her - she intrudes upon the carefree perilous nature of the Buffy world, leaving dark footprints. It is all right for monsters to be bad; but make it a human and you bring in all the complications of the Real World.
The main attraction of the show, our darling Angel and Buffy, is a love saga of absolutely unbelievable plotline, really; A vampire (oh, with a soul of course), in love with a slayer (240 years his junior, btw). Vamp loses soul, turns bad, terrorises slayer and pals, gets soul back just before Slayer sends him to Hell. Slayer upset but gets over ordeal, just before vamp returns from Hell (reason conveniently unknown), Slayer pushes vamp away but Fate (and hormones) push them back together again. All has returned to normal until Vamp realises that he is bad for Slayer, and leaves to make amends and earn better salary in own t.v. show set in L.A. How silent movie is that?! And yet, we are pulled into a heartwrenching tale of tragic angst unlike any love story on television. And we turn the t.v. off at the end of the credits, wishing for such a love to touch our lives.
BtVS is composed of two worlds: reality, and the night. Reality is school and parents and funnies, while night is Angel, vampires, Angel as a vampire, demons, the Bronze, danger, Angel and danger, and - Angel. It is because those worlds do not mix that they can survive. With them apart, we can still acknowledge detentions and tests, while believing in death plots and magic. It is a balance of worlds within our own balance of worlds: Our real reality, and the Buffy world.
Worlds we are gladly pulled into for one amazing hour a week.
Buffy and her (version of) Angel (by Dana)
**This Thought is inspired by an opinion by Tinkerbell posted on Buffy's Heavenly Angel
Buffy is not in love with Angel. She's in love with only one part of him - and that part she has taken to be the whole. She can only see and only wants to see the human side of him.
Buffy has never accepted Angel's demonic nature; in fact, she would rather forget about it all together. She just wants Angel to be her normal boyfriend - perhaps more so than she wants Angel. In so many ways she is still just a teenage girl out to play the society game.
Perhaps one reason that Buffy tries to ignore Angel's other face is because it is a constant reminder of Angelus and all the evil acts he committed against her. But nevertheless, Angel himself feels guilty and shamed enough of his demon nature. Instead of ignoring it, or wiping it out of existence as suits her best, Buffy should have tried to confront it, and help Angel accept who he is. But perhaps she will never be capable of that. And perhaps inside himself, Angel realises that he will never be what she wants, and she will never be what he needs. Perhaps he can find what he is searching for in LA.
In Buffy's defence, it should be noted that although she is driven by the desire to have a normal life, she would do anything for Angel. She is resentful of Angel's intrusion to her life when he returns from Hell, but she nurses him back to life and defends him to those who are distrustful. In G2 she chooses to sacrifice herself to save him - but perhaps this is due in part to her duty as a Slayer. To Angel, Buffy has always been the Slayer while longing to be normal; and to Buffy, Angel has always been his human self while longing to forget his other side. Perhaps both have been living in denial. It is best that they part ways.
WML1: A- "You shouldn't have to touch me when I'm like this."
B- "oh. I did't even notice."
This is evidenced even more obviously in I Will Remember You, during the bedroom scene, where Buffy comments about finally having her perfect normal moment with her human boyfriend. This raises a whole range of questions about Buffy's regard for her vampire lover. Is Angel no more than a symbol in her life? Is it because he worships and adores her that Buffy loves him? That said, would she fall so deeply in love with an ordinary (lesser) man, if he were to be as intensely in love with her as Angel is. I certainly hope that Angel cannot be so easily replaced in Buffy's affections as that.
The Prom: B- "I've kinda given up on the whole Buffy gets one perfect high school moment."
How selfish was that?! I mean, it's hard enough for him to break up with her let alone have it rubbed it in his face that he is totally inadequate for her life. It was pretty inconsiderate for her to assume that he would want to go to her Prom in the first place. The man is shy enough of people as it is; that's just his character, and she shouldn't be trying to mould him into her ideal boyfriend. In fact it could well be that he still has trouble trying to suppress his vampire temptations, especially in big crowds. But doubtless, this and so many other such considerations have not occured to Buffy's mind.
Angel Graduates Too (by Dana)
This is the perfect end for Angel. Nothing is left in life to live for now that he can no longer be with Buffy, and he has no plans for what to do after leaving Sunnydale. He can finally end this meaningless existence without resorting to the cowardly escape of sunlight. And this way, he can say goodbye to his beloved before he enters the realm of the actually dead.
And then she comes along. Buffy, to whom cowardice is a stranger, will not let Angel take the easy way out. “It’s not over. It’s never over”, she cries, echoing the sentiments that shippers worldwide have been longing to hear. And with the determination of love and duty, Buffy sacrifices herself for the man who holds her heart.
Poor Angel. He did not ask for such an honourable act to be wasted on his useless soul. He would have much preferred to escape his curse of immortality now that life again had returned to darkness. The guilt he must feel! For the past hundred years he has managed to stifle his animal desires and avoid hurting the innocent. And now at the end of the line, he almost kills his precious love to “save his own ass”. The guilt, the shame, the horror. Poor, poor darling.
No wonder he decides to leave without a goodbye. How much would that kill him! After these recent events, he can barely look Buffy in the eyes without wishing he were dead. To continue his pathetic existence with the knowledge that he almost killed the woman who means everything to him, let alone having to live without her – unbearable.
But Buffy would never let him give up so easily. Giles’ line in the hospital about Angel needing to leave before the sun comes up, is indicative of how Angel cannot even contemplate death ever again now that Buffy has risked her own life to save his. Twice now, she has forced him to live, to face life. She has believed in him more than he does in himself. In remembrance of that fact, Angel must try and make amends for all the crimes he has committed. For her.
Thus by the very act of sacrificing herself for him, Buffy has ensured that Angel will never try to take his own life again. For how can he do so after his lover has put herself at such risk for his life? He owes it to her to do something with that life. Even if he must live without her.
Vampires (by Dana)
Vampires are creatures of Passion. They roam in the night, they thrill for the kill, they act on raw emotion. And when they love, oh boy, their passion flares.
Let us consider Spike and Druscilla for example. Now, Spike, bless his soul (woops - he doesn't have one!), pretty much worships the ground that his insane mate dances on. Dru on the other hand, does not share that intensity of affection for Spike. Nay, her inclination lies towards her evil sire - perhaps in the hope of rekindling the fire of their glorious past? At any rate, Spike is devastated by Dru's lack of passion for him, as evidenced in Lovers' Walk. There we see that if a vampire cannot have his/her love returned, it is preferable if the respective lover responds with hate. For hate means that one still inspires passion in another's heart. Thus what hurts Spike most is the fact that Dru doesn't even have enough regard for him to hate him, or even kill him. Being 'just friends' is unbearable for lovers. That indicates a neutrality of emotion - a lack of the life of love - passion.
Thus, Angelus' torturing, tormenting, and terrorising of Buffy illustrates his inner unwilling hunger for her. It is not merely the triumph of killing a Slayer that he seeks. No, Angelus' personal attatchment towards Buffy is overpowering, despite his loathing of the situation. It may not be the conventional tender love which Angel felt, but it is an equally potent, violent passion for the Slayer. For as even he understands, Angelus is a Passionate creature, and to deny that Passion is to deny the essence of existence. And so he loves. And so he lives.
Concluding Amends (by Dana)
In so many ways, I see more and more just how much Graduation is the sequal and resolution to the issues raised in Amends. Let's do a parallel analysis:
Amends=blue, G2=green
Christmas shopping accidental B/A meeting: Buffy sense something is wrong with Angel, set outside
Discussion ourside dead professor's appartment: Buffy sees Angel struck by the arrow. Both encounters are full of tension and end with the entrance of evil.
Angel goes to Giles house: suspicion, Angel feels bad and ashamed for his actions
Giles at Hospital: suspicion about what has happened to cure Angel, Angel feels bad and ashamed for actions.
Dream seqenceSuckage scene: actualisation of dream
Buffy's room, Angel delirious: "Leave me alone" when Buffy offers help and he is tempted by her neck.
Angel's mansion, delirious Angel: tries to run away from Buffy when she offers her neck.
Faith takes care of others while Buffy goes to save Angel
Faith poisons Angel, kills herself before letting Buffy save him.
"I'll never hurt her." "Have you learnt nothing? You were born to hurt her. As long as you are alive -" "Then I'll die."
Angel hurts Buffy. His death is his departure.
Hilltop vs Pre-Suckage
"If I can't convince you that you belong in this world then I don't know what can. But do not expect me to mourn for you and don't expect me to - "
Angel telilng Buffy to leave // Angel refusing Buffy's offer
Buffy is so anxious to save Angel, tries to convince him. In Amends, she is trying to make amends for sending him to Hell. As it turns out, somthing else saves the day. But in G2, that something else doesn't work, and so it is up to Buffy. She finishes what she began in Amends, and thus concludes her duty to Angel and repents her wrong.
Angel is ready to die in both. Amends - he is given strength by Buffy to continue. G2 - he is given strength by Buffy to continue. Only this time, he cannot try to die again, because she has almost died saving him: it is his duty to her to live and repent his wrongs.
Angel hits Buffy // Buffy hits Angel
"I hate that it's so hard, and that you can hurt me so much, I know everything that you did because you did it to me."
Library: Buffy is mad with Angel, because despite all her defences, hurt her *so* much.
Buffy can't convince him that he belongs with her, she knows that. But she will not mourn for him and allow him to keep on hurting her: hand up, library scene.
In G2, Angel hurst Buffy in the ultimate way, giving into the temptation raised in Amends. He is a killer, that is all "I am, were, and ever shall be." Ashamed of what he is, he must leave before he hurts her even more because "he wants her so badly." Thus Angel leaves his love and Sunnydale a weak, hopeless, despairing and lonely creature of the darkness. Having been saved so many times by others, he is on the road to make amends for his sins.
