SLAYER

over a year ago, i made this meme & since then, it’s blown up. so, over a year later — i thought i would make a new one. so here it is, after several requests & a pile of brains,  THE PRE-ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIP MEME 0.2 send me a  ✿  and i’ll fill out the template below. bold for things i could definitely see or want, italics for things i could see or am unsure of and striked out for things i don’t want or cannot see.

FRIENDSHIP.     childhood friends  /  work buddies or coworkers  /  family friends  /  friends with benefits  /  smoking buddies  /  adventure buddies  /  fake friends  /  recently friends  /  party buddies  /  friendship of need  /  dying friendship  /  circumstantial friendship  /  partners in crime  /  old friendship  /  [ your muse ] is the good influence  /  [ your muse ] is the bad influence  /  [ my muse ] is the good influence  /  [ my muse ] is the bad influence  /  opposites attract  /  ride or die  /  frenemies  /  roommates or flatmates  /  penpals  /  exes to friends  /  enemies to friends  /  other

ROMANCE.     childhood sweethearts  /  [ your muse is mines ] childhood crush  /  [ my muse is yours ] childhood crush  /  exes  /  exes to lovers  /  forbidden lovers  /  highschool sweethearts  /  secret relationship  /  opposites attract  /  long distance  /  unrequited [ from your muses side ]  /  unrequited [ from my muses side ]  /  unrequited [ from both sides ]  /  skinny love  /  friends to lovers  /  enemies to lovers  /  spurious relationship  /  power couple  /  newly entered  /  soulmates [ metaphorical ]  /  soulmates  [ literal ]  /  awkward  /  turning toxic  /  toxic love  /  cheating [ on your muse ]  /  cheating [ with your muse ]  /  other 

FAMILIAL.     siblings [ half ]  /  siblings [ step ]  /  [ my muse ] is an older sibling figure to your younger sibling figure  /  [ my muse ] is a younger sibling figure to your older sibling figure muse  /  [ my muse ] is a parental figure to yours  /  [ my muse ] is a child figure to your muse  /  guardian figure  /  legal guardian  /  adoptive child  /  foster child  /  [ your muse ] is taken under mines wing  /  [ my muse ] is taken under yours wing  /  other

The Potentials are obviously essential, not just to the plot, but to the season’s central idea of analysing and redefining the concept of the Slayer. I don’t think a version of S7 that doesn’t include Buffy taking the Potentials into her house could work. Kennedy is kind of essential among them to be the “experienced” voice in the room. Robin Wood again ties into the idea of the Slayer history, and also to Buffy being haunted by the people she couldn’t save. Bringing Nikki back into the mix is a great move for Spike’s arc too, as it forces us to reckon with how a core part of Spike’s image and identity is built on this violent act that destroyed a family. Andrew brings a whole new perspective that is really interesting, being this outside observer who gives us this slanted angle on the show we’re used to, as well adding to the many quasi-redeemed sinners of S7 (Willow, Spike, Faith, Anya). The execution of these subplots is up for debate - but I think there’s real value in all of them and I can see why the writers chose to bring them in.

But Spike’s trigger and period as a sleeper agent for the First is one of those plots that feels like a big deal, but ultimately doesn’t add anything that wasn’t already there. It doesn’t affect the plot meaningfully, and it doesn’t change anyone’s perspective on Spike. Buffy was wary of Spike but wanting to honour the fact he was now ensouled before the trigger plot, and she was wary-but-forgiving afterwards. Robin hated Spike already, and hated him afterwards. Xander was already distrustful, and the other Scoobies on the fence. It’s a needless complication. It suggests that Spike might not be entirely trustworthy, but none of the characters really trusted Spike at that point; they all had good reason to keep him at a distance. It’s utterly redundant. Spike himself isn’t even greatly affected by it. The scene in Never Leave Me where Spike asks Buffy to kill him is interesting because it seems to instantly realise the limits of this plot. He says he’s done bad things, Buffy immediately states that he wasn’t in control, so Spike brings up the things that he did as a soulless unchipped vampire. A mind-control plot means we can’t really hold Spike’s actions against him, and the show realises that and so has to go back to his actions pre-chip to mine drama - which was already there, rendering the sleeper-agent plot pointless. There’s nothing to do with it other than shrug and move on. It’s a narrative cul-de-sac.