Wankety-wank: Gender dynamics and role-switching for your Jossverse playset
Okay, so I just commented in a friend's journal about the social differences in gender dynamics. I won't go into great detail since it was a personal post. Not locked or anything, but still. But I can quote a bit from my response without giving anything away:

I've often wondered why it's considered more socially wrong for a 24-year old woman to be with a 17-year old boy than for a 24-year old man to be with a 17-year old girl. Cause, hey, that's considered romantic. *cough* Buffy/Angel *cough* What would people think if instead of Buffy the Vampire Slayer it was Xander the Vampire Slayer. And the mysterious vampire in the shadows would be Darla. Xander/Darla 4eva!!!!! Their love is so pure!!!!! Pitapat my heart. Yeah, right, like that would ever make it on TV. *snickers*

Now before all the B/A shippers on my list come and smack me upside the head (and probably rightfully so), let me just say that I'm a B/A/S shipper. My OT3. Eleventy-one and all that. So I believe in B/A, I ship them, just, you know, with a Spike in the middle, on the side, on the bottom, cherry on top, and so on. But I also ship S/B with an Angel in the middle yadda yadda. And you *know* I ship A/S. Come on, you gotta know that. It's all fluid dynamics. Like a lava lamp. You can stare at it for hours...*gets munchies*

But I'm getting off the subject here which is gender dynamics and roles. Which are *not* directly translatable. They're just not.


Because Xander the Vampire Slayer, and it's spin-off--Darla, would be completely different shows. For one thing, the whole premise of turning the helpless blonde victim in the alleyway stereotype on its ear would be completely lost. Xander would just be another disenfranchised white male with superpowers. What's so special about that?

But wait, there's Darla, so I'm going to continue with this scenario because I'm weird like that.

Let's say that slayers aren't gender-specific, could be boy or girl. Maybe, historically, a little heavy on the girl side. But once in a while a boy gets Chosen. Only one kid in all the world, sniff sniff. They're so alone. So Xander gets the calling. High school is still hell, Giles still shows up as the librarian, Xander is still an outsider. But he grew up in Sunnydale so there's no new kid in town (Buffy is still blissfully catty at Hemery sucking on her lollipops). Willow still adores him.

He still has to stake Jesse. This time, because it's his job.

But that fateful scene in the alley...it's Darla who steps out of the shadows. Darla who's been cursed with a soul.

And it's Angelus that Darla ends up staking at the Bronze to save Xander--choosing her lover over her son. Angelus who pathetically whispers "Darla" as he turns into dust.

And when Darla leaves Xander at the end of s3 to start a new series life in L.A, it's Angelus who's brought back to life in a crate. It's the human Angelus who's dying of syphillis that Darla must do anything to save. It's Darla who throws a newly vamped Angelus through a window and has maddirtynasty sex with him in true despair. And it's Lilah, in a jealous rage, that runs over Darla in her brand new Mercedes because of it. It's Lilah that runs off to Canada to make independent films with an "I hate cops" sign stuck to her back windshield--leaving Lindsey behind to take over their department.

Which means that it's Lilah that comes back in the final season of Darla. All tattooed and eager for revenge. Lilah who sequesters herself in Hamilton's apartment, plotting against Darla and W&H. And it's Eve who gets all T3, smashing through W&H walls, to take over

Because there's still Connor. Except it's not Connor, it's Shannon (played by one of those young actresses that does adolescent disturbed really well--name me one). Darla has a girl. It's Darla that thrusts that knife down in "Home". Darla who would do anything for her daughter--including heading W&H.

But then, because even ME would refuse to do mpreg, Angelus does not die to save Shannon. Angelus doesn't get imbued with his daughter's soul. Everything changes. Maybe in the act of creating Shannon, a little Angel creeps into Angelus? Doubt it.

It's Darla who says, "Mommy's not done talking."

And it's not Spike that shows up all spit and fury and pay-attention-to-me in DtS s5. It's Faith. Huh? Because Spike, he's the other Vampire Slayer. The one who goes bad in XtVS s3. The one that Xander bonds with and then knifes in the gut. Faith would be from a century earlier. Probably "Gangs of New York" era. There could be flashbacks of Faith in a hoop-skirt and bonnet. It would be Faith who would be the s2 Big Bad. Faith who faces down Xander behind the Bronze as he says, "Who're you?" And it would be a crippled Faith that a soulless Darla torments as she dallies with the utterly mad Drew (some ethereal Orlando Bloom type). And it would be Faith who throws down a bruised Xander in the Harris bathroom in XtVS s6, hands around his neck, saying, "Let me show you." It's Faith who takes off on her motorcycle, "Prick is gonna see a change."

And it's Spike who falls down on his knees before Darla in the rain. "Just kill me. Why don't you kill me?" It's Spike that ties down Wesley to a chair, straddles him, and tortures him. It's Spike who goes to jail and writes useless letters to Xander begging for forgiveness. Useless letters to whoever the female Zeppo is (certainly not Cordelia, not Willow, has to be a new one).

And it's Faith who says, "No you don't. But thanks for saying it," to a tearful Xander as she goes up in flames. It's Faith who droops herself over the cross in "Beneath You" as a horrified Xander looks on.

It's Faith who's the Slayer of Slayers, wearing the long black coat that she stripped off of Nick, the last male Slayer before Xander. And it's a Faith in workman's blues drag that spars with a Slayer in a Hindu temple in India. Because Angelus, no longer content to be the Scourge of Europe, he wants to press on to India--like Alexander. Angelus who despises Faith even as he screws her. Until Faith finally gets fed up, takes Drew in hand, and goes back to Europe and then America.

And it's Spike who teases Xander's little brother Don. "Little boy's all man-sized now."

And it's Oz, who's going from gig to gig in L.A., maybe hooking up with a band, maybe not, who always shows up to work late at Darla Investigations. And it's Oz that Darla looks at in wonder as she says, "I've never met anyone like you," as they spar in the basement of the Hyperion. It's Oz who smiles wistfully and says, "I know." It's Oz who calls Darla on all her maudlin crap when she gets worked up. It's Oz who gets cursed with visions. But he deals, you know?

And it's Devon who shows up at Oz's apartment, newly-vamped and looking to hang. Devon who just doesn't see what the big deal is with all this good/evil stuff anyway. Just do what you wanna do. And hey, if that means killing and sucking for an unliving? What's the big?

It's Devon that Faith does the long-ass bed crawl towards as he wonders what all those veins are for. It's Devon that Faith tries to stake as he rambles on about something. "Oh please...Shut up."

It's Devon that ends up getting mugs of blood for Darla as she bitches at him about holding her phone calls and scheduling her meetings.

And it's Devon who tries to hand a ghostly Faith a plain package addressed to her, "Hey, dude, it's for you."

And it's Faith who later straddles him in an office, "Don't talk, you'll ruin the moment."

And it's Faith who says to Darla, "Drew may have turned me, but you're the one that made me a monster."

And it's Darla who says, "I kinda want to slay the dragon."


See? Not directly translatable. Doesn't work, does it?

(Post a new comment)

	ladycat777 2004-10-21 12:15 pm UTC (link)
	Huh. And see, from my point of view, it does. It's a little disconcerting at first to think about it, but ... oh that works. I'd love to see that. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	romanyg 2004-10-21 12:28 pm UTC (link)
	And the odd thing is that the more I thought about it, the more it worked for me too. I guess Spike and Faith are the most switchable characters. I can totally see them switching roles and still have it be believable. And Darla/Oz as the ship that all the Xander/Darla people hate. Hee! And people feeling sorry for how Faith mistreats poor vamp!Devon. Hee! (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)(Expand)

(no subject) - ladycat777, 2004-10-21 12:35 pm UTC (Expand)

	redbrickrose 2004-10-21 12:32 pm UTC (link)
	Very interesting. I wouldn't say that it wouldn't work. It would be something completely different, but yeah, on it's own I think it could work. *g* (Reply to this) (Thread)

	romanyg 2004-10-21 03:38 pm UTC (link)
	Yeah, the more I wrote, the more I thought parts of it could work. Could you imagine the furor of Xander beating Faith to a bloody pulp in the alley behind the precinct screaming, "There is nothing good inside you! I will never be your boy!" Or Faith stringing up Darla to torture the Ring of Amarra from her? Yikes, it'd be a whole different ballgame. (Reply to this) (Parent)

neverneverfic 2004-10-21 12:33 pm UTC (link)

i'm way amused by this gender role reversal slayerverse also, i think that in some ways it is as innappropriate for a 24yr old man to date a 17 yr old girl. i tend to think that in general, there is such a gap i terms of life stage between people in high school and people who are not, that high schoolers dating folks who are out of high school is a little bit wrong. that being said there are ALWAYS exceptions, so really i think it's a case by case thing. also OT34EVA!! *snerk* (Reply to this) (Thread)

romanyg 2004-10-21 03:45 pm UTC (link)

Yes, I think if there's a standard, it should apply to *both* genders. I agree that the power dynamic of such a relationship could be skewed against the younger partner due to life experience alone. And you're right about the case by case situation. An emancipated minor who has been in the workforce a year or two might be better equipped to deal with an older partner. And Buffy had been battling demons and vampires as her night job so she gained some unique experience from that. Life and sex during wartime. Of course that doesn't mean that the power dynamic *wasn't* skewed. Yes, OT34EVA!!! *pumps fist of solidarity in air* (Reply to this) (Parent)

	dlgood 2004-10-21 12:40 pm UTC (link)
	My head hurts. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	romanyg 2004-10-21 03:48 pm UTC (link)
	Eep! This is a bad thing, yes? *runs to get you an aspirin* (Reply to this) (Parent)

	glossing 2004-10-21 12:56 pm UTC (link)
	Your brain, it is shiny and marvelous. I *like*. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	romanyg 2004-10-21 03:49 pm UTC (link)
	*blushes* *wanders off to polish brain to a shiny chrome finish* (Reply to this) (Parent)

	tesla321 2004-10-21 01:29 pm UTC (link)
	Which begs the question, how does Oz fit in? (Reply to this) (Thread)

romanyg 2004-10-21 09:06 pm UTC (link)

And it's Oz, who's going from gig to gig in L.A., maybe hooking up with a band, maybe not, who always shows up to work late at Darla Investigations. And it's Oz that Darla looks at in wonder as she says, "I've never met anyone like you," as they spar in the basement of the Hyperion. It's Oz who smiles wistfully and says, "I know." It's Oz who calls Darla on all her maudlin crap when she gets worked up. It's Oz who gets cursed with visions. But he deals, you know? And it's Devon who shows up at Oz's apartment, newly-vamped and looking to hang. Devon who just doesn't see what the big deal is with all this good/evil stuff anyway. Just do what you wanna do. And hey, if that means killing and sucking for an unliving? What's the big? Of course that only talks about Oz's role on DtS. I figure on XtVS, Oz would still get bitten by his cousin. But it would be Xander who has to wonder what to do with Werewolf!Oz. Of course, I thought about these as broadcast network shows where the het is text and the slash is subtext. But I'm sure Xander/Oz would be a big ship for XtVS too. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	othercat 2004-10-21 01:39 pm UTC (link)
	This is brilliant. :> (Reply to this) (Thread)

	romanyg 2004-10-21 09:11 pm UTC (link)
	*blushes* Thank you. And I need to thank you for the pimp! (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)(Expand)

(no subject) - othercat, 2004-10-21 09:27 pm UTC (Expand)

	killerweasel 2004-10-21 01:44 pm UTC (link)
	This was really neat. If it was a show, I'd watch it. :P (Reply to this) (Thread)(Expand)

	winterlive 2004-10-21 02:01 pm UTC (link)
	Icon... *ded* (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)(Expand)

(no subject) - killerweasel, 2004-10-21 02:26 pm UTC (Expand)

(no subject) - winterlive, 2004-10-21 03:26 pm UTC (Expand)

(no subject) - romanyg, 2004-10-21 09:55 pm UTC (Expand)

	nihilistbear 2004-10-21 01:47 pm UTC (link)
	Wow if my little post about inapproapriately lusting after a boy produced that, I'll definitely suffer even more bouts of inappropropriate lust. Good, good, good. May I link this at some later date? (Reply to this) (Thread)

	romanyg 2004-10-22 01:42 pm UTC (link)
	Sure! You don't need my permission to give me further publicity link me. And I don't want you to suffer anything (lust included if it makes you suffer) just so I can go off on a tangent. (Reply to this) (Parent)

lynnenne 2004-10-21 02:00 pm UTC (link)

See, I'd watch Darla the Series. Because it deals with issues that are pretty much universal: redemption, forgiveness, family, morality, freedom of choice, etc. Xander the Vampire Slayer? Not so much. Because, as you say, the basic premise is gone. Xander's just another disenfranchised white guy with superpowers. Like Dick Cheney. But hot. Gunn the Vampire Slayer... I'd watch that. Whole host of other issues there. It's all fluid dynamics. Like a lava lamp. You can stare at it for hours...*gets munchies* Bwahahahaha! (Reply to this) (Thread)(Expand)

	idyll 2004-10-21 05:14 pm UTC (link)
	Gunn the Vampire Slayer... I'd watch that. Mmmm. Yesssssss. (Reply to this) (Parent)

(no subject) - romanyg, 2004-10-22 01:45 pm UTC (Expand)

	spuzz 2004-10-21 02:16 pm UTC (link)
	Really really interesting. It works on a lot of different levels, including one's that my brain can't process because of teh dumb. :) (Reply to this) (Thread)

	romanyg 2004-10-22 01:47 pm UTC (link)
	::pets your *not* teh dumb brain:: And heh, the more I slid down the waterpark slide of my tangent the more I thought, "Okay, maybe..." See what happens when I try to *disprove* something? *facepalms* (Reply to this) (Parent)

	viciouswishes 2004-10-21 02:18 pm UTC (link)
	It's Spike that ties down Wesley to a chair, straddles him, and tortures him. This scene needs to be written. I mean... I'd have to agree with that I wouldn't be watching XtVS, but I'd totally be watching DtS. (Which may make little sense with this opposite thing because I'm a bigger AtS fan than BtVS fan.) (Reply to this) (Thread)

romanyg 2004-10-22 01:53 pm UTC (link)

Yes, I thought about making the Watchers female to complete the gender-switch. But when I thought about Spike tying down an Emma Peel type to torture, it didn't sound very appealing. But Spike and Wesley torture angst? Hot slash. And I can see why being a fan of AtS would make you watch DtS too. The big tenor of the show would be the same (maybe, cause changing gender-roles might make it too different--even with identical scripts). (Reply to this) (Parent)

	djinanna 2004-10-21 02:32 pm UTC (link)
	Works for me. Really well. (Got here via link from othercat. Glad I came.) (Reply to this) (Thread)

	romanyg 2004-10-22 01:55 pm UTC (link)
	Well, glad to have you! *ponders gender!verse some more* (Reply to this) (Parent)

dodyskin 2004-10-21 02:33 pm UTC (link)

I lived with a 28 year old man when I was 17, but then I live to skew the graph Rambling thoughts: Gender dynamics: translatable as a story but the meta is utterly warped. I *like* this. I like this a lot. Spike and Faith are particularly switchable, because of the intense similarites in the way they relate to the world through their sexuality/sexualness. The need to belong is palpable with those two, as is their striking out when that need is shown up. I read, a fandomlong time ago, an essay which posited a gender reversal with season six of BtVS, which seemed utterly wronghead, pigheadedly simplistic to me. This is different though. This isn't warping the situation to fit an agenda, this is twisting the situation to see where it might go. *loves your brain* (Reply to this) (Thread)

romanyg 2004-10-22 02:00 pm UTC (link)

I lived with a 28 year old man when I was 17, but then I live to skew the graph Ah, but that wouldn't raise as many eyebrows as if you were a 28-year old woman living with a 17-year old boy. You'd be a right wicked hussy then. *g* And thank you! When I was playing with the paperdolls in my brain, I was surprised to find how interchangeable Spike and Faith were--how they best fit the scenario. Almost scarily so. And a compliment from *you*? My day is made. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	ex_dovil323 2004-10-21 02:37 pm UTC (link)
	See, but you forgot that you're brilliant. So you write it out, I read it, it plays out in my head like a movie and I'm left tilting my head at the whole thing and thinking this sounds completely and utterly wonderfully fascinating. It sometimes just take the right person to sit behind the pen and anything can be made to work. :D (Reply to this) (Thread)

	romanyg 2004-10-22 09:22 pm UTC (link)
	*blushes* Thank you. Funny, the more I wandered through the scenario the more I wanted to make it work even as I wanted to prove it was all a-shambles. Human nature. Sheesh. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	winterlive 2004-10-21 03:30 pm UTC (link)
	Yes, you are clever. *licks you thoroughly* See, dammit, when people make insightful, nonchalantly brilliant posts like this, I'm screwed. Best I got is - 'you cool! Friend now?' Write a post about the color of your wallpaper and I'm Oscar bloody Wilde. *shakes head at self* What's up with that? (Reply to this) (Thread)(Expand)

	no_detective 2004-10-21 11:20 pm UTC (link)
	On that note: did you know that Oscar's supposed last words, as he was dying in that hotel in Paris, were of the awful wallpaper on the walls? "Either it goes, or I go." Heh. Great post, this. I'd totally watch "Darla: the Series" and I'd start watching XtVS in season 2, when Faith shows up. *wink* (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)(Expand)

(no subject) - romanyg, 2004-10-22 09:33 pm UTC (Expand)

(no subject) - romanyg, 2004-10-22 09:27 pm UTC (Expand)

	ficangel 2004-10-21 03:32 pm UTC (link)
	Okay, I can definitely see how 'Xander the Vampire Slayer' might fall on it's face, but 'Darla: the Series'? The way you've described it really makes me want to see this onscreen. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	romanyg 2004-10-22 09:42 pm UTC (link)
	*opening credits* searing fast instrumentals, Darla bursts through a set of French doors, walks down an alley--long coat sweeping behind her...Fang Gang standing behind her, wait a few beats, commercial... (Reply to this) (Parent)

	a2zmom 2004-10-21 03:48 pm UTC (link)
	I was never the biggest Darla fan, but DtS - man, I'm there. It just jells on so many levels. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	romanyg 2004-10-22 11:55 pm UTC (link)
	Thanks! *munches popcorn, kicks back with the remote and watches this week's DtS with you* (Reply to this) (Parent)

	anaid_rabbit 2004-10-21 04:27 pm UTC (link)
	I can totally see it! ;D And how some crucial scenes on both shows might be considered even more controversial and cliche breaking with the switching. Man, I just love thinking about gender reversals and it the way it totally fucks things up and makes everything even more exciting. Love the way you thought this out. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	romanyg 2004-10-23 09:25 am UTC (link)
	Wow. Thanks! Gender roles have a place even in Jossverse. It's fun to shake the can a bit and see what happens. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	idyll 2004-10-21 05:15 pm UTC (link)
	*twirls you* Dude, you rock so very much. *hugs* (Reply to this) (Thread)

	romanyg 2004-10-23 09:31 am UTC (link)
	Hee! *twirls for you* And YOU rock. Muchly. Dude, have you seen the Joaquin RPS that's out there? I came across it a while back and thought, "Dana must already know about this." Am I right? (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)(Expand)

(no subject) - idyll, 2004-10-23 09:36 am UTC (Expand)

(no subject) - romanyg, 2004-10-24 11:07 am UTC (Expand)

skipthedemon 2004-10-21 05:22 pm UTC (link)

:Brain explodes from goodness: I wanna see Darla: The Series. I'd be tempted to keep Spike and Dru and Faith as they were, so that.... Angelus and Spike and Dru who sometimes travel together, and sometimes not, roll up into time hearing Darla has resurfaced. They challege Xander and Darla stakes Angelus, which all but completely breaks poor Drusilla. Things between Spike and Dru get strained, and even more strained when soulless Darla shows up, and Dru dotes on 'grandmother' completely. Acathala goes much as it did, and more then a year later, Dru trails into town desperate for revenge against Xander for breaking up her family. She gets chipped, and Xander is reluctant to stake her because Dru was obviously special to Darla, but slaps her around a lot. Dru glomps onto the mixed messages like a bee to honey. But she can love well, if not wisely. I think Dru would run off to get a soul in the hopes that give her clarity, and that goes really poorly, obviously. Darla probably would come and get poor souled Dru. Wow, I don't no where that same from. I adore Spike, and am not sure I could stomach that much Drusilla, but this popped into my brain. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	romanyg 2004-10-23 09:41 am UTC (link)
	Hey, that was cool! Seriously. Cause it really *twists* everything up if we get Xander/Dru for XtVS s6. Oh, man, the network execs would be pulling their hair out with their fists when they try to explain to the advertising execs why this guy with superpowers is constantly beating up on this wispy-looking crazy girl. Hee! (Reply to this) (Parent)

	eliade 2004-10-21 05:41 pm UTC (link)
	You are fascinating. It's Spike that ties down Wesley to a chair, straddles him, and tortures him. ::eyes glaze over:: (Reply to this) (Thread)

	romanyg 2004-10-23 09:50 am UTC (link)
	It's Spike that ties down Wesley to a chair, straddles him, and tortures him. ::eyes glaze over:: I thought about this for a bit. Because it does make good slash. But if I had done a *complete* gender reversal and it had been Wilma the ex-watcher that Spike tortures...A lot harder to pull off, yeah? (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)(Expand)

(no subject) - eliade, 2004-10-23 10:00 am UTC (Expand)

(no subject) - romanyg, 2004-10-24 01:15 pm UTC (Expand)

(no subject) - eliade, 2004-10-23 10:02 am UTC (Expand)

(no subject) - romanyg, 2004-10-24 01:48 pm UTC (Expand)

(no subject) - eliade, 2004-10-24 11:08 pm UTC (Expand)

	valancy 2004-10-21 05:42 pm UTC (link)
	It's Darla who says, "Mommy's not done talking." I think I had a braingasm at that. Yes, it gets a little fazey at the end - I can't imagine Darla saying "I kinda want to slay the dragon." But a lot of it does. *purrs* I love your brain. Can you write shiny Darla stories? Please? *pants* (Reply to this) (Thread)

romanyg 2004-10-23 10:15 am UTC (link)

Yes, it gets a little fazey at the end - I can't imagine Darla saying "I kinda want to slay the dragon." But a lot of it does. I agree. I think that it would take a lot of tinkering for Darla to develop an heroic death complex a la "Gift", a la "NFA". But she's already proven herself capable of self-sacrifice so it is possible. Whether she'd George it out, I don't know. But I kinda like the idea of a *female* dragonslayer. (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)(Expand)

(no subject) - valancy, 2004-10-25 08:06 am UTC (Expand)

	entrenous88 2004-10-21 06:01 pm UTC (link)
	**wants this series. Badly.** Damn, you're good. And Darla Investigations, god I want that so much! **pines** (Reply to this) (Thread)

	romanyg 2004-10-23 10:21 am UTC (link)
	Yes, I can just see her with the sweeping coat that flows in time with the sweeping music. And I can see Oz kicking back strumming a guitar at the Hyperion, pausing, raising an eyebrow and one corner of his mouth, "Dude, you take yourself *way* too seriously." Hee! I amuse myself. (Reply to this) (Parent)

tabaqui 2004-10-21 07:14 pm UTC (link)

Followed you here from eliade's journal... This is an amazing thing - an really cool idea. Oh yeah, i'd watch. BUT... No matter what we like to think, boys and girls ARE different. Would a souled and soulful Darla be the same as Angel? Would she have spent 100 years wanking around in alleys eating rats? Would she be all avoid-y gloomy and what-not around Xander? Would she follow the same course or would she strike out in new directions, handle things differently, better, worse? And would Xander the VampSlayer fall into the same trap that Buffy did post-season five, and would we really see the Depresso-Xander arc like we did the Buffy arc? Would other-Slayer Spike ever go good, go bad, be as corrupt, corruptible, corrupting? All way too much for my mushy, post-pizza brain to compute, but something i wanna think about anyway. And how does Giles work with a Slayer who's a boy? And how does Willow react to it? And is Oz still a werewolf? Gah. Lovely stuff. Thank you - must get lemonade. (Reply to this) (Thread)

romanyg 2004-10-23 12:11 pm UTC (link)

*nodsnods* I'm not sure (in fact I highly doubt) that Xander or Darla would follow the same arcs that Buffy and Angel did. But if the shows had been *originally* written that way, we'd be discussing how there's no way that little Buffy or meannasty Angelus would follow Xander's hero arc or Darla's quest for redemption. Yes, I believe that other-Slayer Spike could/would closely follow the Faith arc. They have so many similarities, vulnerablilities of personality that out of *all* the Jossverse characters, they're the most interchangeable. And I had to debate whether there would even *be* a Rupert Giles because to get the true gender-reversal going there would have to be a Regina Giles or something. Thank you so much for the reasoned feedback! (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)(Expand)

(no subject) - tabaqui, 2004-10-24 06:56 pm UTC (Expand)

---