Buffy The Vampire Slayer

When Spike roared into town in Buffy The Vampire Slayer’s second season he immediately showed his destructive tendencies in the most candid fashion by destroying the welcome to Sunnydale sign. In that moment the intentions of the slick Brit vampire to shake up proceedings were made clear - or so we thought . Yet Spike has gone on to become a pivotal character in the show and not just as a sparring partner for Buffy- He has undergone a complete metamorphosis from sardonic soul[- sucker to saviour of the world.

Over the years we have gradually learnt Spike’ background , including how he terrorized the whole of Europe with his vampiric escapades , but it is only recently that we’ve been privy to his life before he became one of the undead . A far cry from the lippy creature he is today , he was foppish poet William who clung to his mother’s apron strings. When sired by Drusilla however , he was reborn as the cocky vampire we all know and love - he does, however, still carry with him strong feelings about his mother and. As the first evil discovers, it is an effective Achilles heel.

When Spike comes to Sunnydale he is there to have some fun, and creator Joss Whedon only intended the blond bombshell to stick around for a couple of episodes . He soon realized the potential of the character, But Spike obviously had to be more than just something for Buffy to use as target practice. He continues to be a thorn in the Scoobies side by raising merry hell with Drusilla , but is intelligent enough to ally with Buffy when the evil Angelus threatens to take over the world ( and steal his girl)

It’s when Spike receives his anti violence chip from The Initiative that his real character comes to the forte . Instead of being a killing machine , he is forced to rely on his wits and cunning to survive. His slow realization that to work with Buffy and her friends will be beneficial to him leads him to study and even admire what she does, and the evolution of this grudging respect into a full blown crush has a profound effect on Spike. Eager to impress the- at first- unresponsive Slayer he comes to the rescue of her nearest and dearest and lends a hand in her fight against evil. Their torrid affair throws him deeper into turmoil particularly when she unceremoniously rejects him, and forces him to question what he is and why he will never be good enough for her.

The return of his soul marks perhaps the biggest change in Spike . Believing that it will make him a better person and worthy of Buffy’s love , he soon finds it is a torment , making him confront the atrocities he has committed . Spike has to work hard to retain his sanity and he emerges a stronger and better, being. With a renewed vigour and a determination to do what’s right he takes his place alongside the Scoobies , despite their reservations, for the fight against The First . In fact , he has evolved to such a level that it is he who fulfils the ancient prophecy and saves the world . Not bad for a Manchester United Loving Cockney Vampire who was never meant to be anything more than a disposable Demon.

Spike came into Sunnydale a two bit troublemaker and left it a hero, No other character has undergone such a radical transformation, and as he somehow "lives" on with old foe Angel in LA we can be assured that his journey is not yet over