The Valorous Vampire: An Examination of Souled Vampires, Fatal Attraction to the Slayer, and Roles in the Fight of Good vs. Evil
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| Title: | The Valorous Vampire: An Examination of Souled Vampires, Fatal Attraction to the Slayer, and Roles in the Fight of Good vs. Evil" |
| Creator: | Gwyneth Rhys |
| Date(s): | March 25, 2003 |
| Medium: | online |
| Fandom: | Buffy: The Vampire Slayer |
| Topic: | |
| External Links: | All About Spike - The Valorous Vampire by Gwyneth Rhys, Archived version |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
The Valorous Vampire: An Examination of Souled Vampires, Fatal Attraction to the Slayer, and Roles in the Fight of Good vs. Evil is a Buffy: The Vampire Slayer essay by Gwyneth Rhys.
It was presented as a paper by Lydia M. Sothesby for "Council of Watchers Journal" (November 2002 issue). "Author's blatherings: If you made it this far, you might be wondering who the "author" is -- if you remember the episode Checkpoint, Lydia is the Watcher who interviews Spike from the end of a crossbow, and wrote her thesis on him, which seemed to me code for her fascination with him. She also appeared just before the CoW was blown up this season."
This essay was posted to the All About Spike website.
Excerpts
In the entire cohort of Slayers from the pre-classical era to present times, only one has had consensual sexual relations with sanguisugent biologically nonviable desouled beings (SBNDBs, or Vampires): Buffy Summers of Sunnydale, California. In both cases, she has consorted with the only known vampires ever recorded to have souls. The first sexual (and, from all reports, limited) relationship with an SBNDB resulted in its loss of a previously regained soul; the second relationship resulted in the Vampire willingly enduring trials to regain his former soul. In this paper, I seek explanations for, and understanding of, these highly unconventional creatures. I take special care to examine Ms. Summers's relationship with William the Bloody, later Spike, as a companion piece to my upcoming presentation at the Council of Watchers Yearly Symposium regarding Spike's connection to a potential evil. His choice to willingly regain a soul is not only unprecedented in the recorded history of SBNDBs and Slayers, but may play a vital part in the currently developing situation in southern California.
However, initially I must delve into the history of the first sanguisugent being with romantic connections to Ms. Summers, Angelus, AKA Angel, in order to understand the extraordinary choices Spike has made. Angel is connected not only to Buffy, but also historically to Spike, and is believed either to be Spike's sire or directly involved in Spike's turning (Journal Entry of R. Giles, 1998). I then turn my examination to Buffy herself before making my conclusions. That this particular Slayer has inspired adoration from two SBNDBs who were also previously connected cannot be separated from the histories or motivations of either creature; she is the extraordinary fulcrum upon which both stories have pivoted.
It may be that this unique opportunity is presenting itself in order to change the insular and self-protective manner of the CoW, and that by recognizing this highly unusual situation and assisting Spike in his attempts to overcome the mental problems associated with acquisition of a soul, we can better fight the evil that is apparently growing in Sunnydale. The Slayer has seen fit to overlook a brutal and difficult past with previously unsouled Spike; perhaps this is a sign that the CoW should also mine the opportunities arising from association with this singular Vampire. Given the depth and breadth of my research on this topic, and possessed as I am of a unique, intimate knowledge and understanding of Spike's past and of his character, I would of course be pleased to bridge that gap and initiate contact with him if the Council so chooses.
If we chalk it up merely to sexual attraction and "hotness" of either the Vampire or the Slayer, or we ignore the unprecedented choices made by such an extraordinary SBNDB and his special attachment to the current Slayer, we risk our own ability to fight successfully. Love is a powerful motivator, and the love of the Slayer could be an even more powerful tool in this battle than anything previously considered by the Council. Consistently, true love has proven to be the one thing evil cannot destroy; if evil is motivated by love to do good, then what potential could such a force wield? If a Vampire is so motivated by love that he regains his soul, despite terrible torment, to stand by the Slayer's side and earn her love, then what else could he bring to the fight against a larger evil? We've seen in the past that one valorous Vampire, when allied with a Slayer, can have a significant effect on the course of events.
Until we can personally interview Spike and gain his trust, we will never really understand just what drove him to such an auspicious deed. He is not capable of being interviewed at this time, Buffy states, as he "frequently talks to people who aren't there and has weird conversations with himself or maybe someone from the planet Napthor; we don't know, and he's not telling." However, I believe the Council can change this. At the very least, Spike would be a lively subject of study, interacts easily with humans, possesses a delightful sense of humor and an ingratiating charm, and has many fascinating stories to share. No interview with such a fascinating creature could be a waste of time so long as he is marginally coherent, and again, I humbly offer my expertise. Perhaps then we will have the chance to find out what another valorous Vampire, one who was deeply motivated to become so, can do.