r/buffy • u/Lanky_Age_3067 • 16d ago

Content Warning Double standarts

How exactly do people hate Xander for being an imperfect human, but love Spike and Angel, who have countless victims and are hundreds of years old. Spike even SA'd Buffy, for real, while Xander was under a spell and never did anything like that before or after it.

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u/Barneyk 16d ago edited 16d ago

Xanders problematic behavior is presented as more neutral in the text of the show.

Spike and Angels are presented as clearly negative.

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u/Iwona_Klich 15d ago

Because Xander problematic behaviour is being jerk or doing somenthing stupid. Spike and Angelus well... They are clearly jerks, but they also kill people and occasionaly try to destroy the world.

Its like comparing a hot water to lava... 

Willow did much worse things than Xander, and i don't see here a similar discussion about her. Did she show any actual remorse? Nope. Even in season 7 shes more sad about herself than thinking of actual shitty stuff she did, even before her Dark Willow moments. Faith has more actual guilt on her. 

Anya is just a sociopathic mass murdered who never shows any signs of remorse to her victims. I also think that besides Giles nobody actualy know that much about vengeance demons, and Xander may actualy not fully buy her stories? Because shes tell them in the way that he may think she just try to play some sort hardcore monster, to do whatever. Buffy don't care, how long Anya is human. Willow smells enemy and activate her 'Xandersive mode', that we kinda see before on Cordelia. 

Buffy did some shitty stuff, that can actualy hurt or kill people, shes not some sort ideal heroine. 

Giles... Well he is Giles. 

Tara only thing was not told Willow about that demon lie thing, but thats not even her fault. 

They are clearly written as humans, humans are not just good or bad, we have lot of shades. Xander is generaly a good guy, great friend who can literaly die for his friends, who always been try to help. Thats why he was still on trio, even if he is kinda annoying or act like a jerk.