And she shall look on him with forgiveness...
And everybody will forgive and love.
He will be loved.

-- From BY's closing scene, which was written by Joss Whedon
 

Let's take a look at the word "everybody" here. Much as many of us were hoping for soulless redemption (of a more complete nature than even the soul seeking), this does point out one of the things that were really holding Spike back from redemption without his soul: an inability to see the welfare of those outside his immediate circle as being important or relevant.

His range was widening, certainly, but extremely slowly and it's hard to see how it could possibly have got very far without actual advice and help from one or more of the Scoobies.

That whole "everybody will forgive and love" bit, on the other hand, sounds partly like just a foretelling of what will be happening over the course of the year, after the fall-out from Season 6. And partly just a continuation of his Buffy/himself talk.

But it also sounds very much like Spike/William -- who can no longer wear the costume of his former identity -- is demonstrating verbally for the first time a real sense of the importance of "everybody" -- everybody's forgiveness and love, everybody's need for forgiveness and love. His wish/prayer is that *everybody* should forgive and love.

Not just common-or-garden souled and human. That's *special* -- that's real, powerful Goodness. Deserving of the capital G. And following it by the almost crucifix-like draping of himself over the cross and there's something very powerful and important going on, indeed, even beyond the obvious (acting, complexity, amazing writing, emotional arrgggghhh etc.).

-- By Elly

--end--

Photo Courtesy alanna.net