Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Last week, I devoted my first Jane After Dark column to my top five Buffy moments. I was thrilled to read all the responses, both here on TV Squad and at Whedonesque, where the post was picked up. Fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer are a passionate bunch!

This week, I thought it would be fun to delve into my favorite Buffy hookups. One that didn’t make the list but holds a special place in my heart is Giles and Joyce. It was a fleeting moment, but one that was fun and would have made for great storytelling had it continued.

But who to pair Buffy up with — Spike, Angel or Riley? What about Spike and Drusilla? And while Willow and Tara had a special love affair, there’s a lot to be said for Willow and Oz. And what of Xander? Sure, he and Anya had a fun romance, but his hookups with Cordelia and even Faith were intense in their own way.

Oh the choices! Read on for my thoughts, and please add your own in the comments below.

1. Buffy and Spike. Sure, their hot-sex-turned-rabid-sweet affair began as sheer hatred for each other, but somewhere along the way, Spike got a soul and Buffy just couldn’t hold out any longer. All that vile turned to lust and then a bizarre sort of love took hold until their hands touched and burst into flames as he sacrificed himself to save the world. But what about when he tried to rape her? Should that have kept them off my list? It’s a good question. They went through a lot, and while certainly tragic, the near-rape was just a small part of their journey.

2. Buffy and Angel. Of course, I can’t leave out Buffy’s first love, Angel. Just as Spike found his soul for Buffy, Angel and Buffy’s hookup caused Angel to lose his soul. And oh, the day after they first made love — when she hugged him and then realized that he wasn’t Angel, but rather the evil Angelus — heartbreaking! They saved each other time and time again, and she even had to kill him to save the world. I can’t think of a more tragic love affair in TV history, but through it all their love endured, even as distance separated them.

3. Willow and Tara. "Lesbian" hardly defines the romance shared by these two witches, but sure enough, they were lesbians. I like how it grew slowly, each bringing out the best in the other. I have to say, though, I was disappointed when they broke up during Willow’s "dark and veiny" period. I like to think that Tara could have stood by her girl, but I guess that’s not how addiction works — and Willow was addicted to her spells and potions. My favorite moment for these two was when Tara sent out a spell in the form of a tiny blue ball, flitting through the air to find her love and bring her home. It showed the deep connection these girls shared — until it came to a tragic end, that is.

4. Xander and Anya. With his skill at the one-liners and her giddy schoolgirl charm, these two complemented each other like nobody’s business. But I can’t tell you how frustrated I was when Xander walked out on Anya on their wedding day. First of all, after all the wacky hijinks that took place since Buffy moved to town, did he NOT know that his "future self" might be a weird spell?And yet he immediately assumes it’s for real and leaves his poor girl at the altar. Argh.

5. Buffy and Riley. Ok, after much deliberation, these two get my fifth slot. After knowing each other for a bit, what a fun moment when they finally realized they were both slaying vampires. I appreciated when Buffy showed Riley her fighting skills, and it only made them more passionate for each other. How different things would have been if he’d only seen her when she came running up to the helicopter as he was leaving that night to fight the good fight elsewhere. Then showed up later in the series with his wife!

Ok, give it to me. Like my picks or think I’m off my rocker? I await your comments with gleeful anticipation.