For me, it probably would have worked fine to break the "traditional rules" if those rules had just been spoken. My problem was that those rules then became an essential part of the story arc for S2. Even in S7, Buffy is still spouting those same rules (e.g. in Him or LMPTM). It came across to me as the writers pretending that they hadn't changed the rules when Spike's pretty hard to explain unless they did. Plus, having him undertake "trials" as part a "quest" to regain the soul seems like they were trying to have their cake and eat it too: reaffirming the soul canon while leaving us to wonder why a vampire would ever do such a thing voluntarily.
Anyway, that's why I think they should have addressed it more openly. I actually love S7 and would like S6 even better if they had avoided the drugs stuff, but I always have to justify my suspension of disbelief when they get to Grave.
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branchandroot
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Date: 2015-09-02 02:29 am (UTC)Anyway, that's why I think they should have addressed it more openly. I actually love S7 and would like S6 even better if they had avoided the drugs stuff, but I always have to justify my suspension of disbelief when they get to Grave.