You helped me understand, in some ways, why B/A continues to be such a popular ship in the 'verse. Thank you for writing.
It captures the beautiful pairing in all it's amazing glory and heart-ache. Came close to tears and not only did it strengthen my love for them, it also made me understand it more. It's so much nicer when you can have someone else put into words what you yourself can not explain.
I'm very late on the feedback, but I thought you deserved to hear how much I loved your essay. You managed to evoke all kinds of snuffly B/A memories in me. There was truly something special about B/A so that it didn't matter who they were with or how long they'd been separated for. They were still connected. Always. Forever. As a B/A shipper I never doubted, not for one minute, that they didn't love each other or that they didn't truly belong together.
You made me miss them *g*. I definitely don't obsess over B/A like I used to (thank GOD!), but reading this reminded me WHY I was so passionate and WHY they were so perfect.
Ack, LJ ate my first post.
I'm new to Buffy. I didn't start watching until two months ago. And so, from August until now, I've been caught up in the glorious story of Buffy's and Angel's lives. I shipped B/A from S1, without hesitation or pause. My Spuffy friends from a different fandom (QAF) assured me that I would change ships after S5...S6...S7...but it never happened. I uneasily kept waiting for that moment when canon would show me how "over" Buffy and Angel were, when canon would show me that "although Angel was Buffy's first love, Spike is her true love". That moment never came. Episode after episode, I kept waiting for something to show me that the two didn't belong together - because that's what I'd been told would happen - but it just never did.
In a very short period of time, Buffy and Angel have become my OTP of OTPs. I have not seen any other pairing on-screen, ever, that I've felt as strongly about - and I've felt pretty strongly about some, most notably Brian and Justin from QAF. And you capture it so beautifully in this post. Thank you so much for writing it.
I read this soon after you first posted it, and I've kept coming back to read it as I moved through the episodes. (I tried to remain spoiler free at first, but then quickly realized that I *had* to know what happened to Buffy and Angel or I wouldn't be able to watch at all ;) And it's just so well put.
Thanks again for this post, from a newbie.
Excuse me while I love you and bow down to your greatness. I admit I had a couple of tears flowing earlier, but no fear, I have the Buffy DVDs to cheer me up!
B/A is the only way to go. Honestly. Do they not see that David Boreanez and SMG are so much more attractive than James Marsters and Charisma Carpenter?
I'd jump for joy (with a little limp to the right) if you'd let me archive this at Deep In.
I'm so glad it was *you* to write the B/A manifesto because you just rock!
This is absolutely wonderful. I agree with every.single.word.
I'm a bit late to the party, but I just wanted to say great essay. Just lovely. And I completely agree.
if u love the jossverse so much, why is ur name theantijoss?
why did angel originally fall for buffy? i mean i understand why a 26 yr old or other would but angel has the maturity of a 200 year old and as kind and innocent buffy was at first and quite the hottie mind you, still there must be some childness about her that could have turned him off. if he looked his age, we would have all thought the relationship was gross. it's the fact that he's hot that makes it seem like it's okay. but even if he looked like a 40 old dating a 16 year old, it still would feel gross let alone a 243 yr old.
im still in total support of the relationship because i truly see the love beyond the age difference. it is just the beginning that concerns me with angel. because he couldnt have seen her all of her potential at first, could he? she was witty and funny and cute but she didnt give that older than her age vibe yet till after she needed to kill him.
so age should have bothered him at first i guess.. since he also should know how difficult a teenager is with the not knowing who you are yet and such. i am personally turned off by highschoolers and im IN highschool.
Wow...I haven't read the whole thing yet, it's long, and pretty daunting, but I really like the way you started it off, and you've got me hooked. I am so going to finish this in just a few minutes.
But first, I wanted to ask you something. I am the mistress of Ai Jinmarai, a Buffy/Angel archive, and whatever you want to call this masterpiece, whether it's an Essay or a reflection, I would really like to add this to my website, with your permission, of course. If you want to check it out, the link is http://buffyangelforever.nexuswebs.net.
Okay, I finished reading it, and I want to say that you are the bestest person ever! (incredibly lame, I know) You just explained everything that I felt for and the reasons I liked B/A above all else and wrote it down in a way I would have never been able to do. You are brilliant!
And I support it all. It's just a pity that there was so much less of everything you talked about in the final seasons. Like the part where Buffy sends her slayers out to get the insane, homicidal one that Angel's found, taking her off his hands because she doesn't trust him after having "sold out" to W&H. That always bothered me because it felt like a total betrayal of the core B/A trust...that willingness to get each other's back.
Otherwise, I'm with you 100% :) Very well written, thank you.
I'm somewhat new to Buffy, and completely and utterly a Bangel shipper.
I'm a convert, actually, and only caught Buffy on TV after she had started *insert verbage of your choice* Spike, and I supported B/S for the longest time, up until I found out in Season 7 the events of Season 6's "Seeing Red."
After the series ended, I didn't get back into Buffy until late 2006/early 2007. I bought the first Season on DVD, and I completely and utterly feel in love with the Buffy/Angel relationship. Not just the romance, but the friendship and the shyness and caring that was there. Season 2, which I bought not too long after, completely sealed the deal, and this year, after finally getting and watching the rest of the Seasons, I'm a Bangel shipper now more than ever. I don't think I've ever shipped a pairing in any fandom I've been in until Buffy/Angel.
Your manifesto is brilliant, and pretty much perfectly explains all the reasons why I love Buffy/Angel and why I support it the way I do. It was insightful and completely and utterly true to the pairing.
Thanks for writing such a great manifesto!