Life of Joy

Dear gods, no. You could put up with him as a friend, but a lover? Surely not! At any point, you might be subjected to flashbacks that involve the world's worst attempt at an accent since Dick Van Dyke's stab at cockney.

From:

I agree. No Angel. It would be like dating a reformed substance abuser with a bad case of chronic depression.

(And an unusable dick - unless he sees you as a hate f@ck.)

From: (Anonymous)

Angel tends to wear an expression reminiscent of chronic, painful constipation.

If I were trapped with him for an extended period I would be desperately unhappy. He's beautiful, but cannot offer sensuality, passion and love, and he's often sort of depressed. He's also really mean when he turns, and you can't predict exactly when that's going to happen...wait...this is sounding kind of familiar...

That's just too hard on body and soul to live with.

From:

oops, that was me.

From:

And yet, the writing style was just... yeah, it was you :P

From:

seedmoon.livejournal.com

Nice little diversion to occupy my mind of a dull workday.

40% Buffy
40% Fred (I'm assuming Angel characters are OK)
18% Willow
2% Drucilla.....for that little touch of crazy to spice things up. :)

From: (Anonymous)

Angel characters are very OK. Actually, now I can't believe I left out both mid-season Wesley and Oz. Both are awesome.

Although mid-season Wesley is so desperately in pain and so laden with terrible psychological issues, and that's a rough thing to deal with. Oz is way cool, but not expressive and affectionate enough. Very funny and wise and wonderful, though.

From:

That was me.

From:

Cool!

From:

For real? My self-destructive, erotic fascination with bad-boy Spike notwithstanding....

95% Giles (For his maturity, wry wit, intelligence, wide-ranging knowledge and refined sensibilities)
5% Xander (For his undying loyalty)

Riley is too much of a stud. Studs make me suspicious.

From: (Anonymous)

Well, OK, I like studs. But ONLY smart, kind, compassionate, wise studs who are loyal and loving and committed to self transformation. OK, pagan Priestly studs, I guess.

Cause men are beautiful, just like women. And I like their masculine beauty, just as I like feminine beauty.

It's not enough to make up for personality flaws, but it's nice to have in the mix. Plus they will often work out with you and understand and encourage you to work out, stay healthy and active and really 'get' how much joy that can bring to life. And I guess I want that in a companion.

From:

C'est moi, honey. I forgot to log in first.

From:

marccarlson.livejournal.com

Definately less Riley and Spike :)

40% Fred
25% Cordelia
20% Tara
15% Willow

Buffy's attractive and self-reliant and all, and that's great, but she has more issues than Time, and the pattern of regularly needing to re-establish herself to herself in September bespeaks some serious issues. Also, her tendency to cringe when faced with any aggression short of overwhelming physical force is really irritating.

From:

Nice analysis, Marc!

I agree that Buffy is the queen of issues.

From:

Yeah. That's why I identify with her. I've made all of her stupid mistakes and learned from them. When she's 45 she just might turn out OK.

From:

marccarlson.livejournal.com

Thanks. That's me - Analysis guy.

From:

onyxtwilight.livejournal.com

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who likes Riley. Everyone else seems to hate him. Until he got lost in his "my girlfriend is butcher than me" depression, he was my favorite of all Buffy's boys until Spike regrew his soul for her. Angel's angst always pissed me off, although I'm a sucker for the tragic romance aspects of Angel. (I cried when she killed him, I cried when it snowed for him, etc., etc.)

Having said that, Riley's not in my mix. He's got too much frat-boy in him for me to have a relationship with, although I was sorely tempted to include him just for the shoulders. ;-) If I had to build a man based on parts from Buffy and Angel, it would come out something like this. If we had been limited to the characters as they were on Buffy alone, my mix would be different, because my first ingredient was an insufferable asshat on Buffy -- but now that Patrick has broken over the line into a combined formulary...

50% Wesley (middle Angel-era)

Once he finally relaxed and shed the Watcher stuffed-shirt routine, Wesley was the hottest thing going on *either* show; just the right mix of intelligence (and esoteric interests), willingness to get his hands dirty, dedication to cause, magnificently toned bod and smoking eyes. Of course, later he kinda lost his mind and chose what he believed to be his responsibility in light of prophecy over his loyalties, and then went and slept with Lila, so that's why we need...

10% Xander

Xander brings us not only loyalty, but quirkiness, dorkiness, and an understanding of human nature and human failings -- and the compassion and basic goodness that comes with it -- that none of the other boys have. But since he was never hotter than in the episode when he was possessed by a jackal spirit, we also need...

10% Spike

Spike learned to love without even having a soul, and then went through hell getting his back so he could try to live up to the love. Spike keeps his eye on what's really important, and knows when to let other stuff slide. But Spike is a bad-boy, and knows how to keep fucking even when the roof caves in. Need a bit of that. Need his ability to not get caught up in ethical dilemmas when something important needs to get done. Need his unswerving commitment, his willingness to go out on a limb, and even sacrifice himself. And his propensity for swearing when it's appropriate. (Also he knows how to dress for effect. :-)

20% Giles

If I could only have one of the guys as an ingredient, without blending anyone else in, I would take Giles, hands-down. He's the only one whose flaws aren't either fatal (as in Wesley's case) or a turn-off. Giles brings us intelligence from a broader perspective, a better-than-Wesley ability to understand the big picture, a level of civility and culture unmatched in the others, a seasoned maturity, a commitment to choosing what's right over what's expected or what's "in the rules", and he comes with a soulful guitar, too.

5% Oz

I love Oz's wry sense of humor and deadpan delivery. And he's so cute. And a little hint of wild animal never hurt. >:-)

You'll note we're still 5% short, and that final ingredient is very important... but it doesn't fit in this comment, so see below...

From:

onyxtwilight.livejournal.com

5% Tara

Had to throw some essence of Tara into the mix, because none of the boys have this bit -- her ability to forgive: "There's just so much to work through. Trust has to build again, on both sides...you have to learn if... if we're even the same people we were, if you can fit in each other's lives, it's a long and important process and... can we just skip it? Can you... can you just be kissing me now?" I cheered. That might have been her best line in any episode. And that's exactly my reaction to that sort of process. :-)

From:

My favorite relationship on BTVS and Angel was the relationship between Tara and Willow. They treated each other so well, handled hard issues with integrity and grace, displayed real tenderness towards without losing themselves utterly, and just generally rocked. So of course Joss had to kill Tara. Fuckin' bastard.

Evil fuckin' bastard. He always does that to one partner in a really happy, healthy relationship.

There's a hell for that.

From:

But, for a brief period of time Tara and Willow had a relationship not too dissimilar to your marriage. Willow had really low self esteem and she self-medicated with magic. That magic was the power to shape reality to her liking. If her lover's behaviour was not to her liking she altered it. She lied and cheated. She broke her promises. She turned a love match between equals into a parent-child relationship.

The miracle of Tara and Willow was:

1 - Willow was able to go away and learn to stop being such a control freak;
2 - Tara didn't move on after the end of the relationship;
3 - Tara loved the potential she originally saw in Willow enough to take her back after her transformation.

How often does that happen?

I agree that Joss is evil. That's why I love him so.

From:

I agree that Joss is evil. That's why I love him so.

Me too!

From:

onyxtwilight.livejournal.com

So of course Joss had to kill Tara. Fuckin' bastard.

And they had only been back together for ONE DAY! (Two days?) I *screamed* at the television. >:-O

He always does that to one partner in a really happy, healthy relationship. There's a hell for that.

*points to Serenity and nods emphatically*

From:

*points to Serenity and nods emphatically*

HE KILLED WASH!!

:::Sobs:::

From:

bethan7827.livejournal.com

I saw him (Joss) speak at a convention, and he had a plan to bring Tara back, but by that time, the show was in last season, and the actress was unavailable. His description of the story line made me cry.

From:

Please, please, please tell me what he was planning to do!?! Please?

From: (Anonymous)

PLEASE DO!

From:

bethan7827.livejournal.com

For you- anything. As best I remember it was something like this:
The episode was to center on Buffy being granted one "life-altering" wish. Buffy would struggle the whole episode trying to decide what she wanted to do with the wish (bring her Mom back, restore Angel's humanity, several others I can’t remember). The episode would end with Buffy telling Willow that she'd just gotten a great new pair of shoes, and when Willow asked her if she used up her wish on new shoes, Buffy would have said, "No, silly!" and then stepped aside to reveal Tara.

From:

This was an awesome answer, with wonderful, wise analysis. I really enjoyed reading it. Thanks, my dear!

From:

Oh, good gods.

Spike! Giles! Xander! Tara! Let's say 25% each. In Spike or Xander's body.

From:

Sounds good to me. : )

From:

mage-imbroglio.livejournal.com

40% Willow - Intelligence, Power, Intensity, and she's hot.
30% Tara - Gentleness, Strength, and she's hot.
10% Spike - I just kinda like him, and he's hot.
10% Oz - Sort of the lost buddhist in the bunch, very cute.
10% Dru - Out of her ever loving gourd, and she's hot.

PS. Snow is Hot

From:

I have to ask....

Is that good Willow, or evil Willow?

From:

mage-imbroglio.livejournal.com

That would be all aspects of willow eminating from the same center.

Especially when she is licking herself.

From:

"To hell with Rupert Giles! I think you are the perfect man," she said, in a hypothetical, monagamous fashion.

From: (Anonymous)

Yes. Michael is hot. Literally and in a metaphysical, abstract sense as well.

Smiling and feeling very, very lucky.

From:

Oh, that was me.

From:

Hands up who didn't get that.

Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

From:

Lauging hysterically...

From:

Yes.

From: (Anonymous)

Laughing with pleasure and delight!

What a great mix!

From:

That was me, baby.

From:

I'm happy to see the Dru in your mix. Cause that's sort of maenad-like, and it's good that you're happy with that element.

From:

jasminewind.livejournal.com

Here's my formula:
30% Giles - There's just something about Ripper...
30% Oz - Funny, wise, sexy and musical
10% Willow - Brains & power
10% Tara - Diff kind of brains, great emotional maturity & communication skills
10% Faith - Sexy, confident and unapologetically bad
10% Xander - Sexy, humble and unapologetically good

From: