I get why someone would like early season Spike and not later season Spike (since he does change a lot), but I don't see how you can deny that the changes weren't true to his established character.
But their explanations why don't make sense. He changes, but he doesn't change the way they say he does. I can see, for instance, why one fan dislikes the fact that he wasn't as snarky and funny in season 6 and 7, with all the angst. But, the most popular complaints are perplexing. One is that he became "a lovesick puppy" - as if he wasn't one in seasons 2 and 3? How is being "Buffy's lovesick puppy" worse than being "Drusilla's lovesick puppy"? Another very popular one is that he was so "badass" as a villain and then underwent "badass decay" and again, they blame it on his falling in love with Buffy. Except that 1) any badass decay he underwent was actually caused by the chip - but those same people usually have little problem with season 4 Spike who's at his most pathetic and non-badass, and 2) if anything, Spike became a lot more "badass" as a good guy - especially since he wasn't really all that badass as a villain in season 2 - running away from Joyce, running away from Buffy, not really accomplishing much as a villain; compared with later seasons and things like withstanding Glory's torture, fighting for his soul, withstanding the First's torture, sacrificing himself and saving the world, not being afraid to go against much more powerful opponents like Caleb or TwAngel. Not to mention that he kicks Angel's ass in Destiny, while in season 2 he had to ally with Buffy and beat him with a stick from behind.
And then there's the "I loved him until he tried to rape Buffy" argument. But they loved him as a villain when he was killing, raping and torturing lots and lots of people and didn't feel any guilt over it? I can see why someone could stop liking Willow once she wiped Tara's mind, killed Warren and Rack and tried to destroy the world - because Willow was at first a nice, sweet character. But Spike was introduced as a mass-murdering vampire with a strong sexually predatory vibe that's all over School Hard and Halloween. Not to mention the scene in The Initiative when he tries to kill Willow, which plays as a metaphorical attempted rape with the impotence jokes. (Creepy.) So what the heck is the deal with that? It's only bad when it's on screen and with someone we care about and portrayed realistically?
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I get why someone would like early season Spike and not later season Spike (since he does change a lot), but I don't see how you can deny that the changes weren't true to his established character.
But their explanations why don't make sense. He changes, but he doesn't change the way they say he does. I can see, for instance, why one fan dislikes the fact that he wasn't as snarky and funny in season 6 and 7, with all the angst. But, the most popular complaints are perplexing. One is that he became "a lovesick puppy" - as if he wasn't one in seasons 2 and 3? How is being "Buffy's lovesick puppy" worse than being "Drusilla's lovesick puppy"? Another very popular one is that he was so "badass" as a villain and then underwent "badass decay" and again, they blame it on his falling in love with Buffy. Except that 1) any badass decay he underwent was actually caused by the chip - but those same people usually have little problem with season 4 Spike who's at his most pathetic and non-badass, and 2) if anything, Spike became a lot more "badass" as a good guy - especially since he wasn't really all that badass as a villain in season 2 - running away from Joyce, running away from Buffy, not really accomplishing much as a villain; compared with later seasons and things like withstanding Glory's torture, fighting for his soul, withstanding the First's torture, sacrificing himself and saving the world, not being afraid to go against much more powerful opponents like Caleb or TwAngel. Not to mention that he kicks Angel's ass in Destiny, while in season 2 he had to ally with Buffy and beat him with a stick from behind.
And then there's the "I loved him until he tried to rape Buffy" argument. But they loved him as a villain when he was killing, raping and torturing lots and lots of people and didn't feel any guilt over it? I can see why someone could stop liking Willow once she wiped Tara's mind, killed Warren and Rack and tried to destroy the world - because Willow was at first a nice, sweet character. But Spike was introduced as a mass-murdering vampire with a strong sexually predatory vibe that's all over School Hard and Halloween. Not to mention the scene in The Initiative when he tries to kill Willow, which plays as a metaphorical attempted rape with the impotence jokes. (Creepy.) So what the heck is the deal with that? It's only bad when it's on screen and with someone we care about and portrayed realistically?