Spike is dreamy.
He’s also evil, dangerous, and undead. The platinum-haired crush of many Buffy fans is a twisted mess of emotions, poetry, death, and destruction. He’s also dreamy. *ahem*
I’ll not defend William the Bloody (Spike). He’s done some horrific things in his 100+ years on this earth. But I will say that, for a bloke without a soul, he’s pretty sweet.
Spike is a vampire. He has no conscience, yet he manages to have morals. Sometimes. When he feels like it. Not killing people for starters.
Okay… He’s got a chip in his head, courtesy of the demented Professor Maggie Walsh with her underground government agency, group of scientists, and soldier boys. As long as that chip’s nestled in Spike’s brain, he can’t hurt a human. There is that.
But there is so much more. Choices he makes when the chip stops working. When it’s removed. When he’s on his own, has free will, without technology interfering. He helps. Again and again. He helps. There is a bit of the meek poet he used to be in the 1800s still hanging out inside this demon leaving a delicious mixture of sentimental and homicidal. Like the time he swishes off in his black trench coat to kill Buffy with a shotgun and winds up sitting on the back porch consoling her. Because. Spike. Buffy’s crying and he wants to know if there’s anything he can do. When there isn’t, he sits with her. Who has empathy as a soulless demon? He’s a bit of a marshmallow. With fangs.
I’ll just throw in here that he nearly gets himself killed, going through “trials” that really should have killed him, to get his soul back. He chose to do this. He didn’t die, but did get majorly beaten and driven insane in the process.
Not to mention (yet I will) the comic relief he adds to the show. He’s dry. Deadpan. My favorite kind of humor. Though, in the Buffyverse, almost everyone has a side of humor with their evil-doing or evil-fighting. But Spike’s delivery is just…brilliant.
We can’t get too comfy around him. He can’t be trusted. Not entirely. And yet characters do trust him (with their lives and the lives of their loved ones). He offers help when the Scooby Gang needs it. He is deadly, yes. He is also affectionate, sensitive, and loyal.
Alas, at the end of the day (and well into the night), this lovely lad is still a vampire. One who saved the world. Just saying. ❤
I saw this blogathon forever ago. It’s about crushes. It can’t be an actor or actress, it must be the character. (Big shout-out to James Marsters, though, for his portrayal of Spike.) These movie blogathons are so fun. But then I saw television and book characters were fair game. I mean. Seriously? Awesome! Then…I thought. And thought. And, honestly, I was overwhelmed.
My mind was suddenly flooded with ALL OF THE PEOPLE. How could anyone choose one character from all the books, televisions shows, and movies out there. It’s impossible. So I picked one and created a running list that I plan to explore in the future. A blog series of amazing characters (and what makes them so damn lovable).
Television
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: I’m pretty much crushing on, like, half the characters in Joss Whedon’s Buffyverse. My favs are: Spike (James Marsters), Giles (Anthony Stewart Head), and my girl crush, Willow (Alyson Hannigan).
Gilmore Girls: Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham)
Northern Exposure: Chris Stevens (John Corbett)
Xena, Warrior Princess: Xena (Lucy Lawless)
And many more…
Film
LOTR: Strider/Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), Legolas (Orlando Bloom)
Harry Potter: Sirius Black (Gary Oldman), Severus Snape (Alan Rickman)
Good Will Hunting: Will Hunting (Matt Damon)
Ocean’s Eleven: Erm…everyone. Okay, Rusty Ryan (Brad Pitt), if I had to choose.
Princess Bride: Westley/Dread Pirate Roberts (Cary Elwes)
The Avengers: Iron Man/Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.)
Blazing Saddles: Jim (Gene Wilder), Lili Von Shtupp (Madeline Kahn)
Divine Secrets of the YaYa Sisterhood: Viv Abbott Walker (Young: Ashley Judd / Older: Ellen Burstyn)
Grosse Pointe Blank: Martin Blank (John Cusack)
Dead Again: Gray Baker (Andy Garcia)
Hunger Games: Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence)
And many, many more…
Books
I can’t even. My brain hurts just thinking about this.
After I wrote my list of crushes, I thought, “Geez, Sarah, here’s something to look into, no? I mean, you’re crushing on some pretty unpleasant people.” Indeed. It’s a very interesting list. People who are crass, wicked, dangerous, manipulative… Criminals, demons, hit men…
Shiny, happy people aren’t my thing. Flaws are intriguing. That said, I don’t go for the truly evil. They’re not my thing, either. I find them disturbing. I love the reformed, conflicted, confused (or confusing) ones. For example, the sexist, womanizing, jackass billionaire Tony Stark (Iron Man) who, in The Avengers, consistently risks his own life to help innocents and, at the end, is the one who goes on a suicide flight to save the world. Or the hit man, Martin Blank, who has killed his share (and more) but is having a bit of a crisis and winds up saving a girl, her father, and some random folks along the way.
I think it’s safe to say I like my characters a little rough around the edges.
Character crushes. They are difficult to narrow down. At least for me. Who’s your crush? (Or crushes?)
This post is part of the Reel Infatuation Blogathon hosted by Silver Screenings and Font and Frock. #ReelInfatuation
Ohhhh boy did i have a crush on spike absolutely loved him!
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Who didn’t? 😉 I mean, honestly!
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For some reason, I’ve never seen “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, so Spike is new to me. But he does sound intriguing and complex, not at all like a two-dimensional character, and those are the most engaging.
Also, I liked all the other character crushes you included, too. (Which reminds me: I have NEVER seen “Blazing Saddles”. I know, right? And I call myself a classic movie blogger!!)
Thank you, Sarah, for joining the blogathon and for bringing the platinum-haired Spike with you! 🙂
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Oh, no! I didn’t think… I should have had a spoiler alert here. Eek.
Yes, he’s certainly engaging. To be fair, quite a few of the characters in Buffy (and Angel) are complex. Not too many two-dimensional characters. You should give it a chance… I know you’ll appreciate the wit but not sure it would be your “thing”. You do so have a “thing”. 😉 It’s a good thing.
Thanks for allowing me to bring Spike to the party. Along with all my other crushes. ❤
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I fell for Aragorn when I was fifteen, bad! Ha ha. I agree with you about conflicted characters. We love them, root for them, fall into the allure. It’s the old “bad boy” appeal, the thrill of the dangerous edge, that golden heart deep down. This is an important lesson for every writer. 😀
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How can a girl not fall for Aragorn, you know? I mean… *swoon* And he’s so good, just rough around the edges. A dangerous, mysterious ranger… Willing to get dirty (or, you know, killed) to get the job done. Yup. That golden heart. And I totally agree. After writing this I throught what a great set of posts it would be to explore why these characters are so alluring and what writers could learn from them.
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That would be fun! I’d use those qualities as a checklist to snag my readers 🙂
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Apparently, we would be the very definition of an echo chamber were we to get together to discuss these characters in real time. I was always solidly in the team Spike camp. Then I found Eric from HBO’s true blood.
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I’ve never seen True Blood. (I know…) But now I’ll be on the watch for Eric. Team Spike. 😂 You’re sounding dangerously close to a YA freak-out. It would be so fun to get together and discuss character crushes. I wasn’t even going to participate in this but just had to.
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That’s a lot of crushes, Sarah. Most of them I don’t know. Like you, a realistically flawed, but more good than evil, character appeals to me. There’s not much of interest in a goody two-shoes. Unless it’s you! 🙂
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Yes, there are a lot. 🙂 But with all the movies, TV shows, and books out there… I left a lot out, too! If you start thinking about all the characters you’ve ever read about, it’s really overwhelming how many have something about them you love. (NO good two-shoes allowed. Boring…) 😉
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We can find the good in anyone, can’t we? Almost. 🙂
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Wow Sarah that was a loooong list! I actually cant think of many, although Aragorn and Legolas… definitely! 😁
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Well, yes. Aragorn and Legolas. 😍 Swoon-worthy both in their own, unique ways. I’ll bet you can think of a lot more if you start going through all the movies you’ve seen and books you’ve read. It’s never-ending!
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What a fantastic post Sarah. I too like my dream/makebelieve crush a little rough around the edges and quirky. Although we wouldn’t be much good watching TV together, as I’m not into vampires or the shows you listed. Many of the movies you listed I thoroughly enjoyed. Maybe it’s our love for complex, original, flawed people that connected us? LOL ❤
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Quirky. Ah, yes. I didn’t mention that. But, yes! A lot of the extras I mentioned at the end of the post are quirky.
We’d have to have a movie-a-thon then. Complex, flawed people are more interesting to read, to write, to watch… They just are. ❤ It's possible that's one of the reasons. 😉
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🙂 🙂 Yes! A movie-a-thon.
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Tony Stark is one of my top crushes. Neal Caffrey from White Collar would make my television list. He’s a con artist, and oh so smooth. I think my first television crush was Quinn from Sliders (first three seasons, he wasn’t so great in 4th and the actor changed in 5th). Gotta love those brains. Indiana Jones might be my first movie crush. I know specific actors aren’t part of the deal, but Felicia Day is my girl crush. ❤
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I forgot to mention Chaucer as he’s portrayed in A Knight’s Tale!
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I want to say I saw that but either it was a looong time ago or I made it up. I’ll have to watch that again. Or, you know, for the first time. 🙂
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Oh, Tony. He’s such an ass. Honestly, he really is. But he’s crush-worthy that Iron Man.
Okay, I have a lot of watching to do here. I’ve got to see who your crushes are. I’ve not seen most of these. I’ve barely seen Felicia in anything. I think she was in Supernatural?
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Definitely the elf in tights! Bet he’s agile!
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The elf in tights… 😂 You are completely disrespecting the power of The Elf. He’s…okay, you win. 😍
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If he looks like Orlando Bloom – I am in!
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I am with my co-hostess, Ruth, in that I have never seen Buffy. I was the “right” age when the show aired, but never got around to watching it.I have seen Angel, though, so I am familiar with Spike in a limited capacity. You’ve almost convinced me that was a mistake.
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Thank you so much for hosting this Blogathon. So fun! Sorry I brought so many people to the party but… So. Many. Choices. 😍
Oh, ack! I really should have put a spoiler alert on this post. Interesting that you saw Angel but not Buffy. I wonder how that would be. Angel definitely was a show in itself, a spin-off, but a lot of the building of characters was in Buffy. Though, if you didn’t know that, it probably wouldn’t be needed? Hmm… 🤔 Regardless, if you liked Angel, you’d probably like Buffy, too.
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Confession time – I watched the first 3 episodes of Buffy and just couldn’t get into it. Have no idea why, because it’s something I should love. You chose some great ones, Sarah – shiny doesn’t work for me, either.
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Teri! Ack! Oh no! I’m having some sort of attack. I’m shocked. 😉
I love Buffy. I mean I LOVE it. Watched it, rewatched it, have the entire DVD collection, binge-watched it, watched it again… All that to say I don’t blame you. If you are ever so inclined (and I think you’d love it, too), you should breeze though some of the earlier shows and watch the end of season 1 or season 2. If you stick with it (and even skip some of the episodes that don’t move the show along) you’ll end up loving the characters.
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Maybe that’s what I should do – somewhere deep down, I feel like the love is there, you know?
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Haha! Yes, the love IS there…somewhere deep down. 😀
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I think Spike is one of my favourite characters of all time. I haven’t found a show since Buffy I’ve loved as much (although I think it hit when I was just the right age for it). Thanks for a good hit of nostalgia!
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Yeah, it’s very possible it was the timing. But it’s also brilliantly written. And cast. (Willow, Giles, Anya, Drusilla…their acting and delivery of the lines are incredible.) I haven’t found another, either, and often still watch episodes. It’s my go-to show. And Spike? Well… I’ve already gone on enough but, agreed, he’s a fav of mine, too. Obviously. 😉 Glad to bring back some good memories.
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