Summary
Buffy the Vampire Slayeris known for its fantastical elements, relationship drama, and strong characters. From the titular Buffy, whose struggles form the show’s backbone, to the brooding vampire Angel, who must atone for his dark past, the characters are their interactions are central to the series' appeal.
One ofBuffy the Vampire Slayer’s most iconic characters is Spike, an initially evil vampire whoattempts to redeem himselfover the course of the series (as well as in the spin-off seriesAngel). While Spike remains a divisive character, one thing about him is certain: he always gets the show’s best lines.
8"Buffy. You have never met the real me."
“Never Leave Me” (Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 7, Episode 9)
AlthoughBuffy the Vampire Slayerisknown for its complex characters, Spike stands out as one of the franchise’s most conflicted individuals. As a human, he was a bad poet, unlucky in love; as a vampire, he was a serial murderer who took pleasure in killing and torture. This instability is foregrounded in the show’s final season, in which Spike, who has recently gained a soul, is torn between doing good and his base instincts.
He reasons that he can never be a good person, and pleads with Buffy to kill him before he can do more harm. However, despite their twisted history, she is willing to give him a chance to better himself. Spike’s dialogue in “Never Leave Me” shows the paradox at the heart of the character: he has no idea who he is, or what he’s likely to do.
7"My soul is wrapped in harsh repose…"
“Not Fade Away” (Angel: Season 5, Episode 22)
Buffy the Vampire Slayerends with Spike’s heroic sacrifice, but the vampire returns inAngel, which continued for another season after the end of its parent show. Spike joins forces withformer ally/enemy Angelto fight the forces of evil.
InAngel’s final episode, its heroes attempt to defeat a powerful demonic group. Because their odds of success are small, Angel allows everyone a day off to make peace with the world. Spike chooses to perform his poetry, harking back to his days as a human and demonstrating his softer side.
6"The truth is, I like the world."
“Becoming, Part 2” (Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 2, Episode 22)
Spike spends most ofBuffy the Vampire Slayer’s second season as a villain, but he experiences something of a change of heart in the season finale.Angel, who has turned evil, plans to suck the world into hell using a powerful artifact. Spike dislikes this scheme.
Spike’s dialogue in “Becoming, Part 2” demonstrates that the vampire, while evil, is still a pragmatist. He enjoys being a bad guy and preying on the weak, but he needs the status quo maintained. The episode also kickstarts a trend for Spike: he assists Buffy if their goals align, something that happens more and more frequently as the series progresses.
5"Every Slayer has a death wish. Even you."
“Fool For Love” (Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 5, Episode 7)
“Fool For Love” is a deep dive into Spike’s character, from his time as a human to his history asa killer of Vampire Slayers. Buffy consults him for guidance on how to avoid dying herself, but Spike’s advice disturbs her greatly. He identifies the suicidal tendency common to all Slayers and argues that one day, she’ll willingly embrace death.
The vampire is proven correct: Buffy does choose to sacrifice herself at the end of the season. Spike’s speech in “Fool For Love” not only foreshadows key events but suggests that Spike, improbably, is the only person to really understand Buffy’s struggles.
4"You think you can fool me?"
“School Hard” (Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 2, Episode 3)
Spike makes a memorable first appearance in “School Hard,” in which he attacks Sunnydale High during its parent–teacher evening. Angel, who at this point is on Buffy’s side, attempts to distract his old friend from the massacre. However, Spike soon sees through this double-cross and confronts his mentor, whom he likens tothe wise Jedi Yoda.
Yet Spike’s pronouncement that he is incapable of change proves supremely ironic. Spike grows more than any other character throughout the series, and his final sacrifice demonstrates the changes he’s been through.
3"No, you don’t. But thanks for saying it."
“Chosen” (Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 7, Episode 22)
Buffy and Spike’s tumultuous relationshipcontinues to prove controversial among fans of the series, and it is certainly unconventional. Buffy’s declaration of love for Spike comes moments before he sacrifices himself, but she is comforting him rather than revealing her true feelings.
That Spike is able to realize this suggests that he has finally come to terms with the impossibility of their relationship. It’s a quiet moment in an action-packed series finale, but the exchange reveals a great deal about both characters.
2"Why does a man do what he mustn’t? For her."
“Beneath You” (Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 7, Episode 2)
InBuffy,vampires whose souls are returned to themare capable of doing good, though they are also burdened with guilt over past atrocities. Spike regains his soul in an attempt to become a person that Buffy is capable of loving, although this is not entirely successful.
When Buffy demands to know why he has chosen to suffer on her behalf, he explains that he is motivated by love. While this relationship advice is dubious at best, it sums up Spike as a character: he is, essentially, a romantic, albeit a very twisted one.
1"Love isn’t brains, children. It’s blood."
“Lovers Walk” (Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 3, Episode 8)
Spike returns to Sunnydale following his escape at the end of the show’s second season to find that Buffy and Angel, who werepreviously lovers and then mortal enemies, have reconciled. They insist that they are just friends, but Spike is not convinced.
Spike’s words prove prescient, but they are most significant because they reveal Spike’s major flaw: he is an obsessive romantic. This feature is central to his characterization and informs his arc for the rest of the show.
