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Spike (buffyverse)




  Title Spike
  First " School Hard " ( Buffy )
  Last " Not Fade Away " ( Angel )
  Creator Joss Whedon
  Name William<!-- Please see Talk Page discussion before adding the name Pratt-->
  Status Unknown
  Kind Vampire
  Affiliation Angel's Crew , formerly the Scooby Gang
  Powers Spike has the standard powers and vulnerabilities of a Vampire , though his bloodline, mental characteristics, and advanced age give him strength, agility, stamina, and reflexes superior to those of common vampires See ''' Powers And Abilities ''' section of main article


Spike (a.k.a. '''William "the Bloody"'''), played by '' Movie News; text refers to Spike as a breakout character.


CHARACTER HISTORY


Flashbacks

Spike's story before he appears in ''; however, Joss Whedon has not confirmed this, lending question to its Canonicity .

In 1880 , William was a struggling Poet who was often mocked by his peers, who called him "William the Bloody" behind his back because his poetry was so "bloody awful." The true origins of this nickname were not revealed until three years after it was first mentioned in Season Two, when it was believed to have purely violent connotations.3 William showed a strong capacity for loyalty and devoted love, which followed him after his siring. After his romantic overtures were rejected by the aristocratic Cecily , a despondent William, while wandering the streets, bumped into Drusilla . She then bit him and transformed him into a vampire (this contradicts the original series' of Buffy in which it is clearly stated that Angel is Spike's sire as mentioned when the two first meet up in " School Hard "). Whereas new vampires in the Buffyverse often delight in killing their families once they become evil, William was a notable exception. Having always been very close to his mother, he turned her into a vampire to prevent her from dying from Tuberculosis . Unfortunately, his mother, as a vampire, taunted William insinuating that William had always had a sexual fascination with her. He was forced to stake her because he could not bear to see his mother in such a twisted form. He would later write a Poem about this traumatic experience entitled "The Wanton Folly of Me Mum," which was mentioned but not recited in the ''Angel'' finale " Not Fade Away ".4

After staking his mother, William began a new life with Drusilla, to whom he was utterly devoted. Euphoric with his newfound vampiric abilities he became a rebel, adopting a working class ). In the company of Drusilla, Angelus (later known as Angel) and Darla , Spike terrorized Europe and Asia for almost two decades. He had a strained relationship with Drusilla's sire Angelus; who continued a sexual relationship with her despite Spike's strong disapproval.5 Although Angelus did enjoy the company of another male vampire in their travels, he found Spike's eagerness for battle to be an unnecessary risk. Angelus regarded killing as an art, not a sport, and killed for the sheer act of evil; Spike did it for amusement and the rush.

In 1894 , Spike and Angelus developed a rivalry with the enigmatic Immortal ; who later had Spike sent to prison for Tax Evasion .6 In 1900 , Spike killed a Slayer in China during the Boxer Rebellion , and in 1943 , he was captured by Nazis for experimentation and taken aboard a Submarine , where he was briefly reunited with Angel(us).7 By the 1950s , Spike had reunited with Drusilla and they traveled to Italy . At some point, Spike also became rivals with famous vampire Dracula , apparently over his debt of "eleven pounds."8 Spike attended Woodstock , and later fought and killed the Slayer Nikki Wood aboard a Subway Train in New York City , 1977 , taking from her the leather jacket he wore throughout his appearances on Buffy and Angel (it was destroyed in an explosion in season 5 of Angel).


Sunnydale

Spike first arrives in Sunnydale in the second season of ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'', in the episode " School Hard ", accompanied by Drusilla. Spike and Dru were fashioned after Sid and Nancy ; punk, badass vampires to contrast sharply with the religiosity of the Master and the Order Of Aurelius from Season One."A Buffy Bestiary" ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' season 2 DVD featurette Spike is in fact a fan of Sid Vicious' band, the Sex Pistols ; he can be seen singing to a Gary Oldman cover of "My Way" in the final scene of the episode " Lovers Walk ."9 Throughout Season Two, Spike and Dru show for the first time on ''Buffy'' that vampires can be affectionate towards each other, and display the humanity and intricacies of vampire relationships. Spike was initially created as a disposable villain that was going to be killed off, however, he proved so popular with fans that Joss Whedon decided to simply injure him instead, in the episode " What's My Line, Part Two ".10

"]] Spike and Drusilla are major enemies of Buffy for much of the second season. They arrive shortly after Drusilla is seriously weakened by an angry mob in Prague , the details of which are revealed in the canon comic book " The Problem With Vampires ". Spike is a devoted caretaker to Drusilla in her weakened condition, and initially hopes that the Hellmouth 's energy can help restore her strength. He reunites with Angel, but is disgusted to find that he has a Soul , and is in love with the current Slayer, Buffy Summers . When Angel loses his soul and rejoins Spike and Dru, Spike's initial celebration soon turns to resentment when Angelus starts pursuing Drusilla as a lover and taunting him. Spike decides to ally himself with Buffy against Angelus; he explains to Buffy that, in addition to wanting Drusilla back, he also wants to "save the world"11:


Chip

Spike reappears in the Season Three episode " Lovers Walk ", in a drunken depression after Drusilla dumps him for a Chaos Demon. After toying with the idea of using a love spell, he eventually resolves to win Drusilla back by simply torturing her until she likes him again. He also tells Buffy and Angel that no matter what happens, they will never be friends because of their love for one another. This insight foreshadows Spike's later role as the "truth-seer" of the group. Spike returns to Sunnydale alone in Season Four, in the episode " The Harsh Light Of Day ," briefly dating Harmony Kendall , a shallow young vampire.12 After being implanted by The Initiative with a Microchip which prevents him from harming humans, Spike turns to the Scooby Gang for protection. This inability to bite is comically compared to Impotence , much to Spike's constant humiliation.13 From then on, he becomes a Buffy cast regular and an unofficial member of the Scooby Gang14, occasionally helping them out for a price15, but having no qualms about betraying them to such enemies as Faith 16 and Adam 17. In Season Four, Spike was introduced to fill a similarly antagonistic role as Cordelia had in seasons One to Three; as Joss Whedon explains on the DVD featurette, "All of our characters got to the point where they were loving and hugging, and it was sort of like, where's Cordelia?""Introducing Spike" ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' season 4 DVD featurette

In Season Five, Spike becomes aware after some erotic dreams that, to his horror, he has fallen in love with Buffy.18 He becomes a more active participant in the Scooby Gang, jumping into several of Buffy's fights to provide assistance whether she wants it or not. When Buffy rejects his advances in the episode " Crush ", Spike attempts to prove his love by kidnapping her to witness him killing Drusilla for her, to little avail.19 Not wanting to give up his obsession, Spike has Warren Mears make a Robot In Buffy's Likeness that is programmed to love and obey him. Disgusted, particularly after witnessing the full extent of Spike's obsession, Buffy rejects Spike again, but reconciles after Spike refuses to reveal the identity of Dawn Summers to Glory under intense torture, nearly laying down his life to protect her. Buffy is moved by his unexpected sacrifice and kisses him.20 In the days and hours leading up to the final showdown with Glory, Spike fights by Buffy's side, earning her trust. After Buffy dies in the showdown with Glory21, Spike honors her memory by remaining loyal to the Scoobies, fighting at their side and serving the role of baby-sitter/father figure/protector to Dawn.

During the sixth season, Spike and Buffy become violent lovers following Buffy's resurrection. Unable to confide in her friends, Buffy is increasingly drawn to Spike. Their physical relationship starts after a demon's spell makes them express their emotions in song, and Buffy sings, "I want the fire back."22, and is consummated two episodes later.23 Buffy most often initiates both the violence and the sex between them, and threatens to kill Spike if he ever tells anyone about their relationship. Both are unsatisfied with the relationship; Buffy is ashamed of her dark desires, while Spike obsessively craves the love, trust, and affection that she is unwilling to give. In the episode " As You Were ", Buffy admits that she is using Spike and finally ends their relationship.24 Believing he still has a chance with Buffy, Spike corners her and makes aggressive sexual advances. When she refuses him, he grows desperate and unsuccessfully tries to Rape her.25 Horrified by his own actions and intentions, Spike heads to a remote area of Africa , where he seeks out a legendary demon shaman and undergoes the Demon Trials, a series of grueling physical challenges. Proving his worthiness by surviving the trials, Spike earns his soul back.26


Soul


In Season Seven, a re-ensouled Spike must cope with the guilt of his past actions and try to win back Buffy's trust. When Buffy asks him why he had fought for his soul, Spike explains that it was all in effort to find "the spark" for Buffy.27 Under influence of the First Evil 's hypnotic trigger, Spike unknowingly starts killing again. After he discovers what he has done, he begs Buffy to stake him, but she refuses and takes him into her house, telling him she has seen him change.28 Buffy guards and cares for Spike throughout his recovery, telling Spike that she believes in him29, a statement which later sustains him throughout his imprisonment and torture at the hands of the First.30 When Spike's chip begins to malfunction, causing him intense pain and threatening to kill him, Buffy trusts him enough to order the Initiative operatives to remove it from his head.31 When Nikki Wood's son Robin tries to kill Spike, he unwittingly frees Spike from his hypnotic trigger: the song "Early One Morning" that Spike's mother sang when he was human. The song evokes Spike's traumatic memories of his mother's abusive behavior toward him after she turned; after Spike is able to address these issues, he realizes that his mother had always loved him, knowledge which frees him from the First's control.

Later in the season, Spike and Buffy achieve an emotional closeness; they spend two nights together, one of which Spike describes as the best night of his life, just holding her.32 It is unclear whether they resume their sexual intimacy the second night; creator Joss Whedon says on the DVD commentary for " Chosen " that he intentionally left it to the viewers to decide how they felt the relationship progressed, though Whedon had earlier stated on the commentary that he personally felt having them resume a sexual relationship would send the wrong message. In the final battle inside the Hellmouth, Spike, wearing a mystical amulet, sacrifices himself to destroy the Turok-Han and close the Hellmouth. He is slowly incinerated in the process, but not before Buffy tells him "I love you." He replies, "No, you don't — but thanks for saying it". Even as he burns and crumbles to dust, Spike laughs and revels in the destruction before him, glad to be able to see the fight to its end. He finally dies at the Hellmouth and saves the world in the process, becoming a Champion.33


Los Angeles


Despite his apparent death at the end of ''Buffy'''s final season, Spike returns in the fifth and final season of the spin-off series ''Angel''. Resurrected by the amulet in the Los Angeles branch of supernatural law firm Wolfram & Hart , he spends the first seven episodes of the series as an incorporeal being akin to a Ghost . As well as battling enemies such as "the Reaper" Matthias Pavayne34 and psychotic Slayer Dana 35, Spike also takes on Angel to prove which one of them is the Champion spoken of in the Shanshu Prophecy . Spike defeats Angel, but the prophecy remains ambiguous. Manipulated by Lindsey McDonald into "helping the helpless", Spike becomes a sort of rival to Angel; resembling the heroic Champion Angel was in earlier seasons before becoming disillusioned and corrupted by the bureaucracy of Wolfram & Hart.36 Cordelia comments on this strange turn of events in after coming out of her coma in " You're Welcome ", exclaiming to Angel, "Okay, Spike's a hero, and you're CEO of Hell, Incorporated. What freaking Bizarro World did I wake up in?"37

When Fred is killed by Illyria 38, Spike mourns her death and decides to join Team Angel in her honour.39 Angel and Spike discover that Buffy is now dating the Immortal, and travel to Rome to find her, but fail to catch up with her. During the final episodes of ''Angel'', Spike is the first to vote for Angel's plan to wound the Senior Partners by taking out the Circle Of The Black Thorn . He then spends his potentially-last day returning to his mortal roots as a frustrated poet, triumphantly knocking them dead (figuratively) in an open mic poetry slam at a bar. After single-handedly rescuing an infant and destroying the Fell Brethren, Spike joins Angel, Illyria, and a badly-wounded Charles Gunn in the alley behind the Hyperion as the series draws to an end, preparing to incur the apocalyptic wrath of the Senior Partners, as a way of going out in a blaze of glory. The question of whether Spike survived this battle was left unanswered by the show.

Spike appears in certain material set after Angel Season Five. Spike is set to appear in the '' into series' canon. Spike and Angel make cameo appearances in '' Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season Eight ''''Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight'' #3, "The Long Way Home, Part Three" as part of Buffy's sexual fantasies, and may reappear later in the series.DiLullo, Tara, "Pieces of Eight", from '' The Official Buffy & Angel Magazine '' #93 (UK, April/May 2007), page 23-24.


CHARACTERIZATION


Personality

Spike is seen as something of a paradox amongst vampires in the series, and frequently challenges vampire conventions and limitations. He embraces certain elements of humanity, such as love and loyalty, that would be considered too human (and therefore offensive or impure) by other vampires. With or without a soul, Spike often displays a strong sense of honor and loyalty; leaving anonymous flowers to show respect for Joyce Summers' death42, enduring torture at the hands of Glory rather than reveal Dawn's identity, and continuing to aid the Scooby Gang after Buffy's death.43 Many of Spike's actions, good or evil, are motivated by love for either Drusilla or Buffy.

One of Spike's most notable personality traits is his incredible lust for violence, which is immense even by the standards of demonic society. He has noted that he finds the very act of violence therapeutic: in the episode " School Hard ," he responds to a lackey's incompetence by snapping the neck of a hostage he considers to be 'too old to eat' and notes that he feels better afterward. Similarly, during his drunken pining for Drusilla in the episode " Lovers Walk ," he notes that getting pent-up aggression out of his system by staking and driving off several vampires 'put(s) things in perspective' for him. After a prolonged period of being unable to bite or hurt humans, Spike is delighted to discover that he is able to fight demons and gladly accompanies the Scooby Gang on patrol, proving that it does not much matter to him what he is fighting for so long as he can ''fight''.

in " Hush "]]Spike has a dry, sarcastic sense of humor. A polar opposite to his callow and simpering human nature, Spike as a vampire possesses a swaggering posture and enjoys living by nobody's rules save his own. He has a habit of making pithy remarks and glib insults, even toward the few he does not view as antagonists. Among his favorite targets is his grandsire and rival Angel (often making fun of Angel's large forehead, constantly groomed appearance, and his attempts to be a 'big, strapping hero'); other targets include Xander Harris , Rupert Giles and to a lesser degree, Buffy Summers. Joss Whedon credits this antipathy as what convinced him in the episode "Lover's Walk" to bring Spike back as a cast regular. As James Marsters put it, "I was supposed to be the one who stood at the side and said, 'Buffy, you're stupid, and we're all gonna die.'"

Spike often nicknames people, both as insults and as terms of endearment. He speaks with a strong English accent and Slang ; while suffering from amnesia44, he labels Giles a "nancy boy" for being English, before realising, "Bloody hell! Sodding, blimey, shagging, knickers, bollocks, oh God! ''I'm'' English!" However, Spike also retains something of his literary intellect from his human side, routinely referencing poetry, songs, and literature; he on occasion even waxes poetic on the nature of love and life (and ''un''life) as being driven by blood, reasoning that blood is more powerful than any supernatural force because it is what separates the living from the dead.

Spike often treats his vulnerability to the sun as simply a very annoying inconvenience, rather than a limitation; he drives in broad daylight in vehicles with blacked-out windows, and he regularly travels outside during the day, using a blanket for cover. He also has a taste for human food and drink, such as lighter.

Spike appears to be a fan of pop culture; when held captive by the Scooby Gang in ''Buffy'' Season Four, his biggest concern is missing his favourite soap '' Passions ''.49 Over the course of the series, he makes references to movies and shows such as '' Star Wars '', '' Dawson's Creek '', '' It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown '' , '' Ghostbusters '' , Night Rider and '' The Nightmare Before Christmas ''. In the ''Angel'' episode " You're Welcome ", after his hands are cut off and subsequently reattached, he is instructed to play video games for physical therapy, including '' Donkey Kong '' and '' Crash Bandicoot '', and can be seen playing a Game Boy Advance in " The Girl In Question ."

In contrast to Angel, Spike's personality remains relatively the same whether he has a soul or not.


Appearance




]]
  url http://wwwjamesmarsterscom/james/faqhtml#When_did_he_get_the_eyebrow_scar
  title The Official James Marsters Site FAQ
  accessdate 2006-11-24



Spike usually wears long black leather coats, including one that he took from a Nazi officer and another that he later took as a trophy from Nikki Wood, the second Slayer he killed; this was the black duster he wore for over twenty-five years. When the coat was destroyed by a bomb from the Immortal in Italy, Spike heartbrokenly declared it to be irreplaceable; however, the Italy branch of Wolfram & Hart quickly supplied him with a whole wardrobe of new, nearly identical ones and he quickly forgot his distress. His trademark look includes the leather duster, a black t-shirt or v-neck shirt and black denim pants, usually with heavy boots; he also wore a red long-sleeve shirt fairly often, particularly during the earlier seasons of ''Buffy''. In the episode " Doomed ", the recently-chipped Spike is forced to wear one of Xander's Hawaiian shirts and a pair of knee-length shorts because his clothes were shrunk in the washing machine. James Marsters counts wearing this costume as one of his least favorite experiences on the show, claiming "they put me in a Clown suit, and I thought 'that's it. Why don't we just chop the character up and flush him down the toilet!'" ''Buffy & Angel'' Magazine UK #88 Summer Special "Marsters Mind" - James Marsters discusses Spike's costumes. He did, however, enjoy wearing the Deerstalker and Tweed suit in the episode " Tabula Rasa ", when Spike is trying to disguise himself from demonic loan sharks.


POWERS AND ABILITIES

Spike has the standard powers and vulnerabilities of a Buffyverse Vampire and is highly skilled and adaptable in both armed and unarmed combat. For example, he is able to briefly overcome Illyria during a testing of her abilities when she is at the height of her powers. Illyria criticizes his (and others') ability to adapt, calling it "compromise."51 He is able to withstand excessive amounts of pain for extended periods of time, particularly when properly motivated, as seen in the episodes " Intervention " and " Showtime ."52 While not as skilled or as cruel as Angelus, Spike also proves himself to be effective at torture, noting that he had gained "screams, various fluids, and a name" from Doctor Sparrow.

Spike often displays insight and skills in perception and observation, especially with regard to relationships and personalities. This ability allows him to wield powerful psychological weapons as easily and effectively as physical ones. For example, when he wants to create disharmony among the Scoobies, Spike divides-and-conquers with the " Yoko Factor ," exploiting tensions that exist under the surface to alienate Buffy and her friends against each other. When competing against Angel for the Cup of Perpetual Torment, Spike uses verbal taunts and insults to further demoralize an already insecure Angel to gain an upper hand. He explains to Buffy that he was able to defeat two Slayers because he sensed and exploited their secret desires to be free of their burden. Spike's skills of analysis allowed him to see through Tara 's abusive and controlling family53, forced Buffy and Angel to admit that they were more than "just friends" and identify when and why some relationships, such as that between Buffy and Riley , are not meant to last.
Although capable of developing sound battle strategies, Spike (particularly in the days before receiving his chip and being ensouled) often loses patience with anything more complicated than outright attack, as mentioned in the episode " In The Dark ".The demon shaman who grants Spike his soul, addresses him as "a legendary dark warrior."



He is also impatient to fight the Slayer upon his initial arrival in Sunnydale; the attack is supposed to coincide with the Night of St. Vigeous (when a vampire's natural abilities are enhanced), but he "couldn't wait" to go after the Slayer and attacks the night before. However, Spike did exercise patience throughout the latter half of ''Buffy'' Season Two; feigning weakness and enduring tortuous weeks watching Angelus sexually pursue Dru as he waits for the right time to strike.

Spike's "vampire constitution" provides him with an extremely high tolerance for Alcohol (which he regularly consumes in copious quantities). He is also seen picking locks; driving a car, a motorcycle, and a motor home; using Video Game systems and a computer; treating injuries; pick-pocketing; and playing Poker and Pool . Spike is also seen speaking Latin , Luganda (a language of Uganda , where he meets the demon shaman), and the language of Fyarl Demons. It is implied that he has some minimal familiarity with Italian (he can at least say "ciao" and "strada").

When Spike was transformed into a ghost-like intangible state following the destruction of Sunnydale and the Hellmouth and his subsequent materialization at Wolfram & Hart, he was capable of walking through solid objects. He was initially unable to make contact with objects around him until he learned how to focus his abilities through desire, allowing him to make brief contact with people and things if he concentrated enough. However, this ability was relatively useless in a fight, as he was unable to pick up a wooden bar to hit an attacking demon in " The Cautionary Tale Of Numero Cinco ", and required a few moments to properly punch a cyborg in " Lineage ".


RELATIONSHIPS


Romantic interests and sexual liaisons



Other



APPEARANCES


Canonical appearances

Spike has appeared in 121 canonical Buffyverse episodes and holds the record for seventh most Buffyverse episodes.
; ''"), through to the end of Season Seven, although he did not appear in the episode " The Body ". He appeared in 96 episodes, including guest appearances in:


; '' Angel '': Spike was a series regular in the show's fifth and final season. He appeared in 24 episodes, including guest appearances in:


; '' Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season Eight '':He appears in one issue so far with a cameo appearance in Buffy's dream sequence only:


Other stories featuring Spike which are considered '' into the canon.


Non-canonical appearances

Spike has also appeared in many of the ''Buffy'' and ''Angel'' ''.


REFERENCES



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