#buffy-the-vampire-slayer-polls

[cancerian-woman]

Which Bonnie friendship do you prefer - Bonnie/Caroline or Bonnie/Elena? And, since I love reading your analysis, why?! :)

thank you! actually that’s kinda hard because both dynamics are written so poorly.

Full disclaimer: I wanted more girlhood moments for Barolena, Bonlena, Carolena and Baroline too. I won’t say Elena or Caroline don’t love or care for Bonnie but the way the writers went about the plot after a while Bonnie’s just their witch friend. The friendships are very unbalanced.

Bonlena: (1-2) had a unique softness that mimicked a good girlhood, sharing secrets, protectiveness spending quality time together and even showing each other comfort despite being upset with one another other. The lore for both chars did make sense why they gravitated towards each other naturally.- they still had plenty of issues don’t get me wrong lol but it made sense for 17-18 year olds. Then S3 & onward it became more about suffering/Elena’s love triangle really takes up tons of her character. Reducing her friendships with everyone honestly.

Baroline: isn’t just about life or death or grand sacrifices. Caroline picks up emotionally where Elena is dropped but we don’t always see that imo because the writers prioritize other things making Baroline more offscreen. We don’t see Bonnie prom-dress shopping but Caroline made sure Bonnie took a break from magic/her world. Caroline (and I think it would’ve been a stronger scene had Bonnie delivered) called Abby out for abandoning her again, and told Elena to give Bonnie that space in that moment. Caroline killed 12 witches for Bonnie’s survival. Bonnie’s sacrifices become bigger overtime and Caroline does benefit from that. Bonnie was there for Caroline’s pregnancy, birth, and even wedding. They do tend to discuss more softer things with each other. But, it’s so minimum compared to Caroline’s leading plots with her dating issues (Tyler, Stefan, Klaus…) then after Elena is in a coma well Baroline still isn’t held in high priority, so much of Bonnie after that is (Damon, Kai, or Enzo..). Despite, Caroline supporting Bonnie emotionally on/off screen Bonnie is still hesitant to share certain things with Caroline ex: being a witch, or wanting the cure for a human life with Enzo. Sybil had to be the one to tell Caroline she wasn’t paying attention to Bonnie’s needs and just on her own future. Hell, initially Caroline’s reaction was that Bonnie was jealous not that Bonnie waning a future for herself hence why she abandoned her own friends. I think it was a huge disservice to Baroline to delete the scene of Caroline offering comfort after Bonnie lost her connection to Enzo & saved her daughter’s lives.

And onto Carolena

Carolena: While we see them bond during college, or with vampire drama in 2-6 it’s still many unaddressed issues. Partially just mimicing Bonlena a bit and not have to deal with Bonnie in the dynamics. Caroline had plenty of insecurities (she’s a teen girl it happens) when it came to Elena which should’ve made their friendship develop differently. Maybe. Instead, Caroline’s writing does make her the voice for calling out Elena(majorly that anti-Elena audience). In return Elena doesn’t really get to voice her own opinions w/out being seen as making it about herself. Ex: When she advised Caroline to not turn her humanity off. Another thing DE is a big issue for Caroline (understandably so) when she’s calling Elena out, Elena should’ve got to address that Caroline acts similar when she’s with Klaus. Yes, Care called him out plenty but there’s quite a few moments that could pass off as emotional cheating to me that is. I think No-humanity Elena was right to imply that Caroline had some minor feelings for Klaus. How is Elena supposed to take the criticism seriously about her relationship. When Klaus was right in her face with Caroline supporting her-the same ep Caroline said Damon clouds her judgement. Does that mean Caroline’s feelings about Delena are invalid? No. But, if Caroline can hang out with Elena’s abuser in her face then it shouldn’t have mattered that Elena wanted Damon. Both were wrong. Instead, of letting them talk things out it was a lot of showing their dynamic but little emotional input.

TLDR: Barolena as a whole really deserved better. Better friendships dynamics and being catered too instead of the writers each propping up their relationships with men over each other. We got one sleepover for them, and a quick party scene before Elena kicked the girls out. Then after that trio moments are really bleak.

[forcebookish]

Hi! If you ever want to talk about Cordelia/Angel: tell us when you first started shipping Cangel, why you think they're perfect together, and some of your favorite Cangel scenes :)

:D i had to save this for my laptop because i have A LOT to say hehe

i started shipping cangel when i was twelve years old! they were my first buffyverse otp actually. the series had JUST been released to dvd (so i'm definitely aging myself here lol) and my junior high best friend and i would watch her copies on sleepovers and stuff. iirc she had already seen all of btvs and ats (i think on tv as they were airing too) and ats was her favorite so we started with that one. sometimes we'd go in order or bounce around, and watch btvs sometimes. i fell in love with cangel, and cordelia and angel as individual characters, pretty much right away.

one of my favorite things about cangel is that they just like each other. they're a friends to lovers romance that just works. cordelia has always been able to make angel smile or laugh, even when he was btvs's mysterious, tortured boyfriend guy and not the closet-goofball he'd grow to be, and he was the only scooby who, again, liked her in an uncomplicated way (with the exception of maybe oz, but oz was also a mysterious, tortured boyfriend guy and the writers didn't bother to have them interact more meaningfully).

they're comfortable with each other, they admire each other, and they're both looking for redemption. while neither of them became warriors on purpose at first, fighting against evil wasn't just their calling - it was something they chose again and again for themselves and to protect others. being together makes them better, and reveals how big their hearts actually can be. if you look at where they started in the beginning of ats and where they end up, their character develop has so much to do with having known and grown together. and that is just peak ship to me: when someone is fundamentally changed for the better by becoming close with someone else, can look at themselves proudly and know that it was because this other person came into their lives.

as for my favorite scenes, oh my god, i'm going to forget so many because i'm so behind on my rewatch and my memory is kinda shot BUT:

my favorite scenes speak more to what i like about them because i really like the little details of affection like the way he's so gentle with her in "expecting"; the big, doofy smile on his face when she casually says "i love you"; cordy noticing right away that angel is uncomfortable drinking blood in front of her and wesley and telling him, "don't be embarrassed, we're family"; ANY time angel goes into crazy overprotective mode; EVERY crumb in btvs.

the big ones are probably obvious, most (NOT THE ENDING) of "waiting in the wings" (who doesn't love a possessed by ghost lovers subplot?); "demonize me already"/the vision kiss; training together; "you're welcome"; cordy being there for him when baby connor was taken. probably more that i'm forgetting. i kind of love all their scenes (with the exception of the possessed-by-jasmine bullshit), so it's hard to choose 😅

ANYWAY OMG WHY DID I WRITE SO MUCH (AND I EVEN DELETED A PARAGRAPH) thanks for dropping in and asking! obviously i love talking about them hahaha

[forcebookish]

Hi!! I always love ship parallels so am wondering if you see any between Roschel and Cangel? (I know some would say Roschel and Bangel are more similar ships, but I think Roschel and Cangel have some similarities as well!)

Also, since we need some positivity, tell us why you love Roschel and why you believe they're right for each other!

OOOH i never would have thought of that, but definitely there are some parallels! first off, friends to lovers, of course; the way that fate, misunderstandings, and other people always seem to get in the way; and cangel at least briefly raise a baby together (and both angel and ross have a baby with an ex!)

plus, spoiled rich girl who ended up with nothing and becomes an extraordinary woman x guy traumatized by biblically bad breakups lol

as for why i love roschel, i think ross puts it perfectly: "it's always been you, rach." they've got a magnetic pull. it's something that's always there, always with them - so much so that they can't stand to be apart and neither can imagine their lives without the other. every other lover was just a place-holder for each other and nothing could stop them from loving each other. i don't think they ever fell out of love, i think their love just changed over time. and i think that's the main thing that lent to their popularity when the show was airing - it was clear that no matter what storyline was being pursued, ross and rachel love each other. there's no getting around it.

thank you for dropping in! these were good questions!!