Going to a Higher Place

[botias]

From Jane Espenson's blog:

If I were sitting down to write a House spec, I think I'd start by listing emotional moments I want to see that character go through. Regret? Genuine undistanced anger? A need for a human connection? What would cause that emotion? What would that emotion cause? I'd start working backwards from there. Notice that I am not starting with a disease.

Me, apparently I sit down to write and go, 'Hmmm, what would make Buffy do Spike?'

Options:

1) Arrange for Buffy to be really depressed and disconnected and flailing

2) Make it her solemn Chosen duty

3) Put her under a spell

Comments

[rahirah]

Huh. I start from "What are the possible implications of Background Information X and Philosophical Question Y?" I figure if I attend to that, Buffy will come up with a good reason to do Spike on her own somewhere along the way. I mean, let's face it, the girl's inventive.

[herself_nyc]

So intellectual. ;)

[rahirah]

Nah, I just like exploring the parts of the Jossverse marked "Here There Be Dragons."

[botias.livejournal.com]

Spike is the very definition of an attractive nuisance. I'll give you that much. :) Someone really ought to file a class action lawsuit. I've lost untold hours of work time, and experienced a great deal of emotional pain and suffering.

It's hard for me, because I love the romantic potential, talk about epic, but it seems to me that doing Spike is strongly counter to Buffy's core values. It's quite possible to change Buffy, and Spike as well, and very interesting to think about what it takes to make people 180 on issues they feel strongly about, but I quite like 'because it's wrong' Buffy. I dun want her to change.

[rahirah]

Well, a good deal depends on what definition of wrong you're using.

[botias.livejournal.com]

I certainly think doing Spike might have some ethical issues, what with Buffy being the vampire slayer in residence. I think mostly though, I mean the aspect of Buffy that Faith was mocking. Buffy's idealism really. The belief that doing what one thinks is right and just has meaning, that human (human/demon?) relationships can and more to the point should be more than making very satisfactory use of someone. I don't think Spike was a good match for her on the show, so I don't think Buffy was just being bigoted in being unwilling to open her heart and her home to him. I like that Buffy did not become cynical and settle for what she could have with Spike or decide using him that way was OK.