Agree with you about the people who want to short sell Spike at all turns.
I actually think there's a material difference between Angel's final battle and Buffy's. Buffy is fighting a power that threatens to destroy the world as it is. Whether she's thought it through or not, what else can she do but try to stop it? Angel is fighting the power that sustains the world as it is. (Defining the apocalypse as ordinary human existence is the big bold move of the series). That changes all of the equations about what's worth risking in order to fight the battle at all. NFA is a much darker affair than is The Chosen.
no subject
I actually think there's a material difference between Angel's final battle and Buffy's. Buffy is fighting a power that threatens to destroy the world as it is. Whether she's thought it through or not, what else can she do but try to stop it? Angel is fighting the power that sustains the world as it is. (Defining the apocalypse as ordinary human existence is the big bold move of the series). That changes all of the equations about what's worth risking in order to fight the battle at all. NFA is a much darker affair than is The Chosen.