Wrecked

 

    Episodes 6.10

Written by Marti Noxon

 

How Redemption relates to "Wrecked":

This essay is a compilation of ideas from members' posts on the Bloody Awful Poet Society mailing list.

From time to time, an episode airs when the Redemption anvils fall from the sky. "Wrecked," by co-executive producer Marti Noxon, is one of these episodes.

"Wrecked" also is critical because it's the point where Spike finally decided that he will not be defined SOLELY by love. He's really *not* "love's bitch" any more. He loves Buffy, but he's his own man, too. It's a totally necessary step for Spike.

A. Dialogue Anvils

In the morning scene in the kitchen:

>>>Dawn: So what's the Big Bad? Should we be worried?

Buffy: No. I think you guys are safe.<<<

Buffy obviously won't tell her sister that the monster wrestling she was engaged in was definitely of the non-fatal variety. And she also knows that unlike her previous night of passion with a vampire, this one will not be coming around to kill her family.

Later, when Buffy goes to Spike's help in finding Dawn and Willow, she says:

>>> I've been all over downtown, and I can't find his place.<<<

Spike replies: Because he cloaks it. You can't feel it unless you're into the big bad -- a witch or a vampire.<<<

While Buffy may be concerned that she came back "wrong" from heaven, the fact that she can't find the place is a good sign that there's no evil demonic influence lurking within Buffy.

The big revelation, however, is that Spike himself can't find the magic (c)Rack house. He says that it's a Big Bad thing… and he can't find it. He isn't into the Big Bad anymore -- even if neither he nor Buffy realize it.

B. Not All.About.Buffy Anvils

Spike seems genuinely concerned about Willow and Dawn when he's told where they are. Considering how irritated he is with Buffy -- this is emotion that is visibly not only NOT about Buffy!Love but perhaps at this point in spite of Buffy!Love.

Randy was our first clue that there is a basic desire on the blank slate of Spike who wants to do good and noble things -- and Randy wants to do them without knowing of Buffy!Love.

Spike does care about Dawn. He protects her. He's willing to put up with a whole lot to look out for her. He isn't so wrapped up in his own pain that he's endangering someone he cares about. And no vampiric blood lust there. He was completely unconcerned that Dawn was bleeding on him.

He went to the injured young woman and didn't need the adrenaline rush or the ego boost or whatever of being the kick-ass fighter. He could let someone else do that and show a little tenderness. He's moving forward.

Before she says, 'no, no...' and Buffy goes to her, Spike has obviously been stroking her hair, because his hand in dropping away as we cut to them. He's just releasing a hank of it. There is also a point where his right hand drops to hold her right hand.  Once he lifts her to her feet, he lets the hand go when he takes her upper arm with his left hand (leaving her right hand free to smack Willow). He also has his hand on her back to walk her out after Buffy turns to Willow.

As they walk away from Willow together, it is important to note that Spike looks back at her first. He stops and Dawn looks also. He seems to will Buffy to look at him, and wordlessly convinces her to go back to Willow. It's almost as if I hear an internal dialogue of him telling her it's OK for her to go take care of Red, that he's got the Bit and nothing more's going to happen to her. Buffy hesitates, and he nods at her to go on. Buffy is taking direction from Spike, she's willing to accept his judgment.

He's able to show his displeasure at Willow endangering Dawn, able to help Buffy overcome her anger to help Willow, and is able to show he cares about Willow. He didn't have to do it. Buffy was ready to walk away - he stopped and stopped her. He thought of Someone.Other.Than.Buffy/Dawn.

Maybe it's because Spike has always had a soft spot for Willow's pain. Maybe it's because Spike can understand someone who is being proved, more and more, to be morally ambiguous. Maybe it's just because Spike knows what it feels like to need help and not get it. Who knows? But Spike stopping to look at Willow was an act of maturity and generosity.

C. Independent!Spike Anvil

He seems capable of stepping back from Buffy. In "Smashed," her rewarding of his bad behavior meant he could very, very easily go into self destruct mode. Now we have little or no evidence that he's won't go into self destruct mode. . .but we do have evidence that he can exist emotionally independent of Buffy -- and he needs to at this point.

All in all, redemptionwise the stage is set for his next step in growth -- learning to be himself without being in Buffy's shadow -- not just following her around making moon eyes.

And while he doesn't say it tactfully -- he seems perfectly serious about it which on a level of "what is he doing" is probably a wise course of action. He does have to stop being her whipping boy— for his good and for hers.

Spike still has self-esteem problems. Early in the episode he refers to himself as "dirt." He must realize he's no such thing. In "Tough Love," he told Dawn he was OK—not evil—OK. (translation: 'Cause I'm a vampire I'm supposed to be evil, but I'm really not all that bad, Bit.  We can transcend our natures.  Doesn't matter where you start). He needs to get back to that OK place.

His regression from "I'm OK" to "dirt" is -- Redemption Alert!-- …gasp!…guilt. Last spring he failed. He failed miserably. He failed his fervent promise to protect Dawn (and we saw in Marti's last episode "Bargaining" how terribly that affected Spike. It was eating away at him). He also failed Buffy -- the woman he loved more than anything. She died and he could only save her 147 days in his nightmares. This failure has hit him deeply ... it shook him and has no doubt battered his esteem. He was beaten by Doc ... and the two people he loves most in the world suffered for it. That has to have hit his self esteem hard ... and he had self esteem issues in the first place.

Spike wasn't feeling particularly OK when he went off to bite that woman in the alley in "Smashed."  Buffy had just called him an evil thing.  For Spike, the most meaningful thing Buffy can do is treat him like a man ("I may be a monster, but you treat me like a man.  And that means . . .").  Spike, although he used to love being a vampire, is really feeling the limitations of that lifestyle. Perhaps he thinks that Buffy could only really love him if he were "real." His lyrics in "Rest in Peace" really emphasize the point that he is dead, but she makes him feel ("I died, so many years ago / But you can make me feel, like it isn't so").  That's what he values now.  He wants to be a real boy, and when Buffy calls him an evil thing, that just plays on all his insecurities.

Having said this, Spike's decision to NOT be Buffy's whipping boy was a definite step in the right direction.  Spike needs to figure out who he is. He needs to find a new identity now the Big Bad one has worn so thin.
 
 

Morning After Spike vs. Angel 1)  Spike is there in the morning.  Angel wasn't.  2)  Spike went home and went to sleep.   Angel went out and killed a  prostitute.  3)  Spike remained the same irritating yet loving guy.  Angel...well he went  evil.  4)  Angel told her she was no good in bed.  Spike said it was a "revelation"  and that it was her calling.  5)  Angel went out and started trying to destroy everything she loved.  Spike went out and helped to rescue her best friend and sister.