#btvs thoughts

It's sooo infuriating how Riley is framed as 'the one who got away' when really he's 'the one who was so cripplingly insecure that he couldn't handle his girlfriend being stronger than him and having her own problems because he's made his entire identity about his girlfriend instead of getting the fuck over himself'

Favourite season - easily season 2. It isn't as consistent as 3 or 5 but I think it has higher highs. Even the weaker episodes that feel like leftovers from season 1 have parts that I like - Ampata's parallels to Buffy's journey in Inca Mummy Girl, Willow telling off Giles & Angel for the way they've been treating Buffy in Reptile Boy, for example. Cordelia's integration into the group. Spike and Dru are great villains who give some background to Angel. The entire Angelus arc is amazing. I was never particularly that invested in Buffy/Angel as a couple but it gave the story a real emotional anchor that, maybe bar Faith in s3, they've never managed to replicate with the villain. The way you can see the show finding it's feet and developing into something great is so exciting and enjoyable to watch.

It's been a while since I've watched it but season 7 is probably my least favourite. It promised to go 'back to the beginning' in a way the show needed yet I never felt that it managed to actually do that, instead just saddled us with an extremely boring villain and too many new characters who took the focus away from the main cast (seriously did the Andrew actor have some dirt on Whedon??). It also destroyed any remaining interest I had in Spike/Buffy as a couple, and, this is probably its worst crime, it made me lose interest in Buffy as a character. Really aside from Faith, there is very little I like about it, I can't even remember 95% of the episodes.

So I have to put my ramble a bit as I am re-watching the show.

Horror has always been a genre that is filled with anxiety against non-normative relationships disrupting heteronormative ideas of safe spaces or family units (cue meta about Scooby gang as a non normative family unit, which is presented as source of strength).

Often, the violence in the horror genre that is inflicted on (beautiful/openly sensual) women conflates violence and sex. Of course, Buffy the show centering around a powerful protagonist who is a woman has antagonists working with this conflation ("to kill this girl, you have to love her").

The subversion in the show happens because of how much narrative agency Buffy has (by the virtue of being a protagonist, she cannot be Othered as is genre staple). She drives her stories, therefore she is neither victimised by her antagonists doing this nor is she "surviving it" like the Final Girl in horror movies.

In fact, what I enjoy as a character trait is that, like her shadow Faith Lehane, she conflates sex and violence too ("Isn't it crazy how slaying always makes you hungry and horny?" "Well I do crave a non-fat yogurt afterwards"). Look at the undertone to her initial meeting with Spike:

I love this shot of her and this choice SMG made! From that casually confident leaning back to circling him with intent like he is her prey. She enjoys the hunt (a trait that we see explored more in Season 5). I also love the juxtaposition of her being casually threatening in the High School Popular Girl outfit.

While this trait of her is explicitly explored in S5, we see it explored by proxy in S3 with her double/ shadow self, Faith.

@starry-sky-stuff also asked this.

favorite male character: Well, Angel(us) is the most developed and most interesting one.

favorite female character: Buffy my beloved

least favorite character: Xander. Why do you exist?

prettiest character: Hmm, hard. Faith is stunning, Buffy had some really great looks and Cordelia's whole style is My Thing. I think at the end of the day it has to be Faith for the attitude as well.

funniest character: Cordelia and Spike both had their moments.

favorite season: Season 6

favorite episode: Hmmm, the musical episode is great. As is Tabula Rasa. Or the Fuffy switch arc. But I am going to go with the s2 finale for how gutting it fealt.

favorite romantic ship: Bangel duh

favorite family ship: Buffy and Dawn is probably my favourite sisters relationship ever.

favorite friend ship: Willow and Buffy are probably the one I've liked the most.