"Villains" DISCUSSION--spoilers for ep only

[danspector@xxxxxxxxx]

A good point that someone raised on the Kitten Board (not my normal
haunt) that I wanted to pass on

But 

first

the 

much-

beloved

(or 

maybe

not)

discussion

space


Okay, let's ignore the fact that Buffy needs to tell Dawn that Spike
isn't safe to be with, so she doesn't wander over there.

Skip the fact that, given what he did to Buffy with the rape attempt,
there's no reason to think Spike won't hurt someone, just because he
supposedly "cares" for them (and THAT ignores the fact that Spike
himself has said, time and time again, most recently in "Entropy", that
he only protected Dawn because Buffy wanted him to).

Gloss over the fact that Buffy should never want to see Spike, ever
again.

Try and forget that no sane person would ever for a second think that,
24 hours after a man tries to rape you, you should leave your
15-year-old sister alone with him.

Hold down your lunch and repress the fact the whole "take Dawn to
Spike's" bit was only there so Clem the Cuddly Demon (Die, Clem!) could
tell Buffy Spike was out of town and we could see how much Buffy misses
her rapist. (Barf!)

And let's just omit the pesky details like the fact that Warren wasn't
after Dawn and Warren doesn't know who Janice is or where she lives so
there's no reason we have to "protect" Dawn at all.

No, let's roll with Marti Noxon on this and accept her premise
unconditionally: Dawn is in danger from Warren and must be left with
Spike so he can protect her.

This begs the basic question that someone brought up:

If Warren DOES show up to kill Dawn, HOW ON EARTH CAN SPIKE STOP HIM??

Warren is human. Spike has a chip. Dawn would be more use protecting
Spike in this situation than vice versa.

Of all the people Dawn should be left with, moral issues and Buffy's
emotional state and all that aside, the single LEAST useful creature is
a vampire that can't hit humans like Warren.

Just brilliant, Marti. F*cking brilliant.

Dan