Much Ado About Riley

[lunabee34]

I've been thinking a good deal about Riley's character and his place in slash fandom after last week's club_joss discussion of trepkos's "Moonstruck I." He's so often cast as the villain of a Spander or Spangel piece (and not just the villain, but the Villian LOL), that I had never read a slash story in which Riley played a positive role until emella pointed me to eliade's Reprise.

Many of the Buffyverse fandom classics (I'm thinking jameschick's Quantum Xander and Lazuli's Repossession) are built around the premise that Riley is really a huge, evil sadist. And I'm not saying that's wrong; I enjoyed reading both those stories very much. I think that pushing the boundaries of characterization is really what fanfic is about. For this same reason, I enjoy stories that explore Angelus equally as well as those that focus on Angel. One thing I think the Buffyverse hammers home is that we all have an inner Angelus just waiting to come out to play.

When I was watching the show, I never really felt very strongly about Riley's character; I don't like the actor all that much. He's never really pushed my buttons. But I certainly didn't hate him or anything. What I found after reading so much fanfic that cast him in a negative role is that I started to hate Riley's character unreasonably. When I found Reprise, I had to step back and think, "Now why do I hate Riley so much? He's really kinda goofy and noble." LOL

After that, I began to enjoy Riley more. I don't like Marc Blucas's execution of the character; that doesn't mean that the character isn't really complex and fascinating (guy living a double life, gives it all up for what's right, etc).

So, after that long-winded intro:
1. Riley as the slash bad guy
2. fanfic affecting character perception

Discuss!

Comments

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

I know. Although for me, Warren is the only one of the Triad that I would classify as evil. I think Andrew views it all as just a game; one of his favorite pastimes is creating narratives in his head, and I don't think he realizes the implications/consequences of his "adventures" many times. I also think that he is in love with Warren which influences his behavior. This of course does not justify or excuse the wrong things he does. Jonathan is more difficult for me to pin down. I think he is very concerned about the consequences of what the Triad does; he's always the voice of conscience/reason in their pow-wows. I think he so wants friendship that he's willing to do what's wrong in order to keep it. He's not lost in fantasy land like Andrew; he's just very very lonely,and it is really sad, because he would've made a fine Scoobie.

[executrix.livejournal.com]

Warren is one of very few human beings in all of BtVS/AtS canon I would classify as evil (Ethan Rayne, Maggie Walsh, maybe Holland Manners; I don't know if Lindsay and Lilah ever manage to be as evil as they tried to be).

Now that I think of it, maybe if the original plan had been followed it would have eventually been Xander/Jonathan rather than Willow/Tara. And I can just imagine her face in, err, I think it was "Primeval":
WILLOW: Jonathan's your BOYFRIEND?

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

I can see Xander/Jonathon and I'm actually a fan of well done Xander/Andrew.

Maggie Walsh definitely falls into the evil category.

Lindsey and Lilah aren't pure evil. Just evil enough to be REALLY sexy. LOL

[executrix.livejournal.com]

You're a tolerant person, lunabee--most people just can't see past the "lawyer" to think of anybody as sexy.

Stalking my own old posts like a lame-o

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

But see, I've met you, and I KNOW you are sexy.

:)