Warning: spoilers for The Vampire Slayer #15!Spuffy fans may be disappointed to learn that Buffy the Vampire Slayer is no longer Spike’s best love interest – it’s Xander! In BOOM! Studio’s new Slayerverse, the classic characters and adventures TV fans know are being remixed and reimagined in exciting ways. The ongoing The Vampire Slayer follows a world where Willow temporarily stole Buffy’s place as the Slayer – a world where Spike and Xander are growing closer and closer.
In recent issues of The Vampire Slayer from Sarah Gailey and Katherine Lobo, the Scooby Gang are on a mission to reclaim an infant crab god that Spike and Xander have been caring for. Unfortunately, that leads them into the lair of Drusilla, and the presence of his ex helps intensify the blossoming romance that Spike has with Xander. After a harrowing reunion with his former lover, Spike vents about his feelings to Faith. Spike admits that a big reason why he’s taken such a vested interest in Xander is that the latter’s relationship with his boyfriend at the time they met reminded him of his own ill-fated affair with Drusilla. At the time, Xander was dating Tony, an often distant lover who frequently cheated on Xander. Elsewhere, Xander takes part in a spell that allows him to see a “beloved sight,” instantly summoning an image of Spike.
Xander & Spike Have an Incredibly Healthy Dynamic
Spuffy has long been one of the most popular romances within the main canon of the Buffyverse. However, even the pairing’s most dedicated fans will admit it also ranks among the most toxic. Subsequent reflection that Spike and Buffy did more harm (both physical and emotional) to each other than good has helped the partnership fall out of favor in the years following the show. Now, the relationship between Xander and Spike reads as just the opposite.
Spike & Xander Reverse Buffy & Spike’s Toxic Love
While it’s yet to be explicitly stated that Xander and Spike are dating, the subtext has always been there in The Vampire Slayer. The two are framed as essentially cohabiting and raising the baby crab god together, with an intense and rapid connection developing between them that’s coded as a burgeoning romance. However, this isn’t like Spike’s infatuation with Buffy on the show, or Buffy’s often self-hating acceptance of his advances. Spike genuinely empathizes with Xander – while they’re very different people, Spike’s memory of his relationship with Drusilla makes him incredibly sensitive to Xander feeling unimportant and overlooked. In contrast, Xander sees the good in Spike without needing him to engage in exaggerated heroism – their relationship is casual, domestic, and caring, rather than being built on a foundation of good vs evil adrenaline.
Spike expresses that he was able to become attached to Xander just by relating to him. Although he initially pursued Xander in hopes of manipulating him and getting closer to killing Buffy, their bond quickly turned Spike into an ally. Meanwhile, Xander would have never gained the courage to finally break up with Tony if not for Spike’s influence. Spike and Xander have become better, stronger people just by being in each other’s lives. While Spike’s love for Buffy the Vampire Slayer was only ever self-destructive for both parties, his love for Xander has been self-sustaining for them both, and will hopefully continue to evolve as the series continues.
The Vampire Slayer #15 is available now from BOOM! Studios
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