Buffy - Shadow 5x08 - Full Reaction
Oh, boy. This thing with Joyce is pretty rough and hard to handle. It's not really something I've been wanting to think about. I usually entertain myself throughout the week with thoughts of what might happen in the next episode, but I don't even want to think about this. Nope. It's not happening. It's all a dream.
Surely.
:(
(rewatch update: season 4 Ring of Amara episode has been watched and OH MY GOODNESS am I viewing Spike and Buffy with VERY different eyes now 🤣
Youtube Edit: https://youtu.be/CIQtPRKqipM
Comments (14)
As always, delightful reaction. Riley loves Buffy. Buffy doesn’t love Riley. (I’m not blaming Buffy.) The hardest thing about it is something that is subtly handled in the episode. It isn’t that Buffy told Spike. He happened to be there (because he was planning on killing Buffy!), so that’s how he found out. But, though it’s never explicitly stated, it becomes obvious she has told her friends about her mother but not Riley. If he is in love with her he cannot choose to “step back” any more than he has. He never pressures her, once the Joyce thing occurs – so he does step back but he can’t step back emotionally. When two people love each other they share their deepest emotions. Buffy doesn’t with Riley. Of course, that realization is breaking his heart. The fact that we see his emotions because of the way the scenes are set and the camerawork is a different thing, but, actually, what it shows is how restrained he is with Buffy. He does nothing wrong toward Buffy that we can see, at this point. Though the temptation that he gives into very soon is a different story.
Riley going to a vamp is parallel to spike going to dru in his origin story after the women he loved was cold to him.
I really believe Riley should have made an executive decision and killed Spike when he found him smelling Buffy's clothes. That is so beyond creepy and fans would hate anyone else who was doing that.
Spike is a vampire without a soul. He is mostly used for comic purposes at this time. His long redemption is yet to come. If he had a soul, his actions wouldn’t be overlooked.
Riley wants to be needed by Buffy. He tried to get Buffy to let him comfort her. When she said she couldn't he was disappointed. He wants Buffy to turn to him, not because she needs to, but because he needs her to. Riley makes her problems about him. He wants Buffy to lean on him. But Buffy's been trained to be self-sufficient. In School Hard 203 Giles tell them, "When it comes to battle Buffy must fight alone You are after all the Slayer." She doesn't need him the way he needs to be needed.
I'm a part of the minority of BtVS fans who like Riley, but I have to admit he definitely makes some strange choices in season 5. He interprets literally everything Buffy says in the most negative way possible, to the point of absurdity. I feel for him though, he's just extremely insecure.
He is so, so insecure which is crazy! He's very handsome, strong, smart. He has so many positive qualities. But insecurity is a nasty beast. It doesn't matter how good someone is, they will never see it 😥
Families as well as individuals deal with stress or loss in different ways. Some people wish to be alone and cope with problems on their own or have trouble sharing their feelings. Others wish to have someone to lean on and give support in times of need. And conversely, some people want their loved ones to seek out and appreciate the comfort and strength they offer. Tensions will exist between persons with different coping strategies. All such strategies are learned or modeled on family or individual experience and are basically selfish. I want comfort, I want to be left alone, I want to comfort you and be the good guy, I don't want to intrude and be uncomfortable myself. Fans watching this season judge Buffy and Riley based on their own expectations in dealing with stress in life or a relationship.
Ooooh this is so interesting. I think it's really close to home for me as I lost someone close to me last year, so I can very much understand what Buffy is going through. I really wouldn't have been slightly interested in dealing with relationship stuff when being so stressed and upset. It's fascinating to me that fans will view this situation so personally, depending on their own situations.
I agree with your assessment at the end of the reaction about Riley. It's around this point where my dislike of his character really started to begin. Buffy is clearly going through a lot right now, and she's trying to be strong for both her mom and for Dawn. Riley is the type of person who feels the need to be needed. He is upset and feeling insecure that Buffy is not leaning on him for support. I'm not saying it's not okay for him to be insecure because we all have our insecurities at some point, but he needs to understand that's not the kind of person Buffy is. She's very strong willed and does not want to appear weak to anybody. He is taking it personally when he shouldn't be.
I 100% agree! I think the fact that I lost a loved one last year and I'm still dealing with that pain has probably made me a little critical of Riley. The last thing I would want or need is a partner upset that I'm not giving them attention during such a terrible time emotionally. I don't even think Buffy sees Riley right now anyway. She doesn't even notice he is there, she's so caught up with her mum and has her focus on her and getting through this. I do feel bad for Riley as it must hurt, but they both do seem to be in different places right now. I can't help but put myself in Buffy's shoes as I really do feel so personally and emotionally close to what Buffy is feeling 😢
I completely agree with you that Riley should be giving Buffy some space and some slack right now. I think he is a realistically flawed character though. He basically gave up his old life for Buffy and I think she became his main focus and now he feels like he's losing that too. Getting Spike confirming his worst fears as well has to really turn the knife. Have a great weekend hopefully with happy thoughts!
It's REALLY had for Riley and I do get it, but I can't help but sympathise with Buffy here. I feel bad for Riley, and it's just unfortunate that Joyce's illness has happened now when he's at the peak of his insecurity/neediness as it is NOT going to help matters at all. Buffy can't be dealing with him right now, she needs to focus on her mum. It's just a mess 😭
Your post ep discussion makes me wonder--if Dawn hadn't been inserted into their lives, would she and Riley be more in sync? Would she be able to let loose with him since she wouldn't have to stay strong for Dawn? (Dawn also is a typical teenager and inadvertently making things worse like when comparing Riley to Angel but--outside of that... I haven't thought of how different things might be without her there.)