happy endings

[deird_lj]

Someone, recently, was commenting on the Buffy/Spike comic cover that was released – you know, the one with them fighting back-to-back. And they pointed out that, in fact, none of the Dark Horse people thought it was a shippy cover, because they didn’t realise that Buffy and Spike fighting back-to-back is incredibly shippy from a Spuffyish perspective.

In fact, a shippy Bangel cover is going to look very different from a shippy Spuffy cover, just because the two groups of fans have very different ideas about what a happy outcome is.


Which is all a long, roundabout way of saying that I’ve been thinking about what happy endings I’d want for each character…


Buffy:
- ends up in a relationship with someone (although not Angel)
- goes shopping for clothes and tacky souvenirs
- is also in charge of the Slayers – because she finally doesn’t have to choose between slayage and shopping expeditions

Angel:
- doesn’t end up in a relationship with anyone
- instead, drops in on all the Scoobies from time to time, and makes broody jokes that they only get a few hours after he’s left
- gets to watch Connor grow up

Spike:
- either dies in a blaze of spectacular fighting glory, or ends up with Buffy
- spends a lot of time hanging out with Dawn and trying to beat her at poker
- also makes fun of Buffy’s constant glaring at and subtle threatening of all Dawn’s boyfriends

Dawn:
- becomes a brilliant Watcher
- has a run of incredibly cool boyfriends, and then decides to go out with Andrew instead
- lives in Boston

Faith:
- ends up as joint head of the Slayers, at Buffy’s request (protesting this decision constantly, and making repeated attempts to step down)
- probably ends up single (but I’m not entirely sure)
- develops a secret passion for museums, but tries not to let anyone know, in case it hurts her cred

Comments

[angearia.livejournal.com]

Someone, recently, was commenting on the Buffy/Spike comic cover that was released – you know, the one with them fighting back-to-back. And they pointed out that, in fact, none of the Dark Horse people thought it was a shippy cover, because they didn’t realise that Buffy and Spike fighting back-to-back is incredibly shippy from a Spuffyish perspective.

In fact, a shippy Bangel cover is going to look very different from a shippy Spuffy cover, just because the two groups of fans have very different ideas about what a happy outcome is.



THIS SOUNDS LIKE ME. :P


Here's my wishes for Buffy: That she's happy. Genuinely happy. That she's in a relationship with someone that doesn't define her, but allows her to be her best self, to be her true self. I want her to find the safe space to let her heart be open again. Please, be healed, Buffy. I love you and your pain is killing me.

[timeofchange.livejournal.com]

I love these!

[rahirah]

Sounds reasonable. Joss, make it so!

(OK, in my ideal world I would replace Andrew with... well, just about anyone (Sorry! I can only take him in very small doses.))

[velvetwhip.livejournal.com]

Having not read the comics, I cannot comment, but I love the idea of Buffy devoting her life to tacky souvenirs.


Gabrielle

[peroxidepirate.livejournal.com]

I love your happy endings up there! Absolutely brilliant.

Well, I'm not sure about Dawn/Andrew... I don't unship (unship? Sure) them, but neither do I particularly ship them.

Oh, I see Faith in a series of relatively short relationships, though not necessarily one-night stands. Unless she's with Buffy -- if that were to happen, it would have to last.

[slaymesoftly.livejournal.com]

These are great. And so true.

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

I love your thoughts. Except that I still can't buy Dawn/Andrew for long. And just curious--why Boston? Not that I'm opposed to her in Boston, I just hadn't associated her with it.

[dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com]

I love that Godzilla is on the Spuffy cover. Oh, and a monster that looks like it could be Gahmora (spelling?) - you know, the giant flying turtle? - he was always my favorite of the Japanese b-movie monster when I was growing up.

[bluemage55.livejournal.com]

I see Faith resolving her parent issues by forming a father-daughter bond with Giles, and I feel as though the "No Future For You" arc and the "Safe" one-shot intended exactly this. Once Faith deals with those problems, she could then have a healthy romantic relationship with someone, but remaining single would be a valid option. With her sex drive, she'd still be getting action regardless.

I'm not sure who she would end up with though, but definitely not Robin and probably not Angel. Robin and his mommy issues don't work out given that Faith isn't exactly maternal, and their prior breakup doesn't help. I ship Angel/Faith as friends, and perhaps temporary bed-buddies, but not long-term.


I'm sure my opinion on Buffy is controversial given the prevalence of Bangels and Spuffies, but I don't see her ending up with either Angel or Spike. I agree with the general idea in "The Girl in Question" that it was time for all three to move on. Angel and Spike will always have a place in Buffy's heart and vice versa, but her relationships need to enhance her, not define and consume her identity. Buffy needs to be whoever she wants to be, Chosen One and all.

[ladyofthelog.livejournal.com]

Dawn in Boston makes me happy, as I am hoping to move to Boston next year!

I like Faith/Giles, but I don't think I like it to the exclusion of Faith by herself/having adventures. Hmmm. Now I am all thoughtful-like.

[eilowyn.livejournal.com]

Angel:
- doesn’t end up in a relationship with anyone

Okay, my thing with Angel: comes directly from an exchange in The Wedding Singer. No, really:

(paraphrasing here)
Julia (Drew Barrymore): Sometimes I think I'm meant to roam the world alone.
Robbie (Adam Sandler): Like The Incredible Hulk?

This is how I see Angel: roaming the world, righting wrongs, listening to Mannilow, and keeping close tabs on his son, but ultimately being alone. The only person I could have seen him with long-term was Cordy (because Cordy snaps him out of his broody bullshit, while being around Buffy encouages it - and once again I ask if the writers of Season 8 ever saw any of AtS? That Angel? Totally different, mostly decent guy (and me calling him decent is a big deal for me) Broody McBrooderson in a mask has jack shit to do with AtS Angel), and with Cordy gone (dear god, I hope the move to DH means they can bring Cordy back!), I can't see him in any long term, deep relationship with anyone, and his long-term relationship with Connor is loving yet rocky, so the hulking forehead might as well paint himself green (nice tribute to Lorne in that) and make himself the Hulk for realz.

[elisi]

In fact, a shippy Bangel cover is going to look very different from a shippy Spuffy cover, just because the two groups of fans have very different ideas about what a happy outcome is.
*nods a lot* It's like the_royal_anna's summary of the two ships made real:

If I started drawing a comparison of the Buffy/Angel and the Buffy/Spike relationships, I'd go on forever, but in all honesty, I don't know that there's anything to be gained by it. I've seen so many discussions of which of the two Buffy loved more, but I don't know that we love in amounts. We love in ways.

Besides, I suspect Buffy/Angel shippers either have a different concept of love to mine, or a different concept of what they want from a fictional love story. I can't argue with that.

All I can say is when I think of some of the key scenes each of them share, I think of them this way.

When I think of Buffy and Angel, they are always standing opposite one another, face-to-face. They are looking only at each other, caught in the moment, still, timeless, static.

When I think of Buffy and Spike, most often they are side by side. I think of the back doorstep in Fool For Love, in Flooded, the moment he sits down beside her in Touched, the night he holds her while she lies awake in Chosen.

That says it all for me.

[flake-sake.livejournal.com]

I agree with your neat endings. I think if Cordelia would have survived the whole deal I would have liked to see her with Angel.

I very much agree on the shipping cover issue. And on the whole I think the most effective way to kill Spike/Buffy for Spuffies would be to make it like Bangel. Without the snark and the sizzle but destined instead.

[jl-in-the-lane.livejournal.com]

In fact, a shippy Bangel cover is going to look very different from a shippy Spuffy cover, just because the two groups of fans have very different ideas about what a happy outcome is.


THIS IS VERY VERY INTERESTING.

I WANT TO TALK ABOUT HOW PICTURES AND STANCES ETC ETC RELATE TO SHIPPING AND CHEMISTRY.

BECAUSE YOU KNOW HOW OBSESSED I AM WITH DISSECTING ALL THAT STUFF.

MORE META. MOOOOOOOOOOOORE.

[beer-good-foamy.livejournal.com]

Actually, given his actions in Season 8, I'm not sure I like the idea of Angel getting to swagger off the noble lone hero. Wouldn't it be nice if there was a footnote to the Twilight prophecy that said that if he failed to destroy the world, he'd have to spend the rest of his unlife in the Twilight dimension with, say, Harmony? They could make her glow, so it would even be a happy ending. ;)

[jnb71976.livejournal.com]

Dawn:
- becomes a brilliant Watcher
- has a run of incredibly cool boyfriends, and then decides to go out with Andrew instead
- lives in Boston

I like this scenario. This scenario ought to happen. Yep.

[libco.livejournal.com]

Agreed!