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Date Posted: 15:55:09 07/18/02 Thu
Author: lanie
Subject: Because its fun.
In reply to: Majin Gojira 's message, "Re: Will SOMEONE explain the Appeal of B/S to me?" on 09:57:18 07/18/02 Thu

They're an interesting ship, two exceedingly interesting characters and some of the best writers in this fandom have done them a good spin. Why does it have to be about anything else? For most of us that's all there is to it, there's no deep rooted psychological head trip or anything. It's fun. They're bad for each other but sometimes for ten minutes here and there they are good together. Just right before the wrong resurfaces. Can't that be it? I think that's a good enough explanation myself...

What ship trips your boat, just curious.

lanie

>
>Anyone else have a theory of logical explination?

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[> [> Re: Will SOMEONE explain the Appeal of B/S to me? -- Indri, 21:00:23 07/18/02 Thu

>So far, the best conclusion I've been able to make is
>that it's source (like that of pretty much every ship
>out there) is projection.

Of course it is! What else would it be? I mean, you can read and write a pairing out of pure intellectual interest, but you're more likely to invest emotionally in a character or characters you identify with.

That's why a criticism of someone's pairing preference can feel like a personal rebuke---"You're fantasy is wrong!". I can understand that you don't get S/B. But in the interest of fostering common understanding etc etc blah I will tell you some of my pet reasons and theories (based on viewing up to "Smashed").

I should mention here that I read S/B (amongst others) but I don't write it. Given the list of excellent authors other posters have mentioned, I don't feel I'd have anything to add.

My first explanation is a sort of a dodgy Feminism 101 argument. It's based in part on what some academics have written about slashfic. Given that most slash is m/m but most of its writers and readers are women, it's been argued that the genre is popular not just because of the porn aspect (similar to the way there are many "lesbian" stories in het men's magazines) but also because it allows women to rewrite romances in a setting where gender roles are irrelevant or blurred. Also, there used to be a dearth of interesting female characters to write about (not true of BtVS, of course).

If this theory is true---and I have no idea whether it is or not---then this might shed light on the popularity of S/B. Both Spike and Buffy are flawed and complicated characters who possess a mixture of very strong "female" traits and very strong "male" traits (I'll grant that other BtVS characters, such as Willow, also fit this description). This is appealing to those of us bored with more stereotyped romances and provides some of the freedoms of slashfic. Also, it's easy to identify with both characters simultaneously. Gender isn't irrelevant in this relationship---Buffy desperately wants to be an "ordinary" girl and Spike constantly has to shore up his sense of self-worth and masculinity by being "The Big Bad"---but I find this complexity to be both more interesting and somehow more "realistic" than the vast, vast majority of on-screen romances.

By "realistic" I of course mean "in that strange metaphorical way of BtVS". This is why I find the violence less disturbing than I would under other circumstances. It's (at least partly) metaphorical, representing the more common psychological damage that people can do to each other.

Sure they're bad for each other. But you can hope it's the temporary bad of change and that they'll work it all out and be better for it. Because (again with the metaphor and projection) if those crazy kids can sort things out, maybe everyone can.

Besides, if it's truly bad for both of them then there's angst. And angst+sexual tension=many a fine fanfic.

Also, you know, some of us want to read about a woman being in charge for once. Buffy makes the decisions and she's physically stronger. I find that I am much less interested in S/B stories where the power balance shifts dramatically in Spike's favour (such as "100 Years of Solitude"). Other fanfics depict the pair as being true equals and I like those too.

Then you can also interpret Buffy as "exhausted career woman" who needs an emotionally supportive man to prop her up at home. This seems to be a common element of many S/B fanfics. Spike also spends much time reassuring Buffy that _she_ isn't a monster. Is this a metaphor for "woman afraid of her own competency"? I don't know.

Also, at this stage, I'd vote for anything or anyone that might make Buffy happy. Truly. If she found happiness with a pet rock I'd read Buffy/Pet Rock fic.

Personally, I find it a bit sad that one of the few TV relationships I can identify with at all is between a violent and depressed control-freak and an even more violent and almost as depressed ex-serial-killer. But I think that's more a reflection of the inadequate variety of television writing than of me. I'm just never going to be able to think of myself as Ally McBeal.

Also, don't dismiss the "JM and SMG are cute" explanation out of hand. Perhaps I just don't watch enough television, but most of the other shows I watch have heroes who have the broad-shouldered, square-jaw physiology that I personally don't find attractive. If "slim and athletic" or "petite blonde" rocks your boat, then well, you have to take your jollies where you can.

Oh and yeah, like Lanie says, because it's fun.


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