BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER'S
SPIKE...
There's a sucker born
every minute. So it's just as well Buffy's on hand to stake them
out. We head off in search of Sunnydale's most grisly inhabitants
History:
Spike (also known as William the Bloody) is one of a new breed
of vampires. He's English, from London, and is not quite 200. Spike
got his name from his habit of torturing people with railroad
spikes, and has apparently killed two Slayers in his time, one
during the Boxer rebellion. For a long while, he and a vampire named
Drusilla have been lovers.
Reason for Arrival in Sunnydale:
As with many others, the lure of the Hellmouth draws Spike in,
alongside the fact that he wants to have some fun. One of his first
actions on arrival is to confront the remaining Sunnydale vampires
who are about to choose a replacement leader for the Master. With
'The Annoying One' (as Spike refers to him) not impressed by the
vampire's first abortive attempt to kill Buffy, Spike decides to
elect himself leader by throwing the boy into a cage and hoisting it
into direct sunlight with the words, "From now on, we're gonna
have a little less ritual and a little more fun around here."
Fiendish Plans: Spike is one
of the more careful vampires, and from his arrival, he observes
Buffy's response to attack in order to plan an effective method to
stop her. Too often Spike is a victim of circumstance. His raid on
Sunnydale High is thwarted by Joyce Summers braining him with an
axe, and his joy at finding a simply-not-herself Buffy abroad on
Halloween is spoilt when a curse placed on the Slayer is removed at
the least opportune moment. Later, when offered the Slayer by her
friend in return for the gift of vampirism, Spike is beaten by Buffy
threatening a still-weak Drusilla.
After this setback, Spike makes plans to help his love, sending a
group of assassins named the Order of Taraka to at least distract
Buffy while he kidnaps Angel to use his blood in a ritual to empower
Dru once again. Sadly for Spike, Buffy's desire to save her
boyfriend results in heavy masonry crashing down on the vampire and
his beloved. Spike is later seen in a wheelchair, until he
recuperates.
When Angel loses his soul and returns to the vampire fold, his plan
to open a gate to Hell is an anathema even to Spike, who prefers his
humans walking around 'like Happy Meals on legs', and sets out to
stop his nemesis. Returning to Sunnydale after a short absence,
Spike kidnaps Willow and Xander in the hope of receiving a love
spell to make the uncaring Dru fall for him again.
Success Rate: Although his
early efforts leave a little to be desired, Spike does succeed in
helping Drusilla back to health. His plan to save his and Drusilla's
skin works like a charm, and he leaves Buffy at Angel's mercy. Six
out of 10 on the success scale.
Reason for Leaving Sunnydale:
As part of a pact with Buffy to help stop Angel opening a doorway to
Hell, Spike agrees to leave Sunnydale for good with Drusilla in tow
(although not of her own free will). After a brief return to
Sunnydale, Spike leaves to make Drusilla fall for him once again the
old vampire way: torturing her until she agrees to date him again.
Paul Spragg |
| Also
profiled in this issue: Drusilla,
Angel, The Master and Mr Trick |
|
| "A
good quip and a chance to kick butt and I'm happy".
James Marsters, who plays Spike, is interviewed
in this issue about Buffy,
Millennium and maybe being just
too cool for The X-Files. |
|
Read
more about Buffy and TV vampires of all kinds in this Cult Times
Special
Available now, £3.50 ($6.99). Can't
find it locally? You can order it
here
| Buffy
the Vampire Slayer BBC2, Weds, 18.45 |
Photo © Fox |
