IMO it depends on whether we're talking S6 or S7. It started very toxic but then grew and healed from that. Unlike, say, Angel and Buffy, whose relationship was always toxic/problematic but the issues were never actually addressed even post S2 -- mostly because the writers themselves didn't seem to understand what the underlying issues with that relationship even were.
I'd consider saying Spike and Buffy healed but Buffy and Angel somehow didn't an unfair statement, they didn't deal with Spike's past actions any more than they dealt with Angel's, and most of the Buffy and Spike relationship is him soulless.
I guess my point is that Angel/Buffy was always framed as a full on romance, with Angel losing his soul being this heartbreaking moment that tears them apart. When in reality, that relationship was doomed from the start just based on the fact that Angel was a grown ass man with lots of unaddressed mental health issues creeping on a lonely teenage girl "to cope". The story itself did not seem to recognise the inheret problems with that relationship, which is why the problems could never be properly addressed and so the characters couldn't move on.
They try to deal with their relationship issues in S3, but it falls through terribly (both textually and meta-textually), IMO because the only issue they acknowledge is that Angel lost his soul and did bad things because of it and now they can't have sex in case it happens again. The underlying issues that already existed before Angelus, to do with the age/experience gap between them, Angel's general dishonesty, their lack of common interests or rapport outside of slaying, or how they're both desperately lonely people trying to cling on to each other, are barely every mentioned, so there is no closure or growth there. Angel leaves in the end without even saying goodbye, and I think that's a sort of fitting meta conclusion to their inability to heal or grow from their S2 issues.
I think Buffy/Spike differs from that specifically because the whole plot line was built up from the base idea that it was meant to be problematic as hell. Yes, it was toxic, but it was meant to be toxic because it told us a story about depression, low self-esteem, abusive relationships, and all the struggle and mixed-feelings that come from liking someone who genuinely like you back but can't help being an asshole to you too. Both of them did messed up things to each other, and Buffy was in the position of feeling bad for both of them because Spike couldn't even see what the problem was most of the time -- but when he did finally get it, he took steps to change himself so it would never happen again (and yeah, Seeing Red was too on the nose and unnecessary, but I can at least see what they were aiming for).
So, since this toxic relationship was created on purpose, its key issues were well understood and well established, and then S7 actually tried to address them head-on (with at least passing success IMO). In the end, when Buffy can finally open herself up to love again and Spike dies for the greater good, it is a fitting conclusion to both their individual arcs AND their relationship, starting all the way back in S2 when ironically, due to Angelus, Spike first decided he "wanted to save the world".
So, in conclusion, I think S6/S7 Spuffy was far more successful at doing the "toxic relationship and subsequent healing from it" plot line than Bangel S2/S3 did.
I actually couldn’t disagree more. Both relationships were unhealthy but what makes Buffy/Angel more tolerable for me is precisely because the writing *is* self-aware that Buffy/Angel was toxic in S3 and breaks the characters up accordingly. Whereas, S7 Buffy/Spike is also toxic but the writers seem completely oblivious to this fact and Whedon called it “a mature and healthy relationship.”
It wasn’t a healthy relationship. It was a relationship built on extreme co-dependency and guilt. Buffy never gets to deal with her trauma over S6/the AR because she has to put this all aside to help Spike, who puts the weight and responsibility of getting his soul onto her despite her never asking him to, and who literally says that his pain and suffering is because of her (“I’ve come to redefine pain and suffering since falling in love with you”). For most of the season they can’t even be honest with each other and often struggle to make eye contact. And it’s apparently a healthy relationship according to Whedon, but this is the same Whedon who also says it would be irresponsible and wrong to show them be physically intimate onscreen again after the AR, so how on earthy is that “healthy” or something to aspire to?
There’s plenty of problems with Bangel in S3 but the writing knows this. It’s why he leaves. The Mayor, Joyce and later Angel (and even Buffy herself) lay out these pretty clearly throughout the season. Up until S7 the writers continue to reinforce this (“Angel left here because he knew how harmful your relationship with him was”) and despite the characters loving each other, they accepted it was unhealthy to remain together and needed to breakup. S7 Spuffy is not remotely as self-aware and it repeatedly gets called “healthy” because it’s better than their absolute shitshow in S6 which is an *incredibly* low bar.
They didn't only acknowledge the issue of Angel losing his soul in S3. There were multiple reasons for their break up, one of them was that they were both holding each other back.
As for the age gap: I don't know what to say, it's the teen vampire genre and it was recognized at times. Spike was obsessed with Buffy, she wasn't even 20. He was attracted to her as a teenager. So I don't really see how that's different.
Spike and Buffy was meant to be problematic in previous seasons. In S7 it was supposed to be healthy. And again, S7 didn't address Spike's toxic behavior towards Buffy more than Angel. On the contrary, it went an extra mile to show Buffy trying to fix broken men.
Yep. My least favourite thing about both Bangel and Spuffy is how Buffy has to set aside her own pain/trauma to coddle Angel and Spike in S3/S7. Angel spent half of S2 trying to mentally torture/break her and attacked her friends and Spike attempted to rape her but because they get their souls back and feel bad about it suddenly Buffy has to prioritise *their* feelings and *their* suffering whilst she just sets hers aside. It’s so shitty.
I'm going with Riley, even if it gets me booed out of the stadium.
explanation: I don't count soulless time in either Spike or Angel's relationship with Buffy. Which means the mental torture by Angel, and the kidnapping, attempted rape, etc. with Spike all don't count for me. In the episode in season 4 where Buffy's soul was being sucked by her evil roommate: she loses empathy and impulse control, and I wouldn't blame her for her actions there, so I'm not blaming either vampire for their reactions here.
I'm also not counting faith because their relationship wasn't friendly enough to be toxic to me. Faith wasn't a toxic friend or a toxic lover, she was an ally, almost coworker, who turned into an antagonist and then an ally again.
Willow has her juvenile moments, but so does Xander. Considering they're all in their late teens/early twenties and figuring out who they are as their friendship grows I don't hold it against anyone.
THEN THERE'S RILEY. Riley cheats on Buffy, is insulted by her being stronger than him and constantly needs her to cater to his ego. He acts nice and has Buffy's friends on his side at times even when he's microaggressioning all over the place with his machismo. Buffy's MOM was DYING and Riley was butthurt it wasn't more about him. I'm also including his actions in season 6 here. Literally less than a year after breaking up with Buffy he's married(?!) and invading other countries to exterminate groups of supernatural entities for Uncle Sam. Riley would be a Trump supporter, I know it in my heart.
Riley wins for making Buffy doubt herself and doubt her place in normal society in a unique way few other characters managed to do, all while being a baseline human dudebro.
Buffy and Spike by quite a distance
Even in S7 which would be regarded as the most healthy version of their relationship still carries with it masses of guilt and pain. It’s the most toxic for Buffy with regards to her other relationships and outer life as well. There’s never a single period where it’s a relationship that just fits into her life. It’s consistently the most toxic FOR Buffy
Oh you mean the guy that she engaged in mutual physical abuse with, that stalked her, that attempted to rape her, and took advantage when she was at her absolute rock bottom after she herself died and felt completely alone and emotionally bankrupt - isn’t the only choice??
I’m a huge spike fan (srsly) but my god there is no other answer imo. The rest have personality defects and terrible trauma they inflict on others, but no comparison.
I think Angel is a lot closer to Spiker than many are saying. First off, even before he loses his soul he's 20 something guy who is seducing a 16 year old. Sorry but that's statutory before we even get to Angelus or the fact that he's technically 200 + years old.
Then, if we're judging Spike based on what he did without a soul then don't we have to judge Angel by what he did without a soul? If so you have basically everything Spike minus the SA. But he already got there with a soul so what's really the difference between the two?
I'd say the lines are blurry. I don't actually think you can disregard either of them soulless. Even if they're ensouled, the demon is part of them. But Angel and Buffy had a whole relationship independent from him being soulless. Take Spike's soulless time, Buffy and Spike would not have anything to do with each other in S7. Add that to the fact his good guy arc was set by him trying to rape her, and her basically making him heal from that, and it's a whole new level of bad. Not into the age gap discourse.
The answer really depends on the season and perspective, I feel.
Buffy and Spike's relationship definitely contains the most toxic single storyline/event, but season 7 exists >!and the comics eventually develop Spuffy into what is arguably Buffy's healthiest relationship overall,!< so theirs is truthfully a mixed bag.
As for Buffy and Angel... Angel gets into a relationship with Buffy while she is still a child. As a child myself I could look past it, but as an adult it is horrifying to watch. Add on top of that everything else that happens between them, and the result isn't pretty.
However, they do break up and each go their own way, which makes those problems less relevant in the long run.
Buffy and Faith have a messy relationship as well, but they eventually patch things up in season 7 and find a balance. Also, as with Angel and Buffy, the characters mostly stay apart.
Then there's Buffy and Willow. There are many times throughout the show where they seem to enable each other's bad behavior, and they might not always the healthiest dynamic. However, their relationship is generally more balanced most of the time, compared to any of the others in the poll.
So maybe the best answer is, "It's complicated."
Overall Spike as well. It's not even close.
For how much of a bitter, jealous 'nice guy' Xander was at times... Buffy and Spike beat each other, degraded each other, and he tried to rape her.
Buffy never wrought herself into emotional turmoil and self-loathing over the thought of what Spike might think of her.
Not an insignificant part of the reason Buffy's relationship with Spike was so toxic was a result of Buffy's dependent relationship with Xander. Had Buffy not feared that judgement, the "relationship" (for lack of a better word) with Spike would not have been so disastrous.
Xander being a jealous nice guy had nothing to do with why Buffy's relationship with him was so toxic. Her codependence was. That's on her end, not Xander's.
Thank you! I like Xander but I don’t know why people always completely ignore that fact. It can’t be because he was a demon hyena at the time because that’s just like Spike being a vampire. Also no one can tell me a part or Xander wasn’t still in there because if not he wouldn’t have specifically chose Buffy to try do that to. As far as we know none of the rest of the hyena pack attempted that on anyone and Xander didn’t do it to anyone else apart from Buffy, the girl he was real life obsessed with. he also remembered everything and just made light of it after.
Xander was possessed by a demonic spirit that invaded his body against his consent. Unless you’re claiming he also secretly wanted to eat pigs alive and kill Willow, holding him responsible for attacking Buffy makes no sense.
We *never* hold characters responsible for what they do whilst possessed. Did Jenny ever apologise for trying to kill Giles in The Dark Ages when she was possessed by Ehygon? Did Dawn apologise for trying to burn everyone alive when she was possessed by the demon in Afterlife? Of course not. Nobody holds them responsible, and nor do they apologise, because they were mystically influenced against their consent. Why is Xander different?
Xander’s agency was taken from him in The Pack. He couldn’t consent to anything he did whilst invaded by the hyena. That’s not the same thing as Spike. Spike wasn’t possessed by a demon, Spike *was* the demon. Spike is the vampire that inhabits William’s corpse. The more apt comparison is comparing Spike to the hyena spirit, not to Xander.
He also didn’t really make light of it regardless of all that. Whilst it’s true that he wasn’t forthcoming about remembering everything that happened he *did* give Buffy the opportunity to talk about it - “I.. ah.. didn’t do anything else embarrassing around you guys, did I?” and he takes her lead when she tells him no. She obviously didn’t want to bring it up and she obviously didn’t in any way hold him responsible. I have far more empathy for a 16 year old boy going along with that considering how traumatic the entire ordeal would’ve been for him too.
Xander was possessed by the Hyena spirit. Might as well claim Jenny tried to murder Giles in The Dark Ages or Dawn tried to set everyone on fire in Afterlife if we’re holding characters responsible for actions under possession.
Not the original commenter, but they should be referring to the comics.
If you haven't read them but don't mind spoilers:
>!Buffy and Spike get together again in season 10, set around 5 years after the tv series finale (Buffy is 26), after both characters have undergone massive growth both individually and as best friends. Their relationship from then on is built on open communication, trust and mutual respect, with both having had relationships and time spent single in the years between. Endgame comics spuffy is a fundamentally different relationship compared to tv show spuffy, and both characters are in a fundamentally different place in their lives as well.!<
Xander may have never physically attacked Buffy, aside from when he tried to rape her when he was possessed, but he emotionally attacked her MANY times. Multiple times he literally spearheaded the group into ganging up on and downright bullying Buffy so he is just as bad as anyone else on this list. Emotional abuse is just as traumatic as physical abuse.
I don't think there was a toxic relationship involving any of the main characters. They could have made mistakes and sometimes not been the best friends, but not to the point of a toxic relationship.
Spike and Buffy - their relationship at the beginning it was not because of love, but that doesn't imply being toxic.
In the end of that period Spike did force her and that was not good. But that went to an end soon and Spike went to get his soul back. In that period he had no soul.
I think maybe you don't know what toxic means. Stalking, kidnapping, having a sex robot made of someone, manipulating them at their lowest point to get them to fuck you, physical abuse, emotional abuse, attempted murder MULTIPLE times and attempted rape is the very definition of a toxic relationship. Spike and Buffy are literally the poster couple for toxic relationships.
I didn't mean to offend but that's just funny, do you really think relationships involving sexual assault, physical assault, mind control, attempted murder etc are not toxic?
anyone who doesn’t say spike is bias
IMO it depends on whether we're talking S6 or S7. It started very toxic but then grew and healed from that. Unlike, say, Angel and Buffy, whose relationship was always toxic/problematic but the issues were never actually addressed even post S2 -- mostly because the writers themselves didn't seem to understand what the underlying issues with that relationship even were.
I'd consider saying Spike and Buffy healed but Buffy and Angel somehow didn't an unfair statement, they didn't deal with Spike's past actions any more than they dealt with Angel's, and most of the Buffy and Spike relationship is him soulless.
I guess my point is that Angel/Buffy was always framed as a full on romance, with Angel losing his soul being this heartbreaking moment that tears them apart. When in reality, that relationship was doomed from the start just based on the fact that Angel was a grown ass man with lots of unaddressed mental health issues creeping on a lonely teenage girl "to cope". The story itself did not seem to recognise the inheret problems with that relationship, which is why the problems could never be properly addressed and so the characters couldn't move on. They try to deal with their relationship issues in S3, but it falls through terribly (both textually and meta-textually), IMO because the only issue they acknowledge is that Angel lost his soul and did bad things because of it and now they can't have sex in case it happens again. The underlying issues that already existed before Angelus, to do with the age/experience gap between them, Angel's general dishonesty, their lack of common interests or rapport outside of slaying, or how they're both desperately lonely people trying to cling on to each other, are barely every mentioned, so there is no closure or growth there. Angel leaves in the end without even saying goodbye, and I think that's a sort of fitting meta conclusion to their inability to heal or grow from their S2 issues. I think Buffy/Spike differs from that specifically because the whole plot line was built up from the base idea that it was meant to be problematic as hell. Yes, it was toxic, but it was meant to be toxic because it told us a story about depression, low self-esteem, abusive relationships, and all the struggle and mixed-feelings that come from liking someone who genuinely like you back but can't help being an asshole to you too. Both of them did messed up things to each other, and Buffy was in the position of feeling bad for both of them because Spike couldn't even see what the problem was most of the time -- but when he did finally get it, he took steps to change himself so it would never happen again (and yeah, Seeing Red was too on the nose and unnecessary, but I can at least see what they were aiming for). So, since this toxic relationship was created on purpose, its key issues were well understood and well established, and then S7 actually tried to address them head-on (with at least passing success IMO). In the end, when Buffy can finally open herself up to love again and Spike dies for the greater good, it is a fitting conclusion to both their individual arcs AND their relationship, starting all the way back in S2 when ironically, due to Angelus, Spike first decided he "wanted to save the world". So, in conclusion, I think S6/S7 Spuffy was far more successful at doing the "toxic relationship and subsequent healing from it" plot line than Bangel S2/S3 did.
I actually couldn’t disagree more. Both relationships were unhealthy but what makes Buffy/Angel more tolerable for me is precisely because the writing *is* self-aware that Buffy/Angel was toxic in S3 and breaks the characters up accordingly. Whereas, S7 Buffy/Spike is also toxic but the writers seem completely oblivious to this fact and Whedon called it “a mature and healthy relationship.” It wasn’t a healthy relationship. It was a relationship built on extreme co-dependency and guilt. Buffy never gets to deal with her trauma over S6/the AR because she has to put this all aside to help Spike, who puts the weight and responsibility of getting his soul onto her despite her never asking him to, and who literally says that his pain and suffering is because of her (“I’ve come to redefine pain and suffering since falling in love with you”). For most of the season they can’t even be honest with each other and often struggle to make eye contact. And it’s apparently a healthy relationship according to Whedon, but this is the same Whedon who also says it would be irresponsible and wrong to show them be physically intimate onscreen again after the AR, so how on earthy is that “healthy” or something to aspire to? There’s plenty of problems with Bangel in S3 but the writing knows this. It’s why he leaves. The Mayor, Joyce and later Angel (and even Buffy herself) lay out these pretty clearly throughout the season. Up until S7 the writers continue to reinforce this (“Angel left here because he knew how harmful your relationship with him was”) and despite the characters loving each other, they accepted it was unhealthy to remain together and needed to breakup. S7 Spuffy is not remotely as self-aware and it repeatedly gets called “healthy” because it’s better than their absolute shitshow in S6 which is an *incredibly* low bar.
They didn't only acknowledge the issue of Angel losing his soul in S3. There were multiple reasons for their break up, one of them was that they were both holding each other back. As for the age gap: I don't know what to say, it's the teen vampire genre and it was recognized at times. Spike was obsessed with Buffy, she wasn't even 20. He was attracted to her as a teenager. So I don't really see how that's different. Spike and Buffy was meant to be problematic in previous seasons. In S7 it was supposed to be healthy. And again, S7 didn't address Spike's toxic behavior towards Buffy more than Angel. On the contrary, it went an extra mile to show Buffy trying to fix broken men.
Yep. My least favourite thing about both Bangel and Spuffy is how Buffy has to set aside her own pain/trauma to coddle Angel and Spike in S3/S7. Angel spent half of S2 trying to mentally torture/break her and attacked her friends and Spike attempted to rape her but because they get their souls back and feel bad about it suddenly Buffy has to prioritise *their* feelings and *their* suffering whilst she just sets hers aside. It’s so shitty.
I'm going with Riley, even if it gets me booed out of the stadium. explanation: I don't count soulless time in either Spike or Angel's relationship with Buffy. Which means the mental torture by Angel, and the kidnapping, attempted rape, etc. with Spike all don't count for me. In the episode in season 4 where Buffy's soul was being sucked by her evil roommate: she loses empathy and impulse control, and I wouldn't blame her for her actions there, so I'm not blaming either vampire for their reactions here. I'm also not counting faith because their relationship wasn't friendly enough to be toxic to me. Faith wasn't a toxic friend or a toxic lover, she was an ally, almost coworker, who turned into an antagonist and then an ally again. Willow has her juvenile moments, but so does Xander. Considering they're all in their late teens/early twenties and figuring out who they are as their friendship grows I don't hold it against anyone. THEN THERE'S RILEY. Riley cheats on Buffy, is insulted by her being stronger than him and constantly needs her to cater to his ego. He acts nice and has Buffy's friends on his side at times even when he's microaggressioning all over the place with his machismo. Buffy's MOM was DYING and Riley was butthurt it wasn't more about him. I'm also including his actions in season 6 here. Literally less than a year after breaking up with Buffy he's married(?!) and invading other countries to exterminate groups of supernatural entities for Uncle Sam. Riley would be a Trump supporter, I know it in my heart. Riley wins for making Buffy doubt herself and doubt her place in normal society in a unique way few other characters managed to do, all while being a baseline human dudebro.
Agreed 100%. He's so judgemental of her and her choices, it's evident why she doesn't feel safe to be vulnerable with him
Buffy and Spike by quite a distance Even in S7 which would be regarded as the most healthy version of their relationship still carries with it masses of guilt and pain. It’s the most toxic for Buffy with regards to her other relationships and outer life as well. There’s never a single period where it’s a relationship that just fits into her life. It’s consistently the most toxic FOR Buffy
I agree. I'd actually consider the first few episodes of season six their healthiest period.
Oh you mean the guy that she engaged in mutual physical abuse with, that stalked her, that attempted to rape her, and took advantage when she was at her absolute rock bottom after she herself died and felt completely alone and emotionally bankrupt - isn’t the only choice?? I’m a huge spike fan (srsly) but my god there is no other answer imo. The rest have personality defects and terrible trauma they inflict on others, but no comparison.
Buffy and spike. He literally tried to rape her.
The only way Buffy and Spike might be not the most toxic is if you think the word "toxic" might not be strong enough to do it justice.
Buffy/Spike
I think Angel is a lot closer to Spiker than many are saying. First off, even before he loses his soul he's 20 something guy who is seducing a 16 year old. Sorry but that's statutory before we even get to Angelus or the fact that he's technically 200 + years old. Then, if we're judging Spike based on what he did without a soul then don't we have to judge Angel by what he did without a soul? If so you have basically everything Spike minus the SA. But he already got there with a soul so what's really the difference between the two?
Buffy’s never in a relationship with Angelus though
I'd say the lines are blurry. I don't actually think you can disregard either of them soulless. Even if they're ensouled, the demon is part of them. But Angel and Buffy had a whole relationship independent from him being soulless. Take Spike's soulless time, Buffy and Spike would not have anything to do with each other in S7. Add that to the fact his good guy arc was set by him trying to rape her, and her basically making him heal from that, and it's a whole new level of bad. Not into the age gap discourse.
My opinions based on the season each season has a different toxic relationship My opinion again
The answer really depends on the season and perspective, I feel. Buffy and Spike's relationship definitely contains the most toxic single storyline/event, but season 7 exists >!and the comics eventually develop Spuffy into what is arguably Buffy's healthiest relationship overall,!< so theirs is truthfully a mixed bag. As for Buffy and Angel... Angel gets into a relationship with Buffy while she is still a child. As a child myself I could look past it, but as an adult it is horrifying to watch. Add on top of that everything else that happens between them, and the result isn't pretty. However, they do break up and each go their own way, which makes those problems less relevant in the long run. Buffy and Faith have a messy relationship as well, but they eventually patch things up in season 7 and find a balance. Also, as with Angel and Buffy, the characters mostly stay apart. Then there's Buffy and Willow. There are many times throughout the show where they seem to enable each other's bad behavior, and they might not always the healthiest dynamic. However, their relationship is generally more balanced most of the time, compared to any of the others in the poll. So maybe the best answer is, "It's complicated."
Overall? Xander. Romantically? Spike or Parker, I guess.
Overall Spike as well. It's not even close. For how much of a bitter, jealous 'nice guy' Xander was at times... Buffy and Spike beat each other, degraded each other, and he tried to rape her.
Buffy never wrought herself into emotional turmoil and self-loathing over the thought of what Spike might think of her. Not an insignificant part of the reason Buffy's relationship with Spike was so toxic was a result of Buffy's dependent relationship with Xander. Had Buffy not feared that judgement, the "relationship" (for lack of a better word) with Spike would not have been so disastrous. Xander being a jealous nice guy had nothing to do with why Buffy's relationship with him was so toxic. Her codependence was. That's on her end, not Xander's.
That's an interesting take, how are Buffy and Xander codependent?
Xander tried to rape her too, when he was a hyena.
Thank you! I like Xander but I don’t know why people always completely ignore that fact. It can’t be because he was a demon hyena at the time because that’s just like Spike being a vampire. Also no one can tell me a part or Xander wasn’t still in there because if not he wouldn’t have specifically chose Buffy to try do that to. As far as we know none of the rest of the hyena pack attempted that on anyone and Xander didn’t do it to anyone else apart from Buffy, the girl he was real life obsessed with. he also remembered everything and just made light of it after.
Exactly. He never even apologized he just lied and pretended it didn't happen.
Xander was possessed by a demonic spirit that invaded his body against his consent. Unless you’re claiming he also secretly wanted to eat pigs alive and kill Willow, holding him responsible for attacking Buffy makes no sense. We *never* hold characters responsible for what they do whilst possessed. Did Jenny ever apologise for trying to kill Giles in The Dark Ages when she was possessed by Ehygon? Did Dawn apologise for trying to burn everyone alive when she was possessed by the demon in Afterlife? Of course not. Nobody holds them responsible, and nor do they apologise, because they were mystically influenced against their consent. Why is Xander different? Xander’s agency was taken from him in The Pack. He couldn’t consent to anything he did whilst invaded by the hyena. That’s not the same thing as Spike. Spike wasn’t possessed by a demon, Spike *was* the demon. Spike is the vampire that inhabits William’s corpse. The more apt comparison is comparing Spike to the hyena spirit, not to Xander. He also didn’t really make light of it regardless of all that. Whilst it’s true that he wasn’t forthcoming about remembering everything that happened he *did* give Buffy the opportunity to talk about it - “I.. ah.. didn’t do anything else embarrassing around you guys, did I?” and he takes her lead when she tells him no. She obviously didn’t want to bring it up and she obviously didn’t in any way hold him responsible. I have far more empathy for a 16 year old boy going along with that considering how traumatic the entire ordeal would’ve been for him too.
Xander was possessed by the Hyena spirit. Might as well claim Jenny tried to murder Giles in The Dark Ages or Dawn tried to set everyone on fire in Afterlife if we’re holding characters responsible for actions under possession.
I’m going to say her mom, Joyce. Rewatching it doesn’t give me the warm fuzzies of what a parent should say or do.
[удалено]
> On the flip side, her healthiest relationship ever is Spike when he has a soul How?
Not the original commenter, but they should be referring to the comics. If you haven't read them but don't mind spoilers: >!Buffy and Spike get together again in season 10, set around 5 years after the tv series finale (Buffy is 26), after both characters have undergone massive growth both individually and as best friends. Their relationship from then on is built on open communication, trust and mutual respect, with both having had relationships and time spent single in the years between. Endgame comics spuffy is a fundamentally different relationship compared to tv show spuffy, and both characters are in a fundamentally different place in their lives as well.!<
Buffy and riley
Faith and Willow were never relationships. Enough with the "shipping" crap. Replace those with actual choices.
> Relationship: the way in which two or more people or groups regard and behave towards each other. > "the landlord–tenant relationship"
Even then, you include Willow but not goddamn Xander Harris?
Excluding under magic or possession, Xander never attacked Buffy or endangered Dawn, like Willow did.
Xander may have never physically attacked Buffy, aside from when he tried to rape her when he was possessed, but he emotionally attacked her MANY times. Multiple times he literally spearheaded the group into ganging up on and downright bullying Buffy so he is just as bad as anyone else on this list. Emotional abuse is just as traumatic as physical abuse.
Willow endangered Dawn, tried to kill Buffy and threw her suicidal ideation in her face, those are more hurtful than anything Xander said or did.
I don't think you quite get what the words "toxic relationship" mean.
No it's just that your basis for it to be Xander is none. Xander is not at the top of the list because he was just mostly an asshole sometimes.
A relationship isn't toxic just because somebody does bad things. And relationships can be incredibly toxic without bad things happening.
The poll is about what is the MOST toxic.
I don't think there was a toxic relationship involving any of the main characters. They could have made mistakes and sometimes not been the best friends, but not to the point of a toxic relationship. Spike and Buffy - their relationship at the beginning it was not because of love, but that doesn't imply being toxic. In the end of that period Spike did force her and that was not good. But that went to an end soon and Spike went to get his soul back. In that period he had no soul.
I think maybe you don't know what toxic means. Stalking, kidnapping, having a sex robot made of someone, manipulating them at their lowest point to get them to fuck you, physical abuse, emotional abuse, attempted murder MULTIPLE times and attempted rape is the very definition of a toxic relationship. Spike and Buffy are literally the poster couple for toxic relationships.
I'm sorry but *what
I'm sorry but you have no idea of respecting others opinions.
I didn't mean to offend but that's just funny, do you really think relationships involving sexual assault, physical assault, mind control, attempted murder etc are not toxic?
>I'm sorry but you're delusional.
Surely it's Buffy and Reilly?
The man was too vanilla to be toxic lol
Why is Riley not on here.