Playing Fair, the Bangel edition

[rebcake]

I’m not a Buffy/Angel shipper. However, I read something recently that compared the Buffy/Angel relationship to the Bella/Edward one. Just as I thought, “Well, that’s not right,” I realized that it was a concept I may have entertained subconsciously. That’s really not fair of me.

For one thing, I’m not familiar enough with the Twilight series to really know what Bella and Edward are about as a couple. For another, I’m guessing people who ship Buffy/Angel don’t see Buffy as any kind of wilting violet damsel, which is what I assume is Bella’s deal. I haven’t read much fic for the B/A ship, but that can’t be what’s going on, is it? I mean, why would anyone bother to ship Buffy with anybody if they’re going to be satisfied with a super traditional romance heroine? Wouldn’t it be easier to just ship some other character?

I like Spike with Buffy in part because he seems to really appreciate her fierceness and strength. But doesn’t Angel also admire those qualities? Like, a lot? Or, is it the Bangel fandom consensus that he’s more attracted to her goodness and mercy?

Maybe the ship seems more heteronormative on its surface, and that’s why the Bella/Edward comparison is out there. But how deep does that heteronormativity ever go with Buffy? Not very with Spike, I’d say. Not successfully with Riley. Is it really so different with Angel?

I do see Buffy and Angel as two Alphas (as reductionist as that term is) and figure that’s an issue that’s got to come up in post-S3 Bangel shipping. I mean, if the ship is going to float on, she can’t stay 17 forever, so right there things are going to change, amirite?

Can anybody enlighten me about the kinds of issues that are unique to or typical of Bangel fic? Particularly later season or post-series fic? I’d love to know the kinds of things that set it apart from other ships in the Buffyverse fandom. Without, you know, having to read a bunch of it. I’m probably asking the wrong crowd, but y’all have Vast Knowledge, so I thought I give it a shot.
 

 

Comments

[slaymesoftly]

I've got no idea really, but I'm curious about what you get in the way of answers. Since my personal view of Bangel-lovers is that they have an overly romantic, immature view of what constitutes a relationship, I'd tend to think your thought about her being a traditional romance heroine would be on target. But, I know nothing much about either typical romance heroines or Bangel stories, so...

Coalition girl wrote one not too long ago (set during season... I don't recall now. I want to say late season, but I'm not sure) Anyway, I read it, and it was very good, and it made me believe. (Very temporarily) But that's because Buffy was very much her brave, smart, heroic self and she got her man back by being that brave, smart (emphasis on smart), heroic self. I can find it for you if you're interested.

Anyway, will be interested in the replies you get.

[rebcake]

an overly romantic, immature view of what constitutes a relationship

I just can't believe that's true, though. There are intelligent people who ship Bangel, and some good writers, so I'm sure there is more going on than "innocent girl, knowing older man".

I am getting interesting some replies. ;-)

[next_to_normal]

Totally talking out of my ass here, since I'm neither a Twilight fan nor a Bangel fan, but I think the similarity is the fact that both are "epic love" stories on the surface, but with a dark undercurrent of power imbalance and manipulation because of the high school girl/creepy older guy pairing.

Except that Angel's not nearly as creepy as Edward, and Buffy has far more agency and self-respect than Bella. And it is possible to enjoy Bangel for the subversive subtext, whereas Twilight seems to be a sort of all-or-nothing deal. Either you buy into the traditional epic love narrative and it's romantic or you don't and it's totally creepy.

[eilowyn1]

I've read the first Twilight book and was thoroughly unimpressed, so I may as well be speaking out of my ass as well, but I think the similarity between Bella/Edward and Buffy/Angel fans is that they deny there is any power imbalance or manipulation on the part of the romantic heroes. If they're aware of the subversion they actively ignore it, or can't recognize the subtext at all. It's a surface reading of the ship, and I've found that Bella/Edward and Buffy/Angel fans have this in common, which ties the two ships together in my mind, in spite of one giving its heroine agency and being much better written than the other.

[rebcake]

Interesting. Maybe the similarities are more in how the relationships are seen by the fans, rather than how it is presented by the creators? I know there are disparate schools of thought about "writer intent" but I'm not sure I'm entirely comfortable with discounting it entirely. Or maybe it's that I see intentions shining through all over the place, but realize that not everybody sees it the same way I do? It's not something that can be solved, of course, but it's fun to see where the parallels are and where they decidedly aren't.

[rebcake]

Well, maybe there are quite a few similarities in the basic set-up of the story, after all. But Buffy, as usual, doesn't do the expected thing and that's why I can't make myself believe they are the same story, even if the elements are all there.