Question: Spike's Role in the Comics?

[fenderlove]

Quick word: I won't be responding with my own opinions to any comments left in this post, so feel free to answer honestly without fear that I shall pounce upon you. I may have further questions to ask.

How would you describe Spike's role in the comics in Season Nine? And to go further, what is his literal role in the comics? What has he literally been doing? What has been clearly asked of him by any other character or characters? The key words for all this are definitely- literal specifics. I'm looking for less interpretation "if you turn it sideways and squint and read between the lines" type of examples and more for just what has been presented.

Like I said above, I won't be responding with my own opinions. I'm just curious to find out if I've missed something in translation.

Comments

[fenderlove.livejournal.com]

Give himself an excuse not to pursue a relationship with her, because he thinks he'd only end up getting hurt if he did.

And see, I could believe that, but I would like to think that Spike was above that, i.e. if he still had feelings for her, wanted to be with her, and was assuming that she needed "normal" even though in the past Spike stated to the extent that normal was never going to be Buffy (reasonable assumption), he would talk to her at this point. If he's going around assuming what she wants after all the hell they dragged each other through, then he should wake up, talk to her, and maybe realize that he isn't necessary. Maybe that kind of realization would allow him to find new opportunities and new friends. That, of course, stems from my own fan wants and desires (i.e. for any character to act rationally at this point). Buffy seems to be all over the place motivation-wise, Willow is being weird, Spike is just simply there... Spike seems to be back in S7, remembering Previous Buffy's "I'm not ready for you to not be here," which I still count as one of the most horrible things she has said to him.

[stormwreath.livejournal.com]

I do think Spike's in late S7 mode to a large extent, yes. He's convinced himself that Buffy will never love him that way; but with two more years' perspective he's more or less come to terms with that. He still wants to help her because it's the right thing to do and because he likesand respects her so much, not out of any romantic yearning.

...at least that's what he'd tell you himself. There are hints, especially from Eldre Koh, that Spike is fooling himself. But how much weight you put on that is still open to interpretation; it's not (yet) in the text.

As for Buffy, I think she's deliberately being shown as all over the place. The first arc is called 'Freefall', after all. Mostly, she's blaming herself for what happened in S8: for sleeping with Angel and accidentally causing an apocalypse, and for breaking the Seed which ended magic and destroyed the Slayer line. She's consumed by guilt and self-pity. She's avoiding Willow, again out of guilt and because she imagines Willow is blaming her. However, Buffy is also trying desperately to convince herself that everything's going to be all right - Riley is the one who calls her out on that.