#foolforlove

[buffster]

Fool For Love (BTVS 5.07)

This is part of my ongoing Buffyverse Project, where I write notes/meta for every episode in an attempt to better understand the characters and themes of the shows. You can find the BTVS list here and the ATS list here. Gifs are not mine.

Fool For Love starts with a typical Buffy scene: Buffy is in the graveyard effortlessly fighting and mocking a vampire. Until he impales her. It leaves Buffy thinking about the moment she knows is coming: the moment she loses. Since the graveyard fight was so typical she wonders if she can prepare somehow. What makes the Slayer have her final bad day?

The only thing that saved Buffy from this fight being her last was Riley. He decides to take over patrol and Buffy insists he take the gang. I wonder how covert a move this was...they're not very helpful, so did Buffy just think he would be more cautious if he had to look out for them? If so, it almost worked. He calls off the patrol and says they can return during daylight. But once the Scooby Gang is gone he goes rogue.

Buffy:  I know every Slayer comes with an expiration mark on the package - but I want mine to be a long time from now. Like a Cheeto.

After some research Buffy realizes the best way to get info is talking to someone who was there: Spike.

Spike: What can I tell you, baby? I've always been bad.

We get flashbacks to a human William back in 1880. There's been a rash of disappearances in town, but William is only concerned with his feelings for a Cecily Addams. He's such a bad poet a partygoer says "I'd rather have a railroad spike through my head than listen to that awful stuff" which gives us the reason Spike tortured his victims with railroad spikes. It seems like such a passing comment to get stuck on, but that's the vision of Spike we get. Pathetic, resentful, defined by love.

Spike: I know I'm a bad poet. But I'm a good man. All I ask is that you try to see me. Cecily: I do see you. That's the problem. You're nothing to me, William. You're beneath me.

Spike walks the London streets crying and runs into Drusilla. He's about to go from living for Cecily to living for Dru. We get more information on Angel and Darla during this exact time over on Angel.

Drusilla: Your wealth lies here. (touching his heart) And here. (touches his head) In the spirit and imagination. You walk in worlds the others can't begin to imagine.

I wondered at Spike's transformation into a vampire. When we saw Angel bite Buffy or Spike bite the slayer later in this episode they seem euphoric and relaxed. Spike is bitten and screaming ow ow OWWW. Is this a sign vampirism isn't for him? That he has no attraction to it?

Angel and Spike do not get along. Spike is a thrill and attention seeker. Angel likes to maintain control and torment from the shadows. Spike is always looking for a good time while Angel gets obsessive and picks each victim with care. Their partners reflect this: Dru is a lover of chaos, Darla a lover of seduction.

Spike begins to walk Buffy through his first kill. He moves towards Buffy and demonstrates he already knows her first move--she has to reach for her weapon. He already has his. We flashback to China, 1900 during The Boxer Rebellion. That slayer gave him his eyebrow scar. She's all business. Focused. But there seems to be truth in his later observation because when she drops her weapon and Spike grabs her she kind of gives up. The moment his teeth make contact she stops fighting. Drusilla arrives, all approval, and it's cute he understands so much of her riddle-speak. I find that adorable between these two serial murderers (I'm sorry).

Spike: What are you looking at? Buffy: You got off on it Spike: Well, yeah. Suppose you're telling me you don't? How many of my kind, reckon you've done?

Spike then takes us to New York City, 1977. We meet Nikki, a Black woman with Spike's signature leather coat. Spike points out she fights more like Buffy: she's freestyle and she has more fun.

Spike: Every day you wake up it's the same bloody question what haunts you: Is today the day I die? It's a warrior's pain, a warrior's question and you ask it...every time the sun rises. And every day you manage to survive, you're only partly relieved because you know - it's just a matter of time. Death is on your heels baby - and, sooner or later, it's going to catch you...And some part of you wants it. Not only to stop the fear and the uncertainty - but because you're just a little bit in love with it. Death is your art. You make it with your hands, day after day. That final gasp, that look of peace...Part of you is desperate to know...What's it like? Where does it lead you? That's also a warrior's question. A warrior's curiosity. So you see, that's the secret. Not the punch she didn't throw or the kick she didn't land. She simply wanted it. Every Slayer has a death wish. Even you.

I think the death wish is because of how much this lifestyle makes them freaking tired. That's where we see Buffy at the end of this season. It's less a fascination with death and more a complete exhaustion and desire for peace that resembles depression.

Spike loses some control here and almost kisses Buffy.

Buffy: Say it's true. Say I do want to...It wouldn't be you, Spike. It would never be you. You're beneath me.

Spike starts crying as she walks away. I'm sure this direct callback to his past trauma would hit him like a gut punch. But Spike does what he's been doing for years: he turns the shame and rejection into rage and decides to shoot Buffy and take the headache. Harmony begs him not to.

We get one last flashback that explains his breakup with Drusilla. South America, 1998. She can see the truth about his obsession with Buffy. He's hurt she slept with Angel and a bunch of other guys since.

Drusilla: I have to find my pleasures, Spike. You taste like ashes.

Is this Dru seeing Spike's death in season seven?

Spike goes to kill Buffy and finds her sobbing. She just found out her mother's illness might not be nothing. In one of my favorite moments between them he sits beside her and awkwardly pats her back after asking if there's something he can do. This is the first moment Spike is a no-pressure relief for her. I can't help it; it was adorable.

Character Notes:

Angel: When Spike says Angel can get the next slayer, Dru comments "I smell fear". Angel deflects and says it's everywhere here and he wants to leave, but it's clear over on Angel that she was smelling him. At this time he had a soul and was desperately trying to fit in.

Spike: He was called William the Bloody because of his bloody awful poetry.

[vssabas]

Call me crazy but at least you callin

[zaidatorcuatomorgado]

New Phothos of Nick Gehlfuss 📸❤️

New Phothos of Nick Gehlfuss as Eddie at The Stephen Wolf Theather Play Fool for Love 📸 ✏️steppenwolfthtr Sam Shepard's masterpiece returns to the Steppenwolf stage in our searing revival of FOOL FOR LOVE, a twisted, tequila-soaked love letter from one of the greatest American playwrights. Fiery, funny and sexy to boot, this is a highly-anticipated ride you're gonna wanna take.Performances begin January 30Tickets start at $20FOOL FOR LOVEWritten by Sam ShepardDirected by Jeremy HerrinFeaturing ensemble members Cliff Chamberlain, Tim Hopper and Caroline Neff with Nick Gehlfuss (Chicago PD, Shameless) making his Steppenwolf debut.#FoolForLove#chicago#theatre#samshepard#western#romance#theater#lincolnpark#chicagoart #goseeaplayPhotos by Joel Moorman

[crybbgrllll]

[poeticmyers]

Silly Me

Silly me to think that I could be a part of your world.

Here I go again thinking like a little girl.

A woman knows how to use her intuition.

But silly me uses my heart and never listen.

Silly of me thinking that I finally found true love.

I use to pray everyday for it to the One above.

Maybe the universe has been trying to teach me to love myself first.

I haven't met anyone who has yet to appreciate my worth.

Silly me to let my guard down.

In love with you I had surely drowned.

I just knew for sure that we had a connection like no other.

Jokes on me to think it could go further.

I can't believe that with you I felt safe.

Now from this pain in my heart I just want to escape.

Was it silly of me to entertain the thought of being your wife?

With you, I finally wanted to build a life.

Silly me thinking that you were here to stay.

Yet I allowed you to lead my heart astray.

Even though I had so much to lose,

Like a Queen in battle I fought hard to keep you.

You made my smile alive and bright.

Now silly little me wants to stay out of your sight.

Even when I retreat doubtful...

You would lure me back hopeful.

Now silly me is slowly fading into the background.

Without leaving a trace or sound.

A hurtful lesson to allow me to see...

how silly...oh so silly I can be.

~Drena M

~2021

[octoberboy1031]

@boysboozeandblood’s 30 Days of @buffytvs Challenge Day 20: Best #Spike Centric Episode? #FoolForLove! #buffychallengebbb #buffythevampireslayer #buffyverse #gethomebeforedark #vampiresoftheworldbeware #horror #horrorgeek #april #spring #night #terrorverse https://www.instagram.com/p/CN36je7nnWV/?igshid=2izqmdfiodrs

[spellbindingsisters]

Symbols of a Witch. Do you have any you want to add? Post them in the comments. 🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈 Spellbinding Sisters 😍 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤 Spellbinding sisters Voodoo practitioners interested in seeing how we can assist you? Please email us direct for a free email consultation spellbindingsisters@gmail.com receive a response within 24 hours every time! Salubrious Surrey and Solitaire Bon Lavi Spellbindingsisters.com 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏 Voodoo dolls, gris-gris bags, love bindings, End a relationship hex, and so much more. 🌈🌈🌈🌈 As always free Continental USA shipping. Looking forward to getting to know you! 🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼 Follow 🍁 @spellbindingsisters . . . . . . . . #spark #pies #moon #forever #motivate #weightoftheworld #backmeup #kittens #bestforyou #showtime #kitchenwitch #kitchenmagic #foolforlove #foodmagic #foodenchantment #vices #blast #coolmorning . . . . . . . Credit for picture to @theinnerwitch (at Fort Worth, Texas) https://www.instagram.com/p/CGPAA4SnG76/?igshid=1m78zcn23ne0i

[ssqueen1-blog]

The man God has in-store for you, is just for you. You won't have to beg for his attention. You don't have to steal him or share him with another woman. You won't shed a tear of pain over his actions. You won't have to lie to him about your circumstances, all you need to do is be still and wait on God. Now if this man is already in your life cherish every moment that you have. You never truly know how long they will be in your life. Relationships and time is unpredictable. Meanwhile I will continue to sit here patiently and continue to grow as I find who I am. One day a man will have the same strength to love me as I will love them. #patience #foolforlove #princecharming #lovemeforwhoIam https://www.instagram.com/p/B6vlKdvlGB7/?igshid=158ix16ftvf9g

[ashleywoodson]

Kiss And Tell • #morningrun #bartonsprings #foolforlove #runwithme #wearmyjewelry (at Barton Springs) https://www.instagram.com/p/BuKw-mMF63Q/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=2rux5vkoqphc

[basemanart]

I’m such a FOOL FOR LOVE. Or just a fool. This DUNCE painting was in my OPEN WOUNDS series at OX-OP in Minneapolis back in the day. #dunce #foolforlove #garybaseman @haze_xxl #oxop #openwounds I haven’t changed. One would think I learned my lesson. I’m still a fool. https://www.instagram.com/p/Bs_QaS8n7ed/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=d7l7aoysskzc

[arbundance]

“My father always told me that a fool at 40 is a fool for life.” – Idris Elba #idriselba #idriselbaquotes #idriselbaquote #idriselbaxsuperdry #idriselbaforjamesbond #foolforlife #foolforlove #foolforyou #lifebeginsat40 #lifebeginat50 #myfathersquote #fatherquotes #fatherquote #dadquotes #dadquote #pacificrim #pacificrimuprising #quotesoftheday #virgo #virgoseason #virgogirl #virgomemes #virgonation #virgowomen #virgolife #virgofacts #virgomen (at Amalfi, Italy) https://www.instagram.com/p/CTRNi5yFrga/?utm_medium=tumblr

[shairacruz-blog1]

My heart is telling me to scream. My mind is telling me to cry. And yet still, I smile. 😔😐😅☺️😊 #lesbian #foolforlove #shaira #bestrong #gay #loveyourself #ashlay #smilebitch #lgbtq #girlswholikegirls #sogirlygirl #love #girlythings #fakesmile #justlove #queer #dress #happyface #aloneforever #lesbihonest🌈

[zaidatorcuatomorgado]

New Photo of Nick Gehlfuss ❤️

✏️frontrowphyllis Fiery and Sexy'Fool For Love'Playwright by Sam Shepard, starring Caroline Neff and Nick Gehlfuss.Opening Jan 30th-March 16th at The Steppenwolf Theatre.Stay tuned for the Interview!#theatre#production#drama#film#liveonstage#entertainment#masterpiece#brilliant#foolforlove#tv #media ##interview#steppenwolftheatre#samshepard#carolineneff#nickgehlfuss 📸: @fronthrowphyllis Instagram

[iamhanwolf]

Buffy: "I love you." Spike: "No you don't... But thanks for saying it." #buffythevampireslayer #buffy #spike #buffyandspike #foolforlove https://www.instagram.com/p/CHYhQOenPM0/?igshid=thzfjt2p7y77

[freegreatmovies]

Kim Basinger in Robert Altman’s Fool for Love (1985). Written by and co-starring Sam Shepard. Pretty good film. #foolforlove #kimbasinger #robertaltman #samshepard #harrydeanstanton (at El Dorado, New Mexico) https://www.instagram.com/p/CBk11AUFjmb/?igshid=1p12ukm60ml1x

[alexaharriettemalik]

#love #warmth #fire #melt #stonecold #heart #meltingforlove #lovelorn #foolforlove (at India) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3V8dr7l-Vg/?igshid=1ts07hbt0jxnd