The issue of responsibility of souled vampires for what they did as soulless is complicated, but I don't think one can just give them a free pass for all they did. There's a reason why Angel's story was always one of redemption, and there's a reason why Spike's journey and transformation is so amazing. The former doesn't work if Angel isn't responsible for what he did without soul, and the latter doesn't work if Spike was always "good", which he clearly wasn't.
just as evil in S6 as in S2, but also just as much love’s bitch in S6 as S2, and this time taking his identity from a slayer as opposed to another vampire.
It's astounding how many people fail to notice this.
Like you said, the Spike fans are a very diverse bunch. The group you describe is one I really can't relate to and just keep disagreeing completely with. One of them is even a major write for IDW comics that had his Spike deliver a speech about how he was already good without a soul. :facepalm:
Then there's another, equally frustrating group of fans who only liked Spike in season 2 and maybe 3 and 4, "before the Villain Decay" and who say the later seasons ruined him when he became a "lovesick puppy" (as if he wasn't one in 2-3) or that they hated him when he tried to rape Buffy. (While I guess raping and killing hundreds of people we didn't know was OK.)
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2012-01-13 03:07 am (UTC)The issue of responsibility of souled vampires for what they did as soulless is complicated, but I don't think one can just give them a free pass for all they did. There's a reason why Angel's story was always one of redemption, and there's a reason why Spike's journey and transformation is so amazing. The former doesn't work if Angel isn't responsible for what he did without soul, and the latter doesn't work if Spike was always "good", which he clearly wasn't.
just as evil in S6 as in S2, but also just as much love’s bitch in S6 as S2, and this time taking his identity from a slayer as opposed to another vampire.
It's astounding how many people fail to notice this.
Like you said, the Spike fans are a very diverse bunch. The group you describe is one I really can't relate to and just keep disagreeing completely with. One of them is even a major write for IDW comics that had his Spike deliver a speech about how he was already good without a soul. :facepalm:
Then there's another, equally frustrating group of fans who only liked Spike in season 2 and maybe 3 and 4, "before the Villain Decay" and who say the later seasons ruined him when he became a "lovesick puppy" (as if he wasn't one in 2-3) or that they hated him when he tried to rape Buffy. (While I guess raping and killing hundreds of people we didn't know was OK.)