#literally so much of buffyverse. there are so many questionable character actions from everyone that there just isn't

[justafriendofxanders]

*breathlessly* i think a lot of xander's Stuff stems from a desire for dependability and stability and growing up in a volatile home situation where that wasn't guaranteed which is why he constantly seeks out validation from his peers and like, the CONCEPT of what it means to be Cool or Likable and later a Good Breadwinner/Husband because he doesn't have any other models of what it means to Be Okay (whether it's in role models or a personal philosophy) or the confidence (or frankly, especially in the earlier seasons, the emotional intelligence) to trust that he's enough as he is. and i think part of the fucking tragedy of why he ends up pulling the ultimate flaker move of bailing on his own wedding is BECAUSE he takes commitment seriously and he's all too aware of how people can fail in the promises they make to each other, himself included, and he doesn't trust himself to NOT hurt his loved ones.

but i ALSO do think he rushed into marriage because he felt like it was the right thing to do, rather than because it felt right to him, if that makes sense. i think this is related to the meta about the willow/xander arc, which is to say that when you are insecure and it seems like things are falling apart, and you derive a sense of security from your relationships with the people in your life, it makes sense to double-down on those relationships and try to lock them down, for lack of a better word. because what else are you going to do, trust YOURSELF?

and it's this insane cycle where if you're judging xander as a real person you would or wouldn't want to be friends with (as opposed to a fictional rubiks cube i guess), then it's very easy to pick up on his flaws and the ways in which he can be annoying or hurtful or act (apparently) without consideration for other people's feelings. which is like, fine, whatever, consume media however you want. i'm just personally fascinated by (read: tearing my hair out about) the rubiks cube of how xander most often appears selfish and self-centered when he is most insecure and craving some kind of external reassurance. like sometimes i feel like i'm watching this man run around in a rodent shock maze of his own creation.

[somanypetals]

buffy/angel meme ‘cause I bored

Top fifteen characters?

That’s a lot lmao isn’t that just listing everyone? Ok lol Buffy, Tara, Cordy, Wesley, Faith, Fred, Anya, Dawn, Oz, Willow, Giles, Angel, Gunn, Glory, and sometimes Spike

Favorite minor characters?

I mean I sorta just...did that, in a way. But like, Kendra, the Mayor and Jonathon. Also Harmony.

Ranking of favorite seasons of both shows?

buffy: I have like a critical list and a nostalgia influenced list for buffy favourites lol but I guess I’ll try and combine??? 4, 5, 6, 3, 2, 1, 7

angel: mate do you know how much I cannot do this one because I haven’t finished my rewatch but I’ll try...3, 2, 5, 1, 4 maybe?

Top ten episodes of both shows?

buffy: restless, omwf, hush, the gift, the body, something blue, the wish, halloween, grave, and then probably something ridiculous like band candy

angel: I literally can’t do this list for angel right now I need to finish my rewatch so Ima just make a list that is comprised of: birthday

Least favorite main character?

in buffy it’s xander, soz buddy. in angel though???? like...I don’t even know mate. I love them all, and I love them all differently every time I rewatch because I didn’t grow up with them as much so they’re all still kinda shiny and new in some ways. OH WAIT LMAO connor, it’s connor. I don’t care for connor.

Top ten ships?

these questions ask for so many answers why.................willow/tara, angel/cordy, fred/wes, buffy/tara, buffy/spike (and like, also not, it’s complicated), buffy/angel, buffy/riley before the initiative collapsed, anya/giles idk why that one always stuck with me in a cracky way, buffy/cordy, willow/oz

Do you write fanfic?

not for the whedonverse nah

What fanfic do you read?

I’ve never read...whedonverse fic...wow

When did you start watching?

I started watching buffy in 2000 when I was seven, and angel maybe in like 2005 when I was 12? but I never saw past all of it until I was like 18 in 2011, I’d only watched season one as a kid and a bit of season four, hence why these questions are so much fucking harder for angel lol

Show recommendations for Buffyverse fans?

I mean, it’s hard to do this because the buffyverse style is such a mix of genres it depends what you like buffy and angel for? but I would say if you’ve watched one and not the other you have to stick it out and watch them both

in terms of good shows maybe like, the x files, veronica mars, jessica jones, battlestar galactica, spirited, pushing daisies, leverage, maybe eureka and warehouse 13?

in terms of slightly trashier shows like...lost girl, the vampire diaries, the first three seasons of teen wolf (and then the following seasons if you hate yourself like I do)

Do you own/collect anything related to the shows?

I have some buffy books I found in opshops but I don’t have any of the comics (yet), I have the dvd box sets of course, I used to have like a thousand posters? and I also sort of own action figures of buffy and dawn but they’re not really mine...but I think it was said that I can have them...

How often will you watch an episode?

I tend to do a full buffy rewatch like once a year, either with someone I’m forcing the show upon or just myself. angel is a bit rarer but I’m trying to watch it more because I love it and I want to know it as well as I do buffy!! but as for random episodes I’ll often just end up watching one with tess or when I’m bored, maybe like once every couple of months or sometimes more frequently

How many times have you watched either show all the way through?

btvs probably like five or six times at least lol, and then all the individual episodes would be like 10 or more times like some have gotta be in the 20s or 30s from how many times I watched them as a kid/teen. angel only all the way through like once and a half though :/ but season one of angel a couple times

Five unpopular opinions?

idk what the fandom opinions are these days so idek how to answer that 

Least favorite thing about the fandom?

the old discourse that’s kind of been going around in circles for like ten years just because it’s tiring, and the newer discourse that either a) neglects parts of the show/characterisations or b) doesn’t bother to remember that the show started over twenty years ago and some things can’t be dissected with the same lens lol (I’m not talking about seeing red though fyi)