Are S6 Spuffy and S7 Spuffy different ships?

Are S6 Spuffy and S7 Spuffy different ships?

  • Yes, they're different ships - Spuffy shipper

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • No, they're the same ship - Spuffy shipper

    Votes: 11 52.4%

  • Other (in comments) - Spuffy shipper

    Votes: 3 14.3%

  • Yes, they're different ships - Bangel shipper

    Votes: 1 4.8%

  • No, they're the same ship - Bangel shipper

    Votes: 4 19.0%

  • Other (in comments) - Bangel shipper

    Votes: 2 9.5%
  • Total voters
    21
Miss Muffet

Miss Muffet

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Sineya
More specifically, is Spuffy with soulless Spike a different relationship from Spuffy with ensouled Spike?
 
November
November
Great question!
If you mean a different relationship in the way that each season was a different relationship between Buffy and Spike then yes but if you mean that it's literally a different relationship then I'd say no so I'll hold off on voting.
 
I don’t consider ensouled Spike to be very different from soulless Spike. Therefore I think they are the same ship at different points in the relationship timeline. At one point one partner is problematic (other is also problematic in a different way) then they grow to be better for each other and themselves.

I am not very passionate about it but I am more Spuffy than Bangel, and I’ll vote accordingly.
 
I selected other. To summarize what I wrote below, S5 Spuffy is a catalyst for character development, S6 Spuffy is a complicated mess of writing indecision, and S7 onwards has a definite direction and intention.

I consider them the same until he starts to do really messed up things to her, i.e. the bathroom scene. Then it stops becoming the same ship and turns into a disgusting corrupted mirror of the ship.

As a Spuffy shipper, I don’t really pick and choose what I like and don’t. It’s a complicated package and I love what they become way more than what they start as in S6. That being said, there are parts where I don’t consider it a ship and I consider it plot induced awfulness, and that’s where I stop considering it a ship. Seeing Red is not indicative of what we saw in Intervention, and I consider that whole situation a really bad victim of Joss’s story changes and experimentations.
 
I could point out differences (that Buffy herself didn't seem to appreciate even if she said over and over "that he has a soul now" since Spike was doing such a poor job at SHOWING it, even his good actions had parallels as far back as season 2), but observing the average Spuffy shipper, I'd have to say no. They might divide it into chapters, so to speak, but it's the same relationship, and pretty much the same Spike in s7 to the point that they thought Spike giving up the leather coat he took from that Slayer he killed would make him "less Spike" even "with a soul" (though it would actually show a genuine change rather than superficial ones).

I can't answer in the poll, however, as I'm neither a Spuffy nor a Bangel. I don't know if that's because it's meant to be specifically between those two (in which case, apologies for my appearance), or because it defies the imagination of some that one isn't either.
 
thrasherpix said:
I can't answer in the poll, however, as I'm neither a Spuffy nor a Bangel. I don't know if that's because it's meant to be specifically between those two (in which case, apologies for my appearance), or because it defies the imagination of some that one isn't either.
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Sorry about that! I didn't want to put in too many options and clog the screen, but I also wanted to see if ship preference made a difference.
 
I initially thought, "Yes, obviously, because Spike is different." But I read the comments first, which changed my mind somewhat. I guess my final response (until further comments influence me!) is that it should be different, but the way it is written, the S7 relationship still has a lot of the co-dependency that was its main driver in S6. So... I guess I'll vote "other."
 
In a basic ‘Spike has a soul now’ way I suppose objectively it’s supposed to be but in practice it really isn’t to me

It’s still Spike projecting onto her at multiple points and deciding he knows how she feels. Buffy does push back better this season but it’s still an issue for me

It’s still wildly codependant in an incredibly unhealthy way. Still relies on Buffu being miserable and isolating herself for the pairing to work. There’s still a disconnect between Spike and scoobies. The relationship never looks like it could just be a part of each other’s life, instead it has to be the biggest part to the detriment of other relationships. Buffy is still in a corner miserable believing Spike is the only one who understands and every conversation they have is about darkness or demon fighting. We still have yet to see them just connect on something light or fun.

So honestly no I don’t think it’s different at all really
 
I put 'Other' because they should be different; Soulless Spike and Ensouled Spike should be considered different characters like Angel is a different character from Angelus, but the writers didn't treat the relationship (or Spike himself for that matter) like it was different, they treated it as a continuation
 
Joan the Vampire Slayer said:
Their relationship and history is the ship. It's weird to me that anyone would argue otherwise.
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Yes. You cannot eliminate one aspect that may seem a little... rapey... just for cosmetic reasons because all of those rapey, stalkery, misogynistic bits are what makes Spuffy so transformative in the final season.
 
I think it’s the same ship just constantly evolving which what makes it compelling. Season 6 yes they were toxic lovers but there was real feelings there on both sides too. Season 7 they have both been badly burned but still the feelings remain just because they aren’t sleeping together, there is still tentative romance and they are working on rebuilding trust
 
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