RE: Re: "Intervention" and Resurrection

["Faith and Dawn" <Faith_and_Dawn@xxxxxxxxxx>]

I'm new here...and this is my first post on this list... but after reading this, I just had to comment.

That theory is *the* single best theory I've ever heard in my life. It makes so much sense..and I wouldn't even know where to begin commenting, other than to just say "wow..that rocks" and i'm right there with you..

In response to the idea of it being Faith... I coul almost agree..except for that, Buffy really doesn't have anything to forgive Faith for. Like Spike, Faith would need Buffy's acceptance more than anything. Not to mention that I feel like B/F are far too much alike.

Where as...Buffy and Willow.. I get this screaming vibe from them, that they are two halves of a whole. To that, I find myself thinking of "The Replacement" where Xander got seperated into two bodies. One with the strengths, the other with the weaknesses. I kind of feel like that's how it is with B/W. Not to say that Willow or Buffy are weak, just that together, they would be able to get through anything. They each have their own strengths and weaknesses, But each of them has a little more of one strength or weakness, than the other. I'm kind of struggling here with my lack of good words, to be able to explain what I mean...

Jenn

--- In buffywantswillow@y..., danspector@w... wrote:
> Hey all, 
> 
> I wrote this in response to a posting on anti_buffyspike, where someone
> was getting a headache from having been on a general discussion board
> and seeing B/S 'shippers say that those lines from "Intervention" ("Love
> is Pain, and the Slayer forges strength from pain") explained why Spike
> could hit her in "Smashed".Ê (The silly B/S theory was she loved him and
> therefore her pain didn't qualify as him hurting her, hence no chip
> attack.)
> 
> In calming down my fellow anti-B/Ser, I delved into my current
> interpretation of the "Intervention" speech by the Guide on love, and,
> not unnaturally, discussed what's in there that I think points to an
> eventual B/W union.Ê Then I thought I'd put it here.Ê I could have
> edited it, because I also consider other possibilities (B/A,
> B/R)?after all, that's not a B/W list per se, just anti-B/S?but I
> thought I'd leave it in, since a general consideration includes all
> possibilities.ÊÊ And besides, I already told you that I reached the
> inevitable B/W conclusion.
> 
> Thanks to James and Kirayoshi for their contributions on this subject
> back when we discussed here in October/November.Ê Here's my letter to
> the other list:
> 
> "Hey, tvjunkie, don't have an aneurysm.
> 
> The B/S crowd have all their little theories, that's why we have our
> places to counter-vent.Ê But the idea that, in "Intevention", the Guide
> (not the first Slayer, the Guide just used her form, like it used the
> form of the mountain lion earlier in the ep) meant by saying "love is
> pain, and the Slayer forges strength from pain" that Buffy is a
> masochist (and therefore Spike can whomp her with impunity if she loves
> him) is just cockeyed.Ê Just before that, the Guide told Buffy "you love
> with all of your soul"?you know, that thing Spike doesn't have.Ê This
> is one of two times where love is defined as being a function of a soul,
> by a higher power whose purpose it is to reveal truths.Ê It's a very
> anti-B/S quote.
> 
> Spike and Dru may think they can love without a soul (they told Buffy
> that in "Crush"), but in "Surprise", The Judge, whose sole immortal
> purpose is detect traces of humanity and destroy them, said they shared
> "affection and jealousy".Ê Close. but no love, kids.Ê The S/Dr
> relationship was less offensive to The Judge than Dalton's enjoyment of
> reading. 
> 
> The most interesting part of the Guide's speech is the end:Ê "Risk the
> pain.Ê Love, give, forgive.Ê Love will lead you to your gift.Ê Death is
> your gift."Ê So Buffy is being urged to take a risky course for love,
> and finding love will apparently involve forgiving and have something to
> do with her death (and resurrection).Ê Well, Spike's out, because Buffy
> doesn't have to forgive him, since he never was in her life and thus
> could never have trespassed against her.Ê You can't forgive someone
> unless they've hurt you, and every murderous demonic thing Spike has
> ever done is nothing less that just what she's expected of him.Ê He may
> need her acceptance (if he's really become a good guy), but not her
> forgiveness.Ê And while he's certainly taken advantage of her
> post-resurrection blues, he really wasn't involved with the death or the
> resurrection itself.Ê And Buffy "love[s] with all of [her] soul", so
> he's out.
> 
> Who is the Guide speaking of?Ê Angel?Ê Well, she does love him, she may
> feel she has to forgive him, and he blamed himself for her death (in
> "Heartthrob") because he wasn't there.Ê And he has a soul.Ê So he's a
> good candidate, but the network-enforced separation may have led Joss to
> think in other directions.Ê And there's that whole thing of Angel having
> a "greater purpose" than just being Buffy's boyfriend.
> 
> Riley? While she never told him she loved him (although she threw it in
> Angel's face in "Sanctuary"), that could mean that she was unable to
> "risk the pain" and that's why she treated him like "rebound guy" when
> "he's the one that comes along once in a lifetime".Ê She may need to
> forgive him for leaving her like he did.Ê And her loss of him was the
> start of the downward spiral, of things getting "stripped away", that
> led to her death.Ê But, despite rumors of Riley's return, I don't think
> Blucas is going to sign up full-time again.
> 
> No, helpless prisoner of my 'ship that I am, I think the Guide means
> Willow.Ê She's the one whom Buffy has to forgive for something
> specifically to do with her death?the resurrection, which has been
> defined (in "After Life") as all Willow's work, and which she says (in
> "Tabula Rasa") she did because she was selfish.Ê Meaning because she
> loves Buffy, which Aly Hannigan's been playing all year (just look at
> "Bargaining").ÊÊ Buffy needs to risk the pain, to stop hiding behind the
> safe little idea that her frequently-declared love for Willow is just a
> "best friend" thing, to face the fact that "it's brighter than the fire;
> that's why you pull away."Ê Only then will she be able to love (with all
> her soul), give (Willow the love she needs to beat the magic addiction),
> forgive (Willow for the resurrection), and forge strength (a new-found
> sense of identity and purpose) from pain (the past several years).
> 
> And besides, when Buffy asked the Guide about her ability to love, she
> said "not just boyfriend love".Ê Plus this is the one possibility that
> wouldn't run into actor-availability problems, and it would break new
> dramatic ground.
> 
> So that's my personal favorite possibility, but I admit Angel and Riley
> may also qualify.Ê But as for Spike, well, Buffy's right about him.
> He's just "convenient".Ê All she's doing is scratching an itch,
> satisfying her basest urges because she's afraid to "risk the pain" of
> the deeper emotions that are "brighter than the fire".Ê It'll be over
> soon, I bet.Ê At least before the end of the season.
> 
> Cheer up,
> 
> Dan"
> 
> Please let me know what you think.






//I can't stay on your life support, 
there's a shortage in the switch, 
I can't stay on your morphine, cuz its making me itch 
I said I tried to call the nurse again 
but shes being a little bitch, 
I think I'll get outta here, where I can 
Run just as fast as I can 
To the middle of nowhere 
To the middle of my frustrated fears 
And I swear you're just like a pill 
Instead of makin' me better, you keep makin' me ill//