#there’s definitely like. hints and subtext but I do wish we’d gotten more

[whenthegoldrays]

and like, despite the deliciously shippable couples it has, Twinkling Watermelon is not a romcom, it’s a fantasy coming-of-age. the theme is family, the main relationship is between Eun Gyeol and his father and while their respective romantic storylines are crucial, they’re not central.

which is nice, on the one hand, because it offers a slightly different (and beautiful) kind of story, but then because instead of being [main couple] > [second couple] it’s [son and dad] > [son’s gf and mom], it ends up letting down Eun Yoo and Cheong-ah a bit and leaving their resolutions a bit rushed / open ended (you know, like how in other shows you’ll see the second couple standing together at the main characters’ wedding but no actual, solid resolution).

so the final scene of the show is primarily a bonding moment and a resolution for Yichan and Eun Gyeol, and you don’t get much of Cheongchan and a very quick last-moment wrapping up of Euneun (and like. what happened to our girls in the years in between?? we need answers!)

[amwritingmeta]

15x19: A First Ending

This was a good episode! Oh, I know, I know - we didn’t get Cas back. But oh, boy, that should mean that Misha shot for five of eight days for 15x20 and that makes me want to rub my hands together with the hope of what that might mean. All the good things!

Oh, don’t hang your hopes on mine btw. I had very high hopes that we’d get Cas back, or very strongly established as coming back (as per 13x04) with a final scene of him waking up in the Empty or something like it, and that didn’t happen, but omg I’m so glad they didn’t.

When Jack started praying and reaching out to Cas my heart almost stopped. 

If Dean doesn’t instigate Cas’ return, then oh it would take away too much!

But then Jack’s moment didn’t lead to anything, and now, the more I think about it, there more it feels like a plant. A reminder of how he prayed to Cas the last time, and woke him. We shall see, eh?

And then we got Dean telling Chuck to bring Cas back, which was a pivotal plant as well. I’d been worried if they hadn’t mentioned Cas more than once, with Dean telling Jack and Sam that Cas sacrificed himself to save him, yeah? 

If there had been no more Cas for the entire episode then, narratively speaking, I would have started wondering what role Cas might actually play in 15x20.

But Cas was mentioned more than once. We even got to hear his voice and have that fake return to stir our... I almost wrote loins, but that’s not appropriate so let’s change it to stir our... martinis. 

Ah yes. We could all use a drink, I’m sure.

The dog as well! Dean was so happy and he carried the dog and petted the dog and put it in Cas’ spot in the backseat and was all, yes, emotional substitute! And then... poof. Because it’s not going to be that easy to replace Cas. *fingers crossed*

Here’s mostly why I’m hopeful for something quite different as the actual finale of the show, the proper wrapping up of these character journeys:

This first ending is for those who have followed the show explicitly to watch these two brothers. (yes there’s a word for them but let’s not)

It ends exactly how these viewers -- and quite possibly the writers who wrote it -- always saw the show ending. It gives an emotionally satisfying wrapping up of all the thematic threads of the show and gives the brothers their hard-won freedom, and keeps the brothers riding in Baby, together, indefinitely. 

And these viewers and fans will always be able to stop watching the show there and keep that as their perfect ending.

Except it’s not the ending-ending. Is it?

This episode neatly and gorgeously wrapped up the Michael/Lucifer/Chuck storyline. It wiped the slate completely clean. Especially with Michael killing Lucifer and Chuck killing Michael. These characters just completely annihilating  each other because they’ve all served their purpose.

And Chuck being drained of his powers and ending up ignored, never to be worshipped again, or even remembered, is such a fitting ending for him! And with Dean refusing to kill him, leaving him to his fate, I’d call that Dean integrating his Shadow.

No more fearing it. It’s powerless. Thanks to Jack (Dean’s inner child) who now holds all the power in the universe.

I’d say Dean Winchester has reached a point of internal balance.

And for all of these good things: Chuck powerless, Jack the New God, surely helping to fix what Cas broke by restoring Heaven (I’m assuming Heaven will be repopulated or that God’s grace will level it out) and Jack stepping into shoes that Cas once tried to fill and failed to, to the detriment to so many of his kin, is simply stunning.

I cried, properly, at Jack’s speech. It was beautiful.

But for all these good things and wrappings up of stuff, didn’t the ending feel kind of superficial? Like stuff was missing in those final five minutes or so? Like... I don’t know... Sam mentioning Eileen maybe? Because surely she was brought back along with everyone else, and one episode ago he was losing his mind over the loss of her.

And they didn’t even mention Cas. Jack mentioned Castiel as a good influence, but Cas was just bunched in with “everyone we’ve lost along the way”.

Meh.

Hey, it’s fine if all you care about is Dean and Sam and you think that they’re at their happiest when they get to drive along a road in Baby, listening to tunes and play-fighting and reminiscing about all those people that have come and gone, while they know they’ll always remain the same.

I mean, if we hadn’t gotten that montage at the end of this episode (a fucking MONTAGE ppl) I would’ve started thinking that maybe Misha was coming back to shoot flashbacks for 15x20, as we got to see the brothers remembering Cas (like with Mary), taking a walk down memory lane and driving around to well-known locales for a final hurrah.

But we got that fucking montage, ppl.

Leaving me to feel that they probably won’t also spend forty minutes rememberembering those same people. You know?

Also, dull. And Dabb is anything but dull. And Dabb loves pulling on stuff he’s hinted at in the first ep of the season. 

And I remember reacting to Sam being the one to escort the kid and her mother into the, what was it? The high school, right? For safety.

While Dean and Cas had that tense exchange by Baby, where Dean couldn’t not ask if Cas was okay and Cas saying, hopefully, that he was, but Dean remaining stone faced and distant. “Awkward” is what Belphegor called it.

Oh. Please let there be awkwardness in 15x20. I beg on bent knees. Beg, I say!

Anyway.

What is 15x20 going to be about if it isn’t about finally answering the question of what will make the brothers happy?

A balanced universe, of course! But freedom without love... sounds kind of lonely to me. 

So, have they answered the question of What do I want? yet? Is this what they want for themselves? More of the same? This season has hinted that it isn’t. It’s hinted very strongly that it isn’t.

So, I’m holding my breath that Dean’s final confrontation is to do with happiness and daring to want it for himself. Daring to admit to wanting it for himself. Daring to go after it... 

Cas does not belong in the Empty.

And hope that it’s telling how Jack didn’t even think to get Cas out of there and bring him home. God got Lucifer out of the Empty so Jack definitely has the power. 

And Dean didn’t ask him to get Cas out of there, not because he doesn’t still want Cas out, but because it would ruin the first ending for the people who want Cas to stay dead. Yeah? 

It’s kind of beautifully done, to my mind, as a nod and a thank you to the people who have supported one reading of the show. It’ll be difficult for them to go apeshit when Dabb and the writers can simply tell them they don’t have to watch further than 15x19 and be content that they’ve got an ending that lets them cling to the brothers as the begin all, end all.

And yes, I remain believing we will get Dean and Cas together-together before the end of the show. I have no clue how much of a together-together we’ll get, but for the show not to give us a clear understanding of how Dean loves Cas back is unthinkable at this point, and will stay unthinkable until the show tells me otherwise, because nothing but those two together makes even a lick of sense to me.

Dean’s feelings were in the subtext this episode because that’s where they always have been and hopefully fingers crossed because this ending wasn’t for us, it was for other sides of fandom, giving them room for denial, if they simply don’t want to see that what Dean wants is Cas back.

Our ending isn’t happening until next week.

Dean: It’s a helluva time to bail. There’s a lot of people counting on you. People with questions—they’re gonna need answers. Jack: The answers will be in each of them. Maybe not today, but someday.

For me this may be setting up for 15x20.

Dean could be said to be accepting the reality of Cas being gone this episode. He starts off not telling the whole truth about what happened with Cas (of course), he’s drinking himself stupid, he tries to demand of Chuck to bring Cas back, he finds that emotional crutch in the doggo and he moves into acceptance because what else can he do?

Especially if he’s still reeling and is struggling with his fear of happiness, with not feeling deserving, with it being easier to simply let it all go.

But.

Letting go of the need is healthy, allowing it to make way for the real want that is about choosing Cas, not because he feels lost without him, but because Cas completes him...

That would be something. 

(oh shush let’s get with the romance) (Jerry always brings it)

The brothers love each other, but throughout this narrative there’s been hints that they both long for more. So much more. It would be so weird if it didn’t all wrap up with more being wanted and chosen and offered and had.

So if the answers are to be “in each of them -- someday”, then maybe Dean just needs to reach a moment where he’s ready to admit to himself that he can’t stand the fact that Cas died not knowing that Dean loves him back.

I wonder if Sam will push for this admittance... I’d like to witness that conversation, that’s for sure.

And Eileen. I hope she’s back sooner rather than later next episode!!

What’s next episode going to be about if it’s not about the breaking of old patterns to make way for new ones...? Are we going to follow the boys around as they do laundry and cook and make a few tentative plans for their unknown future? They won’t be hunting much in 15x20, at least if Dabb is anything to go by. I guess there might be something brief as a final The Boys With Their Weapons Doing Their Thing, but... it won’t be a case episode. And it would’ve been strange if it was, you know?

So then. Hope. One more week breathing eating sleeping on hopes and wishes and we shall simply have to wait and see what we get.

I have every faith it will blow us away, but I’m also sitting pretty. Reining in those horses lest they run away with me. And whatever comes our way, I’m so grateful for this show!

[skadventuretime]

I am shopping in your bookstore and you didn’t notice my mother was standing directly behind me when you really blatantly hit on me. - Soma

Time to bust out of that post-resbang slump. Please accept this little bit of ridiculousness as I adjust back to writing past tense and Black Star’s shenanigans.

On FFN. Edit: On AO3 too, because I was too lazy to do it last night. 

It started out as a dare.

More like a challenge, really, one to see who could ask out their respective crushes first, and Maka refused to lose to her muscle-headed nincompoop of a neighbor who still insisted on being called by his childhood alter ego’s name.

Black Star. More like Black Death the way his nonsense seemed to kill all logic and reason with the speed and ferocity of deadly bacteria.

Gritting her teeth, Maka peered around the edge of the bookshelf she had strategically chosen for surveillance purposes - it was far enough away from the checkout that the grumpy object of this godforsaken mission would have a hard time seeing her, but close enough that she could gauge both how busy the store was and how tired he seemed. If she played her cards right, she could walk up when there were few people around, dazzle him with some tried and true wordplay that she had spent all of the previous night researching, and then be done before he woke up enough to realize he’d agreed to go on a date with someone as pathetically endowed as her.

She lurked in the sci-fi/fantasy section for another thirty minutes while the lunch rush came through, nearly forgetting about her mission entirely when she overheard a couple of teens talking about Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonriders of Pern series and getting into an animated discussion about the pros and cons of being soul-bonded to another sentient being. But then they left, and the relative quiet reminded Maka she had a job to do.

A final peek around the shelf confirmed that there was nobody else in the store but her and Sir Slouches-A-Lot. Remembering the Internet’s reminder that men like confident, assertive women, she put on her competitive jiujitsu face and strode up to the counter with her back straight and her head held high. Her script was memorized. Her research was iron-clad. There was no way this could end in failure.

“Do you have a name or can I just call you mine?” she asked him in the most neutral tone she could manage. No need to pull out the sultry yet - all of the articles she’d read had agreed that pacing was important.

“Excuse me?” he stuttered, eyes wide as he half-tripped, half-collapsed onto the counter.

Maka frowned. It seemed the initial line didn’t work so well - perhaps something more poetic would get the point across. “Do you have a map? I’m getting lost in your eyes.” That should definitely provoke the needed response - his eyes were a brilliant shade of wine-red that did funny things to her stomach when she thought about it too much, but she supposed that was why Black Star teased her about him so often. That’ll stop when she wins this bet, though. Surely Star couldn’t be faring any better with Kid given his utter inability to form coherent sentences that didn’t involve some inane portmanteau of ‘bro’ and the meme of the week.

“I’m sorry, I still don’t understand?” he wheezed, red splotches making his cheeks glow in an awkward, adorable way. “Do you uh, need some help finding something in the store?”

Maka took a calming breath. Of course she’d fall for the one who couldn’t take a hint. Third time’s the charm, they say, so she summoned her most seductive smile (the amount of time she spent practicing it in the mirror the night before was borderline embarrassing) and said, “Are you my appendix? I have a pain in my side that makes me feel like I should take you out.” If he missed the subtext of that last bit, she might have to resort to some of the more drastic measures mentioned in the article, like showing up at his window with a boombox and 80s music or giving him a bouquet of roses, and flowers were expensive.

“Are you hitting on me?” he said, voice cracking in the middle and rising an octave or so while he looked at her with a strange mixture of incredulity and something a little like hope.

“It appears that way, Soul,” an amused voice said to their right, and oh god, someone else was there the whole time. She had waist length blond hair, fine cheekbones, and some of the sharpest eyeliner Maka had ever seen. With a growing sense of horror, Maka realized this must be his mother.

Soul jumped and turned to face her, groaning when he saw the satisfied smirk and delicately placed hands on hips. “Why are you here? Weren’t you doing inventory?”

“Now now, is that any way to treat family?” she chided, still smiling while moving past Soul to collect a stack of receipts by the register.

“I try to forget I’m related to you,” he grumbled, scrubbing at his face in a vain attempt to rid himself of the color in his cheeks. “Don’t you have better things to do than creep around up front?”

She laughed and ruffled his hair with an easy kind of affection that made something in Maka’s heart twinge. What it must be like, to have a mother like that.

“I’ll leave you two kids alone. I can’t be late to my modeling gig, anyway. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” She winked and, after making her way around the counter towards the door, turned and stage-whispered to Maka, “And that only involves anything without clearly negotiated safe words and boundaries, so have at it!” Another wink and she was gone, the small bell above the door chiming her exit.

“Your mom seems nice,” Maka said cautiously, not wanting to say much more because Soul already seemed like he was one wrong look away from disintegrating on the spot and she was busy trying to figure out how to steer this conversation back to dates.

“Mom?” he said, aghast. “That wasn’t my mother, that was my brother.”

Now it was Maka’s turn to blush. “Oh! I’m sorry, I guess I presumed with the hair and — do you think he can teach me how to do eyeliner like that? I always mess it up.”

Soul’s laugh was more like a whimper while he lowered his face into his arms, sinking into the small stool behind the counter like he wished he could simply fade away. “Probably. He’s always picked to do high fashion stuff like this.”

Maka allowed him one minute of embarrassed sulking before clearing her throat and asking, “So, is that a yes?”

He raised his head, confusion breaking through the pained set of his features. “Huh?”

“Will you go out with me?” she said impatiently, glancing at the clock. Kid had gotten out of orchestra almost an hour ago and she didn’t want to risk Star somehow being smooth enough to fingergun his way into a relationship before she could apply her hours of thoroughly researched technique.

“I mean, that sounds—” He’s cut off by the door slamming wide to none other than Black Star and Kid, the latter wearing an impeccable neutral face despite Star’s large bicep curling into the back of his neck from the arm around his shoulder.

“'Sup nerds,” Star said, sauntering over to join them by the counter. “This hot piece of sass agreed to go out with me just a few minutes ago, and given the awkward tension I felt from down the street, you two haven’t even gotten to the confession yet. So I’m gonna say booyah and you lose, Maks.” He raised his other hand over his head, fist formed, and didn’t break eye contact with Maka as Kid sighed and lifted his fist to bump Star’s.

Maka seethed. She’d been so close! All of her planning, her research, was for nothing after all.

“Actually, she was just waiting for me to finish my shift,” Soul said, glancing between Black Star and Maka. “She asked me out hours ago, and we’re also heading out on our first date soon.”

She tried not to look so surprised when he made eye contact with her then, that warm feeling coming back in waves and allowing her to return his smile with a genuine one of her own. “Yeah, right. We’re thinking about a movie.”

Star gaped at the two of them. “Are you kidding me? Punch Ya Albarn got a date before moi? Jeez man, we gotta be friends if this one’s nerdery didn’t scare you away. We were going to the movies, too, so how about a double date?”

“Sounds good to us,” Maka said.

“Great, we’ll meet you out front.” Black Star and Kid walked back outside, and the longer Maka looked at them, the more she saw the bashful tilt to Star’s smile and the small fidgets he made when Kid leaned into his arm. It looked like Star wouldn’t be the only one with teasing ammo.

“Thanks, by the way. For covering me,” Maka said to Soul when the others were out of earshot. “We’d had a bet about who could ask their crushes out on a date first and—”

“I’m your crush?” Soul looked dazed again, but this time with such an honest, open smile that Maka couldn’t help but indulge the melting emotion lapping at her heart.

“Yeah, you are,” she said, tamping down her own starstruck expression and remembering the need to project confidence. “I spent a lot of time looking up how to flirt. I’m glad it wasn’t all for nothing.”

“Well, that’s cool because you’ve been my crush for a while.” That wide-open smile seemed to be a permanent fixture on his face, and he held out his hand to her as he walked towards the door. “But just so you know, you shouldn’t take dating advice from cheesy pick-up line sites.”

Maka’s eyes widened. “How did you know where I sourced my information?”

Laughing, Soul enveloped her hand in his and opened the door. “Call it a hunch.”

[dingoes8myrp]

A Word on Buffyverse Ships

I've been thinking a lot about the romantic relationships of Buffy, the canon ones and the fandom ones. I've never really committed fully to one ship or another, nor have I condemned one or another. I've watched them, I've analyzed them, sure. But I've never picked one or voted one off the island. I suppose it wasn't the reason I watched the show, so I never saw the point.

Recently, I rewatched both shows as an adult (rather than a teen/collegiate). It's amazing how a few years can bring new perspective to things. Writing my own fanfiction and reading that of others as well as engaging in many wonderful discussions here with other fans has really made me think about which ships I'm really ride or die for, and which I could do without. So, here's my take for those interested (since I've given my two cents here and there in many of your discussions, I'm sure). Please feel free to reply, discuss, or what have you.

I'm going to talk about these basically chronologically (to the best of my memory). I haven't scoured the Internet for every single ship, so these are just the ones I've thought extensively about recently. If there's one I don't mention and you're curious about my thoughts, drop me a line.

Xander/Buffy – A Nice Thought I enjoy the idea of this one in a post-show timeline. As a teenager I think Xander is way too immature and judgmental to be a good fit for Buffy. During the rest of the show's run they're on different pages romantically and don't seem to want the same things, so I don't think there was ever really a right time for them to be a couple during the show storyline. Although when I read the rumor that Sarah Michelle Gellar and Nicholas Brendan pitched the pairing for season six I gushed a little. I do think by the end of the series Xander has displayed a remarkable amount of growth to become a humble, supportive man. He's loyal to Buffy in the way that he's by her side no matter what. Even if he disagrees with her or if he's angry at her, when push comes to shove he's in the fray right with her. However, he's not a yes man. He's not so enamored with Buffy that he doesn't see her flaws, and he's not afraid to call her out (albeit a bit brutally) when he thinks she's making a mistake. He also accepts her for who she is, even the parts he doesn't understand. I don't think these two would work as a lifelong pair, but they'd be an interesting match if the timing was right for them. Ultimately, I think it was a good move that this one remained unrequited.

Buffy/Angel – Meant to Be I have conflicted feelings about this one. I do not think it was a healthy example of a relationship, nor do I think it was intended to be a romanticized thing for people to aspire to. To me, the Buffy/Angel relationship always came off as a cautionary tale. Buffy was young and naïve at the start of their courtship, and the guy had a checkered past. "Oh, but he's different. He's changed." Her mother didn't approve, stating Angel was too old for Buffy (rightfully so). All the iffy red flags were there. I think Buffy was good for Angel, motivating him and helping him grow. But, I think he might have been a hindrance to her, as he always became priority over anything else (like oh, say, an apocalypse). One of my favorite Buffy moments is when she sacrifices Angel to prevent the Acathla apocalypse at the end of season two because she overcame that very issue. As an aside, I think Angel was a bit shady in his relationship with Buffy, knowing it wasn't the best thing for her, that realistically a life with him would mean a lot of sacrifice on Buffy's end. But, he pursued it anyway. The part where he had sex with Buffy and lost his soul is a bit suspect for me. The show seemed to steer us toward the direction that he didn't know exactly what "a moment of true happiness" meant, so that he couldn't really know sex with Buffy would make him lose his soul. But I have to think he knew it was at least a risk or a possibility. In my opinion, he was a bit reckless with that relationship, always going against his better judgment. So, I have my beef with this relationship for sure, and it's not my personal favorite. However, I think Angel is the person Buffy always measures everyone else she dates up to. He's the one for her, and I think Buffy is the same for Angel. Therefore, these two are my OTP, much to my chagrin.

Giles/Jenny – We Hardly Knew Ye This is a tough one. I wish we'd gotten a bit more time with Giles and Jenny because they barely got to be a relationship. Because of that, it's hard for me to land on it. They have kind of a nice bickering Pride and Prejudice thing happening, which is amusing. And it was nice to see Giles have his own life outside of being a watcher and a librarian. I also love Jenny as a character. She was portrayed in a way that I could imagine running into her teaching at my high school. She was a character I could see actually existing as a part of my world. Sadly, I don't see this as a long-lasting relationship. Mostly because they didn't know each other very well and never struck me as madly in love. Had they gotten the chance, I'm not sure it would have worked out, particularly with that slight deception on Jenny's end that put her at odds with Buffy.

Oz/Willow – The One I Want to Want This ship is particularly close to my heart for many reasons. Willow is probably the character high school me could relate most to, and Oz is my all-time favorite Buffyverse character. I can't explain why. He just is. I think for much the same reason I like Jenny. Because he's someone I could have gone to high school with (you know, aside from the werewolf part). This was the relationship I lived vicariously through when I was single or feeling bummed about a break-up. Oz was kind, considerate, quietly charismatic, drily witty, intelligent, and endlessly patient. He wasn't some knight in shining armor, or a smoldering heartthrob. He was just a guy, like any other guy I could have known. The fact that Willow caught the eye of a nice guy gave me personal hope for my own situation. Some days it still does. Oz is the dude I would date, marry, and have little werewolf babies with. Willow is my spirit animal. So, even though these two aren't an OTP for me as a fic writer/reader or a fan, they are my favorite ship. I could go on and on about them, so I’ll keep it short and sweet.

Spike/Drusilla – Eyeballs to Entrails These two are one of my favorite ships on the show. They're dark and twisted and they're both formidable villains when they want to be. But Spike, despite his undeniable edge, is so gentle with Drusilla and so devoted to her, it was one of the first hints of depth we saw in a vampire other than Angel. And Drusilla, despite her timid personality, had so much power in that dynamic. She was a strong woman, a force all on her own. These two are an OTP for me. I think if Drusilla had never left Spike he would have stayed with her forever. If Drusilla managed to get a soul she and soul-having Spike would probably reconnect with interesting results.

Spike/Angel �� I'm Sure That's a Thing I don't really see a window for this in the run of the shows, but I totally believed these two were a Louis/Lestat type of thing back in the days of the Whirlwind. I definitely see a lot of subtext there, intended or not.

Cordelia/Xander – Well, There's Something You Don't See Every Day I… don't know where this one came from. When Cordelia and Xander shared their first dramatic kiss I think I laughed. "Oh, what a funny reaction for these two to have in that moment." And then that moment continued into a pretty substantial relationship. I never quite understood why these two were ever a thing. Realistically, yes. I get it. We've all watched two people get together and started taking bets on the date of their inevitable break-up. And on some levels I get the appeal. It's The Shop Around the Corner effect: these two can't stand each other, so naturally they need to be together. I did like the depth this relationship uncovered in Cordelia, but it's not one of my favorites.

Willow/Xander – Ugh. Really? Okay, I'm admittedly biased on this one because I've told you how I feel about Willow/Oz. I also have a general pet peeve when it comes to stories taking two characters who are good friends and deciding they have to pair them. It bugs the crap out of me that a man and a woman aren't allowed to just be friends in anything ever (except for Lucas and Haley in One Tree Hill and I love that about that show). I also can't stand love triangles. In conclusion, I hated this. Blasphemy. Never should have happened. Oz is a saint for forgiving Willow. Cordelia has every right to be pissed off about it. Xander's a dick for having the nerve to pull that Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered crap.

Buffy/Faith – Now That You Mention It… A relationship between Buffy and Faith never occurred to me when I watched the show. Then I read some fanfiction and some discussions about some subtext between these two. So, when I rewatched the show recently it was like "Wow, how did I never see that before?" One of my favorite moments in the show is the shared dream between Buffy and Faith at the end of season three. There is so much going on between these two women. I'm not sure the timing for a pairing was ever right for them in the show. Buffy was kind of closed off to Faith in the beginning, threatened by her and distant. Then once Faith went rogue I think she did some pretty unforgivable stuff as far as Buffy's concerned. Faith could say the same. Buffy did try to kill her. I don't think Buffy would ever forgive Faith for poisoning Angel, or for the body swap, but I don't think Faith would fault her for that. And I think Faith could forgive Buffy for stabbing her. I wish there was a window somewhere in the story where I could see this ship happening. Maybe post season seven. I'd have to think on it. However, I think these two women have a unique bond and, under the right circumstances and in the right plot, I could see this happening.

Giles/Joyce – Awkward I'm glad this was just kind of a fun one-time thing because how awkward would that have been? I feel like Joyce is always a bit competitive with Giles when it comes to Buffy. On the one hand, she respects Giles and appreciates how much he cares for Buffy. On the other hand, she resents him at times for endangering Buffy or for taking her away on some level. I think these two would always have a difference in opinion on what's best for Buffy, and that would kill any chance at a relationship they might have. How funny was that Band Candy episode, though?

Xander/Faith – Wait, What Just Happened? Again, I'm glad this was a one-time thing because – wait, what? This struck me as a plot device, a way to show us Faith was more dangerous than we thought. Tough break for Xander.

Xander/Anya – Haha! Oh, Wait… You're Serious? The issue I have with this ship is that it became a running gag on the show that Xander always fell for the monsters or the weirdos. Even when their relationship started, Anya was so awkward and out of place it was comedic. So when they made Xander and Anya a long-term couple I could never really take it seriously. I was always waiting for the punchline. It didn't help that as the show progressed they sort of gave Anya the Eric Matthews treatment and she went from trying to get used to being a mortal to "Who dropped her on her head?" Although they kind of grew on me, I never really considered this a realistic or long-lasting pairing. I did like Anya's arc after Xander bailed on their wedding. We got to see her trying to return to her demon ways and feeling conflicted. We got to see Xander struggle with the idea of a healthy marriage. That was all well and good. I just don't see this as an OTP kind of thing.

Riley/Buffy – A Breath of Fresh Air This is another ship that I personally really enjoy. Riley is a good, solid guy who's a badass in his own right and doesn't mind dating a woman who's independent and badass. I think Riley and Buffy had a healthy relationship, for the most part, until that clunkily executed break-up at the end (I think the show could have written that better). This wasn't quite a relationship I related to or lived vicariously through because Riley's not really my type and I couldn't really relate to Buffy much during this point in her arc. But, I enjoyed watching this ship and I really wanted it to work. It was healthy and safe, and Buffy never has enough of that in her life. However, I think the issues in the relationship were realistic. Buffy got kind of closed off and neglectful, and Riley got insecure and needy. Had that fortuitous and conveniently timed job offer not come along, I think these two could have eventually worked through those issues with some effort and commitment. But, I don't think Riley could ever hold a candle to Angel, so as long as Angel was in the picture I think he was always SOL.

Tara/Willow – You Make Me Complete This ship took me some time to warm up to, mainly because I felt like they wrote Oz out a bit unceremoniously so I didn't quite buy the quick progression to Tillow. However, I think these two had one of the most functional, realistic relationships in either of the shows. I would consider it THE most functional relationship if the whole addiction to magic arc with Willow hadn't happened (but that was a bit manipulative and unhealthy). I think Willow truly became whole as she grew over the course of her relationship with Tara, and I think Tara could breathe with Willow and feel comfortable with herself. I can't picture these two ever being as fulfilled with other people as they are with each other. I would have liked to see more of Willow coming to terms with her sexuality and dealing with that, and I would have liked to see a bit more development with the relationship. But these two are an OTP for me.

Spike/Anya – I Almost Forgot About That I didn't like this either. They just shoved these two together, got them drunk, and had them sleep together. It felt very contrived to me and I wasn't a fan.

Angel/Cordelia – I Guess You'll Do I never quite bought into this. It's very similar to Jenny and Giles for me in the way that it was hinted at that these two might have warm fuzzies for each other, but nothing was ever significantly done with it. For me, I don't know if I see this as a viable relationship. A lot of that is due to Angel being hung up on Buffy.

Cordelia/Doyle – A Face You Could Learn to Love These two had so much potential and I wanted so badly for them to be a couple. Another Jenny Calendar effect here where there was barely anything to suggest a possible relationship. But I think the chemistry between the two characters was spot on from the start. From the second he sees her Doyle's head over heels with the idea of her and she's rolling her eyes all "as if." But then they get to know each other and he genuinely appreciates the person she is. Unfortunately she never really gets to know him at all, so I don't really know how that relationship would have panned out. But I would have loved to see what would have happened.

Fred/Angel – Handsome Man Saved Me from the Monsters I'm glad this never became a full relationship in the show. I like the fact that these two were genuine friends and there weren't any romantic strings attached. Fred had a bit of a crush in the beginning, but I think that was a confusing mix-up on her part more than actual feelings. He saved her, so she automatically developed an appreciation for him. Overall these two had a sweet friendship and, while I think it could have developed into something under the right circumstances, I'm really glad it didn't.

Fred/Gunn – What Could They Possibly Have in Common? I'm not sure how these two ended up together. Opposites attract, I suppose. It just didn't feel like a real relationship to me. I tried to picture these two sitting around bored and talking and I had no idea what they'd possibly talk about. I feel like they'd be having a strike out conversation. "Do you like movies?" "Oh, I haven't really seen too many. I do like some of those old black-and-white romantic movies." "Oh. I'm not much for romance. More of an action kind of guy." "Oh… Have you read any good books lately?" "Uh… Not really. Been a little busy sharpening my knives and stakes." "Oh, right…" *cricket, cricket* It's not quite that I don't like this ship. It's more that I would have liked to have seen more of it, how it developed and how they worked. I didn't really have enough evidence to buy into it.

Fred/Wesley – Too Much Alike I understand the appeal of this ship, but in my opinion these two are too similar for a relationship to work well. I think they're much better as friends.

Buffy/Spike – Love Me, Hate Me I have a lot of personal bias with this one and it brings up some unpleasant feelings for me, so I don't think I could ever fully get on board with it even if I tried. That being said, I could see why this made sense at the time. This was always a relationship I could see happening under the right circumstances. Well, the stars aligned in season six and there you have it. The thing I don't like about this ship is how very unhealthy it is on both sides. It's very manipulative and abusive, and while that would be just fine if the two of them were soulless villains, it felt pretty out of character some of the time, particularly for Buffy. There was always a forced nature to it for me, which maybe was the point. Anyway, overall while I can see how it makes sense and I get the appeal, this isn't one I can rally behind because it makes me feel too icky.

Angel/Faith – Huh. Well, That's Interesting There's a lot of potential here. I think Faith and Angel understand things about one another no one else really could. They've both done terrible things (and enjoyed it), and they're both on sort of an impossible road to redemption. After a certain point, these two quietly became pretty ride or die for one another. And believably so. I didn't really see a place in the show's storyline where their pairing could have realistically fit, but I could see these two being a pair under the right circumstances. I think problems would arise because Angel's OTP is Buffy, and I think Faith would be very troubled by the idea of being compared to Buffy. But, it would be an interesting run while it lasted.

Wesley/Lilah – A Sharp Turn This was unexpected, but very cool. I liked that we saw a darker edge to Wesley and a softer side of Lilah. I also believed this relationship from the start. It made total sense to me at the time even though I didn't see it coming. These two had a mutual respect for each other, and they challenged each other. I also think they were very much in love, but neither of them really wanted to voice it (and I think they understood that about each other). While this relationship wasn't good for the rest of the characters involved because it sort of took Wesley away from the group, I like this ship a lot and it has the potential to be an OTP in my book. I would have needed to see a bit more of it.

Angel/Darla – It's Complicated I have mixed feelings about this one. While I think Darla and Angel totally miss the mark, Darla and Angelus are a perfect match, much like Spike and Drusilla. I think Angelus and Darla have a mutual appreciation for torturing and ruining others, and I think Darla understands exactly who Angelus is and is content to let him be that. He may not be devoted to her or even in love with her, but she's okay with that. As long as she's a part of the fun and she's in on the plans. It's not like she's entirely loyal to him either. She has her own agenda and likes her independence. However even human Darla and soul-toting Angel didn't really click for me. I think these two only work when they're both soulless monsters.

Connor/Cordelia – Eww, Why is This Happening? This was just gross. Wrong on so many levels. Cordelia was a mother figure to Connor, so her having a romantic thing with him was just icky, amnesia or no. Don't even get me started on the "It wasn't really Cordelia" thing. However, on Connor's end I totally understood it. He never knew Cordelia as a mother figure. She was someone who was in a similar position he was in. They were both sort of lost and out of place, and neither of them trusted the group of people claiming to be their allies. I also think Connor sort of needs something to do or he goes a little sideways. He needs a thing to kill, a task to complete, or someone to protect. Cordelia was a purpose he could cling to, and cling he sure as shit did. However, this is another one I think was blasphemy and never should have happened. It was outright character assassination for both of them.

That's about all the steam I have. If I think of anymore ships I'll do another entry. In the meantime, please comment, discuss, or message if you feel the need.