#otp: buffy and angel

[lucy-moderatz]

[dafa-hojao]

He should say it louder because it's true.

[liam-summers]

"Shoulder to shoulder. I'm yours."

[buffysummers]

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003)

[lalosalamcnca]

[crackers4jenn]

The appeal of Spike/Buffy to me vs all the other Spike and Buffy ships is that they got to have ANTICS, even amidst all the darker themes

one of their first scenes as mortal enemies kinda getting along, they pretend to be in a band together

they get the will-it-so spell episode where they're FAKE ENGAGED, helloooooo (with handholding! and lap sitting! and smooches! while they're still ankle deep in nemesis territory!!!)

Spike's around to play kitten poker and help Buffy out and make cute lil faces at her in the time loop episode

there's ✨thee musical episode✨ with the closing curtain big finale kiss

they get shippy moments as Joan and Randy in the amnesia episode

they're bonin' in the "Buffy's invisible" episode

there's the magical letterman jacket episode where Buffy and Spike get to do some silent background comedy, with a bazooka

when Andrew introduces them in his season 7 POV ep they get the romance novel cover scene, with windswept hair and slow-mo

even in the buffybot episode there's an undercurrent of ~comedy mixed with the depravity

[bocadelinfierno]

[90s-kid-sad-adult]

maudlin

[bangelism]

https://www.tumblr.com/bangelism/762929927623507968 when did they prove it? /gen not looking for trouble lol 🙏

reference for everyone: post being referred to read "i sleep so well knowing buffy and angel are canon soulmates."

sure! i can go into a into a lot of evidence as to why i think this, but i’ll just point out some of the key things that stand out to me. (fair warning, i can ramble about them for a long time so... apologies...)

first of all, i think it's important to establish what a soulmate is. i understand everyone may have their own perspective on what this means, but to me, a soulmate is a deep mutual love (romantic or platonic) and thus, an intense connection between two souls. soulmates understand and accept each other, help each other grow, support one another, and of course, love each other.

so using that as a reference, here is why i believe buffy and angel are soulmates, and how the shows canon supports that:

1] their lives mirror each other. even when they're apart, buffy and angel's stories continue to mirror and parallel one another. a great example of this is connor and dawn. both buffy and angel had these (different) roles of caregiver thrust onto them unexpectedly, but find themselves in these new roles they've been given. angel as a single dad, buffy as a sister and dawn's primary caregiver after joyce passes; both go through ups and downs in this journey, but the audience sees they wouldn't trade it for the world. then, they lose them through a portal, both fall to the ground instantly and shortly or immediately after fall into a catatonic state. this is not the only example of their lives mirroring each other, but i think it's one of the more profound, easy to see ones, that changes their lives and perspectives forever.

(screenshot of a beautiful gifset by @charmedslayer)

2] the continual references to one another throughout the series. buffy and angel often reference how much their relationship meant to each other, post breakup, either through actual words or actions/subtle references. a very important buffy quote outlines this really well: “i loved him more than i will ever love anything in this life.” to me this shows this is a relationship more important than any other, one they cannot simply just "move on" from. it changed them fundamentally, and has stuck with them no matter what.

3] they help each other grow. without buffy, angel would have never gotten out of that alleyway. that is just fact. buffy gave angel a purpose. even when they are apart, even when she is dead, it is keeping that purpose she gave him alive that animates him. they both made each other stronger and better people. this is seen all throughout their relationship and beyond; from the little pep talks they give each other, the way they train and fight side by side, the way they give purpose to each others missions.

screenshot of a gifset that shows this perfectly by @buffysummers

4] their emotional connection. whilst in a relationship, we see angel being buffy's emotional confidant on numerous occasions and vice versa. they give each other new perspective (also another example of how they help each other grow), like in 'ted' (btvs 2x11). angel is the only person in that episode to listen to buffy's complaints, acknowledge them, but then gently offer her a different perspective; maybe her mother is simply, lonely. even post breakup, in 'forever' (btvs 5x17), angel is the one person she fully confides in about her grief. they are able to be fully vulnerable with one another, both emotionally and physically. protecting each other in both ways and fighting many both physical and mental battles “shoulder to shoulder" even when they're apart.

5] they accept one another. 'what's my line' (2x9-10) shows this the best, as well as expands on how they can be fully vulnerable with each other. first emotionally - angel listens to and acknowledges buffy's frustrations about career week, and supports her through that (feelings that are dismissed by everyone else around her), encouraging her to talk about her feelings. then, in accepting both her 'slayer' and 'buffy' persona as one, asks her on an ice-skating date to learn more about the buffy he never knew, accepting even the parts of her people might disregard. then, we see buffy accept both aspects of angel; his vampiric and human side, when she kisses his vampire face and is one of the only people throughout the shows canon that accepts these two sides of angel, represented by his 'true' face. then physically - when buffy is worried about her safety she goes to angel's apartment, curls up in his bed, just a space that reminds her of him is enough to make her feel safer. and then angel is rescued by her at the end of the episode. she cradles him in her arms, and we see him clearly and physically relax in her embrace.

—

i fear i could go on, and on, and then on a little more. but that's just a little taste of my perspective on why i believe the canon supports the idea that buffy and angel are soulmates. …let alone all the shared dreams, countless parallels (even more meta ones like how their theme songs reflect each other) and then the love they have for each other which is stated time and time again.

[winepresswrath]

Darla/Angelus is also great because the show has a competing designated OTP and they exist to serve as contrast and hateful competition to THE ship. they are soulless monsters even by the standards of soulless monsters, they literally make the other soulless monsters go "yikes... your relationship seems not good maybe." but they love each other so fucking much. the writers can't help it. they are constantly trying to find their way back to each other. the way she hits him over a head with a shovel and leaves him to an angry mob while he tries to say he doesn't mind dying if it's with her AND the way they coo about it to each other afterwards. the way she takes him back against her better judgement because she missed him so so much but then kicks him out again later because he still can't be who she needs him to be. that's just how they say i love you.

[missfiggy]

FIC DROP BANGEL ATTENTION GRAB

Now that I have your bangely attention

Am I saying my finishing a chapter of The Boring Stuff: Halloween is as heroic a feat as Kerri Strug nailing the vault of one leg? No of course not. That’d be silly.

Would I disagree if OTHERS suggested such a thing?

In a case study of how to bury the lede, there is a new chapter of The Boring Stuff Halloween available. And it’s available here:

[lucy-moderatz]

[spangelmybeloved]

Can we get a little Spangel-Bangel solidarity? I ask as someone who likes both ships.

[liam-summers]

+ Bonus: deleted scene from the shooting script

[buffysummers]

Buffy the Vampire Slayer | 4.20 - "The Yoko Factor"

[lalosalamcnca]