I'm so torn about the first half of this season,
We've got the addition of Dawn, Glory and Joyce's tumour - and then we've got Riley. I'm so sick and tired of all of Buffy's love interests manipulating and taking advantage of her.
Buffy is the Slayer, she has to contend with her every day vamps, and the occasional apocalypse; and now for the very first time she's faced with something she can't kill. The pain is so, very human. Her Mum has had a brain tumour, and Riley as always makes it all about him.
He isn't the centre of her universe anymore (not that he ever was) he doesn't have super strength anymore, he's no longer a ranking officer in the initiative... he's just a man. He feels inferior, and so he goes out looking for "Vampire brothels" to be bitten. And as usual, he makes it all Buffy's fault. He's been driven to it because she wasn't paying enough attention to him.
It's the typical, middle aged white male blaming the woman for everything. And it's a trope I am SO sick of seeing. What makes it worse, is that it was written by a woman. Marti Noxon... who also wrote in a future storyline where Buffy gets raped.
Let's just say that good riddance Riley left this show. Buffy deserves better. He was always written as a misogynistic tool. He's pathetic.
Let's just say that good riddance Riley left this show. Buffy deserves better. He was always written as a misogynistic tool. He's pathetic.