Vampires having to perform rituals to surpress their weaknesses of compassion, pity, and mercy? If a vampire is not without a soul then why would they need to perform a ritual to eliminate weaknesses of mercy, pity, and compassion, When I read this it all made sense why as a soulless vampire Spike had more emotions (shades of grey) than did a soulless Angelus. In Season 5, Spike has shown all three weaknesses because maybe the chip and the environment he is in is bringing out the consciousness of William.
I finally put together why I was being so irritated by other anti-Spike post's comments of Spike is a evil vampire incapable of goodness and Angel being the exception because he had a soul.
There's a post about Angelus/Spike who is a stronger vampire? Well it is simple, Angelus is because he was stronger than Spike because he did not have have the weaknesses of compassion, pity, and mercy and Spike did. This is why Spike could never be as ruthless as Angelus was as an unchipped vampire. When Angelelus, Dru, and Spike stood before the judge as I remember someone saying that The Judge pointed out to the soulless Angel that he had no humanity and was pure evil but a soulless Spike and Dru reaked of humanity.
I agree he is soulless and it is in his nature to kill (that's part of the package of being a vampire). But my question is, when a human is vamped, is 100% of the consciousness of who they were lost? The soul yes but consciousness I think not. In FFL, Spikes past conveyed William as a sensitive, romantic who had a tenacity to win approval of his peers and who worshipped or placed the woman that he loved (Cecily) on a pedastal.
The fact he was a vampire who had demon part of him, the consciousness of William could not fully emerged because he was emersed in Evilness and into a behavior modification (surpressing the weakness of compassion, mercy, and pity) for over a century.
I think the parts of William part were shown when he was with Dru. Like Cecily, he placed Dru on a pedastal. Also, with Angel who was the leader and the strongest of the pack, Spike held a tenacity to be just as tough as Angel. Like William who had an inferiority complex and wanted greatness in the company of his peers, Spike had an inferiority complex who wanted greatness in the company of his vamp family. So I think the only way he was able to become the Big Bad and surpress the weakness of mercy, pity, compassion was his love for Dru (loony, goth queen from the damned who was all about evil), his tenacity and inferiority complex to move up from mediocrity on the scale of vamps and to be just as feared as Angelus, and his ability to adapt to what he had become (which is a vampire made to slash and bash).
A lot of people say to me as a vamp he had every chance of redemption while he was a chipless vamp, well I don't see how he could ever could have when he was trying to prove he was the Big Bad (inferiority complex) and being loves bitch (so as he says to the Judge) for Drusilla. And besides, he was a part of a society of vamps where evil rules and goodness is not excepted. Beside he was a vamp living up to his roles to be a predator and humans were his prey (VAMP FOR 126 YEARS, I think that’s enough time to develop to his role in vamp society).
I think the chip is a manufactured soul. With Angel as a brooding alcoholic human who probably never loved before and had compassion or pity, it was easy for him as vamp to surpress human weaknesses because he had none. With Spike, who has a chip and emersed in an environment with humans again and rejected by vamps and without Dru, the consciousness of William (romantic) are being allowed to come out in Season 5 and I have seen him convey all three weakness in Season 5.
First, in Family, he conveyed pity for Tara at the majic shop, Spike helped reveal Tara (in tears and desperate not to leave Sunnydayle) was not a demon by punching her in the nose and risking the pain from the chip. When Buffy made her stand for Tara and all the SG chimed in to help, Spike clearly stated he was an exception and he did not care what happened. To the contrary, he stood there when this could have been his chance to exit and not get involved. But maybe pity (consciousness of William maybe) caused him to help in fastly resolving the dilemma and revealing Tara's father made up legend of women having demon in their family just to keep them subservient. After he walks out sarcastically saying your welcome to Tara as she says tell Willow he punched her in the nose and it hurt, there was no glancing over to Buffy or the SG waiting for a sign of validation or complementation. He just walked out feeling the effects of the chip. He showed compassion and pity in Bloodties and Crush. In the scene with Dawn sneaking out of the house he could have ran into the house and told Buffy and SG of Dawn's plans and got on their good side but his telling her of the monsters who were waiting out there in the woods and walking with her for protection because he knew that she would find a way to do it anyhow showed some senstivity and perception (a little of William maybe). Also, in the scene he took time out maybe out of pity to listen to her and not treat her like an alien and gives her sound advice (consciousness of William?)
And in FFL, the infamous porch scene with Buffy, Spike overcome with anger at Buffy who damaged his pride (made him cry!) by shoving him down and throwing money at him saying he was beneath her after he tried to make advances toward her became overcome with anger and was ready to blast her into oblivion. But as he saw her crying that night caused him to put a way his anger and his urge to kill her because of three weakness (compassion, mercy, pity).
Now I am not saying a little pat on the back, a punch in the nose, a little concern for the nibblet, is enough for Spike’s redemption. The actions he made in Crush is big indicator. But one has to remember he was a vampire for over a century and his road to redemption is going to a long one with wind, twists, and obstacles. He already rejected Dru, at the end of Crush, but his obstacle now that standing in his way is his blind love for Buffy. This will probably not go away because like with all women he loved he place on pedestal (Cecily, Dru, and now Buffy). He never had a relationship with Cecily because of her rejection but building a foundation with a crazy vamp (Dru) for 126 years certainly had its side effects on Spike. The chaining up of Buffy was a bad move, but this is how he dealt with Dru in the past when they had conflicts in the relationship when she would run off with other vamps and cheat on Spike (but the probably is she enjoyed it.
The threats of killing Dru and Buffy were just Spike being all talk but not actually acting on it.
Yes Spike is a soulless vampire (made to slash and bash for 126 years) but I am saying the chip can be a little help in the consciousness of William that could remain in Spike or maybe I am just delusional redemptionist.
Him not ending up with Buffy was good choice in Crush.Plus if Spike was to leave sunnydayle and bring up Spike's name She would probably be in her oblivious state and say "Spike, who's Spike?" But anyway, he said that Buffy was destroying everything that was him until all that is left is a dead shell was wrong. He needs some time be by himself to see that chip is destroying everything that was him predatorial vamp until there is nothing left but William. If Spike is able to see into everyone else then hopefully he will be able to do a Sigmund Freud on himself and evaluate himself from William, to soulless vamp, to chipped vamp (the longer the chip stays the better longer time to reflect).
But Spike character is arrogant and this is the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Drama not Zen meditation and musings of Spike and with the obstacles and twists that occur and with Spike past record of being a predatory creature he will get thrown of the path from redemption plenty ( I did not like the majic box scene in IWMTLY or the scene first scene in Crush when he can't even sit and talk with him after he fought and risk his life in the fight with Glory because they just won't give him a chance to be good and oh the horror if the buffybot is used for shagging!).
That’s fine with me because I like the grey Spike and the entertainment of the show, but if I don't see some kind of reaction from Spike (preferably with noone around) about Joyce deathto add to my slight delusional redemptionasta view then I won't have another list of slight hope to add to my argument and I will feel cheated.
Whatever the writer does is going to happen but what they wrote in the past cannot be taken away from me.
First released Monday March 12, 2001 at The Buffy Cross and Stake Spoiler Board.