Buffy Action Figures: Spotlight Spike

I couldn't help but like Spike from the very beginning. What's not to love about a Billy Idol wannabe vampire? He was a hero, sort of, for killing that snot-nosed kid "The Anointed One." He certainly ushers in a new era in Sunnydale. He and Drusilla were more interesting villains than the Master and the back story with Angel added some spice.

I love the scene of Spike battling the Slayer Nikki Wood on the subway. He looks like a coiled snake, ready to strike. Since I love the scene, I was doubly pleased that this figure is so great. It's an excellent representation of James Marsters. And I like the accessories. I'll pause to add my vote for a Nikki Wood doll. She was awesome in that fight scene and she deserves her own doll.

Spike's story arc is fascinating, so it's not just his "hottie" status that has me interested. At the end of Season Six, (spoiler alert!) Spike takes off for remote parts and we find out later he's sought out a legendary demon. He survives all these fights and trials and in the end he gets his soul back. It's a pivotal moment in his life and I'm glad it got commemorated with an action figure.

The events that lead up to that (literally) soul searching journey are among the most heart wrenching for me. I can't help but love Spike and to see him try to rape Buffy and then come to his senses and realize his mistake.....

It was just hard to watch. It was, however, the best motivation for his quest. Life or death, either would be fine because living with the knowledge of what he'd done was too hard. You'd have to be at that sort of crossroads in order to even attempt the trials set forth by the demon.

I'll always have a soft spot for "bad" Spike. He's just so gleefully bad and also just inept enough that he's fun to watch. There was something inhuman about the Master (and some of the other Big Bads) whereas Spike is very human. His reactions to the ups and downs of being an evil overlord, his love and exasperation with Drusilla make him very human and sympathetic.

There are certainly other men in Buffy's life, but Spike holds a special place. He's seen her at her worst, in ways that Angel never did. He brought out her worst, in ways that no villain ever did. And really when it comes down to it, who would you rather hang out with: Spike or Angel?