In response to the Chair/Spuffy posts…
I’m a Spuffy/Chair shipper. They’re two of my three ultimate ships, so I’m going to respectfully disagree with this post
http://sidhlairiel.tumblr.com/post/30814826674/untangle-you-from-me-can-i-just-say-and-i-dont-want
comparing Bangel/Chair and Spuffy/Dair, which was a reply to this post:
http://heartsbeatasones.tumblr.com/post/30714655516/can-i-just-say-and-i-dont-want-to-offend-anyone
I think it’ll be easier to just make my own post. I’ll try to make my point the best I can.
If we look at these ships from the surface, you can make an argument for both sides. Yes, Chuck/Blair are the more “meant to be/endgame-y” type ship like Bangel, but Chuck/Blair are also the more darkly angsty, “bad boy” type ship like Spuffy. But I’m going to try to point out more specific examples of why I think Spuffy/Chair are sister ships.
I appreciate the comparison made about a “slow-burning love”, that wasn’t a love at first sight, but I’m going to counter it. Chuck and Blair met as kids. We never specifically see when, so are you saying that Chuck fell in love with Blair in fancy private preschool? That like Angel, he saw her and suddenly had a purpose? “They were never friends” I agree with you in regard to Bangel, but Chuck and Blair were friends since childhood. It’s clear in the first six episodes of the show that they know and understand each other quite well. It is after all, Chuck, who notices Blair’s dismay at Serena being back as well as her attempt to seduce Nate in the pilot. In 1x03 we see Chair scheming together for the first time (though they seem to already be quite familiar playing such games together) B: “You’re heinous.” C: “Which is probably why you called.” B: “You know me well.” They KNOW each other. At the beginning of Victor/Victrola, Chuck made it clear that Blair’s opinion mattered to him. I don’t think he was in love with her yet, at least not to his knowledge. All he knew was he cared what she thought.
“They are not written to be one another’s love interests.Their relationships develop organically out of the show’s writing, the chemistry of the actors and the evolution of the characters. “ I agree that this is a parallel between Dair/Spuffy, but the same is true of Chair. Yes, they began Chair in 1x07, very early on in the series, but prior to that, it wasn’t even certain whether Chuck would be a central character or a just a villain archetype (Much like Spike). Chuck wasn’t intended to be the love interest from day one. The producers saw the charisma Ed had, and the chemistry Chair had, which led them to going down that road (again much like Spike/Spuffy). “It is not love at first sight.” as I’ve already stated, Chuck and Blair were not love at first sight either. In fact BOTH of them, much like Spuffy, fought against the feelings they developed. For example a moment from Seventeen Candles, C: “How do you think I feel? I haven’t slept. I feel sick like there’s something in my stomach…fluttering.” B: “Butterflies?! Oh no no no no no no. This is not happening.” C: “Believe me, no one is more surprised or ashamed than I am.” This reminds me of Spike in Out of My Mind after he has the sexy dream about Buffy. His reaction is “God no. Please no.” Blair’s reaction is reminiscent of Buffy when she finds out Spike’s feelings in Crush. It took all of the first two seasons for Chair to be able to say those eight syllabled three words. So again like Spuffy it took a while, particularly for Buffy/Chuck, the two more prone to closing themselves off. B: “I love you. I’m in love with you. I’ve tried to kill it, to run away from it, but I can’t, and I don’t want to anymore.” That quote is from Blair, but it could easily describe Buffy in Chosen.
“It is not based upon idealisation or infatuation. It is based upon mutual understanding, affinity, trust and deep friendship….They have seen the best and the worst of each other. “ When was Chair based on idealism? Chuck, like Spike, has seen the darkest parts of Blair, and he’s the ONLY guy she’s been with who seems to accept that side of her. Both ships had a time where the men tried to pull the women further into darkness. It was a mixed bag for both ships. In one regard, it was great that Buffy/Blair could finally embrace their dark, passionate sides, but on the other hand, in both pairings, it was taken too far. Both couples had to find balance of light and dark. Furthermore, Dair are the definition of a pairing based off idealism. Dan fell in love with the Blair he wrote about in his book. He fell in love with Blair “in spite of her” and has said in disappointment on more than one occasion that he thought she “changed”. Whereas Chuck said to Nate “It’s stupid for you to want her to be anything other than what she is.” Much like Spike saying “I’ve seen the best and worst of you, and I understand with perfect clarity exactly what you are.” Both Chuck and Spike have seen all sides to Buffy and Blair, and they love all of it. The whole package. That is not idealism. That IS “mutual understanding”. On the issue of trust, I think it took a long time for both Spuffy/Chair to really develop that. B: “It’s not love. I could never trust you enough for it to be love.” S: “Trust is for old married’s Buffy.” It wasn’t something given lightly. It was something earned over many years.
“They make each other happy.” I’ll refer you to Blair’s own words “With Chuck, I’m vulnerable. He’s devastated me, but he’s also made me happier than I’ve ever been.” There are several episodes where Chuck and Blair enable the happiness of one another. He was the one to comfort her on her birthday when Nate hurt her. He gave her the perfect prom. Dan’s words were “Who even voted for her?” Chuck’s were “Me. About 150 times….I just wanted her to have the perfect night.” Chuck built up her self esteem when she was depressed about not being queen at NYU, saying “Next time you forget you’re Blair Waldorf, remember I’m Chuck Bass, and I love you.” and “You’re special enough on your own. You don’t need some group to say you are.” He helped her get into Columbia when she was too insecure to believe she could. And she was the one who comforted him when he lost his father. She constantly built his confidence. “You’re strong. You carry people. You carry me. You’re becoming a man in a way that your father never was.” There’s even a moment that mirrors Spuffy. Both Buffy and Blair say “I believe in you.” to Spike/Chuck. Later on the guys repeat these words as the reason for why they are making positive choices. S: “Because she believes in me.” C: “Because you believe in me.” I think this counts as making each other better.
“Bangel and Chair share endless similarities. There is an emphasis on telling rather than showing with both these couples.” Again, it was extremely hard for Chuck and Blair to even do the “telling” of love. Chuck has always been more comfortable with his actions than with speaking his feelings. It’s why he didn’t want her to know about him setting up her perfect prom, or getting the paparazzi to photograph her, or paying her dowry so she could be free. Just as Blair didn’t want him to know that she searched for him all summer after season 3. Their ACTIONS show they care, even when they’re fighting it with words. Much like how Spike had no intention of telling Buffy that he helped Dawn in Forever or why he took the beating from Glory in Intervention. As well as the staunch way Buffy defended Spike in season 7, despite claims of being over him.
“Chuck thinks the worst of Blair and Blair thinks the worst of Chuck” I’m sorry…what? This is like the most untrue statement. Not only is it untrue of Chuck and Blair, but it’s untrue of Buffy and Angel. I can’t believe I’m defending Bangel to anyone. Believe me, that is foreign. lol but they do not think the worst of each other. They admire the strength of the other. Do they inspire each other in the way Spuffy/Cangel do? No. But they do think well of each other. As far as Chair goes, I’ve already named several instances that prove that statement wrong. Yes, they (much like Spuffy) have had times where they said or did cruel things to each other. Just listen to half the things Buffy said about Spike in season 6. Both pairings had a time where they unleashed their pain on the other. But in BOTH occasions, they learned and grew from it. When Blair thought she was the reason Chuck went into darkness he said “You were the lightest thing to ever come into my life. I only turned dark and desperate because I was afraid of losing you. Your love kept me alive.” Clearly he thinks highly of Blair. He knew that he wasn’t always worthy of her love, much like Spike in The Gift, “I know you’ll never love me. I know I’m a monster. But you treat me like a man, and that’s…” In 5x06 Blair voices her concern that her faith in people may be her downfall. Chuck’s reply is “It’s why you’re going to be an amazing mother. You’re always there for the people you love, even when they don’t deserve it.” Both guys appreciate the loyalty the girls show, despite all the pain they’ve been through.
“Angel is an ensouled vampire who straddles the same worlds of light and dark that Buffy does. Chuck and Blair both like to scheme and tear down other people - in Blair’s own words, they are both sick and twisted people who are lucky to have found each other and who else but Chuck could love her after what she’s become?” You said earlier that Bangel and Chair were both about idealism, whereas Spuffy and Dair see the best and the worst of each other. These statements contradict with the above portion. Either Bangel/Chair don’t understand all sides of each other or they are together because of all that they are. It can’t go both ways. It’s not idealism if you accept all parts of the person. B: “I love every part of you.”. “But as each show progresses it becomes clear that there are other romantic options for these couples after all.” This is true of most shows. There are always other options. Otherwise it would be pretty boring to watch. But the bottom line is that Chuck and Blair never really let go of their love the way Angel and Buffy did. Chuck has never loved another. He cared for Eva, but like Blair with Louis(and even Dan to an extent) it was more about the fact that this person really cared for him. It was a safe and simple relationship where he couldn’t be hurt(because he wasn’t that invested in it), where he could pretend his darkness no longer existed. Blair did the same thing with Louis and Dan. They both needed to realize that they had to accept both their light AND dark sides. Would you ever say that Angel didn’t love Cordy or that he viewed her as some safe bet where he could deny a part of himself? I would hope not.“We are told how ‘epic’ they are. How great and powerful and all-consuming their love is.” I refer you to a few things Spike and Blair said about love. S: “Great love is wild and passionate and dangerous. It burns and consumes.” B: “What we have is a great love. It’s complicated. Intense. All-consuming.” S: “I love you. You’re all I bloody think about…dream about. You’re in my gut…in my throat. I’m drowning in you, Summers.” B: “I love you so much, it consumes me.”
Additionally, Buffy showed real support for Spike throughout season 7. I never saw Blair show that with Dan. Blair constantly had to be the center of everything to the point where she had to try to steal his spotlight when he finally got some attention. It always felt one sided. I could see possibly thinking that about pre-season 7 Spuffy, but season 7 changed it all. Her devotion to him was unmistakable. For example, there’s another paralleled moment between Spuffy/Chair in the way the guys wanted to leave to make things better for Buffy/Blair. C: “You’re world would be easier if I didn’t come back.” S: “I should move out…Leave town.” B: “That’s true, but it wouldn’t be my world without you in it.” B: “I’m not ready for you to not be here.”
“it is also why those who do not root for them like to argue that they ‘came out of nowhere’ or ‘make no sense’.” That is all a matter of shipper opinion. Sure, some people feel that way about Dair/Spuffy, but there are several fandom parallels between Bangel/Dair shippers. Both Bangel and Dair shippers have been known to call Spuffy/Chair “disgusting”, “abusive”, and “purely sex.”(on that note let’s remark on the blatant difference between Chair and Bangel. Bangel can’t even have sex, while Chair are very sexual. lol purely shallow contrasting there, but I couldn’t help it.). They also claim that Leighton/Sarah falter in acting with Ed/James, saying they have “dead eyes” or “monotone voices”, etc.
I think a lot of people hold Chuck and Blair’s position as “obvious” or “central” couple of the show against them. I understand the impulse to want to go with the unexpected and new(a lot of my pairings are the ones that come later). But just because something comes first, does not mean it’s less. One of the things I love about Gossip Girl is that it’s the very rare show that made the central couple the darker/angstier/fiery one. In most cases these ships are put on the back-burner. I will always praise Gossip Girl for being different in that regard, for making the central pairing the most complex and fascinating one to watch.Basically, we need to look beyond the surface of these ships. You can’t simply ship both Spuffy/Chair because the guys are “bad boys”, nor can you ship Spuffy/Dair because they came later on in the show and bicker a lot. My view is that Chuck and Spike both saw Blair and Buffy as the light in their life, the thing that made them want to be better. It took years and really dark breaking points for them to finally redeem themselves, but they both did. I also see Buffy and Blair as extremely loyal, devoted people who learn to forgive their loved ones. It’s one of the best things about these two heroines. These pairings are about darkness and light. They’re about losing control and gaining it back. They mean learning how to love and how to forgive. They push the boundaries of what’s right. They live in the grey. They’re wild and fiery. They’re challenging and exciting. They’re sweet and sexy. They’re about redemption and survival. They’re certainly my favorite pairings.
Reblogging for the elegant debunking of all these statements that people claim Chuck and Blair to be. It’s quite funny to see all the things they made up about them.
