your stitches are all out but your scars are healing wrong;

[ever_neutral]

06 | the ship where fandom is DOING IT WRONG

What about me? I love you so much. And I tried to make you go away. I
killed you and it didn't help. And I hate it. I hate that it's so hard,
and that you can hurt me so much. I know everything that you did because
you did it to me. Oh God, I wish that I wished you dead. I don't. I
can't.

I dallied on this "day", but then I figured that in the realm of "fandom IS DOING IT WRONG" ships, there is no formative contender than Buffy/Angel. I mean "formative" in the sense that the Buffyverse was my first fandom and I'd never before seen such incorrect shipping in my life. There are no scars like Buffy fandom scars, &c. &c. Obviously, the wrong shipping (as in, WRONG WRONG WRONG, not wrong!shipping which is in fact what we're here for) surrounds the idea of B/A as a straightforward pure epic starcrossed forever love, when clearly at its best it's pretty deliberately a horror story. I do think the show(s) had a tendency to romanticize the story (... a lot), but in some ways I also think that was a somewhat necessary part of the story -- it's the epitome of that heady, destructive (understatement) first love, the kind you feel like you "can't breathe" without, the kind that scars you for life. And Buffy really is emotionally scarred by Angel -- and all of the bad related to Angel -- for years into her adulthood.

In a word, it's trainwreck syndrome. I don't care for the fluff/schmoop; I don't buy into their pure forever love; I'm not sure they'd even work together in the long-term or are even particularly compatible as people aside from their damage (though I do see the potential in their friendship). But dude, watching this shit growing up, I all but threw myself before the altar of Joss Whedon's sadism.

Also, Buffy/Angelus is the kind of thing that makes one scared to walk around their house, do u feel.

Comments

[ever-neutral.livejournal.com]

I laugh.

My work is complete.

[kwritten.livejournal.com]

GET IT TOGETHER LJ

yes to your everything

I don't ship them, necessarily, but when I think of them fondly, it is not their "true love" ... it is those episodes when they fight to be the people they are outside of each other.... which is mostly BtVS s4 I'd say... when their idealism shatters.

but it is also heartbreaking (and necessary) that they hold onto that, as well. after Joyce dies, when Buffy comes back, and they remind each other of perfect selves they both know they never were and can't ever be...

I just talked myself into shipping BAngel. what even.

my RL BAngel lady is going to be so pleased.

[ever-neutral.livejournal.com]

lol good it's here

and yes, i get your feels. teenage ~idealism isn't something that typically appeals to me but.

LOL YOUR RL BANGEL LADY. report back.

[kwritten.livejournal.com]

... but there's just something about Bangel that works... it's weird...

LOL YOUR RL BANGEL LADY. report back.

SHE IS FLAWLESS AND MAGIC AND RAINBOWS (delightful creature loves Bangel, prefers the later seasons, and favorite character is Spike - SHE IS LOVE)

I should be having a lady date soon ((she just started watching tVD at my request)) and I will report back, obviously.